Chapter 6 The Wait
CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
USS WISCONSIN
Captain Jacobs was looking out the windows at the magnificent view of space and the warp engines. He could see work crews working on the aft part of the nacelles, with access panels open to gain access to some parts of the engine. Santini decided to take some time and inspect other areas of the engines to see how the speed run earlier had affected them. The engines were designed that virtually all maintenance can be handled from inside, but on rare occasions sometimes outside maintenance needs to be done from outside the hull.
The crew had settled into a routine allowing Jacobs to think. He decided that it was time to get some help praying about the situation. Jacobs walked over to his desk and pushed the com button "Jacobs to Pastor Octavian."
"Octavian here."
"Got time to talk"
"Always, do you want me to come by?"
"No, I'll be by in a few minutes." And Jacobs turned off the intercom and left the ready room.
STARFLEET TRAINING GROUNDS ANTARTICA DROPZONE
MARINE PRACTICE COMBAT DROP- RAPTOR 21
20 YEARS AGO
The Raptor was Starfleet's workhorse to expand the capability of starships, carriers in particular. The Raptor carried an impressive sensor suite, weapons package, and had room for a dozen Marines on board. It was ruggedly built, during a time when simple meant reliable. The design was about ten years old, and the production line just finished because Starfleet was starting to rethink ways of getting Marines into combat. The transporter had been around for eighty years and was reliable, and the Federation Congress was pushing a standard fleet shuttlecraft, modular and capable of many missions. Starfleet was also under pressure to emphasize its scientific and exploratory missions as Space was seen as a peaceful frontier. This is several years before the great five-year exploratory missions.
But for now, Starfleet still had Marines, and they still needed training for all anticipated missions. On Board Raptor 21 new Raptor Pilot Ensign Joshua Jacobs is flying his first mission after completing Raptor training. With him are his Weapons System Officer, 10 Marines, and Starfleet Clergy Lt. Ian Octavian. The Mission was simple; Jacobs was to fly a re-entry from orbit and do a combat landing on a planet with simulated poisonous atmosphere with the Marines leaving the Raptor. Jacobs would then return to orbit once around Earth while the Marines practiced an assault on a target, do another re-entry for a combat landing and pickup. They all would return to the USS Swordfish for debriefing. Lt. Octavian was on board to observe the operation.
The flight was going normally, Raptor 21 just finished its de-orbit burn and started re-entry. Part of the training regimen was for Jacobs to hand fly the approaches and landings, to get more and more comfortable with the maneuver.
Jacobs was looking at the displays checking the trajectory for landing, his WSO was also checking that along with making sure the craft was performing normally. The WSO turned to the Marine Captain and said "five minutes".
The Marine Captain signaled his men to ready up. They quickly went through their checking equipment and snapping their faceplates into position. This was followed by with a quick com check. Lt. Octavian was equipped just like the men- phaser rifle and all. Lt. Octavian entered Starfleet as a Marine, served a tour of duty, then got the call to be a Clergy, and went into Seminary and became a Starfleet Clergy. His presence today was observation and to keep up on his heritage as a Starfleet Marine. Octavian felt this was the best way to be the best help to the men as he could.
The turbulence was getting strong now, as the ship is going through the thickest part of the atmosphere. It would be much worse without the inertial dampeners working, the g-forces up to about 8 or 9 or so. All so that they can slow with minimum time from orbit to hover for landing. Suddenly Octavian heard a loud bang from the aft area. There was a severe vibration along with it and the Raptor started decompressing, good thing they already had their faceplates locked in place.
The Raptor was rolling to the left violently. In addition to countering the roll, Jacobs had to keep an angle of attack of about forty degrees on the ship with the pitch controls. This would enable the underbelly of the Raptor to bear the heat of re-entry. He tried to counter the roll with the stick, but it would bring the roll to a very slow roll to left, but not back upright. His WSO called out "Left Engine failure, Gimbal failure on both engines."
The trajectory was way off, and Jacobs rolled to the left hard to bring the Raptor back upright. "Shutdown left engine, lock the gimbals down." He was struggling for control of the Raptor trying to get back on course. With one engine down, he could still get back into orbit, but with the controls seriously compromised, orbit was questionable.
"RAPTOR 21, PENGUIN BASE. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? WE NOTE YOU ARE OFF COURSE AND TRAJECTORY."
Jacobs rolled the Raptor again to bring it back upright, he was trying to get back on course for the practice area. Now he was hoping for a landing on a nice, big base but was afraid he might have to settle for a forced landing somewhere flat. His WSO got on the com "RAPTOR 21 EMERGENCY. WE HAVE HAD AN EXPLOSION WITH ENGINE LOSS AND CONTROL PROBLEMS, STANDBY."
Octavian looked around at the men, could see the fear on their faces as they started the fourth roll. He noticed the men looking at him. At this point, his training and his personal experience with the Lord came through. He knew he could not show fear to the men, even though he was afraid. They were looking to him for strength, and he needed strength from the Lord. He heard the WSO talk to Jacobs "Engine secure, the right engine gimbal will only lock in the X axis. I can't lock it down in the Y."
In space and thin atmospheres, the engines of the Raptor will swivel, providing not only thrust, but pitch, roll, and yaw. This is more effective than thruster control. Once the Raptor descends into thick atmospheres, it's control surfaces augment control. If a gimbal malfunctions, the crew can drop mechanical locks on the nozzle which will make the nozzle point straight back, and make it more controllable. The WSO is telling Jacobs that the nozzle for the right engine is moving up and down, throwing the intended thrust vector off.
Jacobs started another roll to upright, trying to aim the Raptor for the practice area landing zone. It was a wide flat area and he should be able to put down somewhere on that. "We got more problems than that. I should be able to correct for a loose gimbal. I'm at idle on the thrust and we're still rolling. Tell them we'll be short and left of the LZ. Captain Seabright."
The Marine Captain looked at Jacobs "Yes Sir."
"I'm going to try to hit flat and maybe slow. We are going to hit hard. After we stop, be ready to evacuate and assemble in front of the Raptor."
The Marine Captain nodded his head, "Yes Sir!"
Octavian and the rest of the Marines listened to Captain Seabright brief them on the emergency landing. All of them turned on their emergency beacons. Once that was complete, it was just looking forward to another roll as the wounded Raptor kept ploughing through the atmosphere. Suddenly, Octavian had an inspiration "Captain, If I may."
Seabright looked at Octavian and nodded. Octavian had a Royal British accent with a tenor voice that commanded respect, "Men, let's pray," and all bowed their heads "Dear Lord, we are in time of need. We ask you for a safe trip, we ask you for deliverance through this time. You said 'Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.' We ask you to intervene in this, for you to show your mercy, and for you to show your preeminence. We thank you for what you are about to do, In Jesus' our savior's name, Amen."
Seabright was listening to both Octavian and the pilots up front at the same time. As soon as Octavian finished his prayer, he heard Jacobs say, "Wes, I got an idea. We have more roll than what could be coming from a stuck gimbal. What if the thrusters are stuck as well?"
The WSO thought about that for a second "It would be about right, but nearly impossible odds for that happening. If so, how do we work that problem?"
"Cut off the source of the thrusters. We are low enough to have control surface effectiveness, we can deadstick it in."
Wes nodded "It sounds like the only way to regain control. We certainly can't hover like this, and our path is too erratic for them to get a transporter lock on us."
Jacobs rolled the ship mostly upright again, "Good, make sure the APU and hydraulics are running, then shutdown the right engine."
While Wes was going through that procedure, Jacobs hit the comm. Button, "Penguin base, be advised severe control problems, we will be deadsticking to a landing."
Penguin base replied with a bewildered tone. "Understood, USS Lexington is in orbit overhead and advises they are tracking you. They will beam medics down once you land."
Jacobs had a wry smile, "I'm glad to hear someone is optimistic."
Wes was up to the point of shutting down the right engine, he placed his hand on the cutoff lever and said "Right engine."
Jacobs looked down and said "Confirmed" and Wes pulled it.
Octavian wasn't on the intercom channel that the pilots were on, and was looking backward toward the men when he heard the second engine quit. He turned and looked forward and could see that the rolling had stopped. Looking at Captain Seabright Octavian gave a questionable look. Seabright started to talk when Wes turned and said "We're gliding in. 2 minutes to landing."
Seabright turned to the Marines and said on the Marine channel. "OK MEN, 2 MINUTES TO GO. CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT AND GEAR. MAKE SURE NOTHING IS LOOSE"
Octavian went through his checks quickly and looked up, now is the worst part, the waiting.
