Orbital Insertion
Posted on Wed Jul 24, 2019 @ 3:45pm by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Commander Miguel Torres & Lieutenant Penelope Naroot & Lieutenant Cassandra Kennings & Lieutenant JG Camille Lévesque PhD & Senior Chief Petty Officer Samantha Summers
3,919 words; about a 20 minute read
Mission: Plaga Navis
[Sickbay]
>>>SYSTEM ALERT. INSUFFICIENT NANITE LEVEL.
>>>INITIATE NANITE PRODUCTION. SCAN FOR DAMAGE.
>>>NO DAMAGE DETECTED.
>>>NANITE PRODUCTION LEVELS AT MAXIMUM.
>>>INSUFFICIENT ENERGY RESERVES.
>>>INSUFFICIENT MATERIAL FOR PRODUCTION REQUIREMENT
>>>INITIATE POWER CHARGE
Unnoticed by Sickbay staff, the tubules within the Captain’s arm snaked out and connected into a computer port on the side of the biobed.
>>>POWER LEVEL RESTORED.
>>>NANITE PRODUCTION REQUIRES ADDITIONAL MATERIALS.
Through the link established to the Victory’s computer, a command was sent and obediently the biobed provided the necessary supplements of iron for the Borg systems melded into the Captains body to manipulate the atomic structure of the iron and change it at its very base level from a simple biological supplement into the microscopic robotic devices which provided the link through which Borg technology was able to adapt, function, and link each individual Borg to the Collective. Composed of a forward propulsion block, Hex growth stack, twin reverse flow paddles, dual cellular membrane sensors and manipulators, telemetry antenna, logic circuits embedded within a crystal articulated, T-Cell antireceptor, and emergency dissolve system..and other components too small for Federation science to detect.. the Captains blood stream was flooded with fresh charged, powerful nanites.
Everyone of which was currently charged with defensive measures..some sought a cause for the earlier deficiencies, seeking indications of physical damage to the whole.
Serotonin levels dropped, within her brain the amygdala triggered to higher levels of activity building aggression as a defense against the unknown source of the nanite deficiency.
To all outward appearances, Captain Kennit was sleeping peacefully. There was no indication of the violent tendency brewing within as she lay at rest.
One moment she was asleep, and then she wasn’t. From sleep to fully awake, intensely alert her first act was a swift assessment of the room around her, searching for any threats. Finding none, she sat up drawing the attention of Sickbay staff.
That's when the biobed's alarm went off.
"Captain," Maggie said, coming forward, opening a tricorder. "How are you feeling?" The silence was unnerving and Maggie gulped. "Doctor Anderson said you were free to go as soon as we gave you a once over. Please be patient...please."
Barely tolerating the scans to check her vitals, Kennit exited Sickbay 8-point-2-3 minutes later, heading for the Bridge.
[Bridge]
Exiting the turbolift, Kennit’s gaze swept the space here as well, noting the positions and identity of personnel on duty, assessing the situation for potential threats and at the same time, scanning over the data screens on the operations console as well as the large planet dominating the viewscreen.
“Report.” The Captain’s voice was soft, sinuous and resonated with authority as she walked with a smooth, liquid step toward the center seat.
Alec spun in the center seat at the sound of Rhea's voice. His eyes widening at the sight of her, "Rh....Captain! I thought you were still in Sickbay" He replied as his eyes swam over her trying to make sure she should be up and even more importantly here on the bridge.
Her spine stiffened in response to the lack of answer to her query, a subtle shift in her body posture adding a note of irritation and something else as she locked eyes with the First Officer. “Clearly Commander,” she answered in a warning tone. “You thought wrong. I asked you for a sitrep.” A slight pause, and then in a tone which brooked no argument whatsoever despite the causal softness of her voice, she added “Get out of my seat.”
Alec's whole posture stiffened at her reply. His eyes flashed with hurt? anger? Yet he bit back any sharp retort as he answered her question even as he rose to vacate the center seat. "We're currently enroute to the colony. We have a supply of the nanites ready to inf....inoculate the colony from the virus." His voice cool and professional.
