Crone World - Part 6

Holm spent all of the following day in his berth, trying to rest.  Unfortunately, sleep was hard to come by because of the constant ache in his injured arm.  When it did come, his dreams were filled with tentacles, hot winds, and jeering Orks.  Displeased at his inability to sleep, he showered, shaved, and dressed.   The sun had just dipped behind the eastern horizon when he left the ship, joining Tulley at a roaring fire that Tulley had just started.

The corporal was seated cross-legged on an equipment crate, busily shoving food from a ration tin into his mouth.  When he became aware of his captain, he froze like a child being caught doing something they should not have.  Holm chuckled and waved to Tulley to throw him a tin.

“I completely understand, corporal.  Enjoy your food how you like,” Holm said as he broke the seal on the ration tin.     The scent of desiccated meat wafted into his nostrils.  He frowned as he looked at the limp strips of flesh in the tin before he pulled one out and bit off a piece. The food didn’t taste much better than it looked.  He was distracted from the taste when Tulley spoke.

“What are our chances of getting off this rock, sir?”

“I haven’t a clue, corporal.  Why do you ask?”

Tulley sighed as he put his tin down.  “I dunno.  I just wanted to hear another person, other than Reymalden’s blathering, to shore up my flagging hopes.  Our first go round with this place didn’t go over very well.”

“Reymalden has hope,” Holm countered.  “You saw how he reacted when we discovered the Lyths.”

“That’s just it, captain.  He’s always enthusiastic, just not about stuff that pertains to the rest of us.”

“What do you mean?  Explain.”

“I mean that Reymalden doesn’t seem to understand that we’re in some serious shit here, sir.  To me, he acts like he’s on a grand holiday to the beach.  He’s more concerned about those damned stones and how they work than he is about our survival.”

“Is that all?” Holm asked.

“No, sir.  I also find it disturbing that he never takes off that helmet.”

Holm sat back after this revelation.  Deep down, he felt the same way that Tulley did.  He also noticed that Reymalden was unconcerned about the dangers of this Chaos infested world, and was more interested in delving into its hidden technological secrets.

“Your declaration is noted, corporal.  I assure you, this thing is as uncomfortable to wear as it is for you to look upon,” Reymalden quipped as he stepped out of the shadows, tapping the side of his helmet. "It should suffice to say that wearing this is more out of necessity than nefariousness."