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current_story:these_are_the_times_part_3 [2023/02/06 01:29] – cromwellcurrent_story:these_are_the_times_part_3 [2023/02/06 01:41] (current) – cromwell
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 There was about two hours of daylight left in the overcast sky as the assault team from Republic beamed down to the coordinates.  Unlike Cornucopia Settlement, these new coordinates placed the team in a more open area; a field of grass above a vista overlooking a crop of jungle in the distance where traces of a conglomeration of Aztec-like pyramids were situated.  The distant buildings weren't ancient; they were in fact hewn from newly-formed masonry-like resin interlaced with the occasional glint of transparent glass across their surfaces.  However, the small city on the horizon was not serene, as columns of smoke were rising into the sky, forming a darker under-layer to the white-gray cloud deck above. There was about two hours of daylight left in the overcast sky as the assault team from Republic beamed down to the coordinates.  Unlike Cornucopia Settlement, these new coordinates placed the team in a more open area; a field of grass above a vista overlooking a crop of jungle in the distance where traces of a conglomeration of Aztec-like pyramids were situated.  The distant buildings weren't ancient; they were in fact hewn from newly-formed masonry-like resin interlaced with the occasional glint of transparent glass across their surfaces.  However, the small city on the horizon was not serene, as columns of smoke were rising into the sky, forming a darker under-layer to the white-gray cloud deck above.
  
-In the foreground, and aligned along the periphery of the grassy field, were about twelve aerial vehicles, colloquially known as "hoppers" in Starfleet parlance.  The box-like vessels were slightly larger than a Danube-class runabout, designed for suborbital flight only, with a forward-facing loading ramp below the cockpit canopy.  In their current configuration, they were outfitted to deploy up to 40 marines, with a maximum evacuation capacity of up to 70 people.  Six were parked on either side of the field, with hundreds of Starfleet marines in battle gear going hither and thither across the assembly area, entering or exiting various hoppers, or simply assembled in platoon formation while being briefed by their commanders.+In the foreground, and aligned along the periphery of the grassy field, were about twelve aerial vehicles, colloquially known as "hoppers" in Starfleet parlance.  The box-like vessels were slightly larger than a Danube-class runabout, designed for suborbital flight only, with a forward-facing loading ramp below the cockpit canopy.  In their current configuration, they were outfitted to deploy up to 40 Marines, with a maximum evacuation capacity of up to 70 people.  Six were parked on either side of the field, with hundreds of Starfleet Marines in battle gear going hither and thither across the assembly area, entering or exiting various hoppers, or simply assembled in platoon formation while being briefed by their commanders.
  
-Three battle-suited marines watched on as Hendrix and the rest of the Republic landing party materialized in front of them.  Two of the marines were helmeted with their reflective visors closed, and held their rifles at port arms while they stood behind the third marine.  The latter -- while suited up in the black-and-grey hard-shell battle accouterments of the Starfleet Marine Corps, had doffed his helmet, and was enjoying a cigar while he waited for the transporter beam to complete its materialization cycle.  The Marine's build was tall and stocky, and atop his head was a sandy-blonde crew cut, with wrinkles etched into his clean-shaven face, the result of years of combat experience.  Sporting a commander's rank on his collar, he softly chewed the lit cigar, moving it from one corner of his mouth to the other as the materialization sequence completed, taking a step towards Hendrix with an outstretched hand.+Three battle-suited Marines watched on as Hendrix and the rest of the Republic landing party materialized in front of them.  Two of the Marines were helmeted with their reflective visors closed, and held their rifles at port arms while they stood behind the third Marine.  The latter -- while suited up in the black-and-grey hard-shell battle accouterments of the Starfleet Marine Corps, had doffed his helmet, and was enjoying a cigar while he waited for the transporter beam to complete its materialization cycle.  The Marine's build was tall and stocky, and atop his head was a sandy-blonde crew cut, with wrinkles etched into his clean-shaven face, the result of years of combat experience.  Sporting a commander's rank on his collar, he softly chewed the lit cigar, moving it from one corner of his mouth to the other as the materialization sequence completed, taking a step towards Hendrix with an outstretched hand.
  
