Wins and Losses

Posted on Tue Aug 6, 2019 @ 12:23pm by Lieutenant Penelope Naroot & Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Senior Chief Petty Officer Samantha Summers

4,202 words; about a 21 minute read

Mission: Plaga Navis
Location: Golemon V

[Ready Room]

"Computer. Dim lights to 40 percent. Increase temperature by 9 degrees and increase ambient humidity by 5 percent." Kennit said as she crossed her ready room toward the couch set by the viewport. "Its too damn cold in here.." she muttered to herself as she sat down and leaned back.

Closing her eyes, as she took a deep breath the Captain allowed herself the luxury of sinking into the soft, smooth comforting whisper of the dreamers within her mind. The link was little more than a faint echo. As if from a great distance, almost too far to hold the link.. but it was there.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she felt...

Almost whole.

The link was weak. Part of her mind, buried deep within the Borg implants in her body wanted to find a way to repair the damaged link, establish a complete connection. Solidify the Hive.

Eyes still closed, she just rested. Even in rest, she was aware..


[Ten (10) Hours later]

=/\= Captain Kennit to Doctor Anderson. While I am aware of the civilians below in the colony, I am not able to discern their current health status. That.. I need you for. Report. =/\=

Nicole looked up from her terminal and smiled. "At the risk of sounding uncharacteristically optimistic, the plan seems to be working. The EMH has scanned approximately thirty-four percent of the population and so far they are virus free. He's taken air samples and water samples and it appears the nanites are doing their jobs. Within the next two hours, we should be able to declare everyone safe and send the kill command to have the nanites begin dismantling the implants in the colonists."

“Have an away team standing by. We need to get information from the colony administration. We need to know where this started, so we can determine if possible how it got here.” Kennit said.

"I have a theory on that, actually," Nicole said, bringing up a schematic of the starbase. "Patients started reporting to their infirmary from several places at once. Either the virus was introduced into the water system, or possibly the ventilation system, rather than a 'patient zero' like last time. These people are stepping up their delivery. I recommend myself and a medical team, plus Lieutenants Naroot and Logan to pilot and go through the computers for information."

“I want to speak with the colony administrator in person, I will accompany the away team to the surface. Captain Torrance will be debarking the Victory as well. He will be picked up by a transport due in 3 days and out of our hair,” the Captain told her.

"Oh, well, hear hear," Nicole said. "I look forward to watching him leave. Anderson out."

The Captain muttered a profane comment directed at the Chief Medical Officer and her tendency for flippant remarks, though with the comm disconnected the comment was lost. Activating the comm again, she said “Kennit to Commander Hunter. Inform Captain Torrance that a transport vessel heading back toward Starbase 117 is expected to stop here in three days. Transport has been arranged to convey him to the Starbase as he requested. From there he can go..where ever. Advise him to have his personal effects ready as he will be debarking the Victory when the away team led by Doctor Anderson heads to the colony surface.”

Alec's reply was short and to the point. "Yes Captain."

“Very good. Make sure he’s on time.” she answered, then cut the comm. immediately after the connection was closed, she mimicked his tone and said “Yes Captain Yes Captain..” then blew a raspberry in annoyance with the whole lot.

Exiting the Ready Room, she crossed heading toward the lift. “I’m going to my quarters to change. Inform the flight deck to have a Valkyrie ready for departure in 1 hour. Make sure the Doctor knows to be there on time.. Torrance too.”

Alec's reply was the same as the first one he gave Rhea. "Yes Captain."

She rolled her eyes, unimpressed. Entering the lift she gave the command to head for her quarters and as the door closed, crossed her eyes at him.


[Flight Deck - 45 minutes later]

Reaching the hanger, the Captain stepped out onto the flight deck. She’d changed into a more formal uniform, though not dress uniform none the less she looked quite sharp as she approached the Valkyrie already in position and awaiting launch. The only person there, other than flight deck personnel prepping the ship, was Torrance. He let out a whistle, “You always did look good in black,” he told her with an appreciative look.

“What did I tell you about talking to me.” She snapped at him.

