Fallout

Posted on Thursday August 25th, 2022 @ 1:13am by

Mission: New Worlds
Location: Intelligence Office
Timeline: Current

On:

Jason walked into the very empty intelligence offices, he dropped the pack on his desk, a small dust cloud flew up. He pulled out the two phasers removing the power cells and putting them back in the case. He opened up weapons cabinet and slid the case back in, putting the knife and machete. Jason locked the cabinet, shoved his pack into the cupboard next too it.

After an hour of what felt like endless reporting along with about a half dozen other after action reports he realized he stunk, and was still covered in blood splatter, dirt and sunburns. He turned off the lights and left the office, as he was leaving he got a notification about needing too check in with Admiral Chambers. His eyes rolled as he added it to the longer list of problems he was facing over the next few days, he wanted a shower, maybe dinner with Genevieve if she wasn't busy.

He walked towards his quarters only to be intercepted by Genevieve as he walked too his quarters, "I heard from Gina in sickbay that that mission went too hell, are you okay?"

"Yeah, things went sideways when the local predatory wildlife decided to investigate all the blood Karadis spilled over the desert, it was far from pleasant and now I need a shower and any time you can spare." he said smiling as leaned in for a kiss.

"Get a shower first then we'll talk about something else." she said with a smile.

Jason tossed his uniform in a laundry basket as he stepped into the shower, the warm water ran over him he washed up, he turned to discover Gen in the doorway with a smile and towel in her hand and a drink in the other, "You could use both of these." she said handing off the towel first then the drink.

"You're an angel." Jason said with a smile.

"I attempted to make dinner, that replicator doesn't get much use does it?" Gen asked

"No, the only time I'm here is either with you or to sleep so I haven't really needed to add too the menu." Jason said as he dried off.

"I found a Ramen recipe in the directory that looked half decent or are you interested in something else?"

"The ramen sounds good, ask for the beef one though." Jason said as he emerged from the small bedroom "I don't trust replicated chicken most of the time."

The two sat at the table, "That tattoo on your arm, what is it about?"

"It's a runic passage, 'no fear even in darkness'" He said without thinking.

"What about the pentagram, isn't it the wrong way?"

"Inverted pentagram's do have association with historical evils but in the position on my arm its actually a pagan protection symbol usually associated with sympathetic magic or protections, it's also associated with some other things if it's displayed in other ways." he replied hoping that the questions would end, he didn't want to talk about their whole origin, let alone the complete meaning of the pentagram on top of a tribal sun.

The rest of the night was relatively quiet, they both fell asleep laying next too one another, when the dead silence was broken by a supspace communications alert, Jason rolled out of the bed and stumbled over too his desk.

==Message begins==

Jason;

We are aware of deviation from mission.

Caution advised, recommend contingent plan three.

Assets and resources available should need arise, advise JW if wildcard attempts to change narrative.

Avoid use of blue protocol six.

==End Message==

Jason sat back in the desk chair, opening a drawer and pulling out what too the casual observer was a watch box. Opening it he pulled out an isolinear chip, he inserted it into the reader on his desk terminal and keyed in a series of commands. The first one changed the encryption restricting it too himself and anyone of fleet command rank or higher. The second one uploaded a series of computer commands keyed too his voice only, while not malicious they did give him a head start if things went sideways. The final two commands were his insurance policy, his trust of the acting commander was greatly diminished and following the actions of Karadis during the mission he felt the need too be able to protect himself and now Gen. He removed the isolinear chip and placed it back in the box.

Before he could stand the computer terminal came back too life with the words 'Incoming communication' he opened the channel on his end noticing it was encrypted as it opened.

"Sorry for the odd hour Jason but I figured I should reach out while I had time." the figure said

"What can I do for you Admiral?"

"I saw your mission report, not good kid, not good at all."

"I assume that the computer download we recovered has the information you wanted?" Jason said reaching for a glass and a bottle of whiskey.

"It's going too take a few days too sift through the information, but the tech's are saying we hit paydirt, so we're good to go." The Admiral said.

"What about the handler's agent?"

"I'm suppressing the whole thing, the mission logs have been classified and restricted, I spoke to JAG they won't support any charges." The Admiral said factually.

"So were able too avoid a blue protocol situation?" Jason said setting down the glass of whiskey

"No" in a rather firm manner, "Use is only in the event of life and death."

Jason felt reaffirmed "Understood. what's the wait time on assets?"

"Already on standby with a two hour window of arrival at worst, do you think it'll come too that?" The admirals tone visibly changed.

"I don't trust the wildcard or the handler." Jason said as he lifted the glass to take a drink

"I get it, good luck kid." The screen went blank.


===16 hours earlier; Planet side===

The last Jackal cat dropped in a spray of blood, Jason had a limited window too get the download done and Karadis had sabotaged his mission and knowing that Kerr had sent Karadis on this mission made it worse, he pulled the data terminal out of his pack and charged into the downed freighter.

He ran down the corridor and found the computer port he needed to find, he made the connections quickly and began the down loads. Jason picked up his machete as he heard foot steps spinning he swung the blade at his assailant striking him in the chest leaving a gaping wound. As the body dropped Jason went back too his task, two lights out of ten on the device, time was running out. seconds later the device was done. Realizing he was covered in blood he walked down the corridor, breathing heavy.

===0445 next morning===

Jason had gone back too bed. His alarm went off on a low volume, he woke too a mess of red hair and a uniform coat tossed on his dresser, quite obviously not his. He rolled over too kiss Gen, she woke with a cute grunt.

"What time is it?"

"Oh-four-forty five, I've got a subspace meeting in three quarters of an hour." Jason said pulling on a pair of uniform pants.

"Is this what being an intelligence officer is like?" Gen asked

"Early meetings, mysterious supspace conferences in the middle night, guns and intrigue? yup." Jason said as he laughed pulling on a shirt.

"Well in that case, I'd better get used too it." she said followed by tossing one of Jason's tee shirts at him as she ran to grab a shower.

Jason tossed it in to the basket and went too the replicator "Coffee 'Jet fuel' blend point five size." the massive mug appeared seconds later, he went over his notes as Gen appeared in the doorway wrapped in a towel, I'm off at fifteen hundred today did you want to try and get some holodeck time?"

"If everything goes by the books today I think we can do it, got a special program in mind?"

"I've got a few ideas." she giggled and disappeared to get dressed her towel flying out through the door landing on the chair next too the door.

End

Jason Elliot
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Oberon