Post by do on Oct 26, 2009 22:11:42 GMT -5
Mutara XI
Stardate: 13.01.2171
Outside of the bunker, the winds scorched the surface of the planetoid.
Rough winds, carrying sand blasting grains had lashed so heavily upon any organic material that the Away Team had to be transported in wearing heavy protection suits to prevent wind burns. Captain Jake Mercer of the SS Vanguard was not at all happy to pulling this kind of duty. This was better suited for Starfleet Security however, the Marine Corps had been pulling double duty for some time now.
Jake wondered at what point would the Sharks be absorbed into Starfleet entirely and forgotten as a historical footnote.
In either case, it was standard operating procedure for the Sharks to be transported into any unknown location to make a preliminary sweep of the location before a Starfleet team was brought in for whatever purpose that was required. In this instance, the planetoid was located in the far corner of the Mutara Sector, renamed Gaian Territories in recent times. Starfleet was making an attempt to chart all the planets, moons and planetoids in the Mutara Sector and Vanguard had pulled the duty of exploring a planetoid that they, for now, had named Mutara XI for expediency.
Upon arriving, they had discovered a desolate wasteland with nothing to recommend it except a large, man made structure that was ill-defined through all the dust in the air. Only when they transported down to the surface, did they see the thing was an enormous fortress like bunker that appeared to be, according to tricorder readings, thousand of years old.
Upon penetrating the empty structure with its weather worn sand stone walls, they found that it was powered but covered in so much dust that it was likely no one had been hear in all that time. Jake, along with Sarge, Dee and a contingent of Sharks had spread out throughout the structure to investigate. It soon became clear that the structure had been carved out of a solid block of mountain. There were no rooms, just a corridor that led all that way down. After nearly fifteen minutes walking, they discovered a series of multi chambers.
"This is fucking weird," Sergeant Ka'ana declared after they had spread out through the chambers and discovered rooms that were little more showrooms for small glass globes.
"What does the tricorder say, Dee?" Jake replied to Sarge through his communicator.
"They're all inert," Dee replied. "Whatever they are."
"Captain!" Chou called out. "We found something."
Jake hurried over to Chou's location in a a couple of strides and found that Chou and Wallace, who seldom were apart, standing in a smaller room. There was only a handful of globes but unlike the others, these were illuminated.
"We found this room when Chou accidentally bumped a panel," Wallace reported, getting the finger from Chou. "A door opened."
Jake stepped forward and looked at the globes. They were all in different colours but glowing. They were almost beautiful.
"Did you run a tricorder over it?" Jake asked Chou.
"Yes, Sir," Chou replied. "There's some kind of energy source but the exact readings, I can't get a fix on."
"Possibility of danger?" Jake asked.
"Unknown," Chou replied, sounding so Fleet at that moment that Jake almost belted him.
"One way to find out," he said, reaching for it. "Tell Cate to name a cemetery after me if I die," he joked.
Picking it up in his hand, there was no energy discharge or horrible reaction that threatened to melt his face. The globe, growing luminescent green, felt cool in his hands. Looking at the glass, he almost saw patterns swirling in the energy particles within and blinked when he thought he saw a face.
It's a reflection, he told himself.
"Hey," Wallace exclaimed. "It went dead." He pointed out as the globe in the captain's hand went dark like all the others.
The captain straightened up and looked at the two young man, blinking once or twice before replying. "Nothing dies," he said with a smile. "Not here."
*
Moving across Sickbay, Dr. Cate Vedder was running an inventory of their supplies with the help of Medic Ronnie Lloyd. Hair sticking up every which way all the time, Cate often wondered if he stuck his finger in a power outlet every morning before leaving his quarters.
"How about those neural pads?" Cate pointed to a plastic tray.
Ronnie bent down and went through the opened cabinet, giving her model numbers and quantities.
"While I'm down there, you want the count on hyposyringes?" he asked, glancing up at her.
"Please."
Things had been slow since Angel 1, about a month ago. Cate wasn't sure if Capt. Siobhan Houser purposefully kept them out of trouble or what.
Vulcan medical conference or not, Dr. Dennis Martin, Vanguard's CMO, had sworn to never leave his post again after what had happened to Cate with the Angelians. Even though he'd been told his presence on the planet would have probably made matters worse since he was a man. He surely wouldn't have been allowed to treat their Elected One, and the mere offer or suggestion of doing so could have meant capital punishment for the whole team for all they knew. But still, to this day, the man grumbled about it and now shared with Capt. Mercer a hatred for psycho Amazon fembots.
The slower pace, at least in Sickbay, had allowed for Cate to heal without putting too much pressure on the rest of the med staff. She had remained onboard, under both Doctors Martin and Maddock's care. She'd only been back on the job, full duties, for a week and was thankful her shifts had been quiet ones.
But this evening (Vanguard/Gaia time), they were on standby. The Vanguard was to survey yet another planetoid and this time some kind of structure had been spotted and a team of Marines sent down to investigate. Sickbay had been asked to be ready in case it meant they found someone down there, refugees or other. It was hard to think that anyone would live in that kind of environment, given the preliminary report she and Ronnie had seen, but life was resilient, if nothing else.
"How's the knee?" Ronnie asked when he was done with the syringes.
"Better," Cate replied, given him a smile. He damn knew how her knee was doing; he was the one overseeing her physiotherapy and rehabilitation exercises. "Doc Martin keeps reminding me he's the best surgeon and that he took special care with that pretty knee," she finished, mimicking the man's voice and slight accent.
Chuckling, Ronnie stood up, glad all those bruises had faded away. She was left with a slight limp, but he and Martin were certain that too would disappear.
"Drugs?" he suggested, waggling his eyebrows at the double entendre.
"Sure. Start with the good stuff..." Cate smiled.
