One Small Step... (Part One)
Posted on Wed Sep 27th, 2023 @ 5:45pm by Colonel Vaebn
Mission:
00-Yut Makh aka The Closing
Location: Disabled Borg Cube
Timeline: May 2381
IRW Nanclus
The Valdore class warbird seemed to glide as it moved. It was certainly a sight to behold.
"Report." Colonel Vaebn called from his seat in the center of the Warbird's bridge. The ship had only just dropped out of warp and decloaked.
"Borg Cube, ahead 33 mark 01, exactly as reported." Came the call back.
"Shields up, bring us to Condition Red." Vaebn spoke with intent.
Typically at this distance the Borg would engage in some way; a transmission, or even by charging weapons. But there was something different. Something eerie.
"Open a channel to the cube." Vaebn said, moving to stand in front of his seat.
"I have a channel open, but I can't confirm its open on their end." one of his officers reported.
"I am Colonel Vaebn of the Romulan Star Empire." The Colonel felt uneasy speaking when he wasn't certain he was being heard.
There was no response in any form from the cube. No indication that the message was received at all.
"Lifesigns?" Vaebn asked, turning towards his Science Lead.
"27,864, all appear to be in a dormant state." The officer responded without looking up. She was intently studying and logging her readings of the cube. "The cube appears to have suffered a submatrix collapse, cause unknown. "
A few moments passed, and the Bridge was silent. Vaebn was thinking about his next move.
After a beat, "Send an encrypted communique to General Telhas. Tell him we have encountered the cube, and are sending a party to investigate further."
Confused and distressed looks fell upon Vaebn from all around the room. The atmosphere was tense. The Colonel looked down and then focused his eyes to the hatch that led to the wardroom, avoiding his officers. "Science, assemble a team and have them brought to the Wardroom for briefing. I will lead the team." He pursed his lips and started towards the wardroom. "Major Tyvek, you will coordinate efforts from here."
The interior of the Cube was a jigsaw puzzle of thousands of catwalks, walkways, hangar bays, pipes and conduits. The corridors were lined with countless regeneration alcoves. It was not it's typical 39.1°C, and instead was becoming colder and colder as the vessel's environmental systems had deactivated along with the rest of the Cube.
As had been reported by the science officer, the Borg drones appeared to be in a state of hibernation. None responded to the sudden appearance of a team of Romulans who had infiltrated the Borg craft to investigate what happened, and hopefully extract their assimilated comrades from the Shaenor.
Romulan environmental suits were sleek by comparison to their Federation counterparts, allowing Colonel Vaebn and his team to move with ease throughout the dormant Cube.
"The Shaenor is in docked three levels down, adjacent to the assimilation chambers." The voice of one of the science officers crackled over the suit comms.
"Service access is through there." The soft voice of Daner'a, a security officer assigned to the team, advised. She sheathed her scanner and took up a spot leading the team towards the hatch she had indicated.
To Be Continued...
