Surefoot 43: Mamageddon

"Not visually, but my tricorder, nose and ears are picking up something. Stand by."

"What else am I going to do? Surefoot out."

C'Rash grunted. She had to admit to herself that her earlier fears about her aunt being able to cope under such crisis conditions had abated somewhat. "Let's go."

On the Surefoot Bridge, Zir glanced at the stations that were formerly occupied by her squadmates Stalac, Urad and Tori, and now were manned by members of Beta Squad. She wished she'd gone along with them.

She caught Peter's eye, and they exchanged supportive nods. She looked forward, watching the back of Astrid's head move as she kept examining the readings on her helm station, prompting Zir to ask, "Is there a problem, Ms Michel?"

Astrid started, turning her chair around and frowning, "Problem, uh, Ma'am?"

"Yes," Kami interjected suddenly, sharply. She had been sitting there silently, almost motionlessly, since C'Rash's last call, but now she spoke up. "My First Officer asked you if there was a problem, Cadet."

"Uh, no problem, Ma'am - Ma'ams - I was just reviewing the pattern of the Wave ships, how they manage to achieve these smooth formation changes. Individually-controlled vessels couldn't manage it."

"They're obviously controlled by a single source."

"Begging your pardon, Captain, but I don't think so. My... father's corporation uses many types of maintenance drone networks in its operations, but all have the same problem of reaction time, especially when moving so quickly. It's been a problem in the aviation history of many worlds. I think I've worked out how they've got around it, though." She looked back at her station, and called up a series of images on the main viewscreen, which Zir recognised as the Wave ships. "These scans were taken after we caught up with the Wave before it generated the wormhole. From a distance, they all look the same size-"

Zir leaned forward and frowned. "But they're not."

"No. Some are almost twice as large as the rest, and scattered in various points throughout the Wave. These larger drones are connected to each other, and perform the movements, whether it's attacking or scanning or creating a wormhole; the smaller drones watch, and anticipate what to do. It's the Chorus Line Hypothesis as to how many avian species fly in such tight, smooth formations; when dancers in a chorus line see an approaching leg kick when it's still down the line, and prepare what and when to do the same."

"So one of the larger drones attacks a ship, and the others around it do the same?" Zir prompted.

"Exactly. they're neither independent or dependent, just semi-dependent."

"That might prove useful, Ms Michel," Kami noted. "Good work."

Zir looked to her temporary commanding officer, who stared blankly ahead - but had a hand resting on her belly. "Captain... do you need a break? Even for a minute? Or I can get you some food, or something to drink or-"

Kami looked at her meaningfully, and offered a slight smile. "Thank you, Zir. I'm fine. You and your squad have done exceptionally well under these circumstances. I'll be telling my husband and Commander T'Varik as much."

Zir flushed a dark shade of green. "You don't have to do that, Ma'am. We're just... trying to do our best under the circumstances."

"You're not just trying," Kami corrected. "You're succeeding."

*

As they drew closer, C'Rash put away her tricorder and used her natural senses, motioning for the rest of her team to hug one of the walls while she led the way. The scents were growing stronger, and she could hear a mix of voices- protests, cries-

She raced forward, her tail straightening out until she reached a doorway and paused, looking out into a much larger area of many mechanical alcoves, the reminder of Borg technology even stronger. And she saw children of many races and sizes herded together by cow-sized multilegged black robots, moving about on six articulated limbs, but occasionally rising up onto the final two to point or manipulate children with the other four, herding them individually into the booths with transparent doors.

There were even babies here too, being held by the older children, until the robots retrieved them and gently placed them in smaller alcoves. Like things being put away.

And then C'Rash heard Misha's growl, and focused on him: near the back with the children not yet... secured. There he was, in his minikin Starfleet uniform, with Weynik's daughter Naida close, both of them staring up fearfully at the robots, but Misha keeping Naida and the younger ones protectively behind him, his little claws and teeth bared at their abductors as he growled at him.

You brave, beautiful little cub, C'Rash thought, as she cleared her throat and murmured in a low voice, "Misha! It's C'Rash!"

"Cousin C'Rash?" he exclaimed loudly, looking around for her now, to the bemusement of the other children, who lacked his hearing.

