"Touring With The Breen"
by Lieutenant Leslie Wilson
Chief Counselor, USS Galaxy
Leslie cleared a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. She glanced over at the Breen, who matched her pace, step for step. Socorro had been enjoying the tour, at least, Leslie thought she was. The Breen seemed interested enough.
Must be good to get out of those quarters, Leslie thought. Then she quickly thanked the makers that she wasn't on an alien craft, or on the shuttle Kepler.
"Leslie Wilson, what are those large double doors up ahead?" The Breen asked, staring at Leslie with curios eyes.
"A holo-deck," Leslie responded promptly. "We use them, to create other invorments, for enjoyment, and some times, education."
"I would like to see these 'holodecks' if that would be allowed."
Leslie glanced back at the security guard, who stayed about three meters away, a hand resting above his phaser.
"That would be alright, but just for a few moments, we will need to wrap up this tour shortly."
"Very well. I just want to see what it is like," Socorro replied evenly.
Leslie smiled. "Then you shall see it."
****Later****
"That was fasinating," Socorro said, "that a computer can create images like that, it is amazing."
"The Federation has had the technology for some time. Like I said, it is used for enjoyment, Starfleet Academy uses them for education simulations."
"Excuse me, Counselor." The security guard cleared his throat. "But we need to be getting back."
"Sorry, Socorro," Leslie apologized.
The Breen waved her hand. "It is of no matter. I enjoyed the tour, thank you Leslie Wilson." With that, Socorro turned, and walked away with the security guard.
Leslie stared at them, until they went around a bend in the corridor, and then shook her head, walking in the opposite direction.
By: e9226192@student.tuwien.ac.at (Joerg Sterner)
"End of Beta shift"
by Commander Joerg Sterner
Executive Officer, USS Galaxy
Before the Counselor began to show the Breen parts of the Galaxy, Joerg departed from the group and was back on his way to the bridge, since it was still his shift, Beta shift. While he was riding the turbo lift upwards, he tapped his comm badge.
"Sterner to sickbay."
["Sickbay here, Commander. What can we do for you?"] a nice, female voice replied.
"It's about the two injured Breen you have down there." he began.
"Could you please inform me and Counselor Wilson the moment both are able to be questioned. There are still some important, but yet unanswered questions left." Joerg quickly explained.
["No problem, sir. You and the Counselor will be both notified at that very moment, sir."]
"Thank you. Sterner out."
With the last words spoken, Joerg arrived on deck 1 and stepped out onto the bridge. The officer, who was sitting in the Captain's chair immediately stood up. Joerg nodded to that officer and sat down upon he arrived at the chair.
Joerg requested to be informed of the Galaxy's current status and was quickly supplied with informations from the other bridge officers. There was still some time before the end of his shift.
********** Some time later, at the beginning of Gamma shift **********
Joerg was relieved of command by Deiran Casey at the end of Beta shift. Joerg approached and entered the turbo lift. All he wanted at that very moment was to get some sleep. The past few hours were quite interesting, but also very stressful.
While he was going down in the lift, his thoughts were with the upcoming shuttle launch and the crew members aboard that shuttle, who were about to enter a yet unknown space phenomena.
The lift doors opened on Joerg's quarters' deck and he stepped out of the cabin. His steps were slow, since his mind was distracted by other thoughts. He nearly passed his quarters' entrance, but his feet stopped in time. He entered, approached his bed and fell into the soft cushion. Soon thereafter he was asleep.
By: RC Laven
"OK everyone, we have done all we can here." Erikson concluded, having considered several possibilities which rapidly ran through his mind. "Ronni, launch two probes, one toward the barrier and the other toward the vortex entry. AC, get the environmental suits ready. Ensign Tholen, I want you to quickly get as much of a sensor log as you can. I want you to take the escape capsule."
Utilizing the shuttle escape capsule and EVA suits, it was hoped that at least one of them might return to the Galaxy. Greer watched the figure of young Joanna Tholen enter the escape capsule. He found this a difficult decision to make when he really didn't want to have the away team split up.
“Uh, Greer? We've got a little problem here.” AC said pressing the depressurization doors. It appeared that they were not functioning.
"We'll have to transport out." Lieutenant Erikson said. "Set for maximum transporter distance and energize as soon as you're ready."
"No need to ask me more than once." Ronni said, busily programming the transporter controls.
[Warning, hull breach is imminent . . .] the computer's unemotional voice announced as they began to dematerialize, oblivious to the pending destruction of the shuttle.
*** Fluidic space ***
Materializing several thousand kilometers away from the shuttle were they watched the small Federation vessel explode with a brilliant white light as a result of the warp core breach. The liquid-like space surrounding the shuttle rippled as a shockwave ensued from the matter and anti-matter explosion as it expanded with distance.
"Greer." Ronni's voice came in over the EVA comm. "Is that the escape capsule over there?"
"I think so." Greer replied while squinting his eyes and trying to visually identify the distant object.
"She's not far enough away from the solid barrier." AC remarked. "If she doesn't get out of there, the shockwave will push her into it once the wake of the explosion reaches her."
"Could she detect it?"
"I'm not sure if there's much she can do even if she did." Ronni added. "The escape capsule only works on thrusters."
They watched in silence, helpless, the image of the escape capsule containing Ensign Tholen moving away from the source of the explosion and the wave of fluidic matter stirred up by the warp core breach which continued to rapidly approached it. Ronni was correct. In a short few seconds the fluidic wake had just managed to alter the course of the escape capsule enough to cause it to slam against the solid barrier they tried to avoid on the Kepler.
Although Greer's heart sank as he saw the little emergency vessel disintegrate, taking with it Ensign Tholen and their last means of contact with the Galaxy, but he tried to hide it. After several quite minutes, the shock of the rapid series of events finally broke and Lieutenant Erikson began to concentrate on the surviving members of the away team. There would be an opportunity to deal with this later . . . at least he hoped so.
"Our first priority is to determine what we were able to salvage from the Kepler and if we can somehow let the Galaxy know what happened." he said, breaking the eerie silence between the three of them.
By: "Ens O'Hare"
Jon stared at K'Eytyanna as he passed her the package, she looked at it as if not quite sure if she should eccept it. She sniffed it and opened it. The box was rather large box and she had a difficult time opening it. She finally got the lid off and looked inside. There was a beautiful Bat'lith but not just any Bat'lith but the Bat'lith of the late great Karn of Kulpathia. K'Eytyanna pick it up and immediately knew who's Bat'Lith it was. "I don't believe it, Karn's Bat'lith!" K'Eytyanna stated "How did yo...." Jon put his finger up to his mouth and said "Shhhhhhhhhh, don't worry about where I got it, just be glad that it's yours now! Again it's just a token of my appreciation for you saving my life, I am eternally greatful to you" Jon smiled. K'Eytyanna didn't know what else to say. Jon looked at the Chronometer on the wall and notice that it was almost 20:30 and he had to get going to complete some logs he stood and said "I am truly sorry K'Eytyanna but I must leave I have a million thing's to do. I have throughly enjoyed myself, and hope that we can have dinner again minus the Bloody Wine" as Jon chuckled. All K'Eytyanna could do is stare at the Bat'lith then stare at Jon but couldn't say anything. Jon took her hand and kissed it and said "I look forward to our next meeting" and quickly left Ten-Forward.
*** In Jon's quarters ***
Jon walked into his quarters expecting to see Sirkahn still sitting at the computer terminal, but to his surprise he wasn't. "Hmmmmm I wonder where Grump is?" Jon said as he sat at his terminal. Looked over a couple of reports and then pressed a button.
Personal Log
I have just did something that I thought I would never do in my life. I had dinner with a Klingon! The way that I have felt toward Klingons all my life. But this Klingon is special, she saved my life. And actually she is beautiful. I gave a gift tonight that I think that she enjoyed. She was really surprised. But I still feel this emptyness in my soul. I must make another date with her. End Log
By: Chris Patton
Lt. Thomas walked into his quarters, his duties at ops where becoming more routine by the day. He noticed that his life was starting to settle into a more effective way of living. He'd heard a rumor earlier that Colby was still on the ship, though he found it hard to believe. He would make himself availble only if Colby wanted to talk with him. He'd already decided that he didn't have a reason to personally confornt Colby about having remained aboard.
He found his bed and crashed as there wasn't anything that required his attention that he'd not already dealt with earlier that day. He was looking forward to getting a good night's rest, there wasn't much for him to do, so far during this mission. Most of the operations were being handled by Lt. Commander Casey, the captain and a few other officers. Those primary in the science department were most directly involved and in the investigation.
*** The following Morning **
Chris rose from his bed about an hour before his shift was schedluded to start. He had a few things to do before he was due on the bridge this morning. He always followed the same routine, that he'd recently deveolped since moving onto Alpha shift. Though if anyone looked into his past they would find most of his current actions where in consitance with those from his previuos shifts and even a few of his assignments.
Lt. Thomas Personal Log: The Galaxy is investigating an unusal temporal rift in space, but as to it's exact orgins are unknown at this time. Another of lives little mysteries that keep man going to explore the reachs of space and his own mind. I have had little contact with this mission, which is to no surprise as I am still considered only a junior officer on the galaxy. I must admit that I may have achieved a higher rank had I chose to stay in Starfleet Intelligence, but I also risked a higher chance of not making it to any level of rank beyond that of ensign. I found this to be a true statement as I watched several people that I had come to know real well perish for various reasons. Though I could never tell them truly who I was, I developed several good friendships both with Klingons and Romulans.
Chris Patton
By: Rob
The Computer’s annoying alarm awakened Deiran from his peaceful slumber. He leaned up in his bed, looked at Miran, her head still resting on her pillow. Leaning across her body he gave her a gentle, loving kiss. He put on his slippers and walked to the bathroom. Putting his hands near the faucet, water began to stream down into his hands. Cupping the liquid in his hands, he splashed it on his face.
"Computer, time please?" Casey asked, reaching for a towel. He took the towel in hand and dried his face. Feeling refreshed.
"The time is 2245 hours," the computer responded. It was a good thing Deiran was awake the computer voice could’ve dulled him back to sleep.
He stepped inside the shower. Deiran needed his morning shower like others needed a cup of coffee in the morning to wake them up.
Having had his shower, he dressed in a perfect uniform. Brushing the red undershirt with his hand. Smearing the pips with the tip of his thumb. Smiling in the mirror, as he checked his hair. He then walked into his dining room.
Since he was the second officer and had a family, his quarters were quite large. He remembered how small his Ensign quarters were when he first came aboard the Galaxy three years ago. It was like comparing a mansion to a bean.
He asked the replicator for a cup of warm espresso, a small glass of OJ and a melted cheese and turkey croissant. Casey loved Croissants.
As he ate breakfast, he mulled over some science info on a few PADD’s that he had covering part of the dining table. Casey really never stopped working. Even when he slept he would see computer algorithms in his head, or duty rosters or run through new tactics he had been thinking up to defeat the Jem’Hadar.
If he ate, he would read something, whether it be studying for his science degree or reading UFP news reports. Casey always had an active mind. He never stopped thinking up better ways to do something, or new technologies, new designs of ships, better ways to command, better ways to kill a Jem’Hadar.
As he sat eating his breakfast, Lara began to stir in her crib. Deiran stood up and walked over to his baby daughter. Leaning down he gently picked her up and held her in his arms. Patting her on the back slowly, rocking her sideways just a little.
"It’s not time for you to get up yet princess, go to sleep now," he said to Lara as he walked her around the room. "Don’t wake up your mother princess," he whispered in Lara’s little ear.
Lara began to fall back to sleep in her father’s arms. He put her back down in her crib and returned to his breakfast and his PADD’s.
It only took him a few minutes to eat and he was out the door and on his way to the Bridge for his command shift.
