Episode Twenty Two: Revelation (Part II)

[Beatrice "Honey" Cutter]

1505
Bridge, USS Aeneid
En Route to Tartaros

Honey looked over to where Loveridge was making final plans with Elwood. He had helped to restore some of her confidence. But Honey knew he would not be out there with her the next time. Her lack of confidence could lead to her being the cause of some other team member's death. She would see how this mission went maybe it was time for her also to stay base side.

She watched as Cara,Keller,Walker and Nolen approached. She felt herself flush with shame. There was not a single member on the base that could have missed her rushing to see who came through each time the gate activated.

As the group began to talk Ria and Krios joined them. The pair seemed interested in every word the group spoke. They seemed to hang on every word.

Honey had always been a bit empathic. The more time she spent with the pair Ria and Krios the more uncomfortable she felt. She couldn't say why outwardly they were polite but she avoided spending time with them

<tag Walker,Cara Keller Nolen, help set up a little for shadowing of the coming probs with the titians as well as move the story on cause we cant do much until SD-2 answers that radio>




[At exactly 0150 hours the ship dropped out of hyperspace and moved into position in orbit above Charonium, the small Olympian fortress that guarded the only safe approach to Tartaros where SD-2 had hopefully knocked out any guns that could take out the Aeneid. From her perch on the commanders chair, Miranda ordered the launch of the combat fighters and told her gunnery officers to stand by to fire on the planet should anything challenge them.

Troy made his way to a communications station and opened a channel to SD-2. "Sierra Delta Two, Aeneid," he said into the microphone. "Standing by to extract your team, what's your status, over."[/blockquote]

< Tag Base Personnel >[/quote]

[Cara Coyle]

1505
Bridge, USS Aeneid
En Route to Tartaros

A quaint smile came to Cara’s face as she was welcomed back by various members or the group, most noticeably Colonel Loveridge, whom she came to respect through the many tales that she had heard through the former SD-1 team member and her ex-fiancée, Will O’Malley. While she had been a part of the expedition before, she was more close to her own teammates and her science team. She knew of others through her responsibilities as Chief Scientific Advisor.

"We're just preparing to tap the enemy comms when we drop out of hyperspace. Nolen will get in close for an EA-302C and tap their data streams remotely, and Honey will translate." Col. Loveridge spoke as he welcomed her, nothing like getting down to business. "How much do you know about Olympians wireless communications?"

”Well,” Cara started off as she thought about it, ”I am one of the top most experts on the technology that we found from the ships that we have discovered or commandeered. I am sure we will not find anything terrible different.” Perhaps it was all the time back on Earth, more like back in England, that her speech patterned had reverted back to being prim and proper, instead of the relaxed version she had been accustomed to before she left. She reverted to being proper after some of the people back home said that she sounded like a commoner.

Cara was about to get started with work again, when she found herself engulfed in an embrace from the blonde anthropologist. Cara found herself go slightly ridged, as she was not accustomed to such displays of affection, is was one of those cultural differences, she was sure the other woman would understand given her position. “I was just about ready to give Walker some basic titan terminology.” Doctor Cutter was explaining. ”That is all very good, Doctor Cutter, I’m sure you will be a good teacher,” she said as she patted the blonde as a return of affection and then pulled away.

”Now, let’s see what we can make of this communications system,” Cara then went off to work for a little while.

0150
Brigde, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

Cara was now up to speed with the Olympian wireless communication system, and was ready with what ever happened. Between working on things, Cara was able to get a few hours sleep, she had been up for a long time already and she wanted to be at her best when events went down. She would be of no use if she was dead on feet.

Col. Loveridge was by the ship’s communication’s console and was speaking through its microphone "Sierra Delta Two, Aeneid. Standing by to extract your team, what's your status, over."

Cara waited to see what would happen next.

Tag peeps!

