So Close But So Far

Posted on Wed Jul 21st, 2021 @ 3:03am by Jeassaho Kea (*) & Chief Engineer Michael Burnstein & Jinx Jorasco & Laurier Cami

Mission: Mission 13: Stowaway
Location: Cargo Bay
Timeline: MD08 23:30
1254 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Jeassaho let out a big yawn before looking at Michael guiltily. She had a quick nap on the floor whilst he had soldiered on turning the statis unit into a once in a lifetime bomb. She had suggested several times that he get an hour or so sleep, but he refused. She understood why, but it did not mean as a former chief engineer she liked it at all, but she just kept thinking if she was chief engineer or in charge she would be the same, no matter what anyone said.

“Everyone alright?” She wondered, glancing at her chronometer, seeing how close it was to midnight as silence had descended on the small group.

"Yep," Burnie said, suppressing a yawn. "Bomb is all set. We just need to clean up the box and make sure the fake readings work."

"It'll work. If there's one thing our chief greaser knows, it's how to make things blow up." Cami rubbed her dirtied forehead with her sleeve. She peered over at Jinx. "What do you think? Will it beat the sensors?"

“It should,” Jinx said. “Let’s give it a test run.” She picked up a tricorder and scanned the control panel they had taken apart, rejiggered the innards, and put them back together. “It’s giving off good life sign readings, and they are matching what is on the display. That’s if they even bother to do a scan and don’t just take the control display at face value,” the little science officer replied.

Jeassaho would not dare risk that they would just go on face value. She knew better than that with how pirates and trouble makers worked, it was better not to risk. “Let us not risk it,” Jeassaho commented quickly before anyone could agree. “We do not know how smart they are.”

"Doesn't matter," Burnie said with a smirk. "If they decide to check closer they have to open it up, and if they do..." He put his hands together and then threw them out, fingers splayed. "Ka-Boom!"

“Does if they to--” Jeassaho yelped as the alarm sounded around them, making the woman look around in panic as she heard the cargo door lock, as was standard for any alarm. It was a security measure, but it did not fill her with good thoughts at all. An alarm like that meant they had run out of time. "Intruder alarm," she said louder.

"That doesn't sound good." Cami frowned. "I thought we had a few more hours. Unless I was sleep-working again."

"Definitely early," Burnie said, glancing at the chrono, even as he moved to start retrieving things from their pile of tools and supplies. "But it's pirates; can't expect them to hold to a schedule. Here." He tossed welding torches to Kea and Cami. "Kea, put a bead down the center of the door before they bust the lock. Cami, cover her. If they start coming through, flame them. Hands and eyes are the best targets."

Confident that would buy at least a few minutes, he looked at what was leftover from his bomb making supplies. What to rig? A set of flash-bangs? A couple grenades? Hmm, maybe use a tube and improvise a rocket launcher? Sooo many opportunities, conservative application of explosives.. A smile grew on his face as he set to work, the sort of smile that, if the pirates could see it they might abandon the raid and flee.

Jinx gave a whistle, and Zambi came skittering along the cargo bay floor. “No phasers kept in here?” she asked. She reached to her back and pulled two sticks carved of heavy wood from leather sheaths there. They were painted with red and blue symbols, much like lines painted on her face. She twirled them a bit, eying the door. “Maybe I could get out through the jeffries tubes,” the tiny woman volunteered.

"Nope. Armoury only, apart from a locker near the quarters. We should stick together," Jeassaho said quickly. Jeassaho nodded and grabbed up the welding torch and her glasses to do it. It was not straight, as she was in a hurry, and felt very much like a damage control situation. She yelped stepping back as she heard a thud on the door from the other side just as she started on the final piece. “They definitely want to come in,” she whispered quietly to herself as she held up the torch as a weapon. What she would not give for a phaser rifle or even a handheld pjaser right then and there.

Jinx nodded. She positioned herself near the door. If they got it open wide enough, her short stature might keep her safe enough from any phasers or disruptors while she could attack knees and groins.

"They may think they want in," Burnie said, smiling smugly, "but they'll change their minds if they manage to get that door open." He held up two hand-sized cylinders. "What do you think, roll grenades, throw them, or should I make a launcher? I could make a launcher. It'll take them a while to cut through a weld from outside with a phaser."

Jeassaho looked at the door and then back at the man who stood there smugly holding up two cylinders. "Launcher," Jeassaho assured, as if there was any question that there was any other option. She shook her head with a big grin on her face as she saw Burnie for the first time in all his element. "Need help?"

"Nope." Burnie set the grenades aside and rubbed his hands together a moment before starting to assemble the launcher, little more than a tube with a pressure actuator stripped from another tool, but enough for more than effective thrust given the distance. A tweak so the grenades would detonate on impact and... Bingo!

The seam along the door was glowing red as he dropped a grenade in and hoisted the launcher onto his shoulder with a manic grin. "Say hello to my leetle friend..."

“I really hope that’s accurate…” Jinx said, stepping away from the door again.

Jeassaho grinned and moved behind Burnie. “Well let’s just stay out of the firing line.” The Betazoid laugh as she watched the door get hotter and hotter and a hole appeared.

Burnie braced as the weld seam began to part, finger on the makeshift trigger....

"It is over. The ship is back under our control," Angel's voice announced over the intercom, followed by the sound of running outside the door and phase fire, then bodies thumping onto the deck.

Bootsteps sounded just coming toward the door, and Burnie aimed the launcher. Just in case.

"Burnie," Liha's voice called form outside. "I know you're in there and I'm sure you've got something explosive rigged. These pirates," a vague scuffing sound gave the impression of something being shoved aside with a foot, "are done. So defuse it and let us in."

With a regretful sigh, Burnie set the launcher down. "Sorry, baby," he whispered as he removed the grenade. "Maybe next time." Straightening, he tugged down his jacket and went to unlock the doors. "All clear," he said, lightly tossing the grenade in one hand. "Need any help clearing the rest?"

"No." Liha snatched the grenade mid-toss. "And you should probably disarm the stasis chamber too. The Rangers," she jerked her head toward Taev, just behind her shoulder. "Showed up and took out their ship."

"That's ...great news," Burnie said, forcing a smile. "Guess we should get to work."