Season 2 Episode 3: Monsoon Season

[Auzual Knox]

[Shotaka]
Gibson to Knox and Kentrat. We have your coordinates locked. 4 to beam up. Energizing.

Knox breathed a sigh of relief and was soon rematerializing in familiar surroundings.

[Gibson]
"Kentrat. Please escort our guests to the Science Lab where you shall find Lt. T'Prina. And make sure they surrender all pertinent information on the solution to the Shotaka problem to her. Immediately."

Why do people hide the most crucial piece?

Knox was about to report to the Captain that she had returned to the Gibson, when her comm went off.

It didn't take much deliberation for Derek to follow up with the hopefully more understanding chain of command. "Knox, this is Black. We need to evacuate the field hospital, the perimeter security outposts are under heavy contact and I've been informed that they won't be able to hold their positions for long. With your permission, my intention is to evacuate the Shotakans currently under our care into Cargo Bays 1 and 2."=/\=

[/I] F... [/I]

Black. I hope you know what you are doing. Permission granted on the condition that once you have transported everyone in need of care, including your staff, you shall erect a Level 5 security force field around Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Make no mistake we shall be positioning armed officers on guard. This is non-negotiable, Derek.

Knox did not even breath between her next comm.

Knox to Captain Adeyemi. Things are about to get a bit crowded on the Gibson. Black wants save lives in Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Of course, heightening security. Also, we have the two prominent Shotakan scientists on their way to meet Lt. T'Prina. Though they are refusing to share vital information, Sir. They may be in need an Admiral's encouragement. Knox out.

[Jenna McKinson]

Shotaka
He and Jenna had turned away from the object whilst he tried to conduct some planetary scans, Jenna looking over his shoulder. Just then Molly shouted their names, Dan turned around as she said there was someone armed. Dan instantly dropped to the floor, partly aided by Jenna's quicker reactions. As Molly shot the attacker down, He got up against a rock and started laying down suppressing fire. The 6 attackers Molly had initially counted very quickly turned into double that by Dans count, and the reduced visibility was making it very hard to sight targets. Phaser fire bounced off the rocks they were sheltering at, chipping them each time. He fired back a couple of shots, unsuccessfully, as did Jenna and Molly. As the fire was exchanged "Shit, we don't have time for this." Dan called out. There was good terrain over to their right that would provide better cover and a better place to get a target, but he knew a distraction was needed in order to get up there. "Molly, Jenna, when I say break right to those rocks and get a better vantage point. I'll break left and see if I can draw some of them as a distraction. Phasers to stun only..." He waited for them to acknowledge before moving.

[ Shotaka ]

"Right,"Jenna said. Molly said it at the exact same time in unison. Seeing as they were in deep water at the moment, they needed to think fast. "Dan I am scanning the device and I think I can get the frequency needed to remote in. Distract them long enough and Jenna cover me. If we do this right we may just need to fall back without even looking at the device. Once we get to safety we can take a look like we wanted to," Molly called out.

"Action! Something different for once... I haven't been in a situation this hairy since before I left the club. Thank goodness I forced Molly to come to the range with me this past week," Jenna thought as she waited for Dan's signal. Molly had the pretense to bring a wrist PADD with her. Molly was a much faster "hacker" than Jenna was. She would be the one that would need to remote quickly. It was luck for her that Jenna could read system layouts and interfaces faster. The both of them were a tag team dream as they called it.

[Michael J. Tritter]

[Location: Shotaka]

Tritter had little to work with, but the man was like a blood hound and come hell or high water, they were going to find the Cadet. Most of the residents closed and locked their doors to avoid the two intimidating men with guns as they made their way through the village. But he had a place to start, and if he knew anything about the Cadet, she didn't go without a fight, which would make their job also somewhat easier. He motioned for the Klingon to approach him, he gestured slightly down the side area they were in and stated "This is where they took her from, as you can see, four of them, one of her, and plenty of signs of a fight" The Klingon chuckled quietly and added "At least we can bring the pain to them" Tritter chuckled at the reply, he enjoyed their comment.

