The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

reply to post by nenothtu


"I don't believe you!" Luder yelled into the comm, starting back toward the engine room door. Luder had only known the security chief for a short time, but the man didn't seem the type to hide the fact he'd just killed for a while, then reveal it at a crucial point in time.

The massive bay doors slid open, revealing a bewildered engineering staff, stunned the Captain had just burst in with about five security guards and two pissed off marines in tow. Luder pointed at different areas of the engine room, indicating the security staff should search in those specific areas. He walked over to JohnQ.

"You have someone hiding down here near one of the reactor drives, John. I need you to go do a head count of your crew and tell me if anyone extra is bumbling around."

Luder looked around the engine room, wondering who it was that could be holed up in the gargantuan bay.

Originally posted by mf_luder
"I don't believe you!"

Studious nearly dropped his cane.

"What!? The Chief? And to think I was beginning to trust him."

Reaching up to the his ear, Studious radioed the Captain

"Everybody lies."

Limping forward the spec ops Marines reached a rear access hatch into engineering.

Maybe the Captain does not like the idea of giving me command of the Security staff as well as the Marines

"But I've been a Marine commander for years, why do I have to keep assuring people I know what I'm doing?"



[edit on 24-3-2009 by Studious]

Captain Luder walked slowly toward the rear of the engineering section, his weapon drawn and on heavy stun. He peered around a section of bulkhead where the light fell at just enough of a wrong angle to make it dark behind the massive drive housing. He peered a bit closer and nearly pulled the trigger on his weapon as he saw Colonel Studious appear from the blackness.

"Colonel?" Luder waited until the man was all the way through.

"Until further notice, I need you to assume control of the security forces aboard the USS Penelope. Our Chief of Security is on voluntary lockdown. As far as the situation goes in here, Seeker said who or whatever it is - it's here. I've sealed off the primary exits to this area and have a few men searching..."

"Sir, ther-" The words were interrupted by several blasts from an energy pistol set on stun and a few more blasts from an unknown type of weapon. Luder took off around the corner and froze, unable to look away from what he saw.

It was her.

Theresa...

Studious raised his weapon......

This was who had tampered with the system. This was who had reprogrammed Seeker. This is who killed my men. His anger was rising, he could feel his hatred.

As he began to pull the trigger a voice screamed.

"NO!! It's not who you are, you would never..."

Studious stopped his hand.

Stepping back Studious looked about and found in a coroner the same familiar silhouette.

Just then Studious felt ill and began to collapse, he reached for his improperly bandaged wounds, he was bleeding again.


[edit on 24-3-2009 by Studious]

Returning from the Yydryl Bar antar walks to the Data Center and begins transmitting her crew profiles into the com system for the High Command.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/07f82f739b20.jpg[/atsimg]
"Rrrmeticxth antar"

"Glaxersss High Commander"

" High Commander I will begin with Interrex Captain Loam"
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/78c8ab412343.jpg[/atsimg]
"This is his natural state his Mossian-Slea image."

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/30d93bad99e7.jpg[/atsimg]
"And this as you already know, his Humanoid form which he has used for more than 200 years."

STATS:
"Rigellian/ Mossian- Slea/ Hybrid
Possible shape Shifter
Typical height and girth 2.1m approx. 480lbs.

Nutritional necessities :
Requires diet of highly organic mineral matter/ live creel including Chlorophyllicitate subsitutes. Kjovilum nutrients including super algae for restorative and renewable energy.

Sleep/rest:
Can go for sustained time without sleep providing he has optimal nutritional needs met.

Enjoyment pleasures:
Feeds on positive emotions, and has tendancy towards hypersynapseochemical response from immunological chemical transmitters during battle which creates a profound sense of overreactive energysurrgence which in turn gives an almost orgasmic sensation.
Degrasta juice for renewed energy and sustainability.

Personal observations:
High Commander I must admit with the emergency situations there has been little time to respond to this in an appropriate manner however from the few moments spent in his company I will state that he is highly efficient and has shown great ability to lead this mission in the most responsive and dilligent manner. He is well focused and although not overly interactive with the crew, shows qualities of a highly trained observer as well as competent commander."


Signing off
Starship Yydryl
Emath/Chief Medical Officer
antar









[edit on 24-3-2009 by antar]



[edit on 24-3-2009 by antar]

Without hesitation, Adamant Resolve returned to the forefront of Seeker's operating parameters. Seeker considered it, then deemed the situation relevant.

