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

Before Collins can speak, the comm panel chimes. Kylah taps a switch and you hear Capt. Singh's voice: "Lt. JG Collins: Your message has been received and understood. The situation on Cavinre VII is stable enough for us to leave, although the Ambassador is... not entirely pleased by my decision to do so. We will break orbit within the hour, and reach you, at maximum warp, in two days. You are to leave the space station and go aboard the shuttle, protecting the lives of any noninfected individuals, Federation or Sakathian, whom you meet along the way. If you can safely do so, recover any useful data from the Miskatonic project before leaving. Once aboard the shuttle, set course for Cavinre and we'll meet you along the way. Please acknowledge. Singh, S.P., USS Yorktown, commanding."

Collins takes a deep breath. "All right. We're leaving. Kylah, send our acknowledgement. Dr. Waite, work with her to recover and upload any project data to the shuttle; it'll have a greater memory capacity than our tricorders. Make sure it's a secure and encoded broadcast. Fujishiro, Rangin, can you walk?" They both nod, and Rangin stands, a little gingerly. "Good. We'll use the tools Dr. T'Var and Rangin found to protect ourselves, and pick up any other weapons we see along the way. I think our best way off the station is from one of the transporter rooms. We'll go to the nearest one, to the right down the access passageway that the doctor and Mr. Rangin went before. Right? OK. Hopefully we'll find Delaney and Hayes along the way." She pauses and chews her lip. "Any recommendations for marching order?"

T'Var sighs. "The injured should be secured in the middle of the group. Those who are the strongest and best capable of defending the group should be at the front and rear."

The doctor glances at Waite with a frown. Definitely placed with the wounded. She sighs again.

"I volunteer to lead the group," she says.

Kylah acknowledges and follows orders, gritting her teeth as she does. It seems pointlessly perilous to go as a group without scouting first, but there's no arguing with Starfleet. "Doctor," she says to Waite. "Please assist in transferring all project data to our shuttle, as requested." And don't even think of trying to hide anything from me, she adds silently with her most penetrating stare, suspecting Waite might not want the Federation to have access to all the experiment data if it implicates him in this dubious project. She's dealt with such secretive types before and is confident she'll know if he's trying to keep anything locked away--no matter where that data is stored.

As far as where her own position in the party should be, she's uncertain. Her physical strength is limited, there's no doubt of that. But her agility and expertise with knives gains what she lacks in power. She will not throw her remaining knife as she did her first, however; if she is to retain the one weapon in which she's most skilled, she must be prepared to stick to close contact fighting. Only if absolutely necessary will she fling this weapon as she did its twin earlier--and this time, she'll have to retrieve it no matter the risk. The knife is her only chance. If forced to use one of these blunt instruments, she might as well have no weapon at all.

So, T'Var in front. Pourtash or Collins in the back? Pourtash has been acting unlike himself, despite his claim not to have been injured, and Kylah hasn't been able to get a good sense of what kind of trauma he faced out there. He has yet to say more than ten words since he returned. Is he fit for battle?

Kylah dismisses her unease and turns to Collins. "I'll go wherever you put me," she says quietly--knowing the softer her voice, the less fear will make it tremble. "I am certainly not the strongest nor as weak as the injured, though I am poor at hand-to-hand combat with blunt weaponry." She hesitates. There's no point in keeping her stashed weapon a secret now; Collins might have seen her throw the first knife earlier anyway. T'Var certainly did, and of course the doctor will report this fact to the Captain. Very well. If we survive this sortie, let them discipline me all they wish.

With a swift move she pulls out her Elasian dagger from its sheath attached to her thigh. "But I have this knife, with which I am trained to fight either at close range or at throwing range. My aim is true in either scenario. So use me as you think best, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Doctor, Ensign," Collins says, nodding to you both. She thinks a moment. "I'm in command and I'm the only Security officer here, so I'll go first, armed with one of the Sakathian crowbars. Dr. T'Var, you'll follow me, with the other crowbar. Fujishiro and Rangin, help each other along; Rangin, you take one of the cutting tools. Dr. Waite, as our sole civilian, you'll go next. Then Pourtash, also with a cutting tool. Then Kylah, bringing up the rear, with your dagger at the ready. Questions?"

Waite is having some trouble accessing the Miskatonic U. team's database, but Kylah is able to help him.

T'Var grabs one of the crowbars and prepares to move out. She does not mention to the group that she also has security experience as a former member of the V'Shar.

Of course, her main concern now is for the medical needs of the group. The doctor is particularly concerned with the injured and whether Collins is able to continue in command.

T'Var will keep a close eye on everyone as they progress through the station.

Kylah finishes transferring all the data she can to the shuttle, and, while the others take their places, quickly does a final auditory scan of the few remaining comm channels to see if she hears anything new that might be informative or, perhaps, indicate the location of their missing crewmates, Director Geb, or any of the other dozens of Sakathians who fled the mess hall with them once the lockdown alarm began. Presumably they're holed up in their quarters, but if so, why are they not responding?

If nothing new can be heard, she will follow Collins's wish and stand behind Pourtash, knife at the ready. She's glad for the opportunity to be near the young lieutenant so she can get a better sense of how he's doing. Bringing up the rear of the group is a trifle overwhelming and she would be much more at ease if Pourtash were at 100%. Then again, she'd also be much more at ease back on the Yorktown playing her zither, but wishing for ideal situations is not of much use right now.

Waite finally says, "OK, that's as many of the MU files as I can get to from here. Let's go."

Collins makes sure everyone's ready to go, and moves to unlock and open the door.

T'Var positions herself directly behind Collins, crowbar at the ready.

Since she didn't hear anything during her last-minute comm channel sweep*, Kylah takes her place as well.





* presumably

Rangin picks up the cutting tool feeling its weight and then moves to both assist, and be assisted by, Fujishiro.

"Ready..."

Kylah heard nothing at all during her last comm sweep, just quiet static. The station's comm system now seems to have crashed.

Collins looks back over her shoulder, sees that you're all ready, nods, and opens the door. In a tight group, you move out into the offworlders' residence corridor, which looks much like it did before. Collins leads the party towards the main corridor, which runs the length of the station, on your way to the parallel access corridor. She suppresses a gasp as she sees four dead and mutilated capybaras just outside the doorway. A fire is burning in a nearby doorway. The main corridor is even more strewn with blood and wreckage than earlier. You see no MU or Sakathian people, dead or alive.

Can Rangin see what might have caused the mutilation of the capybaras: teeth, claws or anything else?

T'Var is well aware of the sights and sounds the group will probably encounter on their way to the transporter. She hopes to find their missing crewmates -- alive and well -- along the way.

The doctor remains vigilant and focused as they all move through the corridor.

Kylah keeps all her senses open to both what's happening behind the party group as well as within it. She's still somewhat concerned about Pourtash, Rangin and Fujishiro; will they begin to exhibit signs of their attacks? Pourtash claims not to have been injured, but as far as she's aware T'Var didn't have a chance to check him out, and those dark stains on his uniform have yet to be explained--and he's been oddly silent about any of his experiences while roaming the corridors of the station.

Kylah doesn't like not trusting her crewmates but at this point she believes it's better to be safe than sorry. Fujishiro and Rangin did experience fevers, which indicates some kind of infection somewhere. Something is occuring within them, and Kylah is desperately worried that something might yet turn dangerous to both them and the party as a whole.

The mutilated capybaras suddenly remind her of the odd descripton T'Var gave them of the unmutilated stork. Are these new hybrid creatures only feasting on mammals?

Rangin takes a few moments to look at the animals' bodies. It's messy. He thinks teeth and claws or fingernails were probably used. The wounds are not consistent with what a Bolian stork would cause if it were to attack (and he knows that the storks are typically not at all aggressive, and did not attack him and T'Var when they saw them earlier).

Collins says, "Let's keep moving."

As the group keeps moving, Kylah looks at the fire and wonders how it might have started. First the communication systems are somehow destroyed, and now fires? Just what havoc are these creatures wreaking on the station--and why? Most of all she wonders if they have the same knowledge, even in rudimentary, bestial form, that the Sakathians do?

There's no question the Sakathian she spoke to earlier--the one who attacked her--recognized her direct address to him once she used his own language. Whether he understood her is anyone's guess. It certainly didn't seem to make a difference; he went after her nevertheless. Still, she holds out hope that there's some way, any way, to communicate with these new beings. The fact that they were created unwillingly gnaws at her. Perhaps it's mad to feel sympathy for what appear to be cannibalistic animals, but Kylah can't help but remember that these were thinking, feeling Sakathians who freely volunteered their lives for the sake of their people--via wrongheaded, unethical science, as it turned out, but they clearly had no idea what might result from these revolting experiments.

Kylah thinks of the resulting hybrids the way she does a wild beast forced into captivity. That such an animal bares its teeth to its captors and treats them as prey is hardly the fault of the beast; it is merely its nature. So while she'd rather not encounter any of them again, she also regrets that in all likelihood the creatures' blood will be shed, and they will ultimately be destroyed, all because of a freak accident that turned sentient beings into monsters.

T'Var looks about her constantly, fully aware that an attack could come at any moment. She grips the crowbar a bit tighter.

