Identity (Victory)
Mission 12: Identity
Stardates: 238112.05 - 238202.09
Briefing: USS Victory is ordered to the Dysons Sphere under the operational command of the USS Atlanta. Victory is tasked to complete a ground survey of grid 1287 through 1289.
Background: The Dyson sphere is named for the 20th Century Earth scientist Freeman Dyson; Dyson suggested that civilizations could be classified by the amount of power which they could tap and control. He proposed that eventually a civilization would tap the entire energy output of a star; some suggested that this would best be achieved by orbiting huge numbers of solar collectors, but this idea was quickly replaced by the idea of constructing a large solid sphere around it. This would not only allow all of the suns energy to be tapped if required, but would also potentially allow a colossal living area to be built.
The Dysons sphere was discovered by the USS Jenolen in 2294; whilst investigating the sphere, the Jenolen was damaged when it triggered an automated system and crashed on the surface. Captain Montgomery Scott was ultimately the only survivor of the accident and was rescued by the Enterprise-D when it discovered the sphere in 2369.
Information: USS Atlanta is a Nebula-class under the command of Fleet Captain Shinji Ono (Terran), other ships in the area are scheduled to be USS Martin under the command of Captain Jaelar (Vulcan) and USS Zion under the command of Captain Diana Stark (Terran) both Obertha-class and USS Quasar Nova-class under the command of Captain Jose Suarez (Terran).
Captain Jordan Hurne of the USS Victory was called away on a secret mission shortly before the Dysons mission began. Commander Megan Parker was placed in charge as Acting Commanding Officer. Lt. Cmdr. Robin Phoenix became Acting First Officer. Shortly afterward, Lt. Solan, CoS, was also called away.
Acting Commander Parker allowed Lt.(jg) Julia Harden to take a shuttle with Lt.(jg) Thomas as security and Lt. Beta at the helm. During this short field trip, she gathered several indigenous plants. One of the plants developed its own naturally occurring lectrozine. Mixed with hyronolin, this proved to be a safe long lasting protection for the crew against the Dysons sphere radiation bursts.
Lt.Cmdr. Nugra (Gorn) received word that the leader of the Gorn Confederation was severely wounded in an assassination attempt. Princess Vsh'Ta requested his presence. Asking for an emergency leave of absence, which was reluctantly granted, he immediately left the ship.
Commander Phoenix took the Lady Hamilton and scouted a location for the Victory's landing. He took Lieutenants Margate and Rocket, and Ensigns Napoleon and Bennit.
On recon, Rocket and Bennit discovered a domed building. Entering it, Bennit went in first whereupon the door slammed shut behind him. In the dark, he was attacked and wounded by an unknown creature. Meanwhile outside, Lt. Rocket was seeing children playing, then the ashes of people who were vaporized. Hearing the door close, Rocket managed to get it open again. Quickly transported back to the shuttle, Bennit was treated by Lt.Cmdr. Phoenix and stabilized. Dr. Napolean and Lt. Margate arrived soon after. They had not found anything significant to report. Aboard the Victory, Dr. Harden's examination of Abe's eye confirmed it had turned black and swollen but had no permanent damage.
ACO Megan Parker and Lt(jg) Joshua Phoenix transported over to the USS Atlanta where Commander Parker was reunited with her husband, Dr. Simon Keyes, archeologist. He would be joining her on the Victory for the upcoming mission.
Both shuttles returned to the Victory. Lt.Cmdr. Phoenix reported that the sphere had a certain effect on telepaths. Both him and Rocket had experienced an event from the sphere's past. The crew was injected with a suppressant to control these visions.
Three teams were sent out on the survey assignment: Team one Science: Lt.Cmdr. R. Phoenix (Terran) headed up the team, with science officer Ensign Bennit (Orion); Lt. Rocket (Betazoid) would provide security.
Team two: Lt. Beta (Soong Android) led the Medical team with Drs. Harden (Terran) and Napoleon (Terran); Lt. Joshua Phoenix (Terran) provided security.
Team Three: Lt. Margate (Terran) led the Engineering team, providing security, in the company of Lt. Thomas (Terran) and Doctor Simon Keyes (Terran).
