Commander Rouiancet: Manual Release

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(( Operations Center, Deck 5, USS 'Oumuamua ))

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

The order was given, and Lia hoped and hoped and continued to hope that she had done the right thing.

S. Sherlock: =/\= We'll, uh, yeah, we'll do it! =/\=

Arlill: =/\= Begin with the detachment protocols, we’ll shut down turbolifts and severe conduit connections simultaneously. =/\=

Lia nodded, to herself and to her companions, and prepared to do exactly that.

Nilsen: =/\= When you two are in position. Let me know, and I’ll do everything I need to here. (beat) And Josh…good luck mate=/\=

Arlill: =/\= Don’t think this is going to get you out of paying up for that last poker game! =/\=

Herrick: =/\= Well, if my luck holds, this might be a time to actually take up the game. =/\=

While this was going on, Lia had continued to prepare for the separation of the mission pod. When Lieutenant Herrick and his companion were ready, they should be able to proceed with no trouble. Assuming, of course, that they moved quickly -- which Lia thought as another, but no less distressing, explosion rocked the ship.

Nilsen: Tox, can I dispatch a shuttle to beam them out if they get trapped?

Lieutenant Arlill took a few moments to answer that question, and then a few moments more, enough time that Lia looked up from the controls to see what he was thinking.

Arlill: No (beat) you and I need to do this, we’re more likely to succeed together. (to Lia) Commander, can you take charge here? We’ve severed the connections we needed to and were able to from here, it’s up to Josh and his new engineer.

His new engineer? Yes, that made sense... And then Lia realized what the lieutenant was asking. She wanted to object, because it would be far from risk-free, but she'd just ordered Herrick and the engineer Sherlock into a potentially deadly situation. She could hardly object that Arlill was volunteering for the same, especially because having them as backup might well save Herrick and Sherlock. Plus, hadn't she just been trying to pep Nilsen up regarding his service? What better way to do that than to save the day in a high-risk situation?

She smiled slightly, as if anything about the situation was amusing, and nodded.

Rouiancet: Sure. Go on.

The lieutenant and the ensign headed for the door as quickly as they could, though Lia heard Arlill's notification and Lieutenant Herrick's response as they headed toward their shuttle.

Arlill: =/\= Toxin to Josh. We’re on our way, as soon as you sever that connection you’ll be cut off, stand by for a beam out. =/\=

Herrick: =/\= Acknowledged, wish us luck! =/\=

Although the Operations Center, even now -- especially now -- wasn't empty, Lia was the only one coordinating, and she felt the sudden loneliness of that position acutely. Was this what command would be like? Certainly that would be a part of it, but she'd been in strategic ops for years now, with an extended stint aboard the Veritas as its chief of operations. She was no stranger to the potential isolation in her rank -- but, she realized, she was used to it as isolation, and to be thrust into a situation in which she had to coordinate while the stakes were high was a rude reminder of what she'd have coming.

Herrick: =/\= Herrick here, it's go time. =/\=

Rouiancet: =/\= This is Rouiancet. Standing by with support as needed. =/\=

S. Sherlock / Arlill / Nilsen: =/\= Responses =/\=

It wasn't correct to describe what Lia did next as waiting, since she was certainly active, making dozens of tiny adjustments and tracking dozens more systems displays, alerts, communications, items of interest, potential dangers, and more. She was also now online with DS9's Ops, primarily to evacuate anyone else still aboard 'Oumuamua. The "why" would come later. For now, the important thing was to make sure that everyone was safe, and that further damage was minimized.

Rouiancet: =/\= Still looking acceptable from down here, but hurry, please. =/\=

She heard Lieutenant Herrick try, fail, and then succeed to engage the manual release system, and then, in an act she couldn't really believe she was witnessing, let alone that she'd ordered, proceed.

Herrick / S. Sherlock / Arlill / Nilsen: =/\= Responses =/\=

Rouiancet: =/\= Confirmed. Separation has occurred. =/\=

Now, however, they had to get the pod away from the ship and the station.

Herrick / S. Sherlock / Arlill / Nilsen: =/\= Responses =/\=

Tags! and TBC!

--

Commander Lia Rouiancet

Strategic Operations Officer

USS 'Oumuamua

V238208LV0

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