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Nyota's world was pain as she struggled to sit up, wheezing as she tried to take in a breath. She clambered gingerly to her feet and grabbed her phaser from the cold metal floor. Drones began surrounding her and she fired quickly, struggling to breathe. She could hear oncoming phaser fire as her team approached. She kept up a steady flow of phaser fire, watching as a few more drones disintegrated. She trotted to the middle of the section, continually blasting, noticing that the queen had already begun losing control of some of the drones. A few of them were no longer resisting. Some were walking as if they were disoriented.

Nyota continued rushing down the sector, blasting the many that still resisted as she came abreast of her team. Spock was tapping in a code into a console, hurriedly trying to disengage any weapons on the vessel as the nanites deconstructed or destroyed all the security barriers.

Nyota could hear the screams of the queen as she continued to lose control. It was a dark, deep, symphonic yell, a multi-voiced cacophony of anger. Suddenly, Nyota noticed that though some were not resisting, many were still beneath the queen's control and they were becoming more aggressive.

"Commander!," Nyota yelled, "Hurry!"

Spock turned, "I am working as efficiently as possible Captain," he replied and his fingers flew across the console as he continued to tap in a series of codes.

Nyota continued to back Spock, making sure he had the necessary time to disable their weapons.

"Now would be a good time to be done," she told him and blasted away a drone, barely missing getting hit with a sonic blast.

He nodded and continued to shut down power to their main weapons array. Part of the sector darkened and many terminals lost power.

He turned smoothly and he nodded to Nyota. "It is done."

Her team had made their way back to her section, many of the ensigns and security personnel were firing rapidly at the drones, trying to fight a path back to the upper deck. Nyota spotted Dimitri as he blasted several drones and kicked and punched a few more. They all made their way to the upper landing and quickly climbed up, disposing of the drones that blocked their access.

They pushed past a resistance line that included higher level drones. These drones were tougher and harder to fight. However, Nyota shot a few in the chest area and noticed they were effectively disabled as they stumbled, fell and were unable to move. "Aim for the chest!!," she yelled, "Move it people! GO!"

As they struggled past aggressive drones, Nyota heard the sound of the modules being activated. The ship was flooded in red and a countdown began.

"Damnit!," she heard herself curse and Spock raised a brow as he trotted beside her. "She activated a self-destruct mechanism! MOVE PEOPLE! MOVE!!!"

She and her team feverishly doubled their efforts as they fought to get to their original positions for beam up. Yet, they faced a strong line of resistance and many of the drones were still attacking.

They managed to push back the drones that were firing. She noticed they were slowing down, and her team ruthlessly pushed ahead, disintegrating any drones that stood between them and the platform.

Nyota looked back and could see that most of her team, including Dimitri, had followed behind her, assuring them of safe passage as they flanked their backs. Nyota noted that many of the others were not far behind.

They continued make their way to their original beam locations, the countdown winding down to a mere two minutes and 15 seconds. She pushed herself, legs pumping, body heaving toward the platform all the while screaming for everyone to move. She felt a hard pain at her side, stumbled, nearly fell and righted herself. She turned and saw a drone had unloaded a hit. She fired back and continued running, adrenaline masking her pain.

The countdown was continuing to wind down and Nyota was still screaming for everyone to get to the platform. She turned briefly; her eyes were searching for Dimitri. She saw him and a few ensigns holding off a group of higher level drones, hastily diverting the drones' sonic blasts.

Her communicator chirped. It was Chekov.

"I have to beam up now! Secure your location!" he yelled and she watched as Dimitri and the others disabled the drones, effectively disintegrating them before running towards the platform. He was running hard, legs like pistons, followed by the rest of the team. He stopped momentarily to help up a team member that had fallen, and Nyota yelled for them to hurry.

Nyota watched Dimitri as he came toward the platform, pushing the others to run faster, and helping any straggling team members. She was finally flanked by both Dimitri and Spock as they secured their original positions. The self-destruct countdown was loud in her ears, and she watched as several drones attempted to capture them. But it was too late. Chekov had begun energizing and they were beamed aboard the Enterprise just as the cube began to self destruct.

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It was over. Nyota breathed a sigh of relief as the transporter room began to form around her. She turned to see Spock looking at her, noting that his face held an unusual expression of concern. Dimitri was reaching out to her and she looked down at her side.

There was so much blood. Her uniform was soaked with it. She stared at it, aghast. She then wavered and fell to her knees. Dimitri was yelling for medical personnel and Spock had encircled her in his arms, catching her as she fell forward. Darkness threatened to overtake her and the last image she saw was of both Spock and Dimitri peering down at her, their eyes filled with fear.

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