Season 3 - Episode 10 - Perfect Future

[Leanna Mazal]

[Vacation Home]

She may of only seen him a short time ago, but having Fells here, meant a lot to Lea, appreciating just how much she loved him and how he was with Ari, as her daughter, no their daughter happily held onto him, as he scooped her up into his arms, after helping Emma. Their exchange only confirmed their bond and reaffirmed what Lea had wanted to ask him, especially in light of the situations they had been in lately.

Making him a partner in the business had been one thing, however asking if he would like to become legally responsible for Ari was another and something to be spoken about in private. For now she smiled as he greeted her and explained that everyone who needed to be, was now on their way to the medical facility and how Emma had helped.

" That's great news and I'm glad that Emma was able to help" she replied sincerely as he then greeted Max and Judy and asked for water.

Following behind them as Max answered Fells, before Judy mentioned the brownies and offered hot drinks and connecting Emma's PADD to the house's network. This was Judy and Max in their element, playing host and Lea knew that they would all be well looked after, until they got news.

Torn between the drink choices as Emma responded to Judy and Ari made her choice known, so Lea then spoke up.

" Hot chocolates for me and Ari please Max".

Hot chocolate and a brownie, could mean slight chocolate overload, but it was one of those times, where it was allowed to let her sweet tooth take over.

[Fells Halgerdur]

[holiday home]
Fells was busy talking to Ari and finding the next tap with her on his arm.
In the kitchen were some glasses and a fridge with ice and water. He sat the girl down on the counter and had a drink of water.
Exhaustion definetly set in now as he looked around and the people in the living room. Some had drinks, some were chatting and there were brownies being pulled from the ocean.
This certainly didn't feel like an evacuation but a lovely get together.

While Aris eyes flickered between the oven and Fells and his PADD, he contacted his team.
"We're save now. Any news on the Breen?"

It didn't take long for Tominsa to respond in his thick African accent.
"I've been in touch with security back on the Starbase....the Breen threatened to fire but have not made any moves so far. There seems to be a different thread inside though."
"Any idea what?"
Fells was no more than thankful that his family was safe.
"Not yet...I'll keep you updated, boss."
"Thanks....make sure you stay on top of things."

Fells ended the call and walked over to Lea and Judy.
"It's not over yet."

[Judith Eastman]

[Vacation Home]

Emma appreciated Fells' helping hand and she moved further inside so that he could enter as well. She really just wanted to collapse into a bed and sleep for two days, but at the mention of brownies, Emma perked up.

That sounds amazing. Coffee would be great, too. She let out a jaw-cracking yawn.

Oh! Will that work? Emma asked Judy in surprise. She'd never considered being able to tie in to a personal home network. When she was home, her family signed, so the PADD wasn't necessary, and it was a fairly new addition to her kit, having come up with the idea while at the Academy and working with a couple of professors to get out the bugs. I'd love to try. It will make things much easier with so many people.

Emma gingerly fished the PADD out of her satchel with stiff, blistered fingers to hand over.

[Vacation Home]

She may of only seen him a short time ago, but having Fells here, meant a lot to Lea, appreciating just how much she loved him and how he was with Ari, as her daughter, no their daughter happily held onto him, as he scooped her up into his arms, after helping Emma. Their exchange only confirmed their bond and reaffirmed what Lea had wanted to ask him, especially in light of the situations they had been in lately.

Making him a partner in the business had been one thing, however asking if he would like to become legally responsible for Ari was another and something to be spoken about in private. For now she smiled as he greeted her and explained that everyone who needed to be, was now on their way to the medical facility and how Emma had helped.

" That's great news and I'm glad that Emma was able to help" she replied sincerely as he then greeted Max and Judy and asked for water.

Following behind them as Max answered Fells, before Judy mentioned the brownies and offered hot drinks and connecting Emma's PADD to the house's network. This was Judy and Max in their element, playing host and Lea knew that they would all be well looked after, until they got news.

Torn between the drink choices as Emma responded to Judy and Ari made her choice known, so Lea then spoke up.

" Hot chocolates for me and Ari please Max".

Hot chocolate and a brownie, could mean slight chocolate overload, but it was one of those times, where it was allowed to let her sweet tooth take over.

