*Ensign Wil is at the tactical station and has been put in charge of communications. Captain Thryiss is in her chair, conferring with her first officer, Commander Audler. Over the years, Wil has learned to be weary of Audler and his strict way of handling the crew, which seems to amplify when the Captain's around. A notification beeps and text scrolls onto the screen.*
Wil: Captain, Earth Space Dock has received our distress signal! They've sent the U.S.S. Black Phantom... and the U.S.S. Bunker Hill.
Audler: Seems a bit excessive, don't you think?
Thryiss: I'm not complaining at this point, Commander. I take it they'd like a status report, Ensign Wil?
Wil: Yes, Captain.
Thryiss: Good. Me too. *She taps her combadge* Engineering, this is the Bridge. What's new in our situation?
Engineering: Nothing good, Captain. The power failures seem to be getting worse. Deck 6 section 7 is completely in the dark and half of the deck is without artificial gravity. Not even atmospheric controls are online in the science lab.
Thryiss: Lieutenant, are you meaning to tell me that we could soon be without life support if we don't take control of this situation soon?
Engineering: ... Yes, Captain.
Thryiss: Understood. Thryiss out. Ensign Stanton. How are the science teams progressing?
Stanton: Captain, the teams are doing everything they can to figure out how these particles are affecting our systems, but their tricorders are showing nothing, and without power, we don't have access to our more advanced equipment.
Audler: Sir, these things are draining the entire ship. I recommend we jettison them immediately.
*Thryiss bites her lip. After a short pause, she taps her combadge.*
Thryiss: Engineering, based on the rate at which these particles are affecting our systems, how long do we have before we lose life support in the critical areas of the ship?
Engineering: Calculating now captain... I reckon we have two hours.
Thryiss: Thank you. Thryiss out. (To Audler) Jettisoning those particles may have to be an option, but I will not do so until absolutely necessary. I am not wasting three years of our lives all because of one deck is floating around with a stale atmosphere. Ensign Wil, what's the ETA on our two knights in shining armour?
Wil: About two hours, Captain.
Thryiss: We'll make it. Send them our full status report. And see if they can find a way to safely contain the Great Barrier particles. One sitting duck is enough, we don't need two more.
Wil: Aye, Captain.
Two hours? That's not so bad. Still beats a Klingon armada.
Soval: Commander Sylix, I want your opinion on the Barrier particles in 1 hour.
Sylix: Aye Captain.
*The Vulcan Science Officer leaves the bridge. Soval stands up and walks over to Ores.*
Soval: Lieutenant, optimistically how many of the Vancouver's crew could we evacuate?
Ores: The crew is nearly 2000. Even if we crammed them into the Shuttles and Cargo Bays we'd only be able to carry about 700, at the most. The Black Phantom would be lucky to hold 50.
Soval: Contact the Armitage Battle Group and have them send 2 Galaxy Class Starships prepared for rescue operations, as a precaution.
Ores: Aye sir.
*T'las stands from her seat and walks up to Soval as he begins to return to his. The two meet eachother half way.*
T'las: Admiral, it would take hours to evacuate the crew. Statistically, the Vancouver's oxygen would run out 1 hour after Life Support fails. Life Support will fail in 2 hours, which is when we'll arrive. We can't evacuate that crew in time, and we do not know the effective range of those particles. There are 750 Crewmen aboard this ship - 800 when you include the Cadets.
Soval: You suggest that we should abandon the rescue?
T'las: No, but as First Officer I have a responsibility to ensure you are considering the crew in any decision which could put them in unnecessary danger.
Soval: Agreed. However, according to regulations we have a responsibility to render any and all possible aid to any vessel in distress, friend or foe.
T'las: But not at the loss of our own people.
Soval *quietly*: T'las, we have a responsibility to render aid to the Vancouver.
T'las: I never said we didn't, but we need to keep ourselves from being drawn into the same proverbial boat.
*Soval raises an eyebrow.*
Human proverb. I am half-human, remember?
Soval: Quite impossible to forget.
*He turns back to the viewer.*
Engineering, can you get anymore time out of the Slipstream Drive?
Tuk *Over comm*: Negative, Admiral. If we do, we risk overheat.
Soval: Lieutenant Commander Forrester, your opinion?
Apologies, Commander, but the situation calls for human illogical solutions.
Tuk *Over comm*: Aye sir.
Jane *Over comm*: If we begin overheat, we can cut an extra 50 minutes off our ETA. I can extend that to 90 minutes by taking the Transwarp Coil and Secondary Deflector offline, but we won't be able to make Transwarp for 30 minutes after we bring it back online, and our Warp Drive will be restricted to Warp 6 while our Secondary Deflector is down.
