Gomez: From Frying Pan to Fire

WHO: Alfredo Gomez, Prisoner for Hire
WHERE: Blue Dwarf Brig
WHEN: As the JMC Frank Sidebottom attacks
Gomez had been sitting in the brig for a few hours. A disgruntled looking nurse had come in at one point to see to treat his concussion and offer him a dry cress sandwich and a cup of lukewarm coffee. The prison guards had so far sent nobody to interrogate him, least of all this captain he'd been told about, and he'd spent his time trying not to think of all the ways they could get rid of him. There could be an airlock accident, a fatal shooting during an escape attempt or even a short trip down an elevator shaft.
After several hours of contemplation, a speaker on the wall opposite him blared into life, taking him by surprise and causing him to leap out of his chair involutarily.
"SHIP WIDE ALERT" the speaker informed him, loudly "ENEMY BATTLESHIP SIGHTED AND CONFIRMED HOSTILE. JMC FRANK SIDEBOTTOM. ALL PERSONELL TO BATTLESTATIONS".
"Ay dios mio!" Gomez cursed to himself. Of all the ships that had to turn up now, it had to be his own one. Things were not looking good. The way he saw it, if Blue Dwarf won the battle he'd probably be tried and executed under suspicion of being a spy (he'd seen what passed for intelligence on this starship and was not in the least bit impressed). However, if Blue Dwarf was destroyed, he would go up along with it. And if Blue Dwarf still lost, but was boarded and taken prisoner, he'd probably be executed for desertion anyway. This brief internal debate left him certain of his only option.
Fight.
He knew the ins and outs of the Sidebottom, her strengths and weaknesses. If he could convince the command staff of his honest intentions, he might just make it through this alive. Alive and free. But how could he get out of this cell? He walked over to the door and inspected it. Typical prison door, really. Thick steel designed to resist even a Rhino in the full throes of heat. On the other side was the only lock – a biometric hand scanner designed only to open the door to one of several key personnel with the right authorization. And seeing as he didn't have any spare hands belonging to said personnel, his chances of getting pretty slim. In frustration he kicked the door, instantly regretting it as the steel crumpled his toes all the way back into his trainers and forcing him to yell out a stream of unintelligible cursing.
When the pain had subsided, and he'd finished cursing the doors mother, he noticed that it had slid open. Somewhat bemused, Gomez slipped out into the corridor and looked around. He couldn't see anybody. "Figures" he thought "guarding me probably isn't high on their list at the moment". Turning to look at the door, in hopes of figuring out what had freed him, he realised that Efof – with the efficiency he'd shown him earlier – had managed to paint over the logo that was embossed on the door scanner, causing the paint to leak through into the circuit and short it out. If Efof was an example of how smart these people were, then God help them.
After a few minutes wandering, he managed to find an Xpress Lift and quickly made his way up to the Drive Room. He hoped that the captain would believe his story and that he wanted to help them. He didn't feel much like being handed over to the JMC or put back in the brig.
The Drive Room of Blue Dwarf was not too dissimilar to the Sidebottom's. True, his old ship didn't have novelty postcards stuck to the wall or sparkly unicorn stickers attached to the keyboards, but at least it wasn't staffed by sinister figures in black uniforms like he'd seen on board the Sidebottom.
"Who the Hell are you and what are you doing in my Drive Room?" barked an imposing looking woman with black hair who, he guessed correctly, was the captain.
"Senora. I am Alfredo Eduardo Gomez. I was an engineer on the Frank Sidebottom. I escaped when the fascists took over" he paused, a grim look on his face "they killed my friends, I want only to avenge them. Trust me, I know the Sidebottom like the back of my hand – her weaknesses and strengths. You must believe me" he pleaded.
Amber eyed him up. She didn't know what to do. For all she knew he could be a defector or he could be a spy.
<TAG: Anyone in the Drive Room who'll believe my story!>