Star Trek: The New Adventures (IC Thread)

[Wolfsister]

Leiutenant Ecklas - Sickbay

Lavinda studiously kept out of the way. Once the pain had subsided in the ensign's mind, she devoted her full attention to that of the doctor. Because she was so closely linked to the woman, she came to realise what Emma did long before the doctor actually said it to the captain. She was already making her way towards Harper when a wave of anger, no, rage, flowed through her so powerful that she almost took a step back.

When she identified the source, her eyes narrowed at the captain. Perhaps this man, despite his obvious ability to disguise his emotions, was one to keep an eye on. After all, for someone to feel emotions so powerfully and then block them off - well, it had never seemed a good course of action for her.

She kept moving towards him though, taking the brunt of that rage as well as the doctor's general confusion that she was blocking off from the woman's mind. She was the only medical officer adept enough to have identified the anomalies on the ensign's body and she was secretly glad she had decided to invade her private space.

"Harper to Counselor Ecklas, please report to Sick Bay."

Lavinda took a few moments to arrive at his side, making sure not to mention that she had already been in sickbay. She did not want to make him feel more ruffled than he secretly already was.

Thoughts skimmed through her mind, the thoughts of all of those present, as well as others swirling around the ship. She cast her mind, but found nothing out of the ordinary... but something obviously was wrong, and now they had an emergency and possible hostiles on their ship. She should have done better.

I'll be goddamned if They are going to hurt my people. No way in hell, not while I'm in command of this ship!

It came in so strong that she almost rocked back on her heels again. Hesitating only a moment, she announced her presence. Saying nothing further, she awaited his orders. Like a good little girl.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Nine of Nineteen, Holodeck 2 -> Sick Bay

“Computer, run Species 8472 boarding program Theta,” Nine of Nineteen said, making notes from the previous simulation into his PADD. It was the eighth simulation he had run, and all had yielded mixed results. Simulation Delta had ended poorly, with the ship being destroyed almost before the internal alarms could be activated. Not the best situation to lead with when he briefed the captain. The captain had told him that there were to be no Kobayashi Maru outcomes, no no-win situations. But when one was dealing with an enemy as advanced as Species 8472, as ruthless as Species 8472, the odds were never good.

The room shifted and changed again as the simulation began and Nine found himself standing just outside of main engineering. He checked his PADD to see what the parameters of the simulation were as it began. An inertial damper test; one he had been looking forward to.

The lighting changed as Red Alert was sounded and crewman began to move to their duty stations, tense looks on their faces. They knew what was coming for them. The warp core hummed and pulsed as the ship began to jump into and out of warp in rapid succession. The internal sensors were programmed to shut off the inertial dampers in any section where a sensor anomaly was found. If they couldn’t pinpoint the intruders and beam them off the ship, they could at least track them based on the ghost images the sensors were reporting.

The bulkhead that should have isolated main engineering shrieked on its runners as one of the Species 8472 intruders pulled the plating apart and quickly moved into the open room. One crewman turned and tried to run, tried to make his way out of engineering before the next warp jump.

The crew could feel the dampers shut off under their feet, the light hum of the ship could easily be felt through the soles of their feet without the dampening effect. The warp core pulsed brightly as the ship again made a jump to warp speed. The crew and the Species 8472 boarder stayed perfectly still in the grand scheme of things as the ship accelerated around them. The jump into warp took less than a microsecond. Every living thing in engineering was compacted into a fine red mist as they crushed into the aft bulkhead, their momentum and inertia not managed by the dampers.

The simulation continued to run and the ship continued to jump into and out of warp, crushing the Species 8472 boarders with lethal efficiency. However, the crew trapped in the breached sections suffered the same fate. The ship’s structural integrity was also being pushed to the limits, with areas of the ship not dampened creating high areas of tortional and rotational stress on the ship’s framework.

“Computer, end program and summarize.”

“Species 8472 reduced to zero-percent capability. Two hundred and eighteen enlisted casualties. Structural integrity down to nine percent. Probability of bioship retreat is 15 percent.”

They could just keep coming and let us destroy ourselves, Nine thought, punching the findings into the PADD.

“Computer, run Species 8472 boarding…

He was interrupted by the captain’s hail. There was tension in his voice, probably a result of the medical transport.

“On my way, Sir,” he replied as he exited the holodeck. He began reviewing his notes and thinking of other possible situations as he walked. If all bets were off, as the current research into the use of biological weapons had been authorized, why not branch out into other banned weaponry? Metagenic weapons, weapons that use an engineered virus that destroys all DNA it encounters could be explored. It would probably have same results as Watkin’s toxins, and most likely be fatal to the crew, but it was worth looking into as a last resort weapon.