*
"Sergeant," Sergeant Avyn Ka'ana heard the Captain's voice through the communicator. "Can you please join me in the main chamber?"
"Be there in a sec, Captain," Ka'ana replied, turning to Dee, who was still scanning.
"Keep going on, I'll go see what da boss wants," the man added with a little smirk as he stepped out of the smaller chamber. Truth be told, Captain Mercer was in a better mood these days than when he first appeared on the Vanguard. The man was still as ornery as a bear with a bug up its ass but at least, the period of sour, raging anger was less frequent. A lot of that had to do with Dr. Vedder, Sarge was certain but he was not about to complain when it meant that Captain neared something resembling a civilised personality.
"Sure," Dee replied, finding the globes fascinating though she had no idea what their purpose could be. Seemed like the entire structure was built to accommodate them. They had to be important right?
Ka'ana's height ensured that he was at the Captain's side in a number of easy strides, with Chou and Wallace leaving the room as he walked in.
"What's up, Captain?" Ka'ana asked, knowing well enough by now not to call the man Sir.
"We found something." The Captain motioned him to follow and Ka'ana furrowed a brow as they entered a smaller chamber. Inside the chamber, the Sarge was confronted by the same thing that Jake had been a short time earlier.
"Holy shit," the man exclaimed in fascination. "That how they supposed to look?"
"It seems to." The Captain went to the pedestal and picked one of the globes, holding it in his hand. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He handed it to Ka'ana.
Beautiful...? Ka'ana glanced at Jake, wondering if Vedder and him had finally screwed or something for him to use that word to describe a ball of light. "Yeah sure, it's pretty." He took the thing and looked at it.
Suddenly, the orb flickered in his hand and, looking somewhat startled, Ka'ana dropped the object in his hand. The glass globe, now dark, crashed onto the floor, shattering into pieces.
Looking up at Jake, Ka'ana smiled, flexing his fingers as if looking at his hands for the first time. "It has been a long time, old friend."
"Yes." Jake nodded. "It has. I do not know how long it has been but the Katrasxile has been abandoned for thousands of years. Home may not be what we left."
"Home is home," Ka'ana replied.
The Captain nodded, "Yes, and we will go home to rule."
*
Cpl. Damien Finch walked back in, the long corridor leading him further into the odd structure. Communications had been sketchy with the team inside and, not getting any response, he left two men at the door and decided to go report with Mercer in person.
Finding Cpl. Sheridan first, he went to her. "Hey, Dee... couldn't hear us on the comm?"
"You called?" She looked over her shoulder at him, somewhat surprised to hear he had been in contact. "That's weird, we heard the Captain fine," she replied.
"Hmm... you're both inside the structure. I was still out, keeping a perimeter... I don't know." He shrugged. "Anyway, where's the boss?"
"He's in the main chamber," Dee replied. "Think they might have found something."
"Did, huh?" He looked toward the main chamber before his eyes touched on Dee again. "It's starting to look nasty out there (if that was even possible) so whatever they found they better decide wether it's coming with or not soon. I'll go let him know."
"Sure," she nodded. "Have fun."
Finch met Wallace and Chou on his way and soon entered the room, spying Ka'ana and Mercer standing in a corner of the room.
"Hey, Captain," he said, approaching. "Storm's brewing out there. We don't have long."
He who was Jake stared at the new arrival a moment and then spoke in a measured voice. "Then we should go. Gather everyone to leave and send Sheridan here. I want her to run the tricorder over this smaller chamber." The wind whistled louder and Jake added, "Better get going now." He prompted.
What the fuck? Finch stared at Mercer a moment and then glanced to Sarge. "Okay, Sir," he blurted out, remembering himself and that he'd been given a direct order. Turning around, he headed back out to find Sheridan, thinking Mercer never called her that.
"Dee..." he let out when he was back by her side. "Mercer seemed off to you earlier?"
"Not more than usual," Dee remarked, giving him a look. "I mean he's happier now but I think that's because he's living on the hope of getting laid soon." She grinned.
Finch was about to roll his eyes at that but the lady had a point. "True but nah... this was just weird. He was talking all... polite-like." Not sure how to explain his spider senses going all nuts on him, he shook his head. "Anyway, he wants everyone to gather up and get ready to leave, bar you. Wants you in there for more scans." His thumb indicated the chamber he'd just come back from.
"It's cause I'm special." Dee winked at him and sauntered past, heading towards the Captain and Sarge for whatever reason they wanted.
Finch rolled his eyes at that, and went on to gather everybody up.
*
A short time later, Jake, Sarge and Dee emerged from the chamber and met up with the collection of Sharks led by Finch. "We need to leave now." Jake's eyes touched Wallace, who nodded.
Reaching for his communicator, Jake called the Vanguard. "Vanguard, Away Team is emerging. Please lock and transport when you detect their life signs."
"Acknowledged, Captain Mercer," came the automatic response.
"Take the squad outside, we'll be following soon," Jake told Finch. "There's some artefacts we want to collect before we go up."
"Yes, Captain." Finch turned on his heels, motioning everyone to move out and damn happy to be leaving this place. There was something off and he couldn't quite put his finger on what.
Rematerialising back on the Vanguard, the team moved off the pads and Finch ordered them back to the Cage. Turning his attention to the Transporter technician, he said, "Thank you, Ensign. Captain Mercer and the rest will want to come back soon. They're just securing some... artefacts to bring onboard." Striking him as odd suddenly that Sharks and not Fleet would be shifting that kind of thing without further study.
The Ensign reacted at that. "Full containment protocols necessary, Sir?"
Finch looked at the kid. How the hell should he know? "I have no idea," he decided to go with the truth. "Better check with the man when he calls." With that Finch decided to go wait near the door, in case Mercer and the others would need help carting whatever it was they were bringing in back.
