Mission Two: Gimmie Shelter

[Space - Mab'v Thol]

All is in place, came the thought along the lattice. Erskine's eyes glowed in pleasure. Now the next move was the Federtion carbon-bag's. Good. Re-establish the communication channel. The Tholian commander waited until the affirmative was given, and then spoke.

*Federation station, your installation is now trapped. You are at our mercy. You have aided and abetted known violators of Tholian law, and as such are named accomplice. However, in the interest of interstellar cooperation, we will give you fifteen of your minutes to release the Ujaan prisoners to our custody. If your recalcitrance continues after that point, you will be drawn into the web and destroyed. At transmission's end, you will have fourteen minutes fifty-one seconds.*

Myree Grell wrote:

[Ops]

Myree perked right back up again.  If given her choice, she would drone on and on about history and culture and sociology and all those other topics that most found dreadfully dry and likely ensured that she would die an old maid.  Such were the risks of choosing the Archaeology and Anthropology career track.

"Well!  If I recall correctly, the Enterprise...that's the Constitution-class one, mind you.  The second refit, but not the major refit of 2271, and...right," she said, clearing her throat.  "What happened was, the ship was able to free itself of the Tholians' web-lattice by using resistance from a tractor beam.  Although, in that situation, the web was spun from a single pair of ships."

Shrugging, she looked over at Sigma, hoping that the Deltan's analytical mind might come up with something.

 
Kristen was intrigued by the impromptu history lesson. She pondered whether the plan could actually work. It had been a long time. There was no way to know if the Tholians had adapted to the maneuver.


"The stations tractor emitters are at least 10 or 15 times more powerful than the old Constitution Class' emitters. It might be worth a shot." She glanced over to Sigma Nu to see their reaction to her thoughts.

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen was intrigued by the impromptu history lesson. She pondered whether the plan could actually work. It had been a long time. There was no way to know if the Tholians had adapted to the maneuver.


"The stations tractor emitters are at least 10 or 15 times more powerful than the old Constitution Class' emitters. It might be worth a shot." She glanced over to Sigma Nu to see their reaction to her thoughts.

[Ops]

"Welllll..." Myree drawled, drumming her fingertips on the edge of her console. "I'd...not advise that. At least, not as a first-ditch effort. The Enterprise's encounter came on the heels of a lot of interphasic wonkery. Hell, they even lost their captain to an alternate universe for a while! He wrote about it in his memoirs, and...uh, yeah. Anyway."

She frowned, thinking for a moment. "It might do more harm than good, since we're both sitting here in the same reality with these Tholians. Repulsing their drones away might just drag the energy net right on through the station."

Chira Abols wrote:

"I don't think so," Chira replied, holding her hand over her abdomen.  "The little guys might be doing tal-shaya in there, though."  She didn't know if it was the stress of the red alert, or just the closeness of her due date in general.  Or maybe she just needed to burp, or something.  "Maybe...maybe we should go to sickbay, just to be on the safe side."  She wasn't thrilled with that option, because it would just worry Henriks, but...Chira was also a medical professional.  She wasn't about to start acting like the usual stubborn-assed Starfleet officer.

[Promenade]

Ilana's scaled expression was hard and concerned. Multiple pregnancies rarely made it to term and given the stress generally put on any Starfleet personnel, on duty or not, was enough to make any pregnancy difficult. Maybe it was being overcautious on her part, but she remembered how Archangel's twin pregnancy had gone and the last thing she wanted was for Chira's to end the same way.

She held her hands out to help the very pregnant woman off the bar stool and onto her feet. "C-c-c-come on. W-w-w-we're g-g-getting y-y-you t-t-to s-s-s-sickbay, n-n-now."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Ilana's scaled expression was hard and concerned.  Multiple pregnancies rarely made it to term and given the stress generally put on any Starfleet personnel, on duty or not, was enough to make any pregnancy difficult.  Maybe it was being overcautious on her part, but she remembered how Archangel's twin pregnancy had gone and the last thing she wanted was for Chira's to end the same way.

She held her hands out to help the very pregnant woman off the bar stool and onto her feet.  "C-c-c-come on.  W-w-w-we're g-g-getting y-y-you t-t-to s-s-s-sickbay, n-n-now."

[Sickbay]

There hadn't been any further argument from Chira, mainly because she knew Ilana was talking sense. As a medical professional herself, she had easy access to all the research, and there had been many long nights where she'd been unable to sleep. Lots of time to read. And worry. Not that Chira was prone to worry, but...even in this modern day and age, multiple-child births were never a snap.

As the pair entered Sickbay, Chira caught the tail end of whatever Henriks had been telling his staff. Something about cracking carapaces, which immediately made her think of her days at the U of Maryland, and the ready accessibility of fresh crabs, and dipping them in butter sauce, and good god she was hungry, but thinking of food also sent a fresh wave of nausea washing through her and...

"Ugh. Hey, Apple," she grunted. "How un-lady-like would it be for me to toss some cookies all over your Sickbay?" Her grin quickly vanished, however, as a pang of real pain shot through her abdomen. "Oh!" Fortunately, there was a nearby biobed for her to lean against.

[Ops]

Head in hands, Solan sat heavily in an unoccupied chair.  Security had detained Markio, but he didn't blame the man.  Solan wondered how he would act, were their roles reversed.  His mind thought back to all the test flights.  Was there something more that could have been done?  Should there have been more simulations run?  Maybe.  But they'd all been so damned eager to get out into space and try the real thing...himself chief among the cheerleaders.  Solan recalled his speech before the Science Council and Office of the President, thinking of all the grandiose things he'd said...all of which ran hollowly in his memory.  A load of grumj.  Look where it got us.  These Tholians were insane, but they had their energy weapon deployed on the station.  No matter how he looked at it, Solan couldn't see an outcome that didn't involve more violence.

Quietly, the old man stood, approaching the admiral with his hands held out to show the security forces that he meant no harm.  "End this farce, Ms. Deacon," he said.  "There will be no more deaths on my account.  Inform the Tholians that I will comply with their sentence."

Chira Abols wrote:

[Sickbay]

There hadn't been any further argument from Chira, mainly because she knew Ilana was talking sense.  As a medical professional herself, she had easy access to all the research, and there had been many long nights where she'd been unable to sleep.  Lots of time to read.  And worry.  Not that Chira was prone to worry, but...even in this modern day and age, multiple-child births were never a snap.

As the pair entered Sickbay, Chira caught the tail end of whatever Henriks had been telling his staff.  Something about cracking carapaces, which immediately made her think of her days at the U of Maryland, and the ready accessibility of fresh crabs, and dipping them in butter sauce, and good god she was hungry, but thinking of food also sent a fresh wave of nausea washing through her and...

"Ugh.  Hey, Apple," she grunted.  "How un-lady-like would it be for me to toss some cookies all over your Sickbay?"  Her grin quickly vanished, however, as a pang of real pain shot through her abdomen.  "Oh!"  Fortunately, there was a nearby biobed for her to lean against.

[Sickbay]

As the medical staff dispersed to carry on with their various tasks, the doors to sickbay parted to admit either a few straggling medics or the first casualties of the station's red alert. There were always a few nervous cases and minor injuries soon after the start of any red alert. A red alert already, he thought, and Tholians, no less. Henriks turned to greet the newcomers, ready to quickly give aid or orders so that he could help prepare for the worst.

But when he saw his lovely lady's smiling face, he couldn't help but break out into a grin and forget all his worries for a moment. "If it would please you, my lady," he laughed... In a flash, her smile disappeared, his own fleeing just as fast. She leaned against a nearby biobed, pain evident in her face. Brows furrowed in worry, Henriks looked from Chira to Ilana. "Would you help me assist her onto the biobed?" he asked, reaching for the closest tricorder.

NPC wrote:

[Space - Mab'v Thol]

All is in place, came the thought along the lattice.  Erskine's eyes glowed in pleasure.  Now the next move was the Federtion carbon-bag's.  Good.  Re-establish the communication channel.  The Tholian commander waited until the affirmative was given, and then spoke.

*Federation station, your installation is now trapped.  You are at our mercy.  You have aided and abetted known violators of Tholian law, and as such are named accomplice.  However, in the interest of interstellar cooperation, we will give you fifteen of your minutes to release the Ujaan prisoners to our custody.  If your recalcitrance continues after that point, you will be drawn into the web and destroyed.  At transmission's end, you will have fourteen minutes fifty-one seconds.*

NPC wrote:

Quietly, the old man stood, approaching the admiral with his hands held out to show the security forces that he meant no harm. "End this farce, Ms. Deacon," he said. "There will be no more deaths on my account. Inform the Tholians that I will comply with their sentence."

