Red Alert! (part 2)

Posted on Tue Oct 30th, 2012 @ 1:41pm by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson & Master Chief Petty Officer Apu Barnum & Senior Chief Petty Officer Helga (Hel) Lowe & Commander Alexandra Vance & Major Leroy Mangalia & Lieutenant Jourdan Abbott & Lieutenant Eamon Lynx & Lieutenant Malcolm Hoffman & Ensign Ruka Maron [Lynx] & Ensign Tallas Shirol
Edited on on Tue Oct 30th, 2012 @ 2:53pm

1,679 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Enemy Within: Lying in Wait
Location: Calypso (various)

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

Computer, who locked out computer access?"

"Humpty Dumpty."

Sam sighed. "Looks like we'll have to do this the hard way."

[NEW]

Tallas sat down at the secondary console. She looked over at Captain York and wondered if she would ever get the Caf-Pow she asked for, but then decided not to bring it up and get to work. She looked down and immediately her fingers began to dance across the console, picking up sub-directory after sub-directory and eventually bringing the screen down to the actual code itself.

"Captain. Each section has its own unique code. They are all different from each other. Like a fingerprint or a DNA strand. A departments own personal signature that links the code itself to the department, sometimes even the user." Tallas said as she looked at the code itself, bringing up certain sections at a time and closing them quickly. "Starfleet began this process back during the age when they initial assigned the Federation Database with its own personal voice and command codes. This gave the computer the ability to identify codes through departments and uses so as to determine which officer access which information and which time." She looked over to York and smiled. "Short term's. I can tell what codes the computer is running through at this time. It might even give us a culprit." She smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest, excited with herself. "Take that Vanya." She whispered to herself softly.

Sam listened to her explanation and wondered who this Vanya was. She'd ask Damion later. "Now that you've explained how the layers work and why they were implemented, can you tell me who gave the lockout command?"

"For the moment, Captain. I can't pinpoint who it was, but I think I can tell you which department they came from." Tallas answered, her eyes focused on the screen looking over the code intensely. "Hmm... Thats odd." She tilted her head slightly and then straightened it out. For a second there she thought she did something wrong, but she double checked the code to make sure and it came up with the same odd answer. "Its a Hybrid code. A code devised of an officers original department code that has been updated when transfered to a different or higher department. Such as Science to Medical or Operations to Tactical." She turned the chair around and looked at Captain York and Malcolm. "If I am reading this right, its an officers code devised of both Intelligence and Command."

"Vance," Sam said, her voice solemn. The woman had been acting strange lately. But, as she'd only recently arrived on the ship, it was hard to say what normal would be for the woman.

Sam recalled Vance's behavior as they passed outside the bridge. Could the creature in the creature in the arboretum and Vance's odd behavior be connected? The idea was chilling.


[Transporter Room 2]

Vance entered the transporter room. A young non commissioned officer stood at the console and turned to Vance as she entered.

"Commander, the transporters are currently inoperable." the man replied not knowing why she would want to leave in a time of crisis, but he wasn't one to ask questions.

"I know, your services will no longer be required." Vance reached for her hand phaser and fired upon the man causing him to let out a blood-curdling scream as he disintegrated instantly.

Vance pressed on her communications device. "Nurse Lowe, state your location."

"Deck 8, entering the turbolift. I'll be in the transporter room in three minutes."

"Insufficient, we will be discovered soon. Two minutes is sufficient time." Vance replied.

"If I run through the corridors I will bring undue attention to myself. It was imperative that I check out of sickbay before joining you, Commander," Helga explained. "I will be there as soon as I can."

[Bridge]

"Commodore, I'm detecting phaser fire in transporter room 2."

Sam looked at the other two in her ready room. Vance? Probably. "Computer, lock out transporter commands, authorization Sierra Yankee Romeo 8577223."

"Command authorization not recognized." the computer replied.

Tallas started to work at the console. This time her dancing fingers were moving a warp three as she focused on rerouting lock out. "Captain. I think I can lock them out by using the backdoor from this terminal, but it's gonna take some time."

"We don't have time." Sam switched data rods and activated a secondary override through the science department. It gave science command access and Sam, who still had command of the autonomous science database, command of the ship. She recreated command access and locked out all Intel codes in general and Vance in particular. "Sorry, Tallas," she said, giving her a secondary access that would give her most of the same authorization she had with Intel. "Try this. You are now Little Bo Peep, but it'll help you find the lost sheep."