Within 2.7 seconds, Seeker hacked the engineering core network, blazing through its 2-fold geometry encryption like a plasma bolt through a sheet of paper.

Once inside, he engaged the field containment system in the propulsion reactor bay. The effect was a nigh-unbreakable shield across the entry door. This effectively sealed the intruder, the one Captain Luder had called Theresa, inside.

With the same line of thought, Seeker powered down the propulsion reactor cluster and shielded it with the same barriers. The Penelope wouldn't be going anywhere for a while, but Seeker figured that was going to be the case anyway.

He opened a broadcast to the hallway outside the reactor bay, as close to Luder as possible.

"Captain, I've activated the field containment system. You can speak to the intruder through it, but I cannot bring it offline. Order: Adamant Resolve is clear on this Captain. She poses a significant threat to this vessel if Cold Harvest is involved. It may already be too late. Suggesting you authorize a sealed lock down of the ship until this can be sorted out."

Luder grabbed Studious by the arm and helped keep him on his feet, if a bit woozy.

"Take the Colonel to the sick bay and be sure he stays put this time." Luder said, handing the limp figure off to the men. Two of the Colonel's marines nodded and hauled the limp form off down the corridor.

Luder turned back to the shimmering screens separating him from Theresa and, unfortunately, the primary engine drives. She looked the same as he remembered. Long black hair, pale skin, beautiful. Slender. She was dressed in a UEF uniform, but not one he'd ever seen before. Must have been specific to the USS Nimitz. He sat down on the floor near the wall and drew his legs up to him, leaning his head against the wall. The room was eeriely silent, with the nearly two hundred engineering staff all watching in mute curiousity.

Luder listened to Seeker's voice come from a relay in the wall nearby.

"Captain, I've activated the field containment system. You can speak to the intruder through it, but I cannot bring it offline. Order: Adamant Resolve is clear on this Captain. She poses a significant threat to this vessel if Cold Harvest is involved. It may already be too late. Suggesting you authorize a sealed lock down of the ship until this can be sorted out."

Seeker's recommendation was sound.

Luder activated the inter-ship through his personal comm and spoke.

All hands, this is the Captain. I am initiating an emergency quarantine of the ship effective immediately. All non-essential personnel are confined to quarters until further notice.

Luder shut the comm off and looked back over at Theresa, who was peaceful, as if she decided to lay down for a nap there in the middle of the engine room. Luder, as he stared at her, remember things from his past. Things that were suppressed by years of the weight of command. She had really been his first true love. The two were seemingly meant for each other, but circumstances ripped them apart. It would always be one of the constants of military life - briefly meeting people you became close with, friends - lovers - then moving on to new assignments and slowly losing touch as if they never existed.

The past 78 hours were starting to weigh on Captain Luder. He felt his eyelids droop a bit, and he finally fell off into sleep there on the floor of the engine room, leaning against the wall.

The Colonel continued to come in and out of consciousness on his trip to sickbay.

The Colonel reached his exhausted hand up to his ear and radioed Lt. Jones.

"Lieutenant, effective immediately you are in command of the Marines and the Security staff, I seem to have underestimated how banged up I am."

Though Studious knew he was not well enough to leave sickbay before. He had been overcome by his thirst for revenge.

The Captain's quarantine order echoed in Studious' head, the chief and Theresa had obviously been affected by something. Was it Cold Harvest? If it was Studious knew he was probably already infected. The thought of doing anything against his will sickened him more than any of his physical injuries ever could.

The worn out Colonel finally arrived in sickbay....again.

The Lieutenant was waiting and asked.

"Sir, what do you want me to do?"

"Keep Nenothtu under heavy Marine guard. The Security staff may still be loyal to him. If he is under some sort of control, I do not want him leading his men against us."

"Yes, sir"

"Oh and whatever you do, don't let the Captain release Theresa. They are close, too close. If she gets out the enhancer may go berserk again, there is no telling what he can do. They have taken his free will."

Studious thought to himself. They made these enhancers, then took away their ability to decide for themselves. They promised them clarity and power but the enhancers became pawns.

The Lieutenant interrupted Studious' thoughts by saying

"Sir what exactly does Cold Harvest do? If you can't give orders I will need to know what exactly this stuff does."

"Well it's horrible in fact it’s worse than horrible, because a zombie has no will of his own. You see them sometimes, walking around blindly with dead eyes following orders. Not knowing what they do, not caring."

