Rescue Run, Part 2

Posted on Mon May 1st, 2023 @ 8:53am by Captain Xavier Carey & Lieutenant Commander Diane Doctrine & Lieutenant Commander Aalis Rinne & Lieutenant Etan tar-Lexros & Lieutenant Commander Rutherford (RJ) Milton & 1st Lieutenant Kayleigh London
Edited on on Mon May 1st, 2023 @ 9:11am

Mission: Starship Side Quest
Location: USS Eldritch
Timeline: current

Previously on USS Resolution....

"Captain," Williamson stood up from the center seat as the Eldritch's commanding officer strode onto the bridge with members of the Resolution's crew. "Long range is picking up another ship headed towards Toshi Station."

Daneel looked at Diane, "Expecting company?"

Diane shook her head, "No."

Daneel looked to Lieutenant tar-Lexros, who was already seated at the operations console, "Engage the cloak please. Also, keep an eye out for any other ships in the area of Toshi Station."

...and now the story continues...


Lieutenant Vam'wa was at helm station. "We're here. We're still cloaked." She winked at the temporary ops officer. "Are sensors picking anything up?"

Etan didn’t really know why the helmswoman was winking at him, but nodded at her report. This ship’s violation of the Treaty of Algeron was a serious offense, but that was going to have to be a problem for a time when a crewmate wasn’t in danger. At this moment, recovering their missing people came first. But as strange as this ship was, the Ops board was the same, and he nodded, examining his board. “Aye. There’s a vessel docked at the station. It’s small - configuration doesn’t match any registered pattern. I believe it may be a pirate vessel of some kind due to engine configuration - based on plasma emissions and Cochrane field perturbations, she’s very fast. Projected max speed calculating now. I can’t get lifesigns due to tachyon interference. I’ll have a clearer picture when we are no longer under cloak. The station is extremely damaged - at least one section would be floating free if the shield and SIF generators lost power. Life support is minimal. System status failing. If there are survivors, there soon will not be. The docked pirate vessel is the presumed cause. If they’re looting the station, they’re probably going to try and make a fast exit - projected max speed just came in. Max cruise warp 9.8; max safe, 9.9.”

Captain Olivaw rubbed his chin in thought. "Vam'wa, fly us in to block their exit." He turned to Diane care to pay them a visit?"

Diane, seated at Daneel's right peered at the main viewscreen with interest. "Yes... I think we should. London, Nisu," she looked at each crewmate when she said their names, "You're with me."

Alisa nodded and tossed her tactical bag over her shoulders with miscellaneous tools she figured they might need on this mission. Afterwards, she drew her pulse phaser rifle, and had her knife still tucked in the back of her waistband. London assembled and stood next to her. "Want us to lead or do you want us to follow?" she asked. Alisa had been far to use to working things both ways and was amiable to either option. The surprise vessel present was definitely a problem; though with the carnage that they were seeing, it didn't seem like it was the source of the damage. Most likely it was someone looking for an opportunity or someone coming to help. She was wearing a modification to their standard body armor that they would wear in the field. She had a light armor vest under under her tactical uniform. It would be enough to stop a couple phaser blasts or shrapnel, not enough to stop anything more than that.

As the Away team was called for, Etan looked up. “Commander? Please be careful.” He then did something totally uncharacteristic and bold (for him, at least - most people wouldn’t be so rigidly fixed in place), standing up from his board, then crouching down to find the small Operations equipment compartment which was standard on every Bridge underneath it. He pulled out a set of portable transport beacons, and in moments had verified that they were prefix-locked to the ship. He handed them over to Diane, “You and your team should carry these, ma’am. They’re transport beacons made for extractions from emergency situations, and can also extend the range of your commbadges. If you find yourself under attack, press the red button and we will receive your SOS to transport you back to the ship. I will have the transporter rooms on standby for your signal. The station is incredibly unstable, and I don’t advise staying very long. Life support is limited, I don’t know if you’re going to find survivors. I will upload a map to your tricorders with unsafe sections marked as soon as it’s finished compiling. It won’t be perfect, but it’s the best I can do.”

Diane’s expression softened a measure, “Thank you Lieutenant.”

