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+ | Admiral James Maverick walked around the desk and offered Captain Marshall a handshake, " | ||
+ | Marshall replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall continued, "Sir, my crew needs a rest. We've got several wounded. I don't know how many casualties, a newborn baby. The Republic needs some serious repairs. We could use it after this ordeal." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, I know," James' expression changed to concern. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall replied, "My word, I don't believe this. It's like the Dominion all over again. They must be stopped at all costs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maverick nodded, "Your ship is currently under repair and your wounded is being cared for. The Republic should be ready in three to four days, but I'm afraid there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall responded, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maverick continued, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall commented, "Will do Admiral. We barely stood up to them. Hopefully we can even the odds a bit. The General that I encountered was very cocky, he somehow infiltrated our computer core and dug up the classified portions of my personnel file. If they did it to me they could do it to every single member of Starfleet. I would suggest alerting all of our ships." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | He walked back toward the Republic to be brought up to speed on repairs and personnel changes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sleep had eluded John Carter since the arrival at Delphi station. | ||
+ | |||
+ | From the start of his service onboard the Republic, Carter and Lana Taylor had seemed to be at odds. It seemed to John that Lana's mind just wasn't on her job. Considering Lana's circumstances, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Over the course of the rescue of the U.S.S. Zurich, Commander Taylor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | On Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John took a few steps out of the bridge turbolift and stepped down to the Command Deck. "To be honest with you Ensign," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ensign Readdy shook his hand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I hope the pistons and air supply lines of my exoskeleton don't bother you too much. They can be handy in tight situations." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter remained silent, but cast a wary look at the officer with the odd mechanical suit. ‘There HAS to be a good explanation for this . . .’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So no more overflows to cargo bay two?" asked the gravely female voice of the grey-haired Doctor Fernmore, who sat directly across the desk from Doctor Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This sounds similar to the organizational orders you made prior to our rescue mission for the Zurich" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about medical research?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The raised eyebrow on Doctor Y'lair yielded a single-word response. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cracking a smile, Leon regarded the adjective as a Vulcan compliment and responded "thank you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell waited a few moments for his staff to respond. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As everyone filed out of the office, Harris was last to leave as Lieutenant Commander Carter walked in the office. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So it's official?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Will it be you?" Leon asked, his mind still lingering regretfully on the brief tenure of Commander Taylor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Changing the subject, John took a slightly more official tone. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The repair crew is finishing up, and sickbay will be fully operational in about twelve hours," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just wanted to make sure everyone was all right Doc," he offered. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris glanced at him with a quiet smile as he passed through the door. She seemed to be staring at the new red uniform, if not with admiration, at least curiosity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall arrived on the bridge when he left his meeting with Admiral Maverick. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Four days to make all repairs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very well," he replied, "I also noticed that you approved transfers for Lieutenant Commander Sawyer, Commander Taylor, and Lieutenant Commander Forrest." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall responded, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | “What about Ensign Zelk?” Carter continued. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Standard reassignment, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you sir," he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "As a result of your new rank, I need you to oversee repairs while I fill the vacant department head positions. That being said, I need to head to sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | A civilian-clothed Bajoran, wearing a silver-gray V-neck jumpsuit with a black belt, sat across the desk from Leon. His flowing brown hair was highlighted by the ceremonial earpiece on his right ear, and his nose crest was cinched downward with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | On his side of the desk, Leon was standing with his hands planted firmly on the surface. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Counselor B' | ||
+ | |||
+ | “On the contrary, doctor,” retorted the counselor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s face became flushed with anger, and it took every ounce of restraint to prevent an outburst. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Now listen up . . . and listen good. As long as I’m chief medical officer aboard this ship, YOU will report to ME. If you do not follow that order, TO THE LETTER, I’ll see to it that you’re analyzing the migration patterns of globflies on Q’onos for the rest of your career. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Counselor B’Rell stood up calmly with a straight face, and turned around to exit the office. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The taunt gave the precise response that B’Rell had hoped for. After inhaling deeply, the purple-faced chief medical officer howled with rage. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “GET OUT!” | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a smirk, B’Rell exited the office. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Trouble? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon, regaining his composure looked up at him and said. “No. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Noting the sarcasm without response, Jim changed the subject. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Thanks, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You didn’t come down here just to say that, did you?” he asked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “No,” replied the captain, turning around to face the wall with a detached expression. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I had a feeling you’d pick him, after hearing what happened in the stardrive section.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim turned around to face him with a concerned look. “What does the crew think? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You don’t give yourself enough credit, Jim,” replied Leon. “You did exactly what you needed to do. The Kreltan commander was expecting to fight you, not Carter.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “But . . . the crew. They must think Carter’s really in command, not me.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon sat down behind his desk, leaning back into his chair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Slamming his fist against the wall, Captain Marshal hissed “It’s not just that! People died because of my inability to fight! | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Jim . . . “ soothed Leon, sitting forward in his chair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Did Lana know the risks?” asked Marshal. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “She left because she had a baby to take care of,” responded the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon stood up and walked in front of the desk. Captain Marshal still looked towards the wall and Doctor Cromwell looked intently at him from behind. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You’re a fine captain,” he offered. “And you’ve got a fine crew. Trust in yourself, and trust in them.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | At that moment, the door to the office hissed open, and Lieutenant Harris came walking in. “Doctor, engineering reports that they’ve been able to establish that larger power conduit you asked for, and . . .” Harris paused after noticing the captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain Marshal turned around to face Leon in the eye. “Thank you, doctor,” he said, straightening his uniform. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Anytime, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The door chimed as John took one last look in the mirror at the red command uniform. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the door whispered open, Doctor Cromwell walked in. He carried with him a glass vessel with an amber liquid, and offered it to Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Benecian Scotch Whiskey . . . 2311,” read John. “Geeze, Doc, this is a fine bottle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon put his hands in his pockets as he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter opened the top and sniffed the top. “Wow!” he exclaimed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yeah, we’d better take it easy with that,” warned Leon. “It’s not like synthehol. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Well, it may be only three of us,” replied Carter, pointing to the card table where poker chips were stacked along with a deck of cards. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Maybe they didn’t want to lose their credits to you tonight!” joked the doctor, as Carter ordered a pair of whiskey glasses from the wall-mounted food replicator. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter stepped back over to the card table, setting down two short glasses baring the seal of Starfleet Academy. Leon Cromwell took a glass and held it up against the light. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter leaned back in his chair and cocked his head sideways. "Oh, I don't know." John said lightly. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I suppose you're right." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Does she?" John said, not terribly careful to hide the glee in his voice. John felt his smirk return. "What else did she tell you?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not much really," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon felt his eyebrows rise. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John looked surprised for a moment, then glanced down at the red piping on his sleeve. "Score one for you Doc," he said, "but I wish things had gone a little smoother." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You got that right by a half." Leon said, with more than a little frustration. “I was starting to wonder what else the galaxy had in store for us.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both men jumped slightly as the door chime sounded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter stood up and pulled his duty tunic and pushed up the long, red sleeves of his under shirt. The Martian officer smiled as he stepped closer to the door. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "No John, I'm not. However, if you don't open this door in 16 seconds, I will be. Virtus out." =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter braced his arm against the doorway of his quarters. Behind him, Cromwell stood up and sipped his whiskey. Cromwell let a few seconds tick by, then related to the silence. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the other side of the door, the tall slim figure of Victor Virtus, still dressed in his science blue uniform, stepped into his friend' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You mean to tell me you haven' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I am nothing if not punctual, my dear Doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Until now." Carter added. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a soft chime as the voice called back "It is exactly 1900 hours." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Son of a..." John Carter shook his head as Leon Cromwell sat back down at the table. "You lied. A man named Virtus LIED to me." Carter said in mock outrage. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So he lied." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not at all John." Virtus explained. "I simply did what you would have. Adapted my plan to fit the situation." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter sat down wondering if either of the two men in the room with him knew how much fun he was really having. He sat down and shuffled the cards again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The door chime sounded again to interrupt the game's host. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Across the table Cromwell turned to Victor Virtus "At least it wasn't red alert." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doors opened as Captain Marshall entered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You play Captain?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall handed a PADD to each of them as they read: | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP center round box 80%> | ||
+ | **//Begin Subspace Communication: | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | I'm sorry I had to leave so quickly after we docked. I was informed at the very last minute that Doctor Beverly Crusher herself could perform the emergency procedure required to save my life. The procedure was a success, and I am now feeling great, and miss you all. Captain Marshall was extremely helpful in getting my transfer papers handled over subspace, so I now have a position with the Starfleet Corp of Engineers as Executive Officer with the rank of Commander. I just wanted to drop you guys a line, and let you know that you were a fine crew I was proud to serve on. I didn't get a chance to look over the transfer reports, but I hope your engineer can keep the Republic together for you. I'm sorry I'm not there to oversee the repairs, although I did get a look at the blueprints for the new sickbay ward.\\ | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | It was an honor to serve with all of you, and I wish you well on your journey and mission.\\ | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | Live Long and Prosper, | ||
+ | Commander Ashley Sawyer\\ | ||
+ | Former Chief Engineering Officer, USS Republic NCC 76241\\ | ||
+ | Executive Officer, SCE Gold Team, Starfleet Command\\ | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | End Transmission// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | "The new Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Mark Maddox arrives in the morning. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus raised an eyebrow as Marshall answered, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You want to play Jim? We could teach you," said Leon. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
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< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The small vessel dropped from warp and slowly came about to begin it's docking procedures. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The cabin of the runabout was dark and quiet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox heard the communication between the pilot and docking command. What a great sound, he thought. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark turned quickly in all directions but could not locate the voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The yeoman nodded and made a motion for Maddox to follow him. "That is a common misconception sir. If you will please follow me, I'll take you to the docking port for the Republic." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark shrugged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After several twists, turns, and turbolifts; Maddox and S' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You have GOT to be making that up!" came the shout from Leon Cromwell. "The Right of what?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter slowly and deliberately fanned out his cards, taking a small sip of the Benecian Scotch. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon meanwhile was not only sitting on a healthy pile of chips, he was also content to keep the cards Victor had given him not long ago. "Wait, wait." he said, shaking his head, "This Right of Statement is some ancient Romulan custom? How did you even know about the damned thing in the first place?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And you can see how well he paid attention to THAT." Virtus added. "Your bet, Doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you, Doctor. I'll check for now. Please Carter, go on." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John flipped a red chip into the pot. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell felt a brief shiver as John Carter referred to the carnage of the Dominion War as something so casual. ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So I did a bit of digging," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And I found a footnote to the Right of Statement in one of the recently declassified Enterprise logs." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Which Enterprise?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Uh oh." Victor whispered under his breath, as he tossed in a chip to stay with the game. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Which Enterprise? There' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No, there are..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sure if you want to get technical," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor Virtus set his cards down and regarded his neatly stacked collection of chips, sorted by color and arranged in descending amounts. Virtus took four blue chips off his pile and added them to the pot. "In for a hundred," | ||
+ | |||
+ | The comm system chimed, cutting through the tension around the table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Bridge to XO.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “I know it’s late sir, but the captain asked me to advise you when Chief Engineer Maddox has reported in.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter regarded his cards one more time. "I should probably go do my job gents," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell stared stoically across the table at Carter and Virtus while attempting to read into the fifty-credit raise of the executive officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No, I'm not ready yet Mister Virtus. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell slowly pushed his healthy stack of chips into the pot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon was quite pleased with himself, waiting to see how his new first officer would react. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Calmly, John took a last sip of whiskey before a smile swept across his face. Following the doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus, who watched the showdown with reserved amusement, replied "Not this time, John. I'm in." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon smirked and laid his cards on the table, certain he had outsmarted the tactful Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a smile that raised one side of his cheek, Carter laid down his hand: three aces and a pair of queens. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As John began to rake in the pot, Vic laid his cards on the table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter stood up and began to chuckle as Cromwell stared at the hand. "You had it the whole time, and didn't even twitch . . ." the doctor finally stuttered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus explained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Face it, doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On the contrary, John," Virtus reacted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "More like survival of the opportunist . . ." replied Cromwell sourly as Vic shrugged and stacked his winnings together. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, gentlemen," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Would you like a de-tox?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter shook his head. "No need, doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he walked out the door, both Doctor Cromwell and Lieutenant Virtus swore they heard him mutter "and an expensive one." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter stood outside the door to his quarters and tilted his neck to each side and smiled as he heard a faint, but satisfying ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Deck eight, section three." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you." John added, strictly for courtesy' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter took a few steps, enjoying the fact that it was actually quiet on Republic for once. As he stopped in front of the nearest turbo-lift, he began to notice just how still the ship could be. Quite a contrast to his first few days on board. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John had been posted to the Republic for exactly one week, and already he'd rescued a starship, had at LEAST one run-in with someone from the future, and lost his Chief Engineer, Conn Officer, and the former XO, to personnel shake-ups. Not to mention taking on a ship almost twice the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a quiet hiss, and John Carter stepped forward; straight into a closed turbo-lift door. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No, actually, I was just taking my nightly walk. If you heard hissing, that was my exoskeleton. | ||
+ | |||
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< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim was heading over to Starbase Delphi. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I figured I'd find you here," she said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim turned around and saw Captain Rachel Blake of the U.S.S. Emerson. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Rach, I knew you were here," Jim said, "How are things?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If I remember right, the Chodak were an ancient race. Most of their remains are in Romulan space and we're just finding them in the Federation," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Jim you're still sharp as a tack. Hawkeye says hi, and he's pulled some strings to fill your crew while you're here," Rachel said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I appreciate it Rach, it's been a while since the Eagle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I read the report Jim. I didn't want the assignment. It's a good thing you're alive after that ordeal," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "First time I've lost crew under my command. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know and there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What is it? You know what happened last time you said you had something to tell me," Jim replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know," Rachel said, "Want to come back to my quarters?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The next morning, Marshall stumbled in the door after his night with Rachel Blake. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After that he touched his combadge: | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Senior Staff, briefing in the Observation Lounge in 20 minutes.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain Marshall entered the room at exactly 0902 hours. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well everyone, we made it through our first mission. Because of that we had to make some personnel changes. Commander Taylor has been transferred to the Starbase to care for her baby. Therefore I have named Lieutenant Commander John Carter as Executive Officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes sir," the Lieutenant replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I have not had a chance to visit the engine room yet Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell sat quietly in the briefing, still slightly bemused in his Sunday morning haze. The new faces around the table added to the perplexity, yet Leon's introverted personality prevented him from socializing at this formal gathering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Until Carter came in, the only person he recognized was the operations officer, Lieutenant Sullivan. As the executive officer nodded politely at the gathering of senior officers, he took a seat next to the Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Captain continued, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The shock of Vic's sudden parting and increase in rank thrust Leon Cromwell out of his morning trance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you sir," he said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall then noticed Doctor Leon Cromwell sitting down the table from him. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell then came forward not knowing what the Captain was doing. | ||
