Welcome to the End of Your Life

Posted on Mon Oct 12th, 2026 @ 8:08pm by Commander Jonathan Grayson & Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant James Phoenix

1,607 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Creatures of the Night
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: After So Yoy Want to Command Do You?

Jon had gotten up early and skipped breakfast so he could go straight to the holodeck and have the program he had selected for James to be in place and ready to go. He double checked the program and was satisfied all was in place and the program would preform as devised. All he had to do now was wait for Callie and James to arrive.

Callie had woken at her usual time, surprisingly she’d had a good night’s sleep. Having breakfast she sorted her children then dropped them off at school and nursery before she headed to the holodeck.

James moved through the corridor swiftly. He had woken up rather early, but not too early for the norm. He was coming from ten forward where he had breakfast with Ash. Soon enough, he found himself entering the holodeck.

Jon pushed off the side of the bulkhead. "Good morning. I hope you had a good night sleep and are ready for the next stage of the exam."

Callie nodded and smiled, she didn’t need to apologise to Jon, but she felt she needed to in front of James. “I want to apologise for my behaviour yesterday, I got myself a bit wound up, and I shouldn’t have.

James shook his head. "Happens to the best of us. After I took advanced tactical training final written exam, I think I was baking for about a week before I got my results back" he didn't say anything more so he could wait for Jon's response.

"Over and forgotten." Jon replied easily. "Are you ready to begin James?"

"Yes sir" James stated. "As I'll ever be."

Jon nodded and walked to the holodeck entrance. "Computer run Grayson Command test one." An instant later the computer announced. "Program running you may enter when ready." As the holodeck arch opened it revealed a scene straight out of Dante's Inferno. The Washington bridge was bathed in red emergency lights casting it in a eerie light. Consoles sputtered and sparked with power outages. The smell of burnt conduit and electrical wiring hung heavy in the air. There were bodies strewn about the bridge either dead, dying or unconscious. Jon had a nasty gash across his forehead. Shran was slumped over in the center seat. Deanna looked dead pinned under a piece of bridge conduit. Imik was lying across the tactical console unmoving. James was the only one conscious.

The computer spoke unemotionally. "Warp core breech in two minutes and thirty seconds. Unless damage is corrected at source."

One thing James was concerned about before entering the holodeck was the ability to ignore the fact that this was a test and not the real thing. The scenario was so drastic and immersive that he was able to forget and ignore that it was in fact a test.

He quickly scanned his surroundings with his eyes. He was the only one on the bridge. "Computer, identify source of damage and a way to correct it. Please also identify if using the escape pods are a viable option at this time" James said, moving around to various other consoles on the bridge to get some sense of options and readouts from any remaining sensors. If there was a way to save the Washington, he wanted to make it happen but he wanted also an escape option for the remaining crew. Though Phoenix was concerned it was too late to use the pods: Either there was no remaining power going to them, or the blast from the Washington's core breach would destroy them anyway.

"Source of damage is due to containment failure: Magnetic seals, intermix chambers, or containment fields break down. Unable to further analyze due to damage. Escape pods are unable to be used." The computer intoned emotionlessly.

The doors to the turbolift opened. The turbolift was not there. Instead, Aidan climbed up and out of the turbo shaft with Ash in tow. "Turbolift is in lockdown. We were on our way here when everything went haywire. Who is in charge here?"

"I seem to be" James looked around at the bridge and then at Ash and then Aiden. They seemed to be alright. There was no time to ask. "We need to find a way to contain the breach. Options?"

"One minute forty five seconds to warp core breech and destruction of ship." The computer added.

"I take it we can't eject the core?" James added knowing there wasn't much time, but it needed to be asked. He was keeping his cool as best as he could, but things were getting real fast.

"Sight to sight transport to Engineering. I'd need someone with me to contain the breech" Aidan noted. He went to the engineering console at the back of the bridge. "Transporters are functional on a limited basis." He hit a few buttons, "Damn. We have plasma fires in Engineering. Radiation is rising fast. The coolant tanks will blow in 30 seconds." He looked to Phoenix, "Orders?"

