Rescue Mission (16.2)

Laurie, Tarpin, Euclid and the rest of the Star Traveler Crew knelt behind the shelter of a rock setting on the edge of a cliff. Not too far below them was the beach which was the only access on land into the Platonian base. Staring up into the sky at the bulky form of the Platonian prisoner ship coming in for its landing, Laurie took out her MTD and called Chris.

"The prisoner transport ship is landing--we're keeping the rest of them busy up here--over," Chris spat out obviously busy with incoming missiles.

"Roger that Chris, we're heading in,"

"Roger, over and out."

"They sound busy," Dr. Kingston worried.

"May I ask how we're getting into the base? I'm sure they would notice if we walked across the bridge from the land." Tarpin looked back at Laurie.

"Care for an ocean swim in an underwater maze?" Laurie answered.

A short while later the rescue team climbed, gasping and dripping wet, onto one of the large, complex Platonian base barges. Hiding behind some crates, the group stared at a building only a few feet from their position. Only a locked door barred their access to the building that could hold their friends. It was the first of the connected cellblock barges, and the only way in.

As they watched, a large group of the Guild soldiers marched past the crates that hid them. The group entered the building. One soldier remained behind and held the door until every member of the squad had entered. After he took one last look around, the guard followed his comrades inside.

"Are we certain that this is the only way to cell block 3?" Tarpin asked Laurie.

"According to the map," Laurie answered, she then turned questioningly toward Euclid. "Is this the only way?"

"I'm afraid so, I don't see any other way." Euclid said.

"Okay, so perhaps the better question would be-- how do we get in?" Eli asked.

"I think I can handle it," Tarpin answered.

Tarpin stood and crept out from behind the crates and into the shadows beside the door to the building with a large sign. The best translation Laurie could make was Prison Barges. As the rest of him was camouflaged by the shadows, Laurie could only just recognize him when he raised his tegar.

Tarpin rapped the door with the end of his tegar; it was immediately opened by a guard. When the guard cleared the doorway to see who had knocked, Tarpin swiftly rapped him on the back of his head, causing the guard to slump to the ground unconscious, never knowing what hit him. Tarpin braced the door open pulled the guard to the side. After checking for any more guards in the hallway beyond, he motioned to the rest of the group that all was clear.

Laurie stood and walked quietly over to where Tarpin was, everyone else followed suit. Laurie glanced at the group and, with a nod of her head, signaled that they were going in. She took out her tegar and extended it to full height, as did Euclid. The group slowly advanced into the eerie, dimly-lit corridor.

As they came to an intersecting hallway, everyone backed up against the side wall. Laurie carefully looked around the corner and down the hall to her left. Then looking at the directions on the walls, she found the symbols she was looking for. Laurie signaled that they would keep walking straight.

Advancing slowly, the group quietly crossed the intersection. With no warning, a figure appeared out of a doorway down the hallway to their right.

"Wait!" the figure croaked, in English!

The team froze and waited as the figure neared.

"Come here!" the figure whispered again as he approached.

He herded the team out of the intersection, and motioned for them to get against the wall. He checked all four hallways, then turned once again towards the rescue group.

"You're here for Captain Mitchell and Dr. Smith?" he whispered, this time in Platonian.

Laurie reasoned that, whoever he was, he probably only knew a few Earth Standard phrases. After her MTD quietly translated his question, Laurie, trusting her instincts, nodded.

"Good, I'm Elnhide. I will help you get your friends out of here. Take this rope and loosely tie your hands together." He continued in Platonian.

The group did as they were told and Elnhide herded them down the hallway. They came to a guard desk further down the second hall and Elnhide stopped them there.

"Icto haton oredon tos breeton preton anet tos mecoc extom oton alof witon theton onseton," Elnhide said in an authoritative voice. (I have orders to bring prisoners 56 and 58 to medical exam office 34 along with these others.)

The guard at the desk looked over the group with a frown.

"Coseto oj, icoson wetos theton ohe," the guard responded. (Carry on; I'll watch these.)

"Nootarebeloton!" the guard said with menace to the group tied up in a line.

Laurie understood this to mean that he was in charge of them for the moment. Elnhide walked off down the hallway that headed off to the right, behind the guard desk, without looking back.

High above Platonia, Chris led the rest of the ships in an attack on the Platonian ships that were now trying to defend the carrier. The Laskonians and the Hawks were attempting to distract the Platonian ships long enough for them to find a way to regain control of the human's stolen escape shuttles. This was part of the plan Chris had devised back on Exandra; while the other Platonian ships were distracted, he would board the carrier ship and disable the automated piloting system.

