Something feels out of place Part VI
Posted on Mon Oct 15th, 2018 @ 12:37pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Ensign Dana Wakefield
Edited on on Mon Oct 15th, 2018 @ 9:28pm
2,835 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Episode 4 - The Sum of Our Parts
Location: Bridge USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 1330 hrs
"Battle Stations." she barked, before turning to Sophia "Send a message to the task force, we are about to engage the enemy, new rendezvous point, I want them all here, now, as quick as they can."
"Aye", Sophia replied, glad that their internal crisis was finally at an end. She occupied the operations console, from where she could direct not just starship but also task force operations. And more importantly, she could do it sitting down. "New rendezvous point, thirty seconds before contact", she reported. "I recommend defence pattern beta five." It meant cruisers inside, destroyers outside, moving quickly to intercept ramming vessels and torpedoes without getting caught themselves. "We should be able to take out that fleet." There'd be casualties, but they'd make it through.
May 29 2394 1330 hrs (Relative Time)
The future of the federation was resting squarely on Dana’s shoulders, and the responsibility was crushing her. But now wasn’t the time to let self-doubt in, there would be a time for reflection, but after they won this war.
“Very well, Sophia inform the fleet defence pattern beta five.”
"Aye", Sophia replied, then relayed ordered to the rest of the fleet. In her preconceived scenarios, there were exact positions for all ships relative to each other, and there were further options for later when some of them were inevitably lost. She did not want her plan to completely unravel at the first sight of the enemy, like so many plans in the past had. She was reasonably confident her planning would see them through at least halfway.
Dana glanced across at the tactical station, she realised that she still didn’t know any of the crew's names. Wilfred slowly sat down next to her in the XO’s chair. “It’s Lieutenant Malbrooke.” He said giving his daughter a reassuring smile. This was the first time in years that he was proud of her, they may have locked horns and butted heads, but this moment, here, now, was all that mattered, the past was the past all that mattered now was the future.
“Lieutenant Malbrooke, tactical report and recommendations,” Dana said in a tone that was soft.
Tyler had been staring intently down at the tactical scanners. "We have a Dominion fleet inbound. Three Jem'Hadar fighters, and two Cardassian warships. All of them armed and ready for battle. Recommend the Fearless and the Valiant engage the fighters. Those Defiant Class ships are built for it. The rest of the fleet split their fire among the Cardassian vessels. If we can destroy the fighters, the warships should turn around. Cardassians will not fight without their escort. Ma'am!"
"There must be more, hidden", Sophia said. "Five ships against this fleet is suicide. We should hang back. If they manage to ram us, it's all over. Maybe they know that, too."
Tyler interjected again "That would be true ma'am if one did not pay attention to the Dominion strategy. Those fighters can outmanoeuvre every ship in this fleet, including the Defiant Class. They traditionally go for a hit and run method, concentrating their fire on one spot in the shields and then leaving the engagement zone. Eventually, they poke through and destroy their enemy. It is proven effective in fact the Cardassian ships are probably here simply for artillery support." Tyler smirked, as he looked back down at his console and set to work readying all of the Pioneer's weapons.
"I recommend cover fire, all phasers in the direction of the fighters", Sophia advised. "They won't get through, no matter how nimble they are. Not just three. Our fast attack wing should close with the Cardassian cruisers and dispatch of them quickly." They might win this engagement without any losses - two dozen ships against five, not a tough fight. But that was precisely why Sophia was worried there were more hidden vessels out there.
Dana pondered for a moment weighing what both officers had said, but she had to concur. "Something isn't right here." she said pausing, "They are trying to get us to show our hand, see how many ships we have. Five ships are just a tease, the bulk of their force will be at the station, but if they get us to show them everything we have, they will relay it back. Sophia, spilt the fleet, half of the previous rendezvous and half here, Malbrooke, arm every weapon we have and prepare to lay down cover fire"
"I strongly recommend we remain with the part that's hanging back", Sophia said as she relayed orders that would put their ships into two half-sized copies of the original formation.
"Weapons armed and targets acquired. Shields are holding, ablative armour at standby. Ready to fire at your command, Ma'am." Tyler spoke from his station.
The full fleet warped in and the viewscreen flicked to life, the whole crew glanced at it and an eerie silence fell over the bridge and Dana’s heart seemed to stop for all but a moment, but that moment felt like an eternity. She swallowed hard, turning to her father, Starfleet had certainly gotten its intel wrong on this one.
“I’d say what, three to one Mr Malbrooke?” she asked, taking an educated guess
"Yes, ma'am that is correct. However, I must advise that one determined ship can take out an entire fleet. The odds are ever in our favour." He spoke resolutely which beguiled his trepidation.
She paused for a moment, still looking at the viewscreen “I wonder if a Klingon coined the phrase today is a good day to die in similar circumstances.”
The enemy was intent on defending this installation, and Dana was intent on destroying it, they had too, the very future of the federation rested on the outcome of this battle.
“At least you're going to have plenty to aim for Lieutenant”
"That I am, that I am. All weapons are targeted and standing by for your orders." Malbrooke was ready this would be a battle for the ages.
“Sophia, fleet-wide communication.”
“Aye Ma’am” she replied, pressing several buttons on her console before the shallow whistle sounded, indicating fleet-wide communications.
“All hands this Admiral Sutherland, I wish I had better news, but it seems like our intel was way off on this occasion. We can’t use the better part of valour, retreat is not an option. We stand, and we fight, we fight for the people we have lost and we fight for the very future of the federation.”
She paused for a moment to let reality sink in before she took a shallow breath and continued
“We rather destroy that installation and secure our future, or we die try trying, knowing we did everything we could to preserve the ideals and principles of the federation, I won’t lie, many of you will not make it, but I want you to know that I wouldn’t be asking you to do anything that I wasn’t willing to do myself. May God have mercy on our souls.” She said reaching and pressing a button on the console next to her.
The shale tone again sounded, what else could she possibly say, this was going to be an insurmountable battle, here they were two opposing fleets both stood still in space, each waiting for the other to make the first move.
“Lieutenant Malbrooke, whatever attack pattern you see fit, engage the enemy, get us within range of that installation.”
"Attack pattern Malbrooke-pai-39 engaging." The fleet being led by the Pioneer spread out in a diamond formation and phaser fire spread out in all directions, blocking off all incoming attackers. Three enemy vessels withdrew from the fight in the first onslaught.
-- Ten minutes later –
The ship shook as it was bombarded by weapons fire, a console had already exploded as the enemy concentrated its fire on the flagship.
“Report” Dana barked, knowing they were losing
"Everything below deck 10 is uninhabitable due to hull breaches. Shields are holding at 20 percent. Phasers are barely operational and our torpedo stock is depleted by half." Tyler reported.
“Sophia, fleet status?”
“Seven ships destroyed, three disabled. The installations shields are weakening and are down to sixty percent.”
“Get the fleet to concentrate fire, we need those shields down if we are to use the weapon.”
-- Another Ten minutes of fighting --
Her fleet was in tatters, the mission nearly a failure, but failure wasn’t an option, she wasn’t going to let the Federation fall into obscurity.
“Lieutenant give me some good news.”
"Shields are failing on the Pioneer as they are on the station. Most if not all of the fleet is destroyed or rendered incapable of fighting. If we are going to win the day we need a large-scale anti-matter explosion detonating on the station right over its main reactor. It is a tedious plan and would be a suicide run." Tyler cocked an eyebrow, as he thought that she got us into this and would now have to get us out.
Dana pondered for a moment, she knew what she had to do, “Lieutenant, divert all remaining power to the shields, scrape the residual ions off the sonic showers if you have to, then get that torpedo loaded onto a shuttle, then tell what the hell we have left to protect the shuttle that is about to launch.”
"Yes Ma'am" Tyler responded and then quickly set to the tasks that were laid before him. He shut down all non-essential systems and overrode the Operations Department to do so. Meanwhile, the orders were received in the shuttle bay. While confused the men and women in the bay loaded a torpedo onto a shuttle and prepped it for launch. "All is ready to fire at your order," Tyler spoke coldly which hid the nervousness that was deep within him.
“Aiden, Sophia, get to the shuttle bay, you’re only going to get one shot at destroying that installation and a shuttle won't last for long, what’s out there will try and protect you, but it’s our final hope, now go, you have five minutes if we can hold her together that long.”
Aiden looked Dana in the eye, he knew what she was going to do, it was the only option left, but he didn’t want to leave her.
“Ma’am…” Aidan said about to object
“That’s an order, now get going.”
Sophia knew what had to be done, she grasped his arm, Dana was relying on them both, the two people she trusted the most to complete the mission, she slowly leaned into him gently whispering “You know the adage, the Captain goes down with the ship.”
He looked at Sophia, then back to Dana before he mouthed ‘I love you’ to her.
Dana couldn't help but give a little smile, she nodded in acknowledgement before pressing a button on her console.
“All hands this is the Captain, proceed to the escape pods and abandon ship, repeat abandon ship, this is not a drill.”
The abandon ship claxon began to sound, the escape pods wouldn’t stand much of a chance, the Dominion would pick them off, one by one, what choice did she have, let the crew die on the ship or at least try and survive in an escape pod.
“Helm, get us as close to the installation as you can, then join your escape pod.”
“Aye, Ma’am.”
This was it, everything had come down to this moment, she took a deep breath before giving her final order.
“Computer initiate the self-destruct sequence, authorisation, Sutherland, Omega, five, one, nine. Set at five minutes.”
The computer gave an acknowledging tone, ready to execute the command.
Looking at her father, “Enable.”
Another confirmation tone, before the computer, replied. “Warning, the self-destruct sequence has been initiated, warp core overload in four minutes, fifty-five seconds.”
-- Shuttle Bay --
Aiden and Sophia had reached the shuttle, the torpedo already loaded.
"Think you can manage this?" Aidan asked.
"Of course, I know what's at stake here," Sophia replied.
"Think you can do it on your own?"
Sophia, powering up the systems "She gave you an order."
"I can't leave the women I love to die on her own, anyway if your right and we succeed this time lime won't exist anyway so either way..." he said with a sad look in his eyes.
Sophia nodded, he was right. "Go, I can do this."
-- Bridge --
A couple of minutes into the countdown Malbrooke looked up "The shuttle is away Ma'am."
"Very well, signal the fleet and tell them to protect it at all costs and then get to your escape pod, that goes for everyone else as well."
Wilfred looked at Dana, several of the crew were hovering, they didn't want to leave. Wilfred was one of them after all this was his ship.
Dana glanced at him, knowing time was running out. "I know, this is your ship, but I'm in command, you need to get your crew to safety, they are going to need their Captain after this."
Wilfred nodded, the pain clearly in his eyes, he was leaving his daughter to die and they both knew that. "You heard the Admiral." he barked before giving her a hug "I love you, even though we haven't spoken in years, there wasn't a day that went by without me thinking of you, I love you, Dana."
For a moment she welled up, tears clearly visible in her eyes. "Go, now."
Wilfred wasn't going to argue, he knew how stubborn she could be, he nodded to Malbrooke as they both left the bridge and headed to the escape pods.
Dana was at the helm, ensuring they were as close as possible, she glanced down at the display and smiled as the computer confirmed that the last of the escape pods had launched. Suddenly the hiss of the turbolift doors opening distracted her and she turned around to see Aiden bounding out onto the Bridge.
"What the hell." she yelled
Aiden ran over to her and wrapped his arms around Dana, "I couldn't leave women I love." he said giving her a passionate kiss.
"I love you too." she said, remembering the early conversation where she had clearly upset him "And I'm sorry for earlier it's just..."
Aiden was stood with a grin on his face, she had finally said those magic words. He slowly entwined his fingers into hers "Our children would have been beautiful." he said still smiling.
Dana couldn't help but chuckle before the Computer brought her crashing to reality.
"Warning, the self-destruct sequence has been initiated warp core overload in fifteen seconds." Dana held onto Aiden tightly, she glanced at the readings on the console, they were as close as they were going to get, she just hoped it would be enough to bring the installations shields down. She squeezed him and closed her eyes as she savoured the embrace "Self Destruct in, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1."
-- Shuttlecraft --
Sophia watched and a tear rolled down her face as she watched the Pioneer implode as the self-destruct sequence executed. "Goodbye old friend, I'll never forget you," she said out loud before the shuttle shook as it was targeted by the enemy ships, what was left of the fleet was trying to protect her, but at this point, it was a smattering of fighters or shuttles. But her friend's sacrifice had done it, the shields to the installation were down, she engaged full impulse and locked the torpedo onto its target, "This one's for you Dana."
Avoiding the enemy ships and ensuring none of them could intercept the torpedo, she hit the launch button, before sheering off to protect the escape pods.
The torpedo hurtled towards its target, several of the enemy ships disengaging and trying to intercept it, but to no avail, the torpedo sank into the heart of the installation detonating in all its glory, a shock wave emitted from the heart of the reactor and Sophia knew they had secured the victory that was needed, things would surely....
Dana's eyes sprang open and she sat upright in bed, confused she looked around "Computer, do you recognize my voice."
"Affirmative."
"Who am I?" she asked, wanting reassurance
Lieutenant Dana Wakefield, Chief of Operations.
Her heart still racing, something strange had just happened and she needed to know if anyone else had experienced anything, quickly dashing out of bed, she got changed and headed for the bridge.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Junior Grade Dana Wakefield
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
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