Hello all! This one here took a while. To be fair i wasnt sure where to take it after the previous part. What i came up with is...well what your about to read. And boy oh boy is she long. I introduce a LOT of characters some will likely appear in later chapters others not. This is meant to be emotional so be prepared for some heart string moment's.
To be honest I'm not exactly sure what to expect. let me know what you think. i just ask that you please be gentle.
As always, sincerely yours.
Olyolyoxenfree.
Zootopia News Broadcast center
1130…
"Alright people chop chop!"
The producer is a stout, both in form and species. He has a clipboard in paw urging the production crew back into the news room. Angaloa smooths her fur down as she and her fellow anchor take their seats beside one another. The initial quake had a terrifying experience. While the station wasn't anywhere near downtown, where many of the crews family said most of the damage had occured, the shaking had been more than encouraging for all of them to evacuate.
But that was past now other stations would be reporting on the situation. They had ratings to meet. Overhead lights flash on as cameramen got back to their posts. She breathes out smoothing the last stuck up sections of her fur down. Robert her cohost, an aged stern faced moose gives the tiger a once over, she was all nerves still but not nearly as frightened.
"Cameras on in three…two…one, go!"
—
Breaking news flashed across hundreds of still functional televisions. Those still in their homes saw the familiar news anchors calmly at their posts.
"We're back to live now after experienceing a rather frightening earthquake. What say you Robert?"
Robert bobs his wised head as the camera zooms in on him.
"Quiet so Angaloa , we've gotten several reports of sever damage downtown. We encourage all citizens to check in family members and make way for ZPD personnel and ZFD attempting to make their way into damaged areas."
The camera pans out again as Angaloa is handed a peice of paper from a stage hand. Her eyes go wide as she attempts to compose herself.
"We've just received a report from out sky crew that there has been a major incident on the 'Star' Bridge. We go live to cameraman and reporter Cambet, Cambet you are live."
The view changes to a shaky image of wild eyed wombat with a set of oversized earphones on his head.
"Thank you Angaloa! We're coming to you live just over the bridge!" He yells over the steady thump of helicopter blades as the cameraman pans to bridge. The scene is that of chaos, debris liters the roadway flashing ambulances are streaming through congestion. Ant like paramedics and firefighters are climbing over cars pulling people trapped in their vehicles.
"Mere minutes ago the 'Star' collapsed into the bay! You can see emergency personnel trying to get to the wounded! Several cars are flattened and fire has broken out in the toll booths! It's a mess down here Angaloa- hold on!"
Cambet puts a paw to his headset nodding several times before continuing.
"I'm getting information that the 'Star' may be causing some communication issues with the 4312 car that runs directly beside the bridge. Metro personel are attempting to regain contact with the tour but are encountering interference! Back to you Angaloa!"
With a final pan to scene it cuts back to the news room. Angaloa bobs her head up and down picking up a new stack of updates ready to be dispatched. She goes to speak but paused letting what had just been said process. The tiger blinks owlishly, corners of her mouth twitching.
"I'm sorry but-could you repeat that again?"
Theirs only silence, Robert and much of the crew look at her confused.
"Cambet? Are hearing me, could you repeat that information."
It takes several moments before the network connects to the reporter who looks somewhat startled.
" I hear you Angaloa, uh communication has been lost with the 4312 car! To my understanding it's a tourist and educational rail that runs across the entire bay!"
It cuts back to the news room.
Angaloa is covering her mouth with shaking paws. She stands suddenly already hyperventilating, eyes darting back and forth.
"My baby-her class was-i have-i have I have to go." Viewers watching see dart off screen, sheer panic has gripped the tiger.
She is not the only one.
—
Zootopia Metro Department-Command Center.
1200
Patterson would go on the record as to saying.
"If I find who released that information, I will personally nail you to the wall."
Telling the mayor of the situation had been a terse but to the point affair. The entire city was affected by the quake, emergency personnel were literally putting out fires as they sprang up. Whatever resources available would be directed their way but others were ahead of the que.
Then the entire city watched the unadulterated fear spread across the tigers face.
Kids change things.
Every phone in the command center went off in near perfect sync.
This just got complicated.
—-
Rail 4312 Car 6- 150 meters
1200 EST
It's hard to tell just how bad some of them are hurt. They squirm when he prods their small arms and chests. It's practical, under any other circumstances he'd likely be arrested. He has to grit his teeth when they sob when a bone shifts beneath shaking skin. Pine is hurt too, every breath is taken with starbursts in his eyes. He had to have at least a couple broken ribs, likely a concussion.
"Bite this Antony." Pine says holding a torn piece of seat belt. Antony is a tired chubby faced polar bear who proudly declares being seven while his brother beside him whispers that he was six and a half. The bear cub sniffs nodding his head clamping it between his teeth. Pine grabs the bear's limp arm, stealing his nerve.
"Ready? On three…one…"
Crack!
The boy screams it's muffled.
But it doesn't stop the scream.
Several of the children gag, dry heaving huddling together on the slanted floor. Pine pets the shaking cubs head gently laying him down. His brother, Caleb is prone to taking his hand ,he can't stand something wrong with his legs.
Pine could only guess the other bear's spine was broken.
They tell him their names , so polite it's honestly rather funny.
"Mister Pine, my name's Kaled, my paws all numb."
"Mister Pine I'm Bren, my nose won't stop bleeding."
Always mister, always with a bowed head. They whimpered, shuffling forward like they had done something wrong. With such dim lighting he could barely see what he was doing with half of them. Sam helps, the kit's eyes have adjusted far more than his. She's excited whether she knows what's going on or…
Pine takes a breath gritting his teeth as the pain makes him want to vomit again. David, the wolf pup is glaring at him each time one of them comes to him. Maybe it was a canine thing, couldn't have made him care less.
Except the kid kept baring his fangs.
It was starting to piss him off just a bit.
That feral side of him at least.