Prior to leaving the landing site, Commander Phoenix drove one of the two SVENs off the shuttle, demonstrating its abilities. Explaining the vehicles the USS Atlanta sent, he said, "A compact and efficient all terrain vehicle based on the Argo designs. There is room for four people and equipment. It has less fire power and is smaller then the Argo. But it is just as quick and more maneuverable. On the back of the vehicle the defense systems are located. One push on the button and out comes a class 4 automated phaser pulse rifle. Not powerful enough to win a war, but very efficient for defensive purposes." Team Phoenix and Team Beta drove off on the SVENs to scout the city.
Team Margate took the shuttle Trafalgar to their destination, and ancient alien technological institute. They had to knock away vines and brush to enter the science building to investigate. Without overhead lighting, they were left to use their wristlights. Dr. Keyes suggested splitting up, but Margate nixed that idea. Cmdr. Parker had specifically stated that the teams would not split up. Dr. Keyes unwillingly agreed.
Traveling in different directions, both SVENs picked up what appeared to be a signal of the same anomaly. They went to investigate. Team Phoenix encountered an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the form of a small robot named Zinga. This AI was able to convey to them the city's unique composition.
Meanwhile, Team Beta was faced with a severe dust storm. The winds were strong enough to knock them all off their feet. When the dust settled, the team discovered they had lost all communication with the ship and Team Phoenix. Dr. Harden was the only one injured (a small cut on her leg). Scouting around, the team found a deserted shed.
At this same time, Lt.Cmdr. Nugra returned to the Victory under guard. Wounded in his heroic fight to save his queen and after striking another officer, he was subsequently discharged from the Gorn Navy. That translation is repeated here in its entirety: "Begin recording. I, Senior Lieutenant Mevik of the Gorn Confederation, hereby on Stardate 238201.03 pronounce that, with no resistance from clientee, that all items that corresponded or have been linked to the Rank of Senior Commander and the Gorn Space Navy has been removed from the possession of Nugra Tk'Moong. With this act finished, I hereby state, with authority from the Gorn Confederation and her leaders, that Nugra is no longer a member of the Gorn Space Navy and that his discharge status is "Dishonorable Discharge". End recording."
The Victory also took on two new ensigns, McKnight (Terran) and Dominus (Vulcan). Lt. Nugra took them through security and assigned quarters.
On the planet, Team Phoenix, in contact with the Victory, proceeded to search for Team Beta from the ground. The AI informed them that they were in district twelve location A-minus, a place built for sandstorms.
Commander Nugra took the Thomas Slade and make a search from the air. He took the two new ensigns with him.
In the science institute, Team Margate discovered that the buildings were made of the same standard alloys Star Fleet used in all of their building structures. The building was in an advanced stage of decay. Dr. Keyes located an alien data port and tried to translate the interface. Lts. Thomas and Margate contacted the Victory for help in finding the local power source. Deciding a search would be beneficial, the lieutenants left the doctor at the data port and moved down a corridor. The power source was located by the Victory to be in the northern section 45 feet below ground level.
Team Beta investigated the small shed. Its rotted flooring gave way under the crew plunging them into a sewage system.
Team Phoenix reached the last known location of Team Beta. Now in contact with the Thomas Slade, a synchronization was established. In the distance Team Phoenix saw what appeared to be a temple. Thinking Team Beta may be there, they drove both SVENs to that location, Team Nugra searching from above.
From the USS Victory, Commander Parker was taking no half measures looking for Beta and his team.
The temple seemed gothic while the city was built in a more organic form. Passing two 9 meter high statues of guardians located inside the temple, Lt. Cmdr. Phoenix commented on the fact the they were inside rather than guarding from outside. Phoenix, a fair telepath, sensed a dangerous presence lurking somewhere. Suddenly the entire floor began to shake. The marble floor gave way, dropping the team downward.
Spotting two golden cases standing on an alter, Robin Phoenix discovered he could read the strange writing. It seemed to be 'calling' to him. Walking to them, his realized Rocket was standing there, also. A flash shot through the room and then was gone. Strangely, the cases were open revealing bracelets. Without Robin or Simon noticing, they attached the bracelets to their arms. Their uniform sleeves quickly covered up the bracelets.
In the shuttle circling overhead, Cmdr. Nugra's team had found Team Beta. A transporter lock was unsuccessful. Nugra suddenly announced that the rescue seemed entirely too convenient. Contacting Lt. Cmdr. Phoenix, it was agreed that the shuttle would land and a search on foot would take place.
