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current_story:these_are_the_times_part_2 [2023/01/29 00:55] – cromwellcurrent_story:these_are_the_times_part_2 [2023/02/05 01:23] (current) – cromwell
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 It was clear the Gorns had been busy on Cestus Three since the Federation relinquished control of the colony to them over four years ago.  They had obviously installed a new weather control system that changed the hydrology of the planet, increasing the rainfall patterns and converting the previous savanna-like climate to a new one that was more jungle-like; humid and hot, making it more like the Gorn homeworld of Tau Lacertae IX.  Leon now knew why Hendrix was driving the squads to train in the wet, muddy conditions of the holosuite program on Republic. It was clear the Gorns had been busy on Cestus Three since the Federation relinquished control of the colony to them over four years ago.  They had obviously installed a new weather control system that changed the hydrology of the planet, increasing the rainfall patterns and converting the previous savanna-like climate to a new one that was more jungle-like; humid and hot, making it more like the Gorn homeworld of Tau Lacertae IX.  Leon now knew why Hendrix was driving the squads to train in the wet, muddy conditions of the holosuite program on Republic.
  
-The beam-down point was in the midst of a marshy landscape, with tree species that were unrecognizable to Leon, even though botany had been one of his past hobbies.  The vegetation was lush and tightly packed; not sparse or arid.  The smells were moist and moldy, devoid of the pleasing sage-like pungency of the home where he grew up.  Back then, a storm rolling over the Gordonian mountain range was a welcome sight, bringing much needed rain to the parched landscape at the beginning of the monsoon season.  Now, the intermittent rain showers that occurred sporadically throughout the day seemed oppressive and gloomy, with the bleak, rainforest-like flora blocking any view of the mountains.  It gave the terrain less of open feeling and more like a claustrophobic hodgepodge of relentless woody overgrowth stretching for miles, impeding all progress by ground with every step.+The beam-down point was in the midst of a marshy landscape, with tree species that were unrecognizable to Leon, even though botany had been one of his past hobbies.  The vegetation was lush and tightly packed; not sparse or arid.  The smells were moist and moldy, devoid of the pleasing sage-like pungency of the home where he grew up.  Back then, a storm rolling over the Gordonian mountain range was a welcome sight, bringing much needed rain to the parched landscape at the beginning of the monsoon season.  Now, the intermittent rain showers that occurred sporadically throughout the day seemed oppressive and gloomy, with the bleak, rainforest-like flora blocking any view of the mountains.  It gave the terrain less of an open feeling and more like a claustrophobic hodgepodge of relentless woody overgrowth stretching for miles, impeding all progress by ground with every step.
  
 "Just like a day on the bayou," commented Hendrix to Leon with satisfaction after noticing the doctor's hesitance with this new terrain.  "A day on the bayou is like a day on the farm, right boys?" he called over his shoulder to a few grunts of acknowledgement to the rest of the nine-person squad.  The commander had his "marines" separated into two squads:  Alpha and beta squad.  Each were a backup to the other when one was in the field.  Alpha team was still on the ship, as this particular operation was seen as a "mop up" expedition to the main battle that had already taken place in orbit.  While Hendrix technically took general deployment orders from Republic's chief of security, once they hit the ground, it was the commander who was in charge to accomplish the mission objective. "Just like a day on the bayou," commented Hendrix to Leon with satisfaction after noticing the doctor's hesitance with this new terrain.  "A day on the bayou is like a day on the farm, right boys?" he called over his shoulder to a few grunts of acknowledgement to the rest of the nine-person squad.  The commander had his "marines" separated into two squads:  Alpha and beta squad.  Each were a backup to the other when one was in the field.  Alpha team was still on the ship, as this particular operation was seen as a "mop up" expedition to the main battle that had already taken place in orbit.  While Hendrix technically took general deployment orders from Republic's chief of security, once they hit the ground, it was the commander who was in charge to accomplish the mission objective.
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 ---- ----
  
-The hallways of the plant were eerily deserted.  As the squad made their way deeper into the complex, the walls and furniture were thick with dust and overgrowth.  Conference rooms and break areas were long since abandoned, subject to the ravages of time.  While there was still power to the complex, judged by the overhead lights sill active with the occasional flicker from power surges, the security systems was inactive, and there were no active control consoles in any of the side rooms.  The only major power source they could pick up was the reactor core and the main control room several hundred meters deeper into the complex.+The hallways of the plant were eerily deserted.  As the squad made their way deeper into the complex, the walls and furniture were thick with dust and overgrowth.  Conference rooms and break areas were long since abandoned, subject to the ravages of time.  While there was still power to the complex, judged by the overhead lights still active with the occasional flicker from power surges, the security system was inactive, and there were no active control consoles in any of the side rooms.  The only major power source they could pick up was the reactor core and the main control room several hundred meters deeper into the complex.
  
