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Crash Calestorm

Barbara (Are They Coming For You?)

The following log takes place during our 4 Hour TBS…

 

Crash entered the main conference room of the USS Comanche Creek. Colonel Tavington of Starfleet Intel was already seated and rose at her entrance. At a quick glance he took in her gold command tunic, polished combat boots and…

 

“Captain Calestorm, you have a large spider on your head.”

 

“Yep I sure do. Colonel Tavington I’d like you to meet Shelob. Shelob this is Colonel Tavington.”

 

Like a character from an old 2D animation TV show, Shelob pulled a white flag from ‘somewhere’ that read, “Hello!”

 

Tavington paused, eyebrow raised before commenting. “Oh, I’m sure the author would be thrilled to know you named a polymer-metallic spider originally intended for reconnaissance and security in honor of one of his characters.” He had obviously not missed the offhand reference to a well-regarded Earth-based series of fantasy novels.

 

“Shelob will be my visual aide for this meeting.” Crash settled in the chair at the head of the conference table and faced the Colonel who sat directly to her left as re-took his seat. “And thank you for coming on short notice.”

 

The spider stayed on her head and showed no signs of vacating the premises; it settled down and pulled its legs under its carapace as a feline would. She tapped at her personal data slate. “Colonel, I’ll get right to the point and I’ve discussed this with Commander Wesley: Installation of depth charge launchers on the Comanche Creek.”

 

Tavington’s features showed shrewd curiosity. “Depth charges? In space? For use in ship to ship tactics?”

 

She nodded her confirmation.

 

“Explain that.”

 

Crash’s mouth quirked in annoyance at the ‘order’; the on-site Intel operative continued to cooperate with the Border Patrol after whatever it was that Admiral Coyote had said to him (and Cale would’ve loved to be in on that meeting) but he still had his ‘Stuffy Brit’ moments.

 

She ignored the tone of his voice and instead commented, “You reviewed the footage from the war games simulation between the Black Sheep squadron and the Barn?” Mission Specialist Byblos’ flyby and take out on the ‘Creek’s main bridge? The maneuver showcased a classic pirate or mercenary tactic: He got under our defenses and hit that sweet spot, taking out the bridge."

 

"These same tactics were employed during the Cartel Wars that myself and Admiral Coyote and others cut our teeth on as youngster pilots, yet the majority of our starship bridge command modules haven’t changed in design. Sure, the armor has been reinforced and shield tech has been boosted but that’s ‘bout it. ”

 

The Colonel indicated that she continue with a gesture.

 

“These United Syndicate Spiders are old,” – she pointed a finger at the spider on her head, that in turn made a metallic raspberry sound at the ‘old’ comment – “and too old for us to use with any real results. The concept is sound and the depth charges could be programmed to seek out metal and would work in a sort of hive colony capacity, using transmission waves to coordinate an attack if needed.”

 

“….these depth charge devices would attach themselves to a target or detonate in proximity?”

 

“Yep. We’d also have an electronic warfare option to disable an enemy.”

 

Tavington made a quick notation on his own flat screen data slate set on the conference table before turning his attention back to Calestorm. “You feel as if this is viable?”

 

“Yeah, I do. The preliminary reports transmitted by Commander JoNs and her undercover personnel project that Starfleet will come to blows with either the Orion Cartel factions or mercenary groups scrabbling for territory and power in the Outlands. We build on the original technology of these spiders and fashion modern depth charges for use in space; they’d form a net around a fighter or shuttle that zipped in under our defenses and past the reach of the torps and phaser cannons.”

 

“And what would the Border Patrol require from Starfleet Intelligence?”

 

“In a nutshell, Colonel? Bug the ever lovin’ Hell out of Starfleet R&D and Corps of Engineers to fast track a fabrication program for us? The sooner cleared for production and fabrication, the sooner we’ll be outfitted for any pirate fighter shenanigans and can better protect the Harrington sectors.”

 

The British officer nodded. “Indeed. Consider it done and I’ll keep you posted…Captain, before we dismiss and jumping topics a bit? This distress call received from the civilian escape pod? What are your theories as to what we’ll actually find?”

 

“Colonel, ah wouldn’t be surprised if it was a pirate booby trap and there was a zombie encased in the pod that proceeded to infect everyone on board the Comanche Creek or some such weirdness.”

 

Tavington raised an eyebrow, his expression attempting to ascertain if Crash was being truthful or sarcastic…it was very hard to tell with her sometimes.

 

The spider used a digit to pull another flag out that read, “They’re coming to get you, Barbara…*”

 

*Night of the Living Dead (1968, 1990)

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