A Role In History

Minefield

"We've detected an uncharted system along our present course. One of the planets is Minshara-Class." T'Pol told as the Jonathan and Hvaid entered the bridge.

"Anybody home?" the Captain asked.

"It's uninhabited."

Archer shook his head. "What about geographical features? Anything interesting?"

T'Pol looked down on her scanners. "There's a chain of volcanoes that spans an entire hemisphere."

The human male looked around the bridge. "Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I could use some fresh air. Put us in a standard orbit."

"Aye, sir." the helmsman said.

"Find a volcano with a gentle slope. Preferably one that's not erupting. Prep a shuttle pod, Travis. We'll take shifts down to-"

Archer stopped speaking when an explosion rocked the vessel that send people fly. A portion of the hull was blown away.

"Report!" the Captain called.

Malcolm blinked as he looked on the sensors of his station. "It was a thermo-kinetic explosion on the outer hull, port forward quarter. Breeches on C deck, D deck."

While Reed was talking, the Vulcan saw that Hoshi was unconscious. Quickly, she reached for the com on her station. "Bridge to Sickbay. We need medical assistance."

"Acknowledged." Came the voice of the Denobulan.

"Emergency bulkheads?"

The armory officer sighed. "They're in place, but eight subsections have decompressed."

Archer leaned forward. "Was anybody in them?"

"I can't tell, sir. Not yet."

The older human nodded. "Find out what happened, as fast as possible."

The lieutenant shook his head. I'd give you an answer if I could, sir. The sensor logs aren't showing anything. All systems were functioning normally."

"Archer to Engineering."

*//*

Down in engineering, it was a scene of barely controlled chaos and electrical fires everywhere.

Hvaid answered the call since the chief was busy running the entire business. "Captain, what is going on?"

"I was hoping one of you could tell me."

The part-Romulan looked over the incoming data. "We have got plasma fires, an overload in the EPS grid but whatever caused that explosion. I know it was not weapons fire, or I would have heard that."

"How are your people?"

"As humans would say: a few bumps and bruises, but all right."

"Keep me posted. Archer out."

*//*

After canceling the intercom, Archer turned to Reed. "Any casualty reports?"

"Figures are coming in, sir. Seventeen so far, including Hoshi. No fatalities." the lieutenant replied, looking up from his monitors.

Suddenly, something began beeping on the helm station.

"Captain, something just struck the ship. Starboard side upper aft quadrant." Travis reported.

"Can you get a visual?"