But things were definitely not going as he had planned. One of the Platonian ships discovered Chris attempting to dock with the carrier and opened fire. A few Hawks and Laskonian ships quickly came to his aid, firing on the Platonian ship in his defense.

*****

Meanwhile, Elnhide returned to the guard desk where the rescue group was waiting; he frog-marched Captain Mitchell and Dr. Smith over to the desk. The Guard checked the prisoner identification bracelets on their wrists and signed them out. Elnhide marched the Captain and Dr. Smith over to the rescue group and tied them onto the rope that joined the rest.

Confused and upset to see their friends now captives too, Captain Mitchell and Dr. Smith remained silent but craned their necks to shoot worried looks at the rest of the group.

"Moreteno!" Elnhide commanded, giving the bunch a slight push.

At the head of the line, Laurie led the way down the hall. Walking quietly down the passageways they had used to get into Detention Platform 2, the group encountered a few other Platonians along the way. As Elnhide pushed them on with their heads bowed, not even once was the group in danger of suspicion.

Upon leaving the Detention Barges, Elnhide directed them to hide behind the crates back at their entry point.

"Won't you get into trouble for helping us?" Eli asked as Elnhide helped them all untie the ropes.

"That guard at the desk was new to the detention area; he doesn't even know my name or rank." Elnhide smiled as Laurie's MTD once again whispered the translation.

"Begging your pardon sir, but neither do Dr. Smith and I," the Captain asked, "We would like to know the name of the one who helped us escape."

"Not a problem," Elnhide laughed quietly. "My name is Elnhide, Droselphine's brother."

That explains a lot, Captain Mitchell thought to himself.

"Thank you sir, for your assistance." Captain Mitchell replied.

"There --, and you're welcome," Elnhide untied the last of the ropes.

"There are supposed to be two Platonian warships taking off soon to intercept your friends up there. I'm going to program a temporary virus into the two ships; it will also be transmitted to the other Platonian ships already up there. That should buy you some time to get away," Elnhide said in a rush. "You all can leave now; I'm assuming you know a way out?"

"Yes sir," Laurie answered.

"We do?" Captain Mitchell asked, as Dr. Smith frowned in confusion.

"We're going for a swim!" Gorioshi answered.

Laurie, a fast swimmer, was the first onto the beach. While the rest of the group crawled up onto the beach beside her, Laurie opened her MTD.

"Chris here,"

"Hey Chris, we've got Captain Mitchell and Dr. Smith out safely. We're heading back to the Star Traveler."

"Roger-- Don't have a lot of time to talk. Reclaiming the ships isn't working. I'm reverting to plan B. I'm in the Platonian carrier ship--programming our shuttles to self-destruct. I've got to go."

"Roger that Chris. Be careful. Over and out."

Laurie, Tarpin, Euclid, and the finally-complete Star Traveler crew found their way back to the Star Traveler EX-002. Laurie took one last look toward the Platonian sky and saw two Platonian warships lift into the sky as she entered the ship.

After passing the threshold of the exit hatch the computer responded to their presence.

"Acknowledging crew; all members accounted for, plus two guests."

"Close and seal exit hatch door," Laurie commanded.

"Affirmative, Closing and sealing hatch door," the computer responded.

"What the!" Dr. Smith exclaimed.

"Captain Mitchell… The Star Traveler EX-002 is in your command," Laurie stated with a smile.

"Thank you all! We'd better get up there. The Laskonians and the Hawks will soon be getting some company."

"I'm going to call Droselphine on my MTD to tell her that we got out safely and thank her again from all of us," Laurie stated as they entered unto the main deck and took their seats.

"Roger that, Laurie," Captain Mitchell answered as he hurried to punch in the commands to get the ship airborne.

While the Star Traveler lifted up into the sky and entered space, Laurie hurriedly thanked Droselphine, put away her MTD. She put on her gear and switched to weapons mode. The ship around her dissolved and she could focus on the battle ground as they approached. A debris field signaled Chris' success in destroying the carrier.

"Let's give them a hand, Laurie," Captain Mitchell said over the com link to Laurie's helmet.

Laurie fired on the enemy warships that were advancing on the remainder of their fleet before the enemy even knew they were there. Laurie managed to distract the Platonians long enough for the Hawks and the Laskonians to retreat to safety. Helpless, the Platonian ships could not return fire. Elnhide's virus had taken hold.

"Another thank you to Mr. Elnhide!" Captain Mitchell exclaimed, setting the course for planet Exandra.