|
Post by massiefan on May 14, 2008 6:04:14 GMT -5
"Hm? Oh, thanks Cassie."
Mace snaps out of his internal world of energy consumption, electrical systems and wiring to acknowledge the pilot amiably as she takes her seat on his left. Then, shifting a little in his own chair, the mechanic opens a line of communication to Kaneda.
"You looking for me, Captain?"
|
|
|
Post by chero on May 17, 2008 16:52:57 GMT -5
"You looking for me, Captain?" Kaneda stops in his tracks. "Just want to know your status, Mace. You have anything for me?"
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 18, 2008 18:14:49 GMT -5
Mace scratches the back of his head, skimming through his notes and picking out the relevant information before reporting it to Kaneda.
"Well, I have the figures on adjusting the lighting in Icarus's interior. It'll take me a while to make the changes 'cause I need to re-wire the electrical systems at seven different junctions around the ship - 12 hours, minimum, done over several shifts."
|
|
|
Post by chero on May 19, 2008 19:58:45 GMT -5
"Well, I have the figures on adjusting the lighting in Icarus's interior. It'll take me a while to make the changes 'cause I need to re-wire the electrical systems at seven different junctions around the ship - 12 hours, minimum, done over several shifts." "Copy, Mace. I'll be in the Oxygen Garden if you need me." Kaneda heads back to the garden to give Harvey some company.
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 20, 2008 17:53:51 GMT -5
"Got it." Mace replies over his shoulder, before mailing a copy of his data to Capa's log.
He gets up out of his seat, looking about himself momentarily before turning to Cassie.
"Cass, do you need me down here? Otherwise, I'll get started on this." The mechanic says, gesturing to his own hand-scrawled copies of the lighting adjustment figures.
|
|
|
Post by kaliszewski on May 22, 2008 3:37:54 GMT -5
"So that's it? We start Harvey out with informal questions-- simple conversation, really-- then move on to his professional standing and end with his breakdown." Corazon looks to Capa for confirmation. She's sitting almost next to him, at an angle from which she can see the screen of the monitor on his desk in Medical. They've been looking over an outline, a suggested query pattern for simple psychological analysis. "Yeah, that's pretty much it." Capa nods. He looks at her. "If your schedule permits, we can start with him after lunch." "Certainly. Though I'm still not entirely sure why you need me here." She speaks affably, without a hint of resentment, though with just enough of an edge to her tone to goad a response from him. She can sense it: distant though Capa often is, this is different. He's still not entirely present. "He likes you, Corrie," Capa says, simply. "He likes you, too, Capa," she responds. "Some people do, you know." That provokes a hint of a smile. Corazon continues: "You've changed, you know." At this, Capa looks alarmed-- not panicked, no: just the slightest widening of his too-blue eyes. A straightening of his spine as he braces to protest-- "Not in a bad way." Corazon smiles reassuringly. "How do I put it...? Here: Let's just say you're well on your way to becoming a real boy." "A real-- Oh, right." He smiles sheepishly. Maybe to hide the color rising in his cheeks, he looks back at the screen. "And here I thought we were going to be analyzing Harvey." "Mm hm. After lunch." Corazon stands. Something different about him, something out of place: she'd been trying to pinpoint it as they talked, and now she notes: "You're not wearing your comm link." Capa reaches automatically for that which isn't there. His fingers brush absently at the empty spot on his chest. "I, uh, think I left it in the shower." "Why don't you have Icarus track it down for you?" "Because--" He pauses, looking up at her. "I'll pick it up after we're done here." Because...?Because any call for a lost link would get forwarded to the ship's maintenance log. Where Kaneda and Mace would see it.Corazon internalizes her smile. Capa is, after all, the youngest member of the crew. And sometimes, despite his genius, despite his professionalism, it shows. He's afraid of getting caught. "See you at lunch." Corazon pats his shoulder and takes her leave. ***** Capa watches her go. Then he heads for the showers to pick up his comm link. It isn't there. He goes to his cabin, wondering if he forgot to wear it at all today even as he knows such wonderment to be pointless: he remembers putting it on this morning. He goes through the motions of checking his bedside table, the bed itself, the bookshelf, the floor. The comm link isn't there. " Icarus," he says to the air, finally, "locate my comm link, please." A moment as Icarus pings the link and verifies its location. Capa finds himself tensing, inexplicably-- Your comm link is on the deck outside the main airlock, Capa."What--" He hesitates-- Please complete query, Capa. -- is it doing there...?"Disregard, Icarus. Thank you." Capa leaves his cabin, moves forward toward the airlock. He can feel himself shaking, ever so slightly.
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 22, 2008 4:41:44 GMT -5
In the Flight Deck, Mace notices a quick stream of text rush across the screen depicting the ship's maintenance logs.
"What the-" the mechanic pauses, leans forward on the console. Capa - or someone using his operating code - has requested a check on the location of his comm-link. That, however, isn't what has captured Mace's attention. It's the location of said comm-link that is surprising. According to the system data, it's sitting outside the main airlock. Frowning, Mace wonders what Capa was doing down there...obviously, they're all free to wander the ship as they please, but it registers a blip on the mechanic's radar as a definite anomaly. He turns again to Cassie.
"That seem unusual to you?" he asks, pointing at the screen.
|
|
|
Post by brittany on May 23, 2008 8:11:12 GMT -5
In the Flight Deck, Mace notices a quick stream of text rush across the screen depicting the ship's maintenance logs. "What the-" the mechanic pauses, leans forward on the console. Capa - or someone using his operating code - has requested a check on the location of his comm-link. That, however, isn't what has captured Mace's attention. It's the location of said comm-link that is surprising. According to the system data, it's sitting outside the main airlock. Frowning, Mace wonders what Capa was doing down there...obviously, they're all free to wander the ship as they please, but it registers a blip on the mechanic's radar as a definite anomaly. He turns again to Cassie. "That seem unusual to you?" he asks, pointing at the screen. Cassie was about to reply to his first question but stops at the sight of the screen. She leans in closer to the mainframe panel and considers his next question more seriously. "Why would a comm-link be near the main airlock? No one needs to be out there just yet, right?" She hides some concern in her voice. She notices Mace's comm-link more directly now. "... and it's not yours that is missing."
|
|
|
Post by kaliszewski on May 24, 2008 6:20:22 GMT -5
He wouldn't say anything-- he's not exactly on Mace's good side when it comes to interrupting, and he has no right to eavesdrop-- but Trey couldn't help overhearing. And what he's overheard is too eerily similar to what he dreamed. He leaves Navs, approaches the pilots' stations.
"Who's missing their comm link...?" he asks, frowning at the data scrolling across the maintenance log.
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 25, 2008 8:05:49 GMT -5
"Capa." Mace replies without taking his eyes off the monitor. He pauses, shaking his head slightly as he tries to guess what the physicist's comm-link is doing in sych a precarious location. Then:
"Icarus, please calculate time at which Capa's comm-link was separated from his biometric system."
The mechanic places his request, hoping that Icarus' interior scanners are capable of pinpointing how long the electrical signature of the comm-link and the thermal signature of Capa's body have been separated, and that he can get to the core of what's going on here - Mace can't shake the feeling that forgetfulness or accidental removal isn't reponsible for the comm device now resting on the outer airlock deck.
|
|
|
Post by kaliszewski on May 26, 2008 4:10:28 GMT -5
Mace, barring his sleep period last night, Capa's comm link ceased recording his biometric data at approximately eleven thirty-eight hours this morning. Suggest inspection of comm link upon recovery: device has sustained damage sufficient to impair continued and accurate functioning.***** There it is.He's just outside the main airlock. The comm link is on the black decking maybe four feet from the heavy white door. Capa bends to pick it up. He pauses, scowling, with the link in his hand: the cord is broken; the case on the link's transmitter is badly cracked. He turns it over on one shaking palm. There's something else. His incision is stinging. He pulls up his coal-gray t-shirt to look; he winces as the fabric sticks at his sternum. Then his breath catches in shock-- The incision area looks as if it's been clawed. Blood is seeping from his scar.
