Beg, Steal or Borrow – In the Land of the Blind - Part 1
by Colonel James Darson
Post Details
ON:
The man’s heavy military boots made almost no sound as he moved through the empty, shadowy corridors of the dark and gloomy station with an agile quickness that belied his massive build.
As he turned the corner, he passed through a hatch that opened with a quieter hiss than would be expected out of a similar set of Hydraulics. But then, this entire installation had been built with the idea of stealth prominent. Everything, from the dark sensor absorbing materials on the exterior, to the powerful jamming systems, to the acoustic dampening material in all the other mechanical parts aboard.
A hole in space, one of the most tightly guarded secret locations in the Federation, located in one of the most hellish and inaccessible locales one could hope for…but of course, that was exactly what the nameless persons who had required this place had wanted. Not even the light fixtures on the ceilings and the walls could adequately compensate for the aura that this place generated, and as such, large pools of shadows dominated each corridor, and expanded into every nook and cranny, trying with all its might to take over.
Oblivious to all this, the man continued steadily down through the bowels of the Station, each section of it just as empty as the one before. There were a very small number of inhabitants on this large station, only a few hundred compared to the many thousands that it could hold, so of course there was much room to spare. Most of the functions were automated by an advanced computer system, enabling the station to be run efficiently by a skeleton crew.
The man came upon another door, which opened silently at his approach. The security inside the station was considerable, but was designed to be discreet as possible, to limit the interruptions to the staff. But assuredly, any intruder who didn’t belong could be dealt with in a quick and deadly manner.
After a few more twists and turns and a turbo lift ride, the man found himself getting out from the end of a long straight corridor, more brightly lit than the previous ones. And at the end of the corridor, by the next hatch, were two figures. Each one stood like a sentinel on either side, resplendent in the black armor that was the norm. They were also both heavily armed, carrying a wide array of weaponry that was both functional and deadly.
The man’s heart rate didn’t increase a beat and his gait didn’t falter as he strode towards the two statue-like figures. They didn’t even spare him the briefest of glances as he moved past towards the door, instead keeping focused on the most likely avenue of attack, back the way he had came. Despite the effectiveness of the automated security, it was better to have an actual presence in some of the more sensitive areas.
Past the guardians was another corridor that was more like a large banquet hall, which was definitively not standard on a station like this normally. The ceiling soared, and the walls spread, but only a single path of dim light appeared to indicate a path through the massive shadows.. At the end of the hall, there was one final door. This one was heavier than the rest, almost like a vault door, and possessed vastly increased security. It took almost a half a minute to clear the precautions, and then it took a couple of seconds more for the door to slowly rumble open.
The man stepped inside. This was the nerve center of his entire operation, from which he could sway and influence events thousands of light-years away. He moved towards the center of the room, and acknowledged the multiple technicians working diligently at their stations. He took his rightful place at the center of the room, and examined a PADD, after sneaking a quick glance at the chronometer on his wrist. 30 seconds until the call was scheduled to take place.
And the people he was about to converse with were always punctual.
Right on cue, the computer beeped, and one of the techs gestured to the secure communications room adjacent to the command center. He nodded and strode in confidently. This room was dark, and possessed only three podiums that faced a large dark view screen. He took his position at the center of the podium, while the other two remained empty for the moment.
Within seconds, the view screen lit up, displaying the customary opening insignia of the Starfleet Marines, before dissolving into 5 simple boxes arrayed in a pentagon on the screen, each emblazoned with A Roman numeral, I to V, and VOICE ONLY
On both sides, the air crackled and two life-size holograms sprung into existence, denoting a Human male and Vulcan female. His Deputy-Directors. Though not present on the station, they had made an effort to appear.
Now that all the players had assembled, it was time to begin. The man cleared his throat gruffly and began to speak, with a deep Southern Terran drawl, “Chairman, and members of the Committee, I thank you for taking the time out of your day to convene with me.”
The box labeled “II” lit up and a heavily distorted voice emerged, “Of course Odin…however, please save the pleasantries. As we all know, time is always against us…please do not deign to waste anymore of it. It is you who requested this audience, so if you would begin?”
