Lt JG Quentin Beck - It Would Be Bad [Part 2]

7 views

Skip to first unread message

Quentin Beck

unread,

Aug 28, 2024, 12:26:57 PM8/28/24

to USS Ronin – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG

((Bridge, Deck 3, U.S.S. Ronin))

Beck: Hell's bells!

Niac: Sensors, tell me everything you can about that contact.

There was a slight delay as Marty looked over the scans. Quentin couldn't draw his eyes away from the screen, despite his console beeping erratically.

Tucker: Captain, I’ve seen this monstrosity once before, but only a schematic. I didn’t think they’d build it, but Sheliak and Tholians designed it together. It’s one massive S-wave cannon, and if what I read was true, it could single-handedly spin its web. There is no need for a grouping of ships.

O'Connor: I can’t recall anything like that. It’s like one massive spider and we’re the closest gimpy fly.

Blinking a few times, Quentin finally looked down at his terminal and the first scan was flashing with importance. He shrunk the bioscan, pushing it to the side, then expanded the readout of the radioactivity around the station. His face paled.

Carpenter: Scopes confirm. Traces of S-Wave particles coming from the...ship? Platform? An' buildin'. Computer's still tryin' to make somethin' with it's profile.

Beck: Ambient radiation from that thing is twelve-hundred gray per hour. And I'm pretty sure they haven't even turned the damned thing on, so that's passive radiation.

Phasers lanced and torpedoes launched at the fighters still swarming them, but those were definitely small potatoes compared to that thing. Quentin shrunk the readout again and opened up a small panel where he could start writing down some notes and doing calculations.

Niac: RESPONSE

Tucker: If that news wasn’t bad enough, it’s starting its powering-up cycle; from the readings I’m getting, it’s pointed right at Deep Space Thirty-three.

The ambient radiation levels rose at a steady pace and the Doctor's brows lifted in synchronization, nearly disappearing into his hairline. He swiped his hand over the panel he'd opened to clear it, then scribbled down some new calculations instead.

O’Connor: I’m not sure if I should be offended or relieved we are target number one.

Carpenter: Well, the objective WAS to get their attention...

Niac: RESPONSE

He whistled as he finished his estimation.

Beck: Hey, bright side - if they fire that thing, we're close enough we'll likely be killed instantly and painlessly. ::a beat:: Probably.

O'Connor: That doesn’t make me feel better.

Carpenter: If we get closer, we might get a better look at it.

Beck: More intensive scans would be useful, might give me a better idea if I can do anything to counteract getting a dose from that thing.

Niac/Tucker: RESPONSE

O’Connor: Aye, taking us around and dropping us hard and fast right on top of it. Hold on, here we go.

Quentin's stomach lurched as the ship dropped in above the cannon, his jaw growing taut. The scans of the area around the station were pointless now; there was far too much being emitted by the Leviathan to make a proper report. Releasing that processing power back to the computer, he initiated a new scan to compare the power build and the increase in s-wave radiation so he could better track how long it took for the thing to build to full power. He also initiated a deep scan to see if there were any weaknesses they could exploit in that power buildup.

Carpenter: Covering fire.

Kirsty's rage and vengeance rained down on the fighters and smaller ships that continued to haurange them, none of them proving to be a real threat, especially in comparison to the giant cannon that was preparing to fire.

Niac/Tucker: RESPONSE

Beck: This reminds me way too much of one of the missions on Kirk's Enterprise. The only way they managed to stop that thing was by sacrificing a Constitution-class ship by ramming it down its gullet.

Unfortunately they didn't have any spare Connys in their back pocket, and a blazing light started to form that threw a massive amount of light and radiation in every direction; the power levels were screaming at him.

Their Captain reoriented them once more.

Niac: RESPONSE

Tucker: RESPONSE

O'Connor: Sir?

The tension in the air could have been cut with a knife. Like a giant jello-mold filled with the worst possible combination of meat and fruit and really what the hell had people been thinking all those centuries ago when they'd tried mixing those things?

Carpenter: Let 'em.

Quentin blinked. Did she just say what he thought she said?

Niac: RESPONSE

Carpenter: I'm sayin', they wanna use us as the first weave of their web? We make one of our own with the Khitomer and her chron-pulse. ::she hooked a thumb toward the still open and steadily increasing data feed:: We are already workin' on the cancelation form. We put us and the Kitty between THEM and the station. They throw their web wave, we throw ours. And pray to God ours cancels theirs out.

Tucker: RESPONSE

Beck: ::like a mantra:: Cross the streams.

The Doctor had been silent for the majority of the interaction, focused intently on the numbers he was scribbling on his console.

O'Connor: Will it work? I put us in the path and it doesn’t…we’re outta the fight.

Beck: ::looking up:: Not necessarily. There's definitely a very slim chance we'll survive. The timing of it is gonna be important, though, because we don't know when that thing is at full power.

Kirsty nodded, though she looked adamant.

Carpenter: We would...be cutting it close. But we also might be the station's only chance. If we-

The console to her left suddenly flared with sparks, energy lancing out towards the Tac/Sec officer's hands and body as if seeking her out to close the circuit. Quentin was already moving, darting around the console and grabbing the emergency medical kit from beneath it as he closed the distance between them rapidly.

She was already on her feet, moving back to the console as if to will it back into service. The readout was still working, at least, even if the terminal had been rendered useless. He opened up the kit and dropped to one knee, laying it on the floor so he could pull out the fancy new tricorder and keep the rest of the tools on hand while he determined how badly she'd been injured.

Niac: RESPONSE

Carpenter: Phasers are down, but the Khitomer data feed is still up. We just can't see the progress here. We'll have to eyeball it.

O’Connor: I don’t know what that was but it wasn’t the main cannon. Captain, we can’t sit here though. I can buy us some time and get back in line with the Kitty as soon as we get the calculation frequency.

Beck: First degree burns on your hands, second degree on your torso. I can give you something for the pain now but I'll need to apply a dressing to the wound; normally I'd buy you a drink before I ask you to take your top off, but I'm afraid we don't have the time for it right now.

Pulling out a package containing sterile gauze and a fresh and tightly wound bandage.

Beck: We can step into the break room if you'd like. Won't take more than a few minutes to get you up and running again. And before you argue, I'm going to have to insist - the more your jacket and shirt rub against the burns, the worst the blisters and pain will be and the more likely you'll get an infection before we're through.