The Invaders

Posted on Sun Mar 22nd, 2026 @ 3:42am by Commander Marissa Hunter & Lieutenant Commander Amanda "Mandy" Hunter-Corelli & Captain Alec Hunter & Lieutenant JG Danica Hunter

2,927 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Welcome Home Stanger
Location: USS Ares

(USS Ares)

After Mari goes to the bridge, Alec, Mandy and Dani head to sickbay. Once there, they see that preparations are already underway to receive the Romulan bodies once the Fighter pilots return with them.

"Frank, I need you and your pilots down here in sickbay as soon as you return for bio scans as soon as you arrive. Mandy out."

After she was finished giving her husband doctor's orders she turned back to Alec. "Why are the men in my life so difficult? You, sit on the bed. Let's fix that arm."

"I don't know why your husband is, I'm not. I'm your brother." Alec replied with a wide smile. "And I love my baby sister." He bantered even as he sat on the bed...like Mandy asked.

Meanwhile Frank was grumbling. "You heard the Doc everyone, Head to Sickbay so she can check us over."

"Aw so sweet, considering I'm the one that busted your arm in the first place."

She activated the bone mender.

"This will only take a minute."

She started running the device over his arm. "Frank's always like that. It's the Italian American in him. He acts like he was raised on the streets of New York just because he has ancestors who were. His dad is actually the mayor of the burrow of Brooklyn right now."

Dani had followed on down to Sickbay, she wanted to be as up-to-date on everything concerning the invading creatures the Romulans has told them about. If they were indeed unable to withstand telepaths or empaths then that was something she needed to know more about , just incase they encountered them.

Alec listened as Mandy told him about her husband. He still wasn't thrilled she went and got married without him being there, but he could understand. Didn't mean he liked it because he didn't. "Has he got connections to the mob as well Mandy?" he asked half seriously.

Mandy cleared her throat a bit. " Well, ya know, he says he knows a guy, that knows a guy." She said with a Brooklyn accent. "Seriously, don't get him started. His lineage goes back to Al Capone. Capone's empire, so to speak, was in early 20th century Chicago, but the family originally settled in America in Brooklyn. Some of Capone's immediate ancestors returned to Brooklyn in the mid 21st century."

She looked firmly at Alec. "Alec, my husband is a good man. He's not a gangster."

Alec smiled at Mandy, He missed bantering with her. "Probably owns stock in some thermal crete company." Alec fired back, "But no he isn't a gangster says his wife."

Mandy turned off the thermal regenerator. "All done...and I repeat, he's a good man Alec. He's not his ancestor. "

Just then, three Romulan bodies were beamed into sickbay and a force field was placed around them.

Changing the subject Mandy said: "The fact that we were able to beam these in tells me that if these Romulans had parasites, they are dead...or dormant. According to the sub-commander we would not have been able to get a lock on them otherwise. Nonetheless, we'll use all precautions to contain them just in case."

Alec nodded but made no reply as three Romulan bodies were beamed into Sickbay. "A wise and prudent precaution Mandy." Alec replied dryly.

Dani watched as the bodies materialised, her senses alert for any signs of anything that might signify a presence. “I’m not picking up on anything, but then that doesn’t mean anything. The survivors did say these parasites are undetectable.” She approached the forcefield to get a little closer, but didn’t breach it. A set of blood samples taken from one of the bodies prior to
Transport had been teetering on the edge of a tray nearby, a few moments later it oddly dropped to the floor smashing and splashing onto Dani, as it did so an microscopic creature absorbed through a small scratch that was already on her leg. “I have no idea how that happened, I never touched it.”

"Mandy!" Alec shouted. "Come check Dani over! Some blood spilled on her. Not taking any chances here."

Mandy rushed over and scanned Dani. "I'm not detecting anything. If there were anything still alive in these 'bodies, I would think I would be picking up something. The subcommander said the parasites were undetectable but also that they messed with their scans...caused interference. " She looked at Alec. I'm not reading anything but Dani here. As far as our dead friends here, I need to complete autopsies."

She closed her tricorder. "None the less Dani, I'll need you to take a decontamination shower. Standard practice, you know that. There's towels and scrubs to change into afterwards back there.”

"Dani, I want you report any physical changes immediately to Mandy. In addition I want you to report to Sickbay once a day so you can be checked over." Alec said crisply.

Dani nodded. “Aye Sir” With that she headed for the decontamination shower. Changing out of her clothing she put it for disposal before stepping into the shower, scrubbing herself down paying extra attention to her leg she cringed as her abilities momentarily went mad. Loud voices overtook her mind before her control was reinstated. Shaking it off she stepped out of the shower to dry off, she was starting to get a headache which made her wonder. Putting on the scrubs she brushed her hair and tied it back before heading back out into Sickbay.

