Episode 2 - Midnight Train

Part 3 - Payin' anything to roll the dice & Introduction - Measure of Prax

Stardate: 96884.8

Dawn Treader was stranded in the Dark Expanse, in the eye of an ion storm, among the ships of what seemed to be a dormant, or hopefull dead, Scourge fleet. Skeletal ships, small and large, capital ships which the 26th Fleet had encountered only a few times before. There was something eerie about it.

Captain MacAuliffe had called a meeting. The conference room on Deck 1 had simply been too small for all the participants, all of them wishing to say something. Captain MacAuliffe; Commanders Farah, Wilson, Christoph and Sheridan; MACO officers led by Commander R'Rwo; Doctor Aelae; Crusader Ariel of the Illuminate Matriarchy, one of the native Outback polities; Yorkin, Lieutenants T'Val and Fortune. They were cornered there, in the middle of Dark Expanse, with the ship's central computer compromised and power at minimum.

MacAuliffe turned to Christoph, nodding. "When did you sneak onboard, Armande?"

"That may have been my doing, Captain.", Wilson quickly interceded. "He was with one of the teams that came with me."

"Haven't seen you since the new Destiny was commissioned.", MacAuliffe continued undeterred.

Christoph nodded back, letting out one of his well-known charming smiles. "Aye. It has been some time. Were it under better circumstances, I may be buying a round... Alas we seem to have more pressing issues.

"Just remember, T'Val is the Chief Engineer on this ship.", MacAuliffe said.

"Considering ze scenery outside and the situation inside…", Aelae commented, looking through the window. "Yes, I believe zet is certainly an accurate assessment, Armande." She slightly pulled the chair back, sliding into it and tucking herself in with a certain elegance, as far as Yorkin could observe. Or wishfully think.

"Alright, people.", MacAuliffe said in higher intonation. "As you see behind me, we are in a bit of a pickle. Chief.", he turned to T'Val. "What's the status of the ship?"

T'Val gazed over the people present, before setting her sight on her captain. The shock in the Main Engineering was still fresh, and it took her a while longer to focus. She cleared her throat. "I have reason to believe that the ship's main computer has been tampered with a Scourge computer virus. At this time, I do not recommend we attempt to restart the main computer."

Reactions were various. As always, Aelae simply knitted her fingers, resting her on the table. Christoph tapped lightly against the armrest, and Prax had been rubbing her temples, still thinking of the engineering nightmare she had constructed. Under normal circumstances, Christoph, MacAuliffe or T'Val might have scolded her over it.

Wilson was sipping his tea. It was a bad substitute for his beloved cigars. Sheridan was focused on the PADD before her.

Farah was the first to speak. "The computer shut itself down and engaged safety lockouts?"

"That or Dawn did that herself and is currently the only thing preventing the Scourge from hijacking the ship. Either way, we need to consider the possibility they know more about us than we want them to, right down to technical specifications, tactics, even personnel records."

"Told ya…", Prax said nonchalantly.

T'Val's eyes twitched at Prax. "I am not finished yet." She cleared her throat again. "Our way forward may be in bypassing the ODN network manually, and setting up local controls at key systems. It won't be as fluid as normal automation, but we'd be able to fire torpedoes, prioritize targets for the phasers banks, and have passive control of sensors. Nothing active, as the degree of automation is too integrated for modern sensor clusters."

"How long, Chief?"

T'Val massaged a rather unsightly bruise on her forehead. "I estimate roughly 16 hours. Keep in mind, we're still repairing the damage that the Scourge already inflicted on us. Worst case scenario, we park a few shuttles near some airlocks, and hard-wire the main controls into them. After disconnecting them from the ODN, of course."

"Engines top priority, then weapons and comms.", MacAuliffe ordered briefly. "And I can help you while Christoph and Prax with the containment unit."

T'Val shook her head. "Sir, please do not make me put my foot down as Chief Engineer. Your priority is still the ship.", she said in a scolding tone. "Respectfully, sir."

Knowing it would be pointless to discuss otherwise against a fellow engineer, MacAuliffe nodded and then turned to the rest of the present company. "That brings us to the main question. The ships outside... We still need a sample of the Scourge."