Soval: Very well. Do it.
*Outside, the lights within the Secondary Deflector go dead as it shuts down. The Slipstream Conduit begins to pulse as it re-stabilises.
After half-an-hour, the Bunker Hill drops to impulse a few kilometres from the Vancouver, using Impulse to pull alongside, holding 2km away.*
Open a channel.
Ores: Channel open.
Soval: This is Vice Admiral Soval commanding the U.S.S. Bunker Hill to Captain Thryiss aboard the Vancouver, we are ready to assist you. Recommend you prepare to evacuate non-essential personnel.
Ores: Channel closed. Awaiting response.
Soval: Lieutenant Commander Gardra, use the sensor array and focus it on the space between us and the Vancouver. If you see any unrecognised anomalies coming from the Vancouver, raise shields.
Gardra: Aye sir.
Soval: All decks, yellow alert. All non-essential personnel, report to Commander T'las in Cargo Bay 3.
*He turns and nods to T'las, who quickly leaves the Bridge.*
That order includes Cadets.
Any response from the Vancouver?
Ores: Not yet. If the situation there is anything like over here, Captain Thryiss is probably making the same preparations on her end.
Timothy takes his bag out of his quarters on esd and takes one last look around. As he walks out and heads for the nearest lift.
Timothy walks to the transporter room
Timothy: chief im ready to go
Chief: sir have you checked your padd today just a heads up you have been reasinged to the Reverent.
Timothy: give me a sit rep chief of that ship
Chief: well what i know is she is an akira class escort carrier. Built for combat and ready to take on whatever comes her way. Good crew as well. You all should get along just fine.
Timothy: thanks chief energeize
Timothy is then transporter from esd to the U.S.S. Reverent
" Now the gate has been unlatched headstones pushed aside; corpses shift and offer room ,a fate you must abide."
*A few minutes later, the Black Phantom drops from warp behind the Bunker Hill*
Voporak: Send a message that we're also ready to assist.
*He quietly turns to Omet'etan*
And if anything starts to go wrong, raise the temporal shielding. I don't like openly displaying certain 'features' of the ship, try to not use them unless we have to.
*There have been many sights to behold over the course of their mission, but nothing seemed so eerie to Ensign Wil as a warp core gone black. Amid main engineering was a general hustle and bustle of officers attempting to coordinate an evacuation and trying to keep the little amount of power (and oxygen) they still had, and in the centre of all the commotion stood the silent, lifeless warp core.
Decks 1 through 13 were completely dark and void of any crew. Environmental controls on those decks had taken a downward spiral, and they had to be evacuated. The bridge crew stayed as long as they could, until the temperature reached below freezing, forcing them to take the turbo down a few decks (until it, too succumbed to the power drain), and then navigate the Jefferies tubes to main engineering where a new command centre was established.
Wil sat at a small station where communications were accessible. Commander Audler was in charge of evacuation, and Captain Thryiss was still fighting to keep her ship alive, while keeping close to Ensign Wil in case any news came in. All non-essential crew were crammed, waiting for emergency beam out in all five cargo bays and the shuttle bay. With no power for forcefields, the shuttle bay doors could not be opened without decompressing the room, rendering the shuttles useless. Not even the escape pods were responding. Their only hope for escape was to be transported.*
*Wil's console lights up*
Wil: Captain, they're here! They're ready to commence evacuation via transporter.
Thryiss: Perfect! Tell them they can start immediately. *She taps her combadge.* Thryiss to Commander Audler, tell the crew to get ready for transport. We're getting them out of here.
Audler: Yes, Captain! Audler out.
Shrod: Captain, I'm afraid there might not be enough room to hold everyone on those two ships. And even if there was, we might not have enough time.
Thryiss: Let's do as much as we can for the moment, Lieutenant. The others may already have a plan.
Stanton: I'm afraid that's not our only problem, Captain.
*Thryiss walks over to Stanton's science station.*
Thryss: What do you mean, Ensign?
Stanton: I've been keeping tabs on the Great Barrier Particles in the science lab. The backup containment field just started to lose integrity. As of yet, these particles have unknown properties. If they get loose, there's no telling what effect they might have on the rest of the ship... Or the crew.
*Thryiss stares at the console and bites her lip for a moment.*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, alert the other ships.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
OOC: Windows on this ship are not really windows. Since the entire thing is plated in armor, projections are displayed on viewscreens to simulate windows.
