| Boiler By Lilly V Lita chased after Regal as he walked down the hall away from the crew. �What the fuck do you mean the inspection starts at eight?� �Well, I don�t see why we should let this little inconvenience stop our business.� �Regal, you asshole, do you understand what you are asking my crew to do? You are asking them to shrug off a huge loss so you can poke and prod at us!� �Captain Dumas, I see no need to postpone this evaluation. I�ll begin by examining the medical facilities, then a basic tour of the ship, and finally a run through of a code red emergency.� �Code RED?� Lita asked. �You mean what they just went through tonight? You can�t just use what they did tonight and just fire my ass for gross incompetence?� Lita was suddenly aware that the crew was standing behind her in support. Regal cleared his throat. �I can�t do that because I would be required to count the entire day. And that would require me to court marshal your entire crew for an incident involving Miss Jaqueline burning my head with a cigar and kneeing me in my genitals which they did nothing to prevent.� Lita turned to Jackie. �You did that?� Jackie nodded. �Good job,� Lita said. Then, to Regal �You can�t make an exception? Just this once?� �Young lady, if I make an exception for you I am going against my code of ethics. You�ll just have to move on with your lives.� �I agree,� Stephanie moved away from Lita�s crew to join Regal. �There�s no need to let this interfere with anything.� Tori�s mouth fell open. �What in the hell? Chris dies and you�re supporting REGAL?� Stephanie nodded. �I happen to agree with the Commissioner.� She approached Lita and whispered into her ear, �It should have been you out there.� Then she turned and walked away. Eight AM came too soon for the crew. Lita arrived on the bridge to address her crew. �Last night, we lost a dear friend and a powerful captain. Christopher Jericho was taken from us abruptly. And, as upset as we are, I can�t do anything to postpone the inspection. I�m planning a eulogy for the day after tomorrow. Until then we just have to go on with our lives. There�s nothing I can do.� �There�s something I can do!� Jackie threatened, beginning to stand up. �Jackie, don�t make things worse for us right now. We just get through this and we�re okay.� Jackie paused, then sat back down. �Now, just go along with whatever Regal says. I know he�s an asshole, but he�s an asshole who decides our futures right now.� Everyone nodded solemnly. �Where is he right now?� Edge asked. �Inspecting the medical facilities. I want everyone back here at eleven for the inspection, no exceptions. We have to get him out of here as quickly as possible. Now, go do whatever you have to do.� As the crew began to leave, Edge lingered a bit. �Lita, can I talk to you?� Lita nodded, �Let�s go to my room.� �Lita�last night�I just�� �I understand Edge,� Lita assured him. �I get it. You�re upset, I can understand.� �If I had just fired off one more round during the Spiral�� �You�d be dead. Edge, you had nothing to do with his death. The fact remains that he flew for me, so I should be the one who died.� �DON�T SAY THAT!� Edge yelled at her. �Don�t say that.� He placed his hands on her shoulders. �You can�t even suggest something like that.� �It�s the truth Edge. I should have flown, not him.� Edge pulled her closer to him. �No. No, that�s not true. You shouldn�t feel like that. He made his choice to fly. I was out there, I should�ve had his back.� Edge then got a bit bolder and wrapped his arms around her back, holding her tightly. �Edge�this isn�t right,� Lita whispered. �Not this, not now.� �I can�t help it. It�it�� �It just feels right,� Lita stammered as tears began to fall down her cheeks once more. The two were so unaware of the rest of the world, they didn�t even hear the door slide open. Nor did they hear Matt�s shocked gasp as he saw them embracing, Edge running his hand across her back. Matt growled deep in his throat before leaving them alone again. Stephanie stood in Chris�s old room, the open bottle of Don Perignon clenched in her fist. She took another deep swig from it and wiped the steady stream of tears from her face. It should have been that bitch! She should have been out there! She should have�should�ve�. �FUCK!� Steph yelled as loudly as she could. �Fuck it all!� She heard a voice outside her door. �Steph? It�s�Shane�Hurricane?� �Go away, I don�t wanna talk to anyone.� �Stephanie, please just let me talk to you. Look, Jackie once gave me a great bit of advice, don�t drink to forget, drink to remember.� �I�m not drinking!� �Of course not, you�re just holding that half empty bottle of champagne for no real reason.� Stephanie looked over towards the door. �Grant access to Shane Helms.� Shane entered the room and looked at her. Her hair was disheveled, and her eye makeup was completely gone from her crying jag. She was sprawled on the couch and looked as if she�d been wasted for a very, very long time. �Stephanie, you look awful.� �How am I supposed to look? I lost the man I was in love with last night. Forever, because some bitch decided she didn�t wanna risk her life.� �Stephanie, Chris told her not to fly for the safety of the entire team.� �I don�t care. She should have died. Why didn�t she stop him?� �It�s hard to stop Chris when he decides to do something. Lita didn�t want him to do the LionSault, not even Jeff�ll attempt that one.� �Chris is still dead.� Shane sat down beside her and tried to ease the champagne from her grip. �This isn�t going to bring him back. You still have a job to do.� Steph held on tighter to the bottle. �Go to hell, Helms.� Hurricane sighed. �That isn�t the solution Stephanie, and you know it.� Stephanie finally released the bottle and fell into Shane�s arms. She cried violently, heaving and gasping. She swore anytime she got the chance, burying herself deeper into Hurricane�s shoulder. Rob Van Dam found himself in the fitness room, beating mercilessly on a punching bag. It wasn�t fair. It wasn�t fair. It wasn�t fair. His thoughts were in sync with his beating on the bag. �What the hell�s your problem?