Escape

Posted on Sat Oct 26th, 2024 @ 4:58am by Captain Mira Rodale & Commander Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Commander Awal Kronnelti & Lieutenant JB Dersch & Lieutenant Tracey Walker Jr & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

Mission: Deep freeze
Location: USS Chuck Norris
Timeline: Current

:on
{Bridge, Deck 1}

Kevin stood with Kronnelti and Walker at the engineering console, looking at the image on the display. The Norris had been incorporated into the structure of the station that they had been kept prisoner on. Metal encased most of the ship, like barnacles on an old-fashioned sailing ship, leaving only the forward quarter of the ship free to open space. Kevin idly wondered why the image of barnacles had come to mind but quickly dismissed those thoughts.

"How else have we been compromised?" he asked the Chief Engineer.

"The have attached power conduits to our warp core to syphon off the energy produced." Trace reported, "Most of our systems are being powered by the impulse fusion generator but they don't produce enough energy to fire phasers or raise shields. Hull is mostly intact except for where power and electronic conduits are running between us and the station.

"Can they be repaired?" Kevin inquired.

"Yes, once we remove power from the lines," the engineer answered, "it is a relatively easy task. Getting free from the station is a bigger task."

"Get working on it," Kevin ordered.

"Aye, sir. Just know that once we disconnect the power lines we'll be on a clock. The Masters will detect the power loss and be able to localize it. We should expect an assault." Trace said, his fingers starting to fly over the LCARS.

Kevin nodded.

"Kronnelti," Kevin turned to the tactical officer, "Have we gotten a good count of our people?"

"Ten crewmembers are missing," Awal reported.

That was almost twenty percent of the crew. "Do we know where they are?"

"We assume that they are still on the station."

Kevin nodded. "Keep guard on the port torpedo storage access hatch for any more stragglers," he directed, "Assemble a team for a rescue mission but don't move out until we have better intel."

Kevin would have preferred to assign K'ner to the task. He needed his tactical officer on the bridge but the doctor was engaged in saving Mira. Kevin couldn't think of anyone that he trusted more to do the surgery.

[Engineering]

Trace disconnected the last power line and instinctively felt at his hip to make sure his sword was there, and was slightly surprised to find instead the grip of his modified phaser. Right...future, not Freyerjar.

Once the lines were disconnected, he restarted the warp core, and power hummed through the containment field. With power fully restored, he turned his attention to how the hell he was going to get them out of the metal encasing the ship.

He quickly ran an analysis and determined that the metal of the hull and the metal that comprised the station had different base elements. Fascinating as that was, and worthy of further study, he didn't have time to ponder it now.

He sent the data to the bridge, instructing them to feed the data into the targeting sensors. Theoretically, the Norris's phasers, if calibrated precisely enough, could target the alien ship metal and cut them out.

( Bridge tactical )

I am ready to calibrate the phasers sir, as Awal looks up at Kevin.

"Commence calibration," he ordered. He was loathed to leave any of the crew stranded on the enemy station but his first priority was to get the ship free. And save the 42 crewmembers, plus assorted others from Trace's group.

Calibrating," Awal confirmed, "Estimating ten minutes until completion."

Kevin drummed his fingers on the arm of the Captain’s chair. He was worried about Mira but forced himself not to interrupt the doctor. Good or bad, she would report to him when there was any news.


{Sickbay, USS Chuck Norris}

Mira was anxious and worried. Had she made the right decision? When she ran over the facts again in her mind there didn't seem to be another choice. She would have liked to have kissed KeVin goodbye.

Mira had a feeling that the woman she was now would cease to exist and whoever this 'Captain' was would be here in her place. Would she love her children as much as she did? She felt a little stab of envy that this Captain would have everything that she loved even Kevin. Who did he love more? Mira bit her lip. These ideas were going to drive her crazy. She took a controlled breath as the Doctor joined her "ready?"

Mira nodded rolling onto her stomach then closed her eyes as something was pressed to her neck.

"You're going to feel a little pressure... perhaps a bit of vertigo. Whatever happens, you are safe... you are among friends... Just try to relax as much as possssssoobobbllblblb...

Mira wasn't sure how long she was out but she awoke screaming as many lifetime's of memories flooded her at once. Her symbiont was completely terrified and had been isolated for many months. She had to get a grip on reality. What was the life she was in now! Who was she?

"Name. Place. Time!" Mira gasped out.

"Captain Mira Rodale of the USS Chuck Norris 2386." A woman told her.

Mira nodded still having her eyes closed sorting out information. There! She found what she was looking for in her mind. Her hand going to her stomach "shhh I have you now, Rodale." It would take about 3 days to a month to fully reconnect completely.

Her eyes snapped open. "Report?" As she said this she swung her bare legs out of the bed. Then her eyes looked for clothing.

"Captain your awake early then was expected " A nurse told her

Mira frowned that wasn't the report she wanted "clothing now."
The woman ran to get the clothes they kept on hand for emergencies. Basically a sweat set with the federation logo. Carefully she slid off the bed testing her legs and balance. Then Mira slipped the clothing on quickly and efficiently.

"Captain I am not sure the doctor it ready to release you." the nurse told her.

Mira raised an eyebrow "Then she can come find me. I have things I need to do."

As the CO practically marched out of sickbay, K'ner stepped from her office, nodding to Billingsly and holding out her hand with a grin.

Billingsly laid the coin in the combat medic's hand, shaking her head. "You were right."

Mira walked into the corridor taking a deep breath then made her way to the Bridge.

