Rescue

Previously..

USS Interphase

ASHER blinked, craning his neck around to lock his gaze on the Akira class vessel heading into the anomaly he was sure he just shot out of. He tapped a few buttons on the console and spoke.

"USS Leviathan ?" His calm almost Vulcan voice called. "This is the Federation Scoutship Interphase, Ensign ASHER at the helm. It looks like we've both got somewhat of a problem."

Now..

"What the hell." Shale remarked from the command chair as he saw the small vessel appear out of the black hole they were still heading for.

"Captain, we're receiving a message from the vessel." Ensign Jackson remarked from the Ops station.

"Put it on the screen." Shale ordered.

For a moment the viewscreen was just static then the fuzzy image of a young male in a Starfleet uniform appeared on the screen. The man on the screen was talking, but all they could hear on the Bridge was static.

"Can you clear the image up." Shale asked.

"I'm afraid not, the black hole is causing too much interference. I'm clearing up the audio now."

The same image appeared again on the viewscreen, but this time they could hear his words.

[USS Leviathan ?] The man said, his voice sounded strong and calm, which was a good sign for someone who appeared to have just emerged from a black hole.

[This is the Federation Scoutship Interphase, Ensign ASHER at the helm. It looks like we've both got somewhat of a problem.]

The image faded.

"Is that it ?" Shale asked.

"I'm afraid so. He stopped signalling." Jackson replied.

"Can we get a tractor beam on him." Shale asked.

"Captain, we don't even have any propulsion, let alone a tractor beam. Plus he's too close to the black hole, a tractor beam will never work." Jackson explained.

Shale thought for a moment, then an idea came into his head.

"Shale to Sickbay."

<Sickbay here.> Doctor Katts announced. <What can I do for you ?>

"Is Junora still there ?" Shale asked.

<Yes, along with Councillor Devore. Sierra's trying to get through to Taline, he appears to have gone into some kind of emotional trance, probably caused by the sudden dead of Tyra, Would you like me to put Junora on ?.>

"No just have her meet me in the forward shuttle bay in five minutes. Shale out."

Shale stood up and rubbed his backside. He'd not realised just how uncomfortable the command chair was, when you sat in it for some length of time. "I'll be back in ten minutes." He announced.

Sickbay

Junora was sat beside Brayden. His condition was improving with every second he remained alive and now he was out of immediate danger.

"Junora, Shale want's you in the forward shuttle bay." Doctor Katts said as she entered the side room.

"I don't want to leave him, what if he wakes up ?" Junora asked. "I want to be here."

"He won't wake up for hours." The Doctor reassured her. "And if he does, then a quick hypospray will cure that." She joked.

That brought a smile to Junora's face as well.

*Laughter is the best medicine.* Katts thought to herself.

"OK." Junora said "But let me know if there's any change."

"I will." The Doctor reassured her.

Junora left the sickbay and headed for the shuttle bay.

Shuttlebay

Shale was already there, powering up one the larger shuttles.

Junora walked in and immediately saw Shale in the cockpit seat of the shuttle. She walked across and entered.

"Do you think you can fly this ?" Shale asked.

"I suppose so, Brayden's shown me most of the Bridge helm controls, this doesn't look too different. Why ?" Junora asked.

"Because I need you to fly towards the black hole and use the magnetic clamps to retrieve a small vessel that's just come out of it." Shale explained. "I'd do it myself, but I'm needed on the Bridge. I know that you're a good pilot and I need a good pilot right now."

Junora thought for a moment. "Did you say that the vessel came OUT of the black hole ?"

"Yes and in about ten minutes it's going to be dragged back in, along with it's pilot." Shale replied. "Within a couple of hours, we'll be next, unless we get propulsion back.

"OK, I'll go get it." Junora replied as she replaced Shale in the pilot's seat.

As Shale left, he called back "Keep an eye on the warp core levels, there's a lot of subspace interference, if it looks like the containment fields going to go, turn back. I doubt Brayden would be pleased with either of us if I got you killed."

Five minutes later Junora was flying towards the scout ship. It took her a couple of minutes to get the feel of the shuttle but she soon got everything working OK. As she approached the stranded vessel, she noticed the exposed warp core. If this vessel had truly come through the black hole, then it had survived pretty well.

*Now where's the magnetic grapple controls.* She thought, realising that she'd forgot to ask. She found the controls above her head on the auxiliary console. She slowly manoeuvred the shuttle above the scout vessel and as the two hulls touched, activated the grapples. She pushed the port thrusters, trying to turn the two vessels away from the black hole.

Slowly the vessel's turned and the Leviathan came back into view. The vessel lurched forward as Junora punched the main thrusters and they fought and finally won against the gravitational pull of the black hole. The extra mass made the trip back a little slow, but once they were inside the shuttle bay, Junora let the scout vessel drop to the deck, before bringing the shuttle to land.