Lt JG Tess Evinrude - What a Thrill

[Tess Evinrude]

(Coolant Pump Room, Near the Reactor - Reactor Dome, Moon Sigma, Ross 580 System))

He stood, careful not to pinch or scrape his suit, and joined Tucker at the terminal.

Evinrude: Would you look at that...the explosion must have rocked the heatsink back into place. No fatal errors, system ready...try to reset, let's see if it detects Esot's incoming patch!

Speak of the devil, and she will appear.

Esot: =/\= Commander Tucker, you may be able to find a hatch in the wall on the southern end of the pump room. I will attempt to disable the locking mechanism so your team has an alternative means of escape, should I have an issue getting a transporter lock from the pump room. =/\=

The other team had managed to secure the comm connection, somehow, and the two groups were in contact once more.

Kessler: =/\= Kessler to Esot. That hatch is welded shut from our side. If you can unlock it, I can try and get through the weld. =/\=

Tucker:  =/\= Don’t want to rush you, ensign, but we need to get out of here. The radiation levels have risen even now, with the pump online or almost online. To keep it that way, we need that patch. =/\=

Zh'taan: =/\= Response =/\= (Optional tags, if you're using the comm channel)

Esot: =/\= I am working on it, I assure you. =/\=

Kessler: =/\= I'll start working on the weld then. =/\=

Evinrude nearly jumped for joy when the system update that was pushed from Esot's end was finally noticed by the reactor's pump controls. He watched as a calm, deep green Romulan progress bar appeared.

Evinrude: =/\= I see it! The update is installing. =/\=

Behind him, Lieutenant Kessler had located the hand phaser power cell. A moment later, the security chief handed him the slippery little thing and, to the ops officer's gratitude, didn't say a word.

Evinrude: ::To Kessler:: Thank you, sir. ::Tess immediately removed the dead cell, stowed it, and installed the fresh unit. His hand phaser showed full charge.::

Tucker: Okay, so Mister Kessler, you’re going to start working that weld. Evinrude and I will put the finishing touches on the pump, and then we can all pile into the family truckster and call it a day. I’ve had enough of Wally World.

oO Sometimes, Chief Tucker's references go right over my head. Oo

While Tess wondered with amusement what sort of holo-material the chief engineer was consuming, the patch completed its installation. For a few moments nothing seemed to change, and the cooling equipment continued to operate at a frantic, high-pitched whine. But before long, internal pump temperatures began to drop. The reactor's pump was now sharing its load with the cooling systems of the station's auxiliary powerplants.

Esot: =/\= Ensign Esot to Commander Tucker. I am currently working on securing our escape route - how go the repairs? =/\=

Zh'taan: =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

They weren't sure if the reactor pump could be saved from its continuous, lengthy run at maximum output, but it was at least earning a well-deserved break. Tucker went back to his control panel and started bringing up subroutines and the tertiary backups, which, from the looks of it, either didn’t exist or, if they did, wouldn’t hold for any significant time.

This plan was all they had. If it failed...boom. Still, Tess' voice was elated when he replied over the open comm channel to Esot.

Evinrude: =/\= Evinrude here. Reactor coolant temperatures are dropping! The primary pump is certainly overdue for maintenance after running so long at maximum output, but if it lasted this long...well, I'm hoping it will hang in there.

Kessler: ::changing his phaser settings:: =/\= Cutting through the weld now. ETA, four minutes. =/\=

Tucker: =/\= How’s it going up there? =/\=

Shortrith: =/\= We've got a plan, at least, courtesy of Ensign Esot. =/\= 

Evinrude: =/\= Ensign Esot - all of you, really - phenomenal work. I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not from an S-wave flareup! =/\=

oO Now if we can just get out of here alive... Oo

While Jack was focused on re-opening their escape route, Tucker opened up a few more in-depth areas of the reactor console, struggling against the outdated Romulan interface.

Zh'taan: =/\= Very well... Lieutenant Kessler? oO I think Oo I am currently searching for the hatch’s unlocking protocol, it should not take me too long. =/\=

Kessler: =/\= Two minutes and I am through. =/\=

Esot: =/\= I can complete my work once we're back on the shuttle. Or I can complete it here from this console, if need be. =/\=

Tucker: =/\= Whatever floats your boat, ensign. =/\=

Evinrude worked in tandem with Tucker, monitoring reactor temp and output of both its primary pump and the new auxiliary units. He was noticing some cavitation as coolant flowed throughout the overtaxed network of pipes, but it appeared that the systems' ability to "burp" unwanted pressure and air pockets was evening out the flow.

Shortrith: =/\= Just keep in mind that the crawlspace can be damaged easily, even blaster fire can break through. =/\=

He remained focused on monitoring the reactor, but of his peripheral vision Tess spotted the two senior officers working at their respective problems with confidence. Kessler's steady hand had nearly burned away the weld that locked the hatch shut, and Tucker had programmed a security lock to keep prying Lattice Alliance from undoing their fix.

Kessler: =/\= Let's just make sure the Tholians get that memo as well. ::beat:: almost there. Ready gents? =/\=

Tucker: Let’s blow this taco stand.

Zh'taan: =/\= The hatch in our room is unlocked! =/\=

Esot: =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

Evinrude: =/\= Away Team Two, once we burn through this hatch, how long is our escape route?

Shortrith: =/\= By an estimate, the crawlspace should be approximately 100 metres. From your location, it should be a five-minute crawl. =/\=

Jack’s phaser cut through the last of the weld, and when the hatch lurched open it groaned out like some dark fantasy creature from one of the holodeck programs he and Tucker had enjoyed with Beck.

