A Matter of Honour

Chapter 14

"I hope it doesn't come to that, ma'am."

"That would be my preference as well, Ensign."

A harsh voice snarled a Romulan phrase that Sarin interpreted as something close to a command to unite with another unit. She reminded herself to pursue her studies of the language in more detail as several blaster shots almost covered at least three sets of retreating footsteps. Ogden leaned out and fired down the corridor, catching one of the retreating figures in the shoulder, but without enough force to make the boarder do more than stumble. "Damn. They're moving back. I wonder what's going on."

Frowning, Sarin pulled back just a little. "Perhaps Lieutenant Cestor has reached Engineering."

Ogden, on the other hand, rose from her crouch and tensed her entire body. "Do we follow them?"

"Not just yet Ensign." Sarin shook her head. "I would prefer—"

A distant rumbling accompanied a shaking of the deck plate under their feet. In almost the same moment, a Romulan soldier leaned just far enough out to snap off a blaster shot that struck the wall uncomfortably close to Ensign Ogden's head.

She ducked back quickly enough, a fierce but not entirely readable human expression across her features. "A fluid situation, ma'am?"

"Quite, Ensign." She slid back so that she couldn't possibly be in view of anyone looking down the corridor from ahead of them and retrieved her communicator. "Sarin to Cestor. Report please."

*

Cestor slipped back around the corner to dampen the sound of weapons fire as he opened his communicator to Commander Sarin's voice. "Sarin to Cestor. Report please."

"The Romulans used an explosive device to blow the main entrance to Engineering just as we got here, ma'am." Meaning as his little group of marines turned the corner to see the Romulans taking cover to avoid the explosion.

"Status?"

No point in being anything less than truthful. "We're under fire in the corridor, but I'm certain there's firing coming from inside Engineering, too. Lieutenant Shran and his team aren't giving in easily." And had clearly made use of the emergency weapons locker which was definitely a good thing.

There was a long pause. "Very well. You have authorization to increase the force level. However, I would appreciate it if the warp core remained intact."

So would he. Even the Romulans were likely to agree with that sentiment. "Understood, ma'am."

"Sarin out."

Cestor closed his communicator and returned it to his belt. He looked across the corridor gap at the other half of his squad. "Catch that, Corporal Bhatti?"

The young woman opened her mouth to show teeth that were far too white shaped into a feral smile. He could hear the joy in her voice over the weapons fire. "Yes, sir!"

"But—" Raising both eyebrows, he put up the index finger on his left hand. "We need to do this without blowing the ship up or damaging the Engineering crew."

Which was like giving her permission to get creative and the evil grin got even wider. "Understood, sir."

"The Romulans probably aren't as worried about casualties as we are. They may have had their weapons set to stun by the mess hall, but using explosives ups the ante."

"I'm more than willing to raise that bet, sir."

"I'm well aware of that, Corporal. I've played poker with you. Take Redurn and do what you need to do. We'll keep as many of them focused down the corridor as we can."