Chapter 3.3

Posted on Fri Jul 21st, 2023 @ 11:14pm by Lieutenant JG Nysirkil & Lieutenant Senak & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Commander Horatio Refelian & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Marner & Lieutenant R'elle & Ensign Ronan Elsher & Ensign Zoya Solwick & Captain Nathan Bishop & Lieutenant Chloe Young-Capp

3,291 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: No Sleep Tonight
Location: USS Uhura
Timeline: 2431-05-31, 00:05

A recent transfer from the Starship Kumari, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Nysirkil was excited to be serving on the Bridge of a Starship for the very first time in her career. An Edosian, Nysirkil had proven herself in the Stellar Cartography lab as a dedicated scholar and researcher and was looking forward to have the opportunity to prove herself on the Bridge. She just hoped that her enthusiasm didn't get the better of her.

All three of her hands were dancing across the control interfaces, checking sensor scans and telemetry coming through to her panels. The Uhura was on a rescue mission to recover the crew of the USS Poseidon, the older Nebula Class ship having been lost on a routine research mission investigating the radiation spikes native to the Maelstrom. Very little information was available, but that was part of the mystery as they approached the source of the distress call.

She couldn't help but wonder what the rest of the crew were thinking.

"I kind of wish I'd brought along Franken-Shuttle. I have a feeling we could use it's thumper Array." Ash mused, aloud.

"As long as it flies, does it matter?" Harry said he was rechecking his phaser rifle.

In a lesser situation Hawkins would have asked Ash to explain the thumper array as he found her knowledge to be never ending and fascinating. However, with the pressing need to locate the Poseidon his mind was focused on the mission at hand, though he did find himself wondering why Bishop didn't leave a more senior officer behind on the star base.

"So, what do we know about Poseidon?' Refellian asked as he placed his rifle down and approached the front of the ship.

Nysirkil was the one to answer that question. Typing on the console, a display opened on the viewscreen, "The Poseidon is a Nebula Class Starship, one of the last still in operation, that had been assigned to the Maelstrom on a long-term investigation of the radiation anomalies that are prevalent in this region. We received a distress call from them a short while ago, the exact cause of their distress is unknown." The Edosian was matter of fact, but struggled to hide her curiosity about the fate of the Poseidon.

"Anything in the distress call that could indicate what the problem was?" Refelian asked. He was summoned at a moment’s notice and wasn't sure what was happening.

R'elle listened to the conversation. At this point in time it seemed no one know what the distress call was about She was nervous as they approached. "Whatever it is, they need us so best to be prepared for anything. If they need our help we do our best to provide it and hope we all come out in one piece!"

"Enough talk." Bishop spoke up. "Ms. Nysirki set course for the Poseidon warp 7 and no the Poseidon did not indicate the nature of their distress. Nathan." He said addressing Hawkins. "Let's go to yellow alert bring the shields and weapons online." Bishop told his executive officer. "Keep hailing them as well, see if we can some answers. Place sensors on maximum as well."

"Yellow alert," Hawkins acknowledged bringing the ship into readiness and enhanced the sensors to enable them to understand what was happening to the Poseidon in order to offer aid. He hoped they weren't too late.

The Science Officer looked up from the workstation, "I have the Poseidon on sensors, Sir. Transmitting the coordinates to Lieutenant Young-Capp at the Helm."

Chloe looked at the coordinates and entered them into the helm that the science officer transmitted to her "coordinates locked in Captain ready on your orders sir" she waited for the captain to give the word .

An alarm rang on the console, "Captain! The Poseidon is very near to the site of Admiral Targaryen's negotiations with the Cardassians."

"That can't be a coincidence?" Refelian commented out loud.

"It could be." Ash mused, in response. "However, I am now wondering if the Poseidon isn't part of something The Admiral has planned and we're going to foul it up by running in to the rescue." The engineer proposed.

The Edosian typed on the workstation, "I'm not entirely sure of that. When the first distress calls were heard the Enterprise was not in this system and was still within the general vicinity of DS12's airspace. I doubt that he's involved."

"Agreed." Bishop answered from the center seat. "Hail the Poseidon...again and let's see if we can get some answers as so far, we have none and I don't like being in the dark." He looked over to Hawkins. "Go to red alert. Raise the shields and bring the weapons online just to be safe."

