LtCmdr Jovenan – Believe it or not, I preferred the tunnels over tubes
Jovenan
((Jefferies tubes, Deck 4, USS Karnack))
Jovenan wondered how the other teams were doing. She and her team had managed to close two ruptures on the hull, which would give them plenty of breathing space – literally and metaphorically – once they got off the surface and into the void of space. All the work they were doing, all around the ship, would however be in vain if they all didn’t succeed. They didn’t need to keep the air in if they didn’t get to the orbit; attempting to leave the planet was hopeless if they couldn’t counter the Maelstrom’s effects; getting their systems running didn’t do much if they were losing air by the second. She didn’t have any opportunity to go and see if the others’ efforts had failed or if everyone else were done already and waiting just for her team. All she could do was focus on their own work and own task, and that assignment took them back to the dark and cramped but ultimately safe Jefferies tubes.
Jovenan: Deck 3 has sections that let the air flow to the multi-deck facilities. We have to fix those if there are ruptures, but otherwise it might be enough to see that the interior bulkheads are—
Her orders were interrupted by a noise. For a moment, she looked around silently, wondering where the sound had come from or if she had imagined it altogether. What revealed it as real was the tactile sensation: the entire tube vibrated. It was subtle, but never before had Jovenan imagined something so vividly. Surely the Jefferies tubes were their safe mode of crossing between parts of the ship, surely those large creatures wouldn’t be able to fit inside.
Storm: Close the hatch. Quickly!
The metallic clank repeated from the last time, as someone back in the line locked them in. Jovenan raised the nozzle of her fire extinguisher, their weapon of choice against the lurking predators that desired burning fire. She was careful not to mistake the welding torch for it in the heat of the combat if that time ever came.
Bancroft: ::grim:: Hatch is locked. They didn’t breach it last time – I doubt they will this time.
Silveira: I don’t think they will.
Jovenan considered suggesting they weld the hatch shut just to be sure, but that would have also meant that they locked their way out if they needed to retreat the tubes for some reason.
Storm: They’re back.
Bancroft: ::unsentimental:: They’ll keep coming back until we give them a reason not to. ::a breath through his nose:: And I would very much like that reason to involve something with a trigger.
Silveira: You will get your chance. We all will.
Jovenan: They’ll try to get us, and when they do, we can’t hesitate to use the extinguishers.
Storm: Where did they come from?
That was a good question. It was difficult to keep track of the predators’ movements when they seemed to appear and disappear whenever and wherever. Running and hiding from at the glimpse of them didn’t help either, except, of course, in staying alive. Before anyone could contribute their view on the matter, another shake vibrated the tube, this time from the hatch. It wasn’t scratching any more, this time something was trying to pry the door open.
Bancroft: ::tersely:: No way to know for sure, but at the very least I don’t think they can fit into these tubes. Not the ones I’ve seen, anyway.
Silveira: The smaller ones can.
Jovenan: There are small ones too?
It shouldn’t have been so shocking. The one they saw in the Waterfall Cavern was rather large, and so had all the others she had seen a glimpse of, but like most species, they probably procreated and had young, who were probably humanoid sized at one point. Besides, it wasn’t like all people in any given species were exactly the same height anyway.
Storm: There’s something different this time…it feels … deliberate.
Bancroft: Deliberate how? Directional? Coordinated? Are you sensing intent, or just proximity?
Silveira: All of the above.
Jovenan pursed her lips. She could imagine herself, one day – assuming she survived – or an outsider expert thinking back to this moment and analysing how fascinating an enemy the Dark Things were. They were not military or criminals, with their plans and hierarchies, but they were more than just animals on a hunt. How do you fight something that plans their move in advance but doesn’t have a strategy? How do you defeat something whose operation is motivated by instincts?
Storm: They want us. It’s almost a need - a primal one. They aren’t going to give up until they get to us, or they’re dead.
Jovenan: They learn. We should avoid using the same tricks against them multiple times, or if we do, it better work well.
Bancroft: We need to move up to Deck 3 quickly. We’re running low on time. We have to get that deck squared away before– ::licking his lips:: Well, before anything happens.
Silveira: Let’s move. I got point.
Storm: Quickly!
After a few seconds of struggle in the needlessly confined space, Jovenan managed to get both the welding torch and the extinguisher with her. They didn’t need something like their tools to slow them down or make noise and alert the predators constantly of their location. Something continued to hit the hatch behind them, the bass echoes travelled across the tube with the vibrations.
Bancroft: No time like the present. I’ll bring up the rear.
Silveira: Let’s move…
Storm: I’m not far behind you.
They crawled ahead once more. Perhaps Jovenan had spent too large a portion of her life in comfy rooms and wide hallways, but she wished the ship maintenance tunnels had been taller so that they could walk on their two feet. She appreciated the Jefferies tubes for their purpose for the engineering and operations, and for their ability to get them across the ship if the corridors or turbolifts were compromised – which happened oddly often – but surely they could have designed the tubes differently.
