Carpathia IV: Episode 304 - Bridge Assault
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
On the bridge, it was business as usual. It had to be, for whatever threats were on the inside, there were still plenty on the outside. The Shadowdancer picked up a vashta quarry with Teek white-knuckling the yoke, giving chase. Nalma fired in bursts, occasionally hitting the target, but still yearned for a perfect line up to unload the Shadowdancer's full might.
Far in the distance, a bright flash illuminated the windows and then suddenly silenced.
Aire: What was that?
Baal leaned in closer to his display.
Baal: One of the ringships was destroyed. The Elai 2, according to this.
Aire could swear he heard Nalma's teeth grinding behind him.
Nalma: Keep on them, Teek! I'm getting close!
Teek: I'm staying on them!
Joust: Amenaru, status on internal comms and force fields.
Amenaru: I'm running out of repair teams to dispatch. Still unable to contact Engineering or Trex. There is a cluster of systems failures that started on Deck 12 and are moving this way, between Decks 4 and 5 now. We have to consider the possibility that this is a group of vashta that Trex and her team are chasing.
Aire: Everyone check the guns under your consoles. Hopefully, we won't need them.
A beep came from Kit's console along with muffled, staticy noise coming after.
Kit: I'm getting something from Engineering. I'll try to clear it up.
Amenaru: Confirmed repair teams on site in Engineering.
Several seconds passed, densely packed seconds, filled with Kit and Amenaru working on comms, Teek still chasing the vashta ship, and Nalma targeting with Phobos assisting.
Phobos: Vashta shields are weakest on the dorsal side. Keep us high, Teek.
Teek: I'll try, but they're deliberately keeping it out of target.
Kit: I've got Engineering!
Ramei: Engineering to bridge!
Aire: We have you now, Ramei. Go ahead.
Ramei: Vashta threat is neutralized. Minnie is dead. They've taken Shep to sick bay. Repair teams are working on damaged ops systems.
The mood on the bridge soured, but only for a moment. No time for shock. There was work to do. Aire balled up his fist and pounded his armrest.
Aire: Shit. How are the engines?
Ramei: We're still Minnie's team. We're on top of it!
Aire: Shout if you need anything. Aire out.
Aire intended to turn his attention back to the battle, but was interrupted almost immediately.
Amenaru: Captain, anomalous system failures are approaching the Deck 3 reception room. The vashta are getting close!
Close enough that everyone could hear an explosion, not nearby, but a muffled thud a deck or two away. Then, Trex's static-distorted voice broke through on the intercom.
Trex: Trex to bridge!
Aire: Trex!
Trex: Oh thank goodness for comms again! The vashta have broken through the last security door. We won't be able to stop them in time!
Aire: We'll be ready. Aire out.
Aire stood and turned barked his new orders to the entire bridge.
Aire: Teek, drive the ship! Everyone else, arm yourselves and remember that your seat backs are armored. Use them for cover!
One deck below the bridge was the reception room and now they could hear the distant sound of weapons fire. The vashta were closing in fast. The bridge crew grabbed their weapons and took cover behind their seats. All but Teek, whose chair was high enough that he couldn't be seen from behind, and also Nalma, ignoring orders and sticking to getting a target lock on the vashta ship.
Joust: Nalma get down!
Nalma: I almost have them!
No more time to yell at Nalma further, for weapons fire erupted from the staircase at the back of the bridge. The vashta were fast, almost supernaturally so, in the way they dodged and weaved the return fire. Nalma remained, hunched over his console, seemingly oblivious to everything going on around him.
Nalma: Target lock acquired!
Nalma unloaded every disruptor and half a dozen antimatter warheads at the vashta ship. All found their mark and the vashta ship exploded into bits, none larger than a toaster.
Nalma: Got 'em!
Nalma should have ducked behind his chair immediately. Nalma should not have pumped his fist triumphantly into the air. Nalma completely forgot what was doing on around him and took a direct shot to his abdomen and tumbled back onto the deck.
Kit: NALMA!!!
Kit dropped his gun and charged at the vashta, grabbing Baal's sword, pulling it out of its sheath along the way.
Baal: What...
By the time Baal realized what was going on, Kit had already leaped high into the air, face contorted into a rage grotesque enough that even the vashta momentarily froze in their tracks. It was a fatal mistake, for them. Kit slammed directly into the first vashta with his feet, knocking her into the one behind her and then impaled both of them straight through their chests with Baal's sword. With one mighty yank and swoop, he pulled the sword out and sliced the head off another vashta with one fluid motion.
Joust: Don't hit Kit!
The crew watched in awe and terror as Kit sliced though the now-disorganized vashta intruders, with only a few shots squeezed off from the rest of the crew when they had the rare line of sight. As the numbers whittled down, one vashta broke away from the pack, briefly unnoticed in the chaos, and charged at an unwitting Amenaru. Phobos shouted out to him while charging his arm canon.
Phobos: Amenaru, look out!
Phobos fired his shot, but hit nothing. Where the vashta once stood was now a pile of clothes with a tiny, grey kitten nestled in the middle.
Amenaru: What the...
Focused as he was on the sudden replacement of the vashta with a kitten, Amenaru did not notice the black cat that also appeared next to him.
Ms. Tiggywinkle: Sorry it took so long.
Kit: Nalma!
Kit threw down Baal's sword, all vashta now vanquished, and ran to Nalma. Amenaru took one last quick look at Ms. Tiggywinkle before rushing to Nalma's side.
Amenaru: We'll talk later.
Joust: Medical to the bridge immediately!
Sorchae: On my way, Commander.
By the time Amenaru got to Nalma, Kit was already kneeling next to him, holding his hand. It was a grisly sight, with Kit covered in vashta blood and Nalma in his own, and shaking uncontrollably.
Nalma: It's so cold.
Aire opened an emergency medikit and pulled out some pads.
Aire: We should put pressure on until the doctor gets here.
Amenaru expected Aire to hand off the pads to someone, but instead, he kneeled down and did it himself.
Kit: The doctor is coming!
Nalma squeezed Kit's hand with all the strength he had left.
Amenaru: Tiggy, do you have any healing abilities at all?
Tiggy shook her head.
Tiggy: I'm sorry. I have nothing.
Nalma: Kit... I'm so happy that I got to see you grow up. I want you to live your best life. A life of your own choosing.
Kit: I will, Nalma.
Nalma gave a smile and a slight, trembly nod and then his hand went limp. He breathed no more.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Colourbrand
Falke2009
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