JP: Lt. Jack Kessler, Lt. Avander Promontory, Lt JG TK Cabrillo, Cmdr. Etan Iljor, Cmdr. Lia Rouiancet, Lt. V'Kel Kel - Kessler's Gambit - Thresish PART 5
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((Thresish, Prisoner Holding Facility, Zet Space)) - PART 5
The team had made it to Thresish and into the Prisoner holding facility but they were now in the maintenance shaft on the upper level and someone was approaching them. They were too close to get stopped by some maintenance engineer but the approaching individual was in the direct path they needed to take. Jack took a knee and pulled out a small black rectangular device with a pair of tubular arms protruding from one end.He laid it on the floor and then pulled a pair of goggles from his tactical vest and put them on. Smiling at the others he tapped the side of his goggles and the small device on the floor morphed into the shape of a solid black German Shepherd. An Earth dog who immediately surveyed the team and took a seat.
Jack looked at each person on the team and as he did he tapped a button on an arm band with a small control interface. His goggles displayed information within to him indicating that each team member had been registered as a ‘Friendly target’.
Looking past Commander Etan the built-in tricorder within the small device that was now embedded within the shape of the dog displayed the approaching target down the dimly lit corridor.
Kessler: K9, neutralize.
Without making a sound the dog leapt and took off down the corridor in a stealthy approach to the target. Moments later Jack grinned, a most satisfactory grin and turned to Etan.
Kessler: Clear Commander.
Avander reholstered his rifle. oO Next time! Oo
The holographic dog was impressive. It had come a long way since it had nearly caused a riot in Seven-Forward. V’Len was skeptical when he had heard Jack explain the purpose of the EMH canine, seeing it in action V’Len could see that indeed it had worked as well as Jack had said it would. V’Len just hoped it was not possessed in any way by the homicidal EMH.
Kel: ::smiling at Jack:: Give him a holographic biscuit for me would you?
Iljor had watched Kessler activate and deploy the holographic canine with naked surprise. His eyes wide and his eyebrows raised, he looked at Kesser in amazement.
Etan: I was not expecting that. :: he whispered. :: Where in the- :: he paused and shook his head. :: Actually don’t tell me, I don’t think I want to know.
Rouiancet: (grimly) Probably not.
As the team made it down the corridor they came upon the Zet maintenance worker. K9, sitting beside him as his body lay on the floor. The holographic dog looked back to the others and then back down the corridor as if watching for more targets.
Kessler: Lieutenant Correli would be proud, buddy. ::Jack reaches out and rubs the dogs head, looking back to Etan:: The Chief helped me design and build this guy for the Marines. Independant holomatrix, tactical tricorder, and a duel set of hyposprays build in to take out targets quietly without killing them. ::looking at the Zet:: he’ll be out for about 8 or so hours.
V’Len hurried over to the downed Zet. With no tricorder he could not determine exactly what state they were in, but respiration seemed to be occurring and at one of the exoskeletal joints a pulse could be detected.
Promontory: ::begrudgingly:: I suppose that's pretty effective. oO But I'm not calling it cute. (Beat) Even if it is. Oo
Kel: How long is this one likely to be out for?
Iljor’s gaze flitted from the unconscious Zet to the landing party.
Etan: Not long enough. Let’s keep moving.
Rouiancet: Keep an eye out, everyone.
Not that Lia really thought the warning was warranted, given that she was sure they’d all be as vigilant as if – well, if they were sneaking past a bunch of unconscious Zet.
The team made it to the junction and made the turn, and then proceeded on to the next stop. The maintenance shaft and the team found themselves now directly above the main access corridor in which the intelligence data indicated that the target, ‘Kessler’ was being held.
Jack took a knee on the opposite side of the access hatch that would lead to the corridor below and K9 laid down next to Jack.
Kessler: Avander, Cabrillo you two are up.
Leaning back against a wall V’Len checked his items again. He had his rifle and ice knife. During the journey he had made several small devices containing Anethizine gas. He hoped he could use these to incapacitate foes in a non-lethal way. Still the key things would be to make sure he didn’t put them all to sleep. Beyond that there was little V’Len could do. This portion of the heist belonged to others.
