[ACT III START - ALL TEAMS][BELOW DECKS] PNPC Ensign Patrick Callahan: I'm a Dead Man
Serala
Things were fairly quiet on the bridge of the Chin’toka, which given the situation on the surface and on the derelict, was actually quite amazing. As the Captain had ordered, he’d taken the ship to high orbit, safely away from the satellites. The Captain had taken her team down to begin the rescue leaving him in charge. Lieutenant Zarax, although technically his superior by rank, was not bridge command certified, so she had taken his spot at the helm. She was a fighter pilot, but he had no doubt her skills would be just as useful in piloting the ship. He probably should have summoned Lieutenant Neshala. After all, she was senior to him, bridge trained, and a competent helm officer, but the Captain had left him in charge and she rarely did that. And besides, things were quiet, so he didn’t really see the point.
Events were about to change that assessment.
As he stood in the center of the bridge, watching the viewscreen, he noticed a piece of … something … detach from the derelict and squinted at the screen trying to make out what it was.
Callahan: Lieutenant Zarax, zoom in on that object. The one falling toward the planet. I want to see what that is.
The Orion quickly did as he asked, and he could see that it was already beginning to enter the atmosphere.
Callahan: Trajectory analysis, Kenzi.
At the tactical station, Petty Officer Second Class MacKenzie Connors, or Kenzi to those who knew her, quickly studied the readings.
Connors: Sir, it’s on a–
V’Nille: =/\= V’Nille to Chin’toka. Can you hear me? =/\=
Callahan: =/\= Chin’toka. This is Callahan. Go ahead, Commander. =/\=
V’Nille: =/\= Wonderful. It looks like our communications were restored. Where’s the Captain? =/\=
Callahan: =/\= She’s gone planetside, Commander, to lead the rescue operations. =/\=
oO From the front, if I know her. Oo
Which he did. He’d served with her since he’d first been assigned to the USS Atlantis.
V’Nille: =/\= I see…. Are you tracking the object that the derelict ship just ejected? It looks like it’s going to hit where that weird signal we were tracking is coming from. My team will continue to try to get this ship to not hit the planet, so… let the Captain know. Good luck! =/\=
He turned to Kenzi, who nodded a silent confirmation.
Callahan: =/\= Confirmed, Commander. We’re on it. =/\=
The channel closed abruptly, and Patrick was about to hail the Captain when Zarax spoke up.
Zarax: Sir, I just detected a pair of explosions on the surface, near the location that Commander Sherlock’s team is having their negotiations. It appears it was at a relatively safe distance, but sensors detect a large amount of gamma radiation from the explosions.
Callahan: Gamma radiation?! Are you sure, Lieutenant?
The Orion spun in her chair, her face speaking of anger and frustration.
Zarax: Positive, sir! And that object has already reached the outer edges of the atmosphere. We need to act now and don’t have time to confer with the Captain.
The fact that she was right did nothing to take the sting out of the fact that she’d practically assumed command. She was stepping all over his authority and he didn’t have time to do anything about it. But he’d mention it in his report later.
Meanwhile, he was already formulating a strategy. The satellites were going to be an issue, but if they moved fast enough, he could probably avoid those as well.
Callahan: Kenzi, prepare the tractor beam. We’re going to lock onto that device and yeet it out into space, away from the planet, the derelict, and our ship.
Connors: Aye, sir.
Callahan: Raise shields, Lieutenant. Time to put those fancy flying skills to the test. We need to go in hot, even breach the atmosphere, if necessary, grab that object, pull a one-eighty, and head back out away from everything while dodging angry satellites bent on our destruction.
Zarax smiled like the Cheshire Cat.
Zarax: Now you’re singing my song, Ensign. Let’s do it.
Callahan: Do it, Lieutenant.
Despite his best intentions, he felt himself falling into the Captain’s seat as Zarax punched the accelerator and braced himself.
Callahan: Connors, be ready to grab it. And then standby to reverse polarity on my command.
She didn’t reply, but he could hear her punching buttons behind him and knew she was preparing. He silently ticked off the seconds, watching as the object got closer and closer to the surface. The ship entered the atmosphere as well, the heat and flames safely deflected by the shields. He briefly considered sending a warning to the Captain, but there just wasn’t enough time for her to do anything about it anyway. They were about a thousand feet about the surface when they finally got close enough to tractor the object.
Callahan: Now!
The blue-white beam of the tractor shot out and grabbed the device nearly 30 yards above the surface as Zarax pulled back on the helm and started back out of the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, down on the surface, Captain Serala heard the screeching and sonic booms of the Chin’toka as it approached their location and looked up just in time to see the ship tractor the falling object and swoop back up like a hawk that had caught its prey.
The Chin’toka cleared the atmosphere and dodged the satellites which were trying to reform and target the ship. They sped past and made it to a safe distance before he gave Kenzi the next order.
Callahan: Reverse polarity, Connors. Now!
Kenzi punched a button and the beam reversed course, throwing the object out into space. However, it didn’t get far before the stress of the maneuver caused a rupture and it exploded.
A blinding white light shone through the viewscreen before shorting it out, and the explosion rocked the vessel hard. Zarax fought hard to get the ship under control, but it took several seconds during which everyone was tossed about like salt on a pan of fries. Finally, the ship stabilized and Zarax brought it to a halt.
Callahan: Damage report.
The communications channel beeped almost before he could finish his order.
Shivara: =/\= Sickbay to bridge. We’ve got wounded coming in, and there are indications of radiation poisoning. What happened? =/\=
Patrick only wished he knew, because Serala was going to have his hide for allowing her ship to get damaged.
--
PNPC Ensign Patrick Callahan
Duty Officer
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
and
PNPC Lieutenant Jelanna Zarax
Fighter Pilot, Flight Leader
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
PNPC Ensign Shivara
Medical Intern
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
as simmed by:
Captain Serala
Commanding Officer
USS Chin’toka, NCC-97187
A239412S10