The party moves down the main corridor a short distance, reaching the turnoff to the access hallway, to your right. Collins leads the way. Suddenly she holds up a hand and you all stop. "I think I hear something up ahead," she says.

T'Var's sensitive Vulcan ears hear the sound of... rasping? Clacking? She can't be sure.

"I hear something as well," T'Var says. "We should proceed with great caution."

The doctor listens carefully. Are these sounds of the wounded or of an attacker?

Now that the group has stopped, Kylah can hear the noises too. She narrows her gaze and concentrates, trying to get a feel for what those sounds might be, or who--or what--is producing them.

Only Collins, who's in front, and T'Var, who of course has keen Vulcan ears, can hear the sounds. Kylah stops and concentrates, but cannot be sure whether or not she hears the noises.

"Mr. Rangin," Collins whispers, "please use your tricorder and scan ahead of us."

Fujishiro lets out a slight moan.

"If someone can help me please, scanning and assisting at the same time is a little tricky."

Once someone has helped support Fujishiro, Rangin will scan ahead with the tricorder.

"Are you in pain?" T'Var asks Fujishiro. The doctor scans Fujishiro with her medical tricorder.

Rangin's tricorder shows four Denebian slime devils just ahead, within 20 meters. Two of them appear to moving slowly towards you.

Fujishiro looks pale, sweaty and uncomfortable. She is slightly feverish. "I feel kind of weak and achy," she tells Dr. T'Var. The Vulcan sees that the scratch on her left forearm is a more pronounced red than before.

Kylah's eyes widen at the sight on Rangin's tricorder, and she clutches her knife reflexively. How are these things even still alive? I thought they only lived in swamps. Are these normal or have they changed in some way too? Damn these scientists to the farthest reaches of the Nethermost Realm! she thinks in fearful fury, cursing the Sakathian and MU workers to the lowest level of Elasian hell.

The sudden recollection that most, if not all, of the scientists are probably dead already--or altered into those foul hybrids--makes Kylah feel only a touch of guilt for her spite-filled thoughts. She takes deep breaths to calm herself.

T'Var administers a broad spectrum anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory and pain medications. Other than that, there is not much else the doctor can do for Fujishiro at this time.

"Well those things Slime Devils will eat anything and that includes us. Are there any other ways around, or would someone like to lead them to a better food source?" says Rangin. "The only good thing is that if they are there, there are unlikely to be anything else around, and I didn't detect anything else."

Fujishiro seems a little better after the shots, which T'Var administers by hypospray.

Rangin knows that Denebian slime devils prefer to stay in mud, but can live - and hunt - for two or three days outside it.

Collins says, "This is the best way to the access corridor, which runs the length of the station and will get us to the nearest transporter room. We could go back out in the main hallway, but I think we're more likely to run into those Sakathian... zombies out there."

Kylah isn't fond of Rangin's idea of someone leading the slime devils to an alternate food source--although a flash of grim humor makes her tempted to suggest using Waite for slime bait. She knows little about these beasts and asks Rangin, "How fast can they travel? They are moving slowly enough now; could we not outrun them?" With a glance at Fujishiro, she adds: "Perhaps Lt. Pourtash could help anyone who isn't able to move quickly."

"I concur with Mr. Collins," T'Var says with a sigh. "We must deal directly with the slime devils -- a far better choice than mutated Sakathians."

Rangin will answer Kylah's question as best he can on the slime devils on the best way to get round them, if one exists.

Rangin says, "They can move pretty fast when they want to - about as fast as a cat across level terrain. I don't know why they're moving slowly. I suppose it's possible they're stalking us. But it's--"

His tricorder beeps and, at that moment, two slime devils come charging out of the darkness of the access corridor ahead, their long, wickedly-sharp claws clacking. They are each about as big as a medium-sized dog and are greenish-black, unlike the one shown in this Starfleet xenobiological drawing: http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...lime_devil.jpg

Collins and Dr. T'Var, in front, are directly in their path. Fujishiro and Rangin are behind them, followed of course by Dr. Waite, Pourtash, and Kylah.

T'Var moves forward immediately and attacks one of the slime devils with her crowbar. She uses all of her Vulcan strength to hit the slime devil again and again.

One slime devil leaps a surprising distance and lands squarely on Collins's chest, knocking her down. She doesn't lose her grip on the Sakathian crowbar, however, and is able to club it hard, knocking it off her and to her right. It quivers and remains there.

At the same time, the other slime devil scuttles along the deck towards T'Var. It jabs at her but she is able to hit it, and seems to injure it, although she can't be sure. It clacks its claws at her menacingly and doesn't back off.

Collins clambers to her feet, clobbers the fallen slime devil with the crowbar, then goes to assist T'Var in subduing the other beast.

Rangin will use the tricorder to detect whether the slime devil is down or will be getting back up.

T'Var continues her attack on the slime devil. She glances briefly at Collins, then returns her full attention to the task at hand.

Kylah rushes forward to slash at the beast attacking the doctor. She aims her always-sharpened blade at the creature's thin right foreleg in an attempt to put at least one of those lethal claws out of commission.

T'Var is grateful for the assistance of Collins and Kylah. It is always better to have comrades at your side in battle -- whatever form that battle may take.

Collins's slime devil is well and truly dead, Rangin's tricorder shows.

T'Var's slime devil turns as Collins and Kylah try, in the somewhat cramped corridor, to also attack it. They can't help but get in each other's way. T'Var swings her crowbar but misses. The slime devil hisses, a horrible gurgly hiss that makes Kylah's skin crawl, and it leaps and hits Kylah's shoulder, staggering her but not knocking her down. She slashes at it but only lightly wounds it as it drops back down to the deck.

Two other slime devils now come scuttling out of the dark. One leaps past Kylah and heads directly towards Dr. Waite, who screams. The other pauses, as if considering its options, and clacks its claws menacingly.

Brushing the stinging sweat from her eyes, Kylah tries to refocus. She suspects Collins and T'Var together are enough to fight T'Var's beast. At once her attention turns to the slime devil now attacking Dr. Waite. Instinctively she squints, lifts her left arm for balance and aim, and wheels her right arm forward, flinging her knife toward the olfactory hole in the creature's hideous face.

As he is currently behind the three, Rangin will engage the slime-devil to stop it reaching Dr Waite, hoping he can both surprise and distract it at this moment in time.

T'Var realizes quickly that the most logical course of action would be to deal with one slime devil at a time -- and once it's incapacitated or dead -- move on to attack the next one closest to her.

She gives all of her attention and strength to defeating the slime devil she's been battling. She notices Rangin moving to help Henry Waite and will join him in his effort when this particular devil is dealt with.

The slime devil leaps just as Kylah flings her knife. She misses the "nostril" or olfactory hole but hits its back, knocking it slightly off course in midair. The knife remains embedded in the slime devil, which lands on Waite's arm and not his chest, but it then falls at once to the deck. The Miskatonic scientist screams even louder and the slime devil immediately grabs his leg, biting him. Rangin moves in with the energy-beam cutting tool, deftly lopping off the predatory alien's left foreleg. The slime devil gives an unearthly cry, detaches from Waite and tries to leap at Rangin, but it is now permanently off-balance and flops again to the deck. Waite keeps screaming.

T'Var lands a glancing blow on her slime devil, but it still has plenty of fight left in it. It jabs at her and pierces her left shin, jabs and then misses, then hisses again.

The fourth slime devil remains where it was, still clacking its claws.

Vowing not to lose a second knife--and not really having much of a choice, with no other weapons--Kylah moves as quickly and quietly as her small body can toward the partially lame slime devil. She keeps a good meter away and bides her time, waiting for the animal to turn away long enough for her to grab hold of the dagger's hilt. When possible, she hopes to get another chance to plant the blade of it in its original destination--the vulnerable cavity in the slime devil's face.

She does her best to ignore Waite's screams, which aren't helping her concentrate; neither is the wild desperation so patently evident in the flolloping creature in front of her, which makes it harder for her to focus on the embedded knife. But her eyes track it carefully, waiting for her chance and trying to filter out both Waite's voice and her unbidden empathy for the wounded animal.

When the slime devil attacking T'Var is sufficiently subdued, Collins turns to survey the situation in the rest of the corridor. She sees the fourth beast biding its time and an idea hits her. She picks up the dead beast by its forearms and flings it at the waiting one, figuring it'll attack anything that attacks it.

Rangin tries to press what little advantage he has, trying to get between Dr Waite and the now injured slime devil. If he can keep it off balance, maybe Kylah can finish it off.

Ignoring the pain from her shin wound, T'Var continues to press the attack. She will kill this slime devil.

Kylah is able to recover her knife by grabbing the handle just as the slime devil turns to attack Rangin. She tries to stab it again but it lurches away just as her hand is descending. Rangin holds it at bay with his cutting tool, and it hisses at them both.

Collins flings the dead slime devil at the fourth creature, which squawks and shuffles backwards, away from her, shrugging off the corpse from atop it as it goes.

T'Var swings the crowbar and hits her slime devil again, this time on its right rear haunch. It quickly jabs at her once, then twice, missing both times.

