shipmaster | (no subject)

I could see my cascade having had an impact, but ... yours is the same as mine.

[They beep again: 70%]

Or they're sensitive to cold...

... Come on, then. Let's get away from this place before they tick down any further.

[ He leads the way down the next hallway. ]

[Bel only stops to close the door to the medbay. The nice thing about Miles' stature is that it doesn't take more than a few longer strides to catch back up.

At the next door, Bel glances at Miles, and pulls open the door to....

well. THIS has potential. The room is filled to the brim with miscellany. Odds, ends, bits of hardware, tech and less identifiable things are strewn all over the open chambers.]

Jack~pot~

[ Miles' eyes instantly brighten as well. ]

Now we're talking. I bet we can get something going with this.

[ He immediately strides in to sort through trash. ]

[Bel follows, crouching by the first likely piles. They have no idea what ANY of this crap is, but they CAN sort out anything mechanic-

And that SURE IS A WEAPON. Who knows what kind of charges it took. If any were available. Or would ever be available.

BUT IT IS THEIRS NOW.]

HA! It's like I'd been naked, honestly. [Is it out of place to hug an alien weapon? Oh probably. They're doing it anyway.]

[ Miles ain't gonna shame them for it, okay. He's already digging through his pile for something useful. He's finding quite a lot of wire here. And - most importantly, some kind of broken communications device. ]

Bravo. Maybe we can wire it up to our suits and power it that way.

[ He says, holding up the rat's nest of wires. ]

Oh! Brilliant.

I'll be willing to try anything.

[They set the gun down, carefully, pointed away from both of them. and amble over to look at their new prize.

The suits beep, first Miles, then Bel's. 50%]

Ah.

[ Miles goes still for a moment, staring at the readout. So it wasn't the cold, was it. In fact, it seems a lot like... ]

Captain? I think we should leave. Now.

[Bel's heart skips in that frozen second.

They dip only to scoop up their new spoils and pull the door open wide for Miles.]

Go.

You too. That's an order.

[ But he's not going to waste any time arguing. He tucks his own spoils under one arm and runs for his life. Following their marks, back past the medbay and that hideous green room ... ]

[There was NO hesitance from Bel in following, their footfalls heavier, but no less frantically hurried.

As they pass the green room, another set of beeps follow them. 40%

30% by the time they see the stronger, natural light filtering through the slashed hull.]

There!

[ 30% should be enough, right? Except ... Miles had fallen a bit to get down in here, and there's not much by way of handholds from this angle. He could toss his stolen goods out easily enough, but getting out himself ... Miles is too damn short to get anywhere near the edge of the gash, no matter how decent of a jump he manages. ]

Dammit. We need a little more height--!

[ Miles retreats a step or two, looking for something to stack on their end. 20%. ]

[The halls were empty, the nearest place to raid for anything at all was the rancid room...

Bel pushes their weapon, knife and scavenged parts out of the gash and kneel.]

I'll push you up.

[ Miles turns sharply at that. ]

I don't know if I can pull you up after. We both need to get out.

If you can't, Sergeant Taura can. You're wasting time.

[ He still makes a face. But reluctantly, he nods and moves to step closer to Bel. ]

Quickly, then. We will pull you out of here, one way or another.

No shit. I'm collecting on that raincheck.

[15%. It takes a little maneuvering, a little unsteady balance as the practicalities of this was never quite as smooth or as easy as it looked in the holos. It's a little wobbling, but between them, they manage to push most of Miles' chest past the lip of the gap.]

[ That's all Miles really needs. He scrabbles up over the lip from there, still clinging to his own little pile of recovered tech. He dumps it on the ground, then whirls back for Bel. Hanging out over the edge of the gash, arm stretched out to them. ]

Come on, then. Take my hand.

[Bel jumps up and grasps Miles' hand. The suits feet scrabble on the smooth surface of the walls, looking for enough purchase to pull up. The sudden force of weight on Miles' drags him close - dangerously close to falling in themselves again, - and it's especially good for the synth bones right now.

Miles' suit beeps at 15%. Holding.]

Steady!

[ So it is the ship draining their energy. That's good to know - if they can get back out again. Miles cries out in pain as Bel's weight instantly draws him back down, nearly toppling him over again. Synth bones or not, he's still weak from his recent cryorevival. It's only stubbornness driving his grip right now. ]

I'm - holding - dammit --

[ He resettles his grip on the outside of the gash and hauls back with all of his diminutive weight. ]

Hold harder!

[Miles gets a few inches, enough for Bel to swing and grab his hand with their other. Hand over hand, they ... sort of climb up Miles, scrabbling at the lip when they have a good handhold. Their suit is beeping wildly: 5%]

[ That works. Miles holds still while Bel does that, fearing that any twitch would send both of them falling back down and freezing inside their suits. ]

Captain!

[ He turns just enough to give Bel one last push towards safety. ]

[They just drop where they are, arm held up to watch the power ... not ticking down any further. They are just going to lay here a moment, breathing out some of this adrenaline.]

Yes. Thank you.

[ Oh thank god. Miles flops down into the sand next to them, just grateful to still be functioning. Despite being right back out in the sand where they started. ]

That .... is a problem.