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

The Yorktown beams over standard-issue Starfleet ditty bags of extra clothing and toiletries for each of you. Lt. JG Bennett says that personal items can be beamed over at your request.

You all gather in the space station's dining hall at the appointed hour. Dr. Waite introduces you to the rest of the Miskatonic U. scientists and support staff; you notice that all are human except for Sellein, a female Tiburonian lab technician, and Grev, a male Caitian engineer. A handful of Sakathians, led by Director Geb and including a rather stern Security Chief Porr, are also there. There is plentiful food and drink. Waite and Pierce tell you which of the Sakathian consumables are safe and/or tasty.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tiburonian
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Caitian

Kylah arrives at the hall with the others. As she looks around the table, she's fascinated by Grev in particular--this is the first Caitian she's ever seen, and she has to force herself not to stare. Elas has felines, though only lap-sized ones, and Kylah has fond memories of her own family pet. Obviously Grev is no mere mute animal, and she realizes she'd better get used to the differences quickly lest she make an egregious mistake in dealing with him.

Nevertheless, his presence soothes her unease somewhat, as does seeing a Tiburonian among their number. Surely such representatives--one from a race that shares so much with its distant feline relatives, and another from a people who'd suffered through torture in the name of so-called science--might help ensure that whatever experiments are about to occur here are ethical and humane. Frankly, the sinister look of Chief Porr and what she personally considers Dr. Waite's glib attitude toward their research subjects have made the animals' safety one of Kylah's biggest concerns. That and the virtual waves of dislike that Porr seems to be sending in her direction.

She moves to take a seat near Glev, hoping to learn more about him and his fellow Caitians, and greets him respectfully.

Collins makes polite conversation with the other dinner guests, then chooses a seat near one of her team, but not Ensign Kylah. I'm still not sure about her. She's competent, that's obvious. But why is a Elasian in Starfleet at all?. Jeremi decides that a worry for another time, and sips what she discerns to be a red wine. She follows the doctors' recommendations and chooses a lightly sauced, she guesses, fowl, and some vegetation.

T'Var fills her plate with "safe" food. She then sits next to Dr. Pierce.

"I am concerned with the death of certain cells we will be studying," the doctor says bluntly. "It would be helpful if some of our research focused on how and why this occurred."

Glancing up, Kylah senses Collins's moment of hesitation and doesn't fail to notice that despite the empty seat beside her, the mission commander chooses to sit elsewhere. A raised eyebrow is her only outward reaction and she turns back to Grev.

"I would be very interested to learn about Miskatonic University," she says to the technician, watching him with what's probably not-very-well-disguised fascination. "And about you as well, of course. How long have you been involved in this research?"

Collins finds the food and wine to be palatable, if not quite as good as she has had aboard ship. She catches up Dr. Waite on the latest news from Earth.

Dr. Pierce asks Dr. T'Var, "Death of cells up to now, or once the studies begin? We can run tests as to the former, but have no plans as to the latter. Some cell line die-off is perfectly normal, of course. Hardly anything lives forever."

Grev smiles toothily at Ens. Kylah. He has thick, soft-looking brown fur, and tends to purr his "r"s. He says, "How do you do, Ensign? I have only been to the Univerrrsity's campus twice, and have mostly worrrked offworrrld since I was hirrred. I have been a lab tech for nine yearrrrrs. I focus on ensuring that our scientists have everything they need to produce replicable results with properrrrr records, and that tests are run consistently and with properrr controls."

"All living things do die," T'Var says evenly. "However, it makes sense to find out why perfectly healthy living things die. There must be a reason and that reason could have great significance."

T'Var takes a bite of food. She frowns. "I would not consider this 'tasty' be any means." The doctor takes another bite. Her frown deepens. "I certainly hope it is safe to eat. I do not enjoy moments of gastro-intestinal upset."

Dr. Pierce laughs. "That's hevvar, a Sakathian staple. Kind of like a spicy vegetable paste. It won't kill you, but it's an acquired taste for some. I really enjoy it, but guess I can't predict what a Vulcan will or won't like. As to the cell lines, if you'd like, I'll look over your records. Maybe I can help you figure out why some of the lines died off."

T'Var stares at the rest of the food on her plate. Nothing looks all that appealing to her.

"I would appreciate any assistance you can give me regarding the cell lines," the doctor says. "My records are quite detailed, of course."

After another look at her plate, T'Var says, "And your assistance in making a better food choice would also be most appreciated."

Even though she knows better, Collins has a second glass of wine. She talks politely with those seated around her, but she is clearly distracted.

As Dr. Pierce leads T'Var back to the buffet table, the Vulcan physician notices Collins drinking alcohol - highly inadvisable, she knows, for a pregnant woman.

T'Var will keep a close eye on Collins, but will say nothing for now. Collins is a grown woman and a capable Starfleet Officer. If this drinking pattern continues, however, T'Var will discuss the matter with Dr. Villa.

The evening passes pleasantly, and you all go to your rooms at the end of the dinner party. It's been a long day. Pourtash nevertheless has a touch of insomnia. When he decides to stretch his legs and see more of the station, he is unable to get past the door at the end of the corridor. He realizes that all Starfleet personnel and Miskatonic University staff are locked in for the "night."

Collins wakes early, very nauseous, and is only just able to get to the head (toilet) before vomiting.

Collins brushes her teeth, twice, and swishes some mouthwash for a couple of minutes. That weak-assed buzz was not worth the bottle it came in. I should have packed some of my private stash. She showers and dresses and steps out into the corridor. She goes to the closed door at the end of the hall with the intention of finding coffee.

T'Var joins Collins.

"I would strongly suggest a great deal of hydration," the doctor says in a neutral tone. "Preferably water or fruit juice."

"Coffee, first" mumbles Collins, "then some protein. Then we'll see about the water and fruit juice." Blearily Collins reaches for the door's latch with one hand, and rubs her eyes with the other.

The door seems to be locked. Collins feels another overpowering wave of nausea coming on.

Kylah is dressed and ready for--well, whatever anyone needs her for--though she's not feeling very refreshed after a fitful night's sleep and a discomfiting morning. When she enters the corridor and sees the other two women at the end of it, a scowl lowers her brows. Collins looks far greener than any Vulcan, much less Dr. T'var. The human's nausea is so blatant Kylah is feeling sympathetic roiling in her own stomach just looking at her.

"Are you unwell, Mr. Collins?" she asks, stating the patently obvious. "With respect, should you not be in bed?" Her tone expresses far more annoyance than a very junior officer should show her mission commander, but she knows the sooner Collins is gone the sooner she'll feel better herself. She turns almost accusingly to the doctor. "Why are you not tending her? And why are we congregating here by the doorway?"

[removed duplicate post - EH]

Collins lifts her head to look at Kylah with a bewildered expression, then makes a mad dash for her cabin. Her makes it to the head with nanoseconds to spare. When the wave finally passes after what seems like hours, she sits back on her heels. and tries to catch her breath.

"Patience and discretion, Ensign Kylah," is all T'Var says before quickly heading to her own cabin for a medikit.

T'Var finds Collins and administers a hypospray of electrolytes and anti-nausea medication. "Are you well enough to continue with our mission, Mr. Collins?" the doctor asks.

Collins reflexively rubs her arm at the point of contact, even though no pain was involved. "Absolutely," she says as she stands and straightens her uniform, "and thank you. You've kept my secret, yes? I've made a decision, but this is neither the time nor place to deal with it."

Rangin and Fujishiro emerge from their cabins almost simultaneously and see Kylah looking down the corridor. "What's going on?" the Japanese woman asks.

Kylah has tried the door a couple of times by now and swivels to face Rangin and Fujishiro in growing frustration. "What is going on?" she asks, her eyes dangerously bright. "First, our mission commander is--not feeling well," she says with more tact than her first impulse wanted to use. "Second, our doctor is tending her. And third, our quarters have apparently turned into our cages. We seem to have been locked into confinement like the unfortunate lab animals we've delivered into these cretinous ingrates' care."

While the others absorb this, Kylah snaps open her communicator. "Ensign Kylah to the Yorktown. Please respond if you can hear me." While waiting she mutters, "If this works I shall be greatly surprised."

"I take my oath as a physician quite seriously," T'Var assures Collins. "Your 'secret' is safe with me -- and the entire medical staff."

Collins motions to the door of her cabin, and follows T'Var out into the corridor just as Kylah is attempting to contact the Yorktown. "Ensign?" Collins addresses Kylah, wondering why the juniormost officer has taken it upon herself to initiate contact with the ship. She's not annoyed, only slightly incredulous.

"I'm glad you are no longer indisposed, Lt. Collins," Kylah says, flicking her gaze at Jeremi. "Since I had no idea how long you would be ill, I thought it best to try the ship to see if we have been cut off from the outside universe as well as from the outside of our quarters. No immediate response, but that may not mean anything; any number of factors might prevent swift transmissions to and from the Yorktown--any stellar flares in the vicinity, for example."

The young communications officer is secretly glad there's at least something she can offer, though she knows she's saying nothing that any of the other crew members don't know. Her role in this mission has been primarily observational, especially since her efforts with brokering some semblence of an understanding with the Sakathians were either fruitless or rather prematurely interrupted by the very officer now looking at her as if she's sprouted Andorian antennae. Getting a chance to be of use would be most satisfying.

"Yorktown here," comes the voice of Lt. Thalen over the comm channel after only a few seconds. "Good morning, Ens. Kylah."

Dr. Pierce wanders out of her quarters, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She seems a little surprised to see you all there.

Kylah heaves a quiet sigh of relief. "Good morning, sir. My apologies if I contacted you unduly, but there is an unusual situation here. We appear to have been locked in our quarters. This may be common procedure on this station but we had not been informed of it. And as Mr. Collins was briefly indisposed, I thought it prudent to ensure that we were still able to communicate with the ship."

T'Var will leave the situation with Kylah in the capable hands of Collins. It is not her place to interfere, of course.

The doctor acknowledges Dr. Pierce with a smile. "Good morning," T'Var says. "We seem to be stuck in the corridor. Is there a logical reason why?"

Collins hears Thalen's reply and opens her communicator. "Collins here, Lieutenant. Ensign Kylah is correct. The door at the end of this corridor, leading to the labs and the rest of the station, is locked. It could simply be on a timer, or something is going on that the Sakathians wish to keep from us." Jeremi would love to blast the door, but has no phaser.

Dr. Pierce, overhearing Collins's remark, says, "Didn't anyone tell you? The Sakathians keep this doorway locked until about 0830 every day. Sometimes a little later, but never earlier." She glances at the wall chrono. "Relax. Should be opening any minute now."

Over the communicator, Thalen asks, "Is there anything else, Mr. Collins?"

"No, Sir. Not at this time. Collins out." Collins turns to face Dr. Pierce. "Okay, that's twice. What else is routine that you haven't told us?" Her impatience starts to show.

Kylah finds herself agreeing with Collins for once. Her mind floods with questions. How can Pierce just accept this behavior on the Sakathians' part? Is this more of their paranoia, and how do these doctors not find it insulting to be so distrusted after all their service? How is this not worrisome to her, not to mention potentially dangerous if something should occur to require a speedy evacuation? Is the lock intended for protection--and if so, whose? Ours or theirs?

Somehow she restrains herself. "And with all due respect, Dr. Pierce, regardless of what time the doors unlock, why need they lock the doors at all? It would help us adapt to their behavior if you'd explain it to us. Is there a way to unlock it from this side we simply have not discovered?"

Others start to drift out of their quarters now - several Miskatonic U. staff, greeting each other and chatting quietly, as well as Lt. JG Delaney.

