Commander Tomas Falt: Now is not the time...

[Tomas Falt]

((Fuel Line Corridor, Deck 496, Igirni))

Falt: ::Jokingly:: Well, I hope someone checked the supports on this gangway recently!

At which point Tomas felt the ship lurch again, a fraction of a second before he heard the sound of metal shearing as a bolt somewhere underneath him gave way. Suddenly unattached at one end, the section of gangway he stood on pitched downward and he started to fall. 

Acting entirely on instinct, Tomas managed to pivot his body and jammed the fingers of his left hand into the steel mesh of the dangling gangway. His handhold was just strong enough to stop his fall, but his momentum made him swing, and he yelped in pain as the sharp metal of the gangway mesh tore into his fingers. 

Dropping his tricorder, he just was able to grab the dangling gangway with his right hand and take some of his weight off his wounded left hand. He looked up at the others as they all heard the tricorder hit something solid far below.

Falt: ::trying to keep his voice calm:: A little help?

Lim: You had to tempt fate!

Tomas was aware people were talking above him, but he was far more concerned by the drop below than anything that they might have to say.  

Frinn: Tempt fate?

Braya: Means takin’ a risk. 

The face of Lieutenant Lim appeared in his vision and she extended a hand towards him. As she did so he realised he was going to have to use his stricken hand to grab hers, as he wasn't sure it would support his weight on its own. Gritting his teeth he changed his grip and reached out to grab her outstretched hand, wincing in pain as she began to help him climb up to safety.

Once his boots were safely back on level ground he gave his rescuer a smile.

Falt: Thank you, Lieutenant, and my apologies if I bled on you.

Lim: That was too close for comfort.

Tomas nodded in agreement; it certainly had been!

Frinn: You are not wizards, are you?!

Tanner: Assuming that word translates the same, the answer is no.  The Commander was simply a victim of whatever is happening around us.

Braya: It’s y’er ship breakin’, not our doin’. Maybe if y’er autocrats gave a damn about y’all down ‘ere…

Tomas had finally been able to tune into the conversation happening around him and was not happy about what he was hearing.

Falt: Lieutenant Braya, now is not the time to speculate. We should be focusing on the task at hand, otherwise a collapsing gangway will be the least of our troubles.

Tomas kept pressure on his damaged hand as he spoke by squeezing it with the other, a task which was not helped by the ship lurching again, forcing him to use his hands to keep his balance.

Lim: Is there somewhere we can go so I can treat his hand?

Frinn: I assume you brought supplies to help our injured? Won’t that help your own kind? If not, I can escort you to an aid station.

Tomas smiled weakly. It was hardly a severe wound, but a bandage would at least mean he could take the pressure of his fingers. Plus it would stop him bleeding on the deck. 

He was about to thank Frinn for his help when he became aware of a change in the ambient noise around them. It was subtle, but he was sure the metal was groaning more than it had been just a few moments ago. 

Frinn: RUN! This way!

Something about the Voth's tone created a sense of urgency that crossed species. Tomas began moving in the direction indicated, the pain in his hand momentarily forgotten,

Frinn: Do not linger! The fuel line is about to break! We have no time!

Realising they were heading for a nearby bulkhead door Tomas began to run faster. He stopped once he reached it and turned to make sure every member of the team made it inside.  Only once everyone had crossed the threshold did Tomas follow them, nodding at Lieutenant Tanner to seal the bulkhead behind them.

Tanner: Will this hold? ::As if they had a choice.::

Frinn: Response

Braya: ‘Ope this door’s seen more care than the catwalk. 

Tomas frowned as he considered their predicament. He knew the hydrogen fuel was going to be extremely dangerous, but judging by the thickness of the portal they had just rushed through they should be okay inside for a few minutes. Unless it exploded...

Falt: It looks like this place was designed as a refuge, so we should be safe for a few minutes. Hopefully that will be long enough for someone to vent the fuel. ::he paused for a second:: I'd stay away from the door and external wall though, just to be safe.

Lim: Response

Tanner: What a reckless place to have us if your fuel lines are so fragile!

Braya: If I were prone to paranoia, the timin’ would seem awful convenient. 

Tomas shook his head as the accusations began to fly. The atmosphere in the room was tense as well as stuffy, which did not bode well if they were going to be trapped in here for a while.

Falt: Everyone take a breath and calm down. Speculation and accusations will not help, lets focus on how we get our of our current prediciment.

Frinn / Lim: Response

Tanner: How long before your bridge manages to cut off the section and make it safe? I’d like to look at the condition of that served fuel line.

Braya: As if the engines didn’t ‘ave enough problems already, eh? 

He responded to Lieutenant Braya's comment with the withering glare it deserved.

Falt: ::to Braya:: I said less of that, Lieutenant. Why don't you go take a look around, see what you can find in here. ::he held up a hand:: And yes, that is an order.

Frinn / Lim: Response

Tomas was pleased to see the Acamarian woman follow his instructions this time. As she moved off and began to look around he took a second to look at his wounded hand properly for the first time. He had a couple of nasty lacerations, but the wounds were starting to clot already and he still had full range of movement. It was going to be sore for a while, but otherwise he'd be fine.

Hand checked he raised the other one to tap his combadge, but stopped when Lieutenant Braya shouted for him.

Braya: ::Loudly, but out of sight:: Commander Falt? I think I hear - 

She was cut off suddenly by the sounds of a commotion.

Falt: Lieutenant? Everything okay?

When she didn't reply Tomas gestured to the others to follow him as he headed in the direction she had shouted from. With so much fuel around he was dreading what he might see.

Tanner / Frinn / Lim: Response, 

As he rounded the corner Tomas felt a rush of adrenaline. Lieutenant Braya had gone! 

Falt: Braya! Can you hear us. ::he motioned to the others:: Use your tricorders, quickly!

Tanner / Frinn / Lim: Response, 

Tomas instinctively tapped his combadge with his right hand, smearing the blood from his hand onto his uniform as he did so.

Falt: =/\= Falt to the Eagle, do you have a lock on Lieutenant Braya? =/\=

He felt a pit growing in his stomach as the only response to his communication was static. If they were unable to communicate with the outside then they were going to have to rely on the someone noticing the fuel leak on a ship which currently had bigger problems, which did not strike Tomas as a good idea. He took a few breaths to keep himself level and looked around the room, searching for anything that might help.

His eyes fell on the console Tanner had used earlier.

Falt: All the liquid fuel outside must be blocking the signal. Mister Tanner, can you work with our Voth friend to see if you can contact anyone from that console? The priority has to be to get someone to vent the fuel,

Tanner / Frinn: Response

Falt: Good. Doctor Lim, her little companion and I will keep looking for Braya.

Lim: Response.

TAG / TBC

Commander Tomas Falt                          

Strategic Operations Officer

USS Eagle-A

J239807TF2

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