Season 1, Mission 1: Portal Jumper

It was a joy to watch the Klingon fly, granted he probably didn't even know it but he looked so comfortable and happy behind the controls of the runabout. In contrast John Waterhouse, surgeon and specialist in infectious disease vectors was scared almost half out of his wits sitting in the rear seat of the runabout cockpit.

The runabout seemed to be grazing it's way along the surface of the Cube and the doctor was sure if he opened the hatch he would be able to simply step out onto the hull of the Borg vessel. "I should have stayed in the back with the rest of the team, I should have stayed in the back, dammit, I'm a doctor not a stunt pilot!" He gripped the arms of the chair and focused on the panel in front of him, mentally inventorying the contents of his medkit and reviewing the field medical drills he hoped not to have to employ on any of his new crew mates.

=/\= Darco to Archenon... Darco to Archenon or Somers... Come in please... =/\=

John listened to the gruff Klingon's voice and strained to hear any reply.

OOC: - I couldn't resist...

Major Jasmine Somers
Marine CO
Borg Cube

Somers and the Marines had resorted to hand Phasers when their TR-116 Rifles run out. As their Phasers run dry, Somers reained in front withdrawing her Mek'Leth Blade and hacking away at the hostile Aliens. Just then she heard her Commbadge come to life, but Archenon responded.

After that, all she heard was Archenon shouting.

"Prepare for emergency extraction, gather up the wounded. We'll be booking out of here fast!"

With that She began moving back slowly, the Aliens had paused, as one lone human was fighting with a blade as she retreated, for this hesitation, she was greatful and took advantage of their slower advance to catch up with the rest.

Josh received Darco's report and immediately executed the next part of the plan. He trusted the runabout pilot's would communicate with the away team as best as they could. =^= Runabout squadron, phasers firing =^=

Seetar nodded to the Tactical officer to begin the cutting sequence. The phasers had been set to a short beam, high intensity beam for maximum cutting power. A decently large square, big enough to fit three runabouts in, was stripped away and then cleared of debris with their tractor beam. =^= Free to dock, team. Good luck, folks. Invincible stands by to take in passengers =^=

Josh took a seat in the Captain's chair, his legs crossed and his mind full of want. The Captain needed to be returned safely along with the rest of the crew.

The doctor was right, while the Doctor spoke he said with glee, "Whats the matter Doctor? Don't you want to live forever, this day is a Glorious day! Let the glory fill your heart with fire!"

He actually laughed then... His face immediately turned back to serious, "Doc, get back to the bay and we'll take on the wounded first, I'll beam them directly to the back, this will all be over in minutes..."

He pressed the COM now, "Darco to away team, Triage Evac Protocol initiated, standby." Pausing a fraction of fa second, "Darco to squadron, as discussed, begin beam out of senior officers onto the Callypso and everyone else onto Nautilus, the worst wounded will go to my ship."

The jamming made the communication with Invincible spotty but he got the message, that and the phaser beam cutting through the borg ships hull like butter was a dead giveaway. "Alright, squad, execute evacuation protocols on my six, Theta formation." He moved, he knew exactly where the other pilots would take things and the entered the cubes vast central cavity... "Computer, scan for the away teams COM badges and for life signs. Triage Evacuation Protocol and energize."

The computer replied with assent... "Waterhouse, you've got incoming... Today may be a good day to die, but remember, it is your glory that shall save them from that fate."

Darco was actually in his element and wanted to somehow convey to the Doctor that this could be his element as well.

As the beamout was underway Darco caught a glimps of what the men on the ship were fighting, "Darco to Invincible... I am catching a sight of what they have been fighting and it isn't good. Recommend you prepare a full photon spread for maximum yield, my instincts tell me these things are tougher than we are."

Holy CRAP... He saw them moving... And they were aiming to fire at him and his runabouts... "Pilots, arm all weapons when you've got all your designated people aboard, get the hell out of here. I think those things are going to start to fire at us!"

Major Jasmine Somers
Darco's Runabout
Post Fight

Somers was one of the last to find herself on the transporter pad of a Runabout, she was Archenon getting attended to, stepped from the transporter as she sheathed her Mek'Leth and suddenly exhaustion, took over and she just collapsed in the nearest seat as her Rifle sropped to the floor.

She began Laughing for no apparent reason, she still had humour in her voice as she Spoke. "Well, I gave up a cushy number a a Chief Tactical Officer at Lieutenant Commander rank to become a Marine Major, I guess the saying is true" She paused.

Tag: Anyone on Darcos Shuttle (Wherew Archenon is)

Looking at the one who asked, still with a smile "Oh, Be careful what you wish for *titter*, that phrase has new meaning now" She said and quietly giggled to herself as the Adrenelin Rush she entered was now leaving her.

Tag: open Tag on Darco's Shuttle

The Commander let out an exasperated sigh and kept to himself. His leg was mended quickly but the aches and pain of the battle remained. He limped around, his leg still tender, taking a seat towards the front of the runabout. He saw some of the last of the Marines dematerializing onto the ferrys, and the few dead bodies of members not lucky enough to be saved. "majQa', Darco, majQa'," Matt whispered quietly, reciting one of his old Klingon phrases.. The phasers of the runabouts opened up on the enemy, destroying much of the interior of the cube. "Take us home, my friend, take us home."

Darco smiled as his CO was beamed aboard, he got a green console light noting that all runabouts reported that everyone was off the cube... "Darco to squad... Fire at will at all enemy targets, executing escape maneuver, I'll do a horizontal strafing run and lay out fire in my wake, lets show these things what happens when they take on Starfleet."

Turning back toward the aft compartment of the runabout for just a few seconds he said, "Thank you Sir, I always like to know my efforts are appreciated."

Looking at the one who asked, still with a smile "Oh, Be careful what you wish for *titter*, that phrase has new meaning now" She said and quietly giggled to herself as the Adrenelin Rush she entered was now leaving her.

It was then that he took the helm like a man caressing a long lost lover and began his run, he rotated the ship and flew at half impulse around the outer edge of the cubes interior and ran solid phaser streaks from all banks along the inside causing massive amounts of damage. The other runabouts did pinpoint strikes behind him as he exited the cube and headed for the shuttle bay.

He realized the Marine Major Somers was laughing openly, "That is the spirit Major! Let us hope that for them, it was a good a day to die."

He really was a happy, happy Klingon.

Tense.

Even after they'd made their escape on the shuttle, a permeation of tension still existed. At least for Jeffery it was that way, and it was very apparent on the faces of Fitzroy and Cartyano as they came to mill about with Jeffery on the shuttle.

"Sir..." Cartayno started.

Jeffery simply looked up at him from his seat on the shuttle.

"You have some blood on you."

His brow furrowed for a split second, then Jeffery brought up his hand to wipe his face at the observation. Sure enough, he could feel some of the blood still on his face from one of the unfortunate marines.

The rest of the security officers all had a look of alert exhaustion about them. The actual action hadn't taken an incredible amount of time, but none of them had ever found themselves in that sort of situation. With the adrenal high starting to wear off for them, it was understandable that some fatigue would start to present itself amongst their composures. What felt more out of place, and a bit inappropriate was the jocular attitude on the part of Somers and the Klingon present with them. He didn't say anything, but found it distasteful considering the wounded that had been accumulated.

Perhaps it was a coping mechanism? Humor did relieve stress-

No. There was bloodthirst present. It felt all the more poignant with Gurton also dead.

OOC:- Backfilling from Waterhouse's perspective - Sorry was in London for the weekend.

Darco's Runabout

"Doc, get back to the bay and we'll take on the wounded first, I'll beam them directly to the back, this will all be over in minutes..." Waterhouse was snapped out of his thoughts by the Klingon helmsman, as Darco turned back to his panel and began to co-ordinate the resuce John rushed back into the open bay in the rear of the runabout. His three medics had already cleared the floor space and layed out their kits. "Standby people, we have multiple wounded from the away team. Mr Darco is taking us in as we..." he was cut off as the comm system chirped

"Waterhouse, you've got incoming... Today may be a good day to die, but remember, it is your glory that shall save them from that fate." Marines began to appear in groups as the computer system located them, John moved from man to man making rapid assessments and dosing for pain or infection, running a demal regenerator accross minor hits and slapping biomedical gel strips over the larger wounds. The medical staff were running at peak efficiency processing each batch just as the next appeared. As the wounded began to trail off Commander Archenon himself materialised, he dropped his rifle on the deck and Harris immediately hit him with a hypo of wide spectrum antigens.