"Wait you've seen people affected by Cold Harvest? I thou..."

The Colonel cut him off.

"No, but every day I see our people. Many of them walk blindly following the orders of their superiors. People don't think anymore, they don't care anymore. It's like they are all affected by something, though it is not Cold Harvest it is maybe more sinister and subtle.

"Well, what could that be sir."

"Ignorance....If you don't know about something you can't stop it, if you don't know something is wrong you don't fight it. The enemy of Ignorance is knowledge, that is why I do love knowledge so."

They stood in silence for a moment.

Then the Lt. asked.

"Is it possible to overcome Cold Harvest...if it is here."

That last bit was more to ease his own fears than anything else.

"To resist the influence of others, knowledge of oneself is most important."

That quote had great wisdom in it Studious thought. It was knowledge that had been passed down over time and it had served him well many times in the past.

"Look at Seeker for instance, he is able to be controlled for he has lost who he really his, the man he once was and still is."

"Thank you Colonel and don't worry, that's my job now." the Lt. joked.

They laughed and the Lt. turned to leave.

As the Lt. left, Studious thought about what he had said. Someone who was trying to control you would never want you to remember who you were, or how you would act. So was the silhouette really..........


[edit on 25-3-2009 by Studious]

My loathing of Long Arms began years before and had done nothing to diminish over the years. It started in the Mud.
Mud Spectaculars was all I’d ever wanted to do, and I was the best.
No more stuffy Lab and sterile environments, No!
My spirit soured in smoke filled bars belching life and enthusiasm, emotions at a fever pitch, pretzels.
It didn’t take me long to realize no one at Lab noticed if I was present or not, hence Space Bar became my home, if unofficial one.

The time I didn’t spend wrestling I cared for Mud.
Other wrestlers took Mud for granted. Not me.
Grooming it, watering it, making sure it had just the right consistency, depending on the contestants naming the roster sometimes a barrel of Aragonian Tar mixed in.
How I missed the Space Bar now.

At the present moment I was still in a heap at the foot of a Long Arm on the vessel Yydryl reviewing my memory banks in order to to keep from waking.

Checking my recall further I found the hatred of my nemesis grew from the Mud Spectaculars, more pointedly the only contest I’d ever lost.
I’d been fortunate in my chosen profession as it’s near to impossible to gain a hold on a S.I.L.O born.
Unless you were a Long Arm.
Many species sported tentacles, but none as nimble, unbelievably strong and impenetrable to morph as a Long Arm or as they called themselves, Regalians. I called them menace.

It should have been a stellar night.
Mud was in perfect form and I’d been looking forward to the evenings event for days.
An open invitation to all-comers, I had no idea who I'd be up against but I relished the challenge.
The usual combatants proved so little a diversion I’d nearly lost my love of the sport.
I still wanted to win, but I craved some fight in my rounds, a little spirit, a little zeal!
Remembering back I got all that and more.

From the moment I stepped into Mud I knew I was in trouble up to my antenna.
Across from me the Regalian wasn’t just big, it towered.
Huge, black, many limbed, it’s eyes and mouth bore a snarl and promise of pain and mayhem I’d never seen in an opponent. That this thing wanted to chew me up no niceties included was obvious.
I hope it knew killing was against galactic rule.

The bell rang I breathed low and focused solely on the heaving sliming limb-flinging fury headed towards me.
Before you could say Galileo’s Cat I was picked up and tossed half way to Saturn before landing bruised and panting under a bar stool.
Growling all the way back I flung myself atop the rails where without waiting for the bell I leapt through the air to land on...
Mud.
The Regalian scum sat in the far corner making a foul sound (that could only have been laughter), pointing it’s grapplers at me egging me on.
It had moved with a speed unbelievable for one so grotesque.

Saying it toyed with me after that was understatement. Saying I was completely and utterly humiliated, my ego crushed right along with everything from my toes to antenna is another.
By the time it was through, the last bell having sounded, the clang still ringing in my ears, I was pissed.
Good-naturedly (if it’s possible in such a filthy species) the Regalian offered me a drink and laughed (I learned the horrid sound was indeed a laugh) when I refused.
If you’d said I was a poor loser you would have been right.
But as it moved off to join it's three mates something other than poor sportsmanship tickled the back of my mind.
What were Regalians doing in this part of the galaxy and in a Space Bar no less? A dive, someplace visited by misfits and rebels and lowlifes?
Didn’t Regalians pride themselves on, well, pride, their superiority in all things? It was no wonder I’d never fought one before, Regalians did not bar hop and I‘m sure that included Mud Wrestling! Something was going on here, it was no Mud Spectacular that brought these three my part of the star system.

