Post by LucianG on Jul 22, 2005 11:00:29 GMT -6
A little earlier…
“Are you sure you want to go through with this? I can lead it if you’d like,” said Lieutenant Proteus quietly.
Captain Urdea thought for a few moments before answering. Over the past few cycles, he and his senior leadership had spent almost all of their waking centars reviewing the Callisto’s logs and personnel records for any signs of individuals who might have been involved in the mutiny. In the first two raids, the Security Officers had found a dead crewman and a broken glass vial at each location. This time there were two rooming together, and they were about to go off extended duty. Perhaps the information and Urdea’s hunch were wrong, but….
“I’ve rarely been more sure of anything in my life,” he replied in a quiet tone. He attached the last piece of body armor and then put on the helmet. Picking up the assault rifle, he turned to the rest of the team and said, “We want these guys alive for questioning, but we aren’t going to take any chances either. We’ve got folks watching them so they’ll be covered all the way from their duty station to their quarters. As soon as they open their door, we hit them hard and fast, just like we’ve gone over. Proteus overrides the door controls, so they won’t be able to close it. Any questions?”
Hearing none, Urdea led the team to the staging point just down the corridor from the crew quarters. The other half moved to the secondary point beyond. Then, they waited the last few centons until shift change. The two crewmen, Franchez and Provodo, had been on duty when the mutiny ended. Like a number of others who had suspicious backgrounds but had not been cleared, Urdea had arranged for them to be assigned to another shift. During that shift, the Security team had checked everything possible. It had taken time, but both Franchez and Provodo had been shown to have ties to a number of those involved in the mutiny. It could be coincidence, but Urdea didn’t usually put a lot of credence in coincidence.
As he waited the last few centons in the utility closet just down from the door, he concentrated on the issue at hand, but little thoughts kept slipping through his resolve. Chief among them, Abby had left for the Agro Ship without them even being able to speak due to the mutiny investigation. He hoped to be able to speak with her after this was resolved, but for now, he was thinking of his—no, possibly their—future. He was seriously mulling over a decision that would affect their lives.…
Then, the situation with Colonel Charybdis and Elmer’s death was still on hold…again, due to the mutiny investigation. The announcement a little earlier of the Colonel’s move had surprised him greatly. As soon as this mess was over, that mess had to be resolved, too.
Finally, he wondered how Major Brie was doing. He looked forward to being able to stop by to see her soon. She’d been through so much….
The voice in his earpiece said, “Here they come.”
Urdea peered through the scope mounted through the door as Provodo opened the door to their quarters....
“Are you sure you want to go through with this? I can lead it if you’d like,” said Lieutenant Proteus quietly.
Captain Urdea thought for a few moments before answering. Over the past few cycles, he and his senior leadership had spent almost all of their waking centars reviewing the Callisto’s logs and personnel records for any signs of individuals who might have been involved in the mutiny. In the first two raids, the Security Officers had found a dead crewman and a broken glass vial at each location. This time there were two rooming together, and they were about to go off extended duty. Perhaps the information and Urdea’s hunch were wrong, but….
“I’ve rarely been more sure of anything in my life,” he replied in a quiet tone. He attached the last piece of body armor and then put on the helmet. Picking up the assault rifle, he turned to the rest of the team and said, “We want these guys alive for questioning, but we aren’t going to take any chances either. We’ve got folks watching them so they’ll be covered all the way from their duty station to their quarters. As soon as they open their door, we hit them hard and fast, just like we’ve gone over. Proteus overrides the door controls, so they won’t be able to close it. Any questions?”
Hearing none, Urdea led the team to the staging point just down the corridor from the crew quarters. The other half moved to the secondary point beyond. Then, they waited the last few centons until shift change. The two crewmen, Franchez and Provodo, had been on duty when the mutiny ended. Like a number of others who had suspicious backgrounds but had not been cleared, Urdea had arranged for them to be assigned to another shift. During that shift, the Security team had checked everything possible. It had taken time, but both Franchez and Provodo had been shown to have ties to a number of those involved in the mutiny. It could be coincidence, but Urdea didn’t usually put a lot of credence in coincidence.
As he waited the last few centons in the utility closet just down from the door, he concentrated on the issue at hand, but little thoughts kept slipping through his resolve. Chief among them, Abby had left for the Agro Ship without them even being able to speak due to the mutiny investigation. He hoped to be able to speak with her after this was resolved, but for now, he was thinking of his—no, possibly their—future. He was seriously mulling over a decision that would affect their lives.…
Then, the situation with Colonel Charybdis and Elmer’s death was still on hold…again, due to the mutiny investigation. The announcement a little earlier of the Colonel’s move had surprised him greatly. As soon as this mess was over, that mess had to be resolved, too.
Finally, he wondered how Major Brie was doing. He looked forward to being able to stop by to see her soon. She’d been through so much….
The voice in his earpiece said, “Here they come.”
Urdea peered through the scope mounted through the door as Provodo opened the door to their quarters....