[USS Vanguard] RP: Concluding the Nexus Mission (Parts 2 and 3)
- From: "Andy W. Ho" <andywoho@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ncv80221@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 11:26:20 -0700 (PDT)
[From Andy]
Codename Giles
USS Vanguard Bridge
Following "Nexus Completed Part 1"
Giles trained the small hand weapon, backing up and trying to keep all
the bridge personnel in sight.
"Stay back! I'm warning you!"
Soman shot a glance at Zena Quetan, who frowned slightly. Her eyes shot
toward Giles. Soman turned toward Giles, following Quetan's cue and
noticed, for the first time, his unsteady hand. Maybe his hands had
always been unsteady since coming aboard, but the position of the
phaser magnified it. Rather than the seasoned intelligence operative,
here was a first-year cadet handling a phaser for the first time at the
Academy firing range.
Soman's time on occupied Bajor had taught him to seize his advantages,
no matter how small. As he began to formulate plans of action, Giles's
eyes suddenly shot heavenward, as if he had been struck from behind,
and he slumped against a panel. He twitched in convulsions.
Highwaij moved first, bearing down on Giles and kicking the phaser out
of his hand. Giles offered no resistance. Before anyone else could
react, Mandrake was at Giles's side, holding an arm out. Soman, along
with most of the crew, were surprised to see Mandrake almost appeared
as if he were protecting Giles.
"He's down," Mandrake reported. "And he's hurt. Aerissa?"
Aerissa Gainsly stepped forward and placed her hand on his forehead.
She stumbled backward, and Dellan Kye managed to prop her back up
before she sprawled on the floor.
"His mind's...a terrible jumble. It's like a jigsaw puzzle with the
pieces scrambled. What I could gleam is...he's El-Aurian."
"El-Aurian!" Kye exclaimed.
"We can look into the mystery later," Soman snapped. "Right now, Mister
Highwaij, Mister Mandrake, man your stations."
"Aye, sir," they replied.
"Heading and course of the warheads?" Soman requested.
"Ten seconds to detonation," Highwaij conjectured.
"Locating safe distance. And...mark," Mandrake said.
"Very good. All stop."
"Aye, sir. All stop," Mandrake reported back.
There was a spectacular explosion on the forward view screen. Zena
Quetan shielded her eyes, despite the forward sensor's built-in filters
screening anything potentially harmful to humanoid sight.
"Sir, you did it! The Nexus Ribbon is changing course toward the
colony!"
"Very well, deploy Federation beacon warning all ships from the
Trilithium exposure in this area and follow the Nexus at a relative
distance. Buffer the patterns of the colonists when we approach the
outpost and maintain orbit above the planet. We should have everyone
back home in time for their suppers. =/= Sickbay. =/="
=/\= "Aye, sickbay here." =/\=
=/\= "We have a patient in serious need of attention on the bridge."
=/\=
=/\= "Have them beamed directly to sickbay." =/=
Soman nodded at Highwaij. Moments later, Giles disappeared.
[From Chris]
Part 3
Lt. Soman Drath
U.S.S. Vanguard
following Giles' post
The officers on the bridge didn't miss a beat, returning to their
posts. Mandrake brought Vanguard easily into orbit around New Outreach,
the Nexus band hot on their heels.
=/\=Vokar to bridge. Ship systems are ready. Just give me the word to
transfer the energy.
Soman: Acknowledged. Soman to Droin. How are you feeling doctor?
=/\= Droin: without going into too much detail now, I'm alright.
Soman: have your medical teams ready to beam down and assist the
colonists.
Soman glanced quickly at Kye escorted a visibly exhausted Aerissa
Gainsly from the bridge.
Soman: Gainsly, Kye, good work and thanks. This crew and those
colonists owe you a lot.
Aerissa managed a gracious smile while Kye nodded then they both
departed.
Mandrake: Here it comes. We're in position.
Soman: Highwaij, on my mark, activate the collectors. . . . .MARK.
Vanguard, in the path of the huge energy band, opened her collectors.
With an assist from the warp engines, Vanguard began to draw in the
Nexus. Vanguard shook as it took on the energy.
Quetan: energy intake at 67 percent.
Soman: Bridge to Vokar. When the energy reaches 88 percent, begin
transport to the surface.
Vanguard began her task of returning the colonists to the surface. The
Nexus band shrank with each life energy that was removed from it.
Suddenly, Highwaij's scanners sound off. The signs stand the hairs on
the back of his neck on end.
Highwaij Sir! I'm picking up a ship at high warp, on fast approach to
our position. It looks to be a Defiant class vessel.
Soman: Can you hail them?
Highwaij: Negative. Their posture is most definitely hostile. I'm
reading active weapon's signatures. They'll be on top of us in less
than a minute.
Zena: Must be some friends of Mr. Giles. Can we raise shields while
drawing the nexus energy?
Soman: Negative. We'll lose the remainder of the nexus and the
colonists and weapon's power has been diverted to energy containment
Send out the last remaining shuttles to draw it off.
Highwaij: Not enough time, sir. We've got less than thirty seconds.
The Defiant class loosed a single torpedo at Vanguard. The projectile
flies over the ship, missing vital areas by only meters, but making
it's point clear.
=/\=Vokar: What's going on up there? I don't appreciate the bumps.
Soman: We've got a hostile ship bearing down on us chief.
Highwaij: incoming transmission.
Comm: U.S.S. VANGUARD, THAT WAS A WARNING SHOT. THIS IS THE U.S.S.
ROANOKE, S.F.I. YOU WILL DISCONTINUE YOUR ACTIONS OR WE WILL FIRE
AGAIN. WE WILL NOT MISS THIS TIME.
Soman: Vokar, how much time before we've gotten all of the colonist?
Vokar: We need another minute. Hopefully, the pattern buffers will hold
out.
Soman turned to Highwaij. His expression grim.
Highwaij, they'll be on us in 15 seconds.
Soman drew in a deep breath and looked over the bridge.
Soman: Vokar, keep the process going until the last possible moment.
Highwaij, give me that ship. Vanguard to Roanoke. . .We're both
Starfleet. Our duty is to the people of the Federation. If you truly
feel that this energy is more important that the lives of those
colonists. . .then do your worst.
The crew on the bridge waited in silence as no response came from the
Roanoke. Her unchanged approach vector gave the answer. 10 seconds
later, the Roanoke moved for her attack run on Vanguard, bearing down
for the killing blow. Suddenly, a small streamlined craft appears out
of nowhere, firing multiple disruptor blasts into Roanoke's shields and
shortly her hull; sending the starship listing harmlessly away from
Vanguard.
Soman: Who was that?!
Highwaij: unknown configuration. I'm working on it.
=/\=Santos to Vanguard. Hope I didn't miss the party.
Soman: No sir, you're right on time.
After another minute, the Nexus band had all but vanished and 1512
colonists now, once again stood on the surface of New Outreach.
[End]
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