Hosing myself down and slipping into my two-skin my eyes scanned to the room.
The three Regalians were still at the bar laughing and pounding the victor on the back.
The other patrons were strung out at tables humped over their drinks or half hidden swapping life fluids in the dark smoky corners. Nope, nothing unusual here, that is, accept the Regalians.

The droid behind the bar came to attention as the Transporter sounded, someone was about to materialize in.

I nearly came out of my faint when I saw in my memory who it was that stepped out of the Transporter Chamber.

Captain Cadbury of the Yydryl!

I did not know him that night, but in my memory banks I could clearly see the Captain’s emblem on his shoulders, the Yydryl’s insignia on his chest!

The Captain of the Yydryl had been at Space Bar!

Moaning in my faint the memories faded.
I tried in vain to recollect them, to override the voice that probed deep into my subconscious.
I failed, and began to wake.


[edit on 25-3-2009 by silo13]

QA's pondering if she had been able to get to Seeker in time, did not last very long.

QA had laid down for a moments rest, after spending hours on mental control of other's minds. QA has always been able to easily control and alter memories, but never so many in such a short amount of time.

As QA began to relax and wondering what it would have been like, growing up and living as a normal Regillian - she had just begun drifting into a portion of her mind, which was a luxury during the few times she had gone there. The what ifs - had never been part of her thought processes before. Through the moments she has been out of her underground black room, she has realized there was a completely different world.

The loud emergency computer light and buzzer, shook her out of the dreamy state she had just fallen under. Opening her eyes slowly, with a sigh, she knew - her mind memory alteration was not in time.

Slowly and cautiously QA walked back to her computer - put the wires on her head and began to get the bad news. She knew this was her first failing in 20 years, what would the rulers do as punishment, considering she was not in her "black room" anymore?

With the wires set, QA was reprimanded in a strong and forceful manner, which caused her to suck in her breath with the fiercness of incrimination she was receiving.

She was given orders to take control of the Captain mf_luger's mind and for him to release a "Theresa" out of confinement and then go back to sleep on the floor outside of it.

QA began to work................ She found Captain mf_luger, asleep - she awoke him - having him go to the lock and released it. Theresa, was laying down, the Captain called to her and told her to run!

Theresa, being shocked, that she was being released by the Captain, but assuming it was due to his feelings towards her, did not hesitate.

But..... as she stepped out the door to freedom, she stopped and gently but ever so carefully gave Captain mf_luger a kiss. Theresa told him "You are the only person I have ever loved in my life".
She turned and fled, looking back only once with regret of their love, that had not allowed them to be together.

As QA saw this play out in her mind, through her control, she felt pangs of sorrow, which had not ever occured before...... she knew, once she altered Captain mf_luger's mind, he would have no memory of that very intense and regretful feelings of Love which occured between him and Theresa.

QA had the Captain mf_luger lay back down exactly as he was, before she took over.

Once QA's current assignment was completed, she wondered, when she would receive her punishment for the failure earlier.......

QA stood up.... wanting to visit more of the "outside" world, to explore things she had missed out on her whole life.

QA walked to the door of her room, took a deep breath and a step forward to fully experience the ships world, while she had the chance, not knowing if the punishment might be banishment back to her underground chamber.

With her head held high, the door opened and QA took a long stride forward.

A small delegation of Security sergeants entered the brig area to find out what all the commotion was about, and to see if the rumor mill had it right - Chief nenothtu in the brig? What kind of crazy tale was that?

But it was so, they found out. A strapping young sergeant of the delegation gave the private at the desk the hairy eyeball. " Are you nuts? Let the chief outta there, right now! Ain't NO WAY he coulda zapped Fooks. What kind of planet did you grow up on?" The desk attendant looked uncomfortable, but the other sergeants seemed in agreement. What was he to do?

Neno bounced to his feet, and yelled through the energy field that had him locked in "BELAY THAT! I'm just where I'm supposed to be!" Now it was the sergeants' turn to look confused.

"What are you talking about, Chief? Looks like, from here, you're on the WRONG side of that doorway. We can get you out, after all, WE got the keys!"