As he stepped onto the turbolift he was surprised to see Ensign St. John.
"Hello Robert. How was your shift?" he asked, a friendly tone in his voice.
"Fine sir. The shuttle is ready for launch in about one hour as scheduled, sir."
"Good. Its been awhile since I’ve seen you Robert with us being on different shifts. How are you doing? Is life treating you well on the Galaxy?" Deiran asked, genuinely interested in Robert and how he was doing.
"Fine sir, very good. Busy but things are well," the Ensign replied.
"Well if you need anything, you let me know, don’t hesitate to come and see me ok?" Deiran said, showing a concern for an officer under his command.
"Thank you sir," Robert replied. As he spoke the turbolift stopped. "This is my stop ‘Commander, have a good watch sir."
"Sleep well Robert," Casey said as the turbolift doors closed.
A few more decks and the turbolift stopped again. This time K’arta stepped onto the turbolift.
Deiran began to smile. His brow slanted slightly, his pearly whites showing and his eyes gleaming. "How are you today K’arta?" he asked in an upbeat tone.
"Fine Deiran, what do you want?" she replied. She had come up against that smile before.
Deiran laughed. "Okay, okay. I do have a favor to ask."
"What?" K’arta replied in her Klingon way, abrupt and serious.
"Would you baby-sit for Lara during Beta shift?" he asked. His eyes pleading with her.
"Oh Deiran I’d really like to, but I’m on a double shift because of the Breen. I wish you’d given me more of a notice, I would’ve been happy to sit with Lara."
"I know. I’m sorry but I just had the idea this morning. Its okay, some other time," he told her. The turbolift stopped and K’arta said goodbye and Deiran was again alone. He only had two other alternatives.
He tapped his comm badge and asked for the location of the next. And then he redirected the turbolift to Ten Forward.
As the doors opened to Ten Forward he surveyed the room. Ah, there was his victim. Well victim was the wrong word. Lara was actually easy to care for, she was well-behaved for a four month old baby.
"Hi Melissa, may I join you for a minute?" he asked, pulling the seat out and waited for her answer.
"Sure ‘Commander, have a seat." Melissa smiled.
"How are you Melissa?" Deiran asked, sitting down in the seat.
"Fine, just busy."
Deiran turned on his charm. His smile turned to dashing and debonair, his voice was soft, that famous Casey smile that all Casey males had at birth was shining now. "I was wondering if you could baby-sit Lara tomorrow, about 1800 hours until say 2100?"
Melissa frowned, "Deiran I wish I could. Lara’s so cute, she’s such an angel. But I have some tests to run, and I’m swamped tomorrow."
"Okay, that’s all right, I have to go, don’t wanna be late for my shift. See ya Thursday at fencing. Take care."
Deiran stood up, slid the chair under the table, smiled and made a hasty exit.
He had one more person. Actually one that was perfectly qualified for the job.
*** Gym, 2310 hours ***
"Hi Jurelle!" Deiran said as he tried to stay out of Jurelle’s way as she worked out. That Casey smile was showing again.
"Hi Deiran, what do you need?" she asked with a smile.
"Hey I don’t always want something you know. Can’t a friend just say hi to a friend?" he said, still smiling.
"Sure they could. But this is you we’re talking about," Jurelle laughed at Deiran.
"Okay, I was wondering if you could baby-sit Lara from 1800 to 2100 tomorrow? Miran gets nervous when she’s away from Lara too long, but what better way to ease her concerns by having the CMO of the ship as a baby-sitter uh? And you’re so good with Lara." Always use flattery to get your way.
"Miran doesn’t know what I’m doing, so don’t tell her ok? Just write me and let me know if you can, I don’t want to be late to the Bridge. Thanks Jurelle," He said as he ran out of the gym.
*** Bridge, beginning of Gamma shift ***
The first forty minutes of Gamma shift was spent preparing everything for Kepler’s departure. Casey was all over the Bridge getting information. He wanted to make doubly sure that no one died on his watch. He couldn’t bare to think of losing Ronni or Greer. What would life be like without Ronni’s constant jokes and pranks? Or not having Greer to play poker with on the Mississippi Riverboat program?
The fact was the Galaxy was sending some of its most important officers into a highly volatile situation and it all rested on Deiran’s shoulders.
Deiran was sitting in the command chair now. When everything was set and there were just a few things to prepare for, the Captain appeared on the Bridge. Deiran was shocked to see him.
"G'evening 'Commander." Captain Price greeted while stepping into the command well, "I trust everything is in order for the shuttle launch 'mate?"
Deiran stood up at attention and moved aside, "Aye sir. We are on schedule. Just going over a few last minute details with Ensign Trinker," Casey explained motioning towards the Benzite Operations Officer. Casey was the hands on type. He tried his best to lead the Gamma shift and keep them on their toes.
"Bonzer job 'mate." Captain Price replied to Casey after a glance around. "You are calling the shots 'Commander. This is your shift after all. I just want to be here. Sleeping through this wasn't something I could have done."
Deiran sat down at hearing that and gave the Captain a knowing smile. "I know what you mean Captain. I've felt the same way at times." After a momentary pause, Casey turned to double checking with all stations that the away mission still had a green light to proceed.
Minutes later, Lieutenant Erikson's voice came across the comm system. "Shuttle craft Kepler to Bridge. Requesting permission to initiate departure sequence."
"Bridge here Kepler. Permission to depart is granted." Casey answered, glancing at Captain Price who just blinked.
"Thank-you Bridge," Erikson replied.
The bay doors opened and AC took the Kepler slowly out into the darkness of space. The shuttle turned toward the kaleidoscope that was the Vortex. Everything seemed to be going well.
"Price to Shuttle craft Kepler," The Captain hailed.
"Erikson here sir," the Chief scientist responded.
"Just reminding you that you're not to take any unnecessary risks. I want you and your crew back in one piece. Understood 'mate?"
"Loud and clear Captain. No unnecessary risks. Erikson out."
Casey listened to the Captain, and agreed wholeheartedly. If it was up to Casey they wouldn’t even be going in the vortex. Whoever gave those orders at Starfleet Command was a lunatic.
The command crew of the Galaxy watched on the main view screen as the shuttlecraft Kepler and it's four passengers headed off towards the massive vortex, growing smaller in the distance. It was a beautiful site, a mix of beauty and dread wrapped in a pretty box.
"Continue to increase magnification Ensign. Track the shuttle as long as you can." Casey ordered of the helmsman. Casey’s eyes were glued to the main viewer. Nothing would go wrong. They had planned this to the letter.
"Aye 'Commander." Ensign Kolrami replied.
"Shuttle is on course and sensors are working perfectly." Sullax called out from the Science station while peering at the sensory readouts.
The crew watched as a bubble of energy engaged around the shuttle, enveloping it. Like air in a bubble, giving off a kind of blue-gray haze. The Bridge became tense as everyone held their breath and hoped for the best.
"Sir the shuttle has engaged its metaphasic shielding. Sensors have been compensated. Still receiving a clear signal." Sullax relayed.
The crew watched while the shuttle grew nearer to the vortex, finally entering the massive, swirling maul where the Galaxy had been just 12 hours before when she rescued the survivors from the strange Breen ship that was trapped in the phenomenon. Shortly after entering the vortex, the tiny shuttle began buffeting around in the eddies and currents.
"Sullax what is going on?' Captain Price called out.
"Sir it seems that the shuttle has entered some turbulence and there shields are out of phase. They are compensating." The science officer explained.
"I want to know everything from now on mate," The Captain was getting more intense as the shuttle grew closer and closer to the vortex.
"Sir the sensors keep going very fuzzy. It kind of happens on a regular interval but I am trying to compensate...." Sullax explained.
Several tense minutes went by as the shuttle Kepler neared the event horizon of the vortex. When it approached the center of the singularity, Sullax began counting down. Casey’s eyes wasn’t leaving the main view screen. His prayers were going out to the crew.
"Sir the shuttle is almost at the position where we lost the probe. They will be there in three....two...one... They have past through the vortex sir."
"Status report, all stations." Casey called out, and the Gamma crew responded quickly, like a well oiled machine. Casey had them ready, they were all used to him and his level of detail and excellence and they showed it.
"Sir, I am still receiving a strong signal from the Kepler's neutrino transmitter. We have lost all sub-space communications with the shuttle. Too much skip from the vortex." Lieutenant' Burns reported from the Tactical arch.
"I am receiving reduced telemetry from the shuttle 'Commander." Ensign Trinker reported from Ops. "The data did drop by 73 percent when they past through the vortex, but I am still tracking them. They are heading straight and steady."
Deiran turned and glanced at K'Eytyanna at the engineering station. "Sir, the shuttle's hull never exceeded three hundred thousand newtons while passing through the vortex. The metaphasic shielding seems to have held strong. Last available readings show the shuttles power output was holding steady at 92 percent. Well within safe tolerance levels sir," Samara explained.
Deiran looked over to the Science station where Captain Price was standing by, watching over Ensign Sullax' shoulder as he monitored the lateral sensor arrays tracking the Kepler's progress.
"We are loosing the signal sir. As the Kepler moves farther beyond their side of the vortex, our sensors are unable to compensate for the distortion effects of the phenomenon." Sullax glanced up at the Captain and then back to Casey, "moving the ship closer to the vortex might help sir."
Deiran thought a moment before deciding, the last thing he wanted to do was get caught in the vortex. He wanted to stay as far away from the phenomenon as possible. "We will hold our position here for now. As long as we are still receiving neutrino transmissions, we know the shuttle mission is still proceeding as planned."
Deiran was looking at the Captain but didn’t say anything. His face said it all. And then he heard Boaz a few seconds after he gave his command to hold position.
"'Commander! I just lost the shuttles' trajectory signal. One minute it was there, the next it was gone sir. I.... can't explain it." The Benzite said in frustration. Casey shot out of his seat and was standing next to the Ops station in a heartbeat.
It was more of a shock at first. He reacted on instinct, "Get up Ensign." Deiran said flatly. Boaz quickly complied, allowing Deiran to take the station himself. Casey's hands blurred as he ran them across the control panel's displays, recalibrating the gain and running a quick diagnostic. His hands were fluid across the controls, his mind raced quickly, trying to find a solution. Any probabilities of getting that signal back, Deiran would find it.
While Deiran was quickly evaluating the Operations data, Captain Price inquired, "Lieutenant' Burns, are we still receiving the neutrino pulses from the Kepler 'mate?"
John nodded, "Aye Captain, the signal has decreased in strength, but we are still..." Lieutenant' Burns stopped mid sentence, changing his tone up a notch in intensity, "Wait! The signal has just been cut off to minimal levels sir. We were receiving nearly six kiloquads per minute from the Kepler just a moment ago, now the signal has all but stopped sir."
"All but?..." Lee inquired.
Lieutenant' Burns pulled out an old style personal receiver and hooked it into his ear. He cupped his hand around the device and concentrated on listening to the faint signal.
"I am barely receiving a series of pulses. They seem to be alternating, some long, some short in tone," John explained.
Casey knew those signals in his sleep, "Morse code, Burnsey." He called out from the Operations station while still working on boosting the sensors gain. "It is programmed into the neutrino transmitter as a fall back system."
Lieutenant' Burns nodded and began to translate the series of coded pulses he was listening to. "A. Y. pause, M. A. Y. pause, D. A. Y. pause, S. H. U. T. T. L. E. pause, K. E. P. L. E. R. pause, N. E. E. D....." John removed the ear piece and looked at Captain Price with a shocked expression, "Captain, the transmission has stopped."
"Damn!" Deiran cursed from the operations console, causing everyone to turn around and look at him. Deiran never swore, but the tension was getting to him, he was doing all that he could possibly do or anyone could do for that matter. His concern and empathy for his crew mates in the vortex showed unwillingly. A moment of weakness in one word. It was as much as you’d ever see from the Iceman.