 "What's the core status?" asked Hendrix as the squad continued forward, slinking around corners and across intersecting hallways. "What's the core status?" asked Hendrix as the squad continued forward, slinking around corners and across intersecting hallways.
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 One of the troopers immediately responded to the commander by slinging his weapon and adroitly sliding into the newly-vacated chair.  Punching several commands into the keyboard, the young ensign watched the readings coming in to the status monitors in front of him. One of the troopers immediately responded to the commander by slinging his weapon and adroitly sliding into the newly-vacated chair.  Punching several commands into the keyboard, the young ensign watched the readings coming in to the status monitors in front of him.
  
-"Looks like there's a reactor overload in progress," he explained.  "The magnetic field in core is deteriorating, probably due to feedback from a sudden drop in the power load."+"Looks like there's a reactor overload in progress," he explained.  "The magnetic field in the core is deteriorating, probably due to feedback from a sudden drop in the power load."
  
 As the smoked cleared, an unarmed human woman in her mid fifties appeared in a doorway arch across the room that led deeper into the complex.  She had a pale complexion, with a bun of black but graying hair, and wore black utility trousers with a long-sleeved green jersey under a white jacket-vest.  While the troopers hadn't noticed her yet, all she could do is gawk at the carnage around her. As the smoked cleared, an unarmed human woman in her mid fifties appeared in a doorway arch across the room that led deeper into the complex.  She had a pale complexion, with a bun of black but graying hair, and wore black utility trousers with a long-sleeved green jersey under a white jacket-vest.  While the troopers hadn't noticed her yet, all she could do is gawk at the carnage around her.
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 "Goldman!" he beckoned back to his second-in-command.  "How long until reactor overload?" "Goldman!" he beckoned back to his second-in-command.  "How long until reactor overload?"
  
-"Less than two minutes," Goldman reported.  "We fried the coolant control system when stray fire shot up that thermal regulation subsystem control," he pointed to a smashed, sparking control console across the room.  "The superconducting coil packs are getting too warm to maintain the magnetic field.  You want me to try flooding it with the emergency cryotanks?" he asked.+"Less than two minutes," Goldman reported.  "We fried the reactor's coolant control when stray fire shot up that thermal regulation subsystem panel," he pointed to a smashed, sparking computer interface console across the room.  "The superconducting coil packs are getting too warm to maintain the magnetic field.  You want me to try flooding it with the emergency cryotanks?" he asked.
  
 Scanning the room, Hendrix took in the information from his subordinates, pausing in thought only long enough to come to a decision. Scanning the room, Hendrix took in the information from his subordinates, pausing in thought only long enough to come to a decision.
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 Leon could only watch as the situation turned further and further away from his favor, and Hendrix began exercising his newfound control over the security department. Leon could only watch as the situation turned further and further away from his favor, and Hendrix began exercising his newfound control over the security department.
  
-"Goldman," Hendrix addressed his ensign at the transporter controls.  "I want you and gold squad to stay here on the ship and take control of the security section.  You're in charge until I get back."+"Goldman," Hendrix addressed his ensign at the transporter controls.  "I want you and beta squad to stay here on the ship and take control of the security section.  You're in charge until I get back."
  
 "Understood, sir," The ensign nodded back as the commander tapped the comm console again. "Understood, sir," The ensign nodded back as the commander tapped the comm console again.
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 =/\= //"Purcell here."// =/\= =/\= //"Purcell here."// =/\=
  
-"Purcell, we're at code green," he said definitively.  "Gold squad is commandeering the security deck.  I want you and blue squad to report to transporter room three for landing party duty.  Configure your ordinance for a forward assault.  Cromwell and I will be beaming down with you."+"Purcell, we're at code green," he said definitively.  "Beta squad is commandeering the security deck.  I want you and alpha squad to report to transporter room three for landing party duty.  Configure your ordinance for a forward assault.  Cromwell and I will be beaming down with you."
  
