Day 3 - End of Shift Alpha

Posted on Tue Sep 17th, 2024 @ 6:34am by Commander Jennifer Baldric & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Commander Jenna Ramthorne & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Lost in Space
Location: Deep Borg Space
Timeline: Current-ish

On approach to Nebula in Grid 986

The rest of the shift had been relatively quiet, with most of the crew either focusing on repairs or getting some rest. Jennifer was in the Ready Room planning for the next feeding stop. She wanted her best people at their stations when the Sunfire was at her greatest risk, but that would mean her Alpha shift staff would be working in the gamma shift. The graveyard shift was notorious for people being fatigued and making mistakes, not something that was conducive to defeating the Borg.

Ronson appeared with a cup of coffee and set it down before her, making a comment about getting some sleep. She nodded absently before thanking him for the coffee and returning to her work. T Minus 6 hours.

Savar stood outside the Ready Room Commander Baldric was using. He pressed the door chime and awaited entrance.

"Come in" Baldric replied, wondering who was at the Ready Room at such an hour. She smiled when she saw Commander Savar. "Commander - Good evening."

Coming to a stop in front of the desk, Savar spoke. "Commander Baldric, good evening. Please forgive the intrusion. I hope I am not disturbing you?"

Baldric put down the report she was working on and gave him her full attention. "Not at all Commander, what's on your mind?" She asked, pointing to the vacant chair opposite her.

Savar moved to the indicated chair and sat down, turning his attention back to Baldric and got right to the point. "You are tired Commander, your reaction time is down. I believe it is your best interest to rest, so you may be at your best should we encounter the Borg again."

Baldric almost went on the automatic defensive, formulating half a dozen quick witted replies about how she didn't have time and that she would be fine before the logical side of her brain realised arguing with a Vulcan was a pointless exercise.

"You're right, I could use a nap. I'll take one as soon as I finish this readiness report" Jennifer admitted, "You should get some shut eye as well. We've got just under 6 hours"

"Your concern is noted and appreciated Commander. However, as a Vulcan I can go longer without sleep with no appreciable decline in my performance of duties." Savar answered before continuing. "As Commander of this vessel it is imperative for you to rest."

"Yes, you can go longer than humans without sleep, but I'm sure 5 hours would do you good. The Beta shift staff can handle things for a few hours. We need everyone to be at their best." Baldric set the PADD down and rose from her chair. "Do we have an agreement?" She raised an eyebrow towards him.

At that moment the ship dropped, noticeably out of the slip-bridge and the alarm klaxon blared RED ALERT. A familiar voice called forth from the bridge "RED ALERT, all hands to battle stations, Captain, err, Commander Baldric to the bridge." They were officially off break and on-notice.

Aurora was in Quarters trying to get some sleep, but she hadn’t gotten to sleep easily. She wasn’t sure how much sleep she’d actually got before the alert awoke her from her slumber. Getting up she ran a brush through her hair, then slipped into a maternity dress that would suffice as uniform before heading for the bridge.

Baldric bolted for the door and onto the bridge, her eyes going to straight to the viewscreen as an automatic "report!" came from her mouth.

Savar had started to reply to Baldric's proposal when the ship suddenly and violently dropped out of slip stream and the Red Alert sounded. He was on Baldric's heels as they entered the bridge with him quickly moving to his XO station and trying to get a look at the sensors to determine what had caused them to drop out of slip stream.

Walking onto the bridge Aurora smiled at Savar before taking her seat and waiting to see what was going on.

"We've dropped out of warp, Engineering are reporting... issues... with the warp drive and slip stream drives.' Ops reported.

Thankfully the pod had slowed as well, surrounding the small ship as though they were protecting it.

Bonnie had been in her quarters, reading instead of sleeping as she was finding difficult to do. As soon as the alert sounded she through on her uniform and one of her boots. The other was in her hand as she hobbled out the door and down the hall. Her hair was at maximum puffage but her plan was to tie it up and back in the lift along with throwing her boot on. That's when the doors opened to the lift.

"Lieutenant." Jenna's stern voice spike from within. She was trying to hide her laughter at the site before her, while stepping to the side and allowing Bonnie to enter, shyly. Once the doors closed the lift resumed to the bridge.

Bonnie immediately dropped the boot and slid it onto her other foot. Once done she stood, flipped her hair once, twice, then grabbed the bulk and wrapped something around it that began shrinking, containing her hair into a bushy pony. She then straightened up and flattened her uniform.

Jenna, giving props, cleared her throat and nodded at the young woman's comm-badge. To which Bonnie took note, and adjusted right side up. "Thanks." She said just as the doors opened spilling the chaos within.

"To your station Lieutenant." Jenna said before moving off to her own.


Engineering

Down in Engineering the warp core took on a slight green tinge, and several vital systems began going off-line.

"Ahhh bridge, we have a problem' the assistant Chief Engineer called in panic.

"I need more than that Lieutenant' Baldric recognized the voice of the Assistant Chief Engineer.

"Uhh... I think the Borg got to the warp core, it's infecting all systems connected to it." He replied, his voice still clearly expressing his panic.

"Shut it down Bob! Before it infects the whole ship. Enable Borg protocol Epsilon Beta' Baldric snapped, then turned the bridge over to Commander Savar and headed down to Engineering.


