Mission 1.8: Cubed

[Dylan Torngate]

[Bridge]

It took a moment for Dylan's words to register to him. By the time Carter had realized what he said the Captain was gone. "Right. As of this moment Mr. Torngate you are the acting first officer of the Athena and have all of the "privileges" that come with that." The word privileges was sarcastic in its tone. "The captain is leading the away team over to the Borg cube, and until she's returned I've taken command of the ship."

James paused for a moment as he walked to the empty captain's seat looking it over for a moment before finally taking a seat. "That said, I'll need you here with me for advisement. So please, take a seat." He said motioning over to the XO's seat.

[Bridge]

"Ah... Aye sir." he said, listening. He didn't like the idea of a Borg Cube being found nearby them, but he was a good officer and would follow orders. Though in his opinion a few well-placed photons would be a better alternative. He shook his head when the man mentioned the leader of the away team. "Sir, Starfleet regulations are very clear about this matter... " he said, disagreeing with this decision quite a bit. However, he didn't really have much say in the matter, and simply sat down.

"Aye sir." he said, pulling up the status diagram and summoning a different Engineer to the Bridge. "I don't know how to advise besides telling you I strongly disagree with this course of action. We should destroy the cube, not investigate it." he said, sending a message to Engineering to prepare for any contingency. "That being said, I trust you and the Captain."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Mess Hall]

Stafford watched as both Catrin and Ash, a department head and civilian adviser respectively, were pulled away. He had returned Ash's pleasantries but noticed that the demeanor being exhibited by both of the women spoke of sudden tension.

He frowned and pushed away the rest of Ash's amazing dessert. He may just be hitching a ride, but under the civilian clothes and all the sunburn he was still a Starfleet captain.  He gathered his cane in his hand and began to make his way to the bridge.

[James Carter]

[Bridge]

"Ah... Aye sir." he said, listening. He didn't like the idea of a Borg Cube being found nearby them, but he was a good officer and would follow orders. Though in his opinion a few well-placed photons would be a better alternative. He shook his head when the man mentioned the leader of the away team. "Sir, Starfleet regulations are very clear about this matter... " he said, disagreeing with this decision quite a bit. However, he didn't really have much say in the matter, and simply sat down.

"Aye sir." he said, pulling up the status diagram and summoning a different Engineer to the Bridge. "I don't know how to advise besides telling you I strongly disagree with this course of action. We should destroy the cube, not investigate it." he said, sending a message to Engineering to prepare for any contingency. "That being said, I trust you and the Captain."

[Bridge]

James nodded offering a look over to Dylan before speaking. "I'm not a fan of this either mate. We got our orders from far higher up in Starfleet." He responded bluntly. "The captain and I agreed that she should be the one to lead the away team because she's studied the Borg to a much higher extent than I have." Quickly he looked back to the view screen and let out a long sigh.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Bridge]

James nodded offering a look over to Dylan before speaking. "I'm not a fan of this either mate. We got our orders from far higher up in Starfleet." He responded bluntly. "The captain and I agreed that she should be the one to lead the away team because she's studied the Borg to a much higher extent than I have." Quickly he looked back to the view screen and let out a long sigh.

[Bridge]

Stafford limped out of the turbolift, and immediately sensed that something was amiss. Lafayette was gone, and Carter appeared to be in command. He didn't let the frown that he felt inside come over his face. Whatever was going on, the last thing the crew needed to see was a Starfleet captain looking worried. He made his way over to the two senior officers.

"James, Mr. Torngate." Stafford said quietly. "I know I am only hitching a ride, but perhaps I could be of assistance?"

[Dylan Torngate]

[Bridge]

James nodded offering a look over to Dylan before speaking. "I'm not a fan of this either mate. We got our orders from far higher up in Starfleet." He responded bluntly. "The captain and I agreed that she should be the one to lead the away team because she's studied the Borg to a much higher extent than I have." Quickly he looked back to the view screen and let out a long sigh.

[Bridge]

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He muttered to nobody in particular, as he observed the scans that had been taken. It did indeed look like a deactivated, dead borg cube. It held atmosphere still, however, and so that was strange. He looked at the screen, not particularly liking this chair. This was Carter's chair, and before that Stafford's. Dylan's place was the Engineering station off to the side. Just then, the former XO himself arrived.

[Bridge]

Stafford limped out of the turbolift, and immediately sensed that something was amiss. Lafayette was gone, and Carter appeared to be in command. He didn't let the frown that he felt inside come over his face. Whatever was going on, the last thing the crew needed to see was a Starfleet captain looking worried. He made his way over to the two senior officers.

"James, Mr. Torngate." Stafford said quietly. "I know I am only hitching a ride, but perhaps I could be of assistance?"

[Bridge]

"Welcome back to the bridge, Captain." he said, still eyeing the screen in front. He motioned to the chair opposite of Carter if the man wanted, but otherwise remained focused on the task at hand. Borg were Bad for Business. He'd let Carter explain, but Dylan was visibly irked, or at least on edge. He thought about things, and looked over to Carter. "Sir... shouldn't we go to yellow alert once we get within known Borg weapons range?"

[Constance Lafayette]

[Transporter Room]

Constance listened to  Anastasia's comment and nodded, "Make it so. We can have them beamed over- we're moving out presently."

She liked a sharp cookie and Anastasia was proving to be just that. However, being sharp might not be enough today. Constance thought back to the Federations previous "battles" with the borg. It had take 39 Federation vessels to take on just one Borg tactical cube. Weapons, even those that got though, did little more than scratch the surface of the cube. Full, tactical, ships of the line did so little to a Cube that the Federation called them "wars", despite there only being one Cube. And she was about to assault it with her crew, along, with a small science vessel, and knowingly playing into their hands. Maybe brilliance was what they needed today after all...

She nodded to the transporter chief who nodded back. They'd be able to beam over- beaming out would be the hard part.

"Energize." She commanded and a light engulfed each member of the away team, transporting them to the waiting borg cube.

Constance beaming in and immediately was slapped in the face by the frigid air of the complex metal tomb. It was silent save for the away team. Their scuffles echoed in the grand emptiness of the interior of the Borg tactical cube. Constance felt a gnawing fear eating at her mind- this was a place of pure, cold, ravenous, perverse, logic. It was science gone mad, progress gone wrong. She couldn't help but shiver and fold her arms over her chest and hunched her shoulders.

"Report. Everyone ok?"

[James Carter]

[Bridge]

Stafford limped out of the turbolift, and immediately sensed that something was amiss. Lafayette was gone, and Carter appeared to be in command. He didn't let the frown that he felt inside come over his face. Whatever was going on, the last thing the crew needed to see was a Starfleet captain looking worried. He made his way over to the two senior officers.

"James, Mr. Torngate." Stafford said quietly. "I know I am only hitching a ride, but perhaps I could be of assistance?"

[Bridge]

"Please, take a seat. We could use always use more eyes on this." James replied motioning to the other seat next to him.

[Bridge]

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He muttered to nobody in particular, as he observed the scans that had been taken. It did indeed look like a deactivated, dead borg cube. It held atmosphere still, however, and so that was strange. He looked at the screen, not particularly liking this chair. This was Carter's chair, and before that Stafford's. Dylan's place was the Engineering station off to the side. Just then, the former XO himself arrived.

[Bridge]

"Welcome back to the bridge, Captain." he said, still eyeing the screen in front. He motioned to the chair opposite of Carter if the man wanted, but otherwise remained focused on the task at hand. Borg were Bad for Business. He'd let Carter explain, but Dylan was visibly irked, or at least on edge. He thought about things, and looked over to Carter. "Sir... shouldn't we go to yellow alert once we get within known Borg weapons range?"

James nodded. "Once the away team is....uh....away, I'm going to bring the ship up to Yellow Alert."

[Transporter Room]

Constance listened to  Anastasia's comment and nodded, "Make it so. We can have them beamed over- we're moving out presently."

She liked a sharp cookie and Anastasia was proving to be just that. However, being sharp might not be enough today. Constance thought back to the Federations previous "battles" with the borg. It had take 39 Federation vessels to take on just one Borg tactical cube. Weapons, even those that got though, did little more than scratch the surface of the cube. Full, tactical, ships of the line did so little to a Cube that the Federation called them "wars", despite there only being one Cube. And she was about to assault it with her crew, along, with a small science vessel, and knowingly playing into their hands. Maybe brilliance was what they needed today after all...

She nodded to the transporter chief who nodded back. They'd be able to beam over- beaming out would be the hard part.

"Energize." She commanded and a light engulfed each member of the away team, transporting them to the waiting borg cube.

Constance beaming in and immediately was slapped in the face by the frigid air of the complex metal tomb. It was silent save for the away team. Their scuffles echoed in the grand emptiness of the interior of the Borg tactical cube. Constance felt a gnawing fear eating at her mind- this was a place of pure, cold, ravenous, perverse, logic. It was science gone mad, progress gone wrong. She couldn't help but shiver and fold her arms over her chest and hunched her shoulder.

"Report. Everyone ok?"

Within a few seconds the transporter chief called up to the bridge. Mr. Carter, the captain and the rest of the away team have been transported over to the cube and I've just transported over patter enhancers as well.

Acknowledged chief. Keep up the good work. James replied looking over the rest of the crew. "Alright shields up, Yellow Alert." James commanded before continuing. "Get a channel open with the away team."

Within a moment the officer at the operations station smiled and had the channel open. "Channel's open sir."

Away team, this is Carter. Do you copy?

[Anastasia Volzhin]

The transporter room was crowded even before Captain LaFeyette and some more officers entered. Warez wasn't even sure the ship could manage everyone in a single beam out.

Race had hurriedly taken time to run to the armory and retrieve the special equipment needed. And being Warez he recorded each item to ensure it returned. But like most of the large team he had made it before the Captain.

He scanned the room for the science team and checked in with each of them. Ensign Sweet seemed anxious while Syduc was calm and ready.

"And Miss Volzhin. My apologies for throwing you in to things so quickly.  How are you feeling?" He took the opportunity to adjust his equipment belt as he spoke.

Race laughed in commiseration with the new officer. Pleased to have someone more talkative than a Vulcan around he gushed, "I spent my Ensign time in one and I'm still there. Not by choice. I'd prefer a nice starbase apartment, but out here is where the science gets done. Which reminds me, picking up those pattern enhancers was good thinking." He said sincerely. "At the very least the Captain can decide if we need them. Here. Let me carry part of them for you, please. And in any case, it's brave of you to take on this mission."

It was encouraging for the crew to hear Captain LaFayette's words, but Race was anxious to get going. Most people were coping with the idea of invading a Borg cube in their own way, but it was only a matter of time. So better to be on our way

"Are you sure the transporter beam frequencies are being cycled too? I think we may run the risk of not being able to beam everyone we would like" she asked the transporter operator, before turning to Race. "I'm pretty nervous for a lot of reasons: I'm afraid I would let the more experienced crewmembers down, and also that any mishap I make would taint our reputation of being able to achieve the impossible, and also that my first mission is inside a trap"

The transporter room was crowded before Constance started beaming out the away team, that much is for certain. But the same reason why she insisted on the pattern enhancers with frequency modulators was part of her thought process for even asking whether the transporter beam frequencies are cycled in the first place. She wanted to pull her weight on the crew all right, and she did carry part of those pattern enhancers, a set of three for herself, but that only addressed part of her concerns. She wanted the mission to succeed as much as everybody else and the transporter stuff was just one area where it could go wrong, but she knew it was a critical one. However, all other bases are pretty much covered. Hopefully the transporter operator has not forgotten to cycle the transporter frequencies, she thought. Once the Energize command was given, she would re-materialize behind the rest of the away team, and heard the following signal on her comlink:

[Borg cube]

Away team, this is Carter. Do you copy?

Affirmative Anastasia responded, while wondering where to begin her quest for Borg technology.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Bridge]

Stafford heard snippets of conversation and raised an eyebrow. A glance out at the viewer told him all he needed to know: a Borg Tactical Cube was floating in space.

He felt his heart crawl it's way from his chest to his throat, but no reaction came to his face. Instead, his eyes narrowed to colored slits amidst the sunburned face.

"I believe I will stay and help out. Thank you, commander." Stafford made his way over to the second officer's chair and sat. Though he technically outranked both of the other men this was not his ship or his bridge. He was there to advise and advise only.

There was a panel on the side of the chair. Stafford leaned his cane against the railing and swiveled the LCARs display until it was facing him.

"Orders, sirs?" Stafford asked Cartern and Torngate.

[Dylan Torngate]

[Bridge]

"Please, take a seat. We could use always use more eyes on this." James replied motioning to the other seat next to him.

James nodded. "Once the away team is....uh....away, I'm going to bring the ship up to Yellow Alert."

Within a few seconds the transporter chief called up to the bridge. Mr. Carter, the captain and the rest of the away team have been transported over to the cube and I've just transported over patter enhancers as well.

Acknowledged chief. Keep up the good work. James replied looking over the rest of the crew. "Alright shields up, Yellow Alert." James commanded before continuing. "Get a channel open with the away team."

Within a moment the officer at the operations station smiled and had the channel open. "Channel's open sir."

Away team, this is Carter. Do you copy?

[Bridge]

Dylan's face had hardened from a carefree Engineer to that of someone who was not in the mood for any humor.

"Yellow alert, Aye sir." he said, the lights all over the ship going dimmer and the mood serious. He moved from his seat and took up the Engineering standing console, working with the Shield harmonics, bringing up everything he knew about the Borg.

Across the ship security officers would be getting weapons, and guards would be posted at several corridors.

[Daniel Shepard]

[Transporter Room]
Daniel was as he was ever going to be. He Learned the plan had his gear and he knew his job. But there was a lingering thought in the back of his mind, what if the plan to get out failed? Daniel always liked to be prepared but he knew sometimes he could not get that option, so he would do the best he could. He made sure the type 3 he equiped was working properly with the frequency remodulaters. If this was going to end up a fight, he at least wanted to make sure on drone was going to get a dent in it before the phasers became useless.

[Borg Cube]
The familiar site of a transporter room faded away in a shade of light and next all Daniel saw was a big space full of metal. It was hard to describe, the area looked orderly and maintained but the atmosphere felt evil somehow, it felt like he was not supposed to be there. All he could think about was beaming back, but he would not be scared in the face of the borg, not today.

"Report. Everyone ok?"

"Affirmative, Ma'am, where should we start looking?" Daniel asked intent on learning more about the Borg and finishing the job.

[Selden Perren Mestral]

Rocket jogged down the hall, putting up her hair in a messy bun. Maybe I should just get it cut short she thought,I'd certainly have less knots to deal with.

Entering the turbolift, Rocket wondered if she could take on a borg member if she needed to; she had only had one encounter with the borg, and the captain took care of the situation before she could do anything. She hoped that she could be more helpful this time.

[Transporter Room]

As soon as Rocket entered the room, she noticed the size of the away team. The last time she was in a group this large was an evacuation simulation in her academy training. Looking around herself, she noticed a few new faces. She gave a cursory nod to the man standing next to her as she put the modulator on her phaser.

Rocket was particularly interested in the woman who was talking with the captain currently. Her observations and suggestions for the transporter beam's frequency were things that Rocket hadn't even thought of. She hoped that she would have the chance to talk with the new crew member later.

[Transporter Room]

Constance listened to  Anastasia's comment and nodded, "Make it so. We can have them beamed over- we're moving out presently."

She liked a sharp cookie and Anastasia was proving to be just that. However, being sharp might not be enough today. Constance thought back to the Federations previous "battles" with the borg. It had take 39 Federation vessels to take on just one Borg tactical cube. Weapons, even those that got though, did little more than scratch the surface of the cube. Full, tactical, ships of the line did so little to a Cube that the Federation called them "wars", despite there only being one Cube. And she was about to assault it with her crew, along, with a small science vessel, and knowingly playing into their hands. Maybe brilliance was what they needed today after all...

She nodded to the transporter chief who nodded back. They'd be able to beam over- beaming out would be the hard part.

"Energize." She commanded and a light engulfed each member of the away team, transporting them to the waiting borg cube.

Constance beaming in and immediately was slapped in the face by the frigid air of the complex metal tomb. It was silent save for the away team. Their scuffles echoed in the grand emptiness of the interior of the Borg tactical cube. Constance felt a gnawing fear eating at her mind- this was a place of pure, cold, ravenous, perverse, logic. It was science gone mad, progress gone wrong. She couldn't help but shiver and fold her arms over her chest and hunched her shoulders.

"Report. Everyone ok?"

Rocket stepped up quickly onto one of the transporter's back pads, gripping her phaser tightly. Breathing in deeply to calm herself, she hoped that it would be enough.

[Borg Cube]
The cold air hit Rocket like the wind in Battery Park in January. Looking around, her jaw dropped an inch in suprise. She had, of course, run through simulations of this sort in her training, but none of them had felt like the real thing.

The silence of the walkway made Rocket feel as though the away team was in the vacuum of space. The structure's beams and pipes snaked together, like ivy on a fence if ivy could be mechanical and sinister. The halls were so still that it seemed like the frigid air had frozen the world.

However, Rocket knew better than to trust the apperance of vacancy. She was well aware that a borg drone could easily hide in any number of places on this section of the cube.

Rocket heard the captain call out and replied "Aye, sir." as she moved closer to the group, hoping that it would be enough for warmth and protection. She pullerd her phaser out and began to scan the area, looking for any hiding spots that they or the borg could make use of.

[Leonard T. Scott]

(Zeus)

Leo was sitting comfortably in the relay craft, monitoring the situation. He much rather preferred joining the captain on the away mission, but knew that his services were much better used where he was.

"Computer," he began, "play historical audio file from the 2016 World Series Game 7, Chicago call."

He figured he would re-listen one of his favorite baseball games of all time. That game has everything that made the ancient sport great. One championship drought would end, great defensive plays, surprise offensive outings, late inning heroics, and extra innings. It was the aficionado's dream.

He settled in for a great emotional ride to pass the time.

[Race Warez]

"Report. Everyone ok?"

Away team, this is Carter. Do you copy?

Race tapped his comm badge. =^= "Science team reporting in; All members present and accounted for."=^=

He then addressed the scientists as a group. "All right folks. Here's the mission specifics plus, of course, anything the Captain adds by way of supplementary orders. But unless told other wise I want you to remain near the center of the away team. If we encounter Borg, let security handle it until given orders otherwise."
"We will be gathering data. I want complete, careful scans of all features. Special attention paid to relay nodes, drone interfaces and anything you can't identify."

He paused and looked to the newest team member, "Miss Volzhin, the pattern enhancers were a really good idea. You are responsible for them. Please set them up and test calibrate them with both the Athena and Lt. Scott on the Zeus. Then you may began you data scans as well."

He checked out the group they were good officers. Anyone would be a bit unhinged in this situation, but he trusted each to do their job well.

"Any questions?" He paused. "OK, let's get this done and get outta here."

[Anastasia Volzhin]

[Borg cube]

"This means that the pattern enhancers have to be placed near the center of the away team, too"

The pattern enhancers might have been my idea and, while I accept that I am responsible for them, these come into play at the end of the mission, when we are set to return. Perhaps the package is brand new; I hope that they have test cylinders, she thought, while keeping in mind that the PADD was there to upload the readings of... relay nodes, drone interfaces and other features, including but not limited to, anything that she couldn't identify. But she was to set them up and calibrate them; however, if left unattended, the drones could move in, steal them and assimilate the technology behind them, and render the pattern enhancers ineffective. Upon examining these items, she realizes that  the stuff that needed calibrating on them were in the control cuffs. She knew that they had to be in phase, so she wasted no time in setting them up and to make sure that the frequency modulators on those were in sync, to the best of her ability, knowing that pattern enhancers that were out of sync while cycling their frequencies were as good as useless in that situation. When she feels that is done, she is ready to use her combadge to open a channel to the transporter chief onboard the Athena.

Athena transporter chief, this is Volzhin. Stand by for calibration of pattern enhancers