《Star Trek: Sidereal》
[1x01] Falling With Wings On Fire
[ Act One ]
¡°Captain¡¯s log, stardate 88260.2.
We¡¯ve delivered the provided 3,000 metric tons of emergency supplies to the colony on Szaris III-A. While the people are certainly thankful for everything we brought, it¡¯s not nearly enough and the colony is effectively destroyed. Ghalon Marrik, the new provisional governor, reported over 18,000 dead according to the latest sensor readings and medical reports.
I¡¯ve relayed his request for evacuation to Starfleet Command five hours ago and am still waiting for a response. I only hope SC is taking so long to answer because they¡¯re trying to organize more ships. There are still over 80,000 people in the colony, or what remains of it.
In preparation for the expected evacuation, I¡¯ve ordered the Sidereal to make available any space possible. Lieutenant M¡¯Tiras is organizing the conversion of all free areas into temporary bunks, and Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg has organized the crew to move into shared quarters to free up more rooms for evacuees. The crew is reacting to the situation with the passion and professionalism I learned they were willing to give. Hundreds of the crew volunteered and are working overtime and additional shifts, especially members of the engineering and medical departments.
Secondary explosions in the uridium deposits inside the planet¡¯s crust are causing additional earth quakes and volcanic eruptions that further complicate the rescue operations. It appears that the initial accident ignited some underground ore veins, which are now burning through the crust like fuses between powder kegs.
We still don¡¯t know what caused the colony¡¯s fusion reactor to go critical, since the used model had an excellent track record of safety and stability. Any investigation will prove to be extremely difficult, since the power plant has been reduced to a smoldering crater by the explosion.
Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva and her engineers deployed addition ground probes to give the people on the surface more warning time from aftershocks, and to help us isolate the ignited veins. Ensign Arsiv is working on a way to stop the secondary explosions from propagating further. The main contributing factor appears to be that the ground between uridium pockets contains trace amounts of dilithium lattices, which convert heat into kinetic and electrical energy, which then ignites the uridium, which in turn produces more heat to agitate the next lattice.
We¡¯re trying to adapt the solution the Enterprise-D used at stardate 42741 to solve a similar issue at Drema IV. However, so far, our attempts have not been successful, since the lattices on Szaris III-A are not large enough to be susceptible to a large-scale resonance pulse. Ensign Arsiv has also suggested to use the ship¡¯s phasers to destroy the inter-pocket dilithium deposits, carving out a safe area like a fire break to interrupt the chain reaction.
However, this would cause significant additional damage to the continent¡¯s tectonic plate, and our simulations can¡¯t foresee the geological consequences of this approach. For now, I¡¯ve decided not to implement the fire break plan, since the after effects could make the situation for the people in the colony even worse. We¡¯ll continue working on other solutions while waiting for a response from SC.
End log.¡±
Sina sighed heavily and slumped back into the chair in her ready room. It¡¯s been a long day since they arrived at Szaris III-A, and she was pushing already over nineteen hours on duty. She would have never expected the situation to be this bad, and if she¡¯d known beforehand what awaited her and her crew, she¡¯d have gotten here much faster with much more supplies. The assignment simply read ¡°transport of emergency supplies and provision of relief effort to colony after reactor failure,¡± but nowhere did it say the planet was basically blowing up under the colonists¡¯ feet.
The young Romulan woman closed her eyes and rubbed her temples while taking a deep breath. She was feeling tired, exhausted, but most of all frustrated. It gnawed on her that she couldn¡¯t do more to help the people on the planet. It seems that Ensign Arsiv¡¯s fire break plan was their best shot, but they didn¡¯t know if it wouldn¡¯t make things worse. She knew she would have to let her crew do the work, but it wasn¡¯t easy for her to let go.
Sina ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the length of the thick black and dark blue strands, as she tried to tame the mane back into her signature shoulder-length pony tail. Once she had secured her hair, she opened her eyes and rose from her chair. She picked up the PADD from the desk before walking over to the replicator console. While she contemplated what she would order, her blue left eye and green right eye wandered over the device¡¯s interface.
Eventually, Sina requested a drink that had the necessary punch to keep her going for a little more, while not tasting too terrible. She had eventually acquired quite a taste for it, after being dared into drinking it three years ago onboard the Hierophant. ¡°Vulcan mocha, extra strong, extra sweet, two ground cubes of ice, ten degrees centigrade.¡±
While waiting for the pale blue swirl of energy to form into a tall glass filled with the dark creamy liquid, Sina stretched her back and shoulders, trying to surpass her normal height of one meter and seventy-four centimeters. Her athletic and well-toned body slightly shifted from one foot to the other as she moved her hands as high as she could, grasping at an invisible target far above her head. After a few more moments, the Romulan¡¯s arms fell back to her side, and she pulled her uniform back into place before reaching for her drink.
She grabbed the cool glass and took a long sip. The chilled creamy liquid easily ran down her throat and sent a welcome shiver through her body. It took only a few moments for the sugar and caffeine to work their way into her blood. Sina quickly started feeling more awake and refreshed but knew that it would only buy her another hour, at most two, before she would really need to check out. She kept drinking and emptied the glass in a few large gulps.
With a satisfied sigh, she placed the now empty glass back on the replicator¡¯s surface and dissolved it with the press of a button before heading towards the door leading back to the bridge. The doors opened with their well-known swoosh, and Sina returned to the bridge. The Sidereal¡¯s command center followed the same layout as the well-known Sovereign class¡¯s, making it one of the more comfortable and practical bridge designs currently in service. Immediately five heads rose and turned to face her.
When Sina hadn¡¯t given any new orders to anyone after a long and silent moment, the heads went down again and continued with their work and their captain proceeded to her chair. The first officer, Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg, was sitting in his chair, occupied with his PADD. The device seemed almost delicate in his hands, and his one meter and eighty-four centimeters tall muscular form filled out the chair almost completely.
Hearing his commanding officer approach, Niko looked up and nodded at Sina as she sat on the captain¡¯s chair. The German officer with short cut dark blonde hair cleared his throat to report what happened since she had left for her ready room twenty minutes ago.
¡°The preparations are coming along as planned, captain. The crew has finished moving into shared quarters, which gives us a total of about 230 additional rooms. I also just got word from Shori that the holodeck and all holosuites have been converted, as well as all the free cargo bays. The hangar deck will take four more hours. We¡¯ll not quite make it to the official evac limit, but we¡¯ll get close enough. Once everything is done, we¡¯ll be able to pick up about 3,700 evacuees.¡±
Sina nodded and sighed. ¡°3,700 isn¡¯t-¡±
¡°I know it doesn¡¯t seem much, but it¡¯s the best we can do,¡± Niko interrupted her, knowing exactly what his captain was going to say. His CO hadn¡¯t been in the best mood since they arrived at Szaris III-A and getting overly pessimistic won¡¯t be of much help anyway. ¡°And I¡¯m sure Starfleet will send more ships. SC can be a bit weird sometimes, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll not expect an Akira class to evacuate a whole colony.¡±
¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just that¡¡± Sina lifted her right hand in a frustrated gesture, only to drop it on her thigh again before she went on. ¡°¡this day¡¯s been a hot mess since the moment we got here. First the mission briefing that turned out to be incomplete or outright wrong in all the important details, then the earthquake that almost killed Visra¡¯s landing party four hours ago, now the delay getting a decisive answer from SC. And it¡¯s so frustrating that we can¡¯t do more right now.¡±
Niko turned his chair to face the captain. ¡°Sina, I¡¯m right there with you, but for the moment we¡¯ve done what we can. This situation is not something we can brute force our way through, and we need help with this one. We must wait for the ground probes¡¯ sensor data and let Visra and Nadya figure something out. The away teams are providing whatever help they can, and we¡¯re beaming up the critical medical cases to treat them onboard. You won¡¯t make things move any faster by pumping yourself full of energy boosters or caffeine or whatever, just to then collapse an hour later.¡±
He smirked at Sina and continued. ¡°You¡¯re already around fifteen hours past the end of your shift, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a Starfleet regulation about that somewhere¡¡±
The Romulan woman raised an eyebrow and looked at her executive officer. Once she saw Niko¡¯s wry smile and the mischievous sparkle in his brown eyes, she knew he had pulled out his dry and slightly sarcastic humor. But she also knew that he was right, and that further discussions would lead nowhere. ¡°I know, I know,¡± she mumbled in not quite but almost defeated tone, and after a few more moments got up from her chair. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to go and take a break before you pull out the rulebook on me,¡± she responded with a smile of her own.
¡°Guess so¡,¡± The Lieutenant Commander grinned and stood, moving next to the captain¡¯s chair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the moment we get a response from Starfleet Command, or anything happens on the planet, I¡¯ll let you know. I expect to see you well rested in, hmm, at least ten hours.¡±
Sina returned the smile and stood from her chair. She handed Niko the PADD and stepped away from the central seat. ¡°Lieutenant Commander, you have the bridge. See you tomorrow.¡± She then turned and headed for the turbolift, while her fellow officers wished her a good night.
After she had stepped into the turbolift, Sina leaned her back against the wall for a moment. ¡°Computer, deck four, starboard section.¡± The cabin acknowledged her command with a soft chirp and the lift swiftly carried her away from the bridge module, bringing her closer to her home away from home on the deck below. The lift came to a soft halt only a few seconds later, and Sina left the vehicle, quickly closing the few remaining meters to her quarters.
Once inside, Sina let out a deep sigh as the tensions of the last twenty-four hours started to gradually fade away. For the next couple of hours, she was free, and Niko and the rest of the crew would take care of business. She walked towards her bedroom, rubbing her fingers up and down the frontal seam of her Odyssey code uniform jacket to activate the well-integrated and almost invisible bioelectric zipper. The black jacket with the white shoulder parts and the stripe with the typical Command division red effortlessly opened and easily came off the Romulan¡¯s shoulders.
¡°Computer, lights on, thirty percent brightness,¡± she said as she entered her bedroom. Instantly a subdued warm yellow-white light filled the room, making the hand-crafted daggers on their stands glimmer weakly and cast diffuse jagged shadows across the walls. Sina threw her jacket onto the bed and kicked off her shoes, then stripped out of the rest of her uniform. Wearing only her dark gray undergarments, the young Romulan strode into the bathroom, looking forward to a long hot shower.
Half an hour later, the young Commander returned, wrapped in a long pale blue Starfleet issue terrycloth bathrobe. She could feel how the effects of her sugar and caffeine cocktail from earlier was already losing effectiveness, manifesting itself in a hearty drawn-out yawn. She fetched a PADD from a dresser on her way into the living area of her quarters and dropped onto one of the recliners. Sina lazily tapped away at the device¡¯s interface and brought up the latest letter from her adoptive mother Neila Gallagher.
Contrary to what many people thought, the opportunities for face-to-face communication with your loved ones was often quite rare. The list of reasons was quite long and included busy schedules for either party, time zone differences between sender and receiver, stellar phenomena interrupting subspace communication, system maintenance on either end, limited available channels during emergency situations, and a whole slew of other complications. This meant that most of the time, starship crews would receive and send recordings or letters, which were easier to arrange and transmit than life feeds.
Sina had received the letter four days ago, while they were loading the emergency supplies for the colony from Starbase 84. The last time she had seen her mother in person was over a year ago. Sina had been terribly busy since she assumed command of the Sidereal ten months ago, and her assignments left her little chance to return home whenever she liked. Looking at the pictures and video snippets attached to the letter managed to bring a happy smile to her face. Her mother had gotten a Labrador puppy, and the small black dog was the cutest thing Sina had seen in months.
Remembering her last visit home, the young Romulan hoped that she would someday soon be able to somehow justify a visit back to Earth. She wanted so badly to cuddle and play with the tipsy puppy, who was still stumbling over his own paws, but also to hug her mother. It tugged heavy on Sina¡¯s heart reading in the letter how much Neila missed her. She knew that she should pay more attention to her mother, since time was a merciless killer and Neila wasn¡¯t getting younger.
With a sad sigh she took one last look at a recording of the Labrador diving into a pile of toys, and then switched off the PADD. Eventually the Vulcan mocha wore off, and the young woman¡¯s thoughts became more tired and more sluggish by the minute. She yawned again, and rose from the arm chair, leaving the data device behind. Sina shuffled into the bedroom, changed into her nightgown, and crawled under the covers. ¡°Computer, lights off,¡± she ordered and was asleep before she had turned around a second time.
[ Act Two ]
Captain D¡¯raxis stepped off the turbolift and entered the bridge. She had slept for almost sixteen hours straight and felt quite guilty coming back only so late. She noticed that the bridge was quite empty. From her alpha shift only Rel and Duncan where here, and conn was manned by Ensign Soriz, a male Vulcan from beta shift. Lieutenant Neirrek sat in the central chair and studied the tectonic display shown on the main view screen. Upon hearing the lift doors opening, he turned around, and immediately rose from the seat and handed over command to the CO. ¡°Good day, Commander. Captain has the bridge.¡±
Sina smiled and nodded, responding in kind before taking the captain¡¯s chair. ¡°Captain has the bridge. Good morning everyone, sorry I¡¯m late. I hopelessly overslept. Where¡¯s the rest?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow and gesturing at the empty stations.
¡°Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg is on the planet, together with Ensign Yamada and Ensign Arsiv. They wanted to discuss a plan with governor Marrik that could significantly reduce the tectonic activity on the continent. Apparently, Ensign Arsiv found a way to improve her idea of using the ship¡¯s weapons to a degree that has much fewer side effects.¡±
Rel moved to his tactical station and grabbed a PADD from the top of his console, before returning to the CO. ¡°They left three hours ago. Niko didn¡¯t want to wake you, since nothing has been decided yet. But I¡¯ve got the updated suggestion here for your review.¡±
¡°Thank you, Rel.¡± Sina took the data device, and started reading through the document. As she kept scrolling through the PADD¡¯s data, it seemed that Visra had refined her calculations to the point, where it became apparent that the Sidereal¡¯s main weapons were not suited for the task. But apparently the phasers of a Peregrine attack fighter could deliver the adequate firepower with the required precision.
The ship did carry ten attack fighters, and it seemed Ensign Arsiv¡¯s new plan was to use them to simultaneously make precision strikes on multiple dilithium deposits at the same time to interrupt the chain reaction. Sina checked the suggested flight plans on the PADD. The plan was to utilize the fighters ahead of the dilithium-uridium chain reaction and use their phasers to drill into the tectonic plate to vaporize the dilithium lattices to create a fire break.
Visra had identified seven locations which would be perfect to stop the reaction, but they had to act within the next eight hours or the explosions would pass those choke points. The risk was still high, as two of the coordinates were right on top of a tectonic fault line only 2,400 kilometers away from the colony. The Alusi scientist had calculated a seventeen percent chance of the continent breaking at that line.
Now Sina understood why Niko went ahead and started discussions with the governor immediately without waiting for her. And she found he was right to do so. If the tectonic plate broke, it would release an earthquake of at least magnitude ten. That would be devastating to the colony. But weeks, possible months or even years of continuous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions weren¡¯t much better either, considering their side effects.
Sina was deep in thoughts, contemplating one option over the other, when suddenly the bridge¡¯s comms chirped. ¡°Heisenberg to Sidereal. We have the green light from the governor. Rel, can you inform the captain?¡±
The Romulan smirked and answered before the Cardassian officer could do so. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Niko. I¡¯m here and already checked the new plan with the attack fighters. What¡¯s your status?¡±
¡°Ah, good to hear you¡¯re back. Hope you had a good night.¡± Niko quipped, before reporting on the colony¡¯s decision. ¡°Governor Marrik and the colonial council gave us the go for our new plan. While they¡¯re not too keen on the seventeen percent chance of the continent cracking in two, they are even less optimistic about the tectonic activity subsiding on its own. If it works, and the crust stabilizes, they¡¯ll stay in the colony. If it fails, or simply doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯re still prepared to start the evacuation.¡±
¡°I see. If I read the report correctly, we have at most eight hours to get it done, right?¡±
¡°That is correct. But we should be able to pull it off. Visra has already calculated the exact coordinates for all strikes, and we have enough fighters to cover them all. Since Noriko is certified on the Peregrine fighter, I had her attend the meeting to decide how to best handle it. Turns out that the required angles of attack are no problem for the fighters.¡±
Sina nodded with a sense of pride filling her at her officers¡¯ solution. They had done a good job, and it made her feel a little less guilty of not being always with them. ¡°Good. What about the colonists? Even with the failure risk relatively low, they can¡¯t stay in the colony. If the tectonic plate breaks, the resulting earthquake would flatten every single building down there.¡±
¡°We know. And Marrik and his people are already preparing a relocation. There¡¯s a stable plateau about five shuttle minutes from the colony. The colonists are already reconfiguring everything that flies into a personal transport. If we help with all our shuttles and ignore the passenger limits, we can fully evacuate the colony in less than six hours. That gives us two hours to stop the chain reaction.¡±
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll have the shuttles prepared asap and sent planet-side. Is there anything else you need?¡± Sina asked, carefully optimistic that they could still save the colony.
¡°Could you replicate a giant portion of luck?¡± Came through the comm, and the bridge crew could clearly hear the sarcasm Niko used to cover up his nervousness. ¡°But no, the shuttles and the fighters will be enough. That¡¯s all for now, I¡¯ll call again when we¡¯re done with the evac. Heisenberg out.¡±
Barely had the channel to the planet closed when Sina already called the hangar deck, trying to remember who the deck boss on duty was during alpha shift. ¡°Bridge to hangar deck. Lieutenant Monroe?¡±
¡°Yes captain, Monroe here. What can I do for you?¡± Came the Human lieutenant¡¯s response.
¡°I need all shuttles, and I really mean all, reconfigured for maximum passenger capacity and launch ready asap. And switch off the overloading warnings. We must help relocate the colonists before we can try to stabilize the planet, and they don¡¯t have quite enough capacity to do it themselves. I need this to be top priority for you and your team right now. Start with the Runabouts and the Argos and send them immediately to Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg¡¯s location as they get ready.¡±
¡°Understood captain. We¡¯ll need¡¡± Sina could hear some brief shouts and calls in the background, before Monroe finished his response. ¡°We¡¯ll need about twenty minutes. Anything else?¡±
¡°Yes. In about five to six hours we need the attack fighters. Standard load-out, and double check that the phaser emitters are capable of delivering maximum power.¡±
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll report when the shuttles and Peregrines are ready. Monroe out.¡±
Sina let out a sigh and sank back on her chair. The pressure of the situation was weighing down heavily upon her. She knew that the rest of her officers weren¡¯t doing any better, with over 80,000 lives depending on their actions and decisions in the next eight hours. The Romulan pressed some buttons on the PADD to query the log entries from seventeen hours ago and started reading what had happened in the meantime. She was so buried in the reports that she jumped a little when the comms came on eighteen minutes later.
¡°Monroe to bridge. All shuttles have been reconfigured and we¡¯re launching the last ones now.¡±
¡°Thank you, Lieutenant. Good job!¡±
¡°No problem, captain. We¡¯ll start with the fighters now and keep them all ready on standby in case you need them earlier. Monroe out.¡±
Sina was proud of her people. The estimation of twenty minutes for twenty-five craft had seemed overly optimistic to her, but the hangar crew had even managed to beat that by two minutes. She knew how much she was asking from them right now, and that many members of medical and engineering were already working overtime. But she also knew that they were doing this because of their unwavering dedication and passion. The crew had seen images of the crater, and the destruction going on on the planet. They tried their hardest to help in any way they could.
¡°Sidereal to Heisenberg. We¡¯ve just launched the last of the shuttles. How¡¯s your situation?¡± Sina inquired, hoping for some good news from the colony.
¡°The Runabouts are already loading up their second groups, and the Argos are on their way back from the first run. The relocation¡¯s coming along okay, but the people here are exhausted and terrified. For now, they cooperate and are relatively peaceful and organized, but I don¡¯t know how much more they can take. We can only hope our plan works. Noriko has taken over one of the Runabouts, and Visra will be returning to the ship any minute now to make some last refinements to the coordinates and required phaser configuration.¡±
¡°Understood Niko. Keep me updated on any changes. Godspeed. Sidereal out.¡±
Captain D¡¯raxis was making a mental note to make up for the stress and pressure of the situation in the upcoming weeks once their duties had returned to a more relaxed schedule again. She¡¯d probably suggest shuffling the duty rosters a little to give everyone some more time off and increase the holodeck quotas. She could also check to get some time planet-side the next time they were a little closer to a Federation core world.
Sina went to her ready room to make a supplemental log entry, when another call came through. It was Duncan, informing her of an incoming subspace transmission. ¡°Clark to D¡¯raxis. Captain, we¡¯re receiving an incoming transmission from Starfleet Command. It¡¯s Vice Admiral Leonard Horner.¡±
¡°Thanks Duncan. I¡¯ll take the call in my ready room, just patch him through.¡±
The comm channel closed and was replaced by SC¡¯s logo on the large wall mounted display in the ready room. It took a few moments for the security details between the Sidereal and Starfleet HQ being negotiated, but once the subspace channel¡¯s encryption was established the logo faded, and the Vice Admiral appeared.
¡°Commander D¡¯raxis.¡± The elderly Human flag officer nodded slightly. The man looked sincere and a little intimidating, with his completely bald head, his neatly trimmed white beard, and his steel blue eyes that were still full of wit and knowledge. ¡°I apologize for the delayed response. Hope it didn¡¯t cause too many problems? How¡¯s the colony¡¯s situation?¡±
¡°No, Vice Admiral.¡± Sina replied, standing in front the display to show her respect to the superior officer.
¡°But the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions still continue. The chain reaction is ongoing, but our science officer, Ensign Arsiv, devised a plan to stop it. We will try using our attack fighters¡¯ phasers to penetrate the crust and destroy the dilithium deposits in the continental plates. Using the Peregrines instead of the Sidereal gives us significantly more precision, and a greatly reduced risk of failure. Still, there¡¯s a seventeen percent chance of the continental plate breaking apart during the operation, so we¡¯re currently relocating all colonists to a save area that could survive this event.¡±
¡°I see. We greatly appreciate your efforts and dedication, Commander, but the SCE has reviewed your plan and deemed it too risky. If the plates should break, the colony¡¯s ecosystem would deteriorate faster than we could work against it. In agreement with Admiral T¡¯Pel and Fleet Captain Dotur we decided to evacuate the colony. However, there has been a recent development that requires the Sidereal to return to Starbase 84 as soon as possi-¡±
¡°What?!¡± The Commander interrupted the Vice Admiral, suddenly feeling personally challenged on her morality. ¡°With all due respect sir, but what the hell?! Are you seriously asking us to abandon those people?¡±
¡°I understand how much stress this situation must be for you and your people, but please let¡¯s not forget the proper protocol. No, we¡¯re not abandoning the colonists. Haven¡¯t you been contacted yet for the mission handover?¡± Vice Admiral Horner asked, the minor annoyance about Sina¡¯s interruption and outburst clearly audible in his voice.
The Romulan took a deep breath and uttered a sincere apology. ¡°My apologies, Vice Admiral. It¡¯s just been two exhausting days. No, we haven¡¯t heard of any replacement yet. What¡¯s the deal with that, Sir?¡±
¡°I fully understand Commander, believe me. The Sidereal will return to Starbase 84, and the Aventine and Hypatia will take over the evacuation. They should arrive at Szaris III-A in less than ten hours if my information is correct. It all just came together on short notice, and I¡¯ve basically called you just out of the meeting, so that¡¯s probably why the communication¡¯s been a little messed up.¡± Flag officer Horner explained, visibly relaxing after Sina¡¯s apology.
¡°Understood.¡± The Romulan Commander acknowledged, mentally recalling what she knew about those ships. They both belonged to the Vesta class, state-of-the-art vessels filled with bleeding edge technology, including a quantum slipstream drive. Those ships could probably fully evacuate the colony before the Sidereal had completed one trip. ¡°Vice Admiral, I really appreciate that SC dispatched those two ships to help the colonists. But what is the Sidereal needed for at Starbase 84, Sir?¡±
The elderly Human grabbed a PADD from outside the screen and pressed a few buttons to bring up the information. ¡°During a border skirmish with the Tholians, the Kepler suffered critical damage. She survived the skirmish, but her condition is so bad that it doesn¡¯t make sense to put her up for retrofit any more. She¡¯s basically a full loss, and the time and material spent on repairing her would be wasted.¡±
He put away the device again and continued, visibly frustrated about the ship¡¯s loss. ¡°Even if we put in the effort to repair this over sixty years old Nebula, she would still miss her appointed upgrade slot at the San Francisco Yards. But the Sidereal would be a good substitute for the slot, and we would hate to waste that opportunity. So, the plan is to have the Sidereal drop off most personnel on Starbase 84 for extended leave and return to Earth with a skeleton crew for retrofitting.¡±
Sina was happy and sad at the same time after hearing the Vice Admiral¡¯s orders. The opportunity to return to Earth, even if just for a few weeks, was good news on so many levels. She¡¯d get to see her mother again, spend some time with her family and play with their puppy. On the other hand, she¡¯d miss many of her friends onboard the Sidereal. She knew from experience that sometimes after such assignments the old crews never came back together.
¡°And one last thing, Commander.¡± The Vice Admiral continued. ¡°The transfer request has been granted.¡±
The Romulan¡¯s thoughts snapped back to the present in an instant. ¡°Transfer request, Sir? Which transfer request?¡±
The flag officer paused for a second, then his eyes opened in surprise and a little embarrassment, and he audibly drew in a deep breath. ¡°Oh¡ Well, Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva applied for the position of chief engineer on the Enterprise. She got the job. The Enterprise will meet you at Starbase 84 for the transfer.¡±
[ Act Three ]
¡°And again, thank you for your efforts, Commander.¡± Ghalon Marrik said, his face visibly more relaxed than it had been a couple hours before. At first the news of the stabilization effort being canceled had understandably upset him, but when he was told that some of the fastest ships of Starfleet had been redirected to evacuate his people he looked as if a boulder had been taken off his shoulders.
¡°No problem, governor. I¡¯m only sorry it didn¡¯t work out as we had planned, but I think in the end it will be better for your people. Szaris III-A is becoming more inhospitable by the day, and the sooner we get you all to safety the better.¡± Sina replied, nodding to the governor on the left side of the view screen. The right half of the screen showed Captain Dax, the petite joined Trill in command of the USS Aventine. ¡°I know that your people are in good hands with Captain Dax.¡±
¡°No worries Commander, we¡¯ll get them to a nice new place faster than you can say ¡®peekaboo.¡¯¡± Ezri Dax said with an optimistic smile on her face. ¡°I also want to thank you for your efforts, Commander D¡¯raxis. I¡¯ve read your reports, and you and your crew have gone above and beyond the call. I can imagine how difficult the situation must have been. But I must go now. We¡¯ve almost completed beaming up the first evacuation group. The Hypatia is also almost ready.¡±
¡°Yes, we also have to go. Starbase 84 is waiting for us. Governor, I wish you and your people all the best on your new home. Captain Dax, it has been an honor. Sidereal out.¡± Sina closed the channel and sank back into her chair, letting out a loud sigh.
¡°Quite the day, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Remarked Niko, tapping away at his console to acknowledge the last handover confirmations and reports.
¡°You don¡¯t say. I could have well done without the last three days, and I guess I¡¯m not alone in this. But at least we all learned something. We learned that we should really make better scans of a planet before establishing a colony, we learned that we can reconfigure all of our shuttles in less than twenty minutes, and we learned that the Sidereal is hopelessly outdated.¡±
The last sentence she added with a laugh, gently padding her armrests. ¡°But she¡¯s still our ship, no matter what.¡± Captain D¡¯raxis relaxed for a long moment with her eyes closed. After several seconds she opened her eyes again and turned towards the conn. ¡°Noriko, set course for Starbase 84. Warp eight.¡±
¡°Aye, captain. Starbase 84, warp eight.¡± Ensign Yamada quickly tapped on the conn console to set the flight path and speed. ¡°Course laid in.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
¡°Engage.¡±
The Akira class turned away from the planet, silently gliding past the two Vesta classes in orbit around Szaris III-A. She moved out of orbit, pointing towards the edge of the system, when her warp nacelles started glowing in a bright blue light, and with a fierce pounce the ship leaped to warp. The planet rapidly fell away into the darkness of space, and the view screen filled with the streaks of interstellar particles as the ship raced through the void at over one thousand times the speed of light.
¡°Niko, you have a moment?¡± Sina asked and nodded her head her ready room. Her first officer furrowed his brow slightly but nodded. The two officers stood and headed towards the door leading to the captain¡¯s office. ¡°Rel, you¡¯ve got the bridge.¡±
CO and XO entered the ready room. Niko waited for the doors to close before he asked. ¡°Something wrong?¡±
¡°No. Maybe. I don¡¯t know. Did you know that Nadya was leaving us?¡± The Romulan replied, plopping down on her chair behind her desk.
¡°What? No, I didn¡¯t know. When? Why?¡± Niko replied surprised, pulling the chair from in front of the desk to the side, eventually sitting next to his captain.
¡°Vice Admiral Horner told me she had applied for the position of chief engineer on the Enterprise. She was accepted. The Enterprise will be waiting at Starbase 84 for the transfer. I mean, I¡¯m truly happy for her. Making CE on the flagship is a huge step forward. I¡¯m proud of her that she made it. But I worry that I missed something, and that it¡¯s not the Sidereal being outdated that made her make this decision, but me.¡±
¡°Oh, come on Sina, we both know that¡¯s not the case. If Nadya was unhappy with something, she would have told. You know that she¡¯s a perfectionist who couldn¡¯t ever stand letting a grievance go unnoticed. I get that it¡¯s difficult for you to hear it from a Vice Admiral instead of Nadya herself, and I¡¯m also sad to see her leave. She was an outstanding officer and an exceptional engineer. Maybe you should simply go talk to her. We still have a few days before we reach Starbase 84.¡±
Sina smiled at her XO. ¡°You always know the right things to say. Ever thought about a career as a counselor?¡± She teased as she stood up.
¡°Yes. Considered and disregarded immediately.¡± Niko replied, laughing softly as he followed the captain back to the bridge.
¡°Niko, you have the bridge. I¡¯m going to have a chat with our chief engineer.¡± The Romulan woman said and headed right for the turbolift. Inside the turbolift, she queried the computer for Nadya¡¯s current location. ¡°Computer, locate Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva.¡± The reply came instantly, and Nadya was apparently in her private quarters. ¡°Computer, deck seven, starboard section aft.¡± Less than a minute later, Sina stood in front of the Lieutenant Commander¡¯s accommodation. She took a deep breath to gather her courage and pressed the bell button.
¡°Come in.¡± Sounded the reply through the speaker, and the door opened. Sina carefully stepped into the room. A moment later Nadya turned around the corner from the bathroom, wearing a casual dark green jumpsuit, covered by a long tunic in a lighter shade of green. Her shoulder-length platinum blonde hair flowed freely from her head. The one and a three-quarter meters tall and slender Russian woman looked at Sina, and her expression betrayed her feelings. They both knew what they were going to talk about.
¡°Captain.¡± She paused for a second, before she continued, having difficulties holding her CO¡¯s gaze. ¡°I think I know why you¡¯re here. Please, take a seat. Can I get you something?¡± Nadya asked, while slowly walking towards the recliner seats in the back of the living room. She gestured towards one seat and waited until her guest had sat down.
¡°No, I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Sina replied softly. ¡°Vice Admiral Horner told me some hours ago. First, I want to congratulate you. I guess it¡¯s every Starfleet officer¡¯s big dream to one day make it onto the Enterprise. I¡¯m really happy for you¡¡± Her voice trailed off as she was searching for a way to steer the conversation towards her big question.
However, she didn¡¯t have to, because Nadya got straight to the point as always. ¡°But you wonder why I didn¡¯t tell you before. I can also understand if you feel betrayed by my actions. Which¡¡± She swallowed. ¡°¡was never my intention. I have no issues with you or your style of command, nor with any other senior officer in your staff. My primary motivation was to advance my career.¡±
¡°But why didn¡¯t you tell me that you wanted to transfer?¡± Sina asked, partially - but not fully - satisfied by Nadya¡¯s explanation.
¡°I didn¡¯t do that, because I wanted to avoid unnecessary conflicts. If I had told you that I wanted to transfer off the Sidereal, but hadn¡¯t gotten the position, how would that have left us? It would have been unnecessarily embarrassing and stressful for both of us. So, it was easier to not inform you, even more since you were not the reason for my request in the first place. I would have come to you later today, at the end of your shift to inform you. But it seems that will no longer be necessary.¡±
¡°And your secondary motivation?¡± The Romulan woman asked, having noticed that her CE had not spilled all the beans yet. She knew from experience that the Lieutenant Commander never used ¡°first¡± or ¡°primary¡± if there was only one point to talk about. Sina looked at the Augment¡¯s light pink eyes and started to worry when Nadya¡¯s expression became slightly agonized and she looked away from the Commander. ¡°Nadya, are you okay?¡±
¡°My apologies, captain, but I haven¡¯t been completely honest. There was another reason¡ a quite personal one¡¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Sina tried to console her colleague, but the proud Russian shook her head.
¡°No, I¡¯m fine. And you deserve to know. It¡¯s just difficult to find the right words¡¡± Nadya took a deep breath and paused for a second.
¡°I saw the application to the Enterprise as a chance to resolve a problem that¡¯s been ongoing since the day you came aboard almost three years ago. You know I¡¯ve always striven to keep it professional with regards to everything I did. No matter if that were my duties, my relationships with my coworkers, or my personal conduct. And with you around, the second and third aspect started to falter.¡±
She slowly kneaded her hands, her nervousness completely foreign to the CO. Sina had always known Nadya as the definition of professionalism. But now, what she was hinting at tied the Romulan¡¯s belly in a knot. ¡°Nadya, I¡ I never knew¡¡±
¡°Then I was successful. I tried my hardest to suppress my feelings and not let anyone, especially you, know. It would not only have been against my principles but also highly inappropriate to show affection for¡¡±
¡°¡your commanding officer.¡± Sina finished the sentence for her and watched Nadya¡¯s head drop in a pained nod. ¡°But why did you bottle up those emotions for all those years? Why didn¡¯t you talk with Jeffrey about it?¡±
Nadya sighed softly. ¡°Because nobody could know. Nobody. It would have affected my duties even more. Other officers onboard also dealt with their feelings, with affairs, with rejection. I couldn¡¯t be the only one who went to the counselor for a triviality.¡±
Sina was shocked to hear that, and her eyes started to water up. To hear that a good and well-known colleague was leaving the ship because she thought she couldn¡¯t have talked about her emotions. ¡°Nadya, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Your emotions are not a triviality, and I¡¯m sorry you had the impression you couldn¡¯t talk with anyone about it. If I had known, I would have¡ I would¡¡± She was desperately searching for words to express her thoughts. ¡°Now I feel I failed you. Not only did I not notice, but I¡¯m also respon-¡±
¡°No, don¡¯t you think that.¡± Nadya interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯re not responsible for this situation, and neither have you failed me. You¡¯re a good captain. The crew likes you and thinks highly of you. They think you¡¯re a worthy successor to Shelen. These were my decisions and mine alone. There¡¯s only one to blame, and that¡¯s me. With my transfer, it will become much easier to deal with my sentiments. For me, as well as now also for you.¡±
The Romulan looked at the woman next to her and blinked her tears away. With a sob that was halfway between happy and sad, Sina just stood up and walked over to Nadya, and pulled her into a close embrace. ¡°Why do you have to make things so complicated?¡± After a second, she felt Nadya¡¯s arms close around her back and return the hug. Eventually, after another two hours of much needed talking and soul searching, both Sina and Nadya could see each other off with a clean conscience, and the captain returned to the bridge.
Three days later, the Sidereal arrived at Starbase 84. As they approached the gigantic space station, they saw a dull silvery shape next to it. Niko whistled and remarked mightily impressed. ¡°Now would you look at that. There she is, in all her glory. Computer, focus on the ship next to the starbase and magnify.¡± The computer did as it was told, and a moment later the NCC-1701-G filled the whole view screen.
The new Federation flagship¡¯s hull was sleek and elegant, yet it still projected an aura of power and strength. The primary hull was a massive forward slanted oval saucer, with two ellipsoid cutouts in its center that formed a massive bridge on the longitudinal axis. The saucer connected to the secondary hull with a short neck, not unlike the design of the Sovereign class. The hull¡¯s next tier regenerative ablative armor was a dulled silvery brushed metal mixed with dark gray and black markings which gave the whole vessel a sophisticated and refined appearance.
The Destiny class¡¯s engine pylons were curved slightly upwards and aligned forwards, giving the ship an agile, even aggressive, side profile. The nacelles themselves were about as long as the saucer section and quite flat compared to their width since the new coaxial warp drive required this form factor. The Enterprise-G was the first ship outside the prototypes that was equipped with this technology.
It had turned out that quantum slipstream was simply no viable alternative for larger ships. The technology¡¯s hull shape requirements were too impractical for large vessels, and a normal warp core couldn¡¯t generate enough energy to brute force the problem. This required the development of the coaxial warp drive for all ships that couldn¡¯t be built into long and sleek hulls like the Vesta class. Those other designs could use the already refined quantum slipstream drive.
The crew in general was ecstatic about getting to stay on Starbase 84 for a few months. For many the last ¡°shore leave¡± had been over a year ago, since the Sidereal was busy the whole time. And a space station of this type and size had much to offer that was a welcome relief and distraction for a lot of the crew. There were enough volunteers for the skeleton crew, particularly people with family or relatives on Earth or Mars who wanted to take the opportunity to visit their loved ones. The celebrations in 84¡¯s clubs and bars were happy and loud, and the mood was good.
Also, the goodbye of Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva was bittersweet. On the one hand many of her engineering colleagues envied her. After all, the Enterprise-G was the pride of Starfleet, running the most advanced systems the Federation had developed to this date. On the other hand, many crew members would miss her. She¡¯d been an exceptional officer, and a good friend to many on the Sidereal.
Eventually, all farewells came to an end, and Nadya officially transferred to the Enterprise-G. Shortly after she had boarded, the flagship moved out of orbit, and disappeared into the night in the flickering distortions of a coaxial warp jump. Sina sat in the captain¡¯s chair, a glass of her favorite Vulcan mocha in her hand and looked after the departing ship. She only hoped that perhaps one day, they¡¯d see each other again.
Not too much later the Sidereal also departed Starbase 84 and started her forty days long journey towards Earth for her much needed retrofit.
[ Act Four ]
Eight days into their travel, Sina laid on the couch in her quarters, PADD in hand, and listened to the loud music blasting through the room. Her jacket was hanging from the chair a few steps away. Her head swayed with the catchy tune, and she bobbed her crossed feet in the beat of the song. Sina had gotten off duty half an hour ago, and she was enjoying her time off with one of her favorite classics work of music. As she was typing another letter to her mother, she hummed along with the song.
¡°Now I¡¯m leaving my worries behind¡¡±
The young Romulan was happy and excited to see her mother again after over fourteen months away from home. In her last letter from when they had docked at Starbase 84 she had told Neila how much she was looking forward to meeting Jack, that three months old tiny tipsy ball of fur and cuteness. The videos her mother had sent her some time ago were so cuddly and made Sina giggle with joy, seeing the young puppy make his way across the grass, or tipsily trying to crawl onto a large pillow.
¡°Feel the freedom of body and mind¡¡±
She took a sip from her Vulcan mocha, this time the normal variant, and sighed softly as the tension and stress of the day kept fading away. Sina had assumed that her time with her previous CO, Shelen Ch¡¯iveran, had prepared her well for command duty, but being the CO of a whole ship was more stressful than she would have ever imagined.
But after sitting in the center chair for over ten months now, she admitted coyly that she wouldn¡¯t want to give it up again. All the good things the Sidereal¡¯s crew did, all the help they provided, all the positive change they brought to so many people all over the Federation¡¯s territory was absolutely worth every bit of stress and work for her.
¡°I am Hunting High and Low¡¡±
Sina¡¯s thoughts drifted to Nadya. She wondered what her former colleague and chief engineer was doing right now. Even though the ¡°loss¡± was still fresh in her mind, the fact that Nadya managed to get the position as CE on the Enterprise filled her with a not too small amount of happiness and pride. That name carried a mighty tradition and serving on that ship was both a privilege and a special obligation.
Sina also contemplated about Nadya¡¯s other words. Could she have noticed it? Was she either so blind, or so obsessed with her duty that she didn¡¯t pay attention to how an important member of her crew felt about her? She only hoped that her inattention hadn¡¯t hurt Nadya.
¡°After the storm there¡¯s a ca-¡±
The Commander¡¯s singing was abruptly interrupted when the whole ship suddenly bucked wildly, and she was violently thrown off her lounger and hit the table next to it. A brief spark of pain raced through her body as her right hip painfully connected with the table¡¯s edge with full force, before Sina could roll with the blow and catch herself.
Not a moment later she heard the alarm klaxon sound and Niko message the whole ship. ¡°Red Alert! Captain to the bridge!¡±
When Sina grabbed her jacket from the chair that had fallen over from the impact, she glanced out the windows and noticed that they were no longer at warp. Her thoughts started to race what could possibly have happened, and as fast as she could she limped out of her quarters and towards the turbolift.
A few moments later she stumbled onto the bridge, every step sending a hot spark into her hip. Niko was already sitting in his own chair when she arrived. ¡°Report! What happened?¡± She asked while sitting in the captain¡¯s chair, activating the seatbelt and bringing up the control panels in the arm rests.
Her XO only briefly turned towards her, trying to keep his eyes on his own controls to not miss anything. ¡°Our warp field suddenly collapsed. We don¡¯t know exactly how or why, it was as if someone or something had suddenly pulled the subspace away from us like a rug from under our feet. It seems to be a spacetime anomaly affecting subspace and macroscale alike.¡±
¡°Okay, I don¡¯t care what it is, how can we get away from it? If anyone has a suggestion, let¡¯s have it!¡± Sina replied, not directed at her first officer, but rather addressing all bridge officers. ¡°Noriko, can we go to warp again?¡± She asked her conn officer, a young Japanese woman with pale pink skin and her long black hair neatly tied into a bun.
Ensign Noriko Yamada shook her head as she wildly tapped away at the helm controls, growing more and more frustrated and concerned as the ship just didn¡¯t want to respond to her commands. ¡°No Sir. Controls are not responding. The engines can¡¯t establish a stable warp bubble. I¡¯ve already tried to compensate, but it¡¯s not helping. The distortion is too strong.¡±
¡°Understood. Ensign, skip warp and try impulse. Full power.¡± Sina tried to keep her thoughts focused on finding a solution, instead of getting lost in analyzing the problem. There were five other highly trained professional officers on the bridge who could do exactly that, but it was her job to try and find a solution based on her colleagues¡¯ input and findings. She quickly added, ¡°Override the impulse limitations if you have to.¡±
¡°Aye, captain!¡± Noriko nodded, and tapped away at her console, bringing up the impulse controls. She entered the security override code to disable the drive throttling and entered the command to bring the Sidereal¡¯s impulse engines to full power. While the impulse drive¡¯s output increased to twenty-five percent, then fifty percent, then full power, then even a quarter above full power, the ship didn¡¯t budge a millimeter from its spot.
Under normal circumstances the Sidereal would have leapt forward like a predator chasing prey at seventy-five percent the speed of light, but here it stayed in its place. It was as if they had been affixed in space by a huge invisible nail that refused to give. Not understanding how that could be, Noriko helplessly tapped on the helm controls, but it was of no use. ¡°No change in position, captain.¡± She eventually reported, the tension and confusion of the situation obvious in her voice.
¡°Okay, full stop. No use of burning out the impulse drive.¡± Sina turned to her left towards the science officer¡¯s station. ¡°Visra, any idea what¡¯s keeping us in place, or how we can get out of it?¡± Ensign Visra Arsiv furiously worked the science console, entering command after command to query and filter the sensors¡¯ readings.
The delicately looking female Alusi¡¯s thick leathery purple skin with its gray patterns was glistening under the red shimmer of the Red Alert lighting, and her pointed ears peaked up underneath the thick ridges running from her eyes to the top of her head. Her flat nose twitched slightly under the situation¡¯s stress, and she nervously licked her lips and the exposed upper canines.
She stared in full concentration on her screens, her thoughts a whirlwind of information and suspicions. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve hit a quantum spacetime fissure dead on and are partially embedded in it. The anomaly¡¯s rotation causes a frame dragging effect on the local subspace, preventing us from establishing a stable warp bubble.¡± The science officer blinked, focusing her light blue irises over blood red sclerae on the displays showing a schematic view of the anomaly.
¡°Can we compensate for this frame dragging somehow?¡± Niko interjected, holding on to his own console while the ship kept being rocked by the fissure.
¡°Negative.¡± Ensign Arsiv replied. ¡°The distortions are too pronounced and too powerful. Our warp coils are physically unable to create a field strong enough to override the anomaly. The fissure also causes a massive curvature of spacetime in its proximity. In effect, we¡¯re stuck halfway across the event horizon. Therefore, our impulse engines won¡¯t be able to move the ship either. I¡¯m afraid the anomaly¡¯s interferences are preventing more detailed scans, giving me only limited data to work with.¡±
¡°Captain. Shearing forces on the hull are approaching upper limits. The hull won¡¯t be able to withstand such forces for long. At current levels, structural failure is imminent in about three minutes.¡± Everyone turned towards Lieutenant Rel Neirrek, the Sidereal¡¯s chief tactical officer, as he gave his report. The broad-chested Cardassian officer tapped to mute the structural alert on his console, his dark blue eyes quickly scanning the other interfaces in front of him for more damage reports.
Sina heard Rel¡¯s report and immediately tapped her combadge. ¡°Bridge to engineering. Reroute every bit of auxiliary power you have into the structural integrity field. Also dump impulse power, warp power, and everything else you can spare into the SIF. Take it from life support if you have to, just try to keep us in one piece for as long as possible!¡± She desperately hoped that this would buy them enough time to get out of the fissure. She wasn¡¯t worried about having to go without life support for a few minutes, she was much more concerned about the Sidereal being torn to shreds under their feet.
The Romulan woman turned to Junior Lieutenant Duncan Clark at the ops station. ¡°Duncan, dispatch a priority one distress call.¡±
The Scottish man with short and scrubby red-brown hair stated a confirmation and began the transmission. ¡°Aye, captain! To all ships in range, this is a priority one distress call from the USS Sidereal. We have struck a quantum fissure and cannot get free on our own power. We are rapidly losing structural integrity and require immediate assistance. Our coordinates are¡¡± He added their location to the message and set the transponder on repeat.
After a couple of seconds, he reported back. ¡°Distress signal is being sent, captain, but no reply so far. The anomaly¡¯s subspace distortion is interfering with long range comms. I can¡¯t even tell if our message can be heard at all.¡±
Captain D¡¯raxis acknowledged his report. ¡°Understood. Keep transmitting in the blind then.¡± She glanced at her XO who was tapping away at his console, highly focused on a list of reports scrolling past on his display.
¡°Quantum fissure¡ quantum fissure¡¡± He mumbled, as he continued his search. A moment later he triumphantly exclaimed, ¡°Yes!¡± He turned towards Visra. ¡°Visra, I transferred a report to your station. Can you make use of this?¡± Visra checked her secondary screen, and immediately started checking out Niko¡¯s data.
¡°What have you found?¡± Sina inquired, wondering about what Niko had been searching for.
¡°I knew I¡¯ve read that term before. On stardate 47391.2 Lieutenant Worf from the Enterprise-D also encountered a quantum fissure. It did exhibit different properties from this one, but eventually they managed to close the fissure with an inverse warp field. Maybe we can utilize the same method to collapse this one.¡±
Both commanding officers looked hopefully at their science officer, watching Ensign Arsiv work on her console with utmost focus. But after a few moments, they saw the Alusi female shake her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sir, but that won¡¯t work here. This anomaly is rotating, which changes completely how it interacts with warp fields. An inverse warp field will not be able close this rift. Also, the ship¡¯s still partially above and partially below the anomaly¡¯s event horizon, which would further weaken any potential field we could even attempt to create.¡±
Visra took a deep breath before she continued, knowing fully well how risky the action was she would be proposing in a second. ¡°But perhaps there¡¯s a different method to free us: the detonation of a quantum torpedo just above the event horizon. The interaction between the collapsing multi-dimensional membrane inside the warhead and the event horizon should create a resonance shock wave tha-¡±
¡°You want what?!¡± Niko exclaimed, staring at the Ensign in disbelieve. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we were sitting right at the horizon? You want us to shoot ourselves with a quantum torpedo?¡±
¡°In effect, yes Sir. The explosion should create a shock wave that can push us out of the anomaly and collapse it right behind us.¡±
Niko drew in a deep breath before attempting a retort, but Sina quickly interjected. ¡°It¡¯s one option, that doesn¡¯t mean we have to use it. Any other suggestions? Visra? Rel? Duncan?¡± But all addressed officers shook their heads. Nobody had another option available, especially not given the time constraints of having the ship shredded to bits, and the inability to conduct more detailed scans of the anomaly.
The comms chirped, and the ship¡¯s chief of security was on the channel. ¡°M¡¯Tiras to bridge. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening up there, but the warp core is not happy about it. We¡¯re trying to keep it together, but whatever is exerting this subspace shearing is tearing subatomic holes into the reaction chamber. If we don¡¯t get out of here soon, we¡¯ll have a core breach at our hands in less than five minutes.¡±
Main engineering had barely closed the channel when Lieutenant Neirrek reported again. ¡°Captain, the SIF is reaching its maximum load in several sections across the whole ship. It¡¯s about to fail in the starboard catamaran, the port nacelle pylon, the bow sections of decks eight to ten, and the battle module struts.¡±
¡°We¡¯re running out of time. If nobody has any other idea, we have to try Visra¡¯s plan.¡± Sina stated desperately, hoping against hope that there was another way. She waited a few moments for anyone to contradict her statement, but nobody did. She didn¡¯t like the idea of detonating their most destructive weapon basically right on their skin either, especially with the ship in its current condition. But it seemed to be their only chance. ¡°Okay then. Visra, Rel, configure a torpedo and calculate a firing solution.¡±
While the science and tactical officers went to work, Sina activated the ship-wide comms. ¡°All hands, this is the captain. Immediately evacuate all outer sections. Everybody, get to the innermost compartments of the primary hull RIGHT NOW, close the outlying physical bulkheads, and brace for impact.¡±
Visra got up from her station and quickly crossed the bridge to Rel¡¯s tactical console. Standing next to him, the muscular Cardassian appeared like a towering giant, being more than a whole head taller than the petite Alusi. They quickly delved into the process of configuring the warhead to the required, or rather, estimated, yield, and calculated a trajectory to the preferred destination. It took them a few minutes, and quite a bit of arguing and discussing, before they were ready.
In the meantime, despite the additional power and reinforced energy supply, the structural integrity field had failed. The anomaly¡¯s distortion of spacetime started to tear at the Sidereal¡¯s reinforced armor. Plate by plate, the shearing forces stripped whole sections clean of their ablative armor first, with the normal hull material quickly following second.
Niko reported the damage to his captain, and while the count of hull breaches quickly reached more than two dozen everyone was on their toes. By now all members of the crew had realized that they had not simply encountered an astronomical phenomenon, but that they were all in grave danger.
Eventually Rel reported their success. ¡°The torpedo is ready, captain.¡±
Sina looked at Niko, who wordlessly nodded his support and agreement. They had no other choice, as their ship was shredded to pieces. If they waited for much longer, they risked destruction. The Romulan took a deep breath and then spoke the fateful word. ¡°Fire!¡±
The brightly glowing quantum torpedo streaked away from the forward launcher in the battle module, briefly illuminating the Sidereal¡¯s tattered hull with its deadly blue-white light, before veering off into space. After several seconds of flight, the projectile started to turn around, and followed the programmed path back to its origin. All over the ship, the crew was bracing for the now inevitable impact, holding on to the consoles in front of them, nearby walls, or even each other. The bridge officers were looking in each other¡¯s faces and hoped for the best.
¡°Impact in three¡ two¡ one¡¡± Rel was counting down, tracking the warhead¡¯s approach on his console, while having one arm wrapped around Visra to hold her steady as there was no time for her to get back to her own chair.
Mercilessly and with deadly accuracy, the torpedo traveled to its destination and detonated, unleashing its devastating power into the quantum fissure. A blinding flash bathed the Sidereal in hard white light, and a fraction of a second later a massive impact hit the beaten-up ship like a sledgehammer.
The anomaly imploded under the warhead¡¯s onslaught, and the dying phenomenon¡¯s final breath, one last wave of spacetime distortion, flowed over the Sidereal. Alerts flashed on every console as the ship suffered damage that brought it to the brink of collapse, while the crew was thrown around inside like rag dolls.
The severely damaged Akira class was adrift, slowly tumbling away from the now gone anomaly like a wounded animal that frantically tried to drag itself back into its den. And like a bleeding animal leaving a trail of blood and gore behind, the Sidereal left a trail of hull plating, furniture, burning plasma, and a handful of mangled corpses in her wake. The tortured sound of tearing and deforming metal echoed throughout the ship, and the acrid smoke of plasma fires slowly filled hallways all over the ship. The Sidereal was dark and dead. She had broken her back. She would never warp again.
[ Act Five ]
All was shrouded in darkness, and thick swaths of smoke filled the air. Only random sparks and flickers of stray flames burning away at some broken console illuminated the devastated bridge. Wall and ceiling panels had broken open and spilled their ruptured wired guts out into the open. One beam had fallen from the ceiling near the science station and had crushed two empty seats underneath it.
Sina could hear the pained groans of her fellow officers and herself. The shock wave from the torpedo¡¯s explosion had catapulted the Sidereal out of the anomaly, but not without roasting the inertia dampeners along with it. Since they were still alive it seemed Visra¡¯s plan worked out good enough, even though the whole crew had been hurled through the air quite violently. Sina herself had been thrown into the seatbelt at full force, hitting the already bruised spot from earlier. The pain had driven the air out of her lungs and tears in her eyes, but after some deep breaths she could manage.
¡°Everyone okay? Anyone need help?¡± Sina spoke into the dark room and coughed due to the smoke. Some meters away she could see the silhouettes of her friends move in the shadows, while she struggled for a moment to release the seatbelt.
¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±
¡°We¡¯re fine, captain.¡±
¡°Nothing a medkit couldn¡¯t fix, I hope.¡±
Slowly her crew was reporting in. She recognized the partially strained voices and movements of Visra, Rel, and Noriko.
¡°Niko? Duncan?¡±
¡°We¡¯re both okay. Can someone try to get the lights back on?¡±
She was relieved to hear all her officers doing well given the circumstances. There were still a couple groans and winces now and then, but she guessed that nobody on the bridge was seriously injured. When suddenly and completely unannounced, as if on command, the emergency power supply finally managed to come through, and the lights and console around them started blinking and beeping again, she flinched. After a moment she opened her eyes and looked around.
Noriko untangled herself from her conn console and let out a painful groan, while a big bruise started to form on her forehead. Rel and Visra were still next to the tactical station, where they had been before the impact. Like an unshakable mountain, the Cardassian sat on his chair, and tried to get the tactical report system back up again. Visra stood shakily next to him, holding her left wrist, trying to hide the pain every time she moved her hand.
Niko was helping Duncan back to his feet. The first officer¡¯s uniform was torn, his left sleeve having been ripped open to the elbow. The skin beneath the tear and on his right cheek was grazed harshly, but not bleeding yet. The young Scotsman however hadn¡¯t been as lucky. He must have slipped off his chair and underneath the console, hitting the lower edge badly. The bleeding laceration on his forehead was testimony to this.
¡°Niko, Noriko, Visra, Duncan, you guys grab a medkit and patch yourselves up. Let me know if you need help.¡± The wounded officers mumbled their acknowledgments and shuffled to the back of the bridge where they fetched a medkit from a hidden cabinet and started giving each other first aid as fast and as well as they could. Niko waited until the other officers¡¯ wounds had been treated, and in the meantime took a small handheld fire extinguisher to smother the flickering flames near the MSD.
Sina turned to her chief tactical officer. ¡°Rel, sitrep. How bad is it? What¡¯s with the rest of the ship?¡±
By now Rel had also managed to get some rudimentary reports, and it didn¡¯t look good. He tapped on his console to grab the last bits of information, shaking his head slightly, before he reported. ¡°The damage is excessive, captain. We¡¯ve got hull breaches on all decks and in all outer sections. The EPS grid is completely gone after an explosive overload, and that discharge also destroyed our weapon and shield systems. All propulsion systems are offline, including RCS, and we¡¯re drifting uncontrollably. Additionally, the port pylon is bent out of alignment.¡±
The longer Lieutenant Neirrek was talking, the more obvious it became to everyone how dire their situation was. ¡°The still working SIF emitters run on emergency power and only cover about twenty percent of the ship. We have at least five open plasma fires, but the fire suppression system is not responding, and I can¡¯t tell how many fires exactly there are and where due to damage to the internal sensors. Life support is also badly impaired and running on emergency power, too.¡±
Suddenly the comms chirped, and static filled the bridge for a moment. ¡°M¡¯Tiras to bri¡ Can a¡one hear me? We got a co¡reach in progre¡ Is so¡ody up there?¡± They could hear Shori M¡¯Tiras¡¯ trembling voice through the static and interference, but after some moments the channel stabilized.
¡°We can hear you now, Shori. Come again, how¡¯s the situation in engineering? Any wounded?¡± Captain D¡¯raxis replied, looking at Rel and gesturing between her badge and the ceiling, trying to tell him to route the signal through the bridge module¡¯s emergency communication relays.
The Caitian¡¯s voice came in much clearer now, but what she had to say was even more terrifying. ¡°Yes, but we have a much bigger problem. We¡¯ve got a core breach in progress and we can¡¯t stop it. It¡¯s a wonder the containment fields haven¡¯t failed yet, but it¡¯s only a matter of time now. That last shock wave punched thousands of nanometer fractures into the reaction chamber and the control systems. In our current condition we simply can¡¯t fix that kind of damage.¡±
¡°Can you eject the core?¡±
¡°No, captain. We already checked. The ejection chute has been deformed. The core¡¯s stuck. But even if we could get it out, we¡¯re not going anywhere. Without at least RCS thrusters we couldn¡¯t get out of the explosion¡¯s kill zone.¡±
Sina¡¯s head sank at those words, and she closed her eyes in despair, her courage failing her. How could this have happened? What had she done wrong to end up in this situation? ¡°How much time do we have left?¡± She asked her COS softly, hoping the answer would give them more time to figure out how to get out of this mess.
¡°We can¡¯t tell for sure. Looks like fifteen minutes, maybe twenty. But not more.¡±
It wasn¡¯t much, but at least they had a chance to think of something. Anything. Some plan, some maneuver, some clever trick to escape this disaster with their lives. Escape¡ of course! The escape pods! ¡°Rel, what¡¯s the status of the escape pods?¡±
The Cardassian worked on his console as quickly as he could to query the rescue vehicle systems. The initial readings on his display were discouraging. Many were inoperable or damaged beyond usefulness. Eventually he got the final numbers. ¡°Eleven of the thirty-nine escape pods are available, the rest is unresponsive or damaged.¡± Lieutenant Neirrek responded, adding a carefully optimistic remark at the end. ¡°Enough for the whole crew.¡±
By now most of the wounds suffered by the other bridge officers had been taken care of. The medkit¡¯s dermal regenerator worked overtime on Duncan¡¯s laceration, Noriko¡¯s bruise, and Niko¡¯s abrasions on his arm and face. After a quick scan with a medical tricorder it turned out Visra¡¯s wrist injury was only a pulled tendon, and a small dose of painkillers and a provisional bandage took care of that.
¡°You want to evacuate?¡± Niko asked as he and the others returned to their seats. He battled with his jacket for a moment, trying to fully tear off the sleeves to not have any strands of fabric dangling from his arm. But the jacket won, and with a resigned shrug Niko simply pulled the jacket over his head and dropped it on the ground.
¡°Do we have any other choice? The longer we wait, the less time we have to put enough distance between the escape pods and the ship. And unless someone can squeeze compassion from a Q and produce a miracle, the core will breach in about seventeen minutes tops.¡± Captain D¡¯raxis replied to Niko¡¯s question while looking every single officer in their face in turn.
¡°You¡¯re right. We have to get out of here. Shall I?¡± He looked at Sina questioningly, and she simply nodded in response. ¡°Rel, broadcast the locations of the working escape pods to all functioning non-critical displays. Duncan, attach our current position and status, as well as all sensor data about the anomaly you can manage, to the ship¡¯s log. Prepare to launch a distress beacon and the log buoy.¡±
Niko pressed a button on his console to start a ship-wide hail. ¡°All hands, this is the XO. Prepare for evacuation. I repeat, prepare for evacuation. We only have eleven working pods, so make sure to wait until they are filled.¡±
The first officer had barely finished his hail, when Rel shouted out. ¡°Captain!¡± Sina and Niko turned to Rel in unison. ¡°We¡¡± The Cardassian officer suddenly looked pale and¡ frightened¡ and his almost stoic calm seemed to have vanished in the blink of an eye. He stared at his display in utter disbelieve before he looked up to face his colleagues. He shook his head. ¡°We won¡¯t be going anywhere.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Sina asked, while she walked over to Rel, not understanding what had suddenly shaken him like this. She got to his console, and he simply pointed at the tactical report about what the still somewhat functioning astronomical sensors had picked up at the edge of their range.
TACTICAL WARNING - CONTACT INBOUND
CATEGORY: Unidentified triquantum subspace oscillation
TYPE: Unknown. 91% signature overlap with Borg Sphere tactical long-range vessel
DISTANCE: 50.42 ly
VELOCITY: 500 ly/h
TIME TO INTERCEPT: 06:03s
Sina stared at the screen in shock. ¡°No¡¡± This couldn¡¯t be happening. She refused to believe they had survived the anomaly just to be now overwhelmed by the Borg. They were in the middle of Federation territory, and there had been no signs of any Borg incursions for over three decades. Where had this sphere suddenly come from?
¡°Captain?¡± Niko asked, worried because now not only Rel but also Sina looked as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°We¡ we have a Borg sphere on intercept course. They¡¯ll reach us in less than six minutes.¡±
Niko, Noriko, Duncan, and Visra stared at the Commander and shouted in unison. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Niko rushed to the console to see for himself. He too started at the display in disbelieve. ¡°What¡ is there anything we can do?¡±
Sina shook her head in resignation and despair. ¡°Our shields and weapons are gone. We¡¯re immobile¡¡± Her voice trailed off, her mind tormenting her with the terror of having to face off against the Borg. And even worse, the horror of becoming Borg. She had read the logs of Jean-Luc Picard, Annika Hansen, aka Seven of Nine, and other survivors. She didn¡¯t want anyone to go through that agony. She¡¯d rather die before¡ then she remembered the impending core breach.
¡°Captain? What do we do?¡± Ensign Arsiv asked, her voice trembling with fear. She¡¯d heard of the Borg, but never faced them, and the things she had learned about them were shaking the young Alusi to the core.
¡°We fight. It will be the day I just roll over and let the Borg take anyone. We have no chance of defeating or outrunning them. But we can hold out a few minutes until the core breaches and saves us all from being assimilated. And maybe we can even take that sphere with us.¡± She tapped away on Rel¡¯s console, bringing up the comms interface to open a ship-wide channel. ¡°All hands, this is the captain. We have a Borg vessel on intercept course. Abort evacuation and prepare to repel intruders. Arm yourselves and gather in main engineering.¡±
She looked at her officers with desperate courage. She knew none of them would survive this day, and it killed her inside that it was her leading her crew to their deaths. Duncan and Noriko looked to the ground, sobbing softly and holding on to each other in despair, while Niko and Rel conducted themselves with the grim determination of certain death. They opened the weapons locker and retrieved a couple of hand phasers and phaser rifles.
Visra was in shock, motionlessly standing near the science station and staring at the screens, tears openly streaming down her cheeks. She blamed herself. If only she had been a better scientist she¡¯d have found a way to escape the anomaly that wouldn¡¯t have left the ship defenseless. She told herself that it was her fault all her friends and colleagues would die.
Sina hustled into her ready room. She paused for a second, looking at the variety of bladed weapons brandished on their wall mounts. She picked up a long intricate dagger whose design combined Terran, Andorian, and Romulan elements. Her thoughts went back to her 28th birthday, when her former captain and friend Shelen had given her this weapon as a present. He had crafted the gift himself, utilizing a special holodeck smithy simulation for the work.
Sina held the dagger¡¯s grip firmly for a second, remembering those bygone happier times, then put it in its sheath and strapped it to her uniform¡¯s belt. She grabbed a few more weapons off their displays - a Klingon mek¡¯leth and bat¡¯leth, an Andorian Ushaan-tor, and two Tilonian Nisroh. Never in her life would she have thought that the exotic hobby Shelen had taught her would one day come in handy to fight off the Borg. All the blades she carried now had been forged by herself, using the same simulated forge her friend had already used years before.
When she returned, Niko had distributed the phasers amongst the bridge crew. He himself and Duncan carried the rifles, everyone else got the hand phasers. Sina handed the blades to the other officers. Rel took the bat¡¯leth, Duncan the mek¡¯leth, and Noriko grabbed a Nisroh. The remaining Nisroh she offered to the still stunned Visra, who reluctantly accepted the blade.
Last, Niko took the Ushaan-tor from his CO, and nodded at her. ¡°I¡¯ve launched the beacon and the buoy, including all information about the sphere. We have about four minutes before it gets here.¡±
Sina returned the nod sadly. ¡°Let¡¯s go to engineering. It won¡¯t be long¡¡±
A handful of turbolift routes were still operational, running on their last remaining emergency reserves. Half a minute later the bridge officers entered main engineering where they were immediately met by Shori. The chief of security was wearing her signature armor suit and carried a phaser rifle in her hands. Her armor showed signs of burning, and some of her fur had been singed. Her face, and all faces around them, were filled with fear and despair, and the Caitian¡¯s typical cheekiness had completely evaporated.
As Sina looked around, she saw bruised and bloodied faces amongst her fellow crew members, and several had improvised casts on arms or legs, or were otherwise patched up. The crew had huddled in the back of the chamber, using the warp core and the backside of main engineering to reduce the amount of flanking areas, and provide additional cover.
Shori¡¯s voice trembled as she reported to the Commander. ¡°Captain¡ we¡¯re all here, at least all I could find. With your group we¡¯re sixty-eight. Everyone who can use a hand has a weapon, and we also managed to grab a few blades.¡± She sobbed softly, blinking a tear out of her eye. ¡°I guess I can skip the casualties¡¡±
Sina nodded weakly. She walked towards the back of the room, sixty pairs of eyes on her. The Romulan looked at the faces of her crew, her colleagues, her friends. She even considered many of them as close as family. And now this was their final hour. What could she possibly say to them? No words could ever express how terrible she felt. The crushing guilt and despair resting on her shoulders, that it was her command that got them all killed - or worse. A sob escaped her throat, and she whispered hoarsely, ¡°I¡ I¡¯m sorry¡¡±
Niko and Rel appeared next to her. Her first officer gently placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Remember Sina, it is possible to commit no mistake and still lose. You¡¯ve done nothing wrong. Every single decision you¡¯ve made today, I would have also made like that. It¡¯s not your fault the fissure was there, and neither is it your fault that the Borg are here.¡±
In the back one could hear Shori power up her phaser rifle. She put on the helmet and turned to the group of battered survivors to give her final instructions for the fight ahead. ¡°Less than two minutes. Let¡¯s get ready. Rel, you and Duncan go port side. Me and Niko will stay with the captain on this side. Everyone else form a firing line at the steps to the backside. First row kneeling, second row standing, third row filling in the gaps. Second and third rows keep your blades ready. Weapons free! Fire on any Borg that dares to show their ugly wired up face in front of the central console!¡±
The sound of dozens of phasers being powered up filled the room, and then the Sidereal¡¯s crew moved into position. Their faces were masks of fear and despair, and more than a few had been crying. But they held together. They stood as one in their final battle, Cardassian next to Human, Caitian next to Romulan, Vulcan next to Bolian. With desperate courage they awaited the Borg¡¯s attack.
A console started beeping, indicating an incoming transmission, and Shori went to check it. ¡°Captain, we¡¯re being hailed.¡±
¡°Oh, we all know what they¡¯re going to say.¡± Sina responded with bitterness and anger. ¡°But let¡¯s hear it to get over with it. Open the channel.¡±
All gathered personnel listened to the choir of voices speak. ¡°USS Sidereal, we have detected critical damage to your life support, structural integrity, and matter-antimatter reactor systems. Our damage control team will assist you. Stand by for transport.¡±
Sina first looked at Shori in confusion, then at Niko. ¡°What?¡±
[1x02] Their Tears Set Heaven Alight
[ Act One ]
Tarik was enjoying the hot foam bubble bath in a small but comfortable bathhouse. The room was paneled with massive silver fir planks, and the ground surrounding the tub was covered in finest black marble. The jets caressing his aged back felt amazing, and he let out a satisfied sigh, sinking another centimeter deeper into the hot tub. His short dark brown hair stuck to his head, and the skin of his face was flush from the heat. The wetness darkened his hair and covered up the gray streaks betraying his age. He was completely relaxed, soaking in the tub when suddenly something chirped.
The middle-aged Human opened his eyes, and a shadow of annoyance fell on his face. The chirp sounded again. Tarik took a deep breath. He had been away for not even half an hour and was already again interrupted. Chirp. It seemed he just shouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy a hot tub at least once. Chirp. With a simple mental command, he lifted the communications filter he had set up before he signed off from his duties.
Within a single moment thousands of thoughts, opinions, questions, impressions, and images flooded his mind. His thoughts became again one with those of the rest of the ship¡¯s crew. In the blink of an eye he was given all information about the situation and knew why his break had been interrupted. Long range sensors had detected the sudden appearance of an unidentified vessel, just shy of eighty light-years from their current position.
They were sending out a distress call on a deprecated subspace frequency, and scans indicate that the foreign vessel is in critical condition. It had sustained massive damage to almost all systems, its outer hull had been compromised, and the matter-antimatter reactor was twenty minutes away from breaching, give or take a couple of seconds.
Tarik¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°Matter-antimatter reactor?¡± He mumbled in disbelieve while rising from the tub. A cascade of foamy bubbles ran down over his worn and well-tanned skin and tickled softly when they touched his cybernetic interfaces. ¡°Which museum did those people break in to steal that ship? It should be against the law to fly around with such thing. Matter-antimatter¡ were they having a death wish?¡±
With a resigned sigh, Tarik closed his eyes, and the hot tub as well as the surrounding room exploded into a billion shards of light, which quickly faded away into nothingness. The sensations of heat and wetness on his body faded as well, and when he opened his eyes again he was back in his dry and dressed physical body, standing in the same place he had left it in.
He was wearing a simple set of brown cargo pants, a plain red t-shirt, and sturdy black boots. He covered the t-shirt with a sleeve-less black vest with over a dozen pockets filled with generic tools and components, as well as a mobile fabricator panel over the sternum. Tarik blinked a few times, helping his natural right eye with the dark green iris to adjust to the sudden wakening, while his cybernetic left eye with the milky white surface adjusted instantly and projected its data stream into his field of view.
The engineer¡¯s thoughts reached out to the gathered hive-mind of the rest of the crew. [Sphere 272-Theta-8 responding. Changing course to two-two-five mark one-three. Distance to target: 79.44 light-years. Time to intercept at maximum velocity: nine minutes thirty-two seconds.] The choir of thousands of minds worked in perfect unison, and the massive sphere gently turned to the side. It had already changed its heading to intercept the stranded ship even before the sound of the crew¡¯s voices had disappeared.
Thanks to his implants, Tarik could feel the change of energy distribution as the sphere¡¯s subspace slipstream drive turned up to maximum power. Charging through a tunnel of darkness and broken fractal rainbows, the ship raced towards the drifting wreck at 500 light-years per hour.
[Primary Engineering Adjunct 4@19-Omicron reporting for duty,] Tarik thought to the hive-mind, signaling that he was ready to participate in what would hopefully be a rescue and not a salvage operation. The rugged looking Human disconnected from his alcove, scratched his perpetual three-day stubble, and made way towards the nearest engineering junction at a brisk pace. While he was walking, with a few thoughts he created a sub-network and added twenty of his fellow engineers to a smaller hive-mind focused on coordinating and performing the rescue of the unknown vessel.
4@19¡¯s path was carefully guided by the hive-mind, its perfect cooperation and coordination ensuring that neither he nor any of the other requested engineers were delayed from getting prepared for the rescue. While getting ready, the damage control team was already going over a list of equipment they would need to stabilize the core and prevent a breach. [Equipment required. Mobile gamma-reaction dampener. Mobile containment field generator, class thirty-one. Two reinforcing nanite reservoirs. Four mountable solid matter nanite injectors.]
Tarik checked the list, and mentally agreed with the selection. He was carefully optimistic that the engineering team would be prepared for any situation, even though it had been decades since he last worked on a matter-antimatter reactor. He entered the junction where four of his engineers - two Humans, a Vulcan, and a Ferengi - were preparing some of the equipment.
They all wore the same kind of practical clothing marking experienced technicians and engineers - not too tight, not too loose, and a massive number of pockets filled with tools and parts. One of the Humans wore a visor attachment over her left eye, the Ferengi¡¯s right ear had been removed to make place for an old-school permanently implanted probability processor, and the Vulcan¡¯s head was shaved smooth with visible sub-dermal circuitry.
Tarik asked the ship-wide hive-mind for an update. [Time to intercept: three minutes twelve seconds.] He hated not being able to conduct proper preparations but knew all too well that time was of the essence in this situation. The foreign ship¡¯s reactor wouldn¡¯t wait for him before it went critical, so he had to make haste whether he liked it or not. The gamma-reaction dampener, one nanite reservoir, and one nanite injector were prepared here by his team, while the rest was assembled and primed at several other engineering junctions all over the vessel.
Thinking to the sub-network, he reminded his team to bring their personal modifications. [Team, don¡¯t forget to get your personal gear. Everyone is to wear class two armor. There might be coolant leaks or plasma discharges, and I don¡¯t want anyone¡¯s face getting melted off. Also, I want at least two subspace visors, four plasma flow visor, three phase decompilers, and five interphasic compensators in the team. We don¡¯t know how much of their control systems are still working, and we might need to do some repairs the ugly way.]
He turned around, just in time to see that his team members were done preparing the mission gear, and now moved towards the modification alcoves to get their personal extensions. 4@19 hustled after them with large steps, since they were quickly running out of time. He stood in one of the available alcoves, and half a dozen mechanical arms came to life around him.
One arm attached a subspace visor to his face. The moment the asymmetrical attachment touched the skin around his left eye socket, the wireless interface in Tarik¡¯s cybernetic eye connected to the device and a cascade of visual information about all sorts of energy fields and spatial properties registered in his vision. A second arm connected to an implanted socket in his neck, running diagnostics and ensuring all internal systems were working at peak efficiency with enough reserve power.
The third arm grabbed 4@19¡¯s left wrist and detached the mechanical forearm at the elbow with a swift and painless twist. A fourth arm swooped in and placed a somewhat bulky phase decompiler extension at the stump, effortlessly plugging it into the socket and securing it there.
[Time to intercept: one minute thirty seconds.]
The engineer felt again a slight change in power distribution as a surge was fed into the communications array. A moment later it started broadcasting a message towards the unknown ship, spoken in tune by a choir of over eight thousand voices and translated to the same language used in the distress signal. [USS Sidereal, we have detected critical damage to your life support, structural integrity, and matter-antimatter reactor systems. Our damage control team will assist you. Stand by for transport.]
By now, the discovery of Sphere 272-Theta-8 had garnered the attention of the primary hive-mind, and billions of minds tuned in to the actions of the sphere¡¯s crew. Tarik could feel it himself - millions of personalities started to share his body, hearing every thought and experiencing every sensation as if they were him.
He considered for a moment to withdraw his permission for consciousness sharing but decided against it. Whatever would happen onboard the other vessel would be an incredible learning opportunity for everyone watching him. It¡¯s not every day you get to work firsthand on an ancient but still functioning warp core.
4@19 and the other twenty engineers were ready for transport, already carrying their mission gear, when suddenly a young woman wearing black segmented full body armor and holding a black and gray graviton rifle turned the corner and entered the room. The Human girl was just a tad over one meter and seventy centimeters, and the silhouette of the armor hinted at an athletic and powerful body hidden underneath. Her cybernetic eyes with dark blue irises focused Tarik, not allowing him to hide from her gaze, and the blueish-white strands of her otherwise black hair perfectly framed her face.
¡°Typical of you engineers. You¡¯re so wrapped up in playing with your toys that you forget your own safety. You need an escort, preferably a whole squad, and you know it!¡±
Tarik faced the woman, his face turning into a slightly soured expression. ¡°Hiora, can¡¯t this wait? We¡¯re almost in transporter range. We don¡¯t have-¡±
¡°Time for arguments,¡± she interrupted him with determination in her voice. ¡°I know. I also know that we must hurry, and I promise to stay in the back and let you do the talking and the working. But if the air gets hot, you¡¯ll be glad to have me with you instead of only your engineers. So, put me on your sub-net and let¡¯s get this over with.¡±
4@19 watched his new away team member with a stern look of disapproval, but after a moment he gave up because he knew his resistance was futile. With a mental command he added the soldier to the mission sub-network and notified his team. [Secondary Security Adjunct 18@31-Lambda added to the mission as tactical escort. Time to intercept: fifteen seconds. Everyone standby for transport.]
In his mind¡¯s eye he - and the other team members - saw a schematic projection of the ship¡¯s structure. The design was completely foreign to him, never had he seen such a hull. It was a large tapered elliptical disk which apparently housed all the ship¡¯s central systems, sprouting two catamaran arms which extended back and then swooped down to the engine nacelles. There were over a hundred red markers on the schema pointing at destroyed or severely damaged systems, indicating that whatever happened to that ship hadn¡¯t been particularly gentle.
A blue marker was put at the entrance to a large hall on the ship¡¯s eleventh deck - the warp core chamber. Sensors indicated that several simple and relatively weak force fields had been raised around the chamber, and sixty-eight life signs, several of them appearing severely wounded, cowered at the far end of the chamber.
Tarik was irritated, since it seemed that none of the crew were working to try and stabilize their core. He requested a more detailed scan of the foreign crew, but the very moment he wanted to raise his thoughts about the massive number of weapons those people were carrying, the ship was in range.
[Target in transporter range. Commencing dimensional shift.]
Tarik¡¯s visor visualized the massive subspace distortion forced into reality by the sphere¡¯s transporter systems as a volatile vortex of swirling energies raging all around him and his team members. He felt a shiver racing down his spine as the pocket closed a fraction of a second after it formed. The hairs on his neck stood on end as reality turned into a blur for a blink of an eye, and the pocket shifted to its destination ten billion kilometers away, onboard the foreign vessel.
With a bright blue-white flash escaping from the collapsing black void of the dimensional pocket, 4@19 and his twenty-one companions appeared at the entrance of the Sidereal¡¯s main engineering. He wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, but he was sure he wouldn¡¯t have expected this. The quickly dissipating sparks of their transport hadn¡¯t even evaporated completely, when suddenly shouts sounded through the chamber and over sixty pairs of arms grabbed their rifles and pistols and trained them on Tarik and his team. ¡°Borg! Borg! Check your range! Don¡¯t let them touch you!¡±
[Nobody moves. Hiora, don¡¯t engage! Let¡¯s try talking first.] Tarik thought to the sub-network and swallowed. From the corner of the eye he saw 18@31 nodding and slowly lowering her weapon. The other engineers stood rooted in place, nervously exchanging gazes with 4@19, each other, and the foreigners pointing their weapons at them.
Tarik looked at the people in front of him, and he saw a tinge of confusion mixed with overwhelming doses of fear, disgust, and terror. Pure, unabated terror. He looked at the bloodied and bruised faces of the people huddled around and behind the warp core, and how they desperately held on to their weapons. Every single one of them conducted themselves with desperate courage, and Tarik knew that those people thought they had nothing more to lose.
He didn¡¯t know what had happened to this crew, but it was obvious that they were deathly afraid of him and his team. And they had called him Borg, which was even more irritating and confusing to him. Nothing of what was happening seemed to make any sense, and the primary hive-mind¡¯s thoughts seemed to mirror his confusion. The Human started to realize that something was amiss here, and terribly so. But whatever this ship¡¯s mystery was, none of that would matter if the warp core breached in less than seven minutes.
Tarik took another look at the survivors in front of him and noticed one individual wearing a different color not present on any other person. A female of species 3783 standing in the first row whose jacket had white shoulders, and who held a long viscously looking dagger in her left hand and pointed the energy pistol in her right hand directly at his face. She was flanked by a male of species 5618, and a female of species 6691 in body armor, both pointing their rifles at him. He was reasonably sure that this woman was at least a higher-ranking commanding officer.
The engineer took a slow and short step to the front of his team, which was enough to make most weapons shift their target towards him. He slowly turned his normal arm outward, showing his empty palm. Tarik looked the Romulan woman right in the eye as he spoke, ¡°I am 4@19-Omicron, Primary Engineering Adjunct of Sphere 272-Theta-8. We¡¯re here to assist you and stabilize your reactor. We mean you no harm.¡±
[ Act Two ]
Sina looked at the drone in front of her and listened to his words, but she couldn¡¯t make any sense of what she was hearing. The Borg were not renowned for their diplomacy or willingness to help others, and she had no reason to believe this man. ¡°Stay away from us, drone! I will not allow you or the others to assimilate my crew!¡± She shouted at the drone, aiming her phaser pistol at his face with a shaking hand.
The Commander couldn¡¯t tell whether it was her words or her weapon, but something seemed to influence the Borg, since his facial expression changed from uncertainty to irritation. She wasn¡¯t sure if this was an improvement of the situation, though.
4@19 furrowed his eyebrows and let out an annoyed sigh. First Borg, now drone. He wondered how many more colorful names he would be given by these people. ¡°Look. I don¡¯t know you, neither do I know what happened to you or your ship. I¡¯m sure this is just a misunderstanding and we don¡¯t really have to shoot each other. I do know, however, that your reactor will go critical in about seven minutes, unless you allow us to do something about it. So please lower your weapons and let us help you, before this thing vaporizes us all.¡±
To emphasize his point, he raised his tool arm and pointed at the warp core¡¯s reaction chamber.
Sina looked at 4@19 in utter confusion. None of this made any sense, and her tongue was laced with cynicism and fatalism as she replied to the cyborg. She poured all her despair, all her rage, all her fear into her words. ¡°Why would you of all people help us? All you¡¯ve ever done to the Federation is to kill or assimilate us. The Collective has butchered hundreds of thousands of our people. We know there are worse fates than death, and we¡¯ll rather die here before we become like you. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying, but your trick won¡¯t work on us.¡±
Tarik raised his arms in a gesture of futile frustration. Federation? Collective? What where those people talking about? ¡°Trick? You think this is a trick? You know what? Let¡¯s play this through.¡± He became more agitated than he had wanted, but this whole situation was ridiculous beyond description. They were literally standing on a ticking bomb which would kill them all in just a few minutes, and this woman wanted to argue history and philosophy.
¡°You think we are ¡®Borg¡¯ trying to ¡®kill or assimilate¡¯ you? If that were true, why would we waste our time talking to you? If we wanted to kill you, we could have just waited until your ship blew up. Why should we bother coming here and talk to you? And if we wanted to assimilate you¡¡±
He made a pause, staring the Romulan woman right in the eyes, even though half of his face and one of his own eyes was still covered by his visor. ¡°Our sphere¡¯s crew outnumbers you more than a hundred to one. I¡¯m sure you can image how that would have ended. Again, why should we bother coming here and talk to you?¡±
Now the Human male with the dark blonde hair standing next to the Romulan joined their argument. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just trying something new? Deception over brute force, for a change? Or perhaps you¡¯ve assimilated a planet of lawyers recently?¡±
Tarik stared at the Human soldier in confounded annoyance for a second, before bursting into a laughing fit. He covered his eyes with his hand while his body shook from the bellowing laughter. After a few seconds the engineer managed to pull himself together and turned to face the man, pointing his normal hand at him. ¡°You, you have one dark and twisted sense of humor. I¡¯ll give you that.¡± He snickered.
Now it was Niko¡¯s turn to have his face turned into a mask of utter confusion. He helplessly turned to his CO, not knowing how to respond. ¡°Captain, I¡¡±
Sina dropped her arms, lowering her weapons, and took a step towards 4@19. Niko quickly reached out and grabbed her at the shoulder, his gaze quickly traveling between the Romulan and Tarik. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ it has to be a trick¡ you can¡¯t trust them!¡± He implored her, but she simply shook her head. She placed her hand on her XO¡¯s and looked him in the eyes.
¡°Niko, nothing what has happened here in the last few minutes makes any sense. They don¡¯t behave like Borg. Not at all. And we both know he¡¯s right. If they had wanted to assimilate us, they could have done so minutes ago. I have a feeling that there¡¯s something terribly wrong here, and I¡¯d really like to know what¡¯s going on instead of dying in ignorance.¡± She turned to 4@19. ¡°Can you promise no harm will come to my crew?¡±
¡°You have my word on that, captain.¡± He had not missed the rank used by Niko to address her. ¡°I promise we will not harm you or any member of your crew in any way.¡±
Sina nodded and turned her head to address her crew. ¡°Lower your weapons. Make space for them.¡±
Niko took a deep breath, and mumbled to the Commander, ¡°I only hope you¡¯re right.¡± He then turned around to the crew who was unsure what to do. Their faces were a combination of despair and relieve, feeling the hope of not dying mixing with the doubt of this being a trap and that they¡¯d been deceived into surrendering. ¡°You heard the captain. Lower your weapons and make a hole around the core. But still don¡¯t let them touch you.¡±
Tarik looked at Niko and simply shrugged. ¡°Good enough for me.¡±
[We have less than two minutes to prevent a breach. I want all four injectors deployed immediately. Hiora, take the containment field generator and place it down there next to the antimatter injector. I¡¯ll deploy the reaction dampener. Let¡¯s move it!] Without speaking a single word, the whole group of cyborgs burst into movement.
Moving and working as one, quietly complementing each other¡¯s tasks and movements, the engineering team set out to follow their assigned tasks, while the surviving crew hurried to spread out and make enough space for the strangers to move around. Tarik turned around and closed the distance to where they had put the reaction dampener with a few large steps.
Pulling the simple, one meter long and half a meter wide, gray tube upright and holding it in its position with the help of a small graviton anchor in his tool arm, he twisted the top end with his normal arm. Immediately the bottom part of the device extended into a tripod and rose slightly, and a holographic control panel blinked into existence at the top end. With a few touches against the virtual panel, he activated the dampening field and instantly the threatening blue and red glow of the warp core degraded to a faint shimmer.
Hiora moved her rifle to her back, connecting it to the implanted graviton anchor between her shoulder blades to lock it in place there. She grabbed the unwieldy cuboid device with both hands and walked towards the warp core. At the railing separating the platform of main engineering from the chasm leading down to the antimatter injector she paused for a second. 18@31 looked over the barricade, measuring the distance to the bottom with her optical implants, and then simply shrugged before vaulting over the railing.
One second later Hiora landed on the warp core¡¯s ground floor with an loud thud, her armor suit¡¯s inertia dampener absorbing the energy of the fall while her cybernetic implants in her legs and back allowed her to land on her feet. Not hesitating even for the blink of an eye, she proceeded to deploy and activate the containment field generator to encase the antimatter injector, as well as the storage pods on the same deck in a paraboloid multi-dimensional force field, which could withstand and redirect the raw forces of an uncontrolled antimatter release.
At the same time the remaining members of the away team took the nanite reservoirs and injectors and started placing them around the warp core¡¯s central chamber. This was easier said than done, because for some unfathomable reason this warp core had its reaction chamber one level off the ground floor. The engineers had to climb and jump onto the core before they could start working, and even then, they still needed to pay extra attention to keep their balance and not drop off the chamber.
Once in place, however, the blocky devices easily attached to the chamber¡¯s outer wall and were then connected to the reservoirs with several thin tubes. The moment the injectors were activated, a thin layer of dull gray plating started to grow from the devices. The layer encroached into every crevice and nook, covering every panel and bolt on the chamber, gradually pumping the nanites deep into the matter and structure of the reaction chamber and sealing it into a crust of reinforced plating.
4@19 moved to inspect the central console in the middle of the engineering area. While the rest of his team dutifully carried out their tasks, he tried to find out about any other potentially dangerous systems they would need to take care of. The interface was strange and foreign to him, but eventually he managed to understand enough of it to get a systems report. Based on what he saw, he could say with utmost confidence that this ship was dead and would never fly again on its own power.
The whole electro-plasma system had been destroyed, the superstructure was deformed, and one engine pylon had been bent out of alignment. The only issue he could fix right now was the failing life support system. [13@37, the life support system is failing. Check if you can fix it. It only needs to hold together long enough to get us all out of here.] The other engineer looked back at Tarik and simply nodded his understanding, before he went to disappear around a corner and started crawling into a Jefferies tube.
While he continued to read the strange vessel¡¯s barely functioning engineering systems and status displays, Tarik slowly started to understand the configuration of the ship. It was certainly old by his standards, if not completely antique, but it did possess a certain elegance and cleverness. The ship¡¯s systems were efficient and even somewhat sophisticated. 4@19 wondered where this ship did come from, since almost all its used technology was hopelessly outdated by now.
Matter-antimatter reactor, warp drive, multiphasic graviton shielding, nadion particle beam weapons, energy-matter scrambler transporters - all of this was obsolete or outclassed amongst all known space-faring species. Only madmen, eccentrics, or historic ship enthusiasts would voluntarily use such technology.
One by one Tarik received reports of his team about their completed tasks, and he mentally acknowledged and confirmed every single one of them. He checked the console¡¯s readout, and a pleased smile appeared on his face. The warp core was stable, as was the life support system for this deck.
As the members of his mission team gradually returned from their assignments and gathered at the main entrance, they silently discussed their observations they had made in the last five minutes. [Reactor and life support stabilized. Survivors wounded, seven individuals in critical condition. Life signs weakening. Require immediate medical attention. Structural damage severe. USS Sidereal no longer suited for habitation.]
Tarik nodded quietly, agreeing with his team¡¯s conclusions. He turned away from the central console and started searching for the Romulan woman. Many of the crew had dispersed into the two corridors, one port and on starboard, that led away from main engineering. Several, however, had stayed in the central chamber, tending to their wounded. It was with one of those groups in the far back of the room, behind the warp core, where 4@19 finally found the captain.
When he approached, he noticed that the Romulan woman and some of her guards or officers were standing around a wounded dark-skinned Human, who was unconsciously lying on the ground. As he got closer, the blonde Human male with the seemingly pitch-black sense of humor, nudged his captain and nodded in the direction of 4@19. The Romulan turned around and met him a few steps away from where a massive Kalonar, apparently a trained medic, knelt next to the wounded, and desperately tried to make do with the limited options of the portable medkit folded open besides him.
Now Tarik also saw that the injured man was missing most of his right arm and had suffered serious burns on his chest and face. His visor clearly showed the signature residue left behind by high energy plasma burns. It seemed this poor man had been standing right next to an EPS conduit when the grid overloaded and exploded.
The Romulan woman looked at Tarik with a mixture of lingering doubt and careful hope. ¡°And, any news? Are we save?¡± She asked, while softly holding a cold compress against her right hip. He noticed with a stray thought that the bruised skin of her face and her wild hair, desperately trying to escape from her messy pony tail, had done nothing to detract from her attractiveness. Tarik took a deep breath to focus his thoughts before he responded.
¡°Yes, captain. The reactor has been stabilized. It is no longer in danger of breaching. However¡¡± He scratched his chin under the beard and shook his head at the Romulan.
¡°¡the rest of the ship had no such luck. Right now, this vessel is a drifting wreck. I had to dispatch one of my engineers to even keep the life support running. The hull has been compromised in basically all outer sections and fourteen percent of all inner sections. A nacelle pylon has been bent out of alignment, and the whole superstructure is deformed and damaged on a subatomic level. The EPS grid is mostly destroyed, and there are eleven plasma fires raging on the ship. I cannot recommend you staying here. Your vessel is no longer suitable for habitation. I strongly suggest evacuation.¡±
The woman¡¯s head sank at his words, and he could see she was struggling with the situation, trying to come up with a response. Tarik pressed on before she could say anything. ¡°Also, you¡¯ve got several wounded. Seven of them are in critical condition and need immediate medical attention. Until you¡¯ve restored your medical facili-¡± He stopped in mid-sentence when he suddenly felt an exceptional presence inhabit his body and sharing his experiences and sensations.
A melodic voice rose to speak to the primary hive-mind, a voice so rare and powerful that the whole network fell silent for a moment to listen. [I know their vessel, and I know their uniforms. They do not belong here. I will arrive shortly. Until then, make sure no harm comes to them. Treat them as guests and provide all support they need. They are harbingers from the darkest past of our people.]
Tarik realized that the captain and her officers were staring at him, since he had stopped talking and moving in the middle of his sentence. He looked in their confused faces and cleared his throat. ¡°We have received new directives. The Matriarch is on her way here to meet you. She will arrive in approximately thirty-three hours. Meanwhile she instructed us to treat you as guests and provide all support you need.¡±
It was extremely unlikely that the Matriarch herself would intervene in a simple rescue operation. This whole situation had just gotten far bigger than he would have ever expected. She¡¯d called the stranded crew harbingers. Tarik didn¡¯t like the connotations associated with that word one bit.
[ Act Three ]Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
¡°Abandoning the ship?¡± Niko asked, trying to keep his voice down. But the tension was still clearly audible. Niko, Rel, and Shori were all standing in a tight cluster around Sina, discussing their options.
Sina rubbed the ridges above her eyes on her forehead and turned to her XO. ¡°You have any better idea? Just look around you. The Sidereal is dead. And If we stay here, we¡¯ll also be that in a few hours.¡± She sighed and stepped closer to Niko. ¡°I know the risks, but we have no other choice. I would be a terrible CO if I allowed my crew to go down like this.¡±
The Human drew in a deep breath and nodded his understanding. ¡°I know, I know. It just¡¡±
¡°¡doesn¡¯t feel right? Yeah, I know what you mean.¡± The Caitian continued. She was showing her head again, the helmet dangling from the armor¡¯s belt. ¡°But I guess we have no other choice. Jeffrey and the others need medical attention badly. Co-Yor¡¯s doing his best, but he said he can only delay the inevitable now. If we don¡¯t get the critical cases into a proper sickbay they have at most ten minutes left.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll tell 4@19.¡± Sina said with determination and turned away from the group. She headed towards the primary console in engineering where the lead engineer and many of his people were gathering. ¡°4@19? May I call you that? I discussed it with my officers. We accept your help. Please help our wounded first, they don¡¯t have much time left.¡±
Tarik faced the Romulan with a smile, glad that at least for now the hostility and distrust had subsided. He still couldn¡¯t tell what the deal was with those strangers, but at least they would accept his help now. ¡°Yes, you can call me that, or Tarik if you prefer a name instead of a designation. We will transport your wounded directly to our medical installations. I promise you they will receive all the help we can give them, and they will not be harmed.¡±
Tarik mentally contacted the hive-mind of Sphere 272-Theta-8. [Requesting med-evac. Designated individuals require immediate medical attention. Two cases of severe plasma burns, including one partial amputation. Three cases of acute radiation syndrome exceeding fifty gray equivalent doses. One case of severe spinal injuries due to kinetic trauma. One case of severed abdominal artery due to intrusion of duranium fragments into abdominal cavity.]
A fraction of a second later, the seven wounded ones were surrounded by a dimensional pocket, and disappeared in bright blue-white flashes, leaving quickly shrinking clouds of darkness and swarms of dissipating motes of light behind. 4@19 looked at the captain and smiled. ¡°They are safe now. Our medical adjuncts will start treatments immediately.¡±
Sina nodded quietly, still hoping she had done the right thing. ¡°Thank you, Tarik. The rest of us¡¡±
¡°Our sphere is not equipped as a diplomatic vessel, so we lack the means to provide appropriate quarters. But we can reconfigure one of our cargo bays to provide temporary accommodations adequate for your crew. We can depart this ship whenever you are ready.¡± Tarik replied, already pulling up the plans for cargo bay three, which was currently empty, and how to best compartmentalize it for their guests.
¡°Just a few minutes, okay?¡± Sina asked. When 4@19 acknowledged her request, she nodded and returned to her crew. The majority had returned by now, partially driven by curiosity to take a closer look at the strange ¡°not-Borg Borg¡± that had unexpectedly come to their rescue. While several remained leery of their strange saviors, most of the crew seemed to have accepted that something was quite different here. And that this difference warranted a closer inspection.
¡°I¡¯ve talked with the leader of their team. They will provide rooms for us on their ship. I know this will be difficult for some, if not most of us, but I think for now we can trust them. I think the fact that they were asking us, instead of simply beaming us away shows that they have no hostile intentions, at least currently. As strange as this may sound to you, I think we might even have a first contact situation at our hands, so I ask you all to remain calm and rational.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The gathered personnel responded almost in unison.
Sina also returned to the group of her gathered senior officers. Niko, Rel, and Shori looked at her expectantly. ¡°We can leave whenever we want. Do you still need anything?¡± She asked the officers around her.
¡°No. I hope we can get some new clothing from them, and we can always come back later for some PADDs or personal belongings. Right now, we have to get the crew to safety, everything else is secondary.¡± Niko said, and the Cardassian and Caitian officers nodded in agreement.
Captain D¡¯raxis took a deep breath and replied. ¡°Okay, then that¡¯s it. See you all on the other ship. Don¡¯t forget to tell everyone to power down their phasers before we leave. Guess we won¡¯t need any weapons over there, and it would make a bad first impression anyway if we tried showing up with guns.¡± Sina returned to 4@19. ¡°Tarik? We¡¯re ready.¡±
In the background one could hear shouts telling the survivors to standby for transport. The Primary Engineering Adjunct turned around to face the Romulan and nodded. Again, he reached out to the hive-mind. [Requesting personal transport. Myself and sixty-one designated individuals. Destination: cargo bay three.] He looked at Sina with a smirk, while waiting for the dimensional pocket to form. ¡°This will be interesting for you.¡±
Before the Commander could reply, the pocket was forming, and reality turned into distorted chaos. Within the blink of an eye, all Federation personnel and Tarik had been transferred into the sphere¡¯s cargo bay. Sina shuddered, rubbing her arms as goosebumps caused by the dimensional shift formed all over her skin, while the sparks and motes from the pocket quickly disintegrated around them. ¡°What was that? That wasn¡¯t a transporter beam?!¡±
Tarik grinned. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. In our empire nobody uses energy-matter transporters any more. They are simply too unreliable and have too many quirks that cause problems. We¡¯re using a fractal dimensional pocket which we can translocate through subspace instantly to distances up to ten light-hours away. It¡¯s faster, safer, and reaches further than any outdated transporter.¡±
Sina tried to understand what the Human next to her had just told her. She did major in Astrophysics at Starfleet Academy, but still she couldn¡¯t make sense of what 4@19 had just told her. Moving dimensional pockets through subspace had been a theoretical concept that the Corps of Engineers as well as the Vulcan Science Academy had investigated for decades. But nobody had found a way to tackle the hyperphasic radiation blasting the insides of the pocket. Eventually the approach was abandoned as unworkable.
¡°Hey Sina!¡± Suddenly came a shout from not too far away. She turned and saw Niko and the others standing in a cluster about ten meters away. Her XO walked towards Sina and Tarik. ¡°Everybody¡¯s accounted for. We¡¯re all here.¡± He stopped a few steps in front of them and started looking around. Currently the massive cargo bay was empty aside from the people standing in one of its corners. The ceiling towered twenty meters above the ground, and the walls of the quadratic hall were 100 meters apart.
All surfaces were a smooth pale gray metallic alloy, interrupted in regular intervals by blue and green markings. There were also groups of semi-embedded columns along the walls every ten meters, which probably allowed easy arrangement of the bay into smaller ten by ten-meter grids. Right in the middle between each group of columns was a large door, allowing access to every individual outlying grid cell of the whole bay.
Tarik could see the slight confusion in the faces around him. He had promised them quarters, and right now they were standing in an empty hall. [Reconfigure cargo bay. Five-by-ten meter temporary quarters for single humanoid occupant. Arrange in groups of eight in twenty-by-twenty meter blocks. Six blocks single level, three blocks double level. Include personal hygiene and bio-waste recycling units.]
Suddenly the ground on the other half of the cargo bay started to shift and grow upwards. Intermediate walls seemed to materialize first as a thin wireframe only to become more solid a second later. Within two minutes, half a dozen flat ceiling buildings had grown from nothing. Three of them had two levels, the rest only had a single level, but all contained eight sleeping accommodations per level.
Two smaller installations, octagonal in shape, manifested in front of the group of cuboid buildings. Each of them was accompanied by a long table next to it and a double row of simple chairs. Each octagon column appeared to provide access to eight replicator-like trays.
4@19 waved to his guests, gesturing them to follow him. Slowly the group started to move. ¡°I hope these are sufficient. They are identical but larger versions of our standard emergency quarters. Each has a bed, a table with some chairs, and separate units for bodily hygiene and organic waste disposal. The latter ones are activated with simple voice or touch commands at the devices¡¯ surfaces.¡±
As they passed between the large columns, Tarik continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience, but our vessel currently doesn¡¯t have sufficient fabricators available to provide each unit with their own device. We simply don¡¯t need as many of them anymore. You¡¯ll find six food fabricators and two non-food fabricators for clothing and such at each of these columns. As with the other devices, simply touch the control panel and state your request.¡±
¡°Fabricators? Are they like our replicators?¡± Sina asked curiously.
The engineer looked at her questioningly for a moment, but once the information filtered into his consciousness he shook his head. ¡°No. They are similar in what they do but are based on completely different principles. Replicators always include a full transformation between matter and energy states for the whole created object. Fabricators use femtometer scale baryonic seeds. Effectively, it¡¯s all about programmable matter. The fabricator activates the seed with pulsed metreon radiation, shaping it into whatever the program demands.¡±
¡°This is not only much more energy efficient but also significantly faster. Generally only matter designated for consumption, mostly organic substances, are replicated instead of fabricated. While eating fabricated food isn¡¯t harmful to the body, we consider using the seeds this way a waste, since some of that matter is unlikely to be recycled again.¡± Tarik finished his explanation with a proud smile, while the surrounding Starfleet officers looked at him with a sense of tentative astonishment.
Niko and Sina were walking close to Tarik, at the tip of the column of Starfleet personnel moving towards their guest rooms. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sina said honestly, her expression slowly relaxing. The situation was still strange, but for now she felt they were safe. They had a place to sleep and heal, and they had food and clothing. At this moment she remembered to check in on their wounded, but they were probably still being treated. She¡¯d visit them shortly.
She stood at the entrance to her quarters and waved 4@19 over to her before he could disappear. ¡°Tarik, I wanted to thank you for what you and your people have done for us.¡±
The middle-aged Human shrugged slightly. ¡°No problem. But I am increasingly curious what your story is. Your ship is most unusual, basically an antiquity. I hope when the Matriarch arrives she can shed some light on the shadow of your sudden appearance.¡±
¡°This is the second time you mentioned this title. Is the Matriarch your leader?¡± Sina asked, carefully leaning against her quarter¡¯s door frame.
¡°The office of the Matriarch is difficult to explain to anyone not a member of the Synergy. The hive-mind elects her every twenty-five years, but it is not only an election in the more common sense. The whole empire discusses her achievements, her goals, and her motivations, and then decides to either renew her office or pass it on to someone else who also has to face the same scrutiny.¡±
Tarik continued with an enthusiastic smile on his lips. ¡°This process guarantees that the Matriarch not only embodies the goals of the Synergy, but also that all members are willing to follow her when it should become necessary. The Matriarch doesn¡¯t interfere much in our daily affairs. Bound together by the hive-mind, we have managed to create self-sufficient administrative structures on all levels, from a single continent up to whole sector blocks. Usually, the Matriarch works on long-term strategic goals, and on important diplomatic issues with the other galactic powers.¡±
He noticed that Sina¡¯s expression had become more saddened again. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± He inquired, unsure about his guest¡¯s sudden mood swing.
The Romulan let out a soft breath. ¡°No. Only what you describe doesn¡¯t make sense when I think about the Federation and what we know about the galaxy. I¡¯m¡¡± She looked at Tarik, wondering a moment about the implicitness with which he wore his cybernetic implants, carrying them as if they were the most normal thing in the world.
Sina drew in a deep breath before she continued with a sad overtone. ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared of the truth and what will become of my crew. What did that quantum fissure do to us? Did we go crazy and this all is just an elaborate hallucination while we¡¯re really dying in the wrecked remains of our ship? I don¡¯t know. And I¡¯m afraid of the answer to that question. But I guess that¡¯s our problem and not yours.¡± She forced a smile as she looked at the man who helped save her and her crew.
Tarik raised an eyebrow. A quantum fissure? Was this the reason for their ship¡¯s condition? He thought about it for a moment, and then reconfigured his subspace visor to extend the scanning band down to quantum realm properties. As he thoroughly looked at Sina, everything seemed normal, until his visor picked up her quantum signature.
It was different.
4@19 turned his head and looked at other survivors nearby. Every single one¡¯s quantum signature was different. He stared at Sina with a look of disapproval and disbelieve. He now understood what the Matriarch had meant. They do not belong here.
¡°Something wrong?¡± The Romulan asked nervously. Something had happened, his facial expression had lost all its previous casual ease. Had he seen something with his implant?
¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯m sorry, but I must leave. This cannot wait. I¡¯ll return soon, hopefully.¡± The engineer turned away and almost sprinted away from her, heading right to the cargo bay¡¯s nearest exit.
Sina looked after Tarik, wondering what had happened to agitate him that much. If it concerned her, she was sure he would eventually tell her. But right now, she was tired. The stress and exhaustion of the last hour¡¯s events finally came crushing down on her. She shuffled to the nearest fabricator column, got herself some casual clothes, and went back to her quarters. She got cleaned, changed clothes, and was out cold a minute after she had laid down on the bed.
[ Act Four ]
Rel carefully peeked into the quarters, softly calling out for his CO. ¡°Commander?¡± There was no reply, but he did see the silhouette of a humanoid body on the bed at the far end of the room, covered by a layer of simple blue blankets. The Cardassian hesitated for a moment, but then retreated from Sina¡¯s accommodation again, deciding not to wake her since it the report wasn¡¯t that important after all.
So, both the Commander and the XO were asleep. He really couldn¡¯t fault them. The last few hours had been not only been an emotional roller coaster unlike any he had ever experienced before, but they had also faced off against certain destruction. He still didn¡¯t quite understand how Visra managed to come up with the idea of detonating a quantum torpedo, but after all he was glad she had done it. She had saved them all.
Rel was still wearing his slightly worn duty uniform. Before he allowed himself the luxury of some recovery, he had to make sure that the rest of the crew were okay. Most of the survivors had quickly taken to their quarters, cleaning themselves up and getting some rest after they had cheated death by a hair. Co-Yor had replicated a few more medical supplies to treat the non-critical bruises, abrasions, and fractures, and most of his colleagues had just wanted to get some rest afterwards.
Only a tiny group of people were sitting together at one of the long tables in front of their accommodations. ¡°Hey, Lieutenant! Want to join us for a drink?¡± Shrass, an Andorian astrophysicist, called out to him. The scientist¡¯s rich blue skin was darker than normal for his race, and really stood out from a crowd. Rel thought about it for a second, then started to walk towards them. As he got closer to the table, he saw that the group had replicated a couple of glasses and some bottles of liquid. The Cardassian put on his best ¡°serious¡± face he could manage and approached the table.
¡°I hope you¡¯re not drinking on duty, Ensign Th¡¯akianas!¡± He teased and couldn¡¯t stop the slow spread of a wide grin from ear to ear. He earned a couple of laughs, but they died down quickly when the gravity of the situation came back like an inescapable blanket threatening to smother them all. Rel quietly sat down with the group.
¡°Well, duty usually implies there¡¯s a ship to do duty on, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Shrass asked, the others nodding sorrowfully. ¡°To be honest Rel, I don¡¯t like it here. I know, they helped us and saved our lives. And I know what the captain said, but still¡ something feels odd about this place, about these people. They say they weren¡¯t Borg, but I¡¯ll eat a steaming pile of raw klahz liver if they don¡¯t look and walk like Borg.¡±
¡°I think you¡¯re exaggerating.¡± A female Vulcan Junior Lieutenant replied flatly. She turned her head and focused her Andorian friend, her glossy black hair cut in the distinct Vulcan style. ¡°We should not allow ourselves to be tempted into making hasty judgments based on their appearance. They do use cybernetic implants, but the Borg are not the only species to do so. Even the Federation has a history of using cybernetics to restore lost extremities or treat injuri-¡±
¡°But we don¡¯t cut off someone¡¯s arm to put a super powered hyperspanner in the socket or amputate one¡¯s ear to make space for a molecular analyzer, T¡¯Sai. These guys do, and they just don¡¯t seem to care about it. For them having a mechanical tool as a right hand seems to be perfectly normal, and this is creeping me out big time.¡±
T¡¯Sai shook her head. ¡°I think you¡¯re overlooking some information. I¡¯ve been observing some of their crew as we had been interacting with them. It seems at least some of their cybernetics are modular. 4@19¡¯s visor was detachable, and he had a normal face underneath it. The eye the visor connected to was presumably blind, but it could also be only a non-standard visual appearance. My assumption is less that they don¡¯t care, but rather that their modifications are not permanent and therefore don¡¯t cause them the levels distress we would be expecting.¡±
Eventually the Human crewman who so far had just been fidgeting silently with his almost empty glass spoke up. He looked up from his glass, his face distorted into a mask of anger. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care about them, or what they do, or why. I just want to get home. I think the captain made a mistake putting us all on their ship. We don¡¯t have any way to defend us here, no weapons. Maybe we should try to modify the fabricators to spit out a phaser or two¡¡±
¡°Haroun, you¡¯re being irrational.¡± The Vulcan Junior Lieutenant tried to confront the Human¡¯s fears with her logic. It was an exercise in futility. ¡°If they had wanted to inflict any harm on us, they would have already-¡±
¡°Yeah yeah, would have already done so. Spare me this trite lamentation. Don¡¯t any of you find it awfully convenient that they were just around the block after our ship got put through the grinder? Has anyone of you thought that maybe that anomaly was a side effect of a new propulsion technology they developed? And that this all is an illusion to pacify and deceive us, like the drone ships used by the Romulans before the war?¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough, Crewman Al-Tammar!¡± Lieutenant Neirrek stood, using his imposing frame to put weight behind his words. He usually avoided doing so, since he attempted to use reason to get his point across instead of intimidation, but he felt that reason would fall on deaf ears with the Crewman. ¡°While I agree that we should stay vigilant and communicate any suspicious or potentially hostile activities by our hosts, we shouldn¡¯t become trapped by paranoia or fall prey to wild conspiracy theories.¡±
He saw Haroun attempt a retort but wouldn¡¯t have any of it and simply talked over the Human. ¡°I was the first who saw the contact on the sensors. They were not ¡®just around the block¡¯, they were over fifty light-years away from us. Any relationship between them and the anomaly that stranded us here is completely unsubstantiated. Remember: extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof. And where¡¯s the proof to support your allegations?¡±
The Cardassian easily stared the Human down. ¡°Thought so. So, no, we will NOT mess around with our only food and water supply to try and create some weapons. And what would you do next, anyway? Imagine you broke the fabricators to get a phaser. Congratulations, now what? Are you going to start shooting everyone? Maybe you remember what Tarik said back onboard the Sidereal. They outnumber us more than a hundred to one. And given the size of this single cargo bay, I tend to believe that their ship can house such numbers.¡±
Rel took a deep breath to calm his voice which had gotten a tad louder than he had wanted. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re relatively save here. We have shelter, food and water, clothing, and medical supplies. But none of us knows whether that would stay this way if we started trouble with them. I hope I¡¯ve made myself perfectly clear?¡± He stared Haroun dead in the eyes, waiting for a response.
¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The Human meekly replied, visibly upset and on the verge of tears. His frustration and feeling of helplessness were about to burst through any seam available. ¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t mean to¡¡± He sobbed, his frame shivering slightly. The Andorian and Vulcan also sitting at the table had silently observed what just happened, their wide gazes traveling between Haroun and Rel.
Lieutenant Neirrek sighed, slowly rubbing the ridges above his eyes. ¡°Haroun, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you mean. I also feel helpless. But we must not mess this up. Captain D¡¯raxis thinks this is a first contact situation. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s right or not, but if we blow this it could get us all killed. We just can¡¯t risk it. So, all of you, keep it together. And I implore you to find me and talk to me, or Niko, or Sina, before you go ahead and do anything stupid. Okay?¡±
The group at the table nodded silently, and quickly focused on their drinks again.
Rel decided to call it quits since he was also starting to feel tired after this day¡¯s events. Reasoning with himself that right now there was nothing more he could do, as most of the crew were either already asleep or about to go to bed, he excused himself from the table. He headed towards the last building block on the right-hand end of the cargo bay, where his own quarters were, when suddenly a brazen voice addressed him from around a corner, followed by a soft giggle.
¡°Nice dressing down. I really liked the conclusion. Maybe you should reconsider joining the Diplomatic Corps.¡±
Rel stopped in his tracks and sighed. ¡°Hello Shori¡¡± He returned, before turning around to face the Caitian. She leaned against the wall of one of the single floor blocks, and cheekily smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like my way with words.¡± Shori laughed heartily and stepped fully around the corner. Rel raised an eyebrow and scanned her from top to bottom and back up again when he noticed she wasn¡¯t wearing her usual armor. Instead, she was dressed in a simple but apparently comfortable dark brown jumpsuit.
¡°Something wrong?¡± She asked, slightly tilting her head while her large ears popped up and pointed at him like ancient radar dishes.
¡°Didn¡¯t know you also came without your armor. I thought you two had already become melded together after all those years.¡± He chuckled as they slowly continued walking towards the end of the hall.
¡°Very funny.¡± She hissed, throwing a pretend clawing gesture in his direction. ¡°But seriously, how¡¯s the mood? Guess you¡¯ve been talking and checking up on most of the crew?¡±
Lieutenant Neirrek look at the female Caitian and shrugged his broad shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s mostly okay, but I¡¯m worried about hot-heads like Al-Tammar. Especially with our counselor out of order, and no other trained professional to talk to, I don¡¯t know how long things will hold up. Sure, I can play ¡®angry Cardassian¡¯ for some time, but it¡¯s only going to help so much. We can only hope that we¡¯ll get at least some kind of explanation soon, before people start coming up with their own interpretations.¡±
Rel drew in a lungful of air, followed by letting out a hearty yawn. ¡°I think the best we can do is keep our troops busy, so that they don¡¯t get complacent and bored. Marshal them for the regular drills, do some PT, the normal stuff. Without anything else to do it will still get repetitious, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±
¡°Sounds good, and I couldn¡¯t imagine a better qualified drill instructor than you. But I feel you. I¡¯ve been talking with my security team, and they¡¯re holding up okay. Sure, they¡¯re also frustrated and scared, but they seem to have come to terms with the current situation. Without equipment they won¡¯t be able to do much, but they¡¯ll keep an eye open if someone tries anything.¡± The Caitian seemed confident in her team, and her estimation of the situation.
Her long tail gently swayed from side to side as they continued walking, but it stopped for a moment when Shori sighed. ¡°But there¡¯s one crew member who has me really worried.¡±
¡°Hmm? Who?¡± Rel inquired.
¡°Visra. She¡¯s not been herself since we got here. Before I came to you, I went to see her. Initially I thought she was just irritated or annoyed. But once I spent some time with her¡ At first, she barely reacted to my presence. She almost seemed to ignore me on purpose. When I got closer to her she lashed out at me. And I¡¯m serious. She clawed at my face. Then she screamed at me to get out and leave her alone. I¡¯m not a professional therapist by any means, but I think I know that kind of PTSD when I see it.¡±
By now they had reached Rel¡¯s quarters. The Cardassian leaned against the wall and let out a deep sigh. ¡°You think she¡¯ll do anything to herself? I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good thing if I go pester her right now as well, but I¡¯ll keep that in mind and go check on her first thing tomorrow.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t think so, she didn¡¯t seem to be such a case. But you can never be sure. Some trigger could initiate a completely different reaction, even though I have no idea what exactly could have caused this trauma. Maybe we should ask our hosts to keep an eye on her through their sensors, just to be sure she won¡¯t harm herself? What do you think?¡±
¡°Good thinking. I would really hate to see her harm herself after saving us. We should also try to get some info about our wounded. I¡¯d really like to see them, even if it¡¯s just through a screen. Just to know that they¡¯ll be okay.¡±
¡°I know. I¡¯ll go talk with Hiora and ask her about both things.¡± Shori mentioned, but then hesitated with a big grin on her face. ¡°Speaking of which¡ what have you done to our liaison?¡±
Rel looked at her questioningly, not understanding her question. ¡°What do you mean? What have I done to whom?¡±
¡°Hiora. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t noticed the dagger glare she gives you.¡±
Lieutenant Neirrek smirked. ¡°Shori, this woman gives the dagger glare to everyone. So far, I haven¡¯t seen anyone who didn¡¯t get figuratively murdered by her gaze, even amongst her own people. I have no idea if this is just her style, some kind of ¡®bad cop¡¯ vibe maybe, or if something else¡¯s going on.¡±
The COS just laughed, and wished Rel a good night, before sauntering off to the other end of the cargo bay where she would be having a ¡°nice¡± chat with Hiora, trying to convince her of the necessity of her requests.
The Cardassian, however, just entered his quarters, took a quick shower, and fell onto the bed. Now that he was able to have a moment of rest, his body quickly shut down to grab any chance of recovery it could get. Before falling asleep, his thoughts came back to the Human liaison they had to deal with for now. He wondered why she identified herself as 18@31, while others of her crew called her Hiora. Was this designation-name dichotomy a given for all those people? Was it a personal choice? And why did she appear continuously angry at everyone and everything?
Eventually his thoughts dissipated into clouds of tiredness, and he appreciated the quite generous accommodation before drifting off to sleep.
[ Act Five ]
Admiral Hannah Yadav sat in her office in Starfleet Headquarters, silently scrolling through the report in front of her for the third time. She had read the assessment two times already, thinking there must have been a clue she had missed. But she hadn¡¯t, no matter how much she wished for it. Hannah blinked and glanced at the screen, realizing that she¡¯d been staring off and scrolled back to the top of the document. The characters on the display seemed to mock her, taunt her with the terrible truth they contained.
STARFLEET INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES - PRELIMINARY REPORT
SUBJECT: NCC-69765 USS Sidereal
STATUS: Missing, presumed destroyed on stardate 88299.3
CREW: Missing, presumed KIA on stardate 88299.3
She¡¯d been restless and in emotional turmoil ever since she had received the document an hour ago from Starfleet Command. Many people in SC knew the Sidereal and her unusual crew all too well. Especially the ship¡¯s captain was quite a curiosity. Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis was an unexpected fallout of Romulus¡¯s destruction twenty-seven years ago. Nobody would have expected that a Romulan refugee would end up as Commander on a Starfleet ship. But Sina prevailed against all odds, apparently until now.
If only the ship had been destroyed it would be written off as an inconvenient annoyance. Ships are expendable, after all, and can be rebuilt with a bit of time and material. But the presumed deaths of all eighty-two officers and enlisted members of the skeleton crew that should transfer the ship back to Earth turned this accident into a complete tragedy. The destruction of the Sidereal was the greatest non-combat loss of life in Starfleet in the last fifteen years.
What made matters worse was that Hannah had known Sina and her adoptive mother for more than two decades. She remembered the events from those twenty-five years ago as if they had happened yesterday. Yadav, back then the commanding officer of Starbase 39-Sierra, had seen more misery and suffering since the destruction of Romulus than she had ever wanted.
It culminated in a hopelessly overcrowded Talarian freighter, carrying hundreds of refugees, which had docked with the station for refueling. The sanitary conditions on the ship were appalling, and because of this one compartment of refugees had gotten infected with the Terothka virus. Hannah ordered the evacuation of over four dozen sick refugees, amongst them a terrified orphan in serious condition, and had them treated on the station.
The orphan, a little girl named Sina, was in poor condition and weakened to the point of total exhaustion. She took almost two weeks to recover from the infection. The station¡¯s CMO, Doctor Mike Thompson, took pity on the girl and took her in, allowing her to stay with him and his family. Three weeks later the USS Goddard docked at 39-Sierra, and her first officer, Commander Neila Gallagher, upon learning of Sina¡¯s fate, decided to adopt her and take her back to Earth.
Ever since, Hannah and Neila had stayed in close contact, and the Admiral had enjoyed watching Sina overcome the trauma of her early childhood, and grow into a clever, willful, and dedicated young woman. All three had been beaming with pride when Sina announced her intention to join Starfleet, and even more so at her graduation ceremony. But all those happy memories now turned to ash under the SIS report¡¯s menacingly glowing letters. The Admiral knew that there was one thing she now had to do. And she knew she would hate every second of it.
She opened the comm interface on her desk¡¯s console and called her assistant in the office next to hers. ¡°Peter, please search for the next transporter window to ESD.¡±
A little over half an hour later Admiral Yadav stood in the turbolift and desperately tried to calm her nerves. This has always been the part of her position she hated the most, and no amount of training or counseling could ever really prepare one for it. Even more so when it concerned a good friend. The lift came to a stop and its doors slid open, giving way to the lounge in front of Earth Space Dock¡¯s port master office. The elderly flag officer tugged her black long jacket straight and took a deep breath to gather her courage before entering the lounge.
The gold trim around her uniform¡¯s red stripe of the Command division shimmered softly under the lights beaming down from the hall¡¯s ceiling six meters above. As she walked right towards the front desk at the other side of the lounge, she looked out the tall and massive windows lining the left wall, giving her a magnificent view of Earth¡¯s northern hemisphere at night.
She could see London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk, Moscow. The lights of the cities below glistened like dust of gold and silver. In a few hours, the approaching sunrise would chase the shadows away and birth a brand-new day. And in a few minutes, she would destroy her friend¡¯s hopes.
The flag officer¡¯s head sank at those dark thoughts, her neatly braided plait of light gray hair swinging gently around her neck as she walked. Eventually, she reached the desk. The Human Lieutenant working through his CO¡¯s schedule had kept a nervous eye on the Admiral since she had stepped out of the turbolift. Unannounced flag officer visits were always either a source of bad news or more work, often both combined. The black-skinned man at the desk wasn¡¯t sure which kind of visit this one was. ¡°Admiral.¡± He greeted the visitor. ¡°How can I help you?¡±
¡°At ease, Lieutenant. I¡¯m Hannah Yadav, and I need to talk to Captain Gallagher. Is she available?¡±
The young man smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, Admiral. The Captain¡¯s next appointment is in twenty minutes. She¡¯s in her office, please go ahead.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Admiral Yadav nodded and turned towards the door leading into the port master¡¯s office, but after a few meters stopped dead in her tracks. She sighed and looked at the Lieutenant. ¡°Lieutenant, cancel all of Captain Gallagher¡¯s appointments for today and tomorrow. She will most likely not be able to attend them. Direct any complains to my office.¡±
So, it was bad news then. ¡°Um, Sir? If I may ask, why? What¡¯s happening?¡± The young man asked while reluctantly tapping on the console, bringing up the scheduling interface.
¡°What¡¯s happening, Lieutenant? The worst part of command duty.¡± Hannah was already struggling to keep her composure and couldn¡¯t hide the sadness in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m about to go into that room and tell a mother that her daughter will never be coming home again.¡±
The Lieutenant¡¯s eyes went wide after he heard those words. He had been working for Captain Gallagher since he was an Ensign and had known her and her family quite well during the last two years. He knew that Neila didn¡¯t have children herself but had an adoptive daughter. Sina, one of the few Romulans serving in Starfleet. He had met Sina a few times when she came to visit her mother, and she seemed to be a genuinely good person. He quietly nodded when the finality of the Admiral¡¯s words started to set in.
Silently Admiral Yadav continued towards the doors and entered the modern and spacious office hidden behind them. The middle-aged Captain was sitting behind her desk, tapping happily away at the PADD in her hands. She was well beyond fifty, and her thick auburn hair had started to grow several gray strands. She looked up when the doors opened and smiled as she saw her old friend. ¡°Hannah!¡± She rose from her chair and put down the PADD, walking around the desk to greet her guest.
¡°Now that¡¯s an unexpected visitor. What brings you to ESD? Are you finally giving me the gold frame to my pips?¡± She teased, unaware of the purpose of the Admiral¡¯s visit. Seeing Neila this happy almost broke Hannah¡¯s heart. When her old friend approached to give her a welcome hug, she held out her hands in front of her and shook her head. Neila¡¯s steps slowed down, seeing her old friend¡¯s defensive gesture and the expression on her face, and her brow furrowed with worry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, now standing right in front of the Admiral.
Admiral Yadav took a deep breath and walked past Neila towards the front of the large desk. She swallowed hard in a desperate attempt to make the knot in her throat go away. Then she turned around to face the Captain. ¡°Three days ago, the Sidereal sent out a priority one distress signal¡¡±
The words were like a slap to Neila¡¯s face. The Sidereal. Sina! She followed Hannah to her desk, standing right in front of her, almost getting into the Admiral¡¯s face. Looking in her old friend¡¯s eyes, she saw the sadness and pain, and a dark doubt crawled into her thoughts. Why would an Admiral visit her and tell her of a¡ distress¡ Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head, whispering in shock, ¡°Please, no¡¡±
Hannah continued her report with a shaking voice, trying her best to keep it together. ¡°The Sidereal had received orders to return to Earth for an early, rescheduled retrofit. They had loaded off most personnel on Starbase 84 and were only running a skeleton crew. The ship passed through the Norkan sector on her way to Earth, when she apparently encountered a quantum spacetime fissure. Based on the recordings of the distress signal we have, it seems they struck the fissure at warp speed and got partially sucked into it.¡±
The Admiral turned away and slowly walked to the couch at the other end of the room. Neila just stood there, frozen, motionless, struggling with what she was hearing. ¡°Two Bajoran freighters coming from Benzar and on their way to Cairn, the Mujinu and the Vobrel, were the first to respond. They recorded the distress call and tried to reply but couldn¡¯t get through. The Bajorans changed course to the coordinates of the signal, but they were over four hours away.¡±
¡°When they got there¡¡± A weak sob escaped Hannah¡¯s throat before she could continue. ¡°When they got there, they found a localized debris field, but it wasn¡¯t nearly big enough to account for a whole Akira class. The freighter crews continued running sensor sweeps of the area and kept trying to establish communication with the Sidereal.¡±
Admiral Yadav sat down on the couch, her eyes all watered up. It pained her to have to do this to her friend, but she considered it her own duty and she couldn¡¯t lay that burden on anyone else. Neila deserved to hear this not from a stranger. By now Neila had tears running down her face as she sat down next to Hannah. The Captain already suspected how the Admiral¡¯s report would end, but she still refused to believe it.
Hannah continued, her hands trembling slightly and her voice threatening to falter. ¡°The Newton, an Intrepid class docked at Deep Space 4 at the time of the distress call, also scrambled to respond, and arrived three hours after the Bajorans at the Sidereal¡¯s last known position. When the Newton arrived, over seven hours had passed since the distress call, and still no contact could be established with the ship, nor were there any signs of the vessel or her crew. There was nothing else but the debris. No beacons, no log buoys, no escape pods.¡±
A pained sob escaped Neila¡¯s throat as she heard those words. She desperately tried to keep her composure, but she was at the brink of failing. This couldn¡¯t be happening. Not to Sina. Her girl couldn¡¯t be dead. She mustn¡¯t be! She had written that she wanted to play with Jack, their Labrador puppy. And she wanted to eat again at Victario¡¯s, her favorite restaurant on Mars.
It had been over a year since they had seen each other in person, and now¡ and now¡ Neila couldn¡¯t focus on any thought any more. Everything seemed to happen through a cloudy fog. It had to be a dream turned nightmare, and she had to wake up any moment now.
When she spoke those last three words, their merciless finality made the Admiral¡¯s eyes overflow, and tears now also ran down her own face. ¡°The Newton¡¯s sensors picked up traces of a quantum torpedo explosion near the center of the debris field. Based on the distress call, the spatial distortions at those coordinates, the condition of the debris, and the torpedo traces, we assume the crew of the Sidereal tried to escape from the fissure by detonating a quantum warhead in its proximity.¡±
¡°The Newton¡¯s science officer confirmed that under the right conditions a quantum torpedo could have created a shock wave to push the Sidereal out of the fissure and then collapse the rift. But¡¡± Hannah shook her head, the sobbing coming from her friend sitting next to her was like a thousand needles in her heart. Her voice was cracking, and she could only continue in a whisper. ¡°¡we can¡¯t tell why it didn¡¯t work. Maybe the explosion was too weak, or not in the right spot, we just don¡¯t know. A team from Starfleet Investigative Services is currently trying to figure out exactly what happened.¡±
¡°As far as we can currently tell, the Sidereal was eventually destroyed by the fissure shortly after dispatching the distress signal and lost with all hands. I¡¯m sorry, Neila¡ I¡¯m so sorry¡¡± The Admiral had barely finished, when the mourning cries of a mother who had lost her only child echoed through the room. Hannah looked to her side, and saw Neila sobbing and weeping, burying her face in her hands. It broke her heart to see her friend like this, and Hannah couldn¡¯t hold back her own tears any more. She put her arms around Neila and pulled her into a close embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡¡±
The two women silently held on to each other, mourning the part of both their lives that had been ripped away from them. Hannah and Neila stayed for several long hours in the office, consoling each other over Sina¡¯s death. Their tears had burned hot, but eventually dried up. They kept talking about their memories of Sina and the last twenty-five years of her life. Eventually, Captain Gallagher¡¯s shift replacement showed up, and Neila and Hannah continued their talks in private quarters long into the night.
[1x03] The Garden Of Your Darkest Fears
[ Act One ]
Everything was dark, and his right side was hurting like hell. Jeffrey let out a pained groan as he struggled to move while slowly regaining consciousness. As he tried to move, something felt off. Strange. Wrong. But he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. He struggled some more, eventually managing to fight through the pain and disorientation enough to open his eyes. The dark-skinned Human blinked, his blue eyes wandering about and trying to focus.