[Operations]

Rachel pulled off her VISOR as the Tholians cut off their communication channel, resisting the urge to break the device but rubbing at her left implant. Tholians were notoriously difficult to communicate with and, despite everything she had learned about diplomacy, this wasn't going to be easy.

Turning sharply at the sound of the Director's voice, she scowled. "Director Solan, I do not intend to give up that easily, so you will sit down and allow us to work," she ground out before turning to look at her officers. "Young, Nu, Mira, find a way to neutralise that web. Grell, you have less than ten minutes to find a way to get under that commander's skin."

Chira Abols wrote:

"Ugh.  Hey, Apple," she grunted.  "How un-lady-like would it be for me to toss some cookies all over your Sickbay?"  Her grin quickly vanished, however, as a pang of real pain shot through her abdomen.  "Oh!"  Fortunately, there was a nearby biobed for her to lean against.

Henriks Abols wrote:

But when he saw his lovely lady's smiling face, he couldn't help but break out into a grin and forget all his worries for a moment. "If it would please you, my lady," he laughed... In a flash, her smile disappeared, his own fleeing just as fast. She leaned against a nearby biobed, pain evident in her face. Brows furrowed in worry, Henriks looked from Chira to Ilana. "Would you help me assist her onto the biobed?" he asked, reaching for the closest tricorder.

[Sickbay]

Ilana had been concerned about being able to get Chira to sickbay, but they managed between the two of them. As a medic, she was becoming increasingly concerned about her heavily pregnant friend, so it was a relief to reach the medical facilities and know that everything they could need was within easy reach.

As soon as Chira had sagged against the biobed, the Cardassian moved closer in order to help support her before Henriks darted to her side and they worked together to help the pregnant woman onto the biobed. A quick glance at Henriks made her realise that he was perhaps a little close to this one to be able to see it objectively.

"S-s-sir, I c-c-can t-t-take th-th-this one if y-y-y-you p-p-prefer t-t-to b-b-be th-th-the f-f-father r-rather th-th-than th-the d-d-doctor."

Rachel Deacon wrote:

[Operations]

Rachel pulled off her VISOR as the Tholians cut off their communication channel, resisting the urge to break the device but rubbing at her left implant.  Tholians were notoriously difficult to communicate with and, despite everything she had learned about diplomacy, this wasn't going to be easy.

Turning sharply at the sound of the Director's voice, she scowled.  "Director Solan, I do not intend to give up that easily, so you will sit down and allow us to work," she ground out before turning to look at her officers.  "Young, Nu,  Mira, find a way to neutralise that web.  Grell, you have less than ten minutes to find a way to get under that commander's skin."

[Operations]

Kristen looked first to Mira then to Sigma. She wasn't sure how they could proceed. This was a technology that they had such little experience with. The Tholian's were a mystery to even the most seasoned officers. In fact, Kristen grew up traveling from one end of explored space to the other and she had never experienced an encounter.

"I wonder if there is some way to modify this tractor bean approach?"

Rachel Deacon wrote:

Rachel pulled off her VISOR as the Tholians cut off their communication channel, resisting the urge to break the device but rubbing at her left implant.  Tholians were notoriously difficult to communicate with and, despite everything she had learned about diplomacy, this wasn't going to be easy.

Turning sharply at the sound of the Director's voice, she scowled.  "Director Solan, I do not intend to give up that easily, so you will sit down and allow us to work," she ground out before turning to look at her officers.  "Young, Nu,  Mira, find a way to neutralise that web.  Grell, you have less than ten minutes to find a way to get under that commander's skin."

[Ops]

Myree let out a little breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. The Orion girl had only just recently been assigned to the station, and she didn't know Admiral Deacon all that well. Still, it spoke volumes about her CO's character that she wasn't even will to entertain the idea of sending this poor old man to his death, no matter how convenient it would be for all of them.

"They don't really have skin," she quietly replied. "It's more of a crystalline...oh, right." Having grown up on Deneva colony, her grasp of human colloquialisms was better than most other species', but sometimes things still went over her head. "Okay. Their web tech has obviously and demonstrably improved in a century. Tholian society is rigidly caste-based, using a tricameral mixture of Warriors, Scientists, and Politicians. From what Federation records indicate, the three rarely ever get along very well."

