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"Alternative Directions: Options "Written By: Karina Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the lovely
boys and their girls in the series. Wish I did. Please don't sue me.
I haven't even got a brass razoo to give you. Rating: Deffinately PG in Australia, at the moment,
but probably safer to say R for later chapters. Not sure about international
ratings Warnings: It will be 6x2, even though it does
not start out that way. After all, Zechs and Duo never met in Gundam
Wing and only spoke briefly over a com line in Endless Waltz. I've
tried to keep them in character as I saw them in the series. A bit
of language creeping in under stressful conditions. Pairings: eventual 6x2, past 2xH, 2+H,6x9, 1+R
Summary: Directions is set post Endless Waltz
and roughly 2 years have passed. Zechs and Noin are on Mars and Duo,
after spending some time with Hilde in a relationship leaves L2 to
join Preventers. Hilde was not happy about his decision. I guess enough
said. Here t'is, and I hope you like it. This is also AU for the standard
setting, as well as the series and Endless Waltz. Spoilers: Gundam Wing Series and Endless Waltz Many thanks to Dulin for volunteering to beta this. //... // thoughts
"Alternative Directions: Options"
Mars Colony Base Dome 2nd March AC 198 Time: 04:10 [approx Sanc time 02:01] Polnar Should he survive, when the horrors of the day were done and the situation was finally brought to a resolution, he had little doubt he would have nightmares for years after. He had never considered himself to be exactly politically naïve but, given the sheer logistics of this operation, he could not help wondering about the ambitions of those who touted peace. Proven to be not so worldly as he had assumed by this turn of events, Polnar leaned against the wall and wondered just how much of what he thought he knew about the past war was accurate. //So much for believing better days are ahead. No more wars. I was never fool enough to believe there would be no more killing, but if the Council of Representatives as a whole are behind this operation, how the hell do they expect to keep it quiet? Slaughtering the scientists and workers on Mars is not a great way to keep the peace.// What frightened him the most was it was not the horror of the slaughter he had witnessed which shocked him to the core. He had been a soldier and he had seen death before. He had killed and had others try to kill him. He had witnessed the massacre of civilians caught up in fighting, and he had determined to ensure there was a better future for himself and any family he might have in the future. That was why he had gone to Station One when the offer had been made, to seek a future. A fresh start. A new life. A chance to find something better. On Station One he had found something to dream about, something that had not involved carnage. He would need to have a few sessions with the Station’s psychologists at the completion of this mission. He had quieted his nightmares before under their care and he would need their help once again. What disturbed him most about this turn in his assigned mission was not the blood, guts and gore now happening, but a pair of icy blue eyes that had seen too much. Without doubt Milliardo Peacecraft would feature in his nightmares, not as the boogieman who had threatened to destroy a world, but as an innocent who had seen too much and somehow survived. It was frightening to think of the Terror of Earth as a much abused innocent. //Shit. I really need to see the shrinks.// He was beginning to worry about his own sanity if he considered Milliardo Peacecraft innocent. He would see those blue eyes in his dreams and wonder what was going on in that too blond head. Just thinking about the man he had come to know whilst living on Mars, pointed to something being very wrong during the war that had changed civilization as they had known it. The victor in any war wrote history, he knew that and he had lived the war, been a part of it. A minor part to be certain, but he had not been a mindless automaton and had tried to follow the evolution of political events. He had even had the audacity to think he had a reasonable understanding of what he was fighting for. He was not sure of anything anymore. He had thought he had known who was right and who was wrong, and had first begun to doubt his knowledge when he had joined the crew of Station One. A new perspective had been gifted to him by those men and women who seemed not to point a finger at any one side and say ‘these people were to blame’. He had been surprised but willing to learn an objective viewpoint, and he had learned to trust. It was not an easy thing to do, to trust perfect strangers who held your life in their hands. Milliardo Peacecraft was an enigma. The man was not the sort who trusted easily, and without doubt he was one who preferred to act himself. In his past as Zechs Merquise he had been a commander of men and knew when to trust those beneath his command, when to carry out orders without flinching and when to question those orders. Merquise had been an elite soldier, the best of the best, and never a fool. He had certainly been closer to those who pulled the worlds strings than he himself had been. Who was he, Polnar mused, to judge another who was closer to the core of events and who chose to act on what he knew that others did not? There were historians and strategists on Station One who wondered what had occurred to set the war to the point where the very planet was endangered. He suspected they might reassess their findings on learning Milliardo Peacecraft was one of the Gifted. A Clairvoyant talent who thrust himself into a position to destroy a planet was not someone you ignored. What you had to do was ask why. Why he would make such an event happen and ensure it happened by taking a personal part in the play of events. //Well, I sure as hell would be asking why he did what he did if he’s a Clairvoyant. I wonder what Raydon and the Gifted were up to while Merquise was setting himself up to slap the Earth’s population in the face, and make them sit up and take notice. I’d want to know the full story.