*Conference room, deck 1, just below the bridge. Voporak and his senior staff are gathered to discuss the situation. This includes Voporak, Mirra (1st officer), Omet'etan (tactical officer), Jirod (Chief engineer), May (Operations officer), Vranlek (Science officer), Lee (head of security) and Nanhud (Chief Medical officer)*
Voporak (glancing out the 'window' at the lifeless Vancouver): Well, we have a dead ship with dangerous particles in one hand and a highly advanced warship with dangerous technology in the other. What do we know of Galactic Barrier particles? Could they mess with the temporal core?
Vranlek: We don't know anything about them besides the fact that they make ships die. The Vancouver is carrying the only known sample of the particles.
Voporak: Good point. What are our options right now?
May: We can beam crewmen off of the Vancouver, but the ship will only hold 57 of them at maximum. That is, if you discount the rear section.
Lee: I think it is a good idea to limit knowledge of the ship to just the front section. We should also block computer access in that area.
Voporak: Agreed. If there are injured, how many can you treat in sickbay at once?
Nanhud: Five, sir.
Voporak: Five? That's it?
Nanhud: Yes captain. My records show you were last in sickbay over one year ago.
Voporak: That might explain why I don't remember the place too well.
Jirod: I'll run the temporal core on a low power level so that curious tricorders don't find anything very unusual.
Omet'etan: I will ensure that all Omega Particle Generators are kept deactivated.
Voporak: Good. And everyone, try to keep the cloaking device a secret. It gets annoying when there's dozens of people asking me about it. Prepare the transporters, begin as soon as they're ready start getting people off of that ship. Dismissed.
*They exit, leaving Voporak to return to the bridge alone*
*Main Engineering. Jirod lowers the core's output to match that of a standard matter/antimatter warp core. At about the middle of the ship, doors are shut and sealed across all decks, and the Omega Particle Generators are taken completely offline. In the transporter room, an officer signals the Vancouver*
Transporter officer: U.S.S. Vancouver, we're ready to transport. We can only hold 57 of your crew, and we'll have to go in three groups to get everyone over. Signal us when you are prepared to beam over.
*At the engineering comm station, Wil taps his combadge.*
Wil: Commander Audler, this is Ensign Wil. The Black Phantom is awaiting our signal to transport 57 of our crew members in three groups.
Audler: Thank you, Ensign. The first group is ready in the shuttle bay.
Wil: Acknowledged. *He opens a comm link.* U.S.S. Black Phantom, group one is clear to energize.
*In groups of 19, 57 crew members of the U.S.S. Vancouver are beamed aboard the Black Phantom.*
Thryiss: How are we doing, Ensign?
Wil: Slow but steady, captain. The first 57 have been evacuated. Priority has been given to the families of our crew. All children are safe, along with some of our civilian crewmen.
Thryiss (with a subtle chuckle): Well I hope Admiral Voporak won't mind babysitting for a while. Proceed with the rest of the evacuation, Ensign.
Wil: Aye, Captain! *He opens another comm link.* U.S.S. Bunker Hill, this is the U.S.S. Vancouver. The Black Phantom has reached its maximum capacity and we are now awaiting your signal to commence transport aboard your ship.
Thryiss (to Ensign Stanton): Ensign, how's the containment field holding?
Stanton: It's not Captain. At least, not for long.
Thryiss: Can you give me a timeframe?
Stanton: I'm sorry, sir. I can't get an exact reading. All I can tell you is that it's failing and it's failing fast.
Thryiss: Understood. Keep watching it... and hope.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*There have been many sights to behold over the course of their mission, but nothing seemed so eerie to Ensign Wil as a warp core gone black. Amid main engineering was a general hustle and bustle of officers attempting to coordinate an evacuation and trying to keep the little amount of power (and oxygen) they still had, and in the centre of all the commotion stood the silent, lifeless warp core.
Decks 1 through 13 were completely dark and void of any crew. Environmental controls on those decks had taken a downward spiral, and they had to be evacuated. The bridge crew stayed as long as they could, until the temperature reached below freezing, forcing them to take the turbo down a few decks (until it, too succumbed to the power drain), and then navigate the Jefferies tubes to main engineering where a new command centre was established.
Wil sat at a small station where communications were accessible. Commander Audler was in charge of evacuation, and Captain Thryiss was still fighting to keep her ship alive, while keeping close to Ensign Wil in case any news came in. All non-essential crew were crammed, waiting for emergency beam out in all five cargo bays and the shuttle bay. With no power for forcefields, the shuttle bay doors could not be opened without decompressing the room, rendering the shuttles useless. Not even the escape pods were responding. Their only hope for escape was to be transported.*
*Wil's console lights up*
Wil: Captain, they're here! They're ready to commence evacuation via transporter.
Thryiss: Perfect! Tell them they can start immediately. *She taps her combadge.* Thryiss to Commander Audler, tell the crew to get ready for transport. We're getting them out of here.
Audler: Yes, Captain! Audler out.
Shrod: Captain, I'm afraid there might not be enough room to hold everyone on those two ships. And even if there was, we might not have enough time.
Thryiss: Let's do as much as we can for the moment, Lieutenant. The others may already have a plan.
Stanton: I'm afraid that's not our only problem, Captain.
*Thryiss walks over to Stanton's science station.*
Thryss: What do you mean, Ensign?
Stanton: I've been keeping tabs on the Great Barrier Particles in the science lab. The backup containment field just started to lose integrity. As of yet, these particles have unknown properties. If they get loose, there's no telling what effect they might have on the rest of the ship... Or the crew.
*Thryiss stares at the console and bites her lip for a moment.*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, alert the other ships.
Soval: U.S.S. Vancouver, we are ready to beam 500 members of your crew aboard in groups of 30. We've also got the U.S.S. Challenger and U.S.S. Lexington en route. They will arrive in a little under 2 hours. Captain, I recommend you seal off any area of the ship not presently occupied and cut off Life Support to those areas. We need to ensure your oxygen supply lasts as long as possible.
OOC: For benefit, I've drawn up a floorplan for the Bridge of the U.S.S. Bunker Hill. Since there isn't really an official rendition of the Bridge of a Vesta-Class, much less an Aventine-Class, I had to improvise.
All the consoles have both LCARS and LCARS/H (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System/Holographic) interface capacity.
I placed the Helm and Ops consoles 1 tier below the rest of the bridge so the Captain and First Officer have a clear line-of-sight to the viewscreen. That tier is accessible via the ramp in front of the Command Station.
I've also placed a small console between the Captain and First Officer which is slanted with 2 sides, so they can both look at the same information at a glance and discuss it. The holo-interface also comes in useful to the same effect in certain cases.
Tell me what you think, and what improvements, if any, are needed (and whatever questions you may have).
*U.S.S. Victorious (Galaxy Class), Starbase 01 (ESD). Captain Ryan Allington is roaming the corridors of the Victorious before he feels a strange tingling through his body. He stops, looking around.*
Ryan: Huh. That was weird.
*He begins to walk again. Suddenly, he returns to the place where he started, walking ahead again, feeling the strange tingling sensation again, and stopping and looking around again.*
Ryan: Huh. That was weird.
*He begins to walk off again, but stops mid-step, looking back.*
What the hell?
*He taps his combadge.*
Allington to Bridge. Did anything unusual just happen up there?
Wenj *Over comm*: Stand by Captain.
Ryan: Allington to Bridge. Did anything unusual just happen up there?
Wenj *Over comm*: Stand by Captain.
Wait a-- What the...?
Ryan: You too?
Wenj *Over comm*: What was that?
Ryan: I don't know. Allington out.
*He taps his combadge again to close the channel.*
All hands, General Quarters!
*The Red Alert Klaxon sounds as the lighting shifts, though the main lighting remains active.
5 minutes later, Ryan arrives on the Bridge, his First Officer and Science Officer - Commander Wenj - meeting him.*
Ryan: Report.
Wenj: We just received word from Station Ops. Everyone in the Sol System is experiencing the same thing, and it's beginning to spread to the surrounding sectors.
Sir, it's coming from the Manheim Facility.
Ryan: Understood.
*He walks over to his Command Chair.*
Alpha, put the Manheim Station on-screen.
Alpha: Aye sir.
*The Manheim Orbital Research Station above Earth appears on the Screen.*
The telemetry is being recorded by the Starbase, sir.
*The Station is rotating by a few degrees per second, snapping back every few seconds in a consistent cycle, like a broken record, stuck on a loop.*
Ryan: What the hell?
Wenj: Sensors can't detect anything abnormal.
Ryan: Alpha.
Alpha: Do you wish for a hypothesis, sir?
Ryan: Yes.
*The Soong-Type Android stands to address him.*
Alpha: According to our sensors, there is nothing abnormal occurring at the Research Station, save the "looping" we can visually see. However, as the looping is impossible within the normal laws of space-time, we must conclude that there is an anomaly out there sir.
Ryan: One which our sensors cannot detect?
Alpha: Precisely. All available evidence would suggest the Manheim Effect.
Ryan: But shouldn't we be able to detect that?
Alpha: No sir. The Enterprise-D used the reports of other Federation vessels and facilities to set up a search zone. Dr Manheim's Station was the most likely candidate within that zone. Temporal Anomalies do not apply to the normal laws of Space, and cannot be detected by standard means.
