The pattern enhancers flared to life with a sharp hum, forming a triangular perimeter around the debris. Sparks danced from nearby conduits as the ship groaned under strain, the air thick with smoke and static. Commander Nuni Irric knelt beside the rubble, tricorder in hand, its display flickering with unstable vitals.

He stared at the readings—erratic, fading. He wasn’t a doctor, but the slow, stuttering pulse graph told him enough. Time was running out.

A lieutenant slid the last enhancer into place, locking the unit with a metallic click. He looked up and gave a terse nod, sweat streaking his ash-smudged face.

Irric rose to his feet, voice firm and cutting through the chaos. “Energize!”

Jade flickered in and out of consciousness. She wasn’t sure how long it had been but she knew she was no longer under the rubble. The weight of the rubble and debris was no longer pressing in on her and her arm still ached but the pain had lessened some. She tried to stay awake as she looked around, but she found that task to be difficult. She had just dozed back off when she felt someone touch her arm. She managed to open her eyes long enough to see who all was around her. She saw a few people but only recognized one.

She looked to Commander Nuni and attempted to flash a smile which instead came across as a grimace. “Well, hello. It sure is good to see you, Commander.”

Irric offered a relieved smile as he met Jade’s eyes. “Glad to see you’re still with us, Lieutenant Hart.”

He glanced at the medical ensign beside her, who gave a quick, reassuring nod.

Turning back to her, his tone softened. “You look stable. How are you feeling?”

“I’ve certainly felt better,” she said through a small smirk. “My left arm is hurting like someone cut it off though. Could you guys maybe do something about that?” she managed to say before feeling another blackout coming.

“Could we move faster? I’m ready to stay awake for maybe more than 5 seconds here and offer some payback to whoever did this to us,” she managed to say and was surprised at how strong her voice was sounding compared to what she had heard earlier.

Irric nodded once, then dropped into a low crouch beside the medic. His voice was quiet but firm.

“Keep her steady. If she starts to slip—boost her.”

The medic didn’t speak, just gave a clipped nod and flipped open the field kit. A vial clicked into place. The hypospray hissed softly as it met Jade’s neck, and color began to creep back into her cheeks.

Irric watched for a beat, jaw tight, then rose and scanned the corridor, already bracing for whatever came next.

Jade was a little taken back at the immediate sense of relief she felt. Her strength was returning quickly and she was eager to get out. She managed to lift herself up some and was glad that the dizziness seemed to go away. Her arm hurt less but still maintained a constant throb of small pain. She knew that her arm needed attention quickly.

“I think I might be able to walk out of here, Commander. That is if you’d like to try, of course. I’m not sure what happened here but I’m thinking we might want to move and do it soon,” Jade spoke and sounded more like herself with every word. “I know I’m not a tactical officer, but I will do what I can to help you.”

Irric arched a brow, impressed by her resilience. “You just survived a structural collapse and a near-blackout. How about you help me by staying vertical?”

He offered a hand, steady and sure. Jade hesitated only a second before gripping it with her good arm. As she pulled herself up, Irric stepped in to brace her, slipping her arm over his shoulder.

“Easy now,” he murmured. “You’ve got grit, Lieutenant. Just don’t get ahead of yourself.”

The medic fell in step beside them, scanning constantly as they moved. The corridor was still dim, emergency lights pulsing like a heartbeat. Debris littered the path, and the occasional groan of the bulkhead reminded them just how fragile their shelter really was.

As they turned the corner, a tremor shook the deck beneath their feet. Irric tightened his grip on Jade and quickened his pace.

“Let’s move. I don’t trust this deck to hold much longer.”