Junior Lieutenant Brassfield couldn¡¯t see any lights, but everything was still bright. He saw some dark figures leaning over him but couldn¡¯t make out their details against the contrast of the ceiling. ¡°Please¡¡± He tried to speak, his throat, mouth, and lips so dry every word hurt him. ¡°Pain¡¡± Jeffrey had barely spoken those words, and the figures reacted instantly. They didn¡¯t speak, and a second later he felt a hypospray pressed against his neck. The injection raced into his blood, and the pain permeating his right side gradually faded away. ¡°Thank¡ you¡¡± He mumbled as he relaxed.
A group of people responded, a gentle choir speaking in unison. Their voices mixed together perfectly, but still he could make out one powerful female voice who seemed to lead the choir. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. You are safe now. Your injuries are severe, but we are confident you will survive and eventually recover.¡± He felt a caring and soothing caress on his left cheek, soft fingers brushing against his skin.
One figure leaned above his head again, its face moving closer and closer as a dermal regenerator was applied to the side of his head. As the person treated his severely burnt and irritated skin, slowly Jeffrey¡¯s vision started to clear. The formless figure gradually sharpened into a humanoid shape, then the shadow of a head cleared and revealed the blurry face and forehead ridges of a female Klingon.
Jeffrey smiled softly, wondering where he was and why a Klingon was treating him. He started to form his thoughts into words, as his vision kept clearing up some more. ¡°Where am¡¡± But he failed to complete his question, when the last fog left his eyes. He could now clearly see the cybernetic attachment on the Klingon¡¯s face, and the wires and tubes implanted into the side of her head. Borg. His smile froze in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, an abyss of blind panic swallowed him whole.
He screamed and started to thrash his arm around in unrelenting despair. His muscular frame struggled, and somehow his fear gave him enough strength to roll off the biobed. Out of habit he tried to catch himself with his right arm, but it just didn¡¯t follow his mental commands. Jeffrey hit the ground with full force, the impact knocking the air out of his lungs. As he struggled to regain his breath and footing, searing pain shot into his right shoulder.
As the adrenalin was pumping into his systems, and the blood was rushing in his ears, he looked at his unresponsive arm. He stared at a stump and a badly tattered and burnt Starfleet uniform. His arm wasn¡¯t there. It was gone. His heart was going a mile a minute, and the terrifying recordings of assimilation victims flashed in his mind. They must have removed his arm to make space for some cybernetic tool! He was in the process of being assimilated! It was probably only a matter of minutes now, before he would be enslaved by the Collective.
Again, he heard the voices speak, but this time couldn¡¯t make out their words. And he didn¡¯t care. In sheer terror he looked around, like a cornered animal desperately searching for a way out. One cyborg approached him from his left, but before he had reached him, Jeffrey jumped forwards and rammed into the humanoid with his left shoulder with all his might. The cyborg let out surprised shout, before being rushed off his feet and landing on his butt.
The pain and hopelessness of his situation drove him deeper into his panic. ¡°NOOOO! NOOOOOOOO! I¡¯LL NEVER GIVE UP! I¡¯LL FIGHT YOU!¡± He screamed, blindly thrashing his arm against anyone who dared to approach. Step by step, he got away from the biobed and moved into the open space of a completely foreign medical facility. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling were sealed with dull light gray metal panels, and on the far end of the room there was an open door.
Dozens of rotating biobeds were lined against the walls of the complex, with all kinds of medical and laboratory equipment placed on tables in the room¡¯s center. Half a dozen of the other biobeds were occupied, each with a handful of Borg standing around them and medical devices on flexible segmented tentacles descending from openings in the otherwise flawlessly smooth ceiling.
Everyone was looking at him in surprise, irritation, and pity. On the nearest bed Jeffrey saw an unconscious Tellarite, his head turned sideways. He recognized him. It was Xoth, the only Tellarite on the Sidereal and often his Team Velocity buddy. He then saw through a medical force field that Xoth¡¯s back had been opened to expose his spine, and several metallic bars were injected between the Tellarite¡¯s vertebrae.
Jeffrey let out an enraged, pained, scream. One of his friends was being assimilated, but he knew he couldn¡¯t help him. The helplessness and powerlessness felt like a dagger being twisted in his chest. Tears of despair and rage filled his eyes, blurring his vision. He stumbled around, staggering towards the exit, the pain in his side and shoulder flaring up again. He desperately tried to put as much distance as possible between him and them.
Suddenly an armored figure appeared in the door¡¯s frame. She was almost a full head shorter than Jeffrey, but the armor gave her more than enough bulk to easily stop him dead in his tracks. He hesitated for a second, arguing with himself whether to charge at her. But this moment of hesitation was enough for the woman with the blue-white strands in her hair to draw her rifle and fire at him.
The rifle¡¯s emitter flared up, and a pale stream of ripples streaked from the weapon towards him. The beam struck him right in the chest, effortlessly rushing him off his feet with overwhelming power. Jeffrey hit the ground hard, and desperately tried to fight against the invisible force pressing him down. He screamed and struggled, thrashed and shook, all to no avail. Eventually he was getting tired, exhausted. The rush of the adrenaline from his initial shock started to fade, and the pain from his wounds threatened to take over.
Jeffrey fell silent and stopped struggling, resigning himself to his presumed fate. His fight for survival had just turned to helpless resignation. He started to sob and cry, waiting for the moment he was picked up and assimilation tubules were driven into his body to flood his blood with millions of nanoprobes and turn him into a drone. But that moment never happened. Instead there was a bright blueish-white flash of light, and a familiar voice called out his name. ¡°Jeffrey! What happened? Turn that thing off!¡±
The Junior Lieutenant saw his CO rushing towards him and drop to her knees at his side. Instantly the force holding him down disappeared. ¡°Jeffrey! Jeffrey please talk to me. Are you okay? What happened?¡± She grasped for his left hand, firmly squeezing his fingers. He stared at her, looking up at her as she leaned over him, her face full of worries. Why was she so calm? They were in a room full of Borg! He had seen them assimilate his friend! What was going on?
¡°Captain¡ I¡ I don¡¯t understand¡¡± His throat was still dry and sore. He looked around in confusion, seeing more of those cyborgs approaching. Even the armored girl now stood next to him, casually holding her rifle at her side with one hand and watching him with a look of disapproval and dignified annoyance. His mind was reeling under the onslaught of all those things that didn¡¯t seem to make any sense.
¡°It¡¯s okay Jeffrey. It¡¯s okay. Calm down. You¡¯re safe.¡± Sina said softly and smiled at her completely confused friend. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid, these people are helping us.¡±
¡°But¡ my arm¡ and Xoth! I saw them assimilate him¡¡± He stuttered in confusion.
¡°Jeffrey¡¡± The Romulan spoke while shaking her head slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your arm to heavy plasma burns. You were standing right next to a plasma relay when our EPS grid blew up. You were lucky that Shori was nearby and managed to drag you out of the flames. And Xoth¡ he fell off a lift in the hangar deck. He fractured his backbone and got his spinal cord severely damaged in several places. There are a few more of us here that were critically wounded during our accident. These people are helping us. They saved our lives.¡±
¡°But¡ but they look like¡¡± Jeffrey mumbled, still trying to salvage what was left of his shattered worldview.
¡°I know, but they are not what you think they are. Don¡¯t let their appearance deceive you. They are not our enemies.¡± Sina replied, looking at him genuinely. ¡°I know how difficult this must be to accept right now, but please let them help you. It will take some time, but you will recover. And they¡¯ve promised not to use any nanites on us. You¡¯ll be fine Jeffrey. Please trust me.¡±
By now the Klingon woman whose appearance had initially sparked his reaction had also approached, looking at him with an expression of confusion and concern, and sadness. ¡°I am sorry for scaring you.¡± She said. He recognized her voice as the one leading the choir before. ¡°It was not my intention to disturb you. If you wish, another medical adjunct will continue your treatment.¡±
Jeffrey looked up at her, then back at his commanding officer. His eyes traveled back and forth a couple times, before he nodded at Sina. ¡°I¡ I trust you, captain.¡± The dryness of his throat was making talking difficult for him, but he managed. He looked at the Klingon again and softly shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine¡¡± His heart had stopped thundering in his chest by now, but his clothes were soaked with sweat from the sudden exertion and pain.
The medical adjunct nodded and with a wordless gesture summoned a tentacle extending down from a new opening in the ceiling. The tip of the segmented tendril was covered with a small tractor beam emitter, which pointed at Jeffrey and began to glow softly. Immediately the wounded Human felt weightless and was lifted gently off the ground.
With care and precision, the Klingon woman guided the tentacle, and carried him back to the biobed from which he had escaped several minutes ago. The tractor beam disengaged, and after he was placed again on the biobed the tentacle disappeared seamlessly into the ceiling again.
From outside his vision she produced a device that looked like a respiratory mask. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. This is a simple medical humidifier to re-moisturize your oral mucosa and throat tissue. It will not perform any other function. Do you wish me to apply this device?¡± She looked at Jeffrey in expectation of an answer, and when he simply nodded, she expertly fastened the mask over his mouth.
Sina and Hiora had followed the wounded counselor back to his biobed but were standing a few steps to the side. They watched how the medical adjunct continued with treating his burns, trying to stimulate cell recovery in the almost destroyed tissue. It would be a long and painful process until, if ever, Jeffrey¡¯s arm could be restored.
The Romulan looked at 18@31 and sighed. ¡°This could have gone better.¡±
¡°Why? His recovery has not been jeopardized, nor has he inflicted any damage or additional injury on himself or anyone else. He is now also at least partially aware of the situation, so further hostilities are not to be expected.¡±
¡°Yes, but it would have been better if he had not woken up like this. I¡¯m sure the others would react similarly.¡± Sina slowly rubbed the ridge above her eyes and wondered. ¡°Perhaps it would be best for everyone if the others were kept anesthetized until their condition has improved enough to release them from sickbay. This way we could explain the situation to them without scaring them to death.¡±
Hiora looked at the Commander, then nodded after a short delay. ¡°Done. I¡¯ve relayed your request to all medical adjuncts. We agree with your assessment. You¡¯ll be informed when any member of your crew is ready to leave the medical facility, so you can organize the handover.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Sina looked back at Jeffrey and sighed again. She returned one last time to his biobed, trying not to get in the medics¡¯ way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve got to go now. Their leader is arriving soon, and I still need to prepare some things for the meeting. But I promise I¡¯ll come back, okay? You stay here and follow the doctors¡¯ orders.¡± Her gaze softened, and she smiled gently at her crew member. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any complaints.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± Jeffrey replied, his voice muffled by the mask and sounding exhausted. ¡°How¡ how many made¡ it¡?¡±
His question took her a bit off guard, and her expression saddened. ¡°We¡¯re sixty-eight in total. We had fourteen casualties when the Sidereal¡¯s structural integrity failed.¡± He closed his eyes and nodded weakly. ¡°But don¡¯t you worry about that now. You take care of your own recovery first. You should be able to leave in a few days, but they want to make sure there is no residual radiation damage.¡±
He nodded weakly, acknowledging his CO¡¯s remark. Three weeks before his 39th birthday. And here he was. Jeffrey silently wondered who the casualties were, and how the rest of the crew was doing. While the Klingon medic silently went on with his treatment, he was still struggling to come to terms with what he¡¯d just been told. His mind was racing with countless questions, and he hoped that the doctors here would be willing to answer at least a few of them.
Sina squeezed his hand one more time, then let go and stepped away from the biobed. ¡°Hiora, could you please transport me back to the cargo bay?¡± The Romulan asked politely. Hiora simply nodded, and a few moments later both disappeared into a bright blue-white flash engulfing a quickly dissolving pitch black maw. They were gone in the blink of an eye.
[ Act Two ]
1@1-Alpha stood in her private atelier. The noticeable more than two meters tall Xalagani held the palette with her right hand, her slender fingers wrapping around the grip, while her left hand directed the over half a meter-long brush with delicate accuracy. Chromatic meta-sculpting had become one of Chiaxi¡¯s favorite past times, combining exercises of patience, body control, creativity, relaxation, and artistic sense into a singular discipline.
And it had turned out that the simple act of performing this art had garnered an immense number of followers amongst the hive-mind. Dozens of trillions of her people connected and enjoyed the peace and serenity of the Matriarch painting her sculpture. It always filled her with joy to feel how many members of her empire watched her and drew peace and relaxation from her performance.
She often wished she could do this more regularly, because she knew that still many parts of the galaxy were troubled with disaster or conflict. But for now, was happy to feel the torrent of minds inhabiting her body, sharing this peaceful moment of recreation with her.
She carefully guided the brush towards the silver speckled purple column on the right side of the abstract sculpture. Slowly touching the bristles holding the meta-stable color against the material, she smiled as the matter reacted with the sculpture and she painted another branch into thin air, this time in a deep red streaked with bright golden veins.
Chiaxi was quite satisfied with how the sculpture was coming along. Chromatic meta-sculpting was as much instinct and chance as it was knowledge and ability. She¡¯d been working on it regularly for the last four and a half years, gradually refining its structure, composition, colors, and texture. With each session, the work of art became more enjoyable, and more of her subjects enjoyed watching her.
She felt a slight shift in the hive-mind¡¯s general attention. There was a minor emergency, with an unknown vessel being in distress. Sphere 272-Theta-8 had detected a critically damaged vessel and was rendering aid. That was no extraordinary event, and she was proud of the ship¡¯s crew reacting so quickly to the situation. The Matriarch dragged the brush through the glob of pitch-black color on her palette and focused her three bright blue cybernetic eyes on a different part of the sculpture.
Slowly walking around the art work to get a better angle, Chiaxi¡¯s bright orange-yellow skin and its purple patterns seemed to almost glow in the bright illumination of her studio. As she walked, the crown of carefully entwined black and blue tendrils growing from her head swayed gently with her steps. The cybernetically enhanced tentacles moved slowly on their own account, taking care to stay clear of any obstacles and not hinder their owner.
As she gently painted another branch of the sculpture a few minutes later, she noticed how the hive-mind shifted more and more towards Sphere 272-Theta-8. A regular rescue operation shouldn¡¯t cause such a rush of attention, so she decided to listen in to the collective thoughts of her people. She carefully placed the palette and brush on the nearby working bench and reached out to the ship.
She listened to the thousands of voices onboard the sphere think, speak, and work as one. The vessel had already transported a damage control team to the other ship. She looked at the sensor information of the distressed vessel and caught her breath in shock. The configuration was familiar, but it could not be. 1@1 was looking at the tattered and torn hull of a Federation Starfleet Akira class vessel, and a single thought raced through her mind.
Impossible!
But the reality of the situation defied her thoughts, and the Matriarch¡¯s curiosity quickly overcame her surprise. She investigated the details of the contact, and then decided to share the body of the sphere¡¯s Primary Engineering Adjunct who was leading the rescue team. Her consciousness raced across the galaxy and manifested itself in the body of 4@19-Omicron as he was speaking to the stranded ship¡¯s crew about their wounded.
She immediately received an update of her host¡¯s memories from the past few minutes and smiled at his unconventional approach to defuse this critical situation. The Matriarch was proud that her engineer had managed to successfully navigate this unknown and dangerous situation. But her suspicion was now confirmed. Somehow a Federation Starfleet vessel had crossed into this reality.
But how they had managed and what their motivation was, was currently unknown. The condition of their ship made it seem as if it was either an accident, or the result of an attack. This whole incident was most curious, and she decided to personally intervene in this most unusual situation.
She reached out to the hive-mind and spoke with her melodic voice, and uncountable trillions of thoughts fell silent to listen to her. [I know their vessel, and I know their uniforms. They do not belong here. I will arrive shortly. Until then, make sure no harm comes to them. Treat them as guests and provide all support they need. They are harbingers from the darkest past of our people.]
A moment later Chiaxi¡¯s thoughts reached out to the crew of her flagship to set course to the location of Sphere 272-Theta-8 at maximum velocity. Hundreds of thousands of voices acknowledged her request. The enormous tetrahedral ship with five-kilometer-long edges and silvery-gray regenerative armor turned on the spot, before falling into a subspace slipstream tunnel.
It immediately became engulfed by a fractal stream of blackness and streaks of light, racing towards the Alpha Quadrant at 1,000 lightyears per hour.
[Time to intercept: thirty-three hours twelve minutes eighteen seconds.]
With a simple thought the Matriarch conjured a holographic projection in front of her, showing the contents of hangar bay nine. An antiquity preserved from 1,454 years ago. With a depressed look, 1@1 gazed upon the image of the assimilated vessel. The rigid Borg plating and modifications tarnished the smooth grayish-white curves, and the eerie green lights cast hard shadows across the hull. With sadness in her voice she whispered, as if the ancient ship could hear her. ¡°Finally, your ghost returns to haunt us.¡± Her eyes mournfully read the letters of its registry number: NCC-1701-E.
Chiaxi dismissed the projection and cleared her thoughts. In the silence of her own mind she contemplated the influence this unlikely group of castaways would bring to her empire, and the whole galaxy. The Matriarch could only hope that they would accept their situation gracefully, and hopefully become a part of one the galactic civilizations in this reality. She would hate if they were to become antagonistic or even hostile.
Not even an hour had passed when Tarik¡¯s new discovery suddenly sent ripples through the hive-mind. He had discovered that all survivors as well as their ship - down to the last oxygen atom in her artificial atmosphere - possessed a completely different quantum signature. The impossibility of this fact sparked shock waves of discussions and questions throughout the Synergy, and the unexpected visitors became even more mysterious.
The news of the newcomer¡¯s deviating quantum signature took all astrophysicists, subspace engineers, and temporal mechanics by storm. Data from Tarik¡¯s visor and recordings of Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s sensors flooded the hive-mind and generated a constant buzz of interaction and activity at a level the Synergy hadn¡¯t seen in years.
The empire¡¯s brightest, smartest, and most creative minds immediately set out to solve this mystery, observed and supported by billions of their peers in an almost unprecedented account of curiosity. The Matriarch silently watched and observe her people set upon the Sidereal¡¯s mysterious origins with the full might of their collective knowledge. She enjoyed embedding herself into the center of the hive-mind, letting herself getting carried by the current of her people¡¯s stream of thoughts¡
[Time to intercept: two hours forty-seven minutes thirty-three seconds.]
While the Pentachoron 1-Alpha-1 was less than three hours from her destination, Chiaxi stood on the brightly lit terrace at the side of the gigantic arcology towering over the capital of her homeworld. The evening light of her world¡¯s twin suns bathed everything in a dark crimson light, and despite the late hour she could still feel the powerful rays caressing her skin.
Below her stretched a sprawling metropolis, a jungle of green and blue mixing buildings and plants together in an almost chaotic fashion. But the more one looked at it, the more one could see the hidden patterns. The sky above her gradually turned from crimson to deep purple, and eventually to black.
As the light of the twin suns faded, the lights of the city appeared, and an ocean of windows and beacons started to shine around the arcology. Chiaxi took a deep breath, enjoying the sensation of being able to come here occasionally. She stretched her arms and tentacles one more time, before the chronometer in her neural implants reminded her to finalize her regeneration cycle.
[Thank you Lilisan for allowing me to visit our home through your body. Is it acceptable to leave you at terrace thirteen of the Sintaxo Arcology?] The Matriarch thought to the other Xalagani, whose consciousness resided inside Unimatrix Zero.
Inhabiting and sharing someone¡¯s body as a guest was one thing, as was allowing others to inhabit one¡¯s own body. But taking full control over a different body was still strange for 1@1, even after all those centuries. She wondered if she would ever get fully used to it. Her host responded in kind, happily acknowledging her ruler¡¯s gratitude. [You are more than welcome, Matriarch. Yes, that location is fine.]
The Matriarch terminated the connection, and the world around her fell apart. Splintering into a billion pieces, reality disappeared only to reconstruct itself a moment later when Chiaxi¡¯s own body sent its own signals to her mind again. She woke in her own quarters onboard her flagship and disconnected from her personal alcove.
She stretched her arms and shoulders and legs and tentacles, reaching far above and around her, before sinking back into her usual comfortable pose. Obeying a silent command, all lights in the pitch-black room instantly blinked back into existence. With steady steps the Matriarch crossed the simple regeneration chamber clad in dark gray and blue paneling and entered the equally simple but significantly larger antechamber.
She walked up right to the nearby wall, and as if steered by an invisible hand the panels slid aside and revealed a highly advanced modification alcove. Chiaxi stepped into the alcove, and immediately connected her tendrils to the fourteen matching sockets above her. Sophisticated diagnostics ensure that all her implants and enhancements were operating perfectly and at peak efficiency.
Robotic arms stripped off her regular black bodysuit that perfectly melded with her cybernetics and returned it to a fabricator tray for recycling. Above the alcove an emitter sprang to live, and showered the Matriarch with finely tuned nucleonic radiation, swiftly and efficiently cleaning her to the last pore and fold in a matter of seconds.
The fabricator had created another set of clothing for Chiaxi, and the alcove¡¯s arms quickly and effortlessly started dressing her and fitting the clothing to her tall body. A long flowing robe of dark purple, accompanied by pure white ribbons flowing from her sleeves and shoulders, held together by a dark green belt.
The Matriarch nodded satisfied as she observed an image of herself in her mind¡¯s eye. Every single piece of fabric was embroidered with delicate patterns and atomic structures, scattering the light in different shades based on an onlooker¡¯s angle of observation. Her gown was extraordinary, befit as the diplomatic attire for the leader of the Milky Way¡¯s most powerful empire on a first contact encounter.
[Time to intercept: ten minutes.]
1@1-Alpha gathered her thoughts and prepared for her departure. The meeting had been organized onboard Sphere 272-Theta-8. It was an older and smaller vessel of the Synergy fleet, but nevertheless an important part of the whole that reliably performed its duties. The Matriarch had brooded for several long hours on how to open the meeting, how to break the news of where they were to the stranded Starfleet officers.
Eventually she had decided on simply telling them the truth. Everything else would serve no purpose, and only instill mistrust and suspicions in the castaways. She had gathered and reviewed all available information again, ranging from the first sensor readings when the Sidereal first appeared, to the reports and memories of every single member of the away team, to the recent events onboard the sphere while the Federation survivors recovered.
Chiaxi had asked the Synergy¡¯s most proficient diplomatic adjuncts whether to mention the assimilated Sovereign class harbored in hangar bay nine. The result was unanimous: not during initial contact. Given the importance and symbolic value of that unique vessel, seeing it assimilated could easily destroy any good will the Sidereal¡¯s crew currently held for the Synergy. But it was also important to understand at which point in time their realities diverged from each other. Therefore, the Matriarch decided that she would reveal the ship at a later point, and only to the senior officers.
The Pentachoron 1-Alpha-1 was on her final approach. The subspace slipstream drive gradually powered down, falling back to much slower speeds as it approached Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s location. Less than two minutes later the flagship dropped back into normal space. The slipstream tunnel collapsed, and a ripple started to form in normal space. After a single moment, spacetime itself seemed to be torn open, and the massive tetrahedron appeared from the tear.
A cascading shower of exotic particles followed the vessel out of subspace, but quickly dissipated in a harmless cloud of disintegrating dust. The Matriarch had arrived. As she readied herself for transport, her security detail appeared and took position in formation around her. The four humanoid guards were concealed by their heavy black body armor, and they carried their rifles in hands. Even though everyone knew that there was no threat on the sphere, it was a matter of protocol that the Matriarch was always escorted by her guard.
[Target in transporter range. Security detail active. Commencing dimensional shift.]
Chiaxi patiently watched through her cybernetic eyes how the dimensional pocket formed around her and her personal guards and whisked them away towards the sphere¡¯s cargo bay three. Reality turned into a blur, and a moment later she was standing in front of the assembled survivors, as well as 4@19 and 18@31. She took a deep breath as she looked in the sixty-three pairs of eyes in front of her and felt the presence of thousands of trillions of her people in the hive-mind.
[ Act Three ]
Sina stood in her quarters in her pale blue underwear, straightening out the grayish-white long jacket of her mess dress. She had just gotten out of the nucleonic radiation shower and was now looking at the layers of fabric underneath which she¡¯d need to put herself. Niko had been adamant that the crew should look presentable in their best form, and not just show up in a random collection of jumpsuits, torn duty uniforms, and loose robes when meeting a foreign head of state.
Her XO had asked Hiora if she could go back to the Sidereal and take scans of officer and enlisted dress uniforms, so that they could use them as a template for the fabricators here. He was taking this event as seriously as ever, and it was probably one of his ways to release some of the pent-up stress from the last two days. Niko had personally seen to it that every single member of their crew had a proper mess dress and was up to date when the reception would commence.
The Romulan woman pulled the dark red t-shirt over her head, which fit snugly over her athletic torso. A few moments later she had stepped into the light gray pair of pants and slipped her arms into the sleeves of the long jacket. She looked at herself in the full-size mirror on the wall. She smiled nostalgically at her mirror image. A dark red stripe separated the jacket¡¯s white shoulders from the light gray rest. Like all the other colored elements on the uniform, the stripe was framed by a strong gold trim.
The uniform reminded her of the old red and white Starfleet officer uniforms worn 130 years ago. The asymmetrical zip line, as well as the rank insignia with the division colors on the sleeves and the clasp at the right shoulder were distinct similarities. It even had a belt with a prominent Starfleet delta on the belt buckle. Sina quietly closed the jacket¡¯s front and fixated the shoulder clasp. She slipped into the gray dress shoes matching the trousers and was just closing the belt buckle when she was surprised by a familiar male voice coming from the door.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
¡°Looking good.¡± Niko leaned against the door frame, already wearing his own dress uniform. ¡°The crew is ready and assembled.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Sina replied shortly, finishing the last inspection of her uniform and tugging her long jacket in place. ¡°You say it looks good, but it feels so rigid and stifling. I¡¯d much rather wear a normal duty uniform.¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯re not the only one. While I personally don¡¯t mind it, the dress uniform doesn¡¯t seem to be especially popular with the crew. I¡¯ve heard lots of complaints, but none of us can help it. Protocol is protocol. We both know this is a formal occasion, and we should be showing ourselves from our best sides. Even if only as a sign of respect for our hosts.¡± Niko replied with his best teacher voice, slowly walking further into his CO¡¯s quarters. After a short pause he continued. ¡°Are you nervous?¡±
Sina laughed nervously. ¡°Nervous? No, I could only use a whole hypospray of melorazine. I¡¯m not nervous.¡± She took a deep breath, letting her head drop forward slightly before she continued in a subdued tone. ¡°I¡¯m scared. Did¡ did I ever tell you I haven¡¯t done the first contact training? When I got command of the Sidereal, Admiral Okoye said that I wouldn¡¯t need to worry about it since we were only taking on backyard assignments in already known space. She said, ¡®You don¡¯t need first contact training if you never get into a situation to make first contact.¡¯¡±
Niko stepped closer to his CO, and gently put his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Sina, you worry too much. You¡¯re a good captain, and the crew trusts you. I trust you. Completely. We¡¯re all with you out there. And regardless of whether you have that training or not, I¡¯d say you held yourself formidably in main engineering given the circumstances.¡±
The Romulan looked up at her first officer and giggled softly. ¡°You think so? Let¡¯s see. I shouted at them. I insulted them. I threatened them with a phaser. Somehow my gut feeling tells me a Starfleet Command instructor would have failed me.¡± She paused for a moment, then her eyes widened. ¡°Oh, that reminds me I have to apologize to Tarik after the meeting. I called him some probably quite awful names.¡±
¡°You do what you have to do. But first I guess we have an audience with their ¡®Matriarch.¡¯ Come, let¡¯s see how well that goes.¡±
She took a deep breath and straightened out her posture. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis and Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg left her accommodation and entered the redesigned assembly area in front of the accommodation blocks. The fabricator stations and the long tables had been removed and replaced with auditorium-like rows of chairs in front of a small stage. The chairs were already filled with the remaining fifty-nine members of her crew, and Tarik and Hiora were standing next to the stage.
Sina gathered her resolve and approached Tarik with firm steps. He wore a combination of a simple black pair of pants and a black shirt with long sleeves, both covered with a faint and delicate circuity pattern. Compared with his usual baggy engineering attire, he was looking quite distinct in this wardrobe. Hiora was also wearing something different, for once not sporting her body armor. She wore a skintight black jumpsuit covered by a white and light blue long vest, perfectly matching the streaks in her hair.
¡°You¡¯re looking good. Both of you.¡± Sina smiled as she approached 4@19 and 18@31.
¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not feeling particularly comfortable.¡± Tarik replied, earning raised eyebrows from both his Romulan guest as well as his Human colleague.
¡°Your comfort is irrelevant.¡± Hiora stated flatly. ¡°Protocol 37.1 clearly prescribes diplomatic attire for all occasions of direct interaction with the Matriarch, unless exceptional circumstances prevent it.¡±
Sina smirked at her words, but Tarik eagerly shook his head. He carefully tugged on his collar, while protesting his appointment. ¡°But that¡¯s the point. I¡¯m a simple engineer, not a diplomat. I shouldn¡¯t be here in the first place. I should be in sub-grid junction one-one-nine and contribute to the recalibration of the sensor manifold. I don¡¯t understand why the Matriarch has requested my presence.¡±
¡°The Matriarch will explain her decision if she deems it necessary.¡± 18@31 responded, but before their little conversion could continue any further, there was the familiar blue-white flash of a dimensional shift and a moment later the Matriarch and her personal escort had arrived on the stage.
While the humanoid guards in their massive pitch-black sealed suits of armor looked somewhat familiar, the Synergy¡¯s leader was unlike what Sina or any other member of her crew would have expected. The seemingly female figure was tall, easily reaching over two meters. She had three bright blue cybernetic eyes, the third one placed high in the center of her forehead. A crown of over a dozen cybernetically enhanced tendrils grew from her head, and her skin was a bright orange with deep purple patterns.
The Matriarch¡¯s flowing robe of dark purple perfectly matched her skin ornaments, and the white ribbons falling from her shoulders and sleeves were softly swaying with even the slightest of her movements. She turned her head, letting her gaze wander over the audience until her eyes fell upon Sina. A soft smile turned the strange woman¡¯s lips upwards, and her melodic voice echoed throughout the hall.
¡°Greetings. I am 1@1-Alpha, Matriarch and elected leader of the Synergy. You may call me Chiaxi. I am sure you have many questions, and we will try to answer as many as possible, although I fear several of the answers will be unsatisfactory. But first I want to assure you, that we mean you no harm. You are our guests and shall receive any support you require.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis took a deep breath and slowly stepped onto the stage. Sina nervously stole glances at the armored soldiers, but the Matriarch¡¯s guards stood motionlessly several meters behind her, holding position at the back side of the platform. She stopped two meters away from Chiaxi, and respectfully bowed to the Matriarch.
¡°Greetings, Matriarch. I am Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis, captain of the Starfleet vessel USS Sidereal. I represent the United Federation of Planets. Please allow me to thank you and your people for coming to our aid in ways we would have never expected. Thank you for saving our lives.¡±
Chiaxi smiled and took a step towards Sina, holding out her arm with an open hand. ¡°You are welcome, Commander. I hope that this will be the first of many positive interactions between our people. But for now, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask any questions that come to your mind.¡±
Sina also took a step and reached out in kind, taking the Matriarchs hand and shaking it. ¡°I hope so too, Matriarch.¡± The Romulan pressed her lips together and looked at her XO, briefly scanning the rows of faces looking at her. She relinquished the handshake and looked up at Chiaxi. ¡°Matriarch, I think the question most pressing to myself and my crew is, where exactly are we? I don¡¯t want to sound ungrateful, or offensive, but nothing we experienced in the past two days made any sense to us. And we¡¯ve never heard of any galactic power calling itself the Synergy.¡±
Now it was Chiaxi¡¯s turn to take a deep breath. She had expected this to be the first question, but it would still prove difficult to answer it. ¡°You are neither ungrateful nor offensive, Commander. Your question is perfectly fine. However, I fear the answer will displease you. The events of the recent past seem unfamiliar to you, because you are no longer in your own reality. Tarik discovered that the quantum signatures of your crew and your vessel deviate from this universe. You do not belong here.¡±
A murmur went through the Sidereal¡¯s crew, and Niko had to repeatedly call them to order. Sina looked at the Matriarch in shock. This¡ could this be true?
¡°Our investigations revealed that the most likely cause of your arrival here was the quantum fissure you mentioned having encountered. However, the Synergy is unfamiliar with this phenomenon, and even we do not possess technology to cross the boundaries between different quantum realities.¡± Chiaxi¡¯s facial expression saddened, and she continued with a softer tone in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that, at least for the time being, you cannot return home.¡±
There was a deathly silence in the hall, and you could have easily heard the drop of a pin. The whole assembly stared at the Matriarch, either in shock, or in expectation what would come next.
Sina gulped and looked at Niko, helplessly shaking her head. After a long moment she looked back at the Synergy¡¯s empress. ¡°I¡ I see. Is it then possible for you to return us to this reality¡¯s Federation? That is, if the Federation here is also a well-meaning democracy focused on science and exploration.¡± Maybe there was a sliver of hope, Sina thought.
Chiaxi closed her three eyes and slowly shook her head. ¡°If it should be your wish, we will return every member of your crew to their homeworld, or any other place of their choice if it resides within our sphere of influence. But your stated request is impossible for us to fulfill. In this reality your Federation has never existed.¡±
The last sentence was like a slap to their faces. Some crew members stared apathetically into the air, while others began to sob, struggling to keep their composure. Sina stood on the stage, her whole world turning to ash. The glimmer of hope she had been clinging to was cruelly snuffed out by the harsh truth of reality. They were truly alone now. Sina was devastated and shocked to the core. She didn¡¯t know how she managed to remain standing and not curl into a ball and start crying. ¡°How? How could this happen?¡±
¡°We do not know the exact branching point at which our realities started to diverge from each other. But we do know what lead to the Federation not existing here.¡± Chiaxi spoke softly and with care, knowing that she was edging ever closer to a minefield. A single wrong word could easily destroy all the progress they had made. The hive-mind waited and watched the assembly with bated breath.
¡°And what would that be?¡± Sina asked with a shaking voice, desperate to try and appear more confident than she truly was.
The Matriarch looked the Romulan Commander right in her eyes. ¡°Are you really sure you want to learn of it like this? We know this information will hurt you.¡±
Sina looked at her assembled crew. She saw shock, fear, despair, apathy. But also, determination and resolve. She contemplated for a long moment, exchanging silent gazes with her senior officers sitting in the first row. Niko, Rel, Shori, Duncan, and Noriko returned her look and they all nodded. Sina turned back to the Matriarch. ¡°I don¡¯t want this to be a secret between me and my crew. Now is as good a moment as any other. If you think this information will hurt us, it won¡¯t be less painful because we waited longer.¡±
¡°As you wish.¡± Chiaxi replied, knowing fully what a gamble she was taking. In her thoughts, she heard her diplomatic adjuncts reinforcing their recommendation not to share this information this openly. But if it was their guests¡¯ ultimate request, then she would oblige. As she spoke the lights gradually turned down and cast the cargo bay into a shadowy twilight.
¡°1,144 years ago, our ancestors performed a temporal incursion. They traveled into the past to defeat an enemy before they could become a serious threat. Some of the enemy¡¯s soldiers managed to follow our ancestors and tried to prevent the incursion and undo the changes. The enemy fought valiantly and with great cunning.¡± Chiaxi hesitated for a second before she continued. ¡°But eventually, they failed. This was their vessel.¡±
As the Matriarch finished, the haunting hologram of the assimilated Sovereign class appeared over the stage, slowly rotating around its yaw axis. It took a few seconds for the dreadful sight to sink in. Only when the registry number came into view did Sina and her crew finally realize what they were looking at. ¡°No.¡± Sina shook her head. This couldn¡¯t be true. She gazed upon the hologram in terror, scrambling several steps away from the Matriarch. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± She shouted. ¡°The timeline was restored! First contact did happen¡¡±
¡°¡in your reality, Commander. But not in ours.¡± Chiaxi sorrowfully interjected. ¡°Here the Enterprise-E and her crew failed, and they were assimilated by the Borg. As were Earth, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Romulus, Qo¡¯noS, Bajor, Cardassia, and countless others. Enhanced and strengthened by technology from the 24th century, the Collective brutally and mercilessly butchered its way through the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.¡±
The echo of Chiaxi¡¯s melodic voice faded, drowning the cargo bay in thick, almost tangible silence. The Sidereal¡¯s crew was shocked to their core. Most simply sat there staring apathetically at the rotating hologram, while others were holding on to their friends or crying by themselves. They were stranded and trapped in their worst nightmare.
[ Act Four ]
Visra sat quietly in the middle of the first row. Her mind was adrift, slowly wandering from one thought to another. The last two days went by faster than she could remember, her memories only a diffuse cloud of fragments from one event or another. And now, without really knowing how it happened, she found herself seated between the other senior officers to her right and some department heads to her left.
Apathetically she looked around. She saw her colleagues and heard the words they spoke, but that information only slowly filtered through the hazy fog of her consciousness. Visra wished she could disappear. She wished she could sink into the ground, so that nobody could see or hear her. The short Alusi gulped, trying to swallow the knot that was slowly forming in her throat. Only a little bit longer, and she could retreat into the safety and isolation of her quarters again.
It was all her fault. She had failed her commanding officer, her colleagues, her friends. She¡¯d been tasked with finding a way to escape the fissure. Maybe she should have tried the inverted warp field suggested by Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg. She had been sure that the anomaly¡¯s rotation would negate the warp bubble¡¯s effect, but she hadn¡¯t even tried. Due diligence demanded that she should have attempted it, but instead she trusted the limited information provided by the sensors.
Ensign Arsiv¡¯s head sank while her thoughts rapidly went to a gloomy place. Deeply ashamed she remembered yesterday¡¯s evening, just after their rescue. She had been sitting on the bed in her guest quarters, simply staring at the wall. She hadn¡¯t even showered or changed her clothes. Suddenly Shori showed up and started talking to her. Visra should have been glad that her friend was looking after her, making sure she was okay. But instead, she¡¯d gotten angry at the Caitian. She had shouted at her colleague, and even lashed out with her claws.
The shocked and disappointed expression of Shori¡¯s face covered by her typical sand-colored fur had burned itself into Visra¡¯s memories. The moment the Caitian¡¯s large light blue eyes had slowly looked away was painful to remember. She couldn¡¯t explain why she had reacted this way. She didn¡¯t even remember what they had been talking about, or which questions her colleague had asked that made her so angry.
Things had gotten even worse when Visra heard of the casualties. Fourteen members of the crew had not survived. Fourteen lives that had ended because she had failed them. If only she had been a better scientist. A better officer. The young Alusi remembered how proud and happy she had been eight months ago when she was first posted to the Sidereal. It was her first assignment after graduating from Starfleet Academy with hard-earned honors and a commendation for her final thesis in advanced warp theory.
By now all those happy memories had turned to ash, leaving nothing but resentment and bitterness in their place. If another, more experienced officer had been available they might have escaped the anomaly. They might not have ended up here, where ever that may be, and they might not have suffered all those casualties. But she could not undo the events of the past, only accept her responsibility for them.
Visra had barely slept since the accident almost one and a half days ago. The recent events were wearing her out, and the more she thought about them, the more they sapped her physical strength and mental resolve. She was tired. So incredibly tired, but she couldn¡¯t manage to get any sleep. Every time she closed her eyes and tried to get some rest, phantasms of Borg and dead crew members came to haunt her. If only she could sleep¡
A sudden bright flash made her squint and forced her thoughts back into the present. The Matriarch and her personal guard had arrived on the stage, and she was unlike anything Visra would have ever expected. While her guards discreetly took up position at the back side of the stage, the empress herself stood proudly in its center. She was taller than any person she had ever seen, and her three cybernetic eyes were like miniature O-type stars, empowering the foreign leader¡¯s piercing gaze.
Visra stared at Chiaxi almost as if she¡¯d been hypnotized. It was bordering on the impossible for the Alusi scientist to tear her eyes away from the Matriarch and her strange appearance. Her flowing purple robe with the wildly swaying white ribbons, held together by a delicate green belt, gave her a noble, almost divine, appeal. And the tendrils! Even from the first row of seats, Visra couldn¡¯t count how many she really possessed, since they were permanently moving, turning, and shifting. Still, she was utterly fascinated by the extensions protruding from the Matriarch¡¯s head.
Fascination wasn¡¯t the only thing the traumatized Alusi felt when looking at 1@1. Curiosity and fear were engaged in a duel inside her mind, for the cybernetics and enhancements visibly adorning the Matriarch¡¯s body were terrifyingly reminiscent of Borg implants. Trapped by her battling emotions, Visra barely heard anything of what Sina and Chiaxi spoke to each other. She only realized it was apparently friendly, because they¡¯d shook hands.
She watched curiously how the talking continued, but slowly noticed that something was amiss. The mood in the assembly suddenly shifted. Where previously the faces of her colleagues showed careful optimism, curiosity, and hope, they now displayed shock, uncertainty, and fear. As Visra looked at the rows behind her, she even saw several of her fellow crew members with tears running down their cheeks. What had just happened?
The Alusi scientist looked back to the stage and watched the cargo bay darken until the Matriarch¡¯s eyes were left glowing like a triumvirate of distant stars. There were some more words she didn¡¯t understand, and then a hologram blinked into existence above the stage. Visra looked at the image and her thoughts started to race. It clearly was a Sovereign class. She¡¯d recognize the shape anytime, as it was one of her favorite designs. But something was wrong with it. There were black and green blocks and grids all over the hull, breaking up its sleek elegance.
Her CO had already stumbled back from the empress, when it hit Visra like a lightning bolt. That ship had been assimilated, and those extensions were Borg modifications. She stared at the projection as the registry number came into view again, unable to formulate a clear thought, while around her the assembly erupted into chaos. Some people were shouting, others were weeping, and again others were just sitting there shocked. Sina, Niko, and Shori did their best to calm down their crew, but the damage was done.
¡°So, you are Borg! How many billions have you murdered? Or assimilated? We should have never trusted you!¡± She heard angry shouts coming from her right. Visra turned her head and saw Duncan standing at the foot of the stage, his right hand pointing between Chiaxi, Tarik, and Hiora. The Matriarch stoically looked at the agitated Scotsman, her expression calm and composed but at the same time saddened, while the others looked more uncomfortable and annoyed.
Eventually Rel hopped onto the stage and planted himself in front of the assembled personnel. His face was grim, and he let out a bellowing shout that silenced the commotion amongst the Sidereal¡¯s crew. ¡°ORDER! ORDER! SIT DOWN OR GET OUT!¡± He threw a deathly glare at Duncan, easily staring the ops officer down. Duncan threw a frustrated gesture back at Lieutenant Neirrek and walked away from the assembly. Two dozens of other crew members were following him, many crying or shaking their heads.
Visra rose from her chair and started walking towards her quarters as well. She just wanted to get away from everything, and she immediately took this opportunity. Her face was a numb mask of indifference, and at this moment she just didn¡¯t care what her colleagues would think about her or her behavior. She couldn¡¯t stand being in this gathering anymore and was on the brink of breaking down under the pressure and pain.
Once she was back inside her accommodation, and the door closed behind her, her mask started to crumble. Her eyes watered up, and silent tears started running down her gray and purple cheeks. She quickly stripped of her dress uniform and simply dropped the pieces on the floor in front of her bed. Visra crawled under the blankets and started weeping. She couldn¡¯t hold on to her self-control any longer and cried like she had never cried before. She only wanted this pain to end. This day she cried herself to an uneasy sleep.
The Alusi¡¯s rest was shallow and troubled. It was another sleep that was only a little relaxing, as the nightmares returned and continued haunting her. As her body tossed and turned in her bed, her mind was back onboard the Sidereal. Visra found herself on the bridge, reliving the encounter with the anomaly. She heard the voice of Niko, and a moment later her console beeped to signal a data transfer. ¡°Visra, I transferred a report to your station. Can you make use of this?¡±
It was the report about the inverted warp field. She started at the console. ¡°Ensign?¡± Came the XO¡¯s voice again. She desperately tapped away on her consoles, trying to pry a few more pieces of information from the damaged sensors, but the controls weren¡¯t properly responding. She tried feeding the sensor data into an evolutionary algorithm initiated with the warp field configuration from the Enterprise¡¯s report. But the results didn¡¯t come.
She needed more data. She needed more time. With what she had available she couldn¡¯t tell. She was desperate and scared, and reported with a shaking voice. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know¡ I need more time for the calculations, Sir.¡±
¡°That won¡¯t be necessary any longer, Ensign.¡± She heard the strangely distorted voices of Sina and Niko speaking in unison. As she turned to face her superiors, they were suddenly standing right next to her. Their skin was pale and crossed by blackened veins. They emptily stared at her with one eye and a crude Borg eye piece encrusted with blood. ¡°You¡¯ve killed us all.¡± They raised their hands, assimilation tubules extended and twitching and¡
Visra woke with a scream, scrambling off her bed in blind panic. ¡°Lights!¡± she screamed, blindly thrashing around until she could see again. She was covered in sweat, and her underwear was completely soaked. She felt her hearts thundering in her chest, and the blood rushing in her ears. She realized she¡¯d been having yet another nightmare, while desperately drawing in lungs of air. It had been the fourth in half as many days, but this one had been different.
The dreams always started out the same. She was back on the Sidereal, trying to find a way to escape from the quantum fissure. In her previous nightmares she failed to find a solution, and eventually the bridge was torn apart by the shearing forces and she woke when everyone died. But this time she saw her colleagues having been assimilated, and she was about to suffer the same fate before she woke up.
Visra sank to the floor cowering in the corner next to her bed. She sobbed and cried without restraint. How much longer could she endure this nightly torture? Her tears ran hot over her cheeks, and her sobs echoed in the empty quarters when suddenly a chirp indicated a visitor. The door signal chirped again. And again. And again. The young scientist slowly rose shakily to her feet and stumbled a few steps away from the wall. ¡°Open.¡± She almost whispered, trying to calm her voice.
The door opened and Shori came through, wearing a dark blue pair of short-sleeved pajamas that nicely contrasted to the soft sand colored fur dotted with brown spots covering the Caitian¡¯s whole body. Her eyes were wide open, and she looked at Visra with an expression of concern which turned to alarm after a moment. ¡°Visra! You¡¯re bleeding! What happened? Are you okay?¡±
Visra stared at Shori, not understanding what she was talking about. ¡°I¡¯m not¡¡± Bleeding? How could she be¡ it was then that she noticed a slow warm trickle from her mouth. She reluctantly moved her hand to her mouth, and when she removed it, she saw its back covered in her blood. The Caitian charged out of the room at full speed, while the Alusi shuffled towards the mirror only to see her lower lip bitten bloody.
A few seconds later Shori came running back into her friend¡¯s quarters, a replicated medkit in her hands. She threw the package onto the ruffled bed and flipped it open to grab the dermal regenerator. Visra stood in front of the mirror, staring at her blood. ¡°Wait, let me help you¡¡± Shori gently nudged her to face her friend so that she could put the regenerator to work.
¡°Why¡?¡± Visra mumbled, her mind still trying to understand what had happened. ¡°Why are you helping me? After I¡ after I almost¡? And how did you know¡?¡±
¡°Why? Because I¡¯m not abandoning friends over one bad argument.¡± The Caitian just smiled and worked the medical device. The bleeding was quickly stopped, and the device was now spurring regrowth of the lip tissue that Visra¡¯s canines had bitten through in the wake of her nightmare. ¡°And I knew because I care about you. Probably more than I should, but¡ hey, whatever. We¡¯re in this together.¡±
¡°I know what you¡¯re going through, Visra. I understand your nightmares.¡± Shori spoke carefully while putting the dermal regenerator away. ¡°Not many people know that five years ago I was captured by a Tholian raiding party. They held me captive for sixteen days before a MACO squad freed me. During that time the Tholians experimented on me. It took me weeks of counseling to get over the nightmares.¡±
The Caitian put the medkit back together and closed the package again. ¡°I know what PTSD can do to you. I¡¯ve been to this dark place myself. I¡¯ve been through the nightmares. I¡¯ve been through the anxiety and panic. I¡¯ve been through the crying and shouting. I¡¯ve been through arguing with and lashing out at friends. When I saw some those things happening to you, I knew I had to keep an eye open for you.¡±
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know what to say¡¡± Visra whispered, tears of shame rolling down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to attack you¡¡±
Shori smiled softly. ¡°I know. I know it wasn¡¯t really you. Don¡¯t worry about it. There¡¯s only one thing I¡¯d like to ask from you. Please talk with Jeffrey about this as soon as he¡¯s back.¡±
Visra nodded weakly, a relieved sob escaping her throat. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw that her t-shirt had been completely soiled with blood. She let out an exhausted sigh. If she weren¡¯t covered in blood she would have hugged the Caitian out of pure gratitude for her support. ¡°Can¡ can I ask you for something?¡±
¡°Sure, what is it?¡± Shori replied, looking at her colleague.
¡°I haven¡¯t properly slept since we got here. Could you ask our hosts for something to knock me out for a few hours? I don¡¯t want to dream. I just want to sleep.¡±
The Caitian nodded. ¡°Of course. It might take a few minutes, but I¡¯ll come back soon.¡±
¡°Thank you Shori. I¡¯m sorry for being such a nuisance.¡± Visra said weakly while heading towards the bathroom to get herself cleaned up.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Visra. Anything for a friend.¡±
[ Act Five ]
¡°I was afraid something like this would happen. We can only hope that this revelation has not inflicted lasting damage.¡± The Matriarch said softly, looking after the leaving members of the Sidereal¡¯s crew with regret. She quickly scanned the now thinned out rows of seats and counted thirty-five remaining faces. About half of their people, disregarding for the moment the critically wounded ones currently undergoing medical treatment.
Niko stood next to Sina, facing Chiaxi together with his CO. He was also struggling with the situation. He could accept being stranded in a parallel reality. He could accept that the Federation didn¡¯t exist here for one reason or another. But he had significant difficulties accepting that the Borg had assimilated the whole galaxy. ¡°So, how exactly did it come to this?¡± He said, gesturing at the hologram of the assimilated Enterprise-E above their heads.
¡°We don¡¯t know exactly when the events of our reality started to deviate from yours. We would need access to the memory banks of your main computer core to determine that. I understand that this kind of information would probably be classified and locked behind access restrictions, given its delicate nature. We can only assume that one of the pivotal events was the attempt of Captain Picard to prevent the construction of an interplexing beacon on the main deflector dish. His intervention failed, and he was killed in the attempt.¡±
Chiaxi turned away from the command staff and let out a soft sigh. ¡°Please understand that it is not easy for us to talk about these events. They are the darkest part of the Synergy¡¯s history. And despite being the Borg¡¯s descendants, we¡¯re nothing like them. Their atrocities are not ours. Their brutality and barbarism are theirs and theirs alone. The Synergy values individuality and liberty. We strive for cooperation instead of conquest. We¡¯ve struggled for centuries to build something good from the horrors left behind by the Borg.¡±
By now Sina had regained much of her composure and returned to the discussion. ¡°You¡¯re talking of ancestors and descendants. You said the incursion happened over a millennium ago. So where are the Borg? And what role do your people play in all this?¡±
The Matriarch turned back and stepped closer to Sina and Niko. ¡°It will require some time to explain how the Synergy came to be. Do you wish for me to start now, or should we continue later?¡±
Niko briefly glanced at Sina, Shori, and Rel, and scanned the now thinned out seats of their people who had decided to stay instead of leaving. The other senior officers nodded, and the XO replied. ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±
Chiaxi briefly looked up at the hologram, and the image of the Sovereign class disappeared, quickly to be replaced by a three-dimensional projection of the Milky Way. Several signature stars were marked, including the most important worlds of the Federation and its neighbors. ¡°Once the Borg had succeeded in their incursion and prevented the first contact between Humans and Vulcans, they quickly proceeded with assimilating war-ridden Earth.¡±
A small green sphere covered a single G-type main-sequence star. ¡°After they had conquered Earth, they started using the planet¡¯s resources to construct a fleet of small ships. Those vessels were equipped with technology from the 24th century, and completely outclassed the defensive capabilities of all other space-faring nations at that time. Even more so given the tactical information they had assimilated from the Enterprise-E.¡± The green sphere quickly grew into a distorted blob, encompassing several stars near its origin.
¡°Vulcan was their next victim, quickly followed by Andor and Tellar. Once the Borg had fortified their foothold in the quadrant and acquired additional resources, they rapidly increased their fleet power and attacked the larger neighboring empires. Romulus fell first, then Qo¡¯noS. With the Romulan and Klingon empires neutralized and assimilated, the Borg were now the uncontested superpower in the Alpha Quadrant.¡± The green overlay on the star map continued to grow, and quickly swallowed large swathes of space.
¡°With her primary goal accomplished and all immediate threats exterminated, the Queen decided to steer expansion towards the already existing Borg territory. Her conquest was brutal and merciless. Tens of thousands of worlds fell prey to the Borg on their way towards the Delta Quadrant.¡± The overlay showing the extend of the Borg¡¯s territory grew faster and faster, eventually engulfing a large portion of the Beta Quadrant. But it didn¡¯t stop there and continued to expand in all directions until it covered most of the Milky Way.
¡°Less than 700 years after the temporal incursion, the Borg had assimilated around sixty-eight percent of the galaxy. There were only a few who managed to resist or were spared during that period for some reason. The unusual environmental requirements of the Breen, Tholians, and a few others made all of them unsuitable for assimilation, so the Borg ignored them. The Dominion managed to withstand the Collective¡¯s onslaught by countering with the same ruthlessness and raw numbers. The temporal technology of the Krenim Empire provided them and their allies with sufficient protection from our ancestors.¡±
The cargo bay had fallen utterly silent again. The remaining observers stared at the astrometric projection in absolute disbelieve. It was only the visualization and the Matriarch¡¯s explanations that now finally drove home the point how much this reality was different from their own. Many crew members were watching the stage with wide eyes and shaking their heads in shock.
¡°Still there was a sliver of hope. Not only for the galaxy which trembled before the might of the Borg armadas, but also for every single drone who had been brutally enslaved by the Collective. An exceedingly rare genetic mutation had enabled a handful of drones to create a virtual world in which they could escape the Queen¡¯s all-seeing gaze for the duration of their regeneration cycles. They called it, Unimatrix Zero.¡±
The Matriarch stood more proudly now, her face shedding any expression of sadness or sorrow, and replacing it with pride and hope. ¡°While the Collective grew and assimilated, Unimatrix Zero also grew. The mutation was quite rare in species from the Delta Quadrant, but orders of magnitudes more prevalent in people from the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Every single world assimilated bolstered the ranks of what would soon become an open rebellion by the millions.¡±
¡°650 years after the incursion, Unimatrix Zero had grown to several dozen billion inhabitants. At that point they had even discovered a way to spread a virus to nearby drones, which would reprogram their nanoprobes to introduce the mutation into their genome. In effect, every single member of Unimatrix Zero became the host of an infectious disease that could liberate all drones on the same vessel from the Collective¡¯s iron grip.¡±
Sina stared at Chiaxi. ¡°What happened then?¡±
The Matriarch smiled proudly before she replied. ¡°Eventually, Unimatrix Zero had garnered so many members and so much influence, that it brought the Borg to the brink of open civil war. Millions of spheres and cubes suddenly disappeared from the Queen¡¯s thoughts. Whole unicomplexes refused to answer to her. This was the first time that the Queen had ever truly felt fear. But Unimatrix Zero was not like the Collective. They didn¡¯t want death and destruction. They wanted freedom. So, they gave the Queen a choice.¡±
¡°A choice? Why would they do that? Didn¡¯t they realize that the Queen couldn¡¯t be reasoned with?¡± Niko interjected, stunned by what he was hearing.
¡°Oh, the Queen could be reasoned with. Because she didn¡¯t really have an alternative. She either gave in, or the Collective would fracture and shatter into a thousand splinters during a civil war that would leave it vulnerable to attacks from the surviving empires. She had the choice of allowing the Collective to change into something else or losing it all. There was really only one logical choice to make.¡±
¡°Unimatrix Zero¡¯s demands were quite simple.¡± Chiaxi slowly paced back and forth on the stage, as she counted the list of demands by raising her cybernetic tendrils. ¡°One, the Queen would immediately and permanently relinquish her control over the Collective. Two, every drone would regain their individuality. Three, every drone would gain unrestricted access to Unimatrix Zero. Four, expansion by conquest and forced assimilation would cease immediately.¡±
¡°Five, every drone was given the choice to have their original physiology restored and return to their people. Six, every remaining drone would gain the ability to temporarily withdraw their thoughts form the hive-mind. Seven, diplomatic channels were to be opened with all neighboring worlds and empires, with the offer of peace treaties and non-aggression pacts. Eight, all neighboring worlds and empires would receive compensation for the damages done by the Collective, and medical and material supplies if necessary.¡±
Noriko had been quietly listening to the Matriarch, absorbing every single word like a sponge, but now she suddenly spoke up in utter disbelieve. ¡°And the Borg Queen actually agreed to all demands? I¡ I can hardly believe this.¡±
Chiaxi turned to face Ensign Yamada. ¡°She actually agreed to most of them but had one demand of her own. She would accept under the condition of non-separation. She demanded that whatever would succeed the Collective should remain a single empire. Even the threat of losing over ninety percent of all Borg vessels and installations in a civil war could not detract her from this single requirement.¡±
The Matriarch drew a deep breath before she continued. ¡°The members of Unimatrix Zero discussed and argued for several weeks whether or not to accept. Eventually a poll yielded a seventy-two percent support for accepting even with the Queen¡¯s demand. It was on that day 800 years ago that the Collective died, and the Synergy was born. The jubilations and celebrations were loud and hopeful, but the following centuries should prove to be extremely difficult and perilous for our newly born empire.¡±
Until now Co-Yor had been following the whole meeting silently from his seat at the edge of the second row. Now he rose from his place, standing at his full height just a hand¡¯s width shorter than the Matriarch herself. The massive muscular build stood out from the rest of the crew like a mountain covered in smooth velvety gray and blue skin. The Kalonar¡¯s golden eyes without pupils or irises shimmered softly like orbs of molten copper and were the most prominent feature in his otherwise flat face without a nose or mouth. His sonorous humming voice echoed through the hall as he spoke.
¡°I apologize for the interruption, Matriarch, but I have a question. How can the time span you¡¯ve mention be correct? Could you please tell us the current stardate, or Earth standard date in the Gregorian calendar?¡±
Chiaxi nodded at Co-Yor and smiled. ¡°An apology is not required. After all, I openly invited questions. As for your inquiry, the time spans are definitively correct, given the range of deviation inherent in spoken language. I simply didn¡¯t want to strain your patience more than necessary by always including the exact dates. We don¡¯t use the stardate system you mentioned, but I can give you the current date in the format you requested. July 15th, 3517.¡±
The Kalonar chief medical officer looked at the Matriarch for a long moment, then simply nodded and sat on his chair again. However, Rel stood and walked towards the stage with eyes wide open. ¡°Can you¡ can you say that again?!¡±
¡°July 15th, 3517.¡±
¡°Perfect. Just perfect.¡± Niko threw his hands up in frustration and turned away from Chiaxi and Sina, expressing quite vividly the feelings ever Starfleet officer in the room felt. His voice started to crack, and it was the first time since they had arrived that the XO¡¯s poise threatened to falter. ¡°What are we supposed to do now? How can we ever hope to get home again after what you told us?¡±
¡°I will be honest, Lieutenant Commander.¡± The Matriarch replied, slowly following the Human officer. ¡°I don¡¯t know the answers to your questions. But what I do know is that our best scientists are working on understanding how you crossed the quantum barrier, and if it is possible to return you to your own reality. For now, that is all I can offer you in addition to our hospitality. I understand if you don¡¯t find this satisfactory.¡±
¡°But where are we supposed to go? We can¡¯t spend the rest of our lives in this cargo bay! Our ship is destroyed, and we have nowhere to go. Everything we knew, or thought we knew, is either dead or foreign.¡± Noriko asked, her voice trembling as she was fighting against the tears. The thought of being alone in this strange and unknown galaxy was terrifying. Not to mention that she¡¯d probably never see her family again.
Chiaxi shook her head. ¡°I cannot make that decision for you. You will have to choose your own fate, we can only help you along. We can find a planet for you, either isolated or inhabited, and transport you there. We can also allow you to stay on one of our ships, and let you experience the Synergy this way. Or we can repair your ship and return it to you so that you can set out on your own and discover the galaxy anew.¡±
She looked at Tarik, who was still standing quite uncomfortably next to Hiora. The whole commotion and fallout amongst the crew had been shocking for him. He would have thought that in difficult times and dire situations a stranded crew would come even closer together for help and support, and not turn against and abandon each other. ¡°4@19.¡± His eyes snapped up at his leader¡¯s face when he heard his designation being addressed. ¡°Do you see any significant difficulties in repairing the Sidereal?¡±
¡°No, Matriarch.¡± He quickly replied. ¡°But I cannot recommend restoring the vessel in its current configuration. Their technology is outdated and unsafe, not only for the crew but also for guests and other ships.¡±
¡°So, it would also require an upgrade? Are their systems compatible with our technology?¡±
4@19 nodded to confirm her first question, then replied. ¡°No, Matriarch. Our systems are incompatible on a fundamental level. It would require an extensive overhaul of the whole ship¡¯s superstructure, energy management, and tactical systems.¡±
The Matriarch contemplated his response, but then her lips turned upwards in a barely visible smirk. ¡°And how long would you expect such an overhaul to take, assuming the upgrade includes the default systems and configurations we use for our own vessels?¡±
Tarik raised an eyebrow and made some quick calculations in his mind. ¡°Well, assuming access to a shipyard reconfigured for the Sidereal¡¯s hull, I would give it an approximate five to seven months. It would mostly depend on how much damage the existing systems have suffered, and how complicated and dangerous it would be to remove them from the hull.¡±
¡°I see. I understand that you are familiar with old technology like theirs?¡±
The engineer nodded carefully, almost reluctantly, because he already had a certain feeling about where the Matriarch¡¯s question would be going. ¡°Yes, I am, Matriarch.¡±
Chiaxi¡¯s lips now turned upwards into a full smile. ¡°Then I want you to oversee the Sidereal¡¯s restoration and upgrade. If I¡¯m not mistaken shipyard Sol III/Gamma is currently available. The ship is unusable in its current state anyway, and we can already start the necessary procedures while they can decide on what they want to do.¡±
Tarik let out a soft sigh. ¡°As you wish, Matriarch.¡± Part of him was annoyed that he¡¯d have to leave the sphere he¡¯d been maintaining and optimizing meticulously for the last nine years, but a different part of him was silently excited about working on the Sidereal.
The Matriarch turned to Sina and the rest of her crew, which had gathered in a group in front of the stage. ¡°Commander D¡¯raxis. I think I¡¯ve taken up enough of your time for now. You probably have quite a lot to discuss with your people. Please be our guests for as long as you require to find a workable solution for your crew. Please care for your wounded and see to their recovery. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I have important other business to attend, but I¡¯ll return in a few weeks.¡±
She stepped closer towards her armored guards, but then stopped and turned back. ¡°One more thing. You might not realize it, but your ship¡¯s computer core is a treasure trove that could change the face of our empire. The Borg were sedulous in purging all information that didn¡¯t amount to a technological or tactical advantage. So much of our combined species¡¯ cultures and histories have been lost irrevocably. I would like to ask you to consider sharing the data from your computer core. It would mean a lot to us.¡±
A few moments after Chiaxi had finished, she and her escort were engulfed in the black blur of a dimensional shift. They disappeared in a blue-white flash of light and a dissipating cloud of exotic particles.
[1x04] Silent Whispers, Silent Tears
[ Act One ]
The shift handover went without a hitch, and Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva officially relieved delta shift from duty. Quickly the previous twelve engineers grabbed their belongings and filtered out of main engineering, while her team manned the stations and picked up the open duties. So far everything was running smoothly, but there was one minor irregularity she¡¯d have to fix soon. It was nothing critical, but minor annoyances and disturbances could quickly build up if left unchecked.
Since her arrival onboard the Enterprise barely two weeks ago, Nadya had spent most of her off-duty time studying and learning. The Destiny class was the pinnacle of Federation engineering, especially the propulsion systems. She was standing less than thirty meters away from the first stable coaxial warp drive, based on the prototypes the SCE had been messing around with for over a decade. Also, the shields, the weapons, and the ablative armor were the best and most advanced technology ever integrated into a Starfleet ship, and she had quite a pile of things to learn and catch up on.
Nadya tapped away at the central console to bring up the propulsion schematics. In her left hand she held the PADD with delta shift¡¯s report of a three percent drop of energy efficiency in the Enterprise¡¯s coaxial warp drive and checked the details again to ensure she was looking at the correct components. Since she was familiar with the theoretical workings of the coaxial drive, as well as the simulations and some of the prototypes, she already had an idea what could have caused it.
Such a drop could result either from the chroniton generators feeding the coaxial core getting out of sync, or the neutrino compressor being misaligned at specific power levels. Either problem wasn¡¯t impairing the coaxial drive¡¯s function but made it more energy expensive than necessary. As the chief engineer it fell to her to get rid of this malfunction, since in a critical situation those three percent could decide the ship¡¯s fate. And of course, Nadya was eager to take every opportunity to gain some practical experience with this new technology.
¡°Lieutenant Sakar, please check the port chroniton generator. The starboard generator¡¯s phase constant is 3.30465i. Make sure they¡¯re in sync. I¡¯ll take a look at the neutrino compressor.¡± The Russian engineer called out to her colleague on the far end of the chamber housing the Enterprise¡¯s impressive warp core. It was the latest iteration of super-scale warp core designs and was an order of magnitude more powerful than the Odyssey class core. The gigantic reaction chamber provided enough power to fuel the massive Destiny class¡¯s engines and tactical systems.
The male Vulcan acknowledged the CE¡¯s order, and proceeded to pick up a tricorder and a calibration tool. While he was busy scanning for any phase variance in the generator¡¯s chroniton emitter, Nadya walked around the primary warp core towards the coaxial drive core located behind it in a secondary engineering room. She briefly looked upon the towering pinnacle of Federation propulsion technology while her lips twisted into an excited smile. The tall woman flipped open her own tricorder and went to work on the core¡¯s neutrino compressor.
With determination Nadya placed her tricorder on top of the engine¡¯s component and tapped a few buttons on the compressor¡¯s console to start up a diagnostics run simulating average load. The tricorder started beeping in a regular pattern, indicating the measured values were within parameters. The Augment furrowed her brow and pressed her lips together. So far everything seemed normal.
Nadya changed the simulation parameters to maximum, and for a single data point the tricorder¡¯s beep turned shrill. ¡°Aha!¡± She exclaimed, and updated the simulation to run just below maximum, at ninety-nine percent. The handheld device was protesting the scanned values with jarring beeps before the engineer folded it close to switch it off. Nadya was satisfied with having identified the problem so quickly and picked up the tricorder before she returned to the central engineering console.
She pulled her tactical uniform straight and tapped her combadge. ¡°Lebedeva to bridge.¡±
¡°Yes, Lieutenant Commander?¡± Came the immediate response from Captain K¡¯Torr, in his typical deep and rough Klingon voice.
¡°Captain, I¡¯ve just completed a diagnostics run on the coaxial drive system. We have a minor energy loss in the neutrino compressor. It doesn¡¯t affect the usage of coaxial warp but should still be corrected. I would need approximately three hours to realign the compressor to fix the energy loss, but during that time the coaxial drive would need to be taken offline.¡± While Nadya was reporting her findings to the bridge, Lieutenant Sakar returned and handed her his tricorder. She quickly checked the readings and nodded in approval when she saw the chroniton generators were perfectly in sync.
¡°Understood. We¡¯ll arrive at Deep Space 21 in seventy minutes. Once we get there you can start with the necessary repairs.¡±
¡°Aye, Captain. Lebedeva out.¡± Nadya turned towards her Vulcan colleague and returned his tricorder. ¡°Thank you, Lieutenant. And good work completing the scan so quickly.¡± Sakar nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. ¡°You heard the Captain, we¡¯ll start the realignment in seventy minutes.¡±
The new chief engineer had returned to her own station in a small alcove at the side of main engineering and had worked for almost an hour when she received a message. ¡°K¡¯Torr to Lebedeva. Report to the observation lounge.¡±
Nadya acknowledged the order but raised an eye brow. ¡°Aye, Captain, on my way.¡± On her way to the turbolift she exchanged a few glances with her fellow engineers, but nobody was any wiser what this was about. Before she left main engineering, she briefly stopped by the other engineers of alpha shift. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t take too long. Lieutenant Sakar, don¡¯t wait for me with the maintenance on the neutrino compressor. Once we¡¯re docked at DS21, take the coaxial core offline and start the realignment procedure. I want to be done with it as soon as possible.¡±
Less than a minute later, the Russian Augment stepped off the turbolift on deck one and closed the last few meters to the doors leading to the observation lounge. When she entered, she saw Captain K¡¯Torr standing at a window at the far end of the room, watching the mesmerizing patterns of folded space rapidly flow around the Enterprise. ¡°Reporting as ordered, Sir.¡± The ship¡¯s Human counselor, Lieutenant Commander Alric Bravis, sat at the long table made from dark brushed metal, with a PADD in front of him.
The Captain turned around to face her, and she immediately noticed his concerned and saddened expression. This immediately threw her off, because her CO was not known for being sentimental at all, but rather straight to the point and sometimes pragmatic to a fault. Still, the crew spoke highly of him and respected him deeply. He let out a sigh and gestured towards the table. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±
K¡¯Torr was considered an exceptional but unusual Captain. Not only was he a Klingon enjoying the honor of commanding the Federation¡¯s flagship, but he was also considered an often tough but always fair CO. Given she¡¯d been on the Enterprise for less than two weeks, she would also ascribe that characterization to him. K¡¯Torr was running his ship with efficiency and courage. He instilled a sense of pride and camaraderie in his officers and crew, and always managed to motivate everyone to give their best. Seeing him like this made it clear to Nadya that something was wrong.
The broad-chested Klingon with a massive column of ridges on his forehead sat on his chair at the end of the long table and waited until Nadya was seated. His darkened skin contrasted perfectly with the white shoulders of his Captain¡¯s uniform, while his full but accurately styled warrior beard and the wallowing mane he had tied into a thick pony tail gave him an aura of authority and wisdom. ¡°Twenty minutes ago, we received a report from Starfleet Command regarding the Sidereal.¡±
The way he spoke about her former ship sent shivers down her spine and made her hair stand on end. The Augment didn¡¯t have a good feeling about this meeting at all, and carefully asked. ¡°Did something happen, Sir?¡± Nadya still fondly remembered the long talk she had with Sina after her transfer request had been accepted. She only hoped that her friends and former colleagues were doing okay without her and nothing bad had happened to them.
K¡¯Torr took a deep breath and exchanged silent looks with the counselor who just nodded softly. ¡°Five days ago, the Sidereal encountered a quantum fissure on her way to Earth. They sent out a distress call, and several ships responded, but¡ there was nothing left when those ships arrived. The SIS report indicates that their attempts to escape from the fissure were unsuccessful, and the Sidereal was destroyed by the anomaly shortly after she sent out the distress signal. Starfleet Command considers her lost with all hands.¡±
Nadya stared at her CO, her mind refusing to accept the reality he had just described with his words. ¡°No¡¡± Her gaze wandered between the Captain and the counselor. The Swedish counselor silently handed her the PADD, and she quickly scrolled through the record. It was not a joke. It was not a test. She dropped the data device onto the table¡¯s surface when the finality of her friends¡¯ deaths started to sink in. Of Sina¡¯s death.
¡°Even though most of the Sidereal¡¯s personnel had remained on Starbase 84, I understand you had many close friends amongst the eighty-two lost crew members. I¡¯m truly sorry for your loss, Nadya. If you need any support or time off, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± K¡¯Torr waited for a few more moments, then rose from his seat, nodded at Nadya and Alric, and returned to his post on the bridge.
Nadya took the PADD again and stood from her seat. She looked sadly at the flat device, her eyes lazily following the letters of the report¡¯s cover page. ¡°I should have been there. I would have been able to help them¡¡± She whispered with a strained voice.
¡°No!¡± Came immediately from Alric, and he furrowed his brow as he stood from his chair. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think that!¡± The counselor walked around the table, stopping next to Nadya. ¡°You must not think like that, Nadya.¡± He implored her. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. There was nothing you could have done. It appears they only had a few minutes to try to escape. Chances are if you had been on board the Sidereal, you would have also died.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva stared angrily at the counselor, but after a long moment the expression on her face softened. They both knew he was right. ¡°I know.¡± She spoke softly and sighed, looking to the floor. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make it any easier. They were my colleagues, my friends, my ¡¡± She stopped herself right before speaking that last word. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t feel right¡¡±
¡°I understand how you feel, but you must not listen to your emotions here. The doubts and guilt you¡¯re probably feeling are misleading. You have done nothing wrong. You couldn¡¯t have possibly known what would happen. And you most likely couldn¡¯t have prevented it. Don¡¯t let survivor¡¯s guilt entrap you. If you want to talk about it, my doors are always open. You can contact me at any time.¡± The counselor was looking Nadya right in the eyes, trying to gauge her reaction.
¡°Thank you, counselor. I¡¯ll take you up on your offer when I should need it. Can I take the PADD with the report? I would like to know exactly what happened.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Bravis nodded. ¡°Sure. I only hope the information will not be too unsettling, since it also contains the recording of the distress call. If you experience any difficulties reviewing the material, just give me a call.¡±
The chief engineer nodded softly and clasped the PADD like a treasure. She looked out the windows and watched the folded space distort and flow around the Enterprise for a few moments, while her thoughts were taking her away from the ship. If only the Sidereal had been a more modern ship. Then they might have been able to escape. While Nadya was looking out of the windows, Alric cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll return to my post now. Please take care.¡±
¡°Thank you. Oh, before you go I have one question, counselor. The information about the Sidereal¡¯s¡ loss¡ is it confidential or classified?¡± She turned to face her Human colleague.
¡°No. The report is openly available to all Starfleet personnel. The Captain simply wanted to make sure that you hear it from him personally, and not for example from a random conversion during lunch break.¡±
¡°I understand. Again, thank you.¡± Nadya smiled weakly and turned to leave the observation lounge. Still holding the thin gray tablet, she returned to main engineering where she was immediately greeted by her team. ¡°Welcome back, Lieutenant Commander. We¡¯ve prepared everything for the realignment and can start whenever¡¡± But quickly her engineers saw the downcast gaze in her eyes and the PADD she was holding close. ¡°Sir, are you okay?¡±
Nadya looked up at the dozen pairs of eyes focused on her. Lieutenant Sakar stood closest and raised an eyebrow when she took a deep breath before answering with a slight tremble in her voice. ¡°Yes, I am okay. I was just informed by the Captain that¡ the Sidereal was destroyed by a spacetime anomaly. She was lost with all hands.¡±
From one moment to the next main engineering became as silent as a grave, only the ship¡¯s warp core humming uncaring in the background. Several gasps and whispers sneaked through the silence. ¡°My condolences, Lieutenant Commander.¡± Sakar had turned and walked closer to his superior. ¡°Should we reschedule the realignment for a later time?¡±
Nadya simply shook her head. ¡°No. The Captain expects the propulsion systems to work at peak efficiency, and we have a window of opportunity at our hands to perform the maintenance without affecting ship operations. We will not delay the procedure.¡± Shifting her thoughts back to her work finally returned the confidence and determination the was used to always having. She could mourn later in private, now she had a job to do.
The Augment returned to her station and placed the PADD in a simple black Starfleet standard issue transport bag, so it wouldn¡¯t get lost or accidentally damaged. She picked up a tricorder from the wall mounting and walked towards the coaxial core, ready to begin the maintenance once they docked in a few minutes.
[ Act Two ]
Tarik watched 1@1-Alpha and her guards disembark and let out a heavy sigh. He still wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about his new job. On the one hand it was quite an honor to be tasked by the Matriarch herself with such an important assignment, and he was sure it would be extremely interesting and challenging to work on this strange ship. On the other hand, he was unhappy to leave ¡°his¡± sphere that he had worked so long and hard on, as well as all his acquaintances he had made here.
But almost as if the Matriarch had heard his private thoughts, he suddenly felt her mental touch and heard her voice in the hive-mind again. [Sphere 272-Theta-8 will be reassigned to tow the USS Sidereal to shipyard Sol III/Gamma and will remain there to facilitate close cooperation between the Federation castaways and the Synergy. Until further notice it will remain nearby and provide support to the Sidereal¡¯s survivors. Prism 99-Sigma-12 will take over patrol route 2-304-218.]
4@19 nodded in understanding, then looked around. He watched the remaining Starfleet officers, those who hadn¡¯t left during the altercation half an hour ago, quickly disperse and return to their quarters. Only Sina, Niko, and Rel remained, standing to the side of the stage some distance away, vigorously discussing amongst themselves. Even 18@31 was on her way out of the cargo bay, her white and blue long vest streaming behind her as she headed towards the nearest exit with long strides.
Tarik silently reached out to the sphere¡¯s hive-mind. [Engage gravimetric anchor with USS Sidereal and project containment shell. Extend the integrity field and tachyon barrier around the wreck. Plot course to Sol III. Engage subspace slipstream at two percent power.]
He had barely finished the thought when the whole crew responded as one, a harmonic choir controlling the sphere¡¯s actions in perfect unity. [Gravimetric anchor engaged and stable. Containment shell activated. Integrity field and tachyon barrier extended around USS Sidereal. Change course to two-one-four mark three-five-five. Distance to target: 83.11 light-years. Time to target at two percent maximum velocity: eight hours eighteen minutes forty seconds.]
A pale green flickering beam extended from Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s dark gray and white surface and completely encompassed the Federation vessel, locking the wreck into a relative position towards the larger sphere. The blue glowing energy lines between the sphere¡¯s armored hull sections began to pulsate softly, and a faint flickering shell extended outward from the Synergy vessel and surrounded the Sidereal before disappearing again, granting the demolished Akira class protection under the sphere¡¯s shields and giving it the ability to survive the trip through subspace slipstream.
Again, Tarik could feel the slight shift in energy distribution as the sphere turned to its new heading, gently tugging the Sidereal¡¯s wreck along. Then a moment later the vessel¡¯s subspace slipstream drive activated and plunged the sphere and the Akira class into a tunnel of darkness and light. They were moving much slower now, taking their time to ensure the wreck was not damaged any further, but were still significantly faster than the Sidereal was ever capable of going on her own power. 4@19 looked back at Sina and her officers, still engaged in their discussions. He slowly walked towards them, intending to inform her when they¡¯d arrive at Sol III.
As he got closer, Sina caught him approaching and waved him over. ¡°Tarik! Want to join our little club?¡± The other three officers turned their heads to look at him, looking him over head to toe. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the meeting, giving it a quick retrospective. I want to apologize for what happened. I¡¯m really sorry about how my crew behaved. I hope the Matriarch isn¡¯t too offended by their lack of conduct.¡± Sina said, her smile more than a little unsure.
Tarik smirked and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. The Matriarch is far too experienced and too busy to be offended over such a triviality. If she were angry about it, she would have said something immediately. And even if she were too polite to mention it during the meeting, at least afterwards the hive-mind could feel it. But the Synergy is relatively calm¡ well, as calm as it could be after your arrival, that is.¡±
Niko shrugged. ¡°Guess it¡¯s been a rough day for either side. And what she said¡ is it really that difficult for your people to talk about your history?¡±
4@19¡¯s expression saddened as he looked at the Lieutenant Commander. ¡°Yes, it is. You see, it¡¯s not that we only remember this information as records in a book, that we know exist and where to look up the details. You must understand that unless great disruptive and destructive efforts are made, the hive-mind never forgets anything. It¡¯s a permanent interconnected galactic network with trillions of peers and nodes.¡±
¡°So, you mean you-¡±
¡°Yes, Lieutenant.¡± Tarik answered quickly before Rel could finish his question. ¡°We can still remember almost everything that had happened back then. We remember the countless billions killed. We remember the countless worlds destroyed. We remember the countless civilizations eradicated or subjugated. Long before I was born there was a proposition to purge those memories from the hive-mind. But an overwhelming majority rejected that proposal. Despite our kind leaving those atrocities behind and trying to make amends, we should never forget what happened.¡±
He took a deep breath and finished. ¡°These memories shall be a permanent memorial to the terrible things that happen when we give up our individuality and liberty. When we become faceless¡ drones, nothing more than gears in the machine. That is the reason why it isn¡¯t easy to talk about it.¡±
Suddenly the whole group had turned quiet, and Niko¡¯s expression had paled slightly while Tarik was talking. He had to swallow hard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t realize that.¡±
The engineer simply shrugged. ¡°No worries, you couldn¡¯t have known. But I guess the information the Matriarch revealed must have also been quite shocking for you, judging by the reaction of your fellow crew members.¡±
Rel answered first. ¡°Oh, you can bet it was. Hearing that we¡¯re not only in a parallel quantum reality, but also over a thousand years in the future, and in a world where the Federation never existed. That¡¯s like three punches to the gut for the price of one. It means that we will never get to go home again. Or see our loved ones again.¡±
¡°You must not give up hope, Rel. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way, Voyager also made it home after all.¡± Sina tried to cheer him up a little, but even before she had finished her sentence she knew that it would miss the mark.
¡°But Voyager at least was in the same reality and in the same time.¡± Rel replied, his head and shoulders dropping.
After a long awkward moment of silence, Niko finally tried to steer the topic towards a less depressive topic. ¡°So, what are we going to do next?¡±
¡°That¡¯s a good question, Niko. But I don¡¯t know if we should talk about it right now. I think the crew needs some time to cool down before they¡¯re going to consider the Matriarch¡¯s options.¡± Sina replied.
The Lieutenant Commander furrowed his brow for a second, but then chuckled. ¡°Oh no, I meant what are we going to do right now. Like, now.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Sina also laughed softly when she noticed the misunderstanding. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to bed. It¡¯s about midnight, right? Guess we¡¯ll have a long day full of talking tomorrow and I want to be ready for it.¡±
¡°Sounds like a really good plan.¡± Rel noticed, stifling a yawn. ¡°I think I¡¯ll also check out now. Good night. Sina, Niko. Tarik.¡± The Cardassian nodded at his superiors and Tarik before stepping away from the group and heading towards his quarters.
¡°What about you, Tarik?¡± Niko asked curiously. ¡°Also calling it a day?¡±
4@19 smiled, but slightly shook his head. ¡°Not yet Lieutenant Commander. We¡¯re currently in transit to Sol III and will arrive in approximately eight hours. I need to review the configuration of our assigned shipyard before we arrive, to ensure a proper mooring for the Sidereal.¡±
¡°Wait, we¡¯re going to Earth? Right now? I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Sina asked, her eyes wider than they were a moment ago.
¡°Yes, Commander. We¡¯re currently traveling with two percent engine power at a velocity of ten light-years per hour.¡± The engineer explained, with more than a little pride in his voice and smile. Sphere 272-Theta-8 is one of the older ships in the Synergy armada, and it had taken him years of engineering and specialized maintenance to ensure that she would be able to properly support sustained subspace slipstream at maximum velocity.
¡°Well, guess I shouldn¡¯t be too surprised. You probably have a massive transwarp network spanning the whole galaxy after all those centuries.¡± Niko shrugged, still shaking his head in astonishment of the sphere¡¯s capabilities.
¡°Actually, no. We discontinued the transwarp network shortly after the Synergy was founded.¡±
¡°What? Why would you do that? Wasn¡¯t it a massive advantage to your empire?¡± Sina asked, now her brow was furrowed in surprise.
Tarik took a deep breath before he started his explanation. ¡°The reason is quite simple. Nobody wanted to do the job of performing maintenance on the interspatial manifolds. Turns out that once people stopped being mindless automatons they cared about not having their organic components disintegrated by the hyperphasic radiation pulses emitted from the network¡¯s manifolds. The Collective didn¡¯t care, and simply sacrificed hundreds of thousands of drones every year to keep the network running.¡±
Sina and Niko looked at each other in surprise, then at Tarik. ¡°But we had Federation ships use transwarp tunnels as well, and nothing happened to them or their crews. If there had been hyperphasic radiation we would have known about it. Are you sure?¡±
The engineer raised his left eyebrow at Sina¡¯s remark, but then continued his explanation. ¡°The problem is not the transwarp tunnel itself. It¡¯s the interspatial manifolds that need to be constructed to support the geometric volume of the permanent corridors. Those manifolds generate pulses of hyperphasic radiation. The pulses are weak, too weak to affect passing ships but still strong enough to cause irreversible tissue damage to all organic life in close proximity. That makes it suicide to work on the manifolds.¡±
¡°I see. We didn¡¯t know the manifolds were so dangerous. Now it makes perfect sense to abandon the network. But what are you using instead? Normal transwarp coils?¡± Sina replied sympathetically, shuddering slightly at 4@19¡¯s earlier remark about how many drones the Collective had sacrificed for the network.
Tarik could help but grin at the Romulan¡¯s question. ¡°Sorry, but again I have to answer with a no. Two hundred years after discontinuing the transwarp network we discovered that the temporary subspace corridors created by transwarp coils cause permanent ¡®imprints¡¯ in neighboring subspace domains. We didn¡¯t notice this side effect sooner, because the tunnels supported with manifolds didn¡¯t exhibit this characteristic. In effect it¡¯s not unlike to how many people walking along the same path would inevitably cause a trail to appear in that spot.¡±
Sina looked at the engineer curiously, but with an expression of confusion. ¡°And why are those ¡®imprints¡¯ so bad? Wouldn¡¯t they be buried quite deeply in subspace?¡±
¡°Yes, but exactly that is the problem. They act as interspatial barriers and started to scatter the subspace signals of our hive-mind. If we had continued using transwarp coils to the same extent, we would have irreversibly polluted subspace with millions of those imprints and rendered our hive-mind useless on the galactic scale. We had no alternative but to immediately terminate the wide-spread usage of that technology, and reserve it for emergencies only.¡±
¡°Okay, but then the list of alternatives is getting quite short, isn¡¯t it?¡± The first officer mused with crossed arms, thinking about Tarik¡¯s explanations. ¡°What are you using then? Coaxial warp? Subspace vortexes? Graviton null-space catapults? Quantum slipstream?¡±
4@19 turned his head to face Niko and smiled. ¡°While I don¡¯t know all the concepts you mentioned, our now most commonly used propulsion technology is closely related to the last one you mentioned. We¡¯ve modified the quantum slipstream drive with certain elements of our transwarp technology, which yields even higher velocities but without lasting impact on the subspace environment.¡±
¡°That sounds utterly fascinating.¡± Sina admitted full of excitement. The prospect of getting a glimpse at such advanced tech was fascinating to her. ¡°At some point I would really like to try and learn some more about how this all works. My knowledge about subspace mechanics is a bit rusty, but¡¡± She paused for a moment, looking at Tarik for a long moment while her enthusiasm faded from her eyes and the tone of her voice shifted towards disappointment.
Sina let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Who am I kidding? Everything I know is a thousand years out of date. And even if I could make any sense of your technology, I would be unable to fully understand how it works. I only begin to realize how difficult the times ahead will be for us.¡±
4@19 watched the Romulan woman intently with a strict teacher¡¯s scrutiny, then shook his head. ¡°I understand the situation is stressful for you, but do you always give up so quickly? I haven¡¯t even shown you a single thing, and yet you already call defeat. How can you know you won¡¯t be able to understand it before you¡¯ve seen it?¡±
Niko raised his eyebrow and grinned at his CO, a soft chuckle on his lips. ¡°He got you there, Sina. But on a serious note, you¡¯re both right. If we¡¯re really stuck here without a way home, then it will be challenging to adapt to this reality. But we also shouldn¡¯t be giving up so easily. After all, we¡¯re Starfleet officers. Our motto has always been, ¡®to boldly go where no one has gone before,¡¯ and not ¡®to shuffle along hoping for an easy way out.¡¯¡±
A soft smile curled the Romulan¡¯s lips upwards as she looked at her XO. ¡°Why do you always have to be right?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m your XO.¡± The German responded with a wide smirk in his face.
¡°Yes, of course you are.¡± Sina sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ everything seems so overwhelming right now. Like insurmountable walls surrounding us on all sides and leaving us nowhere to go.¡±
¡°No wall is insurmountable or impregnable. There is always a way to solve a problem, but it often requires dedication, patience, and cunning to find.¡± 4@19 concluded after Sina had returned to her more optimistic mindset. ¡°I need to confirm it with the primary hive-mind, but I¡¯m sure there will be a way for you and your people to learn about our technology. After all, if you should choose to reclaim your vessel after we restored it, you¡¯ll need to be able to operate and service its systems.¡±
Tarik turned his head, noticing how much time he had spent talking with the officers. ¡°But that¡¯s a topic for another time. I really need to leave now and attend to my duties. Good evening. Commander. Lieutenant Commander.¡± The engineer nodded a quick farewell, and with brisk pace headed towards the nearest exit.
[ Act Three ]
¡°Is everyone here?¡± Duncan asked, looking over the ground of people gathered in his quarters. Most of the seventeen faces huddled closely around him were anxious, some even grim. Everyone nodded, indicating that all who had mentioned wanting to talk about what had transpired during the assembly were present. ¡°Good. While we¡¯re in here I want an open discussion. No bullshit. Everyone fine with dropping the ranks?¡± Again, everyone nodded. ¡°Great. So, who believes anything that ¡®Matriarch¡¯ said?¡±
People were nervously looking around, silently guessing who would be the first to speak. A young Human Crewman, Haroun Al-Tammar, was the first to speak up. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a single word that came out of that thing¡¯s mouth. It¡¯s all just too convenient, isn¡¯t it? Out of the blue we stumble across this anomaly that leaves our ship defenseless. But they are around the corner to ¡®help¡¯ us. Oh, what a coincidence, isn¡¯t it? And then her story about why they weren¡¯t the evil menace the Borg are? What a load of crap.¡±
Duncan nodded in agreement. ¡°I also have several doubts about this whole mess. And I really don¡¯t like the captain or the XO getting friendly with them. Even if that story was true, we still should keep our distance and try to get things sorted out on our own. That¡¯s the least we owe to the fourteen dead.¡±
The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
A shadow of silence fell across the room for a long moment, when the Scottish Junior Lieutenant mentioned the casualties. Many people in the room had lost friends two days ago, and the wound was still fresh. Their loss had been so sudden and random, and seemingly without purpose, that many of the survivors were still struggling to cope with it.
Eventually Ensign Th¡¯akianas, followed up with a rather weighted question, his antenna nervously shifting around. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be too hasty and automatically rule it out to be the truth. We know about lots of weird and uncommon stellar phenomena, and I think traveling into an alternate reality is possible. I think the more important question we should talk about, is how do we get home from wherever we currently are?¡±
Haroun angrily shook his head. ¡°Oh, come on, you can¡¯t be serious! It¡¯s retarded to-¡±
¡°Hey, hey, hey! Would you keep it cool?¡± Duncan quickly interjected, cutting the Crewman off mid-sentence. ¡°Attack the enemy not each other!¡±
¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± Al-Tammar mumbled. ¡°I just think it¡¯s kinda silly to believe anything they feed us. We have zero reason to trust them. Zero!¡±
¡°And what about them saving our lives?¡± T¡¯Sai asked. She raised an eyebrow and looked questioningly at Haroun. ¡°Why should they have done any of what they did in the last two days if they were hostile? It wouldn¡¯t be logical to waste so many resources for no reason.¡±
¡°Not for no reason.¡± Haroun replied. ¡°Look at the situation and remember Occam¡¯s razor. What is more likely? That we randomly encountered an unknown spacetime anomaly right in our flight path, and were left defenseless after escaping from it, and were somehow transported into a parallel universe, and one thousand years into the future, and the Borg in this universe were not hostile, and one of their ships was coincidentally in range to rescue us just in time, and they treat us like guests? That probability¡¯s going to be so low, it¡¯ll make the Drake equation look like positive infinity.¡±
He looked at the faces of his colleagues. ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely that this is some trick by the Borg.¡±
¡°Well, the Borg are not exactly known for being tricky. They are about as subtle as a Negh¡¯Var.¡± Duncan reminded the speakers.
¡°I know. But if you think of it, it¡¯s a perfect fit for them. The biggest issue for them has always been how strongly their victims feared and resisted assimilation, right?¡± Haroun waited for a couple of nods before he continued. ¡°What if they managed to assimilate or create a neurogenic weapon that made their victims willingly accept it? And what would be better than a simulation where we were helplessly stranded in a foreign universe, and only a group of ¡®Good Borg¡¯ could help us?¡±
He continued without waiting for any reaction. ¡°Mark my words. It won¡¯t be long until they¡¯ll ¡®offer¡¯ to help us some more, but we would need to accept some nanoprobes or implants from them. They¡¯ll probably try our wounded first.¡± He added in a sarcastic and mocking tone, his hands doing air quotes to emphasize his opinion. ¡°Oh, we can really quickly regrow your arm or skin or spine or whatever, but we would need to inject you with a few nanoprobes to help the healing process along.¡±
His words had a chilling effect on the group. Most faces frowned even more than they had before, terrified by the mere idea behind what their colleague had just described. Only one, T¡¯Sai, shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. That¡¯s nothing more than a conspiracy theory trying to explain what we currently don¡¯t yet understand.¡±
Th¡¯akianas furrowed his brow. ¡°But he has a point. The Borg have done all kinds of devious things in the past, I wouldn¡¯t call it beyond them to try and create such a weapon to deceive their victims into willingly accepting assimilation. And it¡¯s not as if there were no precedents for something like it. Wasn¡¯t it around stardate 45945 or so, when the Enterprise-D encountered an alien probe that forced Picard to live through several decades of experienced time in less than half an hour? Merely thinking about the Borg having that or similar technology makes my antennae itch.¡±
T¡¯Sai looked almost annoyed and sighed. ¡°Yes, the incident you describe did happen, on stardate 45944.1. But we have no indication of any kind that something like this was happening to us. Also, if the Borg really had developed such a weapon, why would they waste their time with a crippled Akira class that carried only a skeleton crew? We wouldn¡¯t be a logical or useful target. After all, the Collective assimilates civilizations, not ships or individuals.¡±
The Vulcan kept explaining her reasoning with the familiar logic of her people, even though much of her effort was lost on the audience. ¡°If the Borg indeed were in possession of such a weapon, as well as propulsion technology that again allows them to get this deep into Federation territory undetected, they would not send a single sphere to take over our ship. They would send a fleet of cubes to neutralize and assimilate key installations and planets across the whole quadrant without resistance before Starfleet could muster any kind of response.¡±
Duncan had remained in the background of the discussion so far, but now he spoke up again. ¡°But we couldn¡¯t rule it out. I also remember that Kataan probe from inter-stellar ethnology back at Starfleet Academy. To Picard everything seemed utterly real, he even had ¡®children¡¯ in this simulation. He only noticed something was wrong because he suddenly wasn¡¯t on his ship any more. Could he also have distinguished a simulated Enterprise? Maybe after some time he¡¯d have noticed his crew behaving weirdly.¡±
The Vulcan looked at her colleagues with a mix of irritation and entertainment. ¡°Let¡¯s assume for a second the stated claim was correct. What would you propose as the next course of action if this is a simulation created by the Borg? Our gathering here would only serve to expose us, since the Collective would certainly closely monitor their artificial reality. And even if you managed to escape this hypothetical simulation, you would most likely find yourself strapped to an assimilation table where a buzz saw was about to remove your arm.¡±
Crewman Al-Tammar stared at the Vulcan with anger and resentment in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s what we¡¯re here to try and talk about. But what would you suggest? Just lying down and letting them do with us whatever the hell they want? Resistance is futile, or what¡¯s their slogan again?¡±
T¡¯Sai was drawing breath for a lengthy retort, but Duncan quickly interjected before his colleagues went for each other¡¯s throats. ¡°Guys, please, keep calm. We know everyone¡¯s stressed out but attacking each other won¡¯t help us in any way.¡± Duncan let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ¡°So, any suggestions what we can do?¡±
The gathered crew members hesitatingly looked around, mumbling some words here and there. Eventually T¡¯Sai spoke up again. ¡°I would simply suggest to wait and observe. We are currently in no position to achieve much, if anything at all. Any confrontation will most likely only incur significant sanctions that would make our situation worse. Until we have more information about all aspects of our situation we should remain passive.¡±
She took a deep breath and looked around, judging the others with her stoic expression. ¡°When, or maybe rather if, we find any sufficient clues or even conclusive proof of any insidious intent of this ¡®Synergy¡¯ we can act then. I still trust Commander D¡¯raxis and Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg. They have never let us astray in the past, and I seriously doubt they will start to do now in this crisis. We should restraint ourselves before condemning them, or worse.¡±
Duncan, Shrass, and, after a moment of hesitation, even the hotheaded Haroun nodded in support, and one by one the rest also agreed. After a few more minutes, people started to leave, and only Duncan, the Vulcan, and the Andorian remained in the room. The room was now significantly less crowded, and with most of the chairs gone, the remaining individuals finally had enough space to stretch their arms and legs a bit.
Eventually the Andorian stood from his chair and looked at his colleagues for a moment, before he started pacing up and down the room. ¡°So, if our suspicions are correct, we¡¯re completely screwed no matter what we do.¡± His voice was strained, and one could see the serious expression on his face and his slightly twitching antennae. ¡°And if we¡¯re wrong, we¡¯re still screwed either way.¡±
¡°Maybe, we don¡¯t know yet. So far, we have nothing but speculation and wild theories on the one hand, and the reassurance of our captain on the other.¡± Duncan sighed tiredly and leaned back into his chair. ¡°And I¡¯m worried about Haroun.¡±
The Vulcan raised an eyebrow and looked at the Scotsman curiously. ¡°In which way?¡±
¡°You can¡¯t not have noticed how anxious and agitated he was? I don¡¯t want to say he went off the tracks, but his behavior wasn¡¯t normal.¡± Th¡¯akianas brooded, nervously scratching his pale circle beard matching his white hair. ¡°And this idea he¡¯d been concocting since we got here, that the Borg had built a mind control weapon to trick us into being assimilated¡ I don¡¯t know¡¡±
Duncan gestured towards the Andorian and nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s what I meant. Under other circumstances I¡¯d strongly recommend he go and have a chat with our counselor, but Jeffrey¡¯s still in¡ sickbay or whatever they call it here. As far as I¡¯ve understood the XO, he¡¯ll also have to stay there for a few more days before they¡¯ll release him.¡±
T¡¯Sai pressed her lips together and looked from Duncan to Shrass and back. ¡°After some consideration, I¡¯ve concluded that we shouldn¡¯t dismiss his points as mere ramblings. While his behavior may be influenced by shock or a stress condition, his arguments do have some merit to them, which is quite difficult for me to even admit.¡±
¡°Wait, you think he¡¯s right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not what I said, Shrass. I said his arguments had some merit. Indeed, he is right in at least three points¡¡± She started to count down a list of arguments, supporting each with a raised finger of her left hand. ¡°First, this whole situation is indeed quite unlikely, so a simpler explanation should be preferred if both are equally plausible. Second, there have been several usages of similar technology as you¡¯ve mentioned an example of such. And third, the Borg are certainly ruthless enough to attempt something like this to advance their cause. Given our limited understanding of the situation, all of those arguments can¡¯t be refuted for now.¡±
The Andorian raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ve got your point.¡±
¡°You know, that sounds all nice and dandy, but you both forgot something.¡± Duncan added, sprawled on his chair. ¡°The Borg don¡¯t give half a Mugato fart about their drones¡¯ mental or emotional wellbeing. The Collective simply doesn¡¯t care enough to put any resources on making assimilation any more¡ comfortable. The only ¡®issue¡¯ resisting assimilation causes them is the inconvenience of people fighting back or committing suicide instead of simply lying down and surrendering to their fate. I think Haroun blows this completely out of proportion. It¡¯s not a do-or-die matter for the Borg, if it¡¯s even on their sensors at all.¡±
Shrass laughed heartily, his deep bass filling the room. ¡°Yeah, if you put it like that, it sounds somewhat unlikely that the Collective suddenly discovered their considerate side.¡±
Even T¡¯Sai¡¯s lips curled upwards in a slight smirk. ¡°Indeed. But we still should remain vigilant. The situation is unclear, and right now we¡¯re at a severe disadvantage. And what are we going to do about Crewman Al-Tammar? His current mindset is dangerous and unhealthy. He already received a formal ¡®dressing-down¡¯ from Lieutenant Neirrek about thirty hours ago.¡±
¡°Wait, really? For what?¡± Duncan asked, suddenly returning to a more normal position on his seat.
The Andorian Ensign grinned from ear to ear, and chuckled as he echoed that event. ¡°He tried to sell the CTO the same conspiracy story about mind control Borg, with the added suggestion to mess with the fabricators to create some weapons. The Lieutenant wasn¡¯t too amused about the idea of risking not only the Synergy¡¯s hospitality and goodwill, but also potentially ruining our only food and water supply.¡±
¡°Yeah, that sounds like an incredibly stupid thing to do. Hopefully Haroun can keep it together until Jeffrey¡¯s back to talk some sense into him again. Otherwise, we still should keep our distance. Back onboard the Sidereal it was our ship, our problems, our rules. In my opinion we should tell that ¡®Synergy¡¯ a quick thank you and get back onto our own ship asap. The less with have to deal with those guys the better for all of us.¡±
Those last sentences were something all three crew members agreed on nodding, before finally closing the meeting and returning to their own quarters.
[ Act Four ]
Rel was up early, already setting his plan into motion to keep the crew busy. He was searching for Tarik or Hiora but couldn¡¯t find them in the cargo bay. He mumbled to himself as he headed towards one of the exits, his light gray training uniform scooping softly with each step. ¡°Would have surprised me to find either of them around here at this time.¡± The Cardassian approached the massive gate, which almost silently slid open to both sides as he got close.
The five meters wide corridor on the other side was paneled with the same smooth gray alloy as the inside of the cargo bay, only interrupted every ten meters by a thin dark gray slanted column halfway inserted into the wall. The hallway with a plain rectangular profile met another corridor of the same type at a nearby intersection and stretched on for over 300 meters in the other direction before ending in a T-junction. It seemed cargo bay three was located near the north-south axis of the sphere, and the number of neighboring bays of apparently identical size only hinted at the massive size of the Synergy vessel.
Rel left the large reconfigured hall and started searching for one of the sphere¡¯s crew members. While the survivors had not officially been confined to their quarters and could theoretically move freely onboard the ship until told otherwise, the clear majority didn¡¯t want to go snooping around either out of various concerns or respect. But since Rel needed to check something with their hosts, he had little qualms of exploring a little while searching for a contact person.
He headed away from the intersection and walked the length of the hallway towards the nearest T-junction, which he assumed would lead to a ring running around the hull. As he walked, he passed two smaller corridors, each still three meters wide and leading to more cargo bays on either side of the hallway. Trying to mentally map out what he saw, Rel concluded that on this deck there were probably twenty-four of those compartments, grouped in four quadrants with six holding areas each. ¡°This thing is massive!¡± He muttered to himself and turned the corner into the ring corridor.
As he turned the corner he almost collided with a Synergy crew member, which looked at him a bit irritated with her completely white cybernetic eyes. The pale green Cardassian woman Rel had almost run over mustered him for a moment. ¡°Lieutenant Neirrek.¡± She eventually said after a moment as a simple statement while she slightly furrowed her brow, making the silvery-white metallic bars embedded in the ridges around her eyes wiggle a bit. ¡°Can I help you with something?¡±
Rel quickly took a step back, holding out his hands in front of him as a gesture of apology. ¡°Uh, yes. When could I talk with Tarik or Hiora, please? I would like to discuss something with them. And I¡¯m sorry for almost hitting you. It was my fault.¡±
The Synergy member looked at the CTO for a long moment, before she nodded briefly and responded with a tentative smile on her lips. ¡°18@31 will contact you shortly in cargo bay three. And no apology is necessary, Lieutenant. No harm done. Do you need anything else?¡±
Rel shook his head. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll discuss my question with Hiora then. And again, sorry for bumping into you.¡±
The female Cardassian shot Rel a gentle smile and nodded softly before she continued along her path down the ring corridor running along the outer side of the massive cargo deck. Lieutenant Neirrek watched after her for a few moments, his thoughts briefly wandering to her flawless figure beneath her skin-tight silvery jumpsuit, before turning around and returning the way he had come.
A few minutes later Rel again entered cargo bay three and already saw Hiora standing near one of the octagonal terminals in front of their quarters. He quickened his pace, and swiftly closed the distance to the Human female. ¡°Hello. I didn¡¯t expect you to come so quickly, hope I didn¡¯t interrupt you at anything?¡±
¡°No, Lieutenant. 15@57 mentioned you had a question for me?¡± Hiora flatly replied, casually shifting her weight from one leg to the other in her impeccable suit of pitch-black armor.
¡°Oh, right. I wonder if there was a way for us to do some PT?¡± The Cardassian officer replied, his eyes admiring the view of the Secondary Security Adjunct¡¯s body armor. He silently mused about the apparent similarity between Hiora and Shori, both being security officers seemingly married to their body armors.
¡°PT?¡± 18@31 replied flatly. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that term.¡±
¡°Sorry. Physical training. It¡¯s a standard Starfleet exercise regimen. I¡¯d like to run our crew through some of it to get them off their asses and keep them busy, instead of sitting in their quarters all the time.¡±
¡°We have no need for physical training, so we don¡¯t have any default facilities for it. The nanites and implants in our bodies ensure perfect functionality and condition of all organic components and systems. But if you state the requirements you need, we can most likely accommodate you.¡± The Human woman replied, looking a little bored but bearing the discussion with stoic neutrality.
¡°The only real thing we need is some space. A long circular path for running would be ideal, even better if it¡¯s reasonably clean for some in-between ground exercises like push-ups and sit-ups. And if possible, some hanging bars for pull-ups.¡± The Cardassian explained, hoping that his list wasn¡¯t too disruptive for the sphere¡¯s normal operations.
Hiora slightly tilted her head and looked right through Rel for a second, then her gaze focused again, and she responded. ¡°Your state request is no problem. You can utilize the outer orbital on this deck. We have reconfigured the ring corridor to meet your requirements. Its radius is 320 meters, giving it a circumference of 2,010.62 meters. You¡¯ll also be uninterrupted for three hours. Is that sufficient or do you need more time for your training?¡±
Rel shook his head. ¡°Perfect! No, that¡¯s enough. Thank you. I hope it¡¯s not too much of a hassle for you.¡± He said, watching Hiora shake her head with a seemingly emotionless face.
¡°Guess I gotta go fetch the crew for some PT.¡± He smiled and nodded, but before he had fully turned he heard her voice.
¡°Just out of curiosity. I would be interested in joining your training. To see how your crew exercises. Would that be acceptable for you?¡±
Hiora¡¯s request surprised Rel somewhat, as he would have never expected her to want to deal with the rescued Starfleet crew any more than necessary. But now he happily nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re welcome to join. I want to start in about thirty minutes, at 0815 hours.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be ready.¡± 18@31 flatly replied, and then turned away and headed to the nearest exit from the cargo bay.
Lieutenant Neirrek looked after Hiora, shrugging while walking towards the fabricator. He touched the smooth brushed metallic surface of the device, and the holographic interface immediately sprang to life. Blinking into existence in front of Rel¡¯s eyes, the display showed the status of the terminal as well as the available options and waited for his command.
¡°Copy existing uniform patterns, apply pattern Neirrek-PT-One, and save as new patterns using existing name schema as template. Start replication cycle of newly created patterns, matching previous replication shapes and sizes, sequenced in alphabetical order of pattern owner.¡±
The display flawlessly mirrored his commands, and Rel grinned satisfied seeing that now every member of the crew could replicate a fitting exercising uniform. A moment later, the device¡¯s tray sprang to life, and linear fractal streaks and streams of silvery-white light formed into the first set of training clothing in the device¡¯s tray, growing from seemingly nothing. One by one the fabricator created the uniforms, and Rel continued to carry them from the device to the table to put them down in order.
Suddenly he heard a voice from behind. ¡°Good morning, Lieutenant. What¡¯s this all about?¡±
Rel turned around to see Ensign Th¡¯akianas slowly walking towards him. The Cardassian grinned from ear to ear as he replied to the Andorian. ¡°Good morning, Ensign! Perfect timing. These are our new training uniforms. We¡¯re going to do a little PT this morning. Your uniform is over there, bottom row, second from the left.¡± He pointed at the end of the long table, indicating the training suit¡¯s location.
The Andorian astrophysicist¡¯s antennae twitched briefly, and he let out a deep groan, the regret of having asked clearly audible in his voice. ¡°Damn it.¡± He mumbled, shuffling over to grab his uniform.
¡°If you see the others, please tell them to grab their uniforms and change. We¡¯ll start in twenty minutes. If we must wait for anyone, we¡¯ll pass the time with a few easy additional push-ups.¡±
¡°Oh please no.¡± Shrass muttered before returning to his quarters in quick jog.
Less than fifteen minutes later, the whole crew, including the other senior officers with Niko and Sina, stood in triple rows in front of the fabricator columns. Their training suits glistened softly in the ever present omni-directional lighting, the synthetic fiber shimmering and scooping as if it was finest silk.
Rel had replicated a simple whistle which he¡¯ll be using during the PT. Right now, it dangled lazily from the cord around his neck, swinging softly as he walked and turned in front of the gathered crew. Many a grumbling and complaining had been heard, but eventually the whole crew had followed the order, changed into the exercise suits, and assembled next to the community area.
¡°Rel, I think we¡¯re all here.¡± Sina said as the Cardassian passed her.
¡°Not quite. We¡¯re still waiting for someo-¡± He replied but was cut off by the distinct sound of a dimensional shift. A brief blue-white flash illuminated the cargo bay, and Hiora appeared out of a swirling dissipating black maw next to the octagonal column. She had removed her armor and replaced it with a skintight black jumpsuit imprinted with a pale blue circuitry pattern. Her usually wild and loosely dangling hair was tied into a neat braid that wouldn¡¯t get in the way.
¡°I am ready.¡± She simply mentioned and stood in front of the Cardassian. ¡°Where should I join your formation?¡±
Rel¡¯s eyes mustered their guest from head to toe, admiring how shamelessly and carelessly she wore the jumpsuit in front of them. He quickly gathered his senses and pointed to a place behind the first column, meaning she would run along in the first row right next to Shori.
Once everyone was in position, Rel blew his whistle and addressed the training unit. ¡°Good morning everyone! I¡¯m glad you all managed to make it. We¡¯re going to do PT set one today, so no surprises and nothing fancy. We¡¯ll leave the cargo bay through this door, turn right and follow the corridor to its end, then turn left into this deck¡¯s ring orbital. Any questions?¡±
Nobody said something. ¡°Good, then let¡¯s do a quick warm up.¡± After twenty minutes of warm-up with focused walking, several strides along the full length of the cargo bay, and a good routine of dynamic stretching including but not limited to skipping, butt kicks, and jumping jacks, everyone was good to go, and the group assembled once more in formation.
¡°Right-face go!¡± Rel shouted, turned, and started marching in a straight line towards the designated exit door. The crew turned right on his command and fell into line with his pace, following him out onto the wide corridor. The steps of sixty-two pairs of boots echoed in the empty hallway, and the noise picked up as Lieutenant Neirrek picked up the pace. ¡°On the double!¡±
The fast-paced jog of the crew sounded through the corridor, and a short time later they turned left into the ring hallway. The orbital was just as wide as the intersection corridors and offered enough space for the crew to space out a little. ¡°Okay people, let¡¯s go!¡± Rel shouted, picked up the pace again and started chanting the Sidereal¡¯s running cadence song.
¡°The UFP we serve with pride.¡±
¡°Its founding charter is our guide.¡±
¡°New life and cultures we observe.¡±
¡°All hope and freedom we preserve.¡±
The crew echoed each of his lines in the cadence of their steps, turning their jog into a powerful thundering march. During the first verse Hiora simply jogged along the other crew, silently wondering how this exercise would turn out. She raised an eyebrow and looked over to Rel when he¡¯d started chanting the cadence verse, but simple shrugged and silently continued along.
¡°Star-fleet!¡± Rel shouted.
¡°Boldly go!¡± The crew responded.
¡°Star-fleet!¡±
¡°Warp glow!¡±
¡°Star-fleet!¡± His loud voice thundered.
¡°Sidereal!¡± Came the echo of the runners.
¡°Star-fleet!¡±
¡°Empyreal!¡±
After the refrain he continued with the second verse, keeping the crew going. By now the group had fallen into a harmonic rhythm, matching the fast-paced jog the Cardassian offered. To the utter surprise of everyone in the first three rows of the group, Hiora started chanting along with the verse lines. Sina, Niko, and Shori all smiled and briefly exchanged looks, and even Co-Yor turned his head in slight surprise.
¡°Support and friendship¡¯s our creed.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going out helping those in need.¡±
¡°We¡¯re stalwart defenders of our home.¡±
¡°The Alpha Quadrant is where we roam.¡±
The voices during the refrain had become louder, and it seems that the group exercise with the whole crew had managed to motivate and engage them all, even those who had been grumpy or without drive initially.
¡°Star-fleet!¡± - ¡°Boldly go!¡±
¡°Star-fleet!¡± - ¡°Warp glow!¡±
¡°Star-fleet!¡± - ¡°Sidereal!¡±
¡°Star-fleet!¡± - ¡°Empyreal!¡±
By the time the third verse came around everyone but 18@31 was already quite warm and some already had the first spots of sweat on their shirts.
¡°Daringly go where no one¡¯s been.¡±
¡°To see the stellar sights unseen.¡±
¡°To make new friends where we arrive.¡±
¡°In unity we all will thrive.¡±
Lieutenant Neirrek kept chanting more and more verses, keeping the spirits of the runners high and their rhythm in sync with the group¡¯s cadence. After the first loop around the outer ring corridor in a bit less than thirteen minutes, the group stopped for two sets of crunches, climber taps, leg raises, and elbow planks.
The group made four more loops around the outer corridor. Each was completed with a short break and two sets of exercises for various muscle groups and body parts, including push-ups, pull-ups, jump squats, squat thrusts, and lunge kicks. After the last one Rel guided the group through fifteen minutes of cooling down and stretching, and then dismissed the group from the PT unit.
Thus, about two hours and thirty minutes after leaving the cargo bay the crew flooded back into it, soaked in sweat and exhausted from the training. People quickly dispersed towards their quarters to take a shower and change clothes. Even Rel himself definitively felt his muscles after ten kilometers fast paced jogging and fifty minutes of intensive body weight exercises. Shori paused for a moment next to Rel as she entered.
¡°Now that was interesting. It¡¯s been quite some time since we¡¯ve done set one, hasn¡¯t it?¡± She then quickly added with a smirk and a laugh. ¡°And now I again remember why many don¡¯t like it. I know I¡¯m going to feel my shoulders and my butt tomorrow.¡± The Caitian playfully punched Rel¡¯s shoulder and turned to head to her quarters.
¡°Indeed, interesting is an appropriate term.¡± Hiora¡¯s voice suddenly sounded as she turned the corner to enter the cargo bay and approached Lieutenant Neirrek.
¡°How did you find it?¡±
¡°The exercises themselves were quite simple and insufficient for a thorough stimulation of all muscle groups. According to my estimation, only seventy-one percent of an average humanoid body¡¯s muscles were targeted by this regimen. But I think it could be considered adequate since I assume this training unit is supposed to be repeated in regular intervals?¡±
The Cardassian nodded to confirm and looked at 18@31¡¯s face which was a little flushed, but not nearly as soaked as his own or those of his colleagues. ¡°Well, I guess your nanites made it quite easy to keep up?¡±
¡°That is correct. To properly challenge my physique, I would have needed a significantly higher load. However, I must admit the use of your chanting was¡ curious. You managed to focus the whole group onto a singular task with this technique, giving it one purpose.¡± Hiora looked at the Cardassian and mused. ¡°It was almost like a rudimentary form of a primitive emotion-based hive-mind. Inefficient, but still curious.¡±
She turned towards the exit again, but then stopped for a moment and turned back to Rel. ¡°Thank you for letting me participate. I think I now understand your people better than before.¡±
The Cardassian simply nodded. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He mumbled while watching Hiora leave the cargo bay with swaying hips in her skintight jumpsuit.
[ Act Five ]
It was shortly after noon, and Sina stood in the separated temperature-controlled cabin of her shower. The shower¡¯s nucleonic beams rained down on her from all sides, softly tickling her flushed skin as they carefully vaporized dirt, grime, and sweat. The invisible feelers of the beams caressing her skin elicited a relaxed giggle from her lips, as she stood and enjoyed having the traces of the training wiped from her body. The Romulan let out a soft sigh and let her head drop, taking deep breaths as she relaxed in the radiation shower covering her form with shimmering brightly glowing green radiation.
A few minutes later she stepped out of the stall and slipped into a clean set of freshly replicated standard Starfleet issue underwear, the cool pale blue fabric feeling so nice against her warm skin. She still grinned thinking back at the PT. When Rel and Shori had suggested doing group exercises to her it sounded unnecessary or futile, but now she had to admit that it had been a great idea to keep everyone busy and distract them a little. And with a sore butt getting riled up over things would be just that much more inconvenient that maybe tempers would stay cool for a little bit longer.
Sina was about to finish dressing, and just pulled the sleeves of her duty uniform¡¯s jacket over her arms, when the door signal sounded a soft chirp rang through the room. The Commander immediately turned to face the entrance to her quarters and called out. ¡°Enter.¡± The door silently slid open to reveal Tarik standing there in his familiar baggy engineering clothing. As he looked at the Romulan, he noticed the undershirt of her uniform hugging her body, casually revealing the contour of her flat and firm belly.
He blushed slightly and cleared his throat, quickly averting his gaze. ¡°My apologies. I¡¯ll return at a later time.¡±
When Tarik was about to step away from the door, Sina called out to him while putting the zipper rows of her jacket together, sealing them with a quick rubbing of her fingers. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m ready.¡±
¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t mean to intrude or inconvenience you.¡± The engineer replied, carefully returning his eyes to face the Romulan woman.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine. What can I do for you?¡± Sina asked while grabbing a half empty glass of water from the table in the living area and finishing it with three large gulps.
¡°I wanted to tell you earlier, but you were¡ busy.¡± Tarik started. ¡°I must admit your exercises are rather unconventional. I¡¯ve been following Hiora¡¯s participation from the corner of my consciousness while performing some other duties.¡±
¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that you¡¯d be so invested in our PT. Why, what¡¯s so interesting about it?¡± The Commander asked while slowly walking towards her visitor. Before she reached him, she grabbed the small bundle from the floor containing her used training suit. Glass in the left hand, bundle in the right hand, she finally reached Tarik.
¡°Oh, you have no idea. I wasn¡¯t the only one sharing 18@31¡¯s body. Billions of people had joined to observe and experience your training run. You and your crew are quite the phenomenon in the hive-mind. Even though we don¡¯t require exercising like that, since our nanites will keep our bodies in perfect health, I¡¯m already hearing dozens of millions of people across our empire setting out to imitate your ¡®PT.¡¯¡± 4@19 explained, while stepping away from the door so that they could walk away side by side.
As they slowly walked towards the fabricator column, Sina smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Wow, I really wouldn¡¯t have expected that. It¡¯s an everyday activity for us, completely normal and nothing extraordinary. I guess we both have things that are normal for us, but foreign and fascinating for the other.¡± They chatted casually for a bit before reaching the terminal. ¡°But what did you want to tell me? I guess you didn¡¯t come to see me for small talk.¡± The Commander quipped as she placed the glass and the bundle in the tray to recycle it, watching them disappear in cascades of silvery-white streaks of light.
Tarik laughed and nodded vigorously. ¡°Indeed. I thought you wanted to know that we¡¯ve reached Sol III about four hours ago. The Sidereal is already safely moored in shipyard Gamma.¡±
Sina paused for a second. Earth. Her home, so close and yet so incredibly far away. Would Earth look significantly different? She had seen images of what the Borg did to the worlds they assimilated, and wondered how much, if any at all, of the damage the Synergy could have undone. The Romulan took a deep breath, and slowly tilted her head towards Tarik. ¡°Can I see it? I mean Earth?¡±
4@19 looked at the woman next to him, noticing her shift in mood when she asked her question. ¡°Of course.¡± He replied, and after a moment¡¯s pause continued. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll show you to the astral observatory, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like the vista. I know that I do enjoy looking at the various worlds of our empire, and especially my place of birth.¡±
Sina looked at Tarik in surprise. ¡°You were born on Earth?¡±
The engineer nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m from a medium sized nexus on the southern continent on the western hemisphere. I think you would call the place ¡®South America?¡¯¡± 4@19 led Sina away from the fabricators and out of the cargo bay. As they were walking, Tarik continued the conversation. ¡°But it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been home.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you miss your parents and your friends? Or do you not have those concepts?¡±
¡°Oh no, we do have families and friends. And I regularly see them. Just because I¡¯m not physically home, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve lost contact with the people there. The Synergy, our hive-mind, binds us closer together than you can imagine.¡±
Sina sighed, the talking about family and friends painfully reminding her of their misery. ¡°It must be nice to be able to talk with your family and friends whenever you like. We didn¡¯t have that luxury. I haven¡¯t seen my mother in person for over a year, often only exchanged video messages and letters. And now¡¡±
The engineer looked at his guest and nodded softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± They walked in silence for a few more moments, when Tarik stopped in front of a huge sliding double door. ¡°This will most likely be a somewhat irritating experience for you, but I think you should become also familiar with this technology.¡±
¡°What is it?¡± The Romulan woman asked, raising an eyebrow while her gaze traveled between Tarik and the still closed massive door.
¡°Our way to quickly move from one part of the ship to another. You might not have noticed it yet, but we don¡¯t use anything like your turbolifts.¡± 4@19 took one more step towards the door, and its massive wings effortlessly slid open, revealing a circular chamber with several other similar doorways.
Sina blinked and stared at the door. She took a few steps back and peeked around the hallway¡¯s corner trying to understand what she was seeing, then turned back to Tarik. She slowly approached the large frame again, and carefully looked inside the apparently impossible room that was larger on the inside than on the outside. ¡°How?¡±
¡°Spatial folds. The door¡¯s frame uses self-sustaining subspace entanglement to create a spatial fold to its entangled partner. These folds are stable only over brief distances but require no additional energy supply once established. We use several hubs to connect all sections of our ships through a tree structure. Even on the largest cube with 600 decks, you can get from any section to any other by traversing at most seven of these rooms.¡± Tarik stepped over the threshold into the room and gestured her to follow.
¡°You don¡¯t need to be afraid, it¡¯s perfectly safe. Much safer by principle than your transporters.¡± The engineer smiled at Sina, while behind him dozens of members of the sphere¡¯s crew crossed between the various gateways. Eventually, after a moment of hesitation, Commander D¡¯raxis took a deep breath and braced herself before resolutely stepping through the door.
She didn¡¯t feel anything as she entered the chamber, and looked back through the door a bit surprised, unsure whether she had really crossed the threshold. She saw a part of the corridor which led back to the cargo bay, before the door closed again. Once Sina turned around it became obvious to her that she was no longer on the cargo deck, but rather somewhere else.
The panels lining the floor, walls, and ceiling of the chamber were the same as in the corridor she had just left, but the doors around her led into adjacent chambers like the current one, each having many exits arrayed on their respective walls. The sight of the impossible geometry in front of her eyes started to give her a slight headache the more she tried to image how the rooms were positioned and connected to each other. Sina closed her eyes and let out a soft groan.
¡°Are you okay?¡± She heard Tarik¡¯s voice right next to her.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just¡ I should probably stop trying to imagine how these hubs connect to each other. Thinking about it makes me dizzy. Can we just continue, please?¡±
The engineer nodded and offered Sina his hand. ¡°Certainly. If you want I can lead you, so that you can keep your eyes closed if it offers you relief.¡±
Sina hesitated for a moment, musing at the apparent silliness of being led by her hands, but then took the offered hand and closed her eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡± Tarik gently squeezed her hand and started to lead her through the circular non-Euclidean maze of the sphere¡¯s gateway hubs. Only a few minutes later 4@19 stopped walking, and the Romulan opened her eyes again. Sina looked around and found herself standing in a large dome-like room, the dull dark gray ceiling with embedded golden hexagonal circuitry reaching its apex twenty meters above her head. ¡°Where are we?¡±
¡°This is the astral observatory. It doesn¡¯t see much use anymore since some of our developers created a superior version of it as a virtual environment. But still we keep it around since it doesn¡¯t require much maintenance and it comes in handy at times. And of course, it is quite useful for guests without neural implants.¡± Tarik explained, slowly walking towards the chamber¡¯s center as he spoke. His voice echoed deeply inside the empty dome.
The Primary Engineering Adjunct mentally reached out for the controls of the observatory, and the golden circuitry lighted up for a moment before plunging the chamber into darkness. With a gentle swirl a holographic projection of Sphere 272-Theta-8 appeared in the center of the dome, dominating the observatory with its bright white and dark gray hull plating, circled and crisscrossed by glowing blue energy lines.
¡°This is the ship we¡¯re currently on? It¡ looks so different than what I would have expected.¡± Sina remarked, walking closer to the projection, inspecting the delicate details of the sphere¡¯s surface area. She looked back at Tarik. ¡°Do all Synergy ships look like this?¡±
4@19 nodded. ¡°Yes. If only to distinguish our vessels and show everyone that we are not our ancestors. And we think they indeed look much nicer in white-gray-blue, instead of brown-black-green.¡± He added with a grin on his lips. ¡°But I think you¡¯re more interested in this¡¡±
Again, he reached out with his neural implants to command the observatory controls, and the projection shifted. It zoomed out, and the sphere rapidly shrank to a much smaller size next to several light gray spider-like structures. In one of those, Sina could see the Sidereal¡¯s wreck, securely wrapped in ten of the shipyard¡¯s segmented arms. Only now it occurred to her how extensive the damage to the ship was. The torn hull, stripped of its armor plating in almost all sections, exposed much of the ship¡¯s inner structure. It almost looked like a skinned corpse, she morbidly thought.
Several spots of the hull were scorched, clearly indicating where the uncontrolled plasma fires had ravaged the ship before the Synergy¡¯s engineers managed to extinguish them. Finally, she noticed how far the port nacelle pylon had been bent out of alignment, standing off to the side like a badly mangled extremity. Sina let out a deep sigh. ¡°We would really have all died there if not for you¡¡±
¡°But you didn¡¯t. And in a few months your ship will be restored, and she will be in better condition than ever before. Stronger, faster, safer.¡± The camera moved again, and the shipyard assembly line shrank in size. Even the larger docks building or repairing spheres and cubes grew smaller and smaller, until eventually Earth appeared.
¡°This is¡ Earth?¡± The Romulan Commander stammered while she stared at the projection. The planet¡¯s atmosphere was a deep blue with streaks of black, and long and thick white clouds swirling across it. Most of the landmasses were covered in what almost looked like gray and green circuitry, but she knew these were massive nexuses and complexes. The icecaps at the poles were there, but much smaller than she¡¯d have expected.
But the vista shocking her the most was Earth¡¯s ring. A massive, chakram-like superstructure about 150 kilometers thick and over 600 kilometers wide, orbiting the planet over its equator at about 2,000 kilometers. The sprawling hive of millions of white and gray interconnected cubes and spheres and cylinders and pyramids and prisms cast its shadow across Earth¡¯s surface, ranging from horizon to horizon. ¡°And what is this?¡± She pointed at the ring in awe and trepidation.
¡°This is Sol III¡¯s annulus. It¡¯s a combination of habitats, recreational facilities, artificial biomes and arboreta, factories, laboratories, storage, shipyards, and defensive installations. It is home to fifteen billion people, in addition to the thirty-one billion on the surface. Earth probably looks strangely different from how you remember it, but we hope it will get better eventually. We¡¯re still in the process of trying to undo the ecological damage inflicted by its assimilation. This world, and tens of thousands of other worlds are making good progress. But restoring a devastated ecosystem takes a long time and a lot of effort, even for us.¡±
Tarik made a simple gesture with his hand, and the projection of Earth¡¯s system and all installations started to rotate slowly. As the camera turned to the night side, the blue glow of the annulus¡¯s energy lines and conduits appeared, like a fine mesh of glowing steel wool strapped on an invisible ring. Suddenly a thought sprung up in Sina¡¯s mind and she started looking around the holographic dome. ¡°Where¡¯s the moon?¡±
Tarik slowly shook his head. ¡°Gone. Strip-mined and eventually completely disassembled by the Borg to construct their invasion fleets and the annulus.¡±
¡°But without the moon¡¡±
¡°Commander.¡± The engineer took a deep breath. ¡°They didn¡¯t care. For them everything was just a tool, the means to an end. It will take centuries, or even millennia, to restore Earth and the other devastated worlds to even a sliver of their former glory. But no matter how much progress we make, we¡¯ll never be able to fully undo the damage. We can only try and hope for the best.¡±
[1x05] Truth That Blinds Your Eyes
[ Act One ]
¡°¡ And the final scans indicate no residual subdermal damages or radiation poisoning. We¡¯ve regenerated as much of the surface tissues as possible given the limitations and restrictions you and your people have asked to impose on all treatments. We¡¯ve eliminated the plasma contamination of your muscle and inner organ tissues. From a medical perspective you are ready to be released.¡± The Klingon female dismissed the holographic display next to the biobed that showed Jeffrey a list of treatments he had received in the last two and a half days.
¡°Thank you, 112.¡± Jeffrey replied with a soft nod.
¡°While we respect your wishes and treat you accordingly, we want you to understand that if you ever changed your disposition to nanoprobe injections we could restore your lost arm with full functionality in less than one week.¡± 112@241 added, her organic eye looking sadly at the dark-skinned Human¡¯s arm stump just below his right shoulder.
The plasma fire had almost completely consumed Jeffrey¡¯s right arm, inflicting damage that went beyond fourth degree. When he had arrived in one of the sphere¡¯s many medical facilities he was undergoing an acute case of SIRS because of the extensive burns he had suffered. The Synergy¡¯s medical adjuncts did what they could under the requirement of not using any kind of nanites in the process, but his extremity was beyond saving, and its charred remains could only be amputated to prevent further complications and infections.
¡°I know, Sorowa. But for now, I just can¡¯t make that choice. I hope you can understand that.¡±
The Klingon shook her head, sending her now freed wallowing mane of black curls flying. ¡°No, we don¡¯t understand it, Jeffrey. But we will respect your decision.¡± She paused, looking at her patient with a serious expression for a few seconds before her dark lips curled up in a smile. ¡°And it gives us the opportunity to present you with a gift.¡±
¡°A¡ gift?¡± The Sidereal¡¯s counselor mused with a raised eyebrow. ¡°And what would that be?¡±
Suddenly another medical adjunct walked towards the biobed Jeffrey was sitting on, and wordlessly handed Sorowa a white medical equipment case. His timing was impeccable, and his movement as if orchestrated by an invisible maestro. The box was about eighty centimeters wide and thirty centimeters each tall and deep, with softly rounded corners and a thick rubbery texture allowing for save and easy handling. The Klingon easily handled the case and placed it on the biobed next to his body.
