CH38
Kate was on her knees in front of a medical pod and was trying desperately to get the damn thing to work. "OW!" She pulled her hand back and placed the damaged fingers in her mouth. It didn't help that she was crying heavily and could barely see what she was doing.
She wiped her tears away and went back to work. It was almost an hour later when she tried the self-diagnostic routine and watched it check each and every function until it reached a fault and gave her an error code. "GOD DAMN IT! Why won't you work." She pounded her hands on the clear Plexiglas top. The stupid thing had to work, she had to get it working again. She had to...
"Kate," a voice called out softly. She was up on her feet in a heartbeat, however, all that did was bring her pain. "OW!" She felt her tears increase. As if her present situation wasn't bad enough she was hopping and limping her way over to Rick on what she feared was a broken ankle.
He looked like crap hence the need to get the cantankerous machine to work properly. She needed to get Rick into it. She essentially crashed to the floor next to him. "Babe, are you with me? Can you stay awake long enough this time?" Kate stroked his hair. "Here, drink a little." She placed a bottle at his lips. She wasn't sure they could afford for him to be drinking but she needed someone to talk to and she didn't want to see him suffering so she would do without a little longer. It was a small price to pay.
"What ...happened?" Rick was having trouble keeping his eyes open. Then he lifted an arm and placed his hand against her cheek. She had been crying and it was breaking his heart to see her like this. "We crashed. What do you remember?" she asked him as she searched his eyes. She had to get him into the damned medical pod. "Crashed?" He heard the word but it didn't tell him much. "Yeah, we crashed. I've been so scared. Please tell me you remember." Kate fought back a new batch of tears that threatened to rip her heart apart. "Crash ...explosion, ...Alexis!" He tried to get up but all that did was cause him even more pain that had him groaning as his world spun so he squeezed his eyes closed.
"Alexis is hurt babe. She's badly hurt. I got her into a medical pod but it's the only one working. I've been scavenging parts from the other two to try and get the last one to work." She couldn't stop her tears. Alexis had been all but dead by the time she got her into the only functional medical pod. Kate couldn't lose her, she just couldn't. Logically she knew what the medical pod could do for her, but the mother in her was worried that she was going to lose her. "I'm really frightened Rick."
Kate didn't want to put any pressure on him since there was nothing he could do anyway, but she couldn't help it. She held his hand against her cheek as her tears rolled down her face. "Where ...we?" Rick was losing it and couldn't stay awake much longer. "I don't know exactly or even understand how we got here. We crashed into a number of trees next to a stream. It's hot and muggy outside. Everything's green and the atmosphere is breathable." Which was a good thing since they were almost outside right now.
"I'm... going...to..." He faded into unconsciousness again. Kate rested her head on his undamaged arm. "Just don't die on me, I can't take it." She wiped at her tears and carefully moved back over to her stubborn medical pod not wanting to think about all of the injuries Rick had.
Kate picked up her tool and started checking everything all over again. "Damn it!" She found a cracked crystal that she had missed the previous times. "I'm losing it." She pulled out the damaged crystal and all but crawled over to one of the others and pulled its crystal and checked it before putting it into the least damaged pod that was left.
"Now work damn you!" She cursed at it and started it up only to watch it spark and blow up something else before she shut it down. She sat back and wept. Suddenly she heard something which had her lunging for the hand weapon she had taken out of a locker along the way down to medical. "Kate," a voice called out. "Vincent?" She was amazed and shocked. "VINCENT!" She yelled out his name and soon watched him float down to her.
"Perform self-diagnostic," she ordered and watched the panel on his chest flash quickly. "Power levels are down to 86%, no damage or malfunctions detected," he soon informed her. "I can't get this medical pod to work properly and Rick is going to die if I don't." He wasn't hurt as bad as Alexis was but it was bad enough. "There are two more medical pods in the shuttle," Vincent reminded her which had Kate jerking her head to look at him. "Vincent, you're a genius. Is the shuttle still intact?" She knew the engineering decks had taken the brunt of the damage. So much so that main power was down everywhere.
"I am unable to use the ship's scanners without main power being online," Vincent informed her. "Go look for me please," she told him. "Yes, Kate." Vincent flew off out of her sight. "Please god let him find it." She just sat there and waited in front of her now third broken medical pod.
