From: V. Rahul Chandra (vrccan_at_gmail.com)
Date: Fri Apr 27 2007 - 22:42:21 PDT
=========== “Prelude to a Rumble” Con’t from Taylor’s “77” =========== Location: USS COUNTERSTRIKE Stardate: 2422 [2.7] 0428.0128 Scene: Bridge “You heard the man,” Daniel said, looking forward at Dirak. “Cut the engines” “Aye sir,” Dirak replied, tapping a few buttons on his helm console. The bridge was silent as the COUNTERSTRIKE floated adrift for a few moments as they waited for the pirate ship to get far enough away that the runabout would no longer appear on their sensors. They didn’t have long to wait because of the low quality of the technology of the pirate ship. “We’re out of their sensor range now sir,” Logue reported. “Good,” Daniel nodded his had approvingly. “Dirak, you know what to do.” “Aye sir,” the helmsman replied before moving the ship back to impulse speeds. “Active the electronic countermeasures now Mr. Logue.” “Aye sir.” Presently, the lights on the bridge dimmed as all non-essential systems were cut in favor of the USS COUNTERSTRIKE using the power to disrupt their own sensor contact image in order to make it look like they were just part of the nebula. With any luck, the pirates would not discover them for a very long time. Time enough for the marines to figure out what they were doing in the nebula in the first place. “ECMs at full capacity now sir,” Logue replied. “If we can judge by their movements, it looks like the pirate ship thinks they have lost us.” “We’re leaving the sensor net range in five seconds,” Dirak reported additionally. “Keep at it,” Clarkson replied, muttering a silent prayer that things would turn out okay. “The rest of the fleet has their own problems to deal with now.” He drummed his fingers on his armrest as he watched the small image of the receding pirate ship remain constant. The COUNTERSTRIKE was well within the sensor range of the ship now and instead of their stuttering course that the runabout had been following previously the pirate ship was traveling along a straight trajectory. As Logue said, it really did look like the ship thought that the COUNTERSTRIKE was no longer a problem. “Clarkson to all hands,” Daniel said suddenly, activating the internal communications. “Get ready for a potential hostile boarding occupation. Make sure all hands are ready to deploy within five minutes if necessary. Clarkson out.” “Our orders were to not engage,” Logue reminded Clarkson. Daniel sighed inwardly, getting tired of the man’s second-guessing. He made a mental note to deal with it after the mission. “And we’re not going to engage them if we don’t have to,” Clarkson answered out loud. “It never hurts to be prepared though,” he added. “Because the final decision might not be up to us.” To Dirak he asked if there were any change in the ship’s trajectory. “None sir,” Dirak answered. “It really looks as though they think they’ve lost us.” “Good,” Daniel said, sitting back in his chair and looking out one of the windows. “Maintain present pursuit course and speed.” With the current situation significantly calmer than it was just half an hour ago, he was able to let his thoughts drift to the situation with the COLUMBIA. He sighed, hoping that his decision hadn’t just resulted in the deaths of his wife and Executive Officer. He shook his head slightly at that thought. He knew he’d made the right decision, but he was far from feeling good about it. ========== ========== V. Rahul Chandra <vrccan_at_gmail.com> Playing... Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Gorman, MD Chief Medical Officer/2nd Officer GATEWAY STATION, GS-2 & Major Daniel Clarkson, MD Executive Officer - Marine Contingent USS PATRIOT, NCC 5781-A & Lieutenant Sevlock Junior ACT Instructor Starfleet Academy, EARTH No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.463 / Virus Database: 269.6.1/777 - Release Date: 26/04/2007 3:23 PM From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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