From: Nai Lara (nai_lara_at_internode.on.net)
Date: Tue Jul 08 2008 - 02:15:45 PDT
"Onwards" Con't from Erik's "Disaster" Location: USS PATRIOT Stardate: 2422 [2.7] 1503.2251 Scene: Bridge Time Index: +5:50 Ben tapped his comm. badge as he stalked the Bridge. His stress levels had suddenly jumped to new highs. His operation was turning to hell right before his eyes. Yes, he had planned for every possible contingency...every one but one affecting transwarp engines. "Kenta to Jade." [[Jade here, sir,]] the woman responded quickly. [[What was that?]] Kenta didn't give her more then the bare bones of the story. "We've had an impact event. It has apparently damaged the transwarp. Your beam down time will likely be delayed." A tap of Tanith's shoulder to direct her attention to a Jem'Hadar ship attempting to flank them. [[Understood, sir. What do you need us to do?]] He took a breath, his mind scrambling for the next step. "At the moment, stay put. We're investigating and attempting to affect repairs. If we get mobile again, we will continue with marathon." [[Yes, sir. Jade out]] Kenta turned and stalked towards Jeff. "Commander, investigate that explosion. If it is sabotage, or a new weapon or even an accident I need to know. " He said softly, so the rest of the Bridge didn't overhear. He did not want to burden them with this news. They were already in a lot of trouble. "You don't think..." Gorman glanced at Ben. The commanding officer lightly pushed the exec away. "I don't know what to think, now run." As Gorman left the Bridge at a sprint, Kenta turned back towards the weapons officer. He needed to keep his ship, his crew and his mission alive. Their first concern was the enemy spacecraft that surrounded them. "Keep concentrating fire on the Jem'Hadar fleet." With an eye on the countdown, and watching the fight on the view screen, he was distracted by the millions of thoughts that swirled around his head. Could they use the Counterstrike to continue the mission? She was the only other ship that was transwarp capable. They would have to sacrifice the Patriot. They couldn't leave her behind for the Dominion to take. A moment later, he shook his head. No. The Counterstrike just did not have the firepower that the Patriot did. Everything was contingent upon the Patriot's powerful weapons systems. They had to affect repairs and continue. He had less then a minute to make several very difficult decisions. [[Gorman to Kenta.]] His comm. badge chirped. Kenta slapped the channel open before the tone even finished. "Go ahead." The executive officer reported briefly. [[The explosion took out the magnetic flow restrictors to the transwarp drive. Engineering can fix it, but it's going to take a few minutes.]] It had been sheer luck the restrictors were the only things damaged. If the core, standing at the end of the assembly, had even been cracked, it would have been all over. "We don't have that." Kenta set his jaw. Time, time, time. This mission was so dependent on time. [[I know. They're going as fast as they can.]] The captain cursed bitterly under his breath. "Once the Dominion figures out what we're doing, they'll have backup in place to protect the other installations before we can get there." [[Very likely.]] There was a moment while Jeff gathered himself. [[There's something else.]] "Go ahead." [[Based on the burn pattern on the regulators, engineering suspects that our little jumps are placing a lot of strain on them. They lost cohesion, and it was a blast of raw power that damaged the ship.]] An incendiary spark of rage flickered to life in the pit of Kenta's stomach. The days he had spent planning this offensive, then bickering with the Admiralty, trying to win support for it. For all of the lives that were on the marathon task force that were probably now doomed. To be let down by a simple regulator was just cruel. =/\= Scene: Marine hold =/\= Catherine was pacing. Something horrible had just happened. Her gut clenched and flipped uneasily. If the transwarp was damaged, then the mission ended. It would be a miracle if they could make it to safety from this deep in Dominion space. They had to recover the ground troops from the installation first. Could the Patriot even be towed at transwarp? She had no expertise to answer that question for herself. She really had to stop all this speculation. =/\= Scene: Bridge =/\= One look at the time and Kenta's heart sank. They were over. One second. Two seconds. Three. Four. They were out of time. By now, reports would be filtering to the Vortas and they would have started reacting to the information by withdrawing troops from one region and shoring up defences along the chain of satellites. "Sir, the captains of the EON are attempting to contact us." Operations reported. "I need a moment." The suggestion of an idea slowly formed in his mind. Maybe...just maybe this little insane idea could work. They certainly had nothing left to loose. Now, they would just have to sledgehammer their way through any opposition. "Open a channel to both ships." [[Captain Kenta, our scans indicate that your transwarp drive is non-operational.]] The Beta captain frowned. "We know. The regulator blew out." Ben replied quickly. "You're going to have to tow the Patriot into the next transwarp tunnel." [[Tow it?]] Gamma's captain raised an eyebrow. [[Captain, that's never even been attempted.]] He replied incredulously. "We don't exactly have a choice." Kenta answered grimly. "I'll have the Counterstrike assist. But you need to lock onto the Patriot and open a transwarp corridor and pull us through." It was a desperate gamble. None of the ships were equipped to do as he needed. [[The stress...]] "If the hull can't take it, cast us off." Ben answered. "What choice have we got?" He asked them as the Eon rocked from a phaser blast. Beta's captain grimaced. [[Standby.]] =/\= Scene: Marine Hold =/\= [[Kenta to Sterling.]] Catherine's head snapped up. "Yes, sir." [[We're going to attempt something. It's probably going to be a very rough ride. The moment we drop out of transwarp we are going to try punching a hole through the installation's shields and sending you through.]] The marine's reacted variously to the news of being towed through transwarp. Mostly they were shocked. The plan was outrageous. "We'll be ready." Sterling shut off the communications. They were transwarping away, leaving Maverick's team behind. Not for the first time, her stomach clenched with apprehension. She hated these emotions. "You heard the Captain. The Dominion will be ready and waiting for us the moment we beam down." The woman barked as the marines uneasily grouped into their various teams. =/\= Scene: Sickbay =/\= Tam gritted her teeth as the Patriot whined and bucked under her feet. The stress of the assisted transwarp was sheering at the hull, the force twisting the frame. The ship was screaming in agony. Quietly, she prayed that it would hold together. The ship shuddered, the yaw throwing her against a bed. =/\= Scene: Marine Hold =/\= All of the marines where kneeling on the ground for stability through the rough bronco ride for the brief duration of the transwarp. Even a few seconds was harrowing enough for the ship. Most of them were amazed that she had survived. "We've stopped." One of them muttered as the ship's various moans and groans quietened. Catherine was kneeling on one leg as she pulled her rifle and disengaged the safety. "Get ready." The marines did likewise. At least crouched down, they would pose less of a target for Jem'Hadar weapon's fire. =/\= Location: Ground Installation Five Scene: Transport area =/\= The white haze cleared before her eyes. "Oh crap." Catherine whispered softly as she sighted a whole battalion of Jem'Hadar dug into a defensive position. They were in the process of raising their weapons when several marines lurched something into the air. "Cover!" Sterling ducked down and screwed her eyes shut. Even through closed eyelids, there was a brilliant white flash followed by a concussive bang as the stun grenades went off. Ears ringing and temporarily deafened, the woman rose onto her feet. "Fire!" It was the only command that she could give. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NRPG: Whee, what a bumpy ride. Sorry if it seems a little rushed, I have heaps of things to do today! I am going away for the next five days, and will not have access to emails or MSN. Naomi Lara Lt. J.G. Catherine Sterling-Jade Intelligence Operative USS PATRIOT And Commodore Teneill Danara-Bennow Deputy Chief of Starfleet Intelligence From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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