He stepped into the turbolift and made his way to sick bay.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Chief Medical Officer Emma Watkins, Sick Bay

Emma was terrified. One of their own, one of the crew, had done this to the ship. Had it been a more critical system, they all could have been killed.

The Captain did not seem to react to the news. She knew a captain had to be strong in the face of adversity and keep from showing fear or instability to the crew, but his eyes betrayed him. They eyes always betrayed the true feelings. He spoke in calm and measured tones.

“I need to talk to him. How long until he wakes?”

She turned back slightly to look at the ensign again. He was in poor shape, and the burns were deep enough to require a few major surgeries once he had stabilized.

“I don’t know, Captain,” she said, turning back to him. “He’s got both chemical and plasma burns, and his lungs have some pretty serious scarring. We’ll do the best we can, but I just don’t know.”

She turned to head to the lab to analyze the devices she’d found, but paused and turned back to the Captain.

“Sir, the chemical burns on his hands match one of the devices I found on him. I think it went off prematurely and burned him before burning through the plasma relay. I don’t know if those were the only two, but if they weren’t, who knows how many others he’s planted throughout the ship. And they emit the same bioelectric field that disrupt sensor flow, so it’s going to be nearly impossible to detect any others he’s put out there.”

There was a slight waver of fear in her voice. She tried to hide it, but she knew that it was there.

“Excuse me, I need to get back to,” she paused, trying to find the right words, the right reason to turn so he wouldn’t see the fear in her eyes. “Back to the lab. I need to get back to the lab.”

She turned and moved away from him.

Emma, what have you gotten yourself into? Why didn’t you accept that nice, quiet post on Starbase 22? she thought as she moved into the lab where the two devices were contained.

 

[Wyldfire]

"Harper to Nine of Nineteen," the captain said, touching his comm badge, "please meet me in Sick Bay." Then he spoke again, "Harper to Counselor Ecklas, please report to Sick Bay."

Hmm. Councillor to Sickbay? Interesting. "But none of my business," Ryika thought to herself, "But there is no one here. Not like I'd be missed."

The Orion said out loud as she tapped her commbadge "Activate Holographic Barista." The average looking woman shimmered into existence. Once again Ryika was glad of her civilian status. Had she been military, this wouldn't be in place. But being civilian she got certain perks.

"Please state the status of the Lounge." it said looking about, "Apparently it is unoccupied."

"Yes, but I am on shift and need to take a break, you have the lounge." Ryika told the brown haired average looking woman.

"Understood."

"Good," Ryika thought, "Maybe if people come in they'll appreciate me better."

With that, the orion stalked through the corridors of the ship heading towards sickbay. She hit the turbo lift and began the trip to sickbay. Her inherent curiosity began gnawing at her. "Why would the councillor be called to sickbay?"

she exited the turbolift and slunk towards the sickbay door hoping to outwit the damnable door sensor so she could listen in undetected, but of course that only worked on the older ships. The Arizona had her number. The door hissed open. "Damn bitch," the Orion thought towards the ship, "You're going to make this personal aren't you? Just antagonizing me into figuring out how to bypass you, you know."

With that thought shot to the ship she entered sick bay. She saw the tableau before her and said "Excuse me. I thought the councillor was hurt, my pardon Sirs." That's it play it like a dizzy Orion girl. No one will think twice about it. Pay attention to their body language signals. It will keep you out of trouble.

 

[Screech]

Lt.Cmdr. Orsoth. Jeffries tube 18

"YEOW!" Marjia pulled her hand away from the badly melted junction she had been working on. Tat was the sixth burn so far, and that one hurt the most! Still, a job is a job, and she needed to get this junction working again, no matter the cost. Unfortunatly, she didn't have the right tools on her right now, and it would take some time to get a replacement piece of piping to properly fit. She could try to replicate it, but there were stories about replicated materials interacting badly with plasma flows. Plus, there were all those variable to take into account. She cursed as she kicked out, sending the extinguisher clattering down the tube.

Wait a minute... The extinguisher...

Extinguishers were made from non-conductive materials, and designed to carry high pressure liquids. Ok, plasma was quite a bit different to fire retardent foam, but it would do in a pinch. The plasma conduit had startedto melt from all the ecess heat, but it was still serviceable. With a little eninuity. Marjia scurried off down the tube and quickly recovered the extinguisher, taking it back to the breach and holding it up against the gap in the conduit. It wasn't a perfet fit, but it would do for now.

