Prologue
Cardassia System, Gamma Quadrant, Old Earth Calendar Year 2375
"Medical teams to the bri…!"
The comm cut out and S'Ueht looked up from monitoring the vital readings of the patient that his CMO, A grizzled and clearly tired human from Germany, was trying to stabilize. Pandemonium had broken out in sickbay the moment they had engaged the Dominion Fleets. And there was no sign of relief in sight.
"Can anyone grab that?!" The doctor shouted.
Over the bedlam of painful wails and moans from the other patients, it was difficult for any of the medical personnel to be heard. The USS Callisto was a larger Nebula class vessel with a fully dedicated hospital. The war-effort had only increased the numbers available for sickbay, with many reserve and even civilian doctors, technicians, and medics volunteering. However, the battle had been raging, and the triage area filling up.
"I've got my hands full!" One doctor shouted.
"If I leave, she dies!" Another said.
One by one, every doctor acknowledged their duty to the injured they were currently working on. In a battle scenario, Starfleet policy dictated that at least one doctor respond physically with their presence if the bridge requested medical assistance. S'Ueht understood that it was important for a ship's command center to be given special consideration, but under these circumstances, no one could be spared.
"I'll go." S'Ueht said.
The doctor didn't even take a moment before answering, "No."
"But sir-"
"You're right where I need you to be. Blood Pressure?"
"Rising sir. His vitals are stabilizing."
"Good." The doctor said. "Now we can save the next life." He looked to another nurse that was assisting him and said, "Take over, and clear this bio-bed asap."
His doctor walked to another patient and S'Ueht followed. He had only enlisted in Starfleet's medical program at the start of the Terran year. It had been accelerated, but he already possessed extensive knowledge in biology beforehand and was more than familiar with Starfleet procedures.
S'Ueht started off in the colonies closest to Sol and Vulcan at first. Treating the wounded that needed more extensive care. But with his determination and stamina, was eventually approved for duty aboard an active starship. Callisto was his second ship after he had qualified in all his field trauma specializations. He liked to think it was because of his extraordinary skills, but also knew that it was in no small part to the number of losses the Federation had taken.
"Sir, I know I can handle whatever issues-" S'Ueht tried but was cut off again.
"Petty Officer!" He snapped. "I have a ship full of dying crewmates and those who are lining up to join them. You are the closest thing I have to a competent head nurse and physician's assistant, so right now, you don't leave my side."
The ship shook, hard. No doubt the impact from a torpedo as the lights in sickbay dimmed momentarily.
"Sir!" S'Ueht said back equally forceful. "We don't know who's injured. With the comm system down they can't relay any additional information and I highly doubt we can afford for one of our bridge officers to be away from their post."
"I'll go with him."
S'Ueht turned to see a civilian nurse walking up to them. She was Bajoran, and from her uniform quite possibly from Deep Space Nine.
"We need help over here!" A crewman spoke while walking through sickbay doors with a severely burned person in his arms.
"Whoever it is, just stabilize and move them out of the way if they don't need surgery. I want…I need you two back down here." The doctor said and jogged over to help the injured crewman.
S'Ueht turned but was pushed toward the hatch by his med-kit hitting his chest. The Bajoran nurse smile, and they ran into the corridor. Along the way, they had to dodge multiple crew members.
Panels had been fried, and several relays had blown from the EPS grid. The hallway of the deck was littered with debris, but that didn't slow them down. Finally, they reached the turbolift and S'Ueht breathed a sigh of relief that the network was still online.
"…the br..ge. Re..at, this is the bridge. All hands brace for impact."
The message became clear as soon as the turbolift doors to the bridge opened.
"At least we made it up." S'Ueht said.
He was thrown to the deck from the impact. Thankfully he had to time to indeed brace, but the wind was still knocked out of him and he tasted blood in his mouth. It took him a moment, but he began to stand, only to have a set of hands help him up the rest of the way.
"Over here, the first officer is down." A Lieutenant said.
He guided S'Ueht and the nurse over to where the first officer lay motionless on the deck before returning to the tactical station. With his tricorder out, S'Ueht began taking scans and looking over the officer.
"This looks worse than it is, just a moderate concussion and first-degree burns. Severe lacerations that haven't hit any major arteries." He said to his counterpart.
"You heard the Doctors orders. As soon as the bleeding has stopped, get back down to sickbay."
"Captain, we're receiving a message from the fleet." A Lieutenant in the first officer's seat said. "It's the Cardassians ma'am, they've switch sides and are firing on the Dominion fleet!"
"Incoming message from the Defiant, we're being ordered to push through to Cardassia Prime."
"Then let's end this war." The Captain said. "Helm, set course three-three-four, mark nine-oh-one. "Lieutenant Williams, target all Jem'Hadar fighters. We need to take some heat off their backs as they break through that line."
S'Ueht watched the bridge officers work. He was entranced, not able to break his reverie for the dedicated officers that were fighting such a bloody and costly battle. He had dreamed someday that he would work in such a place. On missions of peace and exploration, maybe even commanding a versatile science vessel such as the one he was on. The war had changed that.
"I've got a squad of fighters incoming from our starboard, aft on sensors." The helmsman reported.
"Lieutenant!" The acting first officer barked.
"I've got them." Williams said.
The ship rocked, and more consoles overloaded. On the view screen, three Jem'Hadar fighters flew ahead, but not before Williams fired. Two crimson phaser beams lashed from Callisto. They struck the lead vessel, destroying it instantly. The mid fighter began firing, and its polaron beam connected, just as two quantum torpedoes slammed into its shields and destroyed it as well. The finial fighter veered off.
