Episode 24. Not on My Watch
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Tuesday, July 16, 2024 - 1:51 AM
- Location
-
- Space
- Earth-Moon Transfer Orbit
- USS Mercator
- Meeting Room
- Timeline
- Unknown Timeline
- Previously
-
As Brussels is struck by nuclear apocalypse, the USS Mercator barely survives the shock wave and manages to climb into orbit, heavily damaged. Aboard, the crew struggles to stabilize the vessel, save the passengers, and maintain order among the refugees. Angie, caught between life and death, is finally revived by Agnes, while the Mercator's resources dangerously dwindle. Faced with the emergency, an ethical choice becomes unavoidable: force thousands of civilians into sleep to save vital energy and try to reach the Moon, where a secret NATO base may be their only salvation.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Agnes V. Rodriguez | NATO / Special Fleet | Captain |
| Hillary Clinton | NATO / USA | President |
Manifest
| USS Mercator | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | Earth-Moon Transfer Orbit |
| Captain | Agnes V. Rodriguez |
| First Officer | Angie Chen |
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Advanced Weapons | Eros Vitos |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel |
| Advisor/Consultant | Manu (unofficial) |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers |
|
TL;DR
Agnes stands her ground against the President of the United States, who demands a return to Earth. A categorical refusal: the bunker is sealed, and the only chance of survival is the starbase on the Moon. Rodriguez asserts her authority, even if it means defying political power and risking court-martial.
Story
Thanks to the engineers' efforts, Eric was able to restore just enough propulsion, allowing us to pull free of Earth's gravity and enter a transfer orbit.
The USS Mercator is now on its way to the Moon, heading for the NATO starbase before our resources are completely exhausted. According to our most recent calculations, we have less than thirty-seven hours of power remaining.
We are no longer able to turn back or land on Earth, much less survive an X5-class solar flare. We are alone and, like Apollo 13, fifty-four years earlier, we whisper that we have a problem... while the starbase remains silent.
Aboard, after the isolation of the modules, only about forty crew members remain to supervise the three thousand refugees still awake. To meet our most urgent needs, I tasked Charlene and Manu with reorganizing the teams and integrating civilian volunteers.
As for me, another mission awaits.
I head to the meeting room where our leaders are waiting.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
Captain Rodriguez, there you are at last!
We've been held here for hours, and your watchdogs are telling us nothing.
Do you know what we went through? Hell. Explosions everywhere!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I'm sorry, Madam President.
My security officers are here only for your protection. As for the explosions, they were mainly strong atmospheric disturbances.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
Stop feeding me lies. Even aboard Air Force One, we wouldn't have been shaken like that.
And according to my advisers, you didn't follow the initial plan. We haven't even reached the bunker yet.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
That is correct, Madam President.
We encountered... a slight problem.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
A slight problem?
You must be joking, my dear.
What exactly was this famous problem?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
An unidentified flying object, ma'am.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
You mean... a balloon?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
No, ma'am.
A UFO the size of our ship.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
That is not possible, my dear. The Russians do not have the technology to build a craft comparable to NATO's.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
It was not the Russians, ma'am.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
The Chinese, then.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Not them either.
It's very likely this vessel isn't of human origin.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
You are completely delusional.
And now you are going to tell me little green men attacked us?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
The nuclear attack was Russian.
However, the neutralization of our ground-air defenses... that vessel handled it.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
Nonsense.
You're making this up.
Now you are going to take us back to the bunker, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
No, ma'am.
I cannot.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
That is an order!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I cannot comply with that order.
By now, the bunker is sealed. Buried under tons of rubble.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
But...
Where are you taking us, then?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
To safety.
To the starbase, Madam President.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
That is out of the question, Captain Rodriguez!
We are not astronauts!
You are going to turn around, return to Earth, and we will find a bunker still accessible so we can join the AspiroTube network.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I'm sorry, ma'am.
I cannot do that.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
Captain Rodriguez... I relieve you of command!
Officer, lock her in a cell.
And send me her second immediately.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Madam President, my security officers, like your bodyguards, are paid to protect you.
Including... from yourself.
I am still the captain of this ship.
And I will bring you safely to the starbase.
When we arrive, you will be free to arrest me.
But until then, you are a passenger like any other.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
Such insolence!
You'll face a court-martial the moment we arrive!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I know, Madam President.
It'll just be one more entry on my record.
Hillary Clinton President of the United States
You pretentious little thing.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
We will arrive at our destination in a little under thirty hours.
To help pass the time, my communications officer will transmit the full mission recordings to you.
I wish you a pleasant journey, Madam President.
With that settled, I leave the meeting room and head for the elevator.
Inside this narrow metal cage, I close my eyes for a moment.
Just one second.
The pressure, the responsibilities, the exhaustion... everything is starting to weigh on me.
The President was not wrong about the court-martial. I've already committed four major infractions since the mission began. Maybe more.
Either way, it will not change much.
The planet is destroyed.
My ship is dying.
And the chances that I will ever hold command again are... nonexistent.
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