Into The Forest Part III
Posted on Tue Dec 24th, 2019 @ 3:03am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna & Major Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke
Edited on on Wed Dec 25th, 2019 @ 12:57am
2,715 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Marooned!
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD003 2100 hours
"I hope so, too," Kat said. "Look at Jayna. That's not a fake arrow." She, too, was concerned about their safety. She didn't want anything to happen to Tyler now that they were finally together.
“They didn’t get this far without ingenuity,” Ameri said. She looked around the bushes. “I don’t see anything or anyone.” Just then she heard a bloodcurdling scream.
"This is a holographic program a character can appear, when it is suppose to and without warning to us, so lets stay sharp on this." Quinn ordered the group.
Jayna nodded, but she knew Quinn couldn't see her. She took a moment to look at the arrow. Only 2/3 of the head was buried in her arm. Good. She could pull it out without causing further damage. She didn't have to leave it there. She focused on the training she'd received as a child to not cry out, no matter what, and used her strength to pull. She hissed as pain shot down her arm. She quickly rolled up her sleeve to control the bleeding and looked around for any leaves that might be of help.
“Give me your knife, Quinn,” Ameri said. “We can cut off a strip of my shirt to wrap Jayna’s arm with to stop the bleeding it is long enough.”
Quinn quickly pulled out his knife, and watched Ameri cut a part of her shirt. "This is confirmation, the safeties are off. We need to be careful, from this point forward." He said to the group. Knowing the Captain would agree.
"The sooner we finish this quest, the better," Jayna said. She addressed Ameri. "Thanks."
“I was glad to be able to help,” Ameri replied. “We need to proceed with caution.” She spoke the words they were all thinking. “How are we going to be able to detect if there are more archers waiting ahead?”
"Best approach is keeping a low profile, and to spread out. If we are to close, the archer can pick us off or get in a luck shot." Quinn suggested, remembering basic combats 101. Never be grouped together, when you know a threat is out there.
Jayna nodded. "That, or send someone screaming ahead to draw their fire, but I don't recommend that option without full plate mail."
"I don't think any of us could run very fast in something like that, so sneak it is."
“Please be careful,” Ameri said to all of them. She had a weird feeling that had been nagging at her for a while.
Quinn kept a low profile, as he started to lead the group. He was doing his best to keep an eye out, for the archer.
Jayina was happy to take up the rear and keep an eye out for anyone coming after them.
While everyone was chatting Tyler took a moment to check the quality of the saber that was on his hip. He swiped the blade a few times against a tree and had a satisfying smile when some of the bark came shooting off. "Well this will do nicely." Keeping the blade at the ready he back peddled as the group advanced. Quinn took point, so Tyler decided he would bring up the rear. Despite the danger he was enjoying himself as it was rare for a Captain to be on an away mission.
They followed the trail, if you could call it that, for a dozen yards before it was so overgrown they had to stop and cut away vines. It was the perfect place for an ambush. Pirates came running at them from all sides.
Ameri ran from the pirate who was chasing her, around a tree. She could hear him coming, grabbed a branch off the ground and swung it, hitting him square in the head. Grabbing his sword as it landed, she turned and headed to where the Pirates were still coming at them all.
Tyler actually laughed. it seemed that all of those hours studying ancient weapons texts and practicing on the holodeck was about to pay off. He drew the saber and in a quick flourish he raised it long ways above his head. One of the pirates charged at him with a basket hilt cutlass drawn and ready. Tyler knew he had one chance, his weapons was a slashing and piercing one while the bulky cutlass allowed for slashing only. Tyler had to keep the pirate at a distance.
Once within striking distance the pirate moved to attack, Tyler quickly parried and thrust the sabre into the chest of the pirate. Blood splattered onto Tyler's uniform as the pirate tried to lunge forward with the blade in his belly. A flick of the wrist and the pirate was dispatched as the sabre rose and sliced the man's chin open. Tyler immediately ran toward his wife. He being armed he would make damn sure nothing happened to her.
