The New CoS

- March 5, 2159 -ESS Nimitz -

“What do we have left?” Tomo shouted from the command seat, required to be heard over the sounds of explosions throughout the ship.

“Port phase cannon still operational, aft torpedo tube functional, but dry” Lieutenant JG Hector Munoz replied from the tactical station.

“Mr. Hoshi, see if you can use the transporter to move the torpedoes from the forward to the aft magazines.”

“Aye captain.”

Tomoe almost didn’t notice. He’d referred to her as captain, which was technically correct as Captain Foster lying on the bridge in a pool of blood.

“Bring us about, heading two two nine, full impulse” she shouted to the helmsman, then with her communicator (intraship comms were down) she called out to engineering “I need warp speed yesterday or we’re dead.”

“Almost there Lieutenant” Petty Officer Hennessey replied as the senior surviving crewman in that section of the ruined starship.

“Aft torpedo armed.”

“Lock onto the lead Romulan ship.”

“Engineering to bridge, warp speed available” Hennessey announced over Tomoe’s communicator.

“Fire aft torpedo and engage maximum warp as soon as it leaves the tube.”

“Aye captain”

- Six Hours Later -

Tomo opened her right eye, the left forced closed by a combination of swelling and dried blood. There were occasional flickers of light from sparking panels and a dim, dancing red light from a few remaining candle-sized open flames, but otherwise the Nimitz’ bridge was dark.

She tried to stand, but her left leg was not cooperating at all, so with her strong right arm she dragged herself up into what was left of the command chair and then took a few seconds to recover.

“Damage report” she spoke both out loud and into her communicator.

“We are adrift, warp engine functional, but the port nacelle was destroyed so we aren’t going anywhere” Hennessey replied.

“But we do have power?”

“Plenty of power, just nothing working to use it with.”

“Life support?”

“Destroyed. We have about 30 hours of breathable oxygen.”

“How many survivors?”

“You bring our count up to 12.”

Tomo thought for a moment. Only twelve, out of a crew of almost 400. “Mr. Hennessey, this shall be my last order. Set up a pulse distress beacon on continuous loop, then cut all power to everything except the beacon and cryo-stasis.”

“After that ma’am?”

“After that get yourself into a cryo tube and hope it’s a human and not a Romulan ship that finds us.”

“Yes ma’am. See you on the other side.”

“Not if I see you first, chief.”

Lieutenant Tomoe Oda

First Officer / Armory Officer

ESS Nimitz (NX Class)