Missing Force

1. Elementary

  Hello folks, welcome to the sequel of Missing Piece! I hope you've come prepared, for you've got a bumpy ride ahead of you, trust me...
  Don't forget to comment and vote.
I won't keep you up any longer, enjoy!
(Posted on the fourth of May, coincidence? I think not!)
——

  Sterile long halls, endless to the imagination, infinite possibilities for new inventions and improvements. The metal grid underneath my feet, echoing with each and every step, reminded me of how much space I could yet fill, left to my proficiency and skill. Various lights indicated the activity and productivity of the flawless base, similar to the life phenomena which told the state of men. A reassuring weight hung around my torso, my tools and resources. Not many, but enough to create and adapt that what already is. A power in itself.
  This was where my comfort lay, when I did what I could do best.
  An impatient tapping. "Captain (Y/n)?" The foot stressed, disrupting the peace.
  "We've stood here long enough," said another.
  Well, comfort... Not always. Not everyone gets it.
  "Yes, of course. You new ones want to see the big guns, not the silly empty halls with nothing but tubes and wires." I turned around, facing my pupils. "But you should know," I began guiding the bunch to the core reactor, "that all of you start behind the pipes. If you like it or not."
  "That doesn't mean I want to spend a second longer in here than necessary," scoffed one of the freshly arrived technicians. It was Alexander Notch, a top class student, having achieved nothing but the best grades.
  The other pupils laughed, some hiding their smiles behind their hands or in a cough, others chuckled shamelessly and with callousness.
  "Not that it will be an excessive amount of time anyhow," Alexander boasted.
  "Oh, I don't know about that," I commented casually. "But if you're that keen on leaving backstage..."
  The doors to the core reactor opened.
   "... you'll never get on stage."
  They revealed a complexity of generators, moderators, rods and blades, conduits and ducts. All made of the most expensive materials, gathered from throughout the galaxy. Each designed with attention and care, able to withstand heats that scorn away human skin. The elegance in which they worked together and created the drive for the massive weapon that is Starkiller Base was similar to the way of birds. The way that allowed them to dance and soar, but one mistake, one wrong movement, too high or too low, and all would crash down and come to a purposeless end.
  "That's more like it." Alexander grinned with satisfaction. He reached out, eager to touch the red metal of the majestic machinery.
  It is basic elementary to know at what temperatures metals gain a red shade. High temperatures.
  It took all of my humanity not to let the cocky student touch the source of assured pain. "Don't."
  He would learn the lesson in his own time, under someone else's supervision.
  Alexander glanced at me with spite.
  "It's hot," I explained obviously, one eyebrow cocked.
  Again the graduates chuckled, this time in my favour.
  The young man quickly retreated his hand. "Surely I could have handled it." He had to have the final say.
  "I'd sure like to find out," I whispered under my breath. "Now," I clapped my hands together, "these are the big guns. That what keeps this planet dangerous and spinning, so to say."
  One of the pupils raised their hand, the ever curious Robin Glic.
  "Yes, Robin?"
  With a rainbow notebook in one hand, and a green fluffball-ended pen in the other, they tried to use their teeth to remove the pen's cap. "Hw mny pple wrkd n ths?"
  "Here..." mumbled another student, not wanting any attention and only for the situation to be over. "Let me help you." She took off the cap.
  "Thanks!" cheered Robin happily.
  "Your question?" I tried. How weird it might sound for an engineer, I'd rather not stay close to the core reactor for long. It was hot and crampy.
  "Oh, yes of course. How many people worked on this?" Robin readied her pen.
  "Cough, boring, cough," 'joked' a friend of Alexander.
  I ignored him. "I don't know exactly how many technicians and engineers were needed to build this, for back then I was mainly part of the designers's team. But let's say-."
  "Yeah, sure."
  I was surprised at Alexander's blunt disobedience and rudeness.
  "You? Part of the designer's team? I'm rather sure you only brought them and the Generals their drinks. It would explain a lot—," a stuffed up laugh escaped Alexander's mouth.
  The pupils started shuffling, fidgeting and looking at their feet, none of them disagreed.
  "Excuse me?" I asked rather perplexed.
  "Well," a little smirk played on Alexander's lips. "We all know about your convenient relationships."
  Alexander's friend gave him a little push.
  "Come on!" He threw his arms in the air. "We're all thinking it."
  "Do elaborate?" I gritted my teeth, having a strong feeling where this was going.