They were doubtlessly in a crisis, but tar-Lexros was not falling apart, or requesting confirmation for basic things. It probably told Diane everything about his respect for her, and his desire to see the situation returned to normal with everyone back on their rightful ship and posting. It was strange - someone who was so consistently awkward and lacking some confidence finally found his spine when it was crewmates on the line, even if they were people he barely interacted with. He looked at the Captain. “Captain, suggest we pre-charge tractor beams to max power.”

“Good idea, make it so,” Daneel said.

"Let me see the scans," the Major said. Rinne handed her a PADD. "We're going to need suits for this." Alisa walked away to don her PBA. The armor was light and would allow London and herself to have more mobility and protection aboard the station.

Aalis looked over the scans. There was failing lifesupport and pockets of exposed to the vacuum of space and the pockets were slowly growing. "The distress beacons are a good add, Lieutenant."

Kay gave him a smile and a thumbs up. "Let's get suited up." She said. Her adrenaline was flowing, she had missed this the last couple of months working in counselling, the rush of going into action. "Want me to take point when we get there, ma'am?" She asked the other two officers who were both senior to her.

Diane looked over the operations console to assess the situation as she listened to everyone around her, “There’s currently one life form on the ship, let’s get suited up and head over.” She stood up straight again, “Rules of engagement, stun, we’re not here to kill anyone yet and we need information. London, you take point, Nisu will bring up the rear. Let’s go.”

The three officers headed to the transporter room.

Captain Olivaw glanced over at tarLexros as the turbo lift doors closed, “Good thinking with those beacons.”

As he started up the tractor charge cycle, Etan nodded at the Captain. It probably was very good thinking, and one of the moments of unremarked brilliance that Etan was gradually becoming known for. Still, with most of his training having been aboard older vessels, he'd gotten used to going above standard protocol. After all, Ambassador-class vessels were ships that ran on the shoulders of miracle workers. So much the better, then, that half of them didn't realize the way their talents compared to the rest of the Fleet. "Um, thank you, Sir."

“Very good,” Vam’wa purred.

The Efrosian lieutenant looked over at the Klingon woman, and nodded again. He didn't necessarily mind appreciation from his peers, but remained unsure of the pilot's intentions. Still, he smiled awkwardly and responded, speaking more quietly than he had when responding to the Captain's praise. "Thank you, miss."

Daneel gave her a suspicious side glance. “Easy there tiger, we’re still on duty.”

Vam'wa sat upright at her station. "Yes sir," she replied respectfully.

==In The Transporter Room==

Diane and the two marines were checking each other's EVA suits. "I think we'll be down into the landing bay. Sensors have picked up some lifeforms there. They don't know were here yet so the element of surprise is still ours."

The transporter operator powered up the system, "Ready when you are Commander."

"Hate to crash the party," Tale came running in, fixing her borrowed suit to her body in a haphazard fashion. "But did no one think to call a Doctor? Good lord." The Orion shook her head and jumped onto the transporter pad next to Diane. She put her tricorder in her hand at the ready.

"Oh, the more the merrier," Diane quipped. "We don't know what we're going to find, are you armed?" she asked the emerald woman quietly. That was something she wouldn't normally ask medical personnel but Diane knew more about Tale than most anyone else in the vicinity.

"You know it," she answered with a wink. Tale politely gestured to her Orion multikey on her dominate hip and a phaser nestled next to it. "Not going to get caught with my pants down like I did on Tellarius V."

"Good," Diane replied. Then to the transporter operator she ordered, "Energize."

==Toshi Station, Shuttle Bay==

Kepek and his crew made their way back to the cargo bay with the survivor they’d found. Kepek had given his air supply to the woman they'd rescued. He still had the filtration system in his helmet, but the air was thin. As they entered the cargo bay Kepek heard the hum of a transporter.

“Contact Front!” Kepek called out.

They all point their carbines at the transport beams, the crewmate in the back pushed the woman to the floor and moved into a crouch.

Four figures materialized between a small ship and five other figures who appeared to be talking amongst themselves.

When the transport sequence finished Diane stepped forward towards the five people already there and simply said, "I'm Commander Doctrine of the Federation Starship Resolution. Identify yourselves please."

