IC-Ep 3-Ground Control to Major Natalia(Colleen only)

[Mr. Handy]

Ground Control - Styx Base, Pluto
0740 GMT - Tuesday, August 9, 2112

Lt. Colleen Rose parted ways with General Pryce and Captain Desjardins outside Ground Control, and they went their separate ways. The general headed to the left, towards the Command Center, while Juliette
went the other way towards the simulation suites. Colleen entered Ground Control and found it just as she had left it. She sat down at her station.

"Lt. Rose, this is Major Orlova," said Natalia into Colleen's personal communicator. "We have reached the docking bay. Open the dome for the Mi-Go, please. They wish it to remain open for the others to return with Lt. Colonel Bruce."

"Attention all Styx Base Personnel," came the voice of General Richard Pryce over the public address system. "This morning we have made contact with creatures called the Mi-Go that live on this planet. They have captured Lieutenant Colonel Bruce, and Captain Desjardins managed to capture one of them and bring it back to the base. The Mi-Go have demanded that we leave their planet and return to Earth, and we shall comply immediately. The Mi-Go is being released to return to its own kind, and they will bring back our security chief. All personnel are to prepare for evacuation. Take whatever essential supplies you can gather and bring them aboard Charon's Ferry. We will depart for home as soon as practicable. That is all."

OOC,[b]Colleen[/b], please roll Listen.

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen heard nothing, so distracted was she by her duties. She opened the dome and left it open as instructed, and she watched on the monitor as a single blip left the docking bay and headed for the rock formation where Juliette had found the underground cavern and the Persephone. Colleen was taken by complete surprise when the door swished open and Colonel Indira Patel stormed in, her normally pretty features contorted in anger. "What the hell happened, Lieutenant?!" she snapped. "Why is the general ordering us to evacuate and abandon everything we've worked for?"

[Laraqua]

Colleen glances back at her and then returns her attention to her instruments, double checking that a sudden invasion of their defenceless base wasn't occuring. Satisfied, she returns her attention to her commanding officer with a guilty salute. "Ma'am, an alien race known as the Mi-Go have threatened us with further reprisals and attacks should we not evacuate immediately. They have already taken one of our own but should be releasing him at some point soon."

[Mr. Handy]

"I know that," grumbled the colonel, saluting Colleen back. "General Pryce just told me as much. What I don't understand is why he's just caving in to their demands! I can't figure him out."

OOC,[b]Colleen[/b], you may roll Psychology.

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen got the impression that Colonel Patel not only disagreed strenuously with General Pryce, but that she was fishing for ammunition to poetentially use against him. The two had been at loggerheads almost from the start, and the colonel often disagreed with the general, sometimes over trivial matters.

[Laraqua]

"I can't say what drives him, sir," said Colleen. "All I know is that he seemed utterly horrified by its presence, attacked it, and then changed his mind after being tazed to the ground. Has anyone tried to send a message to Earth to let them know what's going on?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, did he?" said Colonel Patel, raising an eyebrow. She seemed positively gleeful to Colleen at learning this bit of information. "He never mentioned that part. I wonder why? Sending a message to Earth would be your job, I believe. That would be an excellent idea, but Gemeral Pryce told me about the sabotage some time ago, right after everything started, and he tried to send a message at that time. I know that you already know about it since he told me that you detected it. Of course, even if you can get long-range communications working again, it'll take a couple of hours for any message to reach Earth, plus another couple for a reply to get to us. I think we're on our own out here. Carry on, Lieutenant." With that, she walked off briskly and the door closed behind her.

The blip on the scanner reached the rock formation and disappeared.

[Laraqua]

Colleen turned back to the scanners, watching nervously for a surge in blips.

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen didn't have to wait long. Six blips appeared at the rock formation and began moving slowly and steadily towards Styx Base. At this rate they would arrive in about ten minutes.

[Laraqua]

Colleen patches through to her superiors and anyone else who should get the report: "We have six blips incoming. May be coming to return the hostage. I don't know."

[Mr. Handy]

"This is General Pryce," replied the general's voice. "Colonel Patel is not present at the moment. Thank you, Lieutenant. You are probably correct. Continue to monitor them, but take no action without my authorisation."

A moment later, there was an announcement on the public address system. General Pryce spoke again: "This is General Pryce. Six contacts are approaching the base, but there is no cause for alarm. They are most likely the Mi-Go returning with Lt. Colonel Bruce. Remain vigilant and continue with your preparations for evacuation. That is all."

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen watched the six blips approaching the base for several minutes.

"Attention all personnel," came the voice of Colonel Indira Patel over the public address system when the blips were less than a minute out from the base. "General Pryce has been relieved of command due to being mentally unfit for duty. I am now in charge of Styx Base. The order to evacuate is hereby rescinded. Lt. Rose, you are to seal the docking bay dome immediately and repressurize the bay! Everyone be prepared for an imminent alien attack!"

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,I'm going to have to NPC you here. I didn't want to have to make a decision for you in this case, as it's up to you where your loyalties lie in the current situation. For now I'll have you follow the path of least resistance and obey orders when they're given to you until you post.

Colleen was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Just a little while ago Colonel Patel had come to speak to her about General Pryce, and now she appeared to have orchestrated a coup. Unsure of what else to do, she followed the colonel's instructions and sealed the dome, then started the repressurization process. This way she kept her options open, as Colonel Patel would still believe her to be following orders - even in the event that she later decided to side with the general. She had acted not a moment too soon, as the blips arrived at the docking bay dome just seconds after the dome finished closing.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,[b]Colleen[/b], please roll Listen.

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen clearly heard three sets of footsteps tramping past in the corridor outside, moving from left to right. A minute later, they came back the other way. Then silence. Something was going on out there, but she had no idea what.

[Mr. Handy]

"Lt. Rose, this is General Pryce," said the general's voice in Colleen's earpiece several minutes later. "Colonel Patel has been executed for treason and mutiny, and I am in command. Make an announcement to the entire base to that effect, and instruct all personnel to report to the docking bay for evacuation, and that it will be depressurized. Depressurize the bay and open the dome. Then join us there yourself."

Lt. Colonel Bruce knelt down slowly and retrieved his dropped weapon. He held it in his hand as he rose, but it was pointed at the floor. "Sergeant Kohl, now perhaps you can explain why you and Captain Bauer were accompanying Colonel Patel."

[Mr. Handy]

Colleen made an announcement over the base's PA system: "Attention all personnel," she said. "Colonel Patel has been executed for treason and mutiny, and General Pryce has been reinstated to command. All personnel are ordered to report to the docking bay for evacuation. The bay will be depressurized again now." Once she finished, she began the process of depressurizing the docking bay and opening the dome.

[Mr. Handy]

Once the docking bay finished depressurizing, Colleen left Ground Control and headed for the docking bay, certain that she would never return.

OOC,[b]Colleen[/b] is moving to the thread linked below.

Decisions