On the bridge, Laarde glanced at his readouts.

Target: Blixo Shield Status: 15
Hull Integrity: 65

Estimated time to shield collapse: 12 minutes.
Estimated time to lethal exposure: 11.5 minutes.

He tried to make a direct scan of their energy systems, but the radiation bouncing off the Blixo's shields was making it very difficult to get any concrete information. Examining the readings of the shields themselves, he made an educated guess that by diverting power from every possible system, they may have boosted their shield output beyond normal maximums.

Flipping on the intercom again, he sent a message back to Dreego in Engineering. "Excellent plan, sir, I was just thinking along the same lines! As a contingency, if we can't get the Blixo's maneuvering thrusters operational, I think I might have an idea brewing..."

-o-

At the airlock, Squib chewed on his lower lip. "Docking clamps...locked. Equalizing pressure." A few precious seconds ticked away. "And we're good to go." he announced over the comm. Checking his watch he smiled. "Just like at the Academy..." his expression soured at the memory.
After listening to Dreego's message, he stabbed the send button. "Any idea what we're going to find on the other side of this hatch? What's the radiation like over there? Any chance we've got a bunch of hostiles just waiting for us to give them access to the ship?"

Dreego's answer sounded over the intercom, saying the only thing he really could about so many questions... "Just be prepared..." he paused briefly, "for anything."

Styxar jogged up to the airlock, still thinking of the shattered form of TC-19 he stepped over near the cockpit, and spotted the Sullustan standing by the airlock controls. "You must be Squib. I'm Styxar." He scratched his head in irritation, pulling a small piece of scorched circuitry out of his hair.
He looked Squib over thoughtfully, taking careful note of the Sullustan's injuries. "I'm not a doctor, but I sure hope you'll be up to fixing those engines. I uh...well let's just say I hope that thing has a decent layout of pilot controls."

Squib nodded to Styxar and smiled grimly, "Lets hope they're in better shape than those of the Ranger." He drew his blaster and held it gingerly in his right hand. "Be ready for anything..." he grumbled. "How does one get ready for lethal doses of radiation? Maybe we should just flop about on the floor now." His hand hovered over the airlock cycling controls waiting for the Doctor's arrival. "Do we know how many are alive on the Blixo?"

"I read six lifeforms aboard," Styxar replied "but with the radiation we're dealing with it could be masking more. Good news though is that their shields are holding at least as well as ours are, so we shouldn't be walking into any extra radiation."

The status lights on the airlock control panel suddenly pulsed to different shades of green and yellow. The automated sensors in the docking collar detected low amounts of radiation in the Blixo green, and although they have detected the presence of an atmosphere, it was not terribly rich with life-sustaining oxygen yellow. Nevertheless, the computer eventually granted permission for the doors to be opened green.

Art came skidding around the corner, slightly off balance because of the toolkit she was lugging in one hand. She also had a black satchel over one shoulder and was carrying a hand-held scanner, but no blaster. The most noticeable thing about her, though was that she was bright green. As much as the pilot was a lovely shade of blue, the doctor's skin had acquired an emerald green hue. Her hair was still the same, and it didn't look like there's anything other than some blood and fire retardant foam on her uniform, but she was the colour of engine coolant... except she wasn't wet from anything.
She looked down at Squib's oddly positioned arm and frowns. "You moved that, didn't you. You tugged on it, after I told you to keep it tucked in, didn't you?" She didn't sound angry, just very tired.

"I'm not too familiar with these ratings, do you think we should get some breathers?" Styxar asked as he turns around. He blinked in astonishment when he saw Artemis's skin, looked like he was about to say something, and then thought better of it. "They've got some radiation and the air isn't the nicest," he continued, "but there's six people alive over there."

Donovan reached for the tool kit with a grunt of pain. "Lost a fight with a can of paint did we?"

"I think that anti-fire foam stuff stains. Thank the maker it's just my hands though." She said, not realizing that her face was bright green as well, and she smacked Donovan's hand to get him to let go of the toolkit. "I'll get you where you're going, thank you. If they're still flying, there's someone in engineering that'll need me too. We can probably handle the ten minutes that we have without breathers. If we're there longer than ten minutes... well, we'll have bigger problems than the air, right? So, let's get in there..."

Donovan struggled for a moment against Art's grip on the toolbox strap and then huffed a "Fine you fix the engines!" and let it go. He stomped off in search of the Blixo's engineering department grumbling about people in general, and green people specifically.

"I can't even fix a toaster!" Artemis grumbled, checking the scanner screen and following Donovan into the Blixo.

-o-

In the Ranger V's engineering section, Dreego stood up from the fuel-line bypass hatch he was working at. His part of preparing the EG-4 droid was complete. Mishri had a mere few moments to go as she configured the final power coupling.

