The great escape

Posted on Tue May 31st, 2022 @ 5:38am by Captain Taliserra Tigran & Ensign Bracca & Ensign Debbie Larson & Petty Officer 1st Class Saral & Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo & Lieutenant Dovenice Baka & Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D & Lieutenant Helena Wells & Lieutenant JG Summer Wyse & Ensign Brendon Watanabe

Mission: The Silent Scream
Location: various
Timeline: 30th April 2395- 1825hrs

ON:

It had been several hours since Taliserra had given her crew their marching orders and they had begun feverous preparations for their attempt at escaping the null space tunnel, she was cautiously optimistic. Their solution was theoretical but the simulations showed it should work.

She strode out of the ready room heading for the centre chair. "Are we ready Commander?" She asked Ty.

Ty had stood before resettling in his seat. "Captain, I believe we are ready to proceed with the plan," replied Ty. "Hopefully, we will be out of here and back to normal space soon" he added with some optimism.

Anthony and the science team once again didn't include HG as she was commanding the Jem'Hadar vessel again had taken as much of the hours Captain Taliserra had given them to get as much testing in as was possible. He didn't think they had changed much but the time for testing was now over. He entered just after command had switched seats.

Summer sat in her seat hoping that the plan to get out of this hell hole of a void would be a success.

"Lieutenant," Taliserra said, Anthony's arrival on the bridge caught her eye just before she was about to sit down. "Is everything ready on your end?"

"Aye Captain, I'm not sure I have improved the odds from the meeting but we're as prepared as we can be." Antony said.

"Good, take your station and stand by." Taliserra gave Anthony a hopeful smile

"Aye Captain!" Anthony said and continues his walk to the primary science station, where he typically saw absolutely nothing except the Jem'hadar vessel. "All the norm Captain, nothing but the Jem'hadar vessel out there."


==== Jem'Hadar ship ====

HG again sat in the main seat with the spectacle in place. She called the Wolff.
=/\= Lieutenant Wells, hailing USS Wolff. You may wish to back off a little a bring shields full up. Going to bring the core on this ship up. Everything looks green, but it has been sitting quite awhile. We just all go poof in a puff of energy.=/\= She just could not let her gallows humour come through.

=/\= Will the link be stable if we move further away?=/\= Taliserra asked, it was one of many questions that had entered her mind over the last few hours.

=^=No. I just do not want to take the chance getting a sleeping warp core going up to full to probably more than maximum power to let go before we need it to and harming the other ship. Give us a few moments. We are waking the sleeping giant.=^=

=/\= We will keep a transporter lock on you as best we can Lieutenant, keep this channel open =/\= Taliserra replied. "Helm, move us back to a minimum safe distance, Kyle keep the shields on hot standby."

"Aye sir." Came the response from both officers.

=/\=Whenever you're ready Lieutenant=/\=

=^=Yes Captain=^= HG replied and left the comm open. "Lieutenant Baka let's wake the sleeping giant shall we?"

Down in engineering, Baka was busy checking over all the dormant systems and following the expected path of power. At the moment, the room had an eerie silence to it with an occasional deep creaking of space-worn metal.

To this point in time, no one had explained to her where Kiroshi was or what she was up to. She had been half-hoping to find the CEO busy at work on the Jem'Hadar ship, right around the next corner, perfecting a section of the engines.

The lack of CEO involvement was unsettling. Over the last few weeks, Baka had almost become accustomed to the other woman's micromanagement of Engineering, though working opposite shifts had helped. It meant that Baka could work off of extensive to-do lists without the hawk watching over her shoulder constantly. It was a less than ideal work environment, but it was doable.

At the comm line opening to her, Baka acknowledged, "Beginning to power up the engines now." After flipping a few more switches, the engine room was warmly purring, instantly eliminating the formerly uncomfortable silence. "Everything is working as expected. Engines are ready."

HG watched though the spectacle at the readings. It was a weird way to run a ship, but it would have to do. So far things looked alright but they were going a bit slow.