Shrugging, Myree stroked her chin in thought. "The Warrior Caste is really big on honor and the like, even if it doesn't really conform to our sense of the word. I guess you could always challenge the Tholian commander to a duel?"

[Ops]

"With our weaponry, we could destroy the Tholian vessel, even though it appears to be something that roughly corresponds to an old Federation dreadnought-size ship. Whoever this Erskine is, he likely has clout within the Assembly." Deacon hadn't mentioned fighting just yet, and Shora knew that the admiral would use it as a last resort. The Andorian sympathized with the sentiment - she wasn't completely as blood-thirsty as junior officers often said of her - but she also knew that time was one resource they were sorely lacking at this point. "I...do not know what that would do to the structure of the web already spun."

Ilana Telak wrote:

[Sickbay]

Ilana had been concerned about being able to get Chira to sickbay, but they managed between the two of them.  As a medic, she was becoming increasingly concerned about her heavily pregnant friend, so it was a relief to reach the medical facilities and know that everything they could need was within easy reach.

As soon as Chira had sagged against the biobed, the Cardassian moved closer in order to help support her before Henriks darted to her side and they worked together to help the pregnant woman onto the biobed.  A quick glance at Henriks made her realise that he was perhaps a little close to this one to be able to see it objectively.

"S-s-sir, I c-c-can t-t-take th-th-this one if y-y-y-you p-p-prefer t-t-to b-b-be th-th-the f-f-father r-rather th-th-than th-the d-d-doctor."

[Sickbay]

To be honest, what he would prefer to do at the moment would be to pace, to clear away all those nagging thoughts and insecurities that were buzzing around in his head He had never been a father before, and as the day came nearer and nearer he worried that he wouldn't be ready. He'd had experience helping to take care of his sister when she was born, but that was so many years ago and he had still been a youngster himself. And what if something what wrong with the pregnancy? He knew that was highly unlikely, but just knowing what could happen... He would never forgive himself.

"Perhaps that would be best," Henriks admitted, looking back to Ilana, realizing that he was a bit too emotionally charged on the matter to think clearly, which wouldn't do if a situation arose with Chira, or anyone else on the station. He gave a small, nervous smile as he passed off the tricorder, taking a deep breath. He wasn't quite sure how to tell her it meant a lot to have her present and helping with Chira, so he simply said, "Thanks." It did ease his nerves some to know that Chira was in the hands of a good friend.

Henriks Ābols wrote:

"Perhaps that would be best," Henriks admitted, looking back to Ilana, realizing that he was a bit too emotionally charged on the matter to think clearly, which wouldn't do if a situation arose with Chira, or anyone else on the station. He gave a small, nervous smile as he passed off the tricorder, taking a deep breath. He wasn't quite sure how to tell her it meant a lot to have her present and helping with Chira, so he simply said, "Thanks." It did ease his nerves some to know that Chira was in the hands of a good friend.

[Sickbay]

Gently taking the tricorder from Henriks, Ilana stepped up to the side of the biobed and, offering Chira what she hoped was a reassuring smile, started to scan the pregnant woman. She didn't blame Henriks for stepping down as doctor. It was always difficult to deal with those you were close to and he had a particular tie to this case. They were about to birth his and his wife's twins. That was a significant thing. She knew that, if the time ever came or they ever got in to that situation, she would rather have Raynor holding her hand at her side rather than down at Ground Zero birthing the child.

"Ch-Ch-Chira, y-y-you're in th-th-the early s-s-s-stages of l-l-labour. I expect y-y-your w-w-water t-t-to b-b-break any m-m-moment as y-y-your c-contractions b-b-become l-l-longer and m-more f-f-frequent. W-w-would y-y-you l-l-like t-to s-s-start on p-p-pain r-r-relief?"

Ilana Telak wrote:

"Ch-Ch-Chira, y-y-you're in th-th-the early s-s-s-stages of l-l-labour.  I expect y-y-your w-w-water t-t-to b-b-break any m-m-moment as y-y-your c-contractions b-b-become l-l-longer and m-more f-f-frequent.  W-w-would y-y-you l-l-like t-to s-s-start on p-p-pain r-r-relief?"

[Sickbay]

Although Chira could hear Ilana just perfectly, it still sounded like the Cardassian was talking to someone else. Water breaking? Was this really happening? Of course, she and Henriks had looked forward to this day...after all, she'd gone off contraceptive treatments before the wedding night. Still, to be here now, knowing that it was happening...

