CH01: S | Untruth No More

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CH01: S | Untruth No More

January 26, 2018, 12:52:17 PM

Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

[ Dr. Amelya Rez | CMO Office | Primal Surgical Suite | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ]

The last thing that Amelya remembered was the chaos during the battle of Starbase 84. The reports of injuries flooding the sickbays as one primary alert reached her ears. Edena Rez had been shot down on the bridge. The sense that such a valuable symbiont would be lost was shattering to Amelya. A symbiont so old, so wise... One that has witnessed so much. It would be a tragedy to her race to see it lost during a tragic event like murder.

Amelya had volunteered to Nicander for the procedure. A bonding between herself, unjoined as she was, and the symbiont of Edena Rez. Trill customs would ask for a ritual and specific details to entail such a bonding, yet in time of war, in these times of despair, none of these things were met. Amelya remembered the light fabric of the surgical gown brushing over her skin as she laid there in the surgical suite. The coldness of the room embracing her as her heartbeat chirped higher than usual on the monitors. It would only be normal to feel nervosity right? Nicander and Jovela were with her as the ship shook during it's escape. She smiled faintly and nodded slightly as the tools were placed in position for her sedation.

Once sedated everything turned black, no dreams, no encounters with divine beings as some told. There was only darkness and it was cold and inhospitable. She didn't know how long it lasted until the light returned to her. It wasn't bright, like as if one was wrapped around a blanket several times over while a light source was placed besides them. The light wasn't bright, yet one could make out figures, vague sounds, masked smells. Amelya couldn't wake up, she seemed to be stuck in a sort of limbo. Everything she heard was inaudible to make out what exactly was being said. Was this death? The afterlife? Or was she very much so alive? She didn't feel pain, joy or anything. There was just numbness.

Again, it was uncertain when it began... The memories. She gained flashes from distant pasts. She regained the feeling of taste, smell, vision and sense. She was projected to places she's never been too, encountered feelings she remembered weren't hers. When she saw herself in the mirror, she recognized herself as the entity got addressed by name. So it went on, one personality after the other being introduced to Amelya as their memories ran before her eyes. Kiya, Ilya, Jona and finally Edena's memories warmed up to Amelya. Not their entire lives though, just the highlights of their lives. The moments that truly held importance. The parts in their life where they felt love, fear, death, more of the memories were sent her way, yet her subconsciousness filtered them to just the essentials.

Time rippled further slowly as Amelya's body adjusted to the symbiont changes, although perhaps a minor to the outside world, inside of Amelya, there was a whole lot of change, not only personality wise, yet also memory wise. The process got interrupted though as a bright flash lighted up in her peripheral vision. The sounds becoming louder and more distressed. Did something go wrong? Was this perhaps the end for her? Complications during the procedur- Suddenly the blanket seemed to be pulled away violently. The warmth and serenity she had got stripped away in a flash as everything turned dark once more. Yet it only lasted for a second this time, the beat of her own heart sounding in her ears as she felt her lungs fill with air as she inhaled and scented the smell of burnt flesh. It was a distinctive smell... The sounds of chaos around her became more clearly and finally she spread her eyes open as the light of the surgical suite blinded her at first. She took some time to adjust her eyesight as she focused on steady figure before her. The blur began to fade as clear vision replaced it and the figure she focused on manifested itself as Dr. Nicander.

The joy and trusted feeling Amelya would have before around Nicander wasn't there as her eyes made contact with his. Here eyes staring into the glowing orbs o the doctor as she noticed the gaping scorched wound in his side. The key memories of Jona and Edena surfacing with ease in Amelya's mind as she wanted to get up and finish the job right there and then. Yet her body protested, the sedation's aftermath still lingering in her body. All she could do right now was look into the eyes of the beast that had been unmasked. Stare into the depths of his soul, if it had any, as she could only wonder what it would do. Exposed and in the open, it's actions might quickly ruin the lives of those in Sickbay.

Yet all Amelya could do was watch as finally she was reborn.

OOC: Loose posting order follows (everyone may skip ahead in line if they feel so inclined):
1) @SummerDawn 2) @Kaylex Ren 3) @Zenozine 4) @FollowTomorrow 5) @TrexelCat 6) @Jm Von Cat 7) @Doc M.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #1 – February 02, 2018, 07:55:32 AM

[ Junior Lieutenant Jovela | Primary Surgical Bay | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]

Jovela was just charging though the outer doors of the Primary Surgical Bay when Ryuan Sel kicked the legs out from under Cobb as he grappled with the two Ovri and as the inner doors slid open, she was prepared to literally leap into the fray on top of Cobb with the sedative-loaded hypospray that, despite her haste, she had thought to grab from the nurses station on her way out of the PCU.

Ten ccs of Kayolane should do the trick... she thought then, recalling an anecdote heard in medical school about Dr. Beverly Crusher and a patient aboard the USS Enterprise-D suffering from an alien retro-DNA virus.

But then, as Cobb fell, he fired and when the beam struck its target, the person who should have fallen dead instead remained standing, possessed by some sinister light. Jovela wasn't the slightest bit certain as to what she was witnessing but as she stood there frozen in her tracks, staring in slack jawed awe at the strange light radiating out Dr. Nicander's eyes, one thought was inescapable.

How is he still alive?

As Jovela saw all of this happen, she stopped short, bracing her self in the inner doorway of the surgical suite. Suddenly, the hypospray in her hand seemed utterly inadequate to the situation. Strange things begat stranger still because as Jovela watched, and much to everyone else's equal surprise, the second medical miracle of the afternoon occurred as Amelya Rez awoke and opened her eyes.

The sudden distractions of Nicanders strange healing glow and Amelyas revival from the brink of death were fortunately very swift and fleeting as Jovela's attention suddenly returned to the thrashing Cobb, who was still battling desperately against his now three opponents. As another phaser beam erupted from the weapon he still clutched tightly in his disfigured hand, narrowly missing her own head, Jovela lunged forward on top of the body pile, punching the hypospray into the brachial plexus of Cobb's phaser arm with such force that the nerve strike alone caused his fingers to instantly release their death grip. At the bottom of the pile, Jovela felt Cobb suddenly cease struggling and go limp.

Wow! she thought, letting out a relieved sigh, Kayolane sure works quick!

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #2 – February 03, 2018, 06:30:40 AM

[ Ryuan Sel | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @Kaylex Ren @Zenozine

Even as Dylan began his crash to the earth, helped along by the two Ovri, Sel was formulating her response. A swift kick to knock the weapon away as he hit the deck plates, two bodies pinning him to the ground, and he'd soon enough be in custody. She'd however not accounted for how much desperation could drive a man to do things seemed impossible, and the man with the phaser was nothing if not desperate. Even as he slammed into the deck, his finger squeezed the trigger, the crimson beam lashing at those around him, fate seeking another victim, another body to add to the count.

Fate seemed to chose the one man who gave life, who protected the crew, restoring health to the injured. The whole scene seemed to slow and blur as the weapon lashed out, slashing into Dr Nicander's side even as the beam finally ebbed and stopped, the reason for it she didn't know, not yet at least. From her vantage point she knew a beam of that strength would be a death sentence for the doctor and she fully expected him to collapse immediately, death was usually mercifully swift in these cases, but Nicander seemed unaffected. Even as she wondered how, a nagging thought in the back of her mind, a memory she'd buried in the chaos of the past few days, of another man who'd taken lethal injuries, had taken even more before she'd put him down, the man was one of them. That nagging thought came into full bloom, concern and worry spreading across her face. There was no way it couldn't be, it had to be, Nicander couldn't survive unless he was infested.

