The general sentiment among the crew was turning sour as the HSK infestation wormed its way into the Enterprise's fourth warp engine. The latest estimates predicted the starship's last containment field would breach within the hour, an engineering failure which promised to expose the ship's increasingly sullen crew to an unpleasant dose of rapid decompression.

Had their years of adventuring truly come down to this, this quiet death by ideograph? Spock stared glumly at the ceiling trying to recall the difference between an aspectual and modal particle. After his attempts to find a Chinese speaking member of the crew had failed, the Vulcan had turned philosophical. Others were less complacent. "We need to prepare a solid defense to this blood-sucking test," Kirk muttered, firing up his laptop.