Pourtash grabs Dr. Waite and pulls him back from the fight. The scientist, surprised, looks away from the slime devils and back at him, and stops screaming. He looks deeply embarrassed.

Kylah is relieved to feel the familiar warm strength of her knife's leather-wrapped handle back in her hand. She now knows it won't do much damage to the creature's carapace-like shell, but the slime devil's most vulnerable spot--the nasal cavity--is still her best option. "Rangin," she says softly, glancing briefly at the Coridanite who's been the closest thing she's had to a friend on this mission. "If you attack its face, the creature might try to protect itself by looking away, hopefully toward me. If it does, I will be ready to act."

Hearing Kylah words, there is a brief nod from Rangin. "Understood", he responds quietly, "2..1.." and then he steps forward swinging the cutter at the slime-devil's face with the intention of getting it to turn away.

The slime devil backs up, hissing, and raises its wickedly-edged claws to guard itself from Rangin. Kylah does not see an opening to attack.

T'Var is getting about as frustrated as a Vulcan can get at this point. There must be a logical way to kill this slime devil. Until she can figure out exactly what logic would dictate, the doctor will continue to smack this creature with her crowbar where it is most vulnerable.

Collins wishes she could unbend the crowbar so that she's have a sharp end with which to attack. Instead she continually grabs whatever debris is lying around and lobs it at the fourth slime devil, moving forward each time, until she is close enough to pick up the dead one and use it as a shield.


Her aim is as true as it can be with one hand, since she's still holding the crowbar, but surely she does some damage

Kylah grits her teeth in frustration, still hoping for an opportunity. If only she had something that would cut through the creature's shell, she and Rangin could eliminate the claws together. Pourtash has the other cutting tool, she remembers suddenly. So why in the blue light of Tellum B is he just standing there and not using it? Kylah hisses back at him: "Sir! If you're not able to wield that weapon, please throw it to me so I can make use of it!"

In the meantime she kicks out and slams her foot into the nearest of the creature's rear legs, hoping that it will instinctively use its remaining foreleg for balance--or even to lash out at her--and thus will no longer have anything with which to guard its face. Then perhaps Rangin can stab the cavity himself.

T'Var swings again and hits the slime devil again, this time on its left rear haunch. It hisses, jabs at her again and strikes a glancing blow to her right shin, tearing her uniform pants but not piercing the skin. It leaps at her but she is able to sidestep it and hit it again as it passes. It is badly hurt now.

Collins does not see any debris around. She edges forward and picks up the dead slime devil, which smells terrible and is rather heavy.

Kylah thinks her knife would probably cut through the slime devil's shell if she was able to land a solid blow. She connects with her kick but the creature then skitters towards Rangin.

Collins tucks the crowbar under her arm and uses both hands to lift the dead beast high enough to throw it at the live one. Then she holds the crow bar and lunges at the (hopefully) distracted slime devil and begins clobbering it.

While T'Var is fully aware of what is going on around her, she remains focused on destroying "her" particular slime devil. Hopefully, she can dispatch it with one more strong blow, then assist the others with "their" slime devils.

Kylah runs forward to stab at the creature from behind. Using both hands on her knife hilt, she aims for the wounded spot where it landed after she threw it last time, and slams the blade downward toward the slime devil's neck. Her hope is that if her attack is successful in slowing the animal down, she'll grab onto the tentacles or antennae--or whatever those things are atop its head--and yank its face backwards so she or Rangin can get at that damn nasal cavity.

Collins flings the dead slime devil at the other one; the corpse again hits its fellow and is shaken off. The live slime devil backs off at once, then turns and skitters away into the darkness, back the way it came, before Collins can connect with her crowbar.

T'Var and her slime devil spar for a few more seconds before the Vulcan is able to bring her crowbar down squarely on its head, crushing and apparently killing it.

Kylah strikes home with her blade, hard and deep, just a few centimeters from the site of the first wound. When she grabs its antennae, however, it twists its head, slipping through her grasp, and sinks its small, razor-sharp teeth into her wrist. It hangs on, and blood begins seeping into its jaws. She cannot help herself, and screams.

Rangin lunges forward with the cutter to try and help Kylah and put the creature out of its misery.

T'Var immediately reacts to Kylah's scream and moves in to engage the slime devil attacking her crewmate.

The instant that the teeth clamp onto Kylah's wrist there's no sensation at all, only shock and self-recrimination. And then every nerve in Kylah's body seems to explode with the blinding pain. Even as she screams her agony aloud, her mind is simultaneously screaming let go, let go, let go! as if she can somehow reach the slime devil's thoughts and reason with it.

Though the rapid blood loss has made everything go blurry and Kylah's vision is alternately dim and bursting with pinpoints of light, some rational part of her seems cognizant that if nothing else, the head of the animal is finally aimed in the right direction. In desperation she flails with her free hand to yank at her knife, tugging it out of the creature's neck. Her scream turns into vicious curses as she stabs wildly at the creature's face in hopes of landing a blow in the right spot.

As the fourth slime devil scurries off, Collins turns in response to Kylah's scream. What I wouldn't give for a phaser right now! Collins sees that the corridor is crowded at the point of that scuffle, and that T'Var has gone to Kylah's assistance, so she looks back in the direction they've been heading. Jeremi gauges how much further they need to go in order to reach their destination, then looks for the cowardly beast and inwardly debates whether or not to chase it down.

Rangin cannot safely use his cutter while Kylah is stabbing at the slime devil biting her wrist. However, she is able to stab it repeatedly and it finally falls off her arm, quite dead. Her wrist is now bleeding freely. Dr. T'Var sees that the Communications officer's arm is also covered with ichor and some chitin from the slime devil. She also notices, at a glance, that Fujishiro looks very pale and haggard.

Collins sees that the party is about ten meters from where the corridor ahead turns to the left, lost in darkness, where the fourth slime devil went. She estimates that the Yorktown party is about five or ten minutes' walk from the transporter room, if it has no other encounters along the way.

"If I could have a moment to address the medical needs of our party...." T'Var says to Collins. Without waiting for a reply, the doctor begins first aid on all those in need. There isn't much she can do under these circumstances, though.

When everyone is safely off the station, T'Var will take the time to check herself out as well.

Once the slime devil releases its hold on her, Kylah falls to her knees, exhausted and dizzy. She keeps her hold on the knife and clasps her bleeding wrist and forearm to her chest, using her other elbow to clamp and cover the wound in some effort to staunch the blood. She glances hazily up at T'Var, whose figure is moving toward her with rapid purpose.

"I am sorry, Doctor," she whispers to the other woman. The apology is automatic and she's not entirely sure why, but she feels the need to assert again: "I am sorry."


BTW, which arm/wrist was wounded?

Rangin, having some basics in first aid, lends a hand to Dr T'var as best he is able starting with the injured Kylah in front of him.

Collins keeps watch as medical aid is rendered. "It's not that much farther. As soon as everyone is able, we need to keep moving" she tells her crewmates. She just now notices she hasn't been feeling the nausea. Maybe I should be stressed all the time. Terrific drug, adrenaline.

Using her medikit, Dr. T'Var cleans the wound on Kylah's left wrist as best she can, sterilizes it, closes the wound and gives her a painkiller and broad-spectrum antibiotic. The Vulcan healer does the same for her own shin wounds. Dr. Waite's leg wound is superficial.

Fujishiro's fever is a little worse than before, but she insists she can keep going.

Collins sees nothing ahead, but Pourtash, running a scan with one of the tricorders, says, "I'm picking up converging life signs - bipedal, Sakathian." He slowly turns in a circle, holding the boxy instrument out in front of him, then stops. "Approaching from the way we came."

"Zombies," Dr Waite whispers, clearly scared. "Oh, God... more zombies."

"Pure Sakathian or modified?" Collins asks, a little louder and a little faster than she'd like, "They could be more survivors." she adds, more calmly.

Kylah quietly thanks Dr. T'Var and, after wiping the knife blade clean on the slime devil's inert body, gets back up on her feet. She's still feeling shaky but the painkiller T'Var applied is indeed a blessing. Her left hand tentatively stretches and and curls into a fist, open and closed and open again. Clearly not at 100% but Kylah is grateful she hasn't lost the use of it.

When she hears Pourtash's announcement, she feels a ripple of dread. Turning, knife again at the ready, Kylah stares intently in the direction of the common area.

"Calm yourself, Henry," T'Var tells Waite. "We will reach the transporter soon."

The doctor awaits word as to whether the approaching Sakathians are friend or foe.

"Modified," Pourtash says soberly. "Twelve of them... and they don't have typical Sakathian biosigns." T'Var runs a scan of her own, and agrees. Waite lets out a moan.

Kylah sees that wiping her blade on the slime devil's body is no way to clean it - it will only get more dirty with the slime devil's ichor, chitin and external secretions.

"Okay" Collins asserts "Let's get the frack outta here! If you can walk, help those who can't." With that she grabs Fujishiro's arm and throws it around her neck; she supports her crew-mate at the waist and starts down the corridor.

The doctor follows Collins. She looks behind her. "Is anyone in need of my assistance?" T'Var asks the others.

When she automatically takes a couple of hurried steps to follow the others, Kylah glances down at her still-dirty knife and realizes her mind must be foggier from the blood loss than she realized. She takes a deep breath, hoping the extra air will clear up her thought process, and keeps moving.

She shakes her head to T'Var's question, though she does look back at Rangin. After his earlier injury from his fight with the altered Sakathian, having to combat another creature so quickly couldn't have been helpful. "Are you all right?" she asks him quietly.

After a few steps Collins realizes that going first, down a dark corridor into which a slime devil just retreated, while supporting an injured crewmate, is perhaps not the most tactically-sound approach.

Everyone says they're all right when Dr. T'Var asks, although Dr. Waite still looks shaken.

"I'm doing as well as can be, thanks for asking." Rangin responds to Kylah with a smile. "How are you doing?"

Rangin wonders if he should move up and take over assisting with Fujishiro again.

T'Var considers the situation again, pondering all possible options.

"Would you like me to take the lead or perhaps assist Mr. Fujishiro?" the doctor asks Collins.

Kylah hardly knows how to respond to Rangin's returned question, but she settles on a brisk "I'm fine" that doesn't even begin to encompass what she's feeling right now.

Hearing T'Var's question, she turns swiftly to the older women--too swiftly, the movement gives her some vertigo--and steps closer.

"If I may make a recommendation," she says quietly, "perhaps someone who is unable to take part in combat should be tasked with assisting Lt. Fujishiro; this way our strongest crewmembers have their hands free to fight anything that comes our way." She takes a quick glance backward. "Dr. Waite is uninjured and able-bodied, but frankly of no use in combat. I would suggest he make himself useful by assisting in this capacity." It is certainly the least the fool can do, she thinks resentfully while stretching her hand again.

"Waite? Are you up to that small task?" Collins asks as she moves with Fujishiro towards T'Var. Once the Vulcan doctor supports the Lieutenant, Jeremi turns to the Human doctor, "Or would you like to come up to the front of the line?"

T'Var sighs inwardly. What did she ever see in this man? Perhaps her great interest in humans and their behavior patterns dulled her Vulcan senses in some way?

While awaiting Waite's answer, T'Var turns to Kylah. "An excellent suggestion, Ensign. Most logical."

Waite seems to visibly muster his courage and then says, "Yes, Lieutenant Collins. I would... be glad to go in front with you." He steps forward.

Kylah sees Pourtash exchange a worried glance with Fujishiro. "The zombies are getting closer," he says.

"Alright, then, Dr Waite," Collins asserts, "Since you know these corridors better than we do, are there any side corridors of which we need to be cautious?" She puts her hand on the doctors back and gives a gentle little push.

Kylah takes in the shared look between Pourtash and Fujishiro, frowning slightly. Then, after a moment and a quick, worried glance at the corridor behind the group, she swallows and moves to the mission leader.

Before Waite has a chance to respond to Collins's question, Kylah quickly says: "Lt. Collins," keeping her intent dark gaze on the older woman. "Permission to speak with you freely, briefly--and privately?" She gives a slight shrug. "As privately as we can, at any rate?"

Collins looks at Kylah quizzically. Privately? In this corridor? She sighs. "Step over here, Ensign and talk to me." When Kylah moves closer, Collins puts a hand on her shoulder and turns her so that both their backs are to the rest of the crowd. She whispers "What's on your mind?"

Kylah takes a deep breath, speaking softly but fervently. "I apologize for my directness but I must request, most strongly, that you do not put Dr. Waite at either the front or the back of this group. I--I cannot explain right now, but I know I am not alone in not trusting him to be of use in combat, or even to remain in control of his actions or emotions in a dangerous situation." She swallows nervously--and with difficulty, as her throat is bone dry. "I believe you should insist that he assist with Fujishiro, and choose either Dr. T'Var or Lt. Pourtash to serve at the front of this group, with whomever you do not choose keeping guard at the back with me and Mr. Rangin."

She can't help darting another glance back toward the darkened corridor leading to the common area. "The altered Sakathians are getting stronger and greater in number," she murmurs in a near monotone. "Just as I am certain that other members of our crew fear putting trust in Waite, I am certain that the enemy is rapidly multiplying. And without the confidence of the crew, including Lieutenants Pourtash and Fujishiro--who you've surely noticed have not been the same since their own encounters with these creatures--we have no chance against these creatures."

Licking her dry lips, Kylah returns to stare up at Collins, putting every ounce of persuasion and sincerity she possesses into her gaze. "I know it is not an ensign's place to advise you, and I know we've not had the easiest of relationships since I've joined the crew. I have made mistakes in judgment. But I do not believe this is one of them, and I hope you will consider my words."

Waite seems to have caught a word or two of this discussion, and glares at Kylah when she finishes.

Pourtash frowns as he looks at his tricorder, and glances back at Collins.

T'Var observes all that is going on around her. We should keep moving, she thinks to herself.

"Henry, though your offer to lead is quite admirable, perhaps you would be most useful assisting the wounded among us," T'Var tells Waite.

The doctor glances over at Collins and Kylah.

Collins nods and thanks the Ensign. What the hell is wrong with me, she scolds herself. She turns to the group. "Let's get back into our earlier formation, except Dr Waite, you assist Fujishiro. That's an order. I want you between Doctor T'Var and Lt Pourtash. Ensign Rangin? Can you manage on your own? Stay in the middle of the group. Ensign Kylah, can you still manage to bring up the rear?" Collins looks at the group as the rearrange themselves. "Right, then. Onward. Let's get out of here before we become someones lunch." She moves forward, crowbar at the ready.

T'Var takes up her position and moves forward with the group. The sooner they all reach the transporter, the better.

Kylah nods to Collins, extremely relieved that her suggestion about Waite was adopted. She's a little concerned that none of the best fighters have been placed to the rear with her, considering the large group of Sakathians behind them, but she just hopes they're able to move fast enough that she's not tested against them.

Now she wipes her knife on her skirt, and temporarily switches her grip to her still-stiff left hand to wipe the sweat from her right palm as well. Then the knife's tossed back to her right, and she grasps it even harder as she casts an attempt at a collegial look at Rangin directly in front of her.

Dr. Waite begins, "But you said...," then frowns and seems to think better of it. He shrugs, muttering a little. He moves back in the group, next to and supporting Fujishiro, who still does not look well. The Starfleet officers and Miskatonic researcher proceed down the hallway and around the corner. No sign of the slime devil. The group passes in and out of pools of light, as some of the overhead lights on this stretch of corridor appear to be burned out. One light fixture, in particular, buzzes loudly as you pass beneath it.

The party comes to a large pressure door with a control panel beside it. There are no Sakathian signs or insignia on it.

Rangin nods that he is able to manage by himself and settles into the centre of the group behind Dr Waite and Fujishiro.

"Waite" Collins orders "Come enter the passcode for this door." She steps to the side to allow the doctor access to the panel.

Kylah glances at the panel to see if it's a comm panel, decides for no particular reason that it isn't, and quickly turns her back on the rest of the group. She prefers to keep sharp focus on the flickering darkness behind them, half-expecting the altered Sakathians to coalesce from the dark unannounced. She holds her knife at the ready.

Her gaze shifts now and then to the light that buzzed loudly when they passed beneath. Why would it do that? Are we giving off some kind of radiation? Perhaps Rangin or Fujishiro, when they were attacked... no, T'Var would surely have noticed that, wouldn't she? Unless something new has developed...

Realizing she might be giving in to paranoia, Kylah grits her teeth and waits, hoping the others will get that door open soon.

Waite walks up and looks at the door control panel. "It's just an ordinary door," he says. He pushes the biggest button and the door hisses open. The hallway beyond contains what appears to be the horribly-torn remains of two Sakathian security officers. There is a lot of blood on the floor and walls. A Sakathian phaser is on the floor. Along the right wall, which Collins knows is the outer hull of the space station, are a series of six round hatches, each about five meters apart.

T'Var's first instinct is to grab the phaser and determine whether the weapon is still functional. She waits, however.

Collins is mission leader. T'Var assumes Collins will take the weapon, then decide which member of their party should carry it.

The doctor looks around at the carnage. Perhaps there is more than one phaser here.

Rangin pulls out the tricorder and scans the area again, just to be sure.

Kylah backs into the room, then does a double-take when she sees the carnage on the floor. A bout of nausea hits her and she glances at Collins before returning to look at the phaser. Her hand fairly itches to grab it, but she knows it's not her place. At first, seeing the hatches and the cruelly slaughtered security guards, she thinks this might be some kind of detention area, but then she realizes the door would probably not have been so easy to open if that were the case.

The thought makes her look away from the dead bodies--something she's relieved to do--and return focus to the door. "Can this entrance be secured from this side?" she asks in a low voice, addressing the two men closest to her--Pourtash and Rangin. Speaking more loudly seems disrespectful to the corpses strewn on the ground. She adds, "And those hatches--might they lead to escape pods or shuttles of some kind?"

Collins grabs one of the dead guards' phasers for herself, and tosses the other one to Pourtash. "Okay. That's better." she says "Lieutenant," she addresses Pourtash, "if you're not up to it, please give the phaser to Doctor T'Var. Ensign Kylah, Check the panel. It should tell us which hatch leads where. Everyone, stay alert!"

