Chapter Eight
Who's There?
Michael had her phaser pointed straight ahead of her; the flashlight situated on the sleeve of her airtight suit illuminating the corridor in an eerie glow. Pike, dressed in his blue and golden captain's uniform only, was walking close by her with a small data tablet in hand that revealed the schematics of the station. Tilly came next, also dressed in her blue uniform only, she carried a tricorder busying herself with the task of taking readings of their surroundings; air quality, degree of degradation, humidity, spores and so on. Reno was bringing up the rear so that those without an airtight suit was well protected between her and Burnham.
Pike had not been happy when Burnham had pointed out that not only where they exposed to whatever strain of bacteria or toxin that killed Pratts but to the wicked AI who'd regained control of parts of the station and also the life-support. That was the main reason they were now heading back to the hangar bay so they could collect a few small extra tubes of air to use as a last resort if the AI gave them trouble.
"I am not sure how long it takes for the program to regain access to the bay," Reno said cautiously. "We're an easy target."
Michael pursed her lips into a thin line of displeasure and suddenly knelt to disconnect a small backup tank from her supply. She stood up again and handed it to her superior officer. "With all due respect, sir, you and Tilly need to stay here."
Chris nodded grimly as he took the canister from her gloved hand. "Understood," he said. "Stay safe."
Reno and Burnham nodded simultaneously and walked through the doors without trouble. As it slid shut behind them Tilly suddenly shuddered and began to hug herself, rubbing the back of her arms.
Pike gave her a troubled look, concern written all over his face. "Are you cold, Tilly?" he asked kindly.
She bravely straightened and let her arms fall to her sides. "I am fine, no worries," she said, forcing a faint smile to her lips.
"White lies won't help I am afraid," he replied seriously and took the tricorder from her hand to run it over her.
"I didn't know you had a medical degree, sir?" she said, trying to lighten the mood.
He chuckled. "I don't, but you don't need to tell anyone."
She closed her eyes briefly as she heard the faint beeping from the tricorder, knowing all too well what was awaiting her. What she didn't know was how long she had left. "You know-," she began, in an effort to focus on something else, "-when I accidentally displayed parts of your file to the bridge crew-, I am really sorry for that by the way, I still don't know how it happened but I promise I won't do it again-,"
He flashed a faint dimpled smile at her.
She opened her eyes just in time to see it. "Point is. I noticed something peculiar."
"Apart from my F?" he asked half-amused, half-troubled by the signs of deterioration of her health.
"You had the Rigelian fever," she stated.
He nodded grimly as he put down the tricorder. "I don't think now is a good idea to reminiscing that experience," he reasoned.
"But it's a deadly disease and you survived," she persisted. "Then there is hope to get out of this one too."
He snorted as an enigmatic sly smile crept over his face and when he did, she couldn't help but to notice the thin sheen of perspiration that had begun to coat his forehead.
"Here's the deal. If you're still interested, I'll tell you all about it when we get back to Discovery," he offered and brought out his data tablet again to call up the schematics of the station. "Let's get you down to the infirmary and see if we can stop this."
"You want to prolong my suffering?" she quipped as he gently draped her hand over his shoulder.
"Lean on me," he said kindly as he activated his communications' device. "Burnham, this is Pike. Tilly has begun to show symptoms of whatever it is that lurks here. I am taking her to the infirmary."
"Understood, captain. Reno and I'll join you as soon as we can," Michael replied seriously.
"Make reestablishing contact with Discovery top-priority," he ordered.
OOOOOO
"I repeat, this is the Phoenix. We need your assistance to get in," Nhan called.
Culber glanced out the window, troubled by the fact that no one was responding their hails. They had reestablished contact for a while when they'd learned of Pratts's demise. "I thought communications would be restored as we got closer," he said.
Nhan shook her head. "Something was very wrong," she replied.
"Apart from one of my staff dying?" Culber asked sarcastically and then threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I am sorry, commander. I didn't mean-,"
"It was the tension in the captain's voice. Pike rarely-," she trailed off as something blazed across the viewscreen. "What the hell?"
"They're firing!" Culber yelled. "That was a small distance countermeasure torpedo!"
Nhan nodded grimly. "Strap in!" she shouted and veered hard to starboard. "Phoenix to Discovery, we require immediate support!
"Discovery here," Cornwell said seriously. "We have your six."
Nhan ducked involuntarily as phasers cut through the space above them, directed at the enemy fire. A forcefield shimmered for a moment, then came a puff of smoke and suddenly a part of the hull came lose, exposing a smaller section of the lower compartment next to the hangar bay to the cold vacuum of space.
OOOOOO
"I said disable, not disintegrate, Agent Tyler," Cornwell admonished coldly.
Spock raised an impeccable eyebrow as he called up a magnification of the station and played a loop of the previous event. "This is quite fascinating," he remarked.
"Please, Lieutenant Spock, enlighten the rest of us," Kat said dryly.
"Commander Saru, would you please access the images on my station and project them on the main view screen," Spock said.
The Kelpien nodded.
"Take notice of the shields as the phasers hit several strategic marks," he stated as the recording played out before them. "Half the station remains unprotected and vulnerable to a direct hit. Discovery did not detect the difference. It is therefore reasonable to assume that whoever is responsible for firing at Commander Nhan and Doctor Culber is in the shielded area and that the captain and the away team is unshielded down below."