Kat only had a dagger, but she held it ready to fight off anyone who got too close. She was keep tabs on Tyler. She knew he was competent with a sword, but she didn't trust these pirates to not double up on him. And backstabbing to defend your husband was definitely something she could do.
One of the pirates came towards Kat, leering. "No need to fight, missy. We won't hurt the likes o' you. Jus' come wit' us nice'n all an' we won' 'ave to get nasty."
Kat saw Tyler coming her way. "Get stuffed," she told the pirate, raising her dagger.
The pirate just laughed.
"I wonder what you would do with the likes of me..." Tyler said as he leveled the sword toward the back of the Pirate's neck. "Listen here scoundrel surrender your weapons and we can settle this like civilized men." That was after all the way of a proper officer of this time. Of course the pirate did not surrender, instead he began to turn to attack Tyler. Tyler dropped to his knees and slid on them toward his wife. As he passed the Pirate he flicked the tip of his blade into the other man's ankles and severed the Achilles tendon. The pirate yelped and pain and fell to his knees. "You were warned, and learn how to treat a lady would ya..." Tyler said with a chuckle and rose to his feet next to his wife.
"Elegantly done, my lord," she teased. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, she could appreciate Tyler's skill and flair.
Jayna held her short blade in her good hand and turned so she was facing the pirates. Her weapon wasn't as long as theirs, but she hoped, with a little luck, it would be enough.
"We ain't wantin' to fight no ladies," the pirate said.
"Good thing I'm no lady," Jayna countered. She picked up a rock and threw it at the pirate, hitting him in the face. It was meant to distract him long enough to get over to the others, but he was just a bit too slow.
She hurried over to the others. In a group, they had a better chance of fighting off the pirates.
“Nice shot,” Ameri said to Jayna with a grin. “They underestimate us!”
Jayna grinned back. "Thanks. Unfortunately, surprises like that only work once."
Quinn was still trying to wipe off the blood on his uniform, when Jayna managed to distract the pirate. He grabbed his pistol, and pointed it right behind the pirate. "Surrender Matey." Quinn said, hoping he got lingo right.
The pirate dropped his sword.
Quinn tried to hold in his excitement, as he called out. "Secure him Jayna. Make sure his bonds are tight." Quinn was not gong to give him a chance to escape. He wanted information, and see if he could learn more from this program.
Ameri held the sword in her hand, both keeping an eye on their prisoner and looking around as well. Who knew when something new might happen or some unknown enemy appear.
Jayna nodded. She sheathed her blade and grabbed one of the extra strong vines and hog-tied the pirate. If he had a rope, a it would have been easier, but this would do the trick for now. When she finished, she patted him on the head. "Good pirate. What's your name?"
"Petey," he growled. "And if I'd been a good pirate, you'd be skewered."
"Not necessarily," Jayna replied cheerfully. "It just means we're better."
"Do we really need to antagonize the pirate?" Quinn asked, wondering if that was really the best approach, to getting this holographic character to cooperate with them.
"You're right." Jayna turned to the pirate. "Sorry, Petey." Even though she apologized, she didn't look all that contrite.
Tyler took a look around and saw that the ambush was put down as quickly as it had begun. He sheathe his sword and approached this one that they called Petey. In truth Tyler did not think that they would get any pertinent information toward what was happening to them and the holodeck from this pirate. However, for the time being he was content in allowing his crew to see what they could learn.
"Please continue Miss Jayna." Quinn said, as he waited to see what she could do to get the holographic pirate to talk to them all. He could see that Tyler had something on his mind. But at the moment, he wanted to get this pirate speaking.
Ameri was interested as well in what he would say. “We need to listen,” she whispered to Quinn. “For clues from what he has to say.”
Quinn just grinned, as he whispered back. "I know, now shh." He said with a big teasing grin. It was not very often she told Ameri to shh, and actually get away with it.
Ameri raises an eyebrow, it figured Quinn pick just the right moment. And it was perfect, he had eased some of her concern over this program they were stuck in.
Quinn could see that she was taking his shh, with a grain of salt. And he was happy for that. She did not like telling be told to shh, by anyone. He waited to see what Jayna was going to do. He looked to Jayna, and his body language suggested for her to proceed.
