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(no subject)

Who: Leonard McCoy
Broadcast: Yes! Fleetwide
Action: Caprine/Solace
When: Friday

[There are days when McCoy would gladly turn in his lab augment for an engineering one. After practically picking apart the Caprine and then putting her back together bolt by bolt (with a lot of help from actual engineers out there, thanks) he's about ready to airlock himself.

He's a doctor, not a goddamn mechanic. It's like learning anatomy all over again, except this time he doesn't understand a single thing. Glory be, at least, they've finally graduated to trying fix the many issues in non-essential systems.

Like the kitchen, where McCoy is now making sure it all works again, after having spent hours trying to put it all back together. Spoiler: it doesn't go well. That's why he's waving away wisps of smoke and coughing a bit when he addresses the Fleet.]

I need an engineer. Again. [Sigh.] I'll pay you the going rate. Come on over to the Caprine. It's the ship in the most pieces over here. [There goes more credits. Everything exploded again. Someone just... put him out of his misery.]

[private comm to Beverly Crusher]
[So he's starting to regret thinking that someone should put him out of his misery. Really coming to regret that.] Hey. We need to talk. Let's meet somewhere.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Fine, I'm on my way.

_{[ Which means he's getting his own supplies and will adjust himself in route.

By the time he does get there, his face is a serious, smooth slate rather than his normally warm, expressive countenance. It does not warm when he sees Beverly, and it won't for quite some time yet. ]}

Do you have any indication on where his last location might have been?

[Beverly, for her part, has changed out of the tell-tale Drift Fleet jumpsuit into something more inconspicuous: a simple pair of black jeans, white tee shirt, jacket, boots - the sort of basics you can find at any waystation in this region of space. She's also tucked her hair up into a black knit cap so that it does not stand out so much. Tucked into her jacket pocket, however, is a laser gun, as well as credit chips, in addition to her communicator. Whether she has to fight or pay McCoy's way out of this, she's ready.]

Yes.

[But she doesn't elaborate. He's pissed and she's not sure what that means he might do.]

But first, we need a plan and to lay some ground rules. We can't just go charging in.

_{[ He's never been one to keep in that uniform anyways, so he's in a mix of his survival suit jacket, black shirt, jeans, and his survival boots. It's the sort of mix of ready to take you on and casual that blended with the rest of the place. He might not be a spy, but he's not stupid either. His own weapon is hidden inside the jacket. Packing and showing it could go awry fast here and he wasn't about to risk it so easily with Bones on the line.

His glare hardens. ]}

Believe it or not, I have done things like this before. Knowing where he was last seen can help formulate that plan.

_{[ He really didn't like the idea of being handled at the moment. Despite being pissed, he wasn't going to go running off either, and he was mildly insulted Bev seemed to think so. He'd learned his lesson on that already. ]}

Was he near warehouses? Bars? Supply centers? What are we looking at here?

A depot, not too far away from here.

_{[ He was quiet as he absorbed that for a second. ]}

So we're probably looking at the potential for multiple buildings and rooms, and guards if they're smart.

_{[ He practically growled in his frustration. ]}

Is that all we have on them and this place? We can't track anyone through our Fleet comms can we?

[She starts to shake her head but then she has a thought-]

His account! Do you think there is anyway we could trace the money?

If he's done transfers, yeah.

_{[ He licked his lips as he thought it over. ]}

He won't be that hard to hack, and if we have to I can get Winn to get us in. Did you bring a data-pad?

[She shakes her head.]

Just my communicator.

Damn it... Well, we either have to find a terminal, go back to the ships, or think of some other way to find him. Think the locals would give any info on where these people like to do their business?

Possibly.

[She thinks for a moment.]

I don't know how much use I'll be to you when it comes to hacking into his account, so perhaps we should find you a terminal and while you work on that I will see what I can find out from the locals.

_{[ He nodded to that, looking around them. ]}

Shouldn't be hard to bribe someone to use one for a bit. Twenty minutes?

_{[ He glanced at her, clearly waiting for a consent or counter argument
rather than giving an order. ]}

[She nods, relaxing some, knowing that they're in this as partners.]

That should be enough time. I'll message you if it's not.

_{[ He nodded and checked his comm. ]}

Right. Twenty minutes it is.

_{[ He slipped it back in his pocket, adjusted his jacket, and made his
way into the crowds to seek out someone with a terminal. Eventually he
found one, and with the right amount of cash he was granted the liberty to
sit down and toy with it. As he had thought, Bones' account wasn't all that
hard to hack - he should talk to him about that - but in this case it was
useful and he wouldn't complain. Now just to hear what Beverly had found..
]}

[Meanwhile, Beverly disappears into the crowd, exploring the local shops and warehouses and talking to the other shoppers. It proves easy enough to get people to talk - no one is suspicious of this nice older woman who is just trying to find obscure parts for her ship. Still, it takes a few tries before she finds a promising lead - a name and a warning to avoid this certain group.

Once they meet up again, she passes this information on to Kirk.]

Does that match with what you found?

_{[ Kirk taps something and nods before shutting down the terminal
(wiping what he had looked up, of course, no sense in leaving evidence
behind). ]}

It would make the most sense. Did you get a clue on where they're most likely to hang out? Odds are they would take Leonard there, where they're most comfortable.

There’s a warehouse, not too far from here, that I was adamantly warned against going anywhere near.

[Which of course, means she’s going in.]