The two men moved through the area, they tracked in an almost eerie fashion, as if they actually knew what they were doing. They noticed foot prints that indicated that someone was being moved without their consent. They followed it to an end point, but things weren't that simple, she must have been picked up. He had noticed and informed the Klingon how the others appeared to have more weight on them by the change in their foot prints. They followed the prints to what looked like a storm cellar door. Tritter noticed it was locked and the man easily shot the lock off. He than proceeded to kick the door in, it was dark and silent as soon as they forced entry... Too quiet, he didn't like it.

He proceeded to make his way through the rooms, clearing them one at a time with the Klingon, they proceeded to the room that their cadet was in, they hadn't been noticed yet, he motioned for the Klingon to go to another entrance and flank her captors. Once he saw the Klingon had made his way to the other entrance to the room a few minutes later. He than called for them to drop their weapons, of course, the first two didn't listen and were easily dispatched. The next few were given orders to drop their weapons and get on their knees, which they reluctantly obliged. Tritter instructed the Klingon to secure their prisoners. The Executive Officer covered the Klingon while he completed the task with ease. Tritter proceeded to make his way to Cadet Lachlyn, he looked over the female briefly before the large man would ask the following, "Cadet, are you ok and ready to move out?" His heavily accented voice indicated the fact that time was not their friend at this time.

[Derek Black]

Black. I hope you know what you are doing. Permission granted on the condition that once you have transported everyone in need of care, including your staff, you shall erect a Level 5 security force field around Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Make no mistake we shall be positioning armed officers on guard. This is non-negotiable, Derek.

[Shotaka: Outskirt Medical Site]

I hope so too, Derek thought to himself grimly while making his way through the increasingly crowded corridors. "Understood, Black out."=/\=

A single main hallway connected six wards together with the pre-existing Shotakan hospital, and he flattened himself against the wall as a group of medics ran by with their gurneys. " Doctor Tanner," Derek called out repeatedly, poking his head into each successive ward until he spotted his senior physician. The man was looking frazzled, not surprising considering their monumental task. "Tanner, get yourself and Team 1 ready for transport. I need you back onboard Gibson to receive the patients. Find Lunn, he'll take over down here."

There was just so much more to do. Patients needed to be stabilized and tagged with a transponder for Gibson to track them. Because of the forcefield erected to keep out the killer rain, they had to be moved to a gurney and carried out of the Shotakan hospital into their recently erected modular sections before they could be transported. Once arriving at Gibson, they would have to be carried to one of the hastily converted cargo bays, where they'd have to be reassessed and potentially restabilized.

All of this, and he had a team of thirty medical providers. Oh, and don't forget the security requirements. Derek's jaw clenched as all this ran through his mind. Whomever's brilliant plan this was needs to buy rounds at Truffle's for all of next week. No, next month. Oh wait, that's me. Damn.

He didn't just have a problem at the hospital. Back onboard Gibson, he needed the cargo bays prepped, transporter rooms briefed, medical equipment in place, and Knox's forcefield emitters and security guards in place. And all he had remaining there was a skeleton team, consisting of a couple medical technicians and, at least from what he had been told, a newly commissioned counselor who apparently joined them minutes before they departed Columbus. Derek hadn't even had time to meet the poor woman yet, he had been so busy with organizing supplies and coordinating their deployment plans.

It's either this or let them all die, he brooded while pulling out a PADD and tapping his commbadge. Not much of a choice there.

"Sickbay, this is Black, please respond."=/\=

[Kyan Mackenzie]

:: Field Hospital Security perimeter | Shotaka ::

"I'm almost out!" Walker called out from his position to Kyan's right. The young Human was crouched behind a vehicle of some sort.

"How much?" Kyan answered, sitting with his back to a short wall. The rain was still coming down and his mask was melting around his face. it wouldn't last long either.

Walker fired off a few more shots, felling two Shotakans. The aliens, sickly and angry, took up residence on the scorched pavement with their fellows who had been dispatched similarly. There was getting to be quite a lot of them now. "Umm...three percent."