  "I— no, we think, that you've got your fancy position from the General, and not for the right skills. And if not General Hux, then from Kylo Ren. You even have a pick, while this shouldn't be a choice at all!" he raised his voice in utter disbelief.
  "Quit it." Robin pushed Alexander roughly.
  "Or what? You'd think she'll send her guard dogs after us? She's just a pretender, she can't fix shit."
  "No. I think she is a designer, position earned fair and square."
  Alexander hovered his height over Robin, his perfect jawline almost close enough to cut their cheek. "I'm sure you do. It gives you hope, doesn't it? That even a weirdo like you can make it to the top. One way or another." He looked down at their lips, bringing his dangerously close, hands close enough and ready to commit crime. "Better start early..."
  "That's enough! Notch, you're suspended—." But I was already too late.
  Robin shoved Alexander over the edge of the balcony.
  His back hit one of the roaring equipments, he screamed out in pain. The smell of burnt fabric hung in the air, his shirt flared to pieces. With both arms he clung to the railing.
  Alarms went off.
  "Alarm, alarm, moderator has been compromised. High pressure alert, impact in five minutes."
  All the windows and doors to the reactor closed, locking us inside.
  "Closing all entrances to restrain impact in given area."
  "We're all gonna die!" cried Alexander, miraculously still hanging on.
  Gods I need a drink. Why couldn't I just be chatting at the fireplace, drinking scotch with Armitage, listening to one of his piano pieces.
  "Oh don't weep. It's just a nuisance, that's all," I assured soberly.
  "The alarm says otherwise," Robin's voice faltered.
  "Alarms tend to overreact." I walked over to the control panels, reading the info and statuses. "Help him up, will you." I motioned Alexander without bothering to look. "Ah," I concluded.
  "What?" asked the pupils in choir.
  "Apparently they're not this time."
  "And that means?" Robin asked.
  "We're all going to blow up in five minutes—."
  All started screaming, louder than the alarms.
  "—if we don't fix this in time."
  The screaming continued.
  I hadn't drunk, but I sure felt a headache coming up. "QUIET!"
  All their panicked heads turned to me.
  "We are not going to die. We are technicians, are we not? And look at what we have at our disposal." I gestured at the controls around me. "This is all we need."
  "Yeah, we're dead." Alexander lowered himself against the wall, hugging his knees. "What help can a few buttons and tubes do against a reactor powered with the planet's core itself?" He dropped his head. "We're doomed."
  "Drama Queen." I rolled my eyes. "See kids, this is what I meant by never getting on stage if you skip the pipes. Now gather near."
  My forehead was coated with a thin layer of sweat, the heat had got significantly worse. I put a pair of black glasses in front of my eyes, blocking out the bright light. Then I stretched my fingers, a tad theatrically.
  A few students chuckled nervously.
  "Now, let's press some buttons. Robin, what can you read on these charts, what seems to be the problem?" I spoke quickly.
  "Uh...I—I."
  "No time for hesitation, our lives depend on it," I said calmly.
  "The air levels aren't right. There's too much heat and no moderator to conduct the right oxygen levels. The pressure's too high. The machines won't hold and the heat will escape, resulting in..." Robin swallowed. "The planet will explode, with everyone on it."
  "Yes, now we all got that bit, how do we stop a meltdown from happening?"
  Alexander snickered with a snotty nose. "We can't, this thing is planet-sized."
  "And if it wasn't, what would you do?"
  "That doesn't matter now, does it? We're dead anyway." Alexander whined. "I'm too young and unsuccessful to die."
  "Get it together. Pretend this is your exam, the only difference is that you'll die instead of fail. So what is the answer to the question?"
  No one answered.
  "Shame. Okay, this 'pretender' will save our lives then." I took a deep breath, cancelling out the noises, cries and flashing lights. "To release pressure, we need water. A lot." I entered a code and turned a key. "Luckily I designed the reactor to be right underneath the—."
  Waves of water fell down from the opened hatch. Steam erupted against the heat of the metal, our view was blocked. The smell of mud and fish penetrated our nostrils.
  "Lake." I coughed at the steam and smell. "Now the water condenses the steam and the pressure will be released through the hatches."
  I took off my glasses, the flashing lights had stopped. My ears were no longer filled with a blaring alarm, sigh, just Alexander's screams.
  "Just a few minutes and we'll be out of here in no time. Not blown up, alive and well." I was glad I didn't have to teach these pupils, only to introduce them and guide them around the base this first time.
  "You're a genius." Robin's eyes beamed.
  "She is, isn't she?" Armitage's voice spoke over the intercom.
  All students agreed. I had gained their respect. Alexander didn't dare to speak up.
  "How much did you hear?" I cringed a little.
  Never thought I could hear a smirk.
  "All of it."