Uneasy Alliance Part I

Posted on Wed Aug 17th, 2011 @ 2:47pm by Captain Nathan Cowell MD & Lieutenant Xishaal Idrani & Lieutenant Jasad Broca & Ensign Andrexi Callai MD & Darek Halsey & Senior Chief Petty Officer Julia Neral

Mission: Tomorrow's Arizona
Location: Borg Unimatrix Complex, Former Administrative District, Archadia III
Timeline: Shortly after 'Setting up a Plan B'

Commodore Nathan Cowell was the first to materialize on the surface of the fully assimilated world. Having only recently been on the surface of the world, the stark contrast between his visit not even a week prior and the current state the planet was instantly apparent. Even the Shala district hadn't seemed so uninviting as the visages that now greeted the old man as he swept his eyes across the landscape. Huge spires that once dominated the skyline of the city were now dark towers of assimilated material that appeared to be thrown together, serving no real purpose that Nathan could discern. Though Nathan hadn't stuck around long enough to see it happen on his home world, he could imagine it looked something like the view he was taking in now, a fact that merely fueled the simmering anger that he'd never really been able to fully douse over the decades since.

The Commodore's quiet reflection was silenced as the familiar shimmering sounds of transporter energy beginning to form coherent material patterns began to fill his ears. To his immediate right, Nathan could make out the form of Mr. Halsey. The 'civilian' was playing both intelligence gatherer and bodyguard on the away mission, freeing up one more able body to defend the Arizona should it come down to that. To Nathan's immediate left, the Commodore could tell just by the rather voluptuous outline that his Chief Operations Office, Lieutenant Idrani, was there. She had come along to serve as the 'sensor array' of the team, gathering as much information about the structures and surroundings as she could. Directly behind Nathan, the figure of his new Chief of the Boat, Senior Chief Neral, began to take form. The Senior Chief had been sent in the place of the Chief Science Officer, who Nathan wanted on the Arizona in case he found himself assimilated. Next to Neral, Lieutenant Broca and Ensign Callai began to materialize as well, both of them serving support functions on this away mission. Each of them had volunteered for the mission, for whatever reason they had, but their presence was at least a testament to the intrepid spirit of his junior officers and the backbone of his NCO Corps.

When everyone was fully materialized, Nathan began his little safety lecture, "Alright people, here's how we're going to do this. Darek, I need your head on a swivel. If any of these breathing toasters start reaching for people like they want some fresh meat, I want them put down in a hurry. But don't just go shooting up the damn place for nothing. Might as well not provoke our own assimilation."

Darek simply looked at the Commodore and grabbed the charging handle on the old Earth 21st century assault rifle. "Yea... well just tell me why I left my grenades at home?" He asked sarcastically as he let the handle go with a resounding clack. He checked his old earth side arm as well and looked to the Commodore once more cocking his head to the side waiting for an answer; as he allowed the rifle to hang from it's sling, he had a very bad feeling about the whole damn thing and it was only getting worse.

Nathan turned his attention to Lieutenant Idrani, the ranking member of the gathered officers, "I need you to keep that tricorder busy getting the dirt on this place. I want to know everything you can tell me about this sucker by the time we leave. I want all their secrets, any advantage we can nail down if it comes down to blowing the tits of this puppy. Got it?"

Xishaal breathed in deeply as she received her marching orders from Commodore Cowell. The air had a slight artificial smell to it like the heavy smell of ozone and electricity. She activated her tricorder and began immediately taking scans of the area even before Nathan finished his directive "...yes sir, already on it sir..If they even look our way funny, you'll be the first to know of it!" she replied.

The Commodore turned his attention to Ensign Callai, "I want you getting the dirt on the drones themselves. If they have a biological or cybernetic weakness, I want to know about it. Be discrete but be very meticulous with it. We've not seen this level of advancement on the drones and if they're going to give us a chance to see them in their natural habitat, I want to exploit that generosity to the fullest."

"Aye, sir," Andy said. His tricorder was already out, conducting scans of the drones as they passed on their day-to-day business. His eyes flicked back and forth between them. This was his first encounter with the Borg -- he'd actually hoped to have a full career that was Borg-less. It was difficult to understand how these automatons could so easily perform their tasks, with a Starfleet away team in their midsts, and not seem to care. Or even take notice. He'd studied the Borg in medical school, of course, in case he would ever be in this position or have to treat a patient infected by their nanotechnology. For the most part, what he saw in his scans easily fit into his knowledge of their organic-cybernetic blend, with a certain degree of change as the technology had evolved. His head cocked curiously as he studied the tricorder. There were several changes in the technology -- leaps ahead in design that he couldn't even begin to fathom. As he turned the scanner toward the next drone, he'd already come to the conclusion that he would need to consult with engineering or the senior chief.

Nathan's attention floated to his CoB, "Since you're the Scientist around here, I want you to work with Mr. Fix-it over there, see what you can do about garnering a little advanced knowledge about some of the things they've got on this planet. I'm sure we'll pass by something on the way to the Queen that will just scream 'that's neat.' I know you can't bag it, tag it, and drag it with you, but get everything you can out of your scans."

Though she was somewhat apprehensive, Julia was rather excited at the opportunity to gather information and for all the potential discoveries here. "Aye, sir." Julia had already popped out her tricorder and now turned to the other officer. As someone whose scientific interests ranged more towards the smaller phenomena (though she had a rather wide array of knowledge) her tricorder was modified was modified to scan down to a much finer level of detail than normal. Its slightly bulkier case allowed for the extra power and memory that supported these alterations. This was an unprecedented opportunity for research, and Julia didn't want to miss a single detail. Also, it was her first away mission with this crew and she wanted to establish her usefulness.

Jasad glanced nervously at the drones that were everywhere. The Cardassians had not enjoyed much exposure to the Borg, but they had extensive files and all officers received intelligence briefings. The things they'd heard had amazed them. Dozens of Federation ships destroyed by a single Borg vessel. A loyal Captain captured and turned against his own people. He'd almost believed such stories to be tall tales until he'd joined Starfleet and been briefed on the same events from the other side. There was no doubt about the horrors that the Borg were capable of, and here he was in their nest. Not for the first time, he wondered why he'd volunteered for this mission. Was a desire for career advancement really worth a chance at becoming a mindless drone?

"I'll be sure to record anything that seems useful," Jasad promised, un-hitching his tricorder and opening it to check its settings. This was doubtless to be a one-time-only opportunity to peek at the inner workings of a deadly foe. The last thing he needed was to get back to the ship and find out that a sensor had been out of alignment.

By the time the safety lecture was over, the Commodore felt the unnerving presence of a drone behind him. It wasn't so much an extrasensory feeling as such, simply a habit he'd developed over the six centuries he'd been alive. Eyes on his back... any eyes... made the hairs on the back of Nathan's next stand up and his head swivel to take notice.

Standing behind him was a male drone of an indiscernible species. The drone looked as if it was waiting patently for Nathan to address his crew, making no effort to interrupt or make his presence known. Nathan regarded the 'thing' for a moment before finally grumbling "What?" at the thing.

"We will escort you to the Unimatrix," the drone said in that semi-mechanical voice that all drones had. The Commodore muttered something unintelligible before turning back to his crew.

"P's and Q's, people... mind them. And don't forget what I told you," the old man said before turning to the drone, "Lead the way."

The drone turned around and began walking toward the large entry that would lead them into the huge pyramidal structure that was, logically, the Unimatrix complex. Immediately inside to structure was a cavernous compartment with regeneration alcoves all the way up to the ceiling. The Commodore wondered at how the drones managed to get so high until he saw how. One of the drones near where he was looking suddenly shimmered in the green tinted matter stream that signified a Borg transporter, re-materializing on the ground a second later, departing for whatever duties it was assigned.

"Personal transporters..." Nathan mumbled, pointing out the drone for his Scientist and Engineer so they could make a note and some scans. Before either of them could move, the drone that had been leading them turned to regard the Commodore.

"If your collective wishes to make inquires regarding our collective, they are free to move among us. We will recognize them as one of us and will make no attempts to add them to our own collective," the drone suddenly offered.

Anything that good to be true normally wasn't... but nor was it every day a Borg offered the Federation free reign of a Unimatrix complex either. Was it a show of faith or a trap? At the end of the day, it didn't really matter... they were already on the planet and at the Borg's mercy. Taking advantage of their apparent apathy toward them was probably the best thing they could do.

"Neral, Broca, go play," Nathan said, motioning toward the alcove clusters, "Might as well take them up on the offer. When you're done having fun, meet us back at the transport sight outside."

Jasad was still watching the drones transporting around when the Commodore addressed him and Neral. Things were glum enough when the Borg were in the habit of meandering slowly towards their destinations. Now they seemed to have a casual affinity with site-to-site transport that would make them impossible to escape or outflank. He glanced at Neral. "I suppose it's time to have 'fun,'" he said with a tentative smile.

Julia replied with a soft smile. "Let's make the best of this opportunity." She'd been balancing between carefully looking at their surroundings, and glancing back at her tricorder every so often, keeping her ears open to the other officers around her, but now pulled her visual attention back to her companion for the moment.

"In fact, Ms. Idrani, you go with them. I'd feel better if someone with some combat chops was watching their backs just in case," Nathan said as an after thought.

"Yes sir, Right away sir..." Xishaal replied sharply, as she continued taking scans with her tricorder and making adjustments every so often before putting it away for a moment.

