Strategic Retreat

Posted on Sun Jul 2nd, 2023 @ 4:14pm by Captain Aven LaCroix & Lieutenant Commander Aria Winters & Ensign Ethan O'Donnaghue

1,122 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: House of The Dying Sun
Location: USS Eclipse

The USS Quebec was barely being held together by emergency power, and even then, the emergency power being utilized was being expended on life saving priorities with emergency containment fields in place to contain hull breaches which a nice close up view on the Olympic class starship showed fracturing in its large dome shaped 'saucer section' and the stardrive section hand buckled, snapped in half. There were dozens of bodies sucked out into the vacuum of space - instantly dead and long since cold and lifeless. There were still some life signs aboard the starship and Lieutenants Baciami and Kita were doing there best in collaboration to transport the survivors wherever they could aboard the the USS Eclipse.

Those with the weakest of life signs, red patients were being transported directly to Sickbay for critical care. The next down in the ranking of triage were the yellow patients which were being transported to the Cargo Bays. The Green patients were being brought aboard to the two transporter rooms that the USS Eclipse had. Anyone deemed that received black tag designation was immediately brought to the Mess Hall as it had some room in cold storage.

Captain LaCroix had left the bridge of his starship, taking his Acting First Officer and Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander Winters with him. Also accompanying them was their ship's Chief Flight Controller, Ensign Ethan O'Donohuge. The trio were in a turbolift on their way down to meet with some of the very few green patients recovered. The starship Eclipse's bridge was left in the capable hands of Lieutenant Ikuyo Kita with strict orders to transport any survivors they could aboard, but not to take unnecessary risk.

The Eclipse's shields were extended around the debris that was the Quebec, and the Klingon vessel was still attacking. Captain LaCroix was very clear on his orders. The Eclipse was to jump to warp and abort their rescue mission if shields dropped too low. When the trio were jostled around a bit in the turbolift, Captain LaCroix could hear the change of sound in the Eclipse. "We've gone to warp" he said aloud.

“A decision nobody would have taken lightly,” Winters pointed out, thinking of the Quebec crew. While she truly believed they had done all they could for any survivors, leaving the area felt wrong … even if she knew it was the most logical choice to avoid the Eclipse suffering the same fate.

"Less we join them," Aven uttered solemnly. "Kita had her orders. You're correct. If we've gone to warp there was nothing more we could have done, staying a moment longer would have made this rescue operation null. At last report we had more deceased aboard than living survivors. Some of the critical patients...there was nothing more that could be done."

Nothing more that could be done… Winters did her best not to show any reaction to hearing those words again. It had been a common line thrown about after almost her entire crew had perished leaving behind questions and a handful of survivors who were often told there was nothing more they could have done, that anyone could have done. It had not been especially comforting then either. The science officer only realised she had disappeared into her own train of thought when the turbolift doors suddenly opened, and she quickly exited. “Nothing like a bumpy ride to make those things feel a little to claustrophobic,” she confided with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm in her voice even to her own ears.

Wanting to focus on the here and now, she glanced at Aven, “do you think the survivors may have some clues about the modified Klingon vessel? Have either of you ever seen anything like it before?”

They reached their destination as Aven and the others exited the lift. "Tetryon based weapons aren't unheard of. Even we have started implementing them aboard the Sovereign classes, but to this extent? Absolutely not."

"What we were hit with seemed to be an energy dampening weapon" said Aven as he looked at Ethan. "Have you studied anything in the academy on anything like this?"

Ethan pondered the question "I have seen something like this in the academy. In fact, I ran simulations with those very weapons. they're incredibly hard to predict and are way worse to try to discern as they have a higher kill rate than most Romulan weapons, and I've studied a lot of Romulan and Klingon tech in my time. These outweigh anything I've ever experienced. Those weapons were upgraded. I'm more than sure of that. Do we have the engineering report so that I can look over the readouts, captain? I can see if I cant compensate some shield harmonics" he said with a brief smile.

Aven was glad to have someone fresh out of the academy in cases like these. "We probably have some information, but not nearly enough" Captain Lacroix responded. His Chief Science Officer though, had further to add.

“If we could retrieve some of the Quebec,” Aria pointed out, “an analysis of the hull could tell us a lot.”

"Excellent thinking," Captain LaCroix replied. "We'll stay clear for the time being then circle back to the scene. We can search the debris and collect evidence for analysis."

Aria nodded, already making some initial plans in her own mind for when that time came. Who knew what would remain to study but whatever it was, she’d make it count.

These kids are going to keep me on my toes and ensure that I brush up on the latest studies thought the elder Captain. These were different days with a whole new feel to it, but the sensation of excitement was brewing underneath. He was solemn and remorseful for having witnessed what had happened to the Quebec, but to be back here in command of a starship was rejuvenating. "We'll check on these survivors. Perhaps some of them will have some information for us that will be of some use."

EJ looked to the captain "If we can retrieve some of the Quebec id like to assist Liutennant Commander winters with her studies I feel like my experience with such weapons could aid her" he said with a wide smile "That and i want to strip that apart piece by piece until i understand exactly what those weapons can do"

Captain LaCroix looked at Lieutenant Commander Winters and gave a nod of approval. "Ensign, you'll render assistance to the commander" Acen confirmed. "What we do know is this sort of weapon is deadly and the more prepared for it, the better."

The trio continued onward to rendezvous with the Chief Medical Officer.

 

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