Lt.JG T’Fearne - The Shadows in the Forest [Part 1]
Teayl Thorn
((OOC: I’ve done my best to get everyone's tags in the right order. This one was a bit slippery. Apologies if I missed someone.))
((Shuttlecraft Luster en Route to USS Compass Rose))
Roop's hands danced across the Luster’s helm as the away team arced closer to the drifting, stationary Compass Rose. T’Fearne took careful note of the ship’s hull readings from the tactical station readings repeating on her device. Searching for any signs of phaser, torpedo or any kind of damage. There was none to be found.
It was eerily still and silent as they drifted towards the starship playing derelict.
Without warning, an alert flared across the view screen and her PADD alike. T’Fearne’s head snapped up, and she gripped the back of Alyndra’s chair.
T’Fearne: They’ve charged their weapons! Targeting lock on the Ronin.
Syrex: Recommendations?
Om-Zora: Response
T’Fearne: Stay close to the hull :: she gave her tactical advice after observing the Oberth class's weapons schematics :: dead zone their targeting arcs! They only have two forward phasers and limited targeting capability with us this close. Avoid the aft also, they have a single torpedo tube. If we hug the hull, we reduce their options.
Syrex: The last thing they want is to point blank us, get caught in the explosion. Make it so, Ensign. Hug it like it’s an oversized teddy bear.
Roop: Roger that. Keeps our shields tight, please, Tac!
T’Fearne hissed under her breath at her lack of direct access to a tactical console. Her effectiveness was hampered by the limit of only 2 crew stations of the T-9 with a four-crew away team. It was just supposed to be a few minutes to hop from one shuttle bay to another. Instead, things had spun quickly out of control. She fumbled with her PADD and, with a sharp flick, managed to bring up the Lustre’s shields.
T’Fearne: Shields up.
Om-Zora: Response
The shuttle wrenched up, skimming over the Rose’s dorsal surface, and Roop honed in on the run up to the aft shuttle bay.
Syrex: Is that close enough for you, T’Fearne?
T’Fearne: :: wry twist of the lips :: Yes, that’ll do it, Lieutenant. At this range, we’re a sensor ghost in their blind spot.
Om-Zora: Response
Roop: We’ll be inside the Rose’s shields. If they go back up we'll be a ramora. Somebody’s fighting our Bridge commands.
Syrex: Alright Ensign if you want to…
The ship twisted on its Z-axis, lurching like a beast waking from hibernation.
Roop: HANG ON!
T’Fearne felt a sudden sharp regret that she hadn't buckled her safety straps as Roop took the Luster into a swift twist, and even with inertial dampeners working at full capacity, she felt herself pulled backwards, forwards, then flung hard sideways.
oO Great fire, who designed these passenger seats? Oo
She slammed hard into a surprisingly soft EV-suited body.
oO Feathers Oo
T’Fearne blinked up from the EV suit of the Aurellian science officer, mortified. Scrambling back to her seat, she belted in fast as the Luster rocked back the other way.
T’Fearne: :: muttered :: Ah, my apologies, Lieutenant. Are you alright?
Om-Zora: Response
The Vulcazoid’s ears flushed a hot green as she clutched her gear.
Syrex: Ensign, can you calculate for their vectors? T’Fearne, Om-Zora, how can we get the shuttlebay doors open? Can we piggyback on the Ronin’s command code interface?
Roop: No problem, Sir, unless she goes to warp.
T’Fearne: =/\= T’Fearne to Bridge. We need the aft shuttle bay doors open for a window of time. =/\= I hope they read that! :: To Om-Zora :: Have they forwarded any command codes to you?
Om-Zora: Response
Bridge/Anyone (optional): =/\= Response =/\=
Roop: T’Fearne, Sir? They may have a welcoming committee. You want us to enter bow forward, giving exit cover out the back hatch?
T’Fearne: Keep our shuttle’s aft to a bulkhead if you can, Ensign.
Syrex: Alright, give it a go! ::Turns to face Roop:: as soon as those doors open, punch it. Don’t be afraid to burn some rubber.
Roop: Burn rubber? ::clicking on the Luster’s foward spotlights::
Syrex: An old Earth term, Ensign. Don’t worry about it.
T’Fearne: :: tracking weapons trajectories on her PADD :: Sensors indicate the Rose has opened fire at the Ronin. I can’t tell if they got through the shields or not.
She was not particularly worried about the Ronin, compared to the Akira-class heavy battle cruiser’s shield capabilities, the Rose was throwing pebbles.
Om-Zora: Response
Something must have gone right, whether Om-Zora or the command team on the Ronin had managed it, the main shuttle bay doors snapped open.
Syrex: Brace! Brace! Brace!
Om-Zora: Response
With a final surge, the Luster darted into the yawning shuttlebay doors. It thudded onto the deck with a squelch. T’Fearne craned her neck to look out the view strip.
oO What was that? Oo
Roop: Hard down, Sirs. ::looking around out the viewport::
Syrex: I’d like to recommend you for a new position on the ship ensign, it’s called chief of understatement.
Syrex grabbed T’Fearne’s attention by clearing her throat. Regarding the rest of the away team. She was feeling some variation of what T’Fearne suspected they were all experiencing.
Syrex: How are you both doing? Are you hurt?
T’Fearne: I may have inadvertently injured Lieutenant Om-Zora. Though it’s probably minor.
Om-Zora: Response
Syrex: Well done to all of you, let’s only hope we find out enough about this biohazard to safely transport ourselves back.
T’Fearne snapped her helmet in place and made fast the seals. Locking herself into isolation from every particle aboard the Rose. Like sealing herself into a coffin. Her own breath rushed loudly in her ears until her suit's internal systems opened a comm channel between the rest of the away team, and she felt less alone.
T’Fearne: Everyone, please double-check your seals and verify phasers set to stun.
Om-Zora: Response
The security officer positioned herself at the rear hatch, knowing instinctively that the others were readying themselves for the cautious exit also. She held her phaser out, but down, ready to snap up. As Syrex pressed the hatch release, the rear doors of the Luster creaked open. Beyond them was an abyss, darkness, stillness. Only the shuttle’s lights pierced the void. T’Fearne upped her suit lights and pushed out into the cargo bay.
[Tags / TBC in Part 2]
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Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14