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Subject: {ASSM} RP <*> Biolab 13, Cycle 03 - Sophia and Ted Larson, Section 02 1/? - Final Exam (M-Wolfess military-scifi zoo nosex)
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Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:10:05 -0400
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Released to the public domain
----------

M-Wolfess military-scifi zoo nosex

Biolab 13 - Cycle 03
Sophia and Ted Larson, Section 02 - Job:  Security
Chapter One - Final Exam
---

"All right, trainees.  This is where you find out if you can do your jobs
without getting killed."  I read the name tag on the man's shirt because I
wanted to remember who he was, for later.  Already, I didn't like the sneer
in his voice and I could tell from her tail that Sophia was getting angry
enough to say something.  He sneered and looked straight at us.  "I wish I
knew why you idiots put all your faith in a couple of *romance writers* and
made them the group leaders.  But, it was your decision to make, not mine."

I stiffened and studied his body language.  Before I could say anything to
Sophia, he went on.  "This is an exact duplicate of BPHQ.  It has all the
defenses and all the security mechs HQ has.  The problem we've set up is
simple.  There's *one* safe area in the building, the commander's office. The
group's job is to get as many of you there as possible.  Period.  That's it.
It doesn't matter how much you think you know about the emplacements. Not all
of them are going to be active and others are going to be set up for delayed
activation.  You're going to take casualties and some of you are going to be
'killed'.  That's what those fancy suits are for.  The defenses will be
detuned and programmed for non-lethality.  Take enough hits, or the right
ones, and you'll be considered dead where you stand."

He glanced down at his console.  "As soon as I enter the activation code,
you're on your own."  He looked at Sophia and me again.  His body language
shouted his contempt before he emphasized it by speaking.  "Should be a
cakewalk with the BP's beta command team in charge."

He started entering the code and I froze.  His hands were making the wrong
moves!  As he completed the sequence I unfroze and shouted.  "Sophia!  Get
the group to safety!  I'll try to deactivate the system!"

I lunged and as I did so Allen grinned at me.  "What's the matter, *trainee*
Larson?  Have a sudden attack of cowardliness?"

I shouldered him aside and tried to enter the override sequence.  No good.
The laser started to cycle.  I had one chance.  The defenses were set for
'aim and fire', not 'fire and sweep'.  As the laser swung in my direction I
ducked, lunged to one side...  And screamed in pain as its first shot hit my
arm.  I juggled my hand laser to my other hand and fired at the gimbals.
Metal splattered, but not soon enough.  I took more hits, this time in my
legs.  I clenched my teeth, fought off the dizziness and shock, then leaned
sideways for a clearer shot.  This time I was rewarded with an explosion. The
laser froze in position and stopped firing.  I sighed with relief as I rolled
to one side, out of the line of fire.

I panted and let some of my anger show as I forced myself erect and turned to
confront Delagado.  "You idiot.  You entered the sequence that activates the
program used for testing combat suits.  Once we move out of this room, we
don't stand a chance.  You're in charge of programming, *Mister* Allen
Delagado.  Override the settings or we're all dead."

He started to say something, saw my look and decided to turn his attention to
the console.  "Stupid writers."  He was mumbling as he stabbed at the keypad.
"Got no business in this job anyway.  Too scared to finish the course and I'm
going to enjoy telling the commander his favorite pet can't handle the
pressures of combat...   SHIT!"  He pounded on the console before he tried
again.  His shoulders started shaking as he turned back to me.  "It doesn't
work.  The override sequence doesn't work!"

I sighed.  "Mister Delagado.  I assume that since this is a training
facility, there are safety features HQ doesn't have."

He flinched.  "There are.  Unfortunately, the combat suit program only has
one abort code other than the programmer's abort.  Only senior command teams
know what it is--and we're sealed off until someone reaches the commander's
office.  They can see us, but they can't get any info in."

I winced as my strength ran out and I fell to the floor.  Before I could say
more Sophia arrived, quietly examined me and had one of the other BPs slap a
couple of field shots into me.  "Bad, Ted.  Those shots came close to killing
you.  We can stop the blood loss and counteract the shock.  But..."

We looked at each other and I nodded sadly.  "Understood.  We're safe in here
but the system's set to test combat suits."  I let my contempt show.  "Mister
Delagado tells me only the senior command override might work at this point.
It was the first thing I tried--before I took the hits.  One other thing.
It's a small detail but it's important."  She nodded.  "I noticed the entire
system is set for 'aim-and-fire'."

Her head tilted slightly, seemingly casually, but it was her eyes that told
me how angry she was.  "Not much, is it?"  She raised her voice.  "Team two.
Arrest Mister Delagado and don't let him near any of our people or equipment.
If he argues, tell him that I'm looking for an excuse to put him first in
line when we leave."

She settled on her haunches and started entering commands into the display.
Eventually she had a map of the building, along with a twisting line that led
from where we were to the commander's office.  There was another line,
flashing red, that led from outside the building to the commander's office.

She looked up and then back at the display when one of the women asked a
question that showed how new she was.  "Why can't we stay here and wait to be
rescued?"

Sophia snorted softly.  "Are you considering that action or mentioning it as
a tactical option?"

"Mentioning it, Ma'am."

"Fair enough, then.  If we stay here, we guarantee Ted's death.  We don't
have the facilities to stabilize him for the time it would take rescuers to
reach us.  There's a small chance that by fighting our way to the safe area,
he'll still be alive when the medical team arrives."

