Lt JG Tess Evinrude - Mister Tucker, I think we're back in business!

[Tess Evinrude]

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

Evinrude: ::Dryly.:: Either they just let their sensitive equipment run with outdated system clocks, or this is the terminal that experienced a temporal glitch. ::He turned back to look at Tucker.:: I could use a hand, sir...not sure exactly how to restart this system so it can accept Esot's patch.

Tess dropped down to a knee and started to look for an access panel or interface port. Instead of replying to his request for help, Chief Tucker joined Chief Kessler in surveying the room for defensive positions.

Part of him grumbled internally that the rifle-wielding pair seemed intent on using their toys.

oO If we don't get this pump rebooted, no amount of tactical advantage will save us. Oo

Another part of him, however, understood that perhaps their chief engineer was starting to have some trust in Evinrude's abilities - a tall compliment, coming from an engineer to an ops officer. And that, if the Tholians rushed them, Kessler's experience and those phaser rifles might come in very handy.

Kessler: Behind this shielded door seems to be a larger power source and a ::beat:: distortion field.

Tucker: A distortion field? Normally, I’d say, are you sure? But in this place, it’s probably the norm. With the Tholians involved I’d bet dollars to doughnuts the Alliance is elbows deep in this. Now all we need is the Sheliak to show up, and it’s a frickn’ party.

While they talked and searched the area, Tess had made a small breakthrough. He'd found an access panel and, upon its removal, a series of control modules. One of the modules was clearly fried - and mercifully, there were spares stored on the back of the panel's lid. He carefully removed the slagged bundle of circuitry, ensuring that none of its charred bits were left behind to muck up the connection ports.

Kessler: Commander ::beat:: once Esot's patch is in place, how are we going to defend this area from the Tholians? ::looking around:: There are not a lot of safe places in here to take cover from weapons fire.

Tucker: Maybe we need to scrounge whatever we can, to build cover? Maybe some of this scaffolding? We’ll need to watch both doors, cause someones got the key the closed one, and we don’t need anyone coming in that direction either.

Evinrude: ::Quietly, to the Romulan terminal.:: Out of alignment...system fault...unable to...verify? To verify what?

With the new module installed, Evinrude was able to bypass the coolant pump control terminal's fault state, and browse other alerts and errors that the system had been logging. Even though it still thought it was six years ago, the terminal had dutifully logged perceived errors...until finally something fried in the console itself.

Currently, it was stating that something went out of alignment...at an unknown timestamp. It was a physical component of the cooling system, that much was clear. His knowledge of Romulan was strained here, and translating every screen and interface option with the wrist-mounted tricorder was frustratingly slow.

He opted to try for a manual correction to the faulty system information, in the hopes that it would at least show the reactor's current status.

Shortrith/Zh'taan/Esot: =/\= Response, optional =/\= 

Kessler: This is a sealed hatchway back there. Looks like it's a small crawl way maybe but the doors are welded shut.

Tucker: I’m not sure we have time for that, it’s sealed, and we’d most likely have to blow a hole in it, though you could give it a go with a phaser pistol, maybe use that as a plan B?

Tess was half-listening to the other officers, and upon hearing "phaser pistol" he piped up.

Evinrude: ::He answered distractedly, as most of his attention was on the coolant system console.:: My Type II is dead, used the last of its charge cutting into this room.

Shortrith/Zh'taan/Esot: =/\= Response, optional =/\=  

Kessler turned to Evinrude and handed him a replacement power cell off his belt.

Kessler: My backup phaser power cell. It's all I have so go easy on that. If we get into a firefight with the Tholians, you're going to want every shot possible.

Tess briefly turned to Jack and nodded his thanks. He set the power cell down on the edge of the terminal, for now, and continued working.

oO Okay, so I've got the system clock manually updated, I'm seeing a good connection to reactor probes and sensors...but the status feed hasn't started reporting again. Why? Oo

Tucker:  Alright chief, were do you want to set up, while Tess and I work on this pump, before things get really out of control.. ::he rolled his eyes:: How goes it, Tess?

Marty knelt down to inspect Evinrude's work on the still-open side access panel.

Evinrude: Everything's working in there sir, replaced a fried-out module. ::His brow furrowed as he continued pouring through the terminal's status screens, refreshing each one.:: The system won't reset until all error codes are cleared, but I can't get it to show me the current status of a few components. It claims...something is out of alignment.

Shortrith: =/\= Shortrith to Tucker. We're in a transporter room about one level above you. Any way you can get up here? =/\=

Tucker: =/\= Good to hear your voice, Ensign. We’re kinda in the middle of something at the moment. We’re trying to get this damn pump fixed, but we could use some backup. Can you come down here? =/\=

Ensign Esot's voice came through next.