TK made his way past the others to the hatch and scanned it.
Cabrillo: Simple locking and release control but there are triggers to the security system active. ::turning to Promontory:: Time for your fancy gadgets again Lieutenant.
Avander stepped up to the junction box.
Promontory: They're really not that fancy. ::he inserted the skimmer in and keyed in the override program that had ultimately been successful on the roof:: It's just a basic lockbrake set.
As if to accentuate the point, the device flashed, hatch lock beeped, and the door swung open.
Kel: Well done.
Rouiancet: It’s still impressive. I don’t know that anyone else could’ve done that.
Before they stepped through, Avander turned to Jack.
Promontory: Are you ready for this?
Jack looked at Avander and felt no uncertainness about this next step. He was that much closer to one or both of his parents and proving the Zet had taken Federation citizens prisoner.
Kessler: ::grinning:: No turning back now. ::beat:: Let’s get this done.
Jack looked down into the corridor and then lowered himself down. Once on the floor he crouched to one knee and swept a 360 degree circle of the corridor before motioning the team to follow. As the team came down K9 remained in the maintenance shaft and Jack tapped a command on his wrist band for the holographic dog to remain there and in observation mode. Looking over to the wall there was a computer access panel and as Commander Rouiancet made her way down he looked at her and then to the wall.
Kessler: Commander, do you think that thing will give us any intel towards which room they are in?
Promontory: If it’s an integrated system, the information should be accessible. The Zet don’t seem particularly fond of firewalls.
Etan: There are convenient deposits of fistrium in the ground beneath us. It’s affecting sensors. There are non-Zet life signs somewhere in here, but I can’t pinpoint their location at this distance. We’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way.
V’Len glanced at his “tricorder” a Federation unit would have been able to cut through fistrium effects, but the unit he was currently using could not. V’Len wondered if the person was injured. If they were, it would complicate their escape.
Rouiancet: I was afraid you were going to say that.
Kel: Seems we’re doing everything the old fashioned way today.
TK was the last one down to the corridor this time and he was not liking how well lit this particular section was. They were sitting ducks in some very bright light and that was not a pretty thought. Lifting his tricorder up and scanning the area he turned slowly back towards the group.
Cabrillo: Clear from this direction. These rooms do not have any life signs in them. I am guessing they are empty.
Or they contained the corpses of Zet prisoners. Iljor suppressed a shudder at the thought.
Rouiancet: Let’s not test that guess.
V’Len’s antenna swept back and forth. Cabrillo was right, the only thing he could detect was the team and the every present smell/tingle of the Zet. The species seemed to have its own damp, foul odor paired well with their overall demeanor. Fortunately the smell was light in this area. It seemed as if no one was nearby.
Kel: He’s right. ::nodding toward Cabrillo::
Avander looked over Rouiancet’s shoulder, watching her deftly work the system and scroll through menu options.
Promontory: Oh, try that one!
Watching as the computer was accessed and information searched through Jack’s heart rate was going up. This was taking longer than he had hoped or maybe his nerves were finally kicking in. Either way he wanted to be moving.
Kessler: Sir?
Etan: There’s a life sign in this section. :: he said, looking at the tricorder’s screen. :: It’s human.
Rouiancet: Human? (beat) Anyone we know?
Lia tried to keep her tone light (well, as light as possible, given the circumstances), but her gaze flicked over to Jack. Was it possible…?
V’Len pulled his pack off one shoulder in case his medical expertise was needed. It was hard to imagine someone being down here and not needing medical attention.
Promontory: Looks like it’s just the one occupant.
That was the information they needed. Jack looked down the corridor and started moving in the direction indicated. It took several minutes to navigate the corridor and come to the room indicated by the computer. As they reached the door Jack took up a position on the far wall, rifle pointed down the corridor and waited for the others to take up their positions.
TK moved over to the door and scanned the locking mechanism and smiled.
Cabrillo: Locks from the outside, no alarms. ::looking back to Etan and Rouiancet:: Sirs?
It was more a statement that he was good to go and with the nod from the first officer TK entered the commands to open the door. As it hissed open Jack bolted from the wall into the room, rifle at the ready and TK followed.