"Pine! Hey Mister!" Sam shakes his shoulder, she's all smiles holding a bag up in her little paws. It's a rather gaudy thing all color with smiley faces on it.
"What's this now?" He takes the bag from the beaming kit. David's yellow eyes burn into him. The wolf is always by her side, practically clinging to her. It's not a matter of affection Pine could see that at least.
He could see other things to
How their eyes matched in color.
The subtle pattern in the tigers fur, while white was honestly a bit gray too.
More than affection.
Pine sifted through the bag pulling out cyclophane wrapped sandwiches. Several of the more mobel children looked up as the distinct sound of plastic.
"Mrs. Darby makes the best lunches." Sam declared hungrily licking her lips. There was enough it seemed for the lot of them with some extra too. Pine nods his head slowly not wanting to think about the corpse several cars away.
"Why don't you hand these out?" He says giving the bag back to her waiting paws. She's practically shaking with excitement eagerly dashing amongst her classmates a moment after. Least she was enjoying herself despite everything.
Pine is tired.
It's taking everything to keep his eyes open.
Waters leaking for spots all around them, metal creaks every time one moves. He's not pessimistic but there are many facts present.
They are so deep that sunlight couldn't reach them. In which case if the car would flood they'd all drown. Could they even be rescued?
"Here mister!"
Sam's holding a sandwich for him, he blinks and shakes his head. With a nod Pine takes it, setting the food on the floor. The kit had finished making her rounds now that the bag was empty she went to set it down. Sam made a noise as she bet over but the smile never left her face. Pine cocked his head, picking himself up.
"Sam? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine Mister Pine!" She beams, raising her arms and flexing cheerfully. He can see the subtle tic in her lips as to the lie.
"No your not, come here so i-"
"You will not touch her."
David snarls, putting himself between the wolverine and tiger. Everyone gasps, several of the prey species cling to one another shaking. The wolf pup's all teeth, hackles raised, a growl in his throat.
Pine calmly backhands him.
It was a light hit, just enough to make him stumble. David touched the stinging part of his jaw, shocked as Pine pushed past him to Sam. With gentle care he patted her sides until she winced, it was around her midsection where a seatbelt would have been buckled.
"You need to take it easy, okay? Sit down and rest."
Sam is gaping, Pine never takes his eyes off David.
If he was an adult such a thing never would have occurred. An adult wolf knows better, sure maybe a badger can be threatened, maybe even a honey badger. If it's half dead, missing three limbs, one eye and probably a quarter of it's teeth.
A wolverine is something else entirely.
Do that again and I will do more than hit you.
Pine stands over the pup every breath is labored but the violence draws a whimper from the wolf. He's all teeth now, never is a creature such as he to be threatened lightly. It was a common misconception that they sought violence. This was wrong, they enjoyed peace.
They liked the quiet.
But when threatened…
Even the Creator took a step back.
The boy is on his knees now there are tears, his paws over his head waiting for the next blow. He did not growl, he did not demand, his presence was enough. A wolverine need not speak when challenged.
That animal in him demanded such respect.
Claws sink into his right leg.
Sam looks up to him, she's scared tears are in her little eyes. The kit is shaking, acting out of instinct more than anything. She could have used her teeth but by some grace had opted to use her paws instead. There is pure fear in her coming off on waves.
She is not the only one.
Pine takes a breath, finding himself looking down to his trembling paws. The tiger kit clings to him, not so easy is one to pierce his hide.
All the others have retreated to the creaking glass of several million tons of ocean waiting to bear down onto them.
"I'm sorry." He says the words are thick in his throat. David sniffs, wiping away tears that he would never dare shed before any present. The wolf stands tall before Sam tries to stop him. He's gone in all but a flash running into the darker parts of the cars. She lets her claws loose, the wolverine manages to snatch the back of her coat. The kit hisses trying to slap him claws ripping into his clothes. Pine put a paw to his side, wincing as he dragged her to the other children. Salty iron is filling the coily air.
"Sit!" He barks causing her to flinch.
Pine is beyond tired as he kneels so that they are level with one another.
"I shouldn't have hit him. But I needed to know if you were okay. I'm going to go get David, stay here please? I'll be right back." He said before standing up carefully, Sam sniffed, rubbing her snout on her sleeve.
"He's a good boy." She said as Pine navigated through the children. He paused looking her way before nodding once. The kit curled into a ball as her classmates huddled closer to one another as he disappeared through the doorway.
-
Fort Dodo-Operations center.
1230…
Major General Anthony Lupine would have to credit the Air Force for their response time. The wolf was a proud man, an Army man through and through. Over a thirty year career he had never known the concept or even the notion of defeat. The scars that took up half his face and left eye from a grenade early in military life were a testament to his resolve.
Half blind few dared to ever question his mettle.
Save mother nature that is.
Of course the quake had thrown things into disarray. More than one building had toppled, a fire broke out, and every thing that could occur when nature's wrath made its presence known. The Army is a hard strung thing always ready until it isn't. To say they were delayed in reacting would be an understatement.
Running around like chickens with heads cut off was a proper analogy.
He brought them to heel quickly.
But not before the Air Force showed up the first scene. And to the next, and the next one. Firemen, paramedics, even Creator damned helicopters to boot.
Someone would be getting a medal when this was all over. He would make damned sure of that. Even an Army man could respect the chair force when they were first into the fire.
Initially, that is. Of course when the earth stopped shaking and order was restored the Army collectively got their shit together. Damage control was quick, fires put out, buildings evacuated. The base was just outside the city which to his understanding had fared much worse than his installation. Aids scurried around the room, calls from other agencies were coming in just as fast as they could be answered. Most of the enlisted were part of his pack in some way or another, wolves made up the bulk of the Army. No favours were carried to get any of them here. They knew his expectations and executed them with surgical precision.
It was enough from a frightening ghost of a smile to supposedly being spotted on the Alphas maw.
