BY

RICHARD COTTON

“Come in red one. Can you hear me?. This is Eagle leader to red one, can you hear me?”

Captain Alan Green’s face showed a deep worry as what can back to him was radio static. Drips of sweat rolled down from his brown crew cut hair down the side of his helmet on to his Fawn coloured flight suit.

“Eagle leader. This is Captain Van Gloft from the Eastern wing of the Kestrel patrol,”“Great someone at last,”“We are from the rescue patrol what can we do fro you?”

“I thought no one would hear me,”

“Ok can it and tell us your problem,”“I was on patrol with red one from the Fomalhaut galaxy system. We had reached this location when we lost red one,”

“What part are you in?”“Sector 5043-3709,”“How the hell can you lose a spacecraft in that sector,”

This was a younger voice one of a lady. Alan thought he should know who it was, but he couldn’t put a finger on it.

“Maria. J. Smith I presume?” Van spoke.

“Yes it is, but just call me Maria,”

Maria banked the small black craft on to a heading for the Fomalhaut system. To her left flow anther small black craft like her own, which was following her every move.

“Lieutenant Young,”“Yes Captain,” Replied Tel Young. He had his brown jacket on with all the regalia for the patrol they were part of.

Maria let her long brown hair fall down on to the same coloured jacket that had captain pips on to show her rank. The badge on her left pocket was faded but still showed the badge of the Kestrel Patrol.

“Please can you send a message to Commander Harris of Pipit base informing him that we are heading into the Fomalhaut system, and make sure he sends us some back up units pronto,”“Right away Captain,”“Remember just call me Maria,”“I’ll try to Maria,”

Some distance away on the Pipit base two men walked together heading up to the control room. The taller of the two wore a Gray suit of Captain and the shorter a red suit of newcomer.

“Look Dex straiten that strapping up or Commander Harris will put you on report for five weeks,”Richard Maxamillion tried to speak softly to the young man that walked with him as he was like that when he joined.

“Yes sir. I will do my best not to show you up,” Dexter Green looked up into the soft brown eyes of the tall man that some people called ‘Tiger’ as a nick name.

Richard looked down to his hip and quickly adjusted the holster that held his pulse gun. He stopped forcing Dexter to stopped as well when the inter-com blasted into life.

“Can Major Marianna Olenea and Captain Richard Maxamillion report to the opps room right away,”

Richard tutted out loud

“Son you make your way back to the training room for now,”“Yes sir,”

Richard watched him receding down the corridor before turning to head for the operations room. He reached the nearest turbo lift. He stepped in and pressed the button for floor 2, which was on floor below the deck where commander Harris had his offices. The lift whisked him up quickly. Soon he stepped out into the long corridor and turned to the right. This led to the opps room. He walked through the sliding door into a large open room that had a long table to the right side. A row of seats to the left and a wall with a screen on. He saw Commander Black sat at the table his gold one piece suit making his short red hair look brighter. Stood to his left looking down at the top of the table stood the tall lean figure of Marianna Olenea her black long hair draped down to the waist of her black one piece suit. He could see that they were looking at a three-d hologram. Inside there was stars moving. Richard notice the red strap that went from her left shoulder down over her pert breast to the belt around her waist.

“So what you are saying is that one of the Eagle patrol has been lost in the Fomalhaut system,”

“This isn’t the first one to be lost in that system sir,” Marianna spoke softly.

“I know that, but in the Fomalhaut system this is twice as bad,”

“Err. Excuse me, but what is going on?” Richard asked.

“One of the Eagle patrol has been lost in the Fomalhaut system,”“Who was it sir?”“A man called El Crambie red one wing man for Eagle patrol. This is the third one to disappear in that system in three days,”

“Why do we risk our people out there for sir?”

“The Earth government imports raw minerals form the fourth planet back to Earth. Its ores that ran out on our planet years ago,”

Maria felt the slim black craft head towards the inner planets past the seventh one, which was a large gas giant like that of Jupiter, but this one had green and blue stripes. With a large orange spot tornado.

“What date do we have on the forth planet then Tel?”“What data we have shows that he planet is a class two m type, with oxygen breathing carbon life forms like most planets. Silicon, Gold and Zinc are plentiful,”“How does the third planet look?”“It’s the same size as the fourth, but it has more Quartz, Basalt with sulphur breathing life forms. No data…. There’s a small prob,”

Maria looked over to the other craft.

