S4 E6: 20,000 Leagues

[Felicity Ellis]

[Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shuttlebay 1]

"Yes, I've been to Ireland. Beautiful place," Doug answered, as he sat down as well. "Could I have a refill?"

Then, he began to tell a story.

"The first time I was in Ireland was in the early 1860s. I'd gotten into a scuffle with a tax collector in Scotland, so I had to change my identity and flee. Ireland happened to be closer and easier than the alternative. I worked as a barkeep in Dublin for about five years, then I moved to Boston," he recalled. "Last time I was in Ireland was a few years ago, on vacation with a few of my children."

It was truly a beautiful place, with gorgeous women and good booze to further augment the scenery.

[Shuttle Bay 1]

Lyric had walked off alone a ways, to take the message. She smiled to herself, quite pleased with everything. It was on the tip of her tongue to relay the captain's good words, when the lights went out and her commbadge chimed again.

After first pulling a palmlight out of her pocket, she tapped on her commbadge with her free hand.

"Affirmative Chief. We've got that weirdness on right now. Lights and power appear to be completely out. I'll poke around here about the shuttle bay. The power can't have just disappeared, ya know? Energy's gotta go somewhere. I'm gonna check into the localized conduits and EPS taps and see what shakes. McDaniels out."

Lyric had rejoined the group, just in time for storytelling it seemed. She squinted in the dim lighting at the old El-Aurian.

"What's a tax collector?" She shook her head, and tried to focus on her real task. "Never mind, you can tell me later. The captain's going to be round in an hour or so to inspect Nemo and I'd like to see about getting the lights back on for her. There's an exterior access panel to shuttlebay's power conduits. I got a feeling something's siphoning off from the EPS somehow, and the taps ought to be checked."

Lyric looked anxiously back and forth between the small assembly. "Do any of you want to come with me? It's... kinda dark and spooky to be alone."

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1]

"Too right ye can!" O'Leary responded enthusiastically as she held out the champagne bottle, ready and willing to refill Doug's glass. She listened to his story as they sat across from each other on the floor, she sipping the bubbles, he talking about her home.

"Bloody bagmen," she muttered under her breath when it became apparent that the story would be one involving tax collection, and the unfair targeting of an innocent, hard-working man, who just wanted to keep hold of the money he'd lawfully earned. She did brighten when he claimed he had worked as a barman, however.

"So ye can pull a proper pint, then?" She moved to refill their glasses again, realising quickly that they'd almost polished off the whole bottle. She shrugged, uncaring, and returned her attention to the El-Aurian and their small group. "I was reared in Co. Wexford meself. Tiny town beside the beach. I miss it often, but 'twas the stars, not the sea, that beckoned to me."

Their respite was all too brief, as the young Engineer pulled their attention back to the tasks and issues at hand. Niamh supposed that if the Captain was due to come down and inspect, that she should assist the others in preparation. "I will accompany," she promised Lyric, "Protect ye from the blackout gremlins and other assorted créatúir."

[Peter Dannenberg]

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[USS Shran - Deck 7 - Side corridor]

[Lieutenant T'Aco & Elanii of Veloria - En Route to Mess Hall Deck 7]

T'Aco sat up, ramrod straight, her legs still sprawled before her. Her eyes wide and wild, they searched for her young charge immediately. "Child." Elanii was sitting with her legs pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her back was pressed against one of the partition bulkheads, and she appeared to be speaking with someone over comms.

"Are you well."

The counselor ignored the strange sensation that was spreading throughout her body, and the dried blood on her forearm. Carefully, slowly, she moved to her hands and knees and tried to approach Elanii. The girl shook her head vehemently. Of course she was not okay. "T'Aco is awake!"

"Elanii. Listen to me closely, please. Did Ensign Miller - the human male in the patient gown - did he harm you in any way?" Another shake of the little girl's head. T'Aco stalled her crawl just in front of her and nodded. "That is good. Who are you speaking with?"

"Peter. He's coming."

The Vulcan ignored any discomfort and carefully controlled her thoughts so as not to dwell overmuch on the previous events. By virtue of the fact that some of her blood had not yet completely dried, and that the Security Petty Officer the girl had called had not yet arrived, she deduced she had not been unconscious for long. "Well done, Elanii. You are very clever."

She sat back on her haunches, scanning the corridors around them for any sign of the crazed Ensign. Then she tapped her commbadge herself. "Lieutenant T'Aco to Captain Ellis. Captain, I have been assaulted by Ensign Jade Miller. I have reason to believe he is not himself."

***

His torch lighting up the forms of T'Aco and Elanii.  "Dannenberg to Engineering. We have a power loss on deck 7. Lights are out completely."

The security team had arrived just in time to overhear T'Aco's call to Felicity. Peter crouched down near Elanii and quickly checked her over visibly. "Are you alright?", he asked the girl, stroking her hair in what he hoped was a soothing manner. Then glanced over to T'Aco.  He noticed a wound at her wrist, smeared slightly with green blood. It didn't look too bad but it was unclear what had happened here. Only then did he realize what name T'Aco had mentioned. Ensign Jade Miller?

"Counselor, I'm sure it was someone else who assaulted you." He lowered his voice. "You don't know it yet, but Ensign Miller was found dead in his quarters not long ago." He glanced at her wrist. He thought it would be better to wait until Felicity was here before asking about what happened. "Will I need to call a doctor?", he asked, looking at her wrist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NPC Ens. Nadia Ducatelle
[USS Sran - Deck 5 - Transporter Room 1]

[Bridge]

Before Aryn could say anything to the doctors, the call from the transporter room came through and Aryn swore in about five languages before asking, =A= Are you sure it was Ensign Miller?

Doctors, are you hearing this? she said in aside. There was a disturbance just outside sickbay. Another energy burst and now, supposedly, Ensign Miller has beamed down to the planet. =A=

Sniffing the blood back, Ensign Ducatelle replied.  "Yes, I'm sure, Ma'am. I recognized him from the away team that had beamed down earlier. Asking to be relieved from duty to go and visit sickbay, Ma'am."

[Dugris Zaman]

[Shuttle Bay 1]Lyric had rejoined the group, just in time for storytelling it seemed. She squinted in the dim lighting at the old El-Aurian.

"What's a tax collector?" She shook her head, and tried to focus on her real task. "Never mind, you can tell me later. The captain's going to be round in an hour or so to inspect Nemo and I'd like to see about getting the lights back on for her. There's an exterior access panel to shuttlebay's power conduits. I got a feeling something's siphoning off from the EPS somehow, and the taps ought to be checked."