Dr. Pierce says to you, rolling her eyes a little, "The Sakathians say it's for our protection as well as theirs. I think it's just a reflection of their xenophobia; they don't want us wandering the station at night. There's a security guard posted right on the other side, and you can use the comm panel there to call him or the station control center in an emergency. It's never been necessary, that I know of."

There is a muted clicking sound, and the door slides open. You see a Sakathian guard standing on opposite side, a weapon on his hip. The MU people move past him, en masse, to the mess hall for breakfast.

Despite the shot from Dr. T'Var, Lt. JG Collins still feels the aftereffects of her earlier nausea.

"I suggest we have some breakfast," T'Var says to the group. "Any and all time we spend with the Sakathians might help to curb their xenophobia a bit."

Collins chooses some tea with honey, some dry toast, and some yogurt. She sits at a small table by herself; she's just not in the mood for small talk right now.

Noticing Collins's solitude, Kylah frowns in concern, worried that the Lt. JG's obvious distraction might prove troublesome on the mission. But keeping Collins in good health, both body and spirit, is Dr. T'Var's lookout. Too, Mr. Pourtash is presumably up to the challenge of taking on additional responsibilities if necessary, considering she's heard he was previously a mission commander himself.

None of my affair, Kylah thinks, and decides to focus on T'Var's wise words of advice. To that end--and bearing in mind Collins's own orders that she act as one of the liaisons to the Sakathians--Kylah seeks out Director Geb: the sole Sakathian with whom they've had any dealings so far. Perhaps a discreet, friendly and non-threatening talk over breakfast might do some good.

She wills herself to release her lingering annoyance over the locked door issue. Still, the whole thing is absurd. Even Elasians, not known for trusting outsiders, would not be such ungracious hosts to a team of whom they'd actively sought help.

Well. At least I wouldn't, she amends with a small smirk, thinking back on how Starfleet officers had been treated when first encountered.

T'Var and most of the Yorktown boarding party select their breakfasts and sit among the Sakathians in the mess hall. You find them polite but not exactly chummy.

Collins is able to eat her breakfast in peace and finds her nausea ebbing a bit by the time she's done.

Kylah sees Director Geb at a small table not far away, also eating alone. "May I join you?" the Communications ensign asks.

"Of course," the Sakathian officer says, gesturing. "I hope you rested well."

Kylah nods politely. The Sakathians, like Kylah herself, don't seem prone to smiling unduly, and though with humans Kylah has gradually forced herself to become more outwardly emotive, she doesn't want to fall into the trap of assuming Sakathians use facial gestures the same way other races do.

"Our quarters were most comfortable, Director. I thank you for providing such accommodations." She sips the hot drink provided by the Sakathian cook, which is bitter and nearly undrinkable--frankly, the same can be said for the Earth coffee she'd tried back in the Academy, which is why Kylah has always stuck with hot lemonade, a closer approximation of the light, refreshingly tart Elasian breakfast beverage Dahl she's used to.

Kylah takes a calculated risk. Sometimes honesty is appreciated and can knock down barriers. "You may have heard another tale of our embarrassing ignorance of your procedures, as displayed this morning," she says with a self-deprecating shake of her head. "My most sincere apologies. I and the other Starfleet officers were unaware of your policy of securing the sleeping quarters during the night, and since we are not used to this precaution, we were alarmed and thought something might have gone wrong. Please forgive me if you've heard of our reaction and thought it untoward. I expect it's a standard safety procedure? With so many unusual creatures being housed here, I suppose one must be especially careful not to let anyone walk the ship unaccompanied, even on an innocent night stroll."

She places a hand on her chest. "I would be sincerely grateful if you would accept my apology. As it is my duty to learn more about your culture, I take it as my own failing if my fellow crewmates and I caused any offense. We meant no disrespect but that, of course, does not mean we did not do so unwittingly."

T'Var finds her breakfast palatable, at least. She observes Collins sitting alone. Perhaps not what the mission leader should do at this point, but considering the circumstances....

The doctor sighs and notices Kylah talking with Director Geb. The young ensign has potential and T'Var is impressed with how Kylah has handled herself thus far -- despite her overly anxious actions at times.

Feeling more like herself, Collins cleans her spot, and walks over to T'Var's table, "Thank you, Doctor, although I think this may be with me at a low level all day. Would you please test me for toxins from last night's meal? I may ask for emergency rations to be beamed over for me."

"No apology is necessary, Ensign," Geb says calmly. "Neither I nor my staff have taken any offense. The door to the visitors' quarters corridor is always locked at night. I would have thought the Miskatonic scientists would have told you."

Dr. T'Var's medical tricorder scan of Collins shows no toxins, but increased estrogen and progesterone levels, and the characteristic biochemical indications of nausea gravidarum, known since time immemorial as "morning sickness."

Kylah shakes her head. "We have had surprisingly little interaction with the Miskatonic students, Director. But I thank you for your patience with us; you are very kind." She sips the bitter beverage and expertly hides her distaste. Yes, this is definitely even worse than Earth's coffee. Fortunately after her cousin's wedding, countless celebrations consisting of fare from Troyius--truly execrable, to Kylah's sensibilities--taught her to feign pleasure when eating the foulest of foreign meals. This Sakathian drink is positively ambrosial in comparison to some of the foods from Elaan's wedding banquet.

"I hope you will indulge my curiosity a little, if it is permitted? I am so anxious to learn about Sakath and its history. I was about to ask you questions before we had our... misunderstanding... about the weaponry. We've taken care to study your planet's history, but there are egregious gaps in our knowledge. For example, the history depicted in that striking set of murals we saw when we first arrived. We know of the shameful trials you experienced under the thumb of tyranny and invasions from offworlders, and I recognized that in the mural. But some of the more recent events are unknown to me."

This time Kylah lets herself smile with rueful deprecation. "Of course I am very new to Starfleet and, coming from my own distant planet with its similarly troubled and protective nature, I'm not as informed as I ought to be in other worlds' histories. As I recall, your history consists of several dynastic eras. As I said we do know about the cruel invaders--and may I say, it grieves me that you've been through such turmoil, but perhaps it makes your ultimate rise and triumph--the "Heroic Leap to the Stars," I believe you call it--all the more inspiring." She tilts her head. "But could you tell me of the eras in between? This Second Dynasty, and how it fell? And the Age of Sorrows that followed?"

(Kylah covers her mouth as she hiccups, embarrassed. Perhaps the drink is not agreeing with her.)

Geb says wryly, "If you don't like the drink, Ensign, please don't force yourself to finish it." She looks at the ceiling for a moment. "Well, as I said, the murals you admired show the seven great eras of Sakathian history. The Dawn of Sakath is about our earliest prehistory, when our race evolved to its current form and the earliest civilization of city-states was founded. The Offworlder Invasions were a terrible time, of course, and are still remembered by our people with great sadness. The rise of the First Dynasty is the story of the wise and heroic rulers who helped establish much of our early governance and culture. Then there was a power struggle and an interregnum, and then the Second Dynasty was established, leading to what is now considered a golden age. The Second Dynasty fell too, though, to fratricidal war and plague, and followed by the Age of Sorrows, which is roughly comparable to Earth's Dark Ages. Much of what had been learned and built before then was forever lost. But in time came the Restoration and the Third Dynasty, some six hundred Sakathian years ago, and the Heroic Leap to the Stars, with the invention of warp drive and the spreading of the Sakathian people beyond our homeworld. Which brings us to today, does it not?"

yeah, well I know the best cure for that Jeremi smirks to herself. She gets another cup of tea, looks around the room, and approaches Pourtash's table. "Good morning, Mr Pourtash. What's your opinion of the mission so far?" She sits, holds the cup with both hands, and looks into the steaming liquid for a moment, then back at her colleague.

T'Var continues to eat her breakfast. She is enjoying it more with each bite she takes.

The doctor converses with several Sakathian scientists and technicians sitting at the table with her. T'Var is a good conversationalist -- despite the fact that Vulcans are considered quite reserved and at times a bit unsociable.

Pourtash says, "Considering all the problems we had coming aboard in the first place, I'd say not so bad. I hope we've had the last of our surprises as to how the Sakathians treat visitors, though."

T'Var and the Sakathians converse easily; some are a bit more talkative than others, as with any group of just-met individuals.

"Something tells me those surprises have only just begun." Collins sips her tea and looks around the room again. "What's your take on Geb and her body guard?" she asks the Lt Cmdr.

T'Var enjoys talking with the Sakathians. She keeps the conversation light.

The doctor introduces them to the game of chess and offers to teach them how to play.

What lieutenant commander is Collins speaking to?

Did T'Var bring a chess board with her? Don't remember that.

Pourtash

"I have an excellent computer program for chess beginners," T'Var tells the Sakathians at her table. "I'd be happy to share it with anyone who may have an interest in learning the game."

The Sakathians at T'Var's table seem somewhat interested in chess, although it's hard for them to visualize the game. One of them, Yblec, says he loves all kinds of games, and starts telling T'Var about a Sakathian game that sounds a bit like backgammon, but with spiky pieces.

Rangin, Delaney, Fujishiro and the just-arisen Hayes each choose different tables to mingle with the Sakathians and MU staff over breakfast.

Lt. JG Pourtash replies to Collins, "Well, I like her more than I like him. He always looks like he'd just as soon shoot us. She at least seems to have a personality under her shell." He nods in the direction of Geb and Kylah. "Maybe our Communications officer will be able to learn more."

He's not a lieutenant commander: http://www.mellophant.com/forums/sho...G-Setup-thread

oops

Kylah apologizes for the hiccup. "It's not the drink at all, Director. My constitution usually takes a few days to recover after being transported. I think it may be physiological--to be honest, Elasians don't react well to Starfleet's transportation technology." She's rather pleased with this little invention, and takes a defiant sip of the brew, this time smiling with well-faked pleasure. Personally she still blames Collins for the lingering sympathy stomach disquiet she's feeling.

"In any event, I thank you for sharing your history with me. Most of all, I'm glad to hear the Age of Sorrows is so long distant! I feared it might have been something much more recent. But now you rejoice in the Leap to the Stars, and considering your past, this seems even more of an astonishing technological accomplishment after such a Dark time. Your people are to be congratulated for making such strides. If only others were as resiliant." Her dark eyes beam warmth toward Geb. "May I ask, how long have you personally been in charge of this station?"

"I, too, enjoy games of all kinds," T'Var tells Yblec. "Perhaps I can teach you more about chess and you can teach me more about what sounds like a most interesting Sakathian game."

Geb says, "I have been in charge here for almost two years now. It is challenging work sometimes, but I like it."

Yblec tells T'Var, "By all means, Doctor. Fonovolon is easy to learn, but the tactics can be very complex."

Collins thanks Pourtash and walks over closer to where Geb and Kylah are talking, close enough to listen in but not interrupt. Once she ascertains that the conversation is not about the mission, she continues on to the beverage station and pours herself one more tea. If this damned nausea keeps up, I'll have to step down and return to the ship. And I don't want to do that.

"As a Vulcan," she says, "I relish complexity."

T'Var allows herself a slight smile. "Chess is a fairly simple game to learn. However, the mastery of it can be quite elusive."

The tea tastes good and Collins feels a bit better.

Yblec says, "That sounds something like Fonovolon, too. Perhaps you could beam over a chess field and teach me later?"

Kylah tells Geb, "As I've mentioned this is my first mission for Starfleet, so I hope you'll forgive me if I seem to ask too many questions. I must admit I feel a certain kinship with your people; I know I've also said this before, but we Elasians don't have much experience with the Federation and it takes us a while to trust new colleagues. But Starfleet is certainly enthusiastic about helping others with their exploration and scientific journeys, as well as advances in peaceful cohabitation with other races; they seem most genuine in their wish to advance knowledge for all. It took my people some time to accept their help as sincere--but thanks to the Federation our planet has thrived." She remains outwardly open and pleasant but inside she's wincing. Oh if my Guardian heard me, he'd clip my ears back for being such a Federation sycophant. And I'd probably deserve it, too.

