Aftermath: Zumwalt

Posted on Sun Feb 12th, 2017 @ 4:16am by Brigadier General Christopher Mitchell & Commander Andrew Knight

Mission: Another Day in Paradise
Location: USS Zumwalt, various locations
Timeline: 2 Hours After Attack on Starbase 900

ON:

Drew leaned against the sink in the fresher just off the bridge. The last couple of hours had been a massive drain on him. Now that the Zumwalt and the Hopper were clear of the battle zone he just needed a moment to collect himself. Splashing cool water onto his face he looked up at the reflection in the mirror. "What the hell are you going to do?" He stared at the haunted expression that did not answer back. He finally shook his head and turned to exit the fresher.

On the bridge, Lieutenant Ja'xon's thoughts were with the men he has lost. He gave orders for all of their dead to be placed in the med bay and for the Borg drones to be taken to cargo bay 1. They may have been his enemy today, but the fact that they are slaves was not lost on him. The status of his men on Starbase 900 was looking worse. It appeared that a few may have gotten aboard the Hopper but he didn't know specifics.

Drew stepped back onto the bridge. His eyes went first to Ja'xon at the tactical station. "Lieutenant Ja'xon. Would you please hail the Hopper."

"The Hopper?" Ja'xon looked up from the screen, "Yes, sir. Hailing them now." A confused look crossed his face, "At least, I am attempting to. I am not able to raise them."

Drew paused in his move towards the Captain's Chair and stepped over to stand over Ja'xon. "What do you mean you can't raise them?"

"Communications seem to be down." He said simply.

The ensign at the flight control station manipulated the controls, a frown forming on her face as she did. She kept her eyes on her station as she spoke out. "Sir, helm control isn't responding either."

Ja'xon looked back to the tactical station and pressed a few buttons, "And Tactical seems to be as well." He added. "Everything seems to be operating just fine, we just can't get the system to respond to any of our commands." This is why he was a grunt. On the ground, the only thing he had to worry about functioning properly was his men and himself.

Drew looked back and forth from the tactical station to the helm several times. One system going down would be attributed to a hardware issue, but two separate systems going down simultaneously. "Computer, what is the reason for the operational lockout."

=^=Sanctuary Protocol has been initiated. =^=

Drew gave an annoyed shake of his head. He'd never heard of this protocol and honestly didn't care. "Computer, disengage protocol and restore control of the ship. Authorization Acting Captain Knight Delta Two Four Five Omega."

=^=Unable to comply. Protocol engaged under orders of Commander, Delta Exploration Initiative=^=

The communications system on the tactical system engaged in an intra-ship mode. "Bridge, Chief Kawalsky here. I'm in cargo bay one...there's something down here you need to see."

Ja'xon spoke up first, "What do you have Chief?"

"Easier to just show you."

Drew rubbed his temple and took a deep breath. He turned to the ensign at the flight control station. "You have the bridge ensign." Tapping Ja'xon on the shoulder and gesturing to the exit, "Let's go check it out Lieutenant Ja'xon."

Ja'xon said nothing, but gave an acknowledgment with a head nod and began to follow Drew off the bridge.

The ensign just shook her head. "Fat lot of good I am going to do on a bridge where the controls don't respond."

CARGO BAY ONE, Two minutes later

Chief Kawalsky, one of Drew's special warfare operators, greeted the pair of officers on their arrival in the cargo bay by simply gesturing to a single Borg drone that lay on the floor. He also gestured at the four marines and a Hospital Corpsman that knelt by Three of Eight. "Corpsman Garcia, the marines and I brought the fallen drones here, but after we laid them all out they disintegrated..." He pointed to Three of Eight, "...all but that one."

"Disintegrated?" Ja'xon spoke up, "Is that normal for Borg drones?"

Drew nodded. He pointed at Three of Eight. "Each Borg drone is implanted with a data chip that contains mission orders from the Collective. When they become damaged and unable to complete their mission objectives, a failsafe protocol activates to prevent an enemy from obtaining valuable intelligence.

Ja'xon crossed his arms as he studied the laid out drone, "Is it alive? That may explain why it is still here, perhaps we should leave and open the cargo bay doors." Ja'xon didn't like the thought of an enemy lurking around the ship while they were powerless to operate it.

====== Transporter Room, Deck Two, USS Zumwalt ======

Christopher gasped inside of his helmet as he materialized in the transporter room. Slapping the side of his helmet, he heard the seals on his helmet disengage and air flowed in. Ripping off the helmet and tossing it aside with a clatter, he climbed to his feet. Looking at the wide eyed technician who was staring at him with a look of disbelief.

"What? You've never seen a pilot undergo emergency transport?" he asked rhetorically as he removed the metal seal ring on his neck, which opened his collar as he walked out of the room and into the corridor. Walking to the fore end of the passageway, he tapped a wall display. "Computer, who is in command of this ship?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

=A= The USS Zumwalt is currently under the command of Lieutenant Andrew Knight =A=

"Locate Lieutenant Knight."

=A= He is currently on Deck Three in Cargo Bay One. =A=

Christopher walked towards an open ladder well and began his climb downward. Sliding down the railing, his boots hit the deck with a clang and he wheeled into the Cargo Bay. Stepping towards the assembled group, he saw their specimen- a seemingly wounded Borg drone on the deck in front of them.


CARGO BAY ONE

"What the hell is going on here?" Christopher inquired, his voice dead calm with a hint of a knife's edge.

Drew faced Christopher and noted the man seemed more intimidating in a flight suit than any other time he'd come across the man in a normal duty uniform. "Colonel Mitchell? I didn't know you were aboard."

Chris smirked slightly. "I hitched a ride-" jerking his thumb toward the Borg lying on the deck. "What the hell is that thing doing on the deck? Why have you not taken a phaser and shot that thing in the head?" he asked again, his tone slightly more forceful with the fine edge becoming more apparent as he tried to restrain the rage that was building within him. The Borg had come like a thief in the night and wiped out thousands of souls in a mere instant and this thing was now lying on the deck plates, practically basking in their mercy. It took every ounce of self-restraint that he had to not pull out his sidearm and fire his phaser into thing until it vaporized.

Drew looked from Christopher to Three of Eight. He gave his head a slight cock to one side, "Frankly, I'm hoping to get some valuable intel from this drone."

At that moment Three of Eight suddenly sits upright, "We are Borg!" he practically yells. Except, he really was no longer sure. Confusion was a very rare feeling for a Borg drone, when you share thoughts with countless others someone typically has an explanation or answer. This time though, he is a lone in his thoughts. An overbearing feeling, being alone in your thoughts. He didn't even realize he was surrounded by those he attacked just hours before. He was stuck in his own mind, trying to understand what he is experiencing.

"What have you done?" Three of Eight says to no one in particular.

Corpsman Garcia fell back, his legs kicking and skidding on the deck as he tried to get away from Three of Eight now sitting upright. "Holy crap!!!"

Drew's hand dropped to the sidearm holstered at his waist as he too stepped back quickly. He kept a wary eye on Three of Eight. He raised a hand to signal his Chief and the marines to hold fire for the moment. "Hold your fire!"

Chris' jaw stiffened. "Follow the Lieutenant's order. He's in command here."

Chief Kawalsky had his carbine up and pointed at the back of Three of Eight's head. His finger about to depress the trigger when Drew gave the command to hold.

The Marine commander reacted much in the same way as the chief, and if he had never become a Marine the drone would already have met his end in a most violent way. But he has been conditioned to obey orders above all else and it took an enormous amount of restraint to hold back. Ja'xon looked to his right at the chief and reached over and placed his hand on the barrel of his weapon, lowering it.

"Lieutenant, please tell me you have a very good reason why this thing isn't full of holes right now." He made sure to make eye contact with his Marine team leader and then gave a subtle nod toward the drone, a nonverbal command to keep their phasers pointed at it. "I am a man of discipline, but the Klingon in me is really wanting to kill this thing."

Drew stepped cautiously around to the front of Three of Eight, though he did stay a good meter and a half away. "Because there is the distinct possibility that the data processor was damaged and therefore no reason for the fail-safe to kick in." He looked up at Ja'xon. "Or the fail-safe is damaged and that data chip...is still intact."

"We might be able to pull some valuable information from that." Ja'xon said as he walked around to the front of the drone as well, "You two," he said pointing at two of his Marines, "grab this thing and take it to some place more secure. Does this ship have a brig, Lieutenant?"

Drew was about to answer Ja'xon when Three of Eight suddenly took action.

"No." The Borg spoke again, "We cannot allow you to gain access to any information!" Three of Eight then rises to his feet and pushes through the two marines coming towards him.

The drone stumbles a bit, thrown off by an internal sensor functioning improperly. He makes it to the entrance to the cargo bay none the less. Raising his arm to the controls of the door, his hand rotates out to his engineering tool. Quickly, Three of Eight is able to shut the door, lock it, and restrict any external access.

The most logical step would be to head to the bridge and take control of the ship. He thought to himself, Though I am not equipped with many effective weapons, I should be able to use this vessel against them. Stumbling still, the lone drone heads towards the most likely location of the bridge.

Drew threw himself against the bay door as it slammed shut. He sidestepped to the control panel and keyed in his manual access code to open the doors. The bay doors remained closed. He tapped his commbadge. "Computer activate intruder alert protocols ship wide and shut down all turbolifts."

Force fields all over the ship activated restricting movement throughout the ship. Security bulkheads slammed into place between decks and various frames of the ship.

Drew turned to Kawalsky and thumbed in the direction of the control panel. "Do your thing Chief."

Chief Kawalsky was at the panel in an instant. He half listened to the marine leader as he got the panel off.

"Those shields tuned to keep Borg from just walking through them?" Ja'xon had a threat analysis done on the Borg and that ability was brought up numerous times. "All Marines, we have a lone Borg drone wandering the ship. QRF teams 1 and 2, I want you to head him off, assume he is heading to the bridge. Team 3, I want you to find something that can cut through the cargo bay doors and come break us out in case our chief here can't. Report to me every 10 minutes."

He looked at Drew and the others in the room, "Is there any other way out of here?"

Drew looked at Kawalsky. "We gonna need another way out Chief?"

Turning to Drew. "If this is your idea of gathering intel, we will need to have a serious talk. Somebody give me a rifle, it's time we went hunting!"

Kawalsky was digging around in the panel, but turned his head to Drew with a you kidding me expression. Another twist of something inside the panel and the doors were open. He spared a glance at Ja'xon. "That answer your question, Sergeant?"

Ja'xon, not entirely use to his new rank, didn't even notice the Chief referred to him as his old rank. "Excellent work, Marines!" he said, looking back at his men, "Let’s go stop this thing." At that, Ja'xon and the marines rush out of the cargo bay.

Drew exchanged looks with Kawalsky as the two set off in pursuit of the marines and the drone.

Three of Eight was moving steadily through the corridors before he ran straight into a shield wall. Which confused him, Borg should not be hindered by Federation shields. Beginning to panic, he looked around frantically for an escape. Not seeing one, he rotated his hand out for a cutting tool and began to cut a hole through the interior bulkhead.

At that moment, four marines came around the corner from the direction of the turbolift and Lieutenant Ja'xon and the ones with him came up from behind. "Stop!" Ja'xon yelled, "Stop what you are doing." Ja'xon raised his weapon and pointed it at the drone. "Computer, deactivate shields in this sector."

The shields dropped and all of the marines began to move closer.

Drew and Kawalsky came up on the marines closing in around Three of Eight. "Max stun only! I want this drone alive!"

The drone ceased trying to cut through the hull and turned to look at those surrounding him. It turned its head slightly before it finally addresses them, "Species 5618," he said confidently looking at Lieutenant Knight, "and Species...5008? No, a hybrid variety with species 5618?" he said to Ja'xon almost as if asking him the question.

Three of Eight, now calm and beginning to grasp his situation addresses everyone, "We will not resist. There is no need for violence." His words are more precise, but still carry a robotic overtone, "We do not wish to be injured further or destroyed."

Christopher stepped forward slowly, his rifle in hand but slightly lowered. "You say that but you running from my security teams tells me and everyone standing here otherwise. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't allow these men and women permission to shoot you dead. You killed their brothers and sisters in arms. Hell, your people killed a few of my pilots. Those men and women were like my own sons and daughters! Yet you stand here saying that you do not wish to be destroyed! I say 'Screw that!'" Taking his rifle, he pressed forward and pressed it against the forehead of the drone.

"I'll give you ten seconds to make your case. Ten. Seconds." he said as he armed the rifle. "Anything beyond that and I will personally make sure that there is nothing left of you. Do you understand?" Christopher asked, his voice now deep and guttural. The rage was flowing through him like a river of searing lava, tinging his vision a sharp shade of scarlet. "Your time begins now."

"Stand down Colonel!" Drew's words came out more sharply than he intended considering he was addressing a superior officer.

'Who is this guy?' Ja'xon thought to himself as he observed this Officer losing control.

Using the distraction to his advantage, he signaled for his men to get in a bit closer, he needed to maintain control. Despite being upset himself, the Marines who died were all under his command after all, Ja'xon has trained his entire life to keep his emotions under control. A Klingon in a fit of anger didn't fit well in most situations. The Marine Commander stayed silent for now, observing, staying ready and alert.

Three of Eight was essentially frozen as he quietly observed the situation. His thoughts felt slow and sluggish, he didn't like being of one mind. None the less, he found the most logical way out of this situation.

Speech was considered a more primitive form of communication when you share every thought and impulse with everyone around you. His words came out in jagged phrases, meant to express his thoughts and get to the point. “We... No, this drone: designation Three of Eight, is malfunctioning. No longer connected to Borg collective. Alone. Surrounded by enemy hostiles. Borg directives are to assimilate or destroy. Three of Eight no longer receives directives. Alone. Prefer to stay alive and not be destroyed. Ignoring last Borg directive."

The drone turned his head slightly, looking at the human with the weapon pointed at him, "Three of Eight ran from observed danger. Many weapons pointed. Talk of accessing internal data banks. Idea is frightening. Three of Eight did not harm Starfleet. Engineering drone. Fixes, repairs, accesses computer. Combat is not prime function. Three of Eight is alone."

Christopher raised his eyebrow. "You're alone? You can't send signals or communicate with the Collective?" Moving his finger away from the trigger of the rifle, he lowered it slightly so that it was pointing to the drone's chest plate.

"Correct. Alone." Three of Eight said again.

Turning to Ja’xon and Drew, he motioned with a free hand. "Keep him confined for now and post two Marines on him at all times with solid slug weapons. If he tries anything, shoot him in the head so that he can't adapt. No questions asked. Do you get me?" he asked, his eyebrow still raised. A Borg drone was nothing to take lightly, even with these declarations of remorse. He didn't trust this thing as far as he could throw it and the last thing he wanted was to allow it to run around the ship unsupervised.

"Aye sir." Was the only response Ja'xon gave to this unknown officer giving him orders. "You two," He said, pointing to two of his Marines, "Escort this, Three Eight back to cargo bay one and begin a 2 hour watch." He paused for a moment, then looked towards the only noncommissioned officer in the hall, "Corporal, create a duty watch rotation over this drone. Each watch will be 2 hours and will be made up of our men and the security personnel. Report to me the moment you have it completed."

His men all did as they were ordered and began to escort the Borg drone to the cargo bay.

Drew shook his head and spoke a little forcefully. "Belay that." He looked closely at Three of Eight and motioned the other way down the corridor. "Take Three of Eight to Sickbay. Have the EMH and Corpsman Garcia treat his injuries and then escort him...," He paused in thought for a moment, "...to crew quarters. Door locked from the outside, replicator deactivated and a level four force field in place. Maintain the two person guard." He looked about to see if anyone wanted to question or challenge his orders.

"That thing doesn't get injured, it heals probably due to the little nanites flowing through his veins but you're right, Lieutenant. Have the medics look him over and keep him inside of a Level 10 force field. My order still stands for the weapons." Christopher spun to face the Borg. "I swear to you, if you abuse my trust, these nice men and women make sure you suffer to your last." Regarding the personnel around him. "Take him away." he ordered, the edge in his voice tempered with fatigue.

The marines turned to look at Ja'xon, awaiting a confirmation of his original order or the one the other officers just gave. "Take it to sick bay and await further instruction." He said to his men somewhat quietly.

The Marines then began to escort Three of Eight to sickbay, when Ja'xon looked to Knight, "I understand your reasoning to treat its injuries in sickbay. However, I don't agree with putting this Three Eight in its own quarters. That arm it used to lock us in the cargo bay was the same it was using to try and cut through this bulkhead," He pointed at the marks left by the Borg drone, "We don't understand its capabilities and we need to have two sets of eyes on it at all times."

Drew gave the recommendation some thought for a moment and finally nodded his head slowly. "Point noted Lieutenant Ja'xon."

Ja'xon continued, "As the acting head of security on this ship, I recommend we leave it in sick bay under armed guard until we understand its capabilities. I also recommend we have engineering and anyone with significant Borg intelligence to analyze that arm and the rest of its technology." He turned his head and made eye contact with Chief Kawalsky.

Chief Kawalsky gave a nod to Ja'xon. "I have about ten special warfare operators that are combat effective. You can add us to the guard detail rotation as well."

"Thank you, Chief, when you get a spare moment I would like for you or another engineering officer to meet me in sick bay to look this thing over."

Kawalsky nodded his head, "We will be sure to send someone to meet you."

Ja'xon turned back to the officers, "I would say that the Borg are, for now at least, not our primary concern anymore." Ja'xon stepped to Chris and offered his hand, "Colonel. Sarge...no sorry, Second Lieutenant Ja'xon, Acting Marine CO. I think it would be best if Lieutenant Knight and I briefed you on everything that has happened up to this point."

Christopher nodded. "Very well. It's your ship, lead the way." he said, handing over the rifle to one of the other Marines in the corridor.

: OFF