PNPC Lieutenant JG Palen Osiris - (Backsim) Not All Heroes Wear Phasers

[Kali Nicholotti]

(( Jeffries Tubes Junction, Deck 3, Main Compartment, Deep Space 33 ))

The distant sounds of weapons fire echoed through the maintenance passage even two decks down. A testament to just how severe and intense the fighting was and had been for nearly an entire day at this point. They had few options left, but it was not in the Worene’s nature to back down from a battle, especially one they had no chance of retreating from. 

He’d climbed down two decks to hunt as many of the Lattice forces as he could before the end. One extra phaser would not make a difference up on Deck One, but here, behind their lines. It could do great damage. And he had many cubs to avenge this day. If this was his last, then he would ensure that it would be the most impactful of his life. 

Woman: Would you hurry up already, Jonas. There’s someone else in here with us!

Jonas: I’m going as fast as I can, Genai! The Tholian or Sheliak that sealed this hatch didn’t exactly make it easy, you know. 

His ears perked up and shifted forward as he crawled through the tube and paused. His rifle was slung over his back for easier movement here. He had his sidearm as well, but based on the voices he doubted he’d need either. 

Osiris: You are not alone, but you are also not in danger from me. 

The Worene announced carefully as he approached the junction and saw a sandy blond, short haired head pop up to look right at him in initial terror. A cub, male. From the scent, Human. Barely two decades by his estimation and beside him with a shakily held hand phaser pointed at him peered a more calm faced older female. Fiery red mane to the shoulders. Bajoran. Three, maybe for decades. Slightly less of a cub, but still younger than he.

Palen noted the male wore a tattered gold uniform and the other was in teal. The nearby engineering kit suggested the former’s occupation. 

Genai: Thank the prophets. We thought everyone else was dead or still stuck fighting on the upper decks. 

Jonas: Never thought I’d be glad to see a cat…Uh…I mean, it’s good to see a friendly face, sir. ::murmuring:: Please don’t eat me. 

A gentle smack to his shoulder from the woman forced the awkward cub to clear his throat and Palen bared his fangs in a smile that did little to prove whether he would or wouldn’t eat the cub. 

Osiris: I have bigger prey to hunt, Crewman. 

The cub nodded briskly at him and resumed their attempts to open the hatch that would let them enter deck 3. The Bajoran held the phaser in both hands as if it were a rope clung to to keep from falling off a cliff. 

Genai: Good. Here’s hoping you can take a few of them with you before we die. 

It was a bit morose a comment coming from a physician, but given the amount of death they’d seen this day it wasn’t unreasonable even for lifesaving practitioners to feel bleak. 

Jonas: Nonsense, Genai. The Lieutenant’s here now and everyone on the Ops deck is still fighting. ::He grunted mid effort to loosen something:: And we have two Starfleet ships outside right now defending us. We'll be alright.

Palen noticed the woman’s smile directed at the back of the cub’s head and a slight flush of color to her cheeks when she noticed the large felinoid was looking at her. 

Osiris: The day is not yet done and many still draw breath.

The statement was simple but effective. A triumphant huzzah escaped the cub a moment later and the hatch door retracted to reveal the ladder down. A shushing sound followed from, both Palen and the Bajoran. 

Jonas: Oh, sorry…I got excited. Uh, I guess after you sir?

Osiris: Yes, I am hunting. I suggest you both find an escape pod and wait there. If we fail to hold the station it will be scuttled and you will want to be somewhere else. 

The human cub shook his head vehemently at the Worene who’s tail flicked slightly in curiosity. 

Jonas: We can’t do that sir, not if there’s something we can still do to help! We were going to try and see if we can get a transporter working to maybe beam some of them into the pattern buffer and thin their numbers. 

Genai: We didn’t get far since we got stuck here. 

Palen’s ears twitched slightly and he considered for a moment before another nod was given to the pair. 

Osiris: Very well, I understand the need to do something. I will clear the way. 

Without further comment he descended quietly down the ladder and then manually opened the door at the bottom to permit them onto the deck proper. It opened with a soft hiss and he pushed it aside with one hand, the other held his hand phaser. 

With this being two decks below where anyone on their side was fighting it should have been relatively empty and yet his ears twitched and turned, the sound caught of movement and voices. A quick glimpse let him see a Sheliak and the Worene immediately holstered his sidearm and pulled the long rifle slung over his back in hand. 

One ear shifted as he heard the cubs come up behind him. 

Osiris: Quiet. Enemies. ::He whispered:: 

Genai: Here? But we don’t have anyone on this deck. 

Jonas: Can you scan for how many there are?

The Bajoran opened her tricorder and leaned out just enough to point it in the direction of the hostiles. 

Genai: Eight Sheliak and five Tholians. 

Jonas: Ohhh, well I’m sure that’s nowhere near enough for the Lieutenant here. 