// It was not a simple matter to trust the man who had such a fearsome reputation, but his partner certainly seemed to place a great deal of trust in Peacecraft. It would not be just because the man was a fellow Gifted. Giles did not trust that easily. Nor did he for that matter, but Polnar could not deny there was trust between the two and he had learned to trust his partner. That Peacecraft gave his trust at all was astonishing. //They say everyone must trust someone at some time in their life, but he knows nothing about the Stations. Well, I guess he has been there before, and I haven’t been privy to any of his time there but… I don’t know what he learned of the Stations while he was there, or why he left as he did. He seems to be getting along with Giles. I wonder what shit they had to deal with in the interim? You don’t get to trust a stranger without good cause, and to look at them you would think they were old friends. That’s what I would expect of survivors of a particularly nasty mission. Neither is healthy at the moment and I’ll have to see they get some attention while I am away. Giles is looking a little green around the gills and Peacecraft is no better.// The man was carefully writing numbers in a series of neat rows on a notepad, his long fingers trembling with the effort to control the pen. That slow and careful control said how the man was suffering. As a Commander he would be determined to let no weakness show, and while the letters were clear the effort he was putting into making them was considerable. Polnar’s attention slipped to Giles who was seated at the side of the bed, hunched forward a little, arms tucked close to his chest as he hugged himself. His breathing was shallow and carefully controlled as he watched the slow crawl of the pen across the paper. “These codes will open every lock on the base.” The deep voice drew his attention back to the blonde who was still writing. “The lower set is the codes the ESUN mission was to overwrite into the computers, the middle set are the Preventer codes and the upper set are the control codes as set by the base security office. Which set are valid for which locks you will need to determine, as I don’t know which set of codes have been set in the interim. I would appreciate it if you did not make it obvious to any observers that you have them.” //I’d sure as hell like to have you on a mission if you can pick codes like these out of the air. It’s a bit worrying that you are not certain which codes are valid at the present time. Giles said we made your visions uncertain, and I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing. I don’t know enough to judge.// He leaned forward slightly to watch as the pen trailed slowly over the paper when the blond head inclined and the pen slipped from suddenly relaxed fingers. With a sigh Peacecraft flicked the paper with a fingernail, signalling he was done. “I’ll try the maintenance codes before I reveal I have another set, and I’ll be as discreet as possible if I have to use these.” When he tore the page from the pad Marquise signalled he wanted it back again, and on a fresh sheet began to write with the same laborious determination. “I told the nurses not to give the children to anyone but me. At the time that was how I ‘saw’ events unfold, but that has all changed. Hopefully they will not panic and they will trust you.” He knew the five minutes designated by Barker would be an approximation, but he also knew the man would not be a laggard in arranging the rescue mission and his time was running out. Barker would be back with company any minute now and he wanted to get on himself. Waiting for action grated on his nerves. Giles had given him as much information as he could, given their limited time, and it was certainly not the information he had expected. He was not particularly rapt in the briefing, but it was better to know the difficulties to come than to be surprised at a critical point. He only hoped Giles could manage Peacecraft if he started to get twitchy. //There are some days when it pays not to get out of bed. I think even the most die hard optimist would agree this is one of those days.// He could hear approaching footsteps from out in the hallway, drawing nearer to the treatment room. That most likely heralded the end of his period of grace and he was going to have to move, but he did not wish to rush Peacecraft who was having difficulty making the pen follow the line he wanted. The man cursed softly and stubbornly worked at finishing what he was writing. Polnar admitted what he really wanted to do was sleep. He had been awake and active approaching twenty-four hours now and there was no chance he might take even a few hours to rest. He had already put in an exhausting day’s labour with the Terra Forming team, before learning someone was intent on killing him and his workmates. From there the day had simply gone downhill in an avalanche of chaos. Certainly his performance level had to be suffering for the exhaustion he was experiencing, but there would be no opportunity to rest for hours. Nor was he alone in his physical