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+ | The blaring of his cabin' | ||
+ | John sat on the side of his bed and rubbed his face. "All right, grozit!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everything was right where he had left it, including the three PADDS that were scattered on top of his desk. The PADDS contained technical information from the future. The PADDS whose very existence was a violation of the Temporal Prime Directive. The PADDS he had asked for because his duty to his ship came before his duty to his Captain or even Fleet itself. As far as John was concerned, he could sort out this mess after the hyper-excited photons and zero-point particles had been thrown around, and all of that would wait until he'd had a chance to wake up. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter stumbled to his bathroom and looked in the mirror. His hair was atypically messed, and his face showed a healthy five-o' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Since the earliest days of manned space exploration, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Since the era of the Great Awakening, the sonic shower had been standard issue on starships and passenger craft; any ship larger than a shuttle or intra-system patrol ships. The principal was simple enough: A subject walks into a low-level force-field, | ||
+ | |||
+ | He really didn't care much one-way or the other, but John had heard stories, since his days in the academy that certain species looked forward with a hedonistic glee to their daily sonic shower ritual. Remembering that was worth a small chuckle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Freshly shaken, not stirred, from the shower, John smoothed beard-suppressor on his face and walked back to the main part of his quarters to change into a fresh uniform. John adjusted his collar and checked the ceases of his uniform pants. Everything seemed to be in order. He reached into his closet and pulled out his black uniform tunic, slipping his arms inside, but leaving the garment unfastened, in a style that officers called 'duty casual' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter picked up his comm badge from where it lay, surrounded by the contraband PADDS on his desk and pressed it into place on his chest, and then he gave the device a quick tap. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter didn't wait for the answer. He collected the PADDs from his desk and left his quarters enroute to the Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana was sitting alone in the surgical ward. She was not too fond of the idea of being in there. Plus she had this feeling that the captain wasn't having an easier time dealing with it. She had a job to do and she wasn't doing it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She decided to send a message to the captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ‘Jim, | ||
+ | |||
+ | I would like it if you would come down to the surgical ward and sit with me. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana’ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Computer, send message." | ||
+ | |||
+ | After that was done, Lana lay down in her bed and waited. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jim had wakened the following morning. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Lana, good to see you. I'm on duty in 20 minutes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I suppose I can for a while. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Go right ahead," | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Marshall to Carter, you and McTaggart had better get with Sawyer and get the low down on the upgrades. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Aye Captain, soon as we're done eating. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Marshall to Bridge, be prepared for the arrival of a medical ship, U.S.S. McCoy she'll be helping us out with the survivors of the Zurich. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He turned and found a chair and pulled it near Lana. He took a seat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana watched Jim sit down. "I am so glad you are here with me. I remember one other time you were there for me. Do you remember?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "How can I forget? | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know," Lana said, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know it's difficult, believe me. I'm there for you, remember that. I've got to get to the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | In her quarters, Shannon Harris ran her fingers through her hair and looked over her uniform. Short red hair fell just past her ears to frame her face neatly. As a matter of practicality, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Turning to walk into the main portion of her quarters, she spoke to the ship's omni-present, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon stopped herself from saying 'thank you', and thought rather briefly how differently many of the ship's personnel treated the computer. To some it was just a tool, but to others it was the most familiar and even comforting voice on the ship, because on some level, if the ship could answer back, then everything was okay. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Buried deep in the core of the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris didn't know what was. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Did that mean the ship was alive? And if it was, did Republic mind that her crew was putting her in an unknown situation? Shannon hoped not, and then silently shook her head as the computer spoke. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | This time she couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon pulled the PADD from its dataport and looked at the small cylinder that was being displayed. She managed to suppress a shudder as she imagined a Borg cube...one of those huge, cold, brutally efficient monstrosities. Each one filled with hundreds, maybe even thousands of these, these THINGS equally willing to create life and steal its spark away, all at the same time. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris felt her face twist in revulsion at the thought of assimilation by the Borg and then thought of the delicious irony of using their own technology to preserve something whose existence they couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Outside Victor Virtus' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The time is 0843 and 27 seconds." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris hit the chime on the door to Victor' | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | John Carter looked up from his reading as he finished the last of his coffee. He'd commed Lieutenant Sean McTaggart only a few minutes ago, so Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doors to the Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter chuckled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "First things first, Lieutenant," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir". | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | McTaggart sat across from Carter with his mouth open. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | McTaggart looked at the data scrolling by on the PADD. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Sorry to drop this in your lap kid, but we're the 'Only Ship In The Quadrant." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Watch the language, kid." Carter smiled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain Marshall stepped off of the turbolift to find Captain Ortega waiting for him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I would like to introduce you to Lieutenant Osiris, one of my security officers. Since Starfleet would like to convene a board of inquiry as soon as possible, I wanted to set up a liaison officer between my crew and your ship." John replies as he motions towards the younger Lieutenant beside him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Good to meet you Lieutenant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I have no doubts in your crew's abilities. I would like if you did recover the emergency pod. If it has been recovered, it needs to be transported over to the | ||
+ | |||
