CHAPTER 2 - THE MEASURE OF LOYALTY
20km west of the Washington State coastline
Pacific Ocean, Week 6, Basics School, 2064
Final Field Mission Assessment
The eight girls checked their equipment before submerging. Eva and her team went first, diving beneath the black waves. Sarah and Deanne were up next, giving a thumbs-up after securing their breathing helmets. Once in the water, they followed Eva's group down to the hatch. Looking over at Stephanie, Amy spoke through the digital voice amplifier. "Are you done with locking your helmet?"
Stephanie fiddled with her head gear again before sliding into the water. "I…I'm secure. I should be good to go," she replied.
"Okay, let's go then."
The two friends dove beneath the waves and swam to the hatch. The thick murky water impacted their visibility, so they switched on their PLEDs to help locate the entrance. As the young divers continued, the outlines of several tall cylinders came into view. The ancient tubular towers made up the working and living quarters for a long since abandoned research facility.
A century earlier, these Tektite II modules were used to test the behavior of human beings working in strict isolation. Many governments of that time period had joined together in an attempt to fund programs that helped study the related effects of international space station crews who were stationed in orbit for long periods of time. Over the decades, some of these facilities were re-purposed and used for the training of Pandora.
Amy glided to the entrance, opened the barred gate, and motioned Stephanie to go through first. Once they were inside, Amy pulled the rusted door closed, securing it so no unwanted sea creatures followed them any further. After traversing a short tunnel, the two surfaced in a dimly lit room at the bottom of this forgotten habitat. The increased air pressure inside this chamber held back the ocean from flooding every square inch of the structure. Quickly toweling off, the two girls stepped around the circular black hole and stowed their underwater helmet and gear. At the rear of the room was a thin ladder. Amy went first as they climbed to the deck above. As the pair reached the top, a low rumble was heard throughout the structure; a subtle vibration that Amy felt as she gripped the rungs of the ladder.
"What the hell was that?" Stephanie asked.
Amy offered a hand as she stepped onto the metal flooring. "I don't have a clue Steph…" The level above housed older machinery and air-conditioning equipment. Around the corner was another access tunnel. As the girls crawled through, they came to a larger command center where everyone else was waiting.
"My God!" Eva shouted, "It took you two long enough! We were just about to start!"
"Sarah…Deanne, I'm sorry that I had to leave you two alone with Eva and her group."
"Don't worry Amy, it was bearable." Sarah joked as she winked to Deanne.
Visibly upset, "Hey, shit-heads! I'm standing right here! I can hear everything you're saying!"
"Stephanie, did you hear someone?" Amy teased as they gathered along the inner railing.
"Very funny Amy Leah...whatever!"
Lara and Noella spun around in the old-style swivel chairs as they listened to Eva read off the objectives for the mission.
"Okay people, located somewhere inside these run-down Tektite II research modules, are four communication beacons. These beacons have been purposely hidden so you will need to use your handset scanners to locate them. You have thirty minutes to locate the four communication devices and return to the surface. Switch your scanner to 18Ghz before you go exploring."
Amy worked the settings on her scanner as Eva concluded her briefing. "Ellsworth, you and your team will explore the adjacent module while my team will investigate this one. Don't forget, you have thirty minutes."
Another low rumble shook the module as Amy and her team crawled through another connecting tunnel.
"Um, does anyone know why that keeps happening?" Sarah asked as they moved further down the tunnel.
Stephanie turned to answer as she accidentally shined her PLED in her friend's face. "Sarah, it's…"
"Hey!" Sarah shouted, covering her eyes. "Don't shine that light at me!"
"Oh, sorry!" Stephanie apologized; quickly turning the light away. "I was trying to say…that it's been happening every ten minutes or so."
"What's been happening?" Amy added.
"You know, the shaking and rumbling from this structure." Stephanie replied confidently.
Deanne frowned, disgusted at the cramped space inside the tube. "How much longer? This really sucks…" The smooth cylinder continued for several more meters before opening up to another darkened room.
Similar to the other circular quarters found throughout the facility, this room featured several cabinets and storage containers placed along the walls. An old telephone sat undisturbed on a countertop, covered in what could be described as decades worth of dust. The scanner blipped again as Amy pointed the device forward. "The last beacon has to be around here somewhere."