Kylah ignores her internal annoyance, since her main goal is to gain a rapport with Geb and hopefully improve the Director's trust of the crew; if flattering the Federation and overselling her planet's trust of them might benefit the mission, she'll do what her Academy roommate called "sucking up with the best of them."

Realizing she might soon lose her audience, she shakes her head apologetically. "But I don't mean to take up so much of your time. I'm sure you are very busy. I did want to ask two things before you go--first, a favor: if you have any lesson tapes focusing on Sakathian language I would be extremely grateful for the opportunity to borrow them. My area of interest is xenolinguistics and what little I heard of your language--when the Universal Translator briefly failed to provide us with translations the other day--sounded fascinating and I would be honored to serve if the translator should malfunction again. I learn very quickly, if I may be immodest."

She hesitates and then adds: "And my second question is, well, a bit embarrassing--I must admit I have no experience whatsoever with Denebian slime devils and seeing them was rather intimidating. Have you worked with them before?"

Geb seems to unbend a little and says, "Of course. I'll have language tapes, formatted for your tricorder, sent to your quarters. Sakathian is a nuanced tongue, dear to us as a people, and capable of expressing a wide range of social, historical and technological information. I wish you luck with it, Ensign." She finishes her drink. "As for slime devils, no, I've had no previous dealings with them. I've heard of them but know very little about the beasts. I'll leave that for the scientists." She almost shudders.

T'Var appreciates Yblec's enthusiasm. "It would be an honor and a pleasure," she tells him. "However, I will beam over an actual chess set. Playing chess using a real board and pieces truly adds depth to the experience."

Feeling more like herself, Collins checks the station's chronometer. "Shall we start our day?" she asks the room.

The Starfleet personnel begin their work, observing the MU team as they conduct tests on the alien lifeforms.

Dr. Pierce begins a series of growth cultures to try to figure out why several of the invertebrate cell lines failed for Dr. T'Var. It will take at least five days for the cultures to grow sufficiently. The Vulcan physician beams over a chess set from the Yorktown later that day and begins to teach Yblec how to play. She finds him a bit... slow. Moreover, Fonovolon is a fiendishly complex game, much more so than she recalls chess being when she first learned it.

The day and that night pass without incident. You are again locked down on your corridor.

Collins wakes the next morning and feels slightly queasy, but not as bad as the day before. Just before lunchtime, her communicator sounds. "Singh to Collins."

She immediately answers. "Collins here."

"Good morning, Lieutenant. Status report, please."

Collins brings the Captain up to date, and Singh says, "Very good. We have new orders from Starfleet. The situation on Cavinre VII has deteriorated, and the Federation embassy has twice been menaced by mobs that local police seem hard-pressed to control. The ambassador has asked for protection and possible evacuation. We're leaving for Cavinre VII within the hour. Your boarding party must remain on the station, under the treaty, but I'll leave a shuttlecraft behind for you just in case. If all goes well, we'll be back for you at least several days before the end of your stay. Questions?"

"No, Sir. I'll let the others know." She goes to the dining hall, and as her shipmates enter, she tells them of the Yorktown's temporary departure. Then she selects some steamed grain and vegetable melange and eats slowly so as not to retrigger the nausea.

Before eating a well-earned lunch, T'Var checks in on Collins.

"I trust you are feeling better?" the doctor asks.

"Well," Collins tells T'Var, "if yesterday was a 10 on the ick scale, today's about a 7. You know we're on our own here, right? The Yorktown is responding to a situation on Cavinre VII" Collins had a faint sense of dread, very faint but it was there, about their mission now that they have no back up.

"I have every confidence in our team here -- and aboard the Yorktown," T'Var replies. "If you are in need of anything, please let me know."

"Very well, Mr. Collins," Singh says. "I have complete confidence in you. We'll be back as soon as we can. Good luck!"

Collins briefs all of the members of her boarding party as to the Cavinre situation.

The Yorktown departs as expected, having left the shuttlecraft Meitner in the same orbit as, and within transporter range of, the Sakathian space station.

As to shuttlecraft, see posts 515-521 in the setup thread.

Her meal finished, T'Var heads back to the lab. Perhaps Dr. Pierce has some information regarding the death of those cell lines.

T'Var finds Pierce walking among the various incubators, taking notes on a data tablet. "Nothing yet," she says. "They're all growing normally that I can see."

The rest of that day, and the next, pass without incident. Collins feels a little better but still has occasional low-grade nausea.

On the third day after the Yorktown leaves, Collins, T'Var, Kylah, Rangin and Dr. Waite are eating lunch in the mess hall. Waite digs into a big bowl of sauerkraut and Collins finds she can barely stand the smell.

Kylah has been spending most of her time either observing the Sakathians in order to understand their culture -- well, at least how they interact with another, since they seem to do precious little interacting with the Yorktown crew except those directly involved in the experiments; she's also spent many hours with the language lessons Geb was kind enough to lend her.

So, during this latest mealtime, she tries to distract herself from Waite's disgusting meal by mulling over insults in her still-rudimentary Sakathian.

The closest attempt she can come up with is pidgin at best, translating roughly as Offworlder of filth eats slop like animal who in barn lives, and thus also like animal smells. The thought makes her smile but it's not good enough for her liking. Kylah knows she doesn't have the syntax correct, and she's a perfectionist when it comes to languages. If she's going to cause an incident just because the man eats revolting food that's making her ill, she'd rather do so with immaculate style.

So though she's sorely tempted to try it out, she just nibbles at the Sakathian chef's toasted grain paste that's the only thing palatable right now, and tries not to stare daggers into the side of Waite's head. She satisfies herself with the knowledge that in another few days she should be able to insult him properly. If the mood strikes her.

And if this keeps up, she has no doubt it will.

T'Var takes notice of Kylah's interest in Waite and his meal.

"Have you ever tried sauerkraut?" she asks the ensign. "It is definitely an acquired taste."

Kylah casts a wry look at T'Var and says, not loudly, "With respect, doctor, the taste of something that looks like diced Regulan bloodworm -- and has the stench of a flask of badly fermented tartberry wine I once found in the cellar -- hardly seems worth the price of acquiring it."

Collins selects some steamed vegetables and grains and sits as far from the sauerkraut as she can manage.

T'Var has to grin at Kylah's unique way of describing sauerkraut.

"Quite true, Ensign," the doctor replies. "However, we should never judge something until we have tried it for ourselves."

Ens. Rangin says, with a smile at Dr. Waite, "I like sauerkraut all right as a side dish or a garnish, but I've never seen anyone tackle a whole bowl of it."

The scientist replies, through a mouthful of the spiced fermented cabbage, "My mother is German. I come by my tastes naturally."

Dr. T'Var's keen Vulcan hearing picks up sounds of shouting in the distance. She believes it is from down the main central corridor, just outside the mess hall. Moments later, a low alarm begins to sound. Ens. Kylah happens to be looking right at Waite at that instant, and sees him pale noticeably just before he stands.

You all hear a scream.

Collins jumps up and runs towards the scream, absentmindedly reaching for her missing phaser.

T'Var does not hesitate. She follows Collins immediately.

Kylah takes a piercing look at Waite while rising to follow her crew members. "Dr. Waite!" she snaps out. "Do you know what might be happening?" Before he answers she takes a quick glance around the room to see how the others are reacting.

Collins thinks the scream came from out in the large main corridor that runs almost the length of the station, and T'Var, with her superior hearing, concurs. They see several Sakathians milling about in the corridor, many silent but some talking quickly in Sakathian. You get only bits of disconnected speech through your communicators' built-in universal translators: "Alarm," "Unusual," "morning," "experiment," "Earthers," "careless," "breach" and "worry."

Rangin stands but does not run after Collins and T'Var; he seems to want to hear what Dr. Waite has to say. The Miskatonic scientist bumps his bowl accidentally as he jumps to his feet, and it crashes to the deck and breaks. He says shakily, "There's some problem in the labs. The alarm indicates a lockdown is in progress."

Kylah gives up on Waite, sensing very little useful will result from further discussion or investigation. She asks Rangin if he'll be joining her, and without waiting for an answer rushes out into the main corridor.

Once she arrives, Kylah notices that the UTs aren't working very well and, with a quick look at Collins and T'Var, can tell that they're having no more luck with their own communicators. Standing still and trying to mentally tune out the jabber from the communicator, she does her best to listen as carefully as possible, hoping to recognize some of the missing Sakathian words. She also tries to pay attention to the emotions in their speech as well. Perhaps this will provide some context.

Collins approaches the Sakathians "Tell me what's going on," and before they all start talking quickly and at once she adds, "one of you," she points to a male Sakathian who seems to Jeremi to be in a supervisory position, "and please speak a little more slowly." As she listens, she visually scans the area, looking for anything amiss, any clues that might alert her to what happened.

T'Var stands ready at Collins' side. She pays close attention to what's happening around them. The doctor is gratified to see Kylah has joined them. Hopefully, she will be able to translate what the UTs cannot.

Rangin follows Kylah into the corridor. Waite comes with them. The alarm continues to sound.

The Sakathian man to whom Collins points is wearing a scientist's badge. He seems upset and says, "Something's going on down that way." He points towards the labs. "The Earthers - the University people - have been conducting some kind of experiment there. It's been closed off to most of our staff. They've been very secretive and now... well, that's the breach alarm. I don't know what's happened, exactly, but I don't think it's good."

Beyond the masses of milling Sakathians in the hallway you hear another scream, and then another lower howl of pain, from that direction. Then you see, over their heads, a flash of light and a short burst of sound - similar to a phaser discharge, but not exactly. It's followed by a long, unearthly scream that chills Kylah to the bone.

The Sakathians now begin stampeding toward and past you, away from the screams.

Collins hesitates a moment - with no weapon, how smart is it? - then runs towards the distressing sounds.

T'Var follows right behind Collins.

Kylah has started running to follow the others when the full impact of the scream hits her. It's so powerful that she has to lean against the wall as the sound of terror and surprise goes through her entire body.

She knows she must follow her crewmates. But for an instant she doesn't want to--like a child goaded by others to enter some unknown dark room, she wants to refuse and run in the other direction. Disgusted by this cowardly reaction, Kylah pushes herself away from the wall, ignoring the phantom echoes of the scream still resounding in her mind. With one swift move she grabs one of the Elasian daggers from its sheath on her right thigh just barely hidden beneath her skirt. The warm, familiar animal hide grip in her hand is a natural extension of her and it imparts much needed confidence.

Running and taking deep breaths, she finds some measure of rational thought returning and she tries to analyze what she just heard. The realization suddenly strikes her: That wasn't a human, she thinks, tightening her hold on the knife's handle. That was one of the Sakathians.

The three Yorktown crewmembers, with Rangin and Waite close behind, burst through the rapidly-thinning crowd of panicking Sakathians. What you see just outside the door of the biology lab shocks you. Three Sakathians are on the deck, torn and bloody, apparently dead. One is in the uniform of a security guard, and his energy sidearm lies shattered nearby. Two other Sakathians, their skin much darker than the others and with even darker blood seeping from their eyes and ears, are eating them with repulsive eagerness.

Collins steps forward, initially intending to pull the predators off their victims, then realizes she's probably not much of a match for them. Collins opens her communicator "Collins to Shuttlecraft Meitner. Beam us down three phasers, immediately. Use Ensign Kylah's coordinates so that they're out of reach of what we're facing." She pockets the communicator and over her shoulder, so as not to take her eyes off the altered Sakathians, calls to Kylah, "Ensign, as soon as the phasers arrive, set to heavy stun and start shooting - then toss one to T'Var and one to me and we'll do the same." Where the hell is Pourtash? she thinks with a bit of anger.

