Disgruntled Scientists

Posted on 31 Aug 2012 @ 4:08pm by Anthony Hardaway Ph.D. & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Lieutenant Theron Rhodes & Eric Anderson & Rachel Hardaway Ph.D. & EMH Mark X-C "Shirley"
Edited on on 31 Aug 2012 @ 4:08pm

1,968 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo: Brig/Mess Hall
Timeline: MD-09: 0800 hours

ON:

Even with the tragedy, intrigue, and uncertainty taking place around them, Ensign Rhodes found that there were still the mundane things in life still had to be done. As he sat in the Chief's office next to the Brig, he continued to go through and fill out the necessary forms for duty logs, shift requirements, weapons storge check logs, and scheduled maintenance.

With Lieutenant Orexil temporarily out of commission, Rhodes knew that many tasks needed to be completed and duties performed. He felt he had to step up and do what he could.

Theron heard a noise and looked up to see Ens. Rice heading his way. He set the PADD down and picked up his cup of noofa. The warm vapors enveloping his nose always reminded him of home.

Rice let out a breath before entering, looking at him before smiling gently. "You know, I think we need stronger coffee here..." she said and looked down. "Since you're sort of taking care of things, I propose we get a new gelpack in the replicator to make top grade coffee..."

Leaning back in his Theron replied raising his cup, "Maybe you should try some noofa."

"I should try something a lot stronger," she said and smiled warmly.

=^= Messhall to Security. We have a situation down here. We need some muscle, fast! =^=

Looking up surprisingly at Rice, Ensign Rhodes replied =^=Acknowledged.=^= Jumping out of the chair quickly he made his way past Rice.

Aria groaned as she turned and moved with him, adjusting her jacket. "You realise that I ain't muscle..." she muttered as they moved.

---

Standing in the middle of the mess hall, Eric held a phaser to Anthony's head, his arm wrapped tightly around his bosses neck, as he dared anyone to come close. "That's it. I'm sick and tired of you and your damn project and your damn disregard for any of our lives. You've gone to far and I'm not putting up with it anymore. You've already cost Emma and Justice their lives."

As icy as ever, Anthony's whisper pierced the air as he kept once hand on Eric's wrist and another at the base of his skull. "Then you have nothing to worry about, Anderson. You will not be working with the project any longer. You had better remove your hand and your phaser before you come to regret it."

The security team entered the messhall quckly and fanned out with phasers raised. Ensign Rhodes took in the situation at a glance. This is exactly what Lieutenant Orexil had warned them about. But, does he use diplomacy or violence for its resolve. He tilted up his phaser and the other hand palm open and spoke calmly, "Gentlemen. Let us take a step back, shall we?"

Aria watched them for a long moment, holding her phaser pointed slightly down, watching them. "Hey! Calm down, guys..."

Ignoring both of the security officers, Eric concentrated on Anthony. Keening around of the hold the scientist had on him, he carefully balanced his body should his Boss try to throw him. "You're right... once you are gone we will have nothing more to worry about."

Watching Eric carefully, Rachel stood in front of the two men, knowing one wrong move and she could loose the man she loved. Making eye contact with Tony, she waited for any signal showing she should step in. She still had her own phaser in her belt, hidden by her tunic.

Aria watched them for a long moment before frowning. "Alright, I get that it hasn't been a fun ride for anyone, but can everyone just calm down! Back off, take a breath and start counting to ten..."

Anthony remained perfectly still and silent as everyone else worried about what to do, his eyes locked on Eric.

Rhodes lowered his phaser hand down by his leg and said in a calm, respectful voice, "Mr. Anderson. That is who you are, right? Eric Anderson."

As he held Anthony's eyes, Eric didn't even waiver from what he was doing. He had set out with an aim and this was it. This man had been willing to sacrifice lives... living people just because of his precious project. Look where he had lead them all, they were now stranded on a tiny vessel with even more people's lives at risk, including the child of a member of the USS Galileo's crew.

Rhodes continued, "The file I read was about man of integrity and ingenuity."

As he listened to the stranger speaking to him, Eric had to bite back a laugh. "This man was willing to sacrifice lives just for the sake of a stupid machine. Look what that same machine has done to everyone on this ship, the further lives it has put at risk. Ask yourself who is the man of integrity and ingenuity..."

"No one was killed by my actions," Anthony pointed out coldly. "I saved the lives of everyone in that cargo bay, including you who wanted to put up a fight against armed warriors."

Rhodes was concerned that Hardaway's words were not helping. "Mr. Anderson . . what is it that you would like? I want to understand your point of view." Rhodes was just hoping he would talk and think through what he was doing or this would get ugly real fast.

Laughing, Eric kept his eyes on Anthony, not trusting his Boss to within an inch of his own life. "I want out of this nebula, I want my feet on firm ground with no one at risk. I want rid of Sienna."

"So you want to murder me?" Anthony asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what you really want, Eric? To be a murderer? Go ahead... shoot me, there's nothing stopping you except yourself."

Laughing manically, Eric compressed the trigger on his phaser, "You heard the man, and there's witnesses, he has a death wish and I'm just helping him to fulfil it.

Rhodes wished that Hardaway would just shut up. "Mr. Anderson, I agree. We need to get out of the nebula. And I know that the Commander is working on the situation. But, what you are doing here will not get us there." Rhodes thought, 'just shut up. I guess I could stun them both.'

As she watched Eric's finger compress, Rachel drew out her own phaser and pointed it. "Eric don't be so stupid. We have been your family the whole length of this project and this is how you thank us? Let Tony go... if not for me for these people around you."

Resisting the urge to look up at Rachel's voice, Eric kept his gaze level on the man he was holding. "Family? What kind of family does what he did? Rachel! The man you say you love.. your own husband is nothing but a backstabber who would see us all dead to save that piece of crap which doesn't even work."

Ensign Rhodes was getting more concerned. Anderson was escalating, not getting calmer. He knew some action would need to take place, and soon.

Eric had snapped, Anthony decided. He gave Rachel a look, wondering why she didn't just shoot the man. He'd let her pull the phaser on him, she had time to shoot now. He locked eyes with Eric again. "What is it you want from me, Eric?" He asked, "If you aren't going to shoot me, then you better tell me what you're looking for from me."

"You know what... you're right..." Deciding the time for talking had finally finished, Eric completely pulled the trigger of his phaser, aimed at the back of Anthony's neck.

"TONY!!!" Rachel screamed as she pulled the trigger of her own phaser, aiming for Eric, not caring at this point if she hit him or not. Watching both bodies fall to the ground, chaos ensured around the room as screams filling the space. All Rachel could focus on was getting to Anthony.

The security team moved forward, reaching the crumpled bodies on the deck. Anderson and Hardaway were separated and rolled over onto their backs. Weapons were picked up from the deck and taken from Rachael. At the same time another crewman checked vitals of the two unconcious men.

Struggling against the arms restraining her, Rachel bashed her foot down on the foot of the person holding her, rushing forward and dropping to her knees beside Tony. "Where are the medics! If my husband dies because of the incompetence of this crew, I'll...I'll.." Giving up, Rachel just held Anthony's hand.

Rhodes called out, "Computer activate the Emergency Medical Hologram."

Having holoemitters throughout the ship leant itself to having an EMH that could exist essentially anywhere onboard; the Mess Hall being no exception. With a fizzle of photons and forcefields, the familiar shape of the holographic doctor formed just adjacent to the main doors.

Without mentioning his usual opening sentence, the EMH's visual acuity subroutines immediately located the downed humanoids in the centre of the room, and he hurried towards them.

"There's a medkit behind the galley, get it for me immediately. And someone tell me what happened here!"

Rhodes replied, "Phaser at close range." He looked at the phaser that had been taken from Rachael. "Setting level 2."

One of the security personnel brought the medkit and opened it.

"Level two....highly unlikely to have done lasting damage in that case."

Taking the kit from the guard, the EMH grabbed a hold of the tricorder and deftly pulled the probe free of its mounting, passing it over his patient and taking in the data from it's sensors.

"He's alive...the energy from the phaser discharge did some damage to his temporal cortex, but nothing that a master surgeon like me can't repair. Alright, let's get this man to sickbay."

He nodded to the medical officers that had accompanied the call for assistance to the mess hall, who promptly began loading their precious cargo onto a stretcher and began their journey to Sickbay.

"I'll have a report to the XO as soon as I've completed treatment...the second man appears to simply be exhibiting the classic reaction to a phaser set to low level stun...should you wish to confine him to the Brig I do not believe any further medical treatment is necessary. Carry on Mr Rhodes."

Theron was indecisive on how to respond to the EMH. After all it was only a program, but he had learned sometimes they like politeness as some advanced artificial beings. He replied, "Yes." then added, "Thank you."

After the medical team left, Ens. Rhodes turned to Ens. Rice then looked down at Mr. Anderson still stunned on the deck. "Would you escort Mr. Anderson to the Brig?"

"Of course, Sir," Aria said automatically before moving to kneel by him. "Can you request for the Chief to transport me to the brig with him?"

"Not a problem." Rhodes replied as he touched his comm badge, =^= Brig this is Rhodes. Security transport to the Brig. Lock onto the comm-badge of Ens. Rice. Two for transport.=^=

=^= Acknowleged. =^= Came the reply.

Everyone still standing took a step back away from the pair. The transporter engaged, wrapping its target in a shimmering blue cloak of light, before disappearing into nothingness and leaving the Mess Hall in the quiet state that it had been only a few minutes before.

"Well," Rhodes exclaimed, "time for another cup of noofa."

OFF:

--

Ens. Theron Rhodes
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo

EMH Mk-X
Emergency Medical Hologram
USS Galileo

Anthony Hardaway, Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
played by Psylus Anon

ENS Aria Rice
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

Eric Anderson
Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

Rachel Hardaway Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

 

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