-+-+-+-+-+-
"Failure"
[Previous post "Flashed"]
-+-+-+-+-+-

Setting: MASQUERADE DREAMS, Deck 28, At top of stairs
Stardate: 30153.0620

The Hirogen had wanted to put as much distance between them and the CEO who had opted to remain behind and work on the bomb. As much as he would have been ready to stay and assist in whatever way he could have, the Hunter had received specific orders which he intended to comply with to the best of his abilities.  As he reached the next level Uxtar stopped and looked back to make sure that Ya’Han had not been too far behind.

=/\= We have lost Ensign Ya’Han’s comm signal. =/\= The Avatar said in a way that almost bordered on concern, something that as far as the Hirogen had been concerned had been an impossibility since ANI had not been a living entity but a mechanical being.

“Heading back to see what has happened,” Uxtar said having already lowered down to one knee to place the body of the blonde haired CMO down as carefully as he could.

=/\= Negative! =/\= The Captain said halting the Hirogen’s dead in his tracks.  =/\= Bring Doctor Doyanne out of there. Commander Shar’El will meet you at the nearest entrance to the lower decks. Once she had taken charge of Doctor Doyanne, you are authorized to return along with Commander Maya.  I do not want anyone down there by themselves making the situation worse than it already is.  Either we control this situation or I will move the ANUBIS to act on the final stage of the Shadow Protocol. =/\=

The tone in the Captain’s voice had left nothing to the imagination. The man had been deadly serious about containing the situation and insuring by any means available to him that no one would leave with information that had not belonged to them.  There had simply been too many lives at stake to let that happen, this regardless of the lives that would be affected by the failure of resolving the current crisis.

Speaking of failure, that is what the Hirogen saw in himself. In his haste to get away while carrying the Doctor, he had left a member of his team behind and because of this she had fallen prey to something or someone.  Although he had been sure that no one would actually hold him responsible for what had happened to the Chief of Security, Uxtar could not bring himself to being that understanding.  He had failed in being there for her, and blamed himself and the years he had spent alone in the Delta Quadrant for having done what he had.

With the idea of returning to Deck 29 with the greatest of haste, the Hirogen had broken every speed record he could to bring his ward to Commander Shar’El.  Whether or not Commander Maya would be there and ready to accompany him, the hunter had already made up his mind to leave the moment the CMO had been placed in the arms of the ExO.

It was with no shortage of joy that the Hirogen saw the two Commanders waiting for him at the top of the last set of stairs, separating the lower personnel-only decks to those meant for the passengers. This meant that he would be able to go back with the slightest possible delay and hopefully be able to undo what he had allowed to happen to Ensign Ya’Han, whatever that might have been.

“Good luck,” Shar’El said as she took hold of the Doctor before looking down at the pain filled visage of the unconscious woman.

“I hope that you can keep up Commander,” Uxtar said as he began his return trip with the Chief Science Officer right behind him, taking the entire stairway in a single step. Whatever anyone might have thought of his speed before now, the hunter had no intention of taking a single second longer than he needed to in order to get back and hopefully find Ensign Ya’Han and Ensign Stark where he believed them to be.

-+-+-+-+-+-
Mark Hutchings

Lieutenant JG Uxtar
Currently on an undercover mission
[Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.]