Cut Off One Head And You Piss The Monster Off

Posted on Fri May 8th, 2015 @ 5:54pm by Matt Collins & Sam Elliott III

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: NGSC HANGAR

It was nearly an hour since Jim had said he would meet his family for an impromptu trip to Archadia Prime, and Jim was not a man who stayed out of contact without a damned good reason. Nobody knew that better than his wife, Patricia Holbridge, who, after being married to the man for nearly fifteen years, had inherited some of his less-than-desirable traits, and one of them was a short fuse.

Tricia Holbridge rose to her feet and walked over to where Sam Elliott and Matt Collins were sitting on matching easy chairs. "I believe my husband is about to have his ass chewed."

"Tricia, we don't know what Jackson wanted with him; it could be something about that Admiral Cruzado nitwit." Sam said reasonably.

"Hey, Sam, check this out! There's a medical emergency three sections down form us!" Matt Collins said, looking at a display of information. "Initial report...oh...my God, Sam, let's move!" Matt dashed from the room, Tricia and Sam hot on his heels.

It was a horrific scene, blood was everywhere. The trio came up on Starfleet medics working over the lifeless, bloody body of Jim Holbridge. Sam held Tricia back (barely) while Matt tore off his tunic and knelt to assist the medics. "Matt Collins, former Fleet engineer and combat medic," he said shortly.

"Get on that head wound!" one of the Starfleet medics snapped.

Matt quickly saw that his boss and mentor's right eye was gone, and blood flowed openly form the ugly wound. Collins quickly snatched up a gauze pad and wound it carefully into the socket, then affixed medical tape to the crude dressing.

"Good patch, Collins, now get out of the way!" Vick to Piper Medical three to beam directly to ICU!" Jim Holbridge and the two medics vanished.

Tricia looked at Sam. I want you to go to Archadia Prime and protect my children in our family home."

Sam realized he had just been given an order by the CEO of the company. "Yes'm. come on, Matt!"

Tricia calmly walked to a com panel. "This is Patricia Holbridge to Major David Lorenz...."

MARINE COMMAND CENTER

David was going over his plans when his com-badge chirped. "Go ahead,"

=/\=David, this is Tricia, someone just attacked Jim and left him to die. He's in Piper Medical....=/\=

"On my way!" David shouted. "Lorenz to Harrison, meet me at Piper Medical facility, on the double! Captain Franklin, you have the deck until I return!" David stormed from the MCC, his face set in a stone mask of rage.

PIPER MEDICAL CENTER
THIRTY MINUTES LATER

Tricia, David, and a pacing Quentin Harrison were in the ICU waiting room. There had been no word on Jim's condition, save that he was in emergency surgery for stabilization of the hemorrhaging in his eye. Quentin had taken on the task of notifying friends of the family, and the waiting room was filled with Team One members and members of the Holbridge Industries staff.

David sidled over to Harrison. "I want you and a squad down on Archadia Prime at Jim's house. I'll say it's an emergency deployment exercise. Live ammo, and if you witness a hostile act you will return fire. Am I clear?"

Quentin grinned savagely, then turned on his heel and left.

"Lorenz to Brooks; memo to Colonel Harris: UOD, Chief Quentin Harrison is on an emergency deployment exercise and staging to Holbridge estate on Archadia Prime. All the paperwork will be on your desk by 1900 hours tomorrow. Out." UOD stood for "unless otherwise directed," and was a common order/request preface.

=/\=Aye, sir!=/\= Brooks replied.

Lorenz nodded, then sat down next to Tricia. It was going to be a long wait.

****************************

The Holbridge Family
Worried and Angry