SIM LOG NARRATIVE - SD 201905.24

Bridge

The Penumbra had returned to Janidor and was re-engaging in the orbital battle between the Kyrathians and the Aslans. There were three Kyrathian Colony Ships (of the original six) and five Aslan Battlecruisers (of their original six). There were still a couple dozen energy-siphoning pods and a few dozen Kyrathian fighter craft left in the fight as well. At the moment, the Penumbra was barreling towards one of the Kyrathian Colony Ships at "ramming speed".

It was a tense situation on the Bridge with Captain Zak Taylor in the Command Chair, Lt. Cmdr. Relok at the Primary Science Station, Lt. Jason Carter at the Helm, Ens. T'Lin at the Secondary Science Station jotting notes with her "primitive graphite tool" onto an archaic bound pad of paper, Ens. Tabeshk Tibris at the Operations Console, and MGny. Derek Hines at the Tactical Station.

The Captain didn't take his eyes off the Kyrathian ship growing closer and closer on the main viewscreen. He said, "Hines, what's your plan?"

Carter was preparing their evasive maneuvers, planning to roll the ship as they passed close to the Kyrathian ship. When the Master Gunny hadn't answered quickly enough, he called, "Hines?"

Finally Hines answered, "It worked on the pods . a blanket of plasma. Ignite it, and burn clean through them." He was referring to a previous maneuver he called "lighting a fart".

The advanced Artificial Intelligence called MAX reported, "The probability of success for this maneuver is less than 4.1%. The odds of us being attacked by energy pods? Guaranteed."

Hines grunted, "Don't tell me the odds, MAX. I've always defied them in my career."

Carter said, "Hines, you understand we'll have to clear the debris before we can do another quick warp jump, right?"

Hines answered, "If the shields hold, we should be able to do a proximity jump, Carter ... it's a tactic we've used with Peregrines against Galor-Class cruisers during the Dominion War."

Tabeshk quickly scanned his console, watching for any fluctuations in the shields or other power systems.

Relok turned to the Captain, "Captain, T'Lin and I should go to the labs to analyze the pheromone sample collected from Krigeth ...," he trailed off.

T'Lin inserted, "Agreed."

The Captain quickly barked back, "Relok, get us something we can use. Go!"

Relok nodded and glanced at T'Lin as together they headed for the Turbolift. As the doors closed behind them, proximity alerts sounded on Hines' console as energy-siphoning pods began moving towards the Penumbra, closing from several directions.

MAX reported, "Point Defense systems are offline due to antimatter spread and plasma venting. Incoming Energy Pods, all directions."

Carter cursed under his breath. "I've got incoming! Hope they take to the antimatter spread first!"

The Captain called, "Hines ... we gotta do something fast!"

Suddenly Hines barked out, "There! Carter, there's our window, 1 o'clock low."

Carter looked up at the main viewer then fired maneuvering thrusters. "Got it! How long until contact?"

It was MAX who answered, "Twenty-two seconds to impact of energy pods."

Carter grimaced, "Hines . they're gonna be on us when we jump .," he trailed off.

Hines grunted back, "Yeah, but she'll hold."

Carter turned and looked at the Captain, "Five seconds, sir."

Tabeshk muttered, "Those damn pods better not make me run all over the damn ship to get everything fixed."

And then the energy-siphoning pods began flying through the antimatter spread. A few were overwhelmed immediately and flared out, but many pushed through.

Hines practically yelled, "Carter, now!"

With a nod, Carter opened the plasma vents. "Venting plasma. Warp jump in 3 . 2 . 1 .."

As he reached the end of his count, he hit the warp drive . and nothing happened!

Zak called, "What just happened?!?"

Carter barked back, "Clogged!" He quickly attempted a system bypass to an auxiliary drive. "Hang on!" He pushed the nose of the ship downward and ducked past one of the Aslan vessels. "MAX! Shoot!"

Tabeshk was also working his console as fast as his fingers could fly. He reported, "You gotta be kidding me! The warp drive had an error." He frowned and added, "I'm working on a fix, Captain."

Hines cursed under his breath and armed a spread of torpedoes. "Captain, fall-back plan is a proximity detonation."

As if they didn't have enough troubles, at that moment two more Kyrathian Colony Ships dropped out of warp near the planet! On top of that, MAX reported, "Warning! Kyrathian Pods have engaged. We have contact."

Hines confirmed, "They're on the shields! Ninety-five percent . ninety-two .," he trailed off.

