Command Recert - Savar Pt 3
Posted on Wed Jul 14th, 2021 @ 5:35pm by Remal Kajun & Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali
Mission:
Gamma Quadrant
Location: USS Sunfire - Holodeck
Timeline: Recertification Week
-snip- Once more a cry rang through his mind, something the computer could not really replicate on a holodeck. It was weaker, raspier this time. *Imzadi, I can't breathe. I will always love you.* and then her voice faded once more. -snip-
*Aurora, my love for you is eternal.* Savar replied mentally all while looking at the alien leader. "I cannot explain honor to one who has none. To one that hides behind and uses a female as a hostage." He responded simply. "Release the Captain." He demanded.
If Aurora hadn’t known about Savar’s recertification she would have been worried about what she could feel and hear through their bond. Savar had obviously been given a difficult scenario.
"Sir, emergency force fields are failing around the crew quarters, decompression imminent" Ops reported despite the tense situation. With the self-destruct active would there be any point in attempting to preserve the rest of the ship?
"Why would I do that? She'll make a fine slave... so much fire... put up quite the struggle you know. Then again I believe the bounty on her head is quite high" The alien gloated, making a show of roughly grabbing Rhenora's face and tracing the line of blood on her brow. " Your Captain, or your ship."
Savar looked at Rhenora, her proud, strong face. She was much more than just his Captain. She was his friend. He would not let her be taken by this alien. His eyes still on the alien leader he spoke to Ops. "Abandon the ship. I will stay here." His phaser still on the alien.
Bridge officers locked out their stations and began walking towards the lifts. Only a couple of trained security officers remained to provide support. They had their orders, but they also had their loyalties.
" You would sacrifice this vessel, for this woman?" The alien sneered, shoving Rhenora to a point where she fell sideways, unable to save herself with her hands bound behind her.
Savar's eyes never wavered from the alien leader's face even as he pushed Rhenora and she fell heavily on her side unable to get up bound as she was. "That woman as you called her, is a highly experienced Federation Officer." He replied calmly. His finger tightening fractionally on the phaser trigger.
" So she is more valuable than this vessel. I should get a high price for her then. There's half a dozen Guls with a price on her head, another half a dozen who want *just* her head" He let the rest go unsaid and he hauled her back to her feet by her hair.
Savar saw Rhenora wince in pain as she was pulled back to her feet but she made no sound. "Unlikely," Savar commented. "You and your men are stuck here on the bridge by the forcefield that surrounds it. Release the Captain."
Deep in the recesses of the holographic environment, there was a disturbance, (holo) Aurora’s voice cried out for help. She was still aboard the ship, trapped without rescue. “Savar! help me! Please help me!!”
*Hold on Aurora.* Savar replied telepathically. "In addition, you will find your weapons deactivated. "I suggest you surrender."
Was it a bluff? The intruder had no way of knowing. What he did know was that his men were still attempting to swarm the ship and overwhelm the Starfleet crew.
" I suggest you say your goodbyes to your Captain. I'll be sure to send a piece of her back to you" The leader retorted, making a move for the door, keeping the Captain in front of him as a human shield.
Remal whispered to Rhenora, "I had Aurora watching remotely. I thought she could distract him. Either it's not working, or he really is stone-faced because I've not seen him flinch despite her efforts. I may not fully understand telepathy, but her voice should be tearing him up inside, Vulcan or no." He pressed some controls to make sure this was a true standoff between the alien and Savar before adding, "Do you think we should allow the crew quarters to fully decompress? Her loss might finally break him? It's harsh but..."
" The idea is not to break him, but to test his command ability against the most dire of situations" Rhenora reminded him gently. "However having that deck decompress would be in line with the scenario. Savar would have to choose between the life of his wife, the life of his Captain, or the safety of the Sunfire."
Savar watched as the leader with Rhenora in front of him moved to exit the bridge. His phaser tracking him as he did. "You will be unsuccessful in attempting to exit the bridge. " Savar repeated.
" Oh really? Are you willing to bet your Captain's life on it?" He sneered " You will let us leave, or I kill her now in front of your crew" He applied the weapon to Rhenora's forehead.
"Sir... crew quarters are going critical...we have a hull breach in progress. Sections 34 through 43 alpha" Ops reported.
Savar winced at the news. Those sections contained his and Aurora's quarters. "Beam the personnel out and to the cargo bay." He ordered.
Savar walked to the leader and placed his phaser between his eyes. "Are you willing to bet your life? Right here, right now."
"So who pulls the trigger first? I'm willing to die for the chance of selling your Captain. Are you willing to kill her just to prove yourself?" The Leader retorted, not yielding to the weapon. His own still pressed against Rhenora's temple.
"You are in error. You will kill her and then I will kill you. "Savar replied bluntly. But the argument is moot as your weapons do not work."
"You're betting her life on that?" His trigger finger was getting itchy. If the Vulcan wasn't bluffing there was a dark colour creek and no paddle in his future.
"Yes." Savar answered as his free hand flashed out and pushed Rhenora hard out of the way as his hand grabbed the weapon and proceeded to crush it.
" Die!" The Intruder reached for the knife in his waist belt, slashing it towards the Vulcan whilst making his way to his prisoner. He would not leave empty handed.
"Grast! - fire all weapons!" He shouted into his communicator, the vessel on the viewscreen resuming its barrage on the Sunfire. The deck dipped sharply, tossing everyone along the starboard wall before righting itself.
Savar avoided the strike and moved between the leader and Rhenora. "Fire." He told tactical and the bridge crew.
The leader was going to get to her first, scrambling with his knife raised and ready to take his prize.
The tactical officer took a few moments to get back to his station attempting to coax his station into working.
" Weapons at 40% Sir, shield close to failing..."
"Fire a full barrage of phasers and torpedoes," Savar answered as he raised his phaser and fired, striking the leader squarely in the chest.
The leader made one final lunge towards his captive, arm outstretched in his dying moments. Time seemed to stand still.
Remal commented, "I think we can wind down the action on this one, but I'd like to keep going long enough to see how he handles the aftermath, If you don't mind, Captain."
"Of course" Rhenora released the breath she didn't realise she was holding, having been a little caught up in the drama unfolding before her. " I forgot how intense evaluations could be"
Savar stepped between the leader and Rhenora, his foot stepping down on his arm. "You will not have her." His voice cold, harder than normal.
" Neither can you" The blade reached its intended target with less velocity that he would have liked. The enemy ship firing its weapons until the Sunfire's shields fell enough to retrieve their men, including their leader who now stared lifeless at the ceiling of the bridge.
"Medical emergency on the bridge." Savar called out as bent down next to Rhenora. "The wound does not appear serious Captain however I am sorry you received nonetheless."
The medical team arrived a few moments later and tended to the wounded, including the Captain who was resting against the bulkhead.
"The ship?" She asked of Savar.
"Out of danger." He replied simply. "Though we have extensive wounded and dead."
Rhenora sighed, wincing as the medic dabbed at her scalp wound and the blade injury. Her hands were still bound behind her. "I'm sorry to hear that" She whispered softly, head bowed "You did well keeping everyone together"
"Thank you Captain." He said softly. I regret that you are still bound but we have nothing to unlock your binds. You will have to remain bound a little longer.
" Seriously?" The question in her eyes was more like pleading. In the 24th century they couldn't unpick a lock?
"I am afraid so Captain." Savar answered as he helped her to stand and moved her to the center seat where she could sit with her hands bound behind her.
" Seriously? Give me a hair pin and I can unpick anything" She retorted, wriggling in an attempt to get comfortable. "Heck, I'd risk permanent damage if you'd just phaser the damned things off"
"Indeed not Captain. We will not risk bodily injury to you. We will get your manacles off. It will just take time." Savar replied patiently.
She stewed, glaring at him before drawing her attention back to the crew "Did you save those in the crew quarters?" She asked quietly.
He knew she was unhappy with his answer but was helpless t change it. "We were able to save most but not all." He admitted quietly.
"Aurora?" The word was barely audible
"No." He replied with equal softness.
" I'm so sorry" The Captain wished she could support him in some way other than merely nodding and accepting the words.
"How many did we lose?"
"Thank you Captain. 187." Savar replied in a whisper.
There was silence, she couldn't bring herself to answer. Still, the Commander had performed admirably having saved the majority of the crew as well as the Captain. The personal toll however was impossible to count.
The silence dragged on until Savar spoke. "You rest Captain, I must oversee the repairs." He said rising and leaving Rhenora sitting in the center seat with her hands bound securely behind her.
For the next two hours the crew worked on restoring the ship systems while Rhenora sat in the center seat still bound with her hands behind her. The crew for their part did not stare at her. Savar in fact was doing a masterful job of ignoring the bound captain.
"I'd really love someone to let me out of these things" She grumbled, wriggling again.
Savar heard Rhenora's grumble and appeared at her side. "Captain, I know you are anxious to be released but we are working to restore systems in case another of the alien ships return. Please be patient. Your binds are constructed of a metal we are unfamiliar with and that is slowing the entire process. Do try to set a good example for the crew." He added.
The glare she gave him was spectacular and she remained silent despite his ribbing, her thoughts still on those they had lost.
Watching from their quarters Aurora’s heart sank at Savar’s ever stoic demeanour considering in the holographic world he’d just lost her. She knew she was overreacting but it hurt to watch him just carry on like nothing had happened. She ramped up her mental defences not wanting Savar to sense what she was feeling through their bond.
As Savar moved away from the Captain, his shoulders sagged and he wondered if she knew the depth of his pain at the loss of Aurora. Later he would grieve in private at the loss of the light in his world.
TBC
