[G] Commander Ross - Fade to Black

[Quinn Reynolds]

(( Nygel II ))

 

::On scale of one to stupid, Harry had come to the conclusion that his plan rated deranged. He hadn't held much hope of being able to overpower the Orion — that would be a unlikely victory at the best of times, and damned near impossible in his current state — but he had hoped to have caused the pirate captain *some* trouble.

::As it was, after trading a few blows and a brief grapple on the ground, Harry found himself pinned and the Orion's punch bag. His lip was split, his left eye was already swelling shut and his side was throbbing where Pasht-Nos had delivered a few jabs to his kidney.::

PASHT-NOS: Typical Starfleet arrogance. You think your technology and resources make you superior, but in the end, you're just a pathetic weakling hiding in a fancy uniform.

::The Orion bellowed with laughter and when the next blow landed, Harry felt his nose break. Not the first time it had ever happened, but it didn't hurt any the less for it.::

PASHT-NOS: Don't worry. I won't kill you yet, Commander. I'm going to make you watch as I kill the rest of your team first. I'll make you watch and see how you've failed them.

::There was a cocky, sick grin on the Orion's face as he loomed above, raising his meaty fist into the air. This, Harry was quite sure, was going to be lights out.

::Instead, Pasht-Nos' eyes rolled back into his head and he flopped forward, prompting a pained "oof" from Harry as the Orion's full weight collided with his battered, bruised, burned chest. He tried to murmur a thank you to the Vulcan looming over them, but he didn't have the breath.::

SAVERON: Doctor T’Vai, if you will assist me please.

 

::Between them, they dragged the unconscious Orion clear of Harry. He heaved in a lungful of air and instantly regretted it as he heaved a pained cough.::

 

SAVERON: ::Dry,:: I believe that my earlier observation is validated, Commander. 

::Harry didn't have the will or the energy to make a quip. Instead, he just nodded as he lay there, trying to catch his breath.::

 

SAVERON: Are you injured… further?

::With the slow, cautious gait of the unsteady, Harry eased himself to his feet. Blood dripped from his nose, and he was fairly certain that wasn't the only thing the Orion had broken in their scuffle. He held the cuff of his sleeve to his top lip, and gestured toward the two members of the away team who had yet to see any professional medical attention.::

 

ROSS: I'll live. See to Rahman and DeVeau.

::The two doctors moved away to do just that. At first, Harry couldn't tell if the whine he could hear was the ringing of his ears or the Gateway machinery, but the accompanying static charge and look of pure wonder on Rahman's face easily convinced him it was the latter.

::He followed her gaze, watching as the circular portal flickered through locations, none of which he recognised. It was a marvel, and he wished he could view it with all the awe that Rahman did… but instead he could only see the threat it represented.::

RAHMAN: What about the Gateway, commander?

PASHT-NOS: Yes, what about the Gateway?

DeVEAU: ::Whispered,:: No, no, no, no, no...

::He closed his eyes a moment, and turned toward the source of the voice. Pasht-Nos had regained consciousness and possession of his disruptor rifle, now pointed at them.::

ROSS: Step on through, we won't stop you.

PASHT-NOS: I changed my mind, commander, about killing your team. ::A sadistic smile crept across his face as he aimed the weapon squarely at Harry.:: I'll start with you.

DeVEAU: No!

T'VAI: Commander!

::They cried out at the same moment as the Orion's trigger finger twitched — but nothing happened. It took both predator and prey a moment to realise that he was still standing, the disruptor as dead as Harry was supposed to be.

::He was almost disappointed. The alternative option for the pirate captain was going to hurt a hell of a lot more.

::But before that option could be explored, a high-pitched feral cry echoed down from above. Two large alien figures collided with Pasht-Nos, their shrieks mixing with the Orion's roar of fury. The trio tumbled in affray, directly toward DeVeau who stood there like a rabbit in the headlights. 

::His reactions were slow, but thankfully T'Vai's were not. She barrelled into the science officer, tackling her to the ground and out of immediate harm's way. The furious tangle of bodies that was the Orion and his two aggressors continued on, through the Gateway.

::It was more than the ancient, damaged machinery could take. A wave of energy knocked them to the ground, and the cavern's resulting trickle of gravel threatened to turn into an avalanche of rocks.::

RAHMAN: Oh, dear…

::The tiniest of grins tugged at one corner of his mouth and he looked at Rahman. Queen of the understatement, it seemed. He hauled himself to his feet, though it took a couple of attempts. They needed to get out of the cavern before it collapsed on top of them.::

KELLS: =/\= Kells to Ross and away team. =/\=

ROSS:=/\= This… ::He grimaced, instinctively clutching at his chest. Breathing shouldn't be this hard.:: Ross. =/\=

KELLS: =/\= We've just arrived on the planet's surface in the Walter Schirra. How can we assist? =/\=

RAHMAN: =/\= Captain, we need an emergency beam out now to the surface! =/\=

::He nodded his gratitude, leaning on the rim of the Gateway console for support.::

RAHMAN: Lieutenant, grab onto someone!

::He didn't see if DeVeau managed to do so, entirely preoccupied by Rahman's sudden appearance at his side, a grunt of pain accompanying her sudden embrace, even as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

::Then there were on the surface, watching the ground collapse in on the chamber, and he wasn't sure who was propping who up. Either way, the world was fading into grey and that wasn't a good sign.::

ROSS: ::Quietly,:: Roshanara, I... ::He winced.:: ...could use a doctor n— 

::And he felt his knees buckle as everything went from grey to black.::

--

Commander Harrison Ross

First Officer

USS Mercury

simmed by

 

Captain Quinn Reynolds
Director of Intelligence

USS Mercury