T Minus One

[acts_of_gord]

By the time the last Strider topples to earth, Gordon is fairly vibrating with adrenaline- and he wasn't even driving. Probably for the best. Towards the end there it was pure chaos, Striders everywhere and Hunters darting in and out of every available bit of cover- not to mention the gunship and dropship parts that occasionally rained down from the sky. If it weren't for Steve, he has no doubt he'd have wound up wrapped around a tree trying without hope to take out the Striders on foot.

But the last Strider's remains lie twitching in front of him, and someone's voice is crowing over the PA that the Striders have been defeated. Every rebel in sight is cheering. And unless he's very much mistaken, there's a helicopter overhead attempting some kind of ...

... helicopters are not capable of victory dances. Possibly the pilot is having a seizure.

At any rate, Gordon collapses in his seat as Rojhaz smiles and sets course back to the base.

Comments

[vance_prime]

Alyx has been busying herself with the civilian helicopter in the hangar, getting it fueled and stocked in preparation for the journey north to find Dr. Mossman. It's a decent distraction from the PA announcements and combat noise blaring just outside.

Finally, though, she hears an announcement that she wants to listen to.

"Attention, attention! The Striders have been defeated! All personnel return to base immediately! Repeat, all personnel return to base immediately!"

:D! goes Alyx, and drops her tools to sprint across the hangar toward the base proper, where (she fervently hopes) Gordon will be waiting for her.

[acts_of_gord]

If Gordon were driving, the car would be skidding to a dramatic halt- about five yards short of where he wanted it to halt. As it stands, well... he's out of the car and managing a proper smile by the time Alyx arrives. "We did it," he says. "We actually pulled it off."

[vance_prime]

Alyx keeps running and practically leaps on Gordon, grabbing him up in a fierce hug.

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon's only too happy to return it. He doesn't care who's watching, frankly.

[vance_prime]

How about when she kisses him as well? Then does he care who's watching?

[acts_of_gord]

Maybe just a little bit- but it's worth it. Hey, if that sailor could get away with it in Times Square after V-E Day, he's allowed.

Doesn't mean he won't be blushing when they come up for air, but he could probably do with that more often.

[vance_prime]

Alyx is just beaming.

She pulls away and tugs at his arm. "C'mon, they're getting ready to launch the satellite--"

[acts_of_gord]

And he'll finally be in a state of mind where he'll be capable of enjoying it!

"I'm coming, I'm coming..." He nods to Steve; he's welcome to follow, if he likes. Or not, either way.

[vance_prime]

"The launch is in its final stages," says Alyx as she keys in the code to open the blast door at the end of the corridor. "The portal's close to opening, but Dr. Magnusson's sure we'll be in time to stop it."

[notmycasserole.livejournal.com]

Things appear to be running as smoothly as you could hope for as Magnusson goes over the pre-launch checklist with Kleiner over the communication system.

"...Telemetry data links..."

"Tested and operational. Pre-flight alignment complete..."

"...Tracking beacon...there's another bit of cruft we can ignore. Support equipment powered down - Hold on a moment, Kleiner..." Kleiner puts the check on hold as he sees the couple enter the corridor that runs alongside his launch operations room (Magnission Control, one might call it) and stops them before they pass by.

"Ah, Freeman!" he greets the returning hero, somewhat pleased. "Well, I see the Magnusson Device performed flawlessly." He pauses, working at getting out what comes next. "I feel... compelled to... thank you - personally - for saving my rocket."

He takes a breath, scratching one hand with the other, "So, um... _{thank you}."

With that emotionally charged moment out of the way, he clears his throat. "Well, that's enough chitchat. I've got a rocket to launch!" Raising his hand in a theatrical gesture he retreats back through the doorway, the door swinging shut after him.

[acts_of_gord]

From Magnusson, that's a once-in-a-lifetime outpouring of sentiment. Gordon whistles quietly, shaking his head. "Never thought I'd see the day," he murmurs.

[vance_prime]

"For a minute there, I thought you were gonna get a hug."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon just shudders elaborately at the prospect. There's impossible, and then there's no way in Hell.

[vance_prime]

Alyx chuckles softly.

"C'mon, let's go to the control room. We can get a great view of the launch from there."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon nods and slips his hand into Alyx's, the better to follow her down the corridor to an oddly familiar lift.

[vance_prime]

Indeed, it bears a striking resemblance to the one in the tenement in City 17 where they first met.

"Well, here we are again..."

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon's smiling a little this time as he gets onto the elevator. By now he's earned the right to be a man of few words, he thinks.

[vance_prime]

"While you were out having fun, I was fixing up an old helicopter for us," says Alyx as the elevator ascends. "I've got it all packed up and ready to go. Never a dull moment, eh?"

[acts_of_gord]

"Just as long as there's someone who can actually fly it," Gordon says. "I can do a lot on the fly, but learning to fly isn't on my list."

[notmycasserole.livejournal.com]

The elevator chimes its arrival at the control room as Kleiner notes a discrepancy, "I'm seeing a payload anomaly of approximately eight and a half pounds."

From Magnission Control as seen through the monitor, Magnusson briefly considers it with a hmm. "Well... that's within tolerance, certainly not worth scuttling the..."

[vance_prime]

"We're back!" calls Alyx as she and Gordon step out of the elevator.

Isaac Kleiner and Eli Vance turn toward the new arrivals. "At last!" says Kleiner with evident relief.

"Gordon!" Eli steps forward with a broad smile on his face. "Hell of a job you did out there, son."

[notmycasserole.livejournal.com]

Magnusson feels compelled to interject at this juncture, "Ah, let's not forget that with the Magnusson device, those Striders practically destroy themselves."

Kleiner responds, daring to suggest, "Yes, well... I think perhaps Gordon had something to do with their success..."

"I suggest we adjourn this meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society until after we have launched our rocket! Now, I believe we're ready to start the auto-sequence..."

[smelltheashes]

Eli speaks up. "I believe Gordon should have the honor."

"You'll hear no objection from me," says Kleiner, reaching over the console in the center of the room to open the cover on a particularly large and shiny red button.

[acts_of_gord]

Familiar things once again- but this time there's no blood, no dead Marines, no trauma staining it. This time, just this once, Gordon gets to watch something done right.

He hops up to the console, eyes the little plastic hula girl with mild suspicion, and pushes the button.

[notmycasserole.livejournal.com]

As soon as the big shiny red button is pressed with expert precision the clock starts counting down from 30 seconds and things start happening with Magnusson announcing the final stages of the launch procedure.

"Silo doors open..." As seen through the observation window, a thick metal circular hatch slowly flips upward. The consoles - the whole room - start to vibrate. A tiny loose concrete fragment drops down from the ceiling here and there.

Twenty seconds to go.

"Stations everyone! Power to main thrusters... Steady on..."

Kleiner marks the final countdown. "T minus ten... Nine..."

"We are launching..."

"Eight... seven... six... five..."

"Steady, steady...!" The tension is so palpable, breathing is a luxury he can't afford to entertain.

"Four... three... two... one..."

"We..."

At 0:00 a towering plume of smoke erupts from the silo.

"WE..."

A bright flash.

"HAVE..."

From a blossoming orange ball of fire, the rocket emerges, climbing slowly at first but powerfully accelerating ever skyward.

"...LIFT-OFF! LIFT-OFF!"

Even over the noise of the launch the joy in Magnusson's voice can hardly be ignored. "Oh, it worked... it WORKED!"