Ryan: Suggestions?
Alpha: We do not know the situation aboard the station. I advise against transport.
Wenj: So do I. The loop is cycling every 5 seconds. It would take longer than that to beam you back. Also, you'd be stuck in an endless time-loop.
Ryan: Suggestions?
Alpha: We do not know the situation aboard the station. I advise against transport.
Wenj: So do I. The loop is cycling every 5 seconds. It would take longer than that to beam you back. Also, you'd be stuck in an endless time-loop.
Ryan: Wait a...
Alpha: The anomaly again sir.
Ryan: Yeah, but it isn't consistent here. Why?
Alpha: According to the theory of relativity, time abides by the laws of gravity, with time passing slower the closer you are to a Gravity Well.
Ryan: Alpha...
Alpha: Apologies sir. Likely, the Time distortions are being warped by Earth's gravitational field.
Ryan: Could we get working communications with the station?
Alpha: They would be unable to respond.
Ryan: But say they could?
Alpha: Subspace Radio should remain unaffected.
Ryan: Thank you. Wenj, I want you to load up a Class 1 observation probe. I want to see what's happening over there.
Wenj: Aye sir.
*10 minutes later.*
Probe ready.
Ryan: Energise.
Wenj: Probe has beamed ov--
One moment.
Probe has successfully materialised. Receiving telemetry.
Ryan: What happened?
Wenj: There was a one-second gap between the end of the first loop and the beginning of the next. It took 5 times as long to beam the probe over.
Ryan: Is the telemetry intelligible?
Wenj: Confirmed.
Ryan: Onscreen.
*The interior of the station appears on the screen. A group of Scientists are running towards there consoles, looping back 4 seconds every 5.*
My god.
Wenj: Must be driving them mad. 1 second to comprehend they just experienced a loop... they're helpless.
Soval: U.S.S. Vancouver, we are ready to beam 500 members of your crew aboard in groups of 30. We've also got the U.S.S. Challenger and U.S.S. Lexington en route. They will arrive in a little under 2 hours. Captain, I recommend you seal off any area of the ship not presently occupied and cut off Life Support to those areas. We need to ensure your oxygen supply lasts as long as possible.
[U.S.S. Vancouver, Main Engineering]
Audler (Over comm): Alright, Ensign. We're ready when you are.
Wil: Acknowledged, Commander. *He opens a comm link* U.S.S. Bunker Hill, you are clear to energize.
*Thryiss, who's been looking over Wil's shoulder, walks over to Shrod.*
Thryiss: Lieutenant. Assemble a team with whoever you can spare to go manually seal off all areas surrounding the crew. I know it's a lot of ground to cover, but you have two hours.
Shrod: Aye, Captain.
*Thryiss walks back over to where Wil and Stanton are stationed.*
Thryiss: Ensigns. Seeing as you two have been working as my eyes and ears during this whole operation, I'll need you to stick around as long as possible, meaning you two will be part of the last group to beam out, along with me and some of the other senior officers. Is that understood?
Wil and Stanton: Yes sir.
Thryiss: Good. Keep me posted.
*The next two hours went by relatively smoothly; 30 by 30, members of the Vancouver crew were beamed over to the Bunker Hill until she reached capacity, and upon the arrival of the Challenger and the Lexington, the final leg of the evacuation was underway. However, they weren't out of the thick just yet. Emergency oxygen tanks were being shared among those still awaiting evacuation, and the six crew members who were tasked with sealing off the non-essential areas of the ship have still not returned.*
*Thryiss taps her combadge.*
Thryiss: Thryiss to Lieutenant Shrod. What's your status?
Shrod: We're on deck 19, Captain. Only one more section to cover. Though, the artificial gravity on this deck is fluctuating, which is slowing our progress.
Thryiss: Move as fast as you can, Lieutenant! You're running out of time.
Shrod: Understood. Shrod out.
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, update.
Wil: According to Commander Audler, there are just under 700 crewmen remaining and evac procedures are running quickly and efficiently. All civilian crew and families are safely disembarked.
Thryiss: Well at least one thing's running smoothly on this ship.
*She stares off into the room. Main engineering is now much more empty than it was a few hours ago. The hustle and bustle has turned into the occasional appearance of an officer or two, saving what research and information they could before moving down to the cargo bays. The heart of the ship, which usually reverberated with the overpowering hum of the warp core, was now uncomfortably silent.*
Thryiss (whipsering to herself): You tried your best, old friend.
Stanton: Captain! The containment field!... It's gone.
*Thryiss' heart sank.*
Thryiss: Gone?
Stanton: Yes, sir...
