From: Shawn _ (alamo_nate_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Aug 13 2008 - 00:18:08 PDT
=Phone Home=
(cont'd from "Another Chapter of Daisy's Vacation")
LOCATION: BAD WOLF, in high-orbit above HAVEN Station
SCENE: Cockpit
STARDATE: [2.8]0813.0016
The preparations had taken him the better part of a day, and he'd been forced to call in yet another favor from Rakka to get everything in place (Raxl was privately concerned about getting too deep in the ruthless Cardassian's pockets), but it was finally time for Raxl Dreyton to put his plan into action. With Rakka's help (both financially and politically), Raxl had been able to synthesize a gaseous version of the P'traxian flu, and had installed several "smoke-bombs" full of the stuff at key ventilation points around the station. This part had been especially tricky- HAVEN's security would have had some questions if they'd discovered Raxl fiddling with atmospheric control terminals, but luckily Rakka had used his influence to keep them away from where Raxl was working.
If everything went according to plan now, then Raxl should be away from HAVEN and headed back towards GATEWAY Station before the end of the night.
He sat at the BAD WOLF's cockpit controls, piggybacking his ship's communications system through HAVEN's station-wide broadcast network using a trick he'd picked up during his time as a Federation Marine, then sat back and smiled. This next bit was the fun part- after that, things would get dicey again.
"Attention, shoppers," Raxl said, his wide grin apparent in his tone as he addressed all of HAVEN station at once. "If you could all direct your attention to the nearest atmospheric-generator units, you might notice that they're not exactly what you'd call top-of-the-line. This probably has to do with the HAVEN council wanting to save a little money, but in a few moments, I think you'll all have good reason to insist on an upgrade at the next staff-meeting."
Raxl reached over and touched another button on his console. The smoke-bombs were triggered, and Raxl nodded. It would only take a few minutes- P'traxian flu was incredibly quick to act, and very hard-hitting, but non-lethal except in the rarest of cases. Fortunately, its symptoms mirrored many other, more *lethal* viruses, and Raxl knew exactly what conclusion the residents of HAVEN would jump to.
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LOCATION: GATEWAY Station
SCENE: Crichton's Quarters
{{Jacob!}} Melissa Crichton beamed as she recognized who was calling. {{Oh, it's been ages!}}
"Hi, ma," Crichton smiled. "How's things in the Alpha Quadrant?"
{{Here? How's things *there*? You know I worry with you right out on the front line like that.}}
"I'm not exactly *on* the front-line, mom," Crichton said, rubbing the back of his head and looking away, not wanting to worry her. "Just kind of, you know... *near* it."
{{When are you going to come out for a visit? We haven't seen you since before you left for GATEWAY... haven't you earned any shore-leave?}}
"You know how it is," Crichton said, coughing nervously. "You and Dad are always on the move in the GOLDEN TOUCH. With my schedule, and your jobs taking you all over the quadrant, it's hard to arrange a visit, you know?"
{{Then I have some good news,}} Melissa Crichton grinned. {{It looks like we might be headed out your way in a few months.}}
Crichton's eyes widened. "What?"
{{With the war on, there's an increased demand for Gamma Quadrant mineral deposits,}} Melissa explained. {{I've been talking it over with your father, and it would be so great to see you again, so we're thinking...}}
"No, that's, uh... that's a bad idea," Crichton said. "This place is, you know... it's dangerous! I don't want you in danger, mom."
{{Don't worry, dear,}} Melissa smiled knowingly. {{We won't be *on* the front line. Just sort of *near* it.}}
"Very funny," Crichton said.
{{Oh, Jacob, it won't be so bad,}} Melissa smirked. {{You'll just have to introduce us to all your friends, take us out for dinner a couple times, show us around, and then we'll be out of your hair. You know your father, he wouldn't want to stay on the station for more than a few days anyway.}}
"I'll be surprised if he comes aboard at all," Crichton frowned. "Isn't he still mad at me?"
{{He's... coming around,}} Melissa said. {{He was genuinely worried about you when the wormhole was closed, and you know he still loves you.}}
"Yeah yeah, we love each other," Crichton said. "It's just that I don't think we have much to *say* to each other, you know?"