The pilots were gliding the wounded Raptor down, Jacobs was flying the ship with just the control surfaces, he remarked "Through 20,000 ft and now holding 300 kts. See any place to land?"
"Yes, break left now" and Jacobs banked to the left, Wes continued, "See that orangeish patch there? That is emperor penguin dung, Head for that, and I see a large flat plain to the left of that. You can use the penguins as your key point."
As the pilots were lining up for landing, Octavian looked to the men "Lets Pray, Lord thank you for your intervening, thank you for your protection, and thank you for protecting us during this trial. We glorify you with what you have done and are about to do. In Jesus' name, amen."
Jacobs lifted the nose in a flare and the speed rapidly started dropping off. About a hundred feet he called for 'gear' and Wes lowered the skids. As soon as they touched down Jacobs called for 'dragchute' and Wes pulled the dragchute.
The Raptor landed in a relatively flat plain with lots of pebbles and some bigger rocks. The front skid kicked up a lot of rocks up into the underbelly making a continuous loud noise in the cabin. Once the Raptor stopped Jacobs looked for sign of fire, and there was none. He opened his faceplate "Captain Seabright, how are the troops?"
Seabright opened his faceplate and looked around. He reached into a pocket somewhere in his webbing and pulled out a half-chewed cigar and stuck it in his mouth, "We're wondering why you landed us so far from the enemy, now we have to do a march to get there!"
That brought a smile to everyone. Jacobs turned to Wes "Call the Lexington, organize the rescue party. I'm heading outside to take a look."
Jacobs got out of the seat and headed aft to open the side hatch. Jacobs, Seabright, and Octavian went outside to look at the damage. Looking back, they could see the path the Raptor dug in the gravel. Jacobs looked up to what was left of the left engine, "Half the engine is gone, damage to the left ruddervator, some damage to the right engine housing" and looking under the wing "more damage, Captain, good thing I didn't order us to bail out, there's a large nasty piece of metal that would've cut anyone jumping out the bottom hatch. Good news is there is nothing requiring us to evacuate the men. We can wait for to be beamed up onboard."
Octavian was looking over the ship, it certainly didn't look flyable. Seabright was shaking his head "Mr. Jacobs, looks like you did a fantastic job. This looks like a miracle that we survived."
Jacobs was nodding his head "Definitely a miracle. Looking at what was damaged, we shouldn't have survived. That piece of metal that would've killed us if we bailed actually is bent such that it helped reduce the roll problem I was having."
Seabright looked at Jacobs, "I was listening to everybody. Ensign Jacobs, you came up with that deadsticking idea just after Lt. Octavian here prayed for our deliverance."
Jacobs and Octavian looked at each other, Jacobs said, "There's your miracle. Preacher, you can fly with me anytime!"
USS WISCONSIN HALLWAY
Captain Josh Jacobs was walking to Pastor Octavian's office. Not all starships had Clergy on board, if fact hardly any at all anymore. Starfleet vessels are starting to incorporate a "ship's counselor," basically it was a psychotherapist. Having served on other ships with Chaplains on board, Jacobs didn't like this and wanted a ship's chaplain. Since it was still in Starfleet provisions, they granted the request.
Walking into the office, Octavian stood up and with his royal British accent, "Josh, great to see you, what's up?"
"Ian, thanks for the prayer, we're going to need it. Basically, we're still waiting for the pirate to come popping out of that nebula so we can intercept him."
Octavian nodded "The one we suspect has the hostages?"
"Yes, and I'm making a lot of decisions without enough information."
Octavian smiled "Sounds like acting on faith again. If I recall, that's where we met."
Josh nodded "You bet, and I'm glad we were stationed together that first year, I needed the kickstart in my relationship with the Lord. You've been a good friend and Mentor. I'm glad to have you along. I'm worried about making the right decisions to save the hostages. Hopefully the hostages are still alive."
"Your first big mission. At least under this command. I seem to have heard you've had some other tactical challenges."
Josh smiled and nodded "I've had my fair share. All were steps the Lord had for me training me for today. This one is different because now I'm doing pure offense. We've set an ambush of sorts and are waiting."