The device continued its steady electronic beat as the team searched the last sections of the facility. Growing impatient, Amy pointed the device toward the floor hoping for another compartment. Suddenly, the blips increased, "It looks like there's something under the metal deck."
Sarah and Deanne pushed some containers aside and repositioned a pair of rusty oxygen tanks before discovering the hidden hatch recessed into the floor. "Bingo!" Sarah replied as she gripped the handle, "the last beacon!" Amy hesitated as the small door creaked open. The eerie sound of the metal hinges echoed down the blackened tunnel. The scanner tripled its repetition as she waved the hand-set over the mouth of the tube.
"Looks like it's down there Amy," Stephanie said as she handed her PLED to her teammate. "Here, drop it down the tunnel and see how far it goes." Amy took the light and held it over the opening before letting it go. The light fell silently; illuminating the ribbed sides of the shaft as it continued its journey into the darkness. Curiously, all four girls leaned in and watched the light shrink in size until it slammed onto something hard, reporting a loud metallic sound back up to the girls' position.
"That's a pretty long drop!" Deanne confessed, "Guys, we aren't going to pass this assessment if we keep taking this long!"
"Shut up!" Sarah replied angrily, "we aren't finished yet! We have some time!" After expressing her disappointment, Sarah immediately gripped the rail and started down the tube. "Move over! I'll go down it!"
"Sarah!" Stephanie shouted, alarmed that her teammate would carelessly jump into the mysterious tube, "Please be careful!"
"Just hand me the scanner Amy."
Sarah's dive boots touched the metal deck as she released her grip on the ladder. Beneath her was a round handle partially illuminated by the cracked PLED. Firmly turning the handle, she opened the hatch - the scanner increasing its repetition of beats as she peered inside. Stale air rushed by, creating a draft as she looked further down into the opening. Deeper inside was a slight red glow. Ignoring her fear, she quickly looked up to the top of the tunnel, signaled to her friends and disappeared through the opening.
A louder rumble shook the module as Amy grew more impatient, "I'm going down there! If I'm not back in five minutes, seal this hatch and make your way back to the staging area. I don't like what's going on here, so go tell Eva that we're trapped, and have her get help!" Both teammates acknowledged, as Amy descended the ladder and vanished through the door.
The red glow grew in intensity as Amy made her way through the cramped corridors. Stepping out into a larger room, Amy found Sarah holding the scanner and the beacon in her hands as she stood in front of something that resembled an old periscope.
"Hey, Sarah?"
"Amy, this…this is an old submarine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, my father has books about these types of old boats. I just can't believe that I'm standing inside one like this. I just don't understand why it would be here…"
"Sarah, we have to go, that last vibration was…"
A tremendous sound rocked the vessel, knocking the girls against a wall of gauges and controls – this time, the noise sounding like an avalanche of rocks deflecting down the exterior of the sunken submarine. Amy grabbed Sarah's hand as they made their way through the passageway back to the hatch. Ducking through the doorway, they made it to the ladder and began their ascent. Another rush of stale air disturbed the shaft as a rupture, deep within the sub, allowed seawater to violently enter.
"This is definitely not part of the assessment is it?" Sarah shouted as she climbed.
Beneath her, Amy kept looking down into the darkness as she heard the water rushing through the old vessel. "Climb faster please!"
Deanne grabbed Sarah's hand as she hoisted her up to the deck. Amy was next as the water began filling the tube below. "I'm closing the hatch!" Deanne exclaimed as she forced the door shut. The metal sound of the door was muffled as water began pouring through the seals. "No! I can't get it to lock!" Instinctively, Amy pushed Deanne aside and gripped the handle. Twisting with all her might, she managed to seal the hatch shut cutting off the flow of water.
All four girls panted, short of breath as they realized they almost drowned. "That was close!" Deanne exclaimed, laying on her side, "Thanks for closing that Amy."
"Show me that beacon, Sarah." Amy's teammate handed the small device over, the silver and red canister seemed noticeably different than the orange and black canisters they had already retrieved. "That's weird," Amy stated, inspecting the small device.
"This one's different?" Stephanie replied getting a better look at the beacon. "I don't get it. Is it special?"
Another loud rumble was felt, alerting the girls to press on. Standing, they rushed to the connecting tunnel. Once inside, the girls crawled through until they returned to their staging area.
