Chapter 10: Martinez

"Light up the Comms system, try to contact the other ships." Captain Martinez spins around, launching himself from the comms chair, allowing the young comms officer on duty to return to her post. "I need every department head in my ready room in fifteen minutes." he strides away, wiping away the drying tears. "Patch through the ships Captains as they come online. I'll be in my ready room waiting." As he reaches the hatch leading to his private office he spins, taking in the roomful of shocked personnel. "I don't think I have to tell you not to spread this news. Now, more than ever we cannot afford the people on this ship to panic."

He takes a deep breath, pausing to allow what he is saying to sink in. "This makes no difference in the long run, we were always going to leave. Now, we simply have to leave sooner." He pulls himself up, standing straight. Not allowing the unconscious hunching he can see in the others to affect him. The crew watches as he straightens, his broad, muscular form filling out the ships uniform perfectly. The ethnic set of his features with chocolate brown eyes and thick black hair a palliative to the severity of the cut. "We have time yet, to save as many people as we possibly can. Send Sergeant Pembrook to me as well."

"YES SIR." Each person shouts as Captain Martinez retreats to his ready room, their backs straightening with determination, each had a task to do. The confidence their Captain was showing them, bleeding into his bridge crew. Later, they could collapse in tears. When time was no longer of the essence.

Striding into his ready room, Captain Martinez pauses to take in his surroundings. The teal oak wall panelling, and the muted tones of the furniture calms him. His walk to the dispenser is a slow and ponderous one. His hands caressing each piece of furniture as he passes. This room is one of a few that he will call home for the duration of the journey.  A Captain has little privacy and he cherishes every moment he can. Retrieving his coffee he sits at the head of the table and waits.

**********

 

Martinez sits in silence, sipping on a mug of coffee, staring into space. All eyes of the men and women sat around his table, looking at him and each other in confusion, each quietly sipping their own drinks, following the lead of their Captain. The door suddenly whooshes open and Sergeant Pembrook walks in. Pausing at the door as he takes in the department heads sat at the table he asks. "Did I get the time wrong?" He looks at his chrono-patch in confusion, then back to the room. "I'll just wait outside Captain." As he turns to leave Captain Martinez stops him.

"You're right on time Sergeant. Come in, grab a drink and sit down." The Captain motions towards the empty seat as his unsmiling face takes in the entire room. Sipping at his drink, he waits silently and patiently as Sergeant Pembrook seats himself. A deep sigh emanates from the Captain as he sets his cup down onto the table. Taking a deep breath he stands, pacing, hands clasped behind his back as he considers his first words. Finally, his shoulders squaring, he turns back to the room full of silent, curious faces.

"Minutes ago we were contacted by the ISS. It is my sad duty to inform you that Commander Neil Hightower is dead. he was unlucky enough to be outside doing repairs when the meteor strike hit." here, he pauses to give them time to digest the news. Many in this room knew the man personally, had trained under him. And remembered the fierce, authoritarian man with both fondness and trepidation.

"There's more." Captain Martinez says quietly as the murmurs die down. "We are finally out of the meteor storm. However, the storm continues unrelenting on other parts of the planet as we spin into its path." A shuddering sigh escapes from the Captain as he continues to speak. "Missions Control is gone. Texas is...according to the ISS Second in Command...nothing but a crater." He bows his head as the room explodes in noise.

"How did this happen!?"

"Do we know if rescue efforts are going to happen?"

"Are there any survivors?"

"How much of Texas is gone?"

Each question melds into the next, until one question becomes an indistinct blend of another.

"QUIET!" Sergeant Pembrook's voice bellows over the indistinct hum of strident voices. Rising from his chair, his hands make a resounding slapping noise as he slams them onto the table. Sudden silence descends as every eye turns to the Sergeant.

"Have you numbskulls quite finished with your yammering? or do I need to get the Doctor in here to prescribe dummies to silence you like children?" He glares at each of his superiors, catching each stare levelled at him in turn until they finally break eye contact. Satisfied, he turns to the Captain, one of his arms sweeping towards their leaders still bowed head. "Look! Look with your eyes damn you. You bloody morons!" The Captain raises his head at the Sergeants words. Every eye turns back to him in time to notice a single tear fall from eyes showing a level of despair none had ever thought to see from their indomitable Captain.

With a heavy sigh Sergeant Pembrook falls back into his chair, voice hoarse and low, he whispers. " What else has happened? What other cluster fuck has our ever loving God thrown at us now?"

"We have to launch the ships. All of them. No later than August 6th." The words, though quiet, reverberated through the room. "August 12th will see earth hit by a planetoid meteor. The force of impact will most likely destroy the planet." The Captains shoulders slump in defeat. "You have one week to make what finalizing details you can." He turns towards the supply Commander with a rueful look. "The ship needs to be fully stocked by that time. Rack em and stack em Chief. No one is to be turned away. If needs be turn larger rooms into bunk rooms. Do anything you can to stack as many people as you can."

Turning back to the room in its entirety, he stares at the ghost white faces surrounding him. " We all knew the time was coming when we would have to leave our homeland. I'm sure every one of you, like me, hoped that our ancestors would one day come back and reclaim a recovered earth.  Knowing She would be here and recovered in time was a balm for many of us." Straightening up and squaring his shoulders, the Captain looks at each person. "We no long have that option. And we do not have time to grieve. We need to save as many people as we can."

