[Act 2] Ensign Saavei - Not According to Plan
Tara W
Ukinix: =/\= Commander Taelon, we’re going in, start a countdown from ninety seconds. We have a crew to rescue. =/\=
Taelon: =/\= Um - yes, Captain. Ninety seconds. =/\=
Ukinix: =/\= Good luck. Ukinix out. =/\=
Saavei rapidly got back to work. They needed to reconfigure what they'd just configured, but since they had a (likely, she was sure) successful algorithm planned, only a slight deviation should give the bridge what they were asking for. The idea of deliberately failing was almost injurious to one's pride as an engineer but... that was illogical. She suppressed the emotion.
Ukinix: =/\= Bridge to all hands. We will be attempting to enter underspace in around sixty seconds from ::eyeing console:: .... mark. Follow the directions from Commander Orrey and Lieutenant Wong as to where you should move to. Ukinix out. =/\=
Saavei: The calculations have been changed to complete the appearance of a failed attempt. With these inputs to SIF and shields, internal damage to the Independence-B should be kept to a minimum.
Taelon: Get those to the bridge, Ensign. And get ready to hold on to something, I think…
Saavei: Yes sir, sending final readings to the bridge. Time to attempt now thirty seconds. ::tapping her comm badge:: =/\= Saavei to Bridge, navigational aid buoy is ready and can be deployed when ready. Doing so ahead of the first attempt will add to the appearance of a failed attempt. =/\=
And if the Vaadwaur were out there, they could try to capitalize on the moment. The ship remained at Yellow Alert, however, and no one was shooting at them. Nothing stopped the Vaadwaur from destroying the buoy either, once they did enter Underspace, but that would be a definite hostile action and change their operating parameters. The bridge would have to address those.
Taelon: Get ready…
Saavei: Attempt in ten seconds. Nine, eight... ::She steadied herself at her console:: Recommend we brace for impact.
Wong: Everyone, hold on to your butts!
She didn't speak the rest of the countdown aloud. The bridge had their information and she saw the power surge in her readings as they deployed the (slightly) flawed algorithm. The ship immediately jolted violently "up" in its dorsal direction as the Independence-B 'struck' the barrier of Underspace and failed to penetrate it. Saavei gripped her station tightly to avoid being shunted across the room, attempting to remain near enough to Shanaak so their diplomatic guest didn't do so either. She was unsure how strong the avian species upper bodies were, but many such species had thinner or hollow bones from their evolutionary history, and she didn't want Shanaak to be at greater risk of injury than the others because of it. It would turn out there was no need, as Shanaak had simply sat down as if nesting.
Alert warnings popped up all over Engineering along with alarm trills. Steam from a conduit across the way began to hiss out as a system overloaded. Saavei's eyes went to her display, which showed SIF and shields holding steady. Crewmen began working to contain the minor rupture as she checked over the other systems.
Taelon held onto the console, fingers and knuckles white on the smooth surface.
Shanaak: Is it safe for me to resume my standing position?
Saavei: SIF is steady. Shields at ninety-percent and recharging. Minor hull stress on Deck Four aft, sections three through five. Minor damage to ventral sensor arrays. Coordinating repair crews now. ::Looking to their guest:: Are you uninjured, First Expert?
Ikaia let go of the console he was holding.
Wong: Health check. How’s everyone doing?
Shanaak: ::Looks to Saavei:: This *Grand* Expert is unharmed.
Taelon: F-fine.
Saavei: ::To Shanaak:: Grand Expert. Please forgive my error.
oO That was one way to distinguish herself in the annals of diplomacy... Oo A foolish mistake brought on from distraction. Her mind should be more focused. No doubt Aitas would have simply rolled with such a minor error and Saavei opted to do the same as she believed her friend would.
Wong: What’s the status on radiation? Any leaks or are we good?
Taelon was quick to check, taking the few moments they had to free and flex his hands.
