Lieutenant JG T'Ama - Eliminate The Unassimilated

[Gnai]

@TAma's assimilation was very fun to read (as has everyone's been so far, of course). It's a very quick transition, almost a blink-and-you'll-miss-it, but I think it works very well, especially considering the backstory she has with her step-father and Vulcan family. And what a bold move to make (as a drone), shooting her new captain almost as soon as she was aboard!

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(( Bridge, Deck 3 - Primary Hull, USS Chin’toka ))

T’Ama had been going non-stop since the briefing broke up. Debriefing Tai and Brodie on everything she’d experienced and gleaned from earlier that day on the Artemis. Lighting fires under the butts of all the crewmen and officers in Operations to get as much of everything up, running, and provisioned as fast they possibly could. And now here she was, back on the bridge. She knew something was coming, and was not convinced there weren’t more Changelings about. She’d already had to phaser one twice today, so she kept the type 2 phaser Silveira had armed her with on her hip.

Serala: So, you mean we don’t have a full store of supplies, correct?

Perkins: That’s right, Serala. But this ship wasn’t meant to launch yet. We aren’t expecting those supplies until Thursday.

T’Ama just shook her head slightly to herself. She didn’t envy this Perkins - at least half her job was telling people no.

Serala: Fine. We’re not planning an extended launch anyway. If that’s all there is, we will be fine.

T’Ama: There’s also no tractor beam, captain.

Serala: No tractor beam?

T’Ama: It’s low priority on the load order.

The computer took awhile to bring all the systems online and did so in a prioritized order. It had also taken her some amount of the little time they’d had to make sure the Fleet Formation wasn’t going to install on start up, and locking down updates to her authorization only. It had delayed it somewhat.

Neshala: Captain, we’re getting a transmission. The parade is starting. Admiral Shelby is broadcasting to all the ships.

Serala: Very good. Place it on viewer.

Shelby: =/\= A quarter millennium after the NX-01 took that first vital step, we gather on Frontier Day to take another; as we demonstrate our newest advancement, “Fleet Formation”. =/\=

Serala spun to look at her.

Serala: Please tell me we were able to keep that from being installed.

T’Ama: I removed it from the update scripts before we booted the computer.

Serala sighed with relief. T’Ama blinked mildly.

Perkins: It wasn’t supposed to be installed until Thursday, Serala. I swear, you act like we knew you would be launching this ship today.

Shelby: =/\= Our next demonstration is the summation of decades of technological advancements. =/\=

Serala: It’s time, Number One. Prepare the ship for immediate launch.

Sherlock: Aye, Captain. ::standing and addressing the bridge officers:: All stations, ready for departure.

Serala: Lieutenant T’Ama, open a shipwide channel.

She tapped at her console to open the shipwide channel.

T’Ama: Channel open, Captain.

Serala: =/\= All hands, this is the Captain. Prepare for immediate launch. Engineering, I need those engines online now. All stations, Red Alert. =/\=

The lights on the bridge dimmed and red lights illuminated even as alert klaxons began to sound throughout the ship.

Xiron / Is’Kah: =/\= Responses =/\=

Serala: =/\= We don’t have four hours, Lieutenant. Give me impulse power. We shouldn’t be going to warp anytime soon, anyway. Once we’ve launched you can continue working on getting the warp engines online. I’m sending Commander Ilsam down to assist. =/\=

Islam: Response, if any.

Xiron / Is’Kah: =/\= Responses =/\=

Serala: =/\= Counselor Brodie to the Bridge. Commander Kel and Lieutenant Doucet, prepare sickbay for potential casualties. =/\=

Kel: =/\= Kel to Bridge. Understood Captain. =/\=

Brodie / Doucet: =/\= Responses =/\=

Serala moved to the captain’s chair and sat, a moment passing before she started issuing more orders. T’Ama wondered if she was glad to be sitting. The captain was quite heavily pregnant.

Serala: Mister McGillian, bring weapon systems online. Arm torpedoes and standby.

McGillian: Response

Serala: I am aware this is supposed to be a celebration, Ensign. But trust me, it’s about to go very badly. We don’t know what the Borg and Changelings have planned, but it has something to do with this celebration and I want to be prepared.

T’Ama very much agreed with this. She was still convinced the Borg Cube was out there lurking, if not in the Solar system itself then easily close enough to arrive quickly via transwarp.

McGillian: Response

Serala turned to Perkins, now visibly angry at the fact there were no torpedoes.

Serala: Let me guess. Thursday.

The captain turned back to the black-eyed tactical officer.

Serala: Very well, we’ll have to make do with phasers. But let’s see if we can’t beam at least one load of torpedoes off the shipyards before we get too far. We can load them in the bay as we go.

T’Ama immediately started looking for a load of torpedoes they could steal via transporter.

McGillian: Response

Sherlock: ::turning to face Serala:: Captain, all stations reporting ready.

Serala: Then let’s get out of here. Lieutenant Neshala, clear all moorings and take us out, one-quarter thrusters until clear of the drydock, then ahead full. We don’t have warp yet, but we’re not going to need it anyway.

Neshala: Aye, Captain. :: tapping some buttons to disconnect the umbilicals from the shipyard :: Clearing moorings. Ahead one-quarter thrusters.

The ship inched forward out of the moorings, a delicate dance of inertia and thrusters. This was not the most prepared launch there ever was - the warp core wasn’t even on yet. But they needed to get out where they could maneuver. Ships formed up into diamond patterns across the viewscreen. It would be a fun show to watch if they weren’t out of time.

Heat. The sun beat down on her relentlessly as she stumbled through the shifting sands of Vulcan. The dunes stretched out endlessly before her in all directions, the air shimmering with heat. With tricks, and lies, and promises, and whispering voices… Blessed cool shade fell across her and she looked up into the face of her step-father, Sihek, standing suddenly too close. He opened his mouth and spoke with a thousand voices at once.

Sihek: Resistance is futile.

The shade was so cool, such a relief…

The inky blackness that had overtaken her eyes retreated. The bridge of a starship.

T’Ama (in unison): We are the Borg.

Serala: Security alert! Computer, secure the bridge.

She turned in her chair to face the captain. Black veins marred her face. The captain had pulled out a phaser. No matter.

Sherlock: Protect the Captain!

Combat had broken out of the bridge. This was irrelevant. There was but one directive.

T’Ama (in unison): Eliminate the unassimilated.

She stood. She raised her phaser. She aimed directly at the captain.

Sherlock: Lieutenant! Stand down!

The hit to her body from the phaser registered and was quickly deemed inconsequential. She pulled the trigger on her phaser and hit the captain true.

Serala / McGillian: response

The entire right side of her face lit up on fire as she stared up at the oppressive nearness of T’Khut, watching. Always.

((OOC: If Serala would do me the pleasure of shooting T'Ama in the right eye, please? I think T'Ama might be down for the moment at least so I've cut the tags off here.))

PS: leaving the OOC note, as it cracked me up.