This was hearsay of course.
"Major General, Sir!"
Colonel Aspasia Cooper had been the Generals second for the better part of decade. The female timber wolf was a lean figured individual with piercing red eyes. She was tall by canine standards towering over even the biggest males. It was said that he had once considered adding her to his retinue. Wolves were one of the few species that kept the practice of multiple partners. However she was already taken by another, and the General's three other wives seemed content with their current numbers.
"There's a call on the emergency line for you, sir."
This brought a troubled frown to his face, scar tissue flexing painting a unsettling landscape. A total of three people had access to that number. His first wife and Omega whom he spoke to mere minutes after the initial quake. The mayor, but the tortoise seemed to be handling things well on his end.
And then there was…
He stood taking the waiting cellphone from Cooper's paw. The General walked into his office, closing the door behind him. She dutifully took her place beside the closed entrance.
"Angaloa, I told you this number was for emergencies."
Wolves have exceptional hearing or so it's said. Though Cooper had her fair amount of tinnitus it could only be guessed what was being said truly in his office.
It could only be guessed that the name of Angaloa was familiar to her. It was Admiral Stern's wife, a reporter for the ZND. Both men had served as enlisted together in times past. And often attended similar functions as to be expected in their positions. General Lupine held the Siberian tiger in the highest of regards, despite being a Navel cat . Even had a photo of them together on his desk from their days in officer training .
In that regard, it made sense that the General would also know his friend's wife.
Know her enough that maybe during a gala six some odd years ago. Colonel Cooper, a Major at the time, forgot her purse in the office. When she supposedly went to retrieve it perhaps the General and Mrs Stern were alone together behind closed doors. Pure speculation as to what they needed to discuss together.
Alone.
For about two hours.
But it must have been a heated debate given the sound of shifting furniture. Again this was hypothetical Colonel Cooper did forget things , she was getting up there in years.
A month later Admiral Stern personally came on post and embraced his lifelong friend. He was going to be a father after trying for so long. The General was glad for him, Siberians were on an endangered list with a population just barely within the hundreds. Vaguely Cooper thought that eight months later a random call came in for the General personally in the wee hours of the morning. Much like now it was taken behind closed doors, soft words were spoken with the impression someone definitely wasn't listening in.
Difference between then and now was perhaps the tone on the other end of the phone.
There wasn't a gentle voice talking about the birth of a beautiful baby girl that bore heavy resemblance to her mother. Whose fur was a lovely white, so white it was almost gray but that must have been the lighting. No talks of someone coming to the hospital later that evening when visiting hours were limited to immediate family. All to hold a little bundle of life.
Now there is only panic.
Fear that bleeds with raw terror.
What Colonel Cooper may or not have heard is subject to speculation. There is a certainty to one thing however. When the General opened the door, he was not the same man. Cooper was caught wrong footed as he flung it open his teeth were bared, yellow eyes burning with a heat of a thousand suns. She had to practically run to keep up with his stride.
"Sir! What's going on?"
The General ignores her going to an operations personnel working on a large computer console. He's all but ripped out of his chair, Cooper just manages to stop the enlisted from being sent face first into a desk corner. General Lupine is entirely focused on entering a series of commands into the terminal.
There's a chime that makes everyone who wasn't watching look up,confused.
Several more chimes go off.
The General has taken complete control of telecommunications for the entirety of the Zootopian military. It's an open line, meant only for acts of war. Hundreds of commanders get the message simultaneously.
Return to port. This is not a drill. It's Sam.
General Lupine then orders an escort, and all enlisted rescue personnel are to be recalled to the harbor.
Admiral Stern has dropped his coffee startling the crew around him. He was aboard the aircraft carrier Bright Heart on his way home after an extended tour at sea. He had just settled into the captain's chair. His second pulled up the broadband showing the text.
The response is speculated to have been delayed by the abrupt seizure of otherwise encrypted channels.
Fleet acknowledge: Battle stations, all ahead full. I am coming.
-
It would later be known that the order would be followed without hesitation. Though not all involved would be fully aware of the justification for a heavy handed use of government resources.
-
1330 EST….
David is watching the water pool.
He had his knees tucked under his chin, yellow eyes fixed on the bubbling surface. Plastic wrappers, loose panels, and other pieces of junk floated in the black sea water. He sniffs not looking away even as Pine grunts at the grinding bones of his ribs. The wolverine pants just behind him working his way to the seat adjacent to the wolf pup.
"You're very loud." David mutters as Pine sits awkwardly rubbing his aching chest.
"My mom said the same thing when I tried to sneak food after dinner." It hurt to laugh but he did it anyway. David didn't say anything, just continued to stare ahead. Pine sighs, leaning his head back letting his eyes close for a moment.
"I shouldn't have hit you kid. It was-"
"Are we gonna die?"
David glances at him, there's a maturity about the wolf that Pine had just started to notice. He mulls the question over drumming his nails on the seat in front of him.
"I think….the longer we're down here. The more difficult it's going to be to get us out"
"That's not an answer." David muttered, tightening the grip around his folded legs. He sniffs again, rubbing his cheek on his knees.
"My dad told me people die every day. When my older brother died he said he was in a better place."
"How old was…"
"Twenty, he was in a helicopter that crashed. He helped two guys get out before it…"
Creaking glass fills the silence between words.
"You mean 'our' right?"
David's ears fold back, he tries to make himself smaller but can't.
"Sam's mom is married to a friend of my dad's."
"That's not an answer." Echoed Pine, grinning, despite his best efforts David couldn't help but grin too. The pup relaxed somewhat, letting his legs hang down. Overhead lighting is dimmer here but Pine could make out the trail marks of tears that had run through his gray fur.
"I've got eight other brothers. I'm the youngest. My Mom's dont treat us unfairly, Dad doesn't either." David explained as he started to swing his slender legs in the seat.