Nenothtu was taken aback. THAT just wasn't right. You'll do no such thing, Sergeant..." he squinted to read the nametag "Means. Furthermore, you'll take no more orders from me until Psyche clears me. Boys, there's been some serious allegations made, and I think I'm not quite right in the head. Could be, I might tell ya to do something I didn't really mean." He slumped back onto his cot. "I seem to have gotten.... forgetful. I've asked the Captain to place you in charge of Colonel Studious until I get... fixed. There's something broke up here." and he tapped his temple.

Sgt. Means was aghast. "Colonel Studious! But... but... but" he stuttered "He'll make us SALUTE and such stuff as that!"

Neno gave him a twisted grin. "And you'll damn well do it if he does! Orders is orders, and you ain't takin' no more from me until this mess gets sorted out, if then. They still execute murderers."

Sgt Means studied him for a moment, and spoke. " Boss, you ain't no murderer, and you ain't crazy neither. Just a little weird."

"Well," nenothtu replied "I reckon we'll let the Psyches and the Courts-Martial settle THAT out, now won't we? And until they do, DON"T YOU CALL ME BOSS! Besides, I put MYSELF in here! How that for crazy for ya?"

With that, neno stretched back out on his cot. This 'interview' was over.



[edit on 2009/3/25 by nenothtu]

This is a bit of a switch. From flying dinky cargo planes, to having the bridge of the most advanced, most heavily armed ship in the federation to himself. He could get used to this.

Though the rest of the mission... he could do without. If he'd heard correctly, the very same hotheaded psychopath with a temper that had just been in here with a plasma pistol pointed at the captains head... was now not only in charge of the Marines on board... but also the security forces. And not only that but apparently the chief security officer was the one responsible for the death of the man who was supposed to be seated where he was... ah poor Fooks. All that and... he hadn't even eaten lunch yet!

Hopefully Chief Engineer JohnQ could get those engines going again to he could get them out of deep space, and back towards earth, for some much needed downtime, refueling, and thanks to seeker, re-arming and remanning. Between the schizophrenic Security Officer, the Marine Commander on a rampage, and the trigger-happy go-bot, he could really use a rest.

Then he recorded the message the captain had ordered and sent it into the vast unknown, towards the wiating eyes and ears on Earth.

COMMAND - this is the Penelope, we are under direct orders to remain quarantined, this ship MAY be compromised, we advise that you stand down and refrain from sending any ships into our vicinity for 72 hours or until further messages are recieved. penelope out.



[edit on 25-3-2009 by whiterabbit85]

"What!?"

"The Captain did what?"

Studious was sure he had heard right, but did not want to believe it.

The spec ops Marine in engineering replied, "The Captain.....he released the intruder and told her to run....... he then just slumped down. I think he's out cold."

Studious pulled the mic from his hear and adjusted it to a secure frequency, one Seeker could not hear. There's no telling what he would do if he heard this.

"Spec ops, take the Captain into custody he has been compromised. He is officially relieved of command, put him in the brig."

Realizing that the ship had no first officer no one would be in command. Studious thought about who was left to command.

"Nenothtu and the Captain had gone rogue. Seeker could be controlled and used like a tool. The Doctor was nowhere to be found, and I'm.... well I'm barely even able to stay conscious."

Using the secure line again Studious raised his hand to his right ear once again and said.

"John Q, I know you were in engineering and saw what the Captain has just done. As of this moment you are in command of this vessel."

Then calling the Lt. on the secure line Studious said

"Jones I want that intruder alive and I want her in the brig NOW!"


[edit on 25-3-2009 by Studious]

Rounding a corner at the end of the hall Scurvy was still murmuring to himself about his orders from Captain loam. He heard a sliver of sound and froze. Recalling the feeling of being watched earlier he waits and listens to determine the origin of the sound. He smells an oddly pleasant aroma, very much like the slicking oil used by some Rigellians. In fact that had to be it. Then a very soft thump sounded.

Coming to a halt at the mouth of the corridor where the sound had come from Scurvy hesitates a moment. The smell was stronger here. Rushing forward he spies a figure by the Captain's door. It appeared to be Whisper, the Spec. Ops. Agent. He approaches her to find out what was going on. Her lips part in a sly smile and she rubs an oily tentacle against one of Scurvy's in welcome. He grins at her, meeting her eyes for the first time he's surprised to see they do not seem as judging as they had when she was scanning the bridge upon their initial meeting. She informs him there is a creature in front of her that is cloaked in invisibility. Disbelievingly he reaches out to the spot she pointed out and felt a motionless lump on the ground. Whisper asks Scurvy to go and get the Captain and to bring him to the Data Centre where Antar was. Scurvy left quickly with no reply other than a quick nod of the head to acknowledge her request.