(OOC: I would have posted sooner, but with the internet problems, anytime I did have the internet my muse was elsewhere, and my roommate is an internet hog..hehe....at least I give good length!)

[Nolen "Dragon" Syaira]

1500 - 0150
Hanger Bay - EA-302C, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

Nolen had travelled with Matt to the Flight deck to upgrade some systems on Nolen's new toy. Ita had taking only a few moments as Nolen helped Matt with the 302's systems to intergrate with his upgrades. As they finished other pilots came running as the Flight Deck became chaos with flight crews and pilots all tending to thier fighters. Then the flight alrams came on, ordering pilots and Flight crew to prepare for action.

Nolen gave Matt the thumbs up as he entered the cockpit of the fighter. "All systems Green" he said over the radio to the flight control. It was at that point he got his go ahead. His 302 blasted out of the bay followed by other 302's. Nolen left the other's behind as he headed towards his target with caution.

<Tag All>

[Troy Loveridge]

0152
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

The Colonel waited patiently by the communications console, hoping the team on the ground could hear him. The seconds it took Oxford, Calmara and Cromin to reply seemed like hours to Troy, who was stuck up here in orbit watching rather than being down on the ground helping them survive. His hands tightened in anger around the edges of the keyboard, himself feeling more and more useless the longer he was desk bound.

Travis's voice was the first to be heard, informing the Colonel he was running for his life, which only served to heighten Troy's concern for the team and anger at being in little position to help them. Sergeant Calmara was next with the announcment the enemy command bunker was out of commission, with Robert adding then needed to pull out ASAP. "Do we have their signals?" Troy called out to the officer in charge with beaming, who replied with the thumbs up signalling he'd zeroed in on the locator beacons embedded under the skin of each team member.

"Copy that Sierra Delta Two, stand by for extraction," Troy replied into the radio before turning to the beaming officer. "Do it." With a nod the officer turned to his console and quickly typed in a series of commands. The Colonel's eyes wandered for a moment to the screen in front of Ria and Kreios, and for a moment swore they were pouring over personnel files, though as he looked closer the screen flicked back to the engineering console they'd be working on. The anger must have had him seeing things.

A bright beam of light appeared in the centre of the bridge as SD-2 was beamed on board the cruiser.

< Tag Base Personnel & SD-2 >

OOC: I wasn't sure if Kat's body was coming back or not so I left it open, I'm happy either way.

[Marcus Garret]

0153
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

It only took a second for the brief moment of disorientation to pass before Marcus recognized that he was on the bridge of the Aeneid. The gun was still clenched in his hands, and a slight whiff of smoke was still curling from the barrel. In front of him was the clone’s body, the face only slightly disfigured from the passage of the bullet. Lowering the gun, he ejected the magazine, and cleared the round that was still in the chamber. Staring at the pistol for a moment, a part of him was utterly repulsed by the weapon, and he dropped it as if it had become red-hot.

As the seconds ticked by, he looked between his hands and the body, his face impassive, and he realized just how much of an emotional maelstrom he’d found himself in. He couldn’t let himself feel anything, or he’d curl up into a fetal position, bawling his eyes out for goodness knows how long. So, instead, he chose to hold the emotions at bay, and wordlessly walked out of the bridge. Uncaring that it was completely uncharacteristic of him to leave without at least saluting his superior officers, his mind was elsewhere.

His destination wasn’t very far. There was an observation room with a view of the stars not too far down the corridor. He enters the room, and divests himself of his gear, piling it neatly next to the door, before walking the additional eight feet to the large window.

Standing in front of the window, he tries to think about what he was going to do, but for the moment, his mind was numb. All he could do was think about what had happened down on the planet, and if there was anything he could have done differently.

<Tag anyone>

[Travis Oxford]

0153
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

<<Continued from Charonium>>

Materialising in the Bridge of the ship, Travis looked around the surrounding before blinking for a moment, “Timing’s perfect,” he muttered as he helped Kent to his feet who - Travis was certain - would take a good blast at him later on for the shot the Doctor took. “Alright I got you,” he told Kent, “Your still in one piece and alive with a little scratch.”

