From: Kenneth Field (envision_at_fidalgo.net)
Date: Sat Jul 28 2007 - 10:46:01 PDT
"Jeffries Tube Confessions"
(continues from Steve's "Deviations")
Location: GS-2
Stardate: 2.70728.?
Scene: Jeffries Tube 6bx4c
"Counselor McInnis?" Mikey's voice echoed up the Jeffries Tube from behind him. "How did you know there was a Jeffries Tube connected to the Holodeck?"
They'd been scrambling like tunnel rats through the maze of Jeffries Tubes that ran throughout all Starfleet installations for several minutes now, still dressed in their gi's. Fortunately, they'd been real, fabricated for them all by replicator prior to going onto the holodeck. Otherwise, they'd have been naked. Another fortunate turn of events, it seemed, because barefoot, they had very good footing on the slick plasteel of the tubes.
"I think you guys can dispense with the *Counselor McInnis* bit now," Gene called back over his shoulder. "We know each other well enough. Call me *Mac.*"
The boys tried it on for size a couple of times before returning to the question.
"There's always a Jeffries Tube nearby," Gene replied. "Engineering crews have to have access to the various systems that operate the Station. Jeffries Tubes get them there. Otherwise we'd have panels pulled all over the pedestrian walkways all the time."
"Is there a Jeffries Tube connecting our quarters?" Peyton's voice rose up the darkened tube from the rear of their procession.
"Sure," Gene replied. "It carries all the conduits for life support. They can be dangerous if you don't know your way about. There are hundreds of miles of tubes on the GATE, and a hundred ways to get lost or get fried in them. An old friend of mine, Tim Layne, practically lived in these on the SUTTNER and the EIDOLON."
Both Peyton and Mikey were thinking about ways to scurry out of their quarters undetected using them, when Gene dashed their hopes.
"You have to have access, of course. Without access codes, you can't open the hatches. And if you break in by brute force, it alerts security. And that's a group of people you don't want to upset."
Gene smiled to himself, knowing he'd deflated their plans. He also knew they'd try to break those codes once they found the Jeffries Tubes that ran along their quarters, but that's what young males did. Push the envelope. Try to go where they weren't supposed to go before.
"Where are we, uh, Mac?" Mikey broke the silence after a long stretch of climbing.
"Just under the Arboretum," Gene called back.
He touched the access pad overhead, and once again it didn't function. He had to use manual overrides as he had all along the way. When the power came back on, he'd have to call in to Security, or they'd think they'd been infiltrated when the telltales showed their passage.
Soft green light filtered in from the Arboretum above as the hatch inched aside. Then the lights came up full suddenly. Gene crawled out, followed quickly by the Svenson boys. They all looked up through the transparasteel windows overhead, all of them seeing the BORG cube looming above the Entertainment Module.
"Crap," they all said together.
-------------------- =/\=
NRPG: Just getting Gene and the boys back in the game.
-------------------- =/\=
Kenneth Field
envision_at_fidalgo.net
aka Commander Gene McInnis
CNS/GS-2
aka Lt. JG Mowree Nurunyon
aCNS/GS-2
aka Tomas' Alexei Vukovic
Former Chief of Staff to Ambassador Xana Bonviva
currently with the BORG
aka Maury R. Tee
Professor of English (Retired)
Proprietor of "Impulse Drives,"
a little shop of horrors
GS-2, Promenade
"To gently lie and prove the lie true ... everything is finally a promise ... what
seems a lie is ramshackle need, wishing to be born." -- Ray Bradbury
From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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