The tone of the cub’s comment suggested he didn’t believe his own words, but was trying to. 

Osiris: I have faced more. Though even these will pose challenging. 

Palen knew if he opened fire it would draw all of them. This hunt would have to be a careful one, as all hunts should be. 

Osiris: We will go the other way and avoid them. I will come back and hunt these when you are locked in the transporter room. 

The doctor’s tricorder chirped angrily for a moment and it nearly drew the attention of their enemy. 

Genai: Prophet’s, please tell me I’m reading this wrong. 

Jonas: What’s wrong?

Genai: I’ve never scanned one before but I think there’s a torpedo with them, or some kind of explosive. 

That got his attention and Palen glanced at her device. His tail flicked curtly from one side to the other. He was quite familiar with torpedoes and the brief reading taken he did not like what he saw. 

Jonas: That’s near the starboard hull, I think one of the airlocks maybe? 

Genai: If they set it off inside the station!! 

Both cubs looked pale but Palen had to focus. 

Osiris: Be calm. I will find a way to get through them and disarm the torpedo. 

Jonas: There’s no time sir, that looks like it’s going to overload. 

Osiris: More reason to not dawdle. 

Palen leaned around the curved corridor and fired his weapon. The beam struck a Sheliak in the head and they dropped like a rock fall. Then the corridor erupted in a maelstrom of disruptor fire in his direction. When he turned to fall back to better cover neither cub was in sight. 

He moved to the opposite side of the corridor and spotted the pair emerge from a maintenance hatch behind the enemy. Where he could not help them. He tapped his comm badge, Commander Raga and Ops needed to know of the threat. 

((ooc: What follows is from the perspective of Genai and Jonas))

The two of them rushed up to the Tholian torpedo that rested on a stand of some sort near the outer bulkhead. Jonas immediately opened his kit and started to scan it. 

Genai: Jonas….this is insane, can you disarm this?!

Jonas: I have no idea, torpedoes aren’t really my thing. That’s a tactical department purview but we don't have much choice. This thing has maybe two minutes before it blows and the Lieutenant might not beat them all before it does. 

Genai: What can I do?

He pulled a hyperspanner from the kit and then started trying to remove the casing cover. 

Jonas: Well, seeing if your prophets could bless us with some luck couldn’t hurt. ::He smiled:: 

Genai looked at him and couldn't help but stare as he feverishly removed the cover and inspected the innards of the weapon. She never could understand how he could be so bright and hopeful all the time. She nodded and muttered any prayer she could think of. 

It wasn’t when she noticed he’d stopped working that drew her focus, it was the shaking in his hands. 

Jonas: I….I’m not going to be able to disarm this. It’s already in a cascade. 

Genai: Maybe we can beam it off the station?

He shook his head.

Jonas: That would just set it off and might make it worse. We have to move it, Genai…away from the hull. 

Genai: What?!

Jonas: There’s no time…we have maybe a minute. We need to move it as far inside the deck as we can. Please!!

Her breath caught in her throat at his pleading and despite the liquid in her eyes she moved with him. The whole thing was heavy and didn’t have wheels, but they somehow managed to pick it up and barely managed to carry/drag it down the passage. As soon as they could they turned down an interior corridor while the Worene seemed to be still fighting not far away. Panting heavily the torpedo began to thrum more and more. With the cover off she could even see the warhead glowing brighter. 

Genai: Jonas…how long?

Jonas: Doesn’t matter, Genai…keep pulling we have…to get this..as far as we can to save the others!! 

She felt her arms giving out on her and stumbled a few times. Even Jonas, the sweet font of eternal hope could barely keep going and the nex time they both dropped to the ground he looked at her with tears in his eyes. 

Jonas: Genai…I’m sorry I couldn’t disarm it…

Genai: …call me Raeya

His eyes widened at her use of her given name and a brisk nod was given. 

Jonas: Raeya…::He said almost breathlessly:: Always thought you had such a beautiful na..

Ethan’s comment was cut short when her lips met his and ten seconds later the brilliant flash of the Tholian torpedo detonating ended everything for the two of them. But in that moment, those ten seconds felt like eons filled with regrets, fond memories, and realization of a kiss that should have happened years ago.

Then, noise, violent destruction and devastation, but contained nonetheless. A gaping hole left as a shocking reminder of what could have been. And the mangled husk of a hyperspanner seemingly fused to what was left of a Bajoran earring by the blast. Picked up by a wounded and silent Worene.

Held tightly in paw in honor of those who didn't stop until the last moment to save the station they called home.

End of Act 3 for Osiris
=========================================

Lieutenant JG Palen Osiris 

Starfleet Ranger - Scout Specialist

As simmed by

Commander Toryn Raga 

First Officer 

USS Ronin - NCC-34523

Writer ID: A239410TR0

https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga