Waiting Game

Posted on Tue Jul 7th, 2020 @ 8:58pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Commander N'Sachzny P'Glosho & Lieutenant Commander Estella Stratton

Mission: The Borg Encounter
Location: USS Washington/ Borg Ship
Timeline: Current

*Borg Ship*

Jon turned from the now blank viewscreen. The Federation crew would make fine additions as drones. He was tempted to contact the Washington again but decided to let them wait. What was the human expression? Oh yes, 'let them sweat it out'.

Even as he made that decision a small voice cried out no, that these were his friends and shipmates. The voice was quickly quieted and squashed. However a seed had been planted. He also felt an emptiness within his mind, something was missing but he had no idea what. It hardly mattered, they (the Borg) would swarm through the Federation and the rest of the Alpha Quadrant like a swarm of locusts. Assimilating all they came in contact with. They could wait, let the Federation crew sweat.

*Washington*

Sachzny now noted that Jon, or what had been Jon. Seemed to either not see her, or deliberately avoid seeing her. Perhaps she already registered as 8472 to them, or perhaps more lightly an unknown species. But her resemblance to their enemy might make them hesitate, unsure just what she was. Even Jon didn't know all about her species, and what little he did know wouldn't assist the Borg in fully identifying just what she was.

After the Captain's being beamed from the Washington, Estella had done as she'd discussed with Sam. Any anxiety, disgust, or doubt she'd carried before she'd tucked away as she'd returned to sickbay to make her final preparations for the away mission and what she hoped might be the smallest of chance at a covert mission.

Dr Perrin had provided the innoculations to the small away team as a final stop gap incase the worst happened. Dr Howard had identified the files required and authorised the replication of the therapy that would prevent them from being totally assimilated.

Meanwhile on the bridge Sam hesitated for the barest of moments before sitting down in the command chair. She regarded the Borg that graced the viewscreen and began to draw on tactics from her Command Training. A moment later she scrapped that idea - Jon and the Captain would know those tactics - so therefore the Borg would also know them. Now was the time to be unconventional.

" Shields 25%, Engineering are working on them as a priority, weapons 75%. Awaiting your order Sir...Doctor... Ma'am" The tactical officer stumbled.

" Right... here's what we're going to do" Sam started, explaining her plan of maneuvers, firing patterns and the overall target of damaging the Borg shields enough to get the away team in. Hopefully they'd manage it without being blown out of the sky.

" Let's do this" She ordered, "Helm, co-ordinate with tactical and engage"

It was a short and bloody battle, the Washington appearing to accomplish what seemed to be a random series of evasive maneuvers, minimising the impact of the Borg's weapons whilst making the most of their own.

"Borg Sheilds in section Gamma 2 down to 30%, one more hit and we'll punch through" Tactial advised.

" Good, make sure the transporter beam piggybacks when you create that hole - we may only get one shot at this before licking our own wounds" Sam mused.

" Got it Ma'am. Transport complete"

" Retreat to a safe distance and effect repairs, we may need to fight our way back in there when the away team are ready."

Inoculations given and phaser ready, Estella returned to the bridge to join the rest of the away team. She had no doubt Sachzny would do her best to aid the effort in her own way. Whatever the outcome, they could at least say they gave their all. One way or another, the Counselor was determined to get Jon and the Captain out of that Borg cube. While she might not have the military knowledge some of the other crew members did, she was no less of a fighter when it came to the people she cared about. Even though the Federation was not her family, there were certain members of the crew that had become like or close to family to her. Others she regarded as both friend and colleges. So the moment the opening came she'd be ready to move through the Borg cube and God willing, she'd find them. If not, she'd die trying before letting herself get assimilated.

She glanced toward Sam, reminding herself that if she got back, to thank the Doctor for her support. Then looking towards Sachzny she gave a nod. They were as ready as they were going to get.

Shran materialized on the Borg vessel, a pair of drone flanking him as he stood upon a metal walkway looking into a metal abyss. Quickly he kicked the drone to his left and then dodged the swinging blow of the one to his right, moving behind the drone and quickly snapping its neck, rendering it inoperable. He gave a wry smile as he looked at the other, "It'll be a hot day on Andoria before the Borg take me without a fight" he said as he jumped back into the fight with the drone, quickly dispatching it.

"Cease your struggles Captain." A familiar yet unfamiliar voice spoke to him. "Your resistance is futile."

Shran looked around, looking for the person talking. He recognized the voice. It was Jon, or at least the Borg equivalent. He wasn't sure where he was, but he was prepared to find him. "If you think we won't resist, your fooling yourselves" he said aloud. "Send every drone you got to assimilate me, I could use the work out" he said defiantly. He could only hope now that whatever rescue attempt the crew was going to make would come soon. This may have been just a scout vessel, but it had plenty of drones...and then it hit him, Celes said the vessel only had 9 drones on it before Jon had been taken. It was severely underpowered as far as manpower was concerned. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage.

"You refuse to accept the inevitable. You will be assimilated." Jon replied in the cold voice of the Borg.

Estella beamed over to the Borg vessel. In all appearances, she might have passed for a Borg. Doctor Howard and her team had done an exceptional job with the short time they had to work in. Even so, the Counselor made no sudden moves and stuck to the shadows this way she could observe activity around her and properly assess the situation. Her heart almost stopped though when she heard two voices from a nearing corridor. There was no mistaking either. One was Shran's. The other, Jon's. Not daring to close her eyes or let her guard down, she glanced toward the others to signal them to get ready to move in for a rather quick extraction. Providing they were not met with too much resistance or heavily outnumbered. If they could move in now, while Shran was being led away, they might be able to rescue them both.

