Ensign Delphina Wren-Enough is Enough
Grace McDermott
((Crawl Space, The Lid, Moon Sigma in orbit of Gas Giant A, Ross 580 System))
Wren: ::Curse word that is redacted by the translator::
Shortrith: Yeah, that's how we're all feeling.
O’Connor: :: blows out a long breath:: Agreed.
Rurat'dari: ::To herself:: I'm glad they don't know about the power source yet…
Delphina blinked, frowning a little as she tried to figure out what the Jem’Hadar had just said. It had been so quiet below the blaster fire. Smoke filtered into the duct as she tapped against her PADD, furiously trying to figure out how to cover their signatures. oO Maybe if I try to bury them with the plant growth in the area. But I need to know what’s tracking us first. Oo
T'Fearne: Response
Shortrith: How far away are we from the life sign?
Wren: I think… We should be right on top of it in about twenty feet. oO So what, do we just drop down into a firefight? If I can find a way to fix our commbadges, I might be able to get back into contact with the Ronin and get a quick transport, but… Oo I’m doing what I can to diminish our life signatures. I don’t know exactly what’s tracking us, but I’ve managed to disguise us as non-humanoids.
T'Fearne: Response
O’Connor: ::he whispered back:: So almost right below?
Shortrith: ::stressed:: Well, we need to move faster!
O’Connor: Carefully. There’s lot’s of corrosion… :: the tunnel shook as what they guessed was a nearby wall was blasted:: And there’s that.
Rurat'dari: ::to herself:: We're getting near the plant… I know we are.
Delphina winced as the tunnel shifted and jerked, throwing out her hands as if that would stabilize her. She reached into her bag, trying to find anything that would help, and almost tried to swear again as she realized she’d gotten rid of her last tricorder back when she threw it at the Tholians. oO This is why you need to start packing six of these, the only way you won’t run out is if you pack them like you’re going to blow each one up. Oo
T'Fearne: Response
Shortrith: If we keep moving, we'll be able to avoid this tunnel getting destroyed, and help the person.
O’Connor: Just keep watching where you're go….
Delphina’s head jerked up as she saw that O’Connor had vanished through a rusty hole in the tunnel. For a moment, she was stunned into silence, before she realized that the Jem’Hadar had grabbed him.
Rurat'dari: That's the pathway to the plant.
Wren: O’Connor!
Delphina felt his shock of pain, and instinctively bumped against the ceiling as she tried to jerk away from it. The firefight was still going on below, and Delphina felt the tunnel buckle a little bit below her. Bracing herself against the inner walls, Delphina reached out, grabbing T’Fearne by the ankle and pulling her back away from the breakage.
T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
O’Connor: Ahhh, help. I’m falling.
Rurat'dari: He's falling into the corridor heading toward the reactor.
Wren: Everyone back up! The tunnel is losing stability, we’re g-Oh
Before Delphina had an opportunity to finish her thought, the Jem’Hadar was pulled down as well, the rusty opening widening slightly. oO By the four, this is a disaster. Oo
T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Wren: Is everyone alright?
T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Rurat'dari: Kanagar what are you doing-
Delphina poked her head forward, trying to see what was going on, only to jerk back immediately as someone fired shots at them. After she was sure they were done, she slithered through the hole, landing in a crouch, before stepping aside to let the others through. It seemed that whatever fire-fight had been going on was done for now.
Rurat'dari: He's heading towards the plant.
Wren: Why was he trying to attack us? ::glancing downwards to O’Connor, clearly uncomfortable seeing him like that:: I- ::sighs:: I’m going to try and send out a communication. Our badges may be down, but if we can reach the Ronin, we can get O’Connor out of here quickly. ::pulling out her PADD and plugging it into a wall console::
The console sparked a little, and Delphina shook out her hand as she began trying to connect to a communications antennae. There had to be one working here. But, as she began to scroll through the schematics of the facility, she only got more confused.
Wren: What is all this? ::showing it to the others::
T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Rurat'dari: If you must know, we developed a link, a tunnel, a gateway, to an alternate Ross-580, if that's what you call it. This wasn't the Lattice Alliance. This was us.
Delphina gripped her PADD to her chest, not liking the way the Jem’Hadar had said ‘us’. She hadn’t even realized one of her hands was resting on her phaser until her skin brushed metal, and she quickly jerked it away, hoping no one had noticed.
Rurat'dari: This was me.
Wren: ::more coldly than usual, trying to staunch her own worries:: What do you mean it was you?
T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Rurat'dari: HOW COULD I EVER TRUST YOU? My people have been at war with yours for decades, how could I ever trust your lot with the knowledge that I found? I can barely trust the Administrator with this information, lest he tell the Alliance!
Delphina flinched at the sudden shouting, and her phaser was in her hand before she even processed it. oO No. No, do not fire, that’ll only make things worse… why are my hands shaking? What is wrong with me? Oo But she couldn’t make herself let go of it.
Wren: ::nearing the end of her rope:: This place is falling apart. Whether you like it or not, the only way to save the data you’ve gathered is if you trust us. You can’t preserve any research if the place has collapsed!
Rurat'dari/T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Delphina rolled her eyes, going back to her PADD, mouth thinning into a line as she finally located a communications hub. It’d have to be quick, so she sent out a general SOS to O’Connor’s location, before turning to look at the argument that was still going on.
Wren: oO Deep breaths. Holster the phaser. You know how this feels, you know how important research can be… Oo ::calmer:: Listen, I understand where you’re coming from. I know how it feels to spend so much time trying and failing to build something, but if you don’t trust us to get you out of here, that research either dies with you, or it’s taken over by someone else for their own purposes.
Rurat'dari/T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
Delphina jumped a little as she heard her PADD beep, and she smiled as it registered a clear connection.
Wren: We should have communication with the Ronin and the other teams again.
Rurat'dari/T'Fearne/Shortrith: Response
[Tags/TBC]