=== Bridge=== Keylor sat in the captain's chair trying to get comfortable. It was not easy though, he right shoulder was beginning to throb form the slashing wound he received when they assaulted the bridge and his left hand was becoming numb after a pressure bandage had been wrapped tightly around the wound. He watched as one of the surviving team members dressed Adian's wounds the best he could. The X'chi were banging on the only door to the bridge and it was giving him a headache. The stench form the dead X'chi on the bridge also assaulted his nose like some foul smelling refuse left to rot long ago. {Well it could be worse, we could be dead.} He though in jest to their situation. He knew the situation was not good, but it was not hopeless either. Until the assault on the bridge they had taken few casualties and even fewer injuries. But he was not sure how long the small party could hold out on the bridge with the X'chi knocking at their door. He looked down at the right arm of the captains chair and flipped open the interface stored their in the arm. {Well let's see what luck I have with this.} he thought as he slowly moved his right hand in to place. He grimaced at the now stiffening shoulder, and as he stretched his arm out he could almost feel the clotting blood start to tear. W arm feeling soon was felt slowly making its way down his back, he could only imagine it was blood. With some difficulty he tapped on the miniature console. {Ok power, it is responding.. Lets see if my command code works.} he thought. Slowly and in pain he tapped in his SSF captains command code, hoping it would unlock the station, and the ship to him. [Access denied. Command code invalid] the computer chirped. Keylor nearly jumped out of his seat when the ships computer responded to the access command. Since they had been on the ship they had only heard their voices. He had half expected to hear the clicks of an X'chi to have replaced the ships voice. {Well at least they have not changed the computer programming n the ship.} he thought and relished the fact that the X'chi might not have taken the time to reprogram command codes and totally lock them out of the systems. Looking up a bit Keylor asked the computer, "Computer list bridge functions available." [Only systems available are main viewer.] the computer replied. "Good. Computer, Display the space in front of the Gott on the main viewer." He commanded. [Unable to comply. Problem with odn connection to main viewer.] Keylor let out a sigh. Seeing Adian glancing over his shoulder slightly Keylor shuffled his stiffening body slightly in the seat. "Petty officer? Are you able to take a look at the main viewer? " he asked not sure if Adian was up for it. "I will see what I can do sir." Adian replied. Keylor then looked back down at the console on the captains chair. {Damn. If I had only had a copy of the command codes SSF Intel gave us. I could unlock the systems and get this hunk of junk started.} Trying his code once again he flinched as the computer barked out the denial. {By the prophets! Did the turn the volume up in this thing before they left, thinking it would scare the over grown cockroaches away?} he though as his ears rang a bit at the sound. Seeing that his attempts might be futile he leaned back in his chair. He closed his eyes and tried to relax a bit while he waited for Walsh to take main engineering. Suddenly he opened his eyes and realized {I have not heard form Walsh lately. They were all headed to Main engineering. I wonder if they made it.} Sitting back up erect in the captain's chair he tapped on his comm. badge. "Bretam to Walsh!" he barked. There was no reply. "Bretam To Walsh! Do you hear me?" he shouted thinking the comms were still being interfered with . After a few second of no reply he tapped on his comm. badge again. " Bretam to Scott." "Scott here." Came the reply. Keylor smiled a bit as the communication was more clear than when they first boarded the ship. "Scott! What is your position?" he asked. Keylor listened as Jason noted how they had finally gained entry to main engineering and secured it. "Any casualties?" he asked again. Keylor listened and tried to make mental inventory of he list Scott rattled off. He learned of Walsh's concussion, which explained why he did not answer his comm. Scott also list a total of 5 fatalities, including Petty officer Williams. "Ok I assume Lieutenant Foster is with you." He said not expecting a response. "Bretam to Foster" He chirped. "Foster here sir." Andersen replied. Keylor shuffled in his seat and leaned up against the right side of the chair. He eased his chin in to his right palm, trying not to manipulate his right shoulder too much. ""Foster. Get cracking on the ships command systems. I have tried my SSF command codes, but they are not working. So either the database has been corrupted or this ship is not all that it appears to be. Either way use those code I gave you before we left the chimera." He paused for a moment. "Once you have access, I want every force field on this ship active and engaged. Every bulkhead, every hatch way and door. I want every X'chi on this ship to stay put and not go anywhere." He barked out. Keylor listened to Andersen's reply. He could not help to hear something strange in Andersen's voice. Though, for the most part he replied with a firm response, Keylor thought he heard a slight waiver in his voice, possible a hint of doubt. Keylor chalked the hint up to the environment of fighting, which even he was not accustomed to. "Foster! Once you have erected the force fields, get up here to the bridge. We need to get our eyes and ears open and see where we; and the chimera, are. Don't care how you get here, just get here." He stated a little less forceful. "Scott!" he chirped out at the lieutenant. "Once the force fields are up you have two responsibilities. First leave a small party in engineering to maintain the ships power. You should have at least one engineering specialist with you . He should know enough to keep us going. Second start clearing the X'chi. I don't care what you do, but eliminate them. Until we make contact with the chimera, we are on our own. And if we are to stay here, I want to get rid of these bugs." As Scott replied, Keylor shifted his weight back and winched at the pain of the gash in his shoulder. "Also if you have a medic. Send him up here once he is finished with the wounded there. We could use a pair of skilled hands to dress a few wounds of our own." He said with a twinge in his voice. As the comms channel closed he leaned back in his chair again, gingerly and carefully. He close dhis eyes once more. Even though the constant thumping on the bridge door was loud, he managed to doze a bit. "Sir I think we have the viewer!" Adian said with a sound of discomfort in his voice. Keylor raised his head and opened his eyes. "Very good Petty officer. Well done." He replied with a half smile. "Computer, main viewer on." He commanded. The cracked viewer sputters and a small spark came form one corner as it slowly came back to likve. Soon the blackness of space was visible. "Where are we?" he muttered to himself. "Computer Show starboard" he asked the computer and it obliged. "Show Aft and then port. 30 second delay." He commanded the computer. Dutifully the computer obliged. "Well at least we have eyes on. But where are we." He said not expecting any one to answer. {And no sigh of the chimera.} he thought. "We must have passed through the anomaly and emerged some where else. But where?" he said quietly. "Computer. Cycle through the views outside the ship. Fore, Starboard, Aft, Port. 2 minute intervals." He instructed the computer. The computer replied with a chirp. "ok everyone, Relax a bit while we wait for lieutenant Foster to arrive. Keep a stead eye out on the screen. Lets see if the chimera shows up." He instructed. As everyone seemed to get settled in a chair on the bridge, Keylor closed his eyes again and tried to block out the constant throbbing of his hand and shoulder. He was not sure how long it had been when some one shouted. "Hey what was that?" "I saw it too. Looked like a flash of light, then a reflection close by." Some one responded. Keylor opened his eyes. "Where!" he said somewhat excited. "The last view near a planet about. 10 o'clock on the screen. It was strange like a circular flash of light and then a reflection of some kind." Some one explained to him. {Could it be the Chimera?} He thought. "Computer! View rotation. Return to previous view." The computer chirped in compliance and switched the view back. On the screen was a small planetoid. "There! Adian pointed from up front." A flash, like a reflection." Keylor leaned forward a bit. His shirt stuck to the back of the captain's chair, and the sound of the sticky fabric sounded almost like a rip as it peeled away. "Computer. Magnify 10 times" He instructed the computer. The view changed and the planet grew larger. Now visible in the upper left corner of the screen was a strangely familiar shape. "Computer, set magnification to 100. Adjust view 20 degrees to port and 35 degrees up." The computer obliged and quickly the view changed and the distant silhouette of an intrepid ship could be seen. The nacelles were in the down position and some visible sparks could be seen emanating from it. "well at least we are not alone boys." Keylor remarked. "I doubt our comm. badges will work that for. Petty officer, See what you can do about comms. If any thing make sure they are functional so when Lieutenant foster unlocks the command codes we can hail the ship." He asked Adian. "I will see what I can do sir, but no promises." He said trying to smile but in obvious pain." Keylor nodded and leaned back in his seat. The once warm leather that covered the seat was not cool. It was a slight shock to lean back, but soon felt soothing on his aching shoulder. {Ok so what happened to her? She is obviously damaged. I wonder how bad., and why. Has she seen us yet? Why does she not come over here? Where is Foster!} he thought. Now feeling a bit rested he sat as patiently as he could for Lieutenant Foster to arrive on the bridge and get the communications up Keylor wanted to hail the chimera and see what has happened. ===End log=== Bgen Bretam Keylor Captain USS Chimera