Drastic Action

Posted on Fri Aug 25th, 2023 @ 12:56pm by Captain Michael Murphy & Captain Jackson Adams & Lieutenant Commander Steve Ryan & Lieutenant Stuart Mann & Lieutenant Aaron Mitchell & Lieutenant Wallace Wilson & Lieutenant JG Brandon Smith & Lieutenant JG Charlie Dubois
Edited on on Fri Aug 25th, 2023 @ 2:02pm

Mission: The World We Never Knew
Location: Babel Orbit

(On the bridge of the Montana)

The figure on the viewscreen looked ominous. "It is clear you do not respect us. Beam your crew back, and leave this system at once."

Captain Adams again spoke up, "Maybe a short of compromise can be reached? Is there anyway you would consider sitting down and discussing the issues involved in this situation."

The figure on the other end said, "the compromise is that we execute the traitors. You can get out of the way or die with them. You have two minutes to decide."

Remembering what Captain Adams had said, Commander Murphy quietly contacted the away team again.

=^= Away team from Commander Murphy =^=

The voice of Ensign Odonnel came through the speakerphone

=^= Go ahead, Montana. Ensign Odonnel speaking here =^=

=^= We'll be attempting to use the tractor beam to bring you into orbit. Make sure everyone is aboard, and in an area of the ship that is spaceworthy. Murphy out. =^=

Deborah widened her eyes as she heard Murphy's words
=^= Sir, but it's... =^= the voice link dropped and she stared at the blank screen of the console for just a couple of seconds before rushing to update Steve.

Murphy didn't wait on the line to hear any objections from the away team. He needed them to know that this was urgent.

=^= Bridge to Engineering =^=

=^= Lieutenant Mitchell here =^=

=^= This is Commander Murphy. I need additional power routed to the tractor beam. We're going to attempt to bring a ship from the surface of Babel into space with us, and then we will need to go to warp while towing the ship. Pull power from anywhere you can, aside from engines and shields. =^=

=^= Commander... Yes, sir. Mitchell out. =^=

Commander Murphy subtly moved over to the Tactical station, where Lieutenant Smith was posted. He turned his back to the viewscreen and spoke quietly. "Lieutenant, when I give the order, lock tractor beam onto the vessel our away team is repairing. You'll bring it up and hold the beam while we go to warp."

Smith nodded his understanding.

Murphy's movements were not lost on Captain Adams, who turned and glanced at Murphy. Murphy gave him a nod, intending to communicate that he was implementing a plan.

Lt. Mann motioned for the commander to come over and said, "Sir, you know there is a chance that we could destroy this ship if we move into warp with them in tow."

Murphy considered that for a moment while wishing his background was in Engineering instead of Security. "What if their engines were deactivated and we extended our shields around them? Would that make it so we were essentially a single vessel?"

Lt. Mann considered the idea and responded, "Possibly but if the other ship attacks us, we will not be able to maintain the Shields for very long. Sir, we are not a combat vessel."

Murphy nodded, "Then it is imperative that we avoid the combat. I'm not willing to leave that ship down there."

The Captain walked over to Murphy and Mann, "Whatever we are going to do, we better do it fast."

"Commander, go to red alert. Arm the phasers, assuming we will have the power with everything going on."

"Red alert! Arm phasers!" Murphy called out.

[Babel Planet - Away Team]

Deborah immediately notified Steve of the happening calling for him on the bridge of the alien vessel.

"I am not sure the Montana can actually rise us with a tractor lock" he countered not really knowing what to say.

"Oh, they probably could... tampering some more power here and there and shutting down secondary systems, closing in to the planet and to us and ...but" she shook her head trying to get back to the problem at hand "...that's not the point, they're doing it NOW" she hurried him "We need to get everyone on board and a couple of repair teams ready for whatever might happen when we are lifted off" her eyes locking on him showed how worried she really was.

