Even Stars Go Cold

Chapter 11 - A Crack In The Wall

A bid for freedom, A display of power.

"Oh, boy, this is so great!"

Drick threw a venomous look at Sam, who seemed not to notice. Abi glanced back at the display before returning her attention to the door.

"I don't think we're far from the next floor," she told her companions. "Might even be able to get the door open."

"We should wait for them to come to us," Drick declared.

Sam stepped forward and examined the door. "Do you think we need to do something with the panel or can we just force it?" she turned and asked Abi.

Abi did not miss the gesture: Sam was not asking Drick's opinion - not that it stopped him from voicing it.

"We should wait!" he repeated, forcefully.

Sam pressed her hands against the door and tried to slide it. It moved a couple of centimetres but no more. "I could use some help."

Abi took a step but Drick grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Helping! What're you doing?" Abi shot back, glancing down at his hand on her arm.

"She got us into this - you're gonna help her make this worse," Drick explained.

"Woah, woah, woah... " Sam stopped trying the door and turned around, hands on hips. "Really? You stopped the door to get into the lift, you whiny fucker. No-one dragged you in here!"

It was almost comical to Abi, watching the petite girl berating the much bigger guy. She thought back to the encounter with the instructor, and wondered why Sam had not stood up for herself so much then. Perhaps it was just about choosing her battles?

"I get that you're not a fan of authority," Sam continued, calming her voice to a less condescending tone. "Wasn't hard to figure it out, the way you were back-chatting Strickland. That's probably gonna come back to bite you, by the way. If this were the Marines, I figure we're both Corporals, we'd figure it out together - but, so far, your only agenda is staying put. I'm just asking for help right now and you can help, or not, as suits you."

Sam took the short step across the elevator to place herself toe to toe with Drick and, being more than half a head shorter, she had to look up into his face. "The only thing that I am asking now is that you don't get in my way."

"Or what?" Drick snorted.

Sam smiled - it was a sinister smile that did not reach her eyes. "All I can do is ask... right?"

Sam returned her attention to the door, and Abi joined her. The door moved a couple of centimetres more, but as soon as one of them tried to get fingers into the gap the powerful servos slammed it closed, threatening dismemberment.

Drick watched with great interest at the two women working before clearing his throat. "Maybe I can help after all," he said, unable to keep a note of amusement out of his voice.

"Really?" Abi replied, exasperated. "Gee, that would be... gentlemanly."

"And, when it comes down to it, that's what you really want," he grinned. He put his palms together, as if he was praying, then reached out between the two women, twisting his hands so his palms faced the lift door. They glowed faintly with iridescent purple and mauve, as he traced circles and arcs around himself with outstretched arms, the lines merging to form an expanding sphere that engulfed them all.

To Abi, the moves started slowly but accelerated to a blur within just a couple of seconds. When he stopped, there was a slight sheen on his forehead. Something had changed: she could feel an inexplicable, yet weirdly familiar sensation.