S4: E11 - Fracture Lines

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian had unconsciously clenched his fists as he forced himself to focus on what he could do as opposed to what he would like to happen. The call from engineering was like a breath of fresh air to him as he felt as if the bridge was closing in on him as crisis after crisis hammered at him. He looked at Grint and he responded as if able to read his mind.

"The pulses are coming in at steady one minute intervals Sir."

"Then that should make rotatin' the shield frequency fairly easy. Bring the point of impact shielding online, that may give us and Commander Sigurdsdottir more time."

"Aye Sir!"

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian jerked to his feet his face clouded with anger and he growled.

"Get me that Lan dhen cac Thelal!"

Lieutenant Morgan winced and sent out the hail.

"The Khranu is not responding Sir."

Ian didn't think it was possible to get any madder than he was at that moment, but Morgan's news managed to do so. He unclenched his fists and nodded once before turning to face Grint at Tactical.

"Bring quantums to ready. Bring phasers to ready. Lock onto the Khranu. Let's see if that will get that toll-toine attention."

While Lt Morgan dealt with the comms Lahr was busy sending down Ruth her axes.   Unfortunately, there was a lot of interference and it would take time for them to make it through.

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

To an outside observer, the fact that there were people shooting at each other as the ground shook and large rocks were raining down on the combatants, would seem the very definition of insanity. However, that was what was happening. Lieutenant Lowe stunned another Romulan, but took a disruptor bolt for his trouble and lay very still after dropping to the floor of cavern. Kismet, fate, luck, karma, or whatever you wanted to call it then stepped in as a rock crushed the skull of the Romulan that shot Lowe. That left four members of the away team still fighting versus three Romulans. The bigger question, would anyone survive long enough to claim victory as the world literally shook itself apart around them.

As Ruth took snap shots at the Romulan, she couldn't get the Iconian console buttons out of her mind. She instinctively knew the input would have to be fairly simple, a progression of some sort. probably no more than three sequences. The buttons were all colors with no symbols, so it followed that something like one color, two colors, three colors would do it, but where to start. The triangles were primary colors and the diamonds were all blends of those primary colors. The first sequence had to be a single primary color, but which one, red, blue, or yellow? Ruth's unconscious mind was rather put out that so much of her concentration was directed at shooting Romulans and not focusing on the problem of the code, but what was an unconscious mind supposed to do?

[Iconian Cavern]

Ruth looked in alarm as T'Kel fell, but she was concentrating on her own survival at that moment, knowing the rest of the team would look out for her, she shouted out to them.

"Take cover wherever you can, Koroz I know you're hurt, I don't need to be fluent in Klingon to know if a Klingon warrior roars like that and these are common or garden Romulans to be exact, although no less evil and sneaky than Iconians I'm sure.  Stay out of sight, guard Lt. T'Kel until we can get some response from the ship.  Hopefully someone up there clocked their beam in."

"Koroz?" called Ruth, her mind still working on what the buttons meant.  "I know everyone is taught basic field medicine.  Do what you can to make T'Kel comfortable.  Burke, assist please, I'll cover you to get to them." 

"Don't worry about talking to it, just fire at them now... I had thought that it might be voice activated, that someone somewhere might answer.  But I'm looking at something now and I just have to figure it out. Requires more of a degree in the Arts than in Literature and Linguistics I think!"

It suddenly dawned on Ruth from her days dabbling in watercolours, a flash of memory possibly jolted by the flash of pain in her side from being hit by a Romulan.  Taking a deep breath she managed to conceal the squeal of pain in a grunt.

She was lucky in that someone had seen the sense to build the console under a slight overhang of rock in the cavern so that all the smaller rocks weren't hitting her, she was however conscious that if that fell, it would be game over, not just for the console but for her... squished under several tonnes of stone.  'Oh well... would save on a memorial headstone I suppose...' she mused.

'Think... ' she said quietly to herself, a song she'd heard a young Mormon girl singing years ago came into her brain.  'The Primary colours are one, two, three... Red, Yellow and Blue... Each one has a message for you, and me... each has a symbol too...  Primary, Secondary, Tertiary......'

Ruth gasped in pain, and in recognition, surely it couldn't be that simple.

She pressed the buttons... talking to herself.

"Red, Yellow... that makes Orange..." she pressed the triangular buttons red, and yellow then the orange diamond.

"Yellow, Blue makes Green." Again Ruth pressed the relevant buttons.

"Blue and Red makes Purple" A third time the buttons were depressed in order.

"And Orange and Green makes Brown...here goes nothing! Loki if you ever loved this disciple of yours, work your mischief now!"  The Commander pressed the brown button and waited.

Burke continued to attempt to stun their attackers.  Because of their distance it wasn't possible to get then in an effective wide-beam so narrow longer ranged strikes was all that was left to them.  Unfortunately, with the 'rain' of rubble getting clear shot was difficult.   Since there wasn't much for cover, Burke didn't bother with it he merely kept low and moved often.  Between the shaking of the ground and the rocks falling and striking him on the arm or back causing him to flinch as he fired, he hadn't taken down any of the Romulans yet.  Yeah, that was why he couldn't seem to take down those bastards.

When Lowe fell, Burke ran to check on him. Still breathing but like T'Kel in very serious condition.  Lowe was dragged to a nearby wall and while the phaser-fight was continued by T'roth alone, Burke worked to stabilize Lowe and soon had done all he could.   He was about to return to the fight when the Commander directed him to assist Koroz with T'Kel

The orders were acknowledged without hesitation.  It was one of the things that made him a good in the field.  But it was his accompanying under his breath "I'm security not a doctor!" grumble back that would keep him from rising in the ranks.  Without checking to be sure the Commander was ready with her stated cover-fire, Burke ran for where Koroz had dragged T'Kel behind the obelisk console not far from where Ruth was standing.

Now they were all under that overhang.  If it went...

No.  Don't think like that.  Just do the job. he focused himself.

After skidding to a crouched halt beside T'Kel and Koroz, Burke did a once over the Vulcan checking for vital signs.  T'Kel's pulse was nearly non-existent.  Burke was no medic but he was taught basic field medicine, enough to possibly make a difference.  He pulled from his duty belt a small device that was supposed to assist in stabilizing blood pressure as long as there were no large open wounds.   The disruptor burn had charred the flesh of her chest but it wasn't free bleeding so the device should work.   The security crewman set the device for Vulcan physiology and then placed it on her forehead and activated it.   There.  He'd done all he could do - now it was up to the doctors back on the ship.

He nodded to Koroz.  "Let's finish this and get our fallen back to the ship as quick as possible." He looked to Petty Officer T'roth as the ranking security left standing.

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

Burke, Koroz, and T'roth worked as a finely tuned machine and caught the Romulans in a crossfire resulting in two of their number falling stunned and the last one knocked out by a falling rock. The rumbling of the quakes continued, but at least the shooting had stopped.

As Ruth pushed the last button, the shaking stopped and things became ominously silent for a full minute, then a deep-throated alarm began to sound and a disembodied voice began a monotone chanting that sounded suspiciously like a countdown. Even though Ruth wasn't fluent in Iconian, her best guess was that whatever was going to happen, would do so in around thirty seconds.

With the last of the Romulans down, and the ground suddenly still, Burke thought their troubles were mostly over.  It was amusing at that point, when a pair axes suddenly appeared on the ground.   Go figure Lahr would be slow at sending help but at least transporters seemed to be working.   "Lahr sent you a present, ma'am".  Burke nodded towards the axes as he moved to begin disarming the stunned Romulans.

Things were looking up he thought, but the following alarm and alien-voice over had him realize how wrong he was.

"Commander, it's time to call for a beam up, I think."

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

As Ian had smugly predicted, Lieutenant Morgan said that Thelal wanted to speak to him. Deciding to be petty, Ian counted to twenty before he said.

"On screen."

Thelal's expression was a mixture of fury and hate as his image solidified and Ian waited expectantly with a smirk that only seemed to anger the Romulan even further.

"I take it you have lost all connection to reason Galloway. You wish to engage a far superior ship in combat? The Khranu will crush you."

"Actually, I just wanted ta get your attention wanker."

Ian then turned his head to address Grint.

"Stand down weapons."

Turning back to Thelal with a feral grin.

"Now, perhaps we can speak as adults for a change. We detected transporter activity and disruptor fire at the location of our away team. Since you declined ta answer my hail, I figured s full spread of armed quantums might pull your head out of your arse long enough for you ta reply."

"This is beyond an outrage Galloway, I will ensure both my government and the Edorans are aware of your actions.

"Your government can bugger itself with a splintered rake for all I care and the Edorans are probably goin' ta fall over themselves in gratitude for my away team stoppin' those pulses and quakes."

Thelal tried to keep his expression from showing his surprise, but failed miserably as he muted the comm link and spoke to someone off camera before unmuting and continuing.

"Just found out I was right? May want ta have the government of your try ta upgrade your sensors or maybe improve your trainin' program ta use those sensors more effectively. Since it seems Federation technology and personnel have addressed the threats ta the planet as well as ta ships in orbit, it doesn't seem there is any purpose in your fancy new ship ta be here any longer. How about you go back ta your homeworld an work on those short comin's I mentioned. Wouldn't want you be embarrassed again. Bye for now Thelal."

Ian signaled to Morgan to close the channel and added.

"Now that the pulses have stopped, see if'n you can raise the away team."

No sooner had the Captain spoke that than Lahr was on his console trying to reach the away team.

"Challenger to Commander Siggurdsdottir.."

[Lagar]

[USS Challenger -Sickbay]

Shazam smiled at the recent patient he had helped. "œThings be fine. Little sore. You can come back for more deeper treatment," he told the Lieutenant who had belonged to security.

Then he went over to another individual who seemed waiting for a thumbs up. He scanned the person's left arm with the medical tricorder. "œYou seem to be ready to go," he told that person. He was feeling a little stressed and tired. He was literally doing the minor injuries while the doctors and nurses cared for the heavy wounded.

The amazing thing about today's science and medicine is that most of it can be fixed and patched. They even found a cure for the common cold. That was a great achievement.

Then he had turned to see that Lagar was patched up to his standard. He went over to Lagar. "œHow are you, Doctor?" he asked. "œYou need me to do anything to help you?"

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Lagar had his tendrils working to seal a deep laceration in a Bolian's thigh muscle; the crewman had been thrown backward in one of the shockwaves, and when she fell, her full body weight dropped the meat of her leg onto the sharp edge of an artistic structure in her quarters. The item, its edge hardly a fine point, only dug into her because she fell so forcefully. It left a deep and remarkably clean wound that Lagar was working carefully to repair. At the moment that Shazham spoke to him, Lagar was privately wondering whether the Bolian would feel differently about her art piece now that it had wounded her so deeply. Would she still admire it, knowing it had once shed her blood? Would she rotate it, so that a less deadly side was presented outward to the room? Or would the piece still be shared proudly, now with an extra and bloody story to tell?

"As it happens, Counselor, I could use your help for a moment. My own tendrils aren't quite suited for this, and it would heal faster if it were done now." The Phylosian turned, so that his wounded side was more exposed to the Betazoid. Shazham would see the wound carved of the alien's plant-like trunk, the thin brace nailed over it. "˜Carved out' may not be entirely accurate, as there was a visible piece of Lagar's outer material violently shoved into his body cavity among his inner material. There was a piece, about 5 centimeters in diameter, of darker, tougher plant-matter buried inside. Lagar did not turn to Shazham as he explained, focusing on his work, as the sooner he knitted the Bolian's thigh muscle, the sooner he could close the exposed cleft in her flesh.

"As you can see, there's a piece of my outer layers thrust into my inner layers. My tendrils would have a difficult time extracting it with their pointed ends, but your fingers with their fleshy tips and alpha-keratin shells would be perfectly suited for the task. If you could"¦ just reach in, pinch that darker piece of my outer layer with your fingers, and extract it. That would let the inside layer dry out more easily, and heal much more quickly. Don't worry, I won't feel a thing, so it won't interrupt my work with this patient here."

[Iconian Cavern]

"Take cover wherever you can, Koroz I know you're hurt, I don't need to be fluent in Klingon to know if a Klingon warrior roars like that and these are common or garden Romulans to be exact, although no less evil and sneaky than Iconians I'm sure.  Stay out of sight, guard Lt. T'Kel until we can get some response from the ship.  Hopefully someone up there clocked their beam in."

"Koroz?" called Ruth, her mind still working on what the buttons meant.  "I know everyone is taught basic field medicine.  Do what you can to make T'Kel comfortable.  Burke, assist please, I'll cover you to get to them." 

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

"Aye Sir!" came the dutiful response. Koroz felt no shame in taking a superior tactical position behind cover; a Klingon put his environment to use as a weapon just as much as he did any blade or blaster.

As the order came to make T'Kel comfortable, Koroz briefly remembered the last time he had to bring mid-battle comfort to a wounded comrade. A vision flashed of a fallen Klingon, his heart pierced by the tip of an assassin's kut'luch, the dying man demanding that Koroz kill him, rather than let him bleed to death. Koroz shook the unwanted memories of a life long dead away, refocusing on the moment.

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

Burke, Koroz, and T'roth worked as a finely tuned machine and caught the Romulans in a crossfire resulting in two of their number falling stunned and the last one knocked out by a falling rock. The rumbling of the quakes continued, but at least the shooting had stopped.

As Ruth pushed the last button, the shaking stopped and things became ominously silent for a full minute, then a deep-throated alarm began to sound and a disembodied voice began a monotone chanting that sounded suspiciously like a countdown. Even though Ruth wasn't fluent in Iconian, her best guess was that whatever was going to happen, would do so in around thirty seconds.

That refocusing meant working with T'Roth and Burke in tandem, their fire superior to that of the enemy! Koroz released a sound, a blend of a shout of joy and a grunt of pride; there was a name for this particular sound in Klingon, but Koroz could not remember it at the moment.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

While Lt Morgan dealt with the comms Lahr was busy sending down Ruth her axes.   Unfortunately, there was a lot of interference and it would take time for them to make it through.

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

He nodded to Koroz.  "Let's finish this and get our fallen back to the ship as quick as possible." He looked to Petty Officer T'roth as the ranking security left standing.

With the last of the Romulans down, and the ground suddenly still, Burke thought their troubles were mostly over.  It was amusing at that point, when a pair axes suddenly appeared on the ground.   Go figure Lahr would be slow at sending help but at least transporters seemed to be working.   "Lahr sent you a present, ma'am".  Burke nodded towards the axes as he moved to begin disarming the stunned Romulans.

Things were looking up he thought, but the following alarm and alien-voice over had him realize how wrong he was.

"Commander, it's time to call for a beam up, I think."

"I am with you." he pledged to his colleague, Burke, as the human suggested they return to the ship quickly.