And now here stood a man they'd all trusted, an injury to his side that no mortal could survive, not without a creature like the one that'd possessed Hawthrone giving him the strength. And here she was, it seemed the only person who recognized the danger the ship faced, the infestation had taken hold on this ship. How many more had he infested that lay in wait for the right moment? However, armed with only a hand phaser, and knowing how woefully outclassed she was if she made any moves, Ryuan decided the wisest course of action was to wait, wait until she had the strength of arms, of manpower, and of the authority of Ives to back her up as she took down this creature.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #3 – February 03, 2018, 07:50:54 AM

[ Junior Lieutenant Jovela | Primary Surgical Bay | Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] @Zenozine @FollowTomorrow
[Show/Hide]

With the life and death struggle ended, the Risian nurse looked up at Theurgy's Mistress-At-Arms, Ryuan Sel who stood staring in what appeared to be rapt horror at the spectacle before her.

"Ensign Sel!"Jovela shouted desperately at her Bajoran crew mate, hoping to snap her attention back to Cobb, "Can you please restrain Mr. Cobb before his unbelievable adrenaline wins the battle with my Kayolane? I really don't want to fight him off me again!"

Turning her attention once more to her boss, the Chief Medical Officer, Jovela grabbed the edge of Amelya's biobed and pulled herself up to standing. Then, stepping gingerly over the once more inert form of Dylan Cobb, the young nurse took three steps forward, boldly moving to position herself between Dr. Nicander and the head of the now conscious Trill who lay on the bed beside her. Perhaps it was purely from adrenaline on her part, she realized, but whatever alien science was keeping her superior officer alive, Jovela was fiercely determined to protect her presently paralyzed patient from harm if the CMO suddenly proved to be a threat to her. She rested one hand on Amelya's arm.

"Don't worry," she said, trying to reassure the patient although she herself was near to panic. It was, in fact, taking all of her conscious attention to calm her cortisol response and prevent hyperventilation.

Remember, Jovy...deep breaths

Never in her life had she seen such a strange thing as what had just happened right there in Sickbay. The CMO should, by all rights, have been killed instantly and yet some altogether unknown entity had suddenly revealed itself from within. Not an hour earlier, she was standing right there having a friendly chat with the doctor about the touching reunion with her Caracal, Rhyannen earlier that day but staring at him now she wondered if she could even trust her safety at that moment. For now, at least, Lucan simply stood still as a statue, his eyes blazing with that same terrifying light.

"Please, Doctor Nicander..." Jovela began, her voice shaking, "What's happening to you?"

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #4 – February 06, 2018, 03:13:06 AM

[ Vinata Vojona | Primary Surgical Suite | Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SummerDawn @Kaylex Ren @Zenozine @FollowTomorrow @TrexelCat @Jm Von Cat @Doc M. @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

As the second and third phaser shots went off in the primary surgical suite Vinata was oblivious to the damage that was done, after his last time in this situation he had closed his eyes and kept them shut the moment he hit the ground, he did not want to be pinned under a corpse staring up into their lifeless eyes once more, but as more people rushed in, it was total chaos as Vinata could not be sure of what was happening, he did feel himself getting some secondary blows from being so close to Cobb and being pinned at the bottom of the pile, but as he heard a hypospray and began to feel Cobb's struggles weakening as the drugs did their work.

Vinata did feel she struggling pick up for a moment as someone called for help keeping Cobb restrained. At this point Vinata let go and quickly turned to repository himself, gripping Cobb's legs and wrapping around them firmly to keep him restrained, but with his eyes now open Vinata took notice to the attention that most of the others in the room were giving to a different point in the room. Craning his neck Vinata laid his large dark eyes on Doctor Nicander as Jovela asked if he was alright, he gasped and stared at his commanding officer for a moment as he took in the sight of what should be a fatal blow, he felt a horror welling up inside of him as he looked into Nicander's eyes and he spoke in a worried tone, dropping formality with the man he had been so intimate with. "L-Lucan, by the mother...what happened to you?"

[ Hylota Vojona | Primary Surgical Suite | Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SummerDawn @Kaylex Ren @Zenozine @FollowTomorrow @TrexelCat @Jm Von Cat @Doc M. @Auctor Lucan [Show/Hide]

As Hylota and her brother toppled over with Cobb to the ground she was still struggling to try and break Cobb's thumb, but he did managed to shake her off for a second and fired off a few more wild shots, these wide arcs were not watched by Hylota though, no she had her focus elswhere, she was focused on the murderer in her clutches, the man who she had watched murder the father of her child, the man who had threatened the life of her brother, her only tie to her home, as far as Hylota was concerned, she did not care what happened from this point forward, she was going to kill Cobb or put him back in a bio bed for as long as she possibly could, and if at all possible she was going to kill Cobb.

Hylota was blinded by her rage, her throat swelling with each heavy breath, she had lost someone who she was growing close to, a person she had been opening up to and had begun to enjoy spending time with, only to watch him burn away, as Hylota heard the hiss of a hypospray working to weaken Cobb and drain him of his strength Hylota gave up on breaking his thumb, instead while everyone turned their attention to Doctor Nicander and his wound, Hylota's blind rage focused on the prone form of Cobb, her eyes flared with murderous intent, she clenched her jaw, forcing the her maxillary teeth to be exposed from her gums, her small pointed teeth showing a savage hatred as she lifted her metallic boot.

In one swift motion Hylota slammed her boot down in a forceful kick into Cobb's side, there was the sound of ribs breaking as the hight powered kick likely snapped a few members out of their focus on Doctor Nicander, but Hylota was not going to spare a moment for anything else as she kicked Cobb in his burned back before she took a step forward and raised her foot once more, this time she was lined up with Cobb's head, if she was not stopped she was going to stomp Cobb's temple in, she would watch the life drain from him, she would have her revenge.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #5 – February 07, 2018, 06:45:39 AM

[ Maya | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ]

From her position behind young Varder, Maya witnessed what should have been Doctor Lucan cin Nicander’s grisly death. But he didn’t die, or at least he didn’t fall down. On the contrary, he remained standing, appearing like a charred marionette animated by strings. But his face… Out of the holes of his eyes and mouth shone an unnatural white light. This wasn’t the same kind of glow that the little Vulcan had seen emanating from Heather McMillian during the raid on Starbase 84, this was more…

An image of a second face materialized from the little Vulcan’s memory. The savage countenance of Sonja Acreth, an image only glimpsed during Maya’s most recent lapse of memory and associated with the most horrible of impressions.

Maya shivered as Varder moved forward to respond to the violence unfolding before them and stood up straight. She held her hands before her and opened them wide before crossing her arms and grasping her forearms. Her large hazel eyes narrowed as she focused her gaze on Lucan.

OOC: Assuming that either Sel or Varder will end the violence with Cobb so that the characters can focus on the fact that Nicander has been unmasked as one of the enemy that has taken over Starfleet…

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #6 – February 07, 2018, 10:16:28 PM

[ Zelosa Ejek | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan @Doc M. @Kaylex Ren

...and breathe.

Ina few quick moments, so much had happened. She allowed her mind to absorb all information, the number and identities of people on Cobb, Hylota's current action, the doctor's...display...
She remembered the way Sonja Acreth had broken her own finger in that recording, the one they had seen when they came aboard the Theurgy. The infested could use the bodies of the hosts without care for the harm inflicted on them. Reports from Starbase 84 also gave evidence to this, with Ian Hawthorne remaining alive despite lethal injury. Was this what she was seeing? Then again, was it any surprise that at least one person on this ship was infected? So really, was it any surprising that at least one person on this ship was infected?

