=== USS GOTT=== Gary stepped out of the shuttle and on to the flight deck. He was surprised to find the hangar doors open. He was not sure if either Walsh had sent the command codes in anticipation of his arrival, or if the X'chi had been using the hangar for some reason. Either way he was glad to see the force field still working and somewhat of a breathable atmosphere in there. Looking around he noticed that the hangar, though in some what disarray, looked a less like what he had expected to see. From the simulation modifications that the General had asked for in the flame thrower simulation, he half expected to be standing knee deep in feces, lucky for him he was not. As the rest of the team unloaded form the shuttle, he pulled a padd out of his cargo pocket and reviewed the schematics of the ship. "So Petty officer, which way do we go?" asked Lieutenant Foster form behind. Gary looked back over his shoulder to see Andersen walk up to him. Tapping on the pad, Gary turned to face Andersen. "Well sir. If we go down the hall a hundred meters, we can take a Jeffries tube up one deck. Then back out in to the corridors and another few meters to a second Jeffries tube and another deck. We can worm our way through the ship until we reach the bridge." He said showing the pad to Andersen. Andersen looked over the pad and then handed back to Gary. "Well if you think it is best. Then lets get going." He replied back. Gary took the pad and started to push it back in to his cargo pocket. Andersen turned back to the rst of the oda and motioned them to move out. Gary, seeing Andersen make the gesture to move, pointed to Private Mitchell and signaled for him to take point. Mitchell tapped on Private Howsers shoulder and the two quickly headed to the door to the corridor. One by one they started to file to the door, ad soon, as if lemmings heading to the cliff, they stepped in to the corridor. As Gary took his first step in to the corridor, he inhaled a deep breath. His eyes squinted and his face soured at the putrid smell of the rotting feces. {Ok this smells worse than the pig farms back home in Indiana.} he thought. After a quick adjustment to the smell, Gary moved closer to the front of the formation. Now all lined up in the corridor, men on either side hugging the walls, Gary pointed up to Mitchell and motioned to move in the direction of the Jeffries tube. The team moved quietly and cautiously as they scanned every possible attack point form their unmet foe. The air was still , and aside form the hum of the ship, deathly quiet. Soon the team approached their first intersection. Ahead of Gary Mitchell and Howser stopped and scanned the halls in every direction with their eyes. Crouched low, Mitchell looked eagerly for any sign of danger. Looking left he could see only a few feet as the lights were dimmed to the point of darkness. To the right he saw little more as the lights were just as dim. Only the way forward was lit. Mitchell looked back to Gary who motioned forward as the direction to go. Mitchell and Howser stood up and started to cross the intersection. Just then, around the corner, the sound of many clacking feet could be heard. Gary first froze in strange amazement at the noise but then quickly realized what was happening. "Get out." was all he could say as he saw Mitchell and Howser instantly Impaled and ripped apart by X'chi. "Fire!" Gary yelled out at the rest of the team. The Hall quickly erupted in to a furry of phaser fire. Within an instant the phasers stopped as the mutilated carcasses of the two x'Chi fell to the floor in a surrealistic slow motion effect. Gary looked back at Andersen who motioned to move forward, nodding, Gary moved to the front. Gary leaned over to PFC Jones. "Scan for readings. Tell me if you detect any more of them." He instructed Jones. Jones nodded in compliance and reached in to a pocked and pulled out a tricorder. With a few quick passes he looked back to Gary. "I read several life signs heading this way from all three directions." He replied pointing down the corridor and the two side halls.. "How many?" Gary whispered back. Jones tucked the tricorder back in his pocket. "30 petty officer." Jones replied back. Gary nodded and patted Jones on his shoulder. "Stay put. Prepare for an attack." He said and then turned around and headed back to Andersen. As Gary quickly made his way to the back of the formation, Andersen was slowly walking forward. "What is the problem petty officer?" Andersen said quietly. Gary stopped and pointed back over his shoulder. "Sir there are 30 contacts heading this way. We are about to be attacked." He said with a displeased look on his face. Andersen looked down the hall and then back t Gary. "Is there any other way? Can we avoid them? He asked. Gary shook his head. "No sir the only two Jeffries tubes that head up are in that direction. If we stay here we can catch them in a bottle neck, and if needed can fall back to the shuttle bay." He replied. Andersen nodded. "Very well. Prepare them for attack." Gary pointed to the few oda members that were crouched down near them and motioned them to move forward. He then pointed to two that were behind Andersen and gave hand signals for them to cover the rear of the formation. With everyone getting in to position, Gary reached in to his cargo pocket and fumbled for a few power cells. With 30 X'chi heading their way, he did not want to run out of power on his rifle , and trying to pull out a power cell form the rather stuffed pocket. As he tried to grab a power cell, the Pad wiggled its way up, and out, falling on to the deck. "Damn." He whispered to himself. Placing a power cell in his left hand, Gary bent over to pick up the pad. As he did he glanced over it and noticed it had turned on. Normally he would have just shoved it back in to his pocket, but the schematic that was displayed caught his eye. He raised the pad and looked at it closer. The pad displayed the deck they were on and the section of the hull they were in. Just to one side of the schematic he could see a Jeffries tube. He searched his memory and recalled seeing a Jeffries tube just outside of the shuttle bay that lead down to the decks below. Looking back to the front of the formation he could begin to hear the distant clattering of X'chi feet. Gary then looked back down the hall and towards the shuttle bay they had just left. {Primary mission of this team was to get to the bridge, bring internal sensors online and assist the other teams in containing and eliminating the X'chi. But that is 4 decks up and possible many x'chi between her eand there.} he thought. {But cant you..} he started to think and then realized something. He looked up at Andersen. "Sir. I know we are to take the bridge but what if we can accomplish our goals with out going to the bridge?" he said quietly. Andersen looked interest and said. "What do you have in mind petty officer?" Gary stood up and held out the pad. "Well sir there is a Jeffries tube right back there that heads down, down to engineering. What if we head down there. I am sure the Majors team is on their way there now. " Gary reached over the pad and tapped on it to pull up the engineering deck. " Main engineering is easier to defend. There are only three entry points, two narrow halls to either side and the main door. If we can seal the main door, we can force our attackers to take the narrow passage ways where they will be less mobile and easier to fight." Andersen interrupted. "But this does not get us to the bridge petty officer." Gary raised a hand and nodded. "Aye sir. But what could you do on the bridge you cant do in main engineering. There is a primary command and control interface down there that can be used as an auxiliary bridge should the primary bridge is compromised. Once brought on line you could use it to bring internal sensors on line and even force fields." He said with a small smile. "And it is only 2 decks down. Not four decks up. Sir. Two teams would have a better time of defending main engineering than one, and both objectives could be accomplished." He said with a bit of excitement in his voice. "So what do you say lieutenant? This mission has already started off with everyone n the wrong place. What would it hurt to make another change?" Gary waited for Andersen's decision. ==End Log== PO1 Gary Williams (NPC) Ops Specialist