[holiday home]
Fells was busy talking to Ari and finding the next tap with her on his arm.
In the kitchen were some glasses and a fridge with ice and water. He sat the girl down on the counter and had a drink of water.
Exhaustion definetly set in now as he looked around and the people in the living room. Some had drinks, some were chatting and there were brownies being pulled from the ocean.
This certainly didn't feel like an evacuation but a lovely get together.

While Aris eyes flickered between the oven and Fells and his PADD, he contacted his team.
"We're save now. Any news on the Breen?"

It didn't take long for Tominsa to respond in his thick African accent.
"I've been in touch with security back on the Starbase....the Breen threatened to fire but have not made any moves so far. There seems to be a different thread inside though."
"Any idea what?"
Fells was no more than thankful that his family was safe.
"Not yet...I'll keep you updated, boss."
"Thanks....make sure you stay on top of things."

Fells ended the call and walked over to Lea and Judy.
"It's not over yet."

[Vacation Home]

Max served up the hot drinks. The coffee, for Emma, was made with that they had - Judy's powerful, dark roast. He distributed first the hot chocolate to the Mazals, then the coffee to Emma, and then to Judy, a kiss and some decaf.

"You're despicable," she told him, as she smelled the decaf.
"Vile," he answered.
Then, Judy remembered her hosting duties. Sure, there were only 7 people (including them) here, but that still didn't mean she and Max could romance away like they did when they were all alone - sadly.
"Right. Sorry, the PADD," she course-corrected, embarrassed not at the public display of affection but at getting distracted. "I don't really understand technology, but we don't have a mic in the room - just in the recording studio in the basement, so you'd need to have one as part of the PADD. But we can connect you to the network. What was our password, Max?"

Max took the PADD to input their password.
"2709062414" - stringing together the day of the month of his birthday, her birthday, her twin sons' birthday, their wedding, and Michael's birthday. It wasn't as bad as the one Judy had originally gone for, but it didn't meet expert recommendations.

"Let us know if it works," he said.

Judy, meanwhile, replied to Fells' report.

"We did what we could to help them. We can only hope it's enough," the CMO replied.
She raised her mug to her lips. It was a whimsical one, reading "recently promoted to grandma".

[Naira]

[Ops]

While Aryn began a search for anyone in the vicinity of the weapons locker, she listened with interest to the captain, wondering what she was planning to do with the man.

Her brow furrowed when the computer indicated the immediate area near the locker was clear. Where would someone have been heading from there? They could have been arming themselves out of concern that the Breen might try to board the station, but that didn't feel right. Aryn had a growing sense of dread as she pulled up the access log for the locker. Last accessed by...Petty Officer Conor Lynch? What the hell?

She quickly expanded her search to all life signs on the decks directly above and below. Too many. She switched to combadges.

There he was. Engineering. But why? As she contemplated this question, her board emitted a piercing siren.

Weapon fire in Engineering. The log shows that weapons locker was accessed by Petty Officer Conor Lynch, and his combadge shows him in Engineering, Aryn called out.

She broke off and hit her ship-wide comm, blocking it from Engineering. =A= Attention Starfleet security, report to Engineering immediately. There is an armed attacker - Petty Officer Conor Lynch.

[U.S.S. Caliburn]

As the situation with the Breen ship escalated, Hawke ordered the Caliburn to stay between the boat.  The Breen received a message from the Columbus in which dealt with the issue of Mr. Johnson.

Surprisingly Hawke was surpised when the Breen did not fire or engaged in conduct.  The Breen instead helf their fire.

"Why are they holding their fire? Hawke asked out loud as he was in the Captain's chair.  He stood up from the chair and looked around.  He was confused by the Breen's action and then realized something.

In his studied they always assumed it was a the Breen fleet.  But there was not weapon fired.  You idiot! He thought to himself. They were too focused on the Breen threat that they might ignore the real one.

Hawke to Columbus, I don't think the Breen is the one that caused the destruction.  They appear to be holding fire.  Even though he has enough firepower to destroy them.  .

As he finished the statement he felt the system shake.  All of a sudden he realized what has happened.  "We altered the timeline.  We need to leave before we get caught up on it.  Science, get ready to implement T'Prina's plan and get the engine ready to get us out.  Helm prepare the Slingshot maneuver. .