state, everyone was exhausted, including those trying to kill them. They were all in the same condition, aching in body and soul. The disappointment he personally experienced in the peace process had to be felt by the others, who struggled to survive as he did. It was a massive failure in the much vaunted Peace Process touted by the ESUN government, that the fledgling colony on Mars should suffer this butchery. Even if it was not a general Council of Representatives action and was limited to the actions of only a few of the members, the fiasco on Mars was a symptom of rot developing in the Assembly. After the recent history of the planet there should have been measures in place to effectively make this response to a perceived threat impossible to achieve. The Peace process touted the responsibility and necessity to talk and avoid physical conflicts. War was supposed to be a thing of the past, but it was war that had come to Mars. //I suppose you could just name it cold-blooded murder and be done with it. Where are the checks and countermeasures supposedly in place to keep the peace? I hate to think what will happen when the presence of Station One is announced. We could find ourselves in the middle of another war.// He watched as trembling fingers hesitated over the page and caught the low murmur of voices beyond the room. Barker would want him any minute now and he wanted to get this done, but he was not going to rush the man when he was clearly trying his best to make his message look as naturally written as possible. The nurses had to believe he was there to pick up the twins with Peacecraft’s blessing and the man had not written it under duress. //Raydon must have suspected something was up else Giles and I would not be here now. It’s not just his psychic abilities. His intelligence network must have alerted him to something going on in the Council of Representatives. Every political body has factions, and they are usually allied for or against each other. While they can be subtle, I doubt they would have been able to slip this kind of planning unnoticed past our agents. Raydon’s a Clairvoyant, and while he’s good he’s far from infallible and he knows it. He has intelligence agents to back up the advantages of the Psychics of the Station. How did the Psychics and the mundane Intelligence operatives all miss the planning for an operation this big?// Peacecraft was simply too noticeable and his presence on Mars could not easily be ignored. Clearly there were more people than certain members of the government were comfortable with who knew of his presence. Even killing the terra formers would not keep the knowledge of his presence on Mars quiet. Big business concerns had their own agents, and no doubt, every company with an interest in the opening up of the Mars colony knew the man had survived the Libra. Giles had been quick enough to notify Raydon, and other agents would do likewise for their employers. It had to be obvious the secret was no secret at all, so why go to these extremes to remove the man from the planet? Just what Raydon wanted from Merquise intrigued Polnar. Knowing the man as he did, he could not believe Raydon’s interest was purely personal, though Raydon had made it clear enough in the past he was interested in the banished Prince of Sanc. One did not use the resources of the Station merely to acquire a lover. Raydon was too responsible to be that shallow, and given what he now knew of the Prince being a Clairvoyant, and in Giles opinion an important one, he could better understand the outlay of resources. Raydon would expect a return to benefit the Stations, and how Peacecraft would react to that would be interesting. //Did Raydon know before Peacecraft left Station One he was one of the Gifted? Damn, that has interesting possibilities if he did.// “It’s the best I can do.” The quiet voice drew his attention back to the man in the bed. Peacecraft had dropped the pen and his hands lay limp, one lightly bandaged, the wrapping loose and needing attention. From the hallway he could hear Barker’s voice and he was quick to take the note, folding it and placing it in a pocket safely. “I can be persuasive when I have to be, and we really don’t have time to hang around and haggle. I’ll bring the twins safely to you. The sooner we get everyone to safe ground the better.” Giles nodded slightly and Peacecraft simply watched him, the weight of his glare enough to know the man did not like the situation, but knew he had to trust someone. The Commander in him would be fighting the father, trust the men assigned the task or trust no one but himself to keep his children safe. It had to be hard to sit in that bed and leave his children’s fate in another’s hands. Polnar nodded briefly, a mute farewell to both men and made his way to the door, pausing to watch as Barker shepherded a group of men down the hallway. He had no trouble recognizing members of the Emergency Response Team and one of the group he recognized as a doctor from an earlier encounter in the hallway. He was gratified medical personnel were to be included in the search for survivors. Who knew what they would find as they searched the base. They had no idea how far into the base the Sleeper agents had penetrated in their sweep to wipe out the witnesses to their mission. //Almost time to go then.