T'Var controls her impulse to engage the crazed Sakathians and stop their horrific feasting. As a Vulcan, she is stronger than those with her, but probably not strong enough in this situation.

The doctor awaits the arrival of phasers and will start shooting as soon as she has one in her hand.

There is no one in the shuttlecraft to answer Collins. It was simply left behind by the Yorktown for when your mission was complete, if the starship had not returned by then. You did not make any arrangements for a crewmember to be aboard.

Another dark-skinned Sakathian emerges from the doorway to the lab, grunting almost like an animal with each step. He looks much like the other two, but his right arm hangs at an odd angle.

Someone deep inside the lab begins screaming, but does so for no more than ten seconds.

Kylah's arm twitches with the impulse to fling her knife at the flesh-eating Sakathians, but it's clearly too late to help their victim and she doesn't want to waste a throw. She tries without much hope to communicate with them. "Can you understand me?" she says to the Sakathian in the doorway--first without translating, and then using the basic Sakathian she's learned.

Collins opens her communicator again "Collins to Pourtash. Get up to the shuttle and bring back whatever phasers you can find. Meet us in the common room." To her crewmates and Dr Waite she says "I recommend a strategic retreat - I want to find out about the 'experiment' that caused this." An old Earth 19th Century novel about a scientist who transforms into a beast upon ingesting a potion springs into Collins' mind

T'Var finds the thought of retreat as repulsive as the sight before her, however, she has to admit that this is probably the best option -- for the moment.

"Agreed," she tells Collins.

The doctor steps in front of Kylah, concerned that the young ensign might think about attack rather than following orders. "Best to put that away -- for now," she whispers.

Pourtash does not answer Collins.

The Sakathian to whom Kylah speaks cocks his head at her, but does not respond. He growls and bears his teeth, then lunges towards her, hands extended like claws.

Kylah would love to follow orders right now but the sight of the Sakathian heading toward her requires a fast calculation. If he's far enough away and slow enough, she'll obey Collins--although she senses there might be people still alive in the lab and she hates to abandon any students or still unaffected Sakath crew by leaving.

If he's too fast to give her a good chance at escape, she'll take proper throwing stance, aiming with both arms toward the attacker, then flinging the lethal knife toward the Sakathian's heart.

As all this rushes through her mind, she yells at T'Var--who just stepped in front of her to adviser her and thus has her back to the charging Sakathian--"I'll put the weapon away where it'll do the most good -- watch out, Doctor, that one's coming toward us!"

Kylah would love to follow orders right now but the sight of the Sakathian heading toward her requires a fast calculation. If he's far enough away and slow enough, she'll obey Collins--although she senses there might be people still alive in the lab and she hates to abandon any students or still unaffected Sakath crew by leaving.

If he's too fast to give her a good chance at escape, she'll take proper throwing stance, aiming with both arms toward the attacker, then flinging the lethal knife toward the Sakathian's heart.

As all this rushes through her mind, she yells at T'Var--who just stepped in front of her to adviser her and thus has her back to the charging Sakathian--"I'll put the weapon away where it'll do the most good -- watch out, Doctor, that one's coming toward us!"

As she runs, Collins see Rangin ahead of her and gives him the same instructions she'd given to Pourtash, then tries again to raise Pourtash on the communicator.

T'Var turns to see the growling Sakathian coming towards them. She steps to Kylah's side, allowing for a clear knife throw. If needed, the Vulcan will do her best to defend them both as they attempt the ordered retreat.

The Sakathian is coming at Kylah too fast for her to get away. She flings her knife, and it unerringly flies toward the Sakathian's heart, plunging into his chest. He gives an unearthly scream and falls, trying but failing to tear the blade out as he drops to the deck.

Pourtash still does not answer Collins.

Rangin and Waite match their pace to Collins as they run. Waite is clearly terrified.

Kylah exhales with relief that her aim was true, though the pain felt by the Sakathian at the point of impact almost radiated toward her; aiming at living targets is far more troubling than the straw manniquins she practiced on for years as a girl.

Is he dead or just wounded? she thinks, backing away before preparing to turn and follow Collins. If he's dead, she's almost tempted to go back for her knife--except, of course, the other cannibalistic Sakathians are still there. She wonders if they even notice their fallen comrade. Maybe they'll thank me for adding another course to their feast, she thinks with dry, grim humor. But the sudden thought that killing someone might actually aid these horrific creatures--whatever the Sakathians have become--makes Kylah feel ill and she turns toward T'Var, unable to speak but hoping for some of the Vulcan's wisdom.

T'Var grabs Kylah by the arm and moves quickly to follow Collins and the others.

"Perhaps we can retrieve your weapon later," she says.

Grateful for the doctor's swift thinking and knocking her out of her temporary frozen state, Kylah dashes forward with T'Var. She also remembers what Waite said in the cafeteria and yells out. "Dr. Waite! What part of the lab gets locked down? How far are we from safety?"

She turns to Dr. T'Var as they run. "Thank you, Doctor. I--I can't explain but I must tell you I strongly feel there may be survivors in there," she says desperately. "I understand our need to regroup and find some more weapons, but we mustn't delay or they may be lost."

Once back in the common room, Collins turns to Rangin "Go! Shuttle! Weapons! Now!" She turns to her crewmates. "My gut tells me someone's been trying to create hybrids. But to what end?" She turns to Waite. "I want details. Exactly what experiments have you and the Sakathians been doing in that lab?" Jeremi's anger is obvious but under control.

Kylah notices that the Sakathian zombie - that's how she can't help but think of it - is still crawling towards her slowly, face down, after falling, making a horrible moaning noise. She flees with the others.

Collins, T'Var, Kylah, Rangin and Waite retreat to the common room just off the offworlders' residence corridor. No one else is there. Waite, his hands shaking, codelocks the door. A low alarm continues to sound throughout the station, and you hear muted screams, shouting and pounding feet from time to time. Collins feels a wave of nausea coming on; seeing the carnage in the hallway did not help her digestion.

It is now midday, station time. Kylah thinks of Collins trying to reach Pourtash, and it suddenly occurs to her that she has not seen Delaney, Hayes or Fujishiro since breakfast, either.

With obvious hesitation, Rangin obeys Collins's order and prepares to go out alone to find weapons and a means of reaching the shuttle.

Dr. Waite answers Collins. "We were... it was an experiment. An experiment. A major cooperative project between the University and the Sakathian Government. This experiment... ah... um. There are proprietary details that... trade secrets, patent considerations. You know. It... well. Not hybrids, no, but... instead... no!" He is almost babbling. "I... I can't..." He bursts into tears, which astonishes T'Var. It is something she has never seen him do before. He nearly shrieks, "I can't talk about it, I just can't, I'm sorry!"

"Doctor Waite," Collins says, "we have dead bodies and genetically altered...monsters, for lack of a better word. How is keeping whatever secret to yourself more terrifying than that?" Somehow, Jeremi's training supersedes her physiology, and she manages to keep lunch down.

Collins turns to T'Var and Kylah "Find out what happened to the rest of our crew" she tells them, trying hard to make it more of a request than an order.

"I do not believe Mr. Rangin should venture to the shuttle alone," T'Var tells Collins. "We can do nothing for our shipmates without the benefit of weapons."

The doctor pauses a moment. "With your permission, I will accompany Mr. Rangin to the shuttle."

T'Var awaits an answer from Collins. She turns to Waite.

"Full disclosure about that experiment -- now Henry," T'Var says, her tone stern. She glares at Waite.

Kylah nods at Dr. T'Var's suggestion about accompanying Rangin. She likes Rangin and the idea of sending him alone to find the transporters worries her. Then again, she also likes Pourtash and why on earth has he disappeared, along with so many of their other crewmates? She's happy to look for them as Collins ordered, though she strongly feels the remaining crew should pair up rather than being sent on solo missions. Of course that means she and Collins might need to be a pair, and that... could be troublesome. Still, duty to the mission must come before personality differences.

Speaking of pairs... Kylah suddenly looks around the room. "Has anyone seen or heard from Director Geb and Chief Porr since all this started?"

"Agreed, Doctor," Collins tells T'Var, "and both of you, please be careful." She turns back to Dr. Waite and awaits the explanation.

No one has seen or heard from Director Geb today, although Kylah thinks she may have seen Security Chief Porr in the main corridor with several other Sakathian guards, just after breakfast.

Waite flinches under T'Var's order. He visibly fights to get control of himself and finally says, "It was... well, I suppose it doesn't matter now. All right, I'll tell you. We were conducting research into genetic engineering, carrying out limited, targeted resequencing of the Sakathian genome in test volunteers. We needed the alien lifeforms you brought as control groups. We weren't making hybrids, no, that's just... never mind. But... the experiment must have gone wrong. Horribly wrong." He shudders. "Obviously."

After a pause, Rangin asks Waite, "Where are the transporters on this station, sir? I remember there was one in the biology lab, but I don't think I've seen any others."

"There are two others," Waite says, beginning to calm down, and seemingly grateful for a simple question. "Both of those are just off the main cargo area, at the other end of the station." He highlights them on the station map on Rangin's tricorder.

Rangin nods. He and T'Var carefully open the codelocked door and go out into the offworlders' residence corridor.

Just after the door closes and locks again, Collins's communicator sounds. She opens it to hear a whisper: "Fujishiro to Collins. Are you there?"

"Collins here," Jeremi answers, "Where are you, Lieutenant? Can you get to the common room? Are Pourtash and Hayes with you?" Collins is concerned that Fujishiro needs to whisper. She looks at Waite with a mix of disappointment and disbelief, "I want the names of the volunteers and the specific lifeforms used."

Kylah is relieved to hear Fujishiro's voice, though the fact that she's whispering seems ominous. "Lieutenant Delaney is also missing," she reminds her mission leader.

A thought occurs to her and she turns to Waite. "The Sakathians place such emphasis on security," she says acidly, "and the Director and Chief Porr do not seem the sort to let such experiments occur without any method of supervising them. I find it hard to believe there are no cameras or viewing stations used to observe this laboratory. Is there anything like this we can use--or any place we can go, even crawling into an air vent if we must--to see what's happening inside this lab?"

Fujishiro says, still whispering, "I'm hiding in some kind of small supply closet near the domed room where we first beamed aboard. No one else is with me. I think there some of those... things still nearby. They've been... well, it's terrible. What the hell is going on? Where are you?" She sounds scared but is holding herself together.

Waite says to Collins, "I don't know the names of the Sakathian volunteers. There were almost two dozen of them. The lifeforms... we used all three of those you brought." He answers Kylah, "There are security cameras throughout most of the station. I don't think there are any in the lab sections where we did our work, though; that was part of the treaty." He looks up. "There are air vents, yes, but those should be sealed with the lockdown. I'm not sure they're big enough for a person to get through anyway."

T'Var is not thrilled with the prospect of traversing the length of the station in order to reach a transporter -- especially with the altered Sakathians running amok.

She says to Rangin, "Stealth is our best weapon as this point. We must do what we can to avoid contact with the mutated Sakathians."

The doctor sighs. "We should also keep an eye out for our missing crewmates."

There's a sudden pounding at the commons door.

"Let me in," Pourtash's voice calls, sounding harsh as he struggles between being loud enough to be heard and staying quiet so as not to draw attention to himself. "There are these things out here..." He trails off, muttering something under his breath that doesn't sound like English.

If translated, it would be found to be inventive Farsi swearing, declaring that something has two fathers and deserves to be slapped in the face with a shoe. Some of the obscenity is lost in translation.

