A Time for Heroes

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2019 @ 2:56pm by Ensign Michael Sloan
Edited on on Wed Oct 23rd, 2019 @ 6:42pm

Mission: Mission 1 - One Step forward
Location: Gymnasium Shelter, Deck C
Timeline: 3 Hours Prior to Safety Clearance
592 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The Atlantis violently rocked, almost as though an asteroid had been directly in the ship's path. Instead of leveling out and the ride becoming more smooth, the ship continued to rattle. The gymnasium shelter had been thoroughly tossed around as the crew attempted to regain their feet and get out from under fallen structures. Michael was one of the first to recover. Being by the door had its own advantages because it was isolated from anything that would fall directly on him.

Reaching down to help up Leah, Commander Sloan asked, "Captain, are you alright?"

She must have seen the worried expression on his face as she shot back, "Should have picked the aisle seat." Instead of giving herself a moment of levity after the rough ride, her expression immediately soured. "I don't like this," she pointed out. The engineer in her told her that the Warp V reactor had blown a coolant valve.

A blown coolant valve would kill everyone aboard in a matter of minutes. The core would overheat to a point where the anti-matter and matter reaction irradiate the entire ship to the point that even bacteria would evaporate, or the ship would explode into a small supernova. Either way, she was the only one in the gym with both the clearance and the experience to fix this kind of problem. Looking at her Armory officer, she said, "Sloan, I have to get out."

"Ma'am?" Sloan started. "Isn't that suicide?" he tried to clarify.

"It is," Leah confirmed.

"I... can't let you do that," he shook his head. Trying to find a better alternative, he offered, "Let me. Use the on board comm unit to walk me through whatever it is."

The look Leah gave said everything. "Whatever it is?" she asked, the tone of her voice was grateful but full of pity. "It has to be me. Whoever goes out only has minutes to fix the problem, I can't walk you through that."

Michael looked at his Captain and passed her his PADD. "Just down the corridor is an armory. This will pop the lock and give you a radiation suite... this mission needs you," he pleaded. It was true, she was the glue who held the crew together. They had not yet been tested and she was the only one who knew what each of them was capable of achieving.

"You will be fine," Leah reassured him as she quickly walked to the locker room door. She chose this exit because the changing room would function almost like an airlock. Her plan was to open the door to the locker room, then close it before opening the one to the rest of the ship. She would likely never return.

Not giving the man another moment to argue, Leah held her hand over the button. She looked deeply into Michael's eyes as she said, "You have to help Beth. She is capable and will make a great Captain one day. She needs you and you need her." Not giving him a single second to argue, she stepped into the locker room and locked the door behind her.

Watching the Captain as long as he was able, Michael wiped his eyes. He then turned to face the room. "When the doors unlock, we'll find her in her radiation suite in Main Engineering," he announced as hopefully as he could sound. He turned back to the door and silently whispered, "Remember her sacrifice."

OFF::

Captain Leah Morgan
Commanding Officer
NX Atlantis

Lt. Commander Michael Sloan
Chief Armory Officer
NX Atlantis