"Figures, nobody here…" Deanne complained as she exited the tube and hurriedly navigated around the old equipment. All four girls got to the ladder and descended down to the pressurized area just before another violent jolt rocked the facility.
Immediately, water began spraying in from the newly formed cracks which grew in size along the inner walls and ceiling.
The girls fell against the wall as metal framework crashed down around them. "Equip your helmets and get into the water!" Amy ordered. "Swim for the surface! Go now!" As instructed, each of the girls equipped their gear, slid into the water and swam for the exit. Looking around the room one last time, Amy secured her helmet just before she was about to dive under the water. Another vibration shook the habitat, forcing more shelving and metal plating to break free - this time falling directly onto Amy, cracking her helmet and knocking the girl against the deck.
As the three teammates escaped the structure, Stephanie noticed Amy wasn't following. Fearing for her friend, she turned and went back.
Holding the broken piece of equipment, Amy struggled to accept her fate.
"… Amy Leah?"
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Just stay alive…please?"
Her brother's request swirled in her mind as she watched the water level slowly rise. The chamber shook and rattled again as the facility flooded. This was the end, and she wished that things had turned out different.
"Amy!" Stephanie spoke through the digital helmet speaker as she emerged from the water, "What's wrong? Why aren't you coming?"
"My gear is broken! Just go!" Amy shouted, "Get out of here! Just…save yourself, I'll figure something out."
"No, I wont leave you!"
"It's okay, just go! Don't…don't wait for me!"
"No! You said!" Stephanie interrupted as she climbed out of the pool, "…You said that a Pandora never leaves anyone behind - so here I am!"
"Stephanie, this whole assessment...this thing, is just crazy! We…we aren't Pandora! Just go…go and save yourself."
The inner walls buckled more intensely, allowing water to gush into the lower areas. Amy then looked up, "Steph, look out!" Suddenly another piece of debris fell from the ceiling, striking Stephanie in the back, pinning the unconscious cadet against the edge of the pool.
Eva paced the metal deck of the platform, the reflection of the moon glistening on the rolling waves as the impatient recruit circled the perimeter. "What the hell is going on down there? Where's Amy's team? The time limit is almost up!"
Lara Tesario pointed to the water, "Eva, look! There they are!" Deanne and Sarah surfaced and climbed onto the platform clutching at their helmets.
Their gear wasn't fully removed as Sarah shouted, "Stephanie and Amy got separated from us down there! I lost sight of them when we escaped!" Several drill instructors immediately rushed over and questioned the pair on where they last saw their two teammates. Just as Deanne pointed toward the ocean, stating that her friends must still be down there, Eva Dalca already had sealed her helmet and impulsively plunged into the dark water in an attempt to save the two missing cadets.
Amy splashed into the water, slipping and grasping at Stephanie's wetsuit trying to get a firm hold on her motionless body. Finally, getting a hand around her mid-section, Amy tried pulling her friend free from the metal framework. "Stephanie! Can you hear me? Oh my God!" Observing the water levels rising, she knew time was running out.
Placing both hands on the fallen plate, Amy lifted with every ounce of strength. The stubborn obstacle wouldn't budge as she strained against it. Splashing around to the other side, Amy tried once more to lift the heavy panel. Yelling as she lifted, "No! I'm not strong enough!" Water started flowing over Stephanie's body as the air pressure inside the room decreased.
Trying for a third time, Amy concentrated, drawing strength from her emotions; imagining all the arguments her mother and father had and the frustrated look on her older brother's face. As the metal began to move, Amy tried focusing again, this time on the blank expression her mother displayed when she left for Basics School. Channeling all her anger and aggression, Amy cried out in tears as she managed to slide the object from her teammate.
Lifting Stephanie, she moved her body over to the far side of the room which wasn't flooded. Exhausted, Amy stared at her unconscious friend, wondering what to do next. She couldn't hold back the tears as she cried – what troubled the young recruit, were the words she spoke just moments earlier. In her moment of weakness, Amy denied that she was really a Pandora recruit and that her friend should cowardly escape and save herself. Now, cradling that teammate, she understood that statement to be wrong. Despite not having implanted Stigmata, she overwhelmingly felt in her heart that she truly was a Pandora. Ashamed of her behavior, Amy decided that there was one final duty left to perform…one last honorable option left.
