Episode 9: "The Raid."
Timer countdown: 24 minutes remaining…
Quinn furiously taped away at the control panel, ignoring the sparks of electricity that jolted from the ones around him, and tried to access the encrypted Kromagg files. He chanced a glance to his right and saw the display of the timer. There was less than 24 minutes remaining until the slide. Tearing his gaze away he tried to focus on the task at hand but it seemed impossible. As soon as the base had been infiltrated a virus had been unleashed into the computer system and it was deleting all important data piece by piece before he even had a chance to access them.
"Quinn?"
He turned around to hear Diana's voice through the crackling signal of the radio that was on the table. Every second was crucial and so he could not waste any time by picking up the set. Instead he called out to Maggie who was keeping watch outside. Maggie rushed into the room, on hearing his call, clutching her rifle tightly. Hearing the static of the radio she went over to it.
"Diana? Mallory? Please tell me that you've got good news!"
Diana's voice came through. "I've been trying to disable the inter-dimensional beacon from the Security Control Room but I'm being continually locked out of the system!"
"It's the firewall that their systems have." Stated Quinn, still trying to decrypt the files. "It has been happening here also but I've managed to break into the system and am trying to decode the files now. Diana you've got to find a way to turn the signal off before the Kromagg gliders get here!"
"How much time?"
"We've got just under 20 minutes! Where's Rembrandt and Wade?"
There was a slight pause. "They haven't met up with us yet. We've tried to contact them but their radio must be damaged. I'll do my best but I'm not sure if I can gain access. Diana out…"
Quinn looked up and at Maggie. "Where could they be?"
"They'll be here, Quinn. Just concentrate on getting into the files."
"Wait…" Quinn fell silent. "That's it! I'm in." The screen flashed as the encryption codes were broken and full access to the files was granted. As fast as his hands could type he browsed through the mass of files in search for the one that held the co-ordinates of different parallel worlds. But as fast as he was sorting through them the virus was deleting them.
Maggie froze as the sound of multiple wormholes opening could be heard in the distance. "It's too late! Diana, Mallory get to the roof now! We'll meet you there!" She checked the timer. "You've got 17 minutes!" She turned suddenly as a noise came from the corridor. Raising the rifle she slowly walked forward.
Quinn exclaimed in joy. "I've found it!" Quickly retrieving the timer he hooked up a data cable from the console to it and then began the transfer. The screen began to flicker as the virus began to corrupt the current file. Quinn reached for the timer in an attempt to pull it from the transfer before the virus could spread to it and then cried out in pain as a jolt shot up his arm.
"Quinn!" Maggie ignored the sound that she had heard and rushed over to him. She saw that he was in extreme pain and turning over his hand she saw the burnt flesh that the shock had done to his hand. As she ripped off a piece of her clothes to bandage his hand, footsteps came from behind…
What if you found a portal to a parallel universe?
What if you could slide into a thousand different worlds?
Where it's the same year
And you're the same person
But everything else is different
And what if you can't find your way home…
Starring:
Jerry O' Connell as Quinn Mallory
Cleavent Derricks as Rembrandt Brown
Sabrina Lloyd as Wade Welles
Kari Wuhrer as Maggie Beckett
Robert Floyd as Mallory
And Tembi Locke as Diana Davis
… Sliders!
Timer countdown: 3 hours and 21 minutes…
A swirling silver blue orb of light suddenly ripped through the dimensional strands between worlds and slowly began to form. The vortex howled, blowing papers off of the desk, and cast a strange glow over the room like the rippling waves of an ocean. As a bright flash of light erupted Quinn emerged from the depths of the vortex and fell onto the floor. Slowly getting up he moved out of the way as the others appeared. Mallory came through last, and fell straight onto the nearby couch, causing it to fall over with him. The gateway stayed open for a moment longer and then finally closed.
"Oww…" Mallory rubbed his side. "Quinn, I think that you've put a little too much power into the vortex!"
Quinn smiled. "Sorry Mallory but the power output has to stay the same so that the vortex can accommodate all six of us safely."
Diana nodded and smiled.
"Talk about door-to-door service." Said Rembrandt, trying to hold in his laughter. "We've slid right into a suite in the Chandler Hotel. Been a while since we've landed somewhere other than a back alley." He observed.
"How long do we have here?" Asked Wade.
Quinn checked the timer. "3 hours and change."
