The Science of Siege
Posted on Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 @ 7:22pm by Ensign Monday Starr & Commander Titus Livius Drusus PhD
Edited on on Mon Feb 22nd, 2016 @ 7:23pm
Mission:
By Dawn's Early Light
Location: SciLabs, Starbase 332
Timeline: During Sojourner Assault
[ON]
Ens. Starr carried out her part in bracing the starbase against invasion. Preparations in the science department entailed shutting down, disconnecting, and sealing off laboratories. In the grand scheme of enemy incursion, SciLabs weren't likely a priority target. Still, manually locked doors and protective barriers were in order. Ship's computer was left active to monitor the condition of all areas and keep security feeds open to whoever wanted to know. Last preparation was to check her phaser-2 pistol. By training standards, she was considered to be very good at phaser games. She wondered perhaps if she could be more useful among civilians. The presence of an armed Starfleet uniform in and of itself might be reassuring. "Commander Drusus, it's lights out and locked up, here. Should I help with civilians, Sir?"
Drusus looked up from his PADD after he had checked another area off his list. The entire department's data had been backed up to the strongbox and most of his people were now moving off to their assigned battle stations while he and Prell were physically checking the important areas of the science labs to make sure they were secured. He regarded Ensign Starr with a curious expression until he remembered that she was only recently assigned to the department. "Has nobody assigned you a battle station yet, Ensign?" he asked, though he realised if somebody had it wouldn't be likely that she'd be here asking the question.
Her demeanor seemed borderline Vucanesque, some but not much emotion. "No, Sir. Being a new arrival here, people seem to be overlooking me as a resource. I don't have combat armor, but I score well in phaser-sport."
The Magna Roman considered the request for only a fraction of a second before making up his mind. She didn't have a battle station, she could use a phaser and the folks down in security wouldn't say no to an extra pair of hands to help with corralling a herd of frightened civilians. Plus, he already had a handful of junior officers helping out in the civilian evacuation areas, including Ensign Ballo with the Evoran scientists.
"Very well, Ensign," he said as he tapped out some quick orders on his PADD. He sent them across to Starr's inbox and said, "Here are your orders. Report to somebody in security and give them a hand as required."
"Very good, Sir." Monday dashed away. Tubolifts were either hopelessly crammed full of priority transits or dysfunctional. If any transporter rooms were still operative, they would be in the same dire straits. She put in a query to Security, but her request was queued among hundreds of thousands of others. She did run into a security officer, however. A redshirt dived through a doorway just in time to escape a blast of flames.
He staggered to his feet and thumbed back over his shoulder, "Don't go in there."
Monday returned a wide-eyed nod, "Don't worry, I won't!" She approached to steady him, "How can I help?"
He checked his Tac Padd, "What... a mess!"
"I can't raise anybody... Com overload. Tac computer?"
He nodded, "Computer, advise best course of action for myself and the ensign with me."
==Recommend that you split up. Ensign Starr is a medic and is needed in a civilian section.== Monday leaned into see his display while the computer continued, ==Your optimal course is to reach Charlie One Five security squad to repel borders.==
The redshirt gave Monday a nod, "Here..." He downloaded override codes for doorways, then dashed off. "It looks like we might win outside. All we need to do is hold on!"
"Thank you!" Now left alone, Monday Starr examined the base's tactical status on her wristbook holodisplay. At this point, it didn't matter how the battle went out in space. Enemy soldiers had breached the base and were wreaking as much havoc as they could. "Computer, I need situation analysis for this section."
==Situation, terminal. Base exits are blocked by ion fires or by enemies. Recommend escape capsule evacuation.==
"Computer, is that even possible with enemy spaceships about?"
==Intermittently. It is a rolling battle which, at the moment, offers brief windows of opportunity to reach the planet.==
Monday didn't hesitate. She ran to the group of civilians trapped in her zone, "Everyone! This way! We must escape to Archa while we can!"
Although civilians are often stereotyped as prone to panic, this group didn't.
Monday called out, "Do we have any wounded?"
"Over here!" She hastened over to see several starbase officers being carried or shouldered along.
The ensign deeply hoped that one of them was on top of the situation, "Are any of these critical and need Sickbay?"
A battered cadet pressed her hand firmly against a human who appeared to have been caught in a concussive power main blast, "No. All wounded are stable."
After a quick check her wristbook for status changes, she led the group to a bank of lifeboats. "All the wounded into this one! I'm trained as a field medic! Computer! Give me control of the launch trigger! I don't want any boats to launch into gunfire." Two beeps confirmed her order. She helped settle the casualties inside. "Cadet, are you sure you're all right? You don't look so good."
"I'll be fine, ma'am. I can handle this level of injury." She brushed her unconscious patient's hair out of her face, "We're going to be fine, Corrie."
Monday to the pilot's seat. "Standby, all boats. We'll launch just as soon as base's battle computer gives us the all-clear."
It didn't take long. Federation fighters swept by outside, driving attackers back. The computer announced, ==Safe window is now at thirty seconds.==
Protective panels blew away from the starbase. With deflectors now collapsed, lifeboats shot out into space. At full thrust, they accelerated toward the planet at a tangential angle. "Computer, guide these boats into the atmosphere as hard and fast as they can withstand! Report landing points with CIC. Register casualties with Sickbay." Beeps confirmed the order.
The lifeboat shields and hulls glowed red hot from atmospheric reentry friction. Tense minutes later, the heat abated and they made supersonic dives down to the planet.
[OFF]
Cmdr. Titus Livius Drusus, PhD
Ens. Monday Starr
Starbase 332
Pegasus Fleet