"Uhh...yeah, go a head," she nodded, smiling weakly at Henriks. Almost as if they were following a schedule, those contractions started up again. "I think...yes, there went the water. Ooooh God, this is happening..." Reaching out, she took her husband's hand in a tight grip. "Holy shit. This is happening!"

Chira Abols wrote:

"Uhh...yeah, go a head," she nodded, smiling weakly at Henriks.  Almost as if they were following a schedule, those contractions started up again.  "I think...yes, there went the water.  Ooooh God, this is happening..."  Reaching out, she took her husband's hand in a tight grip.  "Holy shit.  This is happening!"

[Sickbay]

Quickly giving her patient's hand a squeeze in what she hoped was reassurance, Ilana darted off for a moment to grab a hypo with an appropriate analgesic cartridge. In the few seconds it had taken her to do that, Chira's waters had broken and they were ready to get in to the difficult stages of labour.

The hypo was applied to the back of Chira's neck, where the medication could take rapid effect on her nervous system through the spinal chord and numb her lower body. With that taken care of, she went to grab the rest of the equipment she was going to need for the birth as well as a robe.

"Ok, I n-n-need y-y-you t-t-to ch-ch-change into th-th-this g-g-gown, th-th-then w-w-we sh-should b-b-be r-ready f-f-for th-th-these b-b-babies," she said, offering Chira the sickbay gown and a reassuring smile.

Ilana Telak wrote:

[Sickbay]

"Ch-Ch-Chira, y-y-you're in th-th-the early s-s-s-stages of l-l-labour.  I expect y-y-your w-w-water t-t-to b-b-break any m-m-moment as y-y-your c-contractions b-b-become l-l-longer and m-more f-f-frequent.  W-w-would y-y-you l-l-like t-to s-s-start on p-p-pain r-r-relief?"

Chira Ābols wrote:

"Uhh...yeah, go a head," she nodded, smiling weakly at Henriks. Almost as if they were following a schedule, those contractions started up again. "I think...yes, there went the water. Ooooh God, this is happening..." Reaching out, she took her husband's hand in a tight grip. "Holy shit. This is happening!"

Ilana Telak wrote:

"Ok, I n-n-need y-y-you t-t-to ch-ch-change into th-th-this g-g-gown, th-th-then w-w-we sh-should b-b-be r-ready f-f-for th-th-these b-b-babies," she said, offering Chira the sickbay gown and a reassuring smile.

[Sickbay]

Henriks almost went as white as a sheet at the mention of labour. Was it really happening already? The long anticipated day had abruptly arrived, a personal little red alert that existed within the larger emergency now facing the station. But his mind was hardly on the Tholians and the web they spun.

All his thoughts were on his lovely wife, who lay on the biobed before him, holding his hand in a tight grip. With his free hand, he reached out to stroke her hair. "Mana saulīte," he murmured with a gentle smile.

He looked up briefly as Ilana offered Chira a sickbay gown, growing ever grateful for the Cardassian. His hands were beginning to become clammy from nerves, which would have made handling a tricorder or any other tools more difficult. "Is there anything you need, my lady?" he asked, trying not to let the strain show in his voice.

Ilana Telak wrote:

"Ok, I n-n-need y-y-you t-t-to ch-ch-change into th-th-this g-g-gown, th-th-then w-w-we sh-should b-b-be r-ready f-f-for th-th-these b-b-babies," she said, offering Chira the sickbay gown and a reassuring smile.

Henriks Abols wrote:

He looked up briefly as Ilana offered Chira a sickbay gown, growing ever grateful for the Cardassian. His hands were beginning to become clammy from nerves, which would have made handling a tricorder or any other tools more difficult. "Is there anything you need, my lady?" he asked, trying not to let the strain show in his voice.

[Sickbay]

Chira let out a little sigh of relieve as the hypo medicine settled into her body, a comfortable kind of numbness. She looked to Ilana, and then to Henriks, feeling somewhat dizzy as she did both. Chira almost felt like this all was happening to someone else, like she was a spectator floating on through the sickbay during a live birth.

Quickly, she was taken into a private section of Sickbay. Her maternity smock was replaced by a gown as she lay back, re-gripping Henriks' hand in her own. "I think I've got it all here," she murmured, gritting her teeth as another contraction jolted through her. "I...I guess...they're not gonna wait around much longer." She hoped that whatever foolishness was going on with the Tholians didn't make them all parents for a day only. None of that. Focus on what's happening here. Focus on Henriks. Focus on Ilana. Focus on the babies.

