Lt. Commander Tahna Meru - Data Heist
Tahna Meru
((Unimatrix Seventeen))
Meru took a deep breath, an attempt to steel her nerves for the task ahead. The air was warm and stank of metal and chemicals. She adjusted the tricorder and pack slung across her shoulder—the pack held a few basic engineering tools and an emergency medical kit. What use the kit would be, she wasn’t sure. If someone were injured…would they be injured so little as to benefit from first aid? Would they have time to stop and help?
She wasn’t sure if the engineering tools would be helpful either, they had very little idea what sort of protections were in place for the data. But she wanted to be as prepared as possible. Ensign Pace had proved handy and quick with engineering during their last encounter with the Borg, probably better than Meru, though they were both scientists. And Meru had made Doz give her a crash course in everything physical data extraction.
Meru’s combadge chirped quietly, drawing her attention before projecting the voice of the Admiral.
Reynolds: =/\= Reynolds to Tahna. =/\=
Tahna: =/\= Tahna here. =/\=
Meru checked the phaser on her hip, making sure it was still set to cycle at random. A simple dagger was stowed on her other hip, in case they ended up up close and personal with any Borg. Another item she wasn’t sure would actually be useful to her—she was a scientist, dammit all—but that she felt a little better having in her possession anyway.
Reynolds: =/\= You’re as close as we dare get you to the data node. Passive scans indicate that there’s some unusual architecture around it. We don’t know if that’s normal for this timeline, or an intentional attempt to keep their data secure. =/\=
Tahna: =/\= Sounds fun. =/\=
The Bajoran’s tone was entirely dry.
“Unusual architecture”? Meru’s eyes flickered to her team. Aegam, the Security Chief, she’d once broken out of an alien prison with. Pace, the young scientist, had already proven herself more than capable in a crisis, but unusual architecture…could put the Elaysian at either an advantage or a disadvantage, and they likely wouldn’t know which until they were upon it.
Aegam / Pace: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= Lieutenant zh'Tisav and her team will do her best to keep the Borg’s attention away from you, but— ::She paused, a frown pulling her brows together.:: I know it’s obvious, but be careful. =/\=
Meru nodded, her heart heavy in her chest. zh’Tisav, Taelon, Standish, Sevo, Jo, the Admiral… they were all on the front lines of this fight, risking everything, everything, so Meru and Doz’s teams could get the data and Sphere needed to set things right. They had children and families and friends they might not make it home to. And if Meru’s trio failed to obtain the data…
There would be no second chances on this mission. This was it.
Tahna: =/\= We’ll be in and out. =/\=
Aegam / Pace: =/\= Response =/\=
The faster they could get the data, the faster everyone could leave this Prophets-forsaken timeline. Meru led the way out into the corridor, one hand on her phaser. Supposedly, the security here was minimal, but she wasn’t about to walk around with her guard down.
Reynolds: =/\= As soon as you have the data, activate your emergency beacons and the Gorkon will pull you out. ::She paused.:: Until then, use this channel for emergencies only. Reynolds out. =/\=
Tahna: =/\= See you on the other side. =/\=
Aegam / Pace: =/\= Response =/\=
The com channel clicked closed, leaving the trio alone in their little section of the massive enemy facility. Everything looked the same here, black lattice walls, eerie green light. She knew the path to the data node, it was ingrained in her mind like the layout of the Gorkon. Down one identical corridor, a right, a left, and then…they’d be without maps. They couldn’t get a good look at the area that housed the actual node on their scans, “unusual architecture” was about as good a clue as they were going to get.
They stopped at the end of one corridor, in front of a locked door leading to the unknown. Meru nodded to the other scientist.
Tahna: Can you get us through, Pace?
Aegam / Pace: Response
It was a silly question. She was sure the woman could get through the lock. Meru turned to watch the corridor for any signs of movement, and checked her tricorder, just in case, but her scans came back with little more than static.
Tahna: I’ve not got anything better than “unusual architecture.” Could mean anything.
Aegam / Pace: Response
Meru turned to Commander Aegam.
Tahna: I know they’re not expecting anyone to infiltrate here, but the minimal security still strikes me as strange.
Aegam / Pace: Response