“Is there a problem Tel?”“It’s nothing Maria,”

“Come on Tel. There is something wrong and your not telling me,”Maria looked down to her controls when she felt the craft start to drift off the preset course.

“Tel reply, Tel reply now,”

Back at the base Commander Black looked up form the long table into Richard’s brown eyes.

“Tiger we have bigger problems than the disappearances,”“What would they be?”“There is a planed high profile visit to the fourth planet in the Fomalhaut system,”“Who is going there?”“King William the fourth, President Ford and the Rescue team founders Daniel and Mandy Green,”“What do they want to do out there?”“There is plans to set up a rescue base out in the system,”“When is that going to happen sir?”“It’s planed for it to happen in two weeks time,”

Maria felt the craft nose dive into the thicker atmosphere, then she blacked out when the g force became to high.

“Captain I have found us a site to land,”Maria opened her eyes again. Once her vision cleared she could high hills covered in a thick grass passing under her craft.

“Ugh. What happened Tel?”“I think our craft have been taken down to the planet by a tractor beam,”“Who would do that?”“I think it might be the Zarg’s sir” Richard looked around the table and squared his shoulders.

“Does this mean that you sending some of the Kestrel patrol in to the system?”“We have two of our crew out there now Tiger. But I think we will need and some more to be ready to leave as soon as you can,”

“Are you coming Major Orelnea?”“Yes I will be. And call me Marianna please,”“Right now go and get your craft ready you two,”“On it sir,”Richard saluted the commander. Turned and started to head for the lunch bay of the base. Marianna walking along side him. He found turbo lift that he could use to get him down to the area he wanted. He pressed the button for level 10 where the hanger deck was located. The lift went down quickly. Whilst it was Richard sized up his companion. She was fairly tall, but slim her red on piece suit pulled tightly over her breast. She had her brown hair tied back with a long pony tail that fell to the middle of her shoulders. She had hazel eyes that look very intelligently at all around her. Her soft breathing was all that he could her in the lift. Soon it stopped and the door slid open to revel a large noisy deck full of spacecraft of different sizes. Richard could see the crews that looked after the craft busy on a small two man scout craft. Then he saw flight commander Charles Harris walking towards him.

“What do you need Max?”“I am going into the Fomalhaut system and need a two man craft that has some speed with it. Then I need Captain Eric Blenbould to ready the destroyer U.K Avon,” Marianna replied before Richard could get a word in.Charles look at her with his blue eyes.

“Will that be a full team sir?”“Yes and including professor Xi Long . Tell them all this is no joy ride,”“Ok. Follow me and I well get you that scout craft,”Marianna and Richard followed the short well built man towards the right side of the hold. There they could see a sleek black craft. It was pointed at the nose end and went almost straight to the tail. It don’t look like it would hold anyone, but it did. It sat on four squat lending legs waiting for take off. On its side there was the emblem of the Kestrel patrol. Commander Harris pressed a button on the port side of the craft and the canopy slid back to revel two foam forming seats in the cockpit. A small ladder popped out from the hull so that they could climb up into the seats with in. Mariana climbed up into the front. Richard climbed up afterwards to ease him self into the back seat.

“Can you please take it ease Marianna, or you will lose the support you need around here,”“Sure thing Max,” Marianna paused then added “But I can look after myself thank you,”“Sure you can, but there is still need for tact sometimes,”“I believe in discipline Max. And some need to be reminded,”

“You do know that the team is a laid back attitude to how things are done,”

“I’ll keep that in mind,”

Marianna took the helmet offered from commander Harris and slipped over he hair making sure she tucked it all in. Richard took the other helmet and put it on over his short brown hair and adjusted the chin strap to feel comfortable.

“are you going to be alright back there ‘Tiger’,” Marianna stressed the word to make sure Richard knew that she was using his nick name as a weapon.

“I will be just dandy ‘Major’. Just make sure you fly right and no fancy stuff,”

“Sure thing Tiger. What ever you say,”

Richard went through his flight checks making sure all the computers were on, has did Mariana.

“Right lest see if Captain Blenbould is ready,” Marianna said turning on the inter ship communications.

Richard saw the face of a young man with short blonde hair and pale blue eyes appear on the internal view screen.

