Hull Breach

Posted on Sat Oct 17th, 2020 @ 6:47pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Caleb Stone

Mission: Section 57 and a Third
Location: Earth
Timeline: Reality A

Sitting aboard a Danube class shuttle, Petty Officer 3rd Class Caleb Stone stared into the viewscreen as the USS Wayfarer came into view. The sun was just peaking over the horizon and the ship became illuminated as if it were some mystical divine creature. Caleb Stone knew better. Technology may appear divine, but the smallest defect could destroy the very beings who created it. Technology, in all forms, was a caged tiger seeking the moment of opportunity.

The USS Wayfarer was not responding to attempted hails. The ship was in dock, but the crew was missing. PO3 Stone's face, although normally filled with a calm happiness, showed signs of stress. His forehead wrinkled with signs of concentration. The shipped appeared dormant. The room lights did not flicker with the business of normal ship life. The ship, although immobile, felt adrift.

The helmsman attempted to hail the USS Wayfarer. As with prior attempts, this one went unanswered. Teleporters, PO3 Stone was informed, were offline and sealed. This new information led to a sigh of relief with the Petty Officer. The one thing PO3 Stone flatly refused to do in his career was teleport. In his mind, he never knew what creature would appear at the other end. Even if that creature looked and acted identically to Stone, certainly it would not be himself.

The helmsman was at a loss. There was just no way to gain access to the Wayfarer. The shuttle bay was under lock, and there was no external override. The officer had resigned himself to the belief that this was turning out to be one glorified site seeing trip.

PO3 Stone had spent his formative years studying structural engineering. It was for these skills that Starfleet enlisted him, in spite of his criminal record. Happenstance would ensure that his skills would be put to the test the very same day as he approached his new assignment.

Scans showed the shields were down. PO3 Stone directed the helmsman to circle the ship looking for opportunity. Ten Forward soon came into view, and Caleb directed the ship to slowly approach. The helmsman, an officer, was not used to taking directions from an enlisted crewman, especially not a newly enlisted one at that, but Caleb spoke with authority and from a place of knowledge. The helmsman had no choice but to comply.

"Right here, that is how we get through?" Caleb quipped.
"What are you talking about?", replied the helmsman.
"We will breach the Transparent Aluminum windows. The structural integrity field should automatically enable, and we can gain entry."
"That will cause explosive decompression of the entire room."
"I don't see any people there." Caleb retorted.

The helmsman looked anxious. "I can't help you. Damaging Star Fleet property. An Intrepid-class starship no less. That would be the death of my career. There must be other options, and I am sure Starfleet is working the details as we speak. This incident has not gone unnoticed."

Caleb looked away from the officer and towards the viewscreen. He had encountered these ships before. He had even helped destroy one of these in his time with the Maquis. It was a formidable ship, but one with weaknesses.

PO3 Stone glanced quickly at the pilot. With resolution in his voice he declared: "Here is what is going to happen. I am going to don one of these environmental suits. I am taking the torpedo from this vessel. I am going to detonate a hull breach in ten forward. You are going to wait at a reasonable distance. Once I gain access, and assess the situation we can determine if our actions were warranted or unwarranted. If warranted, you will get the credit. This is your idea and you are a hero. If not, then I forced you into this action. I am a rebel soldier, and you had no choice. You will stun yourself with a phaser, and report that I had done so."

Caleb calmly added, "..deal?"

The officer looked worried, but thought briefly about the possible glowing recommendations for saving a Star Fleet vessel and crew. "I'm in."

The torpedo did not take long to arm. Caleb was familiar with the power of Star Fleet torpedo. He set it out at a range to shatter the Transparent Aluminum windows, but not close enough to do much other structural damage. Standing away from the blast radius but attached to the Wayfarer hull, Caleb fired his phaser at the armed torpedo. Being some distance from the explosive meant fine tuning his firing. After a half dozen attempts, the torpedo finally ignited.

The contents of Ten Forward jettisoned into space at unbelievable speeds. Caleb had seen the same effect on human beings, the stuff of nightmares. He could see his memories flash before is eyes, but soon it all drifted away, his visions along with the flotsam.

Caleb soon stepped onto his new ship of assignment. His environmental boot clacked against the bare stripped floor of the deck. The room around his was in destructive disarray. After testing the air for breath-ability, he popped his visor.

"Well, now what?"