"When the Bough Breaks, Part 2"
SNIP:
On the Bridge of the Endeavour Anichent had been going back and forthmonitoring engineering and other ship operations. Zan Kebron had hishands full at tactical and Zack was busy with navigational duties;Anichent reached over the console tapping into sensor readings, "Sensors are picking up high readings of nitrogen emissions coming fromthe Columbia. I am reading a power surge in her Engineeringsection..she is shutting down. Captain, there is another powerbuildup..coming from her... !"
Outin the velvety darkness of space......an energy beam ripped away fromColumbia's secondary main deflector dish. The target of this beam wasthe center of the gaggle of ships attacking the Federation vessel. Twoof the Harmonies and one of the Imperatives were caught in thisbeam......disappearing into the massive sliding vortex that wascreated. Almost to the instant the vortex was created......an exitaperture appeared..........right on top of the second Imperative-classheavy cruiser. Four spaceships were forced to occupy the same space atthe same time. The explosion was massive......sending shockwaves outin all directions......spewing wreckage and energy to the far cornersof the Universe.
Aboard Endeavour..........the bridge crew fell silent as theywatched the oncoming shockwaves. Jim slapped the commcontrol in aflurry of anxious activity. +ALL HANDS BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!!!!+
The starship was battered an tossed about like a toy boat ona rough sea. Lights dimmed or failed......systems shut due tooverloads......people were flung about like ragdolls.
Finally..........the storm past. Hunter found himself near thedoor to his ReadyRoom. He pushed himself to a seated position with hisright arm......the left being in too much pain to be of any help. Theangle at which his arm hung indicated a dislocated left shoulder. Hecould also taste the bitter tang of blood in his mouth. With a mightyeffort, he managed to rise to his feet. "Report."
Unmoving, Anichent laid sprawled face down near the bottom of the stepsleading from the Command chair. One of his Antennae bent in anunnormal fashion, blue blood pooled around it. He began to moan asconsciousness fought to come back.
Mark too, had been flung from his seat into the nearest wall,and then spun around as if he was some article of clothing in the dryerbeing tossed around. "Will they ever make these things with seatbelts..." he mumbled as he tried to pull himself over to his console.He could see velvet crimson from the corner of his eye, he must havehit his head.
As he pulled himself into his chair, he looked over his panel. "Mainengines off line, impulse power offline, I've got navigationalthrusters and thats about it. Otherwise we're more or less dead in thewater."
Jim nodded. With a painful effort, he tapped his commbadge. Tohis relief, it still chirped......a sign that the main computer and itslink throughout the ship was still online. +Medical Teams to the Bridge when possible.+
With measured steps, Hunter managed to make it back to his chair. "Iwant a head count up here. If you're seriously injured, stay where youare till the Medics arrive. Mark, see if anyone's still answering downin Main Engineering."
Mark nodded "Aye sir." He tapped his commbadge, "Bridge to Engineering, please respond, over."
Zan Kebron had stayed planted in his position riding it out, holding onto his console. His bulky form had been too heavy to simply be thrownaround. That was obviously not the case for everyone else. During theimpact he had felt something slam into his side. Now looking over hecould see Anichent struggling with his broken antennae and blue bloodcoursed down Kebrons arm. Noticing the Andorian was laying on top ofanother crewperson, he was about to assist when second tactical bridgeofficer, Ensign Badirez began to assist instead. Kebron felt bad butsaid nothing turning back to his console to gather reports floodingin.
"Captain.." he rumbled, "Phasers offline. Torpedoes still operational. Reports of minor hull breaches throughoutthe saucer section...and ruptured power conduits on decks 8,9, and 10."
Zira's strained voice cracked through +Sickbayto Bridge..I have casualties from all departments coming in both Mainand Secondary Sickbays. A medical team has been dispatched to MainEngineering. On my way with a team to the Bridge as I speak...+
To Be Continued...
"When the Bough Breaks," part 3
Meanwhilein Main Engineering consoles sparked and conduits snapped. A med teamrushed in and immediately began to assist or prepare the seriouslyinjured out, and give first aid to those able to get right to work.Coughing from breathing in electrical smoke, assistant engineer Lt.Jessie Couric brushed some singed hair out of her face as she rushed onover to the master system display console. Leaning down on it shetapped on it's panel as she began a quick ship systems diagnostic. Thenshe heard the call from the Bridge. Her hand immediately went up toher badge, "Engineering to the Bridge. Main drive and impulse areboth offline, but we should have them back..I would say in thenext...fifteen minutes....We did received quite a bit of damage to aft,deck 34...."
