Lieutenant Commander Timothy Alentonis: Planning Phase Abridged (Part I)
Zeph
"I may be old, but I can still pull it off." -- Tommy Oliver, "Back in Black" E5 Dino Thunder
((Stellar Cartography, Deck 9, USS Astraeus))
Within moments after the call ended, there was a change in the lighting panels from the typical white-ish lighting to black and red, conditional of red alert. Tim immediately glanced up from his work and his gaze locked with Shewytch.
Alentonis: I didn’t do it. You didn’t trigger that, did you?
Shewytch: Response
It was altogether way too sudden, and kind of indistinct. Someone off in the distance screamed, and someone else replied in a very audible yet robotic tone that echoed down the corridor but Tim didn’t recognize who the voice belonged to.
Borgified Crewman: WE ARE THE BORG - RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
Alentonis: Well, that’s not good. Okay. Um….
Shewytch: Response
As the sounds of footsteps approached, he didn’t even know what was going on. Instinctively, he reached for a supply locker and pulled out a pair of phasers, tossing one over to Slav.
Alentonis: Just in case we need to invoke self defense.
Shewytch: Response
The professor’s mind began to fill with dread. If they got caught, they would most surely either get assimilated or die. And he didn’t know how effective phasers were going to be. In either case, this was likely going to end one of two ways: with them assimilated as Borg drones, or with their deaths.
Shewytch: Response
From out in the distance, he heard another voice a bit closer than the distantly robotic voice down the hallway.
Saa: Who’s there?!
Alentonis: Oh thank gosh. A friendly voice.
He made a run toward the door, to see if he could get close enough to pull the doctor into Stellar Cartography.
Alentonis: Dr. A & Lt. Shewytch, doc!
Saa: Thank the four…
Shewytch: Response
Alentonis: You can come hide here with us. Inside, quick!
Saa: Thanks… I think I am glad I chose caffeine over sleep during the break.
Shewytch: Response
Once the door closed behind them, Tim exhaled slowly. They needed a plan, and didn’t have one. Or at least, if they did, Tim didn’t know it. He felt fear for the first time in a while as an all-consuming concept that was searing through his mentality. Saa offered a tired smile.
Alentonis: So, do we have a plan?
Saa: Lt. Wyatt Ral is on his way here to Deck 9, he was making his way to the bridge but said he’d stop here. I don’t know how though… Sickbay is entirely unresponsive.
His confusion was apparent in the somewhat quizzical expression he wore, which was only accompanied by three words since he couldn’t formulate the rest of the sentence properly on account of being scared out of his mind.
Alentonis: Excellent thinking, Doctor. So, what do we know?
Shewytch: Response
Saa: The bridge sounded like they had their hands full too.
There was a slight pause in her speech for a moment as she checked her kit.
Saa: …I hear the whispers… and the fear, and those trying to resist… trapped. I can’t make out who is who.
Her gaze dropped to the ground, and the frustration was evident in her voice as she spoke.
Saa: The assimilation has spread like a virus or contagion… why some over others? ::Shakes head:: Sorry, not the time to figure that out.
Alentonis: Okay. That… does not bode well. Was Lt. Ral able to tell you anything?
Shewytch: Response
Saa: So far… this has been the safest deck, Engineering, Sickbay, and Bridge all seem compromised. I have some med supplies but not a lot and a phaser if either of you are a decent shot… ::She paused:: After the attacks in sickbay by changelings I took Wyatt’s advice… shoot you don’t think these borgs would release the changeling in the brig too would they!?
TBC