Taelon: Leaks on the hull in sections three and five, but venting into space, I think…
Saavei: ::Checking her panel as well:: Yes, sir. Pressure if pushing the radiation out into space. Exposure should be minimal.
Ikaia opened up his medkit and started pulling out hypos.
Wong: Just to be on the safe side, I’m going to give everyone a dose here.
Shanaak returned to the Starfleet console, using her personal device in tandem with it, assessing the telemetry.
He stepped up to Taelon first. He was going to get the first dose. Taelon offered his upper arm.
Wong: One for you.
Taelon: T-thank you…
Then it was Saavei’s turn.
Wong: And one for you.
Saavei: Thank you, doctor.
Finally, he walked up to Shanaak.
Wong: As for you, would it be okay if I looked you over?
She puffed her feathers a little.
Shanaak: In my society, Lieutenant Wong, refusal of an offered scientifically proven medical treatment is considered not only bad etiquette, but potentially fatal. Administer the treatment.
She allowed Wong to using the device, and it hissed when pressed against her neck. She rubbed it after he was done, it felt warm and uncomfortable for a few moments.
Shanaak: Quaint.
Saavei: ::Doing a second look at her screen, eyes narrowing:: Something is wrong.
Warning tones began to sound from the Starfleet console. Shanaak checked her device. Taelon hurried back to his console. Saavei did so as well, as the ship went to Red Alert. The lights dimmed and the yellow color changed to red instead, the klaxon filling the air.
Shanaak: It appears there is a secondary rift opening. Our faux attempt at entering underspace has--
The ship jolted, sending the Grand Expert off of her feet. She flew through the air, before crouching down again to “nest”, keeping herself steady. Taelon had taken his hands off the console and thus was thrown off his feet, ARIA rushing towards him as its automated protective protocols activated.
Saavei could do little herself except hold on as best as possible while the ship was violently buffeted. One of her feet tried to slip out from beneath her but she grabbed onto the edge of her station in time to keep from being knocked over.
Wong: Response
Shanaak: The rift is growing, and that shockwave may not be the last--
This time, the ship seemed to tilt, as she grabbed on to her console to keep herself from sliding from where she was. She dug her talons in-- but sparks flew from the ceiling as the ship bounced, then jumped, before throwing her from her position, into another nearby console. The ship heaved one way, then the other - up, down, sideways. Taelon joined the Grand expert in being flung around, scrambling to find something to hold onto.
Saavei was also knocked down, sliding unceremoniously across the deck and towards the warp core. Fortunately it wasn't a far journey in the smaller ship, so by the time her hip slammed into it, she hadn't gained significant velocity with her current acceleration. Her bones and muscles protested all the same.
Wong: Response
Taelon: Son of a-
The Grand Expert’s head hit the screen hard, causing her to fall into a daze, before she fell to the floor. Her feathers puffed out as she lifted her head slightly, but then lost consciousness. Her falling body hit Taelon’s, and they both ended up in a pile at the corner of the consoles. She was limp; he was bruised, stunned, but awake. He tried to sit up, only for another bump to slam him against the consoles again. ARIA flew down to him, chiming its bell-like alarms.
Saavei: Commander, are you injured? ::She attempted to regain her footing, using the panel next to her for support:: Grand Expert?
Wong: Response
Taelon: I’m - ::Fine wasn’t the word.:: I think she’s been knocked out, Doctor -
Shanaak continued to lay, unmoving, atop Taelon. The Engineering bay was full of alarms, fallen panels, and sparking consoles. The vibration of the ship continued. Saavei regained her footing in time to stumble back towards her station, where her eyes hurriedly went over the new data coming in. It reminded her of all those times she'd spent in the simulator at the Academy once again. The smell though... it was different when it was 'real' versus in the holodeck. Deuterium being scorched somewhere. Acrid and foul, but it didn't seem to be in toxic levels. She was also not a doctor.
Wong: Response
Taelon: S-saavei, status?
