Home » The Archives » Chapter 9 » Regrouping and Recouperation
| Re: Regrouping and Recouperation [message #237 is a reply to message #236] |
Mon, 23 July 2012 15:30   |
artisticrainey
Messages: 1228
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
Karma:
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Field Commander
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Tuesday, August 14, 11:15 a.m., Tracy Island
Brains slid his hands around the data pad he was clutching as he waited. I should have done this sooner, while their recollections were fresh, but... it didn't seem right. He was sitting in the lounge on the left hand side of the Cliff House apartments, waiting for Dom and Nikki to arrive. I hope talking to them together will help me get some of the answers I need.
Nikki came down first, still favoring her ankle. She gave him a slight, unsteady smile and a murmured "Good morning," as she sat down in one of the comfortable chairs.
Dom arrived a few moments later, a diaper bag over one shoulder, a basket of toys in the same hand, and clutching Josh's hand with the other. He no longer wore his cervical collar, but Brains's practiced eye could see that he was still feeling the physical effects of the whole situation. I'm glad Dr. Carmichael is here; his words will hold more clout than mine would.
Dom gave him a short nod, and said, "Mornin', Brains, Nikki." He moved gracefully to sit on the floor, assuming the lotus position, and handing a couple of blocks to his son. "So, what do you need to talk about?"
Brains looked down at his data pad. "First, thanks for coming. I know you've been feeling the repercussions of the... the crash for a bit now, and I probably should have come to you sooner, while the memories were fresher, but..," he shrugged, "it didn't seem like the right time."
Nikki moistened her lips with her tongue, and Dom nodded solemnly, so Brains continued. "I'm trying to figure out just how Thunderbird Seven separated. So... if you're comfortable with it, tell me what happened when the tornado... when the tornado picked you up."
The two nurses exchanged glances, and Dom nodded as if to say, "I'll go first." "Well," he said, thinking over his words, "Dr. Tracy was holding on hard, trying to keep us upright. Still, it wasn't but a few moments before the power failed on the magnetic couplings. I tried to reroute power, but it didn't work."
"The cabin was vibrating at first, then started shaking badly," Nikki added. "Then the two parts separated and we went tumbling about." She shuddered. "A big clump of... of something slammed up against the windscreen, but it just slid off..."
"Was this before the sections separated, or after?" Brains asked, taking notes.
"Definitely after," Nikki replied, twining her fingers together.
"Hmm." Brains paused for a long time. Joshua toddled up and pulled on the data pad; gamely, Brains showed him the notes.
"Wead!" the boy demanded, starting to climb into Brains's lap. Brains, at a loss, raised wide eyes to Dom, who untangled himself and reached across to his son.
"Ah, come on now, wee man. I have just the book for you over here," he said as he retrieved the boy and fished around in the toy basket to find a board book more to Josh's liking.
The pair settled down, and Brains, relieved, went over his notes again. After a moment, he asked, "Was there anything else? Anything you saw, or heard, or felt?"
Dom paused in his reading, looked up, and shook his head slowly. "'Twas hard to hear anything above those winds," he said with a shrug. At Josh's loud insistence, he went back to reading the book, a story Josh knew well, judging by the toddler's delighted responses.
But Nikki sat up straighter. She cocked her head to one side, and said haltingly, "I think... I remember hearing a..." she turned toward Brains, "a scratching noise. It wasn't loud, but it was right over my head. Sort of like a... a branch, scratching on a window pane, or on the roof of a car. I didn't remember it before, but since you mentioned hearing..." Her voice trailed off, and she smiled sheepishly. "I don't know that it's of any help, though."
"Anything you tell me is of help," Brains said, looking up from his notes to flash a brief smile at her. "Did either of you hear when the magnets let go?"
Dom stopped reading again, and both nurses shook their heads. Dom said, "We could feel it, though. The shaking stopped very abruptly."
Brains tapped his stylus on his chin. "That means the failure wasn't catastrophic. Thunderbird Seven's electrical system was trying to reinitialize the magnets, but there was some sort of overload..." He realized he was theorizing aloud, and stopped. Smiling at the pair, he nodded. "Thank you both." He cleared his throat. "I'm sure this has been difficult for you. I wish it wasn't necessary."
"I just hope it helps," Nikki said softly.
"I'm sure it will," Brains assured her. "If you remember anything else, even if you think it may be insignificant, please tell me."
"We will," Dom replied, glancing quickly up from the book.
"I need to get back to the lab," Brains said, rising. "I'll talk to you later. Have a good afternoon."
"You, too, Brains," Nikki said.
The scientist walked off, glancing back to give the nurses a wave. Nikki looked down at Dom and Josh, and smiled a little.
"What are you two doing for lunch?" she asked.
Post by Tikatu on 1/16/2007
  
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