Chadwick's leaner frame was better suited to wearing the guard's uniform than the others and in just a couple of minutes, he had put it on. Pulling the cap low over his eyes, he examined the equipment belt.
"Hmmm, some useful stuff here: Skeleton keys, useful for getting into a variety of rooms. Something that passes for a communicator...." said Chadwick, perusing the large brick shaped object that was actually a walkie talkie. "...a club and a pistol: A projectile firing weapon. For a TV network they sure like to keep their guards well armed."
20100919
20100610
PUT THIS ON
"They'll never let us out of here looking like THIS." Captain Maddox held out the hem of his command gold uniform tunic.
"True." DeCoursey replied as he looked up and down the corridor.
"I have an idea, help me drag him into the cell." Maddox took his arms and Chadwick his legs and they swung him up onto one of the bunks.
Maddox's fingers flew at the fasteners for the guard's uniform shirt.
"What are you doing?" DeCoursey knew before he even asked.
"I'm going to put on this fellow's uniform and make it look like I'm the guard transferring you two someplace else."
"I KNEW you were going to say that." the first officer replied in a tone that said, this will NOT work.
"I'm certainly open to suggestions." Maddox said as he donned the uniform shirt and gestured for DeCoursey to remove the guard's utility belt.
It was then that the Captain made the discovery that made his heart sink. He pulled the shirt around in the front to fasten it and only to discover that his chest was too broad to make the connection. He tried several times in vain, but to no avail, the shirt was for a slimmer sort of man.
He looked up slowly at Chadwick who was slightly less broad of chest.
"Doctor, your part has just been re-cast." he said as he took off the guard's shirt, "Put this on."
20100308
A bit of improvisation.
"Me?" Said Chadwick, looking surprised and pointing to himself. "Well, it's nice to have fans..." and with that he stood upright and walked over to the guard, who was now holding out a notepad and a pen through the bars.
When Chadwick was standing right next to him, he took the notebook. "Ah, paper...a primitive technology...do you have something to write with?"
The guard held out the pen closer towards Chadwick "Here we are" he said. Chadwick went to take the pen but grabbed the guard's wrist and with one big tug, he slammed the guard into the cell railings.
"Ugh!" the guard was stunned but was gaining composure. Chadwick grabbed the man's head pulled it hard towards the railings again, this time knocking him unconscious. As the guard slumped to the ground, Chadwick held on so as to keep the body close to the cell.
"And that is the second oldest trick in the book...Right, one of you get the keys" he said, laconically.
When Chadwick was standing right next to him, he took the notebook. "Ah, paper...a primitive technology...do you have something to write with?"
The guard held out the pen closer towards Chadwick "Here we are" he said. Chadwick went to take the pen but grabbed the guard's wrist and with one big tug, he slammed the guard into the cell railings.
"Ugh!" the guard was stunned but was gaining composure. Chadwick grabbed the man's head pulled it hard towards the railings again, this time knocking him unconscious. As the guard slumped to the ground, Chadwick held on so as to keep the body close to the cell.
"And that is the second oldest trick in the book...Right, one of you get the keys" he said, laconically.
20100306
ESCAPE?
"Ignore him?" Tinker smiled, "Oh sweetheart, I wouldn't miss an opportunity like this for the world!"
The network president patted his knee, a clear indicator for Ashby to sit, "Why don't you just have a seat here with me, and let's watch this unfold together."
Tinker adjusted the volume so they could hear...
DeCoursey caught on to what Maddox was up to and went over to the bars that led out to the hallway.
"Guard, GUARD!" he shouted down the hall toward the station where the guard sat staring at a flickering screen.
DeCoursey's cries caught the guard's attention and he started down the hall toward the cell.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Something's wrong with the Captain here." Jan pointed over one shoulder toward Maddox writhing in faux agony on the bunk, "We need to get him to a hospital right away!"
The guard looked form DeCoursey to Maddox, then back to DeCoursey, "You're kiddin' right? That's like the oldest trick in the book, they do it on television all the time."
Maddox stopped clutching his stomach and sat up, slightly surprised.
"Hey, but while I'm here," the guard reached into his pocket for a slip of paper and a small stylus, "Do ya think I could get yer autograph for my kid?"
