Fear Is Ice Cold
Posted on Thu May 14th, 2015 @ 12:40pm by Major David Lorenz
SURGERY PLUS FOUR HOURS
It had been a rough four hours, and Dave was feeling it, having sat for so long. Dave stretched, then carefully moved Tricia Holbridge's head from his shoulder. Her makeup was streaked form crying, but she refused to leave until she saw her husband again, consciously. Dave knew his best friend loved her, and wondered if would ever love like that again in his lifetime. His one attempt at marriage was a flop, albeit it he had a son he had never met. Dave hoped that his son was like JD Holbridge, obedient, brave, and a bit of a wiseass, like his old man.
Dave got up and went out into the corridor, looking absently out the porthole. Space was a big place, yet humans and other species made it small enough to fight over. The wars that had decimated the Federation were largely history, yet remained in the minds of this current crop of flag officers who hadn't died at the hands of the Dominion so much that the Fleet was more offensive oriented. The Delta Quadrant was being explored, slowly; too goddamned slowly, but it was necessary because of the threats posed by Threat Forces and their perceived threats posed by new species. One of those threats had reached a slimy finger out and took out a good man. Dave was coldly furious and let the feelings smolder in him until they were needed. Someone was going to get hurt in a bad way. Dave quietly made some plans, letting his best pal's wife sleep on the sofa in the waiting room
DAVE'S QUARTERS
FIVE HOURS LATER
Tricia had gone back to her home on the surface with a Marine pilot, leaving Dave on the station. Brooks was standing post in Jim's new private hospital room so Lorenz could rest in his own quarters, but sleep would not come. Dave replayed the information he had pieced together over and over in his mind, carefully noting the placement of the wounds on Jim's body, the position he was found in. Someone wanted his best friend dead in a bad way.
Dave rose from his bed, the fury in his mind abated. "In code, NGSC Secure channel six. Elliott, Collins, recipients. Return to Starbase 900 ASAP." Dave said aloud."
=/\=At once, sir,=/\= the voice of Eddie, the NGSC AI replied. Dave kept a few things from his time with NGSC, and one of the items he retained was his interface with Eddie. The AI was a handy friend to have.
SEVEN HOURS LATER
NEBULA GOLD SECURITY COMPANY HQ
Dave, Matt, and Sam were seated at the briefing table. Lorenz had given a terse briefing outlining all he knew about Jim's attack. "...Security has the red wig used by the assailant, but without Zeferino here to ramrod things, it is doubtful the assassin will be caught. Truth be told, I am hoping tha the killer tries again so you guys can nail him."
Sam shook his head. "This one won't try again. If he wanted Jim dead, he would have severed the jugular vein. This attack was a message, pure and simple."
Dave reached a decision. "I am hiring NGSC to keep Jim Holbridge alive. I want a full package put on him and his family. Coordinate your efforts with Gilroy in Security. Also, I want a shadow team put on Jackson Banning and his wife. Try to be discreet, they will spot you, but if you aren't being overt about it they will let you be."
"I'll get Team Three geared up, Sam. Let Max know about this, will you?" Max Kamarov was the NGSC field commander in the wake of Dave Lorenz's return to the Corps. Sam Elliott has stepped up to fill in Quentin Harrison's shoes as lead instructor and commander of Team Two.
Sam nodded. "Me and my bunch will stay on the surface with Tricia and the kids. I'll have Q-Ball return to base so you guys can make a few 'decisions'."
Dave shook his head. "Team One is on indefinite stand-down. Quentin and I will make a few inquiries with the head shed. You guys get moving."
When David left the room, his eyes were pools of liquid hate. Whoever just fucked with my friend made a mistake, he thought to himself
***************************
Major David Lorenz
Taking Action
