Going in for the Kill (part 6)

Posted on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 6:39am by Lieutenant JG Rami Miral & Master Chief Petty Officer John 'Disaster-piece' Douglas & Chief Petty Officer Jack 'Crow' Addy & Hans Cozar
Edited on on Wed Apr 29th, 2020 @ 6:51am

1,222 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Repairs and Relaxation

[CONTINUED]


[OLD]

John slowly eased his fingertips on the container and lifted it softly from the biobed, his eyes locked on it, as he began a visual examination. As he slowly turned it, inch by inch to get a better look at it, he continued to speak. "I make no promises, but that's not what I asked, Jackie. You promise me... if things go bad... you put our bodies by those we loved and lost. No matter where Han's wife is buried, you make sure he's placed there. Promise me, Jack. I want to hear you say it."

[NEW]

Jack looked to Miral, nervous and obviously afraid, as he replied. "I promise, D. I'll make sure you are buried by Casey... and Hans... by his wife. I wont stop. You know that. I promise." He swallowed hard and continued, trying to hide his nerves and fear behind a firm tone. "But... you make me a promise. You will do whatever you have to in order to make sure it doesn't go down that way. Got it?"

Miral was just as nervous as Jack. He just needed to beam it into space, maximum dispersal, or into the plasma conduit. But she was afraid he wouldn’t do anything that simple.

John nodded his head as he finished his external examination. He slowly lowered the container back down on the biobed and replied. "I promise it. Whatever we can do to prevent the worst case scenario.

Hans was still standing at the biobed, listening to John talking to his crew. When he created this virus from a blue print that he paid at the black market located on Orion, the instructions did not explain how to destroy the virus or dismantle it. He was getting nervous as he stared at his own creation in front of him. Stress was taking a toll on him. "I can't do this! The virus blueprint is from Orion's black market...," feeling upset and panicky, he put his hands to his head and gripped his hair." He backed away from biobed until the wall stopped him. His back slides himself down until his rear end touched the floor. His breath was in gasp and he brought his knees up and started rocking. "Ritalin. Panic attacke. Autismus." He repeated the words in German as his mind fell into his own world of non-reality, as the last time it comes as a consequence without his medication.

Still rocking, Hans eyes were fixed straight ahead. He was not able to look at anything. "Virus. Raum." He repeated it twice. "Space. Raum, space. John, virus to space." He trust nobody but John.

John looked to Hans, concerned over his rapid decline, before looking back to the virus. He eased the device down on the biobed and took a step back before walking away, and into another area. After a few moments and opening and closing draws, he returned with a laser scalpel and a pair of surgical gloves. John placed the gloves and a took the scalpel in hands, adjusting it to its finest setting before placing a hand on the device. He took a deep breath and pointed the end of the scalpel to the section where the vial was inserted. With a deep breath he turned on the scapel and began.

While he wasn't a surgeon, he worked with devices of this nature and detail many times, so he was used to working with a steady hand. However, the situation wasn't as life threatening as it was now. He just did as he was trained. John pushed through. Slowly, easing the fine laser around the crease set by the devices injection system, while trying desperately to not hit the vial inside. The device itself was indeed a feat of craftsmanship, John wasn't lying about that, but the vial inside was certainly something that required dealing with.

All the while he kept his mind focus on his hands, only so often, allowing it to drift on thought's of Casey. When he found it pulling his mind away, he froze in place, and took a deep breath. This would allow him to push the thoughts back down, bringing his focus back, just before he opened his eyes and resumed work. There was no time limit, as long as the vial was untouched, but there was one in his mind.

Finally, he witnessed the laser cut through the final inch of material holding the injection cover in its place, before he placed the laser scalpel on the biobed. Believe it or not, that was considered the easy part. Now he had to remove the damn thing. John removed a flat piece of mental from his pocket and eased it gently into the crease, raising it slightly in order to slip it further in. This allowed him to ease the section he just cut and free up the vial, or so he thought. The vial was being held in place by six prongs. Three on each side. Slowly, John took a hold of the scalpel again and positioned it slightly inside.

This was tricky. He didn't have to get all of them, just three on one side. This should free up the vial to be removed. However, the trick was, he needed to do it in one shot. With the right angle, and the right strength, he could cut through three prongs at once and free up the vial. This would take skill and a whole lot of luck.

John felt the nerves creeping up on him again. He put down the scalpel and removed the gloves. He needed steady hands and the gloves would only irritate him. Irritation could cause a mistake and he couldn't afford it. Too much at stake. Far too much. He picked up the scapel, adjusted it accordingly, and took another deep breath. The angle was tricky, but not impossible. Stready hands, Johnny. Steady hands he said inside his head.

He closed his eyes and took a moment to gather his thoughts before moving the scapel slightly. John opened his eyes again and began to whisper something softly. “If I charge, follow me. If I retreat, kill me. If I die..." He stopped and quickly tapped the button on the scalpel. The laser expanded and sliced through all three prongs. The last one was cut so close, it nearly hit the vial, but missed. ... revenge me.” He finally ended the saying before letting out a deep, and well deserved, sign of relief. "Semper Fi." John said with a smile, before looking over to Hans. "Got it, Hans. Almost home free."

"Pull virus out...Raum comes out," Hans paused. "Cozar can't think! Think...", he continues to ramble in both languages, non-gibberish. He needed his medicine in which he left in his guest quarters. The drug helps calm the neurotransmitters in his brain from over firing chemicals in the receptors. He knows more about his disorder more than most people, but never shares it with anybody but his wife. "Throw virus in space!"


(To be continued...)

MCPO John "Disaster-piece" Douglas
Master-at-Arms
USS Ranger

CPO Jack "Crow" Addy
Tactical Officer
USS Ranger

Hans Cozer
Engineer
USS Ranger

Lieutenant JG Rami Miral
Intelligence Officer
USS Ranger

 

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