The day wares on, as Gygax tries to put order to his office. Requests for services, invoices of implants to be made, field operations he’s needed on, repair bills and insurance fees, and so on clutter his desk. “Will this day never end?” he moans softly as he quickly scans the next document.
“Incoming message from loading dock 4…….” says the computer.
“Sir there has been an explosion down here and you are needed immediately,” quickly states the comm. officer.
“On my way,” sighs Gygax as he rises from his chair. ‘This day will never end’ he thinks to himself as he dons his lab coat. He walks quickly to med-center to pick up the necessary equipment and stims. As the young doctor rushes down the corridors towards the loading area, Lt. Tikon’s message plays again.
“Computer, send a message that if I am needed I can be there in 15, and notify me immediately if there is a response.”
“Message sent…..”
Gygax becomes lost in his thoughts as he navigates the labyrinth of hallways and elevators between his office and the docks. ‘I’m attacked in Newland, Tikon’s having problems in 4-Holes, bombs going off in HQ…… what the hell is going on?’ This and many more like it flash in through his mind. Finally he reaches the loading area, and finds a scene of controlled chaos.
“Get this cleaned up NOW!” shouts the rather large foreman.
“Greetings, I’ve been sent down to treat any wounded. What the hell happened?” shouts Gygax to be heard over the din of the bots clearing the debris.
“Ah joy, a bomb goes off and they send me a candy-striper. Nothing much in the way of ‘wounds’, not unless you’re a droid,” says the foreman, chuckling to himself.
Gygax removes his coat so the Omni-Pol emblem is visible. “Now what was that about ‘candy-stripers’?” he says coldly.
“Umm, gee, you see, sorry about that…..” stammers the rotund man, but his response is completely ignored by Gygax as he slowly observes the area, letting his implants enhance every minute detail. He sighs as he sees the smoldering hulk of a medical transport container bearing his departments ID tag. After tending to the few injuries Gygax begins sifting through the wreckage that was the problem container. Scanning and logging every detail of the composition of the explosive residue, running tests to determine where the container was manufactured and shipped from is normally securities job, but something wasn’t right about this…
“Open a channel to Vladawen,” he says quickly.
“Connecting………. Link established………” replies the computer.
Gygax looks intently at the still blank screen, “You there Vlad?”
“Always…..” states a chilling voice from the darkness.
“I’m here in loading dock 4, there’s been another bombing. I’m sending you the info I have now.”
“Hmmmmm interesting, seems your box has been in 4-holes until recently, wonder who sent us such a care package from there….” says Vladawen.
“Don’t get me started on that list, don’t wanna waste the rest of my life listing who all hates us. But it still sounds kind of fishy, what with Lt. Tikon’s findings out there and all.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me if this started in that hell hole, but it’s very brazen of them to send such a small device, wonder what they’re up too,” puzzles Vladawen.
“Feel like a road trip?”
“Why not, what’s the worst that could happen?”
