PO2 Lohkina: The Break

[Tony Colella]

[HOLODECK]

(( Bridge, Deck 2, USS Tiburon ))

The Tiburon had only minutes to rendezvous with the Bedfordshire, merge their warp bubbles, evacuate the crew, and combine their shields in some way that allowed them to avoid the upcoming subspace eddies -- all while keeping both ships' engines from failing catastrophically. Lohkina hadn't expected the test to be easy, but she also had not expected it would be this difficult, either.

Lohkina: So our timeline is even shorter than it appears.

T’Korva: Something is off captain, it appears the Bedfordshire is (beat) accelerating? 

T'Korva gave Lohkina a look of such honest surprise and concern that she was, for a moment, certain that this was real, that it was all actually happening. She felt her heartbeat accelerate, but she went immediately into the Fourth Breathing Pattern. This was not real, and even if it was, panic would not help her solve the problem.

T’Korva: I’m picking up additional eddies forming at our current trajectory.

Johnson: Oh crud…it is speeding up!

The Bedfordshire remained tantalizingly out of reach, especially considering that Johnson had just brought the Tiburon into range of the other ship's warp bubble. They would have been able to begin the merge in a few moments -- but no more.

Lohkina: Even if we can't merge warp bubbles, can we begin the evacuation?

Even as she asked, though, she was running the numbers. California-class ships were rated for larger evacuation capacities, but they could only transport so many people at a time. T'Korva seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

T’Korva: We have three transporter rooms and two cargo transporters at the stand by, based on the expected compliment of officers, crew members, and civilians aboard the Bedfordshire, we will need every minute we have to get them off that ship. 

Johnson: Um…maybe we should concentrate on the shields first? Evacuation is going to take longer than nine minutes.

Briefly, Lohkina closed her eyes. That was a good point, and an awful one. Even if they began immediately, and ignored everything else, they couldn't beam the entire crew complement away from the Bedfordshire in time. They could begin to do so, and do what they could, but that might well take time and energy away from finding a solution that wouldn't result in the Bedfordshire's destruction.

Lohkina: Keep us on course, for now.

T’Korva: The warp bubbles will make contact in 10, 9, 8, 7...

A sudden shaking interrupted T'Korva's count. It was as though the inertial dampeners had suddenly stopped working -- but, Lohkina wondered a moment later, why would that matter now, outside of an inertial reference frame? They were in subspace! This was something else entirely.

T’Korva: I’m not sure what’s causing this Captain, but I cannot promise it will work if we can’t get it under control.

Johnson: I’m trying! We’re matching speed. Coming up -

The worst shake yet hit them, similar to some of the worst earthquakes Lohkina had experienced during her time on Benzar. She'd lived in a semi-active volcanic region, so that was saying something. 

Johnson: The merge failed!

Lohkina: What?! Why?

Johnson: I don’t know! (working; beat) They sped up again!

Lohkina: (brief nod) Lower our speed, but keep us within sensor range.

Even if they were no longer close enough to try the bubble merge solution, keeping the Bedfordshire close (but not too close) meant that they could investigate other options. Besides, reducing strain on the Tiburon's engines meant that they could remain close to the Bedfordshire for longer.

T’Korva: Response

Johnson: They’re speeding up by the same increments with the same increments of time in between! 

Lohkina: But why would that be happening?

The longer they chased the Bedfordshire, the less it seemed like the other ship was suffering some kind of catastrophic engine failure and more like it was intentionally evading them. That wasn't likely to be the case, especially since Johnson had just reported that there was something almost deterministic about the accelerations. Each new bit of information made the whole situation stranger.

Lohkina: Johson, get us more information about that. T'Korva (beat) scan the Bedfordshire. Is there a crew over there?

The question had just occurred to Lohkina. It was possible, wasn't it, that the ship had no crew, that it was either automated or hijacked or -- something else. What? Lohkina didn't know, but given that the Bedfordshire had ignored hails and yet T'Korva had been able to find and send over the prefix code -- at least to Lohkina, who was ready to use it as necessary -- suggested that this wasn't premeditated, whatever "this" was. 

Lohkina: And even if it appears there is, try to confirm. You were right, something is very definitely off.

T’Korva: Response 

Johnson: We have the increment and the interval. If we match that, we’ll speed up with the Bedfordshire and be able to merge warp fields. 

Lohkina gave a nod of approval. That was the other benefit of throttling back, even slightly: They could then accelerate more easily if necessary. 

Johnson: Coming up on the ship now!

Lohkina: Do it. 

Johnson/T’Korva: Responses

Lohkina actually turned in her seat to lock eyes with T'Korva. She didn't think that she could be surprised, given what the program had thrown at them so far and everything she, T'Korva, and Johnson had considered, but having confirmation was entirely different, it turned out.

Lohkina: Repeat that last?

In the mean time, she sent over the prefix code. The Bedfordshire's shields did drop, so at least that did still work as expected.

Johnson/T’Korva: Responses

Lohkina: Very well. Options?

Johnson/T’Korva: Responses

Tag! and TBC!

--

Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Lohkina

Diplomatic Aide

USS Octavia E. Butler

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character)