Jumping over several steps, nearly dropping the ZPM a few times, I descended to the control station level. And immediately understood things were bad.
The thin, like good humor, monitor no longer flickered with various green shades. Yes, numerous Ancient language marks were visible on it, but the fact that the city map abounded with numerous red marks didn't please me.
The siren methodically invaded my brain directly, adding panic to what I saw.
Atlantis was sinking. I don't know why, but the city's shield had shrunk to the size of the Central Spire, while the rest of the city-ship was already either underwater or about to be.
Worse, the lower levels of the spire were also flooded. The very levels where the ZPM room was!
ZPM and the location of the Central Power Node.
I was on Sudaria no more than six hours! Based on the time I spent in the city and how much of Atlantis's area was flooded, I thought I had at least two-three days in reserve!
What happened⁉ Why⁉
Unlikely I have time to seek answers. The Central Spire is rapidly flooding. The ZPM room is still out of water, so I have time.
But I'll have to hurry. The nearest teleporter in the spire's lower part was inaccessible—probably already flooded and beyond the shield. Which, damn it, is rapidly collapsing!
At the moment, only fractions of a percent of the required power remained from it. Water already around the Central Spire. The only thing not letting it rush inside at Niagara Falls speed is the quality sealing methods of the structures.
Classic "things were better before!" in action.
Only one option—run down the stairs.
If descending from the Puddle Jumper bay to the Gate Room I jumped over a couple steps, now I flew over almost half the stairwell. I no longer feared falling and breaking my neck—the personal shield was still active. But dropping the ZPM was quite real.
Interesting, can it be broken? If yes, will it vaporize me as close to the epicenter, or not?
Need to hurry.
Running, jumping over steps and stairwells, my body raced to the spire base. No time left to ponder what's happening. First the ZPM takes its place, then we can figure out who's to blame and what to do.
Somehow I felt the answer to the first question would be my own name. How—I don't know. But there's clearly no one else in the city.
Or... no, the Ancients wouldn't first "hire" me for the job, then shit in the well I need to drink from.
I had only one stair march left to overcome and run to the spire center to reach the ZPM room when, jumping from the stairs, I plunged into water glistening over the floor of the needed level.
Ice-cold, damn water, whose level reached my knee in a counted instant.
What⁈
So everything's really bad if the spire's lower floors started flooding?
Damn it all! Why do I feel the cold, I'm under the shield?
It clicked in my head—the shield lets air through. Most likely it's not even the water temperature, but the air temperature.
And the steam column bursting from my mouth confirmed the guess.
Looking at the dark water, internally lit by still-working fixtures in the rooms, I pondered for a couple seconds what to do next.
Still not too late to return to the bay, dial a gate address and escape. To hell with Atlantis, can't save it anymore. Everything below is flooded, including the ZPM room! To replace the drained ones with working, I'd have to expose wiring contacts carrying voltage so high that a short would seem like mercy. Which I most likely wouldn't feel.
Memory helpfully suggested an ancient school physics experiment. Seawater is an excellent electricity conductor because it has dispersed salts of various elements like sodium, calcium and other metals. Any non-hermetic device in salt water instantly fails. So even if I reach the ZPM room without drowning, if I manage to remove the old batteries from the distribution node, the city's energy system will react with seawater and...
"Cut the panic, damn it!" I shouted to myself, taking first steps into the water. Well, as taking. It already reached almost my knee.
I won't say I was ever the world's best swimmer, but estimating how long it'd take to reach the cherished room—running won't work anymore—I concluded I'd have to swim after all. I think there's air in the ZPM room, I just need to get there.
The ocean relentlessly cramped my limbs with spasms. Taking a couple steps back, I mentally ordered the shield off. As soon as the green haze around me disappeared, I unbuttoned the jacket, shedding it. And immediately stuffed the ZPM under my T-shirt.
The device seemed to radiate warmth, which wouldn't hurt. Mentally asking the shield not to explode, I attached it to my pants. The personal device worked nominally. Well, and you were afraid... Even energy in the ZPM remained. Probably.
I returned to the water.
One more step, another... The ZPM room, if the scanner map is to be believed, is just one level below. Can walk there!
But no walking, I'll suffocate.
But swimming...
Strange feeling—ocean around, icy at that, and I'm dry... Brain categorically refused to accept this as fact. Therefore, without thinking, I inhaled deeply and dove.
Water resisted, as if trying to throw me back, push out. I looked at the handheld, memorizing the map to the ZPM room. Then tossed the scanner aside and, clinging to the steps, began descending.
Pressure kept growing, but I had no other choice. The only chance for salvation—power the city. If I don't manage, I'll drown, because hoping to surface inside a building, and in total darkness—is great luck. Truly incredible.
Indulging in hopes—too late. Only count on own strength. After all, I myself demanded from the Ascended not to interfere, right? Well, here's the result.
Though they wouldn't have helped anyway.
The shield around me was fully glowing green now. I guess the stronger the impact, the brighter it gets. Good. I, damn for a finger, Green Lantern! Fear me, ocean depths, boiler the size of "Titanic"!.
Picture—pure darkness. In the midst of a futuristic city, surrounded by flooded high tech, a glowing like a Christmas tree human swims into the dark.
I reached the cherished doors when my lungs were already burning from lack of oxygen. Why does everything end so fast⁈ I'm in a young body, from my army youth! Back then I swam and even outswam a few sports platoon guys with breaststroke!
Starting to slowly release air through a thin gap from my lips, I finally hooked onto the fixture next to the door. The entry panel didn't even think to react to my movements in front of it, let alone light up. Damn shit!
"Normal heroes..."
Somehow prying the decorative plate, I tore it off and looked at the dimmed crystals. Three vertically in a row. Well, remove one, short the other two... Remember, the expedition did something like that in a similar situation.
Taking a big breath into my lungs, I dove.
Damn builders! Why the hell doesn't this lock work underwater?
Didn't work. Neither first try nor second.
I still hoped the room wasn't flooded, after all it's one of the city's main compartments. But it won't open!
And here it got really scary. If the door doesn't open—I'll simply choke. The corridor is already flooded, as is the floor above. Swimming out alive—zero chance. And as soon as Atlantis is fully flooded—lights out, toss grenade. Pressure will simply crush me. Ears already hurt—water rising from below squeezes oxygen upward, compressing it several times. Classic example of compression formation in a piston engine combustion chamber.
However, chance still there. I don't feel water flow toward the ZPM room door, so either it's already all flooded there, or the compartment's hermeticity isn't breached. Chances about the same as meeting a living Ancient in the city.
I had not much exhaled air left at my disposal. As soon as it ends, panic starts. Want it or not, but brain realizes impending death, and the dance with tambourines begins.
I'm doing something wrong with the crystals. Which one to remove and which to short? Only two options—either short upper to lower and center, or lower to upper and middle.
Stop! What if I need to swap them⁈
Exactly!
***
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