"Kerr, I need you to stay here. As you've already said, you are the last ranking officer with the authority to run this place. You've been doing great, and I need you to keep doing that."
Captain Chambers speaks rapidly, his mind already several steps ahead.
"Captain—"
"No, Kerr. No protests. Not this time. We can't afford to lose any more time. The Chief and the others have been missing for too long. I need to go and deal with this."
"Captain…" Lt. Kerr's voice betrays the fear he's trying to suppress.
"Thomas, I know." Captain Chambers' tone softens, but his resolve does not. "I promise you, I will not enter the dungeon. Under any circumstances. I will stay outside and take command of the site. You know this is the best solution."
He does know. And that is exactly what terrifies him.
Lt. Kerr swallows hard. Everyone else went in. No one came back. And now the Captain is leaving too.
But Captain Chambers is right.
