>>5553077“All clear.” you report numbly over the comm. You try to ignore the slight vertigo you usually associate with your command implant’s side effects. “Now let’s find- oof!”
You fling out your arms to steady yourself as something firm yet relatively light crashes into your back and seems to stick.
“WE DID IT!” A brightly smiling Kiro whoops from over your shoulder - the enthusiastic reptile perching on your back, one arm flung around your neck for balance and the other punching towards the ceiling in celebration. “You should have seen it, Dal! Cleo flipped that Crab like a table when she loses on poker night an’ I did the sweetest tail slide shot an’ then KABOOM!” The overexcited Marrok laughs in his squeaky, wheezing way - seeming no worse for wear despite said explosion.
>Rolled 1<span class="mu-r">Explosion deals 0 (1 - 2) damage to Kiro, mitigated by the intervening crates. Health: 2/3</span>
“Ha, prove I lost that game, I dare you!” You jerk in surprise and turn to see your Nav officer appear through the smoke, stopping by your side. You can just make out her wolfish grin through the cracked visor of her helmet. Despite the damage, she seems otherwise unharmed.
>Rolled 4<span class="mu-r">Explosion deals 0 (4 - 4) damage to Cleo, mitigated by the intervening crates, helmet and natural toughness.
Helmet ablative armour destroyed. Natural Armour: 0/1. Regenerating.
Health: 4/4. </span>
Turning to look you in the eye, the Ulveng reaches up and jovially slaps the top of your splintered helmet a few times. “Looks like we’re matching now, boss!” She huffs a laugh. “Managed to catch one of those crates with my face!”
The three of you pause to take in the devastation around you, the aftermath of your <span class="mu-i">amazing</span> plan slowly revealing itself as the smoke finally begins to clear. “Everything is always interesting when you’re in charge, huh Cap?” Kiro ribs, leaning around your shoulder. “Still, we won and looked cool doing it and that’s what really matters in the end, right?” He snickers.
“You said it, squirt!” Cleo replies before you can attempt to bring some seriousness back to the situation. You snort, amused despite everything.
Profound relief floods through you, as it finally sinks in that your friends are safe and the enemies are gone from your immediate concerns. Your legs wobble slightly as the adrenaline leaves them and even the meagre weight of your impromptu piggy-back rider threatens to drive you to your knees. Steel yourself, you ignore the pounding headache beginning to form in the all too familiar location of your right temple, and force your body to stay upright.
“Captain, I believe what’s left of the security detail can deal with the aftermath here.” Lieutenant La’afette’s calm voice and gestures attract the crew’s attention to the corpses, both enemy and ally alike that litter the maintenance bay. Powering on through the sobering reality he so casually dropped back down on the three of you, he continues, “We have more concerns to address.”