"Well, sure thing, I suppose..." Maddox answered, drawing closer to the bars, seeing another opportunity for escape.
"Not you." the guard shook his head, "HIM." he gestured toward Doctor Chadwick.
The network president patted his knee, a clear indicator for Ashby to sit, "Why don't you just have a seat here with me, and let's watch this unfold together."
Tinker adjusted the volume so they could hear...
DeCoursey caught on to what Maddox was up to and went over to the bars that led out to the hallway.
"Guard, GUARD!" he shouted down the hall toward the station where the guard sat staring at a flickering screen.
DeCoursey's cries caught the guard's attention and he started down the hall toward the cell.
"What is it?" he demanded.
"Something's wrong with the Captain here." Jan pointed over one shoulder toward Maddox writhing in faux agony on the bunk, "We need to get him to a hospital right away!"
The guard looked form DeCoursey to Maddox, then back to DeCoursey, "You're kiddin' right? That's like the oldest trick in the book, they do it on television all the time."
Maddox stopped clutching his stomach and sat up, slightly surprised.
"Hey, but while I'm here," the guard reached into his pocket for a slip of paper and a small stylus, "Do ya think I could get yer autograph for my kid?"
"Well, sure thing, I suppose..." Maddox answered, drawing closer to the bars, seeing another opportunity for escape.
"Not you." the guard shook his head, "HIM." he gestured toward Doctor Chadwick.
20100202
betrayal
Leah gave a slight smile towards Tinker.
"Oh Mr. Tinker...Mr. President." Leah had a new plan. "You don't know us Earth girls that well do you?"
Leah flipped back her hair and let strands of it fall onto her face. Slowly she brushed her hand along her face clearing the blonde hair from her cheeks.
"I don't care about those three men. Lets be honest, they're holding me back. I saved millions of people on Starbase 11, in another universe I would've been promoted to captain based on that, but instead I am put on this ship. Why? I don't know but, lets be honest, I am not cut out for this work. This job isn't glamorous. Do you think this job I have is fitting of me?"
Leah paused for a moment, almost giving Tinker enough time to respond before she continued.
"Oh, I know...I'm just...'acting'" Leah moves in closer to Tinker. "No, I will prove I am not 'acting'. Watch the monitors Mr. President, see how Maddox is laying? I bet, if you turned on the sound, you'd hear him moaning about sickness. That is a trick, tell your guards to ignore him."
"Oh Mr. Tinker...Mr. President." Leah had a new plan. "You don't know us Earth girls that well do you?"
Leah flipped back her hair and let strands of it fall onto her face. Slowly she brushed her hand along her face clearing the blonde hair from her cheeks.
"I don't care about those three men. Lets be honest, they're holding me back. I saved millions of people on Starbase 11, in another universe I would've been promoted to captain based on that, but instead I am put on this ship. Why? I don't know but, lets be honest, I am not cut out for this work. This job isn't glamorous. Do you think this job I have is fitting of me?"
Leah paused for a moment, almost giving Tinker enough time to respond before she continued.
"Oh, I know...I'm just...'acting'" Leah moves in closer to Tinker. "No, I will prove I am not 'acting'. Watch the monitors Mr. President, see how Maddox is laying? I bet, if you turned on the sound, you'd hear him moaning about sickness. That is a trick, tell your guards to ignore him."
20100131
"This morning, Tinker thought he had the biggest broadcasting coup of all time when we appeared, now we're under guard and kept out of the way. We're not exactly making the ratings whilst out of view"
"That would seem to be true..." Maddox pondered.
"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"
"Surely you're not suggesting we just sit around down here and hope another company will see fit to break us out?" DeCoursey asked the doctor.
"I don't know..." the captain was thinking back a bit, "but remember what Tinker said just before the guards brought us down here? He said his audience wanted to see more of us. I wonder what that means?"
Maddox went to the bars of the cell and looked down the corridor toward the main entrance where the guard was stationed.
"I have an idea that might just get us out of here now gentlemen." Maddox smiled, "Follow my lead doctor."
The captain went over to the bunk and laid down, then, curling up into the fetal position, he began to moan loudly as he clutched at his stomach...
