(no subject)

[runningred]

[from here}

The view behind the door is one of desolation. Windswept and bleak. If there was ever vegetation here, it is long gone. The air is thin and cold, acrid with smoke. Jay reached into his belt and pulls out a small rebreather and goggles, offering a set to Gav.

Stock shudders on Jay's shoulder, making soft sounds of distress. "It's okay, darling. You're safe with us."

Comments

[runningred]

"How many, Stock? I've got four battery packs but with a bit of rewiring, I should be able to split each one between for or five survivors. It won't be much, just a trickle but it'll keep them warm till we can get them back."

Stock starts to answer but there is a rumble and dust falls from the roof. Jay growls, "We might need to hurry."

~fourteen I think? More maybe but need to scan the combs~ She spins and sends little glowing red dots scattering, marking the places where the survivors are.

[street_sparrow]

Gavroche looks up, already murmuring words under his breath and giving all his focus to talking the roof into staying up, supporting it where necessary with hardened air.

[runningred]

"Stock." Jay calls, "This is not a nice thing for me to have to ask but... I need wire, more than I have on me." And the ground around them is littered in the shattered mechanical bodies of the dead. "I need-"

~Do!~ Stock's answer comes strong and fast ~Honour their deaths to save the living~

Jay gets the affirmative but glances to Gav for confirmation.

[street_sparrow]

He finishes his spell to his own satisfaction a moment later and nods.

"She says their deaths should be honoured, and not wasted."

[runningred]

"Good." He's already working, tools slipped into his belt in readiness. "I need you and Stock to get the survivors and get them down here. I'll wire them up as quickly as I can. The sooner we're out of here the better."

[street_sparrow]

"On it." He's already moving to where Stock has indicated survivors with her lights, gathering them up gently and pumping a little energy into each one.

[runningred]

Their fragile shells hold only the faintest flicker of life, steadied a little by Gav's gentle push.

Jay works like a man defusing a bomb on a timer, swift and sure because there's not time for indecision.

Again the roof trembles and dust falls but only as far as Gav's defence. Some of the combs are high up and the only way is to climb, although Stock does her best to hold the damaged forms in her force field to get them to Jay, weak with fear and sorrow.

[street_sparrow]

Gavroche sends a little tendril of reinforcement Stock's way as well, supporting the broken shapes she's bringing down from higher up.

[runningred]

Jay works swiftly to stow the survivors, getting them into his pack to carry back. He tosses one of the battery packs to Gav. "Give this to Stock, she needs it."

She wasn't exactly on full charge when they came here.

[street_sparrow]

He catches it almost without looking.

"Stock, c'mere and show me how to plug this into you."

[runningred]

She carries another to Jay before going to Gav. She makes a section of her shell blue, matching the blue of the battery interface. One the areas touch, the battery seems to adhere to her.

Jay whistles and tosses Gav a roll of tape to keep it secured while she's working.

~should not use all. Others will need power too~

[street_sparrow]

"And so will you", he says, firm but gentle as he tapes the battery in place, "to keep helping them. We'll make sure they get what they need."

[runningred]

"Stock! Stop fussing." Jay growls protectively, guessing that she'd protected. "Let me do my job, just focus on yours."

He's already cannibalising his own gear for the parts he needs.

~Not many more~ She starts at once for the apex of the dome, her path a little unsteady. The extra power is seeping in but she's still very low. She gently pulls another survivor free, panicking as part of their damaged shell falls away.

[street_sparrow]

"Ssh", Gavroche calls up to her, and a basket of air catches the shell and lifts it back to where it should be.

[runningred]

She shudders in shared pain with the sleeping drone as she lowers the survivor to Jay with Gav's help. "Need that tape back." Jay calls, not looking up from the task ahead of him. "How many more to go?"

~Four~ Stock calls, pushing herself up into the gloom of the dome again.

She lets out a high note of alarm and draws away from a comb in shock. ~need help! There are young~

[street_sparrow]

Gavroche tosses the tape back in Jay's direction and immediately starts climbing the dome, making solid air to help him.

"How many young?"

[runningred]

~two hives. Six~ She approaches then backs off again. ~They are wild. Take care~

As Gav gets near the little niche, he will here a high, angry buzzing like wasps. Black and red forms no bigger than a golf ball dart out at Stock, flashing violently.

Jay stands up, watching through his goggles.

[street_sparrow]

He makes soothing noises, dropping back into the Speech as they won't understand him the way Stock does.

"~It's all right, little cousins. We're going to take you somewhere safe."

[runningred]

They buzz angrily and make darting little charges at both Gav and Stock. Stock puts herself between Gav and the feral young, shooting fast bursts of information to them but it does nothing to calm them.

Jay whistles again and with deadly accuracy, throws the can of expanding foam to Gav.

[street_sparrow]

Again, Gavroche's head snaps round at the whistle and he catches the can out of its trajectory and sprays it at the young without missing a beat.

At the same time, he coaxes their bodies to shut down into the equivalent of sleep.

[runningred]

Stock moves to support the other side of the lump of foam now encasing the sleeping young. ~They must be caged. They are wild and will do harm until they can be taught not to~ She sounds very, very upset. ~The last two are to your left~ She points with a light to the niches. ~Can you bring them down? I will take these to Jay~

[street_sparrow]

"Are they orphans?" he asks Stock gently, moving to the left as he puts the last two into the same sleep as the rest.

[runningred]

~we are not born as you are. Our young are built in the right season and given time to come to life with the support of the hive. These had no support, no protection, no guidance. They know only death and pain~ Her speech is becoming more natural now that she's getting the hang of thinking the way humans talk.

Jay straps the bundle of young in place and stands to help Gav with the last ones. "Is that it? If so, we need to get moving. I don't trust that roof."

[street_sparrow]

In essence, then, they are orphans and he nods sadly.

"Are these the last, Stock?"

[runningred]

Stock gives an affirmative sound in answer and helps Gav and Jay stow the last of the survivors.

She hovers for a moment. ~There is something I must find. I will meet you outside~

Jay watches her start to hover away, looking alarmed. "Where is she going?"