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 26, 2008 23:52:18 GMT -5
In the Flight Deck, the mechanic's suspicious expression grows more pronounced. He looks over at Cassie and Trey.
"There's something weird going on here." Mace says. He activates his comm-link.
"Captain? Mace here. I need you to find Capa ASAP or come back to the Flight Deck. Something's not right."
He focuses then on Trey.
"Trey, I want you to check on Harvey. I'm sure he's not involved," the mechanic adds, glancing fleetingly at Cassie, "but we don't want to take any unnecessary chances here. I just need to know that he's still on his knees in Corrie's garden and nothing's wrong."
|
|
|
Post by kaliszewski on May 27, 2008 16:08:56 GMT -5
"Will do."
Still rattled by his dream sinking its fingers into real life, Trey is out the door of the flight deck before he catches himself.
He touches his comm link. "Corrie? Corazon?"
Yes, Trey?
"Are you in the garden?"
Just arriving. Why?
"Is Harvey there?"
Mm hm. What's up?
"All quiet?"
Yes, as far as I can-- Trey, what is it?
"Nothing, Corrie. There's a mixup with the comm links, that's all. Out." He terminates the feed. Likely Corazon will be upset-- she doesn't especially like being cut off-- but he doesn't find himself caring at this point. He steps back into the flight deck and calls to Mace: "Corazon says Harvey's with her in the garden."
Before Mace can respond, Trey adds: "I'm going to the airlock."
He turns and runs.
|
|
|
Post by massiefan on May 27, 2008 17:52:41 GMT -5
"Trey, wait--"
But the navigator is gone, his footsteps thudding away down the corridor, growing fainter every second. Mace shakes his head wearily, still leaning heavily on the flight consoles in front of him.
After a moment's pause, the mechanic taps into the feed from the camera positioned just inside the outer airlock door. The footage enlarges to fill its designated screen, and the slightly grainy image shows Capa, standing unsteadily beside the airlock door. His shirt is pulled up over his torso; Mace notices him tentatively touching the scar on his chest, but his face isn't turned towards the camera, so the 2IC misses the horrified expression on the physicist's features. He does, however, see the tell-tale blue-light blink of the offending comm-unit, glowing gently in Capa's hand. Tense and uncertain, the mechanic waits for Trey to arrive onscreen to assess the situation first hand.
|
|
|
Post by kaliszewski on May 29, 2008 3:04:41 GMT -5
"Hey, Capa," Trey says, gently.
He's maybe ten feet from Capa; Capa is within arm's reach of the heavy handle on the airlock's inner hatch. He's swaying slightly on his feet, Capa is, his reedlike frame moving with the nudging of invisible currents. He has his shirt pulled up; he's looking down at his chest. Trey, looking, too, has to suppress a gasp--
"I don't remember," Capa says. His voice is soft and flat. He pulls his shirt back down. "I must have done this. And this." He approaches Trey, shows him his comm link. The unit's transmitter side is badly cracked. Trey can see blood on the device and on Capa's fingertips. "But I don't-- I need to get back to Medical."
Trey reaches for him, a steadying hand making for Capa's shoulder. Capa eases away from the contact.
"Don't," he says quietly. "I'm alright, Trey."
He looks up at the ceiling cam. "I'm returning to Medical now. I'll assess my condition further once I'm there."
Trey shudders at his tone. Not calm: stillness. Capa is absolutely distant, from himself, from his surroundings. Trey glances at the camera, too, as their young physicist passes him, heading back toward Medical.
"I'll go with you," he says, and follows Capa from the airlock staging area.
|
|