Dark Shores Part II
Posted on Tue Nov 29th, 2022 @ 3:22am by Staff Sergeant Shayla Kunadt & Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren & Lieutenant Junior Grade Mignon Mejia & Senior Chief Petty Officer Sha’Zen D'Tem
Edited on on Tue Nov 29th, 2022 @ 3:27am
3,644 words; about a 18 minute read
Mission:
Episode 13 - Crooked River
Location: Romulan Encampment - Planet Igion
Timeline: MD004 2300 hrs
Tags:
Alyssa covertly dropped a ration bar and buried it with her heel as the sand removed all trace of it along with their footprints.
The half-Betazoid cried out as the sand began to move around, covering the footprints. It was to draw attention from Alyssa, although both women knew that a buried ration bar would be hard to find. Still, it was better than doing nothing.
"You all have made an excellent choice, and I am sure you will make excellent specimens. You are certainly strong willed enough. I am sure the Colonel will be pleased," The raspy shrill voice spoke almost seductively to the Starfleet Team. In a swift delft motion the attacker pressed a button on their wrist and spoke this time clearly and in Romulan. "nniet" (energize) And with that command everyone disappeared into the transporter effect.
Shayla woke up in a cell and found herself chained to Alyssa, Mignon, and Sha'Zen. She had been stripped of her suit and could see it in a heap on the other side of the cell shield. Thank god for lockout codes. They will never be able to activate it and deconstruct it. she thought. The Marine began to take stock of what happened and what was going on. The other women still slumbered and they were all without comm badges. Shayla felt a tad naked as she sat there in the spandex unitard that Marines wore under the MARVEL suit.
Alyssa first became aware of the chains at her wrists, then the other women around her. Her head felt fuzzy, like she'd been drugged. that made sense, under the circumstances. Slowly and carefully, she moved her wrists and head to see how tight the restraints were. it felt like her bracelet and earrings were still there--hopefully because they appeared to be jewelry. She was pretty sure her phaser and belt knife were gone.
She then listened to the breathing around her and felt outward with her telepathy to see if they were alone. It would do nothing if there were cameras in the room, but it made her feel better. Alyssa noticed that someone else was awake. "Shayla?" she whispered, opening her eyes. "Any idea where we are?"
Shayla Kunadt may have been a pilot but she was also a Marine. As such she applied all of the years of training that she had. "I am not sure. But I know that we are underground." She was able to tell by the deading of the sound and there was a fetid smell in the air despite the filtration systems. "If I had access to my suit I could learn more. Perhaps we should check on Sha'Zen and Mignon."
Kunadt was just barely able to reach Mignon's neck and found a pulse. "She is alive but her pulse seems thready. Probably because of the drugs."
Alyssa checked Sha'Zen next. "She's alive, too, but her pulse is faint." She gently shook her. "Sha'Zen. Wake up." She wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a try. "I can understand why they'd give Sha'Zen more, but why Mignon?" She paused for a moment, then asked. "Or did they give us less?"
Sha'Zen groaned and began to open her eyes. Her skin changed colour as her metabolism broke down the narcotic they had been given. Groggily she said. "There's a generator nearby, I can feel the waves through the ground." She blinked a little as her eyes adjusted to the light. "Is everyone okay?" She asked.
Shayla's eyes widened as the implication that the others were given a stronger dose on purpose. "It is possible that they were given a weaker dose. It could also be that their bodies just didn't react well. I am not sure which it is. What I do know is that we are going to have to see how took use so that we can plan how to get out of here." She looked around at the other women and was glad to see Sha'Zen coming to. However, Mignon still did not stir.
"So far," Alyssa said to Sha'Zen. "Mignon is still unconscious, and it doesn't feel natural, but I think she's only drugged." She wished they weren't chained so she could get to Mejia and check her pulse and vitals, but for now, she had to rely on being able to touch her surface thoughts. "What else can you feel?" she asked, hoping Sha'Zen could feel anything else.
"I can sense a familiar EM frequency." Sha'Zen said. "Wherever we are, I believe its cloaked." She replied as she tested the strength of her restraints.
