Searching For The Lost Pt2

Posted on Thu Dec 5th, 2019 @ 9:51pm by Colonel Danny Lennox & 1st Lieutenant Taz & Gunnery Sergeant Agtx & Brigadier General David Hurd Sr & Brigadier General Kaden Ross & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Lieutenant David Hurd Jr & Lieutenant Zhao Quan & Lieutenant Ariel Gilmore & Lieutenant JG Thy'kor Shrok

3,350 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: USS Kearsarge and USS Saratoga
Timeline: MD2 -1545hrs

USS Kearsarge

Braxton had made sure that the medical bay was up and running. True to his word to Hurd he hadn't had a drink since coming on the ship. He was thinking clearly now and ready to handle what this situation would throw at them. Once the bay was secure he made his way to the bridge and to the medical station there. He was looking forward to working medical. Hades had been reluctant to give him sickbay shifts as a punishment and yet here he was CMO on the Kearsarge.

"Brax?"

He turned to find Joe standing behind him. He raised his chin in acknowledgement.

"We just finished the count for the pain meds and supplies." He handed Brax the PADD. He studied it. "Excellent. We have more then we'll need. Monitor the stock and get ready for anything."

Joe gave a nod. He was glad to see Braxton on his toes again.

"I'm heading to the bridge station and will coordinate from there." With that he headed to the bridge. He wasn't particularly happy to see Hurd after the chew out but he had a better overview from the bridge of incoming reports and how to best split his team.

Hurd nodded at Braxton, but said nothing more to the man, still a little more than ticked at him. But he was learning his lesson, which was good.

After the Comm channel to the Saratoga had closed, Hurd turned to his Bridge Crew and said, "Ok people, here's what needs to be done, those drifting shuttles scanned and brought aboard, I want the entire area swept for cloaked ships, a download and anlysys of the info the comm bout contains, and a trace on that plasma wake".

Lennox nodded. "Taz, scan the area, active pings. Use tachyon sweeps to look for any neutrino emissions. Lieutenant Sykes, work with him, look over everything. Major McDaniel, plot a standard search pattern that takes us closer to the shuttles and larger sections of the transports." He paused as he looked at the Ensign at Ops whom he didn't know, "And, um, Ensign, as we pass the shuttles, tractor them into the main shuttle bay. Coordinate with the Saratoga, neither one of us can recover all of those shuttles. Also, inform SickBay to stand by for casualties, just in case."

Taz nodded and tapped in a few commands.

Brax came in just at the tail end of Hurd's speech. "General, Sickbay is ready and standing by. I will monitor from here until we find survivors."

"Very well", Hurd said sliding down into his chair. Rubbing his face, Hurd said, "You know Lennox, and you can call me crazy if you want, but somthing just does not feel right, feels as though we are be watched, observed if you will".

"I would not be surprised if there is a cloaked Romulan ship or three out there right now." Lennox replied.

Braxton took his seat at the medical console and started bringing up all he needed.

McDaniel manned his post but did turn to address the General.

" Sir my pilots are on stand by if needed."

"Deploy your men, Have two of them get in close and investigate the debris field and have 2 hang near the putter edge in case they need help", Hurd replied warmly. In his mind, this was the only Fighter CO he had ever met in his long service that he could work with.

" Aye aye sir." McDaniel replied relaying the exact orders to his sabre squad as had been given

"Mr. Braxton," Hurd said, "Please start beaming our honored dead aboard and see what we can do to identify them please", Hurd said, his voice falling off into silence.

Braxton gave a nod. "Aye sir." He turned to the console and began a sweep. "Braxton to medical. Prepare for incoming morgue area."

Once he got the acknowledgement he started with the transporting.

Lt. Sykes stood at her post, science station as she listened to the discussion on the bridge. She frowned at the thought of those who died.

"Generral, I'm picking up life ssingss, bearring 230 mark 112. An esscape pod with two insside." Taz reported from Tactical.

Standing, Hurd said, "Thank God Taz, McDaniel's, send your point team to intercept that pod and bring those Marines home", he finished, staring at the veiwscreen.

McDaniel ordered his point team to intercept the pod and extract if possible.

After issuing those Orders, Hurd said, "Any status on tracing the attackers, or indications of cloaked ships in the area?"

"If there are cloaked ships out there, they are keeping a low profile, we can't see them." Lennox replied.

