Going Nowhere

Posted on Sat Sep 19th, 2026 @ 5:39pm by Lieutenant JG Luke Beaumont & Lieutenant Commander Maximo (Max) Vero

1,912 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Season 1 Episode 2: The Garden at the Edge of Night
Location: Turbolift between decks 7 and 11

ON

Luke had spent most of his duty shift dealing with the sort of routine matters that rarely warranted more than a raised eyebrow. It suited him just fine. The relative quiet had given him time to start planning a full schedule of physical exercise classes for both the civilian population and Starfleet personnel aboard the vessel. He'd already begun mentally sorting through ideas—strength training, combat conditioning, basic fitness sessions, perhaps something less intimidating for those who'd never set foot in a gym before.

The only real interruption had been the sudden loss of power to the Security Office. It had been inconvenient rather than concerning, particularly with Engineering on-site almost immediately to diagnose and restore the systems. Once everything was back online, Luke had returned to his duties without giving the incident much more thought. By the end of his shift, however, he was more than ready to head for the gym, burn off whatever restless energy remained, and put some of his own training plans into practice.

He stepped into the turbolift and leaned back against the wall as the doors slid shut. "Gym," he told the computer, already considering what he wanted to work on. The lift had barely begun moving when it slowed unexpectedly at the next deck, the doors opening to admit another passenger.

Luke looked up just as someone stepped forward into the turbolift—Commander Vero.

"Sir!"

Max had no inclination to go to the gym. It was the end of his shift and he wanted some dinner. He stepped in and and nodded. "Lieutenant."

"Deck 6," he told the turbolift. Turning back to him he asked, "How are you?"

"Commander." Luke offered the greeting a little more nervously than he would have liked, instinctively straightening as he addressed the senior officer. He wasn't usually one to be intimidated, but there was something about speaking to someone several ranks above him that made him suddenly conscious of every word and movement. The PADD in his hand suddenly felt rather more important than it had a moment ago.

"I've got a basic outline for the combined civilian and Starfleet fitness program, if you'd care to review it, sir?" he offered, holding out the PADD. "It's only an initial draft, of course. I thought it might be useful to get your thoughts before I start putting the individual classes together."

Max nodded and took the offered PADD. His eyes skimmed through. "It looks a good mix of strength, cardio and endurance. I do like that you set up a couple of dance classes. Although I would suggest moving those to the holodeck rather than the Gym. It will be far more fun doing salsa with a background of Cuba or Puerto Rico, ballroom in a proper ballroom etc. I might even come to one of those myself.

What exactly is Bajoran Pump?" he asked.

"It's a form of calisthenics, really, using body weight and whatever natural surroundings are available," Luke explained. His enthusiasm was becoming increasingly difficult to contain. "It became particularly popular during the Cardassian Occupation of their planet, especially among resistance members who didn't have access to specialist equipment. They had to make do with whatever they could find—walls, ledges, trees, pretty much anything they could climb, jump from, or use to train." He paused, searching for the right comparison. "It also incorporates what Humans would call free running, only it's a much more extreme version. More focused on getting over, around, and through obstacles as quickly as possible."

Luke had become noticeably animated as he spoke, clearly enjoying the opportunity to share something he'd found interesting. He'd never actually tried the discipline himself, but during his research into different cultural approaches to physical fitness, it had caught his attention. There was something appealing about a form of exercise that required little more than a person's own body and their environment.

Unexpectedly, the turbolift lurched beneath them, giving a sudden mechanical jump as though the car had caught on something in the shaft. The overhead lights flickered once, plunging the lift into momentary darkness before snapping back to full illumination.

"Not again!" Luke blurted.

His eyes immediately went upward, staring suspiciously at the ceiling as though sheer force of will might convince the turbolift to keep moving. The last thing he wanted was another malfunction, particularly after the trouble Sickbay had experienced not so long ago.

Max's eyes followed his up to the ceiling as if expecting to see something. "What do you mean not again?" he asked.

"I was in Sickbay earlier. There was a moment when the power systems went completely haywire and the whole place went dark on us," Luke explained, turning his attention back to Commander Vero. "Doctor Syvar had finished looking at my shoulder by then, so I left him to deal with Engineering. Figured I'd stay out of their way."

He'd barely finished the sentence when the turbolift gave another violent jolt. The deck seemed to drop out from beneath them without warning, bringing both men down hard as the car came to an abrupt and unmistakable stop. The overhead lights dimmed to a faint glow for several seconds before returning to full illumination.

Luke waited.

Nothing happened.

There was no reassuring hum of the lift's engines, no sensation of movement, not even the slightest vibration to suggest they were continuing toward their destination. Luke slowly lifted his head, staring at the doors with growing disbelief.

"Well..." he muttered. "That's probably not good."

“It is also the second time today that I have fallen no been smashed to a deck,” Max said sitting up. He was already showing a bruise from when the gravity in the captains ready room had changed and his breakfast had become very much heavier hitting him in the face and now his tailbone was screaming.

‘Vero to Engineering. Myself and Lieutenant Beaumont seem to be trapped in a turbolift.’

“Standby Commander we will be there as soon as we can,” was the response. “We are rushed off our feet at the moment.”

“Today is not proving to be a good day,” he looked up back at the ceiling an idea forming in his head. “Lieutenant do you think you could reach the ceiling hatch? If I can give you a boost on some way?”

Luke reached up toward the maintenance hatch, his arm barely needing to extend given his considerable height. His fingers easily found the recessed handle, and with a firm tug, he popped the hatch open with one hand. He glanced into the cramped accessway before looking back at the First Officer, his expression becoming slightly sheepish when he realised just how awkward their respective heights made the situation.

"It'd make more sense if I lift you, sir," Luke suggested carefully. There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice now, as though he was suddenly aware that picking up a senior officer and putting him through a hatch might not be the most tactful suggestion he'd ever made. "I mean no disrespect by suggesting otherwise, but I'm going to struggle getting through that hatch. You're considerably smaller than I am, and..." He gestured toward the opening with one hand. "Well, I've got the reach to get you up there."

He offered the First Officer an apologetic smile, clearly trying to make sure his proposal didn't sound presumptuous. "I can get you through safely, sir. Then you can help me from the other side." A brief pause followed. "Assuming that's acceptable, of course."

“We are getting out of here one way or the other Lieutenant,” Max said simply. “So lift away. Then when I get round the other side of the door hopefully brute strength from both sides, probably more your end,” will get that door open and you out. I might even be able to Jerry rig it from the outside panel if the circuits haven’t changed too much in 100 years. I mean flow is still flow. I’m sure I can work out where the manual bypass is. Come on let’s do this,”

Luke stepped beneath the open roof hatch and wrapped both arms around his superior officer's waist. His enormous hands nearly met around the man's middle, giving him a surprisingly secure grip.

"Ready, sir?"

Before the officer could offer much more than an acknowledgement, Luke bent his knees and lifted.

The senior officer rose effortlessly, Luke raising him through sheer strength until his upper body reached the lip of the hatch. The officer caught hold of the edge and began hauling himself upward, while Luke continued to support his weight from below.

For Luke, the effort was little more than another repetition in the gym.

"Almost there..."

With a final push, Luke raised him high enough for the officer to get his chest onto the roof of the turbolift car. Luke released his grip as his superior pulled himself clear, leaving Luke standing below, still trapped inside the disabled car.

He looked up through the hatch, brow furrowing as he processed what his superior had just said.

"Sir," he asked, genuinely puzzled, "what do you mean, if the circuits haven't changed in a hundred years?"

"I'm not from your time Lieutenant, Its all in my file," Max yelled as he walked over to the ladder and descended down towards where a crawl way was. He was small and nimble and took a quick right knowing it would get him to the front of the lift. Pushing the door out he was pleased to see the deck and exited round to the turbolift doors.

"Can you still hear me Lieutenant?"

“Yes, sir. Just!” Luke called from the other side of the door.

"Right," Max said loudly. "You pull the doors your side, I'm going to do the same here."

Max put every bit of energy he could into pulling those doors and he knew the man behind them had 3 times more power than him. They didn't budge.

"I can only get the inner door open maybe an inch. I think the safety locking mechanisms have engaged" Luke called from the other side of the door.

"Plan B," Max yelled flipping open a panel cover. He had no tools, he was going to have to try this with just his fingers. His brain ran back to much older times. Academy times. As his brain started visualising where the flow would be going. He followed the chips best he could then spotted one just slightly uprooted. It must have been shaken in the free fall. It was definitely connected to the door mechanism not anything else as far as he could see.

Hoping it wasn't too damaged he positioned it back in and held his breath.

The door opened slowly ....

Luke smiled at the commander as he came into view through the slowly parting doors. He was just about to slip sideways through the narrow gap when the turbolift jolted violently, dropping several inches without warning.

Fear seized him. Instinct took over.

Luke threw himself forward, forcing his way through the doors with barely the blink of an eye to spare. He hit the deck hard as, behind him, the turbolift car suddenly gave way and plummeted down the shaft, propelled by the ship’s artificial gravity.

Max stared at the descending turbolift in disbelief. His jaw had clenched as he watched it. "Well that could have .... been much much worse .... thank god you jumped Lieutenant. "

END

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