Jayna nodded and squatted down in front of the pirate. She took out her blade and stuck it in the dirt. "Okay, one pirate to another. Why did you ambush us?"
"You ain't no pirate. Women don't belong on no pirate ship," he said. "Ye're bad luck."
"Anne Bonny, Mary Read, Jeanne de Clisson, the Lioness of Brittany, Queen Teuta of Illyria, Back from the Dead Red, shall I go on?" she asked.
"No."
"Now, why did you ambush us?"
"Ye're after our gold," he growled.
"No, we don't. We want passage. Now, if you tell us how to get out of here, we'll leave you the gold and you can tell everyone you chased us off."
"An' why should I work for the likes of you?"
"Because if you don't, we'll leave you as you are and let the next pirate who comes along decide your fate," Jayna said casually. "I'm sure they'll find a fitting end for you." She picked up her knife and tossed it in the air, catching it by the hilt. "So, do I cut you loose, or just cut you?"
He looked at Quinn. "I won' tell the likes of 'er. No female's gonna get the best of me."
Jayna turned to the First Officer, clearly amused. "Looks like it's your call."
Ameri smiled, thinking Quinn was really going to enjoy this, going into full blown pirate mode. She just hoped it worked.
"She already got the best of you, your tied up, and she making all the calls." Quinn said, slightly amused by this all. He grinned as he looked back to Jayna. This was clearly her show.
"Well then," Jayna stepped on the cords that bound him, causing them to tighten. "You give us what we want, and you can make up any tale you want. I don't care if you turn me into a six foot tall orgre, just tell me where this path leads."
"Women pirates, bah." He looked at Jayna, clearly disgusted. "What they be callin' ye?"
"Lady Jay," she said, saying the first thing that came to mind.
"You ain't no lady."
"And you're no gentleman." She pressed down on the ropes. "You have two choices. tell us what we want to know and I untie you, or keep mouthing off and I knock you out and leave you as you are."
Tyler stood hand in hand with his wife. If nothing else this program was allowing him to see a side of his crew that he would not have normally had a chance to see. His XO seemed relaxed and enjoying himself, Jayna was seemed to be an astute interrogator. Well she aught to be with her track record. he thought. A smile crawled across his face as he realized that he represented a pirate of his own type. As the realization washed over him he visibly relaxed and squeezed his wife's hand. Despite all of this there was still something glitched in this program, so while his left hand pulled his wife closer to him, his right hand rested on the handle of his saber.
Kat squeezed back. "Looks like everyone's having fun," she whispered to Ty. "Even you. I just wish the safeties were working."
The pirate snorted derisively.
"I take that as a no." She raised her knife.
"The captain'll gut me if'n 'e finds me like this."
"No doubt. You have to the count of ten. One." Jayna said, tired of the game. She didn't like it and she wanted to get out of the holodekc. "Two."
"Fine. That way's a lake, like. Wi' a cave. Legend says people who go in never come out. Dat what ye're looking fer?"
"Yes. Thank you." Jayna untied his hands, but left his feet bound so it would take him a little time to get loose. "Looks like we should check out that cave."
“I agree,” Ameri spoke up. “It seems to be a clue however it doesn’t mean things will be easy going through the cave.
"It hasn't been easy so far," Jayna said. "So I wouldn't expect it to be easy getting out." She hoped that would really be the end of the road for this adventure.
"We'll never know until we try." Kat smiled at Tyler. "Ready to see what's down there?"
Tyler frowned as he stared off in the direction of the cave. He did not like the idea of going in there with the safeties off. "Right, let's head for the cave. But everyone stay sharp. As much fun as this is we have to keep in mind that this is the unknown. Even a holographic blade can harm and we have little to no medical supplies. So let's get it done, get it sone quickly and safely."
Jayna sheathed her knife. "After you, sir." She agreed with him that it would likely be dangerous, but it also seemed like the best way out of the program.
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Commander Quinn Ó Flannagáin
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Ameri Ó Flannagáin
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
Warrant Officer Mira Jayna
Infiltration Specialist, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke
Mission Advisor, USS Pioneer
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
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