"Aye," Hawkins acknowledged.

"Auxiliary power is now available to Tactical to bolster weapons and shields should it be needed." Ash announced, quietly while she keyed in a sequence for the preparation of a nasty surprise, if it should be called for, in the form of quantum torpedoes augmented with a rodinium core that would be turned molten when the primary quantum warhead detonated on impact with the targets shields and punch through the, momentarily, weakened shield.

"Very good Ash." Bishop replied to the engineer. He, Nathan Hawkins and Ash had been together for a long time and seen and done a lot of things. Some not very pretty. some he wished he could forget but couldn't. "Let's hope we don't need it."

"No responses to our hails," Hawkins stated wondering how the Poseidon became stricken. Had they become a victim of the interactions of the Enterprise and Cardassians? Or antagonist? Why also hadn't Targaryen acknowledge them?

Cyrus standing quietly in a corner, nursing a hangover from the drink he and the Admiral had imbibed. The hangover was sort of expected and yet not expected, the Maelstrom concoction had quite the punch. His head was still throbbing, and that alert wasn't helping much. However, with what has just been said, Cyrus was worried. He also recalled something that the Admiral had stated that of Cardassians may blow the Enterprise out of space?

"Oh gosh I hope nothing is wrong, hope nothing goes wrong." Cyrus exclaimed. He reached up to touch the new pips he was wearing, rubbing them as if to hopefully gain good luck and send them to Targaryen.

Nysirkil was the one to dash the hopes, "I wish that I could confirm nothing was wrong for you, Doctor, but I'm afraid I have to burst that bubble. The Enterprise and its support ships are moving toward the Cardassians at full impulse. The Cardassians have spotted them and are moving toward them." An alarm trilled from the corner of the Edosian's console, "Sir, I've detected three escape pods nearby!"

Cyrus stepped forward, feeling his heart pounding, his breathing rapid. Oh gosh, what was going to happen! He couldn't tear his eyes away from the screen. He barely heard the Edosian's report. "Wil..." he breathed out quietly, "For the love of...don't let it happen..."

Hawkins bit his bottom lip at the sight of the Enterprise and her support vessels heading at full pelt toward the Cardassian ship in an act that could trigger much wider consequences. However, it did offer an distraction to rescue the the escape pods. "Helm," he called. "Get us closer to the pods and bring them aboard. Cyrus, head down to sickbay and prepare for casualties."

"Aye Captain." Cyrus uttered making a swift movement to the turbo lift. He cast one more look at the scene at hand then stepped in, the lift doors closing behind him.

Chloe replied "aye captain " she got the ship closer to the pods" we are in range of the pods captain" chloe said .

"Transport ready, Captain. We'll be taking extra precaution to avoid transporting something aboard that goes 'boom'." The chief engineer added, quietly. Booby-trapping escape pods was an old trick but one that still worked, as Ash knew very well.

"Captain, I'm holding off on running high resolution scans as it could mark our position for the Cardassian forces. If you prefer I can begin running such scans of the area to look for additional escape pods, but there is risk involved," the Science Officer proposed not certain how the Captain would go.

Bishop shook his head, "No, hold off on the high-resolution scans. Let's not tip our hand." He looked at Ash. "I appreciate that Ash. Let's keep the ship in once piece. I know you will take all necessary precautions."

"Want me to take a security team down to the cargobay and greet the pod?" Refelian asked.

"Security and medical would be a good idea." Ash commented and looked to Captain Bishop. "Transport ready to initiate once medical and security are in place." She announced.

The Edosian added, "I'm holding off on any additional scans as requested, Captain." An alarm sounded, "Captain! I'm reading active scans from nearby!"

"What?!!!!!! Where? I need more information and need it now!" Bishop replied turning in his seat to look at Hawkins. "Nathan! What have you got?"

Hawkins frowned: "It's not from the Enterprise, the Poseidon or local Cardassian vessel. I'm trying to triangulate. "Nysirkil widen your search as discreetly as possible," he asked the science officer.

R'elle did not like this situation at all. it felt wrong. The fact that they were being scanned by parties unknown was not a good sign at all! Her hackles were up. It didn't feel right to her.

"An active scan is the equivalent of ringing a doorbell." Ash stated, calmly. "Odd behaviour if one is planning to attack." She added.

