Shuttle Down

Posted on Thu Nov 17th, 2022 @ 8:20am by

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Shuttle Bay 2
Timeline: At Impact
577 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Yuto was diligently inspecting the shuttlecraft Ulysses. He took his duty seriously, grateful that the Federation had given him the opportunity to turn his life around. Going to Starfleet Academy changed Yamoshita’s life in multiple ways. Number one on that list was that he was Vulcan, not Terran. He may not look Vulcan with his rounded ears, but he was 100% Vulcan.

Also, his life changed for the better. Before, he was breaking the law with his adoptive father. Yuto had so much anger for his adoptive parents he couldn’t even say their names. His father was in prison for smuggling, unwilling to cooperate with the Federation to find the people responsible for stealing information from Daystrom Institute on Yuto’s home of Okinawa.

He had heard that his old buddy Sean O’Keefe was a member of the crew. Secretly, Yuto wondered where Sean’s sister was. The three of them used to be so inseparable.

As he was working, something suddenly didn’t feel right. There seemed to be a quick sudden jolt. Yamoshita had been flying for twelve years. He knew when a ship wasn’t moving smoothly. A pilot could feel it.

Suddenly all hell broke loose. The shuttle bay doors imploded leaving a huge gash in the door. Simultaneously, two crafts, including the one Yamoshita was working upon began being sucked toward the opening. The other was sucked out first, throwing the Ensign inspecting it out. She was trying to hold onto the door to escape being sucked out. Yuto heard her desperate screams.

Yuto’s shuttle had hit the door sideways, just above the ensign, slamming Yuto into the far side inside the shuttle. He wasn’t sure how long the door would hold the vacuum power pulling at the shuttle. The screams continued just below the shuttle. Yamoshita quickly got up, ignoring the pain, trying to be the Vulcan he knew he was not. Yuto looked out trying to convince her to hold on.

Then the emergency bulkheads activated. He witnessed it slicing through the ensign just before his shuttle crashed to the deck. The sight sickened Yuto. He tossed the contents of his stomach as he exited the craft.

Power shut down. Emergency lighting was in place. Were they being attacked. He heard more cries from others deeper within the bay.

His body shaking from the experience, Yuto began to seek out those whose cries he heard. He saw the alert flash on the flight control console. Something serious happened. He wasn’t sure what, but he knew there were many that had just died or were wounded.

Finding the first wounded crewman, Yuto was sure he had a broken leg. Tapping his comm badge, he soon found out communications were down. Trying the computer, there was no response. He realized too that the ship was most likely on limited life support.

He counted at least five wounded around him. They would need help. Yamoshita calmly assured them he would be back with help. He would need to hurry, but not knowing what to expect outside the shuttle bay, he would need to be careful.

Luckily, the door to the corridor had also been damaged, not totally shutting. Exiting shuttle bay 2, Yuto began to look for help. His body continued to shake. Was it cold? His body seemed to be losing its heat, which was dangerous for a Vulcan. He had to keep moving, so moving he did.