Surprise took over as Jack looked at the occupant. The computer had told them this was the room Kessler was in and Jack paused, almost speechless at the moment. This was not his father or mother.
Kessler: Commander Grant?
V’Len could not yet see the man in the cell, but hearing a name that was not Mom or Dad his heart broke inwardly. He had not realized it until that moment, but he had wanted more than anything to see Jack reunited with his parents.
Grant: ::standing from the berth he had been laying on and looking very surprised:: Jack, what the hell are you doing here?
As the others entered the room Jack turned back to look at Etan and the Rouiancet and then back to Grant. V’Len was skeptical. How had this man been mistaken for Captain Kessler.
Kessler: Not that I am happy to see you sir but we thought one of my parents was here. ::turning to Etan:: Commander Etan, this is Lieutenant Commander Roy Grant, XO of the Caboto.
Grant looked at the team and the somewhat confused looks on their faces. Obviously they were not here to rescue him but that did not matter at the moment.
Grant: ::placing his hands on Jack’s shoulders:: Your parents are not here Jack. Honestly I do not know where they are. ::stepping past Jack and facing Etan:: When the Caboto was boarded the bridge took extensive damage. When I came to, Zet had overrun the ship and I am not sure where Captain Kessler was but the Zet were looking for him so I told them I was the ship's Captain. They just knew the name was Kessler and didn’t ask any more questions. I figured it might have bought the Captain a fighting chance but the next thing I know, I am waking up in a cell.
V’Len did not buy it. The Zet were nothing if not expert information gatherers. Captain Kessler’s picture was all over FNS. Surely the Zet would have discovered this man was not the authentic captain of the Caboto.
Etan: I wish we were meeting under better circumstances, Commander- but it’s good to see you in one piece.
Rouiancet: (with a look at Kessler) Yes, it is. And to know that some of the Caboto crew made it out.
Kel: Commander. I’m a doctor, can I be of any assistance?
TK was not liking the time this was taking and the Caboto XO seemed unhurt, and really not in a hurry to get out of here. TK did not share that same thought process and wanted out of this place as fast as his feet could carry him.
Cabrilo: Not to sound like the bad guy here but if the Kessler’s are not here then we should be moving to extraction right now.
Avander nodded along with TK. They had already spent too long in the Zet facility.
Kessler: :;stepping to face Grant and the others:: Are you sure, really sure my parents are not in this facility? ::beat:: I mean absolutely sure?
Grant: ::looking at Jack in all seriousness:: I’m sorry Jack. I am the only one from the Caboto at this facility.
Jack’s chest went down and the weight felt incredibly heavy on him. How could they not be here? Grant’s explanation made sense to Jack but at the same time all his hopes and fears collided into one jumbled mess. They were not here, he had not found them and although they had uncovered just as valuable evidence that the Zet were responsible for the attack and capture of the Caboto he felt as if he had lost the fight.
V’Len raised an eyebrow. If he had been isolated in a cell, how did he know who was here? If it was true that he was the only one, how had he managed to confirm this? Had the Zet shown him around the place? Whatever doubts he had would need to wait.
Cabrillo: Commanders ::beat:: sirs we need to move.
Avander moved toward the door, drawing his weapon as he went.
Promontory: Let’s go as one; tight formation. As soon as you’re ready. (beat) As long as you’re ready soon..
Etan: Fall out. :: he said sternly. :: Commander Grant, stay in the center of our formation. We’re getting you out of here.
Kel: Yes sir.
V’Len took a spot just behind Grant and confirmed his phaser was present.
Rouiancet: ?
As they moved off, Iljor looked forlornly at Kessler, his eyes full of sympathy.
Etan: I’m sorry, Jack. :: beat :: We’ll keep looking.
Jack looked at Etan and gave a slight nod, he did not want to leave but he knew deep down Grant would not abandon his father if he was here. As Jack looked towards the door and TK stepped back out into the corridor everything went into super slow motion. An energy ripped out from an unseen gunner and struck TK in the lower left abdominal region of his torso. Throwing him backwards and to the floor. The team went into fight and flight mode. Rifles discharged and Jack jumped through the doorway following V’Len or Avander. He really was not sure who stepped out before him.
