Captain Luriaa - "Unexpected Help"

[Amanda Nordstrom]

(( Bridge, UDP Svisivak – Tlugani Nebula ))

The hull was compromised.  

In other situations, they could have initiated repairs and likely saved themselves, but all that remained were four of the crew's complement, and only two of them were even upright.  She, herself, was not an engineer, and though she could handle some minor repairs, patching up the hull on a ship was not one of them, especially not with her current injuries.  

Luriaa: Any response to our distress signal?  

Siragin: None, Captain. 

The Konaii shook his head, fatigue washing over his slender face.  Though the least injured of those left alive, he, like everyone else, had not slept in almost two days.  Closing her eyes, she voiced the next question. 

Luriaa: Status on life support? 

Siragin: We have about fourty-five minutes left. 

That was not much time unless a rescue party was already on their way.  Had Fraya received their distress call?  If the Dosi had, then Luriaa knew she would push any ship to get there as quickly as possible.  The question was, would it be in time?  Would she see her faithful number one and friend again?  

Luriaa: Check on Uri and Hephtas.  I will hold the bridge. 

Sirigin: Captain. 

The Konaii nodded, then turned and slipped through the doors to check on the only two other crewmembers to survive.  With him gone, Luriaa leaned back in her chair, put her good elbow upon the armrest, then propped up her head with her hand.  Forty-five minutes.  

Forty-four…

Greaves: =/\=UDP Freightor, this is the Lieutenant Colonel Wes Greaves of the Starfleet Marine Corps. We have detected and responded to your distress signal. We see you have limited time until life support failure. We are prepared to assist. Please respond with status.=/\=

The voice that crackled through the comm system startled her, and Luriaa’s eyes flew open. She knew that voice.  She knew that name.  

Starfleet. 

Frowning, she straightened and she reached up to draw her shawl more closely around her, only to remember it currently served as a makeshift sling, especially as pain sliced through with her movement.  For a moment, she wondered if she had hallucinated, but realised, if she had, it likely wouldn’t have been a hallucination about Starfleet.  Narrowing her eyes, she pondered, for a moment, not answering, but realised that was a fool’s response.  Luriaa was not a fool.  

Luriaa: =/\=I read you, Colonel Greaves.  This is Captain Luriaa, currently of the UDP Svisivak.  Hull integrity is failing and life support is degrading with approximately forty-three minutes remaining.=/\=

Greaves/JoNz/Ragh/Woolheater: Response

Why did it have to be Starfleet?  The two organisations had maintained an uneasy truce between them, but since Cheyd’lang, they had managed to avoid each other.  No longer, it seemed.  Gritting her teeth, Luriaa would have liked nothing better than to tell them to be on their way, but there were lives at stake - and not only her own.  She would not condemn them, nor herself, to die in that fashion.  

Luriaa: =/\=Crew is reduced to four with two unconscious and two ambulatory.  The rest…are deceased.=/\=

Greaves/JoNz/Ragh/Woolheater: Response

Luriaa didn’t want their help, but she needed their help.  So, for now, she would accept it. 

Luriaa: =/\=Permission to come aboard.=/\=

Greaves/JoNz/Ragh/Woolheater: Response

-- 

Luriaa
Captain
UDP Rij’dal’vak
M239008AD0