Task Force: Gamma

uvek · Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject:

"Mr. Phell, this is Captain Brennon, please stand by."
"Where is your home?"

Uvek moved with curiousity to Phell's station at the behest of his number two. The captain's voice, faintly coming over the open channel, did not seem aimed at the bridge. With a nod to the console, he urged Phell to increase the gain on the comm.
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

Qech stood perfectly still as the Captain began asking his questions, trying very hard to ignore the now intense pain in her shoulder. This Calodan either didn't realize his own enhanced strength, or didn't care. She was betting on the latter.

She tried to focus on the Captain's voice, which was sounding further and further away. In the excitement, she had almost been able to forget the dreadful sickness the was creeping through her veins. But the silence was an unwelcome guest in her mind, as the voices tried to force their way in once again. She shook her head frantically, as if attempting to brush them away.

She fought them, with all the strength she had left, she fought them. Her face was red with fever, and her legs were shaking. Finally, they buckled under her weight, and she sank to the floor, glad to be rid of the pain in her shoulder for even a split second as she fell away from her captor's grip.

She listened through her raspy breathing, still keeping perfectly still and quiet, despite the sudden loss of strength. She closed her eyes, and pushed through the crowd, pushed through toward Calodan, toward Croft. Qech could see them through the sea of faces, but she was determined not to join them. With a deep breath, and still concentrating on the anchoring sound of her Captain's voice, she reached out for their hands...
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Marek · Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:13 pm Post subject:

Croft stood in a swirling mass of gray smoke, the wind howling. Suddenly in the gloom he saw something. He approached cautiously, afraid of some apparition like the black eyed Croft he had seen earlier. As he got closer, he could just make out a hand, reaching. The fog seamed to thicken, and he couldn't make out who the hand belonged too. Part desperation, part instinct, he acted on impulse, grabbing hold. Suddenly the smoke cleared, and he could see Qech. Back in the brig, Croft's body suddenly stiffened. Croft could 'see' Qech holding his hand in his mind, while he could suddenly see the real world as well. He fought with all his strength to regain control of his body, but even with Davin as an anchor it was a standoff. Finally he spoke,

"Brennon, help..." His body convulsed and hit the floor, a full seizure happening as the two forces fought for control of one body.
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ArjimCalodan · Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 11:26 pm Post subject:

"Where is your home?"

"Well Captain, we are not capable of verbally communicating that to you. If you were to release us we could..." his voice tapered off as Qech slid to the ground. He reached down and scooped her off the ground and onto a cot. He watched as Croft started his convulsions.

"Captain, you don't understand us. You were correct in that we are not exactly as we seem. If you don't hurry and let us out the fate of this man will be shared by every person inside this field. We are too much for just these few people to handle. Letting us out will spare these people and help you to understand."

He reached his hand out against the security field and placed his palm directly against it. The crackling energy started to course over his arm. After a few seconds, the skin on his palm started to blister and burn.

"You must release us Captain, or every single person on this ship will die."
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uvek · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 12:38 am Post subject:

****
bridge
****
"You must release us Captain, or every single person on this ship will die."
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Uvek heard every word and the last statement sent a shiver down his spine. With just the opposite threat coming from Hackett and his fleet, and the apparent damage being done to the away team by the infection, he could no longer hold his peace.

"Captain, forgive the intrusion but it is imperative you take a moment and speak with me..in private and immediately, please."
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Cory Drake · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:41 am Post subject:

Lt. Cory Drake
USS Hartington
Bridge

Drake sat at his science station, now sideways in his chair looking towards the security station, listening along with the rest of the bridge crew the conversation taking place in the brig.

Drake sat motionless, stunned at what he had just heard, wondering how Uvek would respond to hearing it, wondering what was going through the captain's mind at the moment.
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IAmTedSmith · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:45 am Post subject:

ArjimCalodan · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:28 am Post subject:

Calodan looked at the interrupting crewman.

"What is to stop us from doing it now? The body I'm with now knows the operational controls for this ship. He could disable this vessel with nothing more then what is in this cell. In addition, we know Croft and Qech. As we understand it, she is the most senior officer besides the Captain. We have simply asked for our release as that is the easiest way. The blending is easier when someone expects it. If you won't release us, we will escape."

He removed his hand from the forcefield and looked curiously at the damage done to his hand. "I find it odd that this body damages so easily. We have encountered ones like you before and they were stronger."
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Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

Qech fought against the rising tides of screaming voices, holding on tightly to Croft's arm. She didn't even realize that her body had collapsed and was being moved.

"Croft!" she yelled through the swirling grey smoke, barely able to see his face. "Hold on!"

She could hear the echoes of Calodan's conversation in the background, like voices coming through a damaged loudspeaker somewhere in her mind. She could barely see Calodan's form through the masses, but he was being held down by hundreds of smokey grey hands. Unable to reach him without letting go of Croft, Qech yelled over the voices.

"Jim! Fight them!"

The Captain's voice still hummed through her mind, and she couldn't stop herself from calling out to it in some vain attempt that he could hear her.

"Captain! Don't let them out!"

The Commander was not even aware that her cries were being heard outside her mind as well, as she was screaming in her sleep.

"I've got you, Croft. Don't let go."
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Marek · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:25 am Post subject:

Croft stopped convulsing, laying still on the floor. In his mind, he returned the bulk of his effort to holding on to the hand of his executive officer. Having their minds this closely joined, he could feel the depth of her care for those she served with, and could even sense the symbiont as it's powerful emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Croft realized on some level the image of a hand to hold was just a visual metaphor, but all he could do was concentrate on that metaphor. In the battle for control of his body, he slowly began to loose ground, the alien presence, or presences, forcing his body into a sitting position.

