LCDR Nolen Hobart — New Plan, Don't Die
Nolen Hobart
((Transporter Room, Deck 8, Main Module, Deep Space 33))
Lt. Commander Hobart winced as Ensign El’Heem applied what first aid he could to his ribs. The limited tools in the medkit were able to help some, but he’d have to make a trip to sickbay when this was all over. That thought made him chuckle; he never thought of himself as an optimist before. The chuckle made him wince again.
Hobart: =/\= That bad, huh? We’ve secured the transporter room on Deck 8, and it’s operational. Where do you need us? =/\=
Stergis: =/\= What's your status? How many people do you have with you? =/\=
Matthews: =/\= Four officers standing by, one being patched up.=/\=
MacKenna: =/\= Response =/\=
Hobart: =/\= Two officers, one marine, and a doctor. =/\=
It wasn’t that what Matthews said was inaccurate, just not quite as precise a report as he’d have wanted to hear. Four “officers” could have meant anything, and, in combat, could easily have been four botanists. Nothing against botanists, but one might prefer a marine or a medic in the present circumstances.
Stergis: =/\= In that case you should fall in with the rest of the surviving defense team. We've pulled the defense perimeter up here. Commander Raga and his people are ringing the exterior of Ops right now and the remaining Alliance forces are pushing hard. I think they've realized that if they don't take the station they're going to die right along with us. =/\=
Matthews: =/\= That makes me want to not fall in with the rest. Are we pushing to blow the station and take out the enemy? If so, shouldn’t we be working on evacuation and extraction? =/\=
Nolen swatted away Matthews’s question. Again, not that it was wrong, just imprudent conversation to be having over a channel that might be compromised, given the extent of the enemy’s control over the station.
MacKenna: =/\= Response =/\=
Hobart: =/\= I sent Lieutenant Zenno and a marine to complete the scuttling prep. We lost contact with them some time ago, but I’m confident he got the job done. He always does. We’ll be there soon. Hobart out. =/\=
El’Heem: Shall we march into Vra'ktal? Hell I believe you call it? ::glancing at Matthews::
Jonesy: Oorah.
As the marine approached the transporter pad, a bouquet of emotions blossomed from Ensign El’Heem’s mind. Nolen sensed the strange, yet wholly familiar, blend of uncertainty and determination, marked by notes of admiration and envy. Their doctor followed the marine, and Nolen looked to Ensign Matthews, expectantly.
Matthews: Oh doctor, I am prepared to meet my maker. But I don’t think they’re ready for the ordeal of meeting me. Let’s do this.
The discordance between Matthews’s words and his feelings caused Nolen to chuckle again, and this time he didn’t wince as much. But he said nothing about it and approached the pad, confident that Ensign Matthews had by now figured out how to use the transporter controls.
Hobart: ::quietly, to Matthews:: You good, Ensign?
El’Heem: Well? You coming?
Hobart held up a hand to urge patience as Ensign Matthews shook his head and looked around at all of them.
Matthews: It was a harrowing experience just transporting people up a few decks. But I guess we can’t waste time getting the commander to do a timed transport, so, after you sir.
Hobart: ::nodding:: She’s a busy woman. When you’re ready.
He stepped up onto the transporter pad, drew the phaser off of his hip holster, and checked its charge and setting. Matthews took a little longer than anticipated to program in the transport.
Matthews: There are inhibitors setup, we’re not going to come out right by the others. But I have us set to transport to a room that’s not dampened. We’ll have to sneak our way through to the muster point and -
As the room went white around him, Nolen realized that the Science Officer had set the transporter to a timer. It was a risky play as he nearly didn’t have time to get fully onto the pad. Enough people had died already that day, it would have been a shame to have to collect half an Ensign on the other side.
((Storeroom 1-E, Deck 1, Deep Space 33))
Lieutenant Commander Hobart had a series of realizations as they rematerialized on the command deck of the station. First, it was dark. It wasn’t “power has cut out, emergency lighting only” dark, it was “somebody is keeping this room intentionally dark” dark. Second, he realized it was cramped. As his eyes adjusted, he saw that the room couldn’t have been more than three meters wide, though it seemed to extend back a ways. Third, they were behind enemy lines, and only just. The garbled sound of Tholian and Sheliak communications echoed between explosions and disruptor blasts.
And finally, he realized they weren’t alone. A sharp pang of fear accompanied their arrival, followed by the sweet rush of relief from someone somewhere behind them. Nolen raised his phaser and pointed it towards the back of the room.
Hobart: Who’s there?
Quick on the take, Private Jones spun and set his rifle aimed in the same direction. The marine was human, and lacked any empathic or telepathic gifts, but one didn’t need them oneself if they paid attention to someone who had them.
El’Heem / Matthews / Talina: Response
Hobart: ::lowering his phaser:: It’s alright, we’re friendlies, come on out. I’m Lt. Commander Hobart, of the Khitomer.
At the invitation, a young woman in Starfleet blue stepped out from deep shadow into slightly less deep shadow. Nolen thought he saw the glint of a single pip on her neck.
Talina / El’Heem / Matthews: Response
Introductions out of the way, Nolen turned towards more immediate matters.
Hobart: Matthews, where did you put us?
Matthews / El’Heem / Talina: Response
Nolen closed his eyes (as if it mattered) and thought back to the rough map of the station he’d reviewed when they first signed up to defend it. He tapped his combadge.
Hobart: =/\= ::whispered:: Hobart to Ops, can you hear me? We’re on Deck 1, behind the enemy. =/\=
Stergis / MacKenna: =/\= Response =/\=
Hobart: =/\= We’re in a storeroom in Section 5. Any chance you can get someone to us? =/\=
Stergis / MacKenna: =/\= Response =/\=
Hobart listened and his thoughts quickly turned from getting his people to safety, to saving the station. They were closer to the airlock than Raga’s people, though probably less well-armed. Even if they couldn’t defeat the Lattice forces trying to vent the deck, they could slow them down until Raga was able to get there. He tapped his combadge again to close the line.
Hobart: Alright, you heard her. There’s a team of Tholians trying to breach the airlock to send us all to space. ::to Talina:: Close-quarters combat training still fresh?
Talina / Matthews / El’Heem: Response
Tags/TBC
———
Lt. Commander Nolen Hobart
Executive Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240001NH3