"Get out of the way!"
Alerts were sounding all around them, echoing through Destiny as Rush stared over the console, trying to figure out what the problem was. He was frowning, seeing the door on the screen flashing red. Red was never a good color and it meant that something had to be wrong with the hatch. It led to one of the docking bays and if they couldn't get the door closed, well, it wasn't going to be good. Not only could they lose air, cargo, and crew but…actually, no, that was the worst of it.
"What's going on here, Rush?"
"I don't know," the scientist answered sarcastically. "Perhaps it has something to do with the door that's wide open in the docking bay. That red line there. That looks like a good sign, doesn't it?"
The colonel did not appreciate his sense of humor at the moment and barked orders for men to move toward the problems, Rush trailing along behind them and a few others of the crew behind that, including Mel. They were cautioned not to get too close as a strong current appeared to be funneling out through the open door that could take a full-grown man, as well as the heavy crates that were being pulled steadily closer to the open hatch. Beside the door a panel appeared to be open, showing raw wiring and machinery.
"It's broken," Young observed, fighting to be heard over the shrill screech of the rushing air.
"No, it's not. I just thought we could all do with a bit of fresh air."
The Colonel gave Rush a hard stare, shaking his head as he tried to figure out what to do. "What do you suggest?"
"It's hard to tell, Colonel. If we send someone close to it they have every likelihood of being crushed by one of the containers or being yanked out into space. And that's before they manage to fix the door."
"I'll do it." Mel pushed forward, standing beside Young who looked equally surprised and horrified. Rush just looked annoyed.
"I don't see how you're going to be of any help unless you have some sort of engineering degree we don't know about."
"Well, I don't, but…"
"Then leave the work to the qualified candidates, won't you?"
"Who's that going to be? You?"
Rush swallowed, eyes narrowing as she refused to cow to his demands. She put her hands on her hips and stared him straight in the eyes.
"I'm small enough that if you put a rope around my waist I can be pulled back in if I start to get sucked out. I'm agile enough that I can dodge the incoming containers if they slide toward me and just maybe I can get a good look at the panel and give you a better idea of what's wrong."
As much as he hated to admit it, she had a few good points but they should have been his points. This should have been his idea. He could see already that Young was against it, looking around for anyone else that might be capable and was willing to volunteer. No one raised their hands so he sighed, relenting.
"Someone find a rope!" He called, sending Greer and Scott out searching for one. In the meantime he turned back to the young woman and shook his head. "I don't like this. If you feel for even one second that you're not going to be able to hold on you tug on that rope and we'll pull you back."
"With all due respect, Colonel, I'm not helpless."
Rush scoffed. "Respect," he muttered.
He got a glare, but wasn't able to respond as Scott came back with enough rope to allow them to keep distance and allow her to get to the panel. He nodded at Melanie and she picked up the end of the rope, wrapping it around her waist a few times. Young tied the knot himself, tugging on it to check how secure it was.
"Sir, I should be the one to do this."
"Let her try, Lieutenant."
"Miss Holtz, remember to lean back against the air current in order to keep your balance. All we need you to do is check the panel and see what needs to be fixed. Try to get as much detail as you can."
"I understand, Dr. Rush."
He nodded, stepping back so that Young, Greer, and Scott could take the line to pull her back if it was necessary. The length of the line was going to be a problem if one of the containers decided to cross her path but they'd deal with that problem if it happened. Still, the colonel was running through every possible scenario in his mind, trying to figure out solutions before they became problems. Mel crept forward, her hair and skin pulled forward by the current of air flow.
"Rush, why isn't the shield helping to protect the air from escaping?"
"It is," he answered darkly, watching Mel for any sign of distress. For better or worse she was their current best shot to get this problem solved before they lost too much air. She got to the wall, pressing both hands to the flat metal surface, bracing herself. One hand wrapped around a pipe running down next to the panel, holding on as she was pulled by the air to the left. The panel was hanging open. It appeared to have been hit by one of the containers as the ship shifted, and with it shifted the cargo. A few of the pieces were out of place but none of the circuitry appeared damaged. She took a moment, trying to memorize what was in front of her before she barely heard the shout over the rush of the air.
"Melanie! Look out!"
She whipped around and saw a container sliding toward the airlock, passing directly through the line holding her in place. She scrambled to try to climb up the pipe, letting the large rectangular container pass under the rope but wasn't quite quick enough to do it. She felt the line catch, yelping as it tried to tug her down and out with it. Instead, the three men holding the rope pitched forward, Young landing flat on his face with Greer and Scott on the deck behind him. The container continued its course and dropped out the door into space, hitting the ship as it bounced and eventually moved through the shield into open air.
That left her rope dangling out the door, still tethered around her waist.
"Mel!" TJ called out, moving forward as the men stood. "Mel, are you ok?"
She looked down, holding the pipe and feeling the strain begin to set in to her muscles. She'd be able to keep her grip, but it wasn't an infinite hold. Still, she was better qualified for something like this than anyone else.