As the axes arrived, the Klingon's eyes widened with a primal bloodthirst. Ruth had called for her axes! Brutal blades of deathmaking! Surely she was going to behead these Romulan scum, just as she had threatened to kill the Edoran captives! Koroz was shocked that he was going to see such brutal and effective justice dealt by his Federation commander, but he was not displeased. It was like something the Klingon Empire would do! Rules of War be damned, tell the imprisoned enemy combatant he will die if he does not cooperate, and sever the necks of any who dare oppose us! And with an axe, no less! The Federation that Koroz knew seemed averse to such weaponry; he remembered many Federation educators telling him that bladed weapons in combat were more inhumane, and that a phaser was a preferred means of defeating an enemy when necessary. It seemed to him that the rules of the Federation can be set aside when

Outwardly, Koroz grins, showing teeth, and his breathing became wild. In his mind, he wonders if he will be given permission to take up an axe as an executioner as well, or if Ruth will keep the pleasure of the murder to herself.

[Vasilisa Belmont]

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

"Yes ma'am, I will do so in the future, but worry not for me." Lagar tells her, his voice that same peaceful tone despite the frustration and stress of the Sickbay environment. "To my physiology, four staples are far preferable to a collapsing central column. Think of it more as structural support than surgery. You'll see me heal this in due time."

He saw no need to tell he that he had suffered worse, for he had, and there were patients to treat. He moved to team up with Lieutenant Belmont then, hoping that their efforts, combined with those of the called-upon off-shift doctors, would get the situation under control!

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

"Per Ardua Vitae." Hanir muttered silently to herself. If anyone would ask her later in life about this Sickbay visit, she would say truthfully she remembered very little of it. That wasn't exactly true, because all the details blurred into each other. There was Doctor Belmont, who appeared to be moving from patient to patient, working miracles whenever she blinked her eyes. There was Lagar, a tendril and bits of his body injured in ways that made Hanir blush and turn away in shame. There was Shazam, running around like a crazy person performing treatments.

Steeling herself, Hanir had to open her empathic senses. Immediately, she was bombarded from all sides, a mixture of distress, pain, anxiety but mostly stoic determination. Picking a direction, she found herself near an Ensign wearing Operations Gold, arm twisted at an odd angle, moaning quietly on a biobed. She grasped the Ensign's hand, projecting as many calming thoughts as she could into the Ensign's hand: pictures of springtime, a park, children playing, while also projecting Beethoven's Pastoral symphony. As if on cue, another of the Beta Shift Medical personnel took over the treatment.

Hanir forced herself forward, step by step. Although the empathic thoughts of the crew were intruding into her mind, she pressed on. There was a Bolian Crewman with a gash to the head, an Orion Lieutenant JG with a fractured jaw, a blur of people. Hanir wasn't sure how many hands she held, how much projection of calm she managed to convey, but Sickbay seemed to be a lot more calm and subdued as she made her way around.

Somewhere along the way in all the chaos, she managed to find Doctor Belmont while she was taking a second for a breather: "I think you could do with a friend after this." Hanir reached out to gently squeeze Lisa's shoulder before she herself moved on.

To Lagar, she mentioned in passing: "I've never met anyone so passionate and driven. We are lucky to have you." After what seemed like an eternity, she found she could walk no further and slumped against an empty patch of wall in Sickbay, putting up her mental shields and letting the tension start to drain away.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

"Well...okay," Lisa relented, feeling a bit defeated. It was a strange sensation, as she very rarely let others override her best judgement. It was the trust she had already developed for Lagar that allowed her to let it go. When she was having her moment Hanir appeared and gave her aid. It really felt like the young woman had spread a healing salve on her chaotic thoughts, and she actually closed her eyes for a moment. At the mention of friend, she smiled and opened her eyes. Feeling rejuvenated, the doctor and her green, leafy companion then joined forces and took on the growing number of patients.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

The steady stream of injured finally ended and with so many hands working on them, the feeling of being overwhelmed was no longer the medical personnel's first thought. While there were six very serious injuries, the rest were easily handled and cycled out of sickbay. Once the simple fractures and burns were resolved, that only left the six major casualties and those with head injuries, which included Jettis, Dashlish, and Thompson from the first away team.

With the casualties under control, Jess had established a link to the bridge to find out was going on and wasn't happy she had. She looked at the Lisa and Lagar and said.

"Looks like shields are failing. Those pulses are somehow draining them and according to Engineering, they will only last another ten minutes."

[Quote by Lagar]

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

"If a pulse strikes the Challenger with its shields down, we may very well end up just like the Dawnspring." he comments, voicing what may have been the unspoken fear of his fellow officers in the PCU.

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

T'Kel didn't respond when carried to safety and her complexion was ashen once she was in cover. A quick check found she had a pulse, but it was weak and thready. The disruptor burn was severe and while she was still alive, she wouldn't remain that way for long without treatment.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Jess' expression was grim when she replied to Lagar.

"From what the Captain has told me, the Challenger is a much more robust ship than the Dawnspring, but I can't imagine he would take the risk of keeping us in orbit without a good cause. Right now, they've lost contact with the away team and that might be just the reason to keep us in place. Only time will tell."

When Lisa, Lagar, and Jess had taken care of the majority of the major cases, they found each other and finally discussed what was going on up on the Bridge. She nodded at Lagar's suggestion, but found herself not entirely agreeing with it. She believed they'd get through this, though she couldn't explain why she did.

"If I know the captain, he won't leave the away team behind unless it is absolutely the last resort. He'll find a way to negotiate a successful outcome for us, or use force if he must. We'll get through this somehow."

She just really hoped they would establish contact with the away team soon. They had helped many people so far, but the fact that they didn't have the entire crew onboard was nagging at her.

[Sickbay]

Derek had been headed for the exit when he over heard some of the medical staff discussing the issues at hand. Another away team had been sent down with which comms had been lost and the Challenger's shields were failing. He looked around for Doctor Belmont. She was no where to be seen. He stepped out the door and took a left, away from his quarters.

"Engineering is where I need to be right now." he muttered as he headed for the lift.

[Engineering]

Knowing T'Kel was on the away team, Derek walked in and took charge as needed. "REPORT!!" he called out.

Petty Officer Doring turned and immediately filled him in. "We've lost all comms with the away team, shields and tactical are failing and there's apparently a Romulan ship out there dogging us."

Derek walked to the nearest console and began reading the bridge reports. It was a lot worse than he had thought. He saw the report that mentioned the pulses hitting every minute and effecting the systems. If they had the timing down, maybe......

He slapped his comm and contacted the Bridge.

Rodwell to Bridge. Sir. I was just thinking. If we have the timing of the pulses down, could we rotate through our shield frequencies like the Borg did their shields?

As the steady flow of patients began to die down, Lisa took a moment to check up on Derek. She wasn't going to, but he was still her patient even if he wasn't in Sickbay. Unfortunately, her findings showed that he also wasn't where she told him to go.

"Well, that's what I get for trusting an engineer. And any patient, for that matter," she thought to herself. Even Vulcans didn't listen to her if their logic didn't match with hers. She sighed.

They needed him, she told herself. He was a great engineer, and with the shields draining they'd need all the help they could get. If she had to patch him up again, so be it.

[Hanir Seph]

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

"Well...okay," Lisa relented, feeling a bit defeated. It was a strange sensation, as she very rarely let others override her best judgement. It was the trust she had already developed for Lagar that allowed her to let it go. When she was having her moment Hanir appeared and gave her aid. It really felt like the young woman had spread a healing salve on her chaotic thoughts, and she actually closed her eyes for a moment. At the mention of friend, she smiled and opened her eyes. Feeling rejuvenated, the doctor and her green, leafy companion then joined forces and took on the growing number of patients.

When Lisa, Lagar, and Jess had taken care of the majority of the major cases, they found each other and finally discussed what was going on up on the Bridge. She nodded at Lagar's suggestion, but found herself not entirely agreeing with it. She believed they'd get through this, though she couldn't explain why she did.

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

"Well..."

Hanir woke up from her slumping position. Must have drifted off. The flow of patients had stopped, but their emotional toll would weigh on her for some time. Palming away her moist eyes, she nodded affably and offered a shaky smile to anyone looking her way... Which included her fellow Betazoid Counsellor Shazam. He appeared to look at her with some concern and in that instance her expression hardened and she offered him a curt nod.

Since the ship was still on alert status, heading over to Counselling and awaiting patients was out of the question, so Hanir decided to do the rounds of biobeds, the only ones remaining were not able to discharged yet and most were sedated, but she still introduced herself to each, murmuring calming words in turn.

[Don Damien Addams]

[USS Challenger - Bridge]

Lieutenant Espada, the chief of flight, was in sickbay and saw Shazham. "œEnsign..You had training in flight?" he had asked.

Shazham nodded his head. "œYes, Lieutenant I do," he replied.

"œI need someone temporarily to take Helm as I noticed we are not in good shape in flight. I will let the Captain know I am sending you up there and I will notify Mills now. We are good friends," he winked.

So Shazham had left sickbay and went to the Bridge. "œCaptain...I hope you receive the message from Chief Espada who requests me to take the seat of the helm until his team gets underway."

Shazham had sat down at flight console and he had taken a second to get used to the new console. He placed his identification number and the computer had allowed him access. He was worried that it would not.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

"I am with you." he pledged to his colleague, Burke, as the human suggested they return to the ship quickly.
...

Outwardly, Koroz grins, showing teeth, and his breathing became wild. In his mind, he wonders if he will be given permission to take up an axe as an executioner as well, or if Ruth will keep the pleasure of the murder to herself.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

No sooner had the Captain spoke that than Lahr was on his console trying to reach the away team.

"Challenger to Commander Siggurdsdottir.."

Burke heard his friend's voice on the Commander's commbadge and couldn't help but feel a bit of relief.  Lahr would be able to get them beamed out before the countdown finished - but not if the Commander was her usual talkative self.  Self-preservation meant that they needed to be brief.

Burke called out loudly, interrupting the Commander .   "We need immediate beam out! We triggered something!  Grab the Romulans too."  The Captain or Commander might want to use them as leverage.

As expected, Lahr didn't waste time to get details.

"On it!  Don't move."  then there was a muffled curse.  "Grab the axes - I can't lock onto them."

Burke gave a huff and rolled his eyes even as he sprinted for where the axes had appeared. He grabbed up the two axes and then nodded to Koroz to have the man tell Lahr they were good to go.

Soon the feel of the transporter beam took over and the away team appeared back on the ship.   The transported chief, Petty officer Grelek, called up to the Bridge.

"Transporter Room One to the Bridge.  The away team is safely aboard.   Transporter Room Two confirms successful beam up of 5 unconscious Romulans and are inquiring if the Romulans should be sent to Sickbay or the Brig?"

[Hanir Seph]

"Transporter Room One to the Bridge.  The away team is safely aboard.   Transporter Room Two confirms successful beam up of 5 unconscious Romulans and are inquiring if the Romulans should be sent to Sickbay or the Brig?"

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

Hanir perked up. The movement was almost akin to a meerkat sensing danger. Tilting her head in confusion, she let her empathic senses reach out: Although the ship remained on alert, there was no outward trauma or distress, just underlying current. Turning to Lisa and Lagar, she spoke up: "I think the Away Team are back, I can sense new eddies of... Concern. I also sense... Unconscious minds. Not crew, there's an undercurrent of... Anger, aggression. I can't pinpoint it further."

[Ruth Sigurdsdottir]

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

Burke, Koroz, and T'roth worked as a finely tuned machine and caught the Romulans in a crossfire resulting in two of their number falling stunned and the last one knocked out by a falling rock. The rumbling of the quakes continued, but at least the shooting had stopped.

As Ruth pushed the last button, the shaking stopped and things became ominously silent for a full minute, then a deep-throated alarm began to sound and a disembodied voice began a monotone chanting that sounded suspiciously like a countdown. Even though Ruth wasn't fluent in Iconian, her best guess was that whatever was going to happen, would do so in around thirty seconds.

[Iconian Cavern]

"Good news, bad news..." Ruth called out from behind the console. "Good news is that seems to have stopped the planet shaking itself to bits.  Bad news... we now have a countdown to 'something' and about 30 seconds...."

She sucked in breath as the wound on her side hurt like hell, but she was determined not to give in to it, she needed to get the rest of the away team home.

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

While Lt Morgan dealt with the comms Lahr was busy sending down Ruth her axes.   Unfortunately, there was a lot of interference and it would take time for them to make it through.

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

Burke continued to attempt to stun their attackers.  Because of their distance it wasn't possible to get then in an effective wide-beam so narrow longer ranged strikes was all that was left to them.  Unfortunately, with the 'rain' of rubble getting clear shot was difficult.   Since there wasn't much for cover, Burke didn't bother with it he merely kept low and moved often.  Between the shaking of the ground and the rocks falling and striking him on the arm or back causing him to flinch as he fired, he hadn't taken down any of the Romulans yet.  Yeah, that was why he couldn't seem to take down those bastards.

When Lowe fell, Burke ran to check on him. Still breathing but like T'Kel in very serious condition.  Lowe was dragged to a nearby wall and while the phaser-fight was continued by T'roth alone, Burke worked to stabilize Lowe and soon had done all he could.   He was about to return to the fight when the Commander directed him to assist Koroz with T'Kel

The orders were acknowledged without hesitation.  It was one of the things that made him a good in the field.  But it was his accompanying under his breath "I'm security not a doctor!" grumble back that would keep him from rising in the ranks.  Without checking to be sure the Commander was ready with her stated cover-fire, Burke ran for where Koroz had dragged T'Kel behind the obelisk console not far from where Ruth was standing.

Now they were all under that overhang.  If it went...

No.  Don't think like that.  Just do the job. he focused himself.

After skidding to a crouched halt beside T'Kel and Koroz, Burke did a once over the Vulcan checking for vital signs.  T'Kel's pulse was nearly non-existent.  Burke was no medic but he was taught basic field medicine, enough to possibly make a difference.  He pulled from his duty belt a small device that was supposed to assist in stabilizing blood pressure as long as there were no large open wounds.   The disruptor burn had charred the flesh of her chest but it wasn't free bleeding so the device should work.   The security crewman set the device for Vulcan physiology and then placed it on her forehead and activated it.   There.  He'd done all he could do - now it was up to the doctors back on the ship.

He nodded to Koroz.  "Let's finish this and get our fallen back to the ship as quick as possible." He looked to Petty Officer T'roth as the ranking security left standing.

With the last of the Romulans down, and the ground suddenly still, Burke thought their troubles were mostly over.  It was amusing at that point, when a pair axes suddenly appeared on the ground.   Go figure Lahr would be slow at sending help but at least transporters seemed to be working.   "Lahr sent you a present, ma'am".  Burke nodded towards the axes as he moved to begin disarming the stunned Romulans.

Things were looking up he thought, but the following alarm and alien-voice over had him realize how wrong he was.

"Commander, it's time to call for a beam up, I think."

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

No sooner had the Captain spoke that than Lahr was on his console trying to reach the away team.

"Challenger to Commander Siggurdsdottir.."

Ruth gave a weary but grateful smile when Burke mentioned the arrival of the axes to her.

"With all the interference I'm surprised that they made it through but... I'm glad to have them, and it's proof positive of many other things..." the Commander said, unable to get to them, looking over to make sure they were a) whole b) containing no other messages but the unwritten ones of 'Hang on in there, babe/see...I do love ya!', 'Remember who you are!', and 'Hey look if we can get these thru we can get you out and messages can come this way probably...'