The strong Scottish brogue of the Chief Engineer cut through the comm system. "Hines, Bevin, ye waint me tae raivairse tha pawlairity o tha shailds tae say iffin tha haelps?"

The Captain cursed, "Holy sh--!" but caught himself. He took a breath then said, "Hines ... send a plasma burst through the shields, it's supposed to overload the damn pods."

Tabeshk quickly pressed a few buttons and called, "Hines, I'm ready to overload power to the shields to burn off those damn pods, what do you think?"

Hines responded, "Sir! If we lose the shields, the plasma explosion will cause hull breaches!"

Zak asked, "MAX, what can you do with the Point Defense? Can we shoot at ourself?"

MAX answered, "Point Defense systems are capable of targeting the pods on our shields, but if they make it through, I cannot target them on the hull itself."

The Captain called to his Ops Manager, "Tabeshk, you heard the man, don't lose our shields!"

Tabeshk muttered, "If only I'd had the time to work on the Flyswatter!" He was referring to his plan to create an electro-static repulsion field to push pods away from the ship. It might have been useful, but the last simulation had overloaded their systems and caused power failures and the project had been put on hold. He replied, "All right, sir."

The Captain accessed the comm system, "Engineering, we had a problem. Make sure we maintain shielding but get the damn engines online!"

Bevin's voice came back, "Waill dae, sir!"

With no alternative, Hines went to his fall-back plan. "Torpedo away. Brace for impact!" He fired a quantum torpedo at the vented plasma, then gripped the Tactical console ... hard.

Zak looked around and then said, "OK, so ... we're a dog with ticks ... how do we get them off?"

Carter turned to face the Captain. "Shave the dog, sir?"

Zak raised an eyebrow. "Shave the dog? But . how?"

Tabeshk said, "I have an idea, Captain. If we shut down power to quarters, would it be enough to stabilize the shields while we burn off those pods?"

And then the torpedo detonated in the plasma cloud, causing a huge explosion of plasma energy in close proximity to the Penumbra, releasing a wave headed straight for them. The navigation computer sounded an alarm and Carter glanced at his console, cursing, "Oh, sh--!"

Hines called, "Tab! Emergency power to shields!"

The two newly arrived Kyrathian Colony Ships chose that moment to launch even more energy-siphoning pods into the system. A nearby Aslan Battleship started rapid-fire shooting at all the pods like free-range target practice. Their plasma weapons destroyed many of the free-flying pods but the Aslans wouldn't shoot at the ones on the Penumbra's shields for fear of damaging their ally.

Hine reported, "Shields down to 55%! Tabeshk, where's that emergency power?"

Tabeshk flinched, "Oh! That's me! I'm Tab! Working on it, Hines!" He tapped his commbadge, "Tabby to T'Lin, are you done with the . thing . that you're doing?"

T'Lin's calm voice came back, "I have not yet started the biochemical analysis."

Tabeshk said, "I may need power from you, T'Lin."

T'Lin replied, "Very well, take the power, and Relok and I shall return to the bridge for now."

Tabeshk answered, "Thank you." Then he added, "Hines, here's your power."

MAX reported, "Plasmetic impact in 3 seconds!"

Carter prepared maneuvers he hoped would allow the Penumbra to ride the plasma wave out of harm's way. He grunted, "This is gonna suck!"

And then the wave hit and the entire ship rocked violently. Tabeshk made an All Hands announcement, "Living quarters and the Science Labs will not have power for a while. Please remain calm."

Hines grunted and nearly fell over except for his strong grip on the Tactical console. He reported, "Shields down to 35% ... rear Point Defense is offline."

As the wave engulfed them it did have one beneficial effect: it burned off most of the energy-siphoning pods that had been attached to their shields. Most, but not all.

The Captain hit the comm again, "MacArdry ... where's our damn engines! We've got to get moving!"

Bevin's voice came back, "Wha I kin gi ye ye've gawt! Sairry, tha ait's nae mair."

Carter grunted as he tried to maintain control of the ship on the plasma wave. "Gods, I forgot how hard it is to keep on the apex of an explosion!"

Zak looked to his Helmsman, "Carter, maybe use the planet's gravity well to slingshot us. All the way down to the atmosphere if you have to. One way to get ticks off a dog is to dive in the water and drown them!"