Chira Abols wrote:

Chira let out a little sigh of relieve as the hypo medicine settled into her body, a comfortable kind of numbness.  She looked to Ilana, and then to Henriks, feeling somewhat dizzy as she did both.  Chira almost felt like this all was happening to someone else, like she was a spectator floating on through the sickbay during a live birth.

Quickly, she was taken into a private section of Sickbay.  Her maternity smock was replaced by a gown as she lay back, re-gripping Henriks' hand in her own.  "I think I've got it all here," she murmured, gritting her teeth as another contraction jolted through her.  "I...I guess...they're not gonna wait around much longer."  She hoped that whatever foolishness was going on with the Tholians didn't make them all parents for a day only.  None of that.  Focus on what's happening here.  Focus on Henriks.  Focus on Ilana.  Focus on the babies.

[Sickbay]

Now that the patient was situated, Ilana sat down on a stool and scooted herself into position with her tricorder. She had never been much of a midwife, but she was still a medic. She knew how this was supposed to work and she was needed.

"Y-y-your c-c-cervix is s-s-starting t-t-to d-d-d-dilate in p-p-preparation," she stated, reading off her tricorder. "In t-t-ten m-m-minutes or s-s-so, y-y-you sh-sh-should b-b-be able t-t-to s-s-start p-p-pushing."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen looked first to Mira then to Sigma. She wasn't sure how they could proceed. This was a technology that they had such little experience with. The Tholian's were a mystery to even the most seasoned officers. In fact, Kristen grew up traveling from one end of explored space to the other and she had never experienced an encounter.

"I wonder if there is some way to modify this tractor bean approach?"

[Ops]

Having been apprised of the crisis currently unfolding in their local space, Maila had made her way from the lower decks to the command center.  She nodded and gave a small smile to the other Orion on-board, making a mental note to try to talk to the ensign at some point.  With so few of their kind in Starfleet, it seemed a shame not to try and make friends, especially being on the same duty station.

Of course, that would depend on if they survived today or not.

"I like the tractor beam idea more than most anything else, really," the Chief Engineer said, leaning over Young's console.  She wasn't trying to be rude, but 'personal space' didn't mean as much to an Orion as it did to many other species.  "Admiral, we don't have an infinite amount of energy to draw from, but we sure as hell have a lot more than that ship, I'd wager."  She turned again to Young.  "Ensign.  If we oscillate harmonics and try to match on to whatever that energy web is putting out, we can focus our tractor beam into a repulsor burst.  Maybe try to push it as much as we can, strain the hell out of that web.  See if we can push it far enough so as to dissipate the whole thing?" It was a gamble, to be sure. The strain on the station's systems would be considerable.

Myree Grell wrote:

"They don't really have skin," she quietly replied.  "It's more of a crystalline...oh, right."  Having grown up on Deneva colony, her grasp of human colloquialisms was better than most other species', but sometimes things still went over her head.  "Okay.  Their web tech has obviously and demonstrably improved in a century.  Tholian society is rigidly caste-based, using a tricameral mixture of Warriors, Scientists, and Politicians.  From what Federation records indicate, the three rarely ever get along very well."

Shrugging, Myree stroked her chin in thought.  "The Warrior Caste is really big on honor and the like, even if it doesn't really conform to our sense of the word.  I guess you could always challenge the Tholian commander to a duel?"

NPC wrote:

"I like the tractor beam idea more than most anything else, really," the Chief Engineer said, leaning over Young's console. She wasn't trying to be rude, but 'personal space' didn't mean as much to an Orion as it did to many other species. "Admiral, we don't have an infinite amount of energy to draw from, but we sure as hell have a lot more than that ship, I'd wager." She turned again to Young. "Ensign. If we oscillate harmonics and try to match on to whatever that energy web is putting out, we can focus our tractor beam into a repulsor burst. Maybe try to push it as much as we can, strain the hell out of that web. See if we can push it far enough so as to dissipate the whole thing?" It was a gamble, to be sure. The strain on the station's systems would be considerable.

[Operations]

Rachel didn't know much about the engineering or operations when it came to the starbase. That wasn't her line of expertise, so she was leaving that to those who actually knew what they were doing. At that point, her main concern wasn't going to be how to get out of the web, but more how they were going to stay out of it and hopefully keep their new friends safe while they were at it.

