Posted by Ensign Saoir (Transporter/Security) in [DipInc] Regrouping in Engineering [Tag Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Lieutenant Todd Nyman (Chief Counselor) in [DipInc] Regrouping in Engineering [Tag Ensign Saoir]

Posted by Ensign Saoir (Transporter/Security) in [DipInc] Regrouping in Engineering [Tag Ensign Saoir]
Posted by… suppressed (62) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[Snip]

As the lift doors opened, they found that, compared to the rest of the ship, Deck 3 was both the busiest and in the worse shape. The corridors were relatively bustling, with groups of two or three passing through with relatively urgency. All carrying tools kits or replacement parts and data pads with constantly updating orders. It wasn’t thirty seconds before they were noticed.

An officer stepped back a little, obviously not expecting to see them. A younger looking officer, whose insignia indicated the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

He was noticeably fixated on Saoir for a moment, with a mixture of hesitation and curiosity. Looking around them however he was able to get a glimpse of Nyman standing behind. Upon seeing who appeared to be an ally, he relaxed slightly.

“Which work group?” he asked.

“Delta,” Nyman replied, once again shifting his voice to match the role.

The officer smiled a little, “Excellent, we could definitely use someone like him.” He gestured toward one direction down the corridor. “Please, this way.”

With that brief direction he darted off in that direction, expecting the two to follow. Once he was out of earshot, Nyman whispered, “Just keep an eye on that detector, alright?”

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Saoir nodded subtly at Nyman’s words, keeping his expression neutral. His hand brushed over the detector clipped to his belt, feeling its reassuring weight. He tightened his grip on the strap of his toolkit, his eyes scanning the corridor as they followed the young officer.
Delta team, huh? Saoir thought to himself. He wondered what kind of repairs they’d be tasked with. Deck 3 was a mess of wires and exposed panels, the aftermath of whatever had caused this chaos.

He let his mind wander briefly to the Leviathan and the times he’d spent with Nyman there. It had been simpler then, or at least it seemed so in hindsight. The bond they’d forged when he first told him about the crush he had on the Captain, the other times he’d sat in his office and complained about not fitting in, it all felt like another lifetime. Now, everything was shadowed by uncertainty.
As they walked, Saoir felt a pang of nostalgia for the days when their biggest worry was the next skirmish or technical malfunction. “How did we end up here?” he inadvertently said out loud, glancing at the disguised Nyman.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Nyman glanced over, immediately recognizing his crew mate’s emotional distress. It… hurt, to think that this was all somewhat avoidable.

The counselor had been nervous about leaving the ship, and requested an extra security officer accompany them. When Saior’s name came up he was even somewhat excited and agreed to have him come along.

As they continued on he felt the need to say something. It was alright if Saior needed more time to stop and process. They were not in the clear yet and a lack of focus could harm them both.

“Are you certain you are well enough to assist effectively?” he asked, letting a subtle amount of empathy show through,

“Despite what you may have been led to believe, our Commander is reasonable person. They would understand if you are unwell.”

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Saoir tightened his grip on the strap of his toolkit. He let out a slow breath. “I’m fine,” he said quietly, though he wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Nyman or himself.
Saoir’s eyes stared to Nyman’s face, searching for any sign of doubt or concern.
“Really, I’m good,” he added, more firmly this time. “I can handle it.” He offered a faint smile, trying to inject some levity into his voice.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Nyman nodded in response, “Very well,” he said before shifting into a whisper, “You’re doing great actually.”

The Romulan officer leading them likely didn’t think anything of the exchange, as they kept moving forward through the corridor. Something was different about this section of the ship… even considering the condition of what they had already seen. The walls were marred with scorch marks from disruptor fire. Terminal interfaces where cracked and smashed in with violent force. Spent explosive charges still lay unattended on the floors. There was something unpleasantly familiar about the whole scene for Nyman. He looked down at the disruptor he had been carrying, at first only as part of his disguise. His grip on it tightening as he remembered, he could still use it if he needed to.

“I am not sure how aware you are of our current situation.” said the officer leading them through, “Our group has been working on the primary quantum singularity core. There was an… accident, causing damage to the core’s casing. It needs repair, re-installation, and alignment before we can start drawing power from the core again. That is the primary assignment of our group.”

Meanwhile, the tracker indicated they were getting closer to where the others were. Closer and closer until they came to be standing beside one of many closed doors. It indicated that from where they were standing, the others were more or less than ten feet behind those closed doors. But their destination was a bit further on, indicated by the fact the Romulan officer was continuing on.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Saoir took another deep breath, steadying himself as they moved deeper into the ship’s damaged corridor. The atmosphere was oppressive, the scent of burnt metal and ozone hanging heavy in the air, mingling with the faint tang of blood. He glanced around, taking in the charred walls and shattered terminals, it honestly looked like remnants of a fierce battle that had unfolded here not too long ago.
Nyman’s words echoed in his mind, a small beacon of encouragement amidst the chaos. “You’re doing great actually.” Saoir clung to that. His heart raced, but he forced himself to focus, to keep his steps measured and his expression calm.
He looked ahead at the Romulan officer, trying to gauge any sign of their true intentions. The officer’s demeanor was as cold and efficient as the ship’s interior. Saoir’s thoughts wandered briefly to the others behind the door they had passed. Were they safe? The tracker’s signal had been faint but consistent. They had to be close.

