Galaxy Ain't So Big

Posted on Sat Aug 13th, 2016 @ 1:22am by Warrant Officer Marcus Lazlo

Mission: Brave New World
Location: Lower Decks
Timeline: [[BACKPOST]]

Shanna's home was pretty much like all the other cookie cutter residences on the block. A bare stretch of wall devoid of windows, just a door rudely interrupting the otherwise featureless wall and a call button jammed to its side like an after thought. About thirty feet down was the next door painted the exact shade of blue. The only difference to Shanna's door was a little symbol carved in the upper door frame. "..So if her uncle's there, he's going to give a good deal of fuss. Doesn't like security butting into his family life blah blah blah," Jules rattled off with minor annoyance. "You want to keep him busy, or me?"

"I'll keep him busy, you worry about them. They know you better," Laz replied, looking up at the carved symbol on the frame, "What's that up there?" He asked, pointing to it.

"Hobo symbol," Jules said with a wink. "You can get food and shelter here. Wouldn't think you'd find those in space, didja?"

Laz laughed, "No I did not. That's what I thought it was, but I figured I couldn't be right on a big ole space station," He said, laughing. "Universe ain't so big, is it," He said with a complacent grin.

"No, it really isn't," the brunette said with a grin. She depressed the chime and waited, tensing in anticipation of the uncle opening the door and launching into a tirade. Instead she was greeted by Shanna looking tired and frazzled, but well. Her eyes were rung by dark circles and her hair hung in knots, mouth anxious and tight when she saw Jules there. Beyond her, her mother stood stiff in the background: just as tense, if not more.

"Hey.." Bryce said with an uncertain smile, looking from the child to the mother.

'Help' Shanna mouthed out- which was all the prompt that Jules needed to grab the kid and haul her out and behind her.

Training kicked in and Laz casually pulled his hold-out phaser and hid it just behind his back, "Howdy, ma'am. We heard you were sick. Just wanted to stop by and make sure you were okay," He called, motioning for Jules to keep the little girl as quiet as he could. "Mind if I come in?" He asked, politely.

"I d-don't think that's a-" the mom started to say, looking to the left nervously. "I don't think you should, really."

Lazlo laughed, "Oh, now, don't be scared. We're not those usual security folks. Harmless, really," He said, stepping into the door while watching the mother seriously. He was smiling but he was confidently locking eyes with her, willing her to know that she was going to be okay. They understood what was happening, they'd make it okay

Meanwhile, he was asking himself if he was telling the truth.

As soon as she was sure that nothing was coming flying out the door after the kid, Jules pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear really quickly. "Go to Hector's and wait. Don't make a sound. Go.." and sent the girl hurrying in the opposite direction that the door opened from. As soon as she did, Bryce stepped in after Lazlo, watching the corner that he wasn't just a step behind him. The inside of the apartment was barren at best, the far side of the living room had been cleared out for bedrolls, five in all.

"Now, what's been ailing you?" Lazlo asked as he took another few steps forward, finally clearing the wall.

The barest sliver of the kitchen was visible as he slipped forward, showing a worn kitchen table flipped on its side towards the door. In front of him the only visible door down a tiny shotgun hallway was cracked open just enough to see a back lit shadow by the door. Amateurs, Jules thought. Amateurs could still be dangerous if they had the slightest bit of luck. She paced Laz, her fingers itching for the shape of a weapon heavier than the phaser she kept close to her outer leg.

Laz saw the signs too, and in a blinding flash, football tackled the woman before him, scooting her deftly behind the coffee table before opening fire into the kitchen in an effort to suppress the assailants in there. He knew his moment of surprise would only last so long, and prayed the Jules cold make the best of it.

Shanna's mother shrieked at the tackle, the kind of hysterical scream that said her lungs were working just fine. Jules made note of that as the firing began, first Laz on the kitchen, then the back bedroom door burst open and answered with a blind burst of quick fire that hit the kitchen table directly across the way, rather than Jules or Laz. She couldn't help but cackle, realizing that they'd effectively pinned each other into place. "So, uh, Laz.. You know what's hysterical? These guys didn't check their angles before picking where to make their stand."

Laz barely heard her over his own hysterical laughter, "I just noticed that myself. Man, they sure don't make bad guys like they used to, do they Jules." He called back.

Still wary, Bryce kept an eye on the hallway since that was the least likely direction that Laz could see from where he was. "So, in light of current events, we're going to put the offer out to allow you fine folks to surrender before you hurt each other- which is probably your best option unless you really don't like your buddies."

"Shuddup!" Came from the hallway before another flurry of phaser blasts resulted in someone screaming in the kitchen and a long list of curses.

Lazlo belted out a belly laugh while he took advantage of the kitchen confusion to fire off a few more shots, "You couldn't ask for a better object lesson," He whooped as he ducked in behind the coffee table again. "You want to reconsider that position?"

"No.." came a decidedly uncertain voice from the kitchen.

"That's a shame. The brig serves ice cream on Tuesdays after dinner," stated Jules. Back of the house fired again, this time with the door held wider, which with the help of the back lighting from the bedroom framed the perfect shot for Jules. She stunned one of the men only to have another take his spot and had her scrambling back into her safe spot.

Laz took the risk that the Kitchen crew were taking cover from the firing coming from the back room and rolled out from cover long enough to drop the second person in the room, then rolled back in.

"That's two down, probably three if the screamin' fit yer buddy in there was doing is any indication. Can't be that many of ya, and I got a feeling the odds are getting a whole lot more even. You ready to start considering our gracious offers?" Laz called, looking over to make sure the mother was okay where she was curled behind the coffee table.

"I would like to surrender!" Someone in the kitchen yelled.

"You garbage picking louse! You will not!" Came from the bedroom.

"It's okay, buddy," Jules yelled over the other's continued hurled insults. "We'll stun your friend, then you can surrender. Why don't you lose your weapon now and just go hang out in the corner unassumingly.."

"Okay!" The voice yelled again before a phaser rifle came flying out of the kitchen, clattering harmlessly across the room.

"You no good son of a--"

Before the other one could finish yelling, Laz was out from cover on one knee again and firing, dropping the man to the ground like a sack of potatoes, "Good call, Junior," He said to the young man in the corner of the kitchen.

He tapped his commbadge, "Laz to Dispatch, we found our security impostors. I need a site to site transport to the brig on my mark," He said, looking back up at Jules, "You staying here to take care of her?" He asked, motioning to the mom who was just emerging from behind the coffee table.

"Yeah I've got it," Jules said, waving him on. "I'll bring her and the munchkin in after I run them through the clinic. Send a team down here to sweep the residence when you get there. I want to make sure that it's safe for them here."

"You got it," He said, making a quick run into the bedroom to drop transport tracers on each of the suspects. He tapped his combadge again, "Dispatch, lock on to transporter markers at my location and transport them along with me to the brig," He said. "See ya, kid!" He said with a wink and a nod.