<USS Avalon> Battle Lines

Battle Lines
by Captain Keith Ketchum and Lieutenant Commander Anthony Manson

"I said don't move," the young ensign said with more emphasis to her orders. 

"You don't understand woman, I must talk with the captain!" T'Pex barked.

"The captain is buy, and you are going to be placed in custody until such time 
he can see you. Now then, back away from the exit. Do not force me to shoot 
again." 

"You Starfleet..." he looked down at his hands as he felt a tingly sensation. 
Looking back up, he saw the Ensign tapping her combadge.

No, was all he could think.

******

"Veer off! Pattern gamma," Anthony ordered above the klaxons as Alder piloted 
the ship away from the two marauders.

"Damage report?" Anthony looked at Phillipa.

"We've got some ruptures on deck eight. Shields are holding at fifty two 
percent. Our dorsal shields fell during the last hit," Phillipa couldn't finish 
as the ship was hit with another volley of fire.

"Monroe, return fire!" Keith responded as he held on to his seat. 

Four tiny miniature like stars exited the Avalon's aft torpedo launchers and 
sped towards it's target. Two for each ship as the torpedoes hit their forward 
shields. Monroe looked at his screen and sent the aft phasers, inflicting more 
damage. But the readouts said the Ferengi shields held. He shook his head, 
"DaiMon Lenik's ship is holding at sixty-four percent. The other is at eighty."

"That last hit took our aft shields down to thirty percent. Dorsal shields are 
holding, but very low. Damage reports coming in at decks four, eight, eleven, 
and twelve. And the Romulan was transported back to one of the marauders."

"Ketchum to Engineering, start damage assessment and repairs."

Anthony got up, going over to the console that was directly behind the two 
command seats. He started a scan for the Romulan. Avalon's sensors located him 
on Lenik's ship again. No surprise. he looked up, "Alder, get us in as close as 
you can. Monroe, I need suppressing fire, and Phillipa divert auxiliary power 
to the forward shields."

Keith looked behind him, wanting to know exactly what was the young man's plan. 
Anthony looked back, "we can get the Covert team to beam there and retrieve the 
guy. And then hold the ships off until the team reports back. What do you 
think? We certainly can't keep this fight going on."

Keith thought for a moment. The Avalon was a strong ship, but the Marauders 
were more powerful. "Lieutenant Marksbury, I want the Covert Ops team ready for 
a rescue operation in five minutes." Keith looked forward, the viewscreen was 
flickering slightly, "Alder, turn us around. Avoid as much fire as you can."

"The Marauders have split up again," Alder replied.

"Go after Lenik's ship. Monroe, begin firing. Target weapons on their dorsal 
shields and engines." Keith ordered as he looked intently at the screen. 

The ship shook again as Anthony held on to the console. The other Marauder was 
turning back, coming to Lenik's defense. Immediately he accessed the aft 
weapons and returned fire while Monroe busied himself with forward array at 
Lenik's ship. 

"Their shields are buckling," Monroe stated calmly.

"Ketchum to Marksbury, prepare to beam to Lenik's ship," he clicked off, 
"maintain course. Where is the other Marauder?"

"They're on the evasive, but they're coming up fast."

"Im detecting a plasma charge," Monroe looked up.

"Transport them now, Miss Waterson. Alder, get us away, pattern omege. 
Engineering, send those repair teams out, and I need more power to the 
shields."

Other related posts: