It was several hours in that Kevin noticed something was wrong. "The readings we've got. The oxygen levels are way off. We'd never reach Edwards on this load." He said.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Atlantis scolded herself. Of all the idiotic oversights... The shuttle smacked her face with her cargo arm, biting her own wing in her frustration. She'd often turn to self harm as a means to cope with her intense emotions, particularly after Challenger. It beat taking it out on others who didn't deserve it.

"Atlantis stop!" Max cried, horrified by the thick gobs of blood that drifted past the cockpit windows. Katheryn cradled his head in her arms, making soothing noises.

By the time Atlantis was done, she'd made sufficient gouges in both wings. They would heal though before it came time to re-enter earth's atmosphere.

...

Docking at Daedalus was tricky as the station was only half completed but it had the oxygen that her crew of children needed.

None of them could attach the oxygen tanks and so it was up to Max to do a spacewalk. He was more than a bit nervous.

"You'll do fine." She murmured.

"Um, thanks..."

Recalling his fondness for Star Wars, she added "Go get 'em Luke."

She lowered him to the station from her cargo arm. He grabbed the fuel tanks and rejoined the shuttle. Before he did Atlantis winked. "Nice job."

...

Edwards wasn't an option due to the stupidity of her crew. The only other option was White Sands. "If I overshoot that runway, it's a saltwater bath Kate." Atlantis grumbled. "And I hate the ocean!"

"Well I better make sure you don't go in the drink now don't I." Katheryn grinned as she guided the shuttle towards her interface point.

Atlantis gracefully rolled back on her stomach. She'd been flying on her back this whole time though in space that term was relative. She could feel the first flickers of heat as they worked their way along her belly. As she picked up speed her wings stung from the bite wounds she'd given them but the thick heat shielding did its job.

The heat dissipated and leveling out at 150,000 feet, Atlantis banked hard to the right. Performing a series of tight turns to further slow her velocity. She'd need the slower speed if she'd ever have a shot at hitting this runway without getting wet. Cloud cover was minimal and she could see the Pacific Ocean even from this height. It looked tranquil though the body of water was far from aptly named.

"This is gonna be tight!" She called. And she could see that quite easily. It was not going to be an easy fit for sure.

She deployed her landing gear at 300 feet, coming in over the water at such a speed that she could see the surface turn frothy white along her path. As soon as she cleared the beach her wheels touched down on the very edge of the runway, one actually touched the thin grass strip at the edge. Every inch of tarmac indeed. As soon as her nose dropped, Atlantis put on the breaks. She had no chute which made this even tougher.

"No water. No water. Please no water." The shuttle muttered as the beach head grew closer and closer. Just when she thought she'd overshoot the runway and go right into the drink she stopped.

Panting the shuttle rolled off the runway and onto one of the side roads. The kids climbed out one by one. They all stood in front of her, heads respectfully bowed. They looked sorry for themselves as well they should! Atlantis' harsh glare swept over them. "Remind me never, ever to listen to you brats again!" She roared.

"ATLANTIS!"

Max could've sworn he saw the shuttle leap 10 feet into the air at the sound of that voice. And as well she should. It belonged to the US fleet deputy, USS Enterprise and boy did the carrier look pissed. Max recalled that another of her forms was Atlantis' sister, the OV-101 currently a museum.

"What the fuck were you thinking you pile of scrap metal?!" The carrier roared. "A 'thermal curtain failure'? I saw right through that the instant you launched!"

Atlantis cowered as she was struck upside the head, the blow drawing a little bit of blood but she accepted her punishment. She had the option of refusing, she didn't take it.

"It wasn't her fault!" Both shuttle and carrier turned towards Max as the little human stepped forward.

Enterprise raised a brow while Atlantis looked shocked. Of course it was her fault. She'd allowed this to happen.

"I-I wanted to go into space. I harassed her endlessly about it. I pressured her into it. She didn't want to. She had concerns and they were valid, I realize that now. Please don't place all the blame on her. For the majority lies with me." Max said.