Grabbing the plasma cutter from her toolkit, Marjia smoothed off the rough endges of the ruptured conduit, wincing slightly in pain as a rogue piece of metal get stuck in one of her fingers. A quick tug, and the offending shard was removed, followed by a small amount of blood. Back to work. Holding up the extinguisher and pointing it away dwon the jeffries tube, Marjia squeezed the trigger, getting out the remaining retardant, before taking her plasma cutter to it.

A couple of minutes later, and her work was done. It wasn't pretty, but at least it would stop anything getting into the system, and proper insulation could be added at a later date to make the conduit fully functional. Sure, at a pinch her patchwork repair could handly a plasma flow, but probably not for more than a few seconds to a minute before it ruptured again. Leaning back against the wall of the jeffries tube, Marjia inspected her work and nodded to herself, convinced it would hold. For now, at least.

Gathering her equipment, she crawled back through the tubes and back into the engineering section, placing her repair kit back in it's designated place, and moved out, leaving one Lt. Macmillan in charge.

 

[Varshanka]

M'Chel Raica S'Tarr - Marine MSgt - Bridge then sickbay

Listening in on Comm chatter, M'Chel subvocalized a new set of orders. Dispatching one Marine to the requested area. SHe left the bridge in the capable hands of the Bridge officers and her Marines. Twisting she stepped onto the trubo lift and accessed it's controls from her suit. Int eh time it would have taken a normal person to state their requested location shee was halfway there.

Stepping off the lift she turned and walked down the hall, entering the sickbay and moving to a quiet location near the door. Unofficially, the Captain just got a second shadow. The only thing closer than her would be his uniform. If this was an infiltration sabateur event, she wasn't taking any chances.

Activating her armours chameleon circuit she shifted the color to a red and black chevron pattern. So at least the Captain could identify her from others.

 

[LuckyVic]

Lt. Commander Torres

Miguel had returned to the science lab and took the next few hours to review the data from the internal sensors line by line. When he was done he was right where he had started and still nothing made sense. All the data showed that the sensors were working just fine. Unless...

He took the recovered sensor pallet from that had been pulled from that ssection and took it apart. As he examined it, and there was the missing key. All the connections were correct, however they weren't the problem. The sensor didn't work because it never worked, it was incomplete. The computer would regiester the pallet, and because of how it was connected the computer would never register anything wrong with it because all the signals were still going through it correctly. It was ingenuis and amazingly simple all at the same time. But it left now doubt, some one had purposely installed this unit into that section. Sabotage, but who would this and why.

 

[AmenRa]

Captain Harper noted the arrival of the Orion Ryika. For an instant, he considered telling her to leave, but then a thought occurred to him.

It was now necessary to fully utilize the resources available on the starship.

And Ryika was definitely a resource.

Counselor Ecklas stood before him. The telepath. She had other characteristics that were entirely intriguing. However, it would probably be her to get him through this command. When he needed to talk to someone, when he needed to bare his soul, it would be the Ship's Counselor that heard it all.

Even if she did consume blood. Like the vampire legends of old. And where did her power end? Who knew, except he knew she was power restrained, and her loyalty to him and this crew was without measure. He could see it in her eyes. Dark eyes. Beautiful eyes.

The corner of his mouth threatened to pull into a half-smile.

Nosferatu.

Captain Harper said nothing, noting the Marine that posted near the door. Harper gave quiet recognition with a nod. No further words needed to be spoke.

When Nine of Nineteen arrived, Harper would have Dr. Watson explain to him her findings. Then, well, then Captain Harper would explain to Nine of Nineteen the resources of interrogation available to him. He was sure he wouldn't have to explain further. Nine of Nineteen was, after all, efficient.

 

[Wolfsister]

Lt Ecklas - Sickbay

Ecklas stood still in front of the captain, observing him quietly with her eyes. She made sure he saw, made sure he knew that she was keeping a close eye on him, but didn't make it too obvious to anyone else. Her skin tingled with the emotions that ran high through the crew that were in sickbay. And even more joined.

Emma, what have you gotten yourself into? Why didn’t you accept that nice, quiet post on Starbase 22?

Ecklas entered the woman's mind like a sighing sheet of satin, rubbing up against her conscious. She sought and found the cause of Emma's distress and gave the woman a soothing feeling. Something calming and sweet - but it was definitely a given feeling. She did not intend for the woman to feel as if the emotion came from herself. Then she spoke, her voice far more intimate than the one she used out loud, Doctor, you must now tend to yourself. You are far more damaged then you realise - I am blocking your pain. It should be a simple matter to fix your lungs, now that the crisis seems to be over. Do you wish to feel it?

She kept her gaze on Harper the entire time, silenlty awaiting any orders he may have. So it may have seemed unnerving that she was speaking with Emma with her back turned.