About that time the Turbolift doors slid open and Relok and T'Lin stumbled across the Bridge as the ship bucked and heaved. T'Lin quickly buckled in at the Science Station but Relok went to the XO's seat, since Patterson was absent from the Bridge.

Tabeshk turned as the Vulcans entered, "Hey, TLin, I hope you didn't hurt yourself due to the room going dark! You okay?"

T'Lin answered from her station, "I have been trained to see in any sort of lighting. You are fine."

Carter responded to the Captain's suggestion, "If I can, sir. Any sudden movements and we're going into a tumble on this blast. Soon as it settles I can use that energy."

Hines reported, "Captain, I've still got 32% shields. I can send the plasma burst, but we'll lose our defensive grid."

Zak replied, "Hines, hold the shields best you can."

Hines transferred power from the phasers to the Point Defense system and said, "MAX, do what you can to pick these fleas off."

MAX replied, "Rear Point Defense sensors are scrambled due to the plasma discharge. Essentially, I am blind."

The Captain continued, "Carter, scrape us through the upper atmosphere ... let the heat build, we'll burn the damn pods off that way."

Carter nodded, "Aye, sir. If we haven't evacuated the outer-most decks already, sir ... you may want to start evacuations."

Tabeshk asked, more to himself than to get an actual answer, "Captain, didn't we do all of this to get those pods to burn off? Why aren't they gone then?"

Carter reported, "Entering the planet's upper atmosphere. Angle of approach is good, but we've only got about a 2 degree window at this speed."

Hines added, "Shields down to 20%."

The heat of their passage through the planet's atmosphere began to build on the outer shields. More of the energy-siphoning pods burned off but now the ship's problem became . do they have enough power to pull out?

MAX reported, "Hull integrity reaching dangerous temperature levels."

T'Lin said, "Carter, you are one of the best pilots in Starfleet. You will make it."

Carter grumbled, "Computer, switch Helm control to manual. I need my sticks!" The manual controls emerged from the Helm console and Carter started to really fly.

Tabeshk declared, "Captain, I'm killing power to deck's 1, 2, 13, and 14. Everyone is evacuated from there so it's not necessary to have power in places we aren't using."

Hines called, "Tabeshk, make sure no one is on those decks first!"

Tabeshk barked back, "Shut up, Hines, I already know there isn't! I said to evacuate those decks anyway."

The Captain clarified, "Those are the ones we evacuated for the Slipstream a couple of hours ago, right? Good idea, Tabby."

As Tabeshk signaled his intent to kill the power, the Assistant Security Chief called in a report, "All hands report Decks 1, 2, 13, and 14 are unoccupied. I've recalled our anti-boarding parties to decks 3 and 12."

Suddenly, MacArdry down in Engineering got the engines restarted and power slowly pulsed back through the ship. Carter reported, "I've got attitude control back ... no atmospheric thrusters, but I've got docking thrusters ... might be enough to keep the pitch proper, but we aren't climbing yet."

As the ship continued to dive through the atmosphere, the Captain quipped, "I wasn't planning on landing, Carter ... pull us up."

Hines reported, "Shields holding at 17%."

Zak turned with a raised eyebrow. "Seventeen? I don't think I've seen them that low in ... well, I don't think I have."

MAX suggested, "Captain, take my program offline, and use the recon systems battery to bring the impulse engines back online."

Hines responded, "MAX, you cannot be serious!"

But the Captain just nodded grimly, "Tabeshk, put MAX in sleep mode. Use that power to strengthen shields. Thanks, MAX!"

Tabeshk replied, "All right. MAX, go to sleep. Thank you for the help, and I'm sorry for being a cry baby." He pressed a button on his console.

MAX said simply, "System powering down. Goodbye."

Zak turned to Hines. "We'll get him back, Derek."

Carter felt the sticks responding appropriately. "I've got impulse!" After a moment he added, "Captain, attitude adjustment positive. We're climbing."

The Penumbra bucked and heaved as it struggled to climb back out of the atmosphere, but finally emerged into space on the far side of the planet.

Hangar Bay & Sickbay

Lt. Col. Patterson, Lt. Cmdr. Dean Spearhorse, Dr. Thibodeaux, and Counselor Ariti had just returned from the planet and were exiting the Cerberus on the Hangar Deck. The Doctor and Counselor had quickly left towards the Science and Medical Research Labs to begin the analysis of the sample of scent secretions taken from Krigeth, while Patterson and Spearhorse secured the Cerberus.