Open Haling frequencies to Captain Hawke on the Station Flick, we are receiving time quakes here.  Mean something dramatic happened in the timeline.  The real danger was never the Breen, but something in the Station that's why we never found weapons fire.  We need to go know, I am beaming Lea right now and going to the slingshot maneuver and wait for the last possible second to beam you up.  Don't miss your shot. .

The Crew looked at him and looked surprised. "Are you leaving her behind?"

"If we stay here we die, she would agree that Lea is the priority and her safety comes first.  I am giving her a chance hopefully by the time we approach the station we can beam her. .  James stated in a serious tone.

With little time to spare he waited for ops.  "We have Lea and her friend...too it's copy of..."

James smiled and finished the sentence "Analyn"

Within minutes James took the center and ordered  [/color=indianred]"Begin the plan.  Take us back to our timeline or reality"

He then signal Columbus.    "It appears that the last conversation that the threat of the destruction of the base triggered a chain reaction.  The Threat is right now on the Station.  We are doing T'Prina's plan and slingshot in the Station good luck.

As James nodded the Caliburn began deploying the experiment and began to do the mauver he hoped that his ex-wife would be around to make the trip.

[Ops]

Naira couldn't begin to understand what Hawke meant by 'the threat was on the station.' Clearly, the biggest threat they were facing right now was the Breen battleship positioned just outside the station and the fleet they declared was on the way to attack them. However, she couldn't exactly ignore whatever it was that was currently going on in Engineering either.

"Get a lock on everyone in Engineering. I want Petty Officer Lynch isolated so he can't endanger anyone or destroy vital equipment."

Furthermore, she wanted to know what was going on. She thought she understood panic, she thought she could wrap her mind around the idea of why someone might try to steal a weapon and arm themselves if they felt scared or threatened, as they all did under the current threats of the Breen and the panic that came with an evacuation order, but why head to Engineering?

"Captain Naira to those in Engineering, I demand to know what is going on down there? Why are we getting reports of weapons fire?"

[Felicity Ellis]

[Miss Leanna Judith Hawke & Captain Felicity Hawke - Science Labs -> Engineering]

As soon as Felicity saw the device, placed gently on a table and looking completely innocuous, she knew something was very, very wrong.

"That does not belong here."

The soft voice at her elbow caused her to turn, and she came face to face with Carol Johnson. "Carol." She peered at the other woman, wondering at first where she'd been, but then curiosity regarding what she'd meant won out. "Then why is it here?"

The woman who had provided care to her child and support to her, returned the hard stare. "It's here to make sure one possible future is set in motion."

The pressure on her chest felt icy cold, and Felicity searched Carol Johnson's face, a hundred questions coming to mind, but no words were given flight. "You can save them. He's in Engineering, and he's about to change everything."

Flick, we are receiving time quakes here.  Mean something dramatic happened in the timeline.  The real danger was never the Breen, but something in the Station that's why we never found weapons fire.  We need to go know, I am beaming Lea right now and going to the slingshot maneuver and wait for the last possible second to beam you up.  Don't miss your shot. .

It was never the Breen.

Her ex-husband's voice rattled around her mind. T'Prina's plan would work. It had to. Moments stretched as Felicity pushed herself to come to grips with this new reality; to cast aside the shock and feeling of desperation. She wet her lips, then turned to her daughter. Her greatest achievement, her most remarkable joy. "Okay, baby, your Daddy is going to beam you to the Cal." She was crouching down, the palms of her hands at Little Lea's cheeks, cupping her small face. The girl, who was picking up on her mother's upset, looked up at her with questions of her own. "You coming too, Mama?"

"I'll see you soon."

The most important person in her life vanished into thin air, as had her onetime governess. Without further pause, Felicity left the Science Labs, leaving their fates in the hands of their past friends.

~~~

[Gregory Ellis - Passageways -> Science Labs]

"I'm sorry, Alec," Greg told his friend as they walked through the passageways. If the man said that he'd screwed up badly, then Greg believed him. Alec was not one for unnecessary embellishment. "Once this is all over, I think there are a few people who will need to have some serious conversations." He glanced over at the doctor. "As dangerous as these situations are, they do have a tendency to put certain things into perspective."

He hoped that would be the case for Alec and Aryn. When he asked if they could make an argument for leaving the stragglers behind, Greg snorted. "If you want to make it, I'd listen to it." He'd never allow it himself either, but technically, these people were making their own decisions and it was difficult to argue. "Personal responsibility, and all that."

"Speaking of stragglers..."

Greg stopped just outside the suite of secured Science Labs as his sister stepped outside and almost ran smack into them. There was a wild look to her eyes that he'd only seen once or twice throughout their lives, but enough times to know that it wasn't a good sign. "Flick?"

"Broer." She stepped straight into him and embraced him in a tight hug. As Greg, a little caught offguard, began to return it, Felicity reached out toward Alec, intent on squeezing the man's forearm. "Alec." She stepped back and after looking at them both for a very brief moment, sidestepped and walked around them. "Good luck," was her parting shot, and Greg's facial expression swiftly switched to one of confusion.

"Where are you going!?"

"Be safe!" And she was around the corner, and gone.

***

[Captain Felicity Hawke - Engineering]

The doors were open; braced so by some manner of computer malfunction. When she slid inside, chaos reigned. The crewmen who had remained were hiding behind consoles and ducking for cover as Conor Lynch opened fire, rifle in one hand and firing indiscriminately. The other hand danced across one of the mainframe monitors.

Felicity dropped to the ground and crawled toward the nearest working console, one that hadn't been shot up completely by Lynch's aimless phaser sweeps. She pulled herself up in front of it, though was careful to limit her profile to the mad Irishman. Using an old command code she remotely connected to his console. Her eyes sped across the lines of code and information that was flashing by.

"Hawke to Ops. Sec/Tac officer Conor Lynch has commandeered Engineering. There have been explosives placed throughout the base, when, I do not know, but they are comprised of future tech. Lynch is using a console in Engineering to attempt to arm them. I'm sending you the coordinates now. This is what destroys us. Not the Breen." Her eyes flashed as she sent the encoded grid locations. "You know what to do, Columbus."

She barely felt the blow to her gut, but she did notice that she was flying through the air. She felt weightless right up until her body crashed against a bulkhead. She was vaguely aware of the sound of the security team who had arrived and opened fire. She could make out some voices, a shout or two, though nothing was quite so demanding of her attention as the wet, warm feeling of the blood on her fingers when she pulled her hand from her own torso. She looked at it, then sighed. When she tapped her commbadge for the last time it was left red.

"Hawke to Caliburn." She swallowed. Her eyes closed. She took a breath; but she felt as though her lungs couldn't fit quite enough in. "James. Tell her I love her. T-tell her I'm sorry. Every day."

Take care of my baby, Hawke.

~~~

[Petty Officer Conor Lynch - Engineering]

Petty Officer Conor Lynch shot Felicity Ellis and watched her die. With her last breath she said a name. Lynch cried, and when he took a phaser bolt to the knee, he crumbled.

He didn't know anything anymore.

He screamed.

[Aryn Corliss]

[Vacation Home]

Max served up the hot drinks. The coffee, for Emma, was made with that they had - Judy's powerful, dark roast. He distributed first the hot chocolate to the Mazals, then the coffee to Emma, and then to Judy, a kiss and some decaf.

"You're despicable," she told him, as she smelled the decaf.
"Vile," he answered.
Then, Judy remembered her hosting duties. Sure, there were only 7 people (including them) here, but that still didn't mean she and Max could romance away like they did when they were all alone - sadly.
"Right. Sorry, the PADD," she course-corrected, embarrassed not at the public display of affection but at getting distracted. "I don't really understand technology, but we don't have a mic in the room - just in the recording studio in the basement, so you'd need to have one as part of the PADD. But we can connect you to the network. What was our password, Max?"

Max took the PADD to input their password.
"2709062414" - stringing together the day of the month of his birthday, her birthday, her twin sons' birthday, their wedding, and Michael's birthday. It wasn't as bad as the one Judy had originally gone for, but it didn't meet expert recommendations.

"Let us know if it works," he said.

Judy, meanwhile, replied to Fells' report.

"We did what we could to help them. We can only hope it's enough," the CMO replied.
She raised her mug to her lips. It was a whimsical one, reading "recently promoted to grandma".

