Burnout was glad of their detour to the kitchen. Although they had done their best to clean up the mess that the Roons left in their wake, the smell of damp and the steady, maddening sound of water dripping from the ceiling and plinking into the almost-full buckets that were placed at almost every other step somehow made the Lower Levels seem even colder than usual, and even with the heating on full blast, the bracing draft that came rushing through the conduit was impenetrable. Shrugging his shoulders to settle his collar around the back of his neck, he shuddered as the trio continued their descent of the spiralling stone steps. The yellow light of the lamps strung up along the wall revealed the small puddles that had settled as the water receded, and he reminded himself to have Charge come down with a mop and a sand bucket.
Tucking the pleasantly warm flask of tea a little more snugly under his arm as he rounded the final corner, he assessed the state of their Conduit Station. Every lamppost had one, as the Conduit Shuttle was the fastest method of getting from post to post and there were even certain sections of the line that were authorised for public use, which had turned the Conduit into a vital transport system in some more secluded Fae settlements.
It was definitely far colder than normal; the winter chill shouldn't have been this biting indoors no matter what breeze came through the Conduit. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Burnout made his way over to the boarding platform where an empty pod was standing, hatch popped open awaiting use, allowing Brightlight and Contact to trail into the room behind him and shiver in the frigid air.
"I-is there...what's w-wrong?" Brightlight forced out from between his chattering teeth.
Grasping the safety rail tightly, Burnout leaned into the tunnel itself and peered down it's length.
"...Damn it."
Sunlight gleamed at the end of the tunnel. Despite it sounding like an optimistic metaphor, this was actually pretty awful news when there used to be several inches of steel, copper and concrete between you and the light of day.
He felt a hand grasp his shoulder solidly, and turned to see Contact leaning out to follow his gaze down the tunnel, a small frown creasing her brow as she poked her head out from behind his.
"What's the matter? Can you see-"
she stopped herself short, and for a few moments could say nothing as she took in the sight. The station and platform themselves were intact, but only a few (human) feet down the tunnel, the same could not be said.
The cables and wires that ran through the length of the conduit were torn and frayed, twisted together like gnarled branches, and just at the point where the tunnel would curve to the right, sunlight and fresh air were filtering in through an enormous fissure. The concrete had split and crumbled, leaving a gaping hole that leaked the smell of rain and dust, and the chill of early november frost.
She stared, gaping like a fish until the dryness of her tongue reminded her to close her mouth, and fought down the rising urge to just lie down on the wet floor and pretend that the entire week had been a bad dream. That would be nice.
Startled out of her moment of despair by drawn out moan, she turned in time to see Bright Light turn resolutely on his heel with the air of a pixie nearing his limit.
"Don't tell me. I just decided that I don't want to know. I'm going to go get more tea."
Burnout and Contact watched wordlessly as their Captain marched out of the room without a backwards glance, massaging the base of his antenna with both hands. Just as he disappeared from their view, the sound of his footsteps paused.
"Comm me if you want me to bring something stronger."
They shared a look as the sound of his sloshing steps faded away back up the staircase.
Burnout was the first to look away, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, tilting his head back. Contact took the moment to rub her hands over her own face, grimacing at how much grime she could feel on her skin. When did she last get a chance to shower? When did any of them get a decent night's sleep this past week?
Burnout took a deep breath and held it as he opened his eyes. He watched Contact miserably tuck a strand of lank hair behind her tapered ear, and sighed.
"I give up, lass." Contact looked up at him sharply
"I'll comm for help, see if anyone nearby can spare a few hands. You go check on the Captain, take a break, have a cuppa."
She opened her mouth to offer her help, but the lure of a peaceful moment in the kitchen with a cup of hot tea was too powerful. With a quick goodbye to Burnout, who was already busily rummaging in the toolbox he had kicked open, she turned and followed Bright Light's retreat up the stairs.
As she splashed her way through the puddles on every other step, she let her thoughts drift to the comforting possibility of a quick shower before returning to the grind.
She felt her communicater buzz against her thigh and she fished it out of her pocket, recognizing Burnout's code on the screen as she flipped it open.
"And tell the Captain the Whiskey's on the top shelf behind the cereal. I have a feeling we'll need it."
She couldn't find it in herself to disagree.