+ | |||
+ | I can in your file, but most importantly, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Captain shook his hand as the officers before him applauded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter then spoke up, "What if the Kreltans decide to attack again while we're there?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Glad you asked Commander" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall let things sink in before he said, "I know I am asking a lot of you. Some of you I don't even know yet, but we need to work together. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "How soon is it likely that we will be getting information from the wreck of that Dreadnought, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If the chance comes around," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was at that moment that John Carter realized just how big a situation the Republic had found itself in, and the prospect of a second war with changelings...aggressive ones at that, didn't give John cause to look forward to the next few days. On top of that, he'd just heard that a man he'd come to rely on more times than he could count would be leaving before too long. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 'A battered ship, a rag-tag crew, and an enemy that was almost completely unknown.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just a few points of general business, for you all before we get to the fun." He said to the room. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Consulting the PADD on the table, he continued. I've been told that astrometrics is having processor lags. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox noted the information in his PADD. He had a strange feeling that those conduits in astrometrics were going to give him problems. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And for those of you who are new onboard, remember I'll need your initial crew rotations." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The smirk returned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom spoke up, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | He paused for a moment, "I also have an idea about capturing a Kreltan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom then smiled and turned to the Commander, "How much latinum was you planning on loosing tonight, sir?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, it's not me you have to worry about Lieutenant." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very well, we leave dock within the hour. Dismissed." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter pushed away from the conference table, stood up, and looked at Leon Cromwell. "What do you say Doc?" he posed to the tall physician. "You think you can take Mister Sullivan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell looked over Lieutenant Sullivan before replying to Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The officers enjoyed a chuckle at Sullivan’s expense as everyone began filing out of the room. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John smiled as he set his mind to getting Republic fit for space once more, pleased that the command staff seemed to be gelling at last. It had always been John Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter gave the half-Cardassian scientist a polite nod, which she returned, but made a note to himself to make her a part of the team . . . whether she liked it or not. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "See you all next week for poker." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon remained in the lounge, summoning Carter as he began to exit. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The last of the staff exited as the doors whispered shut. John turned around and faced Leon from across the table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked annoyed as he responded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Rolling his eyes, John said "what am I supposed to do? Tell Marshall that Star Fleet can’t do this? That he has to stay because I said so?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Damn it, John!" hissed Doctor Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "WAS our chief science officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | This took Leon by surprise. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What do you mean?" Leon asked in a softer tone, slightly embarrassed at putting the proverbial cart before the horse. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It means that Vic got a better offer from Fleet," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I didn’t know . . ." stuttered Leon, unable to find the words of apology for Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Nor should you," Carter said in a conciliatory tone. "Yes, it was an abrupt decision on his part. However, between you and me, I’d rather have a man with his brain back on Earth helping to call the shots out here on the front lines. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, the comm system came to life. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John smiled as he tapped his combadge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not before a quick stop off at my quarters," | ||
+ | |||
Line 63: | Line 658: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Making his way through the corridors of the vessel, Mark talked to engineering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox turned a corner quickly and bumped into a crewman. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just as he finished his conversation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The stop off at the doctor’s quarters was to secure a parting gift for the former chief science officer of the Republic. As Carter and Cromwell walked down the gangway towards the station airlock, the huge words " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor Virtus regarded the bottle in the Doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon Cromwell simply shook his head. "How do you do that?" he questioned. "Why do you do that? What's your obsession with time, Doctor Virtus?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter looked around the trio's immediate surroundings. The traffic at the berth remained light, and the various denizens of Delphi Station appeared to have better things to do than pay attention to three ‘outsiders’. "You two sort this out." Carter said simply. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell was visibly shocked. "But, transwarp doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus stepped closer to the Doctor, fingers of his right hand absently grooming the sides of his barely regulation 'fu manchu' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "2266. That's an important year. John would approve." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon was having trouble with the casual way his former crewmate had just dropped a major scientific revelation, while simultaneously discussing the vintage of Aldeberon Brandy. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "John hates good-byes Doctor. That may be the one thing in the galaxy that he isn't any good at. Besides, we've already managed to be on the same ship three times. He'll turn up. He always does." | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a kind of resolve in Virtus' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It works Doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What? That' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Ask your XO about it sometime." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor stepped back as the comm in the corridor chirped to life. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “U.S.S. Berkshire, en route to Jupiter Station, is ready for departure at berth 14. Last call for crew and passengers to report. Berkshire will clear moorings in 22 minutes. Mark.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The tall scientist stepped across the threshold, onto the gangway the led to the U.S.S. Berkshire. Two steps down the gangway, Virtus spun on a heel and shouted back to Cromwell. "One more thing..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Tell Carter he looks better in red. Thank you Doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite his frustration at having his questions dodged, Leon Cromwell smiled. "Will do Doctor. God speed." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor Virtus nodded, and turned again to continue his way down the gangway as the airlock shut behind him leaving Cromwell alone in the corridor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Why is it these people can't answer a simple question?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell' | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter shook his head as he strode through the corridors of Delphi Station on his way to Docking Control. He was a little disappointed in himself for not having seen Vic off, but that was the way they'd always done things. Why change now? | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The voice brought John's attention back to the present. John spun to his left and looked in the direction of the voice he'd heard. It belonged to Tom Sullivan, Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Glad I caught you, Sir." Sullivan was carrying a PADD in his hand. He looked at it to check a few minor details, then continued. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The rest are onboard, but Delphi won't release the final 20 unless we send someone to personally oversee the loading." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So, talk to Lieutenant McTaggart. He's the Tac Chief." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What? Griffe! Why doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No sir, I suppose they don' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter tapped his comm badge. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “On my way, sir. Readdy out.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | John tilted his head and looked at Tom Sullivan. "There you go. Problem solved...I hope. Now, if you'll excuse me Tom..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon took long strides through the Republic’s corridors on his way to sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he turned through the doors of the new sickbay complex, Leon was greeted with an explosion of cheers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon blushed with a deep red and put his hand to his forehead. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Where in the universe did you get this picture?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, Lieutenant Commander Carter made sure we were supplied with the correct picture," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Take it down immediately!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, we couldn’t do THAT!" said Harris cunningly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As everyone clapped and laughed at their chief medical officer, Leon turned to look at Harris through squinted eyes of scheming vengeance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris continued to smirk as Leon turned to the crowd with a smile and said, "all right, you all had your fun! Now do I have to report you for dereliction of duty?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | With an occasional pat on the back, the crowd took turns to shake hands with Leon before returning to work. As the sickbay returned to a semblance of order, Doctor Cromwell took one last look at the plaque and shook his head in disbelief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Glad to hear I’m making an impression on someone around here," she retorted, and gained a raised eyebrow from her CMO. Picking up a PADD she showed it to Leon and reported, "I have the pre-launch duty roster ready. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Any in sickbay?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Only six," replied Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Which doctors?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Tyler and Jensen." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What? You don’t trust me?" asked Harris with sarcasm. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Come on!" replied Leon with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell gave the sarcastic Harris no response, but instead, followed her gaze across the room where an Andorian female lieutenant stood in medical blues. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Who cut her orders?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m not sure," said Harris as she flipped through pages on her PADD. "Looks like her orders came from fairly high up in Starfleet Command headquarters." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Quizzically, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris nodded in agreement at Leon’s observation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ever since Leon was assigned to the Republic over a week ago, he never received word of why his civilian commission was reactivated three and a half years after his resignation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about Tyler?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nodding again in agreement, she replied "yes, and he has an oath of celibacy in his file." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oaths are all fine and dandy," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Leon flipped through his PADD, the Vulcan doctor, Lieutenant Y’lair, walked up to him and Lieutenant Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon took his eyes away from the PADD to look up at Y’lair and ask, "Who is it?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Feeling his stomach tighten, Doctor Cromwell was unsure of how to approach the frosty Cardassian newcomer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good luck," she said before returning to her own duties. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Leon walked into the exam room with his PADD and a tricorder in hand, the door shut behind him offering little relief from the stale air in the small compartment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, Lieutenant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She spoke to none since her arrival. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Somber did the stormy hues follow the Doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | When she did it was cold and even, melodious and sweet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon stood motionless for a moment, absorbing the cool impact of the lieutenant’s words. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Well then, let’s get started,” he replied, hoping that the Cardassian science officer was in good physical condition as to expedite the exam. “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Acknowledged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor asked Xayide to lie down on the table, and for the first few minutes, the only sound in the room was the overhead diagnostic array slowly creeping a parallel path as it scanned the lieutenant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “All metabolic functions appear normal,” said the doctor as he took readings from a large, wall mounted computer interface. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell produced a small sampling syringe, and began programming it for a hemolymph sample. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Thank you, that completes the sedentary portion of the exam. Now, if you’ll please step onto the anti-grav plate, we’ll test your metabolic rates.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor was holding his arm out, inviting the lieutenant onto the meter-wide circular floor base next to the exam table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “If you will, please begin to jog in place, and I’ll record your responses.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Xayide started with a quick running motion before heavy breathing set in. As her pace slowed somewhat, the vascular ridgelines across her shoulders and neck began to rise in response to increased body heat. Although reptilian in evolutionary lineage, Cardassians are a warm-blooded species. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Steady now, hold it at that pace. You’re getting your second-wind, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Raksha grunted at the doctor’s edging, from both frustration and physical exhaustion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon didn’t even blink, as he was too engrossed in the readings his console was receiving. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Acknowledged.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon turned to the new science chief and reported his findings. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Bridge to Lieutenant Xayide. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Raksha’s cold stare turned to Leon, she asked, “am I free to go, doctor?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes,” Leon responded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “And lieutenant, “ Leon offered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For a brief instant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cold the stare leveled upon the doctor once more, before she would give him a rare favor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For the mere flicker of an eye, the hard exterior of the Obsidian Order conditioned soldier waned away. And she almost appeared . . . human. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you Doctor. . ." | ||
+ | |||
+ | A shudder of annoyance, as she would frown inwardly at herself. | ||
+ | |||
Line 68: | Line 915: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | While Carter was busy securing the Quantum Torpedoes, Captain James Marshall was preparing the Republic for launch. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye Captain, I'll take care of it" said Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He then moved over to the helm. He wanted to talk to his friend, "Jack, how's the helm feel?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well sir," said Jack, "ask me that when I get us out of dock. I find the Galaxy-class to be a challenge." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Have you ever piloted a Galaxy-class starship before?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall then directed his attention towards the Science station as Carter had returned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I could have told you that," said Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Now Commander," | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Mister Maddox,” the captain pressed the intercom button. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Yes Captain, and she's in top form. I'm going to take just as good of care of her as Sawyer did. We'll show the Kreltans up.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Indeed we will. Prepare for departure. Bridge out.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | The captain turned to scan the expanse of the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Let' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye sir," said Carter as he pushed the button, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall took the command chair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The channel closed when Marshall said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Main umbilical disengaged Captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very good. Lieutenant Snyder, take us out. One-quarter impulse." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Republic slowly began to leave Starbase Delphi. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." Carter said calmly as Marshall got up. Carter was standing over the Tactical position on Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John felt his face twist as he continued to watch a chorus of intersecting vectors and velocities. Watching the graphic representation of a battle John himself had lived through suddenly made all of the lectures he'd given during his Advanced Combat Tactics class seem a little further away. As he'd been lecturing, John had a tendency to treat the scenarios as an academic exercise . . . which is of course what they were. But now...Now they suddenly seemed more real. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In the first engagement with the Kreltans, Republic had only lost a handful of crew. In his head, Carter knew that if he hadn't made the decisions he had, the situation would have been much worse, but he found himself thinking of all the crewmen, Ensigns, and Lieutenants who wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | To John's left, the bridge turbolift opened and a tall, lean Andorian male wearing Operations gold stopped in Front of him. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter made a casual wave as he straightened up. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter felt himself chuckle, just a bit. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh smiled, clearly pleased with his newfound position. "Thank you, Sir." he said calmly. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh turned on a heel and walked back into the turbo lift, as John Carter settled into the center seat. 'Not a bad fit', he thought to himself. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lying on the exam table, Captain Marshall stared blankly at the diagnostic probe making its slow, overhead scan. Its tethered optical cables were routed through the ceiling to a large, wall-mounted computer interface where a life-size representation of the skipper was animated by superimposed, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m serious, Leon," said the captain with sincerity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell was comparing the computer information on the wall monitor to a handheld PADD readout of the captain’s medical files. "Look, Jim," the doctor replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The captain looked towards the doctor from the table with a slightly supercilious expression. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the computer signaled its completion of the scan, Jim swiveled on the exam table, and sat upright with his legs hanging down. He addressed the doctor with restrained enthusiasm. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor placed the PADD on an adjoining counter and picked up a sampling syringe. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are you ordering me to take the courses?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m asking you to look at your career, Leon," said the captain, rubbing his shoulder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Spinning around with a determined look on his face, Leon rebutted "I had a career, Jim. And up until a week ago, I was set on living my life as a research scientist. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He plugged the sample into an analyzer on the counter, and after a momentary hum, the computer registered a soft chirp. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m pleased to inform you that you’re not a Dominion changeling," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Think about it, Leon," the captain finally said as we walked over to the floor-mounted grav plate. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two were silent as Marshall began an easy jog on the mill. After about a minute, the captain began huffing in exertion as Leon quietly analyzed the readouts. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So, what do you think of our new officers?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon responded without taking his eyes off the wall console. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yeah, we didn’t get much of a chance to get to know him," replied the captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, Carter and I already talked about it." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Did you?" said Marshall between puffs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not as much as you’d think," | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a groan of pain, the captain sweated his way through the half-minute sprint, soaking his black undershirt. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This way, " said the doctor as he led the path through the door and into the main sickbay ward. The captain followed, and as Leon tossed him a silver length of cloth from a surgical locker, Jim noticed the bronze plaque on the wall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a smile and a chuckle, he tapped the honorary tablet with his knuckle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Watching what happened, Lieutenant Harris walked over to Leon, offering him a PADD. "What was that about?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Never mind," replied the doctor as he accepted the device and scrolled through its contents. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris quickly searched the room and found another PADD on a desk by the nurses’ station. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, she’s a unique individual," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon stopped. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "An exoskeleton," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Does the captain know about it?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, Fleet security has to ask the captain if they’re going to have a test suit aboard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon shook his head. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon could only close his eyes and shake his head at the coincidence, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
