Patrolling the Summit Part 2

Posted on Fri Sep 27th, 2024 @ 8:01pm by Fraser Rehami & Damien McGinnis & Spencer Gustaffson & Stephanie (Stephi) Hill

1,217 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shadows of Trust
Location: Silver Hills Conference Centre
Timeline: March 1st 2051

Damien walked around the conference centre with Stephi and Spencer, the three of them in plain clothes. Surrounding them were people from all corners of the Alliance, everywhere from Edinoi to Sirius to Mirinoi and more.

"So remember, we're on undercover protection detail." He noted, adjusting his red hoodie slightly "GPF Command wanted us to have a presence here but figured multi coloured spandex would stand out too much."

"Well, I suppose so. However, if someone asks who we are, what do we tell them?" MIrinoi. Yes the jungle world that was home to maya, the yellow lost galaxy ranger and where the terra venture crashed. She would love to meet a girl from there. Could be fun.

Spencer looked down at the outfit he was wearing, black overalls with a blue long-sleeved shirt and a navy blue belt. He then raised an eyebrow and focused on Damien's red hoodie and, and then at Stephanie in her similar gold accents. He smirked at Damien. "Yes, because we're so amazingly good at being undercover."

In response to Stephi's question, he shrugged. "I was planning on lying through my teeth, saying I'm here with County OEM. That way, if I have to do something security-related, nobody raises an eyebrow. No one at a conference is going to bother calling a local OEM office when they have anything better to do. If they do, GPF can intercept the call or brief the locals."

"Well, let's try to keep a low profile. Even local law enforcement draw attention." Damien replied, pausing "Not as much as colour co-ordinated spandex, but still attention."

"No worries. I'm sure we'll be fine. We seem to be blending in just fine." Steffi said.

Spencer looked at Damien, and without realizing that he was echoing a tirade from another reality, he spoke calmly. "Whatever it is that's in our gear, that is not spandex. Spandex can't take a laser blast like that."

"Super spandex then." Damien quipped with a grin before his earpiece beeped "For god's sakes, not Maddison again..."

"Maddison to alpha team. What's your status?" Came the voice of Inspector Harper Maddison, the head of GPF security at the event.

"Well, we're meant to be under cover and I've got two fingers to my ear, so peachy." Damien replied as he put two fingers to his ear "Can I ask you to not come through the comms every five minutes?"

"You can ask, cadet. Maddison out." Maddison replied, before the line went dead.

"I really don't like this guy." Damien shook his head "He just doesn't get the idea of undercover work."

"Apparently not! and what's with the cadet stuff? we're rangers now! not cadets! " Stephi shook her head. "Sounds like an officious little.. well you know what!"

"We're technically Rangers and cadets." Damien lamented "I hate to agree with inspector stick up his ass, but he is technically correct."

Spencer nodded with a snort, stretching his shoulders. "I hate guys who need to live on being 'technically' correct. It's the worst way to be correct. Still, I suppose we should go mingle?"

"Now you're speaking my language." Damien smirked "I vote we start mingling at the drinks table. I could murder a cold drink right now."

"Sounds good to me! I say we do it!" Stephi said.

"To the bar-mobile!" Damien yelled, pointing ahead dramatically.

Spencer shrugged and walked with them, less enthusiastic as he kept an eye on the proceedings. "Don't get drunk. If things get bad we'll need to be sharp for whatever fight there is." His eyes weren't on the team, but rather on the crowd. There was something nagging at the back of his mind, a feeling he couldn't quite kick. It could have been nothing, or it could have been a real concern. He was uncertain, and that uncertainty put him on edge.

"Well I sure don't plan on getting drunk! Still we can enjoy ourselves a little!" Stephi said.

"Maximum of one drink each." Damien replied, shrugging "Not the orders I'm giving but I have to agree with them. As Spencer said, we do need to stay sharp. With that said, definitely room to have a little fun. This is a party, after all. Sort of."

'That's fine. I don't drink much anyway. I understand. We do need to stay sharp! Still, sitting and watching, well you never know what you might see." Stephi said.

"Great. So mine's a beer, what about you guys?" Damien asked, quickly adding "I'm buying so please, be gentle with my wallet."

Spencer shrugged. "Seltzer, blueberry syrup, ice. Equal measures."

"And for the lady?" Damien quipped.

Stephi smiled at the compliment. "Tequila sunrise please. and thanks for the compliment."

"Wasn't aware I gave one." Damien remarked as he leant against the bar, holding up hus left hand "One Heineken, a tequila sunrise and a Seltzer with blueberry syrup and ice in equal measures."

Damien tapped his wallet on the payment pad, hearing a beep in response. He hated that sound in these places; it always meant he'd just paid 30 credits for 12 credits worth of drinks. Inflation was a real thing.

"Thanks." He said as the drinks were set down, picking up the bottle of beer and taking a sip "So, we need to start mingling. Make small talk with people. See if anyone's seen anything out of the ordinary. Basically actual police work."

Stephi took a sip of her drink and looked around the room to see what kind of crowd there was and tried to figure out who to start with.

"Right, if you guys need me I'll be on comms. I'm going to go talk to the Ambassador from Mirinoi." Damien said, swigging his beer before smirking "And if he won't talk to me, maybe his daughter will."

Stephi walked over to a likely looking group of young people about her age and started chatting them up. "Hi, I'm stephi."

"Markus." A red haired young man said "Whose your friend?"

"This is spencer. Say hello Spencer!"

Spencer sized the other man up, noting his stance. They were both fighters, and that was obvious He nodded, his expression slightly suspicious. Still, he'd learned from Val and the others, and couldn't let Stephi's joke go un-punched. "Hello, Spencer."

The blue ranger grinned and stuck out a hand toward Markus. To any outside observer, it would seem casual, but between fighters it was an act of a truce, showing that Spencer was unarmed - for now. His Solar blaster could be summoned as needed. "So, where are you from, Markus?"

Before the man could answer, a scream went across the hall and all eyes turned to see what was happening. In the chaos, Fraser moved through to the where the Rangers were. "You need to find the others." He hinted as he carried past them to where the GPF director was.

Spencer nodded at Fraser, then to Markus. "Pick this up later." The Blue Ranger quickly guided Stephi away, aiming to find Ellie, Val, and Kilena. Damien would find them, he was lucky like that. In a situation like this, Spencer wished he had more control over his ability. If he did, he'd know why that Markus guy caught his attention; and more importantly he'd be able to find Val and Kilena.

 

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