Valhalla Rising

[MB52]

Chapter 6- Betrayal

*Decker's ready room*

"Captain, I was speaking to Dr. Valdores earlier, and she says you failed to show up for the routine medical scans when you arrived" Jessica stated.
"Yes, I see no reason to waste time with that"
"It is procedure, sir, you can't just decided whenever you like to ignore it"
"Sure I can, I'm the Captain"
"Captain, if you don't report to med deck for the scans I'll have to relieve you of duty"
"You won't do that". The captain moved towards her slowly "Besides, I'll just have you arrested for mutiny".
"Captain please---"
"Commander you’re relieved of duty" Shouted the Captain as he pressed a button on the intercom "Security to ready room"

John entered the room

"Lieutenant Bertrand, take the Commander into custody" the Captain ordered.
"Captain? Commander?"
"John, the Captain refused to take a medical scan when he returned from his mission, he could be Nomad infested"
"Lieutenant, you have your orders" The captain was visibly angry now, and moved behind his desk.
John looked at the Captain then back at Jessica, the look in her eyes told him all that needed to be said.
"Captain, you are to accompany us to medical deck..." he was cut off and the Captain pulled a pistol out from under his desk and fired twice, both times hitting John's armoured vest, knocking him down from the force of the hits.

"John!" Jessica screamed out as he fell to the floor, instinctively pulling her side arm, but finding the captain in front of her with his weapon pointed at her face

"Drop the weapon Commander" His voice sounded odd, and a slight glow was in his eyes.

Jessica slowly dropped her side arm, raising her arms in the air "Who are you?"
"I didn't think anyone would notice so fast, guess I got sloppy".
"Captain?"
"Your captain is... no longer here"
"A Nomad..."
"For now you need to sit tight" said Decker as he moved behind her and with one swift motion he brought his pistol down against the back of her head, knocking her out cold.

Ten minutes pass, as Jessica slowly awakes... moaning slightly at the pain, she felt her forehead, and her hand came back bloody. She must have hit her head on the desk as she came down...
"John? Oh God John are you alright?" She moved to his side and checked his pulse, he was alive and slowly recovering, from the hits.

"Damn, I'm glad I wore that vest today" he groaned as he got up

Jessica led the way onto the bridge, but entered to see something horrific. The entire bridge crew was dead, including the young ensign. Michelle. All were shot; apparently they had heard the commotion in the ready room but were unable to react before he shot them all. Jessica approached Michelle and checked her pulse "She's still alive! Call security and medical teams"

John ran to the security console. "Security alert, all security teams apprehend Captain Decker, he is armed and extremely dangerous, medical teams to the bridge"

"Lock out the ship's primary systems" Jessica ordered

"I'm trying… Damn I'm locked out, it will take time to get through the Captain’s security codes"

"Bridge this is security team Bravo, the Captain has been seen on E deck, we are moving to intercept"

"Engineering..." said John

"Engineering please respond, Chief Mc.Duff are you there?" No response... "John, get down there"

John got up, pulled out his side arm and headed out as medical teams and replacement bridge crew began pouring in.

*5 minutes earlier in engineering*

Chief McDuff was busy as usual, especially with the new jump drive tests and one thing he HATED was people tampering with his engines, so as you can imagine he was furious when he seen someone in the engine room who didn't belong to his engineering team.

"You there, what are you doing in here?"

Captain Decker turned around

"Oh Captain, I didn't know you'd be doing an inspection" The Chief walked up, glancing at the console the Captain was working on "What are you doing James?"

Decker did not respond, instead he pulled his sidearm and shot his best friend twice in the chest. "I can't let you fix this". He turned headed out of engineering

"Wha... What have you done James?" the Chief managed to let out before he collapsed, his life draining fast.