“Captain Blenbould are you set up for hyper jump yet?” Marianna asked.

“All system are green and ready for lift off sir,” Eric’s deep Norwegian voice rang around the small cockpit.

“Right ready for lunch and program flight for Fomalhaut,”

Maria felt her craft slow down. The four pencil thin legs protruding from its hull. The area they were landing in seemed less grassy, but un populated. Why here she thought. The craft hovered slowly over the flattened grass like a bird of pray. Then sank down to settle on the landing legs. Once down the engines powered down and all the computers went off. The canopy slid open to let in the sweet thick air of the planet. Maria could smell fresh rain had fallen on to the grass. She took off her helmet and placed it into the craft as she got out. Then she dropped down onto the grass with cat like reflexes.

“Right that’s far enough. Drop your weapons or you’ll die where you are,” Maria heard a voice speak like that of a rusty chain been rattled.

The small scout craft lifted off the metallic decks in the base. Once in the air Marianna turned the craft towards the large open doors in the port side of the large cone shaped base. Outside she saw the large battle craft waiting for them to emerge. On board Eric watched the large view screen.

“Lieutenant Tanaka set course for sector five three-one,”“Setting course now sir,”

“All systems a green sir,” Timothy Scott spoke from the starboard side computer control.

“Ok Tim. Planet fall in two hours. Set clocks,”

Maria glanced around slowly trying not to make to quicker moves and make the person speaking think she was going to do anything wrong. The scenery was nice if you were to like flat grass land that stretched away to a slope down into a shallow dip. That rose up again to high hills. To the left there was a densely pack forest made up of evergreen trees. Then it went back to flat green grass. She tried to see where the speaker was standing. Then the trees parted and a small greenish toad like creature approached her.

“Where you talking?”“Yes,” Maria could see it held some sort of gun like thing in its bendy fingers.

“So what happens now?”“You came with us,”“Right. Just take it easy and we will follow and not cause any problems,”

The U.K Avon moved slowly away from the Pipit base. Everyone of the crew on edge as to what was happening. The atmosphere was full of misgivings. On the flight deck the captain made sure that this was kept under control.

“So what do you think we are off to do this time Kelly?”Kelly looked up from the male tray that sat on her desk in front of her. “Well Ivon I hope it’s somewhere exotic this time,”Ivon moved the chess piece on the computer in front of him. They both looked up when the doors hissed open.

“What is going here then?”“It’s a titanic chess battle between Ivon and Lorrock. Tony,”

Tony Valpluchie shuck his head and smiled broadly “When do you think your going to learn Larrock. Ivon is the best,”He patted the large man on his back.

“Maybe I will get lucky,”

Richard felt the sleek craft pull away from the battle craft. The large gray craft would have to have better engine to keep up with them.

“Have you located any of the craft yet Tiger,”

“I have the emergency responder on the computer. The craft is down on the fourth planet sector two five one,”

“Ah. That puts it down in the green lands populated by the Zarg,”“The planet is well populated by the looks of it,”“Yes it is. Can you get us close to Maria’s craft with out been detected,”“I can do that,”“Good then we can start to look for our people,”

“I do hope the Avon can keep the raiders off our backs, and clear for the visit,”“Don’t you worry the battle craft will keep most at bay,”

Eric glanced around the crew he had on the flight deck with him. They all seemed tensed and frustrated at the same time. They wanted to get on with their work, but not to fight if it came to it. He reached down to the inter-com button.

“Can Carol Keating, Andy Fairbrother, Leo October, and Karen Van Dyke make their way to the lunch bay. Make ready the large scout craft for take off,”

Down in the crews rest room Karen looked up to the speaker on the wall.

“It looks like it’s going to be one of them missions,”

“You mean we have to earn our pay yet again Karen?” Andy spoke has he left the computer where he was playing chess with Leo.

“You thing you have it hard. I was wining this game against Boulzat. Now he will get all my money,” Carol spoke has she laid the cards down.

Maria noticed the trees moving as they were led through them by three of the Zarg raiders. The little toad thing kept poke her in the kidney area.

“Watch what you are doing with that weapon,”“Just walk quicker. Then I will stop poking you,”“Where are we going?” Tel asked

“You’ll find out soon enough,” The creature growled the answer.

“What do you want of us?”“Same as the others of your kind,”“And what would that be?”But the ugly toad thing just pushed Tel and Maria with out answering. Then carried on walking on its four stout legs.

