Season 14: Episode 11 - Conjoinment Crisis - Part One (Ship of Horrors)

[Kyle Briggs]

[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

With Tragnar on the door and Gohun assisting Lek, Kyle had Dranik help him secure the rest of the room. There was evidence that one of the creatures had been in here earlier. There was marks on the walls and consoles that indicated it had been the cause of the previously ripped wiring that the Engineers were now working on. Kyle knew that time was getting close and the situation was dire. It was only compounded by Lek's outburst.

Kyle had worked with the Ferengi long enough to trust him with his life. If dropping the core was the answer, he was game.

"How can I help, Chief." he asked. "And will it slow the ship down enough before we reach the mines?" he inquired.

[Zavrol Gohun]

Looking over the wires and knowing the time Gohun knew that this plan was not going to work. Maybe they could just eject the warp core. Then Gohun looked at the blueprint of the ship in his head and realized that the Klingons did not have a failsafe in place. Makes sense they sleep on metal slabs.  Hoping to get more ideas Gohun spoke up.
"œWe do not have enough time. We could try blowing a power coupling up and disrupt power to the engines. Or we could find a way to alter coarse to go in circles until we find a way to stop the ship. Or if we could find something that could generator an Inverse graviton bursts it would disrupt the warp field." Looking around Gohun hoped that someone had a better answer.

[Lek]

[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

With Tragnar on the door and Gohun assisting Lek, Kyle had Dranik help him secure the rest of the room. There was evidence that one of the creatures had been in here earlier. There was marks on the walls and consoles that indicated it had been the cause of the previously ripped wiring that the Engineers were now working on. Kyle knew that time was getting close and the situation was dire. It was only compounded by Lek's outburst.

Kyle had worked with the Ferengi long enough to trust him with his life. If dropping the core was the answer, he was game.

"How can I help, Chief." he asked. "And will it slow the ship down enough before we reach the mines?" he inquired.

Looking over the wires and knowing the time Gohun knew that this plan was not going to work. Maybe they could just eject the warp core. Then Gohun looked at the blueprint of the ship in his head and realized that the Klingons did not have a failsafe in place. Makes sense they sleep on metal slabs.  Hoping to get more ideas Gohun spoke up.
"œWe do not have enough time. We could try blowing a power coupling up and disrupt power to the engines. Or we could find a way to alter coarse to go in circles until we find a way to stop the ship. Or if we could find something that could generator an Inverse graviton bursts it would disrupt the warp field." Looking around Gohun hoped that someone had a better answer.

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lek listened to Gohun's suggestion and was impressed with the 'go in circles' plan, but there simply wasn't time, so they had to go with his first suggestion.

"Back away from the core! Everyone with weapons, target the power couplings, we have to gut the warp drive before it plows us into that minefield!"

[Dem Broadshire]

[Hallway (on route to the bridge) | Klingon freighter vaQ]

Just as the bridge crew left that command, It was already over. While Saq7 was talking with the commander, the beast's pulse flatlined, and there was nothing more to be done. Dem was regretful, but also relieved. It was important to save any creature in distress, but the responsibility of beaming a half Klingon onto the ship probably would have killed him. He stood up, completely oblivious to the surrounding firefight, and only dived to the side just in time as a stray claw slashed at his face.

[Jael Sherem]

Erei'Riov (Subcommander) Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Klingon freighter vaQ - Corridor to the Bridge]

While Jael aimed with her disruptor at what she hoped were non-lethal targets - hands, legs,  Rayek was fending off the 2-meter-tall creature with only a knife, distracting the thing from attacking Torra, who had landed several phaser blasts with only minimal affect.   That Erein Sherem ignored his direct order and seemed intent on using the disruptor instead, had Rayek wanting to facepalm.  There went his distraction plan out the window.  He'd hoped two opponents could harry the creature enough that it would be more on the defensive and unable to attack freely... but with only one opponent the creature with its long limbs had the advantage.

The creature lashed out again with its clawed hands and a spray of green blood flecked the corridor wall afterwards.  The clatter of Rayek's knife hitting the wall echoed down the hall as did his cussing as he backed away holding his now dripping hand to his chest in an attempt to stop the bleed.   The creature moved forward to close the gap between.  "Fvadt! Fire, dammit!" he called out to Jael and Torra.

At the order, Torra fired again, even though the Subcommander was partially blocking her aim.  She struck the creature square in the chest with her phaser beam, and it staggered once more, slowing its step forward, but did not bring it down like she'd hoped it would.

Unfortunately, the edge of the beam also grazed Rayek's arm as Torra shot past him.  His whole arm went numb and he lost his hold of his injured hand and his vision began to darken.  Though he tried to continue to back away his feet were unmoving and Rayek stumbled against the corridor wall.

Saqa7, at hearing Rayek's cuss and rather urgent sounding order, turned to take in the scene.    Her eyes widened in alarm at seeing the Romulan's emerald blood dripping on the floor in an almost steady stream from one clenched hand at his chest, while the other hung limply from phaser numbed arm.  "Rayek!" she called out in concern and started towards him.

[Ante-Centurion Jael Sherem | Mess Hall | Klingon Freighter]

Jael blinked in surprise. The disruptor certainly had a lot more potency than expected in a phaser. She knew enough basic principles in phasers, but she was still relatively new.

Seeing the charging and that Torra grazed Rayek's arm, Jael jumped before the subcommander and fired again and again, aiming at the arms and legs. Damn thing looked so dangerous, she didn't care if she had to sever limbs, she had to ensure the damn thing stopped moving.

[Rayek trLhoell]

Erei'Riov (Subcommander) Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Klingon freighter vaQ - Corridor to the Bridge]

[Hallway (on route to the bridge) | Klingon freighter vaQ]

Just as the bridge crew left that command, It was already over. While Saqa7 was talking with the commander, the beast's pulse flatlined, and there was nothing more to be done. Dem was regretful, but also relieved. It was important to save any creature in distress, but the responsibility of beaming a half Klingon onto the ship probably would have killed him. He stood up, completely oblivious to the surrounding firefight, and only dived to the side just in time as a stray claw slashed at his face.

[Ante-Centurion Jael Sherem | Mess Hall | Klingon Freighter]

Jael blinked in surprise. The disruptor certainly had a lot more potency than expected in a phaser. She knew enough basic principles in phasers, but she was still relatively new.

Seeing the charging and that Torra grazed Rayek's arm, Jael jumped before the subcommander and fired again and again, aiming at the arms and legs. Damn thing looked so dangerous, she didn't care if she had to sever limbs, she had to ensure the damn thing stopped moving.

Rayek, struggling to remain conscious, was surprised to have his view of the charging creature blocked by the Cardassian security officer as she took aim and fired on the blended Klingon creature.   Her first shot, aimed for its arm, kept the creature from taking a second swing at the dodging doctor as the energy beam from the disruptor - designed at high settings to rip molecules apart - at its lower settings caused extensive physical damage to the limb rendering it useless.  The arm dropped to the creature's side, limp and nonreactive yet with nerve endings flaring.

The Klingon howled its agony, taking another two steps forward before Jael was able to fire a second shot.  This time aimed at its leg.  The result was just as effective.  Unable to receive impulses to move the affected limb, the creature's ability to maintain its balance on the leg was impacted, and it came crashing down to the floor.  The pain it experienced was overwhelming and with one last phaser shot from Torra the beast slipped into unconsciousness at Jael's feet.

"Finally!" Torra voiced her feelings.  "I thought it was never going drop."  She moved to the creature cautiously to check to be sure it was truly down. Which it was.

Saqa7 in the meantime had arrived at Rayek's side and applied direct pressure to the deep wound on his hand.  It didn't appear to be arterial but it was still serious and obviously would need treatment.  Unfortunately, as a science officer, Saqa7 had only been issued a Romulan tricorder, not a medkit, so Rayek would have to wait until Broadshire was done dealing with the other Klingon creature and could attend the Romulan.

After seeing the charging creature drop, Saqa7 motioned Dr. Broadshire over.

"How is he?" Torra asked Saqa7, feeling guilty for having grazed him with her heavy stun beam.

"He's barely conscious." she answered the Grazerite, then turned towards the Bajoran doctor.  "He'll need a stimulant shot as well as a coagulant to help stop the bleeding.  The Subcommander is averse to the use of dermal regenerators; he'll want the wound to heal on its own."  Saqa7 knew this fact from years of being the Romulan's close friend.

Saqa7 looked to the Vulcan operations officer and flight officer.   "Until the stimulant takes effect, you two will need to assist him to walk.  We have to keep moving to the Bridge.  Our time to complete this mission is nearly up."