This is still a hallway, a continuation of the same one you were in before, not a room. There is only the single Sakathian phaser that anyone can see with the naked eye; Rangin's tricorder scan picks up no sign of any other weapon.

Collins also notices scorch marks, probably left by the phaser, on several walls and the floor. The hatches are, indeed, for access to lifepods - or, at least, where lifepods used to be. They aren't there anymore.

Kylah thinks she can seal the door behind the party, between you and the advancing zombies.

T'Var remains fully alert and ready for action as only a Vulcan can be.

The doctor will do whatever is necessary to protect those around her.

T'Var does not relish making a last stand here against the altered Sakathians.

Once Kylah seals the door through which they came, Collins looks at the others. "Doctor," she addresses T'Var, "take this brief time to check on everyone before we move on." Collins turns her walks cautiously towards the corridor through which they will continue their journey. She listens for the breathing of a slime devil or other foe as she visually scans the route. Satisfied that the room they are in is, at least for the moment, she begins searching for other weapons or tools that could be of use.

T'Var does as ordered. She scans everyone -- even those who seem healthy and well -- with her medical tricorder. She continues to provide first aid as necessary.

The doctor then reports her findings to Collins. "I am most concerned with Mr. Fujishiro, though anyone attacked by the altered Sakathians is in immediate need of further medical attention and observation." T'Var sighs heavily. "We must get off this station as quickly as possible."

T'Var's scans and personal observations show that Fujishiro is feverish and even sicker than before. Her blood readings and brainwaves are changing in a very odd way that T'Var hasn't seen before. The young Japanese woman says, though, "I'm fine, Doctor. Let's just keep going." Waite and Pourtash are also both running slight fevers.

Collins hears and sees no signs of a slime devil. None shows up on tricorder scan. She finds no other weapons or tools.

"Right, then" Collins asserts "Onward, same marching order. The sooner we get off this station, the better."

"Excuse me sir, if you don't mind me asking, but where are we heading for?" asks Rangin, "What other ways are there off this station? "

"To the transporters, to get to the shuttle, and then the hell out of here," Collins replies calmly

T'Var is grateful to be moving again. The sooner they are all off this station, the better.

The doctor is eager to provide more comprehensive care to her shipmates in need -- and to study the tissue samples she took earlier.

Kylah is preoccupied staring down at the dead Sakathians. "Excuse me," she murmurs to her superior officers. "I am troubled by our finding only one phaser." She glances up at Collins and T'Var, concerned, and her voice is halting as she continues. "The altered Sakathians--from what I--from what Dr. T'Var and the others have told us--do they seem rational enough to steal and use such a weapon? And why not take both?"

"No, the Saka-zombies seem more the 'crush/kill/destroy' variety" Collins postulates. She looks along the outer wall where the pods used to be. "Ensign," she tells Kylah and points to a control panel, "see if there is any info as to who took the pods" She looks at the group "Pourtash, stay here with the others, I'm going on ahead, just a bit, for recon"

Sakathian weapon in hand, Collins ventures ahead. The hallway goes on for another 20 meters, then turns to the left, ending at another door identical to the one you recently passed through.

Kylah calls up the lifepod database and sees that all of the lifepods along this row ejected in the past half-hour, each within five minutes of each other. She remembers the dull, distant thuds you all heard in the common room during that time, and realizes that those might have been the sounds of the lifepods being ejected. The database does not state who took the lifepods, or how many people were in each; simply that they were operational and ready, that the hatches were opened and resealed, and that the lifepods then departed.

"Can we get moving again, please?" Waite asks, sounding a little strained.

T'Var is concerned that Collins has taken it upon herself to "recon" ahead. In the Vulcan's opinion, it would be better -- and safer -- for all of them to stay together. However, Collins is still in command. T'Var will follow orders unless there is a logical reason not to follow them.

The doctor frowns at Waite. "You are safe, Henry," she tells him. "At least safer than you would be on your own." T'Var's frown deepens. "And we will move again when it is best to do so."

Collins rejoins the group "Everyone ready? Let's move on" When they get to the door, Collins taps the panel next to it to open it, her phaser aimed and ready

Kylah finishes following Collins's command and returns to her position in the line, where she looks past the others to stare down the corridor in the direction her mission leader explored. She ignores the whinging Dr. Waite, of course, though her contempt for him only continues to grow. During the Denebian Slime Devil attack, he'd likely be dead by now if it weren't for her knife throw and Pourtash's quick instincts, and both she and Rangin had nearly been killed fighting the beast in Waite's stead. Not a word of thanks from the human. A coward and an ingrate, as well as a disgrace to his profession. If he survives this, may he receive the full force of punishment he deserves for his involvement in this revolting experiment.

At least her hand feels better. She flexes it automatically and ponders the mystery of the missing phaser among all the other curiosities of this disastrous turn of events. Was the phaser taken by an escaping victim? How did the comm system go down if not sabotaged, or has it something to do with whatever caused the lights to go out as well? Are the altered Sakathians gaining in cunning?

Above all she's wondering about the whereabouts of the two most senior Sakathians on the station. Was it not Chief Porr's duty to form a strategy to quell the attackers? And Director Geb, she should have attempted contact with the rest of her crew before the comm system shut down. Of course there are the lifepods... but surely neither of them would have fled the station without doing all they could to neutralize the threat. Have they been killed--or altered? Or collaborating? she thinks darkly, mulling over the stolen phaser.

We cannot know unless we find them, and cannot find them unless we move forward. Sighing, Kylah clutches the knife for strength and waits for orders.

When at last Collins returns, she gladly follows the crew down the corridor, keeping her senses alert for anything behind the door.

The door opens at once, revealing a hallway with intermittent lighting extending another 30 meters straight ahead. There are several bloodstains and chunks of matted hair on the floor close to the door you just came through, and three evenly-spaced doors on the left wall. Kylah translates the Sakathian door markings as denoting, from first to last, Supply Storage, Machine Shop and Transporter Room.

T'Var's keen ears pick up the indistinct moans and calls of "zombies" somewhere behind and to the left of the Yorktown party.

"Altered Sakathians are very close," T'Var informs the group. "Behind us."

The doctor glances at Kylah, then points at the doors to their left. "Can you translate, Ensign?" she asks.

T'Var hopes at least one of these doors leads to safety.

Rangin pulls put the tricorder and starts scanning to get a better lock on where the altered Sakathians might be.

"The transporters are just ahead. Let's hustle." Collins tells her crew.

After relaying the translations to her superiors, Kylah hangs back near the door and hurries to attempt to seal it behind her, as she did the earlier one. Not that sealing that one seems to have done much, but she hopes any small delay might help them. The machine shop might have tools to weld this shut, she thinks, not to mention something more deadly to use as a ranged weapon...

But if they can get to the transporter room and off the station, no weapons will be necessary. Kylah dismisses the idea and works on the door. Once it is sealed, she'll race forward with the others.

Kylah finds no useful text on or near the doors other than what she already read.

Rangin's tricorder indicates the zombies are within 50 meters, behind and to the left as T'Var's hearing indicated, and closing steadily.

Collins assembles her Starfleet crewmates and Dr. Waite in the hallway near the transporter room's door.

Kylah closes and locks the hallway door though which you just passed.

With a low cry, Fujishiro goes limp in Dr. Waite's arms. She is unconscious. He gently lowers her to the deck.

Collins turns and rushes to Fujishiro's side, aware that if she awakens before they get her back to the Yorktown, she may be zombified. "What can I do to help, T'Var?" Collins asks.

T'Var also rushes to provide whatever help she can to Fujishiro. She does a quick scan, then looks at Collins with a sigh.

"There is not much more I can do while we remain on this station," the doctor tells Collins.

Using a hypospray, T'Var sedates Fujishiro so that she will not regain consciousness until it is medically safe.

"I have sedated Fujishiro until further medical care is available."

Collins checks the supply closet and the machine shop for a cart or a gurney or something similar.
If there is one she helps T'Var load Fujishiro onto it for easy conveyance
If there isn't, she directs Waite to again assist in getting Fujishiro to their destination.

Collins also checks the rooms for additional weapons and supplies, and asks Kylah to assist in that to make it go quickly, since time is of the essence.

Assuming the rooms are unlocked and accessible, Kylah will assist Collins as ordered.

In the meantime, despite the longshot of being able to gauge anything from this distance, Kylah's mind keeps focusing on the transporter room, wondering if anyone has already reached the room and is lying in wait for them. She might be paranoid but it can't hurt to be overcautious in a situation like this. The two dead security guards in the previous area are proof that the altered Sakathians have already made it that far. Is it possible they've already reached the transporter room, too?

Dr. T'Var has no actual medical reason to think that Fujishiro will necessarily turn into a zombie, given her current condition, or that sedating her will keep her from turning into a zombie if that is indeed a danger. As far as T'Var knows, the only zombies seen have been Sakathians. Does she still wish to sedate the unconscious young Japanese officer?

The Supply Storage and Machine Shop doors are both locked.

Kylah knows that, given the layout of the station, it is quite possible that zombies have reached the transporter room by now.

Pourtash asks, "Why don't we just scan the transporter room by tricorder to see if anyone's in there?"

