Burning Brightly

Posted on Jul 28, 2014 @ 11:02pm by Lieutenant Commander Aerdan Jos
Edited on on Jul 28, 2014 @ 11:07pm

Mission: http://www.thefrpg.com/sim/missions/id/7
Location: Various

“Burning Brightly” (continued from “Leverage”)

~*~

Location: USS ARMSTRONG
Stardate: 2.140721.0005
Scene: Main Bridge

~*~
My candle burns at both ends
It will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
It gives a lovely light.

~Edna St. Vincent Millay
~*~

Cade Foster had barely enough time to hang onto something for dear life before the lisping sound of the Andorian Commander’s voice cut through the bridge like a how knife cuts through butter.

“Helm! Evasive maneuvers!”

The ARMSTRONG groaned, and leaned sharply to the left before rolling to one side. A flare of orange explosion licked her underbelly as she pulled away from the system. A barrage of torpedoes exploded around them, close enough to sizzle across their shields and shake the very foundations of the Exeter class vessel.

“Land mines, cloaked vessels… what next?” the doctor muttered, his knuckles going white from exertion.

“Shut up, Cade.” Aerdan muttered back. It wasn’t hostile, but the tome made Cade’s blood run cold. That tone of: shut up I need to think. The same tone he had heard in the surgical suite when something was going wrong and they were losing a patient.

This patient had over 300 people on it.

Cade felt his mouth run dry.

“Helm, take us on a course, 112 mark 3. Fastest you can manage.” He moved forward, Antennae twittering enough so he could keep his balance in the chaos.

The young helmswoman blinked. “But that’s in proximity to another derelict mine.”

“Behind it more concisely.” He affirmed. If they could stay out of range of the explosion, the landmines suddenly became an effective shield.

“Yes, Sir.” Nervousness bled from her voice. NIMBUS III spun giddily underneath them as the ARMSTRONG leapt forward, rising up to roll around and face the derelict head on.

“Varell, target that derelict, fire on my command.” Aerdan stepped forward, eyes locked on the viewscreen.

The tactical officer’s voice was far more confident. “Yes, Sir!” The sensor reports from the area were still sporadic at best. While no longer cloaked, the enemy vessel played off the subspace interference to ‘fade away’ from view more often than not. Commander Jos could only hope they were taking the bait and that the sensors would give them enough of an alert to be able to time the shot correctly.

~*~

Location: Shuttlecraft GEMINI
Scene: Cockpit

Sylvia Warren held back the urge to retch. “Is that…?”

“Captain Harcourt? Dead? Tortured? In pieces? Any and all of the above? Yes.” Phia intoned, waving to the cockpit. “Get behind the wheel and fly, princess. We don’t have much time.”

“But Thomas…” she started, eyes wide.

“Shut up and fly!” Phia barked. “Or we all die. Capiche?”

“Yes.” Lieutenant Warren replied meekly, sliding behind the pilot’s station and bringing the already on standby shuttle back to life. “You’re in pain… were you hit?”

Phia snapped her eyes open from the wince she had screwed them into. “I’m fine. Just fly.”

“But…” Sylvia protested.

“FLY!”

~*~

Location: USS ARMSTRONG
Scene: Bridge

The whole ship groaned and Aerdan swore he could hear the hull plating creak as debris pounding them. Sickbay had never been this noisy. Then again sickbay had been deep in the protected belly of the ship, while the bridge was out in front.

“That was too close.” Sophie Gentry breathed, the helmswoman was trembling slightly as she brought the ARMSTRONG alongside NIMBUS III, keeping the planet in-between them and their unknown attacker.

Indeed it was. While the bait had worked, the explosion highlighting the shielded ship in a corona of brilliant orange, Aerdan had counted on this second attacker having similar shielding to the ANNABELLE’s LAMENT. It quickly became clear this was not true. The ship, though slowed by the debris and fiery explosion was not nearly as affected as he had hoped.

The ARMSTRONG had banked hard to starboard, away from the planet to gain room for evasive maneuvers. In hindsight that was a poor choice. It had left the saucer of the ARMSTRONG open for attack, and attack it they did. Three hits, two directly to the bridge. The retaliation fire had caught the attacked in the warp engine, it was enough to make them vent plasma and stand out on the system scans, but it left the bridge of the ARMSTRONG washed in dim emergency lightly, smelling distinctly of smoke and burnt metal.

Aerdan was a quick learner. The firefight had detonated two more derelicts, and the Andorian had used them as a cover to sneak the ARMSTRONG behind the planet. Having several million tons of rock between you and your attacker gave a more effective shield than just what Starfleet engineers could provide. It at least gave the ARMSTRONG a little bit of time to breathe and conduct vital emergency repairs.

“Are you reading the shuttlecraft GEMINI yet?” Aerdan had taken to pacing on the bridge as he looked over towards the science station.

“Not yet.” The young Bajoran who manned it shook her head sorrowfully.

“Let me know as soon as you can pick up a trace.”