"I'm not done with you yet, Doctor," Collins tells Waite as she runs to the door to let Pourtash in. "What happened to you?" she asks her crewmate. She closes and secures the door once Pourtash is inside.

Pourtash dives in as soon as the door is open. He looks around, seeming confused by whom he sees, then focuses on Collins and her question.

"I had to hide," he says, shaking his head quickly. "No weapons, no..." He shakes his head again, before turning to look away from the others and avoid eye contact. His voice goes flat and without inflection. "It's horrible. I'm sure you've seen some things as well. I don't think we'll gain anything rehashing it just yet."

He keeps staring away from them, his face carefully stoic. "Where's everyone else?"

Pourtash's uniform shirt is torn a little, and he has some dark stains on his shirt and hands. Collins can tell he's had some very upsetting experiences.

"Hello?" Fujishiro whispers, more sharply, over the comm channel. "Are you still there?"

Down the access corridor, not far away, Rangin says to Dr. T'Var, "I agree about stealth. I think we might make better progress, or at least see fewer Sakathians, if we used one of the service passageways instead of the big central corridor. In any event, the transporter rooms are to the right and away from the reception area, from here." You hear screaming down the hallway, at some distance, and a loud thud. Rangin flinches a little. "And I really think we should get weapons of some kind, even if they're just clubs or blunt objects."

Kylah moves to Pourtash, alarmed by the stains on his shirt and hands. "Are you wounded? If something's hurt you, perhaps Dr. Waite can be of assistance?"

The fear and frustration in Fujishiro's voice also anger her, and she swivels to face Collins. "I recommend that you ask Dr. T'Var and Mr. Rangin, once they get to the transporters, to lock on Fujishiro's position and transport her out of that area. And perhaps there's a way to do the same for any human lifeforms. Mr. Delaney is still unaccounted for!"

Collins is starting to get a little overhwelmed and her nausea is starting to rise again, and that is making her angry.
"Collins to Fuijishiro, are you wounded? Can you get to the common room?" As she speaks, she hears Kylah's "order". Impertinent. Collins touches a button on her communicator "Collins to Rangin, when you get to the transporter, see if you can lock on all non altered life forms, human and Sakathian, and beam them to the common room. Collins out."
Jeremi turns back to Dr. Waite. "Let's try that again, shall we? What, exactly, in great detail, was going on in the lab?"

"We should focus on reaching the transporter as quickly as possible," T'Var says in light of the message from Collins.

"Unfortunately, I do not think we will find useful weapons in these passageways."

The doctor sighs.

"I don't think I'm injured." Pourtash appears slightly unsure of that, as though he hadn't given it any consideration before.

He goes quiet as he listens to the exchanges between Kylah, Collins, Dr. Waite, and over the communicator, giving him a chance to catch up on what's happening.

Pourtash is unwounded but is still uneasy from his experiences.

Fujishiro says, "I'm not wounded. I'm maybe... ten minutes' walk from the common room, if there weren't those... things out there. Right now I'd rather sit tight and see if I can be beamed out, if it's all the same to you. I still hear them out there, not too far away." You hear Sakathian energy weapons discharges in the background, and some unearthly screams.

Rangin acknowledges Collins's order. "Understood, ma'am. If we can figure out the controls, we will."

"Actually, if they can get the transporter to work...might it not be possible to lock onto the altered Sakathians and isolate them somewhere?" Pourtash offers.

"Yes, after we get everyone who can be, saved" Collins Looks at Dr. Waite with a glare that could cut glass. "I'm waiting."

Waite takes a deep breath. He still seems very shaky. "Well," he says. He licks his lips. "So. The Sakathian Government wanted, um, to figure out ways to control large social groups based on DNA resequencing research, hoping to develop tailor-made drugs for particular purposes." He takes a deep breath. "For sexual offenders, libido suppression. For political dissidents, intelligence inhibitors. For surly workers, you know, higher energy and motivation... at the molecular level. A fool's dream, obviously, but that's what they wanted, so that's what we were working on. We'd learned a lot about Sakathian genetics, brain function and endocrinology, in particular. Huge strides. But we weren't giving them exactly what they wanted. Director Ged was always urging us on... always making new demands. It became difficult to continue, but we did our best."

Not far away, Rangin asks T'Var, "So should we go through the main hallway or one of the service passageways, ma'am?"

"Your suggestion of a service passageway is an excellent idea," T'Var says.

"Maintain regular contact with Collins," the doctor tells Rangin. "We need to keep her updated regarding our progress."

With Pourtash unharmed--admittedly his behavior seems "off" to Kylah, coming across as disoriented and avoidant, but since Collins knows him better than she does but has expressed no concern, Kylah assumes this might be part of his natural behavior during stress--she turns her attention back to Waite.

The doctor's mention of Director Geb reminds her that there have been no signs of Geb today, nor have they heard anything in the way of official announcements or communications from the lab's director...or indeed anyone in the station's hierarchy. Such an emergency would seem to require some sort of station-wide communication.

She looks around the room. "Is there any way of attempting to locate or communicate with Director Geb? Or any communication technology within this area, or nearby, with which we might get in contact with the rest of the station and any survivors within it? What sections are available to us and are not part of the lockdown?"

"Aye, Doctor," says Rangin. Consulting the map on his tricorder, he and T'Var make their way to the service passageway, turning right and heading towards the transporter rooms. The passageway is only two meters wide, much narrower than the main corridor, and much darker, as it is lit only by thin emergency lights along the floor. There are several large bloodstains on the floor but no bodies. You continue to hear the alarm sound. Rangin goes first. Every twenty meters or so is an airtight sliding door which opens when you get within two meters of it. The first two doors open without incident. The third door opens and you see three dead bodies, one Sakathian and two human, all badly ravaged. One of them is that of Dr. Pierce. You hear a raspy growling from somewhere down the passageway.

In the common room, Dr. Waite gestures towards the wall. "There's a comm terminal right there, Lieutenant. The lockdown should just have sealed off the labs."

"Thank you, Doctor, but I am only an Ensign, a communications officer. I have not earned any field promotions yet."

Kylah doesn't even wish to engage the man; to her, he is beneath contempt. Agreeing to conduct genetic engineering without any apparent idea of what possible consequences might result? Consistently obfuscating the full story to Starfleet, starting with the precise nature of the experiments to which the Yorktown crew were delivering these creatures, then the whole "oh-did-I-forget-to-mention-there-are-no-weapons-allowed-on-the-station?" debacle. And look at him now: despite the brutal deaths of his colleagues on the station and even the risk of his own wretched hide, every bit of information has to be pulled from him like an impacted tooth. If only it were that painful!

Preparing herself, she turns to Collins and puts on as respectful, dutiful and humble a manner as possible. "Lieutenant, do you think it might be a good idea to see if Director Geb can be reached? And if so, do you wish me to to attempt communication? Unless you prefer to do so yourself, of course. " She hesitates. "And further, I wonder if perhaps opening communications with the lab itself might allow us to hear what is going on in there? Or possibly at least hear if anyone is still alive who has not been altered? If they are unable to reach the panel to operate it themselves, even just knowing we are attempting to help them might give them some measure of comfort, if nothing else.

"With your permission, I can try any or all of these options, or none, as you see fit."

After a deep breath, Kylah looks earnestly at her superior officer, hands held behind her back. Of course her fingernails are clutching her wrists hard enough to turn the skin white.

There. Do as you please now, Mr. Collins. Perhaps you'll again take offense at my suggesting ideas that apparently escaped you. But by all means, let us abide by Starfleet's blessed protocol while one of our crew is trapped, another is missing, and who knows how many other unaltered victims are being mauled and eaten.

"I believe a retreat to another passageway is in order, Mr. Rangin," T'Var whispers. "We must find adequate weaponry of some kind -- and soon," she continues.

Pourtash looks sickened by Dr. Waite's explanation. Knowing of so many different ways genetic engineering could go wrong--and so many of the potential abuses of such tailor made tinkering--makes it difficult to fathom anyone with a drop of ethics agreeing to do such a thing.

"And when did the appearance of aggression show up?" he asks. "How much warning did you have that your 'great strides' could lead to danger for every living being here?"

As Collins considers Kylah's request, Dr. Waite replies to Pourtash, a little defensively: "We had occasional aggressive reactions from some of the subjects. The military applications... well, the reactions were minor. Manageable, completely manageable. Nothing like this."

Rangin whispers back to Dr. T'Var, "Other than the main corridor, this and the matching service passageway on the other side of the main corridor are the only two routes along the entire length of the station. I don't know that the other passageway would be any safer." He opens the next doorway. The passageway is empty all the way to the next door, although there are two large bloodstains on the deck. T'Var notices a tool storage compartment to her and Rangin's left at waist level, about halfway to the next door.

"Perhaps we can obtain a weapon of some kind from that storage compartment," T'Var whispers. "We dare not venture anywhere without protection."

Rangin nods and tries to open the compartment. It's locked, but not too securely, and with a well-placed kick he's able to open it. Inside are a bevy of small tools, some familiar but most not, and what appear to be three curved crowbars, each about a meter long and of considerable heft.

Collins says to Kylah, "All right, see who you can contact." She brightens. "And see if you can patch into the shuttle's comm system. We might be able to get a message through to the Yorktown."

Those in the common room, and Rangin and T'Var in the access hallway, then feel the station shake slightly. T'Var's sensitive ears hear a muffled, irregular series of thuds not far away.

"Take anything you think would be useful as a weapon," T'Var tells Rangin.

T'Var then contacts Collins. "We are making very slow progress through the passageways. Many bloodstains and a few dead bodies scattered about. These mutated Sakathians are everywhere."

The doctor sighs. "We have discovered a tool compartment and have procured what can be used for our defense. Should we continue to the transporter or return to the common room with whatever weapons we can carry?"

"Grab what you can," Collins tells T'Var, "and get back here as quickly as possible. Ensign Kylah, make it so." Collins is starting to feel the morning sickness creeping up on her. The idea of Frakensteining Sakathians is making her stomach churn.

"We will return as quickly as we can," T'Var assures Collins. "And with as many 'weapons' as we can possibly carry."

T'Var checks the tool compartment thoroughly, hoping to find more useful self-defense items -- other than what they've noticed so far.

T'Var and Rangin obviously see that the crowbars could be useful. There are also two small handheld cutting tools, one using an energy beam and the other with a very sharp metal blade. The other dozen or so tools are either too small or have no particular use as hand weapons.

The Vulcan hears more thuds in the distance. They all sound much the same, but are at irregular intervals.

Kylah needs only a little more time to figure out the station's comm system.

"It is unfortunate there are so few tools available for use as weapons," T'Var says. "I suppose something is better than nothing."

T'Var is concerned with the strange noises she continues to hear. "We should make our way back to the common room as quickly as possible," she tells Rangin.

Rangin agrees. He takes one crowbar and the bladed cutting tool, and T'Var two crowbars and the energy-beam cutting tool. The two turn and begin to retrace their steps back towards the common room. As they pass through one of the passageway's last doors, two Sakathians showing all the signs of zombification - darker gray skin, bleeding from the eyes and ears, and terrible moaning - jump out at them, fingers extended like claws.

"Get behind me!" T'Var orders Rangin. She tosses the cutting tool in his direction, then grips a crowbar in each hand. Taking a defensive stance, the doctor will do her best to neutralize the two Sakathians -- by whatever means necessary. Perhaps an armed Vulcan will have greater success against these mutants than others have had so far.

