One down, two to go

Posted on Sunday, 15 August 2021 - 2:53pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley
Edited on on Saturday, 21 August 2021 - 11:52am

Mission: Operation: Lazarus
Location: Science Department
Timeline: MD7

Consisting of almost pure caffeine by this late hour of the day, a feet she had not entirely achieved since writing her thesis back on Earth, Lieutenant Kinglsey ran one final diagnostic before she was satisfied that at least one probe was fully prepared and ready. One down, two to go.

In truth perhaps they could have launched already with little repercussions but the new chief engineer had proposed some additional modifications. With so much work to enhance the shielding and chances of the probes being safely recovered, she decided the additional time was more than justified. Pretty soon someone somewhere was going to start declining requisition forms for new probes so it seemed sensible to do what she could to preserve the ones they had.

Still, she knew it would still be a minor miracle to have them all return safely.

Nevertheless, they had no option but to risk them in order to safely navigate the path ahead. It was, as her husband would no doubt tell her, all for the greater good.

Realising she was overdue to update the captain, she left the diagnostics running on the remaining probes and headed for the bridge. In truth she had lost track of time, other than it was late and her stomach was unhappy that she hadn't stopped for proper food since breakfast while all of her other muscles ached from falling asleep at her desk last night. A long hot bubble bath would be perfect right now but she pushed the thought aside as she summoned a turbolift to take her up to the Bridge.

As she got into the turbolift it was occupied, although she didn't recognise the crewman. With a hello, she slipped past him, standing at the back of the lift as she instructed the lift to take her to the Bridge. The doors closed over and of course the music began to pipe through the speakers, making her groan. She leaned back against the bulkhead, hoping it would hurry up before even the short trip to the Bridge put her to sleep.

"Perhaps it is time to go home," a soft, melodic voice suggested.

"I'm sorry, what?" Alex replied, realising she had been half asleep asleep as she forced her eyes open and glanced across at the only other person in the lift. The only one who could have spoken. But she was completely alone.

"No more coffee for you," she muttered under her breath, glancing around her as she pinched her earlobes. Just to be sure she wasn't still asleep. There had been someone in here though... hadn't there?!

Still pondering that, she wore a deep frown as the lift doors opened and she stepped out onto the Bridge. Pushing the disquiet out of her system she headed towards the centre of the Bridge, "the latest progress report, Captain. Ensign Hamura recommended some additional precautions that we've been adapting. It meant we had to do some adjustments to the sensors to compensate but the first probe is ready to launch and the remaining two should be ready in a couple of hours."