The helm vanished before Ace, it’s controls and screens invisible as his mind reeled. Emotions flooded through him blanketing all thought or concern and he fell from his seat to grab at the motionless form of his friend. ‘He’s… He’s not breathing Grizz. What do I.. what do we…” Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice failed him.
Grizzly stood behind him, his heart already swelling, only to be reigned in by duty. “Pull him out, Ace. I need him in my medlab.” Turning to ready things, tear-drops fell from Grizzly’s already damp fur. His eyes burned with a furious determined light; he was not going to lose a friend. Not after watching so many others die on the battlefield would he surrender one who didn’t deserve it.
Nervously Ace placed the limp child-like body of Twitch onto a bed and stepped back, still sobbing. “Um… Can you… Is he?” Words still refused to come out right. For once Ace couldn’t see his way ahead, couldn’t navigate a course of action.
Grizzly set to work frantically administering nanomeds and checking their impact. Carefully he began pumping at Twitches chest, desperate to revive him. “Come on little guy, you don’t got orders for home yet.” In a snarl he kept working, “Come on! Don’t make me come get you.” Despite himself he slapped Twitch as rage fought for release from terror.
Alarms lit up screens on the opposite wall, Ace hadn’t heard them at first. Startled at the sudden interruption he turned to investigate and reality slammed him in the gut. The ADU pursuit unit had doubled back to rescan the area and were fast approaching sensor range. Hesitating Ace reluctantly returned to the helm to try and steer the ship to safety.
Cursing Ace discovered the Fold Drive was inoperative and was forced to throttle the sub-light drive to max. He fought to think straight, where to go, what course. “I’ll get us out of here, Grizz, but tell Twitch nap-times over.”
In a whisper he told himself, “Oh how we need you lil’ guy… Please lady luck, be with him.”
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