Marianna watched as their craft hovered gently down on to the thick grass below. Across from them she could see the other two sleek black craft of the Kestrel petrol. Both were empty and no one was around. The engines run down to a stop. Richard opened the canopy to let the sweet air of the planet in. It was mid day when they reached the surface and the heat made them sweat slightly. Even before getting out of the craft. Marianna pulled her self up out of the front seat and climbed down the side of the craft onto the thick soft grass. Richard dropped two fully packed rucksacks down into her open arms from the little hold on the starboard side of the scout ship. He then stepped down fro the craft closing the cockpit up again.

“I see the others didn’t get a chance to close theirs,”“No it looks like they got ambushed as soon as they were down,”“Right lets find them now,”

Marianna picked the rucksack up and made sure it was comfortable on her back before setting off. Richard did the same. Then they found a few patches of grass that had been flattened be a lot of feet. Richard glance at the dense packed trees they were heading for. It was going to be some trek he thought to him self.

“Do you think you will be able to keep up the pace Marianna?”“I think I’ll be there before you Tiger,”

“Sure thing. Just make sure your still fit to fight if needed,”“Look at least your getting paid for this,”

“And your not?”

“No I am getting my backing from the government,”

The large stately spacecraft the Stella Queen moved slowly through space on course for the Fomalhaut system. In his apartment King William the fourth could her the crew of the craft working hard in their jobs trying to keep all on board happy. He glanced down to his dairy with puzzlement.

“It’s soon that we have to meet the tin pot governors of Zarg,”

“Yes your Majesty. But we are doing this as a favour to the Rescue Team and all they have done in the galaxy to help people out,”

“But this planet is just a large group of raiders bunched up to work for them selves,”They both herd the door slid open and glanced back to seethe tall lean figure of Daniel Green standing just inside the door. “What was that you said about Zarg your Majesty?”“You know the truth. These are just puppets the real people are out there raiding our craft and taking all they can, when they can,”

“Yes I know. But we do need that puppet government to let us build a rescue base out close to their planet,”“But wont they just attack it and take all the goods they need?”“You never know it might even settle them down,”

Richard had to slow his pace down to let Marianna stay with him. But he didn’t let on that this walk was also making him tired. Richard looked around the forest they were in the trees were thick on the ground, yet he could see around the branches that there was no camp site in the area they had reached.

“Do you think we ill reach this camp site soon?” Richard asked has he wiped his forehead.

“It maybe another five miles Tiger,” Marianna stood sipping at the water bottle.

“Is there a quicker way to find them?”“Not unless we can fly,”

They watched as a Drago ran across their path. Richard knew they were the local wild creature on this planet, but they did look like a over grown cat.

“Marianna I think we need a rest,”

“There is no time to rest Tiger,”

Maria watched as the flames danced on the cavern walls caused by the breeze that blew in from the opening. It also blew in the smells of raw food cooking. She couldn’t wipe her eye’s that were watering from the smoke the drifted her way now and then.

“Right Earth scum you sit there and be good,”“Watch whom you are talking to you ugly limmer,”

The ugly toad like thing pulled back its limb and hit Maria across her cheek. It felt like she had been hit by a wet rubber glove. Maria glared at the thing.

“If you do that again you’ll be dead,”

She was amazed by the laughter from the toad like things in the cavern.

The Avon slid through the inky space quietly.

“Ok laddie you say there is something wrong with the engines,” Tim spoke with his Scots accent.

“Yes. I think the craft seems to be running wrong,” John replied backing off a bit.“Ney laddie th’canna be right,”

“Right let’s go’nd have a look,”

Richard and Marianna soon reached the end of the forest. IN front of them there was shallow river. They also could see a range of hills in which there was a few caves.

“That must be were they are hold the others,”“Hmm yes. But they could be in any of them,”“There is a pool of smoke around the last few,”

“Well at least I can get a wash and clean up soon,”“I don’t think they will have them kind of facilities in a cave Tiger. Anyway we’ve come here to rescue the people that have been kidnapped,”“Yes I was joking,”“This is no time to joke. We have to find a way into the caves,”“Do you think we will get in looking like this?”“What in these uniforms, not likely,”

“Ah yes a bit of a draw back I would say,”Richard turned when he heard a rustle in the trees behind them.

