((Written at the request of Neopill))
Neopill stared at the ruined equipment around him and swore. Profanely. It had almost worked. The young woman standing at the pier managed to bring help. Melvina. He would remember that name.. if he lived. It wasn't looking so good right now. The few meager supplies he had were gone. No water. No food. Wreckage for a hovercraft. A lot of dead people for a crew. Nothing was going right.
He sighed and sat down in the middle of the useless broadcasting equipment. They had managed to get him to a signal booster. It was good to see his fleet mate Copperfield again. But it was too much for the old ruined equipment. He remembered saying something about signal strength before sparks exploded in his mind and he was dumped unceremoniously back into the real. He had a few burns from short circuiting equipement practically exploding around him but he didn't have the strength anymore to even try to inspect them.
This was his last desperate hope... and it failed.
There was nothing left to do. No avenues of escape.
This is where it would all end. In the middle of nowhere.. alone.
He knew where he went wrong now. The connections he had jury-rigged between the broadcast equipement and the distress beacon weren't the best. They sort of worked though. Diverting energy from to the small blinking box constantly beeping it's silent signal into the night may have been a bad idea. Now everything was cooked. The broadcast equipment. The beacon. His hair. Neopill lay back in exhaustion not even caring that something was poking him in the back. He was too tired to feel pain. To numb. Plus he had a low rumble in his ears that was more annoying. Neopill sat up suddenly. As suddenly as he could manage anyway. The sound came from behind him somewhere. As he turned slowly to look lights flashed on turning his surroundings from night to day. It blinded him for a long moment. He raised one arm to shield his eyes and he noticed for the first time how thin he was now. He wondered how long he had been out of food. It didn't seem like that long ago in his mind. The lights in his eyes became blurry and covered in darkness as he toppled over. The last of his strength was gone.
***********
Neopill woke suddenly. He was floating. No. He was being carried very carefully. Metal tentacles held him gently as he moved slowly through the air. He tried to struggle but with his endurance at it's limit he passed out again.
***********
"Neopill." A voice whispered in his mind. A soft voice. One he knew from somewhere. "Are you awake?"
"Yes." He croaked out. Or at least tried to. His voice wasn't working. His throat parched from thirst like never before.
"We found you." The voice whispered again. "Thanks to Melvina and Copperfield. The others too."
"Where..." It was all he could utter before his energy fled.
"You're safe now." The quiet voice sounded relieved. "We'll have you back with your people in no time."
Neopill pried open his eyes. He was laying in a soft bunk with clean sheets. All around him were medical supplies and equipment lined up neatly on shelves. The bright lights almost hurt and only highlighted how grimy and thin he was. A water bottle with a straw of some sort was suddenly before him. He sipped before trying to speak again. He looked to the side and saw that it was a tall woman holding the water bottle and staring down at him with concern written upon a face that could grace any magazine cover were it not for the old scar above her right eye.
"Sky..." Neopill croaked out again. He was tired. Real tired.
"You're gonna be okay my friend." Skyscream whispered. "You're gonna be okay."
Neopill looked up at his old friend and saw the concern in her eyes. The lie upon her lips. She wasn't sure.
