shipmaster | (no subject)

[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.

[Their own readout sits, alarming, at 2%. They watch it a little more, feeling cold from the nerves and the near miss. Is the weakness their imagination or...?]

More than a little one. We're going to have to warn the others...

[ Miles sure isn't letting his gaze stray from Bel for a moment here. He needs to make sure they're going to continue to be all right. ]

Yes, agreed. I need to warn them. [ A pause. ] You need to rest.

I'm fine, just shaken. [Probably. Or will be as long as nothing else happens. They look over at Miles, not getting up yet, but frowning.] Everything whole there?

[ Miles turns a bit, checking himself over. Nothing wrong here. ]

I'm perfectly fine. Thanks to you boosting me out, I still have more power than you do.

Edited 2016-10-31 01:42 (UTC)

[There's a long moment, weighing just how much trouble Miles can get into...

Versus Miles on a really specific mission.]

There is that..

Fine. Just be careful. [They close their eyes, as if for patience, ... or maybe just to nap for a moment.]

[ Poor Bel. Miles' expression softens for a moment before he gets up. ]

Ten minutes, I promise.

[ He hurries off. ]

[In the bright, punishing heat of the nearby star, Miles' suit quickly begins to recharge as he scrambles back up the walls of the sinkhole and onwards.

In the dimmer comfort of the sinkhole, and perhaps the proximity to the ship, the recharge is much slower... but persistently there. In those long minutes, Bel began to feel better.

Then bored.

Then REALLY BORED.

By the time Miles returns, Bel is up, moving around at a safer 30% and searching around the ship for debris to throw down the gap for an easier time getting back out.]

[ It doesn't help that Miles appears to be taking his sweet time about it. But eventually he does return, grinning from ear to ear. ]

Captain! I have a surprise for you.

[Which means, by the time Miles actually saunters in, Bel is sitting on top of the ship, legs swinging, their task ... relatively done.]

Admiral... should I be worried?