Mission Archive

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"Helping Hands"
[Previous Post Dawn's "Thinned Patience"]
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<< There is no success without hardship.>>
-Sophocles

Setting: USS LANCELOT, Jefferies Tube
Stardate: 63072.1515

This had all felt like a bad dream, a nightmare that the Native American had been unable to wake from.  So many had fallen on their first journey to the stars; their hopes and dreams brought to an abrupt end without as much as an explanation why.  What troubled the LANCELOT's Commanding Officer most had not been what had come to pass though, but rather what still waiting in the unknown shadows of would be.  The sounds Ensign Drell had heard, the ones that Erik had later identified as heavy, rhythmic footsteps had not been those of friends, and that had been what weighed on the Captain's mind the most at the moment.

"Captain, here!" Ensign Fanggot called out as the Kzinti Chief of Security and Human Chief Science Officer rushed towards a large pile of debris.

The Klingon Flight Control Officer quickly followed and immediately began to remove some of the heavier pieces to free the Officer that had been trapped beneath.

"I'm reading one broken rib, several bruises and crapes, a few lacerations but nothing to indicate any internal bleeding," Ensign Mitshiba reported as she moved the tricorder over the Medical Officer's torn uniform.

"Ensign Lopez," the Native American said as he looked over the heads of the two kneeling female Ensigns.  As the Commanding Officer of the LANCELOT, Erik had made a point to commit to memory the faces and names of each and every members of the graduating class he had enlisted to be on his crew.  "I am very happy to see," the captain added with a smile that he hoped would ease whatever concern the injured woman might have been experiencing.

Adriana smiled back weakly as another heavy piece of metal was lifted from her form by the Klingon.  "I can assure you Captain that I am just as happy if not more to see all of you," Ensign Lopez offered as Hex and Akira pulled her away from the rest of the debris so that a complete physical examination could be performed.

"Where are Doctor Dollaress and the other members of the medical staff?" Ensign Fanggot inquired as the thought of having a few more medically trained personnel to help with the search and rescue having been rather appealing.  The Kzinti's hopes though were soon shattered as Ensign Lopez simply shook her head and allowed a few tears to fall from the corner of her eyes.

"What is important is that you are safe now," the Captain stated as he confirmed without words through the approving nod of the Chief Science Officer that the woman had not been in any immediate medical danger.

"Can you stand?" Drell ask, having already offered the injured Ensign help off the floor.

"I can," Adriana replied with a hint of hesitation as she accepted the Klingon's help to stand, help that was quickly followed by the assistance of the Sec/Tac and CSciO.  Once back onto her feet Ensign Lopez shifted her attention onto the Captain while still relying heavily on the FCO to stand.  "I'm sorry Sir, but it looks like I'll be slowing you down, my legs feel rather weak."

"No worries Ensign," Morningstar offered with a reassuring smile.

"The race to see who is the fastest is *next* week," Ensign Mitshiba chuckled, her effort to lighten the mood having succeeded even if only for a few seconds.

"Let's head back to Main Engineering," the Commanding Officer stated, unhappily having noticed that the only way out had been back the way they came, back into the corridor where the Klingon and himself had heard the approaching footsteps.  "Drell, help Ensign Lopez, I'll take care of pulse rifle," Captain Morningstar ordered, partially because he knew the FCO would not have any problem with helping the aCMO, but mostly because if they were to step into a battle of some sort, Erik wanted to insure the safe retreat of his officers.

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