"You're totally right, Mr. Burke... I'm not sure how much longer I... I mean T'Kel can hold out. "

It was then she heard the voice she loved so much that would keep her grounded no matter what.

"Challenger to Commander Siggurdsdottir.."

Si-Sigurdsdottir to Challenger.  We're receiving you Petty Officer, a bit static-y but clear enough to make out.  We have several injured, two - T'Kel and Rowe non-ambulatory, the rest have wounds of some description... she omitted to say that she herself was injured and quite badly in the side.

[Iconian Cavern - Edoran]

"Aye Sir!" came the dutiful response. Koroz felt no shame in taking a superior tactical position behind cover; a Klingon put his environment to use as a weapon just as much as he did any blade or blaster.

As the order came to make T'Kel comfortable, Koroz briefly remembered the last time he had to bring mid-battle comfort to a wounded comrade. A vision flashed of a fallen Klingon, his heart pierced by the tip of an assassin's kut'luch, the dying man demanding that Koroz kill him, rather than let him bleed to death. Koroz shook the unwanted memories of a life long dead away, refocusing on the moment.

That refocusing meant working with T'Roth and Burke in tandem, their fire superior to that of the enemy! Koroz released a sound, a blend of a shout of joy and a grunt of pride; there was a name for this particular sound in Klingon, but Koroz could not remember it at the moment.
"I am with you." he pledged to his colleague, Burke, as the human suggested they return to the ship quickly.

As the axes arrived, the Klingon's eyes widened with a primal bloodthirst. Ruth had called for her axes! Brutal blades of deathmaking! Surely she was going to behead these Romulan scum, just as she had threatened to kill the Edoran captives! Koroz was shocked that he was going to see such brutal and effective justice dealt by his Federation commander, but he was not displeased. It was like something the Klingon Empire would do! Rules of War be damned, tell the imprisoned enemy combatant he will die if he does not cooperate, and sever the necks of any who dare oppose us! And with an axe, no less! The Federation that Koroz knew seemed averse to such weaponry; he remembered many Federation educators telling him that bladed weapons in combat were more inhumane, and that a phaser was a preferred means of defeating an enemy when necessary. It seemed to him that the rules of the Federation can be set aside when

Outwardly, Koroz grins, showing teeth, and his breathing became wild. In his mind, he wonders if he will be given permission to take up an axe as an executioner as well, or if Ruth will keep the pleasure of the murder to herself.

Ruth noticed Koroz looking at the axes, and grinned.  "No time for this glory right now, Koroz, but I'll let you play with them later, as a reward for your work here."

6 to...

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

Burke heard his friend's voice on the Commander's commbadge and couldn't help but feel a bit of relief.  Lahr would be able to get them beamed out before the countdown finished - but not if the Commander was her usual talkative self.  Self-preservation meant that they needed to be brief.

Burke called out loudly, interrupting the Commander .   "We need immediate beam out! We triggered something!  Grab the Romulans too."  The Captain or Commander might want to use them as leverage.

As expected, Lahr didn't waste time to get details.

"On it!  Don't move."  then there was a muffled curse.  "Grab the axes - I can't lock onto them."

Burke gave a huff and rolled his eyes even as he sprinted for where the axes had appeared. He grabbed up the two axes and then nodded to Koroz to have the man tell Lahr they were good to go.

Soon the feel of the transporter beam took over and the away team appeared back on the ship.   The transported chief, Petty officer Grelek, called up to the Bridge.

"Transporter Room One to the Bridge.  The away team is safely aboard.   Transporter Room Two confirms successful beam up of 5 unconscious Romulans and are inquiring if the Romulans should be sent to Sickbay or the Brig?"

[Transporter Room 1]

The Commander had succumbed to the blue light of the transporter beam like a lover relaxing into a kiss.  The relief, if anyone had bothered to measure it, was palpable.

"Thanks, I'll take these!" Ruth said taking the axes off Burke.  "Remind me to buy you whatever your tipple is when we're next on a base, the real stuff not synthahol.  These babies are rather important to me.  Let's get these people patched up."

Sigurdsdottir to Bridge, can you beam us to the Sickbay please, we have serious wounded and quicker if we just all go to get checked over. 

She paused for a moment, then thought.

The Romulans aren't anything more than stunned, so Brig would probably be preferable, and you can send someone down with a Medkit just to tend to any minor cuts and bruises sustained by falling debris from the tremors. 

Now that she was back on the Challenger she allowed herself to just sit on the step of the transporter pad put the axes on the clip she had on her belt for them, and then lower her head into her hands, elbows resting on knees and just rest for a moment.  She wouldn't let the rest of the away crew see her cry. Nor would she rest completely until she had them all being looked at by the Medical staff.

[Lagar]

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

"On it!  Don't move."  then there was a muffled curse.  "Grab the axes - I can't lock onto them."

Burke gave a huff and rolled his eyes even as he sprinted for where the axes had appeared. He grabbed up the two axes and then nodded to Koroz to have the man tell Lahr they were good to go.

"NPC Petty Officer Koroz
[Planetside - Cavern "" Obelisk]

"We're good! Beam us up!" Koroz growled into the combadge, and tried to find something to focus on. With the enemy slain, and with the prospect of execution fading, Koroz controlled his breathing by giving a final look to the dead Romulan being left behind.

The man's skull had been crushed by falling rubble, and theylikely died instantly without knowing that their slaying had been the result of the Iconian device, and not by the hands of an enemy. Koroz did not remember their face, and there wasn't enough of it remaining to tell what they looked like, just"¦ green parts. As the transporters disassembled Koroz, the petty officer briefly wondered where the souls of Romulans were taken when they died.

[Transporter Room 1]

Sigurdsdottir to Bridge, can you beam us to the Sickbay please, we have serious wounded and quicker if we just all go to get checked over. 

She paused for a moment, then thought.

The Romulans aren't anything more than stunned, so Brig would probably be preferable, and you can send someone down with a Medkit just to tend to any minor cuts and bruises sustained by falling debris from the tremors. 

Now that she was back on the Challenger she allowed herself to just sit on the step of the transporter pad put the axes on the clip she had on her belt for them, and then lower her head into her hands, elbows resting on knees and just rest for a moment.  She wouldn't let the rest of the away crew see her cry. Nor would she rest completely until she had them all being looked at by the Medical staff.

"NPC Petty Officer Koroz
[Transporter Room 1]
Koroz whipped his head to check his surroundings as they were brought back to the Challenger, his wild hair flinging this away and that. Now that they were back on-board and the rush of danger passed, the sting of the Klingon's fist-beaten wound was returning more stridently. As he had been called to duty earlier than his shift, he worried that he would be released before completing a normal round of work. Knowing that security was likely still short-staffed, he felt an obligation to offer to serve.

"I'll volunteer for brig duty until the end of my shift, if need be." he said to Commander Sigursdottir. "I was only..." He trailed off, only now noticing her sitting, her head in her hands. To his eyes, she was committing the botlh'egh, which might translate to "˜Center Yourself', a ritual in which a warrior sought their core and shut out the outside influences. He silenced himself, feeling guilty for interrupting his commander in her pursuit of her center.

[Ian Galloway]

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[Planetside - Cavern - Obelisk]

Burke heard his friend's voice on the Commander's commbadge and couldn't help but feel a bit of relief.  Lahr would be able to get them beamed out before the countdown finished - but not if the Commander was her usual talkative self.  Self-preservation meant that they needed to be brief.

Burke called out loudly, interrupting the Commander .   "We need immediate beam out! We triggered something!  Grab the Romulans too."  The Captain or Commander might want to use them as leverage.

As expected, Lahr didn't waste time to get details.

