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JP with Omni and redsword_ 7

USCSS Montero > B Deck > Post-Decon Locker-room

Jensen and Marshal Roberts were getting dressed in generic WY uniforms.

"Jensen, when we get out of here, check the first terminal we come to. Get a status on the ship. I don't like the fact the Captain is not here yet." said Roberts.

"Will do." Jensen said.

"Marshal, you'll be happy to know that some of your other crew members have made it on board with the Cronus' Second Officer. One of them is injured." said Clayton, entering the locker room in a towel.

"Are they coming to DECON? They need to DECON first. Then we need to get the fuck away from the Cronus," said Roberts.

"They are showering now. Your medic is fine, the synthetic was destroyed and the technician was injured... Dr Flynn… is dead. I‘m not sure how." Clayton responded. "And that little girl is still unconscious."

"OK, tell them to go to the bridge when they are done. Stay armed. I don't know if the ship is secure," said Roberts.

"Sure..." Clayton said as she dropped her towel and smiled, lingering there naked for an uncomfortable second before she turned around and opened a locker. She pulled out a standard white WY uniform and began to dress.

Glancing at her, Roberts nodded and replied, "Nice. Thank you. I may get out of this alive yet."

"May I urge you to reconsider leaving the Cronus behind so soon?" Clayton asked.

Jensen just raised his eyebrows and looked away sheepishly to the Marshal, shaking his head. He mouthed the words, "No way. Bad idea."

"I think as a precaution we should back off to a safe distance," said Roberts.

"I understand. Your caution has kept us all alive, Marshal." said Clayton finishing up. She turned away and walked back into the showers to relay info to the others.

Roberts finished getting dressed then he commented. "I need to stop by my locker on the way. to the bridge."

"Let's go.", Jensen stood up, grabbed his pistol from the sterilized equipment compartments and walked out of the decon to find a terminal.

After decontamination protocols, Roberts looked at the others, holding up the specimen bag, "Ok. I need to put this on deep freeze. Then pick up some reloads from my locker then we head straight for the bridge to check on the ship and crew. How does that sound?" he asked.

There was no argument.

On the way to the bridge Jensen accessed the terminal in one of the companionways. He activated the lights, ran a ship diagnostic, and then probed for bio-signatures on the Montero. The feedback he read made him pause.

“Roberts, forward comms are damaged or offline. MUTHUR has
been silenced. ...and It looks like... the Captain and Paddy are exiting Cargo Bay 2... probably heading back to the bridge. No parasites detected... but I read two other human signatures departing the cargo lift elevator. Who could that be?” he wondered aloud. “MUTHUR… broadcast: Captain Kenny, please report to the bridge.” he said with a smile.

"Two other human life forms you say?" Roberts paused. "Shit! Are there mutant things on the ship or who could it be?"

He ran toward cargo bay 2 at best-running speed, slid down the ladder of the companionway to C Deck and down the corridors. As he rounded a corner he nearly ran into two men in compression suits aiming their pistols at him. He immediately recognized them as Paddy Lohan and Captain Kenny McCormick.

“Jesus, Roberts! Nearly took your head off!” Kenny said, dropping his aim. “What took you so long?” he joked.

“Welcome back, Marshal,” said Paddy.

"Good to see you guys, thanks for not shooting me," Roberts said, lowering his weapon as well. "Paddy we need to back away from that ship ASAP if possible. Captain, what is wrong with this ship, why were all the lights out?"

"Pirates. They took out our damned comms, sent an android to break into the P1 Airlock, it got into MUTHUR's core with this." the Captain held up a WY access keycard. "Not sure what extent they went to, but we took care of them for now... so... you got the hell out of there alive. Damn, good job, Marshal."

"Hold on, Captain." Roberts keyed his radio. "Roku, what's your status? Did we leave anyone over there?" asked Roberts.

...There was no response...

"Well what I know is everyone made it except Dr Flynn, Johns was thrown around some, Asahi was injured pretty bad and Vera needs repaired if she is to come back online. Right now they are finishing DECON. We need to get away from the other ship, Paddy. Like now." said Roberts, almost making it sound like an order.

Understanding the tone, urgency, and gravitas of the Marshal's words, Paddy, nodded and headed toward the bridge.

"Captain, a lot of shit went down over there. We need to stay armed and travel in groups until we make a sweep of this ship. If I had my way I would nuke the other ship," said Roberts motioning for the captain to follow Paddy.

Kenny laughed nervously and began to speak quietly, "Ah yeah, let's be careful what we say... I don't know exactly what MUTHUR is capable of."

Shortly after, they returned to the bridge where they met with Johns, Jensen, and Clayton.

"Sir."Jensen was actually happy and relieved, for once, to see the Captain. "Roku is in MedBay with the others."

The Captain nodded with a little more respect for the company man.

Paddy took control of the piloting console and masterfully maneuvered the Montero into a more distant position, careful not to make contact with the pirate vessel that was floating undocked beneath them.

"Hey, that pirate ship… Can we talk to them? They need to know about the DECON and critters on the other ship." suggested Roberts. "Jensen, can you get the comms back up?" he asked.
Kenny sipped his coffee and made a face of dissatisfaction, it was cold.

“We destroyed their Android, injured two of them, and they mentioned two others may have died over on the Cronus. As far as I know the only one who has possibly been exposed is their Pilot. He entered the ventral elevator and said he saw our crew just before he decided to leave them all behind. Had a compression suit on, but you’re right... we should warn them. They could take these things to Sutter’s or Anchorpoint. Although… I’m half tempted to say fuck em in hopes that they will just die on their ship… They’re probably in their medbay right now, assuming they are equipped with one. Otherwise they’re in for a long miserable flight.”

Jensen said, “I’ll look into getting the comms fixed.”

"Captain I just don't want them infecting any other place. I would call this thing a BIO weapon. Or a hazard at minimum. Something this dangerous should be destroyed. Maybe your right. Let them go if they saw what's happened to the infected they know what to do I am sure. By the way if someone is infected, the only cure is a bullet to the head Captain. Well that's the way I think with the facts we have right now." Roberts said.

"We'll deal with them once we get those comms back up," said the Captain.

“Captain, it looks like the forward comms antennae and dish have just been disabled, not damaged, but we will need someone to enable it from outside. Probably as simple as reconnecting some cables.” Jensen informed him.

“I don’t know about fixing the comms myself but I can give you backup with tools and firepower if you need it.” Paddy said.

“Good, you two take care of comms.” said Kenny as he sent them off and he pulled Roberts to the side. “Roberts, keep an eye on our guests. Don’t hesitate to shoot or put them in holding if something feels off.”

"Already there, Captain. Hey, do we have any reloads for this M41A?" Roberts asked.

“None on this ship, Marshal. They don’t pay enough to afford the guns I’d like.”, said Kenny. "But we made out with this one from the pirates."

"Understood." said Roberts "I am off to the MedLab to see to the other crew, Cap." he said walking away.