Force Field Diaries

Posted on Friday, 16 April 2021 - 9:39pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali

Mission: Operation: Peace or P'Jem
Location: Andorian Ship
Timeline: 2394 -- Just after One Small Step...

ON:

Mac sat in the cell. Their guards were far enough away. "Vali? Are you alright?" He took the opportunity to ask when the blue bastards were not within ear shot.

Sitting in her cell T’Lanna was surprised to hear Mac asking if she was alright. “I .. Yes, I’m fine. Are you alright?” She moved slightly closer to the cell doorway.

"For the moment. Stay back and try to stay out of their way until we figure out what is happening with Soral."

“They shot him!” T’Lanna was worried. “Soral is already in an unstable state, who knows what they’ll do to him!”

"I don't know."

There seemed to be a commotion in the back. He saw someone moving towards them. "Stay back."

T’Lanna moved back away from her cell door, keeping watch.

Mac watched as the forcefield of his cell was lowered and Soral was tossed inside half conscious." He clenched his fists and waited until the jailer left. Once alone he scooted close to Soral turning him over gingerly.

T’Lanna waited until the guards were gone before returning to her cell door “Is Soral alright!?”

"Possibly. We've both had experience with mind sifters, he should be okay. He needs time." He gently tapped Soral on the cheek. "Wake up." He pried his eyes open. "He needs time." He looked over at T'Lanna. Just stay calm. Our message must have gotten through to someone."

“We must have gotten through to the ship.” T’Lanna sounded hopeful, she just hoped the ship picked up their signal. “What is a mind sifter? Is it as terrible as it sounds?”

He sighed. "Yeah. It's meant to peel the mind like an onion. A form of interrogation. Painful." He lifted Soral so that he was leaning back against Mac. "Come on buddy, wake up. If anything happens your wife will kill me."

“I wish there was something I could do.” T’Lanna gazed across wishing she was there to help.

"He'll be fine."

Soral groaned. "Maximus …"

"Yeah buddy? I'm here."

"Why the h...hell are you wrapped around me. I'm...married...so are you."

Mac grinned. "I couldn't resist your charm."

Soral lifted his arm flattening Mac in the face.

Mac laughed. "See he's getting better."

“Good” T’Lanna offered a relieved smile. “So does this mean we’re on talking terms now?”

"This is a mission, I am tasked with security. Private matters are on the back burner now."

T’Lanna’s heart sank a little at that, “Fair enough, so now what? Are they going to be back for us? All I wanted to do was find my father’s ship, us winding up here is something else that’s my fault!” She stopped herself there, she wanted to scream and she wasn’t sure if the inhibitor she was wearing would cope with that kind of pounding given her last outburst.

"No this is something we had to check out. This is not your fault." Mac sighed.

Soral moaned and turned to T'Lanna. "In..inhibitor. Can you switch it off?"

T’Lanna’s eyes widened at the thought of what Soral was asking her to do. “Soral I ...” She paused suddenly realising she was making excuses about using her own abilities. “Yes... I can.” She raised her hand underneath her hair and deactivated the inhibitor. For a moment the rush of her abilities coming back was blinding but it only took a couple of minutes to readjust. “What do you want me to do?”

He held up his hand and Mac helped him. "Your Vulcan side gives you certain abilities. You and I will scan...for Andorians...We need to both focus on the same one, make him think this sell is empty. When he hopes the door Mac and I will do the rest."

Mac looked at Soral. "Beral five?"

"Yes."

Mac whistled. "You, my friend, have a death wish."

He gave Mac a look. "Do you think you can help me with that T'Lanna?"

T’Lanna nodded as she looked across from her cell. “I’m willing to try.”

"I will guide you." Soral said, his voice raspy. He still hadn't recovered from the sifter and Mac was worried but he had a plan.

Soral sighed. He closed his eyes, "Alright close your eyes. See your cell in your mind. See yourself in that cell."

T’Lanna took a deep breath, letting it out slowly she closed her eyes and pictured herself in her cell.

"Can you see it?"

T’Lanna nodded. “Yes, I can see it.”

"Good." Soral did the same. "Now look across. See me standing there."

In her mind T’Lanna pictured herself looking across at Soral. “I can see you.”

"Good. Now we're going to walk through the forcefield. We are in astral form only so we will not be harmed. Walking through you'll feel a little heat."

“I understand” She let Soral guide her, following him through the forcefield. The sense of heat was true enough but it was only momentary.

"We're going to walk down the hallway. At the end there should be a guard. See him, describe him."

T’Lanna was concentrating so hard that her brow was covered with perspiration. “I ... see him. He’s ... sitting at a desk, it looks like he’s getting ready for a ... patrol of the cells.”

"Good. We're going to walk over to him. Describe what he looks like."

“What he looks like! He’s an Andorian!” She was trying to hold her concentration, and keep her feelings of anger at the Andorians, for killing her father, in check.

"You must be calm for this to work. Focus. Does he have antenna? One or two, what colour is his hair? Is he tall?"

T’Lanna sighed. “He has antennae, two antennae, his hair is ... white. He’s the right height for an Andorian.” She took a deep breath.

"Calmer, if this doesn't work it could kill us both. We're going to get into his mind and I need you calm for this, think of your son."

T’Lanna thought of Jayce, it had an immediate calming effect as she focussed her mind on him. “Alright, I can do this. Let’s do this!”

"He won't see us we need to walk up and mind meld with him. Walk him back to my cell and have him open it."

“How do we mind meld with him?” She stopped herself reeling off a mile of questions. “Just guide me, show me what to do.”

"You will have to do it. Because the mind sifter I may not be able to. Place both hands on his temples. He won't feel it. Tell him to stand up."

T’Lanna took a deep breath, placing her hands on the Andorian’s head she tried to make him stand up. “It’s not working!”

"Do not worry. Try it again."

She sighed, trying again the result was exactly the same.

For the second time nothing happened. "T'Lanna you are asking. You must command him to stand."

“Do I have to try again?” She was starting to lose patience with the lack of results.

"Yes..again one more time."

T’Lanna nodded, “Here goes nothing ...” She focussed hard smiling as the Andorian stood.

"Good take him to my cell have him deactivate the forcefield and Mac and I will do the rest."

Her focus was on just that as the Andorian walked to the cell, he paused for a moment before deactivating the forcefield.

Mac reacted immediately and the Andorian was out cold in a second.

Soral continued to speak to T'Lanna. "Walk your astral plain back to your cell see it merging with you and open your eyes slowly."

It took a few long worrying minutes before T’Lanna slowly opened her eyes, it was a good job she was already seated as she practically collapsed into an exhausted heap. “I’m here .. I’m back.”

"Good. Turn on your neural blocker. And keep it on, that's an order, okay?"

“But I ...” T’Lanna paused and nodded, “Yes, Sir” she reached underneath her hair and turned the inhibitor back on.

"Mac stay here, protect her."

Mac gave a nod.

Soral closed Mac's forcefield, took the Andorian's phaser and had been just about to head out when he found himself surrounded by four Andorians.

The lead, a woman, stepped forward. "Commander Soral. We identified you right away. Your... cleverness at Beral five is standard study at the Academy and any other Federation world. A battle tactic that took people off guard."

He held back a hiss.

"Now, put the phaser down and surrender or your friends will pay the price." As if to underscore the point she motioned to one of the guards who released a gas in Mac's cell. It wasn't long before Mac began coughing and choking.

"No! Mac!"

"Phaser down."

Soral put his phaser down.

"Good. Take the commander to the sifter again. Let's try round two, increase the power."

She turned to T'Lanna, "We detected your inhibitor. Turn it off again and we'll kill your commander." She shut the gas down in Mac's cell and Soral was dragged out.

T’Lanna nodded. “I Understand.” She waited until the party were gone before standing at her cell door. “Mac! Mac, can you hear me?”

He groaned and dragged himself to the force field. "Damn it!" He lifted his head before it fell back down. "I … I can't move."

T’Lanna nodded. “It’ll wear off, if they wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” She looked down the corridor. “What about Soral? Can he withstand another turn in that thing?”

"He's...trained in that. He has gone through mind sifters before."

“Maybe so, but he’s not his usual self and you know it, Mac!” T’Lanna was worried, very worried.

Mac didn't respond. He was out cold.

OFF: