Chapter 1.3

Posted on Mon Apr 10th, 2023 @ 11:14pm by Willian Targaryen & Commander Galatea & Lieutenant Commander Ialo Gojir & Warrant Officer Harris Zim

2,100 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Remember Everything
Location: USS Enterprise
Timeline: 3189-03-17, 06:45

Once they were in the turbolift Zim turned to the Captain. "With all due respect sir. What's the plan?"

"Isolation Site Alpha," Captain Willian Targaryen ordered as he turned to watch the doors close behind them. He tapped the TriComm, "Commander Gojir, meet me and Chief Zim at Isolation Site Alpha. We have a torpedo that needs disarmed."

"Understood."

The Captain of the Enterprise looked at the new Tactical Officer, "I'll let you know when I have one, Chief." It was probably the most honest thing that the Captain had ever said to one of his crew. "So I am open to suggestions."

"I might get the Doc on standby... Then we can go to the site of the torpedo. I believe I can access the detonation controls directly from the torpedo and reprogram them. I can make the shot believe it was a practice shot. That would render the warhead inoperable and we can remove it at our discretion without any danger to the ship. However, whoever performs that torpedo surgery is going to get a near lethal dose of radiation. Hence why the doc has to be on stand by. I would volunteer for the mission, however I could not possibly do it alone. It is the best I have on short notice. Sir!" Zim rattled off the plan as most people rattled off a shopping list. It just did not seem to be too dangerous to him.

This was the one part of his role that he hated. As the Captain of a Starship he often had to send people on impossible missions that could lead to their death, and it never got any easier. Zim was one of the best tactical officers that served in Starfleet and, reality was, he was a true asset to the ship more than the Captain was at this point. "Chief, I was an Engineer at the beginning of my career - well for a year anyway - before I moved over to the Tactical track. We go together, it's our best chance to get this done."

The doors opened at Lieutenant Commander Ialo Gojir was standing on the opposite side. Ash's new Assistant Chief Engineer, at the insistence of Admiral Tua back when they first found Battle Group Omega, the Cardassian woman already had the Engineering Tricorder functions of her TriCOM in place. "I was hoping you two would get here soon. The torpedo is lodged near a damaged plasma coolant line for the nacelle. If it detonates, the coolant will rupture and overload the nacelle, we'll lose the entire ship. Do you two have a plan?"

Willian delegated the answer to the Security Chief.

Zim straightened up as if to gain his full height. "Commander, the Captain and I are going into the nacelle. We are going to effect surgery of sorts on the torpedo. The idea is that we are going to reprogram the detonation controls on the torpedo. If we can make the torpedo believe that it is a practice shot it will never detonate. The warhead will be rendered inert and we can remove the torpedo at our discretion. I am going to need you to keep an active transporter lock on myself and the Captain. There is an extreme radiation risk to this procedure. So on either of our commands we are going to need immediate transport to Sick Bay."

The Engineer looked up at the Tactical Specialist, "It's a good plan, but the radiation levels could fry you in less than two minutes, Chief." She looked at the Captain, "Ash has the automated repair systems going to lock down the plasma leak and try to isolate the torpedo."

"It won't be enough, Commander," the Captain explained. "When the torpedo detonates it'll ignite the warp plasma, leading to a chain reaction that will detonate the entire nacelle. Zim's plan is the only viable option."

"Isolation bulkheads have been moved into position," she announced after a sigh. "I'll release them long enough to give you time to get to the torpedo, but I'll have to put them back into place immediately after you clear them. It's possible with the level of radiation that's in the area that transporters won't be able to get a clean lock."

Willian looked at his new Security Chief, "We'll have to take our chances. If you're ready and willing, Chief, lead the way."

Zim grabbed an engineering kit and proceeded through the bulkhead. The Capellan in him was honored to be doing this with the Captain, and the prospect of dying with your Commanding Officer. No Capellan could ask for anything better. However, the Starfleet Officer in him wanted to tell Willian to stay behind, Zim knew that would never fly. Once they were through the bulkhead it was hard to see between the lack of lighting and the smoke it would be a miracle if they made it to the torpedo. Zim dropped to his belly below the smoke line and indicated that the Captain should do the same. Once down he saw the nose of the torpedo as it poked through the hull. Now he hoped that they would be able to access the control plating. "This way Captain. Stay low."

"Easy for me," said the El-Aurian Hybrid. He looked at the Capellan, "Easier said than done for you though, my Capellan friend." He had realized that, despite having known him for a while, both he and Zim had not really had many opportunities to actually chat. He knew, deep down, the Zim was a creature of duty. For him serving, doing his job, that was what meant the most. That was what he was here for. That was his purpose. He was good at it, actually he was great at it, and the former Admiral was grateful to have him aboard.

This situation was incredibly dangerous, but Willian knew deep down that they all had this. As they entered the chamber, Commander Gojir lifted the transverse bulkhead that isolated the torpedo from the ship. When they were safely inside, Willian turned back toward the Cardassian Commander and gave a crisp nod, telling her to seal the bay back up tight.

