A Fine Mess-Ch. 14

A Fine Mess

By Chianna

PG - Action/Adventure/Romance
Disclaimers in part one

Chapter 14

Damage Assessment

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Trip looked around him at what he could see of Engineering. Aw hell, this is going to take forever to clean up, he reflected. With my luck I will make it out ‘ta this only to have to get everything all ship shape again.

Emergency lights were on and the air around him looked murky with dust and other floating particles. He’d seem damage like this before and always wondered at how dust seemed to materialize like a powdery shroud from what was once pristine workspace.

Guess it’s time to check out the damage a little closer to home. Deceptively delicate looking, the rigid conduit that had him pinned to the bulkhead seemed to be wedged against a portion of the collapsed ceiling about 6 feet away. It passed through his right side somewhere below his ribs. But there wasn’t a chance in hell that he was going to move to see it better. Odd that there didn’t seem to be more blood, Trip thought. He’d already realized that moving a little too far in any direction would send a shaft of pain though his right side all the way down to his toes.

He was pretty sure that his left leg was broken and oddly it seemed to hurt more than his side. Trip’s arms were the only parts of him that he seemed to be able to move freely. He lifted his hand to his neck and felt the sticky presence of blood, tracing the wound to just above his right ear. Not bad, all in all. His head didn’t feel too bad and his thinking didn’t seem any fuzzier than usual.

Thanks for small favors.

"Commander, Are you there?"

"Didn’t have anywhere better to be Dr. Phlox... so thought I’d... stick around." Trip chuckled at his own morbid humor but found that the laughter changed to a more painful cough.

Trip ran down his situation to the Doctor. Unbeknownst to the Doctor or Trip, Archer, T’Pol and Reed had arrived, overhearing with growing anxiety the list of injuries while surveying the vast amount of wreckage between them and their injured crewmate.

"Trip, if you wanted a couple of days off, asking would have been a whole lot easier than this," said Archer with forced levity.

"Hi Capt’n. I’ll...have to remember that for next time."

"I’ve got T’Pol and Malcolm here. We’re going to work with the Doctor to figure a way to get you out."

Malcolm was already devising a list of supplies on his PADD that he showed to T’Pol. She nodded, adding, "I concur. Ensign Mayweather seemed to want to offer some assistance before we left the bridge. I seem to remember him mentioning his skill with a plasma torch."

"Malcolm, we’ll also need braces to prevent the wreckage from shifting." There was no reason for the Captain to add what the possible consequences would be if this occurred.

"Consider it done Captain. Trip, I’ll be right back with the cavalry, my friend." Malcolm took one more penetrating look at the wreckage. What he wouldn’t give for some bloody superhero powers just now.

"Counting on it, pal."

Dr Phlox returned from scanning at the edge of the collapsed wall and reported his findings. "Captain, I’ve been able to do limited scans on the Commander and I don’t like what I am seeing. Besides blood loss and possible internal injuries, my most immediate concern is that the Commander is exhibiting signs of shock. We need to get to him as soon as possible."

In the meantime, T’Pol had been doing scans of her own. "I may have a solution for our immediate concerns. My scans indicate a path to the commander with an aperture of approximately of .57 to .45 meters at its narrowest point."

"Subcommander, that is a very narrow space."

"Yes, but a crewman of adequate size could work their way to Mr. Tucker. And possibly take some first aid supplies to help stabilize his condition. Ensign Sato and myself are of appropriate stature, however my human anatomy studies may prove to be advantageous."

The Captain almost immediately regretted the relief he felt knowing that T’Pol could bring assistance to his long-time pal. Was it right to risk another crewmember’s life while the situation was yet so unstable? "T’Pol, I don’t doubt that you have analyzed all of the options, but are you sure that you want to take this risk?"

If possible, the Subcommander drew herself up even more erect. Archer suddenly thought T’Pol bore a striking resemblance to a rendering of the fiercely striking Amazon Queen Hippolyte that he had once seen in a museum in Chicago.

"If our positions were reversed, would not the Commander offer me the same assistance - regardless of the risk?"

Archer allowed himself a small smile. "I believe that Trip would steamroll me if I tried to prevent him from doing just that. All right T’Pol, you’re in charge. You had better take a plasma torch with you in case you run into a snag.

"Hey, what are y’all cooking out there?" Dr Phlox frowned noting that the commander’s voice sounded weaker.

"Trip, listen carefully. It may take us a while to get to you. T’Pol has come up with a plan. She’s mapped out a route to you. She’s bringing medical supplies and a tricorder so that she can relay your condition to the Doc and make you more comfortable.

"Nothing doing, Captain. This stuff could come down on her at any time. You tell her to... to stay put, damn it."

"Commander, as I told the Captain, I attempt nothing that I know you would not do if you were in my place, so "shut up & sit tight" as you would say and I’ll see you in approximately 5 minutes."

The Captain heard grumbling, but nothing he could make out. Knowing Trip, the language he was probably using would make a sailor blush.

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Continued in Chapter 15
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