Inferno

[tomcat]

In the forward Geology lab, Grahm spoke with one of the Columbia's fire brigade. The crewman's face was blackened from the oily smoke that was filling the bow sections of the ship.

"The fire has been contained for the most part, sir, but we cannot extinguish it completely because I have no way of cutting off its air supply. We have the environmental doors sealed, but I cannot close off all the accessways and manholes, which is allowing air in to fuel the inferno. I need ship's power back to both allow for foam pumps to work and completely sealing the compartments. Hell, if I can get power back, I can open the forward bay doors and snuff that fire instantly."

Grahm looked at the ship's schematic on his tricorder. The fire was burning very closely to his forward ventral phaser array... something they could not afford to lose. But he did see something that could be an option - the Columbia's numerous escape pods ringed the large saucer along deck seven. By manually releasing the pods, it could vent the area of the ship to space.

But how could he keep the rest of the vessel's environment from escaping without automated systems. Yes there were bulkheads along each main section of the ship that could be completely sealed from another, but a large and important area of the ship would become uninhabitable.

Grahm flipped open his communicator and dialed in both Ramos and Stonn. "Commander," he said addressing the XO. "Here are the options we have down here..."

The tactical officer began to reiterate what he just learned and where his thoughts were taking him.


[OOC:] Remember, Stonn and or Ramos, can post in this thread and maintain their current locations as long as it is understood that they are just talking through communicators. If they physically come to the Geology lab then they would only post here... get it? It's easy to see what I am doing with these different ship sections, right?

[sdrotar]

In the forward Geology lab, Grahm spoke with one of the Columbia's fire brigade. The crewman's face was blackened from the oily smoke that was filling the forward area.

"The fire has been contained for the most part, sir, but we cannot extinguish it completely because I have no way of cutting off its air supply. We have the environmental doors sealed, but I cannot close off all the accessways and manholes, which is allowing air in to fuel the inferno. I need ship's power back to both allow for foam pumps to work and completely sealing the compartments. Hell, if I can get power back, I can open the forward bay doors and snuff that fire instantly."

Grahm looked at the ship's schematic on his tricorder. The fire was burning very closely to his forward ventral phaser array... something they could not afford to lose. But he did see something that could be an option - the Columbia's numerous escape pods ringed the large saucer along deck seven. By manually releasing the pods, it could vent the area of the ship to space.

But how could he keep the rest of the vessel's environment from escaping without automated systems. Yes there were bulkheads along each main section of the ship that could be completely sealed from another, but a large and important area of the ship would become uninhabitable.

Grahm flipped open his communicator and dialed in both Ramos and Stonn. "Commander," he said addressing the XO. "Here are the options we have down here..."

The tactical officer began to reiterate what he just learned and where his thoughts were taking him.


[OOC:] Remember, Stonn and or Ramos, can post in this thread and maintain their current locations as long as it is understood that they are just talking through communicators. If they physically come to the Geology lab then they would only post here... get it? It is east to see what I am doing with these different ship sections right?

"At the moment, Mr. Grahm," Stonn's voice crackled over the communicator, "it is imperative that we suffer no more damage to the ship. If there is a safe way to evacuate the affected areas, please do so and use whatever means are available to extinguish the fires."

[tomcat]

Grahm nodded at the fire brigade commander, as Stonn gave the orders. "All right, we have a green light on this... set some demo charges to blow out the seals on the backsides of the escape pod housings. Just enough to vent the section of the ship. Make sure all environmental seals are closed around the area before you initiate. Once done, release the pods and then blow the demos... that should suck all air outta there and extinguish this forward fire. Then we need to get Deck Eight and see how that team is doing! The Columbia has taken enough damage, folks, we have our orders! Let's get to them!"

The fire teams, along with the tactical department, began to section off the forward, ventral side of the Columbia's great saucer. Explosive experts worked inside the escape pod housings, planting shaped charges that would punch holes in the ship's inner bulkheads. The holes created would allow for a quick vaccuuming of the sealed off section of the ship - Geology and the General Chemistry labs would be uninhabitable for a period of time until engineering department could commence on repairs, not just emergencies.

It took the team about forty-five minutes to get all explosives in place and then fire brigade commander gave order for the section to be evacuated, the selected pods to be released and the charges to be activated. The ship shuddered slightly as the series of explosions began to pop holes along the forward A-side power plant and life support.

Below the Columbia, empty escape pods blew out from the ship's hull and behind them came a long white puff of smoke and oygen-nitrogen mix of the vessel's environment. In seconds, a hurricane of air and heat vented, and the vital section of the ship was secured from the inferno that had been raging.