Turbolift Tensions

Posted on Mon Oct 23rd, 2023 @ 1:59am by Captain Kagami Izumi & Commander (la') Tormek & Lieutenant Ashreth "Ash" Th'Raanin

2,140 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Lockdown
Location: Starbase Frontier - Turbolift
Timeline: MD 02, 1052 hrs

[ON]

An awkward silence hung in the air of the turbolift. Kagami was still sitting on the floor, resting against the wall of the circular turbolift car. There had been no response from anyone on the base and even the emergency hatch had been sealed.

"Well..." she said breaking the silence. "This isn't how today was supposed to go..."

The starbase's Klingon first officer, Commander Tormek, had spent the last two minutes furiously tapping on the turbolift's small LCARS panel which supposedly controlled its operational functions. Every command he'd input thus far resulted in latent chirps from the console indicating it was offline - even the bypass commands he'd memorized from his training. Frustration finally boiled over and he lost his short temper. "Dalo'Ha'chu'!" he exclaimed before slamming his large fist into the interface and shattering the reinforced touch screen. He punched it again then tore the broken interface from its housing and tossed it aside between the captain and counselor. "I do not understand what is happening!"

Kagami sighed. "I do unfortunately..." she said simply in response. "Starbase Frontier was installed with a new system designed to stop the spread of viruses and fatal diseases on the station. When the internal sensors detect something that can be considered harmful to the occupants the computer locks down the base." She paused for a moment in her explanation. "Basically, since we don't know what we're going to encounter out here, its extra protection from starting any sort of pandemic that may spread to both Federation and Klingon worlds."

"Locking people in a turbolift doesn't seem like a very humane way to deal with a quarantine," Ash responded. "Surely there is a way for us to access the most immediate area with food, water, and sanitary facilities?"

"Apparently its better than spreading a possible lethal illness," Kagami sighed. "I'm guessing there's no response from the main computer?" she asked after Tormek had slammed his fist into the wall panel.

Whipping his head back to the injured captain, Tormek scowled at her then gestured to the walls around them. "The computer is not registering my commands! ...This is the Federation's best protocol and procedure? To condemn us to spend eternity with Fek'lhr through isolation?!" He punched the small destroyed console again with his leather-gloved fist. "The Andorian speaks the truth. This is no way for a warrior to die!"

"We're not going to die." Kagami stated simply. "Look, there's nothing we can do right now. The only people that can move will be medical staff. They're trained to start emergency procedures in a situation like this. We just need to relax and let them do their job now."

Commander Tormek held the purple-haired captain's blue eyes, looking down at her wounded position from above. "You will die soon, captain, if we cannot procure medical assistance. Humans do not possess redundant organs or fortified bone structure like my people, and your leg fracture is severe. But..." he took a deep consolatory breath then solemnly nodded to her, "you have served this starbase well. I will ensure your name is honored alongside all of the Empire's great warriors. And when you die and I must replace you, I will uphold your virtues of duty and sacrifice to both of our people."

"I have no intention of dying!" Kagami snapped back at him quickly. "Its not as bad as you think. I'm tougher than I look you know, plus I've been through worse. Hell, this is nothing compared to childbirth, trust me, that was; torture!" she told him. She looked down at her leg, she knew that she needed treatment. But the make-shift bandage had helped.

Ash looked sternly at the Klingon. "The Captain's wounds are not life threatening so just stop. Your little diatribes or 'honor speeches' or whatever you call them certainly are not helpful. Neither was damaging the control panel. I am medical personnel, I might have had override access, but that is hardly likely to work now," the Counselor said in a somewhat bitter tone. More calmly he said, "We need to take a minute and think about this. Use our brains to get out of this."

She relaxed against the wall and closed her eyes for a few seconds to attempt to clear her mind. "How much do you know about Humans?" she asked the Klingon. She wasn't actually too sure how much interaction he had with her people.

Tormek's robust and ridged brow creased as his dark eyes trained themselves on the teal-collared Starfleet officer occupying their turbolift. "You are nothing more than a psychologist. A counselor," he retorted to the Andorian man. "A tool for the weak-minded to confide in to escape their duties. There is nothing you can do save the captain that I cannot." He took offense at the notion that his Klingon field medicine was somehow subpar compared to Starfleet's. Then he replied to the wounded captain's query. "I understand Humans are short in stature and prone to disease, psychological afflictions, and most do not possess Klingon courage. Humans have an aversion to sacrifice and flee from confrontation when the odds are not in their favor."

Ash scoffed at the first officer's indignation. "And Klingons balk at any type of education unless it betters their weapons or defense systems. You clearly have no interest in self-betterment or even understanding what your Starfleet comrades here have to offer," Ash said seethingly, keeping his voice low but his intent to challenge the first officer clear. "You call what you just did to the Captain field medicine? You should be thrown into the brig for that. I don't need to defend myself or my credentials to you, but you will not insult the Captain in my presence. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yess...you wish to challenge me, Th'Rain," he recovered his d'k tahg from his belt's holster and pulled it free, gripping the handle still slick with the captain's saliva. He flicked a switch on the blade's hilt and its small crossguard flayed open, his dark brown eyes bright with adrenaline yet simultaneously still perturbed by their current confined situation. "We have wasted too much time talking, as is the Federation way. Now is the time for action..." he strategically maneuvered around the captain's body while preparing to strike.

