The Third Way

Posted on Sun Jul 3, 2022 @ 11:17pm by Lieutenant Commander Kaedon Draesni & Lieutenant Rei Yamashi & Lieutenant Penny Mc Taggard & Captain Larisna Koralova
Edited on on Wed Jul 13, 2022 @ 4:01am

Mission: Mission 2 - A World With A Bluer Sun
Location: Sickbay, Atlantis

Felix led the way and Gabriella brought up the rear as the group made its way through the junctions and inner workings of Atlantis. Though hardly intentional, it served to highlight how much of a difference the two ships were - everything here was more utilitarian. Everything had a purpose. On the Hornet, it also had an aesthetically appealing aspect to it - as if how it all looked was as important to functionality. The display readouts were largely offline but some that were did not paint a good picture. Microfractures in the hull, power loss across the ship, and numerous hull breaches from combat action. This was a ship so far removed from any aspect of its comfort zone.

"We've been trying to figure out how to get out of this anomaly but with the crew shooting at each other and being largely uncooperative, its compounded the difficulty of our job. Add to it the damage and constant power loss..." Felix explained.

"Doc Martinez doesn't think there's an alien threat, more this is some kind of psionic influence. I think he just doesn't want to face what we've become anymore. But he's a good guy, never turns away a patient and not even Commander Mallory stays too mad at him." Gabriella chimed in.

"Must be nice." Felix grunted, "But yeah, this anomaly is a paradox - I mean, I know my physics and this thing seems to defy some rules, ignore others, and utterly rewrite a few more just out of spite. There's something at the epicenter but we can't get to it. Lost most of our probes in the attempt, and when Mallory started shooting..." Felix continued.

"...real scary light show. I thought for sure we'd blow ourselves up. But one of our spatial torpedoes hit it and telemetry said it was so dense you could hit it a million times and not do a dent. Cost us a lot of power that day too." Gabriella added mournfully.

The group headed down a ladder and through some more junctions before coming out on the deck below.

Penny wished she had more then one pair of eyes. This was literally a trip through history and she did not wish to miss anything.

"Now look. We'll vouch for you, but don't get jumpy. We got a couple MACOs on our team but they don't trust easy." Felix cautioned as he took the lead to Sickbay. Two MACOs with blue cloth tied around their arms stood guard.

"Hey. We got some visitors. Doc Martinez is gonna want to meet them. They're here to help, okay?" Felix said.

"Yeah, don't shoot. They already got caught in a firefight on D Deck." Gabriella added.

The MACOs tensed up, eyeing the Away Team with suspicion but nodded, opening the door to Sickbay.

Inside, a man with close cut black hair and a goatee was pulling a blanket over a form, shaking his head.

"...we have got to find a way out of here, or more will choose this method of exit." He said, more to himself than anything. He looked up at the new arrivals and blinked in surprise.

"It's okay Doc. They're friends." Felix said.

"I...I see." He stepped away from the biobed, straightening the lab coat over his blue jumpsuit. His rank insignia was one large square and one smaller, likely denoting a Lieutenant Junior Grade.

"I'm Doctor Alejandro Martinez, I'm a physician. I hope you can help us because what is happening right now is nothing short of a travesty." The doctor said.

“ A travesty yer say?” Penny asked

Draesni felt sympathy for what these people had been through. Though he’d seen his fair share of disagreement and conflict, none of it had ever risen to the level of full-blown war (or the environment the Atlantis crew had been subject to over the last year-and-a-half). “I am sorry,” he said to Martinez, “I can only imagine how…difficult…this has been for all of you. Having to defend yourself against your fellow shipmates, it’s…it’s a lot. But I’m afraid I have more bad news for you. From what we can tell, the anomaly is collapsing. If we don’t find a way out of here, it will destroy both our ships. We need access to the Atlantis’ sensors so that we can get a better sense of what we’re dealing with…”

It took Rei a moment to catch the volley Draesni offered. Something about a sickbay full of injured, and those further along than just 'injured', didn't sit well with the Daughter of Ts'usu. "I'm sorry, but he's right. We need access to the sensor logs and sensor array of the Atlantis and frankly that will be much easier if we aren't dodging fire." she caught up quickly. "Also, the plan is to get everyone off of here, no one left behind." she looked around Sickbay, "I imagine you've left enough behind."

The rabbitess was quiet for a while, "You have my sympathies, Doctor Martinez. You and the entirety of the Atlantis, which is why we have to work as hard as we can to ensure the deaths stop here."

"It wasn't always like this, you know. We were a crew...a family. War did some of this...but the rest...I don't think there's an alien life form aboard. I mean, to change your structure down to the genetic level to be someone? That's impossible." Martinez said, "I mean, not unless any of you can do it and defy other laws of science."

He let out a frustrated sigh, "I can get you the logs, that isn't an issue. But neither Commander Mallory nor Commander Kinoshata will sit down long enough to listen to you. I know this anomaly is causing some of it, but they never really got along. Mallory isn't used to hearing the word "No" and Kinoshata is a brilliant engineer but inflexible in personal interactions. I think both were promoted too fast because of this war with the Romulans. And as I said, I'm a physician. I'm not a diplomat, though I've tried to fix this, and everyone is just so caught up in the myth of this shapeshifter that they think I'm insane because I don't buy into it."

There was then a three pitch bosun's whistle from the wall mounted comms terminal. A stern woman's voice came over with a slight clipped accent as she spoke.

=A= Now hear this, now hear this. This is your Captain speaking. The mutiny leader, Yumiko Kinoshata, has been captured and there will be a subsequent hearing and delivery of punishment at 1900 hours. All crew are permitted to attend on the Upper Observation Deck on C Deck. Access is only permitted via the computer core access shaft - you will be required to hand over your weapons to the posted guards. All other entry points will be sealed with posted guards who have orders to shoot to kill on sight. Again, the hearing and punishment for the mutiny leader, Yumiko Kinoshata, will be held at 1900 hours on the Observation Deck on C Deck. That is all. =A=

"...that was Commander Mallory." Martinez commented.

Silence again as Draesni pondered their next move. It was clear, based on what he'd just heard, that attempting to make contact with Commander Mallory and the others was going to be risky. However, the consequences of not doing so were shaping up to be just as bad (if not worse). "Well," he said slowly, "I suggest we get ready. We don't want to miss our appointment..."