NARRATOR: Storytime...
KATHRYN: You know the Core War? Those Dark Matter thingies? Well, the U.N.S. battleplate Tunguska was an early casualty, and I was on board.
I didn't even know where the ship was, just that we'd teraported and were Code Orange.
I was busy digesting a report on water use irregularities... mundane analyst stuff.
Suddenly we were Code Red, and Gus, the A.I., was in my ear directing me to the terapods.
KATHRYN: They were a new feature. Nobody had ever called "abandon ship" on a battleplate before.
We'd had some drills, but not enough. If Gus hadn't been in everybody's bone-phones, on all the public address, I doubt more than 10% of us would have lived.
Some of the guys in my department talked me into studying Parkata Urbatsu with them. Without that, I'd have been trampled for sure.
We ran together, Gus directing us to a twelve-seater near where we worked.
KATHRYN: Some colonel, a chubby little blonde harridan, was standing in front of it with a pistol trying to save seats.
We went over her. I might have put my foot in her face.
KATHRYN: At least, I hope I did. It would have served her right for shooting me in the back.
GEN. TAGON: Payback in advance, eh? I'm not sure that's the same as "paying it forward," but I like how you think.