+ | McCoy so that myself and Starfleet has all information recovered from the Zurich. Mister Osiris is under your command. Without further ado, I'm sure the McCoy is waiting for me so I bid you good bye." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I believe your emergency pod has been transported over to the McCoy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With Marshall’s last words in mind, Ortega headed to the turbolift and called out " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course. Ensign Rigley,” he called to a young woman in operations gold at the science station. “Secure quarters for Lieutenant Osiris, and show him there." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you Lieutenant." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two-toned warble of the door chime quietly echoed in Doctor Cromwell’s quarters. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "The time is zero nine-hundred hours and six minutes" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A very tired Doctor Yezbeck came into the room and looked around the compartment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | A visibly perturbed and cranky Doctor Cromwell looked back at him responding "I’m sorry. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Yezbeck counted off the past eight hours of business by extending a finger for each response. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before Doctor Cromwell could respond, the exhausted Doctor Yezbeck spun around and left. The door whisked closed as Leon shook his head muttering "I hate it when he just walks off like that." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Standing up to stretch, a muscle spasm shot through his back from being hunched over all night. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he pivoted several times at the waist, the pain dulled, and the doctor began his morning routine. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he walked down the busy corridor, Leon reviewed the datapad while munching on his bagel. | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The long rows of makeshift bunk beds were emptying at a steady rate since the USS McCoy arrived. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Deyer managed a smile through her weariness. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon smiled back. "I’m sorry I wasn’t down here sooner, but I had a lot to deal with in sickbay." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, I heard" responded Deyer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a nod of her head, Doctor Deyer said "I understand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon grasped her hand and shook it warmly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a smile and a nod, the two medical officers went their separate ways. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | With the emergency situated abated, medical staff casually readied empty biobeds for their next use by replacing sheets and pillows. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Ah, Doctor Tracy" Leon greeted him. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It was a simple case" replied Tracy in his Caribbean accent. "The neuro-regeneration treatments he was given upon arrival helped to preset the brain tissue for a cerebral growth complex. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Tracy smiled and left sickbay, Doctor Cromwell returned his attention to his datapad, and began wandering towards the surgical suites. As he approached surgical suite two, the door suddenly slid open. Captain Marshal came rushing out and bumped into the doctor, causing him to spill some of his coffee. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon frowned and tapped his combadge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= "I’m sorry, sir. It’s Commander Taylor in surgical suite two. She’s in a lot of pain." =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell slowly looked back towards the surgical suite door with confusion. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Again, the intercom came to life, beckoning the medical chief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Virtus to Cromwell. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With a look of irritation, the doctor tapped his combadge and replied to Virtus. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor continued into the surgical suite where the nurse quietly explained her situation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you, nurse. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the nurse exited, Doctor Cromwell picked up a tricorder and began scanning Commander Taylor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Closing the tricorder, Leon put the diagnostic wand away. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Okay, Lana" said the doctor questioningly. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana looked at Leon. "I am not going crazy here. I feel some kind of pain and pressure in my stomach. What is going on?" she asked scared. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In truth, she hadn't slept well overnight, was really agitated, and wanted her child to be safe. "I know you are a good doctor. But please tell me what is going on and that everything is going to be okay for my child." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell raised his eyebrows to form multiple wrinkles in his forehead. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon had not dealt with a situation like this in years. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nevertheless, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Lana, I can’t tell you that everything is going to come out okay,” he said, hoping his bedside manner was enough to prevent another emotional episode from his patient. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “No one wants to see either of you die” he continued. “Everyone on this ship wants to see you back on the bridge doing your job as our first officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon wasn’t sure how he was going to phrase this, but he thought he would use the same bartender mentality he used with the captain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Every person who is led draws their strength from their leader. | ||
+ | |||
+ | He stopped for a moment, hoping that what he said had some effect. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Leon, I trust you with everything possible., | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Don’t worry” replied Leon. “We’re doing everything possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doctor turned around and pressed several keypad controls on the wall. The tropical coast picture on the large viewscreen, which currently showed a sandy beach with palm trees after sunrise, was cleared and replaced with medical readouts. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Looks like your immune-system response is accelerating” he said. “The sooner we get this underway, the better. | ||
+ | |||
+ | With that, Leon picked up his datapad and coffee, leaving the surgical suite. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Please check with Commander Taylor and get her some breakfast. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, doctor” the nurse replied, and immediately went to the surgical suite. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell left sickbay, and stopped at a wall-mounted computer access panel in the corridor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Lieutenant Victor Virtus is in Life Sciences Laboratory 1740 on deck seventeen.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | The computer offered an illuminated map that Leon briefly referenced before heading to the closest turbolift. | ||
+ | |||
Line 46: | Line 353: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Douglas Forrest was awake by zero six thirty hours and slid into a dark work-out suit before exiting his quarters. His morning run began at an easy pace, jogging down the hallways of the ship. He'd learned to ignore the subtle stares of his fellow crewmates as his unorthodox workout passed them by. This was his time, the gentle rhythmic pace of his run allowed him time to collect his thoughts and process the findings. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Captain Marshall had authorized the Engineering Department to begin refitting weapon and defensive systems onboard the Republic. 'Fleet Intelligence would have a field day on this one. And Forrest knew it would be his ass if he didn't stay abreast of things. Forrest had spent the evening reviewing the engineering reports on the ships progress, evaluated what little of the techo-jargon the Engineering Department was fond of using (why call a screwdriver a spanner?), and figuring out how best to make sure the Republic wasn't leaving itself open to disaster by depending on some hokey-jumbo technology. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The night had also been productive in finding out what all the emotion between the Captain and the XO. It was kind of hard to ignore the kiss in the Shuttlebay during the Zurich Evacuation. Simple matter of accessing their personnel records. Seems they'd been in the Academy together, rather close, no indication of a relationship, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest also checked in on the progress of the " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest had also taken the time to speak with " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not bad", he thought to himself. Twenty-five minute run, about five for a shower, some strawberry yogurt from the Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest quickly made his way to the Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest wondered if Carter would take the bait? | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter tilted his head up as Forrest stood over the table where he had been briefing Sean McTaggart on Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "As you were Lieutenant Commander", | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Here you go kid." John said. "Get used to what we can do and start working on some attack patterns." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." McTaggart acknowledged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Two things I want you to remember kid." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, Sir?" McTaggart held the PADD tightly, as he got up, but kept his attention on Carter. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | McTaggart nodded, feeling frightfully serious. "Aye Sir." He turned to leave, then looked back. "And the second thing, Sir?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John cocked an eyebrow at Forrest. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest nodded slightly. "Carry on Lieutenant." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes, Sir." And with that, Sean McTaggart left the Mess. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter looked back at Forrest. "Hell of a spot we're in huh?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest chuckled. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John tilted his head slightly, taking mental note that he had both height and reach on Forrest, but the Intel. Chief probably outweighed him by at least 15 pounds. "You know about Engineering?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hard to miss." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Forrest recognized the move. It was called a Sioux Roll. A La Crosse maneuver designed to pull an opponent' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter finished his spin and called back to Forrest as he left the Mess. "Poker on Friday night. My quarters, 1900." With two more steps, John was in the hallway, and hearing the Mess doors sing shut. The Martian Officer broke into an easy jog, headed for a turbo-lift, headed for the bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finding the Captain was relatively easy, Tom walked toward him, standing tall and at attention when he came to a halt. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you sir," Sullivan replied and took the ops station. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall glanced at the control panel on his chair. He saw a light on it that only he knew what it meant. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall walked into his ready room and went to his desktop monitor, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The screen displayed what Marshall didn't want to see: | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Starfleet Personnel Record | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall, James R. Captain | ||
+ | |||
+ | U.S.S. Republic NCC-76241 | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Classified Personnel Data* | ||
+ | |||
+ | Accessed Stardate 52305.8 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 'Oh great, not the classified section' | ||
+ | |||
Line 51: | Line 469: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ashley smoothed her uniform, and set her phaser to Kill. Storming onto the bridge, she opened fire, catching the Romulan directly in the chest, as he was spinning around to return fire. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She walked out of the turbolift to check his pulse, when she heard a sound behind her, and swiveled just in time to see the other Romulan bringing his fist down towards her neck with a Klingon D'tagh knife clutched in it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now, she was getting a headache. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Victor Virtus walked the quiet corridors of the ship in deep introspection. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Upon realizing that messages were not reaching their intended destinations, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Vic stopped in mid-stride, wondering how something so mundanely unbelievable could have happened in this day and age. Glancing up and down the corridor to make certain no one could hear him, he tried a long shot solution. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “You are not currently running any programs.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | No holodeck doors opened. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Inside the turbolift car, John Carter reviewed the data for Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As he munched on the celery stalk, John was unconscious of the way his head was bobbing and weaving. In his mind's eye, he was pushing the Republic through mock engagements against first one, then multiple adversaries. He'd spent the first half of a relatively quiet Alpha shift on the bridge while Captain Marshall seemed to split his time between the Ready Room and Sickbay. That was to be expected, John supposed, and the Captain had at least had the presence of mind to delegate responsibly to the appropriate department heads. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter had already given a copy of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John's mind weaved its way through a web of intercepting vectors and overlapping weapon arcs. One thing that Federation shipwrights understood was focused power. For years, the bulk of a starship' | ||
+ | |||
+ | For the most part, Federation Captains were careful, but decisive. Usually preferring to let their superior shield systems make up for a typical lack of maneuverability. Waiting out their opponents until they could position for a "Kill Shot". | ||
+ | |||
+ | Klingon Captains fell back on their predatory nature and tended to use fast, sweeping attacks, but the Klingons also saw nothing at all wrong with attacking an enemy from behind, and it had taken years for Federation doctrine to adapt to the fact that the aft of a Klingon cruiser was frequently more heavily armed that the fore, allowing the Klingon fleet to exploit the Federation' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Over several dozen years of conquest and empire-building, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Using superior speed and counting on Starfleet stubbornness, | ||
+ | |||
+ | If the Klingons understood speed and guile, then the Romulans understood fear at least as well. Like the Klingon fleet, Romulan ships usually had weaker shields, and their disruptors (also very similar to the Klingon design) suffered from lower range than Federation phasers, but Romulan impulse drives were amazingly efficient, and somehow, Romulan capital ships had ALWAYS been able to out turn and out run their prey. Coupled with the Cloaking Device (the bane of any Federation Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Every Starfleet cadet knew the story of " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter felt an amused smile cross his face. ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite the victory of the Enterprise, John had to wonder what sorts of gloom and doom thoughts were going through the halls of Starfleet Command. If one small ship could destroy four outposts, what could a proper capital ship do? Let alone an entire fleet? Thankfully, Starfleet had never had to find out the answer to that question, and John could help but marvel at the thought that the Romulans, even the ones he had met and bested in battle, always seemed as though they had other more important things on there minds. That thought didn't help Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Much like the Enterprise at the Neutral Zone, John Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John braced himself against the front of the turbo-lift car as he went through his own personal checklist. 'Speed is life' he reminded himself, 'space has three dimensions,' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John straightened himself up as the lift doors opened to the Officer' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What the sprock is that doing here?" John cursed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Watch your language Lieutenant Commander," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris and Virtus both looked at each other like proud parents, then back at Carter. Apparently John had missed something VERY important. | ||
+ | |||
Line 56: | Line 544: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | The science lab was lined with blinking computer consoles, automated assembly chambers, and bountiful workbenches overflowing with intricate tools of every kind. Leon walked slowly among the plethora of machinery admiring the complexity of it all when he reached the end of the room and realized it did not appear occupied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Hello? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Hello? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon shook his head muttering “I haven’t got time for this.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the turbolift doors swung open on the designated level, the doctor continued his vexed shuffle towards the conference room. Walking straight through the doors, he stopped to find Virtus sitting behind the conference table next to Harris, and Carter standing with a PADD in his hands. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before he said anything, the doctor’s eyes fell onto a contraption next to Virtus. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I wasn’t informed of any staff meeting," | ||