"On it!  Don't move."  then there was a muffled curse.  "Grab the axes - I can't lock onto them."

Burke gave a huff and rolled his eyes even as he sprinted for where the axes had appeared. He grabbed up the two axes and then nodded to Koroz to have the man tell Lahr they were good to go.

Soon the feel of the transporter beam took over and the away team appeared back on the ship.   The transported chief, Petty officer Grelek, called up to the Bridge.

"Transporter Room One to the Bridge.  The away team is safely aboard.   Transporter Room Two confirms successful beam up of 5 unconscious Romulans and are inquiring if the Romulans should be sent to Sickbay or the Brig?"

[Iconian Cavern]

"Good news, bad news..." Ruth called out from behind the console. "Good news is that seems to have stopped the planet shaking itself to bits.  Bad news... we now have a countdown to 'something' and about 30 seconds...."

She sucked in breath as the wound on her side hurt like hell, but she was determined not to give in to it, she needed to get the rest of the away team home.

Ruth gave a weary but grateful smile when Burke mentioned the arrival of the axes to her.

"With all the interference I'm surprised that they made it through but... I'm glad to have them, and it's proof positive of many other things..." the Commander said, unable to get to them, looking over to make sure they were a) whole b) containing no other messages but the unwritten ones of 'Hang on in there, babe/see...I do love ya!', 'Remember who you are!', and 'Hey look if we can get these thru we can get you out and messages can come this way probably...'

"You're totally right, Mr. Burke... I'm not sure how much longer I... I mean T'Kel can hold out. "

It was then she heard the voice she loved so much that would keep her grounded no matter what.

Si-Sigurdsdottir to Challenger.  We're receiving you Petty Officer, a bit static-y but clear enough to make out.  We have several injured, two - T'Kel and Rowe non-ambulatory, the rest have wounds of some description... she omitted to say that she herself was injured and quite badly in the side.

Ruth noticed Koroz looking at the axes, and grinned.  "No time for this glory right now, Koroz, but I'll let you play with them later, as a reward for your work here."

6 to...

[Transporter Room 1]

The Commander had succumbed to the blue light of the transporter beam like a lover relaxing into a kiss.  The relief, if anyone had bothered to measure it, was palpable.

"Thanks, I'll take these!" Ruth said taking the axes off Burke.  "Remind me to buy you whatever your tipple is when we're next on a base, the real stuff not synthahol.  These babies are rather important to me.  Let's get these people patched up."

Sigurdsdottir to Bridge, can you beam us to the Sickbay please, we have serious wounded and quicker if we just all go to get checked over. 

She paused for a moment, then thought.

The Romulans aren't anything more than stunned, so Brig would probably be preferable, and you can send someone down with a Medkit just to tend to any minor cuts and bruises sustained by falling debris from the tremors. 

Now that she was back on the Challenger she allowed herself to just sit on the step of the transporter pad put the axes on the clip she had on her belt for them, and then lower her head into her hands, elbows resting on knees and just rest for a moment.  She wouldn't let the rest of the away crew see her cry. Nor would she rest completely until she had them all being looked at by the Medical staff.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian whipsawed though several emotions as the away team was beamed aboard. He was grateful to know they were back, but very concerned about their condition as at least two were severely wounded. When he heard about the Romulans, he blinked in surprise that someone had even bothered to save them, Maker knew Thelal wouldn't have saved anyone from Challenger. Unfortunately, their presence left Ian with a problem, what was he supposed to do with them. They had fired on and wounded members of his crew, but despite that, Starfleet had no jurisdiction to hold them. He'd been given two options, the brig or sickbay. According to Ruth, they were only stunned, so no need for sickbay and there were no grounds to hold them, so that ruled out the brig as well.

As Ian pondered his limited options, Morgan at Ops reported there had been a powerful explosion centered on the cavern the away team just vacated. That fact gave Ian a third option and he smiled as he spoke to the transporter room.

"Chief, send those bloody Romulans back ta the planet, put them down a kilometer from where the cavern used ta be."

"Aye Sir." Came the dutiful reply.

Ian looked around the bridge as saw that his senior officers had been decimated by this mission. He looked around until his eyes fell on Lieutenant Morgan.

"Chloe you have the bridge. I will be in sickbay."

"Aye Sir."

"NPC Petty Officer Koroz
[Planetside - Cavern "" Obelisk]

"We're good! Beam us up!" Koroz growled into the combadge, and tried to find something to focus on. With the enemy slain, and with the prospect of execution fading, Koroz controlled his breathing by giving a final look to the dead Romulan being left behind.

The man's skull had been crushed by falling rubble, and theylikely died instantly without knowing that their slaying had been the result of the Iconian device, and not by the hands of an enemy. Koroz did not remember their face, and there wasn't enough of it remaining to tell what they looked like, just"¦ green parts. As the transporters disassembled Koroz, the petty officer briefly wondered where the souls of Romulans were taken when they died.

"NPC Petty Officer Koroz
[Transporter Room 1]
Koroz whipped his head to check his surroundings as they were brought back to the Challenger, his wild hair flinging this away and that. Now that they were back on-board and the rush of danger passed, the sting of the Klingon's fist-beaten wound was returning more stridently. As he had been called to duty earlier than his shift, he worried that he would be released before completing a normal round of work. Knowing that security was likely still short-staffed, he felt an obligation to offer to serve.

"I'll volunteer for brig duty until the end of my shift, if need be." he said to Commander Sigursdottir. "I was only..." He trailed off, only now noticing her sitting, her head in her hands. To his eyes, she was committing the botlh'egh, which might translate to "˜Center Yourself', a ritual in which a warrior sought their core and shut out the outside influences. He silenced himself, feeling guilty for interrupting his commander in her pursuit of her center.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ian took the quick ride on the turbolift to sickbay and found the place still crowded from all the injuries this mission had generated. However, his eyes locked onto where Doctor Belmont struggled to save Lieutenant Lowe from security. According to the signs on the biobed, he was dead, but 24th Century medicine was beyond amazing and pulling someone from the brink of death was a fairly common occurrence, Ian just hoped it happened one more time.

[Lagar]

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ian took the quick ride on the turbolift to sickbay and found the place still crowded from all the injuries this mission had generated. However, his eyes locked onto where Doctor Belmont struggled to save Lieutenant Lowe from security. According to the signs on the biobed, he was dead, but 24th Century medicine was beyond amazing and pulling someone from the brink of death was a fairly common occurrence, Ian just hoped it happened one more time.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Lagar stood at the ready next to Lieutenant Lowe's biobed. Upon the arrival of the human Lieutenant, Lagar had joined his supervisor, Lieutenant Belmont, to get her the equipment she would need for this patient. He had arrayed a defibrillator, several hyposprays, a mobile synthesizer cart to fill said devices, and numerous other important medical tools. The outlook was grim for the Lieutenant Junior Grade on the table, as the disruptor blast appeared to have stopped his heart, but the Phylosian knew he and his colleagues would do their best to save his life.

He was unaware of the entrance of his Captain into Sickbay; under these circumstances, no one would call the area to attention with a 'Captain on deck'. He was focused on serving as an assistant to Vasilisa, essentially acting as a scrub assistant to hand her tools or perform side-work as needed, his brutal wound causing no interruptions thanks to the structural supports he had applied to his own body.

"Ready." he told Lieutenant Belmont, his remaining tendrils prepared to serve.

