24

Cardiac Arrest

In main engineering, the failing energizer looms over the thirty plus strong fitted with hazmat suits at its base. Among the group are; Yeomen Pete Wiley; Lieutenant Saren Spock; Chief Engineer David Gates; a young blonde female, Ensign Grace Barrett; and a young brown bearded Tellarite, Engineer Zirash Cerv.

"People, listen up," chimes Gates.

Silence fills engineering.

"The plan is simple; we are to slowly and carefully move the main energizer from Engineering to Shuttle Bay 1.

"Step one involves us separating the energizer from the secondary supports in order to gain access to the connection matrix.

"Step two involves Saren and I disconnecting the energizer from the connection matrix. This is a mundane and time-consuming task more than a dangerous one and will require some time. Do not waiver, be alert at all times.

"Step three is by far the most dangerous and requires all of us to assist. We must disconnect the main energizer from the primary supports and then lower the energizer on the anti-grav bed here at the ground level.

"Once the energizer is safely secured to the anti-grav bed, we will transfer it from Engineering to Shuttle Bay 1 for ejection into space."

Chief Engineer Gate points to an overhead view screen illuminated by a countdown clock.

"The clock is ticking people; we are on a timetable, one we cannot afford to miss, understood,"

"Yes, sir," replies the group in unison.

"Ok, let's get to work,"

=/\=

An hour passes and Jonathan waits in silence with the rest of the bridge crew. Earlier, the chief engineer had candidly informed him that if there was to be a problem moving the energizer, the explosion was his notification. Far be it for Jonathan to ever doubt his chief engineer, but he was not at all confident the operation of disconnection the energizer was going to end well. The weight of waiting plagues Jonathan's mind as he paces around the bridge as carefully as one would walk on egg shells, so seamlessly as not to sway the outcome. The chirp of his communicator shatters the silence.

"Gates to Kirk, comin in sir."

"Kirk here."

"Captain, we have successful disconnected the main energizer from the connection matrix, sir." says Gates.

"Good work," sighs Jonathan.

"Captain, we are now proceeding to lower the energizer to the anti-grav bed."

Jonathan tenses up again. "Be careful Chief."

"Aye, captain – very careful."

=/\=

Engineering is bustling as the engineering team prepare to draw bridge down the failing energizer. Gates swings his head in disgust in the direction of the sound heavy equipment clanging together.

"Hey," barks the chief. "You!"

A young crewman points to himself.

"Yes, you," rattles the Chief. "What the blazes are you doing. That isn't a titanium bulkhead!"

"Yes, sir, sorry sir," replies the crewman.

He then notices a human and Tellerite arguing near the failing energizer.

"I don't agree…" argues Cerv with another engineer.

"Engineer Cerv!" barks Gates.

Cerv stops his rant and makes his way to an irate Chief.

"What is the problem?!"

Cerv jams a PADD in front of Gates. "Sir, you haven't noticed that, the anti-grav units default settings are set at a frequency almost identically to the radiation emitted by the energizer. The resonance frequency of the anti-grav units could amplify the radiation's frequency creating an anti-node."

"Give me that," snatches Gates.

Gate mutters as he reads the PADD.

"Engineer Cerv, you wouldn't happen to understand the concept of 'behind closed doors."

"I'm Tellarite, I don't speak "behind closed doors."

"It means to confer with your team privately, engineer, without the drama."

"I understood what you mean, sir," quips Cerv.

"My mistake," Gates shakes his head. "Tellarite, an Irish clan."

Gates hands back the PADD to the Tellarite.

"Regardless, good catch. I will deal with it engineer."

"Yes sir,"

Karish is right. The anti-grav units will not operate properly if the frequency they emit interact with the radiation emitted by the main energizer. Basic physics: energy waves that resonate at similar frequencies cause big problems. A problem he doesn't have time for. Chief Gates closes his eyes as he rubs his pounding head for relief. As he does, he feels a hand grasp his right shoulder.

"Geez…" almost jumping out of his skin.

"Chief!" exclaims Riker.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack!" yells Gates.

"Well, if I did, I am the most qualified officer present to revive you,"

"A comedian," chides Gates.

Mariana purses her lips and places her hands on her hips. "Can I help you, Chief?"

"How about a shot,"

"Are you injured?"

"Not yet,"

"Then, no,"

"But I have a massive headache!"

"With that attitude, you'll be lucky if I resuscitate you from said cardiac event,"

Gates thinks out aloud. "Resuscitate."

"Yes, RE-SUS-CI-TATE,"

"Pulse…" mutters the Chief.

