[center][h2]Button Up, Lock It Down[/h2][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/2KDIbF6.jpg[/img]
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Five ticks til upthrust.  Far’s she could see, the cargo bay deck was strewn with junk from them soldiers rangin’ about.  She had tah shake a leg.  


Abby checked the ramp.  She spotted the lawn chair Edina’s usin’, pitched onta its’ side when them purple bellies pushed ‘er nose in the dirt.  The deckhand fetched it right quick, afore closin’ up tha ramp an’ sealin’ the bulkhead.  Next come tha belly hatch deck panels, their drives whinin’ an’ grindin’ under weight of all them bricks as she ran ‘em back.   Once they’s settled inta place, the girl run all about tha deck, pickin’ up loose trash an’ puttin’ deck tools an’ load securin’ kit in its’ place..

She could hear tha engines spinnin’ up.  Yuri weren’t joshin’.  They’s gon’ git in a hurry.  Last thing was double checkin’ all them bulkhead panels she’n Yuri pulled open.  Abby grabbed a coffin key an’ hurried, jam an’ twist, jam an’ twist, jam an’ twist, up one side an’ down t’other, til she’s right sure none of ‘em come shakin’ off when China Doll’s in tha air.

Last one was tha ruse, the doll baby hidey hole she built tah take their noses off tha scent.  Abby couldn’t help the little smile come on her face as she swung it down an’ dogged it shut.  She seen little girls among them Anabaptists.  Mayhaps Cap’n or Yuri’d let ‘em inta tha cargo bay while they’s in the black.  Let ‘em play a spell.

She conjured she’s inside a minute.  Abby give the cargo bay one last look, then grabbed the intercom mic.  “Cargo bay’s buttoned down,” she reported.

“Copy,” Yuri’s voice come back.  “Stay close, Abby.  We’ll need to open her up on the quick.”

“You got it.”  As she wriggled inta tha straps of a jump seat, Abby could feel tha atmo engines rotatin’.   She had no ken fer what’s ‘bout tah happen, but the girl conjured it weren’t tea an’ biscuits.