"What is it 'mate?" Captain Price inquired.
"I’m unable to compensate for the distortions and refractions that vortex is causing sir. Our sensors are useless." Deiran sighed in frustration, not used to failure.
"Let's do as Ensign Sullax suggested and try moving closer to the vortex. That might increase our chances of punching through the interference." The Captain suggested.
Deiran nodded, "Make it so Ensign." He said to the helmsman to his right, "take us to a position just outside the rim of the vortex and hold position there. One quarter impulse."
"Aye sir." Ensign Kolrami responded in her Zakdorn tone.
"Anything 'mate?" Captain Price asked Lieutenant' Burns in a hopeful tone.
John listened closely for a few moments before shaking his head, "No sir, and I have our sensors set to maximum gain."
"Captain, 'Commander... I think you had better come look at this..." Ensign Sullax broke the silence in a tone that sounded none too promising.
Both Captain Price and Deiran stepped over to the Science station. Ensign Trinker quickly retook his position at the Operations station that Casey vacated.
"What is it Ensign?" Casey asked.
"Look, here sir. Sensors just picked up this power spike from within the vortex." Sullax pointed to a graphic representation of the ambient power levels the sensory pallets were monitoring at the time. It showed an abrupt spike that rose in the middle, nearly coming completely off the top of the view screen.
"That doesn't look like a naturally occurring power discharge 'mate." Captain Price suggested.
"No Captain. It isn't. This particular power spike has unique properties." The science officer explained tapping a few controls to superimpose another graph over this read out. "One I have seen before sir."
The two images lined up almost perfectly as the animation rotated through a simulated 3-D comparison of the readouts on the flat view screen. "What is that you are comparing it to Sullax?" Deiran asked with genuine curiosity in his tone. But as he asked the question his thoughts answered the question before Sullax could, ’A warp core breach,’ Casey said to himself.
Sullax' expression grew deadly serious as he turned and looked into Captain Price's eyes and then back to Casey's. "It is the power output of a Federation shuttle craft that has just experienced a warp core breach sir."
Captain Price, Casey and the rest of the command crew on the bridge were all stunned by this revelation. Silently, on the view screen, the 3-D animation comparing the two power signatures continued to rotate and compare them.
The dead silence almost made Deiran sick to his stomach as he stared at the view screen. His face showed no emotion. These were the situations where Casey’s Iceman exterior shined through.
"Ensign Sullax, begin working on possible ways to find any kind of life signs, anything that will help us find them. We’re not stopping until we find their corpses. I’m not about to abandon them until I know they’re really lost." Deiran didn’t want to say dead. "Also, have a science team work with Ops and Engineering on increasing our sensor strength and find a way to heighten the sensors for any signs of life in that Vortex. We have to find a crack in the interference of this gopher hole!"
Deiran chose his words wisely. When he said gopher hole, he meant the kind you trip over but eventually right yourself and move on. He was saying it was nothing more than a minor obstacle. Reassuring the crew that they would find a way to accomplish their mission and get their friends home.
Deiran leaned over to the Captain and asked in a whisper, "Is this satisfactory sir? I don’t want to give up on the away team until we know for sure they’re gone. With all the interference we can’t be sure what has happened. I don’t want to allow circumstantial evidence to seal their fate."
Casey stood there and waited for his Captain’s response. The look in Deiran’s eye was one of resolute determination. Casey wasn’t about to abandon the away team.
By: "B'Elanna Torres"
K'Eytyanna entered the shuttlebay and saw AC running through something in the Kepler.
Walking up to him, she spoke,
"Make sure you come back AC - I don't know whether I can handle Gamma Shift without you."
He turned and nodded to her before she headed back to the Bridge.
***************************
Stepping off the turbolift, she was suprised to see Captain Price in the command chair while Deiran was standing nearby. Shrugging, she headed to the Engineering station and took over from the nervous ensign, who had taken over while she was in the shuttlebay.
Quickly, K'Eytyanna ran a Level 4 diagnostic of the Engineering systems, just to reassure herself that everything was alright. While the Captain talked to Greer over the comm system, K'Eytyanna set up her console to display every single byte of data possible on the shuttle's condition at the highest rate her mind could still read.
After awhile, the shuttle entered the vortex and to her relief, nothing bad happened.
Turning, she noticed that Casey was requesting a report on the shuttle. Turning back to her console, she explained,
"Sir, the shuttle's hull never exceeded three hundred thousand newtons while passing through the vortex. The metaphasic shielding seems to have held strong. Last available readings show the shuttles power output was holding steady at 92 percent. Well within safe tolerance levels sir."
However, the nice 'safe' status of the shuttle only continued for a short while. Suddenly, a curse from the Ops station caught her attention and she spun to see it was Deiran.
A thought flashed through her mind, {Geez.. I didn't really think that he had some very good friends on that shuttle.}
Turning back, she continued examining the data on her console.
A conversation near the Science station caught her attention. Her mouth dropped when Ensign Sullux spoke,
"It is the power output of a Federation shuttle craft that has just experienced a warp core breach sir."
Quickly, she brought up the sensor data on her station and quickly was able to confirm the all too unnatural readings of a Starfleet warp drive breaching.
Growling, she smashed her fist in anger against the nearest bulk-head, determined that she would not rest until her fellow crew-members were back aboard - alive preferably.
Lt K'Eytyanna Samara, USS Galaxy - Engineer/Shuttle Pilot
By: Price
Captain Price glanced at Lieutenant Commander Casey as he whispered, "Is this satisfactory sir? I don't want to give up on the away team until we know for sure they're gone. With all the interference we can't be sure what has happened. I don't want to allow circumstantial evidence to seal their fate."
Deiran was speaking of the orders and attitude he'd just issued on the bridge. He was keeping a stiff upper lip for the crews sake. An admirable quality for a command grade officer. It took a lot to get everyone focused and hopeful. Especially when you feel like you'd just been kicked in the stomach upon hearing of the shuttle disaster.
Lee gave 'Commander Casey a nod without uttering a word, before stepping over to the Science station where Ensign Sullax was still working the control panel. The Ensign sensed the Captain's presence and paused to glance up at him. "Can I help you Captain?"
In an even, almost dispassionate tone, Captain Price asked, "Assuming the away team was able to evacuate from the shuttle Kepler and get a safe distance away from her before the warp core breach, how long would their EVA suits keep them alive 'mate?"
The Romulan scientist paused what he was doing to ponder the question. "That is difficult to say for certain sir. The escape pod and emergency suits in the shuttle have a regulation supply of O2 generators. Under normal circumstances, in open space, the supply should last for 48 hours." Sullax paused, "However this fluidic space is much denser than 'normal' space sir. It no doubt will cause their oxygen supply to be consumed at an accelerated rate... much the same way that oxygen is consumed more rapidly while scuba diving at increased depths."
Lee nodded, "I understand. Can you make an estimate, based on what we know of the EVA suits regulation supply and the readings we have been able to obtain from the anomaly how long they would have? Assuming anyone survived?"
"It would be difficult to say with any certainty Captain. Our data from this fluidic region is not very precise..." Sullax explained.
"Best guess 'mate." Lee said flatly.
"I'd have to say half the normal time sir, possibly less depending on the fluidic density on the other side of the singularity." The Ensign finally stated. "Sorry I can not be more precise Captain."
Lee placed a hand on the Ensign's shoulder. "That's close enough 'mate. You did a fine job."
Turning, Captain looked around the bridge at the Gamma shift crew and then at Deiran who was still in the center of the command well. "I believe you are right 'Commander. We should not abandon our 'mates until we know for certain they didn't survive. According to Mister Sullax here, they have 24 hours worth of oxygen, possibly less, if they managed to evacuate from the shuttle before she exploded. We've got that long to try and figure out how to get through this 'gopher hole' and establish the away team's condition."
"Understood Captain. I'll have everyone working on it straight through Gamma shift. We should know something more by the start of Alpha shift sir." Casey explained.
"Feel free to pull in other officers if needed 'Commander. I don't care if you have to muster them out of bed if need be. Right now the clock is the enemy. Assuming of course that Erikson and the others made it to the escape pod and EVA suits on time..." Lee explained.
"Will do Captain. May I ask where you will be sir?, in case I need to contact you?" Deiran asked the walking Captain Price.
Lee glanced over his shoulder on the way to the turbolift, pausing as he entered. "I'm going to go have a word with our Breen guests about that vortex. They may know something that will aid us in rescuing our crew members."
Deiran nodded, "Good luck sir." was all he managed, though he was thinking what a futile exercise that was going to be. Getting information out of those Breen was like talking to an ice cube.
*****
*** Sickbay, ICU ward ***
The intensive care unit of the Starship Galaxy was quiet during the midnight watch of Gamma shift. Only the sounds of the various pieces of life preserving equipment made any noise at all. Quiet humming, and the occasional rushing of air pressurized diaphragms inflating and contracting. One could listen closely and hear right past the mechanical, rhythmic sounds of the ward and hear out into the adjoining room. Closely listening, the faint voices of two security officers could be heard chatting and exchanging small talk to pass the time while they stood guard over the two special patients the ward was presently housing.
The two injured Breen. One was laying on his bio bed completely motionless. A respiration tube curled around the two small slits that passed for a nose.
The other Breen was wide awake. His eyes standing out, white against dark, as they darted from side to side and listened intently to the whispers of the crewmen in the adjoining room. Slowly, when he thought it was safe, the Breen reached across the bed to his neighbor, grabbing his arm softly and giving a gentle shake.
"Graigo. Graigo wake up Graigo." The Breen vied softly with each tug of his neighbor's arm. "Graigo."
Slowly the more severely injured of the two Breen officers began to stir to life. He let out an audible moan while moving his head around.
"Shhhhh!" hissed the other Breen giving his companion's arm a steady tug as if to accent the point. "It is not safe. You must be quiet Graigo."
Another soft moan slipped past the man's lips before he opened his blurry eyes and tried to focus on his neighbor. "Erasmo is that you?"
"Yes Graigo, it is I. Please, try and keep your voice down. They have sentinels in the adjoining room."
Graigo's eyes widened at hearing this. Even in his weakened condition, his reaction was not like the other Breen on board. This was more of the reaction of someone trained as a leader. "Where are we Erasmo?"
"We are on board a Federation Starship, First Successor. You and I were injured and unconscious when they rescued us from the anomaly created by the weapon."
"What happened to the Hollis? Where is Captain Isaias?" Graigo fired back in hushed, yet sharp tones.
"Destroyed Successor. Crushed by the anomaly before these Federationers could rescue us all." Erasmo explained quietly.
"What have you told them Erasmo?" Graigo demanded.
"Nothing Successor. I only just regained consciousness earlier this evening. I waited until they left us alone to wake you. I don't think they know anything."
"Who else made it off the Hollis?" Graigo demanded softly.
"I do not know. Two others that live. One that died. I do not know whom. I was pretending to be asleep when their Soothers were present." Erasmo explained.
Leaning forward, Graigo struggled to sit upright. He winced in pain from the many bruises and tender areas on his body where Doctor Tash had operated on him, saving his life. Touching his face, he realized he was not wearing his space suit. "What have they done with our suits Erasmo?"
"They were damaged Successor. One of their Soothers said their people were working on replacements. Though I dared not press them less I let them know I was up to answering their many questions."
"You were wise in playing Bodamos Erasmo. It is important that we tell them nothing of the Hollis and of the new systems we were testing." Graigo explained before pausing, "We will have to wait until their Soothers return to inquire of our suits. It appears they have lowered the temperature in this compartment to be more compatible with Breen physiology. That is probably why their sentinels wait guard in the other room. Federationers can not stand the cold like we Breen."
