LT Alex Storm - Let's Roll
Karen Morris
(( Holodeck 3, Deck 222, DS 224 ))
Alex held her breath as she aimed and fired the phaser for the third time into the door separating them from the lower level of main engineering. This time with a sustained blast, the door shattered allowing each of the trapped officers to climb out.
Bancroft: Response
Meris: =/\= Automatic eje- ::comms static:: ...stem is not... ::comms static:: ... core. =/\=
They knew the core had not ejected — they would have heard and felt it.
BE-BEeeeeeep! Tho'Bi's tricorder recalculated the response frequency, and Storm input it into their phaser again.
Storm aimed and fired, repeating the process one additional time.
The hatch shuddered, splintered, and shattered, crashing to the floor.
Storm: =/\= Thir… me… harm. Let… o…. wat… suits goin… ough. =/\=
As the cloud began to settle, the Andorian engineer picked his way through the mess of shards.
Above them, in Engineering, the J'naii hung over the railing of the warp core pit, trying to get a good look at the Core Retention Clamps. They were the only thing preventing release of the core. Meris had considered overloading several phasers to blast the clamps apart, but so close to the warp core, that seemed like a very bad idea.
Meris: =/\= I'm... ying to... man... eleas the... amps. =/\=
Bancroft: Response.
Storm: =/\= Time? =/\=
Tho'Bi held up his hands, indicating six minutes remained.
Bancroft: Response.
The young engineer placed a chunky glove on a rung of the ladder. It held. Another rung — it held. He started up the ladder.
The Andorian snapped open the lock on the top hatch and hauled himself up and into Main Engineering.
Tho'Bi: ::to Meris, nodding with a thumbs up::
Meris saw movement through the cloud of vapor that hung in the air of Main Engineering. When Tho'Bi emerged, relief washed over them — so much so that they physically slumped, which wasn’t the best idea while hanging over an open pit that ran several decks below. They quickly righted themself, hoping the Andorian would have a better idea on how to deal with the stuck Core Retention Clamps.
The engineering ensign made for one of the last semi-functional terminals.
Meris hopped down from the railing to join him.
Storm: =/\= Anyo… ineering… know how… at’s… our… tuation? =/\=
Meris: =/\= Tho'Bi... ough. We're work... clamps. =/\=
Bancroft: Response.
As Meris joined Tho’Bi beside the still-functional terminal, more movement appeared through the haze of vaporized coolant. Almost simultaneously, the remaining members of their party — Storm and Bancroft — arrived in Main Engineering.
Lieutenant Storm turned toward the warp core and came helmet-to-helmet with Lieutenant Bergman.
Storm: =/\= Lieute… we…. ally made… Do… ::points at Bergman:: yo ::points at her head:: ow ::puts her hands up in the air:: happen… =/\=
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
The Andorian stamped on the deck to get everyone's attention.
Beside the nearly two-meter Andorian, Meris jumped slightly.
Tho'Bi: ::points at the screen::
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - THO’BI TYPING//
>AUTO EJECTION SYSTEM IS NON-FUNCTIONAL
>MERIS CONFIRM?
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
Tho'Bi: ::points from screen to Meris::
Meris: ::typing reply::
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - MERIS TYPING//
>AUTO EJECTION SYSTEM PARTIALLY SUCCESSFUL.
>PLASMA AND EPS TAPS SEALED
>SIF ACTIVATED
>VENTRAL PORT OPEN
>RETENTION CLAMPS NON-RESPONSIVE
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
The Andorian turned back to the terminal.
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - THO’BI TYPING//
>COOLANT SUPPLY DEPLETED
>NO WAY TO COOL CORE
>PROTOCOL: ATTEMPT MANUAL EJECTION
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
Tho'Bi then punched out a sequence of inputs into the neighboring console. The screen above lit up in the familiar graphics and format of the LCARS system.
A collection of three-dimensional outline schematics rotated on the screen: largest among them was the stretched column of the warp core, then three stubby pod-like Antimatter Pod Assemblies, and finally the flat curved panels of the M/ARA, Antimatter Loading Port, and Hull Plates.
Animatedly, Meris pointed at the three connection points representing the Core Retention Clamps. They were designed for simultaneous release to allow the core to fall naturally toward the ventral side of the Artemis and pass through the now-open ventral ejection port. They hoped releasing the core alone would be sufficient, since it would separate the metaphorical fuel from the fire. It all came together there.
Bancroft/Storm/Bergman/Cole/Imril: Response.
Dressed in the awkward radiation suit, the Andorian turned back to the terminal.
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - THO’BI TYPING//
>EACH COMPONENT HAS UNIQUE LOCKING MECHANISM
>WARP CORE MOST COMPLEX
>ANTIMATTER POD ASSEMBLIES NEXT COMPLEX
>ANTIMATTER LOADING PORT AND M/ARA HULL PANELS LEAST COMPLEX
>BUT GREATEST DISTANCE FROM HERE
>TIME REMAINING: 5 MINS
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
Meris took over at the panel once again.
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - MERIS TYPING//
>CORE RELEASE SUFFICIENT?
>PREVENT MATTER AND ANTIMATTER REACTION
>CUTTING PHASER ON CLAMPS?
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
Alex had been looking over their shoulders reading what they were putting out.
She nodded as she read.
//ENGINEERING TERMINAL SCREEN - STORM TYPING//
>TEAM 1 - THO’BI, MERIS, IMRIL, AND BANCROFT
> THO’BI, YOU’RE IN CHARGE
>STAY AND ATTEMPT ANTIMATTER POD ASSEMBLY DISCONNECT
>TEAM 2 - BERGMAN, COLE, STORM WILL ATTEMPT ANTIMATTER LOADING PORT AND M/ARA HULL PANELS DISCONNECT
//CONTROL PANEL SCREEN - END//
Bancroft/Bergman/Cole/Imril/Tho’bi: Response.
Storm looked at Bergman and Cole. This was Bergman’s scenario, but they were on the clock. Alex looked at her team and made sure they knew what to do. She put her forefinger in the air and circled it twice to say, “Let’s roll!”
Bancroft/Bergman/Cole/Imril/Tho’bi: Response.
-- Team 2 --
Storm waited until Bergman and Cole were with her. She waved for Bergman to lead the way. Immediately they headed for the doors of Main Engineering. Hoping that any type of distance between them and the radiation soaked areas of engineering would improve comms Alex tried them.
Storm: =/\= We ::comms static:: long way to ::comms static:: ort time to ::comms static:: =/\=
Bergman/Cole:
Alex followed directly on the tail of the other two. The door to main engineering was shut to keep in as much of the radiation as possible. Jeffries Tubes seemed to be their only option for a way out. Alex didn’t like that prospect. Her entire uniform was as filed with sweat as used washcloth was wet. But as Bergman ducked into a Jeffries tube, she followed him in.
Storm: =/\= Five levels ::comms static:: ly five min ::comms static:: =/\=
Bergman/Cole:
As she climbed, she found that her fingers seemed to swim in her own sweat in the gloves of the radiation suit. So about a half of a level up, Alex lost grip with one hand. Her other hand went flying to a rung, which she caught, but the angle at which she caught herself jarred her. Was it hesitation that she caught from those above her?
Storm: =/\= ::comms static:: fine. Let’s keep go ::comms static:: =/\=
Bergman/Cole:
~*~
Tags / TBC
~*~
Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2