The Great Escape

Posted on Mon Feb 18th, 2019 @ 3:28pm by Chief Engineer Mellicent Borden & Alika Mahone

Mission: Mission 8 - Shattered
Location: Drydock, near USS Cosmos
Timeline: Prior to the Rosie's Disappearance
1655 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Mel looked up at the cell field as an older man approached. He looked frail, certainly not imposing at all; yet he had a certain command about him. He was confident. Mel slumped down in her chair, with the arrival of a few new people she didn't want to have this conversation here. "Daddy," she commented as she stood up, looking behind him. "Mom with you?"

Gerald looked at her, "no, this was a conversation that would be better off without her." He looked over at Mack, "Mister Porter."

Mack stood up, "Sir, I'd just like to say we appreciate...."

"Shut up Mack," Gerald Borden snapped without taking his eyes off his daughter. Gerald Borden looked around the cell, definitely not what he imagined for his child when she was little. But she had always been a hand full. "Last time Mellicent, I can't keep doing this." He raised a hand before she could speak, "you want out this time, well this time comes with some big conditions. Honest job, steady life, and no more prisons," he folded his arms, "and better friends. Your mother and I can't keep doing this, and this is not how we raised you. Clean up your life, stay out of trouble... is it too much to ask?"

"Daddy...." Mel stated but was interrupted.

"Attempting to steal a starship," he sighed this time his voice dripping with disappointment. "I used up every ounce of leverage I have left." He straightened his uniform, "next time we speak if you can't meet those conditions then well," he swallowed hard, "don't come home." He turned before Mel could reply, and spoke to a nearby Officer. "Wait till I leave the station before you release her. "Goodbye Mellicent," he added as she left.

Mel pleaded, calling out after him but she knew he was serious. She slumped down in a chair, she didn't know what to say. His conditions were harsh and she had no idea where to start or what to say. He'd bailed her out, but essentially cut all ties.

The officer nodded, waiting for the elder Borden to leave before whistling low. "... Can't say I envy you," she said, turning to Mel. It was then she tugged at the all-too-large for her officer's jacket. "He's not very observant either. So, did he just say you tried to steal a starship?"

Mel looked over her shoulder, "one could say that," she replied not really paying attention. She was presently occupied. "It was more of a taking from someone it didn't belong to, and re-homing it," she smirked, "but things didn't go as plan and someone in Ops ratted us out."

"It's always Ops." Turning to peer out the door, the officer scrunched her nose. As she turned her head back, she gestured out with her thumb. "Well, if you wanna re-home something a little smaller, I may or may not have a job for you. Can't say it'll keep ya out of trouble, but if your dad finds out I'll just refer him to mine and they can commiserate troublemaking children."

Mack stepped out from behind Mel, as he placed his rather large hand on her shoulder. "You know, I'm game for just about anything," his deep baritone voice filled the space. "But your father is our only meal ticket out of this place and we can't afford to end up back here..."

"Oh relax," Mel patted his hand, "how many times has the old man said that.." her voice trailed off.

"He meant it, I think," Mack replied.

Mel looked at their guest, "so, whats the job," she asked?

"Don't worry about being back here," pointed out the young officer, who gestured to the door. "We're gonna rehome something smaller and get ourselves back to my ship. Actual ship, legally obtained. I think it's legal anyways - okay, so it's someone else's ship, but he's the Captain and he's obtained it mostly legally. Consider it a short interview to a real job - maybe something legit. He's legit. I'm just gonna rehome this shuttle to get to the legit ship. It'll be fine, he's big bro." She paused in her rambling, taking a step toward the door. "I can detail as we go, but I'm betting anything Ensign Whoever Owns This Jacket may or may not wake up soon."

Mack looked at Mel as the two exchanged a glance. "It's a job," Mack sighed as he gave in, knowing full well that Mel was going to do it no matter how much he objected. "What's the task involved," Mack asked their guest.

Mel nodded, "we're in," she slapped his shoulder, "that's what he meant to say, "now what do you need from me," she asked as the three made their way out of the brig, with little to no fanfare as their defacto leader led the group to what appeared to be a hanger bay, if sorts. There was a few guards, random civilians, but nothing that really stood out.