Quan spoke up from the Engineering station at the rear of the Bridge. "One of the attacking ships was hit hard on a nacelle, they left an ion/plasma trail. It's dissipating, but it's there. it leads back into Romulan Star Empire space, toward RDB12."

Taz grunted, "Rromulan Defensse Basse twelve is heavily defended."

"It would take a fleet to attack and neutralize." Lennox added.

"Filthy Romulan scumbags", Hurd said, "Running away like cowards". Hurd grunted and sat back down, thinking for a moment. "You know what, if there are cloaked Romulan ships out there watching us I can piss them off enough to show themselves, Lennox, open a channel".

Lennox raised an eye brow, then tapped in the command on his display. "Channel open General."

Standing to his feet, Hurd started, with mence in his voice, "This is for any Romulan Vessels that may still be in the immediate vicinity". "You filthy cowards attacked and destroyed 3 lightly armed transports and think that was an easy victory?" Now the anger was welling up in Hurd as he continued, "Well how's about, if any of you filthy, cowardly scumbags are still out there you pick on somebody your own size?". "Come in, I dare you, General Hurd out!" As the channel closed, Hurd looked around the Bridge and saw that the entire Bridge Crew was looking at him. Hurd shook his head and, "I am just confirming if their are or are not Romulan ships here under cloak". "Romulans are hotheads, and what I said wall draw them out if they are here". Turning his head again, Hurd said, "Lennox, Taz, anything?"

Taz tapped a few buttons. Lennox walked up the ramp and stood beside him. "Nothing General. No ships, no neutrino emissions. And, no other life signs either." Lennox replied.

"Very well, increase sensor range and intensity, and focus on the larger pieces of debris working your way down, it's possible, unlikely but possible, that their may be survivors trapped in air pockets", Hurd said hoping against hope.

The Kearsarge moved to the far end of the debris field from the Saratoga.


USS Saratoga

Aboard the Saratoga, two survivors had been brought aboard, they weren't in a good condition and were rapidly on their way to Sickbay.

"Survivors are enroute to Sickbay Colonel" the crewman at Ops looked towards Ross before looking back at the Ops console. "No further survivors have been located yet Sir."

"Good, maintain scan for additional survivors there may be more out there." Kaden said.

Freya had taken a seat, so far her Betazoid senses weren't picking up any other survivors but the search was a lot of strain on her own energy levels, on top of her pregnancy. For now she was going to have to just sit and take a break.

Kaden approached Freya gently patted her on the back although slightly worried about her. But she was a tough gal and he understood she just needed to rest for a bit.

"Sir!" The crewman at Ops looked towards Kaden. General Hurd is sending out a message into the field. The crewman put it out for those on the bridge to hear.

"for any Romulan Vessels that may still be in the immediate vicinity". "You filthy cowards attacked and destroyed 3 lightly armed transports and think that was an easy victory?" Now the anger was welling up in Hurd as he continued, "Well how's about, if any of you filthy, cowardly scumbags are still out there you pick on somebody your own size?". "Come in, I dare you, General Hurd out!"

Freya looked at Kaden, she was really hoping they wouldn't end up with a fight on their hands.

Shaking his head, but smiling at the same time, David Jr said, "I know exactly what he is doing, he knows, as well as most, that Romulans are hotheads and that if their are any Romulan ships under cloak here watching us, they will get pissed at what he said". Stiffling a laugh he continued, "He is just ensuring our safety, and that we can continue our operations here unimpeded ".

Freya nodded as she looked towards Hurd jr, acknowledging that she'd taken in what he was saying. "Fingers crossed we find more survivors, after losing so many it would be good to find others who are Alive.

Kaden rubbed his chin certainly he wasn't wanting a fight with this being his first rescue in command of a ship. "I hope so, Mr. Hurd, last I want is us being part of the debris floating out there." He said.

Freya was sitting with her head in her hands until something caught her attention. “Colonel....I’m sensing something. I think there are more survivors out there!”

"Anything on sensors?" Kaden asked.

The crewman looked down at the Ops console. “Sensors are picking up a faint energy reading Sir. Seems to be coming from a more dense debris field ahead us.”


Transport Ship, Hercules

Adrift, the broken twisted hulk of metal which had once been a transport ship carrying a full compliment of marines was unrecognisable. Without main power or shields, every impact upon the weakened hull resulted in numerous hull breaches, decimating the small number of survivors even further.

