(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Khitomer, Ceram Archipelago ))
BC Cooper
[sb118-khitomer] Lieutenant (JG) Ezra Zerva - Till Death Takes Us.
Morda: Sensha weapon is about 15 seconds from another burst.
15 seconds too many! Those filament masses had better work or they would find out just how well the Khitomer could handle the second of two bursts of sensha in the Khitomer’s history.
Several shots from the Cruiser rang out around them as Semara made some defensive maneuvers. One hit the hull directly, the impact causing the Khitomer to rock about once more. Ezra held tight onto his console glancing over at Ensign Morda. The shields would hold up, but for how long? Even if their plan worked, they couldn’t hold up to constant fire forever.
Zerva: That Cruiser is on a direct course for us and the Webspinners have turned their attention this way! It looks like the spinners are getting into position to make us the target of their net! We’ve got their attention alright, sir.
Semara: Feelin' like I'm tryin' to dodge raindrops here, Cap'n...!
Naxell: Trust yourself, Lieutenant, like I trust you.
Trust was something Ezra had in this crew and knowing their newly minted Captain had an equal trust in them, made all the difference in the crew working together as one.
Morda: Mark. Time for another sensha burst.
Zerva: ::checking the sensors:: The sensha weapon has completed its recharge! Looks like they're attempting to fire despite the torpedoes impact!
Semara: Confirmed. Leviathan comin' about!
Naxell: Full power to shields.
Ezra casted a glance over at Morda as the order to the shields was given. He knew the young Ensign had this and was ready for the challenges they laid right before them.
Morda: Aye, sir: max power to shields.
Zerva: I don’t know sir, maybe they think the weapon will still fire. Maybe it will clog the system enough to cause it to backlash into them? Let’s hope those masses work before they do!
Semara: I wish they'd stop tryin'... :: Beat :: Stand by! Gettin' energy readin's that are all kinds a'... :: A stolen breath :: Great Heavens…
Ezra’s eyes went wide as he saw it first hand. The filaments indeed had not only found its mark, but had done more than anticipated. A large burst of energy from the Levithan’s weapon cascated from within, flowing out all over the ship, causing one explosion to the next. In a colorful display of brilliance in light, the likes of which he had not seen since the destruction of the USS Arrow, Ezra watched yet another Leviathan ship meet its end. Debris began to break off from the Leviathan and one piece slammed into the nearby cruiser, its shields rattled in defense, but a portion of the Leviathan’s debris had managed to slip through. A ping of fire ringing out across its hull and erupting into and through its bridge. The resulting explosions sent a wave of energy towards the Khitomer…
Naxell: Brace!
The ship was already blaring at red alert status, with the sensors going off like crazy, but now more sounds buzzed throughout the bridge and assuredly the rest of the ship.
Ezra held on tight, just as he had done on Frontier Day, grabbing his console, his fingers pinging with the strain of exerting more than necessary.
Zerva: ::beat, under his breath:: Ohhhh, shit!
Darkness overtook the viewscreen causing all sorts of distortions. The ship rocked briefly, the impact minimal as the shields held and the nebula gave them some reprieve. Nonetheless, the Khitomer was not without its wounds. The fuzzy waves of the darkened viewscreen and overloaded sensors slowly gave way to the sight before them. About a quarter of the size of the Leviathan ship remained. Its debris floating silently in the void of space, just beyond the nebula.
Morda: ::Swallow:: Total destruction. No survivors. No escape pods.
Zerva: ::gasping:: Can confirm sir… ::pausing to take a breath:: They're gone. ::beat:: All of them.
Semara: Oh, death... / Whoa, Death / Won't you spare me over 'til another year? / Well what is this that I can't see? / With ice-cold hands takin' hold of me / Well I am Death, none can excel / I'll open the door to Heaven or Hell.
Ezra closed his eyes as he heard Semara’s words ringing in his ears. A sorrowful tune that held images in his mind of what it must be like for her to hear the ringing of a thousand plus crew members no more inside of her mind. Even their enemy deserved a moment of reflection.
Semara: :: Just above a whisper. :: Imza take them.
Ezra found himself whispering an amen, despite the fact he was not a religious person.
Morda: The rest of the Lattice task force is withdrawing. Exact bearings hard to discern, but Doppler shifting out for sure.
Ezra took a moment to make one last check of the sensors to confirm what they already knew. Life signs were empty. Everything felt silently hollow inside of him, just as it had been before. It was not his first brush with death. Nor his first time fighting an enemy they had once before. He had his counseling and dealt with all that had transpired in the months following the destruction of the Arrow and two Leviathan class starships. Despite all of that, deep inside he could still feel that pang of war and all that transpired. So much death and so many lives lost on both sides.
The remaining Tholian webspiners made a hasty retreat away from the remains of their attack force, Their cruiser limping along behind them, barely able to keep itself from falling behind like a wounded animal in a herd of grazing animals attempting to flee from its chasing predator.
Naxell: ::standing:: I don’t think they’ll be back any time soon. Lieutenant Semara, you have the conn. Let's get all available hands on damage control. I’m going to check in with Captain Rana.
Ezra had no words. He barely gave a nod in the Captain's direction as he acknowledged that Lieutenant Semara once again had the bridge.
Ezra looked over to see Ensign Morda at his station. Was he alright? Perhaps now was as good a time as any to relieve himself and Morda from the bridge. To give them both a moment away from viewscreens and the adrenaline they all must be feeling at the moment. Ezra casted a glance at Semara. By his estimation she had done as well as any helmsman or Captain. In fact, he’d summarized that she had more than made up for her test on the Constitution Class ship, during her first shore leave shortly after arriving on board the Khitomer. Some day she’d make a fine XO or even Captain. He was sure of it.
Zerva: ::to Semara:: By your leave ma’am, I’d like to check in with the rest of the security teams in person and assess any further security repairs on damage control as needed.
oO And a much needed break from the bridge. Oo
Semara: Response
Zerva: Yes ma’am, thank you.
Ezra made his way towards the turbolift and exited the bridge, thankful for a moment to catch his breath.
Tags/END for Lt. Jg. Ezra Zerva
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Lieutenant (JG) Ezra Zerva
Security Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240101EZ2