Patterson had left the Marines they'd taken down to the planet with the Janosian natives in the Safe Zone to start setting up a Base of Operations there to assist any refugees and to plan any assault on the Kyrathians.

In Sickbay was Dr. Shadow K'Trevala, helping the injured from the original running firefight when the Observation Post had to be abandonded, and getting the triage teams and equipment ready in case they are needed.

As Dean stepped off the Cerberus' ramp, he was hit with a massive wave of nausea and dizziness. His head swam and his knees buckled.

Patterson glanced over at the Chief of Security as the other man collapsed, and immediately moved to secure him. "Dean!" he called, then he tapped his commbadge, "Patterson to Sickbay, medical emergency."

Almost instantly, Dean and Patterson were engulfed in a site-to-site transporter beam, whisking them from the Hangar Bay to Sickbay. Shadow was at Dean's side seconds later with a tricorder, in addition to his own empathic abilities.

Dean coughed, acting like he was trying to suck sand, "Help me up, I have to get to my post, sir!"

Patterson eased him back down, "Not so fast, Spearhorse. You're relieved of duty until the Doctor tells me you're medically cleared."

Between Shadow and Patterson, they managed to get Dean onto a biobed, even as the Security Chief complained, "I need . to report .," but he passed out before he could finish his protest.

Shadow quickly grabbed a hypospray and injected Dean with a dose of tri-ox to help him breathe easier, and Dean slowly returned to consciousness. He coughed and choked out, "The air ... bug bomb ... hard to breathe after exposed ... worse on the island ... was lightheaded . developed headache ... thought it was stress ... even harder to breathe here."

Shadow hurried off and gathered a few counteragents for the bug bombs and prepared another hypospray which he quickly administered. Dean's eyes were becoming bloodshot as he mumbled again, "The Janosians ... primitive but noble ... will help if they can . to defend their planet." He fell into a coughing fit, and when it finally passed he continued, "Need to find . some way to . coordinate. Message bouys in . town centers." He collapsed back onto the table.

Patterson looked up at Shadow and said, "Shadow, the suits all had bio-seals installed on them. I wasn't affected by the bug bombs. Are any other members of the crew experiencing similar symptoms?"

Outside the ship, a quantum torpedo detonated in a plasma cloud, causing a huge explosion of plasma energy in close proximity to the Penumbra, releasing a wave headed straight for them. Seconds later, an All Hands call came from Tabeshk at the Operations console on the Bridge, "Living quarters and the Science Labs will not have power for a while. Please remain calm."

Shadow looked up from his patient at the concerned face of the Executive Officer. "I'm not sure. I've not heard of any other problems but we all went through decontam before getting back up here."

And then the plasma wave hit and the entire ship rocked violently. Dean was tossed off the biobed and fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Patterson fell as well, cracking his head hard on the corner of another biobed and collapsing to the floor. Somehow, Shadow had retained his footing and quickly stooped to collect Patterson and dump him onto the bed he'd smacked into, checking him for subdural hematoma.

Shadow found a small crack in the Marine's skull and quickly fit the pieces back in place and "spot-welded" them together with an osteo-regenerator. Already Shadow could see the Colonel's skin being to luminesce from the powerful nanites in his bloodstream kicking into overdrive.

One of the nurses on duty, a Benzite named O'Fin, hurried over, "I'll work with Spearhorse. The Colonel takes priority."

Shadow thanked O'Fin, "Thanks, but he should be okay in less than an hour, but .," he paused then added, "make sure you scrub Spearhorse down with decontaminate solution."

O'Fin lifted Dean back onto his bead even while the ship began to buck and heave and creak as it entered the atmosphere of the planet. O'Fin checked Dean's blood oxygen levels and said, "This looks like what I saw in bootcamp when a cadet died of the bends, Doctor."

Shadow responded, "Then get him in the hyperbaric chamber and go as far as you need to to get him back." He hoped that would ease the excess nitrogen from his system.

O'Fin answered, "There is something more. Are you familiar with the effects of what your government called 'Agent Orange'? There is damage to the lung tissue akin to that, according to the medical scanner." He scooped up Dean and moved him to the pressure chamber before continuing, "We are going to have to hope he doesn't bleed in his lungs while we do this."

Shadow responded, "Agreed, and I'll get in there with him to help if needed."

Science Lab

Relok and T'Lin were riding the Turbolift from the Bridge to the main Science Labs where they hoped to join in the analysis of the scent sample taken from Krigeth. As they rode Relok asked, "How are your biochemical analysis skills, Ensign?"

