Post by kuriboh on Jan 5, 2010 15:11:57 GMT -5
There was a cold knot of absolute dread that made itself very clear when a retreat was ordered. It was enough to make Florian forget how dirty he felt, or the needle-white pain in his temple. His head felt entirely, perfectly, empty except for the dread, and it let him think about it with a focus he normally didn't afford things.
Siobhan was on the Monarch. She could be dead. Blindly, he fumbled around, looking for her pressure, but in the morass of death and the pressures of those close by, he was blind. He couldn't feel her, but he couldn't feel her dead, either.
It was only a very small comfort to the knot.
Florian was only vaugely aware of how tightly he was clinging to the controls, and as the shock of the moment began to wear off, he didn't know precisely which feeling was causing it. Either terror or anger, but that was one of the last rational thoughts he was able to form as both made themselves manifest.
Florian screamed and tried to reverse - to go back to the ship and rescue his handler, but he was grappled seconds later by several of the remaining Zakus. The Radio burst to life then, with queries ranging from worriedly polite to 'Colourful,' but Florian ignored all of them, continuing to strain against the other suits, even as his systems began to shut down from lack of fuel and overheating. If they boy possessed the faculties to focus, he would have used the bits.
Radio chatter ceased for a brief second, before a single order was broadcast. "Florian, this is Banks. Stop it."
The Schnee Weiss stopped moving, the pilot inside frozen by the order. The Zakus towed him back to the fleet, and set the huge suit down in the hangar of the Tivvay. As soon as the hangar door closed, there was the usual crowd of people that rushed it, imploring the child come out of the cockpit. There was no response.
Eventually, it was one of the Zaku pilots who'd worked his way through the crowd, yelling for silence and locating an emergency release for the cockpit doors. They opened, slowly as ever, and on the inside sat Florian, unmoving except for the heavy rising and falling of his chest. The Zaku pilot braced himself and pulled the boy out gently, handing him off to the staff behind him.
Siobhan was on the Monarch. She could be dead. Blindly, he fumbled around, looking for her pressure, but in the morass of death and the pressures of those close by, he was blind. He couldn't feel her, but he couldn't feel her dead, either.
It was only a very small comfort to the knot.
Florian was only vaugely aware of how tightly he was clinging to the controls, and as the shock of the moment began to wear off, he didn't know precisely which feeling was causing it. Either terror or anger, but that was one of the last rational thoughts he was able to form as both made themselves manifest.
Florian screamed and tried to reverse - to go back to the ship and rescue his handler, but he was grappled seconds later by several of the remaining Zakus. The Radio burst to life then, with queries ranging from worriedly polite to 'Colourful,' but Florian ignored all of them, continuing to strain against the other suits, even as his systems began to shut down from lack of fuel and overheating. If they boy possessed the faculties to focus, he would have used the bits.
Radio chatter ceased for a brief second, before a single order was broadcast. "Florian, this is Banks. Stop it."
The Schnee Weiss stopped moving, the pilot inside frozen by the order. The Zakus towed him back to the fleet, and set the huge suit down in the hangar of the Tivvay. As soon as the hangar door closed, there was the usual crowd of people that rushed it, imploring the child come out of the cockpit. There was no response.
Eventually, it was one of the Zaku pilots who'd worked his way through the crowd, yelling for silence and locating an emergency release for the cockpit doors. They opened, slowly as ever, and on the inside sat Florian, unmoving except for the heavy rising and falling of his chest. The Zaku pilot braced himself and pulled the boy out gently, handing him off to the staff behind him.