Team Beta decided that Team Phoenix had gotten lost. Once they were able to make contact with the Victory, they would report the lost crew and help search for them. Entering into what seemed to be some sort of control center of alien design, they found a 3D map. It was incomplete but still giving up-to-date information. The team saw the Victory and other surveying ships, including a Gorn Confederacy star ship. There was also a transport pad with a heavily damaged control interface.
On the shuttle Thomas Slade, Nugra sat looking out the window of the main view screen. Suddenly, he was near one of the buildings on the surface. A woman was telling him that "They want us all dead." A reptilian creature with sharp teeth attacked him. As Nugra struck out, his fist came in contact with the shuttle's bulkhead. It was another flashback. Cmdr. Nugra made a course change against Commander Parker's orders. Landing in front of a majestic building with bluish crystal domes on top, Nugra brandished his phaser rifle.
On the Victory, ACO Parker was unsure of Lt. Cmdr. Nugra. He was speaking and acting like a madman. She contacted Lt. Cmdr. Phoenix and asked if he could provide any insight. He asked if Nugra had had the suppressant injection. Cmdr. Parker realized he did not.
Ensign Dominus was also unsure of Nugra's intentions. He and Ensign McKnight watched as Nugra suffered another flashback. In this, the building was bustling with life. Nugra spoke with a woman that seemed to be very dear to him. Then the flashback seemed to have ended. Nugra was back with the team. A large silver robot clomped in. It looked directly at Nugra. It said, "You will be destroyed, Trsss' Warrior."
This was no flashback or dream. Nugra slowly awoke, tied. The ensigns were there but not bound. Ensign Dominus confessed that he had a backup plan in case the Lt.Cmdr. did something strange or life threatening: They would be beamed back aboard the Thomas Slade. However, his comm badge had disappeared making that plan unusable.
On the rhythm of his heartbeat, Lt. Cmdr. Robin Phoenix saw a soft white spot become visible and then fade. He heard the soft whispering voice of a female. "Soon the Monarchs will ascend from the bottomless pit. They that dwell within the sphere shall wonder.. when they behold the Monarchs that were, and are not.. yet are."
Team Beta was searching through the tunnel of sewers. Dr. Harden, ordered to rest because of her injured leg, tried to contact the Victory with no success. Sitting at a console, she punched buttons she thought she recognized. The sound of crushing stone came from all around. A cleverly hidden door opened in the wall next to the control interface. The team faced a tunnel, lit with recessed lighting.
The underground room Team Phoenix was in started to glow. A huge sensation went through Rocket's body. He didn't know what or who but he didn't mind it at all. Rocket could see Mr. Bennit staring at Robin's arm but he cared more about his own which was attached to a bracelet with a green stone on it. Robin rolled up his right sleeve and discovered the bronze bracelet with a red stone shining bright. Upon discovering they could not remove the bracelets, Robin stared as Rocket's hair changed color bit by bit.
Lt. Margate wanted to investigate the weapons gallery, but Mr. Thomas had other plans. He wanted to find out exactly what experiments were being carried out here. He had expected far more sophisticated equipment and structure. Deciding to restore the power they descended down to the next level. It was completely dark. Switching on their torches, Kael led the way with his tricorder out in front. The Location of the power relay was not far away at all. He noted it wouldn't take much time to repair. Soon, Mr. Thomas flicked on the power. Low dimmed red lights came on downstairs immediately.
Dr. Harden was finally able to communicate with the Victory. Parker informed her that Commander Phoenix had their vehicle and would set up a rendezvous. They were ordered to return to the Victory upon meeting with Team Phoenix.
Ensign Dominus informed Nugra that he carried a personal utility phaser built into his belt buckle. It would be fully charged in approximately 5 minutes and could then be used to break the bindings. Nugra replied that nothing less then a type III phaser on disintegration would open it.
Nugra looked at a panel and for some reason he knew the correct keypad. Nugra's ability to know the technology of this place led him to explain that this wasn't a cell but standard living quarters. A small squiggle to the left would open the door. McKnight volunteered to remain with the commander while Dominus explored. .
Dominus opened up his tricorder, tapped a few buttons intending to send Lt. Cmdr. Nugra back to the Thomas Slade. Nugra materialized in a standing position and he instantly knew that he wasn't on the Thomas Slade. His senses kicked off and he spun around. The silver metal ground molded out and a bent support molded out of it with a glowing crystal in the center. It turned like a periscope and faced Nugra. Called OMI, the object claimed that Nugra was responsible for the slaughter of all his kind. He had been attempting to warn the humanoids of Nugra's presence, but their brain patterns were completely different and the attempt was unsuccessful. Nugra protested that he was an officer of the USS Victory and had committed no such crime. OMI agreed that it was not Nugra personally that had committed those acts, but his evil people; 2,000 years before.
Nugra's explanation that he was not a Tr'sss but instead was a Gorn did no good. The Robot periscope turned and glided through the floor as if it was water toward an opening in the wall. At the last moment, OMI turned back. "A Gorn? That is a new name. Your brain functions and nervous functions say Tr'sss."
Dominus and McKnight are ordered to return to the Thomas Slade by Commander Parker.
Lt. Cmdr. Robin Phoenix felt like he was being pulled back inside his own body. His visual view changed slowly to a dark, infrared-like sight. That was the last he saw for it seemed someone else had taken over his body. All there was for Robin at the moment was complete silence and darkness.
Striking Ensign Bennit in the chest, Robin knocked him across the room. Upon landing, the floor caved in. Rocket moved to Bennit and with concentration, his hand over Bennit's head, a mind block of the last hour was erased from Abe's mind. Robin straightened his uniform and grinned slightly but with a royal dose of evilness as he stared down the hole. There was a lot of debris lying around downstairs, but Robin's temporal eyes allowed him to notice Abe lying there.
The alien entities possessing Phoenix and Rocket conferred and decided to release control. Robin's red eyes returned to normal, and the real Robin felt his soul slip into place again, though he did not know it. Rocket's purple eyes flashed back to his own color. For Robin, nothing has happened. Except for the fact he suddenly was standing outside... with Bennit missing!
Bennit lay in a pool of dark blood, which generally meant a serious injury to an internal organ. An emergency beam-out was ordered, directly to sickbay.
Robin and Rocket returned outside to the SVENs. Rocket's hair and eyes had changed to a purple/violet color. His hair had grown very quickly, instead of some short hair staring at the air his hair was long... very long. The strange thing was that Rocket didn't mind it. As he started the engine and started to drive he could feel the wind blowing through his hair giving him a sensation he never had felt before in his life.
The reflection Robin saw in one of the panels disturbed him, he saw himself... but his hair had turned green. Robin struggled with his thoughts, Starfleet rules and the safety of his crew and ship on one side and a mysterious influence which for some reason he could not resist. Things like rules seemed to be less important to the once punctual and efficient Commander. He wanted to tap his comm badge and inform Commander Parker of the situation, but his hand did not reach the apparatus.
Soon after, in a daring move, Robin tapped his comm badge and communicated with the Victory requesting the Lieutenant Rocket and himself be taken to the Sickbay Isolation Ward upon their return "Something is... changing us," he explained. "I do not want to risk the crew. One more request Commander, and I ask of you to keep this between us so Simon does not find out... you might want to send security to escort us once we are aboard. I have a bad feeling about this... and about what happened to Bennit. These two incidents might be related.
Robin and Simon stood together, two colorful looking Starfleet officers. One with violet long hair and one with short spiky green hair.
Team Beta met up with the two new ensigns in the tunnels. Answering Beta's query, Ensign McKnight replied, "We are your rescue team. But, we ran into a little bit of trouble. We beamed Lt. Cmdr. Nugra to the Thomas Slade but he never arrived. We are now searching for him."
Nugra was looking around for a door when OMI melted from the floor and took form. "They have been released. It seems your team was playing with something they shouldn't. You must attempt to stop what ever they have planned. They are dangerous and sadistic. I was originally built by them. They have someone in your team. Stop them or it will be the end or your world." Abruptly the thing quit speaking. It shrunk in to the ground and left Nugra standing there alone. The restraints melted away from him and his equipment reappeared.
Nugra reached out with his clawed hand and pressed it to a hologram's red dot. A crystal field surrounded him and he vanished. He reformed back up and was standing in the middle of Beta's team. Describing his recent journey, Nugra said, "I was just warned that something was released and it's a very dangerous threat.
Lt. Cmdr. Robin Phoenix felt something was trying to take control, but he would not let it happen... if he could only hold on for a few more minutes. At the Victory, security waited to isolate Robin and Simon.
