END GAME: THE COUNTDOWN STARTS

[sailmods]

[the prisoners wake up on cold, hard floors.

the lights are bright, glaring, a sterile cell with sterile bars facing a sterile hall. the prisoners with you, across from you, and no one else. no rocking of a ship in waves, nothing. just the prisoner and their prison.

time passes, one assumes. the rhythmic click of Friday’s heels down the hall. it’s almost like the ticking of a clock.]

Comments

[sailmods]

[the bars are unaffected.]

[configuration_birdwatcher]

All that kinetic energy sends Bastion bouncing off the undamaged bars, where they go sprawling on the ground and skidding toward the back of the cell with clattering and scraping noises not entirely unlike a metal shelving unit falling down the stairs. At least it's the ground they hit and not Okie.

Breaking down the bars with direct force didn't work, but they can try a few other approaches. Their self-repair system's still not responding, so if they hurt themself they're stuck that way, and they can't try melting the bars with it. They'll have to be more careful. Bastion stands up and approaches the cell bars a second time, planting their feet in front of the wall and gripping the metal, then shoving their handhold to the side as hard as they can with the rotational force of their whole body.

[sailmods]

[with a loud groan, the metal bends far enough to allow someone through.]

[configuration_birdwatcher]

[ Bastion reaches to help Okie out first. ]

[mistertwister]

[ with a much quieter groan, Okie lets himself be lifted and holds himself up on the bars. ]

Holy shit, dude.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

[ It's a tighter squeeze for Bastion, but they get themself out of the cell and into the hallway. They didn't know if that was going to work after the way the first attempt went, but they could probably manage it again. ]

// I'll open more cells. I don't think you can help; do you want me to bring you to Siffleur?

[ They can't see any swelling or broken limbs, but they don't know what else might be a sign of injury on a weather-person and Okie's having difficulty standing up under his own power. Which is not conducive to helping tear the bars apart or riding on Bastion's shoulder while they do that. They're not sure what specifically Siffleur's doing, but he's at the end of the hall with Victor. ]

[mistertwister]

I can go with Siff, yeah. 'Less we get all our bullshit back I'm just a human that stands out.

[ He steps out into the middle of the hallway, gets the feel for his legs under him again. ]

You want I should pass on a message?

[configuration_birdwatcher]

[ They're glad that he's doing better. It'll save time if they don't have to escort him, too. ]

// I'll start with cells where both parties can fight, in case we're interrupted.

[ They don't have any personal messages for Siffleur, and he should be able to pick up everything else he needs to know by looking around. ]

[mistertwister]

I'll, uh, be on standby then.

[ He claps his hands as if they just finished a pregame huddle, before turning to shuffle awkwardly down the hallway. ]