Lt. (j.g.) Ian O'Connor - (Backsimm) Act 1 Ending Amending

[rob mahardy]

((Main Bridge, Deck 3, USS Ronin, Outside the J-0922A System.))

((OOC: just trying to fill in the additions made to the end of Act 1))

O’Connor: Engaging warp drive.

The starfield stretched and the Ronin vaulted away from the J-0922A system at high warp, leaving behind only a few blasted hull fragments and a tiny, nearly invisible runabout trailing in their wake.  

 

Frowning, Ian continued to view the star maps seeing if he could shave off any additional time.

 

Karrod tried to take a breath, if only to release some of the tension that had built up in his jaw over the last several minutes, but the universe decided it wasn't quite done throwing curveballs their way quite yet.  The engineering console began shrieking in alarm and Karrod looked, concern deepening as Chief Tucker began jabbing at the controls with angry passion.  

Tucker: :: nervously:: I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer here, but someone is in the computer system. Before I was able to block what was happening, I was locked out of engineering and weapons controls. I’d bet dollars to donuts that our intruder is to blame. I’m working on restoring those systems now.

Beck: I'll start prepping test kits to start screening the crew for changelings… and maybe replicate some tupperware while I'm at it. ::to Niac:: There were changelings on the Artemis, too. This is not an isolated thing.

Niac: Get on it Chief, I don't want to fall any further behind the Khitomer.  Advise Commander Carpenter to...

Karrod barely got the words out before the ship shuddered and tumbled out of warp, the telltale alarms of engine failure blatting loudly across the bridge.  He gripped the arms of the command chair as the intertial dampeners whined, barely keeping them all from being thrown forward with lethal force.  

 

Ian’s panel lit up like crazy as the Ronin protested the drop from warp.

Ian was about to swear but Tuck beat him to it.

Tucker: Shit! ::he pounded his console::

Karrod couldn't have said it better himself.  

Ian just smiled to himself

Niac:  Chief I want that intruder locked out, now!  We don't have time to play 'chase the changling' while the Khitomer heads back to DS33 without us!  

O’connor: We still have full impulse. Keeping same heading.

Tucker: Yes, sir. I’m working on a back-trace now. If I can find the terminal, he can at least get its last known location.

Niac:  Understood Chief, pass that to Commander Carpenter as soon as you get it.  Dispatch an engineering team as well, there's every chance its been sabotaged to slow us down even further.  

Ian scanned their surroundings as they continued the journey at a greatly reduced speed.

Time ticked away slowly as Karrod forced himself not to hover over his Chief Engineer's shoulder.  He could see the man sweating as he bashed away at his terminal, trying increasingly complex and byzantine routes into the very heart of their computer systems to bypass whatever software hijinks their infiltrator had performed.  

Tucker: Commander Carpenter, the subject's last known location was the officer's mess on deck eleven.

The viewscreen shifted to an isometric rendering of the Ronin herself, with a probable location of their intruder and nearby security teams overlaid.  Their people were close but the infiltrator was moving with the impossible speed and dexterity only a changling posessed.  

Niac:  Isolate that whole deck Chief and then begin contracting the security fields so we can funnel it towards a non-vital area.  I want it captured if at all possible.  

O’Connor: Damage doesn’t seem too bad but engineering team will have to physical swap out a replay. They seemed to have been discovered on their first step had they progressed to the next junction we could have been dead in the water. As soon as they can safely swap we can reroute warp power and be back on our way.

Tucker: It’s now in Jefferies tube seventy-four dash gamma three. It looks like it’s headed towards environmental controls.

As his security teams closed in and their Chief Engineer swore, Karrod pressed a hand to his temples and tried to rub away the incipient migraine that was forming behind his eyes.  

Niac: Mr. O'Connor....advise the Khitomer we've been delayed and will rejoin them as soon as possible.  The minute Chief Tucker gets the warp engines back online get us back on the road, best possible speed.  

O’Connor: Aye sir relaying the info to the Khitomer now.

 

Ian sent the message but continued scanning the area as well hoping to find some way to shortcut their route.

Tags/End Act 1 for O’Connor

 

Tags/TBC

 

Lieutenant (j.g.) Ian O’Connor

HCO

USS Ronin NCC-34523

R240009IO4