PNPC Sherana - The only survivor (Backsim)

[Jess]

((OOC: Now that the writing challenge is officially over, I wish to bring Sherana's story into actual canon. I changed the writing from prose to script to fit into the rest of our official writing style, the rest is the same though :)
For ease I will keep the language English (Other than the computer in the end), but for the story imagine that Sherana and D'okul are speaking Klingon ;) ))

(( Nausicaan Space Station, Backsim ))

~ 2383 ~

With a quick motion the green hand reached out and grabbed a fistful of leather, to pull the Klingon back to her side.

Sherana: Don't rush forward, we are here to scout only.

Sherana whispered, her dark eyes fixating on her partner's. The expression on her green skinned face let him know at first glance that she was not playing.

He growled quietly, shaking his head.

D'okul: I don't like this, we are Klingons.

Sherana: ::with a knock against his chest she muttered back:: And we still are and will slit their throats one by one when time comes. First we have to know where they keep it. And we're almost done.

They knew they were doing a good job, as they had been sneaking through the corridors, evading the Nausicaan crew for about half an hour, resisting the urge to kill them right on the spot. After they had stolen the prototype only days ago they would deserve it. Nobody stole from Klingons and got away with it. But they were here to figure out how many of them were here, and where they kept the prototype. They wouldn't attack from hiding, where was the honour in that? But they could be prepared at least.

D'okul: ::grinning:: I can't wait to see my blade sink into their flesh.

With a quiet laugh Sherana nodded and peeked around the corner, her hand letting go of the leather of his uniform with a last heavy handed pat against his chest, as she finally stepped around the corner.

Sherana: ::quietly:: The last two rooms.

Out of habit she looked at her scanner. Of course nothing. That was why they had to send scouts. Something on this station disturbed the signal. Often it only happened on the long distance scanners but this time the inside also was jammed. Sherana stepped to the door and pressed her ear against it, before shaking her head.

Sherana: Quiet.

The sound of doors further down the hallway sent the two warriors into hiding, squeezing into the doorway. D'okul had to make himself smaller than the slim Orion, and turned his back to the hallway, covering her with his body. Heavy steps were audible behind them, deep voices echoing in the hallway.

Nausicaan 1: Once we take it apart we'll have a better idea how to copy the design.

Nausicaan 2: That won't be of any use if Theeyichk can't figure out the damn tech behind it.

Sherana looked up to her partner nodding to him, the words were clear. That was where the prototype was. Once the steps and voices vanished behind a closing door the Klingon grinned.

D'okul: Want some fun while we're her-UGH!

The knee that hit him straight in the soft area interrupted his speech before one green hand landed at his throat.

Sherana: Try that again and you'll greet the stars in person.

With a quick move she was out of the cover and only stopped because D'okul grabbed her arm. Big mistake, as he found it twisted in her grip only a moment later.

D'okul: Great fire. ::he growled and raised the other hand with his receiver:: Call back. The Captain wants a report.

At the words she let go of his arm and looked to the door the men had come out of.

Sherana: You go ahead, I'll make sure it's really in there. ::The grumble coming from him made her turn back to him.:: Got a problem with that?

D'okul: Of course not, /Sogh/. Make haste, the sooner we are back, the sooner we can slit their throats.

He took a step back and activated the signal booster, the only way for the HoS to be able to get them and a moment later he was gone.

Without hesitation Sherana turned and moved across the corridor to those doors. As she pressed her ear against it, there was no sound on the inside. Stepping to the panel next to the door she pushed the tip of her d'k tahg under the edge and popped it open. It only took two wires to be switched for the door to open. As it did she quickly moved out of sight. The lack of reaction led to her peeking around the corner. Empty.

With quick steps she moved inside, the room was just as dimly lit as the rest of the ship, lit panels in the walls bathing it with an ominous atmosphere. Still brighter than a Klingon ship. She had no time to waste, so she moved from console to console. After only a few Sherana noticed the small gap between them and moved through, revealing another area there. The centerpiece was a compartment surrounded by transparent panels. There it was! She could just smash it down and grab the prototype right here. These bloody Nausicaans wouldn't even notice.

Raising her hand she activated her signal boost and pressed the comm button on her gauntlet.

Sherana: */* Sherana to HoS. I found it. *\*

She expected someone to answer. Her Captain would for sure be the one telling her to come back and join the troops, leading them to where it was since she knew. He wanted the glory, of course. Which Klingon didn't? But there was no answer. She looked through the gap to make sure she was still alone.

Sherana: */* HoS to you copy? *\*

Nothing, absolute silence. With a grumble she gnawed her teeth and then tried someone else.

Sherana: */* Sherana to Do'kul. *\*

When nothing happened again, she took a few steps closer to the compartment. Just when she raised her fist to -stupidly- try to smash the transparent material, her communicator transmitted a deafening sound, static crackling that filled the air and stopped her in her tracks.

D'okul: */* She.... hear... not co.... *\*

It was her partner's voice, but she had absolutely no idea what he was saying. She pulled down the volume and tried to make adjustments to clear the signal. That she was in this location did not help at all.

Sherana: */* Do'kul, repeat! *\*

D'okul: */* Do not come! *\*

That was better. It took her a moment to realize what he had said. Just when she was going to ask why, she heard phaser fire through the comms.

Sherana: */* What is going on? *\*

D'okuls: */*They are ... everywhere. Stay.. where you are." The words interrupted by more phaser fire, came pressed and panting over the comms.