Maggie walked over to the other side of the room and lifted up the blinds to let some light in. She suddenly froze and then turned back. "Guys … we've got company!"
The others rushed over to the window and followed Maggie's gaze. There marching in tight formation in the middle of the street were Kromagg soldiers. They marched side by side, each carrying their strange weapons ahead of them, as they went about rounding up the fleeing humans that tried to escape.
"Aim!" Shouted the Kromagg Commander. "And fire!"
The Kromagg soldiers stopped marching. Lifting up their weapons they moved into position to take aim and then fired. A stream of blue energy shot out from the strange weapons and hit many of the humans, bringing them down to the ground harmlessly. The Sliders slowly closed the blinds and moved back.
Rembrandt punched his fist into his other hand. "Damn Maggs! They're everywhere!"
"They must be in the process of trying to take over this world." Stated Diana.
Maggie sighed as she looked at Quinn. "So much for that quality time we were gonna spend together."
He nodded and placed his arm around her.
"So what do we do?" Asked Mallory. "Shall we lay low or take them out. We do have the virus."
"I'm all for that." Echoed Remmy.
"But we've only got just over three hours here." Argued Wade. "All that we can do is start to release some of it into the atmosphere."
Quinn thought for a moment as everyone turned to him to make the decision. "I think that we can do a little bit more than that. The Kromaggs must have some kind of base here from which to direct their operations. If we could infiltrate their base then we could not only disable their control centre but also hack into their systems."
Diana nodded; understanding what Quinn was getting at. "And uncover the co-ordinates to Kromagg Prime."
"It's going to risky." Maggie replied. "And we're against the countdown of the timer. But if we plan this properly then … we might just pull it off."
"Then it's settled." Smiled Rembrandt. "We raid the Magg base!"
2 hours and 43 minutes remaining…
Maggie slowly pushed the little dial on the binoculars that she held, and the lens began to zoom in, the image becoming more distinct. She viewed the length of the Kromagg base that was in the distance. The base was a high-levelled building that had been turned into their base of operations, guards stood to attention by all the entrances, and various devices were being brought in from the nearby gliders. The only place that was relatively less guarded was the roof entrance.
"Looks like we have to go through the roof." Said Maggie, handing the binoculars over to Mallory whom was by her side. "Everywhere else is too heavily guarded."
"Yeah, it looks that way. I might be wrong but those types of buildings usually have ventilation shafts up on their roofs."
Maggie nodded. "Come on, let's get back to the others."
Getting up from their vantage point, Maggie and Mallory left the roof of the hotel, and made their way back to the suite where the others were. When they arrived they saw that they had already begun preparations. Quinn and Diana were extracting samples from Rembrandt's blood and placing them in containers while Wade had gathered some radios and even a rifle that she had found under the bar. They looked up when they saw the two enter the room.
"How's the security?" Asked Rembrandt.
"Tight." Answered Mallory. "The best place to enter would be from the roof. We also spotted some ventilation shafts."
"That's great." Smiled Diana. "We can heat up the virus and cipher the gas into the shafts and through the entire building."
"We'll have to move fast." Added Quinn. "Here's the plan. There must be some kind of emergency ladder to the side of the building that we can use to gain access to the roof. Once there we'll begin to gas the building with the virus. Once the majority of Kromaggs have been killed we'll enter. That is where we split up. Diana, Mallory, you two have to get to the Security Control Room, it will be the place where they have all the monitors and system warnings. There must be some kind of countermeasure that will shut us out of the mainframe or even call some Kromagg reinforcements. You guys need to disable those."
"And we're heading straight to the Main Control Room right?" Asked Maggie.
"Right. Once Diana and Mallory have gained us access to the mainframe I'll then try to decrypt the encryption codes on the various files."
"What about Remmy and I?" Asked Wade.
"You guys need to free any prisoners that are held on the base. Get them to safety if you have to but remember to stay in radio contact. On a world that is just being taken over, Kromagg reinforcements can't be far behind."
Wade nodded. "We'll do our best." She picked up the radios and gave each of the groups one. "You'd put better use to this Maggie." She handed to her the rifle.
"Thanks Wade." Maggie checked the rifle and found that there was ample ammo stored inside.
"We can do this guys!" Smiled Mallory. "We have to. Not only will we save this world by clearing out the Maggs but we'll also get the co-ordinates to Quinn's home world!"
