Carl Torek
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Post by Carl Torek on Jul 19, 2019 1:16:47 GMT
*** Disaster ~ Part Four *** Previous references to the wormhole discovery can be read on the thread entitled : Small Steps .....The Maracanda crossed into the aCen nebula proper two days later; Lindqvist - by now released from quarters but watched closely (to her annoyance) by engineering and science teams alike - had set about her business. "Stay out of my way!" Lindqvist barked as a science crewman inadvertently obstructed both her and two of her team as they moved through the corridors to collect equipment from the cargo bay. The crewman was virtually knocked off his feet. Smythe who'd been about 10 metres behind happened by and reassured the crewman, helping him up, "Hang tight, we'll just have to deal with this." The operation was underway: the Intrepid class had begun scanning for the wormhole. The IR source they'd detected from base must be just a sixteenth of a parsec away now; annoyingly they'd yet to pinpoint it, this made the idea that it was only a micro-wormhole more plausible. At least the wormhole's vicinity wasn't already occupied, some of the crew thought. Sensors were also having trouble penetrating some of the gaseous matter: scanner visibility was reduced to 15 million kilometres; natural visibility, about 5 kilometres... Posting as Commander Manley -Commander Grant Manley USS Maracanda aCen System ::
The Maracanda had arrived in the aCen System without incident, if confining Lindqvist to her quarters wasn't taken into consideration ...... He had to finally allow her access to the ship to begin working, but it was at the back of his mind that he may need to do the same again if she wasn't willing to be more cooperative.
"Captain, we have the Nebula on sensors." Lieutenant McNaire informed Manley.
"Very good, lets approach with caution, drop to full impulse Helm, I don't want to leap into something unexpected."
They detected a signal, approximately one point nine trillion kilometers distant. It seemed plausible that this was the location of the wormhole ... Manley wasn't too convinced if truth be told, but then, he wasn't here to do the study, there were others on board that would do that. He ordered the Maracanda closer, albeit slowly, something which had not gone unnoticed as the Comm sparked to life:
=^= Captain .. Why are you approaching the wormhole so slowly ? =^=
=^= It's called being cautious .. .. Commander =^= Manley replied in a measured tone, closing the Comm before the Scientist could comment further.
"What do we have ?" Grant asked his Science Officer.
"There's definitely something there Captain, but at this range it could be a bag of marbles for all we know." Grant sighed, he respected Lieutenant Rhone McNaire more than most Science types, but her predilection for obscure references sometimes grated on his nerves, "we would need to enter the Nebula proper before we can get anything substantial .... There's always Commander Lindqvist of course ...." she said.
"Helm, close to five million kilometers of the anomalous readings, maybe Commander Lindqvis will leave us alone for a while if she has something to study."
"Aye Sir." the ships Navigator said, barely holding back a snigger at her Captain's comment regarding their 'guests' ...
"I'm a little concerned about our lack of visibility Captain." the Exec' commented quietly.
"Yes, me too Frank." Manley agreed as the Comm chirped to life once again.
=^= Bridge .. What the hell is taking so long ! =^=
"Ignore her." Grant ordered, getting up from the center seat to walk forward. A scant meter from the viewscreen, he irrationally strained to see through the red blue grey mist ahead, "Are we picking up 'anything' at all, solid matter, biological, hell, a flashing light ?"
"Nothing Captain ...." the Science Officer replied.
"Captain, I recommend we hold position here." Lieutenant Jarves said from Tactical.
"I have to agree Captain." Scober said after a moment, "Unless commander Lindqvist is able to penetrate this 'fog' then we are going in completely blind."
"We are still receiving the initial radio wave signal readings from the anomaly I take it ?" Grant asked, finally giving up on spotting an actual wormhole and returning to his seat.
"Topological readings are constant." McNaire confirmed.
"So why the hell can't we see something ?" Manley said, his frustration obvious, "OK, hold position here, let's see what our visiting Science team have to say, Comms, contac ....."
"Why have we stopped our approach ?!" Anna Lindqvist demanded as she stepped from the turbo-lift. Grant closed his eyes for a second before acknowledging her sudden presence on his Bridge. He pointed at the viewscreen without speaking, "..... And 'THAT' is what is holding you up ?" she asked.
"My ready room." Grant said by way of reply, "Commander Scober, if you would join us, Erin, you have the Conn." he walked off the Bridge, Lindqvist and Frank Scober close behind. As the door closed he deliberately walked around his desk and sat down, Scober had walked through the door and was already leaning against the wall, Grant held up a hand then sat for a full three minutes as Lindqvist ranted at him regarding the utmost importance of her assignment, his need to comply, his seeming incompetence at following orders, and a myriad of other topics, before she finally fell silent.
"We had this conversation a while ago if I recall." Manley finally replied, again holding up a hand to silence the woman so he could continue, "I think we all know the importance of this wormhole, but while I am in command, I will not allow this ship to be flown blindly into the unknown to satisfy your uncontrollable ego Commander ..... I have to wonder if your conduct and attitude would be the same had you been aboard the El Salvador, the Enzio, or the Raven ..... I seriously doubt it to be honest. Now, that aside, I am going to instruct you that you will conduct your investigations with a modicum of politeness towards my staff. I am more than willing to contact the Starbase and request a relief vessel be assigned to this mission."
"Feel free to do so, Captain." Lindqvist answered defiantly. Grant gave her comment some thought then replied, but not to her:
"Commander Scober, instruct the Helm to take us out to the edge of the aCen system and hold position. I will contac ......"
"CAPTAIN !" Lindqvist almost pleaded.
"We all have the same goal in mind here Commander." Grant said with a little compassion, "You are brilliant at what you do, that goes without saying, but your ability to completely alienate your colleagues and superiors is your biggest fault .... You have spent time contemplating your approach to my staff, something which apparently failed, so ... What do you suggest ?" Anna somehow realised she had overstepped:
"I apologise, Captain. I know I'm not the easiest person to get along with ...."
"That's an understatement." Scober said.
"I will endeavor to comply and change my, attitude, but we must enter the cloud. At this range, the wormhole could be a millimeter in diameter and a meter long, it could be a meter in diameter and a million kilometers in length, it could also exit outside our own Solar System .... We won't be able to find out unless we get closer .... Please Captain, best scenario, we could be looking at something similar to a Lorentzian traversable wormhole. worst case it would go nowhere. In that case, we go on looking."
"Commander, the Maracanda is here to investigate, but regardless of possible opportunities, the safety of the ship and crew comes first. If you can accept that, and try to be a little patient, then I can't see any issues with us moving forward. That said, I will not hesitate to confine you if there is any further problems. Unless you accept my terms, then Commander Scober will carry out my last order." he waited to see what the Scientist would reply ..........
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Andae Blakus
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Post by Andae Blakus on Jul 19, 2019 17:05:35 GMT
Lieutenant William Bligh, USS Maracanda
The Intrepid class continued to hold station at 5 million kilometres from the main core of the aCen nebula. Commander Lindqvist had acquiesced at least temporarily to the instructions and warnings of Manley and his first officer. William Bligh continued to assist with the magnetic constrictor realignment, attempting to work around the problem caused by Lindqvist's harmonic matrix device; Smythe meanwhile held the starboard side bridge station.
Deep in the heart of the nebula, the wormhole spun about its axis in precessional motion; it was invisible of course. While the Maracanda observed from a distance, any activation - and therefore indication of the presence of aliens (hostile or otherwise) who would be using the wormhole - would illuminate for the Maracanda crew the hole's exact location, but the fact this hadn't yet occurred perhaps lent further weight to the idea this wormhole was little used, perhaps useless.
Only moving closer would help to resolve the features of the anomaly, though one of Lindqvist's team - a Benzite named Zirtiv - working with Ensign Reslik, the deposed Chief Engineer's cousin, thought they'd found a solution to the ship's sensorial problems: modifying to scan for a certain subspace layer with which Lorentzian wormholes occasionally made contact might reveal signs of such a wormhole. A terse Lindqvist gave the information to the bridge that these sensor modifications would take 6 hours to complete, at which point she expected to learn not only the exact location of the wormhole inside aCen but also its probable diameter (its length and direction though would be impossible to divine at this distance).
A staff meeting was held: in the case the new sensors discovered a wormhole worth investigating, the risk to the crew was considered low enough - despite the poor visibility - to take the Maracanda, if need be, right into the heart of the nebula.
William noticed Lindqvist standing alone at a console in one corner of engineering; she'd found the systems here easier to use than those in the science lab, at least for the purposes of this mission, he understood. She appeared lonely - he approached, tapped her on the shoulder; jumping and turning, for an instant an expression of anger passed across her features before they returned to give Bligh an impression of resignation.
"Your team on the Starbase," he began tentatively, stepping up alongside and surveying her work on the modified sensors (nearly complete), "They were a good crew, they carried out your orders, without much fuss?"
She sighed deeply; he noticed how her fingernails began to dig into the leading edge of the console, "On the contrary, they were a bunch of incompet- "
"Commander..." Bligh protested softly, "Sir."
Exhaling sharply, Lindqvist stood up straight and looked him in the eye, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I'm not used to this; the command staff on the station... they were so distant, I was able to run my department with little or no interference... or rather, guidance." She coughed.
"Don't be too harsh on yourself. It's true, meddling in departments can happen; try SCE in Frisco." There seemed for a moment a flicker of a smile on Lindqvist's features, before they hardened once again.
"I know SCE, I've had the dubious pleasure of working with them on a number of occasions..." She paused, regarding him again, "You were stationed with them for a long time, weren't you?" Bligh nodded imperceptibly. "Then I apologise," she hurried to say, before the Assistant Chief again reassured her. Her lack of confidence surprised him; the hard exterior she'd exhibited til now was evidently a cover.
She turned back to the console and before long was ready to proceed with the plan, "Sensor modifications are ready, I believe..." She tapped the console, "Science lab, this is engineering. Zirtiv, Reslik, are your own mods complete?" The junior officers responded in the affirmative and the bridge was contacted to let Manley and Scober know. Bligh turned to check the warp core readouts; energy flux through the PTCs to sensor nodes was within acceptable levels.
It didn't take long for the subspace sensors to find something: the signs of a currently closed wormhole roughly in the vicinity of the radio/IR source. Zirtiv informed Lindqvist who contacted the bridge, "Captain, we have a definite reading on the wormhole. Distance to target, 8.3 trillion kilometres, about what we expected. Coordinates, 342 mark 71 by 5 mark 02. Estimated diameter 3.2 kilometres, length of the tunnel unknown. We'll have to draw much closer, into the depths of the nebula if we want to learn anything more. This is a calculated risk, we can't be sure what else may be in there, but I strongly suggest you take us in, Captain."
<Tag Bridge>
3.2 kilometres diameter, Bligh thought, his excitement at this discovery dissipating rapidly... Nearly 4 kilometres, that was the diameter of Starbase 47's Dome, and then they'd still no data on where the wormhole may lead, thus any comms transmitted - could the crew find a way to activate the hole - could be received by anyone or no one. Still, drawing closer they'd learn just what options were available to them.
"Damn it, near orbit of Risa would do," an Ensign walking past murmured, drawing laughs from several officers including Anna Lindqvist.
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Carl Torek
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Post by Carl Torek on Jul 20, 2019 0:27:17 GMT
Commander Grant Manley USS Maracanda aCen System ::
Manley was still on the Bridge when the Comm came in from Commander Lindqvist:
=^= Captain .. We have a definite reading on the wormhole .. Distance to target 8.3 trillion kilometres .. About what we expected .. Coordinates, 342 mark 71 by 5 mark 02 .. Estimated diameter 3.2 kilometres length of the tunnel unknown .. We will have to draw much closer into the depths of the nebula if we want to learn anything more .. This is a calculated risk Sir we can't be sure what else may be in there but I strongly suggest you take us in Captain =^=
=^= I am still a little concerned about the Nebula itself Commander .. Are you sure we won't come across anything unexpected in there ? =^= he asked.
=^= I cannot say for certain Captain .. But we'll be running continuous scans during approach .. I think we should be able to react should anything anomalous show up on sensors .. .. .. =^=
=^= Just how close would you like us to get Commander ? =^= Manley asked.
=^= Well, on top of it would be nice .. But you're not going to allow that so one hundred thousand kilometers will suffice for preliminary scans =^= he shut his eyes for a second while trying hard not to make the caustic reply on the tip of his tongue. Then he looked at his Helm Officer:
"Helm, rotate us ninety degrees to the coordinates, approach at full impulse in a slow turn to Port until we are the specified distance, then hold position." he sat back as the Maracanda rotated on her axis then began to move forward, after a few seconds the ship began an almost lazy turn to Port as ordered. The Nebula, now looming vast on the viewscreen soon enveloped the Starship.
=^= We are beginning to receive telemetry from the long-range sensor array's Captain =^= Lindqvist reported.
=^= Good to hear .. .. .. I assume there are still no signs of anything worrying ahead ? =^=
=^= Nebula mass is increasing exponentially Captain .. Only to be expected given the presence of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge .. I do not believe we are in any danger at this juncture though =^=
=^= Understood =^= Grant said, turning to Scober who was trying not to grin.
"Approaching coordinates Captain." the Helm Officer confirmed, bringing the ship to a relative full stop.
"Wow ...." Manley said without hiding the sarcasm as he looked at the red, blue, gray vista on the viewscreen, ".... I would have thought it would be a little more, exciting."
"Technically, you can't physically 'see' a wormhole you know, Sir." Scober commented helpfully.
