Coming in from the cold
Posted on Sat May 2, 2020 @ 4:09am by Civilian Melvyn Raddon & Lieutenant Alanna Wells & Captain Lazanos Torena & Master Sergeant Miranda Schultz
2,475 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Et In Arcadia Ego
Location: Pangaea
Timeline: MD04 1500
Tags: Raddon, Pangea, Marcel, Marines
ON
Marcel had managed to stretch out his rations for as long as he possibly could. He had evne found a way to turn otherwise inedible foilage and plantlife naturally found on the planet into sustanance. However, it could not last forever. He knew at some point he would have to make the decision as to who to turn to for his survivial.
He could reach out to the Raddon Corporation, his former employer. He knew they would eagerly move Heaven and Earth to rescue him from the planet's surface and bring him back into their fold. They had to, he knew the secret behind their Research facility on the planet and what it was trying to accomplish. However, he also knew what lengths the company could possibly go to prevent the secret from being released.
On the other hand, there was Starfleet. He knew that he held a valuable card up his sleeve. It was a card that was particularly valuable to the station leadership and their desire to take down the Raddon Corporation and its supporters within the higher echelons of the Federation. However, he also knew that they would deem him to be a traitor and seek prosecution against him as well.
Marcel King was faced with a crisis; not one of conscience, but one of self-preservation. He had spent the past 48 hours, the time since his rations and any semblance of food stores had been exhaustive, trying to determine the best way out for him and the safest for his family. He had decided that Starfleet wanted what he knew and that he would have to find a way to secure a brighter future with them, rather than rolling the dice with his former employer.
He stepped through the clearing and found the location he was searching for. Prior to his equpiment failing him, it had indicated the general location of a Starfleet security station. He saw the Marine sentry posted at the edge of the path near a clearing. The Marines typically worked their shfits in teams of two; however, he did not see the second one. . .until he heard a branch snap behind him.
Laz had spotted the heat signature approaching on their sensors before the figure had arrived. It’d appeared human, but Laz wasn’t taking anything for granted, anymore. Stepping outside, Laz stretched and looked at Miranda. “We’ve got a guest,” Laz said. “Coming in from the southwest. I’m gonna go for a walk.”
Miranda nodded. "I'll play decoy."
He kept his rifle slung at the easy position and moved in a half-circle towards the location, careful to be as silent as possible. Before he ever even laid eyes on the man, he could hear him coming through the wilderness, crunching gravel and sticks underfoot, being careful but not trained for this kind of thing. When Laz did catch sight of him, he saw their visitor was definitely human, a bit rough and looking like he’d been living in the wilderness, but still human. With experienced care, Laz drew his phaser and approached slowly and quietly. The branch snapped under his foot when he was within spitting distance of the man. “Sir,” Laz said. “I’m going to have to ask you to identify yourself.”
"I-I-I'm a Federation citizen! I'm a Human!" Marcel said, his voice filled with fear but yet a sense of entitlement. He wasn't some growling Klingon a starving Bajoran. He was a Human, that entitled him to certain treatment, even if suspected of a crime.
"My name is Marcel King, Project Supervisor for the Raddon Corporation Research Complex." He said, slowly kneeling to the ground and lacing his fingers together. "I--I am turning myself in to Starfleet authorities." He said to the Marine.
Miranda recognized the reference to the Raddon research facility. "I think Lieutenant Wells will want to talk to him."
Laz looked at Miranda, thinking. Then he turned towards King, as his memory caught up with him from the reports he’d read. “Ah. Mr. King. I’ve heard of you. Yeah, I think there’s a lot of people who’d love to speak with you.” Putting his phaser away, Laz laid his left hand on top of Marcel’s to keep them in place folded on top of his head, getting his cuffs with the right. “You’ve been down here this whole time? Two, three weeks?” He whistled as he cuffed the man.
"Where I hav---ow! OW! that is too tight!" The Administrator groused
Laz glanced at Schultz, and adjusted the cuff on King’s wrist. He could already tell this was going to be a great time for all of them.
