MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Episode 82
Part G

 

Romulan Warbirds close in on the Prometheus.

Prometheus Bridge. EMH Mark 2: "The Romulan vessels are closing in. Two minutes to intercept. Get us out of here!" Doctor: "I can't get this ship moving! Try re-routing power to the impulse engines."

EMH Mark 2: "Re-route power, re-route power. Here we go, I think I've found the relay controls. Hey, I'm finally getting the hang of this!" He presses the controls. The Doctor fritzes.

Doctor, alarmed: "What's happening?" EMH Mark 2, restoring the controls: "Sorry, I must have transferred power from the holo-emitters."

Doctor: "Well, be more careful! If I'm deactivated this ship'll never get back to Starfleet!"

EMH Mark 2: "OK, I'm taking power from life support. We don't need that!"

EMH Mark 2: "Try engines now."
Doctor: "Nothing. Why isn't this working?"
EMH Mark 2: "30 seconds to intercept. They're right on top of us."
Doctor: "Hold it. I see the problem. The thrust initiator is offline. Stand by."
EMH Mark 2: "15 seconds. They're charging weapons!"
Doctor: "See if you can access the shields." He turns to the EMH Mark 2. "I said, I said shields!" He is alarmed to see the other is not there.
EMH Mark 2, sitting up again into view: "Already done. Shields up."

Commander of the Romulan ships that have approached, Almak by name, via comms: "This is the Warbird T'Met calling the Prometheus. Commander Rekar, respond. Commander?" Doctor, bluffing and in a deeper voice, via comms: "This is the Prometheus."

Almak, via comms: "Activate your viewscreen."
Doctor, via comms: "Our viewscreen is not operational. We've had some trouble with Starfleet commandos."
Almak, via comms: "Where's Rekar?"
Doctor, via comms: "In the medical bay. He suffered minor injuries."
Almak, via comms: "Identify yourself."
EMH Mark 2, via comms: "You first."
Doctor, without thinking, via comms: "You first."
Almak, via comms, having heard the Doctor over the open comm. channel: "Repeat your last statement. I don't understand."
Doctor, via comms: "State your identity."
Almak, via comms: "This is Sub-Commander Almak. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded."

Doctor, via comms: "They're already down. Maybe there's something wrong with your sensor readings. You'd better not try to transport until we can be sure it's safe."
Almak, via comms, now very suspicious: "Lower your shields immediately or I'll open fire."
Doctor: "Immediately? Yes. Prometheus out."

The ship trembles as phaser fire hits it. EMH Mark 2: "Direct hit. Shields down to 20 per cent." Doctor: "Three more ships are approaching."

EMH Mark 2: "We're doomed." Doctor: "No. They're Starfleet."

The Starfleet ships open fire on the Prometheus. EMH Mark 2: "What are they doing?" Doctor: "Firing on us!" EMH Mark 2: "They must think Romulans are on board." Doctor: "They're right!"

The Starfleet ships also attack the Romulan Warbirds.

As battle is joined, the EMH Mark 2 tries using the comm. system: "Prometheus to any Starfleet vessel. Respond. Prometheus-" Doctor: "It's no use, they can't hear us. The Romulans have scrambled the comm. frequencies."

As battle continues between Starfleet and the Romulans, the Prometheus shakes as it takes more weapon hits. EMH Mark 2: "Doctor, some..." he does not know what so he says, "thing just went offline." Doctor: "Specifically?" EMH Mark 2: "The secondary gyrodyne relays and the propulsion field intermatrix have depolarised." Doctor: "In English!" EMH Mark 2: "I'm just reading what it says here!"

Doctor: "I'll try to stabilise the ship. Transfer auxiliary power to the maneuvering thrusters." EMH Mark 2: "Transferring auxiliary power now." The ship stops shaking. Doctor: "Good work, Mark 2." EMH Mark 2: "Thanks."

Doctor: "You'd better get to tactical. We're going to have to defend ourselves." EMH Mark 2: "Tactical." He hesitates, looks for the work station and locates it. "Right."

Doctor: "What are you waiting for? Shoot. Shoot!" EMH Mark 2, flustered: "There are so many controls." Doctor: "Find the one that says fire and push it!" EMH Mark 2: "It's not working. It says here the phasers are offline." Doctor: "Then fire a torpedo!"

The EMH Mark 2 fires one. The torpedo hits a Starfleet ship. Doctor: "You hit the wrong ship." EMH Mark 2: "It wasn't my fault!" Doctor: "Whose fault was it, the torpedo's?! You're supposed to tell it what to do!" There is an explosion at the tactical console which rocks the EMH Mark 2. Doctor: "Navigational control is offline!" EMH Mark 2: "Everything's offline - weapons, shields."

Doctor: "It gets worse. There are two Warbirds coming right at us!" EMH Mark 2 aloud to himself: "My brilliant existence cut short, no time to explore the universe, no time to smell the roses, no time for sex."

He rests a hand on the console which activates some controls. Computer: "Initiating decoupling sequence." EMH Mark 2: "What's that? What have I done now?" Computer: "Auto-separation in ten seconds."

Doctor: "Auto-separation? I think the Romulans did this before." EMH Mark 2: "How do we turn it off?" Doctor: "I don't think we can." Computer: "5....4....3....2...." Doctor, talking over the computer: "If I recall correctly this next part gets a little bumpy."

Computer: "Separation sequence in progress." Doctor: "Hold on." Computer: "Specify attack pattern." Doctor: "Attack pattern," he says a likely one, "alpha?"