Star Trek RPG - Mission #2: "Primum Nil Nocere"

Delaney takes a small tool from his stack of Sakathian tools, scans it with his tricorder, and puts it on one of the five pads of the transporter platform. He beams it away into space and back; it takes a second or two longer than a standard Starfleet transporter. He scans the tool when it returns and smiles for the first time all day. He says to Collins, looking over the data, "It looks good, ma'am. Full reintegration... molecular pattern integrity nominal. I could beam a person - a volunteer - over to the shuttle, or we could send a blood sample or something else if you want to take it a little slower."

Pourtash and T'Var lift and carry the late Veling Porr to the doorway. Does Rangin scan the hallway outside before opening the door?

Kylah places one handcuff on Chief Porr and locks the other to a nearby structural support that is strongly attached to the deck. Jovan, shuddering a little at the sight of Mrs. Porr, turns to Kylah and says, "The device from his pocket is a thur'lel, a sort of communications device, data compiler, and personal calendar. I have a similar one myself."

"I'll go" Collins tells Delaney almost too quickly. She turns to the others "Stand by. Once I'm on the shuttle, I'll let you know that I've made it and you all can start beaming over." Collins steps onto one of the pads and waits for Delaney to hit the buttons.

Kylah is intrigued by Jovan's response. Perhaps Porr's device has information on the experiment that will help explain this disaster; Singh did request that she retrieve any data that might be of use to them. Kylah quickly asks Jovan, "Can you show me how to retrieve data from this? And do all crew members have one?" She suddenly wonders if this might be a way to attempt a communication with Director Geb, if the woman is still alive--and sentient.

That's when Delaney announces his success with the transporter and Collins immediately volunteers.

At this point, nothing her mission commander does surprises Kylah. She doesn't even bother suggesting an alternative; if the transporter malfunctions it will serve Collins right, just as it will probably serve her right--in a rather gruesome way--if the creatures attack and murder all of her crew, including the helpless and injured Fujishiro, while only the Lieutenant (Junior Grade) is safe on the shuttle. Let her explain that to Starfleet, Kylah thinks dryly. No doubt it will probably involve some heroic escape rather than a selfish, cowardly decision. If that happens, she had better hope we're all dead.

She does, however, turn to Collins--already on the transporter pad--and says icily: "As you will not be needing it, Lieutenant, perhaps the phaser might be of use to one of us left behind?"

Collins considers Kylah's suggestion, then says "and what if, somehow, there is a Sakazombie on the shuttle? No, but I will beam weapons and tools back." She steps one foot off the pad "unless you'd rather go, Ensign?"

Kylah stares evenly at Collins. "Lt. Delaney said the transporters were down for maintenance; I do not see how one of the altered Sakathians would have had the opportunity to travel. However, if you are accepting suggestions, I would take Lt. Delaney's advice and test using a sample of DNA, tissue or blood. If by some remarkable display of rational thought, a feat as yet unshown, the creatures have managed to transfer to our shuttle coordinates, a blood or tissue sample will probably be a useful bait to them. Should it return untouched, this is likely proof that the altered Sakathians have not miraculously learned how to transport themselves aboard a shuttle they probably had no knowledge of in the first place. If it is stolen, and they are on board, then it's quite possible they have someone far more rational working with them. Either way, we gain knowledge at no danger to ourselves."

She takes a breath, knowing she's doing a very poor job at keeping her voice neutral; she doesn't much care if she's charged with insubordination at this point--she's already flatly refused an order, how much more trouble can she get into? "Finally, as long as you're asking for my advice, if all goes well, I would certainly recommend that the first people transported to safety on board the shuttle should be our injured parties, and then the civilians. Those of us in the best condition to fight--and Chief Porr, if he is still unconscious--should be the last to leave."

Rangin has been scanning everyone as well as making sure the exterior corridor is clear before opening the door for T'var and Pourtash. He will do one final scan to see if there is any change in the state of Porr's dead wife.

On hearing Kylah's response to Collins, Rangin does wonder why she keeps needling her but decides that pointing out a minor detail might solve the problem. "Kylah, I believe you are wrong this time. Lt Collins is in Security and should be the first person across with a phaser given the situation to ensure its safety for those to follow."