Taking a moment to catch his breath, “Few seconds early Colonel won’t have hurt,” he jested as he panted. He knew in another few seconds his legs would give away, “and we can possibly use a medical help.”

They after all cheated death just now. Counted for something right?

<<Tag Base Personnel/SD2>>

[James Calmara]

<Continued from Charonium>

0153
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

Materializing onboard ship Calmara was feeling quit pleased with himself, and with the team. There objectives were complete the outpost now had no teeth in fact it no longer had much of anything. Plus there were no casualties or injuries to speak of and then he saw Lt. Garret dismantling his pistol staring at something with a blank look. Then there was Maj. Logan lying very still on the floor.

This was bad; undeniably this was very bad. All he could get initially out was “What…the hell.” it took a few moments to gather himself but when Lt. Garret left wordlessly found himself saying to no one in particular “Someone make sure he’s ok.” As he took a few steps and knelt to check for a pulse, why he did that instinct, disbelief who knows, but the hole in her head told everything there was to tell Maj. Logan was gone, killed, dead. “Get a medic or off the bridge or something to cover her with” He yelled over his shoulder his head was kicking into ‘lets sort this out’ mode. Also knowing that they’d been alone on the planet, the realization each team member would be suspect made Calmara pull off his rifle, pistol and zat leaving them on the floor a little way from the body, stood up.

<Tag anyone>

[Travis Oxford]

0153
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit


Someone lying on the floor caught his eyes, taking proper look he realized it was his XO. Cursing he closed his eyes; another second in command who was a female – was dead; first Conner’s now Logan. His heart sank, at the life lost; he swore at his inability to keep the women under his command safe. At moments like this he wondered why he was still with the expedition at all. And not transferred back to Earth. While still holding a rank of a Major.

Garrett did say hanger bay had been empty and no guard’s right? Looking at the man, he wasn’t sure what to say, perhaps waiting for Marcus to explain what transpired. Leaving Kent to a medic’s that had arrived, Travis watched Marcus leave, hearing the gun cock he averted his eyes to James, “Sergeant, stand down,” he ordered, even if a higher ranking Officer was in presence. This was after all his team. While each of them were responsible for their own actions; in the chains of team command it all came down to him. Seeing James heisted a little, “That’s a direct order Calmara.”

<<Tag James/All>>

((Further edit to keep in flow with Troy's post ))

[Cara Coyle]

0153
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

Cara couldn’t tell exactly what she was feeling when SD-2 was beamed aboard the ship. The first thing she saw was Major Logan on the ground, with another team member Cara wasn’t familiar with, standing over her with a smoking gun. But, Cara found herself rushing to the fallen girl, as the culprit wondered off the bridge. She wasn’t really concerned with the standing members of the SD team. The state of the visible injuries of the fallen woman lead Cara to believe that there was nothing anyone could do to help, she was gone. “Someone make sure he’s ok.” Calmara said as was checking the lack of pulse.

Cara let go and turned to Colonel Loveridge, ”She’s dead,” she let out with a whisper, yet it was audible for everyone to hear. ”Forget making sure he’s ok! He was standing over her with a gun, someone should bring him back here at once. And that someone should be anyone BUT Col. Walker!” Cara may not have been military, but she was assertive enough. Not like she used to be, no, that had changed recently. She was sure going to surprise people with her assertiveness, but she was not going to take anything from anyone. It helped that she had a high ranking, for a civilian anyway.

Another thing to note was her request that Walker not go anywhere. Anyone with eyes could see that they had a relationship, even though there was whole military regulations. Cara wasn’t sure if there was still a thing with the two officers, since she was away on Earth for a while, but having a relationship with anyone does something to a person. If it were Will, Cara would be going off her rocker.