“Shame the personality doesn’t match the rest..” he drawled back.

“Still talking..” she said as she walked past him without slowing, heading to speak to the flight crew chief and make sure the ship was ready.

Penny jumped out of the ship into view. "Captain, we're reading all green and ready to go," she said. "Just waiting on the rest of the team."

The Captain gave a nod, “Very good Lieutenant. Let’s hope the rest of the away team arrives somewhat on time..”. Her tone of voice indicated her doubts in that regard. They’d never been on time in the last, why start now...

Nicole walked in, black bag in hand, with four other medical personnel behind her. She strode quickly to to the ship and nodded to the Captain. "My team is ready to board," she said excitedly. She saw Nathan standing beside the Captain and her eyes flashed red in warning.

Noticing the Doctor’s attempt at being scary, Nathan just smiled and blew her a soft kiss. “It seems we are to part ways my dear Doctor. Other duties await my attention, though I know you will miss me..”

Samantha Summers entered the hanger, carrying a large duffel bag. "Captain, with your permission, I'd like to offer these to the party." Summers brought forth from the bag what 'looked' like an hand phaser. She displayed it to the group. "This," she began, "looks like a conventional hand phaser. However, I have been 'tinkering' with it, modifying it, et cetera, and now we have these." Summers slightly smiled. "These are what I have currently decided to call Mark III Phasers. They are hand-held, but have the boosted kick of a phaser rifle. "

"You want us to bring an untested, hand-held 'phaser rifle' to a Federation Starbase full of patients just waking from a coma?" Nicole said, slowly. She saw Nathan look hungrily at the phaser and deliberately placed herself between him and Summers.

The Captain looked at Summers. She looked at the Doctor. She looked at Nathan. Taking hold of Nathan’s arm, she pushed him toward the Valkyrie and said, “Doctor Anderson, as this is your away team and your area of expertise, I leave it in your capable hands to decide if untested and uncertified, modified weaponry are appropriate for the mission parameters. Don’t take too long. I would like to reach the surface and allow Captain Torrance to be on his way.”

Logan walked past the doors and entered the hanger bay. "Sorry for the delay...won't happen again." He saw Summers handing out what looked like an updated hand phaser. He took one when they were passed out. "Has this thing been tested and approved?"

Nicole took the phaser from him, the decision made for her. "No, so the toys will have to be kept in reserve." She put it in her bag and left the others with Summers. "All right everyone," she said, raising her voice. "We are heading to the starbase. The EMH has cleared and quarantined several sections as clean of all virions, so we can walk around those areas safely. Their air and water supplies have been isolated and we are continuing to monitor things."

She looked at Zack. "Mister Logan, I need you to access the base's systems and collate any and all reports of unknown vessels, objects or otherwise that could indicate when the virus was released. We know it was some time between twenty and thirty hours ago. My team will be monitoring the restoration of the base personnel and eventually will venture out to scan the rest of the base. Penny, backup either of us as needed. The Captain will be taking care of our guest until his departure. Questions?" When everyone shook their heads, she nodded towards the ship. "All aboard then."

Leaving the good Doctor to handle the details, Kennit tightened her grip on Torrance’s arm and pushed him toward the waiting ship, prompting him to complain, “Ow! Knock it off..”

She dug in her fingers tighter, “Keep bitching. I’ll give you a reason to really cry out in pain..”

Nathan’s yelp didn’t seem to bother her at all as she “guided” him to the ship, certain that Doctor Anderson would soon have the rest of the away team aboard and ready to depart.

The medical team filed in. Penny sat down in the pilot's seat and Logan moved to the back. Nicole stood back, letting them get settled, then paused as Summers came up to the hatch. "Your job is to stay on board," she said. "If the ship needs to warp out and take the fight to someone, they'll need you on the bridge."

Summers nodded in the affirmative, then spoke up so all could hear. " The 'stats' on these phasers are loaded into the ship's computer under my specific log in. It's my way of keeping them out of the hands of the Klingons, Romulans, and ...... Borg." Having said that, she turned and walked out...