Lt. Thomas had discovered the results of an autopsy during his search of the building. Returning to Dr. Keyes' location, Thomas found the doctor at work at the console. A few minor alterations and running his pre-prepared program from his tricorder, Kael was able to change the language to English.
Back on the Victory, Ensign Bennit regained consciousness. He was quite anxious to report to Commander Parker what had happened to him on the surface.
Rocket and Phoenix were beamed to the Isolation Ward in sickbay where they were further altered mentally. The King (Rocket) and Queen (Phoenix) were slowly taking over. Calling each other 'Honey' the two men amazed those who were within hearing distance.
Team Beta, once again complete, found their way out of the sewers and to the outside. They secured the Thomas Slade and went back to the Victory.
Ensign Bennit related to Commander Parker the events leading up to his being injured. "I started to talk to Rocket and I noticed on the wall there were pictures, horrible pictures that showed two people with the bracelets on commanding hideous creatures to attack women and children and that is when I went to tell Commander Phoenix about it but before I could finish the sentence his eyes glowed red and he hit me and that is all I remember."
Still in pain, Abe accompanied Cmdr. Parker to the isolation ward to interrogate the second officer and the lieutenant.
Commander Phoenix had done what a good officer should have done much earlier and the result did not please Simon at all. Facing Lt. Rocket's anger, once again, the entity inside him took over. Robin tried to resist it with all the energy he could muster. When Cmdr. Parker entered the room, Robin was able to move over to her and confide, "Something has taken control of Simon, Commander. It is changing him both physically and mentally. And the same thing is about to happen to me... any minute now. We cannot get the bracelets off and that was when it all started." At that moment, the Queen entity took over Robin's mind totally. It accessed all of his memories, all of the specifications about the Victory and its crew.
Lt. Beta arrived at his quarters and discovered that the radiation levels on the surface was up 45%. At this point, he was greeted by a vision of Dr. Noonien Soong, his 'father'. The OMI robot took the form of Dr. Soong to communicate with Beta. " I have already encountered your Lieutenant Cmdr. Nugra but he is not a machine. I am unable to send such a detailed message to him. Or any one else besides yourself. Now listen Android, if they escape, you and your crew are to blame you will only have one chance."
Suddenly the area changed to sick bay. There was some sort of device in the center. Around stood Cmdr. Phoenix and Lieutenant Rocket, both with an interesting hair style. Around that stood Ensign Dominus, Lieutenant (jg) Saavok, Ensign Dundon, and Ensign S'Rokol all with some sort of device on the side of their heads. Create the device and re-imprison them before it is too late.
In an attempt to escape the isolation ward, Rocket's bracelet started to shoot a water beam against the level ten containment field. The force was enough to make a small hole in it. Water started filling the room.
Team Margate was finishing their assignment when Dr. Keyes' screen went blank then began typing a message on its own. Again, OMI, the central computer, gave a warning. "I have a warning for you. Your ship is in danger. You must believe me. I've been trying to contact the crew using the only means I've had available. I put images of danger in their minds... but they misunderstood."
OMI went on to explain about the dictators that had ruled this part of the sphere long, long ago. Of how the power had gone to their heads and how they had enslaved the people. OMI had trapped the rulers but now they were free ... inside two of the Victory's crew.
Dr. Keyes informed lieutenants Margate and Thomas of this new development. The team prepared themselves to return to the Victory.
In the isolation ward, a fierce ray of fire shot with immense speed from Robin's hands towards the hole in the wall. Robin laughed as it impacted and started to make the hole bigger. When it was large enough for a grown man to fit through, the fire ray stopped. Suddenly the escape hole became lit with a bluish haze - a force-field. At that moment Simon and Robin started to glow all over. The two dropped to the floor in pain as their bodies seemed to change even further.
For a brief moment during the transformation the real Robin was back in control. Well, he could speak at least but he obviously was in a lot of pain... "Commander... help... us!" Simon's body started to shrink from its normal length to 1.50m, his face started to change into a much younger look. The original Rocket was replaced with the body of a young boy.
At that time, Robin's chest changed to a smaller size, his face became more feline and his hips started to form in a more round shape. After a few seconds Robin's legs also slimmed down, as did most of his bone and flesh structure.
The Acting First Officer shouted out in pain as his body transformed to that of the female Queen. Cmdr. Parker ordered the computer to flood the containment field with Anesthezine. Phoenix and Rocket slumped to the floor unconscious. A boy and a woman were immediately placed in separate containment fields.
