SIM:Whale: Last Stand, Part I

Last Stand, Part I

Relevant wiki entries: David Whale, Fiona Shelley, Guide to Deep Space 17, Vaadwaur, USS Tiger, T'Reshik, Alexandria Somers.

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(( Deep Space 17 ))

:: Though the weapons in the security station would be useless now, Whale had the idea to check the secured storage room next door, where station security would have locked up any contrabanb - including weapons. He knelt down and leaned T'Reshik back against the wall. First, he needed to use the medkit to stop the Vulcan's bleeding. ::

Whale: All right, let's see...

:: Using some gauze to wipe away and absorb some of the green blood, Whale then sprayed on some disinfectant. The dermal regenerator just made a dull grinding noise - it may have been damaged by the EMP or it may have been malfunctioning for other reasons - so he tossed it angrily down the corridor and simply wrapped gauze around the science officer's head. ::

Whale: It doesn't look pretty, but it should do the job until we get you to someone qualified.

:: He stood and started working the manual override on the storage room door. ::

Whale: Cross your fingers that there's something useful in here.

:: The door popped open and Whale stepped inside. Mostly, it empty, but one object caught Whale's eye and he smiled slightly. ::

Whale: Bingo.

:: There, sitting on the third shelf, was the main section of a 440 DRX Industrial Vaccuum. Introduced four years ago, the DRX was designed to be used by cleaning crews of large cargo ships, storage depots and large distibution centres - it was an incredibly powerful vaccuum that was held like a rifle and connected to a cannister worn like a backpack. It would pick up anything that cargo could leave behind. The model was banned two years ago because the 440 DRX - like the one that Whale now hefted in his right hand - was easily modified to become a weapon. With the cannister detached, the criminal element had easily removed the safety mechnisms that forced the turbines to start gradually, thus enabling the DRX to come to full power within seconds. They also discovered that removing and slightly retooling them, the turbines could be reversed within the unit. The modifications turned the DRX from a strong industrial vaccuum into a powerful air gun, which unleashed a blast of air powerful enough to break bones and cause serious internal injuries at close range. It was also lightweight and required no ammunition, making it a favourite in gang turf wars on a number of planets. Under normal circumstances, whale would have been angry that someone had tried to bring one of these things into his territory, but for now, he was happy about it. ::

Whale: All right, now we have a weapon.

:: He gathered up T'Reshik again and started off down the corridor, pasing docking ports 11 and 12 without seeing or hearing another soul. Port 11 looked like it had sustained some damage, but he couldn't tell whether it was from the attack or from a ship breaking free of some malfunctioning docking clamps. As he passed port 13, he began to hear noises ahead - noises that sounded like an airlock being activated and pressurized. As he rounded a bend, the airlock door for port 14 popped open and two young men - teenagers, really - wearing uniforms from a passenger liner company stepped out fearfully. ::

Whale: Hey!

:: Both kids jumped and one may have soiled himself. ::

Whale: How much room have you got?

Uniformed Kid: Um. I... I dunno. Some?

Whale: Great. Here, take this.

:: He uncerimoniously dumped T'Reshik into the kid's arms. ::

Whale: Take good care of her - give her a bed if you have one available. I'll be back with civilians.

Uniformed Kid: Uh. O...okay...?

:: Free of the extra weight, whale held the DRX like a rifle and began running at full speed deeper into the station. He hadn't encountered any civilians yet, and he was hoping it was because most of them had found their way to the ships by now. ::

Reed: =/\= Commander Whale, Counselor Avandar. Report, please. =/\

Whale: =/\= Whale here. I found T'Reshik - she's just been taken aboard the... whatever ship is at port 14. She has a head injury. Heading toward sickbay to help get the rest of the injured. =/\=

Reed: =/\= Get the rest aboard and then get yourselves to the Tiger or the closest available ship with room. =/\

Whale: =/\= That's the plan. =/\=

:: He continued down the corridor. It wasn't the ideal situation, whale thought, to be doing this on his own - he knew a few of the marines were still on the station... ::

Whale: =/\= Whale to Somers. If you're receiving this, I need you to start a sweep toward docking port 14 immediately. Pick up anyone you meet along the way and bring them along - we have one transport left and we need to be on it. =/\=

Somers: =/\=Yes Sir, we are on our way, occasional Phaser going off=/\=

Whale: =/\= You're a Marine, Somers - you should be able to run and shoot at the same time. Shoot the bad guys, run toward docking port 14. =/\=

Somers: =/\= Excuse me a moment Sir  :: pause :: We are on our way out=/\=

Whale: =/\= I don't care where the ****ing marine shuttles are! We need to get the civilians off the station NOW! =/\=

Somers: =/\=Yes Sir we are on our way out now =/\=

:: Before Whale could respond, he heard a familiar voice from down the corridor. ::

Shelley: Just take it easy, we're almost there. One foot in front of the-

:: Her words were cut off by a scream from further down the hall and then the sound of energy weapons being discharged. Whale charged forward in time to see Shelley leading a group of sick and injured, but behind them, a trio of hostiles. There were two civilians on the ground, having been reduced to charred "things" and the Vaadwaur were aiming again. ::

Whale: Down!

:: Thankfully, that was a command everyone in the group understood and obeyed immediately. It probably helped that they were being shot at. As soon as the group hit the deck plates, Whale raised the DRX and fired an air blast into the chest of the first attacker. He was close enough that Whale heard a slight crunch as the burst of air impacted the soldier's chest and he heard a much louder and much wetter crunch as the man flew backward into the ridge of a support strut, his left arm and shoulder shearing from his body. Firing a second shot, this time one-handed, Whale grabbed Shelley's upper arm and hauled her to her feet. ::

Whale: Go! Port 14 - there's a ship waiting!

Shelley: What about you? I'm not going to-

Whale: You're going to go and get these people on that ship, Fiona!

:: She was pale and she was standing close enough that he could feel her whole body shaking, but her eyes were clear. She was keeping it together, no matter how scared she may be. ::

Shelley: Okay. Right.

:: The civilians had overheard his orders and some had already started running toward the port. Shelley helped some to their feet and hurried them along hile Whale exchanged fire with the remaining two hostiles. Shelley gave one last backward glance at Whale before following the last of the civilians to port 14, but Whale was too occupied to notice. ::

Whale: Come on, you...

:: He trailed off. He'd just decapitated a soldier with an air blast, but he could hear voices in the background. Voices speaking a language he didn't know. And then the owners of the voices came into view. ::

Whale: Oh ****. =/\= Somers! Sooner would be better! =/\=

:: Raising the DRX, he began blasting away and the two dozen oncoming soldiers. ::