The three men stalked through the jungle like predators in the night. They didn't look much like Starfleet officers, but mud and tattered uniforms had a habit of doing that. Ross Ireland smoothed the flack vest he wore and looked through the underbrush for their quarry. Lucasus sniffed the air and let the fine mist, fill his nostrils. In the near dusk of the arboreal night, sounds filtered around them and made the forest a little less beautiful.

Behind them, Ross and Lucky heard the shuffling of the third of their group. Peter Harris was no outdoorsman, especially when it came to tramping through the brush on some outlying and heretofore unimportant world. He looked almost comical in his flack vest and blast helmet. The trio had come here for some RnR but had found that this world was not without dangers. It was these dangers that they were now trying to elude.

Lucasus signalled for his friends to stop and get low. He smelled the unnatural aroma of hydraulics fluid in the air. Ross, at point, crouched in a narrow gully beneath a large fern like plant. He could see Pete and Lucky hastily sinking into the under growth. The K'zinti sniffed again and raised his ion cannon, Pete followed suit with his repeater phaser. Ross flicked his own weapon from standby to active. He looked around him and saw only the lush green of the forest, and yet something was out of place. Towards one of the larger trees there was a visible piece of gleaming metal. It belonged to one of the twenty VX-500 Manhunters that had been set down on this world by the I.S.C. It was the Manhunters that were hunting them. Pete's weapon came up to his shoulder as he lined up the robot. The snapping of a twig caused them all to get a little lower. A second robot was stepping through the under growth.

Ross mouthed the message "Ten then up." to his companions. They both nodded and readied their weapons. The seconds passed quickly and on ten they rose as one. Pete and Ross selected the closer of the two robots. As the phaser barrage hit it, the VX tried vainly to face it's assailants. It didn't quite make it. The unit's main body chassis exploded and blew back into the jungle. Sparks spewed from the legs that still stood where they were. Lucasus's cannon took the other full in the head. It simply vanished and the body fell stiffly to the forest floor.

It had only taken a moment, but it seemed like an eternity. "That was too easy." Lucky said dryly. He had been hunted before on another world but this was different. These machines were faster and better equipped they were. Looking something like James Cameron's Terminators, only somewhat bulkier the machines were learning fast how to stalk the prey. Originally designed for urban combat, the Manhunters were adapting to the forest with amazing speed.

Earlier in the day the men had stumbled upon the platoon of mechanoids. The battle was short. Ross's light sabre cleaved one in half as another three fell to phaser fire. The best part of the skirmish was the destruction of one VX when it blasted a large tree causing it to fall an crumple the droid like a beer can. The men had fled off into the forest in hopes of finding a clear spot to request a beam up by WELFEN. They had no such luck. The I.S.C. had laced the planets atmosphere with Sulating radiation which prevented beaming of living matter. WELFEN was sending a shuttle for pick up and it would be at the predetermined evacuation point in three hours. The ship had been able to supply them with the weapons they currently possessed but the power cells were weakened by the shaky transport.

Lucasus glanced around again, "No sir. I don't like it."

Ross moved over to his friends and opened the folding map PADD. On it was displayed the location of the landing zone and their present position. He smirked and closed the PADD. "Well boys, only three glorious clicks to the L-Z."

"Joy. I just love these little hikes." Harris groaned, slinging the phaser. "Do you think they know where we are now?"

A blast of energy seared a large chunk of old wood that sat between them. It smoked giving off an acrid stench. The trio looked at one another and shouted in unison "Yes!" AS they dove in different directions. Ross couldn't see where the fire was coming from but the blasts were thankfully random and nowhere near where he or his compatriots lay in the mud.

Lucasus knew that if they stayed here, pinned down the machines would eventually find them. Ross knew it too, his mind raced to find the solution to this problem. "L.T. if we stay here we're toast!" Shouted Lucasus from the scrub. "Let's get the hell out!"

Ross flipped open the PADD again and searched frantically for a good escape route. His mind found one, "It would be PRUDENT to head for the water!" He yelled and then scanned the map for what felt like the billionth time. He found what he was looking for, a large rock out cropping that stood out of the river two kilometres away. "Go!" He called and began to fire a few wild shots into the trees to cover his friends escape.

Peter looked at his map between ducking the divots being sprayed around by the stray blaster fire. He was puzzled by Ross's instructions. `it would be prudent to head to the water?' His map had no names and there were no corresponding map coordinates within forty kilometres. He looked from the landing zone to their location and saw only jungle and a river... . He prodded Lucasus and began to move out. The prudent clue was still a mystery but staying to solve it was just too dangerous an option.