"We'll go find more rope, Mel, hold on."
"No!" She shook her head. "If anyone else comes out here they won't be able to make it back!"
There was no sense jeopardizing anyone else's lives.
She climbed down slowly, bracing her legs against a pipe and pulling the rope toward her with one hand, the other holding on as well. She looped the rope she managed to drag in around her leg so it didn't immediately get pulled back toward the door. Fervently, her eyes searched around her for any other immediate danger, working as quickly as her caution dared. When she caught the end she tied it around the pipes. It wouldn't hold her for long if she was being dragged, but it was a few seconds, maybe enough time for someone to reach her should the unthinkable happen.
She turned her eyes back to the panel, sparing little attention to the group of people behind her. There was no getting out of this, not unless she could fix the panel in front of her. Sighing, she reached into the machinery, pulling out the parts that were out of place to leave her with a blank canvas to put them back in again.
"What in the hell is she doing?" Rush burst out, watching her. "She's going to get herself killed!"
Somehow, he managed to actually sound concerned about that, leading to a strange glance from TJ.
"Mel!" Young called out to her, but the call was met by silence. "Melanie!"
"I found more rope, Colonel." Scott held up the cordage he found, moving to loop it around his waist.
"I'm going." Rush reached for the rope.
"You?"
"And just what do you think you're going to do once you're out there? How are you going to fix the panel?"
"I'll grab Melanie and everyone can pull us to safety."
"Which leaves us back at square one. Do you even think before you speak, Lieutenant, or does the promise of heroism block out any other thoughts?" Rush rolled his eyes. "It has to be me," he insisted.
Young nodded at the scientist, not willing to waste time talking when someone's life was on the line. As insufferable as Rush was, he was right. In the meantime Mel remained unresponsive, back to them as she moved in front of the panel. TJ saw her legs shaking from keeping such a tight hold on her muscles to keep her in place without the benfit of hold on with her arms.
"Rush," she warned. "She'll give out soon. Hurry."
He nodded.
Young picked up the rope and fed it out a little at a time to allow Rush to make his way to the panel. A few feet toward the door he was picked up off his feet, slammed onto the floor on his back and began to slide toward the door. He yelled, so did Young, and caught Mel's attention.
"Rush!"
She dove toward him, catching him by the waist as she hit the floor, looping the rope around her arm to hold them in place. She strained to hold him, the one rope all that stood between them and getting swept out into space.
"I've got you." She glanced at the wall. "Use my rope to pull yourself toward the wall. I'll be right behind you."
He nodded, climbing over her to grasp her rope and pull himself hand over hand toward the panel. She reeled herself in after him, securing him to the pipes as best she could by looping the extra of her rope around his waist. He immediately moved to study the panel, realizing that there were fewer mechanisms out of place than he thought he'd seen her remove.
"You've been putting things together!" He accused.
"What did you think I'd been doing?"
"You're not even remotely qualified to try to fix Ancient technology. I'll have to remove everything you've –"
She pressed a finger to his lips, startling him into silence.
"Trust me, Rush."
Mel turned her attention back to the panel, maneuvering one of the two last parts she had into place toward the bottom of the frame. She heard it slide in and lock, placing the last piece just above it. Lights began to flicker on, indicating that the panel was now active again, much to the scientist's amazement.
"How did you…?"
"I'll explain later. Just get that door closed!"
He nodded, noting the panel that activated the door much closer to the gaping door than he would ever be comfortable with.
"If I get that close I'll get sucked in!"
"I have you. I promise, I'll keep you from going through. Just shut the door!"
He gave her a doubtful look, watching as she released him from the rope tethered to the military overseers. All that was left between him and oblivion was her, and her rope. She gave him a reassuring smile and fed out a little of the rope, promising not to give him more slack than it took to get to the panel. It was looped around the pipe a few times and her legs were braced tight. He was mindful of how they shook, of what TJ said, but he had little choice. He got up, pressing to the wall as closely as he could and inching toward the panel. He took a deep breath as he let go of anything he could hold on to in order to keep himself from flying away, pressing a few buttons on the panel. The door began to slide closed, much to his amazement.
The rush of air ceased and Melanie collapsed back, breathing hard and shaking. TJ ran forward the minute it was safe, propping Mel's head up on her lap, looking her over.
"Everett!" She waved him forward. "She's exhausted. Take her to the infirmary."
"No, I'm fine."
"You're not fine, Mel, and I want you where I can keep an eye on you."
She stopped protesting as the Colonel scooped her up, carrying her toward the infirmary. TJ made Rush come along as well, not entirely certain his head hadn't hit the ground when he fell on his back. As much as he protested he was not able to get around TJ's decision and found himself laying on a cot in the infirmary alongside Mel.
"This is ridiculous, Lieutenant, I'm fine. I need to get back to my work as soon as possible. Just give me a clean bill of health and let me go."