+ | |||
+ | For his part, John Carter tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | For a brief moment, the contingent of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Off all the people around the table, only Victor Virtus would have noticed Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Are you all right Victor?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus didn't even blink. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris blinked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That was a joke of course." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter leaned back in his chair and put a hand under his chin, looking rather determined about something. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter rose from his seat and walked over to the wall mounted MSDS, tapping the ship-wide internal hail. It was an old piece of hardware, dating just after the invention of the transdator, but the hardwired comm system functioned apart from the comm badge and message nets, so if there was a problem with one system, communication inside the Republic was still possible. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "That should fix that," he said confidently. Then the com system chimed to life again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The doors to the conference room hissed open and Leon Cromwell had to pull a quick sidestep as Sean McTaggart stepped in. "Sorry I'm late sirs," he said nervously. "No one said anything about a staff meeting to me." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter felt a slight pressure behind his left eye, and had the feeling it was about to get worse. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jogging through the engineering corridors of the Republic, Doctor Cromwell hurried his way towards Main Engineering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the doctor rounded the corner into the Main Engineering compartment, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Okay,” bellowed the cranky doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Commander, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell’s eyebrows furrowed in thought, trying to reach a hypothesis as to the engineer’s malady. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sawyer thought for a moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Pressing a few buttons on the tricorder, Leon quickly compared Sawyer’s DNA pattern to known sequences of hereditary diseases. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sawyer was startled, and slightly uneasy by the doctor’s prognosis. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m not sure,” Leon admitted. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ashley thought for a moment before her eyes widened with comprehension. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Well, that doesn’t explain increased blood flow to your pre-frontal cortex,” explained the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I have been using my abilities a bit more than usual on this vessel,” admitted Ashley. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Helping Ashley up off the floor, Leon explained what treatment regime she needed to follow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sawyer nodded her head. “Understood, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon simply smiled at the request. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ashley followed the doctor’s lead. “Yes, we better get back to that briefing.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We are all busy, so I will begin." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor set is hand on the cylindrical device to his side. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This is the device you asked for Doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Vic glanced over at John. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter immediately felt his jaw tense, and he shot a concerned look at Doctor Cromwell. He then cleared his throat at said simply, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Then perhaps someone could explain to me why our ship's profile has changed." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter looked at Ashley Sawyer, who was still out of uniform, then glanced back at the rest of the assembled officers and explained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Miss Sawyer decided that the ship could use some improvements." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Despite the tension of the moment, Sawyer let out a small chuckle. "I think I'll manage Lieutenant Commander." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Oh yeah," Carter quipped. "Seems they got some sort of Super Dreadnaught, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shannon Harris looked at Victor who was whispering to himself. "What do you mean they WILL destroy us? How can you possibly know that if it hasn't happened yet?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter looked at Ashley Sawyer. "You made the call Points," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ashley absently ran her finger where her combadge would normally sit, and spoke up. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | She allowed for this information to sink in, then holding her throbbing temple, stood and made her way to the MSD. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Then feeling a bit tired, she sat back down, and allowed Lieutenant Commander Carter to detail the relevant portions of the upgrades. She put her hands to her temple once more, and closed her eyes as she listened. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, the doors to the conference room slid open, and Captain Marshall swiftly marched in to the head of the table. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know some of you may think I'm crazy,” he started with an off-note. “And possibly unfit for command, but I know what I'm doing. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctors Cromwell and Harris were first to leave the room, followed by Carter, Virtus, and Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Bridge to Captain, Kreltan signature headed this way. Three hours out at their present speed.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yellow Alert, I'm on my way.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I know, but it looks like there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Do it," the Captain replied while entering the lift, " | ||
---- | ---- | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Harris and Doctor Cromwell emerged from the staff meeting with dazed faces. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Have they gone mad?” muttered Leon. “What is this time-shift mumbo-jumbo they keep talking about? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Keeping her eyes straight ahead, Harris replied to the doctor in a matter-of-fact tone. “Well, it sounds like Carter and Sawyer are trying to do something. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “That’s just it,” explained Leon. “How do we know this Daniels is the real thing? | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m sure they know what they’re doing” responded Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon shook his head. “The Captain’s not the only one with misgivings. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I don’t think Commander Carter would be capable of crossing the line that far,” said Harris with a twinkle in her eye, remembering the “date” she finished with the flying-ace tactical officer. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The two entered a turbolift, accompanied by the Star Fleet reproduction of a Borg gestation chamber. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell and Lieutenant Harris were clad in the Star Fleet standard dark-red surgical over-garments, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Tank filling at 0.56 liters per minute. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Acknowledged, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Surgical bed grav-plates reduced to 0.1 G’s” snapped Harris’ reply as she adjusted a wall-control panel. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Laser scalpel” Leon announced professionally, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The sharp whine of the scalpel rang for only a moment, as the surgical support module automatically initiated microscopic capillary pressure points, preventing any blood loss. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Showing a 0.02 drop-off in placental fluid pressure” Harris reported. “Embryonic vital signs stable.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “About what we expected with the reduced tension on the uterine walls,” explained the doctor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Gestation Chamber has reached full-capacity. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris, turning her attention back to the chamber, answered the computer’s announcement by dialing several control pads at once. “Chamber reads nominal. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Acknowledged, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell activated the new, hand-held device, and it produced a violet beam of light aimed directly into Taylor’s abdomen. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m reading a slight drop in the patient’s blood pressure, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Odd . . .” replied Leon, as his eyebrows folded into his tell-tale, foreboding furrow. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, but it’s fluctuating.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | “As long as it’s within range,” he said. “Membrane dissolution complete. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris returned to the gestation chamber, pressed a control, and a bright yellow energy field appeared on the top surface of the central tank. “Insertion threshold activated. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Commencing placental retrieval” replied Leon, as a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his head. “Wish us luck.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell activated the wand, and a soft hiss of air sounded from the tip of the device. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "12 minutes, they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not yet. Only if we have too,” Marshall ordered. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Open a channel." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The operations officer nodded after quickly dialing a com frequency. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “This is Captain James Marshall of the Federation Starship Republic to whom am I speaking? | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “This is General Jondav of the Kreltan Warship Indwelling. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “General, I can assure you that we are on a rescue mission and well within Federation space. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On screen," | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter stopped mid-stride as he heard his Captain gasp. He pivoted to his right and saw Captain Marshall' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John turned again and rode in the lift car toward deck 10. As the car moved silently, he tapped his comm badge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John was glad to hear a pleasant voice answer from the duty station. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Roger that, McDermott. Carter out." | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the turbo-lift opened to the bust expanse of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “You see Captain, we are capable of assuming any shape or form that we choose. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Say you do beat me,” Marshall replied. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “I don't think so. We are far superior to our sister species the Founders. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
Line 66: | Line 826: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “All hands Red Alert.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ship shuttered with such a jolt that the suction wand, which held aloft the helpless embryo of Commander Taylor’s child, floated out of Leon’s hand as both Doctor Cromwell and Lieutenant Harris lost their footing. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the wand and attached placenta went tumbling helplessly above the low-gravity surgical bed, a dark-red glove reached up and gently, snatched the handle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | A breath of relief emanated from Shannon Harris as Doctor Cromwell stood up, using the surgical bed for support. | ||
+ | |||
+ | A static sizzle sounded briefly before a frantic Doctor Yezbeck came over the chattering com-channel. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “The ship’s under attack! | ||
+ | |||
+ | Both Shannon and Leon looked at each other in horror. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Indwelling fired on the Republic, and she shook wildly as the impact hit. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Republic fired on the Indwelling. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "No damage," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | McTaggart then spoke, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | They bridge shook as sparks flew. McTaggart and the helm officer hit the deck and did not get back up. Marshall was knocked off his feet. Sullivan and Virtus almost flew out of their seats. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Virtus to sickbay, we've got injured here.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Static chatter interlaced throughout Virtus’ announcement, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The acknowledgement was barely forthcoming as the ship shuttered yet again. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris nodded. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the ship rocked from another attack, Leon continued his inquiry as he turned his attention to Commander Taylor. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Redundant backups as well, with a tempest-shield to prevent energy leaching. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The lights faded off and on as Doctor Cromwell looked up. “If they keep this up, I’m going to lose both these patients regardless of how tough that tank is. . . “ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Almost on queue, warning buzzers sounded on the surgical module as Commander Taylor went into severe convulsions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Immediately, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Reacting by instinct, Harris followed Leon’s directions as he activated the auto-suture on the surgical module. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Harris placed the neurological devices on Lana’s forehead as the ship jostled from another direct hit. The lights dimmed again as the frenzied medics worked to jump-start Commander Taylor’s nervous system. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Without warning, a huge explosion severely rattled the surgical suite as everything went black. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall surveyed the tactical console. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just keep them in front of us. I'll do the rest." | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Carter to bridge, all civilians are in the saucer section.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Good, get back down here. Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall fired everything the Republic had at their warp nacelles. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Their damage is at 17% Captain," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like hull plating on decks 23 & 17, shields weakened, impulse engines are sluggish, aft weapons depleted, Forward phasers down to 60%, aft shields at 13% and fore shields at 60%." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall didn't like what he heard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I bloodied their nose a bit, take over." | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “You' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I hate being called Jimmy," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ship rocked as more sparks flew on the bridge. The Republic was bleeding. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Gone was the familiar black of deep space, pricked by the light of distant suns. Gone was the massive Kreltan Dreadnaught John was told would kill him and his crew. Instead, Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Come on, come on," Carter pleaded with the universe, "Show me something." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Colors changed again on the graphic representation of the Kreltan attacker, indicating points of gravitic stress and relative shield strength. Scanning the image on the viewer, Carter finally saw what he needed. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Helm, set two-seven-one by fourteen. Give me full impulse, but don't jump to warp. Not yet at least." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes sir!" McTaggart added with youthful exuberance. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John added as he felt his cocky smirk return, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now settled back in the Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As Carter continued to scheme, Republic rocketed away at near-relativistic speeds. John watched with satisfaction as the Kreltan ship accelerated to pursue. " | ||
+ | |||
Line 71: | Line 957: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Smoke billowed out of the main doors to sickbay as they were forced ajar by the multiple hands of escaping crewmen. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bridge, this is Lieutenant Y’lair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Moments later, a message came back that Counselor B'Rell had secured all the civilians and casualties in Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter felt his pulse race as he planned his next move. There were three rules he lived by when it came to combat in space. First, 'speed is life'. Don't stop. Stopping means dying. Second, 'space is three-dimensional' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It amazed John how few officers in 'Fleet actually understood how space worked in a physical sense. He'd spent the better part of a year trying to get his cadets at the ATC to 'use the whole board', | ||