"I think they wanted a girl." He says quietly, bowing his head. Pine clicked his tongue as this was said, making him look up, the wolverine held up a paw for him to continue.
"I was the last one my mom's wanted to try. They argued about it for a while when they thought I was asleep." David stops kicking his legs, he picks at the dull nails of right paw.
"Sam's always coming over. She's so much fun, always wants to do the stuff I wanna do. Watch the shows I wanna watch. Play dress up even if she hates it." David tilts his head back. Was it possible for someone so young to look so tired?
"She's like a little sister to me…." His eyes drift to Pine.
"I saw her Mom doing things with my Dad when my mom's weren't there."
"Oh. Damn. Wow. Like you saw them-"
"Having sex. I'm eight and have internet privileges. I know how babies are made."
Pine whistled, shaking his head in disbelief David shrugged seemingly unfazed. The wolverine clears his throat adjusting his seat position. More water is steadily leaking from overhead dripping down onto them.
"When Sam comes over, my Dad…my Dad always seems to be so much more happy than he is with me or my brother's. Her mom too."
Pine grunted staring at the pitch black that was now their sky
"Does your mom know, does Sam know? How long have you known?"
The pup's shoulders slumped letting himself sink forward so the top of his head rested against the back of the seat.
"I don't think they know, Sam can't keep a secret and I…" The wolf looks at him, Pine would never forget the sadness in those sun yellow eyes.
"Long enough, Mister Pine. Long enough."
David slid out of his seat wobbling as the car shifted around them. Pine cant help but chuckle, he coughs it's harsh causing the wolf pup to go to touch him in alarm. He waves the kid away leaning over the armrest clenching his teeth.
"Go back up there, smooth things over with Sam for me, please? I'll be right behind you."
David hesitates, Pine finds his feet pulling himself out of the seat. It's enough to convince the wolf who starts back up the slope towards the other children.
The cough comes back, it's fluid filled coming from deep in his chest. Pine wheezes barely able to stand. He put a paw to his mouth as he coughed. With the dim emergency lighting it'd be hard to tell, except he was becoming all too familiar with the taste.
Streaks of his blood are left of the seats as he begins the slow climb up.
–
Port Authority main Dock.
1500…
It wants to rain.
Mayor Bradley gazes up, takes a deep breath letting the precipitation fill his lungs. Not yet, maybe in the next couple hours it'll break. Which he hoped was when this entire ordeal was over and done with.
The tortoise is flocked by a dozen or so city officials. He honestly didn't need half of them, certainly not the postmaster or Foreman of Sewage and Waste Disposal. What was happening now was probably going to make someone's career. No one wanted to miss the opportunity.
Or miss the chance to call foul.
"Mayor Bradley, they're ready for you." whispered his secretary a sweet faced brown bunny doe. She pulled aside a curtain to a raised platform. Bradley adjusted his tie before stepping out into the waiting press conference.
–
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Today has been a rather series of unfortunate events. In my long years I rarely have seen such an event that would bring so many together so fast. To those unaware of the current situation it is as follows. Just after nine o'clock this morning, following an earthquake the beloved 'Star' Bridge suffered a major collapse. It fell in the bay, which at the time was believed to be the end of the noble structures legacy. However at the moment of collapse line 4312 was making its way across the bay. Communication was then lost and all attempts to raise the crew have so far failed. What data that is available is as follows: there are still life signs being read inside the cars."
The sudden flash of cameras threatened to blind him. A hundred fold of questions are thrown his way reporters practically piling over one another holding up microphones or other recording devices. Bradley gestures for silence; it takes a good while before the room settles down.
"All efforts are being made for the safe recovery of the survivors. Army, Navy and other agencies are pooling resources as we speak. I must also say with a heavy heart, that the class scheduled to board 4312 arrived on time for their tour. It is possible that they are amongst the life signs being detected. That is all, more information to follow."
Bradleys exit is marked by a roar of desperate questions.
–
Temporary joint Army/Navy Operations Center
1530…
Professor Jullia Weeks is not having a good day. The porcupine was half dressed in shorts and t-shirt, quills a wavy grease filled mess and not to mention she had failed to take her anxiety medication. It was a miracle she hadn't fully broken down in a crying mess.
Fear however is a powerful motivator.
An hour before she was in the midst of closing up her lab at Zootopia University of Science. Apparently she'd missed an earthquake, having been out cold at her desk after spending forty eight hours on a research project. It was coming along nicely, probably finished later in the evening. But she needed a shower, like really bad.
Then the armed men rolled up in Humvees. She was too shocked to respond when ran towards her. One pulled out a piece of paper giving her a quick once over. Weeks was grabbed under both arms and dragged to the waiting vehicle. No one talked to her the entire ride.
She was taken to a scene straight out of a movie. Helicopters buzzed overhead, military and civilian. APCS screamed past in diesel engines chock full of grim faced army dudes. There was even a slew of Navy destroyers park way out in the bay right alongside-
The 'Star' is gone.
"Professor Weeks!" The porcupine snaps back to reality as a lanky fox waves the army guys off then jogs over to her. She knows him, Daniel or something, one of the navy persons attending her class on marine biology. Bright kid, easy on the eyes Weeks feels severely underdressed seeing that he's in full uniform.
"D-Daniel? Care to explain-all of this for me?"
-
She's brought to a room full of very angry men. None of their rage is directed to her exactly but the screaming hadn't stopped since was ushered in. The details had been given and even then she couldn't very well believe what was going on. Other scientists are present, some she knows others only have read about. The military guys are the ones yelling. A scar faced wolf male wearing army greens is practically at the throat of another wolf wearing navy blue. Both men have equal stars on their shoulders.
"I will not send my men blindly on a suicide mission!" Roared the navy wolf, Grears was written across the name tape on his puffing chest.