“FREEZE BEFORE US!” Kepek shouted, hoping they wouldn’t hear how out of breath he was.

Diane took a defiant step forward. She recognized the phrase as one used by Angosian military people. “Freeze before me,” she said dryly, “You know who I am, please identify yourself.” She gave a small hand signal to those behind her to hold their fire for the moment but be ready.

"Back the fuck up! What part of freeze don't you understand!?" Kepek growled. "The last Fleet monkeys I talked to got me into an ambush so you'll have to forgive me for being cautious. Lower your weapons and state your business."

The Kepek was getting light headed, he needed to get on his ship. The woman's voice was familiar, but with the vacsuit on she could be anyone.

"What part of identify yourself don't you understand?" Diane asked in a calm but irritated fashion.

The ship behind them hummed to life and a cheerful voice broke the tension.

=#=Hello everyone, I give you two choices. Put down your weapons and come inside and share cookies with me and my new friend. Or I will fire the phaser banks at the station field generator and we can all die together! So... Death or cookies."

When they first beamed in, Alisa already had her phase rifle drawn and pointed in the rear direction to their position that they beamed in. Quick assessment showed that there was no immediate threat and she turned on a dime and pointed it at the voice that appeared in front of them. She glanced down at the DCS screen on her wrist that wasn't reading everything correctly. The Radiation that was filtering through the station was definitely messing with the small sensor that was in the display unit. She let the Commander take the point with the conversation which was pretty one sided in Alisa's mind. She was the balls of her feet, poised and ready. That's when the ship that she had initially assessed as not a threat, became a threat and she spun again pointing at the ship. She knew that her phaser was no match for a ship's main phasers.

Next to her Kay was in the same position, rifle at the ready and on a hair trigger. She tried to keep an eye on both Doctine and Nisu for orders but she was ready to do whatever they wanted.

Kepek laid the carbine down eminently he honestly didn't know if Annie was bluffing or not. His team followed suit, putting down their weapons.

Kepek shook his head Hunter is probably laughing his ass off, bastard!

Diane gave the hand signal for her party to lower their weapons. She put her own hand phaser on the deck. "All right, truth be told I prefer the cookies. The weapons are down. Now, I told you who I am. Who are you?"

"Kip Kepek," Kip said. "Let's do the rest of the explanations and introductions on my vessel."

“That’s fine,” Diane stated, “But we don’t have a lot of time to waste.” She followed Kepek to his ship and signaled the team to follow as well.

Alisa lowered her rifle to the deck plate and stood back up with her hands up to show that they were clear. She was in marine issued gear; she was still armed and she figured that they knew that.

Kay could do nothing but follow the direction of her superior officers but did not like it one bit.

Tale remembered the last Angosian she dealt with that wasn't the surly security officer. "I mean, I'm a cinnamaroll girl myself," she muttered. This got a snort laugh from behind her. She didn't see from where. She proceeded to follow Diane's lead, holding a steadfast grip on her tricorder and her multikey in her palm.

Alisa remained quiet and followed them aboard the small vessel.

The two crewmates that had been in the back lifted the survivor and carried her onto the ship.

Once on the ship with the hatchway closed, Diane took off her helmet. She knew she’d heard or read that name before. “Kepek. I have a suspicion we may have a mutual acquaintance.” That was all she was willing to reveal at the moment.

Kip removed his helmet, he was lightheaded and his vision was blurring slightly. "Yes I believe we both came here looking for Soran Wagnor. I hope you have a doctor with you. That woman needs one."

Kepek pointed to the survivor his crew had brought into the ship, the humanoid woman's face was pale and her lips were turning blue.

Kay looked at Tale to see if she needed more help with the injured woman. Right now she was still mostly in combat mode.

Tale rushed to the aid of the woman, she looked ragged. She scanned with her tricorder, the woman had a few cracked ribs and internal bleeding. She pulled a hypospray from her bag to slow the bleeding until she could get her into sickbay. "Umm... Diane," Tale interrupted and no one seemed to hear her. Her scans indicating that the one Angosian had dangerously low oxygen levels

The rest of the crew removed their helmets as he and Diane spoke. 

