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Episode 02: Cosmic Imperative / Re: EP2 BTS | D03 | 0003 hrs] Flammis Acribus Addictis
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The battle thus far had been relatively quiet for those on the flight deck, just the shaking and lurching of a ship in combat. Sometimes an area in their section would get hit and the improvised damage control team would respond, but beyond that it was just a lot of tense waiting. No fighters had thus far returned, there were reports that Razor was on his way back but nothing came of it and in the chaos of the combat it seemed that nobody informed Lok or anybody else down in the Fighter Bay what was going on. Fairly typical.
Lok sat silently on the floor leaning against a mobile toolbox, most of the rest of the deck crew, beyond those who just couldn’t sit still, were also sitting or laying down, many perhaps trying to be anywhere else in their head and not think about the fact that at any moment the ship could suddenly be vaporized. It was just the way it was for those of the lower decks, putting all their faith and hope into those at the top that they might come out of this alive while those same people they pinned all their hopes on didn’t even know their names or wouldn’t give them the time of day beyond simple pleasantries. Experienced non-commissioned officers like Lok had grown accustomed to this and learned to cope, Lok himself passed this time of uncertainty by calibrating the tools in the very toolbox he was leaning against, but the younger ones, they paced, they look around, they suggested action, something to feel like they were in control.
Sooner or later they’ll get the picture.
Petty Officer Hussein approached, face and coveralls coated in splotches of soot, “we got that fire out in Section 1634, Chief”, she informed while taking a seat with a grunt next to the large cat.
“That’s good, hey can you hand me that torque-”, Lok was cutoff mid-sentence by the familiar voice of that bald headed vulcan once again, his ear perked up to their full height as he listened.
[All hands, this is Lieutenant Commander Cross, we have confirmed reports of hostile boarders across multiple friendly vessels. All personnel are to arm themselves immediately and prepare to repel boarders.]
‘...well shit…alright”, Lok mumbled in annoyance.
He stood up and to his full height and gestured with his clawed hands for those to gather around.
“Ok everyone, we need to be prepared, grab a phaser rifle, keep it with you at all times. We have excellent security teams, we should be fine. Now once you get your rifles I will need the section heads to report back here to me.”
The group split up and headed to the outer walls of the flight deck where cases of weapons and other combat equipment had been stowed, just in case, but one crewman, a bajoran, perhaps no more than eighteen or nineteen, did not. Lok could sense his apprehension and fear, “What’s the matter, Crewman?”
“Chief I uh, I haven’t fired a weapon since basic…and I wasn’t that good, that’s why I became a mechanic.”
Lok nodded knowingly, he imagined the story was the same for most of his guys.
“What’s your name, Crewman?”
“Teeva Begam.”
“Alright Begam, you’re going to stick with me as a runner in case I need ya”, Lok responded with a smile and a pat on the shoulder.
Begam nodded with a small smile of relief then followed the larger man as he made his way over to the gathered group of armed section heads.
Lok discussed with the group the defense strategy for the Fighter Bay, they weren’t security people but some were at least veterans of the Dominion War or some other combat event and knew enough to put up some kind of resistance. The group agreed that a defense in depth was best, they weren’t Starfleet security so falling back to fixed points was a far better option than a tenacious defense if things got too hot. Hopefully security would be able to handle it though, Lok’s deck gang was already spread thin as it was and perimeter defense was the last thing they needed.
The group of deck hands worked fast and erected several barricades in the corridors leading directly into the Fighter Bay as well as near the back of the flight deck itself, each was a choke point that the boarders would have to force their way through in order to reach the bay. Lok didn’t have to be security to know the importance of an enemy force taking control of the flight deck, it would allow them to bypass any security protocols and land extra troops with ease.
He would have preferred something a bit more sturdy than what was thrown together from crates and steel plating, but no sooner had they gotten set up then the word came down that Romulans were on the ship and making their way in force to the Fighter Bay.
“Let’s go go go, take your positions!”
Lok rushed across the deck to his own position, a sort of command post at the final barricade from where he could coordinate the defense. Some security officers had arrived since the call had gone out but much to Lok concern there were not many; he spread them out among the group of mechanics in hopes they would help act as a multiplying factor in repelling the boarders.
The Romulans hit the forward barricades in force, driving off the defenders there quite easily; even the second barricade couldn’t hold out for long under the concentrated onslaught of a well trained fighting force. The Romulans were determined to take the Fighter Bay, but Lok wasn’t going to let that happen. Even as he ordered the defenders at the second barricade to fall back slowly to the final once he glanced over at a spare Valkyrie turret lying near the wall.
“Begam, with me I have an idea.”