[Hanir Seph]

Now that she was back on the Challenger she allowed herself to just sit on the step of the transporter pad put the axes on the clip she had on her belt for them, and then lower her head into her hands, elbows resting on knees and just rest for a moment.  She wouldn't let the rest of the away crew see her cry. Nor would she rest completely until she had them all being looked at by the Medical staff.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ian took the quick ride on the turbolift to sickbay and found the place still crowded from all the injuries this mission had generated. However, his eyes locked onto where Doctor Belmont struggled to save Lieutenant Lowe from security. According to the signs on the biobed, he was dead, but 24th Century medicine was beyond amazing and pulling someone from the brink of death was a fairly common occurrence, Ian just hoped it happened one more time.

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

Hanir stood to one side of sickbay, keeping out of the way. She watched with interest as the Medical personnel worked on the wounded, silently praying success for Doctors Belmont and Lagar. She looked at the Captain and stopped midstep. He's not going to care about one more crew member saying hello. Not now. But there...

Hanir saw Commander Sigurdsdottir. Although she kept her mental shields up to stop from the overwhelming emotions, the red haired XO's body language was telegraphing more than words could say. In fact, Hanir thought she could hear the latter's teeth grinding together, almost. Approaching slowly and with her hands out to the side in the most non threatening manner, she spoke softly: "Commander, I'm Hanir Seph, Counsellor. I know I'm probably the last person you want to see. I can assure you I don't bite and I certainly don't judge. If you find some spare time and you want to talk, or just vent... Look me up." Hanir smiled shyly and bowed before backing off.

[ShranLahr ch'Verret]

PO1 ShranLahr ch'Verret
[USS Challenger - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Transporter Room 1]

Sigurdsdottir to Bridge, can you beam us to the Sickbay please, we have serious wounded and quicker if we just all go to get checked over. 

She paused for a moment, then thought.

The Romulans aren't anything more than stunned, so Brig would probably be preferable, and you can send someone down with a Medkit just to tend to any minor cuts and bruises sustained by falling debris from the tremors. 

Lahr's antenna drooped to either side at hearing Ruth suggest they all go to Sickbay - that generally meant she too had been injured otherwise she'd be already on her way up to the Bridge.   A quick glance back to the Captain with an acknowledging nod and Lahr was working the Transporter controls himself sending her and the security team to Sickbay.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian whipsawed though several emotions as the away team was beamed aboard. He was grateful to know they were back, but very concerned about their condition as at least two were severely wounded. When he heard about the Romulans, he blinked in surprise that someone had even bothered to save them, Maker knew Thelal wouldn't have saved anyone from Challenger. Unfortunately, their presence left Ian with a problem, what was he supposed to do with them. They had fired on and wounded members of his crew, but despite that, Starfleet had no jurisdiction to hold them. He'd been given two options, the brig or sickbay. According to Ruth, they were only stunned, so no need for sickbay and there were no grounds to hold them, so that ruled out the brig as well.

As Ian pondered his limited options, Morgan at Ops reported there had been a powerful explosion centered on the cavern the away team just vacated. That fact gave Ian a third option and he smiled as he spoke to the transporter room.

"Chief, send those bloody Romulans back ta the planet, put them down a kilometer from where the cavern used ta be."

"Aye Sir." Came the dutiful reply.

Ian looked around the bridge as saw that his senior officers had been decimated by this mission. He looked around until his eyes fell on Lieutenant Morgan.

"Chloe you have the bridge. I will be in sickbay."

"Aye Sir."

Lahr raised an antenna in surprise hearing the Captain's order in regards to the Romulans.  Why the hell would he release them?  They attacked Ruth!   But past experience with the Captain told Lahr that his criticism of the Captain's decision wouldn't likely be favorably acknowledged - likely just earn him time on the hull (something Lahr had just managed to narrowly avoid) all this time... so the Andorian said nothing, letting Lt Morgan acknowledge the orders and pass them along to Transporter Room Two.

Lahr sat sullen in his seat worrying about Ruth and wishing Burke had done a bit more than just stun the Romulans, if they weren't going to be otherwise punished for their unprovoked attack on the away team.

NPC Crewman Frank Burke
[USS Challenger - Transporter Room One]

[Transporter Room 1]

The Commander had succumbed to the blue light of the transporter beam like a lover relaxing into a kiss.  The relief, if anyone had bothered to measure it, was palpable.

"Thanks, I'll take these!" Ruth said taking the axes off Burke.  "Remind me to buy you whatever your tipple is when we're next on a base, the real stuff not synthahol.  These babies are rather important to me.  Let's get these people patched up."

Burke chuckled and handed over the axes to his superior.  Under normal circumstances, it wasn't really appropriate for an enlisted to accept such an offer as what the Commander offered, but then given that she was dating his bestfriend who was also enlisted, Burke figured what the hell.  "Sounds good."

Now that she was back on the Challenger she allowed herself to just sit on the step of the transporter pad put the axes on the clip she had on her belt for them, and then lower her head into her hands, elbows resting on knees and just rest for a moment.  She wouldn't let the rest of the away crew see her cry. Nor would she rest completely until she had them all being looked at by the Medical staff.

"NPC Petty Officer Koroz
[Transporter Room 1]
Koroz whipped his head to check his surroundings as they were brought back to the Challenger, his wild hair flinging this away and that. Now that they were back on-board and the rush of danger passed, the sting of the Klingon's fist-beaten wound was returning more stridently. As he had been called to duty earlier than his shift, he worried that he would be released before completing a normal round of work. Knowing that security was likely still short-staffed, he felt an obligation to offer to serve.

"I'll volunteer for brig duty until the end of my shift, if need be." he said to Commander Sigursdottir. "I was only..." He trailed off, only now noticing her sitting, her head in her hands. To his eyes, she was committing the botlh'egh, which might translate to "˜Center Yourself', a ritual in which a warrior sought their core and shut out the outside influences. He silenced himself, feeling guilty for interrupting his commander in her pursuit of her center.

The Commander's very weary pose had Burke watching from the corner of his eye as he assisted with the wounded.  He noticed that even Koroz quieted down at her very vulnerable action.  Burke shook his head - still not seeing what attracted Lahr.  The woman was way more emotional than Davies ever was.  And man could she ever talk up a storm!

He'd likely saved their lives by his interrupting the Commander and her speech earlier but Burke wasn't naive enough to figure his shouted interruption of the comm call would be considered acceptable by anyone but him and maybe Lahr.

It was then that the transporter beam picked him up again and deposited him down in Sickbay.

[USS Challenger - Sickbay]

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ian took the quick ride on the turbolift to sickbay and found the place still crowded from all the injuries this mission had generated. However, his eyes locked onto where Doctor Belmont struggled to save Lieutenant Lowe from security. According to the signs on the biobed, he was dead, but 24th Century medicine was beyond amazing and pulling someone from the brink of death was a fairly common occurrence, Ian just hoped it happened one more time.

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Lagar stood at the ready next to Lieutenant Lowe's biobed. Upon the arrival of the human Lieutenant, Lagar had joined his supervisor, Lieutenant Belmont, to get her the equipment she would need for this patient. He had arrayed a defibrillator, several hyposprays, a mobile synthesizer cart to fill said devices, and numerous other important medical tools. The outlook was grim for the Lieutenant Junior Grade on the table, as the disruptor blast appeared to have stopped his heart, but the Phylosian knew he and his colleagues would do their best to save his life.

He was unaware of the entrance of his Captain into Sickbay; under these circumstances, no one would call the area to attention with a 'Captain on deck'. He was focused on serving as an assistant to Vasilisa, essentially acting as a scrub assistant to hand her tools or perform side-work as needed, his brutal wound causing no interruptions thanks to the structural supports he had applied to his own body.

"Ready." he told Lieutenant Belmont, his remaining tendrils prepared to serve.

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

Hanir stood to one side of sickbay, keeping out of the way. She watched with interest as the Medical personnel worked on the wounded, silently praying success for Doctors Belmont and Lagar. She looked at the Captain and stopped midstep. He's not going to care about one more crew member saying hello. Not now. But there...