"I've been commissioned to gather information for Starfleet intelligence," Kepek explained as he leaned on the wall, trying to conceal how weak he felt.

“What kind of information?” Diane asked with her curiosity elevated, “And, if you don’t mind me asking, who at Starfleet Intelligence?”

"You guys!" Tale kept trying to get Kepek's attention. Waving her arms.

Kepek was trying in vain to catch his breath.

"Yeah! Hey! That man about to pass out," Tale said loudly.

"What do you need me to do?" Kay asked looking at both Tale and the major.

"Catch him!"

Kay walked up to Kepek. "You want to lean on me, sir?" She asked politely.

Tale cradled the injured crew member in her lap; feeding her vital signs to the medical bay of the Eldrich. "He was feeding his oxygen to her," she muttered racking up another hypospray. "Kay! Catch!"

Kepek's eyes rolled back and collapsed into Kay's arms, the Bajoran stepped in to help Kay put him on the floor. He glared at his comrade's unconscious body. "One of these days I'd like to work with professionals, I'm Colonel Cael Tura. We've been doing classified work in and around Angsion and Talsion sectors. If you contact Admiral Bryce, it will check out.

Kay knelt next to the exhausted man checking his vitals and making sure he was comfortable. She made sure there were no serious injuries that required a doctor. Kay kept current on her combat medic training but she had not used her medical degree much since the academy as she had gone into psychiatry. Finally she administered some shots to help to restore his energy and then just sat next to him monitoring him until he woke up.

Diane's expression turned grim, For all that's holy up here in the black she thought. "We will," she told the Colonel, "but right now, these two need serious medical attention." She motioned to Kepek and the woman they found. She also attempted to project calm so Captain Olivaw would not worry too much. "We should beam them over to Eldritch. Are you all right with that Colonel?"

Cael shook his head Beam the girl out, "Kip will be back with us in a second and we need him."

The door to the room opened and a curvy humanoid in a purple flight suit walked in with a plate of cookies. She had shiny yellow skin, short jet-black hair and glistening black eyes. “Oh dear, I hope the Chief is okay. His friend is telling your ship everything is okay so they don't send another team, that's good because I don’t have enough cookies.”

Kepek opened his eyes and sat up, "I'm good now, take more than bad air to hurt me."

Annie leaned down and offered him and Kay cookies. "Very thoughtful Annie."

Diane's comm-badge chirped, [Olivaw to Doctrine] She tapped hers to reply, "Go ahead."

[Our sensors are showing you've made some new friends. Can we be of any assistance?]

Diane replied, "We have a couple who need some medical treatment. Can we beam them to your sickbay?"

[Of course,] Daneel answered. [Prepare for beam-out]


== USS Eldritch, Bridge==

Etan looked down at his board as the data came in showing their arrival at the station and the activation of the beacons. Without much thought, he directed the data from their commbadges in a split stream to Medical and Tactical. He looked up. "The team has made contact with non-Starfleet personnel. No change on the pirate vessel's power state to report yet."

Daneel nodded an affirmative, “Keep monitoring them. Let me know if anything changes. Also, I want a security detail ready to beam down in case they need reinforcements.” The Eldritch’s captain reached out with his Betazoid senses to try and ascertain the situation.

It was a few tense moments later that the Ops officer spoke again. "Captain, I just picked up a short-range communication from the enemy vessel; I couldn't decode the burst. Weapons are now powering on. Tactical may be able to identify their target."

Hearing the call for Security, Aalis and her team quickly went to get suited up and waited for the call to be made for them to beam down. As she re-entered the Bridge, she was checking her rifle.

Daneel peered at the main screen. “All right everyone, let’s not get too hasty.” Then he went quiet and looked to be concentrating.

Vam’wa leaned over towards Etan, “He’s doing it.”

"Doing what?"

“He’s using his telepathy to try and find out what’s going on,” the Klingon pilot answered. “It’s okay to not panic until he tells you to.” She winked playfully at the Lieutenant again.

Daneel opened his eyes. “They’re okay for the moment… Still a lot of tenseness though… “ He took a step back and settled into his captain’s chair. "Things are settling down now." And now, he finally looked relieved.

Stay Turned for part 3