Part 3, XO's Turn: Spello Takes on the Slavers
Posted on Sat Aug 3rd, 2024 @ 10:32pm by Ensign Kash th'Kaasniik & Lieutenant Commander Maxun Spello & Lieutenant Commander Nash Winters & Major Clay McEntyre III & Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III & Ensign Cha'joga d/o H'gren & Ensign Tyler Williams
2,171 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
What We Do With Second Chances
Location: USS Astrea, New Sausalito
Timeline: MD 13, After Part 2
The simultaneous pummeling of both energy weapons and ballistic missiles was felt throughout the ship. The energy weapons didn't do much to penetrate the shields, but the ballistic missiles did more damage than was expected, penetrating the shields and taking out the forward phaser cannon and causing minor damage to the aft nacelle.
The ship shook as the barrage from the missile attack continued. “Commander, we’re taking damage! Readings show the forward phaser emitters are offline. The nacelles are taking a beating,” Nash reported. “We need a repair crew down there. I don’t understand how the missiles are penetrating the shields. If circumstances were different, I’d have it in the cargo bay and have it analyzed inside and out.”
"Send the signal!" Maxun shouted over the red alert klaxon and sparking consoles. "I want that ship dead in the water now!!" He pressed the comm control on the right arm console of the command chair. "Clay! Get your ass over there now! I want their entire ruling class in irons!"
"OO-RAH!! Let's kick ass boys! Energize!" Clay excited smiled, a cocky smile as he charged his phaser rifle along with his fireteam of Marines. The transporter whooshing as it activated, appearing moments later on the bridge of the Alteran Ship.
"HANDS HIGH, AND AWAY FROM YOUR CONSOLES!" Clay commanded with a booming voice as his team aimed their rifles, covering the bridge of the Serenity.
Dreke stepped away from Serenity's navigation console, a smirk on his face as the Serenity jumped into hyperdrive - it's version of warp speed. The course having been already set. Queen Caprin and the others followed suit, feeling the familiar vibrations of the ship's engines taking them to safety.
"This is trespass and assault. I don't know who you think you are, but you are not welcome here, and I'd advise you to lower your weapons and retreat to our brig before someone gets hurt," the Queen demanded.
Clay tilted his head, curiously, before nudging his head and firing his rifle at the guards around the queen, stunning them. His marines got the message and did the same. All in the span of a few seconds before he turned back to the queen.
“You’re under arrest, Madame, for conducting slavery operations inside Federation Territory.”
The Queen looked at her downed officers with distaste before looking back up at the curious feline-like Starfleet officer in front of her. "It seems that the doubters among us were right to be wary of your people." Caprin sized the group up. There were only six of them, and there were many more of her own people who had returned from the planet. They had until the Serenity dropped out of hyperdrive to turn the tables - and once they did, this lot had readily volunteered to be their hostages.
Clay stood his ground, a firm serious look to him. "I advise you to order your ship out of warp and heave too the custody of the Astrea and Starfleet. As you are a sovereign leader of a foreign power, you are to be advised that you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence before the Federation Court."
"Our engines are different than your warp technology. I'm afraid they can't be shut down. Looks like you are going for a ride," the young Queen said smugly.
"Then you won't mind this then? Chen, slice their computer control. Erics and Rice, Secure the bridge." Clay ordered calmly as his team moved across the bridge towards doors and consoles.
"Need a count of how many are still aboard." Clay said as he came up to the queen. "I don't think you've met a Starfleet Engineer. They've been known to make a miracle or two happen." Clay smiles and winks.
"Around 60, give or take," the Queen responded. "I'd say you're outnumbered."
Ensign Kash had to lift his fingers from the controls temporarily as the ship shook briefly from the blasts. "Commander, I believe weapons are locked down now, shields are in our control. They've already plotted a course; I can't gain control of navigation. Attempting their engines now," Kash called out urgently as he attempted to take control of the Serenity.
"I've had enough of this," Maxun growled ominously. "Target their engine exhaust nozzles. Stop them dead now!"
"Commander, they've jumped into warp. They are out of range; I can't do anything from here. I have their coordinates. Transferring to Ensign Cha'joga's station," Kash called out.
Maxun's jaw was set. Lowering himself back down into his command chair, he replied. "Helm, pursuit course, maximum warp!"
“Warp drive offline, Commander! The damage to the nacelle …. can’t create a warp field. Full impulse only for now! Permission to leave the bridge—-I can get it repaired in less than an hour,” Nash reported.
"Go!" Maxun nodded to Nash. He then looked over at Helm. "Best possible speed in pursuit. The instant we have warp, punch it!"
"Aye, sir!" Cha'joga was grinning from ear to ear. Trust a Klingon to feel truly alive in the heat of combat.
Maxun activated the comm panel on his control arm. "Lieutenant Williams, Bridge. Launch a group of fighters and catch the Serenity. You are authorized to use whatever force, short of destroying her, to stop her."
The sound of Jason's voice was heard a few beats later. "Bridge, Williams here, orders heard and understood! I'll be launching with Alpha flight in less than five minutes! We'll get em, Sir! You have my word on that! Williams out!" The channel closed when Jason terminated the call.
Spello continued, "Tactical, when we are in range, lock weapons and fire. I want that ship stopped! Science, work with Engineering to find a way to keep those missiles of theirs from penetrating our shields! Ops, make sure everyone has what they need to get their jobs done. Take from other systems if you have to!"
