Command Evaluation - Kla'ren Pt 1
Posted on Wed Jul 14th, 2021 @ 4:08am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Remal Kajun
Mission:
Gamma Quadrant
Location: Holodeck 1
Timeline: Current
Lieutenant Kla'ren had just left Main Engineering and was on his way to the holodeck for his command evaluation. He was used to this kind of thing, since had held a senior position on a few different starships within the past few years. However, he didn't know what to expect.
Meanwhile, behind the one-way glass cleverly designed to look like a ceiling panel, the Captain and Remal stood and waited. Though Kla'ren was the Chief Engineer, he was also a senior officer and those could be required to take control of the ship. As his mean location was in Engineering, the scenario would begin there.
Thriss walked through the doors and into the holodeck, which was set to Main Engineering. At least for now. He went to his primary station to begin the simulation.
" Chief, the phase inducers are ready to be taken offline for recalibration and maintenance" One of the staff announced, effectively setting the simulation in motion. The crew were working, the Sunfire was at an all stop whilst the maintenance was being performed.
"Understood. Take them offline and begin maintenance" He replied nodding to the crewman to carry out the order.
"Aye Chief" The crew replied and set about taking the engines offline and beginning the work. Several minutes passed in general peace until an urgent call came through from the bridge.
"Engineering, we have a ship inbound with weapons charged, ETA on the engines?" The voice of the Captain sounded terse.
“The engines and phase inducers are still offline. We only have thrusters at the moment” The Chief began to tap at his console. “I’m attempting to bring the engines back online but it will take a few moments Captain.”
" We don't have a few moments, fast as you can" The Sunfire rocked as they came under attack, a barrage of weapons fire bouncing off the hastily erected shields.
The holographic engineering shook from the weapons fire. "No kidding," he said to himself. Thriss tapped at his console some more. The engines were almost online. "Ensign Jackson, please get the phase inducers back online."
"Chief, the maintenance-" the Ensign was interrupted by more weapons fire on the Sunfire. "Bringing the phase inducers back online sir."
"Good work Ensign" Kla'ren finished bringing the engines back online, which went faster because the phase inducers were back online as well. "Engineering to Bridge, the engines are up and running again" the Chief called out.
"Thank you, Chief" The Captain's voice echoed before a particularly nasty volley of torpedoes threatened to buckle the shields. The Sunfire attempted to evade, her new engines coping the brunt of the arsonel - along with the bridge. The Captain had left the com-link open with Engineering, having had no one manning the engineering station on the bridge at that time. She could be heard rattling off orders, attempting evasive maneuvers and weapons countermeasures.
"Shields 40%" Tactical could be heard responding, Shield emitters number 5 and 1 will fail shortly" Those shield emitters protected the bridge location and the warp core.
"Chief, reroute emergency power to the shiel....." The Sunfire was rocked with another explosion, and then silence from the bridge.
Kla'ren fell to the ground with this explosion. He quickly got back to his feet and noticed the silence. "Engineering to bridge, please respond" There was no response which was not a good sign. "Computer, what is our current status?" He asked, getting prepared to leave engineering and go to the bridge if all else failed.
"Sheilds are at 20%, emitter 1 has failed, emitter 5 is at 10%. Direct impact on deck 1, emergency force fields are holding weapons at 40%. Propulsion systems online" The computer rattled off.
The Chief knew this meant one thing. "Ensign Jackson, you are in charge until further notice," he said knowing that in this scenario, he was possibly the next ranking officer on the Sunfire. He left engineering and made a run for the bridge.
"Computer, is the bridge still habitable, and if so, are there life signs?" he asked urgently going into a full sprint towards the turbo-lift to go up to the bridge.
" Bridge life support failing, there are currently 6 life signs. Emergency forcefield is holding. Hull breach deck 1 bridge, deck 1 ready room" The computer intoned, giving Kla'ren a tough choice. Save the ship, or save the bridge crew.