The Edosian typed on the workstation, believing that she'd found the source. Reaching upward she placed the location on the viewscreen and rose from her station. "This is the origin point, a small Cardassian craft - apparently Hideki Class - that is emanating a high-capacity sensor scan." An alert appeared on the screen for all of them at the same time, "Captain, the Starship Valhalla appears to be with them."

Bishop frowned, "The Valhalla?" He questioned.

"It had left DS12 shortly before we did," Nysirkil announced. "Their flight plan was not shared."

Bishop mumbled under his breath or perhaps swore in either way it was too soft to be made out clearly. Why couldn't things go smoothly just once?"

Hawkins lent towards Bishop and spoke in a low tone: "That's Captain Jamison's ship, he's leading the task of capture that damaged Cardassian ship we detected earlier. Should we divert once the all the pods are collected?"

"What's our ETA to the Valhalla?" Bishop asked not directly answering Nathan's questions. He was working through different scenarios.

"Five minuets," Hawkins answered. "Four if we push it."

"Are we in the right place at the wrong time, Captain? Or, the wrong place, at the right time, maybe?" Ash asked, quietly, though, on the small bridge her question was easily heard by all. "We're where no one expects us to be, after all." She added, not letting on what her own thoughts were on the situation.

"Maybe the right place for the first time, Sirs," the Edosian at the Science Console indicated. "Message from the flagship, which I have just confirmed, the Cardassians are retreating back to their territory at maximum warp. We are advised to return to Deep Space 12 at Warp Six."

"Warp drive is ready on your command, Captain." Ash announced, quietly. "Auxiliary power is secured and all systems are nominal." The Chief Engineer added wile she checked on the status of the escape pods beamed aboard the Uhura and gathered a, cursory, head count of survivors.

"OK." r'elle wondered what was going on. It felt like they were missing something. At least the escape pods had been recovered. 'Captain, perhaps I'd better go down to sick bay and how the survivors are doing?"

Bishop looked at his officers. Hawkins was his best friend. Ash was also a friend. The others had shown their mettle and he was proud of them all. "R'elle go to Sickbay, find out how everyone is. Ash, fire up the warp engines. let's get out of here." He glanced at Nathan. "Well, it appears we dodged a bullet, Nathan."

R'elle nodded, "Aye captain!" with the she headed off to sickbay.

The chief engineer shot a five second count down clock for the engagement of warp 6 over to helm control. "Aye Captain. Warp six in 3...2...1..." She announced, and they were off.

"Until the next one," Hawkins sighed as the ship slipped into the star stream.

When the Reliant Class was constructed it was intended as a replacement for the Miranda Class within Starfleet and featured many of the same design specifications as its predecessor. It featured a large saucer shaped primary hull, but a truncated engineering section that was directly fused with the primary rather than a freestanding module. Inside the engineering sections were the primary engine core, support structures, and expansive craft bays that could be used to transport a large number of support craft for a vessel of this size or cargo if necessary.

Vulcan Lieutenant Senak watched as the escape pods from the Poseidon were beamed aboard the craft. If he were not Vulcan he could assume he would be amazed at how small they looked inside the landing bay of the Uhura, as the Uhura herself was not a large craft. Tugging on his uniform tunic as they entered, the Strategic Operations Officer knew that he would stick out to many as Strategic Operations did not normally involve themselves with rescue assignments. Nonetheless, Starfleet Command had assigned him personally to find and debrief the Senior Staff of the Poseidon regarding their findings.

Refelian stood with his phaser rifle butt into his shoulder and aimed at the escape pod, the setting was set to stun but his thumb was ready to change the setting if needed.

Cyrus was there to greet the occupants of the escape pods, his medical staff was also ready and waiting. "How soon will they be coming out of the pods?" he asked, " What are the readings of their vitals?" he asked of one of his medical staff.

Zoya was starting to come through, she was currently sitting in the escape pod with Ronan and their daughter. There was a light layer of smoke inside of the pod. "Suki." Zoya called out, as she looked over to her three year old daughter. She appeared to be breathing, she appeared to be unconscious. She started to unbuckle when she walked over to her daughter. The doors opened and she could see some medical staff from Starfleet approaching her. "My daughter, please check on her." Zoya called out, feeling a little lightheaded.

