seaQuest: The Dawning
RECKLESS DRIVING KILLS 2;
UEO OFFICER CHARGED WITH DEATHS.
PEARL HARBOR, HI-
An overnight car accident leaves 2 dead, 1 critically injured.
Lt. Jasper Riley, 24, and Lt. Christopher Shaw, 22, were killed last night; both casualties of reckless driving. A third pilot, Lt. Joceanna Brody remains in intensive care at Pearl Harbor Naval Hospital.
Riley and Shaw collided while racing their automobiles at Naron Field; and abandoned airstrip infamous for hosting underground street racing.
Brody, a passenger in Riley's car, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, officials say, in addition to forthcoming military charges.
The Pearl Harbor Police Department has tried to patrol the airstrip since its closure in 2016, but due to recent staff reductions, full-time security has been impossible.
"There simply isn't enough man power to patrol these kids." said Sgt. Micheal Andrews. "They think they're invincible, and once their adrenaline gets gong, there's no stopping them. I suppose their military background encourages that extreme level of competition."
All three pilots were stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Air Base.
Funerals for Riley and Shaw will be announced later this week.
Dear Diary,
Guilty. Funny how one word can change your life; can change how people perceive you. I'm officially a murderer. I killed Jasper and Chris. But I didn't need a jury's verdict to tell me that. I knew from the moment that I woke up in the hospital with a cop standing over my bed that I was responsible. It's the reason I couldn't go to their funerals, why I couldn't bear to face their families. Amanda keeps reminding me that Jas and Chris were behind the wheels, not me. That may be true, but I could have stopped them. One word from me, and Jas would have handed over the keys. He would have walked away. But I didn't say anything, I just egged them on, like it was a huge fucking game. I shouted, and threw comments at them both, furthering the challenge. I cannot believe I was so foolish, so fucking insane that I would jeopardize my boyfriend and my best friend. But I did. And I can't ever take it back.
I miss him. It's been two months, and it still hurts as badly as the day I found out. I miss waking up beside him, and looking into his green eyes first thing in the morning. I miss his teasing me about eating junk food for breakfast. I miss the little things, like the way he would open a car door for me, or walk me to my plane before takeoff. The little looks in the hallways. The stolen kisses when we thought no one was looking. The night we danced in the parking lot to the music that came through my car stereo. Giggling and sharing our own private jokes at the most inopportune moments.
I miss how, even in a room full of people, Jasper could look at me and make me feel like it was just the two of us.
I close my eyes at night and I see his face. I pray that I'll fall asleep and get to see him once more, but at the same time, I'm so afraid of him. I can't believe that he's gone, and that I played a part. I don't know how he could bear to look at me, even in my dreams. I don't see how anyone could.
Speaking of, Jim was at the trial. I hadn't seen him in almost a year. He's been stationed on the seaQuest ever since the uprising on Dagger Island. Every time we tried to meet up, something came up and one of us got pulled away for duty. But there he was, standing along the back wall of the courtroom. I don't know why I'm so surprised. I'm sure half of my squadron went running to him to tell him when the trial was set. Amanda told me that he was at the hospital just after the accident, but I don't remember that. I don't remember too much of anything though, my head was so messed up from the drugs and the concussion. She told me that he came back from seaQuest as soon as he found out, and that he would sit in my room until the nurses would kick him out. Then he'd sneak back in. I wish I could remember that. I've never felt so alone as when I woke up and there was no one but a white ceiling to greet me. Manda was there until I was moved to military custody and I wasn't allowed to see anyone at all.
After the verdict was read, I don't remember how, but I wound up in a holding room downstairs in the courthouse. A guard told me that I had a visitor, and then Jim walked in. He just walked over and gave me a hug, and I wanted so badly to hug him back, but my hands were cuffed behind me, and I couldn't, so I just lay my head on his shoulder. He told me that he was sorry about everything, and that he was glad to see that I was doing better. We made small talk for a few minutes, but I could tell that something was wrong. He had this look in his eyes, and I didn't know what it was. And then I realized that it was sheer disappointment and anger. And I couldn't blame him at all. Who could?
Then the guards came and took me away, and now I'm here, alone, in my cell, for God knows how long. Before he left, I wanted to grab Jim, just to feel him holding me, just to make sure that he could still love me even after all of this. I wanted to tell him so much, and to hear him tell me everything about his life, and who he had become. But I never got the chance. He's back on seaQuest now, I guess. I don't know when I'll see him again.
Dear Diary,
I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't written in over a week. Sentencing was this morning. The judge told me that she had thought long and hard about my situation, and she couldn't see sending me to prison for decades to come. On the other hand, she couldn't let me go free, as I had contributed to the deaths of two men. So, she offered me a deal.
She said that I could remand myself to UEO custody for 3 years, to take part in a scientific study. Some kind of special military training program designed to turn ordinary officers into highly skilled warriors. Part of the study will involve giving me gills. While I can't see spending the rest of my life as part fish, I also can't see spending it in a jail cell.
Secretary General McGath was part of the sentencing. He told me that when the study was completed, I could rejoin the UEO and my records would be sealed. I'll have to go back to being an ensign, as technology will have changed greatly in that period of time, but he promised me a commission of my choice. I have until tomorrow morning at 9 am to decide whether I'll become a lab rat or a prisoner. I've been thinking about it all day. I'm going to accept their deal.
Right now, all I want to do is turn off my mind. I don't want to hear Jasper or Chris. I don't want to see Jas' head in the windshield as the medics are struggling to get me free from the car. I don't want to feel this hollow space in my chest every time I breathe. I don't think the judge realizes it, but this sentence is offering me a way out of my sorrow, not furthering it. So, tomorrow at 9, I will turn my life over to the UEO. Again.
Dear Diary,
It's over. It's been done. Tonight at 6 I have to report to the hospital to begin “preparations.” I've spent the morning writing letters. I talked to Manda on the phone, and made her promise to send the letters for me. I wrote one to Jim. I don't know if he'll want to read it, but maybe he'll keep it, and not throw it away. I wrote a letter to Jasper's mom. I haven't decided if I'm going to send it or not. Would she want to hear from me, do you think? Would it make her feel better or worse? I better go, someone is knocking on my cell door. I guess this is goodbye for a long while, isn't it? Take care of yourself, diary. I'll see you in a few years.