Unfortunately the language tapes Director Geb gave Kylah didn't exactly help her with translating their alphabet, so Kylah is finding the comm system menus somewhat difficult to navigate. She tries voice commands, hoping the system will be attuned to the Universal Translator, though she repeats her words in her not-yet-fluent Sakathian. "This is Ensign Kylah of the Yorktown crew," she says. "Director Geb, if you can hear this message and are able to respond, please do so immediately. I am with certain members of my crew and some of your lab team. I repeat, Director Geb, please respond."

In normal circumstances she'd explain where they all are, but Kylah realizes that could be dangerous if these... creatures... understand her. She saw no evidence that they were able to comprehend anything but what appeared to be insatiable hunger. That might be important to know on the slim chance they can be reasoned with; for now, she doesn't want to lure anyone to this area. Who knows how strong these things are?

Next she asks to hear from anyone in the lab itself, again identifying herself and asking for a response. "Please respond only if it is safe to do so," she adds quickly. "If at all possible, we need to know the situation down there. But do not jeopardize your lives unless it is absolutely necessary. If you can reach a comm panel and can submit details in silence, please do so."

Kylah is uncertain whether she should continue with Collins's orders--to attempt contact with the shuttle's system--or if this might tie up the comm panel should Geb or any of the M.U. team need to reach them. She turns to Waite and any of the others in the room who might know. "How many processes can this system handle simultaneously? Can it receive incoming messages while also transmitting outgoing communications?"

Ens. Rangin tries to catch the cutting tool but drops it. The zombies snarl in response to Dr. T'Var's squaring off against them. She gets a low-level telepathic impression of almost animal cunning from them both; they are not witless. Then one lunges for her, and the other for Rangin. The Vulcan sees she will not be able to stop both.

Ens. Kylah is eventually able to pretty much figure out the station's comm system, and runs a system diagnostic. She sees that the great majority of the comm terminals have been centrally deactivated; she can't tell why. Geb does not respond on any channel. Kylah hears screaming on one channel that abruptly stops, followed by terrible sounds of bones breaking and someone messily eating. Someone is speaking quietly in Sakathian on another channel which is then cut off, and there is stifled crying and what sounds like Sakathian gibberish on another. She is not able to contact any individual.

Waite says, "I think you can both send and receive messages simultaneously with that system. It's multifunction. I've never done it, though." He seems a little more confident and self-controlled now.

You all hear more of the dull thuds in the distance.

Fujishiro hails Collins on her communicator, and whispers, "I haven't heard any of those... things for awhile. I have to get out of here or I'll go crazy myself. I'm going to try to make it to the common room. Wait for me."

Kylah hides a sickened shudder at the noises that they've all just heard and is almost glad when the sound cuts out--except that it means even fewer options are available to them as far as ascertaining what's going on in that lab. She wishes Waite were wrong about the vents being locked and large enough to sneak through. She wishes she'd been able to grab her second knife back. Above all, she wishes they'd hear from T'Var, Rangin and the ominously incommunicado Delaney.

She can't do anything to make those last two wishes come true, but maybe she can at least double-check for herself to see if the first is a possibility.

Meanwhile she tries to patch through to the shuttle as per Collins's command. As she does, she snaps to Waite: "Doctor, do you know if it's part of normal emergency procedure to deactivate comm panels?" She glances over at Collins. "If not, might that indicate that these creatures have retained their sentience and their cunning? These are not mere animalistic beings, despite the carnage we saw in that hallway."

Unless some unaffected being is actually helping them, but why would anyone do that? She brushes aside that paranoid thought and continues to work to connect to the shuttle, and then hopefully to the Yorktown. She's not optimistic.

Collins tells Fujishiro "We'll be here. We're not going anywhere anytime soon." She watches Kylah at the Comm System and is glad that the ensign has demonstrated the initiative. "Kylah, see if you can raise the Yorktown. I know the system is basically an internal comm setup, but there has to be a way to call out."

T'Var's first instinct is to defend Rangin from these creatures. She thrusts a crowbar deep into the chest of the Sakathian attacking her shipmate.

Much as the doctor would prefer to disable them, she has learned from her experience in the V'Shar -- in situations like this one, kill or be killed is the only option.

In the back of her mind, T'Var wonders briefly if she might be able to telepathically communicate with the mutated Sakathians in some way.

"Understood," says the Assistant Science Officer to Collins, still in a whisper. "I hope to see you soon. Fujishiro out, for now."

Waite says, a little frustratedly, "I don't know anything about the Sakathians' comm protocols in an emergency like this. It doesn't make any sense that they'd shut down the system."

T'Var draws upon both her V'Shar unarmed combat and her Starfleet mixed martial arts training, but it's been awhile since she last had to use either. The Sakathian zombie facing off against the doctor dodges her initial thrust, faster than she expected, and makes a grab for the crowbar. She parries and swings it again, landing a glancing blow on his left forearm. He snarls, turns quickly and tries to grab the crowbar again. She swings again and hits his left torso as hard as she can, knocking him sideways almost a meter, but he stays on his feet. He begins bleeding there but seems undaunted. He backs off a little and moves a little to her right, watching her intently. Nothing in her experience so far leads her to think it's likely that she could use her Vulcan telepathy to communicate with them - at least, not while they're conscious, and actively trying to hurt her and her shipmate.

Rangin swings his crowbar and hits the other zombie as it lunges towards him, but not enough to break its momentum. It collides with him and the two go crashing to the deck. Rangin can't swing the crowbar now, but uses it as a block as they start wrestling; the young Coridanite man tries desperately to keep its snapping jaws away from him.

Back in the common room, Kylah considers the Yorktown's route back to Cavinre VII, does a quick mental calculation, and realizes that it will take about 20 minutes for a subspace message routed through the shuttle's comm system to reach the starship - and of course, another 20 minutes for its reply to reach the boarding party. She cannot make a connection just with the wall panel, but is able to tie in her own communicator and, with a little difficulty, activate the shuttle's subspace comm system remotely. The subspace channel is now open. "What would you like to say in the message, ma'am?" she asks Collins.

Tell them to get the frack back here Collins thought, but said "Tell them what's going on here, and ask them to return as quickly as they can." Jeremi taps her communicator "Doctor T'Var. Sit. Rep., please."

T'Var has no intention of losing this battle.

The doctor hears Collins, but is obviously unable to respond.

T'Var thrusts a crowbar into the back of the Sakathian attacking Rangin in an attempt to pull the creature off him.

Following orders, Kylah sends the message. Since communications will not be real-time, she does her best to include as much detail as might be useful for Captain Singh and the others, knowing they won't be able to ask questions in a timely fashion.

"Yorktown, this is Ensign Kylah from the Sakathian Research Station boarding party. An emergency sitaution has developed and we are in need of immediate assistance. Without our knowledge, the Sakthian Government and an Earth-based team of researchers have been conducting genetic engineering experiments using volunteer Sakathians and the animals we were requested to provide them. The result is..." For a few seconds she's at a loss to describe what she's seen. "...A powerful and dangerous hybrid lifeform that looks like a Sakathian but is clearly much stronger and far more brutal. They have been attacking, killing and--and eating members of the station staff. We have no way of knowing the number of casualties.

"Those of us who have safely reached the common area are trapped due to an emergency lockdown and cannot safely access the transporter to retreat to the shuttle, neither can we locate Director Geb nor her chief of security. The station's communications have somehow been centrally disabled.

"As far as the boarding party's status: Lieutenants Collins and Pourtash are with me, as is our contact Dr. Waite, who appears to have hidden his knowledge of this experiment during previous briefings," she adds with a contemptuous glare at the doctor. "Dr. T'Var and Mr. Rangin are currently scouting for possible weapons, though I fear T'Var has not returned Lt. Collins's recent hail." Thinking of these two suddenly brings a rush of anxiety and adrenaline, and Kylah has to shake her head slightly to regain focus. "Lt. Fujishiro was briefly in hiding but is attempting to make her way safely to our present location. We are missing two crew members: Ensign Hayes and Lt. Delaney, neither of whom have been heard from since the incident began.

"Currently we have no weapons and little knowledge of these creatures' full capabilities, though despite their animal-like behavior they seem to have retained knowledge of technical systems, if the disabled communications system is any proof. We thus again request urgent assistance as our current location may not be secure for long."

She inhales, suddenly exhausted, and glances at Collins again. "Is there anything further I should add?"

"That'll do, Ensign. Thank you." Collins hails T'Var again, the sits down for the first time since the siege began. She leans over with her head between her legs and takes a few long slow breaths, then sits up again. She would like nothing better than to phaser Dr. Waite right in the head, so it's probably a good thing she doesn't have a weapon.

Pourtash remains quiet and waits until Kylah finishes her message before speaking. "Is it possible to gain any sort of communication with the comm terminals that haven't been deactivated? Even if there isn't anyone at them, perhaps checking visual or even auditory data from those positions might give us a greater view of the situation."

Kylah casts a sidelong glance at Pourtash, wondering if anyone else is concerned about him--he really hasn't been acting himself since he made it to the common room. "Yes, sir," she says quietly, trying not to snap at him, "I already checked all available channels. The only ones that were not deactivated contained someone being attacked and then eating sounds, someone speaking softly before he or she was cut off too, and finally gibberish. I am willing to try again if that is your order, but I must tell you there are very few that have not been locked down."

And frankly I could do without hearing these creatures' feasting again. Worse than Klingons.

She sighs and looks over at Collins, who seems worse than before. Kylah does not want to get too close to her--the sympathy nausea from before was bad enough. Turning back around the room, she tries to identify anyone who might know something about how this station works. Waite seems worse than useless--worse, because at this point Kylah believes nothing the man says.

Not knowing enough about anyone's role on the station, she poses her question to the room at large. "I am no engineer, much less an expert on Sakathian technology. But does anyone know of any way we might be able to patch into the controls of the transporters and reroute them to one of the panels here? To perform some sort of remote transport?"

"No, the only one giving orders here is Collins." Pourtash shakes his head, frowning. The entire situation has him unsteady in a way he doesn't care for one bit. Particularly now that Fujishiro is trying to make her way to the common room. That knowledge is enough to conjure up terrible mental images of all sorts of possible dangers. Not being able to do anything is only magnifying everything.

He starts to pace to try to work off some nervous energy instead of dwelling helplessly.

"Dr. Waite, what was the political environment around your experiments? It's just seems like all of this is terribly convenient, as if someone might be using the altered Sakathians as an orchestrated attack."

He sighs and drags a hand through his hair. Not that figuring such a thing out does them a bit of good, of course. They're still trapped and still without weapons.

"Kylah, keep trying to reach the others" Collins says wearily. She walks over to Pourtash and asks quietly "Faraz, do you think you can focus enough to try jerry-rigging the system for site-to-site transport?"

Pourtash considers before answering. "I can look at it and see. We'd be better off with Delaney." He moves to try to determine whether or not it's feasible.

T'Var can't use her crowbar against the zombie attacking Rangin without opening herself up to attack from the one facing her. In fact, as she glances at Rangin, it lunges again and she sidesteps it, then swings at its head and misses as it dodges very quickly. Rangin and the zombie roll around on the deck, the zombie making a terrible growling noise as it grapples with the young ensign.

The subspace message is now on its way to your ship. Dr. Waite overhears Kylah's comment about him in her report to the Yorktown, scowls and says, "Hey! That's not fair. I told you just as much as I could at the time." He crosses his arms and doesn't answer Pourtash's question about Sakathian politics.

Pourtash only got a glimpse of the transporter in the biology lab when the boarding party had its initial tour. He knows that Starfleet transporters typically cannot carry out site-to-site transports within acceptable safety parameters, and from what he's seen of Sakathian technology, he doubts that they're any better. There is only the comm console in the common room. Even a very talented engineer would, he thinks, find it impossible to jury-rig a transporter here, and he is no engineer.