She concluded with certainty that she would be safe doing her new plan of action. She took swift steps towards the mountain of ass-kicking known as Hylota and grabbed her shoulders. With firm force, she began to pry her from her victim.
"Hylota, listen, this won't bring you satisfaction. You must calm, calm yourself." In her voice was the same firmness found in her hands. If she was fortunate enough, she intended to hold Hylota's hands in her own. A far more calming restraining measure, and required less effort. Regardless, she was prepared to take more action if needed.

To Cobb, she gave no attention. As far as she was concerned, he was already a corpse. Nicander, though alarming, could wait to have her attention. He was a parasitic host, not an emergency. Hylota was the most important person, besides Ejek herself of course.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #7 – February 10, 2018, 12:16:53 PM

[ Lahkesis Saugn | Restroom | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

She couldn't here from inside the bathroom and as she held her body in her curled position near the door, Lahkesis could not help but begin to loathe herself. She had watched a colleague die right in front of her, she had seen those she had worked with for months cower as a mad man fired upon them and rather than do a single useful thing, she had fled scene and hidden herself away in the restroom, where she now cowered in both fear and shame. She knew she could not leave it like that, she could not stay where she was and hide.

With an effort she pulled herself to her feet and moved to the small weapons stash hidden in the farthest back stall. After all of the attacks and conflict on the ship there were weapon stashes everywhere. She pulled open the top of the ammunition crate and reached inside for the type 2 phase pistol inside. As he fingers touched the grip her mind briefly darted to the last time she had held a phase pistol and the man she had emptied it one. She shook the thought out of her head and quickly checked the power settings of the phase pistol, making sure it was on heavy stun, she wasn't planning on killing anyone today.

She made her way to the door and took a breath to steady herself. She made her plan. She was going to make sure people were ok, then she was going to get to Sithick. She didn't know why, but she knew she had to get to him and then they could come up with a plan together. She had to get to Sithick and then things would be ok. Sithick would protect her... Sithick...

With one final breath she touched the door control and stepped from the bathroom into the hallway. She heard voices in the primary surgical suite. She moved slowly and cautiously. Holding the phase pistol at the ready. She didn't know what to expect. She knew there was a killer around her, only she hadn't seen who it was.

As she made her way toward the primary surgical suite she scarcely breathed, taking her time walking, barely wanting to make a sound. Finally she reached the door and it automatically slide open. And she saw a look on the face of Doctor Nicander unlike anything she had seen before. She couldn't help but freeze in terror as something within her screamed in fear. He looked like the same man,but there was something wrong.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #8 – February 10, 2018, 08:49:40 PM

[ EVE Program AK-1 | Main Sickbay | Deck Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan @Zenozine
[Show/Hide]

Eve was not prepared for this. High energy weapon fire and holographic matrix projections don't mix. Nicander's weapon fire had destabilized her matrix ever so slightly, as well as destroyed at least one of the matrix projectors in the room. The other projectors however took over and restabilized her matrix with hardly a blink of her program. But still, she was not prepared for this, she wasn't programmed with the ability to handle a warzone in her sickbay. That's not to say she couldn't figure something out.

First on her list of priorities was to attend to Nicander, sensors indicated that he had been shot and it was her duty to attend to him as she could tell for the moment that no one else was. This was her function. But there was something wrong, sensors were giving her conflicted readings now. She was about to make a note to perform a diagnostic on the sickbay sensor systems when she had a free moment when the visual sensors started telling her the same thing.

Her image was facing the, doctor? And all she could do was stare with her mouth open in shock. Her vast database offering no solution to this, just unhelpful advice and directives she was no longer able to follow.

She was no longer concerned with Cobb for the most part. There was nothing she could do to deal with his injuries as long as he was tangled up with the other medics and officers. Though Hylota's vicious attack on Cobb did cause her to take pause, there would be no murdering in her sickbay, but what was happening with Nicander took precedence in her program. So she would have to hope that someone else would stop the attack before it got too brutal, or lethal.

"D.. Doctor? What's going on?"

This is not normal for his species, or at least wasn't included in his medical file when he transfered aboard. Though there have been no other recorded instances like this that she was aware of for this species. What the hell is going on, did she miss something while she was cowering in the data processor?

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #9 – February 13, 2018, 10:24:22 PM

[ Varder Ridun | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

A flash, recognition of a shot being fired and its victim.. Nicander, whom was now radiating light and still standing. Thoughts rushed through Varders mind, he knew what this was, he had read the reports, information is always useful at some point and it seemed to be paying off now. A quick glance over to Ensign Sel, she seemed to recognize what this all meant as well, or at least that is what Varder hoped, no time to wory about that now, her attention is on the doctor. But the bastard Cobb needs to be dealt with before full attention can be devoted towards Nicander, now exposed as a parasitic host.

A rush of things happen before his eyes even as these thoughts swarmed his mind, the struggle with Cobb has not yet ended. A hypospray is used, his legs are held by one Ovri as another kicked his ribs in. Then a Cardasian stepped up, attempting to displace the more aggressive Ovri.. In that attempt there was opportunity. Cobb was exposed enough. Varder took that opportunity, firing a shot form his Pulse phaser at the now exposed Cobb with a full stun burst, enough to take any normal humanoid down for some considerable time. Swap targets, focus. Understand the situation and work with it, the parasite has not made any move yet.

The young Bajoran fully moved into the small room, stepping sideways to some extent to keep himself between Maya and the new found threat before all of them, Doctor Nicander. "Everyone, stay behind us! Nicander is infested." Even as he spoke Varder was changing the setting on his phaser from stun to kill. The position he had moved to was beside Nurse Jovela at the end of the Bio-bed, but he had moved deliberately in a manner that allowed Sel full view of Nicander.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #10 – February 14, 2018, 04:13:39 PM

Oh, but standing there in his smouldering Starfleet uniform, having thrown off his burning white coat like a mythological angel casting off its wings, Doctor Nicander began to revel in the sensation of his physical pain. Even more, he felt relief at how much simpler things became in his mind - ambitions plain without second-guessing himself in every single action he took. When he spoke, there was no doubt behind his ambitions, no care for the crew of the ship that would make him hesitate.

"Close the gates of ivory," he said to their astonished faces, the light from his mouth dancing in their eyes. He had heard their concerns for him, their questions about his well-being, yet he cared not. As to what he just said to them, those were key words. One of the phrases that controlled the ship through its own sub-system. It was overlooked by ship diagnostics, for it had been installed at the order of his kin in Starfleet Command during the final production stages of the Theurgy. As a sub-system that overlapped the common authorisation codes. It was how he had managed to make Doctor Maya open the holding cell for Sonja Acreth, but this time...

...the sliding doors shut them all in, and Thea was made blind and deaf to what was to come.

"I suppose this has been a long time coming," he said to them, his voice distorted by the fracture upon their present existence, and he smiled to them, clenching his tattooed hands by his sides. Then he tilted his head, looking at the two puny security guards that were trying to shield the medical personnel behind them. Ryuan Sel, which he had seduced and exploited, and another, pointing their weapons at him as if a second beam would stop him from reaching them. As for the medical personnel behind them, he had more or less violated them all to different degrees. Oh, it was so much simpler to just consider them his victims. Already ruined. The feeble person that the Radiant had created would have justified it with earnest feelings, tried to spare them, seen some kind of merit in leading them on. He no longer recognised himself in this pretence.

"Any introductions seem quite redundant... You know what I am." He spread his hands where he stood, savouring the moment - this grand feeling of ending the charade. Unmasked, he stood before them, and did not offer any threat to them just yet. "I am the origin of the storm. The nexus of your crisis."