Lyric looked anxiously back and forth between the small assembly. "Do any of you want to come with me? It's... kinda dark and spooky to be alone."

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1]

"Too right ye can!" O'Leary responded enthusiastically as she held out the champagne bottle, ready and willing to refill Doug's glass. She listened to his story as they sat across from each other on the floor, she sipping the bubbles, he talking about her home.

"Bloody bagmen," she muttered under her breath when it became apparent that the story would be one involving tax collection, and the unfair targeting of an innocent, hard-working man, who just wanted to keep hold of the money he'd lawfully earned. She did brighten when he claimed he had worked as a barman, however.

"So ye can pull a proper pint, then?" She moved to refill their glasses again, realising quickly that they'd almost polished off the whole bottle. She shrugged, uncaring, and returned her attention to the El-Aurian and their small group. "I was reared in Co. Wexford meself. Tiny town beside the beach. I miss it often, but 'twas the stars, not the sea, that beckoned to me."

Their respite was all too brief, as the young Engineer pulled their attention back to the tasks and issues at hand. Niamh supposed that if the Captain was due to come down and inspect, that she should assist the others in preparation. "I will accompany," she promised Lyric, "Protect ye from the blackout gremlins and other assorted créatúir."

Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shuttlebay 1]

In his tipsy state, Doug supposed it was a good idea to come along too.

"I'll go as well. I spent a year or so at a research station near the North Pole of Romulus, so I'm used to being in the dark even for months at a time. Not that Romulus is a bright, peppy planet even at its finest. It's very gray," he recounted.

Then he remembered. Romulus was no more.

"Oh."

He stood up, champagne flute still in hand.

"It was very gray."

[Thomas Jett]

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1]

Niamh let out a string of curses when the lights flickered and then died, most of them starting with the letter 'F', and ending in 'eck'. She looked at Thomas Jett when he suggested they check in with the Bridge, and snorted. She didn't know why the man thought the Bridge would want or need his help for some light panel malfunctions. "Rate yourself highly, don't ya?"

Then she shook her head and took one of the offered torches. She looked down at hers with a scrunched up expression, trying to find the 'ON' switch. "Looks like these are even older than our El-Aurian pal here."

She'd probably rather have a Molotov cocktail herself. But not in her shuttle bay. "Sure look it, there's nothin' else for it." She knocked back the rest of her champagne and picked up the bottle to pour herself a refill.

"Ever been to Ireland, sir?" She asked Doug as she lowered herself to the ground to settle in for further orders.

Jett continue keeping his eye out on the surroundings as he knew it was not normal.  Starship just does not randomly lose power on decks unless something was going on.  He was kept in the dark for figuratively and literally as he continued looking at the situation.  As she mentioned that he thought highly on his himself, he chuckled.  He was trying to be helpful and it was flown directly to his face.

The former office looked down and thought for a second.  He wondered how to respond to the question when he merely said "Hmm, does it matter really, what opinion I have of myself".   Jett responded as he looked around staying alert.  They kept drinking, but his instincts told him something was odd.

[Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shuttlebay 1]

"Yes, I've been to Ireland. Beautiful place," Doug answered, as he sat down as well. "Could I have a refill?"

Then, he began to tell a story.

"The first time I was in Ireland was in the early 1860s. I'd gotten into a scuffle with a tax collector in Scotland, so I had to change my identity and flee. Ireland happened to be closer and easier than the alternative. I worked as a barkeep in Dublin for about five years, then I moved to Boston," he recalled. "Last time I was in Ireland was a few years ago, on vacation with a few of my children."

It was truly a beautiful place, with gorgeous women and good booze to further augment the scenery.

Jett listened to the man and he continue checking the emergency supplies from the Cosmo.  He was taking a mental inventory of the situation as he heard the story.  Tom would not comment but he could not believe that they could be so calm and collected while anything could be happening just because they are not telling them things does not mean that something is happening.

[Shuttle Bay 1]

"Affirmative Chief. We've got that weirdness on right now. Lights and power appear to be completely out. I'll poke around here about the shuttle bay. The power can't have just disappeared, ya know? Energy's gotta go somewhere. I'm gonna check into the localized conduits and EPS taps and see what shakes. McDaniels out."

"What's a tax collector?" She shook her head, and tried to focus on her real task. "Never mind, you can tell me later. The captain's going to be round in an hour or so to inspect Nemo and I'd like to see about getting the lights back on for her. There's an exterior access panel to shuttlebay's power conduits. I got a feeling something's siphoning off from the EPS somehow, and the taps ought to be checked."

Lyric looked anxiously back and forth between the small assembly. "Do any of you want to come with me? It's... kinda dark and spooky to be alone."

Jett waited for a second as he looked around.  Lyric appeared to be on the same boat as him that this is not normal and someone or something is causing it.  It was not unusual to encounter space creatures that are attracted to power systems and drink their power.

As both the Luitenant and Doug agreed to come.  Jett looked down for a second and suggested.  "Before we go, don't you think it would be a good idea to arm ourselves.  We should also take the toolkit with us just incase we need instruments if it's a mechanical issue" .  Jett suggested the idea as it was implied that he was going.  He approached the shuttle and took some Engineering tools to bring it with him.  However, he did not have access to open the emergency weapons panel on the Cosmo to get a handful of phasers out.  It could be a simple problem, but he had been in space too long to know that something is not the darkness that kills you is what's behind the darkness.

[Lawrie McGellen]

[Bridge]

Before Aryn could say anything to the doctors, the call from the transporter room came through and Aryn swore in about five languages before asking, =A= Are you sure it was Ensign Miller?

Doctors, are you hearing this? she said in aside. There was a disturbance just outside sickbay. Another energy burst and now, supposedly, Ensign Miller has beamed down to the planet. =A=

*****
[Sickbay]

Alec peered wide-eyed at the other two. =A= Aryn, we left Ensign Miller in a stasis field in the morgue when the lights went out. There's no way.

Aryn cut in, Someone go check. And also send someone to see if Lt T'Aco needs medical assistance. She wasn't answering her combadge.

Got it, =A= Alec replied, raising his eyebrows at Lawrie in question.

[Sickbay]

We'll check it out Ma'am but we're going in numbers for safety. Dr. Kane recorded 'something' but we haven't yet got a conclusive reading I don't think.  We'll keep you updated.  McGellen out Lawrie said in answer both to the XO and the two doctors with him.

"Kestra, I'm aware you probably can only see me vaguely but you can hear my voice?!" the CMO called into the darkness.

"Yes I hear you." she called back.

"I'm going with Dr. Kane and Dr. Trenzal to check on Lt. T'Aco and check out the energy burst.  Please take control, seal the doors after me, they'll only open to my, or security override.  Sit with patients and reassure them, put all the biobeds close and make sure you can see at least one other crew member at all times." McGellen was worried for his staff's safety.

"Lethal hypos at 40 paces doc?!" she quipped back.  It was a private code between them that basically mean't 'We have no weapons, but we'll defend our patients and ourselves with whatever we've got.'

"That's the one Kestral, take care." he answered back.  In response a flashlight flicked 3 long flashes, then long short long.

'OK' Lawrie thought and smiled in the blackness.

"Right let's go find T'Aco!" he said playing his light down the corridor outside Sickbay both ways.

"John, what direction did your 'thing' happen? Maybe we should go there or get a reading on her commbadge even if she's not answering it."

He stepped outside and waited.  Soon enough Roger Maghouin showed behind him.

"You wanted the doors sealed, Doc?  Kestra's busy with a panicky patient.  Young lady, scared of the dark, swore she saw a figure moving in the dark that wasn't one of us."

"Yeah, in a minute, we'll decide which way we're going and then, yes do the honours" the CMO replied with a grim nod.  "You're ex Security, Roge... keep them safe, and.." he dropped his voice to a whisper.  "You know what's in the bottom left drawer of my desk, use it if you have to."

Lawrie was referring to a Type 2 that he'd taken off a Security Ensign who had come in once with it grasped in one hand, it had only been sedation that had caused him to relinquish it.  Because of a busy Sickbay, he'd shoved it in the bottom drawer intending to return it, but had never got around to it.

[Jenna McKinson]

[ Bridge - Jenna ]

"Affirmative Chief. We've got that weirdness on right now. Lights and power appear to be completely out. I'll poke around here about the shuttle bay. The power can't have just disappeared, ya know? Energy's gotta go somewhere. I'm gonna check into the localized conduits and EPS taps and see what shakes. McDaniels out."

Well, the day was turning out to be a fine kettle of fish and Jenna's mind was going a million miles per hour. She was glad she made sure the XO was alright. Her mind turned to the news at the time. Something was up that was for sure. She had hoped that the crew down in engineering were getting things straight for the decks with the fluctuating power. It was going to be like taking out a bunch of fires at once. She had faith they would be able to prioritize what was needed first. The lavatories would have to be last above the medical bay. She sighed and shook her head. She wouldn't bother them, but she did take out her PADD to try and monitor as best she could. The power was out for deck seven. "Please get the lights on in medical," She thought.

[ Engineering - Lt. Sheppard ]

"Dannenberg to Engineering. We have a power loss on deck 7. Lights are out completely."

Sheppard heard Peter's message and moved quickly with Mandik top try to get the power situation under control. "Well we can't get the whole deck, but we can at least get power to medical. Mandy, can you work on restoring the rest of the power or at least make sure that there is a consistent power to medical? If we have anyone go down we are screwed if Lawrie can't get anyone to take care of that. First, Jenna would kill us or worse we would lose our place in the fleet." Sheppard said. Mandik nodded and worked feverishly.  The lights finally came on in medical and the two breathed a sigh of relief. Sheppard opened a channel to both Jenna and Peter.

"Sheppard to McKinson and Dannenberg. We are working to get power restored, but there is power in medical bay right now. We are working hard to keep it there and getting the decks fully up to power. We will keep you posted."

[Lyric McDaniels]

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1]

Their respite was all too brief, as the young Engineer pulled their attention back to the tasks and issues at hand. Niamh supposed that if the Captain was due to come down and inspect, that she should assist the others in preparation. "I will accompany," she promised Lyric, "Protect ye from the blackout gremlins and other assorted créatúir."

Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shuttlebay 1]

In his tipsy state, Doug supposed it was a good idea to come along too.

"I'll go as well. I spent a year or so at a research station near the North Pole of Romulus, so I'm used to being in the dark even for months at a time. Not that Romulus is a bright, peppy planet even at its finest. It's very gray," he recounted.

Then he remembered. Romulus was no more.

"Oh."

He stood up, champagne flute still in hand.

"It was very gray."

Jett waited for a second as he looked around.  Lyric appeared to be on the same boat as him that this is not normal and someone or something is causing it.  It was not unusual to encounter space creatures that are attracted to power systems and drink their power.

As both the Luitenant and Doug agreed to come.  Jett looked down for a second and suggested.  "Before we go, don't you think it would be a good idea to arm ourselves.  We should also take the toolkit with us just incase we need instruments if it's a mechanical issue" .  Jett suggested the idea as it was implied that he was going.  He approached the shuttle and took some Engineering tools to bring it with him.  However, he did not have access to open the emergency weapons panel on the Cosmo to get a handful of phasers out.  It could be a simple problem, but he had been in space too long to know that something is not the darkness that kills you is what's behind the darkness.

[Shuttlebay 1 ~> Deck 7 Corridor]

Lyric was surprised that the entire group had volunteered to go with her, but ultimately pleased. She didn't really like being alone in the best conditions, and alone in the quiet, spooky darkness was not the best.

"Thank you all kindly. It'll be good to have so many extra hands that aren't my own to deal with things. I uh, don't think it's anything huge, more'n likely some systems got crossed in the repairs and leeched the power from the deck. All that energy's gotta go somewhere, so can probably trace it to the source. Don't think we'll be needing weapons, Mr. Jett." She smiled, a little embarrassed, hoping her own anxiety hadn't made him nervous as well.

The little engineer shifted her toolbag and lifted it up for inspection in the dim light provided by the torches.

"I always have my tools on me." She leaned in closer to Jett and whispered conspiratorially, "If you need to whack a bad guy, you can borrow my hyper spanner."

Then straightening up, she decided to take the lead and walked towards the doors. They swished open as she approached.

"At least those are still working. The manual hand crank to operate these are such a bear."

Lyric sauntered out the door, palm beacon leading the way in her outstretched hand. The silent darkness of the corridor felt oppressive. Apparently no one else was wandering around in the dark in this section, the hallway was deserted. She knelt next to the access entry point, and dug her fingers into part of the wall with a struggle.

"Hey, can one of you give me a hand? The panel's stuck."

[Felicity Ellis]

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[USS Shran - Deck 7 - Side corridor]

His torch lighting up the forms of T'Aco and Elanii.  "Dannenberg to Engineering. We have a power loss on deck 7. Lights are out completely."

The security team had arrived just in time to overhear T'Aco's call to Felicity. Peter crouched down near Elanii and quickly checked her over visibly. "Are you alright?", he asked the girl, stroking her hair in what he hoped was a soothing manner. Then glanced over to T'Aco.  He noticed a wound at her wrist, smeared slightly with green blood. It didn't look too bad but it was unclear what had happened here. Only then did he realize what name T'Aco had mentioned. Ensign Jade Miller?

"Counselor, I'm sure it was someone else who assaulted you." He lowered his voice. "You don't know it yet, but Ensign Miller was found dead in his quarters not long ago." He glanced at her wrist. He thought it would be better to wait until Felicity was here before asking about what happened. "Will I need to call a doctor?", he asked, looking at her wrist.

[Lieutenant T'Aco, Elanii of Veloria & Felicity Ellis - Deck 7]

Elanii responded to Peter's question by unhooking her arms from around her legs and throwing them around his neck. She hid her face against his chest for a few moments as she tried to calm down. She sniffled and then asked, her voice muffled, "Where is Scary Man now, Peter?"

T'Aco studying the cuts on her arm and shook her head once. "It was -"

Then the Captain responded to her early communication, cutting her off. "'Not quite himself'!? Lieutenant, Jade Miller is dead. I saw his body myself."

T'Aco didn't need to be human to recognise the disbelief in the other woman's voice. But she knew what she saw. She had no idea what Miller had done to her earlier, but before he'd touched her she had been completely compos mentis. "It was Ensign Miller. He approached Elanii and I here in the corridor." She spoke to both Felicity, and Peter across from her. "He was wearing a patient gown and in some sort of state of fugue, perhaps. He grabbed me and injured me, and then proceeded to apply some sort of gelatinous material to the wound."

"He was glowing blue!" Elanii whispered loudly to Peter.

T'Aco held out her arm and continued. "I think consulting a doctor would be prudent."

There was a heavy pause and several seconds passed before Felicity's voice could be heard again.

"Is Elanii okay?"

A wave of dizziness overcame T'Aco as she tried to stand. She reached out a hand to steady herself against a wall, while she glanced at the young Velorian girl in the Security officer's arms. Even for the forthright Vulcan, it was a difficult question to answer. "She is physically unharmed, Captain."

"Get to Sickbay."

***

[Felicity Ellis - Deck 2 -> Deck 7]

Jade Miller was dead. They'd all seen it themselves. Heart failure; the medical professionals had all agreed. What then was he doing walking the corridors of the Shran, attacking the crew? Felicity had swept out of the Mess Hall, coffee forgotten immediately, and was jogging toward the turbolift. It felt as though she hadn't been still all day, that she was running around, playing catch up with everything. She did not like that feeling.

"Ellis to Bridge. Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" She stepped out of the 'lift on Deck 7, and into darkness. "And why are there no lights on Deck 7!?"

[Felicity Ellis]

Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Shuttlebay 1]

In his tipsy state, Doug supposed it was a good idea to come along too.

"I'll go as well. I spent a year or so at a research station near the North Pole of Romulus, so I'm used to being in the dark even for months at a time. Not that Romulus is a bright, peppy planet even at its finest. It's very gray," he recounted.

Then he remembered. Romulus was no more.

"Oh."

He stood up, champagne flute still in hand.

"It was very gray."

Jett continue keeping his eye out on the surroundings as he knew it was not normal.  Starship just does not randomly lose power on decks unless something was going on.  He was kept in the dark for figuratively and literally as he continued looking at the situation.  As she mentioned that he thought highly on his himself, he chuckled.  He was trying to be helpful and it was flown directly to his face.

The former office looked down and thought for a second.  He wondered how to respond to the question when he merely said "Hmm, does it matter really, what opinion I have of myself".   Jett responded as he looked around staying alert.  They kept drinking, but his instincts told him something was odd.

Jett listened to the man and he continue checking the emergency supplies from the Cosmo.  He was taking a mental inventory of the situation as he heard the story.  Tom would not comment but he could not believe that they could be so calm and collected while anything could be happening just because they are not telling them things does not mean that something is happening.

Jett waited for a second as he looked around.  Lyric appeared to be on the same boat as him that this is not normal and someone or something is causing it.  It was not unusual to encounter space creatures that are attracted to power systems and drink their power.

As both the Luitenant and Doug agreed to come.  Jett looked down for a second and suggested.  "Before we go, don't you think it would be a good idea to arm ourselves.  We should also take the toolkit with us just incase we need instruments if it's a mechanical issue" .  Jett suggested the idea as it was implied that he was going.  He approached the shuttle and took some Engineering tools to bring it with him.  However, he did not have access to open the emergency weapons panel on the Cosmo to get a handful of phasers out.  It could be a simple problem, but he had been in space too long to know that something is not the darkness that kills you is what's behind the darkness.

[Shuttlebay 1 ~> Deck 7 Corridor]

Lyric was surprised that the entire group had volunteered to go with her, but ultimately pleased. She didn't really like being alone in the best conditions, and alone in the quiet, spooky darkness was not the best.

"Thank you all kindly. It'll be good to have so many extra hands that aren't my own to deal with things. I uh, don't think it's anything huge, more'n likely some systems got crossed in the repairs and leeched the power from the deck. All that energy's gotta go somewhere, so can probably trace it to the source. Don't think we'll be needing weapons, Mr. Jett." She smiled, a little embarrassed, hoping her own anxiety hadn't made him nervous as well.

The little engineer shifted her toolbag and lifted it up for inspection in the dim light provided by the torches.

"I always have my tools on me." She leaned in closer to Jett and whispered conspiratorially, "If you need to whack a bad guy, you can borrow my hyper spanner."

Then straightening up, she decided to take the lead and walked towards the doors. They swished open as she approached.

"At least those are still working. The manual hand crank to operate these are such a bear."

Lyric sauntered out the door, palm beacon leading the way in her outstretched hand. The silent darkness of the corridor felt oppressive. Apparently no one else was wandering around in the dark in this section, the hallway was deserted. She knelt next to the access entry point, and dug her fingers into part of the wall with a struggle.

"Hey, can one of you give me a hand? The panel's stuck."

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1 -> Corridor]

O'Leary followed suit and stood herself, a little shaky on the launch but steadying once she was upright and remembered she had no champagne left to spill. If the booze was gone, there was no point in being so careful, was there? "Romulus was indeed very gray, right ye are. Much like the Rommies themselves." She had a complicated opinion of the people, but she'd need a lot more than a half bottle of champagne before she divulged anything further about that particular chapter of her life, that was for sure.

Thomas Jett distracted her from her musings. When he suggested arming themselves, she burst out laughing. "Agin what, precisely? An abominable light fitting?" She was leaning over a little and slapped her thigh. She'd only been yanking their chains about gremlins and the like. He was either a chap with a nervous disposition, or he thought she was stupid enough to hand him a phaser. The O'Learys might not have been known for their smarts, but they were sharp enough to spot a con.

"Ah, ye crack me up. C'mon, let's be having this panel."

She waved the others over to assist Lyric, hunkering down herself to try and slip her nimble pilot's fingers between the entry point and the wall.

[Dugris Zaman]

Jett continue keeping his eye out on the surroundings as he knew it was not normal.  Starship just does not randomly lose power on decks unless something was going on.  He was kept in the dark for figuratively and literally as he continued looking at the situation.  As she mentioned that he thought highly on his himself, he chuckled.  He was trying to be helpful and it was flown directly to his face.

The former office looked down and thought for a second.  He wondered how to respond to the question when he merely said "Hmm, does it matter really, what opinion I have of myself".   Jett responded as he looked around staying alert.  They kept drinking, but his instincts told him something was odd.

Jett listened to the man and he continue checking the emergency supplies from the Cosmo.  He was taking a mental inventory of the situation as he heard the story.  Tom would not comment but he could not believe that they could be so calm and collected while anything could be happening just because they are not telling them things does not mean that something is happening.

Jett waited for a second as he looked around.  Lyric appeared to be on the same boat as him that this is not normal and someone or something is causing it.  It was not unusual to encounter space creatures that are attracted to power systems and drink their power.

As both the Luitenant and Doug agreed to come.  Jett looked down for a second and suggested.  "Before we go, don't you think it would be a good idea to arm ourselves.  We should also take the toolkit with us just incase we need instruments if it's a mechanical issue" .  Jett suggested the idea as it was implied that he was going.  He approached the shuttle and took some Engineering tools to bring it with him.  However, he did not have access to open the emergency weapons panel on the Cosmo to get a handful of phasers out.  It could be a simple problem, but he had been in space too long to know that something is not the darkness that kills you is what's behind the darkness.

[Shuttlebay 1 ~> Deck 7 Corridor]

Lyric was surprised that the entire group had volunteered to go with her, but ultimately pleased. She didn't really like being alone in the best conditions, and alone in the quiet, spooky darkness was not the best.

"Thank you all kindly. It'll be good to have so many extra hands that aren't my own to deal with things. I uh, don't think it's anything huge, more'n likely some systems got crossed in the repairs and leeched the power from the deck. All that energy's gotta go somewhere, so can probably trace it to the source. Don't think we'll be needing weapons, Mr. Jett." She smiled, a little embarrassed, hoping her own anxiety hadn't made him nervous as well.

The little engineer shifted her toolbag and lifted it up for inspection in the dim light provided by the torches.

"I always have my tools on me." She leaned in closer to Jett and whispered conspiratorially, "If you need to whack a bad guy, you can borrow my hyper spanner."

Then straightening up, she decided to take the lead and walked towards the doors. They swished open as she approached.

"At least those are still working. The manual hand crank to operate these are such a bear."

Lyric sauntered out the door, palm beacon leading the way in her outstretched hand. The silent darkness of the corridor felt oppressive. Apparently no one else was wandering around in the dark in this section, the hallway was deserted. She knelt next to the access entry point, and dug her fingers into part of the wall with a struggle.

"Hey, can one of you give me a hand? The panel's stuck."

[Lieutenant Niamh O'Leary - Shuttle Bay 1 -> Corridor]

O'Leary followed suit and stood herself, a little shaky on the launch but steadying once she was upright and remembered she had no champagne left to spill. If the booze was gone, there was no point in being so careful, was there? "Romulus was indeed very gray, right ye are. Much like the Rommies themselves." She had a complicated opinion of the people, but she'd need a lot more than a half bottle of champagne before she divulged anything further about that particular chapter of her life, that was for sure.

Thomas Jett distracted her from her musings. When he suggested arming themselves, she burst out laughing. "Agin what, precisely? An abominable light fitting?" She was leaning over a little and slapped her thigh. She'd only been yanking their chains about gremlins and the like. He was either a chap with a nervous disposition, or he thought she was stupid enough to hand him a phaser. The O'Learys might not have been known for their smarts, but they were sharp enough to spot a con.

"Ah, ye crack me up. C'mon, let's be having this panel."

She waved the others over to assist Lyric, hunkering down herself to try and slip her nimble pilot's fingers between the entry point and the wall.

[Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Passageways]

Doug found the suggestion of bringing weapons to be silly, but he didn't dismiss it aloud as the others did. One never could know for sure.

He followed along with the group, until they reached the panel that seemed dead-set to obstruct them.

"If it won't budge, perhaps we can try to slice through it," he suggested. "If only I had PooDoo with me. That squirrelbeast can cut through just about anything with her claws."

Unfortunately, "just about anything" normally included things Doug would rather not be cut through. Such was life with an unruly El-Aurian Squirrelbeast.

[Aryn Corliss]

[Sickbay]

We'll check it out Ma'am but we're going in numbers for safety. Dr. Kane recorded 'something' but we haven't yet got a conclusive reading I don't think.  We'll keep you updated.  McGellen out Lawrie said in answer both to the XO and the two doctors with him.

"Kestra, I'm aware you probably can only see me vaguely but you can hear my voice?!" the CMO called into the darkness.

"Yes I hear you." she called back.

"I'm going with Dr. Kane and Dr. Trenzal to check on Lt. T'Aco and check out the energy burst.  Please take control, seal the doors after me, they'll only open to my, or security override.  Sit with patients and reassure them, put all the biobeds close and make sure you can see at least one other crew member at all times." McGellen was worried for his staff's safety.

"Lethal hypos at 40 paces doc?!" she quipped back.  It was a private code between them that basically mean't 'We have no weapons, but we'll defend our patients and ourselves with whatever we've got.'

"That's the one Kestral, take care." he answered back.  In response a flashlight flicked 3 long flashes, then long short long.

'OK' Lawrie thought and smiled in the blackness.

"Right let's go find T'Aco!" he said playing his light down the corridor outside Sickbay both ways.

"John, what direction did your 'thing' happen? Maybe we should go there or get a reading on her commbadge even if she's not answering it."

He stepped outside and waited.  Soon enough Roger Maghouin showed behind him.

"You wanted the doors sealed, Doc?  Kestra's busy with a panicky patient.  Young lady, scared of the dark, swore she saw a figure moving in the dark that wasn't one of us."