"Thank you." Manley replied, knowing his Executive Officer was secretly enjoying his discomfort about all this.
=^= Commander .. We are in position .. You may begin your scans =^=
=^= We have already begun Captain =^= Lindqvist reported. Grant shook his head, "Yeoman, get me a coffee will you please .... Strong !" he ordered.
"You should invite he to dinner later, see about burying the hatchet, so to speak." Scober suggested.
"Yes, have them set up a table and two chairs in the Aft Engineering Airlock ...." Manley replied, then turned to his Exec' "Don't you have anything else to do ?"
"Ermmm, nope." Frank said with a shrug .....
Three Hours Later ::
"Sir, I'm picking up excessive buildup of thorium and Radon on the hull ..." McNiare informed Manley.
"Anything we need to worry about Lieutenant ?" Scober asked.
"Not at the moment, but the thorium could pose an issue to the deflector dish if the buildup increases too much." the ships Science Officer confirmed.
"Thorium isn't usually something we need to worry about." Scober said.
"Not normally Sir, it's only normally found in the atmosphere of 'M Class' planets, and then in minuscule amounts ..." McNaire replied, "... But the gas here has been, corrupted, on the molecular level, possibly by the proximity to the wormhole, It could even be something bleeding through from the terminal point of the wormhole itself, I will have my Staff keep an eye on it." she said.
"Fine, we'll move away if it becomes an issue." Grant decided, as Gamma Shift entered the Bridge and he realised it was midnight already .........
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Andae Blakus
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Post by Andae Blakus on Aug 23, 2019 12:26:13 GMT
Lieutenant William Bligh, USS Maracanda
Bligh was still liaising with Reslik and Zirtiv who were in the science lab, Lindqvist having taken a short break after having her nerves frayed in what she termed 'negotiations' with the captain and first officer. Lieutenant Smythe looked down from the upper level, "Bligh! you've heard the news from the bridge?!"
"What?" The CEO was always asking odd questions, to which Bligh and others couldn't possibly know the answers as Smythe had always only just learnt whatever news it happened to be.
"They've detected a ship!" Smythe said, leaning over the railing.
Bligh nodded and consulted his console, connecting it to the engineering station on the bridge and from there - through a request to the officer manning that station - to the tactical console. A small craft, approximately 50 metres in length, had been seen shooting through the nebula leaving streamers of matter and energy in its wake. It too was suffering from thorium build-up on its hull, although it seemed to be well protected from it - as if by design... Were the craft's occupants used to this natural byproduct of the nebula's activity (with its central wormhole) or were they somehow linked to its being there?
"Alright, Sam," he nodded to Reslik on his screen as the junior engineering officer (stationed in the science lab) informed him of the latest results from the scans of the IR source (the wormhole's nexus). He returned to observing the retreating 50 metre vessel; Manley had ordered the Maracanda to hold station and await further developments: if the ship reappeared, or another made an appearance, he would evaluate options and possibly pursue and/or hail.
"Didn't you hear?" Reslik demanded, "SCE, SCE...?" she called him derogatorily, "Our scans show the length of the wormhole is likely to match the distance to the two sets of exit coordinates estimated by the Starbase researchers: the set in the Alpha Quadrant on the UFP border, and the set near Yattho space in the Beta Quadrant."
"I heard you, Ensign," he stated, then softened his tone, glancing at those about him and addressing them all, "The only problem is that the wormhole isn't quite large enough." Indeed, they had a case of a 3.2 km hole in spacetime, through which they'd attempt to fit (impossibly) a 3.8 km diameter Starbase Dome.
=/\=Bridge to engineering and science laboratory.=/\=
=/\=Smythe, go ahead.=/\= Lindqvist's officer Zirtiv also answered from the science lab.
=/\=Where's all this thorium coming from?=/\=
=/\=Well, sir,=/\= Bligh heard Smythe reply, =/\=Given the particle density of neutrons about the wormhole... it's possible the thorium - in combination with a stream of neutrons from the wormhole when it is opened - is being used as a fuel source to power a nuclear fission reactor. Primitive, but seemingly very efficient, if the purity of the thorium suspended in the nebula gas is anything to go by. Wherever, and whatever the reactor is, we can expect it to be the most advanced of its kind.=/\=
=/\=Are you suggesting there is a thorium-based power source somewhere within the nebula, Lieutenant?=/\= Scober's voice came now.
=/\=If I had to declare my position, sir, I would say it's a near certainty.=/\=
=/\=Then I'm going after that small ship. It may lead us to your reactor, Lieutenant,=/\= Manley decided; Lindqvist immediately protested - apparently she'd been listening into the comm - saying they should hold position to study the wormhole, their best candidate for a way home.
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Carl Torek
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"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
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Post by Carl Torek on Aug 25, 2019 23:49:36 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley - Commander Grant Manley USS Maracanda aCen System ::
Manley was listening intently to the discussion taking place - The mere fact that thorium had been detected was a massive breakthrough, it was though a concern that the Science team had apparently discovered not one, but 'two' exit points for the wormhole. Manley wasn't the most 'scientific' of Officers, but that, even to him began to raise alarm bells, and the sudden discovery of a vessel was weighing on his mind as the conversation progressed .....
=^= Where is all this thorium coming from ? =^=
=^= Well Sir .. .. Given the particle density of neutrons about the wormhole .. .. it is possible the thorium - in combination with a stream of neutrons from the wormhole when it is opened - is being used as a fuel source to power a nuclear fission reactor .. Primitive .. But seemingly very efficient .. If the purity of the thorium suspended in the nebula gas is anything to go by .. Wherever .. and whatever the reactor is we can expect it to be the most advanced of its kind =^=
=^= Are you suggesting there is a thorium-based power source somewhere within the nebula Lieutenant ?=^= Scober's voice came now.
=^= If I had to declare my position Sir .. I would say it's a near certainty =^=
=^= Then we are going after that small ship .. It may lead us to your reactor Lieutenant =^= This decision clearly infuriated Anna Lindqvist, who voiced her opinion openly.
"I can fully respect your point of view Commander ...." Grant was saying after he ordered the Scientist to his ready room, where he could have the conversation in private, ".... But we cannot ignore a vessel that may, or may not, be able to assist us in returning home. It's entirely up to you Commander, but it's my call. Accept it, or don't." he said with a shrug.
"You are jeopardising our chances of returning home. This 'vessel' is in my opinion, of no consequence to our current task. let it go, concentrate on what we were sent here for." Lindqvist said, getting up from her chair and moving towards the door, "I warn you 'Captain' ... I know full well the circumstances preceding your somewhat fortunate elevation, and if my report should show you in an unfavorable light ...."
Manley had had his fair share of veiled threats in his time, but this was the last of the proverbial straws in his satchel.
"You are of course entitled to your opinion. 'Commander' ... But as things stand, I 'AM' in command, and as such can make decisions. Should you wish to report my conduct or decision-making 'inadequacies' to Command then you are free to do so, but for the time being I would appreciate you doing the job you were sent here for obviously allowing for the ongoing situation. That, in case you haven't grasped, is the fact that an unidentified vessel is in our vicinity. A vessel that may or may not have information beneficial to the task at hand."
"I will be reporting this to Admiral Torek at my first convenience."
"Knock yourself out." grant muttered, hoping she did just that. Closing his eyes for a second to reduce his annoyance, he tapped the Comm link:
=^= Commander Scober to the Ready Room =^=
"This ship ..... From here ?" he asked as the Executive Officer entered. Scober could only shrug.
"Guessing it went well with our Scientist." Frank said by way of lightening the moment.
"Do we still have a fix on the unknown vessel Frank ?" Manley asked.
"Last readings indicate it entered the System nine hours ago. Remained close to the event horizon for two hours, then took off." Scober informed his Commanding Officer as he pulled up the tactical information on the wall-mounted screen for Manley to review, "We managed to get readings that indicate it is approaching the wormhole on a regular basis."
"So do we follow the trail, or sit and wait ?" Grant asked.
"My only concern is the fact that once it leaves the nebula, it's trail seems to vanish, it's almost as if it's coming and going from, somewhere else ?" the Exec' said hesitantly.
"OK, we'll follow it's last heading until it disappears. if we have nothing in six hours we'll return ..." Manley said, getting up to go back to the Bridge, "besides, the Raven should be here shortly, so we'll have another pair of eyes."
Little did he know that the Raven was having her own problems ..........
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Carl Torek
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Post by Carl Torek on Sept 14, 2019 16:47:05 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley -Commander Grant Manley USS Maracanda aCen System ::
"Sir, we've been tracking the vessel for six and a half hours, it's about to pass out of sensor range." the Maracanda's Tactical Officer reported.
"Very well ..." Frank Scober said from the center seat, ".... Bring us about and return to our previous position." the Exec' said with a sigh. It was always going to be a long shot being able to follow the unknown vessel to wherever it was heading, he just hoped that their precaution of staying as far behind them as possible to hopefully remain off their own sensors worked out, otherwise they could be back, with friends ! ... He glanced up at the chronograph above the viewscreen, shaking his head as he realised the late hour, he hadn't even noticed the shift change he was that fatigued. He tapped the Comm link and informed Manley of his actions:
=^= Have you slept yet Frank ? =^=
=^= Nope =^=
=^= Go .. Get some shut-eye .. The Duty Bridge Officer can oversee our trip back .. I'll meet you on the Bridge in say six hours .. No arguments Frank .. Goodnight =^= Manley closed the Comm before Scober could argue. Getting up he stretched dramatically, the Duty Officer grinning at his theatrics. Scober handed the Conn over then left the Bridge, he couldn't remember getting to his quarters and fell asleep practically before his head hit the pillow ....
Wormhole - aCen system ::
"Any changes ?" Manley asked as he stepped off the turbo-lift.
"We've been taking readings throughout the night Captain, no significant changes in data." Lieutenant Jarves answered, acknowledging the Exec's presence as moments later he too stepped onto the Bridge.
"Any signs of our unknown visitors ?" Scober asked, getting a negative from Jarves, he turned to the Captain, "I think we should move closer, see just what our friends are doing in there."
"Agreed .... Helm, begin to move us closer to the event horizon, hold at five hundred thousand kilometers. Keep a close eye on gravitational forces, I don't want to be surprised." Manley ordered.
They sat in silence as the ship passed through the dense cloud layer expanding several million kilometers from the black hole ... Eventually the view on-screen began to clear and they got their first real look at the phenomenon, it was a sight to behold, despite it's relatively minuscule dimensions, Obviously everything visible around the center was stellar debris that had been drawn here over possibly millennia, it was that very debris that was allowing them to view the EinsteinβRosen bridge. It was frightening to think that if it were at the beginning of it's life, they could have been caught in its grasp before they knew what was happening, that alas, would have certainly sealed their fate ...
"Sir, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but ....." Lieutenant McNaire began from the Science station.
"Rhona ?" Scober prodded.
"Sir, I could have sworn there was something ....."
"Feel feel you could enlighten us all at some point Lieutenant." Manley asked with a grin. McNaire smiled nervously then continued:
"For a second I thought I picked up a, structure, close to the event horizon, but it must have been a sensor glitch, I'm running diagnostics now."
"Lieutenant Jarves, anything on your sensors ?" Manley asked patiently.
"I'm double-checking now Captain ...... Yes, for a fraction of a second sensors picked up something solid, something apparently 'stationary' just beyond the outer edge of the event horizon, but that can't be right, the gravitational forces that close to the wormhole would be tremendous." the Tactical Officer said.
"Is it still there ?" Scober asked.
"No, I'm not exactly sure it was there at all Sir, it was more like, well, a reflection if you will, but large, too large to be holding station out there."
"Maybe our unknown visitors have technology to counteract the gravitational pull ?" Lieutenant McNaire speculated. Grant and Frank looked at each other, clearly thinking the same thing - Whoever had such technology was far advanced of the Federation or of any of it's members for that matter, the problem was, what was the next step ?
"Comms, contact the Raven, request 'ETA' at our location .... We need more eyes on this than we have." Manley began.
"Sir, no contact with the USS Raven." ..........
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Andae Blakus
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Post by Andae Blakus on Sept 21, 2019 22:34:36 GMT
Lieutenant William Bligh, USS Maracanda
The view magnified and the dense matter round the event horizon was separated, the image resolving once more and new details becoming visible. Near the very centre there was a distinct absence around and to the side of which was an electric blue blob, faint but discernible. "There it is again!" Smythe exclaimed, pointing at the screen while the staff around the conference table sat with hands propping up their heads.
Lindqvist sighed and nodded, "That's the anomaly, detected by Lieutenant McNaire, in the ultraviolet range. Notice how other details are brought out once the inteference from the infrared source is eliminated. This kind of density would suggest the wormhole is opened only once every few years, suggesting that the unknown species or group is not harvesting energy as we speculated, or if they are, then they're able to prevent all this matter and debris from falling into the event horizon with every wormhole activation."
The two officers stood either side of the conference room's screen, Smythe now throwing up his hands in frustration, "But don't you see...? That 'anomaly' itself may be the harvesting centre we're looking for."
"This harvesting," she cut across him, "It's only an hypothesis. Nothing we've seen so far suggests anything of the sort, we barely detected that first 50 metre ship, let alone learnt what its purpose might be."
Manley seemed discomfited again with how Lindqvist continually undermined others before the officers at large, let alone himself of whom it only really mattered, if Lindqvist did contradict him publicly. "Lieutenant Smythe has given his view that there is a power source somewhere within the nebula, something artificial, and I'm inclined to accept it."