~~~~
Emerging into the surface of the planetoid, Jake, Sarge, Dee, Chou and Wallace stepped into blasting winds, clad in their thick gear.
"Is it done?" Jake asked Chou to the howling winds.
"It is." The younger man nodded.
"I can feel her in here," Dee replied, her voice filled in wonder. "I can feel her trying to claw her way out."
He who was Jake nodded, in understanding. "The one I've got is strong too. We must be mindful, try and access their memories, we must not rouse suspicion." With that, he activated the communicator on his belt.
"Vanguard, five to transport." The memories flowed easily now, the word tumbling forth easily.
"Standing by for transport," a youthful voice said on the other end.
Jake turned to Sarge and spoke as the golden shimmer resumed. "We will meet in one hour in my host's quarters and discuss what we do next."
In his hand was another globe.
As their bodies dematerialised, the fortress before them exploded outwards, creating for a moment a calamity worse than the planetoid's ravaging winds.
~~~~~~
"Whoa!" The young Ensign exclaimed.
"What's up?" Finch's head turned his way, just as Mercer and the others started to appear on the pads.
"A huge explosion on the surface, Sir," the kid replied, his address bugging Finch like it would Mercer. Thing was, Finch had good reason to balk at it; he was no officer, unlike his boss. He turned to look at the controls and then at the transporter itself. "But I didn't lose the lock.
"Good thing," Finch commented automatically.
"Corporal Finch to the Bridge. The away team is back onboard but we picked up an explosion close to the last transporter pick up, do you confirm?"
"Yes, Corporal, we confirm," someone from the Bridge, possibly Tactical Officer Lt. Talbot responded. "Looks like a subterranean explosion."
"Copy that," Finch said. Eyes on his Captain, he waited for the shimmering effect to dissipate.
"Captain, you alright?"
"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "Seems we triggered some kind of a fail safe when we tried to retrieve the artefacts. Looks like the entrance to the place has been sealed."
"I need a shower," Dee replied, moving past them, pulling off her helmet to shake her red hair loose. It spilled down her neck and she paused a moment, checking her reflection in the glass panel. Curious, she thought before continuing to walk.
"The rest of you are dismissed," Jake informed the squad. "Go get some rest. I need to give the Captain my preliminary report."
"Good idea," Sarge agreed, starting to usher the others out.
"Right," Finch muttered under his breath, falling in line behind the Sergeant. Something was still bothering him.
"So, you guys brought back one of those light ball things?" he asked Ka'ana, a little curious as to why they hadn't let Fleet handle that.
"Yeah," Sarge replied walking down the corridor, "I think our tricorder reading indicated it was harmless and its just as well since the structure was damaged."
"Fair enough," Finch commented on their way back to the Cage and a shower like Dee had so craved. The heavy suit was getting itchy. "Catch you later, Sarge."
*
Once everyone had left the Transporter Room, Jake left himself, heading not towards the Bridge and handing his report to Captain Houser as protocol required but instead to Sick Bay. Walking through the unfamiliar corridors, he was using Jake Mercer's body, observed the size and sophistication of the starship he had obviously transported to. Access to the memories of the host mind did not make the experience less. Three thousand years of sleep had changed nothing for him. He had been always a creature of power and this starship certainly epitomised it.
The host was screaming in fury, rage that rivalled his own in intensity, pressed against the walls of his consciousness, demanding control. However, his own control was considerable. Three thousand years of confinement did not disintegrate his sanity like so many others trapped in the same limbo. Using the memories of the host, he made his way to the place he needed to be, accessing that information with ease.
Arriving at Sick Bay, the host's struggles seemed to grow more crazed, almost reaching a berserker frenzy. It took him but a moment to realise why. The knowledge made him smile. Activating the door panel, the door slid open and he stepped inside.
Ronnie looked over Cate's shoulder at the visitor and smiled. "Hey." He nudged her before moving away, finding himself something to look busy with.
Glancing up, Cate caught his look and recognised the teasing in the medic's eyes. She didn't have to guess why. "Captain," she greeted as she turned around. "You're back early. All went well?" she asked, approaching him.
For a moment, he paused, seeing the girl, feeling the warm emotions that the host had for this particular woman. She was pretty, by human standards, and her eyes, though not dark indigo, had its own fullness. He did not respond to her query, choosing to wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him before pressing on her mouth, a rough, demanding kiss that lasted seconds.
The scream of indignation he heard inside made the taste of her so much sweeter.
Whoa.
Cate stiffened in his hold. It wasn't that he was kissing her, it was more due to where and, well... how.
Not that she was totally hating it, because she wasn't and she responded briefly, but they hadn't exactly been flaunting their burgeoning relationship. Hell, they hadn't even really defined it yet. A few (alright, maybe a lot) of people around them knew they were into each other, but they still were, well... discreet. And this wasn't discreet. This was public, in front of Lloyd and whoever else could walk in. And Jake didn't kiss her like that... hadn't kissed her like that since Angel 1, when he was angry, worried and frustrated.
Okay.
Both her hands went to his chest and she tried to push him away just as she pulled her head back to have a look at him. "Jake?" she asked, breathless, that one word asking him what was going on.
"Just glad to see you," he said with a smile, pulling back, the softness of her lips leaving a lingering sensation against his tongue. It had been so long since he had felt such contact, had forgotten how good it felt. It made him doubly determined to keep what he had taken down in the Ketrasect, perhaps he'd even keep her. The desire reflected in his eyes was almost real.
Giving him a hesitant smile, Cate replied, "Glad to see you too..." She glanced to where Ronnie stood, noting the medic was just as surprised as she was.
With this bit of business over, he who wore the face of Jake looked to the host's female and asked, "Where is Martin? We found something the Captain wants him to look at right away."