"I'll do it myself then! Give me a sub I've got five men with more stones than the lot of you ready and willing!" Snarled Lupine banging his fist on the table. Weeks peaked over the slumped shoulder of her colleagues, blueprints for subways, high resolution 3d scans for the entire bay. All these things accumulated in one place at the center was a digital screen projecting a hazy black image that looked like a flight simulator. At one corner amongst the various other data being shown ,one stood out.
Depth : 120 meters….
Rail 4312 Car 6- 150 meters
1600 EST
.
He is wet.
Were dreams supposed to be wet? Had he just pissed himself? Last thing he honestly needed right now. Sleeping on the train was a learned habit, no one messed with a sleeping guy. Not that anyone really messed with him in the first place.
Except…
His eyes open slowly, there's a pressure in his head. Each breathe comes out as a labored weaze. When had he fallen asleep? Something is nudging his arm digging in the meat like the mother of all paper cuts.
"Mister Pine! Mister Pine! Itsawallyohmygoshitswallywallywally!" The kits losing her damn mind squeaking up a storm. Pine finds the strength to sit up airs getting thicker or maybe that was blood drying in his mouth. He is not the only one that's sat down, most of the kids are bobbing drowsy heads up and down struggling to stay awake. David manages to wrangle Sam in a hug, doesn't stop endless excitement. Pine stumbled to the last row of seats coughing and spitting a mouth full of congealed blood.
"What's she…on about?" He muttered delirious then tilted his head upward.
He sees the light.
"Oh shit."
It descends slowly , a pinprick at first but gradually getting larger. Not exactly how he expected to meet his maker. The light draws in close, waving back and forth some of the kids have woken up from Sam. Sure was taking its sweet time about it.
"Sam…that's not a whale."
David sees it, they all see it.
It's about a foot long, roughly the shape of a loaf of bread. On both sides small turbines rotate, slowing the object's descent. Pine shields his eyes blinded by it's flood light.
There's a red flashing light in the camera's corner.
"Wally!"
Sam bounced up a down pointing and waving, David looks at him Pine has closed his eyes gripping the front of his chest. The other children have joined in waving at the 'wally'.
—
Temporary joint Army/Navy Operations Center
1600 exactly.
Admiral Stern comes into the tent just as visual contact is made. Everyone has stopped what they are doing. The footage is grainy, gray and distorted. The flood light is shining against the glass side of the car over exposing it in some areas. None of that matters to Admiral Stern.
All he sees is his little girl waving at him 150 meters below the surface.
The tiger makes a noise that sounds almost like a sob. Across the room Vice Admiral Grears narrowed his eyes at the open display of weakness.
"Visual contact acquired." Says the operator, a nazely sounding weasel. He makes some adjustments dimming the lights toning down the exposure. Without looking away from his work a series of dots splayed over the live feed dancing over each face.
"Running overall ... .I've got fifteen contacts, fourteen minors and one adult male."
"Twenty five. That's how many are in that class." General Lupine eyes are locked on his son holding onto the tiger kit. On the screen the adult male is able to move some of the children, he's in pain without color it wouldn't be obvious but stains around his mouth paint a clear picture. He rubs some of the blood onto his fingertips and runs them several times across the interior of the glass. It takes a few tries and uncomfortable amount of to get the message scrawled
Alve ar bd s0s.
He then smiles before his eyes roll back into his head. He falls amongst the children who drag him out of frame.
"Vice Admiral Grears I want your best Seals standing in front of me thirty minutes ago." Says Admiral Stern first to come to his senses. The wolf makes a face but salutes his supervisor, nodding to own aide already making the call. Stern sees the venery of non uniformed scientists staring blankly back at him.
"You have until they get here to figure out how we're getting them out of there. General Lupine, follow me, the rest of you dismissed."
-
Lupine puts a paw on Stern's back as the tiger pukes. He glances back and forth there in a secluded section of cargo containers. Stern had walked directly towards it before promptly losing his lunch. A steady tremble racked through him, no one needed or should see their leader in such a state.
"They're alive." He says spitting out the taste of stomach acid in his mouth. A healthy shred of relief is in the Admirals words. Lupine pats his back, turning away paws on his hips.
"I kept thinking that…that I wouldn't…" Stern bangs his fist on the container, claws digging into his palms.
"They're alive." Lupine repeats, looking sidelong to his friend. Stern rises to his full height, wiping the spit off and fixing the disheveled appearance of his uniform.
"Let's bring them home." Nodding to one another both men shake paws and head back to the command tent.
–
The problem was pressure.
It was a miracle to begin with that so many cars had survived being crushed thus far. They had been designed to become airtight a vast majority of Zootopia rails ram underlakes or other bodies of water. So they had to be just in case a tunnel flooded. But not so deep and definitely not for several hours.
Right now several million tons of ocean was pressed up against two inches of plexiglass. Someone suggested lifting the cars and simply dragging it to shallower water. This was dismissed due to how much time they didn't have left. Minimal power meant that the emergency oxygen supply wasn't functioning or was damaged. The steadily growing bags under the children's eyes were early signs of asphyxiation. Getting a rescue sub down there was out as well, no docking points and if they made one through the glass the compartments would fill faster than they could get out.
Weeks is furiously running through different solutions. Everyone is throwing out ideas in the room, it's bordering on hysterical.
It's not like they could just…
"I have an idea." Weeks stand up, her eyes darting across her notes. No one hears her continuing to argue amongst themselves. With a huff she pushed through those closest and scrambled onto the center table.
"HEY!" She screamed bringing the room to a deafening silence. Suddenly under their scrutiny Weeks held up her notes.
"I have an idea. It's crazy but it might work."
Skeptically a bushy eyed alpaca snatched the notepad from her paw. His brown eyes narrowed the frown on his face growing deeper.
"This is insane."
He hands it to a deep jowled boar beside him, her beedy eyes scan through them just as he did.
"Utter madness." She scoff handing it to the red panda who took the notepad. His name is Albert Eistelbal, Director of N.A.S.A's astrophysics division. Perhaps the most intelligent man in the entire room. He looks at the notes once, twice then flips the pages back and forth before snapping back to the first page.
