Commander Rouiancet: Crises, Plural

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(( Science Lab 1, Deck 9, USS 'Oumuamua ))

Nilsen: But someone with my history, it's not a good idea to keep me around.

Lia shook her head at once, because she didn't like to hear that kind of self-deprecation at all. There was a time for reflection, of course, but that kind of negative thought wasn't what she considered a healthy part of that process.

Rouiancet: Sure it is. They make a choice, every time. You might've been reassigned, or transferred. But you're still here.

Nilsen: I…I am…but why haven’t they…I mean I would reassign me, I mean…I ain’t a good person.

She was about to put a brusque stop to that kind of talk, and she squatted slightly to bring her eyeline down to his, where he still sat. However, she realized as she did so that he was a moment away from weeping, and she pivoted in a moment.

Rouiancet: (gentle) Hey, come on--

A sudden, deep vibration under her feet. A resonant sound that she felt more than she heard, down to her bones, in the moments before the echoes of an explosion worked their way to the lab. The lights faded immediately to red alert, and Lia was already reacting before she had time to think properly about how unlikely an emergency at a friendly port was.

Rouiancet: We need to find out what's going on. What's nearest?

They were in a science lab already, but Lia didn't want to perform data analyses, at least not without knowing what she was analyzing. They needed answers first.

Nilsen: The OC? We can help from there.

Rouiancet: Good, let's go.

(( Operations Center, Deck 5 ))

The pair entered the ops center at full speed, to find the place already a center of activity. So much the better, since whatever had happened might well have caught the ship unprepared. She hoped that no one was injured, and if the ship had been empty there would have been little chance of that, but having officers and crew aboard meant an immediate reaction. Given how they found Lieutenant Arlill, Lia suspected that was exactly what had happened.

Nilsen: What happened Tox? How can we help?

Arlill: Get on that console (pointing) get me a status report for those decks.

Ensign Nilsen did exactly that, no trace of the emotion he'd shown Lia remaining. He'd shifted into action mode as quickly as she had, and she joined him at the console.

Nilsen: Decks A through D have hull breaches, Deck E has heavy damage but force fields are holding. The computer says that there were at least two life signs on deck A. Herrick and (beat) Shevon Sherlock??? But internal sensors are down.

Rouiancet: Confirmed, and (relieved) no casualties.

Or at least they'd be able to confirm that as soon as they confirmed the whereabouts of Lieutenant Herrick and -- someone Sherlock. Not their Lieutenant Aine? The computer confirmed, but Lia didn't know who the unknown Sherlock might be.

Nilsen: I hope they made it out.

Arlill: Get the transporter chief down here, I want every transporter manned and ready for evacuations should the order be given.

Rouiancet: I'll get word to Isslai.

If Lia's memory served, the Selay transporter chief preferred to spend her shore leaves in a warm torpor in her quarters with all the light and heat they could provide, unless they happened to be staying over on a world where she could find sunny climes with temperatures above 50C -- and Bajor, Lia thought, didn't fit the bill. She sent an immediate notification to both Isslai and the programs that ran her quarters' environmental controls, although the Selay's emergence from her torpor couldn't be hurried.

Nilsen: The single damage control team we have on board are responding but they’re having trouble getting through.

Arlill: (to the sens-ops officer) Do we have any sensors at all? (to Lhandon) If you can reach that response team, tell them to hold fast at access tube 38 baker, we need to make sure whatever is causing this has finished.

Rouiancet: And figure out what caused it in the first place.

The station personnel were already on that, she was sure. They would assume that the remaining crew on 'Oumuamua were dead or incapacitated, as protocol required for such a situation, but that didn't mean that they had to act as if they were. There was plenty they could do.

Nilsen/Any: Response

Arlill: A good idea Lhando (looking at Rouiancet) do you mind lending him a hand commander? 

Rouiancet: Not at all, I'm here to help.

Nilsen/Any: Response

Arlill: A great idea! 

And he lost no time in doing just that. Even as Lia worked, she listened with all her might, doing her best to confirm that Herrick was there, that there had been no casualties.

Arlill: =/\= Arlill to Herrick, do you read me. (beat) Josh, do you copy? =/\=

Nilsen/Any: Response

Arlill: I don’t care, we need a report and we need it now, the commodore will no doubt be calling on me in second to give a report, (beat) can anyone tell me what happened? Are we under attack?

Herrick: =/\= I do, Lieutenant. =/\=

Thank the stars!

Herrick: =/\= I have Shevon Sherlock with me. The EPS conduits seem to be failing up on Deck A for some unknown reason.

Rouiancet: (quietly, to Nilsen) EPS systems. Let's shut off the primary and secondary plasma distribution networks at the MARA. It'll cause a temporary buildup, but better than having more explosions.

Nilsen: Response

Shevon/Arlill: =/\= Response =/\=

Herrick: =/\= You mean it’s happening on all three decks? What about Deck D... Delta? =/\=

Shevon/Arlill: =/\= Response =/\=

Herrick: =/\= If we can’t determine why it’s cascading, then we’re going to need to detach the pod manually from the catamaran using the interior pneumatic release on Delta. It takes two, and if my colleague here is willing to, we might be able to separate it from the ship and stem it off… (another cavernous explosion) before we take out us, and a good part of DS9. =/\=

Lia tapped her comm badge to add herself into the conversation.

Rouiancet: =/\= This is Rouiancet. Lieutenant, we're trying to shut down the EPS network directly, but (with a glance at Nilsen for confirmation) we're having trouble getting through. (beat, more glances around) That plan might be best. =/\=

Lia wasn't the most well-versed officer on the call when it came to the ship's systems -- both Herrick and Arlill were more familiar -- but she was the ranking officer. If she ordered a particularly course of action, they would do it. More to the point, if she ordered Herrick and his companion to do as he suggested, those actions would be her responsibility.

Nilsen/Shevon/Arlill/Herrick: =/\= Responses =/\=

She gave a curt nod. Very well.

Rouiancet: =/\= Proceed with manual detachment. =/\=

Nilsen/Shevon/Arlill/Herrick: =/\= Responses =/\=

Tags! and TBC!

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Commander Lia Rouiancet

Strategic Operations Officer

USS 'Oumuamua

V238208LV0

she/her/hers (this character) & he/him/his (player)