Blackout

Posted on Wed Jun 10th, 2020 @ 1:43am by President Gruzy of New Xindus & Petty Officer 2nd Class Corvus Hannah & Secretary Jonathan Grayson of United Earth & High Commissioner Jasmine Haynes

1,553 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Exodus
Location: President's Quarters
Timeline: 2430-01-09, 10:35

The lights were dimmed, but Grunzy and Jasmine appeared to be doing okay. Jasmine tried to walk through the door, to check around the corridors. But they were not responding, as she approached them. "This can't be good." Jasmine called out, not expecting the president to respond. She immediately started to grab her tricorder, to scan the area, she was hoping her guards outside of the quarters were still in position. But they appeared to be unconscious on the floor. Probably from the impact of whatever hit the ship.

President Gruzy of New Xindus looked carefully around the area, surprised to see the guards unconscious, "Undoubtedly, Commander. We have to get them assistance." He looked around the area, "I wonder who could've done this. We're in Federation territory, no where near enemy space. Who would attack the Federation President's ship?"

"Unknown sir." Jasmine said, as she reached out to tap her communicator. The line just chirped. "Haynes to the Bridge, please come in." Jasmine called out, but no one answered. She thought to herself, how much she hated the idea of being cut off from the bridge.

The President of the Federation looked around the area at the darkness that surrounded them. It was a devastating darkness that would surely take them all over. "Commander, we have to get help for these people. Help me get them to Sickbay. Secretary Grayson if you would?"

"Of course sir." Jon moved swiftly to help the President and Jasmine with the unconscious guards. "Which way to Sickbay?" He asked, looking at Jasmine as he did and hoping she knew as he didn't want to be traipsing around without a clue.

The Xindi Reptilian looked toward Commander Haynes, not knowing the answer to the question. He knew that the Starship Spock was always intended to be a lifeboat of sorts for him should things go horribly wrong. He'd wished now he'd spent more time exploring the Spock.

"We should move soon." Jasmine called out, as she walked over to one of the unconscious guards, and took his side arm. She had a bad feeling. And it would make her feel safer, knowing she was armed to deal with it. "It's not far to sickbay." She called out.

"Let's move on then," Gruzy agreed noticing that she'd picked up the phaser. "I'm only hoping that you don't have to use that thing." He looked at Secretary Grayson, "Come, Ambassador, let's get them out of here."

Jonathan moved so he could help support the unconscious guard. "Certainly sir." He looked to Hayes. "I also hope you don't have to use it but I am glad you know how."

"Better to have it, and not need it. Versus, needing it and not having it." Jasmine pointed out. Her first thought, was the safety of the President and by default the Senator too.

"I quite agree. To err on the side of caution and safety is always the preferred path." Jonathan answered as they moved down the corridor towards Sickbay.

They walked though the darkened ship, the President surprised by how well the gravity systems were still functioning. He chuckled, "At least we're not floating." He needed the moment away from himself, otherwise he'd be focused on what was going on in the rest of the galaxy. He could only imagine what fresh Hell was being plagued upon the galaxy.

Jasmine continued to lead the group towards sickbay, it did not take long. The Spock was not a large ship, she motioned for Jonathan to take a defensive position near the entry way of sickbay. After having a good tactical spot, she made her move allowing the doors to swish open.

Jonathan did as instructed by Jasmine and took up a defensive position near the entrance of sickbay. He waited for her to make her move, ready to lend assistance should it be required.

The Xindi looked through the door, surprised to find the medical bay deserted. "That was unexpected," the President said with a sly grin. He looked to the others, "Least we can do is try to figure out what's going on." He saw the large panel, "Can we get that panel online?"

"One thing is for sure, we can't get any information standing here." Jonathan replied, "Lets get in there and see if we can get the panel back online."

"Agreed, we are to exposed here." Jasmine said, as she slowly walked in, and secured the room, while the President and Jonathan began working on the computer terminal. She wondered if the Spock's sickbay was like most defiant class starships, only manned when needed. She knew the Spock, was not a defiant class. The ship was small like a defiant, and shared a lot of her features.

The whine of a site to site transport cycled with a discordant note, delayed and spread out, it was turned into a real whine. There was the flicker of an outline, blurred but recognizably humanoid. The outline flickered, was gone with a jangle in the transporter hum, flickered back again. It flickered out then, the whine pitched louder and stronger and the outline did more than flicker. The silver curtain shimmered, brightened and then cut out all together.

Hannah immediately turned as soon as the transport finished, depositing him and the young crewman into Medical. He had the rifle up to his shoulder and aimed at the group invading Medical. "Step away from that panel now!" he ordered before realizing that it was President Gruzy whose face was currently haloed in the bright spotlight from the end of his rifle. A quick flick left and right showed Commander Haynes and...well...he didn't know the other guy. The unconscious people at their feet, them he recognized. Oh shit! he thought to himself while the barrel of his rifle dipped only slightly. Did the President and Commander decide to attack the diplomatic security detail and then do something to the ship? No, the impacts came from outside the ship. Unless they were working with others he could probably trust they weren't insurrectionists. In a quick, fluid motion, he slung the rifle across his back and attached to the side of his pack. He bent to pick up the crewman and deposit him on the biobed.

"Throw me in the brig later," he muttered as he worked to don his diagnostic glove. Power seemed to be out in Medical, at least power to the biobeds and diagnostic equipment. "Sitrep on those two?" He began scanning the crewman and letting the data from the glove roam across his ocular lens. The diagnosis wasn't good.

President Gruzy looked at the noncom, "They were unconscious outside my cabin, Doctor. We wanted to get here because it's one of the safest locations on the ship." It was. The Spock was a small vessel, only three decks, and Sickbay was located centrally on Deck 2 directly below the Bridge. It was the best defended location aboard.

"Will they be fine, Doctor?"

Hannah shook his head and muttered a curse under his breath. Internal injuries on the crewman he brought here - in a failing transporter no less - and now two more. He was sure there'd be more on the way. Especially if whatever was happening outside the ship continued. "I'll get to them in a moment, Mr. President." He rechecked the scan. Surgery would be necessary.

He looked at his Security Chief, "I want to know what's going on. Get to the Bridge, both of you, and find out what's happening. As long as Doctor Hannah has the rifle I think I'm safe."

"I'm not a doctor, Mr. President," Hannah said as he began scanning the first of the DSS officers. "I'm a combat medic, a glorified medic really." But, he also saw he was all that they had at the moment. "Concussion with mild head trauma," he muttered to himself, his system picking up and recording the data. "This one has a fractured skull, a bit more serious but not life threatening at the moment. That's good." He looked up at the three. "Yes, the President will be as safe as he can be here. And I could use another pair of hands."

He shrugged out of his pack and looked at the man responsible for running the Federation. "Scrub up, sir, we've got doctoring to do."

Jonathan looked to Haynes, "We best be going Commander. The sooner we find out what is going on the sooner we can work on a plan to fix it."

"It will be fine," the Xindi answered. "I feel safe here and we need to figure out what's going on." He looked to the Medic, "Let's help these people."

Jasmine wanted to protest her orders. Her first responsibility was to the president, during this assignment. She knew he wanted answers, and she was going to get him some answers. "Yes Sir, will be back shortly." Jasmine said to the president, as she got ready to leave.

"Commander." Jonathan spoke quietly, "We should be going." He gently reminded Haynes as he stood by the entrance to Sickbay, ready to make his way to the bridge and get a first hand report of what had happened.

"Safe journey," Gruzy bid farewell before turning to the Master of Sickbay, "let's get started."

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