Deep Blue - The Descent

5: The M.A.N.T.A.

Nick spent the majority of the morning preparing for his launch in the suit-up room. There, medical personnel and engineers performed last minute tests, and took readings on both the Lieutenant Commander and his suit. The M.A.N.T.A. suit itself was no ordinary uniform. Like the ship, it was experimental and included the latest technologies.

The outer layer of the suit was constructed of neoprene infused with high-tech nanofibers. Millions of microscopic robots ensured not only that the wearer stay warm and dry, but the bots also redefined the phrase "one size fits all". Once the suit was activated it was designed to stretch or shrink to conform to fit virtually anyone. Engineers figured, if you're going to create a multimillion dollar suit, it would be wise to make it fit as many people as possible without requiring custom tailoring.

Once the suit was donned and the magnetic clasp at the rear of the neck was closed, the suit became activated engaging the autofit feature. The suit would then constrict around the wearer beginning with the chest and waist, then continue its way outward down the sleeves and legs until all necessary adjustments were made. Nick thought it felt a little like his entire body being strangled at once.

Sensors placed throughout the M.A.N.T.A. Suit constantly monitored the wearer's vital signs. Detailed heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and respiratory rate measurements were continually relayed to the M.A.N.T.A.'s main computer, but the quickest evaluation of the wearer's condition was displayed in the color of the suit itself. Lines of glowing trim ran down the chest and sleeves of the suit, around the waist and down the outer sides of the legs. If the trim glowed light blue, the wearer was in a relaxed state. A dark blue glow indicated elevated vitals. Red lines meant that the wearer was experiencing extreme levels of distress and their health could be at risk. If the suit trim was black, and still activated, then the wearer had expired.

After spending several hours being poked, prodded and probed Nick was more than ready to make his way to the hanger and begin final preparations in the M.A.N.T.A. for the launch which was just half an hour away.

As Nick exited the suit-up room, he ran into Nathan, who was waiting in the hallway just outside the door. Nathan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and a smug little smirk on his face.

"I still can't believe you tore through the golf course.", he smiled.

"Yeah well,", Nick shrugged, "I made it didn't I?".

Nathan shook his head with a grimace, "No.", he replied. "No, you really didn't."

Nick chuckled, "I almost made it.", and walked past Nathan toward the launch bay doors.

Nathan pushed off from the wall and followed close behind.

"Nope. Not even close."

The two entered the launch bay through a pair of sliding glass doors etched with the NAVY logo. As the two halves separated, Nick and Nathan were hit with a whirlwind of sensations. The relative silence of the hallway was overrun by the sounds of machine hydraulics, the bustling of people as they went about their tasks, and the occasional blast from the PA system.

"T-minus 30 minutes and counting.", a computer automated voice echoed through the bay.

The facility was enormous, standing three levels tall and topped with an arched roof that separated down the middle. The retractable roof allowed for the flexibility to open and close as needed to support larger ships. The massive, three story bay doors, on the northern end, nearly two football fields away, were open for the launch. The warm sunlight flooded the facility and glistened off the surface of the water.