At the same time Rangin is talking to Kylah, Collins steps back onto the pad and hollers "Energize" before anyone else can object.

T'Var is focused on removing Porr's wife from the room, yet is aware of the conversation around her.

"Mr. Rangin is correct," T'Var says. The doctor wonders why Collins did not give another member of the group command -- just in case something does happen to her -- either during transport or once she is beamed to the shuttle.

T'Var sighs as she awaits Rangin's report from his scan of the corridor.

"I will take command until Mr. Collins contacts us from the shuttle," she says.

Kylah remains undaunted and, typically, is angered and frustrated by the others' lack of agreement. She'll never lose that portion of her upbringing that expects obedience from others, despite her Starfleet training, her untried status as a junior officer, and several years of an abruptly lowered rank in the royal hierarchy where she was suddenly treated not as a would-be Dohlman, but a slightly elevated servant.

She has to look at Delaney, wondering his thoughts on having his expert opinion ignored. Sending a living being--or two, Kylah thinks with a brief glance at T'Var--on an untried journey through unfamiliar transporters that have only just been fixed seems like a pointless risk, especially when a disaster would mean both the loss of their team leader and also the only other weapon that could truly save them from the altered creatures.

All she says is "Aye ma'am" to T'Var, rather dully. She is suddenly aware of how very tired and weak with hunger and thirst she is. Those food and water rations are almost calling out to her, and she can't believe Elasians feel such physical needs more powerfully than humans. I suppose Vulcans probably can force themselves not to need food or water. Perhaps such a race's empathy for others' weakness is minimal. And thus, ideal doctors, she thinks dryly, having bad experiences with medical personnel throughout her history.

But she will certainly not suggest anything further. Her nature will not let her look weaker than the humans. If Waite can manage without replenishment after hours and hours of physical stress and activity, Kylah certainly can. Stubbornness wins out over practicality, and she forces her vaguely dizzy mind back to the electrical device and waiting for Jovan's assistance. And hoping that Collins hasn't just made a foolish mistake.

Pourtash says tentatively, "Mr. Collins, you were just phaser-stunned and then revived. Are you sure you're...?" When he sees how determined she is, though, he shrugs. Delaney meets his eye, nods, and activates the transporter console when the Security officer yells.

Collins disappears in a cascade of blue light. She finds herself a few seconds later in the cool, darkened cabin of the shuttlecraft Meitner. The stars are ablaze through the bow viewports, and the space station is clearly visible a few kilometers away. She is alone.

Rangin's tricorder scan shows three altered Sakathians just outside the door.

Rangin shakes his head. "There are three of them just outside the door, so I don't think I will be opening it any time soon. I do hope that Lt Collins is successful. "

Collins opens her communicator "Collins to Delaney. I am on board the Meitner. I will beam over a medkit and some phasers. I will then ready the shuttle for launch. We'll leave when everyone is aboard. Start beaming everyone over. Confirm. Collins out." She grabs the items and puts them on the shuttle's transporter pad and [attempts to] energizes.

T'Var is relieved that Collins has successfully beamed over to the shuttle. She gently lowers Porr's wife to the floor.

"As soon as the shuttle is ready, we will transport the civilians first, then our wounded." The doctor looks about her at the assembled group. "Those of us able to repel the altered Sakathians -- if they are able to breach this door -- will transport over last."

T'Var sighs, hoping Collins is able to send over a few phasers. She also hopes Porr's wife will not transform completely until everyone else is safely aboard the shuttle.

Rangin relaxes slightly hoping that this may be over sooner rather than later, then catches himself as until everyone is on board the shuttle it is not over.

While he goes back to monitoring Porr's wife, he asks Dr T'Var, "We will be taking Porr with us, won't we? We can't exactly leave him here."

"Yes," T'Var replies. "Civilians first. Then our wounded." T'Var pauses a moment. "Then, hopefully, the rest of us without incident."

Class F shuttlecraft like the Meitner do not have transporters. (I remember no such capability ever being shown in a TOS episode; see http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Class_F_shuttlecraft).