"But it might work."
His words turn heads, a low murmur builds. Eistelbal wades through them holding up her notes like a torch. It's given back to the shocked porcupine who has to be helped off the table. Just as this happens, the tent flaps open as military men pour in. A pod of hard faced sea lions wade forward followed by the wolves and tiger respectively. Everyone's looking at her, Weeks has the sudden urge to pee.
"We've got something, sir." Eistelbal saves her by stepping to the Admiral and shaking his paw. He points to her and nods, she swallows.
Or maybe not.
–
Captain James Biscuit has served the S.E.A.Ls for the better part of a decade. In his service he and his team, some of the rowdiest sea lions this side of the Pacific, have accomplished missions that bordered insanity and touched impossible.
A certain amount of humility comes with that.
Knowing each time they went out, someone back home was getting an empty box shrouded in a flag. That success meant making sacrifices to oneself and for those around them, so it's just one of them and not hundreds. Those are the things you have to think about when a mission works its way down the line. Kind of mission where everything will go wrong if not executed by the best.
They were the best, of the best.
He'd been insulted if they hadn't chosen them first.
The plan outright was a nightmare.
Three subs dropped down to a maximum depth of a hundred meters. Only civilian craft where available on such short notice so that was a limiting factor. They would be retrofitted with scuba launchers. His team would man the torpedo-like devices and attach six ballast balloons, two on each car. No issue for sea-lions but at such a depth there would be little to no room for error.
In addition, powered gliders would be dropped with them. These were military grade meant for mid surface engagements usually at about ten meters. His team would attach them at hard points on the rail cars and would use them to keep the cars from rising too fast. If all went accordingly they'd be able to rise to the surface in a better part of an hour.
If one thing went wrong the survivors would be crushed or drown.
Captain James Biscuit and his team are told the plan but a stuttering half dressed porcupine. There is an estimated two hours of viable air left. They have no better idea than hers.
"Sounds like a day on the beach to me." He famously says with a snaggle toothed grin. His men hoot and ball their flippers pumping the air.
There are eight men that take part in this operation.
Only seven would live to see tomorrow.
–
Coast Guard Cutter Francic
1645
"Order is given: Dive! Dive! Dive!"
The subs carrying the S.E.A.Ls powered on and began their descent. Three manta shaped gliders have been attached with weights and neon green glow sticks are loosened from their cables and plummet to the sea floor. Admiral Stern watches from the bridge railing as the lights vanished. His paws work the painted surfaces, all he could do is watch and wait.
Just, hurry up and wait.
Lupine put a paw on the shaking tigers shoulder. His composure is held better,it has to be last thing they needed was two commanders looking so…
Weak.
"WERE IS HE!?"
"Ma'am please you can't be-!"
Both men turn to the bridge see a disheveled tigress pinning a full plate wearing Army wolf on the floor. She's a mess fur ragged, eyes puffy and red. Her gaze snapped to them dropping the wolf in a heap his helmet banged against the floor.
"WHERE IS MY BABY!" Angoala screamed bounding at Stern. He only had time to raise his paws before hers find his chest and lift him clean off the deck.
"Stand down!" Lupine has to put himself between them as six worse than wear security storm the bridge. They looked like they had gone through a blender, sporting black eyes and slashed chest rigs.
"Angaloa! Honey ,please! We have the situation-" Stern tries to calm his wife.
A mistake.
She slams Stern to the floor knocking the wind out of him. He sees stars as her claws flashed to his throat.
"WHERE.IS.MY.BABY."
Gently Lupine put a paw on her shoulder, she head snaps his way. He fixes her with patient gaze. Angaolas breathes become short fresh tears stream down her muzzle. The wolf helps her up, subtle clicks of safety's being switched off filled the bridge. He bares his teeth to them at the late show of force. They lowered their weapons as he leads Angoala towards the steps she had moments before carved a path through.
"No one-*hic*they told me-*hic*" Shes buried her face in the cleft of his neck half way down. Lupines teeth grind against one another as he calmly strokes the tigresses side. His wives are somewhere on the ship, Angoala was supposed to be with them. They were the only family aloud aboard those who also had children on 4312 were regulated to a cordoned section of the Ops center on the shore. They hadn't been told all the details, while Lupine was confident his spouses would take the news of rescue as good news…
His eyes drifted to a medic treating a seaman clutching at the torn fragments of his left arm that bleed profusely onto the deck.
"I saw her. Shes okay." He murmured carefully lifting her head off him. Lupine wipes aware the tears, smoothing down the stuck up parts of her fur that he could reach.
"She doesn't like-"
"I know. Believe me. I know."
"Anthony, please promise me she'll be alright.
He cups her cheek running a digit across the wet surface. A purr rumbles from her throat as she leans into the touch. Lupine can see Stern at the top of the stairs with his good eye, the tiger is watching all of this.
"I promise."
More security is coming, Lupine steps back as they flank her sides. She doesn't resist being lead away. A healthy distance is kept around her. One (who refused on the pain of death should his name go on the record) swore he saw the General actually smile at that.
Lupine climbed the stairs, the bridge crew had gone back to their posts. Stern was waiting running digits across the front of his torn uniform.
"Thank you. Never could calm her down when she gets like that." He tries to make some levity of the moment.
"Thank me when our children are safe." Was all Lupine replied with pushing past his friend and going to the rail overlooking where the divers had disappeared.
Hurry up, and wait.
–
1705
Approx: 100 meters.
They have to flood the subs, only way to save time. It's a risky gambit the S.E.A.Ls inside can hear the hull protest every second of it. Captain Biscuit breathes out, he has to himself and five others are strapped in the torpedo tubes. The pressure is immense as their brought to a slow stop. Flood lights flash on, the crews of each sub work in tandem turning on various electronic systems.