“I think we had better loose our selves quickly,”

Tim and John walked along the metal decking in the lower engine room of the Avon. They had reached the computer controls and were going to look closely at them. Tim noticed that the was some sparking around the back of one console.

“It looks like someone has been sabotaging our computers,” John said on seeing the wires had been cut.

“Why would someone do that?”“Don’t forget we have the four most powerful people in the galaxy on the Stella Queen on route to here,”

“Eye. That would give someone a good reason, but it also means that we have a spy onboard,”

“I’ll go and inform Captain Blenbould of the problem,”“You do that laddie. I will start repairs,”

John went to the nearest turbo lift. He pressed the number one button so that it would take him up to the corridor that linked the lift to the flight deck. The Captain sat in the flight chair looking worriedly. John walked carefully over to him.

“Captain Blenbould. I am John Christianson,”“OK Christianson what do you want?”“I have come up from the engine room. We found some sabotage down there. Tim is fixing it,”“Good. Let hope this wont stop us getting to our appointment,”“What about the Stella Queen sir?”

“Do you think there might be someone there too?”“Well it’s a possibility,”“Right. Then you tell the Lieutenant down in the launch bay that we need four pursuit craft and a shuttle with guards on board over to the Stella Queen,”

“Right away sir,”Eric watched the young man walk away from the flight chair.

Lieutenant ant Eastwood, Sergeant Toppise, corporal Laiski and professor Lang make their way down to the hold make ready to launch with the pursuit craft,”

Eric settled back into the conform flight chair. A frown on his face. He felt things where going wrong. On the view screen he watched four pursuit craft and a large shuttle move away from the Avon heading for the Stella Queen, whilst a smaller shuttle headed for Zarg.

Maria huddled in the cold cavern watching the flames flicker across the walls. She wished she had put an extra layer of clothing on. She felt tired but didn’t want to fall asleep just in case the toad things tried something. Then there was a sudden movement in the entrance as five more toad things brought in to more people.

“Right you Earth scum get sat down there or else,” The fat lumpy creature with a headdress made up of bones pushed the two new comers down on to the cave floor.

Maria turned to look at them. “So how did they catch you two?”“The Zarg’s must have followed us from when we touched down. I thought I had got down with out been seen as well,” Marianna replied.

“Your the last person I thought would get caught as well Tiger,”“That’s just the way the dice rolls sometimes,”

“How have they been treating you Maria?” “Just fine in their terms Marianna. At least they haven’t cut anything off me yet,”

“Have you seen any of the others around here?” Richard asked.

“No yet. Just the raiders and some of the local government,”“Stop talking you dirt bags,” a tough looking humanoid kicked Richard in the shines.

Richard grabbed hold of it and winced, but only glared at his captive.

Eric glanced around the flight of the Avon. Lights were now flickering due to the power loss. Tim should have fixed it, but every time he fixed one problem something else popped up.

“Kelly please can you send a message out to Pipit base telling them we could do with some back up. Then send one to the Rescue Team informing them of our location just in case they are needed,”

“Ok sir, But what about Daniel on the Stella Queen isn’t he the head of the rescue team?”“We have a craft heading that way now. But even if we did ask him I think he would have to find someone else to help him,”

Eric looked to the view screen. They where approaching a planet at least.

“Why did things have to start going wrong this far out from the Fomalhaut system,”

“Did you say something sir?”“No Kelly. I was talking o me self,”

Ann Green walked slowly along he painted corridors of the Stella Queen. Looking at some of the gaudy objects that lined the corridor. She would throw some of them over board if she could’ve. But then some of it was replicas of items that been around through history. Ann found the conference room after the long walk from the bar room area.

“Ok you two are to stand on guard here. Your not to let anyone else in unless they are from the U.K Avon,”“Yes marm,” The tow tall men saluted her.She looked at them in their black suits. They had the bearing of well trained people that would do their best to stop anyone. Ann walked up to the door and knocked smartly on the plastic. Then walked in.

“What can I do for you?” President Ford looked up from the paper work on his desk.

“I am to talk to Daniel sir,”“Ok,”Daniel looked around from the computer he was working on.

