Crisis Memes - 14 & 15

14 - Fri 08 Aug 2256 13:10

Major Allason's fist was rhythmically pounding her desktop. “So what the hell do we have left?” she asked.

“Some knives and improvised clubs, but nothing in terms of projectile weapons,” replied Will Chiton.

“Everything has just completely disappeared,” added Bruce. “In the last hour every Marine has reported their weapon missing - and everything in the arsenal has vanished from right under our noses. I swear those damn maintenance Taurs are behind it, and I know where all the kit has gone - down to their friends on Deck 22. Sweet Creator, we’re completely screwed now.”

“There’s no way the maintenance people can get in and out of the Marine sectors without the security ‘droids checking them,” Chiton said. “It’s the most secure place on the ship - no vents, no pipes, no access apart from the main blast doors, and they are under constant observation. The ‘droids logs have all been manually checked - there are no gaps, no downtime, and no record of the weapons being removed.”

“Incredible!” Allason said, shaking her head. Then, she reached down to her holster, “At least I’ve still got mine…well, I’ll be damned! Where the hell has that gone?”

“The same place as ours, I’d guess,” Will said.

“Not possible…” Allason said, “I definitely had it with me, and no-one else has been in here until you two arrived ten minutes ago.”

“Could you have been out for a comfort break m’aam? Or a drink?” asked Will.

“No.”

“With respect m’aam, there’s a full cup of tea on your desk.”

The Major looked at the drink as if she was seeing it for the first time. She reached out and put her hand around it.

“Hmm. Still warm too,” she said.

“Leach!” she called, and after a few seconds her batman appeared at the door.

“Yes m’aam?”

“Did you bring me this damned tea?”

“No m’aam, one of the Service droids brought in it if you recall, about fifteen or twenty minutes ago. Is there a problem - do you want me to get you a fresh one?”

“No, no it’s alright, Terry, just carry on.”

“The droids have the chemical mood modifier,” Will said, “Though it doesn’t normally cause amnesia.”

“There are drugs in Medi-care that could, though," Allason said, "And the droids could have been supplied with it. But they wouldn’t do something like that of their own volition – they don’t think for themselves. Somebody must have given them instructions.”

“So are you saying someone has used the droids to drug us and steal our weapons?” asked Bruce, “But who has the capability to do that?”

“I don’t know, but I know who to ask - the ships captain, Mr Martin McGilligan.” Allason stood up and straightened her uniform. “Will, you come with me. Bruce, form up some search teams - take knives, hammers, clubs - anything sharp you can lay your hands on. Those weapons are somewhere and I want them back in Royal Marine hands before anyone does any damage with them. Let’s move, gentlemen.”

15 - Fri 08 Aug 2256 13:30

“So why is everyone still looking for planets, Kuo?” asked Amber, “Surely we just need to fire the auxiliary engines and head off towards Demeter?”

“It’s a long way off. We’re still hoping to find something closer, maybe an asteroid or a small moon.” explained Kuo.

Amber was slightly peeved. She hadn’t actually found the tiny pixel of light that represented the distant planet, but she had suggested the perfect name for it – especially now that a detailed scan had confirmed that there was water and vegetation. Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest - any other planet would end up with a much less appropriate name.

“Look busy,” Kuo whispered. “Captain on the Bridge.”

Amber looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a middle-aged man with a head of wiry hair, greying at the edges. Not at all like her idea of a star-ship Captain.

“He looks quite grumpy,” she whispered. “Will you get in trouble if he finds out I’ve been helping you?”

“McGilligan will know already - he’s got a Nexus Enhancement - a direct brain link to all the ships major systems.”

“Is that like a cy-pod?”

“Same sort of idea, but instead of piping music directly into your head, it gives you data on the ships status - though it must have been driving him crazy since the explosion - talk about overload!”

“Isn’t there an off-switch?”

Kuo smiled and shook her head. “Well, it looks like you’re safe anyway - he’s going into his room with Major Allason and the hot Lieutenant

Amber looked around again. “Oh, it’s Will,” she said.

“You know him?”

“We’ve met.”

“Hmm. He’s a heartbreaker that one. If I were ten years younger….”

Amber smiled. “Does everyone think that?”

“All the girls on the Bridge do - and come to think of it, several of the guys too.”

McGilligan and the Royal Marine officers went into the Captains office and closed the door.

“I wonder what they’re taking about,” Amber said.

“Probably what’s going to happen when the ship starts to move. The acceleration will create some g-force and may cause some damage. It shouldn’t be too bad - the auxiliary engines have inertia dampeners that should keep most things in place. Now, are you helping me or not?”

“Do you mind if I say no? It doesn’t look like Selena is around so I’ll collect a few plates and things. You people are really untidy you know.”

Amber found a plastic bag a started collecting the litter. She quickly worked her way across the floor towards the meeting room next to the Captains office. Checking to see that no one was watching, she ducked inside and closed the door. Climbing on a chair she was up inside the air duct in a matter of seconds, congratulating herself on her growing skills as a spy. She crept along as quietly as possible towards the next metal grille, and then listened intently.

Silence.

After a moment, she crept nearer and peeped through the slots into the office.

Captain McGilligan was looking right back at her through the slits.

“Miss McLaren, if I thought for one minute you had any malicious intentions I would have you thrown in the brig as a spy.”

Amber drew back and took a deep breath.

“As it is,” he called through the grille, “I’m confining you to your room for the next 24 hours. Not much of a hardship given your new residence, but it should keep you out of mischief. You have 15 minutes to get back there - and I will be sending someone to check on you. Now, move out young lady!”

Amber ran all the way back to Deck 1.