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RP: 21st Fighter Sq [Mission 3.1] Menace in the dark

As Elisto dropped into the conduit, he noticed four bolts lying on the bottom of the conduit. They were the ones that should have been holding the panel securely to the floor. A short way ahead a pair of opened Type 31 Field Rations were found.

A small toolbox was stashed in a niche near the empty rations.
 
He nodded curiously to himself as he picked up one of the bolts and looked it over. Curiouser and curiouser... his attention shifted as he securely pocketed the bolts and moved over to the field rations.

Elisto picked up one of the rations and looked it over, then set it searched the area before finding the toolbox. So, someone was hiding here, and possibly only recently to, so where are they? he looked around curiously and checked the toolbox over before continuing his search.
 
The toolbox had a number of standard tools, wire cutter, wrench, pry bar, and a handheld plasma cutter. The cutter appeared to have been used recently the gas magazine was at 50 percent and it was warm to the touch.

Also in the toolbox was an NSP 30 holster.
 
Elisto shook his head, the toolbox wasn't worrying, but when he took out the holster and looked it over his concern heightened.

He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, then sent a report to the Taii. "Taii? I'm here in the maintenance conduit just under the shuttle bay, I've found a pair of field rations and a small toolbox, however, inside the toolbox I found the holster for a type 30 Nekovalyria Service Pistol. This area looks like it was just recently used, the sabotour is on the move, but he's armed, and crafty," he then placed the holster back in the toolbox and looked around. "I'm worried sir that may head to the bridge at some point," he added quickly before looking down at his pistol and changing it's firing mode to stun.

Ok, so, if I was a sabotour where would I go to hide from someone trying to sniff me out... he said as he attempted to put himself in the shoes of the person he was looking for.
 
With access to the maintenance conduits, the saboteur had the run of the length and breath of the ship. And they could move about without impunity. If Elisto could discern its objective, he might be able to guess its next move. As he moved down the passage way, he found the other technician. His neck broken cleanly with no shedding of blood.
 
"To clean, this person is good," Elisto said as he examined the body. "Very good, I hate to say that I'm impressed," a slight scowl could be heard as he recorded the footage. He then updated the Taii on the discovery of the body before he looked up and down the passageway.

He had to think. Taking out lifesupport wouldn't do this guy any good, he'd be killing himself in the process unless he has another means of survival. Hitting the bridge would be risky due to the people on it, not impossible, but risky. He was already in engineering, and with two men there he probably won't hit them again, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then a thought came to him. If not engineering, then the next easiest way to cripple this ship is to hit the main computer! he suddenly bolted down the corridor. He could cripple us easily if he got inside, and worse off, if he set an explosive, he added.

"Taii? I have reason to believe that the sabotour may be headed to the main computer room," he sent telepathically.
 
Over the communicators the Taii's voice came through. "Attention all hands, we have an intruder on board. Possible target is the ship's computer. All personnel are to travel in pairs."

At the end of the conduit Elisto could see a blinking light...
 
Elisto glanced from side to side as he crawled through the conduit, but then focused his attention forward when he saw the light blinking up ahead. He raised his pistol and approuched it cautiously and quickly began to examine what it was he was seeing.
 
The blinking light on the object increased its rate of blinking. From a safe distance Elisto could see it appeared to be a small explosive charge. It was attached to a series of cable conduits. The conduits were marked identifying them as connecting the sensor and communications equipment with the CIES. The charge would not do much if any structural damage, but if it exploded it would effectively render the Akagane, blind, deaf and dumb.
 
Elisto rubbed the back of his neck, as he examined the wiring and the device, he realized that he couldn't just leave it. Seem's simple enough, a bomb not intended to destroy the ship just cripple it. So it shouldn't be to hard to deal with, sadly I don't have the proper tools but I'll improvise,

"Taii! There's a bomb connected to the conduits for the sensors and communications, I'm going to attempt to disarm, but be prepared for lose of both systems," he sent and crawled carefully up to it, then got to work on disarming it.
 