"The head Soother said that was what was done." Erasmo agreed.
"We will rest for now. When the Soothers return, we will demand they give us these suits they are fashioning. I must speak with the other Breen and assure that they tell these Federationers nothing of our tests." Graigo whispered before laying back down on his bio bed. "For now, we wait and rest."
*****
*** A Residential apartment on deck nine ***
It's a little known fact that Breen snore. Loudly. Isidro, the stubborn male scientist was busy snoring away. The reverberations could almost be felt more than heard through his environmental suit and helmet.
Not that it mattered to Socorro. She couldn't sleep anyway. She had been quiet ever since returning from her little tour of the Federation Starship with Counselor Wilson. She was disturbed over what she saw in one of the rooms the Counselor described as a "Holodeck". In it was a replica of the Breen experimental prototype Hollis. Socorro was worried that Isidro had been correct all along, that these Federationers were devious and clever. That their attempts at being neighborly was only a ruse to gain further technological information. In the past Socorro had dismissed Isidro's mutterings as the rants of a suspicious old man. But now, in her attempts to be friendly, she'd seen the evidence of the Federationer's cunning with her own eyes. Finally, she could no longer stand it. Her conscious had gotten the better of her. She needed to tell Isidro what had happened and what she saw.
"Isidro, Isidro wake up." Socorro insisted rocking the Breen out of his slumber.
"What is it? Why have you woken me?" Isidro asked suddenly.
"I must tell you what I saw when I toured this vessel with Counselor Leslie Wilson." Socorro began.
Isidro slid back and sat upright on his bunk. Listening what his colleague had to say.
"When we toured this ship, they showed me a series of projection rooms. They call them Holodecks. They use the 'holodecks' to run interactive three dimensional programs to interact with and study." Socorro explained.
"Yes, yes, I have heard of this before. Is that why you woke me Socorro?" Isidro asked in an annoyed tone.
"No Isidro. While we were continuing with the tour, I got a glimpse into one of these projection rooms when one of their crew man entered. Inside was another crew man walking around a model of the Hollis."
Isidro's eyes widened at this news. "Are you sure Socorro? Could you have been mistaken? You say you only got a glimpse of this room..."
"I know what I saw Isidro. I helped design the Hollis. I believe I can recognize my own designs." Socorro reassured.
"Why did you not tell me this before?" Isidro demanded.
"I was afraid. I did not believe you when you said these Federationers were so devious. I thought they were kind. I was only trying to be friendly when I spoke to them." She explained.
"Now you see how cunning this Federation is? Do you now understand why it is important that they not learn about our activities. Why we must develop new technologies and weapons to help defend Breen from incursions from beings of the likes of these Federationers? I told you Socorro how evil these people are. I told you what they did to my grand parents so may years ago during the war. And then, they were a fraction of the size that they are today." Isidro practically gloated.
"I'm sorry I doubted you. But what are we going to do Isidro? We are just scientists. We are not military officers. What can we do other than maintain our silence?" Socorro asked.
Isidro shook his Breen head. "We may not even have that luxury. These Federationers will use whatever means at their disposal to learn what they wish to know. They will torture us. Use their mind technology on us to force the information from our thoughts. They are ruthless Socorro. They are not like us. They are warm, merciless killers."
Socorro sat on the edge of her bunk and placed her hand to her chin out of worry.
"We must try to escape Socorro. Escape before they can use their devices on us."
"What of the others? What of Erasmo and Graigo?" she reminded.
"Yes. Graigo. He is Military. He is First Successor. He will know what to do. We must go see him, and let him know what has happened. Let him know what these Federationers are doing."
"But our room is guarded Isidro. How will we see Graigo without the Federationers knowing?"
"Yes we are guarded. See how merciless our captors are. We must figure out a way Socorro. We must speak to Graigo. He will know what to do. Come. Let us look around these quarters and look for something that may aid us."
Both Breen scientists began to sift through the materials and furnishings in the apartment, looking for anything that might be able to aid them in reaching their friends in sickbay and remain unnoticed by the security officers assigned to guard them.
By: RC Laven
"Try it now." AC said to Ronni. The two of them tried to rig one of the three tricorders they had to emit an alternating neutrino emission that would show up on sensors as an artificial reading. Th
e three hoped that since the Galaxy was monitoring neutrino emissions they might figure out what was going on. They had been at it for more than an hour, their EVA suit gloves cumbersomely slowing their progress.
"Maybe it would be worth detaching the subspace transceiver." Ronni suggested. "It's not like we can really use subspace anyway."
"I know what I'm doing." AC replied. "Put your finger there for a moment."
Greer had been watching the two of them work ever since they conceived the idea of using a tricorder to attract and modulate neutrinos in their vicinity. Although the signal would not be strong, and there was indication that it could penetrate the dense fluidic matter, they felt it was worth a try. While they worked he considered their possibilities.
"What about now?" Ronni asked.
"OK, give it another try." AC said as he monitored the tricorder emissions, his face changing after several minutes. "No good. It's only penetrating through the matter for about fifteen kilometers. I guess tricorders just weren't designed to emit something this strong."
Even through the EVA suits their disappointed was apparent. Greer felt it too. "Perhaps it might be best to switch off the tricorder and conserve its battery supply for now." he said, considering that they could be there long-term. "AC, what could we project is the longest time we could stay here?"
"I'm not sure I get you Greer."
Greer hesitated for a moment. "There's no point avoiding the truth. We're only going to be around as long as the EVA suits can supply enough oxygen. I want to know how long we have."
"The EVA suits can maintain optimal surviving conditions for at least forty-eight hours. Considering the nature of this environment I would have to say it would be reduced. How much I couldn't tell you at the moment."
"Ronni" Greer said, turning to the Delphinian, "if I understand my Delphinian physiology correctly, you need to be submerged in water when you sleep. Do you think you'll be able to hold up?"
"I'll be all right." Ronni replied. "If I need to I can use the environmental systems in the EVA suit to make the air more moist. That should buy me a little time."
"If you do that you'll be shortening the operating time of your suit." AC observed.
Greer thought long and hard for a few moments. "OK Ronni, try and increase the moisture content of your EVA suit to slightly higher than normal. That should minimize the impact on the overall operating time and hopefully prevent your skin drying out too much. AC, you and I will begin reducing the oxygen in our EVA suits by half a percent. Long-term this should buy us a little more time without affecting our ability to operate. If need be we can then support Ronni when her EVA environment fails."
AC didn't respond to Greer at all. It was as if he was oblivious that the scientist was even talking to him. Ronni noticed it too. "AC!" she said, pushing him a little.
"Sorry. Reducing our EVA environments by half a percent oxygen. Got that."
"You OK buddy?" Greer said.
"Sure, just felt a little vague all of a sudden."
Greer moved closer to the engineer. Taking out a tricorder and using the preprogrammed biological scan he began to scan his friend for any abnormalities. "You seem to be all right. Slightly elevated adrenaline levels, but that's to be expected."
"I'll be fine Greer."
By: Scene23
Gary slapped his friend on the back, glad to have him back in good spirits. "Matthew, it’s good to have you back in the real world. You’ve been a real stick in the mud the last few days, heck the last few weeks!" The two security officers were headed off-duty, after having handed responsibility for the Romulan science officer over to their Gamma shift replacements.
Matthew smiled and looked down. He was also glad to be out of his funk, and he owed it all to Gary for refusing to let him fume at the beginning of their shift. His smile faded as he realized he would probably awake in the same foul mood after another night like the ones he had been having. Just the thought of the nightmare he could expect, and the total exhaustion he would feel the next morning made his mood sour again.
He looked up at his friend, gave his head a good shake, and vowed not to lose his good spirits for the night. He said in reply to his friend, "Tell you what, Gary; I’m going to my quarters, change into some off-duty dungarees, and I’ll meet you in Ten Forward shortly!! Let’s have some fun tonight!" His grin widened sincerely at the idea. Skipping the holodeck for an evening, breaking his habit, might be just the thing to help him out, he reasoned.
**** Thirty Minutes Later ****
Since Beta shift had just ended, Ten Forward was crowded. Officers from all over the ship filled the room, ordering drinks and snacks, and engaging in loud conversations. Even the loudest were difficult to make out over the musical trio that had taken the stage and were performing ‘swing’ numbers. Matthew recognized the bassist, a fellow named Donahugh, from the botany lab. As he elbowed his way toward Gary and the table he had somehow acquired, Matthew nodded a hello to his friend in the band.
Gary stood as Matthew arrived, and introduced the young woman he was sharing a table with. "Matthew, I want you to meet Serifine. She’s a cadet in engineering, and quite good with her hands!" he exclaimed, a moment before one of those hands smacked him in the ear.
She smiled, and brought her small hand from his head to Matthew’s hand, "It’s a pleasure, lieutenant. You and Gary are friends, then?" she inquired. She was a small Mediterranean woman, with almond-shaped brown eyes and long black hair, pulled back in a clip of some sort – made of teak or sandalwood.
Matthew shook hands with her and said, "Serifine, nice to meet you – please call me Matthew. How did you and Gary meet?" He was pretty sure Gary was only slightly less inept at romance than he was. It seemed unlikely that Gary would have found a girl and started a relationship without Matthew knowing about it.
She sat down again on her stool, and the two men followed suit. Gary smiled, obviously looking forward to Serifine’s response. She lifted her drink to her lips, it was a red and green concoction with rings of some fruit around the edges. When she put it down, she said, "I’m new on the Galaxy, and I don’t know anyone, hardly. I was following my mother’s advice about meeting people in a new place," she paused, deliberately holding back the rest of her story. Matthew found her to be a bit theatrical, playing for attention. Of course, when you are new on a ship, it’s easy to feel as if you are unnoticed.
Gary was first to bite, not surprising since he hadn’t looked up from the girl’s face since they sat down. He asked, "What advice was that, Serifine?" He hung on her words like the faithful in church. In the background, the band was beginning a familiar tune.
She smiled and winked at the two men, before continuing, "Mom always says, when you want to make friends, go to the most crowded place around, and get a table. Next thing you know, you’ve got friends!" She swirled her mixing stick in her drink, and smiled with her tongue sticking slightly out from between her teeth. Gary was totally engrossed in her every move.
**** Later ****
"…lose it’s flavour on the BED-POST O-VER NI-I-IGHT !" sang Lt jg Matthew Albrecht, to the appreciative cheers of several semi-inebriated officers. The band finished up the number, and Matthew stepped off the stage. He was jostled by several people who were either glad he sang, or glad he stopped singing. Matthew was glad of both, himself.
He was more tired than he had been that morning, but tired in a good way. He truly believed that if he went straight to bed without interruption, that he might benefit from that night’s sleep. He made his way through the only slightly less-crowded bar to his table. When he arrived, he lifted his drink and polished it off.
Serifine clapped her little hands together while letting out a tiny squeal. Gary said, "Good job, Matthew. Looks like Jasey has some competition now!" he joked. Actually, when Matthew stuck to the period he was familiar with, he was not a bad singer.
She asked, "Where did you learn to sing like that? I haven’t heard that style before."
Matthew smiled and replied, "My mother taught singing when I was a child. I am actually trained in ‘barbershop quartet,’ but can switch to swing and ragtime if I have a few drinks in me," he explained.
"You have to stay now," she said with a theatrical little pout. "We have a lot of time to kill." Serifine had an arm around Gary’s shoulder, and was reaching for Matthew with her free hand.
He backed off, "No, Serifine. I have got to get some sleep. You two have your fun without me tonight!" He reached out and shook her hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you. We’ve got to do this again sometime."
The band, that had just begun another number, suddenly ceased playing. A wave of conversation crossed the room, finally reaching their threesome as it was breaking up. Ensign Garrity looked over from his table at Matthew and explained the commotion; "Lieutenant Albrecht, the shuttle Kepler was lost in the vortex! Someone is saying its warp core exploded!"
