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Fathom's Phantoms A Change of Pace

Kamrn was not often put on social detail... especially when it came to standing guard at parties. Of course, much to his surprise, he was actually a GUEST. The party was particularly boring from a social point of view as Kamrn was not one to mingle from strangers. From a professional standpoint however he had no lack of reasons to stay busy. The vast majority of the people in the gathering area were executives, project heads, and team leads, but that didn't mean that some undesirable elements (such as Dr Cortez) were present; the Gorumn made it his responsibility to keep an eye on as many of them as possible.

The security officer often found himself questioning why he was invited to the party... perhaps there had been some mistake? Maybe the event planner mistook him for someone else, or didn't realize he was an orange-badge security officer-- he was stationed on Sigma Echo as a chance to clean up his act and make reparations for some 'negative dealings' back when he'd been working as part of the police. Protect and serve... not protect and sever. The large green man sighed... and then things got interesting.

All of the tables in the room gave a jump as the entire floor shifted. People all around him where knocked off their chairs and thrown to the ground. Confusion reigned supreme for several moments as shouts and cries filled the air. People were screaming and yelling; fear... REAL fear was evident, and a few moments later it became clear why. An automated message spoke up over the emergency system. "Repeat: Sigma-Echo is under attack."

Off to Kamrn's left several people gathered around a table scrambled their way up to their feet while off to the left others were pushing their way to the two sets of double doors leading out of the gathering room. The entire area was in total chaos, and Kamrn was still unable to hear the vast majority of the looping message. The fact that any attack on Sigma-Echo would consider a gathering location to be a prime target was in the front of the Gorumn's mind, and he realized that they would need to evacuate to somewhere safer.

Kamrn didn't need to be told what to do: if the station were ever under attack from the outside then the first order of business was to move non-combatants to the most defensible place on the station: the central column. The moment the announcement was made the Gorumn moved as quickly as he could to the exit doors. There were two sets of two, which meant he couldn't oversee the entire evacuation of the social hall but, fortunately there were two other security guards in the party and they were able to cover the left doors while he handled the right.

With his first concern clear, Kamrn moved forward to start directing people. Where he could the security officer did so with his voice but, more often than not he had to interpose himself in someone's way or give a group of people a 'gentle' shove in the right direction. Eventually people started moving and, once they did, Kamrn was pleased that others quickly settled into line and, like a compliant herd of sheep, they began filing out. Kamrn scowled when he saw Dr Cortez slip into the line.

The Gorumn fit himself in just behind the Cat to make sure he wouldn't cause trouble, and was followed by a well-dressed wolf who seemed to be directing with his voice almost as well as Kamrn had with his muscle. "Alright. Everyone gather up... this way. Don't push... quickly but organized... come on... follow the lead."

It was impossible to tell who was leading the exodus out of the gathering hall or exactly where it was they were headed, but the Gorumn was too far from the front of the throng to get a good answer to either quandary, but the important thing was that they were leaving the tactically unsound room behind.

Finally, once they were out in the hall he caught a transmission on the ear bud he had connected to his PCD. The civilians were supposed to be evacuated to a secure section of the station. If security could get them to a main hall green arrows would direct them where to go. Off to the side one of the other security officers was already trying to direct the crowd accordingly. "Down that way. "Keep going until you see the green arrows... just follow them."

Kamrn was about to follow, but stopped however when he realized that there weren't any civilians passing him from the other doorway-- and that's when he saw the large mass of bodies fleeing the opposite way. He shouted after them, but his voice was lost amidst the clamoring and shouts of the numerous civilians. "Hey! STOP!"

When they failed to respond he would have to chase them down. He waited just long enough so he could direct the last few stragglers as they left the gathering hall. "Just follow the group!"

Once he knew that they would be heading the right way, Kamrn turned to follow after the evacuees going the wrong way and watched as Dr Cortez detached from the group and headed toward a side hall. "Hey! You! That leads to the residential section!"