Different personality of the women she had been kept struggling for dominance. Mira pushed them all behind doors in her mind she would sort them out later. She didn't need that bs right now.

{Bridge, USS Chuck Norris}

"Reports, and don't tell me I am up early. " Mira told them. Chin handed her a PADD and an earpiece for communication. Her eyes meet Kevin and she found a reason to smile.

Kevin stood up from the Captain’s Chair and moved aside. "Good to have you back on the bridge, Captain," his tone was formal but he returned her smile. But something like regret tugged at him.

Dersch looked to the Captain. "All Systems look Green Mam" JB told her. This was turning out to be one heck of a assignment.

Commander phasers are ready said Awal. Permission to fire

Mira had a moment of panic what were they firing at? She had only just been handed a PADD.

"View screen on" Mira ordered as Kevin handed her another PADD with the information happening right now.

"Our ship has been integrated into the station's structure," Kevin summarized, "Lieutenant Walker devised a calibration program for our phasers that will cut us out withoit damaging our ship."

Her eyes met his. It wouldn't have been set up if Kevin had thought it wouldn't work. "You think this can be done?" She asked in a whispered tone. He gave her a nod.

She looked to Chin. "Do we have all our people?" He shook his head no.

"WHY?" Mira moved to look at the console herself but Kevin's hand on her arm stopped her.

"They weren’t with us. They were either being held some place else or the system dropped them as deceased like what happened with Walker." Kevin told her softly.

She frown she had seen Walker. Seeing the look on her face Kevin added "He is in engineering but he saw none of the names on our MIA list."

Chin spoke up again, "The ship is loaded Captain with crew and people we rescued. I resent that code that was found and freed us. Everyone trapped are now running for ships. If they are alive they are on one of the other ships. We transmited coordinates for SB364 to the other ships. We all plan to regroup there."

Mira nodded "Then let's get out of here." She stood up on her tippy toes and kissed Kevin's cheek. Then turned to Chin "Do you remember that program you developed."

Chin smiled happy she really did remember things from their past. "It's not completed yet."

Mira nodded. "It will still screw with their computers. Send it."

Then she moved to Awal's Station. "Once you cut us out, I want you to target here and here on that station." Mira pointed to a diagram on the console. She remembered something about the station being weakest there but didn't want to look at the memory to closely. Her hand squeezed his arm reassuringly before she took her seat.

"Order is given." She told them.

"Commencing phaser fire," Awal reported.

Beams from the Norris began cutting through the alien station. The calibration gave enough room that the ship was never in danger but the pieces of the base that remained attached gave the ship an unaccustomed rough and rugged appearance. It wouldn't affect the ship's performance but she would need sometime in space dock to remove the excess.

The cutting out was slow and careful. The other Federation crews were cutting their own ships out in a similar manner.

About halfway through the operation Chin reported, "Captain, we are being hailed by the aliens."

"Ignore them," Mira ordered sharply, "The time to talk is over."

The aliens tried repeatedly but Chin just let them eat static.

"We have a problem," Awal called out, "The phasers can't get a firing arc on the station behind our impulse engines."

"Can we use the shuttles to cut us out?" Mira asked.

"Negative," the operations officer replied, "The shuttle doors are blocked."

"Other solutions?" Mira demanded.

"It's risky," Trace voice called over the intercom, "but I could take a work crew in environmental suits to finish the work by hand."

"No, that will take too long," Mira objected.

Kevin looked at the data from the engineering and science consoles. "The structure around the engines has been compromised enough that we should be able to blast our way out on impulse.

Mira thought about the potential damage to the station from being directly in the matter stream from the impulse engines and smiled wickedly. "Do it," she said.

"Aye, Captain," Kevin replied. He walked over to the pilot at the flight controls. He didn’t recognize her and she was wearing the rank insignia of an Academy midshipman. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Tanner, Commander." she introduced herself, "I was on a cadet cruise on the USS Fauci when we were taken."

"Very well, Miss Tanner," Kevin replied, "Bring thrusters to full power and begin a slow acceleration with impulse engines."

The ship began to strain against her bonds. The sound of rending metal, silent at first, began to rise in a crescendo as the impulse acceleration increased. The just before the engines reached one quarter power, the Norris ripped free.

Everyone was thrown back by the sudden acceleration and Kevin had to grab hold of the flight console.

"Steady, sir," the woman at the flight control warned.

"Thank you, Miss Tanner." For some inexplicable reason, Kevin felt a kinship with her.

Mira frowned as she stood up "Chin are the other ships making their way out?" Something in the back of her mind about Tanner.... She pushed the thought away. If she opened that door in her mind there was no telling what would happen.

"Yes..." Chin started to say but.

There was an explosion as two Klingon ships exited the station. Both ships came about in a 180 degree turn and started firing at the station.

Mira nodded "Fire Awal. Add our strength to theirs."

As the station started erupting in a series of explosions, she said "Move us to a safe position."

Mira kept watching the view screen then she gave a nod "Best speed all the ships can manage back to SB364. Chin, let me know the moment you get Fleet Admiral Proll on the line for me. I'll be in my quarters."

OFF:

Lt Betaras K'ner
Hazard Team Combat Medic TL-B / CMO
USS Chuck Norris

and

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

And

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Tracey Walker
Chief Engineer
USS Chuck Norris

&

Lieutenant Commander Awal Kronnelti
Chief of security and tactical
USS Chuck Norris

&

Lieutenant JB Dersch
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Chuck Norris