The Transformation

Two weeks earlier on Moira's surface..........

The massive onslaught of the brood broke through the tower lines. Large creatures from the air resembling flying crab fired massive energy pulses that hit the formation. That was was had caused the cave-in. Suddenly from even higher, massive phasers came and hit the ground creating large craters. The H'rliskes caught in the blast radius were incinerated
instantly, but for some they retreated. The flying crabs also were caught in the discharge and imploded as the isotopes reacted to their own chemistry.

However the Zeirg were different they continued attack regardless. Phanan fired his weapon as his troops around him began to dematerialised."Lieutenant Williams get to the transporter site !" Phanan yelled as he fired at the quickly approaching Zeirg.

[Major, I have a slight problem here. I am cut off. My team and I are on the far side of the rocks.] Williams shouted over the high pitched banshee wails of the H'rliskes.

"I will try to lay down cover fire, but you need to move !"

[Understood.]

Williams fired bellowing orders so that his rifle team can retreat. But one by one they were cut down by the advancing swarm. The small Zeirg who seemed to make up the ground forces overtook one of the marines and quickly made shredded meat out of him. Lieutenant Williams realised that he couldn't wait any longer and ran quickly to the transport co-ordinates."The rest of you, let's move !"

Phanan saw the Lieutenant come around the bend and at the same time saw a horde of Zeirg chasing after him and the remaining squad. He aimed his phaser to cover for him but as he tried to squeeze off another round, his weapon wouldn't fire. A Zeirg attacked and pounced on Phanan, and as if an answer to pray he dematerialised just as razor sharp teeth tried to get him.

Lieutenant Williams ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He was about 50 meters from the transport sight as Major Phanan's covering fire zipped by him striking down the coming Zeirg onslaught. However suddenly the firing stopped as a small horde of Zeirg coming from behind him pounced on the Major.

"Major !" Williams yelled as the broodlings pounced upon Phanan. Williams' spirit sunk faster then a lead sinker in a lake. The person who was covering him was now being covered by the enemy. Phanan continued to run to the site nearing 25 meters and noticed the familiar whine of a dematerialising. Suddenly the Zeirg who had converged on Phanan turned their attention to Williams and crept slowly towards him. Williams, now discouraged and tired, slowed to a trot. The Zeirg was almost upon him now and his will to fight had to vanished as did Phanan. Finally, he stopped and fell to his knees. "NO!" He yelled looking around. The Zeirg hissing, acidic saliva dripping from their mouth, slowly encompassed Lieutenant Williams. "NO!"

Present day. On board the USS Leviathan

"Captain...." Began Lieutenant Tyra in the mission briefing. "We have a problem."

The senior staff was assembled in the conference room and Captain Devore sat looking over the officers that made up his crew. Captain Ryan Evans and his senior staff also attended the meeting. Ever since 'Q' zapped both ships to the Andromenda Cirrius Galaxy, some 36,000,000 light years at maximum warp from the furthermost reaches of the Alpha or Beta Quadrant, the two ships have combined forces in the unknown place. Seeing that the Leviathan-A was the most powerful of the two Federation starship, Captain Devore assumed the command of the "fleet."

In attendance at the meeting was also Devore's First Officer, Commander Soliel. Ever since the rescue from Limerus IX, Toran hasn't offered too much input into anything. The commanding Marine, Major Jon Phanan also was there sitting in his greens. He listened intently to the proceedings but the idea of having fresh new Marines unnerved him just slightly. However he chalked them up as new trainees and was going to "whip" them into shape in no time. Especially with the introduction of this powerful alien race, the Captain needed the powerful tactically sound advice of his marine friend. The Marines in general
were an added asset to the crew.

Lieutenant Commander Barker sat listening thumbing through his Padd so that when he was given the opportunity to give the departmental report, he would be ready. At this time he didn't know what they were up against. This new race that seem to be extremely resilient, and cunning were truly a far more superior race then the Borg. The only difference was the Borg assimilated all the knowledge of thousands of species, but this one... they had a very astute cunning, how ? That was the question that Mister Barker had been working on for some time and still had no answer.

Ensign Katts, the ship's doctor, was an interesting sort. She at her level and expertise should be at least a Lieutenant Commander, but something hidden in her past explained why this brilliant woman was a lowly Ensign.

