[Galaxy] 2161.09.11 - Entering the Xantia System

[Ethan Armstrong]

[ Intrepid: Bridge ]

Ensign Choi Wun manned the Armoury console with an increasing amount
of skill as he completed more and more duty shifts filling in as Chief
Armoury Officer on the bridge. He harboured hopes that at the end of
the mission Commander Armstrong would get rid of the 'Acting' part of
his job title and appoint him as the Intrepid's full time Chief. But
such aspirations were a long way from his current thoughts as the ship
dropped out of warp into the Xantia system.

"Commander, I am reading multiple hostile signatures." he reported to
LtCmdr Case who was in command. "Several are bearing down on the
Oregonian and they are returning fire. We have also been detected and
others are making course corrections to head toward us" he added. From
the front of the bridge Ensign McCarthy gave a sharp breath as she
steeled her nerves and concentration for the moments that lay ahead.

"Let them come," Katrina muttered under her breath from the
Engineering console as she heard Ensign Wun's report. "Commander, I
say we go in swinging like a wildman and blacken as many eyes as
needed to get our people out. Engineering can supply a hundred five
percent power to both weapons and hull polarization for about ten
minutes." Then she stopped and looked down at her console, calling up
details on the Oregonian and the current state of the ship. "Sweet
mother of..." she trailed off. "They're mad..." she whispered.
"Commander, we need to get our people off that ship and get the hell
out of this system yesterday."

Case frowned. "What is it, Lt? Helm, give us all possible speed and
then whatever you can dig up past that. Armoury, weapons are free.
Engage at your discretion  until otherwise directed."

"Aye sir" Wun said and bought the weapons to bear on the Romulan ship
nearest to the Oregonian. Using a combination of phase cannons and
torpedoes they delivered heavy damage to its engines resulting in a
blaze of destruction. It was one of their weaker ships, the others
would not be so straightforward. In response Intrepid took her first
hits and the bridge shook. "Yorktown has managed to transport everyone
off the Oregonian. But Cmdr Armstrong and one other are still aboard"
Wun replied and looked over at the science console for clarification.

"Affirmative, Sir. That's what I show on life sensors as well. Hang
on. Incoming fire," replied Emily from the Science station. She
grabbed hold of the console desk and held on as the ship bucked and
heaved to the left, the shock of the assault outweighing the inertial
dampeners for a few moments.

"Two hits to the port nacelle. Looks like minor buckling, no impact to
warp drive. Commander, we need to get out of here now-ish. There's a
reason no one explodes dilithium outside of being damn rare." Another
hit and Katrina glanced down at her display. "D deck, port side,
section four. We're bleeding atmosphere. Damage control is evacuating
the area and sealing compartments," she rattled off in a manner of
fact way before continuing. "That cargo is going to blow and set off a
resonance with any other dilithium within two light minutes. If we're
not out of here we're going to lose our warp drive and not be able to
outrun the explosion."

Case gripped the arms of the captain's seat as hits rocked the Intrepid.
"Comms! Get the Yorktown and the Oregonian on the line, and find out why the
captain and the other crewman haven't left yet. Helm, I want you to move
us as close to the Oregonian as you need to for a good transporter fix on them"

Helmsman McCarthy spun the bow of the ship to place them in an optimal
position for armory to return cannon fire, but she hung there for only
a moment before diving under the trajectory of another bolt of energy.
A smaller Andorian escort whipped by with agile speed, drawing the
fire from Intrepid and leaving the NX a clear shot at the port side of
the Romulan vessel.

Wun obliged the excellent piece of flying and coordination by letting
rip again with Intrepid's cannons and torpedoes. They struck home
again and did significant damage to the enemy vessel. They had hit
back again but the armoury officer wondered how many hits they could
take in return. He hoped McCarthy would start taking a more defensive
flying approach. If they lost propulsion then Intrepid would surely
end up ranking among the lost ships in this encounter.

Abruptly, a transmission from the Oregonian cut through. Case
wondered what they meant by when the /Place goes up/. "Does
anyone have any idea what the captain might be doing that could
take out that shipyard with the Orego-"

Realization dawned, and Case suddenly felt very, very worried.
"Intrepid to Oregonian. We need an ETA for your evacuation, and it
needs to be before we take any further hits to propulsion systems."
The acting captain of the Intrepid gripped the rests of his seat until
his knuckles turned white. "Lt. Merrick, I do believe that Commander
Armstrong is trying to find useful applications for the things he
learned from your treatment of the Ukuru."

=====================
Lt. Cmdr Petr Case
XO/Science Officer
ESS Intrepid

Lieutenant Katrina Merrick
Chief Engineering Officer
NX-07 Intrepid

Ensign Wun (NPC played by Armstrong)
Armoury Officer
NX-07 Intrepid

Ensign Eloise 'Emily' McCarthy (NPC played by Garroway)
Helm/Science/Floater Officer
NX-07 Intrepid