"Lieutenant Malia, take charge of that plan. Pull all the resources you need for it and keep me updated on your progress. Ensign Grell, what precedents do we have on contacting Tholian homeworld? Can we get a message out to them?"

NPC wrote:

Lt. Maila

[Ops]

Having been apprised of the crisis currently unfolding in their local space, Maila had made her way from the lower decks to the command center.  She nodded and gave a small smile to the other Orion on-board, making a mental note to try to talk to the ensign at some point.  With so few of their kind in Starfleet, it seemed a shame not to try and make friends, especially being on the same duty station.

Of course, that would depend on if they survived today or not.

"I like the tractor beam idea more than most anything else, really," the Chief Engineer said, leaning over Young's console.  She wasn't trying to be rude, but 'personal space' didn't mean as much to an Orion as it did to many other species.  "Admiral, we don't have an infinite amount of energy to draw from, but we sure as hell have a lot more than that ship, I'd wager."  She turned again to Young.  "Ensign.  If we oscillate harmonics and try to match on to whatever that energy web is putting out, we can focus our tractor beam into a repulsor burst.  Maybe try to push it as much as we can, strain the hell out of that web.  See if we can push it far enough so as to dissipate the whole thing?"  It was a gamble, to be sure.  The strain on the station's systems would be considerable.

[Ops]

Kristen looked up at the Lieutenant as she formulated their plan of action. As she spoke Kristen looked back to her console and began to work the details of her plan. She prepared the tractor emitters and started to re-route power to accommodate a repulser burst.

"Aye sir, we're ready on your orders. However, it should be noted. The feedback from this energy burst could disrupt the entire power distribution system, not to mention fry the tractor emitters."

Ilana Telak wrote:

Now that the patient was situated, Ilana sat down on a stool and scooted herself into position with her tricorder.  She had never been much of a midwife, but she was still a medic.  She knew how this was supposed to work and she was needed.

"Y-y-your c-c-cervix is s-s-starting t-t-to d-d-d-dilate in p-p-preparation," she stated, reading off her tricorder.  "In t-t-ten m-m-minutes or s-s-so, y-y-you sh-sh-should b-b-be able t-t-to s-s-start p-p-pushing."

[Sickbay]

"H-hear that, Apple? Dilated cervix. She...she's starting to talk dirty. And in front of the children..." Chira gritted her teeth against the pain, never stopping to reason that most of it was in her head, since the pain relievers had taken hold. Then again, this was childbirth.

Feeling more pain and pressure, she listened to the instinct inside her head that told her it was time to start pushing. And so pushing, she did...keeping her death-grip on Henriks' hand.

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen looked up at the Lieutenant as she formulated their plan of action. As she spoke Kristen looked back to her console and began to work the details of her plan. She prepared the tractor emitters and started to re-route power to accommodate a repulser burst.

"Aye sir, we're ready on your orders. However, it should be noted. The feedback from this energy burst could disrupt the entire power distribution system, not to mention fry the tractor emitters."

[Operations]

Although she wasn't about to admit it, Rachel was almost relieved to hear that the tractor emitter plan was about ready to be put into place. The thought of the web being out there was making her a little claustrophobic on her own station. However, the knowledge that it could blow out their entire power distribution network gave her pause for thought.

"Have it ready to go. Grell, how are you getting on with contacting the Tholian homeworld? I'd rather not disrupt the power network if we can avoid it."

Kristen Young wrote:

Kristen looked up at the Lieutenant as she formulated their plan of action. As she spoke Kristen looked back to her console and began to work the details of her plan. She prepared the tractor emitters and started to re-route power to accommodate a repulser burst.

"Aye sir, we're ready on your orders. However, it should be noted. The feedback from this energy burst could disrupt the entire power distribution system, not to mention fry the tractor emitters."

[Ops]

Nodding with approval, Maila assisted the Ops ensign in preparing the station's emitters.  She allowed a little smile to touch her green lips as Young voiced concern for the systems, echoing her own earlier thoughts.  Kid learns quickly, she thought, even though the ensign wasn't likely any more than five years her junior.

"Emitters reading ready, Admiral," the Orion said, straightening from the console.  Her people had done quick work.  Of course, having Tholians with their eyes on the clock tended to make people put some step into it.  "Engaging repulsor burst on your mark."