+ | |||
+ | The third rule of Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | For all the Kreltan Dreadnaught' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The design team at Utopia Planitia had built the Galaxy class so that her saucer could be separated at proceed under warp while the so-called ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter cleared his throat and tapped the control on his board to open a channel to Engineering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bridge to Sawyer. Any chance we can get the ablative armor back on line? If I'm going to sucker these guys in, we're going to need to take some hits with the shields down.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On it sir, I've transferred all non essential power to the generators." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "If all goes well, we can sustain at least 10 direct hits before the armor will show signs of failure. After that, it might get bumpy. I recommend keeping us on a spinning Z axis rotation, so the armor is evenly hit, she said, as she thumbed up the power levels on the generator. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "This should increase power systemwide for us, and get all of our damaged systems back online" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Ashley ran back down to the lower level, and checked the power levels. Things looked grim, she hoped Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lot's of it. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | John turned his attention to the smartest man he knew. "Vic? How are you coming with that sensor profile?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Load their profile into the active sensor suite and stand by to give it everything we've got." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus knew where Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not yet Vic," Carter interrupted, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John waited a beat, then added. "Trust me Captain. Please. I know what I'm doing." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter was surprised at himself for even asking the Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | In the Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | He hated running, he hated it with a passion. He always thought it was a sign of weakness. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall turned his head slightly to his right. "Whom do you need to pull this thing off?" he asked, as Republic was jolted by another photon hit from the Kreltan ship. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter used his arms to absorb the jolt forward. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sean McTaggart nodded from the Conn. position and keyed in a series of commands. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter suppressed a smile as he saw Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A yellow tell-tale blinked on the Tac Board. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "On Speakers." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The annoyingly confident voice of the Kreltan General Jondav filled the bridge. "Jimmy boy. I'm shocked. You? Running? You're only making it worse on yourself you know. It's only a matter of time before I hunt you down and kill you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | As James Marshall worked out what to say next, he made out what could only be some sort of Kreltan curse, carried over the speakers as Sean McTaggart' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "You have no idea how happy that makes me... General. Looks like you don't know me as well as you thought you did. The way I see it if I can't destroy ya, the least I can do is go get some help to send you back to that backwater corner of space you came from." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall took a few casual steps forward and turned to head to the turbolift on the fore side of the bridge that would take him directly to the battle bridge. As he walked, he continued to address his Kreltan doppelganger. "You are in violation of Federation space." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The voice that answered back was filled with rage. "You insolent static life form! I'm going to rip out your spine and..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | James Marshall walked forward to stand in front of the bridge turbolift. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John and Victor exchanged looks, then jogged quickly toward the lift car. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye Sir" Virtus said with cool efficiency as he stepped inside. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Before entering the car, John Carter looked back at Sean McTaggart. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Sir!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall spoke again, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Yes sir, I will," replied Sullivan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter stepped inside the lift car, and smiled as the doors slid shut. Across from him, James Marshall gave him a hard look, then spoke to the empty space above him. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | It seemed as though the Battle Bridge was light years away. | ||
+ | |||
Line 76: | Line 1078: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was still dark as Lana slowly awoke. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Computer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Wearily, Lana shook her head, trying to rid her mind of cobwebs, but to no avail. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Now she remembered . . . the operation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Suddenly, the one factor of her situation that escaped her until now entered into her soul with a chill. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “My baby!” she gasped, coughing yet again from the smoke. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Spinning around on the floor, she caught sight of the one other light that radiated within the dark room other than the condition red tracer lights. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana knew she wouldn’t' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was hard to notice the blood splotch on Leon’s left temple through the dark red surgical clothing, but as Lana removed the cap and mask, she saw the streaks of crimson down the side of his face. He moaned and gritted his teeth as Lana attempted to wake him. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Harris, what’s Taylor’s vitals?” he babbled. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “What the hell are you doing out of bed?!” he bluntly asked, while painfully holding his hand against his head wound. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, to be quite blunt, doctor, someone needed to find out what had happened. You were unconscious. I woke up and fell on the floor and crawled over to you. And don't you get an attitude with me. I still have seniority over you even though I am out of commission at the moment," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana had no idea what was going on. She slowly started regaining feeling in her legs, and reached for her communicator that she put away in a drawer under the surgical counter prior to the operation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana sat on the floor beside Doctor Cromwell. She knew he would not be too fond of the fact that she was off of the bed. That and she hadn't heard from James. That really worried her beyond all. She knew what she was going to do, even though it wouldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lana looked at Leon. "I am going to try to get to Captain Marshall. I want to help out as much as I can. Please stay with my baby. I trust the baby with you." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Lana, it isn't safe. Plus we’re trapped in here," Leon said. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "At this moment, I don't care. He needs me on the bridge or wherever he is at. Please just take care of my baby." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon had no idea what she was up to, but was in no position to argue. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Just then, Captain Marshall called back on Lana’s communicator. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Marshall here. It’s good to hear your voice, Lana” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | “What is going on?” she said drowsily, the coma-inducer from the operation still filling her mind with a fog. “I woke up in the surgical ward and it was really dark.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Deck 12 has been evacuated. Sickbay' | ||
