All out of Bubble Gum Part I
Posted on Tue Sep 10th, 2024 @ 7:55am by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Captain Edmund Merrick & Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr & Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Staff Warrant Officer Rommie & Brigadier General Francis 'Judge' Sobel
Edited on on Tue Sep 10th, 2024 @ 9:05pm
1,398 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: Quarters of Major Cornelius Tremble - Deck 2 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1110 hrs
Neil drank from the mug Rommie had given him, the AI now dressed in her customary crimson and black skin suit standing near the entry hatch of his quarters as he took in the information feed she’d prepared.
It was well organized. Concise and he was viewing it via his contact’s HUD, the information on ship’s systems and status scrolling. She’d organized everything via checkmarks. The green ones scrolling past and disappearing while X boxes hovered and moved to one side. Despite everything, there weren’t too many of those as he noted the time and checked the time. He’d been conscious about six minutes and knew it was probably past the time for him to get in the game.
And he was angry.
That’s why he’d given himself a few minutes before acting.
Jayna had filled him in as well and he had enough of a grasp on things, but he still needed to take command and sort things.
Looking up he met Rommie’s eyes and asked, ”Oh Shit> protocol still running?”
Rommie straightened and answered, “Yes Major. All aspects.”
Nodding, Neil said, “Cancel protocol. Normal operations and you are hereby authorized to accompany me throughout the ship. Still read only on the main computers, but you have access to all things within Marine Country.”
“Yes sir,” Rommie said and her physical form grew two inches and she filled out slightly more as her access increased.
“We have comms?” Neil asked as he cleared his HUD’s desktop and his hands moved to the small of his back. He was now dressed in a standard ship suit and beret, a sidearm clipped to his belt.
"Yes Sir,” the AI responded.
“Get me a direct, Gold clearance line to Brigade. Priority. Cut out fleet and all other ships systems, especially Intel, from that line.”
“Connecting,” Rommie said crisply as she assumed control communications net and complied.
After a few beats, General Sobel’s visage came online and the General looked him over before saying. “Neil. What the Clot?”
“Drahk sandwich, Sir. An unknown entity through Commander McGowan, subverted Commodore Malbrooke and nearly took over the Pioneer. This entity also managed to remove the senior staff and place us in what I can only describe at this time as a pocket dimension. We affected escape and appear to have been back aboard for approximately ten minutes. The Sergeant Major has things in hand, but I'll be assuming command ASAP. I intend to return to Empok Nor soonest.”
Sobel regarded the Major and sat back in his chair, processing the report. “How in the Clot did you let that happen Neil?”
“No excuses, General,” Neil replied, keeping his tone even. “I’m not sure myself at this point and excuses don’t get the job done.”
“True,” Sobel conceded as he glanced away from his screen at his Aid who gave him a brief opposed digit up.
“Per your AI’s protocol request,” Francis drawled out, “I have four flights of Valkyries headed your way as well as the Shadow Lass with two hundred marines on an intercept course. At Warp three, it’ll take a minute. Want me to split the fighters off and get them there sooner?”
Shaking his head, Neil said, “Not at this point General. We’ll coordinate and keep you updated.”
“Every half hour, Neil,” Francis insisted. “Make sure you update Fleet soonest. They won’t like you went straight to Brigade. But screw them.”
“It’s on the list, General,” Neil said, not wanting to think about informing the Admiralty just yet. “I have a few fish to fry first.”
“Understood, your escort group is code named Backfill. Your AI has the frequencies.”
Rommie nodded to the Major from her position, where she couldn’t be seen by the General but in full view of the Major.
“Yessir,” Neil said, “Pioneer out.”
Turning, Neil saw Jayna standing just inside the door to the bedroom and said, “I’m about to get popular. Are you ready?”
"Of course." She was grateful he wasn't sending her off to do something else. She was also ready to help, if she could. Until now, she'd done little more than run around gathering information.
“Take command of the SCIF. As soon as I’m on the bridge, I’m cutting all of Rowena’s accesses and I need you to look at EVERYTHING this entity might have fiddled with and make sure they didn’t backdoor anything or leave any logic bombs in place. Or anything else you can think of that goes with the territory. The SCIF is going back to being a No-Loan-Zone immediately and you’ll confirm access for all personnel who think they have full access. As of now they don’t unless you confirm it. I’ll have a fire-team in place shortly if there isn’t one already.
She nodded. "I've got everything I could get with my current access. I'll do a deeper dive and see what I can find." It made sense that Rowena would have protections in place, especially in the SCIF computer where her own files were kept.
Straightening his Beret, the Cure’s flash prominent with the subdued oak leaf pinning its center, Neil looked at Rommie and said, “Warrant. Get me my Marines. Lachlan and Ed specifically right now.
Rommie complied, noting the Major’s tone and use of her rank. It took less time than an eyelash flicker and she nodded to him.
Neil’s HUD filled with the images of the COB and Marine XO and he took a breath, “Gentlemen. I and the rest of the department heads are back. Captain,” Neil said, taking another breath, “Stand up the Cure. No-loan-zones at Marine Country, Engineering, the SCIF, the Bridge, Armories and Medical. Get with Security. Lethal force authorized to prevent any further Thraggling around on this ship." Sergeant Major, meet me on the bridge. I’ll want to hear about this mess and clarify a few things. Full briefing. Until fully cleared by me and Medical, the Commodore and especially McGowan are listed as unfit. I am taking command of the Pioneer. I am not kidding. Full armor and weapons kit for the Cure. No Suits, unless you want a QRF in Marine Country to back up any of those zones listed.”
Neil let that sink in for a few minutes, regarding the holo-pictures of the two men and then he asked, “Questions?”
"We'll see it done Major." Lachlan replied confidently. "Once command is transferred to you on the bridge I can brief you on what has happened."
"Sir, welcome back." Was all that Edmund could say, his emotions on lockdown. It was best for him to put them in the lockbox for now. He did know that Lachlan had put the ship into lockdown including keeping Tyler and Rowena out of things. "No questions at this time sir."
Jayna stood off to the side where she was out of the way. She was pleased to see the sergeant major and captain. They had more information on what was going on than she did. Between the two of them and Neil, everything would quickly get back to normal.
A Joint Post By
Major Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Commanding Officer, The Cure
Lieutenant Junior Grade Mira Jayna
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
Intelligence Liaison, The Cure
Captain Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr
Chief of The Boat, USS Pioneer
First Sergeant, The Cure
Staff Warrant Officer Rommie
Artificial Intelligence, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Brigadier General Francis Sobel
Commanding Officer, 258th Starfleet Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Empok Nor
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