Close Quarters

Posted on Tue Jun 20th, 2023 @ 2:07am by St. John Talbot & Ensign Avis Larant

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 3: The Peace Ship
Location: Turbolift

The doors of St. John Talbot's Quarters opened. He nodded towards Avis who was standing guard outside, "I have some business to attend to with the Captain," he said briefly before walking down the corridor. He assumed she would follow him.

"Yes sir, of course," Avis snapped an affirmative reply.

He assumed correctly of course. She had been assigned to the ambassador to accompany him anywhere short of his personal quarters and she would obey those orders. The pair set a fast pace to the closest turbolift and Avis then deftly moved in front of him so IF there was a hostile individual in the compartment, she would be facing the danger first not Talbot. It was empty though.

"After you, sir," she then stepped aside and both entered.

She would let him direct the lift as to which deck, he probably knew the current whereabouts of the captain better than she did.

He pulled the handle, "Deck 1" he said. "So, enjoying your time on the Midway? Fine ship."

"Well, not sure enjoying is quite the right word. It is interesting work though and why I went thru the Academy. So yes, I am where I want to be," she replied.

She hadn't wanted to sound like a starry eyed cadet when in reality she just a plain old cadet. But she meant every word she had said.

The delegate nodded his head, "I wanted to join Starfleet but it wasn't in the cards for me," he responded, "But we all serve the Federation in our own way..." He reached into his jacket for his cigarette case and then sighed as he noticed the no smoking sign.

"Yes we do and I would imagine there must be times where you really have a difficult job. Convince groups that hate each other to work together regardless. I'll take my job over yours any day," she noted he reached for something in his jacket but did not complete the task. None of her business though.

Talbot nodded as the turbolift suddenly stopped and its lights going dark. Deck seemed to give way as the turbolift car was in freefall. Talbot reached out and grabbed one of the control levers, the only thing to grasp. The car stopped with a lurch as the emergency systems locked the car in place.

Avis on the other hand had nothing to steady her other than place an arm against the lift side wall. It was not enough and down she went in a tumble landing awkwardly at the man's feet. A few choice words escaped her, better than screaming though. No dignity in that.

Talbot slid down into a sitting position as the emergency lights snapped on. "Cadet," he said, "Are you alright?" He looked into her stunned eyes.

She blinked hard a few times, her brain trying to grasp what the hell just happened? Were they under attack? Sabotage? And just how bad was it? Whatever IT was?

"I'm fine, took me by surprise is all," she eyed him back, "You OK? Anything hurt?"

"Nothing, thankfully," Talbot reponded with a sigh as he turned his attention to the control rod. He grabbed it and jossled it, "The turbolift appears to be in sorry shape unfortunately," he commented.

"Not surprising, sir, given the jolt we took. I have to admit, I have no idea what could do that or what happened. I will try and communicate with someone," Avis wasn't going to pretend all was well and sugarcoat it.

Using her communicator she now attempted to find a receiving frequency so she might glean some information about what the hell just happened.

There was no reception. Dammit!

"Nothing..." Talbot said for her, "Whatever happened knocked out more than the turbolifts..." He looked around the car, "Who knows how long the magnetic locks will hold," he said.

"Well, it's magnetism so I would think it would continue to function," Avis gave her opinion but science had not been her strongpoint in the Academy.

She glanced up at the lift roof, there was a hatch. Not that she had ever used one.

"Sir, you game for going out up there and climbing to the nearest floor? That's why it's there," she decided to at least suggest the option.

"Electromagnitized," Talbot corrected, "So once the power runs out or is cut... Anyway..." He looked up at the hatch, "I think that is our best option," he said.

"Then let's do it, sir," no sense wasting time, so Avis now decided on her best chance. It was not going to easy to reach the damn hatch.

"OK, I got an idea," she said," but I need to climb up on top of you and try and reach the hatch. I'm only 5'4". You willing?"

"Of course," Talbot responded as he extended his arms and got into position, "I'm going to assume you are fairly light on your feet? Although those go go boot heels..." His face was completely serious.

Avis glanced down, "Fair enough. I'll take them off then."

Hurriedly she shucked them off as she added, "I'm plenty agile and I don't weigh that much. Sir."

That done she stepped up to him, "OK, now ready? Gimme a boost!"

Oops.

"Sir!"

"I'm alright Cadet," Talbot responded as his eyes watered slightly. He helped her onto his shoulders, "Can you reach the hatch?" he asked.

It was certainly not the steadiest of platforms but the man was doing his best as now Avis reached up for the hatch.

"Yes, but even when I open it I'm going to have to hoist myself up thru the opening. Not sure how we can do the same with you," she answered.

It took some effort but she got the hatch open.

"Well that's some progress anyway," Talbot commented ad the hatch clicked open, "At the very least if I can't get out, you can go for help, "But I have an idea, once you get up there."

"Gimme a minute then," Avis strained her arm muscles to hoist herself up, it was sort of like a pull up in the gym only more difficult and with far more important consequences too.

It was a hard effort but she eventually found herself on the roof of the turbolift.

"You have an idea then, sir?" she looked down.

"Half of one anyway," Talbot responded. He unbuttoned his suit coat and began to remove the thick black leather belt from the belt loops of his pants. He looked up, "I'm going to throw up my belt... See if there's anything to tie it off to," he explained, "Hopefully I can pull myself up."

"Your belt isn't going to be long enough for you to reach it if I have to tie it to something up there," Avis thought the success of this plan was unlikely but he was the man in charge so...

"Alright, I'll try, hand it up," she lowered her hand back down partway into the turbolift.

He raised his belt, "It's a start anyway," he responded, "I don't suppose there's any emergency kit with rope floating around that you are aware of... Another question, are we anywhere near a deck? Any doors close by?"

She looked up into the darkness, "No emergency kit or rope I can see, don't I wish though."

Although...yes...there was the shape of a door and not that far up either.

"I see a door, I can try and climb to it. Problem is how do I open it once I get there?" she sighed.

"There's usually an emergency release mechanism," Talbot responded and then quietly shook his head. Wasn't she the Starfleet officer? "A handle, or button or something..." He added.

"I'll check, sir," Avis started to climb along the shaft's side wall. They trained for a lot of things in Security, climbing inside a turbolift shaft was NOT one of them.

"OK, found a button!" she now called down to the man.

Once she was out of the shaft, it all went quite smoothly. Maintenance were summoned to help extract the diplomat out of his unintended little jail cell. Avis was relieved she had not failed to protect the one man on the ship she had been personally assigned to guard. That would not have looked good on her record.

 

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