Thryiss (tapping her combadge): Thryriss to Shrod, come in!
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, can we still evacuate?
Wil: Transport is still underway.
Thryiss (tapping her combadge once more): Thryiss to Shrod! Do you read me?
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign, alert everyone in the area.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *He open a comm link.* U.S.S. Vancouver to all rescue vessels. The Great Barrier particles have escaped containment. I repeat, the Great Barrier particles have escaped!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*The Phantom receives the message. Being alone on the bridge while the rest of the crew tends to the evacuees, Voporak gets up and rushes to the helm. He taps his combadge as he taps on the console*
Voporak: Bunker Hill, I'm moving my ship out of here.
*The Phantom comes about and flies away at full impulse. Voporak taps his combade again*
Voporak: Jirod, I'm raising the temporal shield. You have to bring the temporal core fully online, in case we need to go to warp.
*The ship starts giving off odd sensor readings*
Jirod: It's operational, but I'm not sure how the particles might affect it.
Voporak: We should be out of range for now. Keep me informed of any strange activity.
Audler (Over comm): Alright, Ensign. We're ready when you are.
Wil: Acknowledged, Commander. *He opens a comm link* U.S.S. Bunker Hill, you are clear to energize.
*Thryiss, who's been looking over Wil's shoulder, walks over to Shrod.*
Thryiss: Lieutenant. Assemble a team with whoever you can spare to go manually seal off all areas surrounding the crew. I know it's a lot of ground to cover, but you have two hours.
Shrod: Aye, Captain.
*Thryiss walks back over to where Wil and Stanton are stationed.*
Thryiss: Ensigns. Seeing as you two have been working as my eyes and ears during this whole operation, I'll need you to stick around as long as possible, meaning you two will be part of the last group to beam out, along with me and some of the other senior officers. Is that understood?
Wil and Stanton: Yes sir.
Thryiss: Good. Keep me posted.
*The next two hours went by relatively smoothly; 30 by 30, members of the Vancouver crew were beamed over to the Bunker Hill until she reached capacity, and upon the arrival of the Challenger and the Lexington, the final leg of the evacuation was underway. However, they weren't out of the thick just yet. Emergency oxygen tanks were being shared among those still awaiting evacuation, and the six crew members who were tasked with sealing off the non-essential areas of the ship have still not returned.*
*Thryiss taps her combadge.*
Thryiss: Thryiss to Lieutenant Shrod. What's your status?
Shrod: We're on deck 19, Captain. Only one more section to cover. Though, the artificial gravity on this deck is fluctuating, which is slowing our progress.
Thryiss: Move as fast as you can, Lieutenant! You're running out of time.
Shrod: Understood. Shrod out.
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, update.
Wil: According to Commander Audler, there are just under 700 crewmen remaining and evac procedures are running quickly and efficiently. All civilian crew and families are safely disembarked.
Thryiss: Well at least one thing's running smoothly on this ship.
*She stares off into the room. Main engineering is now much more empty than it was a few hours ago. The hustle and bustle has turned into the occasional appearance of an officer or two, saving what research and information they could before moving down to the cargo bays. The heart of the ship, which usually reverberated with the overpowering hum of the warp core, was now uncomfortably silent.*
Thryiss (whipsering to herself): You tried your best, old friend.
Stanton: Captain! The containment field!... It's gone.
*Thryiss' heart sank.*
Thryiss: Gone?
Stanton: Yes, sir...
Thryiss (tapping her combadge): Thryriss to Shrod, come in!
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, can we still evacuate?
Wil: Transport is still underway.
Thryiss (tapping her combadge once more): Thryiss to Shrod! Do you read me?
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign, alert everyone in the area.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *He open a comm link.* U.S.S. Vancouver to all rescue vessels. The Great Barrier particles have escaped containment. I repeat, the Great Barrier particles have escaped!
Soval: Commander!
Gardra: Confirmed. Anomaly is approaching.
We've already got power fluctuations in the outer-most starboard sections!
Wait. Sir, look at this.
*Soval walks over to the Science Station, T'las joining him.*
The particles seem to be arcing towards the aft of the ship!
Soval: Why?
Gardra: I don't know. Except...
The particles are flooding out behind the Vancouver.
Soval: Towards the Great Barrier.
Gardra: Yes sir.
T'las: Why?
Soval: Perhaps they are not mere particles.
We know less of the Great Barrier than we do anything else in our Galaxy, but it is reasonable to theorise that in the infinite possibilities of the Universe, there could exist a form of self-aware life so small and so alien that they seem like energy particles to us.
Gardra: Sherlock Holmes.
Soval: Precisely, Commander. When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Transporter Room 1, lock onto the particles within the Vancouver and beam them into open space as far behind them as possible.
Transporter Chief *Over comm*: Aye sir.
Energising.
Soval: If I am correct, power should now begin restoring itself throughout the Vancouver.
Ops?
Ores: Power is not regenerating on the Vancouver, sir. But, it's not draining either.
T'las: Let's give the system a little push.
Soval: By all means.
*T'las walks down the ramp between the Ops and Helm stations and the Command Area and over to Ores.*
T'las: Reconfigure the Main Deflector to channel a power transfer beam to the Vancouver.
Ores: Aye sir.
Beam ready.
Soval: Energise.
*The Bunker Hill's Main Deflector fires a power transfer beam over to the Vancouver, and power soon begins to return throughout the ship.*
We've already got power fluctuations in the outer-most starboard sections!
Wait. Sir, look at this.
*Soval walks over to the Science Station, T'las joining him.*
The particles seem to be arcing towards the aft of the ship!
Soval: Why?
Gardra: I don't know. Except...
The particles are flooding out behind the Vancouver.
Soval: Towards the Great Barrier.
Gardra: Yes sir.
T'las: Why?
Soval: Perhaps they are not mere particles.
We know less of the Great Barrier than we do anything else in our Galaxy, but it is reasonable to theorise that in the infinite possibilities of the Universe, there could exist a form of self-aware life so small and so alien that they seem like energy particles to us.
Gardra: Sherlock Holmes.
Soval: Precisely, Commander. When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Transporter Room 1, lock onto the particles within the Vancouver and beam them into open space as far behind them as possible.
Transporter Chief *Over comm*: Aye sir.
Energising.
Soval: If I am correct, power should now begin restoring itself throughout the Vancouver.
Ops?
Ores: Power is not regenerating on the Vancouver, sir. But, it's not draining either.
T'las: Let's give the system a little push.
Soval: By all means.
*T'las walks down the ramp between the Ops and Helm stations and the Command Area and over to Ores.*
T'las: Reconfigure the Main Deflector to channel a power transfer beam to the Vancouver.
Ores: Aye sir.
Beam ready.
Soval: Energise.
*The Bunker Hill's Main Deflector fires a power transfer beam over to the Vancouver, and power soon begins to return throughout the ship.*
Soval to Captain Thryiss, do you read me?
[U.S.S. Vancouver, Main Engineering]
Thryiss: I read you loud an clear, Mr. Soval. Thank you for the boost, I certainly owe you a drink. Our sensors are indicating that our "particles" are heading back to the Galactic Centre, which is probably where they should stay from now on. If you happen to be on your way back to Earth Space Dock, I'd like to ask that you do me one more favour and bring my crew home while we stay behind and complete repairs.
Ops Officer (over comm): Captain! Lieutenant Shrod is unconscious. Out tricorders aren't coming up with anything, but we believe it may have something to do with the Great Barrier Particles.
Thryiss: Understood. (To Soval) Admiral, it seems one of my officers may be affected by the particles. If you'd do me one more favour, I'll ask that you please take him into your sickbay. I'll send Ensign Wil to accompany him.
Wil: Sir?
Thryiss: Be prepared for anything, Ensign.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *Wil leaves to go join the Ops team.*
Thryiss (to Soval): I know it's a lot to ask, but we need some time to lick our wounds.
Stanton: Captain, I'm getting some... strange readings from the U.S.S. Black Phantom.
Thryiss: Let it go, Ensign. Something about that ship makes me think we shouldn't snoop around too much.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Thryiss: I read you loud an clear, Mr. Soval. Thank you for the boost, I certainly owe you a drink. Our sensors are indicating that our "particles" are heading back to the Galactic Centre, which is probably where they should stay from now on. If you happen to be on your way back to Earth Space Dock, I'd like to ask that you do me one more favour and bring my crew home while we stay behind and complete repairs.
Ops Officer (over comm): Captain! Lieutenant Shrod is unconscious. Out tricorders aren't coming up with anything, but we believe it may have something to do with the Great Barrier Particles.
Thryiss: Understood. (To Soval) Admiral, it seems one of my officers may be affected by the particles. If you'd do me one more favour, I'll ask that you please take him into your sickbay. I'll send Ensign Wil to accompany him.
Wil: Sir?
Thryiss: Be prepared for anything, Ensign.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *Wil leaves to go join the Ops team.*
Thryiss (to Soval): I know it's a lot to ask, but we need some time to lick our wounds.
Stanton: Captain, I'm getting some... strange readings from the U.S.S. Black Phantom.