Then a powerful force slammed into her and she felt the heat between her legs melt. The Orion was here. She forced herself not to look at the other woman. Her attention was already divided, it would not do to actually look at such a distraction. Instead, she sent her mind rubbing up against Ryika's - acknowledging her presence and asking her to stay.

The two women had met once before and Lavinda had to admit she was fascinated by the creature.

As she was looking intently at Harper, she just caught the upward tug on his lips before he pulled himself back in control. She felt the wave of curiosity - and something else - and his thoughts drifted upon her Darkness.

Nosferatu.

Lavinda could not help but cock her head to one side. She did not know what this word meant, but it seemed solely aimed at her. She would have to find out later - it seemed to be associated with something dark and wicked. But not completely unwholesome. Yes, she would ask him later. Definitely.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Chief Medical Officer Emma Watkins, Sick Bay

As she began to move across sick bay, she felt that strange yet reassuring feeling flow over her, but it was much stronger this time. It was an odd feeling of peace and tranquility, almost as if she was back on earth amongst the blossoming cherry trees she so enjoyed as a child on her uncle’s farm.

Then the voice came into her head. It wasn’t a voice she heard, it was just a voice that come to being in her own mind. The voice felt familiar and calming even though she could not put her finger on whose it was.

“Doctor, you must now tend to yourself. You are far more damaged then you realize. I am blocking your pain. It should be a simple matter to fix your lungs, now that the crisis seems to be over. Do you wish to feel it?”

It was a strange sensation. She had been around empaths before and felt their presence, but it had never been so direct, so firm in her mind. It was a sensual voice that seemed to flow through her with its low and dulcet tones. The scratching feeling in her throat began to intensify, and there was a light burning sensation in her chest. She tried to clear her throat, push the feeling out, but it only grew. Whoever had spoken to her had been truthful, she was injured, and much more than she had come to believe. Her hand went subconsciously to her sternum and she rubbed it gently, an old wives-tale remedy that never seemed to work.

She stopped at a medical cabinet and removed two hyposprays and pressed the nozzles to her neck. The pain killers and anti-inflammatory medicines began to work almost immediately, the burning beginning to subside. Even with all of the advanced technology available to them, the lungs were one of the few organs that simply had to heal on their own. She had seen the effects of smoke inhalation before, and knew that the healing would take time. She only hoped it would not affect her performance.

Emma moved into the lab and sat down at the station where the two objects had been beamed. The computer was already running a series of scans on them, trying to break through the bioelectrical interference and ascertain what was in them. She glanced back at the Captain, standing so stoically and assuredly at the entrance to Sick Bay, his eyes focused on the young ensign on the biobed.

She almost didn’t see it at first, the human-Borg hybrid that was the ship’s Tactical Officer and Head of Security as it walked up behind the group. It moved so quietly, so mechanically. She never knew if she could get past what it was, what it had been a part of and accept it as a man rather than a machine. She had known so many who had gone off to fight the Borg and so many who had either been killed or simply never came home, becoming part of the collective themselves. She lowered her gaze from him and focused on the objects suspended in front of her.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Tactical Officer Nine of Nineteen, Sick Bay

Nine of Nineteen stepped from the turbo lift and began to move towards Sick Bay. As he rounded the first corner, he caught site of her; the Orion. She was not in the lounge or her quarters, and was slinking around the ship. He quietly drew the phaser at his side and shadowed her through the hallway, keeping several paces behind her and tucking himself into doorways and cross corridors to keep her from spotting him should she suddenly turn.

She was one of the security concerns he had that he had not been able to speak with Captain Harper about. The pheromones she was able to produce could easily sway a tense situation beyond control, whether it be a simple bar fight or a diplomatic mission. He was still unsure of her, and her stealthy movements did nothing to settle his concerns about her.

She made her way to Sick Bay and the door hissed open in front of her, and her body language made it clear that she had wished to remain hidden. She stepped forward and spoke.

“Excuse me,” she said, an innocent tone to her voice. “I thought the councilor was hurt. My pardon, sirs.”

She was sly. He holstered his phaser and made a mental note to himself. She would definitely be one who needed to be watched. Much of the staff was already present when he stepped into Sick Bay behind and to the right of the Captain.

The doctor was setting down a self-administered hypospray and making her way to one of the labs. It must have been her in the Jefferies Tube near the plasma fire. One crewman, an ensign Pyotr Krasnov, was sedated and lying on one of the biobeds. A slight shimmer told him that Dr. Watkins had place a containment and restraining field around him.

Why restrain a patient, he thought. Unless something else was wrong.

