Verify." Janeway order Tuvok after we get a blip on the sensors.
Tuvok return his attention to his console "Monoranium hullplating, Dicyclick warp signature. The vessel is definitely hirogen."
"They are moving to intercept. Evasive maneuvers?" Tom ask while glancing over his shoulder and Janeway shake her head and return to her seat "No. We need to settle out differences here and now. Hard about, full impulse."
I feel like throwing my PAD at her.
At least Chakotay is sane enough to order red alert.
As Harry report they are in visual range and bring the ship up on screen we try to hail them. No response.
As the ship get closer it slow down, not charging weapons. Chakotay turn to tuvok "Lifesigns?"
The Vulcan nod "One, but its erratic."
As the engines of the hirogen ship go offline Chakotay comment to Janeway that it might be a trap so she order Harry(and me) to run a long range scan for other hirogen ships.
When none show up she order Tom to take the ship within transporter range and I cant hold it any longer "Captain, I must seriously recommend not poking this one. This feel like trouble and trap with big T. Not only is it a actively hostile species, but its also behaving in a uncharacteristic manner. A hirogen hunter would NOT come looking for us other than to claim our skulls as trophies. I recommend getting the hell out of here at maximum warp."
Seven nod "I agree. The vessel is a confirmed thread, we should destroy it."
Janeway shake her head "What you call a threat, I call an opportunity to gain knowledge of this species. And in this case maybe show some compassion. There seem to be a wounded pilot over there."
Seven frown slightly "Our experience with the hirogen show that they would be unlikely to return that compassion."
The Captain smiles and shake her head "And all my experience says we need to take that chance anyway."
One day, I'm going to bloody well shoot her.
Five hours later Species 8472 is rampaging through the ship and we have a hirogen hunter gearing up to follow chakotay and tuvok into a section with the lifesupport and gravity shut of by the creature. Despite my best knowledge I volunteered to join the group, arguing that my extra optical sensors would come to great use as the creature don't show up on tricorder scans.
Luckly just a couple of weeks ago B'Elanna and I modified a vacsuit to work with mechadendrites. I disconnect them from the ports on my back which then attach to the inside of the suit, relaying all signals to the mechadendrites which attach to the outside of the suit in their normal positions. It only add about ten minutes to getting into the suit and less than five if I don't reattach them again if there is a emergency.
Seven take up the last spot on the team because of her experiences with the creature.
We slowly move through the deck until we locate a blood trail floating in the air and smeared on the bulkhead. It lead into a deadend at deflector control. As the rest are busy I check my hand phaser and...my backup. I brought the coilgun, slipped into the pocked these spacesuits have on the back(the spacesuits they put pockets on as standard!?). Always good to have backups.
As the hirogen step around the corner he open fire, shooting the alien multiple times before being shot in the back by Seven.
As security personel move to keep the creature under guard we move the hirogen to sickbay.
Later once life support have been restored I join Janeway as she, The Doctor and Chakotay return to the site the creature is laying. Tuvok is standing looking at the creature maybe five meters away.
The Captain step up and touch his shoulder "Tuvok?" she ask in a slightly worried tone.
He keep looking at the creature "The alien initiated telepathic contact with me..." and before he have time to say more I pull out the coil gun and put three rounds into the head of the dying alien.
Chakotay knock the gun from my hands "What the hell are you doing!? It was defenseless!". This time I'm not taking their stupidity.
"You have got to be kidding! The alien, a confirmed hostile one that have tried to kill us numerous times during the last few hours, not to mention his species wanting to eradicate all life that's not of their kind, a species so bad we allied WITH THE BORG to get rid of, access the mind of our chief of security and chief tactical officer! Never mind that its kind are the strongest telepaths we have seen other than Kes, who know if it could subvert Tuvoks will or what secrets about the defenses of this ship it could steal."
Now Janeway round on me "It was a defenseless being, already dying after being hounded for how many weeks! You just executed it!"
I give her a glare just as strong as hers in return "Damn right I did. Just because you are unable to see to the security of this ship don't mean I will stand idly by and do as well! Space is not a playground in some park! Half the things out here are out to fucking kill you and you just refuse to get ready for it. This damn thing rampaging through the ship is just the fucking drop in the bucket."
She give me a disappointed look "I'll deal with you later. Tuvok, take him to the brig."