Starland

Control Room

HAWTHORNE

I catch her as she falls. I gently rest her on my lap.

Cooper glares at her, "we're trapped. There is no help."

I begin to smell it, then I see it. The acid. "what room is this?"

I can feel her still breathing. She's ok Thank god. I exhale worry. She saved me. She's so smart. I feel my heart rate rise. Crush. Woah. I look up and like the team was waiting for my instruction. Everyone except Cooper still glaring. Head out of the clouds Captain. I rest her against the wall.

"There's a way out of here. I know there is. She was blabbering softly before she passed out." I hope I was paying attention, and not just to her. "There should be something in here to help us. So let's look."

Lydia begins to fan herself, "why is it so hot in here?"

Will talks, "like the heat is turned up." Taking off the outer space armor on himself.

Papers are already scattered around the room. Computers are broken, most likely other electrical equipment is too. I search on the main desk. Classified documents. This was more than a science experiment. It was working with government. This thing. What the plan for it was. This information was opposite of what they told us.

"Check this out." Will brings me a tape recorder. His throat sounds dry. Sweat stains around his uniform.

I'm hot and sweating, but am use to it, the type of missions I, Cooper, and Will had to endure-extreme heat challenges. I take off my top armor, looking like I only have on under armor long sleeve. I push play on the audio log from Will.

Experiment-blob (bio lactate-dehydrogenase organism bioriology)

Scientist recording, "We couldn't' do it ourselves there was help from anonymous donors, they gave it life. This thing studied for power, longevity. This mission it was possible everyone wouldn't survive. This side was kept secret. There is...."

"Look." Cooper affirms. "There is an exit point. Emergency exit." She points on the map of the room.

Lydia and Will fall to the floor. Cooper and I look like we just came out of water we both drenched in sweat.

"It's got to be the heat and the chemical." I say.

Cooper responds, "Maybe it is. But we need to leave." She scopes the room. Leave her, leave them."

I raise my eyebrows and sternly reply, "No."

"What do you mean no. their better off dead. We have a mission. I bet they did to."

"What's that supposed to mean Cooper?"

"We're soldiers of course we can withstand more. I bet that chemical weakens her, whatever she is."

My clothes sucked to my skin. I feel my blood begin to boil. My teammate wants to leave her, leave all of them. I'm Captain. I carry out the missions. I always have tough make calls. Including if to leave anybody behind. It would be smart if we wanted to survive that Captain in me would go. But bewildering to me I can't...I feel the need to protect her.

"Lets go."

I firmly reply, "no."

"I don't want to have to do this."

As I see Cooper take a large step towards me I punch her in the face. My next punch she dodges and kicks me across the room my back hits a desk. She charges at me, I knee her in the stomach. She grabs my neck. I tackle till she backs to a middle table. She kicks me and I fall to the ground. She grabs me she's in control, not for long. We both are at each other's grip.

"This mission has made you soft Captain." She says.

The side of my face throbbing, my abdomen, and leg have pressure. I can taste the blood coming out of my mouth. Caroline is gripping my shirt, bloody, nose, as suit covers our bodies. I have a tight grip around her shirt. I know. I know the orders go in and out. Take the thing. But right now, it meant more than just a mission. I'm a soldier, but her, Aria, she was special to me. I won't let anything happen to her, happen to me, or the others.

Cooper stares directly into my soul, "Let's finish the mission."

I shake my head, "Not like this."

There is a loud bang. My body briefly numb, a pang, hot metal in my stomach, pain, blood coming out of the injured stomach. Cooper moves the gun from my stomach. She lets go of my body and I fall backwards. I hit my back on the floor. I see Cooper go to the door and pull a leaver. She is frantic with anxiety, impatience, and fear.

Lying on my side my stomach, legs, side feel heavy. I look at Aria, and then Will and Lydia on the floor. I was supposed to leave them. But I'm not going to. I slide myself to the desk. I wobble as I try to stand up. I fall on my butt. The gravity wave pains the wounded area. I sharply breath in and out. I tap into my soldier instincts. This isn't the first time I've been shot. It might not be the mission I was sent here to do, but I was going to complete it.

I used the middle table as support. Gripping the side for support. I fell again at the end of the table. Irregular breathing, strong chemical odor, dry air, blurriness. Everything was against me. But this was not my end. My arm shaking, heavy and wanting to fall. My fingertips reach the lever I slide it down. The door opens, I got some fresh air, but holding my wound slid down the wall. Everything in life was feeling lite faint, like going away in a distance.