Round 1 PNPC PO 3rd Class Shoodi Lightfoot: A Part of this World

[FltCapt. Sidney Riley]

(OOC- This sim ties in a few years after this sim.)

(http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/sb118-ops/message/20401)

(Flashback)

(Mirror Universe, Mirror St Vitus' Dance)

m-Lightfoot: Confirmed. We only have forty percent maneuverability. ::trying to

decipher her scanners.:: Captain, it would appear that the lower right quadrant

of the rift is rotating.....

::The Mirror St Vitus Dance plowed through the outskirts of the wormhole

alongside the Tiger. In seconds, the rift closed behind them leaving behind

nothing but the debris of the Independence and the attacking ships. All in all,

nothing no bigger than a tin can lid could be found.....::

(Regular Universe)

(Year 1959)

(Atchafalaya Swamp, Central Louisiana, Planet Earth)

Carl: Its a weird feeling tonight, Jay. ::he added as the truck bounced

down the dirt road:: Don't really know where we are going.

Jay: Great. ::steadying himself as the truck bounced violently:: We left

the road hours ago. Should have turned back before the sun went down.

Carl: Don't remind me. See if you can get in contact with base?

::Jay reached forward for the radio mounted on the dashboard::

Jay: This is unit two calling base. ::sound of garbled chatter:: Unit two

to base, do you copy? ::annoyed:: Great. We must be out of range.

::The two explorers from Odyssey Petroleum were lost. Darkness pressed in

against the truck from all sides as they plowed deeper and deeper in the swamp.

Their destination? A remote area hidden deep within the Atchafalaya, where

only days earlier geologists had marked as a possible source of oil

and natural gas.::

Carl: ::struggling to steer:: You know my old man told us that haints are bad to

stir on a night like this.

Jay: ::annoyed:: Shut up.

::Jay looked out the passenger window as the darkness of the swamp seemed to

press in further against them. Casually, he reached for his pack of Chesterfields. The

flame from his lighter erected a ghostly reflection of his face in the truck's side window.::

Jay: ::looking up suddenly:: WATCH IT!

::Carl slammed on the brakes as the truck ran out of dirt road and straight into a

tributary of the Atchafalaya River.Tree branches slammed both sides of the vehicle

hard before it came to a splashing halt.::

Jay: GREAT! JUST GREAT!

Carl: Don't get your dandruff up. Maybe we can back out.

::As Carl put it in reverse, the sound of the truck tire spinning echoed loudly through the

surrounding vegetation like a giant mechanical insect.::

Carl: ::turning around and sighing:: Okay.

::Opening the door carefully, the two men stepped down into knee deep water. Carl

clung tightly to the side of the truck as he made his way back to the bank. The truck's

headlights shown downward into the water like a giant leviathan searching for its prey.

Jay reached for the radio as the water began to soak through his boots.::

Carl: ::as Jay picked up the mic:: Don't say anything about this, we won't live it down.

Jay: This is mobile two, copy base.

::The garbled voice on the radio momentarily cleared.::

Radio: This is base. Go ahead two.

Jay: You are not going to believe this, but we are lost on a back road just north of the river

in section forty one. ::he added much to Carl's disgust:: Looks like we won't be joining you

for poker and beer tonight.

Radio: Copy that two. You are really deep within the basin. ::pausing:: The old man

won't be sending another unit out until dawn.

Jay: Uhh... copy that base. ::looking down at the tire mired in mud:: It would appear

that we are going to be here for the night anyway. Our truck has run..... ::in disgust::

oh never mind.

Radio: Copy that two. ::garbled:: We will send a truck out in your direction come morning.

Jay: Roger that. ::straining to see in the darkness:: This road will be hell to

retrace, even in daylight. See in the morning.

Radio: Copy that two.... good luck. You will need it out there all alone.

::Jay mumbled obscenities to himself as the channel cleared. He looked up at Carl

who was busy scanning the pitch black surrounding with his flashlight.::

Carl: Do you think anyone lives nearby? Maybe they can help us. ::looking down at the

truck:: We are never going to live this down.

Jay: Well, ::choosing his words carefully:: I wasn't the one who made the wrong turn.

Nor was I the one who drove off the road. So it is more of the case of.... YOU are never

going to live this down. ::taking another puff on his Chesterfield:: Besides, I doubt anyone

lives this far...

m-Lightfoot: Good evening.

::The monotone voice startled the two men. Turning swiftly, their flashlights struck the

figure of the Indian woman who stood motionless on the bank just across the river.::

Jay: Good... good evening. ::trying to calm his nerves after quite a fright:: We are doing

good. Yourself?

Carl: ::to Jay:: Look at her, I told you there were haints around here.

Jay: We seem to....

m-Lightfoot: You are on private property. ::emotionless:: You must leave.

Jay: Our truck is stuck and we are lost.

::The woman just remained motionless at the comment.::

Jay: We weren't aware that we were trespassing. This area is so remote, we didn't know

anyone lived here.

::Two others emerged from behind the woman as Jay spoke.::

m-Morningstar: What is your business here?

Jay: Look we are from.... ::break:: We are land surveying.

m-Lightfoot: Land surveying?

Jay: ::sarcastically:: Perhaps we should speak to the owner first.

::A strange figure emerged from behind Lightfoot.::

m-Clack: You are speaking to the owner. ::looking down at the truck:: You will

join my family for a fine dinner. ::inhaling on his cigar::

Jay: ::nervously:: Thank you, sir.

Carl: ::whispering to Jay:: Does that mean he is going to feed us or eat us?

Jay: Would you rather stay in the truck all night?

Carl: No. ::reluctantly::

::As the two men waded across toward Clack and his people, Lightfoot grabbed

him by the arm.::

m-Lightfoot: Are you sure about this? They must never be allowed to leave.

m-Clack: ::brushing off her hand as his eyes flashed red:: This may be just

the break we are looking for.

m-Lightfoot: Others will surely come. Our colony will be discovered.

m-Clack: They must be aware of the deposits nearby ::exhaling smoke as his

eyes burned red eye once again:: Deposits, they are willing to pay credits for.

m-Lightfoot: We don't need them or their credits. We have seen what their world

is like. Katherine told me......

m-Clack: No, ::looking at the two men as they arrived on the bank:: maybe it is time,

they we be part of this world.

(Time Warp)

(Present Time)

(Deep Space 17, Temporary Quarters of Petty Officer Shoodi Lightfoot)

::Cocheta woke suddenly with fleeting images that only seconds earlier,

had been crystal clear in her mind. Sitting up in her bed, she took a deep

breath as any recollection to the dream had faded. Looking out the port

window, the USS Tiger was docked as it was preparing for its maiden

voyage. Rising to her feet, she began to dress for what would prove to be

a most unusual day.::

tbc

PNPC

PO 3rd Class Shoodi Cocheta Lightfoot

Engineer

USS Tiger-A

and

Mirror Shoodi Cocheta Lightfoot

and

Mirror Darius Clack

as simmed by:

LtCmdr. Darius Clack

First officer

USS Tiger-A