Rose stopped in her tracks and diverted her way to the conference room instead of her lab.

Jonathan looked up when she walked in.

" Yes Captain?"

" Come on and grab a seat please. I need your marine expertise." Captain Ford had the video screen running." Admiral Sparks this is Lieutenant Rose Harker. She's our science and marine biology officer. Lieutenant, this is Admiral Sparks at the UEO Command Center."

" Hello Admiral." Rose answered in her utmost respectful way.

" Hello Lieutenant." Admiral Sparks had these steely colored eyes that looked right into your soul. You could tell he'd been a career man in the UEO. He looked sharp in his uniform, hair cropped short in that military way. Sparks oozed military all the way.

" How can I help?" Rose asked.

Sparks spoke." I've received some of your reports, and Captain Ford shared some of the video feed of the shark. I need to know if it is a danger to the ecosystem, but also to humanity. "

" Well , sir, it certainly is a predator. We are working on finding a way to get a blood sample. I want to know if it's a Megalodon, or just one monstrous great white. Lieutenant Wolenczak and Commander Ortiz are assisting me after hours, we're doing a team work effort to come up with a contraption to do just that. We only started work on it last night."

" Very good Harker. You seem on top of it. I advise you though, the media is taking the story to town. I am concerned about the safety of news crews that are sending out boats to try and find and film it."

Rose sat forward, leaning on her elbows. " Sir, the beast attacked us just a short while ago. That thing almost swallowed Lieutenant Wolenczak whole in the Stinger. It is highly dangerous. Is there any way to ban news crews from the area? Civilians are not equipped to handle this thing!" Rose was adamant.

" Ford! You didn't tell me you sent one of your crew out there! " the Admiral stepped away, then came back. " Listen, here's what i need, if that thing is likely to continue to harm innocent people and our remaining marine life, I hate to say it, but we may have to put it down. There's no way we could hope to contain that thing, let alone feed it even if we did."

" But. Sir! It's possibly the only 1 left of it's kind!" Rose sputtered.

" I know. But much like the dinosaurs, it's time has come. We can't let it continue to terrorize the seas. Jonathan. I'm going to a meeting later. I'm going to give up the information you have compiled. A decision is going to be made in regards to that thing. For now. Keep it at bay away from innocent people. By whatever means necessary. But safely! As soon as I have an answer, I'll get back to you."

" Understood Admiral." Jonathan responded.

" Sparks out." The screen returned to the dark blue and gold SeaQuest logo screen saver.

" Sir, he sounds like he really means for us to kill it!"

" Harker. That thing is dangerous, you know it! We were just attacked! We can handle it. But a smaller fishing boat? It'll be a snack for that thing! Our job is to study but also protect. I get your feelings, but we have to think of all the people at risk. This is a terrible situation all around. I don't want to kill it either, but I am prepared to do what is needed for the good of all. " Captain Ford's eyebrows were furrowed, he didn't want to argue with his underling. Taking a breath, he met her eyes. Calmly he spoke." We have a duty to protect the oceans. Our fragile eco system is in danger. Surely you wouldn't want to see that thing cause the extinction of the few varieties of whales and porpoises that are left. If we take out this 1 shark, we could save and protect several other species."

Rose knew he was right. But this was the find of a century." I know you're right Captain. It's just frustrating... It could be the very last of it's kind. Yet another creature for the history books But...it is dangerous. I don't deny that. All right. I'll do the best I can to accept it. "

" Harker. I have an idea. This is the find of the century. Do you write? "

" I used to do creative writing as a hobby. I used to love to write actually. Life got busy though Why?"

" There are science magazines and other publications that could be very interested in this. What if you wrote an article? You could get some kind of science related award. You never know. Could look good on resumes if you ever decided to leave us. What do you think?"

" Use our collected data? Could I use video footage or at least some of our pictures?"

" Of course. I'd release them to you officially so you can copyright them. "

Rose sat back, letting out a slow breath. Pondering what he was saying.

" Rose, you can make it's memory immortal. Since we can't keep it alive. You know we have to put it down."

" How do we do it? " She asked softly. " I can't bear to see it blown up or something like in Jaws. "

" All right. I have an idea. We find a museum of natural history to take it on to study it. We find a humane way. Maybe you'll need to get in touch with people you know. Then we collect it and haul it to whatever port the museum or somebody would take it. You can get all the blood samples you need for your research. You could get pictures of it out of the water too. It could be great for you career to get published. "

" I really never thought of it like that. All right, I'll do it. I'll make it immortal. "

" Do me a favor, see if you can find someone out there that might know a humane way to put it down. Let me know what you find. We're going to need one Hell of a net or sling to even drag it out to wherever we go. I'll get someone on that after I go get a crew working on repairs. Keep me posted."

" Yes Captain. I will."

" Thank you. And Harker, you never know. They may let you name it. " Jonathan suggested. " You're free to go."

" Thank you Sir." She got up from her seat. Pushing it in. She left to go back to her lab. She needed to find somebody to help figure out how to take down the shark. She didn't want to be responsible for it's death. She felt like a damned murderer. Rose met Olivia in the lab.

" Hey Lieutenant. I was wondering where you were!" Liv said.

" Captain Ford called me in for a brief meeting. So. That being said, here's the latest news. " she plopped down in her desk chair. Leaning back in the chair, inviting Liv to grab a seat. " The decision has pretty much been made. The SeaQuest is  in charge of having to humanely put the creature down...I'm not thrilled at all...but unfortunately, I do see the point of view of the authorities in regards to a safe ecosystem and for people's safety. "

" Well, if it's ballsy enough to attack us, there definitely is a problem."

" Agreed. So, I wanted to ask you if you'd want to help me on a project that I would absolutely make sure you also get credit for?"

" Sure! What is it?"

" Captain Ford thought I should write an article on the shark, submit it to science magazines or something. You have helped me a lot so i want to include you in on it. A collaboration of you will."

" Yeah! I'm in! "

" Excellent! "

Three majority of the rest of their shift was spent outlining their collaborative piece. They were so hard at work coming up with ideas and notes that they never realized it was quitting time. Lucas coming down to find Rose was the only thing that made them stop talking.