He lifted his PADD and opened Krasnov’s personnel file. There was little information on the young ensign, but for someone so new into the fleet, it was not unexpected. Ensign Pyotr Krasnov, Plasma Systems Diagnostic Engineer. Born: Austria, Earth. Age: 24. Graduated sixth in his class with no outstanding referrals from his professors. His psychological profile showed only a detail oriented man with no indication of any known mental or emotional issues.

He closed the personnel file and recalled the results of the Species 8472 incursion tests.

“Captain, I have the results of the first eight boarding simulations,” he said, raising the PADD and presenting it to the captain. “So far, they have all shown mixed results. I recommend more simulations and live exercises for the security teams and marine personnel.”

His eyes passed by the captain and caught a glimpse of the doctor as she sat in the lab. Their eyes met for only an instant, and it didn’t take any amount of Borg technology to see the disdain she held for him.

 

[AmenRa]

Capt. Harper - Sick Bay

Harper took the PADD from Nine of Nineteen. He scanned the information quickly, and then looked at his Borg Security Chief.

"Good work," he said, "and I'm sure you'll get better results as you run more simulations." Harper handed him the PADD. "But right now, I'd like you to focus your attention on this individual." Harper gestured to the ensign restrained in the containment field.

"He's the reason for the plasma fire in Engineering," Harper told the Borg. "Dr. Watson has evidence to the fact."

Harper turned to face Nine. "It will be a while before he is able to talk to us. Dr. Watson can't tell me exactly when. Time is something we don't have. I need him interrogated."

The captain started walking towards the exit doors, where Master Sergeant S'Tarr was standing. With his back to them, he spoke again. "There are resources standing with you in this room that can provide you with a method of finding out what we need to know.

"Use them."

And the captain stepped through the doors as they parted for him.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Tactical Officer Nine of Nineteen, Just Outside Sick Bay

The Captain barely skimmed the results of the Species 8472 incursions, his eyes continually darting up to the ensign in the biobed.

"Good work,"and I'm sure you'll get better results as you run more simulations, he said before handing back the PADD. "But right now, I'd like you to focus your attention on this individual. He's the reason for the plasma fire in Engineering. Dr. Watkins has evidence to the fact."

So the fire wasn’t an accident. It had been sabotage. This ensign had tried, at best, to simply disable the ship. Had he been more thorough, the may have all met their demise in the cold vacuum of space. The captain continued.

"It will be a while before he is able to talk to us. Dr. Watson can't tell me exactly when. Time is something we don't have. I need him interrogated."

The captain turned and moved towards the doors, stopping briefly and speaking in harsh and firm tones. His comments seemed not directed at any of one of them standing there, but simply as to what had to be done.

"There are resources standing with you in this room that can provide you with a method of finding out what we need to know. Use them.”

There was a quiet moment of silence as the doors hissed open and the captain stepped through them. Was he really asking Nine of Nineteen to do whatever was necessary to obtain the information? The emphasis he had put on the lack of time and the tools available led Nine to that conclusion.

Lt. Ecklas was there, the ship’s Councilor and a powerful telepath. She was unlike anything he had seen before, even when he was a part of the collective, they had not encountered anything like her. She could probe the young ensign’s mind and break through any mental barriers he had put up to keep them from finsing out who had sent him and why. She could unlock his secrets without mercy.

There was also the doctor. She could wake him, even in his current state, information could be extracted. Pain was a powerful motivator, and the plasma and chemical burns could be used to their advantage. Dr. Watkins could wake him, and give him the necessary drugs to make sure he stayed awake until he had told them what they wanted to know. The very burns he had sustained while trying to kill them all could be used to force him to talk or live through the pain until he did.

He closed the mechanical fist at the end of his right arm. The mechanical leftovers from his time with the Borg could be used against him as well. He could be made to talk, again through pain. The collective had given him the knowledge needed to inflict pain, to make him a more efficient killer and make those who resisted assimilation perish quickly to more quickly process the others who were not so resistant.

But therein lay the dilemma in his mind.

He had been Borg. He had been part of one of the greatest plagues on the universe. But he was no longer part of that. He was trying to claw his way back to the humanity that he’d lost. True, the tolls were available to use, but was it ethical to use them? The leaders of Earth had thermonuclear weapons available to them and chose to use them in the wars of the 2050s, leading to the deaths of millions. Subspace Weapons were available, but still banned under the Khitomer Accords due to their similarly destructive capabilities. Torturing this man, or questioning him without the proper accusation of a crime, would be a violation of several Federation regulations.

“Remain here until I return,” he said to the councilor and marine. His eyes went to the Orion. He did not have to speak to make it known to her that he expected her to remain as well. Nine turned and followed the Captain into the corridor.