The 'officer' seemed to waltz past everyone and everything, without any regard as to what or who noticed them. Wearing the loose-fitted uniform did not seem to tip anyone off to her presence, not at the current moment. "I'm not big on re-wiring whole shuttles to do what I need them to do. I'm more get in and re-assign security measures kind of girl." She looked behind her at the pair, winking. "It should be plenty enough shuttle for all three of us, but we'll have a small window to nab the thing and get going."

"Oh goodie," Mack stated, "a small craft, floating in space waiting for the Federation to toss us back in there." He gestured behind them.

Stopping at a state-of-the-art shuttlecraft, the 'officer' rested her hand on the side. "I'd say we'd have about three minutes once we're in to switch the security measures and get 'er working for us. And then we can hightail it out of here. Shouldn't be hard, I think the ship she's attached to is currently being refit. Cosmos or something. Regardless, this girl's collecting dust, and we need to fix that."

Mel sized up the task, "it shouldn't be that hard," she motioned to a panel as Mack gently removed it. Mel slapped his shoulder, "gently," she hissed, "we may need that."

"Did you not hear the crazy lady, dressed in a uniform." He held up four fingers, "we have three minutes till someone comes a lookin, now get your ass under that console and ensure that we don't get caught. You can complain later."

Mel dropped down to the ground as her fingers ran over several sets of wires. "It isn't a matter of switching the security measures, as much as it is tricking them to thinking that it is still working," she moved an iso chip, as an alarm sounded. "Crap not that one," she panicked as she pressed the chip back into place. "This one," she commented, as she pulled it out moving into to a new location. A few more switches and a handful of spliced wires later, Mel pulled herself up from the console. "It's not pretty, but all things considering it will work," she pointed, "now, I believe you were getting us out of here?"

In the small amount of time it took Mel to hack in, the 'officer' had removed the large jacket, ditching it underneath another of the nearby shuttles. "Okay so I know I said three minutes," she said, pecking at the console near the door, "But I think I see someone coming and we should get our asses in there."

Sure enough, a dark-haired, red-uniformed officer came rounding the corner, eyes narrowing at the trio. He didn't speak for a moment, but soon his finger was pointed in their direction. "What do you three think you're doing to Sheila?"

"Oh good, she's got a name." The 'officer' rolled her eyes, as the door swung open. "... We're re-homing. What's it look like we're doing?"

Mel looked at the interactions, back and forth for a bit as she looked over her shoulder to Mack, perhaps he was right and they should have stayed behind. "You two wanna tell me what's going on?" She couldn't tell if this was another friend, or if this was actually an Officer. Their surprise guest didn't seem too alarmed and hadn't set of any signals.

Mack grabbed their latest guest by the arm, he large size would make it difficult to break free of his grip. "I don't care about whats going on," he looked down the hall, "we need to get out of here and Princess," he jerked the shoulder of the 'Officer' is coming one way our another. He muttered, "breaking out of jail, stealing Federation vessels, guess we can add assault, battery, and kidnapping..." he looked over to Mel. "Damn good thing I like you, and remind me once we get to our next stop to find new friends," he sighed.

Mel laughed.

"Kidnapping?" The 'officer' in question rolled her eyes, watching as their new 'friend' struggled against Mack's grip, looking ready to shout for help. Thinking quick, she snagged the nearest spanner, smacking the man upside the head. The man went limp in Mack's grip. "Just leave him," The 'officer' spoke dismissively, jabbing her thumb at the door. "By the time he comes to, we'll be long gone. We'll work on getting any Fed tracking tech off the thing on the run."

Mack nodded, "let's go then, ladies first," he nodded to the craft.

As the 'officer' trotted herself into the craft, she turned to her two new compatriots. "Mahone, by the way. Alika Mahone. Never introduced myself in all that hubbub, did I?"

---

Alika Mahone
In-Between Jobs
(PNPC Uhin)

Mellicent "Mel" Borden
Unemployed Engineer

McKenzie "Mack" Porter
Hired Thug/Bodyguard
(PNPC Borden)