theatlas | ( OPEN-ISH )

[Her shoulder is (mostly) fine by now, though this still probably wasn't the wisest idea. It's not like there was a whole lot of choice, though.

With two people helping balance her out, Jess feels a little more confident in getting a solid grip on the cable and pulling with as much strength as she can muster. The cable creaks, or at least something does, and then snaps, sending Jess tumbling backwards.]

Shit!

[Clarke obviously goes right with her, tumbling backwards with a surprised shout. She sits up right away, watching the empty elevator shaft and waiting for the crash which eventually comes from somewhere far below them.]

[ Aaand there goes Lance, having been the second to join the pulling and therefore finding himself at the bottom of this heap. ]

Ow...

[ Clark gets up right away, and Lance follows gracelessly after, his limbs still adolescent-lanky and uncoordinated. He starts when he hears the distant ka-thoom of the elevator falling, but it's also a bit of a relief, that at least the sword of Damocles won't be hanging over their heads for long. ]

Okay, one thing down.

[Jess takes a little longer to get back to her feet; her shoulder and ribs are aching again and though she's trying to ignore the pain, it leaves her a little light headed. But the crash has her back on her feet, listening for any other sounds that might suggest someone is hurt but... it seems fine.

Jess starts wrapping the cable around her arm, already moving as she does.]

Come on, we've already wasted enough time.

[This particular pit stop was necessary, but she's still worried about Cayde.]

Yeah, let's go.

[Clarke looks back at the elevator shaft one more time as she follows Jess down the hall, getting more and more antsy as time goes on. She's not entirely convinced that they're alone in here, but she takes comfort in the charged pistol in her hand.]

So, how is this going to work?

Two options: either we tie this against something stable and let Miss Bench-Press over here do her thing, or one of us [ motioning to himself and Clarke ] drops down there on the rope and you [ Jess ] stay up here to pull us and Cayde up.

[ A beat, when they reach the hole again. ]

We don't actually know how deep this is.

[ Can Jessica clear the height? If he'd been aware she was careful with her shoulders he'd find other alternatives, but as it stands he isn't. ]

[Lance has outlined the options pretty well, aside from the "Miss Bench-Press" thing, but Jess is willing to let it slide.]

If he's unconscious are either of you gonna be able to move him?

[It's another thing to consider; if Cayde moved away from the hole but is too unconscious or too injured to move back, Jess has the best chance of hauling him to safety.

But on the flip side, she also has the best chance of pulling him up.]

As long as there's handholds, I can get back up with or without the rope.

[It might take her a while, but she could theoretically do it. There has to be floors between the one they're on and the one Cayde fell onto.]

[Clarke shakes her head.]

We have no idea what's down there. You can't just jump in and hope there's something safe to land on.

[But that kind of leaves them with nothing again. Clarke puts her thinking face on and stares into the hole.]

At least one of us has to be lowered in. I could use the gun I found like a flare if I went in and shoot the ceiling if I need you to stop...

[It's not perfect, but it's all she has.]

Whatever we do, we have to do it quick. His suit might not hold out much longer.

I think Jess should go because we don't know what's down there.

[ His looks at Clarke. His expression is frustrated, but not unsympathetic. He wants to help, too. ]

If there's anything dangerous down there, you or I would get mowed down in a second.

[Jess puts her hands up, as frustrated as Lance by the back and forth on this.]

Am I jumping down or not?

[Because if they keep discussing it, she's just going to go without permission.]

[Clarke can sense that something is going to happen imminently whether they figure out the best way to do this or not. She stares down into the hole, frowning in concern, and then she nods.]

Yeah. I think you have to jump.

[ A grim nod. Sucks, but, what can you do?

He opens his hands to accept one end of the cable. Go for it, Jess. ]

[Jess hands off the cable to Lance with a wry smile.]

If I'm not back in twenty minutes, go get Clark.

[He's probably the most powerful of who's left, and with that said, Jess walks to the edge of the hole.]

Here goes nothing.

[And she jumps. They can lower the cable down after her.]

[Clarke is very worried that they just lost not one but two of their number, which is a distressing thought considering how few they were to begin with.]

[She helps Lance lower down the cable, tying it off part of the wreckage at the edge of the hole, and then she sits down with her back to the wall.]

This was a bad idea.

[ Considering that's mostly his idea at work here, he feels a little insulted by that statement. ]

Well I didn't see you come up with anything better. [ His tone is huffy, bordering on juvenile, but he's peering down the hole with worry, too. What if Jess disappears, and it's all his fault? ]

We just gotta trust them.

[She didn't have time, Lance.]

How long do we wait?

[ Oh, like he had so much more??? What-ever. ]

She said twenty minutes.

[ It's been like, two. C'mon, Jess...clock is ticking. ]

[Clarke elects to take a deep breath to steady herself, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. Everything is such an unknown right now, and she hates feeling this unsure.]

[Sorry Lance she's not much of a conversationalist right now, but the frown on her face certainly speaks volumes as to the arguments she's raging with herself in her head.]

[ Jess is tough. She's tough and reliable. If anyone can do this, she can. He's seen it first-hand, though he has to keep reminding himself. As Clarke lapses into silence it's all he can do not to fill it with nervous chatter, his own fingers curling and uncurling.

There's nothing to do but wait, now. ]

[GUESS WHO'S BACK.]

[First a hand comes up for leverage and Cayde climbs out of the hole with basically no effort, turning to lean over the edge and reach down for Jess. He looks over his shoulder at the other two in the meantime.]

Hey, look who it is! [Lonestar and that guy] You miss me?

[BACK AGAIN.

Jess will accept that helping hand, because she's starting to run low on power and doesn't want to push herself too hard, though she still pulls herself up relatively easily.

Unlike Cayde, she doesn't have many words in the way of greeting, but Clarke and Lance both get a nod that could be interpreted as grateful if they squint.]

[Clarke looks very relieved to see them crawl out of the hole, and she gets up immediately when she sees Cayde's head pop up.]

Oh, thank God.

[ Lance sucks in air sharply when Cayde's hand appears, then releases it in the form of a hoot, grinning. ]

I knewyou'd be okay!

[ He wasn't worried at all. Not even remotely. ]

Course. I'm hardy.

[He winks at Lance and looks back at Jess, then to his wrist. He's doing okay, but who knows about the others.]

What say we get out of here, huh?

That might be the first smart thing you've ever said.

[That probably isn't true, Cayde has said a few smart things before probably, but Jess is ready to get the hell away from this stupid ship.

She's not even going to wait for the others before she starts heading towards the exit. Bye nerds.]

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