Entering the turbolift he came up with a plan. "Deck One" He began to come up with a plan, that could be risky, but he had to try. "Computer, please reroute some of the emergency power to the bridge's life support. If not possible, can you beam said life signs to sickbay?" His goal was to save the bridge crew and the rest of the ship. If that didn't work, he'd have to make the choice of saving the rest of the ship over the bridge crew.
" Rerouting power...life support has been stabilised. Insufficient power to use transporters" The computer intoned as though it were reading an old-fashioned telephone directory.
Kla'ren knew that there would be time to question his own decision-making later. At least life support on the bridge was stable for the moment. He was unsure what he would find, but he would soon find out as the turbolift doors were about to open and reveal the status of the bridge.
Bulkheads blown, support pylons and general debris lay strewn in every direction. The bridge had taken a direct hit. The Captain's ready room was now a shimmering forcefield with a direct view of space, the blast having obliterated that side of the bridge entirely. Groans could be heard from various locations as the bridge crew lay wounded. Meanwhile - the enemy ship still lurked, circling their wounded prey.
Thriss stepped off of the turbolift and went straight for the command chair, but didn't sit down. He tapped a button on one of the arms instead opening a channel to sickbay. "We need medical teams to the bridge at once!" He said intensely. He looked around. The ops officer slowly climbed up from his console. The holographic Commander Risa was unconscious. So was Commander Savar, Lieutenant House, and Lieutenant Maxwell. Many others were wounded. There was no sign of the Captain However.
"Where is the Captain?" Thriss inquired as he looked at the ops officer, who was the only other stable crewmember on the bridge at the moment.
" I don't know" The Ops officer replied, clutching his side as he tried to coax his station into operation "I couldn't see her. The alien vessel fired... then the bridge exploded. I lost track of everyone" He admitted.
"Understood. Please take tactical until a replacement reports to the bridge. Have we tried reasoning with the aliens?" Thriss inquired while taking the helm.
" She started to talk with them.. then they fired and didn't stop until the bridge exploded" The Ops officer replied, the forcefield's crackling for good measure. " We're reading dead in the water at the moment... I think that's why they stopped"
Remal dead-eyed Rhenora, "Just had to go and kill yourself off didn't you. Always the martyr." He mused. "So, where do we take this from here? We've done the boarding party bit to death. Got anything new we can use? I mean, the man loves taking things apart, perhaps we can work with that?"
"Who says I'm dead?" She retorted with a wry smile towards her husband. " And as for Thriss, he needs to take command of the situation which I believe he is doing very well in. However there will be an Engineering situation that will add a layer"
"I managed to bring the engines online before I left engineering. However I am unsure if that has changed since I got to the bridge." Thriss thought for a moment. "Bridge to engineering, have the engines been online since I left?"
" No Sir... the phase inducers are offline with damage. We're dead in the water...I can't get the core to stabilize enough to draw power" The ACEO reported, his voice crackling through the tenuous comm connection.
He sighed. "Acknowledged" He looked at the Ensign who was at tactical. "What weapons do we have left?"
"Not many Sir" The Ensign replied "Targetting sensors are offline, we can go to manual, the torpedo launching system reads as ok" He continued "Phasers at 30 percent"
Thriss got up out of the helm seat since the engines were fried. "Try to hail them. Keep a weapons lock if reasoning fails. Again" he ordered, looking at the Ensign, and then back at the viewscreen.
" On the rear monitor Sir" The Ensign announced, pointing to the only functional rear station. A face unlike any of them had ever seen appeared on the screen. "Surrender, or we shall destroy your vessel and take your warp core."
Thriss turned around and went to the station. "First of all, I do not believe our core would do you any good, because if you destroy us, the core will be destroyed along with our ship. Second of all, why don't you introduce yourself. After all, if I surrender, I would like to know who my capture is" he quipped.
TBC