Line 73: | Line 1080: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox sighed briefly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox glanced at the young officer and smiled. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox glanced over the data on the view screen of the PADD and nodded in a pleasing manner. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jackson nodded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jackson nodded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Maddox gave a smile as the young man walked hurriedly down the corridor, leaving the chief to stand outside of the entrance of sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The nurse gave the chief a nod and motioned him toward a bio bed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Mark sat down, he slowly scanned the expanse of sickbay’s main ward. He was familiar with the standard layout of Galaxy Class starships, as he made it a firm personal commitment to study every inch of a vessel to which he was assigned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nurses and medical technicians were bustling about, performing physicals on other biodbeds with lower ranking crew personnel and civilian family members. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell extended his hand to receive the engineers’ in a hearty handshake. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Commander Maddox,” he greeted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Turning to his companion, Leon introduced the individual. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Although the lieutenant commander seemed ill at ease to the scrutinizing of his bionic replacement, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon had a slight smirk on his face as he watched Doctor Yezbeck make his diagnosis. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The chief engineer looked both stunned and annoyed at Doctor Cromwell for the extra attention to his artificial arm. “What do you mean?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Don’t listen to him,” retorted Yezbeck with a smile. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “It’s my job,” interrupted Leon with amusement, “to ensure all personnel under my care receive every possible treatment option to their various medical conditions.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “And if you listen to him,” returned Yezbeck as he packed away his tricorder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked down to the floor shaking his head. “I have a great staff here, but sometimes they let their opinions known a little too often. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the two walked towards the exam room, Doctor Cromwell explained to the engineer his view of prosthetic replacements. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark and Leon entered into the small exam room. Motioning him over to the bed, Doctor Cromwell said, “please remove your uniform over shirt, and lie down here on the exam table.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Maddox complied, the doctor continued his point. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark lay down on the table, and Doctor Cromwell walked over to the large, wall-mounted computer display, and activated the scanning interface. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Acknowledged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The large, overhead sensor began a slow, parallel scan of Lieutenant Commander Maddox as the internal display of his body appeared in full-size detail on Leon’s monitor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Look doc, I’ve already heard this tale,” Maddox finally said with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon took note of the engineer’s negative apathy on the subject, but still persisted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark stared at the overhead scanner in thought. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Although he did not understand everything the doctor was saying, Mark could relate to his approach. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’ll think about it, doc.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “That’s fine. Come on in with questions whenever you feel like it,” replied Leon. He left the subject at that, and busied himself with comparing the current medical scan to that of Maddox’s Star Fleet medical file on the PADD he was holding. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he prepped a sampling syringe, Leon changed the subject to what Mark saw as an off-the-wall topic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Surprised by the question, Mark sat up on the table as Leon pressed the syringe into the engineer’s shoulder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Oh, no reason but curiosity, | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Mark complied, Leon continued to egg him on about the issue. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “The going theory was based on macro-transporter technology, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell was listening to the techo-speech from the engineer, barely able to keep up with his vocabulary. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “One minute left. Please run as fast as you can,” said the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark broke out in a light sweat as he raced through the last part of the physical examination. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Acknowledged.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | The engineer stepped off the platform, and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “The transporter field was cancelled by the warp bubble, and no warp envelope ever formed,” Mark replied, wiping the sweat out of his hair. He retrieved his over shirt and added “The test ships just shut down, and could only run on impulse. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “No reason, commander, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mark watched the doctor exit the exam room, and followed him out. Throwing his shirt over his shoulder, he kept his eyes on Leon until he disappeared into his office, wondering what a medical doctor would want with information about a failed warp experiment from a hundred years ago. As he exited the sickbay, he shook his head and returned to engineering. | ||
+ | |||
Line 78: | Line 1183: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside the turbo lift car, John Carter studied the PADD that Regesh, the new head of the Tactical Department had delivered, as promised, before the end of the Alpha shift. ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As John worked his way through the concentric paths of the deck, he returned more than a few polite nods. There was no formal salute in Starfleet, but the organization prided itself on maintaining a civil level of 'Good Order and Discipline.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Along with all the written regs of Starfleet, there were several others that remained in the nebulous category of Conventional Wisdom. Simple things like don't eat before a zero-gee op, ignoring non-comms can be fatal, and; most important to Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter paused briefly as the smoked glass doors to sickbay silently slid open. The ward was the picture off efficiency. 'And it better be,' John thought, after the good Doctor went through all those hoops with the re-fit crew at Delphi Station.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Y' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The screen displayed the blue, wreathed Federation logo of an oval-framed starscape. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “How can I help you, Doctor Cromwell? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, I’d like to have another look into at my reserve-activation order from you guys when I was on the Bremerton.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Stand by, Doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Moments passed while Leon waited silently, hoping to find some scrap of irregularity in the order. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The young face came back after about five minutes, an unusually long wait for a certified computer file. However, the response sent Leon’s nostrils flaring. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m sorry doctor,” said the adjutant with a concerned expression. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Visibly shocked, Leon raced through his thoughts, reconfirming what he had just heard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Back?” returned the lieutenant in what appeared to be fabricated confusion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “What are you talking about?” said the doctor, his voice starting to rise. “My tour on the Bremerton was under a grant from the Daystrom Institute! | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m sorry doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fuming, Leon was now shouting at the top of his lungs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Doctor, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s jaw hung open with incredulity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Is that right?” he finally remarked with a sneer. “Well you can all go straight to hell! Confirm or deny THAT all you like!” | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Um, Doc?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Releasing a sigh of absolute frustration, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter shrugged his shoulders after a moment in thought. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s scowl returned, and his eyes shifted back and forth as if coming to a hypothetical conclusion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The executive officer followed the doctor’s gaze, and it was focused on Carters’ uniform. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Don’t you start!” spat Leon. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Geez,” John replied with a tormented look. “I come in here for a physical, and I get yelled at. You should work on your bedside manner, doc.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shaking his head with weariness, it was Leon who apologized this time. “I’m sorry, John. It wasn’t you. I’m just trying to figure out how I ended up here. That’s all. I’m years out of practice at being an M.D.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Not from what I keep hearing,” said John. “And I think that award you got shows you still got it.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Speaking of which,” shot back Leon. “You could have found a better picture for my staff to use on that damn plaque.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter couldn’t help but to chuckle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon squinted at the exec with a look of warning. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the two walked out into the main ward, Lieutenant Harris met them. “Doctor, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Is that so?” Leon asked, looking over to the biobed where Sullivan was watching the busy sickbay staff. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Hello, Sullivan!” shouted Leon with a surprisingly upbeat tone. “I think we can work you in. Let’s mosey into exam two and get you started.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Doctor Cromwell and Lieutenant Sullivan walked towards the room, Carter looked confused and asked “hey doc, what about me?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Sullivan entered the exam suite, Leon stopped at the door and said. “Oh, I’m sorry John. I forgot, I’ve got a full schedule at the moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris’ face went livid as her eyes widened with horror. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor was about to enter the exam suite when he turned around once more and said “Oh, and Harris? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Doctor!” yelped Harris in panic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon calmly looked back at her and said in a very stern voice “Doctor Harris, I’m surprised at you. We’re on the brink of war, and I should think that you’d be interested in the health and welfare of the Republic’s first officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter was unsure of what medical dialogue just took place between Lieutenant Harris and Doctor Cromwell, but was certain it had something to do with the bronze award plaque hanging on the sickbay foyer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Um,” John started with reluctance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris, now pasty-white with trepidation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Exam One was a small, but well designed space. Well lit, with friendly curves. Carter had to admit that it didn't " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter was following his Doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris wasn't looking at her patient. Instead, she was prepping the wall-mounted console to record John Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter turned his head, looking at the Doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Only your mum would know you better." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris felt her face twitch in annoyance as she turned to look back at the XO of Republic. "Well, you won't be...dear god!" Shannon Harris looked on wide-eyed as she took in a sight the resembled the landscape of a barren, time-scarred moon, than a human being' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Over his years not only as a spacer, but also as a Starfleet officer, John Carter had been in his share of " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John's back revealed every night in a dark, seedy, alien jazz den, or missed step on an away mission. Even the rough style of play he enjoyed on the Lacrosse pitch in the form of deep scars at various places across his back, including the reminder of one or two nasty compound fractures, and more than a few shattered ribs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Current Starfleet medical techniques had let John return to active duty in fairly short order each time, but his physiology, probably owing to his being raised on Mars, meant that while he didn't reject re-gen therapy, his scars stubbornly refused to fade. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Hearing Harris' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, I'm sure." Harris stepped closer and couldn’t help but raise her hand, inching her fingers toward a particularly vivid scar that ran diagonally down Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John suppressed a shiver "Whoa! Cold hands there Shannon." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John turned around and quirked his head. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Did you just call me Shannon?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Did I?" John felt the familiar smirk pull at the corner of his mouth. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No. That is to say, well yes." Harris backed away, turning her attention back to the instruments on the wall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No, Lieutenant Commander . . ." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "John, or Carter if you prefer, but my friends call me J.T." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter took a step closer to Doctor Harris, when the room's comm system chirped. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John looked up at the disembodied voice. "Saved by the bell." He smiled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John was already pulling his uniform back on as he answered the comm. "Copy that." He said, in typical, clipped, flight jock speak. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter straightened his uniform and looked at Harris who was busy not hiding her relief that John had been called away. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Having brought himself up to Starfleet dress code specs, Carter stepped out of Exam One and walked through the ward enroute to Sickbay' | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the way, Carter caught sight of Leon Cromwell, who was finishing his physical on Tom Sullivan. John stepped halfway out the doors and looked at his Chief Medical Officer. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Satisfied that he had foiled the Doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon watched John leave sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom smiled and replied “thanks, doc.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the lieutenant left the sickbay, Leon returned his attention to his ever-present PADD to identify his next appointment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “If you EVER do that again, I’ll have that picture of yours plastered over ten decks by carving it into the outside hull with a plasma torch.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked to find a very perturbed Shannon Harris glaring at him through gritted teeth. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You started it,” retorted the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris stood there unmoving, as if awaiting a response that would better satisfies her current animosity towards him. After a moment, Leon raised his eyebrows in reconciliation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a smile replacing her sneer, Shannon responded “sounds good to me.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Wary of her sudden change in mood, Leon said, “that was quick.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “It’s a snap, doctor,” she said with enthusiasm. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Does that make us even then?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I think so.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Fine, I’ll be in my office.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Not quite rid of his anger at Starfleet for mismanaging his files, Leon decided to postpone contacting them again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Instead, the doctor’s mind went back to his conversation with Lieutenant Commander Maddox about transwarp. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘It works Doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He mulled over what Maddox said about transwarp, mentioning that it was supposed to set up a time-differential. It then suddenly dawn on him that Virtus might be correct. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon hoped he had recalled everything that Maddox told him during the physical, and that he was feeding the correct information into the database. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Said object would be traveling at speeds exceeding warp ten in respect to the surrounding universe.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bingo, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Unable to process last command.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Never mind,” replied Leon with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “The U.S.S. Excelsior and U.S.S. Ti-Ho.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Acknowledged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sitting forward again, Leon concentrated on the computer’s voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Affirmative.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Did a warp bubble form?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Affirmative.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Did the ship enter interspace and travel at speeds exceeding warp ten?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Negative.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Why not?” persisted Leon. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “The warp bubble and transporter field cancelled each other.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Scratching his head, Leon attempted a different approach. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Affirmative.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Then why was transwarp not achieved? | ||
+ | |||
+ | A moment passed while the computer digested the doctor’s request. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Unable to comply. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon frowned. | ||
+ | |||
Line 83: | Line 1436: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Republic dropped out of warp and entered into orbit around the Demon-class planet that they were ordered to do. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain Marshall asked, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We could attempt a rescue of the humans," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I wish we could, our orders are information gathering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, the doors to the turbolift opened and a human male in a Starfleet operations-gold uniform exited. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good to see you Commander," | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a mix of anger and confusion, Carter rose from the XO's seat with a quizzical look on his face. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m sorry Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Didn’t we just recently make an agreement about keeping your senior staff in the loop?” the new executive officer reminded his captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Matt Riggs is an old friend,” Marshall continued. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you," said Riggs as he headed for the Tactical console. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Helm, lay in a course for the M-class planet and engage at warp 6," ordered Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter silently sat down, casting a wary look at his captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matthew Riggs was in his office setting up shop so to speak. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs had been married to her for 11 years when she supposedly died in a shuttle accident. They never had kids they were working on it however her life had been ended abruptly and for no apparent reason. Starfleet Investigators couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Like so many things after the Dominion War her death was unexplained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He glanced at the padd that he picked up. It was the departmental roster for the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | After looking over the ship’s security records, he concluded that the woman that had been running the division in his absence was Ensign Ann Readdy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Although she was not the most senior member of the department, he had hoped to offer her the position of assistant chief of security. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Minutes later, Ensign Readdy walked into Riggs’ office and saluted him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You wanted to see me, sir?" asked the officer. Ann was clearly nervous. After taking her seat, across from Riggs, she began playing with one of the air supply lines to her right leg-piston, a nervous habit. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matthew put the pad down he was reading and placed his hands on his desk and leaned forward. "Yes I did Ensign. I have read your service file. Seems you've had a nice start to a promising career Ms Readdy. I have also spoken to several people and that they have said you ran this department with the departure of your previous department CO. Now the paperwork." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sir, one thing I can bring, is dedication. I am dedicated to whomever I serve under, irregardless of personal differences, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt Riggs smiled, seeing the same fire in the belly that he had once himself as a young security officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Republic had dropped out of warp and orbited the M-class planet they were assigned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Start the scan Lieutenant Xayide. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Scan beginning. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter then spoke, "It wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall turned to him, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " Lieutenant Xayide, check your scanners and see if there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Xayide looked over her board and reported, "There is an energy surge of the type that matches the Kreltans in the database." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On screen," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I see it," said Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom waited for the response to come in, which was rather quickly, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Captain Marshall, we've received your distress call and will be responding as soon as possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall didn't like what he just heard, but he had no choice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The screen fell back to the view of the planet, by way of Tom's fingers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall watched as Sullivan spun around in his chair to face him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter then spoke up, "If we are to use the atmosphere of the Demon-class planet, it would give us a chance to see what that base is. Scans showed it wasn't a mining facility. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall considered the thought and said, "Helm, make for the Demon-class planet and orbit in the outer-most atmosphere." | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Marshall to sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