Sherana: */* They? Who are- *\*

Through D'okul's Comm: */* Resistance is futile! *\*

Her blood froze in her veins. Borg. How did the Borg get on the HoS? What had happened up there while they were on this blasted station.

D'okul: */* "Listen to me Sherana, you need to- *\*

Sherana: */* NO! :: she shouted out.:: */* Get me up there! Let me fight by your side! *\*

The ice melted away as fire shot through her body. She wouldn't stay down here twiddling thumbs when her crew faced the enemy on the ship.

D'okul: */* The Captain is dead. :: He panted between words, the sound of the phaser was joined by the clinking of metal. He was using his blade. :: The chief is one of them! *\*

Sherana: */* I SAID GET ME UP THERE! *\*

She yelled at the disembodied voice. Why didn't they have tech that could just get her there because she wanted it.

Through Comms: */* Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. *\*

The mechanical sounding background choir became louder.

D'okul: */* Listen to me, Sherana. *\*

Sherana: */* YOU LISTEN TO MY ORDER! GET ME UP! *\*

D'okul: */* I’m outranking you! *\*

His words cut through her rage like a hot knife. That could only mean one thing. Those that had been above his rank in their department were gone. ‘No no no’, she had to get up there and fight these monsters with her comrades.

D'okul: */* And you listen to me now. ::: His heavily breathing voice pushed the words out.:: Finish the mission! If this thing gets into the wrong hands- *\*

A gurgling sound transmitted through the comms. Sherana’s eyes widened.

Sherana: */* NO. DO’KUL! *\*

Phaser fire shot through the eerie silence.

D'okul: */* Finish… the… mission… *\*

The voice coming through the comm was his, but also not. It sounded foreign, strained. She didn’t have to ask. She knew what that meant. If she was just there, she’d look into his eyes and make sure he wouldn’t become one of them. But she couldn’t do anything, just listen to his ragged breath, the fight against what was taking him over. Her hand balled into a fist, nails digging into her palm as her vision blurred.

D'okul: */* Don’t… listen to them. You are.. Klingon. *\*

He had been telling her that for years, whenever she had struggled, when the loud voices against her got too much. Even now, he still found them. The thoughts of the impending death -she couldn’t share with him- were interrupted as she heard the familiar computer voice in the background.

Computer through Comms: */* “QIH'egh lIb. QIH'egh Duj wa' tup *\*

Self destruct. Sherana knew what that meant. The ship was lost. There was nothing that he could do. And he had only one minute. One minute… that wasn’t enough time. Why was she here and not there?

D'okul: */* She..rana. Tell our … story. We fought unti- until the last … second.*\*

The voice sounded less and less like his. More and more mechanic. Struggling to push the words out. He was losing himself, yet fought it with every bit he was. A knot formed in her throat, blood dripped down her hands onto the floor as her nails kept digging.

D'okul: */* Sing… for… *\*

She knew what he wanted. There was no time to plead with him. She had to stay here to finish the mission. She couldn’t yell at him for dying without her. Her voice cracked, as she took a deep breath, the voice coming from her so unlike her whole being, soft and melodic as the words danced over her lips.

Sherana: ::singing:: */* Yet if my line should die, it dies with its teeth in the enemy's throat. ::She wrapped her hand around the hilt of her dagger as the other hand was still stabbed by her fingernails:: It dies with its name on the enemy's tongue. For just as mere life is not victory. *\*

Computer through Comms: */* QIHna'. vagh.. *\*

Sherana: */* Mere death is not defeat.. *\*

She continued to sing through the merciless count down.

Computer: */* ...loS… *\*

Sherana: */* And in the next world I shall kill the foe a thousand times. *\*

Tears filled her eyes. These bloody tears. She blamed her Orion biology for that.

Computer: */* ...wej… *\*

Sherana: */* Laughing *\*

Sherana sang on. Do’kul’s voice was hollow, raspy when he laughed. He laughed as if he was staring the >Borg into its face.

Computer: */* ...cha… *\*

She took a deep breath as she finished the short song.

Sherana: */* Undefeated. *\*

Computer: */* ...wa'. *\*

The last second was accompanied by a loud scream, filled with rage and unnatural vibration of the man who had once been Do’kul, son of Ukr'im, a strong proud warrior and friend. The pain filled Sherana to the brim and she didn’t even realize that she had joined the scream, straining her own throat as she let it all out, for that moment forgetting or not caring where she was.

And then the line went silent and her breath ran out. Leaving her ears ringing in the echo of her memory of their joined scream.

Silence. No ceremony, no loud bang. Nothing. Just silence.

And a hundred Klingon Warriors were gone. With only her as witness of the last communication. Of what had happened. The only survivor.

She almost lost her footing as she was catapulted against the transparent aluminum in front of her. Red alert immediately filled the room, the station. The shock wave of the explosion had rattled the installation. The shouting coming from the outside snuck into the room.

Drawing her phaser, Sherana crouched behind a cover, her dark eyes on the entrance door. She had no time to grieve and give them a send off. The wings slid open, Nausicaans hurrying inside, she counted four. And with an eardrum piercing scream fueled by agony, anger and desperation she rushed out of her cover, startling her enemies.

The end of the galaxy as she knew it, made room for a new one in which she would make them pay.

---

Sherana
Botanist
Klingon Exchange Officer - Security

simmed by

Commodore Jalana Rajel
Commanding Officer
USS Constitution B
Image Team Member
A238906JL0

Character Pronouns: She/Her
Player Pronouns: They/Them