Dark Horizons

MOTE Prompt Response

Marko stared across the peaks stretching out before him. The surveys from the scout ships had not done any justice to this range. Instead of a single line of mountains dividing the land, this was more like three or four ranges deep. The peaks marched away, creating a dark line on the horizon. His job now was to get them safely to or beyond that dark horizon and back again.

Jace stepped up beside him. “Wow. This is unexpected,” he said, gazing out at the multitude of peaks marching into the distance. A light wind blew into their faces, creating a susurrating whisper in the conifers standing behind them.

Marko gave his second a wry glance. “Yeah. Unexpected. That’s a good word. We’ll camp here for a couple of days and send out the drones. Hopefully we can find a way through that doesn’t involve walking down into every valley and then back up again.”

“You got that right! Too bad the skimmers are useless in the mountains. Some techie will have to figure out how to make something that will work like a skimmer, get us lower than a flyer, and save us all the walking. You’re the boss… can you get someone working on that?” Jace grinned and patted Marko on the shoulder.

“Sadly for you, I’m only the boss on this expedition. And besides, I don’t think Adria has the materials needed to build a… what? Skimming flyer? Flying skimmer? Flimmer?” Marko shook his head.

Jace laughed. “Oh, I bet with the right incentives she could build just about anything out of anything. She’s that good.”

“Who’s that good? At what?” The voice came from behind them.

Jace turned and smiled at Adria as she walked up the little shoulder of the mountain they were standing on. “You are, my temporary little sister. You can make miraculous things from practically nothing!” He patted her on the head.

Adria absentmindedly swatted his hand away. “Wow! That’s a hella lot of mountains! Are we gonna go through those? And how are we going to do that?”

Marko grimaced. “That’s what we’re going to figure out over the next couple of days. Are the drones fully charged and ready?”

“Yep. When do you want me to send them out, and which direction?” Adria continued to stare out at the seemingly endless mountain range.

“Let’s go get the others and set up camp, and then figure that out,” Marko replied. The three explorers turned back and trudged back down to where they’d stopped for a midday break. The remining two members of their team were lying with their heads on packs, taking a quick cat nap. They sat up as soon as the others reached them.

“Hey, what’s it look like, boss?” Kade blinked up at Marko.

“Mountains. Lots and lots of mountains,” Jace answered. He started pulling gear off the float sled. Karian jumped up and started helping him.

“We setting up camp here?” she asked.

“Yes.” Marko outlined his plans to the group and they set about putting a comfortable campsite together. They would figure out a way through or maybe around this endless mountain range. The initial satellite images showed a large sea on the other side and all of it looked promising for a new colony.

******

This week’s MOTE prompt challenge was delivered by Padre: Beyond the dark horizon. To see what others have done for their challenges, make your way over to More Odds Than Ends and give yourself a reading break.

*Photo of Bavarian Alps taken by author.