From the other direction, another ensign chimed in, "Yes, but I heard we are going to find survivors!" Several of the revelers, including one member of the band, fled the room to return to their posts. "C’mon, Garrity, let’s get to the shuttle bay."
Matthew just stood and recalled his few short encounters with the officers on that shuttle. Although they had never been friends, the missing officers were a part of Matthew’s family, the Galaxy’s family. He knew their faces, the scientists and engineers who risked their lives. He had worked closely with Joanna Tholen on a couple of occasions.
Then he wondered, what could a Security Officer do to help find any survivors?
Matthew Albrecht
By: Kahn Nilani
The pain was still there, even after 30 min. My clothes were soaked with blood from where the Bath'let had cut me. I looked at my desk, there were piles of PADD's sitting on it. Peoples medical reports, case reports, latest medical break throughs and other stuff that was getting more and more cluttered. The doorbell sounded.
"Hang on!"
I quickly moved to hide where I had been cut.
"Enter!"
The door opened to show Jurelle and Cat standing there. I looked at the wall clock and saw that it was cat that was on duty. So why was Jurelle with her? Both doctor's entered. Jurelle was the first to speak.
["Nilani, I want to talk to you about the roster."]
"What can I do for you?"
["Well..."]
Jurelle stoped and looked at my desk.
["Is that blood on your desk?"]
"Yes. I slightly cut myself."
["Slightly...... Nilani stand up!"]
I looked at Jurelle and sat there for a little while. Cat spoke up.
["I can see you two are busy I will talk to you later."]
With that Cat left my office.
["Nilani Stand up that's an order!"]
I chucked down the PADD I was holding. I stood up and moved away from the desk showing the hole in my clothes and the scar that was underneith.
["That had to of hurt. Are you ok? How did it happen?"]
"It happened in the holodeck. I was fighting Kornan Rios when his Bath'let sliced my lower stomach. I then came in here and fixed my self up."
["Nilani. I thought you knew better. What possesed you to fight a Klingon? Let alone a klingon of that size. And even worse not to go to the duty officer."]
"Look I don't need to be told by you what I can and can't do!!!"
["Nilani I just didn't want to loose you. Your my best doctor and a damn good officer"]
"Ok"
I sat back down
By: Daniel Lawrence Josephs
"Mercury to Main Engineering" David tapped his comm badge.
[Main Engineering here.]
"Assemble all shifts in Main Engineering, I need to hold an emergency meeting in five minutes."
[Yes sir!]
David quickly gathered some things from his quarters and left for Main Engineering. Time was not on there side. David realized that if the crew of the Kepler was still alive it was only a matter of time before there suits could not sustain them any longer. We needed to come up with a plan to see if they are alive and then to rescue them. All David could think about was how the shuttle failed. What went wrong. David needed to see the data recieved from the shuttle.
*******Main Engineering***********
"O.K. everyone listen up, we don't have a lot of time. We need to come up with a plan and we need it now. We are going to split up into two groups. My group will be in charge of coming up with a plan to get some transmission through the anomaly to see if they are still alive. Lieutenant Boudreau group is going to be figure out a way to get us in there in order to rescue them. Alright lets get it done. Dismissed." David walked over to Melissa and pulled her asside. "Melissa, if they are still alive we may not have that long to get them out."
"I know, I looked at the data from the shuttle, there is nothing to help us understand what went wrong." Melissa was not optomisitic about finding a plan to get them out.
"The more and more I think about it, I think our only way to get them out is by taking the Galaxy in. There are just too many unknowns. At least if we took the Galaxy in we could have better chance against whatever is in there." David said
"You think that there is something in there that is destroying whatever enters?" Melissa seemed puzzled.
"I don't know but I am not going to rule it out. See what you can come up with, keep me posted."
"Alright David, good luck." Melissa walked away and called attention to her group.
"O.K. people, anyone got a suggestion as to what we can use to get a signal in there to see if their alive?" David's group had assembled by the warp core. "Come on think people does anyone have any ideas?" David started to get frustrated.
"The bottom line is that we need to get a device into the anomaly that can be programmed and sent back out. From what we have seen anything that generates power has been destroyed somehow. What if we built something that was powerless but still be able to navigate it through the anomaly." Ensign Knight answered. "We would also need to come up with some other way of transmitting information for some reason the neutrino pulse has failed." Charles added.
"Sport, come up with something, I don't care how are what just something that we can get into the anomaly and back out. The rest of us will figure out a way to communicate through this stuff." David realized that he just put a lot of pressure on his good friend, but from what he remembered of him at the academy that is when he shined the most.
Dan Josephs
…the attackers came around the corner before Mac could push the woman to the side. The blast of coherent light shot forth from the phaser enveloping them both. As he fell to the floor he a saw the men grab the woman and hurry her away. As he drifted off to unconsciousness…all he could hear was the incessant beeping……beepbeep…beepbeep.
Mac suddenly rose from the bed. The beeping hadn’t been in his dream was coming from the door to his quarters. Tossing on robe he stepped to the door. “Come In.” he called.
As the door slid open K’Eytyanna stepped through, a look of puzzlement on her face. She hesitated as she stood there.
“What’s up?” asked Mac, seeing she was obviously fighting some inner turmoil.
Her expression suddenly changed, the grim scowl of her Klingon half firmly in control.
“These are for you.” She growled
Taking the wrapped items, Mac failed to cover his surprise. “Umm…thank you very much. I don’t know what to say or do?”
“Opening them would probably be a good start.” She added, her Klingon half obviously enjoying the scenario.
Carefully, he put them down on the table and opened up the first.
Inside, he found a set of worn boxing gloves. A small steel plaque fell out onto the table and he picked it up, reading,
[ Authentic Replicator Record copy of Boxing Gloves - owned by Muhammad Ali - used in the World Heavyweight Championship, Feb. 25, 1964 during boxing match where he beat Sonny Liston in 7 rounds.]
Hunter gasped in surprise and looked up at her. She nodded towards the others, so he opened the next one.
The next package held a single isolinear chip with a small paper note,
[ Historical Holodeck Combat simulation, United States War of Independence, Certified for Starfleet vessels]
Picking up the next one, he found it contained another isolinear chip,
[ Historical Holodeck Combat simulation, United States Civil War, Certified for Starfleet vessels]
Mac was in awe. These items were priceless. He stood and looked at K’ Eytyanna, a bemused look on his face.
“I don’t know what to say I …umm...thought that you weren’t interested. With all of the Argonii mess and then with the Breen…I...umm...wasn’t expecting this.” He motioned to the gifts where they lay spread haplessly on the table. He returned his gaze to her eyes...the dark pools that always seemed to swallow him whole.
Her brow creased as her Klingon side tried to fathom all of this. It was obviously not used to being in charge for this kind of situation, finally it came to a reasonable response.
“I…umm... damn. What’s the words…I enjoy you.” She replied, probably to quickly
Mac’s eyes widened in surprise, a slight smile forming as he looked at her.
“If I were to try to kiss you right now would your Klingon side try to hit me?”
“Yes,” she replied matter-of –factly, “does that worry you?”
“Nope,” Mac replied, as he stepped closer to her, “Just wanted to know when to duck.”
Lt. Hunter McKenzie, ASST Chief Tactical Officer, USS GALAXY
By: Colby Torwyn
Colby untangled himself from the soft sheets of the bed as he sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he asked the computer what time it was. "It is now 0113 hours," it replied in its usual monotonous voice. Only an hour or so after the last time he had woke.
It took a moment for Colby to focus in the dim light quarters. His eyes eventually came to the replicator that were sitting across the way. Maybe he was hungry. Was that it? No, he was thirsty. That's why he kept waking up. Maybe.
Walking to the replicator, Colby ordered some fruit juice, slightly warmed. He took the glass in both hands and took a long, soothing sip of the warm drink. It felt comforting as it slid down his throat and into his small stomach. The drink seemed to trickle ever so slowly, warming every inch along its path.
Taking yet another drink, Colby started to make his way back towards the bed. He stopped halfway, thinking that maybe the captain would be mad that he was sleeping in his bed while he was on the bridge. What if the captain walked in and saw Colby entangled in the sheets sleeping so lightly? Would he be mad? What would he do?
'He'll have to deal with it,' Colby thought, satisfied.
Crawling onto the large bed and placing the glass of juice onto the nightstand, Colby yawned. It had been a long time since he had been able to get a good night's sleep in a warm bed. It was heaven compared to the small matress on the cold, hard ground of the cargobay. Still, it lacked the thrill of the 'camp'.
Colby reached for the juice and blinked slowly. His arm felt unusually heavy. It took him a second to realize, but he had fallen asleep yet again. It must have been only for a few minutes. He didn't feel like he had been asleep for a while.
Colby sat upright in the bed for a few minutes. He needed to find something to do to keep him awake. He refused to fall asleep. It was not going to happen.
"Lights," he said. His voice was high and whiney, wearing the tell-tale signs of a tired little Betazoid boy.
Responding almost instantaneously, the lights jumped to a full one-hundred percent. Colby squealed as the they sprang to life. "Dim!" he commanded again, his voice still tired. The lights obediently came down to a dim forty percent.
Mumbling, Colby sat up in bed. He rubbed his eyes with his hand and looked around the room as his eyes adjusted to the new light level. It was almost amazing how much 'stuff' the captain seemed to have decorating his large quarters. Pictures, small trinkets, a few miscellaneous PADDs scattered throught the expanse. Certainly he was not the tidiest person in the world, but he did seem to keep a respectable clean.
Scratching his stomach, Colby walked over to the couch and took a seat. He looked at the small icons and trinkets that decorated the coffee table. Picking up one, Colby turned it around in his small hands slowly. It seemed to be a small sculpture of an animal of some sort. A Terran animal, no doubt--Colby couldn't recognize it.
Laying down on his stomach, Colby continued to examine the small animal, wondering what in the world it could be. Withing moments, though, Colby had dropped the small animal to the ground. Softly breathing, he had drifted off into the world of Betazoid dreams.
The sculpture of the kangaroo tumbled over a few times as hit softly hit the ground. It turned over a few times and landed on its side. It faced Colby who was now sound asleep.
By: "Ryak Sullax" i2qtnot2b@hotmail.com
"They have passed through the vortex sir." Ryak started to try and get his sensors running at 100%, but the fuzziness kept recurring. Ryak's fingers were not flowing over the control panel any more his gentleness has gone to hard punching as his anger grew. Ryak could feel the Captain peering over his shoulder and this did not help the situation any more. Commander Casey called out for a status report.
"We are losing the signal sir. As the Kelper moves farther beyond their side of the vortex, our sensors are unable to compensate for the distortion effects of the phenomenon." Ryak looked up at the Captain and back to Casey and continued, "Moving the ship closer to the vortex might help sir."
The Commander blurted out something about waiting until we lost complete contact before moving closer. Ryak wasn't impressed in his waiting until it is too late attitude. In a couple of minutes all hell broke loose. The shuttles signal was lost and a mayday transmission was received. Oh now we move closer to the vortex. Ryak couldn't figure out the human mind. No matter how long and how hard he tried he just didn't get it at all.
As the Galaxy moved closer Ryak started to get something. Ryak started to clear up his findings and figure out what they were. "Captain, Commander...I think you had better come look at this..."
Casey was the first too say something, "What is it Ensign?"
"Look here sir. Sensors just picked up this power spike from within the vortex." Ryak called up the image of the graphed power spike. It showed an abrupt spike that rose in the middle, nearly coming completely off the top of the view screen.
"That doesn't look like a natural occurring power discharge, mate." The Captain stated.
