by *Keiran O’Sullivan
81221.0200
After Help Has Arrived
-=USS Consequence=-
81221.0200
After Help Has Arrived
-=USS Consequence=-
Ashton Ledbetter screamed like a girl.
“Are you mad? The way a coordinated attack works is you actually coordinate with somebody. Salvek’s ship is still a minute behind.”
“Just keep our bow pointed at an’athing other than their disruptors, yeah? He’ll be here soon enough.”
Keiran went right for the Warp engines of the Romulan ship, attempting to drop them out of Warp. The Romulans fired back at the Consequence but were still too damaged from the first battle to be able to target effectively. Ledbetter brought the ship about for another pass, as the Polaris streaked past them, attacking the same engine.
“Give me good news, Ash.”
“Their shields are holding for now, no change in speed. The good news is T’Lara is reprising her role as Empress Go-Sakuramachi in the critically acclaimed Chrysanthemum at the Grand Opera House of Vulcan in three months. It really is to die for.” Ledbetter’s voice changed in pitch as he spoke, based upon how close the latest disruptor blast was to his ship.
Keiran ignored the extraneous information. All he cared about was how fast they could disable the Romulans. He wished once again that he could finish this matter himself, without involving Liis or Serendipity. He wanted her to have no part in the fight.
He wanted her safe and sound... and far away from any of this.
*You can’t always get what you want. *
Keiran charged the weapons for the next pass, switching off with Salvek’s ship, which dropped back to prepare for its next attack.
“Salvek dropped their shields fifteen percent, but I’d like to hear him sing like T’Lara.” Ledbetter scoffed.
Keiran once again attacked the Romulans’ engines, but Taris was wise to their plan of attack, and delivered a direct hit to the Consequence. Ledbetter’s hair jostled wildly as he braced himself against the jolt.
“You should know better than to attack her the same way twice,” He cautioned.
“We only need to hang on long enough to stop them. Bring us around again.”
“That won’t be easy. My starboard thrusters are off line. We’ll have to maneuver with the port thrusters only. Notice I said my thrusters.”
“I heard ya, Ash. We’ll get your ship home safe and sound.”
“Do I have your word on that O’Sullivan?”
Keiran was a man who did not give his word unless he knew he could follow through. So rather than lie to Ledbetter he simply answered him with silence. Ashton wondered if he was going to be the first Starfleet Captain to destroy his command before it even had a chance to embark on a mission.
Keiran kept one eye on the weapons power and the other on Salvek’s ship. The Polaris swung wildly from side to side, dodging Romulan weapons. No doubt Salvek had analyzed Taris’s attack on the Consequence and adjusted his tactics to stay a step ahead of her.
The Polaris punched through the shields, and delivered a direct hit to the Romulan engines.
“Ooo! A hit! They are down to Warp four!” Ledbetter grinned with delight. “Maybe we should just let Salvek take it from here.”
“Bring her around,” Keiran rumbled.
Ledbetter rolled his eyes, and then rolled the ship. Keiran brought up the torpedo launchers, and locked onto the same coordinates that Salvek had hit previously. Taris fired wildly at the tiny ship, hitting the Consequence several times.
“Shields are down!” Ledbetter shouted over the exploding conduits around them.
“Just hold her steady!” Keiran shouted back. He just needed another moment to take a clean shot. He did not want to miss, nor did he want to make too clean a hit and risk destroying the Romulans and Lair Arie along with them. Disruptor blasts raked across their bow, but Ledbetter held their course true.
In his mind he was already preparing a damage estimate to present to Salvek and Zanh Liis after this maddening battle was over.
Once close enough, Keiran fired. “Get us out of here!”
“That’s the first thing you’ve said all day that I’ve agreed with!”
Ledbetter veered the ship away, as the torpedoes met their target. The Romulans’ warp field collapsed, and the ship dropped back to impulse speeds.
O’Sullivan allowed himself a moment.
Resting his arms on the panel, he dropped his head down onto them and gave a silent prayer that Lair Arie was still alive and well on that Romulan ship.
“You did, it my man,” Ashton said with glee. “Unfortunately our life support system is inoperative. And by that I mean destroyed,” He continued, without the glee. Keiran raised his weary head and slapped a hand on Ledbetter’s shoulder. His voice was low and somber.
“The day is not yet won. There is still much to be done.” The same could be said for his entire life. There was always another battle to come.
[Polaris to Consequence. Our sensors indicate your life support has failed. Prepare for transport.]
“I’ll be back, my darling,” Ashton whispered lovingly to the console before him, as he and Keiran both stood still, awaiting Salvek’s rescue.
“Welcome aboard,” Salvek said to the pair, as they materialized in the Polaris’ cockpit. “We will maintain position here, outside their weapon’s range, until the Serendipity arrives. Ten minutes.”
Keiran stepped up beside the Sera’s First Officer. “Have ya scanned their ship for life signs?”
“Yes. My daughter is aboard, but in an area shielded from transporters.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Keiran shook his head, and Salvek looked upon him with curiosity. “The Romulans did not put up the fight they should have. I think that ship is severely understaffed.”
Salvek nodded to Farnsworth, who proceeded to fun a full lifeform scan of the Romulan ship.
“I’m getting thirty Romulans on that ship. Five on the bridge, five in engineering. The rest scattered about. There are over a hundred dead however.”
“Mutiny. That’s how she got Command of that ship. Wouldn’t be the first time. Probably killed off all the crew that was loyal to the Captain,” Keiran hypothesized for Salvek.
Salvek regarded the ship on the viewer. It was much smaller than the Warbird type capital ships, but still large enough that it could take thirty Romulans several minutes to converge on an armed Away Team. Several minutes, which could possibly be enough time to find Arie, and return to the Polaris before Taris could do anything about it.
Logic told Salvek to wait for Zanh Liis. His love for his child told him Logic could go to hell.
There was no telling what was happening to Arie over there, and every minute counted. Even if hey could not find her immediately, they could at least occupy the Romulans long enough for Zanh Liis to arrive and flood the ship with Starfleet officers
Keiran silently wrapped his palm around the hilt of his phaser, as he awaited Salvek’s decision. He knew what he would do if Carrick were aboard that ship.
Salvek once again gazed out at the wounded vessel, hanging so temptingly in space. Wounded, and vulnerable to attack.
“Captain Ledbetter. Please take command of the Polaris, and await our call for transport. Everyone else, prepare to board the Romulan vessel.”
***************************
Commander *Keiran O'Sullivan
Security Liaison for
The Alchemy Project
Currently aboard the
USS Polaris
NRPG: Yes, Go-Sakuramachi was a real Japanese Empress. You can Google her. ~*O'Sullivan
Commander *Keiran O'Sullivan
Security Liaison for
The Alchemy Project
Currently aboard the
USS Polaris
NRPG: Yes, Go-Sakuramachi was a real Japanese Empress. You can Google her. ~*O'Sullivan