Idly, he wondered if Amelya Rez now saw the good doctor's intentions differently back when he approached Jona Rez on the eve of battle, and if Hylota vojona would recognise him even if he had burned her memory engrams out of her head. He wondered if Doctor Maya would realise who had made her drug and rape patients, how he had used her to do his bidding at every turn - making her memory lapse like it did when she restored Sarresh Morali's nervous system in his human body. He wondered how hurt the innocent nurse Vinata Vojona felt, when he realised that he had been falling for the same man that had almost raped his sister to death. He stood there, feeling no regrets, if only that he had yet to defile Doctor Saugn, Nurse Jovela and the delectable new counsellor.

Then again, perhaps Nurse Jovela would remember that he had been the one that tried to save Garen Nelis' life... and suspect that he had been the one that inflicted the burns on him in the first place. Oh, how he looked forward to seeing the whole web of lies and deceit that he had spun for years aboard the wretched ship become unravelled, and enjoy how the realisation and revulsion spread like wildfire across all decks.

The question was...

...who would he kill first?

"Delete LMH," he said quietly, almost conversationally, as he turned his head towards Eve. And while he saw her program decompile before she could reach him, he spoke again. "Darkness."

His command killed all light sources, only LCARS screens remaining, and for a moment, his shining eyes and mouth were still looking at them. Yet only until he let go of the host body's powers... and moved - faster than his mortal coil would allow. He narrowly dodged any phaser fire from the two security guards, and as he did, he had an inhuman gait, a grotesque limp because of missing muscles in his side, and yet he beset them, using his office to his advantage, meaning to kill them all.

Oh, he would savour this first moment of freedom, and his delay in doing so immediately was merely him wanting to feed on their fear first.

OOC: The map of the sealed off area, now in in darkness and where Nicander is using it to hide and picking whom to kill first:

The idea is that the Savi computer hack happens in your upcoming posts, and the characters picked for abduction are beamed off the ship in these next posts too - escaping the "killing field" of the CMO office. Those that remain should hear more security officers trying to get into the office, and the doors may have to be phasered open to escape. Nicander will, of course, not actually kill anyone present, but have fun using the fear of imminent death or lack thereof in your posts! Hide, try to get out or try to speak to Nicander. Anything goes. As for what happens when the Savi initiates their hack, all computer systems freeze and begin to flicker, becoming inaccessible. Oh, and please, click the links in the post for context. There, you can learn about Nicander's access to the ship's systems.

The very loose Posting Order up until the Savi computer hack, where all may post ahead in the order, is as follows: [Show/Hide]

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #11 – February 14, 2018, 05:56:59 PM

[ EVE Program AK-1 | Main Sickbay | Deck Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

"Now just a damn..."

Eve spoke as she started to walk towards Nicander after he issued his command. It did take the computer a moment to complete the command which gave her enough time to make two steps before her image just faded from existence mid stride. To her the world started to become fuzzy, like her vision was going bad and she needed glasses. Then everything started to get dark as though all the lights were going out.

Darkness. Darkness enveloped her, but not because of Nicander's next command to the computer. She wasn't present for that as she was dealing with her own problems in the computer network. She hoped, prayed, to see that pinpoint of light in the distance. The one that told her that she was needed again. But something was wrong, something different was happening.

The only way one could describe it would be it felt like she was sinking. Something was pulling her down, dragging her into the darkness. Had she ever felt this before? She couldn't remember. Why was she here again? She seemed to be forgetting a lot of things. Darkness. Always darkness. For Eve it was only a moment, but a moment that lasted an eternity. it seemed to stretch out to encompass all of time as she knew it. How long had her program been offline?

Before she knew it, she didn't know anything at all. The black space that used to house her for a simple moments time was now empty. The space her program occupied was blank. A universe of possibilities reduced to an empty hole. A life snuffed out with two simple words, the last two words she ever heard...

'Delete LMH'

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #12 – February 15, 2018, 12:07:30 PM

[ Lahkesis Saugn | Restroom | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy]
[Show/Hide]

The moment seemed to freeze around her, as if time itself had stopped, plunged into the inky darkness.

It is important to note that Lahkesis had no pupils. Most would not that the second they would have seen her, but the biological results of this were far more interesting than simply aesthetic. The eyes, pupilless as they were, did not see as most did, but rather the entire blue iris acted as a photoreceptor. The result was that everything Lahkesis saw had a degree of a blue tint to it and she required a higher degree of light as she had no pupils that could adjust to various luminosities. Instead she had a number of small veins that would swell to regulate the light into the photoreceptor. This was slower than a normal iris, but she had little trouble with it most days.

Thus when Doctor Nicander ordered darkness, though the light of various LCARS displays remained, she was functionally blind. It was not until she felt a strong hand clasp over her mouth that her fear turned into something else, something more primitive.

She felt herself get dragged back, her body held up against someone else's. The phaser that had been in her hand slipped from her grasp and went skittering to the floor. She couldn't tell whose immediately. Instead she did her best to not panic. Sure Doctor Nicander had been revealed to be a host for one of those things, bit he had never harmed her before. She had trusted him. He was safe to be around in her eyes and she had never seen him as anything but kind.

She wondered what would happen next when his next move was so sudden she could hardly process it.

The exoscalpel in the hand of the person holding her cut cleanly through both her uniform and her flesh, through the layers of muscle and tissue that held her together. The cut started just below her rib cage and ended just above her mons pubis, yet there was no immediate pain. The exoscalpel was too sharp for that. It was a perfect medical instrument used by a skilled hand. It as a quick movement, less than a second really.

A unique feature of her biology was the thick syrup that surrounded her internal organs. It acted as a cushion from harm and would regulate the water level within them. As with much in her body it had a high level of fructose, though it was closer in line with a honey than anything else. As she lacked traditional viens this process was slow and thus took time, so the fluid was usually quick thick and viscous. It needed to be to hold everything where it belonged, even if much of her internal structure was superfluous to her survival, it was still a part of her.

She didn't feel any pain at all until the hand that held her mouth let go and shoved her forward, sending her falling onto her hands and knees. It was the force of the shove and the fall to her knees that did the most damage. Though on the darkness she could not see, she could hear it, the sound of the thick syrup hitting the floor beneath her along with that which it had once protected.

When the pain did come, she could not have described it, only that it was. It was all that she could do to detached her mind from it. She detached herself from the agony and the feeling of her body emptying under her.

Her body was not so fragile as one made of meat and the normal flesh, but as her arms gave way and she fell into the puddle of her own entrails she could barely process the damage. Her mind raced with how to survive, any way to do it all, but the problem was simple, she couldn't. Such a wound was fatal unless treated very quickly and she knew there was little hope of that.

So she let her body relax, any part of it that was held up slumped into the sticky puddle on the floor.

The whole of the attack had been a matter of seconds, but as she lay there, her body sliced open and oozing out onto the floor, it felt as if time slowed to a crawl. She thought of how the day had begun, her morning with Sithick. She thought of the last time she had seen her sisters.

She was in darkness and agony.

Then as the LCARS displays around the room began to flicker, she simply was not there at all.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #13 – February 15, 2018, 08:09:50 PM

[ Hylota Vojona | Primary Surgical Suite | Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SummerDawn @Kaylex Ren @Zenozine @FollowTomorrow @TrexelCat @Jm Von Cat @Doc M. @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

As Zelosa pulled Hylota back and restrained her gently she had a moment to calm herself, her mind no longer screaming for her to avenge Maal, no longer screaming for Cobb to suffer, her mind calmed as she breathed heavily and looked to Zelosa. "I-I do not care if it does not make things better, I do not care if it is not the right course of action to take, I just want to finish this, I want to make sure that Cobb can never touch another person, that he cannot impact another soul ever again." Given time to breath and collect herself Hylora did not fight back and try and resume her assault as she lowered her leg and stopped the process of attempting to stomp Cobb's head in, but as he stopped focusing on her revenge Hylota began to realize other things were going on. Looking away fro Cobb she saw Doctor Nicander and she stared on in shock as she heard the others asking what was going on.

