Battle Bridge

Posted on Sat Feb 11th, 2023 @ 6:08pm by Lieutenant Sapphire Morgan [Lalor] & Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Rin & Lieutenant JG Dunamis & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Lieutenant Scott Gregory [Taylor] & Lieutenant JG T'Kek [Naxea]

Mission: Season 6 : Episode 1: Circinus
Location: Battle Bridge
Timeline: Md3 07h30
1728 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Rin stepped out of the bridge, surveying the people congregating in the hall, the overflow from the makeshift triage area. She zeroed in on one young man, who waiting with someone nursing what she suspected was a broken arm. "Crewman, are you fit?"

"Uh...yes, sir!"

"I need a runner to deck 22, section 2. I have a report of injured there, but no one there has comms. I also need to know the state of the computer systems there. Can you do that?"

"Yes, sir."

He started making apologies to his injured friend, who waved him off, insisting he would be fine.

Rin stepped back onto the bridge and grabbed a new PaDD, handing it to Dunamis as she snatched up the one he was inputting data into, plugging the info into a growing database and parceling it out to relevant parties, whether over her com badge, to a marine who was connected to the marine com network, or to another crewman working on a PaDD, who was working on viable routes to get people to evacuation points, whether that be the shuttle bays or the lifeboats. People were starting to congregate in the shelters, which made the task a little easier. But the corridors were such a mess. Hopefully the transporters could be used in such an eventuality, but she was not leaving that to chance. Old school redundancies.

A woman from ops was working on getting the computers up and running on the battle bridge. It *would* be nice not having to work on the digital equivalent of clipboards. So far the best she had accomplished was a series of flashing lights, a popping sound, and the smell of smoke.

Rin rubbed the back of her neck, trying to stave off a growing headache as she dropped back into the central chair and analyzed the data Dunamis had just given her.

An instant later the sound of transporter in use could be heard and Gary and Lia materialized on the bridge. Gary looked around saw a skeleton crew manning the bridge stations and Rin in the center seat. "You look good there Rin, quite natural, a status report if you please."

Rin rose to her seat and stepped aside. "We have replicators running in the shuttle bay under the direction of CDR Starr. They are creating, among other things, communication badges which are being disseminated through the ship. Most of the shuttles are operational. Marines have their own communications network and are sweeping the ship for survivors and distributing supplies. We've yet to communicate with Engineering, and I have no data on life support. We're still working on sensors but we do have propulsion. We've come to full stop. No shields or weapons. We have makeshift triage in the conference room and several other points through the ship. Hull breaches on 18 decks. Avalon currently has awareness of 23% of the ship."

She handed her PaDD to Gary, displaying her increasingly complicated diagrams of the ship: places swept by marines, hull breaches, triage centers, and so forth, including a slowly shrinking number of "no info" sections marked in black.

She gave him a moment to take in the data, then said, more quietly. "Estimated crew losses 25% to 37%, sir."

Gary took the PaDD Rin handed him, his eyes looking at the grim, sobering data it held. The ship if it had been a human patient would be listed in critical condition. They needed to get her stabilized for any of them to have a chance at survival. His eyes closed momentarily as Rin gave him the punch to the gut with the estimated crew losses. The number was staggering but he couldn't grieve now, there would be time later for that. Right now, they needed to make sure the crew that were still alive didn't join those who had already perished.

"Thank you, Rin." He said as she finished giving him her report. "Good work in collecting this data. After a moment he spoke. "We need to concentrate on getting the sensors online as well as the status of life support along with increasing Avalon's awareness. We've located a planet that has a breathable atmosphere. It will take twelve hours for us to reach it. When we do, we will send scouting teams to find a suitable location to make a base camp. At which point we will begin to evac the ship."

Lia simply smiled at Rin, "How are you holding up Rin? Are you sure you're ok to continue?" She noted the Security console was dead here as well, it was going to be hard work getting Elysium back together.

"I'm fine, sir, thank you," Rin replied.

Walking over to Rin, Lia placed her hand on Rin's shoulder. "If your feeling ill or bad in any way, tell us. We don't want you going down, we kinda need you right now."