Line 88: | Line 1549: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | The doctor jumped in excitement at the news. He had been searching for something that would take him away from these crew-physicals, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I believe so,” he replied, tapping his combadge. “I'm anxious to see their makeup.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “As am I. Bridge out.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Alright, everyone, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Almost immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Nice try, Doctor Harris,” responded Leon, “but this is a demon-class planet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The response was as emotion-free as ever, “if you wish, Doctor.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, I think you’re the best one for this job. Report to the bridge.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, sir,” replied Y’lair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he strolled to the door, Leon followed him. In a quieter tone, Doctor Cromwell added, “Y’lair, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I understand, sir,” Y’lair responded stoically. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the Vulcan left the sickbay, Leon turned around and tapped his combadge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Cromwell to bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The voice that responded was that of John Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "Roger that, Doc. Please have Doctor Y'lair report to the conference room." =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall rose from his chair to give his next orders. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall then turned to Sullivan, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bridge to Engineering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Not yet Captain, we'll get you all the power you need even if we have to find some Nickel-Hydride batteries to do it.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Good to hear, Bridge out.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall sat down as he considered his next move. He turned to Carter, "You have the bridge Commander. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Kreltan ship. I'll be in my ready room." | ||
+ | |||
+ | After entering the office, he went behind his desk and sat down, deciding that it was time for a plan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Marshall to Riggs, I need to see you in my ready room ASAP. I want you to start working on a plan to go in that Kreltan base.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “I' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Moment later, the new security/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I appreciate the weapons information. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim decided to play devil' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs folded his arms and glanced at his friend, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Matt, here's what we're going to do. The thing is that I've been pleased with the way she's handled things. I assigned McTaggart to replace Carter, since I promoted him to Exec. However, McTaggart decided that chief of tactical wasn't the proper place for him and Carter assigned Regesh instead.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So lieutenant junior grade?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then he softened Jim knew that Matt had lost his wife. Matthew nodded and went to the replicator for some coffee. The Captain was about to ask on the status of the Mrs. Riggs Murder investigation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter closed the comm. channel and scanned the bridge. His coldly efficient Science Officer was looking over the scan returns, as Captain Marshall made his way to the Ready Room just off the bridge. From the Center Seat, John called up a repeater display of the science station and looked at the results of the scans as well. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Chief Science Officer almost appeared annoyed to be pulled away from her duties to answer such an insipid question. Any fool could see that the scans had yet to be fully compiled. It was far too early to expect a detailed analysis. 'Any fool would know that' Xylaid cursed silently, ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Scans are inconclusive at this time Lieutenant Commander. However, the planet' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the half-Cardassian officer spoke, Carter shifted in the command chair, leaning forward, one hand under his chin. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John mulled over the tactical situation. Republic was making way to hide itself in the chaotic radiation of the system' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter watched with satisfaction as the Conn. Officer eased the U.S.S. Republic into a low orbit around the Daemon-class moon, effectively hiding the ship's presence from the Kreltan vessel that was also in the system. John opened a channel to the Captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bridge to Captain. We're tucked into the moon's radiation belt, Captain. Standing by." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Move us into the outer-atmosphere of the Demon-class planet,” the captain responded with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Focusing his attention back on his friend, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We have some leads. Some evidence is showing up but its still early. The Feds are dragging their feet though." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt replied, "More so at the funeral. Her family has something to tell me but they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know I miss her too," said Jim, "I was almost late taking command of this ship due to the funeral. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "She would' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know she would have. Deal is I was pressured into taking this command," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Ah the usual political mumbjumbo. Admiral Butters must have did it." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "He was one of them," Jim said. "The rest . . .don't really matter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt asked, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The Kreltans, a race of shapeshifters much like the Founders. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I can't imagine what he would think about Yolanda!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt had an idea, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt knew just the thing, "Oh yeah Plant Tricobalt Bombs that should do the trick." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That they would, but we don't know what's down there right now. There could be valuable information to us there. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "A computer core dump would do the trick," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall liked what he heard, "That would get us the information. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Matt said, "Five, ten minutes tops. For the core dump we need the CEO." | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Marshall to Maddox,” the captain pressed his communicator. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “I’ll be there in 10, Maddox out.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I make no promises Matt." Marshall said as they walked onto the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs then said, "We need to be pretty much in the atmosphere to hide the Argo." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall ordered, "Move us in closer, we're sending a team down to get information. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall turned to Riggs, "Take care of the Argo." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs smiled, "Oh I promise not to scratch the paint dad." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Watch it," said Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Luck goes with the territory Captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall watched the doors close. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall settled into the chair and said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ten minutes later, Lieutenant Xayide reported, "Argo is away Captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the new Lieutenant manned the Tactical console, everyone on the bridge clapped. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘There’s going to be Hell to pay for this one,’ thought the executive officer as he pictured the look of incredulity on the faces of two lieutenants when the news reached them. ‘The worst thing any captain can do is alienate their own security force.’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall returned to his seat as Sullivan announced, "Argo has landed on the planet." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't like this," said Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Red Alert," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Their weapons are charging," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “This is Captain James Marshall of the Federation Starship Republic cease your hostile movements toward this ship. If you do not, we will be forced to fire on you.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No response," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Get a message to the Argo, and hail the Firestorm. Tell them we're under attack. Reddy, return fire." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy immediately began to return fire. This would her first " | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | On a starship of over a thousand personnel, it’s amazing how departments can seem understaffed at critical moments. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘What about the overflow contingency? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Hopefully, | ||
+ | |||
+ | If Doctor Cromwell and the sickbay staff had any luck left after their last situation with the Kreltans, it quite possibly was thinning out. With only yellow alert as their warning, the Republic’s battle klaxon shattered the calm atmosphere of sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For his part, Leon thrust his coffee cup into the wall-mounted beverage dispenser and peeled off his ivory turtleneck sweater in one swift overhead motion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In the sickbay’s main ward, now designated as “triage-one” at the sounding of red alert, medical technicians took their places between every other biobed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Report, doctor,” Leon asked Yezbeck. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Triage-one standing by,” he responded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leaving the main ward, Doctor Cromwell did not await a response as he entered the recovery ward, now designated as “triage-two” at the sounding of red alert. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Report, Doctor Hudson,” he ordered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Triage-two standing by,” Hudson replied with an alien accent. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Continuing his brisk walk, Doctor Cromwell went past Doctor Hudson, through the recovery ward, and into the entryway for the new trauma center. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Report, Doctor Ryda.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Pausing the conversation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Thank you, and welcome aboard,” Leon said as he glanced down a side corridor where the remaining nursing wards lay empty. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Spinning around on his heel, Leon followed his path back through triage-two, and changed course down a side corridor to the diagnostic room. This room, used for the diagnosis of exotic diseases within infected individuals, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Recognizing his arrival, Doctor Shannon Harris, the red-haired pediatrician and embryologist, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Stand-by teams at the ready, doctor.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Good job, Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris followed Leon’s quizzical gaze and found that it ended at the young, blue-skinned, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The young woman twitched a sapphire antenna as a graceful smile formed across he face. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Pleased to meet you, Doctor Cromwell.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Welcome aboard doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris looked at Doctor Cromwell with slight concern as he made his way across the room to the two medics designated as Leon’s stand-by team. She followed him as he sat down, and offered him a hand phasor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Thanks, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You okay?” Harris remarked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “No, I’m fine,” replied Leon. “Must be the red alert. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris seemed to accept the explanation and returned to her team. From Leon’s view, it was the truth. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Do you think we’ll have to beam down, doctor?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon turned his head to look at the young man. “Concerned, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Although Leon kept a confident, worry-free façade on the surface, deep down he was concerned about the Kreltans, and for Doctor Y’lair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom sent the message to the Firestorm and read the reply out loud, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tom wiped a bit of sweat off of his brow, and refocused on his console. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Another dash of bright light showed on the screen and not three seconds later a large Sovereign Class Starship swung between the Republic and the Kreltan ship, letting loose it's angry armament of quantum torpedoes and phasor fire. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | James Maverick was sitting on the edge of his seat as the Firestorm' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "You bet we're in a jam. We've got people down there to get information from that base, they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The screen went blank and the Firestorm' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | James watched the screen as if to burn a hole through it as the Firestorm launched it's assault. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter felt a great sense of satisfaction as the large polished hull of the U.S.S. Firestorm swung through the view of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall considered the options as his officers slipped into the roles they were trained for. "Do it." Marshall said simply. "We need to give Riggs time to live up to his reputation." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." John acknowledged. Carter glanced at the tactical display. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir". The half-Cardassian officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall then ordered, "Open a channel to the away team." | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Sir, we haven’t even approached the base yet. If we abandon the mission now, we’ll have nothing to show for it.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “And if you don’t get back here,” Marshall countered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "To get through all that phasor fire, we’ll have to do a high-speed approach." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Now we're in business!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John felt his confident smirk return as the sensor display confirmed | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite the tension of the moment, James Marshall cracked the thinnest of smiles. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Reddy reported, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
Line 98: | Line 1901: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the three standby teams waited for call up, Leon paced the room. The ship had not sustained any casualties yet, nor was there word from Doctor Y’lair aboard the Argo. The constant shuddering from weapons fire had ceased, but the ship remained at red alert. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, the ship jostled violently from another volley of weapons fire. Before anyone could say anything, the comm system came to life. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Almost immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon, recognizing the concern and emotion in her voice, waved her back. “Harris, | ||
+ | |||
+ | She stared at him with worried eyes. “I’d really like to go.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Realizing that Harris’ feelings for Carter was beginning to affect her judgment, Leon felt it necessary to intercede. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m sure he’s okay,” insisted Leon. “I need you here to take the next call, okay?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon conceded with a slow nod of her head, and sat back down as Leon and his team left the diagnostic room with their gear. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | It took no more than thirty seconds before Doctor Cromwell arrived at the Republic’s command center. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The hum of Doctor Cromwell’s tricorder was the only sound filling the tense room, save that of computer chirps and minor electrical arcing from ship damage. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “He has a severe concussion along with heavy trauma to the meningeal artery. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In response to the doctor’s instructions, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Cromwell to Carter.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Moments passed before the response was heard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Carter here. Go ahead, doc.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “We have a situation here,” responded Doctor Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was a moment of silence on the bridge during which Carter swore yet another obscenity in Martian. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Take the con, doctor.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Confused, Leon replied, “what? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter responded in a much more distinct and sober tone. There was a sense of urgency in his voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Doctor, I haven’t got time to explain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Flabbergasted, | ||
+ | |||
+ | This time, spite came forth from the executive officer’s voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “That wasn’t a request, Doctor! | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s jaw hung open in disbelief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Do it . . .” sounded a raspy voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “We’d better get him down to sickbay, doctor,” the medics insisted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The moment of panic that held him hostage to Carter’s words seemed to take its toll on the anxious bridge crew of junior officers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Report, lieutenant, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan ran off a quick checklist. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Good,” replied Leon in a confident voice, despite the look of shock still present on his face. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Sir,” sounded the voice of Lieutenant Xayide. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Thank you,” replied Leon, who turned to Lieutenant Reddy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With resignation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Maintain position, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside transporter room two, John Carter cleared his throat and turned his attention to the racks of phasor riles on the wall. As he reached for a weapon, Lieutenant Commander Riggs and his tactical team entered the room, fresh from their harried arrival on the flight deck. Carter looked to Riggs as his men took positions on the transporter pad. "You know Commander, if you scratched the paint, dad's going to be a little angry." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yeah, well," Riggs said as he checked the charge of his hand phasor, "I was going to blame it on you anyway. Your record with small craft is...distinguished." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter felt his left eyebrow raise. "Heard about that did you?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Where do you think you're going?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter slung the phaser rifle over his shoulder, and stepped back from the transporter pad. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regulations told John Carter he had to be on the bridge, and his sense of responsibility wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the transporter pad, Commander Riggs double checked his deployment plan, then looked up. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs nodded and primed his phaser rifle. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | After a soft flash and the whine of a confined matter stream, the Away Team was gone. Carter then quickly exited to the nearest turbo lift. | ||
+ | |||