Ryak was confused by the Captain's comment. He was actually annoyed that he would have to explain it. "No Captain. It isn't. This particular power spike has unique properties." Ryak pulled up another graph and superimposed it onto the first read out. "One that I have seen before sir."
Casey's tone turned very curious about the images, "What is that you are comparing it to Sullax?"
Ryak turned very serious and put away all of his emotions. "It is the power output of a Federation shuttle craft that has just experienced a warp core breach sir."
After a short period of silence and looking around at each other Casey spoke, "Ensign Sullax, begin working on possible ways to find any kind of life signs, anything that will help us find them. We're not stopping until we find their corpses. I'm not about to abandon them until I know they're really lost. Also have a science team work with Ops and Engineering on increasing our sensor strength and find a way to heighten the sensors for any signs of life in that vortex. We have to find a crack in the interference of this gopher hole!"
Ryak was impressed with the Commander's speech, even though it was very unnecessary. Ryak noticed the Captain give Commander Casey a nod without uttering a word, before stepping over to the Science station where Ryak was still working the control panel. Ryak sensed the Captain's presence and paused to glance up at him. "Can I help you Captain?"
In an even, almost dispassionate tone, Captain Price asked, "Assuming the away team was able to evacuate from the shuttle Kepler and get a safe distance away from her before the warp core breach, how long would their EVA suits keep them alive 'mate?"
Ryak paused what he was doing to ponder the question. "That is difficult to say for certain sir. The escape pod and emergency suits in the shuttle have a regulation supply of O2 generators. Under normal circumstances, in open space, the supply should last for 48 hours." Sullax paused, "However this fluidic space is much denser than 'normal' space sir. It no doubt will cause their oxygen supply to be consumed at an accelerated rate... much the same way that oxygen is consumed more rapidly while scuba diving at increased depths."
The Captain nodded, "I understand. Can you make an estimate, based on what we know of the EVA suits regulation supply and the readings we have been able to obtain from the anomaly how long they would have? Assuming anyone survived?"
"It would be difficult to say with any certainty Captain. Our data from this fluidic region is not very precise..."
"Best guess 'mate."
"I'd have to say half the normal time sir, possibly less depending on the fluidic density on the other side of the singularity. Sorry I can not be more precise Captain."
Lee placed a hand on the Ensign's shoulder. "That's close enough 'mate. You did a fine job."
Ryak felt very tense when he was touched by the Captain. Ryak knew that all of this chatting was taking away from his time to save the away team.
Turning, Captain looked around the bridge at the Gamma shift crew and then at Deiran who was still in the center of the command well. "I believe you are right 'Commander. We should not abandon our 'mates until we know for certain they didn't survive. According to Mister Sullax here, they have 24 hours worth of oxygen, possibly less, if they managed to evacuate from the shuttle before she exploded. We've got that long to try and figure out how to get through this 'gopher hole' and establish the away team's condition."
"Understood Captain. I'll have everyone working on it straight through Gamma shift. We should know something more by the start of Alpha shift sir." Casey explained.
"Feel free to pull in other officers if needed 'Commander. I don't care if you have to muster them out of bed if need be. Right now the clock is the enemy. Assuming of course that Erikson and the others made it to the escape pod and EVA suits on time..." Lee explained.
After the Captain had finished speaking Ryak walked over to Commander Casey and told him his plan about the Z-particle beacons. Ryak brought the Commander up to speed on the idea of getting the beacons able to scan as well for life signs and to get them mounted with a manual interface in case the away team can't use and of there equipment. The Commander agreed that the idea was sound and to go ahead with it.
"One other thing Commander."
"What is it Ensign?"
"I will have to leave the bridge and go to the Long Range Sensor and adapt it to work for us better. I will transfer the science station to my padd so that I can still man the station while I am down there."
"Very well Ensign, Hurry though."
"Aye sir." Ryak had already tapped his communicator and said, "Sick bay, this is Ensign Sullax."
"Sick bay here."
"I need a medical technician to head down to engineering and assist in modifying a sonar type devise. I need it to be able to locate any and all sorts of life signs."
"I'll send somebody right away, sick bay out."
Ryak walked over to the engineering consul to talk with Lt. Samara, "Ma'am, I was wondering if there was any possible way that the Z-particle beacons could be ready to go in less then 18 hours?"
"Yes Ensign, but I would need more people."
"Ma'am I asked for a medical technician to be sent down to modify the beacon to pick up life signs, I am not sure if it'll work but it may. I will be sending Ensign O'Hare down there to help out as well. I was thinking of adding a manual interface to the beacons just in case."
"Very well I will inform them of this."
"Ma'am I was also wondering if you would be kind enough to give me somebody to assist me in fine tuning the main sensor array. I think I will have to do it at the source though."
"Give me a second and I'll let you know on that one."
"Just have somebody there if you can. Ryak tapped his com badge and said, "Ensign O'Hare report to engineering they will need your help on the Z particle beacons, I want them ready ASAP. I also want a manual interface placed in them, Sullax out."
Ryak turned and headed to the science station. He tied his Padd to the station grabbed a tricorder and headed to the turbolift. Ryak entered the lift and said, "Long Range Sensor Array."
As the turbolift moved Ryak noticed that he had made it onto the lift without his escort. All of the commotion on the bridge must of distracted them. This was not going to be good. Ryak had a feeling that security was going to panic and blow this out of proportion. Ryak was unable to contain it any more. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His head was pounding very hard now. He was having troubles focusing as well as thinking. On top of everything he was getting hungry and very tired. The doors opened and Ryak headed to the tube which lead to the Long Range sensor.
Ryak Sullax, Erein (Ensign)
By: e9226192@student.tuwien.ac.at (Joerg Sterner)
Joerg was sitting right beside Captain Price when the shuttle Kepler entered the unknown vortex. There was silence on the bridge, only the beeps from the computer terminals were cutting through complete silence. Everyone was staring at the viewscreen, when suddenly the entrance to the vortex completely disappeared.
Most of the bridge crew was stunned by the sudden and unexpected disappearance of the vortex. Captain Price was one of the first to react to the situation.
"Lieutenant, try to establish communications with the Kepler." he shouted at the tactical arch.
"I can't reach them, sir. I have tried all frequencies, but there's no answer." came the quick reply.
Joerg, who just overcame his own shock, stood and sprinted up to the tactical arch himself. Meanwhile Ensign Sullax was busily scanning for the shuttle and the vortex, to determine what had happened. As Joerg approached him, he saw that all his efforts seem to be in vain. The shuttle and the vortex were gone without any trace whatsoever.
"Sir, I find no trace of either the Kepler or the vortex itself." a sad Ensign Sullax announced.
But before the Captain, to whom the Ensign had reported, could react to the statement, the tactical officer shouted out.
"Sir, I have a fleet of at least eight ships on long range sensors, which are similar in design to the one that we encountered earlier."
"You mean there are coming more Breen ships in our direction?" Joerg asked.
"Estimate time of arrival 'mate?" the Captain asked.
"They are here in five minutes, sir."
"Makes me wonder if they are after the other ship." Joerg announced his thoughts.
"Sir, they are more of them coming towards us. Ten, twelve, fifteen ships are approaching our position." the tactical officer shouted again.
"Yellow alert." the Captain replied calmly.
While yellow alert was being announced on the whole ship, Joerg looked at the tactical display in front of him. The Breen ships were flying in some kind of swarm formation to hide their actual number of ships from the sensors of their enemies. 'Quite a clever tactic.' Joerg thought.
"Captain, I think we should go to Red Alert. The Breen, if it's really them, are trying to hide their number from us. I think they do so to gain a tactical advantage, so that they could hit us unprepared." Joerg addressed and advised the Captain.
"I appreciate your concern Commander, but until they set any hostile activities we will stay on Yellow Alert." Price answered.
******************* A few minutes later *******************
The Breen ships had entered visual range.
"Captain, the Breen are hailing us."
"On screen."
Moments later a typical Breen with the breathing mask appeared on the screen. The only thing strange about him was that behind him were only the stars, as if their comm system was filtering out the details behind him, so that no information about the bridge was given away.
["Federation vessel. I demand to know why you have destroyed one of our ships!"] the masked individual started.
"I'm Captain Robert Edward Lee Price of the Federation starship Galaxy. I assure you that we have not destroyed the ship. We received a distress signal and found the ship stranded here. When we tried to help them, an energy discharge from inside the vortex, which was causing their problems, destroyed their ship." the Captain tried to explain.
["But there is no vortex here! Surrender your ship, or we are forced to destroy you."]
Fearful looks were exchanged on the bridge, while Captain Price collected all his diplomatic tricks in his mind.
"Captain, I can provide you with data that proves are good intentions. You could also speak to the survivors we were able to save before their ships exploded."
["You have prisoners of the Breen on your ship?"] the masked Breen asked with an angry voice.
"They are not prisoners. They are our guests for now. If you want, you could beam over a delegation to speak with them. But for now two of them need medical treatment and that's why they can't be returned to you for now." Lee explained.
There was a short pause, as if the Breen commander was thinking the offer over, but then he replied.
["You will beam over your Breen 'guests' at once or we will destroy you!"] and with that the comm link was terminated.
During the conversation Joerg and the tactical officer had both noticed that the Breen ships were taking up tactical positions beside the Galaxy, but they dared not to interrupt the Captain's conversation with the Breen commander. But now the situation was different, the Breen were about to attack them.
"Sir, all the Breen ships have locked weapons upon us." Joerg reported.
"Red Alert! Shields up!" the Captain announced.
"If they want a fight, they can have one. Try to hail them again." he also added.
Moments later the Breen commander reappeared on the screen.
["Have you decided to surrender?"] he just asked.
"We have to talk about this again. Let me send you the logs to show you that we are not your enemy." the Captain answered.
["The time for talking is over."] and the screen went black again.
"They are opening fire!" Joerg shouted and the first hits shook the ship.
"Evasive manoeuver, try to get us out of range." the Captain ordered.
The bridge crew acted quickly, but the hits on the Galaxy kept shaking the ship.
"Return fire!"
"Shield's down to twenty percent!"
"Ten percent."
"We have a hull breach on decks 15 to 20."
"We have lost our shields."
"The ship is breaking up!!!"
There was a last shake of the ship and Joerg was flying on the ground for the last time.
Joerg opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor of his cabin, beside his bed and covered in sweat. Only then he realized that all he just went through had been a nightmare, and as a result that he had falled out of his bed.
Relieved he stood up, went to the replicator and ordered a glass of warm milk. He picked up the glass and sat down at his desk. He sipped at the glass, but in his mind he couldn't forget what he had just dreamed.
'Perhaps this is trap of the Breen or the Jem'Hadar after all.' he thought while drinking the milk.
By: Price
It had been a long, trying day for the man responsible for all of the lives and actions of everyone on board the Galaxy. The events of the last several hours had worn of the Captain. He knew he had a bad feeling about that mysterious vortex and sending in his officers to explore it. And now, four of them had been lost to that swirling mass of fluidic energy.
Silently, Lee brooded over the loss while exiting the turbolift and walking down the quiet, Gamma shift halls towards his cabin. It was true that there was still a glimmer of hope. That possibly there could be one or more survivors from the shuttle Kepler disaster. That maybe someone made it to the escape pod, or had time to dress in an EVA suit and abandon the shuttle before her warp engines exploded. But that didn't help matters very much. Within 24 hours it wouldn't matter, the Captain thought. He'd made up his mind that no more officers were going to risk their lives solely to gather data for Starfleet Commands top brass. They could all go to hell as far as Lee was concerned. Unless they were able to determine that Erikson or any of the others were alive in that churning beast of energy, he wasn't going to risk another single soul.
