By TC Blane, Jamie Halliday and Ashton Ledbetter
100312.03
Following The Case of the Commandeered Cruiser
100312.03
Following The Case of the Commandeered Cruiser
-=Main Engineering, USS Serendipity=-
It was too late; Josiah had been too slow and now the phaser sat mere millimeters from his eyes. It seemed to stare into him just as he stared back at it, knowing that in an instant his life could end. All it would take would be the press of a button, the tiniest movement of a finger.
It consumed his entire vision as it hung over him, blocking out the worlds and though he was an old man he couldn’t claim he wasn’t frightened of dying here. Every miniscule shake of the operator’s hand felt like it was repeated a hundred times more through the hand of a puppeteer that could pull him to and fro to make him dance. Yet Josiah Barlow was perfectly still, as he would not dance to fear.
It was only when the phaser moved a certain more deliberate way that he complied, and backed slowly away from the screen at which he’d stood.
As he did the phaser stayed where it was; seeming to shrink with each step he took until the world was visible again.
As a small wave of relief crashed down upon him Barlow now only slightly raised his hands. It was a gesture that said there was no need to harm them but that while he was cautious he was not too afraid. No matter how armed one was they could only push him so far.
The agent now seemed to lose interest in Barlow and to move his phaser around the room, while his friends began to move towards the nearby consoles and panels, Barlow’s eyes moved to those of Jamie Halliday.
Halliday was still so young and in many ways an innocent: Barlow had grandchildren that were born more understanding of the weight of the world. Now, even having stared death so recently in the face Jamie seemed still unchanged. He’d still seen so clearly whether by choice or great fortune neither the darkness in the world or in men.
So Barlow expected to find now in his face the terror of a child who’d just seen for the very first time events that would irrevocably shatter that world view. Yet what Barlow found truly frightening was that he didn’t see that at all. Though Jamie’s face carried no smile he did not frown nor even pause to think, simply starting to speak as he always would to offer what useful advice he had.
“Excuse me,” Jamie started taking steps towards the nearest enemy, whose previously moving phaser then focused directly upon him and who clearly to everyone but Jamie knew was ready to fire at any moment. “You should know that the major systems all require authorization. So you’ll need…”
“Stay still!” the gunman screamed as Jamie had gotten far to near already, and Jamie stopped moving as requested.
“I’m only saying that…” Jamie continued, though this time without taking any further steps.
“Jamie,” Barlow warned, though quietly and quickly drowned out by the man with the phaser.
“I don’t care what you’re saying,” he furiously warned, his hand twitching eagerly in Jamie’s direction.
“But…” Jamie started again and the armed man now looked like his fuse was lit and almost consumed.
“Jamie! Be quiet!” Barlow objected, quickly and loudly in desperation drawing Jamie’s eyes and the TI agent’s towards him.
Though Jamie was clearly confused he was also silent as had been requested. After a momentary pause to be certain it would last, the man with the phaser moved his weapon away again.
-=Main Bridge; USS Serendipity=-
TC watched Peterson walk by him and to the helm. He assumed he was checking their heading.
“How do you know Brody?” Peterson asked, as he turned his eyes from the helm to Ashton.
“Ashton Ledbetter,” he replied, sounding quite offended that Peterson didn’t recognize him merely by the sound of his voice.
“Of course! How fortunate, for us and the Sera’s crew. You might be the only reason to keep them alive.”
TC’s eyes narrowed at the comment. He was not sure if it was just bravado talking or if they simply were stating the truth. If so the crew was in danger, serious danger.
In TC’s mind the situation had just changed.
The third, and other armed agent, approached TC and motioned for him to go towards the center of the bridge.
TC simply stared at the man and stood fast.
“Ok come on tough guy and get going.” Pointing the phaser at TC he shoved him in the direction he was intending.
In so doing the man made a vital and foolish mistake: getting within arm’s length of TC Blane.
There was a flash of motion as TC reached out and snagged the man’s wrist that held the phaser with his left hand, yanking the man towards him while spinning in a pirouette to his left.
To the agent’s credit he was fast enough to depress the fire button, sending out a beam of energy the went left and high, striking the wall and ceiling of the bridge leaving dark black scorch marks and sending sparks flying.
Still having the man’s wrist in a vice-like hold with his left hand TC looped his right arm under the agent’s arm that held the phaser, hooked it by the elbow in the crook of his own arm and lifted towards the ceiling in a violent jerk.