"He's off," she replied automatically just as she thought his speech wasn't quite right... stilted somehow. Had he been hit on the head, she wondered studying his face and hairline. "I guess he could be in the mess... you want me to take a look at it in the meantime?"
"No," he said abruptly, retreating. "The Captain would like him to take a look at it. It isn't meant for you."
"Okay," she let out, puzzled and a little hurt. "You want me to raise him then?" She tried to keep her tone neutral.
"No," Jake shook his head and without further word, turn on his heels and left.
"Jay..." Cate started saying but the doors swished closed behind him. Canting her head for a second, she then turned to Ronnie.
"Okay, that was weird, right?"
"Yes." He nodded emphatically.
*
Leaving behind the girl, her sweetness still lingering upon his tongue, he who was Jake left Sick Bay and made his way to the galley, intending to find Dr. Martin. The doctor was necessary. The host brain told him that as Chief Medical Officer, he could usurp the Captain of the ship. He considered using it on the Captain but unusual behaviour would be noted immediately. A healer, however, had freedom to move and power.
Arriving at the galley, he swept his gaze across the room and noted the man he intended to see. Crossing the floor, he sat at the table opposite the healer.
"Captain," Dr. Dennis Martin said, a little taken aback by the Marine coming to join him. He put his PADD down. "Anything I can do you for?
"The Captain asked me to give you this." From the fold of the heavy suit, he handed Martin the globe. "He wants to run some tests on it."
"You should know Cate is on shift now. Can't she do that for you?" His gaze went to the luminous globe Mercer was presenting to him. "What kind of tests?" he asked, picking up the globe, curiosity getting the better of him. It was dazzling really, so... "Beautiful."
It took but a moment but that was all that was needed and the orb in Doctor Martin's hand flickered before its glow vanished.
"Hello, old friend." Jake smiled at him. "They thought they were done with us, they were wrong."
Dennis' brow knitted as his eyes darted about the room suddenly. He took a tentative breath and shifted in his seat, like he was trying on this body. His gaze meeting the man's before him, he caressed the globe with his index finger before he broke into a smile. "Indeed."
"There are six of us now," Jake revealed, staring intently across the table at Dennis. "When you have accessed your hosts memories and thoughts, meet me in my quarters in an hour. We have much to discuss."
"Understood." The Chief Medical Officer nodded, a glint in his eyes. Already the consciousness inside felt a thrill at the strange sensations this human body offered, but also at the interestingly complex and learned mind he knew he had to tackle and take apart. "In an hour, Captain Mercer."
"Likewise, Dr. Martin."
*
Alright. So he didn't know the man all that well... but Ray figured he knew him well enough to know that Jake wasn't the type to go run off and not give a report. What the hell, had been the look Shay had given him and understandable.
"There you are!" he called out, spotting Jake up ahead in the corridor. Breaking into a quick jog, Ray caught up with him. "Captain Houser wants you to report in."
He who was Jake paused and stared at the man speaking to him. For a moment he stared hard, memories of the host surfacing. Feelings emerged, camaraderie, friendship and the host's desperation trying to breach his control to warn the other man. "Does she?"
"Well, you just came back from the surface and that temple blew up, so.. uh.. yeah," Ray half-teased. "Usually happens when you come back from the surface." He was being a smart-ass but what the hell.
"It was an accident," Jake explained. "It just happened. We triggered a fail safe device and it blew." Deciding that he needed to play the game, he added. "We should go see Captain Houser."
"Yeah, we should." Ray nodded. "You okay?" Jake Mercer was usually an enigma but Ray was learning to read the signs and signals the man gave off.
"I'm fine." Jake pretended to relax. "It was a hell of a place."
"Okay... well come on," he said. "Houser's in her ready room." Boiling by now, probably.
"Right." Jake nodded, searching the host memories for what was known of Houser and also what was known of the host. "Better take my medicine sooner rather than later, right?" he remarked as they both walked side by side towards the Captain's Ready Room.
"Well, you wouldn't have had to take it if you'd just reported," Ray replied, giving a typical Rigby what-for. "She's pissed." And the only thing worse than a pissed off starship captain... was a pissed off mother.
"I had to go to Sick Bay," Jake found himself speaking. "I wanted to see Cate."
"What, you had the itch for a quickie that bad?" Ray held up a hand, face screwing up. "Don't answer that, she's like my sister."
"I will take her soon enough," Jake replied, "when she's ready for me." The host's struggles were growing desperate and a killer rage that impressed him bubbled to the surface from the captured soul inside him.
"Take her soon enough?" Ray gave Jake a weird look. "Who are you, Maximus the Roman or something? Come on. Shay's waiting," he said, silencing the communicator vibrating away on his belt. Take her? When she's ready for him?
"I don't know him," Jake stared at the man and realised he had said something wrong. Play the part or else risk being given away. "I meant.. uhm...we're taking it slow."
Ray snorted. "Go any slower and you'd be going backwards," he retorted. Was Jake hitting the sauce and he just hadn't seen it until now? Nah... not after what Ray knew of Jake's old man. "Come on."
Jake followed the host's friend and found himself a few minutes later facing the captain of this starship. A woman, he snorted. These humans were an interesting type. He could appreciate the need for women in the crew but to place one in charge. That was a novel approach.
"Problem, Captain?" Shay asked, doing the one eyebrow thing she usually did when her tone was nice but she was boiling inside.
"I'm sorry, Captain," Jake responded automatically, searching for the best answer to diffuse the situation. "I felt a bit concussed after that explosion down there and thought it best I report to Sick Bay first."
"Concussed? And?" She leaned back in her chair, one long leg crossing over the other. "Are you?"
"A little," he explained. "Just a bit of ringing from being too close to the blast radius. It was an unfortunate situation, we accidentally triggered some kind of failsafe device, it seems, and the whole place went up."