 "Good to see you again, Hendrix," offered the gruff Marine commander to the lead battle trooper from Republic, grasping the lieutenant commander's hand in greeting. "Good to see you again, Hendrix," offered the gruff Marine commander to the lead battle trooper from Republic, grasping the lieutenant commander's hand in greeting.
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 "Aw, hell!" Hendrix exclaimed as he saw Cromwell bent over the the still form of a Starfleet hazard trooper, scanning him with a tricroder. "Aw, hell!" Hendrix exclaimed as he saw Cromwell bent over the the still form of a Starfleet hazard trooper, scanning him with a tricroder.
  
-"He's dead," Cromwell informed him, though the sickening display of large jaw-shaped slice of flesh taken from Wierzbowski's neck was evidence enough.  The doctor put away his tricorder, stood up, and took a step back so that the commander could have a last moment with his subordinate.+"He's dead," Cromwell informed him, though the sickening display of a large jaw-shaped slice of flesh taken from Wierzbowski's neck was evidence enough.  The doctor put away his tricorder, stood up, and took a step back so that the commander could have a last moment with his subordinate.
  
-For his part, Hendrix was so thrown by Wierzbowski's mutilated form, that he knelt beside the body in a moment of solemnity.  He paid no attention as Cromwell walked away, forging deeper into the lava tube ahead.+For his part, Hendrix was so thrown by Wierzbowski's mutilated form, that he knelt beside the body in a moment of solemnity.  He paid no attention as Cromwell walked away, forging his way deeper into the lava tube ahead.
  
  
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 It was then that he saw the pile of bodies. It was then that he saw the pile of bodies.
  
-Words have trouble describing the maelstrom of instinct and emotion that surfaced in Leon Cromwell at that moment in time.  His prejudice towards the Gorns was deeply-seated in the death of his own sister and mother during the Cestus Three incident of stardate 57502, where they were vaporized by orbital bombardment from Gorn battlecruisers.  But now, as he saw the hundreds of dead Gorn hatchlings strewn among the equally dead corpses of their mothers -- each with a Starfleet phaser burn etched into their bodies -- the doctor convulsed.  He dropped his phaser rifle, ripped off his battle helmet, and collapsed to his hands and knees near a wall.  With multiple thrusts of his gastrointestinal tract, Leon hurled his breakfast out of his mouth and onto the ground.+Words have trouble describing the maelstrom of instinct and emotion that surfaced in Leon Cromwell at that moment in time.  His prejudice towards the Gorns was deeply-seated in the death of his own sister and mother during the Cestus Three incident of stardate 57502, where they were vaporized by orbital bombardment from Gorn battle cruisers.  But now, as he saw the hundreds of dead Gorn hatchlings strewn among the equally dead corpses of their mothers -- each with Starfleet phaser burns etched into their bodies -- the doctor convulsed.  He dropped his phaser rifle, ripped off his battle helmet, and collapsed to his hands and knees near a wall.  With multiple thrusts of his gastrointestinal tract, Leon hurled his breakfast out of his mouth and onto the ground.
  
 Purcell watched on while Leon's half-digested morning rations splashed around him. In his psychotic state, the ensign reflected on his disdain for the physician/scientist, and why he and the rest of the troopers hated him so much.  Cromwell represented the wimp's way out:  The pacifist.  His kind allowed the Gorns to have this colony in the first place, and thus, forced Starfleet to have to take back the colony by force.  It was HIS fault that Wierzbowski died the way he did.  The Gorns wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for Cromwell's kind.  It was Purcell's judgement that the doctor should join the dead bodies that lay around him. Purcell watched on while Leon's half-digested morning rations splashed around him. In his psychotic state, the ensign reflected on his disdain for the physician/scientist, and why he and the rest of the troopers hated him so much.  Cromwell represented the wimp's way out:  The pacifist.  His kind allowed the Gorns to have this colony in the first place, and thus, forced Starfleet to have to take back the colony by force.  It was HIS fault that Wierzbowski died the way he did.  The Gorns wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for Cromwell's kind.  It was Purcell's judgement that the doctor should join the dead bodies that lay around him.
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 Purcell was not about to give him that chance. Purcell was not about to give him that chance.
  