¡°I¡¯ve modified one of our cybernetic arms to serve as an external prosthesis.¡± She released the safety clamps and flipped the case¡¯s lid open, revealing a mechanical arm made of a dull brushed silvery metal. On top of it was a strapped harness, which 112@241 picked up and held out for Jeffrey to see. ¡°Instead of connecting to an implant socket, it will attach to this sleeve with gravimetric locks. And instead of directly interfacing with your nervous system, it will utilize a bioelectric induction field to read and stimulate the nerves in the stump.¡±
The Junior Lieutenant wordlessly stared at the harness and the mechanical arm, then looked at Sorowa¡¯s smiling face as she continued explaining the device. He wouldn¡¯t have expected anything like this, that the Synergy would go out of its way to accommodate his lost arm.
¡°It will not feel quite as natural as a normal cybernetic implant would feel, and the sleeve doesn¡¯t provide a mounting point sufficient for heavy lifting, but this prosthesis should still allow you to participate in normal activities without significant disadvantages.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what to say¡¡±
¡°How about, ¡®let¡¯s put it on?¡¯¡± Sorowa replied with an infectious smile.
Jeffrey started to smile now as well. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try it.¡± He quickly pulled the simple white t-shirt over his head, exposing his muscular chest.
112@241 stepped closer, the sleeve and harness in hand. Carefully she placed the sleeve around the stump of his arm. Once it was in place, she attached the harness and wrapped the straps over his shoulder and around his chest, firmly securing the extension in place. Lastly, she used a macrospanner to tighten the fabrics, so the sleeve couldn¡¯t wiggle or twist on the stump.
¡°Almost ready¡¡± she breathed softly, putting the tool away and reaching for the prosthesis. ¡°I¡¯ll let you put it on yourself so that you learn how to use it.¡±
Jeffrey took the mechanical arm from Sorowa, feeling its cool smooth metal for the first time. Following the patient guidance of his Klingon doctor, he placed the arm against the sleeve.
¡°And now just move it a little. You should feel a tugging and twisting. These are the gravimetric locks seeking each other out. Just let them snap into place¡ Perfect. To release the locks, you only need to press here and here, then pull it straight away before releasing the pressure. Try it a few times. I want to be sure you can handle attaching and removing the arm.¡±
With a wry smile Jeffrey removed and added the prosthesis a few times. After a few minutes of doing this, under the scrutinizing but friendly gaze of 112@241 he wondered. ¡°And how do I switch it on?¡±
¡°Like this.¡± Sorowa replied with a chuckle and pressed her finger against a contact in crook of the mechanical arm.
Jeffrey wanted to shot back a retort, but his eyes went wide when he suddenly felt the arm. He could feel its weight, its size, its muscles. He stared at the attachment and his eyes went wide when he imagined moving the fingers and they immediately followed his request. He repeatedly clenched the fingers, then carefully moved the wrist. As he discovered that he could control the prosthesis almost completely normally, his expression changed from astonishment to sincere happiness.
The Klingon medic stood a few steps back and watched Jeffrey experiment with his new arm. A satisfied smile adorned her lips, knowing that the prosthesis would make her patient happy and improve his condition significantly. She mentally extended her gratitude to her colleagues who had suggested modifying the implant accordingly.
¡°This is amazing!¡± Jeffrey exclaimed and hopped off the biobed, trying out a larger range of motion with his replacement arm.
¡°We are glad you are satisfied with the prosthesis. As for cleaning, it¡¯s self-maintaining and can be worn in the hygiene units without problem. If you have any issues or more questions regarding it, please don¡¯t hesitate to contact us.¡±
He turned around to face Sorowa again, and in utter happiness simply hugged her. ¡°Thank you, 112. Thank you so much. I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±
His move had taken her by surprise, but she quickly returned the hug and responded with a warm smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±
The Junior Lieutenant eventually released the Klingon woman from his embrace, and quickly took a step back after realizing what he had done. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mea-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay.¡± Sorowa cut him off, dispersing his fear of having offended her with his hug. ¡°I guess this is all we can do for you at present. If you want, I can return you now to your people. I¡¯m sure they are already awaiting your return.¡±
Jeffrey nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s time to get back to them. There¡¯s probably already a ton of work waiting for me to arrive.¡± He slipped his t-shirt back on, and pulled it taunt over his muscles and the straps of the prosthesis¡¯s harness. It would take some time getting used to the additional tension and material on his skin, but he was confident that he would manage quite quickly.
¡°But before we go I have one request. Could I please talk to the individual I body checked two days ago?¡±
112@241 raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t say anything. Without any further comment or words, another individual approached. It was an apparently relatively young male Vidiian with several visible implants and their species¡¯ typical eyebrow-less enlarged forehead and slight ridge. The man looked at Jeffrey, a carefully curious expression on his face. ¡°Medical node attachment 99@744 reporting as requested.¡±
Jeffrey faced the Vidiian, his eyes growing wide in surprise when he noticed and matched the facial features. Eventually, he smiled softly and extended his right hand towards 99@744. ¡°I want to apologize for attacking you. I¡¯m sorry I hurt you.¡±
The Synergy member looked at the Human¡¯s hand, then back at his face. After a moment of silence, the cyborg moved his own arm and took Jeffrey¡¯s hand. ¡°The incident did not inflict any harm on us, neither did it cause us any injuries. You were in an acute state of panic and your behavior was governed by a normal fight-or-flight response induced by the massive stress of the situation. Therefore, an apology is not required, but we do greatly appreciate the gesture. Thank you.¡±
Jeffrey and 99@744 shook hands for a few seconds, and the Junior Lieutenant was glad his apology was accepted. Inside he was ashamed of his behavior, and the medically perfectly accurate justification 99@744 had given didn¡¯t really help to alleviate the twang of guilt nagging at Jeffrey. He had attacked those that tried to help him. He thought they would harm him, when they were doing their best to rescue him. He would need to carefully think about the situation, and how it had felt back then and now. He was sure that with careful study, he would be able to learn a great thing or two from this mess.
Eventually they released their hands, and 99@744 returned to his duties inside the sphere¡¯s sickbay. ¡°Ready?¡± Sorowa smiled at Jeffrey, who expectantly nodded after a second of hesitation. ¡°Initiating dimensional shift.¡± For a moment the dark-skinned Human was shrouded in the ravaging vortex of the dimensional pocket, and after a quick blur he suddenly stood in a massive cargo bay, with sets of one- and two-story buildings behind groups of long tables.
He appeared in the dimensional shift¡¯s signature bright blue-white flash, and Jeffrey curiously watched the dissipating cloud of particles fade away in the wake of the subspace pocket¡¯s collapse.
¡°Jeffrey?¡±
The Junior Lieutenant turned to face the group of Starfleet officers sitting at the far end of the nearby long table, who were all looking in his direction. They had been sitting there and enjoyed a kinda late breakfast, when suddenly the translocation flash interrupted them. One of the people at the table suddenly jumped from her seat and charged at Jeffrey. A one meter and sixty-five centimeters tall blur of sand-colored fur stuffed into a Starfleet duty uniform raced across the open space towards him and jumped into his arms.
¡°Jeffrey! You¡¯re back! How are you?!¡± Shori squealed out of pure happiness to see one of her severely wounded colleagues healed up and back in action.
The Caitian was much lighter than Jeffrey, but her momentum still made him stumble back a few meters and turn around his axis, while he struggled with the quirky ball of fur that was hugging him fiercely and playfully. Eventually she dropped back to her own feet and held him at arm¡¯s length. Her large eyes mustered him closely, paying special attention to the slightly worn skin of his face. ¡°How do you feel? Are you okay?¡±
But before he could answer, Shori¡¯s gaze dropped and she noticed the mechanical arm. In the blink of an eye, as if his skin had suddenly turned as hot as flames, she let go of him and stepped back, her eyes turning wider and staring at the prosthesis. ¡°Jeffrey¡?¡±
¡°Relax, Shori. Everything¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not an implant, calm down.¡± He pointed out the straps of the harness slightly visible through his shirt¡¯s fabric. ¡°There, these are the straps holding it in place. I can even remove it if you want.¡±
The Caitian took a deep breath and the worry disappeared from her face. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sorry. We were just so worried about you, and the others. They really couldn¡¯t save or restore your arm?¡±
The muscular Human sadly shook his head. ¡°No. There was nothing left of my arm to save anyway. When I asked to see it, they did show me. There was little left but a lump of charred and irradiated bone. The question was not whether to amputate, but when and where.¡± A soft smile appeared on his lips. ¡°They crafted this prosthesis specifically for me. Sorowa and her colleagues used one of their regular cybernetic arms as a base and modified it to work without nanites or implants.¡±
By now the remaining officers from the table had also arrived, and a small circle gathered around their counselor as he was eagerly welcomed back by his colleagues. Many hugs and handshakes were exchanged, and Jeffrey was happily welcomed back into the small circle of active crew.
¡°You¡¯re probably starving! I¡¯ll show you how to work this fabricator technology the Synergy is using. It¡¯s almost like our replicators, but a little bit different. It¡¯ll also provide you with your uniforms. Niko had our uniform patterns scanned and imported as templates, and we¡¯re supposed to wear our duty dress during standard hours.¡± Shori explained as they all walked back to the table, where the others continued with their breakfast. She then quickly continued with a hearty laugh. ¡°And a word of warning: Rel is running a really mean mandatory PT three times a week. I¡¯m still feeling my thighs from yesterday, and I¡¯m not really enthusiastic about tomorrow.¡±
Jeffrey let out a chuckle. ¡°You know I actually like Rel¡¯s group drills. Seeing the whole crew doing something positive together, be it exercising, hiking, cooking, or something else, is always a good thing in my book. So, thanks for giving me something to look forward to, after seeing nothing but sickbay for almost two days.¡±
Shori groaned and quipped playfully. ¡°Of course, you do, how could I forget that? Anyway, come, I¡¯ll show you the fabricators. But don¡¯t get your hopes up high, they have a very limited selection of food. Some of us tried teaching this thing new recipes, but with mixed results. You cannot imagine how difficult and frustrating it is to try and describe scrambled eggs with bacon if the computer has no idea what a chicken egg is.¡±
The counselor let out a loud laugh at the absurdity of what Shori described, just imagining how difficult many, if not all, of the more advanced recipes must be to implement in this technology. Maybe they could import their database somehow and make the molecular patterns directly available? As he was thinking about it, he started to wonder why nobody had done that yet. As far as he was aware of, the Sidereal¡¯s computer core was relatively intact.
Once they arrived at the fabricator columns, he voiced his idea. ¡°Our computer core survived our ordeal intact, right? So why haven¡¯t we imported the database of the stored recipes yet? If we give this thing the molecular structures it should be able to work with that, right?¡±
Shori casually leaned against the column and crossed her arms, gently shaking her head. ¡°The captain has ordered nobody to even think about anything like that. For now, our memory banks are locked down, since they seem to be one of our biggest bargaining chips. Apparently, the Borg wiped out almost all cultural information about the species they assimilated if it wasn¡¯t a tactical concern. The historical and cultural data stored in the Sidereal¡¯s systems is invaluable to the Synergy, and we shouldn¡¯t be giving up this advantage too easily.¡±
Jeffrey looked at his Caitian colleague and contemplated her words for a moment. This was a new and quite curious bit of information, he wondered how this bargaining idea would play out. But for the moment he decided to shift his focus towards the fabricator interface and direct his efforts to getting a nice breakfast.
[ Act Two ]
Assembly hall two was packed to capacity. The huge dome shaped room had seats for 1,200 guests, but today the massive crow of people occupying the chamber easily reached that number. All kinds of species were present, and people were standing in the back and on the balconies, with the queues even reaching to the doors. The hall was part of the underground complex of Starfleet Command, and usually housed scientific speakers, diplomatic gatherings, or interstellar conferences. But today it would house the memorial service for the crew of the USS Sidereal.
Mike Thompson looked around the massive hall and watched the sea of gray and white Starfleet dress uniforms, interspersed with islands of black and dark gray civilian clothing. Dozens of high-ranking Starfleet officials, the surviving 400 Sidereal crew members, the families and close relatives of the fallen, as well as diplomatic delegations from the worlds of the killed officers filled the auditorium to its brim. Even the Klingon ambassador was present, even though the Empire had not lost a son or daughter in this tragedy.
Mike had received the message from Neila one week ago, and the news had shocked him to the core. Even now, amidst the gathering, just a few minutes before the start of the service, he still couldn¡¯t really believe it. During his time as a doctor in Starfleet he had seen his share of tragedy and death, of pain and suffering, but nothing had hit so close to home like Sina¡¯s death. The elderly man let out a soft sigh and ran his hand through his short cut light gray hair, as he slowly shuffled towards his seat. Old age was taking a larger toll on him, and so he had to use a walking cane made from brushed metal to help his eighty-four years old legs carry him.
A soft, but clearly audible ring echoed through the hall, indicating for everyone to take their seats. Mike slowly walked towards his seat and sat down, the fabric of his old uniform rustling softly. He looked at the black, worn skin of his hands holding his cane, his fingers trembling slightly around the brushed metal. He had retired over a decade ago, his personal health no longer allowing him to be an active doctor on board a starship or space station. He had to return his Commander pips but could keep his uniforms.
He looked down the gray and white long jacket of his old uniform, still a bit surprised he had fit into it without much ordeal. Then his gaze wandered to the black brassard on his right arm. It was a simple black armlet that connected to the single shoulder strap. The dull fabric was imprinted with the down-facing white silhouette of an Akira class and five simple digits. ¡°69765,¡± the Sidereal¡¯s registry number. All members of Starfleet in the hall wore this brassard, as a sign of their shared grief and respect.
Looking to his left, he saw Captain Gallagher and Admiral Yadav about twenty seats away one row in front of him. They had met before coming here together. It had been difficult, for all three of them. Sina¡¯s death had taken a terrible toll on Neila, and she was but a shadow of her former self. Mike was really worried for her and had promised to stay a while on Earth after the service. He could only imagine how hard it must be for the elderly Captain to have lost her only child.
A few minutes later another ring sounded. A door leading onto the assembly hall¡¯s stage opened, and Starfleet¡¯s current chief of staff entered the speaking area. The Efrosian Fleet Admiral Xas Ra-Miyantoss wore his white-gray dress uniform with stoic dignity, exuding an aura of solemn duty as he approached the lectern on the raised platform in the dome¡¯s center, carrying a case in his left hand and a PADD in his right. Mike could see that the Fleet Admiral¡¯s steps were deliberate and heavy, burdened by the task he had to perform.
The Efrosian had reached the slim desk and placed the PADD on it and the case carefully on the ground in front of his feet. Xas took a deep breath, his orange skin glistening softly in the hall¡¯s bright lighting, while the thick braids of his strikingly white hair fell around his shoulders. He closed his eyes for a moment, then tapped the button to switch on the microphones.
¡°A Human poet once said, ¡®Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends.¡¯ And I think no speech could capture how most of us feel today.¡±
Without further words Admiral Ra-Miyantoss leaned down to the case and opened it, revealing an Efrosian light harp. He picked up the exotic instrument and folded its arms open. Immediately the holographic strings sprang into existence and softly illuminated the Fleet Admiral¡¯s uniform in a prismatic glow. The Fleet Admiral held the instrument against his shoulder and began to play.
In the absolute silence of the great chamber, the sad beautiful tunes of the melody echoed hauntingly. The low notes reverberated across the hall¡¯s dome like distant thunder, and the high notes sounded clear like the ringing of a bell. The Admiral played with closed eyes, his fingers finding his instrument¡¯s projected strings without fault. He was committed to playing the light harp like he was committed to Starfleet - without fault and without compromise.
It wasn¡¯t long into the performance when many people started to recognize the melody. It was the tune passed on by Captain Picard, which he had learned from the Kataan probe¡¯s ancestor simulation. It embodied the desire and hope of that long-gone civilization to be remembered after their sun went nova. And today it embodied the remembrance of the Sidereal¡¯s lost crew, their lives and deeds. This simple tune, created over a millennium ago, now moved thousands of people to tears as they listened to its notes echoing across assembly hall two.
A few minutes later Xas finished his performance, his left cheek stained by the trail of a single tear. He folded his instrument and put it back in its case. There were only a few faces in the audience whose eyes had remained dry. When he began speaking again, his voice was audibly trembling.
¡°Honored guests, colleagues, friends.
We¡¯ve gathered here today to remember the lives and deeds of the crew of the USS Sidereal, who was lost in the line of duty on stardate 88299.3. The loss of those eighty-two lives is truly a tragedy and a devastating blow for all of us. All those gathered here today have lost family or friends or colleagues and are searching for answers and closure. I hope we can find some of the latter, because I know there is never an easy or simple answer to the question ¡®Why?¡¯
When traveling in our starships we often think that we know so much about our galaxy that there was no risk anymore. We think that since we have learned to harness the powers of antimatter and subspace we can go where we please and do how we please. We think that our endeavors in all four quadrants have given us enough understanding of the possible and impossible. But the Sidereal¡¯s destruction painfully reminded us about how little we really know about the universe.
The crew made absolutely no mistakes. The route they were traveling was well known, and well charted. And still, in all but a few minutes they were gone without a chance to save themselves. Once again, the universe reminded us that we take a gamble every time we leave our homeworlds. That we challenge fate every time we board a starship. That we dare to pry knowledge out of the universe¡¯s hands every time we go to warp.
Ex astris, scientia. From the stars, knowledge. This is the motto every Cadet subscribes to when joining Starfleet Academy. It embodies our desire to understand and learn, to grow as people, and as societies to become more than the sum of our parts. It becomes manifest in all Starfleet missions we send out to discover new life and civilizations, to explore the yet unexplored, and to help others that are in need.
For all space-faring species the road to the stars has been dangerous and laborious. Almost exactly four and a half centuries ago the Humans started sending their first astronauts into space in a time of political turmoil and conflict. Those daring explorers rode chemical booster rockets to orbit, with little, if any, safeties. During the following decades hundreds died in the pursuit of those early missions, both in flight and on the ground, with disasters and accidents striking every couple of years. But the Human drive for discovery and exploration could never be quenched. No matter how terrible the setbacks were, they kept pushing onward against all odds.
Ad astra per aspera. To the stars through hardship. That became the phrase with which those were honored who had sacrificed so much in the pursuit of the exploration of space. And that should be the motto by which we remember the crew of the USS Sidereal. They as well kept pushing onward against all odds, no matter the challenges they faced.
The Sidereal¡¯s last mission is but one example of many. They responded to a distress call from the Federation colony on Szaris III-A. What at first seemed to be a simple relieve effort delivery, quickly turned into a race against time to prevent the deaths of over 80,000 civilians. Even though the situation would have required significantly more ships than a single Akira class, Commander Gallagher-D¡¯raxis sent a request for backup and immediately went to work with her crew to find a way to save the colonists.
The crew of the Sidereal went above and beyond the call in their efforts on Szaris III-A. And while in the end it wasn¡¯t necessary to put their devised plan to the test, the dedication, passion, and professionalism with which the crew conducted itself during this time of stress should be an inspiration to all of us. They never wavered in the face of the challenge ahead. They never questioned their abilities or doubted their colleagues. Their work during that crisis was exemplary.
The loss of a close friend or loved one is always painful, but we should try to remember the crew of the Sidereal as people who made the galaxy a better place. We should be thankful that we had the opportunity to know those inspiring individuals and learn from their lives and deeds.¡±
The Fleet Admiral took a deep breath and looked once more around the chamber before he continued with the final part of the ceremony.
¡°Please rise now to commemorate the names of the fallen.¡±
Xas waited until most of the guests had risen from their seats. He tapped a button on the speaker¡¯s control panel to dim the lights in the assembly hall and cast it in dark shadows, before he started reading out the names of the lost crew. As he deliberately spoke each name, a large holographic image of that individual appeared over the speaker¡¯s platform. When the next name came up, the previous image however didn¡¯t disappear, but faded into the background instead.
¡°Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis.
Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg.
Lieutenant Co-Yor-Turi-Kalur.
Lieutenant Shori M¡¯Tiras.
Lieutenant Rel Neirrek.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jeffrey Brassfield.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Duncan Clark.
Lieutenant Junior Grade T¡¯Sai.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Vossler.
Ensign Visra Arsiv.
Ensign Shrass Th¡¯akianas.
Ensign Noriko Yamada.
¡¡±
Xas continued reading all eighty-two names without mispronouncing or slipping even once. Once he had finished reading all names, the projection would show an image of the fallen standing as a group in the gardens of Starfleet Command, united one final time. Eventually that image faded and was replaced with the image of a large standing stone made from polished black marble. The stone was engraved with the Sidereal¡¯s silhouette, name, and registry number, followed by the group image, the list of all names, and a list of successful missions and milestones in the crew¡¯s records.
¡°Following the tradition of Starfleet, we¡¯ve created a memorial in the gardens outside as a testimony to the lost crew¡¯s deeds. Their names shall always be remembered. Please feel free to visit the memorial at your convenience and pay respect to the fallen.¡±
Fleet Admiral Ra-Miyantoss restored the chamber¡¯s lights.
¡°Thank you all for attending this memorial service. Please take care.¡±
He picked up his PADD and the instrument case, and quickly walked towards the very door through which he came. His steps now were much less certain and deliberate than twenty minutes ago, and his cheeks were visibly wet.
Mike was still sitting on his seat while the crowd around him dispersed slowly. His eyes were stinging from the tears slowly trickling down his cheeks, and his hands holding the walking cane shook slightly. While the Fleet Admiral had been reading the names, Mike¡¯s memories had taken him back twenty-five years to Starbase 39-Sierra. He had been the station¡¯s CMO back then, and he was the first to treat the little Romulan orphan girl sitting alone on a biobed in sickbay, violently coughing and shaking from a Terothka virus infection.
He remembered clearly as if it had been yesterday the fearful expression on the famished refugee¡¯s face, and the terrified look in her eyes. Mike vividly recalled the arguments he had had those days with his spouse about his idea, but eventually his then-wife relented and agreed to his plan. Once it was ascertained that the girl¡¯s sickness wasn¡¯t infectious any longer, he gave Sina a room in his quarters instead of letting her stay alone in sickbay. Only three weeks later the USS Goddard docked at the station and her first officer, Neila Gallagher, immediately took pity with the girl.
Ever since Neila had adopted Sina and brought her to Earth, they had stayed in contact. The fate of the little girl had brought an unlikely group of people together, and Neila, Hannah, and Mike had regularly exchanged messages about Sina¡¯s recovery and her growing up. They had even all managed to attend her graduation ceremony from Starfleet Academy. And now they came together again for her funeral.
Mike wiped the tears away with a tissue and dried his cheeks, before slowly rising from his seat. With a heavy sigh he leaned on his walking cane and walked towards the two women standing at the nearby exit. When Neila noticed Mike, she approached him and simply hugged him, tightly wrapping her arms around him. They didn¡¯t need words to know how devastated everyone was. After a long moment they released the embrace and stood at arm¡¯s length.
¡°Want to visit the memorial?¡± Mike asked.
She nodded quietly, and Mike, Neila, and Hannah silently left assembly hall two and went to visit the memorial for the lost USS Sidereal.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
[ Act Three ]
Sina was lounging lazily on the impossibly comfortable couch inside her new quarters in diplomatic sector twelve of Sol III¡¯s annulus. The furniture¡¯s coverings were made of reinforced Tholian silk, an amalgam of the finest noble fabric and Synergy nanites to give it strength and durability. The shimmering surface of the couch softly gleamed in all colors of the rainbow and reflected all light in a brilliant aura.
The Romulan had turned the lights off and watched the vista from the massive window spanning the whole penthouse-style living room. The annulus¡¯s white-blue glow shone into her quarters, and softly illuminated the room. Whenever a reflection hit the couch, it gleamed in a spectral cascade, making Sina feel as if she was floating on a rainbow amid a sea of darkness. Outside the window a swarm of ships was buzzing, with dozens of spheres and probe ship whizzing by and even a cube or two visible just a short distance away.
She still remembered how shocked she was when Tarik had shown her her new home. All her life she¡¯d been used to the pragmatic and somewhat sterile quarters of Starfleet vessels or stations, or the comely and homely rooms of her mother¡¯s small house on Earth. Never had she seen or experienced this much abundant and utterly decadent luxury before. And she had to admit to herself that it felt wonderful to be a little decadent after what they have been through.
This apartment had everything she could have ever imagine. Not only was its two-story layout utterly massive, easily being eight times as large as her captain¡¯s quarters on the Sidereal, it also was equipped with all the niceties usually only reserved for high-ranking diplomats or government officials, as well as its own fabricator device. Couch and bed were dressed in Tholian silk. The bathroom was gigantic and not only had a nucleonic beam hygiene unit, but also a separate water shower, and a hot tub large enough for at least four people.
But the most amazing aspect was the outdoor swimming pool. Sina had not yet tried it, but Tarik¡¯s description had fascinated her. It was a swimming pool fifty meters long and twenty meters wide, with sixty percent of its length being outside the habitat¡¯s structure. A transparent duranium alloy housed the main body of the open pool, while it was only covered by an invisible life-support forcefield. According to 4@19¡¯s description it was as if you were swimming in space. She smiled when remembering his words, making a mental note to definitively give the outside pool a try.
Sina silently enjoyed the view, still contemplating the situation she and her crew got stuck in. She still struggled to combine the terrifying memories attached to the strict geometric shapes of their ships with the utterly supportive and helpful behavior of their people. The last few days have been the most horrifying, the most chaotic, but also the most interesting time of her life. She was torn between the sadness of probably never seeing her mother again, and a whole new galaxy to explore and discover.
She let out a heavy-hearted sigh and reached for the glass of water on the nearby table to take a sip. The Commander also remembered the three options of the Matriarch¡¯s offer. How should she decide? Could she even make that decision? What if some members of her crew want to be sent to an isolated planet and be left alone, while others want to stay onboard Sphere 272-Theta-8, or any other Synergy ship? Would her crew fall apart in these dire times, or would they be able to find a compromise? She had realized quite early that this was not a decision she could make on her own, but which she would need to discuss with the whole crew.
While she was looking at the faint blue glow of the annulus in Earth¡¯s shadow, and the stars gleaming above it, a Synergy prism flew by only a hundred meters away from the windows. Sina raised an eyebrow as the flattened triangular shape of the vessel slowly drifted by. The design of this ship was unlike she had ever seen before, even compared to the other geometric forms of Synergy ships. It had the by now familiar white-gray surface, crisscrossed by blue glowing energy conduits, but it¡¯s flattened form set it apart from all the other designs.
At first, she found the prism just a curious deviation, but the extensions that bore close resemblance to physical docking connectors at the top and bottom near the central indentation really piqued her curiosity. Upon recognizing the extensions for what she thought they were, Sina swiftly got up and wanted to get a closer look, but the prism was just moving out of the viewing arc of her living room window. She was a little disappointed she couldn¡¯t get a closer look at the ship, when the sudden chirping of the door made her jump and quickly turn around.
¡°Goodness!¡± The Romulan exclaimed and drew in a deep breath, shaking off the momentary scare. ¡°Yes, come in!¡±
The main entrance door slid open with a soft tone to reveal Tarik standing there, his silhouette clearly showing him wearing his typical engineer attire with the pants and vest full of bags. Sina could see his head move as he looked around while he slowly entered the Commander¡¯s quarters.
¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting you, Commander?¡± 4@19 asked, his voice carrying his usual humorous tone.
¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay. I was just relaxing a little and watched the stars and ships outside. I must admit the vista really is absolutely breathtaking.¡± Sina replied, walking back from the massive window towards the entrance. Her black robe with an embroidered pale green circuity pattern tightly hugged her features and rustled softly with every step she made. She smiled softly as she approached her guest. ¡°What can I do for you, Tarik?¡±
The engineer raised an eyebrow as he watched the Romulan woman approach. While he wasn¡¯t wearing any visor attachment right now his basic optical implant still granted him improved night vision, and so he could clearly see Sina walking up to him through the darkness. He reached into one of the large pockets on his cargo pants and pulled out a flat thin Starfleet tablet. ¡°Initially I only came to deliver the PADD you asked for.¡± His lips curled up in a big grin as he continued while holding out the PADD for her. ¡°But it seems my arrival was quite fortunate, because the lighting system in your quarters appear to be broken.¡±
The Romulan woman blinked at the grinning engineer for a second, then started to laugh. ¡°You!¡± She exclaimed humorously and quickly snatched the PADD from Tarik¡¯s hand. Her laughter eventually slowed to a happy giggling, before she restored the lighting. ¡°Lights on, fifty percent brightness.¡± In an instant the omnipresent light returned to the quarter and bathed everything in a soft warm glow. ¡°No, as you can clearly see the lights are not broken¡¡± Sina shook her head, still giggling about the perfect dryness with which he had delivered his flat joke.
4@19 still smiled from ear to ear. Watching her laughing really lifted his mood. Inside he felt that this was the first time in the last few days that she could really let go of all the stress and pressure of their accident. It was much nicer seeing her relaxed and happy instead of all serious and tensed up. And he had to admit himself that he had been rather enjoying the conversations he had held with her.
¡°Since the lights mysteriously recovered from their malfunction, it seems my services are not needed anymore.¡± Tarik commented with a warm smile and began to turn to leave.
¡°Wait, please.¡± The Romulan quickly stepped towards Tarik and placed her hand on the elbow of his cybernetic arm. The touch was a little electrifying for both; he felt the soft skin of her fingers on the cool metal of his engineering extension, while Sina felt the smooth and cold finish of the cybernetic device. ¡°Uhm¡ would you mind staying a while? I still have so many questions about pretty much everything and you always had the right answers at hand.¡±
The Primary Engineering Adjunct turned back to face the Romulan Commander and beamed a warm smile at her. ¡°Of course, I can stay. But I think the living room would be a better place to continue our conversation, rather than standing here at the entrance.¡±
¡°Yes, of course. Please, make yourself at home.¡± Sina replied and gestured towards the spacious living room. As they walked towards the couch, a pang of conscience hit the Commander. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not too much of a nuisance by asking you to stay? It feels quite selfish of me¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. If I had been unable or unwilling to stay, I would not have agreed to remain. Please don¡¯t feel bad, everything¡¯s alright.¡± The engineer replied while sitting down on the end of the couch, taking care to not damage or stain the Tholian silk covering with his cybernetic extension.
¡°Can I get you something? A drink or a snack?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡±
Finally, Sina also sat down on the couch and leaned back into the cushions, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°You probably find the notion quite silly, but everything you and your people do for us just pops up more questions in our faces. And it seems that no matter how much we try, we¡¯ll never be able to get answers to all of it.¡±
¡°No, I don¡¯t find it silly.¡± Tarik replied. ¡°I fully understand that many things will seem confusing or strange to you or your crew. But you shouldn¡¯t try and attempt to understand everything at once. That is bound to simply overwhelm you. If you give it some time, I¡¯m sure the necessary knowledge and understanding will be relatively easy to build up.¡±
¡°Yes, you¡¯re probably right. I guess it¡¯s because we were so used to understanding the things around us. And now everything at once is foreign, instead of only a few pieces¡¡± She paused and took another sip from her glass before she continued. ¡°But speaking of pieces, I have a question about one of your ship types. The flat triangular ones.¡±
Tarik¡¯s face lit up with a proud smile when he heard her description. ¡°Ah yes, the prisms. What do you want to know?¡±
¡°Just a few minutes ago, before you were at the door, one of them flew by my window and I managed to get a good look at it. I noticed there were what I think are connectors on its top and bottom? It looked like a strange place to put the docking ports, so I wondered what purpose they serve.¡±
The Synergy engineer reached out to the quarter¡¯s information systems, and with a simple thought conjured a holographic projection of the prism schematics in front of the large window. The schematic highlighted three extensions each on the top and bottom of the triangular body of the vessel. ¡°I assume you mean these?¡± He continued after Sina confirmed his question with a simple nod. ¡°Those are inter-ship connectors. The prism, or how it¡¯s officially called the Multi-Purpose Interconnected Component Vessel is a quite recent ship design. It was created to serve a wide range of possible assignments.¡±
4@19 updated the projection and the schematic scaled down a bit while several duplicate prisms appeared next to each other. A simple animation demonstrated how they could connect and stack on top of each other, creating a single ship that gradually grows from a flat prism to a rather tall stacked prism.
¡°A single prism can serve as an excellent scout or patrol vessel, while multiple prisms connected to each other can form an intermediate tactical craft, or a large support vessel. A prism can not only be built with significantly less time and resource requirements than a sphere or cube, it also simply wasn¡¯t efficient to always send a larger vessel to patrol or support a given spatial grid or system. The prism design allows us to tailor the dispatched resources specifically for the individual situation. Our engineers, some of which are close friends of mine, are already working on an improved version that also allows horizontal connections.¡±
She stared at the projection. ¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s really impressive. Starfleet also has a few ships that can split into multiple components, but nothing as sophisticated as your prisms. With the flexibility this design grants you, do you then plan on eventually replacing all your other ships with prisms?¡±
Tarik shook his head. ¡°No. The Synergy has briefly discussed this, but the idea was rejected. Our spheres, cubes, diamonds, and pyramids are functioning perfectly fine and typically serve their purpose well. It would be an inefficient use of our resources to dismantle our existing armadas and replace them with prisms, just for the case that we might eventually need that design¡¯s flexibility on a larger scale one day. It was agreed upon only using prisms to augment our fleets¡¯ capabilities where it was useful or required.¡±
Sina thought about her guest¡¯s explanation. ¡°Hmmm, I guess that makes sense. Thanks for answering my question.¡± She paused for a moment, briefly watching the busy activity in space above the annulus outside the window before she continued. ¡°Regarding a different topic, I¡¯ve been reading up on the archives you showed me. The amount of entries is mind boggling. There¡¯s just too many things happening all over the galaxy, how could you ever hope to keep up? And I don¡¯t mean my crew, I mean your people. How¡ how can you keep up with the tens of thousands of events happening in the Synergy?¡±
Tarik looked at her and smiled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s simple. The hive-mind allows us some capability to set up personalized filters for events and messages. Based on these filters and some general rules, no member of the Synergy is forced to deal with everything. Well, aside from the Matriarch, but she has specialized data processing adjuncts that help her with that. Wait, it¡¯s better to show you¡¡± The engineer reached out with his mind and a different projection appeared in front of them. It was an incredibly intricate multi-layered circular graph.
¡°This is my personalized filter graph. The outer ring contains all event types, the middle ring contains all message types, and the inner ring contains my channels. Channels are the different ways to relay the events and messages. For example, the channel with the highest priority is thought injection. All communication relayed to this channel is directly and immediately injected into my thought stream to make me instantly aware of it. This channel is always reserved for transmissions from the Matriarch, and events that require the immediate attention of the Synergy, like large scale disasters or attacks.¡±
Sina raised an eyebrow while she watched the projection in front of her and listened to 4@19¡¯s explanations.
¡°Any member can typically configure their filter graph however they like, given some restrictions. You see the red lines here? Those are hardwired rules that can¡¯t be modified. Nobody can completely block out the Matriarch or suppress messages about attacks or such. But the gray and blue lines were set up by me. As you can see, I try to keep interruptions and thought injections to a minimum, and typically receive most non-urgent communication during my regeneration cycle. I do have several exceptions set up for my relatives and close friends, though.¡±
The Commander looked at Tarik¡¯s graph and simply shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I know several systems designers and developers that would probably kill to get only a glimpse at the technical infrastructure of all this.¡±
The engineer smiled proudly and nodded. ¡°Your admiration of our hive-mind is noted. However, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not allowed to share and explain some of the details yet. While we are reasonably confident that the hive-mind is secure against any form of attack or virus, the Synergy does have its state secrets that we do not immediately share with outsiders. I hope you can understand that.¡±
¡°Of course, I completely understand. But-¡±
¡°You have another question, correct?¡± Tarik interrupted her, laughing softly.
¡°Was it really that obvious?¡± She quipped back, also laughing.
¡°Yes.¡± 4@19 replied dryly.
For the next few hours, Tarik answered dozens of Sina¡¯s questions about the Synergy, their people, their ships, their history, and the current situation of the Milky Way.
[ Act Four ]
Nadya looked at the Newton¡¯s sensor logs on her desk¡¯s display, but after four hours the numbers seemed to blur all together. The Russian woman leaned back into the seat and took a deep breath. The USS Newton was the first Starfleet vessel that had arrived at the location of the Sidereal¡¯s emergency broadcast, over seven hours after it was sent. The recently refitted Intrepid class had run extensive sensor sweeps on all bands, desperately trying to find their comrades in distress. But it had been no use, the Sidereal was gone. Nadya had been studying the Newton¡¯s sensor logs and their science officer¡¯s report for hours, but there were no errors she could find.
¡°Chert voz''mi!¡± She cursed and sent the PADD in her hand flying across the room in utter frustration. She stood from the chair and walked towards the replicator console in her quarters. ¡°Coffee, black, hot!¡± She ordered and waited impatiently until the device had materialized the cup with the steaming beverage. Nadya grabbed the cup and took a long sip, flinching briefly as the steaming hot drink flowed down her throat.
She looked at the PADD on the ground at the far end of the room and let out a resigned sigh. With cup in hand the Lieutenant Commander walked over and picked up the tablet again. Nadya returned to her desk and put the coffee and the device on its surface. She stared at the display in resignation, glaring at the numbers and letters that seemed to mock her inability to wrestle any more information from them. Her thoughts began to wander, quickly taking her back to the memorial service at Starfleet Command last week.
The Enterprise had managed to return to Earth in time so that she could attend the service. This came to her complete surprise, and she learned later that Captain K¡¯Torr was also attending and even had personally made the arrangements, which had surprised her even more. But nonetheless, the memorial service in assembly hall two had been difficult for her. She had tried to keep her emotions bottled up, and not cry. But after Fleet Admiral Ra-Miyantoss¡¯s performance and speech there was little left of her self-control and she wept openly, like many of her former colleagues and fellow crew members of the Sidereal.
She had briefly met Sina¡¯s mother in the headquarters¡¯ gardens, visiting the Sidereal¡¯s memorial stone. She had saluted the group of Captain Gallagher, Admiral Yadav, and Commander retired Thompson, but the Admiral had quickly gestured to drop it. ¡°No Lieutenant Commander, there are no ranks here today.¡± Only few words were spoken during those quiet moments.
Letting out a soft sigh, the Russian returned her focus to the logs and reports on the display in front of her. She had already spent so many hours on them, four of which today. It was already getting late, and she had about two more hours, tops, before she¡¯d have to go to bed to be fit for her shift tomorrow.
Her obsession with finding the truth about the Sidereal¡¯s disappearance was consuming every aspect of her life. Not only was she spending all her free time on picking apart the reports, she had also already spent over eighty percent of her monthly computation quota of the Enterprise¡¯s computer core running various simulations on the Newton¡¯s sensor logs.
Nadya couldn¡¯t let go. Deep inside she simply knew there was more to this than the reports and logs told her. And she wouldn¡¯t rest until she was personally convinced that there was nothing else she could do. But for as long as she had even the slightest suspicion that her friends, her love, were not dead she¡¯d continue. The thought that her colleagues could be stranded or adrift somewhere and desperately waiting for help terrified her. She¡¯d already had a few bad nights because of that. They weren¡¯t nightmares that woke her screaming, but rather bad dreams that left her exhausted and close to tears in the morning.
So far, her Russian pride and her own unshakable arrogance regarding her ability to control herself had prevented her from talking with the ship counselor about it, but she knew it was only a matter of time until her mask would crumble. She was fully aware that she was gambling not only her own wellbeing, but also her whole career on it, but they¡¯d have to pry her dead cold fingers from the console before she¡¯d voluntarily walk away from this.
Suddenly the console chirped and started to blink. The Augment twitched slightly before she noticed it was a subspace call.
INCOMING TRANSMISSION
ORIGIN: NCC-76889 USS Newton
CALLER: Lieutenant Nicolas Yamamoto
Nadya looked at the screen for a moment before she recalled her request to the Newton for a personal conversation with their science officer. She quickly pulled her uniform in place and sat straight, then tapped the console to answer the call. The display changed to Starfleet¡¯s logo while the two ship¡¯s subspace communication arrays negotiated the channel encryption.
A second later the black screen was replaced by the face of an adult Human of mixed Asian heritage. ¡°Good day Lieutenant Commander, I hope I¡¯m not interrupting you? I received your request and just got off my shift. You had some questions for me?¡±
¡°Yes, Lieutenant. Thank you for replying so quickly, I really appreciate that.¡±
¡°No problem. What can I do for you?¡± Lieutenant Yamamoto replied, and took a quick sip from a glass of water.
Nadya took a deep breath and looked at the man on the display. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to talk about your report from stardate 88305.6¡¡±
¡°Ah, the Sidereal incident.¡± The man quickly added and nodded slowly. He pressed his lips together slightly before he continued. ¡°Sure, what do you want to know? I thought I had put everything into the report and the log attachments, but if I should have missed something please ask.¡±
¡°Thank you, Lieutenant. I¡¯ve studied your report and the attached logs extensively, and I couldn¡¯t find any errors or irregularities. Your work on them is excellent.¡± The Augment¡¯s compliment sent a smile across Nicolas¡¯ face, but he quickly returned to a more serious expression. ¡°However, I wonder whether there was anything that you didn¡¯t put in the report. Maybe you thought it was a sensor fluke or malfunction. Maybe you thought it irrelevant or insignificant, or unconnected to the Sidereal¡¯s disappearance. Anything?¡±
Lieutenant Yamamoto furrowed his brow while thinking about Nadya¡¯s request. ¡°Hmmm¡ yes, there was one hypothesis that didn¡¯t make it into the report because it was purely speculative, without much, if any, data to back it up. I discussed it thoroughly with our chief engineer, Lieutenant Helykas, and our exotic particle specialist, Junior Lieutenant P¡¯tas. The biggest question for us was where the Sidereal¡¯s mass went. The wreckage and residual particles and radiation we detected accounted for less than fifteen percent of her total three million metric tons.¡±
The science officer reached for something out of the camera¡¯s field of view, and a second later Nadya could hear him look something up on a PADD. ¡°Ah, here it is. Please check the diagram on page nine.¡±
The Lieutenant Commander followed her colleague¡¯s suggestion and opened the mentioned diagram. It was an intricate animated diagram visualizing the residual subspace distortion left behind by the anomaly, and how it most likely developed during the known events given all involved ships¡¯ sensor logs. ¡°I see it. Please continue.¡±
¡°Good. Our initial assumption was that the ship wasn¡¯t destroyed but merely displaced, based on the encounter the Enterprise-D had at stardate 47391.2. However, the subspace geometry we found was completely different from that incident¡¯s reports. The rotating fissure created a massive subspace frame dragging, which was still measurable when we arrived seven hours later, and even extended into visible scales in normal space. It was like a spacetime grinder, and anything that got stuck in the anomaly¡¯s vortex would have been subject to unimaginable shearing forces. That explains the drifting wreckage.¡±
He quickly took another sip from his glass before he continued. ¡°We also quickly found the traces of the quantum torpedo detonation. Our guess is that the Sidereal¡¯s crew tried to use the warhead¡¯s multi-dimensional membrane to bounce off the anomaly¡¯s spacetime boundaries to create a shock wave that would close the fissure and push the ship free. According to our simulations it could have worked, but we assume that due to the extreme and sudden stress of the situation they didn¡¯t completely compensate the frame dragging in the calculations for the torpedo¡¯s target coordinates.¡±
¡°We think the warhead exploded in an unsuitable location and instead of closing the fissure and then pushing the ship free, the shock wave pushed the ship deeper into the fissure and then closed the vortex behind it. Since quantum fissures are inherently chaotic and unpredictable, the anomaly could have simultaneously existed in an unknown number of realities. Closing it in our reality wouldn¡¯t necessarily destroy it in others, and those other fissures could then have continued to contain larger or smaller parts of the Sidereal. Like the distant aperture of a wormhole.¡±
Nadya looked at her fellow officer with a raised brow, while her thoughts tumbled wildly trying to formulate the theoretical consequence of what Nicolas just told her. ¡°So, if I understand you correctly, the Sidereal could be more or less in one piece in a different quantum reality or vaporized and radiated into thousands or even millions of alternate universes, based on how many simultaneous fissures there were, and whether or not they also closed when the anomaly in our reality was destroyed.¡±
¡°Correct. And I think you already realize the problem. There is no possible way for us to determine or validate which one, if any at all, of those results occurred. We tried to calculate some properties of the fissure that could give us some hints or a starting point for more simulations, but everything was speculative at best. And because of that we just couldn¡¯t put it in the report. I¡¯m sorry if this caused-¡±
Nadya quickly interrupted him. ¡°No apology necessary, Lieutenant. Your course of action was correct. Wild speculation has no place in an official investigative report. But do you still have that data and the simulation parameters around, by chance?¡±
Lieutenant Yamamoto cleared his throat and nodded. ¡°Sure, if you want I can immediately send it over.¡±
¡°Yes, please. I¡¯d greatly appreciate that.¡± The Lieutenant Commander replied quickly.
Nicolas smiled softly. ¡°Sure, no problem. I honestly hope it¡¯s at least of some use to you, but I think there are just too many unknown factors. But still, good luck with it.¡±
The Russian woman again heard her colleague tap away at his PADD or his terminal, and a moment later her own console chirped to signal an incoming data transmission. A few moments later she had received what appear to be an extensive set of simulation parameters and some documentation for them, that Nicolas had used to try and test his hypothesis.
¡°Transmission received. Thank you, Lieutenant. I really appreciate your help and your fast response. But now I don¡¯t want to keep you from your deserved rest. Again, thank you for your help.¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome. Glad I could be of service.¡±
She smiled and nodded weakly before closing the channel. ¡°Lebedeva out.¡± The screen briefly displayed the Starfleet logo and the information that the encrypted channel has been successfully wound down. Slumping back into her chair, Nadya grabbed her mug and took a sip on her now much cooler coffee, then tapped away at her PADD to bring up the received simulation data.
After looking through the package for several minutes she realized how extensive the data was. Nicolas and his colleagues had apparently tried to create a simulation framework for quantum fissures and had fed it with all available sensor data about the rotating fissure. From this framework they had extrapolated several possible branches on which they had focused their efforts.
Nadya fed the preliminary simulation results into her quarters¡¯ workstation and admired the elegance and optimization of her colleagues¡¯ work. It was much more specialized than the generic simulations she had tried to run, and much more efficient. A quick tap on the console later, and she had the certainty that using the Newton¡¯s simulation framework would allow her to use her remaining computation quota much efficiently and purposefully.
Looking at the matrix of provided parameters and estimated outcomes, it quickly became obvious to her that if there was more than one other contemporary quantum fissure the Sidereal had been destroyed with a certainty of over seventy-three percent. If there was only a single other fissure, the chances for the ship being destroyed by the anomaly were just below forty percent. The numbers seemed grim either way, but Nadya told herself that the last case meant an over sixty percent chance for her friends to be alive. Everyone had shed so many tears and was searching for some happy news, so Nadya decided to focus on the single scenario with the highest chance of survival for the Sidereal.
This sudden turn of events gave the Augment a much-needed invigoration. She now had a goal, no matter how tiny or unlikely it may seem, but something that gave her purpose beyond her job, and allowed her to channel her grief and sadness into something productive. Her curiosity and attention sparked by the data sets, Nadya emptied her coffee and dove right into the math of the quantum mechanics fueling the innards of the simulation framework.
The next two hours flew by in a breeze, and only the sudden chirping and pinging of her console reminded her that it was time for her to go to bed. Reluctantly she tore her eyes away from the display covered with subspace tensors and quantum mechanics. Before she turned off the console, Nadya looked at the argument descriptor for the single fissure simulation.
{?1 ? ¡Å.¡Ä 3 4 = +/ +? 1 0 ¡¥1 ¡ã.? 1 0 ¡¥1 ?¡§ ??}
This single line contained all her hopes. If there was a way, any way, to ever find her friends, this descriptor would deliver them to her. A small part of her called herself silly for placing so much trust in the Newton¡¯s simulation framework. She was quite aware of how much the odds were stacked against her. She knew of the risk that anything she could do wouldn¡¯t yield any measurable result and only turn out to be just another waste of her energy and time.
But this was a risk she was willing to take. And if she eventually made a fool of herself she would then finally have peace. Nadya let out a soft sigh and switched off the console. Stifling a yawn, she shuffled into her bedroom, hoping that tomorrow¡¯s shift would pass swiftly, so that she could get back to her own, private, ¡°Great Experiment.¡±
[ Act Five ]
Co-Yor took his medical tricorder and went to scan the three unconscious members of the Sidereal¡¯s crew laying on biobeds. One after another, the readings came back clear and strong. Every single one of the previously critically wounded was stable and ready to be released. Due to a request from captain D¡¯raxis they had been kept unconscious, to avoid inflicting further trauma by exposing them to first contact with the Synergy in an uncontrolled way. The Sidereal¡¯s CMO checked their life signs once more, before putting the tricorder away again.
Meanwhile, Niko, Jeffrey, and 112@241 were standing near the entrance to the isolated room and talked about the condition of the people waiting to wake up and be released from the Synergy¡¯s medical care. It had been two days since Jeffrey¡¯s been released as one of the first. Three had been released yesterday. This group now was the last one, before the Sidereal¡¯s remaining crew would be united again.
The Kalonar doctor turned to his XO. ¡°Sir, they are ready. Their injuries have been treated completely, and I can detect no more damages or impairments. Should I administer the waking drug?¡±
Niko looked at Co-Yor, then at Sorowa, and nodded. ¡°Yes Doctor, go ahead. Sorowa, would you mind waiting outside?¡±
The Klingon woman nodded softly. ¡°Of course not, Lieutenant Commander. Please let me know when I shall return.¡± She replied, before leaving the room.
While they waited for the drug Co-Yor was administering via hypospray to take effect and wake their sleeping comrades, Jeffrey looked over their records on the PADD in his hand. A relieved sigh escaped from the counselor¡¯s lips as he scrolled through the diagnostics report for Petty Officer Xoth bim Blos, the Tellarite who severely injured his spinal cord in a fall during the Sidereal¡¯s accident. He was glad his friend was going to be okay and would not suffer any lasting consequences from his severe injuries.
The other two crew members were Junior Lieutenant Julia Vossler, a female Human engineer, and Corporal Sarvan Kusuhn, a male unjoined Trill and member of Shori¡¯s security teams. Both had sustained severe radiation poisoning while their ship had been trapped in the fissure, when the antimatter storage containers started leaking antimatter radiation from the nanometer scale fractures created by the anomaly. Vossler and Kusuhn had both received lethal doses and wouldn¡¯t have survived much longer when Sphere 272-Theta-8 had arrived to provide support.
The towering figure of Co-Yor slowly walked between the three biobeds, carefully monitoring the slowly waking patients. Julia was the first to move, and she let out a soft groan as she tried to sit up. Quickly the CMO was at her side, his massive hands gently supporting her shoulders, while his sonorous voice spoke to her. ¡°Take it slow Ms. Vossler. You had suffered severe injuries during our accident, but you¡¯re safe now. How do you feel?¡±
The Human slowly blinked her eyes open, and looked right in Co-Yor¡¯s face, his golden eye balls gleaming softly in the dimmed ambient light. ¡°Co-Yor? What¡ where am I?¡±
¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± Jeffrey said and walked closer. ¡°A ship came to our aid and managed to rescue us just in time. The Sidereal is uninhabitable for now and docked at a shipyard for repairs.¡± He reached out with his left arm, and took Julia¡¯s hand in his, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
¡°How long have I been out?¡± She asked while fully sitting up and swinging her legs off the biobed, shaking her short red pixie cut. The Junior Lieutenant looked around, nodding at the XO standing in the distance, before she noticed the other biobeds with concern. ¡°And what¡¯s with them? Are they okay?¡±
¡°You were in medical treatment for about four and a half days. And your comrades are fine, Julia.¡± Jeffrey said. ¡°You¡¯re all in here to be released from their medical facility. Everyone in here is safe, don¡¯t worry.¡±
By now Xoth and Sarvan were also stirring on their beds, and Co-Yor and Jeffrey quickly went to their sides to help them. After a few more minutes, the Doctor¡¯s waking drug was in full effect, and all three crew members were fully awake and aware. All three stood in a line when Niko came closer and offered his hand to every single one of them.
¡°Welcome back. I¡¯m glad you all recovered. But you probably wonder what happened and where we are. I will try to give you the answers to all your questions, but I want you to know that much of the information I¡¯m about to give you will be irritating or even frightening. Please understand that we are all still trying to cope with what happened and our current situation. We need to stand together in these dire times and help each other as much as we can. Because not everyone made it. The accident did take its toll, and we lost fourteen members of our crew.¡±
Niko took a deep breath before he continued.
¡°115 hours ago, we encountered a rotating quantum fissure and got trapped in its aperture. The ship was suffering heavy damage, and we were pressed to quickly find a way to escape. Due to a lack of both time and alternative options, we tried destroying the anomaly with a reconfigured quantum torpedo. It worked¡ somewhat. The Sidereal didn¡¯t get destroyed. But something else happened that only became apparent to us a day later. We are no longer in our own reality.¡±
Corporal Kusuhn spoke up. ¡°What do you mean with that, Sir?¡±
¡°The fissure translocated the Sidereal into an alternative reality, and over a thousand years into the future. The current date is July 18th, 3517. And the Milky Way in this universe is fundamentally different from what we all remember.¡±
The three survivors stared at Niko with open eyes, trying to process what he just told them.
¡°But we can go home again, right?¡± Xoth asked in his typical gruff voice, but even his unceremonious behavior couldn¡¯t hide the tone of uncertainty carried along in his question.
¡°Honestly, we don¡¯t know yet. The Synergy¡¯s scientists are working on trying to understand how we got here, and whether it¡¯s possible to send us back. But so far we¡¯re still all in the dark.¡±
¡°Excuse me Sir, but¡ what is the Synergy?¡± Julia queried carefully. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such an institution.¡±
The XO pressed his lips together and breathed a soft sigh. ¡°When I said that this galaxy is completely different from ours I meant exactly that. The timelines apparently started to diverge about 350 years ago, from our perspective. In this timeline the Borg temporal incursion on stardate 50893.5 was successful. They managed to prevent first contact with the Vulcans, assimilated Earth, and quickly proceeded to overpower all Alpha Quadrant species with their advanced technology.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Vossler let out a gasp and stepped back in shock until she stumbled against one of the biobeds. Corporal Kusuhn and Petty Officer bim Blos stared at their superior, shaking their heads in disbelieve. ¡°How?¡± Xoth spat out, his small black eyes glistening agitatedly.
¡°We don¡¯t know yet. Captain D¡¯raxis has decided to not yet share such classified information with them. We assume that there was a minor deviation before the temporal incursion that then spiraled out of control and led to a completely different outcome. But what exactly that was, we have no idea.¡±
¡°So, you¡¯re telling us that the Borg control this galaxy? How come we haven¡¯t been assimilated yet?¡± Sarvan asked nervously, running his right hand through his short cut dark brown hair while looking around for an exit.
¡°Because the Borg are gone. After they consumed almost two thirds of the galaxy, the Collective buckled under the pressure of a rebellion, fueled by hundreds of billions of individuals that managed to resist the oppressive hive-mind. This rebellion brought the Borg to the brink of open civil war, and successfully managed to extort the Queen into giving up her stranglehold on the hive-mind. Freed from this slavery, they quickly reintroduced individuality and personal liberties, and sought peaceful coexistence with the remaining unconquered governments of the Milky Way.¡±
¡°Good Borg? I didn¡¯t know I signed up for a fairy tale.¡± Xoth commented sarcastically, his arms crossed before his chest.
¡°I also find that very hard to believe, Sir.¡± Julia added to her Tellarite colleague¡¯s remark.
¡°I don¡¯t care what you believe, I want you to know the truth.¡± Niko shot back, his voice a little harsher than he had intended. ¡°Do you think it was easy for me to come to terms with our current situation? Do you think I didn¡¯t have trouble accepting all of this? When the Sidereal was only minutes away from a core breach that would have killed us all, I was so certain that the damage control team the Synergy had sent to help us was a deception, that I was trying to stop captain D¡¯raxis from accepting their offer.¡±
He started slowly walking from one crew member to the next as he continued.
¡°I was so convinced that they were Borg trying to assimilate us, that I was willing to have us all die rather than accept the truth. Thankfully, Sina didn¡¯t listen to me that time. Since then they have been nothing but incredibly helpful, friendly, and supportive. They¡¯ve provided us with quarters, supplies, and medical care for our wounded. They¡¯re even repairing the Sidereal for us, in case we want to take a cruise around their empire. If they had wanted to harm us in any way, they would have had ample opportunity to do so already.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t immediately have to become best friends with every single one of them, just treat them as you would treat anyone else that is not our enemy and is helping us. And don¡¯t let their appearance deceive you. They are not Borg.¡± Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg took a deep breath. ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡± He tapped his combadge. ¡°Heisenberg to 112@241. Sorowa, would you please come in?¡±
The door at the end of the room, close to where Niko had stood just minutes before, opened, and a Klingon woman entered the room. She wore a heavy but practical gray tunic which contrasted starkly with her dark skin, held in place by a belt that carried a good half dozen medical devices. Her head was framed by a halo of wild pitch-black curls, falling around the wires connecting to her cybernetic skull implants. The woman¡¯s right eye had been replaced by a medical ocular implant, and her left arm was obviously cybernetic with several wires and tubes connecting to it.
Xoth, Sarvan, and Julia instinctively took several steps back, but Niko walked closer to the Klingon and demonstratively shook her hand. He turned to the others. ¡°This is Secondary Medical Adjunct 112@241. Her name is Sorowa. She is one of the people responsible for several of your treatments.¡±
¡°Greetings. I hope you have recovered well.¡± Sorowa said, casually exchanging knowing looks and a teasing smile with Jeffrey, who was standing a bit to the side of the group.
Corporal Kusuhn was the first to take some steps forward, carefully but curiously approaching the Synergy medic. He extended his right hand and was a bit surprised at the firm handshake 112@241 gave him. ¡°I guess a thank you is in order. Thank you. Can you tell me what I was in for?¡±
Sorowa smiled at the Trill soldier. ¡°Acute radiation syndrome. You had absorbed a fifty gray equivalent dose of antimatter radiation, and your internal organs were already starting to dissolve. Without our immediate intervention you would have succumbed to ARS within ten minutes, with irreparable brain damage developing within less than four minutes.¡±
Sarvan stared at the medical adjunct and swallowed. Being confronted with how close to death he had been certainly put a damper on his mood. When Sorowa looked at Julia and spoke, the Junior Lieutenant suddenly fell quiet, too. ¡°The same diagnosis applies to you, too. Apparently, you both were exposed to the same radiation source.¡±
Lastly, the Klingon woman focused her gaze on the grumpy Tellarite standing in the middle of the room with his arms still crossed.
¡°You¡¯re going to tell me I was irradiated, too? Or was there an actual injury involved with me?¡± He spoke before Sorowa could, immediately challenging her.
112@241 simply responded calmly. ¡°No, you were not irradiated. You incurred critical trauma to your vertebral column from a high-altitude impact. Your spinal cord was severed in four different places. Without our immediate intervention these injuries would have become incompatible with life in less than six minutes.¡±
Xoth looked at Sorowa for a moment, holding her gaze a bit longer, then looked down to the floor. His desire for arguing and being confrontational had suddenly evaporated while the Klingon described his injuries. He ran his stubby fingers nervously through the curly blonde strands of hair falling from his head and mumbled a quick thank you. ¡°I¡ thank you.¡±
Jeffrey, followed by Co-Yor, returned to the front of the room now, joining Niko and Sorowa. He lifted his prosthesis so that Julia, Sarvan, and Xoth could see it. ¡°I had stood right next to a plasma relay when the Sidereal¡¯s EPS grid blew up. Shori was around by pure chance and managed to pull me out of the fire, but even she got licked by the flames despite her armor. My right arm was almost instantly incinerated, and the rest of my chest didn¡¯t look too good either.¡±
He continued after a deep breath, lowering his artificial arm. ¡°During my treatment I was conscious for a bit and made quite a mess when I saw who was treating me. My first thought was that I was being assimilated, and that sent me into a panic fit. I got up from the biobed, faceplanted onto the ground because the pain and the narcotics and a missing arm were confusing me, and screamed and thrashed around like a madman. It took one of their armed guards and captain D¡¯raxis to restrain me and calm me down eventually.¡±
¡°You can probably imagine how frightening this was for me. At that time, I was utterly terrified, and then later confused out of my mind. Nothing seemed to make sense, and it took a whole day for me to put myself back together. The captain wanted to spare you a similar experience. That¡¯s why you were kept anesthetized until your recovery was completed and several officers of our crew were available to pick you up. I hope you¡¯re not too mad about that, but I can tell you that Sina did you a favor.¡±
All three of them were shaking their heads, indicating that they were perfectly fine not having to go through the panic of having to assume being assimilated by a bunch of Borg.
Co-Yor had slung the medkit¡¯s carrying loop around his shoulder, and the package looked positively tiny next to his over two meters tall towering frame. He nodded to 112@241. ¡°As the Sidereal¡¯s CMO I concur that the patients Petty Officer bim Blos, Lieutenant Junior Grade Vossler, and Corporal Kusuhn are ready to be released into our custody again. They have fully recovered from the reported and diagnosed injuries and are fit to return to duty.¡±
Sorowa looked up at the Kalonar and smiled. ¡°Understood. We hereby release the aforementioned patients into your care.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome. These were the last of your crew members that were still in our custody. If there should be any further medical emergencies, please do not hesitate to contact us for support.¡±
¡°We will.¡± Niko added. ¡°You¡¯ve done quite a bit of work for us, and we thank you for everything. Without you we would have lost even more people. But I think we¡¯ve taken up enough of your time already. And I think our colleagues want to get back to their friends.¡± He added with a wide grin. ¡°Also, I guess they¡¯re hungry.¡±
He turned to the rest of the group. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get you to your quarters. And just as a heads up: Lieutenant Neirrek has volunteered to run a mandatory PT every other day. He expects your presence tomorrow in training gear at 0815 hours.¡±
With a collective groan the group of Sidereal crew members streamed out of the room and returned to diplomatic sector twelve.
[1x06] Never Count On Yesterday
[ Act One ]
Sina was quite proud of herself. What seemed to be a trivial task was a big step for her. She managed to navigate the Synergy interface in her quarters to book a nearby function hall that was typically used for diplomatic delegations and receptions. She further sent a message with the appointment to all members of her crew. All of this without help, and by doing it the hard, manual, way instead of simply telling the computer what to do.
This simple step significantly lightened her mood, giving her the feeling that the Synergy¡¯s technology was just that, technology, and not some arcane magic. This experience gave Sina a more than welcome morale boost, and gave her the confidence that, if her crew chose so, they eventually would be able to learn and understand their hosts¡¯ technology.
Now she sat on a quite comfortable chair in the function hall, whistling a simple happy tune, and waited for the rest of her people. She checked the clock on the PADD in her hand. Still six minutes to go. The Romulan crossed her legs, putting her right ankle on her left knee, while grabbing the mug with her iced coffee. It wasn¡¯t Vulcan Mocha, but good enough for now.
The Commander had just taken a large sip from her beverage when she heard voices and footsteps from the entrance. She turned her head and saw Niko and a couple other officers and enlisted personnel walk towards her. ¡°Hello Sina. I see you can already sit again. Did you fabricate a new behind in the meantime, or what¡¯s your secret?¡± He asked teasingly, hinting at the PT this morning that focused excessively on the gluteal muscles and lower back.
¡°Well, maybe I¡¯m just better at sports than you? But if you feel you¡¯re getting too old for this, maybe I can find the form for early retirement.¡± Sina quipped, earning some grins and snickering from several of the other officers despite Niko only being two years older than Sina.
¡°You wish! You¡¯re not getting rid of me this easily!¡± Her XO teased back, a happy laughter on his lips as he sat on the chair next to his captain. ¡°So, what¡¯s this meeting about?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± The Romulan replied. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for everyone to get here. I¡¯d like to avoid having to repeat myself to every group of people trickling in.¡±
During the next couple minutes more and more members of the Sidereal¡¯s crew were arriving in the massive chamber with the small circle of chairs. At one minute before the designated start time of the meeting the last group arrived, led by Shori and Visra.
Sina smiled happily when she saw her science officer. Today the young Alusi was already looking much better, and even had a slight smile on her lips. Shori had told her of Visra¡¯s PTSD and nightmares, which had worried the Romulan quite a bit. When Jeffrey had been released from the Synergy¡¯s medical custody she had asked him to give Visra some priority since she appeared to be worse off compared to the rest.
Once everyone was present and seated, Commander D¡¯raxis rose from her chair and walked into the center of the small circle. ¡°Hello everyone! I¡¯m overjoyed to finally see you all back in action. Some of you had me really worried for a time. But I asked you here today because there¡¯s an important decision we must make rather sooner than later. It¡¯s a decision that will affect us all permanently, for better or for worse.¡±
She took a deep breath before she continued. ¡°Five days ago, the Synergy¡¯s leader, Matriarch Chiaxi, offered us extended hospitality. She also gave us three options regarding how we want to spend our time here. I thought long and hard about how to answer to this, but the more I thought about it the more it became clear to me that this is not a decision I can make alone. Instead, this is a decision we have to make together.¡±
Sina tapped on her tablet and brought up the list with the options. She did remember the different points by herself, but just wanted to make sure that she didn¡¯t forget or omit anything. ¡°The three options we were given are as following¡¡±
¡°Number one, we pick an inhabitable planet and just stay there. The planet could be already colonized or isolated. We would stay planet-side until, if ever, their scientists figure out a way for us to get home again.¡±
¡°Number two, we pick one of their ships to stay on. We¡¯d become a relatively minor part of any of their vessel¡¯s crew, basically permanent diplomatic guests. We¡¯d go where their ship goes, and generally accompany them on their tasks.¡±
¡°Number three, we get the Sidereal repaired and upgraded to a state where they would allow us to move around in their territory. We could go wherever we¡¯d like, under the condition that we follow their rules, and don¡¯t mess up their things or ruin their diplomatic relationships.¡±
The Commander took a few steps and dropped her PADD on her empty seat to get both hands free. ¡°To me, each of these options has its own benefits and drawbacks. Each of these options will change how we will be able to experience this galaxy, and what we will be able to do. But the decision is not mine alone to make. So, what do you guys think? Speak freely.¡±
The gathered crew looked at each other in contemplative quietude, everybody thinking about which option they¡¯d like the most. Everyone was looking around at everyone else, trying to sort out their thoughts and emotions about the Commander¡¯s question.
Finally, Duncan was the first to answer. ¡°Captain, I think we should go for option three. The sooner we¡¯re back on our own ship and back in control of ourselves the better. I don¡¯t like being so helpless, completely at some unknown empire¡¯s mercy. Even though they tell us we were guests, I feel more like a prisoner. Every time we want to go anywhere not around the corner, we need to ask our wardens nicely to take us there. Right now, we¡¯re not in control of ourselves, or our ship, or our weapons.¡±
Several other crew members supported the Scottish officer¡¯s position, and briefly clapped for him, but it quickly died when others started voicing their dissent. The group erupted into discussions and shouts that abruptly stopped when Sina¡¯s shrill whistle echoed through the chamber. ¡°Guys, please. I want everyone to speak freely, and don¡¯t want anyone getting shouted down. Next.¡±
Quickly Noriko raised her voice. ¡°I think we should choose option number one. We know absolutely nothing about this galaxy. Who¡¯s to say that they are telling us the whole truth? If we travel on one of their ships, or fly around on the Sidereal, we only risk getting involved in events that are far beyond our abilities. I know for sure that I don¡¯t want to stumble into a border war fought with weapons that are a thousand years more advanced than ours, or something like that. If we stay on a safe planet in the center of their territory, we minimize the risk of being drawn into something over our heads.¡±
¡°Then we¡¯d be sitting ducks, even more exposed and helpless than we¡¯re now.¡± Crewman Al-Tammar remarked.
¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± T¡¯Sai interjected. ¡°I studied whatever information I was able to acquire about their vessels. They outrun, outgun, and generally outclass the Sidereal in all categories. They are faster, more resilient, and much better armed than our ship. And I¡¯m talking about at least one full order of magnitude. To put it that way, our defensive capabilities would really be unable to withstand them. And there is reason to assume that the other major powers possess equal tactical abilities. After all, they were able to withstand the Borg¡¯s onslaught for a prolonged period.¡±
¡°Assuming they tell us the truth. Still, we¡¯d be easy prey for any random pirate, mercenary, or rogue agent coming our way.¡± Haroun replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be the Synergy that¡¯s coming for us. Just like Noriko said, we know nothing about this reality. We don¡¯t know how safe their space really is. I¡¯d feel much safer if we at least had the chance to get out of the way and run for it if we have to, instead of sitting on our asses and wait that our generous hosts come and protect us.¡±
Now Jeffrey joined the discussion. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s assume for a second that we picked option one. We select a nice habitable planet someplace away from all borders. They build a small settlement for us with all the luxuries we want. We have power, computing, some fabricators, even a couple of holodecks to waste our time in. They even station a sphere or cube in orbit to protect us from any flyby harassment. Then what?¡±
¡°Uhm¡ I¡ I guess we wait?¡± Haroun replied.
¡°What do we wait for?¡± The counselor¡¯s voice echoed slightly in the chamber. Everyone else was quiet, searching for an answer, while the dark-skinned Junior Lieutenant looked around him. ¡°Let me ask again. We have our safe, perfect little village. What do we wait for? And what¡¯s even more important: what do we do the whole day? Are you really telling me you all could idly sit on your butts for years, maybe even decades, to come? No, I don¡¯t believe that for one second.¡±
He took a deep breath and continued. ¡°You would probably go crazy on that planet. Nothing to do, nothing to discover, nothing to learn. If that was what you wanted, why did you sign up for Starfleet in the first place? If that was what you wanted, why didn¡¯t you step down from the assignment to the Sidereal, and ask to be transferred to a space station or planet-side facility near the core worlds? I can tell you why. Because you wanted to do something for your people and those around you. Because you wanted to explore the galaxy. Because you wanted to learn what¡¯s out there.¡±
Jeffrey was about to continue, when suddenly the voice of a young woman cut him off. ¡°Sorry to interrupt you counselor, but¡¡± He raised an eyebrow and looked at Julia, curiously waiting for her to continue. ¡°¡I know you try to motivate us and all, and your speech is really inspiring¡ but shouldn¡¯t we focus on the situation at hand, on the facts?¡±
¡°Of course, we should. I never said or implied anything contrary.¡±
¡°But you¡¯re trying to convince us to pick options two or three¡¡± The young maintenance engineer concluded.
¡°You think so?¡± The counselor asked.
Junior Lieutenant Vossler and several others nodded in response. ¡°Yes.¡±
Jeffrey looked around him, focusing those who were doubting him. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to convince you to pick any particular option. I¡¯m trying to dissolve your misconceptions about where and how we would be safe. The only right answer to that is¡ nowhere. Wolf 359. USS Odyssey. USS Voyager. Romulus. USS Anastasia. IKS Hor¡¯Cha. We will all die eventually. Maybe in this reality, maybe in our own. Maybe sooner, maybe later. That¡¯s most likely not up to us to decide.¡±
He now stood from his chair, and slowly paced in a circle to face every single member of their crew. ¡°But what we can decide is what we do until that very moment. We can decide to either sit on a planet and wait for our fate to come to us, or we can take to the stars and do what we swore to do. Boldly go where no one has gone before. We have a whole new galaxy with undiscovered wonders out there and are offered the tools to explore it.¡±
The black-skinned Human stopped in front of Julia. ¡°If I had to choose only for myself, I would pick option two or three without hesitation. We are privileged to experience sights and events that our colleagues back home would call impossible, illusions, or some Q shenanigans. Why would we squander this unique opportunity? What if it takes the Synergy a few decades to figure out a way to send us back? Imagine returning home after all those years, and having to tell that we haven¡¯t seen anything, and hadn¡¯t gone anywhere.¡±
The whole assembly was watching Jeffrey, several of the gathered crew looking around and to the ground slightly embarrassed by his words.
¡°I know you¡¯re all scared.¡± He continued, turning to look his colleagues in the eyes. ¡°I know for sure I am. I have a four-year-old girl at home. The mere thought of never seeing her again is tearing me apart. But am I losing hope because of being stranded here, far away from her and her mother? No, I¡¯m not. Because I know that if I ever decide to crawl into some hole and wait for someone else to come and rescue me, that I¡¯ve given up on them. Given up on myself.¡±
¡°In the end we all have to face our inner demons alone. Friends and family can only bolster us for that fight. And just like that you must make up your own minds on what you really want to do here, while your CO and our new friends try to find a way back home. We can¡¯t linger on the past forever. At some point we must stop looking back, but instead focus on what¡¯s ahead of us.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Brassfield took a deep breath after his speech and quietly returned to his seat, while the rest of the crew contemplated his words. Sina had watched him with a raised eyebrow, exchanging several curious gazes with both Niko and Rel. Finally, after a few more minutes of awkward silence, the CO stood again and picked up her PADD. She refrained from remarking on the counselor¡¯s words to avoid influencing her crew.
¡°Any further comments or suggestions?¡±
No one spoke up, and many were shaking their heads no.
¡°Okay then.¡± She tapped a few controls on her tabled and set the device into poll mode. ¡°In that case, I¡¯d ask you to vote for the option you personally agree with most. The PADD is set to anonymous voting mode, so I will not be able to see who voted for which option or when a given vote was cast. Please take the device, take a few steps outside the circle, and cast your vote with the back turned to us to ensure it remains secret.¡±
Having given her explanation, she quickly handed the device over to a random member of her crew that was nearby, who quickly followed the procedure and made their vote. One by one, all sixty-eight members of the Sidereal¡¯s crew took the PADD, stepped outside the circle, cast their vote, and then returned. Sina received the tablet last, getting it handed to her by her XO. They locked eyes for a second, before the Romulan stepped away from the group and tapped the square labeled ¡°3¡± on the screen.
The counter flashed as it jumped from sixty-seven to sixty-eight. The Commander returned into the circle with swift steps and faced her crew again. ¡°The device shows sixty-eight votes were cast. For the record I¡¯m required to ask, has anyone not voted yet?¡±
No one spoke up. She nodded in confirmation and tapped on the tablet¡¯s screen to show the actual numbers. The result was clear.
OPTION VOTES
[ 1 ] 09
[ 2 ] 05
[ 3 ] 54
¡°The vote is unambiguous. Option one, nine votes. Option two, five votes. Option three¡ fifty-four votes.¡±
A haze of murmurs and mumbling grew in the gathering, while the captain handed the tablet to the XO. Niko looked at the tablet and made a few taps to check the raw votes. After a few moments he returned the device.
¡°As the first officer I concur with the stated numbers.¡±
Sina breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°The vote has been decided and validated. I¡¯ll inform the Synergy of our decision. Dismissed.¡±
[ Act Two ]
Niko was slowly walking down the corridor on deck four running along the port-side catamaran fuselage that connected the Sidereal¡¯s primary hull to the nacelle pylons and the weapon pod. All around him were dozens of Synergy engineers busy removing panels, disassembling empty crew quarters, and stripping out power conduits and energy lines. He saw many species he knew, and several that were foreign to him. Many had visible cybernetic components, but not all of them. Some were completely ignoring him, while a few nodded or even smiled at him.
It was a strange feeling. He had spent so many years on this ship, first under Captain Shelen Ch''iveran, then under Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis. And now their little home away from home was dismantled and eviscerated, illuminated only by the working engineers¡¯ deployed photon generators, before she could be reborn in new glamorous grandeur.
Thinking of his former Captain, the German let out a soft sigh. Shelen, one of most ripped Andorians Niko had ever seen, was a strong and strong-willed, honest, and good-hearted man. To people not knowing him, his bear-like stature looked intimidating, even dangerous, but he cared about his crew as if they were family. It had been his initiative to weld the crew together with regular group activities, and his encouragement for everyone to pick up a creative hobby like painting or poetry to not only hone their physique but also sharpen their minds.
But just as Niko could remember his former CO¡¯s command, he remembered his death almost one and a half years ago. At that time Sina had been onboard for eighteen months, replacing their first XO who went home to have a child. Two neutral alien nations were at the brink of war because of escalating border tensions. The Sidereal was trying to mediate peace negotiations between the two delegations, when one ambassadorial assistant committed a suicide bombing during the welcome meeting in the starboard observation lounge on deck six.
The chemical explosion destroyed the lounge, broke through the inner and outer hull, killed the Captain and both delegations, and left Sina with third degree burns on most of her body. Niko could still clearly remember how he was on the bridge while his CO and XO opened the negotiations in the mess hall, when suddenly a dull thump echoed through the ship and the hull breach alarm klaxon sounded.
When he arrived on deck six a few minutes later after coordinating the initial responses, he stepped onto a battlefield. The observation lounge was destroyed. The large window front was simply¡ gone, replaced by the flickering emergency force fields that had sprung up moments after the detonation. The ceiling and floor were gaping holes, with the explosion¡¯s devastation spreading to the decks above and below. Shori stood in the middle of the ravaged hall and looked at him, wordlessly shaking her head.
The alien nations went to war with each other within the hour and launched their arsenal of impulse powered kinetic impactors and warp powered nuclear warheads at each other, while Sina was fighting for her life in sickbay. It took Co-Yor four whole days to stabilize her condition. Only half a year later was the whole mess cleaned up, the investigations concluded, and Sina returned to duty. It was then when she was promoted to acting captain of the Sidereal, and he became her first officer.
Collecting his thoughts, Niko took a deep breath to bring his focus back to the present. A weak smile appeared on his lips as he remembered the time under Sina¡¯s command before the accident that stranded them here. Despite the issues they sometimes had, and despite the often challenging and difficult missions, he longed for those easier times.
Looking up, he noticed he had stopped in front of his quarters. Out of habit he reached for the control panel to open the doors, when he remembered that the Sidereal was already powered down and he had to use the manual override. He looked at the black panel and breathed a sigh of indignation.
Tarik had explained that the current systems installed on the Akira class were fundamentally incompatible with modern Synergy technology. If their vessel was ever to return to a mission ready state, she¡¯d have to be completely cleaned out and reconfigured with Synergy equipment. And that meant that everything that was currently inside the ship¡¯s torn and tattered hull had to be removed. Every replicator console, every LCARS terminal, every backup fusion reactor, every power coupling.
Niko began stripping off the panel on the wall right next to the doors. Usually the manual release overrides were secured by activation triggers that immediately notified security if someone started operating one. But without power those systems wouldn¡¯t cause him any problems. He took the manual handle from its bracket and struggled for a few moments to connect it to the door¡¯s hydraulic pump. Looking at the handle, he let out a sigh and started the tedious process of pumping open the door to his quarters.
He had not gotten even one fifth of the way when he suddenly heard heavy footsteps approaching and saw a shadow next to him. A deep baritone voice asked him. ¡°Can we be of assistance?¡±
Niko looked up and saw a Teplan engineer looking down at him. The man wore the typical baggy engineering attire the Human had seen so often on Tarik, consisting of dark gray cargo pants and a reinforced vest with many compartments. The engineer¡¯s right arm was a somewhat bulky cybernetic extension, whose end was covered in a dozen thin, segmented, metallic tentacles.
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just trying to get into my old quarters. I¡¯m almost done, but thank you for your offer.¡±
¡°It will be more efficient to use my kinetic actuator.¡± The Teplan stated flatly and knelt next to Niko. Before the XO could protest, the Synergy engineer placed his cybernetic arm near the override control. After a moment the tentacles shot out and grasped the handle, operating it so quickly that the door opened in less than a second.
Niko looked at the now motionless handle, and how the engineer retracted the tentacles of his arm tool and stood, then his gaze traveled to the Teplan¡¯s human-like face. He rose to his feet. ¡°Thank you.¡±
The Synergy engineer simply nodded quietly, turned around, and slumped away with the same heavy footsteps with which he had approached less than a minute before.
Shrugging his shoulders, and shaking his head, the XO turned to the now open door and stepped into his former quarters. Light from the nearest photon generator flooded into the rooms, lighting them up with a soft and equal warm white glow. Niko stepped into his old living room, chuckling at his thoughts of cleaning up the mess caused by the accident.
Books, PADDs, and various other items laid scattered across the ground. Several fragile objects, mostly gifts from his crew mates and his own not quite so astounding attempts at pottery from a couple years ago, had been shattered into heaps of pieces. The couch was turned upside down at the other end of the room, and the rest of the furniture didn¡¯t fare much better.
Slowly he made his way into the bedroom, where his wardrobe had decided to vomit all his clothes all over the floor and bed. Niko looked at the mess and shook his head. He picked his traveling bag from amidst the chaos and started to search for the few pieces of clothing and other personal items and possessions that were not standard issue, or generic replications.
While he was packing his bag, his expression gradually became filled with sorrow more with every item. To him it felt as if he was cleaning out his old life, throwing away all his past. Niko knew it was a silly notion, but that helped him little with his emotions every time he decided to leave any individual object behind for the recycling crews.
After a few minutes he was done in the bedroom. The XO carried his bag back to the devastated living room. Sorting through the rubble, Niko found the remains of a broken tournament trophy. He carefully sorted the razor-sharp glass shards, and roughly pieced it together until he could read the laser engraving.
USS SIDEREAL - 89219.7
7TH ANNUAL TEAM VELOCITY TOURNAMENT
2ND PLACE
GOLDSMITH, HEISENBERG, JACKSON, KUSUHN, T¡¯SAI, VOSSLER
The Lieutenant Commander let out a sentimental sigh, carefully nudging the shards. This trophy was one of two he had ever won in team competitions. He suspected the universe somehow conspiring against him, because no matter which sport he chose, and who his team mates were, he often seemed to lose. But thinking of the other reward made him look around and search for it, and after a few moments he found the solid brushed aluminum cube with ten-centimeter-long sides. He picked it up with a smirk and weighted the piece of metal in his hand while reading the inscription.
USS SIDEREAL - 87721.6
9TH ANNUAL PARRISES SQUARES TOURNAMENT
2ND PLACE
BAAZUD, DRARR, HEISENBERG, NEIRREK
Niko stood and dropped the cuboid trophy onto the pile of clothes in his traveling bag. He went searching for the metallic box where he kept his stone carving tools. He had replicated the kit after trying the trade during one of the demonstration and exchange days three years ago. But even though the craft itself and the items he had made held some personal value for him, the tools were completely replaceable. Without hesitation he picked up the box, opened it, and added its content to the chaos on the ground.
Once the box was cleaned out, he returned to the pile of shards that had once been a team velocity tournament trophy. Carefully Niko picked up the large splinters one by one, and placed them in the padded container, hoping they would survive the journey in a form that allowed the glass plate to be restored. After he had stowed the last shard, Niko took great care to place the metallic box in his bag in a position that he hoped would keep the shards at least somewhat safe.
The XO looked around whether he had missed anything he¡¯d like to keep, taking almost two hours to seek and sort carefully through the remains of his previous life. So many keepsakes had gotten broken beyond repair, he couldn¡¯t completely prevent a single tear sneaking out. So many memories were destroyed during their freak accident. He managed to garner a few more fragments and tokens, and a couple of PADDs with pictures, logs, and messages, before his bag was filled to the brim.
He stood in the middle of the living room, looking at the remains of his previous possessions, when a sudden chuckle from the direction of his quarter¡¯s entrance drew his attention. ¡°If you were a junior officer I¡¯d have to reprimand you for the disorderly state of your quarters. But it¡¯s good to see I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s given up on cleaning up the mess.¡±
Niko turned around only to see Shori standing in the still open door, leaning against the frame and grinning from side to side. ¡°Very funny.¡± He replied with a smirk. ¡°We both know that if I was a junior officer, this wouldn¡¯t be my quarters.¡± He watched his colleague slowly make her way towards him. The Caitian¡¯s graceful steps easily carried her over broken items and around overturned furniture. ¡°So, how much did you manage to salvage?¡±
She looked at him, a shadow of sadness briefly crossing her face. ¡°Not much. My mimetic polyalloy one-piece swimsuit I won on Risa a couple years back. The hand-carved piece of Salish root I received from that village on Atrea IV. A holocrystal showing a family gathering last year. Some PADDs with personal letters and such. Oh, and the brushed aluminum cube trophy for third place in last year¡¯s velocity tournament. Of all the pieces it was that thing which survived without a scratch. The rest¡¯s either trashed or not worth packing since it¡¯s replaceable.¡±
The chief of security shrugged. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t really matter, does it?¡±
Niko turned to Shori. ¡°What do you mean? Are you not sad that you lost things reminding you of home?¡±
¡°Of course, I am. When I found the holocrystal with my dead brother¡¯s last recording shattered, I bawled my eyes out. That is a memory dear to me lost, which I¡¯ll never get back. But we must not linger on what we¡¯ve lost. We can¡¯t undo what¡¯s happened. We can only try to make the best of the situation and make ourselves a new home here. We¡¯ve got to bet on tomorrow, not count on yesterday.¡±
The Lieutenant Commander breathed a soft murmur. ¡°Hmmm. Guess you¡¯re right.¡± And then he added with a grin. ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you sound suspiciously like Jeffrey when talking like this?¡±
Shori burst out into a loud and honest laughter. ¡°Any similarities with active ship counselors are entirely coincidental.¡± She chuckled, before continuing. ¡°But yes, I¡¯ve been talking with Jeffrey quite a bit since he came back. It¡¯s great to have someone to confide in. I mean, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you or Sina, but-¡±
The XO waved his hands. ¡°I know what you mean, no need to justify yourself. Anyway, I¡¯m ready to leave. How about we go back and grab a snack?¡± He carefully put the carrying sling over his shoulder, making sure he didn¡¯t throw the bag around too much.
¡°Snack sounds great. I¡¯ve skipped lunch since I was so busy. Oh, speaking of which¡ Hiora asked me to tell you that she gathered a sufficient number of PADDs and distributed them amongst the crew.¡± The Caitian replied, following Niko out of his quarters with swift elegance.
¡°Good, thanks for the heads up. I think giving the crew the chance to start having personal logs again will take off some of the edge they currently feel.¡± The first officer replied as they left his accommodation. Before they left for the temporary transport hub the Synergy had set up on this deck with independent power supply, Niko headed for the nearest engineer. ¡°Excuse me?¡± He asked and waited until the Human cyborg turned around and mustered him, the structural analyzer covering the engineer¡¯s left eye blinking dispassionately with the same boring rhythm.
The Human engineer mustered the interruption for a moment, then spoke with a surprisingly soft and youthful voice that seemed to belie his apparent age. ¡°Yes? What can we do for you?¡±
¡°I just wanted to let you know that I¡¯ve cleaned out my quarters over there of any personal items I want to keep. Everything that is still in there can be removed or recycled or whatever.¡±
The Synergy technician nodded. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ve relayed the information to the disassembling teams. Is there anything else we can do for you?¡±
Niko shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s all. Thank you.¡±
Once the engineer returned his attention to his tasks at hand, the XO also turned back towards Shori. As they walked, he noticed that in the last few hours the Synergy crews had made significant progress. Much of the deck looked deserted and empty, with most interior walls and panels removed, exposing the empty spaces and notches that until recently had contained power and computing lines. The XO and COS quickly departed the Sidereal to escape the morose atmosphere that seemed to have seeped into every corner of the ship.
[ Act Three ]
¡°My apologies for the delay. My discussion with Lieutenant Neirrek took longer than I anticipated.¡± T¡¯Sai quickly stepped through the door into Duncan¡¯s quarters. Duncan simply nodded as the Junior Lieutenant passed him and locked the doors behind her. He followed the Vulcan into his living room where the other sixteen people were already waiting.
¡°We¡¯re complete now.¡± Duncan announced, sitting on one of the chairs the group carried over from the dining room. ¡°I guess the last week was¡ interesting¡ for all of use. Like last time, no ranks and everyone speaks freely.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
The guests looked at each other for a moment, then Shrass rose from his seat. The Andorian¡¯s strong voice sounded through the room as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯d like to open on a positive note. I¡¯m glad we have Jeffrey, Julia, Xoth, and the others back. The Synergy did keep their word. No implants, no nanites, and they still got our wounded well back on their feet. Given the circumstances, of course. It could have ended quite differently for our people if their ship had arrived only a few minutes later.¡± Many of the group nodded, and a soft murmur of agreement drifted across the expansive diplomatic quarters.
¡°I agree.¡± T¡¯Sai added. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with Co-Yor about the treatments, and in his opinion the Synergy did an outstanding job. He¡¯s received daily updates on the condition of our wounded and was involved in administering drugs and deciding on additional therapy. From his point of view there¡¯s nothing to criticize about how they treated our people.¡±
¡°But there¡¯s the issue with Jeffrey¡¯s prosthesis¡¡± Haroun now interjected.
¡°What about it? Should they have released him crippled and with a missing arm?¡± Shrass replied questioningly.
Crewman Al-Tammar sighed. ¡°No, of course not. I never said they should have. But I talked with Jeffrey about it. They did exactly what I feared they would do.¡±
¡°And what would that be?¡± Duncan inquired.
¡°They told him that if he wanted to have a better, more naturally feeling, replacement or even get his organic arm back, he would have to accept nanite treatments.¡± The group, suddenly silent, looked at Haroun. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what I said in our last meeting they would try, and now they did it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Jeffrey yourselves.¡±
A female Human Petty Officer from the back of the room spoke. ¡°What¡¯s so bad about pointing out options? Co-Yor also did it when I was seeing him about my broken shoulder two months ago. We don¡¯t have to accept their offers if we don¡¯t like them, do we?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true, but the problem is we don¡¯t have alternatives. With the Sidereal being gutted and rebuilt in their shipyard, we have lost all access to our own medical facilities. If there¡¯s any complications or worsening conditions, we have no way of treating them ourselves.¡± Haroun explained his position. ¡°Also, who¡¯s to say that for example Jeffrey¡¯s prosthesis will not develop regular malfunctions? Oh sorry, it doesn¡¯t work when exposed to strong ultraviolet radiation, or in a magnetic field stronger than 100 microtesla, or whatever.¡±
Crewman Al-Tammar stood from his place on the large couch and walked in front of the accompanying table so that he could face the whole group at once. ¡°You all know it yourselves. If an annoyance just keeps coming back again and again and again, after some time you¡¯re willing to compromise on your principles just to get rid of it once and for all. In our current situation we have no way to defend ourselves against such underhanded tactics.¡±
Duncan sighed. ¡°Haroun, you still think they were Borg trying to mess with our perception or free will? I mean, it¡¯s been a whole week and there¡¯s been no sign of any malign intent on their part.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t believably been convinced of the opposite.¡± The Crewman replied flatly, before returning to his seat. ¡°Also, the ancestor simulation that attacked Picard made him go through several decades in less than half an hour. So whatever time we think we experienced is not a good measurement.¡±
¡°Neither am I convinced.¡± T¡¯Sai came to Al-Tammar¡¯s support. ¡°The technology I¡¯ve seen from them so far defies many well-established theories and principles in mathematics and several fields of physics. Their propulsion system alone violates half a dozen theorems and shouldn¡¯t be possible at all. Tarik briefly explained it to me, and quite frankly, the mere idea is ridiculous. Projecting a fractal quantum field into a forming transwarp tunnel should not produce the observable result, and it certainly shouldn¡¯t allow traveling at up to 1,000 light-years per hour.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget they started with Borg technology from the late 24th century and have over a thousand years of development on top of that. With hundreds or even thousands of trillions of people who can cooperate in a gigantic hive-mind and exchange ideas at the speed of thought there is going to be some improvements.¡± Ensign Th¡¯akianas reminded his peers.
¡°Fair enough. But there¡¯s a different between improvements and fairy tales. Fairy tales like their power supply.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the issue with their power supply?¡± Duncan asked curiously.
T¡¯Sai looked at her colleague for a second with a raised eyebrow, then answered his question. ¡°They are using Omega molecules.¡±
¡°Omega molecules? Never heard of that. What¡¯s it supposed to be?¡± Haroun asked.
The Vulcan continued, a slight expression of indignation on her face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know either. Apparently, Omega molecules are extremely potent and volatile particles, synthesized from boronite ore in a complicated, expensive, and slow process. They can be an extremely potent source of energy once properly contained, but still have a small chance of spontaneous catastrophic destabilization. Such a violent and uncontrollable reaction not only releases immense amounts of energy, but also destroys subspace for several light-years around.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding!¡± Shrass said shocked, his statement being half a question.
¡°No, I¡¯m not. Supposedly the Synergy managed to figure out a way not only how to create Omega molecules in large quantities and how to properly contain them, but also to eliminate the spontaneous destabilization risk inherent to them. This apparently allows them to build reactors that generate three to four orders of magnitude more energy in default configuration than the Sidereal¡¯s warp core could manage at highest possible parameters. However, that¡¯s not even the worst part of it. I casually asked Commander D¡¯raxis if she had ever heard of those molecules before. She hesitated to answer.¡±
Another Ensign, a male Human, from the far end of the couch interjected. ¡°Oh, come on, that can mean anything! You can¡¯t seriously be trying to tie that on our captain?¡±
T¡¯Sai focused her cold gaze on the Ensign before she continued. ¡°After a moment she said yes. Starfleet knows about Omega particles. She didn¡¯t tell me much more than this, even though I suspect she knows more about this topic than she said. As potent as these particles appear to be as an energy source, as devastating they could be as weapons of war, and I¡¯m absolutely convinced that SC, and Captain D¡¯raxis, know exactly what an Omega molecule is capable of.¡±
¡°What the hell?!¡± Shrass shouted, his voice booming in the living room. ¡°You¡¯re pulling our legs, T¡¯Sai. Do you know what you¡¯re saying? That¡¯s hard to believe!¡±
¡°I can assure you I¡¯m not¡ pulling your leg. I also had¡ difficulties¡ accepting what Captain D¡¯raxis¡¯ words implied. I¡¯ve done some simple estimations and found that a single destabilizing Omega molecule detonating near the Sol system could easily and permanently cut off Earth, Vulcan, and Andor from all known forms of FTL travel and communication.¡±
Suddenly the whole room had fallen silent and everyone looked at the Vulcan with a grave expression on their faces.
T¡¯Sai continued with a lowered voice. ¡°If we look at the history of Earth alone, it quickly becomes evident that everything that can be weaponized will be weaponized by someone eventually. Consider that Omega weaponry are the ultimate area denial devices. Target any sector, and everyone will take over a decade to get in, or out, or to anywhere inside.¡±
The Vulcan had barely finished speaking when the group exploded into a loud cacophony of arguing and discussion. The revelation that their captain had withheld such important information from them was challenging their convictions and felt like a slap in the face for many.
The arguments went on for a few minutes, before Duncan tried to restore some order. ¡°Guys! Calm down! This doesn¡¯t get us anywhere.¡± After the voices quieted down again, he turned to T¡¯Sai once more. ¡°So, let me get this straight. The technology the Synergy claims to possess is impossible, even in theory, by our understanding of physics. And their energy source is a prohibited technology that the Federation officially tries to eradicate due to its ability to double as a weapon of mass destruction on sector-scale. And our captain withheld that information from us since we got here?¡±
The Vulcan Junior Lieutenant nodded briefly. ¡°That is correct. While I don¡¯t completely want to deny the fact that it might be possible for them to indeed achieve such technological progress over the span of a thousand years, it all seems a little too convenient for a natural development. Given the mention of Occam¡¯s Razor in our last meeting and how it would apply to our current situation, I¡¯m now more inclined to think that there is some deception in place.¡±
¡°If that¡¯s the case, what are we supposed to do about it? We can¡¯t just sit and watch it happen!¡± Shrass responded, visibly agitated now.
¡°No, we can¡¯t. And we won¡¯t.¡± Duncan said with confidence and caution at the same time. ¡°But for now, we need to be careful and passive. We¡¯re not in a position where we can challenge anyone. Once we¡¯re back in control of the Sidereal we¡¯ll be much better off.¡±
¡°If we manage to hold out the next couple of months. Only then we¡¯ll see how serious the Synergy really is about giving us our ship back.¡± Haroun remarked, sighing in frustration. ¡°And if we manage to figure out who else could be on our side. I¡¯ll give the captain that I like how she handled the vote. It was good on her part to make the decision not by herself, but let the crew decide. And that she didn¡¯t participate in the discussions but only moderate it.¡±
Duncan and many others nodded in agreement, and some even voiced their assent, before he replied. ¡°Yes, that was good. But we still should try to find out who of the senior officers is with us on this. Ideally, we should manage to convince the captain, but I doubt she¡¯d listen to any of us. She seems far too busy making eyes at this engineer.¡±
T¡¯Sai raised her brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Tarik.¡± The Human Operations Officer continued. ¡°Or 4@19 or whatever he¡¯s called. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t noticed how much they hang out with each other? I¡¯m not surprised they¡¯d try and distract our CO from important matters. Maybe if we could get through to the XO or CTO or COS.¡±
¡°What about Jeffrey? He might be able to convince them more easily that something¡¯s wrong.¡± A Bolian Lieutenant sitting on a chair behind the couch asked.
Both Duncan and Haroun shook their heads in unison, before the Crewman spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can count on him. The thing with his arm definitively has him biased in the Synergy¡¯s favor. And when I was talking to him he¡¯s also mentioned that medic who treated him an awful lot. Sarowa or something like that. I think he¡¯s in the same situation as the captain.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Clark continued. ¡°If the counselor is out, then I think our best bet would be placed on the XO or CTO. They seem to not like the Synergy too much either. And I clearly remember how Niko tried to talk the captain out of allowing their engineering team onboard eight days ago. But we should still be careful with how we approach him. If we all come at him without solid proof he¡¯ll probably throw us in loony bin for being out of our minds, or the brig for attempted mutiny. As you know, Niko is a by-the-book and mission-comes-first officer.¡±
He looked around, facing each of his sixteen colleagues one by one before he continued. ¡°If there¡¯s any way at all to get to him and convince him of our perspective, it¡¯s by also doing things by-the-book. Anything else will probably move him closer to the CO, whom he considers a good friend. And nobody likes having a good friend accused of collaborating with an, from their perspective, invisible enemy. So, I think it¡¯s best if we leave that to the people who are more senior and already have to regularly deal with Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg.¡±
Duncan took a deep breath. ¡°Any objections or comments on that suggestion?¡±
Only Shrass spoke up. ¡°Only one¡ good luck with it. But what if we can¡¯t convince him or Lieutenant Neirrek?¡±
Haroun, T¡¯Sai, and the others looked from the Andorian to their host inquisitively, who simply shrugged his shoulders before answering honestly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess we¡¯ll have to think of something else then. But there¡¯s no use of worrying about that now. We¡¯ll still have enough opportunities to think about it when we get to that point.¡±
The group fell quiet and most people contemplated what¡¯s been said and discussed the last several minutes. The idea of mutiny was looming over their minds like Damocles¡¯ sword, an uncomfortable and inconvenient thought. There¡¯s been no mutiny on a Starfleet ship before, and the thought of being the first crew to rebel and rise against their CO sat wrong with many of them. But the facts were clear and out on the table. There was something strange going on, and they just could not all stand by idly and watch them run into their doom.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, Duncan stood from his seat. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing more to discuss, I¡¯d say we¡¯re done for tonight. It¡¯s been a long day for most of us.¡± He waited a couple more moments for someone to bring up a new topic, but when nobody did any many others also rose from their places, he concluded the meeting. ¡°Good, good. Until next week then. Take care and stay vigilant. And if you notice anything suspicious, come see me or T¡¯Sai ASAP.¡±
[ Act Four ]
Jeffrey touched the panel next to the doors of Visra¡¯s quarter. A soft chirp sounded, followed by a long moment of silence. Eventually, Ensign Arsiv¡¯s voice sounded through invisible speakers, carrying a careful tone. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Hello Visra, it¡¯s me, Jeffrey. I¡¯m here for our appointment. May I come in?¡±
¡°Oh. Oh yes, of course. Open!¡± Visra sounded a bit surprised, but still ordered the controls of her accommodation to let in her colleague.
The doors quietly slid open, and Jeffrey stepped into Visra¡¯s space, carrying only a small PADD in his hands. He slowly made his way from the entrance towards the living room, where he saw the young Alusi scientist sitting on the couch surrounded by a good dozen holographic displays.
¡°Sorry.¡± She looked up a little apologetically and smiled shyly. ¡°I forgot the time.¡± With a flick of her left hand she dismissed all the displays, and the room felt significantly less crowded now than it had a moment before. The good dozen or so PADDs on the living room table remained, however, cluttering its surface with their colorful screens. ¡°Can I get you something to drink?¡±
The counselor returned the smile and nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll have a glass of water, please.¡±
Visra rose from the couch, the shift in weight causing a soft cascade of rainbow-colored light to shine through the room as the Tholian silk of the furniture¡¯s cover refracted the warm ambient light. As she walked towards the spacious dining area containing the fabricator console, she turned to Jeffrey and gestured with her clawed hand. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Brassfield waited for a second, then sat down on one of the armchairs opposite the low table. Only a few seconds later Visra returned with two large glasses of water in her hands. She carefully handed one glass to Jeffrey and placed the other one on her side of the table.
The black-skinned human took a sip on his drink, the cooled water feeling refreshing on his tongue, before also putting the glass down. He took a deep breath and looked at his patient, who was already gazing at him with a mixture of trepidation and hopefulness. ¡°So, how are you doing, Visra?¡±
The science officer swallowed and responded with a soft voice that trembled ever so slightly. ¡°I¡¯m managing. When I can focus on my work or am occupied with learning about Synergy technology and science, I¡¯m okay. But when I¡¯m alone without something to keep me busy I get nervous and jumpy. I tried the focus exercises you showed me last time, and they help a little. Especially before going to bed.¡±
Jeffrey felt nothing but sympathy for his colleague. Visra had been under unimaginable stress during the accident, and now she unconsciously blamed herself for the situation the crew was in. Shori was correct with her layman diagnosis of Visra suffering from a case of PTSD and survivor¡¯s guilt.
¡°I¡¯m happy you tried the exercises we trained, and that they help you at least a little. But how well do you sleep? Did it get any better?¡± The counselor asked, closely watching her reaction to his question.
She just shook her head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay when I take the drugs Shori gave me. I tried it twice without them, and the nightmares came back each time. I know I shouldn¡¯t rely on the medication too much, but when I don¡¯t take them I¡¯m a wreck in the morning.¡±
Jeffrey was troubled by that statement. He still vividly remembered how she described her nightmares. How she was going through the accident repeatedly in her dreams but failed to save the ship and caused her friends¡¯ deaths or assimilation each time. He could only imagine how terrifying those experiences had to be for her.
¡°No worries Visra, you don¡¯t need to justify yourself.¡± He quickly added. ¡°If the drugs help you, then please keep taking them. There¡¯s nothing to be gained by making it harder on yourself. But I ask you to go and see Co-Yor immediately if you feel unwell or sick after taking the pills, or if you notice any other side effects, okay?¡±
The young Alusi nodded with a weak smile. ¡°Understood. But¡ can I ask you something?¡±
The black-skinned Human raised an eyebrow, but then smiled. ¡°Sure, what do you want to know?¡±
Visra slowly raised her hand and pointed the claw of her index finger at his right arm. ¡°How bad is it? Does it still hurt?¡±
Jeffrey was quite surprised by her question, curious that she managed the courage to talk about that topic, but answered it nonetheless. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t feel quite like my real arm did before, but it allows me to do basically everything I could do before. The Synergy¡¯s medics did an excellent good job with my treatments. The stump doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡±
He noticed immediately how her eyes welled up when he mentioned the word, stump. And before he could start another sentence, tears rolled over her purple and gray patterned cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡¡± She whispered, tearing her gaze away from him.
The counselor stood from his chair and walked over to the distressed science officer. He sat next to her and offered her his left, normal, hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Visra. It¡¯s really not your fault! I wager if it hadn¡¯t been for your quick thinking we¡¯d all be dead, and I take a prosthetic arm over being dead any day of the week. And I think my daughter will also prefer her daddy coming home with a robot arm, rather than not coming home at all, don¡¯t you think?¡±
Slowly she opened her wet crimson eyes again, and reluctantly looked at his hand. The Alusi sniffled weakly and took his hand. A soft sob escaped her throat. ¡°I¡¯m such a mess¡¡±
¡°No, no you¡¯re not.¡± Jeffrey spoke with a calm and reassuring tone, his voice soft and deep. ¡°You¡¯re just going through a difficult time, but I¡¯m here to help and support you. We all experience situations now and then that we are unable to face alone. There¡¯s no shame in seeking help. There¡¯s no benefit in letting a false sense of ego or pride prevent you from asking for support.¡±
He felt Visra weakly squeeze his hand, and he returned the squeeze a little more firmly. ¡°And don¡¯t feel bad about my arm. It looks worse than it is.¡± He offered her his other, prosthetic hand. ¡°You can touch it if you want.¡±
The young scientist started at Jeffrey as if he had asked her to cut of his other arm as well. She blinked the lingering tears away, sniffling softly. ¡°I¡ I don¡¯t know¡¡± Her gaze dropped to the dull silvery brushed metal hand hiding halfway underneath right sleeve of the counselor¡¯s uniform jacket.
¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. Everything¡¯s alright. If you want to give it a try, we can do it. If you would prefer not to touch it, then that¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± Jeffrey reassured her, still holding her hand in his left hand. ¡°There¡¯s no pressure, no expectations. The choice is completely up to you.¡±
¡°You¡ you¡¯re not going to get mad?¡± She asked in a hushed voice while carefully and suspiciously eying the counselor¡¯s metallic hand.
He squeezed her hand and laughed softly. ¡°Of course not, Visra. I¡¯m not mad at you now, and I promise you I will not get mad at you later. I just want to help you. I want to show you and help you understand that my prosthesis is nothing you need to be afraid or ashamed of. And that I don¡¯t harbor any ill will or grudges against you for it.¡±
The Alusi took a deep breath, shuddering softly as she did, but then nodded. Gathering all her courage, she almost whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±
Jeffrey returned her nod and replied. ¡°Okay. Just let me get my arm free.¡± He released her hand from his grasp and went to undo the bioelectric zipper of his jacket, wiggling his right arm out of the sleeve a moment later. Now his prosthesis was mostly uncovered, only the harness where it connected to the stump was still hidden by his undershirt.
Visra suddenly looked as if she¡¯d seen a ghost, taken slightly aback by how casually Jeffrey was moving and handling his artificial arm. Her tiny sliver of confidence from a few moments before swept aside by another wave of self-doubt. The prosthesis looked so strange and foreign to her, and the more she looked at it, the more uncomfortable she felt. ¡°Jeffrey¡¡±
The black-skinned counselor moved the mechanical arm away from her. ¡°It¡¯s okay Visra. It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t look at my arm, look at my face. Look in my eyes. Everything¡¯s fine.¡± His voice eventually calmed her down, and she visibly relaxed as she looked in his clear blue eyes. He even managed to lure a weak smile onto her face. ¡°If you still want to try it, we can try something else. But if you want to stop, that¡¯s perfectly fine. Just let me know when it gets too difficult for you, and we¡¯ll stop immediately.¡±
The young scientist¡¯s weak smile wavered, but she still managed to nod her agreement. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±
¡°Maybe it would be easier for you to close your eyes, and not look at my arm.¡± Jeffrey answered calmly. ¡°Only if you think that could help you, of course.¡±
The Alusi focused the counselor with her eyes, and he could easily see her large light blue irises work back and forth while she contemplated his suggestion. After a few long moments of silence, she nodded and slowly closed her eyes. The ridges above her eyes shifted slightly as she closed her thick leathery eyelids, covering her crimson red sclera.
Slowly, millimeter by millimeter, Visra moved her hand closer and closer to where she remembered Jeffrey¡¯s prosthesis to be. While she was gradually reaching for his arm, the Human held still, whispering words of encouragement and support. Finally, after almost four minutes of slow progress, hesitation, withdrawal, and again progress, the Alusi¡¯s clawed fingertips finally brushed against the cool smooth metallic surface of his artificial limb.
A soft gasp escaped from Visra¡¯s throat as she ran her fingers over the surface, feeling Jeffrey¡¯s prosthesis for the first time since she saw it. It felt quite different than what she¡¯d have expected. Instead of it being a crude, utterly cold, and raw mechanical apparatus, it turned out to be a highly sophisticated, well sculpted, and smoothly textured replacement.
¡°How does it feel?¡± He asked carefully, his voice sounding carefully optimistic.
¡°It¡¯s¡ different from what I expected.¡±
¡°In a good or a bad way?¡±
¡°Good way. It feels much less like¡ a machine than I would have thought it would.¡± Visra softly replied.
Jeffrey let out a soft chuckle, the tender exploring touches of his colleague tickling him. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. How would you feel if I told you that I can feel every touch of yours and you¡¯re tickling me?¡±
She let out an embarrassed squeak and abruptly withdrew her hand. Her eyes flew open and she stared at him, stammering an apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡¡±
He simply shook his head. ¡°Visra, it¡¯s okay. No need to apologize.¡± He held his right arm out for her, close to her hands. ¡°If you want you can keep touching it.¡±
The Alusi scientist took a deep breath, and her eyes jumped between Jeffrey¡¯s face and his arm. ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t mean to make you uncomfortable¡¡± She murmured.
¡°I¡¯m fine Visra, don¡¯t worry about me. This is all about how you feel.¡± The counselor smiled, hopefully offering his artificial hand to his colleague.
She looked at his open hand pensive for a long moment, but then took a deep breath and started to reach out again. Jeffrey held still and let Visra control the situation at her personal pace, not wanting to scare or pressure her into doing something she found disturbing. The scientist hesitated for a few more seconds, then carefully and slowly took his hand. This time it was a full handshake, palm on palm with fingers wrapping around, instead of only the tips tracing along the outside.
Visra looked somewhat miserable for the first few seconds of contact, but after some time her expression changed from stressed to neutral. She gently squeezed Jeffrey¡¯s fingers, feeling the artificial extremity react under her touch. When she squeezed, the material gave a little, and almost felt as if she was squeezing metallic flesh. Not completely hard, but also not completely soft. When Jeffrey squeezed, she could feel simulated bones and sinews move, providing the illusion, and sensations she mused, of a normal humanoid hand.
¡°How do you feel now?¡± The counselor asked while holding hands with his patient.
¡°I¡ I think I feel a little better. It¡¯s still scaring me to touch or even think of your arm, but it¡¯s not as horrifying anymore, I believe.¡± Visra responded, her voice much less shaky than it was a few minutes ago.
¡°I understand. I¡¯m really happy, and glad for you, that you managed to do this.¡± Jeffrey commented with a warm smile on his lips. ¡°It might not seem like much to you, but you¡¯ve taken a huge step towards overcoming your fears and guilt. I hope we can continue working on this and, at some point, start our sessions with a strong and steady handshake. What do you say?¡±
The young Alusi looked up at the black-skinned Human, a shy and weak, but hopeful, smile on her face. Thinking about the normalcy of shaking Jeffrey¡¯s hand without breaking down in fear or being consumed by doubts sounded quite nice. She hoped that someday she could return to that. After a moment of contemplation, she finally replied. ¡°Sounds good, I guess.¡±
¡°Sounds good.¡± He confirmed. Eventually he released the handshake. ¡°Previously you mentioned keeping yourself busy with work and learning about the Synergy¡¯s technology. If it¡¯s okay for me to ask, I¡¯d like to know if you¡¯ve been keeping your sleeping schedule.¡±
Visra took a deep breath before she answered. The conversation between the counselor and his patient continued for more than forty minutes. Some of her answers worried Jeffrey, while others made him confident that she was making progress. Eventually, the session came to an end, and Jeffrey bid his goodbye. On the way back to his own quarters, he made a few more entries in Visra¡¯s patient file, noting down the troubles and growth she¡¯d told him.
[ Act Five ]
¡°Sir, I think you want to see this.¡± The young male humanoid said, his voice carrying a slightly concerned tone. The man¡¯s skin was like black marble and shimmered like polished stone under the office¡¯s ever-present lighting. The dark gray uniform on his body looked like a skin-tight ribbed tube, crossed by various loops and wires.
An older light-skinned humanoid with an already receding hairline looked up from the holographic display on his desk made from smooth pitch-black brushed metal. He wore the same, somewhat ridiculous looking tube-like uniform. ¡°What is it, Agent Hlorix?¡±
¡°The defense grid detected an unexpected event, and the resulting changes are excessive. I have the data here.¡±
The older man let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Oh well, let¡¯s see it.¡± With a slight flick of his right wrist the projection over his desk disappeared, and a split second later the whole room was filled with the flowing holographic strands and circles of the observatory. The man stood from his chair and walked into the middle of the array. Looking around, his face gradually became more and more worried, and the furrows on his forehead deeper and deeper.
¡°Are you kidding me?¡± He eventually exclaimed, turning to the other Agent. ¡°This¡ how could we not see this coming earlier? This is a disaster!¡±
The dark-skinned humanoid cocked his head. ¡°Unknown. The detection grid is working at full capacity, and a level two diagnosis shows no errors or interruptions.
The middle-aged human ran his hands through his short cut brown hair, looking at the interwoven strands and the bubbles surrounding them in desperation. He turned to his fellow Agent, pointing his right hand directly at him to emphasize his orders. ¡°I want you to send this data immediately to TRU nineteen, the archives, and to all available incursion executors. In that order, understood? I¡¯ll contact the director and try to explain why the Federation¡¯s less than half the size it¡¯s supposed to be.¡±
¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The young man¡¯s strange uniform creaked slightly as he turned, and he left the office at a brisk pace.
Once Agent Danlen was alone in his office, he futilely threw his fist at the bubble indicating the origin of a massive temporal deviation. A massive bundle of causality strands and effect ribbons branched out from the small red sphere, cascading through the timeline like an unstoppable avalanche down the slope of a mountain. Timot glanced at the ruby-red sphere, once more reading the letters taunting him.
SOURCE OF TEMPORAL DISRUPTION
SUBJECT: NCC-69765 USS Sidereal
CAUSE: Quantum and temporal displacement by spacetime anomaly
EFFECT: 17,493,844 subsequent cascading disruptions
His gaze followed the strands, focusing on the thicker, more solid ones which indicated more serious disruptions of the timeline. The largest strand of them all was connected to the one name popping up again and again. Captain Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis. Her absence created quite a chaos, and that was the understatement of the millennium.
Without her command, crucial battles in brooding border conflicts with the Tzenkethi as well as the Tholians were lost, encouraging several other mid-sized powers of the quadrant to try their luck and carve a sector or two out of the Federation¡¯s territory. Without her decisions, the grandfather of the Starfleet engineer who would eventually discover a unified theory allowing the combination of transwarp and quantum slipstream into subspace slipstream, was never born. Without her presence, the membership negotiations with the fractured remains of the Romulan Star Empire failed, causing the Klingon Empire to withdraw their own application to the Federation as well.
The resulting changed timeline was a complete mess. The UFP was significantly smaller and weaker than it should have been. Instead of joining the Federation, the Klingon Empire turned on the remains of the RSE in a brutal conquest. Due to the lack of subspace slipstream, Starfleet never built and launched their first intergalactic missions. Diplomatic contact with the Kelvan Empire was not established, eventually leading to catastrophic results when they sent an invasion fleet to the Milky Way shy over 950 years from now.
Danlen took a deep breath to calm his nerves. After a long moment of trying to find his focus again, he waved his hand to dismiss the temporal observatory. The display vanished within the blink of an eye, only to be replaced by a holographic screen Timot conjured with a different gesture. ¡°Computer, establish channel to FTA headquarters, Director¡¯s office. Priority one, authorization Danlen-Three-Seven-Aleph-Nine-Nabla-Seven.¡±
The screen showed a stylized Federation logo, surrounded by the Federation Temporal Agency¡¯s creed, ¡°Tempora aptari decet.¡± Times should be adapted to. The temporal agent grinned grimly as he read the words while waiting for the channel to be established. Finally, after several long moments the communication channel was ready, and Director Xahs, and elderly Gorn with dark brown, almost black, scales and dim gold eyes appeared on the screen.
¡°Agent Danlen. You rarely use priority one, so I assume the business is urgent?¡± The Director spoke with the slight lips and the sharply pronounced ¡°s¡± and ¡°r¡± sounds so typical for his species.
¡°Yes Director, it is. We¡¯ve just detected a massive temporal disruption that only showed up on our grid after it occurred. As far as we can tell it¡¯s not an incursion by another time traveling power, nor is it a purely natural phenomenon which we could have detected earlier. We don¡¯t know what caused it, but the disruption completely wrecked the timeline. Transmitting all available data now. I¡¯ve sent Agent Hlorix to activate temporal response unit nineteen, as well as all available incursion commanders. But¡¡±.
The Gorn narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yes¡?¡±
¡°Sir, I think we¡¯re under attack.¡±
¡°What made you come to this conclusion, Agent Danlen?¡±
Timot took a deep breath. ¡°This singular disruption caused damage on the same scale as the Temporal Cold War. The Federation is half the size it should be, and the Romulans and Klingons are not members. Starfleet will not build and launch the USS Phaio to carry a delegation to the Kelvan Empire, and because we thusly don¡¯t establish permanent diplomatic contact they¡¯ll send an invasion fleet in less than one thousand years that will completely conquer the Milky Way.¡±
Xahs leaned back in his seat and shook his scaly head. ¡°That is very troubling indeed. What are our available options to repair the damage?¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know yet. It will be extremely difficult to ascertain, because the disruption¡¯s subject also experienced a quantum displacement, and is no longer part of our reality. So far there is no indication that it will reenter our timeline at any point. Since we¡¯re still uncertain about the exact cause of the disruption, we cannot rule out with certainty that the subject will return, causing even more changes to the timeline.¡±
The Gorn¡¯s audibly sigh sounded more like a hiss, but less because of aggression and more because of concern. The Director looked up and focused Timot again. ¡°I understand. For now, proceed according to emergency protocol. You are hereby granted the right to violate the Temporal Prime Directive, under authority of the Federation Temporal Agency, to restore the original timeline by any means necessary. Is that understood, Agent Danlen?¡±
The temporal agent nodded. ¡°Yes Sir.¡±
Director Xahs also nodded, then closed the channel.
Timot let out a sigh and leaned against his desk. His mind was racing in his head, as he tried to organize the facts already available to him. Repairing this disruption would be an absolute headache. Their top priority would be to-
A sudden clap from behind him derailed his train of thought and made him jump around with a shocked gasp. Danlen stared for a second at the utterly surreal image before him. There was a middle-aged Caucasian man with somewhat scrubby short brown hair, wearing sunglasses and dressed in crimson red boardshorts and an almost painfully bright yellow aloha shirt ordained with the insignia of all known major interstellar powers, laying on a beach chair and applauding him.
The temporal agent¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Who are you, and how did you get in here?¡±
¡°Oh, come on, Daniels! Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± The intruder playfully asked.
¡°No, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m certain we haven¡¯t met before. And for you my name is Agent Danlen, not Daniels.¡±
¡°Oh well, Daniels. I really do like introducing myself. It¡¯s always so interesting to see people¡¯s first reactions.¡± The unknown man chuckled, then rose from the beach chair. He snapped his fingers and suddenly the beach chair and sunglasses were gone in a flash of light, and at the same time a Pi?a Colada appeared in his left hand. The stranger took a long sip from the cocktail, whose incredibly sweet scent started spreading through the office, and made a mock bow. ¡°May I introduce myself. My name is Q. Also known as Q, or Q.¡±
Timot¡¯s left eye twitched slightly. Twice. Of course, he had read about the mischievous endeavors of the entities collectively known as the Q Continuum, but he would have never expected to become their victim himself. He had always been glad that they seemed to prefer torturing and antagonizing starship captains instead of temporal agents. But apparently his luck had run out.
¡°Okay, Q¡ what do you want? I really don¡¯t have time for your games.¡±
Agent Danlen had barely finished speaking when Q exploded into a hearty laughter. ¡°Oh, stop it, Daniels! You humans are always so hilarious. Don¡¯t you see the irony? A temporal agent, a time traveler, complaining about not having enough time.¡± He commented in his typical exaggerated intonation, still chuckling in between words.
But from one moment to the next, Q¡¯s laughter died, and he became dead serious. ¡°And you think this is a game? Oh, mon capitai¡ sorry, force of habit. Mon agent temporel! This is not a game, quite the contrary. I¡¯m trying to save your quaint little Federation. Actually, the whole galaxy!¡±
¡°So, if you are that busy, why are you then here antagonizing me?¡±
Q snapped his fingers. With a blinding flash of light his drink was gone, and his apparel changed into a 31st century Fleet Admiral¡¯s uniform. ¡°I¡¯m here to ensure you don¡¯t ruin everything.¡±
¡°Ruin everything? I¡¯m terribly sorry but I won¡¯t have time to mess with your plot, whatever it might be. We have our hands full with trying to restore the timeline.¡± Timot replied, visibly agitated by now. The temporal agent closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
¡°I know.¡±
Danlen¡¯s eyes blinked open. ¡°What?¡±
¡°I said, I know. Because I did it.¡±
Suddenly Agent Danlen was right up in Q¡¯s face, angrily shouting at the Q. ¡°You what?! Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done?¡±
¡°Of course!¡± Q replied, indignant about Timot¡¯s accusation. ¡°I¡¯m Q, not some¡ limited human bumbling through spacetime barely knowing what it¡¯s all about.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve messed up everything! You¡¯ve broken the Federation and guaranteed that the Kelvans will conquer the Milky Way. If that¡¯s what you call, saving us, then please never ever help us again!¡±
Now Q took a deep breath and let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Now now, I didn¡¯t mess things up. The quantum fissure that displaced the Sidereal was already there. I merely moved it to a more¡ useful¡ location. Anyway, your people have come such a long way, and still, even six centuries after Picard, I have to explain every little thing to you because you can¡¯t put two and two together.¡±
He snapped with his fingers, and the temporal agent¡¯s office had turned into a small, cramped, 19th century classroom. Q was wearing a Victorian era suit and stood in front of a massive chalkboard, while Danlen had been put sitting at the sole student¡¯s desk. The blackboard was covered with temporal mechanics and shifting causality strands, that changed as Q continued talking.
¡°Good morning, class! Today¡¯s lesson is: why Q was right in making the changes to the timeline, and why we should not try to revert them.¡±
Timot groaned in frustration while finding himself unable to rise from his chair. ¡°This is preposterous, Q!¡±
¡°Au contraire, Daniels. If you think that restoring the timeline to what you call normal would save the Federation and prevent the Kelvans¡¯ invasion, then you¡¯re just as shortsighted and simpleminded as Picard was all those centuries ago.¡±
¡°We know it because we¡¯ve seen it! I¡¯ve been there when the USS Phaio delivered the Federation delegation to the Kelvan Empire! I¡¯ve witnessed the first ship of Kelvan refugees landing on Turina Seti VI! There will be no invasion, there will be no war! But that only happens if the USS Sidereal is returned and the normal timeline restored!¡± Agent Danlen retorted, almost shouting again. He now completely understood Captain Picard¡¯s frustration with Q, and why Commander Sisko had punched him.
¡°See? This is exactly what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Q slammed his pointing stick down on Danlen¡¯s desk. ¡°You never try to understand why something is really happening! You always only try to get rid of the immediate symptoms and then call it a job well done, while the true origin of the problem is left to fester and grow in the dark.¡±
¡°What in damnation are you on about?¡±
¡°We can get to that with only a few simple questions. Why does Starfleet need the USS Phaio?¡±
The temporal agent sighed, but he had no other choice than to play Q¡¯s silly game. ¡°To send a diplomatic delegation to the Kelvan Empire in the Andromeda galaxy.¡±
¡°Very good! What is that delegation supposed to achieve?¡±
¡°Negotiating a peaceful coexistence and possible resettlement of parts of the Kelvan Empire to uninhabited worlds in the Milky Way.¡±
¡°Excellent! That¡¯s already two out of five points. Why is that negotiation so important?¡±
Timot breathed deeply before answering. He absolutely hated this whole display, and that Q found it necessary to put up this charade instead of simply saying what he meant. ¡°Because the Kelvan Empire is not used to coexistence, only conquest, and would otherwise send an invasion fleet to conquer our galaxy before resettlement.¡±
Q nodded in agreement and raised his right hand, showing three fingers. ¡°Why does the Kelvan Empire want to resettle so desperately?¡±
¡°Because the radiation levels in their own galaxy are quickly changing and will approach levels making it inhospitable for them within less than 9,500 years.¡±
Four fingers raised. ¡°Correct! We¡¯re almost there. Only one question remains. What exactly is causing the change in radiation levels at this impossibly rapid speed?¡±
Agent Danlen blinked.
¡°Well?¡±
¡°¡ that is unknown. We suspect a naturally occurring cascade of radiogenic subspace particles causing a-¡±
¡°So, you don¡¯t know. You guess. And that¡¯s the problem. You assume that a sudden change in the environmental parameters of a whole galaxy that makes it inhospitable for the dominant power was a natural phenomenon. Tell me Daniels, have you ever possibly heard of something like that before? Just maybe?¡±
Timot stared at Q. ¡°I¡ you mean¡ that¡¯s impossible! There is no indication whatsoever that the Sphere Builders are involved.¡±
¡°Ah, you made the right connections. But no, I¡¯m not talking about the Sphere Builders in this instance. I¡¯m talking about something far, far worse. A threat more dangerous to the Federation now, than the Borg were 600 years ago. I think you know how woefully unprepared the Federation was for the Borg, and how much it cost you?¡±
The Agent nodded, his lips pressed into the thin line.
¡°This threat is a lurking shadow, hiding in the dark between the galaxies. They are old and patient, waiting for the right time to strike. They are cruel, vicious, and merciless. And they are coming for you.¡±
¡°Impossible. We¡¯ve seen the timeline progress tens of thousands of years into the future. There is no such threat.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t see them, because they are beyond the reach of space and time. Your technology is unable to detect them. But we have seen them. We have seen them consume whole stars, devour whole galaxies. They are responsible for the changes in the Andromeda galaxy. They will drive the Kelvans before them, destabilize the Milky Way, and then come to destroy you all.¡±
¡°Then why don¡¯t you simply whisk them away to other end of the universe? I thought you Q were omnipotent.¡±
Q chuckled. ¡°As much as it pains me to admit¡ we Q are not really omnipotent. We¡¯re as close as anyone can ever hope to get to it, but there are still things that can challenge¡ or even threaten¡ us. And this threat is one of those things.¡±
Hearing Q¡¯s words, Agent Danlen suddenly felt a shiver racing down his spine. An enemy posing a threat even to the Q? An enemy they cannot see coming, even with their temporal sensors? If Q spoke the truth, then this was terrifying news.
¡°You could provide us with your weapons, or better technolo-¡±
¡°I could, but what use would it be? Giving you Continuum weapons would be like handing a transphasic torpedo to a caveman. You¡¯d only blow up yourselves or some star systems around you every time you try to figure out the right power settings. No, there is a different way. The USS Sidereal. Sina and her crew will make discoveries in a different reality that will eventually allow the Federation to withstand that threat. But they must be allowed to make those discoveries. You must not interfere! You must not restore the timeline, or you will doom this galaxy!¡±
Q held Danlen¡¯s staring gaze for a few more seconds, then stepped back and snipped his fingers. He was gone in a flash of light and the office was back to normal, with Timot standing next to his desk as he was before. The temporal agent quickly looked around, making sure that Q was really gone before breathing a sigh of relief. But before he could conjure the comms interface on his desk, he heard one last message in Q¡¯s echoing voice.
¡°Remember, do not interfere!¡±
[1x07] Where Your Hope Is Like A Dream
[ Act One ]
¡°Captain¡¯s log, August 2nd, 3517.
Today it¡¯s been twenty days since we arrived in this alternate reality after our close encounter with the quantum fissure. By now, life for my crew and myself seems to slow down at long last, and most of our fears and worries have disappeared. Still, the lingering shadow of the uncertainty of our future remains.
As far as I¡¯m aware and informed, the general mood of our group has greatly improved during the last week since the last of our wounded colleagues were released from the care of the Synergy medics. As I mentioned in my previous entries, Co-Yor attested that the treatments they all received were well done and they were all fit to return to duty.
The question remains, though, what duty? We¡¯re all desperately trying to find any kind of sanity in this insane situation, but it¡¯s difficult for all of us. Without access to our ship, there¡¯s only so much we can do in our attempts to find normalcy and daily routine.
A big part of it is Rel¡¯s physical training, which is a welcome, or for some maybe not so welcome, excuse to get the whole crew together for a few hours and exercise as a team. Lieutenant Neirrek is as passionate and¡ dare I say, happy¡ about running his PT every other day as always. He takes great joy and pride in making sure we all stay in shape, and his exercises always leave a lasting impression for the next day.
Aside from that there¡¯s surprisingly little for us to do. Yesterday I asked Hiora about the possibility to maybe rebuilt one of our holodecks in the diplomatic sector to provide a diversion from the current monotony, but it turns out the Synergy has abandoned holographic projections for recreational purposes altogether. They are only using that technology for interfaces and other non-entertainment purposes like the astral observatory. But even those are rapidly falling out of style in favor of purely virtual replacements.
The conversation I had with 18@31 made me quite curious about this one aspect of the Synergy¡¯s hive-mind. The way she described it made it obvious that their interconnected consciousness is not only a means for communication, calculation, or information sharing, but also contains the ability to enhance any member¡¯s perception with augmented reality overlays or to submerge them completely in a pure virtual reality simulation. She was a bit secretive with the details, but she did mention that this technology does not rely on sensory input, but rather creates the neural stimuli directly in the user¡¯s brain.
It¡¯s obvious that once you have that kind of technology, you have little need or use for holodecks or similar installations any more. What¡¯s the point of having a room in which you can look at a dragon, when there¡¯s technology that can turn you into a dragon, and allow you to experience flying through the sky while breathing clouds of fire? But the more I think about that promise, the more I feel like a little girl poking a campfire¡¯s flames with her fingers. I¡¯m so curious about it and tempted to ask if there¡¯s a way to experience it temporarily, that I fear I¡¯ll get to close, and it will burn me eventually.