Line 103: | Line 2016: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tense seconds ticked by on Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It wasn't the thought of combat that bothered Leon Cromwell. True, he was a doctor, and above all was sworn to do no harm, but he was also a veteran of the Dominion Wars; the bloodiest conflict the Alpha Quadrant had seen in over a hundred years. Living through that gave Leon a new understanding, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Clearly, this was one of those times. If even half of what Leon suspected about the Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | What frustrated Leon Cromwell at the moment was the fact that, while he could hold his own on an away mission, he was no tactician, and the doctor was genuinely afraid that his lack of experience in that area might get good people killed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Bridge of the U.S.S. Republic shook as her shields fought against a Kreltan barrage. "Hit on the fore-port quarter." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Any fix on the away team or their status?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Leon pondered his next move, he was unaware of the bridge lift doors opening, followed quickly by John Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon fairly jumped to his feet. "What the Hell?! What are you doing here? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter eased himself into the command chair, leaning to one side slightly as he regarded the situation on the ship's viewer. "Calm down, Doctor. I'll brief you later. Go see to my boss please?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell moved quickly for the turbolift, but Carter spoke before he could exit. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell nodded, and then left the bridge, headed for the sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Deck Twelve," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s bloodstained hands were fumbling with the diagnostic wand of a medical tricorder as he scanned the unmoving body of gutted Starfleet commander. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Damn it!" shouted the doctor, as the sounds of phasor fire echoed in the distance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon turned his head to look into the blue, frenzied eyes of a human female with black, curly hair. She wore a Starfleet lieutenant’s uniform, which, like Leon’s white physician’s tunic, was blood soaked and tattered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That was the inner defense perimeter," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Offering a last moment of remorse for the now deceased base commander, Leon bowed his head. Outside in the corridor, the steady beat of marching Jem H’dar soldiers loomed ever closer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon knew it was a slim hope. "Even Klingons wouldn’t harm medical personnel taking care of casualties," | ||
+ | |||
+ | A bead of sweat trickled down the side of his head as the troops rounded the corner into the medical ward. In military fashion, the Jem H’dar soldiers marched down the aisle, pointing rifles at anything that moved. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The leading soldier refused to lower his rifle, and instead, pointed it at Doctor Cromwell’s head. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A tense moment occurred where Leon agonized over the soldiers’ response. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Our order from the Founders is to destroy this base." | ||
+ | |||
+ | With that, phasor rifles began to discharge throughout the room. Patients, still clinging to life in their biobeds, went screaming to their deaths at the point of a phasor rifle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The turbolift doors whispered open as Leon gasped for air. From the floor of the elevator car, he found himself staring down an empty corridor aboard the Republic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon had not had a flashback to the Dominion Wars for well over a year and a half. Although his outpatient status from stress counseling required him to report such occurrences, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What was he thinking?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Yezbeck looked up to see Leon approaching them. "I thought you were on the bridge," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Yezbeck replied, "it raised a few eyebrows down here. I sent Fernmoore to the diagnostic room to take over your stand-by team." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’d like to keep him here until morning for observation," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both doctors replied, "aye, sir," as Leon returned to the diagnostic room. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Doctors Harris, Favuuk, and Fernmoore waited silently in the diagnostic room, each with their two-person stand-by teams geared up and ready to be dispatched. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doors parted, causing several to look towards the entryway. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I though Carter put you in charge?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "He did, " replied Doctor Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Mine too," replied Harris, happy to hear that Carter wasn’t in harms way. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I guess I’m not needed here," replied the gray-haired Doctor Fernmoore, who took over Leon’s stand-by team during his brief stint on the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing, and looked at Doctor Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon’s stomach tightened. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "My name," insisted the red-haired Lieutenant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked around to everyone staring at him, and wiped the sweat from his forehead, which was beginning to condense for the second time that day. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Um, Fernmoore?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The older woman nodded slowly, looking at him with apprehension. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon quickly exited the room. As he entered his office, he dropped his hard-shell pack and medical kit by the entrance, and slowly took his seat behind his desk. He stared into the empty space in front of him, both with concern and exhaustion over the events of the past hour. After ordering a cup of coffee from the wall dispenser, he activated the computer console and began monitoring the information coming from the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After a moment, he found that his thoughts were unable to focus on current events, and he turned the console off. With a sigh, he opened a drawer in his desk and produced a handheld transparent octahedral object, and placed it on the desk. Flipping a microswitch at its base, a small hologram of three individuals appeared, standing next to one another. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He stared at the hologram for a long time. Leon was caught in the paradox of remembering the strong thread of life that flowed vibrantly from his lost friends, while also trying to forget the horror of their deaths that he was forced to witness. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Doctor, Captain Marshall’s injuries were minor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The calling of the intercom forced Leon to quickly rid his eyes of mourning with a few wipes of his hand. Tapping his combadge, he replied “on my way.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Upon exiting the turbolift, Captain Marshall turned to Carter and said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter turned in reflex to his commanding officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Commander," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Punctuating a moment of awkward silence, the comm. system chirped. The signal was noisy, and incomplete. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The sound of weapons fire and shouting could be heard under Riggs situation report. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Get me a lock!" Marshall shouted. "I want our people out of there YESTERDAY!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If I may Captain?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The science officer hid her inner revulsion at being addressed so informally by a mere human. Commanding Officer or not, what right did he have to take such liberties with her? She choked back her disgust and spoke. "Our enhanced sensors should be able to lock onto the power sources for the Away Team's compressor rifles..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter felt his eyebrow raise as he realized Xylaide had just referred to a Cardassian weapon. He wondered if she had noticed the slip as well. Or had she meant to let it go? | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But it will require the re-routing of power from our..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Do it!" Marshall ordered. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | From her workstation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | As if on cue, Anne Reddy called out from her tactical post, high on the backside of the bridge. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." came responses from the bridge crew. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "ETA on Dreadnaughts?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy stayed poised to drop the shields. She knew this was a risky maneuver, but that's the only way they could beam up the Away Team. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Beads of sweat formed on Readdy' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Lieutenant Snyder input orders to the helm, John Carter braced his knees to roll with the slight pitch up to port, while the tactical plot now on the main viewer told him several interesting things. | ||
+ | |||
+ | First, the U.S.S. Firestorm must also have been aware of the incoming Kreltan ships, because it was now positioning itself to cover Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What the hell?" John muttered softly. To Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | At the science workstation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Republic was rocked by the near miss of a Kreltan plasma torpedo as John Carter made his way back to his seat in the command pit. "Tac, stand-by shields." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter tapped at the keys on his console that opened the comm system. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | He didn't wait for the acknowledgement, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Commander Matt Riggs was no stranger to combat. He'd been chosen by Starfleet Command to join the Elite Force program, and had equated himself well enough on countless Away Teams (some of which he would never be able to talk about), to have earned the respect of his fellow Tactical officers. Starfleet prided itself on a fair amount of discipline and civility, meaning the chain of command was nearly always obeyed (with a few notable exceptions, all involving a ship named Enterprise), | ||
+ | |||
+ | Upon becoming solid after transport, Riggs had instructed the remaining five members of his away team to fan out in a simple line, with Riggs himself as " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Away Team moved with cautious steps down the darkened corridors of the Kreltan ship, pausing at irregular intervals to step over ridges and juts in the hallway that might have marked the joining of components. It made for slow going, and it made Riggs nervous. Over the mastoid comm unit that was strapped over his throat, Riggs was able to communicate with the rest of the Awa Team using barely audible vocalizations. Each member of the team also had an earpiece. This made nearly silent communication between all the Starfleet officers possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Two places in line ahead of Riggs, Ensign Sasha Woczyk consulted his tri-corder. The display of the device cast a pale green light over the Ensign' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Short replies followed, and the Away Team followed instructions, | ||
+ | |||
+ | What Riggs knew about Kreltans wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Higher temperatures did odd things to Andorian temperament. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh could feel his control slipping away, and had the presence of mind to turn to Siobhan McDermott, the small but dangerous Terran woman directly behind him and opened his mouth to tell her he was unwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The words never came. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Siobhan McDermott' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before her brain sent and received the signal to depress the trigger, the once quiet corridor was filled with an inhuman wail, like some strange, primordial beast had erupted from the deepest darkest places of McDermott' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the Kreltan...thing continued to cry out, a milky yellow tendril dripped from the center of it's mass, quickly dropping to the floor where it pooled. Then suddenly, the pool appeared to boil, and as bubbled formed and popped, dozens of shiny spikes took their place. In the blink of an eye, the Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh went with the shove McDermott had given him, but was genuinely surprised at the searing pain that soon followed. It overwhelmed his senses. So much so that he was only vaguely aware of the blood and other fluids that were filling his lungs... that his body was now desperate to expel. 'How strange', | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Regesh dropped to the deck, McDermott fired her weapon. She knew that even on full stun, it might take multiple hits to bring down a creature that had no nervous system to speak of, so immediately after the first beam left her weapon, she launched a second, to the same location. Instructors at the Academy called it "The Deuce", | ||
+ | |||
+ | The noise in the corridor ceased for an uneasy second or two as the Kreltan was overwhelmed with phaser energy. His undulating mass became rigid, and shook slightly as he toppled to the deck under his own weight. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In reaction to the sudden noise and phaser fire, Riggs and the other members of the Away Team fell back on hours of training, pressing themselves to either side of the hall, alternately standing and kneeling to give each other a clear line of fire. "MAN DOWN!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs fired off two quick shots to cover Hannah Carlsberg as she inched forward to drag the fallen Kreltan closer to the Away Team's position. The tall, strong ensign knew how close the target would have to be in order for Republic to pull them all home in a single transporter beam. Hannah called on her considerable strength, but even for her six-foot frame, hauling a mass of what amounted to five cubic feet of inert plasma was slow going. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Too slow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | More Kreltans appeared in the hall ahead of the Away Team, and Anthony Woczyk screamed as an alien tendril dripped onto his head from the ceiling, pulling him up and into the unknown before Riggs could react. Kreltan plasma bolts spat down the hall as the Starfleet officers returned fire. Riggs fired up into the hole where Woczyk had been taken and cursed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "DAMN IT! PULL BACK! BACK TO ZERO! REPEAT! BACK TO ZERO!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sokek and Riggs lay down suppressive fire, as McDermott pulled Regesh' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs signaled Sokek to continue firing, keeping the advancing aliens at bay, then tapped his comm badge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Riggs to Republic! We need immediate evac! We have secured the objective, but I have two men down! Proceeding to zero position. Evac ASAP!” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Riggs had no way of knowing of the message go through, but if it didn' | ||
+ | |||
Line 113: | Line 2314: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Seconds passed as the crew tensely awaited the results of their last actions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On screen," | ||
+ | |||
+ | In a blink of an eye, the star-speckled battleground disappeared to reveal the stressed, aged face of the admiral. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Jim, were tracking several Kreltan ships inbound. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Were planning to, admiral," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Chief Perizata stood by the transporter controls, attempting to gain a lock on Lieutenant Commander Riggs' away team. It wasn't until the sensor information from the bridge was received that the team could even be tracked through the maelstrom of false echoes from the Kreltan cloaking device. Pinpointing the phasor rifles instead of life signs was a novel idea, and as soon as the readings were fed into the transporter computer, bright location signatures of all team members splayed out on the chief' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This is transporter room one," he replied to the bridge through the intercom. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Manipulating the controls, Perizata expanded the transporter field to retrieve the life signs surrounding the energy signatures. As he activated the beam, his entire console went blank, and the buffer capacitors went from their high-pitched whine that signified a transport, to a silent, power-deprived stand-by mode. Hitting the intercom, the chief yelped, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, the doors to transporter room one slipped open, and Doctor Harris entered followed by two medical technicians. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, Perizata received a positive call from transporter room six. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Relieved, the transporter technician keyed in a text message to the operations officer that Riggs' team made it back to the Republic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The channel quickly closed as the captain nodded his head. As a chirping came forth from Reddy’s tactical station, she quickly announced " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan replied, but a negative buzzing warble came forth from his console. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What the hell?" screamed Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, Sullivan acknowledged a new problem with the re-routed power feed. "Sir! I’m reading an overload surge!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris and her team paused momentarily in the transporter room before deciding to head to the secondary hull to treat the incoming away team that was just re-routed to transporter room six. They were about to head out when an urgent call came in. It was Lieutenant Sullivan on the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A lump in Shannon' | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "This is Yezbeck. Acknowledged, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Not bothering to respond, Harris immediately turned around to report to the bridge six decks up. She saw no reason to proceed over twenty decks down to the secondary hull and report to transporter room six, especially since the away team wasn't even aboard yet. `If they need another ERT team,' she thought, `they can call Fernmoore.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Watching the multiple veils of white transporter energy dance across the beaming pads, Ensign Bryant kept a close watch on the power feed. If transporter room one was having power problems, there was always the possibility that it could spread to other parts of the ship. Fortunately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Humanoid shapes formed on the transporter pads as the last sparkles of energy-to-matter conversion faded away. Members of the away team were both standing and lying down, and as Ensign Bryant realized that medical assistance would be required, his hand inched towards the intercom. However, before he could activate it, a sizzling lance of orange phasor radiation burned a hole in his chest. The force of the blast threw him against the back wall, and as he slumped to the floor, the last living expression on his face was that of complete shock. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The cold face of Lieutenant Regesh watched on as he lowered the phasor rifle. He looked around the room to find Ensigns Carlsberg and McDermott surveying the dead bodies of Riggs' away team around them on the transporter pads. Without the slightest hint of emotion, the Andorian addressed the two security officers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Did they get a message through?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The purples eyes of the black-haired McDermott faced the Lieutenant and replied "If they did, they would have beamed us to a holding cell instead." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You are correct," | ||
+ | |||
Line 118: | Line 2401: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall slowly stood up, and dusted himself off as Carter tended to the injured tactical officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The power surge ruptured the control systems between the bridge and engineering," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Weapons fire rattled the Republic, signifying the arrival of the Kreltan attack force. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That does it!" shouted Marshall, tapping his own combadge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | A muffled intercom chirp warbled from underneath one of the bodies. Regesh walked up to it and rolled it over with a kick. The deceased face of Lieutenant Commander Riggs became upturned as a trickle of dried blood remained encrusted on his lower lip. His combadge was calling out to him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh nodded with agreement. "You two research the shield frequency of this vessel, and transmit it to the mother ship on an encoded frequency. When you're done with that," he smiled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | One of the bodies on the transporter pad moaned, and crawled off the deck on his knees. It was Chief Petty Officer Eldaro, and he overheard the conversation between the three Kreltan imposters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about you?" she said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, Regesh' | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tapping the combadge he acquired from the actual body of Regesh still aboard the Kreltan dreadnaught, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A smile crept along the Regesh-clone' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall nodded as the forward portside turbolift breezed open. Lieutenant Harris and two medical technicians poured out onto the bridge followed by a three-person engineering team. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris flipped out a tricorder and marched over to Lieutenant Reddy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris retrieved a small spray-application device from her medkit and applied it to Lieutenant Readdy’s back. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The captain tapped his combadge yet again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he finished, the forward starboard turbolift opened. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Your orders," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about you, sir?" he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The stardrive section will be covering your escape," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good luck, sir," said Lieutenant Regesh, as the four officers strolled towards the exit. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Stepping into the turbolift, Captain Marshall replied "you too." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Reddy and Sullivan followed the captain, but Carter paused momentarily at the door, catching the worried eyes of Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the Republic jostled about from Kreltan weapons fire, the steady stream of casualties caused Leon to re-emerge from his office into the main ward. As he watched the increasing severity of the wounded, he became concerned about the tactical situation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You tell me," replied the balding Doctor Yezbeck, who was helping an injured patient onto a biobed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell was caught off guard; not realizing that his inside voice had somehow found it’s way to his mouth. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Slipping back into his office, Leon retrieved his hard-shell survival backpack and his medical trauma kit. It took a cup of coffee and a moment of silence to shake off the effects of his post-traumatic flashback, and now that he found himself without anything to do, he decided to relieve Doctor Fernmoore of standby team duty. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ship rattled yet again as Leon exited his office, and before he could make it to the diagnostic room, the comm system shrilled with Lieutenant Commander Maddox’s voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Instantly, the gray-haired doctor Fernmoore emerged soberly from the diagnostic room followed by Ensign Brook and an enlisted medical technician. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | She stopped prior to the main doors, and looked back at him. "Are you sure, sir? Doctor Harris and her team are already on the bridge, and that will leave only Doctor Favuuk and her team on standby." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, I’m sure," he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fernmoore shrugged her shoulders and walked back towards the main ward. The two medical technicians looked at each other before following Leon as he led the way to engineering. | ||
+ | |||
