Surrounded

Posted on Thu Aug 29th, 2024 @ 1:25am by Lieutenant Commander Rowena McGowen & Lieutenant Junior Grade Rachel Sinclair & Captain Edmund Merrick & Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr
Edited on on Sat Aug 31st, 2024 @ 8:41pm

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: Bridge - Deck 1 - Main Engineering - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD006 1035 hrs

Rowena noticed both hers and Malbrooke's command codes were suspended on the ship. It was frustrating, but not at all surprising. She should've known the Pioneer crew would be resilient like that. She probably should have removed Barr when she had the chance. And since she was unable to reach Malbrooke, she knew they gotten to him. It didn't matter. Her hacking skills would come to good use right now. She just had to find a way to get control back.

Standing on the bridge at the tactical station, Rachel noticed an alert come up in her security board. Giving an irritated sigh, she brought up the alert and gave it a quick read, “hmm, Sergeant Major, it looks like someone is trying to bypass my security lock outs. Logs would suggest that its Commander McGowan, or at least someone with her command codes” she reported before looking over at Barr for instructions.

Lachlan sighed internally and shook his head. Glancing around from the centre chair towards the security station he noticed Ensign Sinclair looking at him, waiting for an instruction, or a piece of wisdom that would stop Commander McGowan in her tracks. "Can you isolate the console? Cut its connection from the rest of the ship? If we do that then they have nowhere to go."

It was strange to Merrick to be the Acting XO of the Pioneer, then again, for Lachlan, him being the current Acting Captain of the Pioneer wasn't something the man liked either. "That would work out but I also suggest a contingent made up of Security and Marines to go after her rather them. What is her current location, can you pick that up?"

"If we put up forcefields at all access points and box them in then security can pick her up. Preferably unconscious, flood the section with gas once the fields are in place." Lachlan ordered.

"I am certain that we have the bio-signature of McGowen, this is just in case she decides to ditch her combadge. However, running scans of where she is at currently, may help as well." Edmund remarked.

Pausing between each order given to her, Rachel was confused which order to follow before figuring she’d just do them all and sort it out later. After a moment of work, Rachel nodded, “ok, I’ve confirmed it’s Commander McGowan, it seems she’s in the main computer room on the Engineering deck. I have isolated the computer core from the ship and diverted everything through the auxiliary core and I’ve sent a squad of Marines and Security are on their way.”

"Ensign Sinclair." Lachlan stood up and faced the young woman. "Put forcefields around the access points of the room, isolate the ventilation system of that section and flood the room with anesthizine as I have ordered. If Commander McGowan is 'possessed' by the same kind of entity as Commodore Malbrooke then this should incapacitate them and security can transfer them to sickbay for confinement and treatment." he could see the confusion on Sinclair's face even before he spoke, the conflict as to who's orders to follow. "Captain Merrick is XO, and I am this ships commanding officer right now. You follow my orders unless I am not present on the bridge. Are we clear?" he asked knowing the correct answer would be their response.

After a moment of hesitation, Rachel gave a quick nod before following the orders. "Yes sir, forcefields established, flooding the room with anesthizine" she said before taking a step back from the console as she watched the display. This whole situation was simply crazy. Nothing in her training at the academy prepared it for this.

Meanwhile Rowena was in engineering. But just because her codes were blocked out, doesn't mean she couldn't just get in. Were they forgetting she was the Chief Intelligence Officer? That means she could hack her way around the ship. She was seated behind a console as she started hacking the Pioneer's computer. She had to be quick though, if security would catch on, they could try to bypass her, or even have Beckett or Loran stop her. She wasn't as nearly as good as them or Staff Warrant officer Calhoun. If Jennifer was on the ship, she would have gotten to Rowena in no time and lock her out. Rowena underestimated this crew. And now she had to act quickly.

Edmund watched through the camera, and observed the display seeing the evidence of the gas flowing into engineering, "Hopefully it won't take long for it to work." Merrick stifled down a memory that surfaced, of another engineering room, the fire suppression activating.. He shook his head trying to clear that memory from his mind.

"Ensign Sinclair, also cut power to any console, or anything accessible in Commander McGowen's vicinity. If this thing has access to her memories then we don't want them trying to circumvent what we are doing. The gas should knock her out relatively soon." Lachlan commented.

This would be over soon. Quick and easy. Then they could get Rowena to Sickbay and get her the help she needed.

Edmund's jaw tensed, as he watched what was going on, he had experienced being gassed by Anesthizine gas, remembering feeling woozy, things slowing down, not being able to focus then, darkness. He had been lost in his thoughts for a moment. What sounded like a body dropping to the floor brought him out of his musings. He flashed a glance over towards both Rachel and Lachlan. "Looks like it worked."

Rachel simply nodded as she worked away at her console. Right now her mind was spinning and she just wanted this day over.

"Rachel, have security collect Rowena and take her to sickbay. Inform Doctor Spencer to restrain her in the same fashion as Malbrooke. I'll be in the ready room if anything else comes up. Right now we just need to wait on Captain Mazumdar." Lachlan said rising. "You've got the bridge, Ed."

A Joint Post By

Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr
Chief of The Boat, USS Pioneer
First Sergeant, The Cure

Captain Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer

Ensign Rachel Sinclair
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer

Lieutenant Commander Rowena McGowen
Chief Intelligence Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer

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