Rescue Mission

Posted on Sun Jan 12th, 2014 @ 4:50pm by Captain Benjamin Byrne & Commander Gaius Ra-Xialii & Lieutenant Horatio Hawke & Lieutenant Ciaran McIntyre & Lieutenant JG Ethan Kessel

Mission: Remnant Part 2
Location: USS Endeavour - Bridge

Commander Ra-Xialli emerged onto the bridge, wearing the optional duty vest, with his undershirt, sleeves rolled up. Given the lack of crew onboard, to conserve power, life support to most non-essential areas had been deactivated. Lighting, air conditioning and power to those areas were now dark, making any transit between arduous. Xialli travelled to his quarters and packed a small satchel with his prized possesions, and also made a point to his former captains cabin to bring something back to Byrne's family.

He took his position on the Science station, changing its configuration to a command panel. The bridge was darker than normal, non-essential consoles were now black, with only Helm, Ops, Tactical and his own console lit. Gaius watched as the crew filled their consoles and made ready, It was almost time, Gaius felt the tension along his back.

"Nice vest." Ciaran observed, trying to lighten the ominous mood in both the room and his every waking thought. His own uniform still bore the grime and scars from his experience on the Borg Cube. He had not taken the opportunity to change or even wipe the blood from his face let alone follow the Commander's orders to add a hollow pip to his collar.

Hawke's uniform was it's usual pristine, well-presented self; as ready for parade as he was for the task at hand. He sat quietly at the conn, his face a study in focus as he double, triple and quadruple checked his systems. The ship would dance on his command.

Amkreth hadn't ceased working on repairs to the ship since the briefing that had essentially put him in acting command over the engineering department. He had made use of the personnel he had right up until the moment they were evacuated, and then continued working afterwards, allowing his logic to determine which systems to prioritise; engines, transporters and shields. Weapons came next; his logic being that even if they couldn't fire the ship's full array of power towards the enemy, they could always use the ship as a crude weapon, as had been suggested earlier.

All of the physical tasks he could take care of done, he was now sat at the primary engineering console on the bridge, working on redesigning the ship's power distribution network on the fly.

McIntyre's targetting system blinked and flickered as the power was redistributed throughout the ship. The automated launch controls showed ready. The Endeavour's weapons were online. At least, all of her forward weapons. All we'll need. The Security Chief thought as he took another glance round the bridge.

The few who remained shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. The sight of the massive schematic of the Borg Cube on the viewscreen was a visceral reminder of their slim chances of success. If it was to be all or nothing, he would be gunning for all.

"Ciaran, your squad is ready?" Gaius said, referring to the volunteer group of security personnel who were to have one final attempt to rescue the stolen men. It was also not in Gaius' nature to be informal, but he wasn't going to spend what could be his last, citing ranks and using last names.

"As they'll ever be." McIntyre stated flatly. Thiffault had reported their readiness in that chipper tone of his, as if they were going out to pick apples in an orchard, not fight the Borg.

"Horatio, shuttle prepped?" Gaius continued.

Hawke turned his head slightly to the right and replied, "Aye, sir. Ready to go at a moment's notice."

Gaius nodded, then turned to Amkreth, recieving a nod, he knew that engineering was ready.

"Engage, maximum warp, shields up, all possible power to weapons," Gaius started keying his console, "I want a 30 meter hole punched in the side of that cube, that is the insert point."

Hawke punched the 'engage' button on his console with maybe a little more force than he needed, sending the ship hurtling toward her destiny. He paused a moment after hitting the command, realising that this was going to be the last time he sent this great beauty into warp.

The tactical officer bunched the fire commands together on his console and gritted his teeth, awaiting the word. The Endeavour screamed inexorably towards the Cube as Horatio continually altered their flight path to throw them as much as possible.

As the word came, McIntyre found his fingers already flipping around the console, firing everything that the ship had. He cried out as the impacts began to register on the Borg ship. "Come on, let's be having ye!"

Ra-Xialli's blood coursed through his veins and adrenaline kicked in, "Deploy Away team!" he said, spitting unintentionally. A direct hit to the ship sent sparks flying, as well as destroying two of the rear consoles.

McIntyre unleashed a volley of torpedoes punching a hole in the Cube's shields as the Tactical Officer wheeled away to the auxiliary console to energise the transporter. "Away team deployed!"

"Prepare to beam them back," Ra-Xialli ordered, sweat running down his cranial ridges. He wiped it away with his uniform sleeve. This was going to be close.

A junior officer took over the weapon controls as McIntyre ensured that the away team's progress was his number one priority. The schematic that their tricorders automatically uploaded of the Borg Cube gave him some perspective but their reasons for stopping and starting were unclear from his vantage point.

