<div align="center"><strong>GM Post</strong></div><br/>Melody's search for a tether unfortunately did not turn up anything that would obviously aid in the current predicament. There was gruesome evidence of human lives ended in cruel and brutal ways, and it did not take careful or in-depth inspection to see that some of the more intact heads of crew members bore the same symbol carved on their foreheads. None of them had the peculiar ocular damage that the captain evidenced, however, or the peculiar burns. In a more open area that was the remains of a summoning ritual, but it was only a testament to the location that this demon was brought from one of the Hell dimension on the ship, rather than somewhere else on Earth.<br/><br/>Kaleigh's efforts saw the demon abort its efforts to strike Kaspian. Its body moved bonelessly to evade her attacks. The intensity of her attacks forced it onto the defensive, and with Kaspian taunting the demon, its eyes flashed with frustration and hate. It did not speak. There was very little to indicate that this particular demon was of a type that possessed higher intelligence - when Kaspian spoke to it and taunted it the creature reacted in response to his tone, inflection, and body language rather than any specific words he employed. Kaspian's taunting allowed Kaleigh to get in what might have seemed like good hits. Kaleigh's blade did manage to cut it when it failed to dodge completely, and the Adamas burned the oily substance that seemed to make up the demon's body, releasing thick, acrid smelling smoke upon contact. Cutting through it was like running the blade through a particularly thick oil - there was very little resistance, and the bright blade came away darkened. Striking it with the escrima stick was like hitting jelly, and seemed less effective than the Seraph dagger.<br/><br/>Although the demon wanted to go after Kaspian, and to keep the Shadowhunter from interfering with its previous victim, Kaleigh's efforts prevented it from focusing on the male. The demon shrieked in frustration, opening a wet orifice to emit the sound. The full effect of it was dampened by the blaring alarms going off all around them. The temperature in the room was rising palpably, growing unpleasant very quickly, to the point that even without the intensity of combat those present would begin to perspire. If they made it out alive, hydration would definitely be in order.<br/><br/>Sacrificing defense in favour of attacking when Kaleigh was committed, the demon swung one of its limbs with a wide sweep. Kaleigh's Seraph dagger struck to the hilt in its yielding body matter, forcing a scream that was ear-splitting in its pitch from its mouth. But even as the demon was stabbed, its limb struck Kaleigh in the midsection with sufficient force to lift her from her feet and launch her into a far wall. Thanks to the Runes she had activated she was not subject to mortal damage, but it would still rattle the female Shadowhunter for a moment, and leave her with some bruising that would make further fighting unpleasant but not impossible.<br/><br/>With Kaleigh temporarily dealt it, the demon turned back on Kaspian, who had his window to heal Michael. The wounds inflicted on the fallen Shadowhunter were quite serious - there were seven deep wounds in addition to others of lesser severity - and triaging him with the healing Runes pulled him back from death's door, not back into the fight. He would still need to be carried out if he was to get out. Being close enough to apply the Rune allowed Kaspian to see how much paler Michael was than normal - he had almost bled out.<br/><br/>Owing to the damage that Kaleigh had inflicted upon the demon, it had lost its advantage in speed over the Shadowhunters, and moved with speed that was their equal. Its left forelimb had taken several hits from Kaleigh, as well, and although the demon was rather resilient it was favouring that part of its body. It moved to attack Kaspian, intending to rake its claws across the Shadowhunter's body.<br/><br/>The heat in the engine room was growing oppressive. They were running out of time.