Kylah can feel the anxiety rolling off Pourtash as if it's radiating outwards from him in waves. As she follows Collins's order and tries to set up an automated message to contact the rest of the station's working comm panels -- and the communicators belonging to their crewmates -- she wonders yet again what exactly Pourtash experienced while alone outside the common room.

After he responds to Collins, Kylah murmurs dryly under her breath: "I am glad to hear someone else refer to Lt. Delaney. I was beginning to think I'd invented him and Ensign Hayes, as I have been the only one to mention their names since the crisis began."

When Waite makes his complaint, Kylah continues working and ignores his petulant and pathetic defense. The man hid vital information from Starfleet, in particular the fact that they were working on genetic engineering--something that might well have changed the decision whether to allow the transport of such dangerous creatures to this station. Even if Starfleet had gone through with the transfer, different security protocols might have been in place if they'd known.

At this point she wouldn't object if Collins decided to toss Waite out and let him fend for himself among the monsters he helped create.

As she works, she takes a few moments now and then to examine the room for any vents. Even if they are locked, as Waite claims, there might be a way to force them open manually. If so, and if Kylah can squeeze through, she would be willing to make the venture. Their small size would in fact seem to make them a relatively safe passage; no Sakathian would be able to fit through, whereas Kylah is the shortest and smallest member of the crew aside from Rangin. Poor Rangin... what is he going through out there? Another swell of fear goes through her. I do hope he's all right, she thinks with a worried scowl.

Switching through the channels, she suddenly remembers the sounds she heard earlier while attempting to locate Geb. That channel, the one with the soft voice that was cut off completely... those words had been Sakathian. Untranslated Sakathian. Why hadn't she noticed this before? Was the shipwide Universal Translator experiencing issues? Was it only her mind playing tricks on her?

"Lt. Collins... Lt. Pourtash," she says suddenly. "While I was searching for working comm panels, I heard a Sakathian speaking very quietly over the comm earlier before the transmission cut out altogether. Was he or she understandable to either of you? To me it sounded like native, untranslated Sakathian." She closes her eyes for a few seconds, trying to use her excellent memory to recall what the person was saying. Her translation skills aren't refined but if she can conjur up the words she might be able to make sense of them.

Pourtash shakes his head mournfully to Collins. "I'm sorry, ma'am. This is well beyond my capabilities. As far as I can tell, even Delaney wouldn't be able to figure something out from here."

As Kylah starts talking about the unaccounted for members of their party, he frowns. He says nothing about it, though, having already gathered how the ensign reacts to stressful situations. They're all upset and that's going to come out in a variety of ways based on their personal temperaments, he reasons.

The question regarding translation makes him pause. "I didn't notice, but I was still a little shell-shocked at that point. If you heard something you don't think was translated, then I imagine it wasn't."

Vulcans do not feel anger, but if they did, T'Var would be feeling a great deal of it right now.

She attacks the Sakathian facing her with all of the strength and swiftness her Vulcan body has blessed her with. She will kill this creature, then focus her attention on the other one -- and kill it, too, if she can.

Now that she looks, Kylah sees that the common room has three vents. One is on the wall near the communications panel. It is about ten cm wide and she can't tell what it's for. The other two are in the ceiling, in opposite corners of the room. When she stands on a table and forces the plastic cover off one, she sees that both open off the same ventilation shaft, which runs directly over the room. The shaft is less than a meter wide - tight quarters for a humanoid of average size, but passable. It is dusty and dark. She can feel a very slight breeze through the shaft.

Rangin screams as the zombie breaks through and bites him on his shoulder. "Get it off me! Get it off me!" he shouts.

This distracts the other zombie just long enough for T'Var to clobber it with her crowbar. It goes down with a roar of pain. She remorselessly beats its brains out, and swiftly turns to the one still attacking Rangin.

Kylah climbs off the table and returns to the comm panel, raising an eyebrow at Dr. Waite. "How fortunate. It seems the vents are fully accessible after all," she says archly, though a bit distractedly--she's still trying to recall what the whispered voice was saying in Sakathian. She examines the station map on her tricorder to see if she can determine where these vents might lead, mulling over the possibilities.

The potential claustrophobia of the vents doesn't worry her. When she was young and first became aware of the chaos of voices of her family and their various counselors whispering around her -- a cacaphony that used to nearly drive her mad though no one else in the household seemed to mind -- she discovered she could escape to the ancient ducts around the royal palace that long ago were used by servants to shuttle dirty dishes or laundry throughout the massive building. Hiding within these dingy metal ducts seemed to be the only way Kylah could avoid the perpetual drone of voices, and the deeper into the ductworks she explored, the more at ease she became. She must have learned every inch of those labyrinthian passages.

As she grew up, she became accustomed to the cacaphony of her household and learned to control her reaction to it, but the ducts were still a much-needed if dusty respite... until Guardian Aldaan discovered her secret thanks to a snitch of a servant and ordered the ducts sealed up, deeming this a highly unseemly way for a girl of her position and maturing age to behave.

"Lt. Collins," Kylah says now, still studying the tricorder. "I believe I can fit through those vents without a problem. There is air circulating through them and clearly they lead elsewhere on the station. I do not think a Sakathian, altered or not, would be able to fit inside, so it should be safe. If or when you think it prudent, I volunteer to attempt passage through them, hopefully to the transporter room, or possibly even the lab--I might at least be able to report what's happening in that room and if anyone in there is still alive."

She hesitates and looks up from the tricorder. "Or if anyone has a better destination in mind, I can attempt to reach it instead--if, of course, Lt. Collins approves of this strategy."

With a most unVulcanlike ferocity, T'Var attacks the remaining Sakathian.

As to what Dr. Waite actually said about the air shafts, see post 917.

"Make it so, Ensign, do what you can" Collins then turns to Dr Waite "You must have had an antidote, a contingency plan. What was the long term goal here? What were you hoping to accomplish?" She stops short of grabbing him by the collar and shaking him.

The Sakathian attacking Rangin glances up an instant before T'Var brings her crowbar down upon its head; its eyes widen and it futilely tries to defend itself, but she quickly kills it. She and Rangin are both spattered with its dark blood. Rangin's right shoulder is deeply bitten, and his own blood is flowing freely from the ragged-edged wound. He moans with pain and distress, and says, "Damn it, that hurts. That really hurts."

Dr. Waite still looks cross as he answers Collins. "We didn't have an antidote, because we didn't think it was a toxin. For contingency plans... well, we could lock down the lab, and that's what they must've tried to do. I already told you what we intended to accomplish."

There is a muffled pounding on the common room's door. "It's me, Fujishiro! Open up! Let me in!" She sounds scared.

At Collins's order, Kylah returns to the table beneath the vents and is about to ask Pourtash for some help lifting her up into the ceiling, but pauses when she hears the loud banging on the door. She decides she'll wait a moment to hear what Fujishiro has to say before leaving. The science officer might have vital information for them after whatever she's seen.

Kylah's relief at hearing Fujishiro's voice is tempered by the knowledge that so many of their other crewmates are missing. Why are none of them answering their hails? T'Var is far too disciplined an officer to ignore protocol, and Rangin--what are they going through right now?

The thought makes her mind wander. Suddenly she winces and inhales sharply when an icy terror stabs through her like a dagger and a tremor nearly throws her off balance. The fear is stark and raw and overwhelming. Making certain no one else is paying attention, she leans against the table and desperately tries to get control of herself. To help herself calm down, Kylah reaches up to her neck and massages it, almost expecting an actual knife to have embedded itself there.

Though shaky, she remains silent and just clings to the table with her white-knuckled hand, waiting for Fujishiro to report. She wants to get into that vent more than ever now. Her face is solemn, if bloodless, but inside she's certain time is not on their side.

Collins opens the door, grabs Fujishiro by the arm, pulls her inside, and quickly shuts the door. "Do you need medical attention, Lieutenant?"

T'Var provides Rangin with as much first aid as possible under the circumstances. She also takes small blood and tissue samples from the altered Sakathian.

The doctor then contacts Collins with a brief -- yet thorough -- report about what's just happened. She ends with, "We will return to the common room as quickly as we can."

"Are you able to continue with my assistance?" T'Var asks Rangin.

Fujishiro is a little wild-eyed, and clearly shaken. She looks around the common room, musters a fragile smile and says, "Thank God I was able to get back. It's so good to see all of you. I thought the coast was clear but I ran into one of those... things not far from here. I was able to get through an isolation door and lock it behind me, but not before it grabbed me." Her blue uniform sleeve is ripped and she has a long, deep scratch on her left forearm, now oozing blood. "Fortunately I was able to break free."

T'Var is able to use her medikit to good advantage on Rangin. She stops his bleeding and sterilizes the bite wound. She uses her medical tricorder to scan him and sees no sign of infection for now. Does she wish to draw samples from both Sakathians, or only one?

Rangin answers her, "I think I'm OK. Let's get back to common room." He picks up the crowbars and cutting tools.

Kylah has composed herself and is relieved to hear that Fujishiro seems to have escaped a much worse fate than she might have if the affected Sakathian had been quicker to catch her. She's also glad that they've finally heard from T'Var, though Rangin's injury frightens her and makes her again massage her own shoulder.

On the one hand she'd like to wait to see if T'Var has been able to help Rangin--the only person who seems to find her good company, who neither judges her nor makes her feel abashed for being, well, herself. But hopefully she'll be able to communicate with them while in the ducts to determine if he's all right.

Then again, perhaps the weapons they've found will be of use to her--if there are enough to go around. Her remaining throwing knife is obviously useful, but she's all too aware that the one she flung at the Sakathian injured him, but didn't seem to stop him completely...

"Lt. Collins, may I wait to see if Dr. T'Var and Ensign Rangin bring back any makeshift weapons I might be able to take with me? I know I will likely not be in danger, considering the size of the passageway, but... I would feel more at ease with something with which to protect myself." She swallows, suddenly feeling very alone.

Collins looks around the common room for some wine or brandy or something of that ilk to poor over Fujishiro's arm. Distractedly, she tells Kylah "yes, fine, wait for a weapon, but plan out some alternate routes before you go. Also, see if you can raise the Yorktown again"

If she finds a suitable liquid, she uses it to disinfect Fujishiro's wound; if not, she grabs a pitcher of water to at least wash the wound.

Kylah murmurs an "aye sir," though she wonders about sending a second message to the Yorktown when she doesn't believe enough time has passed to have received any answer to her first one. Still, she repeats the original message, adding that two crew members are now known to be injured, and sends it out. Ideally she'd set it up as an emergency beacon, sending the message every forty minutes, but she's not certain this comm panel will suffice, even when connected to her own communicator.

From her position by the comm panel, she's reminded of the small closed panel beside her, and wonders if there might be anything useful beneath its cover. Perhaps some method of accessing the station's other terminals? She attempts to pry it open.

As she does, she watches, concerned, while Collins attempts to help Fujishiro. Why isn't Waite helping? Is he not a doctor with an oath to fulfill? Admittedly she personally wouldn't want the man anywhere near her unless she were near death, but the man must have some sense of medical ethics and the fact that he didn't immediately step in to help the wounded Fujishiro once she arrived is galling. It appears Collins has as much trust in the man as Kylah does, since she's not ordering him into action. Nevertheless, he could at least lend them his tools...

She bites her tongue, not wanting to anger Collins further--she feels as if every suggestion she makes seems to raise the mission leader's ire rather than any gratitude--but the health of her crewmate is more important than Starfleet niceties or the feelings of its officers.

As respectfully as she can, she says quickly: "Perhaps, sir, if Dr. Waite has a medical tricorder or any other instruments on hand, he might help Lt. Fujishiro--or at least lend them to us?"