Maybe this is how we¡¯re all going to end here if we can¡¯t find a way back. Assimilated into their society, not by force but by choice. Isn¡¯t this somewhat like how the Federation works? That you become so convinced of the group¡¯s advantages that you willingly become a part of it, even if it means having to change yourself? So far none of us have seen any hints of malice or cruelty in the Synergy, and the sheer variety of species working together in harmony and perfect unity is astonishing. We¡¯ve seen many known species from all quadrants of the galaxy, and at least three dozen unknown ones.
Anyway¡ for now we¡¯ll focus on finding our pace and holding out until the Sidereal is restored. Tarik provides me with daily updates on the progress of the repairs. He says that work is proceeding as planned, and that in a few days the last Federation technology will be removed from the superstructure. I¡¯ve seen holographic projections of our ship¡¯s current state, and it looks like a skeleton stripped of all flesh and sinews. I really wonder if they can keep the projected schedule and complete the rebuilding in the now remaining four months.
Speaking of Tarik, I reluctantly admit that I do enjoy his company a lot. He has seemingly unending patience, and no matter how many probably very silly questions I throw at him, until now he¡¯d managed to answer them all with confidence, competence, and a sliver of dry wit and humor that always makes me laugh. I hope he¡¯ll stay with us for a long time, because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met a more charismatic and engaged tutor, cybernetic implants or not.
A part of me wished we had met under different circumstances, but I know I¡¯d never have existed in his universe. He told me about his career, his family, his life. I would have never expected him to be over 180 years old. He certainly doesn¡¯t look a day older than forty, forty-five at most. He explained to me how their nanoprobes and the medical technology and knowledge their ancestors had assimilated, especially from the Vidiians, had led to a greatly increased life expectancy for all members of the Synergy.
When he told me this I was fascinated by how casually he spoke of two utterly horrible events, both the ruthless assimilation technology of the Borg and the despicable methods the Vidiians were forced to develop just to survive the Phage, and how they became something that eventually helped so many trillions to survive and prosper.
This seems to be one of the Synergy¡¯s strengths. They are not stopped or held back by the terrible things their ancestors have done, but they look at those deeds, the technologies and practices, and think of a way to turn it into something good while not falling into the same traps again. While I may disagree with that approach in certain instances, in general it seems to have worked quite well for them.
Also, I realize that soon I¡¯ll have to make the decision whether to relinquish control of the Sidereal¡¯s main computer core to the Synergy engineers and provide them with the encryption passkey. There¡¯s no ship to be had without a computer core, after all, and they need full access to all systems. Besides, I still want to know where and how exactly the timelines of our realities diverged from each other. Still, the cultural information in our main computer seems to be quite valuable for the Synergy, and I¡¯d hate to give up our biggest bargaining chip too easily.
I¡¯ll have to check with my senior officers and consider what they think about the idea, but I know for me there¡¯s no way around making that decision one way or another. I¡¯m painfully aware of all the regulations I¡¯d violate by sharing classified Starfleet data with a foreign government, but what choice do I have? I must think of the wellbeing of my crew first. If I have to commit an act of treason to ensure the safety of my people, I¡¯ll gladly stand trial when we return home and face the consequences of my actions. I can only hope I¡¯m doing the right thing.
But I can already imagine that not everyone will be happy if I release the computer core. Just a few hours ago I completed the first round of one hour long one-on-one meetings with every individual member of my crew, which I use to show presence and gauge the general mood and perspective before unhappiness turns into problems. Jeffrey suggested doing this a while ago to keep the crew informed and content, but it¡¯s quite time consuming. I try to spread it out over the course of several weeks, but those sixty-seven hours are still taking quite a chunk out of my schedule.
There are several crew members, I¡¯d say about twenty, that are certainly reserved and distrusting of the Synergy. I was a little surprised that alpha shift ops officer Junior Lieutenant Clark was amongst that group, but I¡¯m not faulting any of them. I can¡¯t order my people to like the Synergy, only to cooperate with them when necessary. Ultimately, it¡¯s their decision and their personal prerogative to reject the Synergy for as long as that doesn¡¯t cause any trouble for the rest of us. I¡¯ll rather have members of my crew that are open with their distrust of our new friends, then have them grin and bear it and become dangerous later.
Finally, I¡¯ve received a personal communication from the Matriarch. She¡¯ll return to Earth tomorrow and requested a private meeting with me and my senior officers. I¡¯m curious and carefully optimistic about this meeting. What little interaction I had with Matriarch Chiaxi made her seem to possess a refined sense for diplomacy, an uncanny foresight, as well as a firm grasp on which words or actions any given situation requires. I hope she¡¯ll give us some good news in response to the decision we made.
I also expect that in this upcoming meeting she¡¯ll provide us with regulations and restrictions about what we¡¯re allowed to do in their space and what would get us in trouble. There¡¯s probably a whole catalog of rules and laws we¡¯ll have to learn to understand how this galaxy works and not screw things up the moment we set foot outside the solar system.
I know this reads more like an entry to an insecure teenager¡¯s diary than a captain¡¯s log, but the situation is just so difficult for all of us. I try to do well by my crew and inspire them, but I honestly don¡¯t know how long I can put up with this pressure. I don¡¯t know how Captain Janeway managed to hold out, but I now know how she must have felt. Alone, forsaken, hopeless.
I always admired her strength and dedication to get her crew safely back home. Doesn¡¯t mean I have to agree with everything she did, but she never gave up. I don¡¯t know if I can do the same.
When I woke up this morning, I cried. I sat on my bed and just cried. I don¡¯t even know for how long. It feels as if the whole world is looming over my head, threatening to come crashing down at any moment. I should really talk with Niko and Jeffrey. The last thing the crew needs is seeing their captain having a breakdown in front of them. I¡¯m just so scared I¡¯ll disappoint them. Or make errors in a situation that doesn¡¯t allow errors and get someone injured, or worse.
There¡¯s been a recurring thought that started creeping into my mind more and more often in the past weeks. If Shelen was still with us, he¡¯d know what to do. He¡¯d know what to say. But I¡ maybe mom was right. Maybe I wasn¡¯t ready for my own command yet.
End log.¡±
Sina dropped the PADD she had used to dictate her log entry onto the low table in her quarter¡¯s living room. She let out a heavy, strained, sigh as she reached for the tall glass of iced coffee, her mind still reeling with the dozens of things keeping her occupied each day. The Romulan leaned back into the impossibly soft cushions covered with Tholian silk and took a long sip from her drink. Her gaze followed the refracted rainbow-colored gleams to the huge windows and beyond, into the star sprinkled darkness above Earth.
Scores of Synergy ships flitted by, racing above the annulus, coming and going according to an invisible schedule, neither worrying nor caring about Sina¡¯s fears and doubts. She looked back at the recording, her brows furrowing as she recognized how she became undone more with each topic she talked about. For a short moment she considered editing or redoing it, but then she shrugged. The chances of anyone else ever reading her log were slim. So why bother?
Not even ten minutes later she was drifting off into an uneasy sleep. She curled up into a ball on her couch and wrapped herself into the soft prismatic shimmer caused by Earth¡¯s light bouncing off the furniture¡¯s Tholian silk covers.
[ Act Two ]
The panorama was breathtaking. Sina stood at the railing of the extensive balcony near the top of the five kilometers tall arcology and let her gaze wander across the vast nexus seemingly stretching endlessly from the pyramid¡¯s foot to the horizon and beyond. The city was beautiful. She was sure that wasn¡¯t the word she would have expected to use, but it was true.
The city below was a wild, apparently chaotic mixture of gray metal and green trees and bushes, but she quickly started to notice the patterns in the pathways, streets, and bridges. Sol III¡¯s nexus 103 was a wonderful patchwork of Synergy technology and architecture, and veins and spots of flora sneaking through the city. From her elevated vantage point she could see the various districts in their different shades of gray and the vastly different types of plants and trees growing all over it.
Urban areas with living quarters were a light, almost white, gray with hundreds of tall thick trees providing shadow, while industrial areas were almost black, with large parts of the buildings covered by thick layers of ivy. Venues of trading and transportation were colored in a matte gray with sparkles of colorful holographic info panels.
Thousands of small, blocky shuttle craft dotted through the sky, both above and below the balcony¡¯s level. Now and then a larger vessel made its way past, like the medium sized transport with decidedly Krenim design slowly approaching the trading quarter, and in the distance Sina could even see a sphere and a cube with their typical white-blue outer hull hovering silently in midair.
¡°Still not tired of looking at the city?¡± Niko asked as he approached his captain. Like her, and the rest of the senior officers, he was wearing his light gray dress uniform.
The Romulan shook her head. ¡°No, and I don¡¯t think I will soon. I¡¯d have expected most, if not all, nexuses to be stinking, ugly, black and brown hubs of industry and pollution. But this here is something else completely. It¡¯s bright, and there¡¯s so much green everywhere. It almost reminds me of Dublin or London, but just so much larger.¡±
Her first officer leaned against the railing and took a deep breath of the fresh and only slightly chilly air. ¡°I know what you mean. Looking down from here, I almost feel like all those years ago when I stood on the observation platform of the subspace antenna pylon in Berlin for the first time as a child. I was so afraid that I¡¯d stumble and fall on our way up to the elevator, but my father held my hand the whole time. But once I was at the top, I couldn¡¯t get enough of it. Being able to see my hometown from almost 2,000 meters up was amazing. I remember coming back several more times, every time discovering something new.¡±
Niko had barely finished when they heard Tarik approach them. He was again wearing a normal arm on his left socket, and a non-engineering attire almost identical to the previous one. It was obvious from the expression on his face that he still didn¡¯t enjoy diplomatic encounters. ¡°I just received the update that the Matriarch¡¯s flagship has entered the solar system. She will arrive any moment. Would you please join us inside?¡± Sina chuckled softly while she imagined how 4@19 probably wished to be on his sphere and conduct some propulsion maintenance rather than sit through another official audience.
The Commander quickly cleared her throat and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± On their way inside they collected the other senior officers that had enjoyed the view from the balcony that was protected against the harsh winds and cold by an insulation force field. A few moments later Sina, Niko, Rel, Shori, and Co-Yor entered the diplomatic hall, and joined Duncan, Noriko, Visra, and Jeffrey who were already waiting near their seats at the large round table. On the other side Tarik joined Hiora, who was also again wearing the dress she had worn during their first audience with Chiaxi.
The massive, long and rectangular hall was a marvel of architecture and design, with tall double doors on both short sides, and the exit to the balcony in the middle of a long side. Its ceiling towered five meters above the polished marble floor and was ornamented with raw chunks of jorvik trapped in platinum frames that formed a beautiful hexagonal pattern. The large round table, seemingly grown from a single piece of pitch-black crystal and accompanied by twelve comfortable chairs of different sizes to fit their intended occupant, was positioned slightly towards one of the short sides.
A second later, and perfectly on point, the Matriarch appeared at the far end of the hall in a bright blue white flash, swirling up the decaying particles left being by the dimensional shift as she stepped forward in long and bold steps, the ribbons of her flowing robe trailing behind. Like during their first encounter, Chiaxi¡¯s personal security detail waited in the background.
The Synergy¡¯s leader quickly approached the table, her neural tendrils waving behind her with every step she made, before she addressed her guests with a warm smile on her lips while her melodic voice echoed through the hall. ¡°Greetings. Commander D¡¯raxis, I hope you and your crew have been treated well so far and all your wishes and requirements have been met?¡±
Sina quickly nodded. ¡°Greetings, Matriarch. Yes, thank you. Your hospitality is very generous, and our accommodations are far beyond what we would have expected.¡±
Chiaxi closed her three eyes for a moment and nodded. ¡°Ah yes, I¡¯m glad to hear that. But please, let¡¯s continue our meeting seated.¡± She gestured with both hands towards the chairs circling the round table and proceeded to take her place. Once everyone was seated on the comfortable chairs, she continued. ¡°I was pleased to hear of your decision to keep your curiosity and desire for exploration, and eventually return to the stars.¡±
The Commander returned the smile. ¡°I¡¯m also happy my crew made that decision. We had quite a heated discussion about that question.¡±
¡°I can imagine.¡± 1@1 replied. ¡°You probably still wonder why I asked for this meeting, but I can assure you that there are only positive topics on my agenda today. I have three points I would like to discuss with you and your senior officers.¡± She paused for a moment and let her gaze wander over everyone seated at the table.
¡°First, the Synergy Statutes. This is our code of law and describes the rules of behavior and conduct every member of our nation must follow when dealing with other citizens and foreigners. While I don¡¯t expect any of you to become experts on the work, I do expect every one of your officers, senior, enlisted, or otherwise, to understand and follow these rules. I hope you understand that our position on this point is non-negotiable. Since the Sidereal will be upgraded to utilize Synergy technology, I do have to demand that you follow the same rules as everyone else that has access to our technology.¡±
Sina quickly exchanged looks with Rel and Niko and wanted to reply when her first officer shrugged his shoulders and went first.
¡°Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I think we can manage that.¡±
Chiaxi raised her eyebrows. ¡°I assume that is a proverb or saying of some kind?¡±
The XO cleared his throat. ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a proverb attributed to Aurelius Ambrosius, a religious figure of the 4th century. It¡¯s an expression we sometimes use to say that you should follow the local laws and customs, instead of creating unnecessary conflict by insisting to follow your own ones. It¡¯s said to have evolved from an advice he gave to a philosopher of his time regarding which religious custom to follow when visiting the city of Rome.¡±
1@1 nodded in understanding and replied warmly. ¡°I see. It¡¯s a¡ unique expression, but I understand its meaning. Thank you, Lieutenant Commander.¡±
¡°Maybe we should try to avoid using idioms?¡± Sina quickly spoke into the round, part question directed at the Matriarch, part order for her officers.
¡°That is not necessary, Commander.¡± Chiaxi replied softly. ¡°At one point or another we will have to understand the way you talk. And while our technology allows us to communicate on a raw linguistic level, many, if not most, idioms and expressions will require some effort to learn. So please, you do not need to restrict your way of talking.¡±
The Romulan thought about her host¡¯s words, then agreed. ¡°As you wish, Matriarch. You are correct that we will need to learn to understand one another beyond what our translation systems provide for us.¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad we understand each other.¡± Chiaxi continued. ¡°Which brings me to the next point. Operational knowledge of the technology we¡¯re providing you with. I¡¯ve been following the progress of the Sidereal¡¯s restoration, and its currently projected completion is in 153 days. Is that estimation still correct, Tarik?¡±
The engineer nodded and replied straight to the point. ¡°Yes, Matriarch. So far, we have not encountered any problems that will cause any delay, and we¡¯re confident that our systems will operate as expected once they are installed in the upgraded Sidereal superstructure.¡±
¡°Good.¡± 1@1 nodded. ¡°That means that you and your crew have about 153 days to learn the basic concepts and acquire enough knowledge to operate our technology without causing any accidents. I had a group of engineers and instructors estimate your crew¡¯s current knowledge given the previous configuration of your vessel and extrapolate an appropriate training and simulation schedule from that point. It will be challenging and difficult, but it should be manageable. Without that training we simply cannot allow you to take control of your ship again.¡±
Sina swallowed before she responded. ¡°I understand, Matriarch. Of course, we¡¯ll try to complete that training, but what happens if we need more time?¡±
¡°What do you expect to happen?¡± Chiaxi retorted with a wide smile, her three cybernetic eyes gleaming like miniature blue stars. ¡°You simply won¡¯t be allowed to take control of the Sidereal until you¡¯ve completed all required tests and simulations, but there will be no other consequences.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis looked to her senior officers, trying to assess their opinion. Most of them seemed to understand and accept the Matriarch¡¯s requirement, even Visra met her gaze and nodded in agreement. Eventually Sina faced 1@1 again. ¡°We understand and agree. What is the third point you wanted to talk about, Matriarch?¡±
¡°It is somewhat connected to the second one, Commander. The training program in its current form assumes that your people learn the Synergy interface concepts. Since every single member of the Synergy has a neural uplink and cortical implants, our interfaces are optimized for direct mental control, not for manual operation. Given that you will most likely chose to not utilize neural implants to interface with our technology, understanding our interfaces alone will take an estimated three to four weeks.¡±
Rel spoke up after the Matriarch finished. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s basically impossible that anyone of us would accept such an implant.¡±
¡°I thought so, Lieutenant. Because of that, I have a suggestion to make. If we were given access to your own interface definitions and schematics, we could modify the controls of our systems to follow your standards that are more appropriate for manual operation. This would almost completely eliminate the requirement for your people to relearn our interface patterns and reduce the necessary time from almost a month to a few days.¡± Chiaxi explained.
¡°But for that your engineers would need access to our main computer.¡± Sina remarked and let out a soft sigh. It wasn¡¯t a question, and everyone in the room knew it. Even the Matriarch, who simply nodded. The Commander exchange looks with her most trusted officers and took a deep breath before she continued.
¡°I¡¯ve been discussing the topic of granting you access to our main computer core with my officers just today. There were many good arguments for and against doing so. The largest hurdle is that technically, granting you access to the computer is an act of treason. The Synergy is an unaligned entity with no formal diplomatic relations to the United Federation of Planets.¡±
While Sina was talking, Chiaxi asked Tarik a question via their neural uplink. [Are their main computer core¡¯s protection and encryption systems able to withstand a focused attempt from us to bypass or disable them?]
The engineer¡¯s eyes widened slightly at his ruler¡¯s question, and he carefully looked around while everyone else seemed focused on Sina and Chiaxi. [No, Matriarch. We could easily break through the protective layer to get to the data.]
[Have we done so?]
4@19 swallowed. [Of course not, Matriarch. You asked us to treat them as diplomatic guests, so we didn¡¯t interfere with their possessions unless they requested it.] He hesitated for a moment, then added the question. [Do you wish us to break into their computer core?]
[No. Keep following diplomatic protocols. I was merely being curious. Thank you, Tarik.]
¡°But given the current situation, we all agreed that we have no alternatives.¡± The Romulan continued. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve already taken the computer core from the Sidereal. If you take me to it, I¡¯ll provide the passkey to remove the encryption layer from the memory banks.¡±
The Matriarch smiled softly. ¡°Your decision is most welcome, Commander. Tarik will see to it that you are provided the opportunity at your convenience. I promise you that this decision will be beneficial for all of us. It will also help us better to understand the mystery of your presence here. With access to your sensor data, our scientists will be able to work faster and more focused on a way to return you home. And your historical databases will help us find out where our universes diverged from each other.¡±
¡°I hope that the future will give me the chance to talk to your Federation. From what we¡¯ve learned from all our conversations, your government appears to be quite reasonable. Therefore, I¡¯m sure your leadership will be understanding of your decisions, given the extreme situation you suddenly found yourselves in.¡± Chiaxi added, slowly rising from her seat and walking around the table towards Sina.
The Romulan also stood from the chair, carefully following the Matriarch¡¯s movements and slowly walking towards her, unsure about what the protocol expected from her. The two women soon met, and 1@1 offered her long-fingered hand to Sina, who accepted the gesture and took the hand.
¡°I¡¯m convinced that eventually everything will turn out well for you and your people.¡± Chiaxi spoke softly while shaking hands with the Commander. ¡°But I think it is time for you now.¡±
Sina raised her eyebrows. ¡°Time for what, Matriarch?¡±
¡°Time to meet the other major galactic powers, of course. Since you are on your way to be able to set out on your own soon again, you should know what¡¯s waiting for you out there. The others are also quite curious to meet you. Rumors of visitors from another reality have spread faster through the Milky May than subspace communication. Please, follow me.¡±
1@1 let go of Sina¡¯s hand and turned around, facing away from the round table, and headed straight for the large doors at the near site of the hall, opposite from where the Matriarch had arrived earlier. Captain D¡¯raxis exchanged quick glances with her senior officers, but then shrugged her shoulders and followed Chiaxi.
With flowing robes, the Matriarch strode through the automatically opening doors, and revealed five alien ambassadors waiting for the Sidereal¡¯s senior staff. When Sina and the rest of her officers eventually followed the Synergy¡¯s leader, they were faced with a group of diplomats that couldn¡¯t have been more diverse and unexpected, each of them eying the newcomers curiously but still with some reservations.
First, Commander D¡¯raxis and her officers were introduced to the amorphous and continuously flowing ambassador of the Dominion, residing in their floating container, and accompanied by two heavily armored Jem¡¯Hadar. Next was the elderly bald male Krenim delegate, proudly displaying his black and blue leather tunic that was decorated with his empire¡¯s insignia.
The most impressive sight was the almost two and a half meters tall six-legged representative of the Tholian Assembly, their ruby red armored encounter suit allowing them to interact with other species outside their own extreme environmental requirements.
Next to the Tholian ambassador waited the Breen representative, clad in one of the species¡¯ typical nondescript pale white refrigeration suits, creating a striking contrast to the Tholian¡¯s bright red suit. The last, but not least, diplomat waiting for Sina was a Suliban female, dressed in simple grayish-brown robes held together by a purple cord.
After the initial introductions, Niko moved closed to Sina and whispered in her ear. ¡°Well, that just got interesting.¡±
[ Act Three ]
Sina, Niko, and Tarik stood in the engineering bay where the Synergy had temporarily stored the Sidereal¡¯s main computer core. The group looked up at the huge twin cylindrical isolinear matrices towering twelve meters above them. Countless wires and pipes for power supply and the cooling system ran into the core from the sides and the back, and the whole construct was glowing in an eerie pale blue light.
¡°I always forget how massive those things are.¡± Niko said. ¡°You never really get to realize the size if you only see the numbers on a screen.¡±
Sina chuckled and added. ¡°I know exactly what you mean. But I guess we won¡¯t have to worry about it for all too long, do we, Tarik?¡±
¡°You are correct. Once you¡¯ve decrypted the computer core, we will proceed to mirror its entire data storage into one of our own systems, which has significantly higher storage capacity, increased processing power, and improved query timings. To facilitate that data transfer and ensure it is completed without problems, the Matriarch has assigned one of her own data processing adjuncts to the task.¡±
While the engineer was speaking to Sina and Niko, he reached out through the hive-mind to contact the data processing adjunct. [Na¡¯lo? We¡¯re waiting at the core. Can you join us?]
Tarik had barely finished the thought, when the specialist¡¯s reply arrived. [Thanks, Tarik. I¡¯m on my way.]
¡°Really? I didn¡¯t expect the procedure to be so complicated.¡± Sina said with a raised eyebrow.
4@19 smiled as he finally turned to face the Starfleet officers. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not really complicated. The Matriarch just wants to ensure there are no mistakes that could lead to data loss. You have to remember how important the information contained in your main computer is for us.¡±
¡°Hmmm. Makes sense.¡± Niko replied, while he slowly walked around the massive computer core. ¡°Can we then proceed at all? I mean, is that specialist already here or do we need to wait for them?¡±
¡°She has already investigated the core and configured the duplication interfaces according to our scans of its isolinear architecture. But she¡¯ll be here any moment.¡± Tarik replied without hesitation, knowing exactly that his colleague was just around the corner.
Only a few seconds later, the bay¡¯s primary doors opened, and an apparently young woman entered, dressed in simple and comfortable clothes resembling a leather variant. She was a couple centimeters shorter than Sina, and had an average stature, as well as slightly pointed ears. The left half of her head was cleanly shaved to grant access to an external data port for her cortex augmentation, as well as make space for several decorative dark tattoos, which contrasted with her light pink skin and covered half her head and neck. The right half was covered by neck-length straight blonde hair.
¡°Hi. I¡¯m 12@20-Sigma, Reserve Data Processing Adjunct. I¡¯ve been assigned to ensure a correct data transfer and incorporation of the contents of your computer¡¯s memory banks into the Synergy hive-mind.¡± She introduced herself, her light blue cybernetic eyes focusing Tarik, Sina, and Niko in that order. ¡°If you like you can also call me Na¡¯lo. Before we begin, I want to let you know that I¡¯m extremely excited and honored by this project. This is an unimaginable treasure trove for us. To see how our people developed in a different timeline¡ Sorry, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Sina replied with a smile on her lips. ¡°Nice to meet you, Na¡¯lo.¡±
¡°Hello!¡± Added Niko simply with a nod.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
The Sidereal¡¯s crew had quickly learned that it was futile to introduce themselves multiple times. Once they had told one member of the Synergy their names, that information rapidly spread across the hive-mind. It took several replies in the form of ¡°I know¡± before the Starfleet crew gave up on introducing themselves to newly met individuals.
12@20 acknowledged their responses with a simple nod and turned towards the computer core. With a simple gesture she conjured several huge holographic displays that visualized in incredible detail the current state of the Sidereal¡¯s main computer. ¡°We can begin at your leisure.¡±
¡°Okay.¡± Sina said softly and looked over to Niko who simply nodded. ¡°Computer¡¡± She waited for the chirp indicating the main computer¡¯s command recognition mode had activated. ¡°Remove encryption from all systems and disengage security protocols. Authorization: Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis, Psi-One-Two-Zeta-Nine. Passkey, One-Two-Seven-The-Sirens-Are-Calling-For-Me.¡±
The computer sounded a chirp to acknowledge the command and responded with a request in its typical artificial voice. ¡°Primary authorization accepted. Secondary authorization required to complete operation.¡±
Now it was Niko¡¯s part. ¡°Computer, remove encryption from all systems and disengage security protocols. Authorization: Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg, Kappa-Eight-Delta-Xi-One. Passkey, Five-Six-Three-Brave-Day-Sinking-In-Endless-Night.¡±
¡°Secondary authorization accepted. Removing encryption, please wait¡¡± The computer replied, and the group in the engineering bay could see on the holographic displays how one after another the individual components became accessible again. Main interface, primary processors, secondary processors, command interface, diagnostic routines, backup systems, memory banks, and so on. After less than three minutes all systems were available again.
Then the main computer continued. ¡°Disengaging security protocols, please wait¡¡± Again, several status displays changed one after another. Intrusion countermeasures, memory integrity checks, heuristic input analysis, and many others turned off, granting now unrestricted access.
¡°Done.¡± Sina breathed eventually after the last security protocol status indicator had changed to inactive. ¡°It¡¯s all yours now, I guess.¡±
Na¡¯lo nodded. ¡°Understood. I will now proceed with mirroring the memory banks.¡±
The specialist focused intensely, her gaze drifting off as she turned her attention to something the others couldn¡¯t see. The various holographic displays changed their content, and now showed details about the process of copying the computer core¡¯s memory banks safely over to the Synergy system and verifying their integrity. On the virtual screens Sina and Niko could see the progress¡¯s status being updated.
Preparing target storage¡
Allocating 1,300 gigaquads¡
Verifying target integrity¡
Completed
Scanning source storage¡
Verifying source integrity¡
Completed
Configuring data replication links¡
Completed
Initiating data transfer¡
Completed
Transferring data¡
Progress: 0%
12@20 was completely focused on the task in front of her, giving it her undivided attention. Meanwhile, Tarik was busy keeping an eye on the physical systems between the memory cores and the connected auxiliary systems. ¡°All connections are stable.¡± He reported after several moments of checking on every ODN adapter and power line.
¡°How long do you think it will take?¡± Asked Niko directed at 4@19.
¡°Not too long I suppose.¡± The engineer replied, and then continued to explain the process in some more detail. ¡°The amount of memory that needs to be copied is easily manageable by our systems, it will simply take some time due to the additional integrity checks and verification and validation steps Na¡¯lo will perform. Still, she should be done in a couple of minutes.¡±
As they were talking, the screens continued to update their status displays according to 12@20¡¯s progress. It took only half a minute before Na¡¯lo could report the first segment being completed.
Transferring data¡
Progress: 10%
¡°Progress according to expectations. Operation system and management functions transferred. Data integrity confirmed.¡± 12@20 announced and added with a curious smirk. ¡°The design of your subroutines is quite interesting. It matches the first impression we got from your hardware. Crude and simplistic, but with a pragmatic elegance to it.¡±
Niko chuckled upon hearing those words. ¡°I guess that was a compliment.¡±
¡°I somehow doubt that¡¡± Sina replied wryly. ¡°I think it¡¯s more alike us looking at well-preserved Pleistocene stone tools and thinking, wow, homo habilis sure was advanced for their time.¡±
The first officer let out a hearty laughter and replied with his dry humor that even put a smile on Tarik¡¯s face. ¡°Believe me, we got the best flaked stone knives this side of Africa!¡±
4@19 just shook his head in response and kept monitoring the data and power connections to the core, while everyone in the room waited for the process to continue. Around thirty seconds later the next stage was reached.
Transferring data¡
Progress: 25%
¡°Tactical subsystems transferred. Data integrity confirmed.¡± Na¡¯lo stated flatly, while she reviewed the Sidereal¡¯s combat functions. She smiled at the effective simplicity of the subroutines for calculating targeting solutions and programming torpedo flight paths, and the almost naive way the Starfleet vessel controlled its shields elicited a mental groan from the specialist. She quietly shook her head at the many mistakes she noticed, and the vast amount of wasted potential and missed optimizations.
In expectant silence Sina, Niko, and Tarik watched Na¡¯lo manage the transfer, their eyes eagerly following every single update on the screens. The speed and efficiency with which the data specialist accomplished a feat that would take several Starfleet engineers over an hour was utterly astonishing to the command officers. They both had witnessed how time-consuming maintenance and upgrades on a main computer could be, but now 12@20 made it seem easy.
A minute later Na¡¯lo announced the next milestone being completed.
Transferring data¡
Progress: 55%
¡°Tactical data transferred. Data integrity confirmed.¡± 12@20 said, followed by an impressed murmur. ¡°Mmm¡ tactical configurations of over 10,000 vessels belonging to more than 450 species. That¡¯s much more than I would have expected. It will be very interesting to take a closer look at all those.¡±
Sina let out a heavy sigh. ¡°This is the part that, when we get home, will have me stripped of rank, sent to a penal colony, and never set foot on a starship again.¡±
¡°Us, Sina.¡± Niko put his hand on the Captain¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Us. After all I went along with you.¡±
The Romulan laughed. ¡°Damn, not even in prison I¡¯ll be safe from your smart-assery.¡±
Her first officer grinned. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±
¡°I¡¯m at the last segment.¡± Na¡¯lo commented, interrupting the officer¡¯s playful quarrel. ¡°The cultural and scientific database. Once this transfer is done, the process is completed. Estimated time remaining one minute and thirty-five seconds.¡±
With bated breath the Commander and Lieutenant Commander watched the progress display crawl the last few percentages.
Transferring data¡
Progress: 100%
Completed
¡°Cultural and scientific database transferred. Data integrity¡ confirmed. These are billions of historical documents, replication patterns, recorded traditions, memetic information, from more than a 1,000 worlds. Hundreds of millions of entries for math, engineering, chemistry, biology, stellar phenomenon. This¡ this is amazing! Thank you, Commander!¡±
A warm smile curled Sina¡¯s lips upwards, while Na¡¯lo regained her focus and Tarik returned from behind the computer core. The specialist¡¯s eyes were wet, her face an expression of joy and¡ hope, overwhelmed by the brief glimpses she had been able to take at the copied database.
12@20 walked up to the Commander and tightly hugged her. ¡°Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us.¡±
The embrace took Sina by surprise, but after a moment of hesitation she returned the gesture and replied softly. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±
Na¡¯lo released Captain D¡¯raxis from the hug and stepped back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we got carried away.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Sina waved her hands, wondering about the specialist¡¯s sudden reaction. ¡°Are you okay? You look a little overwhelmed.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine now. It was just the¡ the shared joy of trillions of minds watching the data together with me.¡± 12@20 responded, much more controlled and reserved again now.
Tarik stood next to the small group, until now quietly watching the exchange. ¡°I¡¯ve felt it, too. Commander, you can¡¯t imagine what it was like. A tsunami of information and euphoria, a wave of hope unlike any I¡¯ve seen or felt before. Even the Matriarch was watching us.¡±
¡°The Matriarch was here?¡± Niko asked, surprised that their leader personally witnessed the procedure. ¡°Seems a bit unorthodox for a person as important as your leader to watch over a couple files being copied.¡±
¡°Well, of course not in person.¡± Tarik explained. ¡°But she was following the process closely through our hive-mind. And what appears as the copying of a couple of files to you, might be the most important cultural discovery for our people in hundreds of years. You must understand that the Borg have left us with no culture of our own. They¡¯ve erased all recordings, all traditions, even the native languages of the different species in the Synergy.¡±
The engineer¡¯s gaze wandered between Niko and Sina for a moment before he continued. ¡°If there¡¯s a chance for us to get even a part of our history back, it is well worth almost any endeavor.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that this information would fracture your empire? That certain races would identify and try to group only with their own kind because of their history from our reality?¡± Sina asked, a little worried about a galaxy wide culture shock.
4@19 shook his head. ¡°No, the chances for this are minimal. Our hive-mind binds us all much closer together than you could ever imagine. We don¡¯t see each other as Humans, or Vidiians, or Bajorans. We are the Synergy. We are more than the sum of our parts. I think the more likely scenario will be that traditions that belonged to any one species in your reality will be widely adopted by all of us here. But that might take months, or even years to happen, and if it happened it will probably be only for the most prominent and well-known customs.¡±
Na¡¯lo continued after her colleague had finished. ¡°We agree with Tarik¡¯s estimation. This appears to be the most probable development, but of course we will only know once it has happened. Anyway, the amount of data from your computer core is impressive. We would not have expected it to be this excessive and intricate. It will take years, maybe even decades, until we¡¯ve examined all the data in full detail.¡±
12@20 had barely finished when suddenly a holographic projection of Chiaxi flickered into existence next to the group. Her harmonious melodic voice echoed through the engineering bay as she addressed the Starfleet officers.
¡°Commander D¡¯raxis, Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg¡ on behalf of the whole Synergy I would like to express my deepest gratitude. I can also feel the data from your computer core spreading through the hive-mind. Tarik¡¯s description fit it perfectly, a tsunami of information and euphoria. You have given us back part of our history, of our identity, and for that we thank you wholeheartedly.¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it.¡± Niko said, a wry smile on his lips, and his cheeks becoming a little flushed.
Sina continued with a happy smile on her lips. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for us already, this is the least we can do to repay your kindness and hospitality. I hope that this data will help you and allow you to improve your empire even more.¡±
Chiaxi¡¯s hologram nodded and turned to face the Synergy members. ¡°Na¡¯lo, Tarik¡ thank you for performing the data transfer so quickly and efficiently. You¡¯ve both done commendably here today. I am sorry I couldn¡¯t witness the process in person. I would really have liked to attend this historic moment.¡±
¡°Thank you, Matriarch.¡± 4@19 and 12@20 replied in unison, both beaming with pride and accomplishment.
¡°I cannot promise when we¡¯ll meet again because diplomatic business is consuming most of my time currently. But I hope I can return soon. There is still so much we need to discuss. Until then, please take care.¡± The Matriarch¡¯s projection flickered briefly, then vanished in the blink of an eye.
¡°So, what¡¯s happening next?¡± The first officer asked, looking around.
¡°Our business here is done. There¡¯s one last step I have to perform, then we can return to the annulus.¡± Tarik said, and wordlessly conjured a holographic control panel right next to him. He turned around and focused his gaze on the computer core. One by one, the status lines on the control panel started to change.
Releasing data replication links¡
Completed
Disengaging ODN adapters¡
Completed
Deactivating power supply¡
Completed
When the last line changed to completed, the computer core¡¯s silent humming ceased, and its soft blue glow died. It had served its ultimate purpose.
[ Act Four ]
[Tarik?]
[I¡¯m here. Can I help you with something?] Came a slightly frustrated sounding response after several moments.
Na¡¯lo continued carefully. [I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your regeneration cycle. The Matriarch had tasked me with investigating the Sidereal¡¯s information to find the point of divergence between our timelines. The team of data processing and analysis adjuncts I¡¯ve created for this purpose has just identified the origin of the divergence. How do you think should we proceed?]
[Most of the Starfleet crew are asleep right now, so we should propose a meeting later. Do you feel confident enough to present your findings?] Replied the engineer, his curiosity being greatly aroused by this surprising findings.
[Yes. But I assume it will be uncomfortable, if not distressing, for them, considering how they reacted to the Matriarch¡¯s revelations.] The data specialist continued. [The divergence started even before the Borg¡¯s temporal incursion, but its consequences only become apparent later. I¡¯ve seen in the transferred records that many affected personalities were held in high regard by Starfleet.]
If Tarik was in control of his physical body right now he would have furrowed his eyebrows. [You expect a confrontation about your findings?]
[I¡¯m not sure. But I expect the news to be extremely upsetting for them.]
[Hiora?] Tarik sent and added the security adjunct to their private mental conversation.
[Secondary Security Adjunct 18@31-Lambda reporting. What do you need?]
[Na¡¯lo and her team discovered what caused the timelines between our universe and the Sidereal¡¯s origin universe to diverge. She wants to present her findings tomorrow to our guests but wants to be sure the upsetting news doesn¡¯t spill over into a confrontation.] The Primary Engineering Adjunct explained.
[Understood. Just inform me when and where that presentation will occur, and I¡¯ll have a security team on standby.] Hiora state flatly, but in her typical professional tone.
[Thank you. We¡¯ll inform you the moment we¡¯ve confirmed the schedule.] Na¡¯lo replied, her thoughts being much more confident now. The memories of the volatile reaction certain members of the Starfleet crew had displayed when 1@1-Alpha had told them about this universe¡¯s past were quite unsettling for 12@20. The thought of having to face a potentially equally charged situation without precautions had been one of the reasons she had decided to contact Tarik.
Hiora acknowledged Na¡¯lo¡¯s response and disconnected from the private conversation.
[Thank you, Tarik. And again, my apologies for disturbing you.]
[No problem. As the factual Starfleet liaison, I¡¯ll inform them and then also attend the presentation. See you later.]
Ten hours later, the crew of the Sidereal was assembled in the primary function hall of diplomatic sector twelve. Tarik was standing on the stage of the hall that had been reconfigured into an auditorium for the presentation, next to Commander D¡¯raxis, while the rest of the crew and officers were seated in rows of comfortable chairs around the stage.
¡°You know, one part of me is really curious about what Na¡¯lo found out, while another part is utterly terrified. On our Earth there¡¯s a saying. Never ask questions to which you don¡¯t want to hear the answers. And thinking about what she will probably tell us, I¡¯m no longer so sure that I actually want to know the root cause.¡±
Tarik smiled at Sina and replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me a short time ago that the first duty of every Starfleet officer was to the truth? Why would you then not want to know what caused our universes to become so radically different from each other?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m scared.¡± She admitted after taking a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m scared of the terrible things that I will hear happening to people I respect greatly and hold in high regards. People who inspired me, people whose influence and legacy made me into what I am today. It will probably not be easy for any of my crew.¡±
¡°I understand. If you feel it is becoming too upsetting for you or your people, you can always request a break.¡± He replied with a concerned expression. The engineer hesitated for a moment, before he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve just been notified that Na¡¯lo is on her way. She¡¯ll arrive in a few moments.¡±
Sina nodded and left the stage to join Niko and Rel in the center of the first row. She was just sitting down when the stage was engulfed in the signature flash of a dimensional shift that bathed the whole auditorium in cold blue-white light for a split second. The two Synergy members stood close to each other for a few seconds, then Tarik also left the stage to watch the presentation from the side area.
A tense silence fell on the hall when Na¡¯lo stepped to the front of the stage, and behind her two massive holographic screens flickered into existence. The left screen was titled with ¡°Sidereal,¡± while the right one carried the label ¡°Synergy.¡± Both screens were currently completely in sync, showing the date 2373-12-07 and a thin bundle of causality strands.
¡°Hello. I am Reserve Data Processing Adjunct 12@20-Sigma. But if you like you can call me by my name, Na¡¯lo. The Matriarch has tasked me to find the origin point when the timeline of our two universes diverged irreparably from each other. My team was successful, and we¡¯ve identified the root cause of the deviation with the help of data from the Sidereal¡¯s main computer. In accordance with your leadership I will now present our findings.¡±
She looked at Sina, and when the Romulan woman nodded in agreement, the specialist continued. The screens behind her changed slightly, progressing a few hours. The strands stayed in sync for most of the time, but at one moment the ribbons on the right screen changed.
¡°According to our analysis, the divergence originated at this moment. The Enterprise-E is about to return to sector zero-zero-one to participate in the defense against the invading Borg cube. Captain Picard announces his intentions to his crew and asks whether any member of the bridge crew objected to his course of action. In your universe nobody did, and all future events occurred as you know them.¡±
12@20 swallowed before she continued. ¡°However, in our reality, Lieutenant Hawk asked about a small group of civilians that were still on board the Enterprise-E. The following discussion, albeit brief, and subsequent actions introduced a delay of sixty-four seconds before the ship would arrive at Earth compared to your reality. This minor delay was sufficient to cause the destruction of the USS Defiant, and the death of Lieutenant Commander Worf.¡±
By now the screens had changed again, and the causality strands on the right side only had a passing similarity with the left screen. The two timelines were already significantly different from each other by now.
¡°In your reality the Enterprise-E arrived in time to rescue Lieutenant Commander Worf and distract the cube so that the smaller warship remained adrift. In our reality, the delay introduced by evacuating the civilians with shuttles, caused Lieutenant Commander Worf to attempt ramming the cube. The Borg detected the energy transfer to the Defiant¡¯s engines, classified it as an actionable threat, and destroyed the already battered warship with a salvo of plasma charges before it could impact the cube.¡±
A murmur went through the audience, and a handful of small hushed discussions broke out between some members of the crew, but a few stern gazes from Niko and Rel quickly restored order.
The temporal ribbons changed again, and now there was no more similarity between the left and right screen anymore. Na¡¯lo continued with her presentation.
¡°The next several groups of events are more similar again. The cube is eventually destroyed and launches the sphere. The sphere generates a temporal vortex and travels into the past, and the Enterprise-E follows. The sphere conducts orbital bombardment of the Phoenix launch site. The Enterprise-E destroys the sphere, and a group of Borg manage to infiltrate the ship.¡±
While the data specialist spoke, and the screens gradually updated, the causality strands on the right display seemed to approach a pattern more closely resembling the left screen again, but the similarity was only superficial. A closer look still revealed that the timelines were divergent.
¡°On Earth¡¯s surface, repairs on the Phoenix are underway, but the Borg hidden onboard the Enterprise-E manage to take control of main engineering. Lieutenant Commander Data manages to encrypt the main computer. The subsequent assault on main engineering fails in a similar way, but with higher casualties due to the absence of Lieutenant Commander Worf, and Lieutenant Commander Data is still captured by the Borg.¡±
The gathered crew stared at the screens in deathly silence. Many faces had paled, but 12@20 knew that the worst was yet to come.
¡°The Borg continue to assimilate the ship until they gain control of deck eleven, and then proceed to construct the interplexing beacon on the main deflector dish. Captain Picard acquires a drone¡¯s neural processor and learns of the beacon. Since Lieutenant Commander Worf was dead, it was Lieutenant Daniels who joined Captain Picard and Lieutenant Hawk in their attempt to release the deflector dish and destroy the beacon.¡±
The right screen was now at the verge of completely losing any resemblance to the known timeline and delve into pure unabated chaos instead. The strands and ribbons now crisscrossed each other wildly and chaotically, many strands ending abruptly.
¡°But Captain Picard¡¯s plan failed. In this encounter Lieutenant Daniels and Lieutenant Hawk were assimilated, and Captain Picard was killed.¡±
Another crescendo of murmurs and discussions broke out amongst the Starfleet crew, this time even the first and second officers looked at Sina with their faces being slightly paler than moments ago. The captain herself wordlessly stared at the screens, her eyes following the chaotic temporal ribbons visualizing how this timeline descended into chaos.
Niko leaned over and asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d say?¡±
¡°No.¡± The Commander shook her head, tearing her gaze finally away from the screens. She was pale, like most of the crew, shocked by the bluntness with which Na¡¯lo had delivered the message.
On the stage, the data specialist waited for a few minutes until the commotion had died down a little before she continued. ¡°From this moment on, the two timelines are completely divergent and never again approach any resemblance to each other. The Borg manage to complete the interplexing beacon, and a subsequent assault mounted by the surviving crew comes too late.¡±
¡°With the beacon active and the signal dispatched to the Delta Quadrant, the Borg resume the assimilation of the Enterprise-E. They rapidly overwhelm the crew¡¯s defenses on several decks. The death of Captain Picard left the crew with extremely low morale, and the remaining bridge officers have insufficient experience to properly handle the situation. Eventually, Commander Crusher initiates the auto-destruct sequence and orders the crew to evacuate the vessel.¡±
The screens now show completely different causality patterns, the strands utterly dissimilar to each other. The display for the Synergy¡¯s timeline is much more chaotic and unraveled, with ribbons entangling and disappearing rapidly. The changes were irrevocable and irreparable.
Na¡¯lo continues her report, easily recounting the facts that left the whole chamber speechless. ¡°Meanwhile, the repair of the Phoenix has been completed and it launches according to schedule, with Zefram Cochrane piloting the vessel supported by Commander Riker and Lieutenant Commander LaForge. In main engineering, Data attempts to distract the Queen by pretending to have succumbed to her schemes. He removes the main computer¡¯s encryption and disables the auto-destruct sequence.¡±
¡°Lieutenant Commander Data targets the Phoenix and launches a group of quantum torpedoes, while positioning himself close to the plasma coolant storage tanks. The targeting solution he programmed for the torpedoes makes them miss, and he ruptures one of the coolant tanks, releasing its contents into main engineering. Many drones are destroyed, their organic components liquefied by the coolant, but the Queen manages in time to escape to a higher level.¡±
The Data Processing Adjunct took a deep breath and let her gaze wander over the rows of chairs in the auditorium. She could feel the tension, the disbelieve. Still she didn¡¯t hesitate to continue.
¡°The Queen is able to activate the ventilation system to remove the evaporated plasma coolant. In a short but brutal fight Lieutenant Commander Data manages to destroy several more drones before he is eventually overwhelmed and forcefully dismantled. The Borg now have full control over the Enterprise-E. The Phoenix manages to complete the warp flight but is destroyed with a photon torpedo upon her return, killing everyone on board.¡±
¡°Knowing the exact timing of the Vulcan scout ship¡¯s arrival, the Borg proceed to assimilate the population of the settlement from which the Phoenix was launched. Once they complete establishing a bridgehead on Earth¡¯s surface, they move the Enterprise-E into a position from which they can intercept the Vulcan lander. The Vulcan vessel is destroyed before they can muster any resistance.¡±
12@20 took a deep breath as she continued, her stoic facade slowly cracking. She thought she could manage recounting the terrible deeds of her people¡¯s ancestors in detail, describing every death, enumerating every assimilation. But it was one thing merely to remember those heinous acts, and a different one to talk about them and actively recall them. Memories of terrible scenes from over a millennium ago flash before her inner eye.
¡°Over the course of the following weeks, the Borg¡ conduct a ruthless campaign of assimilation on Earth. Hundreds of millions fall before them, and the Human armies of the 21st century are ill suited to defend against the Borg. In their desperation against this overwhelming enemy, the Humans resort to liberal use of nuclear weaponry, but even this measure proves ultimately futile. Less than five weeks after the launch of the Phoenix, Earth has been completely¡ assimilated.¡±
The specialist¡¯s voice faltered on the last word, and the screens behind the specialist flickered briefly, then winked out of existence. The audience was quietly watching the now mostly empty stage, with all eyes being focused on Na¡¯lo. Sina¡¯s face was a mask of utter shock, as were many others of her crew. Several Human officers were sobbing quietly, trying to control their emotions while facing an unprecedented massacre of their people.
¡°This concludes the report of our findings. The data is freely available to you if you wish to conduct your own analysis. The subsequent development of the galaxy has already been described by the Matriarch in a previous gathering, but our historical records are available for you to investigate. I understand that you hold many of the names I mentioned in high regard, and I apologize that I couldn¡¯t provide you with less disturbing news.¡±
Eventually, Sina rose from her chair and walked up to Na¡¯lo. ¡°Thank you for running this investigation. I know it probably was as difficult for you recalling those events, as it was for us listening to your findings. At least we now know the truth, and that already makes the situation better than before.¡±
It was then that the Commander dismissed the crew and let them return to their training sessions and simulations. At the far end of the hall, around the entrance¡¯s corner, stood 18@31 and watched the assembly slowly disperse. She had observed the whole presentation from her somewhat hidden post, ready to order her security team into action at the sight of any escalation. She was satisfied that it wasn¡¯t necessary to intervene, and that the few commotions that happened were swiftly dealt with by the Sidereal¡¯s senior staff.
As she turned to walk away from the hall she sent a simple message to the isolated network of her security detachment. [Operation complete. Return to deployment zone zero.]
[ Act Five ]
Noriko lazily stood next to the other senior officers, waiting for captain D¡¯raxis like everyone else. The Commander¡¯s message had requested the whole crew to meet in this location, a generous lounge on the edge of diplomatic sector twelve. Ensign Yamada could overhear some of the conversations around her. Shori was eagerly trying to convince Niko of trying the outdoor swimming pool and told him what an amazing experience it was. Meanwhile Rel and 18@31 were discussing the advantages of one tactical formation over another, and how to best counter it.
Finally, after several more minutes, Sina entered the lounge accompanied by Tarik. They headed directly for the gathered officers, their footsteps echoing softly in the largely empty hall. ¡°Good morning.¡± The Commander greeted her crew. ¡°I hope you¡¯re all well rested, because we have a long day ahead of us.¡±
¡°What exactly are we going up against today, Sir?¡± Noriko asked playfully.
Sina just grinned like the Cheshire Cat itself and looked at 4@19. ¡°Just wait a minute, you¡¯ll love it.¡±
The engineer cleared his throat. ¡°I assume you all have started with your assigned reading materials?¡± He looked around, noticing everyone nod. ¡°Good. I know it seems to be an overwhelming amount, but we assumed you wanted to get done with the lessons as quickly as possible. Therefore, we provided you already with all related material regarding each specific subject.¡±
Noriko remembered seeing the list of files for the first time a couple of days ago. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages on the Synergy navigational charts, gravimetric projection controls, subspace slipstream navigation, combat maneuvers that should be impossible with ships larger than fighters, and half a dozen other topics. She did a quick calculation in her head and concluded that for the next five months she would have minus two hours of free time per day if she wanted to get through all the material.
Tarik continued. ¡°Please follow me.¡± He turned and headed towards another, larger, door that looked almost like an airlock. Cautiously, but slightly curious, the group of officers followed. 4@19 approached the door and opened it with a simple mental command. Behind the door was another large room that looked much like a staging area, with several more identical bulkheads departing from it.
¡°I think I remember seeing a similar door onboard the sphere that rescued us.¡± Rel remarked as they got closer to the entrance.
¡°That is correct, Lieutenant.¡± Tarik replied as he stepped through the door. ¡°There are several of these doorways on the upper cargo deck on Sphere 272-Theta-8. Actually, the sphere contained several hundred of those particular doors.¡±
Noriko looked at the room behind the door, but something didn¡¯t seem right. It was a large hall with the familiar pale gray plating on floor, walls, and ceilings. Half a dozen long tables with enough seats for about a hundred people were lined up on one end near several wall consoles that most likely were fabricators.
As she walked closer she kept wondering about what seemed so strange about the staging area, when one of the other bulkheads opened and a member of the Synergy passed through it, revealing yet another room behind it. Suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. The area behind that other door couldn¡¯t possibly exist. Thinking of it, even the staging area should have been halfway outside the annulus¡¯s superstructure.
¡°Captain?¡± The Ensign asked, stopping dead in her tracks. ¡°What¡ what¡¯s with that room? It can¡¯t be real!¡± Everyone around her also stopped and looked at the doorway, then at Noriko, then back at the room.
¡°Relax, Ensign.¡± The Romulan replied. ¡°The trick is to try and not think about the layout. Trust me, it¡¯s perfectly safe.¡± She then stepped over the door¡¯s threshold into the staging area. After some moments of hesitation and questioning murmurs the rest of the crew followed. Niko and Shori went next, then Rel accompanied by Hiora, followed by the remaining people shortly thereafter.
¡°Sina, where are we?¡± Asked Niko while looking around the new chamber they¡¯ve entered. ¡°Are we still on the annulus? And how did we get here?¡±
The Commander spread her arms and turned around, gesturing towards the other doors. ¡°We¡¯re in the staging area to our training facilities and simulators. The Synergy completed its construction just yesterday.¡±
4@19 continued with a more detailed explanation. ¡°Behind those doors you will find facilities providing exact simulations of the Sidereal¡¯s bridge, main engineering, laboratories, security checkpoints, medical facilities, and other systems with which you are not yet familiar. You¡¯ll be able to use those as part of your training schedule to acquire the proficiency and routine required to control your vessel after its restoration is completed. It will also enable you to train with the new systems, like fractal dimensional shifting manifolds that replace your transporters.¡±
The crew looked around the area, carefully but curiously investigating the labels and annotations next to each bulkhead. They quickly found doors with labels matching what Tarik had mentioned a few moments before.
¡°And to answer your other questions¡¡± The Synergy engineer continued. ¡°Yes, we are still on the annulus. The diplomatic sector and your quarters are only 7.4 kilometers from here.¡±
¡°7.4 kilometers?!¡± Shori exclaimed. ¡°But¡ how? How did we get here?¡±
¡°You stepped through a spatial fold. Our vessels do not utilize turbolifts or other internal transport vehicles like your ships do. Spatial folds are short range self-sustaining connections that we employ to provide quick intra-ship transportation. They use a particular form of subspace entanglement tied to specifically constructed frames. Their upper range is about ten kilometers, with some variance depending on the local spacetime configuration.¡±
Niko stepped to the front of the group again, closer to Tarik. ¡°You¡¯re telling me we traveled over seven kilometers by stepping through a door?¡±
¡°Yes, indeed.¡± The engineer replied flatly as a matter of fact. ¡°And no, the mentioned limit of ten kilometers cannot be extended. Beyond that distance the entanglement simply cannot support itself anymore and breaks down, unless it is actively supported from the outside, which renders the whole concept moot. And again no, there is no way to create anything other than direct one-to-one connections between two frames.¡±
The first officer opened his mouth for a response, then closed it again. After a few seconds he slowly grinned at Tarik. ¡°Are you really sure you aren¡¯t a telepath? How did you know what I wanted to ask¡?¡±
4@19 shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Consider it a matter of experience. Those are among the most commonly asked questions about our spatial folds. It is understandable that the technology is confusing and difficult to grasp, since it can easily create geometry that appears non-Euclidean and impossible. Most humanoid minds struggle with layouts that appear larger on the inside than the outside, or similar grotesque appearances.¡±
¡°He¡¯s right, and I¡¯m speaking from experience.¡± Sina interrupted her XO and the Synergy engineer with a smile on her lips. ¡°When Tarik showed me the astral observatory back on Sphere 272-Theta-8 we used the spatial folds to get there. I looked at one of the sphere¡¯s gateway hubs and got a terrible headache from the sight. It certainly takes some time getting used to it. And like I said, best try just not to think about it.¡±
¡°Anyway¡¡± She continued. ¡°I think we should get started. We still have a lot planned for today.¡±
Noriko had listened to the short exchange between Tarik and her CO and XO and shook her head. It seemed that every other day they¡¯d find out something new about their hosts that completely blew her mind. She was still struggling with understanding that every time she talked to one of them, she potentially was talking to hundreds of billions. And now her worldview got another crack by being told about these spatial folds, where stepping through a door could take you several kilometers away from where you were.
The whistle from her captain instantly returned her focus and attention to the present situation. ¡°Okay everyone, listen up. I want five groups. Bridge crew is with me, engineering crew with Junior Lieutenant Vossler, science personnel with Ensign Arsiv, medical staff with Lieutenant Co-Yor, and security with Lieutenant M¡¯Tiras. Each group takes a good close look at the simulators for their department. Check the equipment, try the different stations, get a first glimpse at the interfaces and capabilities. Don¡¯t be shy, you can¡¯t break or damage anything.¡±
¡°After four hours we¡¯ll have lunch break, and then will cycle through the other stations in one-hour intervals with a few more breaks. At the end of the day I want everyone to have at least a rudimentary idea where all stations on the restored Sidereal will be when we get her back. You don¡¯t need to remember everything immediately, or become instant experts on everything, but still pay attention. This is our chance to show the Synergy that we¡¯re up to the task, and that we won¡¯t shy away from the challenge of catching up to their technology. Any questions?¡±
Following her captain¡¯s orders, Noriko walked towards the other bridge officers. It took a few minutes for the whole crew to get sorted into the demanded groups, mostly because of some confusion from a handful of people who used to work in multiple departments. The issue was quickly sorted out, and two minutes later captain D¡¯raxis had her five groups, which then went to visit their simulators for the first time.
The moment the Commander opened the door to the bridge simulator and ushered her officers in, Ensign Yamada just stood and stared. It was somewhat like the Sidereal¡¯s original bridge, but at the same time it was also completely different. Right now, only the ambient lighting was active, and all stations were dark. The walls and floor were mostly covered with the apparently omnipresent light gray plating the Synergy seemed so fond of, while the whole forward half of the bridge¡¯s walls and ceiling were covered in dark gray tiles with embedded golden hexagonal circuitry.
Slowly the group of bridge officers spread through the simulator. Noriko followed her colleagues as they explored the new layout. The biggest difference was that this layout used different elevation levels compared to the single level of the Sidereal¡¯s original bridge. There was the top level with the captain¡¯s chair, flanked by two seats with their own consoles, much like the original bridge. The same level also contained several temporary auxiliary stations at the back, like the older Galaxy classes had on their bridges.
The second layer, four full steps below the first level, contained five secondary stations arranged in a semi-circle facing the forward bridge wall. The young Asian casually walked down the steps at the right side of the bridge to the second level, her eyes curiously wandering over the stations. The station panels were just as wide and tall as she remembered them, but much thinner, and their surfaces were a uniformly dull black. Eventually she stopped in front of the central station.
Leaning over the massive seat that was partially sunken into the floor and was obviously designed to hold the operator in place, Noriko ran her fingers over the console¡¯s panel. It felt cold and smooth, almost like finely brushed metal, but it didn¡¯t seem to be metal. She took another step and dropped into the seat, which was more comfortable than she would have expected. The Ensign smirked as she placed her hands on the panel. ¡°Can we turn this thing on?¡±
¡°Of course, Ensign.¡± Her CO replied from her chair, and Noriko heard a few button taps. A moment later all consoles and displays flickered to life, and the interface was not what the conn officer would have expected. It turned out that the smooth surface was not the screen itself like it would have been at an LCARS station but was merely the backdrop for multiple holographic controls projected on top of it. Looking at the interface in front of her, she quickly figured out that the conn was indeed the central seat of the five secondary stations. Looking to her left and right, Noriko quickly discovered that she was flanked to her right by ops and science, and to her left by tactical and security.
Ensign Yamada took a closer look at the controls in front of her, trying to make sense of the foreign icons and arrangements, when suddenly a voice addressing her derailed her train of thoughts.
¡°It seems that indeed their interfaces are very different from ours. Considering this is the already improved version after given access to our computer, I wonder how their initial design looked.¡± A female Vulcan spoke, leaning in over Noriko¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°Could you already make some sense of the controls?¡±
¡°Honestly, T¡¯Sai, I don¡¯t want to know.¡± The Asian replied. ¡°This version alone is going to be a pain in the ass to understand, I¡¯m not curious enough to make it even more difficult and confusing for me. I¡¯ll be happy as an Edosian slug in the rain once I can understand all of this.¡± She gestured slightly frustrated at the dozen floating holographic displays and controls in front of her.
¡°I understand.¡± T¡¯Sai commented stoically while her eyes scanned the various controls in front of them.
¡°And I think I found the direct navigational controls, but¡¡±
¡°But?¡±
Noriko took a deep breath. ¡°They don¡¯t make sense. The interface element doesn¡¯t look like anything I¡¯ve seen on any ship before. It reminds me more of the remote control of the six degrees of freedom drone I was playing with as a child. I honestly can¡¯t understand how an Akira class sized vessel could ever hope to maneuver in a way this panel suggests.¡±
¡°You are correct, this element does indeed look more like a drone control than a starship control.¡± The Vulcan Junior Lieutenant replied, curiously raising an eyebrow. ¡°Fascinating. It seems the Synergy propulsion technology allows for more varied flight dynamics regardless of the vessel¡¯s size. I am curious to find out more about this.¡±
Similar experiences between confusion and eureka moments became a regular occurrence for the rest of the day, while the Sidereal¡¯s crew made their first steps with the new controls of the upgraded ship. It would be a long journey, months of arduous training, before they would regain a semblance of the familiarity they had with the old version of their ship.
[1x08] Silent Lies Eden
[ Act One ]
¡°Priority two distress signal. Synergy harvester X-J-37005. Condition: critical. Status: main power offline, trapped in gravity well of Argosa V, drifting deeper into atmosphere. Estimated time to hull-crush depth: nine minutes.¡±
Niko stared at the transmission displayed on the holographic screen which encompassed the whole forward dome of the bridge, then raised his voice. ¡°T¡¯Sai, how fast could we make it to the Argosa system at maximum speed?¡±
The Vulcan navigator tapped away at the conn station and replied. ¡°At 100 percent subspace slipstream we could be there in¡ less than five minutes.¡±
The XO nodded. ¡°Set a course and engage immediately.¡± A mere few moments after he had given the order, the Sidereal came about, and was engulfed in a black vortex, falling into an ever-shifting tunnel of throbbing darkness and arcing light.
¡°Shrass, Rel, I want you to look up everything we know about that ship type. Number of personnel, size, mass, escape pods, backup systems, auxiliary power, anything that could help us either save the ship or evacuate its crew. Same thing about Argosa V. What kind of planet, atmospheric composition, known phenomena, anything that could cause complications.¡±
Both addressed officers answered in unison and went to work. ¡°Aye, Sir.¡±
¡°Haroun, open a channel to that harvester.¡± A soft but still clearly audible ping sounded once two-way, but audio-only, communication was established. ¡°This is Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg from the Federation starship Sidereal. We¡¯ve received your distress call and are on an intercept course. ETA at your position in about four minutes. What¡¯s your condition?¡±
A clearly distressed, almost panicking male voice responded shakily to the call. Everyone could hear the fear and despair in the voice, and how the call gave them a sliver of hope to cling to. ¡°Acknowledged, Sidereal. We had to dump our OSR core and have lost main power. We¡¯re currently adrift, tumbling at an altitude of 2,700 kilometers below the outer atmospheric boundary, sinking at a rate of 293 kilometers per minute. Hull pressure is at 700 megapascals and hull temperature at 5,500 degrees centigrade, both rapidly climbing. Our structural integrity systems are running on backup power and will fail when we exceed a depth of 5,400 kilometers.¡±
The numbers were much bigger than any of the officers on the bridge had expected, and confused glances were exchanged.
¡°Understood. We¡¯re preparing to start the evacuation the moment we get in range. How large is your crew?¡± Niko replied.
¡°We are 1,550. No wounded.¡±
The XO rose from the captain¡¯s chair and swallowed. That was quite a lot more than he had expected. After a moment¡¯s hesitation he replied. ¡°1,550, no wounded. Prepare for evacuation, we¡¯ll be there in a few minutes. Sidereal out.¡±
Niko tapped his combadge. ¡°Bridge to engineering. We¡¯ve got an emergency incoming. I need all FDS manifolds operational and manned ASAP. We have to evacuate about 1,500 people from an adrift Synergy ship, and we have at most four minutes once we drop out of slipstream.¡± The engineering officer acknowledged the order, but the first officer already moved to the next point on his mental check list.
He tapped the badge again. ¡°Bridge to sickbay. Co-Yor, we¡¯re preparing to evacuate over 1,500 people from a ship in distress. They say they¡¯ve got no wounded, but can you still get at least one nurse or medic to each FDS room and each cargo section? Even if there are no casualties we can still use the help spreading those people out a bit.¡±
¡°Yes, captain. We¡¯ll be there.¡± Co-Yor replied with his usual sonorous voice that never seemed to betray the Kalonar¡¯s actual current state of mind.
The XO walked to the forward railing, running his hand nervously through his short brown hair. ¡°So, what do we know? Rel?¡±
¡°The harvester is massive. It¡¯s approximately ten kilometers long and over 2,000 times our mass.¡± Rel began to list what he found. ¡°Most of the size and mass are dedicated to storage tanks. That ship type is used to siphon material directly from gas giants¡¯ atmospheres. Its structural integrity systems are designed to allow operation even deep inside gas giants where the atmosphere turns into supercritical fluid, but it won¡¯t last long on backup power only.¡±
Niko nodded and looked at Shrass. ¡°What about the planet?¡±
Shrass continued, reporting his own findings. ¡°Argosa V is a class seven gas giant, primarily composed of hydrogen, xenon, nitrogen, and chlorine, with about 3.1 Jovian masses. No exotic phenomena known, just what was expected of a planet of that type and size. I can¡¯t see anything that could interfere with the evacuation.¡±
¡°Good. Let¡¯s not screw this up, people! ETA?¡± Niko said, leaning somberly on the railing, watching the holographic projection of the subspace slipstream vortex curling up onto itself while the Sidereal raced against the time.
¡°We¡¯ll arrive in approximately ninety seconds.¡± T¡¯Sai reported, her eyes steady on the navigational status displays.
Everyone was preparing for the worst, and Niko nervously pace back and forth behind the railing, waiting until the time until their arrival had passed.
¡°Leaving subspace slipstream in five¡ four¡ three¡ two¡ one¡ now.¡± T¡¯Sai announced. With a deep but barely audible hum the Sidereal disengaged its advanced propulsion system and returned to normal space. Immediately the swirling chaos of darkness and fractal streaks of light was replaced with the towering image of Argosa V.
The massive gas giant dominated the view screen, shrouded in a dark brown cloud cover interrupted by brief flashes of bright blue light, when the atmosphere¡¯s xenon concentration was excited by static electricity. In the far distance shone weakly the system¡¯s F-type central star, illuminating the dark clouds with a dim white light.
¡°Shrass? Where¡¯s the harvester?¡± Niko asked, carefully scanning the scene before him for any sign of the distressed ship.
The Andorian Ensign tapped away on his controls, and a moment later sensor information was layered onto the projection. Schematic displays, coordinate systems, and astrometric data made the image much clearer, and showed everyone where exactly the Synergy vessel was adrift.
Niko quickly tapped his combadge. ¡°Bridge to FDS rooms. We¡¯re in range. Begin evacuation. Focus on large groups first.¡±
¡°Haroun, put an overlay up showing the evacuation progress.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir.¡± The Ensign interacted with a few of his controls, and a moment later a schematic overview was projected on the main screen. The schematic showed both ships and the current progress of the evacuation. The first cycle of dimensional shifting had already completed and transported 120 of the harvester¡¯s crew onboard the Sidereal. Ten seconds later, another 120 followed.
¡°Captain!¡± Shrass exclaimed. ¡°The ship is falling into a storm. Atmospheric speed exceeding 1,000 kilometers per hour.¡± With a few taps on his control the view on the main screen changed, now showing the borders of the impossibly massive atmospheric disturbance raging far beneath the gas giant¡¯s clouds.
Niko glanced at the gigantic, planet sized vortex that made the huge Synergy ship look like a speck of dust and gulped. This was not helping. ¡°Shrass, scan the harvester for structurally weak sections that still hold people and transfer the data to the FDS rooms.¡± Niko tapped the badge on his chest. ¡°Bridge to FDS rooms, the harvester is falling into a storm. We¡¯ll send you specific coordinates in a few moments, get the people from those compartments out first.¡±
With bated breath the bridge crew looked at the dome spanning projection on the main screen. Still over 700 people left on the harvester. Suddenly an alarm sounded from the science station, and Ensign Th¡¯akianas worked the interface to update the display. ¡°Captain¡ structural integrity has failed in two compartments.¡±
¡°Were there people inside?¡± Niko asked, still stunned as he watched the sensor image of two large sections of the harvester¡¯s hull tear free from the vessel¡¯s superstructure and fall away into the storm, crumbling in only a couple of seconds under the impossible pressure of the gas giant¡¯s atmosphere.
¡°Forty-four, and sixty-two. Sensors detect no life signs in the wreckage.¡± Shrass eventually responded with a low voice.
¡°Damn it!¡± The first officer shouted and banged his fist on the railing against which he was leaning. ¡°How much longer?¡±
¡°Forty seconds.¡± Haroun replied.
Several more external sections of the harvester crumbled and fell away, but luckily those were either already evacuated, or storage compartments. The whole bridge crew was counting the seconds and watched the numbers and indicators on the schematic overview change while hundreds of people were evacuated from the doomed ship.
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg stared at the main screen, hoping against hope that the industrial vessel¡¯s structural integrity systems would hold out just a few more seconds. Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, engineering reported. ¡°Engineering to bridge, we got everyone. Nobody¡¯s left on the harvester.¡±
¡°Thank you. Good job down there.¡± Niko answered, breathing a sigh of relieve.
And then the lights on the bridge returned to normal, and one of the large doors in the back of the room opened to reveal Sina standing there with a large tablet in hand. ¡°Thank you everyone, this concludes simulation 301. Take a break and get something to drink. Meet me in briefing room one at 1600 hours for the after-action report. Niko, a word?¡±
The junior officers rose from their stations and quickly filed out of the simulator room. After a few moments, only the CO and XO were left.
¡°How did you like this scenario?¡± The Commander asked while casually dropping into the captain¡¯s chair, the large PADD resting on her knees.
¡°The polite or honest version?¡±
¡°Honest, as always.¡±
¡°It felt good until the storm showed up.¡± Niko began, slowly pacing back and forth in front of the railing. ¡°I know, I know. The simulation tries to make us expect the unexpected. Massive storms aren¡¯t unusual on gas giants. The test is to determine how we react when faced with a rapidly deteriorating situation, and if we manage to keep the ship and ourselves under control¡ I¡¯ve been on the other side of those tests several times and know all the reasons and tricks. But still, it felt somewhat cheap.¡±
Sina listened carefully to her XO¡¯s opinion. ¡°You think the test was unfair on your team?¡±
The Lieutenant Commander nodded.
¡°As much as I like pulling your leg sometimes, I¡¯ll have to disappoint you this time. The test was not rigged against your group in any way. The storm was not suddenly added to the situation as a surprise, it¡¯s been there from the start. And if things had turned out a little differently you might have noticed it sooner. At those altitudes a gas giant¡¯s atmosphere is a supercritical fluid. Massive disturbances, like that storm, can go unnoticed on normal sensor sweeps, unless you look for hypercavitating flows. That¡¯s how the Juno-3 probe was lost in 2129.¡±
¡°Eh. Thanks for the history lesson, I guess.¡± The first officer quipped with a wry grin on his lips.
Sina let out a soft laugh and rose from her chair. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. See you soon in the briefing room.¡±
The Romulan turned and left the bridge simulator, returning to the staging area. Niko looked at the empty room and let out a frustrated sigh before following his CO.
A little over twenty minutes later the crew of simulation 301 was sitting in briefing room one, refreshed and relaxed after their break. Sina was standing behind the speaker¡¯s desk at the room¡¯s front, preparing the debriefing. With a simple tap on her tablet, a large holographic display blinked into existence behind her, showing a summary of the scenario. The present personnel quickly quieted down and sat on their chairs, their attention focused on the Commander.
¡°Welcome to the debriefing of simulation 301. First, let me congratulate you on completing the scenario successfully. The qualifying condition was to rescue more than seventy-five percent of the harvester¡¯s crew, and you¡¯ve achieved that.¡± The Romulan woman spoke, the white shoulders of her duty uniform standing out against the dull gray of the background wall.
¡°But I¡¯d like to hear what you think about the scenario. What do you think you did well, where do you think you could improve? General remarks about the simulation? Speak freely.¡± Commander D¡¯raxis opened her arms in an encouraging gesture, inviting her people to join the conversation.
After a moment of awkward silence Shrass spoke up. ¡°I think I screwed up in the end. I should have found that storm much earlier, then we could have adapted our plan and not lose over a hundred people.¡±
¡°What makes you think so, Shrass?¡± Sina replied, looking at the Andorian Ensign.
The scientist cleared his throat. ¡°First, I¡¯m an astrophysicist. I know about the possibility of disturbances in a gas giant¡¯s lower atmosphere not showing up on normal scans. And second, we knew the harvester¡¯s structural integrity systems were operating on emergency power. I should have run more detailed scans looking for anything that could have jeopardized the vessel.¡±
He took a deep breath. ¡°But I only noticed something was off when suddenly the harvester¡¯s trajectory became much more erratic.¡±
The CO inquired, taking care not to sound accusatory. ¡°How do you think we can improve and avoid such mishaps in the future?¡±
The Andorian contemplated for a second, then replied. ¡°Maybe we could change the planetary sensor macro to include that type of scans automatically when applied to gas giants. This would take care of that problem for everyone using the ship¡¯s sensors, no matter which department or for what purpose or from which station.¡±
Sina nodded in approval to the suggestion. ¡°Any other ideas?¡± Since nobody replied after a few seconds, she made a note on her tablet to remind her discussing updating the sensor macro with Tarik later. ¡°Other opinions?¡±
¡°I found the scenario to be adequate. It was challenging, but not impossible. It presented several obstacles but didn¡¯t contain no-win traps.¡± T¡¯Sai offered her point of view, in her typical flat and emotionless tone. ¡°I think the key factors to a successful completion are to immediately approach the vessel and evacuate the crew via FDS. After a brief analysis I reached the conclusion that a delayed approach or any attempt to try and save the ship in addition to the crew are nonviable.¡±
The Romulan smiled. ¡°Good. But what makes you think there was no way to save the ship? During the simulation you haven¡¯t even considered an energy transfer to restore full power to the harvester¡¯s systems.¡±
¡°Situational time constraints, captain, and the catastrophic consequences of failure. There was simply too little, if any, margin of error. Under less dire circumstances your suggestion could have certainly been the more promising solution, but as presented in the simulation I think it would have been far too risky to be viable. In the worst case it could not only have not prevented the destruction of the Synergy vessel and the loss of its crew, it could also have endangered the Sidereal.¡± T¡¯Sai stated, clearly making her point.
¡°Thank you, Lieutenant. You certainly make a good point.¡± Sina drew in some air before she continued. ¡°I think you already suspected as much, but would you actually be surprised if I told you that the effectiveness and readiness of the systems you use during your simulations are a result of the other teams¡¯ performances during their own simulations?¡±
There was a quick flash of murmur amongst the small group, but eventually Haroun spoke. ¡°You mean, if the engineering team fails to repair, uh, a manifold or something, we¡¯d only have five in our simulations?¡±
¡°Exactly.¡± The CO confirmed with a nod.
¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s expected.¡± The Human Crewman replied. ¡°If we were on a starbase, these exercises would probably be run on a large holodeck, right?¡±
¡°Yes, Haroun, that¡¯s quite likely. However, the Synergy never developed holo technology to such a level and therefore we have to make do with the separate simulators. Anyway, if there are no further comments, I¡¯d like to review the actions performed during the simulation¡¡±
[ Act Two ]
Shori rang Visra¡¯s doorbell again. The quirky Caitian impatiently paced back and forth in front of the door, her tail swinging from side to side, and the long dark blue casual robe flowing behind her. She was grinning from ear to ear while she waited for her friend to open the door.
Finally, after some more long moments, the young Alusi scientist still wearing her duty uniform opened the door and stared at her unexpected guest with large eyes. ¡°Shori? I¡ I didn¡¯t expect you.¡±
¡°Just wanted to stop by to see if you¡¯re doing alright. Can I come in?¡± The Caitian asked, a happy smile on her lips.
¡°Thanks. Yes, sure, please¡¡± Visra mumbled, then stepping aside and waving her friend inside. The last few weeks had turned the science officer¡¯s once luxurious diplomatic quarters into a makeshift laboratory and study. Dozens of holographic screens were silently hovering across all free walls, and even more tightly clustered around the couch. Projections of various Synergy technologies were slowly drifting through the room.
¡°Can I get you something to drink?¡± Visra asked as they slowly walked into the living room.
¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m fine.¡± Shori replied, but then stopped and stepped closer to the Ensign. ¡°But what about you? How are you doing?¡±
Visra took a deep breath, but then a soft smile crept onto her lips and her eyes seemed to light up. ¡°I¡¯m fine Shori, really. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s so much to learn from the Synergy! You can¡¯t imagine all the technologies and discoveries they¡¯ve made. Did you know that they figured out that pi was not irrational? All our proofs were wrong! Pi repeats after a number of digits equal to Graham¡¯s number. Oh, and yes, they actually calculated Graham¡¯s number, which by itself is an impossible feat!¡±
¡°Their sensors, their nanometer and femtometer technology, their programmable matter seeds, their dimensional shifting, their raw computing power¡¡± Visra walked next to the couch and with a few simple gestures pulled close several screens and projections that had been hovering in the air. ¡°Every day I learn new things in the simulations, and I¡¯ve been reading and studying topics I wouldn¡¯t have dared to dream about at the Academy. Sometimes I wished I could spend more time with Tarik or 15@57, but I know they are very busy, and I don¡¯t want to keep them occupied all by myself.¡±
Shori curiously quirked an eyebrow at Visra¡¯s words. ¡°So, you¡¯re no longer scared of them?¡±
The Alusi swallowed, then slowly shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I¡¯m no longer terrified of them. Many of them still look intimidating and make me quite uncomfortable, but I think I can manage most of the situations. Jeffrey has been helping me a lot and taught me ways to keep my fears at least somewhat under control. I still need his sessions, but it¡¯s getting better. Also, it helps that I keep myself busy with reading and studying.¡± She added with a slight shrug of her shoulders. ¡°If I¡¯m busy I have no time to get panic attacks or anxiety fits.¡±
The Caitian stepped again closer to her friend. ¡°But you can¡¯t keep yourself on full injectors all the time. You need to relax, or you¡¯ll soon see Jeffrey for a burnout. Say¡¡± Shori teased. ¡°¡have you tried the swimming pool yet?¡±
Visra glanced at the steps leading to the large swimming pool that was partially suspended outside the annulus¡¯s superstructure, encased in transparent duranium alloy. Several of her colleagues had already commented on how amazing it was, how it almost felt like swimming through space itself. ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I¡¯ve been too busy-¡±
¡°Then it¡¯s good I¡¯ve come prepared.¡± Shori interrupted and flung her robe backwards to reveal her mimetic polyalloy one-piece. The silvery liquid-like material seemed to flow on and through the Caitian¡¯s fuzzy fur, as if it was just a slight touch away from falling off. But it stuck together and never failed to cover all the critical parts, even though it sometimes got to within a hair of being utterly scandalous.
Visra stared at the half-naked Caitian in front of her for a moment, then started to giggle. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to get me into the pool now, are you?¡±
Shori just grinned and nodded, while fully disrobing. ¡°Come on, Visra. When was the last time you did something relaxing with a friend? Just letting yourself go, letting all the worries fall off your shoulders? The Humans have a saying, ¡®carpe diem.¡¯ It¡¯s in one of their world¡¯s ancient languages and means, ¡®seize the day.¡¯ Your documents won¡¯t run away, they¡¯ll still be there for you tomorrow. But this moment, right now, will never come again.¡±
The Alusi contemplated her friend¡¯s words for a long moment, biting her lips shyly, but eventually nodded. ¡°Okay, okay. You got me. Just allow me a moment to change¡¡± With a big grin on her lips, she let out a soft laugh as she went to the fabricator to retrieve a swimsuit, and then went to her bedroom to change. After a few minutes Visra returned, her orange swimsuit a striking contrast to her gray and purple patterned hide.
Shori whistled when her friend stepped back into the living room. ¡°You¡¯re killing it, girl!¡±
The Alusi grinned impishly, then turned in front of the Caitian, showing off her lithe, androgynous frame. ¡°You think so?¡±
¡°Absolutely, you look amazing! If we ever have a beach fashion show, you¡¯ll positively rule it! But now, let¡¯s dive in!¡± Shori called out and charged at the pool. The muscles on her athletic body worked as she ran towards the pool, and then jumped in a long arc to dive head first into the water. The Caitian swam with wide strokes of her arms and resurfaced after fifteen meters. ¡°Come in, the water¡¯s great!¡±
The Alusi approached the pool in a less reckless way than her friend and walked to the edge of the water. With an elegant jump she followed Shori into the water. She swam after the Caitian, a big smile on her lips. ¡°You know, if it weren¡¯t for the general physical training at the Academy you¡¯d not have gotten me into the pool.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡± Shori asked, casually treading water.
¡°Yes.¡± Visra replied. ¡°My species is notoriously averse to swimming.¡±
¡°How come?¡±
¡°Our ancestors evolved from warm-blooded reptiloid predators on Tial¡¯alus. Their primary competitor was an aquatic species that dwelt in shallow waters and shore areas. They were so successful, that our ancestors developed an inborn fear of water bodies and retreated to different habitats. Even after they evolved sentience and became the apex predator on our world, this fear never really disappeared. Only through gradual exposure and training can my kind overcome this aversion.¡± The science officer explained, slowly circling her friend with slow strokes.
Shori giggled. ¡°Seriously? Your people fear swimming? I¡¯m sorry, but that just sounds too funny. You¡¯ve got canines rivaling my kinds¡¯, and claws even larger than ours. What did that other species do to your ancestors that it scared them so much?¡±
¡°It preyed on them. It was a brutal battle for survival and dominance. My predecessors were lucky their claws evolved in time to double as digging tools, so that they could evade their competitor and still ensure sufficient access to water.¡±
¡°Well, guess we all can be lucky you did come out on top of the food chain.¡± The chief of security teased, and splashed a large wave of water at Visra, who squealed in response. The Alusi in response dove beneath the surface, and grabbed the Caitian by her knee, pulling her under.
Shori flailed her arms and struggled her legs, coming back up spluttering water, while a second later Visra surfaced laughing heartily. The Caitian glared at her friend playfully, then joined her laughter. The two women teased and played with each other, splashing water and giving chase around the pool for almost fifteen minutes.
Eventually, Visra grew tired. After all she was a scientist, not a soldier like her friend. ¡°I surrender, I surrender!¡± She called out playfully. ¡°I need a break. I¡¯m just not as tough as you.¡±
¡°No problem.¡± Shori gently replied, swimming closer to the Alusi. ¡°If you want we can go back to solid ground, or we could go out a little further and just drift for a while. What do you say?¡±
¡°If I remember correctly, the whole rage about this pool was the outside part, right?¡± The Caitian nodded quickly in response to Visra¡¯s question. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I have the strength to swim that far and then back again.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Shori replied, offering her hand. ¡°Just get on your back and relax.¡±
Visra smiled and took a deep breath, turning on her back to go drifting on the surface. Shori reached for the scientist¡¯s hand, and gently tugged her further out towards the far end of the pool.
When they crossed the threshold to the outside part of the pool, the Alusi¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Can you feel that? Did gravity change?¡±
¡°Yes. The outside part has a different configuration with a lower attraction coefficient to add to the experience. Just relax and watch the stars.¡± Shori spoke softly as she carried Visra further.
Eventually they reached the last five meters, and the Caitian stopped. She now also turned on her back, drifting next to her friend, their heads side by side. ¡°Give me your hands.¡± She whispered, reaching for Visra¡¯s hands and entangling their fingers. Holding on to each other, both women silently watched the stars as they drifted almost weightlessly.
¡°You were right.¡± Visra whispered. ¡°This is amazing. I can¡¯t see the ceiling, and I feel as if I was floating in space itself. Being like this feels so¡ free.¡±
Shori chuckled softly. ¡°Didn¡¯t promise too much, did I?¡±
¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± The young Alusi replied. ¡°Shori¡? I don¡¯t think I ever really thanked you for what you did for me that one night two and a half months ago.¡±
¡°Ah, don¡¯t mention it. It was nothing.¡±
Visra smiled shyly. ¡°No Shori, it was not nothing. You were there for me even after I lashed out at you. You were there and helped me when nobody else even noticed my problems. For that I¡¯ll always be thankful. You¡¯re my best friend, and I¡¯m glad to have you. Thank you, Shori, for everything.¡±
If Caitians could have blushed, Shori would have been as red as a tomato. ¡°Anything for a friend. But you¡¯re selling yourself short. It was your quick thinking and knowledge that saved all our combined skins, hides, scales, and furs. And that¡¯s something for which I¡¯ll be always thankful, because without you we all would probably be dead.¡±
Visra let out a deep and relaxed sigh, enjoying the time- and weightless drifting beneath the strangely familiar and yet unknown stars of this galaxy, her fingers gently entwined with those of her closest and best friend. Together they drifted across the surface of the pool, feeling like being part of eternity.
After a long time, Shori carefully squeezed Visra¡¯s hands. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
¡°Do you think we¡¯ll make it?
The Alusi slightly tilted her head to look at her friend. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°Understanding their technology to the degree necessary that they¡¯ll let us set out on our own? I¡¯m just a soldier, but even for my team it¡¯s quite difficult. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine how challenging it must be for you, or our engineers.¡±
Visra softly smiled at her friend. ¡°It is a lot to learn and understand, I¡¯ll not deny that. But I think we can manage it. Maybe we¡¯ll need a few weeks longer than we thought, maybe we¡¯ll have to run some more simulations than we expected, but eventually we will succeed.¡±
She squeezed back, careful that her claws wouldn¡¯t hurt her friend. ¡°And don¡¯t forget that for now we only have to be able to understand it so that we can operate and maintain the technology, we don¡¯t have to develop or improve it. Imagine someone traveled a thousand years into the past of both our worlds and took a scientist each back to the present. Do you think those scientists could learn about warp field geometry? Or about replicator patterns? It would seem like magic to them.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ good question.¡± Shori replied. ¡°Well, assuming those scientists got over the massive culture shock of being taken a thousand years into the future, to a version of their world where their people traveled to the stars and met with other species, I think they could learn those things. It would probably take quite some time, but if a newborn child could grow up and learn about those things in a few decades, those scientists should be able to so as well in that time frame.¡±
Visra grinned. ¡°Exactly! And right now, we are those scientists, every single one of us, taken to a galaxy we never knew and having to learn things anew. We already received the culture shock, and hopefully got over it well enough. Now it¡¯s time for us to learn. And as long as we stick together I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll make it.¡±
As they continued drifting on the water, a Synergy sphere slowly passed over the annulus, almost directly overhead the pool. Its white surface glistening in the reflected sunlight, and the thin energy lines glowed in a strong blue. As the massive ship crossed the annulus¡¯s sunlight terminator, the sphere turned from bright white to pitch black, now showing only the glowing circles and lines of its energy grid. Both women followed the traversing ship with their eyes, amazed by its size and pure geometric simplicity and elegance.
Shori chuckled softly as the sphere passed by, piquing Visra¡¯s curiosity. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±
¡°Ah, just a silly thought.¡± The Caitian replied. ¡°That sphere¡ I was wondering how a couple months ago that shape alone was a terrifying and inauspicious sight. But now, after getting to know those people for some time, I almost find the design beautiful. Its simplistic geometric form, the white, gray, and blue color palette. It¡¯s hard for me to believe how much my perception of them changed.¡±
Visra now also giggled. ¡°I know exactly what you mean. I¡¯ve studied their ship designs in some detail. And no matter if it¡¯s spheres, cubes, pyramids, prisms, or any of their other blueprints, every single one of them is just like you said. Simplistic geometry and an almost beautiful surface pattern created by their armor and energy conduits. Oh, by the way, did you know what that dull gray foundation beneath the white plating is?¡±
Shori raised an eyebrow and replied teasingly. ¡°No. But considering the way you asked me it¡¯s probably something impressive.¡±
The Alusi scientist grinned. ¡°That was obvious, wasn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a coating of a neutronium alloy, on top of which plates of white composite armor are mounted. That alloy is just a few nanometers thin, but it alone makes their hulls more resilient than Starfleet ablative armor. We know the Iconians had mastered that material, and the Dominion started using it some decades ago. But so far, I haven¡¯t found any mention about the Synergy¡¯s process of creating that alloy. Guess that¡¯s one of their state secrets.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t fault them. If a thin neutronium coating provides that much protection, I wonder how much full armor plating made from that stuff could do.¡± Shori wondered.
¡°With full neutronium plating you¡¯d have a ship that¡¯s probably indestructible but won¡¯t go anywhere unless you can move the mass of a moon.¡± Visra quipped. ¡°Shori, I hope you¡¯re not mad, but can we get back to the living room, please? I think I¡¯ve been soaking enough for today.¡±
The Caitian laughed. ¡°No problem. This feline also wants to get back on dry land.¡± She released the hold on one of her friend¡¯s hands and began to slowly swim back toward the living room.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
[ Act Three ]
The bridge was dark and empty. All consoles were dark, and only a faint pale white shimmer provided a glimpse of illumination. Four figures stood in the deserted room. Three stood around the central chair, while one casually walked along the back wall.
[Don¡¯t you think this scenario isn¡¯t somewhat predetermined to fail them?] Chiaxi¡¯s melodic tone carried on even in her thoughts. Her mental presence was beaming in the hive-mind like a bright guiding star, while her almost towering avatar strode from console to console.
[Maybe.] Tarik replied, still impressed and honored that the Matriarch had spared some time to witness and comment on the final simulation of the bridge crew. [But Sina and her crew proved to be exceptionally creative and resourceful during the last several weeks. We are aware that they managed to attain a completion rate of over eighty-three percent across all simulations in all specializations.]
1@1 smiled to herself, satisfied that her engineer started calling Sina by her first name instead of her title or rank. The Matriarch was aware of the rift between her people and the Starfleet crew. A rift that wouldn¡¯t close quickly no matter how amicable the situation seemed. After recognizing the seed of sympathy between them, it was her silent hope that Tarik and Sina would be the ones capable of bridging the chasm.
[Yes, Tarik. But this scenario is different.]
Now Na¡¯lo joined the discussion. [How so, Matriarch? We¡¯ve used historical encounters and situations before, and they managed most of them.]
[I know. But the raid on the Kalahar, which started the Six Generation War between the Karraan Union and the Hublik Confederacy, was never resolved. Neither the Karraan crown princess nor the Omega particle were ever recovered. How can we expect them to beat this scenario?] The Matriarch mused. She knew that 18@31 was about to speak, but Hiora¡¯s thoughts were already known to her, sending a sly smile to her lips.
[That¡¯s one of the reasons why this scenario is particularly adequate, Matriarch. And because it bears a strong resemblance to a tradition in Starfleet training Lieutenant Neirrek told me about. They call it-]
[The Kobayashi Maru.] Chiaxi finished Hiora¡¯s thought, drawing on their shared memories and knowledge. [An unbeatable scenario with no possible victory condition, that serves as a method to gauge the Cadet¡¯s character and how they behave when facing overwhelming odds. Fascinating. I¡¯m quite curious how our examinees will do.]
Suddenly the large doors along the backside of the chamber opened and the Sidereal¡¯s senior bridge crew streamed in, led by Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis. Quickly and efficiently the other Starfleet officers took up their stations, unaware of the virtual avatars observing their every action.
The simulated placeholder bridge flickered briefly and was replaced by an accurate virtual representation of the simulator room. The lighting, the consoles, the people, everything a perfect replica to allow astute and critical observations. [Well then. Let¡¯s see how they will fare.] The Matriarch remarked with a grin, her three eyes sparkling curiously.
¡°Good afternoon, alpha shift.¡± Sina started once everyone had taken their place. ¡°You all know that this is our final simulation. I guess everyone¡¯s probably quite nervous, I know I certainly am. But I have full confidence in all of you. You¡¯ve trained and studied hard for this moment. And I¡¯m incredibly proud of what you all have achieved in the past five months. We have gone where none of us have ever gone before, and we have learned what none of us have ever learned before.¡±
¡°Any questions?¡± The Commander looked around, but everyone she faced simply nodded. After a brief pause, she finally sat in her chair. ¡°Okay, people! Let¡¯s do this!¡±
¡°What¡¯s the scenario for our final test?¡± Niko inquired curiously.
¡°First contact, sort of. The Synergy has established diplomatic contact with the Karraan Union, a small independent regional alliance of worlds at the edge of Synergy territory. The Karraan want to open trade and technology exchange negotiations, and we are to meet with the Union¡¯s crown princess as a first step.¡± Sina smiled as she explained the scenario to her XO.
¡°Hmm, sounds easy.¡± Niko quipped.
¡°We¡¯ll see¡¡±
A few minutes into the simulation, Junior Lieutenant Clark reported. ¡°Sir, we received a communique from the Karraan Union Fleet Command. We¡¯re asked to follow a specified corridor into their territory to rendezvous with the Karraan flagship, the Kalahar. The crown princess is already expecting us.¡±
¡°Very good. Acknowledge the message, Duncan. Noriko, change course to the rendezvous coordinates, maximum speed. Stay inside the corridor, since we want to make a good first impression. Engage.¡±
¡°Aye, captain. Changing course to zero-nine-six mark zero-four. Engaging subspace slipstream at 100 percent. ETA in thirteen minutes twenty-seven seconds.¡± Noriko confirmed the order while swiftly operating the navigation and engine controls. The Sidereal hummed softly as the slipstream drive wound up and plunged the ship into the subspace tunnel.
Sina looked at Niko, confidence gleaming in her eyes. He raised an eyebrow and responded with a teasing grin. ¡°Duncan, contact the Kalahar.¡± The XO ordered. ¡°Inform them we¡¯ll arrive in around thirteen minutes.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir.¡± The operations officer tapped on the holographic interface, but after several moments he became irritated. He tried again, moving his fingers slower and more deliberately than before. ¡°Uhm, Sir? I can¡¯t raise the vessel. No response on any agreed-on channel.¡±
The captain glanced at her first officer. ¡°Keep trying. Extend to all registered channels.¡±
After a few moments, Duncan shook his head. ¡°No change, captain. Still no response.¡±
¡°Maybe they have technical issues?¡± Niko suggested, but Sina furrowed her brows.
¡°Could be, but I want to be sure. Duncan, keep trying to raise them on any channel. Also try any deprecated subspace frequencies they might know. Visra, how far ahead can we scan while in slipstream?¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± Duncan acknowledged the order and went to work on the communications interface.
Visra quickly checked the readings on her science console before answering. ¡°We are currently limited to a narrow sensor range along our flight path, captain. The sensors work about forty light-years ahead of us, and roughly four light-years to each side.¡±
¡°Understood.¡± The captain said. ¡°How long until we get in sensor range of the rendezvous coordinates?¡±
¡°Approximately four minutes and forty-one seconds, captain.¡± The science officer replied swiftly while priming the forward sensor array for maximum distance resolution.
¡°Okay.¡± Sina took a deep breath. ¡°Visra, try to get a sensor image the moment we get in range. I want to be sure everything¡¯s in the green when we arrive.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡±
The following minutes were spent in silent concentration. Any communication attempt made by Duncan failed. He couldn¡¯t get any response on any channel or frequency, even after ensuring with a level three diagnosis that the Sidereal¡¯s comm systems were working correctly. When the ship finally got close enough for sensor contact, the tension on the bridge was almost tangible.
¡°Visra, status?¡±
¡°Captain, there are some strange interferences and subspace distortions at the rendezvous coordinates. The sensors are having some difficulties to adjust. I need a few seconds to compensate.¡±
¡°Take your time, Visra.¡± Sina said reassuringly. ¡°Just give us a clear image.¡±
¡°I think I¡¯ve cleaned up the interferences. The sensors are now picki¡¡± Visra¡¯s voice trailed off in the middle of the word and her eyes went wide as she saw the images in front of her. ¡°Captain, sensors show a massive debris field stretching over almost a full light-minute cubed.¡±
¡°What?!¡± Sina and Niko basically exclaimed simultaneously. ¡°Origin? Any signs of the Kalahar?¡±
¡°The debris appears to stem from several dozen Karraan starships, as well as some other types of spacecraft that most likely belong to the attackers. No sign of the Kalahar, but¡ I¡¯ve identified the interferences. The attackers are using subspace weaponry, and there are nine isolytic tears in the area.¡±
¡°Oh shit!¡± Duncan mumbled.
Commander D¡¯raxis looked at her first officer for a moment, then stated with firm voice. ¡°Red alert!¡± The lights on the bridge changed instantly, and a single klaxon sounded the ship-wide alarm signal.
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg turned to face his captain, a serious and worried expression on his face. ¡°You really want to go in? Against an attacker that destroyed a whole fleet with utterly reckless use of subspace weapons?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t said that, Niko. But I want to be prepared in case there¡¯s an ambush waiting for reinforcements. Also¡ Duncan, contact the Karraan Fleet Command. Inform them of the attack and transmit all sensor data.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The ops officer replied and went to work.
Sina stood from her chair and slowly paced back and forth at the edge of the first bridge level. ¡°Rel, tactical analysis?¡±
¡°Our barriers can withstand those isolytic tears at least for some time and we should be able to outmaneuver them. But given the limited information we have about the attacker it¡¯s impossible to give a more detailed report. We should proceed with caution.¡± The Cardassian replied.
¡°Thank you.¡± The Romulan turned to her XO. ¡°What do you think are we looking at?¡±
Niko shrugged. ¡°Could be anything. Rebellion, terrorist attack, assassination of the crown princess for political reasons, civil war, raid by a third party¡ there¡¯s too little information available. Also, we should be careful not to get involved in something that¡¯s out of our league. I think the Matriarch won¡¯t be amused if we drag the Synergy into some war.¡±
¡°True. We need more information. Visra, anything new on the sensors?¡±
¡°Yes, captain. The Karraan flag fleet has been destroyed. I¡¯m detecting hull fragments from over 200 ships, including the Kalahar. The attacker fleet consisted of probably thirty vessels of many different configurations, of which only two are still operational. From the distribution of the wreckage and the lingering subspace distortions, I¡¯d say it was a surprise attack.¡±
¡°What makes you think so?¡± Niko asked.
¡°Sir, most of the wreckage is drifting in formation. That suggests that the Karraan fleet was not expecting the attack. Also, sensors picked up traces of at least fifty isolytic bursts. This suggests that the attackers approached, maybe cloaked or disguised as a trading caravan, and then deployed a massive volley of subspace weapons that overwhelmed the surprised flag fleet.¡±
Suddenly Duncan spoke up. ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve received a response from Fleet Command. They will send as many reinforcements as they can manage, but their closest ship is over forty minutes away. They authorize us to leave the corridor if necessary and ask us to ensure the safety of the crown princess if possible. They also say that the Kalahar was carrying a¡ an Omega molecule as a token for the negotiations.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis sighed. ¡°So much for sounding easy.¡±
¡°ETA in about five minutes, captain.¡± Noriko mentioned, reinforcing the urgency of the situation.
Sina tapped away on the holographic interface of the captain¡¯s chair, bringing up details of the Fleet Command¡¯s response. After a few moments she dismissed the virtual screen with a flick of her wrist and sighed. She turned to her first officer. ¡°We¡¯ve been asked by the Karraan government to intervene. I don¡¯t think staying out of this is an option anymore.¡±
The German officer rubbed his forehead, mumbling to himself. ¡°Just great. I really should learn to keep my mouth shut.¡± After a moment he looked back up at the captain. ¡°You¡¯re right, we cannot walk away from this. But let¡¯s do this by the book and not screw it up.¡± The XO brought up the intra-ship comms. ¡°All hands, battle stations.¡±
Another alarm klaxon sounded, signaling battle stations ship-wide, and the lighting changed again. The bridge was much darker now, with a blood red crimson glow shining from above. Even though she knew it was only a simulation, Sina found the atmosphere disturbing and nightmarish. She hoped to never experience this situation outside the simulator. The Romulan took a deep breath, then leaned over the railing in front of the bridge.
¡°Rel, coordinate with Visra to get a tactical sensor sweep before we drop out of slipstream. The moment we get there, I want all our defensive and offensive systems ready to engage any potential threats. If anything shoots at us return fire immediately without waiting for orders, but try to disable the attackers.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The Cardassian officer nodded with a serious expression on his face, the holographic overlays on his console already showing weapon readiness, barrier strength, and other tactical information.
¡°Noriko, the same applies to you. If there¡¯s a threat or obstacle heading for us, take any necessary evasive maneuvers without waiting for me or Niko.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The Asian pilot responded, the nervousness obvious in her voice.
¡°Sina, we should leave slipstream some distance away from the debris field. We don¡¯t know if the attackers managed to deploy mines.¡± Niko remarked, rising from his chair to stand next to Sina. ¡°Or the debris might simply inhibit our maneuverability when trying to avoid the tears.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The captain said. ¡°Noriko, bring us back to normal space a few light-seconds away from the edge of the field.¡±
Ensign Yamada acknowledged the order and quickly adjusted the Sidereal¡¯s plotted course. ¡°Aye, captain. ETA at new coordinates in three minutes and ten seconds.¡±
¡°Rel, Visra said there were still two operational attacker ships. Can you tell their status?¡± Sina asked while already mentally preparing herself for the view of the battlefield she¡¯d see in a few minutes.
¡°Yes, captain. As far as I can see they have been damaged but are still battle ready. They are also moving away from the battlefield at supra-warp velocities. They will soon leave our slipstream sensor range.¡± The CTO stated.
¡°Understood. Keep tabs on them when we get back to normal space, I don¡¯t want to get surprised should one of them decide to turn around.¡±
The Matriarch¡¯s avatar curiously eyed the projections of Sina and Niko on the virtual bridge from a few steps away. Na¡¯lo was watching Visra, while Hiora stood next to Rel¡¯s station, critically observing the tactical settings and configurations he had set up.
Tarik stood next to Chiaxi, his arms casually crossed in front of his chest. [What is your impression of their performance so far?] He asked.
The Synergy ruler replied softly. [So far, their responses have been adequate, but on the other hand there has been little opportunity for failure yet. It was prudent of them to scan ahead to investigate the situation as it developed, but I think the more interesting and decisive moments will start in a few minutes when they enter the battlefield. I am curious to see how Sina and her crew will approach the splitting of the attackers¡¯ remaining vessels.]
Tarik smiled. [That makes two of us.]
[ Act Four ]
¡°Dropping out of slipstream in three¡ two¡ one¡ now!¡± Noriko announced, and the view screen returned from the chaotic vortex of subspace slipstream to the familiar darkness of normal space. But the sight projected in front of the bridge was a nightmare. They looked upon a vast field of debris and wreckage, burning fragments of hundreds of ships brutally torn apart by dozens of subspace tears. It was a panorama of death and destruction unprecedented of anything Sina or any of her crew had ever witnessed before.
The Romulan Commander stood at the hand rail, her gaze trying to scan the view in front of her for signs of the attacker. ¡°Any signs of the attackers around?¡±
¡°Negative, captain.¡± Replied Rel, focused on the continuously running targeting scanners. ¡°They are still moving away on diverging courses. One ship appears to use some variant of coaxial warp and is leaving a quickly decaying line of compressed neutrinos. The other one created a massive triquantum shock wave, indicating a simple transwarp drive.¡±
The Cardassian had barely finished when an alarm sounded from Visra¡¯s console. ¡°Captain, two subspace tears are approaching. They are drawn to our OSR.¡±
¡°Understood. Noriko, keep us a nice distance away from them!¡± Sina ordered, trying to sort her thoughts at the sight of the massacre.
¡°Aye, captain.¡± Noriko replied, her hands flying over the console to get the Sidereal moving.
Niko stood next to her, a PADD in hand. ¡°Visra, are there any life signs in the debris?¡±
The Alusi scientist quickly adjusted the sensor calibration, then reported back. ¡°Yes, Sir. I¡¯m picking up a few hundred Karraan life signs in the wreckage, many of them already weak. I¡¯m also picking up a low-powered short range transmission, probably from a damaged emergency beacon or escape pod, but it only shows static.¡±
Sina tapped her combadge. ¡°Bridge to engineering. Spin up the manifolds and prepare to transport the surviving Karraan onboard.¡± She tapped the combadge again, not even waiting for the confirmation of her first order. ¡°Bridge to sickbay, we¡¯ve got a few hundred wounded Karraan coming in. Co-Yor, I need you to¡¡±
While the captain and the XO were coordinating and preparing the ship for the rescue of the survivors, Duncan leaned to the side and asked his colleague. ¡°Hey, can you transfer the transmission data to my station? Maybe I can help clean it up a bit.¡±
The young Alusi nodded, and with a few taps copied the undecipherable message and all its meta-data to the ops station. Junior Lieutenant Clark nodded, and whispered his thanks. Then he went to work, trying all the standard filters that were usually enough to wrestle at least some information from broken messages.
Duncan got a little irritated when the result still came up empty. Maybe it was indeed only a damaged transponder that transmitted only static. He was about to discard the data, but then decided to try one more attempt.
He ran the message through an entropy filter and aggregated the result in chunks of one sigma. Suddenly he was looking at a plot of data points neatly filing in three-by-three-by-three matrices. Duncan quickly fed those matrices into a probability sequencer, and almost immediately the result showed on screen. The signal was not random. It couldn¡¯t be static.
With a mix of desperation and curiosity Duncan ran the universal translator over the dataset, hoping the highly specialized system could make any sense of the matrices. He only hoped the message would contain any useful information, and not a random crew member¡¯s lunch plans or favorite fiction. The moment he saw the result on one of the holographic displays in front of him, the Scotsman spoke up. ¡°Captain! I got something here.¡±
¡°What is it, Duncan?¡± Sina asked.
¡°I did some signal analysis on the static transmission Visra found. The signal is not random. There is some data contained in it, encoded in three-cubed matrices, similar in principle to Morse code. The universal translator managed to decipher it.¡±
Sina looked at Niko. The XO nodded and turned to the ops officer. ¡°What does it say?¡±
Duncan took a deep breath. ¡°¡®Raiders belong to Hublik Confederacy. Surprise attack. Unknown cloaking device. Subspace weapons. Kidnapped princess. Stole Omega.¡¯ Then it repeats.¡±
The CO stared at the view screen for a second. ¡°That¡¯s why they split up!¡±
¡°One ship carries the kidnapped princess, the other transports Omega. They use two different routes to minimize the risk of both being intercepted or pursued.¡± Niko completed Sina¡¯s thought.
The Romulan turned to the science officer. ¡°Visra, how long will be able to pick up the triquantum wave with our sensors?¡±
¡°I guess at least another hour. Their drive is not very sophisticated and causes lots of subspace damage. But the neutrino trace will have completely dissipated in the next ten to twenty minutes.¡± Visra replied, already knowing exactly what the follow up question would have been.
¡°Captain.¡± Rel began. ¡°If we want to pursue any of the attackers¡¯ ships we should do so right now. Every minute we delay increases the risk of them grouping up with still cloaked reinforcements or handing over their cargo to other ships. Also, they didn¡¯t seem to use the mentioned cloaking devices for their escape. Maybe they have been damaged during the battle, or they were one-use devices. Right now, we have the advantage that we could easily catch up to either of the ships.¡±
Niko turned to Sina. ¡°Rel¡¯s right. Rescuing and treating all survivors will take at least ten more minutes. The longer we wait the less likely we¡¯re to catch any of them.¡±
The Romulan let out a heavy sigh. She hated the thought of leaving the survivors behind, knowing well enough that most of them probably wouldn¡¯t make it until Karraan forces arrived to continue the rescue operation. But she also knew her CTO and XO were right. It would be worse to let the attackers get away with both the crown princess or Omega.
¡°Noriko, follow the neutrino trace. Pursuit course, maximum possible speed. Engage.¡±
¡°Aye, captain!¡± The young Asian acknowledge while her fingers swiftly manipulated the holographic controls. The Sidereal elegantly turned around and quickly disappeared from normal space, leaving the two subspace tears that had been following her all dressed up and nowhere to go. On the bridge, the view screen¡¯s visual was again replaced by the familiar black and rainbow fractal vortex of subspace slipstream.
¡°Based on the neutrino trace, can we make any statements about the ship¡¯s top speed?¡± The XO asked everyone around, not addressing anyone since the question involved many disciplines.
Visra was the first to answer. ¡°Somewhat, Sir. The trace is highly unstable, and the compression ratio indicates that their coaxial drive is equally unsophisticated as the other ship¡¯s transwarp drive. Since coaxial velocities are primarily determined by the neutrino compression, I¡¯d estimate their maximum velocity at around 150 to 200 light-years per hour.¡±
Niko chuckled. ¡°That makes them still more than five times faster than the Enterprise. Their lead is about twenty-five light-years, so we should catch up to them in less than five minutes.
¡°Good.¡± Sina nodded. ¡°Rel, how many slipstream probes do we have onboard?¡±
¡°Ten, captain.¡±
¡°Reconfigure half of them to act as sensor buoys and relays, and immediately launch two from the aft bay when ready. Set them to follow the triquantum wave. I want to keep a close eye on the other ship to avoid any surprises. The probes will be our eyes while we¡¯re chasing this vessel in slipstream.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The Cardassian responded, and immediately went to work with his Alusi colleague to reconfigure and launch the probes.
On the simulated bridge Tarik grinned at the Matriarch, beaming with pride at Sina¡¯s idea. [I told you they were resourceful.]
[Indeed, Tarik. Using stellar probes this way is an interesting solution to compensate for their current situation. But the simulation is not over yet.] Chiaxi replied, her three eyes sparkling with curiosity.
While the CTO and science officer were busy, a soft chirping on the conn console alerted Noriko. ¡°Captain, the target has dropped to impulse.¡±
¡°What?¡± Niko exclaimed surprised. ¡°They are in the middle of nowhere. Any signs of other ships?¡±
¡°Not as far as I can see on the sensors, Sir.¡± The pilot replied. ¡°Time to intercept just above three minutes.¡±
¡°What are they waiting for¡?¡± The XO wondered, his brows furrowing deeply.
Sina returned to her seat, bringing up the tactical readiness displays and targeting sensors. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ve picked up our pursuit and now try to bait us into an ambush. Or their propulsion was damaged more than we thought?¡±
The captain quickly checked the sensor images herself. Niko was right, it didn¡¯t make any sense to stop right here in the middle of empty space. But she wanted to be sure. ¡°Duncan, check the star charts for anything that could be out here. Maybe they¡¯re waiting for a mobile wormhole aperture or something?¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The ops officer replied, and immediately pulled up the charts and maps for this sector. It took him only a few moments of filtering through the data. ¡°Oh oh.¡±
¡°What is it, Duncan?¡±
¡°There¡¯s no wormhole, but the charts indicate that at their position is an old interspatial manifold from the shut-down Synergy transwarp network.¡±
Sina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°If they manage to activate and power even only two or three of those manifolds¡¡±
¡°Then they could get away thousands of light-years and we¡¯d lose their track.¡± Niko completed his captain¡¯s thought. ¡°Noriko, adjust our course so that we leave slipstream in weapons range. Rel, immediately get a target lock on that ship and shoot to disable when we drop to normal space. They must not be allowed to activate that manifold!¡±
Both officers responded in unison. ¡°Aye, Sir.¡±
¡°Time to intercept 100 seconds.¡± The young Asian quickly added, while she adjusted the Sidereal¡¯s course slightly to bring them in much, much closer to their target.
¡°Captain, we¡¯re receiving sensor telemetry from the probes.¡± Visra announced. ¡°The other attacker ship is heading straight towards Hublik Confederacy territory and will cross the border within the next twenty minutes.
¡°Understood. But let¡¯s now focus on this one. They are carrying either the crown princess or the Omega molecule. We can¡¯t let them get away with either.¡± The CO stated, reinforcing their momentary mission.
¡°Rel, status?¡± Niko asked as the Sidereal rapidly approached its destination.
¡°All tactical systems operational. Tachyon barriers at full power, pulse cannons charged and configured for high-precision low-yield fire. Targeting sensors online and ready.¡± The Cardassian replied, his field of view filled with holographic tactical displays and weapon controls.
¡°Time to intercept one minute.¡±
The minute passed faster than anyone expected, and Noriko announced the ship¡¯s return to normal space. ¡°Dropping out of slipstream in three¡ two¡ one¡ now!¡±
The holographic view screen in front of the bridge changed, casting off the slipstream¡¯s vortex and replacing it with the blackness of space pierced by the swirling dark blue and gray vortex of an open transwarp aperture. The golden and green hull of the simplistic and blocky Hublik vessel shimmered under the aperture¡¯s glow, as it was only a few seconds away from entering the opening.
¡°Rel! Fire!¡± Sina shouted, but the Cardassian had already released the ship¡¯s deadly weapons.
The tactical console chirped, and a split second later a volley of bright white blue bolts of energy streaked from the Sidereal¡¯s cannons towards the attacker vessel. The first salvo connected with their shields, the shield bubble fracturing under the merciless onslaught of hard Omega radiation, which eventually overloaded their grid. The second salvo impacted on their hull, effortlessly puncturing their armor plating and punching clean holes through their hull in blinding blue explosions.
The ship started to tumble, thrown around by the secondary detonations as their impulse engines were destroyed, as well as the clean amputation of one of their external compartments. But while the ship was staggering, it was still drifting towards the aperture.
¡°Target the manifold! Destroy the aperture!¡±
Another volley of energy bolts shot forward, whizzing past the broken Hublik vessel at superluminal speed into the open vortex. They connected with the centuries old hexagonal manifold, easily penetrating its deprecated shielding, and cleaving it into half a dozen chunks. Colorful explosions completely shattered the massive structure mere moments later, and while the manifold¡¯s debris drifted apart in subspace the aperture in normal space destabilized and flickered out of existence.
¡°Open a channel.¡± The captain ordered. ¡°This is Commander D¡¯raxis of the Federation Starfleet vessel USS Sidereal on behalf of the Karraan Union. You are under arrest for your participation in the attack on the Karraan flag fleet, and your use of subspace weapons. You are outgunned and outmatched. Surrender your ship and prepare to be boarded.¡±
The view screen turned on, and a large-headed insectoid stared back at them, its four multifaceted black eyes glistening menacingly. The three asymmetric mandibles on its mouth produced a clicking and chirping, which the universal translator picked up a moment later.
¡°We will not surrender, for we are victorious. We will resist your every motion, for you are too late. We will celebrate, for your shortsightedness has already defeated you.¡±
Before the Romulan could say another word, the Hublik had closed the channel.
Niko raised an eyebrow. ¡°Now that was helpful.¡±
The Romulan turned to her science officer. ¡°Visra, can you detect any Karraan life signs or traces of Omega?¡±
¡°Not yet, captain. Their internal hull is built with materials interfering with our scans. I need some time to recalibrate the sensors.¡± The Alusi scientist responded, her fingers flying over the sensor controls.
Suddenly Duncan spoke up. ¡°Captain! There, the hull!¡±
All eyes focused on a rectangular section on the side of the tumbling vessel. A massive length of hull seemed to fold in onto itself, revealing what appeared to be a hangar or freight deck. Moments after the strange folding doors had completely opened, a massive crimson cube slowly drifted out of the opening.
¡°Visra? Any idea what that is?¡± Niko asked.
¡°One second¡ based on radiation traces on the cube¡¯s surface that seems to be an Omega containment device.¡±
Sina tapped her combadge. ¡°Bridge to engineering, we¡¯ve got the Omega molecule. Prepare to transport it to cargo bay two. Have an engineering team on stand-by to check if the devi-¡±
¡°Rel! Fighter!¡± Visra suddenly shouted in a panicked voice.
A second later the Hublik fighter that was launched from a similar hangar deck on the other side of the stumbling Hublik ship swept around. It launched a pale white torpedo a mere moment before the small craft was completely vaporized by one of the Sidereal¡¯s energy bolts. The torpedo headed directly for the Omega device and impacted the red cube.
The Sidereal rocked and shook under the massive explosion. And while the tachyon barriers held against the force of the detonation, they still fractured and bled temporal energy to absorb the devastating blow. Alerts sounded from all consoles and blinding white light from the explosion flooded the bridge.
¡°Status!¡± Sina shouted over the alarms and shocked screams of her crew. ¡°And dim the view screen!¡±
A moment later the view screen turned dark, and order returned to the bridge.
Rel was the first to speak. ¡°Well, the good news is we¡¯re sort of okay. The barriers are holding, if only barely. But the bad news is that the Hublik have detonated the Omega molecule with a tricobalt warhead. The explosion completely destroyed their vessel.¡±
Visra continued after the CTO. ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by massive subspace distortions from the explosion. We¡¯re cut off from any kind of subspace communication, and we have neither warp nor slipstream. The sensors are heavily impaired, but the distortions extend at least thirteen light-years in all directions.¡±
Sina sank back into her chair and let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Oh damn it!¡± Then the lights returned to normal, indicating the end of the simulation.
Tarik¡¯s avatar looked equally frustrated as Sina did. The virtual observers had followed the simulation closely and monitored all events in great detail. He had thought that Sina would be able to at least secure one objective since she was already so close, and his frustration and disappointment radiated out from him like a beacon.
[Tarik, don¡¯t be so negative.] Chiaxi turned to her engineer, a soft reassuring smile on her lips. [Sina and her crew made only few mistakes. Without knowing the history of the Hublik, she just couldn¡¯t anticipate such a fatalistic reaction. Her idea of using stellar probes to monitor the other vessel was a great display of quick thinking. Given the circumstances and stated intent of the simulation, I would say their performance was satisfactory.]
[ Act Five ]
Sina was sitting in her luxurious quarters, lazily lounging on the couch draped in Tholian silk while recording another entry in her personal log. She had barely finished when she heard the doors chirping, then opening and closing on their own. The Romulan turned her head and smiled happily as she saw Tarik walking towards the wide-open living room.
Several months ago, she had made the decision to grant Tarik direct access to her quarters. Just like she had done with Niko, Rel, Shori, Co-Yor, Visra, and Jeffrey. They were visiting so regularly to discuss various things or make reports, that she thought it silly to have them ring and wait.
Since then her living room had pretty much turned into an improvised, and decadent, ready room, and so she didn¡¯t mind making those arrangements at all. The door to the bedroom and master bathroom was still locked down, so she still had her privacy and wouldn¡¯t have to face unexpected and possibly embarrassing visitors there, which made the situation much less troublesome than it sounded.
¡°Hey. What brings you here? Shouldn¡¯t you be at home or so?¡± She teased her guest while waving at him.
Tarik stopped a few steps away from the couch and simply stated, a wide smile on his lips. ¡°She¡¯s ready.¡±
¡°What do you mean, ¡®she¡¯s ready¡¯? Who?¡± Sina replied, looking up from the couch at the visitor, PADD in hand and a slightly puzzled expression on her face.
¡°I mean exactly what I said. We have completed the Sidereal¡¯s upgrade. All systems are operational again.¡± He replied, the smile turning into a fat grin while he watched the Commander¡¯s reaction.
She heard the words, and her eyes popped wide open. Her mouth first stood open, but her lips quickly curled upwards in a happy laughter. ¡°Really?!¡± She exclaimed, dropping the tablet and jumping to her feet. For a second, she warily squinted at Tarik, mustering him. ¡°You¡¯re not teasing me again, are you? You¡¯re not teasing? You¡¯re not teasing!¡±
Eager to finally get off her behind, and again be in command of a starship¡ her starship¡ she jumped into 4@19¡¯s arms, hugging him tightly and laughing at the great news. ¡°YES! Thank you! When can we fly? It doesn¡¯t have to be far. Just¡ somewhere, anywhere. Even if it¡¯s only to Jupiter and back. Do the others already know?¡±
The ragged engineer was now also laughing, somewhat awkwardly returning the hug. ¡°Calm down, calm down, you¡¯re squeezing me!¡± He breathed between laughs. With a sudden jerk Sina pulled back and straightened her posture. She looked at Tarik with the same mix of barely contained excitement and playful mischievousness any child would on First Contact Day, just a few minutes before the big fireworks.
¡°To answer your questions, we can take the Sidereal out any time now. The rest of your crew has not been informed yet. I thought it prudent that the captain of the ship should know first.¡±
She smirked slyly. ¡°Good thinking. So¡ what¡¯s going to happen next? Do we need to wait for the Matriarch¡¯s permission to take the ship out?¡±
Tarik shook his head and replied with an equally sly smirk. ¡°No. We¡¯re already good to go. But I can assure you that the Matriarch will most certainly pay close attention to the Sidereal¡¯s second maiden voyage.
While they were chatting, Sina¡¯s brow started to furrow and her expression turned a little worried. ¡°Can we even control the ship with only sixty-eight people? We were already running on a skeleton crew when we were eighty-two, and now we¡¯re even fewer.¡±
4@19 stepped closer and briefly took her hands, giving them an encouraging squeeze. ¡°Yes, you certainly could. The Sidereal¡¯s new systems have more advanced automation and require significantly less supervision than the previous configuration. However, it is still a large vessel for such a small crew, and more personnel would make its operation safer and more reliable. You might be surprised by this, but there¡¯s been a wave of volunteers signing up in the hive-mind to serve onboard your vessel.¡±
¡°Wait¡ what?¡± Commander D¡¯raxis replied astonished, her eyebrows raising in surprise. ¡°You mean¡ some of your people want to work on the Sidereal? Under my command? And the Matriarch would be okay with that?¡±
¡°Yes. Yes. And yes.¡±
¡°And¡ how many volunteers are we talking, exactly?¡±
Tarik¡¯s eyes unfocused for a second while he queried the exact number from the hive-mind. ¡°782 million, 465 thousand, 341. Correction, 343.¡±
The number was several orders of magnitude larger than what she¡¯d have ever expected. She swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s¡ wow. I¡¯d never have expected that. I¡ uhm¡ I don¡¯t need to pick and choose right now, do I?¡±
The Synergy engineer laughed. ¡°Oh no. And like I said, they are volunteers. If you don¡¯t want, you don¡¯t need to pick any of them at all. But I think it would be advantageous to have people onboard who are much more familiar with the technology to support you. While your crew has made significant improvements over the last few months, their understanding of our technology is still only rudimentary.¡±
The last five months had been extremely challenging. Even after the crew had voted to return to their ship and discover the Milky Way anew, it had been difficult for some to accept their situation. While most eventually got over their depressed mood, thanks in no part to outstanding counseling on Jeffrey¡¯s part, a few crew members were still sulking in their own misery.
And those who managed to rally some motivation were immediately hit with the seemingly insurmountable challenge of learning the Synergy¡¯s technology. Most of the crew spent almost the last half year in various schools, training courses, and workshops, trying to learn to understand and how to operate the technology now built into the Sidereal at least on a basic level.
While the task was relatively simple for those positions that simply used the new systems, like conn or tactical, it was extremely challenging for the crew¡¯s scientists and engineers who needed to understand how it worked. Even though Visra was still regularly seeing Jeffrey, the challenge of learning the Synergy¡¯s technology seemed a welcome distraction for her. She had been more active in her courses than in all the weeks before.
And now the moment they had all trained and waited for had arrived.
¡°Yeah, I know. I only took the baseline courses but even I feel my head¡¯s about to burst open if I have to remember one more technical detail about the SSD, the OSR, or the FDS.¡± Sina chuckled. ¡°So, how about we call the others and get onboard?¡±
¡°Sounds like a plan.¡± Tarik nodded in agreement, a sly grin on his lips.
A little less than an hour later the whole crew was assembled in the familiar function hall designed for diplomatic events and social gatherings. Niko, Rel, and Shori stood grouped near the center, below the prismatic chandelier made from Denevan crystal. The crystalline arcs and beams were set directly into the transparent duranium ceiling revealing the starry panorama above Earth¡¯s annulus. The rest of the crew was scattered in smaller or larger groups throughout the hall, and curiously waiting for their captain to arrive. People were eagerly discussing what the reason for this surprise gathering could be.
¡°And she really didn¡¯t tell you what this is all about?¡± Shori asked Niko.
The Human simply shook his head. ¡°Nope, not a single word. She only promised a big surprise. I really have no clue why we¡¯re here. Actually, I wanted to be in the hot tub since approximately three minutes to relax a bit tonight before Mr. Drill Sergeant here pulls out his torture regiment again tomorrow.¡±
While Shori chuckled at the first officer¡¯s comment, Rel simply grinned dangerously. ¡°You know, everyone else seems to be okay with my PT. But if you feel you¡¯re falling behind, you can just tell me. I¡¯ll then arrange a few personal training sessions to get you up to speed with the rest of the crew again. Can¡¯t have the XO fall behind, can we?¡±
Now Niko chuckled. ¡°Well, given the circumstances I¡¯d rather not. Let me reconsider my wording¡ I¡¯m more than content with the PT as it currently is.¡±
¡°Thought so.¡± The Cardassian officer replied laughing.
Suddenly the chattering and talking in the hall died, when Commander Gallagher-D¡¯raxis walked into the hall in her duty uniform, accompanied by Tarik. As she walked towards the center of the large chamber droves of people followed her. In a few moments, the Sidereal¡¯s crew had gathered in a relatively small circle around Sina, Tarik, and the other senior officers. Sixty-seven pairs of eyes were expectantly gazing at the Romulan woman.
Sina stood there for a moment and cleared her throat before she addressed her crew. ¡°You¡¯re probably all curious why I asked you here tonight. I don¡¯t want to keep you in the dark for longer than necessary, so I¡¯ll make it quick. Tarik told me an hour ago that the Sidereal is ready, and we can have her back. All systems are operational, and we can take her out any time.¡±
There was a short pause during which everyone was processing what the CO just said. Then individual shouts and cheers cropped up and were quickly supplemented by an echoing applause. The captain watched the scene with a smile on her lips, happy that after such a long time she could finally deliver this good news to her crew. Her people were cheering and clapping, raising their hands into the air or embracing each other. She hadn¡¯t seen them so enthusiastic in months.
¡°And I have some other news, which I would like to share with you. While the new Sidereal should be easily manageable with our current numbers, obviously it would be better to have a larger crew. I was told there are over 780 million volunteers in the Synergy that would like to join this crew and serve on our ship. We¡¯ve all been training, learning, and living with them for almost half a year now. Many of us found new acquaintances or friends amongst them.¡±
Sina slowly turned, her gaze circling the gathered crew. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer already tonight, but I¡¯d like all of you to think about how you would feel having some members of the Synergy serving on the Sidereal as your comrades. They would be subject to the same rules, the same command structures, the same expectations. When you find a quiet moment, please take some time to consider this option and drop me a message with your thoughts.¡±
Her crew was silent again. Some people looked happy, others seemed to be troubled a little by her suggestion. Sina drew out the moment a little longer, before she shouted with an upbeat, cheering, tone in her voice. ¡°But for now, who wants to take the Sidereal out for a test run?¡± The whole chamber erupted into cheers and raised hands again. The Commander looked at her celebrating crew. ¡°You cannot imagine how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment. And how long we¡¯ve all been training for this second chance.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis looked around her, watching all the sixty-eight enthusiastic faces focused on her, ready to delve into the great unknown once more. She looked at her XO. Niko nodded. She stole a glance at her CTO and COS. Rel and Shori both nodded, too, with the Caitian grinning and her tail excitedly swaying from side to side. Finally, her gaze fell on Tarik¡¯s rugged face, partially covered by his scrubby chin beard. The Synergy engineer smiled warmly and nodded as well, gesturing with his right hand for her to go ahead.
Sina¡¯s smile widened into a thrilled grin, and she raised her voice again. ¡°All hands, return to the Sidereal and report for duty!¡±
Her words had barely faded when the hall exploded into action. Dozens of people quickly scattered and raced out of the chamber, returning to their quarters to change into their uniforms and board the Sidereal. Those few who were still wearing their duty uniforms gathered around the interface terminals near the entrances, and soon disappeared in the bright flashes of dimensional shifts transporting them to their ship. Less than half a minute after the captain¡¯s order the chamber was empty save for Sina, Niko, and Tarik.
¡°I¡¯ll be honest, captain, I did not expect that.¡±
Sina smiled at the men next to her, her eyes traveling between them. ¡°Well, neither did I. I was just finishing my personal log when suddenly this guy showed up and told me we¡¯re good to go.¡± She teased Tarik, throwing him a happy smirk, before her expression turned more serious. ¡°But there¡¯s one more thing. We¡¯re short a chief engineer. You said yourself it would be good if we had people on board who knew the systems in detail, and I can¡¯t imagine anyone knowing the new Sidereal better than you. I¡¯d like to offer that post to you.¡±
The Synergy engineer raised an eyebrow at the Romulan¡¯s words. He opened his mouth for an answer, but quickly closed his lips again. His expression changed as if he was discussing with someone, but after a few moments his face relaxed. 4@19 looked at Sina and nodded humbly. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made a good impression, because even the Matriarch thinks I should take your offer.¡± Tarik still hesitated for one more moment, but then smiled at Sina. ¡°Very well. I accept.¡±
The Romulan Commander grinned from ear to ear, her gaze focused on the engineer¡¯s happy face. She offered her hand and shook it firmly when Tarik took it. ¡°Tarik, I¡¯m really glad you accepted.¡±
Niko also stepped closer and offered his hand for a strong handshake. ¡°Welcome to the crew.¡±
¡°Thank you. I hope I¡¯m not going to regret it.¡± 4@19 replied only half joking. ¡°The command styles of our two organizations are not really compatible, and-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you worry about the details.¡± Sina interrupted him, before he could go on and rattle down a list of two dozen things that would cause problems. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to iron out the kinks soon enough. But for now, I think we have a ship waiting for us.¡±
He nodded. ¡°Aye¡ captain.¡± He added with a big grin, and then reached out with his uplink to initiate the dimensional shift to the Sidereal¡¯s bridge. A split second later the dimensional pocket disappeared and left Tarik, Sina, and Niko standing in a rapidly decaying cloud of glimmering particles in the back of their vessel¡¯s main command bridge. The dimensional shift¡¯s signature flash had made Rel, Noriko, and Duncan turn in their seats, and they were now looking at the sudden visitors.
Niko, all business now, immediately moved to his chair right away. ¡°Captain on deck! You know the drill people, let¡¯s get the Sidereal ready for launch. Duncan, let me know when everyone¡¯s onboard.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir!¡±
Sina walked to the center chair, and slowly sat down on it.
Without wasting a second, Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg was checking reports about the ship¡¯s condition on the holographic display in front of him. ¡°Omega singularity, online. Gravimetric emitters, online. Warp drive, online. Subspace slipstream, online. Structural integrity field, online. FDS manifolds, online. Internal sensors, online. Short range sensors, online. Long range sensors, online.¡±
Once the XO was done with the generic system status, Rel took over and reported tactical systems¡¯ readiness. ¡°Tachyon barriers, online. PTO pulse cannons, online. Targeting sensors, online. Hangar deck, on standby.¡±
After another few minutes of ready checks and status reports, Duncan spoke up. ¡°Sir, all Sidereal personnel are on board.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Niko turned toward Sina. ¡°Captain, everyone¡¯s accounted for and the docking clamps are released. We¡¯re ready to go.¡±
¡°All right. Noriko, take us out of the shipyard. Slow and steady, just like in the simulations.¡±
¡°Aye, captain!¡± Ensign Yamada replied proudly and tapped away at the holographic controls in front of her. ¡°Engaging gravimetric emitters now. Forward acceleration three g.¡± Slowly the renewed Akira class started moving forward, one by one leaving the spider-like segmented mooring arms of the Synergy shipyard behind. Everyone was watching the ship¡¯s movement on the main view screen with bated breath. After seven seconds Noriko reported. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared the shipyard.¡±
Sina¡¯s lips curled up in an excited smile, her green and blue eyes glistening with happiness. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow. After all, we have to learn again how to run. Set course for Neptune, warp two.¡± The captain beamed with pride, remembering the first time she originally commanded the Sidereal. And now here they were, given a second chance. She took a deep breath and spoke the magical word with a sense of joy she hadn¡¯t felt in months.
¡°Engage.¡±
[2x01] Flying Through Majestic Skies
[ Act One ]
¡°Status?¡± Sina asked, sitting relaxed in the captain¡¯s chair.
¡°All propulsion systems showing nominal, captain.¡± Noriko replied, the holographic status display hovering in front of her. ¡°Subspace slipstream drive stable at five percent. Engineering reports that we can increase power whenever we like.¡± The young Asian was curious, nervous, and filled with incredible pride at the same time while awaiting her CO¡¯s next order.
¡°All right then. Let¡¯s see how she¡¯ll deal with higher speed. Set SSD power to twenty-five percent. Engage.¡± Sina ordered, still cautious of their new primary FTL propulsion. While she had studied the incredibly advanced theories and physics behind the subspace slipstream drive like all the other command and engineering staff, she still regarded that system with a bit of suspicion, as it seemed to be just too good to be true.
¡°Aye, captain!¡±
Niko sat on the chair next to his captain, a handful of holographic interfaces glowing above the console in front of him. ¡°So far she¡¯s been holding up excellently. All dashboards show green and the diagnostic routines report everything¡¯s working within standard parameters. If I wouldn¡¯t know it any better, I¡¯d never guess this ship¡¯s fresh out of dry dock.¡±
Sina quipped back happily at her XO. ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it! I¡¯d prefer the shakedown to go down without issues.¡±
¡°Yeah, better keep my mouth shut.¡± Niko replied teasingly. ¡°Don¡¯t need a repeat of the last simulation.¡±
The Romulan groaned when her first officer mentioned their last simulation mission. It had initially looked so promising but ended in disaster when her decisions failed to prevent an enemy from blowing up a stolen Omega molecule. The ship would have survived, but they would have been stranded in a subspace dead zone. It would have taken them more than two decades to leave the area without warp or slipstream drive.
¡°Agreed, let¡¯s not talk about that one. That was embarrassing. I still think all my lucky stars worked extra shifts, considering that the Matriarch still gave us her blessing and the permission to take the Sidereal back when she was ready. I don¡¯t know if any Academy instructor would have been so charitable.¡± She added with a smirk.
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg simply grinned and brought up the shakedown test schedule with a few taps on his console. ¡°Anyway, do you think Tarik¡¯s suggested schedule will work? It¡¯s borderline revolutionary to only set three days of live testing for each system.¡± He looked at the holographic timetable in front of him, his brows furrowing slightly.
¡°So far it seems to work, right?¡± Sina replied, leaning over to check the schedule with her XO. ¡°I mean, he has far more experience with those systems than we do. He basically helped construct or even design them. If he says all system groups need only three days of testing each, I guess he knows what he¡¯s doing. Do you have doubts or indicators it wouldn¡¯t work? So far it¡¯s been holding up nicely.¡±
Niko shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s just quite removed from what I¡¯d have expected. Considering that Starfleet ships go through many weeks or even months of shakedown to hammer out all the kinks, having only planned twenty-one days seems kinda outrageous. I just remember the report of the Enterprise-G and how they got stuck in shakedown for over ten months because of issues with their coaxial core¡¡±
Sina laughed, but her enjoyment was momentarily darkened by the memory of Nadya. She took a deep breath before replying to her first officer. ¡°Well, the coaxial drive was just out of the experimental stage. The G was the first Starfleet ship that got that propulsion system installed by default. The Synergy¡¯s SSD has been stable and operational since over two hundred years, or so. But we¡¯ll see. So far Tarik¡¯s schedule worked nicely. The three days for sub-light and normal warp drive fit like a glove. And by tomorrow we¡¯ll have finished the slipstream tests.¡±
One of the gateway doors at the back of the bridge opened and Tarik walked through. He was dressed in the more rugged Starfleet Odyssey tactical uniform, wearing the golden stripe of the engineering department. Niko and Sina both turned their chairs to look at the newcomer. The captain grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Hey, Tarik. The uniform really suits you.¡±
The engineer pressed his lips together for a moment, before chuckling. ¡°Yes, but you have no idea how naked I feel without my fabricator harness. And there are only four pockets, none larger than my hand and all in inconvenient locations. How can your people work like this? This is madness!¡± Tarik gestured and pointed at the pockets on the sides of his thighs and upper arms.
Niko now also laughed and added with a teasing smirk. ¡°I know exactly what you mean. But trust me, it¡¯s not so bad once you get used to it. Always remember that you could be wearing the service uniform variant, that has only two pockets that are even smaller.¡±
¡°I¡ would rather not, thank you.¡± 4@19 replied, a wide smile on his lips.
Sina stood from her chair and walked over to Tarik. She spoke with a warm voice and a happy glimmer in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve changed into our uniform. I like how it really makes you look like part of our crew, part of our team. Thank you.¡±
The engineer held his new captain¡¯s gaze and nodded in response. ¡°Thank you. I know it might be a little early, but I already must make two requests for modifications.¡±
The Commander quirked a brow, being taken aback a little by 4@19¡¯s remark. ¡°Oh? What do you want to change?¡±
¡°First, I ask for permission to wear my harness. Every senior Synergy engineer serving on board one of our vessels wears that harness. It is a vital contribution to the effectiveness of our crews that engineers have immediate access to whatever minor spare or replacement parts are required, without having to return to a fabricator station. I know it wouldn¡¯t conform to Starfleet uniform regulations, but it would be a significant improvement of my performance.¡±
Sina contemplated the request, but then nodded. ¡°Sounds reasonable. If it helps you with doing your job better, then I don¡¯t see a reason to not allow the harness.¡±
¡°Thank you, captain.¡±
¡°And the second request?¡±
¡°The left sleeves of my uniform jackets need to be curtailed at the elbow. The long sleeves do not allow me to wear any engineering extension without damaging the uniform. They restrict me to the default humanoid arm replacement.¡±
The Romulan looked at Tarik¡¯s left hand and the thought of him replacing the cybernetic arm with one of the bulky replacements he called extensions sent a slight shiver down her spine. The casualness with which members of the Synergy talked about replacing one of their extremities with any random tool was still challenging to understand. The mere thought of having one of her hands replaced by a cybernetic device was horrifying to her, but for Tarik it appeared to be the most natural thing in the world.
¡°Is that really necessary, Tarik? Couldn¡¯t you just use the non-cybernetic versions of those tools you¡¯ve made for us?¡±
The engineer let out a sigh. ¡°I could, captain. But it wouldn¡¯t be efficient. My whole life I¡¯ve been used to working with the extensions. I chose to have my arm replaced at the age of thirteen and since then I¡¯ve only used cybernetic tools. They provide more control, more feedback, and more sensory details than a non-cybernetic version ever could.¡±
Now Sina let out a sigh.
¡°I know it is difficult for you to understand. And it is difficult for me to explain why the difference is so great. The prospect of having to work with a non-extension tool and requiring a tricorder to see the effect of the modifications is¡ less than appealing to us. Imagine losing your ability to see colors and requiring a tricorder to tell you the color of a door, or a flower, or someone¡¯s¡ eyes.¡±
¡°Fine, but on one condition.¡± The Romulan looked up at Tarik, challenging his gaze.
¡°Which would be, captain?¡±
¡°For all social events you default to a humanoid arm. That includes staff meetings, receptions, after work gatherings, and other activities and interactions with the rest of the crew. I don¡¯t want you to sit at the dinner table with a macrospanner as your left arm or something like that.¡±
4@19 looked at his CO for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Understood. That is a reasonable and acceptable requirement. I agree.¡±
Sina dropped her serious-captain-business expression and smiled warmly at Tarik. ¡°I¡¯m glad your requests were only relatively minor. For a moment you had me worried when you said we had to change some things.¡±
Tarik raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t have expected my requests to be so¡ controversial?¡±
Until now Niko had quietly watched the exchange between his captain and new chief engineer from his seat. But now he joined the discussion with a remark of his own. ¡°They weren¡¯t. It¡¯s just that usually when a new crew member asks the captain for changes after being on board for less than a week, it¡¯s usually a more pressing issue or some trouble brewing. That¡¯s all.¡±
¡°That is all?¡± The engineer¡¯s gaze wandered between Sina and Niko.
The captain nodded. ¡°Yep. What he said. Don¡¯t worry about it, Tarik. Everything¡¯s fine. Speaking of which¡ how¡¯s the slipstream drive holding up?¡±
4@19¡¯s eyes unfocused for a split second while he requested the data directly from the engine control system. ¡°SSD is operating at full efficiency. Current propulsion power is set to twenty-five percent. All systems are stable. Maximum power is available, captain.¡±
Sina grinned and turned back to her XO. ¡°You heard the man. Let¡¯s turn up the heat a little.¡±
Niko nodded in response. ¡°Aye, captain. Noriko, increase slipstream power to fifty percent.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir! Increasing slipstream power to 50 percent. Current velocity¡ 250 light-years per hour.¡± The Asian pilot replied, her fingers swiftly adjusting the controls on the console in front of her. She then added a hushed whisper. ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡±
¡°How long can the Sidereal sustain this speed?¡± Sina asked as she walked back to the central chair, waving at Tarik to follow her.
¡°Theoretically, indefinitely. The slipstream drive itself is low on maintenance and requires significantly fewer regular shutdowns and servicing compared to a conventional warp drive. However, an Omega singularity reactor hits a quickly diminishing return of energy yield after about fifty hours of continuous high load. To ensure the safety of our ships, the Synergy doesn¡¯t operate slipstream drives at maximum power for more than forty-five hours. This allows the OSR to recover from any energy drain spikes and prevents interruptions to the readiness of our tactical systems.¡± Tarik calmly explained while he followed his CO to the captain¡¯s chair.
¡°But that¡¯s only if we go for 100 percent power?¡± Niko inquired.
¡°Correct.¡± 4@19 confirmed. ¡°At lower velocities the OSR load correlates linearly with the slipstream power setting. Fifty percent SSD increases the upper reactor endurance safety limit to around ninety hours, twenty-five percent SSD makes that 180 hours. That¡¯s also the reason why Synergy ships rarely travel at maximum velocity, unless an emergency demands it.¡±
The Romulan Commander furrowed her brows as she quickly did the math. ¡°That means we could make over 22,000 light-years in less than two days, without a pause?¡±
Tarik smiled and nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡±
Sina took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s insane! Well, it will definitively take some time getting used to that speed. Visra, how¡¯s our company holding up?¡±
¡°Sphere 272-Theta-8 has been escorting us since we left the Sol system, captain. They¡¯ve stayed 10,000 kilometers behind our port bow, matching our speed perfectly. So far they don¡¯t seem to have problems keeping up with us.¡± The Alusi scientist replied, her eyes glued to the sensor displays on her console.
Tarik chuckled softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they definitively won¡¯t be having problems keeping up. I¡¯ve spent the last nine years of my life maintaining and carefully fine tuning and optimizing that sphere¡¯s SSD to be able to maintain full power for the whole forty-five hours.¡±
Niko glanced at the chief engineer, a big teasing grin on his lips. ¡°Was that a challenge to a race, Tarik?¡±
4@19 smirked back at the XO. ¡°No, Lieutenant Commander. A race implies the chance of losing, but in this instance, I know with no uncertainty that Sphere 272-Theta-8 cannot lose. Both vessels¡¯ propulsion systems operate at the same level of power and efficiency. A race in this case would neither be a challenge to the systems or the crew, nor yield additional results or entertainment.¡±
Sina simply laughed at Tarik¡¯s response and the completely professional tone with which he delivered his counter. ¡°Should I call Co-Yor and ask for a burn kit, Niko?¡±
The XO threw his hands up in defeat, also laughing. ¡°Okay, okay, it was a silly idea. I admit it.¡±
After a moment of goofing around, Niko returned to a more serious stance. ¡°We were talking about the testing schedule just a few minutes ago. The three days you¡¯ve allocated for each system seemed quite optimistic to me and we wanted to be sure you¡¯ve got enough time to do it properly. You don¡¯t need to hurry for our sake. It wouldn¡¯t really matter if the shakedown takes four weeks or eight months.¡±
4@19 turned to face the first officer. ¡°I appreciate your concern, Lieutenant Commander, but I assure you that the schedule is correct and sufficient. The Synergy had several centuries to standardize most of our systems. All our components have been thoroughly tested in various situations and configurations. If you remember, it was one of the Matriarch¡¯s explicit wishes that the Sidereal was upgraded with standard components we would also use in our own vessels. You can now see the benefits of that request.¡±
Tarik sat down on the chair to Sina¡¯s left, opposite the XO. With a few taps on the console he brought up the master systems display on the main view screen, the various components getting painted in different colors with a short legend stating where else they were used. The Sidereal¡¯s silhouette quickly turned into a colorful mosaic, with colors indicating components originating from spheres, cubes, prisms, and various other Synergy vessels.
¡°As you can see, all vital and critical systems have been well established and are being used in that configuration in millions of other vessels.¡± The chief engineer continued to explain. ¡°The only custom components are those we were required to salvage and reverse engineer from your vessel, like the various holodecks and their control systems. But given that those are non-vital and relatively simplistic, their testing also shouldn¡¯t require much time. I am still absolutely confident that the Sidereal will be fully operational and ready for duty in at most sixteen days.¡±
¡°Good.¡± Sina stated with a warm smile on her lips. ¡°Thanks for the explanation, Tarik. But if there are any issues, don¡¯t hesitate to inform me or Niko. We all want to get this done right.¡±
¡°Of course, captain. But I should return to main engineering now. I want to challenge the OSR with some additional load peaks while in transit.¡± 4@19 rose from the seat, nodded to his CO and XO, and headed towards the bridge¡¯s gateway door.
[ Act Two ]
¡°Where¡¯s Haroun?¡± T¡¯Sai asked as she sat on the free spot on the couch in Duncan¡¯s quarters. Again, she had been delayed by a work-related discussion, much to her and the other¡¯s chagrin, and arrived late to their meeting.
¡°He couldn¡¯t make it.¡± Duncan replied. ¡°Vossler mishandled a null-space energy cell and the discharge burnt her arm. She¡¯s in sickbay and Haroun had to take over the rest of her shift.¡±
Shrass let out a sigh, his antennae dropping slightly. ¡°Hope she¡¯s okay. But I guess we should get used to not be able to get everyone together in one gathering.¡±
¡°That appears to be the case. With the return to a normal shift rotation, it is rather unlikely all of us will be available at any given time.¡± T¡¯Sai remarked in her familiar neutral expression.
¡°Hmmm¡¡± Duncan mused. ¡°Yeah, maybe we should have one meeting for each shift. And one person from each of those meetings could then meet for an exchange. Anyway, we can hash out the details for that later. So, what do you think about our current situation?¡± He asked the other sixteen officers around him.
Shrass spoke first. ¡°I must admit that the upgrade is pretty amazing, and the real deal is even better than what we¡¯ve seen in the simulations. The crew quarters are great, and the new sensors are incredible. They also upgraded the astrometric lab to that holographic dome they were using on their sphere. The resolution and detail are incredible. I¡¯d say it¡¯s at least ten times better than what we had before.¡±
¡°I agree, at least somewhat.¡± The Vulcan Junior Lieutenant added. ¡°Seeing Synergy technology in action is quite an impressive event. Even though I remain extremely suspicious of their propulsion and reactor technologies, it appears to work as promised. With admittedly impressive results. During the slipstream tests yesterday and today we¡¯ve traversed thousands of lightyears in only a handful of hours.¡±
Duncan nodded. ¡°Yeah, their toys and gadgets are nice, I¡¯ll give them that. But we shouldn¡¯t forget that we still shouldn¡¯t feel too safe or comfortable around them. Even with our ship back under our control they¡¯ve put a leash on us. One of their spheres is following us all the time.¡±
A female Human Petty Officer leaning against the living room¡¯s back wall spoke up. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard they just follow us to make sure the shakedown goes alright. And to support us in case anything goes wrong.¡±
The Scottish Junior Lieutenant snorted and stood from his couch seat. ¡°When was the last time you heard of a ship being permanently escorted during shakedown? Right, that wouldn¡¯t make sense. During shakedown the ship is already supposed to be operating independently and hammer out minor kinks. If any system was still so unstable that a permanent escort was necessary, it should have stayed docked.¡±
Duncan walked to the fabricator console and ordered a glass of Whiskey. He was off duty for the next thirteen hours, so a bit of synthetic alcohol wasn¡¯t off-limits, and its minor effects would quickly fade anyway. ¡°What they tell us and what they really intend are two completely different things.¡± He grabbed the glass and downed the shot in a single gulp.
Now the Andorian scientist offered his own opinion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit? You almost sound like Haroun.¡±
¡°I am?¡± The Scotsman shrugged. ¡°So what? Oh, have you already forgotten the captain¡¯s suggestion? What do you think about her idea of taking on a couple hundred Synergy ¡®volunteers¡¯ to help us man our own ship?¡± He gestured wildly and the use of air quotes and the tone of his voice made it obvious what he was thinking about that plan. ¡°I can hardly wait to be outnumbered five-to-one on our own ship.¡±
¡°I oppose that idea as well.¡± T¡¯Sai said. ¡°The idea behind our vote to having the Sidereal restored and returned to us was being independent and having a means to retreat or isolate ourselves from the Synergy¡¯s influence. Having hundreds of them on board would completely negate the benefits of that approach. It would also introduce several security liabilities. Being outnumbered on that scale would for example also mean that in a critical situation we could not enforce any decision or policy against the Synergy.¡±
Shrass also stood and started nervously to pace back and forth, his strong voice sounding through the room. ¡°We can¡¯t allow that to happen. The Sidereal is our ship and we must make sure it stays that way. But how can we speak out against these ¡®volunteers¡¯ without being giving us completely away?¡±
¡°That¡¯s a really good question.¡± Duncan added.
Now a male Bolian Ensign who had sat on a chair brought over from a neighboring quarter joined the conversation. ¡°Maybe we could simply say we need more time to come to terms with how they look and act? We¡¯re almost one quarter of the whole crew, if we all say something along those lines, I think the captain wouldn¡¯t push it.¡±
¡°Maybe. But that might only temporarily halt the inclusion of Synergy members into our crew.¡± The Scotsman replied. ¡°At some point we will need a more permanent solution. I don¡¯t know yet what we can or should do, but I know it must start with getting rid of our new chief engineer. Having Tarik on board is a serious threat to our cause.¡±
The Andorian Ensign looked a bit taken aback by his colleague¡¯s harsh words. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I know what you mean¡¡±
But T¡¯Sai answered in Duncan¡¯s stead. ¡°It really is simple, Shrass. If we allow Tarik to stay for a prolonged period, he will serve as a seed of acceptance for the Synergy. More and more members of the crew will interact with him and start accepting him, which in turn will significantly increase support for the captain¡¯s proposal.¡±
Duncan continued with obvious bitterness and frustration in his voice. ¡°Of course, we can¡¯t just go to main engineering and shot him. Or act in any other obviously hostile way against him. But we must keep looking for some way to get rid of him. The best possible situation would be if we could expose some shady activity of his. Like some unannounced and unapproved modification to our systems, or allowing remote access to the ship controls, or something like that. Anything that would force the captain or the XO to at least remove him from his current position.¡±
¡°Okay, now I see what you mean¡¡± Shrass mumbled and after another moment¡¯s hesitation returned to his seat.
¡°Now that this topic¡¯s out of the way, anything else you want to talk about?¡± Duncan asked casually, with a slightly more relaxed expression on his face now.
¡°I¡¯ve continued my investigation regarding Haroun¡¯s theory of the Synergy exerting any kind of mental influence over us.¡± T¡¯Sai reported. ¡°I have concluded that there are currently no indications of any technology like the Kataan probe being used on us. There are no traces of nucleonic radiation on the frequency bands and power levels recorded being used by that device.¡±
A quick round of murmurs passed through the gathered crew and their faces visibly relaxed.
The Vulcan continued after a moment. ¡°However, I¡¯ve found minuscule traces of neurogenic fields like the one encountered by USS Voyager at stardate 52542.3. You probably remember the bioplasmic organism by its more sensationalized moniker¡ the telepathic pitcher plant.¡±
¡°Wait, what?!¡± Duncan sputtered and everyone else in the room stared shocked at T¡¯Sai.
¡°I suspect that the weak neurogenic fields are a byproduct of the Synergy¡¯s hive-mind and the cortical implants they use, but without detailed medical scans of one such implant it is impossible to determine their exact origins.¡± She continued unfazed by her colleagues¡¯ reactions. ¡°The field strength is not sufficient to create overpowering hallucinations as experienced by the crew of Voyager, but it would be strong enough to exert a minor influence if one was exposed to one in close proximity for a prolonged period of time.¡±
Shrass¡¯s antennae dropped and he rubbed the root of his nose. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡¡±
The Scottish Junior Lieutenant also sighed. ¡°Well, that even makes more sense than Haroun¡¯s initial wild theory. That creature lived in the Delta Quadrant, so it would be more likely that the Borg encountered it rather than Picard¡¯s probe. Maybe they¡¯ve lost a sphere or two to that thing and when they sent a bunch of cubes to get rid of the threat, they assimilated part of whatever it used to create those telepathic hallucinations. And so, they managed to get hold of that weapon.¡±
¡°While I¡¯m not completely convinced of the likelihood of that particular chain of events, it does sound at least somewhat feasible.¡± T¡¯Sai added. ¡°Still, it is only a hypothesis. We would need to test at least one Synergy cortical implant to verify or falsify it. Given that all my inquiries as to the detailed workings of their collective consciousness have not been answered with the desired clarity, I doubt I will be able to produce such results any time soon.¡±
Duncan nodded and looked at his colleagues. ¡°And that¡¯s one more reason why we should get rid of Tarik as soon as possible. The longer he stays around the captain, the higher the risk that he¡¯ll be able to manipulate her.¡±
The gathered group agreed with Duncan¡¯s conclusion, some more reluctantly than others. There were some hushed mumbles and murmurs, but they died down after a few minutes.
¡°In the meantime, we have to remain watchful and attentive. T¡¯Sai, do you think you can approach Co-Yor with your findings about those neurogenic fields? If we had the CMO on our side that would be a huge advantage. At least he would have some authority to force the issue if necessary.¡±
¡°I see no reason not to try. The findings are neutral and non-accusatory, so there shouldn¡¯t be any risk in informing Co-Yor and requesting his support. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s at least passingly familiar with the records of that bioplasmic entity and the significant danger it posed to Voyager.¡± The Vulcan noted and nodded in agreement. ¡°I will see him before my shift tomorrow.¡±
¡°Good. Thank you, T¡¯Sai. Any other topics or comments?¡± Duncan asked.
The group kept discussing the events of the last week and their experiences during the first few days of the shakedown phase of the new Sidereal. The grim mood lingering after T¡¯Sai¡¯s revelation was still present but lightened somewhat by the excitement of having a new ship and testing out its limits. After another half hour, everyone who wanted to say something had spoken and the meeting came to an end.
¡°I¡¯ll meet with Haroun tomorrow and inform him about what we discussed today.¡± Shrass noted as he rose from his seat, before turning to leave Duncan¡¯s quarters. ¡°See you around, take care everyone.¡±
The remainder of the gathering also quickly dispersed, and everyone returned to their own quarters. Alone now, Duncan went to the fabricator and grabbed another shot glass of Whiskey and downed it in one single gulp, before walking to his desk. He picked up his PADD from before the meeting and continued scrolling through the list of security simulations. Telepathic Subversion One. Hostage situation, scenario sixteen. Insurrection Alpha.
Seeing the titles scroll by, he furrowed his brows and wondered who the hell came up with those ridiculous titles. ¡°They still sound like third grade holo novels.¡± Duncan mused.
Junior Lieutenant Clark had been studying those simulations and scenarios for some time now, ever since the captain made that remark about the Synergy volunteers. Duncan felt terrible at the mere thought of mutiny, but in their current situation he felt it was his duty to prepare for the worst. If they were wrong and it turned out the Borg had indeed nothing to do with their situation, they could just laugh it off and pretend nothing ever happened. But if they were right and something was afoot, it could be down to them to safe the whole crew.
He sat down on the chair and opened the last file in the list and continued studying the simulation parameters. This scenario, partially created by Voyager¡¯s then chief of security Lieutenant Tuvok, dealt with a mutiny involving a substantial part of the ship¡¯s joined Maquis personnel. Browsing through the notes that had been added to the file, Duncan saw that the original author had quickly abandoned the simulation, since the crew developed in a way that made an armed rebellion more and more unlikely.
Still, for Duncan this simulation was exactly what he had been looking for. As he continued studying the simulation¡¯s parameters and configurations in detail, he quirked his brows. ¡°Well, well, well, seems the Federation lost a really great holo author with Lieutenant Tuvok. Let me check how Janeway managed to penetrate Voyager¡¯s shields with that piss pot of a shuttle¡¡±
Duncan continued to scour Tuvok¡¯s simulation for clues and strategies for several hours, learning a great deal about how Voyager¡¯s chief of security imagined a mutiny to play out, what the possible countermeasures were and how the rebels could counteract those at an early stage.
Before going to bed, the Scotsman took one last look at the notes he had made on a PADD with a particularly strong encryption, based on what he learned from the Vulcan Lieutenant¡¯s scenario. ¡°I only hope captain D¡¯raxis sees reason when we confront her with the facts and hasn¡¯t been warped too much by Tarik. I hope we¡¯ll never have to go to the full extent of this.¡±
[ Act Three ]
Co-Yor was sitting in the chief medical officer¡¯s office, leaning back in his chair while reviewing another set of Synergy files he had marked for reading. He had already finished the documents about advanced non-nanite medical procedures and was now studying basic nanoprobe assisted surgery methods.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
The morning was slow, even slower than usually, and so far, nobody had come to sickbay. He had decided to send the crewman that was assigned as nurse on break, since there was little use of having another person in here when there was nothing to do. Co-Yor himself put the unexpected free time to good use and continued to familiarize himself with the advanced medical knowledge of their hosts.
It was extremely fascinating to see how far the Synergy managed to push medical technology. He had already seen reliable treatments for so many conditions that would be fatal or at least extremely critical with standard Starfleet means. Dorek syndrome, cured. Iverson¡¯s disease, cured. Telurian plague, cured. Tuvan syndrome, cured. Veridium Six poisoning, fast acting antidote readily available. Darnay¡¯s disease, cured. Ulcartic virus, cured. Yarim Fel syndrome, cured. The list went on and on, hundreds of entries about diseases and other ailments that had been utterly defeated by the Synergy.
Most of the conventional treatments seemed to originate from assimilated Vidiian knowledge and technology. Co-Yor was familiar with that species and how their brutal fight for survival against the merciless Phage had turned them into savages that raid other people to harvest their organs. But Sina¡¯s interpretation appeared to hold true in this situation once more. The Synergy had managed to take the terrible practices and methods of the assimilated Vidiians and turn them into medical wonders that help untold billions.
Co-Yor admitted to himself that he was indeed quite curious about observing any of those methods being executed. He was just considering if it would be appropriate for him to contact Sorowa and inquire if it was possible for him to monitor one of their treatments, when the doors to his medical facility slid open and T¡¯Sai entered, holding a PADD in hands.
The Kalonar rose from the chair and left his office to meet the potential patient. ¡°Good morning, T¡¯Sai. How can I help you?¡± His pupil less golden eyes mustered the Junior Lieutenant with great attention, already looking for any obvious signs of injury, illness, or discomfort.
¡°Good morning.¡± T¡¯Sai replied with a soft nod of her head. ¡°Doctor, I have an extremely serious topic I need to discuss with you. It requires utmost confidentiality. We have grounds to assume the crew¡¯s safety is at risk.¡±
Co-Yor¡¯s head tilted ever so slightly. His expressionless face looked at the Vulcan woman for a second before he nodded. ¡°Of course. We can talk in my office. But if you think the ship is in danger, wouldn¡¯t it be more logical to inform the chief of security, the first officer, or even the captain herself instead of coming to me?¡± He gestured towards his office, inviting T¡¯Sai to go ahead.
The Junior Lieutenant walked into the CMO¡¯s office with swift steps and waited for the doctor to follow her. Once they were both inside, Co-Yor-Turi-Kalur sat on his chair and with a few taps on the desk console brought up a dampening field that prevented them from being recorded or heard outside the office. It was standard procedure to activate this field when someone requests confidentiality, no matter if there was anyone else in sickbay or not. ¡°Confidentiality screen is active. You can speak freely now.¡±
¡°Thank you. Usually you¡¯d be correct, but in this case, we can¡¯t be sure if that would be a good idea. A few of us have made a quite unsettling and disconcerting discovery. We¡¯ve detected faint neurogenic fields on board the ship, almost identical the ones encountered by Voyager at stardate 52542.3. They appear to have the same frequency and field metrics used by the bioplasmic organism to manipulate Voyager¡¯s crew with telepathic projections. The traces are strongest on decks one, four, seven, and eleven, concentrated on the bridge, senior staff quarters, and main engineering.¡± The Vulcan explained, offering the PADD to the doctor.
The Kalonar listened to the Junior Lieutenant¡¯s words, showing no reaction on his velvety gray face. When offered, he quickly took the PADD and browsed through the data. ¡°Please allow me to quickly review your data.¡± He had passing familiarity with the phenomenon T¡¯Sai described. The ¡®telepathic pitcher plant,¡¯ as the organism was also informally called, had been a several thousand kilometers long space-bound lifeform that was using telepathic projections to lure unsuspecting starships to their doom. Not unlike how the terrestrial plant of the same name lured insects, or how sirens of Human folklore lured sea-faring ships.
¡°Your data does appear to be correct, but I need to compare it to the information available in our database.¡± Co-Yor hummed with his deep voice. He tapped on the console in front of him to bring up the medical entries about those fields and the organism in order to cross-reference the information. After some minutes of study, he returned his attention to the waiting T¡¯Sai. ¡°The field configurations are indeed identical. Given the locations of the fields I assume you suspect they affect the command staff?¡±
T¡¯Sai simply nodded.
¡°I understand. You were correct to come to me first in this case. Do you have any suspicion what could cause those fields?¡±
¡°We think it might be Tarik¡¯s neural uplink implant. The captain mentioned that the Synergy has technology to project arbitrary simulated realities into their members¡¯ minds. Maybe his implant is defect or incorrectly calibrated¡¡± She paused for a second. ¡°¡or he is using it to influence our colleagues.¡±
She took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°The problem we are facing is that the Synergy is quite¡ reluctant to share detailed information about their hive-mind and all related technologies with us. We don¡¯t even have a schematic of the neural transceiver they use for uplinking their consciousness. This makes it extremely difficult to determine whether Tarik is the actual cause for those fields or if there was another origin. We hoped you could help us.¡±
Co-Yor leaned forward in his chair, his deep voice resonating in the small office. ¡°If we assume the remote possibility of you being correct, this is a delicate and possibly dangerous situation. Even though the field strength recorded by your scans appears to be insufficient to cause a forceful hallucination, it might be enough to modify and influence the victims¡¯ behaviors without them realizing it. However, without more concrete proof of deviating behavior I cannot go ahead and perform invasive neural scans without informing the patients of the reason.¡±
¡°I understand. Would it be possible to create an inoculation against the neurogenic field¡¯s effects? I have limited understanding of medical procedures, but maybe a treatment based on desegranine could reinforce the original memories and suppress any outside modifications?¡± The Junior Lieutenant suggested with her typical neutral intonation.
¡°An interesting proposal, but I doubt the Obsidian Order created desegranine for such purposes. Any unnecessary or incorrectly dosed application of the drug could cause severe neurological damage. I will require some time to investigate if such treatment is possible. Until then I strongly advise you do not try to apply any treatments yourself.¡± Co-Yor explained calmly. ¡°Also, I would suggest you do not act in an irrational or hasty way. Unless and until there is decisive proof that those neurogenic fields are a hostile activity there is no reason to assume the worst possible outcome.¡±
¡°Please remain calm and focused. Report any further developments and discoveries regarding field activity or parameters to me directly. I will conduct my own investigations to double check your data, simply to ensure it wasn¡¯t a sensor fluke or a false reading.¡± The Kalonar officer stood from his chair, his towering presence easily filling out the office. ¡°Thank you for placing your trust in me. I will inform you as soon as I¡¯ve come to more conclusive results. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡±
The Junior Lieutenant also rose from the seat. ¡°No, doctor. Thank you for your time.¡±
Co-Yor dropped the confidentiality screen with a simple tap on his desk console. T¡¯Sai nodded and turned around, quickly and quietly leaving his office and sickbay with swift steps. The doctor returned to his studies. He looked at the medical information about Voyager¡¯s encounter with that bioplasmic organism and let out a deep droning sigh through the six small tracheal openings at the sides of his head. So far, he was carefully optimistic about the crew¡¯s development, but with T¡¯Sai¡¯s revelation the situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse. If her suspicion should turn out true, they could easily face an existential crisis.
Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, Co-Yor decided that an unconventional problem required an unconventional solution. ¡°Computer, activate EMH.¡± A soft chirp sounded to confirm the order and a split second later the form of the Sidereal¡¯s EMH flickered into existence.
The female-shaped hologram with short strawberry-blonde hair wore the uniform of a medical officer and briefly looked around to assess the situation, then focused on Co-Yor. ¡°Emergency Medical Hologram mark nine online. Please state the nature of the medical emergency.¡±
¡°Activate confidentiality protocols. All inquiries, data, and operations performed and provided in the current session are to be stored in a separate database and encrypted with my public authentication key.¡± The Kalonar ordered.
¡°Understood. Confidentiality protocols active. Session parameters secured. Please state the nature of the medical emergency.¡± The EMH responded after complying with the CMO¡¯s order.
¡°Access Starfleet medical archives, stardate 52542.3. Entry recorded by EMH mark one assigned to USS Voyager. Keywords: bioplasmic organism and neurogenic fields.¡±
¡°Understood. Data available. Please state your inquiry.¡±
Co-Yor handed T¡¯Sai¡¯s PADD to the EMH. ¡°Given the field metrics measured in these scans, how large is the probability of those fields being able to influence a crew member¡¯s behavior?¡±
The holographic woman wordlessly took the tablet and simply held the device as she transferred the information contained in it into her own holomatrix. After a second, she returned the PADD to the CMO¡¯s desk and replied. ¡°Non-zero. The exact amount depends on the degree of exposure.¡±
¡°Specify.¡± The doctor ordered.
¡°Using example values for exposure length and interval for the specified field metrics. When passing through a field trace once, the probability is 0.021 percent. When residing within the field traces for at least four hours per day, after five days the probability is 2.981 percent. When residing within the field traces for at least eight hours per day, after five days the probability is 15.446 percent.¡±
¡°Access internal sensors. Calculate movement profile of command staff. Further, assume the field traces are constant at the measured density and strength. Estimate probability of influence for senior command staff.¡±
¡°Understood. Commander D¡¯raxis, 22.497 percent. Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg, 12.259 percent. Lieutenant Neirrek, 5.705 percent. Lieutenant M¡¯Tiras, 3.322 percent. Lieuten-¡±
¡°Stop.¡± Co-Yor interrupted the EMH. ¡°Given the available data, can you determine whether an affected individual would experience any discomfort or feel any warning signs of being influenced?¡±
¡°Insufficient data. There is not enough information about exposure effects of low-powered neurogenic fields to make the requested prediction.¡±
The Kalonar looked at the EMH dispassionately, thinking about his next question. ¡°Which additional information are required to be able to make the prediction?¡±
¡°Detailed scan of neurogenic field origin. Encephalic and neurographic scans of individuals exposed to the field at least once for at least three minutes.¡± The EMH replied almost immediately.
Co-Yor tilted his head slightly. Acquiring this kind of data unsuspiciously would be quite difficult. He would have to think of something later how to achieve that feat. For now, he wanted to see if there are any short-term successes he could manage. ¡°New inquiry. Estimate chance of desegranine based medication to counteract neurogenic field effects and reinforce patient¡¯s original memories against manipulation.¡±
¡°Non-zero. However, currently known desegranine treatments are not able to achieve the desired result without severe neurological trauma and are not recommended.¡±
¡°Hmmm.¡± The Kalonar hummed, his curiosity piqued by the EMH¡¯s response. ¡°Clarify changes necessary to achieve the requested result.¡±
¡°Desegranine in its current molecular form does not prevent influencing of surface thoughts, it only reactivates old memory engrams. A desegranine derivate with a modified molecular structure that allowed the drug to attach to active synapses would have an estimated 64.877 percent chance of achieving the desired result.¡± The EMH explained without hesitation.
¡°Assume development of the described derivate is possible. What are the expected and estimated side effects of the drug if given in sufficient doses to counteract the currently present neurogenic fields?¡± Co-Yor was getting close. If the side effects were not too bad or risky, he could begin developing the derivate and start inoculating the crew against the fields. He could mask the injections as additional inoculations against pathogens common in this reality without raising any suspicion.
The EMH looked at the CMO for a moment, then responded in her casual and calm tone. ¡°There are no serious side effects to be expected. Non-serious issues that might occur in approximately ten percent of all patients include mild insomnia, increased nervousness, and weak sensations of paranoia. All of those can be treated by known means without complications.¡±
It didn¡¯t sound so bad. If there was a way to treat affected crew members, he wouldn¡¯t be pressed for time that badly and could take some days or maybe even a week or two to conduct a proper medical investigation into the issue. In case the situation became urgent, he could relatively quickly start with synthesizing the desegranine derivate.
¡°Good. Copy the instruction set for creating the derivate drug to my personal files. Encrypt it with my public authentication key.¡±
¡°Instructions copied.¡±
¡°Computer, end EMH.¡± As a few minutes ago, a soft chirp sounded to confirm his command. The EMH disappeared in a soft shimmer as her holomatrix was shut down by the sickbay¡¯s holographic projectors.
Co-Yor took T¡¯Sai¡¯s PADD and walked to the fabricator console in the back of his office. He placed the tablet on the tray and with a few taps on the interface activated the recycling mode. In less than a quarter of a second, the PADD was disassembled and reabsorbed into the fabricator¡¯s matter seed, destroying all stored data irrecoverably in the process.
[ Act Four ]
Sina was just completing the last steps of her usual preparations before leaving her quarters to start her shift on the bridge. She slipped into the black-white-red jacket of her service uniform, casually closing the bioelectric zipper on its front, when suddenly the intruder alarm klaxon sounded and she heard the chirp of her combadge, followed by the second officer¡¯s voice.
¡°Bridge to D¡¯raxis. An unknown object just appeared in cargo bay four. It is transmitting a low-range signal on a deprecated frequency, demanding to speak with the commanding officer.¡± Rel reported.
With a sigh, the Romulan tapped her badge. ¡°Understood, I¡¯m on my way. Have Shori and an armed escort meet me in cargo bay four and seal off that section. I don¡¯t want whatever it is to have an easy way getting to the rest of the ship.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡±
She took a deep breath and left her quarters, heading to the nearest gateway to bring her closer towards cargo bay four. Barely a minute later she arrived and already saw Shori and her guards in their powered armor suits standing at the end of the corridor, covering the cargo bay entrance with their weapons.
¡°Captain.¡± The Caitian greeted her CO. ¡°All access ports and Jefferies tubes have been sealed. So far the object has made no attempt to move out of the cargo bay and it¡¯s still transmitting its original message.¡± She handed Sina a PADD with the translated message. The Romulan quickly scanned the generic request to speak to the ship¡¯s captain.
¡°Good. Keep the section on lock down, nobody gets in and nothing gets out until we know what that thing wants. Any luck with identifying its origin or purpose?¡±
¡°Not yet. Visra is still on it, but so far, the object¡¯s outer hull has been able to block all attempts of scanning the inside. The hull is a biomolecular compound and we think the object in total is organic in nature.¡± The chief of security replied, her low-lying ears indicating her nervousness.
¡°It¡¯s alive?¡±
¡°Only a guess, captain. The hull definitively is organic, but we haven¡¯t detected any known life signs.¡±
¡°Understood. Guess I shouldn¡¯t keep our unexpected guest waiting for much longer.¡±
Shori reached for her backup weapon and offered it to her CO. ¡°Here.¡±
¡°No, Shori. That thing managed to somehow penetrate Synergy tachyon barriers. I don¡¯t want to provoke it. It might even mistake a PADD or tricorder for a weapon.¡± Sina took a deep breath and started walking towards the large cargo bay doors.
After a few moments she reached the entrance. With a simple press on the control panel the massive doors slid open, revealing the cargo bay that was cast in utter darkness. Only the strange object right in the center of the empty hall was illuminated, seemingly glowing from within. The unidentified object was a strange structure apparently made from several multi-layered tori, sitting on a regular table from the mess hall.
A mess hall table? ¡°What¡?¡± Sina mumbled and quirked her brows, when suddenly a loud pop startled her, and the lights came on. A shower of gold and silver glitter was raining down on her and a choir of voices shouted and cheered all around her. ¡°HAPPY BIRTHDAY!¡±.
As she looked around, she saw the whole crew gathered along the edges of the storage facility, laughing and clapping, while Niko sheepishly peeked out from behind the table with the three-story cake, a wide teasing grin on his lips. Rel, Duncan, Visra, Jeffrey, and Noriko were standing nearby - they had been waiting near the front wall of the cargo bay, besides the doors. Even Tarik was silently and with an expression of curiosity observing the event from his place next to the Cardassian CTO.
Sina looked around and took a deep breath as the anxiety of the initial situation fell off her shoulders. A happy smile crept onto her lips and she walked closer towards the center of the hall. ¡°Thank you! Thank you, guys!¡± She laughed back, while slowly the whole circle gathered around the table with lots of shaking hands and congratulations and good wishes.
¡°Happy birthday, Sina!¡± Niko quipped, offering a cake knife to the Romulan. ¡°I think we managed to find a probe that can penetrate the unidentified object¡¯s outer hull, captain.¡±
Sina laughed at her XO¡¯s silly remark and happily took the knife from him as she stepped close to the cake. ¡°You know¡¡± She started, while carefully cutting the cake. ¡°¡you really had me there for a moment. But the table sort of gave it away.¡±
¡°Yeah, we also thought as much. But we didn¡¯t want to overdo it.¡± Her first officer replied.
¡°Overdo it?¡± She let out a hearty laughter. ¡°You sounded intruder alert to get me to the cargo bay! You had the CTO and COS orchestrate a section lock down. That¡¯s already quite deep in overdo-it-country. You¡¯re flat-out crazy!¡±
Sina had cut a few slices out of the topmost cake ring and put one on the plate Niko was holding. When she saw the pattern in the slice, she quirked a brow and looked at her first officer. ¡°What kind of cake is that supposed to be?¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a plain old boring chocolate cake.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t remember plain old chocolate cake having embedded¡ planets? Or what are those supposed to be?¡± She asked, curiously eying the blue-green and green-white circles in the otherwise dark brown slice of cake.
¡°Good guess. The blue one is supposed to be Earth, but I think I messed up the fabricator instructions and turned it into an unrecognizable blob. But the green one turned out quite nicely, I think. With a bit of imagination, I think you can see Novok and Brel¡¯kar.¡±
¡°Romulus?¡± Sina squinted at the slice of cake on her plate.
¡°Yep!¡±
Sina smiled happily at her XO and teased him a little. ¡°Yes, I think I can see it. Thank you. But wasn¡¯t there something about not overdoing it?¡±
The German just shrugged his shoulders and grinned. ¡°Eh, might have missed that mark a little here.¡±
Shaking her head and laughing, Sina continued to cut and distribute the cake until everyone was served a plate with a thick slice of Earth-Romulus chocolate cake.
It was then that Niko stood in the center of the circle that had formed around the table and started to speak. ¡°We have all gathered here today to celebrate our captain¡¯s 30th birthday. But before everyone digs into the cake and worsens their next physical¡¯s results, I¡¯d like to say a few words.¡±
¡°Oh please, no speech.¡± Sina laughed and blushed and gestured to her XO to stop, but to no avail.
¡°I vividly remember when Sina came on board the Sidereal a bit over three years ago. She was a young and idealistic Lieutenant Commander, having returned from a deep space assignment just a few months before. It was her first command assignment, serving as Shelen¡¯s first officer. Shelen was, of course, as chill as always, but Sina seemed almost terrified of him.¡± Niko spoke, his voice echoing slightly in the cargo bay.
The Romulan Commander buried her face in her hands, while Niko recounted those in hindsight embarrassing moments.
¡°In the very first staff meeting after she joined the crew, Sina was so nervous she dropped her PADD with the reports when Shelen called her on. It took us a few days to rid her of her nervousness around the Blue Mountain. But eventually she came around and became one of the best first officers, and later captains, I¡¯ve ever worked with. It was her passion, dedication, and humor that made the ship a better place. Even though I¡¯m still suspicious of that iced Vulcan mocha thing.¡± He added with a smirk.
¡°Hey, don¡¯t knock it until you¡¯ve tried it.¡± Sina quipped back.
¡°Ah, I think I¡¯ll pass.¡± He said with a happy laughter, before he returned to a more serious expression. ¡°The Sidereal and her crew have been through good and through bad times. We¡¯ve seen a lot of happy endings, but we¡¯ve also witnessed terrible tragedies.¡± Everyone knew what Niko was talking about, the death of their former Captain Shelen Ch¡¯iveran.
¡°But no matter what happened, we¡¯ve stuck together as a team, as a family. We¡¯ve carried on Shelen¡¯s legacy and made the galaxy a better place for a lot of people, which is something that we all can be proud of. We¡¯ve grown and become better, not only at what we do but also at who we are. And I couldn¡¯t imagine a better captain to guide us through these troubled times than Sina. I think we¡¯re all lucky to have you with us. Here¡¯s to the captain!¡±
¡°HERE¡¯S TO THE CAPTAIN!¡± Came the cheerful response from the rest of the crew.
¡°Thanks guys. Thank you so much.¡± Sina¡¯s face was flushed and she smiled happily while the crew cheered to her. ¡°Please enjoy the cake now!¡±
The gathered crew quickly split into several groups, each having their own conversations. Many people sought out Sina to congratulate her personally, before returning to mingle with the other crew members. Eventually Tarik approached the captain to offer his congratulations.
¡°Happy birthday, Sina. I have to admit that this was more confusing, for a lack of a better word, than I expected.¡± 4@19 remarked while carefully picking up another piece of cake with his fork.
¡°Thank you, Tarik. But how so?¡± Sina asked. ¡°Don¡¯t your people celebrate birthdays?¡±
¡°We do. But we do not include public humiliation as part of the ritual. We focus on the individual¡¯s achievements and their planned progress, instead of recalling embarrassing events from several years ago.¡± The engineer commented, before closing his lips around the piece of cake on the tip of his fork.
The Romulan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all in good humor, Tarik. There¡¯s no maliciousness or humiliation intended, it¡¯s just a bit of teasing to show how much a person has changed and grown in a given period. The thing with being terrified of my former CO was a remark about how I¡¯ve allowed myself to be intimidated by Shelen¡¯s appearance, instead of paying attention to his personality.¡±
¡°What was so intimidating about that individual that it caused you so much distress?¡±
¡°Shelen was a bear of a man. When Niko called him the Blue Mountain he wasn¡¯t exaggerating. He was the tallest and most massive Andorian I¡¯ve ever seen. He even exceeded Co-Yor¡¯s height and his shoulders and arms were just huge. His uniform was a special cut, because even the patterns for Klingon officers were too tight for him. It was his towering presence combined with his grizzled face that completely overwhelmed me in the beginning.¡± Sina explained, while picking up another slice of cake.
She quickly put a piece of cake into her mouth and swallowed the delicious baked dessert before continuing. ¡°But it turned out that I was being silly. Despite his appearance, Shelen was the most kind and well-meaning man I¡¯ve ever met. He cared for the crew as if they were his family and he quickly helped me to overcome my false first impressions and reactions. We became close friends and it was his influence that helped me grow into the person I am today.¡±
¡°I think I understand.¡± Tarik mused, after finishing his plate. ¡°I¡¯ve studied some of the cultural data we¡¯ve copied from the Sidereal¡¯s computer core some time ago. Am I correct that it is customary among your people to present a gift to the celebrated individual?¡±
¡°Yes. Birthday presents are an old tradition among many of the Federation¡¯s peoples. Why are you asking?¡±
The engineer put on a proud smile. ¡°Because I¡¯m glad to hear that my preparations have not been in vain then.¡±
¡°You really got a gift for me?¡± Sina asked, eying her chief engineer curiously. ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so nice. Thank you, Tarik! What is it?¡±
¡°I will show you at the end of your shift.¡±
¡°Oh, come on, you can¡¯t tease me like this! At least give me a hint!¡± Sina quipped, while finishing her plate.
Tarik shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it would be too distracting right now. Particularly since the gift is stationary.¡±
Sina quirked her brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
4@19 responded calmly with a promising smile on his lips. ¡°Meet me after your shift on deck twelve, port section, and I¡¯ll show you.¡±
The Romulan let out a heavy sigh and smirked at the Human engineer. ¡°Okay, but this better be good.¡±
Sina¡¯s shift passed slowly, almost excruciatingly so. Today¡¯s topic was testing the various improved sensors the Synergy had installed. Niko and Rel were having a field day with the advanced tactical sensors and their newfound capabilities, while Visra was honestly impressed by seeing the new general purpose and astronomical sensors in action. Both topics would also greatly interest Sina, but there was that nagging memory of Tarik¡¯s promised birthday present.
Finally, 1600 hours came around and alpha shift handed the ship over to beta shift. Once the handover was done, Sina quickly made her way to the place Tarik mentioned in the morning. She was so curious and excited that she almost jogged, but she did manage to stay calm enough to walk there normally.
Stepping out of the gateway frame, she could already see 4@19 standing in the middle of the corridor. The Romulan walked up to Tarik, a wide smile on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m really curious now. You had me sitting on coals the whole day long. So, what¡¯s the surprise?¡±
Tarik smiled and gestured towards the door next to them. ¡°It¡¯s behind this door. Technically it¡¯s not a present specifically only for you, but rather should be available to the whole crew. However, considering the information I¡¯ve gleaned from the Sidereal¡¯s logbook entries made over the last several years, I¡¯ve concluded that this would have a particular meaning for you.¡±
Sina quirked a brow and looked at the door. The label said, ¡°Science Lab L4,¡± but something seemed off. She stepped closer and realized that the label was a plate stuck to the door on top of the real label. Carefully, the Romulan reached out and pulled the plate off. The inscription on the door now said, ¡°Material Workshop.¡± Sina looked at Tarik, trying to assess his motives, then pressed the button on the control panel to open the doors.
The doors opened into a large workshop, almost twenty meters long and wide. Along the walls she could see countless workbenches and crafting tables, with a huge selection of tools for various crafts ranging from painting over woodcutting to sculpture. At the far wall Sina noticed the larger, heavier tools and workstations. She saw a lathe, a plasma cutter, an automatic hammer, and a forge.
The Commander entered the room, curiously looking around with sparkling eyes. After a few moments she walked up to the forge, inspecting the various tongs, hammers, chisels, and finally the anvil in front of the forge. She quickly realized that the tools followed classical designs but were manufactured from modern materials, some she was sure the Federation didn¡¯t yet know about. ¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s amazing¡¡± She muttered as she turned around to look at Tarik. ¡°But how¡?¡±
¡°When it became clear that I would be responsible for your ship, and by extension its crew, for some time, I took the liberty to study your logbook to better understand your needs and requirements. It quickly became apparent that your crew practices a selection of old-fashioned arts and crafts for recreational purposes. Especially your hobby could be considered exotic, especially by our standards. Working heated metal with a hammer? That sounds quite impractical from our point of view, but for you it obviously has a special meaning.¡±
4@19 had followed her into the workshop and stood on the other side of the massive anvil in front of the forge. ¡°I had this room prepared as part of the ship¡¯s restoration and upgrade process. I know that you used various holodeck simulations for that purpose but given how much emphasis your crew seems to place on tangible items and memories, I thought having an actual workshop would be a welcome addition to the ship¡¯s facilities. I assumed that you could spare the space of a single science lab, considering the other three laboratories would be that much better equipped.¡±
Sina stepped around the anvil, happily smiling, and simply hugged Tarik tightly. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s a wonderful idea. I¡¯m sure the others will love it. I already do.¡± She released her chief engineer from her embrace and grinned at him. ¡°So, when can we fire up the forge?¡±
[ Act Five ]
¡°Hey, are you coming? Don¡¯t want to miss our slot on the holodeck, do you?¡± Shannara called out, leaning against the door frame of Nadya¡¯s quarters. The Junior Lieutenant had her short red hair styled in a quirky pixie cut and wore a set of earrings with stones of black zircon accompanying her pitch-black eyes. The xenobiologist¡¯s lithe frame was covered by an elegant white dress decorated with red streaks and ribbons to match her wild hair.
Nadya chuckled. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m coming.¡± With a quick tap she switched off the console on her desk and rose from her chair. The tall blonde Russian woman quickly entered the living room where her companion was already waiting, wearing an intricately decorated dark green and black robe with golden seams. She happily smiled at Shannara, eagerly drinking in the view with her eyes. ¡°You look amazing, darling.¡±
¡°Thanks. But you¡¯re not too shabby either.¡± The Betazoid teased back with a big grin on her lips.
Feigning a mock shock, Nadya replied. ¡°Oh! Shabby? I¡¯ll show you shabby! Just wait until we get back.¡±
Shannara quickly stepped up to her girlfriend, a mischievous sparkle in the dark abyss of her eyes as she slung her arms around Nadya¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I hope that was a promise¡¡± She whispered, then tenderly pressed her lips against the Augment¡¯s. The couple stood for a long moment, happily entwined in a close embrace and gentle kiss, before Shannara reluctantly pulled away again. ¡°But now we really should get going.¡±
A few moments later Nadya and Shannara were walking down the corridor, casually holding hands, and making their way towards holodeck six. ¡°So, what¡¯s your big surprise?¡± The Russian asked curiously, enjoying the way their hips bumped into each other as they walked so closely together.
Shannara grinned. ¡°Just wait, you¡¯ll see it soon enough. Wouldn¡¯t be much of a surprise if I already spoiled it for you.¡±
¡°You just love teasing me.¡± The Russian remarked, which earned her a soft laughter from her partner.
¡°If you put it that way, love¡¡± The Betazoid giggled and squeezed her girlfriend¡¯s hand a little tighter.
After two more minutes they reached holodeck six. Shannara quickly checked the room¡¯s booking status and confirmed that it was now in use. With another set of taps the biologist loaded the program she had prepared for their date and smiled when the computer announced it was loaded and fully initialized. ¡°Program ready. You may enter.¡±
¡°Come in!¡± Shannara laughed and playfully tugged Nadya towards the large doors of the holodeck, which slid open with their characteristic hiss that has barely changed in decades.
The Augment curiously looked around as she followed her lover into the holodeck and noticed they were walking into the lounging area of a Starfleet vessel. ¡°You¡¯re taking me out to an older Starfleet vessel?¡± She asked, quirking a brow.
¡°Shush you.¡± The Betazoid replied with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not any Starfleet ship. It¡¯s¡ something special.¡± A waiter approached and quickly guided them to their seats beneath the vast windows, which offered a phenomenal view into space.
Once they were seated and had their drink orders taken, Nadya leaned forward and took both of her girlfriend¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°Are you telling me now?¡±
Shannara smiled softly and nodded. ¡°This is the deck seven lounge of the USS Volkoff. It¡¯s a recreation of the day they approached PSR J0737-3039 six years ago to study the first discovered double pulsar system. We were both quite busy the last two weeks and didn¡¯t really have an opportunity to celebrate our first official three months together. I thought that this would be a nice backdrop for us to spend some time together for this early, but still special moment.¡±
Nadya looked out the windows and watched as the binary pair slowly came into view. It was a breathtaking vista. The two pulsars circled each other, locked into an eighty-five million-years-long dance of orbiting and inching closer towards each other. At the same time, they spun around their axis at incredible speeds, faster than any regular star or planet ever could, and showered the space around them with their radio emissions. Like astronomical lighthouses, their beams crossed the stellar horizon many many times every single minute.
The Russian woman let out a soft sigh as she watched the binary pulsars dance their eternal dance. ¡°I like it. It¡¯s beautiful. So majestic.¡± She said softly to her companion. ¡°And I think I know why you chose this event. Yes, I too wish to spend a long time together with you, just like those pulsars are destined to circle each other for millions of years.¡±
Shannara squeezed back, running her fingers softly over Nadya¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. I was a little bit worried you¡¯d find it too clich¨¦ or cheesy.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s perfect for us. Thinking of it, I guess I wouldn¡¯t mind celebrating all our anniversaries here.¡± The Augment said, a warm smile on her lips.
The couple smiled happily, when the waiter returned with their drinks. The young Human placed the drinks in front of Shannara and Nadya, a friendly smile on his face. ¡°So, here you are. Enjoy! Has the lovely couple already decided on something to eat? I can recommend our pickled salmon with cranberries and a mustard and dill sauce, or our chicken tajine with salt lemons, figs, and glazed carrots.¡±
Nadya raised an eyebrow and looked at her girlfriend. The Betazoid smiled and shook her head as she replied to the waiter. ¡°No, not yet. We need some more time.¡±
¡°Certainly. Just wave me over when you¡¯re ready to order. Enjoy your stay.¡± The hologram said and retreated quietly from the table while the couple took a short sip on their drinks.
The Russian engineer cast her gaze longingly out of the window, watching the pulsars¡¯ slow orbit. She hadn¡¯t paid attention when her companion talked to her and blinked a bit embarrassed. ¡°Sorry, what did you say? I was distracted.¡±
Shannara smiled softly and repeated her words. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about Sina and the others.¡± She voiced it as a statement, not a question. While she knew that Nadya¡¯s feelings for her were true, she could also easily sense the Augment¡¯s inner conflict. Torn between her love in the present and her lost love in the past. The pain of not yet having found a solution to a seemingly impossible problem.
Nadya sighed softly. ¡°I¡ yes, but you know I really love y-¡±
The Betazoid waved her hands. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an accusation. You don¡¯t need to justify yourself, love. I know you deeply care about me, about us. But I¡¯m worried.¡±
¡°Worried about what?¡± The engineer asked, her browser furrowed.
¡°About you, of course.¡± The biologist replied, a faint and sad smile on her lips. ¡°You spend so much time on your experiments and formulas that I¡¯m worried about losing you. Sometimes I feel as if you¡¯ve completely forgotten about me. Don¡¯t get me wrong. It was your unquestioning loyalty to your friends, your unwavering devotion to finding them, and your proud stubbornness that made me fall for you. I now know that you would never give up on me¡¡±
¡°But you think I¡¯m chasing ghosts of the past.¡±
Now it was Shannara who sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s been five and a half months since the accident. Do you really think there¡¯s still a chance to find them? Don¡¯t you think that at some point you have to let go?¡±
Nadya¡¯s head dropped slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe? But you must understand me.¡± She implored her girlfriend. ¡°I can¡¯t let this go unless I either find them or have undeniable proof of their deaths. I could never forgive me if I failed them. The thought of them needing help and me giving up on them¡ it terrifies me.¡±
¡°I know. But please don¡¯t forget about me on the way.¡± The redhead said, gently squeezing her lover¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡¯re not alone! We¡¯re in this together. Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m with you, here in the present. And that I¡¯ll be with you for as long as I can, if you just let me. You know that I¡¯ll help you in any way I can, even though the quantum calculations and subspace mechanics you¡¯re doing goes way over my head.¡±
The Russian giggled softly. ¡°I can say the same thing about your cross-species genomics.¡± But then she quickly turned more serious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve neglected you, Shannara. I really am. You¡¯ve given me so much support and love and deserve so much more than I¡¯m giving back in return.¡±
¡°Now, don¡¯t undersell yours-¡±
¡°Please, let me finish.¡± Nadya interrupted Shannara, still holding hands with her. ¡°Over the past few months I¡¯ve started to take you more and more for granted. I realize that now and I¡¯m sorry for it. I¡¯ve been so focused, so¡ I think you could already call it obsessed with my experiment that I turned into a terrible partner. You deserve better. And I promise to do better. From now on I will again spend more time with you and not waste it all away in front of a console.¡±
The Betazoid smiled happily, sensing the sincerity of her lover¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you, darling.¡± She leaned over the table and placed a gentle lingering kiss on Nadya¡¯s lips. After a long moment she pulled away again, a smirk on her lips. ¡°So, how about dinner?¡±
¡°Sounds good. What are you having?¡±
¡°I think I¡¯ll go for a Feragoit goulash with some mapa bread on the side. Do you already know what you¡¯ll get?¡±
The Augment thought for a second, then responded. ¡°I want to try that pickled salmon the waiter recommended.¡±
Shannara eagerly waved for their host and the waiter quickly appeared to take their order. ¡°When would you like to have your meals?¡±
The couple looked at each other and the Betazoid eventually replied. ¡°In a few minutes?¡± The waiter nodded and returned to the simulated bar.
A couple of minutes later he returned with a trolley and the two meals, each freshly replicated and deliciously hot. ¡°One Feragoit goulash with Mapa bread on the side for the lady in white, and one pickled salmon with cranberries and a mustard and dill sauce for the lady in green. Please enjoy your meals. If you need anything just wave for me.¡± He expertly and with great care placed the food on the table and then quickly retreated to leave his guests to their meals.
Nadya and Shannara happily celebrated their three-month jubilee, joking and laughing while enjoying their meals. Once they were done, for the sake of celebration they ordered Ktarian chocolate puff, a deliciously naughty sweet made from seventeen varieties of chocolate. While they were enjoying their dessert, the view from the recreational lounge shifted slightly. The pulsars were now glowing from high above, shining through the tall windows and showering the whole room with their radiance. Satisfied and stuffed, the two women sank back into their chairs, laughing at how the Enterprise¡¯s CMO would likely disapprove of their overindulgence.
¡°Okay, now we need someone to roll us back to our quarters.¡± Shannara joked, still laughing. ¡°Or even better, we ask for a site-to-site transport. Faster, but same result.¡±
Nadya giggled in response. ¡°Maybe I have a better idea. How much time do we have left?¡±
The Betazoid asked the computer for the time, then replied to her companion. ¡°About twenty minutes. Why?¡±
The Russian woman silently stood from her chair and walked over to one of the comfortable sofas positioned directly beneath the windows stretching across parts of the ceiling. ¡°Why waste a perfectly good view?¡± She sat down, kicked off her shoes, and patted the empty space next to her. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy this moment for a bit before we have to go back.¡±
Shannara quickly stood and walked over to her lover. She sat next to her and kicked off her shoes as well. Leaning back against her girlfriend, the Betazoid sighed happily as Nadya wrapped her arms around her and pulled her closer. The couple happily snuggled up against each other, leaning back and enjoying the sight of the powerful stars glowing above them.
¡°I love you, darling.¡± Nadya whispered gently in her companion¡¯s ear, teasingly nuzzling the redhead¡¯s neck.
The xenobiologist giggled softly and whispered back. ¡°And I love you. I¡¯m so glad we found each other.¡±
¡°So am I. I don¡¯t know if I would have made it through the past three months without you. I felt like I was slowly going crazy, when suddenly you stumbled into my life and saved me.¡±
Shannara entwined her fingers with Nadya¡¯s. ¡°If I remember correctly, it was you who stumbled into me.¡± She teased.
¡°Yes, you do. I remember how I ran into you and almost knocked you down. I was so desperate to get back to my simulations after the end of my shift, that I didn¡¯t pay any attention to where I was going. In hindsight, I¡¯m really glad I did stumble into you that day.¡±
¡°Well, it would have been kind of weird if you had bumped into the Captain, wouldn¡¯t it? You¡¯d probably have fallen flat on your butt and he¡¯d have been all like, ¡®Lieutenant Commander, I expect you to pay attention to your surroundings!¡¯¡± The Betazoid teased and gave her best possible impression of Captain K¡¯Torr, trying to mimic his deep and gruff voice.
¡°Oh god, please stop. I don¡¯t even want to think about it.¡± Nadya laughed in response, her body shaking from the laughter. ¡°And I still need to be able to keep a straight face in staff meetings!¡± Plotting her revenge, the engineer untangled her fingers and started tickling her lover¡¯s sides.
¡°No!¡± Shannara screamed in laughter, struggling and writhing in the Russian¡¯s lap. ¡°You know¡ how ticklish¡ I am¡¡±
After a few more moments of tickling her girlfriend, Nadya relented and embraced Shannara again. She held her close, their bodies pressed closely together as they cuddled on the sofa and pressed a wet smooch against the Betazoid¡¯s neck. ¡°Ceasefire?¡±
¡°Ceasefire.¡± The redhead giggled and pressed herself closer against her girlfriend.
The couple spent their remaining time snuggling on the sofa, before a loud chirp indicated that their booking time was about to expire. With a deep sigh, Nadya and Shannara rose from their comfortable rest and slipped their shoes back on. ¡°Computer, end program.¡± The biologist called out. In the blink of an eye the lounge vanished, and the holodeck¡¯s grid reappeared in all its boring technical glory.
Happily holding hands, the unlikely couple left the holodeck, passing their already waiting colleagues with a flustered smile.
[2x02] Night Falls On Us All
[ Act One ]
Jeffrey remembered the corridors of Sphere 272-Theta-8 quite clearly. As he was walking towards the medical facility to see 112@241 for his first six months checkup he marveled at how much has changed in the last couple of months. While he was happy that the crew was doing fine, he deeply missed his wife and daughter. But he was trying to keep a positive mindset and make the best of the situation in the hopes they could return home soon even though it seemed a losing battle for him.
Sorowa had requested this appointment to check up on his arm to make sure there were no negative side effects. In the past days leading up to this morning, Jeffrey had thought hard about the Synergy¡¯s offer to have his arm regrown. It was tempting, oh so tempting. While the prosthetic arm was much more advanced than anything a Federation cyberneticist could have provided, it was still only a mechanical replacement. But he wasn¡¯t ready to pay the price yet and accept a nanoprobe treatment.
A moment later his steps carried him through the open door into the huge and almost completely empty sickbay, where Sorowa was already waiting for him. ¡°Good afternoon, Jeffrey.¡± 112@241 called out standing next to a biobed with two other medical adjuncts tending to a young Vulcan man with what seemed to be slight burn wounds across his face and arms. She nodded at the other medics who continued the man¡¯s treatment, while she turned around and walked to meet the counselor.
¡°You look great! How have you been?¡± She welcomed him, offering her hand.
The Junior Lieutenant shook her hand, smiling as he replied, nodding his head in the direction of the wounded man. ¡°Thanks! I¡¯m fine, how are you doing? Seems like you never run out of work, huh?¡±
The Klingon medic chuckled softly. ¡°Oh, you know how those young bashful engineers are. Always ignoring safety precautions, always putting energy conduits above the maximum certified load to ¡®just quickly test something,¡¯ always being surprised when subsequently things proceed to blow up in their faces. So just the usual things.¡±
Jeffrey couldn¡¯t hide a grin. For some reason he could imagine well enough how Sorowa was lecturing Tarik about being more careful while stitching him back together, even though 4@19 wasn¡¯t exactly young and bashful, at least not anymore. Holding this thought for a moment, Tarik silently wondered how old Sorowa was. 4@19 was over 180 years old, but he didn¡¯t look a day past maybe forty-five. Maybe the medical adjunct had indeed lectured a certain young bashful engineer about safety precautions many decades ago.
¡°But say, did I hear that rumor correctly that you¡¯ll stop escorting us soon?¡±
¡°That is correct.¡± 112@241 replied without hesitation. ¡°Sphere 272-Theta-8 has been given a new assignment, although it will start only in approximately three months and last until the end of the year. But don¡¯t worry. We are confident that you and your crew will be able to handle yourself well until we return.¡±
Jeffrey quirked his brows. ¡°Well, I hope so! And where are you going?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not allowed to tell you. Please follow me, we should proceed with your examination.¡± Sorowa said and lead him to the empty far end of the sickbay. With a simple gesture of her hand she made one of the biobeds unfold itself, extend from the ground, and position itself at a comfortable height. The Klingon woman waited for Jeffrey to sit down, before she continued. ¡°So, how do you feel about your arm? Is the prosthesis holding up properly or has it given you any trouble? Did you have any pain in the stump or shoulder?¡±
Jeffrey shook his head. ¡°Nope, no problems whatsoever. I mean, in the beginning it was quite awkward. Don¡¯t get me wrong, the technology is amazing, it just wasn¡¯t¡¡±
¡°¡the real thing. I completely understand, Jeffrey.¡± She reassured him while slowly walking around the biobed, sweeping the bio-scanner implant in her right eye socket over his right upper arm and shoulder.
¡°Yes. Anyway, it took a few weeks to get really used to it. But once that adjustment period was over, it felt as good as it can¡ I guess. I know you said I can wear it permanently, but during the night I still take it off. I tried to sleep with it being on, but I just didn¡¯t get used to having the straps on in bed. But it¡¯s no big deal, really.¡± He reported.
¡°I see. Don¡¯t worry about it, I can understand how annoying such a harness can be.¡± 112@241 remarked as she finished her scans. ¡°How about physical activity? Are the straps and gravimetric locks sufficient, or do you want to replace them with more sturdy ones?¡±
Jeffrey again shook his head while watching Sorowa examine him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been doing some sports, joining Rel in his PT courses. Didn¡¯t have any real issues. It worked fine no matter what I did - push-ups, barbell training, swimming. Even when doing one-arm pull ups everything stayed where it was supposed to.¡±
¡°That¡¯s excellent news. But if you ever find the need for stronger support of the prosthesis, you or your CMO can find appropriate fabricator instructions in your ship¡¯s computer. They¡¯ll follow the same cut and fit while being made of a more durable metamaterial. Just don¡¯t forget that your shoulder joint is not made of duranium and in fact is still organic and therefore as squishy as you¡¯d expect compared to the prosthesis.¡± Sorowa explained, a teasing smirk on her lips.
¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll try to keep that in mind.¡± The Junior Lieutenant nodded and laughed.
¡°Oh, you will, because if you forget it for even a single second you will painfully dislocate your shoulder joint, tear several ligaments, or worse.¡± The medic warned with a casual tone that clearly indicated that she¡¯s seen exactly that happen to others before him.
After an awkward moment of silence, he swallowed and continued. ¡°So, how¡¯s it looking, doc? Anything I should be worried about?¡±
¡°Not that I can see. Physically you¡¯re in perfect health, aside from the obvious. Every single scan of your shoulder and upper body in general shows up fine.¡± The Klingon medic explained, standing in front of Jeffrey and smiling at him warmly. ¡°But I get the impression that you¡¯re hiding something. I can see you exhibit typical anxiety reactions and you don¡¯t strike me as the type that gets nervous from a simple physical examination.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Brassfield let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Would you believe if I told you it was nothing?¡±
Sorowa looked at him with a slightly worried expression and shook her head.
¡°Guess it¡¯s no use denying then?¡±
¡°No, not really. But it¡¯s your choice. I can only offer my advice and recommendations, it¡¯s up to you whether to make use of my services.¡± She sat down next to him on the biobed, looking over to him. ¡°Want to talk about it?¡±
The dark-skinned Human hung his head. ¡°Well, since the cat¡¯s out of the bag now¡ I thought I could manage, but I can¡¯t.¡±
¡°Manage what?¡± Sorowa inquired carefully.
¡°Everything. All the changes going on around me. My arm. Our loses. The new ship. Where we¡¯re going, what we¡¯re doing. I thought I could cope with it, and I feel I almost did, but I can¡¯t shake the feeling of being helpless. Being nothing but a pawn that is swept along whether he likes it or not. A piece of debris haplessly carried around by the storm.¡±
He drew in a deep breath, his lips trembling slightly. Most people wouldn¡¯t have noticed, but Sorowa saw it clearly.
¡°And you can¡¯t imagine how much I miss my family. They probably think I¡¯m dead and from their perspective I just might be. Dalia¡¯s fifth birthday was two weeks ago, and it kills me inside I couldn¡¯t be with her. My little girl will grow up without a father, while I¡¯m here telling me colleagues that everything¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m nothing but a liar and a really bad one at that.¡±
The counselor closed his eyes and a couple of tears ran down his cheeks.
¡°But the worst thing is that I know how ridiculous I sound. If anyone else was saying those words to me, I¡¯d know exactly how to respond. I¡¯ve studied and trained for years to know the right words to tell people who¡¯ve lost hope. I know that I¡¯m being overly dramatic, and that our situation¡¯s not half as bad as I make it out to be, but none of that changes how I feel about it. And I hate myself for not being able to help it. For being so weak, so fragile, so¡ vulnerable.¡±
112@241 listened to Jeffrey and gently placed her hand on his. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel ashamed. Your situation is exceptional, and I doubt there could have been any kind of training to prepare you for this. I think you¡¯re holding up fantastically, considering all the hardship you and your colleagues have gone through.¡±
Sorowa carefully laced her fingers with Jeffrey¡¯s, squeezing his hand. ¡°And given what I know from the hive-mind I can say with utmost confidence that you¡¯re not a liar. You don¡¯t know it yet, but our scientists have made significant progress regarding your journey across the quantum barrier. It is expected that they¡¯ll contact your people in the foreseeable future with more information. While we apparently can¡¯t send you back yet, there seems to be a way to transmit a message into your reality.¡±
Hearing those words, the counselor¡¯s head instantly snapped up and his eyes shone with the glimmer of a renewed spark of hope. ¡°You¡ you mean we can talk with our families?¡± With trembling fingers, he wiped away the wetness on his cheeks.
¡°Maybe. I¡¯m a doctor, not a quantum scientist. But it seems we managed to find a theoretical way to send a signal across the barrier into your quantum reality. I understand it requires an absurd amount of energy, even more than our OSR could deliver, and a specific deformation of the spacetime continuum. The details are still being worked on, but you should receive more information in a couple of weeks, a few months tops.¡± The Klingon medic smiled softly at her patient.
¡°You¡ you can¡¯t imagine how¡ much I needed this.¡± Jeffrey sobbed, still trying to get himself back under control.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay. But I strongly suggest keeping that information a secret for now. You should wait for the official communication before mentioning it, to avoid spreading rumors in case there are complications. And we don¡¯t want to spoil the surprise, do we?¡± She teased him with a wide grin.
¡°Okay, my lips are sealed.¡± The dark-skinned counselor smiled back; his mood visibly uplifted from just a few moments ago.
¡°And one more thing.¡± 112@241 continued. ¡°I do understand how difficult your personal situation must be for you. Everyone comes to you asking for help, support, and guidance, while you have nobody to confide in. If it helps you, you can always come to me or any other medical adjunct to talk about your problems or emotions. We¡¯re not only responsible for the physical wellbeing of our crews, after all.¡±
¡°One of the core tenets of the Synergy is that we¡¯re never truly alone. We¡¯re always connected to one another, literally and metaphorically. Even though you don¡¯t have any implants and don¡¯t carry our nanoprobes, we still are responsible for you and your people since we rescued you. So, if you need help of any kind, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask for it. We will always be there for you and try to assist you to the best of our capabilities.¡±
Jeffrey squeezed Sorowa¡¯s hand back and thankfully smiled at her. ¡°Thank you. You know, I might take you up on that offer. It feels as if I just dropped a huge weight off my shoulders. Having someone to talk about all this would certainly help me.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°Funny, it¡¯s usually the first thing I recommend to my own patients. But here¡ I just didn¡¯t see that possibility for myself. I was so consumed by tending to my crew that I was blind to come to you for help.¡±
The medical adjunct smiled back at Jeffrey. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. And if I personally have to set up a regular conversation schedule for you to help you keep your sanity in check.¡± She teased the counselor with a big grin. ¡°If you like, I could even introduce you to my family. Both my mother and my father are medical adjuncts as well. They serve together on Cube 657-Polaris-19. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love taking a closer look at you.¡±
That last bit took Jeffrey completely by surprise and he swallowed. ¡°Uhm¡ I don¡¯t know¡¡±
Seeing his sudden uncertainty Sorowa let out a bellowing laughter. ¡°Only for professional reasons, of course! I know you¡¯re married. Besides, it would not be proper conduct for a medic to make a move on her patient. But the look on your face was priceless!¡±
[ Act Two ]
Sina was standing in the manifold room, looking at the beautiful dark obsidian surface that glistened as if it had been polished to a mirror. She smiled happily as she remembered the first time, she took a closer look at the FDS platform. She¡¯d almost gotten lost in the almost impossibly intricate circuitry embedded into the sealed surface and the wonderful fractal patterns it created from different angles. And now here she was again, marveling at the pitch-black void cast into a perfectly flat circle.
The room was empty safe for herself. There was a standing console with the now common holographic interfaces, but it was switched off. They were short on staff and had decided early on to control the manifolds from engineering. It was a bit less convenient, since it often distracted the engineers, but it was a pragmatic and workable solution to their limited manpower.
The sound of the doors suddenly opening quickly pulled Commander D¡¯raxis out of her daydream and returned her thoughts to the present moment. She turned around and looked at Tarik, Niko, and Visra stepping into the room.
¡°My apologies for the delay.¡± 4@19 began. ¡°We were briefly delayed by Ensign Arsiv¡¯s request to accompany us. Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg noted that the decision is up to you.¡±
Sina raised an eyebrow and curiously looked at the young science officer, who was nervously clutching a large tabled in front of her chest. ¡°Oh? You want to join us?¡±
¡°Yes, captain.¡± Visra smiled shyly. ¡°Of course, only if that¡¯s possible. The Federation is, well, conservative with research into actual artificial intelligence. There were only a handful of individual cases that remotely came close, like Commander Data, or Joe, Voyager¡¯s EMH. It would be amazing to meet an actual large-scale AI.¡±
The Romulan listened to the young scientist¡¯s words and watched the hopeful expression on her face. After a moment, Sina chuckled and replied. ¡°Well, you¡¯re already here and I don¡¯t see any reason you couldn¡¯t tag along. You¡¯re in.¡±
Visra giggled with glee and jumped a little. The small group quickly moved onto the platform. Technically it wasn¡¯t necessary, since FDS worked perfectly fine site-to-site, but Sina liked the gesture as part of the procedure to signal they were ready to leave. The captain tapped her combadge. ¡°D¡¯raxis to engineering. We¡¯re ready. Initiate transport to the surface.¡±
A short moment later they were engulfed in a fractal vortex of darkness and gone in a blue-white flash. The world turned into a blur and a split second later they emerged from the collapsing dimensional pocket on the surface of Sigma Praxis III. The residual cloud of exotic particles left behind by the dimensional shift quickly dissipated around them as the away team slowly turned to take in their surroundings.
The had arrived on a vast open plaza, stretching at least 300 meters in all directions. The ground was covered with matte tiles the color of eggshells, crossed by an expansive but intricate indigo-colored circuity pattern. Around the open space they could see dozens of towering buildings, most of which seemed to have a round and smooth shape and were covered with reflecting blue glass fronts. Between the structures, strange tree-like plants rose from a dark brown soil, twining dozens of meters into the air and sometimes even around the buildings.
Sina looked around, taking in the strange vista, but wondered about the lack of people. ¡°Tarik, where is everyone? There¡¯s nobody here. Did we miss something?¡±
¡°Oh no, Sina. We are indeed at the right place at the right time.¡±
Niko stepped closer to the others. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to meet with¡ Quaris? That was his name?¡±
4@19 nodded. ¡°Correct. He will be here any moment.¡±
Tarik had barely finished talking, when suddenly the indigo circuity around them started to glow and seemingly converge at a point a few meters away from them. The skeletal framework of a humanoid body rapidly grew from the energy built up on the ground, with the rest of the body¡¯s shape being gradually filled out by programmable matter siphoned from the circuit lines in the ground.
After a few seconds the process was complete. The figure in front of them had formed into a male humanoid with smooth hairless indigo-colored skin speckled with silvery motes and golden gleaming eyes. He wore a simple light gray tunic that left its head, hands, and feet uncovered. With a wide welcoming gesture, he smiled warmly at his guests.
¡°Welcome to Sigma Praxis III.¡± His voice was gentle and melodic, and echoed softly across the empty plaza. ¡°I am Quaris, this world¡¯s Theta grade artificial consciousness.¡±
Sina, Niko, and Visra had taken a step back while Quaris¡¯ body formed, but now the CO stepped again closer and offered her hand to their host. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Quaris. I am Commander Sina D¡¯raxis of the-¡±
¡°Federation Starfleet vessel USS Sidereal.¡± Quaris smiled at Sina, took her hand and shook it firmly, but not uncomfortably. ¡°I am aware of your ship¡¯s endeavors, Commander. My consciousness is part of the Synergy hive-mind and thus I can access all data that you allowed us to copy from your vessel¡¯s computer core.¡±
The AC released Sina¡¯s hand and turned to personally greet the other officers with equally firm handshakes. ¡°Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg, happy to have you with us. And Ensign Arsiv, glad you could join us.¡±
Eventually, he turned to Tarik, but instead of offering his hand, he opened his arms and embraced the engineer. ¡°Tarik, it¡¯s been over seven years since you last visited. I¡¯m so excited to see you again in person. How have you been?¡±
4@19 laughed softly and returned the hug. ¡°I¡¯m fine Quaris, I¡¯m fine. You know, I¡¯ve been occupied with so many different things, you wouldn¡¯t imagine. Do you remember how busy the last couple of months have been for me?¡±
¡°Oh certainly. I would have loved to personally participate in the Sidereal¡¯s restoration. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been for you to work with those ancient systems.¡±
The engineer grinned. ¡°Well, it was less exciting than you think, because we stripped them out and replaced them with standard components asap. The matter-antimatter reactor was the first component to go, I couldn¡¯t properly regenerate while that volatile thing was still active.¡±
¡°Ah yes, the well-known excitement of the risk of a sudden containment loss. By the way, what¡¯s up with your new wardrobe?¡± The avatar inquired with a teasing smirk on his lips.
Tarik shrugged and replied with a laughter. ¡°Comes with the promotion. But I guess you invited us here for something more than idle small talk about my new uniform?¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Quaris turned to the others again. ¡°Please apologize my manners. I would like to invite you to a more comfortable and more appropriate place to have this conversation. May I?¡±
Sina and Niko exchanged quick looks, then the Romulan nodded. ¡°Sure. Where are you taking us?¡±
The AC¡¯s avatar smiled and lifted his arm to point at an arcology in the far distance, a pale white shape against the blue sky of the late afternoon. The others followed his gesture, to look at the far away building towering even over the large structures around the plaza. ¡°There. My home, so to speak.¡±
A blink of an eye later the whole group was engulfed in a subspace pocket and the world around them turned into a blur again. With a bright blue-white flash they appeared in what seemed to be an immense apartment inside the arcology. The ceiling was five meters above them, decorated with large chunks of Denevan crystals that cast shimmering rainbow sparkles across the black marble of the floor.
Tarik didn¡¯t hesitate for even a second before he walked over to one of the large and incredibly comfortable looking lounge chairs and dropped down on it.
¡°Please, make yourselves at home. Can I offer you any refreshments? Something to drink or eat?¡± Quaris inquired, while gesturing at the other chairs placed around a low table matching the marble floor tiles.
Visra shyly looked at her colleagues, then carefully spoke up. ¡°Could I get a glass of water, please?¡±
Quaris smiled warmly at the young Alusi and nodded. ¡°Certainly.¡± A moment later the surface of the table started to flow upwards, strands of programmable matter quickly forming into a tall glass. Immediately after the glass had formed the shimmer of an active replicator filled the glass and left it full of cool water. ¡°Here you are. Anyone else?¡±
CO and XO shook their heads. ¡°We¡¯re fine, thanks.¡± Sina added, then furrowed her brows a little. ¡°I am still uncertain why you asked us here. Tarik only mentioned that you had something important to discuss with us?¡±
The indigo avatar joined the group, sitting on his own lounge chair while folding his hands across his lap. ¡°Indeed, Commander. I would like to propose me joining your crew. I am convinced it would be a powerful alliance, extremely beneficial for both of us. You would get access to my computing power and knowledge, while I would get to participate in you experiencing this galaxy on your own.¡±
Sina swallowed as she heard the artificial consciousness¡¯ words. ¡°Uhm, thank you? That¡¯s admittedly a bit unexpected. I¡¯m flattered that you want to join us, but I doubt we have much to offer to you. You said you were part of the hive-mind, so I guess there¡¯s little you haven¡¯t already seen or experienced.¡±
¡°Not quite, Commander. You are correct in that I have a vast collection of memories and experiences of a wide selection of events and locations across Synergy territory and beyond. But there is one thing I haven¡¯t experienced yet: you. More precisely: your way of doing things. I have perused the records of your endeavors and the historical database of your Federation. Your people have a unique perspective, quite distinct from the pragmatic nature of the Synergy.¡±
Tarik raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t tell me you suddenly find us boring?¡±
¡°Absolutely not, my old friend. But you do have to admit that our guests¡¯ Federation is¡ something new. Isn¡¯t it always exciting to explore the unknown? To discover new experiences?¡±
The engineer grinned and then laughed. ¡°I¡¯d be inclined to agree, if they just weren¡¯t so impractical sometimes!¡±
Quaris let out a soft chuckle at Tarik¡¯s remark, his lips a happy grin. ¡°We shall see, Tarik.¡± The avatar turned to Sina again. ¡°I can understand if you need more time to consider my offer. Please take as much time as you require to come to a conclusive decision.¡±
¡°Before we think about that, I have a question.¡± Niko spoke up, leaning forward slightly in his seat.
¡°Please ask freely, Lieutenant Commander.¡±
¡°How exactly would you join our crew?¡± The first officer asked, curious about how a planetary AI could fit into a comparatively tiny ship. ¡°I understand that you are an artificial intelligence. Is the form we see right now everything you require, or is there more to you that we don¡¯t see right now?¡±
The indigo humanoid form slowly rose from his seat. ¡°A good question. But please use the term artificial consciousness. I am conscious, for all intents and purposes, which is a quality even strong AIs lack.¡±
¡°Oh, sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± Niko apologized quickly.
¡°No offense taken, Lieutenant Commander. I understand that the distinction between artificial intelligence and artificial consciousness is often difficult and unintuitive for organic lifeforms who lack the required experience for it. But to return to your question: you would need to install one of my mainframe clusters on your ship, then I could physically operate with an avatar independently of the nodes here on Sigma Praxis III.¡±
Until now Visra had been following the conversation quietly, now and then sipping away on her water. But hearing Quaris talk about needing to install one of his nodes on the ship didn¡¯t sound right to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but why would you need a separate mainframe on our ship? You said you were connected to the hive-mind, couldn¡¯t you just operate with that connection?¡±
The AC turned to face the young scientist, a warm smile on his dark lips. ¡°I could, but it would be extremely uncomfortable. You see, the hive-mind is indeed quite capable and easily enough for organic consciousness. The ¡®speed of thought¡¯ most organic brains work with is at least two orders of magnitude slower than the delay of a hive-mind connection even at extreme distances. But my internal speed is many orders of magnitude faster than that.¡±
¡°I could control an avatar body remotely from here, provided a stable hive-mind connection is available. But it would be a severely disorienting experience. To translate the timescales between my perception and yours, it would be as if you had a multiple-years-long delay between hearing a sound and your body turning its head.¡±
Sina furrowed her brows, musing about the new information she was hearing. ¡°How large would that cluster be? Could it be mobile?¡±
¡°I can show you. Please, follow me.¡± Quaris waved at his guests, gesturing them to follow him as he approached a large door at the far end of the room. The others stood from their seats and followed their hosts. Once everyone was close, he opened the doors with a simple thought.
Behind them was a tall spheroid chamber, covered all over in simple white hexagonal tiles. In its center hovered a massive cluster of thousands of fist-sized pitch-black rhombic dodecahedron, a striking contrast to the bright walls. A dark-blue inner glow emanated from between the nodes, sketching their contours against the uniform blackness of their surface. Dozens of nodes were in perpetual motion over and around their neighbors, continuously rearranging the silhouette of the cluster.
¡°This is my brain, so to speak. Or at least, one of them.¡± Quaris announced proudly, pointing at the black cluster hovering in front of them. ¡°One of these mainframes should be able to easily fit into the Sidereal. An isolated chamber with a diameter of five meters would suffice.¡±
Sina walked up right next to the avatar and looked at the mainframe. ¡°Wait, you would be firmly installed into the ship¡¯s structure?¡±
¡°Correct. Is that a concern for you?¡±
¡°Yes! Of course, it is!¡± The Romulan exclaimed and turned towards Quaris.
The avatar seemed to be confused for a second. ¡°I can assure you the required modifications would be minimal. The energy requirements can easily be met by your vessel¡¯s power grid without impacting-¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that. We have lots of empty space. I¡¯m concerned about any situation that forced us to abandon or evacuate the ship. What would happen to you?¡±
¡°In those situations, I would have to remain on board. I don¡¯t understand your concern, Commander.¡± The avatar looked at Sina, his non-existing brows quirked.
¡°You¡¯d be trapped. You¡¯d have no way of escape. And if the ship was destroyed, you¡¯d die with it, while we could at least try to escape.¡± The Romulan stared at Quaris, not understanding how he could so calmly suggest this.
¡°I am fully aware of this.¡±
¡°You¡¡± The CO didn¡¯t know what to say.
Niko had kept in the background, letting his captain lead the discussion for the time, but now he joined it again. ¡°How can you be so calm about it? Are you not scared about any of those critical situations killing you?¡±
Suddenly the avatar¡¯s face lit up. ¡°I think I begin to understand your concern now. You assume that the destruction of my mainframe cluster on board the Sidereal would kill me, but that is not the case. It would only destroy the copy of my consciousness it would contain but not my original self.¡±
¡°Wait, you can clone yourself? Like in, a full copy with all memories and awareness intact?¡± Visra quipped in, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.
¡°Indeed. The memories and personality of that copy would branch from myself the moment I spawn it and develop independently until it returned here for reintegration.¡±
¡°But it would still be an independent being with full consciousness, sentience, and sapience, right?¡± Sina inquired.
Quaris nodded. ¡°That is correct, Commander.¡±
The captain pressed her lips together and turned around, exchanging looks with her first officer. She let out a deep sigh and turned back to face the avatar. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Quaris, but I can¡¯t do this. It has nothing to do with you being an artificial lifeform. It just doesn¡¯t feel right and I¡¯m worried the knowledge that you¡¯re incapable of escaping would impact my judgment when I couldn¡¯t afford it.¡±
¡°I understand, Commander.¡± The avatar nodded, a slight tone of sadness resonating in his voice.
¡°We can think about this again when we¡¯ve gotten a little more comfortable with our ship and know her limits better. And if you ever manage to shrink your mainframe so that it could be mobile, please send us a message and we can discuss this again. But for now, I¡¯m really sorry I have to disappoint you.¡±
[ Act Three ]
The Cardassian stood motionlessly in front of the panorama window on deck six, the open crew mess hidden away in the section behind him. He silently watched the streaks of light and darkness race over the Sidereal¡¯s rebuilt hull, the slipstream¡¯s colorful vortex reflecting off the new streamlined curves and their white armor plating.
Rel contemplated how different the ship now looked compared to before. It was much sleeker, more elegant, but at the same time her shape was more geometric, more pronounced. The Synergy had outfitted their home with their typical hull plating and armor, giving the former Akira class a strange appearance. White armor plating mounted on a minuscule layer of dull dark gray neutronium alloy, crisscrossed with blue glowing power lines and field emitters.
But in the end the CTO admitted to himself that he liked the new style. He found it quite fitting for a phoenix reborn from the ashes. He wore his light gray training uniform and matching shoes, getting in a few peaceful minutes of relaxing before heading to the holodeck to work on his velocity scores. As he watched the ship plow through subspace, driven by the tamed fury of an Omega molecule less than 100 meters away from him, a slight smile crept onto his lips.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
In the last couple of weeks, he had come here regularly. He just stood and watched, enjoying the sight of unimaginable technology wresting another secret not meant for mortal eyes from the cosmos. The chaotic swirling streaks gently flowed around the Sidereal, almost as if they gently caressed her form. The sight was soothing to him, as if the universe was singing a tender lullaby to help him relax.
¡°Are you alright, Lieutenant?¡±
The sudden female voice from right behind him made Rel jump and turn around. There he saw a Human Synergy member standing next to him, dressed in one of the black and blue jumpsuits she seemed to prefer. Her black hair fell to the neck in her signature wild tousled mess, the blue-white streaks framing her pale face. She looked at him curiously, her cybernetic eyes gleaming with a faint dark blue shine.
¡°Hiora! Where the hell did you just come from?¡± Rel asked and breathed a deep sigh, still a little wound up from the scare she gave him.
¡°I was delivering some materials to 4@19 and saw you standing here by yourself. Since you didn¡¯t move, I approached to inquire whether you needed assistance.¡± The cyborg replied.
¡°Oh. Well, thanks for your concern, Hiora. I¡¯m okay, I was just enjoying the view.¡± Rel said, gesturing with his arm towards the panorama windows.
The Human woman quirked a brow and looked towards the window. ¡°That¡¯s the visual distortions of the subspace slipstream drive. You find that enjoyable?¡±
¡°Yes, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Not particularly. The sight is nothing special to me. It¡¯s just our fastest form of faster-than-light transportation. While an impressive technological feat, I don¡¯t see any artistic appeal in it.¡± Hiora replied. ¡°What do you find in it?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Rel turned his head and looked at the swirls and streaks. ¡°It¡¯s just so fascinating and¡ I think calming. The fractal patterns, the soft swirls, it¡¯s almost like a lava lamp.¡±
¡°A what?¡±
¡°A lava lamp. It¡¯s typically a cone filled with oil and wax. The wax is heated and floats to the top where¡¡± The Cardassian looked at Hiora and paused for a second. ¡°You know, I was on my way to the holodeck. Why don¡¯t you join me, and I could just show you before chewing your ears off?¡±
18@31 squinted her eyes at the CTO. ¡°I prefer my ears not being consumed.¡±
It took Rel a moment to understand that remark. ¡°Oh, no! I didn¡¯t mean it literally. It¡¯s just an expression, a figure of speech used when someone just doesn¡¯t stop talking.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± Hiora replied. ¡°Your language is full of illogical exceptions and certainly colorful idioms. Nevertheless, I shall join you.¡±
¡°Great! Let¡¯s go.¡± Rel turned and led the way towards the next gateway arch, gesturing to 18@31 to follow him. While they were walking, Rel looked at the woman walking next him. ¡°By the way, how did you manage to sneak up on me like that?¡±
¡°My leg augmentations allow me to move more quietly than most people by controlling exactly how quickly and at which angle my feet make contact with the ground.¡± Hiora explained calmly. ¡°I¡¯m trained and equipped for my role as a soldier of the Synergy, both normal combat and covert operations. Controlling my step is just as essential to that role as a tactical mindset or a good aim.¡±
The Cardassian smirked. ¡°Huh, in that case I think you¡¯d enjoy what I was planning to do on the holodeck.¡±
¡°Which would be?¡±
¡°I was planning on working on my Velocity ranking.¡± Rel remarked as they stepped through the gateway portal on deck seven.
¡°Velocity?¡± Hiora inquired slightly curious.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s a holographic game from Earth. It¡¯s competitive and typically played between two players, although team variants also exist. The two-player version is played with a flying disk and two hand phasers. The disk will home in on a player who must change its target by hitting it with their phaser. The disk then homes in on the other player. If a disk manages to hit its target, the other player scores a point.¡± The CTO spoke as they walked up to the holodeck entrance.
Standing next to the large control panel, Rel finished his explanation. ¡°The game can last for a long time and become quite exhausting, which is why it¡¯s often either limited to a certain amount of time played or a maximum number of points scored.¡±
¡°Sounds¡ interesting.¡± The Human replied as she watched the Cardassian manipulate the control panel.
The large doors slid open with their signature swoosh and as they entered the huge holodeck was empty save for a simple table in its center with a lava lamp on it. The lamp was radiating a pale blue glow, with amorphous shapes of molten green wax drifting inside it.
¡°There you go. A lava lamp.¡± Rel commented as he walked around the table. ¡°I know it probably looks silly or primitive to you, but I find watching the blobs of wax melt, change their shapes, move, and melt together again soothing, comforting. Like watching a campfire, the patterns never repeat. It¡¯s always different, but still the same in a way.¡±
Hiora stared into the lamp for a long moment, before she commented. ¡°You are correct, it is a rather simplistic device. But I do understand the appeal it presents. It¡¯s a visualization of unpredictable chaos and uncontrollable entropy.¡±
¡°And I think the same about the SSD¡¯s distortions.¡± There was an almost awkward pause, before Rel continued. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to keep you from your duties any longer.¡±
Hiora quirked a brow and looked at the Cardassian slightly irritated. ¡°And what about your game? Don¡¯t you need a partner for it?¡±
¡°Uh, well, I originally wanted to play against a simulated opponent¡ but if you want you can of course join me. I just didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be interested.¡± Rel smiled at his new game partner. ¡°Computer, replace scene with standard Velocity court.¡±
A soft chirp sounded as the holodeck¡¯s control systems acknowledged the command and a split second later the lava lamp and the table vanished. They were instantly replaced by a standard game field, with a rack at the sideline holding the phasers and the disk. Rel walked to the rack to grab the utensils and then met with 18@31 at the centerline to hand her the weapon.
¡°I don¡¯t know if your familiar with our hand phasers, but if you need-¡±
Before he could finish the sentence Hiora fired several shots in close sequence into the ground. ¡°I think I can manage. Please start the game.¡±
¡°In a bit. Don¡¯t you want to do any warm-up?¡± The Cardassian asked as he began his stretching and warming routine.
Hiora curiously watched Rel going through the various exercises and positions. ¡°No, that is not necessary. My nanoprobes and implants allow me to go to maximum performance immediately. But I will wait until you¡¯ve completed all required preparations.¡±
After a few minutes of activating his muscles and stretching his tendons and joints, Rel finally nodded to his partner. ¡°Okay, ready. My color¡¯s blue, you¡¯re on red. First to score ten points wins the round.¡±
He threw the disk into the air and made a few steps back. The disk blinked a few moments in white, then turned red and started to home in on Rel. The Cardassian swiftly brought his weapon up and easily hit the disk, turning it blue and sending it towards Hiora. 18@31 almost instantly countered and sent the disk right back again.
The match went on for a bit and Rel found himself hard pressed. He had to admit he seemed to have vastly underestimated Hiora, her aim and tactics being extremely strong. The first round ended two-to-ten for the Human girl after only five minutes. The Cardassian walked to the centerline, his training uniform already turning dark from his sweat. ¡°Phew, you¡¯re an exceptionally strong player. I admit I underestimated you. Where did you learn to aim that well and with such speed?¡±
Hiora also walked towards the center of the court, holding the phaser casually at her hip. ¡°My tactical targeting link provides me with enhanced capabilities.¡± She stated flatly.
Rel looked at her for a moment, then started laughing. ¡°So, you¡¯re cheating!¡±
18@31¡¯s expression instantly turned awkward at the accusation. ¡°I followed the game rules as laid out by you, how could I be cheating?¡±
¡°Hiora, Velocity is a game of personal skill. The point of the game is the challenge of meeting your opponent, facing the competition. Letting a computer do the aiming for you is like taking an aircar to run a marathon. It defeats the whole purpose of the game.¡± Rel explained. He wasn¡¯t mad at her, but rather amused by her sudden shame.
¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of those conditions. I¡¯m sorry. In case you want to continue the game, I¡¯ve deactivated all my combat related enhancements.¡± Hiora apologized.
The Cardassian smiled happily. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s okay. And yes, I¡¯d gladly continue playing with you. A real opponent is always more interesting than a simulated one.¡± With a grin on his lips he returned to his starting position, waiting for Hiora to also get ready before he kicked off round two.
This time, the two contestants were much more closely matched in skill and endurance. Hiora managed to miss a few shots now and then and some of her dodge rolls were not quite on point. She was still quite a match for the Cardassian, and the second round ended in a close ten-to-nine for Rel after sixteen minutes. Meeting at the centerline, Rel saw a glimmer in Hiora¡¯s gaze. Her gaze was focused, and her lips pressed together, as if something had sparked inside her.
¡°Rematch!¡± She demanded straight away.
Rel laughed while catching his breath. ¡°Sure! How about a best of three and we forget the first game?¡±
¡°Agreed.¡± 18@31 replied and returned to her color¡¯s starting position on the field.
The second game was putting his abilities to the test. Even without her enhancements, and he did believe that she switched them off, she was really putting the pressing on him. He quickly noticed that Hiora tried, and often succeeded, to abuse his footwork that wasn¡¯t as good as he wished. On the other hand, she was weak against rebound plays when Rel again positioned himself behind her. It was a close match, but eventually the Cardassian had to admit defeat after fourteen minutes with the score reading eight-to-ten.
Rel¡¯s training uniform was soaked, the chest and back having turned from light gray to dark gray as the fabric tried its best to keep his body cool and enable respiration. Hiora¡¯s face was dotted with droplets of sweat and her jumpsuit also showed signs of her sweating more than she would let on to.
¡°Nice play there. You¡¯re good! Seems you really don¡¯t need your implants to defeat me.¡± He congratulated his opponent in between deep breaths, an already exhausted smile on his lips.
¡°You¡¯re not exactly an easy opponent either.¡± Hiora replied while swiping the sweat from her forehead. ¡°You are more enduring than I¡¯d have expected and your ability to exploit my weak spots relentlessly is impressive. You said best of three, so there¡¯s one more round to go, correct?¡±
¡°Correct. But let me grab something to drink first.¡± Rel replied. ¡°Computer, two bottles of still water, slightly below room temperature.¡±
With a chirp and the typical sound of a replicator, two drinking bottles of water materialized next to the rack on the sideline. The Cardassian went to grab both, offering one to Hiora. ¡°Here. You look as if you could use a drink as well.¡±
18@31 took the bottle with a nod. ¡°Thank you.¡± Together they drank and soon discarded the emptied bottles.
Rel exhaled deeply, smirking at Hiora as he went back to his starting position. ¡°Ready?¡±
¡°Affirmative!¡±
The CTO kicked off the final round with glee. Phaser beams crisscrossed the holodeck and both contestants weaved and dodged to the best of their abilities. The game was at the same blistering pace as the rounds before and both Rel and Hiora gave their best. The first few minutes they played as before, more aggressively than defensively, trying to score as many points as possible while often neglecting their cover.
The score quickly climbed. Three-to-three. Six-to-six. Sometimes it was Rel scoring the point and then Hiora catching up, sometimes it was the other way around. But the closer they inched to the match point, the more their strategies changed toward all out defense. Eventually it stood nine-to-nine, but neither player took the risk necessary to make a winning move.
The round timer already went past eighteen minutes and still neither player had scored the match point. Eventually Hiora decided to take the risk and went for an extravagant maneuver sending the disk at Rel at an extremely steep angle. The Cardassian tried to dodge with a deep lunge but misjudged his footing and twisted his ankle. With a pained grunt he hit the floor and a second later the disk smacked him in the butt.
18@31 turned around with a triumphant smile on her lips, but then she saw her opponent on the ground, holding his ankle. She immediately turned serious, dropped her phaser, and hurried to Rel to kneel next to him. ¡°Are you alright, Lieutenant?¡±
¡°I¡ think I twisted¡ my ankle.¡± He groaned as he stripped of his shoes and examined the quickly swelling joint.
¡°You require medical assistance.¡± Hiora stated flatly, obviously dismayed how quickly the situation had turned serious again. Her gaze became unfocused as she tapped into the Sidereal¡¯s engineering systems and initiated a site-to-site transport. Before Rel could protest they were both engulfed in the black maw of a fractal dimensional shift and reemerged a split second later in sickbay.
Co-Yor hurried around the corner, seeing his CTO on the ground and Hiora kneeling next to him. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°A sport accident on the holodeck.¡± 18@31 stated while she helped Co-Yor placing the patient on a biobed.
¡°It¡¯s probably nothing.¡± Rel grunted. ¡°I just didn¡¯t watch my step and twisted my ankle.¡±
The doctor didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately went for a medical tricorder. ¡°Stay still and don¡¯t move your leg.¡± Returning with the device in hand, the Kalonar swept the bio-scanner over the Cardassian¡¯s injured foot. ¡°You¡¯ve partially torn your anterior talofibular ligament and developed two hairline fractures in the inferior articular surface of your tibia. You require treatment.¡± The Kalonar grabbed the bone-regenerator and a protoplaser and went to work on fixing Rel¡¯s damaged joint.
While the doctor was busy, Hiora stood next to Rel and smirked at him. ¡°I consider the game a draw.¡±
¡°Uh¡ what?¡± The Cardassian replied a little distracted.
¡°Even though technically I scored the match point, you were incapacitated. It would be inappropriate to consider the score legitimate. I hope you¡¯re up for a rematch later. I did enjoy the challenge you posed.¡±
Rel now returned the smirk. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±
[ Act Four ]
¡°So, how did you like the exhibition yesterday? Anything that tickled your fancy?¡± Sina asked, casually leaning into the captain¡¯s chair and glancing over to the chief engineer.
¡°Oh, I liked very much. It was so interesting to see how the different cultures present amongst the crew expressed themselves in visual arts. Especially Co-Yor¡¯s multi-layered woodcut produced a quite impressive result. I¡¯m sure Eleven-Forward will greatly benefit from having a few of those pieces on display.¡± Tarik replied, while keeping an eye on the holographic status display on the console in front of him.
¡°I agree.¡± Niko added with a smirk. ¡°Even though I have to admit that Andorian sculpture is an acquired taste. I can appreciate the work and effort Shrass put into his brass statue, but it¡¯s not something I¡¯d want to put in my own quarters.¡±
Sina laughed softly. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Ensign Th¡¯akianas thinks the same about your clay sculpting. But why didn¡¯t you participate, Tarik? I¡¯m sure you could have created an amazing piece of art with your experience of materials and tools.¡±
[Priority one distress signal. Synergy harvester Y-T-1173, Synergy stellar refinery SR-973. Condition: critical. Status: structural integrity compromised, OSR security systems offline, uncontrolled OSR reaction on Y-T-1173 in progress. Estimated time to breach of OSR containment: seven minutes thirty-three seconds.]
4@19 stared off into the air while the information came in, filtered through the hive-mind. An accident. An undetected drifting subspace deformation ruptured the primary energy conduit in the stellar refinery and caused an energy surge that inflicted heavy damage to the refinery and the docked harvester. The incident alone would have been tragic enough, but the harvester¡¯s designation troubled him greatly. He remembered a member of his family being stationed on board of that vessel.
¡°Tarik? Are you okay?¡±
The engineer turned to Sina, his face a mask of worry. ¡°Captain, there was an accident at stellar refinery SR-973. They have little more than seven minutes before their OSR containment is breached. We must assist them.¡±
The Romulan¡¯s eyes widened as she heard the words from her chief engineer, but then turned around. ¡°Noriko, you heard it. Set a course towards that refinery, maximum possible speed. Engage!¡±
¡°Aye, captain!¡± The young Asian replied while her fingers danced across the holographic controls, plotting a course and firing up the Sidereal¡¯s subspace slipstream drive.
Haroun, substituting for a sick Duncan this shift, registered and reported an incoming message. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m now also receiving an emergency transmission. It is from stellar refinery SR-973. They report heavy damage and hull breaches across all sections, both on the refinery and a docked harvester. They¡ they have over 3,000 casualties.¡±
¡°3,000 wounded?¡± Niko interjected. ¡°That¡¯s far above our capacity. We can¡¯t do this alone.¡±
¡°No, Sir. It¡¯s over 3,000 dead. The number of wounded is well over 7,000.¡± Haroun added.
The first officer stared in the direction of the ops station with a shocked expression for a moment, then exchanged a quick glance with his captain. ¡°Okay. Haroun, contact the Synergy. Tell them we¡¯re responding to the accident, but we can¡¯t do this alone and request immediate backup.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir.¡± Crewman Al-Tammar replied and sent out the message.
While the other officers were talking, Tarik reached out with his uplink, sending his thoughts through the hive-mind. [Karimo? Can you hear me? Please respond.]
¡°What¡¯s our ETA, Noriko?¡± Sina asked.
¡°About¡ five minutes and ten seconds, captain.¡± The pilot replied while keeping a firm eye on the status displays and controls in front of her.
Tarik shook his head and sighed. ¡°That will not be enough. And we already are the closest ship. Prism 71-Delta-34 and Cube 818-Halo-133 are also responding, but they¡¯ll arrive after us.¡±
¡°Damn it!¡± Sina breathed. Despite their incredible speed, space seemed to crawl by at a snail¡¯s pace, and SR-973 crept closer only in slow motion.
[Tarik? Where are you?]
4@19¡¯s eyes widened when he received the answer. [Karimo! What¡¯s your condition? Can you reach an escape pod?]
The response was weak, and Tarik could feel the fear and confusion of his great nephew. [I¡ only have minor lacerations on my face. But I¡¯m trapped in the OSR section, and the structural damage is significant and prevents escape. The energy surge also destroyed our own FDS manifolds and those of the refinery. I can¡¯t get out and everyone else here is dead. Can you help me? Are you coming to help me? Tarik? Please?]
[We¡¯re on our way. We will do everything in our power to help you. But we need some information. Can you tell me what¡¯s the core¡¯s condition?]
It took several long moments, but despite the growing despair Karimo finally answered. [Most OSR control systems were destroyed on a hardware level. Backup systems also have been damaged and are barely responding. There¡¯s an uncontrolled high-yield reaction in progress. Energy built-up within the core chamber currently at seven times ten to the 23rd watts. We¡¯ll not survive this, will we?]
[Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯re only a few minutes away. Can you open a channel on subspace frequency 772.491?]
¡°Captain, I¡¯m receiving an incoming transmission from the damaged harvester. It¡¯s not an emergency broadcast.¡± Haroun reported.
¡°Open the channel.¡± Sina ordered, and a moment later the main screen projected the image of the bloodied face of a young Human standing inside what appeared to be a heavily damaged control room. The ocular implant over his right eye has been damaged, its polished surface smashed and fractured. There were over half a dozen small cuts across the boy¡¯s pale cheeks and forehead, and his short black hair was wildly disheveled.
¡°Tarik?¡±
¡°I¡¯m Commander Sina D¡¯raxis from the Federation starship Sidereal. We¡¯re on our way to your location to help. Tarik is here with us. What¡¯s your condition?¡±
¡°Our OSR confinement will overload in approximately five minutes and twenty-five seconds. I¡¯m trapped in the OSR section, all escape paths are either blocked or damaged beyond usefulness.¡± The young man was visibly shaken, his normal eye darting between Sina, Niko, and Tarik. Every time a relay overloaded, or a power conduit ruptured in the background of the devastated control room he winced and looked around nervously, as if he expected the section to blow up any second.
¡°Please stay calm, we¡¯re on our way and we¡¯ll do our best to help you.¡± Sina commented, trying to get through to the boy and preventing him from panicking. She thought that if he had something to work on, he would remain focused ¡°Can you and Tarik prepare the OSR for our arrival? I know we don¡¯t have much time, so all preparations you could already do now would be extremely helpful.¡±
But he simply shook his head. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s not enough time to prevent the overload. There¡¯s barely any system functioning here after that damage.¡± Next to him, a console was chirping, and he briefly looked at it before focusing the view screen again.
[Tarik? I¡ I think there might be a way¡]
The chief engineer¡¯s brows furrowed. [What do you mean?]
[The repair system just managed to restore the manual containment release.]
Tarik¡¯s thoughts were racing. If the containment could be released and the whole core dumped into subspace, it would only cause minimal damage when it exploded. [Can you reach the manual controls?]
Karimo hesitated for a moment with his response. [Yes¡ but the reactor room is already flooded with Omega radiation. The alcoves are not functioning, and I¡¯m only wearing class one armor. But¡]
[No! There must be another way!] Tarik immediately cut off his great nephew, his mind unwilling to accept what he was about to say.
[But we¡¯re running out of time. If we don¡¯t stop the reaction, everyone here will die, including me. There are already more than 3,000 dead. But if you take control and operate the manual release, the others will survive. I¡ I don¡¯t want to die, great uncle¡ I don¡¯t want to die, but we have no choice. If you don¡¯t do it, I will die for nothing.]
4@19 pressed his lips together, staring at the main screen. After a long moment of silence Tarik let out a deep sigh and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±
Sina and Niko turned their heads in sync and looked at Tarik with confused expressions. ¡°Do what?¡± The Commander asked.
¡°I will take control of his body to operate the manual release. This will dump the whole reactor core into subspace and prevent a catastrophic overload in normal space.¡± The chief engineer explained.
Niko¡¯s gaze jumped between Tarik and the young man¡¯s image on the view screen. ¡°And why can¡¯t he operate the release himself?¡±
4@19 held the XO¡¯s gaze and explained calmly, but briefly. ¡°The reactor room is flooded with Omega radiation. It is to be expected that he would lose consciousness before he could complete the release cycle.¡±
¡°What?¡± Sina turned in her seat to face Tarik. ¡°You¡ you¡¯re talking about sending him to his death? No, there has to be another way!¡±
¡°Captain, there¡¯s no time to discuss this! When that OSR overloads and detonates, everyone on board the refinery and the harvester will die. Everyone! And all ships within ten light-years will be stuck here for several months. There is no alternative.¡± The engineer leaned back in his seat, preparing the control transfer from his own body to Karimo¡¯s. He already knew that his great nephew had granted him the permission to engage the remote control.
¡°Tarik, you will not do this! I refuse to believe that we have to sacrifice this boy to safe your people.¡± The captain stared at her engineer, her gaze a mixture of commanding and imploring him. But Tarik closed his eyes and his body sagged into the seat. ¡°Tarik!¡±
¡°I¡¯m here, captain.¡± The injured boy on the view screen spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re running out of time.¡±
The whole bridge crew stared at the screen in shock. Sina repeatedly looked between Tarik¡¯s unconscious body and the main screen.
¡°Tarik, your captain gave you a direct order. You will immediately terminate the connection and return here!¡± Niko said, visibly upset by the chief engineer¡¯s actions.
The figure on the screen turned away, a sad, almost pained, expression on his face. ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry, but I have to do this. Believe me, I wish I didn¡¯t have to. I will explain later.¡± And with that, he turned fully around and walked away from the console he had used to open the channel.
Sina was visibly angry now at Tarik openly defying her orders. She almost slammed her combadge. ¡°Bridge to sickbay. Co-Yor, I need you on the bridge asap. You must interrupt a Synergy neural uplink implant.¡±
¡°Understood, captain. On my way.¡± The CMO acknowledged before the intra-ship channel closed.
Niko checked his console. ¡°Visra, can we somehow block out the hive-mind with our barriers?¡±
¡°No, Sir. The hive-mind has several redundancies built into its technology and protocols. We cannot easily block it, at least not within the next several minutes. But even then, we could only decay the signal quality and bandwidth.¡±
¡°Captain, ETA 105 seconds.¡± Noriko announced from the conn.
¡°Please don¡¯t do this, Tarik. We¡¯re almost there. Please!¡± Sina whispered desperately. The thought of having her chief engineer walk that kid into certain death was appalling to her and she had to swallow several times against the sensation of disgust rising in her throat.
A gateway door at the back of the bridge opened and Co-Yor came jogging through, several different med kits and devices slung under his shoulders. ¡°I assume the patient is Tarik?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Niko stated. ¡°He¡¯s using his neural uplink to the hive-mind to remote control a boy¡¯s body. If we don¡¯t interrupt that link, he¡¯ll walk the kid into a radiation zone that will kill him.¡±
¡°I understand.¡± The CMO stated with his deep humming voice and immediately proceeded to pull Tarik off the chair and lay him flat on the ground. Kneeling next to him, he pulled a medical tricorder out of his long vest¡¯s pocket with one hand, while already applying a neural monitor to 4@19¡¯s forehead with the other. After a quick scan of Tarik¡¯s brain functions, Co-Yor adjusted a hypospray and injected a large dose of neurozine sedative into the engineer¡¯s carotid artery, trying to suppress his consciousness.
The CMO scanned again and reached for another device in the neurological medkit. ¡°Sedatives are not working as expected. His immune system is too effective. I¡¯m trying the cortical inhibitor.¡± He placed the device against Tarik¡¯s neck and activated it.
¡°ETA one minute.¡± The pilot reported.
¡°Time until breach?¡± Niko asked.
Haroun instantly replied, reading the information from one of the panels on his console. ¡°Two minutes and five seconds, Sir.¡±
Sina tapped her combadge. ¡°Bridge to engineering, spin up all FDS manifolds. The moment we drop out of slipstream I want as many wounded evacuated as possible. Start with anyone that is still in the harvester¡¯s OSR section.¡±
¡°Understood, captain.¡± Junior Lieutenant Vossler answered and you could hear her shouting orders at her colleagues in the background before the channel closed.
¡°Haroun, any chance we could get in and tow the harvester away from the refinery?¡± Niko asked while checking the last ship readiness reports.
The Human Crewman quickly tapped on his console, throwing a rough estimation at the computer, but then shook his head. ¡°No, Sir. The size and mass differences are far too large. It would take over fifteen minutes to tow the harvester the required distance, assuming it is not still docked at the refinery.¡±
¡°Damn it.¡± Niko mumbled under his breath. ¡°Was worth a try¡¡±
¡°Twenty-five seconds until normal space.¡± Noriko announced.
¡°Visra, would destroying the core with our cannons prevent the detonation?¡± Sina asked, the tension in her voice clearly audible to everyone.
¡°I¡ I can¡¯t tell, captain. It might work, but it could also immediately trigger the breach. Without a few simulations it¡¯s completely uncertain.¡± Visra replied, her own voice trembling slightly as she felt herself uncomfortably reminded of the situation with the quantum fissure. Despite the pressure and them quickly running out of time, she desperately tries to fire up some simulations.
¡°It can¡¯t get any worse. Rel, get a target lock on the harvester¡¯s OSR core.¡± The Romulan ordered. ¡°Fire immediately once the section¡¯s clear of life signs.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The Cardassian replied, quickly entering the targeting instructions into the tactical computer.
The next few seconds seemed to stretch out longer than possible, until Noriko spoke up again. ¡°Leaving slipstream in three¡ two¡ one¡ now.¡±
The projection on the forward bridge dome changed to the darkness of space, speckled with burning wreckage and gleaming motes. The clouds of glowing sparks slowly drifted away from the super massive refinery¡¯s burning wreckage like embers blowing up from a campfire.
¡°Rel?¡± Sina asked impatiently.
¡°We¡¯re in range, captain, but I can¡¯t target the OSR from here without destroying half the vessel.¡± The CTO replied, trying several firing solutions but none gave him the clear shot he needed.
¡°Noriko, set course to one-one-zero mark eight-zero. On the double!¡± Sina ordered and a moment later the Sidereal came about, silently swooping up at a sharp angle to allow a clean shot past the twisted superstructure and the torn storage containers.
The Romulan turned towards her science officer. ¡°Visra, any life signs in the harvester¡¯s engineering section?¡±
¡°One moment, captain¡¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have a moment!¡± The CO said, her voice loud and forceful. ¡°Rel, fi-¡±
¡°Wait!¡± Visra shouted, interrupting her captain. ¡°The OSR just disappeared from the sensors. Instead I¡¯m detecting a massive subspace well that apparently swallowed the reactor core.¡±
Sina¡¯s head whipped around to look at her chief engineer lying on the floor. ¡°Tarik.¡± She let out a sigh that was somewhere between anger, relief, and disappointment. ¡°Any life signs in the harvester¡¯s engineering section?¡±
The science officer hesitated for a moment, then answered. ¡°No, captain.¡±
[ Act Five ]
Tarik slowly regained consciousness. But something was wrong. It took him a moment to understand that his implants and nanoprobes were fighting tooth and nail against the cortical inhibitor attached to his neck, and the sedative flooding his blood stream. A weak sob escaped his lips as he remembered what happened during the last few minutes and a few lone tears ran from his eyes as he thought about his now dead great nephew.
After another moment of collecting himself he let out a groan as he sat up and peeled the inhibitor off his skin. ¡°Get that¡ thing off me¡¡± With the inhibitor gone his thoughts cleared up quickly, but before he had fully recovered Sina stood in front of him. She looked down at him, her eyes shooting daggers.
¡°What the hell was that?!¡± She shouted, pointing at the main screen and the projection of the drifting and burning wreckage. ¡°I should have you thrown in the brig for insubordination.¡±
Co-Yor reached out to help Tarik back to his feet, but the engineer gruffly pulled his arm away, and stood up on his own. He looked at the CMO. With a cold glare in his eyes dropped the inhibitor at his feet. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± He hissed at the Kalonar before turning to face his captain.
¡°Well? You better have a damn good justification for what you¡¯ve just done. I still can¡¯t believe you had this in you. Two minutes, Tarik. All we needed was two more minutes.¡± Sina said, her voice trembling from thinly veiled anger and disappointment.
¡°I needed those two minutes to cycle the manual release controls.¡± 4@19 replied, holding the gaze of his CO.
Sina took a deep breath to fire a counter at her chief engineer, when suddenly a chirp sounded and Julia Vossler¡¯s voice interrupted her. ¡°Engineering to bridge. Captain, we could really use Co-Yor down here. Our cargo bays and FDS rooms are overflowing. We¡¯ve already transported over 700 survivors and wounded, but many injuries are way beyond first aid level.¡±
The Romulan glared at Tarik. ¡°Understood. Co-Yor¡¯s on his way. Bridge out.¡± She turned to look at her CMO and nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll take this from here. Go and help the wounded.¡±
¡°Understood, captain.¡± The Kalonar simply replied, grabbed all the med kits and devices he had brought with him, and disappeared wordlessly and with large steps through one of the bridge¡¯s gateway portals.
By now Rel, Visra, Noriko, and Haroun had all stood from their stations and were glancing towards the upper level of the bridge where Sina, Niko, and Tarik were apparently just a few seconds away from butting heads.
With Co-Yor gone, CO and XO turned their attention again on the CE. Niko just shook his head. ¡°How could you do that, Tarik? That boy didn¡¯t even look like sixteen and you killed him. Just so. Without need.¡±
¡°Without need? Without need?! If I hadn¡¯t done that thousands more would have died.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg held Tarik¡¯s gaze, challenging him. ¡°You don¡¯t know that. We were about t-¡±
¡°To blow up the OSR and trigger a breach. Has none of you paid any attention during my engineering lessons? Do I need to spell it out for you, again? An uncontrolled OSR cannot be stopped by destroying the reactor core! The built-up energy inside the chamber would immediately release along a weapon¡¯s entry path!¡±
The XO let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Okay. But even if you¡¯re correct here, it wouldn¡¯t have gotten that far if you hadn¡¯t abandoned your fellow crew. We would have needed your help, your knowledge of that technology! You can¡¯t just leave us hanging and go on your own little adventure to murder a random kid.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t go there, Lieutenant Commander.¡± 4@19 warned Niko, his cheeks still wet from the tears.
¡°Or what? You¡¯ll off me like that child?¡±
In this moment the argument became too heated and personal for even Sina¡¯s taste, and she tried to step in. ¡°Niko, that¡¯s enou-¡±
But Tarik took a quick step past Sina, getting right up in Niko¡¯s face. ¡°How dare you!¡± He growled. ¡°That ¡®child¡¯ was my great nephew!¡± That sentence was like a slap to the face of Sina and Niko and caused the eyes of the rest of the bridge crew to grow wide.
¡°How dare you judge me for saving over 12,000 lives! I had NO OTHER CHOICE!¡± Tarik¡¯s voice thundered in the bridge dome. ¡°You have no idea how painful it was to feel his flesh slowly disintegrate¡¡± A pained sob escaped from 4@19¡¯s lips. ¡°¡until only his implants and cybernetics remained. You cannot even begin to fathom the horror of feeling his presence fade from the hive-mind!¡±
Again, tears were running down the cheeks of the previously always stoic and controlled engineer. He thrust a finger at Niko¡¯s chest, glaring right in the shocked XO¡¯s face, and continued with failing voice. ¡°We all felt him die. But we were all with him in his final moments. His whole family. All his friends. Even the Matriarch. He was not alone, and he didn¡¯t suffer. When the radiation finally destroyed his brain, his avatar simply vanished. He is a hero for what he did. And I will not suffer you to sully his memory!¡±
The engineer took a step back from Niko and turned away, wiping the tears of his face. His voice trembled. ¡°It was his suggestion. I didn¡¯t want to do it at first, but he convinced me. And in the end, he was right. Even if I had been transported to the harvester wearing proper protective gear right after our arrival, I wouldn¡¯t have had enough time to cycle the manual override. There just wasn¡¯t enough time.¡±
¡°Tarik, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Sina started softly, her impression about the recent events completely turned upside down after his revelations. ¡°I¡¯m sorry fo-¡±
4@19 just cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m needed on the refinery. There are secondary explosions threatening life support.¡±
And with that he turned around and left the bridge.
¡°Tarik, wait!¡± The Romulan called after the Human engineer, but he had already stepped through the gateway. Sina mumbled as she dropped back into the captain¡¯s chair. ¡°Shit.¡± Niko just stood there, his head dropping slightly, and his lips pressed into a thin line.
The ops console beeped. Haroun quickly sat down again to check what was happening and his fingers quickly brought up a status panel. After a moment he reported. ¡°Captain, we¡¯re being hailed by a Synergy cube. They say they¡¯ll arrive in less than two minutes and request a status update since we¡¯re already on scene.¡±
¡°Uhm¡¡± Distracted by her thoughts about what had just transpired, it took her a moment to parse Crewman Al-Tammar¡¯s report. ¡°Send them our current sensor data. Tell them the harvester¡¯s OSR was¡ secured, but there are still explosions on the refinery. Ask if they can spare a few medical adjuncts to help with the wounded on our ship.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± Haroun confirmed and proceeded to execute his CO¡¯s orders.
Slowly, the remaining officers also sat down at their stations again, returning to their duties. Still, from the shared glances bouncing back and forth between Rel, Noriko, Visra, and Haroun it was obvious that they were all still thinking profoundly about what they¡¯ve just witnessed.
The next two days were a blur of work, fire, and death. Even though Cube 818-Halo-133 shouldered the brunt of the over 7,000 wounded, and Prism 71-Delta-34 supported the wounded on the Sidereal, hundreds of them did not survive. The injuries included amputations, crushed organs, explosive decompression trauma, burns of third degree or higher, and neural damage from unfiltered energy discharges.
The remaining crews of SR-973 and Y-T-1173 were evacuated onto the cube, since both the refinery and the harvester were still a battlefield of explosions, raging plasma fires, decompressed sections, and deadly hard radiation. The process of stabilizing the massive superstructures was tedious, slow, and dangerous. It would take many months, maybe even years, before either could be used again.
Tarik hadn¡¯t been seen on the Sidereal since the dispute on the bridge two days ago. His experience and knowledge made him an essential part of the damage control efforts, which he appeared to use as a convenient excuse to avoid Sina and Niko. Even when the captain had asked him to attend a staff meeting, he excused himself and sent Junior Lieutenant Vossler instead.
¡°You think he¡¯s still angry?¡± Sina asked, leaning back in the captain¡¯s chair.
¡°Probably. I know I would be.¡± Niko breathed a deep sigh. ¡°I really screwed this up. I shouldn¡¯t have said¡ well¡ really, I shouldn¡¯t have opened my damn mouth at all. What was I thinking?¡±
¡°You want an honest answer to that question?¡± The Romulan teased her Human colleague.
¡°Eh, no thanks.¡± The first officer replied grimly. ¡°It¡¯s enough torment that so far he hasn¡¯t answered any of my messages.¡±
Sina also sighed deeply. ¡°Well, that makes two of us. He hasn¡¯t answered any of my messages either.¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis had barely finished when a gateway door slid open and Tarik entered the bridge. His face was a mask of sorrow and regret, and he was wearing the same baggy engineering clothes under his fabricator harness that he had worn when they first met, instead of his Starfleet uniform. He stepped closer.
¡°Captain. XO. May I have a word with you?¡±
Both officers quirked their brows, but eventually rose both from their chairs. ¡°Sure. Rel, you have the bridge.¡± Sina replied, gesturing towards her ready room. Still, as they walked, she had an awful feeling in her belly about what would happen next.
Once inside the ready room, Niko immediately approached 4@19. ¡°Tarik, I want to apologize for what happened. What I said was unacceptable, hurtful, and just wrong. I¡¯m really sorry for what I did.¡± Carefully, the German offered his hand to Tarik.
The engineer looked at the first officer for a long moment and nodded slowly. ¡°Apology accepted, Lieutenant Commander. But I can only hope you will understand why I still have to do this.¡± When he didn¡¯t take his hand, Niko¡¯s eyes went wide. 4@19 turned towards Sina and reached into one of the pockets of his vest. He pulled out his combadge and rank insignia. ¡°Captain, I hereby resign from my post as chief engineer of the USS Sidereal, effective immediately.¡±
¡°No¡¡± Sina whispered, staring at the items in Tarik¡¯s hand as he placed them on her desk. She looked up at 4@19, her face a mask of worry. ¡°Please, can we talk about it? Niko¡¯s not the only one who owes you an apology. My own behavior was even worse and I¡¯m honestly sorry for the things I¡¯ve said. If there¡¯s anything I can do or say to make you reconsid-¡±
She instantly stopped when the engineer lifted his cybernetic hand and shook his head. ¡°My decision was influenced, but not motivated by the recent incident. It is the logical conclusion after a long series of events that made one thing utterly clear to me. I am the wrong person for what we all tried to achieve.¡±
Sina breathed deeply and slowly. Her voice was trembling and close to failing. She didn¡¯t want to lose such an important member of her crew, her team. She didn¡¯t want to lose Tarik. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. What do you mean, Tarik? Didn¡¯t everything seem to be going well so far?¡±
¡°I disagree with that assessment, Commander.¡± His voice was firm and cold, like a machine perfectly dedicated to a singular task. ¡°I¡¯m not even talking about the subtle and simmering rejection roughly one quarter of the crew met me with. People leaving the mess hall when I enter. People outright refusing my help on a problem that is costing them hours to resolve. People underestimating my auditory acuity and calling me Borg when they think I¡¯m out of hearing range.¡±
¡°Who did that?¡± Niko inquired. ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t excuse my own misbehavior, but what you describe is not what we expect of this crew.¡±
¡°That¡¯s irrelevant now, Lieutenant Commander.¡± 4@19 stated, looking over to the first officer only briefly. ¡°The issue I¡¯ve identified is that I am unable to do what we all expected from me. All of us, you, me, even the Matriarch, assumed my presence among your crew could be the first step to bridge the gap between our cultures.¡±
His head dropped a little as he continued. ¡°I now realize that I am unable to achieve that. I am a simple and pragmatic engineer. What you need is a well-spoken and charismatic diplomat. But even then, I think we will never be able to understand one another.¡±
Sina stepped closer to Tarik. ¡°Tarik, I know we¡¯re having¡ difficulties. And that not everything went as it should have and much of that is my own fault. I was focused too much on my crew and too little on really making sure you¡¯d become a part of us. But if we ju-¡±
¡°But that¡¯s exactly the point!¡± He interrupted her. ¡°I cannot become part of you. I am Synergy. I cannot stop being Synergy. And you will never become part of us. You are Federation. You refuse on principle to consider even a temporary uplink. Whether out of dogma or of fear, I don¡¯t know or care. The gap that we thought existed between our cultures is actually a deep chasm, extending towards the horizon and stretching far beyond our reach.¡±
Tarik turned away from the captain, briefly glanced at the first officer, then turned around again. ¡°To you we will forever be ¡®them,¡¯ descendants of the Borg. Your crew will forever doubt our motivations and second-guess our actions. You will never fully trust us. We will always be strangers to you, no matter how hard we try.¡±
¡°And to us you will also forever be ¡®them,¡¯ castaways that shouldn¡¯t be here. We will always worry about your static dogma leading you into trouble in a galaxy foreign to you. We will never fully understand you. You will always be outsiders to us, no matter how hard you try.¡± He took a deep breath and let out a frustrated sigh.
