When You Grab the Grishnar Cat by the Tail...

Posted on Mon Mar 22nd, 2021 @ 12:28am by Administrator LordeEmp

Mission: Heroes of the Hov'hurgh
Location: Eta Eridani Sector Near the Donatu System
Timeline: 901432.2

~One minute, six seconds~ the countdown displayed and VaQ’taj knew that she only needed a little more time, “I am not as toothless as you think.” She spat, then cut the communication off.

“Captain, the U.S.S. Helen Keller is sending out an open signal,” SoS said and when so ordered, she played the almost desperate message.

“This is Lieutenant Commander Harrington of the Federation starship, Helen Keller. This is an emergency hospital facility, nothing more. There are Klingon combatants present as well as Federation. We don’t take sides in this war but we’re willing leave peacefully if you give us time to evacuate.”

It seemed fitting, somehow, that the station was still being used as neutral ground. The already burning ache in the warrior’s chest threatened to explode as she thought of the men and women of the Federation that she had fought beside. Those that had given their lives in honorable combat to defend against an enemy that was threatening to end all sentient life and everything that they had built.

Before she could answer, there was a brief warning, “Captain! There is a power spike on the Negh’var... they’re going to... ” and the enemy vessel gave theirs in the form of a volley of torpedos aimed directly at the medical ship that was doing its best to defend the station while evacuating personnel and wounded, while ion cannon fire was directed at the station.

The pure white beam of the ion cannon lit the darkness of space like the spear of a wrathful god. It stabbed through the station’s shields with ease and struck the central core. The spine of the once proud station snapped with a tremendous explosion that spread into adjacent modules. Flashes inside the viewports served as only a faint hint of the tragedy playing out inside. Hundreds of innocent lives vanished in fire while hundreds more screamed their last breath, sucked into the merciless cold vacuum of space.

Meanwhile, torpedoes traveled as one, adjusting course like a deadly flock as they closed on the Keller. The Federation ship rolled in a gallant effort to interpose its hull between the station and the attacking Klingon vessel and that act of selflessness proved lethal. All five warheads detonated, one per shield facing, crushing Keller’s defensive screen like the shell of an egg.

Plasma lightning crackled across the hull as the roll bar pod glowed white hot and melted. One nacelle flickered fitfully, trailing plasma as a testament to the severity of its wound. As if this cruelty were not enough to satisfy the appetite of the Klingons one, two, and then three bursts of green disruptor energy punctured the Keller’s disc-shaped hull. Fire and debris burst from each strike, signalling the end for many aboard. Keller gave back as best she could, lashing out with fiery phaser beams at her attacker but, like her namesake, her shots struck blindly at empty space.

The red-haired Colonel leapt up from her command chair, eyes widening as the shots hit home. She and most of her crew had spent years on that station working to build the Hov’HurgH through an alliance that had apparently long been forgotten. The fury that finally escaped her was joined by a primal scream that caused some of the less seasoned of the bridge crew to shudder as the sensation of fear worked its way up their spines.

“Launch all fighters! Initiate attack pattern Theta four-eight! Patch fighters into the sensor relay and light up that cloaked Bird!” the Colonel ordered, and even in her anger she shook her head at the disappointment of finding out that the Empire still had not managed to work out that particular weakness. Stalking up and down her bridge to peer over the shoulders of her various officers, VaQ’taj still could not bring herself to believe that the Empire had gone to war with the Federation again.

Turning quickly and tearing his gaze away from the devastating scene playing out on the main screen, and returning his attention to the computer before him, the Flight Commander observed the flashing warnings displayed thereupon, his fingers seeming to move across the controls of their own accord, entering attack orders all the while shouting his orders over the growing din on the bridge. “All fighters prepare for emergency launch! Attack pattern Theta four-eight!

In response to his orders flight deck crewmen scrambled to their stations. In each bay the same sight was seen, two rather large Klingons pulling powerfully on the manual launch lever. Four hollow booms echoed through the ship as large weighted cables dragged the launch mechanisms into motion. The fighters lurched forward swaying fore and aft as each was flung into space when it reached the terminus point of the launching apparatus.

“Squadrons One through Four target and disable that B’rel! Prepare to receive coordinates of the cloaked enemy! All remaining Squadrons converge on the Negh’var, lets give her something to think about other than killing defenseless noncombatants! Qapla’! And good hunting!

Meanwhile, Tr’yu slipped behind the bird of prey as it in turn swooped to deal the killing blow to the Keller. Tenas focused with grim determination and with a flicker of thought Tr’yu fired a radiant bolt into one engine. The bird of prey tumbled out from its cloaking field, but righted quickly, suddenly dodging a burst of torpedoes and phaser fire from the Keller.

In the meantime Tr’yu and Tenas veered away, turning their attention to a more immediate matter. “There’s your bird, Colonel! Standby, I’m beaming people directly from the station to you.”

Back aboard Heart of Honor, the bridge crew cheered triumphantly but Lord Rolq roared for silence and jabbed his stubby finger at the bird of prey. He watched as a burst of energy fired from apparently nowhere. A momentary shimmer in space followed and he peered dangerously. “Arm proximity torps, full spread; target the space behind the Tar Taj and fire!”

~Even your thoughts smell bad…~ Tenas grimaced privately as he heard Rolq’s thoughts. Tenas and Tr’yu dove away from what might have been a fatal blow. An instant later they began transiting people off of the failing station.

“Prepare for emergency transport from Tr’yu! Medical teams, standby for incoming wounded!” VaQ’taj ordered, then looked to Sthilg who had just finished with the fallen on the bridge, “You will be needed in medical, doctor. Hov’qIj, take over medical logistics.”

The Gorn nodded as he scooped up one of the fallen bridge crew in his arms and headed for the lift. The doors slid open and the big gorn ducked his head slightly to fit in. “Deck twenty-ssseven, Main Medical,” He hissed loudly sending the lift through the ship.

The Klingon woman in his arms groaned slightly as her eyes rolled back to the top of her head. She was suffering from a concussion and needed medical aid quickly. The doors creaked open on the familiar corridor outside the medical bay which he quickly cleared as fast as he could.
The inside of the medical bay was lit by the emergency backup lighting, bathing the whole area in a crimson red. The groans of wounded filled his ears as he looked around for a free bed to put his patient down on. Nearly all were filled or had multiple crew members mostly with minor injuries.

~Great~ he thought as he carefully placed the patient down on one of the few empty beds just as the door slid open again and more injured crew poured in. He opened the communicator on his arm. “Colonel I’m down in sssickbay and we’re already filled with wounded. Please beam over any further patientsss.” The large, reptilian doctor hissed and before waiting for a reply, he reached around his back and pulled a pair of black surgical gloves that he always had tucked into his back. He had a lot of work to do.

The white haired Klingon began looking over the available list of injuries coming into the medical station on the bridge. Thoughts raced through his mind as they often did; being a smart Klingon sometimes had minor disadvantages. Never in his right mind would he have guessed that, in a firefight ship to ship, the first officer might feel like the most useless member of the crew.

Some sorts might take that as a dishonor or worse yet try and make calamities out of nothing to feel useful. Not Hov’qIj. To him it was a great way to use his vast, finely honed secretarial skills and do something not meant for many. Also, he was sure that, when and if fights led down to planets, he would get his honor then. His mind and body worked quickly, allocating crew members to where they were most needed, to bolster the med teams and make sure the people in most need made it to the right medical teams at the right time.

TBC