Stardate 44002.3 - Supplemental

The silence between them resumed, filled only by the faint hum from the movement of the lift.

The doors opened. Jana was relieved that there was no one waiting to enter. She stepped into the corridor, trying to ignore that David had exited the lift with her. He had no reason to be anywhere near the main Engineering deck, she knew. If he had an assigned post while they were under battle station conditions, it was probably sickbay.

Jana quickened her pace, not necessarily because she was in a hurry, but to hopefully gain her some more distance from David. She was relieved when he did not follow her as she entered the multi-level chamber that was main Engineering.

Nearly every crew member present was in motion, nearly all of it with some kind of deliberate purpose. Chief Engineer Wa-Rhayvea looked up as she entered, giving her a quick smile. Even under the heightened tension of their impending battle, Jana found the Efrosian's gentle demeanor warmly reassuring. Wa-Rhayvea nodded to the ensign next to him, apparently giving approval to whatever had been proposed, and straightened. He seemed about to say something when the shipwide intercom sounded.

"All hands," came duBois' steady, but amplified voice. "This is the Captain. We have arrived at Wolf 359 and are awaiting our final orders. All systems go to full battle readiness. Prepare to engage the enemy. Good luck to all of us."

The intercom went silent.

Wa-Rhayvea nodded as if the announcement was nothing unexpected. He looked back at Jana.

"Jana, please take the aft shield station."

"Yes, sir," Jana acknowledged, nodding.

She strode deeper into the Engineering deck to a station on the far side of the warp core. Glancing upward, she saw several crew members in the mustard Support and teal Science uniforms busy at other posts. She found herself mildly disappointed by the assignment. There was something very satisfying about manning one of the weapons stations during combat, but she had her orders—and she could never see herself disagreeing with Wa-Rhayvea about anything.

Jana felt the deck shift slightly under her feet. That she was able to detect the movement at all told her that the ship was undertaking some serious evasive maneuvering. She grabbed at the edge of the console, grateful for the slight lip at its edge.

"Begin random cycles in shield frequencies," Wa-Rhayvea called out.

Jana noted that Wa-Rhayvea did not shout, but his voice carried easily to where it needed to. She focused on the status display in front of her. The computer was shifting the shield frequencies randomly based on some internal algorithm. Jana occasionally overrode it and set the frequencies manually. The computer could do it far more quickly than she could, but she told herself that her actions added further randomness to hopefully prevent the Borg from knocking out the Ares' shields.

A shrill alert sounded from her left. She glanced over to see that the port fore shield generators had failed. Her lips tightened as Ensign Dunali looked at her in horror and frustration. Jana wanted desperately to help the young ensign, but she did not dare leave her station while she was still having some success in frustrating the Borg.

"Resistance is futile. You will disarm your weapons and escort us to Sector 001. If you attempt to intervene, we will destroy you."

Jana swallowed back a surge of fear. The voice had sounded less artificial than in the recordings she had heard, but that made it no less threatening.

The deck moved beneath her again. A moment later, it rocked sharply under her feet. There was a loud whine and the console before her flared brightly and then went dark.

Damn, she found herself thinking with an almost unnatural calm. Abruptly, it seemed as though the ship had flipped over. The deck became the ceiling.

Jana reached out reflexively to steady herself. Her hand touched nothing. She began to fall. Twisting, she tried to find equilibrium.

We've lost artificial gravity? she considered, wondering why she was not speaking aloud.

A hollow-sounding explosion echoed from nearby, making her ears ache. Before she could react, something slammed into her head and shoulders.

Blackness swiftly claimed her.