At the first rock, Teesnia, who'd been minding her own business on thebridge, was knocked right off her chair, striking her head painfully onthe floor. She must have passed out for a few seconds, because when sheopened her eyes everything was still. And dark. She couldn't see! And,she tried to take a deep breath, she couldn't move! As she came back toher senses, she realized that she was not blind, but something was ontop of her.
She tried to push against it and realized it was warm. It was a person.And if they didn't get off her face, she'd smoother soon!"Mrrmmmph!" she said, trying to get the person to realize they were onher. But what if they were unconscious? No, he or she was moving, shepushed again, trying to get their chest off her face, "Mrrmoove!"
Anichentpushed himself up opening his eyes, his vision was at first blurred andthen it began to clear with the vision of Teesnia's face... filled withfearful frustration. As he heard the report come in from Engineering,a couple of arms began to help pull him up as he tried to push himselfoff of her, and leaving him leaning as he struggled to sit. Doing hisbest to ignore the sharp head pain, he focused on getting over to theengineering console. He stood up and stifly began heading over therewhen he found himself falling towards the rail.
Teesnia sucked in a great breath of air once the person pushed off ofher. She started to mutter a thank you when she saw who it was, shegroaned, what if he thought her struggling was aversion to his touchingher, that would set back their working relationship even further.Luckily, he didnt seem to notice, or care, who he'd been squishing.Then she saw why. His antennae was bent, probably fractured.
She understood his listing walk, antennae were for balance. She had tohelp, quickly pulling herself to her feet, wincing at a sharp pain inher side that probably meant a cracked or broken rib, she went to hisside, "Lean on me," she said quietly, putting an arm around his waist.
He glanced at her, slightly nodding, "Engineering console, Counselor.."and leaned heavily against her as they headed up there. The room kindof swayed and he closed his eyes for a moment. The moment they reachedthe console, he pulled away from her and leaned towards it as he begantouching the keys. "Please stay right there, Lt..I may still need your support."
Teesnia nodded, "Will do." The pain in her side was nothingcompared to the andorian needing her. Perhaps this would be abreakthrough for his race issues.
Just then the turbolift doors opened and a medical team lead by Zirarushed in. Taking in her surroundings, she said something quickly toone of the nurses, who headed towards Anichent and Teesnia. Anotherwent over to Mark, scanned him, and whipping out a dermal regenerator,began quickly working on his head, just above his eye.
Zira crouched down in front of Jim and peered into his eyes as she scanned him, her face showing her concern, "Jim, what in the hell happened?" She stood up and moving slightly behind him, began to carefully inspect his shoulder area noticing the tenderness. "We have injuries such as these all over the ship."
Hunter grimaced. "Not sure. There was an explosion of sorts. Big one. This was the result of the shockwave." He glanced around......looking for Zack. The young Ensign was back in his chair, being treated for a scalp laceration. "Mr. Michaels......do we have scanners??"
Zack nodded. "Running a sensor sweep now, Sir. Explosion was an antimatter discharge. Evidence of anti-proton flushback." He looked over at Jim, his eyes speaking volumes.
Hunter nodded grimly, catching the meaning of his look. "Warpreactor breach. Only time flushback exists is in the explosion of astarship's warp drive. And seeing as we detected a power buildup fromColumbia......we have to assume the worst."
With a painful motion, Jim beckoned to Anichent. "I want engines back online ASAP." He looked back over at Zack. "Senda probe in Ensign. I need to know what's going on back there. IfColumbia has been destroyed......then this little venture has stalledbefore it even got started. If that's the case......then I need toknow the status of the Orion vessels. If they're as bad as weare......or hopefully worse......we will have no option but to finishthem off. That way, we will make sure none of this makes it back totheir headquarters. I will then report to Admiral Ross that thismission has failed......and we should consider the crew of the USS Nashand the missing children 'casualties of war'. Once that's done......Iwill turn command of this vessel over to Mr. th'Dani, and confinemyself to my quarters. The blame for this failure will be mine."
He let his words hang in the air. "Launch probe when you're ready Zack."
Commander Culkin ... #1894 (no title) ...posted 060831
The Knight-Star hung still in the darkness of space, unseen by the naked eye and most sensor systems. Brian, hadn't moved from the command chair but when the pulse echoed outword he lowered his head and spoke gravely, "Status of the cloaking field?"
"Were ok, that pulse wave was weak enough that when it reached our position it didn't affect any major systems, and we've managed to use some of the charged particles to boost our own power levels to make up for the repairs." Ryn stated.
"Good. But I'm begining to feel this was not what Jim, nor Kat was planning, however, What is the status of the Orion vessels?"
"They seem to be just as derelict as the Columbia, however it appears that Endeavour is attempting to angle away on navigational thrusters." A'ron reported.
Brian nodded, and then closed his eyes attempting to link with his Max, on the Columbia. ~Max. Son, are you there?~
Captain Katerina Doninie and crew ... "It All Falls Down" ... posted 060905
Quen Mallory lifted his head off the deck......and immediatelydecided he didn't like that idea very much. Instead, he tried rollingover on his side......only to spur on a coughing fit in the thick,smoke-filled atmosphere of the shattered Bridge.
He was finally able to rise to a sitting position. The sightthat met his blurry vision wasn't a pleasant one. The Bridge wasdead. No lights or power other than a few flickering EmergencyBeacons. Consoles were shattered and the floor littered with debris.
Around his, he could hear others moaning in pain. With a hugeeffort, he managed to crawl towards the closest one. To his surprise,it was Kat. He wiped away the dirt and soot from her face. "Sorry Dear Heart. I didn't plan this too well it seems."
Darknessthat had descended when she been thrown about now began to trail awayleaving a piercing light in it's wake. There was also a nagging pain inthe side of her chest and for a brief moment she had to think aboutwhere she was. It began to come back as she felt Quen's presence andheard his voice.
As the fog cleared she opened her eyes to see his face. "The crew..."her voice cracked as she struggled to sit up. She began to coughcausing her right arm to press back at her ribcage as the painintensified.
Maxhad been thrown well clear of the helm console, and had landed in anupside down heap. His head pounded with pain. ~Max? Max, are you there?Answer me son.~
He heard the voice in his head, and it seemed to echo, ~Father?~
Helet a groan out, as he opened his eyes and righted himself against thewall, "Next time we try something like that, a little warning might benice."
Brianlooked up at the tactical overlay before him on the Knight-star as heheard the mental response he was looking for from afar, ~Son, are youok? What happened? Should we come and assist?~
~Holdon...first, ok, I need to get my bearing straight, seems we playedshake the starship.~ Max finished the thought, then glanced around thebridge.
"Captain Dominie?...I've got my old man on line one, if ya knowwhat I mean...he's requesting some sort of update." Max groaned againas he tried to force himself up.
All he could feel was pain. Lots of it. Richards tried openinghis eyes, and he was sure they were open, but things were still dark. Maybe the lights were out. He tried different parts of his body. Arms, hand, legs, they all seemed to work. Max started to sit up. Hishead throbbed as he did. Where was he again? Oh yeah, the auxiliarydeflector control room.
His vision was starting to clear now. First a greyness, and then theroom started coming into view. The control panel he had been standingat was on the other side of the room. He managed to bring his hand tothe back of his head where most of the pain was emanating from. Hefelt a moistness there and knew he was bleeding. No matter. He had tofind out how bad his ship was hurting.
**********
Outside, the remaining Orion cruisers limped to right their flightpaths, and began to lick their wounds. Aboard the lead ship, the OrionCommander wiped blood from his mouth again. The shock wave had beenespecially hard on his vessel as it had been the closest. Despite thedamage done to his ship, he was morbidly fascinated at the weapon usedagainst them. The smallest ship in attendance, and she held thegreatest power. Now he knew why their Mistress desired to possess the f'deraxt'la craft
An alert sounded. He spun to face his sensory officer. "Well????"
With a slaute, the young Orion stood ramrod straight. "Sir, the other
f'deraxt'l vessel has survived the shockwave. She appears to have sustaineddamage......but of a lesser degree than any of our ships. AndCommander......weapons she has!!!!"
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