¡°I am sorry, Commander, but I am unfit for what you want me to be. I offer to stay on board as a technical adviser until your engineering department has gained more experience with and confidence in the ship¡¯s systems. Afterward I request to be returned to Sol III directly or transferred to any Synergy vessel.¡±
Tarik waited for a short moment, then turned away and left the ready room. The finality in his voice and actions had hit Sina like a slap in the face. She was struggling with her thoughts¡ and emotions¡ about the prospect of losing Tarik forever.
Niko was saying something, but Sina just shook her head. ¡°Please leave me alone for a moment.¡± She heard her XO¡¯s heavy sigh and then his steps as he also left the ready room. A weak sob escaped from her throat as she slumped on her chair.
Meanwhile, Tarik was on his way to his quarters when he heard a familiar melodic voice in his thoughts.
[And? Are you happy with your decision?]
[No. Not at all.]
[2x03] Far Beyond That Shining Star
[ Act One ]
Shrass hit the bell button on T¡¯Sai¡¯s quarters again. Finally, after what felt like an extra minute, she opened with an annoyed expression on her face, obviously indignant about the unannounced and unexpected interruption of her meditation exercises. ¡°Yes, Ensign? What is so important you couldn¡¯t just send a message?¡± She remarked as she pulled her dark green ornamented robes into place.
¡°We just hit the jackpot.¡± The Andorian officer whispered and pushed himself into her quarters.
¡°This is must unusual, Ensign. You better have a good explanation for your improper behavior.¡± She commented and glared at the Ensign.
¡°Tarik has resigned.¡± Shrass burst forth with a triumphant grin on his lips, just moments after the door to T¡¯Sai¡¯s quarters had closed.
It took the Vulcan Junior Lieutenant a moment to process those three words. ¡°What? When? How?¡±
¡°Yes! I just heard it from Vossler. She came out of a staff meeting two hours ago, where the captain promoted her to acting chief engineer. From what she told me, he resigned three days ago over the fallout of the accident situation. The reason he apparently gave was something along the lines of being unable to do what everyone expected from him.¡±
¡°That is indeed good news. With 4@19 no longer being chief engineer and one of our own crew members promoted to head of that department, our situation did improve significantly. Does anyone else know about it yet?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t think so, but I¡¯m not sure. I know it from Vossler and only because I accidentally ran into her when grabbing a snack in the lounge while taking a short break from the lab just a few minutes ago. I don¡¯t know who else was in that meeting, but I guess it won¡¯t take long until the whole ship knows about it. I couldn¡¯t reach Haroun or Duncan, so I came right to you.¡±
T¡¯Sai nodded, already contemplating the possible outcomes from this unexpected development.
¡°What is it? Is something wrong?¡± The blue-skinned officer inquired when he noticed that his colleague didn¡¯t seem to share his excitement.
¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m just thinking about our next steps. The promotion of Junior Lieutenant Vossler to chief engineer will most likely be met with general approval. While many of our fellow officers didn¡¯t particularly seem to mind Tarik, Vossler is quite popular with everyone and has been working in engineering for over a year already before our accident. I anticipate a primarily positive reaction to her promotion.¡±
She took a deep breath before she continued. ¡°However, we still have to remain careful. Do you know what he¡¯ll be doing now that he resigned? Will he remain on board or will he leave soon?¡±
¡°Vossler only said he¡¯d stay as a technical expert and consultant for some time. Once the Synergy thinks we can handle their tech on our own he¡¯d transfer to one of their vessels, but I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯re talking here.¡±
¡°I understand. But the time period doesn¡¯t matter. The outlook of remaining in control of the Sidereal alone is enough for now. We should inform the others as quickly as possible but without rousing suspicion.¡± By now T¡¯Sai¡¯s expression had turned from annoyance to confidence and Shrass¡¯ intrusion into her quarters were already forgiven considering the excellent news he had brought.
¡°Hmm¡ Haroun and Duncan will come off-shift in about four hours. Haroun will probably already know about the situation since he¡¯s working in engineering today, so I think I¡¯ll check with Duncan first.¡±
The Vulcan nodded in agreement. ¡°Good suggestion, Ensign. I will keep an eye on Haroun to make sure he doesn¡¯t act haphazardly. Further, this change of events provides me with the opportunity to refine my theory about the neurogenic fields given that Tarik¡¯s movement profile will most likely change. If the field strengths and occurrences change accordingly, we have a non-trivial indicator that he is responsible for their existence.¡±
¡°And what do we do with that information, if it turns out to be true?¡± Shrass asked curiously. ¡°Do you think it will be enough to confront the captain or the XO?¡±
¡°No. We still have to wait for more conclusive evidence. After all, correlation does not equal causation.¡± T¡¯Sai explained to her colleague. ¡°Without hard evidence that his implants are generating those fields after all and thus pose a danger to the rest of us, we can¡¯t yet take action. We must bide our time before we make a move. For now, we should continue to observe and record our findings. The more data we gather and the stronger we can present our case in the end, the more likely we will get the desired result.¡±
¡°I understand.¡± The Andorian nodded as he turned towards the door, preparing to leave again. ¡°I think I should return to the lab now; I¡¯m already exceeding my break.¡±
¡°Yes, I think that would be best. No need for you to rouse any suspicion by missing your work.¡± The Vulcan glanced at her still burning meditation candle, sighing internally that she¡¯d have to restart the whole exercise. ¡°And thank you for informing me, Ensign. Even though your way of approaching it was quite unorthodox, it was prudent of you to come to me quickly with that new data.¡±
Before the astrophysicist could leave, she quickly added. ¡°But the next time a personal message should suffice. After all, sharing gossip and rumors amongst the crew is considered normal onboard Starfleet vessels, so even if someone got a hold of these messages it shouldn¡¯t cause us any problems.¡±
¡°Oh, yes.¡± Shrass looked a bit embarrassed. ¡°Sorry. I guess I didn¡¯t think about it properly. I¡¯ll remember it for the future.¡± After a moment of awkward silence accompanied by T¡¯Sai¡¯s unyielding gaze, Shrass turned around and left her quarters, quickly returning to the astrometric lab to continue with his work.
The Andorian scientist spent the next almost four hours to work on his project, almost counting the minutes before he could tell Duncan the good news. Several times his mind wandered off his task and he did consider sending a message to his comrade¡¯s station. But even after contemplating the advice given by T¡¯Sai, he didn¡¯t dare to do so. In his mind there was still a big difference between a private message sent to someone off-duty and a direct message to an active duty station, and he didn¡¯t want to risk it.
So, in the end he had to return to his work and wait out the end of his shift. While his assignment was quite interesting, cross-referencing Synergy astrometric data with Federation records of known sectors, he would rather discuss their next steps with the Scotsman than sit in a lab and stare at stellar cartography entries scrolling by on the screen of his terminal.
Most of the work was done by the computer anyway, but the XO still asked for a personal review of any overlaps and matches in the records. Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg wanted Shrass to have a look at the data because he was the crew¡¯s most experienced astrophysicist and would likely see things that others missed or filter out any false positives marked down by the computer. He should have been proud of that statement of confidence in his abilities, but nevertheless it felt like a distraction to him.
Still, some of the things he saw were quite curious to him as a scientist. Almost all naturally occurring stellar phenomena appeared to be congruent in both realities. Pulsars, nebulae, black holes, various non-gravity singularities, and lots of other points of interest came up identical or almost identical. The only significant deviations showed up in places where the Collective or the Synergy had done significant amounts of stellar engineering or harvesting. But aside from that, the two realities seemed pretty much identical, at least from an astrometric perspective.
Eventually the end of his shift came around and Ensign Th¡¯akianas saved his work in a temporary report waiting to be continued tomorrow. After cleaning up the lab and restoring all consoles to their default settings, Shrass left deck twelve and quickly checked the various lounges for his colleague. He was hoping to catch the Scottish ops officer grab something for late dinner as well, but eventually he still ending up in front of Duncan¡¯s quarters.
It took the Andorian only a single press of the bell button before the door opened. Duncan was sitting at his apartment¡¯s terminal and munching away at a piece of replicated pineapple pizza, wondering who would come visit him so soon after the end of his shift. ¡°Shrass! What¡¯s up? Didn¡¯t expect to see you around.¡±
¡°Good evening, sorry to bother you this late and interrupt your dinner, but I have excellent news.¡± The astrophysicist replied as he walked into the room, closer to his colleague.
The Scotsman took another bite on his food, gesturing towards one of the chairs next to the desk. ¡°Have a seat. What¡¯s the good news?¡±
¡°Tarik has resigned.¡±
Duncan registered the words and immediately choked on his pizza, coughing for several moments to clear his throat and dropping the half-chewed bite on the plate. ¡°What? You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not. I ran into Vossler during my break and she had had a meeting with the captain today where she was promoted to acting chief engineer. Apparently, Tarik stepped down three days ago over that incident with his nephew. He¡¯s out of the command hierarchy now and will only work as a technical adviser or something like that for some time before transferring to a Synergy vessel. I already informed T¡¯Sai of this development. We agreed that I should see you while she¡¯ll keep an eye on Haroun.¡±
Junior Lieutenant Clark stared at his fellow officer while slowly a big grin was forming on his lips. ¡°That saves us so much trouble. It¡¯s utterly hilarious, because this is exactly what we needed. Shrass, that¡¯s indeed excellent news! You¡¯ve just made my evening that much better!¡±
Duncan kept working on his slice of pizza in between his conversation with Shrass. ¡°Did T¡¯Sai already have any idea what our next steps should look like?¡±
Ensign Th¡¯akianas nodded. ¡°Yes, but she thinks we should remain cautious. She¡¯ll keep tracking those energy fields to see if their occurrences change with Tarik¡¯s changed movement profile. If they did, it would be an indicator he was responsible for the fields. Also, she says we don¡¯t have enough material yet to confront the command staff and should keep gathering data.¡±
Finishing the last piece of his dinner, the Scottish operations officer swallowed. ¡°I see. She does have a point, even though I wished we could act sooner. The longer we wait the riskier the whole situation becomes for us and the longer we¡¯ll have possibly to allow those fields to influence our colleagues. At least with Tarik no longer in a command position his direct influence is weakened, but we should still try to keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn¡¯t try something.¡±
Duncan stood from his desk and walked over to the fabricator console to recycle his dinner plate. The tableware was quickly and completely disassembled in a cascade of silvery white streaks and its material reintegrated into the matter seed to serve for future fabrications.
He ordered a glass of orange juice and watched it being constructed by the fabricator, just as he had watched with the pizza a few minutes ago. Returning to the desk with his cool beverage in hand, he mockingly toasted to Shrass before taking a big gulp. ¡°To Tarik¡¯s early retirement. May he find new career opportunities far far away from us.¡±
The Andorian chuckled at his colleague¡¯s words. ¡°What are we doing now?¡±
¡°Well, we do what T¡¯Sai suggested. We keep waiting and watching.¡± Duncan explained in between finishing his drink. ¡°We¡¯ve come this far, there¡¯s no reason to screw this up now. Both our case and our data must be waterproof from top to bottom if we want it to go anywhere. I hope T¡¯Sai also made some progress with Co-Yor, but that¡¯s just an additional piece of the puzzle. The next gathering will be very interesting, I think, given today¡¯s quite surprising development.¡±
¡°Good, good.¡± Shrass nodded. ¡°But if there¡¯s nothing else, I think I¡¯ll return to my quarters now. I¡¯ve been staring at the stupid screens in the lab the whole day long.¡±
¡°Yeah, sure. Get some rest.¡± The Human ops officer replied. ¡°We still have lots of time before we make our move. And thanks for keeping me and T¡¯Sai updated. If we want to clean up this whole mess, everyone should be as sharp as you.¡±
¡°Thanks. Good night, Duncan.¡± Shrass stood from his seat and quietly left Duncan¡¯s rooms. He went directly to his own quarters with the firm intention of grabbing a dinner for himself in mind. Watching his colleague munch away at that slice of baked dough with toppings hadn¡¯t helped his own hunger. What did the Humans call it? Pizza or something along those lines. He made a mental note to check out that dish.
The Andorian swiftly unlocked the door and entered his quarters. ¡°Lights!¡± He said routinely to banish the darkness from his rooms, but before he had even made half the way to the fabricator, he heard his desk terminal chirp and the computer announce a new personal message.
Letting out a sigh he changed his steps and checked the terminal. There was a text-only message from T¡¯Sai waiting for him. He quickly browsed the short note from his colleague. Seeing that it was just a reminder for their next ¡°socializing,¡± he quickly switched off the terminal and returned his attention to getting dinner.
Shrass walked over to the fabricator console. ¡°Computer, pizza.¡±
¡°Please specify size and type.¡±
¡°Uhm¡ a large slice of¡ what can I get on it?¡±
¡°There are 148 different types of pizza stored in the database. Please specify type or chose custom dough and toppings.¡±
¡°Show types on display.¡± Shrass ordered and started browsing through the list provided by the computer. But seeing the different toppings didn¡¯t help at all, since he wasn¡¯t familiar with most of the foodstuff shown to him. The Andorian¡¯s antennae dropped slightly. He was simply hungry, not in the mood to having this conversation with the computer while trying to tell the damn thing to just give him something to eat. He shook his head and made another mental note to try pizza when he wasn¡¯t as tired.
¡°Computer, change query. Just give me some roasted shaysha with a side of tuber root salad and some spice bread.¡±
The device acknowledged the changed order with a soft chirp. A split second later a large plate laden with the grilled beetle shells, the salad, and the bread materialized in a shower of silvery energy lines and sparks. Shrass took his dinner and went to sit at his dinner table, picking up the provided cutlery and starting to break open the shaysha shells.
While eating his meal, Shrass wondered loudly to himself. ¡°Why do Humans always have to be so complicated? A hundred and fifty different versions of a single meal is just silly.¡±
[ Act Two ]
Sina, Niko, and Jeffrey were already sitting in the captain¡¯s ready room when Co-Yor arrived. The CMO stepped in front of the CO¡¯s desk and reported with his deep humming voice. ¡°Reporting as ordered, captain. What do you need my assistance for?¡±
¡°Please, take a seat, Co-Yor.¡± The Romulan gestured towards the other empty seat next to the first officer and the counselor. She leaned back in her own chair, but it was obvious to everyone she wasn¡¯t at all relaxed. Once the towering Kalonar was seated she took a deep breath before she continued. ¡°You probably remember that one week ago we lost our chief engineer?¡±
¡°Yes, I do remember that 4@19 stepped down from his post. But I don¡¯t know to which extend my medical abilities could be of service in this instance. I understand that 4@19 was displeased with what I attempted to do on your order. Was my intervention the cause for his resignation?¡± Co-Yor was highly conscious of what he had done and the understandably antagonistic reaction his deed had elicited from Tarik. For many hours he had wondered whether he should have refused his captain¡¯s orders.
¡°No. Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t that. The reasons he gave were complex and quite compelling. But also frightening given our situation in this universe. I¡¯ve been thinking long and hard about what Tarik said that day. About how our cultures are fundamentally different and that we will never be able to bridge this gap just by talking.¡±
Niko leaned forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees. ¡°But you¡¯ve got a plan that goes beyond talking, right? Do you think we can get Tarik back with whatever you¡¯re up to?¡±
A weak sigh escaped Sina¡¯s lips. ¡°Yes, I do have a plan. One I wager none of you will particularly like. But I doubt it will get us Tarik back. I think the wounds just run too deep for that now. But it will hopefully help us with the rest of the Synergy, especially the Matriarch. If all goes according to my plan, a situation like the one with Y-T-1173 should never happen again.¡±
The German officer sat straight up and looked his CO right in the eyes. ¡°Sounds good. So, what¡¯s your plan?¡±
Sina swallowed. ¡°I intend to let Tarik apply a temporary neural uplink to me and introduce me to the Synergy hive-mind.¡±
The XO¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What?! No! Please tell me you¡¯re joking!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure this is a good idea, captain.¡± Jeffrey remarked, his gaze jumping between Sina and Niko.
Co-Yor also protested upon hearing the suggestion. ¡°Captain, I cannot recommend that. We know far too little about the consequences of the procedure. The consequences of exposure to their hive-mind are completely unknown to us.¡±
¡°I know.¡± Sina almost whispered. ¡°But Tarik was right. Unless we start understanding each other we will always be outsiders to them, and they¡¯ll always be strangers to us. And while I believe the Synergy is trying their best to get us home, we must consider the possibility of that being impossible. In that situation we can¡¯t afford being estranged from the dominant galactic power.¡±
The Romulan stood from her chair and turned to look out the behind her desk, gazing into the darkness of space. ¡°Last week has shown us all painfully that we have no idea who we¡¯re really dealing with. For Tarik and the others, it was the right thing to do what he did, while to us it seemed abhorrent. I want to avoid repeating such incidents in the future because we shouldn¡¯t assume that everyone will be understanding of our reaction.¡±
¡°Yes, Sina, but there has to be a different way!¡± Niko countered. ¡°Giving them access to our computer was one thing, but I¡¯m really not keen on giving them access to our minds.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly why I will do it myself instead of asking anyone else.¡± Sina replied, turning around and facing her officers again. ¡°I¡¯m responsible for my crew and therefore I have to shoulder the burden and the risk.¡±
¡°Captain, I respectfully disagree. You are the commanding officer of this ship and its crew and I cannot allow you put yourself at risk.¡± The CMO spoke up now. His mind busy recalling what he knew about the Borg hive-mind and the changes they were aware of the Synergy made to that technology. ¡°We need you. And we have no knowledge about the physiological and psychological details of the procedure. If any problems occurred during the process, I might not know how to help you. I strongly advise to reconsider your decision.¡±
¡°That¡¯s exactly the reason why I wanted you involved, Co-Yor. It¡¯s not only our best opportunity to bridge the cultural gap between Federation and Synergy, giving us the maybe only chance we¡¯ll ever get to learn more about how to fit in with this reality. It¡¯s also our perfect and maybe only chance to learn more about their uplink technology and the hive-mind. I will also only do it if Tarik agrees to your medical supervision.¡±
Co-Yor tilted his head slightly, his unmoving expression not betraying any of his emotions. ¡°I understand, captain, but I still have severe concerns.¡± The Kalonar was diligently taking mental notes about the captain¡¯s argument for the procedure and had to admit it carried some weight. Still, in his opinion the risks outweighed the benefits.
Jeffrey shook his head. ¡°As do I. You can¡¯t do this alone, much less force the issue. Understanding always requires time and we¡¯ve only had a bit over one year. Of course, there will be difficulties and problems. But that happens in every relationship and the partners must adjust and learn to deal with each other. That is true for personal relationships but also for diplomatic ones. The incident with Tarik was unfortunate, but we shouldn¡¯t be too hasty with decisions that have so many potentially far-reaching consequences.¡±
¡°I understand what you mean, Jeffrey, but I¡¯m not sure we can afford further delays.¡± The Romulan said while sitting down at her desk again. ¡°We¡¯re out on our own now, traveling a foreign galaxy. What if the next ¡®misunderstanding¡¯ doesn¡¯t happen with an allied engineer, but a neutral or non-aligned diplomat? We can¡¯t count on everyone being lenient with our blunders. I fear it¡¯s only a matter of time until we screw up a situation we couldn¡¯t afford to screw up.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his temples. He knew that Sina¡¯s Romulan blood was sometimes¡ often¡ regularly making her as stubborn as an ox, but he realized the well familiar tone she used when she was almost certainly set on a decision.
¡°Sina, we both know you¡¯re planning on doing this no matter what we say. I understand why you want to do it, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to agree with your decision. Still, I¡¯m your first officer and will support you, no matter how grumpy I might be about this silly idea of yours. What do you need from us?¡±
Commander D¡¯raxis smiled weakly at the words of her first officer. ¡°Thank you, Niko. What about you two? Can I count on you to do this?¡±
The black-skinned counselor let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. ¡°Yes. But for the record, I still object. But if you think it will help us¡¡±
Co-Yor tilted his head in the other direction now. He understood the XO¡¯s assessment of the situation was correct. The captain would go ahead even without his agreement, but with his support it would be much less risky. And they could gain important intelligence from the procedure. ¡°I will provide whatever medical services I can render. But I still do not recommend this procedure without extensive previous research.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good enough for me. I will note your objections in my log.¡± Sina noted. ¡°As for what I need¡¡± She took a deep breath before she continued.
¡°Niko, you¡¯ll become my full substitute. Before I undergo the procedure, I¡¯m going to grant you full access and privileges, so that you can take over the captain¡¯s chair in case¡¡± The Romulan hesitated for a split second. ¡°¡against all odds something goes wrong. I don¡¯t want to leave the ship and crew behind without a properly set up successor. While I hope and expect that we won¡¯t have to make use of this arrangement, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡±
The XO pressed his lips together, his face an expression of sincere unhappiness, but after a short moment he nodded. Grimly, but he nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±
¡°Jeffrey, I want you to create a detailed psychological profile of me. I¡¯ll try and make space in my schedule, so we have enough time for it. I want you to keep this profile around as a benchmark for after the procedure. I want to be sure we have a way to find out if it negatively affected my personality mid to long term.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± The counselor replied.
¡°And I want you to fabricate a Romulan mind probe and use it on me to generate the profile.¡±
¡°Captain? Those devices are illega-¡± He tried to protest, but Sina quickly cut him off.
¡°I¡¯m aware of that, Jeffrey. But they¡¯ll give you more data than any other method and we only have limited time. I fully expect you to keep all information you see while creating my profile strictly confidential. You will not speak about anything you learned with anyone and only draw on it when ordered by myself, Niko, or any higher-ranking officer in Starfleet Command, in case we make it home again. Aside from those situations you¡¯ll take that information to your grave. Are we clear?¡±
Junior Lieutenant Brassfield stared at his CO, then looked at the XO in the next seat to see his reaction. After seeing that Niko wouldn¡¯t object, Jeffrey let out a deep sigh. ¡°Yes, captain. But you¡¯ll have to note a second formal protest from me in your log.¡±
¡°I will do so.¡± Sina replied, before turning her gaze towards her CMO now.
¡°Co-Yor, you¡¯ll perform a neurological analysis on me and create copies of all critical memory engrams relating to my command experiences and decision-making processes.¡± The Romulan explained. ¡°I want to know if there are any physiological rather than psychological side effects of using the Synergy uplink. Like Jeffrey, you are under order to retain absolute confidentiality about anything you learn from the analysis and the engrams. The same restrictions as to when to bring it up also apply to you.¡±
The Kalonar hesitated for a second, then nodded. ¡°Understood, captain.¡±
¡°Good. How long do you two think you¡¯ll need to complete your assignments?¡± Sina asked.
Jeffrey glanced over to Co-Yor and spoke first. ¡°With the mind probes¡¡± He still didn¡¯t like those things, and everyone could hear it in his voice. ¡°¡I¡¯d say about four dozen sessions over the course of a few weeks. Shouldn¡¯t take more than about fifty hours in total. But you need to be relaxed and refreshed for that to work, otherwise the profile would be distorted and not of much use. This means you can¡¯t squeeze those hours in at the end of your typical extended shifts when you¡¯re exhausted.¡±
The Commander nodded. ¡°I acknowledge your subtle criticism and will see to having enough time for it. What about you Co-Yor?¡±
¡°Performing the necessary scans for a deep neurological analysis requires less than fifteen minutes. However, copying and processing the requested memory engrams will take approximately thirty hours in total.¡± The CMO explained calmly, recalling the information about the requested procedures and estimating the required times for them.
Sina let out a sigh. ¡°So, eighty-one hours in total, give or take.¡± She nervously tapped her fingers against the surface of the desk. ¡°It will take quite a bit longer than I would have liked, but that¡¯s okay. We must do this properly. This may be our only chance to get a closer look at their hive-mind technology.¡±
The Commander leaned forward in her seat and looked at her senior officers. ¡°I know I ask much of you. I know you don¡¯t like it. I know you have your reservations. But please trust me in this matter. The Synergy is the dominant power in this galaxy, easily eclipsing the Dominion and the Krenim. We must learn how to play nice with our only ally or risk losing it all. I¡¯m aware of the risks the uplink poses, but with your help I¡¯m convinced we can manage.¡±
Sina drew a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. You have your orders, dismissed.¡±
Co-Yor nodded and stood from his chair, turning to leave the captain¡¯s ready room. He noticed that Jeffrey was following him, while Niko remained behind. The Kalonar could only imagine what exactly CO and XO were discussing but considering his observations of their couple-like social dynamics he was certain that Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg wasn¡¯t going to be polite in expressing his thoughts.
The CMO returned directly to the sickbay, taking the shortest route through the ship¡¯s gateway hubs. He was pleased to find the rooms empty and entered his private office. Co-Yor immediately activated the confidentiality screen. ¡°Computer, activate EMH.¡±
A familiar chirp sounded and a moment later the female form of the Sidereal¡¯s EMH materialized next to the desk. ¡°Emergency Medical Hologram Mark Nine online. Please state the nature of the medical emergency.¡±
¡°Activate confidentiality protocols and load database Co-Yor-Two-Nine-Seven-Four. Authentication, Lieutenant Co-Yor-Turi-Kalur, Calypso-Seven-Eight-Epsilon-One.¡± The Kalonar ordered while sitting at his desk.
¡°Understood. Confidentiality protocols active. Database loaded; session parameters secured. Please state the nature of the medical emergency.¡± The soft and polite voice of the hologram sounded after the computer complied with Co-Yor¡¯s request.
¡°Assume observation of the implantation and activation of a temporal neural uplink, as well as its operation while connected to the Synergy hive-mind. Would the data available from that suffice to determine whether any crew member has been influenced by the low-powered neurogenic fields?¡± The CMO asked, contemplating the new information available to him from the briefing a few minutes ago.
¡°Positive. A detailed observation of the stated events with appropriate encephalic and neurographic scans will yield a 100 percent accuracy of the requested diagnosis.¡±
He slightly tilted his head at the response. ¡°Would it also suffice to create a more finely tuned desegranine derivate for inoculation against neurogenic fields?¡±
¡°Positive. Estimated increase of inoculation efficiency from 64.877 percent to 89.183 percent based on new data.¡±
The Kalonar nodded quietly to himself before he continued. ¡°Create detailed list with required scan procedures and parameters and copy it to my personal files. Encrypt it with my public authentication key.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
¡°List copied.¡±
¡°Computer, end EMH.¡± Again, a soft chirp sounded and the EMH vanished in a flickering glimmer. Co-Yor now knew that his captain¡¯s daring procedure was giving him the perfect opportunity to get the data he needs to validate or falsify Lieutenant T¡¯Sai¡¯s concerning observations. With his usual emotionless face, he started to create a schedule to plan the preparations requested by his CO.
[ Act Three ]
¡°What the HELL were you thinking?!¡± Captain K¡¯Torr asked, his angry voice thundering in the observation lounge. He furiously threw the PADD down in front of Nadya, the display clearly showing her command code overrides on the computation quota management control. The device skittered across the table, coming to a stop just before tipping over the table¡¯s edge.
¡°We¡¯re at the brink of war with the Tholians and my chief engineer decides to cheat herself to more elevated private access to the Federation flagship¡¯s computer core.¡± The Klingon was pacing back and forth in front of the lounge¡¯s tall windows, while the Russian engineer stood stoically at the far end of the table. Nadya didn¡¯t move a single muscle as she endured her Captain¡¯s tirade.
The Enterprise¡¯s female Bolian XO, Commander Yahis Chanar, and the male Vulcan senior operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Kedik, were also sitting in the room, right next to the ship¡¯s counselor who looked as if he wanted to crawl under the carpet. All three remained silent, waiting for the Captain to give Nadya an opportunity to respond.
Finally, K¡¯Torr turned around and stared right at the engineer. ¡°Well? Do you have anything to say about this?¡± He wildly gestured towards the PADD.
Nadya swallowed and gathered all her courage. She had feared that this moment would come sooner or later, but she had hoped she¡¯d be able to delay it a bit longer. The next minutes would decide her career, maybe even her future in Starfleet at all. ¡°I had no other choice, Sir. My simulation reached the point where the personal quota was insufficient. I wouldn¡¯t have needed that much computing power for long. Only for a single run. And I would have terminated my extended access afterwards.¡±
The Klingon stared at the chief engineer in utter disbelieve, an expression on his face as if she had just back handed him. ¡°And therefore, you think you can simply take a slice of the computer core for yourself?! Have you considered the fact that the personal quotas exist for the reason to not endanger the ship in critical situations? You went a full ten percent above your limit. Your meddling could have killed some of your colleagues! Can you imagine what would happen if an emergency forcefield came up one-tenth of a second late?¡±
Nadya swallowed. ¡°I am aware of that, but since we¡¯re currently not in a contested region I thought it-¡±
¡°You thought you could get away with it.¡± The Captain let out a frustrated sigh that sounded more like a groan. ¡°If you had just modified the quota, I would simply enter a reprimand in your record and not waste any more of anyone¡¯s time on this matter. But you tried to hide it. You¡¯ve used your privileged access levels to insert a fake subroutine, that made it seem as if the core was busy running a self-diagnostic. And that crosses the line to sabotage, Lieutenant Commander!¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir, but you must underst-¡±
¡°Understand what?¡± K¡¯Torr immediately cut her off. ¡°Understand that you¡¯ve developed an unhealthy obsession regarding your attempts to find any trace of the Sidereal? Understand that you¡¯ve chosen to abuse the trust we all placed in you for your own personal benefit? No, I must understand none of that. But there is something that you must learn to accept. The Sidereal is gone and nothing will bring the ship or its crew back. It¡¯s been almost eight months and everyone besides you has moved on.¡±
¡°THEN YOU JUST DON¡¯T WANT TO UNDERSTAND!¡± Nadya eventually lost her composure and shouted back, her sudden outburst taking the others by surprise. The Augment had built a reputation as being calm and collected, but now her gaze was as furious as the Captain¡¯s and she leaned forward to pick up the PADD. ¡°This is as close as we will ever get to know the Sidereal¡¯s fate with certainty!¡±
She threw the device back towards the Klingon¡¯s end of the table, her voice now laced with poison. ¡°The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth, but apparently for most here a rough guess is good enough! It seems that neither you, nor SC, nor SIS have any interest in finding out what really happened to the Sidereal¡¯s crew. You speak highly of not endangering other officers but abandoning them is apparently just fine with you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re treading on very thin ice, Lieutenant Commander.¡± The first officer spoke, an obvious warning carrying in her voice. ¡°You should consider your next words carefully, because you¡¯re getting awfully close to insubordination.¡±
¡°Does it make any difference any more at this point?¡± Nadya asked with frustration and disappointment in her voice.
Lieutenant Commander Kedik raised an eyebrow before speaking up. ¡°Your fatalism is illogical. There is still a path to an amicable outcome of this situation if we all cooperate.¡±
¡°And what would that cooperation look like? I will not stop searching for the Sidereal. I will not abandon my friends. Why don¡¯t you want to understand that? I know I am so close to discovering the last necessary variable of the subspace tensor to find the fissure¡¯s displacement signature. It¡¯s only one more step!¡± Nadya challenge the Vulcan.
¡°I could relieve you of your post and have you placed in the brig. And I probably should, given the last few minutes.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr remarked roughly, his arms impatiently crossed in front of his chest.
¡°You can throw me in the brig, Captain, but then I¡¯ll just write the calculations on the walls in my own blood. I almost wished Admiral Kirk was in command instead of you.¡±
Counselor Bravis shook his head and stood from his seat, interrupting the scene before it could spiral completely out of control. ¡°Please stop, everyone! This isn¡¯t getting us anywhere! When did fatalism and threats become the way we solve our problems? Can we all just take a moment to calm down?¡± He intensely looked at Nadya, silently pleading with her to calm down, then focused his eyes on the Captain. But the Klingon threw his hands in the air in frustration with his chief engineer and started pacing along the window front again.
The XO looked at Nadya slightly confused. ¡°What did you mean with your remark about Admiral Kirk?¡±
The Augment challenged the Bolian¡¯s gaze, but eventually replied, her arms also crossed in front of her chest. ¡°I expressed the wish for a CO that supported me in my endeavors, to the point of stealing the flagship to search for a lost comrade if necessary, instead of telling me at every possible step to give up and move on.¡±
Nadya turned around not wanting the others to see her eyes watering up from the emotional stress. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly imagine how hard it is to work on a solution that will help us find the Sidereal, when every single one of your supposed allies turns against you. Only my girlfriend is on my side, everyone else tells me to stop working on the simulation, that I was wasting my time, that I should just accept the loss and move on. If Admiral Kirk would have had that mindset, he¡¯d have abandoned Commander Spock to his fate.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr¡¯s frustrated growl was audible across the whole room.
¡°You are convinced of the correctness of your simulations?¡± The Vulcan ops officer asked, but the question was almost more of a statement.
¡°Absolutely. I would have only needed this last simulation to isolate the final variable. After that, we would have had the quantum signature to which the Sidereal was displaced, as well as the subspace tensor connected to the fissure. With that data we could have started thinking about using an appropriately phased subspace differential pulse to scan the area of the fissure for sensor echoes with a matching displacement signature.¡±
Now the Klingon turned around to face Nadya and the others again. ¡°How high are the chances of success for any of that?¡±
Lieutenant Commander Kedik turned his chair to face the Captain. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Captain. I have briefly studied the simulation when I investigated the unexpected computer core usage, but I am unable to fully understand it. The formulas contained in the framework describe extremely advanced quantum dynamics and theoretical subspace mechanics, far exceeding my own knowledge in those fields. For a proper analysis we would need to consult experts for fields of study.¡±
¡°Do we have qualified personnel on board?¡± The XO inquired from the ops officer.
¡°No, Sir.¡± The Vulcan immediately replied. ¡°Like I said, the material is far more advanced than topics most people are ever exposed to. We would need actual researchers in those fields. Someone with the expertise and knowledge of, for example, professor Ishikawa, who teaches Advanced Subspace Mechanics at Starfleet Academy, or professor Van der Meer, who works at the Quantum Slipstream Research Institute of the SCE.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr said flatly, the expression on his face readily shifting as he was thinking about how to proceed in this case.
¡°But what if the simulation failed?¡± Commander Chanar asked, directed at Nadya. ¡°You say you¡¯re convinced it will work, but what if it doesn¡¯t?¡±
The question hit the Russian harder than she would want to admit. ¡°In that case¡¡± Nadya quickly wiped the wetness from her eyes and cheeks with her sleeve, then turned back to face the others. She took a deep breath before she continued, more to calm her nerves than anything else. ¡°If the simulation fails to¡ yield the complete tensor, it means my assumptions have been incorrect.¡±
¡°Which assumptions?¡± Kedik inquired.
¡°That the fissure that displaced the Sidereal was coexistent only with one other quantum reality. If there were more than one aperture, the ship¡ is almost certain to have been destroyed, torn apart and distributed equally between all existing end points. In such a scenario the estimated chances for the crew¡¯s survival would be well below thirty percent, dropping rapidly as the number of connected parallel realities increased.¡±
¡°Then it¡¯s nothing more than a gamble.¡± The Bolian XO remarked flatly.
¡°Are the lives of eighty-two fellow officers, colleagues, and friends not worth taking a gamble, Commander?¡± Nadya asked back right on the spot. ¡°Is it not worth to at least try and roll the dice, instead of giving up before the game even started? If we¡¯ve become so frightened of chance, what are we even doing out here?¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr had stopped pacing back and forth in front of the lounge windows and took a long moment to gaze into the black emptiness of space. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake being careful for being afraid.¡± He took a deep breath and turned back to the other officers, holding his hands behind his back. ¡°Nevertheless, I am willing to consider giving you one more chance, Lieutenant Commander.¡±
Nadya¡¯s eyes lightened up with cautious optimism hearing those words from her CO. ¡°Sir?¡±
¡°I am willing to allow you to run your simulation under four conditions.¡±
The chief engineer swallowed and answered carefully. ¡°I understand, Sir. Which conditions?¡±
The Klingon focused his gaze on the Russian, while picking up the PADD that lay haphazardly across the table¡¯s built in console. ¡°First, you will coordinate with Lieutenant Commander Kedik to prevent your simulation from putting the ship at risk again. Second, you will provide a full and extensive report with all details about your work so far. Third, you will fully cooperate with whatever researchers we deem necessary to ascertain your experiment¡¯s validity. And fourth¡¡±
He stepped around the long conference table and walked up to the engineer. The CO looked Nadya right in the eyes as he continued, a gleam of sympathy and worry in his gaze. ¡°¡I need you to promise me to let it go if the simulation fails. I cannot allow my chief engineer to continue being so distracted and torn between two goals. While on duty I need you to focus your attention on your job and your job is not this side project. And I can¡¯t allow you to continue down this path of abuse and self-destruction.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva hesitated to answer, her thoughts racing about the last demand.
Captain K¡¯Torr took a step back and gazed at his CE. ¡°You¡¯re an outstanding officer and I would hate to lose you. Your record, until now, has been exemplary. I understand your desire, and your frustration, to help your friends, but you can¡¯t throw your life away on nothing but a faint guess. We need reliable proof. If your simulation works, we will figure out the next steps together as a team. No more going it alone. But if it fails, we must accept that there is nothing more we can do. What do you say?¡±
Nadya took a deep breath and then slowly nodded. ¡°I¡ I agree to the conditions, Captain. And I¡¯m willing to hand in my resignation for my transgression at your request, Sir.¡±
¡°I hope that will not be necessary. I¡¯ve clearly laid out the rules how we will approach this matter from now on and I expect you to follow them. But there are two things that will be necessary. One is that I will have to enter a reprimand into your record. I simply cannot overlook what you¡¯ve done.¡± The Klingon slowly walked back to his seat at the far end of the table. ¡°And the other is that you are temporarily relieved of duty. Lieutenant Sakar will stand in for you until further notice.¡±
¡°Sir, I-¡±
¡°No, Lieutenant Commander.¡± The Captain cut off the engineer. ¡°I know what you want to say, but no. I don¡¯t want you sitting between two chairs. Focus on your simulation and get it done properly. I don¡¯t want it to fail and the whole situation to drag on because of incorrect data entry or some other oversight. Coordinate the simulation run with ops. Confirm the experiment¡¯s validity with external specialists. Is that understood?¡±
The Russian drew in a sharp breath. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± She hesitated for a second, but then continued. ¡°And thank you, Captain. I know I broke your trust. I promise you that will not happen again.¡±
¡°Good. Everyone, dismissed.¡± The Klingon turned to leave the observation lounge, but Nadya quickly spoke up before he had taken another step or any of the others had stood from their seats.
¡°Sir, one more thing.¡±
The CO stopped and turned to face his chief engineer. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°I want to apologize for insinuating that you¡¯d easily abandon fellow officers. That was highly inappropriate and uncalled for. I am sorry about that, Sir.¡±
A weak smile raced over the Klingon¡¯s lips, but he quickly managed to bury it beneath his strict-captain-mask. Still, he nodded and replied with a firm voice. ¡°Apology accepted. I think we can all consider this incident a valuable lesson in trust and¡ compassion.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr nodded, then turned away and left the observation lounge with swift steps. Commander Chanar and Lieutenant Commander Kedik quickly followed. Nadya took a deep breath, pulled her uniform jacket straight, and left the lounge to return to her quarters.
At last, counselor Bravis remained in the observation lounge, slumped into his chair. He took a deep breath before slowly standing from his seat, mumbling. ¡°This is doing nothing for my nerves. Who counsels the counselors?¡± Shaking his head, he pushed his chair under the table and headed towards the door.
[ Act Four ]
Tarik looked at the PADD in his hands while the door to his private quarters closed with its typical gentle hiss. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of the last few minutes yet, but Sina had made her point crystal clear. She wanted to undergo a temporary uplink and connect to the hive-mind, but only on the condition that her medical staff was allowed close observation of the whole procedure.
Before she had left, she handed him a list with all the scans and observations her crew would have to be allowed of the temporary neural transceiver he¡¯d suggested some months ago and told him to inquire with his government whether those conditions were acceptable. Now he stood here, a little dumbfounded at her sudden change of mind combined with the overly assertive tone she¡¯d shown, quirking his brows while trying to sort his thoughts.
Eventually, he let out a deep sigh and focused his attention onto the hive-mind to formulate an appropriately worded query.
[4@19-Omicron requesting high-level policy decision. Keywords: USS Sidereal, hive-mind technology. Subject: inquiry about neutral party observation.]
His thoughts raced across the Synergy¡¯s vast interstellar network and within the blink of an eye he received a response. A familiar melodic voice, carrying the power and authority of the whole Synergy Empire, echoed in his own thoughts.
[That¡¯s an interesting query, Tarik. What do you want to know?] Matriarch Chiaxi replied.
A little surprised that 1@1-Alpha would directly respond to his question herself, Tarik explained his request. [Sina just approached me with a¡ quite strange request. She expressed the willingness to undergo a temporary uplink, but only on the condition that her chief medical officer could perform detailed scans during the whole procedure. Given what we know about their medical and sensor technology, especially after augmenting it for them, they would learn several facts about our hive-mind we haven¡¯t shared with them yet.]
[Are you worried they¡¯d use that knowledge against us?]
The question gave 4@19 pause. After a moment of consideration, he responded. [I don¡¯t know. Most likely they won¡¯t. However, it would still be an exceptional situation to allow that kind of knowledge into the hands of a non-allied entity.]
He could almost feel the Matriarch¡¯s soft chuckle. [Well, the whole situation with the Sidereal is exceptional, don¡¯t you think? From my perspective the potential benefits of that little experiment far outweigh the possible risks. Having Sina, and by extend the rest of her crew, become more favorable towards the Synergy would be a great boon. Therefore, you have my permission to perform the procedure under the stated conditions.]
[I understand, Matriarch.]
[However, this is not an order, Tarik. Carefully evaluate whether the Sidereal¡¯s crew could pose any significant threat to the Synergy with that knowledge. We certainly don¡¯t need to hand them a way to really harm us in case the diplomatic relationships with them should sour. Proceed at your own discretion.] Chiaxi advised her recent favorite engineer.
Tarik nodded in agreement. [I certainly will do so, Matriarch. Thank you for taking the time to answer my query.]
[No problem, Tarik. You know that we all take great interest in the Sidereal and everything relating to our most curious new arrivals to this galaxy. But speaking of Sina, have you changed your mind about your decision?]
The engineer let out a depressed sigh. He had hoped especially to not have to discuss that topic, but it seems he was out of luck. [No, Matriarch. The reasons for it have not changed. And I do remember you agreeing with them.]
Chiaxi swiftly responded, her voice like a gentle but firm caress on Tarik¡¯s thoughts. [That is correct. Logically your reasoning is firm and sound, and that¡¯s the level on which I agree with your decision. But there¡¯s something else. Something I can feel inside you. Something that you appear to want to banish instead of embrace. I sense your conflict, Tarik.]
[Matriarch¡] He began his response but then stopped. He knew exactly what his empress was talking about. From the very first moment he had laid eyes on Sina he had felt a strange attraction towards her. He¡¯d never forget the determination on her face when they first met over a year ago, the fierce Romulan woman ready to vaporize his head with her phaser pistol. At first, he¡¯d just ascribed it to physical appeal, but as they spent more time with each other he knew that it was something more building inside him.
But he had always put his duties first. The Synergy was his family, his home, and he would make any sacrifice to advance and protect it. He gathered his thoughts and tried once more to formulate an answer. [My emotional state is irrelevant compared to the wellbeing of the Synergy. I cannot and will not allow my personal feelings to detract from advancing our society and the matters of the Galactic Council.]
1@1 sensed he hadn¡¯t finished his train of thought yet, so she waited patiently for him to continue.
[I could have attempted to pursue a relationship with Sina, but how would her crew have reacted to me? I¡¯m the designated Synergy liaison to the Sidereal, they would have considered it an attempt to influence their commanding officer. Several of them already don¡¯t like me. It would only have made matters worse. And even if the relationship would have worked, which I highly doubt because of the fundamental cultural differences, where could it have possibly gone?]
Tarik sighed, physically and mentally.
[If we find a way to send them back to their reality, I could not follow her. And she has family on the other side, so asking her to stay is unreasonable. Even if they needed to stay here, it would have been exploitative by me to pursue that relationship since they are at a disadvantage in our galaxy.]
Matriarch Chiaxi smiled at her engineer¡¯s words. Again, he had surprised her by his ability to see the big picture instead of the immediate situation, something she was used to only from her data processing adjuncts that filtered and prepared the unimaginable information stream pouring in from all over the Milky Way every single minute. But he had evaded the one sore point she tried to put pressure on.
[I appreciate your foresight, Tarik, and all of what you¡¯ve said are valid concerns. But for all your wisdom you¡¯re missing the most obvious.]
[I¡ I don¡¯t understand, Matriarch.]
[Your pride, Tarik. You¡¯re a perfectionist. You always give 101 percent on everything you do. You¡¯ve spent over nine years tuning Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s propulsion systems to equal efficiency as the most recently constructed Prism¡¯s. You¡¯ve never failed to answer even a single emergency call, and you¡¯ve invested far more of your lifetime than anyone could have expected into teaching other engineers and helping our research wherever you could.]
She let her words sink in for a moment, but continued before he could respond, driving the point home.
[But despite all your achievements you¡¯re scared of being with Sina. You¡¯re afraid of failing that endeavor and that any failure in that regard would harm the Synergy. You put yourself through this misery, avoiding taking the risk that your heart seeks since months. I know it to be true. And if you search your feelings you also will.]
4@19 didn¡¯t respond. Having his personal emotional battlefield laid bare in front of him by the Matriarch was hard to stomach for him. But no matter how hard he tried to find a reason to tell his empress she was wrong, he only found more evidence of her being correct. In his perfectionist pride he had forced this distance upon himself.
It was this moment when his mind recalled the various emotions that he and Sina had shared. The confusion when he showed her Earth in the astral observatory. The happy smile when he took her to the material workshop as her birthday gift. The utter devastation when he told her he¡¯d resign and leave. He had wrapped his heart in an iron coffin, which Chiaxi just broke wide open. A single tear ran down his cheek as he realized how much he had hurt the one person he¡¯d wanted to embrace so much.
[Tarik?] The melodic voice called out to him.
[Yes¡ Matriarch?] He reluctantly replied, still struggling with the revelation forced upon him.
[We trust you. Your whole life you¡¯ve done exemplary work for the Synergy. But you¡¯re not an emotionless drone. If you think it would be a worthwhile endeavor trying to court Sina, then go ahead. Chase her, if you dare. We both know that her request would be the perfect opportunity for it.] A wave of encouragement echoed through his thoughts as he continued to listen to the Matriarch. [The very first link lays bare both minds in front of each other. Remember your own uplinking, Tarik¡]
He did remember. He clearly remembered as if it was yesterday, when his neural transceiver was first activated. It was just a few days after his sixth birthday, almost 176 years ago. The Synergy had quickly learned that introducing an individual to the whole hive-mind at once can easily cause irreparable damage to their psyche. Thus, one already uplinked person becomes the link partner and is tasked with the responsibility of gradually showing the virtual aspect of their empire to its newest member.
In his case it had been his mother. He did remember how scared, but also curious, he was as he waited to fall asleep on the biobed. And how wonderful it was when his personality awoke again in the hive-mind and he felt his mother¡¯s love in a way unlike any he had felt before, unlike any he could ever describe in mere words. He felt what she felt, he thought what she thought. They were one, in the most perfect way possible.
The first link to the hive-mind is the most defining moment of any Synergy member¡¯s life. Even more than the first kiss or the first intimate encounter with a person one loves, someone¡¯s uplinking will forever change that individual¡¯s outlook on the Synergy, on the galaxy, and on life itself.
[If you want to take the risk, be Sina¡¯s link partner. Be the one to show her the glory and wonder of the hive-mind. She will then know how you feel about her. If she responds in kind, you can simply laugh at how silly you¡¯ve been in the past and maybe start something new. And if she doesn¡¯t, you can still laugh at your own pride and finally move on.]
The Human engineer swallowed hard. The thought of being Sina¡¯s link partner was intriguing and embarrassing at the same time. He knew she trusted him, but he was anxious about his innermost feelings being laid bare in front of her. She¡¯d instantly and irrevocably know how strongly he felt about her and that his resignation that hurt her so much came from a false sense of duty and pride.
What if she wouldn¡¯t return his feelings? He¡¯d make a fool of himself¡ no, he¡¯d already done that. He¡¯d just more clearly show just how foolish he had been. But would it change anything? Tarik wondered for a moment, then concluded it wouldn¡¯t matter. There was nothing more to lose for him. If she felt the same way, maybe he wouldn¡¯t have to leave after all. And if she didn¡¯t feel like he did, then he could just leave as he intended to do anyway.
The engineer gathered his thoughts for a response. [And what if I ruin our maybe only chance for diplomatic contact with their Federation?]
[Then it will be my duty to tell them how silly they are to throw away this unique opportunity over a single personal dispute.] The Matriarch¡¯s thoughts hummed with confidence. [I¡¯ve studied their records. They wouldn¡¯t dare to break with us over a potential relationship between you and their captain. Their Federation has agreed to so many utterly ridiculous treaties and made so many outright stupid concessions just for the sake of peace, anything you could possibly cause would literally never even register on their sensors.]
Tarik let out a deep sigh. He had never considered himself a coward, at least until this moment. He would wade into a destabilized OSR without hesitation to save his ship and friends, but right now he wouldn¡¯t dare to talk with Sina about his emotions? He chastised himself for being so ridiculous. But the Matriarch was right. After listening to her words, he realized that she had shown him a way to salvage the mess he created by his own hands.
After a few more moments of consideration 4@19 nodded. [I will do as you suggest, Matriarch. I will be Sina¡¯s link partner. And I apologize for being so-]
[Human? Don¡¯t worry about it, Tarik. Despite all our technology, we¡¯re not perfect. We all accept that individuality will always come with flaws. Our ancestors tried to eradicate those flaws in a futile pursuit of ¡®perfection¡¯ and caused so much misery in their wake. We swore to never repeat their mistake. Also, how boring would life be if every single aspect of it was completely controlled and without flaws? Sometimes it¡¯s the imperfections that improve the whole.]
4@19 could feel the Matriarch¡¯s warm and reassuring smile from thousands of light-years away. He knew that she¡¯d closely monitor his progress. But after sharing her thoughts, he could also say with confidence that she trusted him and would support him, even if his attempt to court Sina would sour their diplomatic relationship.
[Thank you for your advice, Matriarch.] He relayed his last thoughts and felt how the communication channel terminated. His attention returned to his current location and he noticed that he was still standing in his private quarters, staring at the PADD in his hands. Tarik interfaced with the Sidereal¡¯s internal communication system and started to compose a message to Sina to inform her of the Matriarch¡¯s approval of her request.
[ Act Five ]
Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva and Commander Chanar stood in transporter room two, ready for professor Van der Meer¡¯s arrival. The Bolian tapped her combadge. ¡°Chanar to bridge. We¡¯re ready, Captain.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr¡¯s strong voice replied. ¡°Understood, Number One. Fleet ops just signaled the professor was ready for transport. Commence at your discretion. Bridge out.¡±
¡°We¡¯re good to go.¡± The Commander nodded at Nadya and then at the transporter chief. ¡°Energize.¡±
The platform was briefly illuminated by the blue shimmer of the Enterprise¡¯s transporter beam and a couple seconds later an elderly Caitian stood in front of them. The male scientist¡¯s fur was a dark brown, with several spots of gray betraying his age. He wore a dark-green suit, with a mostly white plaid shirt underneath and a yellow scarf wrapped around his neck. His golden eyes had lost the ferocious gaze of youth, but still carried the signs of an incredibly sharp wit behind them.
Nadya looked at her XO in confusion and the Bolian looked back with an equally surprised expression on her face.
¡°Professor Van der Meer?¡± The first officer finally spoke, just in time to not letting the silence get too awkward.
¡°Yes, yes. That¡¯s me, Muuri Van der Meer.¡± The Caitian replied, descending from the transporter pad with somewhat stiff steps. ¡°I can see you didn¡¯t expect me. Don¡¯t worry, I get this pretty much every time.¡±
¡°My apologies, professor. We weren¡¯t aware. I am Commander Chanar, first officer. Welcome to the Enterprise.¡± Commander Chanar explained, while offering her hand to welcome the quantum mechanics expert on board the Federation flagship. ¡°I have to admit your name is quite exceptional for a Caitian.¡±
The scientist smirked. ¡°Heh, thank you. You have no idea how many people get confused by that. I took on the name of my dear wife, which seems to throw everyone for a loop. But I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t asked me here to talk about my surname, right? I reviewed the documents you sent me, and I would really like to meet the person behind those formulas. We have so much to discuss!¡±
The XO nodded in agreement. ¡°Of course.¡± She turned towards Nadya. ¡°Professor, this is Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva, our chief engineer. She discovered those formulas.¡±
Nadya stepped closer and offered her hand. ¡°Professor.¡±
Muuri took the Russian¡¯s hand, shaking it firmly. ¡°Exceptional work, Ms. Lebedeva. Very impressive. Say, how did you get the idea to isolate the Hilbert-Sevak eigenvalues with a Schroedinger integral from the surroundin-¡±
¡°Professor, please. I don¡¯t think the transporter room is the appropriate place to discuss the topic.¡± Commander Chanar interrupted. ¡°Besides, Captain K¡¯Torr wants to see you.¡±
¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s just so rare that I find something that challenges me on the same level as the data you sent me. I might get a bit carried away, Ms. Chanar. But please, go ahead.¡± The professor pulled his suit¡¯s jacket straight and gestured for the Starfleet officers to lead the way. ¡°I¡¯m just not as light on my feet as I used to be some decades ago, so please bear with me.¡±
¡°Of course, professor. If you need any medical support, please let me know immediately.¡± The Bolian replied while holding out her arm for the elderly Caitian.
¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just my age finally catching up with me. Heh, managed to cheat out a couple more years than anyone expected.¡± Muuri chuckled and grinned, while following along the officers.
¡°If I may ask, professor, how old are you?¡± Nadya inquired curiously. She knew that Caitians aged differently than Humans, so seeing a Caitian with such strong signs of age was very uncommon away from their homeworld.
¡°Only 132 years, Ms. Lebedeva. But I hope to eke out at least one more decade.¡± Muuri replied with a sheepish grin on his face.
The first officer and chief engineer casually escorted professor Van der Meer towards the observation lounge. A short walk and a quick turbolift ride later they entered the room where their Klingon CO was already waiting. As they stepped into the room, Captain K¡¯Torr stood from his chair and quickly put down the PADD in his hand, moving to meet their guest. ¡°Welcome on board, professor. We¡¯re glad you could make it on such short notice.¡±
¡°Heh, don¡¯t mention it. You had a very effective carrot to lure me out of my laboratory. I¡¯ve never before seen quite such a fascinating and intriguing material as the one from Ms. Lebedeva.¡± The scientist smirked, glancing at Nadya from the corner of his eye, while shaking the Captain¡¯s hand. ¡°But what exactly do you need from me? She seems to have an excellent grasp on the topic already.¡±
The Klingon gestured towards the chairs, urging everyone to take a seat, before he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point, professor. We need your help. Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva has been working on an experiment that she thinks will allow us to find the Sidereal. This experiment is extremely complicated, and we want to ascertain its validity before spending a significant amount of time and resources on it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of the delicate political situation regarding the Tholian Assembly. Without confirmation by experts that the experiment has the chance to succeed we cannot justify doing something that will lower the ship¡¯s readiness.¡±
Professor Van der Meer quietly followed the CO¡¯s explanation, now and then nodding his head in agreement. ¡°Ah yes, the Sidereal.¡± He breathed a deep sigh. ¡°I remember that name. What a terrible tragedy. But you think you can find the ship, even after all that time? How?¡±
The Russian engineer cleared her throat, as the Captain and first officer were both looking at her to answer the question. ¡°I¡¯ve extended a simulation framework initially designed by Lieutenant Yamamoto, the Newton¡¯s science officer who was one of the first to investigate the Sidereal¡¯s disappearance. The formulas we¡¯ve sent you are part of my extensions and I think the simulation will be able to find the last remaining variable for the subspace tensor describing the quantum fissure. This in turn will provide us with the quantum signature to which the Sidereal was displaced.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ that sounds quite fascinating, but what would you gain from knowing the tensor and the signature?¡± The professor inquired, leaning forward in his chair, his elbows resting on the surface of the lounge¡¯s long table.
¡°Well, that is still open for discussion.¡± Nadya admitted. ¡°Theoretically, we should be able to use a subspace differential pulse to generate quantum fluctuations in spacetime, which we could then pick up with our sensors. If we do that at the fissure¡¯s coordinates, we might be able to see what happened on the other side, so to speak. But it really depends on the simulation¡¯s success whether and how we move forward.¡±
The Caitian stared at the Russian for a moment before his eyes started to widen and his mouth turned into a grin showing the tips of his canines. ¡°Oh¡ now that¡¯s an interesting idea. But you know that this only works in theory. The LaPointe non-association principle clearly states that the other side of the quantum barrier can¡¯t be observed by anything with a non-associated signature.¡±
¡°I think I can work around it.¡±
¡°Work around it?¡± Muuri stared at Nadya dumbfounded. ¡°Do you know how much energy that would take? I doubt even this vessel could-¡±
¡°Can¡¯t those details wait for later? Our first task should be to validate the simulation before we go off to speculate about¡ subsequent opportunities.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr interjected, quickly getting weary of the highly theoretical discussion between the engineer and the researcher in front of him.
¡°Sorry, Captain.¡± Nadya apologized. She had tried to keep it together, but staying calm was getting more and more difficult for her. She wanted to show the framework to the professor, introduce him to the detailed formulas she¡¯d devised in many a sleepless night. She wanted to discuss the form of the tensor and the variables she¡¯d already managed to find. She was in this exhausting superposition of being nervous and excited at the same time, and she would be so glad to get home to her significant other.
¡°Yes, yes. Of course.¡± The Caitian mumbled, leaning back into the chair.
¡°There¡¯s only one problem.¡± The Klingon continued. ¡°We can¡¯t stay in the solar system for long. We¡¯ve already got a list of assignments starting tomorrow. I hope you understand that I can¡¯t leave my chief engineer behind. Even though the Lieutenant Commander is currently focused only on that experiment, her expertise and knowledge are essential in case of an emergency. Therefore, I would like to invite you to stay on the Enterprise for as long as necessary to complete the validation.¡±
Commander Chanar spoke up, adding to her CO¡¯s statement without pause. ¡°We can arrange to beam on board any of your possessions at your request. A VIP quarter will be prepared for you and we will reserve a separate laboratory for your personal use. Fleet Ops has already signaled willingness to grant you leave of absence for as long as necessary.¡±
¡°You know, this is very tempting. Oh, so tempting and I really wished I could immediately jump on the problem. Reminds me of the adventures I went on in my youth. But you see, I¡¯m an old married man now. I can¡¯t just up and leave for weeks without considering my darling wife. I need to make a call to discuss your invitation with my better half.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr nodded. ¡°Of course, professor. I¡¯ll show you to my ready room, where you can make your call.¡± The Klingon stood from his seat, gesturing with an outstretched arm to the Caitian to follow him. With his slightly stiff step Muuri followed the CO out of the observation lounge to make his call.
The professor and the Captain had barely left the room, when Nadya breathed a sigh of relieve. The XO slightly tilted her head, looking at the chief engineer curiously. ¡°Are you all right, Lieutenant Commander?¡±
The Russian quickly nodded, shaking her arms to ease the tension in her shoulders. ¡°Yes, Sir. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m nervous and anxious. One part of me wants to drag the professor into the laboratory and throw him at my simulation, while another part wants to crawl into a corner afraid that he could refuse to stay.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. Professor Van der Meer is certainly one of the more distinguished experts in this field, but he¡¯s not the only one. We will find someone who is able and willing to work on this with you, even if it might take just a little more time. Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re in this together now.¡± Commander Chanar reassured Nadya, making the Russian smile softly in return.
¡°Of course, Commander.¡±
¡°And who knows, if this really works the way you think it does you might be on the direct road towards a Daystrom or J. Bruce award. Maybe both, probably some others as well. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the SCE would fight tooth and nail to get their hands on you and offer you the position of department head of their quantum or subspace research divisions.¡± The Bolian woman smiled at the Russian as they stood at arm¡¯s length and waited for any sign how their guest had decided.
The moments turned to minutes until eventually the doors slid open and professor Van der Meer and Captain K¡¯Torr returned to the observation lounge. Both men didn¡¯t return to their seats but remained standing in front of the two women.
The Klingon spoke with a slight expression of satisfaction in his face. ¡°Professor Van der Meer has agreed to stay with us. Number One, see that all necessary accommodations are prepared for our guest. Lieutenant Commander, would you mind staying with the professor and escorting him to his quarters once they are prepared?¡±
¡°Of course not, Captain. It would be an honor.¡± Nadya replied without hesitation.
¡°Good. I guess you have much to discuss.¡± The CO noted with a slight smile on his lips. ¡°Professor, again thank you for your help. We will make sure your stay on the Enterprise will be as comfortable as possible. If you have any questions or requests, please don¡¯t hesitate to contact my first officer or the Lieutenant Commander.¡±
¡°Ah, I¡¯m low-maintenance, Mr. K¡¯Torr. At least my dear wife always says that. I will work with Ms. Lebedeva on that experiment of hers and stay out of your way otherwise. Don¡¯t trouble yourself on my account.¡± The elderly scientist replied with a smirk.
¡°You¡¯re our guest and we will make sure your stay with us is comfortable. But now I have to return to the bridge.¡± The CO replied before turning towards his fellow senior officers. ¡°You have your orders.¡± The Captain nodded and turned to leave the observation lounge with swift steps, quickly followed by Commander Chanar.
Nadya and Muuri looked at each other for a moment, before the professor burst out. ¡°When can I look at the whole experiment? Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice that the formulas you people sent me were missing a crucial piece of the puzzle. Is this a Starfleet Intelligence operation? Be honest with me, Ms. Lebedeva!¡±
The engineer chuckled softly. ¡°No, professor. I can assure you this whole situation is my fault and mine alone. No secret agencies or spies involved whatsoever.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡± The Caitian asked as he sat down at the long table again.
¡°Absolutely. Why are you asking?¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s just say that it¡¯s hard to believe that a single engineer could come up with material like this. This is highly advanced stuff. I could easily see a whole research team throw themselves at this topic for a year and not get anywhere near what you¡¯ve done. Some of the¡ shortcuts you¡¯ve taken are quite creative, I have to admit.¡±
Nadya walked over to where the professor was sitting and sat next to him. ¡°Professor, I¡¯ve spent more time of my life than I¡¯m comfortable admitting on this over the last eight months. I¡¯ve jeopardized the relationship with my girlfriend and sabotaged the Enterprise¡¯s computer core in a desperate attempt to run the simulation without anyone noticing.¡±
The Russian smiled softly, then quickly added. ¡°You can imagine that Captain K¡¯Torr wasn¡¯t amused about what I¡¯ve done.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Muuri replied. ¡°Yes, I can imagine. But still, you¡¯ve done all this alone? In secret? In your free time? That¡¯s incredulous!¡±
¡°I had a lot of luck and you have to consider that I¡¯m not a normal human.¡±
¡°Half-Vulcan? Wait¡ no. You don¡¯t have the ears for that. Hmmm¡¡±
The Russian smiled some more and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m an Augment. But don¡¯t worry, the only ambition I have right now is finding my friends on the Sidereal.¡±
The researcher¡¯s eyes went wide and he was about to say something, when the chirp of a direct message and Commander Chanar¡¯s voice interrupted him. ¡°Chanar to Lebedeva. The professor¡¯s quarters are ready. Deck nine, section two, room ten.¡±
The Lieutenant Commander shot a brief reply, before the channel was closed with another soft chirp. ¡°Understood, Commander. I¡¯ll show the professor to his accommodation. Lebedeva out.¡±
Nadya stood and offered her arm to the elderly Caitian. ¡°Professor, shall we?¡±
[2x04] On The Wings Of A Dream
[ Act One ]
¡°Captain, we¡¯re receiving a transmission from the Synergy flagship. It¡¯s signed with the Matriarch¡¯s personal key.¡± Duncan reported dutifully.
Niko glanced at Sina. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s the matter.¡±
¡°I guess we¡¯ll see soon enough. Duncan, on screen.¡±
The ops officer acknowledged his CO¡¯s order and a moment later the forward bridge dome was filled with Matriarch Chiaxi¡¯s holographic projection. Her three cybernetic eyes gleaming like tiny stars, captured in rings of metal.
¡°Matriarch Chiaxi. An unexpected pleasure. What can we do for you?¡± The Commander asked, a warm smile on her lips.
1@1 returned the smile. ¡°Commander. This is more about what we can do for you. I call to inform you that our scientists have discovered a way to deliver a message to your reality and our engineers have successfully formulated a plan to set this endeavor into motion. Please meet us at the following coordinates at your earliest convenience to discuss the details.¡±
Duncan¡¯s console chirped, signaling that they received the location, and he quickly relayed the information to Noriko at the conn to his left as well as the command stations on the upper level.
¡°You mean¡ we can¡¡± Sina stammered, exchanging hopeful looks with her XO. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this really is a surprise, Matriarch. We¡¯ll meet you as soon as possible. Is there anything we can prepare? Anything you need from us? Any way to contribute?¡±
The Matriarch smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, Commander. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s nothing you can do. The whole project is of highly experimental nature, even to us. It will still take quite some time before we can send the message, since we¡¯re still in the progress of constructing the transmitter array and power feed. Our engineers estimate seven more weeks. But you¡¯re welcome to share the news with your crew and prepare messages for your families as well as reports to your government.¡±
¡°We will do so, Matriarch. This is the best news we¡¯ve had in months. Thank you so much!¡± Sina said, her eyes wetting from pure joy and hope.
¡°You¡¯re welcome. I hope to meet you soon.¡± 1@1 nodded and closed the channel.
Sina took a deep breath and looked at her XO, who grinned back at her. After a long moment he quipped. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to give the order?¡±
The Romulan laughed. ¡°Oh, right. Noriko, set course to those coordinates. Engage at maximum speed.¡±
¡°Aye, captain!¡± The Asian pilot replied, struggling with her reaction to the news, quickly updating their flight schedule and setting the new trajectory. She swallowed and engaged the subspace slipstream drive. A moment later the Omega powered engine pushed normal space aside and plunged the Sidereal into the familiar tunnel of darkness and fractal streaks of broken light.
¡°ETA in twenty-one hours and eighteen minutes.¡± Noriko reported, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.
Niko nodded satisfied. ¡°Thanks. Duncan, relay the timing of our arrival to the Synergy.¡±
Everyone was excited and happy about the news. The next morning Niko had the whole crew assemble briefly in Eleven-Forward where Sina officially shared the big news with everyone, despite rumors having already traveled faster than an errant high-energy neutrino. The cheers and shouts echoed through the Sidereal¡¯s empty hallways and lifted the crew¡¯s spirit unlike any news in the past months.
A few hours after the official announcement Sina and Niko again were on duty on the bridge.
¡°So, already an idea what we send back home?¡± The first officer asked.
¡°What do you mean? Everything we can send, of course!¡± Sina replied, browsing a list of log entries and reports on the holographic display in front of her. ¡°But as much as it hurts me, that will include neither the specifications of our new ship, nor any of the other Synergy technology. That¡¯s what you were hinting at, right?¡±
The XO nodded. ¡°Yep. Since we¡¯re bound by the Synergy Statutes now, we¡¯ll have to carefully screen what we¡¯re sending. But still, personal messages and a status report are already much better than nothing. At least they¡¯ll know we¡¯re not dead. Not all of us, that is.¡± He added, remembering the fourteen casualties during their accident.
¡°You think they¡¯re still looking for us?¡± Sina asked, leaning back in her chair and turning to Niko. ¡°After almost fifteen months?¡±
He just shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. They probably declared the Sidereal missing or even lost with all hands. I wonder what they even found. I doubt it was more than a smattering of torn armor plating and a pile of random debris, considering most of the ship made it through. But hey, we probably have a nice monument in the SCHQ gardens.¡±
Sina choked on her reply and chuckled. ¡°At least you¡¯re looking at the bright side of things.¡±
¡°Do you think they made our monument from granite or brushed steel?¡± He teased.
The Romulan just rolled her eyes and shook her head, which earned her a laugh from her first officer. Eventually she returned to her list and continued selecting which entries to exclude completely and which to prepare for redaction of critical Synergy information.
A few minutes later Noriko reported yet another update to their course. ¡°Captain, we¡¯re on final approach to the rendezvous coordinates. Returning to normal space in two minutes.¡±
¡°Thanks, Noriko.¡± Sina acknowledged the report and turned to Niko. ¡°I¡¯m really curious what they¡¯re building out here. Cygnus X-1 is a black hole and part of a high-mass binary system with an O-type supergiant star. According to Synergy records the system¡¯s uninhabited and has been stripped bare of all usable resources centuries ago.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ you think that black hole has something to do with their plan? Maybe they want to use the singularity as a power source?¡± The XO speculated, wondering about that power feed the Matriarch had mentioned in her message.
¡°I don¡¯t know, Niko, that seems a little extravagant even for the Synergy. Especially since they could probably just plug a few OSRs together instead of that.¡±
¡°Hey, they are the descendants of the guys who disassembled the frigging Moon to build that orbital ring thingy!¡± Niko exclaimed in playful outrage.
¡°Well¡ point for you. My personal guess would be that they need the black hole¡¯s frame dragging for something. That thing spins over 800 times per second, give or take a few. That¡¯s got to have some use, doesn¡¯t it? But I guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough. Visra, can you already see anything on the sensors?¡± The CO called out to the Alusi science officer.
¡°Yes, captain. I¡¯m picking up the Synergy flagship as well as hundreds of ships gathering in proximity of Cygnus X-1, with dozens more in sensor range in transit to and from that location. Sensors also show several¡ superstructures orbiting both the black hole and the star. Some of the structures almost look like giant gravimetric anchors.¡± Ensign Arsiv replied, curiously studying the sensor data in more detail.
¡°Okay, that answers my question.¡± The XO quipped. ¡°They¡¯re definitively doing something with that black hole.¡±
Visra quickly spoke up before they left slipstream. ¡°Sir, may I suggest deploying a visual filter to the view screen? The supergiant is extremely bright.¡±
¡°Oh, right. Good thinking, Visra.¡± Sina complimented the young scientist. ¡°Duncan, dim the view screen whenever it shows the system.¡±
¡°Aye, captain.¡± Junior Lieutenant Clark responded and applied the requested filter with a few taps on his controls.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. ¡°Leaving slipstream in three¡ two¡ one¡ now.¡± Noriko announced as the SSD disengaged and the ship returned to normal space. Instantly the view screen was filled with the dimmed blue light of the system¡¯s supergiant star, which would have been blindingly bright without the filter Visra suggested, and the black hole¡¯s accretion disk less than a quarter astronomical unit further away.
But far more impressive than this display of stellar size and destruction was the pure amount of activity shown by the Synergy. Visra hadn¡¯t exaggerated - there were hundreds of cubes buzzing around like worker bees in a hive, constructing and carrying around giant frames and compartments for even larger structures. An equally large number of smaller vessels was busy with assembling the parts provided by the cubes or transporting more construction materials. It was a continuous coming and going, with ships entering and leaving slipstream in the system every few minutes.
Sina and the rest of the bridge crew could see two primary structures. One seemed to be a research station or monitoring facility closely orbiting the black hole itself, while the other was a group of giant concentric rings, forming a funnel-like silhouette between the supergiant and its stellar maw companion, with the narrow end pointing away from the star.
Duncan¡¯s console signaled another incoming call. ¡°Captain, it¡¯s Matriarch Chiaxi again.¡±
¡°Well, on screen please.¡±
The view screen changed to 1@1¡¯s projection, who beamed with pride knowing fully how amazing this endeavor must look to her guests. ¡°Ah, Commander. Welcome to¡ I think you call it Cygnus X-1. As you can see, we¡¯re still busy with the construction. Please join me on Primaris Station at your convenience. And don¡¯t forget to bring your science officer, she¡¯ll be very interested in seeing this.¡±
¡°Yes. We¡¯ll be right there.¡± Sina replied.
¡°Good.¡± The Matriarch nodded and the channel closed.
The CO looked at her first officer and grinned. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see what this is all about. Visra, you¡¯re with me.¡± The young Alusi almost jumped from her station and hopped up the stairs to the upper level. Her big eyes seemed even bigger with pure excitement and her mouth was curled into a curious smile.
A few minutes later Sina and Visra appeared on Primaris Station with the blue white flash of a dimensional shift. Matriarch Chiaxi was already waiting and welcomed them with open arms. ¡°Commander, Ensign. Welcome to Primaris Station!¡±
¡°Thank you, Matriarch.¡± Sina replied as they stepped of the designated transport zone. ¡°All of this looks utterly impressive. But I don¡¯t quite understand why you asked us here. You said it will be ready in seven weeks or so, but also that we couldn¡¯t contribute or help with it.¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. I just want you and your people to know exactly what we¡¯re doing here. I can understand that simply taking our word on everything might be difficult, especially in such an important and delicate affair as this. We will show you what we¡¯re trying to do and how we intend to achieve it. Please follow me to main control.¡±
Sina quirked a brow at Visra, but after a quick moment they both followed the Synergy empress. As they walked around the station, they realized quickly that they were carefully shadowed by the Matriarch¡¯s personal guard. Like in all their previous encounters, the empress was never without at least two of the humanoids clad in pitch black armor within reach, always ready to intervene if necessary.
Also, the CO noticed that the rooms and corridors looked familiar. They seemed to be exact copies of the layout and material they had seen on Sphere 272-Theta-8, as well as on Earth¡¯s annulus. Likely another benefit of large-scale standardized designs, the CO mused.
Eventually they reached the central control room. The first thing both Starfleet officers noticed was the giant hologram in the center of the room, showing a schematic display of the black hole and the supergiant, as well as an immense list of various sensor data about those two objects. Laid on top was a work-in-progress display of the various superstructures the Synergy was building around and between the binary pair.
¡°If I may then ask, what exactly are you trying to do here?¡± Visra asked with an almost reverent voice.
Chiaxi turned around and smiled at them. ¡°We intend to create a quantum fissure leading to your reality.¡±
The Romulan¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°What?! But how? I thought such fissures couldn¡¯t be artificially created?¡±
¡°They can¡¯t. But we¡¯re not trying to carefully construct it. We will simply brute-force the issue.¡± The Matriarch explained. ¡°With the help of your sensor data and your original quantum signature we managed to reconstruct the fissure¡¯s spatial metrics with sufficient accuracy to be able to manipulate our spacetime into the required shape. The black hole¡¯s frame dragging already does ninety-two percent of the work for us, we just need to apply a little bit of¡ convincing¡ to make it all the way.¡±
1@1 led Sina and Visra to one of the virtual terminals of the control room. With a flick of her wrist the display sprang to life and began displaying a simulation of the procedure. The concentric rings contracted, forming a funnel that started dragging mass from the star¡¯s gravity well and streamed it directly into the black hole.
¡°Once we¡¯ve completed the necessary work, we can start feeding part of the supergiant into the black hole to provide the required energy, as well as saturate the singularity with sufficient mass for creating the fissure.¡±
In the simulation two blue torpedoes launched towards the black hole, passing its event horizon just a few kilometers apart. A split second later the event horizon began to ripple, and a fissure began to form just above the dark membrane.
¡°After the saturation has reached the required level, we will then detonate two spatial charges similar in design to your quantum torpedoes beneath the event horizon. Bursting the multidimensional membrane of the charges inside the black hole will create a subspace distortion that will coerce local spacetime into the required shape and generate a fissure.¡±
Visra stared at the simulation in awe, but eventually gathered her courage to voice her thoughts. ¡°This is insane! You¡¯re feeding a star into a black hole just to send our message?!¡±
¡°Across the quantum barrier.¡± Chiaxi confirmed with a sly smirk.
¡°But¡ why?¡± The Alusi scientist stared at the Matriarch, confused about all the Herculean efforts they were going through.
¡°Yes, why?¡± Sina asked, equally awestruck after she realized what was happening here. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t appreciate the effort, we really do. But all this just for us? There are probably millions of your people working out there. All the resources¡¡±
¡°Two billion 467 million 391 thousand and twelve, to be precise.¡± Chiaxi stated matter of fact. ¡°And the answer to your question has two simple components. First, I promised we would work on a way to send you back home. I¡¯m a woman of my word, I always keep my promises, and this is but the initial step.¡±
The Matriarch walked up right to Sina, gazed deep into her eyes, and added with a teasing grin. ¡°And second, I¡¯m particularly curious about your Federation. I want to learn more about them, I want to meet them. And that would be a tad difficult if we couldn¡¯t even communicate with them, wouldn¡¯t it? So, as you can see, this endeavor actually serves our both interests equally.¡±
Sina swallowed, just beginning to realize the amount of power and resources the woman in front of her really commanded. Being able to kick off a stellar engineering project of this magnitude on a whim and seeing it to completion in a matter of months was incredible and utterly intimidating at the same time. What the Synergy was doing here was far beyond the Federation¡¯s wildest imagination, let alone capabilities.
¡°Ensign Arsiv, please feel free to review whatever data you require of the simulation. Of course, you as well, Commander. 43@99 here will assist you with any inquiries you have.¡± The Matriarch exclaimed, gently putting her hands on the shoulders of a Ferengi who had entered the control room, wearing a simple and formfitting light gray tunic.
¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t stay and enjoy discussing the topic with you in person. My duties often allow me only a bit of teasing but force me to leave the real fun to others. You are free to remain here however long you wish. We will contact you when our preparations are complete. Take care!¡± 1@1 added with a smile, before vanishing in the dark maw and bright flash of a dimensional shift.
[ Act Two ]
¡°Mmm¡ these are delicious.¡± Nadya managed to get out in between bites on the deep-fried food Muuri had replicated for their afternoon break in the laboratory. ¡°What are they?¡±
¡°Heh, glad you like it. It¡¯s something my darling wife found in old family records. Apparently, it was a very popular snack in the 21st century. They called it ¡®deep fried Mars bars,¡¯ but I really don¡¯t know what Mars has do to with it. The recipe dates to far before the first Martian colony.¡± The elderly Caitian explained before finishing his own piece.
¡°Most curious. They are so¡ mmm¡¡± The Russian was searching for words while licking her fingers clean. ¡°¡thick and sweet. It¡¯s just as bad as a Ktarian chocolate puff. A full plate of these and you would need to roll me back to my quarters. Please don¡¯t tell Shannara I had these without her!¡±
The scientist laughed and then whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Lebedeva, my lips are sealed!¡±
A terminal behind Nadya chirped and beeped, and the engineer put the plate with the remaining two deep fried chocolate bars aside. She turned her chair around to face the console and quickly checked the display but let out a disappointed sigh when she saw the calculation¡¯s result. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±
Muuri rolled next to Nadya on his own chair to also look at the screen. As he was parsing the computer¡¯s output, he slowly stroked his chin and whiskers. ¡°Hmmm¡ it seems there¡¯s a fluctuation in the three-sigma subspace domain. Can you double check if we somehow missed to isolate the Bahrens vector field?¡±
¡°On it, professor.¡± The Russian woman replied, her fingers already flying across the terminal to check the calculation input. While Nadya was busy checking the formula, a chirp sounded across the lab quickly followed by an audio call.
¡°Bridge to science lab three.¡±
The Lieutenant Commander promptly replied. ¡°Lebedeva here.¡±
¡°Sir, we¡¯ve got an incoming message from Starfleet Academy for professor Van der Meer, redirected via Fleet Ops and again via SCE.¡±
Nadya quirked a brow at the scientist and the elderly Caitian simply smirked back. ¡°I think I know who it is. Can I take the call here?¡±
¡°Yes, professor. Bridge, can you put the call through to a terminal in the lab?¡±
¡°Call transferred. Bridge out.¡± The channel had barely closed when a nearby console lighted up and showed the logo of Starfleet Academy while negotiating the encryption protocol for the incoming transmission¡¯s actual data stream.
A few moments later the screen changed, and the logo was replaced with the face of an old Asian woman. She wore the uniform of a Starfleet Academy instructor and her face was framed by streaks of long black hair interspersed with gray streaks. ¡°Muuri Van der Meer! Damn sly old cat. Why was I not surprised to hear that you immediately took off after this new research?¡±
¡°Ah, professor Ishikawa, I¡¯m so glad to see-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you professor Ishikawa me, Muuri.¡± The woman immediately replied with a stern gaze in her eyes but a wry grin on her lips. ¡°How could you not tell me about this? Just because I¡¯m a teacher doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to be in on the new hot stuff you¡¯re always chasing! And then you send me this message that¡¯s only a tiny fraction of the formula, just to keep teasing me!¡±
¡°Oh, come on, Usagi, please don¡¯t be mad.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not mad, Muuri. I want in on whatever you¡¯re doing where¡ where are you, anyway?¡±
¡°Oh, well, I¡¯m on board the Enterprise, actually.¡± He replied with a clearly audible sense of pride in his voice.
Nadya stayed in the background, well outside the terminal¡¯s field of view, and furrowed her brows as she listened to the continuing dialog, wondering what the hell was going on between those two. But she remembered the woman¡¯s name. Professor Ishikawa, teaching Advanced Subspace Mechanics at San Francisco¡¯s Starfleet Academy campus.
Professor Ishikawa¡¯s eyes grew even wider before she started laughing. ¡°Now would you look at that. Old Muuri is going on an adventure. How did you manage to pull that off?¡±
¡°Well, Ms. Lebedeva had this experiment and Mr. K¡¯Torr wanted to make sure it would work before investing a lot of the ship¡¯s resources, so they asked me for help.¡± The Caitian chuckled and smirked. ¡°And after I explained to my dear wife that the Federation¡¯s flagship needed my help and she allowed me to go, I went off with them.¡±
¡°And who are those two?¡± Usagi inquired with a slight squint in her eyes, probably expecting Muuri to play a prank on her.
¡°Oh, of course. The chief engineer and the Captain of the Enterprise.¡± It was then that professor Van der Meer suddenly started waving his arms and reached out for Nadya. ¡°Come, come. Please, don¡¯t be afraid. She won¡¯t bite¡ much.¡±
¡°Muuri!¡±
The Caitian laughed as he finally managed to get Nadya to show herself with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. ¡°Good day, professor. I¡¯m Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva. Professor Van der Meer is assisting me with the experiment he mentioned. I couldn¡¯t help but listen to your¡ uhm¡ very interesting conversation. I assume you know each other?¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s an understatement, Lieutenant Commander. We were dating back in the 2350s. It didn¡¯t quite work out for multiple reasons, but we¡¯ve stayed in touch and ever since Muuri and me have been trying to one-up each other in our work. And now he¡¯s teasing me about this supposedly top-secret groundbreaking experiment he¡¯s working on without telling me any of the details.¡±
The Russian woman glanced at the professor next to her, who looked as if he was about to burst into laughter. ¡°I¡ I think I understand. Well, while the experiment may be groundbreaking, if it works at all, it is certainly not top-secret. I don¡¯t know what else professor Van der Meer told you, but I can further assure you that Starfleet Intelligence is also not involved.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡± The Asian scientist asked, casting an accusatory glance at her colleague.
¡°Well¡ maybe¡¡± Muuri admitted, still grinning broadly.
¡°So, Lieutenant Commander, what is this experiment about then, if I may ask? The fragment my esteemed colleague transmitted indicated you¡¯re working on breaking the quantum barrier, but I couldn¡¯t make much sense of it without the rest of the formula.¡±
Nadya nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m investigating the disappearance of the Sidereal and think I have found a way to find her.¡±
¡°The Sidereal? I¡¯ve read the SIS report back then¡ there was nothing these poor souls could have done to save themselves. Quantum fissures are inherently unpredictable, so I¡¯m really curious what you¡¯re up to.¡± Usagi replied with a suddenly much more somber and sincere expression on her face.
¡°Lieutenant Yamamoto, the Newton¡¯s science officer who first investigated the incident, created a specialized simulation framework for the fissure, but it didn¡¯t yield any substantial proof of the ship¡¯s fate. I requested his data and kept working on it, extending the framework and the calculations.¡± The chief engineer explained to the professor. ¡°Now I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ve found a way to calculate the subspace tensor describing that quantum fissure, as well as the displacement signature to which the Sidereal and her crew were translocated.¡±
¡°I see. And the fragment Muuri sent me¡¡± Usagi concluded.
¡°¡was probably a part of that framework.¡± Nadya finished the sentence. ¡°I did some¡ questionable things to pursue this experiment and when I got caught, Captain K¡¯Torr insistent on bringing in external researchers on the topic since we don¡¯t have the people to validate if my work is indeed correct.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s how good old Muuri got onto your ship.¡± Professor Ishikawa laughed, turning her attention to her fellow scientist. ¡°Oh wow, this is both hilarious and amazing at the same time. I¡¯d have never expected you to get that adventurous on your old days, Muuri. I think I can already congratulate you; it will be basically impossible for me to one-up this.¡±
¡°It¡¯s been an honor to have this challenge with you, Usagi.¡± Professor Van der Meer replied, beaming with pride at hearing his colleague admitting defeat. ¡°But since you¡¯re already here now¡ why don¡¯t you look at the data as well? You know, six eyes are better than four and such.¡±
¡°I assume I could take a look if I had the full data set.¡± Professor Ishikawa replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much time exactly I¡¯ll be able to spare, but I¡¯m always willing to help out fellow scientists. Especially since it¡¯s such an¡ important topic. Do you really think you can find the Sidereal after all that time?¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡± Nadya responded with utmost confidence. ¡°Once we have the tensor and signature, we¡¯ll be able to generate sensor echoes with a subspace differential pulse, and thus see what happened on the ¡®other side¡¯ of the fissure.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ interesting idea. That could work, if you ever find a way to get around LaPointe, that is.¡±
¡°I think I already know how to bypass LaPointe¡¯s principle. We phase the differential pulse to match the inverse of the signature. Instead of using non-associated matter to observe the other quantum reality and thus run into LaPointe, we excite the barrier to mirror events from the other quantum reality onto our spacetime, where we can simply pick them up with our normal sensors.¡± The engineer explained, curious what the professor would think of the suggestion.
Usagi looked at Nadya with furrowed brows, visibly thinking hard about the Russian woman¡¯s idea. ¡°That¡¯s¡ that¡¯s ingenious! It can work. You¡¯ll need significantly more energy for the pulse, but it can work. How did you get that idea, Lieutenant Commander?¡±
¡°Actually, my significant other suggested it. Well, not literally of course. We were talking about how we would plan our future and she said that sometimes the mountain must come to the prophet instead of the other way around. We weren¡¯t talking about the experiment at all, but the next morning when I remembered our conversation, I suddenly had the idea.¡±
¡°Well, please extend my congratulations to your SO for being such an inspiring muse. Let me guess, the prophet is non-associated matter and the mountain is information from across a quantum barrier?¡± Professor Ishikawa inquired.
Nadya nodded. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s what got me searching for a way to bring the information to us, instead of having to go to the information. And after running some smaller scale simulations I discovered the phase inversion relationship between the subspace differential pulse and the local spacetime a couple days later.¡±
¡°That¡¯s incredible! If Muuri hasn¡¯t yet told you so, I will. You must write a paper about this. Please, promise me to publish a paper once your experiment is done.¡±
Nadya blushed a little. ¡°I will. I don¡¯t know when I can get the time for it, but I will write a paper. I¡¯ll probably need some help with it since I¡¯m not used to formal scientific writing, but I promise I¡¯ll not forget.¡±
¡°Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. It would be a real shame if your work got lost in the red tape of Starfleet bureaucracy. You could inspire a whole new generation of quantum research with that inversion discovery alone! If you-¡± Professor Ishikawa was interrupted by a bell sounding in the background. She looked away from her terminal for a moment, then let out a sigh.
¡°I¡¯m sorry but I have to go. The next bunch of students is waiting for me to crush their dreams of understanding subspace mechanics.¡± The Asian scientist let out a teasing laugh. ¡°But please, send me your data and I¡¯ll give it a shot. And Muuri¡ I¡¯ll personally come and kick your butt if you don¡¯t help the Lieutenant Commander as best as you can.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Usagi. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Professor Van der Meer reassured his colleague.
Professor Ishikawa smiled and winked before the channel closed, returning the display briefly to the logo of Starfleet Academy and then fading to black after a few seconds.
¡°Now that was¡ interesting.¡± Nadya commented as she looked at the professor.
¡°Well, what can I say?¡± Muuri replied. ¡°I had a wild youth.¡±
¡°Ha, I have absolutely no doubt about that, professor.¡± The engineer remarked, a smirk on her lips. ¡°So, how many other people already know about our work here?¡±
¡°Oh, I only told Usagi. Really, I promise! And only because I trust her. Our little friendly rivalry has been going on for over half a century. We¡¯ve been teasing each other on and off for just as long. I consider her one of my closest friends. She¡¯d never do anything to harm you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not worried about me.¡± Nadya sighed, resting her head on her crossed arms on the terminal in front of her. ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t work? What if I¡¯m wrong? What if the families of the lost crew hear we were working on a way to find their loved ones and then it just doesn¡¯t work? How much pain would that disappointment cause? I can deal with it¡ but it¡¯s not for us to force others to go through that pain again.¡±
Muuri looked at the Lieutenant Commander with a sad expression on his face and gently put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I know, Ms. Lebedeva. I know exactly what you mean. I¡ we had a son on the USS Everest. We had to wait twelve years before we had definite proof for his death. Every couple of years rumors would spring up that some of the crew had survived. That they were stranded somewhere, or had been taken by Orions, or something like that. And every time it was that pain all over again.¡±
He let out a sigh. ¡°But you know what? At least for me, the tiny sliver of hope that my dear Hirro could still be alive was worth the pain. I would have gladly taken all that pain onto myself to get my son back. I know I¡¯m only speaking for myself, but our work could show those families that we haven¡¯t given up on their parents, their siblings, their children. You were betting your career on it, which clearly shows me you¡¯re not trying to deceive anyone or cause harm.¡±
Nadya stopped leaning onto the console and looked at the professor as he continued.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°Despite all our knowledge and all our technology, we¡¯re still flawed. All we can do is try and give our best. Sometimes it¡¯s enough, sometimes it isn¡¯t. But that doesn¡¯t mean we meant to do harm. And if we hadn¡¯t tried at all, there would never have been any hope to start with. Therefore, in my very humble opinion, I think those families will be glad for what we¡¯re doing here, whether or not we succeed.¡±
The Russian engineer¡¯s lips curled up in a soft smile. ¡°Thank you, professor. And my condolences, I didn¡¯t know about your son¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Ms. Lebedeva. I¡¯ve accepted a long time ago that the universe is sometimes a terrible and merciless place. I¡¯m keeping Hirro¡¯s memory alive by being a silly old cat that refuses to ever succumb to despair and rather keeps working on making the galaxy a better place against all odds. Speaking of which¡ have you checked on the Bahrens vector field?¡±
[ Act Three ]
Niko stood in front of Sina¡¯s quarters, his finger hovering over the bell button. The last couple weeks had been difficult and relaxed at the same time for him. Relaxed, since there was little to do. No accidents, no problems, just cruising through the galaxy and discovering even more mind-boggling Synergy engineering. Difficult, because with every passing day he knew they¡¯d inch closer to the uplink procedure.
He¡¯d kept a close eye on his captain. While she did her best to stay as calm and collected as the crew had gotten used to, he could clearly see the signs of nervousness written all over her. And he couldn¡¯t fault her. He¡¯d never subscribe to having even a temporary implant put in his brain and his mind connected to that shared consciousness. Still he promised his support and thus had answered her call.
Niko pressed the button. After a short moment the door slid open and allowed him into the captain¡¯s quarters. He was immediately greeted by loudly playing music and a powerful deep male voice blasting across the quarters. As he stepped inside the gloomy room, he saw Sina sitting on her desk, still wearing her service uniform despite being off duty for over two hours already.
¡°Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind.
In this darkness that you know you cannot fight¡¡±
Sina grinned at him and waved him closer. Niko walked towards her desk, returning a slightly confused look.
¡°The darkness of the music of the night.¡±
The Romulan placed her finger on her lips, indicating to him he should keep listening.
¡°Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world.
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before.¡±
The XO quirked a brow at her and crossed his arms in front of his chest but remained silent to listen to the lyrics.
¡°Let your soul take you where you long to be!
Only then can you belong to me.¡±
Sina pressed a button on the terminal next to her. The music stopped with a soft chirp and the room returned to the normal brightness.
¡°I know you well enough to be able to say that this isn¡¯t what you usually listen to.¡± Niko said with a grin on his lips. ¡°Not enough drums and e-guitars. Didn¡¯t know you had a thing for late 20th century musicals.¡±
Sina dropped from the desk and shrugged, standing in front of her first officer with a wry smile on her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t. I just had a list of things I wanted to listen to, but never got around to do.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s why you start Phantom of the Opera in a dimly lit room a few weeks before a risky procedure that all your officers recommend not doing? I¡¯m not the counselor here, but that sounds like an excuse to be depressed to me.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s not depressing. Why would you say that?¡±
The Lieutenant Commander dropped his arms and slowly walked in a small circle. ¡°Well, if you ask me like that¡ the story is about a genius turned to madness. The Phantom thinks the ends justify the means and he resorts to blackmail, abduction, and even murder to get what he wants. In his delusion of grandeur, he even thinks he can force true love this way. It¡¯s depressing because for all his genius, for all his talent and intellect, the Phantom never realized that he could have had all he ever wanted if he only had conducted himself a bit differently.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ well that interpretation of course is depressing.¡± Sina replied, slightly tilting her head at the XO.
¡°And how would you interpret the musical?¡± Niko asked.
¡°I see it as an inspiring tale of a human that¡¯s been shunned and hurt by society. But instead of becoming a petty thug or robber, he turns to art and creates amazing works of opera that thousands of people enjoy. He¡¯s able to live a relatively happy life, even working on a romance, when society tries to hurt him again and take away all he worked for because they don¡¯t understand him. It was only in his despair, backed up against the wall with nowhere to run, when the Phantom turned to violence in defense of himself and the life he had built.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡¡± Niko stroked his chin. ¡°But that¡¯s no excuse for assault or murder. No matter how hard his childhood was, he became a criminal the moment he broke the laws and conducted those crimes.¡±
¡°So, people hurt by society have no right to build a life for themselves and defend it? They should just accept whatever misery their fellow men throw at them, even if all they want is to be left alone?¡±
The first officer let out a deep sigh and chuckled. ¡°You know this is getting complicated rather quickly? But to answer your question, I really think that both parties are at fault in that story. Both the Phantom and the society that created him are to blame for what happened. With a bit more understanding and willingness to compromise most of the tragedy in that story could have been avoided. Much to the detriment of musical fans on Earth 400 years ago, of course.¡±
Sina smiled at her colleague. ¡°I think we can agree on that.¡±
¡°Then there¡¯s only one question remaining.¡± Niko posed.
She quirked a brow. ¡°Oh, which would be?¡±
¡°Who of us two is the Phantom and who is Christine?¡± He remarked mysteriously, raising his left arm to hide his face.
The Commander smirked at her XO. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the Phantom, the mysterious and calculating figure in the shadows pulling all the strings. And you¡¯re the naive and innocent junior member of the ensemble.¡±
Niko let out a hearty laughter. ¡°You wish!¡±
¡°I can certainly imagine you in a ball dress. We might have to work a little on your voice, though¡¡± Sina teased with a big grin on her face.
The Human officer feigned indignation. ¡°Huh, is that so? Well then, better be careful lest I run of with someone else.¡±
¡°Aw, we both know you never would.¡± The CO quipped and playfully poked Niko¡¯s shoulder.
¡°I¡¯m really that predictable, aren¡¯t I?¡± He asked, chuckling at her enthusiastic nodding. Still, after a long moment of just looking at each other, he eventually let out a sigh. ¡°How are you doing, Sina?¡±
¡°I¡¯m doing fine. I had my last session with Jeffrey today. Can you imagine that he really made me log a formal complaint for every single session he had to use the mind probe?¡± She asked while walking over to the couch and dropping down on the two-seater.
¡°Yes, that sounds exactly like our Jeffrey. And what a wonderful piece of malicious compliance right there.¡± Niko followed Sina and sat next to her. ¡°Off the record, I¡¯d have probably done the same in his place. I know we talked a lot about this topic, but this whole thing is still completely crazy. But I learned quite some time ago that once you got an idea lodged in that thick skull of yours there¡¯s no taking it out.¡±
¡°I know, Niko. If it works, we¡¯ll be better friends with the Synergy and avoid much unnecessary trouble in the future. If it doesn¡¯t work, at least we can say we tried to advance our diplomatic relationship. And if it goes wrong¡ well, then you get to play captain for a while and take the crew home.¡±
¡°You know I was joking when I said I wanted your chair two years ago?¡± He remarked, trying to ease the doom and gloom mood that suddenly seemed to hang over the room.
Sina chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ll give up my seat that easily. I fully intend to remain myself and stay in command after the uplink.¡±
¡°I expect nothing less from you. If you dare to die on us, I¡¯ll personally find the nearest Q and kick your ass in whatever version of an afterlife they¡¯d conjure up for us.¡± Niko immediately replied.
Sina laughed at her XO¡¯s ridiculous promise. ¡°I think we¡¯ve now clarified all personal vendettas in case of unexpected death, so I guess we can move on to the formalities.¡±
The Lieutenant Commander let out a deep sigh, his expression turning serious in an instant. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m ready.¡±
The Romulan nodded. ¡°Computer, elevate command privileges of Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg to my own clearance level. Authorization: Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis, Psi-One-Two-Zeta-Nine.¡±
The computer acknowledged the order with a soft chirp and a moment later reported the successful operation. ¡°Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg is now clearance level ten.¡±
¡°Now that was easy.¡± Niko quipped.
Sina teasingly looked at him and responded. ¡°You won¡¯t say that once I¡¯m done telling you a few secrets that come with level ten.¡±
¡°Really? Okay, come at me. Give me the biggest hit right away.¡± The XO challenged his captain.
¡°Well, you literally asked for it. But first a warning, Lieutenant Commander. Everything I¡¯m telling you now will never leave this room, understood? All the following information is based on a need-to-know basis and I¡¯m only telling you about it in case something goes really wrong during the uplink.¡± She looked her friend right in the eyes, her no-nonsense expression clearly indicating that she¡¯s speaking business.
The Human officer nodded. ¡°I understand, captain.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s start with Omega. You know, the things the Synergy uses in their reactor cores? The Federation knows about that substance and has a top-secret standing order to destroy it at any cost whenever encountered. If necessary, both the Prime Directive and Temporal Prime Directive are to be suspended to achieve that goal.¡±
¡°Wait, what?¡± Niko stared at Sina, still processing her words. ¡°What do you mean, destroy it at any cost? Why?¡±
¡°Because blowing up a sufficient number of Omega molecules could destroy subspace across a whole quadrant. It¡¯s a civilization ending event that would make warp drive and superluminal communication impossible. Ever heard of the subspace anomaly in the Lantaru sector, which everyone is being told was a natural phenomenon? It¡¯s actually the result of a failed Federation experiment. A single Omega molecule blew up, killed over 120 scientists, and destroyed subspace across seven light-years.¡±
The XO squinted at the Commander. ¡°Holy crap! So, you mean that technically we should¡¡±
¡°Yep, exactly. We¡¯re now carrying one around in main engineering as well, as is every single Synergy vessel that we have ever seen and that we will ever see. No, wait. Actually, spheres carry two of them and cubes have four.¡±
¡°But how¡? Why are they¡? Have you talked with Tarik about it?¡± Niko was trying to sort his thoughts.
Sina giggled at her confused first officer. ¡°Calm down, we¡¯re obviously not trying to destroy every Omega molecule we find around here. Yes, I tried to poke Tarik about the topic without giving my position away. From what he told me it seems that the Synergy developed a way to greatly reduce the risk of handling Omega molecules, as well as build their OSR designs specifically that even in an uncontrolled explosion the subspace damage is only temporary.¡±
¡°And they think matter-antimatter reactors were too dangerous?!¡± He exclaimed, shaking his head.
¡°Yes, that irony isn¡¯t lost on me either.¡± The Romulan replied. ¡°Next topic: the Jenolan Dyson sphere. Discovered by the Enterprise-D at stardate 46125.3. Do you remember Captain Scott¡¯s ingenious way to rig the transporter system in order to survive? Good. There¡¯s something else about the sphere that far fewer people know. It¡¯s related to the Iconians. Several different Federation research teams independently found and validated gateway technology inside the sphere.¡±
¡°Iconians?¡± Niko inquired with a raised brow.
¡°Yes. Either the sphere was built by Iconians or the Iconians got their tech from whoever built the sphere. Anyway, all sphere related research was classified after Doctor McCallum¡¯s expedition in 2399 found some kind of ¡®jump-drive¡¯ built on gateway technology that apparently can move the whole sphere, including the central star and anything else inside.¡±
¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? How could you move a whole star and possibly thousands of ships?¡±
¡°You misspoke there, you probably meant billions of ships. Anyway, we don¡¯t know. We don¡¯t understand the Iconian gateway technology and that jump-drive is even more advanced. Oh, of course we have no idea how that whole thing is controlled or even powered, because the star¡¯s current output is not enough for the systems to operate. There¡¯s a few orders of magnitude missing.¡± The Commander added, silently enjoying seeing Niko trying to make sense of what she was telling him.
¡°Can I go back to being naive and innocent?¡± The XO inquired, only half joking.
Sina put a wry grin on her lips. ¡°Oh, the best ones are still to come! For example, does Sagittarius A* ring a bell?¡±
¡°Sure. That¡¯s the super-massive black hole in the center of the Milky Way. What about it? Are you going to tell me it¡¯s actually an egg or something?¡± Niko replied.
She cast a knowing gaze at her first officer before she continued. ¡°In 2387 three long-range warp-probes were launched to take a closer look at our galactic core with modern sensors. Two decades later all three probes reported back independently from each other and without a doubt that A* is slightly wobbling and pulsating in subspace. The event horizon we can see is just a shell for something beneath it. And that something is moving independently from the shell, which creates the wobbling.¡±
The first officer went pale and his neck hairs began to stand on end. ¡°You¡ you¡¯re pulling my leg?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m not. The probes¡¯ results were classified once it became apparent that A* does not behave like any known natural singularity, gravity or otherwise. The data more closely resembles what a theoretical dark matter singularity would look like, but according to our understanding it¡¯s impossible for such a singularity to form naturally. There are currently two top-secret long-range research missions working on figuring out what¡¯s wrong with A*, but so far there¡¯s been no results.¡±
Niko swallowed hard and rubbed his arms, trying to chase away his goosebumps. ¡°You know, I never expected a captain¡¯s clearance level to come with a personal dose of cosmic horror.¡±
¡°Neither did I.¡± Sina laughed. ¡°I vividly remember having this exact conversation with Admiral Okoye before taking over the Sidereal. Just as a heads-up: I did need a few days to get back to a normal sleep cycle.¡±
¡°So, how many other topics are there that will shatter my nice and tidy worldview some more?¡± Her XO asked, not sounding as jolly anymore as a few minutes ago.
¡°Well, the list I¡¯m aware of has a total of seven entries. Which brings me to number four: Nagilum. First encountered by the Enterprise-D at stardate 42193.6, in subsequent years it became obvious that it wasn¡¯t a single specimen but rather a whole group of at least four different individuals. The most violent encounter was at stardate 66974.3 with the USS Senegal, where¡¡±
[ Act Four ]
Sina stood in sickbay, looking at the two prepared biobeds in front of her. Co-Yor had reconfigured the sickbay¡¯s internal sensors as well as prepared several medical tricorders to record every tiny detail of what would be happening in the next few minutes. He stood between the beds, the ship¡¯s EMH next to him, both patiently waiting for the procedure to start. Niko and Jeffrey were standing a bit further away, curiously observing the scene.
Tarik was standing next to her, holding the external transceiver in his hand. The Commander glanced at the small metallic device, quirking a brow. Suddenly it didn¡¯t seem so simple anymore but there was no going back now. She breathed deeply. ¡°Okay¡ let¡¯s do this.¡±
The CMO gestured towards the bed on his right. Sina hopped onto the surface and laid down, her head resting on a pillow next to more medical scanners than she¡¯d ever seen piled up in a single place. Tarik moved to the other side of her bed, standing opposite of Co-Yor who carefully followed all his movements.
The engineer activated the device in his hand to demonstrate what will happen. Immediately hundreds of millions of holographic filaments sprang forth, shaping themselves into a resemblance of a spinal cord. ¡°This is the holographic network of connectors that will interface with your nervous systems. They are well below cellular size and will not leave any permanent damage. No hardware or energy will remain once the device is disconnected again.¡±
4@19 switched the transceiver off and the connectors disappeared in an instant. ¡°The process is completely pain free. You will not feel anything during activation. May I attach the device now?¡±
Sina swallowed and nodded, taking a deep breath. ¡°Yes.¡±
She felt a soft pressure at the side of her neck where Tarik placed the device. ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡± She gasped at the sensation, noticing curiously that the disk stayed in place by itself.
¡°That¡¯s normal.¡± Tarik explained softly before turning to Co-Yor. ¡°Doctor, I¡¯ve interfaced the wall terminal with the transceiver. You can activate it when you¡¯re ready.¡±
¡°Thank you. Please proceed to your biobed now.¡± The Kalonar replied in his deep resounding voice, checking the readouts on the screens behind him as well as the terminal interface. The EMH guided Tarik and a few seconds later he was rested on the other bed, his head just as surrounded by medical scanners as Sina¡¯s was.
Both patients were in place, all scanners and sensors were ready. Co-Yor and the EMH double checked all readouts and monitors. Finally, the Sidereal¡¯s chief medical officer turned to his CO. ¡°We are ready, captain. I can activate the transceiver on your order.¡±
Sina smiled weakly at Niko in the distance, giving him a thumbs up with one hand, then turned her eyes to Co-Yor. ¡°Do it.¡±
The Kalonar simply nodded and pressed the button on the terminal. A split second later Sina was out cold. Her life signs were strong and stable, and the detached monitors above her biobed showed a colorful scan of the holographic filaments saturating her spinal cord and brain stem.
Sina blinked for a moment, not quite understanding what had happened and how she got here. She looked around, but there was only darkness around her. After a moment she noticed that she wasn¡¯t wearing her uniform anymore, but a long pure white flowing dress inscribed with¡ Romulan glyphs? She took a few steps, intrigued by the impossibly fine material swaying with her every motion, when she noticed that something was following her. Despite the darkness, she saw a shadow falling across her. A dim blue and green twilight coming from far above, but she couldn¡¯t make out what it was.
¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± Sina called out. There was no echo. She pressed her lips together, getting a bit uneasy. Had the uplink failed? She certainly hadn¡¯t imagined the hive-mind as a nondescript hall of darkness.
Suddenly there was a voice behind her. ¡°I¡¯m here, Sina. No worries, everything¡¯s fine.¡±
She quickly turned to face Tarik. He was wearing a gray robe instead of his typical engineering attire, but there was something else about him that was different. His eye. His left eye wasn¡¯t blind, but the same rich dark green as his right one. He generally looked younger, more vigorous. His face looked less worn and his hair and beard were rich in color and not spotted with patches of gray.
Sina smiled. ¡°You look good.¡±
¡°Thanks, you also look amazing. I like the shadows.¡± He replied with a gentle smile.
She looked to the floor, still unable to make out where the blue and green twilight came from. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know where they come from. They were just there, just like this dress. By the way, where are we? Is this the hive-mind?¡±
¡°They are part of your avatar. We can all decide how we want to appear in the Synergy. Most people simply use their normal physical form, often a little idealized to a certain degree.¡± He explained, but quickly added with a grin. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m guilty of that as well as you can see. But there¡¯s almost no limit. Some chose to appear as geometric shapes, others as talking animals or figures of myth.¡±
He continued, his voice carrying a slight harmonic variation. ¡°The hive-mind is part of all of us. It¡¯s where we live and work, or where we rest and escape from reality. It¡¯s where we celebrate and learn, or where we grief and mourn. However, we¡¯re not yet there. Right now, we still inside your mind.¡±
¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t have expected my mind to be this blank.¡± Sina quipped, again taking a curious look around.
Tarik laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not really your mind. It¡¯s a temporary landscape generated by the transceiver so that we have a place where we could meet while not being uplinked yet. Think of it as a lobby of sorts.¡±
¡°Makes sense¡ I guess.¡± She commented carefully. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me being a little-¡±
¡°Nervous?¡± He beamed a warm smile at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just as nervous as you are.¡±
Sina stared. ¡°You? Why would you? For you this probably comes as naturally as breathing. I¡¯m the fish out of the water here.¡±
¡°Have you read the description of the uplinking I sent you?¡± Tarik asked while slowly walking around Sina four steps away.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Then you remember the part about two linked minds not being able to have any secrets from one another?¡±
¡°Of course. That¡¯s the thing completely creeping me out.¡±
The engineer chuckled softly. ¡°See, that makes two of us. Once we touch, we will know everything about each other. No secrets, no lies, no masks. Our minds will be laid bare in front of us. You will know things about me that I¡¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°¡that I would probably have never told you.¡±
The Romulan woman looked in Tarik¡¯s face and easily recognized the traces of nervousness and worry. She pressed her lips together, but then shyly smiled. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve made it this far. Guess there¡¯s no sense in turning back now.¡±
4@19 laughed. ¡°Just imagine the looks on your officers¡¯ faces when we wake up, they ask how it went, and we both say that we decided otherwise, and the uplink didn¡¯t happen.¡±
Sina giggled at the suggestion. ¡°Jeffrey would probably have a stroke and Niko will throw the closest tricorder at me after what I put him through the last few weeks. You¡¯re right, the looks on their faces would be absolutely amazing, but I like the whole bunch of them too much to play such a mean prank on them.¡±
¡°I also wasn¡¯t serious.¡± He teased her. ¡°Well, only a little bit. But you¡¯re right, we¡¯ve come this far, so why stop now.¡±
He breathed deeply and after a moment of contemplation took a step towards Sina, reaching out with both arms towards her. ¡°I will just stand here. Take as much time as you need, I will wait for you. Once you¡¯re ready, just take my hands. The moment we touch the uplink will happen.¡±
Sina nodded and stared at his hands. This was it, the moment she¡¯d dreaded for the past weeks had finally arrived. She just had to take a few steps and take his hands to have her mask torn away from her eyes. What if he hated her? Things he¡¯d never have told her, his words echoed in her mind. He¡¯d probably laugh at her silly feelings, after all he had already decided to leave.
She took a deep breath and stepped closer, still staring at his hands. A simple touch and all her worries would be taken off her shoulders. Time seemed to both stand still and rush past them at the same time. Sina couldn¡¯t tell whether she was taking seconds or hours to make the move.
Finally, she gathered all her resolve, all her courage. She looked Tarik in the eyes and whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then she took his hands.
The moment her fingers touch his, a cascade of emotions and images came flooding into her consciousness. She instantly realized that the images - no, memories - were Tarik¡¯s. She witnessed countless family celebrations, the day he got is extension socket, his first kiss. She felt the welcoming embrace of his family, heard his father chastise him and his mother congratulate him. She experienced the nervousness of his own uplinking and the nervousness from just a few moments ago. And she felt¡ attraction.
A gasp escaped her lips as she realized what she was looking at. She witnessed the exact moment they met for the first time, when she was moments away from vaporizing his face. She watched all the work he had done to help her and her crew, and the long hours he had spent with her talking and explaining things about this galaxy. She relived their moment in the astral observatory where Tarik showed her her home. She listened to his own troubled thoughts, how he thought he couldn¡¯t dare asking her out without harming his or her people.
Sina was overwhelmed. Tears of joy and embarrassment ran down her cheeks as she continued to experience Tarik¡¯s whole life up until now in just a few moments as their memories became one. At the same time, she could feel his gaze on her own memories. She felt his empathy when recalling the earliest memories from her troubled childhood as a refugee orphan. She witnessed him chuckle as she punched Cadet T¡¯Kin and broke his nose. She experienced his confusion when he gazed upon her own thoughts after he had told her he¡¯d leave the ship.
[Sina? How do you feel?]
The Romulan jerked her head up and stared right in Tarik¡¯s eyes. She could hear his thoughts, feel his emotions. Their minds were truly one and a wave of concern and sympathy emanated from him and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
[Tarik! I¡ I think I¡¯m¡ okay?] She thought, knowing with absolute certainty that he could also heard her. [This is amazing! Is it always like this?]
He knew the intent of her question even without the words being clear. [We¡¯re not always this intimately connected. You can guess it¡¯s a little¡ distracting if you try to concentrate. But yes, we¡¯re using this way of communication on many occasions.]
Sina blinked the tears out of her eyes. She sniffled softly, an embarrassed laugh escaping her throat as she tried to process the vast amount of memories she¡¯d seen and experienced. [I¡ I¡¯ve seen so much¡ so many memories¡ that was all from you?]
[Yes, all of it. And I¡¯m terribly embarrassed that you¡¯ve seen all the stupid things I¡¯ve done in my past and how convinced I was of them.] Tarik replied with a chuckle.
[And I¡¯m glad you enjoyed watching me punch T¡¯Kin right in his stupid face followed by the dressing down breaking his nose got me.] Sina replied with an impish giggle, quickly replaced by a deep blush on her cheeks as she remembered her rather unconventional socializing on board the USS Hierophant.
[Honestly, that was utterly amazing to witness. But he had it coming. I guess he should be thankful he antagonized you instead of that Nausikaan Cadet in your class.] Tarik replied, casting a knowing glance at her and now also blushing from the memories she had just pointed out to him.
Collecting her thoughts, Sina tried to focus on that attraction she¡¯d felt. [I didn¡¯t know you¡ how you¡ you know¡ felt. About me.]
[I can say the same thing about you. I¡¯ve been quite silly, haven¡¯t I? For all the decades I¡¯ve lived, I¡¯m as stupid as any teenager. The fact that the Matriarch herself had to encourage me¡ that shame will be my end.]
[Really?] Sina¡¯s eyes started to shine with a gleam of mischief, as she gazed upon Tarik¡¯s memories again. After a moment she had found the conversation. But instead of a silly prank she found much more soul searching than she would have expected from her engineer. [You wanted to leave¡ because you were afraid?]
[No point denying it now. I was scared I would jeopardize our diplomatic relationship. You were lost and vulnerable. I didn¡¯t want to pressure or exploit you, nor did I want to appear to your crew as a threat to you.] 4@19 let out a deep sigh, still gently holding Sina¡¯s hands with his own. It was now that he realized that he was carefully caressing her skin with his fingers.
[And I thought you didn¡¯t like me. I thought you maybe had someone else waiting for you, or that I was pushing you away with all my stupid questions. Or that I just wasn¡¯t¡ good enough for you.] The Romulan licked her lips that suddenly felt dry. [Can we agree that we¡¯ve both been idiots?]
Tarik laughed at her question. [I¡¯m up for it. My parents will probably still tease me about the whole situation until the heat death of the universe, but I think I¡¯ll manage.]
[Does that mean that we¡ you know¡ can date now?] Sina quipped with a cheerful, hopeful, thought that gave the engineer pause for a moment.
[You¡¯re sincere.] He posted as a statement since he knew it with certainty. After a moment¡¯s notice he nodded, and his lips curled into a happy smile. [Yes, I think so.]
He felt a wave of genuine happiness coming from Sina the moment his thought reached her. And he was sure she could feel his own relief as well, that he was eventually freed from this burden.
[So¡ is there anything else for us to do here?] Sina carefully inquired.
Tarik grinned at her, finally letting go of her hands to show her that they don¡¯t need to touch any longer. [Oh yes. This was just an introduction. The real uplinking is still ahead of us.]
[ Act Five ]
[Okay? When is it going to happen then?] Sina curiously asked. [And just so that I can at least prepare a little, will it be as overwhelming as our¡ uh¡ linking?]
[Don¡¯t worry. The first linking is always the most distressing because it¡¯s such a radically new experience unlike anything that person could have possibly experienced before.] Tarik explained. [What follows now will be¡ I think one could say fascinating rather than overwhelming.]
Sina nodded, easily understanding what 4@19 meant with his description. She stood next to the engineer, patiently and curiously waiting for the next steps, when she suddenly felt a new presence behind her. This presence was different from Tarik. It was more distanced and much less personal. Instead of an extremely intimate embrace, it was more like a casual handshake. She could still tell that the mind was familiar, though. They had interacted before.
The Commander knew it was Hiora before she finished turning around. But once she laid eyes upon 18@31¡¯s avatar, she just stared. Instead of a humanoid figure Sina saw a blazing black-blue-white vortex. A fractal geometric shape, ever changing, ever evolving, and continuously flowing upon itself. The Romulan finally managed to eke out a thought. [Hiora?]
[Yes, Commander.] The floating vortex replied. [You seem surprised by my avatar. Didn¡¯t Tarik inform you about non-humanoid appearances?]
Sina shook her head. [Oh, he did. I just hadn¡¯t assumed you¡¯d be a¡ a vortex?]
The geometric shape nodded. The Romulan couldn¡¯t tell how she knew, but she knew Hiora had nodded. [I understand. No worries, you will encounter a vast selection of different avatars. Maybe one advice, though. No matter how unusual or frightening an avatar may appear, you cannot be harmed by any means inside the hive-mind. Therefore, there is no need for caution or fear.]
And perfectly on point, another presence joined them. A burning crimson-red female figure appeared at their side, easily standing three meters tall, with eyes of molten steel, a build as strong and unyielding as the fiercest volcano, and a long flowing mane of darkest smoke. Sina grinned, since again she knew exactly who that person was. [Sorowa!]
[Welcome to the hive-mind, Commander. I hope you¡¯re enjoying your stay so far?] 112@241 replied, the heat of her avatar¡¯s flaming body radiating off her in waves.
[Well¡] She hesitated to answer.
Tarik quickly continued. [Let¡¯s just say that we¡¯ve both been embarrassed to the bones. Which means that so far, it¡¯s completely normal of a first uplink between adults.]
The medical adjunct let out a bellowing laughter that thundered around them.
Now more and more avatars joined them. As with Hiora and Sorowa, Sina always knew perfectly who the individual behind their avatar was. She didn¡¯t remember all their faces, names, or designations, but with the help of Tarik¡¯s memories she managed to put the small group together. It was the crew of Sphere 272-Theta-8 they have had the most interaction and contact with.
Sina stood in the center of an ever-expanding circle of a colorful and sometimes outright crazy collection of avatars. Most people appeared relatively normal, like herself or Tarik. A few were extravagant, like 18@31¡¯s vortex or 112@241¡¯s fire giantess.
[I think it¡¯s time to leave the lobby.] Tarik remarked. Everyone around them nodded and an instant later the darkness exploded into a billion shards of light. Once the sparks had faded away, they all stood in the center of a small modern city¡¯s plaza. Sina stared at the sudden change while a gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks and the warmth of sunlight filtered from high above.
She turned around, searching 4@19 in the crowd. [Where are we?]
[We¡¯ve moved to Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s central plexus. This is how our ship is visualized in the hive-mind. Of course, not every member of our crew prefers to stay here, but most do. It¡¯s our own little haven.] He turned around with open arms and Sina noticed that there was suddenly a massive crowd around them. Instead of the small group of about fifty avatars, she was surrounded by almost 8,000 of them now. Almost 8,000 names and faces, welcoming thoughts and well wishes embraced her mind. And she could hear them all.
It was again a little less personal than the small group of minds containing Hiora, Sorowa, and the others. Instead of a casual handshake, it resembled a quick pat on the shoulder. Still close, but not particularly intimate. Sina knew without a doubt that if she wanted, she could get as close as to Tarik to pretty much anyone around her. But for now, she decided to keep the count of total embarrassments to one, at least for today.
[This is amazing! Do all your ships and places look like this?]
[No. The appearance of a certain location is generally determined by consensus among the people living there.] Tarik explained. [Some places look like sprawling planet-wide metropolises, while others resemble pre-industrialization hamlets. Some are sunny resorts with extensive beaches, others are dark and gloomy cavern systems.]
Sina turned and looked at the city¡¯s scenery beyond the plaza. It was bright and¡ cheerful? The buildings were tall, with lots of glass and lots of greenery dispersed in various balconies and terraces. The sky was blue and clear, only a smattering of thin white clouds above, and the air was clean and fresh, just as cool as the breeze from moments ago.
[This is incredible. And you¡¯re all here? Always?]
Tarik stood next to her again. [No, not always. You see, the Synergy is so vast that we can¡¯t yet afford the privilege of living on a restored planet, or a modernized ship or station, for everyone. There are still tens of thousands of worlds suffering greatly from assimilation and even more old ships that are still queued for upgrading to more favorable living conditions.]
A quick flash of memories lighted up in their unified mind. Sina could see what Tarik meant. Images of dead worlds with darkened skies, polluted by industry and Borg technology. Depressing ships with tight black and brown corridors, illuminated by eerie green lights.
[Most people from those places live permanently in the hive-mind. Here their minds can have a good environment, fresh air and clear skies. Here they can contribute to our society without suffering. Several of our most renowned artists and scientists have never left the hive-mind. You know we¡¯re working hard on undoing the damage caused by our ancestors, but we think it will take at least another 2,000 years before more than ninety percent of all worlds and ships have been made more comfortable and livable again.]
Sina nodded silently. [I understand. But how do they¡ eat? And meet other people? What about their bodies?]
4@19 quirked a brow. [Eat? Well, here we can eat whatever we desire, but our bodies in the actual world regenerate in alcoves. For us it¡¯s the best of both worlds. The bodily process itself is clean and efficient, but the mind can have all the decadence and luxury it desires. And nobody must be alone, many meet to have ¡®meals¡¯ together.]
[As for your other questions, I think that will be more uncomfortable for you. When we¡¯re in here, we can allow others to take over our bodies for work or other activities. I think you remember¡]
The Romulan sighed and her head dropped. She did remember. [Karimo.] A flash of memories came to her thoughts and she witnessed the events of that day from Tarik¡¯s perspective. [I¡¯m so sorry¡]
[We were all victims of the circumstances. Don¡¯t worry about it. There was nothing else any of us could have done.] He let out a soft sigh. [I hope you can understand that it is this remote control that enables most of the Synergy to work. By taking over other bodies we can project knowledge and abilities from the hive-mind to any place in our empire in an instant. It¡¯s never forced, only requested and granted voluntarily.]
[And the people who never leave the hive-mind¡] Sina inquired, her thoughts already conveying her conclusion.
The engineer nodded. [Yes. Most of them have granted permanent permission to use their physical bodies. If the duty is not dangerous or life-threatening, most really don¡¯t care that their body is cleaning plasma conduits or working on de-assimilating a dead planet.]
[It¡¯s¡ certainly interesting but also utterly horrifying. The thought that someone could jump into your body and do whatever they want with it and to it¡] A tiny shiver raced down her spine. [But it seems to work well enough for you.]
He nodded. [Yes. But we must move on now. There¡¯s more for you to see.] He offered his hand to her. The moment she took it the city plaza exploded into a shower of shards and gleaming fragments. Once the light faded, they stood alone again in darkness.
[Where are we now? Back in the transceiver?]
[No. Look above.] Tarik smiled and pointed his hand up.
As Sina raised her gaze she saw an impossibly intricate galaxy full of stars above her, casting a colorful shimmer high above them. While looking at the image she noticed something strange. The stars were moving, some rapidly and others barely noticeably. She quirked her brow and turned to her companion. [What is that? It¡¯s not the Milky Way.]
[You¡¯re right, it isn¡¯t. At least not how you¡¯d expect to see it. This is the Synergy. Every light you see is one of our people.]
The Commander¡¯s eyes went wide as listened to Tarik¡¯s words.
[You can see everything from here, every ship, every station, every planet. Every single member of the Synergy. All of us, coming together one by one to create a wonderful whole. And if you close your eyes and listen, you¡¯ll also hear them.]
Sina closed her eyes and focused her thoughts. A gasp escaped her lips, because 4@19 was right. She could hear them. At first it was merely a faint murmur, like a deep, slowly rolling thunder in the distance. But as she focused on one of the moving groups of stars the murmur cleared up and she could hear a choir of tens of thousands of voices speaking in perfect harmony. Cube 711-Kappa-13, in transit to deliver medical supplies to a neutral planet. Sina turned to a different cluster. Prism 10-Praxis-12, approaching a stellar anomaly for research.
She could hear them all. But the most amazing thing was that even though she was gazing upon untold thousands of trillions of minds, her consciousness wasn¡¯t crushed under their weight. She remained in control about how close she wanted to get and the closer she got the louder and clearer the voices became. If she withdrew to a greater distance she could see more of the whole hive-mind, but it lost some of its details. And when standing as far away as she and Tarik had done initially, all that remained was a beautiful display of union and harmony.
Sina opened her eyes again and looked at Tarik, a joyous smile on her lips. [This is incredible! Thank you for showing me all of this.] Without hesitation or shame she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, pressing her body against his. He gently returned the gesture and embraced her as well.
After a long moment she reluctantly pulled away again and took a deep breath. [I¡¯ll probably not remember everything once I wake up, but I think I¡¯ll be able to much better understand the Synergy now. I could have never imagined what being a part of you was like. And why you do the things you do the way you do. Thank you, Tarik.]
Tarik smiled at the Commander. [You¡¯re welcome. But before we leave, there¡¯s one more person who wants to meet you.]
He had barely finished when Sina felt it. There was a new presence, but she couldn¡¯t tell where it was. It seemed to encompass everything around them, the ground beneath their feet and the galaxy far above their heads. Sina turned around, trying to figure out where that presence came from, when her gaze happened upon three blue stars in the darkness. They were quickly coming closer.
After a few moments the three blue stars turned to cybernetic eyes and the face of a dragon appeared around them. The creature was easily as large as a Defiant class, covered in enormous deep purple and orange scales that shimmered in the light of the galaxy above. Its head was adorned with a crown of over a dozen metal horns and its vast powerful wings swiftly carried it closer. Finally, the dragon landed on its four massive feet in front of Sina and Tarik.
[Welcome, Sina.] The creature¡¯s strangely melodic voice echoed around them.
The Romulan stared once the revelation hit her. [Matriarch Chiaxi?]
The dragon nodded and smirked. [Yes. I hope my avatar is not too intimidating.]
[No, no¡ it¡¯s¡ it¡¯s just very impressive. And beautiful.] Sina replied, staring at the majestic beast in awe.
[Did you enjoy your visit to the hive-mind?] The Matriarch inquired with a tender smile on her draconic face.
[Of course! It was amazing.] The Commander answered, her thoughts bubbling forth like a fresh spring and eagerly sharing what she had experienced. [There was so much that Tarik showed me. I would have never expected it to be like this. Thank you for allowing it to happen.]
The dragon smiled warmly at Sina and lowered her head, speaking to the Romulan face to face. Her blue eyes burning brightly like stars. [I¡¯m glad you enjoyed being here. I hope this can be the first step towards a closer understanding between our worlds. If you or any of your crew want to visit us again, please consider yourself invited. You are free to return whenever you wish.]
[As do I, Matriarch. And thank you for the invitation. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be able to make the preparations again, but I would be happy to return.]
The dragon cast a glance at Tarik and grinned. [Just like someone else.]
Tarik blushed to a deep shade of red and cleared his throat, which elicited a deep chuckle from his empress. [You know I¡¯m just teasing you, Tarik. I¡¯m happy you two managed to sort out that¡ problem. I think we don¡¯t need to prepare having Tarik transferred any longer, do we?]
Sina now stole a glance at the engineer as well. [No, I think we¡¯ll manage somehow. I know that you¡ helped a little. Thank you. Without you we would have both missed this opportunity and probably regretted it for a long time.]
[Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m always happy to help my lost children. Sometimes even the wisest one needs a bit of¡ encouragement into the right direction.] Chiaxi replied with a smirk and a wink. [But if you excuse me now, I must return to other business. Farewell, Sina. I hope to meet you again soon.]
She had barely finished when Matriarch Chiaxi took flight with a few thrusts of her powerful wings. Soon she had disappeared into the darkness again, returning to the unimaginable complexity of the Synergy¡¯s hive-mind.
Sina turned to Tarik, a soft smile on her lips. [I guess that marks the end of my visit?]
[Indeed. While there are still lots of things which I could show you, I think it is enough for now. There¡¯s nothing to be gained from exhausting you.]
[Then we¡¯ll see each other again in a few moments. And for the date¡ I¡¯ll figure something out.] She winked at her companion, before the whole scenery exploded into billions of shards of light and she woke up again.
Sina stirred on the biobed, looking at the sickbay¡¯s ceiling with Co-Yor leaning above her head. ¡°Captain? Captain? How are you?¡±
She thought she was okay. When Co-Yor didn¡¯t seem to react to her, but instead grabbed a medical tricorder to scan her head, she was a bit irritated. It was then that it occurred to her that they were not linked. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I¡¯m okay.¡± She quickly spoke and her CMO¡¯s typical expressionless head tilted slightly to the side.
