A Role In History

The Catwalk

"Bridge to Captain Archer." the com link went off as the Captain was feeding his dog Porthos in his room.

"Go ahead." the human Captain replied.

"We've got an alien vessel approaching. They're hailing us."

Archer stood up and walked to his desk. "Put them through to my room."

"Yes, sir."

An image of three bald males came up on the computer screen in Archer's room.

One of the three, the one in the middle, spoke up. "We're very relieved to see you. I'm Rellus Tagrim. This is my crew."

"Captain Archer of the Starship Enterprise. Something we can do for you?" Jon greeted.

"Considering the circumstances, we would like permission to come aboard as soon as possible."

Archer raised an eyebrow. "What circumstances?"

"The neutronic wavefront. It's almost here." the alien male told.

"None of my scientists have detected anything."

"You should detect the storm in a few minutes. It's travelling at high warp. Once we're aboard, I suggest you go to warp seven immediately."

"Our top speed is warp five."

*//*

Once on the bridge, Archer gathered his senior crew around a table.

"The wavefront spans more than half a dozen light years. A Vulcan starship encountered a class five over a century ago. The vessel was nearly destroyed." the Vulcan female reported.

The Captain turned to the male Vulcan. "How long until it hits?

"Approximately four hours, if the scanners are right." Velekh replied.

"If we reinforce structural integrity we should be able to weather it without too much trouble." Reed reported.

Then Phlox sighed. "Enterprise may survive. The crew is another matter. The storm is saturated with radiolytic isotopes. If the crew is exposed, they'll be dead within three minutes. Sickbay is the most heavily shielded section. It's possible that some of the crew could survive there."

Jon shook his head. "We can't fit eighty four people into Sickbay, and I'm not about to draw lots."

Velekh walked over to another monitor. "There is a maintenance shaft running the length of each nacelle, shielded by osmium alloy. If we want everybody to survive, that is our best option."

T'Pol rose her eyebrow. "You're proposing we take refuge in a crawlspace?"

"It will be tight, but that is the only heavy shielded place aboard this ship where everybody can sleep, and supplies should fit as well if my math is correct." the male replied.

"Do you know the absorption depth of this alloy?" the Denobulan interrupted.

"Twenty thousand nine hundred and seventy six point eight nine four particles per micron." the second doctor replied.

Everybody, even the female Vulcan, blinked at the accuracy of the answer.

"It should be adequate." Phlox then said.

"We will have to shut down the main warp reactor, or we will be toast after four point seven hours. It can heat up to three hundred degrees."

"I don't see that we have any choice. We'll use the Catwalk, and set up a command station in one of the compartments."