6.09 - Lifts and ladders

“Next time, we make sure it’s dead,” Daniel said.

“I nominate you for the job,” Jeska said, with that smile.

Then her face was all business again. “Please keep running.”

“I’m trying,” he said.

Relieved that he hadn’t dropped Jeska, Daniel steadied himself after slipping on a stray coaster.

He realized he didn’t have any idea where they were going, and said “What’s your plan?”

“Don’t get eaten,” she said. “Wait … why don’t you have your ship grow us a lift?”

Daniel couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of that earlier.

He yelled, “Rachel, we need that lift!”

“Daniel … remember I told you that Rachel is in orientation?” she said. “Can’t your ship grow an entrance without a pilot?”

“The Afterthought is … an antique,” he said. “It needs an Aye to run the ship's clouds.”

From the crook of his arms, she looked at him incredulously.

“And there's no other way inside? Not even a ladder?”

“I’ve been meaning to grow a permanent entrance,” he said. “But I always had Rachel to handle that. Plus if there’s an emergency, there’s a …”

Looking at the ship's emergency lighting, Daniel realized what he was saying, “In an emergency, a special access lift drops down the front!”

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I didn’t think of it because I’ve never had to use it," he said.

Now Daniel knew where to run.

He spun 180 degrees with Jeska still in his arms and headed toward the front of the ship.

Then he heard a sound behind him.