Ensign Meris - Heat and Pressure

[Meris/Brian]

(( Holodeck 3, Deck 222, DS 224 ))

 

(( OOC: Dropping lines from other teams to focus on my new partner. ))

 

Meris watched as Lieutenant Storm divided the officers into new teams to tackle the areas Tho'Bi had indicated. They glanced across Engineering at Ensign Imril. The J’naii had never worked with the Bactrian before. For the first time, they were paired with someone entirely unfamiliar.

 

Storm looked at Bergman and Cole, then turned back to her own team. She raised her forefinger, circled it twice, and said, “Let’s roll!”

 

Team 2 departed Main Engineering at a brisk pace.

 

Those who remained gathered near the center of the room. Given that Imril had been aboard the Artemis longer than Meris - in fact, longer than the J’naii had even been in Starfleet - Meris deferred to them as the senior officer.

 

The young Andorian Ensign turned to the terminal.

 

//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - THO'BI TYPING//

 

>IMRIL TAKE MERIS RELEASE THE WARP CORE

>BANCROFT ON ME. ANTIMATTER POD ASSEMBLIES.

>CONFIRM?

 

//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//

 

The Andorian looked at the assembled officers expectantly.

 

Imril gave a thumbs-up, and Meris quickly followed suit. They glanced at the Doctor, adding a gesture of their own. They thought fleetingly of the burrowing fen worm, already missing it.

 

Bancroft: Response.

 

Imril pointed the way, and Meris followed as they moved around the warp core to the retention clamp indicated on Tho’Bi’s map. The J’naii realized they would need to enter the chamber that housed the core and step onto the walkway circling it. The first clamp was positioned beyond the primary plasma conduits on the far side.

 

As they advanced, Imril scanned with their tricorder, but the device fizzled out into static just as they reached the chamber.

 

Meris cast a glance up and down the towering length of the warp core before feeling a light tap on their shoulder. Turning, they saw Imril pointing toward the observation alcove. Moving together, they found a cabinet stocked with phasers - an emergency supply in case of hostile boarding. Imril handed one to the helmsperson and kept another.

 

Meris accepted the weapon, checked its charge, and set it to stun to avoid any accidents.

 

The Bactrian then laid out an engineering kit on a nearby desk and produced a PADD, quickly accessing their log. Meris leaned closer, curious.

 

oO Odd time to be recording a log entry. Oo

 

But Imril’s intent became clear as they typed directly to the J’naii.

 

//DATA PADD SCREEN – IMRIL TYPING//

 

>RAPID HEATING/COOLING POLARIZED THE CLAMP.

>IT’S A BIG ELECTROMAGNET ATTRACTED TO THE CORE ASSEMBLY.

>WE NEED TO STABILIZE CLAMP TEMPERATURE TO DEPOLARIZE.

>SET PHASER TO THIS FREQUENCY.

>I’LL TELL YOU WHERE TO SHOOT AND FOR HOW LONG.

//DATA PADD SCREEN – END//

 

Meris adjusted their phaser to match the frequency, nodded once to Imril, and lowered the weapon. They shifted to a stable position with a clear line of sight, raising the phaser again and waiting for instructions.

 

Imril: Response.

 

Meris aimed where Imril indicated, squeezed the trigger, and a beam of energy lanced toward one of the most dangerous pieces of machinery aboard the Artemis. A miss of even a foot could destroy the ship.

 

oO Good thing this is a drill. Oo

 

Meris: One... two... three... four...

 

Imril: Response.

 

(( Tags/TBC ))

---

Ensign Meris

Helm Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240207M14