Major Tatash: "Ava-Gone" (Tag: Bridge/Sickbay)

[Daniel Eastham]

((USS Albion - Holodeck 1))

::Simulation after simulation had taken place, and each one hadn't got any better then the one Taelon had suggested. The brilliant young scientist just couldn't be beat it seemed, leaving Tatash simply resigning to the plan with a shrug as he regarded Beyett tinkering once more with the archway::

Tatash: You really think we can beat it?

Beyett: ?

::Tatash chuckled and leant against the 'wall', allbeit disguised as a floating starfield.::

Tatash: I don't think I can add anymore to this. Between the pair of you, i've been a bit redundant.

Whittaker: =^= Bridge to Major Tatash. Get up here and bring Beyett with you. =^=

Tatash: =^= Understood.

Beyett: ?

Tatash: Dump what we've got up to your bridge console, i'll give you what help I can from the auxiliary station.

Beyett: ?

::The pair of them walked briskly out of the holodeck, abandoning their oversized play-set yet taking all the valuable material with them remotely. What he wouldn't have given for just a few more hours to tinker, to adjust every variable.::

(( Time Jump ))

(( A couple of minutes later ))

(( Bridge - USS Albion ))

:: It didn't take long for them to make their way up there, the turbolifts were free as everyone stuck to their assigned stations like glue. He gave Beyett one final clap on the shoulder as he took up his tactical station, while Tatash allowed himself the luxury of sitting at one of the rear stations on the small little stools that seemed a relic from the 23rd century. Still, it was a seat, and something to hold onto, a rarity on the more modern ships of the line.

He looked up as Theo approached, offering a faint smile before dropping it as he got 'that' look from his friend.::

Tatash: What is it?

Whittaker: :: to Tatash, quietly. :: Kinney has issued orders to the Avalon that we are to be treated as expendable.

::Tatash grunted a little::

Tatash: That a rumour or fact?

Whittaker: Trel'lis found an unregistered communique on an encrypted frequency that I assume the communications specialists in the Black Tower intercepted.

Tatash: I'm beginning to think that our friend Kinney might not have our best interests at heart.

Whittaker: I knew Kinney didn't like us, but I never realised that he wanted to see us dead. :: beat :: L'Trena takes his orders very literally. The Commodore has essentially ordered him to send us to our deaths. :: he motioned to the viewscreen :: At least we have the Klingons on our side.

::Tatash looked and raised a brow at the large green ship floating ahead of them. How hadn't he noticed that filling the viewscreen when he'd walked in? Klingon engineering was always something to behold. Built for nothing more then warfare, each ship was an example in aggressive design, and the Negh'var was by far the baddest of the bunch aside from the rumored new classes::

Tatash: That, is one hell of an advantage...

:: The ready room doors opened, admitting Sal on to the bridge. Theo rose from the centre, yielding it to his commanding officer and sat down in the chair meant for him to the right of the CO. ::

Taybrim: So, Captain L'Trena picked up a disturbance in the Jenatris Cloud. Flynn, Kelly- I sent you the coordinates of the location he was scanning. :: pause :: L'Trena then decided to poke the proverbial bees nest and send a trio of fighters to go investigate. ::

Flynn/Kelly: ?

Whittaker: :: darkly :: I guess that nobody told L'Trena as a child to leave the nest alone.

Kasun: :: closes her eyes :: So much for the element of surprise.

Tatash: The Avalon is going to be engaged before we arrive, we didn't factor this in...

Taybrim: Flynn, if the Sienov was running at maximum warp, how long would it take for them to travel the distance between the disturbance coordinates and the rendezvous point?

Flynn: ?

:: Two minutes... two long minutes, every simulation they had ran had given the Avalon barely thirty seconds before needing the Albion to take the heat from her, tranferring the threat between them. Now at least they had a true battleship with them to tank the damage, but the Avalon was risking far too much.::

Taybrim: Take the ship to yellow alert. Flynn, push us as fast as we can to get to rendezvous sooner. Uzalla, share this immediately with the S'Tarakh. :: pause :: I'm going to assume the worst and assume that L'Trena has picked up the Sienov and alterted it to the Avalon's presence.

Trel'lis: Just great!

Flynn/Bridge: ?

Whittaker: I could do with a proverbial silver lining right about now.

Taybrim: Well, if there is any bright side in this- should the Sienov attack, we will know Arrihmen's been pushing the ship at maximum warp, so let's prepare to use that to exploit.

