By Nyassa Kaiba
Part Two- Voyager and BeyondNotes: I need help spelling the word Batleth. If anybody knows how I'd love to hear it.
Q: Too bad we don't have a Star Trek dictionary/who's who.
We'll just have to do without.
Chapter 11- FeralaeThat evening, shortly before dinner we dropped out of warp at the edge of the Bajoran System. I stood next to what Cassie had taken to calling, "The three chairs" and watched as the communiqué came in from the Defiant. "Welcome to the Bajoran System Captain." Sisko said with a smile.
"Thank you for welcoming us captain." Said Picard with a small, slight smile.
"So far there's no sign of trouble, but you told us that Q was on the prowl. I think we should be on our guard." Sisko told the older man.
"I agree. Proceed at warp…."
The shockwave resounded through the nearby space and hit the Enterprise with a BOOM! "What the hell?" Riker demanded.
Data's fingers flew over his controls. "Captain, a Transwarp conduit is opening at 5,000 kilometers away from the ship."
"Get us out of the way!" Picard shouted. Then, thoughtfully, "It doesn't seem like the Borg."
"It's not! LOOK!" Deanna pointed. Her hands flew to her mouth as a ship emerged from the opening, careening out of control. A bullet shaped saucer, two nacelles, it was a Federation ship!
"They're out of control captain." Data warned.
"Use a tractor beam to catch them. Is there anybody alive on that ship?" Picard asked. He and Sisko had cut off visual.
"Allow me to help." Sisko agreed via audio.
Two tractor beams reached out and caught the tiny ship. "Can you identify it?" Picard asked.
Data tapped at his console. "According to the registration number… captain you're not going to believe this. It's Voyager."
"Captain, remember when Q said awhile back that he had business in the Delta Quadrant? Do you think he was setting this up?" I asked.
"I'm almost sure of it."
"For once the bugger did something useful." Riker said with a grin.
"It would seem like everyone is alive." Data commented from his console. "However, there are fifty non-humanoid lifesigns."
Deanna's eyes fluttered closed as she reached out to the ship. "Captain, there's something malevolent loose on that ship. I'm not sure what, but it certainly means their crew harm."
"Hail them." Picard ordered.
"They are not responding to the hail." Data commented.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Cassie shook her head.
"Shall we send an away team?" Asked Worf.
"I'll go." I commented.
"Try hailing again." Picard told them.
"No response." Data said calmly. "It is as if they were jammed."
"We need to send somebody over there." Worf warned. "Captain, I'll gladly lead an away team."
"Captain let us do it." I said, speaking up. "Voyager made a ton of enemies in the Delta Quadrant. One of them might have attacked the ship just before it went into Transwarp. Our morphing power will heal any injury we get in battle."
Captain Picard thought for a moment. "I think I will send you, and the other Animorphs. After that we'll wait fifteen minutes and then send Worf, Data, Riker and Dr. Crusher over as an away team."
I nodded. "I'll call the others together."
About fifteen minutes later the other Animorphs and I gathered in Transporter room 2. "You realize that this is insane right?" Marco asked.
"Yes, this is perfectly insane." I replied patiently.
"I mean, this whole adventure is insane." Marco stated as he slipped off his boots. "We're stuck in the Star Trek Universe. We've spent four days living on the Enterprise. We're on our way to Bajor for a few weeks while Spock and Captain Picard mediate a conflict between two species that should never leave a TV and now we're going on an away mission to the Voyager, which isn't responding to our hails and might have been captured by unknown alien monsters."
"Marco, just quit complaining." I said as we stepped onto the transporter pad. "I know it's insane, but it's right in front of us, it has to be done, and we're going to do it. Because if we don't clear the way the Away Team may end up seriously injured or dead."
"WE might end up seriously injured or dead." Marco pointed out.
"You think I haven't thought of that? But our morphing powers can heal our own injuries, while an injury to one of the crew would mean that they'd have to be hauled back to sickbay." I explained as our first wave of attack stepped onto the transporter pad.