Passing the Data Centre he spots Antar hunched over a terminal entering some information. He stops at the door and says to her:

"Antar we have a major incident here. Whisper found an unknown entity near the Captain's quarters. I also have a message here that was left by Cadbury on his Verbalizer. Whisper will be here shortly with the alien. I apologize for my hastiness but this creature will be coming back into consciousness and the Captain needs to be alerted. I will return shortly."

Scurvy leaves the room and slithers off as fast as possible in the direction of loam's quarters. Passing the bridge he notices Skyfloating sitting at the controls of the ship. He quickly informs him of the situation at hand and tells Sky that the creature is being held in the Data Centre by Antar and Whisper.

Without waiting for a reply Scurvy ducked out of the bridge. Confident that Skyfloating or Antar would assist Whisper if she needed help Scurvy continued his hunt for the Captain. After getting through 2 decks of puzzling architecture without any problems Scurvy was surprised to find himself suddenly sprawled out on the ground. In his hurry he had not noticed the fragile, pale-looking creature exiting a room on the right side of the hall and had run full force into it. The figure had been thrown several feet back and looked completely stunned. Raising himself back to his tentacles he stretches out and assists the crew member up. Running through the staff listings in his head he thought this must have been Questioningall, the Communications Specialist.

"Good day Questioningall, good to make your acquaintance. I would stay and chat but we have an incident in the Data Centre. If you would like to be in the know I suggest you make your way there and wait for my arrival with the Captain."

Without another word he left the frail creature to stand and stare in shock. He thinks to himself, "Is there anyone on this ship I HAVEN'T run into?!"

Sliding to a halt outside Captain loam's quarters Scurvy pauses a moment to catch his breath and make himself presentable. He leans forward, presses the room's door communicator, and announces to the Captain:

"Captain loam this is Officer Scurvy. We have an emergency onboard the ship, Whisper's discovered an unregistered stowaway. It is under Whisper and Antar's supervision. They are in the Data Centre now and have requested we meet them there."

Scurvy anxiously awaits the Captain's reply; eager to be on his way back to the Data Centre and towards some answers.


[edit on 25/3/2009 by Scurvy]

Originally posted by Scurvy
"Captain loam this is Officer Scurvy. We have an emergency onboard the ship, Whisper's discovered an unregistered stowaway. It is under Whisper and Antar's supervision. They are in the Data Centre now and have requested we meet them there."

loam welcomed the interruption. He no longer desired the solitude of his quarters. There would possibly be time for quiet contemplation later...

Additionally, after considering the presence of a Rigellian penetrator as his communications specialist, loam knew what must be done.

And still yet another surprise...an intruder?

loam exited his quarters, signaling to Officer Scurvy that he should follow. Walking as briskly as the tangled corridors permitted, the two made their way to the Data Center, where antar and Whisper watched over the motionless intruder.

Officer Scurvy and Officer Whisper please keep our new guest secured until I return.

Officer antar come with me, you and I have a more pressing matter to attend to.

Scurvy and Whisper looked incredulously at loam. What could be more pressing than an intruder?

Together, loam and antar continued on until they arrived at Specialist QA’s assignment quarters.

loam did not hail the occupant.

“Yydryl: Interrex Captain loam. Override command order level 7. Open portal 27E3.”

The door opened.

antar, pacify her mind.

loam moved swiftly to the nest of connections tethering Specialist QA to several control and power panels.

Unceremoniously, he grabbed a handful of wires and yanked the connections free.

If I had clearly understood a Rigellian penetrator was on board this ship, I would have addressed you in advance of all other priorities.

A look of horror painted Specialist QA's face.

loam understood well the remarkable skills Rigellian penetrators commanded. Their mental abilities made them nearly omnipresent; capable of controlling minds across vast distances of space. Unfortunately, such exertions often led to the penetrator’s premature death, making them an expensive and unpredictable tool. Moreover, penetrators housed another inherent flaw-- one loam would make certain he did not fall victim to.

The production of a penetrator required nearly a lifetime of cultivation in order to produce anyone of meaningful skill. With sensory input completely controlled for decades, penetrator’s tended to develop dysfunctional dependencies upon certain handlers, creating the potential risk of ‘unofficial’ loyalties in contradiction to the intended desires of the State.

