Last One Standing

Posted on Thu Mar 18th, 2021 @ 4:31am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Lieutenant Thomas Haldeman

Mission: The Jungle
Location: Andorian Vessel

They had one ship to download the crew manifest from, Rhenora felt there shouldn't be much risk and so requested that herself and Thomas continue on their previous mission of trying to download the database. The Andorian ship hang lifeless in space, environmental controls barely functioning but at least there was air. They materialised on the bridge and set to work.

"Damn." Tom grumbled "It's like walking into an ice box." As he looked around the bridge, heading for what he took to be the Ops console. Sitting down, he toggled a switch and then another and the lights brightened noticeably. "That's better. Now let me see if I can access the manifest."

" Go for it" Rhenora allowed Haldeman to watch while she wandered around the Andorian bridge, shivering a little at the cold temperature. Slowly the temperature started to rise.

The temperature rose a little more than leveled off. Tom worked on gaining access to the manifest. when suddenly in the corner of the bridge a hologram of an Andorian male shimmered into view, "Identify yourselves? Where is my crew?" He challenged.

" And you are?" Rhenora retorted with a raised eyebrow. He looked like an authoritative figure but still she didn't care to take attitude from a hologram.

"I'm Shren as if it's any business of the Federation. Why are you on this ship?"

" Your ship is adrift and you crew have been killed, we are here to retrieve your manifest so we can inform your families" Rhenora said carefully, knowing that her words could be fraught with danger.

"Killed at your hand no doubt! Now you wish to steal our secrets."

" Do I look like someone who would kill your crew then hang around to brag about it?" Rhenora retorted indignantly "My crew nearly fell the same way yours did. We were able to escape - barely." She tried to explain.

"You look like someone who is trying to steal the secrets of the Andorian Republic. Someone who mistakenly believed this ship was deserted." The hologram countered.

"You have access to the ships sensors, run a search through your database and tell me the how long ago the last life sign was registered? It should be a number of years ago" Rhenora challenged, hoping like hell Haldeman was still working on getting the crew manifest.

The hologram blinked and was motionless. An instant later he replied. "Two years eight months and fifteen days. That still doesn't allow you and your lackey to pilfer the data files of an Andorian ship."

"Manifest has been sent Captain." Tom reported at precisely the wrong moment.

"I knew it!" Shren exploded. "Stealing our secrets. Tell me Captain. How long can you hold your breath?"

She sent Haldeman a desperate look, one that meant "Do something before another ship tries to kill us' before turning her attention back to the hologram. "So tell me.. was it 3 years.. or 4 that your crew vanished?" She had to keep him talking.

A forcefield sprang up around the bridge and the temperature began to drop. "We're losing air Captain." Tom replied as he feverishly worked on the controls.

"I estimate you have another twelve minutes of air "Captain." Shren said smugly.

" Search your damned database Shren, tell me the damned date your crew vanished. There's no-one left alive" Rhenora was angry at the turn of events, her tone of her voice portraying her frustration.

"Your Federation tricks won't work Captain. You have ten minutes of air left."

Unlike Cadassian consoles which you had to crawl under Andorian consoles had a panel on top you could lift to access controls as Tom was doing while Rhenora continued to engage the hologram.

" It's not a trick, your sensor database doesn't lie. There's been no-one here for years. We were just trying to do the right thing and tell your families what had happened." Rhenora implored, wondering how exactly you talk to the compassionate side of a hologram.

"It's been altered." The hologram insisted. "You won'......." When suddenly he faded from sight. "He talked too much." Tom commented. "I isolated his program. He can't access any other programs He won't be back. Now to drop the forcefield and restore the air supply." As he returned his attention to the console.

The air was starting to become thin as the Hologram vanished in a glimmer of its own smugness. Rhenora hoped it didn't have any more tricks it had enabled up its holographic sleeve.

"How are we going for time Tom...it's getting a little thin in here"

"You don't want to know it will only depress you." Tom replied without looking at her. He had separated two components and picked up a third which he connected to one of the components and waited.

Seconds passed then air could be heard entering the bridge and the forcefield dropped. "There." He said in a satisfied tone.

"Whew... what is it with deserted ships and trying to kill us?" The Captain quipped as she looked around to see if there were any more booby traps. "You've got the manifest?"

"I don't know it must be your personality." Tom bantered easily and continued. "I do. Already to the Liberty." He looked around the bridge, "I believe our work is done here."

"Lets get the heck off here in case the ship decides to self destruct or something" She retorted with a smile. They worked well as a team.

"You'll get no argument from me." Tom answered with a grin. "Ready when you are."

"Thanks Tom, you're an asset to the Liberty, I look forward to working more with you." She replied honestly, before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

"Captain to Liberty - two to beam back"

"No thank you Rhenora for giving me a chance to reunite with my family as well as finding myself again."

" Cuts both ways" She smiled as the transporter whisked them away and back to the Liberty. Now they could leave this region of space and move on with their lives.