Deep

Chapter Part 99 Negotiations.

Last night was the first time since they replaced my implant that I didn't fall asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. The result was, my alarm woke me. This morning was the first time since my academy days; I hit the snooze and went back to sleep.

The incessant chime of a comms call awoke me. It was Seki. I answered the call, not checking the time. 

'Morning Captain. I'm checking to see if you are okay?'

'What time is it?' I asked, yawned and rubbed my eyes.

'It's 09:00 ship time.'

I yawned again. 'Wow, it's late.'

'I thought you needed the extra rest, so I didn't wake you earlier.' 

'Thank you, for the consideration, XO.'

I stretched... Ouch, and my shoulder... Aww, and my ribs... Ah, and abdomen... Ow. All reminded me I should take it easy. 

Seki saw my reactions and showed concern. 'Are you okay?' 

'Not particularly, XO.'

'Maybe you should take it easy today.' 

'I'd like to; somehow I sense you are going to reveal something important that makes that difficult?'

'Well, SG has completed the one-hundred-metre telescope array they were building.'

'That is excellent news, XO.' 

'They have already recorded their first images.' She sounded... hopeful. 

'You sound like you have other good news?'

'I do. Because of the array's resolution and wider optical window, they could get more data than Alice's initial scans using the laser communications system's optical receiver. The damage isn't as severe as we estimated.'

'That is good news, XO.'

'It's bad, Captain. Just not as bad as we thought. Only major command, communication, space transportation and orbital facilities were destroyed, as Alice observed. However, the damage was far more localised than it appeared.'

'So what are we looking at, XO?'

'SG's initial estimates are one hundred million dead.'

'Well, one hundred million dead is better than nine billion dead.' I can't believe what I just said. One hundred million dead is still a horrible holocaust. It also created another situation, because command, control, communication and orbital systems were destroyed. They needed our help to restore communications across the solar system, and time was vital. It also meant that we needed to consider that smug SOB's offer.