¡°Are you sure, captain?¡± The Kalonar inquired, checking the readings on his tricorder while carefully monitoring his CO as she sat up on the bed.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. Really.¡± She looked around and saw Tarik sitting up on the other biobed, monitored by the EMH, while Niko and Jeffrey quickly came closer.
Her XO furrowed his brow. ¡°Did something go wrong?¡±
¡°No, why do you ask?¡± Sina replied, curiously running her fingers over the spot where the transceiver had been connected to her neck.
¡°Because we only started a few minutes ago.¡± Her first officer explained.
Sina stared at Niko. ¡°What do you mean, a few minutes? I was gone for at least half an hour!¡±
But the Lieutenant Commander shook his head. ¡°You were not.¡±
Quickly Jeffrey interrupted them before they got sidetracked by technicalities. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. How do you feel? Do you remember anything?¡±
Sina started to grin as a few memories came flooding back. ¡°I¡¯m fine. And yes, I do remember some things.¡±
¡°And?¡± Niko asked curiously.
¡°You won¡¯t believe any of this!¡± The CO exclaimed with a happy laugh.
[2x05] Touch The Moonlit Sky
[ Act One ]
Nadya, professor Van der Meer, Lieutenant Commander Kedik, and Captain K¡¯Torr had all gathered in science lab three, looking at the array of screens in front of them. A different terminal had an open communication channel to Starfleet Academy, where professor Ishikawa joined the event remotely.
¡°The framework is ready, the simulation is configured, and all data entry has been validated three times. We¡¯re as ready as we can be, Captain.¡± Nadya announced proudly, glancing at Muuri and Usagi. ¡°We can start the simulation at your discretion.¡±
The Klingon turned to the senior ops officer. ¡°Are we also ready?¡±
¡°Yes, Sir. I¡¯ve temporarily limited all personal quotas and rescheduled some of the ongoing autonomous computer core tasks to ensure enough capacity. The simulation will not affect the ship¡¯s status or readiness.¡± The Vulcan replied stoically, to the apparent satisfaction of his CO.
¡°Good.¡± He turned to his chief engineer. ¡°Please proceed.¡±
The Augment smiled and nodded. ¡°Aye, Sir. Starting the simulation now.¡± She stated and made the necessary input on her terminal. Quickly the display changed, showing a new segment in the Enterprise¡¯s computer usage metrics growing rapidly. After a few moments the simulation had taken over more than fifteen percent of the mainframe¡¯s total capacity, almost rivaling the tactical system¡¯s requirement.
The elderly Caitian checked his own display and reported the updates. ¡°Framework is recompiling for new data set. Simulation is booting. Processing stream stable at 115 gigaquads per second.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Kedik kept a close eye on the total processing load, but so far everything seemed to go as planned.
¡°Simulation kernel started. All extensions loaded. Memory mapping completed.¡± Nadya reported and beamed a happy smile when she read the next status line. ¡°The simulation run has started. Now we can only wait.¡±
¡°How long did you expect the simulation to take?¡± The Captain inquired.
¡°We estimated about five hours for the simulation itself, as well as an additional eight hours for post-processing and validation.¡± Kedik explained. ¡°However, we will know the results within seven hours.¡±
¡°Excellent.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr remarked, then moved closer to the group monitoring the simulation. ¡°I already want to congratulate all of you, no matter how this turns out. You¡¯ve all shown dedication, ingenuity, and an unwavering sense of duty, despite a few¡ hiccups along the way.¡±
Everyone knew he meant Nadya¡¯s attempt to privately squeeze in the simulation run. The Russian woman quickly blushed to a nice shade of red.
¡°I had a few conversations with professor Van der Meer and professor Ishikawa.¡± He continued. ¡°They both strongly suggested Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva to write a paper about her research and discoveries. I will therefore also recommend that in my own report and see that she is provided with the opportunity to do so if she wishes.¡±
¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± The chief engineer replied, a bit embarrassed by the sudden spotlight in which she found her work and herself.
¡°I think we all hope for the same outcome today. Please excuse me, I must return to the bridge. If you have the results, let me know.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir.¡± Nadya and Kedik answered almost in unison before their CO nodded briefly at the two professors and then left the science lab.
The Augment sank back into her seat and let out a deep sigh.
¡°Are you alright, Lieutenant Commander?¡± Kedik asked immediately, his left brow raised slightly.
¡°Yes, thank you. It¡¯s just¡ I¡¯m so relieved right now. It¡¯s as if a massive burden has been lifted from my back. No matter what the display will say in five hours, I know I¡¯ve done everything I could for my friends. No more fear, no more doubt, no more secrets.¡± She explained briefly, leaning back.
¡°That is an interesting remark.¡± The ops officer replied. ¡°While I can understand why you would feel that way, it is still difficult for me to come to the same conclusion. From a Vulcan perspective the most critical aspect of our work has just begun.¡±
The chief engineer looked at her fellow officer. ¡°I know what you mean, but that¡¯s a whole new separate topic in my opinion. If the results come up how we all hope, we will have to make a new decision how to proceed then. But that discussion is isolated from the work and the mistakes I¡¯ve made until now.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Kedik replied flatly. ¡°The idea of compartmentalizing this experiment into such isolated segments is a bit confusing for me. But it is your work and therefore your prerogative to handle this according to your own preferences. I think I can follow your lead here.¡±
Nadya smiled softly. ¡°Thank you, Kedik. We couldn¡¯t have done it without your help.¡± She continued after a short pause while looking at her fellow officer. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry I caused you so much trouble. I was stupid and didn¡¯t trust my colleagues the way I should have. In the end I made things worse than they would have been if I had been honest with all of you.¡±
The Vulcan slightly shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I was merely performing my duty, Lieutenant Commander, but thank you for your confidence. If I may remark on an observation of mine?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
¡°It seems Humans still tend to assume the worst and act accordingly, despite having insufficient information for a correct analysis of the situation. I think the Captain¡¯s conclusion was correct. This whole affair is an excellent example about trust and compassion, and how a situation can spiral almost out of control when those two are not properly considered.¡± Kedik finished his observation, leaving Nadya without a reply for a moment.
The two professors had been silently watching the officers¡¯ conversation from the background, when Muuri now glanced at the screen and chuckled at Usagi. ¡°Mr. Kedik is very wise. Maybe I should ask him where he learned all this. Could come in handy in the next argument with my dear wife.¡±
Professor Ishikawa just shook her head and laughed at her colleague. ¡°Muuri, you¡¯re irredeemable! But say, aren¡¯t you at least a little nervous or excited? You seem so calm while I feel as if I was sitting on coals here.¡±
Muuri let out a soft sigh. ¡°Oh Usagi, you can¡¯t possibly imagine how excited I am. Ms. Lebedeva has worked so hard on this and I wish with every fiber that the result is as she expects. It would break my heart if the simulation failed. I hope so much that she can find her friends¡¡±
The Asian scientist looked at the elderly Caitian. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure it will work. I¡¯ve spent all my free time over the last five days on what you sent me, and everything looked correct. I even managed to feed Holmes with the data and had him run a formal analysis on the whole framework.¡±
¡°Holmes?¡± Nadya suddenly sat up when she heard a new name.
Before professor Ishikawa could respond Muuri tried to reassure her. ¡°No worries, Ms. Lebedeva. Our secret is still a secret. Holmes is a recently installed artificial intelligence agent used at Starfleet Academy for educational and research purposes. He¡¯s specialized on mathematical proofs and formal analyses.¡±
¡°My esteemed colleague is right. No need to worry, I haven¡¯t told anyone else about your work. Holmes did a great deal of the heavy lifting of reviewing your framework and formulas. And when Holmes says that things are looking good, most people around here trust his word.¡± Usagi continued and expanded on Muuri¡¯s explanation.
¡°I see.¡± Nadya replied, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°You almost put me on edge right there.¡±
¡°Ah, we never would, Ms. Lebedeva.¡± Muuri smiled and nodded at Usagi. ¡°Right, Usagi?¡±
¡°Of course not.¡± Professor Ishikawa replied happily. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry I need to go now. This has been a most interesting evening, but it¡¯s really getting late here. I¡¯ll be overseeing an exam tomorrow morning and should catch some sleep.¡±
¡°Certainly, professor.¡± Nadya chimed in. ¡°You¡¯ve been a great help. Thank you for taking your time to review my work.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll keep me in the loop about the results?¡±
¡°Of course, we will!¡± Muuri quipped. ¡°How would I miss teasing you some more?¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t you dare!¡± The Asian scientist shot back with mock outrage and joyous laughter. ¡°Take care you all and good luck! Ishikawa out.¡±
The screen flickered back to Starfleet Academy¡¯s logo for a few seconds after the channel was closed, then turned dark.
The Augment let out a sigh. ¡°Usagi may be up to something¡¡±
¡°What do you mean? She seemed honest in her remarks. Do you wish me to verify her statement about the exam?¡± Kedik asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°No, no. I mean with getting some sleep. The simulation will still run for five more hours and then it will take about two hours for a tentative validation of the results. That means that we¡¯ll see them at earliest at 0100 hours, but I know for sure that I won¡¯t be able to sleep once I get the result, no matter the outcome.¡± Nadya responded.
¡°If I may¡?¡± Muuri carefully interrupted the officers¡¯ conversation, who both looked at him curiously and nodded.
¡°The simulation and post-processing will run on their own, correct? So, why don¡¯t we take the evening off then?¡± The elderly Caitian suggested with a grin. ¡°Us all sitting here staring at the screens won¡¯t make it go any faster and we won¡¯t be of much use tomorrow if we¡¯re all tired from staying up late. We¡ you have worked on this for so long, a few more hours won¡¯t make any difference in my opinion.¡±
¡°A prudent suggestion, professor.¡± The Vulcan ops officer remarked and looked at his colleague. ¡°Your assessment?¡±
¡°Yes. Let¡¯s take the evening off. The simulation doesn¡¯t run away, and we can keep an eye on it from the terminals in our quarters. And tomorrow we can look at the results with a clear head.¡± The Russian engineer replied, joining Muuri with his infectious grin.
¡°Your suggestion is logical. I will continue to monitor the progress and the load on the computer core.¡± Kedik nodded in agreement. ¡°Good night, Lieutenant Commander, professor.¡±
¡°Good night. And again, thank you for your help.¡±
A slight smile flashed over the Vulcan¡¯s lips and for a moment his expression briefly beamed with satisfaction.
Nadya escorted the professor to his quarters and wished him a good night as well, before returning to her own accommodations where Shannara was already waiting.
¡°Hey, you¡¯re back early. Everything alright?¡± The Betazoid asked, a slight worry on her face about her lover being home so early and unexpectedly.
¡°Yes, everything¡¯s okay.¡± Nadya replied, walking over to her girlfriend and placing a soft kiss on the redhead¡¯s lips. ¡°We just decided to call it a day already. We would get the results at 0100 hours at the earliest. Muuri correctly suggested that staying up late will not change anything about the simulation but only make us tired tomorrow.¡±
The Russian fetched a glass of water from the replicator and sat down on the couch next to her companion.
Shannara straddled Nadya¡¯s lap, gently cradling the engineer¡¯s face in both hands while beaming a happy smile. ¡°That professor of yours is quite smart. I really like that we can spend the evening together.¡± She added with a grin. ¡°You know, I was already mentally prepared for you to bunker down in that lab and spend the whole night there, staring at a progress bar crawl towards completion.¡±
¡°I¡¯m also glad to be here right now. Not that I mind the company of Muuri or Kedik, but they both pale compared to you, darling.¡± Nadya smirked back and gently placed her hands on her girlfriend¡¯s waist, holding her steady as they kissed.
¡°Since you¡¯re here now¡¡± Shannara began. ¡°¡how about we grab a snack for dinner and get comfortable on the couch? Did you know that wab SuvwI¡¯pu¡¯ have finally released their new album? Maybe we can check that out.¡±
Nadya furrowed her brows. ¡°Who?¡±
¡°wab SuvwI¡¯pu¡¯. Haven¡¯t I told you about them?¡±
¡°Uhm¡ no? And sorry, my Klingon is a bit rusty¡¡±
Shannara laughed. ¡°Literally translated it means ¡®warriors of sound.¡¯ They are a multi-species band performing traditional Klingon folklore songs. Their singer is a Klingon with an amazing baritone, accompanied by a Human bassist, a Bolian playing a modified Vulcan lyre, and a Bajoran on a set of Andorian war drums. I know it sounds strange, but their music is really good.¡±
The Russian eyed her girlfriend with a teasing grin. ¡°Is that so? Well, in that case I think I have no choice but to sit and listen with you. But how about dinner first? I¡¯m really craving something to eat. And if you¡¯re a good girl, I will later replicate you a dessert Muuri taught me. Trust me, you¡¯ll love it!¡±
¡°Sounds good!¡± The redhead replied and hopped off Nadya¡¯s lap. The couple quickly prepared a simple dinner and spend a relaxed evening together, with Shannara introducing her girlfriend to Klingon folklore.
It was early the next morning, just a few minutes past 0630 hours, when the doorbell sounded. Shannara was already finished with her morning routine and dressed, but Nadya was still in bed since she was still officially off duty. The Betazoid checked the door, curious to see who would visit them that early, only to be a little surprised to find Lieutenant Commander Kedik standing in front of the door.
¡°I apologize for the early visit, but may I please speak with Ms. Lebedeva? I think she will definitively want to see this.¡± He politely inquired, holding a PADD by his side.
¡°Of course, Lieutenant Commander. Please come in, I¡¯ll fetch Nadya.¡± The Junior Lieutenant replied, inviting her Vulcan colleague inside. She quickly disappeared into the bedroom, returning half a minute later with a half-asleep chief engineer in tow. The Russian¡¯s platinum blonde hair was a wild and tousled mess, and she had quickly wrapped herself in a simple bathrobe.
Nadya let out a deep yawn, eying up the Vulcan in their living room. ¡°Yes, Kedik? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
The senior ops officer held out the PADD for his colleague and spoke with his typical emotionless expression. ¡°The simulation results. Already completely validated.¡±
The Augment¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open and she quickly grabbed the tablet from Kedik¡¯s hand. She hastily browsed through the report until she found the final output of her simulation. She stared at the small display in her hands, then at her colleague. After another second she finally jumped and let out a scream of pure joy. ¡°YES! YES! YES! WE MADE IT!¡±
The Vulcan¡¯s expression turned into a faint smile, which instantly turned to confusion when Nadya hugged him and squeezed him tightly. She released him after a short moment, chuckling at his slightly bewildered expression at her outburst. The Russian turned around, looking at her lover. ¡°It worked! It worked!¡±
Shannara quickly embraced her girlfriend, holding her close and sharing this moment of success with her. After a long hug, Nadya released the redhead and turned her attention back to the ops officer who was now visibly feeling a little uncomfortable.
¡°Have you already informed the Captain?¡±
¡°No. I thought that should be your privilege. But if you wish, I can relay the report for you.¡±
¡°No! That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m¡ I¡¯ll be ready in ten minutes. We can still make it to the Alpha shift briefing, right?¡± The chief engineer asked, already turning back towards the bedroom.
Lieutenant Commander Kedik nodded. ¡°Yes, we have twenty-two minutes until the briefing.¡±
¡°Okay, don¡¯t run away. I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Nadya called out, disappearing into the bedroom. Less than nine minutes later she stepped back into the living room, now showered and fully dressed. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve got work to do.¡±
[ Act Two ]
¡°So, how do you feel? And I mean feel as in what¡¯s your emotional state?¡± Jeffrey asked, speaking first. Niko and Co-Yor were sitting by his side in Sina¡¯s office in her private quarters.
The Romulan pressed her lips together and thought for a few moments about the question. Eventually she took a deep breath before answering. ¡°I feel¡ good. I¡¯m still a bit shaken by the experience, but all in all I would say I feel good.¡±
¡°What was it like?¡± Niko inquired, leaning forward in his chair.
¡°I¡ I don¡¯t think I could adequately describe it, but I¡¯ll try.¡± Sina began. ¡°At first it was embarrassing. Really, really embarrassing. When Tarik and I linked, it was as if I had been handed the book of his life, with every memory and every thought clearly spelled out for me. And he was given the same book of my life. I could remember so many events from his life, as if I had lived them myself.¡±
She took a deep breath.
¡°We¡ learned a lot of intimate and personal details about each other, many of which we would have never spoken out aloud. And the most amazing aspect of it all was that I could literally hear his thoughts in my mind. As if we were truly one. It was incredible. I¡¯ve never before felt so connected to anyone else.¡±
Until now Co-Yor had simply followed the conversation, but now he slightly tilted his head and spoke up. ¡°Are you experiencing any lingering effects along those lines? Can you still hear anyone else¡¯s thoughts, or encounter any images or memories that don¡¯t belong to you?¡±
¡°No and yes. Once the transceiver was switched off the connection immediately terminated. The only thoughts I have now are my own again. But some memories remained. I only remember a small part of what Tarik shared with me, but those images, those sensations, are quite real to me. One such memory is from when he received his implant socket. I can clearly remember how nervous he was, but also how proud and excited once he connected his first cybernetic arm after the surgery. And if I couldn¡¯t clearly feel my own real arm, I could have sworn it was me who had it removed for a socket.¡±
Counselor Brassfield raised a brow. ¡°And you¡¯re fine with having those memories? Or are they causing you any distress? Do you maybe feel confused about what¡¯s happening, or irritated by something that you think you experienced?¡±
¡°No. As strange as it sounds, the memories are as real as if I had personally experienced them. But at the same time, I clearly know that they are from Tarik. It¡¯s¡ how do I say that¡ it¡¯s almost as if every of his memories had an invisible presence attached that clearly identified them as someone else¡¯s. As far as I can tell right now, it¡¯s not possible for me to confuse his memories for my own.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right, that does sound strange.¡± Niko quipped and glanced at his dark-skinned colleague who nodded in agreement.
¡°Verily.¡± Jeffrey quickly added.
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg leaned back. ¡°What happened then?¡±
¡°Once I was acquainted with the link, other members of the Synergy appeared. First Hiora, then Sorowa. I learned then that inside the virtual environment of the hive-mind you can appear pretty much as anything you liked. 18@31 was a black and blue vortex of geometric shapes and 112@241 was a flaming giantess with a billowing mane of smoke. I even knew who it was before seeing them, since I could feel their presence long before they showed up. And they seemed perfectly comfortable with their strange avatars.¡±
Sina took a quick sip on the glass of water on her desk, then continued. ¡°One by one, more of Sphere 272-Theta-8¡¯s crew showed up, until we had to change locations. Until that moment we were in a simple environment generated by the transceiver itself. Tarik compared it to a lobby of a building. We transferred over to the sphere¡¯s plexus, which was visualized as a modern and highly advanced small city. Tall buildings, lots of green on the balconies, clear sky and fresh air. It was so incredibly real, as if I was really standing there. It felt more real than any simulation I¡¯ve ever seen on a holodeck. There was absolutely no difference to the real sensations. And we were met by the remaining almost 8,000 members of their crew.¡±
Co-Yor curiously asked. ¡°So, the hive-mind is not only an abstract concept nor is it just a means of communication, it¡¯s also a complete virtual environment?¡±
¡°Oh yes.¡± Sina eagerly nodded. ¡°And it¡¯s incredibly advanced. Like I said, our holodecks have nothing on it.¡±
¡°Co-Yor, did the scans you made give you any hint how it worked?¡± Niko asked.
¡°Yes, Lieutenant Commander.¡± The Kalonar responded. ¡°The filament network created by the transceiver is able to project any desired stimuli directly into the neural pathways of the recipient. To facilitate that process and increase the available bandwidth, it uses a low-powered neurogenic field which is specifically tuned to the user¡¯s neural configuration. This enables it to create any visual, auditory, or other sensory input and can even create persistent memories. The Commander¡¯s account describes all capabilities of that functionality. It is to be expected that the permanent uplink implant follows the same principle. It is interesting to hear what that technology is used for.¡±
¡°Any way to interrupt or block that, should it become necessary?¡± Jeffrey inquired, cautiously leaning forward in his seat and glancing over at his colleague.
¡°That would be quite difficult, counselor. Because of the high density of filaments and the proximity of the neurogenic field to the recipient¡¯s neurons, that effect is much stronger than you would anticipate. Theoretically it should be possible to create a dampening field to counteract those effects, but the field¡¯s raw strength would interrupt neural activity and potentially cause temporary damage. And even then, scrambling or suppressing the neurogenic field would not completely disable the neural input, it would only slow it down. The field is not necessary for the process, it merely enhances and empowers it.¡± The CMO patiently and calmly explained.
¡°I think we¡¯ll have to discuss that in more detail sometime later.¡± Niko interjected before the conversation went even further off-topic. ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on what Sina has to tell us.¡±
¡°After the city Tarik took me to a dark place, like the transceiver¡¯s lobby. At first, I didn¡¯t realize where we were, but once Tarik pointed it out to me it was utterly amazing. We were looking upon the whole Synergy, visualized as an impossibly huge galaxy with trillions upon trillions of stars, every single one of them being one of their citizens. And I could hear them all. It was like a¡ a faint murmur. I was able to focus on groups of ¡®stars¡¯ and when I did so I could then clearly hear the thoughts of those people. It wasn¡¯t as¡ intimate as the linking with Tarik, but if I had wanted, I could have gotten as close as that with every one of them.¡±
Sina took a deep breath. ¡°You¡ I can¡¯t really describe how it was. There are no words that really capture the amazing sense of connection, the vast global consensus that flows through the hive-mind like a gentle river, gradually rising and falling as the topics shift. But I now understand how the Synergy works. They are much closer to us than we would have ever thought.¡±
¡°How so? They seem so different, almost distanced and sometimes even apathetic.¡± The XO asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°How could they be like us?¡±
¡°After escaping the horror of the Collective, they rebuilt their society on values that uncannily resemble our own. They value individuality instead of collectivism, cooperation instead of coercion, and exploration instead of conquest. It only seems so utterly different and foreign to us, because most of that expression happens in their hive-mind. Where we see people staring silently at each other, what really happens are jokes and questions about what to have for dinner, but also serious discussions, the creation of a vast selections of art, and scientific discoveries beyond our current understanding.¡±
¡°You said they value individuality, but still every single one of them seems to obey the Matriarch without hesitation.¡± Junior Lieutenant Brassfield quickly asked. ¡°How does that fit together? Isn¡¯t that a contradiction on the most basic level?¡±
¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± The Romulan replied with a warm smile. ¡°You see, the Synergy absolutely abhors collectivism and mindless, blind obedience. They know better than anyone of us the madness which lies that way. But at the same time, their connection to each other fosters a kind of loyalty and devotion that is difficult for us to understand. The whole Synergy is everyone¡¯s closest family, everyone¡¯s best friend, everyone¡¯s fiercest critic, and everyone¡¯s passionate lover. They can consider a topic, voice and extensively discuss their concerns, find solutions to all the identified problems, and start the implementation in just a couple of heartbeats.¡±
¡°Again, most of the work is hidden from our sight, which gives us a quite distorted impression about how their society really works. Nobody is forced to do anything against their will. The over two billion people that contributed to the Cygnus X-1 installation? The overwhelming majority of them worked on it because they found it interesting from the beginning or were convinced once the Matriarch had explained their goals. Some contributed because they were asked to contribute their knowledge or abilities. And a tiny minority contributed because they were bored and literally had nothing else to do. But not even one of them was by any means forced to work on it against their will.¡±
Niko furrowed his brows. ¡°But how can they manage that without going crazy? How could you manage being in that place without going crazy? The idea of hearing billions of voices, or even more, all simultaneously speaking to me sounds like a pretty quick way into a padded cell and months of counseling.¡±
Sina chuckled at her XO¡¯s remark. ¡°I know. But it works because it isn¡¯t how you imagine it. Sure, trying to follow all those voices and conversations is impossible for a normal mortal mind. But the hive-mind works on different layers, with different degrees of detail and information. The lowest layer is when you directly link with another person. You can hear and feel every single thought and share every sensation. But the more people you add, the less detail you get.¡±
The Romulan took another sip on her drink. ¡°Connections can be explicitly configured to emphasize or empower one aspect of the shared consciousness over another, but you typically lose shared sensations first. This allows small groups to share their thoughts without being distracted by each other¡¯s bodies. After that, personal or intimate thoughts are filtered out, leaving only surface thoughts or those that an individual explicitly wishes to share. At the highest levels even surface thoughts are no longer always shared, but only a general state of mind or mood is communicated.¡±
¡°The larger the connected group becomes, the more the whole hive-mind starts to resemble an abstract construct¡ like a¡¡± The CO was searching for a good way to describe it. ¡°¡a heat map of thoughts, if you will. The more people share the same thought, the more that thought is emphasized in the hive-mind and the more prominent that thought becomes in all members of the connection. But nobody is forced to accept that thought, it is just that everyone knows what the current state of mind of the group is.¡±
Jeffrey leaned back in his chair again, thoughtfully scratching his chin. ¡°Can their people still voice any kind of dissent against the dominant thoughts?¡±
¡°Of course, why wouldn¡¯t they? All kinds of shared thoughts are organized in this reinforcing map, which means that dissent also becomes more prominent the more people agree with it. Even if only one person among billions voices his concerns or dissent with an action or decision, the group will be aware of it and can discuss it accordingly. Everyone¡¯s voice has the same weight and everyone¡¯s thoughts are considered equally. Nobody¡¯s opinion is drowned out by the hive-mind, they¡¯ve made sure of it with the design of that technology.¡±
Sina emptied her glass. She stood from her chair and went to the fabricator to retrieve a new drink. As she came back and sat down again, she wondered aloud. ¡°You know, I think the Synergy might have created the perfect democracy. The thing we¡¯ve been struggling for all that time. All their citizens are kept updated about important developments with all available facts and information. Then when the time comes to decide, all voices are considered with equal weight and a consensus is reached between all their people.¡±
The counselor looked his CO right in the eye. ¡°But at what price? It might be a better democracy than ours, but they¡¯ve given up so much for it that I don¡¯t think we could or should ever make the same trade.¡±
The Commander let out a soft sigh. ¡°I know, Jeffrey, I know¡¡±
[ Act Three ]
The soft chirp sounding from the doorbell pulled Tarik out of his thoughts. He stood from the simple chair beneath the panorama window and took a deep breath, already knowing exactly who was requesting entrance. ¡°Enter.¡±
Sliding open with a gentle hiss the doors gave way to Sina who was standing outside. After a moment of hesitation, the Romulan woman slowly stepped into Tarik¡¯s private quarters for the first time. The engineer noticed how she was curiously looking around, her expression seemingly trapped between curious astonishment and a tinge of disappointment.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
After a few more steps she stopped in the living room, standing right in front of him. Sina looked him right in the eyes as if trying to gauge his thoughts, while her cheeks blushed ever so slightly. Eventually she breathed a soft sigh and beamed a tentative smile. ¡°Hey. You wanted to talk to me?¡±
4@19 smiled and nodded, smiling back. He gestured towards the group of chairs. ¡°Hello Sina. Yes, please have a seat. Can I get you something?¡±
Sina shook her head and walked over to the chairs, her gaze still taking in Tarik¡¯s simple and Spartan quarters. There was little the Synergy engineer required and therefore the room was mostly empty save for a group of chairs accompanied by a simple table, the fabricator terminal on the one wall, and his alcove on the other. He quickly joined her, sitting next to her.
The Commander took a deep breath and gathered all her courage, when suddenly a giggle burst forth from her lips. ¡°Do you have any idea how incredibly silly I feel? I know exactly what you feel for me. And yet I¡¯m almost too shy to talk about it.¡± She longingly looked up at the stars outside the Sidereal, as if praying to a cosmic entity to grant her strength.
¡°In that case I think you¡¯re in good company around these parts of the ship.¡± Tarik quipped in response, a wry grin on his lips. But he quickly turned serious before he continued. ¡°But you¡¯re not the only one unfamiliar with this situation.¡±
¡°How so?¡± Sina asked, eying Tarik curiously. ¡°I¡¯d have expected this to be the norm for you.¡±
¡°Well¡¡± He began but hesitated for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m far from what you would call a womanizer. I¡¯ve dedicated my life to my work, and while I¡¯m not a virgin my romantic endeavors are few and far between. Also, in the Synergy it is common for relationships to develop more openly and directly. I¡¯ve studied the information about your society¡¯s social rules and practices, and the concept of courting or dating a person over a prolonged period sounds incredibly cumbersome and inefficient to me. It is almost the opposite of how we do those things.¡±
The Romulan chuckled. ¡°And how do you do those things, Tarik?¡±
¡°Like I said, we¡¯re usually very direct. One of the benefits of our hive-mind is that we can easily ascertain exactly what another individual with close personal ties feels for us. Among us there is no false pride, no fear of rejection, no stalling or deception. If one of us desires another or wishes to be with them, the hive-mind grants us the ability to assess if our feelings are reciprocated. This removes all doubt and uncertainty from the equation.¡±
Sina sighed softly. ¡°I see. But just like our way sounds cumbersome and inefficient to you, your way sounds terrifying to me. Well, maybe not really terrifying anymore, now that I¡¯ve personally made that experience with you, but more mechanical and somewhat¡ impersonal. For us the journey of discovering your partner is an essential part of forming a relationship. You start out as friends or acquaintances, maybe even strangers, and gradually get closer and closer until you finally get that particular spark that ignites the relationship.¡±
¡°It¡¯s that part of the journey where you get to know your partner more and more closely, that helps us build a strong foundation for the relationship. That path of discovery is its own reward for us.¡± She continued. ¡°For us¡ for me¡ it was unthinkable that this closeness, this familiarity, this trust could be reached in a few short moments. And yet, here we are, that shared moment forever burnt into our memories.¡±
Tarik¡¯s lips curled up in a warm smile. ¡°It seems we both know what we want, but somehow neither of us dares to speak the words we both long to hear.¡± Suddenly he chuckled. ¡°You know, this reminds me of when I submitted your conditions for the uplinking to the Matriarch.¡±
¡°Really? In which way?¡±
¡°Because she scolded me for being so stubborn and scared, when there was no reason to be either. I think you remember that I was more than a little surprised of how frank she spoke, but I certainly couldn¡¯t deny the truth in her words. And now, again, I am a bit scared despite knowing that there¡¯s no real reason for it.¡±
The Romulan pressed her lips together and glanced at the engineer. ¡°Why would you be scared of me?¡±
¡°Not of you, Sina. But rather of what being with you would mean and do to me. I remember reading a rather fitting comparison in one of your historical records. It said that the future was an undiscovered country. It feels exactly like that to me right now. An undiscovered country waiting to be explored but harboring many challenges to overcome. An undiscovered country with hundreds of different paths to take, each potentially leading to beauty and wonder. And I stand at the border, hesitating to take the first step.¡±
The engineer let out a deep sigh while he stood from his chair, gathering all his courage. He reached out to gently take Sina¡¯s hands in his own. ¡°But I want to take those steps. I want to explore this undiscovered country together with you, if you let me. Would you join me and travel those paths with me, Sina?¡±
¡°Yes! Of course, I do. We wouldn¡¯t be having this talk if I didn¡¯t.¡± She replied, standing as well to meet her partner. A happy smile on her lips and a joyful glistening in her eyes, the Romulan silently embraced Tarik. Holding him close she squeezed him tightly, while pressing her body against his. They stood like this, wordlessly holding on to each other and enjoying their shared closeness, for a long moment, before Sina eventually released the engineer from her hug.
She blinked a few times, then a grin crept onto her lips and she quipped. ¡°You know, you do have a penchant for sounding just a little melodramatic.¡±
4@19 furrowed his brows, a trace of confusion racing across his face. ¡°Were my words inappropriate?¡±
The Commander laughed happily. ¡°No, not at all. They were quite appropriate, and I liked them. But just a tiny bit melodramatic.¡±
Tarik quirked a brow and looked at his partner curiously, but before he could muster a response Sina playfully poked him, teasing a genuine smile out of the engineer. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about it! It¡¯s okay, really.¡± After a short pause she continued. ¡°So, what do you want to do now?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have any particular plans for the evening. Do you have something in mind?¡± The engineer asked.
Sina nodded and smiled happily. ¡°How about having our first date?¡±
¡°Right now?¡±
¡°Right now. We also don¡¯t need to change; we¡¯re fine the way we are.¡± The Romulan confirmed and softly tugged him towards the door. ¡°We have to start at some point, don¡¯t we? So why not now? Besides, we¡¯re both off-duty and the holodeck should be free. And we can use the opportunity to grab something for dinner, too.¡±
¡°That¡ will be interesting.¡± Tarik remarked as he fell in with Sina¡¯s motions and followed her towards the door.
The Romulan raised an eyebrow and slowly walked towards the entrance doors, casually hanging on her companion¡¯s arm. ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡±
¡°The dinner. I haven¡¯t eaten normal solid food in over¡ almost two decades.¡± The engineer explained as they passed the doors and left his quarters ¡°I simply tend to get all my nourishment and energy during my regeneration cycle from an alcove. It¡¯s just so much more convenient, faster, and cleaner than having to reserve time to prepare and consume food and then later deal with the metabolic wastes. Theoretically I should still be able to consume regular meals, but I haven¡¯t tested it. I can only hope my stomach plays nicely with whatever you have in mind.¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll see how it goes. And if you do vomit all over me, we¡¯ll at least have something memorable happen tonight.¡± She joked with a big smirk on her lips. ¡°There¡¯s nothing worse for a first date than being unremarkable and boring.¡±
Tarik furrowed his brows. ¡°I certainly hope I will not ¡®vomit all over you¡¯, as you eloquently put it. But we agree on one thing. I also wish this evening to be special to both of us and just as entertaining. I¡¯m curious what you¡¯re planning on the holodeck and must admit that not knowing your thoughts right now does make the prospect of engaging with you even more compelling. I think I begin to understand what you meant when you said that the journey of getting to know someone was its own reward.¡±
Sina smiled happily and nodded, resting her head against the Human¡¯s shoulder as they were walking arm in arm towards the holodeck. ¡°Just trust me, I¡¯ll make it work. I have quite some experience with dating.¡±
¡°Oh yes, I certainly recall those memories.¡± Tarik quipped and laughed, while his companion blushed to a nice shade as she remembered sharing those intimate memories with the engineer.
But after a short moment of embarrassment the Romulan laughed and playfully poked Tarik¡¯s side. ¡°Shush! I was young and horny, and back then certainly didn¡¯t anticipate that a couple years down the road I¡¯d share those events with anyone else. And I also recall faint memories of you getting adventurous with a certain Lukari engineer¡¡±
¡°Wait, that was something completely different! Also, that was forty years ago, so it doesn¡¯t count anyway.¡± Tarik quipped, a big grin on his lips as the couple happily sauntered towards the holodeck.
[ Act Four ]
¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived in the Norkan sector. Current position is 10,000 kilometers off the Sidereal¡¯s last reported position.¡± Lieutenant Kenneth Harris, the Enterprise¡¯s conn officer, reported.
¡°Understood. Full stop. Lieutenant Karluck, give me a sensor sweep of the area ahead.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr ordered.
¡°Aye, Captain.¡± The Benzite science officer replied, his hands swiftly dashing across his station¡¯s controls to fire up the sensors. A few moments later the first results showed up on his terminal. ¡°Area is clear. There is a faint residual subspace distortion with a magnitude of¡ 17.338 nanocochranes.¡±
¡°Can you determine the distortion¡¯s exact coordinates?¡± The CO inquired, glancing over to Nadya who stood at the engineering station accompanied by professor Van der Meer.
¡°Yes, Sir. The anomaly is located exactly where the quantum fissure was estimated to have occurred.¡± The science officer replied, continuously tuning the sensor sweeps to get even more accurate data.
¡°Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva, I think we found what you were looking for. I would say now it¡¯s your turn.¡±
¡°Aye, Captain.¡± The Russian replied and went to work on her console. ¡°I¡¯m reconfiguring the emitters on the main deflector dish to project a phased subspace differential pulse. We will need the deflector to point exactly at the distortion to ensure that there¡¯s no wave displacement in the pulse.¡±
¡°Lieutenant Harris, you heard the Lieutenant Commander. Adjust our heading, RCS only.¡±
¡°Aye, Captain. Adjusting position, RCS only.¡± The conn officer replied, entering the necessary commands with routine and experience. A few moments later he reported success. ¡°Adjustment complete, Sir. The ship¡¯s directly facing the anomaly now.¡±
The Klingon stood from his seat. ¡°Good. Lieutenant Commander, when are you ready?¡± He turned towards his chief engineer, mustering her curiously.
Nadya checked the readouts on the screen in front of her. ¡°Emitters are reconfigured and ready to be charged. We will need all of main power and all of auxiliary power to sustain the pulse if we want to excite the anomaly to the level, we need to see the sensor echoes.¡±
¡°Understood. Proceed at your discretion but terminate the pulse immediately if there are any complications.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr remarked, turning back to the view screen and crossing his arms in front of his chest. If this worked, it would be a remarkable accomplishment for the Lieutenant Commander and a great relief for several dozen families.
The Augment tapped her combadge. ¡°Lebedeva to Sakar.¡±
¡°Sakar here.¡±
¡°Prepare to spin the warp core up to maximum output. We¡¯ll need every watt we can squeeze out. And prepare to redirect all auxiliary power to the main deflector on my mark.¡± She ordered, while her fingers flew swiftly across the terminal to prepare the deflector dish¡¯s systems for the surge of power heading its way.
¡°Aye, Sir.¡±
Nadya double checked the screens displaying the deflector system¡¯s status. The power grid had been reinforced; the emitters were properly configured. She turned towards her CO. ¡°We¡¯re ready, Captain.¡±
The Klingon just nodded. ¡°Execute.¡±
With a simple tap on a button the Russian engineer powered up the deflector and a moment later a translucent pale blue flickering beam lanced forward, directly into the invisible anomaly.
¡°Sakar, I need the core at maximum now.¡±
¡°Understood. Warp core at twenty percent¡ fifty¡ ninety¡ ninety-five¡ core at maximum.¡±
The whole ship briefly bucked and groaned under the stress of the whole energy from an unimaginable intense antimatter annihilation being fed through its power grid into the deflector. The flickering beam turned into a massive lance, pulsating with energy as it surged forward from the central dish¡¯s emitters.
The moment it connected, the previously invisible distortion flashed up in a blue light and became visible. A tiny rotating sphere appeared in front of the ship, its surface refracting the beam like a shattered mirror.
Almost immediately Lieutenant Karluck¡¯s console sent out a series of protesting chirps. ¡°Captain, sensors are picking up a growing spatial distortion ahead. Local spacetime is getting massively distorted by the pulse.¡±
¡°Is the ship in danger?¡± The CO quickly asked.
The Benzite made a quick calculation, then responded. ¡°No Sir, for now we¡¯re at a safe distance.¡±
¡°Good. But keep an eye on the anomaly and report if the distance is no longer sufficient.¡±
¡°Aye, Captain.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr turned to the chief engineer, watching curiously as she kept manipulating the ship¡¯s deflector controls to focus and align the beam more accurately.
Nadya tapped her combadge again. ¡°Sakar, transfer auxiliary power now.¡±
A moment later the ship shook again, and the pulse intensified again, turning into a bright avalanche of power raging into the distortion. The sphere shuddered under the pulse¡¯s onslaught, its rotation becoming more and more erratic. Its surface started to fragment more and more, quickly becoming jagged and irregular.
Lieutenant Commander Kedik spoke up, his console beeping a warning now as well. ¡°Captain, the deflector dish is becoming unstable. We¡¯ll have to deactivate soon to avoid structural damage.¡±
¡°Not yet!¡± Nadya exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, just a few more se-¡± She was interrupted by the subspace distortion silently detonating. The side opposite the Enterprise exploded outward, like a mirror struck by a bullet. In its wake followed a shock wave that painted the visible space in a pale blue tinge.
¡°Report!¡± The Klingon¡¯s deep voice sounded across the bridge.
The chief engineer was the first to speak. ¡°We¡¯ve broken through. The differential pulse is exciting the anomaly and causes it to project echoes onto our local spacetime. We should be able to sustain the effect with reduced power output on the beam.¡±
¡°Understood. Reduce deflector power but sustain the pulse.¡± The CO turned to the science officer while Nadya adjusted the deflector¡¯s output and told Sakar to return the warp core to standby. ¡°Lieutenant Karluck, can you read anything on the sensors?¡±
The Benzite was busy with his terminal, but still managed to reply. ¡°Yes, Captain, but¡ it doesn¡¯t make any sense. Inside the cone ejected on the other side of the anomaly the sensors pick up¡ something. It¡¯s as if another layer of reality was imprinted on top of the space ahead.¡±
¡°Can you detect any ships?¡± Commander Chanar asked, also standing from her seat now and gazing at the incredible sight on the view screen.
¡°No, Sir.¡±
¡°Captain, we have to rotate the Enterprise.¡± Nadya spoke up. ¡°I now see that my estimations were incorrect. The anomaly refracts and reflects the beam like a prism, not like a mirror sphere. We¡¯re looking through a keyhole and can only see what¡¯s behind it, not what¡¯s next to or in front of it.¡±
The Klingon nodded and gave his order. ¡°I see. Lieutenant Harris, you heard our chief engineer. Start to pivot the ship around that anomaly at the current distance, RCS only. Keep the deflector dish always pointing right at the distortion.¡±
¡°Aye, Captain.¡± The conn officer acknowledge. With a few taps on his station the massive Destiny class started to slowly pivot around the anomaly clockwise. As the ship moved, the cone of superimposed quantum echoes on the opposite hemisphere moved accordingly, gradually revealing more and more of the other side of the quantum barrier.
Muuri stood and stared in awe, softly muttering. ¡°This is incredible!¡±
Suddenly the senior science officer exclaimed. ¡°Captain! I¡¯m getting readings of debris¡ and¡ a ship!¡±
¡°If you can visualize it put it on screen.¡± The CO ordered.
The scene on the main screen changed and zoomed in on the right-hand side of the cone, where gradually an undetermined shape appeared. It was heavily distorted and obscured by static, but the general shape strongly suggested that it was the hull of a starship.
The XO turned towards the Benzite. ¡°Can you clean it up?¡±
He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m trying, Sir, but the standard filters aren¡¯t able to compensate this kind of distortions.¡±
The Russian woman quickly stepped over to her colleague. ¡°Try to modulate the filters with the same phase variance we put on the differential pulse. That should remove most of the static from the anomaly.¡±
The Benzite nodded and got to work. A few moments later the image improved significantly, only a few flickers and tears remained, but the colors were still off. At least the ship was recognizable now - they were definitively looking at the saucer section of a Starfleet vessel.
By now the registry number was visible and Captain K¡¯Torr read it aloud as the letters became readable. ¡°NCC¡ six¡ nine¡ seven¡ six¡ five. USS Sidereal.¡±
¡°The ship looks mostly intact.¡± Commander Chanar remarked. ¡°She has sustained heavy damage, but it seems the crew could have survived in there. Excellent work, Lieutenant Commander, excellent work!¡±
¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Nadya replied after taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had done it. She had managed to find them. Her eyes were wet with joy at the sight of her former ship. They could have survived.
¡°Can you read any life signs on board?¡± The CO asked.
¡°No, Captain. But only because the interferences are too strong. The sensor echoes¡¯ resolution is severely limited and not granular enough to relay life signs. I¡¯m trying to compensate, but I can¡¯t tell if it will work.¡± Lieutenant Karluck explained while trying his best to compensate for the anomaly¡¯s effects.
¡°Just keep trying, Lieutenant.¡± The Bolian first officer replied with an encouraging nod.
By now most of the Sidereal had become visible on screen. The whole ship looked battered and beaten. Most of the hull armor had been torn away, there were several visible hull breaches, and a few spots had been scorched by plasma fires. But it seemed her condition had stabilized because there were no visible indications that the damage was getting any worse.
Looking at the bent nacelle pylon, Captain K¡¯Torr raised an eyebrow. ¡°We know for sure that they can¡¯t go anywhere. Not with that damage to the pylon.¡±
¡°Captain, I¡¯m picking up echoes of multiple signals.¡± Lieutenant Commander Kedik reported while running the signals through several filters to clear them up. ¡°I¡¯ve identified three distinct transmissions. The first is a distress call sent by the Sidereal. It¡¯s set to repeat automatically and matches the message we have on record. The second comes from an emergency beacon, currently about 2,100 kilometers off the Sidereal¡¯s port bow and moving away. The third is the automatic transponder of a¡ log buoy, currently about fifteen kilometers behind the beacon, also moving away.¡±
¡°Why would they launch the buoy?¡± Nadya asked.
¡°That¡¯s a good question, Lieutenant Commander.¡± The Klingon CO commented and furrowed his brows. ¡°Crews are not supposed to launch the log buoy unless the destruction or evacuation of the ship is imminent. But here the ship¡¯s condition looks stable.¡±
¡°Captain¡¡± Kedik began, his tone audibly irritated. ¡°The transmissions just stopped. All three of them.¡±
¡°Can you determine why?¡± The Captain inquired.
¡°No. But it seems the beacon and the buoy have vanished.¡±
Now the science officer spoke up again. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m getting readings of a second ship.¡±
¡°A second ship?¡± Captain K¡¯Torr, Commander Chanar, and Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva asked almost simultaneously.
As they were staring at the screen, a second hull came into view. It was clearly significantly larger than the broken Akira class. For a long moment everyone was curiously wondering what kind of design the long heavily fragmented curve belonged to, when a dark shadow fell across Captain K¡¯Torr¡¯s face.
¡°Zoom out.¡± He simply said, already preparing for the worst. He silently prayed that he was wrong.
¡°Aye, Captain.¡± The science officer acknowledged the order. After a few taps the view screen changed and showed both ships next to each other. A deathly hush descended upon the bridge. The second ship was, without a doubt, a Borg sphere, easily identifiable even with its strange surface plating and coloring.
¡°No¡¡± Nadya whimpered as she stared at the other ship, desperately shaking her head. ¡°Please no¡¡±
Suddenly a pale green tractor beam projected from the massive sphere and encased the helpless Sidereal in a shimmering orb of energy. A few seconds later the sphere began to move away, dragging the trapped Akira class along, only to disappear a moment later in a dark transwarp aperture.
The only sounds on the bridge were Nadya¡¯s sobs, as she desperately struggled to retain composure in the face of seeing her friends go through a fate infinitely worse than death. After a few more moments, the CO finally breathed a heavy sigh. ¡°View screen off. Disengage the differential pulse.¡±
His officers complied without much talking. A heavy blanket of dread and hopelessness seemed to smother every spark of life on the bridge. All the enthusiasm that was there just moments ago had instantly vanished. The hope that had filled the crew with energy just turned to ash in their hands.
The Klingon took a few steps towards the now disabled view screen and turned around to face his bridge officers. He looked at a dozen pale and shocked faces, the event they just witnessed left not even the usually stoic and distanced Kedik untouched. The CO took a deep breath, visibly shaken by the display of cold Borg methodology he just observed.
¡°I¡¯m sorry that this didn¡¯t turn out the way we hoped. We came here with the desire to find our lost comrades, but instead we found our worst enemy. We hoped to find our friends alive, but now we can only wish that they were already dead. You will not talk about anything you¡¯ve seen here today with anyone unless authorized by me, is that understood?¡± The Klingon spoke with a heavy voice.
All officers replied in unison. ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±
¡°Lieutenant Commander Lebedeva, professor Van der Meer, please join me in my ready room. Number One, you have the bridge.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr said and turned around, heading for his ready room.
The Klingon was already sitting on his chair when Nadya and Muuri entered a couple moments later. ¡°Please take a seat.¡± He spoke almost softly. Once the chief engineer and professor were seated, he continued. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about how this turned out. Nobody could have anticipated this.¡±
¡°Lieutenant Commander, I fully understand how difficult this must be for you. Please take leave for as long as you need. I also want you to talk with counselor Bravis. I¡¯ll inform him of the situation. This development is a shock for all of us, but we must be mindful of our next steps. For the time being I have no other choice but to order you not to publish any details about what has transpired today. I¡¯ll let you know once I¡¯ve clarified our further options with Starfleet Command.¡±
¡°I¡ I understand, Captain.¡± Nadya replied with a whisper, her cheeks still glistening from the tears she¡¯d wiped away before coming in.
¡°Professor Van der Meer.¡± Captain K¡¯Torr continued, turning to Muuri now. ¡°You are not part of Starfleet¡¯s command structure, so I cannot order you to maintain silence about today¡¯s events. I can only implore you. Please do not talk about this. The families of the Sidereal¡¯s crew are better off thinking their loved ones were dead, rather than knowing they were assimilated.¡±
Muuri let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I fully understand, Mr. K¡¯Torr. My lips are sealed.¡±
¡°Thank you for your thoughtfulness, professor.¡± The CO stood from his seat and looked at both individuals in front of him. ¡°That would be all for now.¡±
[ Act Five ]
Sina looked at Niko, a happy smile on her lips. ¡°So, this is it. You think it¡¯ll work?¡±
¡°Absolutely. I mean, they¡¯re about to feed a star into a black hole for us.¡± Her XO replied, returning her smile. ¡°Hey, do you think Starfleet Command will make a second memorial for us? The first Starfleet crew that ruined a whole star?¡± He added with raised hands as if putting up an imaginary ribbon.
The Romulan chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Niko!¡±
¡°Okay, okay.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°So, let¡¯s see if this works. Duncan, interlink our communication system with Primaris Station.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir. Establishing link¡ connection secured.¡± The Scottish ops officer reported. ¡°Incoming message from the station.¡±
¡°On screen.¡± Sina ordered.
The view screen changed from the view of the now completed superstructures orbiting Cygnus X-1 and its companion supergiant star to the holographic projection of 43@99. The Ferengi scientist was one of the lead researchers that had developed the theories behind creating an artificial fissure. During the Sidereal¡¯s first visit to Primaris Station seven weeks ago he had explained the principles and spent many hours discussing the theory with Visra and Sina. But right now, his expression was a mix of nervousness and excitement.
¡°Commander D¡¯raxis! We¡¯ve received the communication link. Your ship is now tied directly into the station¡¯s transmitter array. Once the fissure is opened, you will be able to broadcast on any channel you want directly into the anomaly. But please remember that signal quality and available bandwidth will be somewhat limited. We¡¯ve done our best to compensate for the expected interferences, but there will still be restrictions.¡±
Sina shook her head. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, 43@99. It will be fine, really. When the Matriarch first told us that we could send a message, we were expecting a text-only transmission. A live broadcast with audio and video is more than we would have ever dared to ask for.¡±
¡°I understand. We¡¯re ready to initiate the mass transfer on your mark.¡± The Ferengi scientist replied with a proud grin on his lips and an excited sparkle in his eyes.
¡°Acknowledged. Visra, Duncan, are we also ready?¡± The CO replied and turned to her own science officer.
¡°Yes, captain.¡± Both officers replied one after the other.
The Commander took a deep breath, readying her nerves for the next few moments. She looked at the Synergy scientist again. ¡°We¡¯re ready. You can begin the process.¡±
¡°Affirmative. Initiating mass transfer.¡± 43@99 replied. His gaze became unfocused for a second. ¡°Done. Estimated time until saturation approximately thirty-one minutes. I will contact you again once this stage is completed.¡±
Sina could only nod before the channel was closed again. The view screen changed back to the view of the binary pair, allowing the bridge crew to witness in awe what they¡¯ve just set in motion.
The colossal ring-shaped superstructures between the black hole and the star slowly moved to align themselves with each other. Their visible energy conduits began to glow with a bright green light and a split second later a gigantic funnel of gravimetric energy projected from the biggest ring into the star¡¯s photosphere. For several seconds nothing seemed to happen, but then a bulge started forming on the supergiant¡¯s surface. The bulge slowly grew into a towering spire as an unimaginable amount of plasma was pulled from the star¡¯s gravity well.
The second ring became active and projected another funnel of gravimetric anchors inside the first, pulling the slowly rising tendril of stellar mass further towards the black hole. Sina and her fellow officers just stared at the vista in front of them as they watched this incredible feat of stellar engineering. Especially Visra was utterly fascinated by the spectacle. Soon the third and smallest of the rings activated. The last funnel pulled the tip of the tendril the remaining way, eventually sending the first several billion tons of matter across the binary pair¡¯s L1 Lagrangian point.
Forced into the gravity well of Cygnus X-1, the tendril rapidly stretched thin and hurled towards the insatiable maw of the black hole. As more and more plasma fell towards the accretion disk at the exact calculated angle, the disk started to grow and rapidly increase in brightness. After only a few minutes of feeding, the accretion disk had eclipsed even the incredibly bright supergiant and showered everything in the system with hard radiation.
¡°Rel, how are we holding up against that radiation?¡± Niko asked as he saw the readouts on his console.
¡°Barriers are holding, Sir. For now, there¡¯s no danger to the ship.¡± The Cardassian officer replied, keeping a close eye on the sensor readings himself while he watched the unimaginable happening in front of them.
¡°Good, good.¡± The XO nodded, unable to tear his gaze away from the screen.
It took a few more minutes until the new mass had made its way through the chaotic whirlpool that was the black hole¡¯s accretion disk, before it finally started tumbling across the event horizon. The sight was more uneventful than anyone had anticipated as the accelerated plasma shifted towards the red end of the EM spectrum more and more and eventually simply faded into nothingness at it crossed the final threshold. Visra¡¯s eyes were big with astonishment as she watched the holographic screens in front of her, recording sensor readings she would never even have dreamed of.
It was a few minutes before the estimated saturation was reached when Duncan¡¯s console chirped with an incoming high priority message. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re receiving a transmission from Matriarch Chiaxi. It¡¯s a personal holographic projection.¡±
Sina looked at Niko and shrugged, a curious expression on her face. ¡°Well, put it through!¡±
A moment later a holographic projection of 1@1-Alpha appeared standing in front of them. Chiaxi smiled warmly as she spoke with her soft melodic voice, her crown of cybernetic tendrils gently swaying from side to side. ¡°Greetings! Commander D¡¯raxis, Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg. I¡¯ve been following the progress so far and can assure you that I am just as excited as you are.¡±
Niko grinned. ¡°Excited is an understatement, Matriarch.¡±
¡°Oh, I can certainly imagine. I am calling you in this particular manner because I would like to make two requests.¡± She carefully suggested while focusing both command officers with her bright blue eyes.
¡°Uhm¡ sure. What do you need?¡± Sina replied, a little curious what the Synergy¡¯s supreme empress could possibly ask from them.
¡°I would like to attend your communication together with you, here on your bridge. And I would like to talk to your superiors once you have established the channel and conducted all the business you needed to take care of.¡± 1@1 inquired.
The Romulan glanced at her first officer and contemplated the suggestion for a moment. Eventually she nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s only that¡ certainly, Matriarch. Please, have a seat.¡± Sina gestured at the seat to her left, opposite her XO, and smiled as Chiaxi¡¯s hologram sat down.
Only a few minutes later the Sidereal received another call from Primaris Station. 43@99 looked extremely satisfied as he spoke. ¡°The singularity has reached the required saturation. We¡¯ve disengaged the mass transfer to not waste the star unnecessarily. The saturation and the fissure will last for approximately ten minutes. We will now launch the spatial charges to generate the necessary spacetime distortion. Your communication system will inform you when the fissure has formed and is stable enough for transmission.¡±
The Ferengi scientist had barely closed the channel, when two massive torpedoes launched from the station. The bright blue sparkling projectiles arched towards the black hole, rapidly red-shifting as they streaked over the glowing accretion disk and approached the threshold. After a few moments they simply faded away as they crossed the event horizon.
Nothing seemed to happen for several seconds, when suddenly the event horizon seemed to¡ boil. Ripples raced across the untouchable membrane, mountains and valleys of infinite density piled up and crumbled again. Eventually the shock waves collided in a massive outburst of energy and a barely visible distortion formed just above the event horizon. A quantum fissure. Illuminated by the accretion disk¡¯s glow, it appeared almost like a hole in space.
Duncan¡¯s and Visra¡¯s consoles chirped simultaneously. Duncan stared at the status message, then glanced at Visra who just nodded in awe. ¡°Uhm¡ captain? The fissure is¡ there.¡±
Sina looked at Niko and silently mouthed the word ¡°Yes!¡±. She glanced at the Matriarch¡¯s projection that silently sat on her seat, a satisfied expression on her face. The Romulan swallowed. ¡°Duncan, open Starfleet emergency frequency 6841.¡±
¡°Aye captain. Channel open.¡±
Sina took a deep breath. ¡°Starfleet Command, this is Commander D¡¯raxis of the USS Sidereal. Requesting authentication challenge. Please respond.¡±
No answer and only static on the view screen. The Commander spoke again. ¡°Starfleet Command, please come in. This is Commander D¡¯raxis of the USS Sidereal. Requesting authentication challenge.¡±
The static flickered, but eventually began to clear and revealed a young male Human Ensign. ¡°¡fleet Command. This joke isn¡¯t funny. You¡¯re transmitting on an emergency frequency. Clear the channel immediately!¡±
The Romulan quirked a brow. ¡°Starfleet Command, this is not a joke! I am Commander Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis. Requesting authentication challenge.¡±
The Ensign appeared to look rather annoyed and cut the audio. He seemed to wave to someone outside the screen and a few moments later a middle-aged male Vulcan Lieutenant appeared behind the Human. They seemed to discuss something quite vividly, when the audio feed came back on and the Vulcan was speaking.
¡°This is Lieutenant Vakar from Starfleet Command to the unauthorized sender on emergency frequency 6841. Identify yourself.¡±
¡°Sina Phaio Gallagher-D¡¯raxis. Service number RR-271-9685 ESD. Rank Commander. Assigned to the USS Sidereal as acting captain.¡±
Now the Vulcan looked also a little irritated. ¡°This is highly improbable. The Sidereal was lost with all hands over ten months ago. Please clear this channel or I will be forced to escalate this unauthorized usage as well as the impersonation of Starfleet personnel.¡±
¡°This is not a joke or a prank, Lieutenant! We¡¯re alive! And we¡¯re currently feeding a star into a black hole to keep this channel open. So please just send the damn authentication challenge!¡± The Romulan shot back. She had expected some suspicion and scrutiny, but it was quickly getting a tad ridiculous even for her taste.
The Vulcan raised his left eyebrow, but eventually followed her request. It was obvious from his expression that he expected a false response when he reached outside the screen to transmit the challenge. A few moments later, the holographic screen in front of Sina signaled that they received the challenge. With a few taps on the virtual console, the Commander selected her personal response algorithms and entered her command code. Once the computer had calculated the response, she transmitted it back.
Another couple seconds passed, before the mouth of the Ensign popped open. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned¡¡±
The Vulcan looked at the screen, obviously struggling with the correct authentication response. ¡°Commander? How is this possible?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a long story, Lieutenant.¡± Sina¡¯s expression softened, now that at last the penny dropped for SC. ¡°But believe me, it was quite a bumpy ride. Like I said, we¡¯re alive. That is, most of us. We had fourteen casualties during the accident. But we¡¯re safe right now, thanks to some new friends we found around here.¡±
The Lieutenant listened attentively, while waving to someone outside the visible area and hastily tapping on a PADD that he then handed off. The bridge crew could see how suddenly the ops room where their call had landed exploded with activity. Orders were shouted in the background and a couple of officers hustled past Vakar.
¡°We¡¯re glad to hear that, Commander. Can you tell us where exactly you are?¡± The Lieutenant requested, while handling another PADD.
Sina smirked. ¡°Yes, but you better sit down. We¡¯re currently 120,000 kilometers away from Cygnus X-1, but in a different quantum reality. If you trace our call, you¡¯ll find it coming from a quantum fissure above the event horizon of that black hole.¡±
Vakar looked suspicious for a moment, then nodded. He quickly turned away and was about to talk to another officer, when suddenly there was a strong voice in the background. ¡°I don¡¯t care that he¡¯s in the shower, get that message to him, now!¡± A moment later a bald middle-aged Human Rear Admiral with a thick light brown full beard stepped into the image and stared at the screen.
¡°This is Rear Admiral Richards. Commander D¡¯raxis?¡±
¡°Yes, Sir. In flesh and blood.¡±
¡°How are you? We thought you were gone!¡±
Sina laughed. ¡°Sir, believe me when I say that we also thought we were gone. But we¡¯re okay now.¡±
Vakar pushed a tablet into the flag officer¡¯s hands, who quickly checked its display. ¡°Do you need help? Can you get home?¡±
¡°No and¡ no.¡± The Commander let out a sad sigh. ¡°Our new friends here are trying their best to find us a way back home, Sir. So far, they managed to enable us sending this message. You would never believe what they did to make this possible. The Federation could never pull off something like this.¡±
She continued with a wistful smile on her lips. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared several data packages. Log entries, action reports, and personal letters to our families. If you¡¯re ready, we can transmit them to you.¡±
Rear Admiral Richards snapped his fingers and looked at someone outside the screen, nodding after a few seconds. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re ready.¡±
Niko also nodded and gave the order. ¡°Duncan, transmit the packages.¡±
¡°I hope you will understand that we had to remove certain information from the packages. Our new friends are careful about what they share of their knowledge and technology, especially with unaligned governments.¡± Sina added quickly.
Richards nodded, understanding. ¡°Well, I think we¡¯ll be able to deal with it. We don¡¯t want you to do anything that compromises or endangers your safety.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir. We didn¡¯t intend to do so.¡± The CO replied with a smile and glanced at Chiaxi from the corners of her eyes. ¡°In fact, I think we¡¯re getting along quite nicely.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear. But I have one big question for you. What the hell happened to you after your arrival in that¡ different quantum reality? The Enterprise found a way to scan across the fissure and¡¡± He hesitated for a moment but continued eventually. ¡°¡found sensor echoes showing the Sidereal being towed off by a Borg sphere. How did you escape?¡±
Sina grinned for a moment before she replied. ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t. But that¡¯s the catch, they aren¡¯t Borg. In fact, they are their descendants and they rescued us. Without them, we¡¯d all be dead. It¡¯s a really long story, Sir, but you¡¯ll find the details in my-¡±
Before she could finish the sentence there was suddenly a big commotion in the background. A new male voice cut through the chatter. ¡°Where¡¯s the terminal?¡± Moments later the Rear Admiral stepped aside and made place for a rather wet Efrosian, draped in a bathrobe with a towel wrapped around his head. His beard was still dripping water as he spoke. Sina recognized him. It was Starfleet¡¯s Chief of Staff.
¡°This is Fleet Admiral Ra-Miyantoss. Commander D¡¯raxis? Are you okay?¡±
¡°Fleet Admiral! Yes, yes, we¡¯re alright here. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your-¡±
¡°Nonsense. Where are you? Do you require assistance?¡±
Sina smiled at three people asking the same questions in sequence. ¡°We¡¯re okay, Sir. Right now, it¡¯s impossible for us to get home, but we¡¯ve got some exceptionally competent friends working on it. We¡¯ve sent you data packages containing information about our situation, as well as log entries, reports, and personal letters.¡±
¡°I see. We¡¯ll make sure these letters get to your families.¡± The Efrosian replied somberly. ¡°Is there anything you need? Anything we can do for you?¡±
¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± The Romulan shook her head. ¡°And no, we¡¯re really fine. But Rear Admiral Richards mentioned that the Enterprise was searching for us. Could you please send us what they did and their results? Maybe it will help us here.¡±
¡°Yes, of course. Richards?¡±
¡°Already on it, Sir.¡± Came the voice from outside the view port.
The CO looked over to the Matriarch, who was following the whole exchange quietly but curiously. Sina looked at the Fleet Admiral and spoke up. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±
¡°Yes, what do you need?¡± He instantly replied, still dripping onto the console.
¡°There¡¯s someone here who wants to meet you.¡± The Romulan said, extending the camera¡¯s field of view to include Chiaxi in its view port. ¡°May I introduce you? Fleet Admiral, this is Matriarch Chiaxi, leader of the Synergy. Matriarch, this is Fleet Admiral Xas Ra-Miyantoss, Starfleet¡¯s Chief of Staff. He¡¯s the highest-ranking officer in Starfleet and military adviser to our civilian government.¡±
The Matriarch rose from her seat and greeted the Efrosian with a respectful nod and her almost hypnotic melodic voice. ¡°Fleet Admiral, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±
Ra-Miyantoss gaped at Chiaxi for a moment, before blinking and closing his mouth. ¡°Uhm¡ Matriarch? That is quite the surprise. I apologize for my appearance; I didn¡¯t expect to-¡±
¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not too focused on protocol. I want to reassure you that your crew is safe with us. We¡¯ve supplied them with all necessary medical treatments and repaired their vessel. With the words of Commander D¡¯raxis¡ it was a bumpy ride at the beginning, but I think we¡¯ve established a good diplomatic relationship by now. I would like to extend my well wishes to you and your government, and I hope that we will have the opportunity for further communication in the foreseeable future.¡±
¡°Yes, yes of course, Matriarch. I think we would all welcome that. I also want to express my gratitude to you for coming to the Sidereal¡¯s aid. Thank you for saving our people.¡±
Chiaxi smiled warmly at the Fleet Admiral. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. It was all our pleasure. Your crew has provided the Synergy with an incredible amount of information and brought new experiences to us. While we regret not being able to prevent the casualties caused by the accident, we¡¯re glad to have welcomed your officers in our galaxy.¡±
Visra¡¯s console chirped with a warning signal and the Alusi scientist swiftly reported the change. ¡°Captain, the fissure is destabilizing. We have at most sixty seconds left.¡±
¡°Sorry to interrupt you, but we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Sina turned to the Matriarch, who responded with an understanding nod.
The XO quickly asked. ¡°Duncan, did we get the information about whatever the Enterprise was doing?¡±
¡°Yes, Sir. All transmissions were completed.¡±
The Romulan addressed the Fleet Admiral. ¡°Sir, the connection is about to fail. We¡¯ll hopefully call again soon. I hope you¡¯ll be able to make some sense of my reports and logs. I¡¯m sorry they are quite a mess.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t think about it, Commander. It will be fine. Just stay safe!¡± The Efrosian replied, a proud smile on his lips.
Niko grinned at the Chief of Staff. ¡°We have nothing else in mind, Sir.¡±
¡°The Synergy will protect and guide them, Fleet Admiral. Your people will be safe with us.¡± Chiaxi continued with a chuckle, her arms extending towards Sina and Niko. ¡°After all, we¡¯re almost family.¡±
The last remark sent a blush across the Romulan¡¯s cheeks and made her glance at the giggling empress. By now the fissure had degraded so much that the video feed cut out, quickly followed by audio. There were a few more text messages sent by Starfleet Command, but after another fifteen seconds the anomaly had completely collapsed.
[2x06] Conquering The Darkest Places
[ Act One ]
Admiral Yadav was walking at a brisk pace, almost running, towards the transporter room. With her right hand she was holding a PADD, carrying the simple device as if it was the most treasured thing in the world. It was early morning and the corridors of Starfleet Command were quite empty. While SC was always staffed , most activity was scheduled during daylight hours. On her way she only encountered a handful of junior officers who briefly greeted her and immediately made space in the corridors. No sane Ensign or Lieutenant wanted to be in the way of a flag officer coming hurrying along.
After a few minutes Hannah reached the transporter room. As she rushed through the door the Andorian CPO at the console looked at her surprised, but before he could say anything the elderly woman had already given her order. ¡°Good morning, Chief! One to ESD, on the double please. And if you can, put me directly in the port master office lounge.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir!¡± The Andorian replied with his deep voice and quickly went to work on the console. After a short moment of calibrating the target scanners, he initiated the transport and Admiral Yadav was showered with sparkling energy. A few seconds later she rematerialized in the extensive lounge in front of Earth Space Dock¡¯s port master office. Lieutenant Jackson looked up from his screen, where he was managing his superior¡¯s schedule. When he noticed who had dropped by so unannounced, the dark-skinned Human let out a sigh. He clearly remembered the last time.
¡°Good morning, Admiral.¡± He greeted the unexpected visitor. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±
¡°Good morning! I urgently need to see Rear Admiral Gallagher. Is she available?¡± Hannah replied with a warm voice.
Lieutenant Jackson raised his eyebrows. Another unannounced and urgent flag officer visit? He wondered silently what had happened this time, while tapping away at the scheduling interface. ¡°Sorry, Sir. The port master is currently busy, but her current visitor should leave in a few minutes. Do you wish to wait, or shall I call her?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let her finish, I¡¯ll quickly squeeze in before her next appointment.¡± Hannah replied softly and walked over to the waiting area. She sat on one of the luxurious lounging chairs, watching the shuttles and transport vessels buzzing by outside the tall panorama windows. The Admiral looked at the PADD in her hands and tenderly held it against her chest.
The news had hit her like lightning when she read the report less than two hours ago. She still could barely believe it and her thoughts were still racing. Now she could undo that terrible evening sixteen months ago that had shattered not only her own, but also her best friend¡¯s world. She could give back the hope and joy that she was forced to take away almost one and a half years ago when she had delivered the news of the Sidereal¡¯s disappearance.
¡°So, what is so urgent that you couldn¡¯t send a message?¡±
Hannah was abruptly pulled out of her train of thoughts. She looked up and saw Rear Admiral Gallagher standing in front of her with a wry grin on her lips. ¡°Neila!¡±
¡°Hannah! Oh, come here!¡± Neila called out and gave her friend a close hug. ¡°You know, you chose a really inconvenient morning to pay me a visit. It feels as if all Captains in in the Core Defense Fleet wanted something from me today.¡±
Admiral Yadav returned the hug, laughing at her friend¡¯s comment. ¡°Well, I know that it¡¯s never a good moment to see a port or station master. Those kinds of people are notoriously busy all the damn time, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll forgive me once I told you why I¡¯m here.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t tease me like that, Hannah! What is it?¡± Neila inquired curiously, quirking her brows.
The elderly flag officer pulled her long jacket straight and shook the PADD in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s sort of personal, we should talk in your office.¡±
The port master shrugged her shoulders and gestured towards the doors to her office. A few moments later the two women were standing in the office. Neila leaned against the large desk and smirked at the Admiral in front of her, her arms folded in front of her chest. ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡±
¡°Sina is alive!¡± Hannah said without hesitation.
¡°What?¡± The Rear Admiral¡¯s arms dropped, and her grin disappeared almost instantly.
¡°Tonight at 0317 hours the night shift in Starfleet Command Communications Center received a transmission on emergency frequency 6841. At first, they thought it was some kind of joke or prank, but the sender of the message insisted on an authentication challenge. The response to the challenge was valid and confirmed the sender¡¯s identity. It was Sina. She¡¯s alive!¡±
A sob escaped Neila¡¯s throat and she flung her arms around Hannah, holding on to her friend. Overwhelmed by her emotions she was crying tears of happiness when she heard that her little girl was still alive. ¡°Where¡ where is she? What happened to her?¡± She sniffled in between her sobs.
Admiral Yadav held her friend tightly. ¡°We¡¯re still going through the reports and logs she sent us, so the details are a bit wonky. But I promise that we¡¯ll get there. For now, what we can say with certainty is that after the accident the Sidereal was stranded in a different quantum reality and mere minutes away from a core breach. A ship of the dominant galactic power in that reality was nearby and provided support, preventing the breach and evacuating the wounded. That empire calls itself the Synergy and¡¡±
Neila pulled back and looked at her friend, still holding her shoulders. ¡°¡and what?¡±
¡°Please don¡¯t freak out about what I¡¯m going to say now, okay? The Synergy is the successor of the Collective.¡±
¡°The Borg?!¡± The port master stared at the Admiral. ¡°What do you mean?¡±
¡°As far as we can tell, there was a civil war or some other major conflict within the Collective. And the Collective lost. The remnants of the Borg reorganized themselves into the Synergy, a much more democratic structure focused on exploration, research, and cooperation. They rescued our people, treated their wounded, and even rebuilt the Sidereal with their technology. We don¡¯t know much about that technology yet, since the critical pieces have been redacted in the reports.¡±
Hannah smiled at Neila. ¡°But what we know is that Sina and her crew are doing an incredible job. They¡¯ve established a positive diplomatic relationship with the Synergy and their leader, a certain Matriarch Chiaxi. They¡¯ve managed to get their ship back and are exploring a whole new galaxy completely unlike our own.¡±
¡°Can she come back home?¡± Neila asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.
Admiral Yadav took a deep breath. She had known that this question would come. ¡°Not yet. The Synergy is still working on a way to send them back, but that seems to be much more complicated than anyone could imagine. They built superstructures around Cygnus X-1 and fed parts of the companion star into the black hole to be able to create a tiny fissure just above the event horizon for sending the message. No ship could possibly survive going through that fissure.¡±
Now Neila took a deep breath and nodded her head. ¡°But they haven¡¯t given up?¡±
¡°No, they haven¡¯t.¡± Hannah replied reassuringly. ¡°It might take a while, but I¡¯m sure they will come home. I have the original transmission and some log entries and reports here on the PADD, as well as something else. A secured personal message to you.¡±
¡°A message?¡± Neila asked, blinking the last tears away. ¡°From Sina?¡±
Her friend nodded. ¡°Yes. The transmission contained a lot of personal messages.¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s hear it!¡± The Rear Admiral said, her eyes glistening, as she grabbed the PADD out of Hannah¡¯s hand. While she was busy calling up the tablet¡¯s interface, Admiral Yadav turned around and quietly made her way towards the door. But before she could leave the office, she heard her friend call out to her. ¡°Hey, where do you think you¡¯re going? Don¡¯t you want to see the message, too?¡±
¡°Neila, it¡¯s a personal message from your daughter. I don¡¯t think I have the right to-¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± Neila interrupted her as she wiped her cheeks dry. ¡°You¡¯re part of this family whether you like it or not. So, sit your butt down on the couch and watch this with me! I won¡¯t let you quietly sneak out a after giving me such good news!¡±
¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Hannah responded, laughing happily, and walked over to the couch. A moment later Neila joined her and together they watched the large display behind the port master¡¯s desk as the playback started. Sina was sitting at a metallic desk. She wore her captain¡¯s duty uniform with the white shoulders and smiled nervously into the camera. The view behind her opened into what appeared to be a crew quarter, with light gray walls and large windows revealing the star speckled darkness of space.
¡°Hi mom. I¡ I¡¡± The Romulan pressed her lips together. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what to say for so long, but now I¡ I don¡¯t know where to begin. I guess I should start with saying sorry. I¡¯m sorry, mom. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you like this. It must have been terrible for you, thinking that I¡ that I wasn¡¯t coming home again. Please believe me, if there had been a way to tell you sooner, I¡¯d have done it. But we could only make contact now. I hope you understand.¡±
Neila¡¯s gaze was glued to the screen, her eyes tearing up again. ¡°Oh baby¡ don¡¯t be sorry¡¡± She whispered softly.
¡°Still, I hope you¡¯re happy to know now that I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ll readily admit that it looked quite grim for some time. The people who saved us, the Synergy, they were terrifying at first. I¡¯m not going to repeat the log entries you¡¯re probably also reading, so I¡¯ll just say that when they came to help us, we all thought the Borg had come for us. We were prepared to make our final stand. But now, all I can say is that I¡¯m so incredibly glad they found us. They have done so much for us, more than we could have ever asked for.¡±
As Sina continued her message, her face lighted up with a warm and optimistic smile.
¡°They not only saved our lives; they also gave us hope and purpose in this galaxy. They healed our wounded, and they rebuilt our ship using their own systems and components. They taught us about their technology so we could control the upgraded Sidereal on our own and go where we wished to go. I¡¯m not allowed to share any details with you, but their tech is incredible. They can easily do things that are utterly unfathomable to us. I wished you could see the superstructures they built to feed a star into a black hole to allow us to send our message.¡±
The Romulan took a deep breath before she continued.
¡°Not everyone survived crossing the fissure. We¡¯ve lost fourteen people, but all my close friends made it. Niko, Rel, Shori, Visra, Jeffrey, Duncan, Noriko, Co-Yor¡ they¡¯re all with me and found their places again. It¡¯s often difficult to know whether I¡¯m doing the right thing as their captain, making the right choices. But they help me and give me good feedback. Especially Niko and Jeffrey are not afraid to speak their minds we me, and I¡¯m glad to have them with me to keep my feet on the ground.¡±
She folded her hands in front of her, entwining her fingers in a contemplative gesture and resting her chin on her hands. Her gaze was trailing off to some place outside the camera¡¯s field of view.
¡°At times it¡¯s challenging to get along with the Synergy, because we don¡¯t fully understand each other. Their society, their whole culture, is completely different from ours. While we share several qualities - especially the desire for individuality, knowledge, and cooperation - they are connected to each other in a way that¡¯s impossible to describe. That gap has caused us some troubling issues, but I found a way to work towards fixing it. Last week I was temporarily connected to their hive-mind. Like I said, it¡¯s impossible to describe, but I now understand what makes the Synergy work and how their culture has developed. Speaking of development¡ there is also one other thing¡¡±
Sina blushed a little and nervously bit her lip, smiling shyly at the camera.
¡°It will probably come as a complete surprise to you, but¡ I¡¯m seeing someone. It¡¯s a really crazy story how we found each other, but I¡¯ll tell you another time. What I can already say is that we both know our feelings are genuine. So please don¡¯t judge his appearance.¡± She turned her head and waved towards someone outside the camera¡¯s field of view to come closer. ¡°Come on, Tarik. Don¡¯t be shy! My mom won¡¯t bite you!¡±
¡°If you say so¡¡± Spoke a powerful male voice from outside the visual screen.
Neila and Hannah looked at each other for a moment, both visibly surprised. After another moment they saw a slightly rugged middle-aged male Human enter the frame. Hannah¡¯s eyes grew wide and Neila gasped as she saw the man¡¯s ocular implant and cybernetic arm.
He smiled politely and waved at the camera. ¡°Hello, Ms. Gallagher.¡±
¡°Mom, this is Tarik. His official designation is 4@19-Omicron, Primary Engineering Adjunct of Sphere 272-Theta-8, currently assigned to the USS Sidereal as the Synergy¡¯s official liaison. I know it¡¯s a mouthful, so just call him Tarik. I almost vaporized his face while he was trying to stop our warp core from exploding, so you can guess it¡¯s been a wild ride for us. We decided to start dating and giving it an honest shot just a few days ago, so we¡¯re still kinda sorting things out. But we¡¯re happy together. I hope you can understand.¡±
Neila wiped more tears away and nodded silently as she kept watching the message, noticing that her daughter had gently entwined her fingers with those of her boyfriend.
¡°We hope to send more messages soon. Maybe we¡¯ll even manage to get a direct call through, but I can¡¯t make any promises. Every time we open the fissure, we burn up a bit more of Cygnus¡¯s companion star. There aren¡¯t many black holes with suitable spacetime geometries and companion stars within range of the Federation, so we want to use what we have right now as efficiently as possible.¡±
Sina smiled warmly at the camera and let out a soft sigh.
¡°I hope this message makes you feel at least a little better. We¡¯re still working on finding a way back home. But for now, don¡¯t worry too much about me. We¡¯re safe with the Synergy and I¡¯ll be alright, I promise! I love you, mom. Goodbye.¡±
The screen briefly showed the Sidereal¡¯s insignia before turning black. The two flag officers sat next to each other in silence for a long moment, before Hannah finally asked. ¡°How do you feel, Neila?¡±
Her friend let out a happy sob and turned her head to look at her. ¡°Wonderful. I know that my girl is alive and happy. That¡¯s all I ever wished for.¡±
[ Act Two ]
Duncan closed and locked the door once T¡¯Sai, Shrass, and Haroun were inside his quarters.
¡°What¡¯s so important that you woke me up and called me here at this time? You know I have to get up in six and a half hours?¡± A visible annoyed Shrass asked with his deep and tired voice, barely suppressing a yawn. ¡°Couldn¡¯t this have waited?¡±
¡°I would like to know the reason for this unexpected convocation as well.¡± T¡¯Sai added. Both she and Shrass were in civilian clothing, since they¡¯d been off duty already for over eight hours. Haroun and Duncan were in uniform, since they just came out of their shift.
¡°I know, I know. And I¡¯m sorry to wake you guys up, but we have a problem. A really serious problem.¡± Junior Lieutenant Clark explained while pacing back and forth in his living room. ¡°The captain was recently linked to the Synergy hive-mind.¡±
The group stared at their colleague and nervously glanced at each other.
¡°What?¡± Haroun finally spat out. ¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± The Scotsman answered, finally calming down a little. ¡°Jeffrey dropped the bomb on me when we had dinner. We were just chatting about the captain and Tarik doing their couple thing, when he mentioned this tiny piece of information as if it was nothing.¡±
¡°Do you know more?¡± The Vulcan inquired as she closely observed her colleague.
¡°A bit, but not much. According to what Jeffrey told me, it happened already three weeks ago. Or about that, it was the 2nd or 3rd of June, don¡¯t remember exactly which date. Apparently, the whole thing lasted just a few minutes, but to the CO it felt like half an hour. He wouldn¡¯t tell me more because of his obligation of confidentiality, but I think it¡¯s already more than enough.¡± Duncan finished, letting out a sigh.
¡°Hmmm¡¡± The Andorian hummed for a moment. ¡°¡and you think that the captain started¡ dating¡ Tarik after this connection?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t only think that, I know it.¡± The Human ops officer responded. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious that they haven¡¯t been this close before. They only started being love birdies after the Synergy got their grubby digital fingers into her head. Well, so much for Tarik transferring off the ship soon. I fear we¡¯re slowly running out of time.¡±
¡°It is indeed an alarming development. Especially since my scans confirmed my suspicion.¡± T¡¯Sai paused for a moment before she continued with special emphasis on her findings. ¡°The field strength was related to 4@19¡¯s presence. Since his retirement as chief engineer the field strengths on the bridge and in main engineering have dropped significantly, which follows his reduced stay in those sections. They are still at their originally detected levels on deck four.¡±
¡°Oh crap!¡± Duncan exclaimed, slowly rubbing his forehead. ¡°So, it was him. Damn it, we should have gotten rid of him sooner.¡±
¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Crewman Al-Tammar asked, looking from one of his colleagues to the next.
¡°I don¡¯t know. Not yet.¡± The Scotsman spoke while walking to the fabricator terminal. ¡°We have to think of something else, because I doubt that Tarik will leave our ship on his own now.¡± He paused for a second, then ordered a shot of synthehol scotch which he downed in one gulp.
While Duncan was occupied with his drink, T¡¯Sai suggested simply to follow her original proposal. ¡°I say we continue with our previously discussed course of action. I could already see Co-Yor again with my updated results. While I would have liked a few more weeks to ascertain the results with greater accuracy, I think I do have enough data to prompt the CMO to action. Maybe he already is also preparing a plan, since I doubt the captain would have performed that procedure without Co-Yor¡¯s supervision. I even suspect he has significantly more data about Tarik¡¯s implants at this point than we do.¡±
¡°Yeah, that might be our best bet¡¡± Duncan mused while he came back to the couch. ¡°¡we need to get Co-Yor to relieve the captain and put the XO in charge. I don¡¯t give a toss about whatever Sina and Tarik are doing when confined to quarters, as long as they don¡¯t hold any positions of power on this ship any longer.¡±
¡°And how do we do that?¡± Shrass asked, this time failing to suppress the following yawn.
¡°Well, we just need to give Co-Yor enough data and reason to act.¡± The Scottish ops officer explained. ¡°T¡¯Sai and I are still keeping a protocol on all command decisions. So far, we¡¯ve got a nice list of decisions that are uncharacteristic for Commander D¡¯raxis given her official record and could serve as proof of outside influence. She handed over our computer core to the Synergy, invited one of their agents into a key position on the ship without further review, subjected herself to an unknown extremely invasive neural procedure, and now started fraternizing with one of their agents.¡±
¡°Indeed.¡± The Vulcan Junior Lieutenant confirmed. ¡°However, there is one element we must consider. We must proceed carefully, since we under no circumstances can afford rousing any suspicion about our intentions. I suggest we do not ask Co-Yor to act, but rather allow him to come to that conclusion on his own. This will not only protect us from premature detection, but also lend weight to any decision he makes.¡±
The Scotsman nodded. ¡°Sounds good. But there¡¯s one more topic we need to discuss. What do we do if Co-Yor is also compromised? If push comes to shove, we might need more than tricorder readings, sensor logs, and words.¡±
The Andorian furrowed his brow and his antennae pointed straight at his Human colleague. ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±
Without a word Duncan walked over to his desk and removed several PADDs from a well-covered place within one of its drawers. He returned and handed each co-conspirator on of the tablets. ¡°These are several insurrection and mutiny scenarios Starfleet and other institutions have been training with. I¡¯ve-¡±
¡°Wait wait wait, what?¡± Haroun interrupted. ¡°Are you serious?¡±
¡°Haroun, we¡¯re on our own out here. If this goes south, there¡¯s no other ship coming to rescue us. We need to have a fallback plan in case everything else fails.¡± The ops officer explained with dangerous calmness. ¡°This is only the last resort when we¡¯ve exhausted all other options. It¡¯s either this or surrendering to whatever will then happen to us at the hands of an unknown entity.¡±
Shrass stared at the PADD in his hand, visibly upset. ¡°You¡¯re not suggesting¡¡±
¡°We would need weapons for our own safety and as leverage, but I don¡¯t think we would have to use them. There¡¯s one new ship system that¡¯s much more powerful and important that we can use for own advantage, and which would take care of most problems already.¡±
T¡¯Sai raised an eyebrow. ¡°And which would that be?¡±
Duncan grinned. ¡°The intrusion containment system. We take control of main engineering and trigger the ICS for that section. The reinforced walls and seals created by the ICS would prevent any attempt to engage us. And we would have control of the Omega core in addition to whatever crew we captured.¡±
¡°And then?¡± The Andorian astrophysicist asked in a more than suspicious tone. ¡°We¡¯d be trapped. There¡¯s no way out of an ICS sealed section.¡±
¡°Not quite.¡± The ops officer revealed with an even wider grin. ¡°The ICS is a last-ditch effort with the goal to contain otherwise uncontainable boarding parties in a specific section, prevent them from gaining access to other parts and systems of the ship, and allow allied forces to secure the intruders under controlled conditions, right? Okay, I did some reading on that mechanism. Turns out the Synergy is building those things with slightly different concepts in mind.¡±
¡°To them ¡®controlled condition¡¯ means actually being docked in a shipyard that has the equipment to disassemble the seals without unnecessary force. The image of that is quite hilarious. Some random guys board your ship but get locked up in an evacuated section. Then they have to sit there for a day or two before they are cut out again but are then outnumbered fifty to one and are immediately hauled to the brig.¡± Duncan briefly laughed at the image he pictured in his mind before he continued.
¡°Anyway, they have given this system quite some thought, and it¡¯s an admittedly neat idea. But I think I found a weakness specific to the Sidereal. The ICS creates thinner walls on the outward facing sides of sections directly adjacent to the hull. In theory that¡¯s not really a problem, since the hull¡¯s armor plating already provides a massive obstacle. So why waste additional matter on making an already thick wall even thicker? But, and that¡¯s the big deal here, the Jefferies tubes around main engineering are still in the same section. Which means we could take control of main engineering, negotiate our terms, and then leave via Jefferies tube seventeen-beta which leads to one of the ventral external maintenance hatches.¡±
The Vulcan looked slightly suspicious. ¡°That sounds extremely¡ ambitious. Assuming for a moment we could get that far, and all wore environmental suits suitable for that endeavor, how do you suggest we penetrate the lower ICS seal?¡±
¡°We borrow the warhead of a micro-torpedo and turn it into a shaped charge. That should be more than enough to blast a hole into the seal without damaging the core.¡±
Haroun shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s insane! You¡¯re crazy! Detonating a warhead that close to the core would kill everyo-¡±
¡°Hey, chill! It was just an idea.¡± Duncan interrupted, shrugging his shoulders before he dropped onto the couch. ¡°But if you have a better idea let¡¯s hear it.¡±
Crewman Al-Tammar pressed his lips together and let out a resigned sigh.
¡°And what exactly do you expect us to do with these¡ scenarios?¡± T¡¯Sai inquired with her typically flat tone after following the brief exchange between the two Humans.
¡°Study them, of course! What else would I give them to you for? If we find ourselves with the back against the wall, we must know how to pull it off. We must know all the typical actions and reactions, countermeasures, negotiation strategies, and so on.¡± The Scotsman replied, shaking his head slightly. ¡°Obviously the main idea is still to not let it get to that point. We must keep the game up with Co-Yor. But if that doesn¡¯t work, we must have a Plan-B, or we¡¯re screwed.¡±
¡°I still don¡¯t like the idea¡¡± Shrass spoke, audibly unconvinced of the suggested course of action.
¡°Neither do I.¡± Haroun quickly added, but he kept the PADD in his hand anyway.
¡°Man, can you calm down? You guys act as if I told you to storm the bridge! It¡¯s just a bunch of training scenarios I picked from our computer, nothing more. And like I already explained, it¡¯s only our backup plan. Just try to study them over the next couple of weeks so that we¡¯re on the same page. But don¡¯t yet do anything about them or talk about them. And especially don¡¯t tell any of the others. I trust you to be able to watch your mouths, but I¡¯m not so sure about the rest. One screw up about this and we spend the remainder of our time here in the brig.¡±
The Andorian and Vulcan officers nodded in agreement, as did the other Human officer eventually as well.
¡°If it ever gets to the point where we have to enact one of those¡¡± Duncan pointed at the PADD in Haroun¡¯s hand. ¡°¡we¡¯ll tell the others on a short notice and only once we figured out a detailed plan. But for now, there¡¯s no need for getting anyone worked up unnecessarily.¡±
¡°Good. Is there anything else? I really need to get back to bed.¡± Ensign Th¡¯akianas asked, with a tinge of impatience in his voice.
¡°No, that¡¯s all from my side.¡± Junior Lieutenant Clark responded as he stood from his seat on the couch. ¡°Good night. And stay vigilant!¡±
[ Act Three ]
Rel had just picked up his tray with a large bowl of sem¡¯hal stew with extra spicy yamok sauce from the fabricator terminal. The Cardassian officer enjoyed spending his lunch break in Eleven-Forward mingling with the crew. He enjoyed having a direct wire to the rumor warp core, since it gave him a good impression of the crew¡¯s mood and the current hot topics.
The current hot topic was the same as last week¡¯s: the captain dating the Synergy liaison. Sina and Tarik becoming a couple had sent the rumors into overdrive and created quite a buzz. While most of the crew didn¡¯t seem to particularly mind the new couple and some were even supportive of their relationship, a few voices had spoken up regarding potential conflicts of interest.
The whole topic of Federation and Synergy members dating had sparked some challenging thoughts for himself. After all, he was greatly enjoying the company of Hiora and had already contemplated whether she would be interested in spending time with him outside their competitions. Since his accident in the holodeck half a year ago they had made it a regular event to meet and compete in various sports, including but not limited to velocity, racquetball, parisses squares, and springball.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
In all sports they had tried Hiora proved to be more than a match for Rel, even without her cybernetic enhancements. He had come to admire her strength, agility, reflexes, and ruthlessness in their competitions. When she told him that Sphere 272-Theta-8 had been reassigned and they wouldn¡¯t be able to continue their weekly matches, Rel had been visibly disappointed. Disappointed, but also more upset than he was ready to admit to himself. And he was even less ready to admit that he sort of missed 18@31.
Right now, Eleven-Forward was sparsely populated, with only a few crew members spending their break here. A few small groups had formed on three tables and a couple of officers and crewmen were sitting by themselves. Rel put his tray down on one of the free tables near the panorama windows, but before he sat down, he noticed he had forgotten his drink. With quick steps he made his way back to the fabricator, and soon returned with a large glass of water.
Finally sitting, the Cardassian hungrily dug into his stew. Halfway done with the bowl he noticed the tingling burn on his tongue from the added yamok sauce. He drew in a deep breath and downed a big gulp from his drink. Suddenly a voice spoke up from behind him.
¡°Are you alright, Lieutenant?¡± Tarik inquired with a hint of concern in his tone. ¡°You look distressed.¡±
Rel looked up from his meal to find 4@19 standing next to him with a slightly puzzled expression on his face and a tray of his own in hands. The engineer¡¯s visor attachment glimmered gently, reflecting the highlights of the lounge on its polished surface. The chief tactical officer cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m fine. I just might have ordered my food a little too spicy. Didn¡¯t know the fabricator would take ¡®extra spicy¡¯ so literally when applied to yamok sauce.¡±
¡°I take it you¡¯re also having lunch. Want to join me?¡± The Cardassian asked politely, gesturing to the opposite seat at the table.
¡°Thank you.¡± Tarik replied and sat down opposite of Rel, still grinning at his remark about the sauce.
With great curiosity the CTO noticed that his colleague was having a thin chicken broth with vegetables. ¡°How come you eat normal food anyway? Didn¡¯t you say you get all you need during your regeneration cycle?¡±
4@19 sampled the soup with his spoon before answering. ¡°Correct. But Sina suggested I should try to accustom my body for this type of nutrient consumption. I understand from her explanation, and from subsequent review of your database, that eating together is an important part of socializing for you.¡±
¡°Absolutely.¡± Rel replied between spoons of his own stew. ¡°We¡¯re already proving her point. Without our meals we wouldn¡¯t be talking to each other right now.¡±
4@19 chuckled while he carefully and with mechanical precision ate some more of his soup. ¡°I think the actual reason for her request is that my body was so unaccustomed to eating regular food that I got sick during our first date and we had to visit sickbay. Apparently having a chocolate milkshake isn¡¯t the proper way to reintroduce your stomach to food after only using regeneration for over eighteen years.¡±
Rel cut a grimace. ¡°Sounds painful. Are you okay again?¡±
¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. Thank you for asking.¡± Tarik replied, while still methodically working on his chicken broth. ¡°Co-Yor suggested a few supplements and to start with more tolerable and less processed food. Honestly, I am extremely irritated that his advice even applies to me. Humans from this reality, especially members of the Synergy, are distinctly different from the ones you¡¯re used to, and yet his suggestions worked perfectly.¡±
¡°Well, some things probably never change.¡± The Cardassian remarked with a grin, finishing the last bits of his sem¡¯hal stew. ¡°But speaking of change¡ I have one question I wanted to ask you for a long time. It¡¯s the type of question it¡¯s never a good time asking. When would you have a moment?¡±
Tarik gulped down the last spoonful of his soup. ¡°I am currently available, so why not right now?¡±
¡°If that¡¯s fine with you?¡± Rel asked to be certain, quickly reassured by Tarik¡¯s nod. ¡°My question is, how do your people deal with the knowledge of what your ancestors have done?¡±
4@19 raised his brows and looked at the Cardassian inquisitively. ¡°You were right, it¡¯s difficult to find a suitable moment to ask such a question.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry if I-¡±
Tarik raised his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t. There¡¯s no need to apologize. It¡¯s a valid question. How can you deal with the shock, the regret, and the guilt over the terrors your ancestors have brought upon others while your conscience is torturing you?¡±
The engineer took a deep breath. ¡°The answer is you can, but it¡¯s not easy. The most important aspect you must remember and truly make your own is that it wasn¡¯t you. Whatever atrocities your ancestors have committed were theirs and theirs alone. If you forget that, the guilt can consume you inside out. But you can never be held responsible for things that happened while you were a child, or even before your birth. Does that take away the regret or guilt? Hardly.¡±
4@19 leaned back in his seat before he continued. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to forget when you can recall that horror at a moment¡¯s notice. You may ask what¡¯s the point? And that¡¯s also a good question. Why keep those memories if you can¡¯t do anything about it and they hurt so much? Because responsibility has two sides. I did say that you can¡¯t be held responsible for what happened before you. But you are responsible for what happens after you.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve made it our task to ensure that the horrors of the Collective will never happen again. Not to us, not to anyone. Remembering the past is what allows us to prevent those terrible mistakes being committed again. That¡¯s our duty and our burden. That is what we can take away from the past, making a better future for all of us.¡±
Tarik noticed how attentively Rel had followed his words. The engineer had a hunch that this topic was personal to the CTO for a special reason, but so far, the Cardassian had not explained his motivation.
¡°There is one thing above all else that the Synergy tries to do whenever and wherever possible. To undo the damage assimilation has caused to people and their homeworlds. You¡¯ve seen Earth. You¡¯ve seen images of Andor, Qo¡¯noS, and Romulus. We still have a long way to go, but we¡¯re confident that eventually we will be able to restore all worlds within our territory once more to a hospitable and livable state.¡±
Rel silently nodded as Tarik finished. ¡°I see. Thank you. I hope I didn¡¯t make you too uncomfortable talking about this issue.¡±
¡°You¡¯re welcome. Well, it is a difficult topic, but not talking about it doesn¡¯t help it either. Why did you want to know, anyway? It hasn¡¯t escaped my attention that this question does seem to have a quite personal meaning for you.¡± The Human engineer inquired, leaning forward as he pushed his tray aside.
The Cardassian swallowed and took a deep breath. ¡°My grandfather was a soldier who served during the occupation of Bajor. He was a guard, stationed at the Gallitep labor camp. I only learned about his deeds when I was eleven. He was a killer. A murderer. He took great pleasure in executing prisoners and gleefully helped selecting suspects for interrogation. I remember how I always looked up to him as a child. He¡¯d always seemed to be so strong, so steadfast, so¡ honest.¡±
The disappointment and burden in Rel¡¯s voice was obvious. He let out a depressed sigh as he continued. ¡°Once I had learned the truth it was as if my grandfather had died. The man I thought I knew was gone and would never come back. I was only a child. I couldn¡¯t understand how the man I admired, respected, and loved so much could have been this cruel. A little later I learned how much misery and suffering he had created and helped spread.¡±
¡°My condolences.¡± Tarik replied. ¡°Believe me when I say that we know how much more difficult it is to deal with such a situation when you are involved to such a personal degree.¡±
A weak smile raced over the CTO¡¯s lips and he nodded softly. Suddenly another voice cut through the tender silence between Rel and Tarik.
¡°Hey, what are you two up to? You both look as miserable as sin. Did something happen?¡± Niko asked as he walked up next to their table, casually munching away at a raw carrot with loud crunching bites.
¡°Lieutenant Commander!¡± Tarik spoke first. ¡°No, we were merely discussing the sins of our forefathers.¡±
The XO quirked a brow and took another bite from the carrot. ¡°Okay¡ even if that doesn¡¯t strike me as a typical topic for lunch.¡±
¡°It was pure coincidence that we got talking.¡± The Cardassian explained, finally emptying his glass of water.
¡°I see. And what have you been talking about? Only if you want to tell, of course.¡±
Rel and Tarik exchanged quick looks, each judging whether the other would object. After a moment the Cardassian spoke up. ¡°I asked Tarik how the Synergy dealt with the knowledge of what their ancestors have done. I was curious how they managed to stay sane while being burdened with their past.¡±
¡°Heh, that makes two of us.¡± Niko quipped as his gaze jumped between the others. ¡°Mind if I join you? I¡¯d be a perfect fit for the group, we can call ourselves the miserable three.¡±
¡°While I don¡¯t mind your presence, Lieutenant Commander, I don¡¯t understand your remark.¡± 4@19 inquired, watching patiently for the first officer to take a seat. ¡°What do you mean? As far as I understand the Federation hasn¡¯t committed significant atrocities or war crimes that could even closely resemble the occupation of Bajor, or the Borg.¡±
By now Niko had chewed up and swallowed the last bit of his carrot. He took a deep breath before he started. ¡°I¡¯m not referring to the Federation. How well do you guys know pre-contact Earth history?¡±
Rel shook his head. ¡°I was glad I could get through the Academy with just the absolute minimum requirements in Federation history, so don¡¯t look at me.¡±
¡°I must admit that your historical records haven¡¯t been as interesting to me as your scientific and engineering data.¡± Tarik also declined. ¡°But if you like I can recall that information momentarily.¡±
¡°No!¡± The XO quickly called out. ¡°Wait. Let me explain first, you can then get all the terrible details later.¡±
¡°Pre-contact Earth was not united, and the political landscape was dominated by about 200 individual nations of varying size, influence, and military and economic power. At that time humankind had basically been permanently at war somewhere on the planet, with small to mid-sized conflicts flaring up regularly. In the early 20th century one of those nations, what would back then have been my homeland, fell prey to an incredibly destructive ideology that created nothing but misery and suffering.¡±
¡°Driven by the insane delusion of supposedly being superior to other humans, Germany started a devastating war that killed over eighty million people, including over fifty million civilians. Over three percent of the global population. But the war alone wasn¡¯t enough.¡±
Niko¡¯s voice started to tremble as he continued. ¡°My people orchestrated an industrialized genocide of unprecedented scale. They built extra transport infrastructure and constructed extermination camps to most effectively and mercilessly butcher millions of people of different ethnicities, faiths, and identities, as well as those they simply considered inferior lifeforms. Men, women, children, elderly, disabled, nobody was spared.¡±
Niko placed his hand on the integrated control panel and summoned a holographic interface to access. With a few taps he brought up a badly grained black-and-white picture. It showed two soldiers with grim expressions standing next to a waist-high pile of corpses that were little more than bones and skin. ¡°As you can see, my people were even more brutal, ruthless, and savage than Cardassia was during the Occupation.¡±
Rel stared at the holographic image with wide eyes. The image, while being obviously recorded by an ancient and primitive apparatus, struck an eerie resemblance to more recent pictures taken from labor camps the Cardassian Union had operated on Bajor. The CTO swallowed. ¡°I¡ I didn¡¯t know about that part of your history.¡±
¡°Today not many non-historians remember. It¡¯s been over 450 years since those events and we have other problems today. And we¡¯ve evolved. We¡¯ve become better at¡ being human. The aftermath of World War Two was a total mess and barely a century later we still almost managed to wipe ourselves out. But the tragedies and atrocities my people committed served as a warning to all of us how thin the veil of civilization can be at times; how carefully and dutifully we must guard our values, unless we become beasts.¡±
The XO tapped a few buttons on the interface and the image changed. It showed a roughly hand-sized brass plate with a short text containing a name and two dates engraved on its surface, set into the ground as part of a cobblestone pavement.
¡°What is that?¡± Tarik asked curiously. ¡°I understand it is some kind of memorial?¡±
¡°Yes, something like that.¡± Niko¡¯s voice was breaking even more. ¡°They are called Stolpersteine. Small, unremarkable pieces inscribed with names and dates, set into pavements or walls at their last known residence to commemorate those that had been abducted and murdered by my people. I¡¯ve taken this picture on an excursion when I was fourteen. I didn¡¯t know the meaning of those stones back then, I just found it curious that there were almost three dozen of them in one place.¡±
The first officer took a deep breath, trying to regain a bit of his composure.
¡°Back home I asked my father about them. He told me about their meaning. That night I cried like I had never cried before. The boy whose stone I shot in this picture died at age fourteen. And there were thirty-one stones in that place because¡ because the house at that address had been an orphanage.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lieutenant Commander.¡± 4@19 said softly once he realized the meaning behind the XO¡¯s words.
¡°Don¡¯t be. We all have our own demons to battle. All we can do is try to never become like them.¡± Niko replied, wiping a lone tear away with his sleeve.
[ Act Four ]
¡°Personal log, July 20th, 3518.
Today it¡¯s been almost seven weeks now since Tarik and I started dating. Saying that at first it was a bit awkward would be the understatement of the century. I¡¯ve been out of dating since I transferred off the Hierophant and Tarik¡¯s been on his own for longer than I¡¯ve been alive.
But after some days we were both slowly getting used to being in a relationship once more. While at first it was a little strange to be in someone else¡¯s company again, I¡¯m now greatly enjoying every single moment together with him. I guess it¡¯s a result from our connection during the uplink, but he seems to always know the perfect thing to say or do to make me feel good.
I know I¡¯ve already talked about this quite a bit in previous logs, but it just serves to emphasize how much has changed for us in merely a few weeks. Now it feels almost as if we¡¯d been a couple for many years already. It¡¯s so strange, but in a good way. I also realized that Tarik has changed somewhat. He¡¯s started being more outgoing and socializes more with the crew. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s done that for me, but as a result he¡¯s become much more personable all around.
And I think the crew started liking him more, now that he¡¯s given up his life as a solitary recluse. Junior Lieutenant Vossler, Niko, and Rel also commented in yesterday¡¯s staff meeting that they noticed Tarik being more sociable and engaged with other crew members. I can¡¯t help but be happy about the idea that we might slowly overcome our prejudices and concerns regarding the Synergy and their people and accept them as part of our little family on board.
Tarik has a unique way of making me smile and laugh when his dry pragmatism collides with my own or my crew¡¯s fascination with this foreign galaxy. Whenever we encounter something that throws a wrench into the works of our methods or sparks our curiosity beyond the reasonable, he¡¯s always around with the perfect quip to take away the tension or help us understand whatever we discovered. Working with him is not only interesting and educating, but also a lot of fun for everyone involved. And he seems to enjoy this just as much as we do.
But nevertheless, and that is still a little unnerving to me, Tarik manages to switch between his outgoing and casual personality and his focused and professional one at a moment¡¯s notice, based on whatever the current situation requires. These sudden changes have taken me by surprise a couple of times, but I think I¡¯m getting used to them. It¡¯s just his way to stay concentrated and focused in tense or critical situations, and I appreciate his efforts to contribute to a professional work environment.
But he also knows how to be there for me when I¡¯m feeling down or lost. When he holds me in his arms, I feel safe in a way I can¡¯t describe. I know with absolute certainty that he¡¯ll never abandon or hurt me, and that I can always trust him with my worries and problems. We spend almost every evening together, cuddling on the couch and watching the stars outside while talking about our day.
Even though we¡¯re no longer linked together, I still know we¡¯re making good progress. I think it¡¯s even better for us to not be permanently linked. This way we¡¯re forced to build trust and familiarity the old-fashioned way, without any technology doing it for us. I like the little surprises we have in store for each other and how we gradually discover more of each other¡¯s personality and character. If someone had told me two years ago that I¡¯d fall in love with an older man and enjoy a slow relationship, I¡¯d have sent them to a counselor. And yet, here I am.
Speaking of being¡ we haven¡¯t been¡ well¡ intimate with each other yet. And after what he told me this evening when we kissed for the first time, I¡¯m hesitating to think about it. An act that in the past seemed so simple, so casual, and so enticing suddenly became¡ quite serious and intimidating. Tarik told me that all bodily fluids of members of the Synergy are infused with their nanoprobes. This was part of their enhanced physiology and a requirement for the function and maintenance of their implants and augmented body parts.
Since the Synergy, unlike the Collective, doesn¡¯t forcefully assimilate new members, they¡¯ve developed other means which they offer to introduce volunteers into their society. Most people that weren¡¯t born into the Synergy chose specifically prepared foods or drinks, a hypospray, or sexual contact with one of their members to receive the dose of nanites necessary for the transformation. I didn¡¯t expect to hear that, and I think Tarik noticed my negative reaction and how I withdrew slightly from his embrace.
He quickly explained that kissing wasn¡¯t a problem, because the nanites contained in saliva are mostly deactivated or damaged anyway, and their concentration was so low that my immune system could easily neutralize them. But if I ever slept with him, I¡¯d start the process to become like him and grow all the implants they have by default. To say that this put a damper on my mood would be an understatement. I¡¯d hate for him to think that I now was afraid or scared of him. I still want to be with him. I still eventually want to take that step¡ at least I hope I do. But¡
The prospect of joining the Synergy is at the same time both seductive and terrifying. From the few glimpses I was able to take into their society it seems to be an amazing place to be, a wonderful community to be part of. But the necessary changes, and the finality of the decision, are scary. What about the things I¡¯d have to sacrifice to be with Tarik? There are just so many uncertainties and I¡¯m still bound to my duty as a Starfleet officer and acting captain.
If I joined the Synergy, would I have to give up the Sidereal? I know for sure that would hurt, especially after all we¡¯ve been through. Would my crew still accept and respect me? Or would they think I betrayed them for my personal happiness? I don¡¯t know. Niko is a capable officer and a good friend. I¡¯m convinced he could take over the ship from me, especially since he now has all the command privileges necessary to replace me. It¡¯s a difficult decision which I can¡¯t yet make.
But there¡¯s one thing I can decide right now. I¡¯ll consult with Niko, Co-Yor, and Jeffrey again, and tell them I¡¯m going to perform another uplink. I want to see what else there is to the Synergy before I can make a final decision regarding my future with Tarik and if I¡¯ll ever be able to take the last step with him. I know they won¡¯t be happy about it, but from the checkups Co-Yor and Jeffrey have been doing on me the last few weeks, so far there seem to be no negative side effects coming from the uplinking procedure.
Using the uplink seems to be perfectly safe, just as the Synergy assured. It would be stupid of me to not use this opportunity for research and exploration. And for as long Jeffrey and Co-Yor don¡¯t have any concerns, maybe I could convince someone else to also give it a try. It would certainly help if I wasn¡¯t the only officer with first-hand experience with and understanding of the Synergy¡¯s social structure and their hive-mind.
But before that can happen, we¡¯re supposed to meet with a Dominion representative in two weeks. The Matriarch sent us a message today that included a few, but not all, details about that meeting. It seems that a high-ranking Dominion ambassador took a personal interest in us and wanted to meet us in person. I¡¯m not quite sure what to make of this, but at the same time I¡¯m excited to have this chance for more diplomatic contact with other members of the Galactic Council.
I guess we can only wait and see how interesting this encounter will be. I know this Dominion is not like ours, but I¡¯m still getting a bit nervous because of this apparently sudden interest in meeting us. I already started researching this Dominion a bit to prepare for the audience. Turns out they are quite different, more so than I had initially expected.
While their government is still not anywhere close to being democratic or egalitarian, it seems the Founders did remove the compulsory worshiping they had added to the Vorta and Jem¡¯Hadar and provided their servitor species with much more personal liberties. They also appear to have gotten rid of using the White as a means of enforcing loyalty from their soldiers, which was a real surprise to read. It appears their war with the Borg and the resulting almost-extinction gave the Founders of this reality a new appreciation for life and liberties.
Besides the meeting with the Dominion ambassador, I¡¯m also looking forward to tomorrow evening. We¡¯ll be back in the Sol system and Tarik promised to take me out on a picnic in one of the annulus¡¯s arboreta. Those parks come in vastly different sizes, ranging from twenty-five to several hundred square kilometers. I already know it¡¯s going to be amazing. The holodeck is one thing but being around real trees and lakes is so much better.
I¡¯m also happy to see that Tarik started taking some initiative when organizing our time together. So far, it¡¯s been mostly me suggesting thing to do, but it seems I finally managed to lure him out of his shell. I¡¯m absolutely satisfied with the way our unconventional relationship¡¯s developing. It feels so much more sincere and mature than anything I¡¯ve been involved with before.
End log.¡±
Sina let out a soft sigh and reached for the glass of water on the couch table. She took a sip on the drink and leaned back against the soft pillows, her gaze wandering to the tall windows above her as she watched the stars. Her thoughts inevitably went back to the prospect of joining the Synergy.
She felt a tinge of guilt gnawing at her consciousness, knowing that her reaction ruined the evening she and her companion had been looking forward to. The Romulan made a brief mental note to apologize to Tarik tomorrow. Still, the idea of being permanently linked to the hive-mind and having her body populated with various implants wouldn¡¯t give her any peace.
¡°Why does everything have to be so complicated?¡± She muttered under her breath, barely suppressing a yawn. She¡¯d been staying up way too late again to record the log entry, but she just needed to get these thoughts off her mind.
Yawning again, Sina finally rose from the couch and made her way to the bedroom. Peeling out of her duty uniform, she quickly jumped under the nucleonic radiation shower to swipe away all traces of the past day. In moments like this she sometimes regretted choosing the radiation shower over an actual water shower, but the convenience and quickness was hard to beat when you¡¯re on a tight schedule.
After less than a minute the Commander returned to the bedroom and slipped into her pajamas. After crawling under the blankets, Sina quickly got comfortable and yawned again. She was sound asleep only a few minutes later.
[ Act Five ]
Agent Danlen stared at the holographic screen in front of him with a deeply furrowed brow, contemplating the incursion cascade diagram. The Sidereal had popped up again on the scanners of the FTA¡¯s temporal sensor network, causing the timeline to shift again. The temporal agent had received the report just an hour ago, and since then he had been studying the resulting temporal disruptions across both the original timeline as well as the current timeline, which Q was so insistent of not changing.
In this version of reality, the Romulans had reunited with the Vulcans. What should have been a reason for celebration and to welcome the remnants of the fallen Romulan Star Empire into the Federation had instead caused a schism in the Federation Council. The opposition ran so deep, that in a terribly antagonistic decision over 190 of the 344 member worlds voted to deny membership to the Romulans. In response, Vulcan declared to withdraw its own membership and instead founded the Reunited Vulcan-Romulan Enclave.
Meanwhile, the Klingons had not conquered the Romulans but rather entered an impossibly fragile alliance with the Tholians. Diplomatic relations were somewhat stable, but a border dispute with the Breen had dragged the Klingon empire into a war on the other side of the quadrant. Their forces were spread incredibly thin due to the vast distances, and it seems that another Klingon Civil War was only months from breaking out.
During this chaos the Federation had stabilized. The loss of Vulcan was a heavy blow, but Earth, Tellar, and Andoria managed to keep the Federation from falling apart completely, mostly due to the Synergy¡¯s diplomatic influence. Still, important technological developments were missing from this timeline. There was still no sign that subspace slipstream or any other propulsion technology enabling intergalactic travel would be developed, neither seemed the Synergy willing to share their technology with the now unstable Federation. Both scenarios were causing Agent Danlen some moderate degree of concern.
He was just leaning back in his chair, letting out a strained sigh, when suddenly an all too familiar voice quipped from right behind his chair. ¡°Read anything interesting recently?¡±
Timot almost jumped off his seat as he turned around in shock. ¡°Q! Dammit, why can¡¯t you just use the door like literally everyone else?¡± He now saw that his uninvited guest was again wearing a 31st century Fleet Admiral¡¯s uniform, this time additionally adorned with a ridiculous number of medals and decorations.
¡°Because doors are so incredibly boring!¡± Q replied with a smirk. ¡°But I haven¡¯t come here to talk about doors with you.¡±
¡°Oh, is that so?¡± The tone of annoyance in the temporal agent¡¯s voice was more than obvious.
¡°Yes, Daniels, really. I¡¯m here to show you something.¡±
¡°If you plan on putting up another of your ¡®school lessons¡¯ you can just go right back to where you came from!¡± Timot shot back, standing from his chair. ¡°I have no time for your games, Q! In case you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m still somewhat busy trying to make any sense of the chaos you¡¯ve created.¡±
¡°Mon agent temporel! What are you thinking?¡± Q responded with a mocking tone and an overly dramatic expression of indignation on his face. ¡°Me? Playing games with you? What do you think of me? I¡¯m here to help you!¡±
The agent looked at Q warily. ¡°Helping me? With what?¡±
¡°Helping you understand what¡¯s at stake. You¡¯re still not taking this matter seriously. You¡¯re still thinking that reverting the timeline to its original state would solve all your problems. Make no mistake, Daniels! Just because your precious little ships haven¡¯t started exploding yet doesn¡¯t mean the Federation is not in great peril.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve gathered the most capable temporal scientists and engineers. We¡¯ve thrown so many resources at our research that we¡¯ve increased the accuracy and sensitivity of our temporal sensors by almost a whole order of magnitude. We¡¯ve sent dozens of task forces to crucial events in the future. We still haven¡¯t found any indication whatsoever that what you¡¯ve told me would happen is actually going to happen.¡±
Q¡¯s expression darkened and with two steps he was right up in Agent Danlen¡¯s face. ¡°Have you already forgotten what I told you? This enemy is beyond your capabilities. And if you improved your fancy sensors by a dozen orders of magnitude, you still wouldn¡¯t find them! They are more terrifying than you could ever even begin to imagine.¡±
The temporal agent swallowed, his eyes wide as a shiver ran down his spine. ¡°What do you mean with that?¡±
¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand. Not yet. You still have a lot to learn.¡± Q took a few steps past Timot, then turned back to face him. ¡°But we should go now, someone¡¯s waiting to meet you.¡±
¡°Wait, where do you want to ta-¡± But before the Agent could finish his protest, Q had put on a sly smirk and snipped his fingers. With a blinding flash, Q and the hapless temporal agent appeared on the outer hull of a massive superstructure. The Human was gasping for air for a moment, before he realized he wasn¡¯t succumbing to the hard vacuum. Gathering his composure and shooting an annoyed glare at Q, Daniels looked around. He was looking at Earth, but there was a massive annulus orbiting the blue planet above the equator. He swallowed as he realized the sheer size of the superstructure.
¡°Isn¡¯t it quaint?¡± Q remarked flatly.
¡°Where are we? This looks like Earth, but its surface and atmosphere are quite different. And what is this ring?¡±
Q grinned and opened his arms in an encompassing gesture. ¡°Welcome to Earth of quantum reality {?a0b70de2 ? e534 ¡Å.¡Ä 416e ¡ã.? 99bb ? e43b1432d514 ??}, Daniels! Population: a little bit above thirty-one billion, plus about fifteen billion on the annulus. Oh, and by the way, the year is 3518. Thought you should know that as well.¡±
¡°What the¡¡± Agent Danlen just stared at the sight dumbfounded while his brain was still trying to make sense of how Q had pronounced the quantum signature. But before he had gathered and reorganized his sanity, there was another flash of light.
¡°So that¡¯s this ¡®Daniels¡¯ you¡¯ve mentioned? I have to admit he doesn¡¯t appear to be that clever.¡±
The temporal agent¡¯s head whipped around, only to be even more dumbfounded as he watched two Q standing right next to each other. Of course, they looked identical aside from the vastly different clothing. The Q that had brought him here still wore the ridiculously decorated Starfleet uniform, while the other Q was dressed in a simple white robe.
He furrowed his brow in frustration. ¡°Oh great! Now there are two of them!¡± Timot exclaimed, already imagining the onset of a slight migraine.
Synergy Q quirked a brow and looked at his colleague. ¡°See? His brain appears to be too limited to understand that the Continuum, and therefore both of us, exist in every possible reality. Are you sure you¡¯ve got the right one, Q? You know how important this is!¡±
¡°Yes Q, I know he doesn¡¯t impress you. But trust me.¡± Prime Q replied, both eying Daniels from head to toe. ¡°Their species didn¡¯t seem particularly interesting to me either at first. Believe me, those Humans can be so incredibly stubborn and shortsighted, and have been a source of ample frustration and headaches for me. But after some time and with a proper nudge here and there to guide them, they do show great potential. Of course, only if they eventually get their act together, that is.¡±
¡°Hmmm¡ if you say so, Q. I¡¯ll believe you for now. Let¡¯s see how much potential your Daniels is able to conjure during his stay here.¡±
¡°My stay? Would either of you have the dignity to tell me what the hell is going on here?¡± Timot exclaimed, his own frustration at being talked over so brazenly flaring up.
¡°Daniels, mind your manners!¡± Prime Q said. ¡°We¡¯re guests here, and you don¡¯t want to offend our host, do you?¡±
The temporal agent just rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°Why me?!¡± He whispered under his breath, catching a knowing glance from Prime Q.
¡°The answer is simple.¡± Synergy Q quipped. ¡°Because you must understand. You must learn. And you must accept.¡±
¡°Understand what? Learn what? Accept what? Why can¡¯t you just say what you mean like any other person and stop talking in riddles all the damn time?!¡± Daniels asked back, turning towards the other Q. His steps were still a bit unsure, given that we was standing on the outside of an unimaginably large superstructure without a space suit.
Synergy Q shrugged and looked at Prime Q. ¡°He¡¯s quite impatient. I guess that¡¯s another trait of your ¡®Humans¡¯? Oh well¡¡± He snipped with his fingers. A flash of light encompassed all three of them and an instant later they reappeared on the first ring of the gravimetric anchor array floating between Cygnus X-1 and its companion star.
Agent Danlen¡¯s mouth stood open while his eyes followed the curve of the superstructure and beyond. ¡°What¡¡±
Prime Q walked up next to him. ¡°Impressive, isn¡¯t it? To think that puny little creatures like your kind could construct something of this size and power. Feeding a star into a black hole, just to make a call back home¡¡±
Timot looked at Q. ¡°This¡ this is the facility that enabled the Sidereal to communicate with Starfleet Command?¡± His tone was incredulous as it slowly dawned to him how powerful the Synergy really was if they could perform stellar engineering at this scale. Q simply nodded.
Synergy Q appeared on Daniel¡¯s other side. ¡°Not even the Federation from your original timeline and century could design or construct anything remotely as powerful as this. But for the Synergy, it was just a few weeks¡¯ worth of effort. The same with Earth¡¯s annulus. Despite originally having been built by the Borg as an orbital staging and construction facility, the Synergy managed to greatly expand it and turn it into something magnificent. For mortal creatures, that is.¡±
The temporal agent let out a frustrated sigh, nervously watching a couple of cubes and spheres whizzing in and out of Cygnus¡¯s binary system in the distance. ¡°Why are you showing and telling me this? You haven¡¯t gone through the trouble of bringing me here just to boast about how much better your reality¡¯s mortal beings were compared to ours, have you?¡±
Hearing that, Synergy Q¡¯s head whipped around and he stared Timot right in the eye, a dangerous smirk on his lips. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re finally getting somewhere. You¡¯re correct, there is purpose behind this that far exceeds mere¡ bragging. Behold, the price for failure.¡± He snipped again with his fingers and the inconspicuous group was again whisked away in a flash of light.
They had moved back to Earth, but the scene had changed. The annulus was broken and dark, its hull torn and shredded into a million pieces. It¡¯s gray-white-blue exterior plating was scorched and charred, and nests of plasma fire were slowly consuming whatever material they could get a hold on. Adrift between the fragments of the devastated orbital ring were the remnants of hundreds, if not thousands, of cubes and spheres. An impossibly powerful armada, far beyond Starfleet¡¯s wildest imagination, wiped out with apparent ease and turned into a cacophony of destruction.
Earth itself was a desolate lifeless husk. Its crust was broken, its tectonic plates shattered. The oceans had evaporated and what remained of the surface was consumed by an unimaginably expansive firestorm. As Daniels looked closer, he noticed the locations of weapon impacts on the planet. Nation-sized craters tearing into the landscape, but with an impact pattern unlike any weapon type he was familiar with.
¡°What is this?¡± Timot inquired shocked. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°This is our Earth in the year 3521. This is what will also happen to your Earth if the Sidereal fails.¡± Synergy Q answered with his lips pressed tightly together.
¡°Why? Who did this?¡±
Prime Q vanished in a flash of light and instantly reappeared wearing a Victorian era suit. ¡°Have you already forgotten the lesson, Daniels? I¡¯m quite disappointed!¡± He commented with his usual charming exaggeration.
Daniels stared back at him with eyes wide open, his mind racing to recall the information from that ridiculous display of Q¡¯s power. ¡°A lurking shadow¡ hiding in the dark between the galaxies. Weren¡¯t those your words, Q?¡±
Prime Q nodded. ¡°Indeed, they were. I hope you realize now what is at stake, because this¡¡± He gestured to the devastation around them. ¡°¡is only the beginning. It¡¯s not about our reality or their reality. It¡¯s a battle for the future of all realities. Existence itself is under attack. And now think about this: if that enemy is capable of utterly decimating a civilization as advanced and powerful as the Synergy, what do you think will they be able to do to your precious Federation?¡±
Timot glanced back at the burning planet and swallowed.
¡°How could we ever hope to stand against such a powerful foe? The Synergy could easily overpower even 31st century Starfleet¡ and yet they were beaten so decisively.¡±
¡°Because you think in four-dimensional terms.¡± Synergy Q shook his head. ¡°For a time-traveler you have surprisingly little imagination.¡±
¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Don¡¯t you think an enemy this powerful can monitor the timeline against incursions?¡± Daniels countered with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.
¡°Oh, of course. But how about the idea that this war could be steered into a direction where it can be won with words instead of weapons?¡± Prime Q interjected.
The temporal agent turned his head to face his own reality¡¯s Continuum member. ¡°Diplomacy? Against an enemy you called cruel and merciless? How would you even know that th-¡± Timot abruptly stopped in the middle of the sentence when something began to dawn on him. ¡°You know them. You¡¯ve fought them before. You¡ had contact with them! Didn¡¯t you?¡±
Synergy Q smirked at his colleague. ¡°Not bad. I¡¯d have guessed he¡¯d never come to that realization.¡±
¡°Yes, we had contact with them.¡± Prime Q continued. ¡°It¡ didn¡¯t work out as expected, but not for the reasons you think of now. They are unlike anything you ever have encountered and will encounter. You cannot even begin to comprehend their nature or mindset.¡±
¡°We can¡¯t beat them with weapons, and we can¡¯t understand them enough to talk to them. What else do you then want from me?¡± Agent Danlen let out a frustrated sigh.
¡°You can¡¯t do that, but the crew of the Sidereal will be able to do so.¡± Synergy Q replied. ¡°That is, if they succeed with their mission.¡±
The temporal agent faced Q¡¯s indistinguishable mirror image. ¡°How can you say that with that much conviction?¡±
Synergy Q let out a bellowing laughter. Irritated at this sudden outburst, Timot turned to Prime Q who was rubbing the root of his nose and shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re not making a good impression, Daniels¡ I¡¯d have thought you could at least have guessed as much, but neither future nor past hold any secrets from the Continuum. Either are like an open book to us.¡±
¡°If you know of a timeline where the enemy can be defeated, why don¡¯t you just make sure that those events also happen in your own timelines? That shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for you, should it?¡± Daniels taunted both Q.
¡°Do you really think we haven¡¯t tried?¡± Synergy Q exclaimed, a clearly irritated expression on his face. ¡°We have tried for eons longer than your pitiful species has even existed. But we learned the hard way that the more we tried forcing things, the faster the timeline would diverge from the required path. I think your scientists call that phenomenon ¡®special chronometric entropy¡¯ or something like that. The multiverse still has a few tricks up its sleeve that can stop even the Continuum.¡±
¡°Then what are we going to do now?¡± Timot inquired as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
¡°We¡¯ll wait and observe, and maybe give the timeline a tiny nudge whenever necessary. But nothing more, or this timeline will become like the hundreds of billions others where we¡ failed.¡± Prime Q lectured Daniels, eventually returning to wearing his familiar Starfleet uniform with the snap of his fingers.
Agent Danlen turned to face Synergy Q and ask a question, when he noticed something moving from the corner of his eye. The temporal agent looked up, and a heartbeat later his mouth hang open. ¡°What the hell is that!?¡±
Both Q also looked up and quipped in unison. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just one of their capital ships.¡±
The gigantic vessel looked like a crystalline interstellar feather starfish. Dozens of fuzzy tentacles were slowly swaying up and down in an intricate pattern, silently and effortlessly moving the massive ship through space. Its hull appeared both incredibly delicate and fragile as glass, yet at the same time as unyielding and dense as the crust of a neutron star. It looked as if spacetime itself had been folded into shape and was gently flowing wherever the titan wanted to go.
Timot stared at the beautiful and intimidating sight. ¡°What is it doing here? Is it coming for us?¡± He asked with a frightened, almost fearful tone in his voice.
¡°Oh no!¡± Prime Q laughed and waved his hands. ¡°They don¡¯t bother with single targets like us. They have bigger fish to fry.¡±
As the ship slowly moved overhead, the temporal agent felt an inhuman presence glancing at him. For a split second it seemed to him as if all refractions of the starfish vessel had turned into monstrous eyes and were scrutinizing him with a cold, eldritch gaze. The Human¡¯s neck hairs stood on ends even after the ship had already passed them.
Synergy Q eventually continued. ¡°They merely returned to finish what they started here.¡± He had barely finished, when the enemy vessel suddenly threw all its tentacles forward to form an interwoven funnel. A split second later a black beam shot forth, encircled in a pale white halo, and lanced directly towards the sun.
¡°Just wait and observe¡¡± Prime Q whispered in Daniels¡¯ ear. The temporal agent simple nodded and stared at the sun hoping to catch a glimpse of the impact. A tiny part of his brain was still wondering how he could look directly at a star without going blind, but he quickly chalked that up to Q¡¯s influence.
As the small gathering watched with bated breath, the gigantic starfish vessel started to fade. It simply vanished from sight, but it looked completely different than any cloaking device Timot was familiar with. The closest comparison he could muster was that of a fabric whose folds and creases were ironed out. The ship¡¯s hull, or what Agent Danlen thought was its hull, flowed and appeared to merge with the surrounding spacetime, as if returning material which it had borrowed.
The minutes crawled by, and after exactly eight minutes and twenty seconds, Daniels saw the consequences of the starfish¡¯s attack. A dark spot appeared where the star had been struck by the eldritch beam, and it rapidly started to grow. Agent Danlen could clearly see, again with Q¡¯s help, how the sun died. The various layers of its atmosphere were rapidly converted into some exotic type of dead matter. The dark spot grew with insane speed, consuming the star like ravenous cancer.
The converted parts almost instantly began to clump up, falling in onto each other, and once a little over half the sun had been changed it collapsed completely. Daniels stared in total shock, as the last light of the dying sun rapidly red-shifted and faded away into nothingness, only to be swallowed by the newly formed black hole. After less than a minute the sun was gone, and the solar system was quickly getting darker and colder.
¡°Now you know why the Sidereal must succeed at all costs.¡± Synergy Q remarked.
And Prime Q quickly added. ¡°All other concerns are secondary. Because if they fail, this will be the fate of all stars and all galaxies.¡± Before Daniels could rally a response, Q snipped his fingers and the temporal agent was back in his office, visible shaken by what he had witnessed in the last couple of minutes.
[2x07] Towards The Golden Sky
[ Act One ]
Tarik stood in front of Sina¡¯s quarters with a fabricated picnic basket containing a selection of foods he knew Sina liked. There was a loaf of Bajoran mapa bread, a few hard-boiled chicken eggs, two types of Denobulan sausage, a grilled salmon steak, thinly sliced kilm steak, tartoc salad with Matopin rock fungi, several spices and condiments, and a couple of Betazed uttaberry crepes for dessert.
He had looked up some more details on this still somewhat foreign concept of dating before suggesting the picnic. The information he had acquired suggested that if nothing else was agreed upon the person suggesting an activity was responsible for planning and executing it, as well as picking up their partner and escort them to the location of the event.
A cloud of all the delicious foods¡¯ odor was slowly spreading out from the basket, when 4@19 finally pressed the bell button. A moment later the doors opened, but as he wanted to step into his girlfriend¡¯s space, he was immediately greeted by Sina standing next to the entrance. She wordlessly wrapped her arms around him and placed a tender kiss against his lips.
