HIGGINS:
A few choice words sprung up from the Roughnecks as we watched the scene unfold before us in slow motion, although in reality it probably only took about 2.5 seconds. The retrieval ship had made it down to just above the height of the taller trees when something had gone wrong. Smoke billowing from its engines the ship tilted and was loosing altitude way to fast. The last glimpse we had of it was as it disappeared, spiraling down into the trees.
"What just happened?" I asked unsteadily, trying to remind myself to breath.
Still cursing violently Gossard rushed by me. "My beast guess? Equipment malfunction."
"Roughnecks!" Rico called, "We're moving out. Gossard, Doc, you two go ahead, get out any survivors."
"Yes sir," they replied simultaneously. Doc hurriedly handed Eddie off to the nearest person available, who happened to be a briefly startled looking Dizzy, before they both took off towards the area the ship had go down in.
"The rest of you, lets go," Rico ordered.
The Roughnecks, and eventually Sandrine, obediently fell into formation behind Rico, following our speeding mechanic and doctor at a steadier pace.
"Here," Sandrine approached Dizzy, "You need your arms free, let me take - " she paused and looked sourly down at the bundle in Dizzy's arms - "*Eddie* for you."
Dizzy looked her up and down with cold, skeptical eyes, "S'ok, I got it."
"No, really," Sandrine persisted. "I mean, personally, I'd feel a lot safer if you just let me take him."
"Look, I said I got it," Dizzy retorted sharply, keeping a tight rein on her anger.
"Yeah, and I said -"
"Hey," I interrupted, stopping the upcoming fight in its tracks. "Diz, you want me to hold onto Eddie for you?"
I pretended not to notices as she frowned pointedly at Sandrine before handing him to me. "Yeah, sure, thanks Bobby."
Sandrine made a disgruntled noise before stalking off sulkily towards someone else.
"Nice save paperboy," Max noted, appearing by my left shoulder once Dizzy was out of earshot. Whether he was being sarcastic or not I couldn't tell. He looked down at Eddie, his expression softening and briefly transforming his face. "And here we were, still thinking Flores and the LT were just good friends."
T'PHAI
He added, perhaps in an effort to uphold the reputation he seemed determined to project.
Higgins smirked, looking torn between amusement and reproach.
"Hm, is that what you thought?" I asked.
Max looked startled and paused, temporarily at a loss for words, for once.
A few choice words sprung up from the Roughnecks as we watched the scene unfold before us in slow motion, although in reality it probably only took about 2.5 seconds. The retrieval ship had made it down to just above the height of the taller trees when something had gone wrong. Smoke billowing from its engines the ship tilted and was loosing altitude way to fast. The last glimpse we had of it was as it disappeared, spiraling down into the trees.
"What just happened?" I asked unsteadily, trying to remind myself to breath.
Still cursing violently Gossard rushed by me. "My beast guess? Equipment malfunction."
"Roughnecks!" Rico called, "We're moving out. Gossard, Doc, you two go ahead, get out any survivors."
"Yes sir," they replied simultaneously. Doc hurriedly handed Eddie off to the nearest person available, who happened to be a briefly startled looking Dizzy, before they both took off towards the area the ship had go down in.
"The rest of you, lets go," Rico ordered.
The Roughnecks, and eventually Sandrine, obediently fell into formation behind Rico, following our speeding mechanic and doctor at a steadier pace.
"Here," Sandrine approached Dizzy, "You need your arms free, let me take - " she paused and looked sourly down at the bundle in Dizzy's arms - "*Eddie* for you."
Dizzy looked her up and down with cold, skeptical eyes, "S'ok, I got it."
"No, really," Sandrine persisted. "I mean, personally, I'd feel a lot safer if you just let me take him."
"Look, I said I got it," Dizzy retorted sharply, keeping a tight rein on her anger.
"Yeah, and I said -"
"Hey," I interrupted, stopping the upcoming fight in its tracks. "Diz, you want me to hold onto Eddie for you?"
I pretended not to notices as she frowned pointedly at Sandrine before handing him to me. "Yeah, sure, thanks Bobby."
Sandrine made a disgruntled noise before stalking off sulkily towards someone else.
"Nice save paperboy," Max noted, appearing by my left shoulder once Dizzy was out of earshot. Whether he was being sarcastic or not I couldn't tell. He looked down at Eddie, his expression softening and briefly transforming his face. "And here we were, still thinking Flores and the LT were just good friends."
T'PHAI
He added, perhaps in an effort to uphold the reputation he seemed determined to project.
Higgins smirked, looking torn between amusement and reproach.
"Hm, is that what you thought?" I asked.
Max looked startled and paused, temporarily at a loss for words, for once.