“Is it just me,” Cadet Williams whispered, “or is it getting quieter?”

First Lieutenant Zoe Quinn glanced over her shoulder, her piercing blue eyes sweeping the small confined space before looking up as another impact possibly took years off of her life. The whole five minutes of it. “Perhaps if you didn’t whisper,” she suggested, keeping her voice light as she returned to her work.

In front of her, exposed circuits and power relays were rewired and re-routed to keep life support operational. Even then, the small compartment was freezing, the air barely breathable and if the emergency lights worked for more than five minutes it was nothing short of a miracle.

Every footstep crushing fragments of debris underfoot, the cadet came to her side. “I can redress the wound -“

“Stay with Captain Ryek,” she replied, “if he dies before us he will never let us hear the end of it.”

“His vitals are dropping,” the young man admitted, “I only know basics...”

Zoe took a deep breath which, frankly, hurt. “Do what you can, it’s all I can ask,” she told him, “we always have each other’s back, never give up.”

“How much longer?”

“Power loss in three minutes, which means that emergency force field will go -“

“Three minutes?!”

Zoe smiled, “a lot can happen in three minutes. I’ll keep working and so should you. We can keep them alive as much as possible.”

And hope for a miracle, she added inwardly.


USS Saratoga

Aboard the Saratoga Freya was trying her hardest to get a good sense. “There are more survivors! I can feel them!!”

“We’ve got a lock on that energy reading Sir!” The crewman looked at Kaden. “It appears to be what’s left of a ship, there’s not much left at all but the debris field around it is immense! I’m not sure we’ll be able to get the ship close enough without causing more damage.”

Freya looked at her husband. “Colonel, I volunteer to go with a rescue party. You’ll need the Doctor here and they’ll need my medical skills over there!”

Kaden rested his hand on Freya's shoulder considering Freya's request. "Any survivors on that wreckage?"

“As Sergeant Ross said Sir, there are survivors over there. I don’t think they’ve got long though what’s left of that ship is breaking up pretty quickly!” The crewman looked at the readings.

"Any chance of being able to beam out of there?" Kaden asked.

“We could but we’d be putting our people down in unknown conditions Sir. There’s no guarantees of a clean beam in or out with that much debris flying around. Although a shuttle would have to dodge the debris too.”

"Seems the shuttle is the best way to go unless there is other suggestions." Kaden said looking at the viewscreen.

"Agreed sir." Gilmore spoke up form the Science station. She had been quiet so far, fixed on her sensors, looking for any hope of survivors. "There's no way the transporter's targeting scanners can get a solid lock with all the radiation and interference from the debris."

Kaden turned to Freya pointing to the turbolift with his thumb. "Then it's settled, Sergeant Ross, get your helldriver and suit up you lead the rescue shuttles I want them out rescuing those survivors on the double!" He ordered.

“Yes, Sir” Freya nodded. “Sir, if there’s high radiation levels I recommend the away team have anti radiation meds from the doctor before we go. My suit should protect me but I’ll get the meds too just incase.” She offered Kaden a smile before heading off the bridge to get sorted.

“Sir!” The crewman at Ops looked at Ross. “They need to hurry! Life support over there is almost gone, I can barely get a reading.”

Kaden looked at the wreckage on the main viewer. "Can we buy them some more time?" He asked.

Looking at his status board, Hurd Jr said, "I recommend raising shields and putting them around that piece of wreckage, and initiating a partial power transfer, that should by them at least a half hour Colonel".

Kaden walked up to Hurd resting his hand on his shoulder. "Do it, Mr. Hurd, we need to give them as much time as we can." He said.

Working his console, Hurd Jr replied a few moments later, "Colonel, Shields have been extended, and the power transfer has begun, recommend operations begin imediantly sir"

"Send word to the shuttlebay, Mr. Hurd, we got no time to waste." Kaden replied.


Transport Ship, Hercules

Three minutes. It wasn't long. Not really. 180 seconds and he'd used up a chunk of those just scrambling through the debris to get back to the Captain. He was unconscious, his lifesigns barely registering anymore.

And if Cadet Robert Williams cared to look, his tricorder was picking up less and less.

Still he worked. Just like Quinn told him to do.