-o-

Making their way into the Blixo, the trio reached the main corridor junction, and lying face down in the middle of the intersection was a trandoshan dressed in coveralls. The doctor hurried over and crouched down to check him out with her medscanner. "He's alive. I think he collapsed from dehydration." She slapped a patch on the side of his neck and injected him with something from her bag. The large lizard man stirred slightly.

Styxar nodded and said "The two of you head to engineering and see what you can find there. I'm heading up to the bridge."

Jobs assigned, Styxar turned up the main corridor and made his way forwards. He could already see the door to the bridge some distance ahead of him, and continued towards it.

-o-

Back on the Ranger V, Dreego walked over to the com-panel and calls the cockpit. "Laarde... what's the status of our shields, and what about this plan you are thinking up"
The pilot's voice came in over the speaker, crackling slightly "We have about 8 minutes left on the shields, sir. " There was a moment's pause.

"My idea? Well, if our engines aren't firing at the same strength as the Blixo's, our docking collar may not hold up to the sheering stress. However, if we can get the Blixo's main engines to fire, and use our tractor beam to... ", his voice trailed off

-o-

Despite everything chaotic happening around him on the bridge, everything grew strangely quiet to Laarde. The scene around him dissolved and was replaced by a ship's door at the end of a corridor. His hand was reaching out towards a control panel next to the door... no... not his hand... a human's hand... Styxar's hand!... the door whisked open to a blinding flash of light.

Laarde came back to the noise and scene of the Ranger V's bridge, and suddenly bolted for the door.

-o-

On the other end of the comlink, Dreego heard the sounds of a chair creaking and boots pounding on the deckplates - receeding into the distance... "Laarde!" he shouted into the comm.

After a few seconds of no response, he turned to Mishri. "I'm going to go find out what's going on. See if you can engage a computer lock with the Blixo. I think Laarde had a plan to use the Blixo as some kind of booster for our ship. If I can get to the Blixo's bridge, we'll try to set up a slave-circuit so we can control their ship from ours"
With that, the Rodian sped out of the Ranger's engine room, pulling his comlink from his belt.

-o-

Laarde ran from the cockpit, hearing Dreego shout his name through the comm as he left. Snagging a medpack and fire extinguisher off the wall as he passed through the galley, he continued on. He wasn't sure why he was doing this. A daydream about what could be happening over there popping into his mind shouldn't be a reason to run off, but he could FEEL this was different... urgent. Skidding along the deckplates through the intersection, he grabbed the edge of the bulkhead and propelled himself around the corner, sprinting down the corridor. He ran through the open airlock into the dimly lit corridor of the Blixo, grabbing a breath mask off the rack as he ran by.

Tucking the fire extinguisher under his arm, he struggled to get the breath mask over his face, stopping suddenly when he saw the trandoshan pulling himself up from the deck to lean against the bulkhead. Avoiding the being, he took up the extinguisher in his hand and charged up the corridor towards the bridge, emitting a muffled yell through the breath mask: "Styxar!"

His fingers just touching the activation panel for the bridge door, Styxar snapped his head around to look at Laarde as he ran up. The door whisks open, exposing the two to the full power of the sun's photosphere, but with Styxar turned away, it was only Laarde who bore the consequences. He cried out in pain and threw his arm up over his eyes, stumbling back against the bulkhead. The fire extinguisher and medkit clattered to the floor.

Styxar pawed at the controls, causing the door to slide shut again and stepped forward to take ahold of Laarde's arm. "Laarde what the hell! What happened!"

"My eyes! Dammit... it burns!" Laarde replied, his arm still covering his eyes.

Styxar picked up his comlink and spoke into it. "Lieutenant. I'm outside the Blixo's bridge, and Laarde is with me. It seems that the Blixo's viewport isn't screened like ours is... and Laarde just got the full view of the sun."

"Laarde?" Dreego's voice crackled over the comlink. "What is he doing...? Nevermind, I'll be right there. Tell him to stay put and continue with your search."

"You heard him, Laarde." Styxar said after turning off his comlink "Just stay put. He'll come get you. I have to get onto the bridge and key in our command codes." He patted Laarde on the shoulder and turned around. Covering his eyes with his arm, as Laarde had, he keyed the door again and it slid open, revealing the full fury of the sun once again. He could still see the light around the edges of his coat sleeve, but he stumbled forwards towards the main panel. Not encountering any obstacles, he felt his way across the many controls, finding that they conformed to the standard. Keeping his arm between his eyes and the sun, he risked a peek and found the control he wanted. Flipping the switch, the main viewport dimmed, bringing light levels down to normal.