+ | |||
+ | “No, we are stuck down here in surgical suite two. Doctor Cromwell and Doctor Harris are injured, but they are talking to me. Leon is going to take care of the baby. I want beamed immediately to where you are at.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “I’ll have transporter room 3 beam you out. Stand by.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor turned to the captain and acting XO without glancing up from a PADD. The battle stress was evident by only the slightest increase in his rate of speaking. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't know where you expect to get your power from Commander, but I can generate sensor echoes all over this quadrant if that's what you want. The absence of the main sensor array on the saucer section will make it a bit tricky, but I've done more with less." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John smirked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Of course you have" | ||
+ | |||
+ | The turbo lift shook slightly as a torpedo went off 100 meters starboard. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Ops to Tactical. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Vic raised an eye to look at the acting XO as the turbolift doors opened and the trio took up positions around the dim battle bridge. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Do try to remember that the battle section is not a Ghost Wing fighter, and if you start doing X/Z-axis back flips you WILL pull the nacelles off the secondary hull..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Vic, we're in a bit of a rush..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "... and I don't have to remind you that the support pylons can only take an extra 75 kilonewtons per square meter of yaw stress once we detach the saucer section..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Vic, about the sensor sweep..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "... and you might like to know that the enemy vessel appears to have a four meter blind spot on their port side, amidships, slightly aft of their ram scoop. Not big enough to hide a ship, but it might help." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "... full scan? It's on the display under your left hand Commander." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor strapped himself into his station' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Lieutenant Tom Sullivan made his way to the Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "All stations, all hands, prepare for emergency saucer separation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The veil of transporter energy dissipated to reveal a delirious Lana Taylor lying on the platform half-naked and wearing a surgical in-patient smock. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “This is transporter room three, we have Commander Taylor.” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Good job, chief. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The chief looked confused. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Leon’s going to stay with my baby!” she said with a slur, the drugs still inhibiting her thought processes. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Get her to Ten Forward, ensign,” the chief quickly said before turning back to the transporter controls. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “I don’t need a drink!” she protested as the ensign assisted her to the exit. “I want to go where Jim is! Where’s Jim? | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Chief, what’s the status of our doctors? | ||
+ | |||
+ | A look of alarm began to creep across the face of the transport chief as the controls chirped with multiple negative warbles. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Bridge, I’m reading a plasma fire on deck 12, can you confirm?” | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Affirmative, | ||
+ | |||
+ | “The fire is generating a EM pulse throughout the deck around sickbay!” he announced with panic slipping into his voice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Negative. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Then those doctors are as good as dead . . .” | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “All stations, all hands, prepare for emergency saucer separation. Evacuate all civilians and non-essential personnel to the saucer.” =/\= | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sullivan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor Virtus manning Ops, and John Carter manning Conn and Tactical. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= “Bridge to Marshall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | “Stand by bridge,” Marshall said. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Marshall turned back to the com system. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter concentrated on his upcoming battle with the Kreltan Dreadnought. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John noted with quiet satisfaction that the stardrive section of a Galaxy Class starship was, as advertised, quite a bit more responsive to helm changes, which was good, since he was going to need all the maneuverability and speed he could get. The smirk returned. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Next to Carter, Victor Virtus manned the Ops station on the battle bridge. From there he could monitor all of the ship's non-combat systems. Out of habit, and owing to his " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like." Carter glanced at his tactical board again and keyed the command to energize Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "All right Mister Carter," | ||
+ | |||
+ | For the first time since learning of " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Here we go Vic," he said. "Stand by to push the Kreltan sensor profile through the active array. Wait for me to drop the shields, then we blind ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Wait for you to what?" Virtus asked. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Wait for you to WHAT? | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The stardrive section crossed into range of the Kreltan weapons. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Victor Xavier Virtus kept his mind on the task at hand. Relying on the training and discipline that Starfleet had ingrained into him, he activated the active sensor suite on Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
Line 81: | Line 1269: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | On the bridge of the Kreltan Dreadnaught, | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It appears to be... an Oligarch Class Dreadnaught, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The General was furious. "Damn you, you weak-willed proto-form! I know what it APPEARS to be, but why? How?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't know sir," The junior officer tried to explain, "but there appears to be no sign of the Federation ship. We tracked their jump to warp, but they didn't leave the system." | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan Commander began to understand. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Here it comes!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Impacts that didn't happen. | ||
+ | |||
+ | For a moment James Marshall didn't know what to do, but that moment passed in a confident flash. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Virtus checked his readings again. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | In the black of space, the smaller ship that was now the U.S.S. Republic dipped and rolled as angry lances of Kreltan disruptor fire spit uselessly into empty space. Barely missing their target, but missing all the same. As the distance between the two ships continued to close, Republic sailed through the hail of Kreltan fire. Momentum would carry the Federation ship on it's present course, and minor course corrections would allow her to bring weapons to bear on a now, clearly confused enemy. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | With frightening speed, and accuracy, four glowing bundles of anti-matter, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "What do you mean, 'No effect'? | ||
+ | |||
+ | "We hit them General," | ||
+ | |||