Bridge

With a nod, Savar moved to the center seat. His eyes scanning the bridge as the crew manned their stations. "Aurora." He addressed his wife, "Are you sensing or feeling anything abnormal? Threatening?"

Aurora shook her head. “Not yet, but then Borg nanites aren’t alive. The one thing I don’t understand is how it’s taken this long to infect the core? I’d have thought it would have happened earlier.”

"Commander, a complete core shutdown would leave us vulnerable. Are you certain that's what you want?" Lt. Bob Borgesmitzel replied into the comm.

Bonnie reported, her system starting to glitch, "Systems compromised. Showing a cascading failure in up to 30 percent of ships systems. Deck 4 has reported a replicator attempting to assimilate them using decaffeinated coffee!?"

There was a shocked gasp. "Don't let it get near deck 2, for the love of all things mighty" Ronson squeaked, rushing off to secure his precious bean supplies against assimilation.


Engineering

By the time Baldric got to Engineering Bob still hadn't shut down the core, the green tinge growing in intensity. "How did we get infected?" She asked, heading over to the main panel. Systems were blinking off-line one by one. "Dammit Bob, Epsilon Beta would have isolated the contaminated systems!"

The lights flickered and died, replaced with an eerie green glow. "Shut it down, shut it all down! We need to stop the spread before we can purge the systems. Bonnie, I need you and your brains down here. Savar, tell the whales we've got a problem"


Bridge

Cringing, Bonnie locked out her station and stood. She inhaled a deep breath and then made her way into the nearest turbo lift. Once within she ordered, "Engineering."

Savar nodded and spoke to the pod. He went directly to the heart of the matter. "We have a situation. Our systems have become compromised and infected. We are limited in our power. We are attempting to rectify the situation and repair our systems. At this time, we are unable to move."

The whales looked perplexed. "You have been unable to defeat the Borg?" It was a concept almost foreign to them as they had mostly been left alone by the augmented race.

Jenna could do nothing as navigation and propulsion suddenly glitch and her console went dark. "Navigation is down. We're adrift."

Savar took a breath, "Incorrect. We have defeated the Borg but in doing so our equipment was infected. We are working to remedy that situation now. We will need your assistance in protecting this ship and crew should the Borg choose to return."

The whales turned to look at them curiously, having bo technology they were not threat to the Borg. This also left them in the precarious predicament of being the protector of the Starfleet vessel. "There is no food here. Are you able to repair your vessel enroute to the next feeding ground?' The Matriarch asked. The was one way of transporting the Sunfire, but she was sure they wouldn't like it.

"We are endeavoring to repair our ship as we speak." Savar replied.

"You can travel... within us. I can hold you in my mouth without harm whilst we travel. It is less than pleasant for all parties but as you are attracting the Borg and are now unable to travel yourselves this is the only alternative. We will continue to honor our arrangement' The Matriarch looked at the Sunfire with her huge eyes as though she could see through the portals and the crew's response.

"A most generous offer." Savar replied before he turned and sought out Baldric. "Commander Baldric. the Matriarch has a solution to our present predicament. She has offered to carry the Sunfire in her mouth as the pod moves to the next feeding ground."

Initially, Jennifer balked at the idea, it would be all too easy foe that carry to become something else, however the Whales had done nothing but honor their part of the arrangement to date and defend the Sunfire. "Please let her know we would be agreeable. It'll give us time to undo some of the damage done by the Borg'

Savar nodded and turned to the main viewscreen and the pod. He addressed the Matriarch. "We accept your generous offer to carry us while we affect repairs on our systems."


Engineering

Bonnie arrived in Engineering without issue, her brains firmly attached. She spotted Baldric and the green warp core and made her way over, post haste. "Lieutenant Durnell reporting as requested.?"

"Commander Durnell" Baldric gently corrected "the Borg have infected our computer core and warp core. I need you to work with the Engineering team to get rid of it as fast as you can. We're sitting ducks here"

She sunk as she realized both her mistake, and the enormity of the task she had been asked to partake. The computer CORE could be cleared by a hard shutdown and subsequent purge. If the Warp Core was infected they would have to recalibrate the intake manifolds to filter out the intermix of matter and antimatter. She looked around for Bob, "Why hasn't Lieutenant Borgesmitzel shut it down?"

" You can ask that question yourself when you speak to him. Right now, time is off the essence" Jennifer grimaced, sending a look in the direction of the haphazard Assistant Chief.


The Engineers worked at a feverish pave to purge the Borg components from the Starfleet systems. Without Commander Klaren guiding them however they were without an experienced leader. Savar was back on the bridge after delivering Kla'ren to Sickbay which left Jennifer feeling the need to co-ordinate things from Engineering.

"Savar, maintain control from the bridge, I'm going to stay down here and assist with the repairs" Baldric announced through the comm, picking up a tricorder and getting to work.

"Aye Commander." Savar replied as he took the center seat and looked at the pod of whales, silently contemplating when the matriarch would decide to take the Sunfire in her mouth and continue the journey. "I will advise you when we are ready to resume our journey."

"Appreciated Commander" Jennifer returned to her work.

Meanwhile the Whales took the unique approach of taking the Sunfire into the Matriach's mouth and resuming their journey towards the next feeding ground. Hopefully they wouldn't end up covered in whale saliva, or worse yet, in its stomach.


TBC