The Game: Chapter 08 - A Brave New World
In reply to The Watcher (msg # 856):
Team Space Trek
"If you need an on-board computer, I guess I could part with it this once," Kayla says, gingerly unfastening her bracer. "But remember, while we're being jammed you won't be able to use talk to Dynamis remotely. You'll only have the bracer's own processing power to work with."
***
Holt approaches Penny, who is crouched over something in the cargo area.
"Come on," he says, jerking a thumb in the direction of the rest of the ship. "Captain says you're not allowed in here anymore. Let's go."
Penny continues to tinker, and Holt sighs and closes the distance between them. His pace is unhurried, but his strides are long. He reaches out and places a large hand on her shoulder.
"Stop," he rumbles. "Or I'll stop you."
"Fine, fine," Penny grumbles, standing up and slipping her gloves back over her hands. "I just wanted to...hey, lay off!"
This last reaction was in response to Holt putting both hands on her shoulders and spinning her roughly around such that she now faces the doorway.
"Let's go. Walk," he says quietly.
"I'm going, I'm going," she protests. "Just let me get my-"
"No. Now."
"Seriously, Holt, let go of me. If I don't at least retrieve the-"
"MOVE."
Holt shoves Penny none-too-gently toward the doorway, but releases his grip on her shoulders in the process. Penny does a quick heel-turn and vaults toward the area she was working on a moment ago, but her leap never lands -- Holt's fist catches her at the apex of the jump, perfectly knocking the wind out of her body with a single strike and sending her sprawling to the floor.
"Get up," he says impassively.
Penny, gasping for air and unable to speak, points toward the wall where she had been working with increasing agitation, but Holt doesn't so much as turn around. He doesn't notice that the device seems to be rattling slightly...
***
Captain! There are escalating tensions in the-
A series of raised voices can be heard from the direction of the cargo area -- likely a scuffle as Holt attempts to carry out his orders regarding Penny. This is followed by an alarmingly loud explosion.
KABLAM!!
Persephone lists to the side, then rolls upside down. Anyone not strapped into a chair (so, everyone but Kayla and Fiernas) is slammed unceremoniously against the ceiling, even as the normal running lights are replaced with the dim red hue of emergency beacons.
Dead silence permeates the ship for three heartbeats, followed by a creaking sound. Anyone in the cockpit can see a chunk of debris that looks a lot like the outer hull of the cargo area -- and plenty of crates of food and supplies -- floating past in the vacuum of space.
"Is *cough* is everyone ok?" Kayla says, struggling against the controls in an unsuccessful attempt to right the ship.
There are 2 likely casualties, Captain.
"No..." Kayla breathes. "Who, D?"
The viewscreen zooms into the stream of debris, revealing two human-shaped forms among the wreckage outside: Holt and Penny, neither of whom are wearing EVA suits, and both of whom look very still indeed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:43, Wed 19 July 2017.