Odyssey of a Mind: A Knights of Lordaeron story

Prelude

Red light.

Alright, Aenorus, think. Think! If you don't make this work then the ship...

​No. Fear/panic produces fluids that prevent focused brain activity. Or, as father would say, fear is a bad councilor. So, focus!

​Darkness.

​The alarm lights change status every 2,26 seconds. I can't work with my hands during that time but I can calculate. Symptoms include power loss at the back up generator which indicates a 76,5% chance of energy crystal failure...

​"Garlos, crystal...

​Red light.

​...status report!"

​...a 15,8% chance of back up reactor's core malfunction...

​"Manethus, check the reactor's core temperature and arcane emissions!"

​Darkness.

​...a 6,3% chance of Light Accelerator overload (Patience Aenorus...) and 1,4% chance of Various Other Causes, including cable cuts, loose screws, sabotage, personnel error and the list goes on.

​Red light.

​Practically running, he rushed to the Light Accelerator's Overview holo and started to read the numbers.

​"Crystal's report clear, Chief" he heard Garlos scream over the alarm. He nodded to himself and continued to estimate what the numbers on the holo ment. Darkness fell only to be dispelled by the alarm's light exactly 2,26 seconds later. The numbers checked out.

​"Manethus, I need those readings!"

​"Emissions are clear, Chief. Temperature within normal but rising. Fast".

​To be expected. With the power loss, the coolers won't be functioning. But if the emissions are clear then...

​Darkness.

...the problem is elsewhere. This was just another side-effect and it wasn't good news. The problem could be almost anywhere.

​"Alright, let's do another full system's check. We might have skipped something".

​Red light.

Reports and numbers were mingled with the alarm's screaming as light and darkness changed rule over the room. Nothing made sense. They knew the main dimensional engines had been sabotaged but no blood elf had managed to reach the emergency generator floor. Still, they had checked every probable angle, again and again but nothing came out wrong. Every probable. Light, he hated statistics...

​"Check the power cables".

​"Chief?"

​"Merbius Law of Improbable Statistics. The generator is working fine. The main system just doesn't receive the power".

​"Finding a cable fault could take hours, Chief!"

​"ATTENTION ALL DECKS. PREPARE FOR CRUSH LANDING".

​The team stared at each other but only for a moment. The next, they were all on their feet, rushing to different posts. Garlos screamed at the main system's room to check for cable faults. Manethus rushed to the reactor and inspected the cables, inch by inch. Aenorus entered an air duck and started crawling, following the cables into the ship's walls. His size didn't help but he was closer to the entrance and every moment counted. Cursing Light, demons, gods, blood elves and everything else he could think of, he pushed through with haste, his elbows and knees soon bleeding from the effort. He never thought that the life of a mechanic was a luxurious one but this was pushing it, he thought and allowed himself to laugh a little.