[Vacation Home]

Thank you, Emma said when Max handed her a mug of coffee, then again when he gave her back the PADD. Her hands were so sore that juggling both was a bit of a challenge, so she set down the mug and turned the PADD to show Judy.

I just use this speech-to-text application. It uses an internal microphone and language processor. There are some languages loaded directly into the device, but it's also tied into my universal translator for others. Linking with a communications system allows me to get notifications and works with my combadge. Instead of it having to pick up the audio, it can pull more accurately directly from the computer as the communication comes through.

As she spoke, Emma's own words were appearing on the screen. There was no punctuation; it was almost like stream of consciousness, but it picked up all of her words accurately, even with her Deaf accent. As long as there wasn't a lot of background noise or people talking over one another, it was a very helpful device.

Emma took a drink of her coffee and hmm'd in appreciation. But even the jolt of caffeine wasn't enough to counter her utter exhaustion. And Emma suddenly realized she was absolutely filthy.

I'm grateful for the coffee, and I'm hungry, but I'd really like to clean up before I do anything else. Though I don't have any other clothes. She looked stricken. I may never get my luggage if all the ships are being turned away from the station. Who knows where it'll end up. It was an amazingly optimistic statement of belief that there would be a station to return to at some point, while also being totally cynical about the state of her possessions.

*****

[Gregory Ellis - Passageways -> Science Labs]

"I'm sorry, Alec," Greg told his friend as they walked through the passageways. If the man said that he'd screwed up badly, then Greg believed him. Alec was not one for unnecessary embellishment. "Once this is all over, I think there are a few people who will need to have some serious conversations." He glanced over at the doctor. "As dangerous as these situations are, they do have a tendency to put certain things into perspective."

He hoped that would be the case for Alec and Aryn. When he asked if they could make an argument for leaving the stragglers behind, Greg snorted. "If you want to make it, I'd listen to it." He'd never allow it himself either, but technically, these people were making their own decisions and it was difficult to argue. "Personal responsibility, and all that."

"Speaking of stragglers..."

Greg stopped just outside the suite of secured Science Labs as his sister stepped outside and almost ran smack into them. There was a wild look to her eyes that he'd only seen once or twice throughout their lives, but enough times to know that it wasn't a good sign. "Flick?"

"Broer." She stepped straight into him and embraced him in a tight hug. As Greg, a little caught offguard, began to return it, Felicity reached out toward Alec, intent on squeezing the man's forearm. "Alec." She stepped back and after looking at them both for a very brief moment, sidestepped and walked around them. "Good luck," was her parting shot, and Greg's facial expression swiftly switched to one of confusion.

"Where are you going!?"

"Be safe!" And she was around the corner, and gone.

***

[Passageways --> Science Labs]

Alec was about to make a comment about making up with Aryn when Flick suddenly appeared. Older Flick. His brow furrowed at her cryptic remarks, but she was gone before he'd even turned his hand to grip her arm back.

What...should we follow her? Does she know what's going to happen to the station? Maybe we can help.

He looked doubtfully in the opposite direction where the infamous stragglers were. Alec scrubbed at his beard. They were civilians, despite both of them having previous Starfleet experience, and should probably not involve themselves beyond their purview of evacuations. Alec found himself almost paralyzed by indecision, a state to which he was little accustomed. He desperately wanted to return to Aryn and get her away, or follow Flick to see if he could help stop the station's destruction. At this point, he was more than ready to leave the remaining civilians to their own devices.

Alec took a step after Flick, glancing Greg's way to gauge the other man's opinion.

*****

[Ops]

Naira couldn't begin to understand what Hawke meant by 'the threat was on the station.' Clearly, the biggest threat they were facing right now was the Breen battleship positioned just outside the station and the fleet they declared was on the way to attack them. However, she couldn't exactly ignore whatever it was that was currently going on in Engineering either.

"Get a lock on everyone in Engineering. I want Petty Officer Lynch isolated so he can't endanger anyone or destroy vital equipment."

Furthermore, she wanted to know what was going on. She thought she understood panic, she thought she could wrap her mind around the idea of why someone might try to steal a weapon and arm themselves if they felt scared or threatened, as they all did under the current threats of the Breen and the panic that came with an evacuation order, but why head to Engineering?