Tyler sent a quick prayer to the heavens above that his cousin and his fighters fought the good fight and came back in one piece, before he turned back to his console and punched in a couple of commands without looking at the Commander, "Aye sir, we're almost in range" he said slowly as he watched the ship get into range, "Locking weapons in, looks like we're going to be in for a hell of a ride."
From Ops, Kash interjected, "Commander Spello, Major McEntyre and his team beamed over to the Serenity before they left. The major and five other officers are on board."
This news set Maxun's jaw. "Well, until we can reach them, they are on their own." He pressed the comm panel again. "Engineering, Bridge. Nash, you've got thirty minutes from when you left the bridge to get warp power back online. We have friendlies on Serenity. The sooner we catch up to them, the better!"
“Acknowledged, Commander! On my way to the nacelle control room now,” Nash said.
"Sir, given that our own are on the ship, am I still firing on them?" Tyler asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice.
Spello's lips hardened slightly, then he spoke, clearly enough for the entire bridge to hear him. "If they give us no choice...then yes. However, Mister Williams, when order is given, you fire to disable, not destroy. Your actions will be surgical, do I make myself clear?"
"Of course, Sir." Tyler replied with an acknowledging tone and turned back around. Do the job, follow the orders, don't ask further questions. Got it.
A few moments later, the notification came through that four starfighters had just launched. On the main viewer, they came into view as they moved around to the bow of the ship. As soon as they were ready, all four jumped to warp ahead of Astrea, on the hunt for the Serenity, much like the hunting dogs of old.
Nash assigned two of his officers to accompany him to the control room. When he got there, he was able to bring up a quick diagnostic and found that the warp coils had minor damage, but thankfully the plasma injectors were running a little hot, but relatively unharmed.
“Miller, get the warp coils re-energized…got 30 minutes to get the warp drive online. McPherson—the fractionators are out of synch. Got ten minutes. Go,” Nash commanded.
In the meantime, Nash analyzed the polyduranide shell around the nacelles. “Son of a bitch,” he said to himself. There were charged particles of some kind embedded within the hull.
“Nash to bridge! We have a problem. The warp coils, I can get them back online in 30 minutes and the injectors are fine. Whatever the Atarans shot at us, left residual charged particles in the hull. Having a problem neutralizing them. I found a way to maintain a warp field for a short time, probably warp 5.5 at best. Just a temporary fix. Need more time to figure this out.”
Kash turned in his seat. "Commander, the Ataran's coordinate's still have them well within Federation Space. Their technology requires a forced stop and a period of rest before they can travel at warp speeds again. Especially with the Starfighter's assistance, we should be able to intercept before they are able to move again."
"Lay in an intercept course, best possible speed," Maxun replied first to Kash, then comm'd Nash. "Engineering, Bridge. Nash, we are going to go to warp, give us what you can, as soon as we get in position, you'll have at least a few minutes to figure something out. You can do this. Spello out." He then closed to channel.
Nash didn’t have the chance to reply or acknowledge Spello’s order before the channel was closed. “Yes, sir,” he said to a currently empty Nacelle Control Room. Nash’s voice reverberated slightly as it echoed against the bulkheads. He needed a solution and needed one fast.
After several minutes, Nash developed a plan to get the most out of the warp drive and bypassing the damage done by the Ataran weapons. He summoned Ronnie, his assistant Chief, to the control room and set up bypasses from the fractionaters to the Bussard collectors. These would enable Astrea to reach a maximum of warp 6.25 until a more permanent solution could be formulated.
“Nash to bridge. We can get up to warp 6.2 for short periods. The metal particles from the missiles are still there, but we have bypasses in place. They still have to be cleaned from the hull. Anything past 6.25, Commander, and we could have a build up of super-heated plasma that could damage the warp core.”
=/\=Great job, Nash!=/\= Maxun's words carried both pride and surprise. =/\=When this is all done, I'm buying the first round for your entire department. Now, if your team can spare you, I need you back up here on the bridge.=/\=
“On my way, Commander,”. Nash said before closing the channel.
“Ronnie, take care of my engines. Keep an eye on the core and the injectors. Monitor the plasma stream. Don’t want to be dead in the water against the Atarans.”
The Chief Engineer stepped onto the bridge a few moments later and sat at his station. “Engineering, transfer to bridge,” Nash commanded. His monitors lit up with continuous readings and schematics of the jury-rigged nacelle. Despite the short notice, he was confident the repairs would hold until a more permanent solution could be outfitted.
"Course laid in, Sir," Kash responded. "Warp 6.25 ready on your order."
Maxun looked over at Kash and nodded. "Do it."
Kash's blue antenna perked and he let out a smile at the order. "10-4. Here we go."
The familiar hum of the engines heating up and the seamless transition as the the warp bubble encased them and they set off for an intercept course. power diverted from 20% of the port nacelle with repairs on hold until nacelle was no longer in use.
Hearing Nash at his station at the aft of the bridge, Maxun stood and walked over to him, looking at the data that was on his screen. "Can you tell me any more about the missiles they hit us with? Are there any long term damage concerns?"
Nash tapped a control to zoom in on a schematic of the damaged nacelle. He pointed to several points on the screen. “The answer would be yes in the long term, Commander. Do you see these points? Those have the highest accumulation and concentration of those particles I mentioned before. Do you recall the bracelets that caused the Captain to become ill and exhibited odd behavior? The metal in the hull is the identical alloy. The bypasses I put in place will work for a week, maybe two, three if we avoid warp drive. We need to get those particles excised from the nacelles, Commander. Permanently.”
~TBC~
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