Line 123: | Line 2514: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The turbolift doors whispered open as Leon and his medical team jogged into the corridor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Must be worse than we thought," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Doc, were separating the ship." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I can see that," replied Leon sarcastically. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John started to walk again to catch up to the other bridge officers as he explained the situation to the Doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Look, doc,” he started. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Close enough," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the ship jolted again from Kreltan weaponry, a conduit exploded behind the group of officers, further down the deck. As all heads turned towards the source of the explosion, a burst of phaser fire shot from in front of them, hitting Lieutenant Readdy in the ribs. She screeched an obscenity while spinning around and returning fire. Everyone took cover behind a nearby wall alcove with Reddy offering cover fire with her phaser. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Kreltans? | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, however they got on board, we’re now cut off from the battle-bridge!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As if by instinct, Carter tapped his combadge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like we have security situation as well." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A metallic chime sounded from deeper within the wall alcove where Lieutenant Commander Carter removed a wall panel, revealing a small vertical access-way containing a ladder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We can climb down a deck and retreat back to the stardrive armory!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | As a phaser blast hit the bulkhead next to the captain, he replied, "it doesn’t look like we have much choice." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The officers quickly filed one-by-one into the access-way, followed by Lieutenant Reddy, who covered their exit with bursts of her hand phaser. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Per regulation, the ship’s armory was guarded at all times by a security contingent. | ||
+ | |||
+ | One of the officers had a blonde head of regulation-braided hair. She cautiously watched her side of the corridor, and turned her head at the sound of approaching footsteps. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Around the corner, seven individuals approached the armory. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Happy to find the two officers at the ready, Carter greeted them. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two security officers lowered their phasers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It seems our infiltration mission has backfired, and we’re cut off from the battle-bridge," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter dialed the command code to enter the armory, and the doors whisked open. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the doors shut after them, Carter activated the locking mechanism, ensuring that anyone attempting to gain access to the armory would have a very tough time of it. Almost immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Reddy began to breathe heavily within her pneumatic exoskeleton, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m all right," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I just gave you a tri-ox compound to bring the oxygen levels up in your blood, and I’m going to seal the wound from bleeding. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John walked over the captain and looked at the computer screen from over his shoulder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What is it?" asked Lieutenant Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The saucer-section is getting away under cover fire from the Firestorm," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both Carter and the captain looked at each other with very solemn expressions, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Following orders, the two security officers began handing out the equipment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Wait a minute! | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The young medic looked to Doctor Cromwell for support, but Leon only nodded his head in agreement. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After breathing a nervous sigh, the next words out of Captain Marshall’s mouth sent a shockwave through everyone in the room, except for Carter who was obviously anticipating it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He touched the computer keypad, and announced " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | With an intent expression, Carter followed suit and pressed his hand to the keypad. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Activating the comm system, Marshall announced over the ship-wide speakers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | With swift, military movements, Reddy, Carlsberg, and McDermott led the way out of the armory and to the lifeboat station further down the corridor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The lifeboat was dark, and the air stale until Carter announced to the onboard computer, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I hate these things," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Without warning, the lifeboat jarred to one side as warning buzzers sound. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Have they no decency?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Again, the lifeboat jarred to the side, sending the small craft into a spin. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don’t think so, sir!" shouted Carter, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Struggling with the controls, the executive officer gritted his teeth with determination. | ||
+ | |||
Line 128: | Line 2659: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The bridge consoles of the Sovereign-class vessel were all outlined with red alert signatures as personnel remained fixated on their stations. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Vulcan female in command red fingered her console and reported " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The admiral pressed a button on his chair-mounted computer pad. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Do what you can, chief," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Make it so, commander." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The admiral looked even more uncomfortable as he pressed the chair panel again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a sigh of relief, Admiral Maverick replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Scratching his forehead with a frown, the admiral asked " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Seven hundred and ten," replied the commander. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And the crew we were able to beam from the all lifeboats before they were destroyed?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "One hundred and eight nine." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That still leaves over a hundred unaccounted for?" asked Admiral Maverick with reservation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "One hundred and sixteen to be precise, sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ignoring the cold, inhumane calculation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Looking off into space, the admiral mused soberly for a moment before offering a response. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, sir," acknowledged the Vulcan commander. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Still staring into space, Admiral Maverick looked upon the day’s exploits with somber regret. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Streaks of lighting crackled across the black, cloudy sky highlighting the bleak, rocky terrain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Distress call is doubtful, but hopefully the Firestorm will come back for us when it's safe.' He then noticed Lieutenant Reddy approaching. He asked her, "How are you holding up Lieutenant?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just fine considering what we've been through," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall had to ask, "You didn't happen to see anyone else from our pod did you?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No sir," she replied, "but I wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Got that right," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Leon, take a look at my right knee. When we landed. . ." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor ran his scanner and said, "A bit bruised, but no damage." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall responded, "Glad to hear it, but save whatever hypos you have for the rest of our people. I can live with this kind of pain." The good doctor didn't look too happy with the order but didn't protest. Just then Sullivan and Carter arrived, they were banged up a bit. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Now that we're all alright, we've got a new mission. Survive. The first thing we need to do is estimate how many of the crew made it down here," said the Captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter then spoke, "We got about 700 in the saucer section." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very true," said the Captain. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the officers headed out in opposite directions, Leon called after them. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Try not to stay out longer than necessary," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon could see they all responded with movements of their mouths and a positive wave, but he wasn't a lip reader, and the blustery air stream drowned their voices out. Assuming that he was heard, the doctor shrugged his shoulders and pursed his lips with annoyance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Like they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Soon, he found himself alone and left to scrounge the precious emergency gear. The lifeboat was designed to carry fifty personnel, but he remembered that less than a fifth of that number actually rode the pod to the surface. As Leon pulled out the emergency shelter materials, he paused with a quizzical furrow in his forehead. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I wonder where everyone else went?" he thought to himself. When he originally awoke after planetfall, Leon stumbled around in his medkit to find a stimulant that would bring him out of the light concussion he sustained. It took a few minutes for it to take affect, and during that time, he drowsily released himself from the flight seat and clambered out of the pod. When he gained full consciousness, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Dropping the two large gray parcels of shelter material, Doctor Cromwell pulled out his tricorder. He set the apparatus for wide-field scan and searched for other life signs in the area. The electro-magnetic resonance of the charged atmosphere severely hindered his scan, and with an annoyed expression of distaste, Leon closed the device with frustration. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon retrieved the gray cases and continued away from the lifeboat, dropping a few chemical illumination devices on the ground as he went. He led a short trail to an area out of the wind. Placing one case on the ground, he pressed a button that caused a large, plastic bubble to inflate. Unlatching the other case, Leon pulled out the construction-foam sprayer, and began erecting a thick, radiation-proof wall using the inflated bubble as a back-form. Minutes later, a large dome-shaped shelter capable of housing fifty people was erected, and Leon nodded his head with satisfaction. He returned the equipment to its case, and began following the illuminated trail back to the life boat for the gathering of more gear. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Halfway back, Leon stopped after hearing what he thought was running footsteps. Activating his wrist-light, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Again, the footsteps grinding across a gravely surface reached the doctor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a relieved expression, Leon said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like they split-up and headed in opposite directions," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That accounts for only four," responded McDermott, the rough breeze barely feathering her shortly-cropped black hair. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about the Marshall-human?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Then we'd better find him. You follow those set of tracks," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about the third set of tracks?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the two imposters departed the area, leaving the unconscious Doctor Cromwell to die from the mortal phasor shot, another shadow scurried around in the darkness. Moments later, the scratched face of the enlisted medic clambered out of hiding from within a small, rocky alcove. His expression was of petrified fear. Clambering over to Leon, he realized the wound was grave, and that death would soon follow if he didn't do something. The crewman reached into his belt- mounted medical pouch and began retrieving the necessary gear to stabilize the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
Line 133: | Line 2790: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Engineering teams completed their repairs on the rear bridge science stations as the repair crew leader approached the command pit. In the first officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you, chief," | ||
+ | |||
+ | The engineer nodded and motioned for his team to follow him off the bridge. As the doors to the turbolift whisked closed, the Kreltan imposter announced, "send a message to the Firestorm. All systems repaired and fully functional." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, sir," replied Lieutenant Snyder at the helm. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like we'll be okay, as long as we can get a new stardive section in a timely fashion," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh showed little emotion as he replied to the question. "I doubt he survived the explosion," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I guess that makes you our commander until we're assigned a new captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I guess so," replied the Regesh-imposter with a very slight smile, carefully restraining his delight that he had successfully infiltrated the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy and Sullivan took off in an easterly direction, her mind spinning with numerous thoughts and memories. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After about a half hour, Readdy became very uneasy, sensing something wasn't right. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are you picking anything up on your tricorder? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy and Sullivan continued eastward, with Readdy still sensing trouble. Little did she realize how right she was! What she was feeling was that of being followed, or stalked, like prey. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "How much further?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | As time went by, the " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy spotted his faint shadow and darted to her left, as he fired. The blast nicked the outer air supply line of her right " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall had rounded up 12 of the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then Marshall heard phaser fire. He saw McDermott approaching him. McDermott said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No sir," he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then McDermott raised his phaser rifle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Crewman First-Class Teague was less than a year out of Starfleet' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Teague pulled out every medical contraption he could find in the trauma kit. Doctor Cromwell lost a lot of blood through a ruptured lung and disintegrated kidney. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Teague was finishing off his emergency field surgery, footsteps began approaching. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | At that moment, Sullivan came clambering over a rise towards the east, carrying Lieutenant Readdy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter looked over to Lieutenant Reddy, not bothering to hide his shock. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Then get over here! I have no idea what in the galaxy I'm looking at. I'll keep and eye on the Doc." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter and Teague switched places, and they each knelt over their respective patient. John ran his fingers through his hair as he looked down at Cromwell’s Phaser wound. "Jeez Doc," Carter mused, "I thought you knew how to keep your head down." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Confirming that Cromwell' | ||
+ | |||
+ | If Virtus had been on the Demon class planet with the rest of the Republic survivors, he'd be urging John to not let his temper get the best of him. John Carter had the peculiar gift of being able to focus his anger into a kind of clarity of purpose. An amazing awareness that, rather than blinding him with rage, usually made it possible for John to out think and out maneuver his adversaries. just now, however, John Carter didn't want to think. He didn't want to revel in his own ingenuity. He was stranded without a ship, unsure of whom he could trust, facing an enemy whose motivations he didn't have the first clue about, and they'd killed people Carter was directly responsible for. For that he wanted the Kreltans to pay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, Carter realized what must have happened. Riggs security team had been compromised. McDermott and Carlsberg were here on the planet with the command crew, but that left Lieutenant Commander Riggs unaccounted for, and John had to assume that if one member of the team had been replaced, then they all had, which meant that at this moment, someone that wasn't Lieutenant Regesh was in charge of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, sprock," | ||
+ | |||
Line 138: | Line 2889: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Shannon Harris was sitting in the Chief Medical Officer’s office, using a stylus to write notes on a datapad. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And so, it is with honor and distinction that (insert officer’s name and rank here), served aboard the Republic, and will forever be in our memories. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris finished writing with a last few wisps of her pen, and looked toward B’Rell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | B’Rell chuckled with a condescending demeanor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon raised her eyebrows with subdued surprise. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Come, Doctor Hudson," | ||
+ | |||
+ | The counselor led the way out the door, as Hudson followed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the two left the office, Shannon sat in her chair, staring into space. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before long, the balding and black-bearded Doctor Yezbeck came walking into the office, noticing that Harris was lost among her thoughts. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Breaking out of her trance, Harris shook off the veil of hopelessness that found it’s way into her mind. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No, I’m okay. I’m just wondering how it came down to this. Surely there are more experienced officers onboard to lead what’s left of the Republic." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Yezbeck shook his head, and leaned against the foyer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon looked down to the floor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Pursing his lips and nodding in agreement, Yezbeck replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And what if they are still alive?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But the crew isn’t," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I hope not," whispered Shannon under her breath as she got up, and they both exited the office. | ||
+ | |||
+ | B’Rell had many of the sickbay staff gathered in the main ward as he administered orders. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This triage system is most inefficient," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What would be a mistake," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nodding with nervousness, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall had just arrived when he heard Carter’s exclamation about Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just putting two and two together Captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter looked up at his Captain. "If that's a Kreltan, sir... if McDermott' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John saw the flash of recognition in his Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh Hell." Marshall whispered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the ground next to Carter, Leon Cromwell stirred and opened his eyes. Carter looked down at him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The dazed Doctor Cromwell, looked into the face of his First Officer and scowled. "I knew it," he sighed. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter stood up, closed the tricorder he'd been monitoring, and offered Cromwell a hand. "Maybe so Doc," Carter quipped easily, "but at least you're in fine company." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Taking the First Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | A few steps away, Crewman Teague, a first year medical technician was looking over the fallen body of Lieutenant Anne Reddy. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That depends on what you consider ‘well’, crewman," | ||
+ | |||
+ | A brief moment occurred where Doctor Cromwell coughed spasmodically, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Making his way painfully over to the medic, Leon looked both surprised and annoyed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Teague began to look nervous, and he fumbled with the tricorder while continuing a scan over Lieutenant Reddy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sitting down next to Reddy and Teague, the doctor replied sarcastically, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Teague thought for a moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The crewman closed in eyes in comprehension. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very good," Leon said with a secondary cough. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Crewman Teague picked up a hypospray and inserted a vile of medicine from the well-stocked trauma kit. An injection into the doctor soothed his cough, and brought his pain under control. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Is there anything else I forgot, sir?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was almost funny, the way the young medic asked Doctor Cromwell the serious question. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Refocusing his attention to the unconscious Reddy, Leon said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "She came in gasping for air, saying she used her exoskeleton again." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Again, Teague closed his eyes with nervousness, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Almost immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I told you," said Leon sarcastically. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Reddy leaned up against a rock with an annoyed expression on her face. "I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter, doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Make a small medkit for her, Teague" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy accepted the medkit without a word, and strapped it to her belt. She knew very well that Doctor Cromwell was right. In her condition, she would have to do her best to avoid using her exoskeleton. Readdy hoped she wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ann turned to Carter and Marshall. Seeing their grim expressions and hearing the conversation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | She feared that everyone, including her was going to die on this hell-hole of a planet and she would never realize her dreams, of moving up the career ladder, so to speak. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Turning to Teague again, Doctor Cromwell asked, "what happened to Ensign Brooke?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The crewman’s lower lip began to quiver in having to remember a horrible event. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked towards the dead body of McDermott. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor let out a foreboding sigh, and leaned his head back against a rock face. "My God . . . that’s how they got on board." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And that’s why we had to destroy the stardrive section," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall then proceeded to round up what senior staff was left. They crowded around him as he relayed the stories of the Kreltan imposters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With positive replies all around, everyone nodded their heads in approval. | ||
