Seeing is believing
Posted on Fri Feb 18th, 2011 @ 12:28am by Walter Jones & Jan Valentine & Morgan Pass
1,767 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission: Session 4: The Humans are Dead...
"Doctor, do you feel that this work is up to your standards?" The Lagashi doctor spun around to address Pass. "I am about to activate the implant and want to make sure that you approve. I have installed the device to the exacting specifications of my profession, I'm sure Mr. Valentine will approve. I've also installed a small diffuser to help over time repair the damage done by the radiation exposure."
"To tell the truth, Doctor," Pass conceded, "I have not seen such exceptionally skilled work in many years. A faultless performance, I applaud you. If you will activate the device and wake the subject, i will wake Mr Chase. It seems he has fallen asleep as well."
Morgan gave Chase a gentle shake, ready to leap back if the man pulled a weapon out of reflex.
Chase put the weapon back into the holster and looked at Morgan. "It is a good thing you have such a memorable face or I would have just sent it into a million pieces.
Morgan muttered, "I assure you, having a memorable face is no great advantage for a wanted man."
The doctor took out a hypospray and pressed it to the neck of Jan. "Mr. Valentine, can you hear me? Do not be alarmed, the implant may take a few moments to get accustomed to, though you should begin to interface directly shortly."
Jan opened his eye, everything was dark and out of focus. Moments later, a kaleidoscope of colors hit Jan with a rush, causing him to gasp.
"Whoa...Did I make it?" Jan asked.
The doctors optic implant focused in on Jan. He picked up a quantum adjuster and slowly turned pressed it to Jan's temple. "Things should start to be making more sense, I can understand that it might be slightly overwhelming at the moment but that will pass." He finished his adjustment. "You will need to continue to make minor adjustments for the next few days until your neural synapses completely adjust."
A multicolored blur appeared next to the Doctor and spoke with Morgan's voice. I can help you with that. Looks like we won't be suing for damages just yet. Do you need help walking?"
"Normally I'd tell you to fuck off, but in this case, please." Jan said, reaching for the blur.
Morgan looked slightly taken aback, "Would you believe it has been many years since someone has actually said that to me. Usually they are trying to get me closer so they can have a go. Upsey daisy! If you are a good boy I will try and arrange a sticker and a balloon."
He stopped as Jan stared hard at him, "Sorry. Bedside manner was never my strong point. One of the reasons I was in a research lab. That and I am brilliant. Thank you Dr. Are you coming Mr Chase?"
The doctor handed Morgan a data chip. "In here you you find all the schematics as well as adjustment guides and field repair diagrams. I'd like to see him back in 30,000 hours of optical operation, if you maintain it properly, you could probably stretch that to 40,000.
"I'll be sure to look you up Doc, thank you." Jan said, shaking the man's hand.
The lab was bathed in emergency red lighting, the doctors head turned slightly to the side and then towards the three men and Dr. Tan. "It seems as if we have been discovered, I'm not sure by who, but they seem intent on breaching our sanctum."
An explosion rocked the building, the sound muffled by the thick walls but the vibration could be felt through the floor.
"You can leave through this back exit, it leads to the roof and then from there an escape down to the ground." The doctor shuffled over to an air hatch and entered a code into the door. "You will also find some primitive weaponry on the way up. We have precautions but we are scientists, not fighters."
Dr. Tan looked at the three men and then back to her Mentor. "But what about you?"
"I will find a way, they are more then likely after me in any case."
"I'll stay back here with you doc, Jan and Morgan, you two go ahead with this pretty little thing here, I'll meet you back at the ship." Chase pulled out the his weapon again and moved towards the sounds of battle.
Morgan grabbed him as he passed and handed him a tiny capsule of blue liquid, "If you are planning on following us at all, and living, drink this vial FIRST!"
"Come on you two, we don't have much time." The female doctor looked at the two remaining men and started into the airlock and up the passageway stairs.
Morgan was already at the hatch, "One thing I have become VERY good at is knowing when to leave before the authorities arrive."
"Somehow I knew this would come in handy." Jan said, pulling a cut down shotgun from a hidden pocket.
The stairway led to an old wooden door, with a heavy padlock on it. Jan pointed his shotgun at it and blew a near perfect hole through the door, obliterating the lock.
