"Sir, it's time to go."
26 Mar 2022J-barron
"We don't have a schedule to keep, there's no rush." "Sir? What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about you telling me it's time to go! The hell it is, I'm not going to let the occasional ground shake to scare me." "All due respect, sir, but we need to go, NOW." "No. You're over reacting, there's no need to get worked up, and I'm not leaving, and hey, if you stay, drinks are on me!" "I can't believe you're trying to get me to stay with you. This is absurd, we need to get going." "HEY! No, get your hands off me, sit down, chill out, and grab that bottle. We're having drinks!" "SIR. WE HAVE TO GO." "I ALREADY TOLD YOU THE HELL WE DO. SIT. DOWN. Honest to whatever God or government you might pray to, we don't have a single worry in the galaxy!"She sits down.
"Thank you, here, have a shot, chase it down with some of this here." The room gets a little warmer and fills with an amber glow. "Ah, mood lighting to enjoy our drinks with." You take another shot, and let out a satisfied sigh.
She has a forlorn look on her face. "I can't believe I let you talk me into dying with you."
You smile and laugh. "No one was coming for us anyways, we both know it."
Nearby explosions rock the concourse, smoke seeps through the seams.
"Think they'll... think they'll find a way inside the station?" "Nah, the dangerous ones are too big, the smaller ones can't do anything." "You've fought them before?" "Oh, yeah." "Ever any.. like, on foot?" "Oh, no. At this point, I don't think I'll ever get the chance either."
She takes a shot, and chases it with another shot.
"So, why do the elevators stop working in situations like this?" You take a shot after asking.
"Elevator shafts act like a chimney, and if they get stuck because of a power loss, and really, rescue crews should be the ones to use them if at all, and they have the keys to make them work during these situations."
"Ah... Right. So..."
"When they're all already dead, and the escape routes are also blocked or on fire? Yeah, I don't know." She begins to sob manically. "Not like this... Why did it have to be like this?" She takes another shot, and throws the glass at the wall, then puts her head in her hands.
"Well, I don't know. I know I would have liked to put my name on a few more systems before I go, maybe discovered sentient life. But..." You look out the window and see an escape pod floating over a landing pad nearby when it spontaneously bursts into flames. An explosion goes off, closer this time, the concourse shook more violently. Debris flies into the pod, punching holes in it causing the life support to fail without destroying it. "But at least we didn't go like that."
Smoke starts to fill the concourse.
She lifts her head, and looks at you. "I guess the only thing left to do is wake up."
"Beg your pardon?"
"WAKE UP! SIR, YOU NEED TO WAKE UP, IT'S TIME TO GO!"
You jump up from you bed and start blinding running, doors open for you and as you're scrambling around for the exit, you quickly stumble to the bridge of your ship. Gasping for air, you slowly remember you're 30,000ly from the nearest starport, and you begin to calm down.
You swear you hear giggling in the back of your head.