"After all we've been through so far, it would really be a waste of resources not to obtain one.", Yorkin stated as plainly as he could. He closed his eyes for a moment. No matter how hard he tried, he could swear Vincennes' explosion was still irritating his retina.

"Captain…", Christoph began. "We have the means to contain a sample, but I would prefer to be near the device when it is procured."

"It would be good if he was with us.", Prax said.

MacAuliffe was looking across the room, each officer individually. Some of them had been here as long as he was, some were just fresh arrivals, like Yorkin. He wasn't much of an emotion expressive person, most likely due to his former Vulcan commanding officer, but he could swear a thump when his heart sank. Or was just his shoes, tapping against the floor. "I know it's not the best situation to be getting one, but no situation is. We went into this last fight to get the sample, and we lost five hundred souls on the Vincennes for just the chance.", he said with a clear and determined voice. "I'm ordering an away team to be assembled."

There was another flash in the grim, indigo storm outside, as the jagged shapes of derelicts lit up again in the night.

"Can we use the transporters?", Farah asked.

"That might be a little difficult. We would need to set up local control, and that will take time, especially the sensors.", T'Val jumped in.

"Noted, Lieutenant.", MacAuliffe nodded and then turned to the Caitian. "Commander Kasserret, I want your MACOs on the mission just in case things do go south."

The Caitian pulled his eyes away from the maelstrom outside, his haunted look fading immediately as he heard his name. "Affirmative, Captain."

"Commander Wilson, I would like you and your Hazard Teams to stay onboard. We still have a risk of incursions. Mr. Sinderion, I hope you have acquainted yourself with our helm by now. We will need a quick flight out of here."

"Of course, Captain. I'll be ready.", Yorkin nodded to MacAuliffe, who then turned to Farah again. For a moment, Yorkin thought he caught a glimpse of unusually uncomfortable reluctance on the Captain's face.

"Saadia… you will be the leader of the mission.", MacAuliffe said in one breath, as if breathing would change his mind. "A final order. Get back here alive. Dismissed."

Runabout Tolkien was packed with people. Not even a needle would fit in there, especially with all those voluminous MACO armors. Commander Farah sat at the helm and launched the shuttle from the bay. Commander R'Rwo and two MACOs, Zandra Tumin and Lexia Sirjanna, were re-checking their equipment, more their own sense of security, rather than the actual need. Dr. Aelae gently tapped Caitian's bulky armour that saved her and Zandra at OB-501 only a month earlier.

Prax turned to R'Rwo with an apologetic expression on her face. "Kass, I want you to know... This sample... it will be my goal to give you something really solid to use against these things."

The Caitian dipped his helmet in a nod. "And we will do what we need to get you that chance."

As he replied, Dr. Aelae gently knocked on his armour. "Lovely to see zat you are a walking brick again."

"Alright, everyone get comfortable... as much as circumstances allow.", Farah said. The runabout's deck hummed a little, as Saadia eased it off the deck. After just a few seconds, it left the confines of the Dawn Treader's main launch bay and banked around toward the roiling dark matter clouds. The dormant Scourge fleet loomed in the distance, and the runabout layed in a course with the largest of them.

Commander Sheridan gazed off from the console to Farah. "There does seem to be a docking port down the ship's length… I think. Try the dorsal thingy." Farah was less than happy with the given estimation.

The Scourge ship was growing uncomfortably closer. It was easily ten times the size of those the Dawn Treader had previously encountered. At least ten kilometres long, its sides were raked by massive neutronium ribs that fanned down from an imposing spinal section that ran the full length of the ship, from its huge, weapon-covered prow, to the array of engines at the rear. It was hideous.

"We should've brought a bigger weapon.", Sirjanna commented.

"We aren't here for the ship, just something inside.", R'Rwo stated firmly.

"It still would not have hurt to have had a bigger weapon handy.", Aelae supported Sirjanna's idea.

Lieutenant Fortune, a former Borg drone, shook her head. "The asymmetry is going to kill me."

Farah angled in on the sensor feed given to her by Sheridan, and engaged the runabout's flood lights, illuminating the dull grey-black surface of the ship. The metal reflected very little light, but she found the airlock. It was large, and looked to be more of an auxiliary point - its purpose unclear. "That will do."

The shuttlecraft rolled as Farah inverted it. The ceiling became the floor, space-wise. The Tolkien eased down, and there was a soft thump as it connected with the Scourge ship's hull.

