Michael didn't leave the room, keeping tabs on the bridge crew in terms of the general situation as she worked and read beside Georgiou. It turned out, a lot of happened since Discovery had left.
New words and phrases to start with. Such as, Sire was the new word for a vampire who turned another. Its past-tense was for the new Vampire. New-born, designated for newly turned. Imprint had been taken to heart of the studies for their 'mating rituals'. This had been studied through Landry, after her transformation she had found herself having imprinted to a security officer, Amna Patel, who had recently undergone her own transformation near enough of the same time.
Then there was the hierarchy of the clans. Which was most certainly new.
In depth reports of the new-borns Cornwell had created had showed an instinctual based clan formation, based primarily on dominating or submissive behaviour. A power dynamic that was held to the strongest lead vampire. A natural challenge of authority between new vampires to see which part of the ladder the vampire stood on.
It made sense to Michael now why Paul had attacked her after his transformation. She had forced him to submit, so he listened and to a primal degree, saw her as a leader. Something Cornwell had noted after hand. Though she knew her bond with Cornwell…. They were both leaders of their own clans. Paul was hers, now Georgiou. Cornwell would have been if she had been there through her transformation. Michael though knew her place to not feel the threat of her. Even.
But Landry was another matter…. She did want to attack Landry… put her in her place while she was in her ship…her territory. Michael was displeased at the idea… but the gut sensation told her that if Landry stayed, someone was going to lose a limb to see who retained their position.
Then, Michael got more to the facility. Nicknamed Bloodstone. An M-class planet, a small earth like planet that had formally been a dilithum mine for 5 years before it was shut down to poor-health and safety regulations caused an fatal accident of a party of three. The colony buildings had remained but now, refurbish, rebuilt and technologically advanced; with the latest against vampires. Michael hadn't helped but noticed how Starfleet had also co-opted Mudd's toys for a basis of their weapons.
For a building meant to house vampires, new and old, Michael could speculate it would be a…safest building than this star ship. The report had detailed the recommended timeline of a new vampire and placements in the facility and training. Each vampire had been different between control of thirst, or physical attributes such as speed and strength, so things were adjusted and tailored and to why they needed a whole planet for this, not a station. Extra space.
It was mostly led by a lead vampire (primarily Cornwell, given her position having sired most of the vampires there) and also run by non-humans which lessened the likely hood of an attack due to blood-scents not being nearly so potent or appetizing as a humans.
Michael couldn't fault the logic behind that and she had to say…. She was impressed by the work put into it. And the fact people were being assessed, screened and trained prior to transformation showed that it wasn't careless. It was order. Not like Paul's transformation; that had been a rush job they had been cohered in.
There was benefit, but there was… almost a hint of apprehension that seemed to linger in how the federation was otherwise handing them. So far, everything was being done through them. Clean and clinical. No one had broached the topic of…independency. No species were fully dependant on the federation; they had their own governments to fall back onto and so far.
Not vampires. All they had was Admiral Cornwell that acted as their governmental head. She was curious to why not… although, they had a small population of about 17, including herself and the turning humans. Were they just too busy to not think of that yet?
Michael didn't know but it gave her plenty to talk about with. One thing was clear, her immediate issue.
Philippa Georgiou.
She was going to have to fight her, win and feed her up to win authority over the Terran's primal instincts. Would she fight as a skilled assassin or a primal beast? Michael didn't know, but she had to hope it was the latter over the former.
Beside her, Georgiou's transformation was near its end. The ragged heartbeat was now the last to fully turn now it was becoming more redundant by the second now the last of her internal systems were otherwise gone.
Throughout, Michael had noticed that there was a mildly different effect compared to Paul's and her own transformation. She and he had spent days screaming and struggling, yet now, Georgiou was unmoving. Was it the simple fact she was from another universe that altered the vampire transformation or another factor?
Michael didn't know but it made her uneasy.
She rose from the bed after a moment and headed towards the replicator and started to replicate blood bottles.
Six large bottles were done within a few minutes. Keeping a port of it open, this allowed the scent of it to drift out into the room and saturate the air.
Then, Georgiou's heart beat shifted, increasing now.
"Is it time?"
