Cadet Kherys Harper - "Search and Rescue" (Bailey/Dunamis/Galven/A.Harper)
Amanda Nordstrom
((Pirate Ship Drowning Band))
Kherys had never been on an away mission before. Well, okay, that wasn’t quite accurate. She’d been tapped by Doctor Bailey to join them when they’d discovered the USS Nimitz. She had not, however, been tagged to go board with an away team. This time, however, she was assigned to accompany Ensign Dunamis aboard the Drowning Band. After they had found themselves in a dark and empty room, they’d discovered the door, gone down the hallway, only to cme face to face with two pirates, a Tellerite and an Andorian. The first was dispatched immediately by the quick thinking Kelpian, but the second managed to dart off and slam into a communications panel, initiating a connection.
Andorian Pirate: =/\= Elypoth to Farrow! We are be- =/\=
He never finished his sentence because, once again, Ensign Dunamis was quick thinking and stunned the man. Immediately, the Andorian collapsed and Kherys took a deep breath. Those were taken care of.
K.Harper: We should...maybe put them somewhere less easily seen?
Kherys couldn’t help but draw close and check the man’s vitals. Yes, just stunned, and okay except that he was going to have a nasty headache when he awoke.
Dune: No time. He has already alerted the captain of our presence. We must seize this window of opportunity to search for our crew before we are overwhelmed.
Right, because the place was crawling with pirates and there were just two of them. So much for being covert.
K.Harper: Right . We need to find our friends.
She paused for a moment, thinking.
K.Harper: It’s likely they’re with all the other things that were taken. And all those probably taken to somewhere for storage - like a cargo hold.
Without a word, Ensign Dunamis moved to a panel and brought up a schematic of the ship. Kherys drew alongside him and watched him do his magic.
Dune: Two decks down. We will need to make our rescue swift.
K.Harper: Right. Perhaps, though, they’ve managed to cause some trouble for their hosts.
If she didn’t know anything else, Kherys knew that Starfleet officers were capable, even when the odds were stacked against them. She could just imagine them scrambling all over a person, or biting the fingers of hands that attempted to grab them.
Dune: In that case, we shan’t keep them waiting. The cargo hold is our first port of call. Be prepared to meet resistance.
K.Harper: Yes sir.
Resistance. She didn’t want to fight, but as before, she knew there were times that was unavoidable. This was one of those times.
K.Harper: Perhaps, though, we’ll be fortunate to avoid that. We are outnumbered.
And they likely had far more experience in combat than she did, even with Tony’s training.
Dune: None we shan’t do our best to fend off. Come.
She followed him to a turbolift and entered with him. As he gave the command, music began to play and Kherys couldn't help but chuckle softly. Music in a turbolift on a pirate ship? The idea was so ridiculous, but there they were, standing and waiting while it was playing.
Dune: ::readying his phaser:: Elevator music. I was told Earth elevators of old employed its use. ::with a grimace:: I see that the music is similarly bad.
K.Harper: Yes. It is.
Some commercial turbolifts still offered music, especially when one was traveling through a large building where they would have to remain a moment or two to get to their destination. And, as the Ensign indicated, it was usually pretty bad. Suddenly, Kherys felt something. Or rather, she felt someone. Someone familiar. K.Harper: Computer, stop turbolift!
It worked and it jerked to a halt.
K.Harper: Open the doors. THere was a shift as the turbolift took a moment to align with the floor, then the doors parted and Kherys stepped out, her face set with determination.
Dunamis: Response
K.Harper: I know this isn’t where the cargo bay is...but...I feel someone. Doctor Bailey.
Quickly, she moved forward again, certain of her course. The woman was so familiar after having worked side by side with her for so long, there was no way Kherys could mistake her for someone else. She didn’t pause, wouldn’t pause even with any protest.
A pirate stepped out of a room, but his time, Kherys was ready. She’d already prepared her phaser in the turbolift and lifted to bring in a stunning shot before the man could respond. Then she kept on walking. Suddenly, she paused, turned around and faced a door she had just passed.
K.Harper: We need to get inside. Doctor Bailey is in there. Dunamis: Response
Kherys stepped to the side and let the man work. It didn’t take him long. Dunamis was not only capable, but efficient. A moment later, they were inside. Kherys moved forward and went to the center of the room. Her eyes scanned the area, but she didn’t see her. She could still feel her. Turning, she faced another set of doors and Kherys stepped through.
The glow immediately hit her, bright and warm. Kherys paused, surprised by the suddenness of it. After a moment, her eyes adjusted and she realised there was a cat beside a glowing orb which could only be the Orb of the Prophets. On the floor were three bodies, two familiar, and one unfamiliar.
K.Harper: Doctor Bailey?
Bailey/Dunamis/Galven/A.Harper
Carefully, Kherys dropped down on the floor and a smile spread over her face. They’d found them! Well, some of them. There was a third person with them, one that Kherys didn’t recognise.
K.Harper: Are you all okay?
Bailey/Dunamis/Galven/A.Harper
Kherys’ eyes returned to the object on the dresser. She rose and, careful not to step on anyone, moved to it and closed the box, smothering the glow. The cat looked up at her and squeaked.
K.Harper: Ensign Dunamis, would you mind carrying the Orb? Perhaps now that we have this, we can use it to convince the captain to let our friends go.
Bailey/Dunamis/Galven/A.Harper
K.Harper: If we force them to drop the shields, the Narendra can lock on to the life signs of our people and beam us all back.
Bailey/Dunamis/Galven/A.Harper
-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kherys Harper Cadet Starbase 118 Ops M239008AD0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~