Totalitarian Syzygy - Deepwater related. [BBOT]

Hi, thought id add this story I just writ.
After a bit of thought and to maybe draw more attention to the Short storys section.
And be one of the first to tackle the subject in a diffrent matter that can alternatively be contrived.

The names are made up.

It may have a deeper meaning for the people of the Gulf affected by the Deepwater disaster.

Sorry about my spelling. ~


Russle Corden was blessed. He had a good family, a nice house, a nice car and a great job.
It was fair to say that life was good for him.

That was untill April 20th, 2010.

An exploshion had happend, on a rig that just happend to be one of the Oil rigs that where leased to his company.
This was just the start.
Russle was a P.R. Agent responsible for sale's as well as one of the people responsible in maintaining the face of B.P.
B.P. its self is a successful multinational company.

Once aware of the disaster, Russle sprang into action and boarded one of the A.H.T.S (Anchor Handling Tug ships) deployed to help tackle the fire.
Unfortunately at this moment eleven people where missing and presumed dead as a result of the explosion.
The colum of thick dark smoke was visible at least 20 miles away.
The smell emoluating from the fire could be smelt 5 miles away.
It was clear to Russle that this was going to be something that he had never dealt with before...

Continued next post-



Title edit per request

[edit on 16/6/10 by masqua]

After being drafted into a newly set up Disaster Response Team (D.R.T) their task was to maintain the companys good image and help organise the clean up in the aftermath of the eventual sinking of the Deepwater Horizon Drilling rig on the 22nd of April.

Oil was originaly leaking from the rig but soon it was confirmed on the 24th that the Well was leaking.
Russle helped in putting a brife together for the C.E.O. of B.P. to explain to the media that it was estimated to be a leak of around 1000 barrels a day... They had no time and didnt have the correct equipment to make the accurate estimate at the time and needed to feed the press something, although they knew they where wrong.

An Oil sheen was spotted covering a vast area of the Gulf of the states of Mississipy and Alabama.
The speculative press and other sources of media where clawing at B.P for infomation and in turn B.P's bosses pressured the D.R.T. for answers. They where passing the buck... As usual.

Russle had'nt dealt with this situation even though he had worked at B.P. For over 20 years and had worked on some of their projects across the globe.
This was going to be a challenge... And now the President was getting involved.

Russle was nervous when he went to meetings with senior staff and for some strange reason, he felt like he was being kept in the dark about somethings.
Especially when the survey team was told to report to a "higher up" instead of the D.R.T. set up to deal with the situation.

Sitting at his office desk, looking at a picture of his family, he looked at himself.
With his arms wrapped around his lovely wife and their three children standing infront of them.
His wife had been his high school sweetheart, and after he attended University they'd married.
He'd landed a job with a global oil company that had been around decades and was going through a transitional period and taking on graduates.
He'd moved to Houston, Texas, with his wife from Milton, Delaware... "Simpler times" he thought gazing at the picture.
The past 10 days had been stressfull.
Organising the deployment of Oil booms to collect the shifting oil, which as he didn't like to admit, where largely uneffective, and to top it off it was anounced that Oil had come ashore in Venice, Louisiana.
The situation kept getting worse and worse.
It is hurricane season and the oil blooms will get pushed further towards the coast.
Russle was tearing his hair out... At least what was left of it.

It was now May the 2nd and Russle had the honour of shadowing a few of his colleages and the President.
It was good to be out of the office and see the president work the crowd, he was a P.R. King! Although when a few of the fishermen noticed the B.P. contingent accompanying him, a few choice words where said in Russle's direction that upset him and added to his worries.

Continued next post -

Russle's boss had good news to finally share with the media on May the 5th.
B.P. announced that they had stemed the smallest of the three leaks.
It was a small victory, but gave the D.R.T. Some confidence that they where finally gaining control of the situation.
But nether the less, it didn't reduce the amount of Oil flowing out of the leaks which was now currently estimated to be around 5000 barrels a day.

Despite May the 7th being an important day for B.P, Russle was aloud to fly home to Houston for two days.
It felt like he was going to have a breakdown. Especially when he seen his beautiful wife.
The emotions that where built-up over the past two weeks flooded out, and this flood of tears seem'd just as hard to stop, bringing his mind back to the Deepwater disaster.

After finally pulling himself together he had a long chat with his wife about the situation at B.P.
Russle had a few shares in the company. They wernt a lot, but they where an investment, just like how he, and a few of his fellow work colleagues had them.
They all planned to sell them when they retired and collectively buy a fishing boat to take out into the Gulf.
It was ironic that now his company was getting blamed for destroying the fishing industry as well as his own dreams of sitting on deck in the sun and catching some Marlin.

He also remmemberd how the fishing industry in the Gulf was also ment to be apparently dwindling before the disaster and how B.P. had offerd to pay insurance for loss of earnings to fishermen in the area...
He'd bring that up in his next meeting, after all, Russle had a job to protect in these tougth times.