Reaching his quarters, Lee activated the doorway and walked in. The door swished shut behind him and he immediately pulled open his duty jacket before walking over to the replicator. He ordered a hot chocolate with cream and waited for it to appear before picking up the steaming mug. Stirring it with a spoon, Lee stepped over to the small observation port and glanced out at the demon of a vortex that filled the entire view out the window. Lieutenant Commander Casey had the ship holding position at the very maul of the phenomenon in order to try and reduce the amount of skip introduced by the violently spinning mass of fluidic energy. Lee turned away. It was too painful to look at after the loss of Lieutenant Erikson's team. Ronni, Greer, AC, Ensign Tholen, Captain Price knew them all. And no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he wanted to think optimistically that maybe they somehow survived the shuttle explosion, in his heart he was still feeling the loss of his friends and crew mates. That dire feeling of utter helplessness and loss that is impossible to shake.
The Captain finished his drink and replaced the mug on the replicator base. It promptly disintegrated while he walked away and towards his bed room.
When he entered he was surprised to see the young Betazoid stowaway, Colby, sleeping in his bed. The boy had pulled the sheets all up and wrapped them around himself as if he were some kind of giant burrito. It made the Captain smile. He noticed his statuette of an Australian Kangaroo was laying on the floor next to the bed. Colby's dangling hand just a couple of feet away from where the sculpture had fallen indicated that the boy must have been examining it, possibly playing with it. Lee stepped over and picked the statue up, checking that it was okay. Turning, he placed a hand on the sleeping child who was basically laying diagonally on what used to be his neatly made bed. Stroking Colby's hair gently, the Captain decided to let him sleep. It was nearly two in the morning and the last thing the Captain needed was a cranky eight year old stowaway.
Walking over to his night stand, Lee placed the kangaroo statue down where it belonged. He then tapped the bulk head controls to manually dim the lights that Colby had left on before grabbing a blanket and returning to his living quarters.
"Computer, set alarm for 06:00." The Captain called out softly.
["Working. Alarm set for 06:00."] the computer acknowledged.
Unfolding the blanket with a quick shake, Lee laid down on the sofa and covered himself with it. Repositioning a couple of the throw pillows to support his head he finally got comfortable before calling out to the computer. "Dim lights."
The computer replied with a beeping tone as the room darkened. The Captain quickly fell to sleep.
By: RC Laven
"Ronni, I could kiss you." Greer said excitedly. "That's a brilliant idea."
"Watch what you promise. I might have to hold you up on that." the Delphinian science officer said in a cheeky voice.
"What?" AC asked.
"You know that Delphinians are an aquatic species, right?" Ronni said rhetorically. "I was just telling Greer that this fluidic space is like water."
"Sure doesn't look like it." AC waved his hands around in the dense matter.
"Maybe not look like water but is sure as hell is only a little denser than water."
"Yeah. In our evolutionary past Delphinians used a type of sonar as a form of communication before they developed verbal speech."
"Kind of like dolphins and whales on Earth." AC said, drawing on the analogy.
"Exactly." Ronni acknowledged. "Greer and I have been making the most of the last few hours and come up with an accurate model of the fluidic space. It's probably easier to imagine this region of space like an ocean than space."
"In our universe space usually refers to a large amount of vaccum between particles. Literally there is a lot of empty space. Here, the matter is suspended in something we've never seen before . . . it's like a kind of plasma field of some sort without the high energy. Because the 'space' is so dense, like water, particles are suspended and wavelengths, like light wave-particles, are hindered by the resistance."
"So that's why the decor looks so dull here." AC joked. "If I remember correctly . . . wasn't that what you described on the Galaxy though?
"Kind of." Ronni answered. "We finally found out why the conventional and subpsace signals we were sending were 'skipping'. It wasn't because of the density of the fluidic space but the currents in fluidic matter." Ronni contiued to explain. "The currents themselves cause the sensor data to ometimes came back fragmented or distorted. Other times they didn't come back at all . . . simply swept up in the currents."
"So the wavelengths are travelling through the fluidic space but much slower and the currents are taking the slow moving wavelengths with them."
"Right."
"I'm still not sure how this related to the sonar you mentioned earlier."
"Sorry, my fault." Ronni said. "We were thinking that is we can produce a sound or emission with an extensive amplitude we might be able to send a signal far enough that someone might notice it."
"Tricorders?"
Greer gave a nod that was just visible through his helmet. "Placing a tricorder near the solid barrier we detected earlier, it might be able to use a second tricorder to set off the signal . . . like a relay."
"If the barrier rebounds the currents like you say, then we might be albe to extend extend the overall range of the signal and maybe get word back to the Galaxy or anyone else in range." AC said. "It would have to be something that shouldn't be overlooked . . . maybe we should use the pattern of a heartbeat or something."
"What better way to suggest we're still hangin around." Greer said. "I just hope someone picks it up."
No one needed to say anything else. The three of them began work modifying the tricorders immediately. Although their signals had been dampened by the dense matter, their spirits had not. They realised that using low frequency sonar would take several hours to travel through the fluidic space but they still took the time to make the odd joke when they could manage it, trying to keep their morale high.
By: "Lt. Tebrianne"
***
He was gone. Or, that's what they were saying. Greer had been killed when the warpcore of his shuttle breached. Greer and AC were dead. Her only friends on the ship were gone. Well, they were the only ones on the ship that she felt she could call friends. Now they were gone.
Tebrianne took another slug of her lager. She should be asleep. It was only a few hours until she was scheduled to be on the bridge again. Teb set the empty glass down on the bar and looked for the bartender. Why did that bloke always disappear when she needed a drink? Mysteries of the universe. She noticed him talking with an ensign at the end of the bar.
"Hey, matey," Teb called down to the end of the bar. "You gabbing all night?"
"Oh," he squawked and made his apologies to the ensign. "What can I get for you, ma'am?" He said as he shuffled toward Tebrianne.
"Another lager," she said. "Another," he said, raising an eyebrow. "How many does that make?"
"Why?" Tebrianne snapped. "You keeping count?"
"No, nothing like that--"
"It's synthahol. It's not like I can get drunk off the bleedin' stuff."
"Yes, I know that. But you are scheduled on the bridge in a few hours, right? I just didn't know if they'd let you off the bridge to--to--you know..."
"What? Go to the loo? I hadn't thought of that. I guess you're probably right."
"Of course I'm right," he said with a smile. "That's why I'm the bartender."
"I guess so," Tebrianne said, returning his grin. "In that case, I'd better go get a few hours of sleep before I have to report for duty."
"Have a nice night, Lieutenant," the bartender said, placing her glass in the replicator's recyc-tray.
"Cheers, mate," Tebrianne said, pushing away from the bar.
*** ***
Tebrianne stepped through the door to her quarters. She looked around her new quarters. She still hadn't gotten used to them. Tebrianne stifled a yawn with the back of her hand as she entered her bedroom area. She was feeling tired after all. Teb took a glance in the mirror and looked at her hair. It was getting close to time for a change.
"Computer," she said, on a whim. "Standard hair dye. Color 0."
With a whir, the replicator fabricated the dye as Teb had requested. Tebrianne picked it up and set it on the table next to her bed. She quickly pulled off her uniform and replaced it with a robe. Padding her way to the bathroom, she activated the lights and set to work changing her hair color.
It was thirty minutes later and Tebrianne could barely keep her eyes open, but her work was done. She grabbed a PADD with navigation reports and crawled into bed. She read as long as she could, fighting off the sleep that threatened to overwhelm her. She glanced at the chronometer and realized she had three hours until she needed to be on the bridge. She pulled the towel off of her head revealing a shock of jet black hair--black to mourn the loss of her friends. She dropped the towel to the side of the bed and snuggled under the covers. It wasn't long before Tebrianne was fast asleep and heading for dreamland at warp speed.
************************************************
Lt. Tebrianne, USS Galaxy, Chief Helmsman
By: "Ryak Sullax"
Ryak made his way to the Long Range Sensor Array and made him self comfortable. He turned on his padd and started to access the bridge control for the science station. Nothing had changed. There was not a thing coming from the vortex. Ryak opened up his tricorder and started to scan the sensor. It was quiet were he was and Ryak was starting to lose his grip on his consciousness. He shook his head hand took a deep breath.
"Dr. Khatroweena this is Ensign Sullax."
"Cat here Ryak what is it?"
"Ma,am..Sorry Cat I have not been able to get to sick bay like you requested. I am also not able to do so know. I was wondering if you could do another house call?"
"Ryak your health is important, leave your quarters and go to sick bay."
"I am not in my quarters, I am working on the long range sensors. There is no way I will be able to get to sick bay until the safe return of the away team...I am also under arrest. This may also make it difficult for me to do this."
"Ok! Ok! What are your symptoms?"
"Just dizziness, loss of balance, almost loss of consciousness and major head aches and neck pains."
"I am on my way DO NOT MOVE, Cat out."
Ryak went back to work on his sensors. He knew that he was not an engineer but he couldn't wait for one to arrive so he started making the adjustments.
Ryak tapped his com badge as he was scanning the sensor, "Computer locate how to reprogram the sensor to pick up z-particle transmissions as well as life signs through fluidic space."
"There is no data that would provide those figures."
"Computer is there enough data to predict what would do this."
"There is not enough data on record."
"Computer, if we were to send a modified probe, make it a chain of modified probes connected by modified tractor beams that would be tractered to the galaxy. The probe or beacon was to penetrate the vortex could it be possible to get those readings?"
"If the beacons were not destroyed by the turbulence of the vortex this maybe possible."
"Computer, what adjustments would I have to do to the long range sensors to read these transmissions?"
"The adjustments you will need to do are..."
"Down load the adjustments to the bridge science station."
"Adjustments downloaded."
Ryak read the adjustments and went over the schematic of the sensor array and started to make the adjustments. Ryak new that this was going to take some time. He was also aware that they needed help in engineering with the beacons.
"Sullax to Rodley."
"Rodley here."
"Rodley I need you in engineering. Ensign O'Hare is down there working on some beacons that we are going to send into the vortex. I need you down there helping them get them ready. They need to be ready very quickly."
"I am on my way, Rodley out."
Ryak started working again on the sensors. In the back of his mind he was slightly aware of the dilemma that security would be ticked when they catch up with him again. but he knew that soon enough it would happen. Ryak was starting to run into difficulties with the sensors. If this didn't work he was not sure if they would have time to do anything else. Ryak's stomach turned into a knot as he remembered a paper he read while with the Tal Shiar. Ryak was not prepared to ask the Captain for permission to contact his friends there and get all that they have on Fluidic space. It would blow things all out of proportion.
"Computer, Is it able to make a secured non trackable transmission off of the Galaxy to the Romulan Tal Shiar."
"Only with the proper access codes."
"Computer are the access codes of Ensign Sullax sufficient?"
"Ensign Sullax is under arrest all access codes have been suspended until further notice."
"Damn S.I. !!!!" Ryak yelled this as he punched the wall. What know Ryak thought to himself. Should I inform the Captain or should we try this first....
Chris Gagne
By: STEVEN LAURENCE SHARP
Chanor had been watching all the bridge activity for some time now, him and Ensign Rios positioning themselves just to the right of Science Station 1, trying to keep out the way. He'd started to listen to what the Captain and Commander Casey seemed to be saying now, and not bothering watching Ensign Sullax as well as he should have. This was his first mistake.
He also promised it would be his last.
He turned, to find that the science station had been vacated somehow without either him, or Ensign Rios noticing. He turned to Ensign Rios and said,
"Ensign, did you happen to notice where Ensign Sullax went?"
The Klingon suddenly scanned the science station, noticing that he'd gone as well, before shaking his head angrily.
"Follow me Ensign." Chanor stated as he headed over to the turbolift. Stepping in, he asked the computer inside.
"Computer, locate Ensign Sullax and take me there."
