Carpathia IV: Episode 303 - Siege
Deck 14, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
In the lift, Trex and Shep studied their tablets. The majority of the intruders were on Decks 12 and 14. Very few on Deck 13. After informing the Captain, they agreed that Trex would work Deck 12 and Shep on 14.
Shep and his team arrived on Deck 14 and found the intruders quickly. True to Sylvar's warning, they were prepared and did not give Shep and his team any chance for a surprise attack. The firefight rocketed to full intensity almost instantly with Shep and his team pinned down around a corner, barely able to get a shot off.
Shep: We need more firepower. Pull every gun we stashed behind the access panels. For now, cover me. I need to get to cross the hallway.
Shep's team nodded and waited for a lull in the weapons fire. When the time came, Shep's team popped up and laid down fire while Shep tumbled through the cooridor intersection to the other side. Now, the vashta had targets from two locations to worry about. Now, the vashta began to back away. Shep and his team followed, rushing from corner to corner to keep the vashta in their sights. Through the cooridors. Down the stairs. Repeat. After some time of this, Shep noticed that there was a pattern to their movements.
Shep: Security to Engineering.
Shep waited for a response while disruptor blasts zinged past him, but there was no response.
Shep: Shep to Engineering!
Still no response. Perhaps, he thought, the bridge might be responsive.
Shep: Shep to bridge!
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
On the bridge, the focus was still on the battle outside, mostly, but with some attempts at monitoring the fight on the inside. A difficult task, for the intensity of the fighting against the vashta invaders was doing serious damage to adjacent systems.
Phobos: Starshark has taken heavy damage to their port side.
Aire: Teek, put us on their port flank.
Baal: Furious Spectre is already moving into position.
Aire: Belay that order. Set course for the vashta ship cluster at 183 mark 059 and prepare strafing fire.
Teek: Setting course 183 mark 059.
As the ship roared towards its quarry, a staticy, staccato noise came over the speakers.
Shep: Shep... kkhhchhtkkt... idge...
Kit: There's severe damage to the comm systems.
Amenaru: Force fields have been compromised all over the ship too. I've been working on bypassing damaged relays. I'll prioritize comms near Shep.
Aire: Say again, Shep. We're working on the comms now.
Shep: Shep... brid... Vash... engineer...
Joust: They're headed for Engineering!
Shep: Send reinforcemen... GAAH!
The comm went silent and Aire jumped into action.
Aire: Kit, warn Engineering immediately and send medical and reinforcements to Deck 18. Advise extreme caution for the medical team.
Kit: Contacting Engineering.
Amenaru: I'll make sure that signal is clear for you.
Engineering, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
For Quenya, the lead-up to the battle was almost worse than the battle itself. She spent every waking moment, and some of her sleeping ones, worrying about what she was going to do. If her last days were upon her. If she would ever see her parents or brother again. The reality was that she was so busy, running all over, checking and fixing systems, to even think much about what was going on outside. The news that the vashta had infiltrated the ship changed that, but only a little. After a short bout of anxiety, work took over once again and she remained focused on her tasks.
Quenya was, however, still capable of being distracted and seeing Minnie hunched over the communication console, clearly struggling to understand whatever was being said. When the communication finished, Minnie muttered something just loud enough for Quenya to hear.
Minnie: Not my engines, they fucking don't.
When she finished, she stood up straight, her face grave, and after taking a glance around her engine room, addressed the crew.
Minnie: The vashta are coming! Security is fighting them but having trouble breaking through!
The crew listened in rapt attention, awaiting Minnie's orders. She began by thrusting her finger at Ramei.
Minnie: Ramei, you're in charge of the engines until further notice!
Ramei: Yes, Chief!
Minnie: Quenya, keep an eye on that induction differential. It's been running hot!
Quenya: On it, Chief!
Last, she pointed at Sylvar and the security detail stationed in engineering.
Minnie: Sylvar, security, you're with me! We need to fortify the engineering entrance!
Sylvar ran toward the entrance pulling a metal rod from his waistband.
Sylvar: I've got my scythe with me!
Minnie ran to a nearby weapons locker and took two disruptor rifles, one of which she tossed to Sylvar as he darted past.
Minnie: Get some crates from storage and build fortifications!
Quenya, doing as she was told and monitoring the differential, adjusting the coolant levels as necessary, nevertheless kept one eye on the other side of Engineering while Minnie, Sylvar, and the security guards stacked crates for cover. Fifteen minutes passed, maybe more, maybe less, before Quenya started to hear weapons fire coming from outside Engineering.
Minnie: Force fields are still down! They'll probably try to blow the doors! Fire at the door as soon as they blow! Shield your eyes if you must, but keep your guns pointed straight!
And then they waited, silently, amidst the hum of the engines and the noise of approaching weapons fire until it sounded like the vashta were right outside the door. Moments later, a thunderous explosion that even sent Quenya's ears ringing.
Weapons started firing immediately, from all directions. If the vashta were able to hold off security from one direction thus far, they had more trouble holding off the Shadowdancer's crew from two directions, in front and behind. Dead vashta started piling up just inside the door while Minnie and her team took one casualty in the first minute, protected by the crates.
Then, for a few moments, all was quiet. No vashta came in, though the sound of weapons fire still reverberated through the room, coming from outside. Finally, there was a shout and eight vashta charged into the room all at once. No cover. No self-preservation. Just a few seconds of relentless fire from both sides resulted in eight dead, four vashta and four of the security guards. Moments before the vashta overwhelmed their defensive position, Minnie stood tall, completely exposed, and started shooting as fast as her gun would allow.
Minnie: Fall back! Fall back!
Chaos reigned as the vashta crashed through the crates but met a formidable obstacle in the form of Minnie. While the others either fell back as ordered or staggered to their feet as the vashta bowled over them, Minnie stood firm, rushing into the danger, shooting two and knocking out another with the butt of her gun before the last one shot her in the chest. She fell to the deck, lifeless.
Quenya: Chief!
But still there was one more vashta, making a charge at the core. What was the plan? Shoot everyone? Suicide bombing? There were few left to mount a defense, but several of the engineering staff charged at the remaining vashta anyway, until one final shot rang out from the entrance, striking the vashta in the back.
All eyes turned to the origin of the shot to see Shep stagger in, battered and bloodied, his gun dangling limply from his side. Two more from his team rushed in behind him and tried to hold him up, but his legs finally gave out and he collapsed to the floor.
Shep: Situation clear. Get the medics in here now.
One of the guards leaned outside the door and waved his hand. Soon, the medical team flooded in with Tamati in the lead who stopped first at Shep.
Tamati: You'll live. Get him to sick bay. Anyone else?
Ramei: Check Minnie!
Two nurses got Shep on a stretcher and carried him away while Tamati rushed to Minnie. Quenya and Ramei looked on as well as they could, but the engines were their top priority and they could only afford an occasional side glance every now and then. It didn't take long. Tamati only needed a couple of waves with his scanner and his grimace told them everything they needed to know.
Tamati: I'm sorry. Ramei, you're the Chief Engineer now. As Head Nurse, I have authorization to transfer all command codes to you. I'll do it right away.
Quenya returned to work, wiping tears from her eyes. The task... The task was all that mattered right now, but nobody warned her, indeed nobody could have possibly conveyed how hard it would be to push something like this out of her mind.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
