#mining ship

“I thought you were going back to your quarters.” Hendry said, half-accusingly.

“Anyone hurt?” Vitus asked.

Hendry looked back across the devastated engine bay and shrugged, wiping their hands off in their already filthy overalls. As was their habit, they had been one of the first into the engine room once fires were extinguished, to asses injuries and damage.

“A few minor burns from being a bit too hasty in moving debris, but nothing else. We were all out of the room because the engines were coming up to transit speed.”

They eyed Vitus. “As protocol, mind you.”

Vitus beamed. “Glad to hear it. Are you sure this is only going to take a week to fix, Hendry?”

Hendry made a sucking noise through their teeth and looked back at one of the engines just in time to see a gout of flame as three engineers leapt away. A fourth, who had been stood by with a fire extinguisher and a wary eye, doused the flames with a foam extinguisher, examined the hatch that had been opened, then shrugged.

“All right.” Hendry conceded. “Maybe a bit longer, but we should be able to strip parts to get at least one drive engine running. Then we can limp back to busier space.”