Steve tapped his comm-badge and called the attention of all the personnel on board, notifying them of what was happening and the plan. He then tried to allocate a few of the engineers in the areas in which they might be more useful once the big idle ship started to float in the atmosphere and head towards the void.

Deborah worked tirelessly and fastest she could fixing the last few things and coordinating the engineering efforts here and there.

"Sounds like you got a promotion, Steve" she smiled to him once things were pretty much set.

"What do you mean?" the young lieutenant asked her trying to understand what she was saying.

She shrugged, with a smile on her face "You got an upgrade to Captain of this> ship, being the senior officer in here".

The black haired man felt dumbfounded for a while "Oh shit!" he finally realized covering his face with both his hands "I never thought I would be captain and when I get to be one... this is what I have to command"he exclaimed widening his arms pointing at walls surrounding him and still being worked on.

Debora laughed, a loud and tension releasing laugh "Well, I patched it up the best I could for you, Captain" she said with a warming smile and winking to him.

Ryal laughed as well. "Well, would you mind being my XO for the time being?" he asked her showing a seat close to him.

"I would be honored" was the only answer she gave him, sitting close to Steve.

=^= Montana, we're ready when you are. We'll leave a comm-link open in case we'll need to arrange for something or we need a quick transport out of here=^=

Said so, he patiently sat close to his blonde XO and waited.

(On the bridge of the Montana)

Murphy walked over to Lieutenant Smith. "Hopefully we gave them enough time. Get that ship up here, now."

Smith nodded, "Aye, sir." The tractor beam activated, and Murphy hoped he made the right call.

[Babel - Alien Ship Bridge]

The ship started to shake all of a sudden. Steve shot a worrying glance to Deborah, if engineers didn't patch the ship up properly they were all about to die. The ship should collapse due to the lack of proper structural integrity, and that didn't even factor in the risk of leaks and lack or malfunction of the life support once the vessel would have left atmosphere and headed into space.

"It will work just fine" the blonde engineer seemed to have understood Steve's thoughts and tried to reassure him with a smile.
"I know" he nodded while still listening to the hull of the ship cracking and making weird noises.

Montana bridge

Murphy watched Smith work, making precise adjustments with the tractor beam as it pulled the other ship up from the planet's surface. If the situation made Smith nervous or unsure of himself, he certainly wasn't showing it. Once the ship was alongside them, Smith quickly extended their shields around it. "Is the other ship okay?"

"Still reading all life signs. The ship is in one piece, but I wouldn't call it stable. I'm sure it's a madhouse over there." Lieutenant Wilson called out from the Science station.

Murphy moved over to helm, where Lieutenant Dubois was stationed. "Our towed vessel might not be able to sustain warp with us for long. Any close areas to warp to and be safe?"

Dubois began moving his fingers quickly across the panel. "There is a large asteroid not far from here. I may be able to warp us into it's tail, where we can follow it at sublight speed and it should mask our presence."

"Do it," Murphy ordered, without hesitation. A few seconds later, they warped out.

[Babel - Alien Ship Bridge]

As the ship climbed higher and higher in the atmosphere, the first damage reports started rolling in.
"We got a power failure in deck 5 and seems like part of the temporary link we improvised between the main batteries and the sensors' grid ain't working anymore. We'll have to get it checked" Deborah reported to Steve.
The acting captain nodded "Get everyone out of deck 5 and seal it, send a couple of people to oversee what's wrong with that link" he ordered trying to stay as calm as possible even if his mind was racing like never before.

The vessel kept climbing till they found themselves in orbit.

"Report" Captain Ryan ordered.
"Pretty much everything online, except long range sensors that are still being investigated. Deck 5 sealed and inoperative, We have a few leaks here and there but life support is holding on and that's the most important part I guess. We probably lost a shielding plate or two in the ventral arc while being tractored. We cannot move until we fix them and we'll have to go outside to do that. All crew accounted for, Sir" Ens. O'Donnel completed her report.
"Well, congratulations Deborah, you and your teams did an outstanding job" he finally seemed relaxed "So, why did the Montana wanted us in orbit this quickly?" he asked.