The beam picked up the first five of us, me, Marco, Jake, Cassie and Ax. The room faded out around us and we were on Voyager's bridge. About five seconds later James, Craig, Erika and Alloran appeared behind us. I took another five seconds to survey the scene.
Voyager's bridge crew was hemmed in by a forcefield. At their stations instead was a monster that reminded me somewhat of a hork bajir, and somewhat of an alien from the Alien movies. "You are unwanted." Said the leader of the monsters. "Leave, now."
"Well excuse me Mr. Monster, but Captain Picard sent us over to find out why Voyager isn't responding to our hails. So you'll excuse us if we don't pack up and leave." I said, walking over to the monster and raising mychin belligerently.
The monster laughed. "Get out of here!" Said a woman in command red that I guessed was Captain Janeway. "They'll kill you! Their claws are poisonous!"
The creature jabbed out with a claw, aiming for my face. The claw stopped an inch from my face, a feint. "You are brave." The enemy stated. "But I shall not be deviated."
"Your funeral." I said with an almost malicious smirk. "Of course, if I were you, I'd just leave, NOW." I emphasized the now.
The monster jabbed at me, this one meant to kill. I ducked to the side. He threw another punch, I ducked to the other side. This pattern kept going like some kind of obscene dance around the bridge. Each blow that he threw and that I dodged was faster than the human eye could track. He growled in frustration.
Finally, we were back where we started. I was starting to get annoyed. I said calmly to Mr. Monster. "I'll give you thirty seconds before we tear you apart." I said calmly. "Ax, keep track of the time, starting… now. Meanwhile, everybody morph and be ready to fight." I threw my cape to the ground with a swishing noise and stepped out of my boots. Then I closed my eyes and focused on my favorite battle morph.
"She's thrown down the gauntlet." Marco said, rolling his eyes. "Feralae, could you be any more dramatic?"
I laughed. The white lion known as Leroy Brown to the Garden's staff had been my battle companion, as well as my symbol, for years. I felt the morph take hold. I controlled the process, head, arm, arm, body, leg, leg, tail. I morphed faster than any of the others, except for Cassie.
Ten seconds left. Ax stated.
I looked behind me at the others. Cassie had become a snarling wolf. Jake was a massive tiger, three hundred fifty pounds of striped, clawed, fanged death. Marco finished off morphing his gorilla, with massive fists as big as whole hams. Ax had remained Ax, and Alloran was Alloran. Their Andilite speed, tailblade, and ability to see in all directions made them formidable enough. James was also a lion, just not a white one. His golden mane was streaked through with black and dark brown, he yawned, as if bored, but the yawn was calculated to expose the huge fangs and sharp claws of a lion. Craig snarled, his love of speed tactics had prompted him to choose a cheetah morph. Erika, with all her love of mystery, usually alternated between an andilite, a hork bajir, and a sleek black panther. In this case, she was a panther, suave, black and deadly, with cold, green, slitted eyes. We were over a ton of muscle and claw and teeth and blade, and we were ready to rumble, nine of the deadliest animals ever to walk on good old Terra Mater.
The thirty seconds have elapsed Ax stated.
Do you still wish to fight? I asked them.
"GET THEM!" The leader growled. I leapt forward, claws and teeth bared, with a roar that made the deck shudder. Suddenly the creature winked out. Less than a second later I felt a punch hit my shoulder like a sledgehammer. I flew across the deck and slammed into the captain's chair.
I used the momentum to bounce off the bulkhead and leap at the creature, which had just become visible. That was when I realized that the captain was calling to us. "They're called Species 8472! Their claws rot wounds! Don't let them cut you! They can turn invisible! LOOK OUT!" She cried as the creature turned invisible again.
I leapt upward. Let me tell you, lions can leap up to 40 feet in any direction. In training during the war I had taken a couple hours to practice and measure. Good old Leroy Brown, my best morph, could leap fifty. I landed on the back of the leader and began clawing at his neck. His body was armored, with leathery skin very much like a hork bajir. But there was a weak point at the neck. The bones were weak. The leader thrashed, but I had my grip.