There was a sickening pop as the man’s elbow bent in the most unusual way and his shoulder dislocated from its proper place. The agent let out a pain filled scream.
The man’s arm, now as useful as a wet noodle, dropped the phaser into TC waiting hand.
“What in the name of…”
Peterson, who had initially ducked when the errant shot streaked out and struck the wall quickly recovered and whirled around with his phaser and fired a shot at TC. It was not a perfectly aimed shot, as TC and his victim were not in the same location. The shot however did hit its target striking TC in his left shoulder. TC yelled as the flesh on his shoulder sizzled. Both TC and the agent in his grasp flew over the back of the captain’s chair, landing with a thud on the deck plating.
-=Main Bridge; USS Poseidon=-
As pleased as he’d been to know Peterson had secured the Serendipity’s bridge, Tucker Brody had become far less satisfied as he’d stepped onto his own bridge and seen the image on the main viewer.
They were in normal space.
They were here against his wishes.
The atmosphere as the crew had become aware of him; their fearful choices not to look, told him that it was far more than that though. Only one person on this ship could have given that order and she’d not have done so without a good reason.
“You helped them escape, didn’t you?” Brody demanded, marching to stand in front of his seated Captain with eyes narrowing upon her.
“Yes, we armed them,” Denise said flatly, attempting to ignore his tone.
“A foolish decision, Captain,” Brody warned her quietly, before adding reasons for all to hear, “Had just one phaser fallen into enemy hands during the struggle then they could have eliminated enough of our people for our position to become untenable. You took a very big risk here that could have cost us everything.”
“It was a risk that paid off,” Denise argued coldly, staring back into his accusing eyes.
“Barely,” Brody scoffed loudly and now Denise got mad.
“If you wish to challenge my decisions, Doctor Brody then...” She announced, but Brody cut her off.
It would have been so easy to crush her in a match of wills; his rage by far her superior. Instead though Brody considered her position, this crew, and knew that he’d do far more damage with a little kindness than any outward attack. His eyes fixed menacingly upon her in a way only she could see as he spoke to the rest of the crewmembers present.
“Challenge? No.” Brody spoke with surprise and false sympathy about this ‘misunderstanding’ as he would have had Denise reacted with offense and insecurity. “No, I’m not upset with you Captain. I’m just trying to help. We all understand why you did what you did.”
Brody now flashed her a cruel grin in utter contrast to his tone. “You’re very attached to Director Lindsay and you didn’t want to risk him getting hurt should the Serendipity crew drag their heels.”
Brody truly sounded merely like he was trying to be kind and understanding about her ‘mistake’, and murmurs around them suggested some people were suddenly starting thinking. “Decisions like this are very hard to make and it’s not your fault. You’re very new to this sort of work. You’ll get better with time.”
The indistinct but undeniably unflattering muttering around them now told Brody he’d done his job. The seeds of doubt had been planted and were already blooming.
“Doctor Brody…” Denise began to object.
“Yes, Captain?” Brody asked with curiosity.
Denise however said nothing, as she found that she had no answer to give. Any argument now would just seem like she was even more insecure about her choice than he was making her out to be. This was just what he’d intended.
She was seething in anger but could do nothing, and the malevolent smile Brody flashed her said he was fully aware of that fact.
Everyone heard that she'd said nothing.
“Anyway, there was no harm done after all,” Brody then announced in a very sweet tone and moved up to his position by the tactical station. He then leaned down slightly over it and whispered at a volume all could hear. “They have been waiting a while now. Should I contact the Serendipity… Captain?”
He intentionally waited before saying the last word, as if to suggest she’d not hold the position for much longer.
“Yes, open a channel.” Denise replied as unshaken and dismissive as she could sound. “I wish to speak to the agents on the bridge.”
“Of course, Captain.” Brody agreed and the Serendipity's bridge appeared on the screen before them.
The first thing Tucker saw was Blane and one of the TI agents rolling on the floor, as Peterson and the third agent hesitated between helping their comrade and keeping the rest of the Serendipity bridge crew corralled. Denise let out a brief but very much audible gasp. Blane was clearly still unaware that the Poseidon crew was watching them on the screen.