It seemed to take forever before Vincent was back. "The shuttle's cockpit is heavily damaged, however, the rest of the ship is still intact. The medical pod is too heavy for me to move," Vincent advised her. "Thank god." She sagged in relief. She was too hurt herself and too tired to carry him over there after getting both him and Alexis down here in the first place. If she was honest with herself she was running on fumes and needed to rest.
Kate lifted up her head. "HAL!" She had a plan. "Help me up and take me to HAL," she ordered as she wrapped her arms round his round top. She let him use his hover ability to lift her up off the floor and help her to where they stored HAL. She found HAL and AMEE still stored away right next to him. "Finally a break. You two better work." She was screwed if at least one of them didn't work. She went to work unpacking AMEE and turned her on. "Go scout out to a mile around us AMEE. Do not engage anyone in combat and report back with what you find," she told her and watched her uncurl and head off on all fours.
Next she got to work on unpacking HAL. "What I could use is a drink," she murmured to herself. She reached in to activate HAL and watched him do much what AMEE had done. He was soon standing in front of her. She finally felt a little hope course through her body and then Vincent hovered into view carrying a bottle of water in one of his clamps. "Thanks Vincent you're a lifesaver." She took it from him and half emptied it in two big swallows and wiped her mouth with her probably dirty arm.
"The power is out to all of the walk-ins," Vincent informed her. "Swell." One more thing that had gone wrong. Kate had noticed that Medical still had power which told her that their generators were still working. "Are you capable of connecting the medical generators to the power conduits that feed power to the walk-ins?" Maybe she could save all of their food. "Or maybe you can attach a power conduit to the skin of the ship and connect it to the walk-ins." Since it looked like the sun was out they could get power from the ship's skin. "I can try," Vincent stated. "Go get started then while I use HAL to move Rick to the shuttle, hopefully the shuttle's power still works." If it didn't she was going to have to carry Rick inside the pod back to medical and connect the pod to the working generators.
Kate watched Vincent fly away in his attempt to save their food. She used HAL's frame to stand again before she hopped her way around to behind him and did her best to climb inside him. "Please work, please work." She went through the start-up routine and soon felt his power as she tested all of his systems. "Here I come babe." She started hobbling her way back to Rick.
"OW, ...OW, ...OW! Kate complained all the way back to Rick since she had to step on her bad foot with each step she took. Using the controls she picked up him as carefully as she could and though she hated the idea she had to leave Alexis behind in her medical pod. "Oh, hell. ...OW, that hurts. Dammit...AH!" She groaned on her way to the shuttle after stepping outside of the ship where she could see a heavy forest, maybe even a rain forest area on one side and their broken and battered ship on the other. Finally she reached the shuttle that was actually still secured in place though the cockpit area looked to be heavily damaged even from here.
Kate stopped HAL just outside of the door and climbed out of HAL complaining about the pain all the way. She got the door open and went inside and looked around. Everything looked fine so she had the medical pod slide out from under one of the beds and had it run a diagnostic. When it came up all green she started crying again and collapsed onto the pod. She eventually started to get up and wiped her tears away and limped back outside to get Rick. It was pure hell on her damaged foot and she was really crying as she did her best not to just drop him into the medical pod.
"I love you." Kate kissed his lips and activated the pod and watched it slide back in under the bed. She spun in place and got the other pod to slide out and ran its diagnostic and saw nothing but green. She was so very thankful that something was finally going right. She hobbled over to the door and closed it sealing them inside the shuttle with HAL still just outside.
Kate lurched over to the pod. She climbed into it, pressed the panel to activate it, and saw the top close and slide in under the bed. "Patient analysis," she commanded and watched as it ran a scan and displayed the results. "Minor concussion, slightly sprained wrist, broken left ankle and broken left leg," she read. That certainly explained why her foot and leg hurt so much. She squeezed her eyes closed. "Please let these things work properly." She loved her family and couldn't lose them now. She closed her eyes and tried to will herself to ignore the pain and get some sleep. It wasn't easy but she was tired and her mind kept drifting to what Rick had looked like going into his medical pod and what Alexis had looked like when she had gotten her into a medical pod.
However, her sleep was anything but peaceful as she relived what had happened all over again.
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Rick had the view of the enemy ships that were still in the distance shown as being a lot closer as he fired a single beam that struck the manta ray-looking ship head on and literally sliced it open from bow to aft and left each side to fall away and let the secondary explosions destroy what remained. The remnants of the ray continued on and simply died out.