The controls were still hot from the sunlight, but he locked in the command codes and picked up his comlink again. "Mishri. I've got the computer locked in, so you should be able to tie in from over there." Turning back to the door, he saw Dreego helping Laarde to his feet. He also spotted a human woman lying on the deck beside the door. He had completely missed her on his way in. "Sir. We've got another one here.", he said, making his way over to her.

Dreego sighed. "Head back to engineering to help the other two. I think they're going to need it. I'll handle these two." He stepped past Styxar, lifting the woman in his arms and then walking back to Laarde. "Laarde, take a hold of my arm, and let's go." Laarde felt around in the air until he located the rodian's arm and then followed when Dreego started walking.

-o-

Dreego stumbled through the airlock of the Ranger V, with Laarde grasping onto his shoulder and the unconcious woman in his arms. He carefully placed the woman on the floor, against the wall. Next he moved lightning quick to a small med-scanner at his belt. "Here... stand here." Dreego ordered Laarde. The Rodian quickly passed the scanner over the Wroonian's eyes. "Curious. Your species might have some kind of sub-corneal nictating membrane. I think your eyesight will return in time. I'd ask you why you left your post on the bridge... but we haven't time now"
Dreego then placed Laarde's hand on some kind of metal lever. "This is the manual control for sealing the airlock. Once you hear me give the word, pull. Don't think about it, just pull, or we'll all become lethally irradiated. When Styxar comes by, tell him to join me in the cockpit at once."

"Yes sir." Laarde said, as he leaned back against the bulkhead...

After hearing Dreego's footsteps recede, he said quietly "How am I going to explain it when I can't even explain it to myself"

-o-

Mishri turned from her work and activated the comlink. "Mish.. Mishri to Ranger Five. Airlocks are activated, they'll help but we still need the tractor beam on. EG-4 is installed, I'm seeing what I can do about this fuel leak. We'll have definitely a few seconds, might be able to squeak us some more."

Momentarily, the woman wondered what Visalan would think of her, flame retardant firmly bound to the fur of her lower legs, most of her tail, and all through her hair. The Farghul's lips pulled back in a snarl, teeth flashing white in the bluish light from the sparking console. ((Visalan is why I'm here in the first place. 'Oops, I'm sorry Mish, we already sold that shipment, just didn't get around to telling you before you found that buyer... Umm, maybe you should get out of town? Tee hee...' Tee hee my fangs, you dog!)) Glaring at the hose nearly connected, still dribbling fuel past the clamp, she returned to the task she'd been doing before the ship jumped.

-o-

Back at the airlock, Styxar, Artemis and Donovan emerged from inside the Blixo. Styxar carried a human woman in his arms. Artemis and Squib carried a medical stretcher between them with a twi'lek on it, and a human crew member as well as a trandoshan carried another stretcher with a human on it, and the trandoshan had another crew member thrown over his shoulder.

Laarde reached up and grabbed the comlink from its receptacle "Lieutenant, Styxar and the others are back on board, and that accounts for everyone... should I close us up?"

-o-

"Yes - Seal the ship at once." Dreego responded over the comm. He slid into the pilot's seat and made a few, quick course corrections, and notes that Laarde has sealed Ranger V.

Laarde's voice came in over the intercom again. "Sir... about that idea I have... if we get the Blixo's main engines to fire, we can use the tractor beam to hitch a ride with it. And using our engines and maneuvering thrusters, as well as the tractor beam, we can control the direction in which we are going... as long as we're pointed in the right general direction to start with, and we don't need to make a lot of sharp turns, it should work."

Alarmed at how awkwardly the two docked vessels seemed to maneuver, the Rodian is relieved to hear Laarde's plan on the intercom. "Excellent idea. I think we are more or less prepared to give this a shot." Dreego called out again. He suddenly reacted to a vibrant red-light on the Blixo's slaved computer circuit. It indicates that life support has been compromised due to a shield failure. With a dry swallow he regarded the Ranger's countdown to a similar fate - 90 seconds.
"Okay... Dr. Secure all wounded in Medical, that includes Mr. Torosken. Styxar, report to the cockpit, I need your help. Squib, get to the Tractor beam turret, and use it to secure the Blixo in place. Mishri... on my command, activate the Blixo's engines - full burn. Once the Blixo has used her fuel, activate our engines on full thrust. Use Eg-4, use whatever you can. Let's move people"

-o-

Laarde stood up and changed places with the trandoshan with their help, and Styxar handed off his charge to the large alien, sprinting off towards the bridge. The doctor lead the others off towards medlab.

Styxar ran into the cockpit, almost skidding into a toppled chair. Recognizing the twisted mass that was the co-pilot's station and seat, he turned and got himself settled into one of the auxiliary stations.
"Ready sir."