The interior of the Scourge ship was unnerving. The air was thick with the taste of metallic substances. The smell of unnatural oils and substances works into the noses of the away team. It's dark, grim, with no sign of life.

"Cover the portals! Prax will let us know which way to proceed when she gets her bearings.", R'Rwo ordered.

Prax looked around, switching between the gaze on her surroundings and her tricorder. She pointed with her index finger. "These power conduits in the walls. They should get us closer to a processing area." she explained. "You can see the power junctions get bigger as we get closer."

"All clear.", Sirjanna reported.

Farah shone the flashlight attachment of her rifle up to the ceiling, illuminating a massive, cavernous extension as if Up was Down. It was filled with full size Scourge war units. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them.

"Still in ze dormant state, hopefully.", Aelae spoke under breath.

Farah lowered her rifle back in front of her. "Let's keep moving. R'Rwo, get Prax to the incubation chambers!"

"Hoping those are not babies.", R'Rwo said, still looking at the units.

"They are not babies.", Sheridan reassured him. Or perhaps, herself.

They proceeded forward down the unusual corridor, turning a few time. The corridor was clean in design, with lots of conduits, exceptionally clean welds and joins, Indeed, there were no visible joins at all. It was almost like it was a single piece until reaching a door.

"Look at the conduits converging here… and that smell, organic processing for sure.", Prax explained to nobody in particular.

"At least we know zere are doors. Though why would something like Scourge require them? Containment? Pressurisation in case of breaches?", Aelae pondered.

Prax approached a console designed for large clawed hands. Inside was a series of controls. She began entering a sequence.

"Center to right, Sirjanna, I have centre to left.", R'Rwo ordered to a young crewman, who just nodded in acknowledgement.

The door slid open with an eerily smooth sound. There was no rumbling in the deck. It simply receded, and the cavernous interior ahead was revealed. The chamber contained several large, sealed pods. The two MACOs were first to enter, looking around as quickly as their training had made them.

"Clear.", Sirjanna and R'Rwo spoke simultaneously. Rest of the away team followed.

Farah and Sheridan were the first to take their tricorders out, as the MACO spread around to cover the science team. Sheridan tapped her tricorder twice. "What would the Scourge need cryogenics for?"

"It is possible zet the cryogenic process is to enable them to better control maturation and metabolic ratings, to help better incorporate the organic material with the cybernetic aspects.", Aelae provided an answer.

Prax approached one of the hatches and raised her tricorder to it. "I'm reading several hundred Scourge constructs in this tank, they are quite small, perhaps half a meter long. This might be it."

"Will we be able to get one without disturbing the rest?", Sheridan voiced the concern that pressed her from the moment they boarded the vessel.

"Sounds like a prime sample candidate.", Fortune said with some reassurance, approaching the hatch. "Can we disconnect it?"

Prax looked at the hatch, and then at the console nearby. "I can't do that without using the console. A snatch and run might be the best play. This console is active, the hatch control looks to be here, but I'll have to play with the protocols I know until I find the right one."

"Can we pick up the pace, Commander Prax?", she could hear Farah's voice.

"Yes, ma'am.", Prax replied and turned to Sheridan. "Kei, set up the containment."

After several moments of tense silence, Prax nodded to Farah. "Get ready, I think I got this."

"Open the hatch! MACO, overwatch. If something moves - shot.", Farah delegated orders.

With a hiss of escaping cryogasses, the door to the hatch opened, revealing what could only be described as a Scourge nursery. It was racks on racks of small infant units. Hideous little constructs in mounted cradles. Prax, as quickly as she could, reached in and just grabbed one, slinging it into the containment that Sheridan prepared, closing the containment unit quickly afterwards and adjusting the internal atmosphere. Prax closed the hatch and nodded to Farah. "We're good, Commander."

Prax approached the containment unit to check on their infant sample. As she was about to reward herself with a short, relaxing sigh - there was a rumble. A mechanical rumble, somewhere deep beneath the feet of the away team, and quite familiar clanking and clattering began.

"Oh, no!", Prax simply stated.

If she weren't an Orion, Farah wouldn't have probably been as pale as ghastly white apparition. "Runabout, NOW!" To be continued...