“Captain Harper,” he said sternly, “I need to speak with you regarding Ensign Krasnov.”

Nine turned and moved into one of the medical offices outside of Sick Bay. He turned and locked his eyes with the Captain, narrowing them slightly. He had been asked many things by many commanding officers since his return to Starfleet, but this Captain was trying to push the limits of what he would do more than he cared to test them.

 

[Varshanka]

M'Chel Raica S'Tarr - Marine MSgt - Sickbay

The captain started walking towards the exit doors, where Master Sergeant S'Tarr was standing. With his back to them, he spoke again. "There are resources standing with you in this room that can provide you with a method of finding out what we need to know."

Then Nine of nineteen was giving her orders to remain. SInce the Captain hadn't directed the interrogation to begin immediately, S'Tarr calculated the Officer's orders could be followed. Until he tried to permenatly prevent her from carrying out the Captain's orders.

Tapping into the comm system she listened in through Commbadges to the conversation between the Captain and Nine.

 

[AmenRa]

Capt. Harper - SickBay

Captain Harper stopped when he heard Nine's request. He turned to face the Borg.

Didn't I just give him an order? Perhaps he needs, or wants rather, clarification on the order. Or, perhaps he knows exactly what I want done, and is hesitant to do it because of the ramifications of an unauthorized intrusion into a human mind.

Harper's mind was clear, yet he was troubled by the fact that someone would deliberately attempt to disable or destroy the ship.

His ship.


"You may speak freely," Harper told his Tactical Officer. Harper's face was impassive, all emotion contained.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Nine of Nineteen, Medical Office

The captain stopped as Nine moved into the medical office. The look on his face was mixed; Nine saw both fury and annoyance. There was a part of Nine that saw the hatred for the traitor as the captain did, the part of him that wanted to do whatever was necessary to drag the information from him, but there was a second part, his human side, that was screaming for him to protest.

He moved into the office with Nine, the door sliding shut behind him, and spoke.

“You may speak freely,” he said calmly, just as a captain should.

“Captain, I cannot follow the order you have given to me. This violates everything that Starfleet stands for. This is simply a drumhead trial for the ensign and I will not allow it to proceed,” he said, referring to the ancient field trials of Earth where battlefield justice was summarily given with no trial or chance for a defense to be presented. “I have been charged with the safety and security of this ship and all those aboard it, including the Ensign Krasnov. He has rights and I will not allow this type of interrogation to proceed.

He crossed his arms over his chest. There were so many thoughts running through his head about the Ensign and the order he had been given. Nine had to know if the Ensign was working with Species 8472 or if he had been controlled. Species 8472 was highly evolved in telepathy and could have easily been using the ensign as a puppet to avoid detection.

He knew he was going against a direct order and could be relieved of duty until his actions could be explained. It was a risk he knew he had to take as he remembered one of the things the researchers at the Daystrom Institute had told him when he had been severed from the collective. There is no collective to guide you anymore, he had said, only the humanity inside you to guide you in the right direction.

“While Article 14, Section 31 of the Starfleet Charter allows for the use of extraordinary measures in cases of dire emergencies, I do not see the ship being under the kind of emergency where this type of action could be condoned. And Regulation 3 allows the captain to preserve the lives of his crew by any justifiable means if the ship is in danger of imminent destruction, but until we know the extent of the sabotage, I cannot consider the Arizona in danger of such catastrophic failures. I will wait until Ensign Krasnov regains consciousness on his own and then I will interrogate him.”

There. It was out in the open. It was up to the captain to decide his fate.

 

[AmenRa]

Capt. Harper - Sick Bay

Captain Harper stared impassively at Nine of Nineteen.

His first reaction was typical of any command level officer. He was used to having his orders followed, without question. But the Borg had simply refused to obey the order. And he gave a reason why.

And the reason was based on logic and law.

But, more than that, it was a response and decision based on the inner-most part that made Nine of Nineteen not Borg but human.

Captain Harper repressed a smile.

John Harper would do whatever it took to secure the safety on his ship and his crew. And Nine of Nineteen just reminded him that there were lines that could not be crossed.

Even if.

"I will expect a full report once Ensign Krasnov wakes and has spoken to you," the Captain stated evenly. "I'm headed to Engineering."

And with that, Captain Harper turned and left. He waited for a moment outside the turbolift for the Marine Master Sergeant to catch up.

All the while he was smiling to himself.

