Day 1

1756 Hours

"What was that? I'm catching a lot of static." Even through the slight tremor in his voice, Euan somehow manages to sound both worried and relieved at the same time.

As every head in the submarine turns toward Euan as he converses with someone through his headset, Sabrina pulls back slightly, eyes avoiding everyone present as she slips her headphones back in place.

Sergeant Kerr starts moving toward the front of the sub, his expression hard. Only Kelvin is quicker, never seeing the way the Sergeant glares at the back of his head.

"Everything ok?" Kelvin's voice is soft and measured, calculated to calm those behind him as surely as it is to seek answers from the submarine's pilot.

Still a little wide eyed, Euan glances at him, then back toward the forward viewport. "I think, uh, . . . it was, . . ." He swallows visibly, "Yeah, there uh, was an accident. I was asked to dock at ring two."

There's a hollow tone to his voice as he focuses his attention on the controls in front of him.

The next few minutes are unnaturally quiet in the sub, the sound of the submarine's engine and the whisper of the overhead vents blowing air are almost deafening as the blackness outside of the submarine seems to press ever inward.

At first, there's the faintest of glows to the water in front of the submarine. Glows that slowly become points of light that in turn begin to illuminate the Leviathan.

Sprawled across the ocean floor, supported by stocky round pillars, is a series of round domes of various sizes, connected by long tubes. Every passing second makes it increasingly obvious that the Leviathan lives up to its name in the form of a sprawling undersea research station.

There's a hint of awe in Clifford's voice as he leans forward, "Would you look at that?"

It's only then that the wreckage comes into view, one section of the station twisted and mangled. Part of the largest dome visible looks like it imploded, leaving only a partial shell and the tube connecting it to the next pod shows signs of damage.

All around the destroyed dome is rubble, scraps of metal, machinery, and anything else that might have been in the pod at the time.

As the Neptune 3 starts to pass over the facility, two figures suited up in heavy diving suits can be seen making their way across the sea floor toward the wreckage.

Then the Neptune 3 starts to turn, making a wide arc even as it slows. In doing so, a large portion of the Leviathan crosses in front of the submarine, every second making it more obvious than the last that the research station is truly massive in size.

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However in the distance, looming just at the edge of where the light can touch is something else, dark and looming in the gloom. Two tubes stretch from the Leviathan toward whatever rests in the distance, one continuing to where it intersects whatever it is while the other veers off at about a 45 degree angle.

"If everyone can take a seat and buckle in. We'll be docking shortly and you might feel a slight bump." Euan's voice is soft, not even acknowledging the sight filling his viewport.

The submarine dips slightly, slowing more before coming to a near stop. Even the hum of the engines is lost for a moment behind the whisper of the vents circulating air inside the submarine.

A nearly imperceptible shudder goes through the submarine, then there's a sound like a hammer striking steel.

Euan turns in his seat to look at the passengers. There's a slightly wild look in his eyes like he could easily slip into panic as he speaks. "Welcome to the Leviathan."

What follows is a flurry of activity as those inside the submarine gather their things and prepare to disembark. When the overhead hatch swings open, there's a rush of cool air that smells strongly of chemicals and smoke, accompanied by a strobing red light and the sound of distant claxons.

A second later, a balding man, wide eyed with sweat beading on his brow moves into view

"Amanda Davila, Mable York, we need you both to report to McMasters in engineering," The stress in the man's voice is as obvious as the sweat on his brow. He moves a piece of paper into view where he can see it, then continues, "Dr Lisa Booker? You're got medical training? We'll need you in medical. Everyone else stay put and someone will be here to collect you shortly."

Corporal Chen exchanges a look with Sergeant Kerr, the latter giving a small nod.

"Sir? I have medic training," Corporal Chen says as he steps forward, "I'd like to help if I can."

For a second the man seems to consider, then nods, "We'd be grateful for the help."

Before the man finishes talking, Corporal Chen is already moving toward the ladder stretching up toward the porthole.

The man is just starting to pull back from the porthole when he catches sight of Euan, "Goose? You too, Captain Nunes said anyone who can turn a wrench."

Before the man can complete his retreat, Euan calls after him, "Christopher! What happened?"

Freezing in place, the man closes his eyes tightly and takes a deep breath before replying, "We lost the archaeology lab."

Clifford raises a hand like he expects to be called on, then takes a half step toward the porthole, "What do you mean, lost?"

There's something haunted in Christopher's eyes as he turns to regard Clifford, "Implosion. It's gone, took most of corridor twenty seven with it," The man's features harden suddenly as he pulls back, "The names I called, up and out. We need all the hands we can get."

In the relative silence that follows, several of the submarine's occupants exchange looks, Kelven Booker giving his wife a chaste kiss before she climbs the ladder out of the submarine behind the others who have already exited. Several of the remaining occupants settling back into their previous positions inside of the submarine.

"Told you something was wrong," Even though Sabrina's voice is soft, her words seem to fill the space around them. As nearly everyone remaining on the submarine turns their attention toward her, she shifts her gaze to the laptop in her lap and presses her back a little more firmly against the bulkhead behind her.