Into the Unknown - Part II

Posted on Wed Mar 26th, 2025 @ 1:13pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan & Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald MD & Lieutenant Commander Dr. Henry McEntyre, Ph.D & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Ensign Karri

1,482 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: Various USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current

ON:

The shaking got a whole lot worse before it got better and stopped. Fang Lee, who'd somehow wound up on the floor, opened his eyes to the flashing red lights and the howling of the Klaxons. He suppressed a groan as he sat up. "Report!"

Near the front of the bridge Sabastian righted himself into the navigation chair, his head spinning. It took a moment but he managed to focus on his instruments. "We're out....My instruments are going crazy, I can't triangulate a position."

Fang sighed as he stood up. He was happy to see Alexander was still in the big seat. "Counselor you okay?"

Lanna was somewhat dazed and her head was pounding but she managed to reply. “I’ll let you know when my head stops pounding…” she offered a brief smile to say she’d be okay.

"Comms are out," Adrianna reported, her panel completely black save for an occasional blip to show an error.

Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan had arrived, displeased with the state his ship and crew appeared to be in. His First Officer, Fang had been in command. "Chime in, people. Where are we and what's going on."

"The space hole hasn't heard of fiber...it was a rough passing.," Fang said.

"Lubricant, Fang, lubricant," Kelly quipped. "Generally pushing a starship through a hole doesn't go pleasurably without proper lubrication. That aside we appear to have weathered the worst of it."

Fang snorted. "Yes. We're stable for now. I was just about to to send runners since coms is out inner and outer ship."

"Cazzo di-- I may not be the highest ranking on the bridge but can we have a sense of decorum. This is not a frat house or a room of teenage boys! We have Comms down, sirens baring and gawd knows what else!" Adrianna lost her temper.

Lieutenant Commander Kerrigan cleared his throat and tugged his uniform. "Apologies, Lieutenant. You're right. Comms are down and we just passed through this fissure of sorts. We made it to the other side? So, what's out here?"

Fang and Sab snorted at Kerrigan's use of Fissure but held themselves in check. Adri was right this was no time for hilarious poop jokes.

"I'm not sure, Sensors are still rebooting." Henry chimed in, having been working on getting computers up and running since they made it to the other side. "As soon as I can get some power to the sensors and the library computer operational, I can give more definitive answers"

"The last thing we got was three waves of what sounded like screaming-- that's what knocked up out," Adrianna clued Kerrigan in on what he'd missed.

Karri got to her feet, and immediately fell over. The Caitian was more dazed than she thought. "The console looks to be in better shape than I am, Captain." She said.

Fang placed a hand on Karri's shoulder. "Take things easy Ensign."

There was a hum and then lights came back on. Coms cackled to life. "Main Engineering to bridge. Vance, we're getting systems up and running. Sensors should be online in two minutes. Navigation will take six hours."

Sabastian raised an eyebrow. "No offense Vance but were is the acting chief engineer?"

There was a pause. "Engineering was hit hard....we're really busy here." He said hoping he wouldn't have to be open about where Zai was. "Adri, love, you should be getting all deck reports soon."

Hearing Vance's voice had Adrianna a bit taken back, but she had to admit that it was mostly in relief. Vance had been on the money though, no sooner had Comms flickered back to life, she cussed, "Sir, reports are in and it's bad-- fire suppression has been activated on most decks. Main is medical. Engineering-- merde." Seeing the reports she just forwarded them to the captain's chair-- she knew that everyone on the bridge had people they loved and were close to elsewhere on the ship and this was going to hit hard.

Sabastian stood. "Captain, Permission to head to Engineering. Navigation will take longer maybe I can help."

Adri's terminal chirped. It was a written message from Vance. Adri...keep Sabastian out of Engineering...Please.

"Actually," Adrianna chimed in, "perhaps you could help with the evacuation of the medical bay. Fire suppression hasn't kicked in fully. They need help more than engineering."

Sabastian looked up. "I..." He studied her. "I guess so....they have a secondary. I doubt that Engineering can spare someone so I'll stop there first to help out."

Adrianna nodded in response to Sabastian before dropping Vance a message, "I've bought you time. But no promises of how long. Stay safe, Amore mio."

Vance's message was instant. Shit...alright. I'll get Zai out of here before he comes. Stay safe we'll get things up and running ASAP.

"Be warned. I've sent him to help evac medical," she replied.

Thanks! Stay Safe.



:: Medical Bay ::

Emergency situations were the bread and butter every medic. From the first day of medical school and then the harsh reality of life out in the great unknown … you quickly learned that anything could - and would - happen. Today was undoubtedly one of those days and the chaos just kept on coming.

Coughing, shaking his head a little to clear the ringing in his ear, McDonald picked himself up off the floor, broken glass shattering into smaller pieces beneath his boots. “I’m getting too old for this,” he mumbled as she swiped blood away from the cut over his eye, taking in the scene.

Debris from what seemed to be the adjacent lab littered the entire bay, a fire still burning and starting to fill the room. At least, he reminded himself, he had already sent the commander on his way barely a minute before an explosion had knocked them all off their feet. Whatever that alarm had been, it had clearly not been kidding.

“Everyone evacuate the bay!” he bellowed as loud as he could, realizing the fire suppression system had not kicked in. Helping those around him to their feet he nudged them towards the exit to spur them into action. The last thing they needed was smoke inhalation on top of the other bumps and bruises people had sustained from whatever the hell it was that had decided to throw the ship around like a toy.

He began moving, helping people up, ushering them towards the door as the smoke grew thicker, making it almost impossible to see his own hands in front off his face.

He heard someone calling out for help and turned just about able to make out two shapes on the deck nearby. It was enough to make his heart sink.

“Go! Now,” he yelled as he hurried to close the distance, aware time was not something they could spare as the fire raged on.

“I’ve got her, Ensign. Now, move! Stay as low as you can,” he instructed as he crouched down, carefully picking up the unconscious form of Dr. O’Connor and started to make his own way out. He quickly lost sight of Ensign Avru, but was more concerned with making it out while his lungs burned for air.

A final push saw him take two more steps and suddenly the air cleared and he was surrounded by people rushing to help. “Count?” He called out as he took another few steps and knelt so he could set down his patient and begin to assess her injuries.

“Everyone accounted for,” Ensign Asher replied from beside him, her voice so calm a Vulcan would have been proud. “Ms. Jynx and I managed to grab a few medical kits on our way out…”

While she spoke she opened one kit, holding out a medical tricorder towards him. Not quite as good as the diagnostic tools of a biobed, but better than nothing.

The coms crackled to life. "Vance Adams to Doctor McDonald. We need medics in Engineering...Turbo lift two is operational and locked for medical use."

“This is Ensign Asher, I’ll have a team sent to you as soon as we can,” the nurse assured him. Glancing around she quickly realized McDonald had his hands full. Time to step up ….. “someone go find Dr. Alexander. Mitchell, you come with me and we can start triage in engineering. Barnes, go check out the overflow areas in the cargo bays, we may need to use them a little early. Donovan! Over here, you are the doctors extra pair of hands…”

McDonald heard it all but his focus was absolute, and he trusted his staff to take care of those in need until he could get to them. Right now he was fighting a battle and refusing to acknowledge that it was a fight he may not win.


To Be Continued....

 

RSS Feed