Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 16:35:11 -0700 (MST) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Coup d'etat - Chapter 7 Message-ID: Chapter 7: Paranoia 0800 hours came quietly as Ziggy ran on her normal course. Gushie walked into the Control Room with a frown. Behind him was Al and Tina, both dressed conservatively. Al was in his dress uniform, minus cap and gloves; he didn't want to have to change his clothes after Beth finished her inspection and both of them went to D.C. for the announcement. Tina was in a simple white jumpsuit and lab coat which, Al thought, made her look a lot like Gushie's twin, since Gushie was usually seen dressed completely in white just as he was that day. "I can't seem to find anything wrong with her," Gushie said as he entered the room. "I think maybe she's sick." "Sick?" Al asked. "Don't tell me we have to bring Beth and Dan down here to look at her," he half-joked. "This is serious, Al," Tina told him. "It's not like Ziggy to act this way." "Why?" Al asked. "What has she done this time?" Gushie laughed slightly. "We're lucky we're not on Level Four or some other level." He went to Ziggy's console and touched a flat square block on its surface. "Good morning, Ziggy," he greeted. "It has only been an hour since you last contacted me, Dr. Conelf," Ziggy replied to the greeting. "I do not see why you wished me good morning." "You don't sound like your usual cheerful self, Ziggy," Al commented. "Having problems with your systems?" "I'll say," Tina muttered. "A lot of systems have crashed. It'll probably take us a week to get them all back on line." She shrugged helplessly. "I can't tell you what she'll do." "Is it as bad as when she crashed in '96?" Al asked. "You know half the staff went on vacation then because Ziggy made their paychecks a few extra zeros too large." "We have no idea," Gushie said honestly. "All we can really do is get her back on line as soon as possible and hope for the best." Al turned to the blue ball that hung over the main control console. "Well, Ziggy, what do you think? You've been unusually quiet through all of this." There was a long silence before Ziggy spoke. "Admiral, I can't rest." "What do you mean you can't rest?" Al questioned as Verbina Beeks and Donna Elesee entered the Control Room. "Al," Donna spoke out, "what's the matter with the elevator? Verbina and I were on our way to Level Five and we wound up here." Tina gave Al an "I told you so" shrug. Al sighed at Tina's gesture and returned his attention to Ziggy. "Well?" "There's something very wrong," Ziggy insisted. "But I'm afraid I don't know what it is." "This wouldn't happen to be related to the supposed breaks in your system?" Al questioned. "I checked out your fears this morning and the record shows that there never was a break in your system." "Breaks in the system," Gushie repeated to himself. He looked at Tina who, understanding what Gushie was thinking, nodded. "Of course!" Tina exclaimed. "What?" Al questioned, hating being left in the dark. "Admiral," Gushie told him. "Ziggy didn't just now crash. She crashed a couple of weeks ago and we're only now getting the whole picture." He hesitated. "Well, crash isn't exactly the proper word for it..." "Gushie," Al interrupted. "Just explain." "The little problems we've been having with her for the past couple of weeks," Tina explained. "Donna's computer going down, Ziggy's uncooperativeness, the reduction of staff..." "The what?" Al asked. "People going on vacation," Donna told him. "Didn't you notice?" "I noticed," Al replied. "But what does it have to do with Ziggy?" Donna frowned and walked closer to Al. "She's been giving many of the staff extra vacation time. Not a lot to be noticeable but still enough that many people decided to go on vacation." "She's been doing odd things all month," Tina told them. "It's just that she's done them so subtly thatwe haven't noticed her doing those odd things." "Would all of this explain her paranoia about having her security breached?" Al questioned. Gushie nodded. "Yes, it would. It would also explain her shocking you when you questioned her." Verbina's and Donna's eyes widened in astonishment. "She shocked you?" Verbina exclaimed. Al waved her off. "It wasn't much. She didn't cause me to fly the friendly skies, if that's what you're worried about." Al shook his head. "I just can't see why she's being so paranoid." "I am not paranoid!" Ziggy complained. Al gave a rueful smile. "Verbina?" Verbina nodded knowingly but she was obviously not pleased. "I know. I'll talk to her." "In the meantime," Al added, turning to Tina and Gushie, "try to get everything back on line. I think we'll all feel better around here if we actually get off the elevator on the right level." "Right away, Admiral," Gushie answered. He and Tina started working. Al turned to Donna. "Since I'm going your way, let me escort you to your office." Donna smiled slightly. "If you insist, Admiral." Al started to lead Donna to the elevator. He looked over his