Posted Sept. 19, 2022, 4:09 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) (James Sinclair)
Posted by Civilian Jessa Novar (Child) in Tick Tick Boom The Promenade - Zala Tsu…when the past doesn’t match the future or the present
Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Tick Tick Boom The Promenade - Zala Tsu…when the past doesn’t match the future or the present
Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Tick Tick Boom The Promenade - Zala Tsu…when the past doesn’t match the future or the present
Zala Tsu opened her eyes and took a second to figure out what had just happened. One second she was fighting the security forces and now she was in what looked to be a shopping complex. She was also alone with no sight of her companions. What are you doing Pet, she said to herself. The light slide weapon these aliens possessed was formidable. The uses were endless and one day it would be in the Elder’s arsenal instead of these barbarians. Until that day came, however, Zala Tsu would have to show them what happens when they used it on her.Almost as soon as the lights from the transporter beam faded, so did the slight sensation of falling. It was replaced with sounds of confusion and chaos. The klaxons and red lights were only adding tension and fear to the situation. Closing her eyes, Zala Tsu let the emotions consume her. Anxiety and trepidation were useful tools to control a population. Opening her eyes, Zala took in her new surroundings. It looked like a rejuvenation area with plants, fountains, and large glass windows to shops with all things that pampered one. Translate and scan she spoke within her armor. Numerous holo displays began to process her request as data appeared indicating the probability of weapons, the makeup of the humanoids in the space, and her surroundings.
Weapons - absent. Females 78% of the population. Males 22% of the population. The estimated age of the population sample is twenty-nine with 10% of the sample being juveniles. Environment - rejuvenation complex. Threat assessment- minimal.
“Quad report,” she spoke into her helmet trying to ascertain where the rest of her group was.
Communication systems are currently disabled. Unable to translate written alien language at this time. Armor at 72 percent. Repairs in progress. The AI system of her armor responded.
“Drak it,” she cursed to herself. The weapons of the security forces on the ship had not disabled her but had weakened her shielding. Given enough time the systems would repair themselves. For now, Zala just needed to buy time. Touching the side of her neck the helmet appeared to melt back and be absorbed into her suit. Zala Tsu looked around taking in the situation. There were only a few males with most of them being children. Her sudden arrival had stopped the individual from milling as all eyes settled on her.
It was clear she was trapped for now. Standard protocol dictated for each Elder to secure their space and wait. At least she was in a pleasing area. “I,” she stated loudly to leather voice carry over the alarms ringing out. After her first word, however, the alarms suddenly were silenced. “Well, that is better. I am Elder Zala Tsu. Who is in command here?”
Her question caused most to look around as if even they were not clear on how to answer it. This section of the promenade was filled with cosmetic services like hair and nail salons, a spa, a yoga studio, and several wellness stores. Most of the individuals within this area were either civilians or off-duty personnel. The promenade was broadly patrolled by security however the bulk of the patrols tended to concentrate on the bars and casino section. One of the few men in the area stopping by for a quick haircut stepped forward. “I am Lt. Blackwell. Put your hands in the air and drop to your knees.” His voice was commanding as he stepped through the crowds ignoring the locked turbo for now. No one protested his assumption of command. As a security officer, he was the most senior officer in the space related to the situation.
Raising her fist, Zala Tsu released a bolt of energy from her armor which impacted the man square in the chest. His body flew back impacting an invisible forcefield three feet away causing Zala Tsu to frown. “Wrong answer. I am.” Taking a few steps over to the forcefield, she ran her fingertips over it. Letting out an irritated sigh she spun back to the crowd that was now moving farther from her and back into the presumed safety of the shops. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out several small metal balls and scattered them on the ground. The metal balls clinked several times before melting into metallic droplets that seemed to spread like oil and double in size exponentially. “There are fifteen juveniles here. Prepare them for re-education.”
The oil seemed to react to her voice. A small dome began to rise out of the center of each metallic pool as if it were a ghost. The final shape resembled that of an elongated bullet. Once its final shape was achieved, it darted seeking out each child. There was no way to stop it once it reached its target. Like on Mischwald, Halston, Belkadan, and countless other worlds that had been re-educated, the Mech only needed a single point on the target to start the enveloping process. No one longer cared about the woman in the armor. All their attention was focused on trying to stop the fifteen children from being encapsulated by alien technology. Screams and curses, threats, and pleas echoed in the confined space that was almost louder than the now silenced klaxons.