She rolled her eyes, a response to his stiffened posture and the look he’d given her as he rose. “Assimilation is the term you are searching for Commander.” She said as she draped her body across her seat, legs crossed negligently as she reclined back. With her thumb, she activated the internal comm switch on the control arm of her chair and said “Bridge to Dr. Anderson. We are in orbit and awaiting your instructions as to just how to deliver the hoped for treatment to the infected below.”
"Understood," Nicole said, her voice somewhat weak. "I'll meet Lt. Naroot in the shuttlebay."
Penny locked the helm and signaled to Davenport to take over. She looked back for the Captain's approval and at her nod took off for the turbolift.
Chief Summers had heard the talk back and forth between the Captain & Commander from her spot on the Bridge, and quietly looked at the two of them before going back to some calculations at her station.
Logan looked at the captain and the commander. He had discovered that it's not usually a good thing to say something to a senior officer, but something told him to do so this time. "Captain, is there something I can help you with?"
Kennit cocked her head to one side, dark eyes focusing on Logan for a long moment before she answered, “No Mr Logan. There is not.”
Cassandra turned from the communications station, a hand on her earpiece. "Captain," she said, "Starbase security confirms all non-essential personnel are confined to quarters, and everyone else is seated and ready. The EMH has been integrated into their infirmary systems and is able to move about most of the base and is monitoring those with the largest infection. Air systems are set to circulate the nanites to every room in the station. We should be able to do this in one go."
Finished with her part in the lab and assured that Professor Anderson was fine, Camille came to the bridge and reported immediately to the science station. “Mr. Logan, I could use more power to the lateral sensor array. We’ll need to monitor three hundred thousand lifesigns from orbit. I need all I can get.”
Zack looked to Hunter to get his approval to go ahead with the lieutenants request.
"Go ahead Mr. Logan, give Lieutenant Levesque the power she requires for the sensors." Alec replied without looking at Rhea.
"Aye sir." Zack checked the power levels and the available power supply, and transferred 25% to the lieutenants station. "Lieutenant, is that sufficient?"
The Captain scowled at them both, her dark eyes burning. She had a long memory, and the irritation generated by the Lieutenant bypassing her and speaking to the XO boded ill for them both.
"Parfait, merci," replied Camille, eyes locked on her console and oblivious to the Captain's ire directed towards her fellows. "Captain, Commander, I'm able to isolate every humanoid lifesign. Some have begun to fade."
“Continue to monitor the sensors, track the progress of the nanite dispersement once the Doctor begins..” Kennit ordered.
"Aye, Captain," Camille answered.
[Shuttlebay]
Nicole walked up to the shuttle with her black bag in one hand, and a case in the other. She saw the shuttle with the rear hatch open and stepped inside, seeing Penny in the pilot's chair. She closed the shuttle hatch and sat down in the copilot's chair. "Thanks for getting this set up," she said.
"`A `ole pilikia," Penny said, bringing the engines online. "How close do we need to get?"
"A few hundred meters up should do it," Nicole said. "I can beam the nanites in a wide enough dispersal that they'll spread to the colony quickly."
"Okay," Penny said. "Well get ready. We'll swoop in and be in position in about three-point-one minutes."
"Understood," Nicole said, opening her case and pulling out four black boxes. She placed them on the deck and opened up her black bag. She pulled out four viridium patches and affixed one to each of the boxes. She stood up and sat back in the copilot's chair, activating the transporter.
"Approaching the Starbase," Penny said.
Nicole activated the transporter and one of the boxes disappeared. As Penny banked around and circled the base, the other three boxes all disappeared one after another. Once transported in the air, the boxes dissolved as the nanites converted the raw material into more nanites and spread as a cloud over the colony, settling down, penetrating the buildings and working their way towards the citizens and the virus within them.
"Anderson to bridge: nanites are away," Nicole said.