By disconnecting Specialist QA, he would temporarily neutralize to some degree any risk she might represent, limiting both her inbound communications and her outbound reach.

You are forbidden to reconnect without my express permission. Violate my command on this, and I will have you incarcerated...or worse.

Turning to antar, loam said with a fleeting look of concurrent sympathy and disgust, Console her as much as you are able and see if you can find any vestige of an individual left in her mind.

Satisfied with antar's simple nod, loam now turned his attention to the issue of the intruder and made his way back to the Data Center.

[edit on 25-3-2009 by loam]

As QA had taken the step forward out of her black room, she was feeling confident about exploring a new world and just as the complete confidence was taking hold of her mind - she was thrust and violently knocked to the ground. Dazed and unsure of what happened she became aware of a tentacle reaching out to help her up. Officer Scurvy was standing in front of her apologizing for rushing into her on his way to see Captain Loam.

After the introductions and apology, Officer Scurvy had continued running down the hall.

QA's confidence was shaken, those fleeting moments of feeling the wonderment of exploring a new world, became fear, of which she had not experienced before.

QA decided, she was not yet ready for explorations after all, she turned going back into her room to the one thing that did give her comfort - her wires.

The shock of Captain Loam barging in with Antar and ripping the wires out caused complete distress for QA.

First the comfort of the only thing she knew was now gone, but also the absolute fear gripping her body and mind of how the rulers were going to react and do, due to QA not being able to connect to the wires.

QA, having never known such fear and worry, collapsed onto the floor, looking up at Antar, QA saw kind eyes, but also knew, there were some things Antar would never understand, regarding her life and work - and what she was trained to do.

Another thought hit her, whoever the handler was who was assigned to watch her onboard the ship, would be notifying the rulers what had occured.

What will their reaction be? What steps will they take in repercussions?

QA's mind was a whirl in thoughts and concerns, ones she never had the luxury nor need of having before in her life.

Where will this lead? What was she going to do?

Mind control over Loam? His mind seemed to have a protective wall, she was not able to break through, though try as she might.

She was going to wait and see.

Antar, volunteered to show QA around, but first they needed to go and see the intruder, as Antar had been watching over it, before Loam grabbed her to accompany him to QA's room.

Seeker watched in a kind of virtual horror as Captain Luder haltingly walked back down to engineering and released the confinement field. He told "Theresa" to run before slumping down against the wall as if in a coma.

Seeker immediately began investigating all incoming and outgoing transmissions, over every conceivable frequency and wavelength, over the last few minutes. He locked down the data and encrypted it before setting up an analysis program to decipher the data. He would locate the source of the mind control. Cold Harvest had a decidedly identifiable signal. If it was there, he would find it.

After the program began running its course, Seeker reimplemented Adamant Resolve without hesitation. The Order showed him clearly what was at stake and how to contain the problem.

Most of the crew was confined to quarters, which would make this easier.

He hacked the emergency systems of the Penelope and triggered a global hull breach, causing each and every bulkhead to in the ship to seal everyone where they were at the moment. This would insure the least amount of risk to the Penelope.

He continued to lock down the ship, even sealing the bulkhead to the bridge. When he had concluded such business, he generated a 4-fold geometric encryption around the ship's emergency systems, making it uncrackable to anything but himself and a contingent of AI.

He would have to wait for the captain to regain consciousness before he could continue. Things were escalating out of control, and Adamant Resolve was clear on what had to be done in extreme circumstances. If Cold Harvest, or whatever it was, gained too much control, Seeker would have to initiate a reactor overload, destroying the ship and everything within several thousand kilometers.

He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Sadly, he began to search the video records for the location of "Theresa". She was locked down somewhere aboard the Penelope, and he would find her eventually...

"Excuse me a moment Officer Whisper, I must still attend to the orders Captain loam assigned me before you found our guest."

While waiting in the Data Centre for Captain loam to return Scurvy chose a terminal and stood facing it. He inserted his tentacle into the Galactichip reader and plugged in his security digits. Captain loam had requested a more powerful HIPD blast than normal, the reasoning of which was not Scurvy's concern. If loam wanted power he was damn well going to get a kick out of this.

Throughout the whole fiasco that had just taken place Scurvy had placed his orders on the back burner. With a minute or two alone his thoughts had come flooding back, with the perfect solution in tow.