"WOW DAD!" Alexis was impressed. She, like Kate, had gone through the courses to learn all about the brand new weapons system. Alexis had questioned just how powerful it really was; now she knew.
Rick applied a little more power to the engines and surged forward to get in closer and flew right past all of the little fighters that actually continued on to attack the other ships that had only just broken orbit so they had room to maneuver. "I think we have their attention Dad," Alexis pointed out and changed the view to show that two of the Manta Rays were coming in from each flanking side.
"Available power is back up to maximum," Kate reported. "Trouble Dad, I'm reading the big one is firing missiles. I've got 20, ...26, ...32, ...38 missiles headed our way. Scanning." Alexis wanted to know just what these things could do. Alexis placed a cutaway up on one of the screens and started analyzing what it was constructed of.
"It looks like they're capable of scanning for a target on their own or being directed from a mothership. They're using simple chemical propulsion. Their range isn't that great because of that. Top speed is ...jeez, three times our maximum speed. THEY HAVE ANTIMATTER WARHEADS!" Alexis and Kate knew just what that meant. "I'm switching fire control to the computer with a priority on those missiles," Rick informed them and watched as the weapons system fired multiple low power 100% pure antiproton beams. Beam after beam was fired and they watched as missile after missile was destroyed.
"We're going to be hit!" Alexis called out and they felt the crash against their shields. That was suddenly followed up by being hit by each of the Manta Rays on their flanks. "Shields down to 71%. I've got the beginning of a blockage in one of the main power conduits. Rerouting some of the power through secondary conduits," Kate's voice rang out.
"The Manta Rays are firing simple high-powered lasers. I'm reading a power drop in each ship. Likely they fired everything they had and are now building up power for another shot," Alexis submitted. "Let's take advantage of that time shall we?" Rick suggested and fired a beam at each flank that created a hole from one end to the other. He maintained their course for the big ship.
"I'm reading secondary explosions on both ships. The big one is firing another round of missiles. Our friends have engaged the fighters." Alexis tried to keep track of everyone, however, she missed seeing the last two Manta Rays sneak in behind the big ship.
"Switching back to computer-controlled fire," Rick announced. "Shields are back to maximum, power levels are down to 91%. Power coupling sixteen has developed a crack. I have to shut it down and reroute main power," Kate announced.
They watched as the computer started shooting down the next round of missiles. "We're going to be hit again," Alexis warned as Kate rerouted power from the weapons into the shields so that they could recover faster.
This time two missiles made it through and impacted their shields. "Shields down to 32%. I've got leaks in three different main power conduits. Shutting down generators four, seven, and nine. Main power down to 81%," Kate advised.
"Prepare to fire maximum power in one beam; it's time to put at least one hole in the big one," Rick ordered. "Adjusting, ...ready," Kate said. "Firing at maximum power." Lights all over the ship actually dimmed for a second. They observed as a full power strike hit the shields of the big ship and watched as their shot burst through and put a hole in the top emerged out the other side.
"Main power down to 12%. Rebuilding. 22%, ...46%." Suddenly the ship rocked badly, worse than ever before. "Main power coupling in Engineering on deck six has exploded. Reading a fire on that deck. Rerouting power through secondary conduits and couplings," Kate declared and didn't want to think how long she and Alexis would be working to put the ship back into one piece. "I'm on it!" Alexis yelled and ran for the transit pod. "Be careful Lex, I may need to eject the generators on that deck," Kate warned her. Alexis entered the pod and was gone. They were already down three generators. If they lost deck six they would lose three more, perhaps permanently.
"Vincent take over scanning," Rick commanded and watched Vincent move to Alexis's station. "I'm changing the weapons to Gatling fire to try and hit the damaged area and make it bigger," he said and saw beam after beam striking the hull of the big ship.
"Enemy ship shields have collapsed. I am reading that the fighters have engaged the Zechs warships. Reading that the fighters are firing missiles. They are smaller than the ones fired at us. ...Each is tipped with an antimatter warhead," Vincent advised without emotion.
"Babe! Without shields they don't stand a chance." Kate feared that their friends were about to lose all four ships along with everyone on them. "Focus Kate." Rick needed her here in this fight.
"Power still building, 56% and rising. There is still a fire in engineering on deck six," Kate told him as Rick watched his shots doing still more damage in an ever expanding circle. "Power levels on the main ship are dropping," Vincent announced just as their ship rocked heavily.
"We have been hit on each flank from the last two Manta Ray ships. They are recharging for another shot," Vincent said.
