REMEMBER ULYSSES
by Lyda Mae (RavenDove)Huff
Chapter Nine: Q's Goodies
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The trio entered a hidden subterranean room; situated below the tunnels. "It's about time you showed up 015." Q spoke gruffly as he paced the room.
007 was glad to see his old friend. "What are you doing here?" Not bothering to hide the enthusiasm in his voice.
"Really 007 what dose it look like I'm doing. 015 got a message to M; requesting help. She said the only way to bring you back was either defeat Ulysses, or two boxes air-freight." He paused a moment. "Need I tell you M was not happy with either choice. However she figured it best to let you stop Pantheon. Seams her numbers agree."
"Well better to let me finish; than let them win." Bond exchanged a glance with him knowing. "This is Annika Michael; Jeanette's twin sister." He pointed at the fortune teller. "She knows where we can find her sister."
Ande pulled some cloths out of a bag, and tossed them to 007. "You'll want to change." She pointed to a side room; off the main one. She then began arranging the first-aid supplies. Bond returned quickly; carrying the cloths he'd been wearing under one arm. He wore black fatigue style pants, and socks. Ande had only given him as much on purpose; now she could change his bandages. "Have a seat." She gestured to a small cement form; that protruded from one wall.
He sat on the cold structure. "I'm not about to stop you from playing doctor; Dr." He looked at her with a smile.
"Moneypenny warned me about your innuendos." She removed the old gauze.
"Do you have everything you will need to get Jeanette out of the catacombs?" Annika asked shyly.
"I should think they do Annika. I brought the equipment myself." Q wondered why the girl had asked.
"Do you know how to navigate the tunnels as well?" She was testing her position.
Bond looked away from Ande; who was cleaning his wounds. "I know they are tricky Annika. It would be even more dangerous for you to show us the way now." He felt a jab, and turned to see a syringe in his right arm.
"Antibiotic; courtesy of Dr. Ekles. He doesn't want the wounds to get more infected then they are." She pulled the empty syringe out; and disposed of it.
"You enjoyed that didn't you." He gave her a priceless glare.
Ande smiled as she put a fresh wrap on his stitches. "Revenge James; only I was kinder than you." Her voice dripped with flirtation.
"I'm going with you." Annika sounded determined, and she was the only one who knew the way. "Jeanette is my sister; I must help her."
Ande finished with the bandages; and put the first-aid supplies back in their box. "Not dressed like that." Ande pulled a set of cloths like her own from a bag. She handed them to Annika. "Lucky for you I figured we might need these." Ande sat on the outcrop as Annika headed for the side room.
Bond looked at her as he put his shirt on. "How did you figure?" He looked at her curiously.
Ande sighed; looking at the floor. "Annika, and Jeanette are the only ones who know the way around Pantheon's hide outs. They are also the only ones who know how to stop Prosepheney. We need their help James; whether we like it or not." She looked at him, and he could see the anger in her eyes. "I can't let Ulysses succeed either."
(This was a woman with fire in her soul. She was seven kinds of deadly; with the passion to use them all. Tender as the moment called for, or furious as a hurricane. Why did she excite him so?) He looked at her; wanting to kiss her.
"E'hem!" Q cleared his throat to get their attention. "If you two are done trading insults, and innuendos." He pulled a Walther PPK out of a box. "I thought you might be tiered of the Beretta you took." He handed the gun to Bond; along with a better holster that had a counter weight magazine pouch.
Ande handed him a vest to put over the holster. "Dressed to hold a jail-break. Looks good on you." She sat back on the outcrop; smirking.
Q gave her a dirty look. "Are you quite done 015? You do have a job to do you know." He handed 007 a silencer for the Walther; which Bond put in a vest pocket.
Ande raised her hands in a gesture; as if saying 'OK I get the point'. "I plead psychological defense." This got an odd look from them both. "An attempt to lighten the mood with humor. Obviously it failed."
Bond made a sound as if clearing his throat, and said under his breath. "Yes obviously."
Q continued his spiel; lifting one of two backpacks from the side of the outcrop. "The equipment in here should be familiar enough 007." He opened the bag to show Bond. "Plastic explosives to shut down Prosepheney. The fuses are in the other bag; along with a few things 015 requested."
Bond looked at Ande; puzzled. "What would you request?"
She looked to him; mischief in her eyes. "Maybe something to use on you if try to get fresh." Her attitude had him almost believe it.
At this sight Q was laughing. "Really 007; she asked for extra first- aid supplies. Along with a small water tight blast-proof case, and extra throwing weapons. Compact repelling equipment, smoke bombs to distract guards, or henchmen. Plus a dead man switch for the ignites." Ande looked at him with a straight face. "The container is for those ciphers, and I think you can guess the knives, repelling grips," she held up a small device like a handle on a dog leash, with a small case at on end to hold a high-density wire and latching piton with firing mechanism. "As for the first-aid, and the dead man switch." She paused a moment looking at them both. "One never knows for certain; what fate has in store."