"Depth reached Captain. I've got telemetry on 4312 we are right above it" Says Luiteanant Powers swatting at the stream of blood clouding out of his nose. Biscuit takes a breathe from the face mask in the forward section of the tube.
"Coordinates set, flash green for readyness."
On his screen each tube queued green, backing out wasnt an option now. He taped the console with a touch his spot flashed.
"Breathe out boys, this is where it gets fun. Three…two…one fire away!"
—
Rail 4312 Car 6- 150 meters
1715
150 meters.
He must be dead.
Was there supposed to be pain when your dead?
He had never tried dying before.
Something is touching his face.
Alot of something's.
His eyes flutter open, everythings fading in and out. So many faces looking at him, so many pointing at the lights. One of them looks like a wolf the only one not focused on the moving beams. Hes the one touching his face taping his jaw. Can't he see just how tired he was? The wolf sticks something in his mouth then reached around and-
"Son of a bitch!"
Pine regrets coming out of the haze jerking suddenly flaring the molten pain in his chest. David steps back wipping a wet digit on his pants. The wolverine rubs his ear glaring at him as he picked himself up.
"What-ah- going on?"
"More Wally's!" Clapped Sam pointing to the lights descending around them. Pine is hurting too much to bother correcting her anymore. They moved quickly and were larger than the drone earlier. Two glide down and descended the sides of their car. It's then he sees the goggled seals behind the lights. Pine takes a shaky breath as David grabs his paw.
This was it.
On each car the seals appear to mount something below the windows. At their point the seal operator rises to the middle section of the glass. He points to Pine making a series of gestures.
Flippers over the chest, then gripping the handles.
And again.
Almost like he was saying…
"Kids, find something to hold onto!"
-
1930
100 meters
Captain Biscuit has returned to Lieutenant Powers sub. His S.E.A.Ls having planted the last of the ballasts and fixed points for the gliders. Still in his tube he is given live feed of each operator pointing gimbaled cameras at the rail cars. This is being shown directly to the command center of the coast guard ship above them.
At 1932 hours he gave the order to begin.
-
It's perhaps the fault of many to think that everything was going to go according to plan. Everything up to that point had been shotgunned forward without a moment's hesitation. It's only in the after when things have settled when ideas can truly be picked apart. Only after can flaws be seen which is often the worse place to find them to begin with.
Four of the balloons go off.
The plan called for six, but it didn't stop the cars from rising. In unison the S.E.A.L team operatives pulled their lines taunt as the cars slowly rose. Metal protested, glass creaked , it's entire structure threatened to collapse inward like a spent can.
But it held.
Upwards the journey began, a digital count was on the hud of each of their craft, one showing the depth which was getting less by the second. The other showed the time:
1:00:00s….00:59:59s…
The plan called for six balloons.
They had four.
Now it was a race against time.
–
Rail 4312 Car 6- 120 meters
00:45:25s…
"Mister Pine?" David nudges his leg for probably the hundredth time. The wolverine blinks drunkenly blood steadily trickling out of his mouth. Sam's between his legs idely playing with his tail he wants to tell her to stop but can't bring himself to do it. The kids were scattered around the floor mostly braced against the seats with just how tilted the floor was now. He was in the middle section with the wolf pup at his side along with a few others.
"I'm…awake…how's…." Pine waves his paw gesturing towards everything. Sam starts to tie knots with the longer parts of his tail fur. David makes a face sitting down pulling his knees together and resting his chin on them. Everyone's tired. It's getting harder to keep some of the younger ones awake.
"Earlier…you said you wanted to get to know us." He said leaning into Pines shoulder. The wolverine let his head fall back, then put a paw on Sam's head scratching between her ears. She seemed to like that with purr rumbling out.
"Did…I now?"
"I heard you talking to the other kids. About their parents. About where they come from…about what they want to be when they grow up."
Pine smiles, a toothy thing unpleasant to look at unless you knew what it meant.
"And what…do you…want to be?"
David is quiet for a moment, a blush forming under his gray fur.
"I want to be a…a…oh what's it called those old people who cut your fur?"
Pine chuckled his lungs protesting the action but he did it anyway. He draped an arm over the wolf's shoulders making himself more comfortable.
"A…barber…that's what us old people…call em."
-
90 meters
00:20:15s…
It was taking too long.
Already stressed, the gliders were running hot. They were never designed to perform such an operation. Captain Biscuit is watching the growing temp readouts on each device. Their sub is about a hundred yards from the cars, steadily rising with them. It would take another thirty minutes to get them to the surface.
They had about fifteen minutes left before critical system failure.
He gives the order to attempt to activate the two ballast devices that hadn't activated earlier. It'd stress the engines but it would certainly pick up the pace. Lieutenant Powers follows that order the moments it's given, pressing the toggle switch.
-
85 meters
00:20:10s…
A processor receives a command, the command travels along a current, coming to a fault. The fault diverts, coming to another fault. The system sparks, unable to compute.
The spark activates the ballast balloon.
Both detonate like a hand grenade.
-
Rail 4312 Car 6- 85 meters
00:20:08s
It's worse than violent.
It's like the creator stepping down from his throne and ripping the heavens open. Some part of him, that animal side grabs the closest things to him. A part of him will never forgive himself for that. Sam and David, only them the others…
The others.
Flung around like ragdolls, they scream as only a child can when frightened. Dashed against shattering glass tumbling in the churning waters. The worlds gone lateral pressure forces the blood in his lungs to shoot out. He sees stars his claws dig into there flesh they scream to.
But he doesn't let go.
It's worse than loud, a thunder of nature crashing down on them.
"Hold onto me!"
He had to scream as they bite into his flesh.
Had to scream when he clawed his way up.
Had to scream when children tumbled into hell.
He can only see stars, clawing upwards, his bones ripping into soft tissue. Can't think only act. An ocean is crashing down on them; he is half dead, forcing his way against the impossible.
"Hold on."
