The Poseidon House Mystery - Part 2

Posted on Tuesday December 6th, 2022 @ 1:53pm by Commander Sam Perkins & Captain Franklin Johnson & Lieutenant Commander Ky'la De'Lenn & Lieutenant Commander Paul Sharpe & Lieutenant Commander Michael Stevens & Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hirsch & Lieutenant Commander T'Pri & Lieutenant Miles O'Connell & Lieutenant Commander Kicil Priadden
Edited on on Tuesday December 6th, 2022 @ 1:54pm

2,990 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Concluding Affairs
Location: USS Poseidon; Deck 5 - Holodeck
Timeline: Current

[ON]

- Poseidon house: Reception area -

The laughter stopped. Leaving an eerie silence behind. The cat who had hissed at them returned. Was it Sam’s imagination? Or did the feline look more menacing than before? Sam took a step back as the piano music restarted as well as the woman crying.

“ So What now?” Sam asked

Calm as normal Sharpe looked at Sam "well Samuel, you have really outdone yourself on this program, you managed to find a way to make things more real by adding a supernatural haunting of the holodeck, nice job old man" Sharpe said with small smile which was unusual for him in such instances as he stepped forward and looked around making sure to avoid the angry looking moggy, he looks at O'Connell "Miles, correct me if I am in error, but did I not read somewhere, once a former Starship Captain and some of their crew who were stuck in a similar event on their holodeck, managed to get someone behind the holographic images?" Sharpe asked.

“ I didn’t write this! A good friend of mine from Earth wrote it. If anything your engineers has done something to the holodeck! “ Sam said

*Looking at Sam blandly* "None of my engineers knew this program existed Sam, so please mind who you blame, but we must be open-minded as to why events like this are happening" Sharpe said.

"Chief, you are very correct," O'Connell replied. "There was a case where the holodeck went off-kilter and locked them in the program and the safeties were somehow disabled. But I believe that the captain and crew of that ship were caught in the holodeck due to a scan from an alien vessel. But they could not access any control panels within the grid and depended upon the outside crew to figure out they were trapped and get them out before it was too late."

"I am thinking that all this is just light energy encased in energy fields to give them solidity, now as we are technically in a small room, the program fools our senses that we are in a bigger space, but if we could and one of us could be propelled fast enough to one of the hidden walls, we should be able to get behind in a sense of the holographic walls and get to the maintenance panel, of course for that to work we would need someone like the late Commander Data to throw one of us fast enough to get past the holographic force fields that hold the holograms together. Do you think it would be possible Miles?" Sharpe asked his Deputy Chief.

"Sir, you do make a valid point and if someone was able to get past the sensor grid and actually get to the access panel they would need to know just what to trigger to make the program end," O'Connell replied. "I am not sure anyone here could propel any of us fast enough. However, I do think if we all scattered in opposite directions, the grid would likely not be able to compute all of our random actions and thus one of us may have a chance of being slipped into the buffer area behind the holographic projections and getting physical contact with the actual wall. Also, all of you need to know that if any of you can achieve finding the maintenance hatch, you need to enter in the kill code of nine alpha two two four delta zero' and that will trigger the holo grid to deactivate."

"It is worth a try, if that fails, we could also do what the Terrans used to call the 'Airplane' game and have the strongest of us take the lightest of us and twirl around and release the individual, centripetal force will take over from there," replied Kicil. "Whatever we do I have a feeling I will be bandaging up some 'dings' from it."

Just then a child’s laughter could be heard. It echoed off the walls and then ended in a blood-curdling scream. That was cut short.

Hirsch rubbed at his sore nose. “Would not solving the puzzle be best? The program wishes us to play along with it. The playing piano music to which I don’t know the tune. The old lady laughing, the child laughing. The scream of terror. Something happened. The rake. What if we use the rake to dig up one of the old graves in the front yard? It might reveal us a clue.” Hirsch regarded the rake.

"We would risk injury if we are not careful, but a rake will not do a good job digging," O'Connell replied. "I am all for figuring out how to get out of here regardless of finishing the program or not. Something is not right and we need to play it as safe as we can until the exit is possible."

"Remember, when one eliminates the possible, whatever remains however improbable must be the truth, but I agree we need to find us a way out of here regardless of finishing the program or not," Sharpe said blandly.

“ I have heard that before……Sherlock Holmes. So let’s see…..we are trapped in a representation of a haunted house ghost story. Somehow the program is jammed and will only end. Once we solve this mystery plus the safety is off. According to the story, the lady of the house and her sickly child were killed. In a robbery that had gone wrong. However, there was talk that the father and husband killed the child. With the intention of replacing him with a stronger child look alike. The mother tried to stop him and was killed to keep her silence. So we need…….” Sam said

“ This Is a lie outsider a lie!!!” Said a male voice that echoed through the room.

