Re: Day 02 [1415 hrs.] Putting Her Back Together
Reply #68 –
[ Lt. Commander Leon "Striker" Marquez | Bridge | USS Theurgy ]
The torpedo's readouts were conveyed directly to Sithick, and while in constant PaDD-to-PaDD communication with Gunnery Chief Tarsi, Resolve's torpedo expert, Marquez was able to render concise multi-colored readouts, taking into consideration Gorn night vision as the schematics were sent to him across an encrypted channel. After giving Sithick his assurances, Striker had since prepared contingencies in the event of a sudden mandatory detonation.
Leon only hoped the AI could do something about the warhead. Detonated outside, it would obviously ignite enough of the Nebula to disable or wipe at least one vector. As with any loyal officer, he had his bets placed on the Captain's orders, but prepared for anything, including the chance of a contained blast in one of several cargo bays. He left the possibility open for a detonation contained by a forcefield before he was summoned.
"Sithick to Marquez."
"I copy." Marquez affirmed.
"I has warhead, please lock onto casing and transport it to available cargo bay. I will be taking the warhead for logging, and repair could still be unstable better to move it by hand. Please lower shields, and have security ready to receive me."
"Understood. Compu-- Thea?" Marquez deactivated the shielding at the Gorn's location then caught himself in the old habit of what he had always simply called 'Computer'; Once he'd witnessed the personification of a ship's computer handle the McGee incident with startling efficiency, it was apparent he was dealing with a next-level development in holographic technology. "Recommend an immediate evacuation of a cargo bay that meets those requirements to receive the package."
"Marquez to Klex: assemble a security team and render any assistance to Mister Sithick. Whatever he needs. That includes a thank-you from us all." The Chief Tactical Officer stifled a relieved smile that lasted a second before turning to his other screen which manually targeted the runabout Tigris. The Vector's firing arcs moved in real-time as the runabout settled into the range of the Theurgy's foreward-facing weapons. Dotted lines of the various available weapons lit up the tactical station and the holographic table as Vector 01 came about, coming into the firing arcs. It was here where he was made aware of the new point defense mass accelerators. According to some of the light reading he'd received from his friend in sickbay, the weapon was summarily considered a 'Gatling gun', but Striker preferred the term CIWS <"Sea-Wiz">.
Then... He... arrived on the bridge. Marquez had called that man's 'followers' Morali-ists once. Striker didn't break his composure, communicating with Sithick and Klex respectively as he regarded Morali's arrival for an instant, keeping note of his presence on the bridge. The LtJg Temporal Affairs officer would either be a cure for at least one crisis; or He could be a Trojan horse. It was obviously not the CTO's place to judge, only to expect the unexpected, and if possible, act accordingly. The Resolve's former First Officer listened through a clenched jaw at Morali's speech. For now, he bided his time until given explicit orders from Ives--and no one else.
... Of course, with time loops and the nagging sensation of inter-dimensional tactical 'cheating', Marquez had to consider the consequences of the orders he was issued by his rightful Commanding Officer. Noticing the Temporal affairs officer avoiding the gazes of the bridge crew, Marquez's regard (as he carried out his duties directing those in his department in whispered tones) towards Morali was one of, If you stab us in the back, I'll snap your neck., and it was difficult to conceal as he occasionally glanced questioningly at Ives, though in such a body language equivalent to a whisper. Fortunately for Morali, he was in line.
"This is Captain Ives, Stand down now, and you will not be harmed. If you ignite the gas again, however, we have no choice but to..."
The Tigris' holographic display read out in an orange-colored read out as a buzzing alert chirped on the holographic tactical display as Morali concluded. "They're powering weapons, Captain." -- Then it was too late. A red human-shaped favicon appeared on the holographic display at the morbidly- beautiful explosion outside. Striker winced.
"Man down, Captain." he growled, remaining focused at his station, hand on the proverbial trigger on the MPS weapons suite. "Weapons hot, Captain." Marquez reminded the Captain, his tone unchanged, as there was nothing glib for him to add under the circumstances.
"Talk to them again, make them believe I agree to their terms so that the fighters can get here."
Marquez wondered if Kendrick would've returned fire by now, but held his tongue. The Project Eagle veteran was itching to enact the needs of the many crewmates in need of imminent justice over the few cultists or the one Morali; but Lieutenant Commander Marquez wasn't going to defy his Captain. Friends of his were aboard the other two Vectors and vessels between them; with little hesitation, he was going to blast that treasonous craft out of his sight. At the Captain's recommendation of the Mass Driver cannons. Distinctive corresponding weapons trajectories synchronized to the Chief Tactical console's crosshairs, as if asking to be fired.
The trigger key istelf was one of those manual control columns Striker had been very familiar with in his lieutenant years, making the ensuing weapons fire guaranteed to knock out the Tigris without obliterating the vessel or personnel aboard or so he hoped. There was no accounting for the lack of safety harnesses worn by those aboard... their survival would have to be a test of their faith. Cleared to engage, Striker opened fire with the surgical precision of the disable orders he'd been given to hit the rogue runabout.
...
Marquez timed and fired his attacks to avoid a direct kill order, but knew his weapons brought the hostile craft to at least 20% hull integrity as its counterpart on the holograpghic interface tumbled out of its position like a fly that had been swatted silly. Fortunately, for those aboard, Marquez was fond of the Danube, and as such in bittersweet irony, he tried his hardest not to wipe it out as the kinetic weapons fire lanced across the Tigris's hull. Much like Morali's followers, there was probably some chance at redemption after all. The First Officer's directions to the fighter squadron now had the initiative.
[ MCPO Klex Sonden (NPC) | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
"Understood, Striker. Stay frosty up there and shoot like you mean it; Klex out." Klex chided before securing a toolkit into a knapsack, which included an archaic battery-operated power drill. The Denobulan ex-constable formed up a three-person team, including a Resolve survivor, Krukov.
"Shouldn't Ordnance Specialist Tarsi be on this mission? She can keep her calm, especially with McGee going --" around that time, an explosion rippled outside, like a sailboat in a rough storm. Krukov reached for his sidearm reactively before Klex stopped him assuredly, despite the brief shower of sparks. "External impact. It wasn't the torpedo." Sergei Krukov reported, after a loud sigh of relief as the team found their footing.
Klex activated his earpiece to overhear the cacophany of damage reports, getting the pulse of the situation. Fortunately, the earpiece comm unit was adaptable for Denobulans with the use of a small species-friendly clip. "McGee was an isolated incident. He expressed forms of stress disorder when off duty. I looked the other way when it happened. It looked like just stress and desperation, nothing out of the ordinary... certainly no one could've seen him snapping like that." Klex shifted his knapsack and diverted some of the fear and doubt out of the immediate task at hand. The Denobulan and his party rounded the corner to the turbolift and stood aside as the team summoned the lift, nodding their way with a look of assurance.
"At any rate I'm convinced this ship's bound to have a good counselor. Don't worry, Sergei. Just keep your eyes front, keep your skivvies dry, priorities in order, and stay on target." Klex advised as they entered the turbolift. Ironically when Klex arrived at the double quick to Doctor Maya's and Sithick's location, that sentiment was tested at the unexpected sight of a species that had been known on occasion to be... aggressive towards humanoids. A fellow Alien, and much less-easily-phased war veteran was much more prepared to speak.
"Master Chief Klex." The Denobulan introduced himself in a curt salute to the Vulcan Doctor, and if not for the Gorn's visible injuries, the MCPO would have offered a handshake, but instead nodded with a respectful lawman's bow and eager confidence. "With the CTO's compliments. Has the warhead been secured?"
Topic: Day 02 [1415 hrs.] Putting Her Back Together (Read 16221 times)
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