Compiled by Calvin Capps ================================================================ Mission: Dead or Alive Day: 1 Stardate: 2414.05.15 ================================================================ (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward (QV) - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1935) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward (QV) - ATAC Lt Ryko Skylynx - 1938) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) – ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1945) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1947) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1951) ================================================================ Mission: Dead or Alive Day: 2 Stardate: 2414.05.16 ================================================================ (USS Boudicca - Bridge - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1218) (Color II - Town center - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1224) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1226) (Color II - Store - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1231) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr – 1243) (Color II - Town center , power-control building - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1245) (Color II - City Center - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1250) (Color II - Transport Site - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1300) (Color II - City Center - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1305) (Color II - Town center , power-control building - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1305) (Color II - Building - ACMO Lt jg Mia Saryn- 1311) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1312) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr – 1313) (Color II - Processing Plant - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1315) (Color II - Building - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1317) (Color II - Building – ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1319) (Color II - Processing Plant - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1320) (Color II - Building - ATAC Lt Ryko Skylynx - 1323) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1324) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1325) (Color II - Building - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1328) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – The Beast – 1330) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1335) (USS Boudicca - Astrometrics - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1347) (Color II - Underground compound - Tela and Cain -1350) (Color II - Building - Top level - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1356) (Color II - Building, Top Level - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1400) (USS Boudicca - Astrometrics Lab - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1402) (Color II - Building, Top Level - ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1403) (USS Bouddica - Sickbay - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1405) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - Dr. Saryn's Office - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1407) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1409) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1410) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1413) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1413) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1414) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1417) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1418) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1420) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – The Beast – 1421) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1433) (USS Boudicca - Holodeck 1 - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1445) ================================================================ ================================================================ Mission: Dead or Alive Day: 1 Stardate: 2414.05.15 ================================================================ (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward (QV) - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1935) "Of course not... Getman, is it? Good to meet you." Getman shook hands with the old-new Security Lieutenant. "Ryko Skylynx... but I prefer Sky." Stephen took the free seat, sipping his coffee. He had to force himself not the make a face, that was certainly the strongest coffee he had in years, and the double sugar could barely be felt through the bitterness of the andorian beverage. ~ I like that bartender already. ~ Getman took a glance at the officers, struggling to come up with a casual conversation topic that wouldn't end up hanging on their obviously darker moods. He took a mental note to read up on Skylynx's bio as soon as he had a chance, it would certainly make situations like these a bit less awkward. "So, Sky" Getman started on a brighter note, deciding to leave the Klingon to his thoughts for the moment. "The gossip says you've been a guest around here before. I must say, I'm dying to hear what you think of the ship these days. You have to admit, that while it's no longer _the_ cutting edge, it still is a formidable lady with all those recent refits. Plus, Lieutenant Jacobs hadn't been at all easy on her either." He paused bringing the cup to his mouth again, observing the new arrival very closely. He had yet to determine what to think of the Betazoid. (posted by Bartek) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward (QV) - ATAC Lt Ryko Skylynx - 1938) "So, Sky... The gossip says you've been a guest around here before. I must say, I'm dying to hear what you think of the ship these days. You have to admit, that while it's no longer _the_ cutting edge, it still is a formidable lady with all those recent refits. Plus, Lieutenant Jacobs hadn't been at all easy on her either." Ryko couldn't help the small grin that crawled onto his lips. He sat back in his chair, forgetting the until-then silent Trei for the moment, and took a long look around Ten Forward. After a moment's introspection, he blinked a couple of times and spoke. "It looks a hell of a lot better than it did during the Psi-der incident, that's for sure," he replied at last. "I remember when those things first appeared. Made a bloody hell of Engineering, the bridge, and this room." He looked at one section of the ceiling, and warming to his own theme, pointed at a large conduit running over head, masked by tastefully-constructed bulkheads. (Reply Getman, iyw) "That, is the primary EPS and Environmental control conduit for this entire deck. They ripped that out first. It was lying on the ground like a fallen redwood. But you know what they say, there's no better excuse for a refit than live combat." (Reply Getman) "Other than that, she looks the same. LCARS might be newer, Holographic tactical may be upgraded, but underneath it all she's still the same old bucket that I took on a loop-de-loop during training with my old TAC," Ryko said with a chuckle in his voice. "Truth be told, I'm glad they sent me back to the Boudicca. Feels like home." (posted by Adam) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) – ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1945) “Thankyou.” Mia replied with a smile to the waitress that handed her a cup of warm tea. Holding the cup in her hands, the warmth gave her strength for what she was there to do. She had positioned herself so that she could watch the doors. After a moment, she saw the doors open and in walked Henry. Her heart fluttered a little and then the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach started up again as he walked towards her. "I honestly hope I have not been keeping you waiting." A small smile escaped her lips as she replied, “No. I've only been here a few minutes myself.” A few minutes of uncomfortable silence passed until Henry spoke, "You seemed very anxious to talk to me. Whats on your mind Mia?" She sighed and replied, “I don't know quite how to start this. It may come as a little bit of a shock and I really don't want to hurt you.” "I think I am a little stronger than that. I guarantee whatever you have to say I can handle," he replied with a chuckle. ~Oh why did this have to happen now.~ she thought to herself as she took a deep breath and said, “I wanted you to hear this from me rather than the ship's rumour mill. It's only fair.” (Reply Jacobs) Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she took one of his hands in hers and said, “It's a long story but i've met someone.” (Reply Jacobs) Leaning back, she said, “It seems that they've always been in my life but it's only recent events that have brought this to life. We have a shared history. A deep history that i've only been aware of for a brief time but it's not just the history that has made me realise this. Saryn kept our history from me. He kept it locked away and has told me the truth. As it came to light, I realised that his feelings were still there and that I shared them.” (Reply Jacobs) “What i'm trying to tell you is that i've fallen for someone. Big time and I wanted you to be the first to know because of what happened between us. It's Doctor Caspian.” (posted by Jackie Smith) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1947) There were two things that you could always find Jacobs with no matter where he was on the ship, a cup of coffee and an engineering padd. As he entered the QV the site of him was no different. He had not even taken the time to look up as he walked through the sliding doors of the mess hall for the shear fact that the walk to the QV from engineering had been committed to memory. When he finally did look up from his padd he scanned the room to see if Mia had arrived before him. True to the statement he spotted her sitting alone with a drink in hand looking with anticipation in his direction. With a smile creeping on his face he took another sip from his coffee and began to walk in her direction. Half way to the table he walked pass one of the waitresses and placed his cup on her serving tray and asked for another cup. She giggled as she accepted his order and walked away. Henry continued walking until he made his way to Mia's side. "I honestly hope I have not been keeping you waiting." (reply Mia) Henry took two steps to the other chair at the table and took a seat. Placing the padd down on the table he looked back up in Mia's direction as if to wait for her to break the ice. The tension at the table remained there until the waitress returned to the table to give Jacobs his cup of coffee. He grabbed the handle of the cup and thanked the waitress for her prompt service. His other hand came swiftly up to cup the body of the coffee mug. "You seemed very anxious to talk to me. Whats on your mind Mia?" (reply Mia) "I think I am a little stronger than that. I guarantee whatever you have to say I can handle," he said to her sitting back in his chair after chuckling. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (USS Boudicca - Ten Forward(QV) - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1951) Henry watched as Mia's demeanor changed as she pulled herself together to speak. "I wanted you to hear this from me rather than the ship's rumor mill. It's only fair." Henry sat up to hear the rest of what she had to say. Whatever it was it was going to prove quite important and he could see the urgency and fear in her face. "It's a long story but i've met someone." Henry took what she had to say and processed the information in a timely manner. It was not long ago that he told her that he was unsure of how their relationship would progress after all the drama he experienced during the last mission. And while he didn't think that it would happen as fast as it did but it was well within her right to do so. Henry let the time pass and watched as every quite second made the anxiety grow within Mia's gut. He continued to stay quiet as continued on about the history between her symbiont and her new love interest. Her voice quivered as she spoke the words to Henry, and all he could do was listen and think, ~She is all worked up for something I thought had not even progressed that far. I guess it is time to tell her that she can relax and that I don't have an issue with it.~ "Mia, slow down for a bit. There is nothing for you to be all nervous about. Like i said before I had no idea where I wanted things to go so it was well within your right to move on. Frankly, I think it's healthy and good for you." The words escaped his mouth like a well rehearsed part for a play. Only as the words came out of his mouth he began to wonder who exactly she was now seeing. His first guess was that of the Captain. ~Everybody wants a Captain~ But the thought soon left his mind. There was ample time to try and initiate something with him and from their interactions there was no evidence to prove thte theory. His next thought was of the newest recruit to the ship. ~She does like a hands on type of guy, maybe it's Ensign Getman. There is no one more hands-on than an engineer, and he is a damn good engineer. Hehe, I better keep an eye on him, or at least warn him.~ The thoughts kept poping up in his mind until Mia actually came out and told him. "What I am trying to tell you is that I've fallen for someone. Big time and I wanted you to be the first to know because of what happened between us. It's Doctor Caspian." ~............