"Ugh, my stomach hurts, something's wrong..." he said with a wink to DeCoursey and Chadwick.
----------------
"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"
"Oh very good sweetheart." Tinker laughed and gave a little clap, "That's quite a performance..."
The network president moved over to the table where the landing party's gear had been laid out after it had been confiscated. He looked the communicator over with interest, turning it over and over in his hand.
"I don't believe for one instant that you would turn on your own people so quickly." he thumbed a switch on his desktop console and the screens behind him changed to a series of various views of the cells. She could plainly see Maddox and the others in their cell.
He finally looked back up at Ashby, "I'm going to make you a star my dear, even if it kills you."
"That would seem to be true..." Maddox pondered.
"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"
"Surely you're not suggesting we just sit around down here and hope another company will see fit to break us out?" DeCoursey asked the doctor.
"I don't know..." the captain was thinking back a bit, "but remember what Tinker said just before the guards brought us down here? He said his audience wanted to see more of us. I wonder what that means?"
Maddox went to the bars of the cell and looked down the corridor toward the main entrance where the guard was stationed.
"I have an idea that might just get us out of here now gentlemen." Maddox smiled, "Follow my lead doctor."
The captain went over to the bunk and laid down, then, curling up into the fetal position, he began to moan loudly as he clutched at his stomach...
"Ugh, my stomach hurts, something's wrong..." he said with a wink to DeCoursey and Chadwick.
----------------
"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"
"Oh very good sweetheart." Tinker laughed and gave a little clap, "That's quite a performance..."
The network president moved over to the table where the landing party's gear had been laid out after it had been confiscated. He looked the communicator over with interest, turning it over and over in his hand.
"I don't believe for one instant that you would turn on your own people so quickly." he thumbed a switch on his desktop console and the screens behind him changed to a series of various views of the cells. She could plainly see Maddox and the others in their cell.
He finally looked back up at Ashby, "I'm going to make you a star my dear, even if it kills you."
20100125
Starlet
Leah resited the urge to frown. She knew this guy was infatuated with her, probably for a million reasons, and she knew she would have to use that to her advantage. She didn't know how yet.
Think Leah think her inner voice repeated.
What she really wanted to do was yell at this guy. How could he claim they weren't prisoners when he had them trapped down here? And why? For ratings? It all seemed unbelivably absurd to Leah. How could he act as if he was civilized when he acted like this?
But no, Leah had to remain in control of herself and her emotions. She was the key to the freedom of the three men. She had to accept that responsibility and make sure they were safe. Then Leah came up with an idea.
"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"
Think Leah think her inner voice repeated.
What she really wanted to do was yell at this guy. How could he claim they weren't prisoners when he had them trapped down here? And why? For ratings? It all seemed unbelivably absurd to Leah. How could he act as if he was civilized when he acted like this?
But no, Leah had to remain in control of herself and her emotions. She was the key to the freedom of the three men. She had to accept that responsibility and make sure they were safe. Then Leah came up with an idea.
"Do you really think I could be a star?" Leah said smiling. "I mean, what girl doesn't dream of being a big famous star? Can you make that happen for me?"
20100117
Let the mountain come...
Chadwick was leaning against the cell wall, deep in thought. He started to speak, to form an idea out of the random thoughts that were criss crossing his mind.
"The governments of this world function as entertainment networks and nations. Tinker's got rivals, rivals that would want to see his network dethroned as #1..."
He noticed that the others were looking at him, trying to see where he was going with this.
"...This morning, Tinker thought he had the biggest broadcasting coup of all time when we appeared, now we're under guard and kept out of the way. We're not exactly making the ratings whilst out of view"
He stood upright and began to pace the cell.
"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"
"The governments of this world function as entertainment networks and nations. Tinker's got rivals, rivals that would want to see his network dethroned as #1..."
He noticed that the others were looking at him, trying to see where he was going with this.
"...This morning, Tinker thought he had the biggest broadcasting coup of all time when we appeared, now we're under guard and kept out of the way. We're not exactly making the ratings whilst out of view"
He stood upright and began to pace the cell.
