Ensign Herrick: Milk and Kookies?
Mark P
(OOC: Just doing this on the plane, (closest I can get to subspace), please bear with any formatting issues)
((Shuttlecraft York))
The two Starfleet teams were producing plenty of questions, but answers were in short supply. Who were the shape shifters? What was the NX ship? How would they widen the gap between the colony and the now disassociated hunk that was still disintegrating? Would they get home?
Tan provided a further update, highlighting just how fraught with risk their original plan had been. It had been a long shot, and it was now turning into a marginal success.
Perez: =/\= Sorry again, but the big rock just cracked in half... I mean, in two. I mean... oh... sand. =/\=
Flint: =/\= That does not sound so favorable. Perez, Nijal; we need to get down there now and pull the shuttle off the asteroid. (beat) Lieutenant Corelli, we are coming down now. Whatever you are going to do (beat) do it fast. =/\=
Nijal: =/\= I have to agree, Chief. We're coming for you now. Whether we try to tractor York up or wedge you in, we're going to help. =/\=
Corelli: =/\= The shuttle should take the stress, its designed to deal with cargo. Lets try it! One problem at a time. =/\=
Josh appreciated this more linear approach to tackling problems; if they spent too much time trying to decide, they would potentially wind up with losses on all fronts.
Flint: =/\= Responses =/\=
Perez: =/\= Coordinating lift program, Nijal, Flint... =/\=
Kel: =/\= We should get in the shuttle to move the asteroid away from the nebula. I suggest we use EV suits to save the time of sealing up the door. =/\=
Josh simply nodded at the doctor’s idea. He wasn’t a fan of yet another cramped space but wasn’t a fan of suffocating either. The EVA suit seemed a logical choice. It was that moment that he committed to making an appointment with Doctor Salo; before this issue would start directly impacting his ability to perform his duties.
Nijal: =/\= Acknowledged, York. Here we come. =/\=
Herrick: (under his breath) Away we go...
Flint: =/\= Responses =/\=
Perez: ::whispering:: =/\= Please don't die, please don't die, ple... =/\=
Corelli: =/\= There should be enough EVA suits. Doctor, could you signal the workbees to go ahead? Whose gonna die? =/\=
Josh smiled at the last statement, the Chief, as usual, was great at helping break the tension. He looked over at the chief, grabbing and handing out the EVA suits to him and the Doctor. Richards wouldn’t be making the ride with them, still recuperating with the locals after his injury on this mission.
Each of the officers slipped on the suits; Josh with less grace as the bumps and bruises from their go-kart-esque mine rides has become a more prominent pain. It was manageable, and another welcome distraction – it would keep his mind from wandering.
Kel: =/\= O.K. Workbees. Give us the old heave ho. =/\=
The workbees zipped quickly into position, hovering a few meters above the ground.
Nijal: =/\= Petty Officer, Lieutenant, I'm configuring my tractor beam right now. Sending my configurations in a moment. Prepare to engage on my mark. =/\=
Herrick: =/\= Checking what systems are online ::tapping his panel:: It looks like we’ll hold =/\=
Flint: =/\= Responses =/\=
Perez: =/\= Standing by. =/\=
Corelli: =/\= Might want to hang on to something; no inertial dampers. =/\=
He looked over at the chief, grabbing and handing out the EVA suits to him and the Doctor. Richards wouldn’t be making the ride with them, still recuperating with the locals after his injury on this mission.
Nijal: =/\= Aaaand -- mark! =/\=
As the beam envolved the shuttle, there was a slight groan as the weight shifted from the gravity of the asteroid and in the anti-grav field.
Flint: =/\= Responses =/\=
Perez: =/\= Everyone ok? I mean, Flint? Nijal? How are we doing? =/\=
Corelli: =/\= Yes, feels good down here. So whoever is keeping score, Richard's is not allowed to pilot anymore. =/\=
The shuttle deck shook as it lifted off, but soon smoothed out. The scene out the hatch swiftly changed from colony buildings to swirling clouds.
Kel: =/\= Do not drop us. =/\=
Nijal: =/\= With the asteroid's low mass, you wouldn't fall back down very quickly. (beat) Just joking, sir. =/\=
Flint: =/\= Responses =/\=
Corelli: =/\= Josh, do the thrusters even work? Impulse? =/\=
Herrick: =/\= Rechecking... thrusters are reporting green. ::he watches as the sequence hanged on the impulse readout:: =/\=
In a moment, the gentle rise of the shuttle sharply changed, and the shuttle rocked; as Josh looked back, he saw the entire back end of the shuttle detach and start to fall backwards towards the ground.
Herrick: =/\= Errr... Aft thrusters and impulse control is now non-existent. We (semi-confidently) should be able to use the remaining attached thrusters. We just need to give it momentum. =/\=
Josh tried to remember that golf term that people used to tell people to watch out. He mentally shouted ‘Five!’, feeling like a history buff.
Perez: =/\= Hey, I'm sorry, Ensign Nijal, I'm reading a 0.2% variance in tractor frequency. Is that a problem? =/\=
Kel: ::tensely:: =/\= I'm sorry I forgot to say please. Please do not drop us. =/\=
Herrick: =/\= As long as we make out better than the aft section, I’m happy. =/\=
Flint: Response
Perez: =/\= Understood, I will try not to worry. It's easier than breathing for me though. =/\=
Corelli: =/\= I wouldn't worry, we're well within the tolerance for three workbees doing a tandem lift. =/\=
The back end of the shuttle was suddenly brought level again with the front. The environmental controls were offline given the lack of a door to contain the atmosphere. Most of the rest of the shuttle seemed to be working.
Kel: =/\= So you're going to put us between the safe side of the asteroid and the nebula side. Then we just push? Is it that simple? =/\=
Nijal: =/\= Should be. We'll stay on site the whole time in case it isn't, but -- yes. I think. =/\=
Herrick: =/\= We might just need to try it and see what the results are, one problem at a time! =/\=
Flint: Response
Corelli: =/\= Who came up with this little rescue plan in the first place? =/\=
As they moved into position behind the asteroid section containing the colony, the remnants of the main power core still glowed with failing life.
Perez: =/\= Are we sure about this?
Herrick: oO Not really, but I’m not saying that now... Oo
Nijal: =/\= Give us about twenty seconds more, York, and you'll be in position. =/\=
Flint: Response
Josh had been trying to get better read outs from the system when he noticed his surroundings darken; he looked around but couldn’t find a discernible source.
Nijal: =/\= There we go! You should be good to go, but we'll keep the tractors on you while you make any final adjustments. Let us know when you're ready. =/\=
Corelli: =/\= What - =/\=
Perez cut in on the comm almost at the same time.
Perez: =/\= Uhhhhhhhhhhhh guys.... =/\=
Nijal: =/\= What ship--? =/\=
Flint: Response
Josh saw movements outside the shuttle, but it was hard to make out exactly what was happening now that the rear of the shuttle was mostly being held in place by the tractor beam. The next voice Josh heard was one that he didn’t recognize.
Shirakawa: =/\= STANDBY =/\=
The voice echoed, and Josh’s vision became the familiar white glittering light as his being was transported... somewhere.
((USS NAUTILUS-A, Cargo Bay 2))
Josh leaned to the left to get a better look outside the large bay window of the shuttle, and his eyes burned from the transition of darkness to bright white surroundings. He blinked a few times before realizing that they were not in space but aboard a ship.
As Kammus got up and made his way to the hatch, so did the younger engineer. The movements were not as smooth in the EVA suit, and he’d hoped to be rid of it soon.
He looked around, taking in the massive cargo bay. He wondered what purpose had been in mind when it was designed.
Perez: =/\= Are we dead? =/\=
Nijal: =/\= I don't think so. We're just the victims of an unexpected rescue. =/\=
Herrick: =/\= I would tend to agree; this doesn’t look like any afterlife I’ve read about — unless it was inspired by Humanoid Resources. =/\=
Kel / Nijal / Flint : Response
Corelli: =/\= It can't be.... =/\=
Josh wondered how much the Chief knew about this place; given his earlier revelation that he had been familiar with the shield makeup. But, he didn’t know who his rescuers or captors were, so he’d leave it alone for now.
As an officer approached them, Kammus removed his helmet and not five seconds later, Josh followed suit. In retrospect, he thought he should maybe have waited a bit longer in case the Deltan encountered any ill effects; something to keep in mind next time.
Baker: Oh, greetings Chief. Welcome aboard. Ah, let me put on the external display for you. Everything's going to be fine.
Herrick: oO That’s a rather ominously positive statement Oo
A large screen on the wall filled with an external camera view. The whole colony was enveloped in a tractor beam and was being safely repositioned. Relief flooded Josh, he assumed, for now, that the colonists were being moved away from the ill effects of the asteroid fragments – but also wondered where they had been in the first place.
Nijal: Where are we?
Herrick: Is this the ship the Tan had mentioned?
Kel/Flint: Responses
A woman with bubbly blond hair flowing down near her shoulders, wearing a labcoat, and one of those suspicious white uniforms approached.
Grey: I'cn answer 'hat. ::she held out her hand:: Elieen Grey, Chief Scientist. Nice ta meet'cha. You're on board the real Nautilus. Commander Shirakawa's a-trying ta fix 'at damned mess over yonder.
Herrick: oO Real Nautilus? Is there a fake one somewhere? Oo
Kel / Flint : Response
Corelli: What?
Nijal: When you say (beat) the real Nautilus (beat) what does that mean?
Kel / / Flint : Response
Grey: Ya'll'l be fine. We'll have youn's back home in time fer supper. Jus' hold ye horses.
They looked Starfleet, this ship felt Starfleet albeit with less grey tones. But, something felt off about the way the officers were half answering the questions posed to them. But, Josh tried to remember the fact that they should be treated as (cautiously) innocent, before assuming guilt.
Perez: Definitely dead.
Herrick: Not dead...
He winked at the officer that had bumped into him while he was in Tyber’s quarters, and he had kept his word about not reporting him. It seemed like ages ago now with everything going on.
Nijal: What's a horse?
Nijal: What can we do to help you?
A tone rang through the cargo bay, and the air amongst the white-coated crew seemed to tense up. As Josh looked around, he realized there were large transparent pipes that were carrying a milk-like substance in them. If it hadn’t been for the fact that some of the pipes were horizontal and not completely filled up, it would have been hard to tell that it wasn’t just the colour of the tube itself.
The tone repeated itself, and the milky substance started to move faster through the pipes.
Herrick: Is there some sort of problem we should know about?
Kel/Flint/Corelli/Baker/Grey: Responses
Herrick: Standard operating procedure... this doesn’t look very Starfleet issue to me. What’s going on?
Kel/Flint/Corelli/Baker/Grey: Responses
The away teams tricorders all started to warble a warning signal; threat to life. Josh pulled the tricorder from his belt and inspected the read out. He felt a slight burst of the emotional wave but it was almost negligible; perhaps due to the shots they’d been provided.
Herrick: What are Kar… da… shev tachyons?
TAGS / TBC