When he finally got back he heard the news that the Containment Dome had failed, due to something too do with methane gas collecting in it.
There was also good news for him however. He was now going to be stationd to help the inevitable clean up.

His team would help take Oil serveys from the Mississipi peninsular, right up to Gulfport. It was a big territory, but there was also talk of the National Guard helping...

It was now June. Russle was working near Point a La Hache when he recived a disstressing call from a fellow D.R.T. team who were under strickt orders to contact him in the event of something new happening.
This would enable Russle to pre-empt the media from getting any knowledge that may harm B.P's all ready tarnished reputation.

His colleage was stationd on the Chandeleur Islands. A chain of uninhabited barrier islands that where rich in wild-life before Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
There was some small bird populations of concern. The islands where also being erroded away by the sea, but at this moment in time, took or at least helped form a small barrier for stopping some oil.

It took four hours to get to the island and another half hour to find his colleages.
They'd been taking samples when one of their number found something... Something perculiar.

Continued next post-

"Ok Richard. What have we got?" Russle said, unimpressed by the way Richard had asked him to come to the island to 'look at something'.
"Well... We where taking samples out by the remains of that old light-house when... We found... A body." Richard trailed off...
"WHAT!? A body? One of the missing workers perhaps? And you called me? Why not call the coast guard to collect it? You've really wasted my time Rich." Russle could feel his blood boiling.
Being called all this way to look at a body... Richard knew the procedure. However unlikely it may be, in the event of finding the body of a missing worker they where to inform the coast guard. This was compleatly ridiculous...

In the past month, Russle's temper had gotten the best of him, he'd been threatend with the sack. He wouldn't be able to support his family. So he was now being pro-active and making vital decisions, all to benifit his company in a positive manner, no matter how..difficult they may be.
He had to do his job and protect B.P's image... His family... His lifestyle... His dream...

"I... Think it'll be easier if.. You see it Russ" Richard let out quietly bowing his head.
"Fine. Where is it?".... "under the tar-pauling sir.."

Russle calmly walked towards the sheet that was gentally rougthling in the wind.
He'd only seen one dead body in his life, his grandfathers.
"why the hell do I have to see this, its ridiculous" he said to himself as he lent over the green plastic sheet which had the BP logo on it.
"Here goes..." he said taking a deep breath...

He jumped back... "WHAT THE!?"... Millions of questions flooded his brain, his hand went too the now bald part of his head feeling for missing clumps of hair...
"Is this a joke? Is this real?" he asked the small D.R.T. team who looked at him, not giving a reply...
"It cant be.. Can it?" he knelt over the body slowly extending an arm to touch it... It felt... Fleshy... Like his own skin, yet greasy... Oily.
The long blonde hair of the body was stuck to its face, Russle moved the strands to get a better look...
It looked like any other woman... But it defied everything that Russle knew.
The womans body merged with some scaily skin just below the chest and got narrower and formed into a tail... It defied all his belifes.
A human torso attached to the body of a fish..?
It couldnt be... This was ridiculous...

Russle walked back to Richard... His face contorted trying to hold back tears. What should he do..?

"What should we do Russle?" Richard asked...

Emotions ran deep, this thing... This woman... This creature... A wonderus thing of nature... Unknown too the whole world... Unique and beautiful coverd in oil. Dead... Dead because of the leak he had to manage... Because of his job... For money... His family... His life style... His dream...

"What should we do?" Richard asked again..

Russle looked Richard in the eyes...
"Burn it."


..End.

Any constructive feedback would be nice, whether its positive or negative.

And before you ask, I put the spin on it to show that something that is unique and unknown, eventhough its non-existant can be symbolic in loss for greed and gain.

Thanks for your time.

Very interesting.
Enjoyed the read.
Well done!

Aw man this was an awesome Story!!!

Loved the ending!

And you show some real insight into how a PR emploies life. Amazing Man!

I liked the point of view of a B.P. employee. The ending blew me away. Good job!

It took me a minute to get into it, but once I did I was off and running!

What a great, great story.

Thanks everyone!

Im starting to enjoy writing more since joining ATS,

reply to post by Esrom Escutcheon Esquire


I hope this isn't what is really going on. Can you imagine them actually finding a mermaid and burning it to keep the public off their butts? I can. Great read!

Originally posted by Esrom Escutcheon Esquire

And before you ask, I put the spin on it to show that something that is unique and unknown, eventhough its non-existant can be symbolic in loss for greed and gain.

You definitely did that. I was thoroughly captured by your words and your idea was beautifully conveyed.

Originally posted by Esrom Escutcheon Esquire
Thanks for your time.

No my friend, thank you for taking the time to write this.

reply to post by Esrom Escutcheon Esquire
Great story.

I left a picture of a painting by John William Waterhouse on your profile board that immediately came to mind when I read Totalitarian Syzygy.