“Mandy...” she looked towards her aunt. “I think I should be put in isolation, I think I might be infected...”

Alec looked, no stared at her. "What? What is it Dani? Why do you feel you need to be placed in isolation?" Alec asked his daughter.

Dani looked towards her father. “It’s my...” She cringed as her senses went out of whack a second time, the sounds of everyone’s thoughts without control were deafening. “I...I can’t...” she clapped her hands over her ears even though the sounds were in her head not coming through her ears. No sooner had it started it stopped as she looked back at her father. “Something is interfering with my senses.”

Alec didn't hesitate. "Mandy, I'm putting Dani in iso room one. I think she is infected." Alec called out to his sister. "Come on Dani, let's get you into isolation." He said softly.

Dani nodded. “I don’t understand, they said these...creatures, don’t usually infect telepaths. It’s harmful to them..” The usual background hum of voices she had was slowly starting to rise in volume, Whatever was going on she was losing control and that wasn’t good.

"Easy Dani, easy." Alec said soothingly to his daughter. We're going to get you taken care of. Don't talk. Mandy is going to fix you up. Mandy now!" He yelled for his sister even as he got Dani into the isolation room and onto the biobed. "Okay, now just lie back Dani. Mandy will be in here shortly."

Dani nodded. “I won’t be able to sleep...the voices, they’ll just follow me...” She hopped up onto the biobed and lay down.

Alec stood beside the biobed. "Try to relax Dani, Mandy will be here shortly. While we wait, is there anything I can do to help you? Does talking help or would you rather I just be quiet?"

Dani reached for her father’s hand. “Just talk to me please. Tell me more about you, our family.”

Alec took Dani's hand in his and gave it a soft squeeze. "Well, you know Mari. Mari is a gem. Loving and caring, funny and smart as well as attractive and extremely loyal. Now Mandy, she's a sparkplug. She was a tomboy growing up, always wanted and did hang around me. Doesn't know the meaning of fear a real daredevil. You know she broke my arm when we were kids. Pushed me out of our treehouse. I guess she wanted to get started early practicing medicine." He joked. "Though you won't find a better or more compassionate doctor anywhere. But she's no pushover and don't try to put something over on her. I've always been protective of her and I still think of her as my kid sister when she is so much more. She's a married woman now. Though I wanted to be at her wedding and have a dance but real life through a monkey wrench into that and I'm still frosted on it. Something, you will never be alone, you will always have us in your corner and your back." He paused and took a breath. "You are much loved Dani, never forget that."

Mandy finally came over to the iso chamber. "Sorry Frank and the pilots just got down here. I sent them to the decontamination shower.

"Dani just hold still. I'm going to run some scans."

Mandy keyed in some commands and the computer started its scans. About 20 seconds in she made a face and looked frustrated. She keyed in a few more commands. Her expression became one of concern.

"I can tell she's fighting it, but there is an interference pattern. I can detect her for a few seconds, then it's scrambled...in and out several times now.:

Alec looked between Mandy and Dani, "So, how to we fight this? What's the procedure for getting Dami free of these parasites Mandy?" Alec questioned his sister while looking at Dani who was obviously in pain.

Mandy looked obviously frustrated. "Procedure? Alec, the only recorded incident of anything like this in the past was reported by the Enterprise D years ago. There are old logs from Admiral Crusher and Admiral Picard talking about a conspiracy by a parasitic race to take over the Federation. Several high-ranking members of command were infected. It was stopped by destroying the Queen parasite that inhabited one Commander Remick. It killed Remick as well but the others that were inhabited were freed because their paracites died when the Queen died. But these do not appear to be the same species. Who knows if they even have a Queen or a controlling entity. So in answer to your question. I don't have a procedure. Our Romulan guests said they tried a telepathic attack, but they were not strong enough. We would need more, strong, telepaths to even attempt it."

Alec held back any angry retort he might have been tempted to make instead he nodded. "Do whatever you need to Mandy, Use whatever resources you need. If it is telepaths, get them. This is an invasion and we're the front line. It needs to be stopped here and now."

Mandy nodded. “I will keep you updated. You should get back to the bridge and get a message to Star Fleet. They need to know that it’s not the Romulans trying to break the treaty.”

Alec nodded, "Any change let either Mari or I know Mandy." Alec replied as he turned to leave the room and then Sickbay. he leaned forward and kissed Dani's forehead. "I'll get the message to Command"

Dani watched her father go before turning to lie on her side, it was like she was back in the early days of having her abilities all over again & she hated it. Constant background noise from her telepathic input was getting louder and this time she couldn’t stop it.