"More important perhaps, sirs," Bligh interrupted from engineering, his face onscreen next to the wormhole image - he had some expertise in this area and Smythe had invited him to attend the conference via audiovisual link, "Is the detail of the anomaly itself. Look closer. Computer, increase magnification sector 2.41, factor 20."
The image zoomed and resolved again, and from an electric blue blob emerged two just about distinct blobs. "There are two structures!" Smythe said needlessly and Lindqvist's smile was thin, it was either one of mockery or an affectation of being nettled by the discovery.
"Yes, sir," Bligh smiled, satisfied. One anomaly was of sharper resolution, more clearly defined and nearer, it's apparent large size relative to the other anomaly due only to the fact it was closer to the Maracanda; it was actually about a tenth of the size of the second fainter anomaly in mass and dimension. No one could tell what the second anomaly was, that mysterious thing hovering just above the event horizon, but Bligh was of the view that the first anomaly could be the thorium-based power source Smythe had predicted. Neutron density was greater than in other parts of the debris cloud, and high enough to suggest a fission reactor, presumably run by the group in control of the 50 metre vessel.
Manley shifted in his seat and nodded, "I'd like to take a closer look, Commander Wilkes, you're excused, move the ship to a distance from the first anomaly of 150 kilometres -"
"That won't be possible. Forgive me, Captain," Lindqvist said, trying to be conciliatory, "But we don't have the technology - which Smythe's wonderful harvesters apparently do - to counteract the gravitational forces of the wormhole at that range. However, we could attempt communication with the anomaly, and correct for time dilation effects which would distort any message we might send..."
"Proceed," Manley nodded, glancing at Scober who grinned as he turned and walked out of the conference room to give the orders to the bridge crew.
Bligh watched the scene in the conference room with mild amusement and then 'departed' himself. He sat in his chair in engineering, tapping the edge of the console pensively and rotating back and forth, he was beginning to think about how they might artificially change the diameter of the event horizon to allow the Starbase to transit, when a message came from the bridge. He'd asked the engineering officer up there to send them regular updates. The small ship (or a ship) had returned, heading towards the wormhole where presumably it would sit for two hours, and presumably, he thought, would dock with the anomaly-structure.
"They're getting a better lock on the anomaly," Smythe informed him as he entered engineering, returning from the bridge, "It's of the same material as that 50 metre vessel, and what's more they've detected lifesigns, about five on the structure, twenty on the vessel. What...? You're still curious about the second anomaly?"
"Yes, we should attempt contact with it as well." If only that were possible - just above the event horizon, for as long as the wormhole was not open, time would be at a near halt, all messages sent to the second anomaly would almost never quite arrive; only by opening the wormhole and allowing some of the debris to fall in, would all messages sent since the last activation suddenly arrive at their intended destinations, but those destinations would already be long gone towards one of the two possible exit points in the Alpha and Beta Quadrant.
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Carl Torek
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"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Sept 22, 2019 15:51:23 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley -Commander Grant Manley USS Maracanda aCen System ::
Manley sat through the briefing, at times wondering vaguely how much investigation would need to be done should the visiting Science expert suddenly fall out of an air-lock. he did want to contact those in the facilities near the event horizon, but he also wanted as much information regarding the possibilities they could prove unfriendly. Finding themselves in a fire-fight so close to a wormhole could easily see them in a loosing battle for survival. It was clear that those unknowns had overcome the gravity issue successively.
As the briefing concluded he strode back onto the Bridge ... He could see the twin facilities on screen, not directly but through digital reproduction of information received from the ships' sensors. He was still mulling over his decision to approach the facilities as the Maracanda closed the distance at appreciably less than ten meters per second, when Commander Lindqvist entered the Bridge:
"I am here to register a formal protest regarding what I feel is irrational and irresponsible actions on your part Commander."
"Noted." Manley said, thoroughly fed-up with the woman's presence on his ship.
"I believe the USS Raven is en-route to our location, I wish to contact Admiral Torek before this ship, and her crew are lost." the Scientist insisted.
"Well, I'm afraid you are out of luck there Commander .... We have not been able to contact the Raven since we were informed she was heading our way." Grant said, almost disguising the grin forming, holding up one hand to stop Lindqvist interrupting him mid-sentence, "It is likely she has other things to deal with, I expect the Admiral will contact us in due course, In the mean time I ....."
"I the 'MEAN' time you intend to approach the facilities despite having almost 'ZERO' information regarding their affiliations !" the Scientist blurted, realising everyone on the Bridge was now privy to the conversation.
"You are dismissed, Commander, and your objection will be noted and passed on to Admiral Torek when possible." Manley said, keeping his eyes locked on the woman's. It wasn't actually a battle of wills, given Grant had the last word, but it was clear Lindqvist believed otherwise, she held her ground, hands on hips, "You are really going to test me on this given you recent confinement ?" he asked quietly.
"I believe in this situation that I have authori ....."
"Security. Please remove the Commander from the Bridge and confine her to her quarters, I'm sure her Deputy can carry out her duties confidently." Gregory Jarves stepped up beside the Scientist, who still refused to move. Without hesitation he took her arm and physically manhandled her into the turbo-lift, the doors closing on a tirade of complaints.
"That woman just doesn't know when to shut up does she." Frank Scober said.
"She may still have a point." Grant replied almost in a whisper as he turned to Lieutenant jg. Thomson, "Helm ... Alter course, bring us around in a ecliptic track to put the facilities between us and the wormhole."
"Aye Sir." the Navigation Officer said, changing the course of the ship.
"Distance ?" Scober asked.
"Seventeen thousand four hundred sixty two kilometers." Thomson confirmed.
"I'm picking up an increase in the gravitational pull Captain." Lt. Commander Onizuko informed the Senior Officers from Operations.
"Keep an eye on it Commander, if it looks like we could be in danger have Helm pull us back." Scober instructed.
The ship was now on a very shallow arc as she approached the twin facilities .... Frank Scober had asked if they were still going to try to communicate with the unknowns prior to getting too close, Grant ceded that it might be the best idea, at least while they still had room to manoeuvre, so to speak. He instructed Comms to attempt contact at ten thousand kilometers .... It was a waiting game now, the facilities were still well off their Starboard side, while the vessel previously detected was now behind and to their Port side. Manley was convinced that whoever was aboard the vessel 'must' have detected their approach, 'So why were they simply continuing on their course ?' he wondered.
"Sir, no response from the facilities." the Comms Officer informed Manley.
"So much for being polite then." Scober said cynically. The Bridge crew felt the first vibration through the carpeted deck, then a second, fractionally stronger. They knew that the wormholes' gravitational pull was beginning to extend her tendrils towards the Intrepid Class Starship.
"Distance ?" Scober asked again.
"Eight thousand two hundred forty kilometers." Lieutenant Thomson confirmed.
"Sir, I'm getting more information from scans." Jarves said, "I think we can go to standard view." Manley nodded and the screen changed .... They could see two facilities, seemingly identical, hanging above the wormholes' event horizon, neither seemed to be having trouble sustaining their positions. Both registered as almost a kilometer in height and almost square in profile, neither was rotating in any plane so it was plausible that whatever was holding them in position was on the far side .... At just over one thousand kilometers the Maracanda finally dropped into the shadow behind the facilities, and the vibrations, seconds ago getting severe, dropped to nothing almost as the shadow fell across the ship. Whatever was holding the facilities in place was possibly acting upon the Maracanda too now.
"Sir, Sensors are picking up what could be several docking ports, varying in size, presumably to accommodate different vessels ?" Jarves reported.
"Helm, hold position at one hundred kilometers ... Be ready to get the hell out of here should things to awry." Manley ordered.
"Sir, the vessel we were tracking has vanished from sensors."
"One less thing to worry about then." Scober said.
"Still no contact ?"
"No Sir, I've been trying on every frequency, all codes." the Comms Officer confirmed.
"Are they receiving us ?" Frank asked.
"We're broadcasting Commander, so I would say yes." the woman replied with a shrug.
"Still nothing from the Raven or the Starbase ?" Grant asked, already knowing the answer as the Comms Officer replied in the negative. he turned to Frank, "Well ?" ..........
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Andae Blakus
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Post by Andae Blakus on Oct 1, 2019 22:10:54 GMT
It soon became evident why the small craft approaching the two stations had once more faded from sensors, it'd passed inside the radiation envelope given off by the facilities and deactivated its own systems, invisible to the Maracanda's instruments as well as from a visual scan until the very moment when it docked with the nearest station and one of the ports became clearly occupied.
"Registering a change in the number of biosignatures on the first facility, Captain, crew is now 25, up from 5 - the small ship's crew have boarded."
"I see..." Manley said, looking about and seeming somewhat perplexed or perhaps bemused by the regular activity about these two bases so close to the event horizon of a gravitationally active wormhole - particularly in the case of the second station. Inside 15 minutes, further scans in close proximity - with communication still not established - revealed that the first facility at least was running a mining operation on the currently closed wormhole and generating power, extracting neutrons in a steady stream and applying the particles to a nuclear fuel, which with a high efficiency gave them energy but also created as a byproduct a great quantity of thorium.
Manley had a channel opened to engineering, =/\=Lieutenant Smythe, one of the facilities is functioning as a power generator; your theory is confirmed, I'm sure you'll be happy to hear it.=/\=
=/\=Thank you, sir. That's good news,=/\= Smythe sounded distracted.
Comms drew Manley's attention at that moment, "Sir, our communication is being answered. It seems that a combination of low microwave frequencies is this group's usual means of communication; it's why it took us such a long time to successfully make contact." Manley requested 'on screen' and was gratified when it was granted, he'd been unsure if they'd be able to attain visual contact with this people.
"Who are you?" the universal translator worked quickly as the person speaking marched across the cramped room on the Maracanda's viewscreen, "You've interrupted a delicate operation. Do you know what level of precision is required for extracting this particular stream of neutrons from this wormhole at this angle, density, intensity?"
Smythe and Bligh had a channel opened to the bridge so they could listen in, and heard Manley introduce himself and the Maracanda, apologising for the intrusion but asking if any information could be provided on the wormhole, such as its destination. "You're speaking to a level 7 administrator of the Ireuken Confederacy. Concerning the wormhole, we don't hold such information, not, at least, for strangers. Be off with you!"
"If you could simply provide us with some information of what lies the other side of the wormhole..." Scober helped his CO, "Are there nearby inhabited systems, are there people who look like us?" Bligh nodded as he listened in engineering, did the Alpha Quadrant lie on the other side? "Is there a high intensity neutron source, for instance?" Scober went on, "A neutron star?"
"Excellent powers of deduction!" the administrator clapped sarcastically, "And apart from that star that sits near the event horizon the other side, there is nothing for many parsecs around. Stop wasting your time, there is nothing there, unless you want the neutron source... But we have already claimed it. We are transmitting a copy of our mining rights document now. So, be off with you!" the channel was closed.
"We could attempt to access the wormhole," the helmsman said after moments of silence, turning to Manley and Scober, "Travel to the other side or transmit a subspace message through it with a Federation security code; if a Federation installation detects it, they'll hopefully respond." It could take days for such a response, perhaps weeks, perhaps never, Bligh thought in engineering.
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Gheskori
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USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Oct 15, 2019 19:29:34 GMT
Having been back on Starbase 47 for three days, Gheskori was already eager to return to the ship and take it... anywhere. He wasn't decided on where he'd like to go, he wished only to continue exploring. Thus it was his good luck when it was agreed collectively by the brass that the Section Admiral's ship was - of all vessels docked - the most at readiness.
A mere week ago that would've been a good joke, considering the Oxford had still been lacking a fully equipped Stardrive section and had been nowhere near spaceworthy, and the El Alamein had been having crew replenishment problems as 25 of her crew had opted for retirement in recent months. However, those two ships had recently been cleared for flight status, and so Ghes had been relieved when it was decided that the Enzio was the most appropriate ship to send out to join the Maracanda in its exploration of the micro-wormhole, which would soon be revealed to be not so micro.
He headed for the docking ring and observed the Dock outside one of the many panoramic windows. The Enzio was resting swanlike in its berth, the dock's arms enfolding it. It was a silver shell, a sleek dagger Ghes thought, and grunted in amusement as he pulled out a PADD and took his stylus, he attempted a few lines,
Sleek dagger Enzio Sardinian prince, embattled oh In a silvery sea shell, he slipped and so In Bologna was he jailed oh
Hmmm, he thought, and pressed the delete key. "Admiral Gheskori." He spun at the hand on his shoulder; physical contact was generally abhorred by Denobulans, though Ghes considered himself an exception most of the time. "I'm sorry, Gheskori."
He smiled and told the civilian not to worry, "May I be of assistance?"
The civilian gulped and looked over Ghes's shoulder at the Enzio, "The child in my care, he wishes to see the USS Enzio, to head aboard I mean. You see, Admiral, he is the son of Admiral Basirov, and..."
Ghes nodded. He was tempted to reply, 'absolutely not', but he decided it best to not make any hasty decisions. Basirov... The man had collaborated with Serova and her dissidents during the 'revolt'; immediately after Serova had been taken into custody, Basirov and dissident Noah Grimes had materialised on one of the promenades and fought one another, Basirov overcame the other and it seemed he was back on Starfleet's side, but then he'd taken out surveillance cameras on that deck and attempted to flee; he'd been captured and for several months had been in custody, until five weeks ago, shortly before the Enzio had departed on exploration (its last assignment), he'd disappeared, leaving his only son bereft. Ghes agreed to take the youth on board prior to the ship's departure to join the Maracanda.
