Into the Abyss

[mtjsmith]

"Shutdown complete"

The Commandant looked around the darkened room, the only light coming from the emergency generators. Scientists and technicians crowded over battery powered laptops and poured over written notes and jabbed angry with each other over whiteboards.

"It's a virus! Treat it like one!"
"Do a hard system reset remotely!"
"No no.. It's gone sentient, what if we open a channel to negotiate!"

Ideas were thrown around at each other, some scientists formed small teams in which to force through their plan - Others resorted to the "he who shouts loudest approach".

"Enough. Load the largest nuclear warhead we have onto one of the KSD fighters we have in the launch bay. Disable all of it's computer systems and tell the launch bay to prepare for my arrival."

The room fell silent and everyone looked at the Commandant.

"You'll be shot down!"
"It's already taken out two gunboats, you'll never make it back!"
"The compounds shielded!"
"I have no intention of coming back, and I have yet to see any structure survive any form of space-dive bomb attack. Lest you forget what happened to New HangZhou?"

The scientists looked blankly at each other, murmuring taking over their discussions.

"You have 48 hours to save our stations and to save the lives of the thousands of people aboard them. I will conduct this mission if you have thought of no alternative - Or if the strike team fails."

With that said, he calmly walked out the room and back into his office. On his first mission into Bretonian Occupied Dublin - He wore a headband to show that he was dead, and that victory rewarded his brashness with life. A once old tradition, became a modern one as Ling readied himself for what had to be done.

"Don't fail me now nuggets."

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