Liberation: Means vs. Outcome

Last Season

The hatch would not open. He tried and tried, but Devore couldn't get it open. Just as Devore tried another set of explosions ripped through the ship. A bulk head exploded and hit Devore. He flew forward through an open hatch and now he was face first on stone cold metal room. Devore looked up to see someone in red grab him, then darkness fell. The last thing Devore realised was a large roar and explosion. The nothingness!

And now the continuation !

USS Hellcat : Sickbay

On the biobed, Captain Devore began to stir. As his eyes opened he saw a young ensign tending to his head. He slowly reached up and grabbed her hand.

"Captain. Please relax." The young woman said with a smile.

Who are you ? I don't remember ever seeing you." Devore said pulling away sceptical.

How often do you come to sick bay, Captain ?"

Obviously not enough."

I am Ensign FyreLyn Katts, assistant medical officer. I came on board at Starbase 113."

"Really. What kind of name is FyreLyn ?"

"The same kind of name as Marcus, Captain."

"Touché."

"My friends call me Lyn."

"Okay Ensign. Where is Dr. Birchfield ?"

"You haven't heard." Devore just looked at her. "Oh. Of course you haven't heard. He was killed in the attack. Fortunately for you that Commander Devore was on his other side...."

"Sierra! Is she okay ? What happened ?" Devore yelled shooting up.

Ensign Katts pushed him back down, "Counsellor Devore is fine. Now lay back down and rest. You took a mighty big impact. I think that you owe something to the young cadet who is comatose over there."

"What. What happened?" Devore asked looking over at Brayden. Brayden was laying on the biobed next to him unconscious. His head was banged up and bandaged. There was a hint of red from the back of his head. There were deep, black circles under his eyes. "Ensign Katts, Lyn... What happened ?"

Just as she began to speak, Lieutenant Hansen interrupted, " I will take over from here."

"Yes sir." Katts said as she walked away.

"Jon. What happened ?"

"Well you ready for the good news and the bad ?" Hansen began.

"Just give it to me. What happened ?"

"It looked like you were helping Ensign Mason to the Hellcat. But he took off. As you began to go after him, there was a major explosion in the bulkheads to the other side you which punched you through to the shuttlebay. Brayden noticed that you weren't moving and ran out there to pull you to safety of the ship, but just as he got you on board and closing the door, a piece of debris hit him in the back of the head, He has been in a coma ever since. Captain. He is a brave boy. "

"What happened to Sierra ?"

"Well I take it that she was down in sickbay when she was hit by something. Birchfield was in the way if you want to call it that. Whatever it was, he took a piece of metal in the back of the head that looked like was going to hit Sierra. He saved her life. "

A tear formed in the Captain's eye, "What about the Leviathan ? And the crew ?"

"We have the command crew here on the Hellcat. Most of the others made it to escape pods and I imagine made it to Limerus IX. We got a distress beacon from the Insertion Team. They are still alive."

"Then we need to go back and get them."

"Captain. I don't think so. Just as the Hellcat warped out of there, a Barien fleet of about twelve ships took station there. Without reinforcements we are out of luck !"

"What is the casualty report ?"

"Sir we lost over two hundred men and women and over one hundred and thirty unaccounted for. We can only assume they made it to the planet surface."

"I pray to God they did."

"Lieutenant...." Interrupted Ensign Katts. "....the Captain needs his rest."

"Very well. "

"When can I be ready to go back to duty ?" Devore said sitting up.

"If you don't lay back down, I will keep you here indefinitely." Lyn said sternly.

"Hmmm.. yes Ma'am !" Devore said boyishly.

"But if you behave. I may release you in the morning. "

"Lieutenant Hansen. You heard the girl. Go ahead and assume command and get us to the nearest Starbase We need to report in as soon as possible. I will do it when I get out of her. "

"Understood Captain." With that Hansen turned and left sickbay.

The night was fairly uneventful. Captain Devore rested just as the good Ensign had "ordered". She had given him the go ahead to return to his temporary quarters and rest so that he would recuperate fully. The small sickbay was needed for the more injured personnel like Counsellor Devore or Cadet McCaffee, so the non-emergency or non-life threatening one's were dismissed and/or released. Captain Devore was just told to go to his quarters and come back in the morning.

Captain Devore clasped his hands behind his head and thought. This whole thing with the war with the Barien, the Nuan, Catatonians and even the Kirn and Gaawn has been taxing to the Captain, but he knew that he had the perseverance and drive needed to overcome the trials and tribulations of the time. Beard and his attempts on Devore's life wasn't and easy thing for Marcus to take. He still could not believe that a lot of what is going on was because of a vendetta.

The darkness soothed his eyes, and Devore's eyelids became heavy. He began to drift, drift far from the gentle rumble of the engines to the safe place in his mind. Devore was now sleeping and dreaming............

..........On the Lakota, Commander Devore had ran down to engineering. The Jem'Hadar had taken out most of the defensive systems, but the heavily damaged 'battle bug' had resorted to its last manoeuvre. Engineering was in total shambles and Lieutenant Matthew Beard had taken over when Devore finally arrived.