Several hours later, the Enzio was departing. Ghes had the comms officer send a message ahead to the Maracanda, the Intrepid class being hailed via subspace - Ghes told Manley and Scober he would be with them in just under two days.
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Carl Torek
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Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Oct 20, 2019 15:36:36 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::USS Maracanda aCen System ::
"We could attempt to access the wormhole," the helmsman said after moments of silence, turning to Manley and Scober, "Travel to the other side or transmit a subspace message through it with a Federation security code; if a Federation installation detects it, they'll hopefully respond."
"Or maybe you could show a little Federation hospitality, and 'invite' the Administrator to visit the Maracanda ?" Everyone turned to see commander Anna Lindqvist. Grant had forgotten he had yet again allowed the argumentative Scientist to leave her quarters. He had expected her to stay with her colleagues rather than finding the time to come to the Bridge, "It couldn't hurt to try." the woman said, eyeing the Bridge as if pondering the purchase of a new garden shed.
"Don't you have things to do, Commander ?" Frank Scober asked casually.
"Plenty, given my recent enforced imprisonment, but then it did appear you were having troubles of your own up, here. I thought I may be of some assistance ?" Lindqvist replied with a smile. Grant had already told himself not to rise to the bait even as he was readying a scathing reply to her comment.
"It could not hurt to ask." Lieutenant Commander Onizuko commented from Ops, "Would it not be dangerous to attempt approaching the wormhole directly, given we have no means of knowing the exit point ?" Grant had to admit, they were short on idea's at the moment, and if the Ireuken Confederacy chose to take affront at their actions they could find themselves in more trouble than they could handle, and with no sign of the USS Raven he didn't want to risk antagonising anyone unnecessarily. he had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that Lindqvist may be right.
"Comms, contact the facility, let's see if the good Administrator would like to visit." Manley ordered, fighting to ignore the grin on the Scientist' face.
=^= What do you want now .. I informed you we were in the midst of delicate procedures .. .. =^= the Administrator demanded. Grant was about to reply when Lindqvist stepped in front of him:
=^= Sir .. We fully appreciate you are busy and our presence here is a distraction .. We apologise for the intrusion and would like to make amends by inviting you to visit our vessel =^=
=^= Is that so .. .. .. Well .. I have no time for sight-seeing =^= he was reaching forward, presumably to close the Comm when Lindqvist continued.
=^= I'm sorry .. I should have introduced myself .. My name is Anna Lindqvist and I head a Science team on this vessel hoping to investigate this anomaly .. We are trying to find a way to communicate with our own Star System .. .. A devastating accident sent us here almost sixteen thousand light-years from home .. It is possible your wormhole would allow us to communicate with our Families so far away .. Could you not consider taking time out of your busy schedule to dine with us aboard the Maracanda .. We would be grateful for any assistance you could provide ? =^= she finished, behind her Manley was fuming at her arrogance but held his tongue.
=^= I sympathise with your situation .. .. Maybe I could spare time this evening to visit .. I am Rac'zil .. Administrator =^=
=^= It is good to meet you Administrator Rac'zil .. Shall we say twenty hundred hours ? =^=
=^= That is acceptable =^= the man said, closing the Comm before further conversation could ensue. Lindqvist turned to Manley, but the satisfied grin vanished the instant he spoke:
"My ready room .... NOW !" he said, motioning for Frank to accompany them. Lindqvist shrugged at the others watching events closely then she too entered the Captains Office.
"I don't know what you got away with on Starbase Forty Seven ...." he began, holding up a finger to stop her speaking while trying hard to hold in the rant he so wanted to release, ".... On this ship, you are nothing but a Scientist, a bloody annoying one at that. I don't know how much more I can take of your arrogance, your self-importance, your complete 'DISREGARD' of the chain of Command. I have tried confining you, that clearly didn't work, so I believed a second spell stuck in your quarters would stem your lack of respect, and frankly, your insubordination."
"Have you quite finished ?" Anna asked calmly.
"NO !" Manley said, instantly regretting his outburst, "No, I haven't finished .... You are relieved of duty until such time that the USS Raven or another vessel Commanded by someone higher-ranked than myself can make an assessment of the situation. Frank, have Ms Lindqv ......"
"You will never sit in a center seat again if you persist in this action. Commander." the Scientist said darkly.
"To be honest lady, if it meant never having to deal with people like you again I would give the seat up willingly." Grant said, knowing he was being completely unprofessional, and that his actions could indeed see him removed from a Command position, but he had reached his limit with the woman. He knew she was getting into his head and affecting his objectivity, something only he could deal with. She remained seated as the Exec' approached, possibly hoping one of them would resort to physically man-handling her out of the chair, no doubt something else she could complain about.
"I wish to speak to Starbase Forty Seven ... Immediately !" Lindqvist demanded.
"Request denied. You will be allowed to communicate with your Deputy regarding your progress, or lack thereof, then you will be escorted to your quarters where you will remain until someone higher-ranked than me lets you out." he deliberately nodded to frank then turned his attention to several PADD's on his desk, effectively concluding any further discussion.
Thirty minutes later Frank Scober returned to the Bridge, his Commanding Officer was still in his Ready Room so he headed there ...
"You're sure about this Frank ?" Frank asked as he sat down ".... She has friends in high places, and could possibly do as she threatened ?"
"We were all pretty much thrown together on the Maracanda Frank. As you know, this is my first real command position and I'm having to pretty much wing it." he admitted in almost a whisper, "I know she is valuable to the mission, I completely understand that, but at every turn she is publicly undermining my authority, you know she went to Command to practically 'demand' to be given overall command of the mission ? .... That last stunt with our friend out there was the last straw. How can I possibly ask for the confidence of my Officers and Crew when they see her dismissing me out of hand on my own Bridge ?"
Frank Scober nodded almost sympathetically, he completely agreed with his friend and Commanding Officer, but it wasn't his proverbial butt in the proverbial sling if Gheskori or Torek, whichever arrived first, sided with her, was it.
"I don't want to go against your decision, but we need her expertise, how would you feel about setting up a bunk in the Cargo Bay where they are working, send her down there under guard and make it impossible for her to go anywhere elsa ?
"Fine ..." Grant finally conceded, "But I tell you, if I see her anywhere outside that Cargo Bay I'll shoot her myself and plead insanity at my trial !" frank grinned, forcing Grant to do likewise.
"I'll see to it." Frank said, standing and heading for the door, he turned, "Oh any idea's about dinner ?"
"Dinner ?" Manley repeated, completely confused.
"With our friend out there ?"
"Bloody hell !" he replied, his exasperation showing, "Have the Galley sort something out ... I suppose you'll want Commander Lindqvist to attend ?"
"She 'could' help." the Exec' said with a muted shrug. Grant slapped the Comm link on his desk:
=^= Comms .. Where are we with contacting the Starbase ? =^= clearly changing the subject.
=^= Still nothing Sir .. It's got to be emissions from the wormhole .. .. I suggest we put some distance between it and us and try then ? =^=
=^= How about sixteen thousand light years ? =^= Manley replied rhetorically =^= Keep trying to break through Lieutenant =^=
=^= Aye sir =^= the Communications Officer replied. Frank grinned then left him to his own thoughts as he returned to the Bridge ..........
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Gheskori
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Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Oct 30, 2019 21:27:17 GMT
USS Enzio
"Are we certain the message got through?" Ghes asked from the command chair. Comms shook his head; it was unknown whether the Maracanda had received the call - apparently there was a good deal of interference coming from the vicinity of the nebula, with a possible locus somewhere towards its centre, possibly from the wormhole anomaly itself.
In either case, the Enzio would be on top of the aCen nebula's position - in the galactic z-axis - in a little under eight hours, and so Ghes's crew would soon find out.
The Maracanda had already been out there for three days longer than was scheduled, and Gheskori and all of Command had long since begun to grow concerned at, one, the lack of contact, and two, the apparent lengthy duration of the mission.
"Is it at all possible that, not having found the wormhole in the prescribed time, Captain Manley has decided to continue with the search?" V'Maz, his acting first officer then answered his own question, "It's surely feasible, considering how prominent a candidate the wormhole is for at least communication to the other side."
Ghes smiled, "If I know Anna, she will be 'giving them hell', as the humans say, in having them locate the wormhole."
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Andae Blakus
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Post by Andae Blakus on Oct 30, 2019 21:30:05 GMT
USS Maracanda
Without too much pomp, Rac'zil was welcomed aboard the Intrepid class and shown about select sections of the ship (the bridge and engineering not included). In short order, he was shown into the dining room prepared for the occasion, white uniformed servants proffering glasses of various Alpha and Beta Quadrant beverages and buckets of ice placed besides the plates with Brut and Cava (persistent Old World Economy 'brand' names preserved for nostalgic purposes and posterity generally) dumped into them.
Assistant Chief Engineer Bligh was standing in at the dinner for his immediate superior Smythe who'd claimed to be suffering from severe migraine. Lindqvist had been reluctantly invited also, after which she was to return to her bunk in the cargo bay. At the table, Bligh sat between Onizuko and the deputy helmsman. Dinner progressed, Rac'zil distractedly discussed his mining operation while not infrequently glancing around the room's interior, seemingly impressed and eyeing the decor and furniture as if it would fetch a fair price somewhere. The minutes, hours passed rapidly, and dessert was served.
"Excuse me, Administrator," Scober was saying, sipping a drink, "Are you saying you have been mining this wormhole for neutrons for 17 years?"
"That's correct!" Rac'zil snapped, and greedily hand-picked four profiteroles from the central platter, "And..." he waved his hand dismissively as he dropped the profiteroles onto his plate, "... I've engaged in some smuggling, on the side of course." He chuckled, "There's a fine product known by the name of triprotux17. Peoples on the other side of the wormhole are very keen for it."
"You smuggle," Manley repeated, lowering his fork.
"What is this triprotux?" Lindqvist asked.
Rac'zil wolfed down the rest of his profiteroles and took a large swig of Klingon blood wine. "Now listen, you want your ships to travel at what you might call warp 9.999999? All you need is this substance, apply it to your engine systems with a few simple upgrades thereto, and you'll be back at your home in no time - no need for my wormhole! The success rate is 82%, and any collateral damage to nearby..." It seemed he was stopping himself before saying something he would regret. "Ah, but look, I also specialise in Hokatan..."
"And what's that?" Bligh asked, finishing his ice cream.
"A very potent aphrodisiac, as you might call it. I'm sure you have ladies and gentlemen amongst you who would benefit from such merchandise..." he grinned and glanced surreptitiously at Lindqvist who now stared ahead impassively; Manley nearly choked on his synthehol.
"Right, right," Rac'zil nodded, "You wanted information on the wormhole. Look, on the other side, there's a neutron star, approximately 2 parsecs from the wormhole. For 300 cubic parsecs around those two phenomena there is nothing except molecular hydrogen and the occasional EM ray. Beyond that, however..."
"Beyond that?" Scober pressed.
He paused, "I don't know. Comm traffic. Perhaps like yours. There are four star systems towards galactic west; it seems one of them has recently undergone a small-scale supernova, perhaps in the last twenty years. Those four systems are where the comm traffic is the most intense. My three ships that frequent the wormhole for our neutron mining and smuggling operations often detect a good deal of tachyon activity, much higher concentrations than is common for ordinary interstellar space."
Lindqvist looked round the table at the officers and spoke, "Cloaked ships?"
"What is a cloak?" Rac'zil was quizzical, "Other than something you wear?"
"Never mind," Manley cut in, "Can you tell us something about who may be responsible for the comm traffic. Do you know who they are?"
"I told you, I don't know much of anything that lies beyond the 300 cubic parsec volume around the wormhole and neutron star. We sometimes detect stray transmissions and occasionally attempt contact with them to identify prospective buyers and sellers of goods, but most comms we come across are encrypted. We stay in the region about the wormhole."
With dinner over, a short conference was held, with Lindqvist absent and back in the cargo bay. "High concentrations of tachyons, possibly cloaked ships, and a recent supernova? Could this wormhole open in or near Romulan space?" Lieutenant Bligh asked the senior staff. It was one of the exit-points proposed by Lindqvist's research, admittedly, though her calculations had pointed towards a destination closer to the domain of another Beta Quadrant species, the Yattho.
Returning to the matter of the facilities themselves close to the event horizon, the second and farther away facility still seemed curiously elusive to the Maracanda's sensors...
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Nov 10, 2019 16:25:46 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::USS Maracanda aCen System ::
"What is a cloak ?" Rac'zil asked quizzically, "Other than something you wear ?"
"Never mind ..." Manley cut in, "... Can you tell us something about who may be responsible for the comm traffic. Do you know who they are ?" everyone around the table listened to the Ireuken Civilian Administrator, but truth be told, it was clear he couldn't or wouldn't expand further on what he had already said. Grant was getting a little annoyed with their situation, not because he couldn't see ahead, he was aware that this visitor could be leading them up the proverbial garden path with his splattering of information. While being more than conscious of the fact he could be stalling them while awaiting reinforcements.
"This race you mentioned ...." Manley said as he poured himself another cup of coffee and returned to his seat, ".... This Beta Quadrant race, the Yattho .... Just how much do you know about them exactly ?"
"Almost nothing." William Bligh answered truthfully, "Doctor Lindqvist had speculated that they may be a race worthy of admission to the Federation at some point in the future. From what I remember from reports from attempted 'First Contact', they pretty much told the Starship in question to leave them be, they seem to prefer seclusion to company."
