USS Edinburgh – Main Engineering – 0815

“He didn’t just bust up our lip or knock us in the nose.” Chief Engineer Katsumi stood in engineering with her CO as she walked him through the damage.  The lighting was still flickering as the damage control teams wrestled with the power grid.  Main power hadn’t been restored and there was a sense of urgency among the engineering teams as they worked feverishly.  Turbolifts were running slow, and most of the crew had turned to Jefferies tubes and other assorted bypass methods to get where they needed to go.  “Decks 17 and 18 were hit pretty hard – 18 buckled under the pressure.  17’s interior is jacked but we’ve got a team making their way through.  We’ve confirmed the brig is secure – but it’s taking time to get through the mess.  Decks 3 and 4 took the hits without shielding so we’ve lost containment there completely – thankfully it had been evacuated.  We’ve got minimal forcefields up and we’ve sealed them for now.  Deck 1 and 2 are pretty bad – deck 2 also buckled and we lost containment – the briefing room’s going to need rebuilding.  Minimal forcefields there as well – until we get main power restored, I’m not sending my people into those areas.”

Harris nodded along, “Agreed.  What’s keeping us from restoring main power?”

Katsumi grumbled, “We took a gamble when we installed the weapons modules – we did some creative engineering to power them a little more than they normally would be – and it worked.  They hit as hard as they kicked…but that came at a cost to the power grid…”

He picked up, “EPS conduits, energizers – the whole lot couldn’t process when we were getting hit so hard – created some serious power imbalances.”

“We thought we could push the Eddie just a little farther, sir….but we redlined the meter one too many times.  I’m sorry sir…she just couldn’t take it.”

Ambrose looked her in the eye, “You did this with my permission, remember?  I signed off on all this.  We knew the risks…we needed something to help us balance the scales and it did that.  We just have to pick up more pieces and figure out how to compensate for this the next time.  Good work, Chief…keep me updated.”  He turned and walked through the remains of Engineering as officers scrambled from station to station to get the Edinburgh’s heart beating again.  He stepped out into the corridor as the lights continued to flicker.  He made his way to a turbo lift and thought better of it as he searched for a Jefferies tube and found one, climbing his way from deck 15 to deck 8.

USS Edinburgh – Sickbay – 0830

He entered a crowded but calm sick bay as various orderlies, nurses, and volunteers continued to triage the injured.  He found Reid in the critical care area working on an engineer with severe burns.  She glanced up, “Commander.  Give me a moment.”  She slid the bridge cover unit over the young man and gave instructions to the nurse before returning her attention to her CO by handing him a PADD.  Her uniform like everyone else was dirty, bloody, and generally a mess.  His own uniform was an amalgamation of dust, debris, and whatever else he had crawled through on his ship to get her working again.  “Total of fifty injuries.  That’s 25% of the crew.  Ten are serious – those are the ones in our beds.  The rest we’ve got in adjoining rooms here on deck that we set up as emergency facilities.” She walked from bed to bed slowly checking the vitals and status updates as she gave her report, “Two of our serious are critical – we’re going to be busy monitoring and working on them for the next 24 to 48 hours.”  She finished with the last bed and turned to him, “We took a beating, Commander.  That fifty doesn’t account for the bumps, bruises, cuts, or whatever else is walking the halls – they’ll come in later.”

The lights suddenly flickered on…and then off…and then kicked on for good.  The computer announced, =^=Main Power Restored=^=

Reid sighed, “Finally.”  She caught his concerned look and quietly appreciated the glance of her CO…but also that within that glance was a boyfriend concerned for his girlfriend.  It was an odd feeling, but one she had become OK with.  “I’m good, Commander.  We’ve got a lot of work to do before we can get back out there…but thank you for keeping us all alive.”

Harris shrugged, “I had nothing to do with it…we made some friends in the last few months that paid off when we needed the help.”  She rolled her eyes slightly at him and he smiled as he left sickbay and headed back to the bridge, this time being able to use a turbolift.