One of the best tactics when in a big cat morph was to try and break the opponents trachea. That kept them from breathing and they suffocated. I growled, sinking my teeth into his neck and shaking my head. The leader hardly seemed affected. He reached up, grabbed me, and swung me away, flying into the bulkhead at the opposite end of the bridge, just beneath the view screen. "That won't work." The leader of Species 8472 told me smugly. "We don't need air the way you do. We can survive without air, even in the blackness of space."
Now he tells me. The creature turned fully and leapt forward. The slash and the pain from it hissed from left to right across my chest. FERALAE! Cassie cried. She ducked the next blow with all the speed of the wolf.
I had to demorph. The wound was rotting my insides. I used the last of my strength to leap under the divider between the upper and lower halves of the bridge and demorphed. The creature stuck his claws underneath, trying to cut me in my normal form. The poison was gone, but my head was hammering. I growled, snatching at the claw and yanking on him. The creature hit his head on the panel and in that instant I focused on the one thing that could save my life. I focused on acquiring the DNA of my enemy, of Species 8472. I'd practice later, but right then I needed my next best morph. I focused with all my might on a single image. The image of an andilite. I crawled out from under the center panel.
The leader of the 8472 was staggering from hitting his head on the panel above my hiding place. I planted a kick in his gut. He got his bearings and tried to slash at me. But andilite instinct kicked in. I jerked out of the way of the blow. He fired another slash. I ducked. The two of us looked like something out of a Dragon Ball Z cartoon, a blur of fists and claws.
But my hands were sprouting fingers and my arms becoming weak. My feet were becoming hooves and a new pair of legs sprouted from my chest. I was turning blue all over. SPLOOT! Stalk eyes emerged, allowing me to see and focus on the entire battle. Lastly, the tail appeared, the blade was enormous. My andilite morph was based on the DNA from Ax, Alloran, Ax's girlfriend Estrid, Ax's little sister Ezimili, the chronically ill, but incredibly powerfully built Gafinilon, and the Vecol Mertil. I had Gafinilon's muscles and tail blade. Estrid's speed and grace. Ezimili's long eye stalks, and Ax's good looks. The rest was internal, three hearts instead of one, bigger lungs, stronger muscles. I was in the form of my ancestors. I would do them honor in this battle.
Cassie look out! I cried. Craig behind you! Jake! Duck left, duck left now!
Craig and Cassie were in real trouble. Both of their morphs relied on biting, and Species 8472 seemed especially immune to that. Slashing or muscles seemed to be the better move. As I watched, Marco fired a punch and one of the monsters went down with a BOOM! You guys, fall back and cover Cassie and Craig while they morph. Craig, go Hork Bajir. Cassie Polar bear. Do it!
They remorphed and Alloran ducked to one of the control panels I am putting up the shields. I don't think the away team should beam down into the middle of this.
I don't think they should either. I told Alloran.
My opponent came after me again. I smirked evilly. You die, here and now. I told him.
"No, you will die." He slashed out at my shoulder. The wound screamed with pain, another blow, to my right front leg. I slashed at him. FWAP FWAP FWAP! I hit a slashing blow to his arm, neck and the top of his head.
The leader fell, his body in pieces, literally. I limped back to the control panel. I focused bleary eyes on the panel. When I release you, you will go and hide in the conference room of your ship. You will not come out until Jake or I sound the all clear.
"We don't run and hide from a battle." The Captain said, lifting her chin proudly.
Suit yourself. I said as the forcefield came down.
The other crewmen and women ran for their phasers. I staggered. The captain herself caught me. "You're hurt badly. We can help you."
Gotta demorph. I muttered. That will heal my wounds totally, and drain the poison from my body. I focused, holding the image as long as I could. The morphing technology took hold until I fell too my knees on the deck. This was embarrassing. My first mission as the leader and I end up the first one out.
Cassie ducked in next to us. I'm here koi.
Thank you. I whispered. I was weak, and I was alive, but I was human, as human as a part Andilite could be at least.
