The Rigors Of Command [Part 3]
Posted on Fri Apr 12th, 2024 @ 6:48am by Commander Chisato Nishikigi & Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant Chrirhc Chihc
2,010 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Starship Graveyard
Location: USS Tokyo (NCC-91101), Holodeck 3, Deck 9
Timeline: Immediately Following Part 2
Previously on Star Trek: Tokyo:
The simulation froze once again. Taiga looked up from her PADD. "Interesting." Was all she said as she tapped on her PADD. "Interesting..." she repeated again. "Well, your ready for your final test?" she asked.
"Not like I was ready for the second one, if I'm being honest..." Chisato lamented. "I barely got through that one on the seat of my pants..."
"This is one timed. I will also not be able to provide you with a brief." Taiga said simply.
"Computer, final scenario." Taiga said.
And Now... The Continuation!
The room switched from the bridge to that of the Tokyo's Main Engineering, placing Chisato in the middle of the room. "Begin," Taiga said without giving Chisato time to adjust to the new environment.
A waring Klazon began to wail out loudly as Engineers rushed around from console to console. "Captain!" a young lieutenant called as he rushed over towards her. "I don't understand it. For some reason the Antimatter containtment fields are on the verge of collapse!" he said. "I know I only made Chief Engineer the other day, but I promise you this wasn't part of my doing. I inspected those containtment fields this morning!"
"Uhh...." Chisato ran a hand through her hair as she racked her brain for a solution. "Computer, emergency procedure; eject the anti-matter storage unit, authorization Nishikigi-Omega-Omega-3-1!"
"Unable to comply," The computer's voice responded. "Emergency ejection system is offline due to power failure."
The Engineer turned to a console. "I think I've determined the reason for the loss of the containment fields. They're losing power, there must be a rupture in the main power conduit."
"Do we have anyone who's qualified to fix the power conduit?" Chisato asked in a last-minute bout of desperation.
The lieutenant nodded. "Yes..." he said. "I'm the most qualified to go in there. However..."
Another engineer approached. "However, the radiation in the conduit will kill him."
The Chief nodded.
"Warning. Antimatter Containment Fields critical. Total collapse in two minutes" The computer warned.
"Damn!" Chisato scowled. "Alright, you stay here; I'll repair the conduits and have you walk me through it!"
Before the two engineers could stop her, she grabbed a toolkit and began making her way towards a nearby crawlspace.
"Captain!" The Chief Engineer said. He rushed after her and tugged on her uniform. "I'm sorry sir. But there's no time to talk you through it. That would take too long." he explained to her simply and quickly. "You're not an engineer, if this isn't done properly the Antimatter pods will explode destroying the ship and killing everyone aboard!"
"That may be true, Lieutenant," Chisato smiled nervously. "but my foremost obligation as your commanding officer is to this ship and her crew; if someone's going to have to die in order to repair the plasma conduits..."
She looked over at Taiga, and sucked in her breath.
"...I'd rather it be me."
"Captain, I don't think you should..."
A huge explosion cut off the engineer as the entire ship was suddenly engulfed in a ball of flame before everything went white.
"Simulation Failed." The Holodeck computer said. "Resetting from last point."
The white light faded away, and main Engineering returned.
The lieutenant nodded. "Yes..." he said. "I'm the most qualified to go in there. However..."
Another engineer approached. "However, the radiation in the conduit will kill him."
The Chief nodded.
"Warning. Antimatter Containment Fields critical. Total collapse in two minutes" The computer warned.
Without even being asked this time, Chisato grabbed a toolkit and climbed into the crawlspace before the engineers could stop her.
A forcefield suddenly appeared in front of Chisato blocking the entrance to the conduit. "Warning. Breach detected in conduit Beta Four Seven. Emergency Forcefields activated."
"Warning. Ninty seconds until Antimatter Containtment Field failure. Abandon Ship."
Chisato tapped her combadge. =A=Lieutenant, I can't reach the Conduit! How do I deactivate the forcefields?=A=
"I can't seem to lower the forcefield!" The chief replied. "The emergency systems aren't responding to my commands. Let me try to..."
Once again the ship was engulfed in a huge explosion, followed by the bathing of white light. "Simulation failed. Resetting to last point..." The computer said once again.
The lieutenant nodded. "Yes..." he said. "I'm the most qualified to go in there. However..."
Another engineer approached. "However, the radiation in the conduit will kill him."
The Chief nodded.
"Warning. Antimatter Containment Fields critical. Total collapse in two minutes" The computer warned.
Out of the corner of her eye, Chisato spotted a fuse box that was very clearly labeled "Emergency Forcefields"; before the engineers could stop her, she darted over the fuse box, yanked open the door, and began frantically pulling out fuses.
"Captain No!" The chief shouted. Without warning the ship was engulfed in a huge explosion once again as the emergency containment fields around the antimatter pods collapsed causing the Tokyo to explode.
"Simulation failed, resetting to last point..." The computer once again repeated.
"Computer, pause program." Taiga said. She stepped forward towards Chisato. "Commander, technically I'm not supposed to offer advice on these tests. However..." she paused for a moment. "As Captain of a Starship, your primary duty is to the ship. You need to be able to make hard decisions. Bear that in mind." She said. "Start again, once you're ready."
"But don't you think I'm trying?!" Chisato insisted, clearly not getting the point. "Don't you think I'm trying every conceivable option in an effort to save this ship and everyone on board?!"
"There is one option you haven't tried." Taiga said simply. She looked over at the frozen hologram of the chief engineer. "Remember the risks everyone understood when they put on the uniform."
"Computer, resume."
The lieutenant nodded. "Yes..." he said. "I'm the most qualified to go in there. However..."
Another engineer approached. "However, the radiation in the conduit will kill him."
The Chief nodded.
"Warning. Antimatter Containment Fields critical. Total collapse in two minutes" The computer warned.
Chisato glanced over at Taiga, her eyes narrowing in horror as she finally realized what she had to do.
"No..." she objected, evidently in denial with herself that this was the way things had to end. "No, I couldn't!"
Taiga didn't respond, she just looked blankly at Chisato.
"Damnit..." scowled as she began to pace back and forth while the two engineers looked on with evident confusion. "Damnit, damnit, damnit..."
She threw her head back. "WHY ME?!" She shouted at no one in particular. "WHY DOES IT HAVE TO FALL ON ME?!"
She looked over at the Chief Engineer, her face contorted with anguish.
"Grab a toolkit, get in there, fix the conduit," she issued coldly. "That's an order."
The Chief Engineer nodded grimly. "Yes Captain." He said as he picked up his tool kit and headed into the conduit.
A few moments later, the other engineer turned from a nearby console. "Antimatter Containment fields are starting to stabilise. The Chief Did it... However..." he paused for a moment. "I'm not reading any lifesigns in the conduit anymore."
"Simulation Complete" The computer said. The room disappeared leaving Chisato and Taiga now stood on the empty holographic grid. Taiga stepped forward, her PADD still in her hand as she approached Chisato.
"Care to hear your results?" Taiga asked.
Results however, seemed to be the furthest thing from Chisato's mind.
"Are you happy?" she sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Do you take joy in the fact that you forced me to send an innocent man to his death, when I tried to do everything in my power to prevent it?"
"He was a hologram," Taiga said simply as she lowered her PADD. "But you're missing the point Chisato." she said. "As the Commander of a Starship, you may need to make difficult decisions. Thats why we're at the top of the command chain."
Taiga paused for a brief moment. "Its not easy, but you need to remember that you are responsible for every life on the ship." Once again Taiga took a pause. "The Vulcans have a phrase... The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few..."
The Captain approached Chisato slowly. "By ordering the CHief Engineer to fix the conduit, you ordered him to die. But in doing so, you saved the ship and the rest of the crew. The Chief Engineer knew that. He also knew that if he didn't follow that order you gave, everyone would be dead."
"But why me?!" Chisato demanded, fists clenched and tears streaming down her face. "Why am I one who has to make these decisions all of a sudden?! Why couldn't you have put someone like Moklor or Adams through this test?!"
"Because, I believe you have the potential to become a damn good bridge officer." Taiga said. "Commander Moklor is a fighter pilot, he's better suited out in space than on the bridge of this ship." She took a brief pause as she looked down at her PADD. "Plus, with my current condition. Its not going to be long until we're going to need someone else in the command tract. In the later months, Commander Johnson will be required to run this ship for a few weeks. That means that Major Shimada will become the ships Executive Officer, and this ship is going to need someone to take on the role of Secondary Officer."
Taiga lowered the PADD again. "I must say, your diplomatic skills need some refining. But thats something we can train you on. Your tactical abilities are also a little rusty, but you showed some great initiative and potential there. Your use of the Picard Maneuver was imaginative and not expected." Taiga told her. "And the last test, even though it took you a few times. You realised it was your only way to save the ship. But its not every day you have to make those sort of decisions."
"Therefore, you pass." Taiga said simply. She reached down into one of the pockets in her trousers and pulled out a small box similar to a ring box. She held it out to Chisato. "You have the right to this if you want it." she said. "If you want to step up and become something bigger, if you want to help contribute to the running of this ship and therefore helping me in the process."
Chisato placed her hand out to stop her. "I don't think I could accept that, Captain; I..." she sucked in her breath. "I care too much about this crew to ever sacrifice them like that; I don't meet your expectations of a bridge officer-!"
"Catch" Taiga said as she threw the box over to Chisato.
Instinctively, Chisato reached out and caught the box in her hands.
"Don't worry Commander... Full; Commander. You'll get there. Just; believe in yourself." She said simply. She turned on a heel quickly and with a swift walk headed out of the holodeck leaving Chisato alone.
Chisato simply stood there, staring at the box in disbelief. With strained breath, she peeled the lid back to reveal the contents that lay within; a singular, golden pip, resting comfortably atop a blue cushion.
Posting by (In order of appearance):
Commander Chisato Nishikigi
Third Officer
USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
Lieutenant Chrirhc Chihc
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
Captain Taiga Aisaka
Commanding Officer
USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
Unnamed Bajoran
Hologram
Unnamed Cardassian
Hologram
Klawe
Hologram/ pathological liar and criminal
Unnamed Nausicaan
Hologram
Unnamed Executive Officer
Hologram
Unnamed Chief Security Officer
Hologram
Unnamed Chief Operations Officer
Hologram
Unnamed Orion Pirate
Hologram
Unnamed Chief Flight Control Officer
Hologram
Unnamed Chief Science Officer
Hologram
Dead Chief Engineer
Hologram
Other Engineer
Hologram
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