Vitor had gained some distance on her. She was moving as fast as she could with the clunky items and exhaustion, yet Vitor was either unintentionally demonstrating his prowess or driven by some uncanny frenzy.
Jovenan: You’re moving fast. Let’s not split up.
Silveira: I don’t mean to push you all but we must hurry.
Jovenan raised her eyebrows. He was right, of course, but it didn’t help her when her muscles felt like they were on fire. This planet was really testing her in multiple ways. Hopefully, when they got back, all their next future missions were science based and required no muscles – except maybe running – and involved no tunnels, darkness nor anything that was trying or could kill you.
Interrupting her mental complaining, the sound of metal clattering onto the floor followed another dull hit, louder than those before. The repeated strikes against the hatch ceased.
Storm: They’ve breached the Jeffries tube.
Jovenan: If they are coming and are reaching us, use the fire extinguisher! ::muttering:: Let’s hope we reach the ladders before them, and that they can’t climb.
Bancroft: Response
Silveira: Get ready to climb up.
Well, they had made it to the ladders, it seemed. Now they just needed to get up them, and they had a little bit of more hope in surviving. Jovenan’s heart was racing in her heart, not just for the physical exercise, but because crawling away from something chasing them was possibly even more terrifying than facing the creature in the open ground. Vitor was already climbing.
Jovenan: Help me with the welding torch!
She pushed the torches up, but she deemed it better that they didn’t yet give up the extinguishers, even if carrying them made the climb slower. She followed Vitor up, not negotiating with the Doctor about who should be climbing in which order, like before they had found Garden Cave. As she was climbing on she could hear the two junior officers doing just that anyway.
Storm: You first.
Bancroft: Response
Silveira: There… That’s where we need to go…
Vitor’s voice was coming from the darkness of the tube. Jovenan couldn’t tell what he was seeing or pointing at, but even if she was waiting for the junior officers at the ladders, Vitor continued the journey ahead. Had he forgotten that there were others in there, or didn’t he care? That was not like him at all – be it stress or dehydration or the changes from the transportation, he was putting himself and all of them in danger with that behaviour.
Jovenan: Commander! Wait for us, don’t go in there alone. Vitor!
Storm: Please.
Jovenan looked down the ladders. The Lieutenants weren’t coming yet.
Storm: Trust me, or we both die.
Just come on already!
Storm: Go! Go first, and you may save us both.
Bancroft: Response
Soon, the green gloom of a chemlight rose up the ladders, accompanied by the steady jangle of stepping on the rungs of the ladders. Bancroft’s figure emerged from the darkness. She, however, remained there to wait Lt Storm up. It was difficult to assess what was happening on the lower deck, but Jovenan heard her step on the first rungs, when a set of faster footsteps caught up with her. A worried gasp left Jovenan’s lips as she prepared the extinguisher, even if she couldn’t use it for as long as Storm was down there. However, after a few seconds, the Lieutenant climbed up as if nothing had happened.
Storm: I’m okay. It just got my pant leg.
Jovenan: Your leg… um, if you’re able to continue, we should catch up with Commander Silveira.
Bancroft/Silveira: Response
Storm: How much further?
The decks weren’t that high, so the next deck wasn’t many metres away. However, judging by the fact that their valiant tactical Lieutenant was asking it, Jovenan could guess that she was hurt more than just losing a pant leg.
Jovenan: Just a few more rungs.
Bancroft/Silveira: Response
Storm: I’m right on your tail…metaphorically speaking, that is.
Of course it was metaphorical, they didn’t… Seeing how Vitor’s behaviour seemed to grow more and more peculiar, Jovenan couldn’t be sure if the physical changes also continued to develop. Would he gain a tail? It made little sense if he did in any reasonable timescale, but Starfleet was full of stories that defied the common understanding of biology and evolution.
They made it to the next deck. Jovenan helped the junior officers up, and they crawled out of the tubes into the corridor. In the new, albeit still dim light, Jovenan’s attention was drawn to Lt Storm’s leg in particular.
Jovenan: Are you hurt? Can you continue?
Bancroft/Silveira/Storm: Response
Jovenan turned to each of them. They were all tired, they were all broken, one way or another, and they were, whether they showed it or not, surely afraid. No matter, they needed to finish their task. She pursed her lips. Something in Vitor indicated he had done waiting.
Jovenan: Commander, Bancroft, would you go down the corridor? If you see ruptures, fix them, and also close all the doors except for the ones we need to come after you. I will seal this hatch and see that the other direction is good, then come after you. Storm, would you stay and watch my back?
Bancroft/Silveira/Storm: Response
Nodding, Jovenan closed the hatch and lowered her welding torch. She put the visor on her face again, and ignited the torch, closing the edges of the hatch for good. Feeling a need to explain what she was doing, she spoke to her companion.
Jovenan: The Things got the other hatch open, so if they manage to open this one too, the air could travel between the decks. Besides, it’s better to make sure they can’t use this route to get here.
Bancroft/Silveira/Storm: Response
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11