[Bridge]
T'Mira stood by her station just off the right had corner of the bridge. She watched the unfolding events. She could tell by the way the XO reacted that something was amiss. She slowly imputed her intel codes. If something happened she'd be ready to assist. She thought about voicing her opinion again at how this assimilation was wrong but kept her mouth shut.
Seated in the center chair, in response to the Doctor’s transmission, the Captain replied in a low, almost sensuous drawl “Resistance is futile..”.
She was well aware of the nanites release, able to sense each individual as the altered nanites did their job, spreading in an inevitable progression through the colony below.
"Reports coming in," Cassandra said. "People are falling asleep as planned. No adverse reactions thus far. Sections are being closed for--" She blinked and tried to make an adjustment. "Evidently the person reporting has falling asleep. Switching to the EMH channel."
"Biosigns are indeed settling," Camille confirmed. "Metabolisms are slowing as their bodies enter the sleep state. Nothing unusual so far."
Summers glanced over at T'Mira then at Cassandra and then quickly at the Captain and Camille before looking back down at her board. " To sleep....perchance to dream. " She said quietly.
To the Captain, it was like .. standing in the midst of a heavily fogged sea. She could feel them, the minds of those the nanites had merged with but it was wrong.. the connection felt distorted and damaged. It just served to make her feel even more off-center and angry.. Somewhere in the back of her mind was the realization this may have been the only available option to try to save the lives of those in the colony.. but for her.. this was not a good idea.
[Shuttle]
Nicole watched the readouts with the ship. "Anderson to the EMH," she said, hitting the comm panel.
"Go ahead," the EMH's voice said.
"Status of the population?" she said.
"Asleep. Virion levels are already down by ten percent. I estimate the colony will be clear in approximately sixteen hours. If conditions remain the same, the people here will all wake up well rested and back to their lives in a day."
"Good to hear," she said. "Keep me posted. Anderson out."
She hit the panel again. "Anderson to Bridge, things are going smoothly and the virions are being cleared. Sixteen hours and we can remove the nanites, according to the EMH.
"Acknowledged." was all the Captain said, her voice low and husky as she spoke.
[Engineering]
Thomas Anderson rushed into Engineering, padd in hand and stopped when he realized he had no idea where he was going. The cathedral-sized room stretched in front of him and he stopped dead, seeing the warp core towering above him. He was about to step back when He saw a familiar face.
"Commander? Torres?" he said, trying to recall the name he'd heard at the briefing.
Miguel turned from his station and stood up. "Yes Professor what can I do for you?" Miguel asked.
"Commander, I think I have an idea for fighting this virus, but I need to ask you some questions regarding the replication system," Thomas said.
"I'll answer as best as I can." Miguel replied.
"As I understand it, the replicators use technology that is similar to the transporters, in order to rearrange matter, correct?"
"Not really, the only principle that is similar is the matter to energy and energy to matter." he explained. "It's a great deal more complicated. Most just say it's similar to avoid the actual explanation."
"The problem we've been having using prions," Thomas said, "is because we have only been able to use materials from our universe, and the quantum signature is off. But, if we could use material from the alternate universe, there'd be no problems. And we're about to have a ready supply of the virus, made from their universe's material. If we could isolate a replicator and have it draw from the supply of virions and rearrange their atoms into the prions we need, we could have something that might actually work the next time around!" he said excitedly.
"I think that's over simplifying things Professor. You could always run some simulations to see if what your suggesting is possible." Miguel told him. In truth he didn't know if what the man was proposing was possible or not. But at times like these he wasn't going to just throw any idea away.
"Well, I'll admit, I'm no engineer, so my lexicon is going to be rather rudimentary," Thomas admitted. "But, in theory, could we link a replicator to the medical systems in order to recycle the virions and have a matter supply that we could then resequence into a working prion? We already know the design, my only question is, can it be done? If so, I'm going to need help from an engineer. So if you have a specialist who knows the replicator system inside and out, I'd appreciate a consult."
Miguel motioned the professor to the officer he wanted to talk to and then went back to his other work.