Nicole stepped inside the ship, sitting in the copilot's chair next to Penny. "Take us out," she said.

From the rear cabin came the Captain's voice. "Sometime today..."

"Okay, okay, and the monkey flips the switch," Penny said, pushing the engines to full throttle and shooting them out of the shuttlebay, banking around and arcing towards the surface. "ETA ten minutes," she said.

Nicole pulled her tricorder out of her bag and did a preliminary scan inside the cockpit, making sure everything was ready. It was better than outright fidgeting. The next ten minutes moved far too slowly for her, and when the shuttle touched down, she was ready to leap out of her chair in anticipation of the hatch opening. She scanned the area just outside the ship quickly. "Air scan reads clean," she said. "Quarantine area seems to be holding. We're clear to disembark."

Standing up, the Captain said "Open the hatch then and lets get to work. Dr. Anderson, when do you plan to initiate your 'kill switch' and have the nanites deactivate and destroy themselves so that your pets will awaken?"

"Once my team confirms the EMH's readings and we can take a few blood samples and examine the isolated virions, we should be good to go. Let's say, fifteen minutes to make a determination, and once we activate the final program, we should have people coming back to the waking world within half an hour," Nicole said, standing as well and nodding to her team. "After that's begun, we'll need a few hours to monitor everyone's progress, then we can go home."

"I need a layout of the base. I'd prefer to not be wandering around lost searching for the operations center.." the Captain said with a look at Penny. "Miss Naroot. Can you access the computer from here and get me a layout.."

Penny tilted her head. "I believe so." She made a few inquiries with the station's computer, and pulled up a schematic of the base. "Here we are," she said. "We're here." She brought up a small white dot on the map. "Medical facilities are down this corridor, and station operations is here," she said, looking at Logan and pointing to a remote office.

The Captain studied the display, committing the layout and location of where she needed to go to memory. "Thank you Lieutenant."

Her gaze turned to focus on the Doctor, "Well Doctor. We await your pleasure.."

"Well, I certainly like the sound of that," Nicole said. "Let's move out."

The hatch opened and she stepped out into the bay, her team close behind. She took a deep breath, just to build confidence in the air, and began walking out of the bay towards the medical facilities, her team on her heels.


[Infirmary]

"Doctor," Nicole said, seeing the EMH standing over one of the patients. "How are they?"

"Well enough," he said, standing up and closing his tricorder. "I've detected no traces of the virus in any of the people in the infirmary. Every air sample I've had taken shows clean, and the quarantine seems to be holding. I've been able to scan through 98.4% of the personnel. If we can confirm the last few, we should be all clear."

"Excellent," Nicole said. "Where are the holdouts?"

"There are three people in the cargo bay, three in the station administrator's office and two in the shuttle bay. I'm surprised you didn't see them on your way in," he said.

"All right. Faith take the Admin office , Maggie, back to the shuttle bay. Dasha take the cargo bay. Scan, report in immediately, then back here. The sooner we can get these people back on their feet, the better."

There was a chorus of "yes, Doctor," and Dasha and Faith left quickly.

Nicole turned back to the EMH. "Meanwhile, I'd like to see where we've been storing the virions. I have some study to do."

The EMH nodded and led her to the infirmary's lab.


[Colony Operations]


Logan headed towards the operations office, keeping an eye out for anyone. When he got to the door, it opened and he walked in. Luckily, it was deserted. He sat down at the master terminal and started inputting some commands. If the computer denied him access, he simply bypassed the lockouts and finally got to the main directory.

Penny walked through the doors silently behind Logan and quickly sat down in an available chair. "All right-y," she said, stretching and flexing her fingers dramatically. She began tapping at the consoles, cajoling the computer to work with her. "Infirmary reports....schematics....let's see where this virus started..."

She brought up the infirmary records and hummed quietly to herself. "Alerted by Starfleet Intelligence...tested ten random samples of population....all infected..." She pulled up the logs of the medical labs, and looked over the distribution of the patients. "It has to be the water supply," she said, half to herself. "There's no other way to disseminate the virus fast enough to avoid detection..."