"Yeah, in a minute, we'll decide which way we're going and then, yes do the honours" the CMO replied with a grim nod.  "You're ex Security, Roge... keep them safe, and.." he dropped his voice to a whisper.  "You know what's in the bottom left drawer of my desk, use it if you have to."

Lawrie was referring to a Type 2 that he'd taken off a Security Ensign who had come in once with it grasped in one hand, it had only been sedation that had caused him to relinquish it.  Because of a busy Sickbay, he'd shoved it in the bottom drawer intending to return it, but had never got around to it.

[Sickbay --> Corridor --> Sickbay]

Thankfully, the lights were restored just as the three doctors exited sickbay. At least they wouldn't have to bring any patients back in the dark. They were able to move quickly to the spot where Lt. T'Aco was just standing with a hand braced against the corridor wall.

[Lieutenant T'Aco, Elanii of Veloria & Felicity Ellis - Deck 7]

A wave of dizziness overcame T'Aco as she tried to stand. She reached out a hand to steady herself against a wall, while she glanced at the young Velorian girl in the Security officer's arms. Even for the forthright Vulcan, it was a difficult question to answer. "She is physically unharmed, Captain."

"Get to Sickbay."

***

Alec hurried forward, but didn't immediately touch the Vulcan, not wanting to cause her further distress if he could help it.

Yes, come with us, Lieutenant. We'll get you checked out. Alec offered his arm if the woman wanted to accept the help, but he got her moving toward sickbay.

Lawrie, what do you think? Full blood panel, at least? And every scan we can think of. Obviously, we missed something in our examination of Ensign Miller. Alec was mentally berating himself for everything he didn't think of doing for the poor ensign, and now they potentially had a second victim.

*****
[Bridge]

=A= Yes, Ensign, report to sickbay immediately for assistance. I'll send security and a replacement for you. =A=

Tapping her badge again, Aryn called security, then found the work schedule for the transporter room and called the next person on the duty roster to go stand in.

[Felicity Ellis - Deck 2 -> Deck 7]

Jade Miller was dead. They'd all seen it themselves. Heart failure; the medical professionals had all agreed. What then was he doing walking the corridors of the Shran, attacking the crew? Felicity had swept out of the Mess Hall, coffee forgotten immediately, and was jogging toward the turbolift. It felt as though she hadn't been still all day, that she was running around, playing catch up with everything. She did not like that feeling.

"Ellis to Bridge. Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" She stepped out of the 'lift on Deck 7, and into darkness. "And why are there no lights on Deck 7!?"

Aryn was becoming somewhat frazzled. This was almost as bad as when she'd had to wrangle multiple conversations with several freighter captains at the same time.

=A= Yes, Captain. I'm sorry. I was trying to get people deployed where they were needed. She paused for a deep breath. We're not sure what the reason is for the power failure, but engineering is working on it.

There was another energy burst outside sickbay, and Ensign Miller appears to not be dead somehow. He left the morgue and seems to have attacked someone outside sickbay, and has attacked Ensign Ducatelle  in transporter room 1 and beamed down to the surface of the planet. Security should be on their way to the transporter room, but I had intended to check with you before sending them down to the planet. =A= It all felt like a useless, unrelated chain of information.

[Mondo'li Nari]

USS Shran -- Remembering yesterday --> Transporter Room

Mars.

Mars was a curious irony.  The planet was named after one of the Terran Gods of War, and yet it was a cradle for one of the Federation's most important endeavors: Exploration.

Mars was the home of Utopia Planitia, one of Starfleet's most famous shipyards.  There, countless ships were assembled before they would depart peacefully to the farthest sectors of known space.  Employing their fast engines and inquisitive sensors, they would probe the secrets of the galaxy.  Secrets that would gradually unfold themselves to the United Federation of Planets and its many billions of scholarly citizens.

In addition to this august foundry of space vessels, Mars held the largest branch of Starfleet's Technical Services Academy.  There, enlisted personnel trained within massive orbital facilities, overlooking a planet that was not only named for a God of War, but had seen a fair share of war, itself.  Operations crewmen, Engineering technicians, Medical assistants, and Security personnel were all trained there.  The ships and the crew were crafted side-by-side, being outfitted with everything they'd need to engage in a mission of discovery that would last for the rest of their lives.

It was at the Technical Services Academy that Mondo had met the very first human who would ever become his friend.

Her name was Nyona Richards, and she had given birth to a son just two years before joining Starfleet.  It had been difficult for her to leave her son in the care of her wife.  But she had chosen to follow her ambitions, even when those ambitions tore at her heart.  Still, the separation was made easier thanks to modern technology.  She frequently communicated with her home via the subspace console in their shared quarters at the Academy.  Her son would not be allowed to forget the face of his mother.

It was on one of those calls that Mondo had accidentally spied a book that her son was holding as they chatted.  It had been entitled,  'Everyone Poops.'

A statement of simple wisdom, it had been as true then as it was, now.

And so it was that now, on the USS Shran, Mondo found himself pooping when all hell broke loose.  The communications were difficult to make sense of.  The dead had returned to life?  Then the dead had used transporters to make unauthorized trips to the planet's surface?

Perhaps the famous author Taro Gomi would publish a sequel to their most famous work entitled, 'Everyone Dies... but not everyone stays dead.'

Mondo finished his deed and hastily got back into his Security-branded environmental suit before rushing down to the transporter room, phaser-rifle slung over one shoulder and a full away-team kit clipped to his suit's belt.

"Am I correct in what I heard," he asked as he arrived on the scene, "Miller- the deceased Miller- beamed down to the surface below?"

[Peter Dannenberg]

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[USS Shran - Deck 7 - Corridor]

[Lieutenant T'Aco, Elanii of Veloria & Felicity Ellis - Deck 7]

Elanii responded to Peter's question by unhooking her arms from around her legs and throwing them around his neck. She hid her face against his chest for a few moments as she tried to calm down. She sniffled and then asked, her voice muffled, "Where is Scary Man now, Peter?"

T'Aco studying the cuts on her arm and shook her head once. "It was -"

Then the Captain responded to her early communication, cutting her off. "'Not quite himself'!? Lieutenant, Jade Miller is dead. I saw his body myself."

T'Aco didn't need to be human to recognise the disbelief in the other woman's voice. But she knew what she saw. She had no idea what Miller had done to her earlier, but before he'd touched her she had been completely compos mentis. "It was Ensign Miller. He approached Elanii and I here in the corridor." She spoke to both Felicity, and Peter across from her. "He was wearing a patient gown and in some sort of state of fugue, perhaps. He grabbed me and injured me, and then proceeded to apply some sort of gelatinous material to the wound."