She raised an eyebrow, and adjusted her weapon, happy to act as backup.
"Where I have been is less than important than what information I possess that certain people would like to know." He said as he looked at the other Sentries. "Particularly information about the Raddon Corporation's research efforts." He said as the Marine finished adjusting the handcuffs. "I wish to speak to someone important." He said dismissively. It seemed to him that their only purpose on the planet was to shoot things and be cannon fodder. He wanted to speak to someone who at least had a pip on their collar.
“Well, you came to the right place,” Laz said as he finished cuffing his hands behind his back, then helped him to his feet. “I know lots of important people these days. I’m going to search you, now. You have anything on you I need to worry about?”
Marcel's patience was beginning to run thin with the asinine questions. "Yes, my brain." The Administrator said flippantly. "I'm not interested in your vapid attempt at humor or interrogation." He said to the Marine closest to him in an aggravated tone. "I told you that who I am and what information I possess. Now put me on your shuttle and take me to the station Command Staff." He said.
“Not if you’re gonna be mean,” Laz said. “Mean people don’t get shuttle rides.” He hit his comm badge. “Torena to Lieutenant Wells. Could I get you to come out to security station delta? You’ve got a guest who’d like to see you.”
Alanna tapped her combadge, curious that someone wanted to see her. "On my way."
Since she was already on the planet, it didn't take her long to get to the security station. The Marines at the door were expecting her and let her in. "Hi," she said, approaching Laz. "You have a..." Then she saw the man with him. "Doctor King. This is a surprise."
“He wanted to talk to somebody less primitive,” Laz said as he led Dr. King towards the security station. “And you’re the least primitive person I know down here. We can talk inside.” The security station was a spartan space, with a small area for monitoring the security instruments, a table and chairs, and a phaser locker. Laz sat King down at the table and got some water for all of them.
One side of Alanna's mouth twitched up as she fought back a grin. Least primitive. She liked that.
Marcel sat down and accepted the water. "FINALLY!" He said loudly. "This planet is suppose to be a hub of technological research and discovery, not a foward operating base for the invasion of Arcanis." He said, referencing one of the more gruesome scenes of combat between Klingon and Federation forces. "I've been waiting here waiting to speak to someone who can authorize my transport off of the surface." He said as he took another sip. He looked at the woman and noticed her young appearance.
"I, a Senior Project Manager for a rather complex and highly technical project wishes to speak with Starfleet and the BEST they can send me is a mere Lieutenant?" He scoffed. "I guess that will have to do." He said as he made a very displeased face.
"Ugh. . .did this water come from a replicator?" He asked rhetorically. "I would at least expect you to have SOME FORM of ionized alkaline water." He said, still showing his displeasure. "What is the pH level in this. . .a 4?" He asked.
This time, Alanna didd smile. "Well, we decided that because of the increase in colonists to produce our own water. This is the equivalent of Pangaean tap water." She took a sip of the water, then added. "I think it's a 6. I'm Doctor Alanna Wells, the head of scientific research on Pangaea. The only person above me without going out of system is Captain Soran of Deep Space 5." She smiled sweetly. "Here on Pangaea I report to Federation Sciences, not Starfleet. If you think I'm not qualified to talk to you, I'll be happy to send a request to Earth and let you enjoy the hospitality of the Starfleet Marines. I expect it will take two or three weeks before I get a response, and another month if they send someone out."
Marcel rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, FINE! You will have to do." He said in resignation. "I have information regarding the special projects the Raddon Corporation was working on in their facility. I want a personal audience with the station Command Staff to brief them on the particular details." He said assertively.
That definitely caught Alanna's attention. "I can have the captain here within thirty minutes," Alanna said. "Or we can take a shuttle to the station. Either way, you might attract attention. I can assure you, however, that we are most interested in your information, both the team on Pangaea and the command team on Deep Space 5."
Laz frowned at how King kept insisting he should get off-world. “Why are you in such a rush to get off Pangaea, now?”