"Lieutenant Waterhouse, get this man off me, there's more injured men out there!" He resisted for a moment before the pain of the gash stopped him in his tracks. "Sir, I'll thank you not to question my medical staff, you are losing a lot of blood." John shocked himself with the outburst but the combination of adrenaline and finally doing what he was trained to do rather than being an idle passenger had filled him with confidence. He stood from the badly burned marine that he had just given trauma care to. "Mr Harris get some more blood into this man and stabilise his burns, I shall deal with the Commander and return." Gently helping Archeron to the deck he ran his medical tools across the gash and staunched the bleeding, "Sir, I shall need you to report to Sickbay after we get back for a final assessment."

The Commander let out an exasperated sigh but John moved back to the burned marine who had begun to shake.

Somers appearance on the pad signalled the effective end of the evacuation and her sudden laugh startled the medical party. Exhausted Harris gently draped a blanket over the face of the dead man as John cursed quietly while removing the cortical stimulator from his head, T'Hal's already severe Vulcan face was smudged with blood "It is illogical to assume we would be able to save every patient Doctor some are simply too badly injured." Waterhouse glared at her and expanded it to include the laughing Marine officer and the sullen Tactical chief, spreading the blame for the man's death as wide as it would go. "I don't expect to save everyone but I do find every death under my care hard." The Vulcan medic turned back to her work as John paced up and down between the wounded.

As the intensity of the situation faded and the ship passed out of the cube and headed for docking, Darco set the autodock sequence, looking back at the read of the ship...

I don't expect to save everyone but I do find every death under my care hard.

Darco heard the doctors words and saw the face of Mr. Cousland... He realized that Somers was having an entirely different reaction to his... Archenon understood, Darco understood...

He felt the need to speak as the ship headed in for final docking, "Doctor... Every life is precious, those of us with fire and battle in their blood feel just as passionately for every life, and when we get back to the ship, we shall warn the afterlife that warriors are on their way to the afterlife and to beware their honor and bravery. It is easy to mistake fervor in battle for a lack of respect for life... The only way to honor the death of comrades in battle is to be victors, to survive, to bring their deaths honor in the battle of life."

He turned back to his console and said final words... "Life and death... You can't stop people from dieing but you can hope for honor in life to bring meaning to the death of those ones you are closest to."

The ship was moving into the shuttle bay and just began to touch down.

Flightdeck
Hanger Bay 1
USS Invincible
----------------

"Lieutenant Waterhouse, these men are yours... the best of luck." John turned away from his captain and put the conversation with Darco to the back of his mind, duty called. Dr Adams was on the flight deck with his party of triage and trauma medics, they sorted the Marine casualties into groups and moved them efficiently into the turbolifts to sickbay. "T'Hal and Harris, you've done your bit get cleaned up and report back to sickbay in half an hour. Dallen, unfortunately you're still with me." John called as he followed behind his junior doctor.

Main Sickbay
USS Invincible
----------------

The three doctors worked in harmony processing the marines, 6 would need no further sickbay care but four of Somer's Marines would be in the sickbay for some time yet. Worse yet a Corporal who should have recovered from a slashing wound to the chest just fine was now showing signs of massive infection. Waterhouse and Monroe stood together at the main sickbay diagnostic display.

"Well Mr Monroe?" John had pulled a blue medical smock over his already blood stained uniform jacket. "Aye, Thore is sumant in his blood. It's like an invading parasite, we've flushed his system but it's chew'd up his kidneys and liver pretty bad." Monroe looked older than normal, a worried look in his eyes. The CMO replied "Doctor we've got four other men here with injuries from plasma weapons who are healing well, no sign of this infection." John said waving at the display. Monroe's face took on a frown, "Plasma weapons ye say?" Waterhouse was a few seconds ahead of the grizzled medic, "Yes, Plasma Weapons. No one else who took serious close combat damage survived, do you think the infection was transmitted by touch?" As John spoke he was moving to the bio bed on which the marine lay unconscious tranquillized for the pain. Dallen and two other nurses stood over the bed monitoring his losing battle with this strange attacker. Monroe followed him, "It would seem tae stand tae reason Sir." Dallen adjusted the controls of the bio bed. "Doctors his heartbeat is erratic and I fear he's losing." "Lets get him on a life support bunk Dallen, and draw two more tissue samples for me, I'll be in the lab next door"

John walked around the partition and began to set the computer up for a micro cellular scan of the dying man's blood. While the computer beeped it's compliance John ran his hand over his short hair and considered situation.