"All set, I'll do what I can!" Mishri's voice joined Styxar's from over the comlink

-o-

As the group entered medlab, Laarde was saying to Squib "You won't be firing at starfighters, you're just going to be aiming the beam where we want the Blixo to go... it's much simpler. If the Lieutenant uses my idea, then you'll have to keep a constant lock on the Blixo, using the tractor in attract mode to have us pull along with the Blixo, and then in repulse mode to nudge it in the direction we want to go... "

Laarde helps Dovovan to put the woman up on a scanbed, and then leans up against it.
"Doc, you here? Where do you want me?

"Where you are is fine," Artemis responded "if you move you'll trip over someone. I'll be over just as soon as I stabilize this guy."

"Okay got it... I hope." There is a brief touch on Laarde's leg that might have been sympathetic or was just as likely to have been a casual brushing in passing and then the sound of footsteps echoing away in a mad dash.

-o-

Squib slid easily into the gunner chair and eyed the straps with a degree of suspicion. "Didn't help me last time..." he muttered and decided maneuverability was more important. They didn't design these things with people his size in mind. He had to stretch almost overbalancing to reach some of the controls. He ran through his pre-check and waited for further instructions fingers flitting nervously over firing controls.

He imagined that he could feel the radiation growing stronger against his skin. A prickling tingling distraction. He took a few precious seconds to study the layout of the controls. He fumbled with a few switches toggling them to assure himself that he knew their purpose. The combat computer refused to let him do anything too too stupid for which he was gratetful.He maneuvered the targeting sensors over the Blixo and depressed the fire sequencer.
The tractor beam hummed to life and spilled a deep cobalt blue beam over the main hull of the target ship. It played there for a moment while he adjusted the controls and then the green light flashed. Target aquired.

"Okay... she's in our grip." informed Squib over the intercom. "Got a pretty solid lock so long as you don't do anything stupid up there"

-o-

From Laardes perspective, there was a lot of scuffling and occasional beeping going in, as the doctor didn't appear to be talkative right now. There was a couple of clicks and suddenly her voice sounded out right next to him. "If you can stay standing alright where you are, Laarde, that'd be great. This lady's in pretty bad shape... I haven't forgotten about you, just well... you're conscious and she's about to die on me. You okay with that or are you about to pass out on me?"

"Other than not being able to see, I'm just fine, Doc..." Laarde responded "if you need me to hold something for you, I'd be happy to help..." he was mostly just waiting for the ship to explode, something he'd probably not want to actually see, so his condition didn't bother him that much... except for the fact that it constantly felt like he had grit in his eyes.

"Everyone - brace yourselves - I'm firing the Blixo's engines!" Came Dreego's voice over the intercom, and Laarde indeed braced himself.

-o-

The computer link to the Blixo's computer was functioning perfectly. As soon as Dreego activated them, the frieghter's engines came to life with a powerful kick. The airlocks strained with the sudden acceleration, but the Ranger's tractorbeam held the ships firmly in place.
Then... something Dreego did not expect occurred. The Ranger's shields began to fail. He quickly searched for the reason why, and it became apparent. The Blixo was grappled to the hull of the Ranger at 2 airlocks - that physical connectivity produced a weakness in the shields - a weakness that turned their few precious minutes of safety into mere seconds!

Lamenting the fact that he had not listened to Laarde's suggestion more fully, Dreego called out on the intercom again: "All engines to full power now! I need everything you've got Mishri"
Sparks flew out of the damaged panels in the cockpit as the ship lurched like a famished Strike-Bird after a Vendar Mole. The inertial compensators were barely able to keep pace.
"WARNING: HULL BREACH IN PROGRESS AT AIRLOCK 1" Sang out the computer voice.
Dreego clung tightly to the pilot's chair. The thrust had bought a few more seconds on the shields, but they were still not as far away as they needed to be.
"WARNING: HULL BREACH IN PROGRESS AT AIRLOCK 2" The computer voice again.
Dreego knew this was it. EG-4's power would now be exhausted, that meant engine 2 would go down, as would their acceleration. That would basically be that. 2 crews lost in space because Dreego had not paid attention to a seasoned spacer.
But engine 2 did not go offline. In fact, Ranger V continued to propel itself away from the solar corona at speeds that would put most starfighters to shame.
The shield status read 4. Then 5. Then 8.
They had cleared the danger-zone. Somehow, Mishri had found away to bypass the damaged fuel lines, and feed engine 2 not only with EG-4's power, but with the fuel from engines 1 and 3. The welcoming blue-green of Merridon had grown quite large in the main viewport before Dreego gave to order to shut down the engines. They would be coasting back on fumes, but they would be getting back.
"We've done it... we're clear! Cut power before we 'literally' drop in on Headquarters." Cooed an obviously relieved and happy Dreego.