PO2 Helga Tragnar
[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

[Engine Room - Klingon Freighter]

Lek was grateful for Gohun's assistance, but it was clear that they were running out of time and given the freighter was heading head long into a minefield, standard operating procedures were going to have to go out the airlock.

"To hell with safety protocols, scram the warp core!"

Lek began yanking out all the wiring they'd just repaired as well as shutting down every power system he could put his hands on.

"If I can't get this thing to power down, you're going to have to put those distruptors on maximum and burn this place down!"

Helga, standing watch at the door, glanced back towards Lek momentarily.   Scram was not a term she was familiar with, but whatever it was it sounded dangerous... since it was obviously against safety protocol.   That Lek changed his tactic to ripping out wiring, had Helga looking at him perplexed before she looked back down the hall.

[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

With Tragnar on the door and Gohun assisting Lek, Kyle had Dranik help him secure the rest of the room. There was evidence that one of the creatures had been in here earlier. There was marks on the walls and consoles that indicated it had been the cause of the previously ripped wiring that the Engineers were now working on. Kyle knew that time was getting close and the situation was dire. It was only compounded by Lek's outburst.

Kyle had worked with the Ferengi long enough to trust him with his life. If dropping the core was the answer, he was game.

"How can I help, Chief." he asked. "And will it slow the ship down enough before we reach the mines?" he inquired.

She wasn't sure whether it was Lek's excited call that had drawn it near or just pure chance  but a another blended Klingon creature appeared at the end of the corridor.  This one rather than hooves or feet, appeared to have avian legs and talons.  On it's face rather than a nose and mouth, the Klingon hybrid had a black beak and intermixed throughout the Klingon mane of hair were jet black feathers.

"We got company at the end of the hall!" Helga called out in warning.  But wasn't sure if any of the engineers, heard her or even cared given their focus on their own task.

Looking over the wires and knowing the time Gohun knew that this plan was not going to work. Maybe they could just eject the warp core. Then Gohun looked at the blueprint of the ship in his head and realized that the Klingons did not have a failsafe in place. Makes sense they sleep on metal slabs.  Hoping to get more ideas Gohun spoke up.
"œWe do not have enough time. We could try blowing a power coupling up and disrupt power to the engines. Or we could find a way to alter coarse to go in circles until we find a way to stop the ship. Or if we could find something that could generator an Inverse graviton bursts it would disrupt the warp field." Looking around Gohun hoped that someone had a better answer.

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lek listened to Gohun's suggestion and was impressed with the 'go in circles' plan, but there simply wasn't time, so they had to go with his first suggestion.

"Back away from the core! Everyone with weapons, target the power couplings, we have to gut the warp drive before it plows us into that minefield!"

The Klingon-qa'rol opened its beak wide and let out a loud shriek before it charged forward towards the Engineering room.   Helga standing at the doorway watched as it spread out it's arms which she saw now sported leathery wings.  It attempted to fly jumping up into the air as it ran, but it's weight and the limited space to spread out it's long arms-wings within the corridor prevented it from gaining any lift.

Lek's order came just after the creature started its' charge.

Helga activated the door lock mechanism and hoped it would hold the creature at bay while they dealt with the engines.

"So what's a power coupling look like?" she asked as she upped her disruptor setting and moved to Lek's side so he could help guide her aim.

[Dranik]

Dranik
Klingon freighter vaQ
Engineering

Dranik was prepared to simply blast the door apart with his disruptor rifle but since no one had given him the order he decided to avoid that particular thought. The sound of another altered Klingon at the end of the hall caused him to raise his disruptor rifle towards it and before the door to engineering shut he was able to get off two shots at it, one of which he was sure had gone through one of the altered klingon's 'wings' as he joined the others.

[Lek]

PO2 Helga Tragnar
[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

Helga, standing watch at the door, glanced back towards Lek momentarily.   Scram was not a term she was familiar with, but whatever it was it sounded dangerous... since it was obviously against safety protocol.   That Lek changed his tactic to ripping out wiring, had Helga looking at him perplexed before she looked back down the hall.

She wasn't sure whether it was Lek's excited call that had drawn it near or just pure chance  but a another blended Klingon creature appeared at the end of the corridor.  This one rather than hooves or feet, appeared to have avian legs and talons.  On it's face rather than a nose and mouth, the Klingon hybrid had a black beak and intermixed throughout the Klingon mane of hair were jet black feathers.

"We got company at the end of the hall!" Helga called out in warning.  But wasn't sure if any of the engineers, heard her or even cared given their focus on their own task.

The Klingon-qa'rol opened its beak wide and let out a loud shriek before it charged forward towards the Engineering room.   Helga standing at the doorway watched as it spread out it's arms which she saw now sported leathery wings.  It attempted to fly jumping up into the air as it ran, but it's weight and the limited space to spread out it's long arms-wings within the corridor prevented it from gaining any lift.

Lek's order came just after the creature started its' charge.

Helga activated the door lock mechanism and hoped it would hold the creature at bay while they dealt with the engines.

"So what's a power coupling look like?" she asked as she upped her disruptor setting and moved to Lek's side so he could help guide her aim.

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lek looked at Helga in amazement before shrugging and pointing to a series of coils that led off the warp core.

"Those orange spirals!"

As he waited for Helga to start shooting, he thought.

"I'm going to have to take her through engineering basics when we get back to the ship."

[Kyle Briggs]

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Kyle was paying more attention to Lek in order to see what he could assist with and had barely heard the warning that Tragnar had called out but his attention turned toward the doors as he heard one of the most horrifying screeches he had ever heard. He just caught a glimpse of the creature and a couple of phaser blasts as the doors sealed. He was sure that he and Helga were hoping the same thing.

Please let those doors hold long enough.

Everyone with a phaser was now standing next to the Ferengi engineer and aiming where he told them too. The pounding on the doors was unsettling but Kyle was proud of how his team wasn't letting the distraction get to them. They continued firing. Now it was a timing issue. Hopefully, they would get the results they wanted within the time they needed.

[Zavrol Gohun]

Gohan was quite surprised when everyone decided to take their weapons out and aim at a power relay device. Fortunately, he was not willing to kill himself and the rest of the party. With quick thinking, Gohun simply ripped a wire out that disabled the grounding circuit causing the relay to burn out and then the lights flickered on and off. Hopefully, they are out of warp at this point.

[Rayek trLhoell]

PO2 Helga Tragnar
[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

Dranik
Klingon freighter vaQ
Engineering

Dranik was prepared to simply blast the door apart with his disruptor rifle but since no one had given him the order he decided to avoid that particular thought. The sound of another altered Klingon at the end of the hall caused him to raise his disruptor rifle towards it and before the door to engineering shut he was able to get off two shots at it, one of which he was sure had gone through one of the altered klingon's 'wings' as he joined the others.

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lek looked at Helga in amazement before shrugging and pointing to a series of coils that led off the warp core.

"Those orange spirals!"

As he waited for Helga to start shooting, he thought.

"I'm going to have to take her through engineering basics when we get back to the ship."

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Kyle was paying more attention to Lek in order to see what he could assist with and had barely heard the warning that Tragnar had called out but his attention turned toward the doors as he heard one of the most horrifying screeches he had ever heard. He just caught a glimpse of the creature and a couple of phaser blasts as the doors sealed. He was sure that he and Helga were hoping the same thing.

Please let those doors hold long enough.

Everyone with a phaser was now standing next to the Ferengi engineer and aiming where he told them too. The pounding on the doors was unsettling but Kyle was proud of how his team wasn't letting the distraction get to them. They continued firing. Now it was a timing issue. Hopefully, they would get the results they wanted within the time they needed.

Gohan was quite surprised when everyone decided to take their weapons out and aim at a power relay device. Fortunately, he was not willing to kill himself and the rest of the party. With quick thinking, Gohun simply ripped a wire out that disabled the grounding circuit causing the relay to burn out and then the lights flickered on and off. Hopefully, they are out of warp at this point.

Whether it was because of Gohun's ripped out wire or the combined efforts of the security team firing on the power couplings, the effect was the same.  The ship bucked as the warp field around it collapsed abruptly throwing the ship out into normal space.

Helga facing aft while firing on the power couplings, was thrown backwards several feet sprawled on the engine room floor, as inertial dampeners couldn't quite compensate for the suddenly drop in speed.   The lights which had flickered on and off for a moment, finally settled on completely off.  The room was in complete darkness.

