. Suddenly, the Warbird went totally dark, all it's lights going out. Against the blackness of space it almost disappeared.
. Tabby looked up at the main viewer and muttered, "Huh, looks like the Warbird is merely a bird now, and completely harmless!"
. T'Lin, sitting on her elevated chair beside Den as he stood at the Tactical Console, reviewed the Tactical Display, trying to identify the Warbird in the darkness. She said, "Let us not get comfortable here!" She addressed Tabby directly, "Not gone, Tabeshk, hiding."
. But it wasn't hiding. The Warbird's systems had finally succumbed to the Green Energy Monster Nanites rampaging through its system. It had gone offline, it's computer system and power distribution network overwhelmed by an electronic cancer.
. Staring at the main viewer at the dark where the Warbird was supposed to be, the Captain said, "Tabby, maybe that virus of yours did the trick, huh?"
. Tabby answered, "Looks like it, but ... for how long? I don't know. Give me ...," he glanced at the Rift, "five minutes?"
. It was at that moment the ship's computer announced, "WARNING! Life Support systems have been disabled. Total atmospheric loss in 15 minutes."
. Though the Warbird went dark, the Battlecruiser did not. Another set of high-energy plasma beams leaped out, raking along the Penumbra's shields. But all that power from the Core was keeping the shields strong and phasers, even the high-intensity ones used by the Aslans, weren't getting through it.
. "Carter," the Captain said, "As soon as you think you have enough clearance, go for it. We trust your flying. But ... remember, we have 4 nacelles. I'd like to have all 4 on the other side, please."
. Patterson, seeing the Warbird go dark, turned to Tabby and said, "Tabby, open a channel, subspace audio only, to the Aslan cruisers. Tell them ... this is their opportunity to free themselves from their oppressive overlord. Tell them to destroy the Warbird. See if they cooperate."