She looked up in her thinking pose. "Zack? Can you pull up the water supply system? I think if we find a weak point in its security we'll find how the virus was introduced."

Logan brought up the water supply system reports. "Looks clean to me." He looked at Penny.

Penny scrunched up her face in a frustrated look. "Yeah...me too," she said, looking it over. "Oh! What about--" she said, starting to point at something. "No, that wouldn't work..." she looked over the medical logs. The water supply had shown clean of the virus, but she thought maybe they'd find traces. "Okay, so not the water supply," she said. "So what else affects the whole colony at once? Water, air, food, anything else? I think they'd notice if a ship suddenly flew over and dropped a container."

Logan shrugged. "Okay, let's check everything unusual that happened for the last month. Maybe that'll give us a clue." He called up the computer log from the science section and the security section.

They watched the monitors, looking for something.

Finally...."Look!" Zack froze the display. "There was a meteor storm and several small meteors struck the colony, but there were no records from the sensors about the storm approaching. It just suddenly struck. It was just after that that the first cases appeared. And it appears there's a sample in the science lab."

"Perfect!" Penny said.

[Colony Headquarters]

After leaving the Valkyrie in the Colony spaceport, Captain Kennit left the other members of the away team to tend their own responsibilities and headed toward the Colony HQ where she’d have access to the entire colonial database, everything which happened would be accessible from there. She ignored Nathan completely, though he followed her as he seemed to having nothing else to do. She stopped shortly before reaching her destination, turned toward him. “Why are you following me. You have what you wanted. You’re free and clear. All you need is to wait for the transport to arrive and you can just disappear out into the galaxy which is what you kept saying you want so..” she waved a hand in a ‘shoo’ motion. “Go.”

“No where to go. Your Chief Medical Officer knocked everyone out. I need to arrange a place to stay and..for that Inhave to wait for someone to wake up and be actually working at one of the accommodation units to assign me a room so.. might as well just enjoy your oh so cheerful company until that changes.” He answered with a smile.

A soft curse escaped her. She shook her head. “Nope. You can’t keep following me. You don’t have clearance or access to the building I’m heading for. There is an accommodation unit two blocks that way,” she told him, pointing in the indicated direction. “Go wait there, I’m sure you’ll have a room settled in time for your nap.”

She left him, walking up to the HQ building and after entering a pass code, vanished inside.

Shaking his head, Nathan headed not to the accommodation unit but back to the spaceport. His gear was still on the Valkyrie..

[Spaceport]

Returning to the spaceport, as he walked toward where the Valkyrie Nathan paused, his attention focused on a sleek, powerful ship which rested at the opposite side of the port from where the Victory’s Valkyrie had landed. Two figures were moving by the ship, and he recognized one of them. His thoughts completely shifting gears, Nathan set across the landing area .. intent on renewing an old friendship.


[Colony Headquarters]

One thing was for certain. The administrative officers of this colony were decidedly lax on keeping up with their paperwork. The most recent official status report was three months old, no help there at all. The weather reports were current. Documentation of inbound and out-going ships were.. incomplete but they did at least seem to have a solid record of every ship which had passed through for whatever business, even if the reports were woefully incomplete.

"I think someone needs to contact Starfleet." Kennit said softly. "There's bound to be some bean-counting paper pusher who will need clean shorts after getting a look at this mess..." she grumbled in irritation.

Tapping several commands into the computer system, she tapped her comm badge and said "Kennit to Victory. XO. I need a secure uplink, I"m going to send data from the colony central computer up for analysis, see if by some fucking miracle there's something useful here in this jumble of improperly filed, incomplete data logs which might help us figure out what happened here, and how."

Aboard the Victory, Alec replied instantly to Rhea. One moment Captain, then a heartbeat later he continued, "You have your secure uplink to send data."

"Sending the data now.." Kennit told him.

"Coming through now." Alec confirmed. "What a mess." He muttered as he viewed the data streaming through. Going to take some time to sort through Captain."

