‘Return to Sender’ Pt 1

Posted on Sun Mar 23rd, 2025 @ 11:19pm by Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Kilbane & Commander Alec Hunter & Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T'ghann-Dex. Doctor

3,079 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Voices of the past
Location: Blackeagle. Augment planet.
Timeline: Current.

The last thought Shon had before her molecules began to dissipate was for Finchley and she gritted her teeth with determination. She held her pulse rifle ready and med kit hung on her belt along with her phaser. She had glanced towards Alec beside her his jaw also set in determination as their molecules re coalesced in the familiar room at the Monroe's.

Isabelle was alone when Shon and Alec appeared, getting up to greet them she offered a relieved smile. “Thank heavens you’re here! They prevented me from beaming out, they said something about needing me here.” She looked at Shon. “How is the Commodore?”

Alec smiled at Isabelle and her greeting, "Good to see you Isabelle, are you alright?" The concern in his voice evident. he turned to Shon to let her answer the question about Kerr's condition.

Shon walked over and hugged Isabelle. "I am so glad you are alright. I am not joking when i say they meant to kill him. He was dead when we returned but now he is holding his own. Who are these people Isabelle and why have they let us return?"

Alec nodded, "Indeed, some information please Isabelle. Who are we dealing with?"

“Not who I thought obviously” Isabelle sighed. “They’re focussed on keeping me here because I’m the first of the lost, as they call them, to return. Apart from that I don’t know, they have some plan I just don’t know what it is.”

Shon was already taking readings of their surroundings. What she found disturbed her, "Commander we are now surrounded by a disruption field. We will not be able to beam out and I am unable to scan anything behind these doors." she pointed to two large intricately carved seemingly wooden doors. the only exit and entrance from the room they were in. "This may be a trap of some sort." she tapped her comm, "Dex to Blackeagle." the sound of static returned. "Blackeagle come in?" she tried again. turning towards Alec and Isabelle she frowned."Ever heard of a honey trap Commander!" she exclaimed.

"That puts a damper on things however we're here to talk to the Monroes, so let's concentrate on that shall we?" he paused and looked to Shon, "A what trap Dex?"

Dex almost smiled but their situation was much too serious for that. "An old Earth saying, it means using a female to trap a male. You and Isabelle. they knew they could get you here."

"I would have come after any member of the crew Shon. it just so happens it is Isabelle. I don't know how they would know we are involved. Isabelle wouldn't have told them, and I certainly haven't."

“I haven’t mentioned it, but Kara was in my mind” Isabelle gave Alec a concerned look. “They’d have known about us from that.” She went to stand up before sitting down again as her head spun. “Sorry, I’m really dizzy…”

Alec nodded at Isabelle's comment then spun to Dex as Isabelle said she was dizzy. "Dex come take a look at Isabelle." Concern in his voice and on his face.

Isabelle sat for a moment before she suddenly slid to the floor, her body shaking and convulsing.

"Dex!" Alec yelled for the doctor as he rushed to Isabelle's side as she slid to the floor, her body shaking and convulsing.

"Oh for Surak's sake! " shouted Shon. This is too far on, I want to take her to the 'Eagle." She knelt down beside her, hand already on her hypo depressing it into Isabelle. "She should stop now Commander. Then suddenly she was on her back, the room rocked as Shon's head connected with a large vase as it shattered. The very walls of the room itself seemed to move as she crawled back to her patient who was still fitting. "Alec what is going on?" she shouted as she gave yet another shot of vortioxetine to Isabelle who, thankfully stopped fitting. However when Shon obtained the results of her scan she looked up. "Her Borg nanites are now in conflict with her augmentations. They will find different areas of her body to fight so we will possibly see behaviours developing."

Alec shook his head, " Isabelle lashed out in her fit and pushed you into a vase Shon. We can't let this go on. We have to get her back to the Eagle if we can't do that than we need to find a way to help her here, we can't let her die."

Shon nodded, “as soon as we can we will get home but that sounded to me like a missile hitting what is going on? We need to get out of this room” She walked to the door and scanned it. “The lock uses some kind of augment technology, I have an idea, it may not, probably will not but….” She ran back to the prone Isabelle. “Just need some of this.” She said as she withdrew some of her friends blood and returned to the door praying her hunch worked. She pulled the panel off and looked at the technology she had never seen before. There was a whooshing sound and for a moment it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room then another explosion sounded and, again Shon and Alec were thrown to the floor. At the back of the room part of a wall fell. “Alec are you okay?”she shouted standing up and injecting Isabelle’s blood into the workings of the door. There was a sound that reminded Shon of screaming and the panel disappeared revealing a corridor. “YES” she exclaimed reminding herself a paper could come out of this. Not bothering to explain to Alec she ran back to Isabelle as yet another missile hit. Again the air seemed to be sucked out and, for a moment Shon could not hear. She changed her hypo to inject Isabelle with dialamine hoping to wake her.

