Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Call It

[Addison MacKenzie]

(OOC: Sorry for the formatting on my last sim - it certainly didn't look that way when I sent it off... :( )

(( Armory - Deck 3 - USS Karnack))

MacKenzie removed a phaser rifle and checked the settings. She was relieved, if only slightly, to see the rifle's display light up. Satisfied, she flung the rifle over her shoulder and also removed a phaser from the locker, holstering it at her side.

Now, they just needed to hope they worked if push came to shove.

Munro: Captain I don't think it would be a good idea for myself or Breys to be armed. Right now, I'm in control but I don't know how long that will last. I … don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from using a weapon on you or Bergmen.  We'll just need to make ourselves useful in other ways.

Breys: I agree, I don’t feel like I’m in a state of mind to be pointing a phaser at things.

She didn't know the first officer well, but she trusted her well enough to know that if the blond haired XO was offering a cautionary warning, it would behoove them to consider it.MacKenzie shared a look with Bergmen before nodding her confirmation to Munro that, indeed, they shouldn't take up arms. 

MacKenzie: I don't suppose there's any way to distract them? Lure them away?

Bergmen: We… (beat) These Things do not like cold. If we overload the corridor cooling lines.

Munro: That would likely make the deck uninhabitable for most humanoids as well. We still need to get to Sickbay and try and extend our forcefield modulation around the bridge. 

Breys: Once we make it to Sickbay, there should be some cryogenic equipment. Maybe we can use that as a deterrent. 

MacKenzie: What about to get a message to one of the other teams? See if they can help?

Bergmen: We could hack into the ship’s PAGA system. Where there’s power, there’s an announcement system. The only thing is... others will be able to hear us, but they can’t answer, so... unless someone has a better idea?

Munro: I've already sent a communication using the computer system to engineering and it was acknowledged by Lt. K'Wara. If we can hijack the same PAGA network, we can use it to interface directly with the commbadges. Essentially turning the commbadges into speakers. But we can only do that from Sickbay as we don't have a functioning access to the core from the Armoury. 

Breys: So… It sounds like we need to keep moving?

Bergmen was already in motion toward an LCARS display on the wall. Somehow he seemed to have no trouble tapping into the system with minimal effort.

Bergmen: C'mon, be good, work with me a little…

Munro: It's not connected to the rest of the computer core. I think the security suites proximity to engineering is what's even allowing it to be functional. Considering we didn't adjust the modulation on this deck it would assume that the engineering team has adjusted as per my instructions. 

Munro stepped up next to him to offer some guidance.

Munro: You'll need to establish connection to the core or you'll get nowhere. If you intercept the shipwide PAGA protocols which will be offline, insert the standard away team protocol, add each of the unique identifiers for all active commbadges that should allow you to do it. 

The slams against the door continued.

Breys: I think we’re running out of time!

MacKenzie didn't feel the need to echo that which was already so well known to them. Instead, she looked toward the officers with a sense of both urgency and reassurance, knowing that they were doing their best. However, with the next slam against the door, a hollow in the lower center started to form. They were, indeed, running out of time.

Bergmen activated a command and the chirp from a commbadge echoed somewhere after.

Bergmen: Whoever's combadge just chirped is connected to the system!

Munro: Don't get too excited, Mister Bergmen.  Captain, the power we're using is causing a system wide shutdown. You've got one or two messages before I need to shut it down. Or we have to start all over again.

MacKenzie: =/\= This is Captain MacKenzie - can anyone hear me? =/\=

Breys: Do you think the uplink worked in engineering?

Bergmen: Response

K’wara: =/\= LT K’Wara here? =/\=

Bergmen: Response

MacKenzie: =/\= What's your status, Lieutenant? We're pinned down in the armory and could use a distraction for the dark things...

K’wara: =/\= We’re working on shielding Decks 1 to 3 in a modified shield, and then we’ll move to the Shuttlecraft Control Room to work on the Deflector and forward thrusters. Main Engineering’s warded against the Things, for now. Imril’s turned the temperature down far enough the Things should be thinking thrice about going in there, but it won’t work forever. =/\=

The comm channel closed.

Munro: That's it Captain :: regretful :: I've shut it down.

Breys: Still. ::she looks around with a sliver of a smile:: It feels like we’ve made a lot of progress, and knowing what they are working on will make our jobs a lot easier. We just have to stay ahead of those Things.

MacKenzie thought for a moment. Unfortunately, she didn't have a better alternative.

MacKenzie: I think we're going to have to fight our way up to Sickbay.

Bergmen: Response

Munro: But at least now we know Imril has temperature control but that will only work in the areas of the ship we have connected to the core. We know they are attracted to heat, right? I always think that you get better results with positivity than negativity. Let's give them what they want. Captain, I suggest we set off controlled explosions in the armoury, which should raise the temperature in this section of the deck, it should be enough of a distraction for us to get to Sickbay? From Sickbay we do the remodulation and then get to the Bridge? And then off this planet.

Breys: Sir, explosions could cause more damage to the hull, why don’t we create a radiant heat source instead.

Bergmen: Response

MacKenzie: I'm inclined to agree, I don't want to do anything that might compromise the integrity of the ship any more than it already is. Other thoughts?

Breys: We could cause a hairline rupture in one of the exhaust sections of an EPS conduit. That should allow us to create a plasma jet hotter than any explosion could get, but still small enough that it won’t cause significant damage to the ship, even if it gets a little out of control. The fire suppression network can put it out once we restore power to secondary systems. If we do this I wouldn’t come back in here til after we restore those systems though.

Bergmen/Munro: Response

She exchanged glances with each of them as she considered the proposal before finally nodding her approval. The nod increased in vigor with another slam to the door, further deepening the indentation. The dark ones were persistent, if nothing else.

MacKenzie: Let's hurry.

Breys: I’ll get right on it, sir!

Breys moved into action and started to set the timers to go off as soon as they left the room.

Bergmen/Munro: Response

MacKenzie: When you're ready, Ensign.

Breys: Ready when you all are! This place is a button push and ten seconds from making whoever comes in here ready to be plated and served.

Bergmen/Munro: Response

The commanding officer readied her phaser rifle and aimed it at the door, then pointed at Bergmen.

MacKenzie: Bergmen, get the door. Breys, you count it down.

Bergmen/Munro/Breys: Response

When Breys reached the end of her countdown, Bergmen triggered the door. As soon as the door slid open, they were met with the ferocious scream of the dark thing that had been stalking them. The redheaded CO released several volleys from the phaser rifle, grateful that the weapon responded. The bright reddish-orange blasts struck the dark thing in the chest, sending it backward and into the opposite wall of the corridor.

MacKenzie led the others out into the hall.

MacKenzie: Bergmen, you take up the rear.

As the team made their way out, MacKenzie resisted the urge to examine the dark thing. She wasn't sure if it was dead or only incapacitated, and as much as the thought of conducting a scientific examination of the creature appealed to her, now was hardly the time or place. She didn't bother to look back as they moved through the corridor.

MacKenzie: Ensign, did those EPS conduits rupture as planned?

Breys/Bergmen/Munro: Response

MacKenzie: Good, let's hope that draws some attention. Sickbay should be nearby, and just one deck up, I think... ::stopping long enough to toss her tricorder to Munro:: Which way?

Breys/Bergmen/Munro: Response

Tag, and TBC!

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Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A

Executive Council Member

V239601AM0