Trojan Horse 100 & 101 "A cold, lifeless vessel"

<<< Previous Log ]   [ Log Index ]   [ Next Log >>>

[On:] [Transporter room one, USS Pegasus] Sulan stood on full gear doing a last check on her level one space suit and weapons. "Listen up maggots: We have a possible hostile A.I. on board the Lantree. We don't believe there are any survivors, so you need not worry about friendlies in the area. But we will be doing babysitting duty in guarding the engineering crews. I expect each and every one of them to return unharmed. You lives are secondary to theirs. Is that understood?" The security crews answers a "Yes sir!" as one. "Good..." Sulan said coldly.

Hannah walked into the room, already suited up, carrying her helmet under one arm. She nodded at Sulan.

"Greetings, Lieutenant." Sulan said. "I see that you are prepared for departure. Most agreeable." She turns back to her security personnel. "Each of you has in your possession, three type B thermite grenades. I know that they may be unfamiliar to some of you, but they act very similar to the standard fragmentation grenade. The only difference being that they are used to destroy equipment, rather than personnel. If the engineering crews should be unable to contain the hostile A.I., you are to destroy the computers systems, and hollogrid. If you fail in that attempt, I order you to destroy the Lantree by any possible means. Any questions?"

Hannah concealed a smile at hearing her beloved speak in such confident terms. She wanted to do nothing more than gather her up in her arms and kiss her, but somehow she felt that would be unprofessional. Instead she checked her armaments.

A crewman raised his hand. "What if the engineering crew is in immediate danger? Do we let `em work, or get `em out?" Sulan considered this for a moment, before speaking: "Use your best judgment in that regard. If the engineering crews are in clear and present danger, you are to evacuate them, and destroy the equipment. I am under the impression that many in the engineering department lack combat experience, therefore, you shall override them, if necessary."

"And it probably will be." Hannah added from her position against the wall. "Engineers have a tendency not to notice danger when there's an interesting problem to solve."

"Agreed." Sulan said, pleased at the vote of confidence, but not showing it. "Do you have any questions, Lieutenant O'Driscoll?" Sulan asked.

"No questions, just an observation." Hannah said, quietly. "This should be a nice easy mission. Don't go getting complacent out there, but don't be jumpin' at shadows, neither, y'hear? Let's get in there, do our jobs, and get out, ok?"

Sulan raised an eyebrow. "They had better. Or else." She tugged the straps of her back one last time and put on her helmet, quickly checking its seals. "Now Maggots, form up. The crews formed a ring on the transporter pad, with their phasers facing outward, to guard against danger from any direction, once they were beamed over. A small gap was left in the ring so Sulan, and O'Driscoll could get past them to stand in it's center. "After you, Lieutenant?" Sulan said gesturing in the human fashion.

"One moment." Hannah said, and gently removed Sulan's helmet. She placed a tender kiss on the other woman's lips. "Stay safe." She said softly.

Sulan frowned slightly, at the breech of decorum, but chose to remain silent about it, saying simply: "Of course. I am Telek Sulan, it could not be otherwise." making another dry attempt at humor, as one of her crew whistled at the display of affection. "The next one that whistles, dies." she said tonelessly, as she moved with O' 'Driscoll to stand in the center of the ring, while refastening her helmet. Hannah donned her helmet, and checked the seals. "Ready for beam-out." She nodded.

Sulan nodded, the faceplate of her helmet hiding her visage. "Correct. Shall beam over first, and secure a beam-in zone for the engineering crews, or do you wish to wait for Lieutenant Black?"

"Beaming over first sounds like a good idea." Hannah said - "If it all goes horribly wrong, I'd rather not have engineers around to make things worse."

"Agreed. Transporter Chief, Energize when ready." The typical feel of the transporter came over them as they materialized on one of the corridors of the Lantree. [USS Lantree, Corridors.]

A frozen female child drifted in front of them, as they looked on. She appeared to be about six, with her eyes frozen open and staring, still clad in her nightgown.

Hannah snapped her phaser rifle up instinctively, and then relaxed as she recognized the child as dead. "Oh honey..." she breathed sadly. She tripped the circuit to Sulan's headset. "You should probably tell the 'maggots' to get rid of the bodies. I imagine the engineers might find it a little tricky to work around them.

"There is no time for such pleasantries, Hannah..." Sulan said as she grasped the dead child by the front of her nightgown and shoved, hard. The dead girl floated down the corridor fading in the darkness. Sulan switched to the main broadcast channel. "Squad Alpha is to secure the bridge, while Beta secures Engineering. Move out. Lieutenant O'Driscoll, would you prefer to go to the Bridge? Perhaps you could secure the Lantree's weapons systems?"

Hannah nodded, although the gesture was lost inside the large helmet. "I'm on it." She checked the nametags on the spacesuits assembled in front of her. "Fisher, N'Diaye, with me."

"I will accompany you as well. Double-time it, Maggots. I do not wish to remain exposed here longer than necessary." With that, she lead the small group toward the bridge at a run, butting frozen corpses out of her way with the stock of her rifle. She stuck one so hard that its frozen arm came off as it struck the bulkhead. Miller ran backwards behind them, guarding their rear. They moved towards the bridge, using Jeffries tubes to change decks. Finally, they arrived at the door to the bridge. Hannah tried her override code to gain access. "It's no use." She shrugged. "We're going to need Kitty's codes."

"Are you certain? I could have the door blown open, if you so desire."

"I'd be wary of that." Hannah said, cautiously. "If I was the rogue programme, that's just what I'd be expecting - I'd have booby-tapped the door for just that eventuality."

"Understood. Squad, guard position 'delta'. The three members of the moved into a "D" shaped position on the outside of the door, while Sulan crouched down in a kneeling position with her phaser rifle pointed at the closed doors, Expecting them to open at any moment. "Hold this position till Lieutenant Black arrives." The suit's Comm chirped =/\= "Rodriguez to Sulan: Engineering secured." =/\=

=/\="Excellent." She responded. "Hold your position and await further orders."=/\= =/\= "Aye sir." =/\= came the reply. Hannah tapped her commbadge. "O'Driscoll to Pegasus. Tell Lieutenant Black we could do with a hand down here. Also, tell her to bring ice-cream."

[Off]

A joint post by:

Lieutenant (j.g.) Telek Sulan Chief of Security USS Pegasus "I am reminded of The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner."

&

Lieutenant Hannah O'Driscoll Chief tactical Officer USS Pegasus "This could have been us..."

<<< Previous Log ]   [ Log Index ]   [ Next Log >>>