~*~

Location: Shuttlecraft GEMINI
Scene: Cockpit

The shields shimmered as the small ship shot through the darkness like a bullet. Phia gritted her teeth as she realized that the ARMSTRONG had shifted its position. That had to mean they were being harried. Beside her Lieutenant Warren gritted her teeth, every ounce of her strength focused on piloting the craft.

The Gemini rolled to one side, avoiding large chunks of floating space debris and Phia screwed her eyes shut once again, trying to stave off a growing feeling of nausea. What the hell was wrong with her? This wasn’t her first time in a near suicidal mission, and she couldn’t quite understand why she was feeling like this.

“Shit.” Lieutenant Warren’s voice was clear as day.

Phia snapped her eyes open again and the words ‘what now’ were just about to escape her lips when the entire viewscreen was covered in a brilliant orange glow and the little shuttle was slammed to the port side. Phia clamped a hand over her mouth, willing herself not to vomit as the shields sizzled around them and klaxons went off. The roar of an explosion rocked the cockpit, sending poor Thomas’ body lolling across the floor. As the GEMINI straightened course Phia could still hear debris relentlessly pelting the shields.

“We won’t survive one more like that.” Sylvia’s voice was tense.

Phia groaned. “Better fly perfectly, princess.”

“Shut up.” Warren growled back.

~*~

Location: USS ARMSTRONG
Scene: Bridge


“Where is that damn shuttlecraft?” Cade yelled the question everyone else was thinking and yet no one else was willing to voice.

“Steady.” Aerdan stepped in front of Cade, his voice guiding the youth manning helm and tactical. “Science, you have a mark on the shuttlecraft GEMINI?”

She held her breath before practically yelling, “I have them, Sir!”

“Can you get a transporter lock?” His snowy brows furrowed, antennae standing straight at attention.

“Not yet.” The science station called back.

“We can’t hold this position! We’re within range of two landmines!” Ensign Gentry at helm called back. She was sweating; never in her time at the academy did she believe that she would be in a life or death situation like this on her very first cruise.

Aerdan hovered over her, absorbing in the positions of everything around them. “Can we move towards the GEMINI?”

“That puts us directly in the sights of our unknown attacker.” Varell reported back. The tactical officer grimaced. From their last encounter it was all too clear that this unknown knew exactly where to hit the ARMSTRONG to make it hurt the most.

“So we have a near certainty of being killed if we stay here, but only a mostly certain chance of getting killed if we run to pick up the suicidal crazies?” Cade summarized.

“It appears so.” Commander Jos murmured. “Helm, plot a course towards the Shuttlecraft GEMINI, best evasive maneuvers. Engineering – we’re about to move, I need all the shields you can give me.”

[[Don’t take too many hits.]] The gruff voice of Commander O’Malley’s assistant Burke came over the line. [[We already have micro-fractures in our hull plating and if they focus fire back on the bridge again, you are all going to need to evacuate.]]

“Understood, Lieutenant. Best you can give us.” Aerdan closed the line, turning towards tactical as helm plotted the course. “Give me as much cover fire as we can spare. We know they’re out there waiting for us.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Bridge to Transporter room. I need you to prepare to lock on to the lifesigns on the Shuttlecraft GEMINI, we need to move quickly and we will be going to warp as soon as we have them.” Aerdan was still pacing, feeling nervous energy threaten to cramp up in his legs if he didn’t keep moving.

[[Got’cha.]] Came the lazy drawl of the transporter chief. [[They’ll need to drop their shields.]]

“Communications, see if you can hail Shuttlecraft GEMINI.” Aerdan cast his gaze forward, waiting for the confirmation. “GEMINI, This is Commander Jos, can you read me?”

A voice. Unmistakably Phia despite the interference. [[Yeah, wanna lend us some help, Jos?]]

“We’re headed towards your position. We can attempt a beam-out if you can lower your shields to allow it.”

[[If we drop our shields we’re a sitting duck]] Phia spat back.

“Then you’ll just have to get up our backside and drop ‘em” Cade grinned wildly.

Aerdan indulged in the half a second it took to roll his eyes. Only Cade Foster could make a life-or-death rescue maneuver sound like a stage direction in a porn video.

[[That’s what she said.]] It was Sylvia Warren’s voice that rang over the commline.

Phia’s comeback was seething. [[Shut the fuck up, Princess.]]

“Hang on, we’re making our run now.” Aerdan cut the chatter off, coming to stand behind helm. “Everybody hang on, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Tactical, lay down as much cover fire as we can spare.”

With a blaze of phaser fire, the ARMSTRONG broke from cover, cresting above NIMBUS III, on an intercept course to the GEMINI. The camouflaged ship rolled away from its pursuit of the tiny shuttle and bore down on the ARMSTRONG, returning fire.

The bridge crew gripped their chairs and consoles as the ARMSTRONG rocked. Helmswoman Gentry gritted her teeth, rolling the ARMSTRONG away from the unknown assailant, keeping her strongest shields facing the enemy.