When Pourtash speaks, Kylah turns toward the transporter room. Suddenly she shudders and a soft, involuntary groan escapes her lips. "Something's wrong," she whispers, rushing to the room--both hands now clasped almost prayerfully on her knife hilt to prevent herself from touching the door panel. She knows she can't go inside, she knows the others must go first. Yet her wide eyes cannot look away. "Something's very wrong."

Having found where the creatures are behind the party, Rangin swings his tricorder across to the transporter room and starts scanning for anything unusual.

"Don't worry, Kylah, if something is wrong, I'll see if I can find it before it finds us."

While Rangin scans the transporter room, Collins looks for some sort of control panel to unlock the doors.

Reason T'Var has sedated Fujishiro is not specifically out of a "zombie" concern, but because she feels it might be a good idea to keep her sedated until they can transport off the station rather than have to deal with the possibility of her going in and out of consciousness -- and dividing the focus of the party from their current priority -- which is getting the heck off this darn station! Perhaps I should've been more clear with my post. Sorry about that. If you think T'Var should mention her reasons for her actions, just let me know. Otherwise, we can move on and hope the transporter room is zombie free. Also, please feel free to PM me with any and all ideas/suggestions regarding my character in future. Input is always most welcome and appreciated! Thanks.

T'Var sedates Fujishiro, who slips more deeply into unconsciousness. The Vulcan healer decides this is the least bad option, under the circumstances. She monitors her condition with her medical tricorder.

Pourtash looks oddly at Kylah. "What are you talking about?" he asks.

Rangin's tricorder picks up five humanoid life signs inside the transporter room - two human, three Sakathian. None of them seem to be zombies, although one of the Sakathian's biosigns are unusual.

Collins finds almost-identical small control panels at shoulder level to the left of each of the three doors.

Collins examines the panels to determine which combination of buttons and switches will open the locked doors.






I have a D6 with sixes on each side - could you use that to roll my success?

Kylah helps Collins with the panels, and Waite has a look, too. They seem securely locked. "Some of these doors only open with a palm scan of someone with Sakathian DNA," the Miskatonic researcher says.

Kylah is too distracted to hear Pourtash's question and when Collins asks about the other two doors she reads the panels in a barely audible murmur, still unable to keep her mind from the transporter room.

But when Waite comments about the Sakathian palm print, she aims a vicious look at him and spits out: "Oh, but there will be plenty of Sakathian DNA in a matter of seconds--all we'll ever need is following us outside this hallway! Thanks in large part to you, you pitiful, disgraceful sham of a scientist!"

Something is emanating toward her and from her and she needs to express it, needs to do anything to jettison the current thoughts racing in her mind along with the rush of memories going back to when she first threw the knife at that altered Sakathian. When she stared impotently at the lab just before fleeing and knew, knew, that she and the rest of the Starfleet crew were abandoning the helpless people remaining inside.

She spins to face Collins, then T'Var, who was there with her at that moment and who Kylah feels should somehow understand what she's feeling. "We have to get inside that room now. Someone--not just us--is in great torment!" Her voice is on the razor's edge of hysteria and she backs up to the door, lifting her knife at it wildly. "We left people behind before, running away like rodents from a ship; we left those people to die... or worse! Not again, Dr. T'Var, I beg you!" She returns to plead to Collins. "We five who are able fighters must enter and save who we can, now. Shall we be as guilty as this wretched human and the others who authorized this abominable experiment? For if we delay it will be our fault! Ours!"

The words have just escaped her lips when she regrets them--hardly even knows where they came from. But while her face is aflame, she stands her ground, willing to slam her own hand on the door panel if no one else does so soon.

Rangin can feel Kylah's emotion pouring off her and wonders if she can be distracted or calmed down somehow. Perhaps a few suggestions to be discussed might work.

"Is there any way to communicate with the people inside, maybe they could let us in. Is there anyway to bypass it, get it open remotely. A more gruesome thought, perhaps, one of the hands from the dead guards in the last area, would that work? and..."

He stops for a moment, paused in thought before continuing.

"...if you were in a situation like this and found yourself trapped in the transporter room, wouldn't you be beaming yourself away instead of waiting around?"

"All good points, Mr. Rangin," T'Var says.

The doctor turns to Kylah. "We must try to remain calm, Ensign. We will do what we can in this situation. We must be able to think clearly."

T'Var then addresses the entire group. "What is the best course of action at this point in time?" she asks. "Not what we should be doing or would want to do -- what we actually have the ability to do."

Lt. JG Pourtash's voice takes on a harsher edge. He says to Kylah, "You will calm yourself, Ensign, and treat civilians - even those you don't like - with courtesy. Is that clear? And to repeat: What are you talking about?"

Waite says almost simultaneously to Dr. T'Var, "Mr. Collins is in command here. But I thought we were trying to get off the station? Because that's what transporter rooms are for. Right?"

Rangin hears the moans and cries of the Sakathian zombies getting louder in the distance. Collins can just barely hear them, too.

Collins abandons her attempt to obtain anything from the locked rooms and goes to open the door to the transporter room, phaser at the ready. "Everyone, be ready to get to the pads as quickly as possible"

T'Var prepares herself for whatever they may find in the Transporter Room. She pays particular attention to Fujishiro. The doctor will make sure her crewmate is protected.

Kylah lowers her arm and shifts her angry stare to Pourtash. It is extraordinarily difficult to keep her emotions together, and she moves from the door closer to Dr. T'Var, hoping some of the doctor's controlled demeanor will somehow assist her. "I have just told you all what I meant. There is at least one person in extreme distress in there, while we linger here and do nothing. Mr. Rangin is correct--if they could beam off the station, they would. The transporters might not work, they might not have anywhere to beam to. Or there is something wrong, as I have been trying to tell you!"

When Collins gives the order to prepare for entering the transporter room, Kylah moves into position, ignoring both Pourtash and Waite but clutching her knife more tightly as she passes them by. And then the mission commander's words sink in at last: Go directly to the transporter pads. Kylah wants to scream in exasperation. Will none of these people hear her? Even if they dismiss everything she says, Rangin has confirmed the presence of others in there. Are they to be abandoned for the safety of the shuttle? Do the others not feel responsible for many of the deaths on this station? It is beyond Kylah's comprehension; the guilt is almost choking her.

She stands, breathing hard, but prepared to act however it is necessary.

Pourtash begins to ask Kylah, "How do you...?" but stops when Collins gives her orders to the Yorktown boarding party.

Waite and Pourtash pick up Fujishiro and carry her between them, resting on their interlinked arms, fireman-style. Dr. T'Var stays close by to monitor her condition.

When everyone is in position, Collins hits the Open key on the door control panel. But this door, too, is locked.

T'Var sighs heavily. Were she not a Vulcan, her frustration level would go far beyond that of a human.

Is there not some way off this station? the doctor thinks to herself.

She remains at the ready, awaiting Collins' next order.

Collins checks the charge indicator on the phaser.

If at 60% or greater, she'll shoot the lock so that she and the others can get to the transporter
If under 60%, she'll fire a short burst at the lock, hoping it's enough to do the trick.

Kylah notices Collins checking her phaser and darts a resentful glance at Pourtash. This human cares more for politeness than the possibly ramifications of blasting our way in!

Kylah grits her teeth and tries to keep her emotions in check. "Forgive me, Lieutenant," she says to Collins, her voice strained but low. "The individuals inside are not altered Sakathians ...as Mr. Rangin's scan indicates," she adds quickly with another flashing look at Pourtash. "They are likely to be just as worried for their lives, and far more likely to be armed. If they hear us forcing their door open, they might assume a threat and begin firing at us."

She looks at T'Var, hoping for some backup--the doctor's counsel would carry more weight than a mere ensign, especially one who's considered irrational. "Should we not try to communicate with them--at least, to knock on the door--to let them know we are not the creatures trying to attack them?"

The Sakathian phaser's small function display indicates that it has an approximately 80% charge, Collins thinks, although it's in a technical script that she cannot read.

"I agree with Ens. Kylah," Dr. Waite says. "I wouldn't want to get blasted just as we're about to get out of here."

Collins pauses in her aim and looks at Kylah and Waite. She looks for an intercom panel, or at the very least some sort of doorbell.

"It would not hurt to attempt some sort of communication," T'Var says evenly. "However, if no communication can be made, then 'blasting' our way in might be the only option available to us."

Relieved to see Collins and the doctor approving of the idea, Kylah exhales and looks at the others. Suddenly a thought strikes her, though broaching it with any semblence of calm objectivity will take all her efforts at dissembling. Think of Mother, she tells herself. Her late adoptive mother was cool, even cold at times, yet her opinions had always held great sway over others in the family.

She swallows her distaste and turns to Dr. Waite with as neutral an expression as possible. "Perhaps Dr. Waite would be willing to knock and attempt communication? Thanks to his long service here, he is surely known to them--and as a human, he does not appear to be a candidate for being altered. Thus whoever is inside will not fear he is trying to trick them into opening the door."

Finishing, she realizes in private dismay that if that speech resembled anyone in her family, it would be her obsequious, oily Guardian. Kylah blocks out the unpleasant thought and aims her hopeful gaze at Dr. T'Var. She knows him best. She might be better able to convince him--and Collins, for that matter.