*Washington*

"Damage Report" Sam ordered as the crew scrambled to repair the limping ship after their most recent altercation. It would take more than a few hours to be fully operational again, but Sam hoped they'd be able to effect a rescue much sooner than that. They'd need weapons, and shields, and one active transporter. Warp speed would be desirable but not essential.

"Shields 40%, we have the forward phaser array, and 50% of our torpedo capacity. Transporters are down, warp speed ETA 2 hours." Ops reported, causing Sam to grimace. She could get away with what weapons they had, could hopefully make the shields last but without a working transporter they had no way to beam back the away team.

"Engineering, for us your efforts on the transporters, we only need one, then shields and weapons. Warp speed is a 'nice to have' but not a priority" Sam instructed, taking a deep breath and hoping the heck she was making the right decision.

*Borg ship*

A drone approached him, much larger than any other he had ever seen. From its appearance it was definitely a tactical drone. He steadied himself as he gazed at the hulking drone lumbering toward him. It looked like a familiar species to him. Perhaps Hirogen considering its size. This was not going to be as easy as the other drones.

Still cautious, the Counselor made her way through the narrow hallway. Her movements slow, methodical, almost with the same stiff mechanical movements of a Borg drone. One hand lowered to signal the team to follow. Again, she glanced over at Sachzny, hoping that she too would begin to move. Their window of opportunity would not be long. Other hand ready to reach for her phaser, she took one deep breath. This was it.

Shran kicked the drone, with little effect. He quickly blocked a blow, his arm in pain. Quickly he had to dodge several blows from the other arm of the drone which had a whirring blade. Shran had backed up several feet now, and out of his peripheral he saw several drones acting unlike drones, as if they were approaching slowly, cautiously.

The whirring of a drone's blade diminished any lingering hesitation the Counselor might have had. She continued her approach, acting as though perhaps she might be coming to the Tactical Borg's aid. Yet as she closed in, the Counselor moved to strike the Borg in the back of the head to render it unconscious.

As the away team beamed out, Sachzny looked around. She now stepped down from the transporter,=^="Sachzny to the bridge, away team now on the cube. How do you wish me to precede?"=^=

" Use whatever means necessary to recover the Captain and Commander Grayson." Sam replied, her voice firm and decisive. If the Borg were going to play dirty and steal their officers, she would damned well steal them back. " Keep an open comlink - We're currently repairing the transporters and hopefully will be able to beam you back once you've located them."

Sachzny now dropped her bomb shell, =^="As I am still on the Washington, you can not beam me back. My intention was to transport over, after the away team and assist where possible".=^= She looked at the now useless transporter, =^="I did not transport with the main away team because I had surmised, Commander Grayson would use my life signs to pin point our rescue attempt".=^= Already her rescue plan had become mired by a technical failure, she now hoped the away team would succeed without her.

Sam paused as she processed this new piece of information, having Sachzny back on and back at tactical would be a blessing if the Borg powered up first.

" Understood, report back the bridge, I need your expertise here" Howard replied, trying to be diplomatic to the young ensign who was manning the tactical station in Sachzny's absence.

*Borg Ship*

The Borg that had once been Jonathan Grayson watched as his former Captain fought against some other drones. He noticed another set drones coming to assist. Not realizing it was actually the away teams from the Washington. He made an internal query on the progress of repairs and received an answer of 15 minutes. He acknowledged the answer and returned his attention to Captain Shran and the approaching drones.

Following Estella's lead, the away team began to engage the drones. Their goal, to clear a path to the Captain and their assimilated Commander. "Get the Captain to safety," the Counselor instructed as she prepared to face an assimilated Jon.

* Washington *

=^= Engineering to bridge, you have one transporter, use it wisely =^= The gruff voice of the Chief Engineer echoed through the bridge, and Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Through the open com-link she had heard that the Away Team had secured the Captain. Sam needed him beamed back so the team could focus on retrieving the Commander next.

=^= Bridge to Transporter room one, transport the Captain directly to sickbay, I'll send a security detail to render the location safe =^= Sam ordered, nodding towards the young Ensign still manning the security and tactical station until Sachzny arrived back on the bridge.

" Sending a security detail to Sickbay ma'am" She replied nervously, earning a smile of encouragement from Sam.

=^= Bridge to Sickbay, the Captain has been secured and will be beamed to your location shortly, I have a security detail on route. You know the drill =^= Sam finished, breathing a small sigh of relief. Maybe, just maybe they would all get out of this alive.

*Borg ship*

Jon watched as the newest drones attacked the drones holding the Washington Captain and got him to safety. He pivoted and looked at the nearest drone,(Essie) "Identify yourself. What is your designation? He challenged.

Movement stiff and methodical, Estella braced herself for the hardest part of this mission; rescuing Jon. When he turned and made eye contact with her, she replied with the same stiff tone he'd used to address her. "Species 5618." As those two words escaped her lips, she hit her com badge. "Two to beam up, prepare to be met with hostility." Phaser drawn and aimed at Jon, she growled through barred teeth the same words he'd said to them through the open com screen. "Resistance is futile."

Jon staggered backwards as if struck a physical blow as Essie spoke. Then he composed himself and looked closer at her. "Essie." He identified her. He spoke in the same stiff, cold way. "I shall comply." He stated simply.

The away team, Shran, and the assimilated Grayson all suddenly disappeared in a blue hue, returning to the Washington.