Captain Roshanara Rahman: Sealed Tombs

[Rich]

((Location Unknown))

As the three stranded starships from the race lay adrift in the distance, the darkness of the void concealed the other dead hulks that had the shared misfortunate of being pulled into the lair over the centuries. An eclectic collection gathered from across the galaxy, the air and power had long gone out from these floating tombs that remained perfectly preserved in the otherwise lifeless region devoid of stars, planets, asteroids, or even gaseous anomalies.

Yet the new arrivals from beyond had disturbed something to emerge from the shadows. A soft blue light appeared from out of the darkness, gradually getting brighter as it moved through the void. The names of some of the other carcasses could be seen now as the light passed by them: the surveyor Ct’wkann, the freighter designated simply 3622-Jor, the passenger transport SS Iberia, and the USS Vesper, last seen one hundred and thirty-four years ago.

But just as soon as they were revealed from out of the darkness, they quickly faded away back into the black as the light continued on its way towards the four-nacelled starship that lay closest ahead.

((Bridge, USS Veritas))

In the darkened confines of the bridge, Captain Roshanara Rahman tapped her combadge, hoping to reach the rest of her crew.

Rahman: =/\= Bridge to Engineering. =/\=

Instead, a clipped off error tone chirped from the combadge, signifying the device’s new state as a decorative pin.

Rahman: Great, so the coms are down as well...

Hamasaki: I would imagine whatever is going on is interrupting all of our systems at a fundamental level.

The captain frowned in the dark as she pondered what could be interfering with their systems. Some sort of radiation?

Rahman: Let's see if we can get anything running from here. If not, we need to head down to engineering.

Petty Officer Rhee Yu-jin nodded. He’d been manning the ops console while Ensign Alse had been busy with the fifth graders down below with Lieutenant El Sayid.

Rhee: Aye, captain.

Moonsong: Response

Orrey: If we all head to engineering then they will head here to check on us, surely.

Kelrod activated a watch on his prosthesis to serve as a light source.

Kelrod: As a person with little engineering knowledge I offer to go and check on them. If any of them come here, you'll be able to help them more.

Rahman: Negative, commander. We’re sticking together for now. With main power out, they’ll know engineering will be our base of operations.

Hamasaki: Aye, ma'am.

Moonsong: Response?

The captain walked over to the engineering console and tried activating a few of the displays. Despite the power loss, there was *something* still running.

Rahman: It looks like core functions are still up and running for now. Gravity, life support… although they’re running off of the individual emergency batteries. They should have switched over to the auxiliary batteries automatically…

She frowned as she leaned in closer at the propulsion system status display.

Rahman: It looks like the entire warp drive has been shut down.

She pushed a few commands into the panel, but only error tones returned. The captain looked back over at the helmswoman.

Rahman: Lieutenant Hamasaki, are you able to restart the drive from your console? It’s not responding to my commands.

Hamasaki: I'm.. really not sure. ::Tiria's voice is muffled:: It's resisting my basic first steps.  I'm not sure I can figure this out either. It's weird. It's like it should be working but just doesn't for a reason I can't figure out.

Orrey: ::standing up from his examination.:: Grade two sprain. Could be a partial tear in the ligaments. Keep it elevated like that and try not to use it. ::He gave her a gentle smile before turning and head down to the front of the ship.::

Moonsong: Response

Kelrod: This is Terakine :: handing an hypospray :: In case you need it for the pain.

Meanwhile, Roshanara had joined Hamasaki at the helm while Rhee looked in one of the emergency equipment lockers on the bridge for additional supplies.

Rahman: ::looking ahead at the black viewscreen:: So any idea where we are?

If the status indicator below the viewscreen wasn’t glowing dimly in the dark, she wouldn’t have even thought the display was activated.

Hamasaki: Not being much of a science officer, I'd guess potentially a subspace layer, between galaxies, maybe a field of some type, wormhole to a dark nebula, something between us and the tetryon fields of the Shoals.. or maybe this is just what the other end of a black hole looks like? I doubt the last bit, myself. I'm just guessing though.

