Deep Blue - The Descent

30: You Were Right

The doctor, Jordan and Nick watched intently as the pressure in the observation tank continued to climb.

"Syndi, keep an eye on the structural integrity of the tank.", the doctor ordered.

"Yes Doctor.", the A.I. replied as always.

"Let me know if it falls below 25%."

"Yes Doctor."

The pounds per square inch continued to rise.

9,950 psi.

9,960 psi.

9,970.

"The creature's breathing is showing signs of stabilizing.", Syndi reported.

With his eyes glued to the pressure readout Nick asked nervously, "Do you think we should maybe -- take a step back or anything?"

"No.", Doctor Marshall replied casually. "It wouldn't do any good anyway. If this tank bursts at 13,000 psi it would be like a giant pipe bomb going off in the station. If the glass shards didn't take us out, the water from outside instantaneously flooding the lab would do the job nicely."

"Oh, that's comforting to hear.", Nick said as he took a tiny step backwards.

The doctor finally turned his focus away from the pressure reading and checked the status of the medical readouts. He tapped on the clear exterior of the tube to cycle through a number of medical overlays.

"Heck, it'd most likely take out the entire wing.", he added before tapping the interface projected onto the tank's surface several more times.

Nick watched intently, his heart skipping a beat each time the doctor's finger impacted the glass. When he couldn't take it any more Nick reached up and grabbed the doctors outstretched hand.

"Doc, can you -- just not do that right now? Please.", he asked slowly.

The doctors moustache turned upward with a slight smile, "I kinda like to know that we're making the situation better for our guest, and not worse. Don't you, Lieutenant Commander?"

"It's -- it's just the tapping.", Nick stammered nervously. "The tapping on the glass, and the pressure."

The doctor tapped once more on the tank's surface to close the interface. "Syndi's monitoring the situation Sheppard. She'll let us know if things become a problem."

Nick nodded uncomfortably. "Oh I don't think we'll need her notification if it becomes a problem."

While Jordan was also concerned with the thought of the tank exploding, she also found it slightly amusing how uncomfortable Nick was, and she smiled.

"For a test pilot, you've really got a problem with things you're not directly in control of, don't you?"

"What?! No, I don't have a problem.", Nick said attempting to regain his outward composure. "I just don't think it's a good idea to tap on something that's, you know -- in danger of exploding."

Doubting his reply, Jordan's charming smile grew. "You do.", she said, grinning. "If you're not sitting behind a control console with a flight stick in your hand you don't know what to do."

Nick dismissed the idea. "Listen, I'm fine. This is nothing.", he said with as much confidence as he could muster. "I'm good. I just typically don't go around tapping on dynamite is all."

"Mmm hmmm.", Jordan nodded with a grin, clearly still aware of how uneasy he was.

The doctor's attention never left the medical display of the creature. "Well, it looks like his heart rate is dropping and stabilizing as well. That's good."