Every few moments the blips which represented his friend and the team would slow to a crawl as their heart rate monitors rocketed sky high. They seemed to be approaching the ship's dark heart with ease but then, he wasn't there.

The radio silence was unsettling and McIntyre found himself wishing he was there, among the Borg, trying to rescue his crewmates. Suddenly, the signal came through the triangulation of the tricorders. They had made it to the chamber which- according to previously gathered Cube schematics- held the Assimilation chambers.

"So far, so good." McIntyre said aloud. "So far, too good." He said inwardly.

Ra-Xialli let out a small growl without thinking, knowing the man had put a curse on the whole mission with just a few words.

"Status?" He barked.

"They've reached the chamber." McIntyre replied, realising that- with the Endeavour out of weapons range- the remaining crew had gathered around his console. "Now all they have to do is get in, attach the pattern enhancers, set the charges and get out of there. Easy, right?"

"Let's hope so," Hawke said. He was still at the conn but could hear everything in the deathly silence of the bridge. He had been resisting the urge to hover over McIntyre's shoulder like the others; if they had to make a quick getaway he needed to be at his station. Nevertheless, he called up a repeater window and had the information scroll over an unused panel of his console so he could keep track as well.

The group watched on as Hawke kept them out of range of the Borg Cube. McIntyre felt beads of sweat forming on his brow as the blips which represented his team reached the main chamber. Everything pointed to this as the location of the Captain and Lieutenant Kessel. It was all or nothing.

They paused. Thiffault would be making sure they all knew their roles. No smash and grab was ever as simple as they thought and Thiffault knew that better than most. He had once been held by a Gorn warlord who believed that Thiffault and his team were trying to kidnap his wife.

Moments passed which seemed like hours. The heart rate monitors of the away team pounded away in McIntyre's ears. Suddenly there was movement as the door opened and the team's blips suddenly burst forward.

"Here we go." McIntyre said quietly.

Thiffault's indicator stayed static- it was like him to nominate himself to set the charges. It was hard to tell who else was who. The away team's tricorders had marked the location of Byrne and Kessel on the topography but McIntyre couldn't tell where the Borg were.

Suddenly his indicators flashed into life. "They've got the Captain!" He shouted. "Medical team to Transporter Room One!"

The blips seemed to be slowing as they attempted to break through to Kessel's location. Suddenly one heart rate dropped out. Someone had bought it but McIntyre couldn't immediately tell who. "We've lost someone."

He focused on the monitor as the away team came to a halt. They were close to Kessel but it was hard to tell what had stopped them. Tactical drones? A 50ft drop? It could have been anything.

Another moment where hearts pounded to a crescendo. He leapt from his chair. "They have Kessel! Come on guys, get out of there!"

Gaius would have given his all to be there, his ushaan tor slicing borg left and right. The pit in his stomach relented at the news, but it wasnt over yet.

McIntyre now stood bent double over his console as the away team made their way back to Thiffault's location. He would have the charges set by now- all that was left was to set the timer.

"Mac." Thiffault's voice broke over the comm. Radio silence wasn't much use now.

"You've done it, Oli!" McIntyre called back with pride. "You've got them. Blow the thing and let's get you out of there!"

"I'm sending the team back. We lost Tiret- tell her kid that I'm sorry. I've got to blow the charges manually. The detonator. It's... they can stop it."

McIntyre took a deep breath. Everyone on the bridge was watching him, looking to see if he would allow his assistant- his friend- to do the unthinkable.

He sent the command to the Transporter Room. "Understood. You're a maniac, Thiffault. That's what I've always liked about you."

Thiffault had always been driven by self-preservation. He wasn't someone to throw it all away just to be a martyr. If he said this was the only way, this was the only way. "Good luck, Olivier."

"Where I'm going, I won't need luck. Thiffault out."

The relief tactical officer spoke directly to Commander Ra-Xialli. "We've got the away team, Sir."

"You know what to do mister!" Gaius said tapping Hawke on the back and returning to his chair, anticipating a large blast yet to come.

"Aye, sir!" Hawke replied, his fingers already tapping commands into his console. "Don't have to tell me twice," he murmed to himself as he spun the ship around and fired the impulse engines, instantly accelerating the ship to what he hoped would be a safe distance.

With that- the Borg Cube was overcome by a vicious fireball which seemed perfectly contained within their shields for a split second until their shield generator was consumed, concentrating the shockwave and sending the Endeavour reeling backwards, despite being at a safe distance. The hunks of twisted metal, body parts and components seemed to litter the entire area of space as the giant ship was obliterated.