"Boarding Party"
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/\/\/\
Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
The bridge of the USS HATHOR had been plunged into
absolute stillness as Lieutenant Dawson diligently
worked on locating the *exhaust* port of the two
Imperian probes which had been suggested by Ensign
Stormwind to be a potential weakness of the otherwise
impenetrable armour of the IMPs. All eyes were either
focussed on the sensor readouts or on the main view
screen on which the two crafts could be seen gently
tumbling through the void of space.
The Commanding Officer of the HATHOR knew that
patience had been required at this time, but that had
not stopped her from looking at the busy engineering
every so often hoping to hear as to his progress in
finding the means of destroying the two crafts. In a
moment the stillness of the bridge was shattered as
the Executive Officer jumped out of his seat and
bounced to the Tactical station where the Hirogen
Chief of Security had been sitting.
"David?" Lieutenant Commander Serenna asked wanting to
know if the unexpected gesture from her second in
command had been a good thing or a prelude to
something else.
"Sorry," the engineer said leaning in closer to
Uxtar," it was just easier to show it than to try to
explain what I found," Dawson explained calling up a
schematic of the probe on the monitor of the Chief of
Security and pointed to a specific area of it.
"You must be joking?" the Hirogen said to the
Executive Officer wide-eyed with disbelief.
"Can you modify the pulse cannons to fire a narrow
enough beam?" The Chief Engineering Officer asked half
knowing the answer having had some experience in
dealing with such a weapon system back on the ANUBIS.
"I can," the Chief of Security said appearing somewhat
uncertain about something which he clarified with his
next comment. "Targeting is going to be an entirely
different story. The pulse cannons of the HATHOR were
never meant to fire on something *that* small."
"As much as I hate to interrupt this little
conversation, would either one of you be kind enough
to explain what is going on?" The Commanding Officer
demanded, looking at her second in command with an
emotionless expression which only made the request
come across as that much more serious.
"Ensign Kea, please enlarge grid H-45 to maximum and display on main view screen," Lieutenant Dawson requested to which the Chief of Operations complied with.
Everyone on the bridge of the USS HATHOR watched with
stunned amazement at the image of a single oval-shaped
opening now on the main view screen which according to
the magnification scale could not be more than a few
centimetres wide. While she studied the image
carefully, the Romulan hybrid rose from her chair and
moved closer to the main view screen, stopping right
over the left shoulder of the Flight Control Officer.
"We have to hit *that*?" Ensign Stormwind gasped,
glancing only momentarily at the woman now standing
right over his shoulder. "It would be like trying to
squash a fly with a photon torpedo," the Flight
Control Officer added turning his eyes onto his friend
the Hirogen.
"It will be a challenge," Uxtar admitted, "but I
should be able to get the pulse cannon to emit a small
enough beam. The real trick will be to have the
HATHOR in perfect alignment with the opening so that
the modified beam actually reaches inside and does not
get reflected by the surrounding armour."
"You take care of the weapons and I will take care of
the ship," the Flight Control Officer said already
working at getting the HATHOR and the first probe to
be perfectly in line.
"I am ready when you are," the Hirogen Chief of
Security announced causing the Commanding Officer to
look down at the pilot.
"You better be awake because we are almost there,"
Ensign Stormwind said having allowed his Human half to
take over for the time being, logic proving to be a
poor substitute for instinct.
Lieutenant Commander Serenna watched with undivided
interest at the flight control monitor to witness the
two ships slowly move into perfect alignment. The
moment that the weapons of the HATHOR and the probe
were in line, the Flight Control Officer gave the
signal to which the Chief of Security followed with a
single pulse of the weapons.
The flash of light which filled the bridge a split
second later herald their success and sent everyone
cheering.
"One down, one to go," the Commanding Officer said
while returning to her seat appearing only satisfied
by the victory the HATHOR had achieve against the
Imperians.
At the tactical station Uxtar had just about to began
preparing the pulse cannons for a repeat performance
when suddenly something impacted against the hull of
the HATHOR causing the entire ship to rumble.
"Some unknown objects just bumped into our hull,"
Carft said from behind his consol.
"I need a better description Ensign!" Serena pointed
out concerned that while they had been so preoccupied
with the probe something else had managed to sneaked
up on them.
"Sorry ma'am the readings are filled with static,
can't get a clear reading," the COO answered while he
tried to get something more to report to his superior.
"A plasma conduit just blew out on deck four," Carft
added when instantly looking at his consol.
"Captain I just lost navigational control," Ensign
Stormwind said, turning his face to the captain.
"Turbo lift systems are down," the COO said when he
looked at the Captain.
"What is going on? Was it the probe?" Lieutenant
Commander Serenna demanded as the systems of her ship
became inoperative one after the other.
"Reading multiple hull breaches on deck four," the
Executive Officer reported from the engineering
station having made his way back there after the
initial jolt that had shaken the ship.
The Romulan hybrid glared at the main view screen
which had been returned to normal view and displayed a
field a debris with no signs of the other probe
anywhere to be seen.
