Flash! Thunder!

Posted on Sat Jul 12th, 2025 @ 11:20am by Lieutenant Ayana Hillis & Lieutenant JG James Phoenix & Ensign Kasm

2,327 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Wounds From the Mirror
Location: USS Washington
Timeline: Current

[Deck 4: Armory, USS Washington]

Ever since the intruders from the Mirror Universe had boarded the Washington, Phoenix had been doing the leg work of getting the security department assembled. There were still about two dozen security personnel unaccounted for. As far as he he knew, both Imik and Ayana were still on the bridge. He had done his best to confirm the identities of everyone assembled in the armory, which was sealed and holding for the time being. He had given everyone a sliver of time to get their gear.

He turned to Ensign Kasm, "Hell of week to join us Ensign" he joked before putting on his tactical vest.

Looking up at the speaker towering over him, Kasm huffs. Though he now has an improved Universal Translator, sarcasm and inuendo still don't translate through so he gets the literal translation of such statements. "I do not see this as eternal torture and pain, just another task to be completed for this consortium." Accepting the issued phaser by holding out his hand so it can be laid in his palm, Kasm gingerly attaches the holster to his side.

Remembering his experiences at the SF University range where he had gripped the device as the instructor had demonstrated, only to crush it into a sparking lump of circuitry. Even still, Star Fleet has not created a phaser designed for his races grip or hand size. Though considering there are only 5 Pandorans in SF at this time there is not much incentive to do so. Pandora is a peaceful world, they have never had a need for weapons of war, only tools for mining and farming. So the whole concept of purposefully killing another being is beyond their understanding.

"I envy you Mister Kasm. I wish I could see this mission that way" James remarked before hopping up on the console in the center of the room, seeing as nearly everyone was ready.

"Alright everyone listen up!" he called out. "We're going to security protocol epsilon easy. Stick with your partner as long as you can. If you get separated, use the flash and thunder tactic identify them and anyone else you encounter who isn't trying to kill you. It's quite simple. When you encounter someone who isn't immediately hostile, you say "flash" and the person in question will have to respond with "thunder." Not everyone will know this, so you will likely have to result to other measures of identifying people as we may not know who is from the Mirror Universe and who isn't" Phoenix began.

"Our task is to secure as much of the ship as possible and to repel the hostiles. We can't let them take the Washington. At all costs" he continued. "Good luck and stay frosty. Any questions?"

Kasm, being mildly confused asks "why are we reducing the internal temperature of the ship to create frost?"

"Sorry, I should clarify" he said. "Stay frosty is an expression. In this case it means to stay vigilant of your surroundings."

Huffing, Kasm says "ahh, more human words with different meanings." Keeping Phoenix's attention, he says "I do not understand Mirror Universe, is that another ship?"

The doors to the armory open and a disruptor blast sails in hitting the wall. Ayana follows, diving in while firing her phaser. She looks up and sees the security officers in a tactical briefing formation, "Time of talk is over. We've been boarded and the captain is fighting on the bridge to remain control of the ship with the senior officers. This is what we are trained for." Ayana stands up and looks at Phoenix and Kasm. She sees the standard phaser on Kasm's hip. "Phoenix, get Kasm here a phaser rifle. That should be more his size."

He tossed Kasm a rifle before turning towards Ayana. "Flash?" He asked, slightly in demonstration to his point, but also to confirm Ayana's identity. He'd answer her other thing after she responded.

"Thunder" she replied as she looked at Phoenix, "So we are down to using passwords, lovely."

Kasm, not expecting something to be thrown at him instinctively grabs it out of the air, denting the tritanium alloy stock without meaning to.

As his only experience with the concept of actual combat came from his time at the academy, though there were plenty of friendly brawls back on his home planet with other miners, Kasm didn't have the proper respect for how dangerous a conflict using energy weapons can be. Stepping out into the corridor he sees humans in unfamiliar coverings advancing towards the security armory. One of them instinctively fires at the movement of his exiting the chamber into the corridor. Multiple disruptor blasts fly over his head as the attacker was shooting at, what should have been chest height.

One of the bolts catches Kasm in the shoulder burning away fur, dermal layers and muscle. Kasm reacts to the pain with a blinding speed that belies his bulk, ducking into what could be described as a sprinters form, he pushes off with all his strength covering the distance to his attacker in a flash. (considering that he normally walks with something of a shuffling waddle to keep from constantly popping into the air as he walks due to the extremely light gravity of the ship). Without thinking he swings the phaser rifle like a mining pickaxe slamming it down on the shoulder of his attacker, the blunt force shears through his chest, like a bat vs a pumpkin, crushing ribs and internal organs "I do not believe I am required to use restraint from your disparagement."

The invaders companion, his expression shifting from superior glee at his wonton massacre to one of surprise and fear, tries to turn his disruptor on the terrifying black and white boulder with more sharp canines it its mouth than a piranha. Kasm turns towards him and punches him in the chest, the strike so powerful that his fist breaks through the attacker's spine. Withdrawing his hand from the attacker's chest cavity, Kasm picks up the body and flings it down the corridor like a shotput at additional enemies coming around the corner.

Without hesitation, or any sign of fear (an unfortunate racial trait) Kasm tears off after the body he threw chasing the invaders back around the corner.

Ayana and Phoenix step out of the armory, into the blood-spattered hallway, just in time to see Kasm disappear around the corner in a running hop at full speed. Leaving the bent phaser rifle in the body at their feet.

Ayana looked at the carnage and then at Kasm running down the corner before looking at Phoenix, "I don't think he has a full grasp on this situation, but he seems determined to be a tank."

"The intruders may not see him coming" he suggested before indicating back to the doors to the armory. "Everyone I assembled knows the password, but besides them not too many people will know, so I advised them that they'll need to take other precautions. What are your orders ma'am?"

"Ship is a warzone at the moment. Captain wants it secured. SEJO is securing the computer core, security needs to secure all other critical areas. I want two three-man teams to secure Engineering" she replied. Looking at the security present she quickly considered options, "Potter, Granger, Weasley, you three get to Engineering. Take Swan, Cullen, and Black. We'll send additional resources that way in due course." She looked around, "Mallory, Arturo, get to sickbay and keep it secure. Going to be a lot of people getting sent that way." She looked back to Phoenix, "You and I need to retrieve our tank." Looking at the others, "The rest of you, full wartime intruder protocol. Roaming teams of two, secure every deck. Move."

Phoenix did a quick final check on his gear. "I'm ready."



[Deck 7: Labs, Washington]

Kasm had suffered injuries back home, like the time that a tristeel rebar sprung out of a partial collapse and impaled him in the abdomen... that hurt some, but he kept working until the nagusi noticed and sent him off for medical care as he was moving a bit slower than usual. That all being said, the hit he took in his shoulder HURT like hell, he had never felt such pain. And that made him mad, he hadn't been this angry since his sibling had taken the last bokapuff that was supposed to be his, they brawled for hours over that, granted, he was a child then and had not really learned the control his race aspires to...

His attack on the two intruders outside the security office had not really registered yet, he just knew that they had caused him and members of his cohort pain, and when he struck out at the first invader he let all the years of pent up rage (rage that had built up over the snide jokes and 'disparagements' that he and his fellows put up with on Earth, where they had to treat all the humans like tranda eggs because they are so fragile) loose on that one poor soul, and he didn't feel bad about it, not yet at least.

Chasing two more of the invaders through the corridors with them firing over their shoulders, he took a couple more grazing hits that just made him madder. One of them seeing that the disruptor blasts were not doing anything to dissuade his pursuit, threw his weapon at Kasm's head.

Not even bothering to dodge the flying object, Kasm tackled the intruders just as they reached the turbolift and the doors were opening. The three of them flying into the lift to the screams of an ensign who was trying to get back to her quarters and shelter there.

A general melee ensued then, the ensign not being able to escape before the doors closed on her. Kasm might be stronger than a gorilla on pcp, but that doesn't necessarily make him great at hand-hand combat - even with the minor training at the Academy.

Fortunately, the one with the disruptor was mostly under him and could not bring the weapon to bear on Kasm, not for a lack of trying as disruptor blasts scored the turbolift walls floor and ceiling, just narrowly missing the ensign. The other intruder jumped on Kasm's back and tried kneeing him in what he thought might be his kidneys, elbows to the back of the neck and finally trying to choke him out, none of which did Kasm even register as he finally got a grip on the hand with the disruptor and squeezed the hand and weapon into a small ball, the intruder screaming in pain and terror as it happened.

Finally having dealt with the weapon he stood up, slamming the one on his back into the turbolift wall, the entire chamber shook violently from the impact to the sound of cracking ribs and blood fountaining out of the mans mouth. As he stood, Kasm brought is foot down on the others neck, silencing his cries.

The ensign cowered in the corner crying and throwing her hands up while saying "please, oh God, please don't kill me."

Emotions are hard to read on humans, especially the not-humans, but fear and terror seem to be universal emotions and her pleas for her life broke through the blind rage he had been in just a moment before.

"I no hurt you" tapping his chest though his uniform was in tatters, "security". Seeing her brought to mind his new friend in the science dept that had helped him with the Universal Translator, and that helped to galvanize his next action. "Deck 7" holding out a hand with the phaser in it to the ensign "you know how to use this?"

Through veiled tear-filled eyes she looked at Kasm in confusion then at the phaser in his hand and slowly nodded, at which point he pressed it into her hand and gently took her arm (remembering not to squeeze) and said, "come with me, stay, safer with me" and led her out onto deck 7.

Hearing sounds of conflict he hurried to the linguistics lab and found the door sealed. Pausing for a moment he remembered that as part of security he can override the locks and said, "computer security release lab 7alpha64." It took a couple of tries to get the words right but eventually the door opened, and he led the ensign in and said, "Computer seal door."

Haversill, hearing his voice climbed up from under her desk, seeing Kasm and the burns she rushed over to him. "Oh my God! Kasm! Your Hurt!" Turning to the ensign she said, "Lt Haversill, science."

"Yeoman Blaise" she replied, starting to shake from the adrenaline.

Haversill stepped over and gently took the phaser from her hand and set her down on a chair. Turning back to Kasm she said, "let me take a look at those wounds."

"No, others need safety, you, her" pointing at the yeoman "stay behind locked door, stay safe. I go do my duty."

With that Kasm left the lab to return to the fray, though now with a much calmer and clear mindset. Though still in pain and still angry, angry that others would harm his consortium.

Ayana and Phoenix arrived as Kasm was exiting the lab, having followed his trail of destruction. Ayana looked at him, "You look like you've been injured ensign. We should get you to sickbay. If I may ask, what made you come down here?"

"Lt Haversille is my friend, I was concerned for her safety" looking back at the door he just came out of Kasm continued "she is safe with weapon behind locked door now."

"Phoenix, get him to sickbay. You can do security rounds on your way. Once he gets treated, meet me in Engineering" Ayana stated emphatically. "Happy you are alright ensign. Now go get treated, that's an order."

 

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