"They're trapped."

"What do you mean, 'they're trapped'?" Janeway demanded. Lt. Carey leaned on the engineering console across from her.

Carey swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Facing the Captain in a crisis situation was a difficult task in itself.

"They're here, in the nacelle juncture," he finally said. He put his finger on the engineering skematic that lay between them. "The only access is here." The finger slid down to the connecting Jefferies tube. "It was collapsed in the attack. I have a crew working on it right now but by the time they get through, it may be too late."

"Too late? Can't we just beam them out?"

He shook his head. "I wish it were that simple, Captain. But the nacelle joint was also damaged in the attack. It's leaking polytetralene. We can't get a lock. To much interference."

The word sounded an alarm within her brain. "Polytetralene is lethal in concentrated doses. How long do they have?"

Carey had already calculated the number. "No more than half an hour," he told her.

The Captain laid her finger down on the schematic at the blocked Jefferies tube. "How long before this is cleared?"

"Forty-five minutes, minimum," he reported. "They're working as fast as they can, Captain. I've got as many people in there as I can fit."

"Communications?"

"Functioning. But neither are responding."

Janeway sighed and ran her hand down her already battle fatigued face. "Pattern enhancers?"

"It might work Captain but we can't fit anyone through the opening to deliver them."

"How much room do we have?"

"Vorik told me a few minutes ago that they've cleared about a five inch diameter hole."

Janeway let her gaze fall to the console. There had to be a way. She let her mind process the information for a moment. The image of her First Officer and Chief Engineer laying injured or dead in the rapidly cooling nacelle junction fed her determination. How could she help them? Was the tube still a viable option? No one could pass the debris. No one could pass...

"What about the doctor?!"

Carey didn't answer. The look on his face told her however that it was an idea he had yet to consider. "Definitely worth a try," he finally said.

To be continued...