Something To Do
Posted on Mon Dec 21st, 2015 @ 1:36pm by James Holbridge & Matt Collins
Edited on on Mon Dec 21st, 2015 @ 1:37pm
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: BRIDGE, USS POLTERGEIST NX-97168
Jim felt better than he had in months as he sat in the command chair of the Poltergeist, a small, fast, deceptively powerful escort cruiser with twice the punch of a Defiant-class ship and the speed of a Sovereign-class starship. It had taken the shipwrights months to perfect the design of the compact vessel's engines and M/ARA drive systems. Holbridge and his shakedown crew were finally ready for the ship's shakedown cruise.
Matt Collins, a former Starfleet engineer and current chief engineer of the Poltergeist, walked onto the bridge via turbolift. "I tell ya, boss; there's nothing in the world like shaking down a brand-spanking-new ship. Whole EPS conduits rupturing, computer shunts blowing unexpectedly! A techno-weenie's dream come true!"
Jim regarded the younger man with a raised eyebrow. "You're complaining?"
"Hell, no!" I'm having a blast!" Collins grinned as he wiped a smudge of lubricant on his smock. "Not to worry, boss, I'll keep this heap running!"
Jim stared at Matt as if to tell the younger man the Poltergeist was more than a "heap" of anything.
Collins kept his grin as he wandered over to the bridge's Engineering station. "Transfer Engineering control to bridge, Eddie," Collins ordered.
Done, Mr. Collins,Eddie replied cheerfully.
Jim looked up. "Why does Eddie sound like a newly-decorated Cub Scout?"
"He sounded like a sourpuss, so some of my guys decided to test an experimental upgrade to lighten him up..."
"Put him back the way he was, Matt!" Jim ordered in a semi-dangerous tone.
"Done, sir."
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER
In the command chair, Holbridge sat calmly, waiting for word from the starbase Tower for departure clearance. Patience was still difficult for Jim, but as a company CEO he had to put on a positive veneer, acting like he was in total control of everything. so he idly tapped on a padd, playing a game to while away the time until Collins got off his ass..."
=/\=Shipyard Three to Holbridge,=/\= Sam elliott's deep voice jarred Holbridge back to the hear and now.
Jim reflexively went to slap his com-badge, as did a lot of ex-Starfleet, inwardly cursing as he remembered he was no longer in the Fleet. "Go ahead, Sam," he sighed.
=/\=I have a message for you from Archadia Prime concerning Kim. She is running a 102-degree fever and is in an infirmary on the planet surface. =/\= Sam's voice was thick with concern.
"Acknowledged. Collins, get up to the bridge and take over for me. Transporter Control, beam me to my daughter's location on Archadia Prime!" Holbridge had implanted subcutaneous homing devices in his children shortly after his wife's death.
=/\=Energizing now =/\=
MEDICAL INFIRMARY
ARCHADIA PRIME
Jim materialized on the transport platform, then walked over to the receptionist hologram. "Has Kimberly Holbridge been here?"
"I'm sorry sir," the pleasant, effeminate voice of the hologram replied, "i have no record of any patient by that name."
"I was just contacted by my..."
"One moment, sir, there is a Kim Holbridge currently being attended by Dr. Iriandi in Examination Room 5..."
Jim immediately went through the door, disregarding the hologram's pre-programmed protests. He approached the room his daughter was in and opened the door, only to find an empty exam room. Jim went into the room and quickly looked around, noting that the room hadn't been used in quite awhile
"Do not move, Mr. Holbridge," a voice behind Jim suddenly spoke. "I have no wish to harm you, but I will most assuredly shoot you in your spine should you resist. Someone wants to have a word with you."
"Can't they just make an appointment like everyone else?" Jim asked with a sigh, the turned to swing a roundhouse punch, only to feel pain course through his body as he was stunned by his assailant.
James Holbridge
Can't Go Anywhere Without Being Stunned