~ At that moment there was nothing that could be seen on Henry's face but a blank stare. It was not one of disrespect but just of being caught off guard. Physically it surprised him because while it was not unheard of species mating of the same sex. But soon after the uneasiness of the conversation diminished Henry realized what was goingn on. "Ahhhhhh, so Saryn knew her with a previous host." (reply Mia, Saryn) "I must say this would be the first time I would witness something of this nature that was not playing out in my head in a different setting but if this is what makes you happy then that is great for you." (reply Mia, Saryn) He sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head in a relaxed matter when he noticed Elizabeth back in corner very much focused on the table where he and Mia were sitting. He smiled at the entertainment of it all and pulled a very classy move to bring the talk to a conclusion. As fast as he put both hands behind his head he then raised one of them and motioned for her to come join them. Noticing that she had been spotted she swiftly turned her head to gaze out of the view port. This was not enough however to detour Henry. He stood up and made it known that he saw her. With a voice loud enough to reach her and carry over the regular bustle of the room he announced, "Dr. Caspian, come join us please." ~that got her attention~ (posted by Darryl McDaniel) ================================================================ Mission: Dead or Alive Day: 2 Stardate: 2414.05.16 ================================================================ (USS Boudicca - Bridge - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1218) Deynyk had reported to the transporter room as ordered, more than ready to get to the bottom of the mystery that Color II had become. The Class M world had put aside their differences after the last civil war nearly three decades ago, and yet here was a planet that was showing distinct signs of small tactical engagements. Nothing so widespread at the level of a civil War or even major military action, but more that of a series of small running operations. The question was what were they chasing, or more ominously what could they have been fleeing? (posted by Daniel Greene) (Color II - Town center - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1224) Beamdown went through smoothly but it took a few seconds for everyone minds to accept what their eyes were telling them. Once a beatiful example of open-space architecture, now turned into a landmark of mayhem and destruction on an epic scale. However, Getman himself was particularly surprised by his lack of strong emotions to the dreadful image surrounding him. He couldn't tell whether that was still the Academy training, rooted into most of what he knew about the world thus far, or was it his psychological strength shielding him from the destruction around and allowing him to focus on the mission. Either way, he chose to believe both of those explanations for that moment and dismiss the issue altogether rather than continue wasting time. The silence broke when the non-security crew finally holstered their handheld phasers and departments heads began scanning the immediate surroundings. With nobody providing conclusive answers, the Captain ordered a dispersed search pattern, attaching a security officer to each search party. Stephen was picked to go with Lt. Jacobs but there was still job to do. Getman quickly started setting up the patterns enhancers and a portable comm relay after that. A by the book procedure, recommended for larger teams in unpredictable environments, expanding their possibilites of a sucessful beamout in an emergency. Stephen, handling the gear cold and calculated, finished early but the CEO and his tactical backup were already gone to examine one of the nearby buildings. "Finn, get in here!" Getman heared finally punching the last buttons. He raised a hand with his thumb up and took a final look at the equipment. ~ There will some ground to cover. ~ He grabbed just the regular toolbox and quickly headed off for meeting up with the team. By the time he reached the security officer waiting outside, Lt. Jacobs was nowhere around. =/\= Jacobs, Getman. We're outside the house, please confirm your location. =/\= Only silence followed, punctured by the wind howling around them. =/\= Lt. Jacobs, please respond =/\= Stephen picked the tricorder from his belt. "Comms are definitely on-line, I'm not reading lieutenant's commbadge... nor his lifesigns but the bulding may be shielded." The officers looked at eachother, Getman slowly putting the toolbox down. He readied his phaser as they entered the building. "Croix." The security officer, ranked full ensign, nodded. "Getman." Steven replied. (posted by Bartek) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1226) The Captain may not have noticed that his away team had consisted on an odd number of personnel when he ordered the teams to move out and do some reconnaissance, but that was definitely the case. As a result, Deynyk quickly found himself alone at the initial beam in point as everyone broke off to conduct their own individual surveys. Determined not to be left out of the investigation, thanks to his overactive curiosity, Deynyk took a slow 360-degree turn taking in the sights of the city from his immediate location. His eyes fell upon the entry to one of the mass transit stations, that serviced this portion of the city. The magnetic levitation system on Color II had been adapted to work as a pollution free subterranean subway system. On a daily basis, it most likely carried hundreds of thousands if not millions of citizens to various parts of the city, and although there wasn't power sufficient to run their lines, the structure would act as an excellent emergency shelter should it be warranted. So while others moved to their various sectors, Deynyk pulled the phaser rifle he was carrying from his shoulder and moved to the entrance of the subway. Upon reaching it, he pulled his tricorder and attempted to get a reading of what lay inside, but the ambient magnetic fields from the rare earth magnets were interfering with his scans. Reluctantly he pulled his wrist torch from his right wrist and snapped it onto the barrel of the phaser rifle. Once he had it secured, he snapped on the light and using it as a guide he slowly moved down into the underground structure. Despite the brightness of the LEDs, the darkness in the stair well all but threatened to swallow him whole. As he slowly made his way down the broad public steps towards the platform below, he swept the light across the dark native stone steps. This was in part to prevent himself from stumbling and breaking his foolhardy neck, and it was also to allow him an opportunity to watch for signs of others. He didn't want to call them survivors just yet, at least not until he knew what was happening. The carnage above was reminiscent of rioting, although not on a grand scale. And some of the makeshift barricades that he had seen almost indicated a level of preparedness or at least some advance warning. The thought that there would be people in the shelters seemed likely to him, although as he descended deeper and deeper into the underground, he felt the oppressiveness of the darkness seem to grow a little more tangible. ::This is very weird:: Rinn commented. ::Tell me about it.:: ::I just did.:: Deynyk shook his head as his eyes stayed focused on the revealed portion of the area that his light fell upon. He found a shoe here, a child's doll there, and other smaller bits that showed that there had been people through here. But it wasn't until he reached the platform, at the bottom of the stairs that things took a turn for the gruesome. At first he hadn't been sure what the light had revealed. Perhaps a pool of liquid that seemed somehow more reminiscent of a lubricant of some sort rather than blood. But a closer inspection of the mysterious pool proved to be congealing blood, still wet, although tacky in texture. The smoothed edges of the pool were broken by texturing that indicated someone wearing clothing had been laying in it until very recently. Perhaps someone injured or wounded. The pool showed signs that the individual there had managed to make it to a standing position and had staggered and dragged themselves deeper into the darkness. They were dragging one leg, leaving painful looking marks behind as blood seeped from whatever injuries they had there. The other foot left a trail of partial foot prints behind, apparently they lost one of their shoes and Deynyk wondered if it had been the shoe he had spotted on the stairwell earlier. Signs of activity indicated the possibility of a survivor, or rather an injured person, so Deynyk did what any Starfleet officer would do in his position; He followed the blood trail. It led him deeper into the darkness until not even the light coming in from the opening to the street above could be seen. Before long his entire world consisted of the snatches of items and bloody marks that were revealed by the torch attached to his phaser rifle barrel. Bloody footprint after bloody footprint led him deeper and deeper. ::Okay I don't like this anymore.:: Rinn stated, ::We need to go back now:: ::Maybe you're right.:: Deynyk replied. He turned to reorient himself towards the entry. Although he couldn't see it, he could follow the blood trail in reverse to reach it. He started off on the return when he heard something. He stopped stock still. Something in his gut told him not to make any noise. For some reason he felt the pressing need to flip off his torch and so, carefully to minimize movement of the light, he reached out and pressed the switch which plunged him into complete darkness. For a short while everything was dreadfully quiet. nothing made a single peep. There was no rustling of paper, no hum of power coursing through the subway's system. but then, faintly, between him and the exit, Deynyk heard something. It sounded like someone dragging something leathery over the floor. He could make out the small sounds as whatever was being dragged slipped from one tile to the next, making a regular thud- thud- thud noise as it went. It took him a few seconds to realize something about the same time Rinn did. ::It's getting closer.:: he warned. Deynyk nodded and then did something that his instincts told him that he should not do. He called out. "Hello? I'm with Starfleet is there anyone here?" The sound stopped. It didn't fade, or grow quieter- it simply and completely stopped. An indeterminate period of time passed as Deynyk strained to listen for the sound to recur. He held his breath, letting it out slowly as quietly as possible, trying hard not to give away his position further. Something was obviously in the station with him and whatever it was, Deynyk somehow doubted that it was friendly. He thought about tapping his commbadge, but realized that the chirp would just draw unwanted attention to him. Besides, he doubted that the signal could get through all the magnetic interference without some modification. ::You're going to have to turn on the light and run for it.:: Rinn told him. ::Yeah.:: ::It could be getting closer and closer, we shouldn't wait much longer Dey.:: Deynyk only nodded in response. Then taking a deep breath, he reached forward and snapped on his torch. there was a sudden feral screech, which seemed to be answered by a dozen voices. Something primal, primitive took a hold of Deynyk, and contrary to every act in his life he started running. A wild shuffling could be heard behind him, and Deynyk moved as quickly as he could towards the exit, his torch dropping periodically towards the floor to try to pinpoint the blood trail he had followed into the darkness, back towards his salvation. Otherwise the light rose back up, trying to illuminate the area immediately in front of him as he moved. A sick snapping noise sounded to his forward right and Deynyk twisted the light just in time to see a humanoid arm tumble in near slow motion in an arc before him. It slapped into the white tile with a sickening wet slap, ejecting a splatter of red blood droplets on the flooring. Dey's light swept right, revealing a person, a portion of an arm grasped greedily between their hands. Their teeth were tearing into the flesh that remained there, just a moment before Deynyk's light bore down upon them. They recoiled from the sudden flood of light, thrusting the masticated stub of flesh and cracked bone in front of them in a defensive posture. Deynyk didn't slow, taking full advantage of the surprise and rushed past the man-like creature, hoping desperately to reach the exit. He was just beginning to see the first signs of the exterior light streaming into the underground stairwell, when the creature he had just past let out some sort of cry that Deynyk couldn't quite categorize as human. Almost immediately there were a hundred voices that answered the call in a similar manner and Deynyk knew that if he slowed for even a moment his last seconds would be spent being ripped to shreds beneath the city street on this alien planet. He picked up the pace, leaning into the trot to gain speed and moved as quickly as he dared. (posted by Daniel Greene) (Color II - Store - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1231) "They haven't been dead that long. Rigor hasn't set in yet," the doctor began her exam. "How long ago do you believe?" the Captain attempted to get more information. The timing of the death could be important. If the doctor felt these people were killed with in an hour or so that could mean the killers could still be nearby. Being on the cautious side, Calvin was acting as if the killers were nearby. "I can't tell an exact time but I would estimate four to six hours at the most." She paused a moment and then continued, "Sir, the...... the mutilation." "I know, its horrible," Captain Capps said with a whisper. He would forever remember the image of these two bodies. Closing her eyes, she stood and turned to face him. "The limbs were taken before death. These people were still alive when this began to happen." Calvin was now starting to put the peices together. There have been a couple of instances of what the Captain was thinking now. But he couldn't believe it. The odds of something like this happening to an entire world were nearly impossible. That is what bothered Calvin the most, it was NEARLY impossible. "I... I need a minute." The good doctor then walked away from the scene and went back through window. Calvin looked around one final time and decided that no more information could be gathered here. He looked at his tactical officer just before a scream emmitted from the lieutenants mouth. "ARGHH!" Ryko yelled. Now concerned, the Captain walked closer to Ryko. "What is it?" "These people...." Ryko said, his breath coming in short gouts to accompany the sweat of exertion on his brow. "...they weren't just murdered. They were... eaten alive!" "Eaten alive!" Calvin repeated. "How do you know this?" The Captain hasn't worked with his new officer before and wasn't for sure how he was getting this information. "I don't know... but I saw a familiar face in the madness," Ryko answered. "Was it someone part of our crew?" "Jacobs, sir. Henry Jacobs." "We need to go back to the transport site now," the Captain stepped out of the window and breathed a heavy sigh of the fresh air. Except the air wasn't as fresh as he hoped. There was smoke from the fires all around him and the stench of death. Mia had walked over to a bench and took a seat. Calvin made his way over to Mia and asked probably the stupidest question, "So, how are you doing?" She nodded and smiled softly, "I'm fine, sir. Just not seen anything like that before. I served in the war and saw some terrible things but that...." She stopped. "I understand, I have never seen anything like that before either. Are you going to be ok?" asked the concerned Captain. "Yes, sir. I'll be okay." She stood and wiped her eyes and continued, "What now?" "I think we have seen enough. We need to get back to the transport site and discuss with everyone what we have found. I would feel much safer if we got off this rock as soon as possible." (posted