In Defense Of Life - Part Three

Posted on Tue Feb 28th, 2012 @ 4:02pm by http://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23 & Commander Sakkath & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Commander Patrick Leroy & Captain Li Hawke & Lieutenant JG Quentin Dobry
Edited on on Tue Feb 28th, 2012 @ 4:24pm

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Timeline: Following 'In Defense Of Life - Part Two'

Doctor McKinney had insisted that the 'experiment' they were about to conduct had to be done aboard the Takei and at a reasonable distance from the Starbase. Under that requirement, the group was moving to the ship. Iggy, since she was the smallest member of the group, had opted to ride on the shoulders of one of the bipeds: Sakkath. This served two purposes: one, it kept her from either slowing the group down or from running out of breath; and, two, it put her in contact with Sakkath, where she was able to help him stave off Rhys's influence.

She had seven claws hooked into Sakkath's robe; the eighth leg rubbed against his bare neck as he walked. I had hoped that draining him as I did would have killed him, she commented then scrambled for a new grip on Sakkath's shoulder and neck as the entire 'base rocked.

Sakkath reached out for a bulkhead as the station shook, steadying himself as he replied. "The Commander has proven very hard to kill." It was as annoyed as the Vulcan had ever sounded, his teeth gritted. Instinct had drawn his right hand to his left breast, but he found only cloth and flesh.

A growl passed Sakkath's lips as he found a wall terminal and activated it. "A shockwave originating from the Gateway," he reported, actively frowning. "I should be in Ops."

"A shockwave from the gate? That doesn't sound too good," Dobry remarked. He'd steadied himself against the wall when the shift came.

Concern written all over him, Connor had turned himself away from the others, checking in on any surgeries that may have been in progress.

Li rubbed her shoulder where the disruption had tilted her into the wall, coming unexpectedly as it had. She didn't much like the sound of that, but she would deal with it if she was needed, for now, they had other matters that were pressing. She turned her attention to Sakkath as she spoke.

"You are no good to them right now, my husband." The choice of words was deliberate. She was curious what effect the endearment would have on the part of him that was Rhys.

Not for long, Vulcan, the echo of Rhys taunted. Not for very long at all...

Sakkath was graciously still capable of ignoring the jibes, supported by Iggy's continued physical contact. The only outward sign of the late Commander's presence in that moment was a shake of the head, as if to clear it.

Dobry's assessment was quite correct, Sakkath realized. His Vulcan mind raced with the implications of what the possible loss of the Gateway could mean, of how it had impacted the station, the Takei and other nearby vessels... but Li was right. He could only help once things were taken care of. It was that singular thought that continued to drive him down the corridor and into the transporter room.

S'angla had kept her attention on Sakkath, the medical tricorder in her pocket continuing to receive readings from the neurocortical worn by him.

The sound of the medical tricorder was not lost on the Vulcan as he relieved the ensign at the transporter control console, entering the coordinates for the Takei while the stunned officer could only stare at the large spider resting on the Commander's shoulder.

"The vessel is likely to have also been affected by the shockwave," Sakkath said as he worked and the others took their place on the pad. "If there was any damage, we may be unable to relieve what is already a skeleton crew, but telepaths should be excluded." His work completed, he came around the console and boarded the transporter pad himself. "Review my calculations, Ensign, I do not wish to be... mistaken."

He left it at that, but he knew Rhys could have altered a single digit and beamed each of them into space without his knowing. While that was ongoing, he lowered his voice, speaking to the insect on his person.

"You've experienced this before," he said, "but some warning this time may prove useful. We are about to transport to a vessel... my vessel," he interjected, not without pride, "orbiting the station nearby."

You? You have a vessel? Out there? Iggy's tone held a note of awe. Can we go the speed of light in it?

"It can," Sakkath commented, unaware of his own hubris. "Though we are unlikely to do so during this trip. If it is successful, I promise I shall take you somewhere. Show you... another world."

"Calculations are confirmed, Commander," the Ensign replied.

"Energize," the Vulcan answered, rewarded with a blue haze.

The moment Li felt the brief transporter disorientation begin to fade, she crouched down, preparing out of habit to be rushed in case the Rhys presence in Sakkath's mind decided to take advantage and catch her off-guard. Pain at the knowledge that she was expecting to be attacked by her own husband sliced through her then was carefully put away for later.

Dobry materialized behind her and cleared his throat. "Li?"

"Habit," she mumbled.


To Be Continued...

*********
Lt. Commander Sakkath
Lt. Commander Li Hawke
Lt. Commander Oralia Zeferino
Lt. Commander Patrick Leroy
Lt. Commander Connor McKinney M.D., PhD
Lt. (jg) Quentin Dobry
Lt. JG S'angla