Thunderstruck
Posted on Sun Dec 15th, 2024 @ 2:30am by Lieutenant JG William Verhoeven & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Ensign Aaron Soong & Thor Odinson & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Lorut Vila & Commander Clay McEntyre III & Ensign Ross Clarke
Edited on on Sun Dec 15th, 2024 @ 2:30am
1,347 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Silver Rain
Location: Xavier’s Planet - Crash Site
Timeline: MD5: 0900 hours
Max woke up with a splitting headache. Whatever mead these people of Barrol’s made, it packed more than the average punch. Pushing the covers back, he noticed the other four people sharing the escape pod had already started their day. He felt spoiled, almost useless even.
Pushing back the silver body heat reserving blanket, he pulled on his new cotton shirt, clearly handmade for someone else, but close enough to his size that it didn’t much matter, and exited the few steps down to the ground. His body ached all over and he just wanted a huge helping of water.
"Captain," Ensign Clarke nodded at Max as he stepped into the morning light and followed him to the drink station. The young man glanced around them as Max drunk heavily with thirst. "Are you alright, sir?" he asked tentatively. Yesterday had been the most strange day in Ross' life with the appearance of the Lightning God and the Captain's ability to levitate. He was sure this was a concussion or fever dream and he'd wake soon.
Max glanced at the Ensign as he scaffed water down. “I’m not sure,” Max admitted, “Is the Space Viking real?” Max followed up with quickly. He splashed his face with water a couple of times to wash away the wisps of handover he’s still felt.
"If we're judging this on the way he drinks and snores," Clarke asked with a joking tone. "Then yes, most definitely. Graham concurs too."
“Gods,” Max cursed under his breath. “I was hoping it was all a dream after whatever Chieftain Barrol provided to get drunk last night.”
"If only," the Ensign replied. "It would certainly make it far easier to understand what the hells happening"
“How are we doing on that shield? Any chance on using it to increase our power output to the escape pods?”
"It won't be pretty and may not be sustainable for more that twenty four hours before causing repairable damage to the pods," Clarke replied. "But yes, it can be done."
Slipping back into camp, the hulking Caitian pushes up his hood and strides over to the rest of the group.
"Reporting in, Captain. Mostly some wild animals, we can source for food, minor patrol, but if we can keep hidden, I think we can avoid attracting unwanted attention. It'll mean going back to roots, so to speak. Silent weapons, no phasers or photon grenades. Swords, Spears, anything blade would work to our advantage."
“For the time being, phasers for each security officer until we can work on spears. Each pod should have six knives in the survival packs, along with a hatchet for wood chopping - but maybe better used for weapons and weapon building. I think we should have a handful of ice picks for ice climbing. They could make decent weapons for hand-to-hand combat, if needed,” Max explained quickly and quietly.
"Understood, I'll see they’re distributed to everyone." Clay nodded and headed off for the pods to gather up the phasers and knives.
After taking a survey of the crew working at both the escape pods and with Chieftain Barrol, Max made his way to the area where Odren Xall and his engineering team were working. Midday was approaching quickly and the heat of the sun would be directly beating down on everyone. It wasn’t scorching, but Max had ordered staggered breaks during the heat of the day. He didn’t need anyone too sunburned or dehydrated, slowing progress on their work.
The Space Viking had woken up sometime between Max’s stroll through the crew and his meeting with Chieftain Barrol and had made his way to assist the engineers. Max thought it had more to do with the uncanny resemblance between Thor and Xall. It was actually quite disquieting how much they looked alike.
“How goes it?” Max asked as he approached the group.
"Slow," Xall replied. "But I think I am getting somewhere," he said.
“Mister Clarke seemed to think we could use this power to supplement our escape pods. I’d like your opinion before we start any work towards that end,” Max asked of the Lovelace’s Chief Engineer.
Odren looked up at the Captain. "It could work," he said. "A bit of thruster action from some kind of combustible would work BETTER," he said. "But at the moment, I am thinking...we can hook it up to the pods' power source. I’d have to check power compatibility. We'd have to get, say ten pods, just long enough to get airborne, then hope they have a ship and shuttles waiting," he said.
“Oh, I’m not talking about escaping the planet. Not with two hundred people in twelve pods. It would be suicide with those murder bots out there,” Max pointed beyond the shields.
“You do realize I can conduct lightning anywhere I want, right?” Thor asked the pair pointedly. “God of lightning and thunder,” he boasted, punching an engineer as thought they were friends. The man hit the ground a step away from where he’d been standing and cast a dour look at the “god”.
Thor regarded the look and then looked to the wizard that led these people. “I was gentle…you might have a bruise there later. Sorry?” Thor added the last word, seeing if anyone responded.
Xall looked to the God then to the Captain. "Well. What's your plan, if not to escape?" He asked.
“Right now, “ Max started, taking a brief pause. “Survival, Mister Xall. I dropped the standard Starfleet quarantine message under General Order One, subsection twelve - the Talosian Orders. No Federation starship is to approach the planet. Making landing or attempting contact could lead to criminal charges, possibly death.”
There. Max had said it to someone else. If Commander Lorut was smart, she had already hightailed it back to the closest subspace relay for new orders.
“No, if we can’t have an easy power source from the shields, we can’t risk our lives -or the lives of the indigenous people - by compromising the shields.”
“Then let it be electricity or plasma,” Thor answered, clapping his hand on Max’s shoulder.
“What can we do with the Space Viking God’s electricity and plasma?” Max asked of Xall.
He sighed. "I can use plasma to power the pods for a long-term situation, the electricity to power back up batteries," he said.
“Grab Ensign Clarke and any other engineers, or Ops officers, and get started on powering systems using Thor’s powers,” Max ordered. There, now he’d said Thor’s name and acknowledged his powers, that was two things he’d been trying to avoid saying. “If we can make life here a bit easier for everyone, then that’s our main goal - for now.”
Xall nodded, and ran off. "Aye sir," he said, gathering the others around. They got to work quickly. Hopefully, it would work. It made sense that it would.
Max had turned to head back to the camp, Thor tied up with Engineering and out of his hair for a bit. He was just about feeling better when he felt it. He stopped before he heard it.
’Max!’
It was Rylen. On the planet and reaching out telepathically. He felt a bit of strain relax in himself while an entire other strain ramped up. Rylen was in danger of losing his life on the planet, his career in Starfleet if they lived to get away.
Max would do all he could to protect his Lordship and lover. Rylen! he responded with real excitement, in spite of the situation. ’I can’t wait to see you! How long?’ Max followed with a location ping for Rylen to follow.
’All day and maybe part of tomorrow depending on how fast we can move.’
’I haven’t felt this excited since I left the Intrepid. Safe and fast travels, the nights are getting colder as winter approaches this area.’
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