JP: Cadet Nilsen, Cadet Blackwood, Cadet Williams - Echo Squad Pt.2 - The Kuiper Belt

[Lhandon Nilsen]

(( Kuiper Belt, Training Mission, Stardate 229803.12 ))

Echo Squad’s instructor was tired of Suzanne volunteering to be second fiddle, co-pilot, in training, so on this mission, he ordered Suzanne to take the helm solo. Suzanne had proven herself to the tenure instructor and she wanted her to prove herself to the others.

Suzanne dropped into formation behind Lhandon and Sh'Mais’ shuttle, FH-421, and FH-422 for the training maneuvers. Everything seemed to be going as planned. The cadets shared comms while they completed their preflights, launches, and initial route planning, everything was in working order on their shuttles, and nothing seemed amiss.

Blackwood: =/\=  Everyone line up and wait, on me. =/\= 

Nilsen: =/\= When are we not waiting on you prince? =/\=

Sh'mais: =/\= One day, Farmboy will stop talking =/\=

Williams: ::used to comms, having been co-pilot:: =/\= Shuttle FH-434 confirming flight alignment with the formation. =/\=

Nilsen blasted his thrusters for a brief second and rocked the shuttle port to starboard like a racing driver warming their tires, ever the impatient one

Blackwood: =/\= Confirmed, Shuttle FH-434. Go next. =/\=

Sh’mais: =/\= Squad leader this is FH-422, ready to go on your mark =/\= 

Her flying was smooth and pretty much as by the book as it comes

The other cadets all checked in, and everyone was in the clear but Nilsen had been left to last, he knew why.

Nilsen: o0 Finally 0o =/\= FH-421 standing by and in formation=/\=

He quickly joined the group, full thrust to his position. 

Blackwood: =/\= Cadet Blackwood, requesting permission to proceed on flight path.

Ops: =/\= You are cleared to begin flight operations. =/\=

The squad began their maneuvers taking their direction from the lead fighter that Blackwood was in command of. Everything seemed to be going as planned, they had looped around the second moon, around the space debris, and were initiating the final leg. Suzanne noticed something small flying off Lhandon’s left maneuvering thruster, the thruster came loose and visibly went offline. 

Williams: =/\= Williams to Nilsen, your thrust… =/\=

Blackwood: =/\= Status Report, Nilsen. =/\=

It was too late Nilsen’s shuttle unexpectedly veered off to port and slammed into Sh’mais’s shuttle with such force that both shuttles were now falling into the gravity well of a nearby asteroid. 

Nilsen: =/\= Frack, something blew, =/\=

Nilsen fired the thrusters and another piece flew off, the thud was heard through the cabin and the console sparked and burned.

Blackwood: =/\= Farmboy, have you lost thrusters? Over. =/\=

In this instant Blackwood had spun his fighter around, pushing his thrusters as hard as possible.

There was some control available to Nilsen but it was limited. 

Sh’mais: (no response) 

Nilsen:  =/\= She’s heading for the asteroid. Frack, frack, frack. So am I =/\= 

Blackwood: =/\= (to Nilsen) I’m on your wing, reboot main power. (to Sh’mais) Shi, what’s your status? =/\=

Williams: =/\= Shi please, are you okay! =/\=

Nilsen: =/\= Shi, answer damn you =/\= 

Nilsen was trapped in the gravity well and fire engulfed the shuttle as more components failed around him.

Nislen: =/\= Frack, I'm stuck. Reboot negative prince, it won't turn off=/\=

Fire engulfed the shuttle and spread between every console as they screamed in agony and pain, as an asteroid seemed to want to make acquaintance with this training shuttle.

Flight Control: =/\= Cadet Blackwood, call off your pilot. Emergency beam out in operation. Have him disengage from this maneuver, we can be with you in 60 seconds =/\=

Blackwood: =/\= Farmboy, punch out. Control is prepping emergency transport. =/\=

Cadet Nilsen: =/\= That’s a negative. ::cough:: Don’t worry, I’ve got this. =/\=

The smoke inside the shuttle grew thicker, making it increasingly difficult for him to see.

Blackwood: =/\= Punch out Nilsen, that’s an order, we don’t need two situations! =/\=

Cadet Nilsen: =/\= Negative Blackwood. Shi, answer damn you =/\=

A plan had come to Nilsen's mind. 

