Lt Cmdr Naledi - Burning Ash

[Naledi]

((Dry Lab Complex, Gibaria Outpost))

 

Whilst it was true that Xindi-Insectoids had knives for a mouth and expressed an increased ability to carry heavy objects proportionally to their own mass, victory in combat was never a sure thing. Something new was quite literally waiting around the corner.

 

Neathler: Hold on to your phaser, we need a way to protect ourselves if those doors open. We have no idea what that creature will do. Go for us, go for the vines. ::She shrugged.:: We simply don’t know.

Finch: I have to agree with Commander Neathler on that one for this particular operation. But keep that thought in your back pocket, love. We may need it later.

Naledi: Crick Pop Tick Snap Pew… In order to taxidermize, it would have to die, and soon before the process. Could there be something in this room that we have missed?

Neathler: Those crates might hold things we can use.

Espinoza: I’ll take a look. 

The banging at the door continued, the vines continued to slither. The banging continued, with each thump louder than the last. Previously they’d been at a similar interval, however, now the banging was only increasing. The airwaves were vibrating quickly and intensely, could there have been more of them outside of that door?

The force of the constant noise pounded against Naledi’s antenna, it was nearly too

 

Neathler: I think our luck ran out.

Neathler: He might just have called his family.

Espinoza: Time to make a decision. The way I see it, if we let ‘em rip this door open in their own time, we’re gonna lose our best way of sealin’ them in. 

 

The headache pounding against Naledi was brutal. It couldn’t think, couldn’t speak. It could only trust in Commander Finch and the rest of the team to help with the situation more than themselves.

They didn’t appreciate that their weakness was causing an additional complication, however it couldn’t be helped by any member of Starfleet. Teams existed for crewmembers to help each other, such as on one of the Thor’s Missions. A situation which may have unfolded very differently had Naledi not taken the actions they did whilst their crew sook refuge from the radiation. Starfleet existed to build each other up, not exploit a weakness and shut people out, otherwise ship’s would only have one member of crew each.

Finch: No, no. There’s no sense in waiting around. We’ll open the door ourselves then make a bolt for it. But the timing is key.

Naledi: Response

Neathler: Might that first pulse we tried stop those plants or is it too late?

Espinoza: I don’t think we want to stop ‘em. Right now, they’re focused on whatever’s outside. If we start irritating them, they’re gonna focus on us, which is gonna ‘cause trouble when, not if, those doors open. But if we irritate ‘em just at the right time…

 

It sounded like a good plan to Naledi, although to a point anything that resulted in them leaving alive was a winning idea in their PADD.

 

Finch: Here’s the plan! Mister Espinoza, I want you to position yourself at the door and be ready to pull it open. We’ll attract a lot of attention rather quickly, so whoever can manage it, whether that’s you or Naledi, activate the pulse as soon as its open. Commander Neathler will take point, and we’ll follow her out quicker than you can say moussaka.

Naledi: Crick Screech Hiss Tick… Aye, Commander

Neathler: Response

 

The doors started to dent, buckling from the pressure of the creatures. The vines didn’t seem bothered by their presence, unlike Naledi, who was desperate to escape the rooms clutches.

 

Espinoza: Either side of the door, please, Commanders. I hope y’all can run nice and quick…

Finch: These old bones were made for running, and that’s just what they’ll do!

 

Old Bones? Did humans not replace their bones every few years to accommodate their growth? Nobody ever mentioned it, however until a few months ago Naledi wasn’t sure where humanoid infants came from. Needless to say, their grasp on humanoid biology wasn’t the strongest.

It was not the time for a lesson though, as the lab door continued to shudder and shake with each impact from the individual creatures outside the door.

 

Neathler: Response

Espinoza: ::in a low voice:: Commander Finch, if you can rig somethin’ else to boom, now’d be the time… door is buckling.

Finch: Commanders, are we both ready?

Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Ready, Commander

Neathler: Response

Espinoza: We need to seal the doors leadin’ into the corridor on the way out. Any ideas?

Finch: Leave that to me and let's get out of here.

 

Naledi primed their phaser, setting it at maximum. Since they knew next to nothing about the creatures outside…

The idea of killing was never engrained as a goal in a careered security officer, it was keeping the crew safe. Unfortunately, those two things couldn’t always be kept separate.

Naledi: Crick Snap… Acknowledged

Neathler: Response

The gargling and grinding of the creatures against the door reached it’s climax as the gap between the door and the wall widened. Naledi’s headache continued to point against their exo-cranium. It was just a little bit longer, they could hold on just a little bit longer.

Espinoza: ::mouthing:: Get ready…

Neathler: Response

A series of noises, not dissimilar to their own language rippled through the cracks in the door. For a moment, amongst the headache and the noise, was a mindful silence before the storm.

Crossing it’s eyes to Commander Finch, Naledi waited for the signal. The signal in question came only a few moments later, as the elderly woman tipped her finger, activating the ensign, who promptly threw his tricorder into the middle of the room.

The vines sprawled out in what looked like pain, thrashing carelessly against the walls, windows, and each other. The creatures blurred through the door, barging past one another, hissing, spitting and releasing mouth fluid like a misty San Francisco wave.

Finch: Go!

 

Activating the pulse, Naledi made the attempt to stun the creatures, or whatever the pulse was supposed to do. Their headache had left them dazed and slightly unsure of their surroundings. It hoped that it was unaffected by the equipment intended for the creatures.

 

Neathler / Espinoza: Response

 

Following Commander Finch through the now clear door, Naledi checked the corridor for any additional threats, their phaser held high and palps shaking. The thinly veiled smoke from the crew’s various semi-destructive activities burned the air around their spiracles. However, it was only about to become more sore, as Commander Finch phasered a conduit on the floor of the taxidermy door. It spit out it’s diet of electrically induced sparks as a thick blast of gas blasted from inside the room, the doors forcefield activating only moments afterwards.

The inside of the room now looked like a crematorium, with recently and not so recently deceased creatures being left alone to complete their transformation into ash.

 

Finch: Isolation protocols. ::She wiped the sweat from her forehead, her voice a tad crisp.:: Powered by a back-up system.

Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Is it alright? It is leaking fluid from it’s skin?

Finch / Neathler / Espinoza: Response

 

A further reminder that Naledi knew less about humanoids than they often led on. Sweating was how they cooled themselves… Naledi usually had the opposite problem.

Naledi: Tick Crack Pop Hiss… Can it proceed? More creatures may be dormant nearby.

Finch / Neathler / Espinoza: Response

 

Or asleep as they should have called it. If these creatures slept at all for that matter. Either way, a universal constant seemed to be that loud explosions generated a stimulus from which beings capable of a response typically responded to in a timely manner.

Naledi: Tick Snap Crack Pop Hiss Crack Pop Pew… Could the conduits be utilised as a sterilising device for the vines? Since the ones in the other room appear to be neutralised, could we start a chain reaction and burn all of them? All the way to our goal?

Finch / Neathler / Espinoza: Response

 

 

 

 

 

TBC

 

Lieutenant Commander Naledi

Director of Strategic Operations

USS Thor (NCC-85852)

R240107AS3