One Two buckle my shoe, Three Four thrown across the floor

Posted on Wed Dec 21st, 2022 @ 2:14am by
Edited on on Wed Dec 21st, 2022 @ 2:32am

Mission: Season 6 : Episode 1: Circinus
Location: Deck 14, Small Garden
Timeline: MD 03 - 03h04
813 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Octavia thought she was having another one of her dizzy spells but when she came too and the taste of blood swelled in her mouth she realised this was different, either that or in one of her night owl walks she'd somehow caused a warp core breach. Alone, in the dark, Tai stumbled to her feet. "OW!" She cried out crumpling to the floor again her blurred eyes looking immediately at her ankle which was lopsided and swollen. She was no doctor but she could see she had twisted it - badly.

Looking around the pristine little garden on the counselling deck she could see it wasn't so pristine anymore, in fact, if it wasn't for the sign that was half hitched and swinging above the door it was impossible to tell it apart from a world war three bunker that had been hit by what the Humans called a nuclear warhead. The pain which radiated across her body but mostly from her ankle made her head spin as her eyes closed and opened struggling to stay conscious.

Apparently, she had lost the first few bouts to stay awake because the third time she came too the room was now bright orange, somewhere something had caught fire and she was in immediate danger, the fire suppression system hadn't worked or if it had it wasn't because she was there. Panic was filling her lungs as quickly as smoke as she crawled on her hands and knees over broken plant pots and splintered wood, both cutting her hands and knees more. She cried out in pain, "Mother! Papa!" She repeated as she reached the door which didn't open.

Coughing into her sleeves specks of blood littered the once-white material, she closed her eyes but this time from within Govan shoved her eyes back awake. "I just want to sleep" She begged her previous host but the thoughts and emotions, the will to fight were apparent. She pulled herself up against the door careful not to knock on her right ankle. Using her broken and bloody fingernails she opened the emergency door released, pulled down the crank and the door opened but not before the fresh wave of oxygen ignited the fire more, its orange tendrils now slapping at her thighs and burning her arm as she protected herself.

Without a thought or care now she barged open the door and ran, forgetting momentarily that her ankle was broken. She managed two steps into the corridor before the third and final step surged a huge bout of pain, tripping her and knocking her out for the fourth time. Behind her, the door closed and the fire for now was gone.

Face down on the deck in the corridor Octavia came too her ears ringing again from the wailing siren, her ankle radiated painful pulses that mimicked her heartbeat and she let out a sob, blood and saliva rolled down her cracked lips as she cried wondering if she would be saved or if she would die right where she laid. Again her previous hosts and symbiote wouldn't let it be so as she sucked in a painful breath and up against the side of the corridor. Sitting she took in her surroundings.

She looked down both ways of the corridor the slowly curving architecture meant she could see only a few meters through the smoke and debris, control panels and display screens hung off from the walls, and she could see a pair of unmoving feet buried under some piping. Rubbing her face her hand were caped in blood and soot from the fire in the garden. "Hello?" She attempted to shout but only a small whisper escaped her. Trying again "Hello?" Another breath, "Is anyone there?"

Tai wasn't surprised when nobody come rushing to her rescue, who cared about a little poor Trill senior cadet when there were thousands of other people needing the help of the Starfleet officers, some needing help themselves? "Suck it up buttercup" She told herself as she leaned over and grabbed a half-meter pipe that had come away from the wall, she grabbed a flat bit of bulkhead and placed them on either side of her ankle. They would do. Next, she tore some cable from the damaged display screen and then in one breath tied the splint above her shin, next to her ankle which she tied as quickly and as tightly as possible "AHHHHHH!" Everything went black again.

Waking Tai could see she'd managed to splint her ankle, it was crude but at least it wouldn't get knocked or damaged any further. She couldn't see anything to use as a crutch so instead, she put all her weight against the wall and hopped along the corridor trying to find someone, anyone who might be able to help her.

Cadet Senior Octavia Raain
Science Cadet
USS Elysium (Academy)