Learning to Dance

“Well, that’s one way to do it,” she said, and stretched
out her toe to touch the ledge. Once she had maneuvered
her way into a crouching position, she pressed herself as
closely as she could into the shallow protection of the ledge
and rotated the wheel of the hatch, hoping that it didn’t
require an access code. It swung open easily.
“Gracias a Dios muerto,” she said, slipping inside and
closing the door on the red light still bursting throughout
the engine shaft. She stood up quickly and immediately felt
a wave of dizziness wash over her. The warp core felt like it
was burning her skin through the fabric of her clothes.
“Got to – get back to the Arrow,” she panted, placing a
hand on the wall to steady herself and pulling out Up’s
scanner. She studied the map, trying to get oriented. She
was in a hallway that looked just like any other in the ship,
but she knew she was three decks down from their entry
route... there it was. She quickly memorized the route she
would need to take. The robot ship’s continually sloping
hallways meant that there was no need for stairs or
elevators – that was probably going to be a good thing.
Taz wiped her forehead with the bottom of her shirt –
she was breaking out in a sweat, and she didn’t think it was
from her exertion in the engine shaft. Taking a few deep
breaths, she set out at a jog along the hallway. She felt so
cold.
A double burst of weapons fire shot across the hallway
as she passed an intersection, and that’s when Taz realized
that her vision was starting to go. Pushing herself to run
faster, she swung her zapper around her shoulder and held it
at the ready.
More bursts of light and Taz fired blindly, hearing the
satisfying pew-pew sound of energy blast hitting metal. She
didn’t stop moving – she had to get back to the Arrow – she
had to get back to Up -