=^=So far so good. Levels are steady. I think we can beam most of rest off Captain. Lieutenant Baka will need to ensure the power transfer is working then once off. I will push the core. No other damn way to do it but these stupid glasses.=^=

=/\= Understood, stand by=/\= Taliserra muted the channel while she gave out more orders to move the ship back closer to the dominion ship then tapped the comm button on her chair. =/\= Bridge to engineering=/\=

HG continued to monitor the power levels. She was quite surprised at how well things were holding. The thought going through her mind that perhaps the occupants had put the core off line hoping to be rescued. She could only wonder at the thinking.


==== Engineering ====

Zack took the PaDD he'd had held between his lips and put it down before tapping his combadge =^= Chandler here. =^=

=/\= We're moving back into position, initiate the link between us as soon as you're ready and bring the warp core to 100%=/\= Taliserra told him.

=^= Yes ma'am =^= Zack then took a deep breath and muttered "Let's hope this works" to himself, but a bit more loudly then he meant.

The amount of programming that went into the power transfer was astronomical, but luckily the computer had done all the math. They had the reference material from the Enterprise D, but had somewhat reverse engineered it to work with the Jem'Hadar ship. Zack actually closed his eyes before tapping the control that would bring the warp core to 100%, which caused a really irritating warning to go off.

Debbie looked over from her console when she heard the warning, she'd been watching the readouts for the impulse engines as they warmed up ready for their hopeful sudden burst of speed that would see the Wolff escape. Having not had much use over the last two weeks she was leaving nothing to chance. "Time to play the 'try not to blow the ship up game'?"

"Yes, haven't you heard, it's all the rage." Zack quipped, but had his attention fully engaged in the readings. "How's the Jem'Hadar ship looking?"

"Amazing." Debbie responded, she'd never seen one up close before.

Zack snorted in amusement. "I meant her readings." He didn't think she was much to look at, but to each their own.


==== Jem'Hadar ship ====

"The Wolff is in position Lieutenant, ready to establish power link." Po Saral informed Lt Wells.

"Thank you." HG replied. She was actually enjoying her temporary command. This poor baby was soon to be not much but dust.

=^=Wolff we are ready to to establish power link. All appears to be normal.=^=

Zack quickly initiated the power link, not wanting to leave the warp core at 100% for any longer than they needed.

=/\=Standby........=/\= Taliserra waited till she got the signal from engineering. =/\=Now=/\=

Out in space a thin beam lept out from the Jem'Hadar ship towards the Wolff a small streak of light against the darkness.

"Connection established, link is stable." Saral reported.

"Thank you. Prepare for beam out." HG responded.

"Aye Sir." Saral nodded slightly and headed off of the dominion ships bridge.

=^=Captain, link established, power is holding and stable. I have requested that personnel begin beaming off. I worry that trying to capture too many while trying to disrupt the null space may be problematic.=^=

=/\= Understood Lieutenant.=/\=

In Engineering, Baka locked down the control panels and backed up, ready for transport.


==== Engineering ====


"Looks like we're connected, everything seems stable so far." Debbie announced, there were several alarm klaxons but there was nothing that would endanger the ship... so far.

Zack wasn't sure he agreed with Debbie's definition of 'stable' but it didn't look like the ship was going to blow up.

"Relax Zach, the Wolff can take it." She told him, the ship was beginning to show her age but she was confident the ship would get them home again.

"I'll relax when we're out." He smiled though, and the tension that had been drawn across his shoulders did relax.


==== Wolff ====

The lights across the Wolff shone brighter as the power of a second warp core coursed through its EPS grid.

"Status." Taliserra called out.

Taking a slightly nervous look at Ensign Watanabe as he worked for his hands over the main science bridge console Anthony cautiously considered what he was seeing. Knowing Captain Tigran was waiting for an answer he said. “An engineer might be able to give you a better understanding of how everything’s going, but from what I am seeing here the link is operational. Lieutenant Wells is of course is our best theoretical scientist, and with her being over on the Jem Hadar vessel she might feel any problems before we will see anything, being the smaller ship,

"Everything looks alright Sir." Brendon added to his chiefs assessment. "I think we're ready to go."