"One.  Two.  Three."  Helga counted down the seconds expecting the Klingon freighter's back up generators to kick in - but no such luck.   The room remained in darkness.

Helga reached for where her Starfleet uniform gear belt would have held a flashlight, but the Romulan uniform she'd been provided for the exchange program lacked many of the tools Starfleet had.  Her hand came away from the Romulan belt empty.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked the darkness as slowly clambered to her feet.

[Klingon freighter vaQ - Corridor to the Bridge]

Forewarned only by the momentary flicker of lights, Torra and the others were unprepared for the ship's sudden drop out of warp and plunge into darkness.

Torra, who had moved forward and was in the midst of securing the unconscious Klingon creature she and Jael had taken down, was thrown forward, tripping over the prone body of the creature. She would have landed on her face hard had her large horns not struck the decking first with loud clang.  Yet even with that, Torra still found her nose unpleasantly dipped in a foul smelling liquid she could only assume was the creature's blood.   In disgust, she scrambled to her hands and knees to quickly rub her face against her uniform sleeve.  Unfortunately, the Romulan fabric had very little absorbancy and smeared the substance rather than clearing it away.

Saqa7, who had been still kneeling crouched beside Rayek trying to arrange for his care, fared better.  She was thrown forward onto the injured Romulan, who she then bridged to ensure he was kept from further harm.  When it seemed no further lurching was imminent, Saqa7 felt about for her tricorder which she had placed beside her to do her assessment on the Subcommander.  But it seemed it must have slid away from her during the sudden lurch.

"Does anyone have light source handy?" She asked a bit nervously as even after a couple seconds emergency lighting did not kick in.  "What just happened?  Was that an emergency stop?"

[Lek]

Gohan was quite surprised when everyone decided to take their weapons out and aim at a power relay device. Fortunately, he was not willing to kill himself and the rest of the party. With quick thinking, Gohun simply ripped a wire out that disabled the grounding circuit causing the relay to burn out and then the lights flickered on and off. Hopefully, they are out of warp at this point.

PO2 Helga Tragnar
[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

Whether it was because of Gohun's ripped out wire or the combined efforts of the security team firing on the power couplings, the effect was the same.  The ship bucked as the warp field around it collapsed abruptly throwing the ship out into normal space.

Helga facing aft while firing on the power couplings, was thrown backwards several feet sprawled on the engine room floor, as inertial dampeners couldn't quite compensate for the suddenly drop in speed.   The lights which had flickered on and off for a moment, finally settled on completely off.  The room was in complete darkness.

"One.  Two.  Three."  Helga counted down the seconds expecting the Klingon freighter's back up generators to kick in - but no such luck.   The room remained in darkness.

Helga reached for where her Starfleet uniform gear belt would have held a flashlight, but the Romulan uniform she'd been provided for the exchange program lacked many of the tools Starfleet had.  Her hand came away from the Romulan belt empty.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked the darkness as slowly clambered to her feet.

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lek was also surprised by the abrupt drop from warp and went flying across engineering, only just able to protect his head as he skidded across the deck. When the compartment was plunged into darkness and emergency lighting did not come on, Lek swore in several languages describing the familial relations and personal habits of the Klingon ship builders. He reached into his tool kit, pulled out a flashlight and staggered to the nearest console.

"Idiot Klingon Engineers. There has to be backup power, even if only batteries."

He growled as he tried to bring some sort of power online.

[Zavrol Gohun]

Gohun was flying through the air. Apparently the ship had dropped out of warp. Also the room was in darkness. Suddenly the room was full of bright stars as Gohun impacted the bulkhead with his head. Knowing that there was no auxiliary power Gohun got up and fumbled around for his flashlight until a bright light pierced the darkness. Someone found their flashlight.
"Gohun reporting in, just a mild concussion."

[Kyle Briggs]

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

The team continued firing at the coupler and Kyle watched as Gohun reached in and snatched out come cables. On the upside, they got the effect they were going for. The shipped dropped out of warp/ On the downside, they got the effect they wanted. The shipped dropped suddenly out of warp and it sent everyone flying around the room. Kyle bumped his head on the floor when he landed and his vision blurred for a few minutes. The room went completely dark and, unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any back up power. When he got his senses back, he heard Tragnar call out.