Denise could almost feel the smugness in Brody’s smile burning into her as they watched the men fighting, and he waited just long enough to let people hear she had no response to give to it. Then he took his opportunity.
“Don’t you worry, Captain. I know how to handle this.” Brody calmly tapped a few buttons on the tactical console before him, and a low level phaser blast rocked the Sera and threw its officers to the ground. “My apologies Captain, I should have cleared that with you first, but I felt it was best to act swiftly and decisively.”
Denise knew the comment was a direct response to her lack of immediate orders, another shot at her abilities. The problem was, he was right. For Brody it was an added bonus as he could see it wasn’t just the crew not questioning Denise’s abilities.
Still, he didn’t have time to gloat. He then looked up at the viewscreen, where Blane was still wrestling, but was aware now that Brody was on the screen watching him. Tucker raised his voice to be heard loud and clear.
“Commander Blane!” Brody announced calmly and in a tone that said that all he said was simply a matter of fact and entirely unembellished by emotional considerations. “The next button I press will evacuate all the oxygen from the holding cells on this vessel. This means you have two choices; you can either release my man, or let your compatriots die. I take no joy in ending human life, my boy. So please, if you would be so kind, don’t put that burden upon me….” His hands hovered just above the panel, making it perfectly clear that even if he didn’t take any joy in it, he still had every intention of doing it.
For the longest of seconds TC was unmoving as he measured Brody’s resolve and whether he’d really press that button. It would mean destroying this ship and whatever he thought he’d gain from it. Yet as he looked at the violently unemotional eyes on the screen before him, TC knew he’d do it. To do otherwise would be to admit he couldn’t follow through on his threats and Brody was far too arrogant to ever do that.
In disgust TC gave the TI agent a shove, and stood up from the deck. The agent got up as well, cradling his injured arm. Knowing there’d be no use attempting to do otherwise Blane then returned the phaser to the Peterson, who immediately handed it to the third, still healthy member of their team. If nothing else, TC had reduced the effective strength of the boarding party from seven to six, which would certainly pay dividends later.
TC then stepped towards the screen before him.
“Who’s running this show anyway?” Blane demanded, questioning why the woman in the command chair was silent while Brody issued all the ultimatums.
“I am the Captain of this ship.” Denise declared coldly, with determination but all the apocryphal ferocity of a lamb standing up to the wolf. “That is not in question.”
Intentionally TC paused before continuing, asking the simplest question he thought would most unsettle her.
“Really?” Blane asked, nodding slowly.
TC could see he got the response he intended, as Denise tried not to offer one.
“Indeed she is,” Brody continued, moving from tactical down to the center of the bridge and giving Denise an ‘encouraging’ look along the way. “That is her duty to this ship and its crew. It is a duty she undoubtedly was trying to fulfill when she gave arms to our people. She was fulfilling her duty to the best of her abilities just as you should with your own. Unfortunately, that is a duty you failed in when you violated the conditions we set forth during our first encounter.” Brody’s voice became as cold as ice. “Failures have consequences, Commander.”
Pausing only briefly, Brody’s smile could have made a dead man’s skin crawl.
“When we spoke earlier you had the audacity to demand that I prove that I had the captives I claimed. So that is what I will now do. As you complied with my request I will not kill them all. However as punishment for your actions, within the next two minutes one of the captives will be brought to the bridge of this ship and killed by one of our many working phasers. Their body will then be beamed over to lie in front of your feet so once you clean up their blood you can have your people confirm that they really were who I claimed. You forfeited the right to one life already, but still I will give you a choice; the Irishman or the Scot. Either you will choose which one is to die within the next ten seconds or I will kill them both.”
Brody then started counting.
“Ten.”
TC was unmoving, unwilling to play Brody’s games.
“Nine.”
Brody raised his fingers then lowered two as if to notify the seconds that had passed.
“Eight .”
Clearly TC wasn’t budging, or at least would play one hell of a game of chicken, and not everyone on the bridge was willing to bet it was the former or that the latter wouldn’t end in disaster.
“Tucker!” Ashton stepped forward, despite a turn and a glare from Blane. “I don’t believe there is any need for that. Gentlemen like ourselves can let bygones by bygones, can we not?”
“Commander Ledbetter.” Brody said slowly, amused by this development. “This is a pleasant surprise. You aren’t still pining after that Vulcan lady now, are you?”
“Actually it is Captain Ledbetter, and I believe those conversations were privileged!”
