finished the question, returning in a few moments, holding a feebly burning hand lamp to guide her steps and extending a second one to Nick. “I think the power’s depleted, although how, with the ship being new –”
Nick took it. “Worry about it later. Complain to SMT in writing, maybe. Let’s get these people out while there’s any light at all and the hull’s holding.”
He moved by the flickering, pale illumination of the hand lamps to the entryway into the dressing area, which was blocked by debris. As he played the light over the daunting obstacle, Nick realized the bulkhead had partially caved in. Trying to assess the integrity of the stateroom’s ceiling, he shone the beam upward. The view was not reassuring – visible stress fractures ran through the exposed struts.
The lamp flickered out.
Giving it a sharp whack on the side brought a slight intensification in the light. Khevan aimed the stronger beam from his lamp onto the one Nick was holding.
“Check the small panel under your thumb,” the Brother said, his tone disbelieving. “Does it not say Star Dream ?”
“Are you telling me they equipped this ship with recycled emergency gear?” Mara’s eyebrows rose to her hairline, and she inhaled sharply.
“No time to worry about it. I’m keeping mental score for later.” Nick gave her a small smile, handing her the lamp. “Here, you hold the light for us. Khevan, give her yours, too. Let’s see what we can do about shifting some of the debris, and maybe the kids can crawl out to us then.”
“But the mother –” Mara’s voice trailed off as Nick stared at her, keeping his face blank.
Nick and Khevan managed to move some of the lightweight panels out of the way, only to be faced with a tangled pile of circuitry, luggage, clothes and, finally, when they dug far enough, the door to the bathroom, which had been blown inward and warped to block the entrance to the children’s room.
“Paolo, are you okay?” Mara called, as Nick and Khevan took a break to assess the best way to proceed.
“Yes.” There was a pause. “But Mommy’s not awake yet. Gianna’s frightened.”
“Well, she’s a very little girl,” Mara reminded the boy soothingly, exchanging glances with Nick and Khevan. “She’s lucky to have a big brother like you.”
“Did you – did you see my dad anywhere?”
Mara sighed. Taking a deep breath, she answered cheerfully, even while making a sad-faced grimace to Nick. “No, sweetheart, I didn’t find him, but I’ve got the next best thing out here – a Special Forces captain and a D’nvannae Brother. Exactly like in an adventure holo, you know? They came for you and Gianna.”
“And Mommy.” The boy’s voice wavered.
Hand to her mouth, Mara nodded. “Yes, they’re here to help your mother, too.”
Nick dusted off his hands and rolled his shoulders, wincing with pain from the earlier collision with his bed frame. “I’m going to crawl under and see if I can’t force the bedroom door to open wider. Then the kids can make their way to me or I’ll work my way back to where they are. Either way, I’ll get them out. Mara, take the first child, and head for the undamaged corridor area. Get beyond the blast door inlet, got it?” Nick made sure she acknowledged this critical safety instruction. “Don’t come back in here once you’ve gotten out. No matter what.”
Wrapping his hands in torn clothing from the mess on the cabin floor, Khevan got a firm grip on the edges of the warped bathroom door. Exerting maximum effort, the Brother was able to raise it enough for Nick to wriggle under, then worm his way through the partially open door of the second stateroom. He shoved his way into the darkness of the children’s bedroom, pushing the hand lamp in front of him, trying not to think about all the hundreds of tons of debris piled above him. Standing up as soon as he cleared the threshold, lamp in hand, Nick faced a tangled mess, hardly recognizable as
Nick took it. “Worry about it later. Complain to SMT in writing, maybe. Let’s get these people out while there’s any light at all and the hull’s holding.”
He moved by the flickering, pale illumination of the hand lamps to the entryway into the dressing area, which was blocked by debris. As he played the light over the daunting obstacle, Nick realized the bulkhead had partially caved in. Trying to assess the integrity of the stateroom’s ceiling, he shone the beam upward. The view was not reassuring – visible stress fractures ran through the exposed struts.
The lamp flickered out.
Giving it a sharp whack on the side brought a slight intensification in the light. Khevan aimed the stronger beam from his lamp onto the one Nick was holding.
“Check the small panel under your thumb,” the Brother said, his tone disbelieving. “Does it not say Star Dream ?”
“Are you telling me they equipped this ship with recycled emergency gear?” Mara’s eyebrows rose to her hairline, and she inhaled sharply.
“No time to worry about it. I’m keeping mental score for later.” Nick gave her a small smile, handing her the lamp. “Here, you hold the light for us. Khevan, give her yours, too. Let’s see what we can do about shifting some of the debris, and maybe the kids can crawl out to us then.”
“But the mother –” Mara’s voice trailed off as Nick stared at her, keeping his face blank.
Nick and Khevan managed to move some of the lightweight panels out of the way, only to be faced with a tangled pile of circuitry, luggage, clothes and, finally, when they dug far enough, the door to the bathroom, which had been blown inward and warped to block the entrance to the children’s room.
“Paolo, are you okay?” Mara called, as Nick and Khevan took a break to assess the best way to proceed.
“Yes.” There was a pause. “But Mommy’s not awake yet. Gianna’s frightened.”
“Well, she’s a very little girl,” Mara reminded the boy soothingly, exchanging glances with Nick and Khevan. “She’s lucky to have a big brother like you.”
“Did you – did you see my dad anywhere?”
Mara sighed. Taking a deep breath, she answered cheerfully, even while making a sad-faced grimace to Nick. “No, sweetheart, I didn’t find him, but I’ve got the next best thing out here – a Special Forces captain and a D’nvannae Brother. Exactly like in an adventure holo, you know? They came for you and Gianna.”
“And Mommy.” The boy’s voice wavered.
Hand to her mouth, Mara nodded. “Yes, they’re here to help your mother, too.”
Nick dusted off his hands and rolled his shoulders, wincing with pain from the earlier collision with his bed frame. “I’m going to crawl under and see if I can’t force the bedroom door to open wider. Then the kids can make their way to me or I’ll work my way back to where they are. Either way, I’ll get them out. Mara, take the first child, and head for the undamaged corridor area. Get beyond the blast door inlet, got it?” Nick made sure she acknowledged this critical safety instruction. “Don’t come back in here once you’ve gotten out. No matter what.”
Wrapping his hands in torn clothing from the mess on the cabin floor, Khevan got a firm grip on the edges of the warped bathroom door. Exerting maximum effort, the Brother was able to raise it enough for Nick to wriggle under, then worm his way through the partially open door of the second stateroom. He shoved his way into the darkness of the children’s bedroom, pushing the hand lamp in front of him, trying not to think about all the hundreds of tons of debris piled above him. Standing up as soon as he cleared the threshold, lamp in hand, Nick faced a tangled mess, hardly recognizable as
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