A soft hum filled the ears of Runt and Reon, the two finally reaching the USS Morro Bay. It had been a bit of a trip, but they we’re finally coming to an end. Runt, curious as ever, had been meticulously scanning and looking over every inch of the shuttle they could get their hands on. If anything, it was becoming a little annoying.

“Ooooh, can you believe it?! We’re going to be on a ship with the Amira Sullivan! I can’t wait, I can’t wait!” The cat purred as he paced around the shuttle. His tail kept on accidentally brushing against Williams as he did so.

Williams looked out the viewport, then stopped Runt mid pace. “Stop, we’re here!”

“At last.” The pilot muttered almost inaudible. The two junior officers had been very vocal about their excitment for the new posting and had nearly worn through the pilots patience and the shuttle carpeting.

“AAAH!” Runt cheered, running to the back of the shuttle and waiting for the bay to open. His running was in place as he seemingly couldn’t calm down. “Okay. Okay. Deep breaths. Who are we going to meet first?! I have so many cool ideas to run by the-”

“Ah!” Came a voice. The back of the shuttle was finally opening, revealing the USS Morro Bay‘s many bays. There stood Sylvester, hands behind his back and a stern look in his face. “Just in time. Ensign Hrelle and Ensign Williams. Glad to see you’ve both made it.”

Williams stepped out of the shuttle with his bag over his shoulder. “Ensign Reon Williams reporting. He stood ridged in stark comparison to the excited Catian hoping up and down at his side. Runt could barely contain his excitement as he held both their bags. Sylvester seemed awfully fixated on Sylvester, not noticing the Caitian all too much.

“Glad to see you, Ensign Williams. As I’m sure you know, I am Lieutenant Commander Sylvester Mikhailov. I will be your superior Officer for the next few months as you work on here.” He started to circle the Ensigns, as Runt’s head hastily followed around in a circle. “I expect discipline, versatility and a respect for your senior staff. Do I make myself clear?”

“I won’t let you down sir.” Reon nodded at Sylvester, as the man went through his files.

“Ah, he isn’t my department. I’m not too worried.” The XO let out a laugh as Runt hastily scrambled to stand upright at that comment. Hesitantly, he looked around.

“Uh, Lieutenant, sir, if I may. . .” The cat’s ears flatten against his skull. “Where is the science officer?”

“Oh, we don’t. . .” There was an almost embarrassing pause from Sylvester as he tried to sputter up some words. “Well, at the moment, Doctor Sullivan is taking care of that. But I think she’s going to throw you with the next best th-”

“REALLY?!” Runt suddenly screamed, like he had just been told he won the lottery. Right in poor Williams’ ear.

He flinched a bit and looked at Runt, giving a bit of a glare. But, after a minute Sylvester just let out a low chuckle, before pointing to one of the exits of the room. “Alright, you two. Go find your bunks and report back here at 01200, your taking the night shift.”

As they were dismissed to find their bunks on the Morro Bay’s lower decks, the wall panels illuminated to guide the young ensigns to their bunks. Runt nudged his friend, smiling like a goof. “I like that Sylvester guy. A little rough around the edges, but, he was awfully handsome…” As the cat spoke, the lights above flickered.

“He’s your XO and way too old for you.” Reon snickered. “Have some decorum, Runt.”

“It’s only a, what, thriteen year age ga–OOKAY, yeah, I see what you mean.” Runt gave a wishful sigh. “One day I’ll find someone.”

Williams looked up as well as the light flickered. His brow furrowed. “Hmm, faulty light panel…” He looked over to Runt. “I bet you’ll have your hands busy around here. The California Class is a real workhorse.”

”Weird. But I’m happy to have my hands busy! I’m sure that it’ll be-“ As Runt continued to speak, however, the lights above suddenly shut off with a very worrying spark. The cat nearly screamed, once again in the dark, as his ears flattened against his skull.

Before either one could say anything, Williams’ badge crackled to life. Static-y, but still to life nonetheless.

”“—this—Ensign—Prias. We’re—in—turbolfit!—crashed—not alone!—” Runt’s eyes widened and looked at his fellow Ensign. “—hurt—anyone—hear us, please!”

Williams tapped his badge. “This is Ensign Williams. You’re breaking up. Please repeat.” He could see Runt starting to shake with anxiety. The ears on his head had flattened like they had in the shuttle.

“–Can’t–power–may die–need help–NOW!–Doctor–impalement–” Runt looked down the hallway, eyes widening. “–something–wrong! Last deck–elevator–”

“Williams, the–power. Something’s wrong with the power. I think the turbolift may have had an accident-” The cat hastily ran up to the turbolift doors, trying to open them. When that didn’t work, Runt grabbed the sides and tried to pry it open. “Help me out here!”

Runt pulled at the seam as Williams dropped his bag and grabbed both sides with either hand. He grit his teeth and pulled, the doors  slowly parting. The shaft was dark, but deep below there was a faint flickering of red and yellow. The shaft itself was seemingly void of any ladder–scratch marks and dents in the wall suggested the turbolift had ripped it off the side. He turned to Runt.

“Did… they say last deck?” He caught his breath as he spoke. Runt looked back at him.

“They did.” The cat let out a very unhappy gulp. “And we’re going to have to find a way down there…without climbing down the ladder.

“Ooo.” Williams looked back down the shaft and tried to judge the distance. Several meters. “We can’t jump, what about repelling? We need a tether.”