Davynn, I don't know how much longer I can fight. There's so many...
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Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

Qech gripped his hand as tightly as she could, fighting against the pull of the faceless aliens, who were trying to pry the two of them apart. She didn't know how much longer she could hold onto him, but she was not going to give in so long as he had a fighting chance.

Davynn, I don't know how much longer I can fight. There's so many...

In response, Davynn thrust her other hand out to him, grabbing hold with both arms and pulling him toward her with all the strength she could muster. It was far from easy, as she was weakening from the virus, and the voices were calling to her, trying to coax her into joining with them. She steeled herself against the cold of their hands as they grabbed her and tried to force her back, away from Croft.

"No!" She yelled, at the top of her lungs. And pulled with more force in sheer defiance. He was getting closer to her, she could see his face clearer...

"C'mon Croft! You can still fight them! Someone's got to fly the ship, and I'm not excepting any substitutions today, so let's get the hell out of here!"
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Marek · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:57 pm Post subject:

Croft pulled with all his might, drawing himself closer to Qech, her words of encouragement and defiance fueling an untapped reserve of strength. As Croft felt a sudden burst of mental strength, he heard a voice, his mother's voice. From the look on Davynn's face, she heard it too,

"Xavier, remember what I taught you..."

Suddenly the gray mist, the incessant voices were gone. They were in a field of tall green grass, swaying slightly in the warm breeze. The sky had a slight green tint to it, a trace of fluffy clouds high in the stratusphere. Croft turned slowly around, keeping one hand firmly in Davynn's. Croft smiled, a small laugh escaping his lips, then he swore.

"Oh no, what have I done? It looks like Betazed, but we are still in my mind." He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at Davynn, "I think I've pushed us into my subconscious. We are safe from the alien minds, but I can't sense the outside world. Can you?"
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Captain David Brennon · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:15 pm Post subject:

Location: Brig, USS Hartington

The Captain's eyes remained settled on "Calodan", even as Lieutenant Uvek and Chief Smith called out to him. It's time for one of those snap decisions, Captain he thought to himself as the situation unfolded around them. Shaking his head, Brennon stepped back and set a hand on Smith's shoulder.

"Don't release the field." he said simply, then turned his attention back to "Calodan". "You know I can't just let you out. I'm going to confer with my Officers. You may think you can escape, but you can't. If you really have the mind of Jim Calodan in there, you know that these holding cells are rated to contain a Founder. As for what you can or cannot do from inside that cell... well the command codes of everyone in that cell have already been deactivated."

As he spoke, the Captain knew that the com link to the bridge was still open. At Ops, Lieutenant Woods quickly worked her console, carrying out the Captain's unspoken command: nullify the command codes of the Away Team. After a few moments, she gave the thumbs up to Lieutenant Uvek.

"Sit tight Jim... maybe we'll be able to figure this one out without any more hostility."

With that, the Captain stepped into the security office, the door swooshing closed behind him. Sighing, he looked up, towards the cling and the Bridge, as though it would give Uvek an easier time hearing him.

"Report, Lieutenant."

***

Meanwhile, inside the cell, Lieutenant zh'Rel slowly sat up, guarding herself against any unknown wounds she may have received recently. Finding none, she stood and brought herself to a guarded stance... something was clearly wrong here and she had to find a way to help the crew, it was her duty.

"Lieutenant," she spoke up, calling to Calodan, "What's going on?" Her antennae jutted forward, her skin flushed blue with a mixture of anger and confusion. Her eyes moved from Calodan to Croft to Qech and finally to Calodan again, trying to hold his attention as she formulated a plan of action.
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Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

Qech blinked as the previously dull grey surroundings gave way to brilliant sunlight and a warm breeze. She looked confused, but clearly relieved to find herself somewhere so pleasant in comparison. Then she heard Croft's cursing.

"I think I've pushed us into my subconscious. We are safe from the alien minds, but I can't sense the outside world. Can you?"

Qech shook her head, looking around. "I don't hear the Captain anymore, or Calodan. This must be some kind of self defense for you." She shrugged, finally letting go of his hand now that she was convinced they weren't going anywhere. "Well, out of the frying pan... I suppose there's nothing to do now except look around. We're not safe in our unconscious minds, and our bodies are in a holding cell with a possessed Chief of Operations. Do you recognize this place?"
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uvek · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:06 pm Post subject:

"Report, Lieutenant."

Uvek looked at the bridge crew momentarily then down to the console. "Captain, we have been contacted by the aliens surrounding us in the person of First Prefect Hackett. For all intents and purposes, he appears human. Currently, we are accompanying his fleet to a decontamination facility where he insists virologists will help us with the infection. I have established security screens around the brig and positioned security at all access points on that deck."

Uvek's expression grew dark and his voice lowered slightly.

"However, in conjuntion with the data from Commander Qech's tricorder and what we have heard, I am convinced we do not have the full story. Whatever Prefect Hackett is about, it seems clear that this 'infection' is sentient, perhaps even purposefully placed in the mines it was ultimately extracted from! I strongly suggest we consider either bringing Hackett aboard the Hartington, or we anesthetize the away team, and commence immediate study of a portion of the infection in a tightly controlled environment, perhaps another cell established for Doctor Kiv. Either way, time is running out on controlling this event. Once we arrive at the decontamination facility, I calculate we will lose 70% or more of our current options. Militarily, we could be at a significant disadvantage. I need your orders, sir."
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Live a life of action...not reaction.