"Excellent," replied Ty with a nod. He looked over to Taliserra.

With the connection established and stable Taliserra started to issue the orders for the next stage. "Divert maximum power to the graviton emitters, charge the deflector dish, helm point us straight at the target location and standby for full impulse on my mark."

"Yes Sir," Using just maneuvering thrusters Bracca carefully so not to potentially disrupt the link began to turn the Wolff towards its target; a section of the 'wall' only a short distance away.

Anthony watched the entire time Ensign Bracca moved the ship to face the wall with a couple of quick hand dances across his console as the shift happened, to keep the link operational. "We're in the clear the link is still running perfectly.

"Ship is in position." Bracca eventually said after bringing the ship to a complete stop.

"60 seconds to full capacity Captain." Brendon reported

=/\= Tigran to Wells, we need at least another minute to charge the deflector array, what's your status?=/\=

=^=Holding with minor fluctuations. When you start emission, I will put everything in full overload and get us all off of here.=^=

That minute passed slowly, the crews eyes remaining glued to their displays hoping that the ship would take the extra power coursing through it's systems, Taliserra had stood slowly circling the bridge as she was want to do offering what reassurance she could to her crew.

Summer watched as Taliserra toured the bridge, it seemed to help those present as she felt a wave of released tension.

Anthony set the sensors on the spot that appeared the weakest point in a wall of darkness. Finally getting it focused on where he wanted to attack he said, "Ready Captain."

"Standby." Taliserra said as she gradually returned to her chair. "Whatever happens, keep channeling power to the graviton emitters and deflector array." She slowly took a deep breath. "Fire."

Summer hadn’t even realised she was gripping the arms of her chair until she let them go. She needed to be relaxed for others to be relaxed as well.

A brilliant wide beam of light surged from the Wolff’s deflector dish hitting the wall and splashing outwards like rain hitting the ground both ships were bathed in light.

HG continued to monitor the power and then there was a sudden demand. That meant that the Wolff was now attempting to create a hole. She went on comm.
"Right, everyone, if you have not gotten out now. I would highly suggest that it is that time. Putting the core into overload."

=^=Captain, just put the core into overload. Requesting emergency beam out=^=

'well this is it, if this goes wrong we're fresh out of ships to blow up' Taliserra thought =/\= Understood, transporter room 1 lock onto Lt Wells and beam her aboard.=/\=

=^=Yes captain. Well, my first and only command and blew up the ship!=^= she quipped.

As the energy surged out and hit the wall Anthony kept working his hand over his console. His station was sending him information galore. All the sensors were working at a normal rate for the first time since they had been trapped inside this maze. "It appears that between the two ships we are seeing the first signs of something meaningful happening Captain."

Other consoles around the bridge chirped with incoming data as the ship re-established its link with the starfleet communications and information network.

"I can see stars Captain." Bracca said somewhat excitedly, his fingers itched to send the ship hurtling towards the hole they were making.

Anthony looked a the viewscreen for the first time since his console had literally blinked back into life. and indeed did see the pinpoints of light twinkling in the surrounding darkness and half-joking, to relieve the tension he said "Captain can we get in a stock of fairy lights just in case something like this happens again. That way at least the crew and see some twinkling stars any time they want to."

Taliserra allowed herself a small smirk at Anthony's comment.

Summer was longing to get out into the star field they could see, from the rise in emotion aboard the crew were feeling as eager as she was. She just hoped none of their hopes would be dashed.

"Anthony, can we go?" Taliserra asked, she couldn't really tell the size of the hole that was forming from the viewscreens display.

"Not yet captain to give Ensign Bracca space to safely push us through that hole, it will need to be at least two hundred and ten metres in diameter. It's currently stretched to two hundred and three metres. That leaves a seven-metre stretch before it can be called safe Captain. I can stretch it a little more but that would be an extra safety buffer." Anthony responded.

HG made her way to bridge of the Wolff. She wanted to see what the efforts were yielding. As the door opened she could see a star field.

"Congratulations Lieutenant Wells, they look quite beautiful."Anthony said meaning the stars on the slightly undersized hole which was slowly approaching the two hundred and ten metre diameter size.

