Lieutenant JG Tholin ch’Clex - Survivors

[Ted Stjernkvist]

((OOC: I will be at Copenhell for the next days and will have a hard time to response. I will be back on Sunday.))

((Power Chamber 2, Deck 742-Beta, Voth Generation Ship Igirni))

The corridor ahead still carried the echo of weapons fire, though each shot now sounded farther apart than the last. Tholin moved with his phaser low but ready, keeping half an eye on Captain Adea and the other on the direction of the disturbance.

Ensign Yuri Carvalho moved with them.

Tholin had not had time to speak with the man properly before now, but he knew the name. He had read Carvalho’s file when the security personnel had come aboard. Good marks and solid discipline.

ch’Clex: First firefight?

A faint smirk touched Yuri’s lips.

Carvalho: First one outside the holodeck, sir. I hope I'm ready.

ch’Clex: Don’t worry. Just remember your training, follow me and the Captain, and you will be fine.

Adea: ::muttering:: Maybe don’t follow me.

Carvalho: Aye, sir. ::he turns to Adea:: Permission to take point, Captain? It's standard protocol. Stay behind me.

Tholin gave the ensign a small approving nod. It was the right call.

Captain Adea nodded and gestured for Yuri to take point.

Adea: Good idea, Ensign. Any ideas what could be happening? Happy for you to speculate.

Tholin kept his eyes forward as they moved.

ch’Clex: Internal conflict is the most likely answer if our scans are correct and there are only Voth life signs ahead.

Carvalho: A mutiny wouldn't be unusual in a situation like this. The Voth have been on edge since we got here; it only takes one spark to start a fight for control of the ship. ::he takes a deep breath:: We’ll find out soon enough if we're dealing with internal sabotage. If possible, I'd like to pull the security logs once we've secured the area.

Tholin glanced at Carvalho again and gave another small nod.

ch’Clex: Good assessment, Ensign.

The sounds of phaser fire faded as they arrived at the locale. Then there was silence.

That bothered Tholin.

Adea: It’s quiet… Where did they go?

Carvalho: Response?

Tholin raised his tricorder, scanning ahead, then pointed down the walkway.

ch’Clex: They were just up ahead, Captain.


Tholin saw them once he’d reached the walkway. There were half a dozen Voth bodies strewn about. One had clearly taken a shot to the chest and fallen from the same walkway they were standing on. The body lay directly beneath them, limbs at sickening angles. The rest were heaps on the floor, like discarded dolls.

Tholin’s expression tightened, but only slightly. He had seen bodies before but that did not make it easier.

Adea: Get down there - I want to know if there are survivors, and what happened here.

Carvalho: Response?

ch’Clex: Understood. Carvalho, with me. Keep your phaser ready. We do not know if the shooters are still nearby.

Tholin moved down first, taking the steps quickly but carefully.

He crouched near the closest body and ran a quick scan.

ch’Clex: This one is dead.

He moved to the next.

ch’Clex: Severe trauma. No lifesign.

Carvalho: Response?

As Adea followed, his eye was caught by a side room off the main concourse. Tholin saw the Captain divert toward it and followed.

Adea approached and found one of the science teams from the Eagle. One officer was deceased — Lieutenant Spalding.

The other, a young Bajoran male, was unconscious. He looked as if he had been thrown across the room and tumbled behind the counter.

Adea propped him up as his eyes flickered open.
Adea: Ensign Roktan, I presume?

Roktan: Response?

Tholin could hear Adea call out.

Adea: Carvalho, ch’Clex! I found one of ours. ::turning to Roktan:: Right, let’s get you on your feet.

Carvalho: Response.

Tholin moved to the doorway first, checking the corners before stepping in fully. Then he lowered his phaser slightly and looked at the Bajoran ensign.

ch’Clex: Ensign Roktan, Lieutenant ch’Clex. You are safe for the moment.

He glanced briefly toward the deceased officer, then back to Roktan.

ch’Clex: Do you know what happened here? Who opened fire?

Adea / Carvalho / Roktan: Response?

Tholin kept his voice firm but controlled.

ch’Clex: Take it slowly. Anything you remember may help us.

Adea / Carvalho / Roktan: Response?

TAG / TBC
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Lieutenant Junior Grade Tholin ch'Clex
Tactical Officer
USS Eagle-A
D240112TC4