Engineer down

Posted on Sun Feb 25th, 2024 @ 9:27pm by Captain Tyler Driskill & Lieutenant Commander Joseph Sledge & Lieutenant Chaika & Lieutenant Commander Gulati

1,492 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 1 - Project Concord
Location: Deck 24 | Main Engineering | USS Concord
Timeline: 48 hours after arrival in the Delta Quadrant

Captain Driskill like most of the crew had been working around the clock with little to eat or drink. He had been up late on the bridge working on getting the long range sensors back online and needed to get a drink of water desperately. So he went into his ready room and grabbed a bottle he had on his desk and sat down for just a moment to check a PaDD for any new information. Exhaustion must have gotten the best of Tyler because he fell asleep and woke up four hours later.

“Damn it” Tyler was upset with himself for dozing off. He was hoping to hand gotten the long range sensors back online. Stretching as he got up from his chair and was out the door. His plan was for a quick sonic shower and a fresh uniform before he was off to engineering to check on the status of things.

Half an hour later Captain Driskill stepped into engineering. A metal mug of black coffee in hand. The people there were busy but his red uniform would get someone attention sooner or later.

Commander Sledge had been in Engineering for hours, dealing with his back pain as best he could. He currently was performing the Riker Maneuver on a console, reading over the displays when he noticed the Captain out of the corner of his eyes. He stood up a bit and spoke "Captain. We've managed to bring back replicators to working order. Shields are near nominal as well..."

Lieutenant Gulati approached the two officers, her superiors that congregated around Engineering, conveniently for her as she had news to deliver in addition to her reports. "Near nominal," she said overhearing the words. "Hopefully, we won't be attacked by anyone in the meantime. I don't want to be limping around here with the known and unknown threats."

If only those were the extent of her woes and worries. She took a stance next to Sledge and breathed, a exhale of a vapor cloud came off from the breathing apparatus she wore. "I'm sorry. This project took years to put together, the simulations gave it a decent success rate. Captain, Commander," she said looking at Tyler and Joseph.

Joseph gave a gentle shake of his head before he spoke "It isn't your fault Gulati. It is an experimental drive.." before pausing, seeing she had more to say.

"When you have a moment, I'd like to speak to you in private" she said with a tone of severity. Gulati may have only been a junior grade Lieutenant, but her role aboard as mission specialist gave her some added perks and privileges.

“Very well” Tyler gestures toward one of the rooms off of main engineering.

Joseph gave a nod as he stood beside the Captain, looking to the room that he had pointed out.

One of the hatches in the floor near the warp core suddenly flung open. Three engineering officers climbed out one by one, each of them was covered in dirt and grime. After them out crawled the ship's Chief Engineer, Chaika.

She seemed exhausted. She then caught a glimpse of the Captain and Commander. "How long were we down there?" She said in surprise. "We've more or less rebuilt the transwarp engine, hopefully we can get it back online now..." she said.

“That should be your priority, Lieutenant” the Captain said to his Chief Engineer.

"Ok," Chaika said to her engineers. "Let's see of we can get her going again. How are the other repairs coming along?" She asked.

"We have gotten most critical systems back, though not to full capacity at least." He looked back to the Captain, waiting to walk with him and Gulati to the office indicated before.

The office doors closed behind the group of senior officers “what is it Gulati” Tyler asked, concerned about what he was about to be told.

Lieutenant Gulati waited a moment to ensure that the door had closed and that the Chief Engineer was busy, off and about. "I admit I appreciate her energy, enthusiasm, and efficiency" commented the Benzite stepping around the desk and idling near a replicator. "Too enthusiastic" added Gulati.

"Even if she and her engineers get the drive back online, I would discourage bringing it back online. Don't risk it. At least not until I have more to offer, but I would increase security presence around engineering and critical areas of the starship, Sirs" stated Lieutenant Gulati.

Lieutenant Gulati did not want to say it but it needed to be said. "The drive did not simply malfunction. It wasn't a fluke. It wasn't a gremlin in the system. What it was...sabotage, but I couldn't tell you who nor can I tell you when. It could have been before we even left to be completely honest, but that doesn't rule out the possibility of Lieutenant Chaika or anyone aboard."

This was serious and after taking it in the Captain agreed. “Commander I want increased security at every vital location on this ship and I want to know who this saboteur is and I want them caught ASAP.”

Joseph gave a nod to Tyler and spoke "Aye sir." Before he started to pull out his PaDD and started writing down a few things. It didn't take him long before he looked up towards the others.

Lieutenant Gulati looked at the Captain as though her words had not been fully absorbed. "That's if a saboteur is aboard, Captain. We could be dealing with sabotage that happened during the construction of the drive itself or the installation of it aboard the Concord. If that is the case, they could be a whole other quadrant away" stated the Benzite.

"However, they also could be aboard. If sabotaging this starship was so crucial to whomever is responsible for this, the saboteur may have been along for the ride to see the job through. Nevertheless, heightened security would be prudent. I'm sure Lieutenant Wilde can find who's responsible." The Benzite gazed off distantly for moment. Assuming she's not the one who did this Gulati made a mental note to herself.

“Commander I want you working with Lieutenant Wilde on this” the Captain gave a nod with his order. “I’ll be on the bridge” he said exiting the office and letting the team get back to work.

Gulati looked to Sledge "Orders, Commander?" asked the lieutenant seeing if there was anything specifically for her.

Joseph had nodded to the Captain once more before he turned to Gulati and started to speak "Keep repairing the systems as best you can. But also keep an eye out on critical systems. I want hourly reports."

It was at that moment that Chaika and the other engineers attempted to bring the transwarp drive back online. The ship shook slightly as the Chief engineers fingers danced across the main control console. However her face soon turned to a frown.

"Power surge!" She shouted over the shaking. "Ermergency shutdown!" She ordered.

"Chief, get away from the console!" One of the engineers called to her.

Chaika shook her head. "No! If we don't shut down it could cause the containment fields to collapse!" She replied. She began to tap furiously fast at the consoles surface. "Nearly there..." she said. She smiled as the drive finally shut down and a split second later, the console she was stood at exploded in a shower of sparks, flames and debris.

Chaika was thrown across the engine room, impacting against the opposite bulkhead. She ended up in a sitting position, a triccle of red blood running down her face where she had impacted the bulkhead. Her uniform was singed and she sat there unconscious, yet still breathing.

Having seen the Chaika working to avert the overload, Joseph covered Gulati as he saw the sparks just before the explosion.

Lieutenant Gulati wasn't sure the psychology behind a saboteur risking their life to make themselves appear innocent, but the depth one would have to go to in order to do that was questionable. She came rushing to Chaika's side, Crouching and assessing the officer. She tapped her Communicator promptly.

"Gulati to Sickbay, Lieutenant Chaika is hurt pretty bad. We're in main engineering."

Joseph had rushed over and knelt down next to Chaika, grabbing an emergency med kit that was in a bulkhead nearby, taking out the medical tricorder to check her vitals.

A Medical Officer and a nurse came rushing into engineering with a stretcher. “We need to get the Lieutenant to sickbay.” They immediately went to work and got the injured officer onto the stretcher and started off toward sickbay. “We will meet you in sickbay, Doctor” the two men were pushing the stretcher.

"When we have Chief Engineers like that..." Gulati shook her head and exhaled vapor. "We're going to have more injuries or worse with that kind of thinking" muttered the Benzite. "Reckless" she added.

 

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