What to do? - Quantum Fold Chapter 8/8
Kayla landed back at her shelter. She was hot and exhausted. She took off her jacket and collapsed onto the familiar battered sofa.
Relief surged through her—she’d found the nest complex. The main key to completing her mission. A turning point. But dread clung to her.
She had watched as the unborn creatures rocked the eggs. There was no doubt they would start hatching soon. She had hours, maybe less.
The nest complex was massive. Too massive. She had only thirty Prometheus-9 charges—compact, potent and designed as a portable tactical weapon, but their impact range was limited. Not ideal for destroying a complex as vast as the nest. It was only high explosive left after the last war that nearly wiped out all life on Earth, the final scraps of humanity’s arsenal.
Her kin had carefully calculated the hatch timing but hadn’t anticipated the scale. Not even close. Perhaps they knew too well but had nothing more to offer and prayed she would improvise.
She had two options: obliterate every egg in some sort of fire storm or collapse the entire nest and entomb or crush them. There could be absolutely no survivors if she was to decisively end the reptiles.
“Think, Kayla,” she whispered, pressing her palms to her temples. She hadn’t come this far to fail.
It was then she caught a pungent odor she couldn’t place. “What is that”, she mumbled.
She rose, instinct prickling. The shelter had suffered more quakes while she was gone; dust and debris blanketed the floor. She followed the scent through fractured corridors, past shattered beams and cracked walls, until she reached the supply chamber.
The vault-like door of the chamber was tilted, its frame warped and separating from the rock. The smell was strongest here—acrid, organic.
She unbolted the door and with all her strength heaved it open. The stench hit her causing her to reel back. Reptilians! How?
The overhead light was dead. She grabbed a portable lamp and stepped inside.
She was stunned. Chaos. Rocks, debris, shelves overturned. Supplies scattered. But most of the supplies were missing.
Then—her breath caught.
At the far end of the room, half-hidden by rubble and dark, yawned a hole—a tunnel. Wide enough to walk through.
They’d found her shelter.
She rushed to the explosives cache. Her heart thudded like a drum.
Empty.
The Prometheus-9 charges were gone.
Her mission—her last hope—had been stolen. And her shelter was no longer safe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in her album titled, Quantum Fold:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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What to do? - Quantum Fold Chapter 8/8
Kayla landed back at her shelter. She was hot and exhausted. She took off her jacket and collapsed onto the familiar battered sofa.
Relief surged through her—she’d found the nest complex. The main key to completing her mission. A turning point. But dread clung to her.
She had watched as the unborn creatures rocked the eggs. There was no doubt they would start hatching soon. She had hours, maybe less.
The nest complex was massive. Too massive. She had only thirty Prometheus-9 charges—compact, potent and designed as a portable tactical weapon, but their impact range was limited. Not ideal for destroying a complex as vast as the nest. It was only high explosive left after the last war that nearly wiped out all life on Earth, the final scraps of humanity’s arsenal.
Her kin had carefully calculated the hatch timing but hadn’t anticipated the scale. Not even close. Perhaps they knew too well but had nothing more to offer and prayed she would improvise.
She had two options: obliterate every egg in some sort of fire storm or collapse the entire nest and entomb or crush them. There could be absolutely no survivors if she was to decisively end the reptiles.
“Think, Kayla,” she whispered, pressing her palms to her temples. She hadn’t come this far to fail.
It was then she caught a pungent odor she couldn’t place. “What is that”, she mumbled.
She rose, instinct prickling. The shelter had suffered more quakes while she was gone; dust and debris blanketed the floor. She followed the scent through fractured corridors, past shattered beams and cracked walls, until she reached the supply chamber.
The vault-like door of the chamber was tilted, its frame warped and separating from the rock. The smell was strongest here—acrid, organic.
She unbolted the door and with all her strength heaved it open. The stench hit her causing her to reel back. Reptilians! How?
The overhead light was dead. She grabbed a portable lamp and stepped inside.
She was stunned. Chaos. Rocks, debris, shelves overturned. Supplies scattered. But most of the supplies were missing.
Then—her breath caught.
At the far end of the room, half-hidden by rubble and dark, yawned a hole—a tunnel. Wide enough to walk through.
They’d found her shelter.
She rushed to the explosives cache. Her heart thudded like a drum.
Empty.
The Prometheus-9 charges were gone.
Her mission—her last hope—had been stolen. And her shelter was no longer safe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can view Quantum Fold episodes in order from the beginning in her album titled, Quantum Fold:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/albums/72177720326169...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is an A.I. image generated using my SL avi.
I hope my pictures make you smile ♥
If you like what you see, please toss me a fav and follow me. I love seeing your comments. They make my day and keep me motivated!
I love my followers. You guys totally ROCK! ♥♥
And if you're taking time to read this you are SO awesome!!! Thank you!!!! ♥♥♥
Here's a link to my other Flickr photos/ images:
www.flickr.com/photos/199076397@N02/