Jasad's tension eased somewhat. While he'd been in combat, he was not exactly a formidable fighting force. Having some guns along would make him feel a bit better about the possibility of trouble.

Xishaal unslung her phaser rifle from her shoulders and checked the weapon to ensure it's operational readiness. Next she readjusted her Dosalnar- an Andorian sword that she normally kept in her quarters. If these Borg adapted too quickly to her phaser remodulations then the close quarters weapon would be her last and best defense. "...Lieutenant Broca, Petty Officer Neral, lets get moving! Check your weapons and form up!..." Xishaal ordered the two junior officers. "...Broca, 5 meters foward and to port of my position! Neral, 5 meters aft and starbord of my position! Maintain visual contact at all times and report any provacative actions! Rally point has been set.." she added.

Jasad jumped a bit when their security escort began shouting orders like a drill sergeant in basic training. The relief he'd felt at having combat reinforcement was mostly shattered. Still, he fell into line, entering the suggested formation. His habit of following orders overrode his personal distaste in the method of their delivery. As they proceeded through the Borg facility, and his gaze wandered over the countless drones here, he hoped that Xishaal's bite was as good as her bark. Then he returned his attention to his tricorder, focusing its sensor scans on interesting objects and formations along their route.

With that, the away team was now broken right down the middle. Commodore Cowell had Mr. Halsey and Ens. Callai, and Lt. Idrani had Lt. Broca and Senior Chief Neral. Nathan turned back to the drone and motioned for it to lead the way once more, which it did promptly. The group continued along the corridor into a passageway that was devoid of alcoves. Their next stop along the tour brought them into what appeared to be their 'birthing' facility. Even Nathan had to fight the urge to slide off track and make a rather comprehensive scan of the area. That's when he remembered the Doctor with him.

"Hey Junior," Nathan called out, turning toward Callai, "How about you go over there and make with the discovery. See how they reproduce here in the 27th century..."

Commodore Cowell motioned for Mr. Halsey to follow the Ensign, a move that caught the operative off-guard for a moment. The look on Nathan's face made it all too clear, however, that he doing it for a reason, one he wasn't about to argue or debate the issue. Without another word, Commodore Cowell continued on deeper into the complex, leaving his away team to make heads and tails of the Borg Unimatrix facility.

"Why do I think this will disturb me far more than it should?" Andy muttered softly to no one in particular as he headed toward the side area, where row upon row of large tanks were set up. Each tank held a large volume of thick fluid, illuminated by internal eerie green lights. The doctor edged up to the nearest pod, being careful not to touch it and trigger any defense response from the drones maintaining the section. He knelt, peering inside, to see a humanoid infant bathed in the viscous fluid. A biomechanical cord was attached to an umbilicus at the back of its neck. He glanced upward, watching the lights blinking inside as the infant's life support and feeding mechanism went about its work. "They clone children," he whispered, as much to himself than the intelligence operative who had accompanied him. When the man looked at him, Andy gestured toward where the infant's navel should be. "His umbilicus is artificial, in the back of the neck. This little one has never been in an organic womb." He stood, surreptitiously running a scan of the maturation chamber's mechanism, as well as the rest of the bay. As his tricorder bleeped at him, he nodded toward a workstation at the end of the section, weaving his way through the chambers -- as well as well around any drones minding the systems. He looked over the equipment, his brow furrowing as he pieced together the functions of the various pieces of technology. "They have a lot of organic sampling systems here." He paused. "Organic sampling, genetic sequencers, mitochondrial enhancers, incubation units, maturation chambers..." He turned back, surveying the expansive maturation bay once more. "We, uh," he nodded toward the exit of the bay, "should probably find the commodore, sir."

Rolling his shoulders in a move that was obviously an outward sign of discomfort not only due to the location but the fact that the combat vest he wore was not the most ergonomically comfortable. But most of his discomfort was that he was surrounded by the most advanced Borg that he'd ever encountered, and they were not hostile. It was like the lion playing the house cat, a facade of tamed, waiting to strike. Looking around he followed the Ensign into the labyrinth of maturation chambers and growing Borg; it was disgusting and fascinating all in the same. He nodded as the Ensign pointed out all the many things that were going on around them, and nodded his head in agreement as Andy indicated they should return to the Commodore, whether it was out of a since that he would offer protection or the place was just hinky Darek couldn't tell.

"Yea, I agree back to the grumpy old man." He said as he feel instep behind Andy, "And it's been a while since I had my 3 pips so you might as well just call me Darek, I hate Sir...." He finished, pulling the stock of his weapon slightly tighter into his shoulder. It was going to be a long and very strange day, and it needed to end on a good note, if i didn't Darek had the feeling it was going to go FUBAR in all the wrong ways.