Blackwood: =/\= Pilot, are you unable to follow my orders or refusing? =/\=

Cadet Nilsen: =/\= Refusing sir. I know what I’m doing ::cough:: Now let me fly. =/\=

Cadet Nilsen still had some control of the shuttle, and ahead of him was shuttle FH-422, which was in even worse shape and in complete free fall. Cadet Nilsen fired the thrusters forward and slowly made contact with the shuttle. The alloys scraped against each other, and both occupants would have been able to hear the screeching of the metals.

This time Flight Control intervened directly, Harrison could only watch in a mix of shock and desperate hope that the insubordinate pilot was making the right call in this situation. 

Flight Control: =/\= CADET NILSEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING???! =/\=

Cadet Nilsen: =/\= Make sure we both don’t go head first into…bzzzzzzzzzzzz =/\=. 

There was no explosion. The shuttle's underbelly slammed into the asteroids, the metal scraped and screamed against the surface, they both bounced a few times, maybe fate trying to get them back in flight again but each impact smacked both Nilsen and Sh’mais around in their respective shuttles that were very quickly becoming their coffins. 

The windscreen cracked on Nilsen’s shuttle, the air leaking out, only his flight suit keeping him alive, the shuttle finally came to a stop and Nilsen’s body was flung forward into the console, the cabin bending in around him and the console slammed off the interior hull and slammed into Nilsen’s leg.

Blackwood: =/\= Mayday, mayday, this is Echo-1 requesting medical and emergency teams to our position. Shuttles FH-422 and 421 are grounded, over. =/\=

Flight Control: =/\= Understood, Echo-1. Medical and emergency teams are on the way. =/\=

Blackwood: =/\= Williams, with me. We’re going down there. The rest of the squadron create a perimeter. =/\= 

Williams: =/\= Yes sir, on your six. =/\=

Unlike the unauthorized actions taken to get them down safely, the rescue was fairly by the book. Unfortunately, only Suzanne would ever deem the actions heroic, as from her perspective Lhandon had done what was right but in the eyes of the authorities, he was at fault. Anyone to have witnessed the crash would have thought fatalities were in order; to Starfleet, the Federation, and anyone else that care to pay attention, they were “lucky” they didn’t die, but Suzanne would always know the truth… Luck had nothing to do with it.

After a period of time that could have felt like a year, there was the smallest amount of comms activity. The signal barely got through, the voice was pained, quiet and the breaths were short.

Nilsen: =/\= bzzz…agh =/\=

Each breath could just be heard, they were in quick succession. 

Flight Control: =/\= Rescue ships have been dispatched, all other echo members stand down and return to base, that is an order. =/\=

Suzanne and Blackwood were already on the asteroid and making an EVA to the crashed shuttles. Suzanne wasn’t going to leave before she could check on her squad mates, and they were already on the ground anyway, be pointless to return quite yet.

There was fire from both shuttles, an intense burning ember could be seen before the emptiness of space prevented the flames from flying out, but the smoke still escaped and covered the asteroid of space in a stubborn smog.

Williams: ::keying her mic on and off:: =/\= Cont…do not copy…epeat. =/\=

Harrison tossed a glance at William’s creative solution to direct orders. In other cases, he would’ve scolded it, but this situation called for a different outlook. He nodded her along.

Blackwood: =/\= Come on, let’s get them. =/\=

Nilsen:=/\=…it…bzzz…hurts=/\=

Sh’mais: =/\= (No Response) =/\= 

Williams: =/\= Lhandon! What’s your flight suite status? =/\=

Nilsen: =/\=...I…bzzz…can’t…::cough::=/\=

His coughing was cut off by the interference.

Williams: =/\= Stay still, we’re checking on Shi. =/\=

It wasn’t long before a rescue ship and a hospital ship, which was on the other side of the system, arrived at the asteroid. Suzanne and Blackwood had made it to Shi’s shuttle but were still trying to gain access when the transitioning beam of a transporter whisked her away to the hospital ship. A beam of light shining through the visual ports of the downed shuttles, no doubt could be had that all were at least recovered, a safe and healthy status yet to be determined.

