Solomon's smile faded as he spoke. "I'm sorry, but I must go through my Pre-Launch Checks before tomorrow, it'll take me around three hours, so if you want to explore the ship and get up to mischief, you can. However, I need to remain on the bridge for now." Solomon slowly walked over to his leather chair, running his fingers through his short hair, and groaning before speaking to Eve and beginning his work. Sandra said goodbye and set off through the ship. She walked clutching the coloured map of The Evergreen, not yet deciding where she would venture first, which colour to follow, which rooms to explore.
As she walked down the metal corridors, passing few members of the ship's maintenance crew, some stood to allow her to pass as they worked in the corridors, checking pipes and wires, but some seemed rushed. Occasionally Sandra would have to carefully pass a walkway with the floor removed to allow the crew to test the ships readiness. 'Purple' thought the young woman and began to follow the purple lines. "Ah, miss Ken, how are you liking me, so far?" asked Evergreen making Sandra jump as she passed a red and yellow stripped frame of a corridors mouth with an open door. Sandra stopped to answer Eve, "you are, er... very... beautiful Evergreen!" said Sandra trying not to sound too presumptuous.
"Thank you, you're very kind, I only dispatch the cleaning crews once every two days to keep things in order, however Miss Ken unfortunately this is not a social call, the door you're standing next to, it's a restricted area"
Sandra looked to her left and saw the red and yellow striped entrance and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I can see that, Eve. It says 'Restricted' on the bulkhead." Said Sandra, "but if it's restricted, then why is it open?" she asked slowly whilst she began to feel uneasy from the fresh cold air that came from the dark daunting open room. "My security measures appear to have been disabled in that room and I have no control over the entrance." Answered Eve. "Miss Ken, may I ask you to keep guard of this entrance until security can arrive to secure the room? They have been alerted and should only be three minutes. Maintenance crew are also on their way" Eve asked promptly in a soothing voice, Sandra answered "Sure" without really thinking. The entrance was dark and motionless, unlike the corridor that Sandra was standing in, it was bathed in light, after less than a minute Sandra heard echoing footsteps that came to a sudden halt with the sound of metal crashing to the floor followed by the growl of a man swearing, Sandra stood in the Entrance scanning the darkness for the signs and source of the noise.
Nothing.
Eve's silky voice came again "Miss Ken, Security teams are on their way, are you still there? I have lost visuals in that entire corridor" Sandra told Eve that she was fine and began to tell her about the noises she had been hearing but was cut off abruptly by a hard object colliding with the back of her skull. Sandra heard the sickening wet and crack and then her body fall to the cold metal ground but did not see anything through the blackness. Forcing a little vision from her now blurry eyes, she could process only part of what she could see. Dark black Boots and Olive pants walking away from her calmly with a slight limp.
Hasty footsteps could be heard hitting the floor from the other direction, Sandra Lazily turned her head with great effort and with the expense of the last of her energy, she could only make out a voice, but she could not place it as the footsteps quickened. "No... no, Sandra! Please don't be dead!" and all was black and silent.
Sandra awoke in a warm soft white bed with a nurse sat in a chair working on a datapad, the Nurse had auburn hair and a thin face that showed magnificent beauty, her eyes hazel and kind, she shot straight to Sandra the moment she moved. "Ah" she said in a soft voice. "How're you feeling, love? You took quite a knock to your head and have been out for three hours now. Eve, please inform Lieutenant Commander Gordon that Miss Ken is awake." Eve responded to the nurse with an almost worried tone but abided and contacted Solomon.
On the Command Bridge, the now full crew worked fast on their controls with ease, making sure that everything is functioning correctly after the security breach. A team of security armed with smooth white rifles walked into the side room behind the Gunners terminals into a room marked 'Captains Conference Room', inside stood Solomon and Kyril, both reading reports from Eve on her self diagnostics of the Restricted Room and the whole ship, both men holding inches of thick paper containing log after log of readings, temperature, moisture. Everything they had to read, will be poured through. "Sergeant, I need two teams to inspect the L.R.W. see if someone wants us grounded or worse." commanded Kyril. Solomon cast a grave look in his Captains direction, opening his mouth to speak, however thought better of it. "Captain, Commander." said Eve "Medical has just informed me that, Miss Ken is now conscious, and is willing to give an account of her experience." Solomon straightened up, neatly folding his diagnostics into his leg pocket that left it bulging and asked if he could interview her himself, Kyril nodded, still bending over the table at his own diagnostics. He had far too much work to do, to worry about sorting an interview out.