Using the diversion, Zala stepped onto one of the metallic pools which transformed into a disc that let her rise above the crowd as if she were on a dias. As each of the fifteen Mechs returned to her position with a child encapsulated within it, Zala Tsu pointed her fists at the ground and shot out bolts of energy that scorched the metal plating of the deck. “Your weapons will not free your offspring but my weapons will destroy them. Use your light slide weapon on me again and,” she let the threat hang in the air as she turned her hand to the side she targeted one of the Mech’s holding a child. “I command you to bend at the knee and accept the path to enlightenment. If you do not, your children will pay the price.”
Zala Tsu
“Yeah… that ain’t gonna happen lady.” a deep and firm voice boomed out from somewhere and echoed throughout the Promenade. “But what is gonna happen is you’re gonna let those kids go… right fu<&ing now… or I’m gonna feed you your own feet.” The crowd at the back of the Promendae began moving and a massive figure strode purposefully towards Zala. Phaser rifle in hand, but not aimed at her, he glared daggers the likes of which would make a Klingon battle-cruiser melt. “If there is one thing I despise more than anything, its a gods-be-damned coward who picks on kids to make a point. Now…” and he stopped twenty meters from her position, “… get your armored ass down here before I bring you down. And…” and he cracked his neck and his free hand went into a fist, “… Let. Those. Kids. Go.“
Mardusk, CoS
The Elder watched as a mountain of a man stepped through the huddling and mewling masses. The man would be a formidable opponent but the Elder had little concern or worry. They were in control. Apparently, one death was not enough for these people to see it. The alien’s eyes drift to the weapon for a half second before ignoring it. He might have thought it would strike terror and fear forcing immediate capitulation yet this was not the first time someone had refused to follow orders. Lowering the dias to the ground, it melted from a floating chair into a black inky pool around the alien’s feet. If this man wanted to through around brute strength, he would pay the price for it.
“Such language to use around a woman,” the voice said in a silky timber as the Elder closed the space between them. “Lucky for you I am not a woman.” Touching a button on the armor, a digitized image melted back revealing not the icily beautiful woman that had presented herself to the crowd but a strikingly rogueish male. Rogan had hoped the ploy would have bought him more time. No matter how enlightened a civilization was, it always did want a fair fight. Striking the weaker sex in hand-to-hand combat was generally frowned upon and yet, here was just another example of the barbaric nature of the people from the Milky Way. “You were going to hit a woman,” Rogan’s voice held the charismatic drawl of someone who couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. “Tsk tsk. That is just bad form and behavior my friend. However, it does present us with an opportunity to hose this deck down with testosterone before we start though… Mech inspection,” the voice ordered as they flicked open their hand. The command altered the front of the Mech changing the surface from opaque to transparent. Now the parents could individually see each of their children trapped inside appearing as if asleep but with a small breathing mask on their face.
“If I make a fist, like you are,” the voice slightly curled the tips of their fingers as they spoke, “the Mech’s will cut off the synthasleep being pumped into their lungs. Your children will suffocate and the parents can watch.”
There was a slight pause as the alien looked at Mardusk. “What is your name friend? I ask this because while I care less about these kids or your people I just like to know who will be groveling at my feet.” Rogan was ready to crush some heads. This area distinctly lacked any real opponents.
Rogan
Mardusk smiled slightly, but didn’t say anything. Instead he gave Rogan a wink and tilted his head slightly to indicate Rogan should really look down just a bit.
As the would-be kidnapper’s eyes moved, Mardusk tapped a small icon the side display of his rifle. The ship’s computer’s voice filled the Promenade. =/\= Attention. Attention. Decompression of sector immanent. All personnel evacuate area immediately. Emergency decompression in two minutes. =/\= and Mardusk smiled as people began running to the exits, save for the parents of the children who were scambling trying to save their kids. Over the din of yelling voices and stampeding feet, Mardusk said “See, asshole… there’s three things about me you really should’a known before you tried this crap. First: if my people are gonna die, they’re gonna die my way. And second: As long as you go with me, I don’t care if I die.”
And then he swung the rifle like a club directly at Rogan’s chin.
“And three? The name’s Mardusk… and I don’t fight fair.”
Mardusk, CoS
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