Retrieval - Part IV

Posted on Wed Jul 16th, 2025 @ 4:41am by 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Major Cameron Bourne & 1st Lieutenant Maria Zamorano & 1st Lieutenant Mazal Falk & Ensign Chevy Tuff
Edited on on Wed Jul 16th, 2025 @ 4:43am

1,526 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Broken Mirror

[PREVIOUSLY]

Both Maria and Mazal rolled their eyes. What the serving girl had done, made catching them kinda flat footed. They were fast on their recovery, moving swiftly into the corridor. Mazal tapped on her combadge, "Kara the ship has been alerted, can you read us? Someone decided to kick the hornets’ nest and it wasn't us."

She looked over to Cam. "what do you think see if the Calypso can transport the scientist up?"

Cam shook his head, "no, let's get to the beam out point before we try that. god only knows what this ship is made of" he said, taking note that Kara hadn't responded. "Come on, let's go"

[CONTINUED]


--Research Team--

Chevy looked over at Kara, wondering how he got stuck with the most simple-minded and direct person that he could ever be stuck with. First safe place.... I wonder what she considers safe, a supply closet? Anything else might carry a risk. But what use is the supply closet. Nonetheless, he walked alongside her in silence.

Kara used a tricorder and her senses to avoid people and look for a room with a computer. She didn't care what Chevy thought of her. She had enough problems with him in the Romulan lunar facility and didn't want a repeat performance here where they were even more likely to run into trouble. After checking one corridor and then turning a corner, she heard the sound of someone in a nearby room. There was definitely someone in the room, and what might just be a computer. "I'll go first," she whispered, checking to be sure her phaser was on stun.

Putting a finger to her lips, she listened at the door, then moved forward to activate the sensor. When the door opened, she stunned the person inside. "You take the computer, I'll take care of him," she said, indicating the humanoid who was now on the floor.

Chevy barely gave a look at the humanoid on the floor and immediately headed to the computer. He plugged into the computer and started humming as he worked. After a moment, he cackled in a shrill tone. "That's what you call security? Really?"

Kara had deftly tied and gagged the person on the floor so they couldn't call out or run away when they woke.

She looked up at Chevy's words. "I guess they didn't expect guests. Do you have sufficient data crystals to copy the information we need?"

"I do not know how many will be sufficient," he answered flatly. "And, without knowing exactly what information is needed, I am copying everything, which is problematic if you are in a rush."

"We don't need any ship specs. We need information on the mercenaries themselves and who they are working for. Focus on that. And set up a covert upload to the Calypso in case we have to bug out quickly." Kara was also concerned about the man on the ground, in case he woke up and somehow managed to alert someone.

Chevy sighed. "Would ship specs not be information on the mercenaries?" He sighed as he continued to download information. "Even the best covert upload has a chance of being detected. It sends signals into space. While I could disguise it, someone could figure it out and that does not seem like a wise decision. Since this is supposed to be covert, that is not an advised action. I have no desire to be recognized and do wish to complete this mission with the maximum amount of information, which was what I was directed to do. Correct?"

"Correct. Start with the most vital information. If there's time and space, add to it. If we have to leave, transfer what's left to the Calypso. Does that hierarchy work for you?"

"No," Chevy answered simply. "Perhaps the specs are vital. Perhaps they are not." He clucked his beak and in a moment of inspiration, suggested, "However, I suppose that it might be best to start a download and seek encrypted files. Those are more likely to have information that might have special interest."

Kara nodded. "Good idea." She tried not to let her frustration show as he was being reasonable at the moment. "I'll keep an eye out for anyone coming this way."

Chevy kept his download going as he started to search the computer for encrypted files. Once he found one, he said, "Level 2? I wonder if that is high or low." He clucked his beak again and continued to chirp, "Well, one way to find out." He allowed his talons to flow across a keyboard before clucking again, "Disappointing...."

Kara turned to look at Chevy. "What's disappointing?"

"One would think that information would be protected better than this." He clucked again. "A half-wit hack could get into some of these files."

"They're mercenaries. They may not have the ability to encrypt their computers." Kara paused. "Then again, it doesn't mean they can't tell you're in the computer, so be careful."

"They did encrypt their computers, as I just explained. They just did it poorly." He shook his head in Kara's direction, not understanding why she could not comprehend basic words. It was always a problem with her. "I am careful about my job, Lieutenant Melo. Their poor safeguards make this a rather dull job."

"I should have specified more than a basic encryption, but the point stands. They clearly didn't think they would be boarded." She wondered how Cam was doing, but knew that if he was in trouble, he would have called for help. "How close are we to being able to leave?"

A noise outside the door alerted Kara that someone was coming just in time for her to move to the wall, phaser in hand. She didn't dare say anything to Tuff in case it alerted whoever was outside. So, she waited until the door opened and a woman walked in.

A moment later, she fell to the ground, stunned. Kara pulled her to one side, next to the unconscious man. "That's two. What's your best guess on time?"

"For a complete download of everything here or whatever I might be able to break into or something else?" Chevy asked perplexed.

"We don't need a complete download of everything. We need to find out who they're working for, what they're after in our universe, and how they jump between universes," Kara said. "I don't think we'll have time for anything else."

Chevy turned to Kara as the data continued to download. "You continue to change the directives you give me and that makes things difficult to perform my job. It is not as if I can get a definitive view of anything I am downloading as it is occurring. I am simply breaking into what might be most likely location of information that may have those answers." He huffed through his nostrils, "Honestly, have you never worked on a computer before?"

"I have, but you take it to a whole new level of complexity." She shook her head. "Never mind. Just get what you think best and let's go."

Kara heard the sounds of several people hurrying down the corridor. "More company," she told Chevy. Then she raised her phaser and again moved off to the side, ready to stun them all as they entered.

Chevy told Kara, "I believe I have downloaded all the encrypted files I can from here. I might suggest that you dispatch with the company and get us back."

"Good." The footsteps were slowing. Deciding not to wait for the door to open, she set the phaser on wide angle heavy stun and pulled the door open, shooting in both directions.

Without thinking, she reached out telepathically to Cam. Just stunned six armed mercenaries. They know we're here. Heading to the beam out location now."

Kara turned to Chevy. "You go first. I'll act as backup. You need to get that data back to the ship."

"You just want me to be shot first," Chevy complained. "Be your guinea pig.... I think that's what they call those small, stinky, furry things on your planet."

They could both hear the sound of more people coming their way. "I am the guinea pig. You are the roadrunner. Now, get to the beam out site before I shoot you myself."

She gave him a shove in the right direction, then shot her phaser down the corridor to keep whoever was coming at bay long enough for Chevy to get out of sight.

Kara fired another shot, then, as soon as he was far enough away, she went back to the room they'd been in and paused. This time, she wanted them to see her go in because she didn't think Chevy could outrun them and she had no wish to be shot. She could wait inside until help came or she was beamed back to the ship.

(To be continued...)

1st Lieutenant Kara Melo
Platoon Leader
USS Calypso

1st Lieutenant Maria Zamorano
Marine
USS Calypso

1st Lieutenant Mazal Falk
Marine
USS Calypso

Captain Cameron Bourne
Marine CO
USS Calypso

Ensign Chevy Tuff
Computer Systems Analyst
USS Calypso

 

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