Holding Stephanie under her arm, Amy waded into the rising water and took several short breaths. Accepting that she would die saving her friend, she said a prayer wishing for comfort and peace to her mother and brother. Mustering all of her courage, she looked at her teammate. "I'm so sorry Stephanie…please forgive me." Inhaling a deep breath, she enabled Stephanie's wetsuit recovery signal, and pushed off the edge, swimming down and through the open tunnel.
Maneuvering through the tube, and out passed the barred gate, she found themselves in open water. Amy felt comfort in barely seeing the rays of moonlight filtering down from the surface. This ordeal had worn her out and she couldn't hold her breath for much longer. With one final smile, she squeezed Stephanie's hand, and gently pushed upwards, allowing the wetsuit's auxiliary buoyancy compensator to gently raise her body the rest of the way to the surface. Amy's vision blurred as she fought against the involuntarily instinct to inhale. Her last task as a Pandora was over - she had done her service, and this final achievement made her feel at peace.
Just as she lost consciousness, a fierce pair of hands grabbed her under the arms and pulled her to the surface.
Amy was hauled onto the deck as the drill instructors implemented emergency resuscitation. Finally, the young cadet began violently coughing up seawater as the instructors' efforts proved effective. For the next twenty minutes, Amy's recovery was closely monitored. When she finally had the strength to sit up, she looked for the person who rescued her. She assumed it would have been either Sarah or Deanne. In actuality, it was the last person she ever would have thought possible.
In total bewilderment, Amy blinked as Eva Dalca stared back at her. Not only did the transfer cadet rescue her, she had also stayed by Amy's side during her recovery. Eva's wet black hair was matted to the side of her head as she leaned in. In a sultry tone, louder than a whisper, she spoke. "You're lucky Amy Leah Ellsworth, that I saved your life. Now I will expect nothing less from you in return. Don't ever forget that Pandora always keep their promises."
Hearing those words, Amy rolled onto her back and quietly stared into the sky, pondering everything that had happened. She was given a second chance at life and she had Eva Magda Dalca to thank for it.
"...Amelia..." She whispered.
The dark-haired girl looked back over, "What's that you said?"
"When I was a little kid, my grandmother used to call me Amelia."
"Amelia huh? I can live with that." Eva replied.
First Lieutenant Marcia Gray addressed the recruits at dawn. As each cadet stood in perfect formation, Marcia explained the circumstances surrounding the incident from the night before. The training facility, was unfortunately affected by a minor earthquake that shifted the ocean floor around the Tektite II habitats. The lieutenant further elaborated that despite the severe risks involved in the rescue of the Pandora hopefuls, she was grateful to report that every recruit survived the crisis. "I am proud of each and every one of you! Facing a deadly, real-life situation, everyone acted with bravery and fearlessness. Now, with the assessment completed, it's my honor to announce the highest ranked cadet in this platoon." Marcia paused, "The highest points achieved during this six-week Basics School is awarded to…"
Amy focused on standing perfectly still as Marcia Gray continued her speech. The rolling waves of the ocean made it difficult for the young recruit to keep her balance. Deep down, Amy knew who the highest ranked cadet was; it was Eva Dalca. Of course, she deserved it, Eva scored highest in all the tests and proved herself to be a model Pandora and it appeared obvious that the First Lieutenant would announce her name.
"The highest points achieved during this six-week Basics School is awarded to…Cadet Amy Leah Ellsworth!" The girls lining the deck were slow to clap as Deanne, Sarah and Stephanie stared at their team leader.
As expected of the dark-haired Romanian, Eva scowled. "What? How the hell did that happen? There must be a mistake! Hold on a minute, I saved her life!"
Amy, still confused, looked up at the First Lieutenant as she called for her a second time. "Cadet Ellsworth, on the double! That's an order soldier!"
As she hurriedly moved to the front of the line, Marcia extended a hand. "Stand here soldier." Facing the group, Amy felt embarrassed, she never really appreciated the attention and now seeing the angry look on Eva's face, reminded her of the severe consequences she'll experience when they get back home to the barracks.
"During the crisis last night, Cadet Ellsworth displayed courage and self-sacrifice in the face of certain death. That, soldiers, is what we're looking for in a recruit! When most of you leave here for East Genetics, your instructors will expect nothing less from you! This cadet represents everything a Pandora exhibits…and more!" Finishing her speech, Marcia dismissed the group in preparations for their departure from the platform. Turning to Amy, she extended a hand. "Congratulations soldier, you earned this."