Major Jasmine Somers
Marine CO
Turbolift
USS Invincible

Jasmine noticed the Captain hiding his pain, she thought he hid it well, all things considered, but the Captain was speaking.

"After we've gotten back to HQ we'll need to do an assessment of our casualties, but for right now I'd like to get out of this area Bridge." Archenon said.

"Getting out of this area Captain, from me, you will have no argument" Jasmine said oO So many casualties Oo She thought as the turbolift doors closed and began to move.

-- tag all --

Darco docked the ship expertly and once the ship was down and ready to power off support staff entered the ship to assist with moving the men out. He looked at one of the Ensigns and said, taking off his gear, "Move my gear back to my quarters when you're finished."

The runabouts reached the Invincible in short order. It was not a long flight by any means. "Lieutenant Darco, report to the bridge. I'll be meeting you up there soon."

Darco stood with attention turning to Archenon, "Aye sir, right away."

Dr Adams was on the flight deck with his party of triage and trauma medics, they sorted the Marine casualties into groups and moved them efficiently into the turbolifts to sickbay.

Before Waterhouse moves off he pats the man on the shoulder he said very quietly, "You and your men saved many today, try not to let the deaths take that victory from you."

Darco moved quickly off to a turbolift heading to the bridge immediately having stripped off the combat gear that he was happy they had no need for....

--- On the Bridge of the USS Invincible ---

Darco rode the lift in silence, letting his mind clear from the battle and calming his body and emotions down. Being a Klingon was great in battle but you had to know how to turn it back off when the mission was over, he had learned that the hard way a long time ago.

The doors swished open and he exited them stepping onto the bridge deck and hearing the doors swish closed behind him.

Darco smiled at Seetar as he saw the man in command, "Sir, superb timing, if I may say so."

Darco thanked the Captain and had just sat down when... Things seemed to slow down... He was in the process of setting a course when time was slowing down, he couldn't speak. Warrior instinct took over and he went to turn toward the rest of the bridge and felt... Like he was moving through sand, he turned enough to see the portal open and the CO pull through it... Then, time was normal again...

Jumping out of his chair he yelled, "Captain! Security to the bridge!" he couldn't help himself, he knew for a fact that it was too late, he knew security couldn't do anything. That is just what you did when someone was stolen off of a ship, you called for security.

He tapped his COM badge, "Bridge to Archenon... Do you read Captain..."

Josh worked quickly in Engineering, and attempted to discontinue his pacing. The pressure weighed on the Lieutenant's shoulders like bricks but he fought the feelings. He would get them out of there.

The message came quickly, and the distinctive voice of Darco was easily distinguished for Josh. "Captain! Security to the bridge!"

Josh stopped, froze. "Computer, locate Commander Archenon."

"Commander Archenon is not onboard the Invincible."

Josh swore and turned, practically sprinting from Engineering. "Bridge, what's going on up there!?"

(tag anyone on the bridge)

Matt's face fell, the realization sweeping him from their short lived triumph. "Tactical, are weapons operational?"

He'd hardly had a chance to settle into his station, his hands flying across the panel to check status,"I have some phaser capability, sir."

The Commander nodded. "Keep phasers on standby and shields up. I'd rather not have us ambushed while we're dead in space.

"Aye, sir." Jeffery replied, setting his systems to ready status.

Taking a deep breath, Jeffery placed both hands on the console in front of him and leaned over. He took several deep breaths as he attempted to get his head back in order, his thoughts swimming about in what his duties were in regards to Gurton. Typically the commanding officer would give condolences to the next of kin, but Jeffery had a certain pang of hurt in particular since he'd selected the security officers for the away team.

"Captain! Security to the bridge!" he heard called out.

Bolting up, Jeffery took note of the captain disappearing through some sort of rift. Out of trained reaction, he grabbed up a phaser from under the console and leveled it at the disturbance, but hesitated. What was he going to fire at exactly?