"Frank, get what you can from the ships records concerning the Yattho, the last thing we need is a point of contact that is unwilling to reply, regardless of our situation .... Anything more on the second facility ?"
"It's big ...." Lieutenant McNaire, their Chief Science Officer said cryptically, "I'd say something in the region of thirty times the mass of the nearby one, maybe more. but it's position so close to the event horizon is making detailed scans impossible. We sent a probe out but again, it ceased to transmit long before reaching it's destination. Whatever it is is either holding it's position by some means, or is stuck there involuntarily."
"So you would warn against any attempt to approach it then ?" Erin Wilkes asked.
"I don't think we could even if we wanted to ...." McNaire replied, "We would either shoot past it into whatever lays beyond the horizon, or be crushed to the approximate size of a neutron well before we realised our error."
"What about Rac'zil ?" Commander Onizuko asked, everyone turning to the Operations Officer, "Well, we extended the hand of friendship if you will, so why not ask if we could visit his facility in return .... They have the ability to hold themselves here, something we're struggling to do even at this distance. They have ships coming and going with little regard for what is sitting so close. They have the means to extract what they need form the exit point of the wormhole, which should mean they have better sensors than we do. Couldn't hurt to ask, a little cheeky given he didn't return the compliment himself, but needs must do they not ?"
"OK lets call it a night, we'll address next steps in the morning." Manley said, dismissing everyone .....
Zero Eight Hundred Hours ::
"Anything from our dinner guest ?" Grant asked as he stepped onto the Bridge.
"Not a peep Sir." the Maracanda's Second Officer, Lieutenant Commander Erin Wilkes said as she vacated the center seat, "We heard from the Enzio while you were off duty, given they were only informing us of their estimated time of arrival with us I thought it best not to wake you. I sent our compliments to Admiral Gheskori. They confirmed they will be with us in four hours. We already have them on long-range sensors."
"Good." Grant replied, resisting saying a silent prayer to whatever deity was currently available, "Hmmm, I wonder if they will want the Science Team transferred over there, it will be a shame to loose them." he muttered loud enough to produce fits of muffled laughter from the Officers on the Bridge before they returned to their duties ..........
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Gheskori
Command Staff ..
Commanding Officer Personnel Officer Trivia Officer
Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Nov 18, 2019 16:24:10 GMT
Ghes walked the corridor and rang the chime at the negotiator's quarters, the man answered though he turned out to be fairly diminutive, and the Admiral realised Basirov's son had greeted him, "Well, little fellow," he said falteringly while still making the boy smile - it was difficult dealing with the child of a turncoat, his sympathy for the youngling was outweighed - much to his own consternation - by his anger and wish, perhaps, for vengeance against Basirov himself. "Is your guardian present?"
The boy nodded and the negotiator came running, "Away, boy, into the other room. Thank you," he then called after Basirov, Jr., as the latter skulked into the small play area set aside for him. A Prometheus class had few quarters large enough to accommodate two sleeping areas unless rooms with bunks for enlisteds qualified; this room was the largest suite the ship had available, the negotiator would feel privileged, but it was done for the boy, not for him.
Gheskori nodded, "We'll soon be at the coordinates. Two stations seem to be sitting close to the wormhole. Sensors are detecting high concentrations of thorium, possibly the result of a fission reaction. The wormhole may have been polluted."
"Or it may be the source of the reactants for such a reactor," the negotiator said, he offered Gheskori a drink, the Admiral took a glass of ice water, "Ok, and what about her?"
"Your task is not lost on you," Ghes joked with the man, "I'd envisaged there may well be a situation before Commander Manley set off on this assignment. I'd like to pretend it was intentional, to test the man in command of his vessel, but that would be lying." The negotiator grunted and smiled as he swirled his glass. Ghes continued, "I've not heard anything about it, Commander Wilkes acknowledged that we were en route. The last I knew a small complement from the Maracanda had boarded one of the stations to learn how the inhabitants resist the gravitational pull while the wormhole is closed."
"Will you have Anna brought over here?"
"Only if Commander Manley wishes it. She may yet be able to serve a function over there. Still, I'll be relying on you to mediate should either of them protest their position," Gheskori half-pointed at the man, "She may in the end resist being transported to the Enzio, in that case whether or not she's granted permission to stay with the Maracanda will depend which of them is able to convince us of their argument."
=/\=Admiral Gheskori, this is the bridge. We have arrived, sir.=/\=
=/\=Thank you, Yarwood. Commanders V'Maz and Clark to bridge. V'Maz, take charge, Clark, begin scanning the wormhole, let's see what the Maracanda's Chief Engineer and Dr Lindqvist may have missed.=/\=
<Tag Enzio officers>
Lieutenant Bligh, with away team, Ireuken Confederacy mining outpost
While the Enzio entered the aCen nebula and approached the Maracanda and the first station, hailing the Intrepid class, Scober was leading an away team to the first station with Onizuko, Jarves, Smythe and Bligh. "So you see," Rac'zil was saying, beaming while he led them around his central processing facilities, "I am able to generate 2.4 terawatts more than the specifications. The neutron density from the wormhole is so high that I could increase efficiency even further, but I like to keep a little something in hand should I need leverage with my employers over pay," he laughed and nudged Scober unpleasantly in the ribs.
"You are a most virtuous Ireuken employee," Bligh said dryly.
"I'm better than most," Rac'zil said, turning sharply after a pause. His newly serious face directed itself to a large construct on the upper level in the corner of the room, "There is what you are after. That's what you're interested in, quite clearly?" Scober asked what it was, nodding at Smythe who turned his tricorder that way. "The anti-graviton generator, of course," Rac'zil blustered, "How I and my colleagues are able to keep this station in one position."
"It's a strong anti-graviton source," Smythe confirmed, "From the particle density, I'd say it's capable of maintaining a station of the mass of, say Starbase 173, fifty times farther out from a wormhole this size than Starfleet's technological development currently allows."
Scober asked if they may attempt adapting the technology for the Maracanda. "It would take some time," Rac'zil replied, "And... only if you're willing to pay."
Bligh stepped forward, "Instead, could you extend the generator's effect around the Maracanda for a period of perhaps... 4 hours, enough time for us to approach the event horizon and the other... and conduct scans on the wormhole ourselves? We understand it could tax your systems, therefore we'll try to take as short a time as possible."
Rac'zil grumbled but finally agreed, he would have the generator ready to extend the volume of its effect around the Maracanda by the late afternoon, Maracanda ship time. While he made the modifications, however, the away team would have to remain on the Ireuken station with him.
Additionally, during the extension of the anti-graviton effect, he would have to have someone continously monitoring the generator and tracking the Maracanda, to ensure the bubble containing the anti-gravitons followed the ship - if a part of the Intrepid class fell outside the bubble, it would immediately begin suffering torsional, shearing and spaghettification effects depending on how close it planned to draw towards the closed wormhole.
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Nov 22, 2019 22:46:37 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::USS Maracanda aCen System ::
Grant was sat in his Ready Room, his Second Officer, Erin Wilkes was opposite sipping the hot chocolate drink he'd provided:
"What do you think they'll find over there ?" Erin asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine ..."Manley replied distractedly, "... They definitely have something holding them in their current location, 'and' a means of getting vessels into and out of the wormhole, something we are nowhere near close to at this point, so, let's hope they are a little forthcoming with information, otherwise ....." he let the comment hang, given he had little clue as to what the next move would be if the truth were told.
"Commander Lindqvist has been demanding access to their facility."
"I bet she has," Grant replied, "Alas her demands will have to fall on deaf ears, at least for the time being."
"Maybe the Section Admiral will want her and her team transferred over to the Enzio." Erin speculated wistfully as the Com chirped to life. The Duty Tactical Officer informed them that the Enzio was two hundred thousand kilometres away and on an intercept course, 'ETA' eleven minutes. Grant told her to send a welcome to the Enzio.
"Ahh, the Cavalry," Erin said with a wry grin as she lifted her mug in a mock toast.
"Do you work on that sarcasm Erin, or does it just come naturally ?" he asked, laughing, seemingly for the first time since they had left Space-Dock, "Top up ?" he asked, getting up and taking her mug.
"That second facility is still bothering me. I can't shake the feeling it's not going to be good news whenever we do find anything out." his Second Officer said as she accepted the newly filled mug.
"Yes, it's a little disconcerting .... As with the Ireuken facility, something must be holding it in place. My concern, or one of them, is why their Representative, Rac'zil, won't or can't tell us anything about it. Did you see him tense up for a fraction of a second when it was mentioned ?"
"Maybe whatever sensors they are using over there will be able to make sense of it. Ours are practically useless when we try to scan beyond the event horizon, the only thing we can confirm thus far about that structure out there is that it's big, bigger than the Primary Facility at least."
"Yes, well at least it's also frustrating our Scientist and her team, so, silver lining and all that," he said with a shrug, "..... Hell, any more if this and I'll be asleep on my feet," he said, finishing the hot chocolate.
The two left the Ready Room and entered the Bridge of the Maracanda. On the viewscreen, they could already see the glinting reflections bouncing off the pristine hull of the Prometheus Class USS Enzio. Within minutes it had come alongside the Maracanda, holding station seven hundred meters off her Port quarter. The Communications Officer informed them that the Enzio was contacting them, Grant instructed that the Comm be put on screen:
=^= Commander Manley .. Good to see you again =^= Gheskori said.
=^= You too Admiral .. We are sending all data gathered thus far over to you now =^= Grant replied.
=^= Thank you .. I believe a meeting is in order .. Shall we say in thirty minutes ? =^=
=^= Yes Sir .. Thirty minutes =^=
=^= Until then .. Enzio out =^=
The Comm closed and Grant let out the breath he had somehow been holding on to. He looked up at the chronometer above the viewscreen, it was only just past twenty-two hundred hours, but with an away team off-ship he couldn't even think of resting. He wasn't yet feeling the effects of the two mugs of hot chocolate, something that had become almost a routine each evening since he was a child. Scober and his team were not due to report in for another hour so he decided, for no comprehensible reason, that he needed to change his tunic. 'Trying to impress the boss are we ?' he scolded himself.
Back on the Bridge, he was giving final instructions when Commander Lindqvis exited the turbo-lift and made her way right to him:
"Am I to understand that you are transporting to the Enzio without informing me ?" she asked defiantly.
"I wasn't aware, Commander, that I 'needed' to report my every movement or decision to you prior to acting upon the aforementioned." Anna Lindqvist spun away from Manley and concentrated her attention on someone else.
"Communications Officer, please open a channel to the Enzio, I wish to speak to the Section Admiral." the young Officer made the mistake of looking at her Commanding Officer before acting, this clearly enraged the Scientist, who strode to the Comms console and demanded the Woman vacate her seat. Grant, clearly trying hard to sever the tip of his tongue while forcing himself to remain rooted to the spot, spoke:
"Commander Lindqvist, please leave my Officers alone, they are not your spineless minions, they are 'professional' Officers. Admiral Gheskori will be informed of your wish to speak with him regarding your progress, or lack thereof when my Second Officer and I meet with him. Until then I would prefer it if you would return to your studies."
It was a clear stand-off between the two, and everyone on the Bridge knew it !
"I'm not in the habit of asking twice Commander," Manley said, still stood in the center of the Bridge while Lindqvist hovered menacingly over the Communications Officer. The stalemate held for as long as Manley could condone, then he continued, "Security ... Please draw your weapon. Set it to heavy stun. If Commander Lindqvist refuses to obey my next direct order, you will incapacitate her and have her taken to the Brig, is that fully understood ?"
"Yes Sir !" the Security officer said, taking his phaser and positioning himself so the Scientist could see him clearly making the instructed settings changes on his weapon.
"Commander, you must see that your conduct is embarrassing no one but yourself. Please leave my Bridge .... Now !" Manley said calmly. Anna remained over the Comms Officer until she saw the Security Officer raise his weapon a fraction, she spun to glare at Manley then began to walk to the turbo-lift. One the threshold she turned, almost grinning at the Security Officer who had shadowed her across the Bridge before she turned her attention to Grant.
"You are finished here 'Captain' .... You must know that .... I suggest you enjoy the last hours of your fleeting career because it will be swiftly snuffed from existence once I am able to make my recommendations to the Section Admiral." she shot Manley a withering glare before turning to enter the turbo-lift, he pondered the possibility of the Officers' phaser accidentally discharging.
"To think we were worried about the Romulan's once." someone muttered.
"That's enough !" Manley retorted, "Commander Wilkes, you are with me. Lieutenant McNaire, you have the Bridge, please transfer any communication from the away team to the Enzio."
The two stepped into the turbo-lift and rode in silence. In the corridor en-route to the Transporter Room, Erin couldn't help but speak:
"If that doesn't get you a promotion then nothing will." Grant could only wonder ..........
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Gheskori
Command Staff ..
Commanding Officer Personnel Officer Trivia Officer
Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Nov 26, 2019 15:51:14 GMT
Ireuken mining outpost
The team had split up, Onizuko and Jarves walking the corridors and exploring the station with Ireuken employees in close attendance; Scober, Smythe and Bligh around the anti-graviton generator and its directional antenna, with Rac'zil. The administrator nodded at Scober as he adjusted a dial, the first officer returning the nod and tapping his commbadge; the comm was redirected by McNaire to the Enzio and Scober gave the floor to Smythe.