Runt hesitated, looking backwards. That was his biggest fear; the dark. The unknown, unforgiving, horrific dark. But people were hurt…and they did sign up for this…

“There should be something of the sort we could make with some unused cables I saw in the shuttle bay.” The cat took a deep inhale, and then exhale–just how Luna taught him. “Come on.”

Williams gets up and follows Runt back to the shuttle bay. Runt worked quickly and hastily, grabbing the cable and collecting length to make into a makeshift repelling line. It wasn’t long before the cat had made a fairly decent system. The only problem was anchoring and holding.

. . .and Runt’s genuine fear at the concept of plunging into a deep, dark lift shaft.

Williams reached and took the line from Runt. “I’ve got this one. Can you keep me anchored up here?”

“Uh. . .” Runt’s ears flattened against his skull once again. “I can.”

The cat instantly got to work, using what they could to craft a makeshift system. Putting a emergency medical kit from the shuttle into Williams arms, the cat spoke. “Pull three times–” Runt yanked the rope rhythmically three separate times. “If you need to come up. Or, when you do. I don’t know what you’ll find, so. . .be careful. Please.”

“Got it. On belay.” He gave the ready order and Runt lowered him into the turbolift shaft. He pushed off the wall with his feet a little at a time as he lowered towards the crippled lift. The emergency lighting did very little to illuminate the top of the car, but he could just make out the service hatch, with half of it busted to the side. “I think I see it!” He called back up.

”Okay! Good!” Runt called. His grip was ironclad and unwavering, as he slowwwlllyy helped lower the rope. “Do you-“

A violent lurch in the shift sent the two forward, with Runt yeowling as he slammed into one of the sides of the doorframe. His grip stayed strong, but a large screech of metal being torn to bits echoed throughout his ears.

Williams swung into the wall infront of him. He grimaced in pain and lost his grip on the cable. The loop around his waist tightened as it took his weight. He grabbed the cable and checked the car beneath him. It had dropped a little over a meter further down the shaft. Williams caught his breath and called back to Runt above him.

“The car dropped again! The emergency clamps are failing!”

”Okay! Okay! Uhm—“ Runt tried to stand up, holding his head. Moving their arm back, horror struck across the cats face as he saw blood coating the underside of his hand. “Williams, you need to act NOW! It can’t hold for much longer—just get in there and get them out!”

Below in the lift, Velau and Mazev were next to each other; with Velau barely awake as her grip on her fellow ensign stayed ironclad.

Above their heads, the car began to creak again. The pair watched as part of the roof broke away and a Bajoran Ensign peered down at them. “Let’s get you out of here.”

”FINALLY! Mazev, he’s really hurt—“ She sputtered. “My arm, too! We gotta hurry!”

“Runt, they’re not doing great!” Williams called up. Runt let out a curse as his grip stayed tight. The blood soaking the cats own hands made holding on difficult, though.

Williams reached down and took the first passenger hand. Velau held onto him for dear life. He pulled up and helped them onto the roof, getting a makeshift harness around both of them. Ensign Mazev was finally awake, but barely.

“Alright, we’re going to do this one at a time.” He turned to Mazev who now had the makeshift harness around him; he was barely standing up on his own, eyes droopy and head reeling. “You’re going first. Ready?” Mazev nodded and Williams called up. “OK, pull!”

”HHHRRRGH!” Runt cried as he yanked upwards, using the doorframe as an aide in his struggle. “Getting…there….!”

Slowly but surely, the first Ensign was finding his way up the lift’s shaft; with Runt having a particularly difficult time dragging him up. Thankfully, Runt pulled Mazev to safety, earning a the thumbs up from Williams. “Great! Toss it-”

The lift below them rattled and again, a high pitched scraping sound screaming at the two as the last clamps failed. Williams moved fast, running for the side of the shaft and dug his fingers into the seams of the next deck. He pulled as hard as he possibly could, causing the doors to finally part.

“Jump!” He called to Velau. They both shoved their arms into the open doors as the car dropped put from beneath their feet. It took only a minute before a sickening crash was heard below.

That could’ve been them. But it wasn’t.

“WILLIAMS!” Runt cried. “Are you okay?! Please say something!”

“Velau?!” Mazev called, his stance getting weaker. He’s lost a lot of blood. “Velau, are you..okay??”

Williams couldn’t get the breath to respond. They were barely in the doorway. He reached down and grabbed the back of Velau’s uniform and lifted as best he could. They slowly rose and crawled over Williams into the door. Velau then grabbed the scruff of his collar and pulled him up, both finally getting a moment to collapse.

They laid on the deck for a moment. Williams moved slowly back to the door and stuck his arm into the shaft. Below them, Runt could just make out his hand giving them a weak thumbs up.

“We’re okay enough!” Velau called. “I’m..Ensign Velau. That’s Mazev.” She called, breath quick and choppy.

“Runt. That man’s Williams…” He looked at Mazev. “O-Okay, uhm..you guys are on the floor with medbay on it. Let me patch up his leg, and then I’ll help anchor Mazev down.”

“W-What the cat said, please….” Mazev groaned out, trying to compose himself. Velau looked next to Williams, holding her arm.

“Williams, yeah? You think we can do that?” She nudges him. Williams nodded and gave her another enthusiastic thumbs up.

“Okay! We’re gonna go do that!” Velau called up. “Is he gonna be okay?!”

“I’m sure as hell gonna try!” Runt called back down, looking at Mazev, his own blood trickling down onto the Ensign’s shirt.

It seems like everyone had quite a lot to do now.