Ensign Seleya- Barely Surviving

[Aletheia Bentley]

((Romulan Base, Miralon City, Miralon III))

Seleya took a moment to rest, leaning against the wall as she waited for the room to stop spinning and right itself. She glanced toward the last remaining door. Once she steadied herself, she placed a hand on the wall and slowly began hopping along it on her good leg. Progress was slow, but she pushed herself forward, the sound of approaching footsteps growing louder, almost within earshot now.

Just as she reached the door, she heard a different set of footsteps, much closer. Not the larger wave of reinforcements, but likely a nearby patrol moving in to flank the team. She wouldn’t have time to disable the door. She couldn’t let them reach the others. Pressing herself against the wall, she quietly pulled her baton from her jacket and prepared to strike.

Seleya: Footsteps incoming. I’ll try to keep them busy. Get the jammer down.

Lyara: ::To Neshala:: I think there’s one or two more guards if our strategy worked out properly! You take out one I’ll get the other then we’ll secure the prisoners.

Neshala: Agreed.

Seleya held her breath, remaining absolutely silent as she waited for the Romulans to enter. She counted three as they stepped into the room, weapons already raised and focused on the door to the security center. They didn’t seem to notice her, yet. That was about to change. Even at her peak, Seleya would have to be cautious, she couldn’t match vulcanoid strength. And with her current injury, she had only a short window to act before it would take its toll, or before reinforcements arrived.

She pushed off the wall and lunged at the closest Romulan. He had already started to turn toward the sound, but it was too late. Seleya slammed into him with her shoulder to keep herself upright, then used her right hand to grab his disruptor, forcing it downward. In one swift motion, she swung her baton into his neck, catching him off guard and temporarily disabling him as he staggered, gasping for air, buying her time to deal with the remaining two.

((Keeping dialogue in as what is happening with Seleya while they are clearing the room))

Lyara: I’m Ensign Lyara Alroyo from the USS Chin'toka. We're part of Starfleet and we’re gonna get y’all out of here. My friend Lieutenant Neshala here will also be part of this rescue. I assume y’all don’t know how to work one of these?

Seleya was comfortable with a baton. Between her prior training with Starfleet, the Heritage Guard, and the bit of Tassa’Akai she’d learned. But in her current condition, formal technique wouldn’t serve her well.

The two Romulans were turning to her, weapons raised. Seleya's best chance was to disarm one, so she brought her baton down hard on the nearest Romulan’s wrist with a sharp snap, hoping to loosen his grip. At the same time, she slammed her shoulder into his chest and reached for the disruptor pistol. The Romulan stumbled backward and fell, still clinging to the weapon. With no stability of her own, Seleya was dragged down with him. She tried to turn the disruptor on the third Romulan, but her shots went missed, hitting the floor instead.

Neshala:  I may be a pilot, Lyara, but I’ve spent years stuck in communications, so if you need help, let me know. Otherwise, I think Seleya has her hands full.

Seleya let out a pained groan as she hit the ground, a sharp jolt shooting through her injured left leg. She gritted her teeth and fought through the pain, throwing an elbow back to slam into the Romulan’s face, trying to break his grip on the disruptor. Once the pistol was finally yanked free, she raised it.

Her first shot went over the third Romulan’s shoulder, a sign of how blurry her vision was becoming. She fired again, hitting his arm, and then a third time, striking him square in the chest.

Seleya turned to aim at the first Romulan she had disabled earlier, who now looked like he was regaining his bearings. But before she could pull the trigger, she felt a sudden impact across her face.

Lyara: You go help Seleya, I’ll take care of the jammer. :: To the Waleth:: You guys stay hidden and stay safe. We’ll direct you where to go as we exit the facility.

Seleya felt the room spinning again as she tried to recall what was happening. She rolled onto her stomach, attempting to push herself up, only for a sharp, searing pain from the impact of a fist over her disruptor wound. She screamed louder this time, the agony snapping her out of her daze and refocusing her on the present.

She rolled onto her back, frantically searching for the disruptor, but the second Romulan was already on top of her, raising a hand to strike. Seleya threw her arms up to shield her face. She wasn’t sure how long she could withstand a beating from a Romulan. The first punch slammed into her arms, jarring her. She had to act fast.

Desperately, she looked around and spotted something, just within reach. Dropping her guard, she took another punch to the face as she reached toward the Romulan’s belt, fingers scrambling to find the strap lock. She yanked the knife free.