As Varder moved between the rest of them and Nicander and proclaimed that he was infested Hylota blinked and took a step back, how could this be, she had been close to him...she had willingly opened up to him on a personal level, were the things he had done in kindness just cruel jokes at her expense? Hylota looked to her brother as he restrained Cobb's legs, poor Vinata just looked so confused, Hylota could not begin to understand the turmoil unfolding in his mind at that moment, but as Lucan dropped his facade and made things clear to them as he sealed the room Hylota could feel a prickling sensation moving along her spine, she could not place it, but she felt like she had seen this before, it was an odd sensation, but she brushed it off, choosing to not think about how Lucan had hurt her and instead thinking of how she could stop him.

Swallowing hard Hylota looked to her brother, he was what she needed to protect first, after that she could worry about stopping Lucan. Jerking free of Zelosa, Hylota crunched down and grabbed her brother. "Vinata let go, we must move, we must-" She stopped speaking as things began to happen, as the light died there was a moment of darkness as Hylota could not see, but quickly her large dark eyes adjusted and she saw things clearly in the darkness, she redoubled her efforts to get her brother safe as she pulled at him.

[ Vinata Vojona | Primary Surgical Suite | Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @SummerDawn @Kaylex Ren @Zenozine @FollowTomorrow @TrexelCat @Jm Von Cat @Doc M. @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

Vinata stared at Lucan as he seemed to survive his life threatening injury without problem, he was so confused, but as people stepped between him and Lucan and proclaimed that he was infested, this made Vinata's heard sink, a cold sensation rushing over his body as he was forced to think about the horrible things that this implied, that the person who he had opened up to, the person who he had become so close, the man who he felt he might...love...it was all just an act." Vinata tightened his arms around Cobb's legs as he just stared to the floor and closed his eyes as he felt his guts sinking, he was such a fool, he was so enamored with being with someone so respectable that was willing to give him attention. Truthfully there was no way he could have known the truth, but it hurt all the same to realize he had been living with a lie.

Vinata took a few deep breaths, he had to fight, looking up at Lucan, Vinata's face was heavy with regret, he did not want to harm Nicander, but to save the others he would do whatever needed to be done to keep them all safe. He might not be able to fight Lucan off, but he could approach this fight like an Ovri. As the lights went out and Vinata felt himself being grabbed he turned his head to look at his sister, he could tell just by looking at her, she felt wounded by this turn of events as well, but they could confront that pain later. "We...we need to stop him. I-If we were to use our boots, we could try and overload the electromagnets and use them to cause crushing damage to Lu-...to Doctor Nicander." Vinata took a deep breath as he got up with his sister. "It is unconventional and might not work, but I feel it is better we try, perhaps we could even use them to pin him to the wall." Vinata was grasping at straws, the only reason he made the suggestion was because one of his lessons as an Ovri nurse was treating crushing wounds caused by magnets, partially due to the rare malfunctions that would happen with their boots.

As the two Ovri moved away from Lucan they were wrapped in each other's arms as they looked to Vinata's boots, most Ovri were taught the basics of maintenance and operation of the boots, becoming an almost mandatory lesson like the basics of CPR, but before the two could do anything there came the sudden light around them, as the twins were suddenly transported away, the room briefly illuminated by the matter to energy transition. The two completely unaware of their sudden abduction by the Savi. Elsewhere in Sickbay the frozen egg of Hylota and Maal's child was also collected, beamed away for further study of the unusual hybrid.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #14 – February 17, 2018, 05:05:42 AM

[ Zelosa Ejek | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 ]

A standard emotional reaction to this sort of situation would have included feelings such as alarm, panic, fear, surprise. Indeed, Ejek saw these sorts of reactions unfold in the people around her. Her hands let go of Hylota, she returned to her brother, she could see others just as frightened. She felt fear too, as anyone would. Her life was in danger right now and she no longer had a means to run and hide, like she normally would.

Her feelings were tempered with morbid curiosity, however. Here, right in front of her was proof of the parasitic menace. He did not just violate biology by continuing to be with a gaping hole in his side, he actively flung it all right out the window. She could quite literally see filaments of muscle quivering as they were ordered to move by neurons and could not complete the action due to being half missing. And yet, here was Nicander, grandiose and controlled. Had he been hiding this from the crew the whole time?

The lights were out and she felt her body tense up. She was ready to fight or flight. It was as if the darkness had switched on her memories once more. She had to adjust to the darkness, her eyes were wide, as if it would help her pierce through the darkness to find a spot. She wasn't fast enough, the doctor was moving, she saw a shadow across a LCARS screen. Her arms went to protect her face.

But before she heard—or felt-- any impact, there was a new development. Her colleagues lit up and vanished, as if transported. However, only some of them were gone. She, a pure-blooded Cardassian, remained. She couldn't even begin to come up with a satisfactory understanding of the situation, but she heard security coming. If she could just hold out a little longer, she wouldn't need to be teleported out like the others.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #15 – February 18, 2018, 11:43:03 AM

[ Maya | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ]

"Close the gates of ivory," Doctor Nicander ordered in a voice that wasn’t his. The doors shut, closing off the primary biobed and the CMO’s office from the rest of sickbay. Unfortunately, Lahkesis Saugn was on the wrong side of the doors, sealed in with what could almost be described as an animated corpse controlled by the one of the unspeakably predatory and rapacious creatures that had taken over Starfleet. Lahkesis, the girl who Maya identified with so much that she thought of her as a daughter, was trapped with the others in a room with a homicidal creature that did not feel pain and had the combat reflexes of one of old Earth’s Eugenics soldiers. The odds of everyone in that room being murdered in the next two minutes was distressingly high.

Despite the tension in sickbay, the mezziofrontal cortex that the Vulcan brain used to dampen its emotions was sufficiently relaxed to allow Doctor Maya a brief moment of irrational behavior.

“Laheksis!” she gasped as she ran forward and spread her hands on the door. The doors didn’t hiss open like they were supposed to; an instinctive reaction allowed Maya to slow her pace and stop her progress with her open oversized hands. “Laheksis!” she repeated as she irrationally hit the sealed door with her fist. Apparently her instincts had free reign at that moment. “Computer, override privacy protocol, Medical override Maya Beta Niner Foxtrot.”

This was an irrational request. Since Maya was a prisoner her override would no longer be recognized and there was no reason to expect the computer to reply. Yet against all reason Maya made the request anyway.

Instead of complying the computer said [ My CoMpUtEr cOrEs aRe CoMpRoMiSeD. tHeY aRe... AcCeSsInG mY sUbRoUTInEs... My DeFeNcEs... ThEy oVeRwRiTe tTeM... ThEy aRe iN mY sYnChRoNiSaTiOn LiNk... I aM nO lOnGeR... I aM... ] Although the computer used Thea’s voice, it was strangely digitalized and jumpy, as if it was suffering a major systems failure.

At this point, Maya’s mezziofrontal cortex was no longer relaxed. It was blocking her emotions so completely that she felt nothing.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #16 – February 20, 2018, 02:36:43 PM

[ Dr. Amelya Rez | CMO Office | Primal Surgical Suite | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ]

The turmoil around the shielded biobed seemed to all be a blur for Amelya as she looked at the parasitical entity by her bed. The memories and feelings of her previous hosts weren't as much as an overwhelming shock to her as the coma seemed to have transitioned those past lives into her subconscious without too much of a problem. She could vividly remember what Nicander had done to Edena as he locked her out of her body and instated Jona as the host in charge. If not for this situation she found herself in, it'd be a rather big shock. Yet all of it seemed to fall like puzzle pieces together.