The voice was distant but she heard Cornwell's voice echo from a few decks up with caution. No one was a fool… Michael knew that preparations had been made the last 27 hours for this moment. Georgiou was an unknown factor to just have her to wake up too. Outside, the steps were quiet but Michael recognised them as Landry and Cornwell, darting to secure the door in a second, Paul's steps further down the corridor. She didn't need to answer; the sound was clear indication enough to any vampire with experience.
Michael reached for the wall and turned down the suppressor, allowing enough for her to just about hear them. To lower the amount of audio stimulation the new vampire would be exposed to now. Then, she moved back, much further than before. She had learned her lesson with Paul… now was much more dangerous.
Then steadily, Georgiou's heart's rhythm began to change, missing a beat here and there, and dropping in speed then began to stutter small beats as if fighting to continue… until with a last beat, felt quiet….
Then there was nothing.
Michael watched, her breath held and still. Any wrong sound or movement would be likely to trigger something… She heard nothing from the two on the other side of the door so they knew to keep still…
Then Georgiou was up on her feet in an instant.
Standing on the bed in a crouch, her face constricting into a look of primal fury, her fangs sharp and long; her irises a pitch black and a growl seemed to resonate from her chest. Georgiou looked half-in the rational mind set to not go for her straight off but there was clear warning bells being run as her black eyes sweeps across the room, sniffing in the tainted air before attention was divided between the bottles, then herself…
Michael though stayed still. Counting the critical moments…before thirst seemed to play the bigger part than threat that offered her some relief the Emperor wasn't going to snap straight at her. This allowed her to see how the woman moved in her new form… sides she favoured. Speed was an immediate note as Georgiou darted for the bottles then was in the corner within a second. The black eyes remained fixed on her as her fangs sunk into the rubber.
Bottle after bottle was drained until they were gone but the emperor stayed in her corner for a longer moment. There didn't look to be any initial changes of behaviour though Michael took her chance and stepped forwards and was immediate met with a louder resonating rumble.
"Emperor."
Black eyes narrowed but there was a second before Michael saw her move before reacting herself, tilting her body away though she felt their shoulders impact with a thundering crack but she didn't hesitate to grab Georgiou's hand and kicked her back and twisted.
A series of angry hisses and growls echoed but the emperor twisted from her grip and back defensively. Michael ducked back with her own growl, going louder and she could feel her fangs sharpen out. Baring them at her.
Then Georgiou tried again.
As though fought, Michael soon got the sense there was less of the emperor's rational side with how she fought; less graceful and more primal… but there was more elegance to it than how Paul fought; it made it harder to find the blind spot to pin her.
But Michael had more experience with her new form. Using the same trick as she had with Paul, she used her speed and momentum in that up the wall, enabling her to spring over and behind the emperor smoothly and jump onto her back. Her weight taken by the woman's strength and balance but she slipped her legs around her tightly and crossed them tightly, her arm slipping around her neck but Michael hissed out in pain as she felt the woman's teeth sink into her flesh.
Her hand gripped at the side of the Emperor's head, then yanked—a low and dull sound of a rumbled cracks echoing before the head gave and parted from her shoulders but she kept a hold of Georgiou's head. The teeth slacked in mid-bite, as did Georgiou's form under her as they fell forwards with a heavy thunk.
It almost made her stomach twist on what she had done…. but her gut feeling told her that this was necessary. At least for Georgiou… the woman had been an Emperor. Dominating and un-submitting. She would not submit like Paul did, no matter how long she had piggy-backed her for…
Clearly the assessments made were right…if Georgiou didn't put up another fight.
Her fingers gently prised the woman's fangs from her flesh, letting her head drop to the floor as she pushed up her sleeves, exposing the new wounds in her arm
Two new, half-crescent scars lined her right forearm, lower down from the bite mark left from Paul. The scars were cracked into her skin but she could see the fluid building up and they stung like salt on a cut. It'd heal… but it's scar. It'd be cleat to anyone to know what they were and to a vampire, who they were from. The scent of the venom did linger….
Under her, Georgiou's form gave a shudder, a hand moving a fraction, her back arching too but she kept her pinned. Shaking off the pain. Michael grabbed the vampire's head, steadily lined it back to its rightful place before pushing it back. Immediately, Georgiou reacted. Her body convulsing, a series of angry hisses and a snarl of pain, bucking back to throw her off but she kept her grip on her head, holding her down from there.
"Emperor." Michael sighed, "You'll need to feed again. It'll help with the healing and new thirst. I'd recommend running a blood wash over the scars around your neck to help heal them up faster externally and escape any potential staring. But, if you fight or go for me again, I'll rip you head off again. Understand?"
The emperor's still continued to growl quietly but not out of hostility this time but more in annoyance. Carefully, Michael loosened her grip around her head; listening out in case Georgiou was playing her but she didn't move. Steadily, she got off her fully and stood back.
Georgiou's eyes wheeling to her with heavy depths of emotions in her black eyes. Anger being the most prominent one as she pushed herself up and dusted herself off, her hands though drifted to her throat, feeling over the fresh scars.
"You should have let me die."
Michael sighed but she wasn't too surprised… at least she was rational now. "I know you're mad at me, it may have merit—" she pointedly ignored the scoff of agreement "—but right now, that isn't the main concern for you right now."
"You kidnapped me to this world." Georgiou pressed, her arms coming to fold over her chest, her posture stiffening right up. Her irises remaining the same pitch black. "I had every right to stay on my ship… to die there as a human."
"I'm sorry, Philippa." This was genuine, allowing the emotion to seep into her voice, her gaze and posture.
Georgiou looked away, shaking her head before she darted over to her window to look out. Not saying anything. Michael though slowly moved towards her, a slow and human pace.
"I do understand that this is a lot to take in. But the federation is the best solution for us. I'm sure you've heard what Admiral Cornwell said earlier about our facility. Once we've washed through that, you can talk further on what you're future is."
Though, vampire and Terran, it was a very cautious and they couldn't yet think too far ahead when they had a few other problems first. Such was War and Klingons. Then the vampire aftermath would need to be addressed. Michael made a mental note to discuss that with Admiral Cornwell.
Georgiou didn't move, nor acknowledge her words.
Then suddenly, behind them, the doors opened. Immediately, they both turned to see Admiral Cornwell stride in, arms behind her back, red eyes watching the terran vampire with steady scrutiny. Georgiou stared back, her fangs sharpening again though her hands dropped from her chest, balled up and ready. There was a minor hint of a defensive ground from her but Michael stayed relaxed.
"Emperor Georgiou. I've been filled in much about you from this crew and the terran Empire as possible. Your word was Law. Here, we do things differently."
Georgiou's eyes remained fixed though nodded. "I can tell." The dryness to her tone unmistakeable.
"The existence of our kind has also changed some of the federation laws and we're still new in their eyes. As of the moment you woke, you're classed as a new-born vampire. You're attendance to the facility is mandatory as is Burnham's, given she turned you and will give you the necessary time to adjust to your new form and this world." Admiral Cornwell continued, going straight to informative with little emotion as she spoke. "Your presence is complicated—"
"Can't you send me back?" a demand hung in the back tones of the emperor's voice. "The solution is there."
"No. For many reasons. We can't." Cornwell signed. "Even if we could, we do not have the time or recourses and the fact you're a vampire now… it's too much of a risk to both our worlds if we release vampires into the Terran Empire. Commander Saru had already told us that Lorca's intend was to do just that." Cornwell's voice remained stern, "It only takes one bite or one us to get careless with our venom before things get out of control."
"I have already informed the Admiral that your placement here is without motive and you're entitled to political asylum due to the rebel uprising."
Georgiou scoffed. "Like I need your protection now, Burnham."
"The point still stands and it's been granted. But for now, as I'm sure you're already aware, we've got a cover ready for you. Break this cover to anyone unaware of your origins and you'll spend a decade or more in our facility. We're not risking the truth of your world to leave this ship. It will account to treason. I hope you understand that." From her pocket, she pulled out a PADD and held this out to the Emperor. "Read it. We'll get to Starbase One shortly."
Her attention moved softly back to Michael. "See to her comfort then come to the bridge. We'll need you there."
"Yes, Admiral." Though Michael felt a little relief at that. A break away from Georgiou… it'd allow them all to take a step back and breathe.
