JP: Borg Kim and Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Brodie - Fight Night: Main Event
John Smith
((Corridor - USS Chin’toka))
Brodie: Kim…
The Scot lowered his voice trying to be calm and even is his approach…which was very, very, cautious.
“Kim.” It was a vocalization that was once used as a token of individuality. Of weakness. We grew closer to the source of the sound. Human male, approximate age 50 Earth years. We moved to fire on him but something stopped us.
The drone wheeled on the counselor.
Brodie wasn't the slowest on his feet, especially for a man of his age, but he knew he was unlikely to be able to close on the young science officer before she could get a shot off.
On more open ground, maybe, but the narrow corridor offered nothing in the way of cover, the closest alcove appeared to be the one that Stapledon had emerged from. The only protection was the curvature of the corridor he'd just come from.
He began to back up slowly, trying to catch another exit from his periphery…and was immediately slammed into by the altered medic he'd met earlier.
It probably saved his life as the phaser shot careened past him as he fell…a scream filling the air before falling silent.
He looked up from his prone position and instinctively rolled sideways.
The drone aimed once again, and fired. The corridor wall behind Brodie exploded in a shower of sparks and melted chunks of material. It fired again, sensing something wrong with the targeting system on the weapon.
((Kim’s Mindspace))
Sometimes there’s a brief bubbling of recognition in all this. This face in front of me. This configuration. It’s something I know. Why is he in front of me like this? Why am I trying to–
I have to stop. Something is wrong about this. It’s like I have somewhere to be and I’m late. But I can’t move and–
Light lacerates, melts across my palm. I have to open something, constrict my larynx, let out a sound. Don’t I?
((Corridor - USS Chin’toka))
The phaser’s power cell couldn’t take the number of blasts. First, its stabilizer matrix failed. 2 milliseconds later the deuterium power cell lost cohesion and began melting through the casing of the weapon. 5 milliseconds after that…
The drone fell back, sparks searing into the skin of its palm as it finally dropped the phaser. The weapon exploded. The shockwave tore into the drone’s leg, causing it to lose its footing as the deck burned with sparks and the carpeting took the brunt of the remaining heat dissipating from the dead power cell.
Brodie saw his chance and lunged forward at Stapledon using her own momentum and his body weight to drive her down onto the deck plate. He could feel her strength as he tried to get his forearm across her chin and throat to keep her pinned. Her pale skin showing the mottling more prominently.
Brodie: ::Laboured breathing:: Come on Kim…you've got to fight it!
He wasn't sure if she was even capable of hearing him…but he had to try.
We ignored the meaningless platitude.
((Kim’s Mindspace))
Impact. I’m on the ground, pressed down from above. The face again. It is speaking, its actions coming through to me like the echoes of the original meaning behind a ritual, now long forgotten.
Something is wrong about all this. This face, it shouldn’t look this way. These arms… My arms.. My fists.. They shouldn’t be… doing…. This.
Where… is… me?
((Corridor - USS Chin’toka))
Brodie could see Stapledons eyes turning towards him but there wasn't any recognition there. He felt her pry his arm away from her and push him over sideways.
Then the first punch landed.
It caught him hard across the face and he felt his brow cut open. The slight frame of the science officer channeling a lot of strength through her frame made the flurry of blows more like knife strikes than hammers.
Slightly dazed he tried to compose himself as he managed to get onto all fours but Stapledon was quicker, despite the damage to her leg, and lashed out with a kick straight into his ribs which sent him doubled over as another caught him under the jaw.
He sprawled backwards on the floor…stunned and breathing heavily - she'd almost certainly cracked something with her boot.
Even without the phaser she was lethal in her intent. He knew he had to get away…but that meant buying time…getting the upper hand…
…Or maybe getting the lower leg.
He lashed out with a sweep, as best as he could manage, and hooked it into Stapledon's damaged ankle as hard as he could…trying to disrupt her balance. He grabbed the leg as she fell and then, holding it tightly, twisting her knee and hip sharply at and angle they were not designed to go to.
We were damaged. Locomotive capability was severely diminished. Surrounding connective tissue would be sufficient to allow limited movement in spite of the largely unsocketed hip joint and the dislocated patella of the human’s skeleton. We continued the attack, attempting to put down the unassimilated.
He heard something pop but, in all honesty, it could have been him. He didn't want to hurt her…but he wanted to be killed less. Besides, while he wasn't sure, Borg nanites has a reputation for repairing damage quickly…he had to press the attack.
Kim began to rise and Brodie grabbed her and started to push her back towards a set of doors further down the corridor, maybe he could secure her there?
Brodie: Come on…Kim…last chance…
They staggered, almost dancing, one trying to get control from the other towards the opening in the bulkhead. As they approached the doors hissed open and Brodie, mustering as much as he could, drove the unbalanced science officer back into the opening….
((Kim’s Mindspace))
I’m falling. The face tilts away from me, like the sun setting. I can feel an impact again against my back, the world righting itself behind me. And a dim recognition like liquid gel coagulating up and down my leg as the doors above close.
((Sickbay Complex, Deck 10, USS Chin’toka))
The borg drone fell backward into sickbay, just as the doors hissed closed. From outside came the muffled sounds of someone issuing commands.
Kel: =/\= Computer seal off the sickbay and flood it with Anesthezine gas.
Brodie: Response
Kel: I don't know if it will work, but I'm a doctor fighting a disease. I'm playing for time.
Brodie: Response
V'Len looked back through the door into sickbay where the doctor he just met was peering out. She was a shell of the woman he'd seen, dark eyes and dark vessels framed her face. The scientist with her he'd never met, but she too was a grizzly shadow of a human.
Doucet: Response
JP By:
Lt. Cmdr. Alexander W. Brodie
Counselor
USS Chin'toka (NCC-97187)
Writer ID.: A239005BM0
He/Him/They/Them: Player & Character
and
Lt. Jg Kimberly Stapledon
Acting Chief of Science
USS Chin'toka
I238601KB0