"How about this...we're already a ratings hit and we suspect Tinker of ordering the murder of the star of a top rated show. That would make us a prime target for another network...we need to get a message to one of them. Or maybe, the other networks are on their way to get us?"
20100113
Tools?
"We're going to need some tools: Even basic ones such as screwdrivers or soldering lasers...irons if they don't have them here. Someone's going to have to scrounge for some... someone with considerably better 'charm' skills"
"Hmmm," Maddox looked around the cell, "okay so, that seems out of the question. So our next option... really our only option as I see it seems to be to escape."
"But to where?" DeCoursey asked, fiddling with the television remote.
"Well, if we can get back up to Tinker's office, that's where the guards left all our equipment. We have to, at the very least, get access to our communicators again so we can contact the Endurance."
"We'll need a plan gentlemen," Maddox's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin, "any suggestions?"
"Hmmm," Maddox looked around the cell, "okay so, that seems out of the question. So our next option... really our only option as I see it seems to be to escape."
"But to where?" DeCoursey asked, fiddling with the television remote.
"Well, if we can get back up to Tinker's office, that's where the guards left all our equipment. We have to, at the very least, get access to our communicators again so we can contact the Endurance."
"We'll need a plan gentlemen," Maddox's mouth twisted into a mischievous grin, "any suggestions?"
20100108
Dammit, Sam...
Chadwick took a deep breath and said "Well, we're doctors, not engineers but.......let's see what we can do"
It wasn't that long ago that DeCoursey and Chadwick rewired an old Victorian style telegraph system to contact the Endurance...this television was more advanced but they still lacked something.
"We're going to need some tools: Even basic ones such as screwdrivers or soldering lasers...irons if they don't have them here. Someone's going to have to scrounge for some....someone with considerably better 'charm' skills"
Chadwick looked to DeCoursey but also thought that Leah would be ideal as she was everyone's favourite on this planet.
It wasn't that long ago that DeCoursey and Chadwick rewired an old Victorian style telegraph system to contact the Endurance...this television was more advanced but they still lacked something.
"We're going to need some tools: Even basic ones such as screwdrivers or soldering lasers...irons if they don't have them here. Someone's going to have to scrounge for some....someone with considerably better 'charm' skills"
Chadwick looked to DeCoursey but also thought that Leah would be ideal as she was everyone's favourite on this planet.
20100102
MEANWHILE IN ORBIT:
Sorry for the great pause in the episode everyone. I am completely to blame.
My heavy reenacting season kicked in, which is typically September to November or even as late as December... then the holidays. Seems like I just couldn't keep every plate spinning! :)
Hope you all are doing well and have had a great holiday season. For a look at what I've been up to in the (quasi) real world... skip on over to my OTHER blog:
"Still no answer Mr. Bryant." the red headed communications officer turned from her shiny black console, hand poised on her earpiece. She removed it briefly to speak with the new engineer who was seated in Captain Maddox's chair.
"I've been monitoring broadcast communications on the planet," she continued, "but our proximity to their satellites is causing interference. From what I can make out from their news broadcasts, I think the party's been taken prisoner."
"That would explain why they missed the last check-in." Bryant frowned.
"What can we do Mr. Bryant?" she asked.
"Keep trying Lieutenant." he swiveled in the big-chair to face the kid at the science station, "Make yourself useful and see if you can get a fix on them will you?"
"Aye sir!" the interim science officer in the yellow jersey turned and got to work.
--------------
On Viden II:
Maddox had been so engrossed for the past few moments, he hadn't heard much of what his fellow officers were saying to him. The cell was sparse, but they had been given one of the television sets that seemed so key to everything on the planet. He sat on the bunk and flipped through the channels via the small, handheld control unit.
"You've got to see this," click, "they've got," click, "a million channels on this thing." click.
Such a wide range of 'entertainments' available, it made him wonder how the people of this world got anything real accomplished. He finally turned it off and tossed the remote down beside him.
Chadwick stopped searching the room and stood up, deep in thought. "He's playing for time...but what for?"
"I'm not sure..." Maddox mused, "we've been little more than a source of entertainment for them so far, perhaps that's Tinker's angle?"
He turned his attention back to the television set.
"DeCoursey, Chadwick, do you think we might be able to rewire these sets to contact the ship?"
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