TBC
OFF:
Lieutenant Colonel James Darson
Marine Commanding Officer
by Colonel James Darson
Post Details
| Title | In the Land of the Blind - Part 1 | |
| Mission | Beg, Steal or Borrow | |
| Author(s) | Colonel James Darson | |
| Posted | Thu Aug 06, 2009 @ 4:56am | |
| Location | Classified | |
| Timeline | SD9 - Unknown |
The man’s heavy military boots made almost no sound as he moved through the empty, shadowy corridors of the dark and gloomy station with an agile quickness that belied his massive build.
As he turned the corner, he passed through a hatch that opened with a quieter hiss than would be expected out of a similar set of Hydraulics. But then, this entire installation had been built with the idea of stealth prominent. Everything, from the dark sensor absorbing materials on the exterior, to the powerful jamming systems, to the acoustic dampening material in all the other mechanical parts aboard.
A hole in space, one of the most tightly guarded secret locations in the Federation, located in one of the most hellish and inaccessible locales one could hope for…but of course, that was exactly what the nameless persons who had required this place had wanted. Not even the light fixtures on the ceilings and the walls could adequately compensate for the aura that this place generated, and as such, large pools of shadows dominated each corridor, and expanded into every nook and cranny, trying with all its might to take over.
Oblivious to all this, the man continued steadily down through the bowels of the Station, each section of it just as empty as the one before. There were a very small number of inhabitants on this large station, only a few hundred compared to the many thousands that it could hold, so of course there was much room to spare. Most of the functions were automated by an advanced computer system, enabling the station to be run efficiently by a skeleton crew.
The man came upon another door, which opened silently at his approach. The security inside the station was considerable, but was designed to be discreet as possible, to limit the interruptions to the staff. But assuredly, any intruder who didn’t belong could be dealt with in a quick and deadly manner.
After a few more twists and turns and a turbo lift ride, the man found himself getting out from the end of a long straight corridor, more brightly lit than the previous ones. And at the end of the corridor, by the next hatch, were two figures. Each one stood like a sentinel on either side, resplendent in the black armor that was the norm. They were also both heavily armed, carrying a wide array of weaponry that was both functional and deadly.
The man’s heart rate didn’t increase a beat and his gait didn’t falter as he strode towards the two statue-like figures. They didn’t even spare him the briefest of glances as he moved past towards the door, instead keeping focused on the most likely avenue of attack, back the way he had came. Despite the effectiveness of the automated security, it was better to have an actual presence in some of the more sensitive areas.
Past the guardians was another corridor that was more like a large banquet hall, which was definitively not standard on a station like this normally. The ceiling soared, and the walls spread, but only a single path of dim light appeared to indicate a path through the massive shadows.. At the end of the hall, there was one final door. This one was heavier than the rest, almost like a vault door, and possessed vastly increased security. It took almost a half a minute to clear the precautions, and then it took a couple of seconds more for the door to slowly rumble open.
The man stepped inside. This was the nerve center of his entire operation, from which he could sway and influence events thousands of light-years away. He moved towards the center of the room, and acknowledged the multiple technicians working diligently at their stations. He took his rightful place at the center of the room, and examined a PADD, after sneaking a quick glance at the chronometer on his wrist. 30 seconds until the call was scheduled to take place.
And the people he was about to converse with were always punctual.
Right on cue, the computer beeped, and one of the techs gestured to the secure communications room adjacent to the command center. He nodded and strode in confidently. This room was dark, and possessed only three podiums that faced a large dark view screen. He took his position at the center of the podium, while the other two remained empty for the moment.
Within seconds, the view screen lit up, displaying the customary opening insignia of the Starfleet Marines, before dissolving into 5 simple boxes arrayed in a pentagon on the screen, each emblazoned with A Roman numeral, I to V, and VOICE ONLY
On both sides, the air crackled and two life-size holograms sprung into existence, denoting a Human male and Vulcan female. His Deputy-Directors. Though not present on the station, they had made an effort to appear.
Now that all the players had assembled, it was time to begin. The man cleared his throat gruffly and began to speak, with a deep Southern Terran drawl, “Chairman, and members of the Committee, I thank you for taking the time out of your day to convene with me.”
The box labeled “II” lit up and a heavily distorted voice emerged, “Of course Odin…however, please save the pleasantries. As we all know, time is always against us…please do not deign to waste anymore of it. It is you who requested this audience, so if you would begin?”
TBC
OFF:
Lieutenant Colonel James Darson
Marine Commanding Officer