And that EM buzz was also giving Alyssa a headache. She would need to work on her consentration.
"If you would like to be free of the restraints just ask. There is no need to wrestle with them." A deep voice came from the darkness. Cortana stood in the backlit corridor just enough for her captives to make out her form. She had a deep voice for woman and thought it would throw them off the trail. Not that it mattered she fully intended for none of them to survive this ordeal.
"If these restraints aren't necessary, why use them?" Sha'Zen asked.
It was a good question. While Sha'Zen addressed their captor, Alyssa concentrated on touching the surface thoughts of the person in the shadows. She wanted to find out what was wanted of them.
"The restraints are all part of the experiment. They are not needed but for the results to be untainted they should be used. I will reiterate if you would like to be free of them just ask. I really would hate for you to injure yourself as that would taint the experiment." Cortana stopped speaking and turned her head toward Alyssa although no one could see the head turn. The telepath had just scratched the surface of the Romulan's thoughts but Cortana would make sure that they got no further and steeled her mind. Cortana now addressed Alyssa. "Listen Betazoid, you try that again and one of you will die. I only truly need one, but the four of you would be a great boon to the experiment. I will leave that part up to you."
Alyssa would stop--for now. The Romulan woman was too sensitive--she was able to get that much, but nothing more. She'd have to find a subtle way to learn what she needed. "What sort of experiment?" she asked bluntly. She was not going to passively submit. But she had to be careful. Whatever might taint this experiment could lead to their deaths. There had to be another way out of this predicament.
Alyssa gave Mignon a telepathic nudge to wake her up. This time, she was relieved to feel a response.
At the nudge, Mignon slowly woke. She felt lethargic and...heavy. Drugged? Someone was talking and stayed where she was to listen.
"That information is not for you to know. Hmmm, curious subject number three the full Betazoid seems to have reacted quicker than the others. Must continue observation, and prepare a new dose for all. Computer please add my previous statement to the record." Cortana kept a professional distance and made sure that they could not see her face. "Now I suggest you eat. There is a replicator behind you. Have faith that it will only replicate food. The next twelve hours are going to be very stressful and interesting for you all." Before any response could be given a bright light could be seen and then the light went away. This corresponded with the door opening and closing and Cortana left.
Shayla kept her mouth shut and her eyes open. She knew that if she were spoken to it would be nothing but name, rank, and serial number. However, the Marine knew something the others and she hoped her captors didn't know. Her suit continuously monitors her life signs and scans her medical condition. It does this even when it is not worn, and she can see a small icon on the wrist mount. She needed to get to the suit. "My suit continuously scans my condition and it seems to have found something. If I can get to it I may be able to discover what has been given to us."
"Okay. Let's work together. If we can't get the chains off one of us, we can try to move to the table and see what we can figure out from there," Alyssa suggested. At least all four of them were awake and semi-alert, and they had a little time--she hoped.
"I have an idea." Sha'Zen said taking a crystal from the necklace around her neck. "This is quartz. We could provide pressure to it to create a piezoelectric effect in order to short out our restraints." She explained.
"I'm not sure we'd get enough of a charge from that crystal to affect the restraints," Alyssa replied. "Not by itself, anyway. Do we have something we can use with it? Or could we just help each other to stand and walk over to the table and find something there?"
"If we can stand and get a look at everything around us we can make a better plan. However, the Ensign is in and out of consciousness and it seems that our restraints are linked. If we are to stand we are going to have to stand together. I am pretty sure that I can sling the Ensign across my back and stand. But I am going to need you to get her into position. What do you think?" Shayla sized Mignon up and knew that she could carry the other woman. She had carried heavier people in training.
Sha'Zen worked with the others to get to her feet. She didn't like being part an experiment against her will.
"Okay, let's get Mignon up," Alyssa said, giving her friend another telepathic nudge. "They're probably watching us, and I realy don't fancy sitting around to wait for what they'll do next." She was concerned by Mejia's reaction to whatever she'd been given--what they'd all been given. They needed to know what it was so they could counter it, and the suit was their best chance for that.