"Captain Naira to those in Engineering, I demand to know what is going on down there? Why are we getting reports of weapons fire?"

[Captain Felicity Hawke - Engineering]

"Hawke to Ops. Sec/Tac officer Conor Lynch has commandeered Engineering. There have been explosives placed throughout the base, when, I do not know, but they are comprised of future tech. Lynch is using a console in Engineering to attempt to arm them. I'm sending you the coordinates now. This is what destroys us. Not the Breen." Her eyes flashed as she sent the encoded grid locations. "You know what to do, Columbus."

[Ops]

Aryn's bad feeling intensified as she followed the captain's order and began locking on to all the life signs in Engineering and beaming them out. She located Lynch's approximate location and was attempting to erect a force field around him when Flick's call came through.

A sick feeling almost doubled her over, but Aryn quickly switched her search from life signs to explosives, narrowing the results to technology that had a different chroniton reading.

Great Bird of the Galaxy. They're everywhere, she almost whispered. Where? she asked Naira. I'm not even sure beaming them all off the station will be enough. There are too many.

[James A. Hawke]

[U.S.S. Caliburn – Bridge]

James looked at the ship as they prepared to return to their timeline. He could feel the ship shaking as the quakes from the time effect was taking place.  He clenched his jaw as he began hoping that T'Prina's theory was accurate that they would be able to return to their timeline.   The moment was tense as they began the moment and the calculation.

"Sir, we are starting the procedure.  Should we wait for the Captain?"  The Science Officered inquired.

James then smiled and responded "She will be fine. She always does.".  As Hawke said in a confident tone of voice.

As he finished he hear the countdown in the background everything seems to be moving in slow motion.  As they were in the process he heard the following.

"Hawke to Caliburn." She swallowed. Her eyes closed. She took a breath; but she felt as though her lungs couldn't fit quite enough in. "James. Tell her I love her. T-tell her I'm sorry. Every day."

Take care of my baby, Hawke.

"Sir?  Orders" the XO asked.

Hawke's heart sank, he felt intense pain in his heart.  He knew he would regret the following order for as long as he lived.  "Continue with the procedure".  He ordered boldly.   As much as he wanted to protect Lea and he needed to do that.  If the procedure was stopped they might perish.

As the lights around him flickered...there was a white light.  Then all of a sudden...they were back in their timeline.

[Felicity Hawke's Room]

James entered the room after the adventure and walked slowly to her.  It took everything in his power not begin crying but he wanted to be there for her.  "Hey sweetheart, I have some news to tell you.  It looks like mommy it's not coming back.  She wanted you to know that she loves you very much and she wanted to be here with all her heart.  She did this to save all of us. .

Hawke would try and hug her, and his eyes would begin to tear up.  Using everything he said. "Y'know Daddy is not perfect.  I always thought that she would beat anything or survive anything.  I always thought I had more time to fix things with her.  However, I ran out of time.  What I want to say, is that it's essential to tell the people you love, that you love them when you have the chance because you don't know when you will not have a chance.  Mommy said she love you very much and she wants you to know that she will be in your heart.".

As he continued tearing up, James smiled and said "But I want you to remember, how great she was in life too.  I want you to know how she lived. .  As he finished he smiled at her and embraced her as they continued their hard journey ahead.

[Leanna Mazal]

[Vacation Home]

Ari was quite content to stay with Fells as he continued to talk to her, before setting her down onto the counter, whilst he got a drink. Seeing her look between him and the brownies, only meant one thing, so whilst he contacted his team, Lea got her down and let her sit at the dining table, thinking it would be less messy when it came to her drinking and eating.

So after handing her one of the Brownies, Lea then turned her attention to her boyfriend as he approached and informed her and Judy, that it wasn't over yet. As much as she would of loved to here that it had and that everyone was still safe, it was once a stark reminder of how lucky they had been to leave on the Phoenix. That still didn't make things right or completely extinguish the guilt that she felt within.

Accepting the hot chocolate from Max, she then handed Ari hers, before moving a little closer to Fells as Judy and Max, shared some affection, before Max helped Emma connect her PADD to the network. When Judy then responded to Fells' report,  she had to agree with her friend as she added her own thoughts on the situation.