He wanted to make sure no one else had noticed his slip, so asking the computer on the bridge, where everyone could hear was probably not the best idea in the world. The computer replied,
"Ensign Sullax is in the long range sensor array." the computer stated as the turbolift started to move. Chanor just looked at Rios slightly, as the Klingon tensed a little, seeming annoyed at having let his 'escort' get away.
The turbolift opened to the array, and Chanor led the way down the corridor to the array to hear a curse from inside.
"Damn S.I. !!!" he heard, as he saw Ensign Sullax punch the wall. Well, whatever he was up to, it had better be good. He announced his presence.
"Ensign, no doubt you are glad we found you. Sorry about the delay, we were a little distracted." Chanor said slightly sarcastically.
Sullax looked them both over, realising that he'd been found at last, and that made his dilemma worse!
Lt. Paran
By: The Fly
It had started out as a slight tug. Alan had felt it pulling at the back of his mind since they exited the shuttle just in the nick of time. Something wanted inside of him, and he didn’t plan on letting it in. But it was becoming difficult to stay on task, and it was damn near impossible to modify the tricorder that Alan was working on.
“Greer, I...I can’t seem to access the subspace transceiver assembly.” Alan knew that he should be able to access the STA, but he just couldn’t remember how. There was a long period of silence as Ronni looked over at Greer who raised an eyebrow in response.
“Umm...here let me see.” Greer said as he took the tricorder from AC’s hand. After punching in a few simple commands, Greer handed it back to his friend. “There ya go, buddy.” Greer tried to make his voice as cheerful as possible, but he was quite concerned about AC. Greer was simply going to leave it at that, but the sound of Ronni clearing her throat came through the comm system quite loudly.
“AC, are you ok?” Greer asked.
“What? Oh, yeah I’m fine. Why do you ask?” Alan’s voice clearly wavered as he spoke.
“Well, it’s just that modifying the STA requires minimal engineering skills, and well...you’re the only engineer out of the three of us.” Greer couldn’t get a clear look at the engineer’s face as he spoke.
“I’m just a little tired. That’s all. I’m fine.” Alan allowed himself to take in a few deep breaths as he tried to push away the pain he felt at the base of his skull.
“Why don’t you take a break for a minutes AC?” Ronni suggested. She could see that Alan was indeed not all right.
“No, I’m fine. Really. I’m fi...” his voice trailed off as his mind began to burn.
“ALAN?”
No response.
“AC? CAN YOU HEAR ME?”
Nothing.
A red mist gathered in AC’s vision. In the background, he could hear two voices speaking but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He could tell that he was beginning to lose the battle.
“Ronni, get a quick check on AC’s vitals. Is he still breathing?”
“Yeah, it ‘s pretty erratic though. His heart beat has almost trip...” The conversation was interrupted by a scream.
“OHMYGOD!” Alan shouted, halfway between a conscious and unconscious state of mind.
Images began to shoot through Alan’s brain. He desperately tried to figure what he was seeing, but things were simply going to fast for him to process it all. Suddenly, everything went black, and his body turned as cold as space itself. Another conciseness began to form with his own.
It spoke to him in a language that Alan knew, but the words were uncomprehendable. The same thought pattern was projected into the terrified human’s mind over and over again. A sense of helplessness rushed over him as he tried to figure out what it all meant. Gradually he began to understand the words that were all too familiar to him: Death. Pain. Hatred. Fear.
Everything went black again. Once again, a foreign thought pattern began to echo in AC’s mind. This time it was one word...YOU.
***** Sickbay *****
Cat squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop her tears from streaming out. She just found out what had happened to the Kepler from Jenna. Jenna was trying her best to comfort Cat.
"Cat, Don't worry. Greer, AC and Ronni will come out of it. They can make miracles, heh?"
Cat got control of herself, it was still Beta shift and that meant she was in control of Sickbay. She had seen people die, she had seen worse on Dronegar. This was worse, they were close friends people she had known for months. Cat looked up at Jenna, "I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm Ok now."
"Cat, look, Beta shift is going to be over in a short time. I can handle it until D'Tarna arrives OK?"
"No, Jenna, I should stay."
"Cat, what's a few minutes. Everything will be fine. Now GO." Jenna held Cat firmly by the arm and headed her out to the door.
***** Ten-Forward *****
Cat walked into Ten-Forward, she couldn't look at the windows. She moved up to the bar.
"I want a Gargle Blaster, Electra."
"Sure, you want something like that, bit strong isn't it, Cat" Electra began making Cat's blaster.
"That's right, just what the doctor ordered!" Cat reached for the tall fizzy drink and took a big swig. "Electra, have another ready when I say so will ya, please. And give me another Deneb Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake."
Cat moved over to a table and sat down, drinking her Blaster and eating her cake. She wanted to do nothing but get drunk and eat her chocolate.
By: gaijinrussell@sprynet.com
"Premonition"
"I had a dream last night," Chen told Counselor Wilson.
"What kind of a dream?"
Chen shook his head and sighed. "I've had this same dream for awhile now. I'm always in bed in the dream. You know those dreams where a person wakes up and they think they're awake, only to find out that they're still dreaming?" Wilson nodded. "Well, um, my first dream has me running through a dark forest and I here all these voices behind me. They keep getting closer and closer and no matter how fast I run, they always catch me. I fall down and before I can move, they're on me. Before anything happens, though, I always wake up."
"Or so you think," she prompted.
Chen nodded hollowly. "Right. So, when I wake up, I look to the foot of my bed and...there they are."
"Who?"
"All the people I've ever killed. They're all bloody and beaten and rotten. Even some of my friends are there. They all point at me and they start chanting, 'Die, die', really loud. So loud that I feel like I'm going to go deaf. By that time, I wake up. But last night was different."
"How?"
"Well, instead of chanting at me, Admiral Nokuma steps forward. He laughs this horrible laugh and he says, 'He will come for you, boy.' I looked at his rotted face and asked him who. He just shook his head and laughed again. 'He is nearby. You will lose your life and I will take your soul as vengeance.' Then I woke up. Only to see Master Kwan sitting on the side of my bed. He smiled at my shock and he patted my cheek like he used to do when I was young. He said, 'They are right. A great danger is near. He will try to kill you. You must be prepared for it. You must be pure of spirit and heart, for you will be faced with a great tragedy before he comes and if you are weak, he will slay you.' Then he got up and smiled at me again. 'You can win. Remember that.' Then he turned and was gone before I could say a thing."
"And then you woke up," Counselor Wilson stated.
Chen shook his head. "That's the worst part. I didn't. I was already awake when I saw Kwan."
Wilson shivered. "So what do you think that means?"
"It means, I had a premonition. And a visit from a ghost. I think there is someone on board who will try for me. And I don't know if I can win."
By: "Kornan Rios"
Galaxy "Off Duty"
I was stroming down the corridor. Muttering to my self at how stupid I was for using my Bath'let. I had reached a Rec room on deck 12, The rec room had weights and a number of exercise equipment.
I lifted some 100 kg weights onto the bar, I counted how heavy it was. 400 kg! I placed my body over the weights and started to lift. I lifted the weight with out a problem.
By: "Charles B. Smith"
They were getting so close to finishing the sonar communicator. Ronni's fingers kept fumbling over the device. The gloves just weren't made for this kind of delicate work. Greer was talking to AC.
“I’m just a little tired. That’s all. I'm fine.” Alan said as he took a few deep breaths. Ronni was worried that maybe he was having a panic attack.
“Why don't you take a break for a minutes AC?” Ronni suggested. She could see that Alan was indeed not all right. His eyes were beginning to look glassy.
“No, I'm fine. Really. I'm fi...” his voice trailed off.
“ALAN?” Ronni yelled into her communicator.
No response.
“AC? CAN YOU HEAR ME?” Greer said trying to get to the engineer.
Nothing.
"Greer," Ronni said activating the suit's positioning thrusters, moving up to the two men, "what's happening?"
“Ronni, get a quick check on AC’s vitals. Is he still breathing?” Greer said.
“Yeah, it ‘s pretty erratic though. His heart beat has almost trip...” she said scanning AC.
The conversation was interrupted by a scream.
“OHMYGOD!” Alan shouted, halfway between a conscious and unconscious state of mind.
"Greer! His heart rate has doubled and adrenaline is pumping. I don't have a medical tricorder with me, but from the rise in phenalpsiclimines, I would say he's suffering from a psionic attack!!" she said cursing herself for having already dismantled the other tricorder for their communicator.
AC yelled and started thrashing at the two of them, "HATE! FEAR! LOATHING! GO AWAY! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! YOU DIRTY! INFECTION! VIOLATION! PURIFY!!!!"
Greer and Ronni looked at each other and Greer yelled into space and at AC, "We are trying to leave! We are explorers and found this opening!! We're sorry! Let us go and we'll help you close this opening as best as we can!!!"
Ronni pulled back. AC was still trashing, but his screaming had slowed to mumblings. So vulnerable where they were, Ronni was more worried now than she was before. Why should these other forces, if there were telepathic beings, help them? Wouldn't just destroying the three Starfleet officers be easier?
"Stranded."
by Lt. Greer Erikson
Chief Science Officer, USS Galaxy
"The Meeting Part II"
By Ensign Johannis O'Hare
Ensign Johannis O'Hare
Stardate: 49803.07
"Tackle"
by Lt. Thomas
GM --- Fleet Captain William E. Churchill - USS Atlantis
Lt. Commander John Bruce - Station Beta 2
Lt. Christopher Thomas - USS Galaxy
USS Atlantis website: http://www.aesim.ml.org/atlantis
"Never Say Die"
USS GALAXY
Lt. Commander Deiran Casey
w/ excerpts from Captain Price’s "Stunning Revelations"
"Problems on the Bridge"
by Lt K'Eytyanna Samara "Optimistic thinking"
by Captain Robert Edward Lee Price
"Stranded, Part 2."
by Lt. Greer Erikson
Chief Science Officer, USS Galaxy
=/\= "After Hours" =/\=
By Matthew Albrecht
Security Officer
USS Galaxy NCC-70637
Galaxy "Office Work"
Written by Kahn Nilani
U.S.S. Galaxy
"No Time"
Lieutenant David Mercury
Chief of Engineering
“Nocturnal musings...”
by Lt. Hunter McKenzie
ASST Chief Tactical Officer
USS Galaxy
Capt. Robert Spenser, USS TITAN
CPL. Nickolas Mancini, 18th SF Regiment,
Major M’alz, Regimental Aide de Camp, 18th SF Regiment
ICQ # 6728583 "Kangaroo"
by Colby Torwyn
"Pressure, Part Two"
By: Ensign Ryak Sullax
Science Officer, USS Galaxy
With entries from Captain Price and Commander Casey
Science Officer
USS Galaxy
Contact at: i2qtnot2b@hotmail.com "Nightmare"
by Commander Joerg Sterner
Executive Officer, USS Galaxy "Loss of friends"
by Captain Robert Edward Lee Price
"An ldea."
by Lt. Greer Erikson
Inspired by Lt. Ronni Morris
"Coping with Loss"
by Lt. Tebrianne Bancroft
dodger@hevanet.com
UIN# 2172851
"Time is Not an Option"
By: Ensign Ryak Sullax
Science Officer USS Galaxy
A.K.A. Ensign Ryak Sullax
Science Officer
USS Galaxy
Contact at: i2qtnot2b@hotmail.com
****** Catching up ********
By Lt. Paran
USS Galaxy
"All Color's Fade to Red"
by Lt. Alan Hewson
by Dr. Felicia Khatroweena, Lieutenant (jg), USS Galaxy NCC-70637
by Ensign Chen
Security Officer
Written by Kahn Nilani
U.S.S. Galaxy
"Contact"
by Lt. Ronni Morris
Space Debris