Isabelle slowly stirred, waking up to find her worried companions looking at her, along with a scene of devastation. “What? What just happened?” She sat up looking around. “What’s going on?”

"You collapsed Isabelle. Your Borg implants and augmentations are fighting. You are stable for now, but we're also under a missile attack and we need to get out of here now!" He pulled Isabelle to her feet and looped an arm around her to support her. "Dex we are leaving, Let's go!"

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Kara stood in the doorway. “Can’t you see we’re under attack! We thought your arrival…” she looked towards Isabelle, “would maintain peace, but it seems we were wrong.”

“Then let us go!” Isabelle replied as she held onto Alec. “Maybe we can help stop all of this…whatever it is.”

“The only way to stop this is to hand you over to them!” Kara motioned outside. “It’s the only way to stop this war from continuing.”

Alec held Isabelle close, "Tell us everything that is going on. We can help. We can stop this from getting out of hand. Let us contact our ship. "

"You are NOT taking my patient anywhere. Her augments and Borg nanites are now trying to destroy each other and the Lieutenant Commander with them. She has to be in our sickbay, under my care, whoever you are she is dying! " Shon exclaimed as another explosion took the wall out to the outside landing them in a ball of rubble and dust. Suddenly Shon lunged at the woman called Kara injecting her with some of the Borg nanites. "Now you are infected as well, let me help you both?"

"Stop being so damn thick headed!" Alec said firmly. Let us help you or we're all going to here arguing and nothing will be accomplished except our deaths."

“What in Surak’s name is going on down here anyway, are these hits from our own ship Commander?” Shon asked.

"Alec shook his head, "No Dex, these aren't phaser strikes from the Eagle or torpedo strikes. These are land launched missiles."

“Our world is on the brink of civil war, it has been for years!” Kara sighed. “We were hoping the arrival of one of the children of the lost would help unite us, but obviously not!” She looked around at the devastation. “You will use our medical facility, and you will cure me first to prove I can trust you.”

"And how do we know you will keep your word once you are cured?" Alec retorted. "In addition, I want your word you will help us to end this war and let Isabelle leave with us."

Shon stepped forward. "Also I want to know who shot our Captain? they are to surrender themselves to the Federation for justice?

"Dex." Alec said softly, "I want them as well for what they did but let's get Isabelle treated and back on the Eagle and stop this war."

Shon nodded, “very well I will do as you ask but trust is difficult….” Just then an explosion rocked the room, rubble fell from the roof as it gave way, a piece catching Shon on the head taking her down. For a moment she couldn’t see and it seemed like hours before she managed to stand. “Where is your medical facility?” She whispered. The whisper hurt her ears as the explosion had burst her eardrums.

Alec had an ugly gash across his forehead that oozed blood. He looked to Shon and Isabelle, then to Kara. "This has to stop!> Help us to help you."

Shon pushed passed Kara looking up and down the now battered corridor. "At least it appears safer in this part of the building, I remind you all that the virus is replicating exponentially , we need you medical facility and I need communication with my ship? Well Kara!"

Alec looked at Kara, "You have to Kara for your world, your people and us. You have to help us."

Kara had little choice but to nod. "This way!" she lead the way cursing as they had to divert away from a blocked corridor. "Our medical facility is more...heavily protected, we'll be safe there." It didn't take long before they entered, the room full of injured people. "Follow me" Kara lead them to a private room where Shon could work. "Can you even function? do you need one of our doctors to treat your wounds?"

Alec followed behind along with Isabelle as Kara led them to a private room. Where Shon could begin to treat Isabelle.

“No, ……thank you I do not need any medical intervention, I will begin treatment immediately. I presume you have blood from your augment technology? Alec help Isabelle up onto this medical bed.

Alec did as Shon asked and helped Isabelle onto a medical bed. He then stood by the bed offering silent comfort to Isabelle and ready to help Shon as well.

it appeared to Shon there were several members of, what she supposed was a medical team looking after their own wounded, the sickbay had the same layout as a Federation one apart from equipment she did not recognise. She raised her voice, "Listen up everybody we are here with, and on the orders of Kara. We need two biobeds side by side with a surgical, neuro and regeneration kit." It had gone quiet and no one moved. Shon looked at Kara, "tell them" she ordered.

Kara nodded. “Do as she says, now!”

Shon and indicated for Kara and Isabelle to occupy a biobed. She opened her pack full of medical supplies and smiled at herself. She normally brought far too much to these away missions but she thanked Surak for what she had. she turned to Isabelle and smiled. "In a couple of minutes I am going to put you to sleep and try to remove your augments. If it does not work one or the other will gain the upper hand. If this fails I do not know what will happen. I have to tell you you might die under the procedure. Would you like a minute alone with Alec?"

Isabelle nodded as she looked at Alec holding out her hand to hold his. “Whatever happens just remember I love you.”

