on and off the ice

Posted on Tue Jan 11th, 2022 @ 10:19am by Lieutenant Julius Mack

Mission: Consult the Anomaly
Location: virtual iceworld and physical albion bridge

ON:

(Mack, Andrews and Zatara find themselves once again in the iceworld)


Mack: (scans the local terrain with his pancorder for a few moments, gestures at a sheer ice cliff formation about 30 meters distant)
"Mister Zatara. Please direct a level 10 phaser blast at that sheer ice wall. Everyone shield your faces..."

Zatara: (fires two shots at the ice wall. It shatters somewhat violently and exposes an access panel.)

Mack: (directs a pancorder beam at the access panel, producing some purple smoke as the panel breaks loose and exposes a similar passageway
to the one leading from the virual casino).
"I suggest we come in from the cold."

(the group goes inside the passageway. Zatara fires a few more shots to collapse the ice over most of the opening)
"Commander. I think this would be a good time to use your access level to make some further changes."

Andrews: =^="Computer. Repeat last set of instructions using my authorization. Supplement with a general order to halt and suspend all
attempts to activate or create simulations within sensor radius of the ship without my direct order."=^=

Computer: "Seven total simulations stopped and halted."

(all three bridge crew find themselves again on the bridge, where they proceed to verify their ship controls)

Andrews: =^="Computer. Subspace channel to fleet command. Andrews assuming command of Albion. Captain Sprague is under arrest
pending determination of security breach involving Mister Rubbletree. Recommend arrest of Admiral Yoshimeyer and investigation of his
possible involvement which at this time is unproven but likely. Requesting assistance to investigate local prior unauthorized nav system
destination and origin of loaded instructions. We expect that mister Rubbletree is somehow allied with that heretofore unknown threat.
Andrews Out."

Mack: "Computer. Execute program Mack delta twenty-two. Maintain operation until further notice. Authorization follows..."

Andrews: (examines Mack's program on text-only interface) "Computer. use authorization Andrews Delta One Five. Mister Mack, Mister Genno, please
proceed to the cargo deck. Mister Mack will command the away mission. Mister Zatara. Please plot a course to within sensor range of the prior unknown
course destination. Obviously we need to examine it. Shields up except as needed for the away team."

Hadden: (moria hadden materializes on the bridge. she appears disoriented).
Andrews: "mister hadden. are you all right?"
Hadden: "I think so sir. I think I was somehow in a simulation or transport stasis. The last thing I recall is being on the bridge with mister Rubbletree
after the rest of the bridge crew had disappeared. I am not sure what happened."

Andrews: "for the moment, please man the weapons array. We may still be in range of hostile weapons or tractor fields, and will shortly be launching
and away mission from the cargo bay."

Hadden: "yes sir. May I ask where the captain is?"

Andrews: "I have assumed command. The captain is in protective custody for the time being."

Hadden: "understood." (mans the weapons and sensor arrays)

(Mack and Genno head for the cargo deck.)


OFF: