[Medical Bay]
"We're playing catch up on this. Five damn steps behind." Derek shook his head, tapping his commbadge. "Ops, this is Black. Send security teams to all torpedo bays, there is a credible report of alien incursion. Advise them to restrain only."
"This is Ops, we already have personnel in Torpedo Bay 2, confirmed alien incursion. Also, Gibson is taking damage from an unknown energy source, you may have more casualties coming."
"Well that's just perfect, merde." Derek muttered. "Well then why the hell aren't you shooting back? Black out." He turned back to Felicity. "Who are these aliens? What are their weaknesses, how are they doing this...mind transfer? And all the equipment in the torpedo room, what would happened if it was destroyed? Would Adeyemi and Knox automatically revert to their own bodies?"
[Medical Bay]Felicity wondered, as she processed the Doctor's many questions, just how she would answer them all. Who were they? An arrogant species with a singular mission. What were their weaknesses? They were insect-like, their exoskeletons providing much more protection than what skin could afford to a typical humanoid.
My kingdom for a giant magnifying glass. The last line of questioning she focused on; as it was most important to their "switched" fellow crew. With security teams already infiltrating the torpedo bay, they would have to ensure the safe return of the Admiral and Lieutenant Commander Knox before the aliens' equipment was fried by phaser fire.
"There is a device that they use to initiate the switches, roughly the same dimensions as one of our PADDs, though made of a toughened, harder material. There's some sort of neural connection between it and the subjects. There
could be a fail-safe in place for them in case it got damaged, but it looked pretty integral to me. It's not safe to assume that if the device is destroyed, everyone will magically return to their rightful bodies. And it's not like we happen to have a few spare switchery thingies just lying around."
She stopped talking only long enough to swing her legs around to the side of the bed. She knew this wasn't her fault. She knew the thing had merely been wearing her like a suit. Logically, she shouldn't be feeling guilty, nor should she be keen to absorb responsibility for the aliens' actions while they were on board. But she couldn't help it, and a sense of urgency overwhelmed her. The Gibson was under attack, Ops had confirmed contact in Torpedo Bay 2. "They don't seem to mind what happens to their host bodies, but they might feel differently about their own. I need to go, Chief, I can help."
*
[Torpedo Bay 2]There was little time to luxuriate in the feeling of returning to the comfort of one's own safe and superior body. Without preamble or fuss, it rose from the table that had once restrained it.
Report, she ordered.
Uploading has ceased, complete retrieval of the ANaLYN system unsuccessful. Successful switch of First and Third. Second host still active.Where is Second's body. Explain.Escaped while occupied by Admiral Adeyemi. Host has been compromised. Security forces approaching.Request immediate extraction. ABORT.Unable to comply at this time. Alert: Incoming hostiles.