Calling a senior staff briefing, Cmdr. Parker said, "I'm sure the rumors have made their way around the ship already. Commander Phoenix and Lieutenant Rocket have indeed been taken over by deposed entities claiming to have once ruled this portion of the sphere. The vehicle of the possession is a pair of bracelets. We're not sure how they work or how to counter it at present. Both officers have proven to be hostile and are separated in isolation behind level 10 containment fields."
Back in sickbay, the Queen opened her eyes. She stood up and walked arrogantly towards the forcefield. She noticed the security officer standing near the far wall, looking at her. She looked at him as she moved parallel from the left to the right of the field. When she reached the right wall she stopped, then turned around in a seducing way. At first, the male officer looked interested, but then obviously remembered it was Commander Phoenix on the other side of the field and not an enchanting lady. As the Queen read this in his mind her smile faded and became annoyed.
She gazed at the wall next to the forcefield as she once again moved her hands from the side of her body to the front and pointed at the wall. This time a concentrated beam of fire energy was launched against it. Slowly the metals and materials began to glow. From a dark red to a brighter yellow, until the molecular structure began to break down. T he wall gave way, and the Queen stepped outside. Using Cmdr. Phoenix's authorization code, the Queen commanded the computer to unlock the cell containing Lieutenant Simon Rocket. The force field yielded.
Havington (NPC) was walking along the hallway carrying reports for Commander Nugra in Engineering when he turned down the hallway. He saw glowing coming from the security department and he rushed up. He ran in and saw a Security guard lying on the floor with his phaser beside him. A beautiful woman was destroying the cell and trying to get out. Terror filled him as he watched and without thinking he slapped his comm badge hard.
/\= Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert! Security Deck! We have a Code 3 emergency! =/\
In the briefing room, Dr. Keyes informed the group that they now had a link established with this OMI computer. Mr. Thomas linked it to a tricorder. Parker ordered all the data they had gathered fed into OMI hoping it would have suggestions on a course of action. Then she ordered the ship on complete shut down. All movement restricted.
The entities had now escaped the containment field and started to walk out of the room and down the corridors. They turned around the corner where they found out Victory's security department took things serious. Five crewmembers were holding their ground as they pointed their hand phasers at the royal couple.
The Queen moved her head down a little and placed her hands at her side. Her eyes started to glow again, then she suddenly moved her arms straight forward. A blast of wind blew the five officers against the bulkheads with force. The Queen looked at her bracelet as she briefly smiled. Obviously their powers were getting stronger as the bracelets still continued to charge.
As the two almost reached the turbo lift, force fields appeared. They were trapped.
The two walked closer to each other and joined hands. They moved
their arms over their bodies until the two bracelets touched. Blue and red rays started to twirl and swirl quickly, surrounding the two. They began to shine bright then they disappeared into thin air.
The third duty shift was now off-duty and moving to their quarters. In the middle of one of the corridors bright red and blue colored rays pierced the air. In a flash the King and Queen stood in the middle of a packed corridor, Starfleet personnel staring at them.
The Queen exclaimed, "It appears we were only charged enough to teleport to an other deck. We can't transport off the ship. We need another way!"
Unexpectedly, the King said, " We must send the message before it is to late."
On the bridge, Beta reported to Cmdr. Parker, "I have restricted access to all terminals except bridge. I have deactivated Cmdr. Phoenix and Lt. Rocket's access codes. Only senior staff and security personal can pass through force fields or open doors."
Planning to use the holo-emitters in engineering Beta believed he could program them to emit a prism effect. It would refract light in engineering like a prism does, making it impossible for the Commander and Lieutenant to see or do anything. Cmdr. Parker had hoped to steer the entities toward the cargo bay where they would be more easily contained.
The newly born royal pair moved through the corridors. The crew they encountered either tried to get out of their way or tried to stop them. So far, nothing seemed to work. The King and Queen had no problem with continuing their trip to engineering. Once there, they incapacitated the crew. S uddenly engineering changed. Strange colors and images were flashing on and off. It became difficult for the two to keep their orientation fixed. The continuous flashing, changing colors and projecting of 3 dimensional images confused the royal couple. In a brilliant move, they faded in with the images making themselves a part of the prism.
