Lt. Robin Hopper: It’s Gonna Take a Miracle (Part 1)
Robin Hopper
((OOC – Continuing scene per the 48/72 hr rule. Older tags for Reade can be found in prior sims from Richards & Iko))
((Control Room – Mining Rig, Asteroid))
Robin found it hard to suppress a smile as the sounds of chaos came through in broken pieces from Flint in the shuttle. She didn’t know him well – but what she had learned was that he was typically taciturn and softspoken. Whatever test the shuttle crews were being put through now, chasing this crystalline entity around the asteroid field, it was certainly pulling out more of his ‘personality’. She wondered if Flint was, in fact, regretting his decision to come along and give Sh’jinn all the ‘glory’ of piloting the Jemison.
Hopper: =/\= I’m going to forward a text report your way. Hopefully you can forward it along to Commander Ukinix. I don’t think audio’s going to cut it right now. =/\=
Flint: =/\= I’ll --- he gets it! Bloody he--! =/\=
She closed the commline and pressed send on her PADD, forwarding a report on their progress to Commander Ukinix. She hoped he was enjoying command.
Hopper: ::To Reade, Richards, Iovianus, Iko:: Okay, with that done… I’m yours! Let’s get to it.
Iovianus: We need to start working on the power shunting then.
Hopper nodded, then glanced at the engineers. Work had been progressing slowly but steadily on the escape pods – but that sort of work was out of her wheelhouse. She was going to have to trust and rely on Reade and Richards’ expertise, given the situation.
Richards: If you want to help them on that, I can keep plugging away at this, Scotty.
Reade: Response
Iko: And we can’t forget about the reaction itself. Containment would be eating up heaps of power.
Robin rolled her shoulders, trying to relieve the tension she felt. The reaction had slowed once the cosmotozoan’s interference had been removed – but benamite was inherently unstable and without getting experienced riggers in there to shut it down, attempting to stop it would most likely be a suicide mission.
Iovianus: As a mining rig this place should have a way to mitigate or bleed off the radiation as well, but with the shields failing we will not have much time left.
Cassian indicated toward the map of the facility on the display in front of them.
Iovianus: We have everyone cleared out of these three sectors so far. If we can start turning off gravity and life support as well as any other extraneous power draws we can minimize the fallout later on.
Richards: We could also save on resources from Environmental controls if we vent the atmosphere and turn off temperature regulation in the vacant sectors.
Hopper: Great. ::To Iko:: Do it. Just give those zones one more quick scan before you vent the atmosphere… ::shrug, jokingly:: in case any of the miners went back to grab their teddy bear or something.
Bec headed towards the controls and began making the necessary preparations. Robin turned next to Scotty.
Hopper: Scotty – what can you do for us on power redistribution? As Bec shuts down systems, try to reroute power to bolster shield integrity.
Reade: Response
Hopper: Okay, coordinate with Bec to make it happen.
Reade: Response
Iko: Shields are currently… shields are at 17 percent-
Bec’s report was interrupted by the integrated haptic mechanisms in their suits. Typically, they served to make interacting with tools and objects more effective through the thick protective suits. Now, however, they doubled as part of the simulation. Simultaneously, another rumble – more like a ‘boom’ was played over the rig’s PA system.
Iko: Make that 13 percent…
Robin rolled her eyes and huffed.
Richards: Oh, is that all?
Iovianus: What happened?
Stepping quickly towards the external sensor terminal, Robin tried to make heads or tails of the static-filled readouts. Details were scant – but it looked as if something had impacted with the asteroid. Something big.
Reade: Response
Iko: Diverting as much power as possible. I also suggest we try to get more of those sectors cleared and empty as quickly as possible, whether that be squishing everyone together for finding some very conveniently placed shuttles to get more people out of here.
Iovianus: Shuttles at multiple access points would be the most efficient.
Hopper: ::Shaking her head:: No time for that, unfortunately. A large object oO Hopefully not one of our vessels… Oo just collided with the asteroid. Lucky for us, we were spared – ::turning back to Iovianus:: But if things were rough before, they’re about to get worse. We need to finish up present tasks and rendezvous with the miners for evac.
She looked next to Scotty in particular.
Hopper: That means you need to reroute whatever power is left to structural integrity and shields. It’s going to need to hold long enough for us to get out of here.
Reade: Response
Iko: Or, if anyone has a third suggestion that would be really useful and can save our butts?
Richards: How about escape pods?!
Robin turned Nathan with eyebrows raised, half in surprise and half out of expectation. oO You better have good news for me, Richards. Oo
Iovianus: What about them?
Reade/Iko: Response
Hopper: Let’s hear it.
Richards: I have brought another 36% of the escape pods back online and ready to go. We can start popping those babies out anytime.
Reade/Iko: Response
Hopper: 36%... We have just under 100 miners left on board the rig. At four per pod, that should mean…
Richards: By my calculations, the remaining miners should fit within approximately three quarters of what we have available.
Hopper breathed a sigh of relief – the first one since she’d started sighing out of frustration over an hour ago. It felt good. They might actually get everyone out of there alive which, given the circumstances felt like an accomplishment.
Iovianus: That would be something we could absolutely count as a win, if we could get them beyond the radiation range that would make transport available to the ships.
Hopper: That also leaves us a few spare pods for the rest of us. One for you three and one for Richards and me... Which means, like I said – wrap up what you’re doing and get ready to go. I’ll contact the miners and let them know to meet us at the escape po–
There was another vibration in their suits and a subtle, yet sudden shift in g-forces, throwing everyone a little off balance. Nathan grabbed the console in front of him and Robin grabbed his arm, steading herself. A quick awkward glance to him and she let go.