Behind him the large durasteel bulkhead slid back into place, isolating the Captain and Security Chief inside a room with a ticking bomb. Penetrating the duranium outer hull, the nose-cone of the enemy torpedo was surrounded by mangled metal and other debris. Nitrogen streams were tearing in from around the perimeter of the weapon as it shimmered in a brilliant silvery blue color, the internal energies of the weapon building up before them. In many ways it wasn't too different than the casings that were used aboard the Enterprise herself in the 25th Century, something that Willian prayed didn't change when they actually looked inside.

Opening the tool kit that they had been provided by the Engineer, Willian pointed at a portion of the nose, "The arming mechanisms used to be inside this compartment. We're going to have to do this very delicately, but speedily, because this thing won't stay together much longer."

"Agreed..." Zim began and he opened the access panel of the torpedo. A sequence of circuits could be seen, all of them different colors. "Ok we are in. Now we need to find the arming circuit and tap into it using a tricom. We have the tricom tell the torpedo that this is target practice and it has hit its target. It should deactivate at that point. I hope these torpedoes are wired the same as the old ones." Zim leaned in and looked at the circuits. There was a red one, a blue, a green and there was the purple arming circuit. "I found the arming circuit. Would you hand me the micro resonator?"

As they worked the Captain spoke, "You know, Chief, this is probably the longest you and I have been on a mission together since you reported aboard the Enterprise."

Zim began to run the resonator over the required circuit. "With all due respect sir the enlisted usually steer clear of the officers and this is probably why. You lot seem to get into a series of life and death scenarios and we would rather remain clear of them." He laughed. "But I am honored to be given the position as Security Chief."

The TriCOM's Tricorder function awoke, "WARNING! Lethal radiation levels. Fatal exposure in five minutes."

"Well that should speed things up. I think the circuit is ready for the Tricom to try and link up. I think that is where you come in sir. Command codes and all." Zim motioned with his hands toward the torpedo as if to say its all yours.

"I think I have a life or death situation before breakfast, genocide to stop around lunch time, and saving the Federation at dinner on my schedule today," Willian replied as he brought the TriCOM functions up on the floating holodisplay. "Interfacing with the torpedo," he explained as he manipulated indicators on the device. "If this works it'll probably be the first thing to go right on this ship since we got pulled forward to this forsaken universe." Willian entered the command codes.

And it became clear that things were not right in the universe. The entire display of the TriCOM went crimson as alert warnings came in from all sides. Willian began typing on the screen as quickly as he could, "Something's happening with my command codes. It's almost like... oh no. My command codes, when I entered them, it overrode us. This wasn't a torpedo, it was a transmitter!"

"Well now... Time to show whoever this is that there is more than one way to skin a cat. The only idea I have now is going to take split second timing from the transporters. First they need to beam in two environmental suits for us. When we are ready they are going to beam the torpedo, transmitter whatever the hell this is into space and then we are going to destroy it. WAIT!" Zim described his plan and then something else occurred to him. He glanced into the torpedo and found the communications circuit.

"We could disconnect the communications circuit that would take whoever else is out there offline. However, it will also prevent the Tricoms from communicating with the torpedo. We would have to do the rest of the work manually. Your choice sir." Zim explained his second idea.

Willian looked at the torpedo, "We'd definitely have to work fast. With my Command Code they could..."

Just as quickly as it had all began, everything around them began to change. Near instantaneously the entire room went back to its near perfect standard. The darkened lights returned to full power as the flashing red alert warnings and klaxons were replaced by their more traditional obsidian coloring. The damage to the room was immediately mended, the torpedo vanishing and the jagged metal of the wall replaced by a secure bulkhead to the outside in its place. The radiation warnings on their Tricorders were gone, replaced by readouts of the standard atmosphere of their ship.

"Simulation complete," Galatea's voice echoed through the room over the communications speakers. "Reports will be submitted to all Department Heads on efficiency."

"I'm going to find the switch that turns her on and off and I'm turning it off," Willian mumbled to himself.

"WHAT THE FRAAAAAAAKKKKK!" Zim screamed. "Forget taking her offline. I am going to wring her neck from now until eternity. I will do nothing accept watch her turn blue. Did you know about this drill sir?" Zim seethed, he could not believe that Galatea would pull something this crazy and stupid.

Willian shook his head, "Believe it or not, no I didn't. She and I will have words, Chief, don't worry. In fact, I'm returning to the Bridge now." Having programmed the 'home' function of his TriCom's transporter to return him to the Bridge when activated, he double tapped his badge and was immediately transported.

Once the Captain dematerialized Zim took a moment to catch his breath and regain his composure. It has been said that Cappellans were just as bad as Klingons at times with their anger. He knew he had to get control before returning to the Bridge. He looked to the ceileing and let out the most primal, the most emotiomally charged scream. All of the adreanaline and anger within him, the tension was released. A full two minutes later he stopped and opened his eyes. He double tapped his TriCom and returned to the Bridge.

 

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