{{You could always swap adventure stories,}} Melissa suggested. {{You know your father loves to go on, especially if you convince some of your friends to be his audience.}}
"I don't know, mom," Crichton said. "We'll see, okay?"
{{Okay, honey,}} Melissa nodded. {{You think about it. I'll call you in a couple weeks to iron out the details.}}
"Sure, mom," Crichton said, trying to give her a convincing smile. "I look forward to it."
{{Sure you do,}} Melissa smiled, obviously not convinced. Mothers can always tell, it seems. {{I love you, Jacob.}}
"Love you, ma."
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LOCATION: HAVEN
SCENE: Docking Bays
The scene was chaos.
The usual denizens of HAVEN were cut-throats, bandits, liars, and con-men; people who were untrustworthy and dangerous even under normal circumstances. However, add the threat of a biological attack, and their ruthlessness combines with a drive for self-preservation to create truly terrifying results. As the purple-colored gas poured out of ventilators all over the station, few among them paid any heed to who they knocked over and trampled during their attempt to escape.
There were no attempts to control the situation. HAVEN security was little more than a collection of hired mercenaries, and their desire to live trumped their desire for credits or a good reference from a former employer.
The cloud of gas merely contributed to the chaos. It was so thick that vision was reduced to only a few feet, and many people found themselves running headlong into bulkheads or through display-windows in their attempts to flee. Also, the effects of the virus were already seen, as ugly purple sores began to break out on many peoples' faces, arms, and hands. Violent coughing and retching would follow, and everyone aboard HAVEN was totally convinced that the gas they were breathing in would mean their death if they did not escape. There were no concerns for spreading the disease to their own ships, or contaminating other places- everyone aboard HAVEN was interested in exactly one thing: escape.
Except for one man.
Striding through the purple fog, face obscured by a high-tech gas mask/visual enhancer, came Raxl Dreyton. He had a small device in one hand, tracking the location of Martin Anders. In his other hand, he held a phaser, modified to resemble a tradition pistol rather than the usual "point-and-click" type of interface used by Starfleet phasers. It was set to stun, of course, and Raxl didn't hesitate to blast any members of HAVEN security who crossed his path, lest they decide to shoot back using the more permanent "kill" setting on their own weapons.
Raxl came around a bend and saw Martin Anders, covering his mouth and nose with his hands and ordering his bodyguards to help him force his way through the throng of panicked beings. Raxl moved quickly, coming up behind Anders. He wasted no time on talk- he fired and fired again, KO'ing Anders' bodyguards, and seized Martin Anders by the scruff of his neck.
"Going somewhere?" Raxl asked, his voice distorted by the mask.
"Dreyton?!" Anders wailed in disbelief. "Are you responsible for this?"
"Maybe," Raxl said.
"You'd kill an entire station full of people just to get to me?"
"Don't be such a baby," Raxl said, noting that Anders was already starting to show signs of infection. "It's just P'traxian flu, everyone here will be fine in a couple of days. Except for you, that is, unless you do exactly what I say, when I say it."
Raxl grabbed a hypospray from his belt and injected Anders in the neck.
"Antidote," he explained. "Don't want you spreading your gross cooties all over my ship."
Anders scowled, and looked like he was about to respond, but suddenly his knees seemed to turn to jelly and his eyes rolled backwards into his head.
"Sedative too," Raxl said, catching Anders before he could collapse. "I thought you'd be in a better mood after a nice nap."
Raxl crouched and hoisted Anders up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry, then turned and started making his way back towards his ship.
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NRPG: Pretty Raxl-heavy, I know, but I want to wrap that storyline up before our next mission starts. Also, looks like Crichton's family will be coming by for a visit soon (probably after our next mission is over)... I'm sure that will provide plenty of opportunities to embarrass everyone's favorite Chief Engineer.
Shawn Putnam
a.k.a.
Jacob Crichton, Lieutenant
Chief of Engineering
GATEWAY Station, GS-2
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Nov 19 2008 - 03:10:55 PST