Saavei: Life support is online. Shields are at seventy-percent. Ablative armor is intact. Propulsion is down and we lost both rear torpedo tubes. We are in Underspace.
Wong: Response
The El-Aurian groaned as he wiggled free of Shaanak and shakily got to his feet. The Engineering consoles were upset, but mostly intact.
Taelon: Get - we need to get things repaired…hull breaches in sector 3, major radiation leaks in 6 and 7…
Saavei: Emergency force fields are holding. The crew will likely need further inoculations; attempting to adjust interior atmospheric pressure to vent more radiation outside the ship. Doctor, how badly injured is the Grand Expert?
Saavei didn't believe it would be taken well by the Trenvonn if, on this mission in support of Starfleet, the Grand Expert were to be seriously injured or killed. Her earlier thoughts about birds and hollow bones increased her level of concern for Shanaak.
Wong: Response
In terms of damage, it could have been much worse, but in terms of timing, it was about 'as bad as it got'. The Independence-B was in Underspace with its propulsion systems offline, a corridor known for being unstable and full of debris. Saavei couldn't see the full sensor readings and she now had to go into damage control mode. The Bridge would have to handle other issues as they arose or notify them of pressing needs. She knelt down, opening the hatch by her feet, and grabbing hold of a repair kit.
Saavei: We need to get propulsion back online. If we cannot navigate in Underspace, the odds of additional hull breaches from debris increase exponentially. ::To one of the Crewman, as she pointed at him:: You. Get a repair kit and meet me by junction B. The rest of you crew members attend the warp drive. Ensure we have warp available and anything else Commander Taelon or the Bridge orders.
oO The Vaadwaur could be out there somewhere. Oo There was a human phrase about 'sitting geese' or some such to imply a state of helplessness. That fit the ship at the moment, save that the phaser arrays and forward torpedo tubes still appeared to be functional. Slow to move, perhaps, but not entirely defenseless. She was already by the control panel for the plasma intakes. First things first. She opened the cover to junction B a little more quickly than looked graceful, crawled inside like a Cardassian Vole, and then Saavei was half-buried within the workings of the cables and conduits behind it, her legs and feet sticking out behind her. A plasma torch clicked on then off, light flickering from inside. A hyperspanner working. Those legs and feet now twisting around as she switched direction to look at something else. Her hand shoved out of the opening for another tool, which the aforementioned crewman handed her after a muffled demand.
((Can backsim if the Bridge would reach out sooner))
Taelon/Wong/Shanaak: Responses
Saavei emerged from her burrow of cables, sliding backwards. She regained her feet and tapped her combadge.
Saavei: =/\= Saavei to Bridge, you have maneuvering thrusters. Impulse power will be restored shortly. =/\= ::She looked to Taelon as she returned to her station and pulled up the impulse engine diagram:: Any updates, sir?
Taelon/Wong/Shanaak/Bridge: Responses
Saavei: That complicates matters. Rerouting power now. ::Her fingers played across LCARS like a classically trained pianist::
The red lines on the screen leading from the warp core to the impulse engines turned to orange and then slowly, as she used the secondary circuits, to green. Saavei locked the modifications in place then tapped her combadge again.
Saavei: =/\= Bridge, impulse power has been restored via the secondary couplings. =/\=
Taelon/Wong/Shanaak/Bridge: Responses
Saavei: Perhaps we should inspect the rear torpedo tubes. If they have fully collapsed, they will need to be repaired at the Outpost. Perhaps one or both only suffered obstructing damage which could be cleared. The hull breach on deck four may limit our access, however, or necessitate environment suits. Your thoughts, Commander?
Saavei's thoughts were recalling the mention of phase torpedoes. It was possible they could use photonic detonations to destroy incoming hostile warheads, should the Vaadwaur decide to attack, but their firing arcs were currently limited. Even getting one tube working could make a significant difference if it came to a fight.
Taelon/Wong/Shanaak/Bridge: Responses
Tags/TBC