[Bridge]
T'Mira felt a presence beside her. The damned Diplomat was there. He wasn't needed why didn't he stay in the restaurant. Then she felt his voice but in her mind. ~Are you alright?~
Telepathic communication was one thing she didn't do often. ~No. This is wrong. I cannot fathom that we, members of Starfleet are doing this....acting like Borg.~ There she's said it.
~Be at peace. The Captain is doing what she thinks is right.~
~Or is it the Borg queen, the doctor.~ She felt a sudden frustration with the diplomat...more then usual. Was that bastard amused, she wondered.
~The doctor is trying her best to save lives. Trust her, trust the universe~
She sighed, ~Stop sounding like a fortune cake.~
~Cookie,~ he said smiling
She stared at him intensely, ~I highly doubt this is time for a cookie~
He held back a chuckled, ~No he correct phrase is 'fortune cookie'~
T'Mira let out an exasperated sound. She looked at Summers. Somehow she felt closer to the Romulan. ~Go away.~ she told the diplomat.
Summers looked up from her board, sensing 'something.' She turned towards T'Mira and raised an eyebrow in '?' mode.
[Shuttle]
"Let's head back," Nicole said. "I'll coordinate with the EMH from the bridge. If the Captain's awake, I should examine her as well."
"You got it!" Penny said, swinging them around and heading up out of the atmosphere. She brought the shuttle into the bay and set down gently. As the hatch opened, she and Nicole ran out full speed while two members of the bay crew took care of putting the shuttle away.
[Bridge]
Penny jumped out of the turbolift before the doors closed and slipped back into the helm chair next to Logan as Marcus moved away, bringing up sensors and scanning the area. Nicole followed behind and veered towards the Sciences station, looking over Camille's shoulder.
On the Bridge, the Captain scowled in annoyance as Naroot returned to the helm. The Lieutenant’s habit if always being so damned hyper riled her nerves even further, though she didn’t speak. Her attention was focused elsewhere, on the ghostly echoes which continued to reverberate in the back of her mind. It was like a itch, the pressure to send a reset through the faint connection and reset the nanites to the malfunctioning ‘drones’. An itch she really wanted to scratch..
“Life signs remain stable and slowly improving,” Camille reported. “The plan appears to be working.”
Nicole grinned, planting a subtle kiss on the back of Camille's head in thanks and moved to the Engineering station. "Nanites are responding and so far no strays from the flock. EMH reports that invasive implants are within expected parameters."
Alec looked over at Rhea but her attention was elsewhere. He slowly released the breath he had been holding. "So far. So good." He whispered to no one in particular.
Logan sat that the Ops console, monitoring the power flow through out the ship.
T'Mira listened. Her Vulcan ears had picked up on the Commander's muttered words. She stayed ready watching the Captain for any signs that her own nanites were going to activate. The captain looked irritated. That was not a good sign but at the same time it was. She'd wait and watch at the ready. She felt better for having her phaser with her.
Summers turned her head slightly. Her hearing was advancing beyond Earth standards though not to her knowledge(yet,) and she two had heard the words the Commander had muttered. She slowly turned to look at T'Mira, and caught her eye. She motioned towards the Commander with an '?' look in her eyes, hoping she'd understand.
T'Mira gave the briefest nod to show that she'd heard it too. The for now part worried her. These people .... the nanites.
Nicole came around the center rail and sat next to the Captain, scanning her. "And firewall is holding, if a bit weary," she added quietly, speaking so only the Captain and XO could hear her. "I highly suggest you regenerate," she said. "You'll have better control of your nanites, and you will be able to rest and recover. All we're doing here is waiting for the next sixteen hours, you can sleep. I just might as well."
A hot swell of anger rose in T'Mira. She tempered it down. "Captain," she said walking up, "With your permission I will monitor the situation from the Intelligence office." She had a report to send to HQ and Sec 3 1. She couldn't believe the doctor could talk about sleep. She eyed the doctor with just a bit of contempt and bit back a few things that were coming to her mind. The Borg were not a pleasant memory for her and she could almost hear the voices. She could see the assimilation in her mind.