"QUIT IT! BOTH OF YOU!" Kagami shouted interrupting their little feud. "Fighting each other is not going to help any of us! This project is all about co-operation so let's do that shall we?" She told them both her words sharp and stern. "I'm ordering you both to put aside your personal feelings for the time being. We have bigger fish to fry!"

The captain's outburst was enough to capture the first officer's attention. He'd been intently focused on proving himself as a warrior to the weaker Federation species but the small and purple-haired starbase commander possessed a certain propensity for diplomacy. Slowly, he lowered his d'k tahg then retracted its blades and re-holstered it. "...As you wish, captain." His dark eyes then re-trained back on the Andorian man. "But you! You wish to prove your medicine is greater than the Empire's? Treat the captain, now!" he demanded, pointing to Izumi's severely broken leg. There was no doubt in his mind that it would need to be amputated soon. And if the Starfleet counselor didn't possess the courage to perform the operation, he would.

Kagami let out a sigh. "Right now, just sit tight." She said. She pointed to one side of the Turbolift. "Counsellor, you sit there," she then pointed to the other side of the turbolift. "And you sit there." She gave them both a very stern look like a mother would do when scolding a misbehaving child. "Seriously, my daughter behaves better than you two... and she's four!"

Tormek raised his chin defiantly then folded his arms across his chest. But he did slightly retreat to his corner of the turbolift. "I will not sit. I am not a child." He unfolded a hand then pointed with a gloved finger to the captain's leg. "You will not survive the night and we must escape this turbolift to battle the Tholians. By now, they have probably captured at least one-quarter of the station..." He shook his head. "We are paying the price for your Starfleet diplomatic arrogance."

"Ok, well then." Kagami said as she crossed her arms and smirked at the Klingon. "Make a suggestion then. Tell me how you intend to get us out of this situation?"

He resisted the urge to snarl at her for her incompetence. Now was not the time, as the captain had explained, and so he slowly moved around the turbolift while taking note of its structural composition and potential integrity deficiencies. He pulled his Klingon tricorder from its small holster then studied the compositing of the lift's framework from top to bottom before beginning to inspect the side paneling near the small console he'd destroyed. "The dorsal and ventral components of this turbolift are fortified for safety. It would take too long to cut through them. But the lateral walls contain only two layers of tritanium and tritium composite." He looked between the captain and the counselor. "With one or both of your phasers, we can cut through it in approximately one hour."

"Well yeah, but unfortunately we don't have a phaser," Kagami said simply in response. "We don't tend to bring weapons to a diplomatic negotiation."

Tormek's eyes widened and a slow rumbling started deep in his throat. "You are the captain of this starbase and you did not deem it prudent to bring a weapon with you to meet with these Tholian petaQ?!" He slammed his fist laterally against the side of the turbolift which reverberated throughout the small chamber.

"Its not Starfleet protocol," Kagami replied simply. "If I brought a weapon in with us, it could be considered a threat which could de-rail the whole meeting."

"Is it possible for me to climb out of this turbolift? Or will the quarantine protocols prevent me from getting anywhere?" Ash asked, looking at the Captain. He wish he did have a weapon, and an arena to fight Tormek in.

"If we're in a vertical shaft then yes. But if we're in a horizontal one, we're pretty much stuck here." Kagami replied to the counselor. "I was briefed on this new system, but I'm not sure if the emergency hatches seal or not. Give it a try."

Ash looked around for the best place to get hand and footholds, and reached for the panel opening on the ceiling. Pushing it open, he saw that they were in a horizontal shaft. "I don't think any of us are fitting through here," he announced before jumping down.

It seemed there was no escape...for now, at least. The turbolift was stuck in its position with the emergency exit blocked by the turbolift shaft's tight confines. For all of his robust training, Tormek had never prepared himself for such a moment. It was beyond the scope of traditional honor or dishonor - it was a test of a warrior's mind state and personal fortitude. His dark brown eyes scanned the small chamber again, back to the Andorian then back to the Human on the floor with the severely broken leg. The starbase commander would die soon without intervention. It was time to act. To demonstrate he was like the others in Federation and prove himself to his new commander.

"It is time captain. I must take your leg, and the counselor will assist," he proclaimed while nodding to the counselor then kneeling down next to her. He pushed a firm finger into the soft flesh just above the compound break. "I will cut here, then cauterize the stump with my disruptor. It will be painful, but you will survive." He pulled his d'k tahg free again from his belt in preparation.

"Its not that bad!" Kagami insisted. "Listen, if I just stay where I am and keep the wrap on the wound tight then I will survive," She told him. "I have no intention of losing any limps in a turbolift!"

Ash approached Tormek and pushed him away from the Captain with two open hands. "You will do no such thing. Starfleet has the medical capability to repair this injury."

Now that Tormek had been warned off, at least for now Kagami could relax a little. She rested against the turbolift wall. Luckily the bleeding was minimal, the painw as starting to subside. It would most likely be some time before they were rescued, so all they could do was to wait.

Posting by

Captain Kagami Izumi
Commanding Officer

Commander Tormek
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Ashreth "Ash" Th'Raanin
Chief Counselor

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