"Huh?"

"Eureka!" yells out the Chief.

David grabs Marina and hugs her tightly. He then bolts off towards the failing energizer.

"You're welcome?"

As Chief Gates disappears into the depths of Engineering, Marina's comm badge chirps.

"Picard to Riker, coming."

Riker taps her commbadge. "Riker here, go ahead."

"You've got a minute?" Picard asks.

"Yes, I'm on my way."

=/\=

In Shuttle Bay 2, Commander Genevieve Picard, Lieutenant Alexander Worf, and Ensign Alexandria Munro finish their modifications to the Delta Flyer Fibonacci.

"You the understand the mission," Picard asks Munro.

"Yes, ma'am,"

"You understand the risks?"

"Yes ma'am, I do ma'am," replies Munro.

Genevieve turns to Alexander.

"You?"

"I am in no rush to die, but if it is today, it will be a good death if it is with you,"

Genevieve smiles with gratitude. "Thank you."

"Commander," says Worf pointing with his head over Picard's shoulder.

She turns around and sees Riker in the distance.

"I'll be right back."

Picard comes to Riker.

"Why?" blurts out Riker

"It is the only way, Marina."

"Let me come with you," she blurts.

"No," sharply replies Picard.

Marina eyes swell. Genevieve takes her by the shoulders and embraces her a tight hug.

"I have to go."

Genevieve releases her best friend and gives a look of goodbye. As she descends into the fuselage of the Fibonacci and the hatch door begins to close, she calls back to Marina.

"Take care of him."

=/\=

Back in Engineering, Chief Gates is all over the place rushing to implement his solution.

"You! Yeah, over here," Gates points to Wiley.

Wiley points to himself.

"Yes! you, come on."

"Aye, sir," replies Wiley.

"Hold on, who is that next to you?" Gates squints his eyes.

"It's Ensign Barret, sir," replies Barret.

"Yeah, yeah, you too," Gates waves "Over here."

The Chief neurotically collects twenty plus dampener pads and places them on a work bench.

"Cerv! Cerv!" neurotically yells Gates.

"Sir?" pops out the Tellarite over his shoulder.

"Cerv, reprogram these dampening pads to pulse at 5 nanosecond intervals. Pulsing, will dampen the resonance effect of the energizer on the anti-grav pads."

=/\=

The bridge is silent and only the humming of the equipment is audible. Jonathan's heart almost explodes when the call comes in from the Chief Engineer.

"Engineering to Bridge, comin."

"Kirk hear, go ahead Chief."

"Captain, we are now ready to transfer the energizer to the anti-gravity beds. If something goes wrong, 'I told you so,' sir."

"Comforting, Chief," chides Kirk. "Proceed."

"Aye, sir."

=/\=

Gates watches like a hawk as the failing energizer is slowly rotated and lowered from its standard vertical position to a horizontally plane on top of the waiting anti-grav bed below.

"A little more," orders the chief.

Screeching sounds of twisting metal emanate from the main energizer.

"Hold!" screams out the chief.

For a moment every sentient being present, Andorian, Human, Vulcan, Orion, Klingon and even Tellarite turn to stone. Everyone knows Tellarite's are easily irritated, however this moment provided to be an extraordinary exception.

The sound ceases. "Ok," sighs Gates. "Slowly, lower."

Again, the team incrementally lower the failing energizer. Ensign Barret watches carefully at one end while Wiley cringes as the edge of the energizer meets the corners of anti-grav bed his.

"Steady…" says Gates while watching carefully for trouble.

"Steady…" he repeats.

"Steady…"

A soft deep sound echoes throughout engineering as the energizer settles and freely levitates safely above the ground.

"Like flipping a Sheppard's pie," Gates remarks with relief.

Confusion again revisits Yeomen Wiley. "I thought you can't flip a Sheppard's pie, without messing it up some way."

"That's what I told the captain," Gates deviously laughs. "Obviously he's never had Sheppard's pie before."

Wiley's eyes open wide in disbelief.

=/\=

Seated in the captain's chair, Jonathan's legs are bouncing around and his heart is racing when the call comes in from the Chief Engineer.

"Engineering to Bridge, comin."

"Kirk hear, go ahead Chief."

"Captain, the energizer is now at Shuttle Bay 1."

The shaking in his legs subside as he lets out a sigh. "Good work chief."

"Aye, sir. Awaiting your orders to release."

Saren is alerted by a stream of telemetry coming across Science Station 1.

"Captain, according to the ship sensors, the energizer is deteriorating exponentially,"

"Damn," mutters Kirk.