Adamantly, you say?

_{[ He smiles, but it's not his usual, carefree charming one. This one
is full of teeth, a predator's grin. ]}

Well, you know how I feel about warnings, especially adamant ones. Let's go get my doctor back.

[She nods sharply. No one from the Enterprise gets left behind, least of all Leonard.]

You should know I have training in covert operations... If you can provide a distraction, I'm sure I can get in.

_{[ He seemed momentarily surprised by this, but saved his questions for
later and simply nodded. ]}

When we get to a good spot, you wait, and I'll go ahead and draw them off. It is one of my specialities after all.

_{[ He moved to let her lead, though he was barely a step behind,
obviously anxious to get Leonard back. ]}

[Beverly remains calm and casual as she walks through the city, as if she had nothing more on her mind than what to get for lunch. Her voice stays even as she talks to him.]

I have every confidence in you. We're going to get him back.

That part was never in doubt.

_{[ He isn't quite as even as here, but he tries to match her stance, her pace. He knows they need to look unassuming, but it's so very hard when he wants nothing more than to burst in and start cracking heads - including Bones', though not nearly as hard. But still fairly hard.

He saw the warehouse in question come into view, licking his lips as he sight at least one of the guards, though they didn't look to be taking turns walking the perimeter. He looked to Bev, patting his chest where he'd hidden his stun-gun. ]}

Ready when you are.

["That part." What part is in doubt then, she wonders. But she isn't given much time to ponder over that, as they soon reach the warehouse. She makes a quick scan of the building, seeing if she can spot any guards on the roof or in the windows. She can't, but doesn't mean they aren't there.

Under her breath she murmurs:]

I'm going to turn up here, double around the block and come from the back. That should give you time to get started. Will that work for you?

_{[ He nodded to her, slowing his pace enough to buy her a few extra seconds as she dodged down the street before returning his walk towards the two goons he could see. A short conversation, some well placed quips and pointed, nasty comments, and Kirk had made the distraction Beverly needed. When your pride is stung, you tend to tunnel vision pretty easily, especially guys like these.

It meant Kirk was going to get banged up some. He was good, but he was no savant to be able to ward off blows from a group of some ten odd men taking shots. But it was worth it. Worth it to get Bev in and to save Bones, and his smile was vicious as he blew blood back in one of his opponent's eyes, making the group howl. ]}

[Beverly disappears around the corner and comes back to circle the warehouse, hoping that she might luck out and find an alternative entrance. Along the first two walls she scans, there's nothing but then - ah! A cracked open window on the second story. The opening would be too small for Jim, but she thinks she can probably make it, if she can just get up there.

So, once the shouting starts from the front of the building, she drags a few crates over. With any luck, no one will hear that over the sounds of the fight. Still, even after climbing her makeshift staircase, she huddles for a minute out of sight of the window, hand on her phaser just in case. When no one appears, she chances a peek in at the window.

It appears to open up into a bathroom, of all things, one that is thankfully unoccupied at the moment. Before that has a chance to change, she pushes gently up on the window to see if it will go up any further. To her relief, it does, and she is able to slip through the opening by swinging one leg over and ducking underneath the window. Seeing as there is nothing of interest in here, she moves to go out into the corridor, just as the doorknob starts to turn. Damn! There is no place to hide and no time to get the deadbolt before a scruffy looking man enters. Fortunately, she has the benefit of surprise and in those one or two moments where he stands gaping, she stuns him with her laser gun, then immediately starts searching his pockets, which yields her yet another gun and more importantly, a personal communicator, so she can listen in on what's happening around the warehouse. There's Jim outside of course but mainly she is listening for... Ah yes, there we go.]

Don't worry, Leonard, I'm coming!

[She murmurs this as she heads out into the hallway. She moves through the warehouse, silent and swift, using the stolen comm as a beacon to steer her towards McCoy and away from potential encounters with his kidnappers. This latter endeavor is not entirely successful, of course, so right before she bursts through his door, he will no doubt hear some shots fired and shouting and more than a few thumps and grunts. But then she appears, looking a little worse for wear, but smiling nonetheless.]

Leonard!

[There's a ruckus outside -- it's muted and far away, likely outside -- and Leonard's stuck in a room. It's not a large room, but neither is it a glorified closet. There's nothing in it; probably because, after the first time Leonard kicked a chair at someone in a fit of temper, no one wanted to tempt fate again. (Neither had Leonard for that matter, given that someone had promptly shoved him into a wall after that, but sometimes those fits of temper just happened.)

He's moving a little slow -- his midsection is, on the whole, a lovely shade of black and blue -- but he's not gonna sit in the corner while the sounds of a fight filter through the doors. As he's standing, it seems as if that fight -- or another one entirely -- gets closer.

Much closer.

He pushes to his feet (which is no walk in the park because his hands are tied -- tied like they couldn't find decent handcuffs anywhere -- behind his back and, Jesus Christ, but his hands and wrists are all scraped up) and turns to face the door. There's a conscious effort to look at least a little defiant, whatever's going on, because really. He's honestly had enough of this whole thing and he's probably about to get shot in the head this time.

Of course, he's thought that the last dozen times anyone's come near him so he's also a little on edge.

So gaping at bit at Beverly when she bursts through the door? Completely understandable.]

Beverly?

[Obviously. He's allowed a moment of surprise.]

Edited 2017-02-28 02:34 (UTC)