They needed no long range sensors to spot the big Babel ship right in front of them watching and aiming to the Montana and the survivor's ship.

"Well, that could be a pretty good reason I guess" Deborah made him notice
"Oh sh..." he stood up eyes locked on the screen "Correct me if I'm wrong, we are barely space worthy, we can't run, we can't fight and definitely we can't take any hit...right?" he asked.
"I...I'm sorry Steve. We couldn't do much more. the acting XO said
"Don't worry Deborah" he closed in and held her hand "It's ok, you and yours made this wreckage space worthy. And that's a miracle in itself. And I'm sure the Montana has a trick or two up their sleeve" he then turned again towards the main window and waited, hand on hand, hoping that Montana really had a plan.

Few seconds later a warp bubble enveloped their ship as well and they started to move in tow of the Montana.

"woo, will we hold at this speed?" Steve asked with a smile on his face.
"Hard to say, with a bit of luck maybe" Deborah answered.
Steve nodded "we've been lucky so far"

Montana bridge

As the ships came out of warp, they found the shields immediately taking on impact from comet debris. The shields were already strained from being extended over an extra ship.

When the initial impacts subsided, Murphy turned towards Tactical. "What's our shield status?"

"27%, and slowly falling. We definitely shouldn't stay here any longer than we have to." Lieutenant Smith answered.

Murphy agreed. "Let's run sensor sweeps and find out if the Babel ship is in the area. Either way, I'd like to get out of this comet before shields fall to 10%."

[Babel - Alien Ship Bridge]

"We are headed towarda a COMET?!?!?!?! Are they crazy? With our current situation we'll be ripped apart in no time. I thought Commander Murphy didn't hate us that much" Deborah literally spelled out aloud what Steve was thinking.
"We need to get shields online...NOW" The CO yelled getting the few men he got onboard on the task .

As a few men ran out of the bridge headed for the main deflector's area Steve queried his XO on the matter "Do we have enough power to keep them online?"
"I...I...I think so, I mean..." she started running some quick calcs to see the power absorbtion. "Actually, as per my analysis, the Montana should not even be able to keep us in tow and have their shield functioning" she shrugged "But they're doing it so...I think we can give it a go. We cut power on everythin not essential and just dump all we have on the deflector generator" she proposed

"Do it" Steve ordered and as he said so, lights on the bridge dimmed, sensors became pretty much useless but the shield generator came online.

"We're running basically in what in our ship would be called Emergency Mode. We sealed all unused decks and even cut life support there. lightings are at mimum and I'm pretty sure there's no water in the toilets too but..we got shields" she smiled for the first time since seeing the Babel ship on the viewscreen.

"Great news"

=^= Montana, I am not exactly aware of how this suicidal trick should play out but we managed to get shields up somehow. You can divert power to your own shields diminishing the shielding area from now on. We'll still need you to babysit us here and there since we are basically sitting duck for the time being =^=

Steve updated the Montana on their situation.

=^= Message gladly received! =^=


Montana bridge

It was a relief to no longer have to share their shields, and it bought them more time. After about fifteen minutes, they were satisfied that they were not being pursued, and the order was given for both ships to abandon the comet. They towed the rescued vessel to the nearest uninhabited class M planet, with plans to meet and discuss the situation from there.


--------------------------------------------------------
OFF:

Captain Jackson Adams
Commanding Officer

Commander Michael Murphy
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Steve Ryan
Chief Communications and Operations Officer

Lieutenant JG Charlie Dubois, NPC
Assistant Chief Helmsman

Lieutenant Stuart Mann, NPC
Navigation Officer

Lieutenant JG Brandon Smith, NPC
Security Officer

Lieutenant Aaron Mitchell, NPC
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer

Lieutenant Wallace Wilson, NPC
Assistant Chief Science Officer