Great. "Is anyone else hurt?" Shay asked, eyeing him expectedly. "Do you have my report?"
Ray almost winced. Shay was NOT happy.
"No, ma'am," Jake answered automatically. "Just myself. The others have been dismissed. My report is that the structure we located on the surface of the planetoid is at least three years old. I believe it used to be a mountain. Whomever built the things, carved the place out of solid rock. There was one passageway leading to the inside from the main entrance but no other rooms. Once we got to the end, we discovered numerous chambers, they contained these." He revealed a dull, inert globe. "We don't know what they are but there were many of them. We conducted tricorder readings and assessed the threat level. There didn't seem to be one and, with the inclement weather, felt that should be the extent of the survey. Unfortunately after Finch and his team were transported, Chou accidentally triggered the failsafe that initiated a self destruct of some kind. We barely transported to the Vanguard in time," he said finally.
"And because of this, you want to break protocol?" Shay eyed the globe. "Get that to the xeno lab," she said, frowning at Jake. The man was usually so by the book, it wasn't funny. This... wasn't like him. "And next time, it doesn't leave the transporter room. Christ, Mercer, I shouldn't have to tell you that," she growled. "Dismissed."
"Yes ma'am," Jake nodded, glancing at Ray with a shrug of his shoulders. "I wasn't thinking right."
Wasn't.. thinking.. right. Ray had to force himself from staring at the pussy who suddenly replaced Jake Mercer, the man who usually acted like the world was just too much trouble. "Come on," he told Jake, deciding that getting out now was best before Shay really lost her temper.
Taking the advice of the host’s lieutenant, Mercer allowed himself to be led out of the Captain’s quarters. "Thank you. I think I am not myself after that concussion. If you don't mind, I think I will get some rest… clear my head so to speak."
"You think you're not yourself?" Jake wasn't the only one. Ray rolled his eyes. "You go do that," he said, holding out his hand for the globe. "I'll take that to xeno for you."
Mercer considered letting him have it and then realised that with the essence of it gone, there was no reason to fear. "Sure." He handed it to Ray. "Keep it safe, it's the last one of its kind."
"It is?" Carefully cradling it in one hand, Ray inclined his head towards the direction of the lift. "Go on. Staff meeting in the morning, don't forget."
"Thanks." Mercer nodded and went on his way, not looking back. He had to rendezvous with the others.
*
Following his encounter with Captain Houser, Mercer returned to his quarters to meet his rendezvous with the others, as arranged prior to their return to the ship. Once again, he was forced to suppress the near blinding fury of the host's consciousness, trapped in amber, unable to do anything but beat at the walls of his prison. Moving through the host's quarters, Mercer studied everything about his new body's life, once again feeling the indignation of the host by the violation.
When the door chimed at the appropriate time, Mercer answered it to see Ka'ana at the doorway, followed by Wallace, Sheridan and Chou.
"Laryn is in the Doctor," Mercer said.
"It is good that he survived," Sarge said with approval. "So many of us hadn't, it seems."
"Yes, their katra have been lost forever." Mercer shook his head angrily. "We will avenge them, Shaval."
"I know," Shaval, who was the Sarge, nodded. "As always, my Lord, I am at your service."
Free to roam, finally outside the restraints of the globe, Laryn was picking at Dr. Martin's life, body and mind. He also used the man's mobility to visit the ship, marvelling at the advances of technology during the millennia of his and his brothers in arms' imprisonment. Martin tried to block him, passwords, codes and procedures shrouded from him by the sheer will of the human - quite surprising really as Laryn wouldn't have expected it in such a young species - but no match after all. Just a brief game he indulged Martin for a time.
Standing in front of Mercer's door, he signalled his presence, glancing around to see if he had attracted any unwanted attention.
The door slid open a moment later and Mercer beckoned Laryn into the room, sparing a glance in the hallway to ensure that his arrival remained unseen. While there was nothing odd in Dr. Martin dropping in to visit Captain Mercer, it was not wise to be foolish.
Once the door had closed behind Laryn, Mercer led the man to the others.
"Laryn, you remember Shaval..." He indicated Sergeant Ka'ana.
"Of course, my Lord." Dennis gave a small nod to Mercer before looking at Ka'ana.
"Shaval, it has been too long." Lifting his arm, his fingers touched a lock of his hair, more like a poke. "Curious these humans, are they not?"
"Indeed it has, Laryn." The female wearing Dee Sheridan's body stepped forward and caught the man by the chin before kissing him ardently. "Tell me you have not forgotten me, Laryn. We were so close once upon a time."
An exquisite sensation running up his host's spine, Laryn took a second to react, pulling the woman to him, sensing the doctor's discomfort and shock and quashing both away. The softness of the red haired human pressed against his body brought up a distant memory and a longing so fierce that he deepened the kiss even as he rediscovered what could be done with a mouth. So much of the physical world had lost its sense...
"Temaria," Laryn whispered, recognising his mate even if the scent and feel of her in that borrowed body were not what he remembered.
"Well, I see some introductions are not required," Mercer commented with a smirk. "Laryn, you remember Katar..." He gestured to Chou. "And Naran."
"It is a pleasure to see you again, General," Naran, wearing the face of Aaron Wallace, replied.
"As it is to see you, my Lord Rathe."
Keeping a hand on the small of Temaria's back, revelling in the contact, Laryn clasped the shoulder of each man in turn. "Naran. Katar. A pleasure shared," he returned in greeting.
"Lord Rathe," Temaria asked. "Were you able to recover Wynna?"
Rathe stiffened. "No," he said abruptly. "Her katra orb was broken, she is lost."
"I am sorry," Temaria replied, leaning into Laryn's hand.
