The explosion rattled the walls. Buck and Wilma didn't hesitate and ran down the hall and through the huge double doors to the flight deck.
The sight before them was frightening. An older supply ship, sitting in second position behind a starfighter, had exploded and was fully engulfed in flames.
"If the fire reaches that starfighter the entire place could go!" Wilma shouted at Buck. She raced over towards the wall panel. But she stopped long enough to drag one of the techs that had been knocked unconscious away from the flames. She was able to open panel and raise the interior door. She jumped into the starfighter and fired up the maneuvering jets. She moved the fighter towards the door and just as it was about to fall through into the firing tube she leaped out. The jolt to her legs and back were painfully but she didn't stop.
Once the starfighter was out of the way of the flames, Wilma turned her attention to the injured. The first of the medical team arrived and she organized a triage area.
Meanwhile Buck was battling the fire. The heat was almost overwhelming. He picked up a piece of debris and held it up like a shield as he dashed towards the emergency equipment. There were a couple of flight deck support staff already at the equipment and Buck helped them as they struggled with the heavy hosing that carried the foam used to put out the fire.
"Point it at the base of the fire! Lower, lower. THERE! "he shouted. As more emergency personnel arrived, Buck took charge of directing the work. At one-point part of the ceiling collapsed, just missing him and the other firefighters, sending burning shrapnel everywhere.
It took what seemed like hours to Buck to finally get the fire under control. At that point he left the work in the hands of the trained staff and looked around to find Wilma. He spotted her just as she was being lifted onto a medical gurney. He rushed over to the area that had been set up for the medical staff where he was intercepted by Dr. Susan Howard, head of the medical directorate.
"Relax Buck, she's going to be fine, she needs treatment with the healing ray and lots of rest." She told him. Susan was Wilma's oldest, closest friend. "But looks like you need attention too"
"I'm fine, just." He started to say but Dr Howard forestalled him.
"No I see burns, bruises, cuts and hopefully no broken bones. On the gurney big guy" she directed and Buck meekly obeyed.
Next morning Dr Howard entered the room Buck had spent the night in the sick bay. His burns and cuts had been cleaned, dressed and put under the healing ray. He was feeling much better, just a little bit stiff.
"How's Wilma"?
"She will be fine, the ray has done it's work she just needs rest. I want to keep her here one more night but I need you to promise that she will get rest at home tomorrow."
Wilma arrived back at her unit mid afternoon the next day.
"You look tired" he said
Wilma gave him a wan smile and said "Oh I'll be fine. I'm going to lie down and rest but i need you to do me a favor. Could you get in touch with Dr. Huer and ask him for the contact information on all of the injured from the explosion? I want to check on everybody later."
"Sure thing but first you get some rest. I'll see to that."
Wilma went into the bedroom and Buck went back to puttering around with the service portal control panel. He really wanted to get it to send him his coffee automatically every morning.
Buck was in the kitchen area getting food disks ready for dinner. He figured he would have the meal ready before he went to wake her up.
Suddenly the Vid screen signaled a announcement.
"ATTENTION ATTENIION Be advised that Case LM8595B the Court Marshall of Col. Wilma Deering for gross insubordination will be held tomorrow at 0900 hours. ATTENION ATTENION "
When Buck looked around he saw Wilma standing in the doorway with a very determined look on her face.