Vice Admiral Quinn Reynolds - As the World Caves In
Quinn Reynolds
((Unimatrix Seventeen))
There were times in every officer’s career where they wondered if they were doing the right thing. If the risk was worth the reward, if the gamble would pay off. The higher the rank, the more often the collateral was other people’s lives; people who had families, dreams, and ambitions. People said officer knew and had served with, people they might even call a friend.
This was one of those times.
Despite valiant efforts from many, no one had identified the event—or series of events—Johnson had changed. It was the single most important piece of information they needed; without knowing what he had altered, there was no way to undo it. All the research pointed to a single source of truth, the sole well of knowledge: a Borg Unimatrix. And so here they were, trying to pull a data heist in the very heart of the Collective.
Reynolds: =/\= Reynolds to Tahna. =/\=
Tahna: =/\= Response =/\=
While Quinn spoke to their teammates across the gloomy black-lattice walled facility, Jo carefully cracked open a Borg panel. Amid a tangle of shiny cables twisting and sliding with mechanical precision that looked like a handful of incredibly organised wriggling snakes, she slipped in a small, cylindrical device no larger than a finger. An infiltration node, keyed to release a fractal virus into the Unimatrix’s systems.
Marshall: ::Under her breath,:: Easy… easy…
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 / 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. =/\=
Tahna / Aegam / Pace: =/\= Response =/\=
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 / Aegam / Pace: =/\= Response =/\=
Meanwhile, Jo watched her tricorder assess the infiltration device, then itself as a satisfying blink-blink of the status light told her it was armed and functional. Theatrics notwithstanding, silent as they were, Jo gestured an unenthusiastic "ta-da!" towards the device and ducked down to the panel head on the floor.
Across the black-latticed and sickly green corridor, their Mission Specialist reached toward a different conduit, making minute adjustments to another device of similar premise. Though she offered no words, her focused expression from red eyebrows and the flurry of readouts on her signature tricorder said plenty about the complexity of her undertaking.
Jo glanced up at Quinn and gave a thumbs up. The hybrid nodded, cycling through the comm channels to the next of their team leaders. As careful as they had been in their modifications of the combadges, hiding their signals from Borg sensors, she intended on keeping the conversations as short as possible.
Reynolds: =/\= Reynolds to zh'Tisav. =/\=
zh'Tisav: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= What’s your status? =/\=
zh'Tisav / Standish / Taelon: =/\= Response =/\=
Quinn felt a flash of guilt, a twist in the pit of her stomach. The Andorian was a mother, her child back on the ship. Taelon too was a parent. Standish was fresh out of the Academy. The odds were good that none of them would see the Gorkon again. Creating diversions while staying safely out of the Borg’s clutches was a tall order—no Andorian height-related puns intended—and she had agonised over which souls to assign that task.
Reynolds: =/\= I wish I could tell you to do the minimum and get out of there. But you have to cover the other teams for as long as they need. Keep it as subtle as you can—we need the Borg distracted, not on high alert. =/\=
zh'Tisav / Standish / Taelon: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= I’ll let you get to work. Reynolds out. =/\=
zh'Tisav / Standish / Taelon: =/\= Response =/\=
clatter clatter
When her friend glanced over, Jo offered a good-humoured grimace. Naturally as stealthy as a Klingon after a skinful of bloodwine, the blonde had lifted the panel with a little too much adrenaline fueled enthusiasm, and it rattled unsettlingly as she put it back down. Heart slamming headlong into her chest, she exhaled to stop her hands from shaking and wiped them over her jacket.
Reynolds: =/\= Reynolds to Finch. =/\=
Finch: =/\= Response =/\=
It was the woman’s first turn as an away team leader, and if there ever was a trial by fire, this was it. Quinn was confident Finch was up to a challenge; the question was whether this challenge was an impossible one. But they were short on options and had little choice except to assume the astronomical risks. The timeline depended on it. Their friends and families, swept away by the changes to history, depended on it.
Reynolds: =/\= How’s the approach? =/\=
Finch / Gnaxac / Nera: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= From what we can tell, there aren’t any audio or visual monitoring systems in the Unimatrix itself. There’s barely any security at all, in fact. I suppose it's a combination of not expecting anyone to infiltrate, and not needing the redundancy when they can monitor everything through their drones. =/\=
Finch / Gnaxac / Nera: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= It’s half-built, so hopefully they haven’t populated it yet. But if they have, you’ll need to shut them down before you can recover it. We don’t want drones springing to life when we’re trying to fix Johnson’s mess. =/\=
Finch / Gnaxac / Nera: =/\= Response =/\=
Reynolds: =/\= Good luck. Reynolds out. =/\=
Finch / Gnaxac / Nera: =/\= Response =/\=
The channel closed, the last of their teams contacted. Quinn took a breath and looked at the other members of her own. Their task was no easier than anyone else’s; the risk and stakes soaring as high. Sabotage the Unimatrix, and make it as difficult as possible for the Borg to pursue them once they had got the information and stolen the sphere. Far easier said than done, and each time they interacted with the Borg’s systems, they risked notice. Notice, and no doubt, a devastating response.
Sevo: Response
Marshall: Can’t help but love a plan that involves sowing a bit of glorious, Admiral-sanctioned chaos.
Sevo: Response
The hybrid glanced around their gloomy surroundings, all stark metal and seeping green light. There were no alcoves or drones in this section, and for that, she was grateful. Her heart was already thundering with anxiety, and it was taking all her energy not to jump at every distant sound. She suspected everyone felt the same, both on her team and on others, and where she defaulted to stoicism and wry observation to manage it, Jo was clearly leaning into jokes and cheer.
Reynolds: ::Dryly,:: Someone’s enjoying themselves.
Marshall: This cheery disposition is powered by Starfleet optimism and strong coffee, after all, sir. ::A lopsided grin hung around her lips, then she glanced to Ayiana.:: All done at this junction?
Sevo: Response
Commanding Officer
USS Gorkon
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