A Guiding Light

Posted on 22 Sep 2024 @ 12:33pm by Lieutenant JG Ziyi Zhao & Ensign Emilie D'Astous

740 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Stranded
Location: Deck 6
Timeline: Following Emergency Shelter

D'Astous emerged from the turboshaft on Deck Six, her arms straining from the effort of climbing down the ladder in the turboshaft and pushing open the doors while being at a little more than an arm's length. For the fourth time, she made a mental note to have a not-so-quiet word with the engineers who had designed this emergency access system where the access ladder was all the way across the fracking turboshaft from the door.

She took a breath, flexed her arms to reenergize them, and reached for the palm beacon strapped at her belt. She flipped it on and directed the light toward the corridor - and suddenly realized that she didn't need the thing.

She took a few cautious steps forward, and walked toward the nearest intersection, and looked down. Someone had placed a clear canister filled with some kind of phosphorescent liquid, which cast a soft amber glow, which illuminated a circular area of about one meter in radius. She saw that the deck was clear, someone having pushed the debris to the side, clearing the way for passersby. She looked down the corridor, and saw that a similar canister had been placed at the next intersection.

The third canister wasn't placed at an intersection, but rather along the bend in the corridor, which was circular, running along the circumference of the ship's saucer section. It led to a fourth and fifth canister, each placed on either side of the open doors to Science Lab Two - which was next on Emilie's list of emergency shelters.

Even before she walked in, she heard low voices coming from the science lab. Luminescent canisters had been placed throughout the room. Emilie saw a dozen or so people, some sitting on the deck holding bandages over their wounds, others seemingly just gathering their wits, while a tiny woman in Science blue walked around the scattered lab equipment, going from one crewmember to another. She had her left arm in a makeshift sling, but she was nonetheless working efficiently and scanning the refugees with a medical tricorder.

She looked up at Emilie's approach. "You made it," she said. "Are you hurt?"

"It's nothing," said Emilie. "I'm Ensign D'Astous. The Captain sent me to check the emergency shelters, and get a head count. How many people are here?"

"Lieutenant Ziyi. Fourteen people in here. Ensign Chell is going around the deck bringing in anybody he finds," she said, with a nod toward the door. Emilie turned, and saw a tall Bolian walk in with a limping Bajoran crewmember. He guided the limping man to a clear spot somewhere in the lab. He then picked up one of the luminescent canisters that were waiting on a workbench, and walked back out.

"Make that fifteen," said Zhao. "Chell did tell me that he saw five fatalities somewhere on the deck.

Emilie walked closer to the canisters, and looked at them more closely. She held up a hand next to it, and marveled at the amber light coming from the cylinder. The light seemed to be coming directly from whatever liquid was in the thing.

"This is amazing," she said. "What is it?"

"Biochemical reaction," said Zhao. "Fireflies from Xenara Prime emit light that's about a hundred times brighter than that of Earth fireflies. We just happened to have replicated the components involved about a week ago, I've been working on analyzing an enzymatic protein to control the reaction and make it last longer, and researching practical applications."

"I think you found one," said Emilie, holding up the canister. "This is great work."

"Thanks," said Zhao. "We've been scattering these canisters around the deck, like a trail of breadcrumbs to guide people here."

"Mission accomplished," said Emilie. She put the canister down and turned back to Zhao. "Besides Chell, anybody here well enough to help me out?"

Zhao was silent as her eyes went around the room, surveying the survivors who had found refuge in her Science lab.

"I can tell you who isn't well enough," she said finally. "You can ask the others for volunteers."

A thirtysomething male crewmember stood up, switching off the dermal regenerator he'd been holding next to his right cheek. "I can do it," he said. He looked at Emilie. "I'm Chief Giffard. What do you need?"

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A post by

Ensign Emilie D'Astous (NPC)
Flight Control Officer, USS Cygnus

Lieutenant JG Ziyi Zhao (NPC)
Sciecne Officer, USS Cygnus

 

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