A loud bang on the metal, another swing, a huf, and a puff as Dacio slams a metal tool against the device. Slowly, cracks were forming into the outer shell. The team kept the area in check as Keeyiro was nearby, keeping readings on the tricorder to see if any changes were happening. She looked at Dacio, who slammed again into the device. “I notice sensor scans are coming in. Keep it up…we are slowly regaining our equipment functionality again.” Looking back at her tricorder.

Dacio growled, feeling another pain wave going through him, and used that frustration to slam into the device with a loud yell followed by an energy slam. The device slowly cracked open as Dacio looked in the direction of Cho. “Well? I am getting tired here…” 

Keeyiro kept her eyes focused on the tricorder readings and slowly nodded. “The device signal output is decreasing slowly, but long-range scans are coming in. Communications are still down from what I have seen, yet…” 

Narrowing her eyes a bit, she didn't turn toward Cho. "Explain..." Silina demanded as her rifle moved from one side to another, keeping the area in check.

“I am getting output, no input. This means that what we send out is being received...I think,” Keeyiro explained, looking in the direction of the Commander. “This means that it is potential and very plausible that Mariner is receiving our communication; we simply can reply to them."

Miki hears sounds coming from various directions as his rifle also moves from one spot to another. “I understand what you are saying, which is good news. But I think we really should be leaving. If we are dealing with a highly intelligent predator, then it knows we wreck up its toy.” Looking at the team, he says, “So, Commander, I urgently advise a retreat from the device and getting into the transporter range."

She lowers her rifle for a brief moment and takes in the information given to her: “If the device is decreasing and communication output is working, then we might be able to get out of here in one piece. Miki, take the lead. For now, I will stay behind and deal with the predator to give you guys time.” Silina noticed a specific resistance building up and raised her hand. “I am the team lead here, and there are no arguments on this matter. Cho and Dacio, you were already exposed to the creature's brutal attacks, and Miki, you are able to bring them to safety. ”

While he disagreed with the given situation, there was logic in her reasoning about what needed to be done. Miki took a deep breath. "Let's move out….” He motions to the other two and nods in the direction of Silina. Raising his weapon and going in the direction that went back to the outer rings of the broken station. 

With some doubt, Dacio followed Miki, and Keeyiro looked at Silina. “Be careful…it is quite savage when probing your mind." Keeyiro shrugged, feeling that pounding, soft feeling in her head. “I see you on Mariner…” as if she wanted Silina to make a promise. Dacio moved behind the rest of the team, leaving Silina behind.

Silina nodded in Keeyiro's direction. “I will, Cho…” She muttered, grabbed her tricorder, and scanned the device one last time. Then she nodded to herself and placed the tricorder on her belt, raising her rifle and moving from the engineering area to the other location. From what Silina had noticed, seen, and understood the creature's behavior, it acted on surprise, fear, and being open. It was rather crafty and used its surroundings to its advantage. 

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mind. Fear was already crawling up her spine, but as an experienced doctor who had seen horror in all shapes and forms, it would take this creature everything to crawl under her skin. Thought there were weaknesses that Silina was aware of. 

“Oh my, you are quite a juicy catch, and here all alone.” A voice crawled into Silina's head.

Alerted by the sudden voice, she tapped her combadge but said nothing. Silina looked carefully around the broken-down, dim hallway. She couldn't see anything, and flickering lights didn't help her vision either. “Show yourself…” 

Out of the shadow, a creature appeared. The first thing that would be visible were the dimmed yellow eyes and the pointy red back reflecting the light's flickering. The creature had heavy armor on and large claws as it stomped onto the ground; it sounded heavy and stopped before her. “Here I am, behold my glory before your wicked end at the hands of my hunt." The words pierced into Silina's mind.

Silina felt a wave of fear engulfing her in his mere presence. She cracked her neck for a second to endure the piercing in her mind. “Can you not speak? Your intrusion in my mind is quite unpleasant.” She rubbed her template on the side of her head. “Who are you? What do you want? Why are you …hunting here?” 

A snort came from the creature, moving its claws a bit, but looking at his prey, “Weak-minded can't handle my speech; weak-minded be part of the Gazor hunt. You are a collection of my travels, and so is this hunting ground my feast,” the words continue to pierce into the mind of Silina.

Trying to endure the pain, she shrugged. “You are only a weak creature because you hunt in the dark. Klingons would spit on your lack of honor in battle. I am not afraid of you….” Silina tried to taunt the creature, keeping the attention focused on her. This would allow her team to escape: “You stand before me, yet you failed to take any of my team... and you call yourself a hunter.”

The creature narrowed its eyes and said, “You lie. You are afraid…I feel, I see.” He stepped forward in her direction, and Silina automatically stepped backward with her rifle up, aiming at him. “See, you lie.”

This did confirm some things for Silina: The creature could detect a lie, she was indeed afraid, and her words were a play to see what would trigger. It was a gamble, but it worked out in her favor. She took a deep breath, feeling blood dripping down her nose from the creature's abuse of her mind. Silina knew that her trained mental mind would break eventually, and this delay was the sole reason that the creature hadn't snatched her yet. “You know that the device is broken. You know that my crew can hear me….” Silina used her wildcard, “You also know they can destroy this base... with you on it."

The creature growls, “You bluff! The one who cares for you is on that ship. I can see it in your memories. Caring is a weakness…” Gazor is alerted by this threat. “You have no spine to back your claim. Your ship wouldn't take such action, and I shall feast on them also!” 

Taking a deep breath and holding her grip on her rifle, she said, “Let's put that to the test then, shall we… This is Commander Ruslanovna to Mariner. I request that you fire your full might on this station and destroy it.” Now, the real gamble was on. Was communication restored enough? Would she die now, or would her trust in her Captain, her love … be true? 

Another snort came from the creature, “See, see, Gazor is right. Weak-minded is bluffing. Now, you will be a juicy feast for my hunt. I will…" The station started to shake, the lights in the hallway changed to red flickering lights, and a broken alright started to be sounded throughout the hallways. Gazor looked around in shock. “They attacked…” Meanwhile, outside the station, the Mariner was releasing its full might and shooting everything it had at the broken station. Phasers quickly hit their target, torpedoes slamming into the outer hull of the base as explosions followed.

“Now…we die together, your hunting days are over, and I am the true winner of this hunt.” Silina lowered her rifle and could only produce a slim smile toward Gazor, who couldn't believe this was happening. The station was shaking violently, and in the hallway, there were explosions. “But you see, Gazor, you misunderstood one thing; I believe... in my Captain.” With that, a wall of fire speed enters the end of the hallway in their direction as Silina materializes out of the area.

Gazor yellow eyes grew bigger, and he saw the weak-minded disappear, replaced by the brightness of the fire wall now coming in his direction. “I have been played…” Gazor closed his eyes as the fire wall hit him. From outside the station, the Mariner flew over the now-exploding station. Peace returned when the large explosion was gone, and the station was in pieces.