“What do you want miss?”“We have picked up a message from the U.K Avon ,”“What message would that be?”“They are losing power. For some reason they have asked for the Rescue team,”“But they aren’t in any trouble yet?”“Not yet,”“So why have you come to me?”“I am only taking orders from the Captain sir,”

“Fine. Lets see what we can do young one,”“Look dad I am one of the crew now,”“Your still my daughter,”

“Do you want me to come dear?”

“Yes love I think we will need all our experience,” Dexter guided the small shuttle craft over the large canopy of trees on Zarg. He could see the other crafts, but no one else was around.

“Lieutenant I think you should put the jamming device on,”“what for professor?”

“I know the raiders have scanners. So they will be following our every move,”

“Do you think we should also change the landing place?”

“Yes. That would be a very good idea,”

“Right. Once down I want Ivan and Kay to explore the area will we set up camp,”

Dexter turned the blocking device on and flew the shuttle a few more miles farther north of where the other craft were.

Richard watched as three of the lumpy toad like things approached them. They had a long spear type weapon that had a hole in centre. They held what looked like a trigger with there bendy little fingers.

“Come on you four get up now and follow us,” The lead toad thing poked at them with a long stick that had a blade on the end.

“Where are you taking us?” Marianna asked.

“Shut your gob up you fuck human. You’ll soon find out,” The leader hit her with the butt end of his weapon into the back of her leg.

Richard grabbed her to stop her falling. Then with his shoulder under her left armpit he helped her hobble along. Maria and Tel followed just behind to shield her from any more attack.

The shuttle left the Stella Queen and headed out for the U.K Avon.

“Well done Ann for passing the course with flying colours,”“Thanks mum. I only did what was needed to,”

“Do you think you’ll get married soon ?”

“Aww Dad. I haven’t had a chance to meet anyone yet,”

“Have you seen anything of that brother of yours lately?”“No mum. I haven’t seen anything of Alan for four weeks now. How’s his ex?”

“She is fine. Chris gets on well with his new wife and kids just fine,”

“Ah there’s the Avon now,”“Great. This is Lieutenant Green to the U.K Avon,”“This is control. What do you want Lieutenant?”“I have Daniel Green from the rescue team on board. We would like to have permission to land,”“Just hold your course for a few minuets whilst I verify your craft and code,”

“Ok,”Ann saw that the Avon had dropped down on to Ion drive and was just barely moving.

“OK your free to land. Hold doors are open,”Ann steered the craft across to the open hold doors on the side of the Avon. Once the shuttle had got through she hovered down on to the metal decking. Daniel opened the airlock door once the craft had settled onto its four landing legs. Outside he could still hear the whine of the engines as they shut down. Ann and Mandy quickly followed him has he headed for the nearest turbo lift up to the flight deck. The lift hummed slowly up to the flight deck.

“The power must be getting worse,”“Lets hope it last till we reach the bridge love,”“Sure thing Mandy. I wouldn‘t want to walk up to the bridge darling”

The lift shuddered to a halt and the doors slid open very slowly. Once on the flight deck they could see the it was now a hub of activity .

“Ah Mr Daniel Green. You have reached us at a time of need,”“What’s the main problem Captain?”“We keep loosing power to the craft even when we have fixed the problem. We might need some of your expertise,”“Captain I am just someone was in the Rescue team. You need an engineer,”

“I still think you might have some knowledge to help us,”“So your engineers cant handle it,”“Well I don’t know why they can’t do it. But if you could do something please it would be nice,”

“Fine I’ll go and have a look, but I’m not promising anything,”

Dexter glided the small down onto the brown grass that lay underneath them.

“Do you think this looks good Professor?”“Yes. I think we will be able to make sure the locals wont fond it,”

Dexter slowed the craft to a hover and then set it down on its four thin legs. He kept his eyes on the trees either side of the craft.

“This looks like its going to be a tight fit,”“Come on Dex you should be able to fit it in,”

“Ha ha, go ahead and laugh your head off,”“Will you two stop fighting,” Ivan spoke sleepily.

Captain Stephen Brown looked at the view screen of the Stella Queen.

“Jones I need you to take the controls for now,”“Yes sir,”“I am going to inform our guest there’s trouble ahead,”

“What sort sir?”“I have a feeling we are going to have raider problems,”“But we aren’t prepared for boarding sir,”“Theirs is at least six guards down with the president and king,”“Ok sir,”

Stephen found the nearest turbo lift and headed down to the lower rooms.