MdJG Jovenan – The flight of the cavalry
Jovenan
((Jefferies tube, Deck 11, USS Artemis))
There was little Jovenan could do right now.
She was being escorted through yet another set of maintenance tunnels, except this time the tunnels were much smaller and contained fewer Mizarian slaves than the Shint vessel. Just like the previous time, she was there to steal prismagons from potentially dangerous people, but unlike during the Shint vessel heist, she was more afraid of her escorts.
J: =/\= 9-5 in the nest. =/\=
Col MacKenzie: =/\= Copy that. Move to phase 2. =/\=
Jovenan had decided she wouldn’t go down as a damsel in distress. If the Commonwealth monsters were planning to kill her along the Artemis people, her best option was to try and stop them at the risk of her own life if it meant the Artemis crew was to be spared. Jovenan tried to calm her nerves with the cold utilitarianism of her logic. Yet, despite her intentions, she couldn’t act now. The Colonel was just behind her, undoubtedly holding her at gunpoint. If she was going to sacrifice herself, she had better make it count.
She really wished she could just be a damsel in distress.
It took the robot some time to take over the lab where the prismagons were kept. After a while, the colonel ordered her to enter the lab’s anteroom, and given her lack of option, Jovenan complied. Raising to her feet, she saw the robot in front of her in abysmal state. The skin, the little that was actually visible, was entirely pale and covered in dried blood and other liquids oozing from the cracks on his skin and other orifices.
Then Jovenan turned to observe the room. The room they currently stood was relatively clean, with computer interfaces and other scientific equipment, but one wall had large transparent aluminium portions that allowed viewing into the lab itself. There, she could see, lying on a table, a shape of a body. While Jovenan couldn’t see the details nor the body itself under the PPE uniform, she knew that the immobile person was likely… dead.
Col MacKenzie: Good work.
She wanted to vomit. Turning to the killer robot, she saw that it was holding a briefcase with an unknown emblem on the cover, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care at all.
Jovenan: ::almost crying:: Why did you do that to them!?
J: Response?
The team didn’t remain still but resumed their journey. Taking a one last peek back to the lab, she was both horrified and, more than ever, determined she would execute these creatures. Execute every single one of them.
((Corridor to Tertiary command processors, Deck 15))
The Colonel was taking Jovenan somewhere. The killer robot had disappeared back into the maintenance tunnels while they had walked along the corridors towards their destination. She had been surprised that they were heading down, to the lowest part of the ship. So far, they hadn’t encountered other Artemis crewmembers, which was both good and bad thing; on one hand, no one was getting hurt, but on the other hand, there was nothing to stop the Desdemonans…
T'Gol: Starfleet Security! ::announced himself:: Stop right here. You are trespassing!
The two turned to face the shouter. They had been spotted by two yellow-shirt personnel of the ship, and while Jovenan wished they were enough to also stop them, she was disappointed when the security officers seemed to step down upon erroneously recognizing them as their counterparts.
T'Gol: Ah, Captain MacKenzie, it's you.
Col MacKenzie: We were just on our way to secure the tertiary command processors – we think the crew of the Desdemona will be targeting sensitive areas of the ship.
T'Gol: ::smiled:: Understood madam. But there is a problem...
The two security officers reached out for their weapons.
T'Gol: ...a real captain MacKenzie a moments ago called for security...on deck eight.
They had been caught! The two were likely enough to detain the Colonel, although the killer robot was still a bigger threat considering what it was capable of doing. She knew it was lurking nearby, behind the security officers, ready to jump in and kill them. If she warned them, they could still…
Col MacKenzie: That MacKenzie is the captain of the Desdemona. You can confirm with Commander Adea – he was with her.
What? Jovenan gazed from the security officers to the Colonel and back. The Colonel’s plan was devious, and to much of Jovenan’s dismay, it seemed to work. The security officers were still holding their hands on their weapons, but they looked like they were hesitating. Jovenan wanted to shout at them and tell that this MacKenzie was a fraud, but she, too, hesitated. Was this the right moment?
J: Response?
Col MacKenzie: Please. Call Commander Adea to confirm. We’ll wait.
As the two officers hesitated, Jovenan’s nervousness was rising rapidly. If the security officers believed the Colonel, the Desdemona captain and the killer robot would slaughter the two people right in front of their eyes. She could warn them, but there was no way they’d believe her, as she was, essentially, as much as an imposter as the Colonel was.
T’Gol: Very well, ma’am. Please, remain still for a moment.
The security officer tapped his badge with free hand.
T’Gol: =/\= Ensign T’Gol to Commander Adea. =/\=
Adea (or other in that scene): =/\= Response? =/\=
T’Gol: =/\= Sir, there is an individual on Deck 15 claiming to be Captain MacKenzie, can you… =/\=
Jovenan: She lies! She’s an imposter!
Adea (or other in that scene): =/\= Response? =/\=
MacKenzie/J: Response
It wasn’t quite the well-planned and well-executed attempt to save the ship as she had hoped she could pull off. While she wished the people on the other side of the communication link heard her shout as well – except for the fake Adea, but whatever – her main wish was that the security officer would react to the warning, in time. The security officers responded by pulling out their phasers, although Jovenan wasn’t sure if they were going to fire, at least not until the Colonel and the killer robot would get them.
She wasn’t going to watch that happening, but she turned around and started sprinting away. She was a good runner, but she knew very well she couldn’t outrun a phaser beam. However, if she made it behind a corner, she could get a few extra seconds to get away from them. Hoping the four others would concentrate on shooting at each other, she thought that if she made it to the turbolifts before the Colonel, the killer robot or the security officers shot her, she might just survive…
MacKenzie/J: Response
TAG/TBC
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Mediator JG Jovenan
Science officer (secondment)
CIC Desdemona
E239911J11