// He took the opportunity to settle himself, scrubbing at his face with faintly trembling hands. There would be not time to acknowledge his exhaustion once they moved out. For perhaps thirty seconds he could admit to himself how tired he was. It would be good to return to Station One and he refused to consider the possibility there would be no return. He was not going to cough out his life on Mars because of some obnoxious, Earth-based politician, who insisted on meddling in the affairs of a man who was already dead. Too many people had died to bring about this peace and Peacecraft simply wanted to be left alone. Truth be told, the man was Zechs Merquise, retired soldier turned terra former and not Prince Milliardo Peacecraft, who had once determined to teach the human race to fear itself. A glance over his shoulder showed Giles settling back in his seat, arms wrapped around himself, hugging his ribs. Peacecraft was watching his partner, a frown creasing his brow, and Polnar heard the deep voice rumble a low comment, though he could not catch the exact words. Giles shook his head in response, murmured something and sighed, motioning toward the door. //Probably asking Giles if he really does trust me again. I can’t blame the man for being wary, even sceptical. If anyone has a reason to distrust people it has to be Peacecraft. I don’t know if I could trust anyone if I was in his place. He doesn’t look so good and I’m not sure what it is that is keeping him together, but I hope it continues to hold. We are a long way from sorting this mess out and he holds knowledge that has to be a help in dealing with what is yet to come.// He could only hope their alert of trouble had been received on Station One, and there was some form of assistance close enough to Mars to make a difference to the outcome of this neverending day. To his certain knowledge Raydon kept at least one ship within a three day flight window of the planet, on a constantly shifting rotation. Feasibly it was possible there were up to four ships within twelve days of the planet, perhaps as many as two within four days’ flight. This stand by rotation was one of the measures Raydon had set in place on learning of the Prince’s presence on Mars. It was a rather expensive example of the lengths Raydon was willing to go to, to extend the resources of the Stations to the fugitive who could lay claim to being the most hated man in the ESUN. //Raydon could not have initiated that rota system without the backing of the Station Council. It is expensive to tie up so many of the Stations ships in keeping a guard on this planet, and that means they have to know a lot more about Peacecraft than I do. I hate ‘need to know’ situations. When I really ‘need to know’ no one is ever bloody around to tell me.// “Polnar.” Barker nodded to him in greeting and motioned to the group of men, signalling him to join the cluster. Glancing back he noted Giles and Peacecraft were watching them through the doorway and he nodded briefly before letting the door swing closed, sealing them away from the action to come. Neither man was in fit condition to participate in this operation and they simply had to trust him. As he had to trust Barker to make certain no harm came to them in his absence. He needed to locate the twins and return to the medical center with all speed. “Right, Gentlemen. The mission is simple enough, find survivors and bring them to the Medical Center as a designated safe zone. By the time you return with them I hope to have the designated safe area fully prepped and a decent coffee brewing in the pot. The mission will be carried out in group clusters to speed the search along. Mr. Polnar,” Barker motioned to Polnar where he stood. “is in charge of locating the missing children and returning them to the safe zone and to a nursery we will be preparing. Carter, would you mind partnering him?” He was not adverse to the partnership and it would lessen the danger of him running into trouble he could not handle. He had found Carter to be trustworthy and no slouch when it came to taking his share of the action. Carter would make a good Preventer, if he chose to pursue that course as a career, and Polnar glanced at the man who grinned back, before inclining his head in a quick nod to Barker. “Good. We have no idea how many of these people have turned killer, but we take no chances with anyone’s safety. I want you to work in clusters of three or greater. You will never be out of your partner’s sight and yes, I know that is going to lengthen the search and rescue, but in this situation we have no choice. It is a precaution that has to be taken, so don’t give your team leaders any guff. I want no more deaths, is that understood? We need to get those people who are alive into a secured area as quickly as possible and as safely as possible. Yes, you can send them back to the Medical Center and remain on the hunt yourself, but if you do so you will not permit them to leave your presence unless they travel in groups of five or greater. Is that understood? In this situation there is safety only in numbers and you need to remember that. Questions?” Polnar glanced around at the group, noting new faces amid those he was familiar with. For an operation of this size, given the ground they were going to need to search, they were actually a small group. There was a shortage of able bodies to call on and they needed to make do with what, and who, they had. //We just have to pray we don’t have any Sleepers in the group.