"Get someone to work on it.. we won't know if there's anything there which is of use to us until we get that mess sorted.." she answered. "With the Doctor now waking everyone up, I’m going to finish up here and then head for the Administrator’s offices to deal with the rest of this mess. Kennit out."



[Infirmary]

"This is the second-most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Nicole said, staring at the sphere of Borg tech in front of her.

"What is the first?" the EMH said, looking at it with her.

"Never you mind," she said, airily. She scanned the sphere and checked the readings. "Is this all of it?"

"The mass inside has not increased more than 0.0001% in the last hour," the EMH said.

"It must be almost full," she said, excitedly. "I'll give it another hour, maybe less, and it should be safe to remove. In the meantime, we should be able to start waking patients once they read clear if implants."

She tapped her combadge. "Anderson to Kennit: I am happy to report that the plan is working. The virus is contained and every patient I've checked so far shows clear of the virus. I'll have Penny flip the kill switch and we can begin waking the colonists shortly."

"So we got lucky and your wild plan worked. Small miracles do happen.." the Captain answered. "I'm going to keep working here. As soon as you have people here awake, contact me. I'm sure the Colonial Administrator is going to want some answers.."

"Undoubtedly," Nicole said. "I'm doing final checks now in preparation to wake everyone up. Anderson out." She tapped her combadge again. "Anderson to Naroot."

"Naroot here," Penny said.

"Hit the kill switch, Penny. We're ready to wake up the crowd."

"Done and done," Penny said after a moment. "And more good news: It looks like Zack found out how the virus was delivered. It looks like a false meteor shower. There's a sample of the meteor in the science labs. I'm going to take a look."

Nicole looked at the EMH. "I'll meet you there shortly. I'm going to monitor the medical staff first. Anderson out."

[Colonial Headquarters]

Having done all she could, with the data transferred up to the Victory for analysis Rhea logged out of the computer system and then exited the computer center. She paused to review a map of the colony which was displayed on the wall in the front lobby before exiting the building. Tapping her combadge she said “Kennit to Anderson. I am leaving the Headquarters building now, I’m going to make my way to the Administration complex.”

"Understood," Nicole said through the comm system. "Nanite removal is proceeding as expected. We should have the first batch of people cleared and ready to revive within the next hour."

Turning back to the map display, she was distracted. As individual colonists were awakened, the nanites in their blood self-dissolving away and the link, tenuous as it was severed. It was making her more anxious, angry and stressed. Instinct screamed to fight back, protect the Hive..while individuality and her own will fought back. She was distracted, not paying attention.. the steady loss of each link caused a sensation that was near migraine level headache pain, else the two figures moving up behind her would never have even entered the lobby unnoticed much less closed in on her. She was standing with one hand to her head, eyes closed for a moment - focused on shutting out the ache, on maintaining her own internal balance as the connections failed one after another.

Her first inclination that she was in danger came too late, with the hiss of a hypospray into the back of her neck and the cold burn of a massive dose of ... something into her body. Pure instinct took over, she snapped to the side and lashed out at her assailant, twisting his arm by the wrist and forcing him not away but toward her, locking her arm around his neck she gave a swift sharp jerk and his neck snapped, body going limp into death even as she felt the drug taking effect..

The floor and walls were swaying in a sickening, dizzying sway of motion. Kennit staggered, her legs weren’t working right and she could feel her heart racing wildly in her chest. Through the haze spreading through her mind, as the world darkened she looked at her other attacker and said “You..you son of a.. you ...”

She dropped to her knees, fighting to remain conscious... smacking at her chest she tried to activate her comm badge even as consciousness faded.. missing the comm badge completely without realizing it she said in a slurred, fading voice “..Alec... help...attac..”

She collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Looking at her limp form sprawled on the polished stone floor, Nathan Torrance looked at his lifeless companion and said “And that
...is why I agreed when you insisted on being the one to drug her..”

Activating his own comm unit, using a com channel which the Victory did not monitor as it was not used by the Federation he said “Vince. She’s down, but she killed Jackson as I warned she would. Lock onto our signals and beam us out of here.”

All three vanished in a shimmer of energy.

TBC

 

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