Victor glanced back once at him and their eyes met. The Cat winked, and offered him a casual, half-hearted salute before disappearing down the side passage. Kamrn snarled. "Victor..."

The Gorumn let out a sigh, not having the time or inclination to deal with the 'good doctor'. Kamrn instead focused on the large mass of workers heading the VERY wrong direction. He waited to say anything until he'd caught up to the back of the group. "What's going on?!?"

The man closest to him, a little gray figure wearing a green uniform trailed everyone else. He turned to regard the security officer. "Didn't you near the announcement? We're under attack!"

Kamrn scowled, and then stuck his thumb over his shoulder, "THAT way. We're supposed to be going to the central pillar."

The Gray came to a stop immediately, "Then... where's everyone going?"

The Gorumn shrugged. "No idea. It's MY job to find out... you get to the bunker."

He gave the Voljoi a light nudge in the correct direction, The Gray needed no further coaxing; he quickly changed direction and headed back down the hall.

Kamrn pushed through the crowd ordering people to go back the other direction. Many of the civilians complied without argument, though some continued to follow-the-leader like a flock of mindless sheep... it was enough to make the Gorumn's blood boil-- but he didn't let it. "Why in the hell is anyone going THIS way? Back! You're going the wrong way!" Continuing to push his way toward the front of the crowd, his words finally met a worthwhile ear that was willing to listen. It was that well-dressed Wolf, and Kamrn recognized him this time immediately. "We're heading to the Central Pillar."

Kamrn recognized the Wolf immediately and countered as courteously as he could as he pointed. "You're not going the right way, Mr Theo... THAT'S the way to the Central Pillar."

Theo flicked one ear, then the other, clearing his throat. "But... we were-- CAROL!"

"Theo!" a paw raised above the press of the body on a slim, tawny arm.

The Wolf quickly slid through the crowd with surprising alacrity. Kamrn moved to follow but did so with many more bumps and jostling of the numerous people around him. Theo had already exchanged a few words with a pretty-looking Doe by the time the Gorumn had caught up, "...are you sure?" Theo questioned.

The woman nodded, "Yes. Everyone's following one of the station runners."

Kamrn's response to the Doe's comment was very direct, "Fine... but do YOU know where he's going?"

"I assumed he--"

The Gorumn interrupted her. "Station Runners may know their way around, but they're never going where they're supposed to. Their job does not involve dealing with other people. We need to turn these people back, or they will get themselves killed."

Theo's ears shot straight up immediately, "Killed? How?"

Kamrn frowned, "Everyone's heading toward the armory."

Carol faltered. "But the announcement--"

Theo finished the thought for the Doe. "That's where the VAC breached the hull!"

Kamrn frowned, "Right. So stop talking to me and help move everyone."

The Wolf spoke up immediately. "Carol, move through the right and I'll do the left... tell everyone they're heading to the armory."

The Doe nodded and moved immediately off to do as requested. Kamrn smirked around his tusks when he realized he'd finally found someone that could get something done. While the Gorumn's first inclination was to follow Theo he realized that he had a much more important task; Theo was going up the left side of the hall while Carol was taking the right-- that meant that the middle was reserved for Kamrn.

He got to work, pushing through the crowd like the bow of a large boat cut through water: with a general lack of finesse and extra force... but, he reminded himself, it was for good reason. The Wolf, Doe, and Gorum arrived at the lead of the crowd right about the same time. Theo was the first to shout. "Hey! Wrong way!"

It was a very basic exclamation, but it managed to get some attention... which was obviously the whole point. Kamrn had long-since realized that there were far more people going the wrong way than had been in the gathering, which meant the crowd must have picked up people from the halls as it went; the idea was particularly displeasing to the order-minded security guard,

Thankfully, between the general lupine call and Carol's more subtle, "The Central Pillar is back that way." the majority of the group had turned, leaving only those hot on the heels of the Station Runner, a Gen Mouse, who had finally come into view. Kamrn's fingers grazed the grip of his pistol; taking the life of one Mouse could be considered worth saving many from danger, but he also realized that such a thing wouldn't be well-received by management, and he had to forgo that option. Fortunately, several members of the lead group had taken up his cause.

