Angry Engineers

Posted on Sun Jul 1st, 2018 @ 8:59pm by Civilian Resident Akio Itachi (NPC) & MERCHANT RANKS N'Tach Oro-korinko (NPC)

2,240 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: From Within...
Location: Second Star
Timeline: Pre-Launch

***

-Start-

Exterior Corridor Main engineering.

Lid'a hated every inch of the conduit sheathing she was forced to apply. Starfleet didn't usually insulate EPS conduits to this degree, but the orders said so and here she was. Coating every freaking inch of ten thousand miles of EPS piping in a plasma fire retardant. It had to raise structural integrity and be amazing for the ships ability to weather extreme damage, and it had to be costing them an insane amount, it made no sense.

Still, as she worked there was comfort in the stability of her routine. Life on board had been almost a pleasure so far. She had the chance to exercise while she worked, often was left alone due to how understaffed everything was, and her quarters... She had private quarters with a floor to ceiling window to space. It felt like a home, and in her work so far she had come to know the ship welds to winds.

So when her hand brushed over a sharp edge along the smooth piping she recoiled her hand same as if she had actually been cut.

"The hell?"

She grabbed the holo imager, and shined it into the conduit, an image of nasty looking device appeared. Definitely nothing that should be there, and it looked sinister with exposed circuits, wires, powercells crudely soldered onto a small plastic frame. No explosives or traps detected, but a powerful transmitter in the middle made her think it was an espionage device.

=0= Lid'a to Chief Chris, got an odd device, not sure if its here pre-install or post. Can you bring a goon and help me remove it?

There was no reply.

"The hell?"

Movement from behind her alerted to a presence. Anything moving so silent was deadly until otherwise observed. She turned her head to see a blur of brown and black and a sharp pain crack across her chest. Electricity and burned flesh filled her senses as the shock prod put her down. She was not one to go down lightly however.

Lid'a had been shocked before, she knew ambush, and she knew how to retaliate. She had brothers after all. Snarling like a wounded cat she felt her hand curl into a fist and lash out at the soft throat in her reach. It landed with gusto and her attacker knew a taste of fear as well.

=0= Judah help!

The Computer was a computer through and through, no heart. It was networked to other ships systems and other computers via Judah Capek who very much did have a heart. He sounded the alarm only to realize Red alert had been disabled, accessible to Senior staff bio-metrics. Grumbling at the lock-out he undid it with little effort and proceeded to sound the alarm in Security only to realize no personnel were within ten minutes of her. Site to site transporters would work... there was something blocking site to site, it seemed the marines coated much of the vital areas in mizzanite, which blocked safe transport.

>Oh...Wait< Judah considered a moment, the man slept in Engineering after all, so he was right around the corner.

{N'Tach's Hammock atop the Plasma manifolds}

Slumbering deeply, the whine and thrum of the engine an off note siren keeping him attention albeit slightly.

A voice in his dreams...

"N'tach, there is an officer under attack outside the main corridor!"

The voice was familiar, the computer was speaking but that odd intelligence they called Judah was doing so empathically. There was fear in the computers voice and that more than anything pierced through the veil of dreams.

He was far from spry, very old and unflexible he had no problem admitting. Men of his age and skill had different talents, speediness not usually among them.

"Have security meet me there, direct me J'uude."

Holoemitters didnt broadcast in all places of Engineering, but he assumed the front entrance was where he needed to be. The ladder had poles to either side, allowing one to slide. Landing with an impact N'tach charged to the large arched entry, it was closed but already parting as it sensed his rapid approach. Blood in a perfect pique rage, N'tach faced a large humanoid in full tactical gear. Stun gear, and combat padding meant this fight would not be fast if his opponent had a chance to muster a defense.

Lid'a was on her back, a black scorch on her chest directly over heart. The attacker had just struck her with a gloved fist, she was barely conscious. He recognized her... the girl with a Bajoran father who taught her mechanics. She had special soaps that smelled of summertime, he had bought one mostly to befriend her. Now she looked at him, defiance in her face, blood in her eyes.

There was enough time for the figure clad in brown and black to notice, but not react. He felt three hundred Kilos of pure muscle and rock solid bones barrel into him. With enough force to break several ribs, The mysterious figure grunted and fell with the driving force rolling on the ground. Not even a breath was allowed before the Klingon fist of fury shattered his eye socket and jaw in a single blow.

N'tach wanted to kill, but his Starfleet sensibilities were always at hand. Answers first.

Sparing a moment to check on Lid'a he looked to her as she gathered her wits.

"I'm good, you good?" From behind her bruises she asked as though he needed her help to keep this one under wraps. The gesture was implicit of her spirit and he knew a fighter when he saw one.

"I see that you are. I will hold this one until Security arrives."

"Lerke Hell.." The broken jaw muffled the mans speech.

He earned for effort the full attention of both Lid'a and N'tach. He saw no need to wait, and with great menace moved to unmask the man. There was no resistance, he let the mask lift.

Human, male.

And wearing a Sigil of the Second Star crew.

"He is on the crew?" Lid'a had her eyes wide.

N'tach questioned him, sitting him up and taking small delight in the man wince.
"Name!" The Klingon bellowed at point blank.

Judah answered, he couldnt broadcast so close but he spoke loudly. The mans face was registered, it was merc marine.
"Delta 443, aka 'Ranger Riley' of Rohbards Rangers" he was joking. He was also speaking better, auto-injections of painkillers already dulling the pain and making him loopy.

N'tach grimaced,
"Get to sickbay Lid'a. I will be along shortly to help explain to the Captain."

She still hesitated, "I dont want to leave you alone sir."

"Riley knows better at this point, don't you Riley."

Riley held his jaw, and nodded ever so slightly.

"Hey Juud'a ... Is security close?"

Judah didnt correct her, Bajoran accents didnt do well with Terran languages in some parts. "Yes, Turbolift is inbound, Talloc and his deputies."

Lid'a moved to the Jefferies tube access. It was faster then waiting for the turbolift. "Thank you sir, I promise I'll explain everything, just check out the device I found in the conduit."

Something had been crushed, pieces pressed in carpet by a deliberate boot.

He looked towards it and glanced at her for confirmation. She nodded, "It was attached under sensor masking tape, it looked like powercells fused to a ring like aperture of pulled wire on a isolinear circuit chip. I didn't have time to look at it-"

"Thank you, please attend to your wounds, I will have Talloc take your statement in short order."

Lid'a was grateful to be let leave, and did so then.

N'tach growled as he rumbled in menace, facing the man injured and waiting.

"What is this, is this why-

Riley snarled as best he could.

"I'm not saying shit. Get my CO."

N'tach bent over to gather the pieces,

"A puzzle then."

=^= This is Doctor Quill, are there injuries, I have the Security notification alert. Should I send personnel?=^=

=0= N'tach to Quill, I will be assisting one to the brig who needs treatment, Lid'a will be on her way to you now. Security is on hand momentarily, will report to Captain.

=^= Do I need to charge my Hazardous rates?=^= Quill mused. =^= and the Brig House call will have to wait, the crew are always first with me. We care for our own as a priority, I shall be waiting. =^=

=0= Agreed, this one has no critical wounds. Let him wait.
N'tach got Riley to his feet and walking with little patience or grace.

{Sickbay}

Quill had made a request; a logical one, when ever Security was 'alerted' he would start to prepare the Sick Bay for incoming wounded.

Judah appeared in holographic form, no speech though, the EMH aspect of him was far behind. He simply started walking to Quill.

"Dr., please prepare for a electrical burn and heavy facial trauma from a gloved fist. Lid'a is in Jtubes on deck 17 making her way here. I am alerting the Captain."

They struck a female!" Quill said a bit more loudly than he had thought he should. "I will make sure the bandages of the person are tightly in place so no further physical harm will be there." He did not mention the added throbbing of a tight bandage would do, it would help healing but without the "Beside mannerism" of some relief to the suffering while healing. "Thank you Judah, how are you today by the way?"

Quill asked while starting to prepare a hypo and getting the Laser scalpels and Dermal regenarator ready.

He figred that if she were moving on her own she would not be critical but a Lady should not have to be struck in any case. That fact alone really got to Quill.

Judah was unaccustomed to friendly banter, most didnt bother with him.

"I'm fine Dr. I am currently assisting Lid'a outside the corridor if you'd like to bring a gurney?"

Judah was in two spots at once, helping Lid'a and in the infirmary. His perspective was also split, but learning to handle that was becoming easier.

Lid'a thought her eyes had gone when she saw the burly Ferengi peering over her. She had passed out meters from the door to sickbay. Judah pulled her in with little regard to her comfort as the unconscious bruise willingly. She woke to confusion, from palefaced young humans to toothy orange skinned and brawny Ferengi she didnt know what else to say.

"Are you really here?"

Quill was out of the Sick Bay faster than one might give a Ferengi credit; he had been working his body for such times, He heard Bunny prepping a Bio bed. Quill had the stretcher with a pair of glasses in place, they were a head up display for the tricorder as it scanned it have him the use of his hands as she had no neck injury he could lift her onto the stretcher as it hover.

"Your friendly Doctor Quill to the rescue." He gave her that warm bedside grin. "You are safe now, I will heal you and assure no one hurts you further." He gently brushed some loose hair from her face. "How would you rate your pain from one to ten scale?" He thought to get her talking and see if there was how much negative condition to her conscious state?

"4 on pain, can't see straight though. Or are you the most buff Ferengi ever?"

Judah barked a laugh and stopped. "Lid'a was shocked by a electrical baton, voltage is uncertain but analysis of the burns indicates 1929.4 C for a fraction of a second. Secondary contusions on her face and forearms, the blood on her fingers belongs to her attacker."

Judah and Bunny worked in tandem, Quill checking her scans.

=0= This is Beck, I need an update.

Judah replied, "We need you in the infirmary sir, Lid'a is in recovery here in the infirmary, assaulted by another crewman. That crewman is en route with N'tach to the Brig. Details forthcoming, Talloc has been notified."

Kas come over the comm, "Four in the brig now? Captain I'll meet you there."

Sheila also joined in, "Captain Beck! Meet me in the brig!"

=0= Does it matter to anyone I am off station right now? I am leaving from the JAG office, Kas get me one voice speaking truth in five minutes, Beck out.

Judah looked over and saw Lid'a was doing well, his perspective swapped to the brig, where N'tach had just thrown the man onto the simple cot. Solid Bars clamped into place, a force field then snapped past that. N'tach had pieces of some tech in his hand, "Judah, fetch that science officer we just got, I have a task for her."

Once again Judah found himself switching perspectives. As much as he enjoyed the ability, he realized this was his life. He would never walk the decks like they did, and if someone cried out for help, he couldn't help them like a real person would. He also felt a slight emotional rise, but the glands and chemicals of emotions lay inert in his body. Even panic carried an extra edge of claustrophobia.

Then suddenly he was in the science lab, those thoughts forgotten in his new perspective. Each iteration carried its own blank slate. What did this say about him?

-End-

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