he adventures of the Star Traveler Andromeda that started in Among the Stars, Beyond the Farthest Planet, and So Far From Home, continues in the final chapter The Voyage Home.
CHAPTER 5 A
The officers on the Bridge were tossed by the explosions. Smoke filled the air from the burning wires. Within seconds the fires were suppressed. Wisps of smoke continued to curl out from under the damaged consoles.
"Medical assistance on the Bridge." Liam called out over his communicator.
"On our way Commander. What is the number and severity of the casualties?"
"Four officers including the Captain are down. All the Bridge crew has some sort of injury."
"Understand Commander. Help is on the way."
Liam ignored the cuts he received when the consoles behind the command chairs exploded. He made his way around the Bridge to check the wounded.
"Lad are ye okay to pilot?"
"I will be fine Commander. Just some bruises. We are three hundred thousand kilometers from our attackers still travelling at warp nine."
"Good lad. Once the emergency is over ye need to get checked out. That goes for everyone on the Bridge."
The lift opened as medical personnel and equipment entered the Bridge. The doctors and nurses went from patient to patient. The unconscious women were examined first. Backup officers took their places at the burnt out consoles.
"Bridge to Engineering."
"Go ahead Commander"
"How are the engines?"
"Number two engine is acting up again and running hot. We are trying to compensate."
"Can ye maintain warp nine on three engines?"
"We can, but I would not advise that for more than thirty minutes."
"Shut down number two engine for now."
"Understood."
"Damage report." He ordered.
"Navigation and sensor computers are down."
"Shields over the impact point are failing. The remainder of the shields are at seventy nine percent. Protective bulk heads are in place in case of a hull rupture."
"We are flying blind then." Liam stated.
"Just about Commander."
"Helm is sluggish but still functional."
"Bridge to Shamrock."
"Go ahead Bridge."
"Lass we took a hit. Sensors and Navigational charts are down."
"I noticed the explosions. What are the damages? How many injuries?"
"Lass we need your sensors to tell us what is around us."
"There is nothing in our immediate area. Dad who was injured?"
"What is your position?"
"About a kilometer off your port bow. Mike is on the starboard side." Kacey replied. "Where is Kate?"
"We will continue at this speed for another twenty minutes. See if you can find us a nice quiet area to stop and make repairs."
"Dad where is Kate?" She asked again.
"Katie was injured. The Doctors are with them now."
"Commander these women need to be in Sick Bay."
"THEM? WOMEN?" Kacey yelled. "DAD WHO ELSE WAS INJURED?" She dreaded hearing the news.
"Rhea, Anya and..." he paused, "and Natalia."
"Slow down and open the Hanger door so that I can land." She ordered.
"We need ye right where ye are. As soon as possible we will get ye in."
"No this cannot wait. I need to be with my family."
"Yes it can." Liam said, his voice stern. "Ye can better serve this ship and Katie right where ye are."
"But..."
"No buts Colonel. Ye are needed right where ye are. Find us a safe place lass." Liam's voice softened. "I know ye are worried, I am also. Everyone here is worried. Please find us a safe place."
Kacey angrily wiped at the tears that threatened to overflow her eyes. "All right dad. Keep me posted on their conditions." Kacey stated. "My charts are not as detailed as Anya's, but there is a planetoid about three million kilometers away. I can not tell you what the environmentals are. We can be there in twenty five minutes."
"Head there. Can ye tell how far away those masses are?"
"Four million kilometers. Everything around you is clear. They do not seem to be following us."
"Tis good news."
"Dad mom needs to be told."
"I will as soon as we are safe. Keep us posted on what the sensors show."
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Andromeda hovered above the planetoid, as the next squad of stingers launched and the ones already out landed. Kacey waited impatiently for the signal they could leave their ships. She opened the ramp and ran for the lift.
"Any word from Sick Bay?" She demanded as she stepped onto the Bridge. She noticed the blood on the back of Liam's shirt. "Dad you are hurt."
"Tis nothing but scratches lass." He said with a smile. "Ye are in charge now."
"Report?"
"Navigation, sensors and engine two are down. Shields over the damaged hull are also down. There is a problem with helm control. That hit damaged the steering controls. Repair crews are being dispatched as we speak."
"We will be on the surface in about three minutes, Colonel."