There was little to know chance that either officer would make it back. This would mean he'd either have to send Ash with him, or go down himself and order Ash to take command. He didn't get the chance to make that part of that call.

"I'll go" Ash blurted.

"Wait, hold-" James tried to interrupt.

"There's no time James. But I won't go if you order me otherwise."

James sighed. There was no other way. He turned to Aidan. "Make it so. Take Ash with you. I'll have my fingers on the transporter in case you can make it out" he rested a quick, comforting hand on Ash's arm before letting go and going to the nearest console to access the transporter. "Ready?"

"One minute thirty seconds to warp core breech." The computer announced then added. " Transporter locks are fluctuating."

"Transporter won't engage. Safety interlocks won't transport us into Engineering under the current status" Aidan stated. He looked to Phoenix, "You'll have to manually control the system. You can get us just inside, but it won't be easy. Radiation levels have risen another 12% and lethal exposure will occur in 45 seconds."

"Understood" James put his hands on the controls. "Turning safeties off. Attempting transport" he said after he got a manual lock on both Ashlynn and Aidan.

Aidan and Ashlynn dematerialized and a moment later they were inside Engineering. =^= We are in. Attempting repair =^= Aidan signaled, his voice labored.

Ashlynn said nothing. She was in worse shape with the radiation already.

Jon watched the scene before him impassively. He wanted to see how it played out before issuing an opinion.

James kept his hands on the console, ready for an emergency transport to sickbay. He knew Ash would be in a lot of pain. He didn't want to make it worse by making an attempt to say goodbye. Besides, it was a test even if he wasn't paying much attention to that fact right now.

"Computer report" James called out.

"Core breech averted. Radiation levels at lethal exposure. Coolant leak in Engineering, lockdown in process. No life signs in Engineering" the computer responded dispassionately.

Phoenix took a moment to close his eyes for a few seconds. It wasn’t real. He forced himself to keep his composure.

James opened a comm channel to sickbay. “Sickbay report, can we get a medical crew up here? Computer, what’s the status of the rest of the ship?” He said while waiting for a response.

No immediate response came from sickbay. The computer answered his question, "Main power and propulsion offline. Radiation and coolant leak in Main Engineering contained, no life signs. Sporadic life signs on decks 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9. Escape pods launched, shuttles launched."

Finally, a voice came from sickbay, "This is the EMH. Please turn to your emergency medical holographic channel."

Jon listened in silence to the EMH's report in cold clinical terms. He waited for James to turn on the requested channel even though he had a good idea what it would show.

As the EMH came on the viewscreen he began to talk straightforwardly. "Ah, lieutenant. It seems you activated me with your medical request. I have run the necessary scans and I'm afraid everyone in Engineering is deceased. I would like to come to the bridge as you requested, but I'm afraid I am stuck here for now. I am a doctor, not a miracle worker."

Jon sighed heavily. The EMH's report was exactly what he had feared. Ash and Aidan had 'died' saving the ship. He would wait for James's reply before making his decision.

"I'll try to render any first aid I can up here until we can get people up to the bridge. I assume you're overwhelmed with casualties doc?" James asked. "I can try and send anyone close by with first aid experience who is still capable who doesn't have their hands tied elsewhere."

The EMH looked confused. "I have no casualties to attend to lieutenant. Are you feeling alright? Perhaps the strain of command is getting to you."

This caught the Lieutenant off guard. Surely sickbay would be overrun with casualties if the ship was so damaged to deal a blow to most of the crew and attempt a core breach? "Yeah. I'm alright doc. Just keep me posted. You may not have any now but you will soon enough. Phoenix out."

Was this the end of the test? Or was there more? James asked himself.

"Alright, I've seen enough. Computer end simulation. James you can go back to breathing again. Callie's exam will begin shortly. Once it is completed I'll let you know your scores." Jon announced.

 

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