Detmer swallowed and glanced at Owo who looked similarly stricken by the suggestion.
"Is that your polite way of accusing me of trying to kill our people?" Tyler pushed unhappily.
"Gentlemen, this is not the time nor the place," Cornwell cautioned and nodded at Bryce. "Open a channel to Phoenix.
He nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"Phoenix, this is Discovery. Can you get in through the breach?"
"We'll do our best," Nhan reported. "Phoenix out."
Cornwell turned away from the view screen and nodded at Nilsson and Tyler. "How are we doing with that computer virus of ours?" she asked.
"Admiral, if I may?" Spock asked.
"Yes lieutenant," she replied.
He gestured toward the back of the room and the door to the adjoining conference room.
"Lieutenant Detmer, you have the bridge," Cornwell said steely.
"Yes ma'am. I have the bridge," the pilot confirmed confidently.
OOOOOO
Reno and Burnham stared flabbergasted at each other for a moment and then desperately got hold of something so as not to be tossed around the large bay.
"Are we firing at Discovery?" Michael asked in confusion. "How is that even possible?"
"It's adapting and it's breaking my barriers one at a time," Reno explained seriously. "We need to stop it. Grab the air supply canisters for the captain and Tilly and find them while I head back to the control room."
Michael nodded. "Why have Discovery moved into firing range?"
"Do you think it has established contact with our people?" the engineer asked. "Damn creepy thing."
"Whatever's happened, we better hurry," Michael reasoned. "The captain and Tilly are unprotected and Sylvia has already taken ill. There is only a matter of time before the captain also succumbs to whatever it is."
"Maybe that's the key to their survival," Reno suggested. "I mean, if the AI knows they're infected, what is the point in trying to kill someone who's already dying? Why not concentrate the efforts on those who are not infected?"
"I see your point, I just don't like the fact that you seem to have given up on them," Michael said seriously. "Go, go. I'll find our people."
Reno nodded and took off in a hurry.
OOOOOO
A shudder went through Beta Astra as something hit the hull. Captain Pike reacted instantly to the following rumbling noise and harshly hauled the young ensign toward a bulkhead a bit further away. The lights flickered for a moment and there was a whooshing sound, then the wall a few meters down the corridor crackled forebodingly and gave away. The rush of air was deafening; the compression of air and gravity loss lethal.
Tilly whimpered as something hit the lower part of her leg and fumbled weakly for her captain's hand as he temporarily lost his grip around her middle. Pike grimaced as he took a glancing blow to the right side of his head, staggered and momentarily fell down on his knees. The air pushed venomously at them, trying to force them out. The captain desperately grabbed hold of the bulkhead with one hand and took Tilly's hand in the other. He managed to get to the other side and pulled the emergency lever. Within seconds the large steel wall slammed shut between them and the rapidly depressurizing section.
He sank to his knees, gasping for air, hands on his thigs. He forced himself to calm down, to get rid of the adrenaline and focus on taking deep breaths.
Tilly rolled over on her back with a grimace and felt a chill down her spine. She was sweating yet cold, her hands shaking. "Captain," she squeaked worriedly. "What just happened?"
He let out a few shallow breaths and gingerly turned his head to look at her. "Someone took a shot at us," he stated coldly as he slowly got to his feet and moved over to her side. "Let me see your leg."
Tilly clamped her hand down on her pantleg and offered a sheepish smile, trying be strong. "It's fine, really; just stings a bit."
Pike nodded grimly. "Another white lie, ensign?" he asked and offered her a hand up. "Come on then, we better get down to the infirmary so the others can find us."
Tilly reached out to touch Pike's bloodied hairline next to his right temple but thought better of it and settled for a look of concern. "Are you all right?"
The captain offered her a dimpled smile. "Just stings a bit," he replied.
"I love your sense of humor, sir," she replied in soft disbelief. "How do we get down to the medical section now?"
Pike glanced around and then cursed as he realized he was missing his data tablet and communication's device. "How's your memory of the layout of Beta Astra?" he asked.
"I-," she began. "I am afraid it's not good enough and judging by the semi-darkness around here that's not going to be our only problem."
"I know it's hard sometimes, Tilly, but stay positive. We'll find a flashlight somewhere on the way," he reasoned kindly and gently draped her arm over his shoulder for support.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled dejectedly.
"For what?" Pike replied curiously.
"For being such a baby, for being weak, for-," she trailed off and sighed then leaned heavily on him for support as a dizzy-spell caught her by surprise. "Leave me here, I am going to die anyway."
"I am not leaving you, ensign," he reasoned stubbornly and then added with a faint sly grin. "Why would you die anyway?"
She nodded as she remembered what her teacher used to say. "Always expect the unexpected, huh?"
"Let me tell you something, Tilly. I have seen the unexpected many times during my career; it might have been sticky situations at times but I've always managed to get out of them. I intend to get out of this one too."
"Not only are you a soldier, a diplomat and a strategist; you're pedagogic too," she mumbled somewhat feverishly and blushed with embarrassment as she realized she was leaning heavily on him. "Oh, my goodness, I am clinging to the flagship captain."
OOOOOO
To be continued
