Silent Running

Posted on Wed Nov 15th, 2023 @ 10:26am by Captain Tristan Faust & Lieutenant T'kara & Lieutenant Commander Darrod Hanous

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 4: Through a Glass, Darkly
Location: Deck 1: Bridge
Timeline: M4 MD03 (2268.07.12) 1820

As soon as the sparks started flying, Darrod was glad he'd taken the main Engineering station up here - if he was going to be anywhere but his engine room, let it be somewhere he could be effective. Damage reports were coming in, but it was nothing they couldn't handle. That was just a little discharge when the shields went out of phase and some of the capacitor-diode units opened backwards. "Damage reports coming in from a few places, sir. Control teams are deployed, repairs starting. Shields at ninety-five percent and holding."

The Captain nodded, "Mr. Hanous, I want all non essential systems deactivated and do all you can to reduce our mass," he added, "I want the ship rigged for silent running and want us to be as small of a sensor target as possible. Although we can easily fool the sensors of a century ago, the same cannot be said of the Defiant's, assuming they can affect repairs.

Darrod's nod was tight, the expression of an engineer wholly focused on his work. "Aye, Captain. Rigging for silent running. Shield plane adjustments in progress, non-essential systems being deactivated, team reports that the warp core is being shielded as we speak. Suggest we also deactivate our main FoF and deploy a wild weasel shuttle rigged to explode on proximity matching Midway's command codes and FoF." It was a costly move, and a sleazy one. In fact, it was an Orion move, one Darrod had learned from the people he'd grown up with; and grown to hate - but against people who thought like them and fought like them, he considered it fair play. If the shuttle didn't manage to get anyone's attention, it would mean hours of delicate work for an Engineering team to undo a five-minute crosswiring of the proximity sensors to the plasma chamber; if it did, the Midway would be down a shuttle - but the enemy would be severely injured and they would be able to capitalize on it with full volleys. It was part of how Orion ships often appeared to be in two places at once, and what they did to ambush unsuspecting ships.

The green man never once looked off his board as he sent his orders through, knowing he should be down there, rather than up here; and at the same time trusting his team to follow his orders. If they encountered a snag, they would tell him; and if they didn't trust his direction, they would signal that, too, in their work. Neither was happening. So far, Engineering was in lockstep with the plans from the Captain. His maverick suggestion was the only thing that would raise eyebrows, especially so soon after so many of the crew had barely begun to accept that he was a Starfleet officer first and an Orion native second. But seeing the way the battle was flowing made him uneasy, watching the tactics of the smaller ships around the Defiant. He knew them too well; and believed that whoever was commanding their elder sister-ship would too, but wouldn't recognize the wide array of tools at their disposal until it was too late. They needed to commandeer the ship, and resolve any concerns later. This was a prize-taking mission; he was resolved, for the first time in his life, to act like it.

The Captain stared at the viewscreen for a split second and then said, "Do it, Mr. Hanous. Make it convincing and keep up camouflaged as long as possible . We need some time to get the plan into action.

He turned to look at Lt. T'Kara,

“Lieutenant, keep those torpedoes ready, just in case," the Captain said as the lights dimmed around them.

 

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