The Fall of Berlin

Posted on 20 Mar 2016 @ 1:20am by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Duval & Lieutenant Min Zhao

2,921 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Holodeck One.
Timeline: MD84 - 1500Hrs

Music Soundtrack: Unheilig - Freiheit

Warrant Officer Second Class Anthony Duval slowly crept down Brunsbütteler Damm, heading west, this street was two lanes of traffic a side and packed with fashionable houses and small scale shops.

The sky was clear and the weather was lovely, only if the rest of his situation was the same. The date in this particular holoprogram was set in "25/08/2047.". it was two years after the start of the greatest war to ever grace Earth's shores and landscapes. But what was special about this war was that it would touch every single human on the planet, as well as touch every single landmass and country, over a hundred countries would fall and only twenty three nations would endure past the coming apocalypse.

Duval knew that the invasion of the European Union by the Eastern Coalition had begun two months earlier and now both sides were hammering away at each other a hundred and sixty miles to the west of where Duval presently stood.

The Hamburg line bisected Germany, almost cutting it in half from north to south except for some odd reason. Duval could not get out of the holodeck and he was trapped.

This was extremely bad news as he was sure to be detected sooner or later as being part of the allies, who were fated to loose much of Europe to the Eastern Coalition. He looked left then right before he tapped his combadge. "Duval to Operations?" he felt a wave of foolishness at this situation but he couldn't turn off the program, not from the inside.

"Go ahead Warrant." Min recognized the voice as one of the engineers. Ops & Engineering, especially on smaller vessels like the Galileo, tended to work close with their counterparts and while Min had never personally met Duval, she recognized the voice.

His report was simple and very to the point. "The doors to holodeck one are not working, I'm trapped on the holodeck... set in Berlin, during your Third World War.." he rumbled as he ducked into a small alleyway to avoid some Hegemony Troops. "Also.. keep it down... I have friendlies mixed with bad guys... and I'm behind hunted..." he added. "If the doors not working... are the safeties working?" he explained why he had in effect demanded she keep quiet on her responses.

Min quickly pulled up the status of the running holodeck. Safeties were on but there was also a glitch in the system, one that unfortunately she had to enter the program to fix. "Safeties are on Warrant. I'll have to manually override the doors to shutdown the program. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Sounds good El Tee." Duval responded softly. "Be advised... there are multiple bad guys in here... and their guns do work..." he sighed. "Next time I'll go rock climbing."

It took Min a few minutes to get to the malfunctioning holodeck and she could see the program running inside. She needed to get at one of the core process modulators which from the looks of the program, would be situated inside the back office of a dealership on the east side. And from the looks up it, the arch would place her just across the street in a back alley.

Keying her codes in, Min entered as the doors opened, her kit bag slung over her shoulder. As the arch vanished, her clothes changed into something a bit more period specific and her kit bag into a rucksack. She glanced each way to see who or what was around and began to run across the street, hoping she wasn't seen.

Meanwhile a few Holy Islamic Regulars were heading back to the barracks that used to be a high rise block of flats, they simply evicted everyone living within, putting all of the men inside to the swords while the women and children all died a slower and far crueler death. This was why anyone with a weapon would rather fight to the death then surrender to the H.I.E.

Two H.I.E. troopers were busy beating a young woman, her cries and screams could be heard echoing up and down the street. Duval drew his knife and stabbed one of them, then he lunched for the second guy, cutting his throat with such force that he went right to the bone, then he yanked his knife out with ruthless force, splatting the ground around both of them with splatters of bright red blood.

The first guy began to howl in pain, before Duval silenced him forever with his blade.

Duval looked left and then right, he needed to find Min as he was now responsible for her, wherever she was located, he saw something move nearby and he crossed the street before a H.I.E. Humvee came around the corner two blocks up, the bodies that had been killed just days earlier had not been cleaned away so Duval fell among the dead, hoping to not end up dead himself.

Once the Humvee past, he slowly crawled across the street. "Dammit Min, where are you girl?" he asked the darkness softly, before slowly getting up then he dashed across the street, hoping to not blow Min's cover, wherever she was located.

He reached his destination as he spotted two H.I.E troopers suddenly start shouting at a young woman nearby, someone he had almost dismissed as being Min but then he decided to go and investigate, dropping his cover, he began to run as quietly as possible towards the two men. Knowing the young woman would not stand a chance.

