Reaper: The Yin and the Yang

Stardate: 20531.2349
Title: The Yin and the Yang
Author: Nelson Reaper
Time: After "Ultimatum" and "Come Hell or High Water"
Scene: Auxiliary Control, Bridge

Captain Reaper listened hopefully after delivering his ultimatum to the pirates, but no response came. Finally, he looked around the room to find out what had happened to his team.

The officers were everywhere, and only two were standing. Monday and Reese were unconscious, while Yamashita and Mitchell were rubbing various parts of their bodies that had collided with various parts of the ship.

Immediately, they all moved toward the fallen. Reaper and Mitchell went to Reese's side, quickly assessing the officer's vital signs. "It looks bad, Captain," Mitchell said. "Breathing is shallow and the heartbeat is erratic."

Nelson tore open the man's uniform, revealing the large wound over his entire right rib cage. "The area's warm," Nelson said, "and every one of these ribs is broken. This man will bleed to death inside his own lungs if we don't get him out of here now." Mitchell nodded his agreement.

Yamashita called over from Monday's side. "He'll be alright, just a hard knock on the head. I don't recommend jarring him though, he'll likely be in a lot of pain when he wakes."

Nelson's mind churned, but he could think of no other alternative. Finally, he said, "One of us needs to get Reese to Sickbay."

"I'll do it," Mitchell volunteered. "But what about Monday?"

"He'll be safe here. We need as many bodies as possible when we move forward," Nelson replied. Yamashita and Mitchell nodded their agreement.

[Beta successful and secured,] was heard over the now open shipwide comlink.

"Pr'Zal's taken the bridge," Reaper said as he helped Mitchell lift Reese. "We need to move there now."

"Be right there, sir," Yamashita answered. Nelson looked back to see her leave her canteen and and Reese's phaser next to Monday. She stood and moved with a vengance in her stride. "Ready, captain."

=^=

Captain Reaper and Ensign Yamashita moved openly toward the bridge. Along the way, they encountered several makeshift strike teams moving through the ship, having secured more and more as they moved forward. Several surviving pirates had been rooted out in recent minutes, having succumbed to the initial stages of the Gana Alti virus. Apparently, however, most chose to stay hidden and die, or were regrouping with what energy they had left.

Once on deck 4, there were enough liberated crew that they had an escort to the bridge. Ensign Pr'Zal was in the command chair and stood when Reaper entered.

"Captain on the bridge!" she hollered.

Each officer came to attention where they stood, a courtesy usually only reserved for formal occasions. Nelson breathed in the collective pride and accomplishment of the entire crew as he strode forward. "As you were," he said.

Ensign Pr'Zal approached the captain as Yamashita moved to assist the others. "The bridge has been secured," she reported. "We are working on a full status report, but many of the ship's sensors have been disabled. We don't know the extent of the damage, but it seems we've been pillaged quite effectively."

"Indeed," Reaper barely said. "Keep working on it," he continued aloud. "Coordinate with the senior officers you can reach to reconstruct ship's systems one by one. Good work, everyone!" he spoke loudly enough for the whole bridge to hear him, but looked and smiled at Ensign Pr'Zal.

"One of the intruders has been detained in your Ready Room, sir," Pr'Zal said just as Nelson began to move away. He promptly turned in the opposite direction and headed aft.

"Thank you very much, Ensign," he said.

The door to the captain's office was leaning against the bulkhead in an attempt to make it look normal. Nelson glanced at it as he moved past into the shambles of his Ready Room. The guard there came to attention.

"Where is the prisoner?" Nelson demanded. The guard moved aside and Nelson could see the form of a woman bound on the floor. She looked up at him and their eyes met.

"Dismissed, crewman. I will deal with the pirate privately," Reaper ordered without taking his eyes off the woman. Quietly, the guard left.

Reaper silently regarded the woman while she surveyed him. Though bound, gagged, and wounded, she did not look defeated. Her eyes especially challenged him with an uncommon pride.

"Well well... long time no see, Blue."

Captain Nelson Reaper
Commander
USS Carpathia
NCC-17499