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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 2473717" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Total Escape" - Part 14Archie scuttles along the corridor, a crude syringe strapped to his back.  Abruptly, the tiny robot skids to a halt and skitters up the wall.  As he presses himself into the corner of the wall and ceiling, there is the sound of heavy footfalls, and then two Targ soldiers walk across the shot, each holding a disruptor at the ready.Archie sags down in relief, then scuttles down to the floor and along the corridor once more, until he reaches a plain grey door.  A keypad with alien symbols is set into the wall beside this door.  Archie swiftly clambers up to it.  Clamping himself in position, he extrudes a wire into the pad.  There is a soft sequence of beeps, lights flicker on the pad, and then the door hisses open.Archie scurries inside, and door slides shut behind him.We switch perspectives to Fury's cell, where the Captain is lying on his bunk, idly whistling a jaunty tune and tossing a small ball up and down in the air."Psssst, Captain." Gustav says in what he obviously believes is a whisper, "How long has it been since Archie left?""Not more than a couple of hours, Doc." Fury's breaks off from whistling to softly reply. "He said the Targ weren't due to replace their suits' food supplies until tomorrow morning.  That's a good eight hours off, yet.  You'll just have to hang loose until then.""Zat is easier said zan done, Captain Fury."Fury rolls his eyes,"You just need to lie there, Doc.  I know it's uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be too difficult.  What's the problem?"Gustav's whisper rises a plaintive half-octave,"I need to use ze little scientist's room."Mercifully, the camera cuts away once more.This time we go to S'Ondra, who lies on her bunk in the prisoner barracks.  Like Fury, she lies on her back, but unlike him she is still and silent, staring unblinkingly at the ceiling above.Light splashes onto the Princess from the window beside her, and as we watch that light begins to fade, the shot darkening until S'Ondra's skin is tinged with midnight blue, then slowly lightens again as the red flare of dawn creeps over her.Throughout it all, the Princess does not blink.Without warning, S'Ondra sits upright, slides off the bunk, and strides across the room.  Not sparing a glance for the vacant-faced Venusians lying on beds around her, she opens the door slightly and peers out.  Two Targ can be seen wandering aimlessly in the open, disruptors listlessly hanging from their hands.  The Princess gives a grim look of satisfaction, then slips out of the door and dashes across to the nearest Targ.  The alien invader barely seems to notice her until she rears back and smashes him down with a sweeping kick.  Scooping up the fallen disruptor, she turns to the second of the pair: who stands watching her silently, while swaying slightly.  A crushing blow with the butt of the gun, and this Targ too is sprawled on the ground.The seizure of the camp continues to go smoothly.  The Targ are found sprawled listlessly at their posts, or shambling quietly about in the guard barracks.  In fact, the only difficulty arises when the space adventurers discuss what to do with their currently docile captives."We can't just kill them all in cold blood." S'Ondra admits, "No matter how much we might want to.""But we can't just leave them." Fury nods his agreement, "If one of them recovered and called in air support before we got to the caves, all these Venusians would be mowed down like corn in a field."Archie has a solution."We can replenish the food dispensers in their suits with sedated supplies before we leave." He suggests, "That way they will remain docile and not undertake any action for the next three days.  Even though our larger group will make slower time going back to the caves, we should be safely under cover before the alarm is raised.""Provided none of the other Targ come to check out the camp in the mean time.""I should be able to do somezing about zat.  I have checked ze Targ computers and ze commandant is required to make a status report every twenty-seven point six hours.  It should not be too difficult to fabricate a false message vich vill broadcast on schedule stating zat as is well.""Sounds like a plan, Doc." Fury nods approvingly, then frowns, "Why every twenty-seven point whatever hours?""I believe zat is the length of a standard Targ day." Gustav conjectures, "Certainly zat is ze cycle on which ze Targ mothership is operating.""Okay, go ahead and set that up, Doc.  Archie, S'Ondra and I will get the Venusians ready to travel.""Actually …" Gustav clears his throat, "Zere was one ozzer matter I wished to raise.  I would like to take ze Targ Head Scientist back to ze caves with us.""What?" S'Ondra looks at her step-father in confusion, "But … why?""Got yourself a girlfriend, Doc?" Fury jests, laughing at the thought.  Unnoticed on the floor, Archie whimpers and tries to burn out his own memory codex."Not at all!" Gustav protests a little too much, "However, she is ze first Targ we have encountered who seems to deviate at all from zere standard doctrine and beliefs.  Also, she has advanced knowledge of Targ physiology.  We should be able to learn a lot from her.""How are we going to get her to talk, Doc?  Space Force doesn't go in for torture.""I will zink of something.""Okay." Fury shrugs, "But she's your responsibility, Doc."Next time, on "Q-Ship" ..."The crew of the Pathfinder have rescued the Venusians, but Doctor Gustav's new prisoner proves to be a serpent in their new Eden:"We see the Targ Head Scientist, in full encounter suit, as she stands at the bars to a crudely-made cell."You're a failure." She rails, "A fool!  None of your companions need or respect you!  Just look at how they treat you!"Fury barges past the Doctor, carrying a large box in his hands.S'Ondra hurries away when she sees her step-father approach."You're the reason they're all stuck here!  It's your fault!  Your fault!  You fool!"Gustav, looking haggard and broken, buries his face in his hands.And then a blue radiance falls upon him, and he looks up into the light as a glowing figure offers him her hand."Join us next time, on Q-Ship, when Doctor Gustav experiences:  A Venusian Christmas Carol."</blockquote>

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