Tokyo - Transport Room

The transport room was filled with people either helping the away team or being a member of the away team getting ready for the mission at hand. The tension was so high that a knife could cut through it without pressure. Everyone was nervous and knew the risks of this mission and what was at stake. The team consisted of Captain Yoon-Jung as leader of the away team. Doctor Ibrix is the medical specialist, Lieutenant Deem is the away team engineer specialist, and Lieutenant Vahdat is the science specialist. Additionally, two security officers named Petty Officers Dazz and M'tran would tag along. 

Zips up to close her uniform for operations in the field, Ko took a deep breath. “Alright, let's get ready for this.” She looked at everyone “Stick to the plan, do not divide from it, do not scan, touch or even look at the drones in their visual view.” She nodded to Behrad to take it over as she got her pistol.

Crossing his arms over each other, Behrad spoke, “As the Captain said, do not give the Borg the excuse to get into an alarming situation. Keep your weapons out of sight and act normal. While there, we will experience higher heat than we are used to, so sweating will be part of the deal in this situation. Also, remember that these drones are one,” He raised a finger, “cut off from the collective, so they have not received any orders. Two," he raised the second finger, “they are unpredictable. We do not know the extent of what the pathogen has done to them. So stay focused.” 

Nodding, “I want both Dazz and M'tran in the back. I will take the front, followed by Vahdat, Deem, and Ibrix,” Ko continues as she gets onto the transport pad. “When we reach the regeneration alcove, Doctor Ibrix will need to find a suitable host to extract the sample.” 

“I will need a drone that is infected for at least 48% infected by the pathogen and, most importantly, still functional,” Viamame pointed out briefly. “The problem with this is that I need to scan them, Lieutenant Vahdat. How much time do we have?” 

You could see the calculation in his facial expression of Behrad “I honestly can't say. The issue with your question lies with the status of the drones at that cube. We do not know if they will react hostile against the scanning or ignore it. There was no concrete information regarding that. It is the solid reason why I advise not using it. But if required, we must be prepared to defend ourselves and have an exit plan.” 

Clicking her tool belt on her suit, Yozria looked at them. “I might be able to determine their scanning parameters and check their systems. Creating a buffer that ignores any scanning, but" Yozria shrugged at that idea.

“You do not know how much time you will be able to give us?” Ko saw Yozria nodding in her direction. “We get to the location, find the area, set up the buffer, get enough samples, and out.” Ko was quite clear in this mission. She didn't want to hang out any longer than required at a cube, let alone a dysfunctional cube. “Alright, get on the pad, chief get us in there.” 

The transport chief nodded to his Captain. “Working with the bridge to find a suitable location to beam you to.” 

“Captain, we are getting a reading. You are getting ready to beam over,” Sujian voice came over the communication.

Tapping her badge, “That is correct, keep the Tokyo safe. We will be back as soon as possible." 

“Keep your promise, Captain. We will keep the ship safe. Deem out.” The channel closed.

The away team gets onto the pad as Ko looks at her side to Yozria. “He is quite protective.” 

“Protective is an understatement, Captain,” Yozria replied, not looking at her. “He is overprotective, clingy as f*ck, and can't seem to acknowledge any form of borders” She finally looked at her. “Yet I still love him for it, even if it crawls under my skin.” Yozria shrugged and looked back up front, holding onto her belt. 

Ko couldn't help but smile as she looked at the transport chief. “Got a spot for us, Chief?”

“Got one, hold on."

“Energize,” Ko ordered.

The Broken Borg Cube

The scenery around Ko changed from the transport room into a dim neon green-lighted room with machinery, gears, and a green electric display. The heat and high humidity fell onto her. It made her gasp for air as it became difficult for a second, feeling her body already producing sweat. 

“Just breathe in slowly. I didn't expect the humidity to be this high” Viamame admitted as her tricorder started to measure the area. “I think this is also the effect of the pathogen,” She concluded.

Behrad had walked already a few steps forward and leaned to the ground to a broken-down drone. He wanted to touch it but had to refrain from his curiosity and pulled his hand back, looking at the away team. “Seeing the state and condition of the drones and technology, it is the effect of the pathogen.” He stood back up and looked around. “We need to find that chamber if the reports are correct.” He grabbed his tricorder and then looked at an empty hallway. “We need to go there.”

Ko made the gesture to move as she walked toward where Behrad had said. “Get in formation, remember the instructions, and if all goes well, we will be out of here soon. Let's move.” She had her phaser loose on her belt to get it if needed. But she needed to treat this situation carefully. 

The team started moving as Yozria looked with great interest at various techs. “I would die to get some readings on these techs. It could be used in so many research and development projects.” She felt drawn to it as she noticed Dazz keeping her in the line, “Yea, yea.” 

“Let's not do that. Borg's technology is considered highly illegal within the Federation,” Viamame pointed out, carefully keeping everything in check around her.

“Riddle me this then, doc” Behrad spoke, keeping his focus on his tricorder. “If it's illegal in the Federation, how come reports of illegal black markets selling Borg parts appear? Or the secrets that the higher echelons keep from us regarding researching Borg tech?” Behrad shrugged. “Or riddle me this if we are sent out to retrieve this pathogen that the crew of the Voyager used in a desperate act to save themselves. Are we doing it out of the same desperation, or are we biological warfare?” 

It made the team quiet as they moved carefully through the hallways. “If we are to provide some thinking about the given situation, collect the facts first,” Ko stated. “We got attacked at Frontier Day by the Borg as they changed the DNA of our young officers and used them against us.” She looked the other way of the hallway, seeing defective drones hitting a wall, and moved on. “Now, a few weeks later, the Borg signal appears across the map, causing various problems. Is it not our right to defend ourselves from potential threats?”

“So you are saying that if the Borg doesn't do anything, we shouldn't use the pathogen?” Behrad narrowed his eyes as he briefly looked up front and then back at his tricorder, giving new directions. 

“Perhaps the Captain and Starfleet Command wish us to be looking at all angles and use what is available if the Federation is pushed too much in a corner,” Yozria pointed out. “Because the Borg can assimilate anything on their path to perfection. Is then that same biological warfare not justified?”

Behrad rolled his eyes as he tapped Ko on her shoulder. “It is up front. The alcove should be there.” He pointed to a flickering neon-lighted room.

“Great,” Ko muttered as she carefully moved towards their mission objective.