// “Well enough.” Barker nodded into the silence. “Kurtz will be in charge of the operation to find survivors and bring them here. Direct questions to him while you are together and remember, never be alone on this mission. Be quick but be thorough, I don’t intend to leave anyone out there for the butchery to continue. Be loud if you have to, make certain no one is sleeping heavily enough not to hear you. On your way.” Barker intended they check every suite in the accommodation sectors and Polnar could not argue with his logic. Personally he found it astonishing to think anyone might feel safe enough following an alert to simply go to bed and sleep. There had been no all clear issued to counter the initial alert and there had been the explosion that had drawn out the Emergency Response Team. Surely, despite the hours that had passed since the alert had been issued, no one would have relaxed their guard. //Enough people are dead, but it is not strangers doing the killing. I guess they trust each other too much.// Polnar stepped back as Kurtz motioned to the group to head for the doors and fell in at the rear of the group. Carter delayed as the group passed before taking a place at the rear at Polnar’s nod. Chris took the opportunity to avoid the crush to catch Barker’s attention and motioned toward the examination room door. “They really need a medic in there.” The Preventer nodded eyes flicking to the door briefly before centering on the agent. “I’ll take care of it.” Polnar returned the nod, knowing he would need to content himself with that, at least for the moment. Barker was a professional who knew his duties and he would see the men received the required medical attention. Carter sidled up to him and he knew he needed to focus his attention on the task at hand. “So, where are we to find the kids?” Carter queried as they started toward the door to the main base. “Section C.” Polnar returned, glancing behind him to see Barker turning to an approaching orderly. “Do you have any objections to splitting from the main group and heading for the twins immediately?” “Not a one.” Carter returned, himself watching Barker as the orderly stopped and began to speak. “I don’t particularly envy him staying around to coordinate everything, but someone has to do it and he does have the experience. Given Barker’s orders I suppose we really need to pick a third body to accompany us. He was serious about the three-man teams.” He grunted softly, turning back to the matter at hand. Barker certainly did not look too happy with whatever the orderly was reporting and Polnar was keen to get this job done and return to his partner. “I would personally prefer it to be just the two of us, a quick in and out, but I suppose you are right. We’ll need to pick someone who can be quick and light on his feet. Someone with fighting experience would help, just in case we run into trouble. How well do you know these men?” Carter shrugged and inclined his head as Preston Kurtz dropped back from the group. Kurtz nodded briefly in greeting and matched their pace, not seeming to mind in the least they were a little behind the main group. “I will be picking up additional members of the ER team from the cafeteria before we enter the accommodations sectors to begin the sweep. Would you two gentlemen prefer to pick one of the present team and go ahead to your location? Barker said you would be after Merquise’s twins and not a part of the general gather.” “That would be best.” Polnar nodded. “Which of your team would you suggest be our best option?” Kurtz glanced at the group coming up to the doors and after a moment of consideration made his decision. “Mighty Joe Lee? I’ve found him to be pretty stable. He generally knows when to shut up and he’s quick on his feet. It would probably be best to get him away from certain members of the team still in the cafeteria, and if he’s with you I don’t have to worry about sniping comments getting out of hand.” Polnar wondered why there might be sniping comments and if Mighty Joe Lee would be their best choice if Kurtz did not what him on his team. “Can he handle himself in a fight?” Carter queried. “As well as most of the team, which is not to say any of us are up to more than a dirty street fight. I think at one stage he was practicing Martial Arts, but that was before he came to Mars. He takes direction well and does not have a tendency to go off and do his own thing when your back is turned.” “He’ll do.” Polnar decided, knowing their choices were limited and wanting to move as quickly as possible. “He wasn’t adverse to Peacecraft when we first met your team. Since we are after his kids I want to be assured I don’t have to worry about anyone holding the kids to blame for the past.” Kurtz dismissed the notion of Mighty Joe holding a grudge for the war with a grunt. “Mighty Joe has always been fair, and he’s said on more than one occasion there was a lot more to the shit that went down a few years ago than was let on.” He shook his head and sighed. “I guess after this I have to admit he might have been right.” Carter shrugged broad shoulders and refrained from commenting, willing for the moment to hold his peace. He personally had no problem with Merquise, though he knew there were more than a few people at the base who did not trust the man, even after so long on Mars. Polnar simply refrained from commenting, to him it was patently obvious they did not have time to hold a forum on the war and who was at fault. They had far more important things to think about. Kurtz strode forward, returning to the main group gathering in the hallway outside the doors. After a moment Mighty Joe Lee fell back from the group and stood to one side, waiting for the two men to join him. He watched them approach and his face broke into an affable grin and he nodded in greeting to the men he was to partner. “Kurtz says I’m to follow along with you.” “Carter, Polnar.” Polnar reaffirmed the introductions which had taken place what seemed like hours ago, unwilling to waste time on needless pleasantries. “We split from the group when they head to the cafeteria. Hang