"Nothing that sleep won't fix, eventually," Rin assured her. "My regeneration cycle was disrupted." She gave a slight smirk as she pulled up her sleeve to show the port she would plug herself into at night. "Part of me still runs on batteries."

"Batteries that need recharging," T'Kek added as he stepped onto the bridge. He needed a break. He had shed his uniform jacket as it had been soaked in blood. Some of the blood was dried on his medical-blue partially unzipped shirt with the sleeves pushed up. "You need to get some rest," he said to Rin.

"So do you. So does everyone, but the able-bodied don't have that luxury right now. We're only four and a half hours into this." Rin looked back to Lia. "Besides, if we need another batch of info from Avalon, I am the best person to gather and process it in her current limited state."

Dunamis remained quiet as he monitored data streams on his PADD, forwarding them to Rin when need be. He could feel his heart fall upon hearing that they would soon have no choice but to evacuate the ship; no sooner had he arrived aboard that he would have to leave his new home. Starfleet was full of dangers, of course, and sometimes scenarios like this were inevitable. He'd learned not to complain. His duties superceded his personal feelings. Doing what needed to be done got you places, not sitting around and moping.

Rin looked to Gary. "Shall I return to logistics, sir?"

"Rin, I want you and the others to continue to what you were doing before Commander Taylor and beamed in." Gary replied. "So, Miraj stay at helm as well."

"Yes, sir." She headed out the door, which was stuck open. She could be heard calling down the hall looking for people from ops to help with the sensors.

Miraj settled into the helm seat, toes rubbing into the carpet. Even without the order she would have been torn. Instinctively she wanted to be organising the suttles and flying out; at the same time there was a slight tic in the sensations she was picking up. She couldn't tell if it was an engine issues, or a superstructure issues, or just a glitch in the gravity coils, but she didn't feel she could be leaving the helm in less sensitive hands.

Coming up behind Miraj, Lia put her hand on the console. "So stick jockey, what's your next move?" She smiled as she spoke, "We have one sick bird, do you reckon we can make fly again soon?"

"I don't know, ma'am." She ran one hand over the helm panel. "That's an engineering question. But she feels on the edge. We're coasting for the P-class. But if we have to stop suddenly, its going to hurt, I can feel it."

Nodding her head, Lia couldn't help notice just how Miraj had voiced what everyone else felt. "I'm sure with you looking after her, Elysium will be well cared for. You know this ship, better than most I bet. You can tell engineering where she's hurt, I hope you can do that for all our sake's. Space is a cold mistress, carry on Miraj fix this bird."

Gary walked over to Miraj and Lia. "Miraj, you know this ship better than anyone when it comes to flying her. You do what you think is best. We need the Elysium if we ever want a chance of seeing home. So, use kid gloves, every chance you can."

"Captain, if anyone can fix Elysium. Miraj can, I know I may sound stupid but she feels the ship." Lia looked at Gary as she spoke.

"Not stupid at all Lia and I agree completely. Miraj has a connection to the ship. one I am extremely grateful for, she feels the Elysium's pain. She'll take care of the ship and us." Gary replied.

Miraj's face nearly matched her hair, she doubted Engineering would have any problems finding the problems. Either way she was going to stay out of their way. If Eric's reaction to getting them lost was any indication, then engineering would likely see her at a rope's end for her [art in the damage and marooning them so far a decent dry dock.

T'Kek stood in the back, taking a break as the casualties in the back had been treated. Overhearing the two Taylor's praise Miraj, he had to agree with their assessment of her. 'Just don't hand her a drink,' he added in thought as he recalled the drink she had tossed on him at the Captain's Wedding Reception.

Gary was about to reply when his combadge came to life, "Captain Taylor, this is engineering. A bit of good news sir. The combadges are working."

Gary smiled, "That is good news. Thank you." He looked at Lia, Miraj Rin and the others. He had announcement to make. One that had to be made. He tapped his combadge. "Attention crew of the Elysium. This is Captain Taylor. As many of you are aware, the Elysium is hurt badly and many of our shipmates are injured or dead. But we are alive, and we will stay alive by working together and repairing our ship." He took a breath. We have located a P-class planet and we are in the process of scouting it to make it our base camp. You should also know we are some thirteen million light years from our homes."

End