Ensign Alyndra Syrex - Imprisonment most horrifying

[Alyndra Syrex]

((Cockpit, USS Rhine, Outside the J-0922A System))

 

Raedai: =/\= Try not to damage the system, if there is any problem I could notify the station. Also I can inform you that this complex seems to be attracting the Gormangander with Alpha particles to an outer area with high concentration of Sencha radiation. I do not know the purpose at this time. =/\=

 

As the words left the Romulans mouth, Alyndra had an idea. Based on the assumption that the Gormangander fed on the sencha radiation, could it be likely that this structure was a feeding station? Perhaps as an exchange of information between the species, or to point out lifeforms in the debris? It seemed unlikely that it was the case, Alyndra didn’t know of the space-whales to be hostile, but this was a remote corner of the quadrant. Or, what if the Sencha radiation harmed the Sheliak and Tholians as well? What if, the Gormangander unknowingly acted as cleaners?

 

Syrex: How likely is it that this station is designed to feed the Gormangander? :: Continuing to duck from the phaser fire:: could there be a mutually beneficial relationship between them and the lattice Alliance?

 

Alieth: The presence of the Gormangander probably has more to do with the degradation of alpha particles due to Sencha radiation. I doubt the Alliance designed this to attract the whales, but rather the whales have been attracted by the presence of the structure.

 

The shots appeared to share the holographic properties of the holo-trill Sencha. Blasts of photonic energy seemed to dissipate just as soon as they collided with the fore of Alieth’s suit, including her helmet and boots.

Alyndra shimmied over to the Vulcan using the available cover, and scanned the Vulcan with her medical tricorder. There didn’t seem to be any physical damage, however, there could be some kind of residue left behind that affected humanoid cells over extended periods of time rather than in the short term, however, that wouldn’t make for a good weapon. Alyndra considered mental strain, seeing yourself get hit by phaser fire, whether it is “fake” or not, can still leave an emotional shock. Vulcans usually had a mind of iron when it came to emotions, but even iron can break.

 

Syrex: What if the LA is also harmed by Sencha radiation, what if the Gormangander pods are unknowingly cleaning up this area of space for them?

 

Alieth: It is a theory, but I do not think it is true. :: She tilted her head once more:: =/\=Lieutenant Raedai, I expect you to find the reason for the Gormangander's presence, as well as the reason why the LA allows their presence. =/\=

 

Raedai: =/\= I will do my best.=/\=

 

Alyndra's feeding station theory was just that—a theory. Though it had been dismissed without much thought, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be right. As a doctor, she was trained to see connections, to look for cause and effect. But the universe outside sickbay was messy and chaotic, where things didn’t always make sense. She felt responsible for sharing her thoughts, even when not asked. But overthinking could be as dangerous as inaction, as Doctor Beck had taught her.

Her superiors, however, knew the Lattice Alliance and Alpha Isles far better than she did. She was a doctor, not a physicist, and perhaps it was best to stick to what she knew. Being a medic was what was expected of her; she should find her footing before trying to prove her worth. Yet, the desire to prove herself—to show she was an asset to the USS Ronin—was hard to ignore.

These conflicting thoughts churned in her mind, leaving her uncertain of how to proceed. Alyndra knew that once this mission was over, she needed to talk to someone about these feelings, perhaps a counsellor aboard the Ronin."

 

Alieth: I have successfully reprogrammed their primary order to a damaged holographic pattern alarm. Now, they should lead us to their nearest computing unit.

 

Lorana: And hopefully to the core or the generator. 

 

Alieth nodded at the Caitian's words, before turning to the rookie, who had pulled her phaser out of her clip and held it in a manner the Vulcan could only describe as ‘nervous’.

 

Syrex: What now? Should we fire back?

 

Alieth: ::starting to follow the Sencha Clones:: On the contrary, let us not disturb them. We will follow them and find out if they lead us to the main computer, or a system that will allow us to get to the main computer.

 

Alyndra carefully fastened her phaser back to her exosuit, the metal clicking softly as she did. Starting to follow Alieth and the Sencha clones, her heart was pounding with anticipation as she hoped to uncover the answers to the countless questions that had been plaguing the away team.

 

Lorana: They don’t seem like normal holograms. More like automatons. They probably serve a purpose … :: she looked to the oil :: Perhaps to keep the bio-neural substance … healthy?

Syrex: That would make sense, perhaps they have a range of functions?

 Raedai (optional): Response

 

The corridors twisted left and right as they followed the holograms, more organically than logically, in a sort of spiral that ascended and descended, leaving bifurcations on one, the other or both sides. Alieth, hardly skilled at navigating in unfamiliar places (or familiar ones, in spite of herself) soon lost track of which direction they were coming from, and where they were heading to. All the corridors seemed equally dark, with the hexagonal shape of the disgustingly organic walls and the six-sided nodes glowing red at regular intervals. Despite the twists and turns that they took, what seemed clear was that they followed the same direction as the small purple running lights that seemed to flow through the oily liquid that made up the walls.

