Mac's Desperation

The security forces quickly surround the escape pod. Security forces have around fifty men. Immediately they position ten snipers guarded by PL-4T3 shields and three ground shock troopers per sniper. The Principal's D0G-G0! units quickly respond by blocking the entrance. The Principal's own security forces surround the escape pod with guns drawn. Mac, Charlie, and Principal Alex stand at the entrance. Security general Jonathan is piloting a CR-UST mech-suit armed with a Y3-45T grenade mortar. Jonathan yells in a megaphone “Principal Alexander Jason Steele you and all of your men are under arrest for violation of your sworn oath to uphold law and order. You are completely surrounded, out-gunned, and out-manned. You have no hope in wining this fight. Surrender peacefully or we will use force to detain you. Resist and we will kill.” Mac holds his loaded gun close to him. “Bold claims for someone who needs you alive,” Mac comments. Alex looks at his tablet computer. “I have an escape route. I'll be fine.” Mac shakes his head. “No mate, you've run away long enough.” Mac quickly binds Alex in a submission hold. Charlie yells, “oi Mac! What'ya doin'!?” “Get the rope Charlie!” Mac orders. “What the bloody meaning of this Mac!” Alex yells, “guards!” The guards come. Mac quickly puts his rifle on Alex's head. “Nobody move!” Mac yells. “One step closer and the man's dead.” Alex growls, “you'd be a fool to shoot me bloody idiot! I hold the master code to the station. If I die, then the code fries.” Charlie grabs the rope from his bag. Mac grabs the rope. Then he says “that's exactly why I need a hostage Principal.” Alex begins to laugh. “You clever son-of-a-bitch!” Mac and Charlie bind Alex's hands behind him. Mac lifts the Principal up. He points his gun to the Principal's back and walks outside.

The guards step aside as Mac hauls a resisting Alex. Mac makes a declaration: “Nobody move! Anyone fires a single shot, the Principal dies!” The snipers ready their guns. Jonathan waves his hand telling the snipers to stand down. Jonathan quickly scans for Mac's radio frequency. “So you've decided to take matters into your own hands, Macintosh,” Jonathan says. Mac replies “you bloody well know it! Since you didn't trust me to negotiate I'm done negotiating. We do things my way now.” Mac throws Alex to the ground. Mac steps on Alex with his rifle pointed at him. His finger is on the trigger. “You have a couple of choices Johnny boy,” Mac declares. “If the principal dies before you recover the codes. We're going to lose everything in the station. And who knows when Starfleet will arrive to unlock it. But I don't like the idea of overthrowing the man without him explaining his case either. So I want compromise.”

“How dare you!” Jonathan says clenching his fist. Mac gently squeezes the trigger and asks “so who gave you the order to arrest the principal, council? Well I want their asses out of the station. We can negotiate on my terms. Not Alex's, not yours, mine.” Jonathan watches the video footage of other snipers. Unfortunately Mac is cornered where nobody can get a clean shot. “And if I refuse?” Jonathan asks. “Johnny, you're a reasonable guy,” says Mac. “I know you want the lock downs to end as much as I do. I didn't want to do this either but I had to. If we all can calm down, sit at a table, and have some coffee then we can talk like civilized men. If we need security to prevent a brawl then we'll have it. Alex knows he pissed me off. And I've already talked to him. Before arresting him let the man speak his case.” Jonathan twiddles his thumbs. “You know that is not how the law works,” he says. “Arrests come first. Then you are detained until your are brought to a judge.” Mac chuckles, “yeah, I have the arrest part down if you give me permission. Now we need to see the council.” Jonathan sighs. “The last thing I want is to lose the master code.” Then Jonathan says, “but know this, this gamble will cost you your freedom. Are you prepared to accept this is your last days as a free man?” Under his helmet Jonathan can imagine Mac smirking. “I know what I'm doing. And I know the consequence. As do the rest of the Principal's supporters. You're not going to just fight me. You're going to fight half of the station if things continue like this.” Jonathan takes a moment to think. One of the security colonels speak to Jonathan over the radio. “Our sniper is in position. We have a clean shot. Just say the word. Over.” Jonathan laces his fingers and rests his helmet on his hands. The radio speaks. “General? Are you alright? Please respond.”

Jonathan replies “I am fine. Colonel. Over.”

Jonathan is a man of principal himself. While the lock down has been mixed he knows Alex has his supporters. If he were to take Alex now then he risks a full-on rebellion. It will be civil war at the station. Yet Jonathan knows if he does not then his career as security general is over. The council has made some questionable decisions over the survival of /nasa/ enforcing their grand directive. And yet he knows the Grand Directive must be enforced to protect the planet from exploitation. Jonathan knows the Principal has done everything in his power to make sure the planet does not get exploited. And yet Jonathan also knows that the station will not be space-worthy anytime soon. Jonathan's duty is the security and safety of all Sanalites in /nasa/. Jonathan carefully weighs his options.

Jonathan asks himself “what would Sana in this situation?”

The radio speaks. “Sana would want us to take care of ourselves first.” Its Alex's voice. “That's all I've always wanted for Sanalites. I always have faith that Sanalites can take care of themselves. Even in the lockdowns. That's what I wanted to see. I know what to do with the lock down. I just need someone to listen first.” The colonel's voice is on the radio. “I still have a clean shot. Orders sir? Over.” Jonathan places his hand on his helmet. “They want to talk first. So I'll let them talk. I order everyone to be on stand-by until further orders.” Jonathan tunes into Mac's signal. “What is your way, exactly?” Jonathan asks.

Mac takes a deep breath. He looks around. “I want council and senate to meet us at Mik's café. We're going to sit down, drink some coffee, eat some bread, and talk like civilized men. Its out in the open. Security forces can surround the place and keep everyone safe. Principal's guardsmen will be outside. No weapons allowed. If anyone tries to fist fight then your bouncers will end it. And you can make your arrests accordingly. If you need to taste-test the food then we can do that before the meeting.” Jonathan sighs. “No. We will have the hearing inside the council chambers. You're free to bring coffee and bread to the chambers. I will not compromise on location. We will have the hearing done to the letter of the law.” “Its going to be cold and dark,” Mac comments. Jonathan says “we will use emergency lights and books. And we will conduct the meeting in spacesuits.”

“Fair enough.” Charlie looks to the side. He notices something off in the distance. “Oi Mac!” Mac waves at Charlie to get down. “I know. But I want to know Johnny boy.” Mac takes a deep breath. Then he asks, “who does the Security Forces serve?” Jonathan leans back and replies, “the Security Forces swear an oath to protect and serve the citizens of the station.” Jonathan continues. “The Security Forces are allowed to enforce the law at their own discretion. I have decided that if the Principal is not willing to fight us then we will listen to what he has to say. The Security Forces serve under the executive. But we also must follow orders of the council. As for you Mac, I'm afraid you're heading to the brig. Put the gun down and we won't have to shoot.” Mac's arms begin shaking. He knows his time is up. “If I surrender,” Mac yells. “Do I have your word that Alex will get his fair hearing?” In the distance the sniper readies his shot. Mac can see the laser penetrate his helmet. Jonathan speaks. “You have my word.”

Out of options, Mac tosses his rifle to the side. The Principal's guards also lay down their guns. The Security Forces immediately advance to arrest every man in the vicinity, Charlie and Mac included. Charlie and Mac are hand-cuffed. Then they are kicked to their knees. The relief arrives with armored cars. The Security Forces load up the guardsmen, the principal, Charlie, and Mac inside the cars. Then the vehicles make their way back to the station.