There is no intercom or doorbell button on the control panel.

Waite looks at Kylah, raises an eyebrow and says, "OK, I'll knock if you want."

"A logical assumption and suggestion," T'Var says.

The doctor turns to Collins. "I strongly advise we make this attempt at communication with those in the Transporter Room."

T'Var glares at Waite -- almost daring him to refuse helping the group in this manner.

Collins hollers through the locked door, "This is Lieutenant JG Jeremi Collins of the Starfleet vessel USS Yorktown. Do you need assistance? Can you let us in?"

After a moment, only T'Var can barely hear stirring through the locked door. Then a voice you all can hear and recognize calls: "This is Ens. Hayes. Thank God you've come!"

Kylah's eyes widen with relief. She then closes her eyes, nods and murmurs, almost to herself: "Of course. Hayes... and Delaney..." But after a second she scowls and lifts her knife, clasping it more tightly as her relief dissipates and the edgy wariness rushes back.

It takes her a moment to put her thoughts into speech, which she aims at T'Var in a hushed and hurried voice. "There is--there may still be danger in there. They need help but we must not let our guard down."

"Hayes!" Collins shouts "Can you open this door?" She stands prepped for any inevitability, phaser ready.

Rangin goes back to monitoring the oncoming Sakathians on his tricorder.

"Agreed, Ensign," says T'Var. "I am sure the others are also aware of this possibility."

The doctor gives Kylah a brief smile. "We must trust and rely on our crewmates -- as they must be able to trust and rely on us."

"Yes, I can open it," Hayes calls. She pauses. "Is Dr. T'Var with you? Are any of you... infected?"

Rangin sees from his tricorder that the zombies will reach you, assuming they can get through the hallway door through which you just came, in less than eight minutes.

(duplicate post)

"Yes, I am here," T'Var replies. "Possible infection, though not complete alteration at this time."

The doctor pauses a moment, then continues. "What is your status, Mr. Hayes?"

"Hayes" Collins asserts "Open the door so we can get in before the Sakazombies get here." She barely refrains from adding "dammit" to her instructions

There is a long pause. "Mr. Delaney is here. We're both fine. We have three Sakathians with us, one of whom is... possibly infected." Another pause. "Um, likely infected."

You can all just barely hear what seems to be an argument in the background.

Then you hear Delaney's voice, a bit louder than Hayes's: "With all due respect, Mr. Collins, I think it would be best if we not open the door." Several of you think that you've never heard him sound so formal.

"That doesn't sound right at all. Could they be being held hostage in there? After all, if anyone could get the transporters working and get out of here, it would be Mr Delaney." Rangin's concern echoes through his voice.

"We cannot remain here," T'Var reminds them. "We have altered Sakathians directly behind us."

The doctor looks about at the others. "If our crewmates are in danger, then we must help them."

T'Var grips the crowbar tightly. "I suggest we proceed inside -- with a great deal of caution."

Kylah nods at Rangin and T'Var. The stress of holding back her feelings is making her temples throb. Making a quick decision, she speaks up, still softly if only to make sure no one on the other side of the door can hear her: "I strongly suspect Chief Porr is in there, and may be the one in charge...even though I also suspect Director Geb is with him. Indeed, she--she may be the one who is infected."

Pourtash looks at the Communications ensign again and cocks his head. "How could you possibly know that? What's going on with you, Mr. Kylah?"

Kylah looks at Pourtash as evenly as possible. She is not surprised by the question. "It is not knowledge but suspicion, or perhaps I should say deduction," she says quickly. "Porr is the security chief here and has access to both the requisite weapons and the central disabling of the communications panels; further, we have heard nothing from either him or Director Geb since this disaster started.

"Either they evacuated the station or they have been in hiding, and I see no rationale for anyone to avoid contacting us except for those responsible for this reprehensible experiment. One for which they will have to answer to the Federation for misuse of our trust and resources."

She moistens her lips. "As for why I believe Geb might be infected, that--that is instinct. I do not believe Porr would protect anyone else but Geb. And if I may add as a final comment, Lieutenant Delaney did not sound to me as if he were under any duress." Kylah takes a deep breath and adds coolly, "With respect, sir, is this really the time to cross-examine the one person who has offered the most salient observations on this mission? We should be pooling information and ideas, not suppressing them."

At last she falls silent, furious and wishing she could control her burning face. There. That should suffice. Let them write me up for insubordination; if we get out of this, I'll have plenty of ineptitude to report to the Captain myself.

"Well, that's our way out of here, behind that locked door. Perhaps before we do anything else, it might be worth asking why they haven't left yet, given all the troubles. If they are not under duress, then behind a locked door would be the safest place to be."

"Hayes, who is in there with you and Delaney?" Collins asks "and why won't you let us in?"

Delaney says, "Security Chief Porr, his wife Veling, and a Sakathian science tech, Merrike Jovel, are here with Hayes and me. Veling is infected." You hear an angry voice raised in the background, but Delaney continues, "Porr denies it, and I'm no doctor, but it sure looks like it's true. She's unconscious now, but well along in the... change. The, um, transformation. If one of your party is infected as well, I don't think we'll want to have them together." He pauses. "If you order me to open the door, Jeremi, I will. Ma'am. But I'd advise against it."

Pourtash looks astonished. He can't take his eyes off Kylah.

"Fujishiro was attacked," Collins says through the door, "but since this so far has only affected Sakathians, it is unsure if she will 'turn'. In any case, we are in jeopardy, so we need to get in there and secure the door behind us. And, I have a phaser, so we do have a means of defense, however meager it is." She pauses, looks at her group, turns back to the door and says firmly "Lieutenant, let us in!"

T'Var awaits the outcome of Collins' order. She will want to examine those inside as soon as possible. And hopefully, they will all be able to get off the station, finally deal with what this horrific experiment has created and put an end to it.

Hearing that Chief Porr's wife is the affected party makes Kylah close her eyes in understanding. This makes sense as well. Porr was clearly protecting someone, and if not Geb...

Where is Geb, then? Kylah worries about the fate of the Director, whom she tried to engage in a collegial relationship. But the flicker of concern must be shaken off, and she does so, albeit with difficulty. She feels guilty enough about the people they abandoned in the lab after the disaster started; focusing too much on the other victims will surely drive her mad.

She also ignores Pourtash's stare. She's grown used to such looks after some of her seemingly preternatural deductions proved correct. Of course, she wasn't entirely correct here, but close enough--and as good as she can expect under these circumstances. Her heart is racing and her emotions have been careering from terror to outrage to desperation and back again. If the door doesn't open quickly and they don't resolve the situation, Kylah is quite certain she'll lose control of herself altogether.

...Assuming the altered creatures don't destroy her first.

Rangin is surprised by the accuracy of Kylah's statements and nods in respect to her. He waits to see if the door will open while keeping an eye on the tricorder showing the oncoming changed Sakathians

"Aye, aye, ma'am," Delaney says. After a moment, the door whooshes open.

You enter and find yourself in a chamber about 20 meters on a side. A transporter control console of Sakathian design faces a platform with five transporter pads. Several wall panels have been removed and the guts of the transporter mechanism are exposed. The room is quite warm.

Delaney is standing by the door control; Hayes is with him. They both look sweaty and tired. Delaney has dark stains - blood? - on his right sleeve. "It's good to see you all again," he says. "I wish it were under different circumstances."

In one corner of the room, a Sakathian woman is lying, apparently unconscious, on the deck. She would be attractive, were it not for her unhealthy dark-gray pallor and the blood which has crusted around her eyes and ears. She trembles from time to time. Porr is kneeling next to her, holding her hand. He only glances up at you before turning his attention back to her. Another Sakathian woman, older and almost gaunt, stands nearby, looking uncomfortable.

"Are you injured, Mr. Delaney?" T'Var asks.

While awaiting his reply, the doctor kneels next to Porr, then scans his wife with her medical tricorder.

Once everyone is inside, Collins secures the door, then goes to the control console. While examining the markings, she asks "Do the transporters work?"

Kylah looks warily at Delaney, then at the exposed transporter panels. She fears the answer to Collins's question is "no," though hope springs eternal.

She also remembers that according to Rangin's calculations, the altered Sakathians will arrive at the previous hallway in eight minutes--no, less than eight, now. Time is not on their side. "May I suggest, Lieutenant, that if there is any need for tools or potential weapons, perhaps one of the Sakathians can help us search the locked rooms outside? There is still time before the infected Sakathians reach that area."

Delaney glances down at his sleeve. "This? No, it's from fighting... one of those things. It's not my blood. I'm uninjured." He turns to Collins, who can't make heads or tails of the console. "The transporter was offline for maintenance when we got here, ma'am. No one else was here, though, and none of these folks are transporter techs, so I've been putting it all back together the best I can."

Waite and Pourtash carefully set down Fujishiro, who is still unconscious, and Waite tries to make her comfortable on the deck.

The older Sakathian woman, Merrike Jovel, hears Kylah. She glances at Porr, turns back and says, "I can help you get into the locked rooms on this hallway. I don't know if there's anything useful in them, though."