Kessler cleared the other side, phaser at the ready, and as Marty readied his weapon Tess did the same.

Kessler: Hatch is open, and the coast is clear. Let's get out of here.

Tucker: There’s no place like home, Lieutenant.

With one final intense look at the reactor's system monitor, Tess nodded.

Evinrude: =/\= Things are trending positively here. I can't be completely sure, but the system is giving every indication that we've prevented a meltdown. When we get back to the ship, I'd like to keep monitoring. =/\=

Esot: =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

Shortrith: =/\= It's up to you, Sir. =/\=

Lieutenant Kessler took point as the group moved through the tight walkway, which finally narrowed to a junction. They had a choice: left, right, or ladder.

Kessler: ::grabbing the rung and starting up:: Ok, up we go. Tess, set your tricorder to scan for movement behind us please. The radiation is limiting my scanning distance.

Marty shouldered his rifle and began to climb, while Tess adjusted his wrist-mounted unit.

Tucker: Let's get a move on Lieuentant the less time I have to look up at your ass, the better. And Tess, keep your eyes open on our six.

Evinrude: ::Chuckling:: On it sirs, I've got my scanner set to ping us if anything changes.

Tess looked up past the two climbing officers before he stepped up onto the ladder, and noticed just how far the shaft ascended. They were in for a long climb.

Shortrith/Esot:  =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

Suddently, the lights in the vertical tunnel flickered and went out. This would be a long, long climb, in darkness and silence.

Kessler: Guys, we need to get moving. I think we have company headed our way.

The security chief began to double-time it, and Tess and Marty followed suit to keep up. Tess was breathing hard, but at least the HDE suit was making up for it with added environmental cooling. Still, the bulky thing made the exercise that much more difficult, and before long the lieutenant's arms and legs were feeling the burn.

Tucker: Sit rep, Mister Evinrude?

Evinrude: ::Breathing deeply in between words.:: Picking up...the operational pump equipment...plenty of S-waves... ::A ping. Then multiple. Tess stopped climbing for a moment to review the readings with more detail.:: Contact three levels down...and ascending! Likely honing in on the energy signatures from our suits. We need to move!

Shortrith/Esot:  =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached a landing. Tess immediately found a wall to lean against, catching his breath for a precious moment while Kessler made himself combat ready.

Kessler: Tholians approaching from above and below. Go, go....I have the rear. ::taping his coms:: =/\= Shortrith, I hope you have that transporter working. We're about to have unwanted company and I can't set this explosive off in here without killing us too. =/\=

Tucker: I swear to all that is holy, we’re all going back, no one is left behind. ::under his breath:: I don’t want to wear those damn bracelets again.

That made Tess bark out a quiet laugh as he pushed away from the wall and took the lead, with Lieutenant Kessler dropping to the last in their marching line. Tucker reached into his bag and pulled out three personal pattern enhancer, passing one to Kessler and Evinrude.

Tucker: Slap these on. This should help them lock us in if interference is going to be that much of a problem. =/\= Esot, Shortrith, we have personal pattern enhancers on, so if you want to beam us out, go right ahead, because we’re about to engage a group of what we think are Tholians. I think if we get closer to the topside, I can have the Sojourn beam us back.=/\=

Tess affixed the thing to one of the suit's hardpoints, and then readied his hand phaser.

Evinrude: It's worth it, but be aware...these pattern enhancers are going to make us stick out like a sore antenna.

Kessler:  Response

Shortrith/Esot: Response (optional)

The team's tricorders began to chime out an alarm: Tholians incoming.

Tucker: According to my tricorder, we have a group 900 meters to our right, and the ones coming up from the rear are about 600 meters out. I say we keep moving that way ::pointing forward:: and try to put some distance between us. The closer to the surface, the more we should be able to beam to the Sojourn.

Kessler:  Response

As the team moved ever closer towards the surface, some new readings appeared.

Evinrude: =/\= New contacts...friendlies! I'm picking up the other away team! Not far ahead now. =/\=

Shortrith/Esot/Zh'taan: =/\= Response =/\= (Optional)

Tucker/Kessler: Response

Radiation levels were decreasing as the raging reactor deep below them began to cool, and Tess could see the ever-present radiation alert on his wrist-mounted tricorder drop into acceptable levels. But then--

SHHHHH-WHAMAAMMMMMM!

A deep, reverberating explosion rocked the facility. For a moment Tess wondered if this was it, if their work had been for naught and the reactor was blowing its top...but he realized soon that the seismic shock came from the distance, and was felt throughout the facility.

Evinrude: Weapons fire! From above! ::His eyes widened.:: The Ronin...

Taking cover, he opened a channel to their ship.

Evinrude: =/\= Evinrude to Captain Kel...to anyone on the bridge! Orbital weapons fire is impacting near the facility. Teams on the surface are preparing for evac, is it safe to lift off? =/\=

Sensors picked up multiple Ronin-registered support vessels on the surface, and even a wheeled passenger rover carried by the Argo-class shuttles. But they were all uncrewed.

oO Surely we can transport to one of them? Oo

Even if they could, a shuttle lifting off the surface of this moon would be an easy target.

Kel/Anyone on the Ronin Bridge: =/\= Response =/\=

Tucker/Kessler/Shortrith/Esot/Zh'taan: Response

[Tags/TBC]

--

Lieutenant J.G. Tess Evinrude

[he/him]

Operations Officer

USS Ronin

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