"Shields down to 12%, main power down to 52%. Main and secondary power couplings on decks six and seven have collapsed and failed," Kate reported and suddenly screamed, "ALEXIS GET OUT OF THERE! I'M GOING TO EJECT THE GENERATORS ON DECKS SIX AND SEVEN BEFORE THEY BLOW. ...ALEXIS!" Rick tersely told Kate he was using what power they had to fire on each Manta Ray while they still could.
Kate couldn't wait any longer and started ejecting the generators on decks six and seven. That left the Engineering section on those decks open to space. "ALEXIS!" Kate screamed. "I'm entering Engineering on deck eight," Alexis responded but chose not to tell them that she had large pieces of shrapnel in both of her legs. However, since she was out in space the ship's gravity wasn't giving her a problem.
"I am reading secondary explosions on the final two Manta Ray ships," Vincent announced. Rick continued to use his Gatling fire to continue to expand the hole in the main ship.
"I am scanning the main ship. It continues to have small secondary explosions. Confirm that the Zecks ships are all still there and that the remaining fighters have left them and are coming our way at an increased speed," Vincent told them. Rick could only sigh. So far their damage could be repaired. They could build new neutrino-ion generators and even replace the skin. It would take time but they could do it. Maybe they would be staying with their new friends longer than anticipated.
Rick continued to watch what his firing was doing. "Power is falling. I'm reading cracks in the main and one of the secondary power couplings on deck eight. Attempting to reroute power. Alexis, if you're still on deck eight you need to get out of there. Right now!" Kate called out. "Alexis talk to me. ...Please!" Kate's heart was beating fast. "Please sweetie!" she begged. Both of them missed seeing Vincent leave the bridge and enter a transit pod.
"Shutting down power on deck eight before the couplings blow and take decks eight and nine with them. We lose what's left of engineering and we're dead," Kate said, defending her actions.
Rick saw the fighters returning and watched them each fire a missile. Now they had what were likely nine small missiles tipped with antimatter headed their way. "I'm diverting all power to the engines. Let's see just how smart their missiles really are." He had an idea since he wasn't making a big enough dent in the big ship.
Kate was busy and could only spare an eye to see what Rick was doing. "A little close aren't you?" she questioned. "That's the idea," he confirmed, keeping an eye on the big ship and the missiles that were chasing them and gaining on them fast. Suddenly he rolled their ship from below the enemy ship, up the side, and then across the top. He scraped what was left of their shields against the hull of the enemy ship and started zigzagging his way across the top which he unexpectedly found had a number of protrusions all over it.
"FTL?" Rick questioned. Kate got to work on her panel. "Still available but I can't guarantee for how long, power levels still falling. We don't have many generators left. ...Alexis talk to me!" she yelled as the first of her tears started to fall as she fought to keep from falling apart completely.
She had been forced to shut down all of Engineering on deck eight. It left them with decks five and nine to generate main power. "Here come the missiles," Rick said which had Kate looking at the screen as she watched them streak right for them. He quickly went down around a large structure and out the far side.
The missiles tried to follow and for a moment they watched one or more impact on the surface of the big enemy ship. "FTL in three ...two ...one." Then all hell broke lose as at least one more missile impacted on the enemy ship causing an overload and it blew up sending out a pulse wave at the speed of light just as they entered FTL.
It threw everyone to the floor and the emergency lights snapped on bathing everything in a light blue color. Rick groaned and scrambled to stand up and move over to Alexis's station. Kate cursed because her foot was killing her. Still she stood up and manned her station. "All generators are down. I'm reading that Engineering decks from six to eight are open to space. Emergency shutdown has taken place. We're about to lose antigrav. Secondary power is down, running on batteries only." She gave up pressing buttons; there wasn't anything left to do. "Where are we?" she inquired only to watch him shake his head. "No clue. Without main power, scanners are down. We're in normal space and tumbling. I think we're caught in a planet's gravity," he replied wearily. "I don't suppose it's a habitable planet and not a large gas giant like Saturn or Jupiter?" she questioned. He shook his head. "No idea."
"We need to go down to Medical. It's the only place that will still have operating generators," Kate said. They hurried to the transit pod while battery power still lasted and they hit the planet and either crashed or were crushed from the impossibly heavy gravity.
They stepped out of the transit pod and entered medical and saw Alexis being supported by Vincent just as everything went black in their respective worlds.