Episode 78. Acting Captain
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Friday, August 9, 2024 - 04:00
- Location
-
- Earth
- Russian Airspace
- Shuttle Herbie 53 (Alpha Unit)
- Timeline
- Schak'Irra Timeline
- Previously
-
In the luxurious bunker of Putingrad, Tarsi faced the Grand Tsar Putin under the eyes of Agnes Rodriguez and her companions. After a fierce duel, the dictator was neutralized thanks to President Macron's unexpected intervention, but victory turned into carnage: tear gas grenades filled the room, the Tsar's guard opened fire, and Agnes used her body as a shield to protect the French president. Hit head-on, she collapsed. Charlie Unit rushed in to regain control of the bunker and capture Putin alive, while Gomard, Tarsi, and Eros struggled to save the gravely wounded captain. The transfer to the Enterprise becomes a race against time.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Tarsi | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Commander | Andorian | Prime Timeline |
| Eric Corda | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Emilie Flores | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Charlene Savea | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Robert Gomard | NATO / Army | Colonel | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Eros Vitos | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Victor S. Calpel | NATO / Special Fleet | Doctor | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Manu | NATO / Special Fleet | Requisitioned Civilian | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
Manifest
| USS Enterprise | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | Earth Orbit |
| Captain | Agnes V. Rodriguez |
| First Officer | Angie Chen |
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Tactical | Eric Corda Charlene Savea |
| Science | Manu |
| Advanced Weapons | Eros Vitos |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers |
Tarsi (Confidential) Robert Gomard and his squad |
| Ground Teams |
Alpha Unit: Robert Gomard, Agnes V. Rodriguez, Eros Vitos, Tarsi, Lebeau, Charlie Unit: 9 soldiers |
TL;DR
Aboard the shuttle Herbie 53, Tarsi improvises a defibrillator from a phaser, Eros tries to keep Agnes alive, and Gomard pilots at full speed toward the Enterprise. Meanwhile, aboard the ship, Angie Chen and the crew still know nothing of the tragedy of Operation Special. When they receive the transmission, the toll is devastating: two shuttles missing, 41 dead, and Captain Rodriguez among the gravely wounded. The shock is total. When the survivors arrive, Angie rushes to sickbay: Agnes lies unconscious while Dr. Calpel fights to stabilize her. Despite protocols and decontamination, everything points to one bitter truth: Angie becomes acting captain, but refuses to accept the title as long as Agnes is still breathing.
Story
With Putin and his henchmen now our prisoners, President Macron and the Vulcan slaves are finally free.
Charlie Unit handles their transfer to the Enterprise.
For my part, I am fighting between life and death.
Aboard Herbie 53, Tarsi and Eros try to give me first aid while Colonel Gomard takes the shuttle controls.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Tarsi, look... I found this first-aid kit.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Perfect.
Hand me a pair of scissors.
We're removing her suit and bulletproof vest.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Ugh...
She's losing way too much blood.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Press hard here.
I'm preparing compresses.
Colonel, how long before we reach the Enterprise?
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
About twenty minutes.
I can't go any faster.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Agnes won't last that long!
Try to contact the Enterprise.
Ask them to come meet us!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
Tarsi... she's not responding anymore!
Cmdr. Tarsi
What?!
Quick, find me a defibrillator!
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
There isn't one aboard!
Cmdr. Tarsi
Then we'll make one.
We don't have a second to lose.
Place these two plates on her chest while I take this phaser apart.
Ens. Eros Vitos (Weapons Engineer)
All right... but what are you doing?
Cmdr. Tarsi
I'm improvising a defibrillator.
Connect these two cables to the plates.
And don't let go.
While Tarsi and Eros fight to revive me by every means possible, aboard the Enterprise, the crew continues its usual activities, without suspecting for a single second what is unfolding.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Commander Chen, I'm picking up a message from the ground team.
They're on their way back.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Very well.
Open the shuttle bay and prepare to receive them.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Order transmitted.
Sickbays and decontamination chambers are ready.
Commander, I...
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
What else, Ensign?
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
I'm receiving the first mission reports.
They're bringing back four Russian prisoners, including the Grand Tsar, under Charlie Unit guard.
They also found five Vulcans... and President Macron.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
At least they're not coming back empty-handed.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Commander... the ground team suffered heavy losses.
They have serious casualties.
They're asking the Enterprise to come meet them.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Mr. Corda, locate the six shuttles and intercept them immediately.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Commander... sensors are only detecting four shuttles.
Manu (Requisitioned Civilian)
At that altitude, radioactive cloud layers can disrupt the sensors and return erroneous data.
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
No, Manu.
It's confirmed in the reports.
They lost two shuttles.
Out of fifty-four members... only thirteen remain.
Commander... I...
I...
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
For God's sake, Flores, what is it now?
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
I'm sorry...
It appears Captain Rodriguez is among the casualties.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
What?!
Charlene Savea
Commander... if that proves accurate, you automatically become captain of the Enterprise.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Not until I've seen her body.
Lieutenant Savea, you have the bridge.
I'm going to the shuttle bay immediately.
By the time Angie crosses the ship, the squad's four shuttles have already landed in the bay.
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
You two, over there!
Take this stretcher and get the captain to the nearest sickbay immediately!
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
Robert... what happened?
How is she?
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
I'm sorry, Angie.
There was a firefight.
Agnes took a burst of fire to protect President Macron.
Tarsi and Eros did everything they could to stabilize her on the way back.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
No...
That's not possible...
Tell me this is a bad dream.
Idiot... idiot... idiot...
I told her not to take part in that cursed mission...
Col. Robert Gomard (Army)
Get a grip, Angie.
She's in good hands.
But in the meantime, you need to inform the crew that you are now captain of the Enterprise.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
I refuse.
Right now, there are other priorities.
Everyone returning from Earth goes through decontamination chambers immediately.
Including you, Robert.
Still in shock, Angie leaves the bay without waiting and crosses the ship at a hurried pace.
Every second feels endless.
When she reaches sickbay, she finally sees me, lying on a biobed, connected to medical sensors.
Around me, the medical team works relentlessly.
Angie approaches the bed and freezes.
Powerless.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
Doctor... tell me you have good news.
Please.
Dr. Victor S. Calpel
We're managing to stabilize her, but she was hit in several places.
It's still too early to say.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
She's going to make it... isn't she?
Dr. Victor S. Calpel
I prefer to be honest.
Her injuries are extremely serious.
She will not return to duty for a long time... if she manages to at all.
Commander, you are now captain of the Enterprise.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
Stop talking about my rank...
Save her! That's an order!
Without answering, the doctor returns to his team.
Angie remains at my bedside.
She takes my hand, gently, as if afraid she might break me.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Acting Capt.)
I'm here...
Can you hear me?
You don't have the right to leave me alone now.
Not after all this.
A little farther away, the mission survivors, the freed Vulcans, and President Macron enter sickbay in turn for medical examinations.
But for Angie, the world has stopped here.
Around this bed.