Grant followed Jack and helped grab the downed engineer. Bringing the man to his feet Jack turned and motioned towards the direction of the maintenance shaft. Their presence had been discovered and now they were in a firefight to get themselves out.
Kessler: Move, move. ::bet:: K9, defense mode.
V’Len was too far back to assist Cabrillo and with the other fumbled back to take cover. Jack had taken up Cabrillo and V’Len poured any fire he could back down toward the Zet to cover his escape. He wished they could trade places, Jack was by far the better shot.
The energy blasts from multiple weapons aimed in their direction pounded the walls and some barely missed the team as they retreated. TK, still unconscious, was heavier than he looked or Jack was more out of shape than he thought. Either way getting him up into the maintenance shaft was going to take a moment.
Promontory: GO!
Avander returned fire, but there were too many assailants for that to matter much. oO Where did they all come from? Oo He thought, before his brain filled in the obvious answer oO Ambush. Oo The intel must have been a set up.
Springing to his feet, Iljor raced down the corridor, firing blindly into the crowd of Zet. He wasn’t intending to hit any of them, but spraying the area with phaser fire would likely throw them off balance.
Kel: Jack. Let me take Cabrillo!
Having reached the hatch Jack lowered the man to the floor and took up position to return fire. The team finally all back together started up into the maintenance crawl space but the Zet were driving in on them quickly and with numbers that seriously out gunned the team. Jack looked back as TK was hoisted up into the shaft and then looked to Etan, the last of the team other than himself to make the climb into the hatch.
V’Len had taken up Cabrillo and moved quickly up the hatch towards what he hoped would be escape to freedom.
Kessler: There are more Zet than we can handle. ::looking Etan in the eyes and pulling a grenade from back:: Grant is the proof you need. Get him out of here. I’ll buy you time.
Jack did not wait for his XO to shut him down or say anything, he turned around and took off running towards the swarm of Zet pursuing and firing at them. Jack’s emotions might have gotten the better of him or tactically he was making the right choice to provide as much distraction for his team to escape. As he passed the junction break Jack slammed the controls to the corridor doors sealing off the Zet from immediate pursuit of the rescue team. As the doors closed, Jack turned and fired an energy blast into the control interface and then turned back and took a knee. Raising his rifle, he let off several bursts at the approaching Zet but knew he was about to be overrun. Lowering his rifle he raised his hands in surrender, standing he smiled and revealed the grenade in his hand and depressed the detonator switch.
Outside the door, the remaining officers were getting recombobulated.
V’Len had put Cabrillo down and began a quick inspection doing whatever he could.
Iljor’s strangled cry of protest died in the crisp night air. His heart thundering, it was all he could do to look at the hatch.
Promontory: That was a close one!
For now, they were safe on the other side of the Zet. But safe was a relative term. And a temporary one. Avander looked at his comrades.
Promontory: Wait, where’s Jack?
Etan: He’s… gone to buy us some more time. :: he said, flatly.::
Kel: ::standing up:: We need to go back.
As the words left V’Len was thrown back as a violent explosion erupted from it. The heat seard V’Len’s skin but the realization of what it meant seared his very soul. It sent V”Len sprawling beside Cabrillo.
An explosion rocked the facility and TK jumped up as if hit by an imaginary force. The pain from his wound ripped through his body and mind all at once.
Cabrillo: Son of a……::beat:: I’ve been hit. ::beat:: Doc, give me something now!
V’Len rolled over and gave a hypo to Cabrillo, something to calm him for the moment. He staggered to his feet and raised his tricorder at the hatch, but there were no readings.
Grant: What was that? Did something just explode?
The force of the detonation was enough to jolt Iljor out of his stupefaction. He got to his feet as alarms began to wail.
Etan: We have to get back to the Foxy Lady. :: beat:: NOW.
Rouiancet: Make haste!
Now, what had possessed her to say that? Even as Lia shifted into a flat-out run with the others, there was still a part of her mind that was incredulous – not just about her choice of phrase, but about leaving Jack behind.
Kel: ::shouting:: I can’t get a reading on Jack. We need to go back in.
