Overcome
Posted on 28 Feb 2021 @ 3:52pm by Commander Calliope Zahn & Lieutenant JG Rhiannon Hokir
Mission:
M1 - Emergence
Location: Upper Utility Ring
Timeline: MD 07 ~0930
1296 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure
Calliope was thankful for the grasp of Rhian’s hand on her arm, pulling her into the maintenance airlock. She felt so spent from lifting and setting each of the mag boot steps, and although she wasn’t nauseous, the headaches were still coming on strong and blurring Calliope’s vision. Still, it was hard to miss the worker bee parked inside the tiny maintenance airlock.
Once inside, Calliope tried to reach back and pull the hatch shut— normally not a heroic act— but her arm strength was sapped and she only got it about half way.
Rhiannon reached up to close the distance lacking from the Commander’s range and drew the hatch shut, closing them in. The trip so far had been nerve-wracking; not so much for the experience, but the constant and growing concern for the woman accompanying her.
“I could've done it.” Calliope said, hands on her hips as they waited for the air pressure to equalize so the inner airlock door would let the manual latch be worked open.
“I don’t doubt it, ma’am.” Rhian offered her a half grin, eyes crinkling with more amusement than she felt at the moment. “But for now, maybe it’s best you focus on you.” The humor faded slightly. “I’d kinda like to see both of us get through this; should make for some good stories over a pint or three.”
“Well, I’ve got orders from the Captain not to die, so…”
“Good.” The pressure was coming to point, and as Rhian watched, the light ignited to signal that it was safe to open the inner hatch. “Ready for the next stretch?”
As Rhian released the inner hatch, Calliope followed her through and let Rhian work the manual lever to reseal it. Calliope tried to see through the haze in her vision to read her tricorder for lifesigns. “There’s still the interference,” she said. “But I think the signal is reliable for about sixty feet or so.” Enough to not get jumped from around a corner.
Rhian tapped the side of her head. “It’s not quite the range of the usual technology, but I’m able to sense far enough out to give us fair warning.”
“Ah right.” Calliope knew she should have remembered that advantage. She really was not on the top of her game.
Reaching out to grasp the Commander’s shoulder, Rhian met her gaze, frowning as Zahn seemed to struggle with focusing on her even at this short distance. “Are you sure you’re going to be good for pressing on here?” She hated to question the Commander’s ability, but it was dangerous enough without her body threatening to betray her as well.
“We’re going to move ahead as though I am. But if I can’t, just get to the next control node and carry out the plan, understand?”
She did; she didn’t like it one bit, but Rhian knew a lot more rested on what needed doing as opposed to how she’d like it done. “Right. Let’s go, then.” Pressing the hatch open, Rhian kept herself in a crouch as she moved out, wary of the surrounding area until she was certain they were clear. When she was sure, she moved aside to give Zahn space to join her. “We’ve got a clean stretch for now - might as well make use of it.”
Unslinging the rifle to have it at the ready, Calliope started moving at a trot, gritting her teeth as every foot strike was ringing through her head. There was a rumble beneath their feet— some contest between the marines and the incursion force only a few decks away was erupting… probably it was pressure grenades. Hopefully deployed by their own side.
Rhian threw out a hand to balance herself as a particular blast shook the floor slightly beneath her. She glanced back once to see Zahn was still on her feet and pressed on. She was going to have to rely on sense rather than sight, as it took too much time to stop and check, and removed her attention from the course ahead. Another rumble, and then they had a patch of quiet to continue on.
The signal lights on the hall panels switched and an emergency warning sounded. “That’s depressurization,” Calliope observed. “Someone is about to vent the passage.” Someone on their side? Or not? Her tricorder chimed with an update alarm and she paused from her run to look at it. “Lieutenant!” Calliope gasped. “Someone is powering on the station sensors! The access codes are Commander Quinn’s, and the access point is the Environmental Sub control room— the node we’re headed for.”
Well, at least something was going their way! “We’re not that far away,” Rhian assured her, only frowning as she sensed Zahn’s aura shifting. Slowing, Rhian turned. Commander?”
Calliope wanted to gush about the immensity of her relief that Quinn was alive and safe. She reached a hand into her pocket to clutch her necklace, but started shaking uncontrollably— was it from a nervous relief at the discovery that Lance was okay? She couldn’t get a grip over it. “Able generate connotation failure. It’s incomplete.” Calliope said. It made sense to her when she said the nonsense even though she meant absolutely nothing by it. She inclined her ear as she thought she heard a jazzy brass tune. “Greeble filter, box step seventh. Do you smell… buttercreme?”
And then the Commander fell.
Rhian dodged forward and managed to catch the woman halfway down, cushioning the rest of her collapse with her own awkward sprawl. “Commander … Calliope, can you hear me?” Her eyes were half closed, mouth partially open as she jerked and trembled in Rhian’s grasp. Biting her lip, Rhian cast about until she found a potential shelter - the opening to what looked like a worker bee storage unit. “Ok, just …” Unsure what else to say, Rhian caught the commander under her arms and drug her over to the small compartment. There was just enough space for them both to nestle inside,though it took a bit of maneuvering to work Zahn in before her.
“Commander, please say you’re still here with me.” The question was rhetorical and, with some relief, an unfounded concern. The pulse beneath her touch was strong, if a bit erratic. However, the woman was - for the most part - unresponsive, save for the occasional shudder. Rhian probed her memory for anything gleaned about seizures. Keep the victim away from anything that can hurt them - check. The compartment was empty, save for them. Next was getting her propped on her side. Rhian removed her helmet, pausing a moment to test that the air was breathable, and then removed the Commander’s as well. She then used both to make something of a bolster to support her position.
It was an imperfect solution, and Rhian felt something more was needed. If the air was breathable, that might mean she could go without the EV suit. Granted, it was mainly useless without the helmet. Before she could talk herself out of it, Rhian stripped out of the suit and arranged it behind and around Zahn’s head and back to help prevent her smacking her head against the bulkhead. *I’m going to go find Quinn,* her mind brushed Zahn’s, hopefully more comprehensible than words just now. *I’ll send someone back for you as soon as I can.*
Unaware of the surrounding world, cut off from all of her senses, Commander Zahn didn’t respond. A piece of jewelry was in her clenched fist, dangling as the tremors wracked.