" I agree, we can only hope that it is and that we hear something soon, as to whether it worked and we can go home".

She was however pleased to see, that Emma had been connected to the network and knew that for the time being, everyone could at least, have some kind of normality, whilst they waited for further news. On the inside, it didn't necessarily make things better, but hopefully this weird feeling in her gut would soon dissipate.

[Naira]

"Hawke to Ops. Sec/Tac officer Conor Lynch has commandeered Engineering. There have been explosives placed throughout the base, when, I do not know, but they are comprised of future tech. Lynch is using a console in Engineering to attempt to arm them. I'm sending you the coordinates now. This is what destroys us. Not the Breen." Her eyes flashed as she sent the encoded grid locations. "You know what to do, Columbus."

She barely felt the blow to her gut, but she did notice that she was flying through the air. She felt weightless right up until her body crashed against a bulkhead. She was vaguely aware of the sound of the security team who had arrived and opened fire. She could make out some voices, a shout or two, though nothing was quite so demanding of her attention as the wet, warm feeling of the blood on her fingers when she pulled her hand from her own torso. She looked at it, then sighed. When she tapped her commbadge for the last time it was left red.

"Hawke to Caliburn." She swallowed. Her eyes closed. She took a breath; but she felt as though her lungs couldn't fit quite enough in. "James. Tell her I love her. T-tell her I'm sorry. Every day."

Take care of my baby, Hawke.

~~~

[Petty Officer Conor Lynch - Engineering]

Petty Officer Conor Lynch shot Felicity Ellis and watched her die. With her last breath she said a name. Lynch cried, and when he took a phaser bolt to the knee, he crumbled.

He didn't know anything anymore.

He screamed.

[Ops]

Aryn's bad feeling intensified as she followed the captain's order and began locking on to all the life signs in Engineering and beaming them out. She located Lynch's approximate location and was attempting to erect a force field around him when Flick's call came through.

A sick feeling almost doubled her over, but Aryn quickly switched her search from life signs to explosives, narrowing the results to technology that had a different chroniton reading.

Great Bird of the Galaxy. They're everywhere, she almost whispered. Where? she asked Naira. I'm not even sure beaming them all off the station will be enough. There are too many.

[Ops]

The reply she got was far from what she was hoping or expecting to hear. It sent chills running down her spine to hear the tone her former first officer took as she described the situation. That definitive, finality, was not the tone one took when they were expecting things to work out in their favor and a happy resolution to be reached, no, that was the tone one took when they knew the odds were stacked against them and despite knowing the likely outcome, they accepted their fate and chose to fight til the end.

She could hear the sounds of phaser fire, consoles exploding and sizzling electrical equipment in the background. There was shouting, more phaser fire, warning sirens and the sounds of numerous feet pounding across the hard floor like a terrible storm, before an air-piecing stream and a sudden silence. Naira didn't need to ask the outcome, she was already sure she knew. Had the security team arrived in time, Felicity's voice would still echo through the comm.

It felt as if her breath was caught in her chest, unable to escape, while her eyes threatened to well up. She could barely form words within her mouth and when she did, it felt as if they came from a different person entirely.

"Do what you can," she ordered the Chief of Operations. "Lock on to as many as you can and beam them off the station, seal off those you can't to localize the explosions."

Her hand was shaking as she reached for her commbadge. At the forefront of her thoughts she was convinced that the rest of them might be soon to share a fate with the late Felicity Ellis Hawke.  "Security, was Petty Officer Lynch able to arm the devices?" 

There was another long pause in which she felt her heart pounding in her chest. It felt as if an eternity passed before the gruff voice of Lieutenant Commander Grond came through.  "No, it doesn't appear so. And he won't be doing any such thing, anytime soon, if I have my say in the matter." 

Naira let out a sigh of relief. One disaster averted.

"Beam the devises out into space and detonate them once they are safely out of range. Activate the beacons and contact the Breen, let them know that if they are willing to call of their fleet that we can further discuss the matter of what is to happen with Mr Johnson, but we shall not stand for any threats on their part."

However, once the beacons went live and dozens of explosions happened around the base, the Breen ship chose to instead depart, leaving the matter of Mr Johnson's fate up to those on the station to decide.

End of Mission.