As they walked, Saoir’s mind shifted to the task at hand. The primary quantum singularity core was critical. Without it, the ship would be adrift, a powerless hulk in the void of space. He felt the weight of his toolkit, a physical reminder of his responsibilities. The Romulans needed his expertise, and to him, that meant he was of value to them.
Saoir approached the core, his toolkit in hand, his mind narrowing to the task ahead. Kneeling beside it, Saoir opened his toolkit, fingers shifting and selecting the tools he needed. He forced himself to breathe steadily, to block out the noise and distractions. His hands moved with practiced precision, each movement deliberate and controlled. From the corner of his eye, Saoir watched Nyman and wondered what his next move was. They were both playing their parts, both driven by a common purpose.

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

For the most part Saior was left alone to finish the task. Occasionally some of the other members of this Group Delta would check in, making sure he had all the right equipment and information he needed. They were all polite enough, coldly hospitable and otherwise busy with their own projects.

Nyman was keeping a lookout for anything he considered particularly suspicious. Even with everything he learned so far a few things didn’t add up yet. His thoughts were interrupted though, when of all people, Ensign Monroe walked by.

While Nyman tried not to be too obvious, he noticed something was off about Monroe. He walked by slowly and carefully, each step seeming overly calculated. An unfocused gaze suggested he was either distracted, terrified, or both.

Monroe walked by without so much as a word. He didn’t appeared to even notice Saior. Perhaps he was just distracted, but possibly it was something more. Nyman’s mind flashed images of every worst case scenario that could explain this odd behavior. An involuntary chill rang through his body.

He had to stop. This was not a good time to break down. You can’t control what other people choose to do, he reaffirmed silently. It was enough to remember that for now.

They walked past and disappeared into another room further back down the corridor.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

~~bump~~

While Saoir was adjusting connections, tightening bolts, and recalibrating, he glanced up, catching sight of Nyman in his disguise standing watchful and alert. The counselor’s presence, even in it’s altered state, was a small comfort, a reminder that he wasn’t alone on the Romulan ship. Moments later Saoir’s gaze shifted to the corridor where Ensign Munroe appeared, his eyes widened for a moment at the sight of him, happy he was alive. However he too, noticed that his demeanor wasn’t right. Munroe was one of the people they were searching for. The signal from the tracker had been faint but consistent, leading them to this section of the ship. Seeing him now, alive was a relief but he was not himself. Saoir dared not approach or even signal Munroe directly. The Romulan officers were too close, watching too intently. Any overt action could compromise their mission, Nyman’s and Munroe’s safety. Instead, Saoir his eyes back to what he was doing and focused on his work.

He stole another glance at Munroe. Munroe didn’t seem to notice Saoir or Nyman. He walked past slowly, disappearing into another room further down the corridor. He tightened a final bolt and stepped back, “All done,” Saoir said. He stood, closing his toolkit and slinging it over his shoulder. “The core should be stable now. We should have power back shortly.” Of course he had just patched it, he didn’t make all the neccesary repairs needed, just enough to buy them some time. Saoir looked at Nyman, then he couldn’t help one last glance back at the corridor where Munroe had vanished. There was something there. They had to find a way to follow it without arousing suspicion. “There is one final inspection I’d like to do. If I may check the vincinity… to ensure that the control panels are operational. They may need some minor adjustments.”

Ensign Saoir
(Transporter/Security)

Almost as a response, the lighting gradually shifted from the emergency red to greenish-white. The eerie darkened corridors became stark under the harsh lights. The 2nd Lieutenant supervising the group was the first to respond.

“Very well,’ he said, voice tinged with a hint of approval, “You may proceed with your inspections under my supervision.” They looked over to Nyman, who felt the distinct sense of scrutiny behind their gaze.

“Officer Gan, you have been ordered to report to medical, immediately.” Nyman felt the rush of panic. A spike in heart rate, pupils growing in size. How hard he was clenching the disruptor rifle. Only after catching control of his breath did he attempt a reply,

“Immediately?” The counselor glanced over at Saoir. Knowing he understood why directly refusing wasn’t an option. At the same time, feeling guilty for leaving him.

“Yes, sir. Right away.”

With that, they turned and left, already working on a plan to get back as soon as possible. But for the time being, whatever the ensign was planning to do next, he would have to do it alone.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|