(Mandy)

Bridge

Alec arrived on the bridge. Mari was in the center seat. "Mari, come into my Ready Room please." With that he turned and entered his ready room, knowing Mari wouldn't be far behind him.

Mari's people were known to have a weird psychic awareness of the universe, but she was no empath or telepath. As she sat in the Captain's chair her mind searched something anything that could help. But all she came up with was just a feeling of bad mojo. As Alec requested she stood and went to the ready room as requested.

After Mari came into the room and door slid shut, Alec began to speak. "Dani has been infected and Mandy is running tests on her. Send a message to Command to let them know about the infected Romulans and the parasites that infected and controlled them."

"Already done when I came up here Alec. And you could have given that order to me out on the bridge."

She looked at him in deep thought for a moment.

"We need to keep an open mind and observe these creatures. They may indeed be the biggest threat since the Borg. On the other hand maybe we just don't understand their needs."

"When my people, my parents, first came to Earth, humans believed in Gods and Goddesses. Humans were very open minded. My people were revered seers and prophets and healers. My own parents served several pharaohs. Then, not long before I was born, after the dark ages, things changed. My people were thought to be witches and demons. We could never stay in one place for long. Some of my people left Earth. Others, like my family, chose to stay. But we had to adapt and blend in to survive. Until recent years when we felt we could reveal ourselves again."

She sighed. "I'm rambling. What I'm saying is, use caution, but try to observe. Don't go in guns a blazing, don't start a witch hunt. Observe and find out what they are after."

"Humanity has come a long way from the days of witch hunts but it still has a long way to go." Alec replied. "I'm all for observing and using caution Mari. However, there is a fine line between waiting too long and not acting soon enough. We need to be very observant here or it will get very bad, very quickly."

"I agree. And we need to come up with a reliable test to determine who is compromised and who is not. Dani was able to tell us that she is infected. Not everyone will be willing or able to tell us. You are extremely vulnerable. My... psychic awareness probably only gives me a slight edge on you. Honestly, Alec, if you get infected and give me a kiss, I could get infected too."

"I know Mari, I know. Easy enough solution. I just won't give you anymore kisses. Well, until this situation is over. I don't want you getting infected. It's bad enough Dani is. We've got a lot of work to do." He stopped and looked at her, "Why do you think I'm going to go in guns a blazing or start a witch hunt? If that was the case we never would have met, fallen in love and gotten married."

"Hmm, this is true. But I've had a lot of experience with witch hunts. You may not start one, but someone else will. I'll make sure Mandy continues to work on ways to find out who is and isn't compromised. I have a radical suggestion though. Our Romulan guests appear to be uncompromised. Perhaps we should move them to better accommodations. Guarded guest quarters perhaps. The commander seems relatively cooperative. I think she knows that that her people and ours have a mutual vested interest in resolving this situation. They have a couple of science officers with them. Perhaps we should enlist their assistance."

Alec nodded, "Alright, move them to better quarters with guards posted. I hope she realizes it. We did after all rescue them. You can talk to her ask her for her assistance and see where that goes as well as checking with Mandy on coming up with a test or a way to tell who is infected and who isn't." Alec answered.

Mari nodded and started to leave the ready room. Suddenly she stopped.

"Maybe gearing up for war is the wrong course of action with these creatures. Our Romulan guests stated they decimated the Empire's dilithium rich worlds. Maybe they are just hungry. I know the Federation is always searching for new sources of dilithium. We have the ability to find a place for them."

She shrugged just a thought.

"Bargin with them? Find them a home full of dilithium?" Alec replied. "Worth a shot." He admitted.

"It may be our only shot. All I can tell you is that based on your time with the Romulans do you think they would have tried to bargin with them? With a few exceptions, most of their commanders shoot first and ask questions later. It's your call Alec, in case you're forgetting I gave the ship back to you."

"90-95 percent of the current Romulan commanders would have opened fired on these creatures and worried about the consequences later." Alec replied firmly. He smiled at her, "I hadn't forgotten and thank you for giving the ship back to me. I know how much you want to keep it." He grinned at her.

"Well I won't deny that the center seat is a comfy one. But the Ares is yours. I just kept the seat warm and the coffee hot for you. But we need to get to bargaining and soon. And maybe, just maybe we can save what's left of the Romulan Empire too. I don't think Dani can hold out much longer"

"Alright, let's go and talk, try to work out a bargain we give them what they want which appears to be dilithium and we get Dani back and whomever else might be compromised." Alec replied firmly.

TBC on new thread (Breakthrough)

 

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