"Pursuit course." The captain ordered.
"Belay that." Williams said. "Ma'am that last shot took out our weapons. Torpedo firing circuits have been damaged, and the forward phaser array is offline."
"Come about." The acting first officer said.
"It's no good." The helmsman said. "They've noticed and are right on our tails." He shook his head. "I won't be able to outrun them or get us clear for warp in time."
The captain stood from her chair. "Contact the fleet, see if someone can give us a hand. Helm, initiate evasive. Tactical, try to lay down whatever fire you can with aft phasers."
S'Ueht watched them all work frantically. The captain didn't show it, but she was worried. No hits had been scored on the final fighter and with its level of maneuverability, it could very well destroy them before they received any help.
"The nearest vessel is four minutes out." Williams reported.
"Captain, I can get the phasers back online." S'Ueht said.
The bridge went silent, and the captain seemed more confused than anything.
"I'm sorry but, what did you just say…Petty Officer is it?"
S'Ueht walked to the command well and said, "I just need access to weapons and navigational systems."
"Lieutenant?" She said to Williams.
"Ma'am, phaser firing control relays are damaged in addition to the targeting emitters. Not only can't we fire them, but even if we could there's no way to aim. Main phasers are offline and it will take a spacewalk or repair facility to get them back up." Williams said with a bitter tone.
"They're closing!" The helm reported.
"We can't afford distractions now." The acting first officer said. "You two report back to sickbay. Now."
A hand went to S'Ueht's shoulder and he saw the nurse gesture toward the turbolift. They were practically inside when the Captain called to them.
"Wait…whatever you're going to do, make it quick."
S'Ueht darted to the master system's display. He took a quick scan and then moved to the tactical station. He wasn't trying to be rude, but pushed Williams aside as he began entering in commands.
"What are you doing?!" Williams demanded.
S'Ueht continued and said, "Helm, stand by to initiate emergency turn. Stay on our axis, just rotate the ship." He ran to mission operations and input more commands before saying to Williams, "Stand-by to fire."
"They're right on top of us!" The helmsman said.
"Now!" S'Ueht said.
The Callisto spun like a carousel. As it did so, an azure beam struck forth and impacted the shields of the fighter. They crackled, and soon failed while the ship exploded.
On the bridge, every console lit up red as overloads and warnings began to display. Smoke started to emit from several consoles, but nothing more. No fires, no explosions, no incoming ships. The captain walked over to S'Ueht.
"What did you just do?" She asked solemnly.
"Ma'am…I-"
"He channeled the phasers through the warp engines. And used the control circuits to direct the energy." The operations officer said.
"He also blew out half the EPS grid and the entire phaser assembly. It will have to be rebuilt from scratch." Williams said.
"But we're alive to do so." The captain said. "Where did you learn to do that? How? Why are you only an enlisted medic?" She asked sounding astonished.
"Captain, the USS Geneva has reached us. They're hailing."
"On screen." She said.
"Captain, that was a pretty bold stunt you just pulled. I'll admit that I was holding my breath the entire time, but you seem to be able to take care of those fighters yourselves."
"We're still glad to have you. Our weapons are shot, and we could use the overwatch."
"Unnecessary, the entire Dominion Fleet has retreated to Cardassia. We'll tractor you back to the rendezvous for repairs. Again, hell of move."
She gestured to S'Ueht and motioned for him to join her at his side.
"Hell of an Ensign." She said.
Before he could say anything, S'Ueht watched his captain take off one of her pips and hold it out in her hand.
"Petty Officer, I'm not sure who or what you are, but you just saved the lives of everyone aboard this ship. Whatever your current duties, you obviously have the skills and knowledge to achieve so much more. Under Starfleet regulations, and in accordance with the rules governing wartime, I'm offering you a battlefield commission to the rank of Ensign. If you'll accept it."
He didn't know what to do. No words could describe what he felt at this moment. He mouthed a few silent syllables, and noticed the helm officer stand up to salute him. Then the officer at operations. And Science. Soon every person on the bridge was saluting him while his captain still held open her offering hand.
S'Ueht went to attention and returned the salute. He felt tears in his eyes but held them back while his captain pinned the pip on his collar. She stepped back, and saluted him as well before reaching out to shake his hand. The bridge erupted into a thunderous clap of applause all around him.
"Ensign," the captain asked once everyone returned to their duties, "I forgot to ask, what is your name?"
"I'm-"
"Eridos…?"
S'Ueht looked past his captain and noticed that the comm channel was still open and viewscreen very much active. The bridge crew of the Geneva had witnessed his promotion, but with him front and center, the first officer of the other vessel could see him clearly.
"Theus Lyon Eridos." Geneva's first officer said. "Or should I say, Ensign Eridos?!" He asked with an accusing tone.
"You two, know one another, Ensign?" The captain asked.
"In fact we do, Captain." He said. "Two years ago, I was an instructor for the Starfleet Midshipmen Program. Ensign Eridos was one of my students. But as I recall, you left to pursue an internship at Memory Alpha."
"Captain," The acting first officer said. "there is no one by the name Theus Eridos on our crew manifest. His service file shows him as an Illyrian named S'Ueht."
"Well Ensign," the captain said, "there may be a war going on outside, but I'll make the time. In my ready room. Now."