Min saw the truck and tried to duck into a side alley but it was too late. The truck screeched to a halt almost right in front of her and four large military men hopped out of the vehicle, guns drawn as they approached her. Yelling something she couldn't understand, Min soon got the gist as he kicked her leg out from beneath her, forcing her to kneel on the ground. Placing her hands behind her head, fingers crossed, she stared at the truck and what she assumed was the leader.

Duval stopped as he realized that this was Min. He looked for a weapon before he picked up a rather sizable chunk of metal that used to being to a street sign, ripped down during the fierce fighting just days earlier in the fall of this once proud city, his anger starting to boil.

Duval noticed the attention of the four were squarely on Min herself, even the driver was wanting her affections as Duval threw his knife from ten feet, it stuck square in the back of the driver, he suddenly dropped to the pavement, dead before he hit the ground while Duval swung the metal bar at the second guy, the one on the far right.

He brought it down over the top, it connected with his skull, there was a loud sickening crunching sound and the end result was a messy splatter as a result of his work, his attacker dropped to the ground as the two remaining H.I.E. guys dove on him.

Duval growled as the three struggled, then suddenly one of them screamed, blood began pouring forth as Duval stabbed him with a second knife which he had kept secreted on his person because of this sort of encounter.

Duval worked at killing the man in silence where as the two of them were doing all kinds of screaming as the third guy dropped away, blood pouring from various wounds.

Unsure who her rescuer was but glad for the assistance, Min grabbed for the rifle on the ground. The gun was similar in appearance to the phaser rifles she trained with, and she brought the rifle to her shoulder, aiming at the fourth man.

The fourth man, caught of guard as he'd put his weapon down to unzip his fly, no doubt the first one to violate her, had no chance as Min pulled the trigger.

Unlike a phaser rifle though, this weapon, the infamous AK-47, opened up with a staccato of sound, pounding Min's shoulder before she let the trigger go. The man dropped to the ground, twitching as he lay there, blood pouring from his neck where one round had severed an artery before tearing through his spine.

Min held the gun in a death grip, her eyes wide open as she stared at the man she'd just killed.

Duval regarded her with a soft look on his face, which one didn't normally see. "You okay?" he asked her quietly.

"Yeah." Min replied, placing the gun down. "Look. There's a small box I left behind at the dealership just down the street. No money or anything, just something sentimental I need. I could use some help and we probably should get away from here before more show up."

"El Tee.. Its me.. Anthony Duval." he introduced himself as he gently picked up the rifle from off of the deck where she had placed it just moments earlier. "Go. I'll cover you." he lifted two sidearms before he checked one then the other, deciding he needed more rounds, he proceeded to check the guys over real quick, then he lifted two or three grenades. "Alright.. lets move!"

Min nodded. Her movement wasn't anywhere near as smooth and quick as she'd have liked, the pregnancy was already slowing her down and making her feel a bit ungainly, and she was only halfway through it. Getting across the street she looked at Duval as she stopped. "No running okay Lieutenant. This girl isn't as fast and nimble as she'd like. The whole baby thing is kicking my butt already."

"Act casual... Maybe they won't-..." he stopped as he heard shouting. "I can't win.." Duval responded as he lifted the rifle before he handed her a sidearm. "Lead the way... I got you covered." as he lifted a second rifle before the two began moving off across the road, ducking behind a long hedgerow as a second Humvee passed them, heading the other way. "Next time I think I'll go rock climbing." he said softly to her as she hunched next to him.

The cold steel felt strange in her hand and Min wished she had a phaser as they made their way across the street. She heard the sound of the Humvee pass and she peeked out to see if the way was clear. Ducking her head back, she looked at Duval. "The road looks clear but how often are those patrols passing by?"

"Roughly every few minutes... but these guys are... rather strange." he rumbled. "go." as he moved out across the road, looking somewhat casual.

Min followed Duval, the gun in her hand pointed as the ground as the pair moved across the road. The dealership was just across one more intersection and they were home free. She ducked behind some bushes as another vehicle came down the road, cursing.

"Yeah... It had to break..." he regarded the much smaller woman. "So... hows this for a day at the office?" he inquired as he glanced around while the third HumVee past them. "The opposition is preparing for a major move west.." he glanced down at his wristwatch. "Yeah... They are about to breach the Hamburg line..." he rumbled.

"Never a dull moment on this ship." Min remarked, "Correct me if I'm wrong but this is the third world war isn't it?"

