Lieutenant JG Ras El'Heem - The Weight of a Half Pip Pt.1

[Ras El'Heem]

((Shuttlebay, Deck 2, USS Khitomer))

 

Ras sucked air through his teeth and tapped his commbadge.

 

El’Heem: =/\= El’Heem to bridge. Are comms restored or am I talking to myself here? =/\=

 

Hobart: =/\= This is the bridge. I read you, Doctor. What's your status? =/\=

 

His shoulders relaxed, he hadn’t realized how tense he was. Before he contacted the bridge there existed a bridge where the crew there were still alive, but also a bridge where they had succumbed to loss of atmosphere. Schrodinger’s Hobart and all that.

 

Zerva: =/\= Response =/\=

 

El’Heem: =/\= Cap. Good to hear you are hanging in there. We made it to shuttle bay after some mild gravitational hiccups but emergency power was restored before we connected the shuttle to the Khitomer. We’ve since spliced the Type 11’s warp drive into the Khitomer’s power supply but we ran into something ::pausing:: peculiar. It would seem the gel packs in both the Type 11 and the Ouchita are bad. Not sure in what way or why but I thought you should know. =/\=

 

Hobart: =/\= Yes, it's that way for Khitomer, as well. Ensign Prix, what's your assessment? Can they fly? =/\=

 

The doctor looked towards ensign Prix.

 

Prix: =/\= The Ouchita’s systems can bypass the gel pack. She’ll fly. =/\=

 

Zerva: =/\= Response =/\=

 

Hobart: =/\= Prep the Ouchita. As soon as she's flightworthy, let me know. Standby for shipwide; Bridge out. =/\=

 

“Prep the Ouchita.” Ras lifted his left shoulder and shrugged it. It popped softly as the joint lightly subluxated before it fully reseated. He fixated on the tensing of the muscles connecting it to his neck. That nervous energy from before crept back into his stomach. If he could have had anyone for this mission, Prix would have been his choice. Ras had seen her fly directly, and indirectly on almost all his missions since he was assigned to the Khitomer. He took a deep breath and stood in silence as he waited for Hobart to reassert himself over the commline.

 

Hobart: =/\= All hands, this is the Captain. As you can tell power and communications have been restored. Injuries should immediately report to Sickbay on deck six, or the aid station on deck thirteen. =/\=

 

oO Or in our case, your friendly neighborhood Kressari. Oo

 

Hobart: =/\= We are currently without propulsion, and we are caught in a subspace anomaly. You may continue to feel shudders as the ship is pulled by currents around a small, newly formed singularity. =/\=

 

The breath that caught in Ras’s chest over the news was at odds with the casual way the statement was delivered. A singularity was serious. Not just a minor concern, but the kind of threat that could swallow a ship the size of the Khitomer, depending on the type, nevermind the size of the singularity. Yet Ras could hear the composure and certainty in Hobart’s voice. It was not just the conviction of someone who happened to sit in the Captain’s chair, but of someone who was the Captain. He trusted the man and let the hitched breath free.

 

Hobart: =/\= Our first priority is to restore the ship. Our second is to free it. You should also be aware that the probe is still out there and we have reason to believe it risks a misfire. The inoculation we've received should protect us, but it won't protect the ship. For now, keep communications to a necessary minimum. Direct medical concerns to Commander Ohnari. Direct engineering matters to Commander Dewitt. And direct scientific concerns to Lieutenant Semara. We will get through and out of this together. Hobart out. =/\=

 

Ras’s hand rested on his neck where he had been rubbing in a soothing manner while the captain talked. He stopped rubbing and stared at the ground before looking at Prix without lifting his head. Their eyes met.

 

Prix: He knows that the Ouchita won’t be able to tow the Khitomer out of this nebula, does he?

 

El’Heem: ::lifting his chin to meet her gaze directly.:: He knows, ensign. He’s got other plans.

 

Prix shrugged and as she left the shuttle, Ras followed, ducking to avoid bumping his ridges on the door frame.

 

Prix: Let get her ready for departure. It should only take a couple of minutes.

 

El’Heem: I hope you know what you’re doing Prix.

 

He stepped down from the shuttle and bounced exaggeratedly to keep his momentum and move with a sense of urgency. The two of them crossed briskly towards the Ouchita, one bay over. The rhythmic clank of boots against deck that echoed hollowly through the liminally quiet shuttle bay was interrupted by the entrance of another officer. Ras turned and saw the Vulcan woman standing in the doorway.

Tags/TBC

Lieutenant JG Ras El’Heem

Medical Officer

USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)

K240106RE3