“I don’t see your ship, Captain. And it doesn’t look like you are in Command there either.” Brody punctuated his statement by spinning slowly, and making eye contact with everyone on the bridge of the Poseidon.
“This is not my ship, no. Commander Blane is in command, for better or worse.”
Brody picked up on something in Ledbetter’s tone and recalled from his psychological profile the unusual desire this man had for command, and his objection to those he felt were in the way of it.
“You don’t sound like you entirely agree with that situation.”
“Of course, I don’t,” Ashton scoffed. “The man is immature and reckless.”
“Yes, he is,” Brody agreed eyeing TC whose hatred for this particular situation was clear for all to see. “Unfortunately even and especially the reckless still must pay for their missteps.”
“Perhaps,” Ledbetter acknowledged. “However he can pay through either his loss or your gain. It’s your choice.”
“What are you offering, Captain?” Brody asked intrigued and showing a little more respect for Ashton’s title.
“I offer you the benefit of my expertise in exchange for you sparing the life of one of your captives.”
“What expertise is that?” Brody asked with honest curiosity that made it sound like an insult.
“Jump ship technology,” Ledbetter said plainly and TC’s eyes questioned what the hell he was doing. “You do intend to make the Poseidon’s jump capacity operational, do you not? Judging from what I have seen here I don’t believe you’d have any one with close to my knowledge of the technology on board.”
“I can still destroy the ship at any time,” Brody mused. “I could compel you to offer your expertise and still kill one of the captives.”
“True, but if you make me an adversary then my advice will be unreliable,” Ledbetter argued. “However if you work with me and get me off this ship then you can keep me as an ally.”
The word ‘ally’ echoed worryingly in the ears of those Serendipity officers on the bridge. They knew so little of Ashton’s loyalties other than to TI and himself. He may have been serving both here before he did this ship.
Brody smiled at the thought.
“It’s a tempting offer, Captain. However for such a deal to be of benefit you would at least need reliable engineering support. From what I’ve seen I don’t think anyone on your ship could be counted on to provide it. Perhaps we should dispose of it and look for another.”
“There will be no need for that,” Ledbetter assured him, considering carefully the offer he could make of the only name that came to mind of a man who could never be accused of intentionally working too slowly. “Crewman Halliday will assist me.”
“Is he a loyal man?” Brody asked suspiciously.
“Loyal to what others tell him,” Ashton answered and Brody’s mind quickly translated that as ‘easily influenced’. In an opponent it was a wonderful characteristic; one that TC Blane lacked very obviously.
For a moment Brody paused in consideration before he hit his combadge.
“Brody to Walner.”
[Walner here,] came the voice from the Serendipity’s Main Engineering.
“Is there a Halliday there with you?”
[Yes,] Walner replied in a tone that said he really wished there wasn’t. [He’s standing right in front of me now.]
“Would you mind if we borrowed him for a while?”
Walner almost laughed at the thought that he could object to that.
[You can keep him.]
“Very good, Lieutenant.” Brody responded and closed the channel, pleased Ashton had told him the truth at least as far as he could so far determine.
“Very well, we’ll have the two of you beamed over immediately.” Brody turned his eyes back to Denise and spoke very deliberately. “If that’s alright with you, captain.”
At first Denise simply nodded that it was, and then quickly took the chance to assert and so to confirm her residual authority.
“You forget we’ll also need a science officer,” She observed, trying to gain as much of her credentials here back as she could, and Brody accepted this as a meaninglessly small victory.
He knew could have asked Ashton for his opinion on who they should choose but letting him decide everyone they’d bring over seemed a little too risky. So Brody picked for him.
“We’ll have her beamed over here too then,” Brody indicated Lara and Denise nodded to the lieutenant who’d been at tactical before Brody and who’d returned there when he’d left it.
Without another word Ashton, Lara and Jamie all dematerialised from the Serendipity and into a holding cell on the Poseidon.
Brody then smiled at TC infuriatingly smugly.
“You’re a very lucky man, Commander.”
-----------------
Commander TC Blane
Acting Captain
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Crewman Jamie Halliday
Engineering Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Ashton Ledbetter
Temporal Investigations Observer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Commander TC Blane
Acting Captain
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Crewman Jamie Halliday
Engineering Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
&
Ashton Ledbetter
Temporal Investigations Observer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012