Subject: NEW: Odyssey 9/12
Sent: 31/01 11:17 AM
Received: 31/01 6:14 PM
From: Sharon Nuttycombe, avalon@terranet.ab.ca
To: dobbo@c031.aone.net.au
Odyssey part 9/12
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
September 20, 1996
************************************************************
This is a Scully and Skinner action/adventure story. It is not
related to my former story, Crossing the Line. (There will be a
sequel to Crossing the Line, but this is not it).
CLASSIFICATIONS: R (for violence) T R
KEYWORDS: Skinner/Scully story
SUMMARY: When Mulder disappears in the Caribbean, Scully and
Skinner are drawn into a web of intrigue and danger.
I am a permanent resident of the State of Denial -- Avatar never
happened.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Alistair Maclean's "The Golden
Rendezvous". OK - I shamelessly stole his ideas, but I made
lots of changes. Honest. This is an homage... :)
I would appreciate any comments or criticism. Many thanks.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Linda Campbell for racking up a
huge phone bill helping me plot this monster, and for refusing
to let me pack it in when the going got tough...
Disclaimer: Scully, Skinner, and Mulder belong to Chris
Carter. I don't own them, I'm only borrowing them for a while
(But do I have to return Skinner? Can I keep him, huh Chris?
Please...?)
************************************************************
Odyssey part 9/12
WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING
THE ODYSSEY. MAIN DECK.
Scully steps out onto the main deck, fighting for her balance on
the swaying ship and protecting her broken wrist. The ship is
running without lights and the combined force of the wind and
rain almost causes her to lose her footing as she makes her way
toward the radio room. A movement in the darkness makes her
pause and she draws back in time to see Skinner being taken
toward the bridge under heavily-armed guard. She brings her gun
up, thinks better of it, then withdraws further into the shadows.
The terrorists and the Assistant Director pass without comment
and disappear into the bridge. One terrorist remains on guard
outside the radio room.
Scully hesitates, looking first toward the bridge then the radio
room. Suddenly, a hand seizes her arm. She reacts instantly,
lashing backward with one foot and pulling herself loose. She
whirls and brings the gun up then pauses as a flash of lightning
illuminates her attacker -- Henderson.
SCULLY: (Breathlessly) Sam?
Henderson nods and clutches the rail, trying to keep his balance
on one leg. Scully does not lower the gun.
SCULLY: What are you doing here?
HENDERSON: Helping you. When you didn't come back, I
thought...
Scully hesitates then holsters her weapon, and reaches out with
her good hand to help him keep his balance.
SCULLY: You shouldn't have come. Not on that leg.
HENDERSON: I had to. There's something I didn't tell you.
SCULLY: (Pauses) What?
HENDERSON: There's a bomb on board.
SCULLY: I...excuse me?
HENDERSON: You heard. And unless Washington receives a coded
signal by oh-seven-hundred tomorrow, it's going to
go off.
The ship lurches again, and Henderson almost falls. Scully drags
him into a corner and shoves him against a bulkhead.
SCULLY: Explain.
HENDERSON: (Sighs) It was a contingency developed by Senator
Caine.
Scully starts and releases him, but does not say anything.
Henderson continues.
HENDERSON: The Senator spearheaded the funding for this
project. It was his idea to have a failsafe in
case the ship was ever taken over.
SCULLY: (Grimly) What failsafe?
HENDERSON: There's a self-destruct built into the Odyssey.
It can be triggered manually, or remotely.
SCULLY: Remotely?
HENDERSON: From Washington, if necessary.
SCULLY: (Swallows) How?
HENDERSON: Via satellite uplink. Unless Washington receives
an encoded message from the Odyssey every 12
hours, the ship will be destroyed. And they'll do
whatever it takes to keep the cargo safe.
SCULLY: Including sacrificing the crew and passengers?
(Henderson nods). When did the last message go
out?
HENDERSON: It was supposed to be sent last night at 19:00
hours. The Captain never sent it.
SCULLY: Then why aren't we dead already?
HENDERSON: Because there's a 12 hour safety margin. We have
until the next scheduled transmission before the
relay signal is sent. (Pauses) In less than six
hours, we'll all be vaporized.
SCULLY: Why didn't you tell us this before?
HENDERSON: I had my orders.
SCULLY: Your ord-- (She takes a deep breath) Okay.
Where is this device, and how do we defuse it?
HENDERSON: On the bridge, but it can't be done. There's too
many failsafes. Once the relay signal is sent, we
have just ten minutes to get used to the idea of
an afterlife.
SCULLY: (Brushing her windswept hair out of her eyes)
Then we need to inform Washington -- try to buy us
some time and get some help...
