"We were going to try to drill our way into the control room by way
of the isolation walls…But we can't do that because the plasma coolant would
leak out immediately and the quantities are probably enough to kill every
organic thing within a pretty big and unaffordable radius…" Terin explained. "And since we don't have access to
our coolant evacuation system we won't be able to get back to that plan anytime
soon."
"We
have to evacuate the area," Sutter said.
"What?"
Terin blinked. "Evacuate?"
"I
agree," said Gedix.
"Are
you all insane?" Terin demanded. "This is
not the countryside we are near the capital…We can't just evacuate this
area?"
"There
isn't any choice, Terin…" Stevenson said. "Antimatter
explosions in space are not that pretty…But antimatter explosions on planets
are much, much worse…"
She
pondered a moment: "Can we estimate the destruction that such an explosion
could cause?"
"Nope,"
Stevenson shook his head. "But what we can do is tell you that
it'll be the worst cataclysm this planet would have ever suffered."
She
nodded slowly: "Very well then…I will inform the government of our
situation…"
"We need a plan, now." Gedix said.
"Indeed
we do…" Stevenson nodded. "Okay…We know that we can't go in through
the main entrances or through the wall that surrounds the core…Are there any
other entrances?"
"Yes,"
Gedix unrolled a map onto the table. "There are
two access conduits which enter through the outer wall of the central core
room…One—we believe—has been blocked but we have yet to ascertain the status of
the second one."
"That's
our best bet for now…" Sutter said. "How do we get to this
conduit?"
"I
believe your ship can transport us here…" He pointed to a place on the
map. "That should put you at an adequate distance from the entrance to the
conduit and far enough away from the control room to make sure the energy
doesn't disrupt the transporter beam."
"Okay…And
where will this conduit lead?" Stevenson asked.
"It
should lead us to the peripheral balconies…They are placed all around the core
in a circle…From there we should be able to access the main systems and do
whatever we have to so as to stop the overload."
"Good,"
Sutter nodded. "Excellent…Looks like we've got a plan. Now we need a
team."
"I'll
go," Stevenson said immediately.
"Me
too," Gedix said.
Sutter
frowned: "You're obviously in no shape to crawl down that conduit, Gedix." She pointed as his arm-cast. "I don't
think it's a good idea."
"But
I know the layout of the power plant better than that of my own home!" He
protested.
"I'm
sorry…" Sutter shook her head apologetically. "But I can't let you go
along…"
He
sighed: "I understand…"
She
turned to Mantion: "You'll be going along, Commander…And we'll need you to
take your—your 'equipment' with you."
Sutter
thought she saw a smile form at the corners of the tactical officer's lips:
"Delighted, Commander." She said.
Terin walked into the tent in which the team was getting
prepared for their mission.
"I've
contacted the government and they're going to begin evacuation of the area
immediately. But however we cannot be sure if everyone will be out of the area
in time…" She said.
"I
see…" Sutter frowned. "Well then we'll have to make sure that this
place doesn't blow up then."
"Agreed,"
Said Stevenson.
"Gedix told me that you had refused his joining the
team." Terin said. "You did well, however
now you will need me to guide you through the power plant…I may not know it as
well as Gedix does but I believe my knowledge should
suffice. Plus you will need a voice authorization from one of the workers in
the station to shut down the core."
Sutter
nodded: "We'll be grateful for your help…"
"Unfortunately
if we get lost we won't be able to communicate with the outside world because
of the yet unexplained energy signature…" Terin
said. "So if I lose myself in there we won't be getting any help…"
"Understood,"
Sutter nodded. "Okay, let's get moving."
The
Valiant's transporter beamed the five team members onto the roof of the
power plant, a few meters away was the entrance to the auxiliary access conduit
which led into the central core room.
"Is
it clear?" Sutter asked as they approached the entrance.
Mantion
opened the heavy hatch and peered into the long conduit: "It appears
so."
"Okay,"
Sutter said. "Lead the way, Commander…If we run into anything that could
block our passage we'll need you at the front."
"Of
course," Mantion nodded and swiftly climbed into the conduit. Sutter went
in next, followed by Terin, Stevenson and Ensign
Dennis Sand—one of the engineers from Stevenson's team.
The
conduit was made of cold metal, its shape was rectangular and it was large
enough so that just one person could go through. However, Sutter doubted that a
medium-sized Klingon would be able to get through this conduit.
