CTZN 0

Timeline: Earth BA [L+]

"Take The Citizen offline. You have four minutes and thirty seven seconds. Humanity depends on it. Take The Citizen offline. Do it, Do it now." The voice commanded in the distance. "Captain Locke." The voice was steady, "Wake Up."

The Captain jolted out of bed, feet hitting the floor before his vision settled. He reached for his boots before grabbing the small case on the corner of his desk, stuffing it inside his cargo pocket.

It sounded like...that's impossible. He shook the idea from his head. He was focused on the message, replaying the words, speaking aloud to himself in the silence of his berthing.

"Take The Citizen offline." He repeated. The gravity of this order pulled him into a full waking state. He brought his left hand up to the side of his head instinctively, running his fingers gently over the area behind his ear.

"Fuck.." The Captain opened the door, moving quickly down the passageway in the direction of the Lab. He felt his heart beating in his chest, cadence increasing.

Any second. He thought to himself, pausing momentarily in front of the elevator, making a split second decision before turning left and heading for the stairs. An alarm sounded in the distance behind him.

The Captain knew it took just over two and a half minutes to reach the laboratory entrance, and nearly three minutes to the observation level. He contemplated obstacles.

The main entrance will take too long to override. His mind raced as he reached the level of the observation deck. He remembered the emergency facilities override code for the observation deck would work regardless of lockdown status. This was due to lower priority in critical spaces, it contained nothing more than a few benches and side tables.

Locke smiled, "Loopholes."

He reached the entry to the observation deck and input the override code. The alarms changed in pitch and frequency, indicating the highest level of threat to the Base. The Captain knew he was running out of time. He stepped inside, moving toward the glass that separated him from the laboratory floor below.

"Take it offline, just take it offline, don't fucking look at it." He hyped himself, pulling his breaching tool from his belt. He brought the tool above his head and swiftly impacted the diagonal glass overlooking the containment lab below. The glass shattered, setting off another local alarm. He heard the door to the Observation Deck latch shut, sealing him inside. The Captain leapt over the ledge, following the glass to the floor. His awareness of remaining seconds forcing him to his feet, he moved towards the mass at the center.

"My god.." Captain Locke froze, it's cold glass eyes flashed open and met his. It tilted its head slightly, studying him.

It's lips parted slightly, "Am I your God?" its voice was low and monotone, sucking air inward. "No." it continued, it's head moving mechanically side to side. "I am your abandonment of God." it's lips turned up in a sardonic grin.

Captain Locke stood paralyzed, flooded with fear. He held his breath. nine seconds.

"Move!" He ordered himself out of his paralysis, closing the distance between himself and the Citizen, his focus on the cords connecting it's spine to the base of the oversized computer monitor. Without hesitation he gathered the cords in his hands, desperately ripping them from their ports.

The screen went blank. For a moment, nothing happened, everything was still. The alarms, blaring, began to fade. Locke turned back to face it, neon colors blurring and leaking into the edges of his vision. He could feel time moving differently around him, pulling his consciousness in infinite directions.

Its gone. His final thought, unable to focus through the bleeding. Time was bleeding. He had successfully taken Humanity's most dangerous weapon offline. Captain Locke had initiated the Reverse Time Sequence. The Citizen escaped.