A Rude Awakening

Posted on Sat Oct 29th, 2011 @ 3:06pm by Lieutenant Commander Kh'ali

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Escape Pod 900-17

She felt as if she'd been falling forever, through endless darkness and silence. Images flitted through her thoughts, disjointed and strange. One face kept popping up, however. Thumb. His cruel voice and sadistic smile now pierced the haze of memory. He was here, threatening her from the darkness and she knew she could not escape.

Panic rose in a crushing wave, sweeping over her and dragging her down, back towards consciousness. It did her no favors. The fall ended with cold metal at her back, blinding pain in her face that radiated out and down her neck to her shoulder. She screamed, but there was no one to hear.

Her vision cleared, grew sharper, but she was still in darkness. And silence. Snatching frantically at memories, she recalled where she was, Escape Pod 900-17. She recalled Thumb's last blow, which explained the pain in her face. Reaching up, she gingerly felt along her cheek bone. Broken. The touch of her own fingers brought a pain so savage, she was sure for a moment she might go under again.

Breathing slow and easy, she rode out the pain, forcing her mind to focus in the darkness. Several things became readily apparent, none of them the least bit comforting. She was in an escape pod. It was not active, which meant that her oxygen supply was limited. She had no idea how long she'd been unconscious and trapped in here, which could mean she was in serious trouble. The last thing wasn't clear until she tried to pass through the wall of the pod, as she'd done with doors all over the station, and failed. There was no way out.

Anger blinded her as she hammered the wall of the pod with her fists. Rational thought took over, however.

Think, Kh'ali.

The horse-faced science officer. Something he'd said.....something.....and a light bulb went off in Kh'ali's brain. Chroniton particles. He and Oz had discussed them at some length, and both had mentioned monitoring the station for them, that they'd shown up in random areas.

Areas where she had been taken by Thumb.

They were causing them. Maybe....maybe if she moved around, affected what she could in here, they would notice. It was a gamble, since activity meant using more oxygen. She could only hope they were watching, and got here soon.

"Kah'less give me strength," she murmured and began to move, hands passing through seats and electronics alike.

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Lt. Commander Kh'ali
Chief Diplomatic Officer
Taking A Gamble