T'Var quickly takes a few more blood and tissue samples from the other Sakathian, then reports to Collins once again.

"I have tissue and blood samples from the altered Sakathians," she says. "We are on our way and will keep you updated as to our progress."

What is wrong with me? Collins admonishes herself Why am I not seeing the obvious? Why is Kylah always pointing it out?. She turns to Dr Waite and asks "Well, do you have any medical equipment with you? or is your degree not in medicine?"

Dr. Waite says mildly, "I'm a biochemist, not an M.D. But if I can help, I will. First, let's wash the wound." He leads Fujishiro to one of the bathrooms in the adjoining residential quarters, locks the door to the bedroom, and washes the Assistant Science Officer's scratch with plenty of soap and hot water. Collins goes with them and can see that, when he left the mess hall in a hurry after lunch, he didn't have any medical equipment with him. He looks around the bathroom and in the mirrored cupboard, finally muttering, "No other sterilizing agent here that I can see."

Kylah revises and repeats the message to the Yorktown. Setting up a repeating signal to the starship is beyond her capabilities using, as she must, her communicator tied into the Sakathian comm panel. By now only about 20 minutes have passed since the first message went out.

T'Var and Rangin make their way back towards the common room. Along the way they find a pile of three dead capybaras which were not there before. The large Earth rodents have been messily torn apart and partly eaten. A Bolian stork is standing nearby and stares unconcernedly at the Starfleet officers.

T'Var is intrigued by the sight before her. She makes a mental note of it.

"How are you doing, Mr. Rangin?" she asks.

Kylah watches Collins, Waite and Fujishiro leave, hoping that they'll find some sort of sterilizing liquid--if not isopropol alcohol than at least a secret stash of liquor. Surely one of the Sakathians or Earth students might have something hidden away. Even if the room they entered has nothing, perhaps one of the others will turn out to be more profitable.

Or better yet, Dr. T'Var and Rangin will return in haste, and safe. Lacking a proper doctor--and a trustworthy one, for that matter--is perhaps worse than lacking weapons.

Kylah grits her teeth and continues to work at this stubborn small panel. Finally she whips out her remaining knife and starts prying at it even more vigorously. She didn't want to reveal her extra weapon in front of Waite, but she sees no other tools and this panel seems particularly unwilling to give up its secrets. She suddenly gives a grim smile. It would be just our luck if it turns out to be a mere disposal unit.

In the meantime she remembers that frustrating matter of the whispering Sakathian on the comm panel. She concentrates hard to remember what the person was saying, and to translate it as best she can.

Rangin winces and says, "OK, I guess. But where he bit me really stings." They press on for the common room.

Kylah finally pops off the small panel cover and finds that behind it is an electronics access grid for lighting, life support, artificial gravity and firefighting functions in the common room. The best she can recall of the whispered Sakathian was a few scattered phrases, none of which make sense to her out of context: "the mountains," "eventually she saw," and "water that flows."

Kylah grimaces at the panel in front of her. Not a disposal unit, but not particularly helpful either. Although she supposes it's fairly reassuring that the vital functions that maintain their survival and comfort in this room are accessible within the room itself, rather than somewhere outside where anyone might manipulate it. Of course, there's likely a main control area that could override any of this small panel's functions. Best not to think about that, she realizes. Of course, now that this unpleasant thought is in her head, she knows it's not going to be leaving any time soon.

She ponders what little she remembers of the Sakathian's words. A poem? A prayer? A folk tale? It could be anything.

Kylah turns to the rest of the common room and looks around for someone who looks helpful. If these words are part of some well-known Sakathian text, perhaps someone else will recognize these fragments of phrases. The thought suddenly occurs to her: What percentage of the survivors are in this room? How many are outside, still vulnerable prey to those creatures?

In case it's not clear, this is me trying to ask in-character who else is in this room besides me and Pourtash. 'Cause I haven't a clue.

Ens. Kylah sees that she is, at the moment, alone in the common room with Lt. JG Pourtash. Dr. Waite, Lt. JG Collins and Lt. JG Fujishiro are in the adjoining bathroom, tending to the Japanese woman's wound. Dr. T'Var and Ens. Rangin are on their way back to the common room. Lt. JG Delaney's and Ens. Hayes's whereabouts are still unknown.

Waite, Collins and Fujishiro return from the bathroom, with Fujishiro's arm wrapped in a small, clean towel, just as T'Var and Rangin knock on the outside door. It has now been half an hour since your subspace message to the Yorktown went out.

Disconcerted to discover that there are no others in the room besides her and Pourtash, Kylah realizes she's been concentrating so hard on various solutions that she must have somehow assumed that there were more who'd safely reached the common area before the lockdown. The thought worries her; usually she is far too aware of the other people around her. She's extremely unnerved.

The issue is set aside when she hears Dr. T'Var and Rangin at the door just as the others re-enter the room. Now relief takes precedence, and she opens the door to let T'Var and Rangin in and greets them as warmly as she can.

The blood on Rangin's uniform is grim proof of his injury, and Kylah looks at them in concern. "How are you? And you, Doctor?"

"I am well, Ensign," T'Var replies. She guides Rangin to a chair, then scans the room quickly.

T'Var notices Fujishiro and frowns. The doctor checks Fujishiro's condition and does what she can under the circumstances to provide medical aid.

"What is our situation?" the doctor asks Collins. "And how do we proceed from here?"

T'Var sees that Fujishiro's blue uniform sleeve is ripped and she has a long, deep scratch on her left forearm. Although it has apparently just been cleaned, it is still oozing blood. The Vulcan doctor uses the hypospray in her medikit to sterilize the wound and stop the bleeding. A scan shows that Fujishiro is running a slight fever, and T'Var can see that she's sweating. She tells T'Var everything she told the others.

Rangin says, "I don't feel very good. I think I'll lie down," and does so on a couch.

Kylah watches Rangin with a sort of wary sympathy. She then turns to T'Var to examine what, if any, weapons the pair were able to find. Her hopes fall when she sees only the most rudimentary of implements. A Vulcan like T'Var may have been able to fight off the affected Sakathians with such items, but Kylah knows she will fare poorly if forced to rely on them. She's confident in throwing and fighting with knives, and is almost as able with a phaser (her aim much helped by her deft knife skills). But if engaged in hand-to-hand combat or use of blunt weapons? She won't stand a chance. They're great weaknesses for someone of her size and physical capabilities--and someone whose family thought such activities were useful only to commoners. As it is, Kylah barely passed some of the physical combat and endurance tests at the Academy. (In fact, she's not convinced she really did pass, not legitimately.)

Nevertheless she knows she volunteered to go through the air vents, and she plans to follow through on that. Kylah waits for Collins to give the word.

T'Var will keep a close eye on Rangin and Fujishiro. There isn't much more she can do for them here. The doctor sighs.

She notices Kylah's interest in the "weapons" brought back with them. The doctor's sigh deepens.

"Not the best way to defend ourselves, Ensign," she says. "Yet something is always better than nothing."

T'Var awaits Collins' orders.

Collins looks around, takes a deep breath and says, "Well, while we wait to hear from the Yorktown, do you have any recommendations?"

Kylah looks at T'Var and nods her appreciation. "Doctor, you took a great risk and came back with both yourself and Ensign Rangin, alive. I admit I would greatly wish for a phaser, but the weapons you found were better than one can expect in these circumstances."

She lifts her chin at Collins's request, not for the first time wondering if the mission chief is in the best state of mind to be in charge of things. Should she not be giving out the weapons? Does she not recall Kylah's volunteering, or wish T'Var's opinion on Rangin and Fujishiro's conditions?

At the risk of the other woman's wrath, she speaks up. "Aye, sir. I repeat my suggestion that I make my way into the air vents. With Ensign Rangin in his condition, I believe I am best suited for this journey, considering the small size of the vents." She glances at T'Var. "If you remember the way you traveled during your own exploration, Doctor, perhaps you can note it on the station schematic in my tricorder so I can try to avoid repeating that direction unnecessarily?"

She switches her gaze to Dr. Waite, doing her best not to look as untrusting as she feels. "And any help from you, Dr. Waite, would be appreciated as well. I understand the ventilation system will likely be convoluted and not an exact match with your knowledge of the station, but if you have any ideas I would be grateful.

"As far as where I might go, I'd think the ideal situation would be for me to reach the transporter room or the armory, but of course I will seek out any other destination that you find worthwhile, Lt. Collins."

"Perhps the best course of action -- for the moment, at least -- is for all of us to remain where we are."

T'Var looks about the common room. "We have injured among us and limited weapons capabilities. And we are no match for those altered Sakathians."

The doctor glances at Kylah. "Much as I admire your willingness to travel the air vents, Ensign, it is much too dangerous for such an endeavor."

She repeats her suggestion to Collins. "I strongly recommend that we stay here for now. Or, if we must venture forth, we should all go together. I believe there is an old Earth saying -- 'safety in numbers'?"

Kylah shakes her head. "Doctor, you were not here when I examined the size of the ducts--they are quite small. No Sakathian could fit through them. All I need do is crawl and look through the vents; it is our only apparent window into what the situation is in various areas of the station. If I discover the transporter room is safe, only then would I leave the safety of the vent system."

Her voice is getting more impassioned as again she's haunted by her sense that they'd abandoned the unaltered Sakathians and MU students in the lab by running to the common room so quickly. "Even setting aside the benefit to ourselves, there are people, unaffected people, on this station who remain at risk! We owe a duty to them, even if their superiors have obfuscated the truth about this experiment," she adds with a fierce look at Waite before returning to T'Var. "Every minute that passes means life or death to these survivors. I think it would be cowardly to ignore their peril." She turns to Collins quickly. "Of course, it is your choice, Lieutenant."

"A most logical argument, Ensign," T'Var replies.

The doctor hopes Kylah can remain focused and calm as she ventures through the air vents. "I know you will do your best."

T'Var notices Kylah's glare at Waite. "Perhaps you might have an alternate suggestion, Henry?"

"No," says Waite, "I just want to get out of here. Whatever gets us all away from these... zombies... the quickest and safest way, gets my vote."

Rangin says, "Me, too. Not that this is a democracy - I'm not voting, just sharing my opinion, as you asked, Lt. Collins."

Fujishiro says, "We should just wait for orders from the Yorktown. It won't be long now, and we're safe right here, at least for the moment."

Pourtash looks thoughtful.

Though Kylah knows she's already said enough--and having T'Var on her side helps tremendously--Lt. Fujishiro's words spark her easily inflamed temper. She tries to remain compassionate toward the injured woman but between her own churning emotions and the injured around her, not to mention the creatures lurking somewhere who remain unseen but whose presence is always felt, Kylah has little ability to curtail herself.

"Your reluctance to act is understandable considering what you've been through, Lieutenant," she says, blurting out the necessary words impatiently. "But with respect, you are wrong. We are not safe here. Indeed, we are not all even here!" Kylah flings an arm out at the nearly empty room. "Do you not see? Lieutenant Delaney, Ensign Hayes... They are still missing!"

She whips her head around to look at each of the others. "I have served on the Yorktown for less time than any of you. I understand I am the most junior of officers and do not know the interrelationships of the crew, but neither do I care. They are our crew members and I--I strongly feel we must do everything we can to vouchsafe their return." Kylah turns finally to Pourtash, who alone has remained silent and who--for some reason--she most wants to convince. "Surely you agree with me, Lieutenant?" She tries to sense what he's thinking, then, frustrated, she aims her fervent stare at Collins. "At any rate I have volunteered, sir. I only wait your command."

T'Var frowns at Waite. What did she ever see in this man?

The doctor glances around the room. "Everyone has valid points," she says. "However, we do not command this mission."

T'Var turns her attention to Collins. "We await your orders."