It's the only thing he can do.
Bury his claws into the floor, force himself to climb.
"Hold on."
A part of the floor comes loose tumbling past them. The water is coming fast, glass is breaking like a crash of thunder. There's a door threatening to buckle under the weight of a world.
Get to that door.
He doesn't think it.
Something, someone, somewhere says this.
"We'll..be okay!"
Just a few more feet.
Just a few more…
He screams a defiance against death.
A roar against the world.
Screw the creator.
Screw reason.
Get to that door.
Sam's cry her claws in his chest, David's on his back teeth in his shoulder holding onto her. He is dying because it's a fact, he won't make it to the door. There's no guarantee of salvation if he makes it.
Pine can hear them crying above the wraith, over the pain threatening to blind him, over what's to come next.
Get to the door.
That's all that mattered.
Airs thin so thin hard to breathe, waters coming fast clipping at their heels. He looks down, his vision is swimming stars bursting like novas. There at the door now, its handle red beckoning him like a siren of old faiths through the cracked glass he can see the light.
"Sam…look at me."
She looks up, yellow eyes puffy tears streaming. Davids grip around his neck tightened, shaking hard as the cold waters touched them. Pine finds the strength to hold onto the floor with one paw gently as he strokes her head.
"H-hold onto me…hold onto you brother. Hold on okay?"
She blinks tiny lungs taking in shaking breaths. It's up to their chests rising by the second. Her little yellow eyes would forever be burned into his memory.
"Hold your breath."
Pine closes his eyes inhaling one last time then forces the handle down.
–
Fifteen seconds.
That's how long Captain Biscuit has starred as the horror unfolded before him. The cables sever from the gliders his men are launched in every direction. Debrises is spread everywhere, what remained of 4312 was tumbling to the sea floor.
There is something only he can see.
Car six, it's emergency exit, has just opened.
There's movement, a flash of neon yellow something flailing.
"Launch me."
"Sir their dead-"
"THATS AN ORDER LIEUTENANT!"
Captain Biscuits tube is already flooded; it takes but one toggle for his unit to launch.
-
It's a hard thing to drown.
It's a very conscious thing to occur to anyone. That fact that every moment resisting it only prolongs the inevitable. Water filling every part of yourself, invading all the secret nooks and crannies. Choking , throat filled beyond capacity. Drowning is a very perverse thing, it asks for no consent. It's in you revealing as you struggle to escape it.
Accepting is perhaps the simplest solution.
He can hear his heart beat.
He can feel theirs.
Drumming against his body, such small pattering things. Blind without a direct he strokes 'up' for as long as his limbs have strength.
But it's not enough.
Bubbles burst from his mouth, water flooded in.
He can feel their hearts beating over his own.
How far were they?
Just how close had they been?
He's cold.
He's tired.
His eyes open, there's nothing but darkness.
Then he sees the light.
–
Coast Guard Cutter Francic Command center.
1900…
The entire event is seen by General Lupine and Admiral Stern. They, and the rest of the personnel in the room, watch in silence. No one can move, none can take their eyes off the screen.
Admiral Stern collapsed to his knees.
It breaks everyone out of their trance. The rooms in motion orders are being given people are running back and forth. There had to be a hundred things needed to be done. It's all silence for the snow white tiger. He can't feel anything, his world has just gone numb.
Someone picks him up by the armpit.
Words are yelled as he's forced upright.
Everything…
Just…
Slows…
Down.
Someone points at a screen overhead lights bathe the room red. He's being dragged through bodies, through bulkheads up stairwells onto the deck. The ocean churns as dozens of smaller patrol boats crowded around the cutter. Choppers thump overheard, a searchlight paints one spot of the deck in a blinding white light. Personnel have swarmed around a boarding ladder. Something's being brought onto the deck.
Several something's.
The world suddenly speeds up.
General Lupine has slapped the Admiral literally to his senses. Klaxons are going off, emergency lights are flashing from every doorway. Stern finds himself shoving aside the enlisted crew, almost sending some overboard as he makes his way through the throng of them. His hearts in his throat a part of him dares to hope. Dares to think when his claws tear into uniforms, when men cry out as their commander rips into them.
Dares to think what'll be on the deck what will put all his worry away.
There are four.
One is convulsing, blood pouring out of bulging eyes. The leopard seal is convulsing as three men hold him down. Bloody foam is pouring from his mouth. Eyes have rolled back Captain Biscuit spasms; his death is unpleasant to look at. Medics are compressing the chests of the remaining three. He is beyond gone a death rattle peels across the ship as the leopard seal breathes his last. Silence comes like the grave, only broken by the medics as they desperately breathe into the prone forms.
They work in tandem pressing into chests, they rise and fall, so water filled it leaks out their mouths. Stern is held back by what security was still on the deck, they won't let him pass. Hard faced me who won't look behind themselves to the still forms. To look back would mean they would have to see the dead.
Medic Cooper is seeing stars, the leopard is working himself breathless. His colleagues have stopped; they've done what they could. He keeps pressing, his daughter turned four the day before. They try to stop him trying to get him to stand.
There is a scream.
A sound like nails on a chalkboard, it folds ears makes those closest cringe at the peel. For those present, for those aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Francic it would be a noise that many would remember till the day they die.
Angoala Stern is held back by seven men, it's taking everything they have to keep the Siberian tiger from flinging herself through those gathered around the prone form of her daughter. Lupines second wife has collapsed on the floor; his other two wives shed tears with her. They pride themselves with a better composition then that of the tigress.
A single strangled breath is taken.
It turns heads.
Eyes open, seeing blurry waning light. Salted water is vomited out, an oceans worth. The eyes are unfocused searching desperately for something. Clawed paws reach around shaking until they touch the cold and still forms laying at their sides.
"Hold… on…"
Pine closes his eyes, tears racing down his cheeks. He laces his digits with the still kits.
The time is 1915
It then starts to rain.
–