"He was glowing blue!" Elanii whispered loudly to Peter.

T'Aco held out her arm and continued. "I think consulting a doctor would be prudent."

There was a heavy pause and several seconds passed before Felicity's voice could be heard again.

"Is Elanii okay?"

A wave of dizziness overcame T'Aco as she tried to stand. She reached out a hand to steady herself against a wall, while she glanced at the young Velorian girl in the Security officer's arms. Even for the forthright Vulcan, it was a difficult question to answer. "She is physically unharmed, Captain."

"Get to Sickbay."

***

[Felicity Ellis - Deck 2 -> Deck 7]

Jade Miller was dead. They'd all seen it themselves. Heart failure; the medical professionals had all agreed. What then was he doing walking the corridors of the Shran, attacking the crew? Felicity had swept out of the Mess Hall, coffee forgotten immediately, and was jogging toward the turbolift. It felt as though she hadn't been still all day, that she was running around, playing catch up with everything. She did not like that feeling.

"Ellis to Bridge. Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" She stepped out of the 'lift on Deck 7, and into darkness. "And why are there no lights on Deck 7!?"

[Sickbay --> Corridor --> Sickbay]

Thankfully, the lights were restored just as the three doctors exited sickbay. At least they wouldn't have to bring any patients back in the dark. They were able to move quickly to the spot where Lt. T'Aco was just standing with a hand braced against the corridor wall.

Alec hurried forward, but didn't immediately touch the Vulcan, not wanting to cause her further distress if he could help it.

Yes, come with us, Lieutenant. We'll get you checked out. Alec offered his arm if the woman wanted to accept the help, but he got her moving toward sickbay.

Lawrie, what do you think? Full blood panel, at least? And every scan we can think of. Obviously, we missed something in our examination of Ensign Miller. Alec was mentally berating himself for everything he didn't think of doing for the poor ensign, and now they potentially had a second victim.

Peter opened his arm to hold Elanii when the little girl buried her face in his chest, sniffling. "The Scary Man is not here anymore, Kleines", he assured her in a soothing voice. "You did well to call me. I'm proud of you." He gently rubbed the girl's back. "As soon as I can, we'll get you a huge ice cream, cookies 'n' cream, alright? I know it's your favourite."

Peter then listened to the conversation between T'Aco and Felicity. He wasn't able to hide the startement from his face when he heard that Miller indeed had been the attacker. But he was dead ...!

As if on cue to Felicity's order, Peter saw the doctors approaching them in the torch's light. They took care of T'Aco and when Felicity joined them, Peter was still holding Elanii. At Felicity's question about the lights, Peter explained. "I already informed Engineering. Sheppard's working on it."

He looked to Elanii. "Hey, Kleines, you better go with T'Aco and Dr. Lawrie so he can check you over."

"Will you and Facility come with?", she asked in a little voice.

"Captain Facility and I have to work. Think of that ice cream, huh? You're a big girl."

Pulling back slowly, two of Elanii's eyes looked at Peter, one at Felicity and one glanced at Lawrie. "Okay, but the ice cream has to be this huge." She gestured with both hands.

Peter grinned. "Promise."

Elanii gave him a kiss on the cheek, then hugged Felicity's legs before she walked over to the funny scottish doctor.

Getting to his feet, Peter stepped up to Felicity. "Can you believe what's going on here?", he now expressed his disbelief from what he had heard of Aryn's report. "I suggest to beam down too and check out what Miller ... or whoever ... whatever he is, is up to."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ensign Nadia Ducatelle
[USS Shran - Deck 5 - Transporter Room 1]

USS Shran -- Remembering yesterday --> Transporter Room
[...]

"Am I correct in what I heard," he asked as he arrived on the scene, "Miller- the deceased Miller- beamed down to the surface below?"

Nadia's relief had arrived only a minute or so earlier so the injured woman was still around when Mondo arrived. She had wiped the blood off her face as best as she could but her face clearly was contorted with pain, the nose - that was most likely broken - swollen.

Turning to the Hupyrian, the young woman looked at him as if he just had grown a second head. "Deceased?", she spoke with a nasal twang. Briefly she wondered if that was the man's attempt of a joke. "Miller beamed down, yes. But he was very alive ..." She gestured towards her nose.

[Thomas Jett]

[Shuttle Bay 1 – Corridors, Deck 7]

The former officer looked at the supplies from the emergency kit of the Cosmo and looked around the place was dark and power outages were not normal on a Starship.  The crew seemed to be relaxed, but he did not know.

"Thank you all kindly. It'll be good to have so many extra hands that aren't my own to deal with things. I uh, don't think it's anything huge, more'n likely some systems got crossed in the repairs and leeched the power from the deck. All that energy's gotta go somewhere, so can probably trace it to the source. Don't think we'll be needing weapons, Mr. Jett." She smiled, a little embarrassed, hoping her own anxiety hadn't made him nervous as well.
"I always have my tools on me." She leaned in closer to Jett and whispered conspiratorially, "If you need to whack a bad guy, you can borrow my hyper spanner."
"At least those are still working. The manual hand crank to operate these are such a bear."

Lyric sauntered out the door, palm beacon leading the way in her outstretched hand. The silent darkness of the corridor felt oppressive. Apparently no one else was wandering around in the dark in this section, the hallway was deserted. She knelt next to the access entry point, and dug her fingers into part of the wall with a struggle.

"Hey, can one of you give me a hand? The panel's stuck."

The former Officer walked and followed the Engineer, as she offered the Hyper Spanner instead of a weapon.  Jett shrugged it off and responded "Don't worry about it" .  Thomas was used to have his pistols with him.  Maybe he was indeed paranoid or maybe being outside of Starfleet for years has changed him.  He was after all, in a Federation ship in which has dramatically fewer dangers than civilian life in deep space.

Thomas Jett distracted her from her musings. When he suggested arming themselves, she burst out laughing. "Agin what, precisely? An abominable light fitting?" She was leaning over a little and slapped her thigh. She'd only been yanking their chains about gremlins and the like. He was either a chap with a nervous disposition, or he thought she was stupid enough to hand him a phaser. The O'Learys might not have been known for their smarts, but they were sharp enough to spot a con.

"Ah, ye crack me up. C'mon, let's be having this panel."

She waved the others over to assist Lyric, hunkering down herself to try and slip her nimble pilot's fingers between the entry point and the wall.

