24th
Excerpt
from: The Engineer and the Time Lady
“Put it through,” Emmerson ordered.
“Hernandez here, Sir. The energy reading is coming
from beneath the Bodelian Library. There is also evidence of a very recent
break and enter. We may not be alone there.”
“Procede with caution, Lieutenant,” Emmerson ordered.
“Aye, sir.”
The trio entered the subterranian passageway. It was
dimly lit with naked incandescent bulbs placed every four meters along the
ceiling. Whoever had entered before them hadn't switched them off. Hernandez
lead point with Lawson bringing up the rear. Half a minute later, they came to
the end of the passageway. The door was closed, but Hernandez could see that it
didn't have a lock. She gave a shush motion with her finger over her lips
before placing her ear on the door. 'Nothing,' she thought as she backed up and
turned the handle.
There was another passageway, perpendicular to the one
they had just come along. She looked in both directions and then back at her
tricorder. “The energy reading is coming from the north, and down another
level,” she said.
“I'm reading three lifesigns on this level, and two on
the lower level,” Lawson reported.
“Then we'll continue slowly,” Hernandez said as she drew
her phaser.
Both Lawson and Albert nodded. They then turned left and
walked slowly up the corridor. They found stairs leading down to the lower
level. The door to the stairwell had evidence of its lock being picked.
Hernandez glanced down the stairs, and saw that there were at least three
levels below the one they were going down to. 'That makes five levels below the
Bodelian,' she thought. She was certain the Bodelian in their universe didn't
have such modifications. 'What has made this Oxford this different to ours?'
she wondered.
She gestured down the stairway, telling the others to
come slowly.
Lawson followed Hernandez and Albert into the lower
level. The corridor looked the same as the one on the level above. “The energy
reading is in a room 10 meters ahead,” Hernandez reported.
Suddenly, they heard the sounds of a scuffle, followed by
the sharp report of a gun.
“That came from that room,” Hernandez said.
Lawson looked around and found another room closer to the
stairwell. “Here,” he said.
“Good idea,” Hernandez whispered.
They entered the side room, which contained many old
books, and closed the door. Hernandez looked at her tricorder again. “Great!”
she whisphered.
“Huh?” Albert asked.
“Whoever the shooter is; they have got whatever is
putting out that energy,” she explained.
“So, we'll have follow whoever it is?” Lawson asked
rehetorically.
Hernandez nodded.
40 seconds later, Hernandez said. “They've gone back up
the stairs, the way we came. Now to follow!”
They followed slowly, until they came back out of the
doorway they entered. “There!” Hernandez said. The man turned around, and they
ducked back into the passageway.
“I know you're there!” he said.
Hernandez tapped her comm badge. “Hernandez to Toronto.
Emergency beam out!”
They materialised back on the Toronto. “Wouldn't
he have heard the transporter?” Lawson asked.
“Maybe,” Hernandez answered. “But he wouldn't know what
to make of the sound. We'll wait five minutes and beam back.”
Five minutes later, they did beam back. “He's moved off,”
Hernandez said after looking at her tricorder. “He's in one of the car parks.”
“It's likely he's going to drive off,” Lawson stated.
“Almost certainly,” Hernandez said. “But Oxford is farely
compact. We'll be able to walk to where-ever he goes to.”
“I knew you would say that.”
“And we can use the Toronto to follow him if he
leaves town.”
Words: 596
Excerpt
from: Godzilla - Aftermath
“But you knew that there would be disruption?”
“Of course,” Madison said. “Disruption that would cause
governments to reconsider their policies regarding the environment. Nothing
like what actually happened.”
Another of the Congressmen on the panel spoke up. “And
you cooperated with Monarch when they tried to deal with the trouble?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell us what happened from the beginning?”
Words:
61
Excerpt
from: Q Junior’s Lessons
Tuvok entered. “I have to report an issue with the Princess.”
“What’s the problem?” Janeway asked.
“She’s requesting the use of the Mess Hall as her quarters,” Tuvok
answered.
“I suppose you told her that it is a public space for the whole
crew to use when off duty?”
“I did. Twice.”
Words:
52
Excerpt
from: Daria in the Background
“Cool Name,” another girl with lustrous brown hair said.
Quinn wondered what products she used to gain that effect.
She glanced at Daria walking slowly towards the school
without drawing attention. ‘That’s what she does best,’ she thought. She then
heard a boy ask her out. ‘A bit quick,’ she thought.
“…As you can see, our Lawndale High students take great
pride in their school,” the Principal said as she finished the tour. “That’s
why we’ll be taking a small psychological exam to stop any little clouds on the
horizon as you sail the student seas of Lawndale High.”
‘SOS girl overboard,’ Daria thought. ‘Why does there need
to be a psychological test! I just want to get to class!’
“Nobody told me about any test!” Quinn objected.
‘You’re automatically exempt!’ Daria thought. As much as
she wanted to say it, she knew it would draw attention.
“That’s why it’s a surprise test,” the Principal said.
Quinn scowled.
“Now, Quinn,” the School counsellor, Mrs. Manson said.
“What do you see here?”
It was obvious what it was. “It’s a picture of two people
talking.”
“That’s right. Can you make up a little story about what
it is they’re discussing?”
“Oh. Okay, then. Let's see... they've been going out for
awhile, and he's upset because other people keep asking her out, and she saying
she can't help it if she's attractive and popular, and besides, nobody ever
said they were going steady, and if he does want to go steady he's got to do a
lot better than movie, burger, back seat, movie, burger, back seat, because
there are plenty of guys with bigger back seats waiting to take her someplace
nice!”
“Very good, Quinn!” Mrs. Manson said. She then turned her
attention to her sister. Quinn wasn’t sure why she was testing the two of them
together. “Now, Dora, let’s see if you can tell a story as vivid as your
sisters?”
“Do I have to?” Daria asked with annoyance.
“Yes!” Mrs. Manson said.
“Alright then. It’s a guy and a girl, and they are
discussing how their daughter doesn’t seem to want to do anything other than
study and that she needs friends. They disagree on what to do about it.”
“That’s interesting.” Manson said. “But good.”
The first lesson Daria went to was History. “Class, we
have a new student joining us today. Please welcome Daria
Morgendorffer,” Mr. Anthony DeMartino said. “Daria, raise your hand please.”
Daria raised her hand. Reluctantly, DeMartino noted.
‘Time to test her!’ he thought. “Well, Daria! As long as you have your
hand raised…” he gave an evil chuckle. “Last week we began a unit on westward
expansion. Perhaps you feel it’s unfair to be asked a question on your
first day of class.”
Daria gave a sigh. Perhaps she just wanted to slip in
amongst the existing students unnoticed. Other teachers would oblige her. But
not Anthony DeMartino, who despite his better judgement tried to reach the
unreachable. “Daria, can you concisely and unemotionally sum up for us the doctrine
of Manifest Destiny.”
“A slogan used in the 1840s, to promote the ideal for the
US to reach all the way to the Pacific Ocean,” Daria murmured.
“Very good, Daria.” DeMartino then steeled himself for
his usual battle against Kevin Thompson’s dim wits.
Words: 551
Total: 1260
No comments:
Post a Comment