++++++++++++++++
Harper gave one last grunt and the tape on his left wrist gave way.
Finally! It had take well over and hour. He added bleeding wrists to his
list of current maladies. But he had no time to think of that now. As
quickly as he could he freed his other hand and dropped to the ground. His
legs buckled in protest. He absently rubbed them, working out the cramps as
he went to Beka's side.
Did she even know he was here?
After a moments searching he pulled a couple old spare blankets from the shelf. He used one to create a pillow and used the other to cover her cold body.
"Beka?" She didn't even flinch. "I know we did this trick before but it scared me then to." Harper squinted. His eyes had become accustomed to the darkness but he could still see no further then a few feet. He vainly tried to see if she was breathing. "Beka, are you going to come back this time? I know that stuff you took was only supposed to create a death like state. But, I'm worried. You almost died last time and this time seems worse. I told you that guy who sold us this stuff was shady. But would you listen? Oh, No! You said I was just being paranoid. Come on! Say something to me now. What should I do?" Harper sat there in silence and the encroaching cold trying to will his best friend to wake up. He needed Rev. He needed Vex Pag. They would know what to do. He needed to get a beacon off and get the engines working. Which means he had to get rid of Bobby first. But, How? What would Beka do? Beka would charge in both guns blazing. Blazing, hmmm. He curled his toes and tried to wrap his feet in his pant legs. He was freezing. It had gotten damn cold in here and he was starting to feel lightheaded. He wasn't sure if that was from blood loss or the air loss but either way it wasn't good. Blazing.. The thought kept rolling around his mind. In the winters on Earth Brendan and him used to burn garbage to keep warm. He wished he had one of those fires right now...Warm and toasty. Suddenly, something occurred to him. A smile creeped across his features and he leaned down to whisper in Beka's ear.
He told her his plan.
She probably didn't hear him but it didn't matter. He just needed to think out loud.
"I think it could work Beks, really. Maybe it's not as fancy as pretending to be dead. But, that stuff you took should have worn off ten minutes after you used it. It's been hours and I'm getting worried I need to do something. He might be bigger but I'm smarter. It'll be okay. You'll see." He seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as her. He reached forward and put his hand on her forehead just like she had done for him all those times when he was sick. "I won't leave you," He whispered. "But, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as I can okay?" He got up slowly and felt around on the near by shelves. He swore lightly. no boots or clothes of any kind.
He did find some oily old rags after a few minutes. He took what he could and wrapped them around his feet. It would have to do. He pulled himself up on the pipe once again and felt his way across the ceiling looking for a conduit access. It took him only a moment to find it. He popped it open and in seconds he was gone. The room where Beka lay remained silent except for that leaky pipe.
Then quietly like a butterfly flapping there was a gasp and a small cough.
"Harper, no come back. It's going to blow." Then once again the silence returned. +++++++++++++ Bobby was drunk, and frustrated. He couldn't get anything to work. He stomped down the hall to the supply closet. "Harper!" he bellowed. "Kid?" He rattled the door as he tried to loosen the lock. Then flung open the door with a bang!
Light flooded in.
Beka's prone body lay still on the floor. but Harper was gone. Bobby threw his now empty champagne bottle against the adjacent wall. It smashed in to thousands of shiny slivers.
He screamed in fury. That little brat! He was going to get him to turn the power on then he was going to kill him. and he was going to take his time doing it. ++++++++++++++++++ Harper was starting to shiver.
He couldn't feel his toes any more and his injured arm had become stiff. He could barley move it. "Fire.soon there will be fire." He told himself. He had managed to make it to engineering with out much incident. He then piled a whole bunch of odds and ends in the corner near the AP manifolds. Old panels.flammable lubricants.etc. The AP manifold was incased in a fireproof enclosure. But, a fire this close to the manifold would sure get Bobby's attention. He would light the fire as a distraction...giving him access to the cockpit where he could get the power working. With the power one he could control the Maru's arsenal.
Then he could kick Bobby's ass. He took one of the rags off his feet and laid it on the pile. Using his nanowelder, which he had luckily left in engineering, he lit it all. He stepped back slightly and took a moment to admire his work. That dumb ass wouldn't know what hit him.