"No matter," Rathe brushed aside any grief on the matter. "She has been dead for longer than the history of these humans and we have much work to do. The Syranittes hid the rest of our brethren from us, too cowardly to kill our armies outright but too weak to let our katra fade with time. That is their folly. This ship is powerful, if we can take her, we can retrieve our brothers in other Katrasects and free them just as we ourselves have been freed."
"Then by the Gods, we will avenge Wynna and take back what is ours," Laryn stated, anger and outrage bubbling within, a need for revenge so great he could taste it and sensed the human's consciousness cower at the sheer intensity of it. A healer indeed, this one.
"Tell us what we must do, my Lord," Shaval answered. "How do we proceed?"
"The key to this ship is to the Bridge. From the Bridge, we can lock out the rest of the ship," Rathe said.
"Naran, Katar, I need you to locate two bridge officers and transfer your consciousnesses to them. Are you able to do so?"
Transference was a difficult task, done only once or twice before the life force became too spent to sustain itself and hold the invaded mind at bay.
"It will be done, Lord," Naran said confidently, glancing at Katar, who did the same.
"Good," Rathe nodded.
"Laryn, as chief medical officer, you have the ability to affect life support. I want you to drop oxygen levels on all decks except the Bridge to stasis levels, can you do that?"
The recoil he felt in the human at the mere idea told Laryn all he needed to know. Cold eyes met his Lord, a wicked smile twisting Martin's features. "Oh, yes." Laryn would enjoy figuring out just how later.
"We will need them in stasis when we find the ketrasects," Rathe explained. "It will certainly make the transference easier."
"And what shall we do?" Shaval asked, glancing at Temaria.
"You will hold Engineering with Temaria," Rathe answered. In the days passed, Temaria was the finest shipbuilder and weaponsmith of the age.
Inside, he could feel the host's horror at what was unfolding and Rathe added with a smile, "I will take the Bridge once Katar and Naran are in place."
*
With the inventory finished and the day to day paperwork on track, Cate took the opportunity to leave the empty Sickbay to Ronnie for a break. Jake's behaviour was nagging at her and while she had kind of enjoyed his intense kiss, she couldn't shake the fact it was odd. Everything about him and his visit had been odd - even the fact that he had reported to Sickbay, in full EV suit, even before the Bridge had a chance to let her know the away team was back.
Standing in front of his door, she squared her shoulders and tried to relax for a couple of seconds before she let the chime announce her presence.
*
Rathe stared sharply at the door when he heard it chime, cursing at the intrusion but grateful that it had been conducted after he and his own had made their discussion.
"Are we all in agreement of what is to be done?" he asked the others. "Contact me when you are in position."
Once everyone had agreed in the affirmative, Rathe went to answer the door and felt a surge of panic within the host at the appearance of the woman he had kissed earlier.
"Cate?" He stared at her. "What can I do for you?" He shot a glance over his shoulder at the others before facing front once more.
So... distant, Cate thought. "I just thought I'd..." her voice trailed off when she noted Ka'ana, Wallace, Chou, Dee and...
"Doctor Martin?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise at finding him there. With a hand on Dee too, her mind pointed out helpfully.
What the hell was going on here? The little hairs on her neck straightened as she turned her gaze back on Mercer. That same handsome face but his eyes a little off, like the whole damn scene before her.
"Come on in," Rathe invited her in, glancing to Laryn that something had to be done about the woman. He stepped back and waited for her to enter.
"I can come back later," she started to say as she took a couple of steps forward. "You're obviously busy..." Her gaze went to Dee and then Sarge, trying to get a sense from them as to what was taking place here.
"No," Rathe looked at the others in the room. "We're done here." He shifted his speech to the familiar tone of the host, to put her at ease. "We'll catch up later about those artefacts," he said, trying to allay her suspicions.
Taking his cue, Shaval and the others nodded at him in understanding before they started to filter out of the room.
"See you later, Cate." Dee smiled as she walked past the doctor towards the door.
"Dee," Cate replied while she stared at the way Martin seemed to catch himself and pull back from the corporal. These two were an item? Cate frowned.
"Not too long a break, Dr. Vedder," Laryn said, using Martin's authority to try and steer the woman's attention to her work. "Sickbay won't take care of itself."
"No, of course not," Cate replied. "Ronnie is keeping an eye on things... I just need a few minutes."
"Very well. Come to think of it, take all the time you need. Lloyd is very capable. Have a good..." he paused, getting the information from streams of thoughts and emotions, "evening." With that, Laryn walked Martin's body out of Mercer's quarters to go and see what could be done about the environmental controls from Sickbay.
Once they were alone, Rathe slipped his arms around Cate's waist, pulling her close to him again. Once again, he captured her mouth in another ardent kiss, wishing her off balance as much as possible. His memories of her indicated that this woman was no fool. The kiss made the host howl in fury at the stolen intimacy. Rathe did not care. Trapped for an age without a body, indulging in the pleasure of flesh was a luxury he would allow himself briefly. "Now, what do I owe this visit?"
Okay, Cate briefly thought, melting into the kiss. This might be unusual but the way he was kissing her now was more Mercer. His touch, his scent... she had to blink when he pulled back, her head a little dizzy. The man could really sweep her off of her feet without getting shot. She had to get that into his head.
"First, I want you to tell me to what do I owe this..." she teased, hoping she'd only dreamed his oddness earlier, and by this she meant the rather fervent kiss and embrace.
"I was a bit distracted earlier," Rathe answered, continuing to kiss her neck, even as he spoke. "I didn't mean to be so abrupt. The captain was really insisting on getting those artefacts squared away, seems that there might be more to them than just relics." His fingers ran along her back, fingers tracing the line of her spine.
