To The Reactor

JP with Omni, Kudzu, APatientMan and Chismevious

8.3.5 SW
20:05/21 SW-CP-Local Time
Crowning Point > Reactor Complex

"I tried contacting Karis Green, one of our grid technicians. Admin said she was already monitoring the generator station but she hasn't answered any messages or calls. Hardly a surprise though. I have heard the signal is very poor at the reactor." said Maryam.

“That’s true. They have hard-lines for direct connection to Admin and Ops, but yeah, the wireless Sutter-Lynk is crap out here.” stated Irving.

The utility truck pulled up at the reactor parking gate. There was a security guard at the booth.

“IDs please.” he said.

Irving and Maryam pulled out their WY badges.

The security guard was not done. He nodded at the backseat. “Gotta see everyone’s ID.”

Jensen looked to Vera, he had certain clearance but he doubted it was relevant here on Sutter’s World and he was sure Vera wouldn’t even have an access card.

Sharpey stepped out into the downpour and in front of the truck to display his uniform and weapon.

“They’re with me.” he threw a thumb up at himself. “Orders from Admin and CPCS.”

The guard nodded and waved them in with a hand and a nod. “Go on in.”

The utility truck pulled around to the west side of the reactor complex between one building and the station output coils where several buzzing towers stood. The team filed out into the rain and to the entrance.

Stepping into the dry entry hall was a nice contrast to the trudge through downpour outside. There, they found themselves before the security entryway of the fusion reactor’s generator station, but all security personnel had been evacuated as well as most, if not all of the staff. The hum of the turbines and other machinery was not far off.

Emergency lights flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Maryam realized the power outage had also plunged the entire facility into darkness, with only emergency backup lights providing limited visibility.

Vera peers about nervously as she takes in their surroundings. She can't help but think about what might be concealed in those shadows.

"Maryam...do we need to shut the whole plant down? There must be some sort of disconnect that we can use to make the lines safe...right?"

“We should just need to turn off the power that flows to that tower and regulate the voltage output going everywhere else,” said Maryam. “The operative word being ‘should’. We need to find Karis. She’s likely already in the control room.”

"Can we get to that room then? I'd like to keep moving if at all possible. Not a big fan of standing still in dark confined spaces..." Jensen said nervously. He had a profoundly unpleasant feeling in his gut.

Maryam nodded, understanding the urgency in Jensen's voice. She gathered the team together and led the way past the empty security check down the corridors to maintenance control.

"Right. Let’s not waste any time. We make our way to the control room and find Karis. Stick close, and keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble," Maryam advised, her voice laced with a mix of concern and determination.

“Ah Jensen, you’ll be alright. I’ve got your 6.” Flynn said pulling up the rear of the pack keeping eyes both forwards and backwards at the same time.
“I won’t let nuthin’ sneak up on us”

As the team ventured further into the dark corridors, the distant sound of machines grew louder and they couldn’t help but feel a growing apprehension in this place of dangerous power.

The control room was just a few corridors away, and they proceeded cautiously, Sharpey checking every corner for any sign of Karis or potential threats.

They approached an intersection that branched off to the right and the door to the control room loomed straight past it a few meters, partially ajar.

Flynn white knuckled his gun because even though had done this a hundred times before against human and exo-solar animals alike, it never got any easier, but he knew he would do his damnedest to protect his new friends, even if that meant getting hurt himself.

Moving with muffled footsteps past the intersection, the team made their way into the control room at the end of the hallway.

They found it dimly lit by the glow of various control panels and monitors. The hum of machinery was more intense now, reverberating through the room.

The absence of Karis raised Maryam’s concerns and she spotted the emergency phone line on the wall, with the receiver hanging off the hook and the calling access card was still in the machine.

"Oooooooh good..." sighed Jensen. He instinctively started looking around the room for anything that might give him a clue, or an edge. Specific signs of a struggle, valuable documents, meds, drugs, anything that stood out.

Jensen carefully approached the control panel and examined it, looking for any signs of recent activity. The glass screen in the main monitor was cracked, burnt out, and smoking. The scent of electrical fire peppered the room and there was no access card for the controls.