Project Boussh: A Slippery Situation
by Alison Sky

Morwen leaned over the side of the raft, looking into the murky waters.  "He's
been down there a long time," she said, worry on her face.
"Don't worry," Winter said, attempting to clean some of the oil that had
spalshed into their raft.  "Ooryl will be back in contact soon."
Alison had out a pair of binoculars, keeping her eyes on shore.  She was
watching in case someone noticed their efforts.  As so far, no one was
suspicious about their work.  A few more groups were out in rafts, looking for
any animal that might be in distress.  "I can't believe this," she muttered
under her breath.
"Believe what?" Winter asked.  She took out a towel and wiped her hands clean.
Alison sat back, sighing.  "All my life, I've always loved nature.  I can't
draw worth a dime, but I try my best to take pictures that capture the essence
of nature.  I've always wanted to visit here.  Everything is so magical."
Morwen nodded.  "It will be again.  As long as we act fast, this will get
cleaned up."
Alison nodded and looked out over the waters.  she saw something bobbing in the
water.  Grabbed her binoculars, she could see two of the galapogos penguins,
fighting though the sludge.  In between them was a baby penguin.  "Oh my god!"
Morwen and Winter were instantly by her side.  Morwen started to grab a paddle
to stear themselves to the animals, but Alison grabbed a set of goggles and a
snorkle.  Winter tried to grab her, but Alison jumped into the water faster
than they thought possible.  "Follow her!" Winter shouted, and the two started
to paddle after her.

Alison swam under the water for most of the distance.  It was easier than
swimming along the oiled surface.  She saw the blured form of the animals, and
saw that they had both stopped.  As she came back to the surface, Alison came
up beside them.  The waves from her arrival bobbed them up and down, and Alison
saw that neither parent moved.  The baby's eyes turned to her, the rest of it's
small body covered in the oil.  It tried to move, and slipped off the parents
and into the water.  Gasping, Alison dived into the water again, searching for
the baby in the murk.
As she went under the water, she felt a hand grab her leg, then sneak up her
body to her waist.  She knew not to scream, as she would lose all her oxygen.


Winter and Morwen had seen Alison dive under again just as they made it to the
area.  They couldn't see through the layer of oil, and they hoped she was ok. 
Yet, when she didn't resurface right away, they began to worry.
"What do you think she dove after?" Morwen asked?
"I don't know," Winter replied.  "But if she's not back in a minute, I'm going
in after her."

Alison struggled at the arm around her waist.  She looked down and saw a man in
scuba gear looking at her.  Her goggles had an oily film to it, but she could
see that he had the face of a mendellian.  He reached up to grab her snorkle,
and she kicked at him, trying to get him off her body.
Suddenly, a gray blur came out of nowhere and grabbed the soldier around his
neck.  His grip on Alison slackened, and she kciked away.
Ooryl and the soldier fought underwater for a moment, and even though the
water, she heard the snap of the man's neck breaking.  She winced, and before
she knew it, Ooryl was at her side.  He grabbed her arm, as to pull her to the
surface.  However, she swam away from him and grabbed her precious cargo. 
Together, they kicked up to the surface.

Morwen hauled Alison into the raft as Winter did the same to Ooryl.  Without
waiting or explaining, Alison grabbed the water bottle they had and started to
try and clean the oil off the baby penquin in her arms.  She held her breath,
working to clear the oil from his little beak and mouth.  The penquin, no
matter how hard she tried, would not move.  But she kept scrubbing, hoping that
once all the oil was gone, the penquin would awaken.
Finally, Ooryl reached over and gently took the tiny animal from her arms.  He
passed it to Winter, then wiped at Alison's face with a towel.  From the time
she had come out of the water, she had forgotten that she was covered in a
layer of oil from head to toe.  She also didn't know that she was crying.
Ooryl pulled her close as she wept.  She had tried to save the baby animal, but
the soldier had kept her from it.  If only she hadn't panicked, if only she had
swam faster...
"No matter what you were thinking," Ooryl said, "Ooryl must remind you that
it's not your fault."
"I know, but there has to be something I could have done," Alison sobbed. 
Morwen and Winter gently put the baby penquin back with it's parents.  They
would be picked up by the real enviornmentalists later.
"You tried.  That was more than the baby could have wanted."
Alison looked out over the waters, then at her friend's faces.  "They are going
to pay for this," Alison whispered.  
"They are going to pay for a lot of things," Morwen stated.  "THis is just one
of many."
Ooryl nodded.  "Ooryl got the footage Wedge needed.  Ooryl suggests we get to
shore and clean up, then listen to rumors on land."
Winter and Morwen nodded and they started to paddle for shore.  Ooryl worked on
cleaning up the recorder, and Alison just stared out over the water.  She kept
her eyes on the bobbing bodies of the penquins until they disappeared from
sight.  Oh yes, Atner would pay for this.  No more innocents, human, animal or
Alien, would die from his plots.