� Rob didn�t even stop when he heard Austin�s voice behind him. �You act like it�s some big deal It was just Jericho and we all know he was a moron.� Rob still didn�t turn around. �Will you look at me when I talk to you son?� Rob finally turned around. �Let me alone Austin. There was a time I looked up to you. Now, you�re just a�you�re just an ass-clown.� He returned to his bag, once more beating it to death. �And this,� Trish told Regal, �is our sick bay. We keep the injured here when they need special attention.� �Thank you very much Miss Stratus. Everything here seems to be in working order.� �I try Commissioner.� �And you do an excellent job.� Regal checked another box off on his list before turning to Shane. �Where are we headed next?� �The hangar. We�re supposed to inspect the condition of the ships.� Regal reached up and felt the burn mark still on his forehead. �I think we�ll just pass them on that. I trust Miss Jacqueline is a competent mechanic.� Shane shrugged his shoulders. �Whatever you say.� As they were leaving, Tori entered the room. �Trish, I need you to look at something. Last night when I took that big hit, my shoulder got jarred again. I just need you to check on it.� Trish approached the taller woman and cautiously placed her hands on the shoulder. �Roll it.� Tori obeyed. Trish moved so she was standing facing Tori�s right side. �Roll it.� Tori did. Trish moved around to Tori�s back. �Roll it.� Tori winced. �I can�t.� �Can you move it at all?� �Well, let me try�� Tori slowly raised her arm, then shot her elbow back, nailing Trish in the face. �What the FUCK?� Trish yelled. �I saw you thrusting your tits out at Regal. We are less than twenty-four hours removed from the loss of our captain in battle, and you�re in here prancing around for those two ASSHOLES!� Trish rubbed her nose. �Well, you didn�t have to hit me so hard!� �Trish, with how hard your head is, I wanted to make sure you got the message.� Tori tossed at her before leaving. Later that day, Regal approached Lita. �Well, Captain, it appears that your ship is in working order, and your crew is very�� �Talented?� Lita suggested. �In a way�yes�� Regal gave in. �We have only to run through that code red situation and you all pass.� Lita stared him down. �Are you sure you won�t give us three days to put this behind us? We�re less than twenty-four hours removed from this.� �Captain Dumas, you misunderstand. I�m not testing your crew.� Lita smiled. �You mean?� �Yes, Captain. This test is purely for you. We run you through a simulated code red and see what happens.� Lita�s face fell. �Oh, alright. Well, I guess we should�start�� Finding herself in front of the simulator screen once more, Lita tried not to hyperventilate. �I�m ready.� Regal smiled at her. Behind him, Rob was shooting her a thumbs up, Jackie was flipping Regal off while he couldn�t see it, and Jeff had the guns by his head. Lita nodded, smiled, and tried to convince herself she was really as ready as she claimed to be. �Now, we just need someone to fly the sim�any volunteers?� Matt stepped forward. �I�ll do it.� Regal gestured for Matt to step into the recreation of a cockpit. Matt did, and the door closed behind him. Lita adjusted her earpiece. �Alright, let�s get started. We have a code red situation, I want safety to be our top priority out there.� �Roger that,� Matt responded. The ship on the screen took off and Lita crossed her fingers. �X-Treme One, be very careful. There�s a major break in formation right in front, don�t let them lead you too far in. Take advantage of it, but don�t get cocky.� �Read you Red,� Matt took the ship into the approaching horde. �Okay, I don�t wanna try a Twist of Fate right now�too risky. Is there anyway to risk a one man Poetry in Motion?� There was a second of silence. �I think I see a way. If I have enough room I should be alright.� Lita looked over the positions on the screen. �Slowly X-Treme One. Don�t let them know what you�re doing.� Matt positioned himself carefully, and Lita�s heart jumped when she realized it was going to work. The ship was just about to enter firing range when she heard Matt�s frantic voice. �Too many�I can�t� Red I can�t! Malfunction! Malfunction!� �Matt!� Lita yelled. �Get the fuck out of there!� �I can�t. No steering�Oh god Red!� The ship on screen exploded. Lita fell to her kneed, head in her hands. �NOOO!� She slowly began rocking back and forth. �NOOOO!� Matt exited the sim and looked at her. �What happened?� �I�I�screwed up again.� Lita said in an almost monotone voice. �Oh Red�� Matt sighed. �Maybe�maybe you�re just not right for the job.� With this he looked at Edge. �Even if it just feels right.� Edge looked like he was about to jump Matt right there and then and rip his head off. Matt looked at Regal. �It�s been so traumatic with her lately.� �I understand Matthew, and I could take that into consideration.� Lita stood up, slowly. �Thank you.� �I said I could. But I won�t. It�s not fair, you understand?� Jeff�s voice broke the silence. �What are you saying?� �I am saying that with my authority, I hereby relieve Lita Dumas of her duties as Captain of this vessel. I also order her to return the main base to be tried for gross incompetence leading to the death of a superior officer.� Jaws dropped all around the room. Hurricane and Stephanie, who had just entered the room, looked at the shock on the faces of the crew. Stephanie looked at Lita�s crushed face and wanted to think �Good. Bitch got what she deserved.� But she just couldn�t. Lita growled and jumped at Matt. �YOU SET ME UP FOR THIS! YOU SON OF A BITCH!� Austin wrapped his arm around her waist and held her back. �She�s violent. I think she needs to be contained.� �Lock her in Jericho�s old quarters. She�ll come back with us tomorrow.� As she was being led off, Lita locked eyes with Stephanie. Finally she simply said �You were right. It should have been me last night.� |