An Unmovable Object Meets An Irresistible Force "
By: Margaret Rose MacAlister , Marine CO, [RNPC]
Pierre D'Aubigne, Flight Control Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58208.13 1000

*** Holodeck Two ***

It was the dead of the night and the only illumination to penetrate the darkness was the occasional flickering street light.=A0MacAlister systematically and silently avoided each of them as the Marine CO made = her way from one patch of cover to the next.=A0=A0=20

The training simulation running was one that she was being graded = on.=A0The objective was to infiltrate the enemy's quarters and recover what was = locked in the safe.=A0 It was a test of stealth, ingenuity, and the ability to = work alone.=A0It also tested her patience and perseverance because often she = had to stay quietly in one position for hours before she'd get the opportunity = to make a move.=A0 It was like the old Terran military game of 'capture the flag'.

Major MacAlister was dressed all in black chamo with a full compliment = of gear tucked on and around her person.=A0Her hair was covered and her = face streaked with black to minimize her skin's reflectivity.=A0She had just penetrated the inner walls of the compound and was skirting her = way=A0towards the main headquarters.

MacAlister didn't notice the outer part of this world rematerialize as Pierre entered dressed in the French drab of 1066 Britain. He arrived = and punched in his command because he saw that the holodeck was open. He = made his way to a horse and mounted it. A mist had swept in and was hugging = the ground. The forest was alive as a tree owl hooted in the distance and = the nocturnal insects chirped away.=20 =A0 He was joined as four other horseman came out of the darkness. "The settlement is not aware of our presence." =A0 "Good. Prepare the men to attack on my command." The four horsemen = nodded and left, leaving Pierre to himself. He turned toward where the four men came from and he broke into a gallop. He raced toward MacAlister's = compound thinking it was the settlement.=20

Madge rounded a corner, keeping to the shadows the building itself cast = upon its face and checked out the immediate area with her NVG=92s, scanning = for any movement.=A0 She rearranged her gear, bringing forward what she=92d need = to breach the window and gain access to the interior of the headquarters, = and once again scanned the floor plans she had, double checking her = position.. =A0 He arrived near the gate and dismounted. he walked across the field and withdrew his broad sword. He lifted it high. "FOR NORMANDY!"

She had been in the process of disarming the alarm when Pierre=92s shout = rang out and disrupted the almost eerie quiet that had descended on the compound.=A0 MacAlister swore softly in Gaelic and ducked back into the shadows as the lights of the compound came on and several torches were lit=85.=A0=20

Torches?=A0 Mac looked around at the torches and then at the broadsword wielding man in the field directly ahead.=A0 Where the hell had that = come from?=A0 It hadn=92t been there a few minutes ago.=A0 And a broadsword?

=93Who goes there?!?=94 came a shout from behind her, causing Madge to = jump deeper into her cover as several armed Federation solders advanced = towards Pierre. =A0 Pierre looked at the approaching soldiers. His first thought was, 'That = Max said she had done my programme according to the parameters. 'But He continued on anyway. =A0 "My name is the Marquis Pierre D'Aubigne Of Lyon and in the name of the Conqueror of the Saxons, I command you to surrender." =A0 The Federation guards laughed. "This is a joke right?" The one remarked. "You'd better be a Klingon brother or else we're gonna kick your ass." =A0 Pierre raised his broadsword. "Prepare to meet your doom." =A0 He was joined by two of his horsemen who withdrew their swords and stood = to face the guards. The other two went round the back to sneak in that way. = One of them noticed MacAlister watching the events. He sneaked up behind her = and stuck a dagger into the back of her neck. "Yield or die?"

=93Th=92 hell ye say!=94=A0 Mac didn=92t take kindly to having a knife = stuck in her neck.=A0 Matter of fact, she took very Unkindly to it.=A0 =93I=92ll = yield,=94 she answered when she felt the point a little more sharply.=A0 Better to get = the dagger out of her neck so she could move than get killed over Scottish stubbornness. =A0 "You'll come with us." The soldier said when he realised that there was no-one around watching them. He grabbed her roughly and shoved her = toward where Pierre was finishing up with the last of the Federation guards. =A0 Pierre looked at his two fallen compatriots and then at the guards, = might annoyed with this programme, but thinking he should keep it. He noticed = the two knights come with a third figure as their prisoner. "The troops are ransacking the southern section sir. And we found this=A0sir." He = pointed. =A0 Pierre walked up to MacAlister and studied her closely. When he realised = it was a woman he turned his face into the air. "Computer, freeze = programme." Everything froze. "What is going on here!?" He shouted.

=93THAT =91tis precisely what I=92d like tae know!=94 Mac advanced on = him, looking like a black thundercloud.=A0 =93Who the hell are ye tae come mucking = around in me simulation?=A0 Now I=92m gonntae need tae start the whole blasted = thing over again.=94=A0 She got right in his face.=A0 =93Did Scotty put ye up tae = this?=94 she asked suspiciously.=A0 It wouldn=92t be the first time Taylor had = tweaked her program to toss something totally off the wall at her. =A0 "Who the hell am I? I should be asking the who the hell are you? I = booked this holodeck and now you running about like some undercover fruit nut messing up my simulation." Pierre took a breather. "And who the hell is Scotty?"

=93Lieutenant Scott Taylor, my TO,=94 she informed him.=A0 =93And *I* = had this holodeck booked for covert infiltration training.=A0 Which ye = ruined.=94=A0 Her Scottish accent deepened when she got riled.=A0 =93I am never going tae = hear the end of this,=94 she declared and placed her hands on her hips, her = fingers strumming lightly along their fronts.=A0=20 =A0 Pierre started to swear in French as he pulled up his robes to find his PADD. He whipped it out finally and shoved it into her face. "Well your infiltration simulation has gone way over time, its now my turn to = conquer this pathetic little Island." His fingers pointing to the Holocron on = the PADD.

MacAlister grabbed his hand before it and the PADD got too close.=A0 She = did glance at it, and then quirked a brow as she carefully turned it back towards him.=A0 =93Aye, it does say ye have the time allocated,=94 she = agreed and let his hand and the PADD go.=A0 =93But then I have a PADD that says the = same thing about my time.=A0 I=92m nae even half way through my = simulation.=A0 And this=85=94 she waved to their combined programs.=A0 =93Should nae be = happening.=94 =A0 "There I would have to agree with you." Pierre said as he put away his PADD.=A0"And what is really strange=A0is that the computer told me this = holodeck was open."

=93Aye well now=85=A0 And the computer has us =85. Mingled.=A0 So I = dinnae think I=92ll be trusting anything it says till =91tis checked out properly,=94 she = announced decisively.=A0 =93And me program that yers has infiltrated,=94 she added = for good measure.

"I think we need to pay somebody a visit who can help clear up this = little matter." Pierre said. "Shall we go pay her a visit?"

=93Who might that be?=94 MacAlister asked curiously. =A0 "The computer boffin with that=A0little Krystal=A0fairy of hers. I = believe that this is her forte."

=93A fae?=A0 Ach now, =91tis naught possible.=A0 The little folk dinnae = exist,=94 she assured him.=A0 =93=92Tis a myth.=94 =A0 "That=92s what I thought." Pierre stated. "Till recently that is. I = think we go visit her and get her to clean up our programmes and see what just happened and why I saw that this holodeck was open."

=93Aye,=94 MacAlister nodded.=A0 =93Might as well.=A0 I=92ll have tae = reschedule my test tae another time anyway.=A0 I cannae finish it like this,=94 she waved a = very descriptive hand to encompass the frozen program. "Let's be off then," = she nodded and turned to head out the arch after calling for it.