Soon as Archenon slipped through, the rift collapsed on itself. A few moments of stunned silence permeated the bridge as a couple of security officers shuffled onto the bridge from the turbolift.

=/\="Bridge, what's going on up there!?"=/\= Seetar's voice piped in over the comms.

Jeffery slowly came out from around the tactical console, coming to stand just behind the command chair.

"The captain's gone." he replied to the query, his volume and tone both indicative of astonishment.

((Tag anyone))

=/\="Bridge, what's going on up there!?"=/\= Seetar's voice piped in over the comms.

Jeffery slowly came out from around the tactical console, coming to stand just behind the command chair.

"The captain's gone." he replied to the query, his volume and tone both indicative of astonishment.

Darco sat back down and glanced up to Cousland, "Scan the area for subspace and temporal anomalies. Holding our orbital thrusters at station keeping." he said working the console, "Check the sensor logs monitoring our shield systems, find out what happened to our shields when that thing appeared." He paused a moment, "Engineering, get readings from our warp field, for a rift to form on the ship and pass through the shields it should have dented our warp field even at minimum levels."

He paused another moment as the ship stayed at the exact location it was in when the Captain disappeared.

"Executive Officer to the bridge!"

He paused again, looking up at the ceiling waiting for a COM back from the XO...

Nothing...

"Computer, locate Lt. Commander Clarke."

"Security to the bridge!"

"Executive Officer to the bridge!"

The two ship wide calls in Darco's surprised voice echo'd round sickbay. The staff paused in their work looking worriedly at each other. John was just about to begin the detailed analysis of the dying Marine's tissues as it happened, turning to Monroe "Mr Monroe, take over here - I'm going to find out what's up" Pulling his blue working smock off and leaving it crumpled on the table he walked briskly around the partition. "Carry on everyone, I'm going to go up top and find out what's going on." The staff turned back to their patients as he grabbed the restocked field kit from the rack, reflecting that this was becoming a habit.

Seconds later John entered a turbolift "Bridge!"
'Probably should have changed into a new jacket Johnny Boy' He picked ineffectively at the dried blood marks from the runabout ride.

Major Jasmin Somers
Marine CO
Turbolift

Jasmine was in the Turbolift heading to the Marines when the Comms activated.

=/\=Security to the bridge!=/\=

=/\=Executive Officer to the bridge!=/\=

"Bridge" She said and the lift stopped and reversed direction, a moment later it opened onto the bridge.

Bridge

Somers stepped out looked around saw officers standing around, as to what appeared to be in shock, while a few were standing by an empty Captain's chair.

"What is going one? Where is the Captain?" Somers asked standing by the turbolift doors.

Tags: Bridge, any

Darco glanced at Somers, "The Captain was just pulled through some kind of rift that cut right through our shields. I cannot locate the the XO and as far as I know, we are dead in the water. I am having people run scans and check out sensor logs, I don't have any indications yet of who took him or where."

Darco's voice betrayed that he really wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, should he take command of the bridge? He had only been on this ship such a short time, he as yet didn't have a feel for exactly who was preferred to command.

Major Jasmin Somers
Marine CO
Bridge

Somers nodded in disbelief. "Who is the Senior Bridge Officer around here at the moment?" Somers asked.

Tag: Darco

"Well I would think that the next Senior ranking bridge member would take tempoary command, until the XO can be located. Then looking straight at Darco I cannot take Command, I know my rank is equal to a Lieutewnant Commander, but I am a Marine, most I can do is offer my services at Tactical. I am a fully trained Tactical Officer. So Lieutenant Darco who is the Ranking Bridge Officer excluding me? Remember they can either be wearing a Mustard colour shirt or Red shirt" she said and paused.

Tag: Darco

Darco remembered himself, more than a bit embarrassed because he knew all that already he looked around at those present... The general crew were about the bridge, of course, but the two highest ranking officers were himself and Lt. JG Cousland, both the same rank. Of course, he was a Command officer rather than Engineering or Security. Darco looked at Somers and gave her a 'thank you' style of expression.

"I believe that I am Senior Officer, while Mr. Cousland and I share the same rank, he is classified as Security and I am classified as Command." Looking up at Cousland to see if he would speak up for or against this idea, he waited a moment before continuing to give orders and trying to find the XO.