Blood Impulse

Part 23.4 - GUNPOWDER AND STEEL

Argo Sector, Battleship Singularity

Admiral Gives closed the hatch behind him, this corridor noticeably warmer than the one he'd just passed through. The vacuum seal reactivated almost immediately, as if the ship had been struggling to hold the air in, then finally allowed to release it. That was close.

By the way Malweh was glaring, she had definitely noticed. "How did you force the hatches open?" Technically speaking, he should not have been able to intervene, and they both knew it.

"I did not force them, Ensign," he answered, leading them onward. Not even he could override the mechanical seal. "The corridor was temporarily repressurized to disengage the pressure differential lock."

Malweh struggled to walk, but managed, mainly out of spite, to keep the Admiral from having to help her any further. She leaned heavily on Callie, who was in much better condition, save a few ripped hairs and bruises. "But how did you repressurize the corridor?"

I didn't. But he knew Malweh wouldn't accept that. "The remaining air from the nearby, damaged areas was redirected. That corridor only had a small puncture, it merely bought time." Redirecting the air had in no way solved the issue. Whatever the ghost had done to temporarily help seal the breach had extended the time, but eventually, the incessant vacuum had reasserted itself and the hatches had resealed.

"And you can redirect the air with the command overrides?"

"Yes, I can." He hadn't needed to use those codes with the ghost's help, but technically, yes, he could use his own authority over the ship's systems to reverse airflow and redirect pressure. It just would have taken awhile, considering the lack of a controlling computer network.

"Fine," Malweh would buy that, as Callie half-carried her down the hallways. "But that doesn't explain how you knew where we were." Until roll call, she and Callie wouldn't have been considered missing or in any danger. The engineers often split up and lost track of one another during damage control.

"You ask a lot of questions, Ensign. Is the manner in which I saved your life of particular importance to you? Or should you merely be satisfied that I did?"

"To be frank, sir. I don't trust you." She could see the element of control he had over the ship, and it just wasn't natural. The command overrides and his experience explained it logically, sure, but with him, it always felt like something more. It always felt like he was hiding something, and he dodged and deflected her questions now like he always did.

"Malweh," Callie sharply, appalled. Was now really the best time to be arguing with the man? Whether Malweh liked it or not, he had just saved both of their lives. She craned her neck to see past the engineer draped on her shoulder. "Thanks, Admiral." He'd been there just in time.

Malweh rolled her eyes. Kiss ass.

"Think nothing of it, Ensign." He didn't keep score of the lives he saved, or took. "I was doing my job." He protected the ship's crew, even if that meant getting interrogated by the likes of Malweh.

Abruptly, he paused, throwing an arm out to stop the two engineers. Ready to draw it, he moved a hand to the grip of his sabre.

Recognizing his instincts for danger, even Malweh silenced herself, holding her breath. And a moment later, the sound reached her ears. Thud, thud, thud, thud. The impacts were rattling the deck plates, someone running at full speed down the adjacent corridor.

Quietly, the Admiral drew his sword again, the blade still glistening with red wetness. At his signal, Callie struggled to drag Malweh back a few paces.