Ensign Bennit and Cmdr. Nugra hurried to the science lab to began work on a way to contain the entities. Abe started working out the problem and noticed that whenever 'they' used their power it came in the form of nature like water, wind and fire.
Since the entities did not have sufficient energy to teleport off the ship, they had to focus on conquest and survival. They did not have to wait for long.
The security team converged on engineering one half on each side. Lt.(jg) Blair (NPC) hit the code and the door flung open. The whole team stood back in disbelief as the image and images expected were not there. Instead there were distorted images. Calling for the holo illusion to be deactivated, Blair explained that the entities were not there and neither was the engineering crew.
Dr. Harden had been working on an injection of tryptophan-lysine distillates. Originally developed to fight a virus, she hoped it would work to force the entities to flee. In case it didn't, Cmdr. Parker said, " I want something to kill Phoenix and Rocket." Not wanting to discuss her plan, Parker cut the comm link before any discussion could take place.
Sadly, Dr. Harden constructed a canister of poison. Sending the lab technicians with the hyposprays of TLD to engineering, Julia took the poison that would kill her crewmates into sickbay to dispense it from there.
Contacting OMI, it informed Nugra, Dr. Keyes, and Bennit that i f they could figure out someway to neutralize them, OMI would be in a position to replace them back into their holding cells. If the King and Queen complete the molecular change on the bodies, OMI would be able to restore the officer's minds, but not their physical appearance.
Suddenly the strange flashing, colors and annoying images disappeared. The normal view over main engineering returned. With their cover gone, the King and Queen became visible again. This to a unpleasant surprise for the security team. The Queen once more charged her stone, moving her arms to her side. As the King prepared himself, her eyes glowed white as she blasted a powerful storm gust towards the team.
Sending down more wind, the queen said to her king, "Although this is amusing my love, we are here for a larger purpose. Send the message, I will keep them at a distance."
In the science lab, Bennit was suggesting putting them in the transporter beam without letting them re-materialize and keeping them there until a way of destroying them could be found.
In engineering, Havington and his crew were caught in an air shield by the Queen. Havington flipped his tricorder over and opened it. He ripped two wires out of it and shouted to his team mates to step back. H e stuck the wires to the shield. A massive thunder clap echoed through the room and Havington flew backwards and hit the wall hard. He got up and grinned. The electricity had acted like it was supposed to and turned the air shield into a thunder cloud. The lightening totally disrupted it and they were free.
Ensign McKnight and Cmdr. Nugra reconfigured the pattern buffers to hold the entities in a suspended state. The present buffers weren't good enough to safely preserve them. Reporting to Cmdr. Parker they were informed that it would not solve the problem. They needed the entities out of Phoenix and Rocket first.
The king placed his hand on an officer's head and started to read it to acquire his briefing codes. After a minute he got what he needed from the officer and quickly headed towards a console that was still working. As quick as his hands could move he made a letter to the sphere builders about their current situation. As soon as the modifications where complete he pressed the 'send' button.
On the hull a large looking yellow plate started to glow, as it was sending the message of the King to the sphere builders. A green light started to shoot out of the yellow plate and after some minutes the plate returned to normal as the letter was sent to its unknown location.
Dr. Harden transferred the computer controls on the poison to engineering and headed there herself to meet Cmdr. Parker.
The letter sent to the surface of the Dysons Sphere, the two entities engaged in a little romantic state of being. Their lack of concentration weakened their defenses, including the shield the Queen had erected. This would prove to be a fatal mistake for suddenly a loud explosion sounded which sent a shockwave through part of engineering. The security team had broken free.
The Queen realized that they were running out of time. She had to complete the transformation or all was for nothing! She decided to take her chances, and headed deeper into engineering towards the warp core. When she did, a sudden phaser beam flashed inches away from her face. She quickly glanced sideways. A security officer and a reptile, hiding. Obviously her husband had also noticed the two.
The Queen once again headed for the warp core. When she almost arrived, a couple of phaser blasts shot towards her, coming from the second engineering level. With a mere gesture of her arm, a small temporal shield protected her from the blasts which otherwise would have hit her.
Once their salvo was over, the Queen used this split second to turn the
tables and take the high ground herself. Her eyes once again turned white and she moved her arms slowly from her hips to a horizontal position, pointing left and right in a straight line. A gust of wind surrounded her, and slowly she left the ground and headed up for about four to five meters.
