Lt. T’Fearne - Security Caretaker Reporting for Duty
Teayl Thorn
((Organic Tunnel, Posterior Dorsal, Entity Designation: Narhelion))
The crystal detonated. Orange and crimson light flooded the tunnel with a shock wave. Long crystalline spears erupted outward in every direction, shredding through mist, slime and organic tissue. Fragments ricocheted from the walls. Others buried themselves deep into Narhelion's living flesh.
In her mind she heard the giant creature wrapped around them let out an agonised scream.
T'Fearne tried to push herself upright. Nothing happened. Her left arm refused to obey. Looking down, she finally registered the orange crystal protruding from beneath her clavicle and disappearing into Narhelion's flesh behind her. ::numbly:: oO Ah. That would explain it. Oo
She searched the smokey vapor and splattering debris, trying to catch a glimpse of Kel or the Doctor. She had to get up, they might need her. Wrapping her good hand around the crystal tried to pull herself free. The angle was bad, unable to get the right leverage one handed, the shard refused to move. After struggling for a moment like a pinned insect, she sagged against the wall. Breathing hard.
Pain. Concern. Anger.
The emotions were not her own. Had Narhelion noticed? As an empath she could scan a room and read the emotions at play, but as a telepath, her abilities were intermittent at best, even though Dr. Beck had been helping her with her expanding skills, she was touch based primarily. T’Fearne reached with her good arm, palm flat to the surface, lightly touching the living wall. The surface was warm and she let her head fall back for a moment and closed her eyes.
T’Feanre: ::tentatively:: ~ Consent granted, Narhelion. Temporary access only. ~ ::She paused for a moment to think, pain making it difficult to concentrate::
The connection sharpened. A vast presence brushed against her thoughts. Ancient. Injured. Frightened.
T’Feanre: ~ Narehelion, I sense your pain. The Tholian device…the angry crystal that bit you, it hurt me and my team as well. I want to help you, but first I need to reach my crewmates. I’m stuck…I need you to push the crystals from your walls, Narhelion. ~
She wasn’t sure at first if she was heard. For a moment nothing happened. Then the alien tissue against her back contracted like a muscle. The crystal shifted away from the wall. Taking a deep breath, T’Fearne wrapped her good hand around the tangerine and crimson shard and pulled.
Several long, pain filled moments later voices filtered through the ringing in her ears.
Kel: Dr. La Croix are you there? Are you alright?
De La Croix: How very dare you throw the Duchess of Saint-Malo like some sack of....
Despite herself, T’Fearne let out a slightly delirious chuckle, then the wall pushed once more, separating her fully from the wall and withdrawing the shard. She sprawled forward, not managing to catch herself with only one working arm and letting out another pained growl.
Kel: Throwing you to the ground was not my first choice. ::turning around, yelling:: T'Fearne!
De La Croix: C’est le bordel...this is horrible...just horrible!
T'Fearne: ::rough voiced:: Alive. I’ll be there in a moment.
At least if they were both sounding off then they hadn’t been killed by the explosion. She gingerly sat up, careful not to jostle her shoulder. Some dark green ichor was soaking into the front and, she assumed, the back of her undersuit, but it wasn't gushing, appearing manageable with first aid.
Kel: Narhellion? Can you hear us? ::looking at his tricorder:: There's massive structural damage all around us.
Narhelion: Painnnnn. Narhelion hears. Damage…angry crystal. Narhelion not fully deceased. ~ Self repair possible. But Narhelion is in a partial hibernation state. Will require extensive time to mend without assistance. Narhelion primary offensive weapon, offline. Caretakers. Caretakers would have helped. Narhelion is using most of the remaining resources, focused on mending Tiny Predator outside. ~
The response came partly through the chamber and partly through her mind. She rested her palm on the ground, feeling the hard, slightly moist substance.
T'Fearne: Tiny Predator. The Ronin? ::Reassuring as she could be:: ~ We are offering assistance. How would Caretakers have helped? What function do they perform? ~
The answer wasn't words. She felt dozens, then hundreds of smaller minds moving through Narhelion's awareness. Helpers. Tenders. Telepathic attendants performing countless functions throughout the enormous organism. Then came the absence. The loneliness. The grief. T'Fearne recoiled from it, ripping her hand away from the floor. She tightened her mental barriers and forced herself to remain separate. Distinct. Herself. The sadness was so vast and ancient it threatened to drown her own thoughts in a well of emotions.
The voices broke T'Fearne's concentration. The vast presence of Narhelion receded slightly as she pushed herself upright. That proved to be a mistake as pain flared white-hot through her shoulder. She steadied herself against the living wall and began making her way towards Kel and De La Croix. The tunnel looked far worse than before. Crystal fragments jutted from ruptured tissue. Black fluid pooled in depressions across the floor. The entire chamber seemed dimmer somehow. She noticed two of the black doppelgangers pulling crystals from the walls, helping the removal process.
De La Croix: Well I'm glad to hear you're in one piece...but the creature is badly wounded. It was struggling to heal the damage prior to the explosion and that was minuscule compared to this. I'm not sure it's capable of repairing something so grievous...not by itself anyway.
The security officer slowed beside them. Kel looked functional, but De La Criox was pale through her suit’s smashed visor. A little too pale. The flare of pain from the woman didn’t go unnoticed. It looked like they had all narrowly escaped from that explosion, but not unscathed.
T'Fearne: ::addressing De La Croix:: I think there is a way we will be able to help with that. Something to do with telepathic facilitators. It might take some time to organise.
