Stardate 943521, the Sentinel begins her maiden journey under the leadership of a new captain. Despite my, rather unusual, upbringing. I've been trained by the best minds in Starfleet and rigorously tested for command of a star ship. Some have question an equine in command of a ship, but I shall endeavor to prove their doubts are unfounded. I am fortunate to have been given a crew of experienced officers who have been into the thick of things with little worse for wear. Such is the reality of wearing the uniform and I no doubt will be tested by the ultimate classroom experience; life. Elusive ends the log and sits back in her chair. She was amused it was made just for her unique form, though stepping up into it all the time needed some work. Perhaps put in a request for a shorter desk as well. Been three foot high at times did have its disadvantages. She did take to heart one bit of advice, she changed her uniform from command red with white shoulders to a more suitable science blue. The time will come when they hand it to her after all.
The room was quiet, save for the sound of the ship in motion. “Hm, doesn't the Captain and X.O. have a prolonged conversation before the start of the days duties?” She shrugged her shoulders and hopped off the chair to head for the bridge. The doors open and she took in the sight of the crew at their stations working. She felt a certain sense of pride as they went about their duties. These were good people who knew their jobs and what Starfleet and the Federation stood for. Again, it was good to have such a good crew to command on her first day in the chair.
“Good morning, captain,” Walker greeted from her station.
“Good morning, Alice, what is on today's agenda?” She trotted to the center chair and climbed on with a little more ease and grace. At least here they got the function right for a being with four legs and a height disadvantage. She sat back as Walker answered her question, “today we're cataloging the Nebula 28302a.”
Lt. C'son spoke next, “there has been little exploration in this area of space. Nothing more than telemetry from probes. This will be the first time a ship has made out here to study it. “
“Oh excellent, “Elusive said. “A nice start for the day. Mr. Cameron, if you would be so kind to take us in.”
“Roger that, ma'am.” Lt. Cameron fingers danced over the console. “Course laid in. E.T.A. Twenty mintues.”
“Good.” Elusive looked to the right and notice the empty station where Val worked. “C'son, where is your cohort. She seems to be missing.”
The Caitian raised an eyebrow and replied, “she is in the science lab. Preparing for arrangement of sensor readings we will be conducting today.” Elusive nodded her head as her head science went back to her contemplation.
“Of course, where else would she be.” Elusive mused. Her horn glowed as she pressed a button on the command chair bringing up what they did know about the nebula. Basic telemetry at best, size, distribution of certain elements in gas form. Looks like the beginning for intense scientific investigation, but slightly tedious. Oh well, beats the alternative.
It did not last long as Varel said, “Captain, we have an incoming transmission; sound only.”
“Very well, let's have a listen.”
Varel brings up the transmission. Everyone on the bridge visibly stiffens, “emergency, emergency, this is the Centrum,” the transmission cuts out to static before it continues, 'all ships, need assistance…”
“Looks like our science exploration will have to be put on hold. Mr. Cameron, set course for the Centrum.” Jonathan plots the course and engages full impulse.
“Captain, the Centrum is a register merchant ship. Crew of eighty-one, with capabilities for three hundred passengers,” Walker reported.
Elusive nodded her head, tapping the communicator on the chair, “Bridge to Sickbay, prepare for possible large scale rescue of a freighter. Possibly with multiple casualties. Communications?”
“Still no contact ma'am,” Veral replied.
“Hmp, go to yellow alert,” Elusive orders. “Something might be causing their distress and lack of communications. Order the Delta teams to standby till we figure out whats going on with the Centrum.”
Tolar confirms the order, leaving Elusive to watch the screen. The course of the ship barely skims the nebula. Despite the approach to the location there is no sign of the Centrum. Varel looks up from her console. “I am detecting a debris field, ma’am. There are residue traces of antiproton energy.”
Elusive narrows her eyes, she opens her mouth to raise shields and prepare weapons. She barely had time to contemplate her hunch when three Iconian cruisers warp in and begin to open fire. The ship rocks violently as the antiproton beams score the hull.
“Red alert, evasive maneuver, Gamma-one-one.” Elusive braced herself into the chair, her smaller form coming in handy even others are tossed from their stations. “Get our shields up now.”