back a bit until they are on their way. Our mission is best accomplished away from the main group. We will be moving fast to specific locations and we don’t need delays.” “Understood.” Mighty Joe fell into step beside Polnar, more than willing to follow the other men’s lead. He had seen enough in the Medical Center of the aftermath of massacre to know what they might be facing in the accommodations sectors. People he had known and trusted had indiscriminately slaughtered their workmates, and he was not planning on become yet another of their victims. He would be keeping a wary eye on his partners, both to guard their backs and to guard his own. Polnar motioned first Mighty Joe and then Carter out the door on the heels of the lead group. He delayed long enough to glance over his shoulder to see Barker still engaged in conversation with the orderly and then turned his attention to the matter at hand. From here on there would be no more looking back, no more time to indulge in such luxuries as worrying over his partner and his charge. He had a mission to accomplish and that would take all of his attention to complete successfully. His partner was keeping time with an individual who was teetering on the edge. If finding and bringing the children to Peacecraft would contain him to safe parameters, then Polnar wanted the task done speedily and efficiently. Giles had warned him Milliardo Peacecraft was a Psychic on the edge and he knew enough to know he should tread carefully around such an individual. Only he and Giles knew of the time bomb in their midst and could keep the man contained, though what might happen to anyone other than Peacecraft himself if he lost control, Polnar did not know. Giles had implied the fallout might not be just personal. He was going to need to make a personal trip to the Shuttle Control Tower and see what had spooked Giles about Lucrezia Noin. Carter was watching him as the door swung closed behind them, and with a steadying breath he focused on the task at hand. For a moment he watched the group heading toward the kitchen door and the cafeteria beyond. Mighty Joe leaned against the wall to one side and waited, watching as the team he was familiar with moved further and further away from him. Polnar wondered if the man might be having misgivings, perhaps wondering if the men he was now partnered with were more than they seemed. No doubt considering his fate should they chance to be Sleepers. That was the trouble with this situation you simply did not know who you could trust. “Right, gentlemen, let’s go.” He motioned to the doors almost opposite their present position, and with a final glance at the other team to see if anyone was paying attention to them, he led the way to the door. In that larger group there were three heads turned to watch them and he was careful to mark their faces. If they were simply curious, well enough, but if it chanced to be more sinister he would know who to watch. Mighty Joe reached the entrance into the accommodations sector first and reached out to trip the mechanism, frowning as the door refused to open. Arching an eyebrow he turned to Polnar and stepped to one side, Carter falling into position easily on the opposite side of Polnar, flanking their team leader as he came abreast of the door. “Maintenance codes like before?” Carter queried. “They should work.” Polnar murmured, his fingers flying over the keypad. For an instant he thought the code would not work. It seemed an inordinately long time before there was a low beep and the bar turned green. The click of the magnetic seal releasing came as a relief and he watched as Carter reached to manually crank the airlock door open. Each of the accommodations sectors on the base were sealed with an airlock as a safety precaution. The smaller units were functional, though barely roomy enough for four personnel at a time to use. Beyond the lock they would find the stairwell leading down into Section C. It would have been the explosion that had sealed the airlock, Polnar decided, not the earlier alert. In the event of an explosion or seismic activity the automated computer system would have initiated a safety lock down of the living quarters. He had expected to find the airlocks sealed given the situation, and if the maintenance code had not released the lock he would have needed to call on one of the sets of codes he was not supposed to be privy to. Peacecraft had trusted him with the list which could spell life or death to the people on the base, and he was well aware of what might happen if the wrong people chanced to get their hands on that list. //I would dearly love to know how he acquired the override codes, but I am not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He doesn’t know me and he does not have to trust me, he could easily have justified withholding the codes and have left me to flounder if the computers chance to go down. If that virus spreads we could be in all sorts of shit, locked within the sealed sections of the base. He must trust Giles an awful lot to go this far.// He eyed the small airlock warily before motioning his partners into the room and following them in. It was not exactly a tight squeeze as the locks were designed to fit four adults, but none of them were exactly bean pole thin. Nor did it help that none of them were graced with a desirable body odour at the present time. Stepping last into the lock he sealed the door behind him and motioned to Carter, who was closest to the locking panel, to activate the cycle, only too eager to get out of the lock and on with the job. t.b.c.
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