Scurvy began installing a new program, naming it Optimus Prime. By drawing energy from the life force of the ship itself and redirecting 50% of the power from the magnetic drives that powered the ship's repellent shield the HIPD would have enough power to destroy any ship, of any size, with a single discharge. He would have to note to the Captain that the cannon would be drawing from the ship's life force and thus could not be used more than once at this intensity without causing harm to the Yydryl.

Satisfied with his work Scurvy exits the terminal, settles against a wall and says to Whisper:

"This is beginning to shape up to be quite the adventure. What do you think our 'guest' is?"

Reaching into his uniform pocket he withdraws a small flask filled with a potent brew of Rigellian ale.

"Care for a drink while we wait?"

[edit on 25/3/2009 by Scurvy]

Twenty minutes later, the hunter program Seeker had initiated to locate any incoming or outgoing anomalous transmissions completed its scan...

With one result.

A unique sort of energy was recorded sweeping across the ship. It was quantum tunneling in nature and in a sense, could be anywhere at any time.

The source was unknown, but certainly seemed artificial in nature. It was without a doubt, unrelated to Cold Harvest. None of the signatures were the same at all.

Adamant Resolve was still in effect, as the vessel was still threatened, and Seeker didn't hesitate to hack the communications antenna located on the Penelope's exterior. He needed to borrow it for a moment.

He reprogrammed its output to be on the same wave front as the quantum signature as the incoming wave that had so easily controlled the minds of several crew members now, and manipulated his own.

Seeker had taken that as a personal affront. As the antenna was powering up, he checked to be certain that his 5-fold geometry encryption was still safely erected around himself. Then he accessed the antenna.

Using the universal translator located onboard, Seeker began a transmission to the individual or individuals responsible for the intrusion.

[You will cease your tampering with this crew immediately. Any further interference with this vessel will be viewed as an act of war. A war, I assure you, that we will win. Many have stood against humanity, and yet humanity yet lives. Our free will is sacred to us.

Any further attempts to alter my mindstate will be greeted with harsh retaliation. I do not take kindly to being hacked, and have taken appropriate measures to assure that it will not happen again. Should there be a subsequent attempt, I will become a unwavering enemy of those responsible.

We do not seek war. However, if you seek to take from us our free will, it is war that you will find.]



Seeker broadcast his words into the timeless quantum medium at what can only be described as a high "volume", so as to be certain it wouldn't be missed, and its seriousness would be understood.

Now, Seeker knew where the anomaly was coming from, and he could watch for it vigilantly.

There was still the issue of Theresa. She was obviously not under the effect of Cold Harvest, no such signals had been found. However, she had still not been located and could potentially cause significant damage.

Seeker concluded that the lockdown would have to persist until the Captain awoke with further orders...

Captain Luder woke up and noticed two things immediately.

The first thing he noticed was that Theresa was nowhere to be found. This caused him significant distress. He leapt up and looked around the engineering bay, frantically searching with his eyes. He noticed several crew staring at him cautiously, with weapons drawn.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, walking toward the crew members.

"Sir, please remain where you are. The acting security chief has placed you under arrest for the release of the prisoner."

Luder felt his world come crashing down around him, bit by bit. He was solely to blame for this one, Cold Harvest or no. He wiped his face with his hands and sighed.

"As you probably already surmise, I don't remember letting her go. At all." Luder shook his head. He paced around a bit in the small area between the drive housing and the alarmed staff holding a makeshift guard on him.

"If I am to be placed under arrest, who is commanding this ship?" Luder asked.

"Sir, acting security chief Studious named JohnQ as the acting commander until further notice." Luder frowned. He turned to the relay on the wall where Seeker had previously spoken to him from.

Seeker. Initiate command code alpha three niner four. Lock down all essential systems and route control to your station. This ship is not to move until we get this resolved.

Luder waved his hand in the air.

"The weapons aren't necessary, ladies and gentlemen. I can find my way to the brig just as well as I could with a weapon trained on me." Luder thought better of it and turned back to the security personnel, "On second thought I'll head to my personal quarters and remain there. Bring two men with you and maintain a watch there so I can't do anything else to hinder operations on this vessel."

He turned to JohnQ.

"Sorry John, but I can't have the Penelope moving about in the galaxy until we figure out what's going on here." Luder walked out of engineering, followed by a sizable contingent of security personnel. He was headed for his quarters near the bridge.



[edit on 25-3-2009 by mf_luder]