"Damn it, guys, pick it up."
≈≈≈≈≈
Thunkthunkthunkthunkthunkthunk.
Bam. Bam. Bam.
We all fan out to get all corners of the room covered from attackers. In the dark room, I glance over at the wall panel and notice the foremost comms unit blinking bright green. I look at Dink and point at it.
Bam.Bam.BamBamBamBam.
Risk it if you want he mouths. We might die in a few minutes anyway. I look at Ender, preparing to take them from the back corner. He shrugs and readies himself.
WHAM!
I slowly inch over to where the units protrude from the wall.
WHAM! creeeeeeeak
I put my eyes on the door in fear it will break. I reach my hand out to try and touch the comms link.
WHAM! creeeeeeeak
I keep eyes on the door, but I feel my fingertips brushing it. Almost there. I take another small step forward.
WHAM! WHAM! creeeeeeeak
†††
"They're not answering," I mutter, slamming my hands on the table in front of me. A shudder runs through the room, shoulders slumping.
"They are old devices. They might not even work anyway. It was such a damn long shot..." one of the interns mutters, kicking a chair. I glance over at them before slamming myself back down into mmy chair and pulling up screen after screen of information detailing the layout of the base. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the small blinking red light turn green and stay there. My heart surges with hope, and I can't make my fingers move fast enough to get the audio on.
≈≈≈≈≈≈
"Hello! Who is this? Ender? Petra? Are you all ok?" a voice at the other end of the line crackles and yells in my ear. I push it quickly away before bringing it back.
WHAM! WHAM! creeeeeeeak
I don't think I'll be able to talk. They'll hear whatever I say. I quickly think back to bored days at Battle School and quickly move the device down to my other hand.
†††
"Nothing," I say, "No response." As I'm speaking, the audio slams in my ear. I cringe at the loud... tapping?
"What is it Admiral?" Graff asks anxiously, pausing to wipe the sweat off of his brow. "Anything come through?" His voice is laced with cautious hope.
"I think so. Be quiet for a second." I listen carefully to the rhythmic taps. It sounds like Morse Code. It's old, but that might be what it is. I pull up a notepad and decoder, and set to work.
≈≈≈≈
Tap tap tap. Hold-2-3. Tapholdhold Tapholdhold Tapholdhold. Hold-2-3. Tap tap tap. Hold-2-3-4-5-6-7. Tapholdhold Tapholdhold Tapholdhold. Hold-2-3. Tap tap Tapholdhold. Hold-2-3. Tapholdhold. Hold-2-3. Tap tap tap. Hold-2-3. Tap tap. Hold-2-3. Tapholdhold Tap tap. Hold-2-3. Tap. Hold-2-3-4-5-6-7.
Please be Kayleigh.
WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!
Creeeeeeeeeeeeak.
†††
It's definitely Morse code. SOS. Universal call for help. They're in there.
≈≈≈≈
"Ok, whoever's tapping Morse. We read you.We're opening a wall panel that contains phasers. It's just outside the door. You say something's outside. We have guns that we can get them with, but we need you to be to the extreme right or left of the door so you don't get hit. Take the mattress, get everyone behind it, and get to one side of the door. Give us another SOS when you're safe. Kayleigh over and out." Kayleigh! I suck in a quick breath of relief.
WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!
CREeeeeeeeeak.
I wave Dink and Ender over to the side. Everyone looks at me confusedly. I point at the comms device and make a finger gun, firing it at the door, and then pointing at my comms link.
WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!WHAM!
CREeeeeeeeeeeak.
CREeeeeeeeeeeak
They nod and start moving to the left of the door. I pull the mattress up and prop it up to cover us.
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
WHAM!
†††
Tap tap tap. Hold-2-3. Tapholdhold Tapholdhold Tapholdhold. Hold-2-3. Tap. Tap. Tap.
I slam the button to fire the phaser cannons.
YOU ARE READING
Fire and Ice
FanfictionEnder's Game. Ender is alone at Command school. Isolated by orders of Colonel Graff. But things don't look good. Graff decides to unleash a military secret held since the First Formic war. An aviator, medic, martial arts master, genius inventor, and...