"Yes. It is... The early stages." Duval explained. "The date is the twenty fifth of September in twenty forty seven. Its been two years since the war started in Asia." as the two approached the car dealership. "The Holy Islamic Empire... more like a lose conglomeration of nation states rather then a true empire allied with the Eastern Coalition, they started their thrust into Europe and... they dammn near won." he paused. "Had it not been for the nuclear exchange... The war would have dragged on and on... Maybe the Euro-Alliance could have turned the tide.." Duval paused. "But maybe not.."

Min nodded. "One of Mom's ancestors fought with the forces of what was then the United Kingdom. She survived but not much else is known about her." Min paused, looking over the gun she was holding, careful to keep it pointed at the ground. "Warrant, You can call me Min if you don't mind me calling you Tony. I'm not much for formality on this ship."

Duval nodded his head. "It was a brutal time for humanity." he responded. "No Min... I don't mind... most prefer my full name so you're one of a select few to prefer Tony over Anthony." he turned slowly as he quickly gave their surroundings the once over. "Clear." the two of them went into the car dealership, it was silent and quiet asides from the broken glass.

Following Duval into the building, Min pulled a tricorder out once they were hidden from view. "The broken module is just down this hall here. I need about five minutes to power down the module and the program will shut off. You have my back?"

"Of course." Duval rumbled as he regarded her. "you got your sidearm handy?" he inquired softly. "Lets secure the room then." as he gently elbowed the door open as he quickly secured the room, as he suspected, there was only one way in or out. "Excellent. I'll set up shop out here... close the door behind you... Anyone who comes through, shoot first and ask later k?"

Min nodded. "Shouldn't take more then five minutes." She asked as she opened her rucksack and began to setup her tools. She really hoped there wasn't going to be another interruption like a few minutes before on the road.

Duval nodded his head. "Next time we meet... I'll take you somewhere where people don't shoot their guns." he rumbled at her, he gently closed the door as he set up shop outside the room where Min was working.

"I may take you up on that offer Tony." Min chuckled, starting the process of bypassing the forcefields around the malfunctioning module.

Duval raised an eyebrow as he paused. "Min... you hear that?" he inquired softly.

The soft sounds of heavy diesel engines could be heard through the walls. "I'm gonna take a look outside.." he rumbled to the shorter woman.

"Stay hidden Tony. Last thing we need is more soldiers." Min responded, still focusing on her task. If they could just stay hidden for another sixty seconds.

"Yessir." Duval responded as he almost silently moved through the building to come to a stop near what remained of the front door, the rumbling of engines got louder as a thought went through his head. 'We got company.' and with that he withdrew towards the door where Min was presently hiding. "Lots of it... At Least a company of tanks.."

He got situated when suddenly there was a massive explosion, and loud voices could be heard. Duval sighed. "What now?!" as he kept his head down, all thar was shook loose in the hallway was a small cloud of dust.

"A diversion. Two can play this game." Min smiled, "Keep your head down, this next one's a doozy." Min kept working on the access lock. Reaching the module she unlocked the archway in the alley where she'd originally entered, but not before the droning sound of large turbine driven aircraft could be heard overhead.

"Stay low," she ordered.

Duval heard her voice from behind the door but rather then argue with her, he simply did as he was told as several more explosions boomed forth, one of them hit near the building, sending tends of thousands of shards through the main area of the show room floor, turned killing ground had the shards struck flesh. "I think you're enjoying yourself in there El Tee.." Duval rumbled softly. "Remind me to never you off... ever." he mumbled softly to himself. "Hell hath no fury like our Operations Chief, scorned."

Min punched in the last of her commands and covered her head with her arm. A deep rumble penetrated the inside of the building as the walls shook for several seconds. Packing up her kit she stepped back out of the room and looked over at Duval. "You coming? I have a date this evening and don't want to keep my husband waiting."

Stepping back out of the building they were in, what was formerly several damaged and war torn blocks of Berlin were reduced to nothing but rubble and scorched earth.

"Well. Give your husband my regards." Duval responded. "Then again, he might be unhappy with me.. I take his wife to all the romantic spots." he looked around, all they could hear was the soft moan of the wind.

Min chuckled. "My first real date with Jared we ended up in an alternate history of the United States. Cloak and dagger sort of game and I was about as far along with my first child as I am with these two."

"Sounds like fun." Duval responded. "Computer end program." as the ruins of their area of Berlin, the soft wind and the rubble all vanished, replaced by the back walls of the holodeck. "Thank you for coming to break me out El Tee." he addressed Min. "Maybe next time... I get to rescue you."

[OFF]
Lieutenant Min Nicholas
Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

W02 Anthony Duval
Engineer
USS Galileo

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