Is Resistance Futile?

Posted on Thu Nov 4th, 2021 @ 5:48am by Lieutenant Nevada McKay & Lieutenant Commander Rin

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: Science Lab
Timeline: MD1
1642 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

OOC: is it ok if I basically use a placeholder title since I don't know where this will go?

As Rin approached the science lab, the buzz - for lack of a better term - in the back of her got more insistent. The door of the lab parted ways at her approach and she strode into the room, approaching the first person in the room. "Is Lt. McKay on duty?"

"She's in Biolab one, Running some kind of medical experiment," the Andorian Yeoman said jerking her thumb over her shoulder. "I'd watch yourself in there ma'am, she's been a bit nippy since her last Medical visit."

"Nippy?"

"Snapping at officers who get under foot...chasing people who aren't part of her project or division out of the lab...I'll be honest I haven't seen her leave the lab in over a week except to go shower." He shrugged.

"Well then, I consider myself warned. Thank you, yeoman." She nodded to the Andorian as she purposefully strode toward Biolab One, never pausing as the door automatically swept open in front of her.

"unless you're bringing me cofffe...I'm not interested..." came a tired, exasperated voice from within the darkened lab as the door slid open.

Rin stopped in consideration. Then, after a moment of thought, turned around and walked out of the room without a word.

"Yeoman, how does Dr. McKay prefer her coffee?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"How does Dr. McKay prefer her coffee?" Rin asked again as she moved to a replicator.

"She likes it Hot...beyond that I've seen her sneak some kinda liquor into it when she thinks no one is looking." he shrugged.

Now, armed with two hot cups of what she hoped was acceptable coffee, Rin passed through the doors of Biolab One once more.

"I am, in fact, bringing you coffee, Doctor, and you may find me interesting regardless." She holds out a mug. "I'm Lt. Rin."

The Human perked up slightly from her Station, the motion sending a scattering of PAD's that had been haphazardly scattered across the work station clattering to the deck. "Forgive the mess..." she grunted quietly as she attempted to pull her Labcoat free of Wrinkles. "What can I do for you Lieutenant Rin...?" she asked with a quiet yawn.

"Well, I was curious as to what kind of Borg technology you had operating back here, might even offer some expertise, if welcomed, but...the technology is you, isn't it?"

Nevada's face flashed through several emotions at once. "Computer, Initiate Patient Confidentiality screen," she said after a long moment, her face hardening as she stared over the Intelligence officer standing before her. "Former drone..." she muttered after an uneasy silence. "Its in me...yes." she said with a hint of remorse. "It could very well be me soon..." she added with a sideways glance.

Rin's eyes went wide. "What have you done?" There's sympathy in her voice, but also horror.

"Do you want the full report? or the short version?" Nevada asked quietly.

"Start with the short?"

"Modified Nanoprobes are malfunctioning...And refusing to accept programming commands."


*Sounds an awful lot like it's functioning just fine,* Rin thought. *You just don't like its function.* Damn near said it too. People keep playing with damn Borg nanites and act surprised when they end up with Borg.

She wanted to scream at this woman. Which is probably, to date, the fastest any person has managed to get an extreme emotional response out of Rin. But that wasn't going to be helpful.

"Is the ship in danger? If you lose to this, do we end up with a drone on the ship?"

"All current signs indicate I'm more likely to be...fully consumed by the probes...I believe the Old terran term being...Grey Goo,"


Rin tapped her fingers on the table, thinking. "Where did you get the nanites from? this might fall under 'full report' now."

"The first batch of one thousand were Given to me by Starfleet medical as part of a grant to determine how best to Liberate Drones from captured or mostly destroyed Borg ships." Nevada said without skipping a beat. "I...Misappropriated about the half of them and began to manufacture them myself."

"If I may ask....why?"

"I've been using them as part of ongoing research into Eternal youth in humanoids," Nevada said with a hint of regret in her voice. "I've been on the fringe of federation and star fleet medical for a long while..and this was my magnum opus, Right up until I got hit with a device called an agonizer."

