Terran Crucible (Part 1 of 8)

Posted on 15 Oct 2015 @ 1:40am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Commander Norvi Stace & Commander Andreus Kohl & Lieutenant Min Zhao & Jynn & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Ensign K'os Beaumont & Lieutenant JG Cyrin Xanth & Ensign Jaana Voutilainen & Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov
Edited on on 15 Oct 2015 @ 1:45am

3,150 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: USS Galileo - Main Bridge
Timeline: MD 06 - 2050 hrs

Previously, on Asteroids (Part 2)...

John made a mental tally of how much resource he had committed to this mission so far. They needed the minerals from the asteroid as much as they needed a chance to repair the ship before heading for home, but balancing the two activities together without leaving the ship short handed was going to be the art.

"All department heads - those of your teams who are not involved in missions outside the ship are to pick up a hyperspanner and lend a hand wherever they can. Our priority is restoring some semblence of communications to contact Starfleet, beyond that I want warp drive and shields. Any questions?"

"Now that we've safely arrived at Hotel 511," Andreus Kohl said from the science console, "I've got plenty of hands that could be put to use repairing subpsace communications. I've put all non-essential research on hold for the moment."

Allyndra ignored the comm message. She looked to Tuula and shrugged, "I imagine that most of us will be busy handling the inevitable bumps, bruises and whatever. However, if you think you need to have some of the medical pretend to be engineers it is your choice. I stand formally relieved for now."

Taliesin stepped off the turbolift soon after the acknowledgements of the Captain's orders. He'd locked down the armoury as soon as Gyce had summoned him after having tidied up a bit more down there. He was definitely going to replicate new cabinets and locking mechanisms later. "As ordered, sir," he said quietly to his chief as he passed her on the Bridge, trying to be as professional and as out of the way as he could manage. This was his first time on Bridge duty, and he wanted to make a good impression. A few keystrokes into the Security station had him logged into the system, then he started running some level five diagnostics on their systems to see just how thing stood, keeping an ear out for any orders sent his way.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Lirha positioned herself in a most contorted and nimble fashion while laying on her back beneath Galileo's primary operations console. Like many of the rest of the Operations department, she had been working on-stop throughout the entire day to help the short-staffed team repair and integrate the new modules and circuitry required to restore both the starship's primary and secondary deflector arrays to operational status.

It had been a long series of days involving multiple away missions and repair teams, and no doubt the entire crew was now fatigued. The priority was clear, however, which was to restore basic starship functionality and allow Galileo to see her surroundings in order to properly ascertain what had happened several days ago when their vortex adventure had begun.

In the shadowed enclave of the Ops station, Lirha finished manipulating her hyperspanner and connected the last of the primary sensor relays to the ship's main and auxiliary computer cores.

"Sensors should be functioning now!" she exclaimed in a bit of a muffled voice given her unorthodox position beneath a bridge console.

Min watched from her vantage point on the top side of the console. "ODN links are coming online Admiral. Primary and Secondary arrays are powering up." Min noticed some irregularities in the EPS feeds as the units began to draw power. She glanced over at K'os. "EPS taps are open but not stable yet. Ensign. Can you stabilize the feeds?"

"Aye." K'os said, sounding a little distracted. He too was seeing the irregularities, and had planned for it. He stood near the Master Systems Display traced his finger along the screen then tapped a small amber dot where one of the EPS taps were located before moving swiftly to the left where the Engineering station was. "The capacity flow isn’t quite at 0.1. I have an auxiliary fusion generator online to compensate. Stand by." His voice was calm, and had the usual blank expression known to others in engineering as Mr. Beaumont’s 'work face'. After adjusting the capacity flow to 0.1 using some power from the fusion generator he was able to begin normalizing the shared load arrangement enough to stabilize the power feed from the EPS taps. “Good to go.” K’os announced over his shoulder as he continued to study his monitor and make adjustments here and there.

Min nodded. "Looking good from here."

The moment he heard the shout Jynn eagerly attempted to reconnect with Galileo in any way he could. To his excitement the console in front of him lit up with all the familiar readings and displays that had become a part of his daily existence. It was certainly good news. Great news, even, given the circumstances. “Guidance systems online. I'm getting proper readouts on all axes. Heading. Course. Call me a Sudden Suzy but I think we're running just fine over here,” he said as he cracked his fingers, ready to get to work. After speaking so soon he began to delve over the more detailed workings of his console, double checking to be sure his initial assessment was correct.

Keval blew out a breath and narrowed his eyes as he began scanning the surrounding area.

"Ah..." muttered Andreus Kohl, mostly to himself; "There now..." Seated at the Science I console on the port side of the Bridge, Kohl's LCARS panel came to life in ways he hadn't seen in days. With only partial or distorted sensor readings available, there simply hadn't been enough pure data available to fill up every display panel. As the science station began to receive new sensor data --from the full array of sensor pallets allocated by Operations-- it made far more concrete information available. "That's better; like we took Galileo to her optometrist," Kohl added to himself. He cleared his throat, before he shared a brief report to the bridge crew. "I can confirm now that this asteroid belt has a diameter of 0.23 light years," Kohl said, "and is composed of over 1.6 million asteroids. That kind of mass..."

Kohl was interrupted by a computer notification to his left. He tapped on the blinking alert and, upon quickly recognizing its significance, he began to share the computer's analysis with the rest of the bridge crew. "Since the moment we picked up this asteroid belt on damaged long range sensors, Ensign Voutilainen set the computer to work on identifying it. For the past few days, the computer has been analysing our star charts and comparing it against everything we've learned from our limited efforts to chart the asteroids," Kohl said.

Kohl paused, briefly, as he read the new results populating his LCARS panel. "Our current sensor acuity has confirmed something that could only be an impossibility... a coincidence... Considering the total mass of rock and ore out there, along with their location and movement patterns, the asteroid field is --was-- the planet Nimbus. ...Uhhh, I know our sensors have been in bad shape, but how did we not notice a planet exploding?"

Lirha listened to the incoming information and did her best to process it against the database of knowledge in her head related to celestial formations and activity. "Nimbus...is gone?" The thought of the Galactic Planet of Peace no longer existing was terrifying, as was the greater question which was now looming. "What could have done that? To an entire planet?"

Although Kohl was quick to chime in, he only really managed to say, "We're not detecting any energy readings to suggest..." But he ran out of words. He hadn't really known what he was going to say when he started that sentence. His mind couldn't comprehend the totality of what it meant to destroy an entire planet, let alone parse out the hows and whys it could be done. Kohl shut his mouth and hoped for wiser minds than his to chime in.

Cyrin, at the Science 2 station, had a growing pit in his stomach as he looked at a different set of sensor readings. Being on the Bridge might have been enough to make the young Trill nervous but whatever worries he had about being in the Captain's presence had been washed away by what he was seeing. A star chart filled his monitor, and the computer was highlighting astronomical markers, lighting them up with red symbols that were the cause of his anxiety. "Uh, Captain Holliday?" Cyrin had started out timid, his voice quiet. A glance over his shoulder at the Captain however made him take firm hold of his nervousness. In a clearer voice he continued though not without his stutter, "Captain, astrometric sensors have d-discovered a, uh, problem. I have run a diagnostic on the system to c-c-onfirm; these sensors are o-o-operating correctly."

Get to the point, he told himself. "Sir, according to these r-readings numerous markers to determine our position in the sector are not where they sh-should b-be. Acmar, Chi'Dan, Gamma Eridon, Azure Nebula..." Cyrin took a deep breath, let it all out in a rush, his voice desperate, "Captain, I don't believe we're in our own universe anymore." Cyrin darted glances at just about everyone on the bridge as he dropped a bombshell.

"That makes sense," replied Jaana, looking up from her console. "Triangulating our location based upon these pulsars," she said, drawing up an image showing three flashing dots and the Galileo in the center, "pinpoints our location as within the Nimbus system. We would have detected the destruction of Nimbus III if it happened within the past few days, and since we didn't, then logic dictates that the only possible explanation is that we have somehow slipped into another universe, one where Nimbus was destroyed long ago."

Seeing everyone on the bridge looking at her, Jaana wanted to slink down and hide behind her console. "That, is, logically speaking, ma'am," she added in a meek voice.

Keval looked up from his console. He really wasn't a scientist per se,but he could decipher a readout and he'd been thinking the same thing. He'd hesitate slightly so he could make could confirm his conclusions. "I'm afraid that the others are correct. We're not in Kansas anymore."

K’os turned from his console and held his hands behind his back. “We have been having issues coordinating and adjusting the Federation Timebase Beacon receivers. The time it took for our impulse flight to the asteroid belt just isn’t being reflected by the receivers. Which means we haven’t had any Federation pings since we went through the anomaly even after replacing the physical hardware.”

"Even the matter that makes up the asteroids is wrong," Andreus Kohl added to the cacophony. He had tasked the sensors to a function that wasn't among the usual bundle of sensor functions. It was one of those things one didn't usually look for, unless one knew what one was looking for. Given what Xanth had declared, even Kohl knew what to look for. "The matter in the asteroids are resonating a quantum signature that doesn't match the quantum signature of Galileo's hull."

Looking up from his own station, Tyrion frowned as his black eyes surveyed the bridge. He tried to block out the cacophony of thoughts that bombarded him, closing his senses off to his surroundings as he gathered himself. "There have been instances in the past, where Starfleet vessels have crossed into an alternate reality," he reported, looking back at his screen. "Or just crew members of vessels. There are reports of 4 crew members from the USS Enterprise, then under command of Captain James Kirk, crossing into a mirror universe, and even several of Deep Space Nine, then under command of Captain Ben Sisko. And there's the report of then Lieutenant Worf experiencing life in multiple parallel universes. Finally, there's rumours of Starfleet being infiltrated by individuals from other universes, but intelligence reports that this is not yet verified."

