mack just doing his job

Posted on Sun Jan 9th, 2022 @ 7:20pm by Lieutenant Julius Mack

Mission: Consult the Anomaly
Location: holodeck virtual casino

ON:

{Apparent Casino}



Mack: ::SHOCK!!!:: "Ouch, that hurt." ::on his back, smoking::

Zatara: ::runs to Mack:: "Mack, are you all right?"

Mack: ::lies there for a moment, taking general inventory, moving major muscle groups...:: " well I took a nasty jolt but oddly okay...
but I smell something burning. I don't feel any pain. Zatara, can you tell where the smoke is coming from?"

Zatara: ::hesitates for a second, with a vacant look on her face:: "it appears to be coming from your trousers."

Mack: =^="computer. initiate station to station transport. authorization Mack One. Find my pancorder in my quarters and transport it to my current coordinates."=^=

Computer: =^="energizing."=^=

(a complex instrument with a shoulder strap appears on the floor about a foot from Mack)

Mack: (picks up the device, pushes a few buttons, the device hums...Mack points it at himself for a few moments, then looks at the display on the device.)
"I seem to be physically OK. Zatara, you were also shocked. May I scan you?"

Zatara: "Please do."

Mack: (scans Zatara, looks at pancorder display. Makes some setting changes, points device at the booby-trapped panel. Device hums, and Mack looks at the display
for a few moments, pushing some buttons and reading displays...)
"Zatara seems physically fine as well. Both of us received a jolt that is evident in our neural pathways but does not appear to have otherwise been especially harmful. The
scan of the access panel suggests that we both encountered a perimeter force field, rather than a conventional static-electric discharge. The force field appears to be there
by design. Obviously someone does not want us getting out of this holo-suite program thru those access panels. Commander. I Suggest we exit by those despite the
force field."

Andrews: "Agreed. Proceed, Mister Mack."

Mack: ( makes further adjustments on the pancorder. Points it at the access panel. The pancorder produces a phaser blast, destroying the panel cover and producing similar smoke
and odor to that produced by the field shocks).
"I believe that will render the force field neutralized. I will attempt to pass thru the panel. Zatara. Please hold my pancorder in case this measure proves unsuccessful."

(Mack enters the space behind the access panel, then disappears around a corner. In a moment he reappears.)
"As we had guessed, this does appear to be a passageway. Zatara, please bring me the pancorder. I will lead and scan ahead for any more evidence of force fields."

(All three enter the passageway.)

Zatara: (in a low voice, while handing the pancorder to Mack): "so...about the trousers...?"

Mack: (in a similarly low voice): "Inconclusive. I have some theories but chose to wait for a more opportune moment to gather more data. I think it can wait."

Zatara: "understood and sympathized. I think I was smoking a bit too, but chose not to find out why, just at that moment. I also thought it could wait."

(the passageway seems to become larger and somewhat less well lit, of unfamiliar construction and leading to more panels)



OFF: