Investigation Part 2

Posted on Fri Sep 9th, 2011 @ 6:46am by Major Patrick Smith & Lieutenant James Holbridge

A final check of the sensor logs revealed what Patrick needed to complete the puzzle. Setting his engineers to rip apart the 3 suspect fighters in secret in one of the maintenance bays, Patrick set off in the Blackbird. The Modified Peregrine with it's higher warp capabilities easily caught up to the freighter. The CAG had contacted it earlier and as it was doing local runs they agreed to hand over the sensor logs to Patrick. Upon arrived Patrick landed in an half full cargo bay. It had been decompressed and everything secured so that when the doors opened Patrick wouldn't get a crate in his face. Gently gliding his ship in he landed it and managed only to bump into things twice. As the doors closed the bay began to re-pressurize and finally the doors to the main ship opened revealing the Captain and his XO.

Smith hopped out and walked to the Captain. Shaking his hand he said, "Thanks Captain. This information will help put whoever did this behind bars."

"Always a pleasure to help Starfleet," he said as he handed over several data padds full of the sensor logs. "Shall I contact you when I get back about the flight in her? She looks amazing."

Patrick chuckled. Nothing came free these days. "The Blackbird is my own beauty. But yes once you get back to the base drop in and I'll give you and your XO a trip round the base and into the planet for some aerobatics."

"Excellent. My condolences to you squadron Captain Smith. Good luck."

Simple. Watching the two men leave Smith turned around and climbed back to his fighter. Reversing the process he had before and backed out gently into open space before setting a course to SB900. This time he managed not to hit the crates.

Back on SB900

Patrick had what he needed. It had taken a while checking everything to make sure and double check, a flight to a transport, a few hours of his life promised to aerobatics and then to build the case. After matching the scanner reports from the runabouts, Star base and the freighter. Not only that the mechanics had shredded the three fighters completely. They had found in one of them a small transmitted that was designed to activate once it got in range. Thankfully that find was in the fighter that belonged to the one that had been triangulated by the sensor logs. It was time to weigh judgement.

Collecting all the information into one Padd he stood up and straightened his uniform. Walking to a cabinet in the wall he entered his security code and it rotated to reveal a small arms locker. Taking out his phaser and holster he strapped them on, closed it up and walked outside. Turning to two of the Marine guards he summoned them to follow him and he made his way to the Vampire hanger deck to Collect Jim before they went to grab the sabatuer. As he arrived the place was locked down tight. Entering he walked to Jim and could see he had been attacked.

"What the hell happened here Jim?"

Holbridge's head lolled to the side. He was out cold, there was a very nasty bruise by neck near the base of his skull. someone had clobbered him good.

"Of for pete's sake someone get a damned medical team up here now!" Smith roared after a few seconds. "Turning round to the assembled crowd he asked, "Please tell me one of your eagle eyed pilots managed to stop who the Hell just attacked one of my Officers!"

A brief pause from the pilot's and ground crew but finally after nearly a minute Karl Jaeger spoke up. "Sir, it looked like it was Peterson."

Patrick nearly cursed out loud, something most Irishmen would have done without thinking. "Ok you lot take care of Jim and lock this place down. No one gets in our out without my permission." He started walking towards the door and the two marines set off after him again weapons ready and senses alert. "Computer locate Lieutenant Peterson."

=/\= Lieutenant Peterson is in Bounty Hunter flight deck =/\=

Smith stopped dead in his tracks and turned to the two marines. They all shared a seemingly collective thought. Without a word the two nodded and set off running towards the Bounty Hunters hanger while Patrick ran back to the Vampire one. Running past the bewildered marine guards he ran straight up to one the first Redemption class fighter and jumped in. "Tower Permission to take off."

=/\= Granted Captain. Good luck. =/\=

"Thank's tower. Scramble some rescue runabouts. One of us is going to need them," he replied praying that it wouldn't be him, yet knowing even in the less manoeuvrable Redemption class he had the skills. Gently easing the ship off the flight deck he pointed the nose towards the door and slide her out into the cold black depths of space. As soon as he was clear he punched full throttle and activated his targeting sensors. The tower had marked Peterson's Valkyrie as a hostile so it took just 6 second for the computer to pick it out and point the way on the HUD. The Valkyrie was merely 30 seconds ahead and thanks to the engine upgrade on the Redemption Smith was able to plug extra power into the engines to catch up at the expense of a lot of fuel.

"Peterson this is Smith. Stand down and return to the base immediately."

"Not a chance sir," came the sarcastic response. There's no way I'm heading back there. You know I can't."

Patrick sighed. "Look Robert the longer you run now the worse it will be. And you know I'll take you back by force if I have to. You have to answer for what you've done." He took a brief moment to check his sensors and saw the runabouts launching. Good news he thought. That meant he could fire if needs be.

Robert yelled down the intercom so loud it nearly deafened Patrick. "It was supposed to be you who took the fall! The jealous CAG of the more experienced Flight leader. But noo that idiot had to survive."

Smith was caught a tad unawares by that. "Is that why you tried to kill him again? Because you thought it was him who ratted you out?"

The line went silent. Then. As unexpectedly as Roberts comment came he disengaged the computer guidance allowing him to flip around whilst maintaining his momentum away from the Captain. Realising what was going to Happen Smith threw the fighter to one side narrowly avoiding a spread of phaser fire and a quantum torpedo. Flicking back around Smith unleashed his own volley catching the port side of Peterson's shields, before ducking out of the way of another torpedo. As the two fighters moved in to within 100 meters of each other and began dogfighting Smith niftily and with all the experience he had in flying fighters, flicked off the assistance and spun around whilst moving in a semi circle. Coming to the end of the manoeuvre dead in the phaser sights was the Valkyrie. Not pausing for a moment he let loose one final blast and broke the port shield before battering into the hull.

Bringing his own fighter to a complete stop Smith watched as Roberts continued to drift. Gently putting on some power he slide overhead to make sure the Lieutenant was still alive.The sight that greeted him left him confused over whether to feel relieved or annoyed that the Lieutenant had survived, but common sense broke through. "Peterson. A runabout will be here to get you shortly. After that you can expect to spend a long time in the brig."

Marine Medical Bay

Smith walked in slowly and purposely and moved to the side of Jim's bed. Checking the chart he saw no permanent damage thankfully and that Jim was sedated. He stood for a few minutes just thinking about what the future held. For Jim he knew, despite not being told it by himself, that it was out of the Marines. For himself. He had no idea yet. Walking to the comm array at sickbay he sent a message to the Major.

It's finished.

A post by:

Captain Patrick Smith
Commander of the ever shrinking Air Group

&

MCPT James Holbridge
Blissfully Slumbering Squadron CMDR and DCAG