=/\=Captain, good to hear the Enzio has arrived, Rac'zil has given us leave to use the Ireuken anti-graviton generator - what's keeping the station in its place - for a period of four hours. A bubble will be extended around the Maracanda and she'll be able to travel as close to the wormhole as the event horizon. The ship must remain wholly within the bubble at all times.=/\=
Manley responded from the Enzio, =/\=Very good, Lieutenant. How soon can we be ready to go?=/\=
=/\=An hour and a half, sir, perhaps slightly less.=/\=
=/\=Acknowledged. Note, Admiral Gheskori says the Enzio will not require your bubble. The Enzio will hold station and observe the Maracanda from outside. Frank, push Rac'zil for information on the second station, we must know what it is. Can their sensors penetrate the distortion around the event horizon... anything.=/\=
USS Enzio
Ghes and V'Maz welcomed Manley and his second officer, their XO being absent on the Ireuken station. "Please," he gestured to the Maracanda's Captain to enter the conference room. With drinks to hand, they took their seats, "Now, tell me about the Ireuken, the nebula and the wormhole."
The senior officers discussed the findings made so far. Perhaps on the other end of the wormhole lay either Romulan, or Yattho space. Perhaps the number of tachyons and the signs of a supernova remnant consistent with the star Romulus and Remus had orbited indicated the former, while the science team's findings and other data given by Rac'zil suggested the latter. All that said though, they had only the Ireuken Confederacy's word for the data's legitimacy.
As they moved on to talk about Lindqvist, a fifth person entered, someone Ghes introduced enigmatically as the Negotiator. He was a civilian, a loosely-defined diplomat and former colleague of Mawr O'Slig the diplomat gone AWOL with the Phorx-ku. "He is an acquaintance of Anna Lindqvist, and argued against her appointment to this mission, Grant. I'm beginning to believe he was right, but I would be interested in your take on Commander Lindqvist," Ghes said.
<Tag Manley>
"What Commander Manley said regarding her behaviour shortly before he came aboard," the Negotiator shook his head, "She's reached new heights of unreason. I'm convinced however that with her apology, will come a dent in her pride, she'll remain forceful but become respectful."
They received a hail from the Maracanda, McNaire reported what the security officer escorting Lindqvist to her quarters had said, the scientist had apparently been transported, kidnapped from the Maracanda! =/\=We have scanned the Ireuken station and if the Admiral will beg our pardon, the Enzio as well, Captain. No joy. We've been trying to track the direction of the beam, it loses coherence very quickly... but Ops seems to think it is vaguely in the direction of the second facility!=/\=
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Dec 1, 2019 17:15:49 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley :: USS Maracanda aCen System Wormhole ::
=^= Very good Lieutenant .. How soon can we be ready to go? =^=
=^= An hour and a half Sir .. Perhaps slightly less =^=
=^= Acknowledged .. .. Note .. Admiral Gheskori says the Enzio will not require your bubble .. The Enzio will hold station and observe the Maracanda from outside .. Frank push Rac'zil for information on the second station we must know what it is .. Can their sensors penetrate the distortion around the event horizon .. .. Anything =^=
=^= Understood .. Away team out =^= the comm closed.
As they sat in Admiral Gheskori's ready room discussing progress thus far and the possible terminus locations for the other end of the wormhole, a fifth person entered, casually nodding toward the Section Admiral before nonchalantly leaning against the bulkhead at the back of the room. Gheskori had introduced the man as the 'negotiator' ... Gheskori continued without further expansion re the newcomer and asked his opinion of the Scientist Lindqvist:
"Truth be told Admiral, she's a royal pain in the proverbial. Every time we make a decision she is either second-guessing my Officers, or myself, or threatening to have us all dumped on Rura Penthe for not bowing to her 'superior' knowledge. Frankly had she not been sent over to the Maracanda by you I would have thrown her in the Brig and left her there for the duration ...." Manley took a breath as he watched Gheskori and his Exec' trying not to grin, ".... There's no doubting her ability, and I accept her being here, but hell, if sedating someone for personal reasons, wasn't frowned upon, I'd have put her under three minutes after she stepped aboard."
"Well, she does tend to have a somewhat over-inflated opinion of herself," Gheskori replied, eyes flicking to the Civilian newcomer for a fraction of a second. The Negotiator made a comment regarding Lindqvist, but Grant was becoming more and more intrigued as to why this Civilian was here, and what Gheskori thought he brought to the table. They continued to talk, Manley realising that the Scientist and the Civilian may be connected on a more personal than professional basis, though that thought got him no further than before.
The comm chirped to life, the Enzio's Exec' took it ... The room fell silent for a long second after the Maracanda informed them of Lindqvist's apparent abduction!
=^= How is that even possible? =^= Grant asked his Chief Engineer, currently in command.
=^= I don't know what to tell you, Captain .. .. The two were heading back to her quarters when Lindqvist vanished .. The Security Officer confirmed it was a transport =^=
"One way of getting rid of her I suppose." the Negotiator commented sarcastically.
=^= Are we any closer to getting viable information about the second facility yet? =^= Erin Wilkes asked.
"No .. Nothing .. We're hoping that we will be in a better position once we close the distance .. But .. .. =^= Bligh finished with a resigned shrug.
"I think it best we return to the Maracanda Admiral," Manley commented.
"Agreed ..." Gheskori confirmed, deep in thought before he turned to his Exec' "I am going to join Commander Manley on the Maracanda our Negotiator will be accompanying us. Monitor our progress from here for the time being. Do not hesitate to act if you feel the need."
"Yes Admiral." his Exec' replied, clearly looking like he had more to say. Gheskori returned to his conversation with the Maracanda:
=^= Lieutenant Bligh .. Stand by to receive us .. Enzio out =^= Grant couldn't miss the side-on glance from his Second Officer as they filed out of the room.
USS Maracanda Bridge ::
"Where are we on Commander Lindqvist?" Grant asked as the group stepped off the turbo-lift.
"Still nothing Captain," McNaire replied, nodding to the Section Admiral then eyeing the Civilian as he rose from the centre seat.
"Once within the Ireuken bubble, we should be approximately fifteen thousand kilometres closer to the second facility, with luck our sensors will be more effective then."
"Begin our approach to the Primary facility, ask them to extend the field when we're in place, we are going to tentatively approach the event horizon," Grant ordered as Gheskori stood to his left ..........
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Gheskori
Command Staff ..
Commanding Officer Personnel Officer Trivia Officer
Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Dec 4, 2019 17:35:58 GMT
On the bridge of the Maracanda, Ghes listened in as Manley communicated with his team on the Ireuken station. This Ireuken Confederacy was odd, he thought, why mine neutrons for a fission reactor when the group clearly had access to a much more advanced level of technology?
=/\=Acknowledged, Captain,=/\= engineer Smythe was saying over the audio-only comm, =/\=We're ready to engage the anti-grav generator; please ensure the ship is at the correct coordinates, if you fall outside of it even for a moment, the ship will experience severe torsional stresses from the wormhole, despite how far out you are, sir.=/\=
The Maracanda slotted into position and through the kaleidoscopically hued nebula an invisible funnel was extended from the station to the ship, the anti-grav field now enveloping it. Now, it would hopefully follow the Maracanda as she moved towards the wormhole. "Any news on the transportation, Ops? Science?" Manley asked.
"Negative, sir, the transporter beam that took Lindqvist lost coherence too quickly, though as Lieutenant McNaire suggested, I'd say she was beamed to the second facility."
"Then let us take a closer look," Ghes said, looking about and beaming and having Manley do the honours; the Maracanda set a heading for the wormhole, safely escorted in the bubble being projected from the Ireuken outpost. As Gheskori sat down in what was usually - for an Intrepid class - the XO's chair, the Negotiator - who'd maintained an uncanny silence - strode off the bridge. The Denobulan thought he understood the man's reaction: the Negotiator and Anna had at one time been close, platonically, and she'd betrayed his trust and lost him his career. But while it was true he was out to see that she did no harm to this venture of the Maracanda's, he was also here to protect her; the thought of her having been lost, despite their history, would likely be too much for him to bear.
"In position, Captain," Wilkes reported from the helm. On the viewscreen they saw nothing except for the slightest of accretion disks (consisting of nebulous matter) about the event horizon. As the ship moved closer, into view on the 'other side' of the event horizon to themselves came the second facility; it was still too distant to be made out distinctly, and any magnification they may use would be rendered useless by the matter constituting the unique composition of the nebula this close to the wormhole. Still, Ghes thought he recognised something in those blurry lines,
"Do your best to make it out," he asked the science officer; in ten minutes time they would all be rendered speechless at the findings...
"Are we holding well within the bubble?" the CO enquired presently. The response was affirmative. Manley nodded, "Begin scans."
A quarter of an hour later, Ops made their report, "It seems Dr Lindqvist's suppositions were correct, Captain. The wormhole's length and vector indicate it terminates somewhere near Yattho space, in the Beta Quadrant... Should we attempt communication?"
"In due course," Gheskori said, nodding deferentially to Manley before addressing Ops again, "Focus your sensors on the second station, search for a human lifesign. Captain, I suggest you take us around the wormhole towards the facility while maintaining a safe distance." And what distance would that be, Gheskori? he asked himself.
An alert came from the Ops officer's console, "Sir, the wormhole is opening... Ah, I believe the Ireuken are preparing to extract another stream of neutrons. Wait, there's more, a -"
The Maracanda's chassis underwent an almighty tremor as a high energy gamma ray burst emanated from the wormhole towards the second facility; the gamma rays reflected off the second base in several directions, one deflected element of the burst grazing the Maracanda. Ghes watched the screen with immense curiosity as the second facility - evidently having taken damage to its own anti-grav systems - began to fall towards the wormhole.
On board that second station and in the laboratory that'd been made her cell, Lindqvist felt the giant structure shift and begin its fall. She closed her eyes and wondered if she'd ever see the real Starbase ever again.
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Simon Clark
Lt. Commander
Registered: Dec 1, 2016 22:21:10 GMT
Posts: 153
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Post by Simon Clark on Dec 12, 2019 19:48:52 GMT
Conference Room, Deck One, USS Enzio, aCen Nebula.
=/\= Admiral Gheskori, this is the bridge. We have arrived, sir. =/\=
"Thank you, Yarwood. Commanders V'Maz and Clark to bridge. V'Maz, take charge, Clark, begin scanning the wormhole, let's see what the Maracanda's Chief Engineer and Dr Lindqvist may have missed."
+++ Main Bridge, Deck One, USS Enzio, eCen Nebula
"Why such a large concentration of Thorium?" Simon asked, leaning over the science station with Ensign Paulo Hurel.
"Bands of elements of a similar atomic mass is a naturally occurring phenomenon for a protoplanetary nebula during the circumstellar shell ejection phase of the central star," Paulo replied, "However, heavy metals like Thorium are normally associated with supernovas, and there isn't one. My guess is that the Thorium has came by the wormhole."
"There's no evidence of other kinds of heavy metal," Simon said, leafing through the spectrographic displays.
"It is odd, I don't know enough to explain it. M'Rell's specialism is rare warp phenomena, she will know more about wormholes than us."
"Ask her to take a look at these scans, and see what else you can find out about the nebula composition. I want to know where the uranium is. I'll go over the readings from the facility and see if there are any clues."
"Yes, Sir."
Simon returned to the engineering station and went over the Maracanda's data of the Ireuken mining facility. The purpose of it seemed plausible, and yet... something wasn't right. The juxtaposition of Thorium and a readily available neutron source would allow mass-breeding of fissionable fuels, and the subsequent generation of energy, which could be used, stored and transferred as required. However, the Ireuken were obviously a capable space-faring species with access to faster than light travel, antimatter, fusion technology, and an abundant supply of hydrogen from the nebula. Fusion reactors, though more complex in their construction and operation, had significantly higher energy and power density, lighter fuels, and no radioactive by-products. And complexity doesn't appear to be a limiting factor: they had some extremely sophisticated anti-graviton fine control, so... why?
As the Maracanda began it's approach to the second facility, he closely observed anti-graviton bubble with the Enzio's sensors. The energy required to offset gravitational forces strong enough to distort time itself would be immense. He had the computer spin up a quick model. No, even if the whole mass of the mining facility was taken up with fission reactors, the energy output would be insufficient to provide that level of force. There must be another power source, or another source of anti-gravitons.
"Sir, the wormhole is opening. Gamma Ray burst." Paulo said, over the vibrations of the deck.
"Shields." V'Maz said.
"Shields are up, sir." Gavril said from the Tactical station. The vibration subsided.
"Thank you Lieutenant. Damage Report."
Simon scanned his panel. "None to the Enzio, sir. The Maracanda has taken damage to portside thrust vector control, they are still maneuvering within the anti-graviton bubble. Maracanda report that the second facility is falling toward the wormhole. We don't have a good angle to the event horizon, our readings are from the Maracanda's telemetry. Anti-graviton output from the mining station has fallen by three percent, the bubble around the Maracanda is holding."
V'Maz turned to Commander Yarwood at ops. "Notify the Maracanda."
"They have acknowledged the message."
"The gamma ray burst has dissipated, sir." Paulo said, "The wormhole is still open, and the mining station is harvesting the neutron stream."
"Maintain shields." V'Maz told them, "Let us not risk a second burst hitting us directly. Is the any evidence that the burst was intentional?"
"No evidence at all, whatsoever." Paulo replied with an edge of sarcasm, "Except that there are an extremely large number of directions that the gamma rays were not directed towards. Is it coincidence that the second facility was struck square in, well, whatever, and the beam also intersected with the location of the Maracanda?"