"Shhh! Don't worry, Cousin, we're here to rescue you! When I give you the signal, you and all the other cubs hold hands, get back against the wall and don't get in the way!" She looked back at her team. "Four robots, they don't appear armed, but the kids are in the way! Phaser Level 5 at first, higher if necessary! Gorman, take the lead with me!"

As Gorman drew up to her side, C'Rash tapped her combadge. "Surefoot: we have sight of the children - including Misha - they're alive! We're about to move in, but we could end up alerting the rest of the ship."

"Understood... thank you. Stand by."

*

In another part of the vessel, Chief Grev wrinkled his porcine snout and squinted at the controls, trying to suppress his apprehension at being here, despite his fascination with the technology on hand. He had spent nearly all of his long career in the Engineering rooms of starships, the master of all he surveyed, confident... because it was his world, filled with systems that he knew inside and out. He wasn't like these young pups, eager to board other ships or visit strange new worlds and try to decipher how things work without being blown to atoms.

When the Counselor-turned-Captain ordered her to lead an actual Away Team to a mysterious vessel in the middle of subspace, Grev had almost questioned the wisdom behind it. Yes, he knew they were running on a skeleton crew, and caught up in a situation that no one had anticipated. But still-

Then he realised that, if he somehow talked his way out of it, then one of his crew would be leading it- Yeager or Gentry. And though technically as Ensigns they outranked him, his experience and position on the Surefoot gave him authority - and responsibility. He couldn't possibly allow one of these pups to face danger alone-

"Chief?" Yeager was hunched over one of the alien stations, their combined efforts, along with the assistance of the remarkable Horta cadet Stalac, having deciphered the language. But that was just the first step. The next involved deciphering the control systems. "Does this look like a diagnostic function to you?"

Grev grunted as he leaned in, squinting. "Analysis algorithms, overrides- yes, mark it, Nancy, that'll come in useful."

A thump drew their attention, and Grev turned to see the Miradorn female Ree-Taan, who had accompanied them to this control room as a Security, leaning against a wall, arms crossed over her chest, and she was banging the heel of her boot impatiently against the bulkhead. "This is boring."

The Tellarite strode up to him. "Oh is it, pup? Maybe I should let Lt Shall know how bored you are, so next time she can let you stay onboard the ship and I can give you something to keep you interested? Like degaussing the entire network of Jefferies Tubes?"

Ree-Taan straightened up, sneering down at the Chief Engineer. "I am Security. I do not take orders from... repairmen."

"Yes you do," Thykrill corrected, as the Andorian entered the room from the corridor beyond. "When they're the Chief Engineer. Any more attitude from you, and I'll report you to Commander T'Varik. She takes a dim view of disrespect... and dimwits. Now get outside and keep an eye on things."

The Miradorn sneered at her now... but complied. As Ree-Taan departed, Thykrill looked to Grev. "Apologies, Chief. Some cadets arrive with the worst attitudes."

"Oh, I well understand, Ensign," Grev smirked, secretly remembering the trouble Thykrill caused in her early days on the Surefoot, especially towards the estimable Jonas Ostrow. "Carry on."

"Sir?" Stalac rumbled from the station he had appropriated - by rising and hugging it so that his tricorder was close enough to make a link, making the Horta look like a huge lump of lava that had hardened where it had splattered. "I believe I have identified the species who built this vessel: the Striga, an extinct race from the Hromi Cluster."

"Indeed?" Grev drew up to him, albeit hesitantly; he had never met a Horta before, and despite his attempts not to be judgemental based on their radical difference to carbon-based lifeforms, he couldn't repress his wariness at something capable to excreting powerful acids. "I've never heard of them."

"That is not surprising, Sir; their race was wiped out by the First Federation over a thousand years ago. There is a database here of this vessel's activities in that time, stationed in this subspace layer and emerging every 36 years to raid worlds and ships for children."

"Why?" Tori Emoto asked, stopping her own work at another station. "Why do they take the children?"

Now Stalac paused, letting an almost-inaudible tremor run through him before he finally replied. "The Striga's ruling class achieved immortality by becoming neurovores, absorbing the bioenergies of other beings. Children, apparently."

The Away Team went silent.

Then Grev barked, "Keep working! When Lt Shall rescues the abducted pups, they'll be counting on us to get us home! Hurry!"

