Redshirts

so I’d say we try the node closest to it,” he said, and then returned to the map and highlighted a node. “Let’s start here.”
    “Looks good,” Finn said.
    “I order you to tell me what you’re planning,” Kerensky said, plaintively.
    “We’re about to help you capture Jer Weston,” Finn said. “That’ll probably get you promoted.”
    “Oh,” Kerensky said, and stood up a bit straighter. “We should definitely do that, then.”
    “And avenge the death of Grover here,” Dahl added, nodding to Grover’s still surprised body.
    “Yes, that too,” Kerensky said, and looked down at the body. “Poor man. This was his last away mission.”
    “Well, yes,” Finn said.
    “No, I mean that his term of duty was over in just a couple of days,” Kerensky said. “I assigned him to this mission specifically so he could have one more away experience. A last hurrah. He tried to beg off of it, but I insisted.”
    “That was deeply malicious of you,” Dahl said.
    Kerensky nodded, either not knowing what malicious meant or simply not hearing it, apparently lost in reverie. “A shame, really. He was going to be married, too.”
    “Oh, please, stop, ” Finn said. “Otherwise I’m going to have to frag you.”
    “What?” Kerensky said, looking up at Finn.
    “I think he means we should probably get going, sir,” Dahl said, smoothly.
    “Right,” Kerensky said. “So, where are we going?”
    *   *   *
    “You two wait here,” Kerensky whispered at a bend in the corridor, after which came the distribution node they were sneaking up on. “I’ll surprise him and stun him, and then we’ll contact the captain.”
    “We can’t contact him, we left our phones in the shuttle bay,” Finn said.
    “And we should probably deactivate all the armed carts first,” Dahl said.
    “Yes, yes,” Kerensky said, mildly irritated. “But first, I’ll take him down.”
    “A fine plan,” Dahl said.
    “We’re right behind you,” Finn said.
    Kerensky nodded and readied his weapon, and then leapt out into the corridor, calling Jer Weston’s name. There was an exchange of pulse gun fire, each blast going wide. From the top of the corridor there was a shower of sparks as a pulse gun blast ricocheted through the duct work, which collapsed on Kerensky, pinning him. He groaned and passed out.
    “He really is completely useless,” Finn said.
    “What do you want to do now?” Dahl asked.
    “I have a plan,” Finn said. “Come on.” He stood and walked forward, pulse gun behind his back. Dahl followed.
    After a few steps the curve of the corridor revealed a disheveled Jer Weston, standing on the distribution node, pulse gun in hand, clearly considering whether or not to kill Kerensky.
    “Hey, Jer,” Finn said, walking up to him. “It’s me, Finn.”
    Weston squinted. “Finn? Seriously? Here?” He smiled. “Jesus, man. What are the odds?”
    “I know!” Finn said, and then shot Weston with a stun pulse. Weston collapsed.
    “That was your plan?” Dahl said a second later. “Hoping he’d pause in recognition before he shot you?”
    “In retrospect, the plan has significant logistical issues,” Finn admitted. “On the other hand, it worked. You can’t argue with success.”
    “Sure you can,” Dahl said, “when it’s based on stupidity.”
    “Anyway, this makes my point to you,” Finn said. “If I was going to die on this mission, this probably would have been the moment, right? Me squaring off against my former fellow crew member? But I’m alive and he’s stunned and captured. So much for ‘the Narrative’ and dying at dramatically appropriate moments. I hope you take the lesson to heart.”
    “Fine,” Dahl said. “Maybe I’ve been weirding myself out. I’m still not following you into battle anymore.”
    “That’s probably wise,” Finn said, and then glanced over to the small computer at the distribution node, which Weston was probably using to control the cargo carts. “Why don’t you disable the killer carts and I’ll figure out how we’re going to get Jer out of here.”
    “You could use a cart,” Dahl said, going to the computer.
    “There’s an idea,” Finn said.
    Dahl disabled the carts across the ship and then heard a groan from Kerensky’s direction. “Sounds like someone is up,” he said to Finn.
    “I’m busy trussing Jer like a turkey,” Finn said. “Handle it, if you would.”
    Dahl walked over to Kerensky, who was still pinned under duct work.