V'Maz turned towards, and paused momentarily at Paulo's tone. Paulo seemed to take the subtle hint, and looked abashed to his panel. "The statistical likelihood is extremely low, Ensign?" Paulo nodded.
"Sir, I'm reading gravitational fluctuations," Simon said, "they are within tolerance of the inertial dampeners. Anti-graviton output from the mining station has dropped by a further four percent, and has an average 0.02 amplitude variance at various frequencies. The variance is increasing." And it was, slowly, steadily, linearly, increasing. "I estimate around six minutes until the gravitational force fluctuations start to exceed standard design tolerances for inertial dampening systems."
"Helm, reverse to ninety percent of transporter range. Commander, Hail the Maracanda."
<Tag Maracanda/Enzio>
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Gheskori
Command Staff ..
Commanding Officer Personnel Officer Trivia Officer
Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
Posts: 1,538
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Post by Gheskori on Dec 15, 2019 23:45:08 GMT
Ireuken mining outpost
Smythe and Scober strolled the foreboding passages of the outpost 'til they came upon the object of their near-contempt - they'd been getting along so well, but now this... "Why have you reduced the strength of the anti-graviton beam?" XO Scober demanded of Rac'zil. "You want our ship to perish?"
Rac'zil was stunned, shaking but affronted, "What...? No, the gravitational forces from the wormhole are so large that our anti-grav generator can't cope with its pull; we're unable to maintain your vessel's safety while this close to the wormhole, and by using our tech in this untested manner."
"You could've told us this before," Scober said, stepping back and relaxing a fraction. Rac'zil was about to add something when the station vibrated of a sudden; the former barked for a report on what'd happened: the wormhole had opened, released a gamma ray burst. Scober and Smythe not having heard this, Rac'zil let them know, though they were having trouble trusting him. The second station near the horizon - the Goliath, as the Ireuken Confederacy members called it - had suffered the most damage and was falling towards the hole - either it'd break up or would pass through barely operational to the other side (to wherever the wormhole led - Romulan, Yattho space?).
Scober and the rest of the team received information from Captain Manley on the Maracanda confirming what Rac'zil had told them regarding the gamma ray burst (XO V'Maz of the Enzio had verified with the Intrepid class the incident). Good, Lieutenant Bligh thought, at least this means we can begin to trust the Ireuken (despite their occasional evasions, they'd been helpful so far). Unfortunately though, due to damage sustained it may mean the anti-grav output would decrease at a faster rate.
=/\=Copy that, Captain,"=/\= Scober replied, =/\="We'll await further instructions. I don't know how much longer we can afford to stay aboard here though.=/\=
From his position on the Maracanda bridge, Gheskori replied in his turn to Scober briefly, distractedly.
Enzio bridge
"The Maracanda's acknowledged the message," Yarwood informed V'Maz.
The visual comm between outpost and Maracanda was opened up to include the Enzio in time for V'Maz to see Ghes's reaction. V'Maz almost smiled, he knew his CO's mind and that he would be preoccupied with the status of the second facility: the acting XO had noticed more than once Gheskori peering at the distant nimbus of the huge second structure with a look of... was it recognition? - in his eyes.
A few minutes later on the outpost, with Bligh becoming increasingly concerned the gamma ray burst's quasi-omni-directional activity would compromise the Ireuken station further, they received another comm from the Intrepid class: the Enzio, Manley told them, was pulling back from the wormhole, still however just within the confines of the aCen nebula, unwilling to risk exposure to the wormhole's shearing forces.
Maracanda bridge
"What are they doing?" Gheskori wondered aloud, although he already suspected the reason as he saw the Enzio retreating to the limits of the nebula.
"Saving their skins, as we should be," McNaire said; Manley looked at her over his shoulder briefly. "Anti-graviton bubble now at 62% of original power output, sir." The ship was vibrating violently, torsional effects coruscating up through the deck and making their teeth chatter; on the viewscreen, the event horizon and the stranded larger second facility grew ever closer.
They were being hailed by the Enzio; V'Maz explained the Prometheus class' situation.
"No," Ghes replied flatly, urgency overcoming his usual carefree decorum. An idea then seized him, "Maintain position for now, Commander V'Maz, we may need you in a moment's time. It may be to your benefit." He stood up and walked about, he mused and spoke, addressing Captain Manley and the Maracanda bridge crew as well as V'Maz, "If we have the Enzio generate from its nav deflector a stream of anti-gravitons to encapsulate us... would that be sufficient to stabilise the ship, and with the Ireuken's own efforts to support us allow us to remain close to the event horizon?" We must get aboard, or at least close to that station before it disintegrates, Ghes thought, gritting his teeth.
On screen, Clark replied brightly on behalf of V'Maz, "It may work, sir, though the period of time we could sustain such a beam and its strength relative to the Ireuken's own device may mean the beam won't last long."
<Tag Clark>
Ghes was satisfied with Clark's following best estimate for chances of success, and with Manley the Denobulan agreed to keep the Maracanda close to the wormhole and await the touch of the Enzio's supplementary anti-grav beam; that would keep them firmly locked in place near the horizon, hopefully.
"Sirs," there was a gasp from Ops, "It seems to me the gamma ray burst from the wormhole was indeed artificial, perhaps originally from a natural source but..." he screwed up his features, "It's been modified somehow." The Enzio's Hurel may have already discerned this.
Lindqvist cowered in a corner aboard this phantasmic alternate Starbase, crates dashing about her, the ceiling beginning to fall in; time dilatory effects, the very beginnings of the horrifying spaghettification effects beginning to encroach upon her. When would rescue come; would they want to rescue her?
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
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Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Dec 16, 2019 23:52:06 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::USS Maracanda aCen System Wormhole :: To Grant, it was fast becoming clear that in some respect, the Ireuken Confederacy was being less than forthcoming ....
The Maracanda was being subjected to forces it wasn't designed for, and they were taking their toll, both on the ship herself, and those residing within as people were thrown about like so many ragdolls. Fighting hard to maintain some semblance of control options were discussed quickly ... It had been decided that the Enzio, now moving to a safer distance but still within the tentative grasp of the wormhole, would expand an anti-graviton stream from her deflector dish, it could encompass the Maracanda, reinforcing the rapidly fluctuating protection from the Ireuken Primary facility!
Again the Maracanda shook as the unimaginable forces stretched their tendrils to caress the ships hull. The Enzio had made contact, suggesting strongly that the Maracanda retreat, but Section Admiral Gheskori had instructed they remain in position as the event horizon, and possibly of more import, the phantom second facility was also getting closer. Manley had instantly understood the Admiral's decision and agreed with it, they needed to make use of the time they had here because he had the unnerving feeling that the Ireuken were still helping because, at this point, they had no option open to them. But should both Federation vessels retreat, he seriously doubted that any further help would be forthcoming.
Another Gamma burst slammed into the Maracanda, this one less intense but still damaging as the Enzio activated her graviton stream.
On his way to his quarters, a Security Officer meters behind him, the Negotiator was annoyed ... Several things had contributed to his mood, all of which he was hardly going to advertise to the minions aboard this vessel. The ship shook violently, throwing him against the bulkhead and the Security Officer into an adjoining corridor. Regaining his feet he made use of his relative 'freedom' and ran, but as he fled, something ....
Phantom Facility Wormhole Event Horizon :: The phantom Starbase shuddered so violently that Anna believed she would not survive the next thirty seconds. Hull plates, Deck plates, Ceiling panels, all began to suffer from the immense pressures being forced upon them and she could already feel the pressure rising. The ghost-like apparitions, which, admittedly ridiculous, she believed were the personnel off Starbase Forty-Seven, were drifting in and out of view. Some, becoming almost solid in appearance that she could make out facial features, even uniforms, Sometimes they were almost like an after-taste, so inconsequential at to be invisible, mist-like even.
But she couldn't concern herself with phantoms, ghouls, apparitions, she was terrified for her life!
She cowered in a corner aboard this phantasmic alternate Starbase, crates dashing about her, the ceiling beginning to fall in; time dilatory effects, the very beginnings of the horrifying effects beginning to encroach upon her. When would rescue come; would they want to rescue her? ... No-one had come to her apart from those she had realised were Scientists in their phantom world, they had abandoned her now to her own unnecessary death. She closed her eyes as the cacophony of complete silence threatened the last vestiges of her sanity.
"Anna."
For a fraction of a second, she was convinced that the sound was in her imagination as the starbase continued to implode under the pressure from the wormhole.
"Anna."
When the hand fell on her shoulder she almost had a heart attack, the myriad of thoughts, fears, confusion, spiralled until her mental breakdown was almost complete, then the hand shook her again and she turned her head.
"What have you done?" the Negotiator asked, his voice rising above the chaotic silence.
"How?!" she managed as the caress of unconsciousness finally allowed her a release from her nightmare.
USS Maracanda :: "Captain!" Lieutenant Commander Ellison Onizuko suddenly said from Operations, "Sir, I've picked up a second transport but ...." the man said, clearly confused as the turmoil began to subside thanks to the help from the Enzio.
"But what?" Manley asked.
"Sir, I think transport originated from the same location as the first when Commander Lindqvist was taken."
"How's that even possible!" Rhona McNaire asked.
"Who was taken?" the Captain asked.
"Checking Sir ..... All crew are accounted for, so ....." Onizuko was saying as the comm chirped to life:
=^= Lieutenant Ving to Bridge =^=
=^= Bridge .. .. =^= the Exec' answered.
=^= Sir .. The person I was escorting has vanished .. I was thrown off my feet and lost consciousness for a few seconds .. When I came to he was gone .. .. .. =^=
"Computer. Personnel status!" Erin Wilkes ordered.
'All ships personnel accounted for. One Civilian was transported off the ship at twenty-one thirty-six hours.' the computer confirmed.
"Where to?" Erin asked quickly.
'Destination unknown.' the computer answered.
"The bloody Negotiator!" Manley said, glancing at the Section Admiral.
=^= Come back to the Bridge Lieutenant .. We'll handle the disappearance .. Bridge out =^= Erin replied to the Security Officer then closed the comm.
"So .... A scientist, and now this mysterious 'Negotiator' ... Who's next?" Commander Wilkes asked the question everyone was silently thinking as the shaking finally subsided, but for how long! ..........
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Gheskori
Command Staff ..
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Section Admiral
USS Enzio
Registered: May 2, 2008 23:32:36 GMT
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Post by Gheskori on Dec 21, 2019 17:04:52 GMT
The Negotiator grunted and crouched to the deck, Lindqvist had apparently had quite a fright. As he'd approached from the passageway and had peered through the darkened lab's windows, he'd seen her inside backing towards the wall, seeming to see things around her. But the Negotiator had noticed nothing untoward, aside from the surprising evidence he was on a Starbase; the station's form was a little hazy, blurry in its outlines perhaps, but he assumed that was the result of space and time distortion from proximity to the wormhole - there was no other indication of danger.
She destroyed my career, he reminded himself as he helped her in her distress, "Anna, wake up... Please, we must get out of here. I think there's a transporter room just down the passage." At mention of this she stirred, the horror in her expression returning momentarily.
"Yes, but I've been unable to access it, or even leave this laboratory since their scientists left."
"I just walked right in. And whose scientists?" the Negotiator replied, then realised something. He turned to the door and attempted to exit, it was now locked - for them it'd apparently been one way, both were now trapped inside.
The Maracanda - now safely encapsulated within the renewed anti-grav bubble generated by the Enzio in collaboration with the Ireuken Confederacy's outpost - drew ever closer to the event horizon, now being able to discern details of the currently disintegrating second facility. Magnification still wouldn't operate, however, and they were still at too distant a range to make out exactly what it was.
As their orbiting circle tightened ever further, Ghes called out, "That's an Ournal class Starbase!" Manley asked if they could make out any human lifesigns aboard, but while it was reported biosignatures were detected in vast quantities, particular species couldn't be discerned. The crew had attempted to find weaknesses in the Maracanda's shield grid, anything that may cause a particular stretch of corridor (from which Lindqvist and the Negotiator had been snatched) to be susceptible to some superior transporter tech. They'd found nothing, until Enzio engineers had pointed out that the anti-grav field was irreparably flawed and weak in one area, namely at a place that transposed to that point in the corridor.
Scans of the wormhole and its likely destination continued, and the circle tightened 'til the Starbase took on definite form. =/\=Identity?=/\= the Enzio's Commander V'Maz asked over the open comm.
McNaire reported from science, "Given the amount of damage I estimate to have been sustained by the station prior to the gamma ray burst impacts, and the number of crew," - whose detection as lifesigns was flitting - "there can be no doubt."
"Registry number on the hull and other ID markers indicate it is Starbase 47," the stand-in at Ops confirmed. No one needed to say that such a thing was impossible. "No other Starbase in the fleet database matches with it, sirs, and no one from the Federation has been out towards the Circinus galaxy except ourselves..."
"But given it cannot truly be Starbase 47," Ghes said disbelievingly and casting about at the bridge crew, "Who might've built it? And for what purpose? Given the time required for base construction and assuming for the moment some species or group took our base for its model, this double has to have been located around the wormhole for its entire service life. So its fate is tied to the wormhole, was it always destined for destruction?" He regarded the viewscreen curiously.
"The Ireukens don't seem capable of replicating something on this scale," Manley said, "And any template formation for duplication must've taken place shortly after the real Starbase's arrival out here."