Jett nodded as it was mentioned he was scared in the dark.  It was not the darkness that scared him it was that his sense was diminished.  They are multiple scenarios from boarding that the first thing you do is to cut the power.  But once again in a civilian ship, any small thing could be a precursor of something bigger.

[Dr. Dugris "Doug" Zaman - Passageways]

Doug found the suggestion of bringing weapons to be silly, but he didn't dismiss it aloud as the others did. One never could know for sure.

He followed along with the group, until they reached the panel that seemed dead-set to obstruct them.

"If it won't budge, perhaps we can try to slice through it," he suggested. "If only I had PooDoo with me. That squirrelbeast can cut through just about anything with her claws."

Unfortunately, "just about anything" normally included things Doug would rather not be cut through. Such was life with an unruly El-Aurian Squirrelbeast.

As dealing with the panel situation, it appeared that it would not budge.  He thought of slicing it open, Jett thought of maybe blowing it open with a weapon.  Regardless the panel was in the way. "Wish I could vaporize this with a phaser" .  The man uttered under his breath.  He was sure that weapons sometimes could be used as tools.   Even though, they laughed for him wanting a weapon sometimes destruction is a way to solve a problem.  Not the only way, but a possible solution.

Instead of prying open the panel Jett observed it.  "It's not entirely shut.  It just seems like it stuck or jammed..  Jett then looked at Lyric and mentioned "Hmm, it might be easier to open from the other side with more leverage.  It's easier to push than to pull.  And we have someone that can be big and small at the same time.".  Jett looked at Lyric as it was not a subtle hint for her to transform herself go around the panel and remove what jamming it or more leverage.

[Felicity Ellis]

=A= Yes, Captain. I'm sorry. I was trying to get people deployed where they were needed. She paused for a deep breath. We're not sure what the reason is for the power failure, but engineering is working on it.

There was another energy burst outside sickbay, and Ensign Miller appears to not be dead somehow. He left the morgue and seems to have attacked someone outside sickbay, and has attacked Ensign Ducatelle  in transporter room 1 and beamed down to the surface of the planet. Security should be on their way to the transporter room, but I had intended to check with you before sending them down to the planet. =A=

PO1 Peter Dannenberg
[USS Shran - Deck 7 - Corridor]

Peter opened his arm to hold Elanii when the little girl buried her face in his chest, sniffling. "The Scary Man is not here anymore, Kleines", he assured her in a soothing voice. "You did well to call me. I'm proud of you." He gently rubbed the girl's back. "As soon as I can, we'll get you a huge ice cream, cookies 'n' cream, alright? I know it's your favourite."

Peter then listened to the conversation between T'Aco and Felicity. He wasn't able to hide the startement from his face when he heard that Miller indeed had been the attacker. But he was dead ...!

As if on cue to Felicity's order, Peter saw the doctors approaching them in the torch's light. They took care of T'Aco and when Felicity joined them, Peter was still holding Elanii. At Felicity's question about the lights, Peter explained. "I already informed Engineering. Sheppard's working on it."

He looked to Elanii. "Hey, Kleines, you better go with T'Aco and Dr. Lawrie so he can check you over."

"Will you and Facility come with?", she asked in a little voice.

"Captain Facility and I have to work. Think of that ice cream, huh? You're a big girl."

Pulling back slowly, two of Elanii's eyes looked at Peter, one at Felicity and one glanced at Lawrie. "Okay, but the ice cream has to be this huge." She gestured with both hands.

Peter grinned. "Promise."

Elanii gave him a kiss on the cheek, then hugged Felicity's legs before she walked over to the funny scottish doctor.

Getting to his feet, Peter stepped up to Felicity. "Can you believe what's going on here?", he now expressed his disbelief from what he had heard of Aryn's report. "I suggest to beam down too and check out what Miller ... or whoever ... whatever he is, is up to."

[Felicity Ellis - Corridor, Deck 7]

The wavering beams of light from their torches drew Felicity toward the group, her eyes narrowed in the dimly lit corridor as she identified each member of the assembled group. It was then that Aryn's report came through. Felicity stopped a short distance away from Elanii, who was being comforted and reassured by Peter, and cocked her head to listen to the strangest thing she'd heard since her dead brother spoke to her on the Bridge, all those months ago.

Her jaw clenched, but she managed a smile for the little girl who gave Peter a kiss on the cheek, and then came over to wrap her arms around her legs. "You're very brave, liefling." Felicity's hand reached out to stroke the top of Elanii's head, showing no other sign of the pain in her chest that continued to coil, making her feel as though her lungs were being constricted. She watched her move off and as Peter stepped toward her, she shook her head at his question. "Miller... whatever he is, obviously did something to T'Aco," Felicity mused aloud, still watching the retreating personnel, the Vulcan in particular drawing her attention when she stumbled and reached out for Alec. He could have done something to Elanii, too. "He was the only one to go into the water, Peter." She blinked several times as the lights returned in full glory while she processed the theory, then looked at him. "Something happened to him there and we need to find out what, just in case T'Aco -" She broke off for a moment and found herself wondering if what she was saying was making any sense.

"There's a team on their way to the Transporter Room, you should go with them. I'll follow in the modified shuttle." After a brief pause, she reached out to Aryn.

"Ellis to Bridge. I'm on Deck 7 now, Commander. Proceed with your plan.     Ellis to Lieutenant O'Leary. How soon can you launch that shubble of yours?"

~~~

[Sickbay --> Corridor --> Sickbay]

Thankfully, the lights were restored just as the three doctors exited sickbay. At least they wouldn't have to bring any patients back in the dark. They were able to move quickly to the spot where Lt. T'Aco was just standing with a hand braced against the corridor wall.

Alec hurried forward, but didn't immediately touch the Vulcan, not wanting to cause her further distress if he could help it.

Yes, come with us, Lieutenant. We'll get you checked out. Alec offered his arm if the woman wanted to accept the help, but he got her moving toward sickbay.

Lawrie, what do you think? Full blood panel, at least? And every scan we can think of. Obviously, we missed something in our examination of Ensign Miller. Alec was mentally berating himself for everything he didn't think of doing for the poor ensign, and now they potentially had a second victim.

[Lieutenant T'Aco - En Route to Sickbay, Deck 7]

"Yes, thank you Doctors." T'Aco, very unsteady on her feet, reached out to take the offered arm. "I believe I have been compromised." She did not elaborate further on that as she swayed dangerously. Her eyes were rolling upward and she was struggling to stay upright and awake.

"Excuse me, I am suddenly quite fatigued."