After they had moved off, Ireland lobbed a pulse grenade at the highest concentration of enemy fire and slid down a mud slough under the cover of the flash. When the machines had recovered and finally moved in on his position they found only a boot print and a spent energy cell from Ross's T-type phaser.

One of the 'hunters knelt and examined them both then stood and turned to face one of the others. The robot didn't speak but effected communications in a electronically transmitted language "011 to 001"

"001 responding." the unit facing the transmitter replied.

"011 reports quarry life forms are no longer in range. Suggest all units resume visual search for quarry life forms as atmospheric conditions continue to hamper all except: visual, infrared, and auditory sensors. Olfactory and motion sensory systems continue to be hampered by planetary environmental conditions." 011 paused "Query: what is reason for reason for communication silence between VX-500 units on planet with master system on base starship?"

001 answered immediately. "001 reports that direct communication with master system or any other off world communication would reveal VX-500 location to enemy starship in orbit and any indirect communication would be ineffective. This situation was outlined in briefing program before deployment. Suggestion: full diagnostic of memory sub-system and logic integrator." All VX units were autonomous artificially intelligent thinking machines which were not programmed to be any smarter than any other similar series unit. The 500 series was the latest in the line. Unit 001 hadn't been programmed to feel pride, contempt, or to question the motivations with it's programmers. Still 001 held a dim view of 011, a unit that 001 considered to be a 400 series that was miss-designated and assigned to a 500 platoon, an opinion that it kept to it's self.

The rest of the platoon was moving in the vegetation around the two. 020 had been a part of the platoon the longest. It had seen every other member of it's platoon replaced or repaired and had remained the same as when it stepped off the asymbolia line. It was programmed to have no ambitions and to accept orders in the field from 001, whatever unit that happened to be. In its time, 020 had seen four 001s. Like the current 001, it too held a dim view of 011. Unlike it's superior (if you could call it that, 001 was no different from 005 or 017 but it had a designation that the rest of the platoon was programmed to take orders from) it felt almost sorry for the hapless 011. It had seen no less than seventeen 011s as part of the platoon. Historically that designation was one that was synonymous with accidents and flukes. This unit had survived the longest of it's predecessors but was expected to get replaced on this mission. Still 020 felt 011 had endured enough. Suggesting that a unit run a diagnostic of it's logic integrator was paramount to calling it stupid.

"020 to 001" it interrupted.

001 opened another dialogue file in it's com system "001 responding."

"020 reports positive identification established of quarry life forms and definite number of same." The report was done in the same cold electronic sendings as all communications of it's kind.

"001 queries: what is evidence to support identification and numbers?"

"020 reports evidence is foot print analysis of quarry life forms. Quarry life form one is Felinus Erectus pre-adult male, size approximately two meters, weight approximately one hundred one point two five kilograms." To emphasize this it transmitted an image of the foot print along with the math to back it up. "Quarry life form two is Homo Sapiens adult male, height aproximatly two meters, weight approximately ninety-nine kilograms. Quarry life form three is Homo Sapiens adult male, height approximately one point nine meters, weight approximately eighty kilograms. This is extent of quarry life forms. Suggestion: revise previous estimate of quarry life forms numbers from ten to twelve to new estimate of three."

001 took the information in with an efficiency that can only come from a machine. It mulled over the possibilities in it's CPU and even hypothesized as to what would be the best course of action. The whole exercise took about half a second. It then made up it's mind, "001 to all VX-500 units, prepare for re-deployment. 018,"

018 seemed to straighten when it was contacted "018 responding."

"001 directs a subspace message pod be deployed. 018 will program the unit and set transmission delay for point five hours. Inform master system of loss of units 006, 007, 010, 014, 015 and 016. Advise that enemy starship had effected transport of material and supplies to query life forms. Inform master system of status of query and to expect another transmission only if situation degenerates further and mission in endangered." It paused to allow 018 to do it's duty. A panel on 018's chest slid open revealing a small silver sphere the size of a marble. The robot casually removed the sphere and dropped it into the foliage where it sat and counted down until it could transmit it's data to the orbiting starship.

Seeing this done, 001 transmitted deployment instructions to all units and they silently moved off in search of the three men.