A particularly large, almost Gorumn-sized Human with light skin accentuated by a thick, black, bushy beard had a good volume to his shout. "Wrong way! Move it back!"

The Human spoke with the authority of someone used to providing direction. Beside him, a much smaller, dark skinned human female with long, black hair was working to help slow and redirect traffic. On the large Human's other side was a nearly equally big Gen. Kamrn didn't know much about Sol-3 creatures, but the Gorumn didn't particularly care what the Gen was, as long as it was helping rather than inhibiting.

The bearded Human continued to help control the crowd as it shuffled about. "MOVE BACK, PEOPLE! THIS IS THE WRONG WAY!"

Despite his loud, commanding tone, there was enough noise in the hall that some people didn't bother listening. People pushed and shoved as some listened and others didn't. In the meantime, the bearded human continued to backpedal, slowing the numerous civilians. He moved to intercept an orange suited bovine, who was heedlessly knocking people aside to get past. The Human moved in front of the Bull, both Theo and Carol shouting after him.

The Bull didn't even bother slowing at the resistance, issuing forth a gruff "Out of the way, Human." They collided, both stumbled into sight of the adjoining hall, more of the mob following after them. That's when the gunfire started.

The crowd finally stopped moving forward as sprays of red erupted from the bearded human and the Gen-Bull along with several other civilians who had pressed forward after them. The short human woman screamed and was pulled back under cover. Kamrn had to anchor himself in place as the herd of workers quickly changed direction and pushed back the other way.

A prominent voice spoke from down the hall, "Sao civis. Nao desperdice a municao."

Kamrn broke free from the press of the crowd and approached the intersection of the two hallways, pulling his sidearm free. A furred paw grabbed hold of his wrist and the Gorumn turned to regard Theo, who shook his head quietly, speaking at a whisper. "They don't plan on following."

Kamrn was never good at whispering; his voice came out as a low rumble. "How do you know?"

The Gen answered softly. "I speak Portugese. They're not worried about civilians."

Kamrn gave the Wolf a shove back from the hallway. "Well I'm not a civilian."

The Gorumn waited, biding his time with his back to the wall as he strained his ears to listen. The commanding voice spoke up again, "Quero as portas aber--"

The soldier didn't have a chance to say anything else. Kamrn spun around the corner and leveled his pistol. Most Humans didn't understand how Gorum were able to move with such precision in a combat situation, but that's because Humans didn't have the same physiology.

Once the adrenaline kicked in, any well-trained Gorumn's sense of time slowed dramatically as the synapses in their brain began firing faster... which meant that the wall of VAC troops may as well have been moving in slow motion as Kamrn let off one... two... three shots, walking his bucking side arm's bullets right up the speaker's body. The first two shots knocked the soldier off-balance, doing little against his combat armor, but the third found its target directly in the man's right eye-socket... and Kamrn was behind cover before the rest of the troops opened fire once again.

Theo was right beside him once again. "I believe we should leave."

The Gorumn questioned incredulously, still focused on the adjoining hallway, "You're STILL here? Yes... you SHOULD leave."

Carol was right behind Theo. "What about you?"

"I'm security. This is my job."

Theo spoke calmly in objection. "Your job is to protect people... you can't do that if you get killed, my friend."

Kamrn scowled, then paused. He spun around the corner slowly, going down to one knee as the VAC opened fire. The bullets shot by over his head and the Gorumn's battle fury kicked in again. He let another two shots loose, much more controlled, hitting one of the attacking soldiers in the throat, and blowing the ear off of another before jumping back behind cover. He grunted as his leg took a bullet, but the worst of it was absorbed by his plastisteel thigh pad.

He hazarded a glance behind himself and noticed that both the Wolf and the Doe were still there."Do all Gen have a death wish?"

The Doe woman's answer was deadpanned. "No more than the average Gorumn, apparently."