"As soon as we land, shut everything down. The stingers will run protective flights while repairs are being made. We need repair crews outside making sure there are no hull cracks. The air is thin but within tolerance to humans, but with EVA suits the crews should have no problems."
A bump made those still standing sway or stumble. "We are down Colonel." Rich stated.
"Shut down the engines. Bridge to engineering."
"Kacey?"
"Yes Bella. How long do you think it will take to fix number two engine?"
"I am not sure. We have to find the problem first."
"Can your people handle the repairs for a short time?"
"They can."
"Please report to the Bridge."
"Will do Colonel. I will give them their orders and be right up."
"Bridge to all repair crews. We need you to make all repairs quickly and efficiently as possible. Do not sacrifice quality. Make sure all repairs are done correctly. I need two repair crews to report to the Bridge."
"Roger Bridge."
Kacey pulled the front panels off the tactical and navigation consoles. She grabbed the flashlight that was held out to her. The beam traced all the wires under the console. What she saw made her angry.
"GOD DAMN IT." She yelled.
"What is it lass?"
"I need the name of the ensign that worked on these wires after we came through the Kuiper Belt."
"I will have to check Katie's logs."
"Before you do that dad, you need to report to Sick Bay first. That goes to anyone one else who has been injured no matter how minor you think it is." Kacey ordered. "Colonel O'Malley to Sick Bay."
"Sick Bay Doctor Pence."
"Doc can you give me an update on the conditions of the Captain and Bridge crew that were injured?"
"Can you come here, Colonel? We are swamped."
"Of course Doc." Kacey stated. "Dad, will you get mom and meet me in Sick Bay?"
"Aye lass."
"I will wait for Bella and go down."
The lift opened and repair crews along with Bella walked off. Kacey spied the Ensign that worked on the wires. She pointed to him. "YOU, GET YOUR LAZY AND INCOMPETANT ASS THE HELL OFF THIS BRIDGE. BECAUSE OF YOUR SHODDY WORK FOUR PEOPLE WERE INJURED." The Ensign ran back to the lift. "Colonel Anderson to the Bridge."
"On my way Colonel."
"Kacey why did you scream at that Ensign?" Bella asked.
"Why? That lazy bastard and his shoddy work may very well be the reason that Kate, Anya, Rhea and Natalia are in Sick Bay."
"What?" Bella and Liam exclaimed together.
Kacey took several deep breaths to get her temper under control. "Give me a minute to show you what I am talking about then go see Rhea." Kacey knelt down on the deck and shone a light into the console and motioned for them to join her. "When we went through the Kuiper Belt, I had to splice three wires that blew. I told that Ensign to replace all the wires not just the splice ones."
"How do you know those are the same wires?" Bella asked.
"See this mark here?" She pointed to the mark. "I marked every wire that needed to be replaced. He only replaced the spliced wires even after Kate ordered him to do as I told him."
"GOD DAMNED PISSANT. WHO THE HELL IS HE?" Bella yelled.
"Both of ye calm down." Liam ordered.
"Kacey what do you need me to do?" Mike asked as he walked off the lift.
"Hang on Mike. Dad, you and Bella go to Sick Bay. I will get mom as soon as I talk to Mike." They left the Bridge. "Mike, get a crew together. I want the Navigation, Science, Sensor and Tactical consoles replace as well as every single wire. Do not throw any pieces away. Move them into the conference room and make sure the door is locked. If you have to post an armed guard, do so. No one but myself, you, and your crew will be allowed into that room. We need to find out why those consoles blew. You are in charge. Do not let anyone take any short cuts. Understand?"
"You can count on us Kacey. Go see your family."
Kacey left the Bridge and headed to the Mess Hall.
CHAPTER 5 B
Kacey held Patricia's arm as they walked into the still crowded Sick Bay waiting room. Members of the crew with various injuries still waited to be seen by the Medical Staff. Several crew stood to let Patricia sit, but she waved them back down as she made her way to Liam's side.
"Liam." She cried. "You have been injured."
"Tis nothing but scratches Patsy."
The door opened to show Doctor Pence. "Who is next?" A crew man stood up cradling his arm.
"Doc can you give us any information about the injured Bridge crew?" Kacey asked.
