From the Security Docking Bay

OOC Sorry All.

Captain, this thing, its the strangest thing I've ever seen. It reacts to cookies! It fear's them and backs away.

Right!

(Looking over the sample comparison's)

Captain! There are microscopic particles in all the blood samples we have taken. Some kind of infection, but there is only so much I can do with a med tricorder. We need to get to the lab here and get looking at these with some heavy duty medical equipment.

I'll need to check to see if the equipment here can do our analysis for us or beam in what we need from SickBay.

*As Ensign Lowel clamps down even harder, Bubba's face begins to mirror her same wide-eyed expression...*

Ummm...Seth?! Not to be a bother, but if you could speed things up a bit I would really appreciate it. All the feeling has left my right leg and the stars I was seeing are now turning into entire Galaxies! If I could paraphrase for you: YEEEEOOOWWW!!!

*With her increased strength, the ensign's grip is becoming unbearable, and Bubba latches onto Nigel to try and pull himself away. Unfortunately, all he is able to reach is Nigel's head, and the resulting headlock seems to complicate the situation.

Elsewhere on the platform, due to more and more of the security team becoming incapacitated, the creatures start to overrun the others. With no one blocking their path, several of the monsters break away from a larger cluster and head straight toward the group where the medical staff is examining Ensign Lowel.*

*As the cluster of tendrils moves closer, one of the creatures suddenly springs forward and lands directly in front of Ensign Lowel. Before the group can move, the ensign releases her grip on Bubba's leg and quickly grabs the monster.*

Yes! Thank you, Beth! Give me a few seconds for the blood to return to my leg and I'll give you a big hug! Man, I gotta tell ya, I thought I was going to...going to...uhhh...Nigel...? S-Seth...? Captain...? Could you all look at Ensign Lowel for a moment...

*All heads turn toward the ensign and are startled at what they see...*

Is it just me, or is she...talking with that thing...?

*What the group sees is the ensign holding the tendril in front of her, her wild expression now replaced by a cold, almost sinister look. Even more unnerving to the group is that it appears she is communicating with the creature....whether by words or through some other method isn't clear, but almost certainly making contact the the entity. The tendril lies passive in her hand, neither of the two struggling, both at ease with the other. And they remain that way for what seems like forever. Before any one can react, the ensign rises to her feet and places the tendril on her shoulder, and with an even more sinister look than before, slowly turns and heads toward Bubba...*

Ummm...did I mention...help...?

*A low growl draws Kyle's attention and he turns to find Ensign Baxter; no longer lying on the deck, now moving toward him with the same sinister look as that of Ensign Lowel. And if his next move to place one of the creatures on his shoulder isn't disturbing enough, the sight of all the other fallen teammates rising to their feet to gather up one of the monsters is enough to send a shiver down everyones back...*

What is going on?



Ensign Lowel are you able to tell us what is going on here?

(Nigel orders all the equipment he feels he needs from SickBay just as.... )

(return comm to Captain Thomas)

I thought you were at the festivities this evening Captain? Of course I will send Nigel all he requests.

(After a few minutes speaking to Nigel, he responds to his comm)

Your equipment request is on its way Nurse Black!

*A moment before the force fields are fully formed, Ensign Lowel lunges forward and wraps both arms around Bubba, effectively sealing the two within the same bubble.*

OOOF! No! Look, Beth...*Cough* *Cough*...I know I said you were cute and all, but please let me...let me...uh oh, not again.....

*With her expression remaining just as sinister, Beth slowly tightens her grip around Bubba. But even before they became trapped within the same containment field, the blood had already began to flow from Bubba's nose. And the same sickening, familiar feeling had begun to well up inside him...*

It's...it's the Heimlich from hell! Sheesh, girl! *Cough* *Hack* C'mon kiddo...lighten up, will ya?!! Ughhhh........

*The familiar sensation, along with the overwhelming recognition that still plagues his thoughts, is almost as unbearable as Ensign Lowel's grasp. Bubba closes his eyes with a dreadful anticipation of what's to come, but fails to notice the glow coming from his side, and growing brighter and brighter with each tick of the clock...*

*Between the extreme pressure and the fight for a few ragged breaths, the thought occurs to Bubba that an answer to the Captain's question would be very relevant at the moment. He continues to struggle against the crushing grip of Ensign Lowel...in vain...slowly succumbing to the massive power she seems to wield. And still, in the midst of all that is happening, the same familiar feeling hangs in the air. Something connecting all the creatures...along with Ensign Lowel and the other infected team members...and the item in his pocket gathered from the floor of the pod after the large creature vanished. Some kind of familiar, intimate connection linking it all...including Bubba himself.

With a sudden increase in pressure, Bubba's airflow is cut off. And as he slips from consciousness, Beth's foreboding expression is replaced by one of depraved malevolence. As the others close to him observe the horrific interaction, the small glow at his side instantaneously bursts forth with a blinding intensity that fills the nearby space, engulfing Bubba and Ensign Lowel within the confines of the force bubble. The magnitude of the light proves to be too much for the onlookers, and they all turn away to shield their eyes. When the level finally diminishes enough, the group turns back to find Bubba and Beth both unconscious, lying sprawled out on the cold deck.*

*With the light now diminished, Seth and Nigel notice the force fields surrounding themselves, and Ensign Lowel and Bubba are now deactivated. Rushing forward, they begin to render first aid to the two unconscious team mates, and discover Beth's wounds no longer appear to contain the strange fibers. They also notice that the creature she seemed to bond with, and had been perched on her shoulder, is no where to be found.*