Target that explosion and fire…

Posted on Wed Nov 9th, 2022 @ 7:24am by Lieutenant Commander P’rel M.D

Mission: Scylla and Charybdis
Location: Warbird Taleth
Timeline: During Firefight.
662 words - 1.3 OF Standard Post Measure

“Status?” Admiral Teth asked her tactical officer, thumbing over the new rank insignia she had awarded herself only last week. No longer content to sit within the rank structure of the deceased Empire and it’s pitiful offshoots, she instead would lead a new Romulus, right from the bridge of the Taleth if she needed to.

“Colonel Takar has engaged” the officer responded from his standing position. True to her nostalgia for the past and powerful Romulan empire, Teth had reconfirmed the bridge of Taleth into a traditional working layout, with an almost throne like command chair, surrounded by triangular prismatic consoles suspended from the ceiling with standing officers attending to them. Very similar in design to old Birds of Prey, with their glorious raptor painted on the ventral.

She winced inwardly. It was probable, though unfortunate, to have engaged Starfleet; both she and Rin had far preferred the primary plan to control the power systems swiftly after boarding, and to then proceed to the bridge to begin moving the Avalon. She watched on the view screen as one of the Athena’s sections remained docked to the side of the Avalon’s saucer; it made her uncomfortable that Athena could move reinforcements over at will, whereas Rin was having to make do with the dozen men had had taken, some of whom were surely dead by now at that.

“Status of the Athena” she requested again from the tactical officer.

“The Alpha section remains docked without shields, though the other two appear to have activated tactical alert. Neither sections have broken from their orbit.”

Steepling her fingers together, V’rel pondered her next move. She couldn’t just sit and hope for the best, but nor did she particularly want to instigate a shooting match with a Prometheus Class Starship. In standard mode the Athena would be a roughly even match, considering vast sums she had spent on tactical upgrades to the Taleth, but with three sections operating in their Multi Vector mode….she had less confidence in their ability to win. Particularly if they were trying to steal the Avalon as well.

“Bring us around to spatial coordinates 130 by 218 and bring fore disruptors online…” she ordered. This was going to be gamble. The righteous Captain Kane would defend his people for sure, if it came to it, but her method may just make him wait. “Target the docking collar and destroy it, fire when ready and lay in escape trajectory between the other sections of Athena.”

Looking as the two Starfleet ships side by side moved perspective as the Taleth moved into position, she crossed one leg over the other and placed her steepled fingertips on her chin, emitting a facade of calm to her crew when she was truly nervous on the gamble. If she fired on the Athena proper, Captain Kane would doubtless respond in kind - though by using a limited strike to prevent more reinforcements traversing the docking collar…perhaps would give the good Captain sufficient hesitation in deciding to fire back. Indeed, her escape trajectory in between the two mobile sections of the Athena was risky, if he did decide to fire she would be caught between two heavily armed enemy assets; though the last thing she wanted to was provoke him by laying in an escape trajectory which looked like a firing run.

“Ready to fire” the officer reported. She looked to her right and nodded affirmation to him, before looking back to the view screen. The docking collar coming briefly into a perfect view against the nebula backdrop, about a dozen pulses from wingtip cannons screamed through space and landed right on target. After a few hits, the collar blew, and the remaining pulses flung their way through the tiny debris cloud leaving nothing behind but two marginally damaged ships.

There would be no more reinforcements to challenge Rin. But the next move was now Captain Kane’s, and his alone…