Luckily, Kyan had been able to re-aquire his own rifle, which was still at nearly ten percent. Walker just had a hand phaser, and the other two were spread out to Kyan's left. The Shotakans had no beam weapons, but were pretty accurate throwing their rocks and whatever else they could heave at the Starfleet crew. He knew Black needed more time, and that Tritter had yet to check back in.

"So ok, here's the plan then." the ancient boy piped up. "Oi've ten, Cho an meself will lay down some foire so's Dunn can get to Walker's spot." Kyan popped up and picked off a Shotaka as a flaming bottle whizzed by his head and exploded on the wall behind him. "Then..." he continued, taking cover again as Cho mimicked his action. "Walker'll be usin his one way ticket back to the ship. Get some power cells, another compression rifle, some more flash bangers, smoke, an some fresh hand phasers. Beam back to the hospital and then get back here. And hurry yer arse up lest ye find us overrun when ye come back."

Walker nodded. "Yessir." he answered.

Kyan nodded. "Ahroit. Dunn, go on tree. One, two.... tree!"

On three, Walker activated his emergency transponder, disappearing in a radiant blue light. Cho and Kyan popped up and began firing in unison at the wall of aliens twenty yards in front of them, and Dunn ran in a crouch behind Kyan and to his right to take up the spot from where Walker just beamed away. Once he slid into place, Kyan ducked back down and Dunn took up firing. The little officer checked his charge. [8%]

Hoping that Walker moved quickly, he re-drew his blade and set it beside him on the still dry ground under the wall's slight overhang... just in case it came to that. "Ok boyos." he called out. "Same plan as before. Keep em back for as long as the phasers have charge. If Walker don get back before we run out af juice, we'll have tae go hand tae hand with the creature so we will. Get yerselves ready for it!"   

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Gibson - Science Lab 3]

T'Prina looked up from from her work, irritation evident in the single wrinkle between her swooped eyebrows. The sharp, coppery tang of blood flooded her senses and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I assure you, we appreciate the urgency of the situation, Admiral. Your impassioned outbursts will not expedite the process, nor will turning our laboratory into your personal make-shift Sickbay help. Unless you have something constructive to aid our efforts, I suggest you seek proper medical care."

The Vulcan did not mince her words, and allowed her consternation to color her tone. Admiral or not, Adeyemi was letting his emotions run freely, and the lab was not the place for it. Science was cold, clinical, and efficient.

"We are currently waiting for our hails to the Shotakan ILE to be answered, in addition to running several possible solutions through simulations."

As if on cue, a Comm message came through, the timing fortuitous.
T'Prina raised her brows and turned back to Adeyemi. She keyed in the coordinates as she sent the request to the transporter room.

"I believe your religion has a phrase, Sir. 'Ask and ye shall receive.' Although given the state of things, I highly doubt the Shotakans are delivering the answers to your prayers. The data may provide some key insight however."

The lieutenant muttered something under her breath that sounded like a Klingon curse. Of course, they would retain something as a sort of insurance policy. It was at that moment, the haphazard pile of data PADDs and other devices materialized on a nearby counter, precariously perched. She made a quick movement and grabbed a PADD that tried to topple to the ground. They already had precious little information and were almost out of time. She used the device and pointed at the pile.

[Science Laboratory]

Had he currently had eyebrows, Adeyemi would have raised them as the Vulcan's tone had raised his hackles. But it was not the time; she was right. They had no time for inter-species squabbling. The acid scorched brow wrinkled in annoyance anyway.

Knox to Captain Adeyemi. Things are about to get a bit crowded on the Gibson. Black wants save lives in Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Of course, heightening security. Also, we have the two prominent Shotakan scientists on their way to meet Lt. T'Prina. Though they are refusing to share vital information, Sir. They may be in need an Admiral's encouragement. Knox out.

" Adeyemi to Knox. Acknowledged. Have them meet us in the science laboratory. " When he had tapped his commbadge the officer treating him had clucked her tongue in annoyance.

"Sir, you're stable for now, but I recommend a visit to sickbay and...a new change of uniform." The ensign said as she snapped close her medkit.

"This will have to do for now, ensign. Our time is running out."