Tatash: Feeding it into your console now Diago, should given us a few more openings.

Beyett: ?

Whittaker: =^= Bridge to Main Engineering. Lieutenant Moretti, divert all available power to the engines. Take it from any system you can get your hands on- but leave enough for the sensors to work alongside Tatash's plan. =^=

Moretti:  =^=?

Taybrim: Taelon, Tatash- we'll be coming in hot and fast and we can get one good shot from your... what did you call it? Glass cannon?

Tatash: All calculations passed to Tactical from my side, Taelon you have anything to add?

Tatash/Beyett: ?

Taybrim: Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Let's get ready to roll...

Whittaker: :: calling out, as his voice was magnified through the speakers and relief across the entire ship. :: All hands to your stations.

::Tatash let out a low, deep breath as he steeled himself, the seconds counting down in his mind as they hurtled rapidly towards their destination. He had his eyes on the strategic readouts, tying the Albion between the Avalon and the S'Tarakh which had kindly allowed him to tether with their tactical readouts. At least their two ships were tied, he wouldn't be able to see anything of the Avalon until they were out of warp and in range.

Finally, they dropped down and instantly the Avalons readout went to an angry shade of pulsating red, her shields battered, hull breaches already raging on her surface.::

Taybrim: ::Muttering in sheer anger:: L'Trena, you idiot!  ::Raising his voice to command volume:: Bring us to red alert!  All hand to battlestations!  Uzella, make sure the S'Tarahk is aware of this - let them know we're firing an opening volley before readjusting power and moving in.

::They had to move in.  They were the bait, and Dempok was the brawn.  He only hoped the Avalon could survive long enough.::

Tatash: The Avalon can't take much more Captain, she's being pounded!

Taybrim: Push her, as fast as you can, Flynn!  ::turning towards Taelon, Diego and Tatash:: As soon as we're in range you take that shot!

Tatash: Pushing power to targeting and weapons. Taelon, free up what we need!

Taelon: ?

Beyett: ?

Bridge: ?

::Another explosion from the Avalon, ships escaping from her. Tatash knew fighter formations, and this wasn't one. This wasn't a tactic, this was a rout in panic.::

Taybrim: Fire!

Flynn/Beyett/Taelon/Bridge: ?

::The effect was just as they had planned. Every array concentrated on that single sweet spot, at the sweet range. The damage was also in line with the assessements, the Sienov's sheilds flickering for a second before she turned to face them, that hook-nosed prow spewing out terrible green hatred towards them::

Taybrim: Evasive maneuvers!  Everybody hold on!

Flynn/Bridge: ?

::Tatash gripped the side of the console as the Albion swung herself around in ways that an old lady should never attempt, he could almost hear the deckplates groaning in protest.::

Taybrim: Bring us hard up, get the shields up to maximum, keep moving!  We need to break her shields!

::Tatash looked up at his console again as it shrieked in alarm.::

Tatash: The Avalon is losing warp contain...

::He didn't get to finish the sentence as the Avalon blistered into an orange ball of plasma before shattering apart. A handful of fighters were soon swallowed by the ship in her death throes, while the rest in a panic headed towards the Albion at whatever speed they could hoping for some protection from both the Warbird and the shockwave hot on their six. There was no time to feel grief or sympathy to the ruined ship, this was not the time to let emotions run wild.::

Bridge: ?

::Tatash almost fell off his chair as the Avalons shockwave washed over them, knocking the Excelsior class for six. The viewscreen lurched, showing the massive Negh'var unloading hell on the Sienov,  the thick green blobs of heavy disruptor cannons pouring their damage over the Romulan ship.

There was a few cries as people stumbled, almost in reflex he tapped his commbadge::

Tatash: =/\= Tatash to Sickbay, Medical team to the bridge.

Sickbay: =/\= ?

::He couldn't afford to look around at the others, even as the smoke from shattered consoles burnt his nose. His eyes were focused solely on the readouts in front of him as he monitored what was left of their fleet. Dempok was taking the damage, at least for the next thirty seconds while the bulk of his ship physically covered the Albion. If Haz was determined to come after them, he'd strike at that moment.::

Tatash: We've got about thirty seconds till we get lit up again Captain. 

Bridge: ?

Taybrim: ?

Major. Tatash

Marine Lead

SB118 Operations

C239108T10