(Author's foreword:  This should be the last time jump chapter I have planned as everything from here on out will be seen from Alex's point of view)

Shortly after the sentry gun came online:

So it turned out that I only had access to nine other units in my section of the vault.  Everything else was cut off from me due to collapsed tunnels and severed networking hubs.  Still, nine soldiers at my side would be a huge improvement when there was probably a large horde of pissed off ponies coming for my blood very soon.  Call me crazy, but I'm not fond of getting shot with whatever freaky radiation weapons they possessed.  

Seven's work on the networking systems was starting to show as lights that previously had been offline began to hum and flicker on, filling the hallways with a sickly yellow colored illumination.  Still, it was a sight better than constantly running on my armors inbuilt night vision.  Fresh details of the horrors of time came into view as I walked down the tunnel.  Rusty pipes and dust caked concrete stretched as far as my limited vision could see.  Sections of wall bulged out in random places where the concrete had been ravaged by time.  All in all, I was kind of surprised the walls hadn't come down on me already.  However, Seven pulled me out of my thoughts with a disheartening message.

***Of the nine accessible units, only three of them are registering components to complete revival.

***The remaining pods regrettably are considered a complete loss at this time.

"God damnit, Seven.  This isn't how it was supposed to happen..."

Thankfully the AI was silent and only illuminated directions to the nearest pod in my HUD.  The display showed the three units in various states of defrost thanks to the AI's silent work.  At some point, I'd need to collect the dogtags from my fallen compatriots, but it was time to honor the living.  A minute or two later, I was standing in front of the slowly opening door for vault 10-09-06 belonging to a Corporal Tyler.  Beyond the name stenciled on the doorframe, it could have passed for my unit in practically every way.  

***Sublimation and warming complete.  Seals releasing.  Armatures Primed on all vaults.

With a dull hiss, the armored lid of the cryo unit slowly lifted to reveal a figure armored nearly identically to myself.  Where my carapace was a dull grey, his was an assortment of mottled colors.  I couldn't tell if he was black or white, ripped or run to fat.  All I could hope for was that he was a good soldier.  I could use one.  As the robotic arms lowered into the pod, I could only wince.  Even after seeing the process done dozen of times in training, this looked painful every time.  Whirring noises spanned the room as the tools slowly lifted him at several points when everything went wrong.

As the arms lifted, a sick feeling spread through my gut.  Something felt wrong, but I just couldn't put it to words before it became obvious.  With a squeal and a wet tearing noise, Tyler went in three separate directions.  Even with all my years in combat I still had to force the gorge in my throat down as flashing messages scrolled through my vision.

***Critical Failure...

***Critical Failure...

***Critical Failure...

"GOD DAMN IT SEVEN!  WHAT THE FUCK!"

All I could do was stare at what had once been one of the soldiers assigned to my section of the facility as it all processed in my mind.  Rancid meat dribbled down into the coffin from what had once been Tyler's lower chest.  His legs dangled from another set of armatures, while his lower back lay stuck to the bed.  Fuck... Fuck... this was already going wrong.

"What the hell happened Seven?!"

***Nanotech systems did not report compromise of armor integrity. It appears that sections

***of Cpl. Taylor fused to the unit during preservation.  There was no way to have known.

"Just...Just put him back, okay.  He may be dead, but we can't leave him like this.  Reseal the unit so we can bury him later."

With a sick feeling in my stomach, I reached out and opened a panel next to the controls and gently pulled out a single dogtag on a chain.  Thankfully, I could look away as the remains were lowered back to whence they came.

"Rest in peace, Tyler."

I could say that the next one worked out great.  I'd absolutely love to say that Cpl. Graves woke up without a hitch.  Hell, I wish I could say he woke up.  For over ten minutes, Seven worked tirelessly to get his heart to beat.  Despite shocks, shots, and a dozen other things, Graves' heart would only beat for a moment or two before stopping.  Soon enough, another dogtag joined the small pile forming in one of my pouches as I traveled room to room.  In the end, there was only one left.  One that I knew too well.

Sergeant Andersen was what she went by at work to most people.  I knew her as Kara.  As I wearily stepped into her room, I could see her resting in the cold embrace of the armatures, her lithe form contorting and shaking as the tech worked to restart her body.  My heart fluttering as hers did, a small beacon of light in this dark tomb.   The flickering lines on the screens slowly settled into steady pulses and her body lay slack against the restraints.  If anyone could survive this for me, it would be Kara.  

After a few minutes of watching scrolling displays, she began to move.  A small twitch at first, that quickly turned into more.  The biggest smile of my life crossed my face as she raised her head to look at me.  The biggest smile of my life turned away as icons began to flash and Kara thrashed against her restraints.

***Critical Failure

***Critical Failure

***Critical Failure

In a moment, I was by her side, trying to do anything to stop what was happening.  Whatever was happening.  I wish I could tell myself that my presence is what made her seizures stop, but even as naive as I used to be, it was an impossibility.  For a moment, a small glimmering moment, she was there with me, her voice echoing over the communication system as she tried to reach for me despite the restraints.

"...I...l...l...love............................................................................"

I could only stand there stunned as she became another ragdoll in the arms of a robot.  A million thoughts screaming through my head.  I wish I knew what I was saying.  I wish I knew what I was screaming.  I wish I knew what things I was whispering to her as I pressed the releases for the armor plate on her helmet and slid the plate upwards.  My first sight was wisps of her dark blond hair.  I wish I could forget the rest, but it is forever burned into my memory.  Her bottomless sapphire eyes sparked with joy no more as she stared off into eternity.  The rest of the armored glass was obscured by misted blood that slowly formed droplets.

***I...am sorry, Sergeant.  There was no way of knowing of her reaction on revival.

I just ignored the AI and gently unclipped Kara's armor from the machinery supporting her.  After a moment, the weight of responsibility and guilt rested solely on myself.  Memories screamed wordlessly through my mind.  Our first date, our plans for the future, hell, my proposal shortly before being frozen.  All of it was worth nothing more than the dust that caked my armor.  Tenderly, I lay her down in the pod she had risen from so little ago as tears fogged up my visor.

"Keep her safe Seven.  When this is over, I intend to...something...  I need to sit down."

Her dogtag found its way into my hand as I slowly slumped down against the dank wall of her room.  The hiss of her pod resealing barely reaching my ears.

***I have accessed what sections of network are available.  All systems are showing the

***overwhelming majority of units are unoccupied.  Reason unknown.

***Additionally, I have gained access to the drone network.  Beginning assembly.

I barely could nod to what Seven said as I was slowly drowned in a torrent of memories.  

"I love you too..."