Although the last several days had been filled with busywork, the SAR and Rapid Responce unit were all settled in and finally ready to go. Donovan had watched how the two units interacted and was pleased with what he had seen. Both units were full of through professionals and had quickly sorted out the details, such as duty postings and rosters. Deep inside, Donovan knew he was back to being a Marine, even though he wore a Fleet uniform. He had taken up the habit of joining the Marines for their daily exercise routines and had, by example, encouraged the other StarFleet personnel to join as well.
But the truest test of a newly combined unit was how it responded to a callout, which the unit had. It appeared that a Fleet vessel had tangled with a Breen cruiser and needed urgent assistance. The unit scrambled out and loaded up, taking a compliment of SAR and RR vessels to respond to the callout. As the vessels cruised out to the callout area, Alcon and Donovan compared notes and developed a plan of action. It appeared that the Franklin had plenty of time and atmosphere to operate with, but as with any operation, injuries and casualities were obviously a priority.
It had been nearly 16 hours since the distress call was sent out. and 20 hours since the Commander Wallace had destroyed the Breen cruiser. He also knew the enemy were and could be hiding in the nebula just over 23 minutes at impulse power.
Commander Wallace had decided it was time to go to sick bay. His shoulder pain was now unbearable. He had made a makeshift sling to immobilize his right arm. It was starting to get in the way of his ability to oversee the damage repairs and help out.
Walking into sick-bay he notice that all four bio beds were being used and saw a young female Lieutenant Junior Grade tending to Captain Grace Telly. Wallace cleared his throat. "Excuse me Lieutenant I believe my shoulder could be attended to a little bit now."
The nurse looked up and saw Commander Wallace's arm in his homemade sling and the bone was sticking out. She replied," Certainly Commander take a seat on the examination bed. " She pushed a tray over to the exam table and gave Richard a friendly smile as she used a medical tricorder.
"Sir your rotator cuff has been crushed along with several torn muscles and ligaments. The joint will need to be replaced once we are back on Serenity Commander. I can fix the compound fracture to the collar bone. However till we get back to colony the right arm will have to immobilized. I'll give some pain reliever that'll last for 13 hours." She reached over and picked up the hyprospray and gave Wallace the injection in the right bicep. "I'll need to give you a proper sling too."
"No need Doc, this one is working fine." Wallace said as she ran the dermal and bone regenerator over the collar bone."
"Thank you sir, however I am not a doctor at the moment I'm the head nurse." The Lieutenant replied finishing up the temporary patch job.
Wallace wanted to know what was the Captain's condition. In a way he was afraid to know.Then the comm channel beeped.
[Commander Wallace come in. This engineering.]
"Wallace hear. Go ahead."
[The ODN lines are holding up the Neuro Net processors won't be able to handle the power shortage. We've managed to extended life support and basic computer functions for another 32 hours. If the SAR team doesn't get here by then we need to evacuate the ship..]
"Yes I understand." Wallace rubbed his face and then scratched his head. The SARs should of been here by now damn. We are defenseless in the event of attack, no propulsion and no real power. This must be done and yes there will be a court on inquiry about this.
"Lieutenant get all Medical personnel and those severely injured to the shuttle bay.
Computer open a ship wide comm channel." The ships PA crackled allowing Wallace to know it was open.
"Attention all crew and officers. Due to the severity of the damage we sustained I am ordering all crew to abandon ship. Lieutenant Myers and Lieutenant McGrady meet me on the bridge."
The walk to the bridge was a hectic one Wallace dodge the cremates of the Franklin as made his way to the bridge and saw Myers and McGrady were already there.
"We must assume that SARs has receved our distress call. We must also assume that they are not going to get us here before our life support runs out. I am giving the order to abandon ship. The badly injured will use the shuttles all others the escape pods. If any of you have an objections please note it now."
"Sir we must assume this area has pirates. We can't leave the ship to fall into there hands." Lieutenant McGrady replied to Wallace as Lieutenant Myers agreed by nodding his head.
"Very well then, Lieutenant McGrady take anything we might need.
Computer initiate auto destruct sequence Alpha, Zulu Wallace six."
