Arrival

Posted on Sat Jun 27th, 2020 @ 10:08pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant L'Rissa & Lieutenant Ayana Hillis & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard

Mission: The Borg Encounter
Location: Borg ship
Timeline: Currrent

One second the away team was on the Washington the next they were on the Borg ship. Jon looked around at the Borg who so far paid them no attention. He tapped his comm badge, "Grayson to Washington, we've arrived and so far the Borg haven't paid us any attention."

=^= Very good Commander. Keep us apprised. =^=

He then turned to Sam and the others, "Lets not overstay our welcome. Get the data we can and get back to the Washington."

" Yes Sir" Sam replied, pulling out her tricorder and keeping her phaser holstered. The standard routine was that the Borg ignored those they didn't perceive as a threat. She second guessed bringing the side arm for an instant but countered the thought that if it did go pear-shaped they would have a couple of shots before the Borg adapted.

"Readings indicate we are near the maturation center" said L'Rissa as she looked at her tricorder.

"Alright, lets start there. See how the Borg blend their cybernetics with babies." Jon replied. "Maybe we can learn how to remove the implants if we see how their adapted to babies. This might interest you Sam."

" Indeed it does, I only have reports and notes written in the medical database to go by - I've not seen anything firsthand. " Sam replied, quashing the feeling about curiousity and cats. She followed L'Rissa's lead to the maturation chamber and tried not to be appalled by the mutation of such young life.

She sucked in a deep breath - forcing her personal feelings to the side as she studied a number of pods with children of varying ages, all being sustained by cybernetic implants and tubes.

" Focus on the clinical" She whispered to herself, running a number of different scans to gain the most of the situation presented to them.

"Doctor, several of these children are from unknown species, possibly from Delta Quadrant races. I am also detecting a Hirogen adolescent here. Based on what I have read from the Voyager logs, I'd say he was on his first hunt when captured. I think he will only be in this maturation chamber another 3 months" said L'Rissa.

"Hirogen..." said Ayana. "They assimilated Hirogen." She looked to Jon, "Commander, I would suggest that the security threat is even graver than we originally thought. Hirogen are supposed to be one of the most violent and tactically gifted races encountered by Captain Janeway. Trophy hunters..."

"A Hirogen?" Jon repeated. "That certainly makes things even more dicey as if they weren't already. Alright, get what information you can and lets keep moving. I don't want to stay in one spot too long."

" Yes Sir" Sam replied, doubling her efforts to get scans of the maximum number of species and ages that she could before they moved on. " Right Sir, I've got as much as I can."

At that found the sound of marching steps could be heard echoing along the metal lined gangways. A teenage Borg has reached the end of its maturation cycle and was about to become one with the many.

Sam's heart froze within her chest as the tubes began disconnecting from the newly grown being and slithering back into the wall.

" Ahh... problem...." She hissed towards the rest of the away team.

Jon's head whipped around at the hissed words Sam uttered. His eyes quickly found the reason, a Borg teenager was disconnecting from the maturation tubes. "Alright people, it's time to get out of here. We've overstayed our welcome."

Sam headed out of the maturation chamber with the rest of the away team, her heart hammering within her chest so forcefully she was sure the Borg would detect them from the reverberation alone. The Washington officers were quick and silent, slipping out of the way of the impending birth of a new Borg drone.

After a moment or two Sam breathed a sigh of relief, revelling in the evasion of certain doom for a few minutes at least

"That was close" she whispered more to herself than to her teammates.

Suddenly L'Rissa shrieked as a drone stepped out of its alcove and grabbed her. Ayana turned quickly and fired, killing the drone. While this seemed to have the desire effect of saving L'Rissa it also now made them a threat in the eyes of the Borg, as drones began to swarm in their direction.

Jon whipped his head around at L'Rissa's shriek. "Go!" He shouted to Sam, Ayana and L'Rissa. "Get moving! I'll be right behind you. Contact the ship! Emergency beam out!" He said as he drew his phaser, preparing to shoot the oncoming drones,
As the drone drew closer, he adjusted his phaser to wide beam and fired, taking out the first couple of drones. He gave a quick look back and the others were down far enough down the corridor. He backed away adjusting the phaser again for random settings, not giving the drones time to adjust. He fired again and still they came, closing in on his location.

Sam bolted, skittering down the metal gantries that seemed to go everywhere and nowhere at once. She could hear the footsteps of the rest of the team behind her, punctuated with the odd burst of phaser fire. Sam's weapon was in her hand yet she was loath to use it, at any point the Borg would adapt and render their advantage useless.

"Howard to Washington, emergency beam out, all away team members!" She slapped the comm badge with more force than was probably necessary.

Jon moved down the corridor until the drones cut off his escape route. He was trapped. Looking about he darted down a side corridor away from the away team and drawing the drones with him. *At least the team got away.* He thought as the drone continued their relentless pursuit of him, blocking his avenues to get back to the away team.

"Where is Cmdr Grayson?" asked a panicked L'Rissa.

"We got separated" replied Ayana.

"We can't leave without him" said L'Rissa.

"We have no choice" replied a dejected Ayana.

Suddenly the three female officers dematerialized in a blue hue.

From where he was Jon heard the familiar whine of a federation transporter and he knew Sam, L'Rissa and Ayana had gotten away. he also knew it was only a matter of time before the drones cut off his avenues of not escaping but avoiding them. He smiled inwardly even as he worked on prolonging the chase. He knew Essie was safe. He loved her with every fiber of his being. She was definitely his better half. His only regret was that they hadn't married. Then there was Sachzny, his best friend. He was happy they had reconnected and reestablished their friendship and it was close as it had ever been. He would miss having vanilla milkshakes and just talking as she learned more and more about humanity. and he learned how to be a better person with her guidance of course there was Shran, his friend and mentor who had been far more patient with him then necessary. Who showed him the how of command and not just the why. He ducked into a side corridor and thought of Sam and her gentle bedside manner and her first rate medical abilities and her sneaky sense of humor. Of course L'Rissa, Ayana and Celes would also be missed.

He skidded to a stop... dead end. He turned and saw a wall of drones approaching. he fired his phaser... no effect. They had adapted. "What took you?" He asked. As they stood mere feet from him. "Resistance is futile." The closest drone told him. "So who's resisting?" He bantered back and waited for what came next. He send one last mental message to Sachzny. *Goodbye my dear friend, take care of yourself and Essie.*