Episode 17. Countdown to Impact
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Monday, July 15, 2024 - 6:57 PM
- Location
-
- Earth
- Brussels
- USS Mercator
- Bridge
- Timeline
- Unknown Timeline
- Previously
-
The Mercator, alongside the Charlemagne and Manneken, begins the evacuation of Brussels. As modules and shuttles move into action, the operation grows more complicated: American President Hillary Clinton and several Alliance leaders force their way onto the bridge, while a structural problem is detected on Module 3. In the shadow of the evacuations, the entire world holds its breath.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes V. Rodriguez | NATO / Special Fleet | Captain |
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander |
| Eric Corda | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant Commander |
| Emilie Flores | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign |
| Charlene Savea | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant |
| Eros Vitos | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign |
Manifest
| USS Mercator | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | Hovering over Brussels |
| Captain | Agnes V. Rodriguez |
| First Officer | Angie Chen |
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Advanced Weapons | Eros Vitos |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers | Civilians (boarding in progress) Leaders (Hillary Clinton and other heads of state) |
TL;DR
Russia launches an attack on an unprecedented scale: missiles, drones, global chaos. As missiles already fall on Ukraine, the Mercator tries to save whatever can still be saved. Vitos launches the first DX toward Frankfurt. Angie takes manual control of the damaged Module 3. The countdown to evacuation back to the bunker begins. The hour is grave. There is no room left for error.
Story
Behind me, the Alliance leaders observe in silence. They do not intervene, but their presence weighs like a shadow on my shoulders. And yet, I do not have the luxury of worrying about it.
The operation must continue. At any cost.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Captain. The USS Manneken and USS Charlemagne inform us that they have completed their evacuations and are heading back to the bunker.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Thank you, Flores. What about our modules?
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
They have just taken off and should dock with the vessel in two minutes.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Captain. We have just reached our maximum boarding capacity.
Should I give the order to retract the tube elevators and recall the shuttles?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Negative, Lieutenant Savea.
Continue the evacuation. We can afford to exceed our boarding capacity, especially since the bunker is not far away.
On the bridge, everything seems under control. Everyone carries out their task with precision. The vessel vibrates slightly under the docking maneuvers of the final modules and, despite the situation, a well-oiled routine settles in.
Then... a suspended silence.
One moment too many, where everything seems frozen.
Until Flores's voice shatters that illusion of control.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Oh my God!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
What's happening, Flores? Why are you shouting?
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Sorry, Captain.
I'm putting satellite surveillance on the main screen.
An icy tension runs through me. My eyes sweep over the data appearing on screen, my mind struggling to absorb the horror unfolding before me.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Holy fucking shit...
Don't tell me this is what I think it is.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
It is, Captain.
The sky is saturated with them.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
How is that possible? How could our intelligence have been that wrong?
Savea! Trigger red alert and give the order for immediate withdrawal!
Flores, order the transporter officers to take over the evacuation immediately. And while you're at it, get me Vitos on the line!
Go! Go, go! Move!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Captain, Vitos speaking. You called?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Yes, Vitos! Tell me the DX launcher assembly is complete!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
No, not quite, Captain. There's still one nut to tighten and we were about to launch the test simulation.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Tighten that nut right now, and you'll run your simulation live in the field!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Uh... Captain, I don't understand.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Russia has launched tens of thousands of drones and missiles, of every type, all along our borders. We expect several successive waves.
So I suggest you move your ass and launch those fucking DXs!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Oh damn... Aye, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Savea, calculate how much time we have before that wave hits us.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Approximately twenty to twenty-five minutes, depending on drone or missile type, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Security officer, escort our visitors back to the meeting room and give them access to anything they request.
Officer (Security)
Aye, Captain.
NATO high command confirms that China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea have retaliated in turn. After consulting in the meeting room, our leaders authorized the general staff to initiate the response process to the Russian attack.
On the bridge, my officers are overwhelmed.
Ensign Flores can barely keep up with communications. Charlene Savea handles the vessel's internal operations while monitoring the radars. At the helm, Eric Corda turns the Mercator toward the threat rushing straight at us.
Suddenly, an explosion echoes to port.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Number One, what happened?
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
The safety system jammed at Module 3 and could not deploy completely. The module is only partially docked, with just six anchor points out of the twenty-one still functional.
The pilot needs to manually readjust the module's position, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Thank you, Number One.
Flores, contact that pilot.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
The channel is open, but there is no response, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Number One... your recommendations.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
I'll go to the module and realign it myself.
I know the maneuver perfectly, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Granted.
Good luck, Angie. And be careful.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Captain! Captain! Vitos speaking...
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Yes, Vitos. I'm listening.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
The first DX is launched. We're directing it toward Frankfurt. From there, we'll be able to deploy the mini-DXs and intercept a number of missiles with our lasers.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Well done, Vitos. Finally some good news.
Lieutenant Savea will transmit the coordinates of the priority targets to you. Do not waste resources and focus only on those armed with nuclear warheads.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Understood, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Please... everyone keep your heads.
Savea, what's the situation regarding missile progression?
No answer.
A bad feeling seizes me. I turn my head sharply toward Charlene. She is frozen in front of her screens, eyes locked on data I cannot make out from here. Her fingers hang above the keyboard, as if the slightest contact could seal an inescapable fate. She does not even blink. Her breathing is barely perceptible.
Absent-eyed, she seems somewhere else.
This is not normal.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Savea! Did you hear me?
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Uh... sorry, Captain.
The first missiles have fallen in Ukraine. We just lost Kyiv, moments ago.
The next territories targeted by Russia are Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
God help us...
What about the Scandinavian countries?
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
I have no information. The networks are saturated and satellite data is reaching us intermittently.
Sweden has probably already been hit.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Captain, Commander Chen is on the line.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
On speaker, Ensign.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Bridge, this is Chen.
I've reached Module 3's cockpit. It isn't pretty. A beam collapsed onto the pilot and the navigation console. A fire broke out, but I managed to bring it under control.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
How is the pilot?
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
He's dead, Agnes.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
[...]
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
I'll have to make some emergency repairs so I can take control of the module. I'll use the lateral and vertical thrusters to realign it with the attachment points. As soon as I manage it, the safety system will engage.
Chen out.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Savea, inform me as soon as the module safety procedure is complete.
And recalculate how much time we have before the Russian missiles reach Brussels.
Corda, how long does it take to return to the bunker?
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Seven minutes, including approach and docking procedures.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
That's too long. How long if we skip the procedures?
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Three minutes, tops, Captain.
But you have to give me the order explicitly.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
... Three minutes.
I pause. Eric is the best pilot I know. If anyone can pull off this maneuver, it is him. The landing will be brutal. The systems, under strain. The margin for error, tiny.
But I know he can do it.
And I do not have the luxury of hesitating.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Do it, Corda.
Savea, put a countdown on the main screen. As soon as it reaches zero...
we get the hell out of here.