"one thing I want to know is where is the Kitchen," replied Micheal looking back at the rest of the party, as he knew that it was always the guy in yellow that got taken and he didn't want it to be him.

The Captain stood in the back of the grouping, watching with some concern and trepidation. He was, however, highly impressed with his crew and observed them astutely.

"Okay if we are going to play this out, then I strongly urge we all stay together. I believe in the old Terran horror movies it was when the group split up that the worst things got," replied Kicil, with a bit of trepidation.

"Then show us your truth! Show us that the outsiders are liars. All of us!"

Hirsch could not help himself but bellow back to the house of horrors, as it told its tale. Calvin had no idea up until this point, that Sam said there was a story to it all.

*Looks at Kicil* "Actually in the old movies, the horror ones, it was usually the comic relief or the designated Movie Extra in the group that was the first to go should the group they was with decide to split up, then it moved to Cheerleaders and female Co-eds like in the Scream Movies of old. But this type of mystery is a Policeman/woman's nightmare, having to contend with a haunted house and solve a mystery, and this is why I feel like a character from Mystery Inc" Sharpe said.

As if answering Hirsch’s shout. A glowing form of a small child appeared on the stairs. It pointed a shaky hand towards the upstairs landing. Suddenly a look of utter fear crossed the child’s face and it fled. As a body-less hand swiped at it.

The sound of a tiny scream rang out.“ Noooooooooo”

Maybe it was just a feeling or maybe it was the eerie sounds from the house that made Ky'La uncomfortable. But the sight of the ghostly figure and the tiny scream, "Amnitity Ville Horror! The 21st-century horror movie....oh my god we are in it. Remember the house had a story? Could it be that this program might be playing parts from that movie?" she said shakily and wide-eyed at this point.

“Amityville Horror.” Hirsch winced his eyes. “Please don’t say that movie.” Hirsch cringed.

"I certainly hope the walls don't start bleeding, I am an engineer because I don't like blood," O'Connell replied. "I would be so happy if we could not talk about that movie, the real story it is based upon chills the deepest part of me and I don't want to think of it anymore."

Kicil looked at Hirsch "Well the sight of blood doesn't bother me, nor any other 'horrors' inflicted upon the body of a being. As for this 'Amnitiy Horror', should I look it up in the database like the 'Mystery Inc.'?" She was curious to know, and while she did feel a little trepidation, her curiosity got the better of her, plus she was raised by Vulcans, and she learned to control her emotions a long time ago.

"I have seen my wife bloodied enough, so much that seeing blood will not bother me, shame this could not have been a comedy!" Sharpe said as he followed the others deeper into the house.

Hirsch contemplated the situation. He didn’t know what to do or where to go, as again, the holodeck took hold of them all captured. “I wish it were as simple as accessing the sub-routine manager in one of the scene scripts, but we don’t have that access.” He stated, placing his hands at his side.

"Maybe," the Captain suggested softly, "we should instead go along with the script. Play it out. See where it goes?"

“ I agree with Captain. It’s clear the master of the house. Was involved in his son and wife’s murder. We already have a clue. That child was pointing towards the upstairs. Our problem is with safety. Will the ghost of the master allow us or will we be his new victims.?” Sam asked

From the floor above their heads. Loud thuds could be heard. Then an even cackle ran out. Followed by a woman screaming.

“ Mercy…….mercy……no…..”

Kicil looked up the stairs "Well standing here is not getting us anywhere. Let's proceed up the stairs. We will watch each other's backs and figure this 'mystery' out. Unless anyone else has a better suggestion?"

Well, one thing bothered Ky'La, the fact she could not sense anything other than her crew mates. "I don't like not sensing anything. The crew yes but that's all. Most unnerving and worry some" she added.

"I will watch your back, Kicil. We have to do something and moving out of this room would be a good start." Miles replied to Kicil's statement.

"Don't worry love, I'm here," replied Micheal as he put an arm around Ky'La waist he knew his Imzadi knew that he would look after her, He asked " So, What are we going to do?"

"I do not mind admitting that the heckles on my neck are raised" *looks at Sam* "Your friend really likes horror holos I seem but was the simulation planned to malfunction?" He asked Perkins.

Hirsch rolled his eyes. This was the first time he had moved his eyes in a week. He placed his hands at his side with his large yard rake to use as a weapon. “Well. If the police officer usually succumbs to the first death, I will die finding another clue or something to end this all.” Hirsch took his first few steps forward up the rickety unvarnished old staircase, his head watching from above.

Walking the stairs upwards, he could now view the downstairs from his angle. “Funny. It looks like something has been boarded up behind a doorway up here, in the second-floor hallway.” He called from the upstairs bannister now.