+ | Two mighty explosions rocked the Kreltan bridge. The first two torpedo hits had battered down the Dreadnought' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Hold tight." | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fierce red lances of energy shot from Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Two, three, four beams of lethal energy raked across the surface of the Kreltan ship before Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As John Carter plotted his next course change, he smiled to himself as he " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | From the Con position, John Carter tilted his head and addressed Victor Virtus, seated next to him at the Ops. Console. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "From this distance John," Virtus looked at his sensor display, "I can tell you what the General had for breakfast... assuming of course that his species eats at all. If they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Later Vic. The power curve please?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Two beeps followed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The power curve John." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Damn that solid!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | For centuries, the Kreltan Confederacy had used their natural guile and cunning as shape-shifters, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jondav' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was a long-held Kreltan belief, that their race had been given the ability to change shape so as to better spread fear and confusion to their enemy. Over centuries of warfare with " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltans had prided on not allowing their enemies to trust their own eyes, but now, through some sort of technological trickery, General Jondav found that it was HE who couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | There was frustration in the voice of the Kreltan Weapons Officer as he tried to comply. "I can't General," | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | According to the Kreltan sensors, the Federation ship they thought they were attacking was in fact, another Oligarch class Dreadnaught. A truly massive vessel, bristling with weaponry and sheer destructive potential. By fooling the Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Do it! Environmental Control is buried deep inside the hull of this ship. Whatever they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The General' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | A sickly smile crept across General Jondav' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The charred remains of the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell and Lieutenant Harris were located in the sealed chamber of the surgical suite after an hour-long sensor sweep of the ship. It seemed that, after Commander Taylor had beamed out, the saucer section' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Doctor Cromwell, recently returned to duty with the regenerative patch still active on his forehead, sifted through the remains of his office. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "There you are," remarked Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Leon looked away from the destroyed shelving unit and looked at Harris. | ||
+ | |||
+ | She looked down at her arm before looking back at him. "It was really nothing, sir. Just dislocated. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Well, the regrouped medical staff reports 27 dead, and 54 injured," | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Any casualties from the stardrive section?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "It hasn't returned yet," she stated with despair. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | As comforting as the words were, it still didn't ward off the concern the entire saucer section crew held for their comrades in the Republic' | ||
+ | |||
Line 86: | Line 1406: | ||
< | < | ||
<fs x-large> | <fs x-large> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The light mood on the Battle Bridge was broken by two solid impacts, sending low shudders through the soul of the stardrive. From the Damage Control station, Commander Lana Taylor reacted with swift professionalism. "Two plasma torpedo hits on port side neck Captain. No damage to the photon controls, but the armor in sections 9 through 16 is gone." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Looks like they' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Not yet, Captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "There Vic, do you see it?" Carter asked. "When they altered course and speed to engage." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter felt the smirk return as he keyed commands to red-line the stardrive' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Nervous seconds ticked by before James Marshall spoke. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John kept a very cautious eye on his Tactical Plot as he explained his insubordination to his Commanding Officer. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter braced himself against the impact and continued. "We don't have the firepower to destroy them," he added, "but the General isn't thinking anymore, he's reacting." | ||
+ | |||
+ | More impacts rocked Republic. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter winced slightly, continuing his explanation. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Noted Carter." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Thank you, sir. Torpedoes away." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye sir." Virtus complied with his Captain' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Republic soared away from her attacker, moving at thousands of kilometers per second. The Kreltan Dreadnaught accelerated to pursue the Federation ship, which meant that General Jondav only had seconds to react to the two photon torpedoes angling in to destroy his vessel. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | The view of battle on the Kreltan bridge was blotted out of existence by the brilliant flash of anti-mater against the black of space, and Jondav was rocked from his seat. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Here they come, sir." Victor Virtus looked at his Ops. display showing the Kreltan' | ||
+ | |||
+ | James Marshall cleared his throat and fixed his attention on the Tactical Plot on Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Aye, Captain." | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Jondav smiled with satisfaction as the " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "There you are, Jimmy." | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Republic sailed nimbly through space rocked occasionally by glancing energy fire and plasma torpedoes, but against ablative armor from the 31st century, they were little good, at least in the short term. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =/\= " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter nodded, but part of his brain had to admit that he wasn't really paying attention. His eyes were fixed on the Tactical Plot, and the distance between his ship and the Kreltan Dreadnaught, | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The bridge crew of Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "HOLD ON!" John Carter screamed. He felt and heard Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Some sort of focused gravity beam. They’re holding us in place... or, trying to." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "NO! Jondav screamed. I will never be held by... by that! Full power to the sublight drives! Break us free!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | "But General..." | ||
+ | |||
+ | "DO IT! Now!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Once again, Jondav' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | |||
+ | Carter and Virtus both watched as the Kreltan ship's power usage changed. mega-joules of energy were being channeled and focused to pull against Republic' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan power curve continued to crest, building near its maximum usage. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Just a little more." Carter pleaded with the universe. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan ship forced its power to maximum. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Now Vic!" Carter shouted. "Let 'em go!" | ||
+ | |||
+ | A millisecond later, the tractor beam was gone, and a physical light rendering of local space replaced the Tactical Plot on Republic’s viewer. James Marshall felt himself rise to his feet, his jaw dropping as he watched an amazing situation unfold. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The once mighty Kreltan Dreadnaught now hung in space in two jaggedly wrought pieces. Venting atmosphere, bulkhead, and bodies as the two pieces spun wildly out of control. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Kreltan Dreadnaught had sent all of its power into its sub light drives. One of which was located in the aft quarter of the hull, one amidships, in a decidedly non-linear fashion. In a practical sense, this created competing stresses in the Kreltan hull that had been designed, not for speed, but stability and raw force. The initial scans of the Kreltan Dreadnaught had shown John Carter the weakest structural point of the vessel. Subsequent scans had revealed the precise location of the sublight powerplants, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Push the engines hard enough, in the right direction, Carter had reasoned, and something had to give. In this case, the Dreadnaught' | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I don't believe it,” Captain Marshall breathed. "How in the world did you manage that?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | John Carter wiped his brow, then ran his fingers through his dark hair. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Damn son," Marshall added now settled back in the command chair. " | ||
+ | |||
+ | "Me too Captain." |