"Wait until we get out of here before we start high fiving it."

"HG how long do you estimate till the Jem'Hadar ship overloads?" Taliserra asked, they could only wait so long before the explosion risk would force them.

"Not an engineer captain, but an old vessel with a warp core long offline and no maintenance. I would not chance it any longer than necessary." She waved a hand at the screen. "If you can go, my recommendation is to go. As mentioned we lose the extra power, that hole will collapse as quick or quicker than we have made it."

Taliserra nodded slowly, she glanced at Ty for any last minute remarks or counters.

Ty shrugged. "For once, I don't have much to say, Captain. I think we havee an incredibly brilliant crew. I place my trust and full confidence in our scientists and engineers."

"Shut down everything non essential and standby to route it to the deflector." Taliserra instructed, understanding that the power link would be unsustainable at a distance from its source and the Wolff would have to rely on what power it could to try and keep the hole open. "Lt Edwards, keep monitoring the diameter, Bracca stand by."

"Aye Captain!" Anthony said and started calling the size from 205m to 210m when they reached their desired size instead of calling it out he said: "We can go now, Captain."

Taliserra breathed in deeply then exhaled slowly, this was it. “Ensign Bracca, course straight ahead, full impulse…. Go.”

“Yes Sir.” Bracca said proudly, he cracked his neck slightly before quickly tapping at the helm console.

The Wolff’s impulse engines flared brightly against the darkness as the ship surged forward, the pencil thin beam of energy connecting it to the Jem’Hadar ship began to crackle and dissipate.

Anthony was watching the power link at the moment that it went down. "I guess we outstretched the power link Captian because we just lost the additional power we were getting from the Jem'Hadar vessel."

“Route emergency power to the deflector, keep the beam going for as long as possible.” Taliserra ordered.

"Captain remember what I said about surfing? We might have to do that. That old ship is about to become a miniature star!" HG went to a console and reached over the person sitting there. "Sorry," she mumbled as she tapped quickly. "Anthony sending what I have to you, so you can help Bracca use what thrust and vectors if the Jem'Hadar ship lets go." She turned her head toward the captain. "We might not be able to hold the opening, need power for engines. A big kick in the rear and we might be able to thread the eye in the needle."

"I can make it before it reaches us Captain." Bracca said confident in his piloting skills, they didn't have much further to go till they reached the breach.

"Bring shields to standby but don't raise them until the very last moment if it does." Taliserra said.


==== Engineering ====

“There goes the power link.” Debbie called out after noticing the sudden drop in power showing on the monitors. “They want everything we don’t need into the deflector array.”

"They want shields now too." Another engineer called out.

Watching the power array on the main display, Baka diverted the remaining power that she could find. Lighting dimmed throughout the ship with the shunt. =/\= You've got all the power that I can find.=/\= she called to the bridge.

=/\= Can you keep the beam active?=/\= Taliserra called back.

=^= No, =^= Baka answered, the word drawn out as she tried a few more options to keep the beam going. =^= I can get you another ten seconds at best... but not much more than that. =^= Sparks discharged from her controls and she drew her hand back reflexively before any harm could come her way; she cursed under her breath.

=/\= Understood =/\=

==== Bridge ====

"You heard the lady Ensign, get us through that hole." Taliserra said, her console said it wasn't going to take much longer to get through but it was going to be close.

"Doing my best Captain." Bracca said back.

As the Wolff sped towards the stars that beckoned them invitingly the beam flickered more and more violently as its power began to fail.

Anthony was watching the size of the hole at that exact moment and noticed a decrease in the dimensions. It had already started closing before he reacted to it. "Captain we have to go and go fast. We have lost the beam and the hole is closing, Once it is down to two hundred and five metres across I can't guarantee us getting through and we're already down to two hundred and nine, four metres to scratch the paint and seven and we'll not fit out."

“You scratch the Wolff’s paint, you’re spending all your time off repainting it Ensign.” Taliserra said, keeping her voice light hearted.

Bracca didn’t react to Taliserra as he focussed on the helm console making minute changes to the ships bearing as the ship got closer and closer to the hole.