 =/\= //"On our way."// =/\= =/\= //"On our way."// =/\=
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 "AT EASE!" shouted Hendrix at the top of his lungs, drawing a flinch from the doctor.  With an outstretched finger aimed at his chest, the commander forcefully pushed back at Leon.  "Yer going NO WHERE but where I tell ya!" his Texas accent becoming more pronounced.  "Whether ya like it er not, we got orders DIRECT from the FLEET COMMANDER!  You're our 'special adviser' with 'local expertise'... That means where WE go, YOU go!  We land NO WHERE on Cestus without you!  Do I make myself clear??" "AT EASE!" shouted Hendrix at the top of his lungs, drawing a flinch from the doctor.  With an outstretched finger aimed at his chest, the commander forcefully pushed back at Leon.  "Yer going NO WHERE but where I tell ya!" his Texas accent becoming more pronounced.  "Whether ya like it er not, we got orders DIRECT from the FLEET COMMANDER!  You're our 'special adviser' with 'local expertise'... That means where WE go, YOU go!  We land NO WHERE on Cestus without you!  Do I make myself clear??"
  
-The shock of Hendrix's invective was still gripping him as the door to the transporter room slid open once again, and blue squad began filing in with heavy gear and weaponry while the rest of gold squad went the other direction, filing out of the room with orders to take over command of Republic's security department.  Trailing blue squad was a bewildered Lieutenant Commander Nathan Hawk, who strolled up into the doorway, watching the spectacle of heavily-armed marines march up the transporter pad.  It was then that he spied Leon Cromwell, who stood watching the same scene with disaproval.+The shock of Hendrix's invective was still gripping him as the door to the transporter room slid open once again, and alpha squad began filing in with heavy gear and weaponry while the rest of beta squad went the other direction, filing out of the room with orders to take over command of Republic's security department.  Trailing alpha squad was a bewildered Lieutenant Commander Nathan Hawk, who strolled up into the doorway, watching the spectacle of heavily-armed marines march up the transporter pad.  It was then that he spied Leon Cromwell, who stood watching the same scene with disapproval.
  
 "Leon?" Hawk addressed the doctor, who suddenly noticed his friend standing confusedly in the open doorway.  As he sprinted up to him, the Republic's first officer took note of the concern in Leon's face and wanted to address it.  "What in Sam Hill is goin' on?" "Leon?" Hawk addressed the doctor, who suddenly noticed his friend standing confusedly in the open doorway.  As he sprinted up to him, the Republic's first officer took note of the concern in Leon's face and wanted to address it.  "What in Sam Hill is goin' on?"
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 "They what?" Hawk returned, concern growing in his voice. "They what?" Hawk returned, concern growing in his voice.
  
-"The doctor's stretchin' the truth a bit," Hendrix interrupted the conversation as blue squad began assembling on the transporter pad.  "We ran into a bunch of Gorns down there that were trying to blow up the fusion plant.  We took em' out, but the doctor here thinks that just because they didn't have disruptor rifles that they weren't dangerous, which is a bunch of bullshit."+"The doctor's stretchin' the truth a bit," Hendrix interrupted the conversation as alpha squad began assembling on the transporter pad.  "We ran into a bunch of Gorns down there that were trying to blow up the fusion plant.  We took em' out, but the doctor here thinks that just because they didn't have disruptor rifles that they weren't dangerous, which is a bunch of bullshit."
  
-"Yer th' only one filled with bullshit, Hendrix!" Hawk shot back, trying to keep his focus on Leon, who he saw as the only possible purveyor of truth at the moment.  Unfortunately, the retribution served only as bait for further retort+"Yer th' only one filled with bullshit, Hendrix!" Hawk shot back, trying to keep his focus on Leon, who he saw as the only possible purveyor of truth at the moment.  Unfortunately, the retribution only served as bait for further retort.
  
-"Well ain't you th' little brute?" the commander returned as he stepped onto the transporter pad himself, his voice laced with sarcasm, revealing his prejudice towards Hawk as both pretentious and amusing.  "I guess our baby fly-boy here thinks he's a big shot now!" he remarked over his shoulder to the troops on the pad behind him, drawing chuckles of disrespect.  "I tell you what, Mister Death Wish," he rebuked Republic's first officer.  "Why don't you stick to drivin' the boat, and we'll take care of the doctor's homeworld, okay?"+"Well ain't you th' little brute?" the commander returned as he stepped onto the transporter pad himself, his voice laced with sarcasm, revealing his prejudice towards Hawk as both pretentious and amusing.  "I guess our baby fly-boy here thinks he's a big shot now!" he remarked over his shoulder to the troops on the pad behind him, drawing chuckles of disrespect.  "I tell you what, Mister Death Wish," he rebuked Republic's first officer.  "Why don't you stick to drivin' the boat, and we'll take care of the doctor's homeworld, m'kay?"
  
