Lieutenant JG Freck - Let's Go Steal a Religious Artifact

[Gogigobo Fairhug]

Oh man, I just loved everything about this sim from @Freck. Funny, clever and imaginative. 👏🏻

(( Temple Grounds, Oslau III ))

 

Freck: Wait a second...I'm picking up an anomalous lifesign. There’s someone on temple grounds who doesn’t belong here…and I don’t mean us.

 

Oddas: More details, as in another species? Some other anomoly?

 

Freck looked closer at the data coming in. Essentially, there was a mobile object – a person – that was so bathed in a mixture of tachyon and chroniton radiation that they were practically putting off the same readings as the Orb itself.

 

Fairhug: Someone who survived the time jump like us?

 

Freck: I think you’re right on the money, Commander…if I’m reading this right. Whoever it is, they’re saturated with chroni-

 

A loud laugh, a clap, and some more quiet laughter made Freck and the others pause, ensuring they weren’t being listened upon.

 

Oddas: ::narrowing her eyes:: Can you track it to its source?

 

Freck: Yes, sir, as well as we can the Orb. They’re on the other side of the temple grounds from us.

 

Fairhug: Surely whoever that is knows what the *orb* really is. It’s too much of a coincidence…and I’m willing to bet that’s our Xern.

 

Freck: You’re right, it’s probably the Xern, but they might just be irradiated after carrying it back here. Well, okay, they are still mobile, unlike the people in the village, so the radiation doesn’t appear to have debilitated them, but I can’t get a read on their species, so I can’t tell if they’re native or not.

 

Oddas: Response

 

Fairhug: It does put a crimp in the plan ::he paused, stroking his beard again:: but does it *have* to be a Xern? If we can get our hands on any monk's robes, it should be enough to at least get us inside, right?

 

Freck: Logically? I’m no Vulcan, but with a decent enough distraction, I don’t think anyone’s going to be looking at anyone in robes. The Xern robes would probably be safest, but…well…

 

Freck shrugged. Risk yourself procuring a disguise or risk being detected while in disguse? This was a decision he didn’t have the experience to make.

 

Oddas: Response

 

Fairhug: Then I say we stick to the plan. Freck, you create a distraction, I’ll get the robes…somehow…while the Captain contacts Ton and Raimor. Agreed?

 

Freck nodded. Standing up, he slipped the tricorder back into his pouch, but slipped his phaser into the box in its place.

 

Oddas: Response

 

Fairhug: Response

 

Freck: Aye, sir.

 

The Ferengi turned and broke away from the others, leaving the tent.

 

Walking back in the direction they had arrived in, he pretended to scope out the merchant stalls that had been set up while they were planning, but in actuality, was looking past them. The temple grounds were surrounded by stone walls, so if they did set a fire here, even if it got out of hand, it should hopefully be kept within the complex and not spread to the village itself. Plus, the cleansing fountain would be a very convenient source of water, even if it had to be bucketed.

 

After several minutes of looking at the merchants’ wares, he spotted something that looked promising. A small wooden shack in the corner of the complex. Smiling wordless greetings at the various monks and other members of the crowd, Freck meandered his way as discreetly as he could to the shack.

 

Expressing fake exasperation, Freck set down his box and knelt down to fiddle with his shoes. He didn’t exactly have laces, but he figured having to mess with one’s footwear on occasion might be a universal issue. In actuality, he was using it as an excuse to check out the shack door. It swayed gently in the morning wind, kept shut by a simple latch. Thankfully, there didn’t appear to be any kind of lock.

 

Looking around one last time to see if anyone was eyeing him in particular, Freck casually stood up, unlatched the door, and stepped inside with his box of goodies, shutting the door behind him. Immediately, Freck pulled out his tricorder, and scanned the area behind him through the door to see if anyone was following him.

 

Then, he looked up and realized he should have probably checked to see if anyone was inside the shack before pulling out his futuristic technology. Thankfully, it was empty. Even better, it was filled with simple tools, for farming and cleaning. Things that could be replaced. Besides, if this temple was anything like his culture’s religious centers, they’d have more than enough money to replace a few tools. Still, he kicked himself for not checking, especially after already being in hot water for having to barter his comm badge away…which then reminded him that he didn’t have any means of calling for backup. If he was caught, or worse, there really wasn’t an easy way for him to call for help.

 

Taking a moment to breathe, and calm his nerves, Freck took in the details of the shack. In terms of needing to start a fire, there wasn’t much working against him, thankfully. The shack had a dirt floor, but the entire building was old and dry. There was even some sort of lantern hung from a rope which ran the breadth of the ceiling, but he couldn’t just throw it to the floor and let it consume everything while he was still there. Even if he got out, he wouldn’t make it far before he was grabbed and accused (correctly) of arson.

 

What he needed was a fuse. Something that didn’t start a fire immediately while he was still in the shack, giving him enough time to get away. Something like exactly what was in his box of souvenirs! There were plenty of necklaces and bracelets, made with stone and probably clay beads, but strung on flammable twine of some description.

 

A plan suddenly formed in his mind, he set down his own box, and pulled a larger crate of some unknown supplies from one of the shack’s corners. Next, he grabbed one of the surprisingly numerous brooms lying against the wall, before setting it up on top of the crate so that the wooden handle was leaning against the rope holding up the lantern.

 

After making sure the broom wouldn’t fall over, Freck reached into his box and pulled out two long necklaces, breaking them and letting their attachments scatter, before tying the strings together, which he then tied to the bottom of the broom. Finally, the rest of the brooms in the shack were placed so that their straw was directly under the lantern. He’d use his phaser to light the necklaces, which would burn slowly but steadily up to the broom, which would hopefully light up fairly quickly. The flames would lick up the broom handle, lighting the rope on fire, breaking, then allowing the lantern to fall and set the rest of the brooms on fire. The shack itself would likely follow.

 

Satisfied with his plan, Freck took one final look around the shack, made sure his tricorder was secure in his pouch and his knick-knacks were packed away in their box. Finally, with no other reason to stall, Freck pulled out his phaser, and lit the fuse.

 

 

TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Junior Grade Freck
Science Officer
Denali Station
D239911F12