"There's another reason, too."  She looked up and let her expression go
neutral.  "How do you feel about going into combat next to people who are
more concerned about their safety than they are about doing their job?"

She turned her gaze back to the display and studied it some more before she
looked at me.  "I hope they can see this.  'Feth and Lia are going to be
upset but I don't have a choice.  That red line represents the fastest known
route from the outside to the commander's office.  It's the one Lia and 'Feth
used when they were testing the defenses after we redeployed them as part of
his promotion to head of security."  She sighed.  "Forty five minutes.
Nobody's done it faster.  I hope they have their combat suits with them
because I want them to start their way in--leading the best medical evac team
we have--as soon as they can."

The building shook slightly and she managed a chuckle.  "Now you know why
they're in charge.  They do a good job of anticipating Mr. Murphy.  'Feth
also likes things that go 'boom' and Lia isn't much better when she's in a
hurry."

I studied the other line.  I knew there was something I should be seeing but
I kept fading in and out.  One thing I 'knew', though.  "Sophia."  She
turned.  "I don't think I have forty five minutes."

She nodded.  "I don't, either.  That why I chose this route for the group. It
has the fewest permanently emplaced weapons.  A lot of mechs--but they're
easier to kill and safer for us to face."

We looked at each other as she continued.  "I've decided I don't want to
outlive you.  We go this way, we have the best chance of getting the others
out of this mess, even though I don't expect us to make it all the way."

I winced as the pain caught up with me again and then forced some words out.
"No.  Don't waste yourself, Sophie.  You're too good and there will be
someone else you can team with."

"No."  She stood and touched her nose to mine.  "You, or nobody.  It's our
mess to clean up.  As much of it as we can before we die.  At least this way
our deaths mean something."

"You sure?"

She pulled back and just looked at me.  I sighed and turned my head to study
the others.  I made my decision and managed a salute in their direction.  "We
who are about to die..."  I returned my gaze to Sophia.  "Orders?"

"We pump you full of pain killers and shock suppressors.  Likewise for me.
Hell on our systems but we need the edge.  Before we leave I'm going to brief
everyone on where the fixed weapons are.  You and I get the tough job.  You
first, to draw the fire of the mechs.  I'll be right behind you to kill them
while they are shooting at you.  While we're doing that the other structs
kill the fixed defenses.  Everyone else secures the areas as we move through
and they make sure we leave nothing behind us to shoot our backs."

"Injured fall back and do cleanup.  The dead, we leave for later.  We move
fast, and we don't slow down for anything.  You and I will do our best to
leave fire lanes for the others but if they have to, they shoot through us.
If they don't, none of us have a chance.  All of you, if you have a shot,
take it even if it means injuries to one of us."

She sighed wearily.  "I don't like it but it's the only chance we have. We'll
get you as close to safety as we can.  When Ted and I fall, good luck."

She turned and locked eyes with each of the other trainees before turning to
team two.  "Stay here, and keep Mr. Delagado away from the controls.  Use
your own judgment if he tries anything.  That includes the use of lethal
force if you decide it's needed."

She glared at Allen then turned back to the display.  "Gather 'round for the
briefing, people.  We're moving as soon as I finish.  We have an appointment
to keep--in the commander's office."

* * *

As we approached our chosen exit I paused and shook my head.  Something was
bothering me.  I held up my hand in the halt signal.  Sophia joined me and
looked up.  I shook my head again.  "I'm thinking.  We've missed a detail, I
think."  I looked at the other people and as I looked at the medical
supplies, I had it.  "Of course!"

I gestured at the emergency supplies on the wall.  "The oxygen masks.  If we
use them we don't have to hyperventilate or worry about the combat filters."
She nodded and I broke the case open.  I grimaced before putting mine on.
"One more thing to screw up my system.  Not that it matters at this point."
After I made sure both of our masks were secure I entered the first digits of
the security code that would open the door for us.

I tossed a seat cushion through as the door opened.  As the lasers found it I
sprinted for the next door and fired my laser at the first mech as it was
turning in my direction.  Sophia was right behind me and her shots finished
the mech as I was keying the next door open.  Before the fixed laser could
reorient from the cushion the 'struct following her had destroyed it.  As we
lunged through the next door the other group members were welding the
remaining doors shut and destroying the defenses that hadn't fired on us.

Things became a blur of noise, laser fire, rapidly punched keys and the
occasional scream as someone took a hit or burned themselves on hot metal.
When my mask emptied I broke a supply cabinet and replaced both of our masks
before we entered the next room.

Forever, more burns, another keypad and I lunged through a door while looking
for the mech I knew would be there.  Sophia stumbled into me and we fell
across a desk.  I expected to die for that mistake but I cursed her
clumsiness anyway.

She responded with oaths of her own that detailed my own stupidities.

Both of us shut up at the same time.  We were alive and nothing was shooting
at us.  I raised my head and looked around.  It was the commander's office.
"I don't believe we made it..."

The wall blew in.  My last thought was:  "I didn't know the system was
programmed to shoot through walls."

* * *

I came to, briefly, as somebody was dragging my now suited body into an
airlock.  I screamed in pain as whoever it was jammed my limbs into positions
they didn't want to be in.  Sophia was doing some pretty impressive cursing
that included my name and words that sounded like 'stupidity' and 'love' and
'don't' and a lot of other things I couldn't make out.  I think I mumbled 'I
love you, too' but I don't know if she heard me.
----

"Community togetherness can lead to a consensus outlook that seeks and destroys any dissident element, no matter how small and really harmless"

Dean R. Koontz - "A Darkness in My Soul" - published June, 1972

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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