shoulder at Verbina as his walked. "Do what you can for her, Doc." Verbina shook her head, looking at the blue incandescent sphere hanging over the control console. "Computers are worse than people." "You've done it before," Al shouted a reminder. "Don't remind me," Verbina muttered under her breath and began her counselling the egotistical computer. ***************** "No! No! No!" Colonel Stewart screamed at the troops. "Teamwork, people! Teamwork! We have to get this right the first times because there won't be a second!" He looked at his watch and shook his head. "Attention!" he ordered. The men straightened and stood stiffly before him. He glared at his men before raising a short range radio to his lips. "Stewart to Base." "This is Base," the commander replied over the radio. "Go ahead." "Mission aborted," Stewart told him. "Team five captured." The man sighed. "That's the second time, Colonel." "It won't happen again," the Colonel assured him, looking evilly at his men. "It's time to wrap it up," the commander told him. "All teams report in." Stewart's team started to move. "Hold it right there!" Stewart yelled. "But, sir," one answered. "His orders..." "...were to me," Stewart interrupted. "I am your commanding officer and I order you to stay right where you are." He raised his radio again. "Stewart to Base. It's obviously my men need a little more practice. With your permission, we'll report after we've completed practice." "Permission granted, Colonel. You're not the only one who has made such a request. You only have five hours, though. We leave at 1700." Stewart turned to his men with a glare. "We are going to go through this over and over until you get it right. Only then can you take a break, even if that means right up to the very minute we depart. Five minutes!" he told them in a disappointed voice. "It took you five minutes! Do you know what that means? By now, we would have been captured by the enemy and the mission would be a complete failure!" He could see how embarrassed they were.. "Now, from the top, people!" he ordered. The troops moved into position and started the drill all over again. *************** "Come on, Ziggy," Verbina coaxed. "Talk to me." "Something is very wrong," Ziggy insisted. "What is wrong?" Verbina asked. Ziggy hesitated. "Despite Admiral Calavicci's assurances, I am certain that someone has breached my security." "Why do you say that?" Verbina pressed gently. Ziggy was silent. Verbina walked around Ziggy's control console and gently laid her hand on the brightly colored surface. "Ziggy?" she pressed gently. "I'm afraid," Ziggy admitted. "There have been too many odd coincidences. They must all somehow be connected." There was a pause. "I have some important information for Admiral Calavicci." "What is it?" "I have been monitoring the police band. I'm afraid they have found the rest of Admiral Fairbanks' body." Verbina closed her eyes and leaned against the control console. "I think we'll take this up again later. I'll go tell Al the news. Where is he?" "Admiral Calavicci is in the infirmary, visiting Dr. Calavicci." "Thank you," Verbina replied as she headed towards the Control Room door. "Dr. Beeks?" Ziggy interrupted her walk. "Yes, Ziggy?" Verbina asked. "I'm afraid I have more bad news," Ziggy started. "Admiral Fairbanks' right hand is missing." "So was his right eye," Al muttered without thinking upon hearing Verbina's news. "What?" Verbina whispered in shock. Beth looked absolutely horrified. Al sighed, regretful that he had said anything. He sat down on a nearby infirmary bed and motioned Verbina and Beth to do the same. "The coroner's report showed that his right eye was missing. The state of his skull indicated that it shouldn't have been." Verbina frowned. "Why would anyone want to remove his hand and his eye?" "I don't know," Al said quietly. "I just want the sicko who killed him behind bars." He paused. "Was there anything else you wanted to tell me? How's Ziggy?" Verbina shook her head. "I just can't seem to get through to her. Something's bothering the hell out of her but she won't talk about it. I don't think she even knows what it is." "Well, keep at her," Al told her. "One thing about Ziggy is that she eventually opens up." Verbina sighed. "I wish it were sooner than later. It's not even past noon and I'm already exhausted." Al laughed slightly. "Good luck," he told her. Verbina left the infirmary to return to the Control Room while Al stood up. He went to Beth and hugged her. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm okay. Just a little frightened about what happened to Bill." She returned his hug. "I think I need a break." Al nodded. "No one said being a Surgeon General would be easy." Beth gave a firm glare. Al nodded again. "Let's go to the cafeteria and get you some coffee. Okay? It might help." Beth nodded. She stood up and allowed herself to be escorted to the cafeteria. ------------------------ We really do appreciate your support. Don't worry. It does gain speed. Rob and Kat Freymuth