Cara took off her uniform coat and laid it over the fallen officer with a silent prayer. She watched Major Oxford leave the room, most likely to find the other guy. She also kept an eye on Walker.

<<Tag others>>

[Troy Loveridge]

0155
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

When the blinding light dissipated it revealed a sight the Colonel was not ready for. Of the six members of SD-2 who had just been extracted, Major Logan was dead, Doctor McKillop was badly injuried and the rest of the team was in bad shape. On top of this Lieutenant Garret appeared to have been the one who'd killed Kat, with Marcus pulled apart his weapon and walking away before the shock of the situation allowed Troy time to recover.

This was the exact reason he wasn't ready for command - he would never be able to forgive himself for people who died following his orders. From his place on board this vessel he had no idea what had transpired down there on the surface, and to be honest he was lost as to what he should do. Thankfully the rest of SD-2 seemed to recover quickly, thought not quite fully, at the sigh of their slain team mate.

Sergeant Calmara suggested someone should go after Marcus, with Doctor Coyle strongly arguing it shouldn't be Walker who'd had a relationship with Kat. "Major," Troy said, taking a step closer to Travis. "Do I need to send a friend or a security detachment after your Lieutenant?" Two medics stationed just outside the bridge dashed in, and upon confirming she was deceased, covered Major Logan's body with a sheet and prepared to move her somewhere more private. "He was after all holding a literal smoking gun."

< Tag Oxford >

Travis made his way off to find Marcus, Troy still not sure if the LT needed to be detained or not. This was the exact sort of situation the Colonel feared, he had no experience with this sort of thing!

Thankfully the Olympians offered him an alternative.

"Incoming Olympian cruisers, four of them!" Colonel Elwood called from her command chair. "Action stations, ACTION STATIONS!"

< Tag Base Personnel & SD-2 >

[Beatrice "Honey" Cutter]

0155
BRIDGE USS AENEID

Honey watched as SD-2 mate realized. She felt herself begin to tremble as she saw the body sprawled on the floor. She knew it could not be John but still she closed her eyes tightly. When she found the courage to open them she let out a gasp as the tears rolled down her face. It was Kat Logan.

Honey moved instinctively to Walker's side.She looked up into his pain filled eyes with sympathy.She did not know the man well. But she still pulled him to her in a brief hug. She hoped the human contact would let him know he was not alone. She watched as what had happened registered on the rest of the people present.

Through a haze of emotion she heard Elwood's voice. It took Honey longer then it should to realize it was a call to Stations. She moved quickly to the communications post. Placed an ear phone in her ear. At first she picked up nothing but the usual chatter. Wait did she hear that right? The color drained from her face when she translated the message that their was to be no quarter given. The Olympians were ordering the total destruction of the Aeneid

,tag all>

[Travis Oxford]

0155
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

As Colonel Loveridge stepped towards him, Travis could hear the firmness in the man’s voice, it was after all bad enough to have of the original member of this expedition - dead under his command; and Walker’s fiancé, whose ring he found during her rescue mission, which turned out to be anything but that. How the hell was he suppose to explain Marcus’s behavior. Garrett was after all his lieutenant which the Colonel pointed not so graciously to him, which caused him to wince and cringed at the same time.

Inhaling deeply, “No sir,” he confirmed, “I’ll handle it. I was, after all responsible for teaming them up in the first place. If a security detachment is required, I’ll radio.” Dear god, he was trying to clean up one mess with Walker/Logan deal, and causes another with Garrett. After getting a dismissal, Travis bustled after his lieutenant.

0157
Observation room

Following Garrett inside the room and landing his eyes on the man, who was looking out into the starfield, “What happened?” he knew for sure, something had to happen for Kat to be lying on the ground and dead. The man before him was the only one who had answers.