 

[Varshanka]

M'Chel Raica S'Tarr - Marine MSgt - Sickbay

Once the Captain and Nine's conversation was over M'Chel saw him heading for the turbolift, and from the conversation the interrogation wouldn't be happening for a while. Stepping into the lift with him she monitored multiple frequencies and conditions simultanioesly. Including the Captain vital signs.

But she kept silent. It was her duty to protect and serve. And kill anything that attacked this ship.

 

[MilkManDan007]

Nine of Nineteen, Sick Bay

“I will expect a full report once Ensign Krasnov wakes and has spoken to you. I'm headed to Engineering,” the Captain said before turning and making his way out into the corridor. The captain had seen Nine’s reasoning. The interrogation could proceed later, once the young ensign was conscious. He made his way out of the office and back to Sick Bay.

“You are all dismissed for now. We will wait until Ensign Krasnov is conscious before we will question him about his actions,” Nine said to the gathered group. “Please return to your stations and await further orders from the Captain.”

Without waiting for an acknowledgement from any of them, he turned and crossed the medical bay and entered the lab where the Chief Medical Officer was working.

“Dr. Watkins, please alert me when the ensign is conscious and fit to be questioned,” he said. Dr. Watkins simply nodded to him, not even raising her gaze from the medical microscopes to acknowledge him. He could feel the cold hatred, the same cold hatred he received from nearly everyone who had previously encountered the Borg. It was a feeling he did not care for, but had learned to accept. He turned and left Sick Bay and returned to Holodeck 2 to continue his simulations.

 

[AmenRa]

Capt. Harper - Turbo Lift (Main)

Harper rode the lift in silence, his mind elsewhere, paging through the recent events, the conversations, the crew. He glanced at the Marine standing stoicly next to him, thinking how the members of the Hazard Team were prepared to live, and die, at his command.

An awesome responsibility was the command of a starship.

His reverie was interrupted by the chirping of his comm badge.

"Harper," he said as he touched the stylized arrow head symbol.

"Reeve here, sir," came the voice of the ship's helmsman. "Priority comm for you, sir. Level One Alpha coded."

"Patch it to my quarters," Harper replied.

"Aye, sir," was Reeve's acknowledgement. Harper then told the lift to re-route to the deck where his and the other senior officer's quarters were located. Once the lift stopped, Harper left, walking down the corridor to his room door.

He entered inside, then set the security lock for 'command access only'.

When the viewer fuzzed to life, and John saw the caller, memories immediately flooded his conscious. Memories of his youth. John’s father had been a bio-engineer who had been tasked with the study of designing grains to grow on the new harsh, dry climates encountered as colonial worlds opened up. To do so, he moved the Harper family to Vulcan, where he interned at the Vulcan Science Academy, and was even assigned a team of student bio-engineers.
John wanted to learn, too. And an accidental introduction at an Academy commencement his parents were attending led the youngster to meet the one Vulcan who would become his mentor and guide throughout the rest of his life.

This one, aging and experienced, attended to the young Human’s unquenchable desire for knowledge, for exploration. With the boy’s father and mother’s blessing, this Vulcan nurtured Harper’s blossoming capabilities of deductive reasoning, logic, and leadership.

And when Harper had finished his tenure at the Terran School in Shikahr, this Vulcan sponsored his application to Starfleet Academy.

And now, as John looked at him on his quarters’ viewer, the elder Vulcan almost smiled.

“Peace and long life to you, Captain Harper” came the greeting and the parted-finger gesture so familiar.

“Live long and prosper, Ambassador Spock,” Harper said as he returned the salute.

“It is logical,” Spock of Vulcan began, “to assume you are busy since you have just recently departed Earth. I will not keep you from your duties, but I found it necessary to relay more information to you concerning your inquiry.”

Harper nodded. “Good news?”

Spock’s eyebrow went up. “Indeed,” he answered. “Relay to Lt. Jace the name ‘Savok’.”

“A Vulcan contact?”

Spock nodded. “Lt. Jace will know the significance. I can say no more.”

“Thank you, Ambassador,” John said to him.

Spock’s response was sincere and logical. “I remind you again that my association with this must remain anonymous, even from Lt. Jace. As I have told you before, implications of wrong-doing by the Judge Advocate General will have serious consequences. Many Vulcans are members of JAG.”

Harper gave a curt nod. “I will keep this between us, sir.”

Spock said in closing, “Starfleet usually grants leave to starship personnel after a mission. Have you considered where you will go?”

Harper shook his head. “No, I haven’t given it any thought,” he admitted.

“Then I expect to see you on Vulcan upon the completion of your mission,” Spock stated.

John smiled. “I will make it a point to visit.”

“Good luck to you, Captain,” Spock said.

