Commander Ava Munro - Give Them What They Want
Ava Munro
((Security Suite - near the Armoury - Deck 3 - USS Karnack))
Munro: Captain, I think there’s a lot of them on this deck. I don’t know how but they know what we’re doing. Not fully, they don’t think like us. It’s instinctive :: emotional :: They’re full of so much anger and sadness. It’s :: pause :: overwhelming.
Breys: I felt something for a moment as well, like the crushing weight of being forced together.
The effects of the transporter seemed to only be increasing. For now, Ava felt in control of herself thanks to Imril and the others. A collective strength forged itself within her.
The pain was more bearable, the despair was there … calling out to her like a presence. It told stories of death. Terrible stories of once great, towering cities falling around them. Struggle, hunger and loss.
Bergmen: Don’t worry, Ensign, just breathe. We are safe.
MacKenzie: What do you make of it? Can you continue?
Munro: I’m good to continue. I can sense the others, I don’t know if it’s telepathy its more like watching a distorted image. I only get a half understanding of them.
Breys: I can’t feel that, I could only feel that sadness.
MacKenzie: We should hurry. Something's obviously happening here…
Ava nodded in agreement, they had to get off this planet and away from them Things … before… What? She didn't truly know.
Bergmen: Agree. Let’s go.
Breys then sank to the ground in pain. Ava felt it, sharp and nauseating.
And that hunger. She wanted to strike out at Bergmen and the Captain. The feeling was so intense she took several steps back.
oO harper Oo
Love was her anchor.
MacKenzie: Ensign, you'd better get to your feet. I'm in no mood to carry anyone.
Bergmen: I will help her, ma’am.
Breys pushed them away, Ava felt it. She was fighting it, the influence. They all were and Ava knew they could do it together. Whatever it was working on them, they could fight it.
Munro: You :: beat and more resolute :: We can do this.
Breys: I’m… I’m fine, I just felt something too for a second. I think I felt one of the Callisian’s memories.
Ava nodded, she had felt them too. Memories or fragments of what had happened here. Not enough to form a complete image but enough to know what had happened was terrible. A desperate struggle for survival that forced them through those transporters even though they would transform them.
Hadn't they also done the same? Ava understood that desperation, that never ending hunger.
For salvation.
MacKenzie: Get it together and focus your mind. If we don't get out of here before they tear the ship to pieces, we won't have an opportunity to find out what's wrong with you.
Ava took Breys hand in hers and squeezed it tightly and offered her an understanding nod.
They can do this. Together.
Bergmen: Don’t worry, Ensign, I will be close if this… flare… will come again.
Again that spike of irritation. Not directed at Bergmen. At his difference to them. Then more howls in the bowels of the ship and in the deck around them.
Munro: She'll be fine.
Breys: I know I’m not the medical expert in the room, but it seems like we have more pressing matters than me getting a little dizzy.
MacKenzie: We have to go. Now. This way!
Ava didn't need to be told twice, and immediately began to follow the Captain.
Bergmen: Aye, ma’am.
Eventually they found the armoury. Once inside the captain was able to lock it, Ava wasn't sure how they had power to this deck. Perhaps the harmonics from the warp core… they really were doing some good work in engineering.
Then the Things were there. They screamed, and howled behind the door. Ava held a hand out towards it.
Comfort. Or connection.
She stopped herself.
The Captain was already opening the weapons locker.
MacKenzie: We don't have much time.
Both she and Bergmen removed a phaser rifle and a handheld phaser. Ava hesitated before she picked up a phaser rifle.
It felt deadly in her arms. She was compromised.
She placed the rifle back.
Munro: Captain I don't think it would be a good idea for myself or Breys to be armed. Right now, I'm in control but I don't know how long that will last. I … don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from using a weapon on you or Bergmen. We'll just need to make ourselves useful in other ways.
Breys: Response
MacKenzie: I don't suppose there's any way to distract them? Lure them away?
Bergmen: We… (beat) These Things do not like cold. If we overload the corridor cooling lines…
She didn't relish the thought.
Munro: That would likely make the deck uninhabitable for most humanoids as well. We still need to get to Sickbay and try and extend our forcefield modulation around the bridge.
Breys: Response
MacKenzie: What about to get a message to one of the other teams? See if they can help?
Bergmen: We could hack into the ship’s PAGA system. Where there’s power, there’s an announcement system. The only thing is... others will be able to hear us, but they can’t answer, so... unless someone has a better idea?
Munro: I've already sent a communication using the computer system to engineering and it was acknowledged by Lt. K'Wara. If we can hijack the same PAGA network, we can use it to interface directly with the commbadges. Essentially turning the commbadges into speakers. But we can only do that from Sickbay as we don't have a functioning access to the core from the Armoury.
Breys: Response
Suddenly that didn't seem to matter as Bergmen moved to an LCARS display. She wasn't sure how he managed it but he seemed to tap into the system with no effort at all.
Had they drastically misunderstood the capabilities of this heavily damaged ship?
Bergmen: C'mon, be good, work with me a little…
Munro: It's not connected to the rest of the computer core. I think the security suites proximity to engineering is what's even allowing it to be functional. Considering we didn't adjust the modulation on this deck it would assume that the engineering team has adjusted as per my instructions.
Ava could see Bergmen hit a brick wall with the code. She moved in beside him.
Munro: You'll need to establish connection to the core or you'll get nowhere. If you intercept the shipwide PAGA protocols which will be offline, insert the standard away team protocol, add each of the unique identifiers for all active commbadges that should allow you to do it.
Breys/MacKenzie: Response
The banging on the door only got harder. She felt it. Anger. Hate. Pain. Confusion. Blame.
Bergmen finished up with the adjustments to the script. The commbadges all chirped in unison.
Bergmen: Whoever's combadge just chirped is connected to the system!
Munro: Don't get too excited, Mister Bergmen. Captain, the power we're using is causing a system wide shutdown. You've got one or two messages before I need to shut it down. Or we have to start all over again.
MacKenzie: Response
Breys/Bergmen: Response
Any: =/\= Response =/\=
Ava monitored the power flow, and tried to allow as much room as she could.
Breys/Bergmen/MacKenzie: Response
Any: =/\= Response =/\=
Munro: That's it Captain :: regretful :: I've shut it down.
Breys/Bergmen/MacKenzie: Response
Munro: But at least now we know Imril has temperature control but that will only work in the areas of the ship we have connected to the core. We know they are attracted to heat, right? I always think that you get better results with positivity than negativity. Let's give them what they want. Captain, I suggest we set off controlled explosions in the armoury, which should raise the temperature in this section of the deck, it should be enough of a distraction for us to get to Sickbay? From Sickbay we do the remodulation and then get to the Bridge? And then off this planet.
Breys/Bergmen/MacKenzie: Response
TAG/TBC
First Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2