 

Alieth: We are moving towards the colder area that Ensign Syrex detected.

 

Alyndra took a deep breath, she took some comfort in knowing that something she had found was proving useful

 

Lorana: It’s up ahead.

Syrex: Speaking of up ahead, does that look like liquid on the floor to you?

Raedai (optional): Response

 

The team’s boots began to slosh against the wet ground. It was slightly disorientating, as the rest of the structure had been dry. Alieth stopped suddenly to analyse the composition of the substance on the ground.

 

Alieth: It looks like some kind of saline biological fluid. It has traces of proteins and some simple carbohydrates…

 

Lorana: I think it’s time to get some answers. 

 

Then the comm badges chirped again.

 

 

Raedai: =/\= Rhine to away team. The Gormangander's target is Alpha particles. Consuming them diminishes the Sencha radiation, but does not eliminate it and does not seem to be affected by it at any time. =/\=

 

Lorana: =/\= Thank you, lieutenant =/\= 

Syrex: =/\= Can you take some scans for us Lieutenant? =/\= oO With research, this could help defend ships against sencha radiation Oo

Alieth: response

 

Raedai: =/\= In the long run, watching the Gormangander interact with the radiation is fascinating and useful. But the section they are approaching is shielded with a subspace field, which is more than likely at the right frequency to contain the radiation and prevent problems for the station. We need to run an active scanner that doesn't necessarily give us the necessary information, but can certainly warn them of our presence. But this subspace frequency must be in the systems of this complex. =/\=

 

Lorana: =/\= So in other words, we need to hurry things up? =/\= 

 

Alieth: response

 

Raedai: =/\= If it does not cooperate, we can connect the Rhine's computer to the complex's systems, pull up all the information while the active scan is running and run away. =/\=

 

Lorana: =/\= We’ll do our best, we don’t know what it is we’re dealing with yet. In any case prepare for a quick getaway :: playful :: don’t get too comfortable in the pilot’s chair Raedai. I’ll be expecting it back. Away team out. =/\= 

Syrex: At the very least, if we can find that frequency, we’ll come away with something for out troubles.

Alieth: Response

 

The three of them moved forward into a chamber of sorts. There was a walkway that crossed above a large pooling of the substance.

 

The pool glowed brightly, casting an ethereal light through the chamber. It reminded Alyndra of the pools found in the Caves of Mak'ala, where symbionts were birthed and raised. She’d had the privilege to visit it when she was younger, but she found it unlikely to be the same as what she saw here.

In the centre of the room, held up with intersecting pylons was a cylindrical tank filled with the dark substance, with flashing lights within. It appeared to surround the core. 

 

Lorana: Ensign, any life signs?

Syrex: ::handling tricorder:: What th.. Sorry, yes, one life sign. It’s.. a symbiont.

Alieth: Response

Lorana: A symbiont? Without a host? 

Syrex: A symbiont can survive in environments that meet their needs; they don’t necessarily need to be in a host. Unlike a host without a symbiont, that’s always fatal after a few hours.

Alieth: Response

 

What would a symbiont be doing here? Continuing in the attempt to find answers, Alyndra continued to scan the fluid. At its base was what seemed to be the main computer terminal for the structure. Commander Alieth was on the other side of the tank to Alyndra. Lorana came between them to interact with the terminal.

 

Lorana: Gaining access. The security protocols haven't been updated… from what I can gather this is an old facility… mostly abandoned. 

Syrex: oO Hopefully abandoned, that likely means not defended Oo

Alieth: Response

 

Lorana: Look :: points to a file :: It's Sencha Niac's original experiment. A power source… it's been adapted as a shield generator … by Roda Salix, Sencha’s lab assistant. 

 

Syrex: Salix… Salix… Salix! I remember hearing about that symbiont going missing, the commission assumed it was dead when they could only find the Niac symbiont after the accident with Sencha radiation.

Alieth: Response

Lorana: These configurations explain everything. It works as a converter, it transforms the S-Wave blast into an energy source … this could be why the Gormaganders are attracted to this area of space. 

 

Alieth: Response

 

Lorana: This index here … the host for the Salix symbiont died … and LA put the symbiont in here, as their prisoner and forced it to change Sencha's work.

 

Just then the substance appeared to glow as the symbiont swam around the tank at their level. On the screen of the terminal letters written in Trill scrawled along the screen. 

 

Syrex: Just in case either of you don’t know how to read Trill, it says “I long for home and the freedom it brings”

Alieth: Response

Lorana: It wants to be free? Return to Trill. 

Syrex: It seems that way, the loneliness it felt must have been excruciating. I would be surprised if it didn’t want to return to our homeworld. It likely knows what we need to know.

Alieth/Lorana/Raedai (Optional): Response

Syrex: I am sure I can look after it, if we beam it some of the fluid back to the Rhine, I can keep it in a tank until we can hand it over to the appropriate authorities.

Alieth/Lorana/Raedai (Optional): Response

 

[[Tags! TBC]]

 

Ensign Alyndra Syrex

Medical Officer

USS Ronin (NCC-34523)

R240107AS3