Tuesday 15 February 2011

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The Major and business suited Colonel both nodded their heads at the nurses suggestion and left the room.  The small armoured figure called Chip pulled a device for it’s belt and began to scan the old woman on the bed.  “Stop! System reports it’s under attack, source is similar to original attack. Attack details being passed, you will you note the similarity of them. Get the stasis box and put me in it until we can find out what is going on.” the old woman barked.    “Easy Angel, no need to panic.  I’ve got a copy of those files, give me a couple of minuets to confirm” Chip said soothingly and switched off the device.  “Angel I see what you mean, would you be willing to undertake a short test in the med unit and see if the same thing happens?” he asked in the same tone.

“Hold! Fox says they here for Doc, test later.  Want room, beam box when clear” said Star.  Some sort of unspoken conversation seemed to be going on, the nurse with her military implant was receiving nothing so could not say how anyone could have passed information about the orderlies without it coming over her system.  The strange thing was that the four new arrivals did not register on her system.  While she musing over these facts the two orderlies came into the room with float stretcher, loaded the doctor onto it and were leaving before she became aware that they were there.  Strange things were happening her system was different, her medical and military implants were now a single unit her pager was also part of the new system.  She found that there were now skills available that she had never learnt before.  There was also a flagged file on her database.  Quickly she accessed her virtual system and read the flagged file.

“Nurse”, “Lieutenant Miles” voices seemed to be calling her back from Cyberspace to the real world.  Opening her eyes she could see what she now recognised as two special forces medic’s lifting her patient from out of a med unit and back onto the bed.  “Linda , are you all right?  You seemed to be lost in Cyberspace”  Miss Williams said to her kindly.  “No! I just had my orders come through.  I’ve been assigned to special forces as a nurse.  My systems been changed and I got caught in a built in trainer program” the nurse said shakily.  “Nasty! who signed the order?” she was asked.  “There’s no signature, just a seal” was her bemused reply.  “Linda can you transfer a copy of you orders to me” Miss Williams asked.  “No! I’m sorry I don’t know how, I’m afraid that I had to stop the training program before it got to far in” was the nurses answer.

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Before anyone could say anything else the major turned towards the door ”Down” he snapped. The nurse quickly dropped to the floor and rolled seeking cover.  The old woman on the bed raised one arm and pointed it towards the window and turned her head towards it.

 “Someone knocked at the rooms door, “Who is it” called the old woman.  The door  opened and the doctor strode through it and into a blast from the Major’s weapon.  The doctor’s form crumpled to the floor, “OK, come into the doorway where you can be seen “ the Majors voice barked.  Into the doorway a fair haired figure in a smart business suite appeared. 

“Who are you?” the Major snapped, “Donald Staines hospital Legate” the man in the door answered.  From her position under the bed the nurse’s military implant told her that there were now other active military implants in the room and one medical.  There was the Major, a Colonel here, she knew who the major was but who was the other officer. Quickly she called up an area map, the Colonel and Major were in front of her.  “Colonel Staines, I am Major Rogue Special Forces,  if you and the Lieutenant can take care of this fool of a medic my team can get in and do it’s job” the armoured figure said formally.  “You can come out now Lieutenant” it continued.

“Certainly Major, I’ve had some experience in dealing with stunner blasts before.“ the Legate said politely.  The nurse rolled out from the bed, stood up and walked towards the doctors crumpled form, engaging her military implants medical functions she scanned his body quickly.  “If you can take his torso sir, I will take his feet we should be able to lift him and clear this doorway.  Depending on the strength of the stunner blast he will recover anywhere form five minutes to a couple of hours” she said to the legate  “Major if you will move we will place him against the wall for now” she continued  “How strong was the blast” she asked “One hour knockdown” was the Major’s terse reply.

Quietly the nurse and Legate moved the doctors limp form and made it comfortable  near the wall just as two more armoured figures entered the room guiding a long floating box.  Outside the room another two armoured figures took up station one each side of the door.  “Star, if you have an analyser there I would appreciate it if you used it before putting me in the box” the old woman said formally.  “Not to worry Angel, check you out real proper, will be certain before boxing you I ‘ll be.  Chip here system test will, implant say well you are.  Not need Star this time” the taller of the two new armoured figures said in a strange accented electronic voice.

The hospital room was full of people and equipment when  the shorter of the armoured figures said “Major can you and the Colonel  please leave the room,  it’s getting a little crowded here.  Star and the nurse can stay .  If there is a problem you will be told as soon as possible.  Before you go gentlemen is there something that can be done with the body over there?”  “You don’t change Chip, asking field grade officers to do clean up duty yet again” the Major said shaking his armoured head.  “Sir!  if you and the Colonel can make your way to the visitors centre, I’ll have two orderlies come and collect the doctor with a float stretcher, we put him in the emergency room” said the nurse with a smile.