Chapter IIb: On Your Own

"I believe we should sneak up there and try to over hear their plans," Zephyr says to the group. "Until we're certain how many are on the bridge it's probably not best to just throw ourselves into the belly of the beast. No?"

Alex nods curtly. "Gathering intelligence is generally the best plan. I'm just more used to doing it from a terminal, rather than from behind a phaser rifle," she replies sourly.

Before waving the door open, she adds, "If this goes utterly wrong, it's been a pleasure serving with all of you. Let's hope the distress beacon brings some help."

"I feel as though we should stick to the usual corridors," Alex says, though there's just a hint of doubt in her voice. "Maintenance tunnels would be quieter, but I'm already a bit twitchy with a phaser in my hand. Put me in a confined space, disaster probably ensues."

"Alright, let's head out then," Zephyr says trying to sound more confident than he is. We head toward the bridge. "If we encounter anyone along the way, maybe one of us should act like we're escorting prisoners? Whoever that is should probably hold this," and he gestures toward the phaser rifle.

I am not particularly skilled, but I have had the basic training. I think it will be hard to fool them now that alarms have gone off though. Let's just get to the bridge quickly and hope for the best.

Alex opens her mouth to speak, but by the sudden silence and searching look she gives Zephyr, she's finding a lot more to unpack in that statement than might be expected. She shifts the rifle in her hands absently (it seems), and her finger just happens to find its way to the triggering mechanism.

"Are you feeling up to carrying the rifle?" is all she asks.

Zephyr returns Alex's look coolly for a moment.

"Well, you said yourself I'm a better shot," and then he looks away and down the hall in the direction they'll be heading, "but I think Lorq is right the alarms have already gone off and they will be looking for us. Let's just carry on then."

Alex will not be outfaced by a scientist. She looks back at Zephyr, one eyebrow raised in question. If he knows what her suspicions are, so be it. His relative lack of satisfactory response just means she'll hold onto her rifle herself. If she has to club someone -- or worse, something -- with it, so be it.

As it is, she smiles. "I'd rather have more of us armed than try and fool them into thinking some of us are prisoners. In my experience, that trick only works once before they catch on." She gives Zephyr a look of challenge. "Let's go."

To the bridge it is.

Lorq senses tension between his new allies and Hope's they can all work together.