Kelrod: Maybe between galaxies is aiming too high. All we know is that we're not in the same Scylla pass we were, there's no plasma storms, no gravimetric disturbances, this is just... blackness. :: he noticed another drop of sweat falling from his forehead. He wiped it again, but noticed that it was thicker than just sweat. ::

Moonsong: Responses

Orrey: ::Jansen motioned to the Tiria.:: Alright Lieutenant, turn here and face me for a moment your turn for a check up. ::He took out the pen light, moving it across her eyes watching them closely.:: So you have a headache? Any other symptoms?

Hamasaki: I'm a bit dizzy.

Orrey: ::he raised a hand about a foot from her ears and snapped on either side again watching for her reaction.:: Any nausea, numbness or tingling? Fatigue?

Hamasaki: Fatigue, yes.

Orrey: Well your eyes aren’t responsive, I assume if the light was any clearer your vision would be blurry. The headache, and everything else together, I would say you are right about having a concussion.

Hamasaki: Great.

Kelrod: Commander... :: handing Orrey the medical tricorder :: This seems to work, at least on an autonomous level. :: turning to the captain :: Captain, we also have the scholars too wandering on the ship.

The captain nodded grimly as she looked over at the chief of security.

Rahman: Yes, Commander, I’m very well-aware.

She didn’t mean it dismissively. But for now, everyone’s lives were in danger.

Kelrod: G'Var was with them, along El Sayid. Last time I checked they're in engineering too. It seems that there's no dangerous radiation in the vicinity.

Rahman: That’s one bit of good news then. All right, then, if there’s nothing else we can do up here, it’s time to get moving. Rhee? You’ve got everything?

The petty officer looked over from the open equipment locker.

Rhee: Yes, ma’am… ::trying to hold onto the various tools in his arms::

Kelrod: Aye captain. Also, It occurred to me that we have access to the sensor palettes on deck two. While I go down to check their status someone with engineering expertise could be able to get something from the sensors directly and maybe even find a way to patch them directly to the bridge.

Orrey/Moonsong: Response

Hamasaki: That's an idea.. but we can't really talk to people to communicate right now.

Kelrod: Given the configuration of the lift shafts, if we keep the doors open and there's no turbolift between two locations, the shaft could work as a communication tube. If we shout into it, someone a few decks below or over should be able to listen it.

Orrey: Response

Kelrod: So, shall I go down and find out how's the rest of the ship?

Rahman: ::nodding:: We’re all going.

The helmswoman frowned at the plan before speaking.

Hamasaki: I think a few of us should head down to Engineering. We need to see what they know down there, and maybe help restoring a few systems if they don't before we get there.

Orrey/Moonsong: Responses

Hamasaki: Well. Maybe me, Commander Moonsong and Captain Rahman? I need to keep moving to stay awake, and we can head towards sickbay for Commander Moonsong's injury and mine later? …That said, I don't think Moonsong should head down with her arm.

Kelrod/Orrey/Moonsong: Responses

Rahman: We’re heading down anyway, so we’ll stop at the sensor palettes along the way. Go ahead and get the Jefferies tube hatch open.

Hamasaki: Well I'm just thankful the ship's together so we CAN climb down, honestly... although forcing myself to keep active is .. strangely more annoying than I thought it would be.

Hamasaki and the others from the bridge began climbing down the hatch. As the captain, Roshanara waited for everyone else to clear off first. Almost everyone had except Rhee, who was still by the equipment locker.

Rahman: Rhee, it’s time to go!

Rhee: Sorry, captain, but I was just trying to see if this portable power unit was still working.

He dragged the heavy piece of equipment across the bridge. Looking down through the hatch to see that everyone else had made it safely into the junction, Roshanara turned back and walked over to the petty officer to give him a hand.

Rahman: Well?

The young man smiled as he tapped the panel on the device.

Rhee: Looks like it’s still got a charge.

Rahman: Good work. Maybe we’ll be able to plug it into one of the consoles.

Rhee: Yeah, it’s too bad they couldn’t have made it any smaller.

The captain chuckled as she grabbed the other end of it and continued to drag it along the deck towards the open hatch. As they approached it, however, a faint light shone through one of the small windows on the ceiling of the bridge, almost like a spotlight.