USS Edinburgh – The Castle (bridge) – 0845

“Shields are still offline, but engineering confirms that’s next on the long list.  Phasers are operable, but targeting is a bit of a problem with sensors needing repairs and realignment.  Torpedoes are also operable, but targeting isn’t going to help us.  You’ve heard the engineering report from Chief…,” Prentice sat in his chair, a bandage across his head, right hand, and ankle.  Many of the bridge crew sported similar signs of first aid as the medical team continued to work through the bridge crew.  “Operations reports they’ve begun moving crew back into the evacuated areas that are available as well.  Warp drive is still offline but impulse is online as one of the positives.”

Harris made notes on his PADD as the helm officer spoke, “Thank you, Mr. Prentice.  Any word from our Romulan…or Klingon friends?”  The helm officer reported that they were ready to transport Patra to the brig whenever it had been cleared of debris and secured.  He confirmed that their prisoner, Saho, had survived and was currently keeping her guard alive as the damage control teams closed in on the brig.  “She didn’t try to escape?”

Prentice turned to face his CO, “She promised the damage control team that she wouldn’t.  Said something about us keeping her alive meant she should return the favor.”  He chuckled, “She used…different language than that but the meaning is the same.”

“Let me know when they secure the brig.  I suspect our Romulan friends want to be rid of Patra as soon as possible.”  He looked around the bridge.  The lights were being replaced and powered back on by the damage control officers and conduits were being installed while some of the burnt-out consoles were getting taken apart and checked for further issues.  The carpet was awash in burns, blood, and debris.  The ceiling remained ruined in parts and wires, pipes, and everything else remained exposed – a temporary monument to the efforts they had undertaken to put a stop to Patra.

Prentice turned, “We being hailed from one of the other Birds of Prey, sir.”

Harris stood, motioning for the channel to be open and a middle-aged Klingon captain filled the screen.  “Commander Ambrose Harris, Federation vessel USS Edinburgh. What can I do for you, captain….?”

Silence held as the eyes of the warrior searched the bridge until they settled on Thasaz, “You have a very…eclectic crew, Commander.”  His eyes held on the Romulan officer for a moment before returning to Harris, “I am Captain J’Klast of the Klingon Empire.  I am collecting our two wayward daughters and returning them to Q’onoS.  I won’t apologize for their warrior intentions.  I will tell you this isn’t how it should have been.”

Ambrose resisted the urge to frown.  There were four Bird of Prey out there in the system and well within weapons range.  Instead, he went with, “I have studied my fair share of your world, Captain…and I accept your explanation and terms.”

J’Klast laughed heartily, “You sound like a diplomat, Commander Harris.”  He let the moment hold before he said, “I suppose in these days we’re all diplomats”, with a sigh.  “We’re warriors, Commander.  Spilling blood and conquering the galaxy will always be a part of us.”  He stared at Harris a moment longer, “There is always a chance we shall meet on the battlefield again, Commander Harris.  Seeing you fight these Romulans…it would be something to battle with you someday.”

A small smile crossed the CO’s lips, “I look forward to meeting you again…in whatever role fate has for us to play, Captain.”

A nod from J’Klast, “Qapla’, Commander.”

Harris responded in kind, “Qapla’, Captain.” The channel closed and Harris let out a long breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

Prentice spoke up from his station, “Four Bird of Preys are departing the area at full impulse.”  He turned to face Harris who was sitting down in his chair, “We made it, sir.”

He chuckled, “We still have a Romulan prisoner to bring aboard and sort out…not to mention get this ship to a station for repair.  Making it…that’s the long game.  Getting to get out of things alive to keep on that road to making it…now that’s a worthy goal.”

Prentice smiled, “Then we’ve come out alive.”  He glanced at his console, “Commander, security, and engineering report the brig is secure and repaired enough to receive Patra.”

The CO stood, “Inform the Romulans to transport him to a brig cell.  Mr. Kondo, Lieutenant Thasaz, with me.  Dr. Court, you have the bridge.”  They left the bridge and entered the turbolift, all three thinking about the meeting they were about to have.