"Damage report !" Devore yelled frantically working on a fire near the warp core.

"Sir ! Commander Harrison is dead and so is most of the engineering team. Crewman Tarro and myself are the only one's left." Lieutenant Beard said.

Devore scanned engineering and noticed that there were bodies all over. The warp core was still intact but the plasma conduits were cold.

[Commander Devore ?] Captain Larroque asked. [What is the status ?]

"Sir....." Devore said tapping his combadge. ".......heavy casualties and warp core is off line." He looked over at Beard. "Matt. How long till we can get minimal power ?"

"If I can get the EPS manifolds back on line it would take not time at all."

"Captain.....standby !" Devore said. "What is keeping you from doing that ?"

"I will manually have to realign them by crawling into the plasma conduit. It would only take a minute it is just that if they were to come on while I was in there I would be incinerated."

"Do it ! I will take all systems off-line ! But you need to hurry !"

A little apprehensive, Beard gave a crooked smile. "Okay sir."

Commander Devore went to the engineering console and began to press a series of buttons. The computer announced that the certain systems were off-line."Okay Matt. All is good ! Get in there."

[Larroque to Devore. What is going on ? We just lost helm control !]

"Captain we are working on the problem We are trying to get the engines back online."

[Well make it quick there is a 'Battle Bug' coming our way. ETA two minutes.]

"Understood. Devore out." Devore said tapping his combadge. "Beard ! You have one minute."

[Understood Commander.] Said Beard. [I am in site of the malfunction. Damn. It is going to take a lot of work I need more time.]

"Lieutenant. You have one minute. Make it count."

[Understood.]

Devore rapped his fingers on the console nervously. He knew that they needed to get back on the way, but with the EPS relays and manifolds physically jammed there was nothing he could do ! He waited impatiently.

[Commander Devore. Talk to me ? We can see the Jem'Hadar !] Larroque said

"Beard ?"

[Just a few more seconds.]

"Captain. Be ready in thirty seconds.!"

[Good.]

Thirty seconds seem to be an eternity as he waited and waited.

[Commander, all done ! On my way out.]

"Captain hold for ten seconds then I will re-engage the w.......... "

The Lakota violently rocked as certain sections of engineering exploded.

[We can't hold for ten seconds. Get those systems back on line now !]

"Beard."

[Now Commander. I have over four hundred men and women to protect. NOW ! Almost out Commander !]

*I am sorry !*

Beard saw the access port. He was almost there as he heard the familiar whine of the EPS manifolds coming to life. *OH NO !*

He moved even faster. Beard's lower torso was out of the shaft as the impulse of antimatter mixing with matter forming the plasma stream.

"AHHHHHHHHHH !" Beard screamed instantly cut off by the beams. His remains no longer supported by extra weight that once balanced him in the shaft, now fell missing it vital part. The waist was cauterised so no blood dripped.

Commander Devore looked at the legs and tapped his combadge. "Captain !"

No answer.

"Captain."

No answer.

"Captain......"

................ "Captain."

Captain Devore shook from his sleep to a darkened room. He was groggy and a familiar voice was now ringing in his ears.

[Captain] It was Lieutenant Hansen.

"Go ahead."

[Captain. I have just talked with the new resident doctor and she has said that you are to see her.]

"Understood !"

Devore got up and quickly dressed. His head no longer hurt and felt like a million bucks. He left and went to sickbay were Ensign Katts did a quick sweep and released him.

"Where is Commander Devore ?" He asked.

"Captain, she is over there. I am running a few tests she seems to be all right, but with a mild concussion. She will be here for a bit !"

"Keep me posted."

"Yes sir."

Devore left sickbay and headed directly for the Bridge. On his way he noticed a number of crew members had made camp along the hallways. Of all the ships that they could have used, the Hellcat was the biggest, it was just the sheer number of those that made it to either the escape pods or the Hellcat, however either way Devore hoped that they made it out.

On the Bridge, Lieutenant Shaka who had a bandaged wrist was at the engineering station. Lieutenant Hansen had assumed command while Lieutenant Barker sat in the back asleep at the science station. Lieutenant Savage was at Conn piloting the ship. Hansen turned his seat around and immediately noticed the Captain.

"Captain on the Bridge."

The crew scrambled to stand up at attention.

"As you were."

"Sir I believe this is your chair."

"Thank you John." The chair felt comfortable but very different from his on the Leviathan. He had to make due. "ETA to DS9 ?"

"About six hours at maximum warp." Savage responded.

"Very well. Increase speed to maximum. We have to get this incident filed and I want to get the rest of my crew."

"Understood." Savage said.

This was something hard for him to do, but he needed to do it. Contact Admiral Ross. His duties were paramount and it was his duty to report the loss to the Fleet Admiral as soon as possible.

"Lieutenant. Open a channel to Command." Devore said rubbing his temples.