Lifeline

Posted on Mon Nov 23rd, 2020 @ 2:20pm by Commodore Keiben Haistro & Senior Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Stoun & Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant JG Sher'ra Verona & Ensign L'johk Adams

1,273 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 1 - Phoenix From The Ashes
Location: USS Copernicus - Main Engineering
Timeline: Prologue Mission Day -2 @ 17:56 Hours

L'johk had been tucked away in the jefferies tubes trying to coax the power conduit feeding main engineering to cooperate and to cease its tendencies to cut out plunging main engineering into complete darkness, not even the usually illuminated warp core provided any light as it had been inoperative for the last two days. On top of that he was sweating, irritable and generally in a crotchety mood, and being half Klingon certainly didn't help in this regard either.

"Any joy Ensign?" a deep baritone voice could be heard just outside of the tubes entrance and the half klingon assumed it would be the Commander.

"I think so... Give that a try" he roared as with brute force he twisted the damaged component out of the way having bypassed it before hand. The conduit flickered back to life and the spill of light coming from main engineering cascaded back into the tubes entrance.

"Well done Ensign"

L'johk pulled his bulk from the tube and came to stand next to the Commander, an equally imposing frame but still smaller than his own, something L'johk was proud of.

"Partial sensors are coming back online..." but before Keiben could say anything else the proximity alarm started to sound and a blip on the sensors, so close it was within transporter range. The Betazoid commander reacted on instinct, not knowing if this would be the same attacker that had battered the small science vessel, had they returned to finish the job?

"Arm yourselves!" he called to the rest of the crew scattered around engineering, sadly their was still no way to warn the rest of the ships compliment.

Beaming in just outside Engineering, Sher’ra activated the display on her space suit and began to scan for life signs. Due to their scans showing minimal life support almost everywhere but engineering, she’d chosen to have her team suit up so they could move around the damaged ship more freely. Picking up a few life signs inside of main Engineering, Sher’ra activated her suit’s coms system, “hello? This is Ensign Verona, any survivors please respond” she said, choosing to bang on the doors in-front of her at the same time.

"Bring minimal life support back on in the hallway if you can Tamaska" Keiben looked to his most experienced officer before tapping his combadge to rely. "This is Commander Haistro... Are you from Starfleet?"

“Yes sir, that we are” Sher’ra replied, glad she hadn’t just beamed into a dead ship, “you seem to be having a spot of trouble with your....well everything, and we’re here to give you a lift. How many people do you have with you?”

Stoun scanned the superstructure of the ship from his tricoder. "Whatever hit them really hit it good." The petty officer looked over towards Sher'ra through his helmet. "Little ship took quite a beating."

Tamaska nodded, as she delved into the circuitry to do just that, rerouting several things. After several minutes, she said, "Okay got it." giving a slight sigh of relief.

"Minimal life support is back on just outside of engineering. You can come in now Ensign!" Haistro was more than a little relieved. This morning things were looking bleak, so much so that life support had been deactivated on all decks, retaining it only in key area's like Engineering and Sickbay... Another six hours would have seen the survivors run out of air.

"I'll work on the door." Jon accessed the interface panel and tried to work the circuit, which failed in an agitated beep from the computer. "Alright, old fashioned way I suppose." He rooted around in his toolbox for a mag clamp. After he found one, he attached it to the door and with a little persuasion, forced the doorway open which exposed the darkened engineering bay and the survivors. "Looks like y'all could use a bit of help" Stoun looked around engineering, he was amazed it had held together. "We should get the fusion reactors stabilized and back online before we attempt anything with the core, we can reroute power from them back into the system to give us some breathing room. Though, who knows what kind of shape they are in.

Walking in behind Jon, Sher’ra removed her helmet, “well, looks like you’re in quite a pickle Commander, where do you need us?”

"Everywhere Ensign. Out of eighty crew we only have a compliment of sixteen left alive and at least ten of those are injured. We've done what we can with life support but primary power has failed and secondary power is failing... We won't have any life support in less than six hours. We need to evacuate to your ship".

Keiben just wanted to sit down, his strength failing him as his legs began to tremble uncontrollably. This would be his third day without having slept, his third day without having eaten having directed his own rations to those that needed it and it was now catching up with him. A blackness had started to creep into his vision, starting from the sides and slowly expanding across his entire field of sight until finally he hit the deck, exhaustion and his injuries adding to the already taxed body, he was out cold!

Watching the Commander collapse before her, Sher'ra was a little unsure what to say. looking around, she pointed to the closest person, "you, get over here and give the Commander a hand" she ordered before activating her suit's coms unit, "Ensign Verona to USS Merlin, we've got survivors and need an emergency transport outta here"

Blast! Tamnaska thought in her mind when she saw the commander hit the deck. She wasn't quick enough to catch him. She was on the floor next to Keiban, she maneuvered him to where she could put him on her back, with his arms draped over her shoulders, his legs linked around her waist. She rose from the floor, with him secure.

A Voice over the comm system replied."Merlin to Verona. Stand by Ensign..." There was a pause then "There's an unstable plasma conduit running above your location that's emitting a lot of interference. We can't get a solid lock. Can you move out into the corridor?"

"copy that" Sher'ra replied, "alright everyone out into the corridor, Taxi's leaving"

The Chief scanned the conduit. "Quickly, I'm surprised it hasn't burst already. I'm reading some massive fluctuations." Stoun grabbed his bag and offered a hand to one of the injured crew that was laid against one of the engineering consoles. "Once everyone is out I'll secure the door for beam out."

"Right, let's get out into the corridor." she looked at Sher'ra. "Contact the Merlin and make sure those that are in sickbay are beamed out. Dr. D’BrooNi is there with the other injured. I don't want any more casualties." She moved out to the corridor,

Tamaska looked at The Chief, "Thanks, much obliged." as she stepped past him.

Once Tam was out of engineering, she quietly muttered, "Commander, I told you not to overdo it, told you to eat. When you get better, you and I are going to have some words." quietly fuming to herself and at herself. She hadn't picked up on what he was doing, until now, realizing that he was pale and showed signs of not eating.

Just then, a voice came over the comm. "Merlin to Ensign Verona. We have a solid lock on you and your party now. Transporter is standing by."

"Beam us out then and thank you." Tamaska said, feeling a great amount of relief.

End

 

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