They both glance toward the radio room, where the shadow of an
armed guard moving can be seen at intervals.
HENDERSON: We'd never make it. He's in too good a position.
Besides, maybe Skinner got a message out.
SCULLY: I don't think so. He was just taken up to the
bridge under armed guard.
HENDERSON: (Slowly) I think I might know where the crew is
being held...
SCULLY: Could you make it to them?
HENDERSON: I've made it this far.
SCULLY: Good. Then get going.
HENDERSON: What about you?
SCULLY: I'm going to try to get to the bridge.
HENDERSON: Do you realize what you're saying?
SCULLY: Unfortunately, yes. But we don't have a choice.
We have to stop them somehow.
HENDERSON: We're an army of four against god knows how many
armed terrorists...We don't stand a chance.
SCULLY: An army of three. I think Victoria's working with
them.
HENDERSON: And you want us to take on Josef and the rest of
them? By ourselves?
SCULLY: We won't be by ourselves if you hurry up and free
the crew.
HENDERSON: (There is a long pause) Fine.
SCULLY: (Grins) Semper fi, marine.
Henderson shakes his head disbelievingly then turns awkwardly to
go.
SCULLY: Sam. (He pauses) I fully expect to see the
cavalry coming over the hill when I need it.
Understand?
HENDERSON: (Smiles back) Semper fi, Ma'am.
With that he limps heavily away, vanishing into the night.
Scully brushes her hair out her eyes yet again, swallows hard,
and checks her gun once more before preparing to move to the
bridge.
* * *
WEDNESDAY LATE EVENING
WASHINGTON D.C.
Mulder is speaking to a receptionist in a warm, wood-filled room.
MULDER: Look, I know it's the middle of the night, but
I've got to speak to General Williams. It's
important. I know he's here.
RECEPTIONIST: And I already told you -- the General sees no one
without an appointment, especially at 1:00 in the
morning...
MULDER: Just tell him it's Fox Mulder. He'll see me, I
guarantee it.
RECEPTIONIST: Sir...
MULDER: Tell him.
The receptionist opens her mouth to speak, sighs, then stabs the
intercom button fiercely.
RECEPTIONIST: General? I'm sorry to bother you, but there's a
Fox Mulder here who insists on seeing you. Shall
I...(There is a response) Yes. Yes,
sir. (She gives Mulder a cold-eyed stare). You
can go in.
MULDER: (Wearily) I hope you don't expect a tip.
He goes past her into the inner room, closing the oak door behind
him. Inside, an older man with greying hair looks up tiredly
from some papers.
WILLIAMS: (Without preamble) Do you have any idea what time
it is, Mr. Mulder?
MULDER: (Sitting down) Do you? Why are you and half your
staff still here at 1:15 am?
WILLIAMS: (Coldly) You don't need to know.
MULDER: I think I do. Actually, I think I can guess. (He
reaches inside his jacket, pulls out an envelope,
and throws it down on the desk) This late-night
emergency has something to do with this, doesn't
it?
The General eyes the envelope but does not open it.
WILLIAMS: What is that?
MULDER: As much information as I could dig up about a
certain missing cruise ship.
WILLIAMS: I don't know what you're talking about. And I
think you're presuming too much on my former
friendship with your father.
MULDER: I never presume, General.
Their eyes clash for a long moment, then Williams reluctantly
reaches for the envelope. Several minutes go by as he carefully
reads the contents. Finally, he lets them drop on his desk again
and looks up to meet Mulder's gaze.
WILLIAMS: Where did you get this?
MULDER: From a reliable source. Does it matter?
Williams does not answer, but eyes him coldly. Mulder continues.
MULDER: Look, I've got some information, and you've got
some information. Maybe if we pool our talents we
can find the Odyssey and not so incidentally, my
partner.
WILLIAMS: You have nothing, Mr. Mulder.
MULDER: Care to place a wager on that? Besides, can you
really afford to risk me going public with what I
know?
WILLIAMS: With what you think you know.
MULDER: (Agreeing amiably) With what I think I know. A
little knowledge can be a dangerous thing,
General. I've got a little knowledge...
Williams pauses for a long moment, as if considering, then...
WILLIAMS: Sit down, Mr Mulder. We need to talk...
* * *
END OF PART 9
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
celtic@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
"Knowing's easy. Everyone does that ad nauseum.
I just sort of hope." -- Doctor Who
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
celtic@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
"Knowing's easy. Everyone does that ad nauseum.
I just sort of hope." -- Doctor Who
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
--"I have as much respect for the chain of command as the next guy.
--Only if you're standing next to Fletcher Christian." -- Adderly
(
geocities.com/hollywood)