Lieutenant Ras El'Heem - What happens in Vegas...

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((Indulgence of Chocolate-Coated Jama’haron, Deck 47, Guest Rooms))

He’d only said it to make Richard squirm, but he arrived well before the promised fifteen minutes. The ride up to the guest rooms was quick. Navigating the upper floors was not. It took Ras longer to locate a directory and chart a path than it had to ascend.

 

Deck 47 was comprised of long, meticulously ordered corridors. The plush red carpet muffled the sound of his steps, identical doors spaced equally on each wall, soft lighting that made every stretch of hallway look exactly the same. The maze of turns felt liminal like a never-ending labyrinth. The occasional couple strolling side by side or the solo guest with a pool towel slung over their should was the only thing to break the monotony. The size of it all settled in with every turn he made. It wasn’t exactly overwhelming, but it was big enough to remind him this was the largest hotel he had ever set foot in. Not that he had visited many away from home.

 

By the time he found the correct door, Ezra was already there.

 

Zerva: ::joking:: Well hello there Ras, what brings you here? It wouldn’t be by chance the Blue Matthews Escape Room experience would it? ::chuckles:: 

 

As Ras strolled up, all lank and not a serious bone in his body for the moment, he chuckled.

 

El’Heem: Blue Matthews Escape Room experience? Any relation to the Blue Man Group experience?

 

There was a confused pause from the security officer.

 

El’Heem: Nevermind. We can probably learn something from this. Put it on our resumes. Get a ribbon.

 

Ras placed his hands on his hips, his mind momentarily drifting back to the swamp where he was fishing, still craving those fish skewers.

 

Zerva: Maybe he’ll make it a Holodeck program on the Khitomer? We can have the new Academy graduates use the program as a test and an initiation to see if they truly have the right stuff in the Alpha Isles. ::laughs:: I’m kidding. Mostly.

 

El’Heem: If all it takes to have the right stuff, is to rescue Richard once, we’re due for a promotion. ::long dramatic sigh as he looks at the door:: We’ve tortured him enough. Ready to get him out?

 

Ras crept close to the door and inspected the mechanism for scanning your wristband, seeing if there was any obvious way to force it open.

 

Zerva: Alright, but be ready with the camera just encase. ::checks the door:: Hmm. ::raises his voice just encase Richard can’t hear him through the door:: Richard? Can you hear us? 

 

Matthews: Oh, yes I can. 

 

He put his face closer to the door and spoke in a manner one might speak to a toddler that had gotten themselves into a sticky situation and you meant to coax them into solving the problem themselves.

 

El’Heem: You alright, buddy?

 

Zerva: I didn’t bring any kind of lock picks or the like. 

 

By now, his ear was pressed to door, trying to surmise just how close Richard was. There was always the chance he was actually tied up to the bed and that was the reason he enlisted their help instead of the cruise crew.

 

Matthews: Then . . . how were you planning on getting me out?

 

Nope. He was right on the other side of the door.

 

El’Heem: I mean you tell us. 

 

Zerva: It is a vacation. I know, I know I should be prepared just encase. It’s not like I carry a screwdriver that can sonically open anything. I do have my PADD with me. What do you have on your side of the door? Anything that could aid us over here? What about you Ras? 

Matthews: :: Rolling his eyes, and saying in the most sardonic voice :: Oh wait, there’s cutting tools. And oh look, there’s a key card. Silly me.

 

The annoyance was seeping through the seams of the door. They’d pushed him far enough. Ras stepped back and eyed Ezra.

 

El’Heem: Okay ideas man, this is more your forte than mine.

 

Zerva: Response 

 

While Ezra spoke, Ras poked at the wristband scanner mindlessly, unsure of what he expected to happen.

 

Matthews: I dunno, guys, is the ship's computer working on your side? I tried calling for help from people who knew what they were doing first. But there’s no communication here. Ship’s computer is silent and nothing is working. 

Zerva: Response 

 

El’Heem: I mean do you want us to get the cruise staff or does this need to be on the down-

 

He was cut off by frantic shuffling on the other side of the door followed by a much more panicked Richard.

 

Matthews: Guys, :: Richard backed towards the door. Smacking the door behind him. :: Uh . . red alert. Red alert. Get me out of here. 

 

The two outside the door made nervous eye contact and only a second passed between them before Ras slammed his shoulder into the door. One pound, two. This was ridiculous, the doors didn’t even open in that manner but his friend was stuck behind it and things sounded like they were going south.

 

El’Heem: ::slightly panicked himself:: Richard what’s wrong? Is someone in there with you?

 

Richard/Zerva: Response

 

El’Heem: Come on! We gotta get him out of there. Richard’s usually a smart ass even when he’s in danger.

 

He tried to slip his fingers into the door seam and pull in opposite directions. When it budged a fraction of a centimeter, he waved Ezra to help him.

 

Richard/Zerva: Response 

 

Ras relented when the door didn’t open and pounded on it three times with his prosthetic hand, a hollow metallic clank rattling through the corridor.

 

El’Heem: Okay. We’re not getting you out this way. ::brief pause through strained breath as he tapped at his wrist:: I called in an SOS on my wristband, I don’t know how long it’s going to take for them to get here. What do we do Ezra?

Richard/Zerva: Response 

TAGS/TBC

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Lieutenant Ras El’Heem

Science Officer

USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)

K240106RE3