Calling For Help, part 1

Posted on Sat Oct 23rd, 2010 @ 12:50pm by Commodore Samantha York & Colonel Damon Raine

1,116 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Peace, or Something Like It
Location: Somewhere in New Paris, Turkana IV
Timeline: Current

ON

Samantha spent some time thinking about ways to get out of their predicament. One thing she noticed: every time the door above opened to lower food she caught a glimpse of the thoughts of their captors.

At first, she tried to get information from their surface thoughts, but there wasn't much TO get. They were lackeys doing a job. So, she turned to thinking of how she could use that brief lack of shielding to send a message OUT.

Slowly, a plan began to form. She turned to the Grand Marshal. "When the rope is lowered, grab it and pull," Sam instructed. "It might get us a rope." And, if they were really very lucky, the person holding on to it. "While you do that, I'm going to try and send a message."

The next time the door slid open, Sam sent a burst of thought as far as she could to anyone who could hear her.

Trapped by mercenaries. Contact Major Damon Raine, Council Chambers. Tell him Sam needs help,

If it worked and people went to Damon, he could use them to triangulate Sam's location.

Teenan waited patiently as the rope lowered into the pit. Once within arms reach he tugged on the rope lightly as if he was impatient to get his food.

Their captor above grunted and wrapped his hand around the rope, securing his grip out of irritation.

With a wicked grin the Grand Marshall quickly grabbed the rope with both hands and yanked as hard as he could, putting his entire body into it. The captor was taken by surprise as the rope would have been ripped from his hands save for the fact that he was wrapped up in it.

With a quiet yelp the guard was pulled off his footing and fell into the hole headlong. The fall wasn't far, but the impact left the person crumpled in a heap at the Marshal's feet.

It was clear the guard wasn't dead from the groans that came from him and Teenan was quick to lay in a couple of punches before he could gather the reserves to call for help. Satisfied that he had been silenced, Teenan let go of the man's collar and he once again flopped to the floor. He knelt down beside the prone form and relieved the man of his sidearm and communication device.

"That wasn't a bad idea." He said with a half smile, rubbing his now sore knuckles once he stood back up.

"Nicely done," Sam said, grinning back. "I may have contacted a few telepaths. If it works, Damon will be able to triangulate our location." She looked down and the man on the ground. "And we have a prisoner of our own. One who may be able to give us some valuable information. I'm Betazoid. You ask him questions, I'll tell you if he's lying or not."

Teenan looked down to the man on the floor. "I think it may be some time before he wakes up." He couldn't help but grin at his effectiveness. "Until then, what idea do you have for this." He reached down and began coiling the rope left on the floor. "I certainly can't climb it."

Sam took one end of the rope and hog-tied the unconscious man. "At least he can't try anything when he wakes up," she said, grinning at Teenan.

It was a good idea to try, but I think your attempts at contact may literally fall on deaf ears. We have very few telepaths on the planet. That being the case we should probably operate off the assumption that your message didn't reach anyone. We need to start working on a plan for getting ourselves out of here."

"I'm trying to come up with something," Sam said, shaking her head. "I'm not quite sure how we can get ourselves out of here. Yet. Do you have any ideas?" She still hoped that a couple of telepaths would pick up her signal. Four or five would be ideal.

He looked down to the guard on the ground. "Torturing him may yield some information." He waved the pistol the man's direction.

"And it may get him killed and leave us with nothing," she said sternly. "We won't use torture." She looked down at the man on the ground. "There are always other ways to get information> Better ways."

"It's never the most efficient." He said with a shrug.

"No, but I sleep better at night,"

"You might find that guilt free sleep is the first thing to go in war time. After a while one becomes desensitised by it." He said, still considering the option of torture. "If you really think your approach will work better, I am willing to give it a try.

"I do," she said seriously. "Thank you."

Teenan walked over to their prisoner and quickly tied a piece of the rope around his face, making a gag. In the process the man started to groan and shift his weight.

Ever so slowly his eyes opened and regarded the prison walls around him. He was aware of his restraints and began to test them with his hands and feet. His head snapped around until he caught sight of Teenan looking back at him with his pistol tightly gripped.

"Welcome back." Teenan said with a smile. He knelt down to look the man in the face. "We're going to play a little game. I am going to ask you a series of yes or no questions, you answer truthfully and I won't have to start torturing you for the answers, agreed?"

The man looked back from Teenan to the Commander, unsure of his commitment.

"Her?" Teenan asked following the mans gaze. "She was the one who convinced me not to just go straight to torture. If you make it out of this, you may want to thank her." His eyes turned deadly "But know this, I am the one with the gun and therefore I decide when our little game is over. She won't be able to help you then."

"Now." He said, eyes turning eerily bright again. "Rules. You lie, I shoot you. You make loud noises to alert your friends, I shoot you. You try to break free, I shoot you." He paused for a moment "Pretty much if you do anything I don't like, I will shoot you." He waved the pistol in his hand around mocking the lack of concern he had for the mans safety.

"Good?" He asked as he looked to Samantha.

(To be continued...)

Commander Samantha York
Commanding Officer
USS Calypso

Grand Marshal Teenan Varik (NPC)
Coalition Leader
Turkana IV

 

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