Kamrn snorted, pulling the crumpled bullet from his armor; the plastisteel plate broke in half as he did so. "Umngal." he cursed under his breath in his native tongue.

Theo started speaking, but his words were lost to the sound of an explosion of gunfire. He waited until a break in the chaos before speaking again. "Looks like the cavalry's here. Are you coming with now?"

The Gorumn weighed the suggestion, pausing to check the ammo count on his gun; he was still combat capable. Carol reached out and grabbed his forearm, pulling his attention to her. "They're an assault team and you have a pistol... let the counter-terrorist team handle things here on out... we need someone to help get everyone to the central pillar."

Kamrn ground his teeth together as he put his side arm away, "Yea. Right. I'll help get you two to safety."

Sometimes he hated when management was right, but the Gens did have a very valid point. His frustration bled out as the last of his battle fury ran its course, and his attitude changed immediately when he saw the Human woman and the Gen kneeling down next to the body of the large Human with the bushy beard. Kamrn had no illusions that he'd be able to save everyone, but he hated failing regardless.

Theo brought everything back into focus. "We can mourn later... I would advise as far away from gunfire as possible."

Kamrn nodded, puffing up his chest to full security guard authority, "Right. Gather up... we're heading to the central pillar, and we're doing it quick."

The party complied with his request, and everyone proceeded down the hall. The Gorumn took quick stock of the casualties: the large man with the beard, that orange uniformed Gen Bull, three green coated Humans, an orange-wearing Cytkus, and the Station Runner that had caused it in the first place. Doubtlessly there were going to be more deaths as the security team fought off the VAC, but combat was their job.

Letting out another deep breath, Kamrn pushed himself to return to an emotional neutral, just like all of the personality instructors had taught him; it was going to be a long shift and he had to be at his best. He maintained his professional demeanor, providing direction to those in his care as they moved toward the Central Hub. Things did not improve upon their arrival, unfortunately.

Kamrn went straight to one of the commanding officers, a Lieutenant sporting combat armor instead of security plastisteel. The Gorumn saluted in the human fashion, bringing his straight-fingered hand to rest beside his forehead. "Sir."

The Commander nodded, not bothering to salute back. "Kamrn."

It didn't surprise Kamrn since he usually didn't get much respect due to the color he was assigned, but at least the human bothered identifying him by his rank rather than the usual 'Grunt' title reserved for the orange tagged security forces.

Kamrn motioned to Theo and Carol. "We have VIPs here that needs to get to the executive apartments."

The Commander stared him down (up, technically, since he DID have 6 inches on the Human). "Well I have a few dozen people HERE that need protection. What's your point?"

"It's one of the Overseer's--"

"I don't care if it was the fucking Overseer herself, Grunt--" yes... there was the well-known title Kamrn had come to expect, "I don't have the men to spare on some 'errand' out into what could very well be a warzone!"

The Gorumn maintained his composure for long enough to think up a reasonable reply that didn't involve his fist. Calmly and collectedly, through clenched teeth, he simply responded, "Yes Sir... I will let the Overseer know right now."

The comment caught the Commander's attention. He seemed taken aback by Kamrn's sudden change of tactics. "She's here?"

He motioned to where the Wolf was gazing at the two of them from his place next to the wall, I/O device still in his paw. "She's on a comm unit, sir."

The Commander paused. "Right now?"

The Gorumn raised his voice, waving to Theo. "Let the Overseer know I'll be right back!" he

The wolf raised one ear, the other falling to the side as he returned the wave in what could have been confusion-- Kamrn wasn't very good at reading muzzle expressions. Apparently the Commander wasn't any better at it, "She..." he paused, "We don't have enough men to protect these people AND--"

Kamrn volunteered, "I'll go, Sir. Most of the people here probably don't trust Grunts anyway." It was the most reasonable argument he could think of on short notice: using Security Command's prejudice against his recruitment to his advantage. Surprisingly, much to his reserved joy, it actually worked. "If that wolf's a VIP, you'd better not fail, Grunt."