Amy was conflicted, she knew saving Stephanie at the risk to her own life, was the reason behind being selected to receive the top honor. She just felt that she didn't deserve it. "Excuse me, First Lieutenant? May I have moment of your time." The tall Chevalier officer raised an eyebrow as she responded.
"What's on your mind soldier?"
"The top honor, ma'am?"
"Is there a problem with my choice?"
"No, no…negative ma'am. Well, honestly I don't feel like I deserved it."
"Why? Do you feel you were wrongly chosen? So you feel that I'm in error?"
"No, you see ma'am, during the event…my gear was damaged and I was unable to escape. Cadet Bates returned to get me, and…" Amy struggled to find the appropriate words, "…due to Cadet Bates coming back to get me, she was injured and…"
"I read the report…"
Amy swallowed hard, she couldn't quite explain herself correctly. "Ma'am, during that moment, I failed my team, I failed my friend and I failed you. I didn't live up to being the Pandora I tried so hard to become. I…encouraged my teammate to leave me behind."
"Amy," Marcia replied softly, "I watched the footage."
The young girl stood surprised, "You watched…the footage? Wait, how?"
The First Lieutenant pulled Amy aside. "I told you, I read the report. I heard what you said and I watched what you did." The young girl felt condemned that the First Lieutenant knew everything.
"Then why did I win top honors after all that?"
"Cadet, after you denied being a Pandora, you actually solidified yourself as one when you decided to save Cadet Bates. Your selfless act of bravery is what saved both your lives. I watched you fight with that piece of debris until you freed your friend. I then observed you sacrificing yourself blindly to return your teammate to the surface." The older woman patted the young girl on the shoulder as she smiled. "It also helped that your team recovered the submarine's communication beacon which gave you the winning points."
"Wait! What?"
"Amy Leah, you demonstrated exactly what it means to be a Pandora. Even with our enhanced strength, endurance, speed and other special abilities, we are still just human beings; individuals just like you who sometimes question the decision on sacrifice and what it means to truly be a hero.
When the officer had finished, Amy was dismissed and sent back to her three teammates. Sarah, Deanne and Stephanie looked on with grins on their faces as their team leader returned. "So…how does it feel to be ranked first?" Deanne asked.
"Yeah, congratulations Amy Leah." Sarah added.
"Thanks, I really didn't think I deserved it, but it would be dishonorable to deny what the First Lieutenant has awarded to me." Amy paused, looking at her friends again. "Hey guys, do you think that you can start calling me Amelia from now on? I know it's a little sudden, but after my...drowning experience, I think I would like to go by an old nickname my grandmother use to call me."
"Amelia? Well, okay that's a little weird, but sure, if you want us to." Deanne grinned.
"Whatever, fine with me...so Amelia it is then." Sarah nodded to the group.
"Thanks everyone for understanding." Amelia replied, before noticing that Stephanie had remained silent. "Hey Stephanie, how are you feeling?"
The young girl kept quiet as she glanced over at her team leader. She really didn't have much to say, but seemed pleased that her friend received the highest award from Basics School. In her mind, she kept repeating the words Amelia spoke when they were inside the underwater structure:
"Get out of here! Just…save yourself, I'll figure something out."
"No, I won't leave you!"
"It's okay, just go! Don't…don't wait for me!"
"No! You said that a Pandora never leaves anyone behind! So here I am!"
"This whole thing is crazy! We…we aren't Pandora! Stephanie, just go…save yourself."
Stephanie smiled as she answered. "I'm doing okay, still a little sore, but I'll be fine. I'm surprised that you recovered so quickly. Everyone thought you weren't going to make it when Eva pulled you from the water."
"Yeah, I don't remember much…" Amelia replied. "I'm just glad that I'm alive and that everything worked out in the end. This whole final assessment was pretty scary." Stephanie strained to act normal as she fought against her inner feelings. She was still in turmoil because of her team leader, who let her down after everything they had been through. She graciously accepted the fact that her friend saved her life, but it was proving difficult for Stephanie to forget what Amelia had said to her about being a Pandora. That statement, back in the Tektite II habitat, haunted Stephanie for some time. It wasn't until their sophomore year that she was willing to let it go.
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