Now it was John’s eyebrow that shot up. “Luck? That’s not very Vulcan,” he pointed out.

Spock’s eyebrows creased upwards and he sort of looked off. “I am half-Human. And, at my age, I can decide what is logical without the need of the opinions of others who have not yet experienced the things I have.”

Harper chuckled his agreement.

Spoke gave the Vulcan salute. “Live long and prosper, John.”

John returned the gesture as he had in greeting. “And you, Spock.”

The view screen went dark as the call disconnected.

John sat down on the edge of his bed, his mind delving into memories of his childhood among the Vulcans of the desert. On the table beside his bed, there was a 2D photo of Harper at his Starfleet Academy graduation. In the photo, standing to either side, were his mom and dad. And, just to his dad’s left, stood Spock.

He touched his comm badge.

“Lt. Jace? Can you come to my quarters?”

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Lt. Connor Jace

"Coffee, hazelnut, one cream , one sugar, hot"
Colors swirled in the replicator and a mug of black liquid, frozen solid appeared.

Murphy loves me.

Now, how to catch a being that was invisible to sensors as we know them and didn't want to be found?

Simple. Fill in the blanks.

"Computer, activate holographic projector. Render a 3D schematic of the Arizona."
Floating in the air before me was a model of the ship made of light. My starting point.

"Now locate all com badge signals. Color Starfleet personnel in green dots, Marines in red and civilians in yellow. Assign labels as to whom they are to be activated when the symbols are touched."

Dots began appearing all over the ship until the model was lit up like a Christmas tree. My baseline was getting more complex.

"Computer, scan for life signs with no com badges, color them blue and label as unknown"

"Command Protocol required" The computers warm female voice stated.

"Jace two seven four Gamma six eight"


"Acknowledged."

A few seconds passed and a handful of blue dots sprang into being.

"Computer, do detailed bio scan and label unknowns with name and rank, sort into appropriate groups."

A minute passed, and slowly the circles changed color from blue to green and yellow. Eventually they were all accounted for.

OK, done with the easy part.

Now, how do you catch a invisible man. You can't see him, so your eyes become useless. You can touch him, but to do that you have to get very lucky. Taste, same category as touch. Hear? Yes, all beings except androids breathe, and all beings have a heartbeat for the most part. If the sensors were ramped up enough, they might pick up a heartbeat, but filtering out the noise of a entire ship and cross-checking would be a nightmare even for the ships advanced computer.

Maybe touch is the sense I want, just not my hands.....

“Lt. Jace? Can you come to my quarters?”

I slapped my combadge "Acknowledged Sir, on my way."

I wonder what the old man wants now? I made my way out of the security center and to the turbolifts. From there it didn't take long before I made it to the Captains quarters.

And back in the security office, a hologram sat in the air, glowing faintly.



OOC: Amen, go ahead & feel free to move me in up to the point where we start verbally interacting.

 

[Varshanka]

M'Chel Raica S'Tarr - Marine MSgt - Outside Captain's Office

Stepping right Master Sergeant S'Tarr blocked the door as Lieutenant Jace approached. Activating the internal comm she contacted the Captain's comm on a private subfrequency. "S'Tarr to the Captian. A Lieutenant Jace is appraoching the door sir. Are you expecting the individual?"

She didn't move any muscles, but if Jace wasn't expected... she'd drop him at range with rapid fire solid projectiles.

 

[AmenRa]

Capt. Harper - Captain's Quarters

Harper heard his Marine's voice over the comm.

"That's affirmative, Master Sergeant," he answered her. "Please allow Lt. Jace to enter."

The door slid open, and Lt. Jace came inside.

Harper didn't wait for a greeting.

"Sit down," he told Lt. Jace, pointing towards a small sofa. Harper himself got up from his desk and moved to the chair across from Jace.

"I have some information for you," he stated.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Lt. Connor Jace

One of the more annoying things about reading people is that when they are raised on a world other than their homeworld, they pick up tells from that race.

Makes it about damn near impossible to get in their heads. The Captain was one such person.

I sat down and faced Capt. Harper.

"You have some information? OK Sir, I'm ready."

 

[AmenRa]

Harper - Quarters

One of the more annoying things about reading people is that when they are raised on a world other than their homeworld, they pick up tells from that race.

Makes it about damn near impossible to get in their heads. The Captain was one such person.

I sat down and faced Capt. Harper.

"You have some information? OK Sir, I'm ready."

Harper gave Mr. Jace a hint of a smile. He could see the man was eager to learn the nature of this somewhat covert personal meeting, and he did not intend to delay any at all.

"The name "Savok" mean anything to you?" Harper asked, steepling his fingers and sitting back in his chair.