"Because the longer I stay here, the greater risk I place myself." He said guardedly. "There is no telling what operatives Melvyn still has on this planet that are looking for me." He added. "The sooner I am on a shuttle flying away from this freak show of a planet, the better." He said.
The Marine crossed his arms and looked at Alanna. “You’re accusing your former boss, Melvyn Raddon, of hiring operatives to...what? Kill you? Kidnap you?”
"Melvyn Raddon is a lot of things, but he is no fool." Marcel said to the Marine. "His suspension from operating a facility on this planet surface was just a mere bump in the road. It certainly isn't going to stop him." He added. "Your people have no clue what exactly is going on, nor how many people he has working on this." He said as he shifted his look back towards the Science Officer. "This is Raddon Industries we're talking about, not some Saturday-Morning cartoon villian." He said, referncing the ancient Human form of entertainment for children.
"The information I possess will cause shockwaves throughout his enterprise!" He said with a smile of self-satisfaction. "Now, when...do...we...depart!?" He asked impatiently.
Alanna looked to Laz. "He's right. I'll need you to set up security to get him safely back to the station. We can use Marine transport, or a civilian shuttle, but we need to do it quietly. I don't want anyone to know we have him until he's safely in Captain Soran's hands."
"By all means, please use a civilian transport. I have severe allergies and I will absoluely die if I have to breathe in that stale air that's recycled through those non-commercial oxygen scrubbers." Marcel said with obvious disgust. "I had to suffer through one of them several years ago during a survey of Savros III. Let me tell you, I couldn't get back to my allergist fast enough." He said with a huff.
"Oh...uh...can you be a dear and hand me a nail file in one of those...oh what do you call them. . .a leatherman tool I believe." Marcel said to to Laz. "Ugh. . .my nail bed is is hanging on by a thread." as added as looked back down at his hands.
“We’ll worry about your cuticles when you’re upstairs,” Laz replied. He looked at Alanna. “The Marines have a shift rotation in two hours. I can take him up, myself. Put him in some coveralls, he’ll look like a worker catching a lift.” Laz turned back to Marcel. “If you can keep your mouth shut for the ride, anyway.”
Marcel cast a rough glare towards the Marine. "My mouth is going to be the least of your worries." He muttered.
"I think that would be best. We can feed him, too." She glanced at Marcel. "He looks hungry."
"I am absolutely famished! How hard would it be for the Federation to invent a gluten-free MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat) in this day and age!?" He said in an obvious exasperated voice. "If you're taking orders, I would appreciate the Rigellian steak being cooked a medium-rare, just lightly flamed, oh and the water at room temperature I cannot emphasis that enough!" He said to the Marine as he leaned back and sighed.
Alanna grinned. "I'll see what the replicator can come up with," she replied to Marcel. "Captain Torena can keep you company."
Marcel looked over at the Marine while Lt. Wells walked off. "So whose daughter did you screw to get stuck with this shit-sandwich of an assignment?" Marcel asked, attempting to create conversation.
“Oh, so many,” Laz said. “You wouldn’t believe it. They say I’m the worst Marine with the best hips in the quadrant.” The man seemed to be genetically incapable of being a prick. What a joy the ride back to the station would be.
She put the order in the replicator, sorely temped to give him k-rations, but since his information would be of great worth to Captain Soran, she chose to be nice. She sent a quick message to the captain asking to see her when she got back to the station and took the food to Marcel. "This is the best we can provide here."
Marcel received the plate and sighed in irritability. "Obviously. . .but I guess this will have to do considering the circumstances." He mused as he began to eat.
Alanna grinned at Laz. "High praise indeed."
"I'm ecstatic," Laz said, and went to replicate a maintenance jumpsuit for Marcel. Maybe he'd make it just a little too small.
Lieutenant Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space 5
Marine Captain Lazanos Torena
CO, 21st MEU
Deep Space 5
Marcel King
Program Manager
Raddon Corporation
Reference Posts:
https://ds5.sim-metry.net/index.php/sim/viewpost/1279 (part I)
https://ds5.sim-metry.net/index.php/sim/viewpost/1280 (part II)
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