By A.P Stacey
Chapter IV
Disclaimers: See Chapter I
“Intruder Alert Deck Four.” Announced the computer with little passion or dedication in its normal and flat voice, though its message increased the pounding the deck plates in Section Eleven of Deck Six took as two figures darted through the hazy and blackened corridors.
“They are on board.” Gasped seven, her pace slowing as she jerked her head backwards, as though to confirm they were being hunted. She glanced over her shoulder for only a second before a vice like grip pulled her back into a gallop-
“Seven we don’t have time to stop c’mon, keep moving, don’t stop just run!” ordered the diminutive half Klingon.
“Intruder Alert Deck Four Section Twenty Five.” Added the computer.
“They are looking for a power terminal B’Elanna, if they find one they will interface and assimilate the central computer network. We will be unable to leave Voyager, and we stand little chance of escape.”
B’Elanna paused a few metres from seven and crouched, her dirtied hands tearing off a section of the wall panelling close to the floor. Behind the panel the thrum of a Power distribution conduit sang out as the bright blue glow of a nearby series of Bio-Neural Gel packs illuminated the area surrounding them. B’Elanna began typing out a series of commands on a small LCARS panel.
“B’Elanna we do not have time as you previously stated, we must continue onwards.” Protested seven, to little effect.
Torres climbed to her feet and looked towards seven.
“Run.”
Seven’s occular implant rose upwards of her brow, however the growing thrum of the power distribution conduit and the fading form of the chief engineer galloping from her position enticed her to follow.
A tremendous Roar filled the corridor as seven rounded the next bend with the Hybrid, Red-hot gases expanded, pushing the pair to the floor violently. Overhead the Lighting supplying the section cut out abruptly.
“You destroyed the power distribution grid?” the tone of the ex Borg was not one of amusement.
“That’s gotta slow ‘em down though?” B’Elanna said through a grin.
“Indeed.” Was her only reply.
B’Elanna struggled to her feet, he own eyes were useless to her, there was no light at all, for any system relying on the main power grid had been destroyed.
“Shit, I can’t see anything.” Groaned the shorter women.
“I will lead the way, My Occular implant is capable of thermo-imaging. Follow me.” Instructed seven.
B’elanna grabbed hold of the ex Drones hand tightly. Seven struggled for a second to regain her composure, and then set off at a high pace.
Captain Janeway awoke with a start as her pod shook violently. She shook her head quickly, struggling to fully shake off sleep. She glanced around herself, then to the Ensign Kim.
“Report!” she stated, unsure of what was transpiring.
The Ensign leaned to his right, and brought up the information from the S.E.E.P’s Sensor array.
“It’s a Ship.” Announced Harry.
“Can you identify it?” Asked the Captain, a hope filling her that their saviour might operate from outside their Asteroid they were heading for.
“Give me a second Captain, the computers processing.”
Janeway craned her neck, trying to get view of the alien vessel from her porthole, but the only thing she could see were the small shapes of fellow pods.
Another shake of her pod, this time more intense, stirred her to hurry Kim along. “Anything yet Harry?” she asked. The face of the young man looked up from his console, the words sticking in his throat as he opened his mouth.
“Its Hirogen.”
A massive Impact jarred the pod hard to starboard, and was it not for the flight harnesses Janeway would have been sent headlong into the ceiling. A rapid beeping assaulted her ears.
“Weapons discharge, eighty metres to Port!”
Janeway looked out of the porthole in time to be dazzled by a brilliantly intense beam of electric blue fly into her field of view and impact a nearby pod. The S.E.E.P was torn apart by the savage energy of the weapon, and its remaining chunks of wreckage allowed to spin off.
The pod that she watched this all from began to shake; a sustained and hollow rumble was felt around the persons who sat near her.
“It’s a tractor beam.” Kim said, his tone disparaged.
Kathryn began to feel very afraid.
B’Elanna stopped only long enough to pick herself back off the decking and kick the offending piece of conduit piping from her presence. Seven merely raised her brow.
A far off, metallic sheering floated down the corridor.
“What in Sto-Vo-Kor was that?” exclaimed the half Klingon.
“ A Borg X-32/AS Limb attached Duranium Cutting Blade.” Answered Seven.
The Sheering sound grew in intensity until it became deafening, with B’Elanna having to shout to be heard above it.
“Shit, we really have to move, we’re not far from Engineering now, C’mon!” and with that the pair continued onwards, overcoming a locked corridor door, and slamming it shut behind them, descending into the unlighted bowels of Deck Eleven: Main Engineering.
The Metallic sheering abruptly ended on deck Ten Section Alpha. Silence resumed until the sound of a heavy object crashing to the deck reverted around the empty corridor. The sound of cyberneticlly-enhanced limbs was clearly evident. A piercing red shaft of light, many metres long swung from the darkness, and stopped along a section of wall panelling. It was joined seconds later by a stronger torch unit that illuminated a non-functioning LCARS terminal.
The whirring and clunking grew louder as the source of the beams approached the terminal, and for a time it was visible, its face and shoulders, its reflection shining from the wall panel.
Pale, clammy skin, mottled with dark greys and cold, cold eyes stared back from the panel. Great bundles of wiring sprouting like obscene trees came erupting from the skin. Its mouth remained slackly closed; it did not require such a device. With deceptive speed its left arm, ending in a hand with eight digits arched out. From this limb sprouted four spindly tubes, sheathed in black, which launched themselves into the wall panelling with fury.
Great sparks erupted around the console as it reacted as though a biological immune system might react to a foreign agent. Consoles began blowing out, starting with the one to the immediate left and continuing down the corridor like an obscene show of pyrotechnical beauty.
The Panel flickered to life, slowly growing responsive to the user. But where the console had displayed the pastel blues and sunburst yellow text of its Starfleet design, it now was home to alien green, complicated symbols and text scrolled the screen at inhuman speed.
Within Seconds schematics of the Voyager came upon the screen. Displayed in foul green, alien text slowly scrolling downwards behind it.
With a tilt of the head of the creature the Diagram zoomed inwards until a detailed map of Deck eleven was shown.
The Drone seemed to study it, though the information gathered was not through the eyes that stared out lifelessly, but the tubules that were embedded in the wall. With a further twitch of its head the silence of the corridor was broken.
“Main power restored.” Announced the computer.
The Borg withdrew the tubules from the console and turned now, to face a Starfleet grey which barred its way onwards. It made no outward motion, though its lifeless orbs flickered upwards inside of its head.
“Access to deck eleven granted.” Chimed the computer.
The Borg stepped through, the doors swishing close behind it. From the other end of the corridor the sound of many cybernetically enhanced limbs was heard, making for the common goal set to them.
They would converge on Deck Eleven.
To Be Continued…