Octavian got poured some tea, offered it to Jacobs who took a cup "I seem to remember that you laid an ambush once. A rather effective one."
Jacobs looked up from his tea, "How did you hear about that? That's classified."
Octavian smiled. "Combination of things gave me the authorization. First, my status as your Clergy on board, my rank as Commander, although it's not a line rank, and I've kept my top-secret status ever since I was a Marine."
Jacobs nodded "Well, that was a little different. Here we are trying to rescue hostages from inside a ship instead of rescuing a whole ship from Klingons."
Octavian nodded "And you're worried about any action hurting the hostages?"
Jacobs nodded "Whatever we do has to be quick, with surprise on our side if possible."
Octavian sat his tea down "One big asset you have is the Badgers. That group is every bit as tough as the crowd I trained with. Mr. Bauer did a fine job training them. I like your philosophy of overwhelming force. That will protect the hostages as best as you can. Remember we prayed about this vessel together and how the Lord was going to use you. You're the Captain, the authority in place. The Lord sets up authority and that is you, He has guided you in the vision for this ship, for what we are going to have happen to us. You must let the Lord work on you day by day and see how he has worked with you to this point."
"But I have no experience in hostage rescues."
Octavian nodded refilling his tea "Yes, but God has guided you in forming this team. You're the leader, the one responsible. You've assembled a great team. Listen to your people, pray over what they say, and pick the best solution. You are not meant to come up with every solution, just execute the best ones."
Jacobs sat the teacup down "Leadership 101. Pastor, if I may ask."
"Well, what do you need from me?"
Josh shifted his weight "Pray for safety of the hostages, wisdom, guidance, and for the crew. And anything else you think appropriate."
"Absolutely, anytime. Let's pray." And with that they both knelt down at Octavian's desk.
"Dear Lord, we thank you for this time, we thank you for Brother Josh and ask you for wisdom in him. Thank you for putting him as Captain, and for putting this crew together. We pray for the safety of the hostages, for the crew, and for wisdom for all involved. Please may you bless Josh with wisdom and strength, may he glorify you, In Jesus' name, Amen."
Josh stood up "Thank you. You still on for Sunday?"
"We may have 5 people, but we'll have service. You coming?"
"Absolutely, unless duty dictates otherwise. Where are you at?"
"Crew Mess Hall."
"See you later, Ian." The men shook hands and Josh left.
BRIDGE
PIRATE SHIP
INSIDE NEBULA
The Norsican Captain looked at the scanner once again. That signal was still there. His helmsman looked back "If we go out, they'll spot us."
The Captain yelled back, "I KNOW THAT, we've been here for too long, and they are still out there. We've got our engines fixed and it's time to run now, and link up with some others and hopefully fight this federation starship off!"
The Helmsman looked at him, "This ship is very fast to have tracked us down this quickly, they will easily overrun us."
The Captain looked at his own engines. "I'm hoping that they pushed their engines too hard. We'll make the most of it as we can. We do this now!" the Captain pushed his PA button "LISTEN UP EVERYONE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT, BE READY FOR US TO BE BOARDED"
The helmsman protested "They are going to run us over….." and was silenced by a hit from his Captain.
The Captain yelled, "Exit the Nebula then maximum warp to the outpost! NOW!"
As the pirate ship was exiting, the Captain was looking at the scanner. Definitely a Federation signature, and now it's coming at them, "GO TO WARP NOW!" The ship turned to parallel the edge then went to warp.
The helmsman nervously looked at his display, the contact was gaining on them slightly. These new starships were fast, and that one could run forever.
BRIDGE
USS WISCONSIN
"Ship's log supplemental, Lt. Karl Agathon recording, we have been loitering beside a comet in Ort cloud for system NGC 48185 for the past 33 hours. Engineering has finished the repairs to the warp engines and we are waiting for the Pirate to exit the nebula. We maintain contact with our probe and no changes have been detected. Out." Agathon pushed the button and started walking around the bridge. He looked at all the people manning the stations. Mr. Santini was back at the Engineering station and he was beginning to get over the uncomfortable feeling of being a Junior officer at the Conn.
Santini read his thought, "Never thought that the Captain would give you a second shift at Conn?"
Karl shook his head "No sir, I thought that it would be more 'normal' with a senior officer."