Jesus. Cate had to blink again. This was a whole new side to Mercer she didn't know and while his words made sense, she couldn't help sensing the shivers coursing her body weren't all those of pleasure. No. Something was really off, she could feel it.
"Jake..." She tried to take a step back, regaining her composure like it wasn't a big deal, feigning interest in what he spoke of rather than what he'd just done. "More than relics, huh..." she said, her voice a little shaky. "You know I'm studying Xenobiology. Can you tell me about them?"
"Sure," he said, pulling her back towards him, his hand sliding up her ribs, a thumb finding a nipple so that he could swirl the tip under the pad. "They're receptacles actually..." His mouth moving down her neck, creamy and soft. These human females were really very delightful. "They were made to harness telepathic energy, what some would consider the soul." He lifted his head and held her chin in his hand, his finger running over her cheek before he leaned forward, thrusting his tongue through her teeth, exploring her mouth.
After a token resistance, her hands fisting his uniform top, unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer, Cate gave into him with a soft moan.
Oh she is quite powerless against you, isn't she, Jacob? Rathe smirked inwardly as he continued to caress her body, deflecting the questions. She is so pliant, so willing. He found it amusing that the host was so resistant. Walking her over to the bed in the corner, he allowed the trapped mind within to resign to the inevitable.
In the throes of new sensations that Jake was stirring within her, Cate responded, her lips parting, her tongue tasting, his hand on her breast driving all sense out of her until the back of her legs connected with something. Eyes opening, she realised he had walked her backwards to his bed, all the while exploring her mouth and feeling her up. Jesus. She wasn't accustomed to losing control like that. What had he been saying? A receptacle to the soul? How did Jake Mercer even know about that? How would he even work that out? "Jake, wait," she spoke against his mouth, breathless. This was insane.
"What's there to wait?" He shifted his lips to her ear. "You want me. I know I want you. Why does it have to be complicated?" He recited those words as if they held meaning for him. The host wanted her badly, he could sense it. He continued caressing the breast in his palm, kneading harder as he started on her throat, nibbling.
When he put it that way... Cate knew she wanted him. She'd wanted him for a long while now. But they tiptoed around it, especially since Angel 1. They took it gently... carefully. And she didn't mind that either. She believed it would make it all the much sweeter when they got to it. But him pushing for it like that, so suddenly... while her body responded and her heart swelled with anticipation, she couldn't shake what had been nagging at the back of her head since he'd burst into Sickbay earlier. "Mercer, no." She pushed him back, her eyes meeting his... the same grey-blue but not quite...
Rathe sighed, sensing she would not be deterred from her questions. Taking her face by the chin, he held fast and tight, the touch no longer inviting but menacing. His eyes darkened in an instant and he hissed, "There will be a time when I shall take you, I shall splay you out and plant my seed inside you whether you will it or not. If you please me, I will let you think about him when I am doing it."
Huh? Eyes wide, she flinched at his words, at what they meant, and stared at him... Jake's face but definitely not him looking back at her. "Who the hell are you?" she squeaked, sudden fear gripping her, heart skipping like a trapped animal. Where the hell is Jake? She wanted to scream and suddenly she ducked to the side, her arm knocking his hand from her face, and launched herself at the comm panel on the wall. She wouldn't have time to call someone but that wasn't her intention. Raising the alarm was and that was just one button push away.
She broke free largely because he didn't try very hard to restrain her, aware that he was more than capable of reaching the woman before she caused him any serious inconvenience. As she turned her back on him in a desperate bid to reach the communication panel, Rathe caught up with her in two easy strides and gripped her shoulder, his fingers finding the nerves that would render her unconscious. Pressing down on the particular nerves that his people often manipulated to render enemies helpless, the Vulcan nerve pinch did its work.
Cate felt his hand on her, whoever that was, and knew she'd run out of time in the next second. She recognised the technique even as she became light-headed and felt her body betray her as she passed out, hitting the floor in the heap.
It took but a short time for Rathe to secure the woman. The replicators were able to create anything needed and thus Rathe was able to acquire sufficient bonds to ensure that she was tied securely to his bed. He sat in the chair, watching her come out of the stupor he had placed her in, her wrists and feet bound. He suspected a gag would be necessary but he would make that determination when she awoke.
Meanwhile, the host mind had silenced itself out of sheer frustration, seething in smouldering fury.
It would have been simpler to kill and hide the body but Rathe had a liking for the woman and had opted to keep her alive for as long as he could. However, if she gave him too much trouble, she would seal her own fate.
Consciousness came back in waves. Her own heartbeat in her ears, a tightness near her neck and a pounding headache... Cate blinked her eyes open and recognised Mercer's quarters, and what had happened came rushing back. Sensing someone nearby, her head turned and she tried to flee only to realise she was bound and tied. "Who... who are you?" she asked, her voice scratchy, staring at the man in the chair as her mind refused to believe what her eyes told her. No way. This wasn't Jake.
"I am called Rathe," he said simply, seeing no reason to maintain the pretext. She wasn't going anywhere to warn anyone and his identity was meaningless to these Starfleet officers.
"And Mercer?" she asked, hoping this wasn't a... what was their name... Founders? Was Jake dead?
"He is in here," Rathe answered, "clawing away at the inside of his skull, trying to get out." The man smiled faintly.
The relief she felt was bittersweet with learning that Jake was in there, prisoner of his own body. "What do you want?" God, it suddenly hit her. Dee, Avyn, the others... were they all similarly possessed?
"What I want?" Rathe looked at her, raising a hand and observing the fingers in front of him. "For the moment, this body. It will serve me well. You are not dead because your Jake is more manageable if you are alive. Your life will be my means to control him. His will is quite impressive, he fights me quite relentlessly. You are his weakness so you will live." He paused and then added with a smile, "Doctor Cate."