"Ok that's enough!" Holliday called out, taking a moment to digest the information himself. All command level officers were required to know the mission reports from other captains who had been to the mirror universe inside out and back to front, but that didn't stop his mind from thinking of a thousand different problems the longer they stayed here. He could not blame his officers for throwing around their own personal thoughts and opinions but he needed to stay in control of the situation.

"I want to know exactly what is out there - high energy sensor sweeps of the belt and surrounding area. And I want the science labs crawling over every single bit of data we got from the singularity that opened when our deflector malfunctioned. I'd bet my command that explains how the hell got here."

"Captain," Cyrin spoke up again, this time more confident in his delivery despite how shaken he was about their situation. "I have been studying the singularity f-for the past five d-days; much of our d-data was l-lost during the transit but I have b-been over everything we have d-dozens of times to run s-simulations. It had transdimensional properties, reaching through not just normal s-space and subspace, sir. I th-think the odds of a uh, an uncontrolled burst f-from the secondary deflector that c-creating such a passage randomly is extremely low, sir. M-maybe s-s-someone uh, someone w-wanted us here."

"You heard the captain, Ensign Xanth," Stace cut through with a sterner lilt to her voice than she usually expressed. She cut a sideways glance to Holliday and widened her eyes in a knowing fashion. Her memories of her former host, captain of the USS Gilmore, afforded her knowledge in times like these that went beyond her usual 'training' as executive officer. What little training she had managed to have received in her short run as the Galileo's XO. She nodded once to John, her interpretation of the data also led her to believe that they were no longer in the Prime Universe, but the extrapolation, at least until her and the command staff could discuss their predicament, needed to be shut down before worry spread from the bridge into the recesses of the ship.

The Trill scientist recoiled slightly, eyes wide, but his mouth did snap closed at the order. With an internal sigh he turned his eyes back to the sensors, feeling a headache building quickly and exhaustion setting in. Five days of studying the singularity, working around the clock, forgoing sleep and sometimes food, was catching up to Cyrin though he didn't realise it yet. The sensor readings swam a little as he thought of even more lab work on the singularity; he'd reached an impasse given the very limited data that they had, data he'd been over till there wasn't anything more to analyse that he hadn't analysed dozens of times already. Without new information, something to supplement the damaged and incomplete records they had of the vortex, he feared that there'd be nothing he could do despite the Captain's orders.

Luke still uneasy on his feet had found his way without trouble and only a few bumps and bruisers along the way to the bridge. Stepping through the door Luke moved across the fresh hold and onto the bridge where people were already busy and hard at work. Luckily for him the security station was free. "Permission to Resume active duty Admiral." He said, bracing himself. The treatment the doctors had performed on him was first class and he hoped that he could still hold himself together.

Gyce looked almost instantly when she heard the voice. She was happy to see Luke up and about, but a bit unsure with what that implied to the department. That was only a fleeting thought, however, as she was busy looking at the tactical sensors.

Lirha was distressed by all the recent developments and was trying to do her best to remain calm and process their current situation. The familiar sound of Wyatt's voice surprised her, causing her to quickly turn around and take in his large and muscular form.

"Mister Wyatt?" she asked, a bit shocked at his sudden appearance on the bridge. "Are you...feeling better?" was the only thing she could think of to ask at first. It was no doubt great to see him again and looking fully recovered.

Luke smiled, he knew that he should probably continue recovering though the damage wasn't as sever as the doctors had thought though the memory loss will keep biting at his ass "Enough to return to duty, I'm also quiet aware of the current change in the department order, however I request to take position on the bridge Admiral" He replied formally. He was disappointed that Gyce had taken over but at the time Luke had taken his injury it was touch and go, at least that's what Tuula implied.

"If you are feeling better, please," nodded Lirha. Her green eyes flicked over towards one of the vacant mission operations station behind the captain's chair. "And not a touch too late, either." With the data now coming in from the sensor arrays lining Galileo hull, the rear admiral was on edge and a bit apprehensive. Having an extra security/tactical officer on the bridge was a bit of a reassurance.

Luke nodded and left that at that, eyeing Gyce he smiled before turning half left and heading towards the closest spare consoles changing the configuration to that of a security layout and a few extra tweaks he liked to monitor, it was actually easier with the different size screen.

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

ENS Tyrion Faye
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

Lt JG Luke Wyatt
Asst. Chief of Secuirty
USS Galileo

Crewman Abbey Wyatt pNPC by Luke Wyatt
Scientist Mate
USS Galileo

Ensign Cyrin Xanth
Astrophysicist
USS Galileo

PO1 Taliesin Cynwrig
Master-At-Arms
USS Galileo
[PNPC Xanth]

LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Olsam Mott
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

Lt JG Nizan Rydit
Security Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Min Nicholas (née Zhao)
Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Benice Gyce
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

CPO Keval Zh'Erinov
PNPC Jared Nicholas
USSGalileo

Ensign K'os Beaumont
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Galileo

Crewman Ezra Koenig
Security Crewman
PNPC K'o Beaumont
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Jynn
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

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