by Calvin Capps) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr – 1243) She stepped into a nightmare, has the light from the teleporter faded to reveal the basted and destroyed capital of Color ll. Elizabeth had strengthened her mental barriers before she left the Boudicca which she was thankful for. Even now the screams, the death, and the nightmare of thousands of souls pushed against those barriers in an attempt to tear them down. She listened has the Captain gave the order for the group to split up into smaller groups and each go into different directions. She was to go with Lt. Trei she hoped the large Klingon would keep whatever destroyed this land at bay. But Elizabeth knew the Captain needed answers, he knew he needed to know what was going on here. That meant either they found survivors or those with telepathic abilities would have to look into the impression that was left on the land and dead to see what had happened. A prospect Elizabeth wasn't terribly thrilled with. Has Elizabeth and Trei walked there was little conversation, until they reached a wooded area. "What are your thoughts on the scene we have observed?" Lt. Trei asked. "Besides the obvious." Lizzy replied, shaking her head. "I'm afraid of what might happen if I use any telepathy. I already feel the horrors of this place trying to break into my mind. It's nearly all I can do to keep them...." Elizabeth's voice dropped has she felt something from deeper with in the woods watching them. Causing Elizabeth to become still her breathing deep. The assault on her mind was so sudden so violent there was little she could do to stop it from tearing her barriers apart. Her breathing stopped suddenly, as Elizabeth's hands went to the sides of her head a high pitched noise cut into her mind. Throwing her head back, her backed arced almost unnaturally has Elizabeth fought in a futile effort to keep the madness from slipping into her mind. She feel to her knees, as the darkness took her mind. She could feel the hunger that filled the beast, and undeniable need to kill, to feed on the fear of everyone weaker than it. :: Come to Me ::The words beckoned Lizzy has the creature tried to lure her in. She knew then that the beast had at least some degree of telepathic ability. She felt drawn by the words the continued to echo in her mind. She denied the command and grounded herself. She fashioned her will into a spear, a hope, an act of desperation. She used the established mental connection as she threw the mental spear at the creatures mind. In the distance of deep woods there was a terrible roaring of something inhuman, that turned and ran deeper into the woods crashing though the underbrush. It was an act that caused Lizzy to shutter, has she rebuilt her barriers once again. Never before had she felt such a natural murderous demon. Elizabeth tried to stand. "Lt...." a dizziness came over her and she fell. Using that much of her mental ability over taxed her mind. She took a moment or two to catch her breath then tried again. "Lt. Trei we need to get back to the others something dark is hunting these people." (reply Trei) All of a sudden Lizzy felt tired drained, it was a weakness she felt only once before. She tried to keep still and listen to Trei has he responded. (posted by Matthew Locke) (Color II - Town center , power-control building - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1245) "Lieutenant Jacobs!?" Getman continued to call out while they were moving throught the dark first floor, the lights on their wrists sending out bright, wide beams of light. They encountered a staircase in the lobby, they looked at each other and the security officer shook his head, placing a small sentry sensor to cover their back instead of separating the team even further. They continued clearing the rooms slowly, the surroundings proving difficult - filled with dead machinery and computers, lots of dark spots to hide. Consoles and monitors around were visibly damaged but it wasn't until they found a large pool of blood in one of the corners that Steven felt cold sweat on his back and finally let the other officer take point. There was no point in arguing, Getman's reflexes and tactical training were no match for the skills of dedicated tactical personnel. "If anyone hears this, we're not your enemy!" The security officer called out in turn. Suddenly both officers froze as a shadow ran from behind one of the standalone terminals to the doorway nearby. The thing gone before they could react. "The weapons we're holding are for self-defense, we have nothing to do with the disaster that happened here. We're a crew of Federation starship USS Boudicca and came to help." Getman called out again, as they approached the doorway. He then turned towards Croix quietly, still holding a tricorder in one hand. "Large room, multiple vantage points, wide angle to left. Reading two sets of faint life signs at the oposite wall. At three?" Croix nodded in response. "Three." The both ran into the room, the security officer first, sweaping the dark room and moving left fast to cover more space with his compression rifle. Getman followed right behind, right along the wall on the right, covering the dark void in direct front of the entrance. Before the officers could finish the manouver, a blindingly bright light made them drop to the floor. Croix's superb training kicked in, almost instinctively shooting down the two huge lamps. In the dying light and phaser flashes they could both see a small person, perhaps a child, running again through the room. He disappeared equally fast. As the officers came to their senses and determined there was no immediate danger, they rushed towards the opposite wall of the room. "Lt. Jacobs..." Getman commented alloud as both officers found themselves standing above the body of the senior officer. Croix pointed his rifle at the open shaft recessed into the floor two meters away. Steven holstered his phaser, kneeled and focused on his tricorder. Lieutenant's life signs were clear now, the building must had been heavily shielded or built from EM-absorbing materials. "No internal hemmoraging, no brain trauma. The cut on the head seems superficial." Getman confirmed aloud. "Sir!" He started shaking Jacobs. "Lieutenant!" (posted by Bartek) (Color II - City Center - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1250) He and Caspian went the ordered 100 yards when something assaulted Caspian Telepathically. He waited for her to steady herself and fight off the attack. She took some time to rebuild her mental defenses. She told him of a beast assaulting her telepathically. She told him of the great hunger the beast had shown her and the need to kill. She asked him what was the best action to take at that point. "Lean on me and rest for a bit. We should go back and warn the party immediately but we were sent for information and I intend to do so. What direction did the attack come from? Stay behind me and guide me to the beast." (posted by Edward Engel) (Color II - Transport Site - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1300) When Calvin and his small group returned to the transport site everyone except Caspian, Trei, Getman and Jacobs were back. From the officers who were present quickly gave a very brief report on what they saw. It was much of the same thing. Others had also ran into bodies through out their search which were mutilated. Some of the bodies were in the open like in streets and yards. As they talked around a corner the Captain could hear Leiutenant Trei's voice. Calvin turned to see that Elizabeth was hanging on to the security officer for support. "What happened?" (reply Trei, Caspian) "We will get your report back on the Boudicca." Calvin turned his attention to the security officers and guided them to start the transport emitters. Of course the team wasn't leaving yet they still waited patiently for Getman and Jacobs to return. After a couple of minutes passed a bad feeling began to creep up on the Captain. He knew they had been on the planet way too long now. "Lets start beaming up, Skylynx, Trei and myself will stay here and wait for the engineering crew." But before anyone had enough time to beam out, a loud noise could be heard. It sounded like hundreds of people walking and moaning. Some how the noise grew louder within seconds and before anyone could react a large mob appeared 15 yards in front of them. The mob easily consisted of a 100 people. They looked like the residents of Color II except they were pale, wore tattered clothing, had many different wounds and blood was all over their bodies. The mob continued to make their way toward the away team. "Follow me!" Calvin yelled. The Captain turned and ran away from the mob. He looked back and watched as everyone followed. "Shoot anything that comes to close," he told Skylynx, Trei and the rest of security who were all taking the rear of their group. After running for a few minutes Calvin came to a building. One of the building's door suddenly opened and out came Getman with his security detail. Both of them holding Jacobs. "Getman, back into the building, everyone into the building!" (posted by Calvin Capps) (Color II - City Center - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1305) Caspian clung to him for support when Capps came to their location. He told Caspian to beam back to the ship. He Sky and Capps stayed behind to find the Engineering team. Before they could react, a mob of town people converged 15 yards from their position. He found the concept of a zombie caused by a virus intriguing for he never encountered zombies before. They ran back the way they came and were abruptly pulled into a building to find Getman and Jacobs in the building. He turned to face Capps and give his report. Caspian informed me of the telepathic nature of a beast. The beast invaded her mind and she spoke of the beast's insatiable hunger and need to kill. With enhanced telepathic help from the holodeck, I believe I can communicate with the beast. My empathic abilities can be the key to connecting with the beast and we can get some answers." (posted by Edward Engel) (Color II - Town center , power-control building - Asst. CEO En.jg. Stephen Getman - 1305) Long minutes were passing and lieutenant Jacobs was still sitting under the wall, barely coherent. Getman was feeling that ever-louder voice at the back of his head - it was getting unacceptably long that they were out of contact with the rest of the team. The close-quarters environment and lack of any on-site intelligence mounted a pretty poor tactical situation. Croix's face, previously perfectly straight, now displayed clearly visible drops of sweat. Every other minute he was switching his rifle between the small shaft in the corner of the room and the passageway they stormed the room through a dozen minutes ago. ~ That's it. ~ Getman took a final peek at the wounded's life signs and secured his tricorder back onto his belt. He looked at Croix, as he nodded understanding what had to be done without words spoken. The security officer switched to his hand phaser while letting the pulse rifle hang on his chest rig, helping Getman raise the lieutenant by his shoulders. Jacobs moaned, probably still not fully aware of the situation. "Sorry, mate. We don't have any anaesthetic to fly you sky-high." Steven tried to keep the CEO awake as they were slowly moving through the floor towards the entry point. Both carefully approached each and every corner on the way, while Croix was constantly checking their backs. As they finally reached the door, being constantly reminded of the CEO's extensive physical training schedule, they witnessed a most peculiar of views just as Getman was reaching to his commbadge. Most of the team was racing through the yard, towards Steven and Croix, apparently followed by suprisingly large but slower group of people literally pouring from around every nearby corner and even from inside some of the buildings. The security officers were shooting back in attempts to slow down the mob with fallen benches, trees and street lights. Getman left speechless, it was only few seconds that took the Captain to reach the entrance shouting. "Getman, back into the building, everyone into the building!" With everyone rushing back in, Steven could only catch a glimpse of the inbound mob. Their clothes soaked with blood, their pale faces twisted in terrifying indifference. Getman and Corix rested the injured senior officer back on the floor, against the hallway staircase to the upper floor. It took exactly 10 seconds for the security team to lock down the entrance tight, clear and set up positions throughout nearby rooms, each officer running a check on their weapons thereafter. Everyone was breathing hard, some whispering, flashlight beams moving erratically in the dark. Movement could now be heard clearly behind all of the most external walls, fortunately the only pair of windows was shut and secured tight with additional layers of metal, apparently integrated into overall profile of the building's security-minded design. Counsellor Caspian seemed to be in a pretty bad shape, any injures difficult to see in the dark, with Dr Saryn taking care of her. Ensign Trei, quite anxious for a change, was having skipper's attention for the moment. As Getman looked around thinking of the seriousness of the fight the end of which they just witnessed, he noticed Lieutenant Rinn was nowhere to be seen. ~ A casualty? ~ He asked himself in a surprisingly cold and calculated way. "What happened to him?" Lieutenant Saryn approached Getman, nodding towards Jacobs. "Blunt force trauma to the head, low pressure but brainwaves below life threatening patterns. We weren't able to patch the cut on the back of the head, but it's the lack of consciousness thus far that gets me worried..." He made room as the medic approached the wounded. "The low-resolution scans show no haemorrhaging or other internal injury. But a concussion is safe to assume, while your medical tricorder should yield much more details..." He watched for a moment as the blond woman examined Jacobs intently, her touch delicate and cautious but her moves quick and precise. Her mind seemingly completely focused on the patient even in the difficult situation and the state of her close friend just few meters away. Suddenly an extremely loud banging noise distracted everyone. Someone was hitting very strongly on the door. Later Getman never recalled whether it had been fear or training that allowed him to act swiftly, but at that very moment quite many thoughts, some of them scary, started flowing through his mind. Almost immediately he picked out his tricorder, running several preprogrammed routines as quickly as he could. As soon as another, even louder bang, interrupted Trei's conversation with the captain again Steven interrupted still holding the device in his hand. ~ Quick and concise, Mr. Getman. ~ "Excuse Mr. Trei, Captain, but I feel there's certain some urgency." He turned towards the senior officer, another bang concerting with his words, this time heavy enough to leave a visible dent in the door. Security officers raised their rifles. "Assuming those trying to get in display no heavier weaponry, that door may give some time. Yet, the building we're in is heavily EM-shielded. I'm not reading the comm and pattern enhancers outside, we have to assume they were rendered inoperative by the crowd. We are not be able to beam out or call the ship for reinforcements from here and that same door is the only path directly outside." He gestured at the main entrance while peeking at his tricorder. "It seems the weakest point of the building is the upper floor's roof. I suspect we could damage the shielding there successfully and evacuate from there. However the damage that would be necessary could also crack the walls and open entry from the outside. Yet,..." Another loud bang making an impression on the door. Getman waited briefly for the echo to subside. "... the EM shielding is not accidental. This very building seems to be one of the control centers for the lone planetary power plant, located beneath the city. As you can see around, and what our orbital scans had confirmed, no energy is delivered to the surface and by extension - the rest of the planet. Even if we evacuate now, there's a strong possibility that all kinds of batteries, at this moment relied on universally throughout Color II, will eventually die and it will be impossible to concert any relief effort down from Boudicca. Now, Lieutenant Jacobs here was attacked by someone, perhaps a frightened child, that ultimately took shelter in the shaft network accessible from the other end of the house." Getman motioned towards the room he and Croix found the CEO in. "I believe those shafts may lead us, at length, to the plant itself but having no indication of what is actually happening at the plant, let alone if we can repair the damage in the first place, I can only suggest that you, Captain, and the non-fighting personnel try to beam out from the upper floor while I and the security detail take our chance in reinitializing the power flow now that the circumstances are still localized and there's a possibility we can contain them with Boudicca's resources alone." Getman rested his case, awaiting orders. (posted by Bartek) (Color II - Building - ACMO Lt jg Mia Saryn- 1311) Mia ran into the building with the rest of the crew and panted, bending over and putting her hands on her knees. ~What the hell is going on here?~ she thought to herself as she spotted Lizzy being brought in. Running to her side, she nodded and watched as she was placed down onto the floor. Dropping to her knees, she held Lizzy's face in her hands gently and said, "Hey, come on Lizzy, look at me." (Reply Caspian) Mia ran her thumb gently over her lips and said, "Look at me. You're okay. Focus on me. Bring yourself back to me, Lizzy. Please. I can't do this without you." (Reply Caspian) As she saw the focus return to her eyes, she leant forward and kissed her cheek gently and said, "I'll be right back." Walking towards Getman, she said, "What happened to him?" (posted by Jackie Smith) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1312) Deynyk took the steps three at a time, which he felt was a strong indication of how badly he wanted to get out of the underground. The brightness of full daylight dazzled his eyes, which had become accustomed to the dimmer light below. He started to sprint back towards the landing site when he spotted what appeared to be a mob very close to that point. They were obviously in a state similar to the individual that he had encountered below, and that meant that they were not likely to leave him alone. He twisted his route, cutting down an adjacent alleyway until he found a doorway that he thought might serve him well enough to give him a few moments of respite in which he could catch his breath. The door gave way easily to his indelicate efforts and Deynyk quickly swept the phaser rifle across the open room that turned out to be a cafe kitchen. There was no sign of the owner or any patrons, which now considering what he had just seen, wasn't really surprising. The tables were overturned, and the large plate glass window in the front of the shop was spidered in a half-dozen places, but more intact than he would have expected. He cleared the ground floor and found the stairs. A tense few moments were to be had ascending them before reaching the shop owners private residence. Here, instead of battering down the door, he simply tried the handle. Surprisingly it wasn't locked and he managed to use the override to open the door without difficulty. Once inside, he made a quick sweep of the small apartment and then returned to close the door behind him. He found a location where he could see the beam in area from an upper story window, and still see the door to the apartment with a quick glance. Once he was certain that his position was undiscovered he took a moment to look around. Across the street, a few doors down, the mob seemed to be laying siege to a building there. he had not heard a call from beam up back to the Boudicca, so that meant that the waya team was still on the planet, although he had to admit to himself, possible magnetic interference could have prevented him from hearing such a call. But there wasn't any interference now and it was time to warn the captain and the others of what he had discovered. hopefully they were all still safe. He tapped his commbadge and whispered, "Rinn to Capps. Come in Captain." (posted by Daniel Greene) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr – 1313) Has Elizabeth clung to Lt. Trei, he asked where he could find the beast that attacked her. It would mean for her to make contact with the beast to relocate it. Something she was not looking forward to. When the Captain and his group came around the corner and basically recalled everyone on the away team. In the next few minutes hell broke loose. They had just manages to reach the pattern enhancers when the away team saw the coming of the mob. Dozens of people, cloths torn, wounds bleeding, all lifeless and dead. The away team found safety in a near by building. Mia was there by her side, Lizzy knew she was there.The softness of her hands on her face only confirmed that. "Hey, come on Lizzy, look at me." Lizzy forced her world to focus on the face of her lover, and she smiled meekly. "I'm alright. Go others need you more than I." Mia left her then, going to do what they both did best heal the wounded. People moved all round Lizzy moving to secure there position, and hold off the coming mob. Lizzy slowly rose using the wall for support she found her feet. She looked at the chaos around her and she the enormity of what had happened on Color II fall over her, and it made her sick. There came a banging then more had joined and they gathered undead tried to gain access to the building that held there prey. Lizzy knew she had to do something, but her choices were limited. It was about this time that Mia came back to her. "How is everything?" Lizzy forced a smile for Mia's sake. "Sorry to worry you." (posted by Matthew Locke) (Color II - Processing Plant - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1315) The mob pressed against the door frantically trying to bust through. The door was holding them back but not for much longer. Getman suggested to go deeper into the plant to find a way out or set up a defense against the mob. He was always up for a fight since he has done this type of mob control before more often than not it involved a violent display of flying bodies. He hoped for their sake it didn't come to that. He took a few steps toward the door and assumed a defensive stance with his Battlaff held out and ready. "I will hold them off as long as I can. You two security flank me for support." (posted by Edward Engel) (Color II - Building - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1317) Everyone entered the room as swiftly as possible. As the last man crossed the barrier into the facility one of the security personnel pushed the door closed locking it into place. Moments after the sound of the door locking, sounds of the mob hitting the door at full speed followed. At that moment the Captain felt comfortable they would be safe for a moment to discuss their game plan. The first man to approach Calvin was the Boudicca's security officer. "Caspian informed me of the telepathic nature of a beast. The beast invaded her mind and she spoke of the beast's insatiable hunger and need to kill. With enhanced telepathic help from the holodeck, I believe I can communicate with the beast. My empathic abilities can be the key to connecting with the beast and we can get some answers." Calvin pondered the report by Trei. So far it seemed to Calvin the planet was being over ran by a mob of flesh eating native inhabitants. The new information that Elizabeth was able to feel a singular beast threw Calvin's theory out of whack. Was it possible that a single being was responsible for this horrific outcome and was now controlling this mob, or do these mobs operate on the same basis as the Borg, many as one. "Unfortunately Mr. Trei we do not have a holodeck to further this intel. When we get back to the Boudicca let's see what we can come up with." At the end of the Captain's sentence the asst. engineer chief jumped in. "Excuse me Mr. Trei, Captain, but I feel there's certain some urgency." "Of course, Mr. Getman, your thoughts," Calvin responded. "Assuming those trying to get in display no heavier weaponry, that door may give some time. Yet, the building we're in is heavily EM-shielded. I'm not reading the comm and pattern enhancers outside, we have to assume they were rendered inoperative by the crowd. We are not be able to beam out or call the ship for reinforcements from here and that same door is the only path directly outside." He gestured at the main entrance while peeking at his tricorder. "It seems the weakest point of the building is the upper floor's roof. I suspect we could damage the shielding there successfully and evacuate from there. However the damage that would be necessary could also crack the walls and open entry from the outside. Yet,..." The pounding on the door continued, but each hit grew louder and stronger. There were visible dents in the door now. Calvin knew that the time his team had to stay here was diminishing at an alarming rate now. The beating paused again and Stephen continued. "... the EM shielding is not accidental. This very building seems to be one of the control centers for the lone planetary power plant, located beneath the city. As you can see around, and what our orbital scans had confirmed, no energy is delivered to the surface and by extension - the rest of the planet. Even if we evacuate now, there's a strong possibility that all kinds of batteries, at this moment relied on universally throughout Color II, will eventually die and it will be impossible to concert any relief effort down from Boudicca. Now, Lieutenant Jacobs here was attacked by someone, perhaps a frightened child, that ultimately took shelter in the shaft network accessible from the other end of the house." Getman motioned towards the room he and Croix found the CEO in. "I believe those shafts may lead us, at length, to the plant itself but having no indication of what is actually happening at the plant, let alone if we can repair the damage in the first place, I can only suggest that you, Captain, and the non-fighting personnel try to beam out from the upper floor while I and the security detail take our chance in reinitializing the power flow now that the circumstances are still localized and there's a possibility we can contain them with Boudicca's resources alone." With the mob getting ever closer to knocking the door down and with personnel injured and need of immediate medical attention it was time for the Captain to choose a play from his play book. He was already thinking on the same lines as Getman. Although he knew this was the appropriate move he felt like he was leaving his team behind for death. "Agreed. Ensign you will take charge of Team Bravo. Find anyone who has not been converted to these flesh eating fiends and find out what is going on. You will keep all but 2 security officers, Lieutenant Trei, Ensign Caspian and Chief Jacobs. After you discover these people protect yourselves and stay safe. We will return with reinforcements as soon as possible." (reply Getman, all) The sudden crack of the door made everyone jump. The door was now beginning to open with each pound. Calvin quickly assembled his team, specifically he helped up Chief Jacobs and began to go up the stairs with him. "I will hold them off as long as I can. You two security flank me for support." Trei readied himself. "Give us just a few minutes Lieutenant Trei and then you and those two security men join us upstairs. We need to make it to the top floor." As the Captain made his assent upwards his combadge fizzled with static. =/\=Rinn to -------. Come -- Captain.=/\= "Rinn, can you hear me?" the Captain responded. (reply Rinn) A reply came back but only one maybe two words could be made out. "Lieutenant, if you can understand me we are headed to the top of a building we are trapped in. We are going to attempt to damage the ceiling to open up the building and contact the Boudicca. Any help would appreciated." (posted by Calvin Capps) (Color II - Building – ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1319) After checking everyone was okay, Mia made her way back to Lizzy, "How is everything? Sorry to worry you." Mia smiled back and said, “You don't have to worry about me. I get the rights on worrying about you, remember?” she gripped her lover's hand and said, “And you don't have to pretend. I can tell that something happened to you out there and that it was big. You're forgetting that I have been with you before and know the signs with you.” she replied with a wink. (Reply Caspian) Suddenly, a bang shook them both. Her brow furrowing, Mia said, “That's all we need. Zombies trying to get in.” (Reply Caspian) It soon became apparent that they would be moving. Throwing Lizzy's arm around her neck, she said, “Come on, Girl.” (Reply Caspian) It was then she heard the Captain mention that Caspian was to stay behind. Propping her back up against the nearby wall, Mia walked over to Capps and said, “Sir, I'd rather if Doctor Caspian were to go back to the ship and I stay behind. She isn't strong enough to stay here. (posted by Jackie Smith) (Color II - Processing Plant - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1320) He heard the orders from Capps that they were going to the top floor to try to get to the roof. Capps said he needed a few minutes of separation lead time to get a COMM to the Boudicca to get them beamed out. He understood this as the door nearly bust out. "Understood sir." He took the position and resigned himself to the fact that there was no choice but to kill the mob. The door bust and the mob began to converge upon him. He sliced a few mob members only to see 4 file in their place. He could keep this up for a bit longer then they would have to make a run to the roof. He bludgeoned a few while slicing several more. The two security officers helped clear the others with phaser fire. After a grueling five or ten minutes of fighting, the mob seemed to retreat or lose interest. He placed several interlocking flame grenades at the door. He took a few of them and activated them producing a good sized fire. The rest he scattered along the hallway as they went. They made it to the roof with little scratches and bruises. He addressed the Captain. "The first wave of zombies are eliminated sir. I set up flame grenades along the escape route to meet the next wave. It should buy us 10 or so minutes to beam out." (posted by Edward Engel) (Color II - Building - ATAC Lt Ryko Skylynx - 1323) "MOVE!" Ryko's voice was thunder as he retreated in a backpedal borne of decades' training in the field with heavy weapons. He had no idea what or who was keeping these poor souls animate but his trigger finger itched to put them out of their misery. Only with a great effort of will did he restrain himself from letting loose a volley of phaser fire at the advancing mob, instead contenting himself with flanking the retreat of the away team into the building the Captain had ordered. Eventually, the team was inside, and fully accounted for. Ryko managed to pick up details of conversation but his mind was primarily focused on rendering the building defensible. At last, confident that the door wasnt about to give in like paper, he stood back, still facing it but within better earshot of what was going on. "Ensign you will take charge of Team Bravo," The Captain was saying. "Find anyone who has not been converted to these flesh eating fiends and find out what is going on. You will keep all but 2 security officers, Lieutenant Trei, Ensign Caspian and Chief Jacobs. After you discover these people protect yourselves and stay safe. We will return with reinforcements as soon as possible." "Understood sir," Ryko acknowleged. He moved to Getman's side immediately, and the group began to break up. "I will hold them off as long as I can," Trei's voice cut through the hubbub. "You two security flank me for support." Trei readied himself. "Detron," Ryko said to the other tactical officer. "When you get back to the boudicca, it might be worth keeping a skeletal lock on us. It worked for the crew of Voyager, it would probably help us here. Good luck." (reply Trei, iyw) With that, the Captain and his team began to move out. As if on cue, the endless pounding of the door built to a crescendo, and the portal gave way. "Time to move out!" Ryko called, opening fire on the sudden influx of... zombies? The word was crude, but it would suffice. Three fell and six more took their place. "Getman, lead us out of here, before we're zombie chow!" (posted by Adam) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1324) Lizzy was about to make her way up the stairs following the Captain, Jacobs and others that were to attempt to make it back to the Boudicca for reinforcements, when Mia came up to her. "How is everything? Sorry to worry you." Mia smiled back and said, "You don't have to worry about me. I get the rights on worrying about you, remember?” she gripped her lover's hand and said, “And you don't have to pretend. I can tell that something happened to you out there and that it was big. You're forgetting that I have been with you before and know the signs with you.” she replied with a wink. Elizabeth was glad Mia was with her, " We worry about each other." She sighed before continuing. "After what happened I don't know if any of us are safe. I'll try not to pretend," She pulled Mia close, and in a terrified whisper. "Mia, I'm scared." It was then that Mia threw her arm around Lizzy's neck for support. Elizabeth knew she was still in a weaken state from the mental attack. So she accepted the help with out pointless argument, she knew in the end it would of been one she would of lost. It was then Lizzy heard Mia yell over to the Captain. “Sir, I'd rather if Doctor Caspian were to go back to the ship and I stay behind. She isn't strong enough to stay here." She looked at Mia. "I'll be fine." smiled and "I'll be back with whatever is needed to stop this, you just be safe." Lizzy spoke in a almost scolding voice before adding softly. "I've lost you once I don't need to lose you again. Now let me go and get out of here." Has to punctuate what she said there was aloud bang has the door gave way and the undead horde began to pour into the room, it was followed by a loud explosion from just beyond the wall that caused the entire room to shake. Lizzy made it the small building a top the roof. The small contingent used there phasers to chip away section in hopes of getting a signal out to the Boudicca. "Captain" Elizabeth yelled, over a series of explosions from fire gernades. "We need to beam directly into medical with a level five containment shield in place until medical staff can confirm that we didn't bring whatever turned these people doesn't follow us, and infect the rest of the ship." (reply Capps) Has Jacobs tried to get a signal though to the Boudicca Elizabeth felt an darkness beginning to approach them all. "Captain, we have a problem." Lizzy called (posted by Matthew Locke) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1325) At first there was no response and Deynyk actually wondered if he had somehow managed to miss the beam out of the away team. That changed however when his commbadge crackled to life. There was obviously a lot of interference on the sender's side of the line. =^=Rinn, can -- hear --?=^= the static-filled voice of the captain asked. "Your signal is breaking up badly, sir. say again. repeat, say again." Deynyk responded, hoping that the captain was receiving him better than he was receiving the captain. =^=---tenant --- if --- --- understand --- are head-- -- -- top --- build --- trapped ---- attem ------- ceiling --- open ---- and con ------cca --- help ---reciated.=^= The signal was badly garbled and Deynyk was certain that he missed at least half the words. He wasn't certain if he was being issued orders or if he was being advised of an action, but it seemed pretty evident that something had to be done, and if the mob outside was of any consequence, the away team could very well be trapped. ::I don't like what you're thinking:: Rinn said "Neither do I" Deynyk replied aloud. If these creatures were ravenous, Deynyk was about to gamble that whatever hunger seemed to drive them might very well be engrossing enough to motivate them to chase down the most easily acquired food source available to him. As far as he could tell at this moment, he was the equivalent of a buffet on the hoof. He skipped down the steps of the small shop using the banister rails to support his body as he slid down them, only hitting a few steps as he went. He exited into the small shop, running back into the kitchen and looking for the clean hydrogen fuel cells that most such establishment used for their day-to-day cooking. He found it easily, and pulling a ceramic blade from one of the drawers in the kitchen, he punctured the cell casing several times, releasing the deadly hydrogen into the small confined space of the diner. Then he completed the makeshift bomb with a digital timer and a stripped contact relay, salvaged from a warmer, attached to the device. It only took a second to set it and make his way out into the alleyway once again. He rushed around to the front of the shop, just a series of phaser blasts and fire bombs rocked the front of the building surrounded by the mob of grisly city inhabitants. There were hundreds of them, beginning to surround the building and even Deynyk knew that a final stand couldn't hold them off for very long. They needed to be convinced that they could get an easier meal elsewhere. He was standing in the middle of the thoroughfare, halfway between the cafe and the building directly across from it, when the makeshift explosive triggered. The tremendous boom, decimated the building and sent out a shockwave that caught Deynyk unexpected. He didn't quite realize how powerful a hydrogen explosion could be, thinking that it would just make a big noise and do some damage, he didn't realize that the concussive force would drive him almost across the street and into a parked personal conveyance. He rolled over with a groan as he forced himself to his feet. The explosion had left him bruised and sore, but not so badly that it was crippling. He looked up to see the sea of half-decayed people ambling down the street towards him. The explosion had served his purpose, which was to get them to look his way. They did, and when they realized that he was alive, moving and exposed, they took the bait. Deynyk wanted to make certain to draw as many of the creatures away from the away team as he could., so to punctuate his living status, he picked up his phaser rifle, dropped to one knee and fired three quick bursts into the leaders of the macabre crowd. His weapon was set for heavy stun and the grotesque meat-puppets didn't disappoint him. They crumpled under the neural overload of the weapons. Dey rose to his feet, quickly did a 360-degree sweep of his immediate vicinity and made as much noise, as exuberantly as he could. As the crowd began to close on him, Deynyk turned and ran the other way, running just fast enough to drag the mob along with the hope of an available feast, hoping that he didn't run into another mob. (posted by Daniel Grene) (Color II - Building - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1328) Jacobs seemed to be moving a little to slow for the Captain's liking. He mustered all the strength he could to help himself up but moving seemed futile without the help of at least one person. Henry watched as the security detail fell back while he, the Captain, and Ensign Caspian made their way higher into the building to find some sort of vantage point. The three of them made it to the top floor of the building and upon reaching their destination found the room to be without any door or window. "Give me a second, " Jacobs coughed out, still groggy from his head wound. "Mentally forming a thought he activated the magnification feature of his optical implant. Scanning the room for the slightest sign of weakened structural integrity his head panned the room in a landscape manner. After coming up with no positive result he looked up at the ceiling and repeated the process. In the farthest corner of the room he recognized significant microfractures that with some assistance could open up the room. "There, " he pointed, "in the corner of the room. If we concentrate phaser fire in that corner we should be able to open up the room to the outside and hopefully make contact with the Boudicca" (reply Caspian, Capps) With all three people nodding in agreeance the three raised their arms to fire their phasers. Jacobs fired first to pinpoint the location of the microfractures and the beam from his phaser was soon met by the two other phaser streams from the Captain and Dr. It was only a matter of seconds before the corner of the building began to collapse in and give way to the skyline. In succession the phaser fire stopped and Jacobs turned to the Captain for orders. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – The Beast – 1330) Te beast was angered he had let his guard down, he did not expect someone that mentally strong to be on this planet but then again there she was. He hungered for the strength of her mind to break it, subjugate it, to dominate her mind entirely. He knew where they were hiding he had sent his horde before him to trap his prey. There was an simplistic love he had for the plagued undead that worked for him and did his bidding. They would never question him, never stop, and never surrender. In there dormant decaying mind he, the beast, was free to roam his mental strenght grew with each new mind he controlled and now has he came closer to the besidged building he felt the precence of others that shared in that precious gift of the mind. It drove the beast mad, how much stronger would he become once he forced those mind into his collective. How much more death and darkness could he spread once all that now hid in that building were under his control. There was a large explosion has the neared the heart of the Capital city, He saw in the mind of the horde a lone man run from the devastation. his hoard turned to give chase. The beast opened its mighty maw and roared loudly announcing his presence. He took a perch a top a near by building has sharpened talons crushed into the side and his massive black form crushed the several top floors beneath his weight. The roar along with the mental command brought back the hoard that went after the lone attacker. The beast allowed a small contingent to follow behind. There were others in thos part of the city that would deal with him. He sneered sending the command. Soon that pain would be dealt with as the hoard will find, him isolate him, then destroy him. The beast turned his attention back to his prey. ::Come Friends come out and let me show you a life without fear, pain, or loss.:: His mental words pieced though the building and he hoped into the mind of thoses with in. He laced those words with a powerful charm. He waited for soon he hoped his prey would come to him. (posted by Matthew Locke) (Color II - Transport site - Town center - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1335) Legs pumping just fast enough to keep him well out of reach of the shambling mob of creatures, Deynyk was carefully leading them away from the Away team. He had paused for just a second at the intersection, to make certain that the mob didn't lose sight of him, when a deep bellowing animal noise sounded somewhere above and behind him. He spun, lowering himself into a crouch, expecting to be attacked by something large, predatory and brazen, but no attack came. The noise whatever it was seemed satisfied with simply making its existence known rather than showing itself. Dey quickly checked his six and disappointingly noted that the vast majority of the mob had stopped giving chase. In stead they seemed to be ambling away from him, in an attempt to return to the site of the away team's defensive stand. A crash of a structure overwhelmed his senses, as a building several hundred yards away suddenly compressed. That's when Deynyk saw something. He couldn't accurately describe it, it seemed large, black, covered with an oily black sheen that seemed to indicate a throbbing unnatural presence. It had wings that seemed to fold up a cross it's massive blistered back, and massive talons that threatened to rival most swords for length. Taking his eyes off it for only a second, Deynyk realized that the mob hadn't turned to run from the creature as he had initially thought, but instead, several were still closing on him. ::Do you think it's controlling them somehow?:: Rinn asked. ::I don't know, maybe.:: ::Like the Borg perhaps, but with dead bodies.:: Deynyk shuddered, ::Possibly, but I don't think nannies are the means in this case.:: ::Then what?:: ::Intact brains mean an intact control system, death indicates a lack of cognizant control by the original owner, maybe some sort of necrotic telepathy?:: ::Interesting thought:: Suddenly there was a pressure that formed behind Deynyk's eyes, a sort of weather front that threatened to unleash one mother of a hurricane. ::Come Friends come out and let me show you a life without fear, pain, or loss.:: The power of the thing was massive, demanding and almost more than Deynyk or Rinn could ever hope to fight. Trills may be touch telepaths, but they were very much unable to handle raw telepathic power on this scale. The sensation was so bad, that Deynyk fell to his knees, clutching the sides of his head. Even Rinn was writhing in agony. ::We… have to …move:: Dey managed as he pulled himself to his feet. The smaller Zombie horde had closed perilously close. Deynyk shook his head to try to clear it and was rewarded by an unwanted bout of vertigo, which although unpleasant seemed to have done the trick for the moment. Marginally clearer minded, he moved away from the creature, he now had to escape the mob and warn the away team. He tapped his commbadge as he jogged. "Rinn to any away team member," he began. "The horde is on the way back to your location. Be advised there is some sort of massive…thing… near your location on a rooftop. It may be in charge of the mob, and has powerful telepathic power. I will lay low and attempt to make contact again later." (reply Any) The trip around the block seemed to take longer than he preferred. The smaller mob fell behind, but twice Deynyk had to deviate his path to avoid smaller groups that seemed to be roving. Eventually, thoroughly lost, Deynyk managed to slip into an abandoned warehouse, looking for shelter and perhaps a safe place from which to regroup with the away team. (posted by Daniel Greene) (USS Boudicca - Astrometrics - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1347) It had been several minutes before the power was returned to the Astrometric lab. Once fully functional again Nickolas had to redo all the work he had been doing in regards to scanning the planet surface. It was to his surprise that the only life-signs detectable were those of the away teams. The time that the others spent down there should have been more than enough to locate any survivors or any signs of what had taken place. Since there had not been any contact with the teams from the surface Nickolas switched his focus onto interplanetary communication. It was all quiet until suddenly a signal was detected. As the information came in the holographic representation of the planet began to magnify and pinpoint the exact location of the originating transmission. The initial transmission was inaudible and Romanoff could not make out any words. There was only so much he could do from the Astrometrics lab and any other attempts at clearing up the message would require the help of the computer. Still weary that the previous ship wide problem had not been resolved or even addressed he called upon the computer. "Computer, compensate for atmospheric and electro magnetic interference, and then reestablish comm link with surface." The computer beeped and clicked while performing its task without error. The signal was a bit clearer and although he could make out words and fragments of sentences he was unsure of who was talking. He waited for a break in the message to begin to respond. "Whoever is speaking this is Ensign Nickolas Romanoff of the USS Boudicca. We are reading your communication but the signal is garbled. Is there anything you can do to boost your signal?" (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (Color II - Underground compound - Tela and Cain -1350) It had been 20 minutes since Cain had stop running from the two men that surprised him above at the surface. He left the man he had tied up and followed the path he and his sister had played along hundreds of times before. He knew that Tela was in her hiding place and that she knew not to come out until he told her that the coast was clear. The hard thing to determine was if indeed it was safe to come out. With all of the people on the surface suddenly altered and eating everything in sight, the both of them had learned to stay away from the surface. Today they had dared to make their way to the surface because the scouting group that left to find food included their father and there had not been any contact with them for days. Cain came out from behind a pilar and surveyed the room. He climbed up on top of a crate that was against the door with a window that could see up the corridor. He looked through the window and saw nothing out of the ordinary so he called out out to Tela. "Sissy come out we are safe again. We need to make our way back to the others." He turned back to the open room and watched as Tela crawled from under an overturned box. She walked over to him and he reached out his arm to embrace her. The two only touched for a moment before he suddenly turned back to the window. Looking back out the window Cain could see several people moving in a single file line down the corridor in their direction. "We need to move now. There are more of those strangers coming. They have weird clothes on so they must not be from our town. We need to let the others know." Tela nodded in acknowledgement and walked on as Cain jumped down from the crate and followed in her direction. The two made their way two rooms over to the hideout that all the survivors of the town had been hold up in. There were several torches propped up around the room that provided enough light for everyone to make out each others faces and little else. The two children made their way over to one of the town elders. Tela spoke first. "There are strange people coming. Im scared." The elder extended his arm out to embrace the child and offer some comfort. Before the old man could offer words of encouragement her older brother spoke up. "There are people coming from the surface. They were all wearing the same kind of clothing and it was different from what we wear here. And there was no sign of father and the others." Just then another man from across the room walked up with a stern told and cried out, "This is exactly why we should not be sitting here. Waiting to meet our deaths. We need food and water. Our wounded need medical attention. We are going to die waiting down here." Others in the room began to move and congregate around the man ranting and Tela, Cain and the town elder. They all chimed in on what they needed and who was missing. The growing crowd complaining began to be too much for the elder to handle he stood up and raised both hands to calm the crowd. "My brothers and sisters, now is not the time to loose faith in each other. The others went to the surface to get food and water and to find help. We must stay steadfast and await their return." The crowd erupted in anger and many began to curse while others began to cry. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (Color II - Building - Top level - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1356) The ceiling of the room had just collapsed and Jacobs watched and listened as the Captain attempted to make contact with the Boudicca. By this time Henry was able to walk on his own and was quickly recouping back to his peak efficiency. Dr. Caspian was to his side and he looked over at her just to smile a smile of comfort. After the talk the two of them and Mia had the day before, Henry had actually gotten to know her as more than a doctor and ship's counselor. It just so happened that the position Elizabeth was standing in was directly in front of the gaping hole they had just created. What was of interest was that Henry had been working on his dept perception, something that he needed practice with ever since receiving his ocular implant. It was perfect vision for him with both his healthy eye and ocular implant working in unison. It was even more remarkable when he noticed something off in the distance and he was able to command the implant to zoom in while the other stayed focused on Elizabeth. This concentration only lasted for so long as Henry had to magnify again to get a full view of the silhouette he previously noticed. Jacobs had to quickly grab his head as a migraine started to form. ~gotta get that under control.~ "What the hell is that?" Henry asked as everyone present turned to see what he was referring to. (reply Capps, Caspian) All three of them were facing the direction of the opening in the roof. There stood a figure that could not be described in any other way than as a creature of the night; black and winged, with a type of liquid covering it creating a glare from the sunlight that reflected off of it. Henry didn't know what to do, and he didn't know if the others were in any better shape than he. A strange feeling came over him as in the distance he could see the winged beast turn as if to look them directly in the face. ::Come Friends come out and let me show you a life without fear, pain, or loss:: To Henry's knowledge this was the first time that he had been under a telepathic attack. The weight of the experience was epic. It was in this moment that Henry could imagine himself in the shoes of an old Earth mythological character. He felt like Atlas tasked with holding up the world on his shoulders and the weight was increasing to the point that his body wanted to give in. He had no choice in the matter and collapsed to the ground under the utter intensity of the mental attack. He laid there looking in Caspian's direction unable to do anything but grunt in pain and felt tears stream from his eye lids down his cheeks. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (Color II - Building, Top Level - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1400) “Sir, I'd rather if Doctor Caspian were to go back to the ship and I stay behind. She isn't strong enough to stay here," pleaded Mia. "Dr. Saryn," Calvin began with a serious tone and slowed speech. "I believe you misunderstood, Elizabeth will be going with me back to the Boudicca." ~If we make it that is.~ Calvin hated to be pessimistic and he was giving it his all not to show to his crew. He held his head high and continued up the stairs in a confident manner. It didn't take as long as he thought it would to reach the top of the building. He had hoped once there they could lock themselves behind another door to give themselves more time to make contact with the Boudicca. Unfortunate for them no such door existed. The Captain could hear the horror continuing downstairs as the security officers protected their front lines. Henry broke the silence, "In the corner of the room. If we concentrate phaser fire in that corner we should be able to open up the room to the outside and hopefully make contact with the Boudicca" "Do it," Calvin said as he pulled his phaser from his holster and switched it to the correct setting. With the others he took aim and fired. The Captain was surprised how fast the ceiling crumbled to the floor. The light from outside now breached the once completed roof. Calvin tapped his combadge and desperately hoped for an answer. "Captain Capps to USS Boudicca." Everyone waited for a couple of seconds expecting an answer but none came. Thinking that the hole they had created wasn't enough he pondered how he could increase the range of his communicator. "Captain" Elizabeth yelled, over a series of explosions from fire gernades. "We need to beam directly into medical with a level five containment shield in place until medical staff can confirm that we didn't bring whatever turned these people doesn't follow us, and infect the rest of the ship." "Understood doctor." Moments earlier he had taken his communicator off of his uniform and began to adjust several dials on the back. He tapped it again, "Captain Capps to USS Boudicca." "Whoever is speaking this is Ensign Nickolas Romanoff of the USS Boudicca. We are reading your communication but the signal is garbled. Is there anything you can do to boost your signal?" Calvin adjusted the dials some more and for the last time tapped the communicator whilst he held it in the palm of his opposite hand. "This is Captain Capps, if you can read me, beam everyone in this area with a communicator into sickbay with a level five containment shield." As they waited for a reply Elizabeth spoke up again. "Captain, we have a problem," Lizzy called. The Captain turned to the doctor with puzzled face. He wondered what possibly could be more problematic then zombies knocking on their door and ready to eat their flesh off of their bones. Before he could respond, his CEO spoke out. "What the hell is that," Henry exclaimed. The commanding officer looked out the hole and saw a large black creature with a wide wing span. As he was about to ask Caspian if that was the problem she was speaking of he could feel his body becoming weightless. (posted by Calvin Capps) (USS Boudicca - Astrometrics Lab - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1402) Nickolas had mad a break through and gotten an audible signal from the planet surface. It was the Captain he finally figured out and followed his orders to the tee. Nickolas began initial scans of the planet and realized that sensors were only reading seven life signs. Not only that but the sensors also recorded explosions in the immediate area. Six life signs were relatively close and the seventh located in another structure several meters away. There was also some strange reading that the computer could not properly identify as a life sign. Nevertheless the captain issued orders and he would comply. "Transporter room two emergency beam out of six away team members directly to sickbay, quarantine parameters activated. Transporter room four same parameters for away team member in quadrant k54." He received acknowledgment from both stations and continued to issue orders. "Sickbay, code blue, emergency quarantine level five shields for possible infected personnel coming in hot." He closed the channel to the different departments and made haste to Sickbay. He would be there to update the Captain of the earlier malfunction, and also to take any additional orders since he may have been infected in some sort of way. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (Color II - Building, Top Level - ACMO Lt Jg Mia Saryn - 1403) After watching Lizzy and the others leave, a weight left her only to be replaced by another. The voice of the creature. A darkness grew in the back of her mind and Saryn shivered in her. The pull of it's voice was strong, stronger than anything that she had felt before. (Reply Getman) Opening her eyes, Mia smiled and said, “I'm fine, Ensign. Honestly. We need to get the hell out of here.” (Reply Getman) “And, Ensign, got a spare Phaser rifle?” (Reply Getman) Taking hold of the weapon, a familiarity that she hadn't felt in a long time made her smile. Moving quickly, the small group managed to get close to the entrance to the underground without too much trouble. The hordes followed them. Firing a shot into the crowd, Mia felt a pang of guilt as one of the horde fell. “Getman, we need a place to hold up and soon.” (Reply Getman) It was then that she heard a noise that pierced through the noise of the crowd. A sound that tugged at her heart and made her stop. A baby wailing. .:Mia, what ever you are thinking, don't :. .:I can't not:. Looking towards the security officers, she yelled, “I'll be right back.” Heading away from the security officers and ignoring the shouts, she headed to a nearby building and found herself in a house. Reminders of the family that once lived here made her heart skip a beat. The sound was coming from upstairs. Knowing she only had seconds, Mia took the stairs two at a time, slinging the rifle behind her back. Checking one room, no child. Then she heard the cry again. The room at the end of the hall. Bursting through the door, the colourfulness of the room made a tear run down her face. It was cleary a nursery and a cot sat by the window. Walking slowly, she approached the crib and leaned over. Seeing the tiny baby, she smiled and said, “Hey little one.” Suddenly the little one stopped crying and looked up at her. Reaching down, Mia picked her up softly and said, “We gotta go kid.” Wrapping a blanket around the baby girl, she ran back out of the house and found the security team holding off the horde exactly where she had left them and said, “Now we can move!” (posted by Jackie Smith) (USS Bouddica - Sickbay - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1405) The team dematerialized and as soon as the Captain could turn his head he did so to search who all made it back to the Boudicca. Luckily Calvin saw all of his crew: Caspian, Trei, Jacobs, and the two security officers. Although they were all present one of the security officers was laying on the floor with a lot of blood oozing from his body. (posted by Calvin Capps) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - Dr. Saryn's Office - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1407) With the containment shields holding Nickolas was at least able to enter the doctors office and stand at the threshold of the room and communicate should the Captain need to relay any information with him. He watched as the seven materialized in the room, the majority of them directly in beds while a security officer appeared unconscious on the floor. The available medical staff promptly moved in and began scanning for any wounds the away team may have received. Nickolas walked up to the edge of the containment field and waited to receive orders. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1409) Elizabeth was off the bio bed in an instant and issuing orders, she might of been the ships councilor, but she was a doctor first. "All medical personnel are to stay clear of the containment field, Computer activate the EMH, and someone get me a medical kit in here." Everything seemed to happen has a medical kit was placed in an adjacent shielded holding area, When the shield separating the rest of the crew from those behind the shielding another shield dropped to allow one of the away team a chance to grab the medical kit. The EMH sprang to life, saying "What is the nature of the medical...." "Can it," Lizzy yelled at the hologram "and get your ass in here." The hologram was about to protest being spoken to so rudely but quickly shut his mouth when he saw the condition of the security officer. "What happened." the hologram spoke entering the containment area. "We have a Zulu class outbreak on the surface of Color ll, I need everyone scanned including myself to make sure we didn't bring any of the contagion back on board." Elizabeth quickly briefed the EMH has she knelt down next to the security officer with a medical tri-corder in hand, and began to scan his body, for the severity of his wounds and if he was in fact infected. Because if it was the later very little could be done. She saw the fear in the Security officers eyes it was not a fear of dieing but being turned into something inhuman. "I'm gonna give you something for the pain and to make you rest." Lizzy dialed up the hypospray and gave the man a heavy dose sedative, and watched has he quickly went to sleep Elizabeth turned to the EMH. "Get him under a stasis field restrict his movements; for everyone's safety, and run a full diagnostic. I want everything from blood and tissue samples on down. Finally start working on the wounds. Lucky for us he looks worse than he is, no broken bones, and only some soft tissue damage. Rib cage is still intact that means so are most of his vital organs." "Captain, a word if you please." Elizabeth called to Capps, She waited till the Captain came over to her. (reply Capps) "Sir I don't like this, initial scans show nothing in his blood or tissue but his organs are shutting down at an alarming rate." Lizzy spoke softly, "and it's more than likely he is infected. I know this is not an easy question to answer but what are my orders if we lose him." (reply Capps) "I'm sorry to have to ask such a question, now if you excuse me." Elizabeth walked around the room starting with the more severely wounded and hurt and worked her way down. She had each of the away team lay on several of the bio-beds and initiated deep tissue and blood scans for any sign of the plague that ravaged Color ll. She questioned each person has the when, where and how they came about each bump and scrap, and when she was relatively confident they were safe to be released, they would be, but that Lizzy would only feel that confident after they waited a good several hours to see if the illness that had killed all those people would in fact manifest itself in the away team. The process became quicker when the first deep tissue scans of the now unconscious security officer came back, and confirmed Elizabeth's fears. He was infected it was only the fact that he was in stasis and heavily drugged that kept him from dieing and the effects of the zombie virus to take hold. Has everyone waited to be released from containment Elizabeth once again found her way to Captain Capps and took a seat next to him. "In everything that happened I wasn't able to give you may report of what happened to me on the planet." She sighed as she started, "Me and Trei were nearing the edge of a wood line when I felt a presence come into my mind, I did not know it at the time, but that beast we saw, that was it. It tired to force me to follow its commands, to kill for it. I used a mind thrust, which caused the monster to break its contact. I don't think it realized how strong I was mentally, or how much training I had. But I was able to feel its hunger, for the minds of telepaths, it's also my belief that the beast we saw somehow is in control of the horde. I could feel the command when he roared at top that building." (reply Capps) Elizabeth looked to the security officer, the signs of his turning becoming more prevalent. "I've had samples of his DNA, tissue and blood sent to the science office in hope that between the science office and the medical team we can find some kind of cure or at least an treatment for the crew to shield them from becoming infected. I'm sorry sir I'm scared." (posted by Matthew Locke) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1410) He dematerialized inside a Sickbay Containment area which was fine with him to get out of the zombie horde as soon as possible. He saw one of the Security officers down on the floor bloody and oozing something he didn't want to deal with. He suspected the officer was going to become one of the zombies real soon. He wanted to be scanned and out of there before that happened. He saw Caspian talk to Capps about the mental encounter with the Beast. He still thought he could talk to the beast warrior to warrior safely in the holodeck. but that was up to Capps. He was scanned and a tissue sample was taken from him. He waited to be told what to do next. (posted by Edward Engel) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - CEO Lt. Henry Jacobs - 1413) Henry materialized on top of one of the bio-beds. The weight he was feeling from the mental attack down on the surface was suddenly absent and he regained all of his faculties. He was quick to his feet and ready to get back to his job. He slapped his commbadge and called down to engineering. "Engineering report." There was very little time in-between his call and an answer. =^= Chief, glad to see you are back. There was a temporary ship wide power failure. It was a problem that seemed to fix itself. We haven't been able to pinpoint the cause.=^= Jacobs scratched his head formulating the words in his head to be demanding and yet not disrespectful. "You know that's not good enough. I want to know what caused it and if its gonna be a problem again. Also I need Jericho team to work on boosting transport targeting systems. The rest of the away team is held up in a building surrounded by an unknown EM-shielding. We need to get them out yesterday." =^=Consider it done=^= the voice on the other side of the comm signal responded. "I will get down there as soon as I can. Seems like I will be in quarantine until further notice. Keep the ship floating." He closed the channel and turned to the others in the room. He saw Caspian deftly attending to all of the other away team members. He saw how her determination drove her to see all the people in the room without skipping a beat. It was not hard to see how she and Mia had grown to like one another again, after whatever had kept them apart in a previous life. Looking around the room Jacobs noticed Ensign Romanoff standing off to what had to be the edge of the containment shielding. The events of the day definitely brought a change to what was experienced on the other planets of the system. Henry also wondered what the presence of that creature down on the surface meant for the planet's inhabitants and the remaining crew members left stranded. One thing was for sure, it definitely was related to the voice he heard in his head and the telepaths on the ship now had a more involved role to play in the completion of the mission. Lost in his thought his attention was snatched back to reality by the calling of the Captain. (reply Capps) "Orders Captain?" (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1413) One moment Deynyk was leaned against the rough, cold stone of the warehouse wall, trying desperately to take in enough oxygen to allow him to breath properly while all the while struggling to keep the noises of his ragged breathe as quiet as possible. A moment later he was sitting on the floor of the sickbay, near a biobed He could have kissed a transporter chief…twice. He was isolated away from the other members of the crew that looked as if they had been beamed up as well. Deynyk could see the Captain, Jacobs, Trei, and a couple of security officers, one of which looked badly mauled. He suspected that he had been beamed aboard separately, which is why he was in his own containment field. ::Where are the others?:: Rinn asked him. ::What?:: ::The other members of the away team.:: Rinn pressed. A coldness seemed to spread through him, Skylynx, Getman, Caspian, and Aurturo were no where to be seen. ::Are they dead?:: Rinn asked. ::How the hell should I know, I just got here.:: Deynyk sent loudly, then a little more calmly added, ::Maybe they are being treated?:: ::You see how badly injured the security man is? He's being treated there where he lay, the others would be as well. They didn't make it back to the ship.:: Deynyk nodded his head in agreement. He was unable to move from the containment field, but he could still communicate. He tapped his commbadge, "Rinn to the captain. Did the others make it?" he inquired. (posted by Daniel Greene) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - CO Captain Calvin Capps - 1414) In their true form, the starfleet crew that was beamed into sickbay into containment did not allow it to hold them back from working. As soon as they were able, the doctor began diagnosing, the engineering chief called for an immediate update on the condition of the ship and so on. It was no different for Captain Capps. He watched as doctor Caspian worked her skill to begin all the necessary steps to ensure that he and the rest of the away team were safe from the virus they had encountered down on Color II. He most worried about the security officer who was now being placed in a stasis field. After she finished her initial objectives she turned her attention to the Captain who was waiting for an update. "Captain, a word if you please." Elizabeth called to Capps, She waited till the Captain came over to her. "Of course doctor." He stepped away from the others and Elizabeth began the conversation. "Sir I don't like this, initial scans show nothing in his blood or tissue but his organs are shutting down at an alarming rate." Lizzy spoke softly, "and it's more than likely he is infected. I know this is not an easy question to answer but what are my orders if we lose him." It was definitely not an easy question for the Captain to answer. He had not thought about this decision needing to be made, but now that the question was being presented to him he was reminded again that being the commanding officer of a starship had its pros and cons. Calvin twisted at the hips to look at the body in the stasis field. He gazed upon the EMH as it worked on the security officer. Without looking back at the doctor he answered her question frankly. "Keep him in the stasis field. If he turns we need to control his mobility. We also may need to learn a few things from him. He may have sacrificed his life to save ours. "I'm sorry to have to ask such a question, now if you excuse me." Elizabeth walked around the room starting with the more severely wounded and hurt and worked her way down. After Caspian walked away the Captain heard a voice over his comm. He knew right away it was Deynyk. Until this point Calvin didn't realize that the operations officer had been beamed back as well. He looked around and found Lt. Rinn in a separate containment field. =/\=Rinn to the captain. Did the others make it?=/\= he inquired. "The rest of the team stayed on the surface. We encountered living native people in the building we escaped from. The other half of the away team traveled downward instead of upward to make contact with the native people. The team you see here took a risk to return to the Boudicca. We were simply hedging our bets. My plan is to send the Marines back down to find the other half of the team and extract them." (reply Rinn, rfm) After the short conversation with Rinn, doctor Caspian asked for the Captain attention again. "In everything that happened I wasn't able to give you may report of what happened to me on the planet." She sighed as she started, "Me and Trei were nearing the edge of a wood line when I felt a presence come into my mind, I did not know it at the time, but that beast we saw, that was it. It tired to force me to follow its commands, to kill for it. I used a mind thrust, which caused the monster to break its contact. I don't think it realized how strong I was mentally, or how much training I had. But I was able to feel its hunger, for the minds of telepaths, it's also my belief that the beast we saw somehow is in control of the horde. I could feel the command when he roared at top that building." "Very interesting, it seems not only can this virus be transferred from the undead through biting but they are being controlled by a single being who has some type of telepathic abilities." Elizabeth looked to the security officer, the signs of his turning becoming more prevalent. "I've had samples of his DNA, tissue and blood sent to the science office in hope that between the science office and the medical team we can find some kind of cure or at least an treatment for the crew to shield them from becoming infected. I'm sorry sir I'm scared." "We should all be scared but what makes us Starfleet officers is our courage. Be strong and continue doing what you are doing here. With our Chief Medical Officer still on Color II I need you here." (reply Caspian) "When do you think we will be cleared to leave sickbay?" (reply Caspian) "Chief Jacobs?" The Captain turned to find his engineering man. "Orders Captain?" "Did I hear there was some type of power problem with the Boudicca?" (reply Jacobs) "As soon as we are free from sickbay found out why that is. It is crucial that we discover what the problem is." (reply Jacobs) "Lt. Trei, when we are able to leave, I want you to go to the holodeck and began searching for the beast. I do not want you to make contact yet. Just see if you can find him." (reply Trei) "Capps to Rinn." (reply Rinn) "I will be contacting Major Kilowa shortly. When able I need you to see if you can find any schematics on the building we were in. The marines need as much information as possible." (reply Rinn) Calvin walked to the edge of the containment field and looked at the science officer standing there. "Ensign Romanoff, great job. You simply saved our lives. I don't know how you found us but I thank you. Can you do me another favor. Contact Major Kilowa for me and get him down here." (reply Romanoff) (posted by Calvin Capps) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - Science Officer Ensign Nickolas Romanoff - 1417) Nickolas was standing at the threshold of the containment field when the Captain finally got around to acknowledging his presence. "Ensign Romanoff, great job. You simply saved our lives. I don't know how you found us but I thank you. Can you do me a another favor? Contact Major Kilowa for me and get him down here." Romanoff was quick on the response. "Absolutely Captain." There was nothing left to be said so Nickolas made his way out of the room and on his way to the nearest turbo lift. The doors swished open and he called out the deck of his choice. "Deck 13." The computer beeped and began to move. It only took a matter of seconds for the lift to climb the required amount of stairs and then the doors opened to what seemed like the atmosphere of a different ship. He stepped out into the hall way and touched a nearby panel for directions to the Marine quarters of Major Kilowa. The side panels all illuminated as a guide for Nickolas to make his way to the Major's dwellings. He walked slowly following the lights and taking in the sights that could only be described as the acts of true marines. He eventually made his way to the officers's door and pressed the door chime to make his presence known. The Major opened the door and behind him sat fellow Marines around a card table hard at play. Nickolas made the reason of his visit apparent and passed on the orders of the Captain. It took no time for all of the Marines to suit up and follow Nickolas back down the corridor and in the turbo lift on the way down to Sickbay. (posted by Darryl McDaniel) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - COPS Lieutenant Deynyk Rinn - 1418) =^=The rest of the team stayed on the surface. We encountered living native people in the building we escaped from. The other half of the away team traveled downward instead of upward to make contact with the native people. The team you see here took a risk to return to the Boudicca. We were simply hedging our bets. My plan is to send the Marines back down to find the other half of the team and extract them.=^= "I see Captain, thank you." Deynyk replied and then closed the channel in a little bit of a solemn motion. He had a lot to think about, He wasn't a security officer, and he certainly wasn't suicidal. A mission to rescue personnel that may remain alive on that planet had to be conducted. ::If not you, then who?:: Rinn asked him. ::Volunteering?:: Deynyk asked his symbiont, ::last i checked you were against doing anything so rash that we might actually die.:: ::Unfair, Deynyk. You and I both know that we need to do this. It's the right thing to do, we need to make certain that we're on that rescue team.:: ::I do hate it when you're right, you know.:: Deynyk responded. ::Of course you do, but despite what you think of yourself, you're not as self absorbed as you let on.:: ::That's a low blow, even coming from you.:: ::Call them as I see them kiddo. Get us on that away team.:: Deynyk nodded, a silent response to an apparently silent discussion. To an outsider it would most likely appear as if he had just decided something important, rather than arid to a potentially deadly mission. =^=Capps to Rinn=^= Deynyk tapped his commbadge again. "Rinn here Captain." =^=I will be contacting Major Kilowa shortly. When able I need you to see if you can find any schematics on the building we were in. The marines need as much information as possible.=^= "Understood sir. I'll get that started right away. I have one other request…" he paused for a moment. "I'd like to return with the rescue team. I have Colony operations training, and I think that it could be useful for working out several things. In addition, Trills are known for their extraordinary immune system. That's why we make such great hosts for the symbionts. I think it would be a boon to planet side operations. They may also have need of my diplomatic skills if we encounter any survivors." (reply Capps) Deynyk pulled a PADD from his pocket, originally it had contained detailed information on the governmental structures of the planet, a massive report, indexed and prepared for the reference of the user. There was plenty of available spec on the device and although it wasn't as adept at research and processing as the ship's computer, he knew well enough how to use it to interface with the ship's main computer for the purpose of doing research and collating data. He sat on the biobed and began to pour through the detailed architectural records of the city, focusing on the power control building, and then expanding his research to include the hundreds of miles of adjacent tunnels, chambers and junctions that connected to them. He noted with some sickening sense of dread that the cities subway systems were connected through power feed access cables as was virtually every building in the city. ~This is going to take a while.~ he thought and then smiled as he remembered how the governmental report he had compiled had been much the same sort of thing. (posted by Daniel Greene) (USS Boudicca - Sickbay - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1420) He listened to Capps discussing several options with Caspian. He watched as the security officer slowly showed signs of turning into one of those zombies. Before he had any thoughts of how to eliminate him, Capps gave him the order to go to the Holodeck and search for the beast when he was cleared from the containment field. He was ready to act now if needed but waited to be cleared. "Understood sir." ~ This is going to heat up. Lets rock and roll..~ (posted by Edward Engel) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – The Beast – 1421) The beast knew in an instant what the flash of light mean, ::Teleporters:: the beast roared again has his prey faded from the city. How could they escape his grasp, he was so close even the one his horde had closed in on had vanished by that damned piece of technology. Then there was movement, caught just out of the corner of his eye, it seemed not all made it out. He watched the lone female run across the street answering the cry of an infant. ::How sweet.:: the beast thought has he leap from his perch and landed next to the building. He was unaware if the woman saw, what was to come has she quickly scooped up the child and darted back down the stairs. The beast plunged is clawed fist into what was the nursery and with a swift savage notion tore the side out of the building. It was then a burning red line burned across his shoulder and back, He look at the security officer who had fired the phaser blast him, anger burned with in his heart no one dared to harm him.The Beast focused his anger, rage, and malice into the security officer. :: WHY WONT YOU JUST DIE :: came the command from the beast mind, and darkness swallowed the mind of the the offending federation personnel. There in the mans mind the beast made him believe that the beast found his heart and tore it from his chest. The beast was little aware of the woman with the child passing the man has he gripped his chest fell to the floor and gave himself the coming darkness, as the undead horde passed over his lifeless form clawing, biting, and giving him life anew. This time he would not let his prey escape him. He walked to the building the federation personnel had used for refuge. The beast gripped the building and with a might heave, tore the building from the foundation and tossed it aside. It was then he saw the tunnel, and he knew what was a foot. He could not follows in those small narrow corridors, and to establish a strong mental link like the he just used on the body at his feet required him to be able to see the target. ::Find those that have escaped me, let none live.:: He commanded his horde as the once living federation officer now rose again to hunt his comrades has one of the beasts horde. A horde that flooded the tunnels. (posted by Matthew Locke) (Color ll - Planetary Capital – Councilor Ensign(jg) Elizabeth Caspian, Dr.– 1433) "We should all be scared but what makes us Starfleet officers is our courage. Be strong and continue doing what you are doing here. With our Chief Medical Officer still on Color II I need you here." Captain Capps spoke to Lizzy. "I know sir, but It's not me I'm scared for it's Mia." Lizzy spoke softly. "When do you think we will be cleared to leave sickbay?" The Captain asked getting down to business. "Shouldn't be to long preliminary results all look good. Once the more in depth testing is completed we'll be released no more than other ten minutes." Elizabeth spoke but it did little to come her she couldn't stand being safe on the Boudicca while Mia was in trouble. Lizzy could feel the danger closing in around her beloved, and she wanted nothing more than to be by her side. It was then that an alarm came from the stasis camber holding infected security guard has his heart failed, and flat lined. Elizabeth made a hard medical call then. "DNR," she yelled to the EMH. "restrain him, with everything we have." And so Elizabeth let the man die, to fall victim to the curse that had ravaged the planet below. They barely managed to get the once security officer restrained when he came back has one of the undead, he pulled and raged at his binding but they held fast Elizabeth listened has he broke bones, tore his own limbs from sockets in an effort to escape but none prevailed. He saw solidly anchored to the bio-bedand now in a seperate shielded compartment. Lizzy would only allow the EMH to do the work and collect the needed samples from this most dangerous of patients now. A short time later, the all clear was given for the rest of the team to exit containment, Elizabeth felt herself becoming sick. Never before in her medical experience had she had to make such a choice. A nurse came to her with a PADD has the captain was reading to exit sickbay. For once since this horror started some good news. "Captain Capps," Lizzy called. "I have something for you to look at, it seems thanks the sacrifices made the computers and staff here have been able to locate the genetic code to the virus. While this is only the first step to a cure, it will allow us to use the ships sensors to track the virus and tell if anyone beaming aboard is infected." (reply Capps) "Thank you Sir, and I'm sure we both have a great deal to accomplish so I'll us get to it." (posted by Matthew Locke) (USS Boudicca - Holodeck 1 - TAC/S LT(JG) Detron Trei - 1445) He was cleared from containment not before he witnessed the security officer turn into one of those zombies. That was something he didn't want to see any time soon. The first part of a cure apparently has been isolated to be made as a vaccine. That was good news to him. He felt for Caspian for she had to let someone die. He felt her conflicted despair at the action for he sensed it with his empathic sense. He made it to Holodeck 1 in pretty good time. He asked the computer to run the telepathic enhancement program he used to contact the Borg. The computer chimed that the program was ready. He entered and sat in the chamber. He turned on the machine and the sensors attached to him. He could feel his telepathic ability grow rapidly along with his empathic senses. He tapped his COMM. "Tre to Capps. I am ready for the search. Will report when the beast is found. Trei out." He opened his mind and began the search. It was difficult to push through the mindless drive of the horde but he eventually found the beast inside the building closing in on Saryn's position. He tapped his COMM. "Trei to Capps. I found the beast and it is closing on Saryn's position in the building. Get her out of there now. Waiting further orders. Trei out." (posted by Edward Engel) ================================================================ Hope you enjoyed!