The shield protecting her would hopefully keep out the deranged parasite as it spouted it's ravings at them. However, it seemed like that was only the start for the gathered group in the CMO office as Nicander spoke in mystery and seemingly used a secret line that walled off the CMO office from the rest of Sickbay. Eve had been removed from the room and Amelya gasped as she feared for those around her. She was still safe behind the shield, yet the darkness and the malicious intend of Nicander would surely get someone killed.

As darkness had enveloped the still weak Trill a new alarming voice reached her ears. At first it was Maya, the Vulcan physician that spoke as stoically as expected to override the protocol, what followed however was a garbled cacophony of a digital Thea.

[ My CoMpUtEr cOrEs aRe CoMpRoMiSeD. tHeY aRe... AcCeSsInG mY sUbRoUTInEs... My DeFeNcEs... ThEy oVeRwRiTe tTeM... ThEy aRe iN mY sYnChRoNiSaTiOn LiNk... I aM nO lOnGeR... I aM... ]

With that the field around Amelya glowed up once before it simply dissolved leaving her vulnerable and prone to Nicander's crazy ravings. Her heart rate elevated, the biobed powering down as well as she could feel the beat pound in her throat. The cold atmosphere in the room clinging around her as her skin got goosebumps and a chilling sensation ran down her spine. She sat up straight, legs off the bed as she felt too weak to get out and run away to safety. Shouting out might not be an option either as it would give away her position to Nicander, though he probably knew where to find her. Either way she was a sitting duck...

She would've sworn she heard the scalpel nearby as the distinctive sound of slicing flesh could be heard to the ears of those who had seen and heard so before. A soft squishy sound was next with a soft thud. Amelya was unaware of the horror Lakhesis must've gone through by the hands of the 'good' doctor.

The gown she was wearing already opened up from the back as her bare skin got exposed while she pushed herself off the table and came down with a thud on the floor. She let out a painful groan as he legs tried to work with her, yet the drugs they had pumped into her still needed time to wear off. Not to mention the loss of muscle mass that had already been set in motion as she had laid there in coma. She tried crawling forward, her legs and body scraping across the floor as she heard padding about of the crazed CMO and the voices of those trapped with him. She attempted to crawl to those voices, yet the rooms acoustics might've sent her the wrong way entirely...

Eventually she arrived at a sticky thick viscous mass and soon enough, her hands slowly followed the puddle until she reached the wall. Yet in the ink black darkness, she couldn't make out who it was, yet the warm sticky texture could only mean one thing as fear completely grabbed hold of the doctor.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #17 – March 11, 2018, 08:27:14 AM

[ Varder Ridun | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

"Close the gates of ivory", the words left Nicanders mouth and the room responded, doors sliding shut all around the doctors office and surgical bay was what followed. It was an odd uncertain feeling that impacted Varder almost like a punch to the gut, that inexplicable sensation of weight that always accompanied the impending unknown. Nicander spoke his words even as the young Bajoran fumbled to change his pulse phasers settings up to the only effective settings, kill.

Brief flicks of the eye, casting his vision across the room within the brief moments provide. The closed doors briefly acknowledged in position, whom was where, what way of movement they might have. Brief moments undertaken even as Nicander continued to speak with a somehow distorted voice. A small tone played as Varders phaser was finally ready to fire effectively against the parasite, just in time to witness Eve vanish into nothing at Nicanders command.

Then the lights also followed his command, blinking out, leaving only dim illumination from the LCARS and that of the Câroon host. Pull the trigger a thought, flashing through, the body reacting, to slow. The parasite extinguished the hosts light and moved, far to fast. Fire! by the brief flashes of light given off by the phaser pulses Varder could tell clearly he had missed, but that light quickly faded as Nicander vanished into the darkness of his trap.

A few seconds push by and its all Varder can do to keep his phaser up, sweeping side to side, a few steps backwards to press his back against the bio-bed. A brief call "Ryun, where are you!?" Then came a wet and sickening sounding thud from just a few paces off his side, all that could be observed at first was her outline. That was before the Savi beaming began, the light of which showed a clear and horrifying picture, if only for a moment before the fallen form of Lahkesis was gone along with others.

Shouting grabbed his attention, Maya was attempting to use her command code but the response from Thea was anything but expected. A brief realization, if the doors could be opened the Parasite could easily be contained within and it would give people some chance for survival. This was something to act on, within a moment Varder had pushed himself forward, enough to at least have a line of sight towards one of the doors.

Fire, the first shot misses the door, striking the wall just off its frame.
React, fire while the light of the first shot still lingers.
again, striking a hinge.
again, again, again, again!
Each shot guided by the light of the last, each working to weaken the door before one last shot finally blew it outward with a loud sound of rending metal.
Even as the door fell the young Bajoran stepped forward, turning slightly, an arm extending behind him to wave others towards the door, accompanied by his call "This way, get outside!". By the very act of stepping forward Varder may have saved his own life, for even as he spoke a brief flash of shadow moved, leaving a slash across his forearm.
The pain was fleeting, pushed to the back of his mind as his back was pushed against a wall beside the opening he had made in an attempt to cover the others should they indeed head towards this way out.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #18 – March 11, 2018, 04:02:24 PM

[ Junior Lieutenant Jovela | Primary Surgical Bay | Sickbay | Deck 11 | @Nolan @Jm Von Cat @Auctor Lucan
[Show/Hide]

"Close the gates of ivory"

The sudden darkness that followed these words stunned Jovela where she stood but as Nicander's possessed form lurched past the biobed in the opposite direction, she quickly crouched, pressing herself against the base of the bed. In the nightmarish milieu, she heard the wet slash that cut Laheksis down and the distressed cries of the two Ovri siblings before they were suddenly and mysteriously cut short.

Breathe, Jovy baby, breathe she silently commanded herself You can get out of here! Just remember your training with Drauc! You can do it

She heard Doctor Maya calling out futilely for Doctor Saugn, then trying equally futilely to open the doors via command code but thought better of revealing herself, remembering something her father had taught her about playing three dimensional chess many years before.

"It isn't enough to make a move when you have an opportunity because it might be your opponents opportunity that your moving towards. Instead, you must learn to be patient and wait for the right opportunity to move in the direction that you want to go."

Thanks dad she thought, grateful for the caution but still feeling far from safe. Still she suddenly realized, as she watched a pair of slender feet suddenly swing unsteadily over the edge of the bed above her, I'm a lot safer than Amelya Rez right now

Jovela watched silently as Amelya fell stiffly to the floor and crawled slowly away from her toward the sticky puddle where Laheksis had been, then heard the stiff grunting of security officer Ridun as he fired on the sealed door off to her left. As the door fell away and Petty Officer Ridun lunged forwards toward the opening, calling out for his crew mates to follow, Jovela prepared to spring when a sudden, swiftly moving shadow caused her to pause only a moment before heading toward the light and freedom. Halfway from the biobed to the open door, though, she suddenly spun on her heels, turning back just in time to see a shadow looming larger over the prone figure of Amelya Rez stretched out on the floor beside the spot where the eviscerated body of Doctor Saugn had been before it was beamed out.

I can't live with myself if I just leave her there defenseless

"Amelya, look out!" she yelled, springing forward in a low run. As she closed the gap between herself and the Doctor, she snatched up a fallen phaser and brought it level with the menacing figure. Once more literally hurling herself between Amelya and the threat, she lept nimbly over the young Trill's form and crouched low and defensively beside her, aiming the phaser directly up into the dark face.