I leaned back against the bulkhead as my head swam. Captain Janeway clicked her communicator. "Doctor we've got injuries up here. Bring your medkit and some of that nanite antibody!"
"On my way Captain. I just hope I don't run into any 8472." Came the reply.
"I can manage." I said as I tried to stand.
"No, I don't think you can. Stay down." Said the captain. "Tuvok, prepare security teams to go down."
"Alloran, lower the shields to let the away team in." I told him.
Yes Feralae. Alloran moved to the control panel. Enterprise, this is Alloran, can you hear me? Enterprise come in. Enterprise!
"No good." Marco said as he bent over the communications panel. "Somebody's still blocking our communications."
A woman with the facial ridges of a klingon shook her head. "They took over engineering. They must be blocking us from there." She wore the mustard colored uniform of an engineer.
I sighed, rubbing my aching head. I felt like I'd gotten a hangover, only my arms and legs ached as well. "Maybe you can tell us what happened." I said, looking up at the captain.
"We were trying to slip into the Borg's transwarp conduits without being noticed. Species 8472 found us and sent aboard about fifty of their numbers. They imprisoned all of my senior and bridge crew behind that forcefield you saw. They made it out of some kind of portable unit." The captain explained.
I looked up at Jake. "That's eleven for each of us to take down."
He nodded. "I can count."
"I could really use your advice right now." I told him, pointedly.
"My advice is fight the best you can, team up with the locals, and hope that we make it out of this alive." Jake told me.
"Thank you for stating the obvious, LEADER." I placed an angry emphasis on the word.
"You're welcome, LEADER." Jake said pointedly. "Feralae you need to learn how to handle authority, and right now even I don't have a solution."
"Great." I growled. "Better and better."
The door to the turbolift opened. "Captain." An EMH came through, with an odd device on his shoulder. "I just barely made it. There were three of them after me. I could have sworn that they'd posted themselves just outside of sickbay."
She nodded. "Glad you could make it doctor."
"I'm fine." I complained. "I just have a headache. Morphing technology heals wounds and drains poisons from its user."
The EMH wasn't impressed. He crouched down in front of me and scanned. "There are trace elements of the poison from Species 8472 in your blood. I'd suggest that you rest." He turned to the captain and the two of them were about to talk when the transporter beams from two away teams arrived. From the Enterprise came Riker, Dr. Crusher, Worf and Data. From the Defiant came Kira, Dr. Bashir and Odo.
"Is everybody alright?" Riker was the first to speak.
"Mostly." The Captain replied. "I'm Captain Janeway of Voyager."
Introductions were made all around. I made note of who was who on Janeway's crew, since I already knew the others. The EMH that had tended me was referred to simply as The Doctor. His assistant was the 'humanized' borg named Seven of Nine. The Security Chief was a Vulcan named Tuvok. The first officer was a former Maquis named Chakotay. In charge of engineering was the Klingon I had noticed earlier named B'Elanna. The pilot was a charming, impudent man named Tom Paris. There also were Ensign Harry Kim and a member of a species called the Talaxians named Nelix. Together the eight of them had managed to guide the ship through the Delta Quadrant, to the point where they'd entered the Transwarp Conduit, evaded the Borg, and had their ship hijacked by Species 8472.
Meanwhile, the Doctor was preparing some kind of injection. "Whatcha got there?" Asked Dr. Bashir.
"The only antidote that we know for the poison from Species 8472 is a specially created variation on Borg Nanites," Explained the Doctor. "They act almost as antibodies would for a fever, filtering out and destroying the poison. Our version eventually filters out of the body without causing any harm. Seven and I programmed them. They're quite useful. I'm preparing a light dose."
"Shouldn't cause a problem with the morphing technology." I muttered, going over my father's equations in my head. No, because the capsules that held the DNA for morphing were almost nanites in themselves, simple microscopic capsules that divided in the bloodstream like actual cells, created from the food that the morpher eats.
"The what?" The doctor asked.
"You weren't up here." I told him with a soft smile. "Morphing technology was created by my Andilite father, Escafil. He was trapped on Earth in a human form later. The Technology enables its user to acquire the DNA of any animal they can gain access to and then morph that animal for two hours. The DNA is encapsulated in the blood steam. After two hours though, I'd be trapped."
"I made the mistake of sedating her in mid morph." Dr. Bashir said with a chuckle. "She told me that if that ever happened again to…"
"Hunt down a nice, big ass syringe of adrenaline and jab it into me." I finished. "Because the most important thing was to get me out of the morph."
The Doctor snorted. He held out the hypospray and pressed it to my neck. After about thirty seconds the pain in my head and muscles eased. "Thanks. Now, let's take the plunge and see how those nanites affect my powers." I said and closed my eyes, focusing on my favorite bird of prey morph, the Harris Hawk.
As my arms stretched into wings and my head shrank, (followed by the rest of me) I felt no pain. That was a sign as to how well made they were. Whatever these Nanites were, they were small enough to be morphed with no problem. I demorphed. "No problems. Doctor how soon can I get up? There's a battle to be fought."
"As soon as your headache goes away." He told me. "But go easy on it."
Data was clattering away at the keyboard. "I am trying to get through the communications block. So far no success, this Species 8472 is blocking me out from Engineering."
"Keep trying Data." Riker told him.
May I help? Alloran asked.
"Certainly." Data moved aside.
I believe that if we adjust this code by a margin of 1.27684 times we should be able to override. Alloran said as he typed.
The computer bleeped. It is not accepting the program that I fed it.
Odo, Tuvok and Worf were discussing tactics. Worf had brought his batleth with him. "Whatever happens we will have to take the ship back deck by deck." Worf was saying.
"That will be difficult without back up." Odo said with a sigh. "We won't be able to call on reinforcements from the station or the Enterprise."
I walked over to where the other Animorphs were clustered. "Okay, I made a major observation about how these creatures fight, and I've found that morphs that rely on biting are too weak. That means that wolves and cheetahs are out. But I think that anything with blades, claws or fists might be able to do major damage. Don't do birds of prey, they're useless here." I noticed Captain Janeway making her way over to us. "I think I'd recommend Morphs like the Gorilla or the Polar Bear or the Cape Buffalo for their sheer smashing power. Hork Bajir and Andilite Morphs would be useful as well. Their speed and blades make them ideal for serious hacking. I don't think we have the time to experiment with poison morphs like scorpions or snakes."
"More's the pity, since poisonous snakes are even faster than either Andilites or Garatron." Craig supplied.
"It wouldn't work anyway." Janeway put in. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Species 8472 is immune to most poisons."
"Do we have to keep calling them that?" Asked Cassie. "It seems obscene to me to refer to a species by a number."
"That's what the Borg call them." Seven put in. "And we never got the chance to be polite and ask."
I sighed. "We don't have time to fight over this. I also noticed that Big Cat morphs have a slight disadvantage because they rely both on claws and on teeth for their fighting."
"But Big Cat morphs are the bread and butter of our tactics." Complained Erika. "And if we want to try not to repeat morphs…"
"I know, we're at a tactical disadvantage." I told them. "Listen, I acquired one of them. We could try using me as bait while the others lie in wait in the Jeffries Tubes or something."
"YOU DID WHAT?" Demanded Marco. "ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?"
"Language Marco." Cassie chided.
"I know, but that's crazy talk." Marco stated. "We have no idea what those creatures base instincts are. What if they're instinctively walking killing machines?"
"Okay, what else could we do?" I asked.
"We could try the Howler Morph." Jake commented. "I have one."
"I haven't forgotten Jake. But what if that Howl gets loose?"
"It won't. Remember, I've already practiced with the Howler morph."
"What do you mean, that howl?" Janeway asked.
Howlers are named for the howling noise they make, a noise so deafening that it causes a cranial hemmorhage, for lack of a better term. Ax explained. In the confines of a space ship, the effects would be devastating, perhaps even cause equipment failure. Only one morpher has ever used a howler morph. And that was in open air. Jake never howled the entire time he was morphed. Ax explained.