Dr. T'Var's scan of Veling Porr, the unconscious Sakathian woman, shows that her endocrine system is going haywire. She's producing the organic chemical eghullel, the Sakathian rough equivalent of adrenaline, at massive levels - and despite her unconscious state, her heart is racing. Her brain function is severely impaired, and there is evidence of rapid degradation of the synaptic pathways. From the Vulcan healer's limited experience with Sakathian physiology, she suspects that the woman's prognosis is terminal, and that she'll die in perhaps 20 to 40 minutes.

Security Chief Porr barely acknowledges T'Var's presence. He is entirely focused on his wife.

"Good. Let me know if I can help" Collins tells Pourtash. She turns and hands the phaser to Kylah "Go with her," Jeremi indicates the older Sakathian woman, "Tools, weapons, med supplies, whatever you think will be useful. And get back her as quickly as possible." She goes over to Porr and puts a hand gently on his shoulder "Doctor T'Var will do what she can. I know you'll want to stay close and help if you can, so please give me your weapon so I can defend the room if necessary"

Though electrified with nerves, Kylah gives a tight nod at Collins to accept the assignment and gladly clutches the phaser, shifting her dagger to her left hand. She casts a grateful look at Jovel and moves to the door, hoping the other woman will follow.

"Lieutenant Delaney," she says quickly as she lingers in the open entryway. "Is there anything in particular you need to repair the transporters? Anything I should look out for? And Chief Porr..." Kylah hesitates, knowing he hasn't looked fondly on her throughout the mission, and his distraction might hinder him from assisting in any way, but she holds out hope nonetheless. "Have you successfully stopped any of these--" About to say 'creatures,' Kylah quickly readjusts, bearing in mind that the man's wife may turn into one at some point. "--These attackers? If so, where are they most vulnerable?"

She will wait to hear the responses before she'll move quickly with Jovel; she knows, for security reasons, the others will certainly close and lock the door behind her, leaving her and Jovel alone.

Porr's eyes only flick briefly up at Collins. He does not give her the phaser on his belt. He also does not respond to Kylah. T'Var thinks he might be in shock.

Delaney says, "Thanks, but I have the tools I need. I don't think I need anything but time."

Fujishiro moans and her body goes rigid. Dr. Waite wipes her sweaty brow with his sleeve.

Kylah and Jovel slip out the door, and Pourtash seals it behind them. "Knock three times and shout, and I'll let you back in," he says.

Hoping she hasn't made the worst, and last, mistake of her life, Kylah hurries to the supply room first. "Please open both rooms, starting with this one? I'll check the supplies while you search the other room, all right?" Her voice is tense and sounds loud in the empty corridor--and even as she speaks, she's straining her senses to pay attention to whatever might be going on outside the sealed doorway to the rest of the station.

Kylah's breathing is shallow, her mouth dry as a bone. She glances at her tricorder's chronometer to gauge how long it's been since Rangin judged the distance between them and the infected.* Then, as she stares at Jovan while impatiently waiting for the Sakathian to unlock the doors, she realizes that this stranger might be the last sentient being she ever sees. Kylah blurts out a belated but genuine: "Thank you for doing this, Jovan."

* In other words, time check pretty please?

T'Var motions for Collins to join her off to the side -- away from Porr and his wife. She updates Collins on Veling's condition.

"I do not know whether she is truly infected or not. Or if 'death' in the normal sense of the word means 'rebirth' as an altered Sakathian."

Once the doctor is finished discussing this situation with Collins, she will check on Fujishiro.

Jovan says to Kylah, "You're welcome, but I'd do just about anything to get out of that room." She looks nervously both ways, up and down the access corridor. She then punches in multi-digit codes on the door control panels of each room, and the doors open at once. In the Supply Storage room, there are eight racks of clothing, cleaning supplies, emergency rations, plastic containers of drinking water and several dozen personal hygiene kits. In the Machine Shop, a slightly bigger room, there are three workbenches, each with a rack of Sakathian tools, some of which look familiar to Kylah from the earlier tool closets she's seen. There are now less than four minutes before the altered Sakathians might arrive.

T'Var finds not much change to Fujishiro's condition, although her fever is slightly worse than the last time T'Var checked.

Not even four minutes, Kylah thinks grimly as she hastens into the Supply Storage room to take as many of the items as she can handle. She calls out to Jovan and asks her to do the same. Rations. Water. The Yorktown won't arrive for another two days; if we cannot transport to the shuttle and still manage to survive this, we'll need all the sustenance we can get.

She grabs an armful of the rations and water, plus one personal hygiene kit just in case T'Var might find anything useful in cleaning or dressing wounds; rushing back to the transporter room door, she drops off the supplies, then asks Jovan to take more rations and water while Kylah races to the Machine Shop. Here she'll take any tool that might be useful as a weapon, especially if she spots anything like the laser cutting instrument that Rangin had. Again, when she has all she can carry, she returns to the Transporter room to drop the goods off.

On her last trip she eyes the cleaning supplies. If there are any cleansers that might be toxic--lye, bleach, ammonia--she'll request that Jovan take some as well.

When nearly three minutes have passed, she decides there's not enough of a buffer left to take anything else. She rushes back to the Transporter room door with one of her armfuls of supplies, kicking the door and yelling to be let in. Whoever opens the door will be asked--no, ordered, higher rank or not--to help carry the supplies inside to make sure they get everything in time.

IN order to keep an eye on the oncoming creatures, Rangin will stand outside in the corridor, monitoring with the tricorder, to keep Kylah and Jovan informed as to the situation while they rummage in the other rooms.

Collins again tries to persuade Porr to let her use his weapon, since she gave hers to Kylah.

What, exactly, does Collins say to Porr? Dialogue, please.

Kylah and Jovan virtually empty the two rooms of usable things. They get it all inside the transporter room just as Rangin's tricorder scan picks up altered Sakathians within 20 meters. Rangin realizes that the readings of the zombies are very similar to those Dr. T'Var took of Porr's wife.

Rangin will carefully and quietly take Dr. T'Var to one side, hopefully without raising too much suspicion, and confirm the horrible truth of what is likely occuring in this very room.

"Thank you for the information, Mr. Rangin," T'Var whispers. "I suspected as much." The doctor sighs. "Well done."

It looks as if the group will have to hold out in the Transporter Room until either the transporters are up and running again or the Yorktown arrives to rescue them.

At least they now have a few useful supplies, T'Var notes as she looks over what Kylah and Jovan were able to find.

"Chief Porr," Collins speaks calmly but there is urgency behind her voice, "Again I ask for use of your weapon. Doctor T'Var is doing all she can for your wife, and I know your mind is elsewhere, but please. We are defenseless right now, as Kylah is in the hallway with our only phaser. So please, either loan me yours, or help Delaney get the transporters on line so that we can get to our shuttle."

Kylah looks a bit longingly at the water and food rations. How long has it been since they ate? She realizes this whole siege began in the middle of breakfast. It's hard to believe it's been less than a day. Right now she could happily eat two of the emergency ration kits, boxes included. But it's not her call, and she certainly won't be the one to suggest chowing down while a woman is dying, and possibly turning into a cannibal, right before their eyes.

She turns away from the goods she and Jovan recovered and--with reluctance--returns the phaser to Collins. "Here you are, Lieutenant," she says quietly. "Fortunately it was not needed."

Next she moves to Delaney. "Sir, is there anything any of us can do to assist? If there is any need of translation, for any labels or anything like that, I will do my best. Though I expect Jovan would be of more assistance than I." Kylah glances at the tools she grabbed, somewhat haphazardly. "Are any of those of use to you?"

Porr does not look at Collins, but silently shakes his head. He continues holding his wife's hand.

Kylan and Jovan are now back inside the transporter room, and Pourtash locks the door again.

Delaney says, "Thanks, Mr. Kylah, but none of the transporter components is labeled with anything other than what look like serial numbers, which aren't much help to me. And I've got the tools I need, as I said before." He looks harried but determined as he pieces the transporter back together.

"Rangin," Collins believes she knows the answer but asks anyway, "will the door hold up against the Sakazombies?"

Rangin considers what he knows of the creatures and scans the door to get further information and give him time to form his judgement.

Kylah checks the tools she and Jovan brought in to see which can be used as weapons, if any. If there's anything worthwhile she'll suggest to Collins that they be distributed to the able-bodied without weapons such as Delaney, Hayes, Jovan and Waite. She'd also be glad to get anything better than the knife and tools that she, Rangin and T'Var have.

The same goes for any of the cleaning supplies--if there's any ammonia, bleach or lye that can be weaponized as a makeshift Molotov Cocktail. She knows lye can do a lot of damage to flesh, and ammonia and bleach can be lethal as well.

T'Var will continue to provide whatever medical care and comfort she can while awaiting the possible battle to come. Hopefully, the door will hold. If not....

The doctor plans to deal with each situation as it occurs to the best of her abilities. Of course, getting the transporters working again would be quite helpful. Unfortunately, T'Var has no skills in this area. Even a Vulcan does not know everything.

"Delaney, how goes it? Is there anything you need?" Collins resists the urge to pace the small room, and finds herself hoping the Yorktown makes record time getting back to them.