Ross emerged from the jungle to stand on the bank of the river that cut it's way through the forest. The opposite side lay a deceptive thirty meters off. On it was the L- Z, albeit, some distance away. The rock he had seen on the map was a short distance down river from him. In the beginnings of night this was a disarmingly beautiful place. He looked up at the sky and regarded the stars. Through the canopy there was no visible sky, only the occasional shaft of sunlight. He didn't realize just how much he missed looking at the clouds until he couldn't. He smiled despite himself. Here he was, running from killer robots in an alien jungle, and he was getting depressed over something as trivial as clouds.

The sound of movement in the brush brought him out of his thoughts in short order. He shrank back behind a large tree. The movement was getting closer and by the sound of servos, it wasn't Pete or Lucky. Ross swore internally and checked the charge on his rifle. It sat at nineteen percent.

The sound now had moved out of the tree line and he could only guess that the source was on the other side of the tree. Ross took a step back and brought his rifle up, taking aim at the tree and what he believed it was on the other side. The tree exploded. Ross was thrown back with the force of the blast. He lost his grip on the rifle. It flew away and he heard it splash into the river. As he looked up he saw the manhunter standing over him. The robot's skull like face held no emotion. It needed none as it pointed it's rifle at his head. Ross felt the laser targeter on his forehead and he laid back and prepared for the inevitable.

Suddenly from the tree's came a animalistic scream and a blur of orange struck the robot. Lucy's claws tore through the vulnerable hydraulics of the machine. Spasms of electronic pain rippled through the manhunter as Lucasus's assault continued. Ross felt Pete's hands pulling him up. "Are you OK?" he asked, brushing the splintered remains of the tree off Ross's vest.

"Yeah, I guess. The damn thing had the same idea I did." Ross took in a deep breath. "You seem to have figured out my clues."

Pete gestured to the stone pillion in the river. "We just looked for the piece of the rock."

Lucky called over from the body of the robot, "You guy's finished your little heart to heart yet? If we want to make it to the L-Z we can't hang around."

The two humans shrugged. Ross remembered that his rifle was now somewhere in the river. "Ok, but first let me find my phaser."

"Don't bother, I saw it go into the water. Those M41A's were great at blowing a hole in stuff but if you got them wet the power cells decayed in a matter of minutes." Lucasus explained. "Now what are we gonna do about keeping you armed?"

Ross grinned and grasped the metal tube that hung on his belt. As he pulled it away from his hip he thumbed a control and with a hiss the brilliant red-white blade snapped into being. "Don't worry Fluffy, I should be OK."

Pete and Lucky groaned. Whenever Ross brought out the light sabre he had a habit of going and getting them in trouble. "I never leave home without it. Master Yoda would be proud." he grinned. "Let's get moving."

He and Pete hopped of the river bank into the water, it turned out to be somewhat deep. Pete's rifle which had malfunctioned somewhere between the ambush and the river sputtered and died. He dropped it and let it join Ross's on the bottom. Ross stayed and treaded waiting for Lucky as Pete swam across and took a position under a half fallen tree. He reached into his sock and pulled out the palm phaser Lucky had given him.

Lucasus stood on the bank and glared down at the water. His ear was pressed back against his head and his whiskers twitched in hatred. "I hate getting wet." He stated simply.

"Come on!" Ross had never understood his friends aversion to water. "It must be thirty degrees in here. It's like a bath..."

The K'zinti hissed reflexedly, "I hate baths too!" The cat was a cat down to his soul. Suddenly two wide beams of light coalesced on the far side of the river. The lights shone from the eyes of a manhunter. It stood on the bank perhaps fifty meters up river. The machine did have infrared and low light vision but part of it's programming was to inspire fear in it's prey. Usually the announcing it's presence like this would do just that. It panned across the tree line and over Pete's hiding place. Ross and Lucky froze. The Robot began to sweep their side of the river. Ross sank beneath the surface. Lucasus made a quick decision and dove into the river. The resulting splash caught the attention of the lights. Suddenly five other sets of lights fell upon the spot where Lucy had gone in. A moment later blaster fire tore at the water.

"NOOOO!" screamed Pete leaping out of his hiding spot and taking aim at one of the sources of fire. His phaser loosed three beams at the machine. One connected, sending sparks to partially illuminate the dark grey night. Two of the VXs turned and sprayed his location with their weapons. The foliage behind him burst into flames. One blast struck him in the chest, his vest took most of the hit but the blast threw him to the ground. It's deep blue outer shell was blackened and the DISASTER AREA t-shirt he had been wearing underneath could be seen through the hole that had opened up there. Pete's mind reeled. He felt the wind knocked out of him and he lay on the forest floor, waiting for the follow up blast that should finish him. Instead he heard the crackle and hum of a lightsaber and K'zinti war cries. He sat up abruptly. On the other side of the river, lit only by Ross's blade could be seen the prone forms of the machines. They would require severe reconditioning if they wanted to ever serve as more than scrap.

Ross waved to Pete. He returned it weakly and fell back onto a patch of spongy moss. He lay their until his friends came to get him and the three of them headed off to the landing zone. All now carried I.S.C. issue blaster rifles, the previous owners were too busy corroding to use them.

In forty minutes they crested a ridge that overlooked the L-Z. There in a clearing sat the TURING, one of WELFEN's security shuttles. It's hatch was closed but it appeared to be in good shape. "We're not out of it yet. Stay frosty." Ross muttered to the others. They hefted their blasters and moved towards the shuttle.

"013 to 001."

"001 responding."

"013 reports loss of units 002, 004, 008, 009, 012 and 018. Quarry life forms have been acquired. 013 will transmit location to all units. Small class six craft has made landing at estimated landing zone four, quarry life forms are moving to it's position."

"001 directs 013 to maintain surveillance of quarry life forms and await arrival of additional units. 001 directs a subspace message pod be deployed. 011 will program and deploy the pod. Inform master system of loss of units 002 004, 008, 009, 012 and 018. Advise master system of status and 001's evaluation that mission is in jeopardy. set transmission delay for five minutes. 001 to all VX-500 units prepare to redeploy to location provided by 013."

Ross could feel the un-living eyes of the machines on him a second before he felt the metal hand grab him. The machine had him by the leg and it lifted him upside down. Lucky turned and snarled but as two other manhunters fell on to him from above. Pete turned and caught a rifle butt in the stomach, he doubled over as the wind was knocked out of him. Ross pointed and fired without looking. The machine's head snapped back and smoke poured from the hole blown in it's neck. It dropped him and he turned to face the others. A fifth rose out of the underbrush to fire at him. It missed but the blaster he was holding burst with sparks as the blast bolt connected. Ireland rolled out of danger and came up with his lightsaber in the guard position. The manhunter fired again. Ross let the blade move on it's own, merely guiding it. The bolt bounced off the blade and impacted on the machine. It dropped without a whimper.

He ran at Pete's attacker, it stepped away from a gasping Peter to spay fire at him. The machine was a terrible shot. As he neared it he leapt into the air and swung the sword like a ballplayer would a bat. He landed behind the VX and turned to watch it fall into two neatly severed pieces.

Ross heard the whine of hydraulics off to his left and he turned to see one of the machines take a new target. Lucasus swivelled an ear at the noise and leapt a split second before the machine fired and narrowly missed being fried. He landed on his assailant the machine couldn't react fast enough to prevent Lucky from shearing off one of it's arms and beating the VX inoperable with it.

Pete was fairing badly. He had fired his weapon dry into an on coming machine. It didn't stop to fall but just kept walking with that stupid 011 stencilled in it's forehead. When finally it exploded another materialized out of the underbrush to grab Pete and whirl him at Ireland. The two men fell in a heap. Ross was the first to recover. Rising up he ignited his lightsaber and threw it at the machine the spinning blade cleaved part of the head off leaving the part of the head with 0 on it the other half read '01'.

Suddenly the computer chimed and the remaining robots froze. "Computer, what is the reason for the interruption?" Lucasus demanded.

The computer responded in it's own sing-song tone "Program paused in order to alert participants that there is another scheduled user of this holodeck at this time."

Pete and Ross looked at each other and Ross shrugged "Computer, how long have we been in here?"

"Current program has been running for seven hours thirty minutes."

"Damn," muttered Ross. "I guess we should have kept better track of time, eh guys?" Lucasus grunted non-commitialy and he and Ireland turned to see Pete gingerly tapping a blaster bolt that had been frozen along with the rest of the program.

"This is so cool..." he murmured, marvelling at the bolt. Ireland and Lucasus looked disgusted.

"Petie!" the shouted in unison.

He snapped back to reality suddenly. "Uh? Oh Yeah, that's a long game." Pete said quietly "Well I guess that's that. Computer, exit." he said louder now and the three exited the holodeck. "Computer, end program." he called over his shoulder and the forest and Robots melted away like snowmen on the sun.

First Mission Logs
War Stories
Second Mission Logs
Beyond the Logs