Rembrandt pressed a tissue against his arm from the place where the needle was just taken out of his skin. "We better make a move. Time's against us…"
2 hours and 24 minutes remaining…
Quinn, Maggie, Rembrandt, Wade, Mallory and Diana slowly made their way through the streets. Several times they had come across Kromagg troops but they kept to the shadows and hid, waiting until they passed by. They soon arrived into an alleyway overlooking the Kromagg Base that was just across the road. They waited once more, as the guard slowly turned his back, and ran, keeping as low as they could, until they made it into the opposite alleyway.
Mallory silently lowered the emergency ladder and one by one they climbed up it, being as quiet as they could. They had soon made it to the roof. Without a word they went straight into it. Quinn and Diana took out the lighters that they carried and began to heat up the containers with the virus over the ventilation shafts. Soon a gaseous form began to spew from the blood and made its way down the shaft.
"Ok, you all know what you have to do?" He asked. They all nodded their heads.
"We'll keep the virus heated up until it has a chance to circulate." Said Rembrandt. "Then we'll free the prisoners."
"Be careful Remmy, Wade."
"Always are, Q-Ball."
Nodding Quinn turned and followed the others as they made their way over to the door that led into the building while Rembrandt and Wade continued to heat up the virus. As they got onto the first level they said a few quick words of good luck and then separated into the two groups. Maggie could already hear the screams of the dying Kromaggs and smell the faint aroma of the heated virus as it billowed down the corridor.
Rifle at the ready she led the way as they descended deeper into the base and searched for the Main Control Room. Time seemed to quickly pass, as they moved past the many dead Kromagg bodies, and finally found the room. Quinn spotted the electronic keypad device that was hooked up beside the door. He began to try inputting a few random codes but to no success.
"I'm going to have to try and override it."
Quinn pried open the panel and stared at the complicated electronics. His methodical mind worked out the easiest way to shortage the panel and soon he pulled out two separate wires and fused them together. The door creaked open a fraction. Together with Maggie they pulled it open enough so that they could enter the room.
As Quinn pulled a dead Kromagg soldier off of a console hooked up to the mainframe, Maggie picked up the radio, and contacted Mallory and Diana. "Where are you guys?"
"… We made it into the Security Control Room a few minutes ago." Answered Mallory. "Diana is trying to work out the different systems and controls now."
"I can't gain access." Sighed Quinn. "Tell Diana that she has to unlock access to the Main Control Room."
"… I'm on it." Came Diana's reply.
1 hour and 39 minutes remaining…
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Asked Rembrandt.
"It is." Replied Wade. "The file that I found in that other room reported that the prisoners were being held in the basement."
Wade physically shuddered as she stepped over a dead Kromagg body. Looking up she continued down the dark corridor. The lighting on this level had been completely disabled and they could hardly see what was in front of them. They soon came to a door towards the end of the corridor. Turning the handle slowly they emerged into a large room. They immediately turned to their left on seeing the blue barrier that held several prisoners entrapped.
"Who? …" A prisoner stood up in shock.
"Don't worry, we're gonna get you out of here!" Said Wade.
"No … no … they'll be here! Run!" He struggled to get out.
"Hey man, it's ok." Assured Rembrandt. "We've taken care of the Maggs. Now, do you know where the controls for this thing is?"
Hesitating slightly, the man pointed to a device standing towards the corner of their cell. Slowly the other prisoners began to stir, as the prospect of being set free was becoming a reality by the second.
"Which one?" Rembrandt stared at the multitude of Kromagg buttons that were on the device.
"The red one?" Suggested Wade.
"Worth a try." He pressed the button. For a few seconds nothing happened. Suddenly the blue barrier began to slow and then finally faded from sight. The prisoners were freed.
"Thank you!" They shouted in joy.
"Come on, we'll lead you out of here."
Turning Rembrandt and Wade led the group of prisoners out of the basement.
1 hour and 7 minutes remaining…
"Oh no!"
Mallory turned from his gaze into the corridor and ran over to Diana. "What do you mean: 'oh no'?"
Diana pointed to the flashing red light that was to the side of the screen. "From as far as I can tell it looks like some kind of alert signal."
"Signal to what?"
"…" Diana pressed a few of the buttons and brought up a sub-menu. "The system has back-up countermeasures if the base has been infiltrated. It looks like some kind of inter-dimensional beacon that is contacting other Kromagg gliders!"
"I'd better tell the others." Mallory picked up the radio.