"Doctor McCloud is just finishing with Commander Torino and will be out shortly to talk to you." He noticed the blood on Liam's shirt. "Commander are you injured?"
"Tis just scratches, Doctor. I can wait me turn. Take care of the crew first."
"All right Commander."
The door opened again and Doctor McCloud motioned for them to enter Sick Bay. "Before you bombard me with questions, let me say none of the injuries sustained by Captain Jensen, Commanders Jensen and Torino and Ensign O'Malley were life threatening. They were all knocked unconscious. Captain Jensen when she hit the railing also suffered a broken clavicle or collar bone. The bone has been fused. She regained consciousness and is now resting. The Commanders and Ensign sustained burns on their faces, arms, chests and hands, that have been taken care of. All three have also regained consciousness and are resting comfortably. They will all be held overnight for observation and be off duty for the next week. Which means that you are in charge Colonel."
"Can we see them Doc?"
"Yes you can. They are all sleeping right now. We cordoned off a section of Sick Bay to give them some privacy. The private rooms are all filled with those who had more serious injuries."
"That is not a problem Doc." Kacey stated. "I you have a free minute Doc would you check dad out?"
"Of course Colonel. Come along Commander." Liam started to protest but the doctor cut him off. "Commander, please do not give me a hard time like your daughters. Two stoic warriors in one family is more than enough for any doctor to have to put up with."
"She has a point dad." Kacey stated. Liam grumbled as he walked off with the doctor. The three women walked to the curtained area. Bella hurried to Rhea's side. Patricia sat between Kate and Anya's bed while Kacey sat between Kate and Natalia's. She took Natalia's hand in her own.
The skin on their faces, arms and hands had the pink freshly repaired look. "This is a new sensation." Kacey stated softly. "One I do not like at all."
"What is that dear?" Patricia asked.
"I am on the other side of the worry fence and I do not like it at all."
"They will all be fine, Kacey." Patricia told her.
"I know mom, it is just... I am partially responsible for them being injured."
"How do you figure that. You were in your shuttle. You had no control over the consoles exploding."
"Once I explain, you may change your mind."
"Then by all mean, please explain."
"When we were in the Kuiper belt, the wires under the consoles shorted out. I did a quick fix until we were in the clear to make full repairs."
"That is understandable, but I am not seeing how you were responsible."
"After we stopped to do the repairs, I marked the wires that needed to be changed and told the Ensign doing the repairs to change them all and not just the ones I had spliced."
"I am still not seeing the problem."
"The problem is he only wanted to change the spliced wires. I had to order him with Kate backing me to replace them all." She stopped. Patricia waited for her to continue. "The problem is he did what he wanted to do and not what he was ordered to do. He only changed the spliced wires. I should have checked the repairs before we resumed our journey."
"I take that to mean you did not check?"
"I did not. I trusted him and I should not have."
"Kacey, you can not take responsibility for everyone's actions. Not every one has your work ethic or even your intelligence. You are not to blame."
"How can you say that, mom?"
"It is easy. You are only responsible for your actions. When Kate is back on duty, she will handle his actions."
"I hope she allows me to watch." Kacey stated. "I want to see the little gerbil squirm."
"What little gerbil?" Kate asked.
"Kate how are you feeling?" Kacey asked.
"Like I was hit by an asteroid. Now who is the little gerbil?"
"That Ensign that was supposed to replace all the wires under the tactical and navigation consoles."
"He did not do that?"
"Nope, he did just what he wanted to do and nothing more. He disobeyed a direct order from both of us and as a result of his incompetence five people were injured. four of which were serious enough to guarantee them a night's stay in Sick Bay." Kacey could not keep the anger from her voice.
"Are you completely sure the reason those consoles blew was the wires?"
"Mike and his hand picked crew are going through every piece of the consoles and wires to find out what happened."
"What do we have to do to get you to be quiet?" Rhea complained.
"I agree." Anya added.
"Kacey?" Natalia said softly, as she woke to the voices around her. "Promise me."
"What do you need me to do sweetheart?"
"The children will need you tonight. Promise me you will not spend the entire night here."
"But..."
"With Kate laid up, that means you are in charge. You can not do that if you are up all night here with me."
"Talia, I promise I will spend as much time with you as you did with me or until the Doctor kicks me out."