[Felicity Ellis]

[USS Gibson Á¢â,¬"œ Sickbay]

"Come out to Shotaka, we'll get together, have a few laughs..." Felicity muttered sardonically to herself, her voice echoing slightly around the small enclosed space of a storage compartment in sickbay.

"What was that, Counselor?"

Felicity pulled herself back from the compartment, bumping her head on the corner of the door as she did so. She straightened up and her eyes took in an expression of barely concealed amusement on the medical technician's face. One hand rose to her head, absently rubbing where she'd knocked herself, while she waved her PADD with the other. "Oh don't mind me Gates, I'm just talking to myself. Hazard of the job."

"I'll bet."

The technician returned to the task they'd all set themselves; cataloguing any and all supplies that might be needed to bolster the staff on the ground, or indeed the Gibson's crew, should they return with injuries. Felicity tapped at her PADD, updating the numbers of the Tri-Ox supply she and Gates had been organising.

One week into her new assignment to the Columbus and Felicity could certainly call the experience unusual. Quiet, for the most part, she'd spent much of the journey to Shotaka alternating between her quarters and the Mess Hall while pouring over rosters, reports and profiles in attempt to familiarise herself with her new crew. Once they'd arrived at the wasteland of a planet she'd reported to sickbay, eager to be of assistance in whatever way she could. Not one to sit still for long, Felicity would have preferred to be on the ground, getting her hands dirty, so to speak.

Her restlessness notwithstanding, it might have been a small mercy that she was holed up on the Gibson. Judging by the imagery they'd been receiving from the ground, Shotaka resembled something akin to a ruined dystopian landscape, with the inhabitants not faring much better. Along with Gates and another technician, they'd set about prepping for any eventuality they could conceive of given the circumstances.

The medical department was very much the well-oiled machine she'd expected it would be, and she'd been impressed with the level of professionalism and knowledge that they displayed.

"Any update from the ground?" She inquired aloud as she rested her PADD atop a medical console.

"Nothing since the medical site on the outskirts was established," Gates responded, "I wonder if Á¢â,¬"œ" The technician's voice was cut off abruptly by an incoming communication.

"Sickbay, this is Black, please respond."=/\=

Her eyes met Gates' again, her brow raised. Here we go.

"Sickbay here. Chief, this is Ellis, how can we help?"=/\=

[Leanna Mazal]

[Shotaka - Mook's Tavern]

Now that she was back on her feet, Leanna held onto the counter firmly to not only to keep upright especially as the room seemed to spin for a good minute or two. However she soon focused when something hissed next to her and she quickly removed her hand as more droplets of acid rain began raining down on them once more from another new hole in the Tavern roof.

Regardless if she felt as though she had been hit by a Morellian Pitwolf, she had to get moving if either of them was going to have the chance of getting back to the ship. Looking at the other two she became serious as she told them the plan. " We're going to have to move as quickly as possible and avoid the rain and people as much as we can until we reach someone we know or get in close enough range to request transport".

It wasn't ideal but it was the best they could do given the situation so without further ado the trio began walking across the areas of the Tavern that hadn't been disintegrated by the rain and grabbed her breathing mask that was thankfully still intact then poised taking a deep breath before opening the door. Bracing herself for the onslaught as she and Rixxy exited first, only looking back for a moment to make sure Mook was following them.

Burning needle like pains piercing her clothing as she battled on towards the next shield bubble until she heard a terrifying scream from behind her and cried out in horror as the storm picked up Mook and carried him off. Wanting to run after him to try and save him but there was nothing she could do and the last thing she heard was his cries then silence.

Tears flowing thick and fast mixed with the acid singing her skin and her clothes slowly melting, feeling utterly lost but then there was a feeling of someone grabbing hold of her and pulling her towards some kind of safety and knew it was Rixxy.

[Derek Black]

"Sickbay here. Chief, this is Ellis, how can we help?"=/\=

[Shotaka: Outskirt Hospital Site]

Damn, she is here. Derek was out of options, he needed all hands on deck. "Ellis, I hope you've got a stylus and PADD handy. We're evacuating the field hospital into Cargo Bays 1 and 2. I need you to coordinate with the transporter rooms to beam out the patients as we activate their transponders. We're looking at one hundred and two patients, as well as an additional...forty-some civilian staff and family members."=/\=

He paused as the intensity of phaser fire increased outside, and even over the gusting winds, he could begin to catch snippets of yelling and screams. They're getting closer...we've got to pick up the pace. "Keep at least one transporter room open for our personnel, perimeter security may start calling for emergency egresses, from the sounds of it, they're getting slammed. And talk to security onboard, we need level 5 forcefields securing the cargo bay doors. I'm sending Doctor Tanner and one medical team back along with the first four patients. They're ready to go when you are. Any questions?"=/\=

[Tanner Lachlyn]

[Location: Shotaka]

Tritter had little to work with, but the man was like a blood hound and come hell or high water, they were going to find the Cadet. Most of the residents closed and locked their doors to avoid the two intimidating men with guns as they made their way through the village. But he had a place to start, and if he knew anything about the Cadet, she didn't go without a fight, which would make their job also somewhat easier. He motioned for the Klingon to approach him, he gestured slightly down the side area they were in and stated "This is where they took her from, as you can see, four of them, one of her, and plenty of signs of a fight" The Klingon chuckled quietly and added "At least we can bring the pain to them" Tritter chuckled at the reply, he enjoyed their comment.

The two men moved through the area, they tracked in an almost eerie fashion, as if they actually knew what they were doing. They noticed foot prints that indicated that someone was being moved without their consent. They followed it to an end point, but things weren't that simple, she must have been picked up. He had noticed and informed the Klingon how the others appeared to have more weight on them by the change in their foot prints. They followed the prints to what looked like a storm cellar door. Tritter noticed it was locked and the man easily shot the lock off. He than proceeded to kick the door in, it was dark and silent as soon as they forced entry... Too quiet, he didn't like it.

He proceeded to make his way through the rooms, clearing them one at a time with the Klingon, they proceeded to the room that their cadet was in, they hadn't been noticed yet, he motioned for the Klingon to go to another entrance and flank her captors. Once he saw the Klingon had made his way to the other entrance to the room a few minutes later. He than called for them to drop their weapons, of course, the first two didn't listen and were easily dispatched. The next few were given orders to drop their weapons and get on their knees, which they reluctantly obliged. Tritter instructed the Klingon to secure their prisoners. The Executive Officer covered the Klingon while he completed the task with ease. Tritter proceeded to make his way to Cadet Lachlyn, he looked over the female briefly before the large man would ask the following, "Cadet, are you ok and ready to move out?" His heavily accented voice indicated the fact that time was not their friend at this time.

Tanner thought at first she was hallucinating as she'd been fading in and out for what felt like hours. This is real.... She quickly tried to speak, although her words were weak, "I d-don't know i-if I can." She tried to move, her head swimming, "But I-I will try.."

It took a little help but she was able to stand to her feet, "They h-have my gun....and my m-mask." Tanner shuffled her feet, her knees not used to her upright position, "There's a k-kid."

[Michael J. Tritter]

Tanner thought at first she was hallucinating as she'd been fading in and out for what felt like hours. This is real.... She quickly tried to speak, although her words were weak, "I d-don't know i-if I can." She tried to move, her head swimming, "But I-I will try.."

It took a little help but she was able to stand to her feet, "They h-have my gun....and my m-mask." Tanner shuffled her feet, her knees not used to her upright position, "There's a k-kid."

[Location: Shotaka]

Tritter listened carefully to the Cadet, she spoke and looked weak. He nodded slightly once she was done speaking. He than replied with, "What kid?", his voice retained it's heavy accent, although it was altered by the mask he wore. He looked curiously at her, he wondered what they were getting into, in regards to the kid situation.

[Auzual Knox]

[Gibson: Transporter room 2]

Knox watched as the Shotakans left for the Science lab.

Shall be interesting to see how Vulcan logic handles that situation.

[Shotaka: Outskirt Medical Site]
"Understood, Black out."=/\=

Black out indeed.

[Science Laboratory]
" Adeyemi to Knox. Acknowledged. Have them meet us in the science laboratory. " When he had tapped his commbadge the officer treating him had clucked her tongue in annoyance.