Katrina stared ahead to the view screen, a PADD in hand though it was a swelling relief to get closer and closer to their new destination. A relief to return and reorganise their assets now they had more to work with, the cloak breaker especially.
"Star base one within range, Admiral." Saru informed from his station.
She nodded softly, her lip curling up. "That's good to hear. Bryce, call ahead." It's be a sight for sore eyes. Finally. Though she could guess it'd be much more of a relief for the crew after their experiences. Something familiar.
The human male nodded, twirling on his chair to the screen. "This Is the USS discovery to Starbase One, requesting permission to start docking procedures."
There was a moment of quiet but with nothing coming back as sooner as expected, Katrina could feel the slight warning bells start to ring. She looked to Landry then to Burnham before rising to her feet.
"I'm sorry, sir I can't seem to get anything back… the comms seemed to be… in flux or jammed."
Her attention shifted as Saru's ganglia emerged. Warning bells rung. Something was wrong. They had to prepare for it….
"Red alert, Detmer, drop us out of warp into impulse."
Ahead, the screen changed from the warp bubble to the immediate sight of Starbase one. The station was flooded with at least half a dozen birds of prey and a flag ship, all firing on the station, 3 star ships were buzzing around, taking heavy fire.
"Battle stations, Detmer, follow the bird of prey tailing the Magee class ship."
Immediate action was suddenly among them, immediate setting course. Landry taking the tactical like it was second nature, firing on the ship. It only took a few shots before it was gone in a blaze.
"Three birds of prey locking weapons."
"Shields?"
"At maximum."
"Evasive manoeuvres, Alpha five four."
The ship steer around, cutting a diagonal that shot two of the Klingon shots just past their hull before they made the full turn.
"Launch Photon torpedoes, have it detonate behind the ships as they pass. They have more shields to their forwards than their aft. If it won't destroy them, it'll take out their warp." Katrina called out. The chance would be after that, they'd cloak….and be sitting ducks nonetheless; unaware they could still see them.
The ship shook, taking fire but nothing of her concern. Watching as the torpedoes were deployed before they shot forwards for the distance… then they blew.
Two of the tailing ships were damaged and were flung away from the blast, one too close was immediately burnt up and blew itself; sending debris everywhere.
"The other two ships are breaking away from their assault on the second and third ship to us. The flag ship is… not responding to the fight."
"Then assume it's out of the game. One of us must be on board." It seemed the logical conclusion. A flag ship would not just sit out of a fight unless it was dealing with an internal one. One vampire was proven enough and she knew there had been one here in her absence to handle anything to do with their facility and assessments of potential recruits.
"The status of our ships?"
"The… USS Ticonderoga and USS Sebrova are without warp and have crippling failures and are out the fight but the USS Bowman is assisting their defence now the attention is on us."
"Logical." They could handle themselves. "Pattern beta six three. Charge phasers and get ready to roll over."
It was a new field tactic for space combat but she knew, as unfamiliar as it was to Lieutenant Detmer, she could pull it off. But there was also the matter of hand of any Klingons on the base… but there were enough of them…
"Burnham, Stamets and Landry, get to the transporters and prepare to go to the base. Permission to kill the Klingon invaders."
"Admiral?"
"Once these are dealt with, we have to take the base back. Assume it's Klingon riddled." She didn't press for much further as they suddenly lurched around. She heard the vampires leave but didn't break her concentration.
The ships retaining its gravity so it only looked like everything else outside looked to be flipping around. Phaser firing hitting the birds of prey and another torpedo was launched at her order. Enough to scatter the two Klingon ships and send one into a blaze until the second fell into its cloak. Lasting only a further few shots before it too was destroyed.
"Deploy the vampires onto the base." She called through to transport. "Owosekun, how many Klingons are on the base?"
"Err… about 189, sir."
"Federation life signs?"
"About 59 thousand and dropping."
"Send forwards shuttles and worker bees to establish emergency force fields on main decks." It was necessary to preserve what was left, it'd allow access to other aspects of the base and other escape plans.
"Yes, Admiral."
"Detmer, bring us in closer."
The ship immediately lurched forwards at tops speeds.
"Vampires are on base, Admiral."
Katrina nodded. Good… but now was the waiting game….