LogBook: #14 Bad Day at Kepler Orbital
24 Nov 2020Isabella Adair-Levine
[23/11/3306][CMDR: Isabella Levine]
[Entry: #16]
"...It's quiet here at the rescue ship. At least where I'm at. The noise at Kepler Orbital….alarms blaring, Search and Rescue over comms, warnings and evacuation orders over the PA system, explosions detonating every so often rocking the station….people's panicked screams and shouting. It almost continues to play over and over in your head. I've never been in anything like this and honestly, I think I'm never going to sleep right after this. On my latest run, things really got out of control on evacuating civilians. Originally I've been taking my Type 9 Heavy equipped with passenger cabins into Kepler and had been helping with evacuations. It's an extremely volatile surrounding but careful maneuvering and heatsinks go a long way in there. Seemed relatively easy until my latest run."
"I came in for emergency docking, they brought me down and I began helping the injured into my ship when a deafening explosion detonated and caused serious damage to the docking platform elevator. You know….my only way of launching and getting out. The platform was jammed and by looking at the warped metal, I knew it wouldn't lower properly without repair. On top of that several civilians were severely injured and some dead from that explosion, so medical teams rushed in and tried to help. There was...ugh...there was a poor kid who lost his father from that explosion. I had to pull him away as it wasn't safe. As far as I knew, he didn't have anyone else so he stuck by my side for the time being. Poor fella was in shock like pretty much everyone else was. I told the medical personnel about him and the issue with the docking platform. That's when the realization of being trapped along with everyone else really kicked in. Nothing could be done about the platform so security and medical moved everyone out of the hangar and I had to leave my ship behind. They took us through the damaged corridors and I tried comforting the little guy while we moved. I was able to get his name but not much else from the traumatized child. Especially when people began getting angry and started arguing. Following that, shouting quickly came and eventually two men started fighting. I honestly can't tell you why people were fighting each other. It doesn't make sense to me at a time like this. But they were. Security escorts managed to break it up and we continued having to take different connecting pass ways to the nearest evacuation area. Parts of the station are so heavily damaged that they locked down certain access ways with pressure sealed doors for safety. Apparently, some areas don't have proper atmosphere, so thank god they took the time to section off extremely dangerous parts of the station otherwise it'd be like maneuvering a minefield."
"I know it comes to no surprise, but it was also bloody hot in there. Like, my Remlok suit regulates my body temperature but the thick, bad-smelling hot air was almost unbearable. Maybe that's what made people so upset as well. Not just the fear but the blazing temperatures inside and the smell of burning material and hot metal. There was one guy that was really hostile towards me because he picked up on my accent. I try to hide it in Federation space, especially here, but some people pick up on it. This guy was one and he tried to blame and shame me for everything that's happened. He was a real piece of work the whole journey to the evac area and I sooo wanted to tell him off but I knew that would only instigate things and honestly making sure that kid got off that station and safe was what kept me sane with some of those people."
"We all reached the evac area and had to wait for a little bit with a bunch of others for a ship to arrive. Had time to look around and see all the hurt, worried and saddened faces. It looked like a battlefield. I tried chatting with the little boy again and tried making him feel a little bit relaxed but I don't know if it helped at all. Eventually, a ship had apparently pulled in and the security forces began organizing and directing people through a large cargo door that opened leading to the landing platform. There on the platform was an Anaconda, refitted like my Type 9 for rescue, that was ready to load people on. I took the little boy I was with and managed to get a cabin seat with him along with a dozen others. Ha, while boarding I got a funny look from the pilot as seeing I was in my Remlok suit and mixed with civilians with tattered and dirty clothes. The ship was filled and we launched, clearing the access corridor and into open space."
"Now I'm here without a ship currently and had to get a medical check done. Once they finished poking around at me I made sure that little boy was okay and had somewhere to go. I talked to staff and they managed to find some family only a few light-years away. Told that little trooper to stay strong before saying goodbye to him. Ughhh...what a horrible experience. I wasn't here when Imperial Starports were attacked but this is the worst thing I've ever seen. I don't understand this amount of cruelty to each other. We're so….messed up sometimes."
"Anyway, I'm really tired. I've ordered one of my ships to be delivered to a near and in the meantime, while I wait, I'm going to crash for a few hours if I can. Tomorrow I'll see if I can hitch a ride and see where things take me then. So, Commander, signing out."
