Command Evaluation - Kaylen Pt 5

Posted on Fri Jul 30th, 2021 @ 6:08am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Remal Kajun

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: USS Sunfire
Timeline: Evaluation Week

-snip- 3 more decks... -snip-

Like a scurrying rat moving through a hole in the wall, species 8472 were unable to locate their target. They could only sense her approximate location and direction when she was close. So far, they held the advantage. They had the strength, they had the numbers. What could she possibly have left to defeat them if she had nothing? Not her ship, not even her precious crew could save her now.

Savar sat with Remal as they watched the Captain scurry from one deck to another while avoiding species 8472. "Your wife is most resourceful." He said in admiration.

"Mmmm, that she is." He pondered how hard she was taking her Recertification which had turned more into a course on survival tactics and less on Command. He began to wonder what Starfleet was thinking when they decided now was a good time to task the fleet with such harsh training exercises.

The plan was fairly simple, get to sickbay, replicate some nanoprobes, and retake her ship - or more accurately what was left of it. She popped the hatch just up the corridor from sickbay, emerging rifle first back into the chaos the corridors had become. Weapons fire and screams could be heard in the distance but she couldn't focus on that, retaking the ship was her priority.

Aurora was watching Kaylen’s progress, as much as she knew retaking the ship was a priority she was surprised Kaylen hadn’t attempted to save her crew. Allies could have helped in retaking the ship, and lives could have been saved.

Just outside of the medbay, on the corridor floor, a lone security officer held tight to his rifle. It was clear he was badly injured, but when he saw the Captain round the corner his eyes lit up with hope. "Captain! I've managed to... cough... hold them at bay. Are we... cough... winning? Did we... push them back?" On his death bed all he was looking for from her was some reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

" We are crewman" Rhenora said in a soothing voice, her eyes scanning up and down the corridor. She was vulnerable in the open space and knew it. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "You've done a fine job"

Aurora looked towards Remal and Savar. They’d already talked about ways of testing Rhenora, now it was time for Aurora to throw the biggest curveball of them all. Inside the holodeck the sound of a crying baby permeated the air, the holo version of Aurora lay trapped and dying on the floor next to her son. It was hard enough for Aurora to sit and watch, let alone how it might affect Rhenora.

Rhenora's head snapped up at the sound of the cry, her gut clenching as the moral decision showed itself. Did she leave her goal to rescue the child, or did she focus on the task at hand and free her ship then save what was left of her crew? She was so close to sickbay, so close to the nanoprobes that would save the Sunfire.

Unable to resist the cry of the innocent child the Captain took off up the corridor, weapon as useless as it was in her hands. The sight of Aurora on the floor shook her to the core but she forced the emotion aside.

"Let me take Siddak, I will keep him safe" She whispered, squeezing Aurora's shoulder and knowing there was little she could do to help her friend. Unzipping the front of her uniform she tucked the newborn inside then zipped it partially up again, effectively creating a secure pouch that would keep the infant safe but still allow her to continue her mission. Tearing her eyes away from Aurora she headed back to sickbay, hoping the aliens hadn't cut off her access before she got back there.

They had her scent and were closing in. The simulation triggered a moment where they slowed their progression. It was a subtle but noticeable difference, placed in the scenario to give the officer time to have a personal moment, heightening the drama. It would also serve to give her the time required to collect herself and carry on before launching at her again. Remal noticed, yet he still worried for the sake of his shining star.

The doors of sickbay were before her, Siddak snuggled safely against her chest inside her jacket allowing her free use of her arms. The poor man previously guarding the doors has passed into the arms of the Prophets, his open eyes unseeing yet telling the story of his horror.

It took a moment to force the doors, having to bypass the locking mechanism and open the doors with brute strength. Strangely sickbay was empty and quiet. Never a good sign in an emergency. It was a warning sign she knew she should heed but time didn't allow it.

Heading over to the replicator she pulled up the file containing the nanoprobe information that Voyager had sent in their last data packet, and set the replicator in motion.

"Estimated time to complete full quantity is 45 minutes" The expressionless voice of the computer intoned as Rhenora's gut sank even further. Siddak had stopped crying and snuggled into her chest, providing the smallest measure of comfort in what was turning into a no win situation.

The loud scratching at the door reminded her of the urgency of the situation. There was no way she could sit around and hope that the replicator was going to keep chugging away at the nanoprobes for another 45 minutes whilst these aliens tore her ship apart, killed her crew and gained valuable intelligence about the current state of play in Starfleet. It simply wasn't an option.

"Computer - is the self destruction still functioning?" She swore she would never blow the Sunfire up on purposes, killing what was left of the crew. It would however be a small mercy in that they wouldn't be physically ripped to shreds.

"Affirmative"

" Set self destruction - 1 minute timer - authorisation Kaylen Pi 5 9 Lamda. Silence audio warnings" The words were out, what was done was done and there was little she could do about it.

"Initiate site to site transport, deck 2, section 34 alpha" She vanished in a shimmer of blue sparkles, reappearing an instant later by Remal's side. Picking up his lifeless hand she said her goodbyes, kissed Siddak on the head, and waited for the end to come.