"Perhaps the drug's potency is increased by larger concentrations of Psilosynine in a subject's system, this would explain why Ensign Mejia was most adversely affected by it, as being a full Betazoid she possesses a higher concentration of the neuro transmitter than each of the rest of us." Sha'Zen said having pondered the situation.
"Possible,but while I am half Betazoid, I am also a strong telepath. If it was the Psilosynine, I should have been more affected than I was--am. Besides, the feet we found were from multiple species. It bears consideration, but we need more data to be sure." Alyssa considered the options for a moment. She wondered if there was a connection between the body parts and the drug they were given. It was unlikely, but she did want to know what sort of testing they were doing and if the drug was directly related. "First, we need to remove these restraints." And see what information the suit had.
Shayla agreed with Maren's assessment and although she could not help with the drug levels or what they did she could help elsewhere. The Marine decided to test their captives. They said to just ask... Shayla thought. "We would like to be free of these shackles. We will not be of any trouble although our colleague seems to be ill. Please allow us to look after her." As she spoke Shayla could feel a small amount of dizziness, akin to vertigo wash over her. She grimaced briefly as she forced that feeling away. Now was not the time for her to get ill and Shayla knew it.
Cortana watched the captives through a hidden security feed. The Romulan knew that the Starfleet officers would figure out a plan soon enough. She counted on that and would interrupt them at just the crucial moment. After all they would need the stronger dose and transfer to the direct observation unit. Where if Cortana was correct one of them would succumb to the drug and sever a limb. The plea from the Marine caught her attention. "Very good... Test your captors. It is what I would do, and I did say just ask." Cortana said to the empty room. She keyed in her security code and released the restraints.
There was a minute or two of utter silence as Shayla waited to see if her plan would work. Just as she was about to give up the restraints were released and she smiled. "Well at lease we know that they keep their word."
Or they were just toying with them," Alyssa thought. But if this meant they could get informtion on whatever drug they'd been given, it would be worth it. At least she hoped so.
"Good," Mignon said, her voice a little shaky. "I feel like I've been hit by an an air car."
"You don't look too good," Alyssa replied telepathically. "Are you going to be okay?" Whatever they'd been given was hitting Mignon harder than it was the rest of them.
Mignon grimaced. "Yes. As soon as we're out of here and back on the ship, I'll be fine." She leaned against Alyssa to allow the other two to go ahead of them.
Alyssa couldn't agree more. The electromagnetic buzz was still giving her a headache, and keeping her from reaching anyone beyond the room they were in. Or was it the drug having that effect on her? She wasn't sure. But she knew that she'd keep trying until she was able to block the mental noise. Maybe she and Mignon could work together? She needed to get her knife. Hopefully it was on the table, but she didn't think their captors would let them keep any weapons.
"Come on Ensign you may be fleet but I know you are made from stronger stuff than that..." Shayla began with a broad smile. "Now lean on me and I will hold you up." Shayla eyed her suit cautiously, she did not realize how much they have come to rely on the MARVEL EAS until right now.
Mignon shook her head. "No. I can do this." She took a deep breath and began to move forward. She had no idea why whatever drug they'd been given affected her more than the others, but she couldn't let it keep them from getting out of here.
Once they reached the table, Alyssa whispered to Shayla. "Find out what your suit says. We may need that information." Then she looked for her knife and phaser. They would either come in handy, or going for her weapons could distract whoever was watching them from Shayla.
Mignon looked around the room, hoping to catch sight of whatever device was being used to watch them.
As she looked around the room her training kicked in and she saw that along with the loss of their restraints the forcefield had been lowered. Shayla approached her suit with caution. She did not know much about their captives, but she knew that they must be smart enough to know that the suit is loaded with weapons. They would not make access this easy. She managed to her the gauntlet with the computer on it and instituted a scan of all four of them. This was both a mistake and a blessing. The mistake came when no sooner had the results appeared then the suit disappeared in a transporter effect. The disembodied voice of the person they had come to know as their captive could be heard. "Now now do not ruin a good thing. You will get your toys back when we are done." Shayla punched the wall next to her hard enough to leave a dent.