Annika had finished changing; and reentered the Main room. "It is true one can never be certain, but it also true that one can. They all looked at her; as if to say 'Huh?'.
Bond spoke. "I know you are good with the Tarot Annika, but what do you mean?"
"It is all in what, or how you believe. There are those who are tout that only a virgin priestess may read the cards. If a reader tout this indulges in the physical world; they believe they can no longer. So they no longer can. Yet one not tout this way; may live a very worldly life. Still reading the cards." She began braiding her hair.
Ande was puzzled; what did she mean. "What dose that have to do with being certain or uncertain of fate?"
Annika thought a moment. "If one believes they know the future they do. If one believes they cannot know the future it is so. The Tarot are like the mind. They have the power to define and redefine reality, but only as far as a person believes they can." She finished her braid, and tied it off.
Q was glad of the explanation, but he had things to do. "Thanks for the lesson in philosophy, and theoretic temporal physics Ms. Michael." He faced 007, and 015. "Now." Q pulled a pocket computer from his coat. "This little thing is a pocket organizer, and mini portable computer. Modified; of course. It is a remote control for the car I brought. I'll show that to you above ground. I'm more than certain you know how to use that feature." He demonstrated how to activate the function. "Here we have an inter-face for picking electronic locks." Two small projections came out of the computers side. "Then there's the Main frame interface function." He pulled out a doodle pen. "If you take this end off, and put this connector in a com-port." He fiddled with the thing. "Then you stick the other end here." he slid the doodle pen into a port in one hinge. "You can hack into any Main frame; provided you speak the right language." Q reached in his pocket, and brought out what looked like a small battery pack. "This is an extra memory module; connect it here to down-load data. That computer has only so much memory of it's own. The module will hold one gig; that much memory in the computer alone would fry the circuitry." He handed the thing to Bond.
Bond accepted it casually. "What if I need to down load more than the module can hold?" He looked at Q; attempting to appear naive.
"Oh! Grow up 007. Honestly; some times I wonder how you ever got to be a 00." Q motioned for them to follow him to the car.
-----
Q led the two agents, and Annika to the lower levels of a nearly empty parking garage. In a deserted section; there sat a four door blue- green Beamer. Q motioned for 007 to hand him the pocket computer. "This model ought to be familiar." Bond handed over the control. "You're not still sore about the one in Hamburg; are you."
Q looked at him; fuming. "I told you to return that car in one piece. Not to drive it off a building, and into an Avis rental shop." He worked the controls with fervor.
007 looked at him; ready to laugh. "I did return it in one piece. It just wasn't a functional piece." He smirked at Q.
Q rolled his eyes. "If you don't return this car in one functional piece; I'm going to make sure you are just as non-functional as it is."
Ande looked at them both. "If you two don't stop chit-chatting; we might as well hand ourselves over to Pantheon. So could you just bloody get on with it." She took on a stance that said; 'I'm waiting'.
"A yes." Q got back to the controls. "This car has the slandered modifications, including G.P.S. capabilities." He opened the car up, and it spoke in his voice "Please fasten safety belts."
Bond looked at Q; who was activating the tracking screen. "I see you reprogrammed the voice on this one."
"You didn't listen to the last one. So I thought I'd see what my voice nagging you would accomplish." He pressed a control, and the tracking screen changed. "This gives your position, and lets you know how to reach your destination. Something I've been fiddling with of late." He shrugged; turning the screen off. "The car also has tinting windows; they provide extra blast protection. As well as making it hard for people on the outside to see the occupants." He rolled the blast shields in, and out of place. "There are machine guns above the front tire wells. Finely since you have a tendency to destroy vehicles anyway; this one has a remote destruct. Only to be used if necessary!" He glared at 007 sternly; pointing to a button on the console. "This one arms it." He pointed to the remote. "Once the system is armed; get clear then type GSTQ on the computer. After you hit enter the car will do the rest." Q handed back the computer; stepping out of the car.
"GSTQ?" Bond puzzled it over a moment. Then holding his right hand too his chin he questioned, "God Save The Queen?".
Q looked at 007 dryly. "Yes; I believe you suggested that one. Do at least try to return some of this equipment in one piece 007." He headed off to an elevator. "By the way 007; do be careful. Same goes for you 015."
Both agents looked at him as he walked off. Ande waited a moment then spoke. "No guaranties Q. We'll do our best."
Bond, Ande, and Annika stowed their gear in the car's trunk; then headed to a place near the ruins. Hoping to rescue Jeanette. She was the only one who knew where the launch site of Presephone was.
