"Torpedo Alley"

[Brian Graham 0]

Assistant Security Officer's Personal Log

Brian Graham

USS Excalibur

Stardate 200404.14

 

*This log occurs before the Excalibur departed for the Gamma Quadrant*

 

Brian Graham looked out the cockpit and scanned the open ocean. He had to admit, the Holodeck did do an alright job of recreating the Atlantic.

 

Turning his attention back to the situation at hand, Brian waited for the order to take off, while the engine of his aircraft drowned out practically every other noise. After the sixth aircraft had soared into the sky, Brian finally got the go-ahead and gunned the throttle. The Swordfish accelerated down the deck of the HMS Ark Royal and Brian pulled back on the stick, joining the simulated planes alrady in flight. Forming up, Brian waited for the other eight bombers to get into formation.

 

Finally, they were ready, and the flight group turned south east and proceeded at full speed. Brian looked down at the console, seeing dials and switches, far different from the LCARS panels he was accustomed to. Come to think of it, this entire program was as far away from anything Starfleet, especially the craft Brian currently occupied. Definately not a regular shuttlecraft, the Swordfish was a fixed wing biplane, better suited for a museum or a relic of some Ferengi collector. The 18-inch torpedo strapped to the underbelly was also sub-par. No guidance system, no antimatter charge, but still it was sufficient for what they were going up against.

 

The uneventful ride finally culminated when the flight's target came into view, the battleship Bismarck. The vessel that had kept the British admiralty on the edge of thier seats, as well as any cargo ship captain in the Atlantic.

 

"Alright chaps, let's take care of thatbucket" came the order over the Swodfish's radio. "Stay sharp and prepare for your torpedo runs."

 

Brian dropped the Swordfish down closer to the ocean. Suddenly, Bismarck's anitaircraft batteries opened up, sending deadly fire at the attackers.

 

"Computer, are the safety protocols functioning?" Brian suddenly asked.

 

"The Holodeck's safety protocols are online and functioning normally," came the computer's reply, much to Brian's relief.

 

"Good, keep them that way if you will" Brian said, not wanting to think about what that imcoming fire did to human tissue. Shaking the thought away, Brian concentrated on keeping his plane on course toward the hulk. Bismarck began evasive maneuvers, turning to port.

 

"We're entering range, stand by..." came his commander's further report, "steady, steady...drop torpedos!"

 

Hitting the drop switch, the torpedo fell out of its cradle and entered to cold sea, on course for its target. Brain attempted to copy history, hoping the torpedo would hit the Bismarck's rudder, jamming it. With his ordanance deployed, Brian pulled up and left, about to bring his plane to a course that would take him back to the Ark Royal.

 

However, before he could even swing the plane around, a shot from the Bismarck ripped into the forward part of his plane. "Bugger!" Brian yelled, attempting to get control of his aircraft. Turning to see where the ship's gunners were concentrating their fire, Brian caught a glimpse of an explosion of the ship's aft quarter, signalling a direct hit on Bismarck's rudder.

 

"Great, mission complete and my plane gets shot to pieces!" Brain grumbled, definately not happy. The engine was smoking quite badly, and finally died. Without the engine to keep the prop going, the Swordfish started to lose altitude and head toward the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Realizing the situation was hopeless, and the ocean looming ever closer, Brian had only one option to consider, "Bloody. Computer end program."

 

With that simple command, everything in the Holodeck froze in position and the churning water and sky dissappeared and changed into the familiar grid of an empty holodeck. Hopping out of the plane, Brian turned around just in time to see the aircraft phase out of existance as well.

 

"Bugger" Brian whispered again, removing the flight goggles he had been wearing, and walking out of the Holodeck