=/\= Intruder alert! Intruder Alert! =/\= the disembodied voice of the computer repeated over the com.
"Confirmed," Uxtar said, "multiple probes have pierced
the outer hull, we have been boarded."
"In other words we got caught with our pants down,"
the Chief Engineering Officer said less than happy
with the unexpected turn of events and the list of
repairs he would have to once again tackle should they
survive this latest crisis
"Send a security team to that deck now!" the
Commanding Officer said worried.
"Yes ma'am and I will join them," Uxtar replied as he
grabbed a phaser from under his consol.
"Serenna to the crew, we're being boarded, engage
defence pattern Omega-Two," Serenna said to the rest
of the crew with a commanding voice.
=^= Uxtar to bridge. =^=
"Serenna here."
=/\= …we are taking casualties… have been able to… one
of the Imperians,=/\= the voice of Ensign Uxtar was
heard, broken by the sounds of static and the repeated
weapons fire in the background.
"Imperians?" Dawson repeated, the lump in his throat
having been almost audible. "How?"
"Most logical explanation is that while we were
dealing with the first probe, the other must have
managed to repair itself and relayed the required
information to reinforcements," the Flight Control
Officer replied, his Vulcan half having fully
reasserted itself for the time being.
"Uxtar, evacuate that deck now!" Serenna said
concerned, this was one fight that she doubted the
Hirogen would be able to win
=/\= Yes ma'am, =/\= Uxtar answered.
"Ensign Kea, seal off that deck with a level ten force
field, after it's evacuated," Serenna said as she
grabbed a pulse rifle that was next to her chair.
"Yes ma'am," Carft answered.
=/\= Deck four has been evacuated ma'am, =/\= Uxtar said, the pain in his voice indicating that he was wounded.
"Activating the force fields… force fields in place and holding," The COO said as he smiled with relief.
"Good work Ensign," Serenna answered relieved, if only momentarily.
"Serenna to sickbay,"
=/\= Summers here, =/\= the Chief Medical Officer replied concerned about the little space in the sickbay.
"Stand by for casualties," Serenna said referring to
the security teams casualties.
=/\= Yes ma'am, Summers out. =/\=
"Status of the Imperians Ensign?" Serenna asked as she
looked into the fear filled eyes of the OPS officer.
"They are trapped behind the force fields… for now,"
the COO said concerned as he turned his face back to
his consol.
"This is not what I had planned," the Commanding
Officer said as she returned to her chair.
"Ensign Stormwind, Ensign Kea assemble a
counter-measure team to take out the Imperians," the
CO said from her chair.
"Yes ma'am," both the Ensigns answered, when they both
left through the Jeffries Tubes.
The Captain looked at her consol, she saw that the
force fields where weakening.
"David open a channel to the ANUBIS," the
Human/Romulan Hybrid asked of her second in command.
"Channel open," the Engineering Officer replied.
"This is the USS HATHOR to the ANUBIS," Serenna said
as her eyes glared over the view screen.
=/\= This is Pravat, we're receiving your transmission,
=/\= the Chief of Security of the USS ANUBIS replied
sounding concerned.
"The Imperians are boarding this ship, we have already
lost one deck, we need assistance," the Commanding
Officer of the HATHOR said.
=/\= Hold on we're on our way, =/\= the Enaran Marine
said as the channel closed.
In Serenna's mind there were a lot of thoughts
battling, had she been right to call for help and
break the communication silence? Couldn't her crew
have handled the situation? She convinced her self
that she Had done the right thing, because the Imperians were
minutes away from breaking the force field.
/\/\/\
Ensign Stormwind and Ensign Kea assembled as many
people as they could and were heading to deck four.
"Ensign Stormwind to Bridge"
=/\= Go ahead Ensign. =/\=
"We have gathered a security team of sorts and are
heading to deck four now," The FCO said.
=/\= Acknowledge, be careful, the ANUBIS is on its way. Serena out . =/\=
/\/\/\
"This is the last hatch… ready ? " Ensign Kea asked
the team before opening the hatch.
"As ready as I'll ever be," a junior officer said.
"Standing by," the FCO said.
"Ensign Stormwind to the bridge."
=/\= Go ahead. =/\=
"We are about to engage the enemy."
=/\= Understood Ensign lowering the force fields in
your section, and good luck, =/\= were the last words
of the Commanding officer.
"Thank you ma'am," Derek answered.
"Here we go," Ensign Kea said as the hatch was opened
and the team rushed through.
When everyone entered the deck the team was splits up
in two groups. Derek and his team had been given the
task to search the place where the IMPs had penetrated
the ship while the team led by Carft were going to
check the surrounding sections.
/\/\/\
Ensign Carft Kea
And
---
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2006 post #071
Stardate: 60341.1425
Setting: USS HATHOR, Deck two, crew quarters
Stardate: 60341.1435
Setting: USS HATHOR, Deck three, Jeffries Tubes
Stardate: 60341.1438
Martin Saint
Chief of Operations
USS HATHOR
Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