<<Tag Marcus>>

[Robert "Scarecrow" Cromin]

0155
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit


Captain Cromin and the rest of SD-2 is beamed into the bridge and he was excited about getting away from the impending fire fight that was headed their way. He was no punk nor a coward for that matter but he was wise enough to avoid a fire fight if he could. Anyways as he was getting accustomed to the Bridge of the Aenied, he saw chaos quickly starting to take hold of the Bridge, he noticed that Lt Garett had a smoking gun in his hand and Major Logan was lying on the floor. The Lt quickly leave the Bridge and Captain Cromin saw Major Oxford go after him and he was about to go with the Major as his back up when the ship seemed to be rocked by something the Captain was all too farmiliar with. They were definitly being fired upon by most likely Olympian ships.


Colonel Elwood called from her command chair yelling "Incoming Olympian cruisers, four of them!, Action stations, ACTION STATIONS!" Captain Cromin felt helpless, he was a pilot and it was in situations like this he needed to be flying. He wasn't sure if all of the fighters have been launched so he went to Col loveridge, not wanting to bother Colonel Elwood, he said "Have the 302's been launched yet, if yes then what are your orders?"


<Tag Troy and SD2>

[Robert "Jackal" Walker]

0155
Outside Bridge
USS Aeneid

Walker had been coordinating with the team's security forces when the beam-up had occurred and was making his way to the bridge for a status update. A voice in his headset had informed him that SD-2 was aboard now, so it was as good of a time as any to check in.

As he rounded the last corner of the corridor leading to the bridge, he could see the open doorway and the bridge beyond. Lieutenant Garret did not even notice the Marine as he passed by, even when Robert called out, "Marcus?" The familiar acrid smell of gunpowder lingered in the air in the Lieutenant's wake, indicating a fire fight. Walker turned back to the bridge and entered.

There were more on the bridge than normal, but something was off. Several people had their heads down, and Major Oxford rushed off the bridge. The Lieutenant Colonel's mind whirled, trying to process it all. He clearly saw most of SD-2 when he came in, as well as Colonels Loveridge and Elwood near the command chair. As he stepped up to the command chair, two medics rose from the floor and stepped back from the beaming platform with grim faces. He came into view of the platform and saw the white sheet, and the form of a body beneath it. A tightness formed in his throat, and he turned his head to find Kat. As the medic on the mission she would have been the one to confirm the death.

His head turned to the right, scanning the crowd, then the left. His eyes met with Troy's, and the look in the Colonel's face almost stopped Walker's face. Half-turning back to the body on the floor, the room began to move at snail speed. His vision was blurred, and he began searching the crowd again, this time more furtively, a panic rising within him. He began to call her name out, but no sound came out. A hand landed gently on his shoulder and stayed there. What seemed like minutes, but was only seconds, passed by. No, no ... it can't be! his mind screamed. Suddenly, his legs nearly gave way, and he stumbled backward into the metal back of a console, and fell to the ground.

<Tag Anyone>

[James Calmara]

0155
Bridge, USS Aeneid
Charonium Orbit

Calmara followed the stand down order immediately, not really wanting to make a bad situation worse, stepping to one side hands clearly visible. He leaned up against a bulkhead trying to stay out of the way. Trying to fathom what could have led to what happened.

It was then he noted Col. Walker’s arrival, the man clearly had to take all of this in at once which had to be a lot. Perhaps to much a fact proved by his collapse. Calmara moved to his side. It was this point the Olympians dropped in, evidenced by bolts of light that were now splattering against the shields. “Whoa, Colonel lets get you somewhere not quite so public shall we sir.” Calmara said as he hauled the marine officer up and towards the back of the bridge resting him against the rear bukhead.

“ Sir I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am. ” He began not sure how he was going to follow up. Partly because of the implications of the little he did know of what had gone on planet side. “It appears that Lieutenant Garret shot Major Logan in the head. The events surrounding what happened we don’t know, but trying to find out.” Honesty worked consistently in the past, if it would work now remains to be seen.


<Tag Walker & SD-2 & Aenied crew>