The Final Countdown

Posted on Sat Mar 16th, 2024 @ 8:56am by Captain Tristan Faust & Lieutenant Michael Amato & Ensign Peter Novak & Commander Lucy Heartfilia & Lieutenant Shinobu Miyake & Lieutenant Azrel Vox & Lieutenant Commander Darrod Hanous & Chief Petty Officer Meredith Corden

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 4: Through a Glass, Darkly
Location: USS Defiant
Timeline: M4 MD06 (2268.07.15) 1340-1347

The destruct sequence was active and the heavily damaged Constitution class shook with every salvo from the Midway. The away team ran through the corridors of the doomed vessel ignored by the Terran personnel.

Aboard the Midway, Meredith kept one eye on the map. "Captain, if you turn left at the next..." she began, continuing to give him the path, step by step, turn by turn.

The Captain acknowledged each direction as the team followed his lead.

Aze followed as closely as she could. She was acting all calm but inside she really wanted to get off that ship.

"I feel like we're going deeper into the ship," Shinobu remarked. "Does anyone else feel we're going deeper?"

Aze took a look around. "I have a the same feeling. I don't think we are going the right way. Where exactly are we? If I had a point of reference I might be able to find us a way out. " Aze replied.

"You're actually getting closer to the stern," Meredith said over the communicator. "There should be a turbolift hatch to your left in just ten meters. It's a potential shortcut and you can confirm your exact position, though we are tracking your signal, but it's also slower. I'm not sure what kind of resistance you're dealing with, sir, ma'ams."

Aze moved over to the side of the corridor. "Found it. TLH18, we are on Deck 18. " she called out. She grabbed hold of the handles of the hatched and pulled. It wouldn't budge. There was no obvious sign of a locking mechanism so she hoped it just needed a bit more effort. She gave the hatch a shake which seem to a loosen it so when she need pulled the handles, the hatch came away.

"OK folks, this way." She called out. "Meredith, where now, once we go through TLH18?" she shouted to the communicator.

"Down, then right, ma'am" Meredith said.

"Understood." Aze shouted back. She started to clamber into the conduit. She then stopped turned around. "Come, unless you want to get atomised when this ship blows." she yelled back.

The away team made it down to Deck 19, where the main shuttlebay was located at the aft end of the ship. Peter jumped out of the Jefferies tube and onto the deck. He looked around, the deck was surprisingly deserted. The security officer tapped onto the bulkhead signalling the rest of the team to follow.

The Captain slide down the tube rails and onto the deck, phaser at the ready. "Almost there," Tristan responded. He opened his communicator, "That'll do Midway, we'll signal you when we're on the shuttle.... Away team out." He closed the communications channel. They were on their own for the next few minutes. Tristan looked down at his old Bulova watch, they still had two minutes... Barely.

"Alright double time it people," Tristan said as he and Peter started down the corridor. Not quite running but fairly close. As the team reached the shuttlebay, a phaser blast impacted against the bulkhead next to the door.

"That's far enough," came a voice from behind them.

The Captain slowly turned and saw a fully armed Terran security team staring down at them. In the middle was the formidable Empress Sato herself.

"Drop all weapons," Sato commanded.

Tristan nodded with a sigh as the away team dropped their Type 2 phasers, which fell onto the deck.

Sato scanned Tristan's face as she approached him, "I knew you would come poking around Captain Faust..." she said. Her team approached behind her.

"You realize this ship is doomed," Tristan responded in a matter of fact tone. "We have 2 minutes before this ship goes up," he said.

"An eternity," Sato responded, "And long enough for our boarding parties to take the Midway..." She was right at his face, "Your crew is weak," she said with a confident grin, "Your ship is an ever bigger prize than Defiant ever was... And I'll be happy to mount your head on my wall." She kissed him as she pulled a knife. She released and fell to the ground in a heap, a knife sticking out of her chest. Tristan was quicker on the draw... This time...

Peter dropped and picked up a phaser and fired at one of the Terran security officers, vaporizing him.

Quickly seizing upon the confusion, Shinobu lunged at the nearest remaining guard, flipping him upside down and pile driving him into the deck.

Lucy had been keeping a close eye on Sato since she had emerged. She didn't hesitate to grab the other security guard, and with a swift kick rendered him useless. Luckily she was well trained in self-defence and easily knocked out the other guard as well.

"I knew these uniforms would come in handy," Tristan responded, dropping the empty dagger holster from his belt onto the deck plates.

"Maybe we should... get out of here?" she suggested.

"I, for one, second that," Shinobu muttered as she got up and dusted her hands.

The Captain nodded, "Let's let Lt. Vox clean up this mess first," he said, looking over at Aze who was making quick work of the last Terran officer.

Aze, distracted by the pile driving of the guard, didn't spot the one coming for her until she was tackled to the ground, hitting the floor with a fair amount of force. Looking up at him, he had a sadistic smile on his face as he pulled out his dagger, which glistened in the lights.

As he lunged forward towards her, he momentarily changed his stance, giving Aze the perfect opportunity. With as much force she could muster, she brought her boot up between his legs, causing him to drop the dagger, clutch his groin and crumple to the floor. Getting to her feet she moved over to him. "Bitch" he uttered as he looked at her in agony. Aze smiled as she gave him a swift kick, putting him unconscious.

Meanwhile Lucy had already opened the doors to one of the shuttles. "All aboard!" she called. "The 'train' departing the Defiant leaves in approximately.... Now!"

Aze wasted no time what so ever. As she clambered into the shuttle she smiled with relief at Lucy, got a seat and buckled up tight.

"Save a seat for me, Lieutenant!" Shinobu requested as she clambered aboard.

Mike stopped at the threshold of the shuttlebay and froze, staring back at the Defiant behind him.

"Dr. Amato..." Tristan said... "Mike," he put his hand on Mike's bicep which woke him up.

The young man nodded and followed the Captain onto the shuttlecraft, which was powering up.

"Shuttlebay doors aren't responding Captain," Ensign Novak said from the front control panel.

The Captain was standing over the panel, "Just blast through them, Pete," he said, tapping on the young man's burly shoulder.

"Aye aye sir," Pete responded as the shuttle lifted off of the shuttlebay floor. The shuttle fired its phaserbank causing the shuttlebay doors to explode. The shuttle's boxy form flew out of the explosion and into open space.

The shuttle flew towards the Midway as the Defiant exploded behind them.

"Goodbye Joseph," Mike said quietly.

The Captain said down in one of the chairs as he felt the Midway's tractor beam take hold. As always they made it out just in the nick of time.

 

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