As the Romulan raised another fist, Seleya moved on instinct. She didn’t think, she just reacted, driving the knife into the Romulan’s neck. The assault stopped instantly. Shaking, breath ragged, Seleya pushed the dying Romulan off of her.

Neshala: Copy that. Let me know if you need me.

Seleya could feel her vision beginning to tunnel as she lay there, struggling to catch her breath. A wave of pins and needles was spreading across her body. She needed to rejoin the others. Rolling onto her side, she tried to push herself up again, when a sudden thought came through her mind.

oO Wasn’t there a third Romulan? Oo

She started scanning the room, but as if on cue, a hand seized her Ny’krl and yanked her backward, slamming her to the ground. Seleya screamed loudly in pain. The final Romulan looked furious over what Seleya had done to his friends and wasn’t taking any chances. Drawing his own dagger, he moved forward.

Seleya’s eyes darted around the room for any sort of weapon. She saw a disruptor, just out of reach. She scrambled toward it, dragging herself across the floor, but the Romulan kicked it aside. He straddled her, a pattern Seleya was quickly growing tired of, then gripped the dagger with both hands, ready to drive it into her chest.

Seleya grabbed at his wrists, trying to resist, but she couldn’t match Vulcanoid strength, especially not in her condition. All she could do was slow the strike as the dagger pierced into her chest. On any other humanoid, it would have been a fatal blow, aimed where most species' hearts would be. But her Kazleti physiology was her saving grace, her heart was on the opposite side. Still, it was a mortal wound, by no stretch of the imagination. 

The Romulan didn’t seem pleased that she wasn’t already dead. Cursing in Romulan, he wrapped his hands around her throat and began to squeeze. Seleya clawed at him, gasping, knowing this was likely the end.

Then, a flash of a green light, a disruptor blast. The grip on her throat loosened. The Romulan’s eyes glazed over, and he collapsed, partially landing on her as she gasped for air. Seleya turned her head to see her savior, Neshala. At least, they were still alive. She hoped both of them.

Lyara: Jammer’s down, we should be able to beam out, we just need to inform them we have guests.

Neshala: Not how I would have done it, but good job.

Seleya just lay there in silence. Even as she tried to rest, it never felt like she could get a full breath. She shifted, attempting to push the Romulan off her, but one arm was pinned beneath his corpse, and she barely had the strength to nudge him. She was trapped. She tried to call out for help, but her voice came out quiet and raspy, barely more than a whisper.

Sherlock: =/\= Sherlock to Neshala. =/\=

Neshala: =/\= Not really a good time, Commander. But it is good to hear your voice. =/\=

Sherlock: =/\= Wherever you are in your mission, I need you to extract. Get to a safe spot and call the ship. We've got transporters on standby. But we have to go as soon as possible. =/\=

Neshala: =/\= Kind of in the middle of that now, sir. And since we’re talking to you, we should be able to get out of here now. But we’re having fun. What’s the rush, if I may ask? =/\=

Sherlock: =/\= We're on a tight time table. And if you don't get into the clear, we have to go. Get your people home. =/\=

Neshala: =/\= Acknowledged, Commander. Neshala out. =/\=

Neshala: Right. We have our orders. Our transponders are good for us only, so we can beam the Waleth out. So, we’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way.

Seleya could hear them in the other room as she tried once more to push the Romulan off her, but it was no use. She lay still, unmoving. Soon, they would be back on the Chin. She just had to keep breathing, just had to stay awake, though it was becoming harder with every passing second.

Lyara: Response

Neshala: I assume you don’t object to getting out of here? It’s a bit unconventional for you, but quite expedient.

Neshala: =/\= Neshala to the Chin’toka. Six to beam out. Have medical teams standing by. We have wounded. =/\=

Callahan: =/\= Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Standby…. Energizing. =/\=

Torvath: FVADT!!!!

((U.S.S. Chin’toka, Transporter room, Deck 9))

Seleya was relieved that the Romulan body hadn’t been beamed over with her as she materialized in the Chin’toka’s transporter room. Most of her body had gone numb, and judging by the looks she was getting, she must have appeared in rough shape, especially with a Romulan dagger still lodged in her chest.

Lyara/Neshala: Response

Seleya: Fine ::she barely whispered out in a raspy voice::

Seleya had no idea why she said “fine.” She was far from it, and even she knew that. It was just a habit. At the moment, she could barely think. She weakly squeezed Lyara’s hand, giving her a blank, unfocused look.

Lyara/Neshala: Response

Ensign Seleya of Khanda

Tac/Sec Officer

U.S.S.Chin’toka 

C240202SK1