"I had just looked at the results when it was beamed away. It seems that we have all been dosed with ketamine." The tone in which Shayla spoke was both irritated and defeated.
"Ketamine, that's an anaesthetic and pain killer used in humanoid and veterinarian medicine. It can cause dissociative disorders, and hallucinations." Sha'Zen explained.
Alyssa didn't say anything at first, but she was processing the information and adding it to what they already knew. So, this drug produced hallucinations and dissociation. At least in most dissociation, the person retained the memories. The problem was that in the most extreme cases it could lead to DID or other disorders. Was this related to why they'd found so many feet? While it was possible the two were not related, just the fact that this Romulan and those working with her were experimenting on people at the same time that an unusual number of feet washed up on shore made it too coincidental. But it was all theoretical without proof. Her more immediate concern was, how could they fight it? A resistance could be built up, over time, but she didn't think they'd have that much time.
Mignon checked the table to see if there were any other weapons or tools she could use. They needed something to fight these people, but she also didn't want whatever she found to disappear as soon as she touched it. She moved towards it, deliberately stumbling and falling against it to try and slip something into her pocket.
Cortana observed all that gone on. "It seems that we may have underestimated Starfleet training. They are learning more in a quicker time." She mused as she stroked her chin. "None of that will matter if all goes well in the next day. I believe that they have had enough play time for the time being." She continued to speak to the empty room. A moment later she turned and left. First she would head to the engineering lab where the Marine's suit had been taken. It may reveal some useful technology. Then she would head back to the holding cell for another dose.
Shayla joined Mignon in looking around for something that could be used as a weapon. At the moment she found nothing. "It seems that the only weapon I have are these two hands. I can attempt to rush the guard when they come back." She offered up the only thing she could think of.
"I will join you, Sergeant, but they may already have calculated this possibility and set up a countermeasure." Sha'Zen said.
Alyssa was more interested in non-standard weapons. They'd taken the ones they had--or the obvious ones--but there had to be something they could use. She knew her basic Starfleet hand-to-hand, but she was more comfortable with something physical. She wanted something long and flexible. Whatever she found, time was short.
Cortana stepped into the holding cell area the small remote device safely ensconced in her hand. She thought that she would allow the test subjects a chance to overcome her, but then again she knew that they were not here to be played with. She saw that they had armed themselves as best as they could, so she pressed the button on the remote that would send them all into an excruciatingly painful place. Once they were subdued she would transfer them to the experiment room where the real fun would begin.
Shayla heard the doors open and saw the tall lanky shadow of the Romulan enter. She tensed her muscles and readied herself to run or lunge or something. Just when she saw the face of Cortana and was about to go for it the most intense pain awoke in her head. It came from the base of her skull and radiated throughout her body. All she wanted to do was tear her own head off to stop the pain. She cried out and dropped to her knees her hands on her temples. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as her vision began to pulse with the pain. She spoke through gritted teeth. "You can't do this... Your day will come." Shayla lunged forward with what was left of her energy and fell on her face as her field of vision went black.
Sha'Zen sprang from the shadows as the Romulan entered. Even unarmed SerNumi were fierce opponents, but as he closed on her target , she was wracked with intense pain. Her skin changed threw many shades as she fought to stay conscious, but eventually she succumbed to the darkness of unconsciousness.
Alyssa found something she thought she could use, but just as she reached for it, the door opened. A moment later, she was brought to her knees by a pain greater than anything she'd experienced so far. She fought to stay conscious, to stay aware of her surroundings, but the pain made it hard to think.
Mignon had not fully recovered from the first attack. When the pain hit, she crumpled to the ground, her mind unable to cope.
A Joint Post By
Sergeant Shayla Kunadt
EVAC Specialist HQ, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Chief Petty Officer Sha’Zen D'Tem
Biologist, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Mignon Mejia
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist, USS Pioneer
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