"Well, your mouth still seems to work," she conceded, "but I'm not letting you go until I'm certain you don't have some sort of trauma."
"I didn't even hit my head!"
Her gloved hands roamed his head, shifting through his shaggy hair along his skull and he winced as they brushed a bump, sending shock waves of pain through his head.
"Didn't hit it?" There was a hint of a smirk on her lips.
He rolled his eyes, defeated. She was never going to let him leave now.
"This is completely unnecessary."
"I'm not letting you leave. You might as well settle in."
He sighed, leaning back on the cot. If he was stuck here he might as well try to get some sleep. It was long overdue and he knew it. TJ busied herself across the room and he found his eyes straying to Mel's body in the cot next to him. She appeared to be completely unconscious, her actions to him a complete mystery. She'd repaired Ancient technology, fairly complicated machinery from the look of it, and hadn't needed his help to do it. He'd known before not to underestimate her strength, but now he knew there were a few tricks up her sleeve.
When he woke up, she was sitting up in her bed. TJ was nowhere to be seen.
"Mel."
She glanced over. "You're awake."
"So it would seem. How long have I been asleep?"
"I'm not sure. I haven't been awake very long, about thirty minutes? An hour?"
"Where's TJ?"
"She went to go eat. She told me to tell you to stay put if you woke up before she got back."
"Of course she did."
Silence passed between them for a few long moments, Mel fidgeting with her blanket.
"How did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"You know what I mean. How did you know how to put together that panel? Some of the best people on this ship wouldn't have been able to do that."
"Oh." She frowned, the first time he'd seen her do that since they'd met. "To be honest, I don't know."
"How do you not know? Surely you must know. Have you done anything like that before?"
"No. I mean, not exactly. It's difficult to explain."
"Try."
"For as long as I can remember I've just known how to do that. It's like the machines talk to me. I can't explain it, but I can look at something and know where it belongs. I used to take apart everything I could as a kid, putting it back together. It used to drive my father insane and he forbid me from continuing to take apart the military gadgets he'd bring home."
"You're joking."
"No. Rush, I'm serious."
"So, you're some sort of mechanical prodigy?" His tone was flat, his expression equally as blank.
"I guess so?"
Ancient technology was beyond human technology in every way. Even if she was what she said she shouldn't have been able to understand how the Ancient technology worked, even if it worked out in their favor. He had trouble with the machinery on the ship and he made his life's work understanding the Ancients and their contributions. How could she come out of the wood work and profess to understand how these gearings worked?
"You got lucky," he decided. "That's all well and good. It worked out in our favor this time."
Her head drooped forward, but she nodded slightly. "You're probably right."
He nodded, self-satisfied, until she pounded her hands against the table and captured his attention, making him jump.
"No!" She declared, staring at him. "No, that's not what happened. I knew what I was doing! I don't care if I can't explain why, I'm not going to say it was an accident. You can call it an accident if you want to but I know I knew what I was doing."
She glared at him, angry tears welling up in her eyes but not quite falling. She wouldn't have cared so much if she hadn't admired him but his dismissive words cut straight through her, making her shrink into herself uncharacteristically. All she'd done aboard the ship was be someone she didn't recognize, someone that was afraid to make themselves heard. And why? It didn't make her happy. Making friends over these last few weeks gave her the confidence to stand up to him and find herself again.
"Why do you always have to think you're the smartest person in the room? You know you're brilliant, why can't you give someone else some of the credit every now and then?" She quieted after that outburst, continuing in a more appropriate tone considering he was only a few feet away from her. "I want to keep admiring you, Dr. Rush, but you're making it really hard for me."
He let the silence stretch between them for a long time, looking down at the wedding ring on his hand. He twisted it as he stewed, wondering what Gloria would do, what she would want him to do.
"You're right," he admitted. "I can't explain it, but the fact is that you put the mechanism back together. You saved the ship and for that I should be grateful to you."
"Really?"
"Yes. You safeguarded my life, holding on while I got to the panel to close the door. I owe you more than doubt, Miss Holtz."
"Melanie."
"Miss Holtz."
"You like me, don't you?" She grinned, managing to look terribly cute as she did. He sighed profoundly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I do nothing of the sort."
Her smile served to aggravate him further, turning his head away from the persistent brunette by his side. As he did, he felt the urge for the edges of his lips to tug upward and quickly suppressed it with a frown, relieved when the door opened and TJ walked in from dinner.
"You're awake," she observed.
"Yes, very clever deduction," he deadpanned. "I've survived the fall and a few hours of sleep. I'm leaving now whether you want me to or not."
As he spoke he climbed out of bed and almost sprinted toward the door leaving the two women in his wake.
"What was that about?" She asked of the younger woman. Mel shrugged, but started laughing as she did.
"I think he likes me."
TJ's eyes widened, but she broke into a grin. "Good luck."