There was a low hissing sound. Harper's eyes wrinkled questionably. What the heck was that?
There was a crack in the AP manifold. The explosion was deafening. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC
After a moments searching he pulled a couple old spare blankets from the shelf. He used one to create a pillow and used the other to cover her cold body.
"Beka?" She didn't even flinch. "I know we did this trick before but it scared me then to." Harper squinted. His eyes had become accustomed to the darkness but he could still see no further then a few feet. He vainly tried to see if she was breathing. "Beka, are you going to come back this time? I know that stuff you took was only supposed to create a death like state. But, I'm worried. You almost died last time and this time seems worse. I told you that guy who sold us this stuff was shady. But would you listen? Oh, No! You said I was just being paranoid. Come on! Say something to me now. What should I do?" Harper sat there in silence and the encroaching cold trying to will his best friend to wake up. He needed Rev. He needed Vex Pag. They would know what to do. He needed to get a beacon off and get the engines working. Which means he had to get rid of Bobby first. But, How? What would Beka do? Beka would charge in both guns blazing. Blazing, hmmm. He curled his toes and tried to wrap his feet in his pant legs. He was freezing. It had gotten damn cold in here and he was starting to feel lightheaded. He wasn't sure if that was from blood loss or the air loss but either way it wasn't good. Blazing.. The thought kept rolling around his mind. In the winters on Earth Brendan and him used to burn garbage to keep warm. He wished he had one of those fires right now...Warm and toasty. Suddenly, something occurred to him. A smile creeped across his features and he leaned down to whisper in Beka's ear.
He told her his plan.
She probably didn't hear him but it didn't matter. He just needed to think out loud.
"I think it could work Beks, really. Maybe it's not as fancy as pretending to be dead. But, that stuff you took should have worn off ten minutes after you used it. It's been hours and I'm getting worried I need to do something. He might be bigger but I'm smarter. It'll be okay. You'll see." He seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as her. He reached forward and put his hand on her forehead just like she had done for him all those times when he was sick. "I won't leave you," He whispered. "But, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as I can okay?" He got up slowly and felt around on the near by shelves. He swore lightly. no boots or clothes of any kind.
He did find some oily old rags after a few minutes. He took what he could and wrapped them around his feet. It would have to do. He pulled himself up on the pipe once again and felt his way across the ceiling looking for a conduit access. It took him only a moment to find it. He popped it open and in seconds he was gone. The room where Beka lay remained silent except for that leaky pipe.
Then quietly like a butterfly flapping there was a gasp and a small cough.
"Harper, no come back. It's going to blow." Then once again the silence returned. +++++++++++++ Bobby was drunk, and frustrated. He couldn't get anything to work. He stomped down the hall to the supply closet. "Harper!" he bellowed. "Kid?" He rattled the door as he tried to loosen the lock. Then flung open the door with a bang!
Light flooded in.
Beka's prone body lay still on the floor. but Harper was gone. Bobby threw his now empty champagne bottle against the adjacent wall. It smashed in to thousands of shiny slivers.
He screamed in fury. That little brat! He was going to get him to turn the power on then he was going to kill him. and he was going to take his time doing it. ++++++++++++++++++ Harper was starting to shiver.
He couldn't feel his toes any more and his injured arm had become stiff. He could barley move it. "Fire.soon there will be fire." He told himself. He had managed to make it to engineering with out much incident. He then piled a whole bunch of odds and ends in the corner near the AP manifolds. Old panels.flammable lubricants.etc. The AP manifold was incased in a fireproof enclosure. But, a fire this close to the manifold would sure get Bobby's attention. He would light the fire as a distraction...giving him access to the cockpit where he could get the power working. With the power one he could control the Maru's arsenal.
Then he could kick Bobby's ass. He took one of the rags off his feet and laid it on the pile. Using his nanowelder, which he had luckily left in engineering, he lit it all. He stepped back slightly and took a moment to admire his work. That dumb ass wouldn't know what hit him.
There was a low hissing sound. Harper's eyes wrinkled questionably. What the heck was that?
There was a crack in the AP manifold. The explosion was deafening. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC