Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 05:47:50 -0500 From: Mia Sherman <shatavari@erols.com> Subject: [USS CALYPSO/GALILEO] A Necessary Sacrifice NRPG note: This is Part One of a two-part plot of Chris' own devising. He asks me to ask everyone to please not respond to my post, but instead to wait until after he posts his Part Two tomorrow. Thanks! --m [Sickbay] "Ben!" Shira called, brushing the nurse aside as she rushed into the ward. "What happened to you? Are you alright? Can you walk?" Ben shot the doctor an angry glance, and winced as his mother threw her arms around him and held him close. "I'm fine, Mom, really I am. Leggo." Frowning, he squirmed out of her grasp. "He'll be okay," Zahn echoed, touching Shira's shoulder. "It's just a cracked rib, nothing serious. In the meantime, however, I think that Captain Pellek and your son need to have a talk, and relatively soon." "You *promised* to keep it a secret," Ben glared back up at the tall Trill. "I'm gonna get in trouble now!" Shira paled. "The Captain!" she exclaimed, a rising note of panic in her voice. "Ben, what did you do?" "I didn't do anything wrong!" he shot back, eyes flicking back and forth between his mother and the doctor. "The Admiral said it was--" "The Admiral!" she shrieked, hands flying to her face in alarm. "You didn't-- I asked you not to bother people! Admiral Sullivan-- oh, God," she said uselessly, shaking her head in disbelief. Zahn took her elbow gently, pulling her arms down. "It's not really all that bad, Shira," he said soothingly. "It's not what Ben did that's important-- it's what he saw. Right, Ben?" The boy nodded warily. "I s'pose." "Right. And it's something that I'm sure the Captain would find very interesting, and he'd probably be extremely glad that you told him. You're not going to get in trouble for it, I'll make sure of that. Capisce?" "I guess so, sure." "Good. Shira?" She nodded mutely, disengaging her arm and moving to stand by her son. "Good." He tapped his commbadge. "Zahn to Captain Pellek--" <Pellek here. Zahn, good to hear from you. Is Collins down there?> "Lieutenant Levine? Yes, she's here. Captain, I have a young man down here also who has something I think you'd like to hear." <Does it have anything to do with Romulans?> Zahn looked at Ben; the boy shrugged. "I'm not sure, sir. It is important, though--" <If it doesn't have anything to do with Romulans, then it can wait,> the Captain interrupted. <Sorry, Zahn. Please tell the Lieutenant I need her on the bridge as soon as possible. Pellek out.> "He, ah, appears to be a bit busy at the moment," Ben supplied helpfully, after a moment of silence. "Does this mean I can go now?" "It means you can go back home, if the Doctor says it's okay. Home, not running around where you shouldn't run and bothering people you shouldn't bother." "I hate to say it, but I think your mom's right," Zahn said in response to the boy's mute appeal. "You'd better get back now." "But it's boring at home. There's no one to talk to there-- the Admiral was gonna tell me about engines." "Later," Shira sighed, guiding her son to the door. "You'll find something to do-- write a letter to your friends. Doctor--" she turned, looked him in the eye. "Thank you." ***** [Bridge] "Lieutenant Collins," the Captain said as she walked onto the bridge. "How good that you were able to make it. How is your son?" "He's fine now, sir, thank you," she replied, taking her seat at the console. "That's good to hear. Alright, a quick update: we have six Warbirds on their way from Tahnekk. They will be within firing range in-- Mr. Badei?" "Eight minutes," she replied. "Eight minutes," the Captain echoed, then winced. "Make that six. They are coming fully armed and set to destroy both ourselves and the GALILEO. Mister Badei-- monitor everything. Ourselves, the GALILEO, and the Romulans. If you see an opening, notify Cassidy. Ensign Cassidy-- every shot counts. Make them good, and work with Badei to hit their weak spots. Shira-- just keep us out of harm's way. Report!" "The Warbirds are in sensor range now, sir, all six of them," Badei called. "Two of them have minor damage to the hull, nothing more. On screen now, sir." The Warbirds filled the screen, looming menacingly against the backdrop of space. "Phasers locked on target, sir," Cassidy said, biting her lip. Pellek nodded. "Fire when ready, Ensign." On cue, three streams of brilliant orange ripped towards the CALYPSO. Instinctively, Shira brought the ship around and the Romulan phaser fire streaked past her side. Hard to port, and Cassidy fired three torpedos in quick succession, each impacting hard on the hull of the nearest Romulan ship. "That was good, Ensign!" Pellek shouted. "Keep it up!" The CALYPSO shuddered, and Shira shook her head and kicked herself for not seeing that hit coming. The Romulan force split in half, three of the Warbirds closing on the CALYPSO and the other three running down the GALILEO. Cassidy fired again and Shira dove, dropping the ship below the Romulans' plane and wheeling her around to dart back in the direction they'd come. "Ops! Report!" "The hull is holding steady!" Badei shouted above the klaxons. "Minor casualties reported on Decks 9 through 14. Shields at 78% and holding!" "Keep it that way! Denha!" <We're working as fast as we can, Captain. Hold them off a bit longer, and I may have something for you.> Another barrage from Cassidy, and one of the Warbirds dropped back behind its companions. Hands flying, Shira swung the CALYPSO back and between the two closest ships, swerving upwards at the last possible moment. Li grinned. "I didn't think they'd fall for that a second time, Shira." "I didn't think so either, sir," she called back, "But it was worth a shot." "Indeed. Report!" "The GALILEO's suffered extensive damage, sir. She may not be able to survive much longer!" "Then she needs a better pilot! Transporter Room One, prepare for emergency transport. Lock on to the crew of the GALILEO and wait for my signal. Fire at will, Ensign!" Romulan torpedos, one, two, three, four-- miniature suns, burning through space and slamming into the CALYPSO's hull. There simply wasn't enough room to move-- even with one Warbird hanging back, they were still surrounded. Desperately, Shira dashed for the closest ship, swinging close to give Cassidy the best firing range possible. A burst of concentrated phaser fire, and the Warbirds split in three directions, circling around to the CALYPSO's aft. "Captain, the GALILEO has launched all four shuttlecraft, and she's lost life support on eighteen-- no, nineteen decks; her hull has been breached in several place. Our shields are at 52% and falling." "Open a channel! Commander Montholme, this is Captain Pellek." <Good to see you, Captain. As a matter of fact I was just thinking about you--> "No time for chit-chat, Commander. Our sensor show you've lost hull integrity and life support on major decks. Recommend evacuation now." Montholme nodded. <Excellent idea, Captain. If--> "Then it's settled. Prepare for transport, Pellek out. Transporter Room One, get me the crew of the GALILEO, now!" Swiftly, Shira moved the CALYPSO between the Romulan force and the crippled GALILEO. The four shuttlecraft zipped forward as the dying ship wobbled on her axis, a string of explosions tearing off chunks of her skin. <Got them, sir!> "Good! Mr. Collins, take us out of here. Denha, the engines-- damn!" Pellek jumped to his feet as the GALILEO righted herself and surged past them, two of her shuttlecraft close behind. "Who is flying that ship? Chief, I thought you said you got everyone!" <I did, sir! Certain of it!> "Well, check again! Pellek to GALILEO! PELLEK TO GALILEO, DO YOU READ ME!" "No response, sir," Badei called from her station. "All nonessential systems onboard have been shut down, diverting all power to the shields, impulse, and weapons array. Whoever it is, they're trying to buy us some time. It's the same for both shuttles." "He's crazy," the Captain muttered. "Completely crazy. Chief! Get a lock on who ever is on that ship and beam them out now!" <I'm trying, sir. With their shields at full, it's a bit difficult.> "Try harder!" Shira's hands moved automatically as she stared at the viewscreen, watching the GALILEO and her shuttle escort rush at the regrouped Romulan vessels. The two shuttlecraft broke off, harrying the much larger Warbirds with phaser fire, and each, in turn, was destroyed. The GALILEO herself kept running, her course set straight for the center of the Romulan formation. She fired her torpedos, emptying the bays into a curtain of fire. After the torpedos, her phasers, fired in a random and ever-widening pattern. And then, she hit. Three of the Romulans broke formation as the GALILEO slammed into the central ship, her hull crumpling with the impact. Split seconds later, a spurt of fire blossomed between the two ships and just as rapidly grew to engulf them. The fifth ship, not so quick as its companions, narrowly missed the GALILEO and was instead struck by a hurtling piece of her doomed sister, breaking in two before exploding. "Chief! Report!" <I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't get a lock on anyone. There wasn't enough time.> "Damn. Shira, take us out of here before they can regroup again. Denha! We need those engines!" <Two more minutes, sir!> Nodding her agreement wholeheartedly, Shira wheeled the ship around and hit full impulse, streaking away from the recovering Romulan fighters. "The Warbirds have regrouped and are in pursuit," Badei reported from her console. "They're gaining on us; we'll be in firing range in--" "Sixty-three point two seconds," Joanna Houston said dully. <I heard that,> Denha reported from Engineering. <Don't anyone say it.> Pellek nodded. "Keep them off of us, Cassidy. Shira, plot a course for Federation space. Denha, will we get D-warp or not?" <Your guess is as good as mine, Captain. We're still not sure what went wrong the last time.> "In that case, I guess we'll take whatever we can get. Badei, report." "Shields at nineteen percent and holding shakily. Most of the seriously injured are from the GALILEO; Medical doesn't feel up to counting the dead yet but says there aren't as many this time. We have two of the GALILEO's shuttles in our bay. Another hull breach, this one on--" her voice was cut off abruptly by the crash of an explosion and the screech of twisting metal. "And we are now within the Romulans' firing range," she finished. "Evasive action," Pellek called, and Shira was already moving the ship out of direct reach. "Engine report . . . ?" <Online and ready to go. Can't guarantee what they'll do exactly, but they should take use somewhere.> "Acknowledged. Shira?" "I heard it, sir, and any place is better than here." Emphatically, Shira pressed the console. The CALYPSO shuddered once, and then a second time. And then a third-- "This is getting familiar," Shira heard someone, possibly herself say, before darkness swallowed the bridge. ***** NRPG: I feel better now, for writing. Sorry, Greg, but I didn't think there was quite enough time before the Romulans came-- and the saboteur will wait. He's not going anywhere without us. :) Chris: I told you I was good at dramatic death. :) -mia Lt. (jg) Shira Levine Collins FCO, USS CALYPSO *********************************************** "Vae, puto deus fio." --Emperor Vespasian Mia Karen Sherman shatavari@erols.com ICQ: 4227395