Ensign Herrick: Before they dissolve...
Mark P
((Shuttlecraft York, 6.6Mk distance from Asteroid field))
As alerts bleeped out of the console, it had become evident that switching to backup fuel feeds had not been sufficient to bring York to normal operating conditions.
Richards: Uh, fuel consumption log… analysis…report. It says “Fuel flow integrity compromised”, reduce fuel consumption.
Kel: Do we have some kind of fuel line damage?
Josh traced his finger through the different possible fuel routes on the shuttle, between the primary, secondary, and secondary backups, this had been the optimal route — however, it too had been compromised.
Herrick: It looks like this is the most we’re going to squeeze out of her Lieutenant Richards. At least, until we get the York serviced again.
He tapped a note into the console for the shuttle to log itself in for immediate inspection once they returned to the ‘Oumuamua; they had lucked out this time.
Corelli: Well, reduce the flow... 13 percent.
Anton nodded and performed the reduction. When he was done he glanced up towards the engineer for reassurance that he had performed the task correctly.
Richards: Oh it also says right here uhh “Warning, Excessive storage could lead to malfunction in piloting controls, use with caution”
Josh heard the doctor chuckle and chime in.
Kel: Are we going to need to throw some supplies out the airlock? ::more seriously:: Sorry, you engineers have a tough job.
It was hard to miss the humour that had crept into the air, and hard not to appreciate it for the young ensign as he had felt a bit more cramped than usual with this shuttle.
Herrick: (amused) We could also end skinny-ing up the shuttle with that idea.
Corelli: Engineering isn't hard. Sometimes, its very easy. Just do the thing. The computer says damage will occur if the flow rate is above 88 percent of normal. So restrict the flow rate to 87 percent, and recheck. It means we will have reduced speed until we can physically get in there and fix it. Unfortunately, we don't have pressure suits, so we can't really go outside. You can do it, slow your brain down.
Herrick’s eyes grew a bit at that comment, that seemed like a bit of an oversight with everything else that was packed up. In an emergency, every second counted. He checked the transporter buffers to make sure there was enough room to hold 4 patterns for a long duration — in the event they needed to pull a ‘scotty’.
A bit of relief washed over Josh when the computer confirmed back they had just enough storage for the shuttle’s occupants.
Richards: No room for the pressure suits, hey?
Kel: We could replicate some pressure suites.
Corelli: Alright, one hour to the colony it is. Anyone want coffee?
Richards: None for me.
Kel: Why the heck not?
Herrick: Sure!
Corelli: Oh, and Anton, try not to hit anything else, out here, in the vast empty nebula filled with nothing, please?
A smirk crossed Josh’s face.
Richards: Very funny, I’m actually starting to get the hang of this thing I think.
The ship was still on autopilot, Anton crossed his arms confidently and took personal satisfaction in the minute calculations being performed by the computer on behalf of himself… the pilot.
((Shuttlecraft York, 20k distance from Asteroid field))
The hour passed with V'Len only nodding off twice while trying to learn Esh-O physiology. A computer chime told them they were in visual range and V'Len turned with everyone else to the display.
Kel: What in the world?
Richards / Corelli: Response.
The asteroid was present as a massive brown and silver island in space. To their left dome-like structures suggested the presence of the colony. The right hand side was something different. The nebula hung upon the end of the asteroid like cloud on a mountain, completely hiding it. Floating in the mists were several smaller chuncks of debris and within the nebula cloud itself lights were bursting as if a lightning storm were churning within.
Kel: Please tell me the nebula is not breaking that asteroid apart.
Herrick: ::squinting a bit from being a few seats back from the main viewport:: It looks to me like things might have started literally deteriorating since we were dispatched.
Richards / Corelli: Response.
The doctor turned back to his console, sweeping what lay before them with sensors.
Kel: I said please, you couldn't have just lied.
Richards / Corelli: Response.
But V'Len's readings confirmed what their eyes were telling them.
Kel: Unless I am grossly misreading these sensors, that nebula seems to be dissolving the asteroid at the molecular level.
The more junior of the two engineers looked at the hull and shield readings.
Herrick: As far as the shuttle goes, we’re not getting shredded ourselves. There is some strain on the shields, which I suspect is the same ‘dissolving force’ however they’re holding steady. We might start to see the effects if we lower them. How long do you think this colony has?
Kel / Richards / Corelli: Response.
Herrick: I’m not sure that we’d be able to extend our shields over the colony, it’s too big for our emitters to handle. So what can we do… adapt our technology to theirs?
He wasn’t sure about the suggestion, given that they were not members of the Federation and this would be a gift of foreign tech. He felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple from under his TINFOIL hat — crunch time.
Kel / Richards / Corelli: Response.
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Ensign Josh Herrick
Engineering Officer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)