------
Chapter Nine: Q's Goodies
-----
The trio entered a hidden subterranean room; situated below the tunnels. "It's about time you showed up 015." Q spoke gruffly as he paced the room.
007 was glad to see his old friend. "What are you doing here?" Not bothering to hide the enthusiasm in his voice.
"Really 007 what dose it look like I'm doing. 015 got a message to M; requesting help. She said the only way to bring you back was either defeat Ulysses, or two boxes air-freight." He paused a moment. "Need I tell you M was not happy with either choice. However she figured it best to let you stop Pantheon. Seams her numbers agree."
"Well better to let me finish; than let them win." Bond exchanged a glance with him knowing. "This is Annika Michael; Jeanette's twin sister." He pointed at the fortune teller. "She knows where we can find her sister."
Ande pulled some cloths out of a bag, and tossed them to 007. "You'll want to change." She pointed to a side room; off the main one. She then began arranging the first-aid supplies. Bond returned quickly; carrying the cloths he'd been wearing under one arm. He wore black fatigue style pants, and socks. Ande had only given him as much on purpose; now she could change his bandages. "Have a seat." She gestured to a small cement form; that protruded from one wall.
He sat on the cold structure. "I'm not about to stop you from playing doctor; Dr." He looked at her with a smile.
"Moneypenny warned me about your innuendos." She removed the old gauze.
"Do you have everything you will need to get Jeanette out of the catacombs?" Annika asked shyly.
"I should think they do Annika. I brought the equipment myself." Q wondered why the girl had asked.
"Do you know how to navigate the tunnels as well?" She was testing her position.
Bond looked away from Ande; who was cleaning his wounds. "I know they are tricky Annika. It would be even more dangerous for you to show us the way now." He felt a jab, and turned to see a syringe in his right arm.
"Antibiotic; courtesy of Dr. Ekles. He doesn't want the wounds to get more infected then they are." She pulled the empty syringe out; and disposed of it.
"You enjoyed that didn't you." He gave her a priceless glare.
Ande smiled as she put a fresh wrap on his stitches. "Revenge James; only I was kinder than you." Her voice dripped with flirtation.
"I'm going with you." Annika sounded determined, and she was the only one who knew the way. "Jeanette is my sister; I must help her."
Ande finished with the bandages; and put the first-aid supplies back in their box. "Not dressed like that." Ande pulled a set of cloths like her own from a bag. She handed them to Annika. "Lucky for you I figured we might need these." Ande sat on the outcrop as Annika headed for the side room.
Bond looked at her as he put his shirt on. "How did you figure?" He looked at her curiously.
Ande sighed; looking at the floor. "Annika, and Jeanette are the only ones who know the way around Pantheon's hide outs. They are also the only ones who know how to stop Prosepheney. We need their help James; whether we like it or not." She looked at him, and he could see the anger in her eyes. "I can't let Ulysses succeed either."
(This was a woman with fire in her soul. She was seven kinds of deadly; with the passion to use them all. Tender as the moment called for, or furious as a hurricane. Why did she excite him so?) He looked at her; wanting to kiss her.
"E'hem!" Q cleared his throat to get their attention. "If you two are done trading insults, and innuendos." He pulled a Walther PPK out of a box. "I thought you might be tiered of the Beretta you took." He handed the gun to Bond; along with a better holster that had a counter weight magazine pouch.
Ande handed him a vest to put over the holster. "Dressed to hold a jail-break. Looks good on you." She sat back on the outcrop; smirking.
Q gave her a dirty look. "Are you quite done 015? You do have a job to do you know." He handed 007 a silencer for the Walther; which Bond put in a vest pocket.
Ande raised her hands in a gesture; as if saying 'OK I get the point'. "I plead psychological defense." This got an odd look from them both. "An attempt to lighten the mood with humor. Obviously it failed."
Bond made a sound as if clearing his throat, and said under his breath. "Yes obviously."
Q continued his spiel; lifting one of two backpacks from the side of the outcrop. "The equipment in here should be familiar enough 007." He opened the bag to show Bond. "Plastic explosives to shut down Prosepheney. The fuses are in the other bag; along with a few things 015 requested."
Bond looked at Ande; puzzled. "What would you request?"
She looked to him; mischief in her eyes. "Maybe something to use on you if try to get fresh." Her attitude had him almost believe it.
At this sight Q was laughing. "Really 007; she asked for extra first- aid supplies. Along with a small water tight blast-proof case, and extra throwing weapons. Compact repelling equipment, smoke bombs to distract guards, or henchmen. Plus a dead man switch for the ignites." Ande looked at him with a straight face. "The container is for those ciphers, and I think you can guess the knives, repelling grips," she held up a small device like a handle on a dog leash, with a small case at on end to hold a high-density wire and latching piton with firing mechanism. "As for the first-aid, and the dead man switch." She paused a moment looking at them both. "One never knows for certain; what fate has in store."