Even knowing that this was a holo program, did not remove the raised neck hairs on his neck, Sharpe wondered why people liked horrors, there were scary things in the universe, and there was no need to relive past fads, but people liked it, personally Paul preferred thrillers or war themed holos, but he remained silent for the moment.

Sam followed Calvin upstairs. He was just about to look at what his friend had found. When a black cat sat down in front of him. There was something odd about its eyes. Cats had two different types of irises either horizontal diamond shape or round. This one had human-looking eyes. Filled with hate.

Perkins moved backwards.

Too late.

The cat sprang at him impelling its claws into Sam’s leg. Perkins could see the stairs loom in front of him. But he managed to twist away as the cat held on. Hissing like a snake. Then a bizarre dance began with Sam trying to free the feline from his leg. But the more he hop and pushed at the thing. The more its claws dug in. Sam finally got the thing off his leg. But lost his balance and crashed through the boarded-up doorway. Rotting wood and centuries of dust enveloped him.

“ Ouch…” Sam moaned

"Sam!" cried the Captain in alarm. He rushed over, looking at the hole where he had fallen through. "Sam! Are you okay?! Hold on, I'll try to find something to get down to you!"

Franklin looked around, noticing the long drapes on the windows. He tore them off, creating a makeshift rope that turned out to be surprisingly strong. He then called the crew over to help as he lowered it down the hole.

"Grab on!" he cried down, then added, "if you're able!"

Perkins tried but he was pinned down by some debris.

"I don't think he can captain. I'll go... it's like repelling down a mountainside. Something I am good at. Once I reach him I can get him on and you can pull him up than me," Ky'La said...

Franklin looked at Ky'La intensely for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, I'll hold the line," he said as he firmly wrapped the makeshift rope made of curtains and held on.

"Perhaps I should also go with you commander so that I can assess for injuries before we move him. I am familiar with free repelling techniques; I have done some on Vulcan," replied Kicil

Calvin watched from his perch, noticing that the black cat had a collar on it. He tugged at the collar using his rake, and the cat vehemently hissed in protest. “You little bugger!” Hirsch regarded the Cat.

“What’s your name?” He tugged on the leash with a name tag.

Sam looked around. He could see the remains of a ladder nearby. As his eyes became accustomed to the gloom. Perkins noticed he was in some kind of windowless room. There were shelves full of books surrounding the walls. If he had been an inch further. He would have hit a large ornate desk.

“ Guys…..this is some kind of secret room. There is a great big desk in here.” He called out.

As Paul entered the room, his interest was piqued "okay, now I am suddenly interested, in a room with no windows and only one door and no sign of ventilation and a large ornate desk, there has to be a hidden room in this place" Sharpe said.

Kicil sighed, then spoke out to Lieutenant Commander Sam Perkins "Commander are you able to move your fingers and toes?" She was going to have to assess his injuries from afar until Lieutenant Commander Ky'la De'Lenn either got him up or requested her help.

“ Well I am pinned down but yes my wiggly bits are still wiggling,” Sam said

Franklin remained at the top, holding the line down and watching his crew perform their duties - rather professionally! He was very proud of them, giving off a little smile. There was a tinge of concern, for sure, but ultimately he knew they had things under control. Oddly, however, he kept feeling breathing on his neck. He looked behind him, seeing no one, and shrugged it off as nothing.

Slowly behind the Captain, two misty forms began to take shape. A rather sad but beautiful woman holding the hand of a little boy. She floated past Johnson and pointed downwards. Then she vanished but the child remained. Suddenly he floated back a few steps as if in fear and vanished.

“The solution must be down here,” Sam said looking at the desk.

“Is there anything on your desk, notes? There is a rather large ornate-looking notepad on your desk, there is some scribing on it. Can you read it out, Sam?” Hirsch shucked the cat off the rake he was holding to the side.

Hirsch then lent down the rake to use as leverage to help pull up Sam from the opened room. “Here is the rake, minus the cat. We can attach a sling to it to help bring up Sam!” Cal had called. He stood at the side of the hole in the flooring his shoulders readying to pull.

Franklin, to his credit, remained stationary despite the ghostly apparitions! When they vanished, he simply nodded at Sam, then looked to where they pointed. He then watched as Hirsch began to help Sam, and so he went to help Hirsch and readied himself to pull as well.

[OFF]

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....To be continued in the final chapter.....

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Captain Franklin Johnson
Commanding Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Commander Sam Perkins
Chief Science officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Commander Paul Sharpe
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Comander T'Pri
3rd Officer/Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Poseidon


Lieutenant Miles O'Connell
Assistant Chief Engineer
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Kicil Priadden
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lt. Commander Calvin Hirsch
Chief of Security
USS Poseidon

&
LT Cmdr Micheal Stevens
Chief Ops
USS Poseidon

&
Lt Cmdr Ky'La De'Lenn
Chief Flight Officer
USS Poseidon

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