Was that a clucking sound?

They are on their way, Sir. Though fragile I have no doubt that they are concealing undetectable weapons that could inflict heavy damage.

Knox raised her right eyebrow as an ensign looked at her and quickly looked back to their console.

[Gibson: Bridge]

"Second Officer on the Bridge."

As Knox sat down, the command chair was noticeably less comfortable than on the Columbus. She began relaying orders.

"Weather patterns on view screen. Do we have all of our people accounted for? How many away teams are still on the surface? When does that, that hurricane-like weather disaster hit the capital? Make sure power to Cargo bays 1 and 2 holds."

"Computer. Set alerts for life signs on the surface."

If there were ever time for the Federation to need to save the day, it is right now.

[Felicity Ellis]

[USS Gibson Á¢â,¬"œ Sickbay]

"Ellis, I hope you've got a stylus and PADD handy. We're evacuating the field hospital into Cargo Bays 1 and 2. I need you to coordinate with the transporter rooms to beam out the patients as we activate their transponders. We're looking at one hundred and two patients, as well as an additional...forty-some civilian staff and family members."=/\=

Bloody hell. A frown creased Felicity's brow as she listened intently to Black's orders, her head cocked to one side. Mentally she calculated the amount of time needed to transport that number of people, the pause in the Chief's communication giving her time to process. Wait, she thought during the moment of dead air, is that phaser fire?

She glanced at Gates, noting an expression of worry on his face that no doubt mirrored her own.

"Keep at least one transporter room open for our personnel, perimeter security may start calling for emergency egresses, from the sounds of it, they're getting slammed. And talk to security onboard, we need level 5 forcefields securing the cargo bay doors. I'm sending Doctor Tanner and one medical team back along with the first four patients. They're ready to go when you are. Any questions?"=/\=

Felicity wanted to suggest that he be among the medical team sent back with the first round of evacuated patients. She wanted to inquire after the status of the security teams on the ground. She did neither of these however; something told her that sentiment would not help expedite the escalating situation on Shotaka.

"Understood, Chief. I'll be in touch once the security measures are in place and we're ready to begin transport. Stay safe. Ellis out."

She snatched her PADD from the console and began moving through sickbay. "Gates, can you get the supplies packed up and ready to be moved down to Cargo Bays 1 and 2?" The technician was already moving. "One of you should remain in sickbay in case of an emergency."

She received a distracted acknowledgement. Before reaching the door she grabbed a pre-prepared medkit and looped the long handle around her shoulder. She was almost passed the threshold and into the corridor when she spoke again.

"Sickbay to all available Gibson security personnel, this is Ensign Ellis. We need teams to report immediately to Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Chief Black is evacuating the Shotakan hospital, so we'll have visitors incoming. Erect a forcefield around the bays once you're in position. I am en route." Without waiting for a response, she launched into her next communication.

"Ensign Ellis to Transporter Rooms. We are evacuating our hospital site on the outskirts. Approximately one-hundred-fifty, that's One Five Zero, Shotakan patients and staff to be beamed directly into Cargo Bays 1 and 2. Transponders will be coming online momentarily. Keep a platform open and free for our people, it sounds like they're taking some heavy fire down there."

[USS Gibson Á¢â,¬"œ Corridor]

She spied the turbolift as she rounded a corner. Re-adjusting the medkit, she picked up her pace to a jog. She received a quick acknowledgement from Transporter Room 1 just as she was stepping inside the 'lift. She declared her destination and immediately began worrying at her bottom lip. The familiar hum of movement did little to assuage her impatience as she traveled toward the cargo bays. With Black's assertion that he'd be transporting medical personnel along with the first round of Shotakans, she surmised that they would not yet have need for additional medical expertise, but having someone there to monitor the incoming evacuees and ensure that everyone was accounted for could be one way to make herself useful.

Once the turbolift doors swished open, she all but bolted toward Cargo Bay 1. From the opposite direction she could make out heavier footfalls and voices and she jogged toward them, stopping short at a security team.

"Ensign Ellis?" A lieutenant eyed her as she approached. At her nod to the affirmative he continued, "Our teams are in place."