*Back on the bridge, Present time*

"Commander Porter, this is security team Bravo, we entered engineering, and the Chief… he’s dead".
"What? Damnit! Check for damage, did the Captain do anything?" Jessica asked, clearly frustrated.
"No visible damage.... the Captain was seen headed for the Hangar deck, we'll pursue him".
"Ok be careful, and wait for Lieutenant Bertrand to show up before you enter".
"Roger".

The ship suddenly shakes and a strange hum over takes the entire ship.
"Captain, it’s the new jump drive, its powering up, I can't shut it down..." A startled officer let out.
"What? That must be what the Captain did in engineering.... cut power to the engines"
"It’s too late"

The ship violently lurched as its jump drive engaged, a blinding light overwhelmed everyone near a window or view screen. Some officers were thrown into bulkheads, any unsecured equipment were sent flying along with crew members.

When the ship exited the Jump, fires were burning across the ship and main power was down.
"Report" Jessica ordered as the bridge crew recovered
"We've got fires across the ship, main power is down and all decks are reporting injuries, damage control and medical teams are responding..." the officer replied.
"Where are we?"
"I can't tell, the computer is down and I don't recognize the system we are in.. . there’s nothing around us, we appear to be drifting in a nebula of some sort"
"Damn, work on getting main power back up, and I want a full damage report"

John Bertrand and his security team stormed into the hangar deck to find it empty, all the fighters were gone. It would seem that Decker had blown all the fighters into space during his escape... There was no way to get to them with the Thunderbay disabled. Looks like he escaped... But a lone shuttle remained caught up against a broken pipe... But if they pursued in that Decker would easily take them down. No... Decker had won today.

The ThunderBay drifts aimlessly in a strange nebula, far from any known stars, planets, stations... Crippled while the Nomad infested Decker makes his escape.





Crew members ran around chaotically with flashlights to light their way. The fires were out but main power was still down and the ship was vulnerable. Jessica knew what had to be done, they needed to get their main systems back up and determine where they were... She made her way through the dark towards engineering. As she entered, she spotted the Chief's body, lying where he had been murdered, next to him, his young apprentice, obviously distraught.

"Lieutenant Powers? We need you working on the engines" she spoke softly as she approached and sat next to him.
"I can't... I can't, only the Chief could do it, but he's dead... and the rest of us will be soon..."
"Listen, Mike, can I call you Mike? I know you can do it, you are the most qualified engineer here, the Chief taught you everything he knew, in fact when he retired you were to be his replacement."
"I don’t know if I can do it though, what if I fail?"
"If you fail we'll be in the same situation we are in now, but if you succeed we'll have a chance... Then we can make the Chief's death worth something."
"Alright I'll try my best".
"Thank you Mike" She got up and headed for the door and motioned for the medical team to enter and retrieve the Chief's body.

All those words of encouragement but she didn't believe any of it herself. Could they get out of this? Was she a good enough leader to pull through? She'd have to be.

She headed for medical deck, surveying her surroundings, there were stretchers everywhere, wounded and dead crew members everywhere.

"Sharon, how bad is it…"
Dr. Valdores appeared, her uniform covered in blood.
"Not good, over 200 wounded, 10 seriously and 56 dead"

Beep Beep Beep Beeeeeeeeee

"Damn, she's crashing, get a deliberator cart over here NOW" Sharon screamed as she ran to the patient.
Jessica gasped as she seen the girl's face. It was Michelle, the recruit so full of potential, so full of energy, so innocent...
"Her heart has stopped and she's not breathing" she let out as she checked vitals
"Charging paddles, CLEAR"

The med team tried in vain to bring back the young crew member, who's name was Michelle but it was for nothing...

"Dammit... thats 57 dead... mark the time of death..." A frustrated Sharon let out...

Jessica approached... took Michelle's hand in hers and whispered "I'll make sure your death had meaning, we'll make Decker pay for this" She let go and stepped back, shaking "Sharon, make sure EVERYONE is checked for Nomad infestation, have security stand guard"

She stormed out, heading for the bridge.