Deep

Chapter 66 Time to step up.

'What just happened?' he asked. I did a double-faced palm. 

'Why don't you explain it, XO.'

'I'd rather not,' she said, and looked at the floor.

'The XO can read my mind.' 

The Wanner gave me a vacant look. 'You mean metaphorically?' 

'No, Professor, I mean literally. We have supporting medical evidence. But that is beside the point. Let's get back to the subject at hand.'

'Ah, yes. You understand the situation. They chose you because the crew would follow you without question.'

I was about to protest when Seki spoke up. 'Uh, what exactly are we discussing?' 

'Oh, right, about seven years ago we had a first contact situation. The higher-ups knew about it, but kept it a secret. They repurposed the Tama Maru as humanity's last option for survival should -they- turn out to be hostile.' 

Seki gave me a vacant look. 'But it's never aliens,' she said, her voice edged with panic.

'Well, it is this time, XO. Isn't that right, Professor?' 

'It would appear so,' he said. Seki looked at me, then at the professor. 

'What do we do now?' She asked, her voice resigned. 

What do we do now? Admiral Craskell and others already did all the work. All I need to do is follow the plan.

'We follow the plan and adjust as we go, XO. However, we need all the crew awake before we break this to them.' 

'So you want to delay informing them?' 

'Yes, XO, I need all the crew to be available if we are going to pull this off. To do that, I need the current, awake crew to be focused on their jobs. They won't be able to deal with this additional bombshell. Do you agree, Professor?' 

'Yes, that would probably be best,' Wanner said as he rubbed his chin.

'Okay, so we all agree with this?' Neither of them said anything. Not that it really mattered, it was my burden to bear.

'XO?' 

'Ah? Yeah, sure.' said a flustered Seki. 

'Professor, you will see Alice ASAP, correct?' 

'Of course, Captain. The sooner, the better. I think.'

'I agree. Alice?' I called. Her portrait appeared in my visual. 'You are to have a session with Professor Wanner... excuse me. Dr Wanner, can you see her right now?'

'Sure, if that is your wish.' 

' I do. Alice, you are to have a therapy session with Professor Wanner now.'

'Understood,' she said, and shimmered into view. 

'Professor Wanner, Alice. We will leave you two to it. I am free to leave with this?' I pointed to the case. 

'Yes, yes, it is now yours to deal with.'

'Thank you, Professor.' I took up the case. 'I'll take this as well.' I retrieved the food tray and gave it to Seki.

'Alice, we're going to need you now more than ever. Consider what recently happened as gone, and I want you to be frank with Professor Wanner. He is here to help you. Do you understand?' 

'Yes, I do, Captain,' Alice said meekly. 

'XO, you and I have work to do. Let's go. Excuse us.' I said, and marched out of the Professor's office with a confused Seki in tow.