[[Please tell me you’re going to stop.]] Phia’s voice cut through the chaos.

“No, we’re going to smash into you, that’s exactly why we’re pulling this insane maneuver.” Cade snapped back.

[[Children, stop bickering.]] Sylvia snapped.

[[I thought I told you to can it, Princess.]]

At the front of the bridge Commander Jos was ignoring all of them, eyes narrowed on the situation. “Varell, fire at their engines, knock them back. Gentry, we need to pull up alongside the GEMINI, which will leave us exposed during beam out, wait until we get the shot in at them, that should give us enough recovery time.”

The two officers nodded, and slowly the plan went into action. The ARMSTRONG rolled towards the unknown, torpedoes zeroing in on the engines of the assailant. As a shower of sparks and a flare of crimson spread across the viewscreen, Helm banked the ship in a U-turn that put the ARMSTRONG squarely inbetween the GEMINI and the attackers. “Phia, drop your shields now! Transporter room, beam them out of there!”

There was a disgusting silence as things moved into place. Things the bridge could not see or even affect. Varell’s eyes widened. “Sir, they’re getting power back online.”

“Target their engines again, wait for my command.”

Another agonizing second.

[[I have them, Sir!]]

“Engineering, maximize our shields! Varell, fire!” Aerdan instinctively clenched his hands on the back of the chain he was standing in front of. As the unknown assailant veered, it bore down directly towards the ARMSTRONG’s bridge.

The viewscreen flashed so bright that it went dim for a second, and the entire bridge shuddered. Hull integrity alarms screamed through the area as stress cracks opened up in the ceiling. Aerdan hissed, turning towards Cade. “Get the bridge crew out!” He gestured towards the science and engineering stations, and the scared kids standing there. Turning the Andorian looked to Gentry. “Get us out of here.”

“Trying, sir!”

Varell gave a cry of frustration as the ARMSTRONG let loose a retaliation burst. “Targeting sensors are down, and we have lost shielding on the main bridge. We need to evacuate!”

He pulled Varell up out of her chair, pushing her towards the exit with the others. “Gentry…?”

“We’re moving, but power is fluctuating.” She looked up at the viewscreen. “Oh no!”

The widescreen had flickered back to life, and in its crackling display they could see, all too clearly, the assailant sluggishly correcting course to fire a second shot. A death blow to the bridge of the ARMSTRONG. “Get to the lift!” he tried to pull the young helmswoman to her feet.

It was too late. A red ball of fire blossomed from the belly of their attacker, streaming directly at them.

Aerdan felt every single muscle in his body tense, his breath stuck in his throat as Gentry’s grip tightened on his arms and they both stared death head on, in the face. The red blossom growing to a brilliant ball…

That turned into a dark grey shadow across their failing viewscreen.

Something crackled. The shimmering haze of shielding spread out in their field of view and the sound of plasma torpedos being launched pierced the air. Aerdan dared to let himself breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

They were still alive. Against all odds, somehow they were still alive. Gentry clung to his chest, her own breath coming in shattered sobs. Another barrage of torpedoes were fired and something exploded in a brilliant white-blue shower of sparks, like a fireworks display that silhouetted a familiar shape. Another Starfleet ship.

“You did well, Ensign.” Aerdan murmured, consoling the young woman as he shakily went to the communications panel. Someone beat him to the punch.

[[USS ARMSTRONG, this is the USS ACREMAN. Do you read us, ARMSTRONG?]]

Aerdan Jos paused, his jaw dropping slightly. That voice was faintly familiar and he searched his brain for it. “Maverick?”

Mav’s voice held … Aerdan couldn’t tell. Maybe relief or perhaps it was just satisfaction. It was that faintly pleased tone of ‘something went well, something is done.’ [[I take it you are alive and well, Commander Jos?]]

Aerdan found himself nodding, calling up the casualty reports coming in. “We’re badly damaged, but mostly in one piece.”

[[Good. I have orders to escort you home.]]

“Orders? From who?” He found himself blushing as he asked, he honestly wasn’t trying to look a gift horse in the mouth, only that there were far too many questions and far too few answers.

The answer he got made Aerdan’s blood run cold. [[Peter.]]

He sputtered something graceless like “how, what…?” At least Maverick was on the ball.

[[Let’s get out of here and I can brief you in person.]]

Aerdan nodded to the empty console. “Yes, that sounds good. Ensign Gentry, lay a course for Earth, best capable speed.”

~*~

NRPG: And thus wraps up the crazy tale of the ARMSTRONG… at least in a combat sense! Maybe Connsiton made it out, maybe he didn’t, but our suicidal rescue team is safely in either the transporter room or sickbay – up to you guys! We’ll have time to get home and write any aftermath, including a potentially hilarious scene where Thomas wakes up to find Sylvia not-dead… ;-)

~*~

Jamie LeBlanc
Lt. Commander Aerdan Jos
Acting CO
USS ARMSTRONG




"Why do we fly? Because we have dreamt of it for so long that we must"


~Julian Beck