"Captain. We're armed and ready." Tuvok said as he came over. In the meantime he had armed the other crewmen. The away team members were already armed.
"I think we should try to abandon big cats." I finished off. "For now at least. Get creative." I told them.
"I think I will use the howler." Jake agreed. "With your permission Captain." He said with a nod.
"Do it." She said as she accepted a phaser rifle from Tuvok.
"Right!" She said, getting the others attention. "I'm going to put you in pairs. One morpher, for each group of crewman. Three groups at a time will enter the turbo lifts and begin their assault. As we pass crew quarters we'll open them. I want Dr. Crusher, Dr. Bashir and the Doctor to be escorted by Tuvok to sickbay. If anybody with you gets hurt, go there. Crusher, Bashir, the Doctor knows how to replicate and prepare the necessary nanites. Follow his example and you won't have a problem doing it. Tuvok, you and your partner are to then make your way to Engineering any way you can. Once the other teams are finished with their assignments make your way to Engineering to back him up. Nelix, I want you to stay here and let me know if Species 8472 tries to retake the bridge." Janeway tossed him a phaser rifle.
To my surprise Janeway wanted me in her group with Seven. Jake, Riker, Marco and Data were in the wave with me. Captain Janeway gave us orders about where to go. Marco and Data were to try and get into Engineering. Jake and Riker were to try and clear the way to Cargo Bay 2 so that Seven could regenerate in an emergency. The Decks we were to clear were chosen at random so that "They" couldn't predict where we would hit next, Janeway explained as we prepared to Morph. I focused on my Andilite form again.
"Jake how come you're not morphing?" I asked.
"I'm going Rhino." Jake explained. "And that's too big to fit in the turbolift. Riker, when I'm morphed you're going to have to guide me. Rhinos can't see that well."
"Inquiry, where did you acquire a rhinocerous morph?" Data asked. "On Earth they are nearly extinct. There are only one hundred fifty eight White Rhinoceroses left. All other species of Rhinoceroses including Javan, black and Indian are extinct."
"The Gardens." Jake explained. "In our universe they AREN'T extinct, and the Gardens had some. So Rhino is the morph I use when I want to do some serious bashing."
"OTHER UNIVERSE?" Janeway and Seven demanded at once.
"It's a long story Captain." I said with a chuckle.
"Correction, it's a long INSANE story." Marco said with a laugh.
"Is that your favorite word?" I asked, laughing.
"Yes, it is, insane, insane, insane." Marco said with a mock growl.
"Be careful what you say Marco." I grinned. "Remember the movie? Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice."
"I have no idea what you just said." Riker rolled his eyes.
"A very old movie." Janeway explained. "Tom had us all sit down and watch it one day."
"Your pilot?" Riker asked.
"He likes twentieth century culture." Janeway explained. "Including monster movies. But tell me Feralae, is your universe anything like ours?"
"Naw, it's mostly like yours, but we had First Contact earlier, and it was WAY more violent for us. It's a looooong story, but instead of going to the stars in an experimental aircraft we had to fight a war." I explained. "And we, the Animorphs, were the soldiers. A few years later we had to leave Earth to try and rescue Ax, I was about twenty-two by then. And whatever brought us here shrank us all to the age we were when we started fighting."
"This is our stop." Jake said as the Turbolift opened. He was already starting to morph. "See you later."
We were silent the rest of the ride, but I could tell that Janeway had questions. They'd have to wait until after the battle though. This was SO not the time. The door opened again. "Don't get killed." I told Marco as he left.
Believe me, I don't intend on getting killed. Marco agreed, as he finished morphing Gorilla
I began morphing to Andilite. I noticed Seven watching with interest. "What species is that?"
Andilite I said taking a deep breath with the Andilite nose as my mouth melted away.
We had thirty seconds until the lift would open. The morph ended and I clicked the button on my wrist chrono. The lift opened, and I prepared myself for the battle. If we die. I said in a chilly tone. We die in the service of the people, defending freedom.
And I stepped out, preparing to die.