Sutter
had been slightly claustrophobic at a young age and she would feel
uncomfortable in shuttle-pods and other small vehicles and locations. But the
claustrophobia seemingly disappeared when she was twelve. She was onboard the
USS-Dexion with her mother—who was the conn
officer of the ship—that was when the ship's new experimental engines failed
and a warp core breach was imminent. The young Sutter had needed to endure five
hours with her mother inside a cramped escape pod with dozens of other people.
After the incident, she had never shown symptoms of claustrophobia again…
Suddenly
a small vibration was felt by the members of the away team; they all stopped in
their tracks and exchanged confused glances.
"What
was that?" Sutter asked.
"Beats
me," Stevenson frowned.
There
was another vibration and this time it lasted slightly longer than the last
one.
"There
it was again…" Terin said. "I cannot
explain it…"
They waited again in silence for
the next vibration to come, but it did not come…
Something
else came…
The
conduit plating ruptured right under Terin and
Sutter.
"Jesus!"
Stevenson plunged to grab Terin's arm. Mantion dove
to attempt to grab the Commander but failed and Sutter managed only to grab Terin's ankle.
Below
was one of the two power flow regulation centers…Rubble and debris was spread
everywhere on the floor which was forty meters below the ruptured conduit…
And
upon the floor was a thick layer of green plasma coolant…
Plasma
coolant is a highly corrosive substance which is used in standard antimatter
cores to make sure no temperature overload occurs. Any organic material to come
in contact with the coolant is immediately destroyed, vaporized…
Humans
and Tyobans were quite organic…So the coolant
wasn't going to do any good to Sutter or Terin….
"Hold
on!" Stevenson told Terin as he grasped her arms
firmly. Ensign Sand was moving to Stevenson's side to help him attempt to pull
up the two women.
Sutter
was holding onto Terin's ankle with both hands, her
shoulders screaming in pain. "I won't be able to hold on for long like
this!" She said.
Mantion
pushed herself as far as she could to attempt to grab onto Sutter, but there
were still a few inches separating them.
"We're
going to pull…Hold on tight." The two engineers pulled with all their
might but Terin didn't seem to get any higher and
Sutter's shoulders were still tiring.
Suddenly,
Mantion pulled a phaser rifle from her equipment bag and thrust it towards
Sutter. The Commander understood immediately and grabbed onto the handle of the
rifle.
"Pull
her up now, Stevenson!" Mantion shouted.
Stevenson
and Sand pulled the Tyoban up to their level with relative ease.
"Can
you pull her up?" Stevenson asked Mantion, referring to Sutter who was
swinging at the end of the rifle.
"I
shall attempt to do so…" Mantion pulled but Sutter didn't seem to move.
"I
shouldn't have eaten that chocolate sundae this morning…" Sutter muttered.
Mantion
let go of the rifle…
For
a moment Sutter thought she was dreaming…She was floating in mid-air, about to
plunge to her death into the plasma coolant. But somehow…it didn't happen…
Mantion's
hands thrust forward immediately after the rifle had been dropped and grabbed
Sutter by the shoulders. Mantion's torso was hanging in mid-air along with
Sutter but she miraculously kept herself in the conduit. And finally, with one
powerful pull Sutter was brought back into the conduit…
Sutter
let out a sigh of relief: "My god, Mantion…For a moment I thought you had
let me go for good."
"You're
impression was right…I thought the same thing…" Mantion said.
Sutter
smiled wearily.
"Good
work…" Stevenson said from across the gap in the conduit. "But how
are we going to get across?"
Sutter
frowned, that was indeed a dilemma.
"The
second entrance…" Terin said. "It's the
only way…"
"But
I thought that it was blocked?" Stevenson said.
"We
have workers that are clearing the conduit just in case…We will be able to use
it in approximately an hour." Terin said.
"And what about us?" Sutter asked.
"You
should continue to the control room." Terin
said. "And make a first attempt at shutting down the core. We will join
you from the other conduit in an hour."
Sutter
sighed: "Okay…Good luck."
"You
too," Stevenson gave a quick smile and then climbed back up the conduit
with Sand and Terin.
"Well…"
Sutter said when the others had left. "I guess we should get moving,
now."
"Indeed,"
Mantion agreed, she picked up her equipment bag and they began moving again…