Lieutenant Senak shifted the weight on his feet as he approached the Escape Pod, hearing the plea of the Starfleet Officer, "Doctor Marner and Lieutenant Commander Refelian, please assist me."

Zoya with a little days, but she didn't feel like anything was broken. At the moment though she was more worried about her daughter, she wanted to know how Suki was doing? If you can see the lieutenant calling out to somebody but her vision was a little blurred. She hoped it was a medical personnel.

Cyrus moved forward getting the all clear, he looked over to the man who was being teamed up with him. Cyrus reached the escape pod and stepped inside. Looking with concern. "Hi we're here to help you out." he spoke soothingly. He noticed that there was a young girl there. "Commander if you will please check over there I do believe there is a young girl there." he remarked.

Ronan shook his head as he heard Zoya calling for their daughter. He tried to remember what had happened to them.

"Zoya....Suki...." Ronan’s head was swimming and he felt like he had been hit by a sledgehammer. It was important to him that he get to his girls..."Help! I need to find them."

Harry approached the pod cautiously, putting the rifle strap over his shoulder. "Hello, is any one hurt?" He called in.

"Over there," the Vulcan Lieutenant said pointing out the young girl to Commander Refelian.

Harry nodded as he moved towards the young girl. She had various cuts and bruises on her face and arms. "Doc, she alright to move?"

Cyrus ran a scan and then gave a nod. "yes lets get her out of here." he answered.

Maintaining his usual demeanor, Lieutenant Senak approached the survivors, "I am Lieutenant Senak of Deep Space 12. We have recovered your escape pods and Doctor Marner is providing aid to your family. Can you tell us what happened?"

Ronan shook his head, as if to clear it. "Have you found Zoya and Suki?" He asked. He knew they needed answers to what happened to the ship but his only thoughts were for them.

The Vulcan Strategist glanced upward at the other team, "There are many passengers that have been recovered from the Poseidon, Ensign. We are trying to process and help each of them," he glanced over and saw a young girl being tended to by Doctor Marner, "I believe that they have been recovered."

"We're right here Ronan." Zoya said as she slowly sat up and walked over to their daughter." She wondered how Suki was. She looked to the Vulcan talking to Ronan, then looked back to Suki.

Suki appeared to be okay, but unconscious at the moment. Suki started to wake, and gave out a whimper. "Momma." She softly cried out.

Ronan heard Zoya speak and then back to Lieutenant Senak. “That is my family.” He was relieved to hear Suki’s voice but he didn’t like her scared little voice. “Excuse me.”

R'elle entered, "Cyrus, how is everybody?"

Cyrus turned to look at R'elle."They will definitely be needing care, but it looks like they will be okay. Lets move them into medical." he looked over towards Ronan and Zoya, and Suki.

Ronan looked to Zoya. “Shall I carry Suki?” He knew their daughter wouldn’t have someone else holding her.

"Ok folks. let's get you to medical where they can examine you and treat you for whatever injuries you might have!" she went over to to Ronan, Zoya and Suki. "Hi I'm r'elle. How are you doing? Your daughter I presume?" Her tail flicked back and forth as she saw the little girl.

The Vulcan could feel the change in the deckplate, despite the inertial dampeners, as the Uhura entered warp, "We are likely on course back to the Starbase now. I will need you each to prepare for debriefing regarding the destruction of the Poseidon. Starfleet Command expects answers."

Zoya looked to Suki and the looked over to R'elle. "She's three." She said, wanting to make sure her daughter is okay. "Tell you what we can, but we were just passengers coming back from Betazed." Zoya said to him. He wasn't sure what information she could provide but he could help you would.

"Alright Lt. That can wait. I want to get them checked out by Cyrus first especially this little cutie!" She smiled at Suki. "C'mon let me escort you to sickbay. I want too make sure you three are alright!"

“Thank you.” Ronan said and moved to Suki’s side. He wasn’t leaving his family for a second.

"Certainly! You are most welcome! I live to help people. It's well my favorite things and you folks look like you need a helping hand." her eyes twinkled with the joy of helping good people. "No worries. Dr Marner is a great guy."

"Very well," the Vulcan Strategist answered. "I look forward to reviewing the medical report."

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