 At the mention of Leon's homeworld, Hawk's attention suddenly re-focused back to the actual reason he came down to greet the doctor upon his return to the ship. At the mention of Leon's homeworld, Hawk's attention suddenly re-focused back to the actual reason he came down to greet the doctor upon his return to the ship.
  
-"Leon," whispered Hawk as they stood in the open doorway.  "We got a burst of flash traffic from the fleet battlecomm jus' now.  A personal memo came through for you from Elysium colony..."+"Leon," whispered Hawk as they stood in the open doorway.  "We got a burst of flash traffic from the fleet battlecomm jus' now.  An emergency personal memo came through for you from Elysium colony..."
  
-Leon stared at Hawk, recognizing not only the source of the memo, but also the seriousness in Hawk's demeanor that indicated something terrible had happened.+Leon stared at Hawk, recognizing not only the source of the memo, but also noted the "flash" and "emergency" precedence, as well as the seriousness in Hawk's demeanor that indicated something terrible had happened.
  
 "Dad?" he whispered. "Dad?" he whispered.
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 "Let's go, Cromwell," beckoned Hendrix from the transporter.  "Yer homeworld is waitin'." "Let's go, Cromwell," beckoned Hendrix from the transporter.  "Yer homeworld is waitin'."
  
-The commander's voice resonated in the doctor's mind as if it were calling from across a great chasm.  Leon heard it, but it was so inconsequential compared to the news he had just received, that he didn't acknowledge it right away.  His gut tightened and his pulse skipped as a touch of vertigo washed over him.  His father was gone.  He would never hear his voice again, to say nothing of seeing the joy in his face when Leon expected to tell him that he could come home and carry out the rest of his sentence on Cestus III.  Everything he had worked for -- everything he had sacrificed to make his father's homecoming possible -- was for naught.  His honor... his principles... his self-respect... he gave it up for this war against the Gorns, just for the selfishness of wanting to bring his father home.+The commander's voice resonated in the doctor's mind as if it were calling from across a great chasm.  Leon heard it, but it was so inconsequential compared to the news he had just received, that he didn't acknowledge it right away.  His gut tightened and his pulse skipped as a touch of vertigo washed over him.  His father was gone.  He would never hear his voice again, to say nothing of seeing the joy in his face when Leon expected to tell him that he could come home and carry out the rest of his sentence on Cestus Three.  Everything he had worked for -- everything he had sacrificed to make his father's homecoming possible -- was for naught.  His honor... his principles... his self-respect... he gave it up for this war against the Gorns, just for the selfishness of wanting to bring his father home.
  
 "Cromwell!  Let's go!" Hendrix beckoned again.  The doctor stirred, but just barely.  He moved slightly in Hendrix's direction, but felt lost.  He wasn't sure of where to go next. "Cromwell!  Let's go!" Hendrix beckoned again.  The doctor stirred, but just barely.  He moved slightly in Hendrix's direction, but felt lost.  He wasn't sure of where to go next.
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 "You do that," he replied with self-assurance, confident that the outcome would be in his favor.  "In the meantime, I gotta job to do..."  Turning his attention to Ensign Goldman standing behind the transporter controls, he gave finality to the conversation with his next order.  "Energize." "You do that," he replied with self-assurance, confident that the outcome would be in his favor.  "In the meantime, I gotta job to do..."  Turning his attention to Ensign Goldman standing behind the transporter controls, he gave finality to the conversation with his next order.  "Energize."
  
-//(to be continued)//+//([[current_story:these_are_the_times_part_3|to be continued]])//
  
 **OFF** **OFF**
  
 **LTCR Leon Cromwell, MD, PhD\\ Chief Medical Officer\\ USS Republic, NCC-81371** **LTCR Leon Cromwell, MD, PhD\\ Chief Medical Officer\\ USS Republic, NCC-81371**
current_story/these_are_the_times_part_2.1674953729.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/01/29 00:55 by cromwell

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