"Gotta love armor piercing slugs! Let's go---whoa!" Jan said, stumbling over the door frame while trying to adjust to the harsh sunlight.
Melissa helped up Jan. "I know how to get us out of here, we just need to get over to the edge."
The sounds of gun fire and phaser beams could be heard down on the street in front of the building and coming from inside. "I hope we can get you guys out of here, whoever it is, it sounds like they are really after us." She carefully led Jan and the Doctor towards the side of the roof.
Jan looked over the edge, an ancient looking fire escape led to the ground. Looking down towards the edge of the alleyway, Jan thought he could see something with his enhanced vision.
"Melissa, I think I see something at the edge of the alleyway, but I can't process the image clearly enough yet. Can you see infrared signatures?" Jan asked
Her eyes scanned the alleyway. "Yes I see two maybe three, I, I don't know if they are ours or.." She was starting to lose it a little.
"Hmm, they don't appear to be armed, they're probably civilians." Jan said.
Morgan looked over the gantry way and sighed. Falling to his death would be a convinient way out, but knowing his luck he would probably only injure himself. He moved back to the door and pulled a tiny bottle of brown liquid from his pocket. He gave a generous slosh and then ran back to the others.
"That should stop anyone tailing us. Here," he handed two vials of blue liquid to the pair, "Drink these now. NOW!"
Jan questioned the mysterious contents of the vial for a moment, but downed it quickly.
"I suppose, I I don't know." She grabbed the bottle and eyed it. "Now what?"
The sounds from below were getting closer, phaser fire could be heard coming from the stairwell below them. "We need to do something." She looked at the two men with a worried look.
Morgan grabbed the vial with a practiced twist broke the top and poured the blue liquid down her neck. She spluttered and coughed but swallowed most of it. Morgan growled, "If I ever tell you to take something or do something NOW, don't wait to ask. It will be the last thing you do."
He turned to Jan, "No chance of a beam out, or a fly by pick up from Mr Air?"
"The cargo transporters are working overtime moving cargo, and the shuttle is down for maintenance. Maybe we can commander a vehicle on the street." Jan said, testing the fire escape with his weight.
Morgan took a deep breath and leapt onto the fire escape past Jan. Either it would hold him or it wouldn't. It wasn't like they had a different option. Thankfully it held, though it did groan. Morgan could move quite fast despite his age and had no difficulty taking the lead in the descent to street level. At that point he needed to stop to catch his breath. He waved Jan on indicating he would follow as soon as he was able to breath again.
Mr. Valentine hold still for a second." The doctor took a took out of her coat pocket and made a slight adjustment. "That should help you better navigate down the stairs." The Lagashi woman hopped over the wall and onto the catwalk.
Jan and Melissa quickly reached the bottom of the fire escape, which shook and rattled as they went.
"This is Jones to team 2, get back to the ship as soon as possible. Some real bad things went down and there might some people after you guys." Jones tried to reach the other crew members on his comm channel. "Come in guys."
"Jones, it's Valentine, we've been hit too. We're being pursued, unknown number of gunmen. Will try to reach the Warden as fast as we can." Jan said, talking into his comm line.
Jan looked down the road, and his new eye detected the outline of a vehicle moving through a wall. Jan was impressed for a moment at the implant's ability, then remembered what was happening.
"Doc, there's a car coming down the road. Let's grab it and get out of here." Jan said, ducking behind a trash can beside the road.
As the car approached, the gunmen from the building reached the roof, and ran towards the edge of the roof.
Jan ran out into the road with his gun pointed at the car, which screeched to a halt. Jan smashed the side window, and ripped the driver out. This attracted the attention of the gunmen, who opened fire at the car.
Jan threw the driver aside, and got into the car, ducking below the dash to avoid being hit by the gunmen's fire.
"Come on! Let's go!" Jan shouted, pulling the car up to the trash can.
Morgan, barely able to breath made a dive over the bonnet and onto the road on the far side of the car. He landed heavily, but was protected by the gun fire.
The medic yanked open the door and pulled himself inside, and flung open the opposite door. Melissa dived into the car, and Jan smashed down the accelerator paddle, and sped off down the road, smacking a dumpster along the way.
RSS Feed