Kamrn confirmed, "Sir!"

He went right back to where Theo was standing. "So... you need to get to the executive apartments?"

Theo hung up his PCD. "Yes. Yes I do."

* * * * * *

When Victor Cortez discovered that Sigma-Echo used the same pass codes for all of their medical bays he was overjoyed. The Cat would have willingly thanked whatever god existed if he had an opinion on any such fictitious being. Instead, he promised himself that he would put that information to good use as he began exploring the contents of its storage. Injuries among the upper class staff were minimal at best and he hated the idea of such worthwhile goods being left unused.

The high level medical staff always had free reign to the best provisions while he had been left to scavenge whatever he could put together what meager remnants were within the budget... and, truth be told, that was not very much. Suddenly, with unsupervised access, Victor began painting a picture in his mind of how much more he could accomplish on board Sigma-Echo. It would be a far cry from his days working in a 'private practice' for the corporate elite... but at least he wouldn't have to worry about the police.

Security, on the other paw, he realized, was of some concern. As the Cat sifted through the collection of medicines and tools he had 'requisitioned' his eyes came to rest upon an old display case situated in the corner of the head physician's office. Backlit by specially designed lighting and resting in a custom carved notch in oak was an ancient relic of the medical profession: an antique, muscle-powered bone saw.

It took all of five seconds for the Cat to gain access to the unlocked case and another thirty seconds to ruin the bone saw... but he did get to admire its cutting abilities as it helped him open locked storage compartment for the inventory scanner. Two quick swipes across each item he had chosen to confiscate meant that it lost its tracer and was taken out of the system. It wasn't specifically what the scanner was designed for, but several years of working for questionable employers meant that he had picked up a few tricks of the trade.

Knowing far too well that any half-wit security guard could put two-and-two together, he closed his supplies in the medical carrying case and then got to work on the particularly lengthy process of repeating the procedure on every last item he could easily reach within the med bay. It would be an incredible inconvenience for the staff that worked there during times of non-war, but it would save him a more personal inconvenience of having to tangle with security.

Once he had finished a reasonable amount of zeroing out the inventory he quickly removed the memory chip on the scanner, wiped it clean with a control code from his PCD, and returned it to its place in the no-longer-locked scanner storage container. He walked back to the satchel he had chosen for his well-selected supplies and was just about to call it a win when his otherwise silent escapade was interrupted by the familiar sound of a body collapsing. Victor rolled his eyes; why was nothing ever easy?

Stepping out of the private office and into the main portion of the med bay, the Cat sighed when he spotted a member of the Sigma-Echo security team laying face down on the floor. Despite the fact that Victor was a doctor, he didn't need his vast medical experience to realize that the Tapir had been shot. He was just getting ready to step around the bleeding man when the fellow raised his head, and an arm, stretched out and beseeching, "Doc.... doc-tor... help...."

The Gen had an orange badge on his uniform, which was probably the only reason why he was willing to ask an orange lab coat medical employee for help. Well... that and he had been shot-- that was a pretty important reason too. Victor sighed and went back to the bay's medical supplies as he contemplated the decision to help or abandon the man. He returned with a nice collection of chemicals and a syringe.

On one paw, he reasoned, the Tapir was a member of the Sigma-Echo security team, which was important if there were VAC soldiers aboard. On the OTHER paw, the Tapir may remember having seen the Cat in the office and, if that was the case, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to connect an orange lab coat with someone who shouldn't have been there. In the end, Victor realized that the best course of action would be a pragmatic one-- he was quite comfortable, after all, with being pragmatic, and besides, it just "felt right".

After injecting a cocktail of three different primary ingredients into the Tapir the doctor was already feeling much better. The first, a powerful opiate, would put the man into a deep sleep and the second would slow his heart rate and keep him from bleeding to death until help arrived. The third, a concentrated solution of protocol, would blank out any remnants of Victor in the security guard's memory. It was, after all, occasionally enjoyable to play the part of the hero, but the Cat had no intention of being stupid about it.