Stardate: 60430:2237
Title: Making A Run For It
Author: Lieutenant Maxine Jenna
Time: During "Reaching for the Horizon" [USS Horizon Cross-Post]
Scene: USS Relentless


Maxine stood at the Science Station on the bridge of the USS Relentless, having been informed of Captain Deadilus' request to talk to the Captain, XO and her. Of course, with her and Scott's previous relationship, his trust in her was probably approaching that he had in Alex.

With everyone ready and the USS Horizon contacted, Captain Deadilus began discussing the plan formulated. With the USS Horizon set to depart soon, Commander Burgle notwithstanding, the space doors of the behemoth Star base 9 would have to be opened. However, if the USS Relentless was powered down, as stipulated by Frank Burgle, they would be powerless to do a thing.

The key to the trick was to make Starbase 9 think they had powered down when they had not. Actually relatively simple, it was more the effort, co-ordination and timing in pulling off the 'online reconnections', as Scott termed it that was going to cause them problems. To help mask any activity and to keep a few pair of eyes watching the Horizon, the helmsman on the Horizon was going to run a little close to some of the other vessels in the docking area and would be a little more erratic than a first-year cadet!

To achieve the illusion of being powered down, Scott proposed that the warp core be powered down to as low an output as possible, and have all non-essential secondary and primary systems turned off. Then, once this was achieved, the Engineering and Science teams quickly re-route the umbilical link to Star base 9 to think that the backup warp core components are the real core components. All being well, when the opportunity came to them the Relentless could swiftly move into position in front of the Horizon and enter warp before the crew of Star base 9 would realize what was happening and start shutting the doors.

Of course, bringing everything required back online without incident and yet within the small window made available to them would require the Engineering crew to be ready and working doubly hard. Maxine's apprehension lessened somewhat as she realized that the blond kid running the engineering team was someone she knew. There was no mistaking Vilmer's trademark iridium shades and the easy way he went about his work, as if he were born to be there. Circumstance gave the officers no tame for reminiscence as both needed their full concentration.
~

With everything powered down, masked or rerouted, the Engineering crew, Science crew and Maxine stood ready for word from Captain Khavok whilst monitoring the progress of the Horizon themselves. Like a coiled spring ready to be released, the energy and tension could be sensed.

And so, when the expected message came from Captain Khavok for the teams to reinitialize everything, like a spring released the Engineering section became energized, a humdrum of activity.

"Warp core powering up. 30%, 40%..."

"Inertial dampers online"

"Deflector alignment confirmed"

"Shield power made available"

"Phasers online"

"Warp core at 80% available and holding"

Finally, Maxine heard the final call she was listening for...

"Umbilicals released"

Maxine tapped the shield on her chest.

"Captain, we are ready for warp..."


============================
Lieutenant Maxine Jenna
Acting Chief Science Officer
USS Relentless
NCC-11966
============================