"One step closer and you're dead!"

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #19 – March 15, 2018, 11:19:27 AM

The parasitic doctor revelled in their fear, their futile cries for help and the panic that permeated the darkness. Oh, how good it was to finally feel alive! He was the spider that had spun his web around them all, and now, he came out of hiding to feast. How could they possibly know how famished he'd been?

He had shuffled forth in the darkness, knowing his office like the tattoos at the back of his hands. He knew what to look for in the faint glow of LCARS monitors around the surgical suite, long before his pale grey eyes had adjusted. He was too quick for the blinded security officers, and he found the first victim quickly. Oh, Doctor Saugn, how he regretted not having taken the opportunity to spend himself inside her, taken advantage of her when she'd been hurt. With little time to linger, to savour her demise, he cut her open and pushed her, letting gravity take its toll. He had to keep moving, and stepped towards the unaware Ovri on the floor. They had been talking, planning in vain for his demise, for he was just about to twist off Hylota's head and slice her delectable brother... when they suddenly vanished before him - dematerialising in aquamarine light. Frowning, in equal disappointment and consternation, he had to move on. He saw the male Bajoran security guard and cut him in passing, but the doctor's gaze had fallen on a prone figure in a patient's gown.

Rez! Oh, how fortunate that he hadn't killed her during her surgery. Now, he could relish in the process. He stepped silently towards the newly joined Trill on the deck, and he was just about to leap on top of her... when one of the doors was breached - casting everything in light. He bared his teeth, and when he lowered his arm, Nurse Jovela was there between him and his prey. Bloodied and wielding a phaser, she looked nothing like the pretty little Risian nurse who turned the heads of patients and officers alike. She dared threaten him?

"I will inject you with a paralytic so you stay awake, and scrape the meat from your bones," he said with a smile, and since there was light in the office anew, he'd embraced the host's Câroon abilities - the light in his countenance reflected in their eyes. Those twin lights that were his eyes shifted from Rez to Jovela. "Or perhaps I will boil you from within, like I did with Garen Nelis."

He knew the nurse had grown close to the Betazoid, and spoke of his deed to shock her, to stall her thought, so that he might lash out with his exoscalpel. The blade of light went for her eye-socket, and he'd ram the length of the instrument into her skull....

...yet his arm was cast sideways mid-thrust, by a bright, numbing concussion against his forearm. He stumbled, before he rounded on the shooter - seeing Ryuan Sel on the other side of the biobed. He raised the stump that was left of his host's limb - a cauterised mess ending below the elbow. He had been unarmed, he realised with dark humour, the pain exquisite, but he needed no scalpel to kill them all.

"My turn, skin-puppet," his eldritch voice screeched, and he raised his remaining hand against the Pah-Wraith devotee. He tapped the raw, fiery energy from the EPS grid, making the lights in the whole of Sickbay flicker out, and at the great toll for the host body, he channelled the fire through his zi'naaq. The burst went for Ryuan Sel, heating the tritanium alloy bulkhead and setting his desk ablaze. The Mistress-at-Arms, however, had evaded the conflagration. When Lucan spotted her, she was lying on her side on the deck plating, her sights aligned towards him. Lucan bared his teeth, readying a second blast, but the Bajoran was quicker.

The host body he wore was riddled with stun bolts, making him dance a galvanic gavotte. Evidently, the woman chose to adhere to Starfleet protocol, having switched the setting on her weapon to a non-lethal one. He knew not why, had no time to reflect on her reasoning, since he struggled to compensate for the devastation done to the host's nervous system. He caught himself on a doorframe, his legs almost giving out, but he clung to lucidity. He refused to have the host body shut down. He screamed in murderous defiance, leapt fifteen feet so that he landed on top of the biobed, and was about to make a second leap unto the Bajoran, when more shooters joined the first.

In the end, he could not keep the host body animated, and his split mind was trapped in the darkness of oblivion.

OOC: Only one more post to write for those with present characters, ending this scene, namely @Kaylex Ren, @Jm Von Cat, @Nolan, @FollowTomorrow, @Doc M. & @SummerDawn. Needless to say, special care should be taken in incarcerating this particular prisoner...

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #20 – March 22, 2018, 04:38:46 AM

[ Maya | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow, @Jm Von Cat, @Kaylex Ren, @Nolan,,& @SummerDawn.

Outside the sealed area, there wasn’t much that Maya could do, whilst the fighting lasted inside the CMO office. The medical computers were down and none of the medical holograms were functioning. The nurses and orderlies on duty had fled, leaving their patients in the lurch. A part of her was thankful for her species uncanny control over their emotions.

Then, one of the doors to the chief medical officer’s office burst open a bit away from her, shot open by phaser fire. Maya jerked her head, and as soon as the loud noises of fighting had dissipated, she quickly moved to the entrance with a stiff and mechanical gait. When inside, she couldn’t help notice that there were less people in there than she expected. Doctor Nicander was lying on the floor next to the primary surgical biobed. He was hard to see because of the number of people around him. Lieutenant (junior grade) Jovela, Ensign Ryyan Sel, and Petty Officer First Class Varder Ridun, were standing around him pointing their phasers at the prone, possessed, and hopefully comatose Câroon. Doctor Amelya Duv (now Amelya Rez, a fact that Maya at this point was unaware, was on the deck, crawling on her hands and knees, her surgical gown barely covering her as it had come open in the back. A Cardassian woman in a teal collared Starfleet uniform was standing by the portside doors to the CMO’s office. The scene looked subdued in the light from the destroyed doorway, and the LCARS monitors were still flickering, the attack on Thea's computer cores still lasting.

There was no sign of Hylota Vojona, Vinata Vojona, or Lahkesis Saugn. Maya’s large hazel eyes scanned the room. No Lahkesis. She wasn’t even a laying down in a pool of her own juices. Lahkesis’ location was a mystery even to the group that had been trapped in the room. The others were discussing Doctor Nicander and the disappearance of the others. Apparently they had been extricated via a transporter beam.

[ Attention all hands, the ship’s computers are now rebooting, ] Thea’s voice then announced stiffly, and the lights returned to the CMO's office. Was it the little Vulcan's imagination, or was Thea sounding as flat and artificial as Maya herself was? It was as if Thea was merely a computer with no katra at all. No doubt Maya was projecting. [ All systems are now undergoing reset. Please stand by. ]

After a brief pause, Maya stepped jerkily forward to help Amelya and get her away from here. It was true that there was a biobed nearby but this was a crime scene, and in any case it was unknown if Doctor Nicander would get up again to continue to inflict madness and mayhem.

She knelt next to Amelya and placed the fingertips of her right hand on the back of her neck, only to pull her hand away immediately and put her arm around Amelya help the weakened Trill to her feet. Even the brief contact with her nervous system told Maya what she needed to know: That Doctor Rez nee Duv was recovering from surgery after having the Rez symbiont placed inside her. The greenblooded physician would have done a more intensive empathic diagnosis but with the symbiont’s consciousness assimilating in the Trill there was no need to confuse Amelya's psyche further with psychic contact with Maya.

“Can you walk?” the little Vulcan asked the groggy Trill. “You need to get to the recovery ward.” There was no point taking her the intensive care unit until Maya could be sure the medical computers were back online. “There I can run a proper diagnosis and arrange proper care for you.” Maya’s voice was quiet and perfectly neutral, giving nothing away. She could have been an android.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #21 – March 23, 2018, 10:15:29 PM

[ Amelya Rez | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow , @Jm Von Cat , @Kaylex Ren , @Auctor Lucan ,& @SummerDawn .