Rhee: What is that-

The next few seconds were a blur. First, there was a loud crash. Then, the sound cut out. Before she could make sense of what just happened, Roshanara felt her legs being swept up along with the rest of the air in the bridge as it rushed out towards the breach. Before she could be pulled out into the vacuum, she managed to grab and hug onto a nearby railing for dear life. Her hair flew in her face as the air rushed past her along with various PADDs and other pieces of equipment that had been lying around the bridge. She couldn’t turn to see him directly, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see the unmistakable form of Rhee’s body shooting past her and up towards the ceiling in eerie silence.

As her grip loosened, she clenched her jaw preparing for her last breath until she felt someone reach out and pull her through the hatch before the cover was quickly sealed shut.

Lying down now on the floor of the Jefferies tube, she looked up to see the closed hatch above her along with the faces of the others who’d held on to the ladder and other handles to keep themselves from being pulled up and out into space.

Any: Response

Rahman: Rhee?

There was a somber look as one of the others shook their head. Before they could mourn what just happened, though, the distant echoing of emergency bulkheads closing across the ship could be heard reverberating through the Jefferies tube network. With the hull compromised, the ship had activated its emergency containment protocols to keep its crew safe, but it also meant they were trapped.

((Thirty minutes later, deck 4 Jefferies tube junction))

(OOC: From my understanding, BAXTER actually made it out of engineering to find us, so I’m redesignating this part to take place in the Jefferies tube)

They’d managed to get down a few decks before they’d encountered the first massive sealed bulkhead that separated the upper section of the saucer from the rest of the ship.

The captain sat down and leaned against the wall of the junction room, her hair still disheveled and her uniform wrinkled as she considered their options.

Rahman: Without a plasma torch, we’re not getting through this any time soon.

Moonsong: Response

Orrey: Response

Kelrod: Response

Hamasaki: Response

Rahman: ::shaking her head:: We could try looking for one on the decks above, but we also don’t know if the outer sections are safe.

Maybe if they could reach an EVA suit locker, they could risk it.

Moonsong: Response

Orrey: Response

Kelrod: Response

Hamasaki: Response

From afar, a small object steadily made its way towards the huddled group of bridge officers. When it neared them, the captain could see it was some sort of robotic dog. She'd have thought it was one of the children's toys that had been brought on board until it started speaking.

BAXTER: Hello I am your Benevolent and Xenodochial Technological Emergency Responder. My name is BAXTER and I was created by Charlena to provide assistance for her brother. Two of your group have sustained injuries, Moonsing. R has sustained a grade two sprain, Hamasaki. T has sustained a concussion. Would you like medical assistance?

Hamasaki: ::thinking, but tired:: What kind of medical assistance?

BAXTER: Response

Any: Response

Hamasaki: Sure, I wouldn't mind something to help. If nothing else, I can't help out 100% with this headache.. or concussion.

BAXTER: I am happy to help. I have a recording to play for you Captain Rahman. R

The captain shrugged as she looked at the strange contraption.

Rahman: ::weary:: By all means.

BAXTER began playing the recording from the acting chief engineer.

Ukinix: Captain Rahman, this is Lieutenant Ukinix.  All systems seem dead.  We are attempting to restore life support using the backup battery supply.  I’ve ordered the engineering team to make their way around all decks and tell everyone to meet on deck 9 – that gives us access to the shuttles, and from there engineering is only one deck up-

PADD: // Come-here, Come-here, Come-here… You know you rea-lly ough-tta… Come-here, Come-here, Come-here… ::screaming:: Move ou-tta Cal-i-for-niaaaaaaaaa!!!- //

Ukinix: Oh s&#* ::stopping song on PADD:: uh – sorry about that Captain.  Anyway… Deck 9, seeya there I guess.  Um… Ukinix out?  Baxter, stop recording.

BAXTER: That is the end of the recording. Would you like me to play it again?

Rahman: No, that’s quite all right, Mr. Baxter.

Hamasaki: At least we know the PADD is working. In any case, should we follow them, Captain?

Rahman: Well, first we have to get past this door. Any ideas?

She looked at all of them and down at the robotic dog.

BAXTER: RESPONSE

Any: Response

TAG! TBC...

Captain Roshanara Rahman

CO, USS Veritas

I238705TZ0