T'Lin glanced at her superior officer and answered with a perfectly Vulcan straight face, "I am better at biochemical analysis than at telling jokes."

Relok raised an eyebrow but otherwise his expression didn't change. He responded, "Well, at least we have that." As the door slid open he gestured for T'Lin to exit first. She gave him the smallest smirk as she stepped past.

In the Lab, T'Lin and Relok began donning their laboratory gear, gloves, aprons, face shields, and the like. The sounds of the orbital battle could just be heard by the Vulcans' sensitive ears, so T'Lin had the computer begin playing some soft jazz to help cover the sound (and ease the emotions) of the near panic on the Bridge and elsewhere throughout the ship.

While they were still preparing their equipment, there was the muffled sound outside the ship of a quantum torpedo detonating in a plasma cloud, causing a huge explosion of plasma energy in close proximity to the Penumbra, releasing a wave headed straight for them.

A call came through from Tabeshk on the Bridge, "Tabby to T'Lin, are you done with the . thing . that you're doing?"

T'Lin's responded calmly, "I have not yet started the biochemical analysis."

Tabeshk said, "I may need power from you, T'Lin."

T'Lin replied, "Very well, take the power, and Relok and I shall return to the bridge for now."

Tabeshk answered, "Thank you," and closed the comm.

T'Lin shrugged at Relok. "I suppose we'll test the samples later then ... if there is a later."

Mere seconds later, an All Hands call came from Tabeshk, "Living quarters and the Science Labs will not have power for a while. Please remain calm." And suddenly, the power in the lab went completely dark.

Then, as the two Vulcans tried to remove their safety gear in the dark and leave the facility, the ship was rocked when the plasma wave hit. T'Lin grabbed the edge of a table to steady herself as Relok bounced into a wall but was unhurt.

The two of them hurried out into the corridor and into a Turbolift, returning to the Bridge.

Main Engineering

Lt. Cmdr. Bevin MacArdry and her team of Engineers were working feverishly in Main Engineering and other areas of the ship to keep shields and weapons at their top levels.

Unfortunately, when the critical need arose to jump to warp (part of Hines' plan to "light a fart" and jump to safety), the warp engines merely "burped" and abruptly went offline!

Instantly, Bevin and her team went to work trying to find the answer and restore the engines, but it took only moments for energy-siphoning pods to make their way onto the shields. Their effect immediately registered as power all through the ship quickly began to drain away into space.

Bevin opened a comm signal and called the Bridge in her strong brogue accent, "Hines, Bevin, ye waint me tae raivairse tha pawlairity o tha shailds tae say iffin tha haelps?"

She didn't get an immediate response, but she could hear through the open comm as the Captain cursed and barked orders at Hines for a plasma burst through the shields. Finally the Captain addressed Bevin, "Engineering, we had a problem. Make sure we maintain shielding but get the damn engines online!"

Bevin's voice came back, "Waill dae, sir!" She went to getting engines online even while they struggled to keep power flowing for the shields.

Outside the ship, a quantum torpedo detonated in a plasma cloud, causing a huge explosion of plasma energy in close proximity to the Penumbra, releasing a wave headed straight for them, and Bevin could see by her power readings that shields were down to only 55%.

Seconds later, an All Hands call came from Tabeshk at the Operations console on the Bridge, "Living quarters and the Science Labs will not have power for a while. Please remain calm."

And then the plasma wave hit and the entire ship rocked violently. The violent wave of energy burned off some of the energy pods, but not all of them. While the ship still shook the Captain's voice came over the comms, "MacArdry ... where's our damn engines! We've got to get moving!"

Bevin resisted cursing him out and instead merely answered, "Wha I kin gi ye ye've gawt! Sairry, tha ait's nae mair."

Then it hit her. She had a "special supply" of "Rocket Fuel" she kept hidden off in a secret alcove of Engineering. With a little help she gathered 110 barrels of this high-octane, high-proof liquid fuel and fed it into the engines.

It helped. Again the engines "burped" and suddenly kicked in just in time. The ship was diving into the atmosphere and hull temperatures were pushing into the red zone. Bevin barked out, "Ivvryane, aintae EVA suits an we'll tairn awff tha aixtrainious pawir hair tae." She pulled on her own EVA suit.

But, the trick worked. The ship slowly made the turn and began to ascend back out of the atmosphere on the far side of the planet.

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