Lieutenant Myers cleared his throat."Computer authorize destruct sequence Bravo, X-ray, Myers five."
{Authorization for final phase of self destruct awaiting further command codes.} The computer responded.
"Commander Richard Wallace acting Commanding officer USS Benjamin Franklin NCC-78932. Wallace, Six Alpha, Beta. Set time 10 minutes."
{Does the first officer agree?}
"Yes, Charlie Delta. Lieutenant Daniel Myers Executive officer."
{Auto Destruct sequence is now in progress ten minute audio countdown.}
Lieutenant Myers and Commander Wallace were the last two too board an escape pod 1 minute and forty seconds before the ship exploded. Richard used the maneuvering thrusters to pilot a safe distance using his one good arm.
The two officers watch as the ship planted charges detonated causing a huge explosion that was quickly out out by the vacuum of space. Now it was up to the SAR team to find them. The escape pods had enough power for 7 days and enough supplies.
The SAR/RR vessels had dropped from cruise speed down to down impulse to start navigating towards the point of the distress call. More information had been found, indicating the name of the vessel and how many people were onboard. The rescue craft were searching with their long range sensors, sweeping the area for first signs of the Franklin. Donovan left the flight deck, leaving the piloting to the folks in the command chairs, walking back to the module area of the SAR runabout. Quarters were slightly cramped as personnel worked to prep for wounded and possibly, recovery operations. Nico sat down, working on pushing his emotions in a small box, trying to do the exercises that the Serenity psychologist had him working on. However, his quiet was broken by a call from the command deck.
"Chief! Get up front!"
Nico practically ran to the command area and saw the sensor operator frantically redialing the sensors. "Talk to me, people."
"Chief, sensors just registered a huge energy signature in roughly the same area as the Franklin's last known position. Prelimary indications is that it is a fusion reactor breach."
Nico sat down in an open chair, struggling to keep his emotions in check. This mission was turning from a search/rescue one to what he dreaded most, a recovery operation. "Verify and change course to intercept. Advise all vessels and prepare for rough going. Helm, drop recovery warning beacons." With that, Nico turned towards the comms board and hailed Alcon.
"Major, did you get the sensor reports?"
"Yes, Chief. All vessels have been advised." There was a brief pause before Alcon continued. "Looks like we're starting to get rescue beacons filtering through the background noise. We've got rescue pods on scope."
Nico sighed deeply, thank the Creator, he thought as the report filtered through. "Yes, ma'am. We'll shift to rescue recovery operations ASAP."
It had been only around 20 minutes since Commander Wallace had ordered the USS Benjamin Franklin to self destruct. He did so mainly cause the ship was realtivly all but destroyed. The ship had recieved no distess call reply. So Wallace believed there was no further since in preventing the inveatble.
Sitting in the escape in on of the escape pods was Lieutnenant Myers and Commander Wallace. Wallace was trying to catch a few minutes sleep it had been well over 40 hours since he had last sleep.
"Commander we are recieving a message from SAR unit based on Sernitiy." Myers said with a happy tone. Richard opened his eyes and looked down at the control panel, then pressed the comm button.
[USS Ben Franklin we are in route to your current position. ETA 45 minutes.]
Damn lucky we are. However I should of given the poor ol girl another day at least. Damn
"Roger that SARS. I am bringing the escape pods together for a more profcient recovery. We have a Type 8 shuttle with severly injured crew, I advise to pick them up first. Also be aware possible Breen Pirates in the area. Commander Wallace out."
Lieutenant Myers helped Commander Wallace bring the 12 escape pods together to create a bigger life boat and an easier recovery and faster too, just in case something unsuspected should show up.
Nico heard the exchange between the major and Commander Wallace. Nico vaguely knew the name and knew that he had been posted recently to Serenity. As Nico sat in the chair on the command deck, the rescue craft moved formation, giving priority to the shuttle bearing the wounded from the Franklin. The rest of the vessels changed course slightly, heading towards the survival pods, which were starting to appear within sensor range. As the response craft neared, the team swept into action, triaging the crew through sensors and bringing them onboard the rescue craft for treatment. Nico walked back to the modular area of the SAR runabout and threw himself into his work, helping the medics with saving the wounded.
back to TOC