AN/ Yeah sorry about the really long wait. I promise I will try to get this in every Friday however my hours are off till I get organized. Second chapter Enjoy, oh and thanks to mazeygrace18, GrassHopper-Or-Scorpion, and EFJRAD. Again I do not own YJ or STE
July 5th 2156:
Mess Hall:
Captain's log: it has been less than a day since the new NX Class cruiser USS Justice was launched. Our crew has been trying to socialize and get use to the new accommodations. However some tension remains…
"That redhead twerp and his piggish habits!" Artemis whispered to her friend Zatanna. Both walked in on Lieutenant West getting up from his seat in the mess hall with three plates that were completely empty.
"Doesn't he even have the decency to eat like a proper human being and not like a slobbering cow?" She huffed as they sat. Wally walked out of the room before he could hear them
Zatanna bit back a grin, "Why so interested? He just-"
"NO!" Artemis cut her off, "He is a senior member of the crew but he takes up more space than a cargo freighter with a full load!" Her distaste radiated with her harsh words.
"Is that the only reason?" Zatanna asked. Skillfully she darted into the cabinets and pulled out two chef meals for her and Artemis
"Well he… he's-" She was saved by an announcement.
"All senior officers to the bridge. ASAP." The voice was clearly the captain's, as only Kaldur'ahm could sound calming in any situation.
"That would be us." Zatanna stated as they hurried up to 'A' deck.
Bridge:
The entire senior crew was memorized by what appeared on the screen.
"Lieutenant West, are you familiar with that type of ship?"
"Yes sir. That is a J Class freighter. Capable of holding 30,000 metric tons, warp capabilities of warp 2, armed with 2 plasma turrets, with a sword wielding merchant print. I believe that is ECS Gallant."
"Ensign Zatara, what is being leaked out of section 5K?"
The green gas coming out of one of the bulkheads alerted the crew, including the acting science officer. "Sir, I'm getting a lot of radiation. I can't isolate one type of radiation though."
Kaldur bit his lip, "Sub-Commander Grayson, send a message to ECS Gallant. See if they need assistance in cleaning up the radiation and patching up the leaks."
Dick organized a message to the ship, however the hail fell to deaf sensors, "No response."
"Lieutenant, take us in." Kaldur'ahm ordered Wally.
Wally nodded and shifted the controls of Justice to begin a docking procedure.
Kaldur went to his communication system, "Major Kent, ready MACOs for boarding of HMS Gallant. EVA suits and weapons set to stun, I don't want any survivors shot."
Docking Area 2:
Conner Kent grabbed his communicator, "Sir, yes, sir. MACOs ready for boarding."
The five troopers began throwing their silver space suits over their fatigues before readying their particle rifles and setting them to stun. However a certain Orion medical officer ran towards the major in a dark brown suit.
"Hold it Major Kent, you'll need a medic on this mission if the radiation has affected the crew."
"M'gann?" Conner questioned, "Why? Do you really need to come?"
M'gann pulled him close, "When do I not need to come?"
The sound of the docking bridge connecting the freighter sounded through the ship as the green light on the access panel lit up, "Fine you can come, but stay behind us."
The boarding dock opened to reveal a narrow passage to the ship. Four of the MACOs held their rifles in stance as they crossed to the other door; Kent crept his way to the door with his pistol leading his body. A second panel awaited the troopers, Conner entered the code and the door opened reveling an intriguing sight.
"Captain? Why haven't you replied to hails?" Conner, M'gann, and all four MACOs stood shocked at the grey haired captain and his younger crewmember standing at attention near the docking door.
"I'm sorry Major, our communications were down. We were just making repairs."
Conner looked skeptical at the Captain. "May we be of assistance?
The Captain shook his head, "We do not need it. I'm Captain Miles of ECS Gallant, by the way, and I thank you for checking up on us."
Conner holstered his pistol and crossed his arms, "Will all due respect, Captain Miles, we need to check the damage ourselves. The radiation from your leak will be a danger to passing ships."
"Major we do not need-" Captain Miles was interrupted by an explosion on a lower deck.
Everyone on both ships held on as the concussion wave passed through the connected ships.
"FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!" A crewman shouted from the cargo hold. Other screams filled the space of the freighter prompting the MACOs and the medic to brush off Captain Miles and head to the lower levels.
When they reached the cargo hold a grim site awaited them. A crewman was burning from the flames; his screams and his jagged, twisting movements were inhuman as he struggled to live. A MACO grabbed a fire extinguisher and rushed to put the flames out.
"Oh my god." Kent looked down upon the charred man, "M'gann take him to the medical lab."
The medical officer gently escorted the man away from the burning deck. Kent turned to Captain Miles, "What the hell was that?! Your crewman was almost pulverized into a crisp! If you cannot handle this, Captain Kaldur'ahm most certainly will. Captain," Conner spoke into his communicator, "We need you down here; there's a situation."
ECS Gallant Engineering:
"Tell me Miles, why did you deny assistance when your warp core was damaged, your communications were offline, life support was on backup, several plasma injectors were damaged, and there is a hull breach with radiation coming from one of the holds?" Kaldur interrogated the head of the ship, glaring daggers.
"It was under control until the explosion. We suffered only minor damage from a pirate attack." Miles kept his cool despite a team of MACOs, a blond armory officer, and a furious engineer holding plasma and particle rifles and phase pistols.
"You should have contacted Starfleet when you were attack. We could have sent help in under ten minutes." Kaldur reprimanded him. "And now look, we found three injured and one seriously wounded. We will be taking control of repairs until this is sorted."
Miles held his breath and glared to match Kaldur'ahm's. "Yes sir," he spat before turning and heading towards his quarters.
Kaldur released his breath, "Lieutenant Ervin, I need you to finish repairs to this man's engines, hull, plasma conductors, and also stop that radiation leak. I'll have Sub-commander Grayson come to help."
Raquel slung the rifle on her shoulder and smiled, "You got it… sir."
Kaldur chuckled to himself and left the engineering deck for Justice.
"All right you heard the man, let's get on it. Crewman Evens move the welding tools over to the plasma conductors and turn off the flow to repair the leaks. You two," Raquel pointed to two crewmembers with red stripes, "Come with me we need to gain access to the hull breach without being radioactive."
Both crewmembers grabbed their tools and waited for Raquel to finish briefing Dick on the situation before heading down the corridor to the cargo hold.
The cargo holds near the back were the most poorly maintained of the entire ship. Wires and dirt were scattered on the floors while the odor was that of grease and oil. "Jeez, no wonder they had a hull breach. This has to be the ugliest part of the ship. C-crewman, open that door."
The enlisted engineer turned a handle on the door and, with help to pry the doors open, Raquel and her engineers found a shocking discovery, "Oh my god."