Hanir saw Commander Sigurdsdottir. Although she kept her mental shields up to stop from the overwhelming emotions, the red haired XO's body language was telegraphing more than words could say. In fact, Hanir thought she could hear the latter's teeth grinding together, almost. Approaching slowly and with her hands out to the side in the most non threatening manner, she spoke softly: "Commander, I'm Hanir Seph, Counsellor. I know I'm probably the last person you want to see. I can assure you I don't bite and I certainly don't judge. If you find some spare time and you want to talk, or just vent... Look me up." Hanir smiled shyly and bowed before backing off.

From the moment they arrived in Sickbay, Burke tried to keep out of the way, moving to stand by the door with his back leaning against the wall.   Right now the focus of the medical teams were rightly on Lowe and T'Kel.

Burke knew he'd done his best to stabilize both of the officers with what medical tools he'd been given and trained on.  But as he watched Lowe's biobed from across the room, the readings appeared almost completely flat.   Damn it!  He slammed his fist hard against the wall he was backed against.  It didn't seem like the man would pull through.  "Bastard Romulans!"  Suddenly, Burke too had the desire to keep watch on them in the Brig (not knowing that the Captain had ordered them returned to the planet). 

[Ian Galloway]

[USS Challenger - Sickbay]

From the moment they arrived in Sickbay, Burke tried to keep out of the way, moving to stand by the door with his back leaning against the wall.   Right now the focus of the medical teams were rightly on Lowe and T'Kel.

Burke knew he'd done his best to stabilize both of the officers with what medical tools he'd been given and trained on.  But as he watched Lowe's biobed from across the room, the readings appeared almost completely flat.   Damn it!  He slammed his fist hard against the wall he was backed against.  It didn't seem like the man would pull through.  "Bastard Romulans!"  Suddenly, Burke too had the desire to keep watch on them in the Brig (not knowing that the Captain had ordered them returned to the planet).

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Aside from the terse interaction between Lisa and Lagar, sickbay was silent. It was as if everyone was collectively holding their breath until it was known of Lowe would survive or not, thus Burke's outburst was heard quite clearly by all present.

"Struth Mister Burke. And Thelal would stand out in a room full of bastards, but there's nae we can do about it, save trust in Doctor Belmont. I don't ken if'n you believe in any higher power, but if'n you do, now would be a damn fine time ta ask him for a wee favor regardin' Mister Lowe."

[Vasilisa Belmont]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian whipsawed though several emotions as the away team was beamed aboard. He was grateful to know they were back, but very concerned about their condition as at least two were severely wounded. When he heard about the Romulans, he blinked in surprise that someone had even bothered to save them, Maker knew Thelal wouldn't have saved anyone from Challenger. Unfortunately, their presence left Ian with a problem, what was he supposed to do with them. They had fired on and wounded members of his crew, but despite that, Starfleet had no jurisdiction to hold them. He'd been given two options, the brig or sickbay. According to Ruth, they were only stunned, so no need for sickbay and there were no grounds to hold them, so that ruled out the brig as well.

As Ian pondered his limited options, Morgan at Ops reported there had been a powerful explosion centered on the cavern the away team just vacated. That fact gave Ian a third option and he smiled as he spoke to the transporter room.

"Chief, send those bloody Romulans back ta the planet, put them down a kilometer from where the cavern used ta be."

"Aye Sir." Came the dutiful reply.

Ian looked around the bridge as saw that his senior officers had been decimated by this mission. He looked around until his eyes fell on Lieutenant Morgan.

"Chloe you have the bridge. I will be in sickbay."

"Aye Sir."

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Ian took the quick ride on the turbolift to sickbay and found the place still crowded from all the injuries this mission had generated. However, his eyes locked onto where Doctor Belmont struggled to save Lieutenant Lowe from security. According to the signs on the biobed, he was dead, but 24th Century medicine was beyond amazing and pulling someone from the brink of death was a fairly common occurrence, Ian just hoped it happened one more time.

[USS Challenger-A | Sickbay]

Hanir perked up. The movement was almost akin to a meerkat sensing danger. Tilting her head in confusion, she let her empathic senses reach out: Although the ship remained on alert, there was no outward trauma or distress, just underlying current. Turning to Lisa and Lagar, she spoke up: "I think the Away Team are back, I can sense new eddies of... Concern. I also sense... Unconscious minds. Not crew, there's an undercurrent of... Anger, aggression. I can't pinpoint it further."

[Sickbay - USS Challenger]

Lagar stood at the ready next to Lieutenant Lowe's biobed. Upon the arrival of the human Lieutenant, Lagar had joined his supervisor, Lieutenant Belmont, to get her the equipment she would need for this patient. He had arrayed a defibrillator, several hyposprays, a mobile synthesizer cart to fill said devices, and numerous other important medical tools. The outlook was grim for the Lieutenant Junior Grade on the table, as the disruptor blast appeared to have stopped his heart, but the Phylosian knew he and his colleagues would do their best to save his life.

He was unaware of the entrance of his Captain into Sickbay; under these circumstances, no one would call the area to attention with a 'Captain on deck'. He was focused on serving as an assistant to Vasilisa, essentially acting as a scrub assistant to hand her tools or perform side-work as needed, his brutal wound causing no interruptions thanks to the structural supports he had applied to his own body.

"Ready." he told Lieutenant Belmont, his remaining tendrils prepared to serve.

[Sickbay - ICU - USS Challenger]

Lisa finally got her wish, but as the away team was returned she was quickly made aware that they weren't out of the woods yet. No sooner had Hanir made her prediction about the away team then Koroz, Burke, T'Kel, Ruth, and the others showed up and she and Lagar were working on Lowe. Jess had T'Kel, Chloe had Burke, and Nathan Koroz. Ruth, well, she'd find help if she needed it. When Lisa saw Lowe she ran over and kind of caught Lagar in her wake as she went. Five minutes later, they had a crash cart and defibrillator hooked up. Lisa also brought out a cortical stimulator cart out if they ended up needing it, but as soon as everything was there she began trying to revive him. She didn't notice the captain when he entered, because she was completely focused on operating the defibrillator. As the shocks continued to fail, she looked over at Lagar and gave him a look that hopefully said, We need to try something else."

She began prepping for surgery, which meant Lowe would have a machine breathing for him while she healed the internal bleeding in his heart. Lagar continued trying to revive him the "traditional" way right up until it was time for surgery and he had to scrub up. When she was sure everything was ready, she took a breath and gave a confident look to Lagar as he stood at the ready. She was beginning to acquire an audience, but this was not the kind of performance where you had to show off. If her very best wasn't good enough, she would never forgive herself.

After she stabilized Lowe, she put Lagar in charge of operating the artificial breathing. As she made her first incision she called out tools and held her hands out to accept each one from one of the green tendrils. It was working efficiently, and the surgery was going well. She could feel the eyes on her as she worked. Her expertise made the acts look easy, but in truth she was struggling to stay calm enough for her hands to not be clammy. In her mind she was running through all the steps she would need to take until the heart was restarted, and as she sealed up the incision, leaving behind no scar, she knew she'd have to go back to stabilizing with the defibrillator. The team and patients collectively stepped back as she cleared for more shocks, but as the machine continued to fail she called an EMH over to verify the best plan of action.

She once again looked to the ensign at her side. "We've gotten this far, the injury is healed as much as we can. If you have any other suggestions, they are certainly welcome. At this point we need to take him off the life support and the EMH will attempt CPR. If the internal bleeding is healed enough his heart should restart...and we'll apply cortical stimulator." She had the plan. She couldn't control whether our not it would be successful.