"Briggs. Got a headache but I'm alive." he replied just before hearing Gohun reply with his status as well. Suddenly, his heart began to pound as he stood. "LISA? LISA!. Where are you?" he yelled out. He knew he was in charge of the whole team but for the moment, he was thinking with his heart.

Once he got a reply, he went looking for the others. "Lek! Dranik! Where are you guys?" He needed to make sure everyone was okay before attempting to contact Rayek.

Just as soon as everyone checked in, there was a bang at the doors.

"Shit." Kyle muttered having completely forgotten about the creature on the other side. If they needed to leave Engineering, they may have to find an alternate route. He reached for his comm link.

Briggs to Rayek. Apologies for the sudden drop. How's everyone up there?" he inquired.

[Vasilisa Belmont]

PO2 Helga Tragnar
[Klingon freighter vaQ -  Engineering]

Whether it was because of Gohun's ripped out wire or the combined efforts of the security team firing on the power couplings, the effect was the same.  The ship bucked as the warp field around it collapsed abruptly throwing the ship out into normal space.

Helga facing aft while firing on the power couplings, was thrown backwards several feet sprawled on the engine room floor, as inertial dampeners couldn't quite compensate for the suddenly drop in speed.   The lights which had flickered on and off for a moment, finally settled on completely off.  The room was in complete darkness.

"One.  Two.  Three."  Helga counted down the seconds expecting the Klingon freighter's back up generators to kick in - but no such luck.   The room remained in darkness.

Helga reached for where her Starfleet uniform gear belt would have held a flashlight, but the Romulan uniform she'd been provided for the exchange program lacked many of the tools Starfleet had.  Her hand came away from the Romulan belt empty.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked the darkness as slowly clambered to her feet.

[Klingon freighter vaQ - Corridor to the Bridge]

Forewarned only by the momentary flicker of lights, Torra and the others were unprepared for the ship's sudden drop out of warp and plunge into darkness.

Torra, who had moved forward and was in the midst of securing the unconscious Klingon creature she and Jael had taken down, was thrown forward, tripping over the prone body of the creature. She would have landed on her face hard had her large horns not struck the decking first with loud clang.  Yet even with that, Torra still found her nose unpleasantly dipped in a foul smelling liquid she could only assume was the creature's blood.   In disgust, she scrambled to her hands and knees to quickly rub her face against her uniform sleeve.  Unfortunately, the Romulan fabric had very little absorbancy and smeared the substance rather than clearing it away.

Saqa7, who had been still kneeling crouched beside Rayek trying to arrange for his care, fared better.  She was thrown forward onto the injured Romulan, who she then bridged to ensure he was kept from further harm.  When it seemed no further lurching was imminent, Saqa7 felt about for her tricorder which she had placed beside her to do her assessment on the Subcommander.  But it seemed it must have slid away from her during the sudden lurch.

"Does anyone have light source handy?" She asked a bit nervously as even after a couple seconds emergency lighting did not kick in.  "What just happened?  Was that an emergency stop?"

[Engineering - Klingon Freighter]

Lisa gradually let the worry she was feeling for Helga dissipate as the security officer really appeared to be fine. Besides, she had plenty of other people to watch out for. This was made all too apparent when the next hybrid came charging toward them. Luckily, she was close enough to Helga to hear the warning and was able to assist with getting the door closed. She hoped they'd be able to hold the creature off long enough. As Helga moved off to help Lek, Lisa stood by and kept an eye on the door as they handled the power coupling issue.

Well. Apparently they solved one problem and caused another. She lost her balance and slammed to the floor, catching herself with her hands. When the lights went out she gave a tiny squeak. The banging on the door suddenly became ten times more ominous. Lisa had the same question Helga did, and totally forgot to answer as she carefully came to a stand and dusted herself off. As the others succeeded in following directions and reported in, she listened to their injuries and hoped they were accurate and not anything worse. When Kyle cried out her name, she realized her mistake.

"Oops."

Taking a flashlight off her belt, she switched it on and illuminated the space in front of her.

"I'm here, Commander," she said, blushing at his break of rank etiquette. He must have been really worried about her. She shone her flashlight around, setting on Lek looking around for sources of power and Dranik not too far from him. Putting duty first she began walking around to each party member, giving them discreet checks with her tricorder. Luckily the head trauma cases weren't serious, and a quick hypo injection improved their cognition enough to do their tasks faster. She hoped the other team wasn't hurt too badly from the fall either.