((OOC: Blending two scenes here, so I'm arranging tags in a way that I hope makes sense. There are more comm tags from the other team further below.))

Esot: =/\= Commander, I don't believe that will be necessary - if we can get the transporter system working, we should be able to beam you directly out once your work is complete. =/\=

Tucker: =/\= Response=/\= (Optional, if responding to Esot)

For a moment, Tess' attention was drawn away from the task at hand. He wondered who was in the second away team - that was Shortrith's voice, and he believed Esot would be with them. Perhaps T'Fearne had come along for some muscle?

Tess smiled, and then chided himself.

oO Don't get distracted. T'Fearne's physique certainly won't help cool down this overheating reactor. Oo

Her impressive physicality aside, he actually found himself thinking her problem solving and creative thinking would be welcome support right about now.

Tucker: Hey, we gotta make sure nothing ex—--

An explosion shook the room, causing Evinrude to stumble up against the console and knock the spare phaser power cell across the room. Though the suit muffled the worst of the deafening boom, it was still disorienting. A moment later, an alarm started blaring inside the officers' helmets.

Tucker: Roll call! 

Evinrude: ::Groaning.:: I'm alright. Lost...the power cell...

He plodded across the room in the direction where it had flown, legs growing more steady as he regained composure, and began to search amongst some debris that had fallen from the compromised ceiling.

Kessler: Response

The alarm in their suits was clear - radiation levels had spiked. The HDEs were able to compensate, but if anyone's suit were to fail...

Tucker: As long as no one's suits are torn, we can’t lose anyone now.

Kessler: Response

Evinrude: Aye, next time I'll stop what I'm doing and ready my weapon. ::He said flatly.:: 

Evinrude's voice wasn't insubordinate; if anything it was clear that the ops officer was kicking himself for prioritizing the wrong order of operations. Stow loose equipment, ensure your weapon is prepared for a fight - these mantras didn't come naturally to Tess, having spent several years working in civilian life prior to deciding to commit to a Starfleet career.

While he continued to look for the power cell, Tucker had moved to the console where Tess was working. He brushed debris away and started to work at its interface. 

Tucker: From what I can make out, as my Romulan is damn rusty, is that the heatsink is out of alignment, which has thrown the whole thing out of alignment, so it did the only thing it could. It shut down; now we just need to figure out how to restart it. I’m open to suggestions.

Evinrude: That's where I was stuck as well, sir. It's refusing to reboot and start reporting current reactor status. ::He said, carefully lifting up an equipment rack to look underneath.::

Kessler: Response

The team's open comm channel was having trouble staying connected, likely the spike in radiation causing interference.

oO Another problem for another time. Where is that damn thing?! Oo

Marty called out for Tess' attention.

Tucker: Hey, Evinrude, check this out, there’s at least three eps conduits offline, and see here ::pointing a small schematic:: this ODN conduit is offline, so the information from these fossils isn’t reaching their intended destination, which was what was throwing the massive pump for a whirl. 

Evinrude: No way. ::Tess, stunned, turned to face Tucker.:: It was showing green! Connected!

Evinrude sighed, but a rueful smile could be seen through his suit visor.

oO Come on Tess, always check the physical connection first when diagnosing. You know this. Oo

He shook his head and quickly rejoined Tucker at the terminal.

Evinrude: Okay, I'll reconnect back here. Get ready to clear those errors once the data starts streaming in, and then hopefully it will finish the reboot. ::He turned to Kessler.:: Sir, I'm...sorry to ask this. Could you find that power cell? I know it landed over there...

Tess lowered himself down onto his side and wriggled back behind the console. He was grateful that no one could see how much his face had flushed from asking the Ronin's chief of security to fetch his dropped phaser power cell, as if he were a helpless cadet.

oO I score quite well at the shooting range! I just...didn't anticipate the room-shaking explosion... Oo

Kessler: Response

The thick bundle of ODN cable entered the back of the terminal and appeared fine, but when he removed the back panel he saw that it was unseated from its connection port. Tess grabbed the thing with both gloved hands and pushed, and it slid home with a satisfying click! .

Evinrude: Got it! ::He called out from behind the console.:: Try it now, Chief.

Tucker/Kessler: Response

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.

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

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

Tucker/Kessler: Response

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

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

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. =/\=

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

[Tags/TBC]

--

Lieutenant J.G. Tess Evinrude

[he/him]

Operations Officer

USS Ronin

R240111TE1