Commander Megan Parker took the turbo lift down to engineering and met Julia and Abe just outside the doorway.
Sounds of phaser blasts could be heard within. Megan drew her type 1 phaser, set it to heavy stun, and stepped up to the door which opened at her approach.
Within, the hazard team was in a fever-pitch battle with her first officer and chief security officer now under the control of alien entities. She raised her phaser and prepared to fire but was stopped by the arrival of her Vulcan science officer who transported close to the two attacking officers.
The lights and consoles all over the ship started to flash on and off as the Queen and her bracelet started to directly drain energy from the warp core. Her body glowed all over, as a final transformation took care of all the physical finishing touches.
Lt. Beta got the transporters online, Dominus put his comm badge on the bracelet to lock onto. Pulling Nugra's comm badge off and sticking it on the King's bracelet. The bracelets were transported into the buffers.
Megan, Julia and Abe entered now with a sigh of relief. It seemed that all was well. Robin and Simon lay on the deck near the core, the bracelets gone. Julia and her two assistants moved to Robin and Simon's sides. Megan walked over to give her thanks to Dominus.
A scream ended the celebration. Megan turned quickly back to where the doctor had been examining Robin. He was sitting up now, Julia's arm in his grasp. Simon had awaken as well, one of the nurses lay prone beside him where'd he'd knocked her.
The entities, once imprisoned in the bracelets, were now fully in the officers and in complete control. Parker ordered a level 10 containment field around the warp core. At the commanders orders, Dr. Harden explained that a poisonous gas was ready to be released into the area.
Megan moved to a console and with a few key strokes the containment field began to fill with a brownish gas. Robin, Simon, Julia and the nurses immediately began coughing. Megan stood sternly and watched a the terror of the situation grew on their faces. Julia and the nurses lay limp on the deck. Robin and Simon looked fanatically around for some way to save their essences. Megan stood quietly as the two rifled through their containment cell looking for something to save themselves.
It wasn't long before they found an unused bio neural gel pack that an engineering officer had been preparing. Sensing that this would sustain them till another humanoid body came close enough to take over they placed themselves inside. The gel pack disappeared in a blue haze. Shocked faces were now left to stare at their acting Commanding Officer.
The EMH in main engineering was instantly activated. Cmdr. Parker turned to the crew. "Relax. They're not dead. The doctor did indeed make a poison for me. Her fear and the remnants of Commander Phoenix and Lieutenant Rocket was enough to convince them I was serious. The gas was simply Anesthezine combined with a simple inert colored gas for effect. They thought they were going to die and were forced to flee the bodies to save themselves. Our officers will be fine.. perhaps a slight headache."
With that, Kael engaged the transporter, and transported the gel packs, straight into the pattern buffer. Modified to keep them there for a substantial amount of time. The bracelets did not materialize. Lt. Simon Rocket had slipped into a coma.
Lt. Commander Robin Phoenix looked at herself in the mirror. She was not bad looking she guessed. She wore her long brown hair high on her head, her face had a tender and innocent girlish look though her eyes betrayed her intelligence and wit. Her body was somewhere between slender and athletic, about 180 cm high and looked quite sensual yet lady-like. Robin gave a wink while she glanced at the mirror one last time and headed for the door. Thus ends another tale out of the book called, USS Victory.
Summary written by: Lieutenant (jg) Julia Harden.
Graphics by: Lieutenant Beta
Post mission promotions:
Ensign Bennit to Lieutenant (jg) Bennit
Lt.Jg. Beta to Lieutenant Beta
Lt.Jg. Margate to Lieutenant Margate
Other Victory Links
- Victory Crew History
- Victory Mission History
- Prelude: The Adventure begins (237905.24 - 237906.02)
- Mission 1: Encounter on Ferenginar (237906.03 - 237906.24)
- Mission 2: Return to the Lithron System (237906.26 - 237907.30)
- Mission 3: Attack on the Yithra Base (237908.14 - 237909.28)
- Mission 4: Time and Consequences (237910.08 - 237911.18)
- Mission 5: The True Ones (237911.24 - 238002.23)
- Mission X: Hope (238104.26 - 238106.08)
- Mission11: Victory Time Two (238106.10 - 238108.16)
- Mission12: Identity (238112.05 - 238202.09)
- Mission13: Civilization (238202.12 - 238205.02)
- Victory's Current Crew Roster
- Victory's Website