Atlantis to say the least was stunned at such a grownup statement coming from such a small mouth. "Max please..." She hissed. She'd done so much to ensure this child's safety, she wouldn't see him get in trouble for her own failures.

Max's gaze was hard. "No Atlantis." He growled. "I do share the blame. You need to stop blaming yourself. Things aren't always your fault. It wasn't your fault the oxygen tanks were not filled. And it wasn't your fault that your sister died! The top engineers couldn't change NASA's mind that day, what makes you think you could!"

Atlantis bowed her head. Yes, she'd blamed herself. Partly at least. She always had the nagging feeling that she could've done something, anything to prevent that tragedy. But she also knew that Max was right. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn't her fault but pondering over it wouldn't do anyone any good. Least of all her and her crew. "I will, think about it." She allowed.

Max nodded, knowing that was as good an answer as he was going to get. He stroked the shuttle's nose and Atlantis lowered her head for him. This time, her eyes met his and forest green met hazel. Then Atlantis covered Max in huge licks that left him dripping slobber from head to toe.

A few of the elder students cringed but Max was grinning and Atlantis couldn't help but grin back.

...

Atlantis was not looking forward to the journey back to Florida. The 747 she usually rode on did not have the fuel capability to lug her heavy tail 2000 miles to Hawaii over open ocean. So it would have to be by boat. She sat in Enterprise's cargo hold as the carrier made the 12000 mile journey to Canaveral via the Cape of Good Hope. She could've just gone west to San Diego but it was deemed cheaper for the carrier to take her all the way. Atlantis was not a sailor and even though the big carrier was very stable, she still tossed a bit in heavy seas. Even in light seas Atlantis was queasy. And the sea sickness didn't let up. She was given some Dramamine which helped a little bit but for the most part Atlantis just had to grin and bear it.

By the time Enterprise reached Florida, Atlantis was so weak and wobbly she couldn't stand on her own. She was lowered from the cargo hold straight into a waiting truck and trailer. The fresh air helped ease the shuttle's discomfort and Atlantis looked a little better by the time she arrived on base. Discovery was waiting for her when she arrived. Her sister's gold eyes were dark with worry and this concern deepened when she found she had to bear most of Atlantis' weight.

"You look like hell tossed you in the sea and washed you ashore." She said.

"Haha, very funny." Atlantis snorted, her stomach still churning. "H-how's Columbia?"

Discovery bit her lip. "She's stopped throwing up for now at least but her fever's still very high. She's been asking for you."

"So she knows I left." Atlantis murmured.

"Knows? Hell sis we both heard your launch! It woke Columbia from a nap with a start. I've never seen her move so fast before. She was at the window in a flash, trying to see one last glimpse of you."

"I'm sorry." Atlantis said.

"Don't be." A new voice growled.

Atlantis straightened to face Columbia. The oldest shuttle was trembling with the effort of standing and her red eyes were glazed but she held her head high and her tail erect. She was flagship through and through.

Discovery frowned. "You should be resting." She accused.

"I woke up and my berth mate was gone. Then I heard you and Atlantis." She eyed her youngest sister. "You don't look so good."

"I've been on a ship for the past 5 days." Atlantis groaned.

Columbia chuckled. "Half our genetic code may be from battleships but put us in the water and we flounder like a drowning porpoise."

Atlantis shifted her weight, moving away from Discovery as she pressed her nose to her sister's wing. Briefly she was stunned by the amount of heat coming off that hull. Columbia lowered her head, her energies spent. Discovery helped her back to her hanger and Atlantis followed.

Columbia settled in first, curling up tight. Discovery lowered herself down beside her, resting her head over hers as she gently encouraged the ill shuttle to rest. Atlantis didn't have the strength to wonder to her own hanger so instead she folded up her landing gear and leaned into Columbia's leeward side. Sandwiched between Discovery and Atlantis, Columbia was the first asleep. Atlantis dropped off next. Discovery had already had a nap so she was wide awake. She merely rested her head over Columbia's flank, watching her two sister's sleep as she listened to the soothing beats of their strong hearts.