Between the two of Us....

Posted on Tue Jul 7th, 2026 @ 11:18am by Lieutenant JG Benjamin "Ben" Dalton

1,047 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Sins of the Empire
Location: Intelligence Office - USS Washington
Timeline: Current

Ben was in the Intel Office "holding down the fort" as the Washington engaged in battle with Romulan warbirds. Kate was off ship on an away mission with Commander Grayson and others. AJ was providing emergency help to those who needed it and Na'Riss was working damage control, leaving him alone in the office. Kevin would have been here but he proved to be a traitor and was killed and Ben didn't regret or miss him in the slightest. He reached a hand down and scratched Kodie's ears. he had brought the husky with him to keep him company and to to make sure the dog was safe.

So he sat collecting data on Romulan attack tactics and placing them in a file for future reference if the captain wanted to review or study it. He worried about Kate, he knew she was supremely capable of taking care or herself but now she was on a planet populated by not just Klingons but rogue, rebel Klingons. The ship jerked and jolted from repeated hits. He heard the emergency klaxons and the calls for damage control teams to multiple locations. Kodie whined softly in alarm. "it's okay boy. Not going to let anything happen to you. Kate would never let me hear the end of it."

Then all hell broke out, the lights dimmed and stayed out for several long seconds before coming back on bathing the office in the red glare of emergency lighting. Kodie whine loudly. "Easy Kodie. it's okay." He muttered just as the ship rocked again. Consoles exploded, some burst into flame which he was able to extinguish but the filled the office with smoke and haze,
making breathing suddenly more difficult as the room's scrubbers were working overtime to clear the air.

"Dalton to Damage control. I am in the Intel Office. The office is full or smoke and haze as the scrubber are having difficulty clearing the air." Static greeted him. he tried again and again there was no answer only static. "Come on Kodie, momma didn't raise no fool, we need to get out of here." As he stood and headed for the door. yet as he approached the door it refused to open. he tapped the override button again and again with no results. Keeping his cool, he sighed and reached for the manual crank. Attaching it to the door he began the strenuous work of opening the door as it moved slowly and only inches at a time. it had opened maybe ten to twelve inched before stopping and refusing to open any further. "Well at least this will help clear the air even if I still can't get out." he tapped his combadge again and repeated his earlier message with the same results...static. "Well shit." he muttered to the empty room. Looking down at Kodie he spoke again. "Looks like we may be here for awhile Kodie." he sat on the floor, the air was cleaning here and he hugged Kodie. "I know you're scared but you are doing fine. Just stick with me and all will be good." In reply Kodie Licked his face. "Love you boy." He whispered just before the ship was rocked violently and a section of the ceiling fell out and across his legs. He screamed in pain as the heavy wection of the wall rested on his legs.

He took a deep breath and settled himself down. he found he could wiggle his legs so they weren't broken and he breathed a sigh of relief on that score. he leaned forward bending at the waist and stretched his arms out to grab onto the wall across his legs. Ben gritted his teeth and rocked the section back and forth. At first he met failure but he was nothing if not stubborn and he kept at it. Finally after several attempts he was able to move the wall section off his legs. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" he said in relief as the blood began circulating through his legs. "We did it Kodie!" He said happily as Kodie let out a soft howl of agreement. Ben stood slowly and was glad his legs didn't buckle under him. "Now let's see about getting out of here." Kodie barked his agreement this time.

Ben stood there thinking when all of a sudden it came to him like a thunder clap. The Intel Office weapons locker! he moved to it, punched in his coded and the locker door swung open silently. He grabbed a phaser and moved the setting to high and narrowed it's beam to use the phaser like a torch. he would cut their way out of the office. "Stay back Kodie." he warned the dog as he brought the phaser up and thumbed it's trigger and instantly a narrow beam erupted from it striking the door. He moved the beam up and down the length of the door, cutting pieces off bit by bit until finally the opening was big enough for both Kodie and himself to squeeze through.

Once in the corridor he did a little happy dance of victory and Kodie pranced around him as well. "Now, we don't tell Kate about this and by this i mean the wall falling on my legs. She has enough to worry about. I don't want her to worry about me." He looked into Kodie's glacial blue eyes. Keep the secret and you'll get extra potions for dinner." Kodie increased his prancing. No dog liked extra portion more than he did. ben looked at the husky. "You know, a run in the holodeck would really do you good but can't go there in the middle of a battle. But we'll go there later when this is all behind us I promise."

Ben looked up and down the deserted corridor. "I know I said we'd go to our quarters but I have a better idea. Lets see if ee can find either AJ or Na'Riss and see if we can help them in whatever it is they are doing." Kodie nodded his head in agreement and ben chuckled "Glad you agree. Now, come on no more lollygagging around. Time to get to work." And with that the unlikely pair set out to find someone they could hopefully help.

 

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