Ensign Nathan Richards: Rock and Roll

[Robin Hopper]

Ensign @Nathan Richards not only did an awesome job with his first Mission post, conveying the chaos of the situation and continuing the story along, but I also found the use of Morse Code particularly original and enjoyable. A creative and momentum-filled start!

Original post here: https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-amity/c/veK3eGUFuco/m/x-h9UuGbAwAJ

 

Quote

((Engineering, Deck 2, USS Independence-B)) 

 

Nathan was in awe when he first stepped aboard the Independence. It was the first starship he would be serving on, and it was a big moment. He had set his bag on his bunk and headed straight to engineering to get familiar with the ships systems. 

 

He walked around the room, taking readings on different consoles and making note of them in his PaDD. The next console he stopped at he noticed some strange readings coming from the warp core. The Warp field was fluctuating all over the place. 

 

Reade: Ensign, How’s Everythi... 

 

Nathan was about to turn and mention something, when the ship suddenly rocked violently. The pulsing from the warp core quickened for a second, before it completely fell silent. The hull groaned as if under immense pressure before a series of explosions rocked the hull. Nathan was thrown backwards into the railing surrounding the warp core, the wind knocked out of him. Everything was plunged into darkness. Nathan wasn’t sure if he was knocked out or if the power had shut down. Sparks flew from the console He had been standing by, letting him know he was still conscious.  

 

Reade: What the hell is happening? All major systems are red. 

 

Nathan pulled himself up with the railing, a searing pain going through his side. The emergency lighting kicked in, dimly lighting the room. 

 

Richards: Whatever is happening it can’t be good. 

 

Petras: Response 

 

Nathan felt himself suddenly lifting off of the deck plating. The Gravity had given up. 

 

Reade: Even better, it looks like artificial gravity has now failed as well. 

 

Petras: Response 

 

Richards: ::Through gritted teeth:: Everything is on emergency power.  

 

Reade: This is not good at all. Ensign Richards can you check to see if we can power back online. Lt Petras, can you check the computer systems? :: To Petras:: Can we reboot the systems? Be careful moving around guys, we have no artificial gravity so watch out for any flying debris. I'll see if I can contact the Bridge to see what has happened.  
 

Richards: ::Inhaling sharply:: On it. 

 

Petras: Response 

 

Nathan pushed off the railing towards one of the still illuminated consoles. He had done well in zero-g training back at the academy. But this was very different. 

 

Reade: =/\= Scotty, to Bridge, Can you hear me? =/\= 

 

There was no response. Nathan tapped at his comm badge. 

 

Petras: Response 

 

Richards: =/\= Richards Ukinix? Wong? Bec? Anyone? =/\= 

 

Still no response. 

 

Reade: Looks like we are on our own, let’s try and get some critical systems back online. Our first priority should be power. 

 

Nathan worked at the console he had flown to, holding himself down with one hand while working with the other. He was doing his best to ignore the pain in his side. He hadn’t looked to see if he was bleeding. He didn’t really want to know. 

 

Richards: I’m rebooting the generators. No guarantee it will help anything but it’s letting me do it. 

 

Petras: Response 

 

Reade: Great! That sounds good. 

 

Nathan could hear the generators resetting, a low hum filled the bay before falling silent again. He looked back down at the console and a countdown timer has started for generator warm up. Whatever happened had done a number on all of the systems, even the generators. It was going to take at least 30 minutes for them to get started. And even that didn’t mean much. 

 

Richards: I’ve got the generators coming online. 30 minutes until we know if they will work.  

 

Reade/Petras: Response 

 

Nathan pushed off of the console towards the closest exit, leading towards the crew quarters. 

 

Richards: Maybe someone can hear us through the bulkheads. I only home there is someone close by.  

 

Reade/Petras: Response 

 

Nathan reached the bulkhead, and pulled himself against it. 

 

Richards: HELLO?! ANYONE THERE? 

 

If there was someone there, they couldn’t hear him.  

 

Reade/Petras: Response 

 

Nathan had an idea. He turned and looked around for something he could use. He quickly found a small piece of metal that had blown off of one of the consoles, turning back towards the bulkhead. Now he just hoped someone on the other side knew morse code. 

 

Richards: .... . .-.. .-.. --- ..--.. / .- -. -.-- --- -. . / - .... . .-. . ..--.. (Hello? Anybody There?) 

 

Nathan let himself float free of the door. 

 

Reade/Petras: Response 

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by Kivik