Alec took her hand without hesitation. "Everything is going to be alright, and I love you too. Very much." He bent forward and kissed her softly

Shon turned away, "I need a microscopic scanner, a cranial and sanal optical with electromagnetic system. A cavitron ultrasonic aspirator. What medical drugs do you have?" a trolley filled with drugs was pushed her way as she looked over it she whispered to herself a Vulcan prayer for doctors. She began to become more centred and the sound of missiles flying over the complex disappeared. She looked at Kara, "the nanites I infected you with are now beginning to reach your parietal lobe, I am going to give you a sedative, if you prefer I can remove the augmentations?"

Kara shook her head. “No, I was born an augment these are my people, this is my home. Just get your nanites out of me!”

She turned to Isabelle, "Are you ready my friend?" Shon smoothed Isabelle's forehead, "I will do everything I can."

Isabelle nodded. “I know you will Shon, just don’t let me wake up a Borg drone okay?” She offered a smile.

Shon smiled, bent down and kissed her friend on the forehead. "No Borg drone, I promise. now off you go to sleep."

[Arctury main bunker]

"The missiles have struck Sir, seventy percent accuracy" the aimer said.

"How long till we reload and are able to launch again?" his superior asked.

"One hour" the aimer replied.

"Let me know when it's done" the Senior officer replied.

[USS Blackeagle, stellar cartography]

Kilbane was searching the planet, looking for where the missiles had been launched from. He'd narrowed it down to an area of around fifty square miles, that was about as accurate as he could get.

"With the Commodore out of action for the time being, we need to decide what to do about these missiles" he said to Karadis.

"Bird still needs to know what's happened" Karadis replied, "the away team he was with are down there still and we can't get them back, he needs to decide what happens next."

"He's in no fit state to make decisions Karadis, he was on life support not long ago, you're the Senior officer onboard, you'll have to make it for him" Kilbane answered.

Karadis thought about what Kilbane said, it was true, she was the Senior Officer onboard, though she was part of the Commodore's personal staff and not technically crew. But, desperate times called for desperate measures, and if she was honest, with the ships temporary CO and XO stuck down on the planet, an experienced hand was required at the CONN, even though she detested doing anything like that.

She looked at Kilbane, "Ok, but if I'm going to do this, you're going to have to be my back up."

"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained" Kilbane replied.

Karadis nodded and started for the exit, followed by Kilbane.

[USS Blackeagle, bridge]

Stepping out of the turbolift, Karadis walked over to the centre chair and looked at Owens, "Listen up, and this goes for everyone else" she said, looking around the bridge, "Commodore Kerr is out of action for the time being, Commander Hunter and Commander T'ghann-Dex are stuck down on the planet unable to beam back here. At times of extremity, the office of the Commodore and his staff are able to assume command of any Starfleet vessel deemed to be in extreme danger, and this situation happening right now is considered to be extremely dangerous. So, as of this moment, as the Senior Officer of the Commodore's staff, I'm hereby assuming command of the USS Blackeagle till such times as either the Commodore returns to duty or Commander Hunter or Commander T'ghann-Dex return to the ship. Mr Owen's, please return to your normal duties, thank you for serving as temporary Captain."

Owens was about to argue, but then saw how serious Karadis looked. He simply nodded his head and returned to his duty at Helm.

"Ok, that done" Karadis carried on, "Commander Kilbane here will be filling in as temporary XO, carry on."

"We still need to ascertain exactly where those missiles were launched from" Kilbane whispered to Karadis, "and also find out what kind of force it is preventing the away team from beaming out. We're unable to contact them, so do we assume the worst and believe they're incapacitated or dead because of how close the missiles landed to their last known location?"

"We do" Karadis replied, "get scanning the area where they landed, see if you can find out what's there, anything, anything at all however insignificant it may seem, tell me."

Kilbane nodded and walked over to the Science station and began scanning. There were power fluctuations, low radiation readings around the missile landing sites and, of all things...low band frequency 'chatter'.

"Ehhmmmmm, I think I may have something Kara...I mean, Sir" Kilbane reported.

Karadis spun the chair to face him, "Out with it then!"

"I'm picking up radio chatter, reporting injured being taken to a medical facility within what's being called 'The main compound'."

Karadis thought for a moment, then, still looking at Kilbane said, "If any of the away team are injured, that's where they'll be, we need to see if we can find a way to contact them. Isolate the radio frequency you found, try and link it to out COMM badge signal frequency and sand a message."

Kilbane worked like a man possessed, then shouted "GOT IT!"

"Right, try and send a message to the away team, see if any of them pick it up" Karadis answered.

"It'll need to be a short message, this is a carrier wave, it can't support our normal method of frequency contact" Kilbane said.

"Whatever you see as fit Commander, just get it sent" Karadis demanded.

Again, Kilbane set to work. "Ok, it's sent, the message simple said 'Any away team alive, send back situation' as that's all it could take."

"It'll need to do, hopefully one of them will get it and reply" Karadis replied.

TBC.

 

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