Lt. Robin Hopper: Drive By
Robin Hopper
((OOC Note – Since there hasn’t been another post from Team A or Team B since my last Hopper sim, I am writing from her isolated POV for this sim. She’ll be back at the camp by her next one, so if anyone else wants to they can feel free to tag her arriving. I’ll write from Kivik and/or Lohani’s POV when there’s sims from Reade/Dro.))
((Idrustix – Southern Tundra Region, Outside Teams A & B Campsite))
Robin quickened her pace down the icy ridge towards the ‘entrance’ to their temporary camp. It had been slow going getting up the ridge and rushing down it felt like a sure way to wind up in sickbay… But there were others at risk. Ikaia was throwing up, Kivik and Dro were exposed – and Lohani and Reade were unawares of the drone now scanning their campsite.
How had it found them there? Could it have been Lohani and Reade’s communication? Kivik and Dro hadn’t finished their perimeter yet – maybe it had just gotten lucky and wandered into camp. Either way, they were all in danger. Lohani and Dro especially, as the drones were evidently targeting Betazoids.
Hopper: =/\= Teams A and B – alert! We have a drone in the campsite. Extreme cautio– =/\=
She grabbed her Phaser Rifle, taking aim at the drone – and then lost her footing, falling over sideways with a yelp and sliding down the rest of the icy ridge. She felt her knee bump against a rock with a disconcerting crunch, spinning her around until she eventually came to rest at the base of the ridge, moss and frost in the hair that covered her face.
Sitting up, she reached to activate her combadge again and found that it was missing – ripped off during her slide down the ridge, she guessed. It was nowhere to be seen. She hoped that the others in the campsite had heard her warning – but couldn’t be sure.
Hopper: Oh I really hate today…
She stood, shakily, her right knee flaring with pain as she put weight on it, and looked for the drone or its telltale blue beam…
Hopper: Where did you go?
After a moment of scanning visually for the drone, she lowered the phaser rifle and looked down at her right knee, which was unfortunately not made of durable metal like her left. oO Ugh, why did it have to be that knee? Oo It was beginning to bruise already – and was tender to the touch – but she could move it and could bear to put weight on it, so it wasn’t broken. oO Walk it off, Hopper… Oo
Keeping the rifle in front of her, she limped as quickly as she could towards the huts. She could no longer see Kivik and Dro – and Ikaia seemed to have disappeared as well. oO Where the hell is everyone? Oo Out of habit, she reached for her combadge again and sighed in frustration at the realization that it was still missing.
As she entered the center of the camp, she heard a warbling electronic sound to her side and turned to find the drone, coming out from around the back of one of the huts. Its blue beam scanned over the hut in neat rows. The next hut, if it continued along the same search pattern, would be Reade and Lohani’s.
Hopper: ::Shouting at the Drone:: Hey! You are not welcome here. Leave immediately.
The drone turned its attention to her, scanning her with the blue beam. Robin clenched her jaw. She’d been through this dance before. The drone would find her disinteresting and demand the Betazoids. When she denied its request, it would get violent. But with her knee, she wasn’t sure that she could get herself to cover in time if things went south.
Drone: Communicable Responses Limited. Access to Individuals of Scanned Genetic Profile Required.
Hopper: ::Improvising:: Okay. You want access to the individuals with the unique genetic profile, right? They’re, uhh, in a hidden location. We moved them there so you wouldn’t find them. But I can take you there.
The drone hesitated, obviously processing what she was saying. Robin gulped, unsure if the thin ruse would be sufficient.
Drone: Access to Individuals of Scanned Genetic Profile Required.
oO Is that an agreement? Oo
Hopper: Alright, then. I will… comply. They’re this way – follow me.
With some reservations, she turned around, putting the drone behind her and began walking slowly back towards the entrance of the encampment. The gentle electronic warbling behind her evidenced the deception was working – at least for now. The drone was following.
oO Now would be a great time for Grurg to show up… Oo
In the middle of Robin’s thought, someone did show up – or rather something. It was definitely not Grurg. From around the ridge surrounding the campsite, a massive dark grey orb with a piercing red ‘eye’ emerged. It resembled the other drones in its hovering spherical shape, but it appeared far more sinister. Robin stopped in her tracks.
Hopper: ::Over her shoulder, to the drone:: Friend of yours?
Drone: Communicable Responses Limited.
Robin hesitated, uncertain what would happen. She hoped the drones were communicating with one another silently, but had no way of knowing. The larger sphere was clearly designed for a different purpose – its body was lined with subtle grooves which suggested it was reconfigurable, perhaps able to ‘open up’ like its smaller cousins and reveal weaponry on a much larger scale. oO In which case, we’re probably all scr– Oo
Before Robin could finish her thought, a blast of wind knocked her over. The small drone behind her was pushed aside, bumping into the rocky ridge behind them and rolling to the ground. Looking up, she saw the Shuttle Quimby having arrived at breakneck speed, flying over top of the larger sphere. It circled back around and unleashed a barrage of phaser fire at the sphere, which began firing back as it pressed on towards the encampment.
Getting to her feet as quickly as she could, Robin raised her phaser rifle and fired at the large dark grey sphere as well. Then, noticing the smaller orb beginning to hover again, turned her attention to it – there was a small crack along its side from its impact with the ridge. She fired at the crack, shooting repeatedly until it wobbled and lost its balance, falling to the ground with a thud.
Looking up, she could see the Quimby pursuing the large drone. She followed, as quick as she could, back towards the camp. Hoping that Reade, Kivik, Ikaia, and the others were still safe.
TBC
