The Space Between

Chapter Twenty-Four: "Blind Luck"

Sean coughed more water, his whole body was shivering. Logan rubbed his arm and chest as he snuggled against his back. Logan barely had any warmth to him. After a minute, Logan told him seriously. "This isn't working... We need to get you someplace warm." Sean tried to point to the door, his teeth chattering out. "M-m-mark?" Logan thought about it but said rationally. "No. He's locked in there. He won't have what we need." Sean shook his head. He wanted to see Mark. Logan stomped through the water on the floor toward an open hatch door. Touching it, he grinned and told Sean a little excited. "This is the Ceres." Slipping inside a bit, he checked it out. Heading back to him, Logan picked him up off the wet floor, telling him a bit strained. "It's clear. Come on. We need to get you warm quickly." Sean tried to protest but his body felt numb. Hopping inside, Logan laid him across the floor and raced around to find something. He opened every secure cabinet and emergency cases, until he removed a suit that Sean recognized.

Mark had worn a suit like it. A thermal suit. Rushing back to him, Logan told him a bit rushed. "Ok. Can you get your clothes off or do you need help?" Sean shook his head, stiffly sitting up. He managed to pull his shirt off just fine... but the buttons to his pants were another story. His fingers were so numb that he couldn't feel them and just bending them felt delayed. Logan grabbed his hands in an attempt to warm them, mumbling out. "That's not good..." Logan rushed away, tossing stuff from cabinets. Finding a medical bag, Logan opened it and dug through it. Sean watched him grab a blanket and plug it into the wall of the shuttle. Flipping it out, he draped it over Sean. The blanket was soft and was starting to grow steadily warmer. Logan reached under the blanket to unbutton his pants for him, then told him hopefully. "I'm gonna look to see if Mark's stuff is here. Just stay there." Sean worked to get his wet clothes off, then huddled tightly in the large blanket. The blanket was a big help.

After a few minutes, Logan came back with some of Mark's clothes. Sean took them, unable to resist smelling them. Mark's scent calmed him. Staying hidden in the blanket, Sean slipped on Mark's clothes. They were a bit baggy on his slimmer frame, but they were comfortable. Logan gave him the thermal suit next, informing him coolly. "Here. They always have a spare for emergencies. You are going to need it." Sean let Logan help him to his feet to slip the suit on carefully. Unable to put his shoes back on, he just slipped on Mark's socks. Logan hugged him to his chest once he was able to stand on his own feet without help. Hugging Logan back, he thanked him. Logan quivered a bit, nervously saying. "I'm sorry..." Sean patted his back, nicely telling him. "It's alright. You didn't know. You saved my life. That is all that matters." Logan took a step back from him, pointing back out as he told him. "Shall we? We don't know what else is beyond that door..." Sean took a deep breath, answering firmly. "Give me my bag. Then do it."

Logan hopped back out into the docking bay, collecting the bags. Tossing his own bag into the Ceres, he handed Sean his bag. Sean opened his bag, searching through it for the hot sauce and Mark's bed knife. Discreetly putting the hot sauce in his suit pocket, he snapped the handle of the knife to an equipment loop on the side of his suit. Dropping his bag with Logan's, he gave him a nod and said aloud. "Alright. Let's do this." Logan collected Whitney to put her in the warm blanket, then said confidently. "On it." Transforming back, he dressed in clothes from his dad's stuff and jogged out to the computer. Looking over the codes, he typed them in. The computer typed things out and Logan read them over before typing more. Sean could barely keep up with how fast he was typing. Snorting, Logan gruffly mumbled out. "Whoever did this, they really didn't want to let him out. They've scrambled this computers memory." Sean stepped down from the Ceres, avoiding the wet spots on the floor as he asked him anxiously. "But you can fix it, right?"

Logan counted softly to himself, then typed more into the computer. While Logan typed, he uttered out in a low distracted tone. "Ya... It's just a bunch of math spam. The computer is playing a set of games... answer them all and..." With a loud 'hiss' the hatch door opened. Logan grinned, gesturing to the door as he said. "There ya go. Easy." Sean rushed past Logan, stumbling through the hatch. In the small room, Mark stood by a large barred off window that overlooked the vastness of space. His heart leapt for joy and he ran toward him. Mark turned slowly to face him, opening his arms as Sean leapt into his embrace. Hugging him tightly, Mark told him in a warm voice. "Are you ok?" Sean nodded, telling him with tears brimming his eyes. "Yes. I... Mark, I was so worried. What happened? Why are you locked in here?" Mark took a shaky breath, telling him a bit rattled. "Well, there are giant lizards running around trying to eat everyone. The crew... they didn't make it. I'm all that is left. I tried to get back to the ship, but they must have damaged the controls because... I got locked in."