Santini laughed his big toothy laugh, "Don't worry, enjoy the time. Not many Lieutenants get this time. When things get serious, he'll be here."
Karl smiled a wan smile, trying to get over his nervousness. He didn't know the Captain. Everyone that knew the Captain thought he was a good leader, but Karl himself didn't have any experience. Just then the Captain walked on the Bridge, "Report."
Agathon stood "No changes to the Pirate, Engineering reports engines repaired, all systems are go."
Just then a beep happened on Hotchner's console, "Probe reporting, Pirate has exited nebula at high warp. The Probe is following."
Agathon stepped down from the chair and started to say something when Josh held up his hand "As you were Mr. Agathon. You are still Conn, until I take it from you."
Agathon slowly sat back in the chair. "Mr. Hotchner, please report on Pirate."
Hotchner pushed a button and the Science station big screen displayed a diagram of the intruder along with warp signature, position and speed. "Pirate is circumnavigating the nebula, the course is consistent with rejoining the original course. Probe is closing slowly on the pirate as our program dictated."
Agathon thought a moment then turned to the Captain, "Sir, You are now informed of developments. As Conn I see no reason for further action. We are in our predetermined waiting place and have to just wait until he shows up."
"Very well, I'll be in my ready room. Thank you, Mr. Agathon."
Josh walked into the ready room and the door closed behind him. Looking back and up through the huge windows, he had a great view of the comet they were hanging near. Pushing a button on the monitor on the wall, he brought up a repeat of one of the bridge monitors. That Pirate was really moving fast, but the probe was closing. In an hour or so just outside of visual range it will stop closing and hold relative position, unless the Norsican has speed that they don't know about.
He sat down at his desk and started looking over all the reports of the readiness of the ship after their "operational pause".
BRIDGE
USS WISCONSIN
Hotchner pushed another button and frowned. "Mr. Agathon, they finished circumnavigating and have resumed their original course. The Pirate just made a transmission of some sort."
"Any idea what it was?"
Hotchner shook his head "No, I'll get to work on it."
Hotched pushed an intercom button, "Hotchner to Lt. Maya"
Maya's voice responded "Maya here, what can I do?"
"I'm sending a file downstairs for you to decrypt. The pirate just transmitted something and we don't know what."
"We'll do what we can."
A short time later Maya called back. Hotchner nodded and looked to Agathon "The Pirate was requesting reinforcements."
Agathon nodded and pushed the intercom "Bridge to Captain Jacobs."
Jacobs' voice came over "Jacobs here, what's up Helo?"
"The pirate just made a transmission; we've decoded it as a request for reinforcements…." Just then Hotchner looked up and raised his hand. Karl nodded.
"Captain, Hotch here, Pirate just changed course, not a big change but a change, the probe also recorded a message directed at them. With the course change, they are no longer heading at us."
"I'm on my way, recall the Slayton, get the division heads on the bridge immediately."
Jacobs came on the Bridge and Agathon stood up, "You are briefed on all changes."
Jacobs sat down "Thank you Helo, ship is mine." Glancing over at the tactical station, he could see the shuttlecraft was just landing in the hangar bay. "Dom prepare for warp speed."
Santini pushed a few buttons, "Engineering ready for warp drive."
The turbolift opened up and Leonaidas, Carter, Grimm, and Bauer came off. Jacobs started off "The pirate is making his run; they just requested and presumably got an answer for reinforcements. He then changed course."
Leonaidas looked at the tactical plot "Any idea where the intercept point is?"
Hotchner shook his head "Maya says it is referred to as 'point A' No idea where that is."
Carter asked "Should we intercept?"
Jacobs thought a bit "Helo, do you have an intercept solution yet?"
Agathon nodded "Yes sir, we can get to point of closest approach at warp 1.5 same time as he does."
Jacobs looked to TC, "Set course, warp 2 when the Hangar bay reports secured. That should still be slow enough to keep us from being picked up."
Hotch interrupted "Pirate is slowing slightly, they may have run their engines too much. They just launched something." The plot on one of the auxiliary Science displays showed an object tracking backward."
Hotchner pushed a couple of buttons "It's a probe, they've got a good visual on the probe, they know it's not us by now."
Jacobs thought a bit "Ok guys, let's intercept him now, TC, Agathon, plot interception course warp 7, engage when ready. JJ, Yellow alert."