Annika had finished changing; and reentered the Main room. "It is true one can never be certain, but it also true that one can. They all looked at her; as if to say 'Huh?'.
Bond spoke. "I know you are good with the Tarot Annika, but what do you mean?"
"It is all in what, or how you believe. There are those who are tout that only a virgin priestess may read the cards. If a reader tout this indulges in the physical world; they believe they can no longer. So they no longer can. Yet one not tout this way; may live a very worldly life. Still reading the cards." She began braiding her hair.
Ande was puzzled; what did she mean. "What dose that have to do with being certain or uncertain of fate?"
Annika thought a moment. "If one believes they know the future they do. If one believes they cannot know the future it is so. The Tarot are like the mind. They have the power to define and redefine reality, but only as far as a person believes they can." She finished her braid, and tied it off.
Q was glad of the explanation, but he had things to do. "Thanks for the lesson in philosophy, and theoretic temporal physics Ms. Michael." He faced 007, and 015. "Now." Q pulled a pocket computer from his coat. "This little thing is a pocket organizer, and mini portable computer. Modified; of course. It is a remote control for the car I brought. I'll show that to you above ground. I'm more than certain you know how to use that feature." He demonstrated how to activate the function. "Here we have an inter-face for picking electronic locks." Two small projections came out of the computers side. "Then there's the Main frame interface function." He pulled out a doodle pen. "If you take this end off, and put this connector in a com-port." He fiddled with the thing. "Then you stick the other end here." he slid the doodle pen into a port in one hinge. "You can hack into any Main frame; provided you speak the right language." Q reached in his pocket, and brought out what looked like a small battery pack. "This is an extra memory module; connect it here to down-load data. That computer has only so much memory of it's own. The module will hold one gig; that much memory in the computer alone would fry the circuitry." He handed the thing to Bond.
Bond accepted it casually. "What if I need to down load more than the module can hold?" He looked at Q; attempting to appear naive.
"Oh! Grow up 007. Honestly; some times I wonder how you ever got to be a 00." Q motioned for them to follow him to the car.
-----
Q led the two agents, and Annika to the lower levels of a nearly empty parking garage. In a deserted section; there sat a four door blue- green Beamer. Q motioned for 007 to hand him the pocket computer. "This model ought to be familiar." Bond handed over the control. "You're not still sore about the one in Hamburg; are you."
Q looked at him; fuming. "I told you to return that car in one piece. Not to drive it off a building, and into an Avis rental shop." He worked the controls with fervor.
007 looked at him; ready to laugh. "I did return it in one piece. It just wasn't a functional piece." He smirked at Q.
Q rolled his eyes. "If you don't return this car in one functional piece; I'm going to make sure you are just as non-functional as it is."
Ande looked at them both. "If you two don't stop chit-chatting; we might as well hand ourselves over to Pantheon. So could you just bloody get on with it." She took on a stance that said; 'I'm waiting'.
"A yes." Q got back to the controls. "This car has the slandered modifications, including G.P.S. capabilities." He opened the car up, and it spoke in his voice "Please fasten safety belts."
Bond looked at Q; who was activating the tracking screen. "I see you reprogrammed the voice on this one."
"You didn't listen to the last one. So I thought I'd see what my voice nagging you would accomplish." He pressed a control, and the tracking screen changed. "This gives your position, and lets you know how to reach your destination. Something I've been fiddling with of late." He shrugged; turning the screen off. "The car also has tinting windows; they provide extra blast protection. As well as making it hard for people on the outside to see the occupants." He rolled the blast shields in, and out of place. "There are machine guns above the front tire wells. Finely since you have a tendency to destroy vehicles anyway; this one has a remote destruct. Only to be used if necessary!" He glared at 007 sternly; pointing to a button on the console. "This one arms it." He pointed to the remote. "Once the system is armed; get clear then type GSTQ on the computer. After you hit enter the car will do the rest." Q handed back the computer; stepping out of the car.
"GSTQ?" Bond puzzled it over a moment. Then holding his right hand too his chin he questioned, "God Save The Queen?".
Q looked at 007 dryly. "Yes; I believe you suggested that one. Do at least try to return some of this equipment in one piece 007." He headed off to an elevator. "By the way 007; do be careful. Same goes for you 015."
Both agents looked at him as he walked off. Ande waited a moment then spoke. "No guaranties Q. We'll do our best."
Bond, Ande, and Annika stowed their gear in the car's trunk; then headed to a place near the ruins. Hoping to rescue Jeanette. She was the only one who knew where the launch site of Presephone was.
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