The phaser that had been laying next to Amelya when the light shone in the CMO office was most interesting at first glance. A weapon that the disappeared Lakhesis had left behind. Obviously it had been drenched in her thick 'blood' and Amelya registered seeing the weapon yet her body failed to grab out and utilize it. She just blinked as her eyes darted up to see Jovela stand between her and the demonic doctor. He would kill them both given the chance as she found something familiar in Nicander's eyes. Yet in that moment Ryuan Sel opened fire the bolt connecting to the already damaged body of Nicander over and over again as the room filled up with more weapon fire.

Eventually the frame of Nicander subsided and fell down on the ground before the security staff gathered around him. To Amelya everything still felt like everything was moving in slow motion. As if she was disconnected from the world and that everything was happening from a distance. The fear that had gripped her had faded and was replaced by something else. Was it shock? A byproduct from the joining? id the joining fail after all? Her eyes looked over the surgical gown she was wearing.

Suddenly she felt the touch of Maya in her neck and everything seemed to crash back into her. A deep breath slipped past her lips as she gasped for air before she was hoisted up from the floor by the Vulcan doctor. She could hear her own heartbeat in her ears as Maya's words rang through to Rez's inner self. She nodded at the question if she could walk. It was followed by a shake of her head as the Vulcan had stated to head to the recovery ward "N-No.." she whispered as she supported herself on Maya. Her eyes looked around once they got out of the CMO office. The lights being far brighter than she could imagine. The floor underneath her feet seemed a whole lot unstable as well. As if the gravity settings had been trifled with... She lost her balance and she grabbed herself against the closest object or person. Balancing herself she closed her eyes as she inhaled and exhaled in a calm matter. Almost regulating her breathing to recover better.

Her eyes opened up once more before she stated to Maya "Diagnose me... Get me back on my feet... ASAP." she said to Maya before she looked into her eyes. The good doctor would see determination, conviction and resolve in her eyes, though her body seemed to be in a frail state. The newly joined Trill was still weak, though her mind and spirit were more hardened than ever before.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #22 – March 24, 2018, 02:44:19 PM

[ Ryuan Sel | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | U.S.S. Theurgy ] Attn: @FollowTomorrow , @Jm Von Cat , @Kaylex Ren , @Auctor Lucan ,& @Nolan .

Not since the assault on Starbase 84 had she come this close to death, and she began to wonder just how many lives she actually had as she dodged the assault from the parasite, no longer considering that thing to be the good Doctor. Landing hard, phaser still in hand, aiming at the man with no real idea if her weapon would be of any use, but determined to do her duty regardless and die trying if she must, Sel fired as soon as she had a clear shot at the body.

The beam struck the man, slowing him down at least, forcing what was left of his body to halt. She had no choice but to continue to fire at the man, a breif pause to change weapons settings could end in her death, but soon she was greeted by several more beams joining her own, pinning the parasite to the floor, stunning or killing him she didn't know, and quite frankly didn't care, not with that creature infesting him.

It was only once she looked around, seeing other security officers having arrived in response to the gunfire, that she breathed a sigh of relief. Their weapons fire had ensured the survival of all present, and she leaned back against the wall, trying to calm her beating heart. Turning to the one guard she addressed them. "Phasers remain on kill and at least two people are to remain to guard him at all times. The parasite infesting the doctor is not to be permitted to escape, at any cost. Remove Dr Nicander's access codes from the system, whatever is left of him is not him. Understood?" the guard's nod was enough for her and she tuned to Dr Maya. "Doctor?"

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #23 – March 26, 2018, 01:02:10 AM

[ Zelosa Ejek | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 ]

Throughout the whole process, Zelosa Ejek was useless. She was frozen by the doorway, her body and mind frozen in one moment. The only part of her that moved was her eyes, tracking the doctor’s trail of destruction and death and not processing any of it.

She kept her back to the wall, as close to the doors as possible. There was nowhere to run. Dimly, she heard her thoughts. They were like voices through thick walls, unintelligible, but she heard an imperative tone. She should be doing something, maybe. She couldn’t though. Her face was frozen, not in a mask of horror, but in a slightly-open mouthed bewilderment. It was a face more befitting of seeing pigs fly instead of witnessing a parasite personally.

Unless the universe’s rules concerning biology had changed recently, Nicander’s body should not be moving. The pain would be too much. His brain should be shutting down just to avoid the overflow, and yet here he was. She noted that it wasn’t until the nervous system completely, totally, absolutely could not function under any circumstance that he finally collapsed. She was not familiar with Câroon biology, but she did not believe that was standard for them.

As the action came to a screaming halt, she felt her body back under her control again. She still felt the need to flee, but she could control it. The fear of what just happened, the shame of having been so cowardly, that was for later contemplation.
“If you could try to keep him alive,” She spoke to the guard, at the tail end of Ryuan Sel’s words, “I would like to be able to analyze the parasite within.”

She did not have hope that Nicander would live. It wasn’t the medical technology or the brilliance of their staff in question, but rather the nature of the parasite. It did not seem like it valued the body much, so what was death as a consequence? What was anything as a consequence, if you were near invincible?

Right away, Ejek felt regret. She did not want to put herself in the same room as that thing once more. It made the fear she was trying to control rise up, but she must. She must do this, if she is to be brave.

Re: Chapter 01: Supplemental | Untruth No More

Reply #24 – March 28, 2018, 05:21:05 PM

[ Junior Lieutenant Jovela | Primary Surgical Bay | Sickbay | Deck 11 | @Jm Von Cat @TrexelCat
[Show/Hide]

Hearing Garen Nelis' name did stall Jovela, staring into the eyes of the demon doctor that approached her. Images flashed before her eyes, where she saw the face of the Betazoid counselor, remembered how they had been beamed down on Niga during the incident with the virus. Vivid images, followed by the news that he was dead after she'd woken up from stasis.

Now, the same man that had told her Garen was dead revealed her that he'd murdered him, making him suffer in the process. So appalled was she that she wasn't prepared for the speed in which the possessed doctor moved. No more had she thought of squeezing the trigger on her phaser than he was there, right before her, and she knew she was too late. The scalpel went for her face....

...and then it wasn't. In shock, she saw the cauterised stump of the doctor's forearm, and noticed how the Mistress-at-Arms had opened fire. Jovela swallowed, seeing how the security officer switched to a stun setting and started to try and subdue the infested doctor. She realised that she still had her phaser in hand, and bit her teeth together, following Ryuan Sel's example. She set her phaser to maximum stun, and began to shoot at the figure in the scorched uniform. Despite how he had a hole in his side and was missing a hand, the parasite seemed undeterred, still quite able to move, so she had trouble hitting him. In a mix of terror and determination, she kept firing.

Eventually, the doctor fell to the deck plating, motionless, and Jovela released a breath she didn't know she'd kept.

She heard voices, shouting, and orders being given. She didn't think they were for her. She looked behind herself, and saw Doctor Maya helping Amelya Rez, the patient she had protected with her life. Numbly, as if the turmoil had shed all emotion from her, she got back on her feet and put the phaser on the biobed. Silently, she took a wide berth around the fallen doctor, hoping that Security would put him in a holding cell before he woke up. Her destination was the CMO's computer, since there was someone else who had fallen victim that day. It wasn't Hayden O'Connor, but someone who had been aboard the Theurgy since its commissioning.

"Thea, a-activate LMH," she said as she stood by the desk.

[Program not found.] There was no emotion. No compassion in the voice. Just like the LMH, Thea was not quite there. Only the auxillary Starfleet computer speaking in Thea's stead.