+ | |||
Line 143: | Line 3036: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Starlines streaked across the main viewport as the Kreltan-imposter of Lieutenant Regesh watched the one dozen patrol craft escorting them back to Delphi station. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "All vacant department heads have been filled, and requests for replacement personnel have been transmitted to Delphi station," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Very good, counselor," | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was too perfect, the Kreltan reasoned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The most crucial obstacle now was deciding what he could get away with before being caught. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The only way escape could be an option is if he could fly the ship to someplace where he knew there were Kreltan vessels waiting. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, counselor, I definitely appreciate your expertise in these trying times," | ||
+ | |||
+ | The counselor looked flattered, but also slightly embarrassed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Exams are so pointless, in my opinion," | ||
+ | |||
+ | A flash of inspiration came across B’Rell’s face, as if he had found a kindred spirit in the common beliefs between himself and Regesh. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, there’s no time like the current to practice skills that will eventually be needed," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Recognizing that Regesh was suggesting that he was command material, B’Rell swelled with pride, and returned the smile. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan infiltrator entered the ready-room and positioned himself in the chair behind Captain Marshall’s desk. Looking at the screen intently, he said " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘Now we’ll see if studying those human computer protocols was good enough,’ thought the Kreltan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Closing his eyes, the Andorian look-alike concentrated intensely in a meditative state. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Closing his eyes once again, the look-alike of Admiral Maverick concentrated intensely in a meditative state before changing once again into the split-image of Regesh, the Andorian tactical officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the bridge, Counselor B’Rell greeted the lieutenant with a bit of odd news. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | He walked around the rear tactical console enroute for the command pit when Ensign Haggerty, the young red-haired operations officer that B’Rell recently promoted to department head, announced "sir, I’m receiving a coded message from Starfleet Command. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | At that moment, the entire bridge crew heard the voice of Admiral Maverick that, unknown to them, was a fabrication made by the Kreltan infiltrator. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "This is Admiral Maverick of the U.S.S. Firestorm. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Regesh clone twitched an antenna and looked at Counselor B’Rell with a raised eyebrow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Too bad we can’t help in the fight," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m sure we’ll get our chance again, counselor" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Dialing the co-ordinates into the helm console, Snyder responded "Aye, sir. ETA to Beta Taurii Three is six hours, thirty seven minutes." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Barely able to restrain a smile, the Kreltan spy replied, "less than seven hours until we all can look forward to some much needed rest." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The outer wall of the survival shelter was made of an expanding silicon/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | It did not take long for Lieutenant Reddy to scan the remainder of the crew for Kreltan lifesigns, revealing no other insurgents. Not long after, she, along with Captain Marshall and Lieutenant Sullivan, departed with an engineering team to the crashed runabouts, leaving the remaining crew to salvage what equipment they could from the nearby lifeboat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell accepted the gift and allowed his scowl to relax somewhat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Your sense of humor’s returned," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The hell it has," he replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John shook his head. "I’m afraid I left that in my other uniform. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked at him squarely. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both men chuckled as one of the surviving crewmembers walked up to them. He was a well-build male human in command red, but only held the rank of ensign. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Acknowledging the arrival of the newcomer, Carter looked up. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well sir, some of us have been talking. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m sure that the captain will think of something," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "And what would that be?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The way we look at it, there’s almost sixty of us down here. We’ve got enough people and firepower to finish what Commander Riggs couldn’t." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Watch your words, ensign!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The young officer wasn’t shaken by Carter’s authoritarian voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John thought about it for a moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you, sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter sat silently for a moment before turning to the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor returned, "I think you should go find the captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good idea." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | When it descended, the runabout Fowler came in on a semi-controlled landing, but still gouged a rocky path in its wake. It rested among a field of boulders at the edge of a canyon several miles south of base camp. Fortunately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I got the conduit sealed," | ||
+ | |||
+ | A voice from the engineering compartment announced, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Three grease-laden engineers entered the compartment and approached captain Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sir, there’s still enough power to the anti-grav packages," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall wiped his forehead in exasperation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about the Griffith?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | His companion shook his head. "No, that one had its main engines ripped off. Deuterium tanks and all." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | This time, the third technician chimed in. "The only thing good on the Griffith is the comm system and the replicator. . ." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall left the technicians to work as he made his way to the airlock and stepped out of the craft. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What are you doing here?" he remarked to the first officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "With our communicators not working," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Which is?" asked the Captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Sullivan, who was working outside the Fowler, witnessed the three officers conversing, and joined them. He walked up just as he heard Carter explain that the officers at base camp were wanting to attempt an attack mission on the Kreltan base. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are they out of their ever living minds?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We can’t be sure of that, sir," John replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan was slightly shocked by the news, and was hesitant to interrupt. | ||
+ | |||
+ | John raised his eyebrows. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not exactly," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That still may be to our advantage, Captain" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On this planet?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The captain’s sentence trailed off as he realized whom he was talking to. John simply raised his eyebrows with an expression of both surprise at the question, and a touch of personal pride in his own abilities. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Looking toward Readdy, Marshall asked, "So what do you say, Lieutenant? | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m up for it. Now my exoskeleton is another story. I hope I don't have to use it anymore, but if I do, I will. If doing so kills me, I will have died a noble death." | ||
+ | |||
+ | She too, knew how crewmembers were feeling and it would be far better to die trying to do something valiant than to die doing nothing. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "How soon will this ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The crew was weary and battle worn, and still overwhelmed by the petty departmental changes that their temporary leaders had implemented as of late. The acting captain, Lieutenant Regesh, was a common sense Andorian tactical officer, but he chose a rather unfit first officer in the ship’s psychotherapist, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doors to the turbolift whisked open, and Lieutenant Kroeger strolled out onto the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Good,” thought Kroeger. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Clad in his operations-gold Starfleet uniform, he walked down the portside of the recessed command pit, and past the current on-duty bridge officer, Counselor B’Rell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Begin day shift,” announced Counselor B’Rell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Kroeger dialed his log-on sequence, and his personal helm configuration splayed across the touchpads. | ||
+ | |||
+ | GOOD MORNING, HAYDEN! | ||
+ | |||
+ | The helm officer smiled, realizing that the Republic’s Medusan navigation officer, Ensign Mahlanoy, had also logged in. Although current Starfleet computers were sophisticated enough to calculate the orbital algorithms, stellar shifts, and gravitational constants required to fly through the vast expanse of outer space, there were an infinite number of variables that could occur at any moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘How are you today? | ||
+ | |||
+ | AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘Still no word yet from the search vessels?’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | NOT YET. I AM WORRIED. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘I hope not. Let’s keep a positive attitude, okay?’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | AFFIRMATIVE. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Kroeger continued to make minor course corrections, | ||
+ | |||
+ | HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE WARP FIELD THRESHOLD DEVIATTION? | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘No, why?’ typed Kroeger. | ||
+ | |||
+ | IT IS FLUCTUATING ERRATICALLY. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now that he looked at it, the warp field of the back-up drive of the Republic’s saucer section did seem to be flickering slightly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘Looks okay to me. It’s still well within nominal parameters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | NOT THIS ONE. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE PAST TWO HOURS. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Hayden immediately looked at the way-point logs. It was true. The Republic’s warp field was resonating over the past several light years. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The first officer stood still for a few seconds and said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The young Lieutenant nodded and went back to work. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘Insolent juvenile!’ thought B’Rell, as he went back to the command chair and sat down. ‘Why does he bother me with such trifles?’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The counselor believed himself to be a pragmatist; a person who sees the whole picture and doesn’t become overburdened by too much detail. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Over an hour later, the Kreltan imposter posing as Lieutenant Regesh strolled onto the bridge from the adjoining ready room. The rest of the shift transfers had reported in, and as the temporary captain walked around the command pit, B’Rell stood up and greeted him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sir, we’re about ninety minutes away from the Beta Taurii Three colony. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before Regesh could reply, Hayden, still sitting at the helm station, cleared his throat loudly while looking straight ahead at the viewscreen. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Haydon was about to speak when B’Rell cut him short. | ||
+ | |||
+ | However, Lieutenant Kroeger wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regesh said nothing for what seemed to be an eternity within the tense atmosphere of the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "A warp resonance seems like a normal occurrence to me too, counselor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | As a smile crept across B’Rell’s face, Lieutenant Kroeger turned around in disbelief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You most certainly may not!" shot B’Rell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was clear that the counselor wished to maintain strict control over who disturbed the captain, but Kroeger persisted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Again, a tense moment of silence fell upon the room. Quite unexpectedly, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If the lieutenant wishes to speak to me, counselor, by all means, he has the right." | ||
+ | |||
+ | B’Rell threw a cold glance towards Lieutenant Kroeger as he got up from his seat and followed the Andorian tactical officer to the turbolift. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You have the bridge, counselor," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside the turbolift, Haydon was happy that he finally made his way past B’Rell and could finally get some answers about what was happening on the ship. Although there was a certain formality that must be maintained on the bridge, personal defenses could be lowered in a private conference such as this one. Again, he hoped that the equal rank between him and Regesh would yield some progress regarding the recent command decisions of the temporary first officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Out of nowhere, a swift right hook came forth from the Andorian tactical officer. | ||
+ | |||
Line 148: | Line 3327: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Kroeger, still nursing a bruised cheek, was restrained by a force-field in a biobed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It doesn’t really matter what you think, doctor," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I didn’t attack anybody!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | B’Rell maintained an emotionless expression, yet his voice was stern. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Wide-eyed with the terrible possibility that his Starfleet career was in shambles, Kroeger looked towards Harris with fear-induced incredulity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon was no fool. All her years of medical training taught her that it was the hidden clues that revealed the disease, and more often than not, the symptoms never matched the prognosis. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I believe you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | At the main campsite, a fierce wind raged across the surface of the planet that the survivors of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter turned his face to the setting sun and couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John turned, wondering just how long the Doctor had waited before making his presence known. He put that thought aside and spoke to the doctor. "Oh, you know Doc," he said casually, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell leaned against an outcropping of rock and crossed his arms. "Oh, sure," the Doctor shot back, "but what do we do next week?" Then, Cromwell' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John cocked his head sideways. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter had a point, and Cromwell knew it. On Demon class planets like Styx, the air was barely fit for humanoid respiration, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "They know that already John. You already destroyed one of their flagships." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter felt his temper flaring, but at the moment, he didn't care... he had to keep talking. "Then I'll just have to teach them again, won't I?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell was surprised by the fury in Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon sat down on a rock and gestured for Carter to do the same. "Can I ask you something John?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Why stop now?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell smiled, glad to see that Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Seems that Victor wasn't the only crewman on Republic who has some missing time in his past." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John nodded. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "With this crew?! Give me a break. Consider it a dying man's last request." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Ok, Doc." John relented. "I was XO onboard the Valiant II. An old Excelsior re-fit. Beautiful ship." Carter looked up, with an almost longing expression. "We were on a simple survey cruise, making sure that our gravitic calculations for the latest Federation navigational charts were right, when we suddenly hit a patch of...heavy space." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Heavy space," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are you serious?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "As a Vulcan in Pon Farr." John smiled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But . . . " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But it turns out that's not what it was." John rubbed the back of his neck and tilted his head down as he continued his tale. "Vic was our Chief Engineer at the time, but we had the smartest ensign in the whole sprocking universe at ops." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Mir Tana." The Doctor interjected. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You know her?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We met at a conference on Barengarious VII. But . . . that's a story for another time. Please . . . " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter gave his doctor a wry look. "Tana figures that we're being dragged down by a ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now thoroughly amused, Carter continued. "So we re-calibrate to get a better subspace resolution, and sure enough, something has us snagged. But . . . this isn't your run-of-the-mill Cosmic String." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course not." Leon moaned grimly. "Get on with it, what did you do?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, the anchor' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "To transwarp." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter nodded his head. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course not." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So our Captain...Tim Burroughs, gives Vic and Tana the green light, and before you know it, we're bending physics six ways from Sunday. Of course, there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What could go wrong?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Wait for it!" John shook his head and continued through his smile. "Vic gets the t-warp field up, and we're all set to go. I'm telling you Doc, I've never heard engines hum so beautifully in my LIFE!" Carter sat back on his rock, pleased to find himself actually enjoying the re-telling of something he lived through. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh it gets better. The string snapped back, but we were still attached to it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now, we're all big boys and girls, and we know our jobs. A quick scan of the star charts reveals that we're still in Federation space, but the stars aren't quite where they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So then where . . . " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not where Doc," Carter corrected Leon, "when. The 30th century to be precise." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sorry sirs," Sullivan said, slightly out of breath. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not at all Sullivan. What's the word?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Sullivan stood for a moment, noting that Doctor Cromwell had still not moved or spoken. "Is Doctor Cromwell all right?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sure. I think he just learned there are some questions that shouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh right." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "How many?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John stood thoughtfully for a moment. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan heard the predatory edge in Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Lieutenant," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Commander." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter looked around and found that Leon had stood up and was looking toward the setting sun. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, I REALLY can't talk about that!" Carter said, as the two men laughed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Then what was all that business with the I.D.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That goes back to flight training," | ||
+ | |||
+ | John watched as Cromwell picked up the XO's tricorder and phaser, and handed it to him. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I figured. Damned military-types." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Cromwell watched Carter go, he called after the Martian. "You still owe me 20 bars of latinum!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No worries Doc," Carter called back, "I don't believe in one-way trips!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the guards stiffened their jaws, and focused their attentions on Doctor Harris’ activities, an angry shriek sounded from the passageway to the exam suites. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What do you think you're doing?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris turned to look at the young alien-hybrid doctor whom B’Rell put in charge of sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The counselor is acting against the best interests of this ship, and is putting the crew in jeopardy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Kroeger slid off the biobed and came to his feet. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris furrowed her eyebrows in thought. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are you blind?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two security guards began to draw their hand phasors when a pair of blue-uniformed arms reached from behind Lieutenant Hudson. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hold it!" commanded one of the guards, pointing a phasor in Yezbeck’s direction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It won’t take them very long to figure out that Lieutenant Kroeger is loose, you know," came a gravely voice from a side hallway. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You didn’t see what happened here, did you, Eliza?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "See what?" replied Fermoore to Yezbeck’s relief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I owe you one, Eliza" offered Yezbeck. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What about you?" Harris asked while she and Kroeger picked up the hand phasors they acquired from the two unconscious security guards. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I’m going to make a call to a friend," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don’t plan to," he said with confidence. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You too," offered Kroeger as he and Harris exited the sickbay. | ||
+ | |||