Delaney asks T'Var, "Are we beaming both of the Porrs over, or just the Security Chief, since he's still alive? I can beam over Dr. Waite and Jovan, our two civilians, and Lt. Fujishiro, since she's unconscious and wounded, right now, if you like."

Ten of us in a shuttle that seats seven, for two days, Kylah thinks, giving a rigid shake of her head while staring warily at the door. I suppose if the creatures break in, they'll likely thin us out; that should make the shuttle much more roomy for Collins and Waite. She has the strangest urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. How fortunate that Collins kept the phaser. Two days with Waite and she might have the need of it after all.

She wishes Jovan would respond to her question about the thur'lel, especially if they might be able to contact any of the other Sakathians or researchers hiding somewhere. Once they're on the shuttle--if indeed they all make it--there will be no way to return. And no way to save anyone who might be left behind.

The thought gnaws at her, and for the dozenth time today she's haunted by the memory of all the anguished souls she knows were abandoned in the laboratory while she, T'Var and the rest ran away.

An idea strikes her and, after staring at the device, she abruptly turns back to Jovan. "Is it possible for your transporters to lock on these devices and someone wearing them? If we can communicate with anyone on board and find someone alive, perhaps we can transport them here, and then to safety." She looks hopefully at the Sakathian, wanting desperately to help anyone they can. "The shuttle is small, but discomfort is better than death."

Jovan seems fixated on the late Mrs. Porr. She drags her eyes away from the corpse to say shakily to Kylah, "I guess I could try to access this thur'lel." She taps at its tiny keypad briefly, then shakes her head. "No, it's code-locked, and I don't know what Security Chief Porr's passcode is. You don't wear a thur'lel; it's carried in a pocket or bag. I suppose it might be possible to scan for them, but I don't know that we could reach anyone through them - mine hasn't worked for most of the day. The collapse of the station's communications system probably affected all of them."

"Chief Porr will be coming with us," T'Var says. "His wife will not."

T'Var thinks a moment, then nods. "Yes, Mr. Delaney, begin with Dr. Waite, Jovan and Lt. Fujishiro."

Collins sits at the shuttle's comm and readies the vessel so that they can get the frack out of there as soon as everyone is aboard. She suddenly realizes she did not leave anyone in charge of the group. "Collins to T'Var. Please see to it everyone is safely transported" she pauses briefly wanting to add 'leave Waite and Porr behind for zombie-feed' but doesn't. "Collins out."

Kylah is extremely disheartened that the small device cannot be used for much purpose, certainly not until Porr is awake. She curses whoever destroyed the communications systems on this station, and still finds it curious that such creatures with no apparent rational thought had the capability of planning and acting out such a scheme.

She hears the discussion about the possibility of transporting Porr's wife--what kind of madness was that, Delaney? she thinks, finding it hard to believe the engineer was being serious. But part of her suddenly feels a pang of empathy and looks at the Sakathian security chief. "Dr. T'Var," she says quietly. "I wonder if you might consider reviving Porr. If the creatures enter he will be no use to us in this state; if they do not... I believe he should be awoken before transporting him either way. He should have the opportunity to say goodbye to his wife."

Pourtash and Delaney gently lay Fujishiro on the transporter platform. Jovan steps up, too. Dr. Waite steps onto the platform, then hesitates and says to Dr. T'Var, "You know, I don't have to go right away. Someone else can go instead of me, if they want. Ens. Hayes, for instance - ladies first?"

Collins powers up the shuttle and runs a preflight systems check and standard diagnostic. Her fingers seem to fly across the pilot's control panel. All seems to be well - helm, navigation, life support, sensors, shields, communications, artificial gravity, inertial dampers and so on. She begins the engine startup process; she can have impulse power in two minutes and warp drive in ten.

"Mr. Hayes is a Starfleet officer. Civilians to safety first," T'Var tells Waite. "But thank you for the offer."

T'Var considers Kylah's suggestion for a moment. "Chief Porr was not helpful to us when conscious," the doctor replies. "I sincerely doubt he would be helpful to us now."

The Vulcan's gaze pauses briefly on Porr and then his wife. "I understand why you believe Porr should have the chance to 'say goodbye' to his wife. However, I do not think it wise under the circumstances."

With a tired sigh, Kylah looks at the floor and shakes her head. "I understand, Lieutenant," she says flatly. "He was not helpful to us before. Of course, his wife was not dead then. But even cuffed and sedated, he might well cause us trouble if he were revived long enough to say goodbye. Yes, it is indeed a logical decision."

She can't even look at Porr, unconscious as he is, and she doesn't want to look at Jovan, either. What will the Sakathians say of Starfleet officers? One willing to cuff a husband to his dead and soon-to-be-a-cannibal wife, another refusing to allow the man the dignity of a death rite--and, yes, another who suggested tossing the wife's body out for bait. Kylah can't forgive her own grim recommendation, even if it was the sensible thing to suggest at the time.

Nevertheless, Kylah has no sense at all that either Collins or T'Var suffer from any deep regret--T'Var might not even be capable of such a feeling.

And when the noble Federation first met Elasians, they called us barbarians, she thinks.

She herself isn't as stoic, can't even comprehend being so. This is far from the first time Kylah's noticed that she's more affected by such things than those around her--to the point of physical pain, at times-- but it's certainly the first involving such life-or-death choices.

Trying to avoid such ruminations, particularly the thought of Porr reawakening on the shuttle alone, Kylah focuses on calculating the remainder of the transport journeys. Once Jovan, Fujishiro and Waite are transported, that will leave Hayes, T'Var, Pourtash, Rangin, Delaney, Porr and herself.

Apparently only three may go at a time. If Porr is left unconscious, he might as well go in the next batch, as he cannot help fight the creatures if they enter. Rangin may still be ill and T'Var might recommend he leave. Who else? Then a more worrying thought occurs to her: after the next batch, there will be four remaining. One person will be left alone at the end.

Kylah turns to Delaney worriedly, uncertain how this Sakathian technology works. "Sir, the transporters will allow for timed operation, won't they? The last one of us will be able to begin the process and then beam off the station?"

Dr. Waite accepts T'Var's decision with a nod. Moments later he, Fujishiro and Jovan disappear into the transporter effect, and Collins reports from the shuttle, "All three are safely aboard. Send the next group, please."

Kylah then asks Delaney her question. The engineer looks startled and says, "Oh, crap! I hadn't thought of that, I was so focused on getting the system up and running. No, there's no timed or automatic function. Someone's going to have to stay here to beam the last person to the shuttle."

Rangin's continuous scan of Mrs. Porr reveals a sudden resumption in brain activity; her heart also inexplicably restarts, but at a slower rate than before. Just as he's about to say something, Hayes says, in horror, "The body... it's moving!" The remaining members of the Yorktown's boarding party can see that the dead woman's hands and feet are indeed trembling slightly.

From out in the hallway, an unearthly, wordless moaning begins, and you hear the scratching of fingernails on the door.

"Transport Chief Porr," T'Var orders.

The doctor quickly assesses the current situation. "Mr. Pourtash, keep a close eye on Mrs. Porr. If necessary, use lethal force to stop her."

T'Var sighs and looks about slowly. "Mr. Delaney, if you cannot find a way to time or automate this transporter, one of us must stay behind." The Vulcan sighs again. "I have no desire to ask for a volunteer," she says.

The doctor advises Collins of the transporter issue.

"Are there any other transporter pads here, or failing that can we get to a shuttle bay?" asks Rangin while concentrating on the readings from the dead body.

While eyeing Porr's wife, Kylah holds her hand to her head, trying to ignore the rising panic and chaos. "It seems pointless to wait until she worsens to handle her," she says, her voice brittle. "Why not sedate her now, Dr. T'Var? Oversedate her, if possible. Or stun her again. She is a distraction we can ill afford."

Rangin's suggestion of more transporters suddenly reminds her of an earlier idea. "We were told earlier there is no place to dock a shuttle," she says, trying not to snap because she knows it's not Rangin's fault her nerves are afire. "But if someone must be left behind--perhaps there's a way to hide or travel to another transporter area, if any exist, via an air vent or access tube."

She looks around the transporter room to see if there are any obvious candidates for stealthy egress. If she finds one, she'll also check her communicator to view the station map to identify where such a chute or vent might lead.

Pourtash and Delaney put Chief Porr on the transporter pads, and Delaney beams him over to the shuttle. Collins confirms his safe arrival via communicator.

Now Hayes, T'Var, Pourtash, Rangin, Delaney and Kylah remain. Delaney says to Dr. T'Var, "There are two other transporter rooms on the station, but their transporters might be offline, too, and I don't know how long it would take to fix them like I did this one." There is a long silence, and he coughs nervously. "I'll beam you all out of here, ma'am, and stay behind. Just leave me a phaser."

"No, I'll do it," Pourtash says firmly. His jaw sets. "Command trumps Engineering, Jim. You and the others should beam over to the shuttle now."

Kylah checks the station's deckplan. There is an airvent leading from this room, but it looks too small for her, or anyone else remaining, to squeeze through.

The scratching on the door continues. Mrs. Porr is still trembling, perhaps a little bit more than before, Hayes thinks.

Rangin look at the two posturing humans wondering why the pair of them are trying to outdo each other with bravery. Noble, but futile.

"Perhaps, before we start deciding who should stay or go, it may be worth asking if the shuttle can assist us in this situation. Perhaps using sensors to see if the other transporters are working, detect how many altered Sakathians are around, possibly assist in us all leaving alive and in one piece...." he lets his voice trail off hoping the idea might sink in.

Before making any decisions regarding who -- if anyone -- should stay behind, T'Var checks in again with Collins.

"Any assistance you can give us from your end would be most appreciated," the doctor says. "We are running out of time here."

When Kylah hears Delaney and Pourtash's words, she nearly gasps in alarm and outrage. Fortunately Rangin steps in with his calming words--and she has to give him a quick look, sensing that he's not overly impressed by their voluntary sacrifices; the thought almost makes her smile despite the gravity of the situation, but the truth is, there are few if any options here.

Busy concentrating on the problem, she misses most of T'Var's conversation with Collins; did the Vulcan make the problem regarding the trasnporters explicit? Kylah hopes so. Especially since if anyone is going to order a crewmate to a suicidal fate, it should be the one who's in charge of the mission and left them in this dire circumstance, without one of their best fighters and without the only other phaser they've found.

But doling out blame is pointless right now. Later, yes--oh my yes. Not now.

"It is foolish and cowardly to leave anyone behind to fight and die alone," Kylah says, drawing up to her full but admittedly unimpressive height. "No Elasian would retreat when we have strong fighters and weapons at our disposal. The incendiary devices, a phaser, clubs, cutting tools--surely these will give us at least some chance of success?"

Finally she kneels down and, though keeping a safe distance, stares grimly at Porr's not-late-enough wife "As for this woman, I think she is somehow linked to those outside, and perhaps they to her, as well. Notice that she only became active when those creatures reached outside this door. I believe we must end her--and now." Kylah's dry throat swallows with difficulty, and she pulls out her knife. "We need not waste the phaser's battery power. If--if needs must, Doctor, and you do not think you can sedate her into a peaceful death, I can remove her head from her neck. With as sharp a blade as mine, it will be quick and as painless as possible." Though not for me, she thinks, forcing her expression to remain strong and unflinching despite the churning horror of having to make such a proposal.

"She's already dead," Hayes says skeptically. "Or was, anyway. Is sedating her going to do any good?"

Collins says over the comm channel, "I've taken the three phasers out of the shuttle's arms locker, and put them together a few meters away from me. Lock onto them, Mr. Delaney, and beam them there. I think we can ignore Sakathian law, under the circumstances."

Delaney says, "Aye, aye, ma'am. Energizing." In moments three phaser-2s appear.

"Anything else I can do from this end?" the Security officer asks.

T'Var sighs heavily.

"What are your orders?" the doctor asks Collins. "At this point, we have two possible choices. One of us stays behind while the rest of us transport to the shuttle." T'Var pauses a moment. "Or we stay here and attempt to fight off the altered Sakathians just outside the door."

T'Var looks about her at the assembled group, then says, "Of course, if anyone has other possible options?"

Rangin begins to wonder if anyone is listening to him.

"There are two other transporter areas in this area. If one of them is undamaged and has a working timer on it, then our problems may be resolved. We can ask the shuttle to scan and see what condition they are in. If they are both working and clear of people, we can transport everyone to that room. Whoever is left behind here will then be beamed across using the transporter in the room we move to. Then we can all transport to the shuttle using the working transporter. It does rely on the other transporters working, but is better than fighting our way through a multitude of altered Sakathians."

Delaney says, "The two other transporter rooms are on this station, but they're not really 'in this area.' If we didn't beam directly to them, which can be tricky even with a Starfleet transporter, we'd have to walk to them, and who knows how many zombies we'd run into out in the hallways?"

Hayes adds, "I doubt any of the Sakathian transporters have timers or automatic beamout controls, but I could be wrong. This is the only one we've seen up close."

Mrs. Porr stops shaking. Rangin's tricorder scan of her shows increasing synaptic and nervous system activity. Her heart continues to beat at a slower-than-in-normal-life rate. After a loud gasp, she also begins raspily breathing.

Collins says, "Thank you, Mr. Rangin. Any other recommendations, anyone?"

Kylah flicks a sympathetic look at Rangin, then turns to Hayes and snaps, "I'm a communications officer, not a doctor. But Mrs. Porr has a heartbeat, respiration and brain activity--all of which count as being alive in any medical text I've ever perused. I do not see why we cannot try giving her an overdose of sedative." She raises her voice and aims it at T'Var and her communicator. "Lieutenant Collins, I mentioned this before you were contacted--I believe there might be some sort of link between Porr's wife and the Sakathians outside. There is no doubt she is changing, and I notice that her activity seems to have been triggered by the nearness of the creatures to this room. I've suggested killing her, in as painless and respectful a manner as possible, whether by sedative or knife or even beaming her into space if necessary--but definitely killing her, and soon."

She takes a breath. "And I also have suggested that we stay and fight as long as we can. We have weapons and hopefully they do not. Abandoning a crewmate is not an option we should consider unless it is truly hopeless. In my opinion," Kylah adds, a bit belatedly.

"Finally, whatever happens--are there rations and water on board the shuttle, sir? If there are not enough for two days, we should probably beam some over to you. If the worse comes to the worst, we will not need them--but you will."

"Well, if you would prefer, we could hide in one of the modular areas and jettison it from the station, while getting the shuttle to hold on to it for a couple of days until help arrives. Although we may run out of something to breathe by then"

Despite the distractions, Rangin is still monitoring the new revived body trying to see if the new patterns match those of the creatures outside and if it has gained the strange colour that the other altered Sakathians also had?

"It's quite possible that she never actually died and all that has happened is a deep, comatose state, which we could not detect, and this is some kind of metamorphosis. I hope those phasers are on a high setting, if you intend to use them. They did not appear to help the Sakathians much. I would give serious consideration to restraint of the body though."

Collins says, "Thank you both. There are plenty of rations and water aboard the shuttle, enough for a couple of weeks at least."

Jovan, overhearing Rangin's comment, says, "There's no way to jettison any part of the station that I know of." Rangin's scans of Mrs. Porr's body show her biological processes, although difficult to understand, are identical to those of the altered Sakathians that the party has earlier encountered, and to those clawing at the door outside. He and Dr. T'Var simultaneously notice the woman's skin slowly but perceptibly turning a darker shade of gray, and the start of some bleeding from the ears and eyes. Her eyes are still tightly shut.

Hayes picks up one of the phasers, and looks askance at the reviving corpse. "What should we set them on? 'Stun' might not be enough to stop her, if it comes to that."

Collins adds to her statement "No one is getting left behind except the Saka-Zombies. And that includes Mrs Porr" She glances over to Chief Porr to make sure he's still "out" and didn't hear her last statement. "Look around for a pole long enough to reach the control panel from the transporter pad. "Or maybe rig up some sort of Goldbergian gadget that you can trigger from the pad to energize the transport remotely. I'll look around the shuttle to see if there's anything that will help that endeavor. Collins out." She looks around for any spare bits.

"Looking at these readings I would not consider going near the body now, its pretty much the same as the creatures outside. I would consider setting the phasers to somewhere between stun and kill to be sure."

He looks at the tricorder in his hands and wonders, "Mr Delaney, could you integrate a tricorder into the teleportation device and use that as a timed trigger?"

T'Var listens to those around her and to Collins on the shuttle.

"I do not believe stunning Mrs. Porr would help in any way," the doctor says in resignation. "Set phasers to their strongest settings and use them if necessary -- on Porr's wife and any altered Sakathians if and when they breach the door."

Collins can't see anything useful in the shuttle cabin for operating a Sakathian transporter at a distance. However, the sensor panel beeps at her.

Delaney gets a faraway look in his eyes at Rangin's question. "Hmm. I hadn't thought of using a tricorder as a transporter remote controller. That could work." He smiles for the first time since you entered the transporter room. "Let's see... gimme a minute...." He opens up his own tricorder and begins delicately poking around inside.

Hayes nods at T'Var's order and sets her phaser on kill. Pourtash picks up a phaser too, sets it, and says, "We could still beam some more people over to the shuttle now, couldn't we? Who should go?"

The bleeding from Mrs. Porr's ears and eyes gets a little worse, and she moans.

The moaning, scratching and pounding at the door is becoming louder. It really is very creepy. The hair on the back of Rangin's neck begins to stand up.

With Dr T'Var also monitoring the not-so-late Mrs Porr, Rangin turns his attention to the door and the scraping from outside. He's hoping the door's thickness is still the same and that there are still only the three altered creatures outside.

"Mr. Rangin, please scan just outside this door. I need to know exactly how many altered Sakathians are currently there."

To Hayes, T'Var says, "Once Mr. Delaney has finished with his work and we can all transport over to the shuttle -- you, Rangin and Pourtash will go next."

The doctor watches Delaney closely. "Kylah, Delaney and I will leave last."

There's an answering nod from Rangin to Dr T'Var's request.

Collins turns her attention to the shuttle's sensors.

Rangin's tricorder scan indicates there are still only three altered Sakathians outside the door, which so far seems to be holding. When he broadens his scan, he notes another eleven zombies approaching from both directions along that hallway.

"I don't mind going last," Pourtash says. "I just wonder if, while we know we have time, we shouldn't beam more people over to lessen the risk to everyone?"

The shuttle's sensors show the approach of a Sakathian ship. It is about five times the size of the Meitner.

Kylah barely hears any of the discussion around her, focusing solely on Mrs. Porr. Soon her mouth tightens, and she glances from the reanimated corpse to the door not far away--hearing the creatures outside, the moans that so clearly communicate their singleminded, insatiable hunger. She turns back to the woman on the ground and imagines an almost tangible cord binding her with the three beings who crave only flesh, desire only destruction.

Shuddering with nausea, Kylah staggers back and, grabbing one of the phasers, ensures that it's on its maximum setting--only utter disintigration will satisfy her--and aims it at the security chief's former wife. "We must kill her now," she says in a voice that starts weak but rises in determination as she continues: "They know she is here. We must kill her now!"

As desperate as she is, her Starfleet training will not let her shoot. She looks to T'Var, wild eyes almost pleading for permission. "Let me end this, Doctor!"

"I have no problems going next, but I would prefer to not be ordered to leave until I know everyone will be able to leave safely."

Hearing Kylah's words. "I'm not sure what lies in front of you actually counts as her anymore, just something else resident in the same shell. I can't wait to see what the files we uploaded have to say on this."

He eases his shoulder back slightly, the wound on it still painful and discomforting, but with the slight lull and the screeching from outside, it is reminding him more and more of its presence and how it was inflicted. There's a moment's pause, then he hastily starts scanning himself. "One of those things bit me, I wonder, I wonder..."