-In a swift martial arts maneuver, Purcell kicked Leon in the face, knocking him back to the ground, his head impacting the rocky wall once again, with unconsciousness once again befalling upon him.  Raising his rifle to target Leon anew, the ensign locked the doctor in his sights and pulled the trigger.+In a swift martial arts maneuver, Purcell kicked Leon in the face, knocking him back to the ground, his head impacting the rocky wall once again.  Raising his rifle to target Leon anew, the ensign locked the doctor in his sights and pulled the trigger.
  
 The rifle sputtered dead with a static hiss.  It's energy pack had been fully depleted. The rifle sputtered dead with a static hiss.  It's energy pack had been fully depleted.
  
-Angrily, Purcell threw his empty phaser rifle at Leon, and grabbed the one on the ground, which had a near-full charge on it.  He aimed Leon's rifle back at the doctor and immediately pulled the trigger.  While the shot landed solidly on his chest, causing him to flail once before going immobile, there was no physical damage to his body.  Leon had set the rifle to stun.  Annoyed, the ensign was about to switch the setting back to maximum output when he heard a voice over his shoulder.+Angrily, Purcell threw his empty phaser rifle at Leon and grabbed the one on the ground, which had a near-full charge on it.  He aimed Leon's rifle back at the doctor and immediately pulled the trigger.  While the shot landed solidly on his chest, causing him to flail before going immobile, there was no physical damage to his body.  Leon had set the rifle to stun.  Annoyed, the ensign was about to switch the setting back to maximum output when he heard a voice over his shoulder.
  
 "Sir?" a voice called from behind him.  It was one of the enlisted troopers from the squad who had backtracked to Purcell's location.  As the rest of the battle-ready squad filed out into the cave from the narrow lava tube, they looked around the berthing cave with wide-eyed shock at the carnage.  It was then that they spied Hendrix's dead body.  They looked to Purcell -- who was standing over an unconscious Leon with a phaser rifle -- and expected an explanation. "Sir?" a voice called from behind him.  It was one of the enlisted troopers from the squad who had backtracked to Purcell's location.  As the rest of the battle-ready squad filed out into the cave from the narrow lava tube, they looked around the berthing cave with wide-eyed shock at the carnage.  It was then that they spied Hendrix's dead body.  They looked to Purcell -- who was standing over an unconscious Leon with a phaser rifle -- and expected an explanation.
  
-"What happened?" the trooper asked as the squad gawked around them.+"Sir, what happened?" the trooper asked as the squad gawked on.
  
 For a split second, Purcell felt as if he had been caught red-handed, but then realized his own empty phaser rifle was lying on the ground... right next to Leon.  He realized the scene could easily be seen from a completely different perspective... For a split second, Purcell felt as if he had been caught red-handed, but then realized his own empty phaser rifle was lying on the ground... right next to Leon.  He realized the scene could easily be seen from a completely different perspective...
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 "It was Cromwell!" Purcell lied spontaneously, huffing and puffing while looking around the area with pin-pointed pupils.  He had learned Hendrix's lessons well over the months he had spent under his command -- when you're on the ropes and at the verge of defeat, cover your own ass to pull yourself out. "It was Cromwell!" Purcell lied spontaneously, huffing and puffing while looking around the area with pin-pointed pupils.  He had learned Hendrix's lessons well over the months he had spent under his command -- when you're on the ropes and at the verge of defeat, cover your own ass to pull yourself out.
  
-"Cromwell did this!" he continued the fabrication, staring between Leon and Hendrix's body.  "He shot up the Gorns, then he fragged the commander!" he gestured to Hendrix's prostrate form.  "The little puke shot him down like a dog!"+"Cromwell did this!" he continued the fabrication, staring between the unconscious Leon and Hendrix's body.  "He shot up the Gorns, then he fragged the commander!" he gestured to the commanders prostrate form.  "The little puke shot him down like a dog!"
  
 "What. The. HELL..." the trooper looked around at the carnage.  "He turned on us!" he concluded, spying what was clearly wounds from a Starfleet phaser rifle on Hendrix's chest.  "He fucking TURNED on us!" "What. The. HELL..." the trooper looked around at the carnage.  "He turned on us!" he concluded, spying what was clearly wounds from a Starfleet phaser rifle on Hendrix's chest.  "He fucking TURNED on us!"
current_story/these_are_the_times_part_3.1675646956.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/02/06 01:29 by cromwell

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