Lt Alex Storm - Between the Fire and the Dark

[Karen Morris]

((Unknown Monastery - Callis 1))

Alex walked over to the door and examined it.  Running her fingers over the solid, smooth stone, she felt its lean.  The bottom was wedged toward them more than the top.  Following the door to its edge, she felt the bottom hinge; it was cracked but not completely broken through.

Storm:  The door’s still mostly intact,  but I don’t know if it can survive another assault of that level… ::Her voice trailed off, and she pivoted around on the balls of her feet to face Brexis and MacKenzie.::  As hard as that door was to close - and now with it skewed on its hinges, has anyone given any thought to how we get OUT of this building?

MacKenzie: I'm hoping we won't need to be here very long before Starfleet sends a rescue party... Hopefully leaving becomes tomorrow's problem.

Brexis: We’ve got to keep ourselves going until that help arrives.

Storm: Which will hopefully be sooner rather than later.

Alex watched MacKenzie stand, put her hands on her hips, and pace back and forth near the fire.

MacKenzie: I think we should prioritize keeping the fire going and trying to get some sleep. We should be able to use the fire as a weapon in case they come back.

Brexis: I will work on keeping it going. As it is right now, I don’t feel them close. So maybe we are in luck?

Storm:   One can only hope.

MacKenzie: Maybe they're nocturnal? If so, it might be easier to try to find food and potentially better shelter tomorrow...

Brexis: Daylight is safer either way. ::pointing to Cole:: I think she’s comin’ around.

Cole: ::barely audible, unfocused:: Wait one more heartbeat…

Now feeling steadier on her feet, Alex walked over to Cole and knelt down next to her, her fingers brushing against the stone under their feet.  She spoke softly.

Storm:  Hey, Nat…Welcome back to the land of the conscious.

MacKenzie: Response

Brexis: You alright?

Cole: ::small nod:: I will be. Door still holding?

Alex’s eyes glanced at the door before returning to Cole’s.

Storm:  One hinge is cracked, and the door is off kilter slightly, but it’s still a formidable barrier between us and the local wildlife

MacKenzie: Response

Brexis: Maybe you should get closer to the fire. ::beat:: But you know. Don’t fall in it or anything like that.

Cole: ::faint smirk:: If I fall in, feel free to mock me first, then rescue me.

Standing up, Alex gave Cole the space to maneuver her body.  She would have offered a hand, but she didn’t know whether it would do more harm than good, given her apparent injury.  Gesturing to the rooms on one end of the building Alex said…

Storm:   I’m going to get some more firewood from one of these rooms over here.

While MacKenzie attended to Cole, Alex opened the door with the cot and the skeletons of the long-since deceased.  

MacKenzie/Brexis: Response

Cole: ::looking at MacKenzie:: I know better to argue with you Captain.

Cole: Mother [Expletive Redacted] … ::sheepishly:: Sorry, and thank you.

Storm re-entered the main room carrying an armful of combustible wood, having left the bones in the room.  She walked over to the small wood pile beside the fire and knelt down to deposit this batch.

Storm:  There’s a bit more in that room, when we need it.  And if you aren’t averse to burning humanoid remains, there are bones in there, too.

MacKenzie/Brexis: Response

Cole: ::flexing her shoulder carefully:: Okay. That sucked. But I’m functional, and that’s enough.

Storm:  If we are going to take turns getting some rest, I’m happy to take the first watch.

MacKenzie/Brexis: Response

Alex chose to walk the perimeter of the inside of the building since she was going to be awake for a while.  The heavy rubberized soles of her boots made little noise as they trod around the inside perimeter of the building.  Her eyes searched for anything that might help their situation.  

The crackling fire reverberated through the main room, and without warning, her mind turned toward a little black haired girl.  Her dimpled smile was usually accompanied by tinkling laughter.

Unplugging the space under the second door, Alex walked inside.  She had given it a cursory glance earlier - and now all she could see was the firelight dancing against the flagstones on the floor, reminding her of the sparkle in Cassie’s eyes.

But as she stood there observing it, she noticed two circular  notches, one on each front corner of the large flat stone.  The other corners of the stone were underneath one of the shelves.  Alex tried to swivel the shelf out into the middle of the room, but it was too heavy.  

Storm:  Hey, Charlotte.  Can I get some help in here?

MacKenzie/Brexis/Cole: Response

Storm:  See these notches? ::pointing to the circular cut-out spots in the corners of the stone.::  I’m wondering if there are two more on the other corners under this shelf, but it’s too heavy to move.

MacKenzie/Brexis/Cole:  Response

Storm:  On three.  One, two, three.

Sliding the shelf away from the wall, Alex checked for two more notches  Sure enough, there were two more notches in the back two corners of the same stone.

Storm:  Four staves that match the notches in the four corners of the stone?  Hey Captain.  I think we might have found something in here.

MacKenzie/Brexis/Cole:  Response

~*~
Tags / TBC!
~*~
Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2