Episode 6

6/4/2024 05.17

According to Schultz's watch it was dawn, down in medibay however only a solitary torch feebly lights up the bandaged and stitched body of Salem Kapek. Salem's eyes flickered under the careful watch of Schultz, pleased with her repairs of the night before Schultz contemplated their predicament, unless Gomez could open the last lock to the sleeping reactor Salem's recovery would be academic. Medibay, like everywhere else was getting decidedly stuffy as the complex's air supply clawed its way towards critical breakdown.

Several hours later Kapek, still groggy, lay on his back on a trolley from medibay peering at a monitor rigged up above his temporary confinement. Gomez manipulated the fibre optic cable in the lock that Schultz had recovered from medibay. As Gomez attempted to twist the lock-picks to match the complicated tumbler system the recumbent yet resourceful Kapek offered advise to Gomez.

Catflap, feeling obsolete turned away from the scene with a shrug, there was nothing he could do to aid his friends. Assuming, hoping for their success, he continues along with Hackett, to trawl the base drawing up a itinerary of their limited possessions and a who's who of the survivors.

JJ looking on continued to fondle several blocks of C4.

With a little luck the final lever slides home and with a deft flick of the wrist Gomez opens the last lock.

6/4/2034 09.34

To the great relief of all, the steel pressure doors eases back, beyond neon lights flicker and dimly illuminate the reactor control chamber. Pushing into the control room eyes expectantly swivel towards Mahonney, however Mahonney has to admit that whilst he held two of the four keys to the reactor he doesn't actually know how it operates.

Muttering JJ pushes out of the room only to confront Catflap in heavy discussion with a number of their fellow survivors. Joining the group JJ informs the group that whilst the reactor room was now open, it was all fucked up as Mahonney couldn't start the fucking thing up.

The group, lead by Jacobus Sprenger, didn't seem to be bothered as they confidently announced that they were going to scale the collapsed lift shafts.

Meantime Kapek, Mahonney and Schultz poor over emergency procedure manuals. Gomez trying to assist surveys SGC's remaining inhabitants and turns up trumps, Johann Faust, a graduate technician, who had, on commencement of his employment in SGC, been given some instruction for the maintenance of the reactor chamber. Whilst it was some time ago he did at least have some familiarity with the system.

Feeling stifled in the hot oxygen-reduced atmosphere JJ rifles medibay and recovers a number of unused oxygen bottles, whilst these won't cure their problem it does bring momentary relief. Whilst in medibay JJ immediately notes the smell as the recently departed begin to putrefy. Heading back to the reactor room JJ passes Faust and two others, John Gaule and Deacon Frost, heading for security and the lift shafts. Reaching Schultz and co he can see, well something happening, so presumably they weren't going to suffocate today. Through the viewing ports automated systems kick promising a fresh supply of air.

6/4/2034 14.49

Later that day as SG1, Mahonney, Hackett and others are considering what to do with the corpses, infected and otherwise, they are alerted to a disturbance at security. Thinking the worst there follows a panicky few minutes as arms are lock and loaded and hasty barricades are dragged into place. Heading down to security they are met not by hordes of raving infected but by clouds of dust emanating from the right hand lift shaft. Several bloodied figures are scrabbling over the debris. As others gather and assist the walking wounded the storey unfolds.

JJ recalls earlier seeing Faust and others heading for security, it seems that they attempted to scale the partially collapsed shaft, unfortunately it was far more precarious than thought and very quickly the climb was abandoned. As they attempted retreat back down the shaft there was an ominous rumble and climbers were consumed in a mass of falling steel and concrete.

Gaule is buried and presumed dead, Deacon Frost, whilst alive at the least is crippled for life, cyber wear would solve the problem, but confined to SGC, its not an option. Several others have suffered breaks and spills but thankfully judicious use of sticky plaster and bandages would be sufficient.

7/4/2034 11.17

Having decided to transport the dead to Abydos the clean up begins, carefully the decaying remains are bagged and wrapped in sheets when the meagre supply of body bags are gone.

Gathering in SGC control Schultz winds up the power feed from the reactor, with apprehension the code for Abydos is dialled in. Half suspecting an explosion or a raving mob to rush through, there is an expulsion of held breath as the rush of the opening gate settles into monotonous silence.