"You came into contact with the mirror universe. I imagine its already been considered, but are you sure it wasn't the reality itself that altered the nanites?"

"If thats what you call that ass backwards universe...yeah.." Nevada nodded eyeing the former borgs implants. "Do nanites usually go rouge like that?"

"No, they do not. Highly resistant to damage, but not invulnerable. It's theoretically possible the device caused the malfunction. But alternate realities can theoretically have alternate physics. Did you happen to bring anything from that reality back to this one?"

Nevada shook her head. "just the painful memories of an agonizer..." she said after a pause.

"I would be interested in hearing of your experiences there, but I understand now is not the time. Does anyone else know about your situation?"

"The Chief medical officer is aware that the Probes are starting to reach saturation levels." she said with slow shake of her head.

Of course, Rin had already guessed that, based on the fact the yeoman had said McKay was nippy after returning from Medical. But there was no point in ratting out the yeoman, and confirmation was always good.

"If Sssthilg thinks it might help.....I would be willing to lend him some of my nanites," she said reluctantly. "If certain protocols were followed, which would include testing in highly controlled laboratory conditions, not inside of you. In their normal state, they shouldn't be a threat, but I cannot say what would happen when exposed to your nanites. But Ssthilg may not think it would be helpful or safe at all. And there is a cybernetics expert on board, is there not? They should be brought into this, whether I am on use or not, honestly. Use the resources available to you."

"I've been making use of them, the problem is they seem stuck in a feedback loop...and are self replicating within me."

"Can I see your data?"

The doctor Hesitated briefly, before gesturing to the Console she'd been working on. "Sure...if you think you could maybe help me out..."

Rin's eyes scanned over the data McKay showed her. "Medical is not my area of expertise, and I know nothing of jumping through realities, but let's see what I can tease out of this....Would you survive if all the nanites were simply destroyed?"

"Unlikely...they've become integral to my blood chemistry...and destroyed nanites would cause blood toxicity."

A few more ideas ran through Rin's head, but the data suggested either it had already been tried or that it hadn't been tried because they were confident it wouldn't work. She didn't disagree with any of their conclusions.

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything more to suggest. I can keep looking at the data, see if I can formulate any new ideas. And you need to classify these files."

Nevada's face twisted into one of contempt for a brief moment. "these Files aren't Federation or Star Fleets, They're mine." she said, her voice darking as her expression soured. "And Until I hear otherwise from the captain, I'll keep them Secure on my Computers, and off of federation property."

"You're, um, on Federation property," Rin said, pointing at the room around them. "You're on a Starfleet vessel. They're Starfleet's computers. And the files regard the use of material you stole from the Federation. But if you would like to bring the captain in on this, by all means, explain all this to him."

"This is dangerous technology. We have protocols to keep this sort of thing out of the hands of the wrong people. As few people as possible should have access to this, and I *do* need access to it because if something happens to you I need to properly secure the files and the materials. I am trying to work with you here, but if you will not allow me to do my job, I have to bring in outsiders, including the captain."

"I've had A long life Kid...' she said with a Low, menacing tone. "I've seen first hand what happens when Spooks say they're just Securing files," the Doctor sighed with a defeated tone. "Bring the captain in on this if you want...Unless ordered to, I'm not handing this research over so some Spook can make a weapon out of it."

"Look me in the eye and accuse me again of thinking a Borg nanite weapon is a good idea."

"Never said it would be you," Nevada countered coldly. "Intel is a big group after all."

"I'm not asking you to turn it over," Rin says a little more softly. "I'm asking it be properly secured, and part of that security is having a very few people have access to it in case of emergency or in case you are no longer able to secure it yourself. I'm not intending on filing any reports about it. I just need it properly secured."

"I've set everything up so that the data will delete itself in the event of my death," Nevada said with a cold glare. "That should be sufficient,"

"Well, it's better than nothing. Do let me know if I can help. Good day." And with that, she turns on her heels and leaves.