Impending Peril - The Escape

Posted on Sat Apr 1st, 2023 @ 7:26pm by Ensign L'johk Adams & Jaas'rah & Lieutenant Commander Tiandith 'Tia' Tobru & Lieutenant JG Lyras

1,308 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 5 - Objects In Motion

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The smaller space port was peppered with freighters, all small to medium sized and each one looking more dilapidated than the rest.

"L'johK, Commander Tobru?" a familiar voice called out, a green skinned, scantly clad Orion waved as he descended the docking ramp or his older Bajoran Freighter. "What are you two" then he spotted Lyras, "you three doing here?"

Tia had raised her weapon at the sound of her name. No-one knew they were there, let alone Starfleet. She trailed the Orion man as he walked down the ramp and lowered her weapon. She felt a little hot, sweat on her brow very noticeable but she assumed it was the planet alongside a very recent firefight.

"Looking to get off the planet." Tia said vaguely. "We caused some locals a little trouble."

Jaas'rah' smile evaporated, reading between the lines and a little nervous at the weapon vaguely pointed in his direction. Did they know?
"I'll be setting off in a few moments, bound for Deep Space 21 if you need a ride?"

No sooner had the words left his lips than the blast doors erupted in a mass of flame and heat seconds before twenty or so troopers burst through the opening, their blasters firing wildly as the smoke was still clearing, their aim hampered by the still clearing debris.

"Well, as Humans say, they are playing our song." Tia replied as she looked behind her and then up at the opening of Jaas'rah's ship. "I think we are in desperate need of a ride." Tia fired back hitting one square in the chest. "Adams, get Lyras on board, now." she ordered. She would be the last to leave the area.

L'johK gripped Lyras by the collar and unceremoniously tossed him up the ramp as Jaas'rah scurried back into his ship to fire up the engines. The hybrid Klingon pivoted to avoid a green dart of plasma that had been fired in his general direction.
"If we are going, now would be a good time!"

Lyras was panting for breath despite being in excellent physical condition and he stumbled over his own feet as he entered the ship and landed flat on his stomach in a soppy sounding splat. He crawled back to his feet and glared at the Klingon. "That was unnecessary!"

"It's better than a hole in your chest, or back!" Tia ran into the ship and hit the console that began the closing sequence of the ramp. She leaned in to Adams and Lyras, "We should get ourselves into a decon chamber, but I'd be weary of all of us getting locked up on his ship..."

"That and get clean clothes," Lyras said as he started to remove his contaminated shirt. "And I could've walked, I'm injured, not crippled."

L'johK squeezed off a number of shots from the pistol he had, taking down three of their assailants giving Tia the chance to board the freighter. He followed quickly as the ramp started to close and the clunky old ship started to rise from its berth.

'I'm no Starfleet pilot and we have five interceptors heading for us. One of you hotshots get up here' Jaas'rah's voice sounded tight with stress over the com as L'johK slumped down to the deck, looking directly at Tia for orders knowing that rank and formality were now back in play. "Commander?"

We can worry about what we've got later... we're not going to do that if we die here." Tia looked at Lyras and then Adams. "I've been in tougher spots and I refuse to ascend here on this ship."

"Are you a better pilot, or shot with this rust bucket's weapons system?" Tia asked in all seriousness as she instructed them to move towards the ships bridge.

"Which ever you are not I can be!" he said followed by a deep breath as he started to rise again.

"Well, I'm great at both." Tia spoke proudly. "But I am a better shot than I am a pilot." she did admit. "You take over the conn and I'll shoot those bastards into dust!" Tia had a hint of venom in her voice. She wasn't sure if it was just because she felt uncomfortable but she needed to be able to lie down soon and this wasn't helping.

"Lt. Lyras, if you want to get cleaned up and report to their medical bay. We need to know what was in those vials that broke." Tia added.

L'johK was already disappearing through the small hatch into the command centre of the ship... If it could be called a command centre. It was more like a box with two consoles and a small window at the front.
"Starfleet to the rescue!" the larger man said as he slipped into the chair just vacated by the more slender one.

"Just keep her in one piece!" Jaas'rah said sounding a little nervous.

Immediately he started to pitch and roll the small freighter, evasive patters designed to make the ship a more challenging target to pin down.
"Commander, six target aft, gaining fast and they are far superior to us!"

"I see them!" Tia watched them on the scanners. She rubbed the screen a little, the dirt on it was unfathomable. "How do you even operate in this environment?" she said out loud. Jaas'rah looked over with a little hint of insult on his face.

"Firing phasers." Tia commented as she clipped on of the fighters and smiled as a torpedo hit another, destroying it in the process.

Lyras staggered his way to what had to pass for a medical facility as the ship pitched and rolled. He tossed the shirt he had pulled off onto a workstation and started to scavenge for replacement garments as the rest of his clothes were soaked as well. He suppressed a series of coughs as he finally found something that looked vaguely like scrubs and quickly changed clothes as best as he could while trying to keep to his feet. "Any time you can keep this vessel straight would be appreciated," he called up once he pressed his commbadge. How was he expected to work when nothing would stay upright on the workstation?

"Two fighters destroyed. The rest are retreating to regroup." Tia reported. She could see the chatter between the fighters, it lit up like a Human Christmas tree and she knew they'd back soon. "If we can warp out of here any time soon that'd be great."

"Engaging maximum warp... Which is warp three by the way!"
The pilots chair was barley big enough to hold L'johK and he looked visibly uncomfortable.

"Can we go and rest now?"

"I think that sounds like a good idea." Tia sighed as she relaxed at the tactical station. "Is there any way we can coax a little more out of the core?" she turned to Jaas'rah. "Warp 4?"

"I've already bypassed the control modules and beefed up the warp coils as much as I can. She should only do Warp one point five!" Jaas'rah added, looking at the Commander with puzzlement. "What were you doing on that planet?"

Down in the medbay, Lyras was busy taking as many samples as possible from his contaminated clothes. He had taken the scrubs shirt off again as he found it uncomfortable against his sensitized skin. The barely treated claw marks on his arm were bright green as was the one on his cheek. There was a large bruise splayed across his ribs caused by the blast which had landed him on top of the samples box. It was entirely possible he had cracked a rib or two in the process.

It was obvious from taking a single look, that the Vulcan was in less than stellar condition but he pretended not to be bothered by it as he worked.

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