Post 307: Old Fashioned Holodeck Cuttin' Part One

Stardate:70715.1500
Title: Old Fashioned Holodeck Cuttin', Part One
Author: Dabin Reece
Scene: Beneath Holodeck Four
Time: Right after We're Outta Here and concurrent with Step Into the Rabbit Hole

"Captain! Time is of the essence." said Salvek.

One by one the former castaways escaped from the beach through the hole Zanh had cut through the floor. She pointed the way towards the exit of the Jeffries tube as each person descended through the floor. "Mr. London, I would greatly appreciate it if you see my daughter makes it safely to our quarters."

"Will do, Commander."

Captain Zanh pulled Salvek aside along with Reece. "K'Pajek, we will need your assistance as well." Salvek called to the Klingon, who was the last person out of the holodeck.

"Where are the others?" asked Zanh, waiting for more people to drop through the floor.

"The perspective controls are not functioning Captain. We cannot get to them and they cannot get to us. Greetings, Commander." Salvek nodded at Dabin Reece, having noticed him for the first time.

"That's it?" Dabin Reece pouted, disappointed in the lack of enthusiasm from Salvek.

"Not now!" Zanh cut him off, holding a hand up in his face. "The perspective controls are not functioning, so what do we have to do?" Reece pursed his lips and crossed his eyes, swatting at the hand in his face like a bug.

"We will need to cut another hole in the holodeck beneath the rest of the trapped crewmembers." K'Pajek spoke up.

"I've already got Xhian on that." Zanh said.

"Yeah, let's get this moving please," Reece protested, knowing this likely meant his departure from the ship was going to be further delayed. "I've got a REAL beach I'm trying to get to."

"Which way sir?" K'Pajek asked.

"That way." Zanh said, pointing down the tube, where Xhian and Stratton were already working.

"K'Pajek, we will be cutting through a delicate area, we will likely need your strength to assist with some power relays we cannot cut through with the torches." Salvek said.

"Understood, lead on sir."

The group crawled further down the Jeffries tube. Salvek lead the way, and held up his hand when they reached Xhian and Stratton, who were still working on cutting the hole through the floor.

"Well done Ensign Xhian, this should place us right beneath the other group." Salvek said.

"Oh no, are you serious? I think someone replaced the Vulcan I know with logic crystals." Reece said as he examined Xhian's chosen location, surprised that Salvek didn't immediately suggest they cut somewhere else. The main power relay for one quarter of the entire deck passed directly above them, as well as ventilation ducts for the life support system.

"This is the optimum location. Mr. K'Pajek can slide the power relay out of the way when we finish cutting away some of the titanium supports."

"Won't that bring the entire tube down on top of us?" K'Pajek asked.

"Uh, yeah, what he said." Reece asked, beginning to question Salvek's sanity.

"It is all right Commander. Starfleet vessels are designed with double redundancy in all structural framing." Xhain said, "We can afford to, theoretically, compromise half the supports on this deck without damaging the integrity of the deck above."

"Oh, well as long as theoretically the half million tons of titanium on the decks above us aren't going to collapse on us, then I'm cool with that. Theoretically."

Stratton, Reece and Xhian lifted the torches they held. Xhian indicated the place he wanted Reece to cut. With Dabin's help they would finish the cutting much faster. As they continued their work, Salvek took the Captain aside.

"We will not be able to reroute the life support duct like we can the power relay. We will have to cut through it."

"How bad?"

"We will need to begin evacuating sections 20 through 32 of this deck. And I feel I should inform you of a personal detail."

Zanh Liis waited, hand poised over her transceiver to call for the evacuation.

"What's that?"

Commander Dabin Reece
Science Officer/Guest Star
USS Independence