"Captain." A quiet, hesitant voice rises into the tense silence. He nods towards the Lieutenant with tacit permission. "With Mission Control gone we need to communicate directly with the other ships. I need to get the arrays fully functioning. I'm assuming the ISS contacted us because they're directly above us. Which means no one else knows. If you don't mind." She pauses, rising to her feet. "I...I need to get to work. We still have some arrays under repair after the last test."

"Of course Lieutenant. Getting the communications functioning is imperative. You're dismissed. Keep me informed of your progress." She nods and turns to leave, her hands visibly shaking. "Oh, and Melissa. I'm sure I don't need to remind you not to speak of this. We can't afford the panic."

"Yes Captain, I understand. I don't think my crew would be able to do the work needed if I told them. I'm...not entirely sure I wanted to know." She sighs. Captain Martinez strides to a cabinet and pours a generous glass of whiskey.

"Drink this Melissa, It'll help." Nodding her thanks she takes the glass and gulps the drink. A gasping breath expels as a shudder courses through her body. "Gah! Wow that was strong." A slight smile graces her face as she hands the glass back to the Captain. "Thank you Sir. I needed that."

"Inform me when the communications array is functioning Lieutenant." He says, taking the glass.

"Yes Sir!" She turns and leaves, her steps somehow a little lighter.

Martinez replaces the now empty glass by the decanter. "How long until we can have all the supplies loaded Chief Lowe?" he asks as he returns to his chair, easing his weary body down.

Shooting upright in his chair Chief Lowe looks surprised at the sudden question. "Oh uhm, well. As you know, most of the supplies have already been loaded. There's just the delivery that came in before the meteors hit. I'd say about 24 hours. But that doesn't account for situating all the dispossessed people we have right now with no supplies at all. No clothes, nothing but what they were wearing when they got here." he pauses, a look of indecision passing clearly across his face before continuing.

"Captain. I'd like permission to head to the town to scavenge for supplies. If we're out of the meteor path right now, this would be the perfect time to also look for any survivors as well. But we desperately need the basic necessities that the evacuees would have brought with them during an orderly evacuation. As it stands the supplies onboard won't last the entire journey." He lifts his hands and shrugs. "And yes, before you ask we'd survive. But the last year of the journey would likely be as a nudist colony... And a smelly one at that."

Automatic chuckles fall from the others lips at the image and the Captain nods. "It's fairly safe right now, seeing as we're heading into night time. We've been pounded by meteor strikes for the last few days. I'll co-ordinate with the ISS and will contact you as soon as they indicate it's safe. It's approved dependent on the data the ISS can give us." He shakes his head and sighs. "Although, I'm not entirely sure there's going to be anything left for you to find Chief."

"Well, I'm hoping the subterranean stores are still viable. It's a gamble, but it's one we need to make."

"Agreed. Pembrook. Do you feel like going out again? Chief Lowe will need a protection detail, and potentially,  a digging team."

"Sure as flies eat shit Captain!" He grins, sitting up from his slouch. "Me n my boys'll be ready. I got me some payback coming."

The Captain shakes his head. "Sergeant, you have a filthy mouth. And what pray tell are you going to get payback from?"

A dry chuckle escapes Pembrook. "That there meteor strike took some good men from me. I intend to thumb my nose at the heavens right good and proper. God took a shit on me and my men, so we'll take a giant dump right back! If that means plundering resources he doesn't intend us to have, then that's what I'll do."

The Captain lets out a bark of surprised laughter. "You certainly brighten the day Sergeant." He barks another laugh and turns to Doctor Lewis. "How are things looking in the med bay Doc?"

"Grim." He says. "we've gone through more meds than expected. I estimate we'll run out at least 6 months prior to our arrival on New Earth." Turning to Chief Lowe, he asks. "I'd ask you search for medical supplies as well please."

"Of course Doctor. I'll task some of my men to search the data base for subterranean locations with medical supplies." Chief Lowe responds.

"Thank you Chief. As for the human aspect. Our ships counsellor will have her work cut out. We have a lot of injuries and even more emotional trauma." He sighs and shakes his head. "There's a lot of recovery to be done. And, I might add a fair few orphans. I've no idea what to do with them. My med bay has turned into a crèche." he looks pointedly towards Sergeant Pembrook, who looks back at him sheepishly.

"Hey what am I gonna do with a preschool kid?" He asks.

"The boy is not preschool age Pembrook, and he idolizes you. I would request you try to locate the boy's mother while you're out there, apparently you promised to go back for her, and it'd give the kid some closure. I'd also like permission to turn one of the larger cabins into a dorm for the older orphans. I think they'd feel better sticking close together for now. We can see about re homing them once the situation has settled down." He shrugs again. "You never know, we may even find some family members."

"Of course Doc. Chief Lowe, if you'd task some of your crew to help with that please."

The Chief inclines his head, making notes on his pad as the Captain rises. "I think that will do for now. The rest of you see to it that your sections are ready for launch, and report in once everything is stowed and online.

"Commander Moore I need your men to check, double check and triple check the EmA Drive. She needs to be purring as soon as you can. Okay, I know we're undermanned, with personnel on leave and there's every chance some may make it back. But I wouldn't count on it. As of now you are all the heads of your department, I know all of you will do me proud. Dismissed people. Let's get this ship ready for launch."

"Not you Pembrook." the Captain says as everyone turns to leave. "Stay behind, you and I need to have a word."