Line 153: | Line 3538: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | Snyder was sluggishly putting his boots on while trying to wake up from an hour-long sleep. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Let me get this straight," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The last traces of crimson sunlight faded over the horizon as John Carter walked to the repair site. Twenty other survivors of the Republic were waiting nervously on the make-shift " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Sullivan stepped forward, interrupting his superiors. "Sorry sirs," he offered. Then he turned his attention to Carter. "We managed to get six phaser rifles | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No Captain, it's not, but we don't have much choice." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall took a few steps away from the ad-hoc assault team and motioned for Carter to follow. As his First Officer caught up, Marshal turned so that the two officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall nodded, adding, "The last time you asked for that, you told me I'd have to quit my job." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, Sir," Carter answered. "But that was last week. I'm not so sure I want your job, sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The way I see it sir, we're the lucky ones. If this doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | For an instant, Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall stood for a few long seconds, then looked back at Fowler, and the assembled crew. "Damn, Carter, you don't pull any punches do you?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Their worst nightmare, Sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two officers walked back to the flight line in silence. Carter surveyed whom he had to work with, and gave a few quick orders. "All right kids, listen up." The survivors of Republic stood at attention, keeping all of their discipline, despite the days of grit, pain, and grief that Styx had visited upon them. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir!" was the chorus from the assembled crew. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In seconds, the hum of a mag-lev drive filled the air, and the re-conditioned runabout Fowler sailed gracefully toward the dark side of the planet. James Marshall watched and wondered if any of the crew he watched go would make it back to camp, or for that matter, if any of them would. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Behind the Captain, Leon Cromwell arrived to see Fowler as little more than a speck on the horizon. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I was wondering where you were Doctor." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Had a couple of house calls at the Infirmary. Nothing serious, but it's getting worse." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Then I've come to the right place haven' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "He let you have it huh?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not the way I figured he might, but yes, he spoke his mind." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Meanwhile, aboard the Fowler, Readdy was deep in thought. With what lie ahead, she was understandably nervous, yet, at the same time, she was eager to jump into the fray, so to speak. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ann looked around, at everyone wondering what was on their minds as the craft made its way toward its destination. Looking at Carter, Readdy could sense the determination in his demeanor and drew off that for her own courage. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy then resumed looking out the window, at the bleak landscape of this stygian planet. She glanced at her arm-piston cylinders and their air supply lines and saw evidence of the atmosphere' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan spy posing as Lieutenant Regesh sat next to Counselor B’Rell in the command pit. Both watched the viewscreen with an air of confidence as the bridge crew went about their business. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Take us out of warp," replied the Andorian doppelganger. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | A beeping warble came forth from the tactical console where a young ensign in operations gold said "sir, I’m receiving some odd sensor readings." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite the terrified bridge crew, the Regesh clone suppressed a calm smile before standing up from the command chair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | B’Rell, out of a sense of self-preservation, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Belay that order," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But, sir" B’Rell asked in confusion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | After dialing a few sequences into the communications console, the ensign at the tactical console announced " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This is Lieutenant Regesh commanding the saucer section of the U.S.S. Republic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | A sense of shock rippled throughout the bridge crew as a stammering Counselor B’Rell interjected "uh, sir? Are you sure about that?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Most of the bridge crew were still recovering from the trauma of being handed into enemy hands when Regesh spoke those words to B’Rell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Stop right there!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I do not recognize your authority, doctor" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You see," said the spy cunningly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not if I can help it," hissed Harris as she let loose a blast of deep-orange phasor energy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Regesh clone could no longer suppress a smile as the sapphire-blue cheeks became raised in a toxic grin. Twitching an antenna, he looked at Harris like a predator who had taken down its prey and was preparing to eat it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Lieutenant holstered his phasor and made his way to the helm console to relieved the petty-officer on duty. Regesh watched with amusement as Haydon took his seat. Just as he was about to dial in commands, the Kreltan spy announced " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A negative computer warble emanated from Haydon’s helm station as he tried to adjust the course. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course not," taunted the Kreltan spy. "You made your computer systems far too easy to infiltrate. | ||
+ | |||
+ | A hissing sound whined in the ears of everyone on the bridge as a pink smoke flowed out of the ventilation ducts. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You see, doctor" | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Haydon sank down into his chair, trying to cover his nose and mouth with the collar of his uniform, he glanced at his console where a text message was blinking. | ||
+ | |||
+ | FITNESS IS ONE THING, BUT DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IS ANOTHER . . . | ||
+ | |||
+ | In his smoke-induced affliction, Haydon looked quizzically at the message, and realized its sender was none other than the Republic’s Medusan navigation officer, Ensign Mahlanoy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | TELL THAT IMPOSTER TO BLOW SMOKE UP SOMEONE ELSE’S HI-CEL’CK. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Haydon, who had just learned a new swear word in Medusan, smiled as he looked up to the Andorian clone. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everyone on the bridge looked ominously around themselves, awaiting some new weapon for which the spy had pre-arranged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It matters not," the Kreltan spy finally announced to the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Looking down to his display, hoping to find another miracle from his Medusan companion, all Kroeger saw was a message reading: | ||
+ | |||
+ | SORRY, HAYDEN. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Afraid to even touch the helm controls, all he could do was look back up into the smiling face of the Regesh imposter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So it comes down to this: Try to escape, and you die. Stay here, and you die. Either way, I suggest that you make preparations to enter whatever afterlife you believe in." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If I were you, I wouldn’t call a travel agent this early in the game . . ." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The aft-starboard turbolift doors parted to find Doctor Yezbeck wielding a phasor rifle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The bridge crew gaped in awe at the destruction of the creature that had control of their vessel and crew over the past day. It was inconceivable to any of them how the spy had gotten onboard, but as it evaporated into a mist, the scene on the viewscreen behind where the creature stood displayed a more pressing problem: a dozen Kreltan dreadnaughts at station-holding off the bow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, sir" said Haydon, returning his attention to the helm station. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Harris, who stood behind the command pit, stared at Yezbeck in disbelief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I wasn’t always a doctor, you know." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Republic’s saucer section glided past the Kreltan dreadnaughts while making a smooth, 180-degree turn. Within moments, the ships were converging on the starship, opening fire with brutal accuracy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In a shower of sparks, the Republic’s bridge became littered with debris and smoke. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The de-cloaking ships register as K’Vork class battlecruisers!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Snyder paused for a moment as the announcement registered in his mind. He blinked, then asked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye sir, and I’m registering several more cloaking signatures on their current vector. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The Klingons are hailing us, sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Put them on the screen, ensign." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The battlefield switched to the bridge of a Klingon vessel, where a gruff, aged warrior stood glaring at the Republic’s bridge in dissatisfaction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This is Captain Kur’esh of the battlecruiser P’tow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Stunned, Snyder looked at the commander in disbelief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "To what to we owe this spectacular rescue, captain?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Offering a sneerful scowl, the Klingon captain grunted a reply. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Klingon walked off-frame, and was replaced by a human in the black uniform of a Starfleet intelligence officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Glad to see you guys still remember me," replied the officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris shot a quick, quizzical glance towards the balding medical doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The truth is," Forrest continued. "Three cloaked Klingon vessels were already tracking you after your patrol-craft escort left you, and you changed course. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The intelligence officer smiled. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, sir," replies Snyder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Snyder was about to sit back in the command chair when he saw Counselor B’Rell standing at the foot of the command pit with a dumbfounded expression. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Without reply, the Bajoran psychotherapist walked up the ramp to the port-aft turbolift and left the command center. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, sprock!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fifteen pairs of eyes looked back from where the lead element of the Federation riding party had forced their way into the Kreltan installation. It fell to Miguel Perry and Thomas Sullivan to watch the back of the advancing Federation column. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Crouched in the hallway next to Sullivan, the dark haired Perry gave his crewmate a nervous smile. "Hell, Sir, I'd give my left arm for 60 percent. I figure I've got 20…" Miguel raised his rifle and watched as the weapon spit an angry orange beam down the dark corridor. A split-second later, there was an inhuman gurgle, followed by more particle bursts from an enemy position that Perry couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just take it easy Mike. The Hot Shot got us this far. He'll get us out of this. Before you know it, we'll be eating Chinese on the shore of Lake Armstrong." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | `How the Hell do I get us out of this?' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The approach to the Kreltan base had been textbook. Coming in low and fast, the battered runabaout Fowler had made a soft touchdown just at the edge of where the strike team's tricorders said the Kreltan sensor envelope was. Carter had ordered tricorders be used instead of Fowler' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Scopes were clear when the Strike Team left Fowler in two columns; most of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | At the head of the column, John Carter raised his right hand, signaling for the march to stop. For a few seconds later, he held up two fingers and made a fanning motion. On cue, the members of the volunteer force who'd been issued phaser rifles stepped out to the left and right of the column, then stepping forward to form a line at the head of the columns. This was a formation that Starfleet Marines called "The Anvil", | ||
+ | |||
+ | Firstly, it presented the bulk of a force' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter closed his hand into a fist, and the Anvil advanced. The team moved cautiously before Crewman Teague whispered to Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Miguel Perry raised his phaser rifle to fire and the rocky edifice, but Carter cut him off. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hold it Perry," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If I had to guess sir," Teague rolled his eyes, "and that's all this is, I'd say it was their early warning system." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Sullivan poked his head between Carter and Teague. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Behind him, Carter heard a soft hiss. The sound had become so routine, that he'd almost stopped hearing it. John felt his smirk return as he looked toward Lieutenant Anne Reddy. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ann Readdy braced her left hand on the top of the rock outcropping that had gotten everyone' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Readdy felt a nerve twitch and there was an explosive release of air as the piston that augmented her experimental suit shot her fist forward. Fortunately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Now we're talking," | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Conditions inside the accessway were dark and cramped. John Carter was inching through the corridor. John was buried in the middle of the marching order. His eyes were fixed on the tricorder in crewman Teague' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 'We could run out of space here, awfully fast' he thought to himself. 'Odd that a race of shapeshifters would build their infrastructure with space for humanoids.' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | “If you could turn into a puddle of goo, why wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John heard voices up ahead, just on the other side of the access way. Human voices, speaking Federation standard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ". . . telling you, just hold out a little longer. 'Fleet won't let us rot here. Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "For the love of god McTaggart, will you please SHUT the Hell UP!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't want to hear about the Kreltan Dreadnaught you destroyed." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Two Kreltan Dreadnaughts." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The clatter of metal on metal caused David Laurret, Sean McTaggart, and the handful of other prisoners the Kreltans had kept to look toward the noise. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No sprocking way! Commander Carter?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John gave his former assistant tactical officer an easy smile. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hey kid. You never call, you never write . . ." Carter moved with the rest of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On it, Commander!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then they came. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Kreltan shock troops some with wings, some with tentacles. John Carter saw dozens of forms. None of them human, and none of them friendly. They streamed | ||
+ | |||
+ | Humans didn't have the same luxury. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter watched as five of his away team were cut down, and he felt rage building inside him as he realized that he might finally have bitten off more than he could chew. A Kreltan attacker with a humanoid upper half and serpentine torso slithered up to John and cocked its head playfully. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John quickly raised his phaser to the snake-Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Eat this!" he yelled, as he depressed the trigger. the Kreltan thing slumped over, now missing a head. Carter scrambled to his feet and made for the cluster of Republic crewman who were fending off the attack. ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We have to move, or we're dead! Give me a wedge," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sweep left! Head for the door!" Starfleet training took over as crewmen and officers alike worked together to lock their fields of fire and cut through the Kreltan ranks, as the crewmen with phaser rifles advanced toward the door. The smell of o-zone and charred flesh filled the room, but Starfleet' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once in the corridor, Carter found Lieutenant Sullivan. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan shook his head. "Nine sir, but there were four 'Fleet prisoners in the cell, and I found this." Sullivan held up the remnants of a Starfleet issue tactical vest, with Mathew Riggs name plate on it. Sullivan moved to the back of the column | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Damn. That answers that." Carter led the away team down the corridor. The hallway they were in stretched ahead of them. Carter stepped cautiously to the end of the hallway, then quickly ducked back to avoid a Kreltan plasma shot. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh, sprock!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Crewman Teague slapped his hand against his tricorder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What the hell? This doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hey G' | ||
+ | |||
+ | G' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Ruin your day." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Can it get worse?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Busily returning fire, down the corridor, John Carter was reviewing his options. More Kreltan plasma shots slammed into the wall, A third might have hit Carter in the chest, if it hadn't been blocked by the luminous blue portal that was forming in front of him. Looking into the portal was like gazing into warp space. Streaks of light pulled apart into their spectrum components. From somewhere inside the portal, Carter heard a voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Move your sprocking tails! We can't keep this thing open for long!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John looked down the corridor making eye contact with Tom Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hell if I know sir!" he shot back. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | One by one, the Survivors of Republic stepped through the portal. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just once, I'd like for this job to make sense," | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | "I know what you mean," said the voice on the other side of the portal, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter surveyed the room he was in having stepped through the portal. The room was obviously based on Federation architecture, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Put me back." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Pick one." Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "My sprocking job!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Watch the language. I can't wait `til we outgrow that, and 'Your sprocking job' was to get these people out alive. You've done that." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John was absolutely furious. He hated not knowing the reasons behind things. Hated not being able to control his own course of action, and he hated time-travel. Right now, it looked like all three were staring him in the face; and smirking. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "My job was to take out that base and find a way for the rest of the survivors to get off that rock!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Taken care of. As it happens, Gottingen arrived at Styx four hours after you left. The Saucer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Cute. So..." John folded his arms across his chest, "let me guess. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “You' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The mirrored conversation was cut short as another man entered the room. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit with red piping at the shoulders. John recognized it as a uniform that pre-dated Starfleet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sorry John," the balding man said, "but I'm already taking a pretty big chance." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Daniels waved a hand at `Young Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter shifted his weight, moving his hands to his hips. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "All right, let's get this over with, but... can I get a decent steak before you zap me?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | The harsh dawn of Styx roused John Carter from the darkness. There was a corpsman crouched over him with a tricorder. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John blinked as Leon Cromwell jogged over. The doctor offered Carter a hand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Jeez John, you look like hell. What happened?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter got to his feet and rubbed his neck. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We wired their fusion plant," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good thing." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Fair enough Doc," Carter relented. I'm in no mood to argue." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell tapped his comm badge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The last wisps of transporter energy faded from the pad, and Captain Marshall stepped off the platform to see Captain Ortega. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim replied, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ortega replied, "Make use of whatever you need. We'll be getting underway as soon as we have all human lifesigns down there." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good to hear," said Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain James Marshall walked in and sat at one end of the table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, how's everyone holding up?" asked Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Fine for the moment," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Doing fine Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Same here Lieutenant," | ||
+ | |||
+ | “We' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall looked around and saw no one fazed by what he just said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | They spend the next hour and a half going over what happened with the base. Marshall then got a communication from Admiral Hall. He took it in Ortega' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes Admiral," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you sir," said Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We still have reports coming in from all over the Federation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall walked out of the ready room to find everyone on the bridge, "Good news, Command' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everyone cheered. | ||
+ | Marshall then said, " | ||