"Ellis to Black, we are good to go. Activate transponders."

[Leanna Mazal]

[Shotaka Surface]

Leanna had no idea where she was going, her vision was blurred and everywhere stung and burned as the rain and the storm worsened and couldn't bring herself to look down knowing she must look terrible with her skin scorched, her clothes barely covering her and her commbadge useless. However despite the pain knew she had to keep going thankful that Rixxy was still with her as the pair fought through not only the weather but panicked and frightened Shotakan's.

Guilt and grief tore through her, unable to block it out even more so with the recent memory of Mook being snatched away to his death and all she wanted was to reach the Gibson and hope that they could save those on the surface.

Slowly beginning to think all was lost until she heard the unmistakable sound of phaser fire and without a word pulled Rixxy towards the sound knowing it had to be some of the Security team.  Praying that they would see the both of them and not mistake them for someone else, making a waving gesture to get their attention until everything got to much with her existing injury and the others she sustained and collapsed into the welcoming darkness once more.

[T'Prina]

[Science Laboratory]

Had he currently had eyebrows, Adeyemi would have raised them as the Vulcan's tone had raised his hackles. But it was not the time; she was right. They had no time for inter-species squabbling. The acid scorched brow wrinkled in annoyance anyway.

" Adeyemi to Knox. Acknowledged. Have them meet us in the science laboratory. " When he had tapped his commbadge the officer treating him had clucked her tongue in annoyance.

"Sir, you're stable for now, but I recommend a visit to sickbay and...a new change of uniform." The ensign said as she snapped close her medkit.

"This will have to do for now, ensign. Our time is running out."

[USS Gibson - Science Laboratory]

T'Prina wrinkled her delicate nose, two things were bothering her. First, the loud, injured Adeyemi wasn't leaving her laboratory and he was still woefully under-dressed. The second, no matter how many different scenarios they ran through the simulators, nothing was coming close to being able to salvage even a portion of Shotaka's surface from the onslaught of the storm.

"Even with this additional data, we have no viable means of stopping or rerouting the storm. Anything we add to the toxic sludge that is their atmosphere will undoubtedly make it worse." She slammed an equally delicate looking fist into the sturdy metallic alloy table top, leaving a decidedly large dent, as a testament to her frustration. A couple ensigns looked up from their monitors, surprise evident but the Vulcan roundly ignored them. The current problem vexed her, as it appeared they had run out of both time and options.

It was then that the two Shotakan scientists, Professor Napuli and Doctor Une arrived at the laboratory. They were wide eyed with wonder at the state of the ship, outdated as it was, it was still a good sight better than a lot of Shotaka. At the moment it was a lot better than all of Shotaka. They wobbled forward and bowed low to her.

"Ah, such a large ship, so big and so clean. You are the Chief Science Officer here? And a girl? But it is no matter, no matter." The pair prattled on a bit, sometimes speaking in unison. Given the mechanical rattle of their breathing devices, it was almost impossible which one was speaking at a given time. They completely ignored Admiral Adeyemi. Considering the tattered state of his uniform, they could not tell what his rank was.

"Enjoyment of the facilities here aside, we need to know what vital bit of information you kept. None of the data you provided us will save your planet and here you are behaving like children on a study trip." The Vulcan looked at them sternly, not unlike a disapproving school teacher.

The two Shotakans settled down and took a more serious tone. "Right, quite right. Couldn't talk back at our Institute. They had us bugged, wired. One wrong peep and boom. No more ILE, no more us. The secret is an electromagnetic pulse!"

T'Prina's fingers flew over the controls on her console, reprogramming the simulator with the added information. She muttered to herself while doing so. "Introducing the pulse to the ionsphere could possibly disperse the positive ions if not outright neutralizing them. Intriguing." The simulation showed a 76.9% success rate clearing the corrosive acid, much higher than any of the previous tests. On the other hand, the shockwave would wipe out all shielding and communications on planet. If they were not successful in neutralizing the acid, everyone on Shotaka would die. If they did nothing, everyone on Shotaka would die. She held out the results for Adeyemi to observe.

"Now that we have the facts, what is our course of action, Admiral?"