Assigned to this division less than a week before, he had lasted ten whole minutes before he was designated 'Baby on Board'. Which someone thought was a hilarious take on his name. 'Robert, Bob, Baby On Board, get it?!" the gunnery sergeant had declared. And from that point on, he was Bob. Or baby. Few people used his actual name.

Didn't matter much now, he supposed. But he figured he missed Gunny the most. What he wouldn't give for one of his wild stories or lewd jokes -

His tricorder chirped in warning. Life support was now offline and he braced himself for the forcefield to fail and for them to be sucked out into the vaccum of space. He closed his eyes but when he still in one piece and had not moved an inch, he opened one eye cautiously to peer around him. They oxygen levels were falling rapidly but the forcefield was resolutely holding not two feet from him.

He let out a nervous laugh, "guess you worked another miracle, Lt.Quinn!"

There was no answer from the other side of the room.


USS Kearsarge, Bridge

"Generral, ssenssorss are picking up a small clussterr of essape podss ahead. Life ssignss detected." Taz reported from tactical.

Lennox turned his display toward him and tapped in a few commands. "Confirmed General. Seven pods, at least one lift sign in each, a couple have two."

"Lock on tractor beams, prepare to beam both the living and dead off". Turning to Braxton, his voice racing, Hurd said, "Braxton, you have incoming wounded, repeat incoming wounded". Swivilng his head, he "Taz, scan the largest pieces of wreckage within 2100 kilometers deeply and report".

Taz tapped in a few commands while Gilmore also tapped in commands on her science station.

"General, I have a dozen or more life signs in what looks to be a cargo bay. It's only partially intact, they are using EV suits to survive!" Gilmore's voice was excited.

"I'm alsso picking up additional carrgo podss. They'rre holding a vasst amount of theirr gearr. Phasserrss, rrifless, Tactical Display Unitss, trricorrderrss, Irsomagnetic Dirsintegsratorrsrs, communicationss equipment." Taz added.

"Get them beamed to Sickbay Miss Gilmore. Lieutenant Taz, beam that equipment to a cargo bay. We're not letting it go to waste or fall into the hands of the enemy or anyone else.

Lennox then tapped his commbadge, "Bridge to Sickbay, additional casualties are being beamed to you now."

After a few moments, Taz reported again. "Ssenssorrss arre now clearr."

"Alright people, please confirm all our living and dead have been recovered, and that any salvageable equipment has been brought about aboard, then," Hurd said looking around, "I want the rest of this vaporized"

Taz nodded, then tapped in a few buttons. The phasers of the Galaxy Class USS Kearsarge then lanced out in all directions, vaporized the debris so none of it could fall into enemy hands.

Sickbay was buzzing with incoming transporter beams. Braxton had done all he could on the bridge. "I'm heading to sickbay now. We're well prepared."


USS Saratoga

Back aboard the Saratoga Freya was suited and ready to go, boarding the shuttle with rest of the small away team she sat nervously waiting as the shuttle made its way through the field before reaching the crippled ship. They were going to have to try beaming out the ships crew that were left now they were closer.

As the crew started to appear on the shuttle Freya was quick to assess them and make them comfortable, radiation levels weren't high enough to kill but certainly high enough to cause sickness. She was glad that her helldiver suit protected her and the baby, plus she'd made sure that anti radiation meds had been given to the away team.

As the transporter beam released him, Williams drew in a desperate lungful of air, scrambling upright as he looked about him. His eyes were wide, before he began to laugh. Not from amusement but amazement. Shaking his head he looked about them, at the strangers in their gear and then at the others around him. He saw Cap, and Cheesy, and Reynolds, and Junior... and Quinn! All of them down and out but they were there. They were safe.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," he insisted, even as he sank back down to the deck. Relief washing over him like a wave of exhaustion as more were transported aboard. "You have no idea how good it is to see you all," he smiled before passing out.

Freya smiled as she checked people over. "If that's everyone let's get the hell out of here! These people need anti radiation meds as soon as possible and we all need decontamination as well just to be safe."

Returning to the ship Freya joined the transport ships survivors as well as the away team. =/\= Ross to bridge, we're back with the survivors. Enroute to Sickbay for decontamination. =/\=

""Good work, Sergeant, I am proud of you and your team down there. I'll be sure to note that in my report to the General once we get back home." Kaden replied.



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