The device was definitely of alien origin, the symbols on the flashing display were unlike anything Elisto had seen before. Beyond that the bomb appeared to be relatively simple in design. Some sort of plastic explosive material with a detonator stuck into it. Remove the detonator and the bomb would be disabled. There did not seem to be an obvious way to disable the detonator, but it could not have that much of an explosive force.
 
Slowly, and with careful hands, Elisto removed the detonator. To simple, he thought as he backed away and placed the detonator in a small niche he could see in the maintenance conduit, he then placed a small piece of metal that caught his eye over it before going back over to the explosive and checking it over for any potential failsafes. He also made certain to record this bomb in detail, which he would send the footage back to SAINT, he was really at a lose as to who really created it.

The thought crossed his mind on informing the Taii, but he chose to wait until he was certain there weren't any nasty surprises waiting for him.
 
As Elisto was checking the explosive for a second detonation, the detonator exploded in the niche he had placed it. While not very powerful, the noise confined to the conduit made it seem much larger.

The piece of metal he attached flew across the conduit ricocheted several times before it landed with a clatter his current position. Having grazed the his type 30 helmet.

There was no visible detonator on this side of the charge. Whatever the compound was, it resembled T31PE. However when Elisto prepared to pull it off the wire trunks, he noticed an object protruding from the back of the material because his fingers hit it. It was firmly wedged between the explosive and the surface behind it. The only logical conclusion was a second detonator, most likely designed to blow if it was moved away from the wall.
 
His senses were dulled briefly as he shook his head, he felt it wasn't one of his smarter plans, but it was a spur of the moment idea. At least it worked, he had to admit as he turned his attention to examining the bomb again.

Curses flew from Elisto's mouth as he felt behind the explosive and his fingers brushed lightly against what he felt might've been a second detonator. He backed off a bit and updated the Taii on the situation, then he stood there in thought.

Can't remove the explosive without risk of explosion, and can't risk removing the detonater either. Mmm... what if I remove the panel that the detonator is attached to?, the thought crossed his mind as he examined the surface that the bomb was on, seeing if it was possible to remove it - and thus the explosive and the detonator - along with it.
 
The cover for the wiring trunk was secured with a number of screws, spaced in three inch intervals. It was possible to remove the panel, but it would take some time. A quick estimate was twenty of the securing fasteners.

"Bridge to Tereane-Hei, If you can't remove the device, perhaps you can reduce the risk by removing some of the explosive." came the suggestion from the Taii.
 
Elisto rubbed his neck thoughtfully, time wasn't on his side he felt. He took the Taii's suggestion, though for some reason it felt like his pride had been hurt.

He looked down at the piece of metal that had been torn off when the detonator had gone, then looking back up at the explosive, he peered from side to side before holstering his pistol and getting to work on removing the explosive compound as fast, yet as carefully, as he could.

Gotta do this, and then get back to hunting our 'friend', before he causes any more trouble, thought Elisto.
 
Without getting to close to the detonator for fear of hitting something Elisto was able to remove 75% of the explosive material. Now he was left with the task of removing the panel and getting it away from the sensitive area of the ship.

Meanwhile Elisto could hear reports from the other crew members. The technicians had successfully brought the reactor online, and using the secondary turbine was now restoring main power at a reduced capacity. But it mean that the Akagane would soon have power for propulsion and shields.

He also heard that they had found the missing engineer. His body was stuffed into one of the damage control lockers on the lower deck. He neck apparently broken.
 
Elisto was relieved, but now he had the other task of removing the panel.

He listened in on the communications and shook his head at the mention of the missing engineer. Hope he has a backup, was all he said before he started work on removing the panel using a piece of metal that fit perfectly into the screw holes.
 
The piece of metal may have fit the screw heads, but it was not the best tool for the job. But with perseverance Elisto got the first screw removed, moved on to the next and repeated the process. Repeating the process Elisto was able to remove all the screws until there was only one left. This one would be more difficult because he had to keep the plate from moving while he removed the last screw.
 
Almost, thought Elisto as he placed his hand on the panel and started to work on the last screw. As he unscrewed it, he made certain that he had a firm grip on the plate just to be on the safe side. Then, once he had the screw off, he moved his now free hand to another part of the plate and carefully began to remove it.
 
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