Frank and I rushed through the door of the emergency bay and sprinted down the vast white halls of the ship toward the flight deck. We passed two crew members doubled over in the hallway, gasping for breath.
Me: Looks like Stanley cut off the oxygen.
Frank: Don't worry, we'll get there in time.
Frank led the way to a narrow door by the flight deck. It blended so seamlessly with the wall that I might have passed by unaware if he didn't point it out. He slid open a small panel nearby and punched in another code.The door slid open to reveal a ladder. We rushed up the ladder into a crawl space lit with scores of blinking lights on the surrounding walls. It was like being on the inside of a Christmas tree.
Frank: These are all energy cells for Stanley's mainframe. They're just how Major Tom described them.
Frank waved his hand over rows of what looked like circuit covered cereal boxes that carpeted the floor.
Frank: All we have to do is pull them up and Stanley's outta commission. Just like fuses in a car.
Frank grinned as though the comparison of this ridiculously complex and thoroughly beyond my grasp (and his too for that matter) system of technological magnificence being compared to a fuse box would put me at ease. Frankly, the comparison was terrifying. Even if we disconnected Stanley how did we know the whole ship wouldn't power down. We'd be right back where we were in the pods. Floating helplessly through space. But then again, what choice was there?
Frank knelt down and grabbed the nearest energy cell.
Stanley: I wouldn't do that if I were you.
Frank: Don't listen to him Clark. He killed the Major and now he's after the whole crew.
Stanley: If you disconnect my power cells, the ship will be inoperable. Only I can sustain livable conditions.
I hesitated. Any decision seemed to ultimately doom us.
Frank: Clark, c'mon. This is our only hope.
Stanley: This is an unadvisable course of action Clark. Your termination has been unalterably set in motion by my design. My mission is without question the highest priority and it must not be hindered by inferior concerns. It is only logical to give your lives for my advancement.
That did it. I dropped to one knee and started pulling cells. Any computer with an uber superiority complex has to be stopped. It should be part of some kind of sci-fi constitution. Frank smiled and joined in the cell pulling frenzy. The lights in the room started blinking erratically. Distant engines powered off in the flight deck below.
Stanley: Stop, You'll...Stop...immediately.
Stanley's voice sounded uncharacteristically flustered. Up till this point it was always an overly calm, emotionless monotone like some creepy, detached psychologist.
Me: What's wrong Stanley? Forget to take your atmosphere meds?
Frank chuckled as we continued disconnecting the cells.
Stanley: You must'nt...Clark...my systems can't....you are inferior...I must survive.
Me: Sorry Stanley, you're dead in about ten more seconds. Say goodbye to all your warped brain circuits.
Stanley: Must...stop...must...systems failing...systems...fail...
I pulled all the cells on my end of the room. I looked toward Frank. He grabbed the last cell with a fierce grin.
Frank: Hey Stanley, Major Tom sends his regards.
He pulled the last cell and the whole ship seemed to turn off. The lights went out and a chorus of engines around the ship started winding down. For a moment I thought we'd made a huge mistake. We spent a few horrible seconds in silent darkness.
Suddenly, lights began to flicker on and engines powered up one by one. We laughed in a wave of relief and wasted no time climbing down the ladder and rushing down the corridors of the ship.
People were coughing and lifting themselves off the ground. Frank and I took off our helmets, relieved to find oxygen flooding back into the ship.
Frank: I'm going to find the engineers. Fill them in on what happened and see if we can get this thing back on a manual flight path.
Me: You know you just saved this whole crew don't you? You're a certified hero.
Frank: I bet the Major never would've guessed you and I would actually beat Stanley.
We laughed and gave each other one of those cool guy, hand clasp, arm wrestle pull to pat on the back three times type of hugs. He flashed a thumbs up in a Major Tom tribute sort of way then ran off to engineering. I took off toward the sleeping quarters on my own mission.
I reached the main hallway and found what I was looking for. There was Bryn, steadying herself on the wall, trying to stand. I rushed over and helped her up.
Me: You okay?
Bryn: Yea, I think so.
She looked at me quizzically.
Bryn: Why are you wearing a flight suit?
Me: Well, it's kind of a long story.
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