"Do I have to be Little Bo Peep?" Tallas responded with a slight sigh and turned back to the console quickly. "I always hated her. I was always a Red Riding Hood fan. I have no respect for a girl who can't take care of her own pets. If you weren't up for the challenge, you should have never got them in the first place. She obviously wasn't up for the responsibility. Her parents should have shot her." There was a slight pause in her words, but not her fingers as they worked hard at shutting down transporters. "And who would give sheep to someone who isn't responsible in the first place. She should have gotten a gerbil. Or a hamster. Maybe a fish."

"Red Riding Hood ignored advice to stay on the path and got eaten by a wolf," Sam said, not looking at the woman as she continued to work as quickly as she could. "Read the original tales. And if you hate Bo Peep that much, have some lamb stew when this is all over. Right now, I need to get my ship back."

A moment later she sat back. "There. Done. Computer, locate Commander Vance and lock out her computer access."

"Commander Vance is in transporter room 2. Command access deactivated. Transporter access deactivated."

Sam tapped on her combadge. "Security. Get to Transporter Room 2 on the double. Detain Commander Vance. Consider her armed and dangerous."

[Transporter Room 2]

Ensign Maron, having been repositioned as a regular intelligence officer, was walking by and saw Commander Vance enter then heard phaser fire from inside. Ruka saw a weapons locker behind her a few doors back and quickly ran back to grab one.

The somewhat-absent-minded Intelligence officer cautiously approached the transporter room again and with her phaser raised Ruka rushed in and began firing.

Vance let out a sly half smile as she dematerialized from the transporter room. It was a rare show of emotion and one not exhibited since she had been assimilated. However the officer's severe lack of marksmanship amused what was left of her humanity.

Ruka watched as the phaser blasts simply passed through the transporter beam and she tapped her combadge. =^=Maron to Bridge, Commander Vance just beamed to the surface,=^= she walked over to the operator console to confirm which it was.

Just then Helga walked into the transporter room. "Is there a problem?" she asked, walking up to the Intel officer. I a moment she'd injected a hypospray in the other woman's neck, rendering her unconscious. "Not any more," Helga said to herself, smiling.

She set the transporter codes to follow Vance, then made sure the information on where they went was erased as soon as she dematerialized.

She heard running in the corridor and stepped on the pad. " Engage."

The last thing she saw as she dematerialized was the door to the transporter room opening.

[Holodeck]

Leo looked around the room, trying to figure out what to do. As his team breached the door, the Major made a mental note to learn how to fix it. The metal twisted aside, Leo ran through, leading the way. The communication with the Bridge had never been closed, and he had heard everything. -^-Captain, me and mine are on our way. Where do you need us to secure?-^-

"Secure transporter rooms. I don't know who else is going to try and leave," she replied. "Stun only. I don't want any of our people killed."

[Ready Room]

"Drat, we missed her," Sam said, hearing that Vance and 50 of her crew, got off the ship.

"All stations, red alert!" she ordered. She didn't know what Vance had in mind, but she was sure she wouldn't like it.

Malcolm was observing everything that was taking place and quite frankly felt useless just sitting around. He walked up to Sam "Commodore is there something I can do to help out? My knowledge of computer databases are limited but I am familiar with basic combat tactics courtesy of the Dominion war."

"I have a feeling you will be of great help before too much longer. If we are dealing with what we both suspect, then we will need to be prepared to fight almost immediately. I'll be happy to let you make sure we're ready to fight. I'm going to contact Admiral Burke." Just as she had a feeling they'd meet the Borg before much longer, she also had a feeling she'd need reinforcements.

Tallas still, sitting at the console she was using. "I can setup a secured link, Captain. If you need one, anyway."

"Thank you, Ensign, but I have one I can use. Thank you. Now that we have computer controls back, I need you back at your station. Thank you both for your help."

When she was alone, she sent an encrypted message to Admiral Burke.

OFF

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

Commander Alexandra Vance
Executive Officer

Captain Leroy Mangalia
Marine CO

Lieutenant Malcolm Hoffman
Chief Counselor

Ensign Tallas Shirol
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer

Ensign Ruka Maron
Intelligence Officer

Master Chief Petty Officer Helga Lowe
Nurse

 

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