[Inside a docking bay on the Sketh]
"...are you doing?" tr'Ragarok finishes the statement inside one of the
Sketh's fighter deck, which has some scientific monitoring consoles and
several probes lying on the floor, apparently prepared for his arrival. Not taking time to question, tr'Ragarok immediately set upon the probes. Several minutes later, tr'Ragarok ran over to one of the consoles and beamed the three probes out into space.
tr'Ragarok: +taps+ tr'Ragarok to bridge.
t`Kethry: Bridge here.
tr'Ragarok: The navigational console on the bridge will be continuously
updated via my science console down here as to navigational data... just follow my directions movement wise and we'll be safe. Take us in.
t'Kethry: Ie, going in.
The ship moved towards the mine field. tr'Ragarok's first probe emitted
short tachyon bursts, revealing momentarily to the second probe where the mines were, which was then relayed to the third probe with the tractor generator and also back to tr'Ragarok. tr'Ragarok observed the first set of readings.
"My word! Some shuttle just warped in and grazed a mine! It'll play havoc with my calculations, and it's too late to stop!" said
tr'Ragarok, to, as usual, no one in particular. Ragarok's fingers began to move rapidly over the virtual display, transsporting the shuttle and it's crew into the fighter bay, which then shimmer into existence.
tr'Riam, a tall, lithe young Rihannsu exits the decrepit and barely
functional shuttlecraft. After taking a moment to catch his bearings, he frowns and snorts, "Hardly treatment fitting for a dignitary."
tr'Riam: "You there!" tr'Riam calls out, walking briskly up to the gaunt figure. "Who are you and why have you taken me? Well, go on... explain yourself."
tr'Ragarok: "Seventeen point three seven nine degress secant z... You
were throwing off my calculations, that's why! Know anything about 4th
dimensional vectors?"
tr'Riam seems slightly affronted. Imagine! Him being talked to like
/that/!
tr'Riam: "You insolent little whelp! I demand you stop what your doing
and return me to the Argada authorities. Do it /quickly/ and you might just simply be executed rather than tortured." There. That told him.
::Taping on buttons continuously while he waits for the young man to
finish tr'Ragarok turns::
tr'Ragarok: "I'll take that as a no. Listen, want to make it out of here with your spleen intact?" the scientist spat out with a slight Federation accent.
tr'Riam: ::With an arched brow, tr'Riam pauses a moment before smiling
slowly:: "Ahhh... you're a Federation spy, I see! Wait until the Senate hears of this! The skies will tremble with our might. I tried to convince my father that this deal would only lead to the ruination of the Rihannsu people... now I have proof."
tr'Ragarok: ::totally unconcerned with the state of the Rihannsu people, simply takes time to turn around from his work:: "Look, either you help me, or I send you BACK out there" ::taking time to point at the opening in the docking bay:: "So what's it going to be?". ::The scientist's finger hovers over a single button, slowly moving towards it::
tr'Riam: ::blinks twice, a bit of his bravado shattering. Clearing his
throat, tr'Riam says haughtingly:: "For the purposes of mutual survival, I will help you /at this moment/. But rest assured, you will be held responsible for your crimes."
tr'Ragarok: "Good. Welcome to the crew of the science vessel RES Kalen, although that's not where we are now. The pay ain't so good, but
the on-site lab-or-a-tory" ::making especially sure to pronounce it syllable by syllable:: "is the best. See that display over there?" ::indicating a floating vr display:: "If it turns BLUE, push that
glowing disk there. Got it?" ::The display, if on cue, turns a light shade of blue, and begins undulating between it and red, as if unable to decide.::
tr'Riam: ::Muttering something under his breath, tr'Riam nods and
watches the console. He keeps his hand over the button, waiting for the
machine to make up it's mind.::
tr'Ragarok: ::Keeps spewing numbers and technical terms to himself,
until he looks over briefly and yells, "No! Whenever it turns blue! Get it?" ::Not waiting for an answer goes back to his frantic button pushing::
tr'Riam: ::Again muttering under his breath, tr'Riam begins sporadically pushing the button. It's a bit like playing Simon, only there's no pattern to it whatsoever.::
tr'Ragarok: ::A few minutes pass of frantic button pushing and
muttering, then tr'Ragarok stops as the console display turns an
organish-yellow:: "The Sketh has cleared the mine field, and the location of the moved mines has been logged. We did it. Thanks for the help..." ::waiting for prompting::
tr'Riam: "tr'Riam," the other replies, "Son of Senator tr'Trask.
Now...perhaps you would kindly explain what is going on?"
tr'Ragarok: "Sure. My name is Eredh Donal tr'Ragarok, and this here,"
::pulling a small, circular metallic device from the brown bag resting
by his feet:: "Is the Ragarok Stasis Field Generator Mark 7.6!"
::tr'Ragarok pushes a button on the small object, tosses it at tr'Riam who then finds it impossible to move any appendages::
tr'Riam: "Wh-what is this! This is an outrage! Release me at once!"
tr'Ragarok: +taps+ Science to Bridge. As you can tell, thanks to my
genius, we've cleared the mine field. Any of the enemy's ships trying to move through the mine field will be in for a nasty surprise. Transmit the coordinates of where the mines are NOW located to the Kalen, and tell tr'Raith that I've picked up a hostage or crew member, his choice. Says he's a bigwig in the Senate or something, I have no idea, politics mean nothing to me."
|