Anthony gave it a couple of metres before he made his first call because they weren’t desperate yet.“Two Hundred and eight metres captain and all is well. So far.” Anthony trusted Ensign Bracca to get them out so long as the hole didn’t close too quickly.

“We’re cutting it awfully fine Captain, at two hundred and six metres now we have a metre and a half on either side until Ensign Becca is repainting your Duco. I might help him of course that is dependent on us actually making it out Ma’am.”

Collision warning klaxons sounded from the helm console. “5 seconds to go,” Bracca called out. “4,3,2,1,0.” The Wolff passed through a seemingly invisible line and was finally once again surrounded by a sea of stars.

“Viewscreen aft.” Taliserra called, the viewscreen changed to a direct aft view, there were nothing but stars behind them, just as when they entered there was no sign they had left the null space.

Anthony didn’t need internal sensors to tell him the cheer that was fighting to come out of him had also broken out throughout the ship. He almost physically heard the removal of a bunch of window shades that had been placed over windows to cover the starlessness of whatever had been out there that they had been navigating, whether it was a wall ceiling or floor. As soon as they were out he shouted “EUREKA! Captain we are connected. Subspace is singing and the sensors are telling me we are about 6 million kilometers away from where we entered."

Summer couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear, like the proverbial Cheshire Cat! The emotions she was sensing were joyous, a flood of relief and enjoyment at being free of null space.

'6 million kilometers' Taliserra thought, somewhat surprised at how far they had travelled even at the slow speed their lack of a known course required of them. "Commander," She began turning slightly to face Ty. "Prepare some marker bouys, we'll position one here and one where we entered. I don't want anyone else falling into this phenomena if we can prevent it."

Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo flashed the woman a broadening smile and a quick nod as he stood from his seat. "I'll make sure to include an automated message, transmitting on several frequencies, all prevalent languages...I'll even be a good sport and transmit it in the Ferengi language. I can't see getting stuck in that very profitable" replied Ty.

"I could help you with Reman, Romulan, Klingonese, insectoid Zindi, Vulcan, Denobulan Commander Acevedo but many of those are in the universal translator anyway."

The First Officer quickly made his way to the mission operations station, somewhere he could utilize and get to work on setting the marker bouys up for deployment. It was an understatement to say he was pleased that the Wolff would live to see another day of 'normal space.'

HG did not say anything. It wasn't because she wasn't pleased to be out of the pocket of null space, her thoughts were elsewhere. Finally, she made up her mind and came to attention and saluted. "Though they were enemies at the time, and you did not deserve dying the way you did. I thank you that through your ship there was a chance that we survived. May you now find peace." She did not say the words loudly, there was too much else going on, but it made a difference at least to her.

Ty took notice of HG and gave a nod of approval, he could make out enough of what she was saying to understand the sentiment. He too came to attention and saluted. "I concur, they were soldiers. They deserve the peace they now find, and we escaped this horrid place knowing what happened to them. Their story now has a conclusion, and we carry that with us."

HG turned to face the commander. "Indeed," she replied and then dropped the salute. "Thank you, sir."

Taliserra tapped a button on the command chair to open a shipwide channel. “All hands this is the Captain, I’m sure you’ll all be relieved to hear we have escaped null space and are back where we belong. Despite our circumstances, your conduct over the last week has been exemplary and I thank you all for that. I would like all departments to conduct a level one diagnostic on all the ships systems and report on our status by 1100hrs, however first…” She paused for a moment having not exactly planned what she was about to say. “The bar will be live for the next 4 hours, everyone can have a few drinks on Starfleet’s tab, I’m proud of you all, Captain out.”

“You have the bridge Ty,” Taliserra said as she stood up “I need to make a report to command.”

"Aye, Captain." Ty gave a nod as he continued to work.


OFF:

Captain Taliserra Tigran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph.D
Chief Science Officer

LT Dovenice Baka
Engineering Officer

Lt. HG Wells
Science Officer

LTjg Summer Wyse
Chief Counsellor

Ensigns Bracca, Larson and Watanabe
Pnpc's