[USS Charon, Transporter Room]
Shoving her way through the throng of Marines gathered in the stuffy transporter room Shiarrael made her way to the transporter PADD and stepped up using the raised platform as a stage to address everyone present "we have very little time so we will need to be both swift and efficient. Our main priority is to evacuate any survivors aboard the vessel and to subsequently destroy it before it can fall into Romulan hands. This mission may seem simply put- but it will not easy." No, it certainly wouldn't be easy. She looked at the chiefs and nodded her head "finalize your preparations, you have three minutes."
Stepping down she un-holstered the phaser strapped to her belt and replaced it with a disruptor pistol. Snapping the crude and deadly thing into place she leaned against the transporter operations console and slipped the helmet of her EVA suit into place. When she finished she watched the rest of the group and counted down the remaining time.
Like the Captain, Marcus had his own custom weapon choice. Instead of the normal Phaser II, he opted for his C-90 Defender; a custom phaser pistol. more accurate than a standard phaser and it could be combined with attachments to make a somewhat shorter rifle than a Phaser III. He checked his equipment one last time before stepping up to the transporter pad.
Doctor King stepped up onto the transporter with nothing more than a standard-issue phaser and a medical kit over the shoulder of his EVA suit. Out of the two roles it was difficult for him to decide which he enjoyed more: warrior or medic; however, the choice of which to take up at the moment was simple. On Charon he was Chief Medical Officer, and as such he could not (and would not) allow himself to break his cover. Checking both the power level on his phaser (setting it on stun), he merely watched his commanding officer and waited for her next order.
Quentin arrived to find the other members of the away team preparing weapons and the rest of their kit. He hated EVA suits and for some reason always seemed to get very injured while wearing them. It was safe to say, as the first away mission he had been on since the life-changing condition he was blighted with he was certainly nervous. He was however dosed up on painkillers and carried with him a reasonably large engineering kit and a standard issue phaser strapped to a holster on his waist. Under one arm he was holding the helmet and as he walked in he nodded to the rest of the team and waited for the order.
"Time is up." Shiarrael stepped onto the transporter platform and waited for the others to gather. After a few seconds it became quite crowded, all of them wearing the bulky EVA suits. "I hope all of your equipment is secure- it would be a shame to lose any of you through stupidity." Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the group through the glass of the helmet's facemask "energize."
[Main Engineering, Temep`Shar – coordinates unknown]
2nd Day in the month of re`T'Khutai, YS 9022
They watched the blue columns take shape in the darkened corridor, scarcely cleared of the worst of debris and illuminated only by the dim copper light emanating from engineering. Someone had known quite well indeed where to best transport a possible rescue team, and it was duly noted by seven pairs of calm, observant eyes, just as the fact these transporters were Federation technology.
Sajel stood at ease, deceptively tranquil with hands clasped behind his back, the graying head with aquiline features canted near imperceptibly to one side. His terracotta uniform seemed to shimmer in the warm light that cast deep, rich shadows and lest anyone should mistake him and the woman by his side for aught but what they were, night black sword hilts protruded over their shoulders.
Standing in the approximate middle of the devastated engineering section, the two Vulcans were easily seen and in turn, saw quite well indeed. Tall and willowy T'Min's hand nonchalantly rested against the sidearm in her holster, and she made a point of keeping her level stare on the leader of the group that had just materialized right outside the forcefield protecting them both from the vacuum present in the rest of the ship and rude intrusion.
Somewhere off to the left, there was quiet shuffling, young Havor from the sound of it whose curiosity as usual overruled any safety concerns, but one might hope he would at least see the logic of staying out of any possible line of fire, while he and his colleagues were warded by two of the V'Ket not quietly concealed within shadows.
Starfleet EVA suits, Marine armor. Humans, or species looking sufficiently alike. All that, T'Min saw and knew her Companion did as well, yet her gaze remained fixed …. on her. Features like chiseled from the finest marble, delicately slanted brows clearly visible for she stood close enough to the door to touch the forcefield, and lest there be any doubt what she was … radiant violet eyes, alight with anger.
Illogical, to send one such as this if all this were an elaborate deception. And yet … would Sajel risk it? She got her answer a mere 0.8 seconds later, when he nodded silently towards the one station still lit and manned.
T'Min could not see it, nor truly hear, but there was a sense of power straining as the shields around them dropped and rose again, encompassing the corridor, while the forcefields holding off the vacuum remained. And in a flicker of light, two more of those sprung up in the dark hallway where their guests had arrived, effectively closing them in for long seconds before the one separating them from engineering collapsed and air rushed out to fill the space.
So, this was how it would end then. One way or another.
Air, Shiarrael didn't feel it through the bulky suit but she could hear it whistle in to fill up the vacuum. Her eyes focused on the Vulcans as she carefully unsealed her helmet and pulled it off. Her raven hair flowed out of the bulky headpiece and fell to drape her shoulder "I am Captain Shiarrael t'Rehu of the Federation vessel Charon."
While she resembled them in appearance the expression of angst shown clearly on her face and anyone would easily notice she was no Vulcan, most of all, the group in front of her "we must begin an immediate evacuation, we have very little time. As I speak Romulan forces are on their way to seize this ship- I cannot allow that to happen." She smiled "so it would be in your best interest to begin vacating it immediately."
Sajel had expected as much, and though he could not see it, he heard the scientists and technicians move restlessly. Just as he could sense the silent, fierce light shining in T'Min's eyes.
t`Rehu. What an interesting irony indeed.
"Be welcome on board Temep`Shar, t'sai." His bow as was immaculate as if he were greeting a diplomat during a reception, but neither he nor any of the others moved from their places.
"While your suggestion is certainly logical, may I inquire how you propose to proceed after the evacuation?"
"It all depends on whether or not we survive this first step." Shiarrael looked behind her "First Lieutenant Warren take up defense positions. Commander Marcus I want you to organize the evacuation and Commander King I want you to assist him. Commander Calhoun, aid where necessary."
Dylan nodded and stepped forward. "How many crew do you have aboard?" he asked. "Are any of you injured?"
At the mention of wounded the Doctor stepped forward next to Commander Marcus, his hand quickly moving to the medical kit, ready to move at the first request.
Quentin had moved over to the warp matrix and was looking at the battered machinery with a certain level of awe. He heard the order and snapped out of the daydream of warp mechanics and returned to the group waiting to be instructed further.
"Yes Captain," Brent looked around at the area before he turned back to the Captain. "Captain we can secure this area but is there someplace out there that might be better for us to hold? Chances are no one will beam into a group of us as it causes too much crossfire and death on their own part. But if there is a more sensitive place for us to go to, perhaps one that they will have to come to in order to take the ship over completely? Or is that this here?" he asked as he looked around.
Brent looked between the Vulcan's and the Captain for a moment before he turned and began to give orders while waiting for a response to them. "Internal structure looks like it will give out if we use the kinetic weapons. Last resort only. Clear out fields of fire if you can, we might be staying here or we might be going someplace else." With that Brent turned back to see what any response he might get from them.
[To be continued …]
Captain Shiarrael t'Rehu
Commanding Officer
Cmdr Dylan Marcus
Chief Security Officer
Cmdr David King
Chief Medical Officer
LtCmdr Quentin Calhoun
Chief Engineering Officer
Brevet 1st Lt Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS Charon
Sajel
V'Ket
& a host of assorted pointy ears
Temep`Shar
