Post 375: Getting Out of Dodge Part Three

Stardate:70810.1500
Title: Getting Out of Dodge: Part Three
Author: Lt. February Grace
Scene: Trill: Various
Time: Following Part Two
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[Ready to transport on your mark,] Salvek repeated to Blane, and Simon turned off the lights and sirens only to realize that he still heard wailing sounds. It was then he realized that there were now two Trill police vehicles on their six.

Hood shouted from the back, as the the police vehicles drew closer and closer, threatening to pass them by and cut off their escape route. "Anytime, gentlemen!"

Simon programmed the ditch course into the autopilot and floored it. As the nose of the ambulance turned downward and the vehicle dove sharply, the proximity alarm began to go off.

The computer voice repeated the same two words over and over again as the alarm wailed.

"Energize!" Blane shouted, and they materialized aboard the Callisto just as the nose of the ambulance impacted against the water and the vehicle broke into pieces.

Down below, word of the ambulance ditching into the retention pond reached the security detail, and they suddenly backtracked out of the landing area. Reece jumped on their chance to move.

"Scan for Gilmore," he told Lily.

"He's not far," She opened a secure channel to Gilmore's com. "Stand by for transport, Captain."

A moment later R.J. stood behind them, and he looked at Reece grimly.

"I think we need to buy some more time. We know that the Commission does not want to make a big show of all of this? Well that's just what they're going to get."

"Hold on there, Cap'n Crunch," Reece said, "If you're thinking we should sacrifice ourselves so the others can get out, I have issues with that and I'd like a second opinion."

"No, you idiot. Not us, the runabout. If you've anything aboard that you want to take with you I suggest you get it now, because this is the last time you'll be able to locate it without tweezers and a magnifying glass. Lily, monitor the news channels over the com - tell me if there are any newly breaking stories."

Lily tuned in the news broadcast frequency and turned pale as the commentator informed the public that there were eyewitness reports that an ambulance had just crashed into a retention pond outside the city and that officials did not expect to find any survivors.

"It's okay," Gilmore put his hand on her shoulder. "If Salvek did his job, then they weren't aboard at the time." Lily sighed with relief, as did Reece.

"Good. Cause if I have to trust my Jainey's life to anybody, Pointy would be my man." Reece remarked. "Hold on!"

Gilmore strapped himself into the seat behind Lily, and Reece jammed the throttle up.

[Callisto to Hiawatha,]

"Give me good news, Vulcan!" Reece gritted his teeth as he maneuvered the runabout at high speed up and around the line of traffic waiting to depart. They ignored the repeated warnings from flight control on the planet that they did not have clearance to leave.

"They might just shoot us down." Lily said uneasily, "We're not dealing with Starfleet here,"

"Shoot a Starfleet vessel down in broad daylight over a heavily populated area?" Gilmore reassured her. "They can't. The scandal alone,"

"We're coming up on the ocean," Reece said, and Lily tried to open the channel to Salvek again, but they got no response this time. She started to swear.

"They've jammed our signal," She pounded the panel in frustration.

"Stay on course," Gilmore replied. "Salvek will get us out."

Aboard the Callisto, Blane sat in the co-pilot's chair and he frowned at Salvek. "I can't get a response, they must be having communication problems. But the runabout is on a collision course with the shoreline."

"We must beam them out, now."

"I can't get a lock on all three signals, something is jamming the-" Blane growled.

"Boost the pattern enhancing modulators by redirecting power from our shields," Salvek instructed.

"Hurry!" Biggs was watching the tactical readout and saw that the runabout was barreling toward the surface of the planet at full speed, "Or there won't be anything left of them to beam back."

"I've got it! Energizing!" Blane replied, and T'Ana and Reece appeared in the cabin behind them.

Reece cringed as he realized that he was going to have to find a way to explain to Starfleet why the runabout they'd lent him for his mission to the Independence was now a permanent part of the landscape on Trill. "Fare the well, Hiawatha, fare the well." He said with a sad shake of his head.

"Where's Gilmore?" Lily demanded, looking around and realizing the Captain was not beside them.

"They're still trying to jam- I'm losing his pattern!"

Salvek jumped out of his chair and reached around Blane. He didn't have time to explain how he was going to do it, but he began rerouting every spare bit of energy he could and applying it to the pattern buffers. A moment later R.J. Gilmore, cane and all, stood behind them.

"Thanks for visiting Trill," Reece concluded, slumping down into a chair as Salvek slid back into the pilot's seat and took the Callisto out, jumping to warp as soon as they were clear of the planet's atmosphere. "Hope you had a lovely stay."

"Blane, open a channel to the Independence," Gilmore instructed.

"Channel open, Sir,"

[Zanh here,]

"Zanh, prepare to take the Indy away from Trill as soon as the Callisto has docked,"

[Where to, Sir?]

"Anywhere as long as it's far away from Trill. And keep your eyes open, we might have company before we reach you."

[Acknowledged. Standing by to receive you. If anyone tries to follow, we will give them the reception they deserve.]

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Lt. (jg) February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence NCC-90791