Then his combadge chirped, and Kami's voice came through. "Chief? Lt Shall is ready to rescue the children, but she believes that'll set off alarms. How close are you to taking over the alien vessel's systems?"

The Tellarite swallowed. "Difficult to say, Captain. But... I'd recommend getting those pups out as soon as possible."

"Why? What have you learned?"

"Mr Stalac reports that this vessel is operated by a species called the Striga, who supposedly kidnapped children to steal their lifeforces. To consume them."

There was a pause, and then Kami responded. "Acknowledged. The other Away team will commence the rescue; you might get company as a result, so get a move on. Surefoot out."

Grev heard the taut emotion in her voice, and moved up to a free station, his forehead creasing in concentration. Form Follows Function, he reminded himself. There are only so many ways a weapons bank, or an environmental control system or a power core can be designed. The materials and language may vary, even drastically, but the principles behind them were universal-

"Twelve," the new cadet, Tori, who showed a talent for invective Grev found pleasing, said aloud. "Stal, do you know how many fingers the Striga had? Assuming they had hands?"

"Hmm? Oh, they had six limbs, two pairs of arms, one pair of legs. And six digits on each limbs. Why?"

"Duodecimal," Tori explained. "Not decimal. They used a twelve-base number system instead of ten like most humanoid races. Adapt your tricorders to adjust, it'll quicken analysis."

Grev chuckled as he followed the advice. "You're a clever pup! That'll certainly help compensate for your hideous features."

Tori never looked up from her own work as she smirked. "I'm not worried about that, Chief, I'll just keep standing next to you for comparison; you make me look like Miss Galaxy."

Grev chuckled- but then, like the others, stopped and turned at the sound of cries from the corridor. Thykrill drew her phaser, just as Ree-Taan was flung into the room, landing with a resounding crash, her phaser flying from her grip.

Thykrill raised her phaser and fired at the appearance of several large robots, striding into the room on all six of their limbs. The orange beam struck one, and was seemingly absorbed without any effect on her target, as they rose up onto their hind limbs to stand erect.

Grev lunged for Ree-Taan's dropped phaser, even as the Miradorn female bolted back to her feet and charged towards the robots, tackling one, until her opponent took hold of her, delivering an electric charge through its four manipulator limbs.

"Take cover!" Grev shouted at the others, firing at another of the robots. Like the first one, this one absorbed the beam - and then raised one of its limbs towards him, and the beam shot back through it and struck Grev in the chest.

The Tellarite sank into unconsciousness, unaware of the rest of his Away Team being contained by the robots... except for Stalac, who had burned his way out of the room through the nearest wall, leaving only a cloud of acid behind him.

*

In another part of the vessel, Rei-Taan froze, gasping. "Ree-Taan!"

C'Rash winced, looking back at him. "Quiet! I swear I'll-"

But then she stopped as the young Miradorn looked distressed. "No! She's been attacked! They all have! Robots have captured them! We have to go help-"

He started to move, but Gorman raised a hand. "Hold it, Cadet! You're not going anywhere-"

"Get your hand off me, Human!"

Before C'Rash could intervene, her combadge chirped and Kami barked, "Lieutenant! The aliens consume the bio-energies of children! Get them out of there, now!"

C'Rash swallowed, tightening her hold on her phaser as she called out, "Misha! Now!" She looked to her team. "Let's go! Hit them high!"

"My sister-" Rei-Taan protested.

"LATER! MOVE!"

They emerged, four phaser beams striking each of the robots present... none having any effect.

And then the robots rose up onto their hind limbs, raised the others and fired the beams back.

Gorman was struck and went down, Eydiir was caught with a glancing blow, but she managed to switch her phaser to her other hand and dive behind a nearby console. C'Rash dodged the returned beam completely and kept moving and firing, not giving the robots a chance to aim.

Urad, on the other hand, stood there and took the beams as easily as the robots did, even as he was raising the power levels on his phaser and firing back.

C'Rash saw what he was doing, and shouted, "No! Too high and they'll cut into even your hide when they reflect back!"

The Hroch seemed to listen to her, and holstered his phaser, only to charge after them. "Get the children, Ma'am! I'll hold them back!"

"No-"

Urad charged into them massive arms outstretched to gather up the robots, even as they were clamping their many hands upon him, delivering energy discharges into his thick grey hide.