However Lieutenant Commander Rashad T'Kul was different for the Captain. A member of Section 31 and resident spy, her cunning and secretive nature hidden behind her Vulcan/Bajoran background reeked havoc for the Devore. Devore originally felt bad for snooping around her quarters, but the information that he had dug up in her quarters was necessary and explained a lot- at least that information which wasn't encoded and he could get into.

"What is it Lieutenant ?" Devore said facing Tyra.

"Sir, that last skirmish we had with Z'Terul caused some damage to the warp core. We are working on it, but I estimate at least a week till it is back up and running."

"What !"

"Do we have impulse power ?" Soliel said shocking the Captain.

"Yes sir." Tyra responded.

"That isn't going to get us too far." Devore said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I have crews working on the warp core. That is all I can say Captain."

"I know Tyra. Go ahead and Taline and set up round the clock shifts. If we have another run in with them we will need to get out of here quick."

"Understood Captain."

Phanan fidgeted in his seat.

"Anything else ?" Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads. Phanan fidgeted even more. "Jon ? You have something to add ?"

Major Phanan looked over at the Captain and swallowed hard the lump that formed in his throat. "Captain. We need to return to Moira." The entire room's eyes were now fixated on the Marine major

Devore laughed. "You had me for a minute, Major. I thought you said we had to go back."

"I did."

Somewhere on the Surface of Moria

Williams awoke bound spread eagle by some sort of energy bonds. His eyes quickly accommodated to his eerie location. Staring intently in to the darkness, he noticed that he was in a dark humid cavern which housed about three large egg shaped crystalline objects. The walls which he barely saw moved as if a wind rippled through it. A small glowing ore housed in some rock like substance provided a type illumination of about four feet. He looked around and couldn't see anything else, but heard movement all around him. Suddenly he felt as if his head was to explode.

"Welcome Cerebrate !" Said the formless voice. "I have never seen one such as yourself tell pray tell what you are ?"

"Lieutenant Geovani Williams. Starfleet service number A-11203." He yelled. He felt something warm trickling around his lip. Williams tasted it, it was blood.

"Very well Lieutenant Geovani Williams Starfleet service number A-11203. You are here because of the others like you. They show great ingenuity and are resourceful. For many years I have tried to incorporate the ones like you into our hive, but they have resisted."

"Resisted ? We have never been here before !" Williams yelled the pain now in his head excruciating.

"The species on the surface. They have been quite impressive. Now I must see if you are as they are."

"I will not co-operate."

"Oh no need to co-operate. We take !" Out of the darkness a small gelatinous mound moved slowly to the restrained Lieutenant. As it came within a foot, it stopped. Williams tried to move but the energy restraints kept him in place. Suddenly an eyeball appearance came from the top of the mound and quickly overlooked Williams. One second it was at his face, then the next at his knees. It randomly and quickly bounced from place to place and just under ninety seconds, the eyes was gone. He prematurely sighed a sigh of relief as two fork-like instruments struck him in his chest. Williams screamed as the forks generated thousands of volts of electricity. As quickly as it started it stopped. Then the mound disappeared back into the darkness.

Williams hung there not knowing what was next. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "You bastards." The pain in his head began again.

"Cerebrate. It has been determined that your race is a strong and determined one. You are strong and resilient easy to regenerate. Your kind will make an excellent fighting force for the Z'Terul."

"I will never join you. I would rather die !"

"Come and meet your destiny. Take your place at my side and the sides of my children. Be the Generals that we have longed for. Your distinctiveness will be one that we have been searching for for millennia. Our futures are fused and is bright."

"Never."

"...or young cerebrate you can be like the others."

Suddenly the chamber was full of light and all around the H'rlisk's and Zeirg hissed and moved around. On the floor of the chamber were other humanoid races that seemed to be proud powerful people, but they were nothing more then gelatinous forms and Zeirg. Williams scanned the area quickly taking advantage of the light as it was. In the midst of piles of rubbish, Williams saw a combadge- a combadge circa 2270. Closer look revealed an old Starfleet uniform, and a piece of cloth with something on it It was rectangular coloured in red white and blue, with a field of blue with stars on it. A tear formed in Williams eye. "Who are you ?"

"I am the mother and these are my children. I am the Overmind the controller and now YOUR mother."

The movement on the floor was from slug like creatures, two feet long and about a foot wide. Suddenly it lurched forward and engulfed William's head forming a crystalline egg around him.