<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">The sound of the panel being struck made Winter jolt even over the racket of his own banging on the duct. He took a cautionary step back, then grinned from ear to ear when he saw Sophie swoop through the half-opened door. The freshly bed-toussled look was quite out of character, but it suited her. The furious glare she wore, on the other hand, was much more familiar to him.<br/><br/>"Sophie, Sophie, haven't you done this before?" Winter said with an affected disappointment. "When you're being serenaded, you're supposed to appear in a lacey chemise and waving a dainty hankerchief at me. What is it? Don't you like reggae?"<br/><br/>When it became quickly apparent that this particular brand of humour wasn't appreciated, he held up his hands apologetically and put the utility key away.<br/><br/>"Alright, take it easy. Garner sent me to get someone from the science team. The rescue party is incoming and for some reason above my pay-grade they want someone who can talk them around the research lab module. And before you ask, yes I reminded him that it's mostly flooded. He says he still wants someone - a couple of people, actually - who are familiar with the layout."<br/><br/>His last words were hijacked by a violent yawn, reminding him that he wasn't really any happier about being awake this early than Sophie was.<br/><br/>"So could you just drag one of your company friends out of bed and bring them here so I can take you to Garner. It needs to be now. Can't keep the jarheads waiting, apparently."</span></span>