Avander couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Promontory: Scan for him again!
V’Len began to walk toward the hatch putting away his phaser and pulling the ice knife from its holder. He was rubbish with a phaser, and why not get up close and personal with the Zet. They after all had made it personal.
Etan: There isn’t any time, Lieutenant! :: he snapped. :: This entire area is about to overrun with Zet and if they find us here, they will kill us. On. Sight!
He didn’t want to sound so heartless, but Iljor knew Jack Kessler well enough to know that he would not want his crew to give their lives in a futile effort to save him. And there was the fact that if anybody could withstand the Zet, it was their Chief of Tactical.
Rouiancet: Iljor is right. We can’t go back.
Even if they were to locate Jack, Lia knew that there was no reward in the risk of returning.
Kel: ::turning back:: We can’t just leave him.
V’Len was ready. It was not how he ever imagined himself, but he was ready to sink his knife into all the Zet it required. If nothing else perhaps he could die at his friend’s side. That would be enough.
A loud metal clanging began from the hatch. Even if Jack were alive, if the rest of them stayed put, they might not be for much longer.
Promontory: We’re too exposed up here.
Etan: We have to move. :: beat :: Lia, take point. We don’t stop until we get to the ship.
Rouiancet: On it.
She moved out in point with her phaser leading the way.
Grant: ::grabbing Cabrillo and helping him to his feet:: No one else is dying on this rock because of me, move mister.
V’Len watched Cabrillo pass. He let out a roar of frustration that caused his entire body to tremble. But he turned and followed Grant and Cabrillo. Jack would not have been pleased to see V’Len fail in his duty of care.
TK was not in as much pain thanks to the injection the doctor had given him but every movement felt like a kick in the gut and that was enough to keep TK from barking back at this new guy who just yanked him up off the ground.
Cabrillo: Moving as fast as I can.
Kel: ::coming alongside Cabrillo:: We’ll get you patched up in no time.
They faced a twelve kilometer race back to the Foxy Lady and they would be pursued the whole way. Even with their advanced Starfleet physical fitness training, it would still be an ordeal. But there was little time to think about it. It was do or die.
And nobody else was going to die if Iljor had anything to do with it.
As they reached the rocky outcropping, Zet burst out of the hatch and the night air was filled with the whine of disruptor bolts. One sizzled past Iljor’s head, missing him by less than six inches. He could feel the heat from the destructive weapon as it soared past.
Etan: Keep moving!
Rouiancet: Just a few dozen more meters! Let’s go!
V’Len gritted his teeth and forced his body onward. Oddy he thought of Greaves. He would never leave a man behind. He would have gone back. Perhaps Etan lacked the metal, or perhaps he was painting Greaves through rosier glasses. He himself had once considered Greaves a threat to himself and others.
Grant knew that the last few meters was going to seem like forever in terms of time. He pushed TK harder and faster as the man draped one arm of his shoulders/
Grant: Almost there, almost there.
Cabrillo: Are we almost there? ::TK’s grunted question was meant as a joke but through the pain now sounded more like a bad joke::
The Foxy Lady sat shrouded in the mist ahead of them. Gray and dilapidated, but somehow welcoming and protecting. V’Len looked back at Grant. He still had misgivings about the man. His knowledge of the Zet base, his willingness to leave his former CO’s son behind. It didn’t make sense.
Kel: Almost there TK. I’ll get you some nice drugs, you'll have a nice rest.
V’Len would not rest. He had questions. Questions that needed answers. He glanced at Grant shuffling up the ramp into the ship. He would get them. He squeezed the hilt of the ice knife still in his hand.
[This concludes this JP – thank you all for your participation]
Lieutenant Jack Kessler
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Oumuamua
T239901JK1
Lt Avander Promontory
Intelligence Officer
USS Oumuamua
O239910AP4
Lieutenant jg TK Cabrillo
Engineering Officer
USS Oumuamua
T239901JK1
Commander Etan Iljor
Executive Officer
USS Oumuamua
NCC 81226
C239203TW0
Commander Lia Rouiancet
Strategic Operations Officer
USS 'Oumuamua
V238208LV0
he/him/his (player) & she/her/hers (this character)