"… There's more bad news…"
"I know." Came Quinn's voice from the receiver. "A computer virus has been let loose into the system. It is erasing all of the information stored on the mainframe!"
"Can you gain access to the relevant files?"
"No. They are encoded in some kind of Kromagg encryption code. I am trying to decode them now."
"Maybe there is something here that I can…" Diana jumped back slightly as the screen turned blank.
"What happened?"
Mallory stared at the blank screen and then picked up the radio. "We're having a little … technical difficulties."
"We've been locked out of the system!" Said Diana.
"You guys have got to turn that beacon off!" Said Quinn. "Otherwise a hoard of Kromagg gliders are going to slide here before we have a chance to gain access to the files!"
"We'll try. Mallory out." Mallory changed the channels. "Rembrandt, Wade, do you read me?"
"… Mallory? We read you." Came Wade's voice.
"Where are you guys?"
"We've just helped the prisoners get clear of the building. We're making our way up to you guys now."
"Ok then. See you two soon. Mallory out."
40 minutes remaining (Off world)…
"Commander!" The Kromagg officer addressed his superior. "The gliders are powered and ready to go!"
"Excellent. Is the inter-dimensional beacon still in operation?"
"Yes Sir. We have tracked the signal to Earth 114. It is one of the current worlds that we are invading."
"Good. Gather the troops. We'll teach those human scum to rise up against us! We leave now!"
20 minutes remaining…
"We've got just under 20 minutes! Where's Rembrandt and Wade?"
There was a slight pause. "They haven't met up with us yet. We've tried to contact them but their radio must be damaged. I'll do my best but I'm not sure if I can gain access. Diana out…"
Quinn looked up and at Maggie. "Where could they be?"
"They'll be here, Quinn. Just concentrate on getting into the files."
"Wait…" Quinn fell silent. "That's it! I'm in." The screen flashed as the encryption codes were broken and full access to the files was granted. As fast as his hands could type he browsed through the mass of files in search for the one that held the co-ordinates of different parallel worlds. But as fast as he was sorting through them the virus was deleting them.
Maggie froze as the sound of multiple wormholes opening could be heard in the distance. "It's too late! Diana, Mallory get to the roof now! We'll meet you there!" She checked the timer. "You've got 17 minutes!" She turned suddenly as a noise came from the corridor. Raising the rifle she slowly walked forward.
Quinn exclaimed in joy. "I've found it!" Quickly retrieving the timer he hooked up a data cable from the console to it and then began the transfer. The screen began to flicker as the virus began to corrupt the current file. Quinn reached for the timer in an attempt to pull it from the transfer before the virus could spread to it and then cried out in pain as a jolt shot up his arm.
"Quinn!" Maggie ignored the sound that she had heard and rushed over to him. She saw that he was in extreme pain and turning over his hand she saw the burnt flesh that the shock had done to his hand. As she ripped off a piece of her clothes to bandage his hand, footsteps came from behind…
"Quinn? Maggie?"
Maggie turned and smiled as Rembrandt and Wade came into view. "Where have you two been?! You were supposed to meet up with the others a long time ago!"
"We got side tracked." Answered Wade. She turned and saw Quinn's hand. "You ok, Quinn?"
"Yeah, just got burnt a little." Getting up he retrieved the timer and disconnected it to the mainframe. "Come on, we've got to get to the roof!"
Rushing out of the room the group ran as fast as they could through the corridor and up the several sets of stairs towards the roof. They emerged out into fresh air to see Diana and Mallory crouching behind part of the building as Kromagg gliders circled overhead.
"Guys!" Smiled Mallory. They quickly made their way over to them. "Talk about cutting it close!"
"Did you get the co-ordinates?" Asked Diana.
"I think so." Quinn replied. "Gonna have to check it on the next world!" Pressing the button he activated the timer and the stream of energy shot out. A strong wind blew all around them as the vortex began to form. "Go! Go!" He shouted.
As the vortex fully formed the group ran a few feet ahead and jumped one by one into the gateway. The glider's weapon fire harmlessly hit the ground where they had been a moment before. They had escaped.
Maggie stood, her arms around Quinn's shoulders, as he sat down by the table, studying the co-ordinates that he had downloaded from the Kromagg mainframe.
"Luckily, I disconnected the timer before the virus had a chance to disrupt its systems." Said Quinn. He smiled and placed his hands in hers. "Maggie, It's the co-ordinates to Kromagg Prime! I'm going home!"
End.