LtJG Jovenan – A flaming sword across the darkened land
Jovenan
((Bridge, USS Artemis))
Yalu: I think I’ve found something. We’re way too far away, and we’re in no condition for a firefight. But there’s a disturbance in the nebular cloud that looks an awful lot like a spacecraft.
Jovenan turned her attention to the area of space Commander Yalu had pointed out. While the sensors weren’t working on their full capacity yet, they were sufficient to detect that there was indeed something out there: trace gasses, energy build-up, shimmering, all indicating of a vessel within the nebular gas cloud.
MacKenzie: Someone get me confirmation.
Jovenan: Can confirm, sir! It’s likely a vessel with thrusters engaged.
MacKenzie: Can someone get me an ID on the alien ship? Is it Suliban?
The status of their opponents was not entirely clear, but the boarders were reported to be Suliban. If the ship was Suliban as well, it would be quite certain this was the saboteur vessel, or rather, the pirate ship they had been after. Jovenan glanced at Sadar, who was working near her.
Sadar: Ion trail composition and vessel size are consistent with known Suliban ship variants, sir. Attempting to gain positive identification.
As they were working on that, the vessel changed its course.
Jovenan: Sir, the vessel is approaching the Berlin! They might be attacking!
MacKenzie: Commander Yalu, bring us about. Best possible speed.
Yalu: Response
As the Artemis creeped into movement, Jovenan turned her had to the main screen just in time to see bright beams to slice through the space, hitting the Berlin. The starship fired back a few times, but the resistance they could muster was weak and seemingly ineffective against the Suliban ship that had fared better among the dangers of the Nebula.
MacKenzie: They’re firing on the Berlin!
Jovenan sat there silently for a few seconds, just staring as her friends and colleagues were being fired upon. She had been to a few missions with this crew by now, but she had never witnessed a space battle on her own eyes. It was a devastating sight no holoprojection could accurately depict. Phaser fire, glimmering of damaged shields and fiery explosions recoloured the space against the bright background of the Nebula.
MacKenzie: They’re taking damage. Doctor Sadar, how’s that antidote coming?
Sadar had apparently been as absorbed by the sight as Jovenan had, as they both had to turn back to their consoles. The new ensign seemed particularly shocked as she had trouble giving the report at first.
Sadar: They’ve found a viable solution, but they still haven’t tested aerosolized efficiency and possible side effects.
MacKenzie: Tell your people to work faster. We’re out of time.
Sadar: Yes sir.
Jovenan didn’t have much experience with the proper medicine testing procedures, although she wasn’t a complete novice either, having co-operated with the medical staff finding the treatment to the taco viruses during her first mission. A major difference to this occasion was that back then, the crew wasn’t entirely incapacitated nor in an immediate danger due to the viruses. She felt sorry for any researcher who had to work under these circumstances, but if the Ensign could work her way through this, she was more than ready to keep fighting in any situation the Artemis might run into.
MacKenzie: Lieutenant, do you know how to fire phasers?
She turned to the Captain. That was a rather strange question.
Jovenan: Of course, sir, hand-held weapons are a part… ::pause, slightly more nervous:: Wait, you mean the ship phasers! Uh, in theory, yes, sir, but I’ve never fired them for real…
The Captain nodded, and for a moment Jovenan could see a peculiar emotion shine on her face.
MacKenzie: Today’s the day. ::taping the controls on her arm rest:: I’m giving you tactical control. Bring the weapons systems online and prepare to target the Suliban when we’re in range. Commander Yalu, I trust you remember a few combat maneuvers, yes?
The Captain had turned to Commander Yalu before Jovenan could voice her objections. She hadn’t been exaggerating when saying all her knowledge of the ship phasers was theoretical. The tactical training course on the subject matter was not a mandatory core course in the Academy, nor had Jovenan ever taken it. She had taken the tactical “Introduction to Starship Combat” and “Deflectors, Weapons and Security Systems” engineering courses for the ComOps minor – which had proven to be invaluable during this mission – but those had been mostly theoretical courses. The only practical part of the courses had been to open up those systems and learning to fix them, but never had actually firing them been a necessity to her.
Jovenan: A-aye, sir.
Yalu: Response
Nervously, she switched for the tactical controls. Her heart raced and her breath was erratic as she gazed upon the alien-looking interface. Oh, how she wished Lt Silveira had been there! She was certain the Captain and Commander Yalu were more competent to take the tactical, but then they’d have to relinquish their current stations to her, both of which she even less qualified to.
Meanwhile, Doctor Sadar had remained solely focused on the medical project.
Sadar: Antidote almost ready, Captain. Experimenting with correct dosage now, and then a team will head to Deck 13 for deployment.
MacKenzie/Yalu: Response
Jovenan turned back to her new controls. Being unfamiliar with the layout didn’t help her in her task. First, the phasers needed to be brought online. She directed energy to the weapons systems, activating the necessary phaser strips on the ships hull as needed. The amount of power they could muster after the damage the ship had taken wasn’t quite as enormous the Artemis had had the day she rolled out of the docks. Yet, it had to be enough to deter the Suliban from destroying the Berlin.
Jovenan: Powering and locking phasers.
Sadar: Automated access is still offline. Attempting to hail Engineering now.
MacKenzie/Yalu: Response
The semi-automatic targeting system informed her of two targets to lock onto. She was nervous selecting the Suliban ship, as if she had to convince herself to set aside the non-existent urge to select the Berlin as well. The lock was difficult to form and Jovenan had to correct it manually, but for as long as the Suliban ship kept firing its own weapons, the target was bright and visible.
She shook her head to clear it of anxiety.
What was she doing? This is not what she joined the Starfleet for.
Was it not?
She had to do it.
Jovenan: Phasers ready, sir!
MacKenzie: Response
Her finger met the interface, and right then, two bright pulses of energy began to circle around the round saucer section before meeting in the middle, and there, a ray of orange departed them, split the space in half, finding its way to the Suliban ship.
For a split second, Jovenan just stared at the beam. She had done that. She had pressed the button, and the beam had appeared.
A beam so powerful that it could destroy ships. Eliminate cities. Wipe out civilizations.
This wasn’t the power of a mere Edo, but of a God.
All at her hands.
It scared her.
It hadn’t been a perfect hit. The first beam had not even hit the Suliban ship itself, only scraped the shields of it. Targeting was apparently much harder than the well-trained and experienced tactical officers had made it look like. If she had had the time, she might have been disappointed, but she didn’t. Instead, she shook her head once again and corrected the aiming and fired the primary frontal phasers again.
MacKenzie/Yalu/Sadar: Response
And again. Now, with both the primary frontal phasers and the upper phasers simultaneously. Again!
She felt rage. These people had disabled their systems. Poisoned the ship, the crew, the families. Hurt her friends.
Attacking a Starfleet ship – execution without trial.
Exposing people to dangerous chemicals – execution without trial.
Piracy – execution without trial.
Phasers. Again!
Commander Yalu at the helm helped keeping them away from the enemy fire while keeping the aiming surprisingly steady for her. That being said, the aiming and firing with multiple beams from several phaser strips demanded her full, non-experienced attention, so she didn’t even notice initially that the Berlin had backed down and prepared for a counterattack under the Artemis’ protection.
Jovenan: The Berlin is firing as well! The enemy shields are weakening!
MacKenzie/Yalu/Sadar: Response
TAG/TBC
----
Lieutenant JG Jovenan
Science officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11