Hopper: Sorry.
She turned towards the emergency messaging terminal, hiding the slight rouge that had begun to colour her cheeks.
Reade/Iko: Response
Richards: Now, I have to ask. Does anyone else feel like we are spinning?
It did indeed feel like they were spinning – a combination of their suits’ internal haptic devices and the simulation’s adjustments to the rig’s inertial damping, undoubtedly. It was almost beginning to feel like each step forward threw another step backwards at them.
Iovianus: That shard earlier, knocked us with enough momentum we are spinning now.
Hopper looked over her shoulder, seeing Iovianus examining the external sensor console. She finished off her message to the mining foremen and sent it. Turning around, and addressing the others, she spoke with urgency.
Hopper: The miners are going to be en route to escape pods in a minute. We need to be there to meet them, since they don’t know which pods are ready to launch. ::Pointing to each:: Nathan, Bec – engineering and crowd control. Focus on getting them into the right pods. I’ll play support.
Iko/Richards: Responses
Iovianus: Launching the escape pods will have to be calculated per each launch to make sure they can clear the rotation or they will get smashed.
Hopper: Scotty, can you work with Comander Iovianus to run those calculations and coordinate the safe launch of the pods?
Reade: Response
Hopper: Okay, everyone – you have your assignments, let’s move.
Iko/Richards/Reade: Responses? (Optional)
As the others began packing up their tools and preparing to leave, Hopper turned to Iovianus.
Iovianus: ::looking to Hopper:: It will slow us down but it sounds like we can do it. Do you concur?
Hopper: ::Tilting her head:: I think we’re short on options… and time. We’re just going to have to make it happen. No excuses. ::Smirking:: You concur?
Iovianus: Response
((Fifteen Minutes Later))
Three pods left to load and launch. Hopper was beginning to feel queasy – a result of the nonstop ‘spinning’ sensation being thrown at them by the rig’s inertial systems. She was certainly ready to set her feet back on the Jemison again and get out of that EVA suit.
Hopper: ::To Richards:: Nathan? Which one next? ::To Iko:: Lieutenant – get the next group ready.
Richards: Response
Iko: Response
The miners scurried into the pod, following Nathan and Bec’s directions. As the hatch closed behind them, she turned expectantly to to Reade and Iovianus at the launch controls
Hopper: Scotty, have you calculated our next launch window? ::To Iovianus:: Ready?
Reade: Response
Iovianus: Response
As the window of safety opened, the pod was launched – the group of officers watching through the glass viewport as it sailed off safely towards the distant Jemison, Halsey, and Bronwyn for collection.
Hopper: That’s it! ::Checking the crew manifest on her PADD:: All miners accounted for and safe. That means it’s just two more pods to launch – ::to Nathan:: ours and ::to Iovianus, Reade, and Iko:: yours… Which pods are we taking?
Richards/Iko: Response
Hopper: And we’ve calculated the next safe launch window? How much time do we have?
Reade/Iovianus: Response
She nodded, appreciating each one of them for the spirit and expertise they had brought to the away team – making the operation possible.
Hopper: Not much time for “see you laters” then – ::grinning:: but I’m taking you all out for a fancy dinner at the Lighthouse when this is over.
Iovianus/Reade/Richards/Iko: Responses
Hopper: ::Chuckling:: Alright, quit your yapping and get your butts into those pods. That’s an order.
((OOC – A this point, Iovianus, Reade, and Iko go to their own pod and return to the Halsey to wrap up Act 2 with their crew. From here out, I’ll only be tagging Richards.))
Iovianus’ pod would launch first, as it had a further distance to travel. As Robin and Nathan watched it detach from the rig and its thrusters kick in – propelling it towards the Halsey – Robin felt the hairs on her neck stand on end. A moment later, the sound of a massive explosion roared over the rig’s PA system. Her tricorder trilled urgently. Pulling the device from her hip, she groaned.
Hopper: ::Annoyed:: Oh, of course. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy!
Richards: Response
Hopper: The benamite reaction is spreading to the native deposits within the asteroid. It’s hitting critical mass, which means the asteroid is going to explode... ::rolling her eyes:: …actually, it’s already starting to explode. Hence the ‘boom’. Let’s get the hell out of here.
She pushed the trigger for the automated launch to initiate countdown, but as she stepped towards the pod, an alert started ringing out on the launch controls.
Computer: Launch control system malfunction. Automated launch not possible.
Richards: Response
Robin put her hands on her hips, finding it hard to believe the simulation was throwing one final complication their way. It must have been the explosion that caused the issue with the pod – but there was no time to work out this final issue. Within the parameters of the simulation, the asteroid and everything on it would be blown to smithereens in a matter of minutes.
oO Ugh. I really wanted to sit in that First Officer's seat again. Oo
Hopper: Get in the pod.
Richards: Response
Hopper: You heard it. "Automated launch not possible"… You get in the pod and I’ll stay behind to initiate the launch… ::Glancing at the controls:: There’s only going to be one more safe window before we’re dust.
She could see that he wasn’t thrilled with the decision – but there wasn’t time to discuss alternatives. As the ranking officer, his safety was her responsibility.
Hopper: Besides… it’s only a simulation. ::Defeated shrug:: I’ll still get you that dinner. ::Crossing her arms, cocking an eyebrow:: Unless you’ve got a miracle up your sleeve?
Richards: Response
TBC
((OOC – Part 2 will follow, likely tomorrow, with my Act 2 Closing Sim. Everyone else is welcome to respond to / add to the story in the mean time – there’s no need to wait for my Part 2 ‘cause I haven’t written it yet!))