Kel: =/\= Kel to Raga. The creature's been hit by some kind of missile. I'm standing in the middle of a massive wound. What's your situation? =/\=
Raga: =/\= Response =/\=
De La Croix: =/\= Well that's all very nice for you then but we have a patient here who needs immediate care or this wound could be fatal. I was already detecting decreasing levels of cellular energy in this whole area and now...much of this tissue is dead or dying. If this creature is to survive we'll need significant resources...uh...hello...ship? Madam Narhelion I presume? I want to help you but I'll need quite a few things from our vessel to even get a start on it. =/\=
A chirp sounded from a commbadge.
Velis: =/\= Velis to Kel. What’s going on? Is everyone all right? =/\=
Kessler: ::tapping his combadge again:: =/\= Commander Kel, are you still getting all this? =/\=
Kel: :: groaning:: =/\= Something happened down here, some kind of Tholian spike bomb. There is a lot of damage. =/\=
Kessler: =/\= Hold a moment Commander. One of the tables in here just changed. =/\=
Kessler: ::to all:: =/\= We have a control surface here and visual on the Ronin. =/\=
Rox: =/\= Commander these displays are showing the creature is injured. Respiration rate is unstable and what I think is blood pressure is falling. =/\=
Kel: =/\= Somehow I'm not surprised. Luckily I'm here with our surgeon. See what you might be able to reroute flow around our location. We'll see what we can do from here. =/\=
A moment later Narhelion’s voice boomed an audible greeting.
Narhelion: Hello, Tiny Predator.
T'Fearne: ::sighing:: It’s talking to…to the Captain, right now, I think. We hear it throughout. ::awkward pause, sensing glee:: I um… I think she likes the Captain.
Despite herself, the corner of T'Fearne's mouth twitched as she mentally caught some of the giddy back and forth between Narhelion and designation - “Fuzzy Caretaker”.
De La Croix: Putain de merde...Three broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. Although I suppose I owe you my thanks, Mr. Commander...if you hadn't tossed me around so thoroughly I could've ended up impaled on one of those spikes. As is I believe I'll need a new helmet.
T’Fearne’s attention snapped back to the surgeon as she promptly propped up the wall with her body and scanned herself with a tricorder. The resulting alarm had T’Fearne heading for her in concern. The list of serious injuries changed her priorities. Narhelion was in need of assistance, but this woman and Kel were two of the most qualified to help fix her…and if they went down…
De La Croix: Did one of you happen to hang on to a medical kit? I seem to have lost mine. I'll need to treat myself before I'm able to do anything for the good Madam here.
She glanced around but didn’t see it among the crystal debris.
Kel: Response
De La Croix: Oh that's lovely...just lovely...I think I'm going to take a small repose while you do...that…
The doctor slumped lower against the wall, her suit rendering a medical alert. T'Fearne crouched beside her with visible difficulty. Tried to get the helmet off with one hand, fumbling slightly.
T'Fearne: Doctor, stay awake. Focus on my voice. ::She looked towards Kel:: We now have two patients.
Kel: Response
She rested back on her heels, giving Kel room to tend to De La Croix. She was feeling slightly guilty that as the Security officer, she hadn’t been quick enough to prevent her team’s injuries. Her gaze drifted briefly to the surrounding tissue of Narhelions injuries. Through their current tenuous link she picked up more details of the damage to the weapon systems.
T'Fearne: ::To Kel, seriously:: I can’t protect you anymore. =/\= Lieutenant T'Fearne to Chief Kessler. =/\=
Kessler: =/\= Optional Response? =/\=
A brief pause.
T'Fearne: =/\= I need to report that I have sustained an injury. My left arm is compromised and I am currently unable to provide adequate security coverage for Commander Kel. Recommend additional security personnel be assigned to cover him…and Dr De La Croix ::added horridly::. =/\=
Kessler: =/\= Optional Response? =/\=
The admission tasted bitter. But it was true. And security officers who ignored their limitations got their away team killed.
Kel: Response
T'Fearne: Crystal shrapnel. Through and through to the shoulder ::pointing under her left clavicle:: Here. I can’t move my arm much.
Then Tucker's voice cut across the channel.
Tucker: =/\= Tucker to Kel and Raga. =/\=
Kel/Raga: =/\= Response =/\=
Tucker: =/\= We’ve lost Doctor Beck. =/\=
The words hung in the chamber. For a moment nobody moved. T'Fearne felt Narhelion's concern echo faintly through their connection and her brows scrunched together.
T'Fearne: ::Both mentally and out loud:: ~ What are you doing? Did you eat him? ~
Kel/Raga: =/\= Response =/\=
Narhelion: ~ Caution. Narhelion has detected approaching. Many more angry crystals and unknown vessels with them. Primary offensive armament still healing. Secondary and tertiary armaments are functional but remain in hibernation state. Primary and secondary defensive functions offline and in hibernation state. Recommend hibernation rescindment as soon as possible. ~ ::there was a somber wail:: ~ Please. Narhelion does not want to expire. ~
Leaning back against the behemoth's wall, T’Fearne dropped her hand to the floor and tried to sound reassuring, even though she didn’t feel it just then and was more than a bit confused.
T'Fearne: ~ Narhelion. We will help. ::closing her eyes:: Show me. How does…Security Caretaker help with restoring offensive capabilities and waking local protective systems? ~
[tags / End of Act II for T’Fearne]
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Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14