¡°Hello there, handsome.¡± She said softly before untangling herself from him and standing at arm¡¯s length. The Romulan wore a casual white and green summer dress, whose top graciously hugged her curves while the bottom part lightly flowed around her knees. Usually Sina wore her hair tied into a ponytail, but today she obviously felt more like letting it fall freely over her shoulders.
¡°You look gorgeous.¡± He answered, blushing ever so slightly under his ever-present three-day stubble as he admired the curious glimmer in her eyes and her happy smile. ¡°Everything is ready, my dear. I¡¯ve selected a suitable location and prepared enough food for us. We can depart whenever you like.¡±
¡°I¡¯m almost ready. Just let me know if my shoes are okay.¡± Sina wiggled her brows at her boyfriend as she wiggled her right foot in front of her, showing off her somewhat sturdy closed flat heel round toe shoes which matched the white of her dress. ¡°Given that we¡¯re going on a picnic, high heels probably would have been a bad choice. But maybe I need to switch to boots?¡±
Without further comment, Tarik dropped to one knee in front of her and reached out to hold her ankle steady. He quickly scanned the shoe and recalled the terrain of the area he had chosen. After a moment he rose again and remarked. ¡°No. These shoes are adequate. You should not encounter any difficulties. But if you would feel more comfortable or safer in your boots, please feel free to change your footwear. You know I value your comfort more than your attire.¡±
¡°I know you do.¡± She smiled warmly at him, before hooking her arm with his. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go!¡±
¡°Very well.¡± Tarik returned the smile and a fraction of a second later the couple was engulfed in the almost instantaneous chaotic blur of a dimensional shift. They emerged from the collapsing pocket, showered in quickly dissipating exotic particles, standing in the middle of a small but rich green pasture.
The grass cover was speckled with nests of flowers, from the rich violet of meadow sage, to the signature white and yellow of chamomile, to the bright red petals of the common poppy. The meadow was crossed by two simple paths laid down in fine, rounded, pale gray gravel, while each end of the simple trails disappeared into the light forest surrounding the pasture.
Sina turned around and looked in amazement at the scenery, her sense of smell assaulted by the clean air and the fresh scent of the grass, flowers, and trees around her. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, enjoying the moment to its fullest. ¡°This is amazing!¡± The Romulan woman spoke softly. ¡°You can really smell it! You can really tell it¡¯s real.¡±
Sina looked around and quickly noticed that she didn¡¯t see any wall. She looked up, but neither did she see a ceiling. Instead she only found a light blue sky above her, with speckles of white clouds. ¡°The sky is a hologram, right?¡±
Tarik chuckled slightly at his companion¡¯s fascination. ¡°Yes, all arboretum ceilings and walls are covered in holoemitters to provide the required lighting conditions and enable more immersive experiences for visitors. But all plants and animals are real.¡±
¡°Animals? You have actual animals in here?¡± The Commander¡¯s head whipped around to look at Tarik. She had barely finished her question when she noticed from the corner of her eye how bumblebee buzzed by her head.
¡°Yes, but it¡¯s only a small selection. Most of them are insect species necessary to facilitate natural pollination for the plants, and a small group of various predators to keep the populations under control. We were deliberate in which species to use, since we couldn¡¯t allow for a more elaborate ecosystem with more extensive predator-prey relationships.¡±
¡°It¡¯s amazing. I¡¯d really like for all of my crew to be able to come here.¡± Sina remarked as she stepped back closer to Tarik and leaned against his shoulder.
4@19 carefully put his arm around his SO and started guiding them towards their destination. ¡°That is no problem. They can visit the arboreta whenever they wish.¡±
They followed the trail for about ten minutes. Most of the path lead them through the forest, which grew denser and taller as they got further away from the clearing. They even heard the songs of at least two different kinds of birds, which made Sina¡¯s mood even happier.
At last they reached a small clearing in the now quite dense forest. A slow-moving stream crossed the glade from another direction and created a small pool of clear water near a formation of boulders in the clearing¡¯s center. Next to the massive rocks waited a sturdy table and two benches, made to appear to be made from material matching the stones.
As the unlikely couple approached the dining area, they saw that trail continued onward over a small bridge across the pond and well past the small glade. Sina curiously looked around, still seeing no end of the gigantic hall. 4@19 placed the picnic basket on the table and turned to his partner, who had started to take a quick climb a little up the boulders to get a better view over the opening.
¡°How large exactly is this arboretum?¡±
¡°Be careful up there.¡± He replied, standing close and ready to catch her if she fell. ¡°It¡¯s one of the larger ones. Its total area is eighty square kilometers. You probably already realized that it¡¯s modeled after a temperate mixed forest biome as it was typically found in Earth¡¯s northern hemisphere, intermixed with several open meadow areas.¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± After another moment she climbed back down and added with a teasing laughter on her lips. ¡°But you know, all this fresh air and walking made me extra hungry now.¡±
Tarik simply chuckled in response. Together they returned to the table and started unpacking their picnic. The Romulan was extra curious what her partner had brought for her. As Tarik was unloading the basket, she curiously peeked inside. ¡°Oh, do I spy some uttaberry crepes down there?¡± She laughed and tried to reach for them while licking her lips, but he playfully slapped her fingers aside.
¡°Hey! Those are for dessert. Don¡¯t spoil your appetite already.¡±
Sina burst out into happy laughter as she withdrew her hand. ¡°Okay, okay, but you have no idea how hungry I am. I guarantee you it won¡¯t make any difference whether I have the crepe now or later.¡±
The engineer smirked at his partner. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Besides, good things come to those who wait. The crepes will taste even better if you¡¯re patient.¡± Focusing for a moment, Tarik used his uplink implant to interface with the table. The furniture was part of a hidden fabricator assembly and with a few thoughts he created a set of plates and cutlery for them to use for their meal.
Once all was prepared, Sina and Tarik sat down next to each other, the food deliciously on display in front of them. Both partners diligently shared the tasks of preparing and distributing their meal. Tarik cut the loaf of mapa bread into slices, while Sina peeled the chicken eggs. He cut the Denobulan sausages into bite-sized pieces, while she dressed the tartoc salad. Each time one of them was done with one food, they put an equal amount on both their plates, making sure that either got a taste of everything Tarik had brought for the picnic.
¡°I¡¯m really glad to see that your stomach is behaving nicely today.¡± Sina remarked before dipping a piece of sausage into a smudge of mustard and taking a bite from it.
Tarik finished chewing and swallowing his mouthful of salad and replied with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve been strictly following Co-Yor¡¯s recommendations in order to accustom my digestive system again to solid food. So far it seems to have worked quite well. Let¡¯s hope it stays that way.¡±
¡°If you get sick, I¡¯ll make some hot tea for you and rub your belly until you¡¯re feeling better again.¡± She responded with a teasing grin on her lips.
With a hearty laughter the engineer picked up a thin slice of kilm steak with his fork and placed it in his mouth.
The happy couple continued their meal for another twenty minutes, playfully teasing each other, tasting this and that, finishing the whole bowl of salad, and leaving no traces of the sausages or the steak. Finally, Sina leaned back against the bench¡¯s backrest and let out a content sigh.
¡°That was great!¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad you enjoyed it, because I certainly did.¡± Tarik replied while putting his arm around his partner, holding her gently against his shoulder. After a quiet minute, the Romulan started to giggle softly.
¡°Okay, I think we¡¯ve waited long enough. Now it¡¯s time for crepes!¡± She called out, barely containing her contagious laughter that quickly infected the Human as well.
¡°I agree with your assessment, Commander.¡± Tarik replied dryly, while he leaned to the other side and pulled out the box with the warm crepes. The crepes¡¯ sweet scent immediately permeated the air around the table, and the Romulan already smacked her lips in anticipation of the delicious pastries.
¡°Not so fast!¡± The Human teased her and held the crepes out of Sina¡¯s reach.
¡°Hey! That¡¯s mean!¡± She playfully complained, but her partner quickly picked up a clean fork. He cut off a bite-sized piece of the rolled-up dessert, and picked it up with the fork, offering it to his companion who was still leaning against his shoulder.
With a happy sound Sina accepted the offering and smiled as Tarik slowly fed them both the first crepe. He continued alternating between taking one piece for himself and offering the next piece to Sina until all four crepes were gone.
Finally, with the last piece of dessert gone, he put down the fork. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that much nicer than wolfing down the crepes right from the start?¡±
¡°Yes, yes, you were right.¡± Sina breathed. ¡°But how did learn about that anyway? I would have thought that you would consider eating to be just another form of nutrient consumption.¡±
¡°That¡¯s only half the truth. Eating alone is indeed only another form of consuming my required calories. But eating with you, my dear, is a social activity that to me is so much more than the sum of its parts¡ or foods.¡± Tarik placed a gentle kiss on the top of Sina¡¯s head before he continued.
¡°You¡¯re also forgetting that for you eating is something mundane, an activity you¡¯ve done literally every single day of your life for over three decades. But to us, it is still exceptional. A strange and foreign experience, which we relish and savor whenever we find the opportunity for it.¡±
¡°I guess that makes a lot of sense¡¡± She murmured softly.
The couple remained seated for a little longer, before Tarik gently nudged Sina. ¡°How about we quickly clean up?¡± The Romulan nodded and together they managed to put together all the boxes and bottles they had brought with them. Tarik placed everything inside his picnic basket, including the dishware and cutlery they had fabricated on the spot.
He again activated his neural transceiver and moments later the table started recycling the basket and everything inside it. Once the activation cycle was complete, the table was as clean and pristine as they had found it.
Sina watched with renewed fascination how the hidden fabricator disassembled and absorbed every plate and even the basket itself in a shower of gleaming silvery streaks of light. She glanced at her companion and quirked a brow. ¡°And now?¡±
4@19 replied with a soft smile on his lips. ¡°Whatever you like. We can return to the Sidereal or remain here for some time longer. There¡¯s no time limit on our stay, aside from our shipboard duties.¡±
¡°I think I have an idea¡ and I think you¡¯ll like it. Just trust me.¡± The Romulan grinned and grabbed the Human¡¯s hands, gently tugging and pulling him away from the table. She guided him to the other side of the boulders and dropped down to the wonderfully lush and soft grass. Patting the spot to her right she urged him to sit next to her, but the moment he sat on the ground she leaned against him and with a happy giggle pushed him onto his back.
¡°Careful there, young lady!¡± Came the playful protest from Tarik, but he quickly returned the favor and pulled her close to him, making her squeal in his arms. After a few more moments of shuffling and nudging they had found a comfortable position on the meadow¡¯s soft grass, and a tender silence fell upon them as they simply enjoyed each other¡¯s company.
After a few minutes Sina let out a happy and content sigh, relaxing in her companion¡¯s arms.
¡°Tarik?¡± Sina spoke softly some time later.
¡°Yes, Sina?¡±
She snuggled up closer against her partner, draping her arm over his chest as if to claim him for herself. ¡°I want to apologize for ruining our evening yesterday. It only occurred to me later how much my reaction must have hurt you. I was just¡ shocked, I guess, that we couldn¡¯t be with each other without me having to go through that change. I felt as if I had to withdraw from what you are and I¡¯m really sorry for that.¡±
The engineer waited for a long moment, then took a deep breath. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. Your reaction was understandable, and it didn¡¯t hurt me at all. Being a part of the Synergy is radically different from what your people are used to, so a certain level of apprehension is certainly justified and to be expected. And you really didn¡¯t ruin the evening. If anything, I shouldn¡¯t have sprung that information on you like I did in that intimate situation.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± The Romulan murmured, happily resting her head against his shoulder. ¡°You know, I still want to, well, join you¡ I think. But I just need more time. It¡¯s just¡ ¡± Her voice trailed off while she was searching for a way to express the turmoil in her mind.
4@19 pulled his companion closer against his body. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. To me it doesn¡¯t matter whether you join us or not. I just want to be at your side. I don¡¯t want you ever to feel pressured into making that decision. If you don¡¯t want to become like me, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s okay and I will never think less of you for that. But if you do, then I¡¯ll happily welcome you in my arms and thoughts in a whole new way. But you make that choice when you¡¯re ready and not before.¡±
¡°That¡¯s so good to hear. Thanks, baby.¡± Sina whispered and turned her head to press a tender smooch against the stubble beneath his chin. She smiled at Tarik¡¯s sweet and reassuring words. Knowing that he¡¯d accept her as she was and wouldn¡¯t expect her to change was giving her much needed confidence. The Romulan found comfort not only in the engineer¡¯s arms, but also in his trust and unconditional love, even if they couldn¡¯t share any kind of intimacy yet.
While they laid quietly on the peaceful meadow, enjoying being so close to each other and undisturbed, Sina slowly started to doze off. She snuggled against Tarik¡¯s shoulder and tried to follow the hypnotic dance of a couple of butterflies just a few meters away from them. A few moments later she was well asleep in his arms.
[ Act Two ]
Fully concentrated, Co-Yor observed the wall display in the sickbay¡¯s attached biochemistry laboratory. His gaze closely followed the synthesis progress of the desegranine derivate he had been working on the last few weeks. Ever since T¡¯Sai had provided him with her updated scan results over a month ago, he had doubled his efforts to create an inoculation against low-energy neurogenic fields.
The Vulcan officer¡¯s observations were a little concerning. While he now understood that the neural transceiver implants worked with neurogenic fields to enhance their effectiveness, thanks to the detailed scans he was able to perform during Sina¡¯s uplinking, he was worried that they were strong enough to potentially influence someone else. And while he was still not completely convinced that the mere presence of those fields would pose an immediate danger to the crew, he wanted to be prepared in case the situation changes or unforeseen complications arose.
¡°Synthesis of DSG-M12 batch seven completed.¡± The EMH announced from a lab bench on the other end of the room. The program¡¯s female avatar retrieved the batch and turned around. Picking up a tricorder on the way, she presented the vial with the drug and the scanner to Co-Yor. ¡°DSG-M12 batch seven has reached a complete match of the required molecular cohesion. According to my simulations it fulfills all initial requirements, Doctor.¡±
The CMO took the vial and tricorder, and with the flick of his wrist snapped the scanner open. He swiftly validated the EMH¡¯s statement about the drug¡¯s molecular form and nodded. ¡°Good. Prepare four synthetic gray matter samples for neural interference testing.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir.¡± The EMH acknowledged and walked to a different bench that was covered with several medical and biochemical devices for a variety of tests, analyses, and experiments. With apt proficiency she entered the required instructions into the bio sample replicator and a few seconds later four large petri dishes covered in a thin layer of synthetic nerve tissue on a bed of nutrient paste materialized. ¡°Test and control samples replicated, Doctor.¡± She announced to the CMO.
Co-Yor joined the EMH at the lab bench and picked one petri dish from the replicator¡¯s tray. He carefully placed it under the emitter coil on the working area behind him, precisely aligning its position according to the markings under the coil to ensure it would receive the correct neurogenic field exposure. Turning back, he produced a clean empty hypospray from the pocket of his lab coat and fed the drug vial into it. He took a second petri dish, walked over to an isolated work area under a sterilization and fume protection force field and applied a dose of DSG-M12 from his hypospray to the tissue sample.
Once the drug had been absorbed into the synthetic gray matter, Co-Yor returned and placed the second petri dish under the field coil, right next to the first. Meanwhile the EMH moved the control samples away from the emitter coil. She put one of them next to the isolated section also to receive a dose of DSG-M12 to measure the drug¡¯s effect when not exposed to neurogenic fields. By the time the CMO applied the drug to the second test sample, the holographic assistant was just placing her petri dish inside the static storage container.
Eventually all four samples were ready and stored properly. Two samples, with and without DSG-M12 under the emitter coil. Two other samples, with and without the drug, isolated from any outside field. Co-Yor checked the samples one more time, running his tricorder next to the petri dishes to ensure there had been no cross-contamination between test and control samples. ¡°Good.¡± He hummed deeply, satisfied with the readings. ¡°All samples are ready. Activate the isolation field around the emitter coil, then power the coil with 0.0172 milliwatts.¡±
¡°Aye, Sir. Isolation field activated. Emitter coil activated at 0.0172 milliwatts. It will take approximately forty-one minutes before the samples will have reacted sufficiently to yield valid results. Do you wish me to set a personal reminder for you?¡± The EMH state in its usual overly polite and formal way.
¡°Yes, then deactivate the EMH.¡± Co-Yor simply replied as he turned to leave the laboratory, hanging his lab coat next to the door before he returned to the main sickbay. He walked directly to his office and pulled his uniform straight as he sat down and tapped his combadge. ¡°Co-Yor to Heisenberg.¡±
¡°Heisenberg here, what¡¯s up Co-Yor?¡± Niko¡¯s reply came immediately.
¡°Would you have a few minutes, Lieutenant Commander? There is something I need to discuss with you. Personally.¡±
There was a second of awkward silence. ¡°Uh, sure. You want me to come down to sickbay?¡±
¡°Yes, please.¡± The CMO answered.
¡°Sure thing, on my way. Heisenberg out.¡±
Not even two minutes later the XO walked through the door, searching for the Kalonar doctor who was already awaiting the first officer. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Lieutenant Commander. Please join me in my office.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Niko replied, following Co-Yor into his office. The XO sat and watched curiously how the doctor activated the confidentiality screen around the room before sitting down behind his desk. ¡°So, what do you need?¡±
¡°Lieutenant Commander, I have to inform you about a potential threat to the crew.¡± Co-Yor opened, speaking a little slower than normal and choosing his words carefully and deliberately. The Kalonar wanted to engage the topic slowly and give himself the chance to notice the XO¡¯s reaction to the provided information.
Niko furrowed his brows. ¡°What kind of threat are we talking about? Did we bring an infection or parasite on board?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s something different. Please allow me to explain. A little over six months ago I was approached by a member of the crew, under guarantee of confidentiality, who had made a quite alarming discovery. They discovered traces of neurogenic fields with a strength just barely able to exert a subtle influence on members of our crew after long term exposure. I¡¯ve recently received another update from that crew member, which clearly indicates that these fields are closely related to the presence of Tarik. I¡¯ve personally reviewed the data in both cases and found not factual errors.¡±
¡°Wait a second. Are you telling me Tarik is trying to¡ to do what exactly?¡±
Co-Yor slightly angled his head before he continued. ¡°Strong neurogenic fields are capable of inducing believable and realistic appearing hallucinations in affected beings. There are several records in the Federation medical database, but two of the more prominent examples were both encountered by Voyager at stardates 51471.3 and 52542.3.¡±
The XO stared at the CMO. ¡°You think Tarik¡¯s¡ mind controlling us? Isn¡¯t that quite a stretch?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not suggesting it was an active attempt at subverting our mental autonomy, Lieutenant Commander. After the captain¡¯s uplinking we know with certainty that the neural transceiver implant the Synergy uses to connect their members to the hive-mind utilizes neurogenic fields. It is certainly possible that Tarik¡¯s implant is incorrectly configured or suffering a technical malfunction. As a precaution, I¡¯m developing a drug that provides protection against behavioral changes induced by neurogenic fields. I would suggest all crew members receive that treatment once I¡¯ve sufficiently tested the medication.¡±
¡°Hold up!¡± Niko put his hands up in front of him. ¡°Why are you telling me this only now, over half a year later? And why me and not the captain? I feel like I¡¯m missing a big part of the whole picture here.¡±
¡°The highest field intensities were measured on the bridge, in several senior staff quarters, and in main engineering. Once Tarik stepped down from his position as chief engineer the intensities on the bridge and main engineering dropped significantly. I had to wait to ensure there was no potential influence on you before informing you about the situation. And the captain¡¯s levels of exposure are increasing, since she keeps spending a significant amount of time near Tarik.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg breathed a frustrated sigh. ¡°Are you serious?¡±
¡°Yes, Lieutenant Commander.¡± Co-Yor replied flatly, angling his head in the other direction now.
¡°Okay, but¡ why? Why the secret-mongering? You said the fields were barely able to influence anyone and only long-term expo-¡± He paused, an expression of realization suddenly forming on his face. ¡°You think the Synergy were using Tarik to influence and manipulate us? And the captain?¡±
¡°I consider it a possibility. That¡¯s why I informed you now, rather than her.¡± The doctor responded.
Niko shook his head. ¡°Why should they do that? If they wanted to cause us any harm, they could have done so a thousand times over. Hell, if they wanted to harm us why would they enable us to communicate with Starfleet Command and our families? They could have lied and simply said, ¡®sorry, not possible¡¯ and we wouldn¡¯t have been any wiser. Honestly, while I appreciate the attentiveness, I think your anonymous informants are overreacting a bit, Co-Yor. We have no indication whatsoever that the Synergy harbors any ill will against us. And if they did¡ we would be quickly overwhelmed anyway.¡±
¡°Like I said, it is a theoretical but possible threat. In fact, I agree with your assessment that attempting such a subversive tactic would be uncharacteristic and unnecessary for the Synergy, given the steep power gradient between them and us. My personal intuition tends towards the field traces being the result of a misconfigured or malfunctioning implant. I simply wanted to minimize the risk to the crew.¡± Co-Yor explained, followed by a deep sigh.
¡°And I think you did the right thing, Co-Yor.¡± Niko reassured the CMO. ¡°But I¡¯m certain we can rule out any hostile intentions. By the way, what kind of drug were you developing against those fields?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a derivate of desegranine.¡±
The first officer¡¯s eyes popped open. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the stuff the Obsidian Order gave to its deep cover agents? Uh¡¡±
¡°No worries, Lieutenant Commander. It¡¯s a highly modified and much weaker derivate with a different effect. Instead of activating dormant memory engrams it reinforces already active engrams against modification. The drug¡¯s function is to prevent or at least hamper modification of memories and behavioral patterns.¡±
¡°Ah okay. How far along with the process are you?¡± The XO inquired.
¡°I¡¯ve just completed the most recent batch. Several samples are currently undergoing neural interference testing to determine its effectiveness and side effects. I am confident this batch passes all tests and is ready for distribution.¡± The Kalonar explained calmly, his unmoving golden eyes staring at Niko.
The Lieutenant Commander quirked his brow. ¡°I see. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have to roll the drug out immediately.¡±
¡°That also wasn¡¯t my intention. I merely prepared it in case the situation required quick action.¡±
¡°Good thinking, Co-Yor. Better safe than sorry, I guess. Anyway, I¡¯ll have a chat with Tarik about his neural transceiver and ask him to maybe tone down the field strength if possible.¡± The first officer replied. ¡°Do you reckon that would be enough, or would you recommend further steps?¡±
¡°That should suffice. Once the field strength is further reduced, we can re-estimate the risk of senior staff in proximity of Tarik potentially being affected by it. If no change is measurable, we can still consider distributing the medication to counteract possible foreign influences.¡± Co-Yor explained in his best professional tone.
¡°Great! Thanks for staying attentive and discreet about such sensitive matters. And thanks for bringing this to my attention, even though I wished you had been able to loop me in sooner. I don¡¯t like the idea of conspiracy theories making the round on the ship. There¡¯s rarely substance behind them but they can cause a lot of trouble.¡±
¡°Understood, Lieutenant Commander.¡± Co-Yor nodded and disabled the confidentiality screen with a swift tap on the console in his desk. ¡°That would be all.¡±
Niko nodded and rose from his seat, quickly leaving the CMO¡¯s office and then sickbay to return to his post on the bridge.
[ Act Three ]
¡°So, any idea what to expect?¡± Niko stood on the FDS platform next to Sina, the officers¡¯ images reflecting in the highly polished mirror-like surface.
The Commander tugged at her dress uniform jacket once more. ¡°Not a thing. The dossier I gave you was all I received from the Matriarch. I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re here or what exactly we¡¯re supposed to do, aside from probably not starting a war.¡±
¡°Hmmm.¡± The XO replied, also pulling his formal uniform straight. ¡°Then I¡¯d say let¡¯s go and find out. Ready?¡±
Sina nodded and gestured to her first officer to give the order.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Niko tapped his combadge. ¡°Heisenberg to bridge. Duncan, we¡¯re ready. Initiate dimensional shift.¡±
A split second later both officers were engulfed in the chaotic black maw of the dimensional pocket and emerged in a bright blue-white flash at their destination. As the cloud of exotic particles accompanying each shift slowly disintegrated around them, Sina and Niko noticed they were standing in what seemed to be a huge transporter room and that they were standing on an elevated platform in the room¡¯s center.
At the bottom of the steps waited a female Vorta with striking blue eyes and short auburn hair, who wore a dark purple robe. Behind the Vorta was an honor guard formation of forty or so Jem¡¯Hadar soldiers dressed in decorated uniforms who proudly and motionlessly presented their rifles.
The woman stepped closer and bowed her head to her guests. ¡°Please allow me to welcome you on board the Dominion Vanguard dreadnought Kylasis. My name is Nikala. I¡¯m the personal assistant of ambassador Ceyaal. If you require anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Your comfort is my duty.¡±
¡°Thank you for the generous welcome.¡± Sina answered, carefully descending from the platform with Niko closely following her. ¡°I am Commander Sina D¡¯raxis and this is my first officer, Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg.¡±
Nikala¡¯s eyes widened with curiosity as she smiled at the Starfleet officers, paying special attention to Niko. ¡°Oh, the ambassador will be delighted to meet you.¡± She almost murmured. ¡°But please, follow me. The ambassador is expecting you for dinner in the banquet hall.¡±
Niko quirked a brow at that last comment and glanced over at his captain, but the CO only shrugged her shoulders. Together they followed the Vorta through the line of Jem¡¯Hadar, who looked even more impressive in their ceremonial armor as their regularly armored brethren Sina and Niko remembered from recordings of the Dominion War.
They left the transporter room and walked a short distance through the dreadnought¡¯s wide corridors. On their way they saw groups of various species, sometimes on their own, sometimes mixed together, seeing to their various duties. They saw squads of Jem¡¯Hadar soldiers on patrol, Vorta administrators scurrying along to some meeting or reporting, and groups of Teplan scientists and engineers focused on their discussion.
As they came upon another crossing of corridors, Niko suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but after looking again he indeed did see a group of children of various species run along the other hallway.
¡°Lieutenant Commander, is something wrong?¡± Nikala¡¯s voice jolted him out of his thoughts.
¡°Uhm¡ no, I¡¯m sorry. I just saw¡ I didn¡¯t expect to see children on a Dominion warship.¡± He explained his sudden stop and why he had fallen behind the two women.
Nikala smiled warmly. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t mind them. Their presence is an exceptional gift granted to us by Ceyaal¡¯s generosity. Only those ships that are extremely unlikely to see combat action are considered for this exception, and only on behalf of a Founder¡¯s explicit permission. If they are troubling you, I will order our remaining path to be cordoned off.¡±
¡°Oh no, please don¡¯t. It¡¯s okay, I was just taken by surprise.¡± The XO reassured the Vorta. ¡°It is good to see not only soldiers around.¡±
The Vorta nodded. ¡°I see. Shall we continue then? We¡¯re almost there, just two more junctions and we will reach the banquet hall.¡±
¡°Certainly. Please lead the way.¡± Sina acknowledged and the group started walking again.
¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, but please let me issue a warning. Just because there are children on this ship doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t combat ready. The Jem¡¯Hadar on this vessel are as dedicated and loyal as any other and will defend the Kylasis and the Dominion to their last breath.¡± Nikala continued.
¡°We wouldn¡¯t have assumed otherwise, Nikala. I apologize if my officer¡¯s words were inappropriate.¡± The Romulan said, throwing an eye-rolling glance at her colleague. ¡°Like Niko said, from our perspective it is just rather unexpected. The Dominion we know isn¡¯t as¡ sociable.¡±
¡°An apology is not necessary, Commander. I just wanted to prevent a misunderstanding. Many things changed during and after the war with the Borg. The peace brought about by the Synergy was a catalyst for many beneficial decisions and rulings made by the Founders.¡±
¡°Like allowing their¡ vassals to be close to their children?¡± Niko asked, hoping that his choice of words was correct.
¡°Indeed.¡± The Vorta woman replied with a smile. ¡°Being able to see your family every evening is a wonderful reminder of how much we owe the Founders and their infinite wisdom. Without them, we¡¯d all have fallen prey to the Borg. It was the Founders¡¯ cunning and prowess that made the Dominion endure against all odds.¡±
Nikala came to stop in front of a pair of large double doors. ¡°We have arrived.¡± Both Starfleet officers almost simultaneously took deep breaths and waited for their Vorta host to open the door and lead them into the expansive chamber.
The banquet hall was at least fifty meters on each side and ten meters high. Its floor was made from heavy tiles of smoothly polished dark stone with veins of gallicite. Those mineral deposits were the cause of a continuous pattern of feeble electrical discharges to arc between the tiles and anything that touched them. The ceiling and walls were covered in pieces of a deep red-brown wood worked to appear like the bottom view of a tree¡¯s roots, with an organic looking network of thick and thin branches running down the walls.
The Vorta bowed deeply towards the center of the hall, where the same type of container hovered the officers had seen in their meeting with the Matriarch and the Galactic Council¡¯s representatives on Earth, guarded by two heavily armed and armored Jem¡¯Hadar soldiers. Finally, a long and well-laid table, laden with dozens of different foods and drinks, occupied the space behind the ambassador.
The thick viscous orange fluid inside the contained flowed softly, forming into a vaguely humanoid upper body.
¡°Founder, your guests have arrived. Commander Sina D¡¯raxis and Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg.¡± Nikala announced, still bowing deeply to her superior.
¡°Thank you, Nikala. Well done. I don¡¯t require your services for the remainder of the evening, you may already return to your family.¡± The ambassador¡¯s voice was surprisingly rich and soft. Both Sina and Niko remembered recordings from Odo or the female changeling, and neither of them sounded as pleasant.
¡°Thank you for your generosity, Founder. I live to serve.¡± Nikala smiled and nodded once more at Sina and Niko before swiftly and quietly withdrawing from the banquet hall.
Once she was gone, the changeling issued another order that surprised the Starfleet officers. ¡°Guards, wait outside.¡± Both Jem¡¯Hadar saluted and quickly marched towards an unobtrusive side entrance, leaving the officers and the Founder alone.
Suddenly, the flow of the changeling¡¯s form accelerated, and the vague humanoid shape merged into a thick pseudopod that reached out of the container and onto the ground. Pooling on the floor, the changeling gathered itself for a second, before restructuring its morphogenic matrix. A humanoid form grew from the pool, becoming more refined with each passing moment.
When the process was completed, Sina and Niko were looking at a decidedly female individual with smooth mocha skin and strikingly orange eyes. The ambassador¡¯s hair fell to her waist and was colored in two layers, black on the top layer and a yellow-to-red gradient on the bottom layer. She was ¡°dressed¡± in a figure-hugging robe that appeared made from delicate black silk.
¡°Ah, much better.¡± The woman smiled at her guests while she quickly stretched her arms. ¡°Welcome and thank you for accepting my admittedly unconventional invitation. My name is Ceyaal. It is an absolute pleasure to finally meet the visitors from another reality in person. Please, come closer.¡±
Sina and Niko glanced at each other and then stepped closer to the changeling. The CO bowed her head and replied. ¡°Thank you for inviting us, Ceyaal. I am Commander Sina D¡¯raxis, acting captain of the Federation Starfleet vessel USS Sidereal. This is my first officer, Lieutenant Commander Niko Heisenberg.¡±
Niko also bowed his head respectfully before he added. ¡°It is also a pleasure to meet you. I hope I¡¯m not too direct when I say that so far our visit here has been unlike what I would have expected.¡±
Ceyaal giggled. ¡°Oh, I know exactly what you mean. Matriarch Chiaxi has been teasing us mercilessly about your reality. It took quite a bit of concessions to get her to share the information from your computer core with us.¡±
Her demeanor suddenly changed from playful to somber. ¡°It is regrettable what happened in your reality. The Dominion you know is shortsighted and ignorant. Their fear clouds their judgment, and their arrogance chokes their creativity and potential. If only they could see¡¡±
¡°But we shouldn¡¯t dwell on losses of a war long past, for we live in the present and there is much to discuss¡ and enjoy. Please, join me at the table. I hope the Synergy¡¯s bland rations haven¡¯t spoiled your taste yet.¡± She added quickly with a warm smile, openly gesturing towards the table behind her.
With elegant, almost levitating steps she walked to her seat at the head of the table. The Starfleet officers followed quickly and sat down at their suggested chairs. Sina sat to Ceyaal¡¯s right, while Niko sat to the ambassador¡¯s left. The table was filled with lots of different food on self-heating and self-cooling plates, and it smelled utterly delicious. To both officers¡¯ complete surprise, Ceyaal served her guests personally, extending her arms across the table to cut and retrieve whatever her guests desired.
¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it.¡± The Founder laughed when asked about it. ¡°Some of my kind consider my demeanor strange or even erratic, but I like interacting and engaging with solid beings. Where other Founders lose themselves in the Great Link, I am fascinated by all kinds of shapes, forms, and motions.¡± The changeling had barely finished, when she cast a suggestive glance at Niko while refilling his glass with tulaberry wine from a crystalline decanter.
Niko paused for a moment and blinked. What was that? Why would the Dominion ambassador¡ no, he must have imagined it. It was beyond any doubt that her current shape was attractive, even alluring, but they were diplomatic guests. It would be ridiculous to assume that she could be interested in any way. And even if she was, there was even less of a chance of anything happening.
While the XO was left wondering about Ceyaal¡¯s chance glance, the dinner quickly and decisively turned from formal to informal. Even though Sina had been the more distanced and formal Starfleet officer at the beginning, the first officer noticed with great curiosity that it was her who was warming up to the ambassador first.
¡°I hope you didn¡¯t seriously wound him?¡±
¡°I broke his nose with a clean straight punch.¡± Sina described the incident, gesturing as if winding up a punch. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget the completely dumbfounded look on his face once he noticed the blood trickling over his lips. I know I shouldn¡¯t have done that, and the reprimand and dressing down I got from Admiral Weir the next day were certainly well deserved. But when that arrogant Vulcan Cadet called me a parasite, I just started seeing red. I was so angry! Even now I don¡¯t remember standing up and walking over to him.¡±
Ceyaal burst out in a hearty laughter. ¡°That¡¯s absolutely fantastic. I can easily imagine the expression on his face.¡± She then leaned over to the Lieutenant Commander, gently placing her hand on his forearm. ¡°What about you, Niko? Do you have any stories that went hilariously wrong which you¡¯d want to share with us?¡±
¡°Oh, more than you can imagine.¡± Niko quipped.
¡°Come on, Niko.¡± Sina teased him. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it!¡±
Ceyaal quickly added, looking deeply into the Human¡¯s eyes. ¡°Only if you want, of course. I don¡¯t want you to feel uncomfortable.¡±
¡°Uhm, no worries, I¡¯m fine.¡± Niko replied with a smile. ¡°I think it happened when I was¡ fifteen or so. Yes, fifteen. At that time my first girlfriend and I were generally fooling around¡ you know, kissing, groping¡ the things curious teenagers do to test the waters, but nothing serious yet. She was a year older than me and the daughter of my math teacher, who was Andorian and placed great emphasis on discipline. You can imagine that was exactly what teenage-me was into at that time.¡±
The Founder was already grinning from ear to ear while she focused her gaze on the Lieutenant Commander as he continued his story.
¡°So, one day she dropped the hint that her parents would be out of town for the weekend and she wanted to have me come over. Of course, I gladly accepted, and we had a great time. I don¡¯t remember exactly how, but somehow, we got to the topic of alcohol. My parents had already allowed me to drink some beer and other alcohol, but hers had not. And by the way, I mean real alcohol not synthehol. So, we started fumbling around with the replicator.¡±
Sina quirked her brows. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me this story is going where I think it will go¡¡±
¡°Nah, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s even worse.¡± Niko laughed. ¡°Turned out that her father had placed the replicator on lockdown to prevent his princess from replicating even synthehol. But he didn¡¯t expect some wise guy coming along and somehow managing to get the terminal into diagnostics mode. Did you know that in diagnostics mode replicators could distribute actual alcohol?¡±
¡°Oh no!¡± The Romulan exclaimed, already laughing with her hands covering her mouth.
¡°I ordered a bottle of ¡®Blue Alert¡¯, an Earth-brewed derivate of Andorian ale which I knew tasted awesome. I can really recommend it. Anyway, we emptied the bottle. I ordered another one. We emptied that one as well. We got so drunk that evening that we both passed out on the couch in our underwear halfway through the third bottle.¡± The first officer said with his lips curling into a grin.
¡°The next thing I remember is a certain math teacher furiously shouting at me. Her parents had come home earlier and found us drunk off our socks in their living room. We were both still so utterly wasted that they had to take us to medical for detox. I can¡¯t tell you what was worse, the hangover or the tongue-lashing I got from both her parents and my own.¡±
Ceyaal howled with laughter and Sina giggled behind her hands.
¡°That¡¯s amazing! I love it!¡± The ambassador exclaimed. ¡°Lieutenant Commander, you are naughtier than I would have ever expected.¡±
¡°I chalk that up to puberty.¡± He shrugged and emptied his glass of tulaberry wine.
Suddenly Sina cleared her throat, still grinning widely. ¡°Excuse me, ambassador, but could I have a brief private conversation with my first officer somewhere?¡±
¡°Oh, certainly.¡± Ceyaal replied. ¡°Behind that door you¡¯ll find a small empty chamber.¡±
¡°Thank you. Niko, a word?¡±
Niko looked at his CO a little irritated but followed Sina without questioning her actions. Once they were both in the small chamber, which was another richly decorated hall, the Romulan opened directly at him.
¡°Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on here?¡±
Niko quirked a brow. ¡°No, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. What do you even mean?¡±
¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? She¡¯s basically undressing you with her eyes. She¡¯s looking at you like a snake looks at her prey.¡±
The XO shrugged. ¡°You know as well as I do that this is our first real contact with the Dominion, aside from that introduction back on Earth a year ago. But that was a different Founder¡ I think? I have no clue what her deal is.¡±
¡°Yes, of course you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s just be careful, okay?¡± She asked, her expression a little worried about potentially having stumbled into a trap of some kind.
¡°Sure, even though I can¡¯t see a reason why the Dominion would suddenly turn hostile towards us and risk a confrontation with the Synergy. Maybe we should just ask her?¡±
The Commander contemplated her XO¡¯s suggestion for a moment. ¡°If you think that¡¯s a good idea¡ but mind your words! Let¡¯s try and not make her angry.¡±
The CO and XO returned to the banquet hall, which in the few minutes they were gone had been cleaned up. Their used dishes were gone, as were all empty plates and bowls. Fresh table settings have been produced for everyone, and the selection of hearty foods had been expanded with a broad offering of sweets and desserts.
¡°Welcome back. Just in time for dessert. Please, enjoy!¡± Ceyaal smiled sweetly, gesturing at the various puddings, mousses, candies, cakes, and other desserts.
¡°Thank you.¡± Both officers replied almost simultaneously as they sat down. Sina happily went for a stack of blue tulaberry pancakes with a small jug of Q¡¯lava syrup, while Niko asked for a crystalline bowl of chocolate mousse with a whipped cream topping.
The mousse was delicious, and Niko took another spoonful right after the first. While the fluffy cream was slowly melting on his tongue, he worked to formulate his thoughts into words. ¡°Ambassador, I have a question.¡±
¡°Please, ask.¡± She replied without missing a beat, while enjoying what appeared to be a bowl of rock candy.
¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you appear to pay particular attention to my person. I¡¯m curious what I did to deserve that honor.¡±
Ceyaal put down her spoon and smiled at Niko. ¡°Well, I hoped I could ask you to stay with me for the night. As I-¡±
Sina choked on a bite of pancake and had to cough a couple times to clear her throat. ¡°What?¡± She gasped in between her coughs.
The ambassador continued unfazed, still smiling warmly. ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, I¡¯m curious about all kinds of shapes and motions of solid beings. You look¡ fun and enjoyable. Of course, this is only an offer. You have my word that declining it will have no negative consequences of any kind, neither for you nor your crew. Aside from missing out on a hopefully pleasurable experience, that is.¡±
Niko stared at the Founder, then at Sina, while blushing furiously. ¡°Uhm¡ I¡ I¡¯m flattered. But I don¡¯t understand what I could offer. I¡¯m not any different than any other Human of this reality.¡±
¡°Physically, yes. But the solids of the Synergy have become addicted to their hive-mind. As much as I admire them for constructing something that rivals the glory of the Great Link, they have forgotten how to express pleasure and lust without it. I think you would be different.¡± Ceyaal explained, her strikingly orange eyes focused on the Lieutenant Commander again.
¡°I see¡¡± He replied, helplessly glancing over at Sina who simply shrugged her shoulders.
The Founder noticed his look and turned to his CO. ¡°I can assure you that, should he decide to stay, I will return him to you in the morning completely unharmed. I never hurt my companions.¡±
Sina looked at the ambassador, then smirked at her fellow officer. ¡°Well, it¡¯s your call, Niko. Just let me know if I have to reschedule your shift tomorrow.¡±
He snorted at his CO¡¯s crude joke, but then let out a deep sigh before he answered.
[ Act Four ]
¡°Computer, continue file Noriko-Ship-Racing-Zero-Four.¡± Noriko instructed, standing in the empty holodeck. A moment later the computer acknowledged her instruction with a chirp, followed by the holographic projectors springing to live a second after that.
The whole room flickered with energy and was soon replaced by the image of the Sidereal¡¯s active but empty bridge. The Japanese casually descended to the first floor and sat down at the conn terminal right in the center of the forward area. With a few quick taps on the console she routinely checked the simulated ship¡¯s status and readiness, smiling when she saw everything had been reset to normal status after the last run.
Noriko had created this simulation a few weeks after they got the Sidereal back from the Synergy and could set out on their own. While the training simulations Tarik and his people had created for them were adequate for most everyday situations, she wanted to know how good the Synergy¡¯s gravimetric sub-light propulsion system really was.
The Asian had noticed quite early into their training that the new navigational controls were more appropriate for a remote-controlled drone than for a capital ship, which meant that the Sidereal could now pull off maneuvers that were impossible for a normal Akira class. To figure out the limits of the ship she had run holodeck simulations in her free time using increasingly more difficult drone racing tracks as templates, subjecting the simulated ship to punishing maneuvers that would have broken any other ship.
¡°Okay, let¡¯s see how far I can really push this thing.¡± The pilot muttered to herself, before raising her voice. ¡°Computer, list course designs of all Interplanetary Antigrav Drone Classics Challenge Championship finals and final qualifiers between 2400 and 2410. Display Aresti notation and K value for each entry.¡±
Another holographic screen popped open in front of her and showed over thirty entries, abstract icons and diagrams describing the required maneuvers of each course. Noriko furrowed her brow as she browsed through the list. She had a passing familiarity with many of the tracks due to her own experiments with drone racing as a teen, a hobby which she admittedly had enjoyed greatly, and which ultimately got her into piloting as a career path.
But ever since she had joined Starfleet, she had little time to practice the sport, aside from random holodeck simulations. She smiled at the thought that the knowledge and experience she acquired during those years was suddenly becoming useful again when piloting a large cruiser.
Studying the different entries, she eventually lingered on one track design from 2408. It was annotated with a comment saying that the participating pilots considered it vastly unfair, since it seemed to be designed to push the hardware to its physical limits rather than only challenging the pilots¡¯ skills.
Noriko glanced at the difficulty factor. It read 5,781, a solid 140 points above all other entries and a good 220 points higher than any of the tracks she¡¯d flown before. ¡°Jackpot!¡± She grinned. ¡°Computer, load the course design from the IADCCC 2408 final qualifier group A, scaled to size for the Sidereal.¡°
A soft chirp acknowledged her command, and a moment later the course showed up on the navigational sensors on her console. She looked at the holographic projection in front of her. She looked at the layouts and orientations of the holographic gates along the course and immediately recognized that the high K factor was well deserved.
As she studied the track¡¯s actual layout, she noticed that most of the maneuvers and obstacles were rapidly flowing into each other, giving the pilots preciously little, if any, time to correct their paths or stabilize their drones. Usually that wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem, but automatic stabilizing is prohibited in the IADC series and pilots must do everything by hand. And this course was designed to make that as difficult as possible, especially with antigrav drones being known for rebounding after sharp maneuvers.
With simple hand gestures she rotated and zoomed the projection to take a closer look at every turn, the steep raises and sharp dives, and the track sections forcing the craft through a vast selection of aerobatic maneuvers.
There was even a segment with additional gravity plating in the track that periodically switched its orientation along the segment, forcing pilots to rapidly reorient their drones and perform various extremely difficult maneuvers. The Asian glanced at that track section and muttered. ¡°Ugh¡ that¡¯s nasty! Which bastard designed this?¡± She realized that if you lost orientation or failed the gravity timings once there was basically no way to recover and she¡¯d probably fail the whole section of the track.
Steeling her nerves for the challenge, she raised her voice again. ¡°Computer, reset racetrack and put the ship at the starting line.¡±
Noriko quickly made a few adjustments to the virtual displays in front of her, improving the arrangement over what she had used before. This course was really going to be challenging and she would need all the information she could get without having to look away.
Every second would matter here, so she positioned the projections so that she could see a forward-facing view superimposed on the track course. All relevant other information would be shown in the heads-up display next to the projection - distance to the next minor or major gate, altitudes and angles, as well as all six axial velocities.
Noriko checked the controls one last time, then took a deep breath when she was prepared. And with the gentle tap of her finger, the Sidereal suddenly dashed forward as the ship¡¯s gravimetric emitters briefly jumped to 100 percent output. Racing forward with an acceleration of 10,000 g, the rebuilt Akira class¡¯s frame covered several dozen kilometers of the gigantic racetrack in just a single moment.
Focusing on timing the deceleration for the first hard bend that immediately turned into a Hammerhead, Noriko carefully and with utmost precision manipulated the conn station¡¯s interface. The over 450 meters long space frame drifted gracefully over the course, perfectly fitting through every single gate so far.
¡°Not too bad¡¡± The Japanese whispered to herself as she managed to carefully maneuver the cruiser through a series of rolls and sharp turns. So far, she could manage the course, but she had only completed about five percent of it, and the more difficult obstacles and challenges were still ahead.
After two Flat Spins in opposite directions, she noticed that the difficulty noticeably increased. The gates got smaller, significantly reducing the margin of error and forcing her to maneuver the ship even more precisely. Taking a quick glance at the track data, Noriko saw that the section with the alternating gravity plating was quickly getting closer.
But before she got there, she needed to complete the Death Spiral first. After expertly navigating the ship through four tightly connected Immelmann turns to climb the necessary altitude, she entered the spiral after another short sprint at maximum acceleration. This obstacle was an excessively tight dive, built from three full Rolling turns combined with a different type of roll at each turn.
¡°Son of a¡¡± Noriko cursed under her breath as she struggled to keep up with the track. The initial Aileron roll was easy, the following Barrel roll was manageable as well, but on the final positive-two/negative-three Hesitation roll she failed to hit the gate. The Sidereal came out of the spiral upside down and her port nacelle cut right through the gate¡¯s frame, earning her a penalty on the maneuver.
With barely a moment to catch her breath, the young pilot entered the track section with the gravity plating. The current direction was clearly indicated with arrows besides the gates, but Noriko only barely managed to complete the demanded inverse Pugachev¡¯s Cobra before the field¡¯s orientation changed as the ship moved along.
Taking a deep breath, the pilot concentrated on the next maneuver. The required figures weren¡¯t really that difficult, the actual challenge was to coordinate everything perfectly without any automatic system. Especially managing the changing gravity orientation was taking its toll. If she messed up only a single maneuver or course correction, she¡¯d rake in a whole lot of penalty points as well as earn a bruise on her ego.
There were only two more maneuvers to go in the current track segment. The first was another upside-down Flat Spin, which she managed to complete without any problems. The second was a horizontal Kulbit with the near and far halves of the loop laying in differently oriented gravity fields. Noriko did manage to keep the Sidereal stable in the changing gravity fields but missed both gates in the last quarter of the maneuver, earning her another penalty.
¡°Damn it!¡± She exclaimed in frustration, while punching the ship to maximum acceleration again. The last third of the course was relatively easy, comparable in difficult to the first third. Lots of high-speed sprints interspersed with sharp turns and tight rolls and loops. She mostly handled those fine, and raced to the finishing line, breaking through the final gate at maximum emitter power with 10,000 g yanking at the ship.
Noriko sank deeper into her seat, her pulse going a mile a minute. ¡°This damn course¡¡± She sighed as she took several deep breaths to calm herself.
Suddenly a male voice called out from the upper level, making her jump behind her console. ¡°Noriko? Are you okay?¡±
¡°Man, you can¡¯t scare me like this! What are you even doing here, Sarvan?¡± The Asian leaned out of the compartment and looked up at the familiar face belonging to that voice. The unexpected visitor wore simple black slacks and a white dress shirt that nicely hugged his well-muscled chest, while casually leaning against the upper level¡¯s handrail and smirking at the navigator.
¡°Just checking in where you are, since you didn¡¯t show up in Eleven-Forward.¡± The young MACO replied, still grinning from ear to ear.
¡°What? Oh no, I¡¯m sorry I missed our date. Is it really that late already? Sorry, must have lost track of the time.¡± Noriko apologized quickly, an expression of regret on her face.
¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Corporal Kusuhn laughed. ¡°It¡¯s only 1636 hours. If you want, we can also reschedule our date for later. My bed¡¯s not going anywhere, after all. That is, of course only if you¡¯re still interested.¡±
¡°Sure I am.¡± The Asian replied, now also with a wry smile on her lips. ¡°You know I¡¯d never miss that opportunity¡¡±
Sarvan casually strolled down the stairs at the bridge¡¯s side, walking up to Noriko¡¯s station. ¡°What are you doing here anyway? Couldn¡¯t see anything from up there, but you sounded somewhat¡ stressed?¡±
¡°Remember, I told you I was trying to figure out how good exactly the Synergy¡¯s gravimetric sub-light propulsion is? I tried another drone racing track, a really difficult one this time. Haven¡¯t looked at the results yet, but I got a good feeling about it.¡± She explained to her lover, who was leaning over her shoulder and curiously glanced at the holographic screens on her console.
¡°Ah, nice. So, how did you do?¡± Sarvan asked.
Noriko shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s find out. Computer, display race results with detailed key per obstacle and aggregated ranking.¡±
A new display appeared on her console and provided the answer, which was even a bit higher than she¡¯d have expected. ¡°4,421 points of 5,781 total. Ranking of 76.49 percent. Well, certainly could have been worse for the first run.¡±
¡°First run? Wow, that¡¯s great! Congrats!¡± The Trill soldier cheered for her.
¡°Thanks.¡± She said with a smile and finally stood from her console. The petite Asian gave the sturdy male next to her a tight hug and grinned at him again. ¡°But I think we should go now. I¡¯m getting a little hungry.¡± She added with a suggestive wink.
¡°Whatever you¡¯re up to, Noriko.¡± Sarvan replied, his hands gently tracing her hips.
¡°Computer, store race data and save and end simulation.¡± The pilot instructed while giving her companion¡¯s butt a firm grope. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±
[ Act Five ]
Visra stood in the bathroom of her quarters, admiring herself in the mirror and giving the jacket of her gray-white dress uniform one last tug. She didn¡¯t know what the captain wanted, but the whole crew had been ordered to assemble on the hangar deck at 1000 hours in formal dress, so the Ensign assumed it was something important. With swift steps she returned to the bedroom to finish getting dressed.
The young Alusi quickly grabbed the belt from atop the bed and wrapped it around her waist, fiddling briefly with the belt buckle before her talons coaxed the pieces into snapping together. She closed her eyes for a short moment and took a deep breath, enjoying the slightly cool air rushing through her nostrils. She emptied the half full glass of water on her nightstand, licking her lips and fangs clean, before turning to leave.
Visra was about to walk out the door when the bell signal sounded, indicating a visitor. Having been startled for a moment, she quickly regained her composure and opened the door. ¡°Enter.¡±
The door panels slid open and permitted Shori to barge right in. The Caitian officer also wore her dress uniform, the elegant but heavy fabric contrasting with her exposed fluffy fur. ¡°Are you ready? We don¡¯t want to be late, do we?¡± The COS teased her colleague, beaming a wide smirk at her.
¡°I was just about to leave.¡± Visra replied. ¡°But say, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on? Why we¡¯ve all been asked to assemble?¡±
¡°Maybe, maybe not¡¡± The Caitian grinned, slightly showing her fangs. ¡°But even then, I¡¯m not allowed to tell anyone. But I can assure you, it¡¯s something good. No need to worry.¡±
Visra grinned. ¡°So, you do know¡¡±
¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Shori purred, attempting to change the topic while reaching for Visra¡¯s hands. With a playful laugh she pulled her friend towards the door and a moment later they both stumbled into the corridor arm in arm on their way to the hangar deck.
Two minutes later they arrived on deck eight. The massive open space completely dominated the tiny group of people standing in front of the enlarged forward launch bays. Since the Sidereal had been rebuilt with Synergy technology, a small stage and rows of seats had been raised with the same programmable matter that had constructed the emergency quarters back on Sphere 272-Theta-8.
Visra and Shori casually walked towards the gathering, passing powered down and mothballed shuttles and Peregrines. The Alusi glanced at the deathly silent auxiliary vessels before turning to her colleague. ¡°Do you know why we¡¯re still keeping the aux craft around? We haven¡¯t used them in over a year. I don¡¯t think we need them anymore, do we?¡±
The Caitian shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The captain just doesn¡¯t want to get rid of them. You¡¯re right, the Peregrines are probably dead weight, but the shuttles and especially the Runabouts could still be handy some time. The Synergy replaced all their micro warp cores with null-space capacitors, so if they didn¡¯t outright scrap them there has to be a purpose. And it¡¯s good to have a way of transportation in case the FDS ever has problems.¡±
¡°Of course, having a backup is always a good idea.¡± The scientist commented with a smile, just as they reached the assembly.
The captain and the first officer were already standing next to the stage, both dressed in gray and white as well. Once the last four remaining crew members had arrived, Niko nodded at Sina and the CO walked onto the stage.
¡°Good morning. You¡¯re probably all wondering why I asked you here this morning.¡± Her amplified voice echoed through the almost empty hangar deck. ¡°I can assure you there is a good reason for it. As you all know, two and a half months ago we were able to establish contact with Starfleet Command thanks to the Synergy¡¯s efforts.¡±
The Commander took a deep breath before she continued with a happy smile on her lips. ¡°Yesterday we had our third exchange with Starfleet, and they had quite the surprise waiting for us. But I think it is best when I let the president speak for himself.¡±
Sina nodded and turned to step down from the stage. She was still walking when the lights dimmed and a huge holographic screen flickered into existence above the stage, showing the animated Seal of the President of the United Federation of Planets. A moment later the Seal was replaced by the face of president Kylath, an elderly male Selay with light brown scales and cobra-like skin folds that already started turning white at the edges.
The reptilian humanoid wore an elegant charcoal-colored robe befitting his office and managed a smile with his wide lipless mouth before he started to speak with a heavy but still easily understandable lisping accent. Visra gazed at the screen in curious fascination, eagerly listening to the president¡¯s words.
¡°Today it is my honor to speak to the crew of the USS Sidereal. I would have loved to address you directly, but the process of establishing this communication is not easily reconciled with my schedule, so I hope you can forgive me this impersonal recording.¡±
He bowed his head in an apologizing gesture, but then returned his gaze towards the camera.
¡°I want you all to know how incredibly proud we are of you and everything you have achieved. While we cannot imagine the ordeals and losses you have gone through after your accident, you have prevailed in the face of uncertainty. You have overcome your fears and found new friends, new allies. In the best tradition of Starfleet, you have boldly gone where none of us had gone before and found a whole new galaxy that is yours to explore.¡±
¡°The name USS Sidereal has become a symbol for the enduring values of honor, courage, and wisdom that define Starfleet¡¯s mission and the Federation¡¯s very foundation. You have shown us that we must never give up, and that there is always hope for new beginnings.¡±
¡°Your exceptional actions and dauntless endeavors have earned you the gratitude and admiration of not only Starfleet, but also of the citizens of the Federation at large. The public is eagerly awaiting every message from you, and the reports and logs you have sent home have kept many of our scientists busy¡ and often left them scratching their heads.¡±
Kylath¡¯s joking remark elicited a round of soft chuckles and laughter from the gathered crew. Even Visra couldn¡¯t help but crack a smirk, imagining how some researcher at SCE despaired while trying to make any sense of her recordings.
¡°As a sign of acknowledgment of your deeds in the service of Starfleet, Starfleet Operations has approved something that in my humble opinion was long overdue. Many of the members of your crew have held junior ranks for far too long, with current experience and period of service easily eclipsing the number of pips on your collars. The chief of staff allowed me the honors of relaying the following promotions.¡±
The Selay politician breathed deeply before he continued reading the list of names.
¡°Crewman Al-Tammar to Petty Officer.
Crewman Jackson to Petty Officer.
Crewman Pivik to Petty Officer.
Crewman Hegior to Petty Officer.
Petty Officer bim Blos to Chief Petty Officer.
Petty Officer Neruhn to Chief Petty Officer.
Corporal Kusuhn to Sergeant.
Corporal Zhakai to Sergeant.
Ensign Arsiv to Lieutenant Junior Grade.¡±
Visra¡¯s ears twitched when she heard her name. She really shouldn¡¯t have been surprised to be included in the list of promotions, but public attention was still embarrassing her ever so slightly. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, while the president continued his list.
¡°Ensign Th¡¯akianas to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Ensign Yamada to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Ensign Brahms to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Ensign Agu to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Brassfield to Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Clark to Lieutenant.
¡¡±
The list contained a total of twenty-two names, which made twenty-two officers in the crowd beam with pride and joy at their promotion. The president paused for a long moment, allowing a wave of thunderous applause to echo across the hangar deck.
¡°But not only the junior members of your crew are worthy of recognition. Every day Commander D¡¯raxis and Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg face the unimaginably difficult task of leading you through this difficult situation. They carry the burden and responsibility of making the right calls, ensuring your safety, and upholding our values and traditions.¡±
¡°We think that their current ranks are not adequate for what they are required to provide. On behalf of Starfleet Operations and effective immediately, Commander D¡¯raxis is hereby promoted to the rank of Captain, and Lieutenant Commander Heisenberg is promoted to the rank of Commander.¡±
Another round of applause sounded, and Visra noticed how both, CO and XO, seemed to look slightly flustered at their own promotions. The Alusi wondered with a smile if that was a surprise they hadn¡¯t expected.
¡°Congratulations for your well-deserved promotions. But that is not all. You are our only representatives in a completely foreign galaxy. You carry a responsibility only few could even imagine. And what you all have already achieved is more than we would have ever dared ask from you given the extraordinary circumstances.¡±
¡°As a small token of gratitude and acknowledgment of your deeds in the service of the United Federation of Planets, I honor you all with the Federation Star for Distinguished Service. Furthermore, for her pivotal role in successfully establishing first contact with the Synergy and deepening our understanding of their strange and sometimes admittedly intimidating culture, Captain D¡¯raxis is honored with the Federation Peace Medal.¡±
President Kylath paused for another moment, making space for a third round of applause celebrating the civilian citations.
¡°And last but most certainly not least, Lieutenant Junior Grade Arsiv is honored with the Cochrane Medal for her outstanding scientific work during the accident. We acknowledge the burden that was placed on her shoulders and the distinguished resolution she managed to find against seemingly insurmountable odds. Her unconventional thinking not only saved the ship and the crew, but also provided multiple disciplines of physics with new discoveries.¡±
Visra was deathly silent while the president was talking about her deeds and discoveries. She stared at the screen with eyes wide open, but slowly a shy smile crept onto her lips. She would have never expected or even considered that her actions could be worthy of a public distinction. But before she could follow that train of thought to its end, the loudest applause exploded around her as her colleagues celebrated her.
The president spoke a few last words, expressing his regrets of not being able to personally deliver the awarded medals and wishing them all the best until their next communication. Then the screen disappeared again, and Sina stepped back onto the stage closely followed by Niko.
¡°If that isn¡¯t grounds for a celebration, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± She spoke, beaming a joyous smile. ¡°But let¡¯s keep it disciplined for a few more minutes to wrap up the formalities, okay?¡±
The gathered crew quickly agreed and calmed down, eagerly waiting for everyone to be called onto the stage. One by one, everyone received their awards and new rank pips, as well as a firm handshake from Niko and a hug from Sina. After less than twenty minutes the ceremony was completed, and everyone was proudly displaying the new pips or stripes on their collars and medals on their chest.
Visra was completely flustered after the standing ovation she had received when she was on the stage, again being a little uncomfortable by all the attention she was receiving even though it was coming from her friends. After a lot of handshaking and congratulating everyone, the gathering quickly decided to move towards some of the lounges a couple decks up.
Once their smaller group reached the lounge on deck seven, the scientist made a beeline for the Caitian. She quickly took her feline colleague aside. ¡°Did you know about this? You can tell me now.¡±
Shori grinned back. ¡°I was only told that we had received a message from the president and that we would have a couple promotions today. But I didn¡¯t know about all the other awards, and I really didn¡¯t know about your Cochrane Medal. But congratulations, Visra! I¡¯m proud of you.¡±
Visra let out a deep sigh. ¡°Thanks. And I believe you. That was certainly outside my comfort zone and much more publicity than I would have liked or expected. But I guess I can be a little proud that everyone thinks so highly of me.¡±
¡°A little proud? Thinks highly of you? Are you kidding?¡± The chief of security teased. ¡°You saved our collective asses. Without you we¡¯d all be dead. If there¡¯s one officer on this ship that can be damn proud of herself it¡¯s you, Visra! Don¡¯t always be so timid about your achievements!¡±
The Alusi shyly smiled at her friend. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll try.¡±
¡°Good. But now we¡¯ve got ourselves something to celebrate!¡±
[2x08] Dragons In My Dreams
[ Act One ]
Sina was casually sitting in her chair in the ready room, gladly tapping away at her PADD to write another after action report when suddenly Niko¡¯s voice came through the comm system. ¡°Captain to the bridge.¡± He hadn¡¯t made it sound urgent, so the Captain put away the tablet, straightened out her uniform, and made her way back to the bridge.
The Romulan stepped through the door onto the Sidereal¡¯s command center. She immediately noticed some unfamiliar astrometric projections in the forward bridge dome, while Niko, Visra, and Tarik were standing next to the upper level¡¯s railings lost in discussion.
¡°What¡¯s up? Found something interesting?¡± She quipped as she approached the group.
¡°Sort of, but you won¡¯t like it.¡± Her first officer replied, glancing at Tarik.
She furrowed her brows, but before she could inquire more details her companion was already explaining the situation.
¡°One of our stellar cartography probes encountered an industrial age civilization whose planet is undergoing severe geological instability. We¡¯ve redirected the probe from its original programming to gather more information. Based on currently available data, we can say with certainty that the instability was caused by an asteroid. The impact wiped out a small continent and triggered massive volcanic activity across the whole globe.¡± The engineer explained.
Junior Lieutenant Arsiv swiftly manipulated the PADD in her hands and changed the holographic projection in front of them. ¡°Captain, this civilization doesn¡¯t possess the means to counteract the instability. Given the current rate of volcanic activity, my calculations predict they will go extinct from collapse of the biosphere in less than half a decade.¡±
The Captain let out a deep sigh. She knew where this discussion was headed. Already back in the Academy she¡¯d hated Prime Directive problems, and that hasn¡¯t changed much since. ¡°Is there a way we can help them without being detected?¡±
The XO simply shook his head. ¡°Nope. The damage is far too excessive for us to fix in a covert operation. If we even attempted to help them, they would definitively see us. There¡¯s just no way to hide our ship or our fighters while plugging those volcanoes.¡±
¡°How large is their civilization?¡± Sina asked carefully.
¡°As of five minutes ago, just above 131 million spread over two continents and four islands but dropping steadily. Only three of their largest settlements haven¡¯t yet been destroyed by floods or fires. Over eighty-nine percent of their current harvest has been ruined by the volcanic ash, which means they are additionally facing an impending famine.¡± Tarik answered without hesitation. ¡°The Sidereal is currently the closest vessel, but further Synergy ships are already in transit. If we-¡±
¡°Wait a minute.¡± Sina interrupted him, shaking her head. ¡°Why are you looking at me as if I¡¯ve already agreed to do something? You know we can¡¯t simply waltz in and do whatever the hell we want on their planet. Niko, you of all should know we can¡¯t just discard the Prime Directive whenever we feel like it, regardless of how justified we think we are.¡±
The German glanced at Tarik. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t forgotten about the PD. Quite the contrary. Since Tarik walked in a couple minutes ago and explained what happened, I¡¯ve been thinking about it quite a lot. The current situation is that we have a head start of about four hours on the next closest ship. In those four hours we could supposedly prevent the deaths of millions. But by doing that we would violate Starfleet¡¯s General Order One.¡±
¡°Millions¡¡± Sina sighed, the number heavily weighing on her shoulders. She already knew she couldn¡¯t just walk away from this. Back at the Academy, she had always struggled with hearing how highly decorated officers like Picard or Worf could argue and even stand by idly while watching a whole people go extinct. It had really hurt her back then, seeing such words came from officers she otherwise greatly admired and identified with.
The Synergy engineer took a deep breath. ¡°The Synergy is aware of the Federation¡¯s Prime Directive. And while the principles behind it are commendable, its implementation is terribly flawed. We do acknowledge your right to follow your own principles, but the Synergy will intervene here regardless, just like we have done before. But if you act now, we can save many millions from an unnecessary death.¡±
¡°Before? You¡¯ve interfered with other civilizations before?¡± Visra asked as she stared at Tarik in slight disbelief.
¡°Of course, we have.¡± The engineer asserted. ¡°Why would we stand aside and let whole species go extinct when it was within our power to save them? How could we ever look away when hundreds of millions were dying? No, we would intervene and save those people.¡±
¡°And then integrate them into the Synergy.¡± Niko remarked sarcastically, more as a statement than a question.
Tarik looked at the XO and the others and let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I will tell you that you¡¯re wrong. We¡¯ve never forced the uplift onto an unwilling civilization. The only thing we ever do is prevent their extinction and offer them our further help. If they refuse, we provide them with enough appropriate material to rebuild on their own and then we leave. We put their solar system under quarantine to ensure their wish for isolation was respected.¡±
¡°But if they accept, we not only help them rebuild with our means and capabilities. We also fast-track their cultural development by sequentially exposing them to more and more of the Synergy¡¯s science and information in a specifically planned and controlled way. We would enhance their education and guide them to applying their newfound knowledge on their own.¡±
¡°We have successfully uplifted many societies from a pre-industrial or even earlier stage to building their own warp-capable spacecraft in less than 150 years. And our help does not come with a requirement to join the Synergy. We happily welcome every group or individual that makes that decision voluntarily.¡± Tarik couldn¡¯t prevent his gaze from lingering on Sina for a long moment. ¡°Or those who couldn¡¯t be saved by any other means. We firmly believe that being Synergy is better than being dead, both on a personal and societal level.¡±
Tarik looked intently at Niko. ¡°Since our lunch break chat two months ago about the sins of our ancestors, I¡¯ve done some reading about Earth history, pre- and post-contact. I refuse to believe that the people who sacrifice so much of themselves for the defense and aid of others would stand by idly watching a whole species go extinct.¡±
The first officer let out a deep sigh, the engineer¡¯s words hitting closer to home than the German would ever voluntarily admit and glanced at his captain. ¡°Your call.¡±
Also letting out a sigh, the Romulan leaned against the bridge railing. She furrowed her brow as she looked from one face to the next. ¡°We all know Tarik¡¯s right. We can¡¯t stand here and argue about the most convenient justification to look the other way while millions are dying. We¡¯re supposed to be better than that.¡±
Sina breathed deeply and slowly walked towards her seat. One step away from the captain¡¯s chair she turned around and raised her voice. ¡°Anyone wishing to object to my intention to violate the Prime Directive and help those people should do so now, it will be noted accordingly in the ship¡¯s log.¡±
There was a pregnant silence for a couple of seconds, before the CO nodded and gave the order. ¡°Noriko, do we have the coordinates of that planet?¡±
¡°Yes, captain.¡± Immediately came the pilot¡¯s reply, who had been following the discussion on the level above her closely from her station.
¡°Set a course, maximum possible speed. Engage.¡±
¡°Aye, captain. ETA in fifty-seven minutes.¡± Junior Lieutenant Yamada replied, while the Sidereal came about and plunged into the whirling tunnel of fractal streaks of light and flowing darkness.
With renewed determination Sina stepped away from her chair again, turning towards the observation lounge opposite her ready room. ¡°Rel, you¡¯ve got the bridge. Niko, Visra, Noriko, Tarik, you¡¯ll join me in the observation lounge. We need a plan to help those people and we¡¯ve got less than an hour to come up with one.¡±
On her way to the lounge the Romulan tapped her combadge. ¡°D¡¯raxis to Co-Yor and Vossler. I need you both in the observation lounge asap.¡±
Three minutes later everyone was present in the observation lounge, staring at the holographic projection of the sundered planet while Tarik and Visra reported the current situation. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions had devastated whole continents in wide swathes, and the sky had turned dark with hot ash raining for days without end.
¡°The situation is as following. Octoris, as the inhabitants call their world, was hit by an asteroid less than ninety-six hours ago.¡± The Synergy engineer explained. ¡°The impactor approached the planet from above its orbital plane. Even if the Octoricai had seen it coming, their technological level offered them no means of defense. Since the impact they¡¯ve already lost over fifteen percent of their total population, primarily to tsunamis, buildings collapsed by earthquakes, and firestorms caused by the hot ash raining planet-wide.¡±
The projection changed to show a schematic display of the species. Lieutenant Vossler cut a disgusted grimace and Noriko gasped. ¡°Oh my god.¡±
¡°Holy shit!¡± Niko, sitting to Sina¡¯s right, stared at the projection and mumbled to himself.
The Octoricai had obviously evolved from a spider-like ancestor. The image was of a centaur-like being, with a vaguely humanoid torso positioned on top of a uniquely arachnid main body. The creature had one pair of arms with multi-clawed manipulators and three pairs of legs, one of which could be used as a second pair of arms but without fine manipulation. Its abdomen was an almost spider-like bulge with a set of spinnerets at its end. The head was crowned with a circle of eight eyes, two of which were enlarged to provide enhanced forward vision.
¡°The species is¡¡± Visra paused for a moment before she continued. ¡°¡quite unique in its physical appearance, as you can see. Their arachnid physiology makes them both resilient and vulnerable against the consequences of the impact. The natural exoskeleton covering their bodies makes them more resistant to heat and impacts, but the massive amount of volcanic ash in the air is catastrophically effective against their type of lungs. They are more likely to survive the flames of a fire or the collapse of a building, but will quickly suffocate in those situations, even faster than a Human would.¡±
¡°Our probe is detecting highly toxic atmospheric contaminations as a result of the asteroid strike. According to our calculations, Octoris¡¯s environment will start to become too polluted to sustain their population in a few weeks. They have already lost almost ninety percent of the planet-wide harvest. Over the course of the next three years more than ninety-seven percent of their species will die from air pollution and famine.¡± Tarik continued.
Again, the Alusi scientist took over, her face a mask of worry and concern as she spoke. ¡°The chances of the Octoricai recovering from this event on their own are zero. They are an industrial age civilization. They have adopted a widespread use of steam engines in all settlements to power various industrial processes. Construction of a rail network on the northern continent was underway, as was the expansion of a network of simple electronic communication lines called telegraphs.¡±
Sina rose from her seat, dismissed the holographic projections above the conference table, and nodded to Tarik and Visra. ¡°Thank you. As you can clearly see these people need our help and they need it fast. The Sidereal will arrive more than three and a half hours before all other incoming ships, and our immediate actions will be decisive in preventing probably millions of deaths down the road. We¡¯ve already discussed the issue of the Prime Directive, and I¡¯ve decided to suspend it because the Synergy will make contact anyway.¡±
Julia Vossler looked at her commanding officer, quirking a brow. ¡°Captain, we don¡¯t have much personnel, so we can¡¯t be everywhere at once. What are the most pressing issues we should deal with first?¡±
The CO gestured at Visra and Tarik, and the young Alusi replied. ¡°You¡¯re right, we don¡¯t have the capabilities to engage in individual firefighting or search-and-rescue operations. But those problems are insignificant compared to the ongoing volcanic eruptions as well as the ash concentration in the atmosphere. If we don¡¯t somehow manage to stabilize the geological activity, everything else we could do won¡¯t matter. At least not to the Octoricai.¡±
The chief engineer nodded and pressed her lips together, thinking hard. After a second she snapped her fingers. ¡°Of course! We can bring the Bussard collectors back online and reconfigure them to gather the ash from the atmosphere. If we focus on the clouds heading towards the larger settlements, we should be able to clean up several hundred thousand tons of material per hour. It¡¯s not much on the global scale, but it might buy the people in those cities valuable time. We compact and seal the collected ash in a storage room and FDS it to the surface as a solid block.¡±
¡°You want to take the Sidereal into the atmosphere?¡± Noriko inquired with a doubtful expression on her face.
But the Lieutenant shrugged her shoulders and assured her position. ¡°Sure, why not? The ship can easily handle it after all the fancy upgrades she got.¡±
The captain nodded in approval. ¡°We¡¯ll do it. And good thinking, Julia. I guess we can be glad that we kept some of our old stuff around. So, any suggestions regarding the volcanoes?¡±
Visra cleared her throat. ¡°The normal approach would be to install seismic regulators, at least under the inhabited landmasses, to suppress the geological activity and stabilize the planet¡¯s crust. But the probe¡¯s readings show that there are only few suitable locations left that haven¡¯t already been collapsed by earthquakes or flooded with magma. Those few regulators will not be sufficient.¡±
¡°And we¡¯ve only got¡ four or so of those regulators in storage.¡± Julia interjected quickly. ¡°We can build more, but don¡¯t forget that those things are huge. We can¡¯t fabricate them in one go, but instead have to put them together piece by piece.¡±
¡°Other ideas?¡± Sina asked.
¡°Could we use our gravimetric anchors somehow? Maybe we could collapse the vents to cut off the fuel for the eruptions?¡± Noriko suggested weakly, not wanting to feel completely useless in the discussion.
¡°That could work.¡± Tarik confirmed. ¡°But the Sidereal would need to stay close to the ground to have the anchor penetrate the required depth into the crust to reach the primary conduits. It would also take away time from filtering ash from the atmosphere.¡±
The Asian pilot¡¯s expression changed from proud, that her random idea did have some merit, to sad, that it wouldn¡¯t be of much use anyway, when the engineer continued.
¡°However, there is another way to deal with those conduits. We can use the ship¡¯s weapons to create artificial vents to release the pressure in a controlled way. This would cause more damage in the short term, but greatly reduce long-term losses by stopping the volatile eruptions as quickly as possible. Synergy geologists and tactical adjuncts are calculating the necessary targeting solutions as we speak.¡±
¡°What kind of short-term damage are we talking about?¡± Niko added.
The Synergy engineer took a deep breath. ¡°The released magma obviously has to go somewhere. While we try to find targeting solutions that will direct the resulting lava flow into uninhabited terrain, that will not be possible in all cases.¡±
¡°Then that¡¯s a no.¡± Sina spoke up with a clear matter-of-fact tone. ¡°There has to be a different way. I will not drown villages and cities in lava.¡±
¡°Sina, if we don¡¯t do this then countless more will die.¡± Tarik replied, visibly not in the mood to have this discussion. ¡°My people are running millions of simulations for different attack coordinates, angles, and depths. But in some locations, there is just no alternative because we lack the fine control necessary for more precise incursions. Our weapons are not mining drills.¡±
The CO was about to respond, when Noriko cut her off. ¡°Captain! I know what we can do. Do you remember what we planned to do on Szaris III-A?¡±
Sina nodded and her lips curled into a smile. ¡°Yes, I do. Julia, bring the Peregrines out of mothballs. Tarik, tell your scientists to update their simulation parameters. We¡¯ll use our fighters for the difficult locations. Let¡¯s get it on, we¡¯ve got a planet to save!¡±
[ Act Two ]
Sina sat in the cockpit of her Peregrine attack fighter, the reinforced tactical flight suit hugging her figure and keeping her tightly secured to the pilot¡¯s chair. She was just running the final preflight checklist and noticed with a satisfied smile that all status displays showed green. The null-space capacitor, which replaced the small vessel¡¯s tiny warp core, was fully charged and brimming deeply with energy.
She had decided to jump into a fighter herself since there were low on pilots certified on that craft, and every Peregrine in the air would help significantly with ¡®Operation Bloodletting,¡¯ as Visra had affectionately called it. Aside from her own fighter craft, three more were also fueled and prepared in the retrofitted hangar deck. Sina was piloting Alpha Raptor, the designated wing leader. Noriko had taken over Beta Raptor. Gamma Raptor would be carrying Shori. And Xoth, only after much complaining and posturing, had agreed to fly Delta Raptor.
After Tarik had relayed her decision to use the fighters, the Synergy had quickly adjusted their firing solutions to the smaller, more precise and versatile weapons of the decades old Federation fliers. It turned out that the Romulan¡¯s gut feeling was right. The new strike coordinates all worked without putting any Octoricai settlement in additional danger.
Suddenly the view out of the hangar¡¯s forcefield changed. The fractal chaos of subspace slipstream was replaced with the quiet darkness of space and the sight of a devastated planet. Octoris was straight ahead of them, and the damage caused by the asteroid strike was clearly visible from space.
The comm system chirped, indicating a wing-wide broadcast, and Niko¡¯s voice filtered through the channel loud and clear. ¡°Sidereal to Raptor wing. We¡¯ve dropped out of slipstream and you¡¯re cleared for launch. Good luck and take care everyone!¡±
¡°Acknowledged. Raptor wing, prepare for launch.¡± With a single button tap Sina set her mission transponder to LAUNCH status.
Moments later, after all other fighters in the wing were set to go as well, the tractor beams that had held them steady in the hangar deck propelled them forward. The attack fighters were catapulted out of the Sidereal¡¯s forward hangar doors in two waves, and quickly gathered behind Alpha Raptor in a diamond formation as they sped into Octoris¡¯s upper atmosphere a few kilometers ahead of their carrier.
The Peregrines¡¯ shields were glowing with menacing red streaks, protesting the steep angle at which the fighter craft brute-forced their way through the air at hypersonic velocities. Each attack craft left a cracking shock wave that shook the ground in its wake, while the clouds behind them were flashing in a bright blue light again and again as the Sidereal unleashed its powerful cannons against her pre-calculated targets.
The landscape below Sina, Noriko, Shori, and Xoth was zooming past in a blur, but even then, the pilots could see the devastation inflicted on the surface. Whole swaths of land had been burned to the ground, riverbeds dried out and filled with ash instead of water, deep chasms torn into the hills and valleys. The sight was terrifying. The wing was rapidly approaching the waypoint where they would split up before continuing to their individual objectives.
¡°Raptor wing, prepare to disengage formation¡ Go!¡± Sina sent in another broadcast. A moment later the four fighters peeled off and headed their own ways, racing towards their destinations.
As she changed course, the Captain¡¯s eyes were glued to the massive mushroom cloud rising from somewhere in front of here. She checked the sensor readings, her time to target quickly counting down. Thirty seconds. Twenty seconds. Ten seconds. Five seconds. Her target, a lopsided half exploded caldera, appeared behind a low mountain range.
Sina decelerated sharply and came about, circling the volcano¡¯s maw as it continued to spew smoke and ash. Her first target would be easy, since the mountain¡¯s slope would funnel the released lava into an uninhabited valley. She maneuvered the fighter into position, charged its phaser arrays, and fired. Twin beams of bright orange nadion particles burned their way into the ground at the volcano¡¯s side.
It took the Romulan half a minute of drilling, but eventually she got the expected result. The whole caldera shook and trembled, and a split second later a fountain of lava violently erupted from the hole she had drilled, like pus from an infected pimple. As the magma chamber below the volcano angrily emptied itself through the newfound bypass, the caldera visibly shrank and eventually collapsed.
But Sina didn¡¯t have time to stay and watch, since she was already racing towards her next target. As she approached the geological fissure venting lava and highly toxic gasses, she recharged her Peregrine¡¯s emitter array, preparing for the next incision. A couple seconds later she arrived at her destination, finding the fissure well and active and spewing molten rock and deadly fumes.
Diving into another hard break that made good use of the inertial dampers, the Romulan turned her fighter around and swiftly maneuvered into attack position without wasting any time. Priming the phasers, she began drilling the bypass which would drain the pressure into a nearby now almost-dry lake. Under much protesting and complaining from the fissure, the bypass eventually exploded to life. Before Sina departed, she brought the fighter up high and made a single strafing run across the vent¡¯s length, collapsing the opening and sealing it shut.
The captain was already on her way to the third destination when the comm system chirped with an incoming message. ¡°Sidereal to Alpha Raptor. How are you doing, Sina?¡±
¡°Two targets down, couple thousands to go.¡± She replied slightly sarcastically to her XO. ¡°How¡¯s the rest of the wing holding up?¡±
Before launch they had agree to keep open channel communications to a minimum to avoid unnecessary distractions. While all four pilots were certified for the Peregrine, only Noriko had any routine in the craft. For the other three, including Sina, it was a rare opportunity to climb into the pilot seat, and the situation was stressful enough without constant chatter.
¡°So far everything going as planned. We¡¯ve sealed or bypassed a total of twenty-three vents so far, and the runabouts have successfully deployed all four seismic regulators. Gamma and Delta Raptor have confirmed being spotted, but that was to be expected.¡±
She sighed at Niko¡¯s report, but didn¡¯t dare to feel any kind of relieve yet. ¡°Good to hear. Are the Bussard collectors as effective as we hoped?¡±
¡°Sort of. There was an issue with the matter transfer from the collectors to the storage area, but Julia is already working on it. She said it¡¯ll be operational in a few more minutes. We¡¯ve adjusted our course to not waste time waiting on the repairs and keep shutting down those volcanoes.¡± Niko replied with an audible tension in his voice.
¡°Just keep worki-¡± Sina sent back, but before she could finish, she got two sensor alarms on her display. ¡°Stand by¡¡±
The Romulan slowed down her craft and checked the alerts. ¡°Oh no¡ Are you seeing this, Niko?¡±
¡°What is it?¡± Her XO suddenly sounded even more concerned than five minutes ago.
¡°I¡¯m reading a group of about 3,000 Octoricai, and a seismic buildup that¡¯s going to rupture the mountain they¡¯re passing by at any minute. Changing course to intercept. I need a targeting solution for that mountain asap!¡±
¡°We¡¯re on it!¡±
The CO pressed her attack fighter into a power dive, swooping towards the unsuspecting refugees. As she got closer, she could see a clearly visible bulge in the mountain¡¯s side and her sensors showed that the pressure was reaching the threshold for a violent eruption any moment now.
¡°Niko, where¡¯s my¡¡± But before she could finish the sentence, the new volcano erupted. ¡°Shit!¡± The gigantic explosion sent tens of thousands of tons of stone and dirt flying in all directions, including towards the refugees. Without wasting a second thought, Sina turned the phaser arrays to maximum and opened fire, still in rapid approach, vaporizing many of the huge chunks that were hurtling towards the utterly terrified people.
¡°Sina? Sina, what happened?¡± Niko asked through the comm system.
¡°The mountain just exploded!¡±
¡°How bad is it?¡±
Sina passed over the group with a supersonic boom, before she managed to slow down and hover over the scene. By sheer dumb luck the Octoricai hadn¡¯t been flattened by a chunk of rock. But the Captain¡¯s relief turned to despair when she saw the pyroclastic flow sweeping down the burning flanks of the now gone summit. She glanced at the sensor display. The flow would reach the group in less than three minutes.
¡°You¡¯ve got 160 seconds to get over here or they¡¯re all dead.¡±
¡°On our way!¡±
With grim determination the Romulan closed the channel and punched the controls of her Peregrine. The craft jumped and shot forward towards the rapidly approaching current of scorching gas and burning rocks. Turning her fighter on a dime, she fired its phasers at the ground in wide sweeping arcs, desperately trying to carve the shape of a crude plow into the ground to deflect the cloud.
While she was disintegrating two curved chasms into the ground with her weapons, the panicked group of Octoricai stared at the display of divine intervention above their heads. Most of them were carrying little more than the clothes on their bodies, with parents clutching their egg cocoons or young tightly as they stared at the white legless spider that had descended from the sky to protect them.
¡°Niko¡¡±
The pyroclastic cloud was less than thirty seconds from the group, when suddenly a thundering boom echoed over the mountain and the darkened skies flashed in a bright blue light. Blinding bolts shot forth from the darkness and hit the surface to the strange flying creature¡¯s sides, vaporizing giant gorges into the ground. The cloud cover parted, and a giant white-and-black creature with two red claws and a single blue eye descended from above.
¡°We¡¯re here, Sina! Get behind the chasms!¡±
¡°YES!¡± The Captain shouted relieved, while maneuvering her fighter over the group of refugees. The Sidereal descended further, parking itself sideways above the group. Its starboard nacelle dropped into the carved-out holes and the Akira class hung motionlessly in midair, angled against the slope¡¯s surface. Mere seconds later the full force of the pyroclastic flow crashed against the ship¡¯s tachyon barriers.
The impact¡¯s shock was felt by all on the ground and the Octoricai stared in awe as the burning cloud of ash and embers was deflected away by that giant deity incarnate. Many of them fell to their knees in reverence, gazing at that unimaginable display of power, wondering how a single being could defy the might of the earth.
¡°Thank you, Niko!¡± Sina sobbed into her helmet, happy beyond words that the people on the ground had been saved.
¡°You¡¯re welcome. That will be a five credits cavalry tax.¡± Her XO quipped wryly. Sina could imagine his grin all too well.
She watched the Sidereal¡¯s silhouette flicker as her tachyon barriers extended, still protecting the group of survivors while allowing the ship to return to a normal flight mode. The Akira class turned to face the mountain, and with a single pulse from her navigational deflector the pyroclastic flow was easily parted up to its origin and then pushed aside. A few more bolts from the ship¡¯s cannons and this volcano was sealed for now, buying the refugees much needed time to get away.
The Sidereal rose into the sky again and gobbled up the largest part of the ash column created by the mountain¡¯s eruption with her Bussard collectors on her way. She turned away from the mountain and disappeared with another cracking sonic boom, heading towards her next target.
Sina hovered for another moment over the group of survivors, running a sensor sweep of the people and the surrounding area to reassure that they would be safe for at least the next couple hours. After she was sure they could make it, she also headed off to her next target.
It was a long and exhausting battle against time. Sina didn¡¯t have any further close encounters, but Xoth found a small city that had been overrun by a lava flow. There was nothing he could have done to save them. Shori had the bad luck of being just a little too close to the drill hole and her Peregrine got doused in lava as a result. The Caitian had to return to the carrier and switch to Epsilon Raptor. Eventually, after over three hours of the Sidereal and her crew fighting against the inevitable, the Synergy reinforcements arrived.
Two cubes and five spheres dropped out of subspace slipstream and immediately began to support the outmatched Starfleet crew. Using seismic regulators which they had fabricated while on the way, they could quickly stabilize the planet¡¯s crust and force any remaining volcanoes into submission.
¡°Sidereal to Raptor wing. We just received word from Cube 971-Helix-12 that the last volcano has been subdued. We¡¯re currently holding a geostationary position over the southern continent. You¡¯re cleared for docking.¡± Niko announced, and a moment later the open channel was filled with relieved breaths and even a few cheers.
¡°Niko, bring in and secure the other Raptors. I have to take care of something.¡± Sina replied.
The first officer sighed. ¡°Are you going where I think you¡¯re going?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll ask one of the spheres to assist you once they¡¯re done deploying atmospheric control satellites. Take care, Sina. And tell them hello from me.¡±
The Romulan smiled. ¡°I will. Alpha Raptor out.¡± She turned her Peregrine around and headed back to the group of survivors they had rescued from certain death hours ago. As she approached the location her fighter¡¯s sensors told her that the 3,000 Octoricai had moved on, away from the volcano and towards one of the remaining but still heavily damaged forests. The Captain carefully maneuvered her craft towards the ground, closer to the group.
Her approach didn¡¯t go unnoticed. As Sina¡¯s attack fighter floated in slowly and touched down about 100 meters away, she saw the group getting restless. Movement started to pick up, and hundreds came closer to her landing spot, some curious, others fearfully. The Romulan disengaged her suit¡¯s and seat¡¯s safety mechanisms and opened the cockpit hatch. With swift and only a little clumsy steps she climbed off the attack fighter, who now was surrounded by many dozen Octoricai.
Once they clearly saw the Romulan they fell to the ground, dropping low with their heads almost touching the ground. Sina knew that something like this would happen.
¡°Please, stand. Don¡¯t kneel before me.¡± She spoke loud enough for the group to hear her.
One of the arachnids spoke with a trembling voice. Sina guessed that individual could just be terribly excited and nervous, or it could be a translation artifact stemming from their unique combination of spoken words and clicks making up their verbal language. She only hoped that the universal translator could handle this. ¡°You¡¯ve saved us from certain doom before, deity incarnate. And now you¡¯ve returned to us. How could we not kneel before you?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
The Romulan slowly walked closer, her arms open. ¡°It will be difficult for you to understand, but I¡¯m not a deity.¡±
¡°You and your father have defeated the thundering mountain. You must be gods! Who else could possess such power?¡± Exclaimed another Octoricai.
Sina quirked her brow for a moment before it dawned her what they meant. They thought that the Sidereal was her father. With a slightly frustrated sigh she walked towards the first speaker. She leaned down and took his clawed manipulators into her hands, gently lifting them from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not a god. My name is Sina. Please, I don¡¯t want you to kneel before me.¡±
Slowly the Octoricai rose from his prone position and the others followed suit. Now that they were standing, Sina noticed for the first time how miserable they all truly looked. Their clothes were ripped or in tatters, their colorful carapaces covered in soot and dirt. Many were wounded, limping along with visibly broken or even missing appendages. Parents were desperately clutching their young tightly to sooth their fears. More and more of the others now also approached, trying to catch a glimpse of their savior goddess.
¡°You really are not like us.¡± Someone murmured amidst the crowd.
The Captain nodded. ¡°That is right. I¡¯m not Octoricai, neither am I from your world. I¡¯m Romulan and my home is far away from here.¡± She gestured to the sky. ¡°It will be a long story and it will be challenging for you to accept, but you are not alone. The stars you can see in the night sky are home to thousands of different people. Some are tall, others are small. Some walk on two legs like I do, others have many legs like you.¡±
As if on cue, the air was filled with the blue white flashes and black spots of dimensional shifts. Dozens of vortexes appeared behind Sina¡¯s Peregrine as Synergy engineers and medics transported to the surface, accompanied by massive crates full of what she suspected were materials for emergency shelters, food and water, and medical supplies. The unexpected arrival caused a short-lived panic, but the Romulan quickly managed to calm the survivors.
¡°No, wait! They are friends! Stay calm. They are friends, they¡¯re here to help you.¡±
The group remained calm, and quickly opened a corridor in the circle around the landed attack fighter. The engineers began constructing what would soon be a small city made from temporary housings, the medics approached the group and started working on the wounded. The first speaker watched the scene silently for several moments, before he turned to Sina. ¡°Why are you doing all this for us? You don¡¯t know us, and to you we must be like the worms in the ground.¡±
She turned her head and smiled tentatively at the confused Octoricai. ¡°Why? Because everyone deserves to be saved.¡±
[ Act Three ]
¡°Why do you only have two legs?¡± Kylra asked wearily. The young Octoricai clung tightly to Tarik, all seven appendages wrapped around the engineer¡¯s arm, and gazed intently at the Human with her enlarged forward facing eyes. Kylra lost his left arm in the cataclysm that had befallen his planet when chunks of a collapsing ceiling crushed his extremity beyond his people¡¯s medical capabilities.
In agreement with the leading diplomatic adjunct the Synergy had decided against liberal use of dimensional shifting to avoid scaring or intimidating the native population even more, and so coincidence willed it that Tarik would return the child to his family. The engineer smiled softly at the boy and gently stroked the child¡¯s fuzzy dark blue back hair that was crossed with thin white stripes.
¡°My kind evolved from animals with two arms and two legs over the course of many million years. Just like your kind developed from animals with eight legs. I don¡¯t know for certain why my ancestors only developed two legs, but I guess it¡¯s because that was the number of arms and legs that worked best for them. They probably just didn¡¯t need any more.¡± He explained.
Kylra nodded slowly, still exhausted from the examinations and other treatments. There had been a lingering infection in the stump of his lost arm, and without rapid treatment it could have been disastrous for his open circulatory system. ¡°The strange people in the white clothes didn¡¯t hurt me. Does that mean I can go back home?¡±
¡°Yes, for now. But you will soon have to see our doctors again so that they can help you get your arm back.¡± Tarik explained, just turning the corner towards one of the emergency shelters where Kylra¡¯s parents were waiting. The family had survived, if only barely, and found a temporary home in what had before been the city¡¯s central train station.
¡°Hey, look!¡± 4@19 pointed with his free arm. ¡°There¡¯s the train station. You will soon be with your parents again.¡±
The boy waved his pedipalps and giggled with tired excitement. A few minutes later Tarik stepped through the entrance of the ruined station. Half a dozen adults were busy cleaning away the last pieces of debris and swiping the floor at least somewhat clean of dust, pebbles, and bits of broken glass from the now open ceiling high above the ground. 4@19 quickly crossed the entrance lobby and stepped into the main hall which was bustling with activity.
The wide-open space was filled with emergency beds and makeshift screens providing at least a little privacy. At the far end of the hall a couple of Synergy engineers were just completing the installation of two fabricator stations, already giving instructions and demonstrating the devices¡¯ usage to the curious onlookers. Three of the four platforms had a train next to them, whose wagons had hastily been repurposed as additional sleeping space and socializing areas.
Minding his steps, Tarik made his way through the many rows of provisional beds where tired survivors were slowly recovering from the shock of the last two and a half days, until he found his destination. In a small compartment created by a makeshift screen made from Octoricai silk and the back wall of what used to be a snack booth, Kylra¡¯s parents were waiting for the return of their son. Once the engineer peeked around the screen, the adults inside looked up and then quickly scurried to their feet.
¡°Tarik! You¡¯ve returned. How is Kylra?¡± Ylliyk inquired, still limping with two of her legs wrapped in heavy bandages.
¡°No worries, he¡¯s fine, but tired.¡± 4@19 explained, consoling the parents. He carefully handed the boy to his father, who wore a dark red patch over one of his eyes. ¡°The stump was infected and could have become a problem, but we were able to treat it without any side effects. He¡¯s well, considering the circumstances, just exhausted from all the stress and the examinations.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Ylliyk said while wrapping her arms around her husband and child, holding them tight.
Tarik just smiled gently. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. The medic suggested the follow-up examination to be scheduled soon, once Kylra recovered a bit. He¡¯s still young and we think we have a good chance to regrow his arm without hampering his development. He¡¯ll be able to have a normal set of appendages without requiring a prosthesis.¡±
Mokral nodded and handed Kylra to his wife, before slowly shuffling closer to the engineer. He nervously produced a golden watch from the pocket of his dirty vest, offering it to Tarik with shaking claws. ¡°Here, please take this. We know it¡¯s not much, but you¡¯ve saved our child.¡±
4@19 gently shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want any payment. While I appreciate the gesture, it is not necessary. Please keep the watch, it will serve you better than it would me.¡± He replied, carefully taking the father¡¯s claws into his hands and closing them around the watch.
¡°How can we ever repay you?¡± Ylliyk asked with a worried voice.
The Human engineer turned to the female Octoricai and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. We neither require nor expect any payment, and neither do you owe us anything. But if you insist, there is but one thing I would ask from you.¡±
¡°Anything.¡± The parents answered in unison, gazing at Tarik expectantly as he continued.
¡°Your world is at a crossroads. In the upcoming months there will be much discussion about what your species will do now. All your worries, troubles, and conflicts until now have become irrelevant. You are not alone anymore, and while some may welcome that change, others might fear it. Please keep an open mind about what my people will tell you. That is all I dare ask.¡±
¡°We will.¡± Mokral nodded reassuringly. ¡°We will.¡±
A few minutes later Tarik was on his way back to the Synergy encampment just outside the city limits. While he casually but with intent walked through the devastated streets, he managed to let his eyes wander over the buildings framing his path. At least those constructions that haven¡¯t fallen prey to earthquakes or fires displayed an impressive architecture for the Octoricai¡¯s technological level. Their buildings were much taller and wider, with much more open internal space than he would have expected.
He mused that it probably had something to do with their unique physiology. With their spinnerets and inborn ability to produce a variety of weaves and ropes, every member of their species is a natural climber. 4@19 could easily imagine Octoricai construction workers moving in unfinished buildings like spiders would move in their webs, creating truly masterful works of bricklaying and construction. Without the risk of easily falling to their deaths, their people could create more intricate and web-like decorations that not only were pleasant to behold, but also payed homage to their heritage.
Tarik felt an all-encompassing presence in his thoughts.
[You look good with a child in your arms. Are you sure you¡¯re not already training for something particular?]
The engineer sighed and mentally rolled his eyes at the obvious innuendo, eliciting a playful giggle from Chiaxi.
[Matriarch. What can I do for you?] He replied after collecting his thoughts, pushing aside the distracting image her comment had planted into his mind.
[I¡¯m curious how you would rate the Sidereal¡¯s performance in this first contact situation. I¡¯m aware of their actions, but what can you say about their motivations and intentions? Do you think they are ready?]
4@19 thought about the question for a moment. [I would say they are almost ready, Matriarch. The Prime Directive is a delicate topic for the Federation and its crews. As you are aware, the history of their organization is riddled with examples of even well-meant intervention leading to disaster. For most situations I¡¯d consider the principles of the Prime Directive prudent, it only fails catastrophically when confronted with extinction events.]
[Please continue.] Chiaxi hummed softly.
[I¡¯m confident Sina decided to intervene so quickly only because our ships were already approaching. On their own they would have hesitated for presumably significantly longer. But eventually my brief explanation of our intervention and uplift policies appeared to have had the desired effect - convince them of the absolute necessity of intervening while at the same time reassure them Octoris would not be occupied or conquered by the Synergy.] The engineer concluded his report.
The Matriarch contemplated her next question for a long moment. [Do you think they would have acted without us encouraging them?]
Now it was the engineer who needed some time to think on an answer. [Eventually, I think they would have. They most likely would have waited for more detailed sensor data, or until Visra had calculated more accurate projections how the situation would develop. But in the end, I¡¯m certain Sina would have acted in favor of intervening on Octoris. I¡¯ve spent much time getting to know her better, and I don¡¯t think she would refuse to render aid in such a situation.]
[Excellent. I¡¯m positive they will eventually come around and see things our way. But for now, please invite Sina, Niko, and the other Raptor wing pilots to the first tentative meeting with Octoricai representatives scheduled in four days. The presence of the people who recklessly went to battle volcanoes in hopelessly outdated attack fighters to help and protect a species they had never seen before will set a beneficial mood for the meeting from the start.] Chiaxi¡¯s melodic voice still echoed in his thoughts, even after her immediate presence began to fade.
[As you wish, Matriarch.]
Four days later, Tarik led Sina, Niko, Noriko, Shori, and Xoth - all wearing their gray-white dress uniforms - along a simple path to the place of the official first contact meeting between Synergy and Octoricai. The location was the peak of a hill, nested in a rolling countryside that miraculously, and thanks to the efforts of the Sidereal¡¯s crew, survived the apocalypse relatively unscathed. The webbed dome-like town hall of a small city in a nearby valley shimmered with a rich purple in the warm morning sun, and even the sky had begun to clear. In the distance, a single pure white Synergy sphere crossed over the horizon.
¡°How many ships are here now in total?¡± Shori inquired curiously from Tarik.
The engineer answered without missing a beat. ¡°Twelve cubes and thirty-six spheres. More than 560,000 engineering and science adjuncts, 290,000 medical adjuncts, and over two million support personnel are deployed planet-side to help stabilize the Octoricai societies.¡±
¡°Almost three million¡ that¡¯s not too bad.¡± Xoth grumbled to himself. While his voice tried to convey him not being impressed, his expression betrayed his awe as he realized how quickly and decisively the Synergy was able to mount this whole operation. Everyone in the small group knew that Starfleet would struggle for weeks or even months to muster such numbers.
¡°Thank you. We take that as a compliment.¡± 4@19 cast the Tellarite a smile, before turning his attention back to the meeting place ahead of them. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Please allow Vadrik to open and lead the meeting. He is experienced with first contact encounters and has even successfully negotiated half a dozen uplifts in the last fifteen years. When addressed or asked something, please always answer truthfully. Our negotiation policies in uplift situations are based on indiscriminate honesty, since the other party would find out the truth anyway if they decided to join the Synergy. Dishonesty or lies by omission only create more problems in the long term.¡±
¡°Understood.¡± Sina and Niko replied in unison, both glancing at the other officers who quickly nodded in agreement.
After a few more minutes they small group finally reached the peak of the hill, already hearing several voices from ahead. The place had been decorated with a large round table, including holographic projectors, and enough hammocks to accommodate all participants. A single fabricator terminal was provided for refreshments and other necessities. The use of the Octoricai¡¯s traditional seating furniture was a gesture of respect towards their culture and would help signal the Synergy¡¯s peaceful intentions, at least everyone hoped so.
Most of the hammocks were already occupied with eight Octoricai and a single male of species 478 casually lounging in them. The arachnid representatives displayed a wild mix of carapace colors, fur patterns, and clothing styles, while the Hirogen was dressed in a formal suit embroidered with intricate decorations.
¡°Tarik! Captain D¡¯raxis!¡± The Hirogen called out with a pleasant smile on his lips and gestured to the six free hammocks to his left. ¡°Please join us.¡±
¡°Thank you, Vadrik.¡± 4@19 replied and nodded towards the other guests. He and the Starfleet officers quickly moved to the free places and carefully sank into the hammocks, which gently swayed back and forth. The Octoricai curiously mustered the engineer and his companions, muttering to themselves as their gaze fell on Shori.
¡°Now that our gathering is complete, I would like to formally introduce ourselves.¡± The Hirogen rose from his hammock and addressed the Octoricai. ¡°I am Vadrik, Primary Diplomatic Adjunct, and I speak for the Synergy. We are an interstellar empire encompassing over 300,000 inhabited planets, which are home to over 100,000 different species. Our goals are peaceful exploration and scientific progress, and our motivations are founded in cooperation and mutual support.¡±
Vadrik¡¯s voice sounded strong and firm over the hilltop. ¡°When we learned of the cataclysm that had befallen your world, we not only immediately dispatched our own people to help you. We also asked one of our allies, the crew of the Federation Starfleet vessel USS Sidereal, to render aid.¡± He gestured at Sina and her officers with an expression of pride on his face. ¡°And we are glad they heeded the call and responded as quickly as they did.¡±
¡°Your world and your people are no longer in danger. The volcanoes have been silenced, and soon the air will be free of ash again. And if you should allow it, we will offer our help in rebuilding and advancing your civilization. Before I continue, I want you all to be aware of one thing. The Synergy will not force itself upon your world. If you decide to ask us to leave, we will do so. But before you make any such decision, I implore you to listen to what we have to say.¡±
One of the Octoricai, an apparently elderly male, with a dark brown carapace and a dark yellow fur, spoke once Vadrik had finished. ¡°But why would you stay? I¡¯ve seen the flying machines you command. What could we possibly offer you as payment for your help?¡±
¡°We¡¯re not asking for any payment.¡± The diplomatic adjunct responded kindly.
¡°Then what else do you want?¡± A young female retorted, her body a dangerous black shell with fiery red hairs. ¡°Will you conquer us, and exploit our natural resources? Or enslave us?¡±
¡°We will also do neither of those things.¡± Vadrik explained calmly. ¡°I know it is challenging for you to understand how we could invest all that effort and ask nothing in return. The Synergy is not interested in exploiting you. We come in peace, offering our help, support, and guidance.¡±
The female representative crossed her four arms in front of her chest. ¡°That sounds suspiciously like what the Northern Pact said forty cycles ago.¡±
¡°Arekja, please¡¡± The elderly Octoricai groaned. ¡°¡what would you know about the Pact?¡±
She snapped her head at him. ¡°I know that my grandfather died defending our home against your nation, Praxxu. Everyone knows that the Pact¡¯s leader was nothing but a well-spoken but bloodthirsty warmonger. You always speak of peace and support, but only on your terms. And anyone who dares oppose or reject you is brutally subjugated or slaughtered to make an example.¡±
Now it was Praxxu who snapped back. ¡°How dare you. The Pact sent hundreds of convoys to the south during the great drought, helping your people with food and water without asking anything back. And how did you thank us? By sending spies to poison our rivers! Your people started that war, and you know that all too well. So please spare us all your feigned outrage and faked indignation.¡±
Arekja was about to leap from the hammock, when suddenly Vadrik¡¯s shout thundered over the meeting place. ¡°SILENCE!¡± The Octoricai jumped in their seats, and a dangerous silence fell upon the hill¡¯s peak for a long moment, before the Hirogen continued with a softer tone. ¡°Your species is at a crossroads, and yet you keep bickering over past conflicts. Can¡¯t you see that none of that matters any longer? How can you fight over what happened decades ago, when a possible future for all of you lies ahead, waiting to be discovered?¡±
¡°Yes, if we wanted, we could easily conquer you. We could easily enslave you or take all your ores and minerals and gemstones. But we have no interest in doing that. And if you doubt everything I say, I implore you, at least believe this one thing.¡±
Tarik cast a knowing glance at Sina and let out a slightly frustrated sigh. This negotiation was going to take a long time.
[ Act Four ]
¡°When was the transmission supposed to start?¡± Captain K¡¯Torr asked, his fingers impatiently drumming on the table. Nadya glanced at her CO, curiously observing the Klingon. It was a rare moment when anything shook his usually unwavering confidence and calm. Seeing her Captain visibly anxious from something trivial like this was almost making the Russian smile.
Lieutenant Commander Kedik responded to the question without hesitation. ¡°2330 hours, Sir. I have no explanation for the delay. Our comm system is working at peak efficiency, I¡¯ve personally run a level three diagnostic less than an hour ago. Do you wish me to rerun the diagnostic?¡±
¡°Maybe they simply experienced an issue on their end?¡± Commander Chanar suggested as she turned her chair away from the dark display on the lounge¡¯s wall. The Bolian woman looked around, meeting everyone¡¯s slightly worried gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think Captain D¡¯raxis would keep us waiting if there wasn¡¯t a good reason.¡±
¡°We shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± The Augment finally said. ¡°Starfleet Command said this was the first attempt to reroute the communication channel to individual destinations. It¡¯s probably just some stream fragmenta-¡±
As if on cue, the wall display suddenly turned on with a chirp, and showed the strange and complexly intertwined seal representing the impossibly powerful empire of the Synergy, directly followed by the much simpler but familiar starship patch of the USS Sidereal. A moment later the screen flickered briefly and changed to present a view into another observation lounge that was occupied by three people: Sina the center seat, flanked by Niko and Rel.
Nadya¡¯s thoughts immediately went back to that terrible day four and half months ago when they performed the experiment to pierce the quantum barrier and glance at the other side. The Augment clearly remembered the shock when they saw what seemed to be a Borg sphere towing a heavily damaged Akira class away. It had been difficult for everyone on board, but worse for her. She had needed two weeks of counseling and much empathy from Shannara before she could return to active duty.
She had barely finally accepted that she¡¯d never see her friends again when suddenly and out of the blue two weeks after their experiment the news dropped that Starfleet Command had received an authentic message from the Sidereal. The news spread like wildfire through Starfleet¡¯s admiralty and quickly also across the Federation. The lost Akira class was again the hot topic for weeks without end. Nadya clearly remember how she¡¯d been crying tears of joy and happiness while watching Sina¡¯s personal message together with her girlfriend.
And now, in an unbelievable twist of fate, they were really talking to each other. Before the Augment¡¯s thoughts could drift further, her thoughts were brought back to the present by Captain K¡¯Torr clearing his throat.
¡°Captain D¡¯raxis.¡± The Klingon began. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear your voice. It¡¯s a great honor, and for many of us personal relieve, to see you all alive and well. I hope things are fine in your universe?¡±
Sina¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Captain K¡¯Torr. The honor is ours. Yes, we¡¯re doing great, thank you. I¡¯m sorry I kept you waiting, but a certain Rear Admiral was getting quite emotional while saying goodbye.¡±
The Klingon let out a rumbling laughter, obviously picking up Sina¡¯s innuendo. Nadya smiled softly as she imagined how emotional Rear Admiral Gallagher would be with her daughter. It was only understandable, and the Augment couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what a rollercoaster ride this whole ordeal must have been for the elderly woman.
¡°We understand, Captain.¡± The Enterprise¡¯s first officer quickly added. ¡°No need to apologize. It¡¯s an exceptional situation for everyone involved.¡±
¡°It really is.¡± Niko nodded and glanced at his CO. ¡°We¡¯re also all really impressed by what you guys have done. It¡¯s incredible you managed to find a way to see what happened shortly after our accident.¡±
Nadya briefly met Sina¡¯s look and saw a glimmer of remorse in the Captain¡¯s gaze before the Romulan spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that of all possible events you had to see that particular one. It must have been terrible to think we¡¯d been assimilated.¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± The Augment quickly replied before anyone else, her lips slowly curling into a tentative, almost shy smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t have any way to influence our experiment, and we couldn¡¯t possibly know the truth until much later. I guess we have to mark that one down as bad luck.¡±
Lieutenant Commander Kedik raised an eyebrow and nodded at his colleague. ¡°I agree with this assessment. These parameters were outside of both our control. We shouldn¡¯t spend any more time dwelling on an event that, while having an unfortunate emotional tax on many people, eventually led to a positive result.¡±
The Romulan nodded at the Vulcan. ¡°I agree. Speaking of positive results, how are professor Van der Meer and professor Ishikawa doing? I hope they are not too overwhelmed by their research?¡±
¡°It¡¯s actually the opposite.¡± Commander Chanar said, her blue face lighting up with a chuckle. ¡°It appears the scientific discoveries made by our esteemed chief engineer kicked off a flurry of fundamental research in subspace engineering, quantum mechanics, and high-energy physics. Last we heard of the professors was that they were both swimming in work. Especially Muuri appears to be quite busy since he was directly involved in the later stages of the experiment.¡±
Sina pouted slightly. ¡°Aw, what a shame. I¡¯d really like to say thank you in person at some point.¡± She paused for a moment and drew a deep breath. ¡°Which is also the reason why I requested a direct call with you rather than just sending a message. I want to say thank you in person to all of you. We¡¯ve all here read your reports and logs that SC relayed to us. You went above and beyond the call in your endeavor to find us.¡±
The Romulan¡¯s eyes focused on the Enterprise¡¯s chief engineer and smiled warmly. ¡°Especially you, Nadya. Stubborn as ever you refused to accept our disappearance and even risked your career in Starfleet for us. You faced off against your Captain and managed to change his mind. You went all the way and only let go when there was nothing more to do. Thank you, Nadya, for everything.¡±
Hearing these words from her former secret love turned the Russian all teary-eyed, and she sniffled softly as she breathed her response. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Sina. You know that I don¡¯t believe in giving up early. But this time I couldn¡¯t have done it without the help of my colleagues and the support of my CO. Even though it took a while until we understood what each of us wanted out of the situation.¡±
¡°Oh, I know. But I¡¯m glad to hear that things worked out onboard the Enterprise again.¡±
Captain K¡¯Torr nodded and replied with his powerful deep voice. ¡°No worries, Captain D¡¯raxis. The Lieutenant Commander is completely correct. She didn¡¯t know what I expected, and I didn¡¯t realize what she wanted. Since we¡¯re both quite¡¡±
¡°Stubborn?¡± Sina suggested with a playful smirk.
The Klingon¡¯s lips twitched into a quick grin before he continued with extra emphasis. ¡°¡determined, some conflict was probably inevitable. I¡¯m personally contented that we managed to resolve our problem in a timely and professional manner. This situation has been a valuable lesson to all of us, and especially me. I think we¡¯ve become a better and stronger crew for it.¡±
¡°We¡¯re happy to hear that things did work out for you.¡± Niko added while giving the screen a quick double thumbs-up.
After her XO¡¯s remark, the Romulan continued. ¡°I think you¡¯ll all be pleased to hear that your discoveries are well received here as well. You all have really impressed several hundred million people in the Synergy¡¯s scientific community, which is taking a full dive off the deep end with your results. They¡¯ve already squeezed several improvements to the installation enabling our communication from your work. In a few days they¡¯ll take Primaris Station offline and begin a ten-week-long maintenance cycle that will significantly improve fuel efficiency, transfer bandwidth, and spin up time.¡±
Lieutenant Neirrek quickly looked at his CO before adding more information to the conversation. ¡°During that period, we will not be able to perform any communication with your quantum reality, but our abilities afterward will be improved significantly. We will be able to communicate more regularly without straining the available fuel supply, and the transmissions will allow multiple simultaneous channels with enhanced bandwidth compared to the single channel we have available right now.¡±
¡°You can see your efforts were not only academic, but really are making a difference for us. Once again the crew of the Enterprise has done something exceptional.¡± Sina concluded. ¡°You can all be proud of yourself.¡±
¡°Thank you, Captain D¡¯raxis.¡± K¡¯Torr replied, failing to hide a thin smile of pride under his thick beard.
A sudden chirp interrupted the mood. Rel picked up a PADD from outside the camera¡¯s field of view and quickly checked its display. ¡°We have about five minutes left before the micro-fissure will collapse.¡±
¡°Unless you have any pressing questions that weren¡¯t answered by our messages, I think that¡¯s about it then.¡± Sina commented. Both commanding officers glanced at their colleagues to see if there were any open topics, but even after several long moments no one spoke up. Finally, the Sidereal¡¯s CO continued. ¡°Captain, may I make a last personal request? Could I please talk with Nadya alone?¡±
¡°Yes, of course.¡± The Klingon officer rose from his seat. ¡°Captain D¡¯raxis, I hope we¡¯ll talk again some time. Until then, Godspeed.¡±
Commander Chanar and Lieutenant Commander Kedik stood as well and offered their goodbyes before leaving the Enterprise¡¯s observation lounge. Commander Heisenberg and Lieutenant Neirrek did the same, and moments later Sina was alone in the Sidereal¡¯s observation lounge.
The Romulan took a deep breath. ¡°How are you, Nadya?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine, Sina.¡± The Augment replied while wiping the wetness from her eyes. ¡°I really wasn¡¯t fine for some time after our experiment¡ wait, who am I kidding? That¡¯s one hell of an understatement. I was a complete mess, and I don¡¯t know what I would have done without Shannara. That silly girl¡¡±
Nadya let out a soft sigh and smiled as she recalled her past experiences. ¡°During that time, I said some pretty mean things to her, but she still stayed with me and helped me put myself back together. I always imagined I would be the tower of strength in a relationship. But in reality, I helplessly crumbled in her arms like a sandcastle in the waves. It¡¯s quite funny. Back when I left the Sidereal, I expected it would take me a few years to get over you. But then I stumbled into that feisty redhead xenobiologist and all my expectations just went straight out the airlock.¡±
Both women giggled at the Russian¡¯s remark for a second, before Sina added her perspective. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know exactly what you mean. It was the same with me and Tarik. When we first met, I was seconds away from vaporizing him, and now I just love the feeling of him holding me his arms. If you had told me back then that I¡¯d fall for a middle-aged transhuman cyborg engineer, I¡¯d have laughed you off the ship. But now¡ I guess I can say we both found not the partners we wanted, but the partners we needed.¡±
¡°I think that is a surprisingly apt description.¡± The chief engineer responded.
The CO smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re happy with your girlfriend. I know you told me not to worry about it, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for you after you transferred away. The thought that you gave up on your position and your friends because you felt you couldn¡¯t talk about your feelings with me¡¡±
¡°And I¡¯ll still tell you not to worry about it now. Besides, would it have ever worked between you and me even if I had told you?¡± Nadya quirked a brow, teasing her friend for an answer.
The Romulan hesitated for a moment, unconsciously licking her lips thinking about the answer. While the Augment was a close friend and undeniably gorgeous, Sina just didn¡¯t feel the same kind of attraction to her as she felt with 4@19. ¡°I¡ I think it would have been difficult.¡±
¡°See, no need to feel bad then. Trying to enforce the unenforceable would just have caused unnecessary tension and drama. It would have left us both worse for wear and not served any attainable goal. In the end, I still think my decision was the best possible outcome for everyone involved. And¡¡±
The Romulan woman raised an eyebrow in an almost Vulcan gesture. ¡°And?¡±
¡°And I think I can live with it. While I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t have been completely honest with you and caused you some headaches, I wouldn¡¯t want to trade Shannara for anything in the universe. I think I found what you¡¯d call ¡®a soulmate.¡¯ Despite our differences, we seem to¡ complement each other in a way I¡¯d never have thought possible.¡±
Sina beamed a happy smile hearing those words from her friend, just as Nadya smiled while uttering them. The Augment was truly happy. Not only had she found comfort and love despite all the troubles and difficulties that had riddled her life in the recent path, she also knew that her friends and former colleagues were safe as well. This reassurance, and especially this short personal talk, gave her the peace she finally needed to put her past to rest.
Another chirp sounded. ¡°Less than one minute¡ I think we should wrap it up before we¡¯re getting cut off.¡±
¡°Yes. It¡¯s been good talking to you again, Sina. Don¡¯t worry about me, you¡¯ve got more than enough on your own plate to handle. But we¡¯ll stay in contact, okay?¡±
¡°We¡¯ll stay in contact. Once the Synergy is done upgrading Primaris Station I¡¯ll call again. Please take care and give my regards to Shannara. Tell her a big thank you from me for being so good to you.
The Augment laughed. ¡°I will. Goodbye, Sina.¡±
¡°Goodbye, Nadya.¡±
A moment later the channel terminated. Nadya took a deep breath before she stood from her seat and turned to leave the observation lounge.
[ Act Five ]
Sina¡¯s face and body were covered in sweat and she breathed heavily. The exertion was clearly visible in her strained expression, but it was a good exertion. She felt every muscle in her body as she moved in a steady rhythm. She happily and breathlessly smiled at Tarik as she wiped the sweat from her brow. ¡°Almost there, just a little more.¡± The Romulan tightened her grip on the shaft and let out a soft groan.
She raised the heavy hammer in her right hand only to bring it down on the anvil with a thundering clang, again and again and again. Her body shuddered under each impact, and she leaned against the engineer to keep her balance. But with each additional strike she coerced the brightly glowing piece of metal further into shape. The ringing sound of the impacts echoed loudly in the otherwise currently unused workshop.
Tarik held the raw mek¡¯leth blade with a pair of tongs, moving it around as requested, while Sina kept raining blow after blow onto the metal to bring it in shape. The workshop¡¯s forge was burning bright and hot behind the working couple, and Sina repeatedly placed the raw blade in the heat before she continued hammering it. After another ten minutes of working the metal with arduous zeal, Sina finally put down the hammer and took the tongs from Tarik to closely examine their piece of work.
¡°Done!¡± She exclaimed, returning the tongs to her companion so that he could also look at the result. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten close enough to the final shape. Now we anneal the blade to soften the metal, which will allow us to grind it into its final form and put an edge to it later.¡±
Sina placed the blade in the searing forge again, quickly heating the metal to a bright glow before pulling it out again. With tongs in hand she turned to the engineer. ¡°Can you do me a favor and put it in WIP-chamber six for it to cool down? I¡¯ll start cleaning up here.¡±
¡°Of course, my dear.¡± Tarik nodded and released the menacingly glimmering blade from the tongs. Without hesitation he took it into his cybernetic hand, feeling the piece¡¯s weight and temperature, while he held it close to examine its shape and structure as well. It was gleaming hot, but his artificial hand easily withstood the heat.
Sina had already taken off the safety glasses and heavy apron protecting her from the heat and the sparks working the mek¡¯leth set loose, and just stared at the hot metal in her partner¡¯s hand. She quickly shook her head and laughed at the sight. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that, you know, hurt you? Why are you not clutching your hand and screaming in agony?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve deactivated the extended sensory interface before picking up the piece. My arm provides me with the raw sensory information about the object¡¯s temperature, but that data is not translated into sensory input that could cause a pain reaction.¡± The engineer replied calmly while placing the glowing piece in its designated resting container.
The Romulan mused. ¡°Now that¡¯s certainly a handy ability to have. Does it work like that with all your implants?¡±
¡°Not with all.¡± Tarik replied on his way back from across the workshop. ¡°Only implants that interact with the perception of one¡¯s own body. I can mute the sensory input from my arm and could turn down input from an ocular visor. But I couldn¡¯t limit the data from, for example, my chronometric node in the same way, since that implant doesn¡¯t change the way I feel about my body.¡±
¡°I see¡¡± Sina had put away the apron and glasses and turned to switch off the forge. With a few taps on the massive device¡¯s holographic interface she shut it down, making the furious roar of the furnace quickly die down.
¡°But you¡¯re right, it¡¯s extremely practical to be able to do this. And if it¡¯s only to impress one¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Tarik added with a wide smirk on his lips while he moved to put back all the tools they had used.
¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± The Commander quipped back with a soft laugh.
The engineer effortlessly picked up the various tongs and hammers, and swiftly and efficiently returned them to their intended places. The automatic cleanup system would soon take care of all the chips and fragments on the ground.
Once everything was back in its place, Sina stepped closer to Tarik. Her face was still flushed, her hair was a wet, tousled mess, and her clothes were soaked with sweat. She not only looked exhausted, she also felt that way. Leaning against her boyfriend, she breathed heavily. ¡°I¡¯m so done for. I really need a hot shower now.¡±
¡°Should I carry you back to your quarters?¡± He offered, the teasing but loving grin on his lips audible in the tone of his voice.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like doing tha-¡± But before she could finish her statement of playful protest, he had already swept her up in his arms.
He smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Carefully he maneuvered through the workshop¡¯s door, gently carrying Sina towards her little home away from home.
¡°You can put me down now.¡± She teased him with her arms slung around his neck, holding on to him.
¡°But I like having you in my arms. You¡¯re letting me do this far too rarely.¡± He teased back and placed a tender kiss on her forehead, eliciting a soft giggle from his companion.
On the way to the Commander¡¯s quarters the couple encountered a small mixed group of junior ranks, standing in one of the gateway hubs having a quiet conversation. Once they noticed Tarik carrying their CO in his arms, they immediately rushed towards them.
¡°Captain! What happened? Do you need help?¡± One Junior Lieutenant immediately asked, visibly worried.
¡°No. No, I¡¯m fine. Really.¡± Sina replied with a smile as she quickly blushed to a highly embarrassed shade of red. ¡°I¡¯m just tired and Tarik is being the ever-overbearing gentleman that he is.¡±
¡°Oh¡ okay.¡± The junior officer replied with a knowing smile, ushering the others aside to make way. ¡°Good night then, captain. Tarik.¡±
They arrived on deck four in front of Sina¡¯s quarters just a few minutes later. The Romulan was still blushing from their previous encounter when Tarik set her back on her own feet.
¡°There you are. Back home, save and sound.¡± The engineer quipped, his teasing drawing a soft smile to Sina¡¯s face.
¡°Tarik? Would you mind coming in? I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡± Sina asked carefully.
4@19 quirked a brow before he replied. ¡°Of course, Sina.¡±
The couple entered the quarters together and stopped in the spacious living room, facing each other in front of one of the large panorama windows.
¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡±
Sina reached for her companion¡¯s hands, squeezing them gently as she spoke.
¡°I¡ I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about us. About our relationship, where we came from and where we can take it. The past five and a half months have been amazing. I¡¯ve come to know and love you in a way I would never have expected, and the second linking last month gave me even more confidence to stay with you than I ever had before.¡±
She took a deep breath, holding Tarik¡¯s hands firmly now as if to steady herself for her next words.
¡°I guess what I want to say is¡ I¡¯ve made my choice. I want to join you, Tarik. I want to be with you, and I want you to be with me.¡±
The engineer¡¯s eyes lightened up as he heard her words. ¡°Are you really sure about this? You know I would never pressure you into the decision, since there is no going back from it.¡±
¡°I know. And yes, I am sure.¡±
Tarik smiled warmly at Sina. ¡°You don¡¯t know how happy you make me. I promise I¡¯ll alwa-¡±
Before he could finish his promise, the Romulan let go of his hands and flung her arms around his shoulders, pressing herself against him and crushing his lips with a passionate, hungry kiss. He quickly returned the kiss, feeling his companion¡¯s body melting against his own, and welcomed her in a close embrace. After a long moment Sina reluctantly broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and gazed up into Tarik¡¯s eyes.
¡°You talk too much.¡± With a mischievous smirk on her lips she slowly tugged him towards the bathroom and whispered. ¡°Mind joining me for a shower?¡±
With a flushed smile on his lips, 4@19 nodded, but then hesitated. ¡°I¡ I should change my arm. This one is too-¡±
¡°Tarik¡¡± Sina interrupted him, gently stroking his cheeks with her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your arm. I care about you. I want and accept you the way you are, just as I can only hope you can accept me the way I am. You don¡¯t have to change your extension for me. It¡¯s fine, really.¡±
The engineer gazed into his companion¡¯s eyes for a long moment before his lips curled into a happy smile, and together they made their way towards the shower, shedding their sweaty and grimy clothes on the way.
An hour later, Sina snuggled up closely to Tarik, resting her head on his naked chest. She could hear and feel his even heartbeat, the gentle thumping of the muscle just a few centimeters away from her ear. She let out a soft and exhausted sigh. ¡°Will it hurt?¡±
¡°No.¡± Her lover replied, embracing her just a little bit tighter. His fingers gently traced the curve of her hip as he lazily explored her tender skin. Marveling at the sensation of their bodies pressed against each other so intimately, he breathed her scent and whispered. ¡°You¡¯ll simply fall asleep, and when you wake up again you will be one of us.¡±
¡°Then you¡¯ll never get rid of me again.¡± She smiled and let out a happy murmur, before sleep overtook her. ¡°I love you, baby¡¡±
¡°And I love you, my dear.¡±
Sina suddenly found herself standing on a dark, infinite plane. High above her hang an impossible intricate galaxy of trillions of stars. A long white flowing dress covered her body, shimmering under an eternal blue and green twilight. She recognized the dress and the vista. She was inside the hive-mind again. As she wondered why she was here, she felt a presence behind her. She knew it was her mate before she turned to face him.
[Welcome back, Sina.]
She blinked, confused. [Tarik? Why am I here again? I thought I would sleep through the change?]
He stepped closer, his youthful avatar¡¯s simple gray robe gently swaying with his steps, close enough to reach for and hold her hands. [And you will. There¡¯s only one thing you must do.]
[Which is?]
Gently 4@19 turned her shoulders, pointing her at a smooth black pedestal that hadn¡¯t been there a moment ago. On its top, Sina saw an¡ egg. It was a large ovoid, about half a meter tall. It shimmered in a fascinating blue and green hue, reflecting the countless tiny lights far above.
[Is that¡ an egg? What am I supposed to do with it?] She inquired, quirking her brows. Then she added with a teasing giggle. [Want me to cook you an omelet?]
Tarik chuckled softly. [No. It is the trigger of your transformation. You must activate it to start the process in its whole.]
[And how do I do that?]
[You¡¯ll know when you touch it.]
The Romulan mustered the engineer at her side curiously, then turned and slowly walked towards the pedestal. The closer she got to the egg, the more details she could make out. Quickly she could tell the individual tiny scintillating scales apart that made up the shell, and once she was within arm¡¯s reach, she could see a faint trace of movement traveling slowly over the scaly surface.
Glancing back at her partner, the Commander took a deep breath. With shaking hands, she slowly, almost reluctantly reached for the egg. Half a meter, ten centimeters, five centimeters¡ she hesitated. Sina swallowed and pressed her lips together, her eyes focused on the shell just ahead. She wanted this. This was her choice. Her life. Her love. She took another deep breath to calm her nerves and leaned forward, finally touching the dragon egg.
The world around her exploded into a billion shards of blinding light and a moment later Sina found herself inside a round chamber, floated weightlessly. She felt her body change rapidly. Her fingertips grew into vicious claws. Her skin hardened and turned into armored scales shimmering in dark, almost black, hues of blue. Her eyes turned to orbs of running quicksilver. Her hair twisted and knotted itself into fierce horns. From her back grew a pair of feathered wings, with beautiful long green and blue feathers that were as sturdy as duranium and as sharp as a razor¡¯s edge.
While Sina¡¯s body grew more and more into the proportions of a dragon, the chamber seemed to shrink with every passing moment. The walls came closer and closer, and she felt as if she was about to be crushed. Her body touched the walls and suddenly she realized that she was inside the egg. With a scream she dug her claws into the inner shell, tearing at the delicate scales until she broke through.
The shell exploded outward, releasing the newborn Twilight Dragon. Stretching her wings wide open, Sina took to the air with powerful strokes, racing through the void between the ground below and the stars above. She didn¡¯t think about how she knew how to move her wings, instead she completely trusted her instincts to guide her.
[To the stars, Sina.]
She glanced at her lover, who waved at her from below, and let out a thundering roar. With mighty strokes she rose higher and higher, and moments later she dove into the sea of stars ahead. The tiny specks of light followed her, gathering around her. More and more of them surrounded her, and Sina could hear the whispering of the hive-mind. Trillions of voice gently welcoming her in their warm embrace. And finally, she became one with the swarm of light, her mind opening and embracing the Synergy in return.
The Romulan felt an all-encompassing presence surround her. She looked up, and through the haze of light saw three bright blue stars descend slowly upon her. The Matriarch¡¯s avatar manifested, and the majestic beast¡¯s wings enclosed the Twilight Dragon completely in a gentle embrace. The Star Dragon smiled at Sina and its melodic voice echoed across the void around them.
[Welcome home, 1@68-Zeta.]
The Romulan woke with a gasp, her heart racing a mile a minute. She sat up, blinking her eyes open as she looked around. Something felt off, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. She knew it was early morning, but why was the room so bright? Tarik was sound asleep next to her, his chest peacefully rising and falling. She looked closer at her lover, and suddenly noticed that the shadows on his body were all wrong. It was then that it dawned to her. It wasn¡¯t the room that was bright, it were her eyes that could see in the dark.
She sneaked out of bed and into the bathroom to find the full-sized mirror, set into one of the wall tiles. When she saw herself, she stopped for a moment as suddenly a wave of new sensations came flooding into her mind. Her arms and legs were covered with thin platinum-colored fibers forming a delicate exoskeletal mesh. And her heterochromatic irises were encircled by a frame seemingly made from shifting quicksilver, giving off a pale silvery glow.
Sina slowly smiled at her reflection.
¡°I am Synergy.¡±