Take It Nice And Slow

Maybe if she went slow and steady she might have a chance. She began to creep along holding onto the side with one hand trying not to step onto anything that looked damaged while reaching out with her other. She was almost close enough to touch his hand. The bottom gave out and Liz went over the edge as it shifted and snapped. Time began to slow as she fell.

She saw the rubber recharge cables hanging from the side of the spire as she held out her hand toward one of them and grabbed hold with both hands. It burned like fire as she gripped tightly to slow herself then the wire jerk her arms as it caught her weight and she went shoulder first into part of the spire but somehow she managed to hold onto the rubber wire she was holding.

“Libby, hold on.” Uncle James yelled down.

“I am trying.” Liz said back though she didn’t see anyone when she looked up. No doubt already trying to find a way down Liz hoped. She could feel her hands slipping from something hot and wet that she soon realized was blood as it trickled down her wrist. It was making it harder to hold onto the wire now as the gust blew about her. The tighter she gripped the more it hurt and the slicker the wire got.

She looked behind her to see a beam to the cradle that held the ship. That had been what she had hit a second ago, it was close. Maybe if she could get a hold of it she could hold on long enough. She reached out with her foot trying to get a good footing and managed to touch it before one of her hands slipped off sending her spinning. She tried desperately to grab the cable again but lost her grip and found herself falling again.

Suddenly she felt something hit her in the side and wrap around her as she was no longer falling downward but swinging forward along the side of the spire and then backwards.

“I have you.” A man’s voice said as he pulled her closer and upright. Liz scrambled to grab hold of him as he held her tightly.

“Thank you, oh thank you.” Liz scrambled to grab hold of him as he held her tightly. Liz felt a little uncomfortable being this close to the man who she didn't even know.

“You want to thank me stop squirming around so much.” He said as they swung slightly in the air.

“Sorry.” Liz apologized. She had no idea were he had came from but was glad to be alive.

“Come on you piece of...” He yelled out as Liz heard a whining noise. She looked up to see he had his other arm held up above his head but where his hand should be was a cable which reached way up out of view. It was some kind of mechanical arm with a wench built inside she would guess. If Liz wasn’t hanging on for dear life right now she would love a closer look at how it worked she thought.

“Pull us up.” Liz said as she glanced down as they swung slightly.

“I can’t the wench isn’t designed for two people.” He protested as it whined.

“Your saying where stuck here?” Liz joked, granted though it was a bad joke given the circumstances. She was in a better position then before but she was still dangling several hundred meters above the ground and the only thing she had to hold onto was him.

“Apologize my lady. I am just making this up as I go along.” He replied with a small hint of humor in his voice as he let out a small laugh. “Maybe we can swing over and...” He said as they bobbed slightly. “What was that?” The guy said gripping her tightly. Liz looked up to see Paige standing on the side of the spire pulling them up as she went hand over hand lifting them upward. “That works to.” He mused.

“Hold on tight.” Paige said as she hosted them up as she had one foot braced against a beam for leverage. Liz was glad when she was close enough for her Uncle to reach out and grab her pulling her up.

“Uncle James.” Liz grabbed him and hugged him tightly as he did the same.

“I swear kid you been in the city only a few minutes and already getting in trouble.” Uncle James said as he held her tightly. “Are you okay?” Uncle James asked finally letting her go and looking her over.

“Yes, thanks to…” Liz turned but the guy who had saved her was gone. “Where did he go?”

“Looks like he didn’t want to hang around for a thank you.” Paige looked up. The guy was pulling himself up with his arm. Liz never got a chance to thank him or even get a good look at him. He had just saved her life and she didn’t even know his name. “My lady you’re bleeding.” Paige looked at Liz's hands.

“Just some rope burns, nothing major.” Liz looked down at her hands. it hurt to open them. Liz frowned as she saw it was worst then she thought. Uncle James pulled off his scarf and quickly wrapped them.

“Paige there is a medical kit in the auto, take Libby down and look at her hands while I go find out who is in charge of this circus act and have a few words with them.” Uncle James added in a rather gruff voice. She knew he meant that the words he would use would not be suitable for a ladies ear. “You men go with her. Take the secondary route.” He pointed to the spire guards who wore a mix of various uniforms from the six nations of the commonwealth.

“Sir.” One said took Liz's flank as they surrounded her and Paige. They moved through what had to be a cargo level since their where no people except for a few workers. They lead her and Paige to a freight elevator and took them down. When they reached the ground level they guided her out to what had to be the back way since the only people she saw were more workers. They moved down a loading ramp to an awaiting Auto. Liz saw another old friend standing guard.

The automata golem named Dent who was guarding the self driving Autonomous Automobile, or Auto as most people called them for short. Dent as Uncle James called him because of his beaten and battered body was a massive mechanical construct who had served as Uncle James body guard during the war. He had seen more then his fair share of combat and like her uncle had the scares to prove it. Liz had once asked why her father never tried to repair his battered frame but Uncle James felt that as a war machine he looked more intimidating with all of the battle scars. Not that he needed to be more intimidating given his size and weight.

“Good morning my lady.” Dent said as he put his hand to his heart, or power core in his case. His chest making a slight ringing noise as he did.

“Hello Cousin.” Paige said in a chipper voice. It was a little weird to think that they had the same maker giving their size difference and varying design.

“My lady, are you injured?” The big golem said as he scanned about for danger.

“Just a scratch big guy. Do you know where the med-kit is?” Liz smiled.

“Underneath the seat where Mister Locke sits. Do you require future protection from possible threats to your person Lady Fairchild?” Dent said looking at Liz.

“No we don’t think so. Just keep an eye out big guy.” Liz smiled and the golem began to look about. She sometimes thought of her father’s constructs as her family, in a sense, since they both had the same father which meant she had hundreds of very protective cousins.

“Yes Lady Elizabeth.” The golem said as it scanned around. He didn't carry a weapon though his massive size made him one.

“Princess Fairchild, I have medical training if you like I can take a look at your hands.” The officer offered as he opened the door for them. He wasn't to bad looking in his white Templar uniform. His accent sounded like he was from Avalon or one of the other islands in the United Isles.

“Thank you captain but Paige has quit extensive knowledge in first aid medicine.” Liz shook her head and climbed in followed by Paige who lifted the seat and pulled out the med kit as she sat down across from Liz. The kit looked more like one that was used by a combat medic then by an average citizen but it didn't surprise Liz to much knowing Uncle James and her father always tried to plan for the worst. A shot of morphine she saw might not be a bad idea once the adrenaline wore off. She could still feel her heart racing.

“Your hands my lady?” Paige said as she opened the med kit and dabbed a cotton ball with disinfectant. Liz put out her hands as Paige removed the scarf and began to clean Liz's hand with gentle dabs from the cotton balls as Paige moved with slight precious movements. It sometimes marveled her how Paige could be so strong as to lift two people but also have such precise and delicate movement when needed.

“You had me very worried.” Paige said not bothering to look up, focusing her attention on Liz hand. Liz wondered if the small talk was to distract her.

“That makes two of us. If that guy hadn't came along...” Liz sighed trying to hold her hands still as they shook slightly.

“My lady, I couldn’t help but notice that the wire you grabbed moved to you when you held out your hand.” Paige said.

“Maybe it was just the wind.” Liz shrugged though knowing better then to try and lie to Paige.

“None of the other wires moved at the time and the wind was not blowing in that direction my lady.” Paige shook her head. Liz took a deep breath.

“I just held out my hand and it came to me.” Liz sighed as she closed her eyes.

“That shouldn’t be possible since I have been giving you your inhibitor serum daily and you are taking the highest safe dose for an adult.” Paige added.