=/\=Maybe it exists only in one or another of our heads,=/\= Yarwood offered only half-jokingly as he took the Enzio's Ops console, the comm still open.
Presuming Lindqvist and the Negotiator were on the phantom base, they had a choice to make, to find a way to identify and transport them off, to transport over their own people and conduct a search, or to allow the base to fall through the event horizon and possibly lose the scientist and civilian; the wormhole was closed, no transit for the base to the Beta Quadrant was possible, and thus no chance of survival for the two.
=/\=Give us the best option,=/\= Ghes spoke to both his own crew and the Maracanda bridge officers, nodding at Manley. On the Prometheus class, V'Maz tasked Clark and Yarwood with leading their teams to deduce which choice was best.
The base's ghostlike nature became more apparent as it began to disintegrate over the event horizon, from its reference frame it didn't have long. However, given time dilatory effects, from the Maracanda and Enzio's perspective the base still had several hours, perhaps days, before it crossed over the threshold into someone, or something's nightmare.
New arrivals in the sector, just entering the nebula nearby the Enzio, were confirmed as Ireuken mining vessels. The Enzio contacted them and the Ireukens' facility to discover intentions.
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
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Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Dec 22, 2019 14:38:16 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::Phantom Facility Wormhole Event Horizon :: "Anna, wake up ... Please, we must get out of here. I think there's a transporter room just down the passage." At the mention of this, she stirred, the horror in her expression returning momentarily. "Yes, but I've been unable to access it, or even leave this laboratory since their scientists left." "I just walked right in. And whose scientists?" he asked, his head snapping around towards the sealed doors. For a fraction of a second, he was sure he had seen two people, both in Starfleet uniform, pass from the room to the corridor beyond. But how could that be, apart from Anna and himself the room was empty ?! ... Dragging the woman to her feet he moved her to a chair and allowed her to drop into it seemingly exhausted. He returned to the sealed doors, eyes flicking over the panel beside them. The facility shook again, this time almost throwing him off his feet. Looking around he found something useful and prised off the front of the access panel. A second shock ran through the deck plates and for a moment he felt almost weightless. He realised this could be a major issue, if this facility lost its artificial gravity they would be lost completely. "We need to stabili ...." Anna began as the cacophony of rupturing bulkheads filled the room. "Who brought us here Anna?" he asked as he worked on the interior of the panel. "I don't know .... It's the Starbase, you know that right?" she asked managing to get to her feet and join him at the door as it slid half open revealing the carnage beyond. Both squeezed through the opening and looked left and right, the corridor, presumably once pristine, was now covered in broken panels, smashed light fixtures, cable, insulation from ceiling panels. grasping her hand he began to make his way slowly through the mess hoping to reach the transporter room he had seen earlier, but as they rounded the corner he was met with an impenetrable barrier, the whole of the corridor appeared crushed like a paper cup! "We have to backtrack," he said, shaking his head in frustration, "You said this was Starbase Forty-Seven, how can that be?" "I .... I don't know. Truly .... I was sent here to investigate the wormhole, nothing more. Finding myself here was something I cannot explain without delving into the realms of fantasy." "Yet here we are!" the Negotiator spat. "Doesn't it seem something of a coincidence that only us two were brought here?" Anna asked, slowing their headlong run into the unknown, "Wait, listen to me ... Why us two?" "That is something I'm sure we can discuss at leisure as and when we are safely back aboard the Maracanda or the Enzio, at this point, I am more interested in SAVING MY SKIN!" again he began dragging her along the corridor, each step he took convinced him more that they were indeed aboard the Starbase, But not 'their' Starbase unless by some unfathomable means it had beat them here, which regardless of their circumstances, he refused to believe .... Despite his need to get to safety, his analytical mind couldn't help formulating hypotheses as to what was currently happening. He knew that this was the so-called second facility and that it was falling into the wormhole. He also knew about time dilation at the event horizon. So, from the Maracanda's perspective, this facility could be being crushed into insignificance so slowly as to almost appear frozen in time, while the same events would flow in normal time, so escape was his primary concern, but how to achieve that he had no idea. They were about to enter one of the rooms that appeared undamaged when they were confronted by two nightmarish figures. Both seemed to be moving from one reality to another, both were shouting soundlessly at Anna and himself. "Who are you?! .... We cannot understand you!" he tried to reply. The two seemed to look at each other before pointing the way they had come, one had moved into the doorway of the room as if trying to prevent their entry. With little option, he pulled Anna past the two apparitions and continued along the decimated corridor. "It's the lab," Anna said as they reached another open door, "This is where I was brought on arrival. They want us to do something but I couldn't figure out what. Half the panels were inaccessible and the others seemed to be displaying gibberish. There were reading, I assumed they were possibly vector transitions, almost akin to a plot on a navigation console." "So, someone, somehow, brought the Starbase from the dark matter cloud to here, and either by intention or accident, got too close to the gravity well?" the Negotiator asked, his mind reeling. "I don't know!" Lindqvist snapped in frustration as he tried making sense of what he was looking at, "..... Why you. Why did they get you here?" "I ...." he began to answer, then suddenly realised he couldn't remember, he had been on the Starbase, basically keeping himself to himself, the next thing he was on the Enzio, but ....." he frowned, his irritation obvious. "That console has the power readings for this, facility. I was trying to figure out if we were trying to escape the event horizon, I think." Anna said, her turn to frown. She looked back towards the doors, unsurprised to see several ghostlike figures watching them intently. It was if they were spectating some astrological event and didn't want to miss anything. She joined the Negotiator and began trying to understand the readings ...... USS Maracanda Wormhole :: Grant stood close to the viewscreen, eyes locked on the phantom Starbase. Presuming Lindqvist and the Negotiator were over there, they had choices to make. To find a way to identify and transport them off, to transport over their own people and conduct a search, or to allow the base to fall through the event horizon and possibly lose the scientist and civilian; the wormhole was closed, no transit for the base to the Beta Quadrant was possible, and thus no chance of survival for the two. He listened as Gheskori spoke: =^= Give us the best option .. .. =^= =^= Working on it Admiral =^= came replies. "I can't see us being able to get close enough to dock, so that option is out," Manley said, "Without the ability to take them off or get someone on there, we're sat here hands tied. We may have to face the fact that we'll lose Commander Lindqvist and the Negotiator. So I suggest that while we have the protection of the Enzio, we try to get as close as possible to the phantom 'base and revisit options." "You're confident we'll be safe?" Gheskori asked, but Manley could only shrug, there was no way he could know one way or the other, but in his opinion, leaving them to perish wasn't something he wished to do, at least at this point. He knew it was out of the question, but if they could get close enough to expand their own protection it could give those aboard a little more time, but that idea was quashed almost as he was formulating it as Lieutenant McNaire, as if reading his mind, informed both of them that it couldn't be done. "So we may be looking at attempting to retrieve our people via transporters, or physically?" the Section Admiral replied quietly to Manley, who could only nod in silent agreement as he again looked at the phantom Starbase. Commander Wilkes approached the Senior Officers to propose an idea: "Sir's, I know we can't protect the other 'base and transporting our people off at this point is impossible unless we can find them, but I had a thought ...." "Feel free to share Commander," Manley said. "If, and it's a big if .... If we could position ourselves on a direct trajectory, between the pull of the wormhole and the phantom Starbase, the wormhole's gravity influence would be negligible on anything caught in between the two ...." she could see both men were unconvinced so continued on before they dismissed her idea as insane, "Sir, what I mean is, if say we could keep a shuttle between us and the phantom 'base, yes it will feel the gravitational pull, but that would aid in coaxing it towards the other facility. With a little luck, someone could get aboard and search for our people? ... We would need to close the distance to minimal, five hundred meters or less, possibly risking losing the help from the Enzio in the process, but ....." "What about gravity? ...." Michael Smythe asked as he approached, having heard the conversation, ".... You said yourself that the shuttle will be affected, and given its size in relation to the other structures, it would be pulled faster and faster towards the event horizon until it's velocity was so great it would simply slam into and possibly right through the other facility, destroying itself in the process." "It's a risky idea." Erin admitted, "But if we could hold the shuttle in one of our tractors, we could significantly reduce approach speed, might mean a few bloody noses, but it might work." ".... And when, if, we get over there, how do you propose we find our people, and possibly more relevant, 'how' do we get everyone back here?" the Section Admiral asked neutrally. "I didn't say the idea was without flaws, Admiral." the Second Officer said, suddenly deflated. "Run simulations Commander, let's not dismiss any idea as impractical until proven so." Manley said with a reassuring smile ..........
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Carl Torek
Command Staff ..
Site Executive Officer Ranks Officer
Fleet Admiral
"UTRINQUE PARATUS"
Registered: Jun 17, 2006 22:34:35 GMT
Posts: 6,165
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Post by Carl Torek on Jan 2, 2020 12:22:25 GMT
OOC : Posting as Commander Grant Manley ::
SD: 2406.04.0102 USS Maracanda Wormhole :: Erin had spent the last six hours running simulations on her idea.... "Sir, I think if we're cautious, simulations show that we could position ourselves between the Ireuken Facility and the phantom Starbase, not for long as we would eventually lose the protection of the Enzio as we circumnavigate the event horizon... The best estimate, we should have seventy-five minutes, then we would need to put some distance between us." the Second Officer reported to her superiors. Grant looked at Section Admiral Gheskori, who nodded approval. "OK Erin, let's look at an approach. Have a shuttle prepared... Comms, inform the Ireuken what we're planning." Manley said with a renewed sense of purpose. The Comms Officer confirmed and then said she had been informed by the Enzio that sub-space communications had been reestablished with the Starbase after repairs to their antenna array's were completed. "Well, one piece of good news...." Grant said, ".... Comms, send our logs thus far back to the Starbase, let's keep them up to speed now we can." "Yes Sir." the woman replied. "I would suggest we dispatch a minimal rescue team." Gheskori said, "Possibly a Marine contingent only?" "Agreed...." Manley said, asking for Major Hurst to come to the Bridge to be briefed. When she arrived he outlined the plan, Major Hurst seemed less than enthusiastic but left the Bridge to pick out three of her Marines to accompany her on the 'rescue' mission. Ten minutes later the four Marines were in the shuttle awaiting departure orders "Sir, I suggest we reorient the ship's attitude to place our stern to the Phantom Starbase. That way we may have more control over our positioning and that of the shuttle should it get into any difficulties?" Commander Wilkes suggested..... Shuttle Nehsi :: The shuttle rose and silently drifted through the force field of the Maracanda's Shuttle Bay... Holding position five hundred meters astern of her Mothership, Once cleared, the Marine Pilot began to put distance between the ship and the shuttle, while every second closing the distance to the phantom Starbase. At fifteen kilometres, the shuttle began to feel the gravitational influence from the wormhole and began to shudder. Sharon Hurst, sat in the second seat beside the Pilot could see the Maracanda moving to her Starboard, presumably to assist in keeping the shuttle in one piece... "Is this thing going to hold together?" one of the Marines in the rear of the shuttle asked casually. "Well, if it doesn't we'll be the first to know Lieutenant." Major Hurst replied. As the seconds past the vibration, at first minimal, was intensifying, until Sharon was convinced her teeth were going to vibrate from her skull... The Pilot informed everyone that they were now ten kilometres from target but he was having more and more difficulty keeping the shuttle on track, at this rate if they strayed from the caress of the Maracanda it was likely they would overshoot the Starbase and vanish beyond the threshold of the wormhole into oblivion. Sharon Hurst was silently thinking the same thing as she pulled tighter the safety straps holding her in her seat. They were contacted by the Maracanda, the Chief Engineer instructing them to adjust their shield frequency by zero point three one to compensate for the buffeting. Sharon did so while the Pilot fought against the continually increasing gravitational pull on the tiny craft, the console instrument panel vibrating a fraction less once her task was complete. "Five kilometres..." the Pilot informed them, not that anyone heard over the cacophonous din, "Three kilometres... We're increasing speed!" he said, activating for'ard thrusters at sixty percent. Sharon was almost mesmerised by the sight before her. The Starbase, 'their' Starbase, was looming ahead, but rather than a solid, reliable structure, it was almost 'translucent' hanging, almost on the brink of annihilation, as time dilation continuously affected both it and now the shuttle. She could hear the Marcanda trying to contact them, but the Comm was fractured, breaking up every other syllable until the content made no sense. "Sir, the shuttle is increasing its approach velocity!" the Duty Tactical Officer on the Maracanda reported.
"Increase tractor strength, let's try to slow her down." Manley ordered.
"No effect Captain... She's on her own but at this rate, she will slam into the Starbase at almost forty kilometres per hour!" Came the unwanted reply. "One thousand meters and closing, I'm having to fight to keep her stable, we're being pulled offline constantly." the Shuttle Pilot shouted over the relentless noise. "The Dome doors are partially open," Hurst yelled, pointing. "At this speed, we're not going to be able to prevent collision with something inside the dome, 'IF' we manage to slip through the gap that is!" he said, pushing the for'ard thrusters beyond working capacity. "They are beginning to slow, but not by enough." The Maracanda's Duty Tactical Officer said. All those on the Bridge could do was watch the flickering tactical view on the main screen in hopes of a miracle. "HOLD ON TIGHT.....!" the Pilot said as the shuttle slammed into one of the doors before tumbling into the vast space of the Starbase Dome... The shuttles' lights flickered, then extinguished themselves, leaving them in complete darkness. The four Marines held on, helplessly awaiting the inevitable collision with the immovable interior of the Dock! ..........
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