Sounsyy kept her torchlight on and continued scanning what little she could make out of the hanger as Ryanti prepped the rope, tossed it several times, and began the climb. She half expected to hear another groan, another crash, the twisting metal railguards failing and dropping her partner to certain injury or death. But his climb was uneventful and before long he reached the catwalk. Sounsyy slung her rifle over her shoulder and grabbed the rope, but Ryanti's voice over the linkpearl gave her pause.
<Hold on. Need to clear this.>
"Sevent- No! Don't leave meh-"
But he disappeared into a doorway and Sounsyy was left alone. She could feel the darkness creeping up her back. It was breathing. Sssssss thsssss Sssssss thsssssssssss dusssssssst. Sounsyy kept her good hand on the rope as she whipped around, but there was nothing there. She could hear nothing and as soon as she realized this place was completely devoid of noise her ears began ringing loudly in her head. One more sweep of her light and her breath caught in her throat. Something had disturbed the dust. Tiny particles floated lazily upwards from where something long and slender had left soft brush strokes in the floor. Did they make that?
Then another loud groan from deep within the ship's core. The sudden noise made Sounsyy jump. Still there was no sign of Ryanti. She turned back, but the dust had settled. The captain cursed violently under her breath and pulled on the rope to test its stability. She bent her knees and sprang up onto the rope, propelling herself up a few fulms above where she would've normally been able to reach. The voice in her head was screaming at her to move, so she pulled herself up the rope in double time, reaching one hand over the next and relying heavily upon her upper body strength to keep her pace.
She had made nearly half the distance before the grip in her injured hand failed her and she slipped, dropping a fulm before her good hand caught her. She let out a frightened yelp as she dropped. Her left hand was on fire. She pulled herself into the rope, holding herself steady with her feet and with her injured hand hugging the rope to her breast. Sounsyy rested her cheek against the rope and panted. Then above her Ryanti's light returned into view.
<I’m here. I just I thought I heard something and I had to listen. The upper floor is clear though, you’re good to climb.>
When he got down on his stomach, the Miqo'te light illuminated her huddled form swiveling slowly about on the rope. She gave him a cross look and resumed her climb with renewed purpose. Her hand was throbbing but her anger was far more palpable. She powered up the rope hand over hand like before, her biceps bulging under her lithe-framed wetsuit. She grabbed Ryanti's arm when she reached the top and let him pull her up and onto the catwalk.
She laid on her side panting for a moment until she saw Ryanti move to stand, which made her leap up suddenly and shove him back down to the catwalk.
"What the hells were yeh thinkin'?!" Sounsyy hissed, "Yeh brought me down 'ere fer a reason! Did yeh or didn't yeh? What if that room weren't clear?! Ye'd be up the damn Rogue without a paddle. We. Clear. Together."
She sighed heavily and shook her head. Her anger seemed to have abated for the most part. She looked down at her injured hand and flexed each of her fingers in turn. Satisfied, she pulled her rifle from around her shoulder and raised it back up to the at-the-ready position.
"All right. Let's go. And... this room better be clear."
<Hold on. Need to clear this.>
"Sevent- No! Don't leave meh-"
But he disappeared into a doorway and Sounsyy was left alone. She could feel the darkness creeping up her back. It was breathing. Sssssss thsssss Sssssss thsssssssssss dusssssssst. Sounsyy kept her good hand on the rope as she whipped around, but there was nothing there. She could hear nothing and as soon as she realized this place was completely devoid of noise her ears began ringing loudly in her head. One more sweep of her light and her breath caught in her throat. Something had disturbed the dust. Tiny particles floated lazily upwards from where something long and slender had left soft brush strokes in the floor. Did they make that?
Then another loud groan from deep within the ship's core. The sudden noise made Sounsyy jump. Still there was no sign of Ryanti. She turned back, but the dust had settled. The captain cursed violently under her breath and pulled on the rope to test its stability. She bent her knees and sprang up onto the rope, propelling herself up a few fulms above where she would've normally been able to reach. The voice in her head was screaming at her to move, so she pulled herself up the rope in double time, reaching one hand over the next and relying heavily upon her upper body strength to keep her pace.
She had made nearly half the distance before the grip in her injured hand failed her and she slipped, dropping a fulm before her good hand caught her. She let out a frightened yelp as she dropped. Her left hand was on fire. She pulled herself into the rope, holding herself steady with her feet and with her injured hand hugging the rope to her breast. Sounsyy rested her cheek against the rope and panted. Then above her Ryanti's light returned into view.
<I’m here. I just I thought I heard something and I had to listen. The upper floor is clear though, you’re good to climb.>
When he got down on his stomach, the Miqo'te light illuminated her huddled form swiveling slowly about on the rope. She gave him a cross look and resumed her climb with renewed purpose. Her hand was throbbing but her anger was far more palpable. She powered up the rope hand over hand like before, her biceps bulging under her lithe-framed wetsuit. She grabbed Ryanti's arm when she reached the top and let him pull her up and onto the catwalk.
She laid on her side panting for a moment until she saw Ryanti move to stand, which made her leap up suddenly and shove him back down to the catwalk.
"What the hells were yeh thinkin'?!" Sounsyy hissed, "Yeh brought me down 'ere fer a reason! Did yeh or didn't yeh? What if that room weren't clear?! Ye'd be up the damn Rogue without a paddle. We. Clear. Together."
She sighed heavily and shook her head. Her anger seemed to have abated for the most part. She looked down at her injured hand and flexed each of her fingers in turn. Satisfied, she pulled her rifle from around her shoulder and raised it back up to the at-the-ready position.
"All right. Let's go. And... this room better be clear."