The Captain's gaze could have burned through solid nuetronium as she shifted position slightly toward the Vulcan officer. "And you are unable to monitor the current events from the Bridge for what reason?" she asked, the soft tone of her voice belying the searing heat which lay just beneath her velvet smooth words.
"There is more specialized equipment in the intelligence office. If you wish I will remain here." She had the equipment recording anyway. Her face was a mask of calm, not registering any emotions.
“I am well aware of the equipment available in every department on this ship Lieutenant.” The Captain answered. “You are currently on watch, and your assigned duty station is here. On the Bridge.”
Cassandra stood up from the communications station and joined the gathering at the Captain's chair. "Captain," she said, quietly, "we have sixteen hours to wait and see. May I suggest the senior staff as a whole take a few hours off. We've all been under a great deal of stress, and I'm sure both yourself and Commander Hunter could use a solid meal and some of us could use time to de-stress." She looked at T'Mira then back at the Captain.
Summers looked up from her station to address the group around the Captain's chair. " Captain, I concur with their statements. A good meal and some 'de-stressing' would do everyone a great service. "
If T'Mira wasn't Vulcan her eyes would have bugged out. They were about Borg up a world and people wanted to distress? She surpassed a sigh.
Without looking at Summers, the Captain responded, “we are in the middle of a very critical situation which may save the lives of the civilian colonies on the world below, or end their lives. I do not feel that have a snack and taking a nap is appropriate in this situation.”
"Yes, you're right," Nicole muttered under her breath. "Sitting through this is far better for our health. I'm sure you'll enjoy listening to this natter for the next 16 hours just as much as I would." She raised an eyebrow.
Sensing the conflict between the Captain and her new Vulcan colleague, Camille raised a hand to get the Lieutenant’s attention. “Ms. T’Mira, I could use your help at Science One for a moment.”
Nicole glanced back, fixing T'Mira with a stare, then turned back to the Captain. "You need to recover from being drained, and you're not going to get that sitting here for the next two thirds of a day."
"As much as I try not to, I have to agree with the Good Doctor," Hunter quipped, quietly. "It's going to be sixteen hours before we know anything. There's no reason for us to sit and stare at the viewscreen.”
The Captain shot a dark look at her First Officer, clearly finding his addition to the conversation quite annoying.
“Lieutenant Levesque and I will continue working on a treatment," Nicole said. "We'll have the planet monitored the whole time."
“I will be in my Ready Room. At the first indication of a change of any kind, I expect to be notified.” Kennit said. Then, with a final intensely irritated glance at the group she walked to the ready room and sealed the door behind her.
""Well," Cassandra said calmly once the door was closed, "now that that's settled, I suggest we all go about our duties and get some rest. It's going to be a long shift." She turned towards T'Mira. "Care to share a lift? I'm on my way past your office."
Feeling anxious to get off the bridge T'Mira gave a nod to Cassandra. She clasped her hands behind her back and walked calmly to the lift.
Nicole sighed and rubbed her eyes. "I'll be in my lab," she told Hunter, then left the bridge.
Alec sank into the center seat. His eyes lingering on the closed ready room doors for a moment before shifting to take in the others. "I think in light of everything. It's best I stay here. As for everyone else, please get some rest and something to eat if you desire it."
"I'll stay here," Penny said. "I need to monitor the programming, anyway."
Samantha got up from her station and spoke to the Commander. " I will be stopping at the Mess for a quick bite, then back to my quarters to continue some research." She looked over at T'Mira before exiting.
"Very good Penny, Chief. Try and get some rest while your at it." Alec replied.
“Commander,” Camille said, looking to Hunter, “I’d like to keep monitoring for a short while, but then I’ll join Dr. Anderson in her lab for our next phase against the virus.”
Alec nodded. "Of course Camille. Please keep me advised if you encounter any changes."
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