Your Jake. Cate felt an immense weight on her chest, finding it hard to breath. Hearing this Rathe, using Mercer's voice and personal nickname for her was... vulgar. She twisted her hands and tried moving her ankles, testing her bonds. "You have no right."
"Perhaps not," he conceded the point but not the argument. "However, right is subjective and often the purview of those who are in power. Two millennia ago, traitors destroyed my right to exist, removed my katra from my body, along with that of my wife and my army. They placed us in a living death, to preserve us they say. We thought we would end existence in confinement until your Jake, allowed me to enter him and those of us who remain are also free. We will release the others and if you behave, Doctor Cate, you may live through this."
Katra? "You are Vulcan?" Two millennia ago? When they were still a violent people, she realised. My God, did they even know the rest of their race had moved on? "So because you were made prisoner, this justifies you doing it to us? To Jake? The others who were here when I arrived, they have one of you in them too?" That would explain why Martin was cosy with Mercer... if not with Dee.
Rathe laughed. "You are a spirited little thing, aren't you? Yes, I am Vulcan, at a time when we were feared because we were strong. We took lands and races because we could, as I take your Jake now. He is a vessel of strength, I could not have chosen better if I tried. With his body, we will return home, we will take back our planet from the weaklings and then, we will rule all."
"But he's not an empty vessel," she shot back. "Neither are the others you took. This is against their will." Return home to rule? Cate swallowed thickly, realising they had no intention on releasing them. Shit, Jake. She fought the panic bubbling up within her. "Your violent and warlike ways brought your species to near extinction. Have you heard of the Time of Awakening? Your people are not as you left them," she said. Maybe if she filled him in on that, he would change his plan. "You spoke of others to release... who are they?"
Rathe could see she was trying to get information out of him and he smiled faintly. "I'm afraid I must keep some secrets to myself."
He moved to the edge of the bed, next to her. His eyes raking over her bound form. So soft, so pretty, I can see why you adore her so, Jake. The host bubbled with rage again. Rathe ran her hand over her leg, appreciating the form.
"Soon I will return to pay you the proper attention you so richly deserve," he said, lowering his lips to her ear. "It will be my gift to the host."
Her head turned away from the familiar warm breath on her skin, the gesture so intimate Cate shuddered, trying to shrink away from his touch creeping up her leg. Jake's hand but not. His intense gaze but not. This was sick... perverse. She couldn't look at his eyes because the look of them was wrong. Even his mouth conveyed an expression that wasn't wholly Jake's. Not one he had ever given her anyway. It was... disturbing, a gut-wrenching apprehension eating at her, making her feel nauseous.
Was Jake even really in there?
"Is he in pain?" she found herself asking, willing her voice not to shake in response to his promise.
"Not at all," Rathe replied, reaching for the piece of cloth that he was going to gag her with. "He is simply a prisoner in his own mind. He can see but cannot affect. Now I must leave, I have things to do. Try to behave," he said, moving to put the gag over her mouth.
"What things?" she asked as she shook her head, trying to dodge his hands and the gag he wanted to feed her. But he captured her jaw with one hand, fingers digging in her cheeks painfully until he pried her mouth open and pushed the cloth in. Nostrils flaring as she took a breath, her eyes couldn't hide the sense of helplessness and frustration she felt.
He kissed her on the forehead and drew away, heading towards the door. "I shall see to you after, we've taken the ship."
And with that, he headed out of the room.
No... JAKE! But all that came out of Cate was a muffled scream.
~~~~
Laryn, Temaria and Shaval walked together until their respective tasks asked of them to split up.
With a tug on the corporal's sleeve, Laryn caught Temaria's attention, turning her to him long enough to press a kiss to her temple. Once again the feel of the woman's body wasn't what he remembered of Temaria, but he still saw the soul of his mate within and that was quite enough. "Stay safe," he said, before looking to the tall Sergeant.
"The both of you."
With that, he who was Martin, turned left and headed for Sickbay while the other two carried on to Engineering.
*
"So how's Mercer?" Ronnie looked up from a book he was reading on his PADD when he heard the doors opening. "Oh," he let out when he realised his mistake. He had thought Cate had walked in. "Doctor Martin," he said, standing up. "Everything alright?"
Medic Ronnie Lloyd, his host's thoughts and memories supplied. Laryn smiled, trying to put Lloyd at ease.
"Of course. Just forgot something," he said, heading for his little office he shared with the other two doctors onboard. "Carry on."
Ronnie relaxed again and sat down, going back to his book. It was only a moment later that Ronnie tensed again, catching a shadow in the corner of his eye, but by then it was too late. Martin injected him in the neck with something and Ronnie hit the deck.
With the Medic gagged and bound and hidden away under his desk in the office, Laryn got to work. Going through the ship's systems using the CMO's access and passcode, it wasn't too long before he figured out how to go about it, to Martin's impotent outrage.
"Doctor Martin to Captain Mercer," Laryn activated the comm. "I am set."
*
Rathe had been busy.
After leaving Cate to her devices in his quarters, the former warlord now MACO Captain made his way through to the Armoury and supply, where he promptly found phasers and portable breathers that fitted neatly over the mouth and nose, with sophisticated filters that ensured that all available oxygen in the environment was decontaminated before inhalation. Operating somewhat on the molecular level, it negated the need for clumsy tanks and was capable of being used in any environment. Rathe helped himself to a number of these and then distributed them to Shaval, Katar, Naran and Temaria. The doctor would have his own in the Sick Bay. Meanwhile Katar and Naran had stolen the host forms of Lt. Carstairs and Lt. Commander Sakar, while they had been alone in their quarters. Ensuring that the bodies of Chou and Wallace were sufficiently restrained when they awoke, the duo made their way to the bridge while Shaval and Temaria, went to engineering.
*