“Hull down to sixty percent, I have breeches on decks 2 thru 8. Repair teams being dispatched to those areas.”
“Shields are up, but I detecting flucuations in the power levels.”
“Thank you Varel, return fire on the lead ship.” Elusive open a channel to Engineering. “Shantel I hope you notice the power fluctuations in the shields. We really need those right now.”
“Ve're vorking on it,” came the X.O.'s sharp reply. “We've lost jerveral couplinks in that first salvo.”
The ship rocked again as the cruisers tracked their movement and open fire. Cameron compenstated by going outside the book and increase power to engines for more speed. Varel concentrated fire on the lead ship, as Alice continue to call out status report on damage reports coming in. At that moment the shields flickered and the Sential suffered a direct hit. The blast rocked the bridge from their stations, even Elusive dislodging from her seat and hitting the deck. Consoles exploded and people shouted out in pain.
“Alice, report.” Elusive crawled up to the side of her chair and held on. Cameron got back to his seat to recapture control of the ship and alter its course. C'son did not get up, bleeding from shrapnel wound to her chest. Varel looked banged up but continued fighting back. Alice sported a bleeding cut on her forehead.
“Deck six was hit bad. The science lab.. is gone.” Alice looked down towards the Captains chair, mortified.
Elusive eyes widen with realization of what that meant. No one could have survived that and if Val stayed at her post, which she most likely did. The little idiot probably trying some feat of science to help her friends… No, no; no time to think like that. The rest of the crew needed her head in the game. “Cameron get us out of here, emergency warp; destination anywhere but here!” A dangerous ploy, but desperate measures.
“Jusmping to warp.” Even as Jonathan keyed up the warp drive, a Iconian Dreadnought appeared. Like the others it open fire on the Sential, its powerful weapon arrays collapsing the shields and digging dip into the hull of the wounded ship. There was a flash of light overhead and Elusive was thrown further across the room, crashing into Val's station. It took a moment before her eyes recovered to see the gaping whole in the ceiling of the bridge; now open to space. Her eyes tracked the damage to the helm or where it use to be as a matching hole continued the course of the antiproton beam.
She half expected Alice to say something to mourn her fallen companion but she was silent, the concussion of the blast having sent her into the wall behind her. Probably out cold, but Elusive feared the worse. No one was standing now at their stations. The bridge had took direct hit and was dead in the water. She was lucky the firing had stop, but the ship continued its course without its helm.
Elusive considered her options. They could continue control of the ship from Engineering, provided that was not in any worse shape than the bridge. If the Iconains held off long enough and the pony captain suspected they were not going to do so. In fact, why were they holding their fire now.
The reason came over the comlink, a random crewmember signaling to the bridge, “Bridge, bridge, this is engineering, we're taking on boarders. Repeat we are taking on boarders-” the comm closes as he strangles out a cry to the disharmony of weapons fire.
“Oh come on…” Elusive said, she moved back to her seat. The panel flickered as power try to keep it working. The bridge was silent save for the fire weapons coming through the gaping hole in the floor. Some one tried to contact the bridge but the comm system faltered and failed. She felt sick; her first day on the job and the ship was a burning wreck, her fine crew dead or dying, and worse, her best friend gone. She had no options left. The Iconians were loath to take prisoners, obviously they wanted the ship. With everything on board, it would make a fine prize to which maniac wanted to take it back to their dread lords. “Oh ho ho, no, you won't.” Elusive said. “computer, engage self-destruct Elusive-Omega-one-one-five-nine. Count down, five seconds...”
That did not give the rest of the crew a chance to abandon ship. She was sorry for that, but their chances were slim in an escape pod after the most advance ship in Starfleet was just cut to ribbons by the backstabbing aliens.
As the computer began to count down, Elusive said, “I hope, in fairness of it all, I get to see you again, Val…”
***End Simulation: Kobayashi Maru***
Val wiped her eyes. She monitored everything on a PADD. She felt like a heel doing that to her best friend, but she had to know what the changes to her program would result. She prefer to find out now before actually finding out in a real world situation. After all, she did not want to turn a monster loose on the ship and endanger the rest of the crew. She took a moment to compose herself before going back into the holodeck.