Flight Control: =/\= Medical reports they are unable to get a lock on Nilsen. =/\=

Blackwood: =/\= Acknowledged, Control. Williams and I en route. =/\=

Willams: =/\= What’s your plan for when we get there? =/\= 

Flight Control: =/\= You can’t risk moving him, stand down, you’ve done more than enough =/\=

Blackwood: =/\= We’re going to help you get a lock, over. =/\=

Williams: =/\= Blackwood! We aren’t prepared for EVA, what the frack are you planning? =/\= 

Nilsen: =/\= Prince…I…bzzz…hel…=/\= 

Blackwood: =/\= Keep talking, Echo! =/\=

Harrison exchanged a look with Suzanne, hoping she would keep him talking. 

Williams: =/\=  Listen, Lhando, we need you to respond, we need you to let us know you're ok! =/\= 

Nilsen: =/\= (No response) =/\= 

They set their crafts down nearby and Harrison extended his shields to create a makeshift survivable environment, in case Lhandon was hurt and his suit compromised. Both Williams and Blackwood rushed to the downed shuttle.

The back of the shuttle was burning a bright ember and could almost be seen through the thick smog billowing out through the partially opened back door.

Harrison went around back, attempting to pull the ramp down without success.

oO Damn it. Think quickly. Oo

There and then he spotted a long steel pipe among the debris. He picked it up and drove it between the gaps of the shuttle and ramp and leaned down.

Blackwood: =/\= Help me out here, Williams. We need to force the door. =/\=

The two of them were able to put enough leverage on the pipe for the magnetic safety interlocks to release and the ramp dropped with a thud.

Williams: Lhandon!! Can you hear us? ::shouting::

Only one panel was active, the rest were dark and dead. The shuttle was filled up with smoke 

Williams tugged on a dry fire suppressant release valve and the shuttle filled momentarily with a powdery substance covering every surface, even through their flight suits they could feel the immediate result, a cooling to almost subzero temperatures, now that the fires were out.

Suzanne could see the wreckage of the control panels around the cockpit, moving into the shuttle further they could make out the arm and hand of a pilot below the debris.

Williams: Help me out here. ::to Blackwood::

Blackwood: I’m coming, we’ve got to shift some of this debris.

Nilsen was lying face-up in the shuttle, a small leak was coming out of his helmet, and his leg was trapped between the floor and a dislodged console. As they got to him, they could see the crack in the helmet, and the blood that poured out of his face had settled.

Blackwood: =/\= Control, be ready to beam out Cadet Nilsen, requires EMA on arrival. =/\=

Flight Control: =/\= Ready and waiting, Cadet Blackwood. =/\=

Blackwood: Just… keep him talking, Williams. I need a second.

Williams: Listen, you didn’t let Blackwood's sucker punch take you down, you won't let this either, you hear me?!

Nilsen groaned, his vision blurry, he couldn’t get a word out and slowly slipped back into unconsciousness.

Meanwhile, Blackwood went to the shuttle’s damaged primary console, bringing up the navigational deflector array. He went under, pulling the broken panel off.

Williams: Are you sure that won’t hurt him more?

Blackwood: I know what I’m doing. Just another minute.

He ripped several wires out, physically manipulating the deflector’s output nodes. He hoped the boosted output would be enough to pierce through the atmospheric interference.

Blackwood: Computer, initiate deflector pulse in T-minus 10 seconds.  

Williams: Wait, won’t that radiate us all?

Blackwood: Well, back up then. Unless you want to get scrambled. 

Williams: Ok, but be careful for Nilsen!!

Blackwood: I’m being as careful as I can, it should all be concentrated outside. 

The countdown echoed through the cockpit, eventually reaching zero. A concentrated beam of energy shot out from the shuttle’s deflector dish, allowing a window of opportunity.

The glowing beam of energy enveloped Nilsen, and in an instant, he dematerialized from the wreck.

Blackwood: Come on, let’s get back…

Williams: That was (beat) a good idea Blackwood.

[End Scene - This story will continue in the next shore leave))

Cadet Lhandon Joseph Nilsen

Echo Squad 

Starfleet Academy 

O240007LN1

He/Him/His (Both player and character)

Cadet Williams

Echo Squad

Starfleet Academy

Writer ID.: O239910TA4

Cadet Harrison Thomas Blackwood

Echo Squad

Starfleet Academy

A240007HB2