Prompt: No answer, firebug, blackout, hunter

“Gem..eye…in…em..come…Gemeni…you…eye…copy?”

The voice remained even, but I could hear the frantic tone underneath. The static screetched and skittered along my nerves. Why didn’t he answer? I couldn’t lift my head. Why couldn’t I…

My eyes snapped open. I was leaning against my harness at nearly a ninety-degree angle to my left. My head had snapped the safety strap, and was dangling to the side. My neck was on fire, stretched to the breaking point. I rolled it back and felt the headrest. My vision was blurred, and my eyes were crusty. I couldn’t move my left arm out of the harness, but I brought my right hand up and swiped at my forehead. It was covered in blood. Great.

“Copal? You alive?” I croaked, hoping to Desa he was, because otherwise I was in deep trouble. No answer. “Copal? I didn’t kill you, so don’t be dead yet, asshole.” I shouted this time, hoping to stir a response.

I heard a low moan and grinned. Good. “Wakey, wakey, you pansy,” I taunted him. He needed an adrenaline surge to get him moving.

Meanwhile, that static was like pisacs crawling in my ears. I couldn’t take it any more. I couldn’t reach the console, but I didn’t need to, especially if Copal couldn’t see me – or stop me. I stretched my arm out to the side and felt something hard – a support beam. I grabbed it and sent a surge of energy through it.

“Gemeni, come in. Gemeni. Come in. Gemeni, do you copy?” The voice sounded clear as day.

Copal moaned again and stirred. I could barely see him from my twisted vantage point. “Copal. Wake up, man. You gotta get me outta this harness. I’m hurt. Come on, Copal. Do your job! Take care of me, you big nanny!”

His feet hit the deck firmly, and I saw him rising. “Need me to wipe your arse again, Sparky? How bout if I just wipe the deck with it?”

Oh great. Might be a little too much adrenaline.

“Copal, I need your help.” Time to take him down a notch. “I’m injured, and I don’t know how bad. The ship is wrecked. You’re gonna need me, man. Come on, help me.” It pained me to say it. “Please.”

Dogs in house	Houdini
Time writing	~20 minutes
February word count	4,234