C'Rash cursed - but knew she had to take the opportunity the cadet had given her. "Misha! Lead them this way! Hurry!"

A phaser whine drew her attention, and she ducked in time as Eydiir fired again, at a robot that had appeared from the shadows behind the Caitian. It absorbed the phaser blast, and was almost immediately firing it back. This time, Eydiir wasn't swift enough to dodge it, and went down.

C'Rash rose, forgoing her phaser to deliver a kick to the back of one of the robot's legs, sending it down onto one knee. Claws extended, she raked its back, creating a screeching sound but only shallow scratches on its surface.

The robot twisted its torso completely around, in a way impossible for most organic beings, swinging out its arm to send C'Rash smacking into the nearest wall, and dropping to the floor, insensate.

At the other side, Urad finally dropped under the unrelenting assault, landing with an almighty sound and not moving.

*

"Misha!" Naida clung to Misha's arm, staring fearfully at the fight in front of them, the tiny Roylan child confused and afraid.

So was Misha. One moment, he was in the Crèche, under the workstation, not knowing what was going on. Then he saw Eydiir, but before she could reach him, something took him away.

And he ended up here, in this strange place, with a bunch of other cubs. Many he knew, like Naila and Mary Austen and Vanok and other cubs from the other ships in the Fleet. But no one knew where they were, even the older cubs!

Then these spider robots appeared, and started putting them in these wall booths... until he heard Cousin C'Rash nearby! They were supposed to be rescued!

Until they fought. And lost. What were they going to do now?

"Misha," Naida pleaded now.

He was scared. But so was everyone else. And he remembered the story his sister Sasha told him, when she was a cub like him, and her class was attacked by pirates and they needed help, and though she was scared, she stepped up and took charge.

He saw C'Rash's phaser nearby.

"Stay here, cubs," he told Naida and the others.

Even as he went for it, he heard Papa's voice in his head, telling him a million times over that phasers weren't toys and he was never, never to touch one. Misha wasn't even allowed to play with fake ones in the Holodeck.

But this was a Merjency!

He raised the phaser with both hands to the nearest robot, the one who had hurt his cousin... and fired.

He yelped as the beam shot out and struck the robot. Without any effect.

He dropped the phaser.

The robot raised its arm towards him-

No. Don't harm him.

The robot lowered its arm and stepped back. Misha looked around in confusion. He had heard a voice! A female voice, in his head! But who was it?

I am Mother Beldam. This is my home. Do you like it?

Misha bared his claws, his tail swishing behind him. "No! You Bad Lady! You hurt Cousin C'Rash, and Hungry Hungry Hippo, and Eydiir!"

It was their own fault, child. They came in here with weapons that could have harmed you. And me.

Misha looked around, showing his teeth to wherever the Bad Lady was hiding. "My Mama gonna fix you! She Captain! Big Boss! She kick your ass!"

The voice didn't respond, at first.

Then it asked, Is your mother the one onboard your ship having a baby?

*

"Away Teams!" Kami demanded for the tenth time, trying desperately to keep her panic under control. Losing the Fleet's children, and now sending almost a dozen cadets and crew over there... what was she thinking? "Lt Shall! Chief Grev! Respond! Anyone, respond-"

"Surefoot," Stalac's voice boomed over the speaker. "Cadet Stalac here."

Beside Kami, Zir reacted, but kept quiet as Kami continued. "Stalac! What's happening over there?"

"A group of automatons have attacked and restrained our party! They absorb phaser fire and can return it, they're strong and can deliver electrical charges through their skin! I- I burned a hole in the nearest wall and escaped. I- I fled-"

Kami heard the emotion in the cadet's voice, and despite her own storm of emotions for their current predicament, felt compelled to point out, "You did the right thing, Mr Stalac, because now we have more information than we did before. We've lost contact with Lt Shall's team, have you heard from them?"

"No, Ma'am. Should I go reconnoitre for them?"

"No." She glanced at Zir, then thought about it. The young woman was under enough responsibility she wasn't prepared for, and it wouldn't be fair for Kami to lean on her for advice. But was there anyone else with qualifications? With half of their skeleton crew captured over there... "How far along did you get with deciphering the Striga control systems?"