The White Singularity: A Choose Your Own Adventure

Chapter 11: Escape In The Emergency Pod

"The Singularity is a lost cause," you declare urgently.  "She's not worth our lives.  We must escape now while we still can." Your voice combines your anxiety at the gravity of the situation and regret at abandoning the ship so early in your mission.

Zell nods, and you can see that she agrees with you wholeheartedly.  "Don't forget, I'm pregnant.  It isn't just the two of us now. Our safety must be our top priority."

Praying you've made the right choice, you toggle on the tachyon emitters. "Penance.  Come in, Penance. Do you hear me?"

NESCA answers almost immediately.  "Yes, Doctor, we hear you.  What is your decision?"

"We've decided to evacuate.  The Singularity is irreparably damaged and will not survive further hits.  We'll have a better chance in the escape pod."

"We have been discussing your options, Doctor, and we concur.  Please proceed immediately to the pod."

"Copy that."

Without another word, you and your wife open up a hatch in the middle of the floor and descend into a small chamber leading to the White Singularity's spherical escape pod.  In contrast to the main ship, it is cramped and utilitarian, with basic controls and a single engine.  Its generator for active sensors and communications is also tiny to conserve space, so you can only send and receive pulses when absolutely necessary. While lacking in comfort, it's a sturdy vessel designed for one purpose: to bring you back to safety. 

 What the tiny ship lacks in amenities, however, it makes up in sturdiness.  Its walls are thick, with only one reinforced porthole.  It doesn't have a singularity or a forcefield, but it doesn't need one.  It's only designed for one thing: to bring you back to safety.  Its name reflects it: The Deliverance. 

You almost lose your balance on the ladder as something collides with the Singularity.

"Hurry!" Zell shouts. "That rock wasn't very big, but the next one could be fatal for us."

You lock the hatch securely behind you, and you both hastily strap yourself in.  Zell brings up the pre-launch sequence and skims through them.  "We don't have the time to finish all these!"

NESCA's voice issues from the speakers.  "Skip them all, Doctor! A part of the wall is coming down on you! Eject now!"

Without a second thought, you slam your hand down on the red EJECT button.  The two of you are slammed back into your seats as The Deliverance blasts out of the Singularity's hull in a froth of bubbles.  You look with wide eyes through the small porthole as you narrowly miss what appears to be a massive cliff free-falling silently through the ocean directly on top of the Singularity, burying it instantly under several thousand tons of debris. 

You don't need sensors to tell you there's no digging her out, even for a future salvage expedition.  The ship is lost forever.  

Thankfully, however, the earthquake finally appears to be tapering off.  You ascend through relatively clear water, easily dodging smaller rocks.  NESCA contacts you intermittently with further instructions and warnings so that you reach the surface after several hours without further mishaps.  

Zell embraces you wordlessly while you await rescue from the Penance, steaming towards you at full speed just an hour away.  You're both glad just to be alive.  

What you've just been through was a very close call but also a perfect demonstration of why it was an excellent decision to come here first.  Though extremely dangerous, the Mariana Trench is infinitely more survivable than if a similar disaster occurred several thousand kilometers underground.  Now that you know the White Singularity's weaknesses, you can shore them up in the next iteration.  

All you need to do is convince the funding committee that it's worth building another ship and funding another trip--this time to the core.  It won't be easy--not with them losing several hundred million dollars on your first day, but you're confident you'll be able to persuade them.  You've got all your previous successes to back you up.  You've recovered from massive failures before.  

That's precisely why you've accomplished so much at such a young age--because you don't give up.  

I will not be defeated, you promise to yourself.  I'll be back.  

THE END.

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