Find the Founders VII-restart

[Sionnach Glic]

Ruthless, but oh so satisfying.

[Mark]

Rochey quickly aimed and fired at the seemingly unconscious Bob, with the beam striking him solidly in the chest, blowing a large, gaping, and gooey hole. His eyes suddenly sprang open, and he leapt into the air, shifting into a gelatinous shape, coming down behind Stitch, spinning him around to use as cover, before resuming his former guise of the innocent crewman.

"It's always the damn cook." Tsuki muttered disgustedly.

"Everybody down!" Rochey barked, as he tried to take a bead on the evilly smiling Bob.

"Solids are just so dense," The Founder gloated. "I am simply amazed that none of you realized that I left this meatbag dead in corridor, and took his place. You REALLY must not know each other very well at all."

Nickswits snatched up Mark's phaser and also tried to draw a bead on the Founder, to no avail.

"Feel free to shoot." Bob gloated. "After all, you've already lost one brother, why not two?"

"Not today" Stitch said, and lifted his feet off the ground. The sudden shift of weight pulled the Founder off balance as Stitch struck the floor.

One beam of scarlet energy and one of gold both struck Bob in the chest. He withstood the combined fire for a second or two, before exploding in a mass of rapidly crystallizing goop.

The survivors of the Hermes looked at one another, in silent relief. One Founder was down.

[Mark]

NIGHTFALL

[Mark]

Everybody stood looking on in shock at what had transpired. The changeling's remains lay strewn across the deck, quickly crystallizing and turning into ash. Ensign Stitch leaned back against a console struggling to breathe and massage his throat. Master Chief Tsuki and Lieutenant Lazar stood up from the scant cover they took during the brief fight. Chief Petty Officer Rochey calmly slipped his tiny phaser back into its hidden pocket, as Ensign Nickswitz started shaking all over, dropping Mark's nearly dead weapon to the deck.

"Oh god, Bob" he stammered, "What have I done?"

In a flash Tsuki grabbed the Ensign, grabbing him by the chin and looking him square in the eyes.

"Kid, if you don't accept this RIGHT now, your life is gonna be a living hell." Tsuki spoke quietly and firmly. "That thing was NOT your brother. That bastard killed him and took his place in the escape pod, PLANNING on murdering every last one of us. You listen to me now. You did what you had to do as a Starfleet Officer. It's ok to mourn your brother, but you DID NOT kill him."

With tears welling up in his eyes, he nodded. Stitch had managed to regain his feet by this time, and also had tears running unashamedly down his face. He hugged his younger and only remaining brother, as Rochey, Tsuki, and Lazar offered comforting words and pats on the back and shoulders, again nobody hearing the telltale hiss of a hypospray taking a sample.

Lazar looked around at the carnage and the survivors, seeing exhaustion taking its toll.

"Ok everybody, let's stand down." Lazar ordered, "There isn't anything more we can do tonight, and we're dead on our feet." Looking at the grieving brothers he said "Ensigns, you take the night for yourselves. The Chief, the Master Chief, and I have the watch tonight."

Everybody nodded and went off to bed.

_____________________________________

Later that evening

In the quiet confines of his quarters, another vial was scanned. When the tricorder readings come up, the medic's eyes took on a distant look.

_____________________________________

The Founder was secretly furious.

"How dare these solids kill one of us?" it thought as it buzzed quietly by the sentry, having taken insect form to move silently.

It thought briefly about quickly taking this human's life, but decided to stick with the plan. It also gave long consideration to the other three doors it passed. Finally, it landed on the floor just outside of the "supposed" security specialist's quarters. It morphed into a gelatinous shape to silently pass through a rusted spot in the bulkhead, and with a twisted sense of humor, assumed the form of the dead Lt. Cmdr Mark. Its gaze wandered over to the shape laying rolled up in a blanket on the bunk by the wall.

"It's amazing how dumb these solids are" it thought. "It was supposed to be safeguarding the medic, while he tries to uncover me, and here he is sleeping on the job again."

With a sadistic grin, in shaped one of its arms into a sword and thrust the blade into the blanket clad roll. It realized something was wrong a quarter second before the bunk was sent flying from underneath as the security specialist lay in hiding underneath.

"Surprise!" he yelled, snapping off a quick shot at the already moving Founder, vaporizing the air vent in the room, but still yet missing the changeling.

"SON OF A BITCH!!!" he screamed, kicking his overturned bunk again, frustrated that it had gotten away.

[Sionnach Glic]

Get up! Get up! Everyone up!

[Tsukiyumi]

Good gods, man, what now?!

[Lazar]

Whoa! What happened? Is everybody safe?

[Sionnach Glic]

A Founder just attacked me. I managed to scare it off, though.

Lazar, who did you test last night, and what were they? We can end this now.

[Tsukiyumi]

Agreed. I'd like to hear the results myself.

[Lazar]

Okay, here goes: I tested Tsuki, and he came back human.

[Tsukiyumi]

Well, that only leaves Nick and Stitch, then. Insidious bastards took two of three brothers?! Whichever of you is the Founder is going to pay for that, I assure you.

[Nickswitz]

Looks at Stitch, I thought it might come to this. I am not a founder, If you don't believe me, shoot me, If you do shoot Stitch. It is up to you three what to do, I will die to keep these founder b******s from infiltrating the Federation even further. So chose who will die, me or him.

[Sionnach Glic]

If you don't believe me, shoot me,

Okay. All in favour?

[Lazar]

Sadly, aye.

[Nickswitz]

I am in favor, I would rather not go down as the last remaining member of my family, technically at least, and all I have to say is, good luck to you all, take down the bastard that killed my brothers!