Thryiss: Let it go, Ensign. Something about that ship makes me think we shouldn't snoop around too much.
Soval: Of course, Captain. We can receive them immediately. Vice Admiral Soval out.
*Soval walks over to Ores.*
Lieutenant, the Sao Paulo Class is not capable of prolonged Slipstream, correct?
Ores: Confirmed.
Soval: Was there any sign that the Black Phantom overclocked its Slipstream Drive?
Ores: Negative.
Soval: Then how did they arrive a few minutes behind us, instead of 1 and a half hours?
*Ores looks down at his console, puzzled, before looking back up.*
Ores: I don't know.
Soval: An interesting mystery. But, one for another time.
Ores: Admiral, the crewman from the Vancouver have beamed aboard. Their injured officer is in Sickbay. He's being treated now.
Soval: Very well. Ask Ensign Wil to report to the Bridge.
Ores: Aye sir.
T'las: Admiral, I just received an emergency broadcast from Starfleet Command, Starbase 01. Priority 1.
*Soval turns back, walking a few meters towards T'las.*
Ores: Priority 1 is a disaster call!
Soval: What does it say?
T'las: "All ships, do not approach the Terran System."
The orders have been signed by Fleet Admirals Quinn and Yanishev.
Soval: Why didn't Starfleet Headquarters issue the alert?
Gardra: If they could, they would have.
Soval: Indeed.
Helm, set course for Starbase 24. Slipstream speed.
Helm: Aye sir.
Soval: I shall be in my Ready Room. Send Ensign Wil over when he arrives.
Ores: Aye sir.
*Soval walks out into the Access corridor before turning into his Ready Room. T'las rises from her seat.*
T'las: Commander Sylix, report to the Main Bridge.
Commander Gargra, Commander Sylix will relieve you of Bridge duty upon arrival.
Gardra: Understood.
T'las: You have the bridge.
*T'las leaves and taps the doorchime to the Ready Room.*
Soval *Over comm*: Come.
*The doors slide open and T'las walks in, the doors closing behind her. Soval is seated at his desk, looking at his screen intently.*
Soval: Commander. Take a seat.
*T'las sits opposite Soval, who turns his attention to her.*
T'las: What are you looking at?
Soval: Officer reports on the Cadets' performances.
T'las: Performance reports? Earth is in mortal danger, possibly facing imminent destruction, and that's the first thing you check?
Soval: Your confusion is positively Human, Commander.
T'las: I'm half-human!
Soval: It was not meant as an insult.
Truth be told, I would appreciate your insight on the matter.
T'las: Earth is in danger.
Soval: Yes, but we have been ordered to maintain our distance.
T'las: That didn't stop you during the incident with Commander Tomarek.
Soval: That was different.
T'las: We were ordered to stay away from Virinat. How is it different?
Soval: We do not know the situation within the Terran System. Risking the ship and crew on a rescue mission when we do not know what we are rescuing them from would be reckless and illogical.
T'las: Dammit Sova--!
Permission to speak freely?
Soval: Granted.
T'las: Dammit Soval! We are talking about 8 billion lives!
Soval: Two hours ago, you would have had me sacrifice 2000 to save 750.
T'las: We did not know if the Vancouver could be saved!
Soval: Nor do we know if Earth can be saved.
T'las: I never said we shouldn't have tried!
Soval: T'las, the decision is mine.
T'las: You asked for my input!
Soval: And you have given it.
T'las: This is exactly why I stayed away from Vulcan for 20 years!
Soval: T'las--
Ores *Over comm*: Bridge to Admiral Soval.
Soval: *Sighs* Go ahead.
Ores *Over comm*: Ensign Wil is outside waiting for you.
Omet'etan: Captain, a Priority 1 message has come in from Starfleet Command ordering us to stay away from the Terran system.
Voporak: Do we know what's wrong there?
Omet'etan: No.
Voporak: We should get a scan of the area. Perhaps we can do something about it.
Omet'etan: Long range sensors should be able to give us a preliminary report of what the situation is without entering the system.
Voporak: Set a course for Sector 001. Maximum warp.
*The ship jumps to warp 9.9994*
I'll be in my ready room. If Soval calls, direct him to me. *he stops before entering the room* You know, if Soval were here he'd probably tell me I'm being rash and illogical.
Soval: Of course, Captain. We can receive them immediately. Vice Admiral Soval out.
*Soval walks over to Ores.*
Lieutenant, the Sao Paulo Class is not capable of prolonged Slipstream, correct?
Ores: Confirmed.
Soval: Was there any sign that the Black Phantom overclocked its Slipstream Drive?
Ores: Negative.
Soval: Then how did they arrive a few minutes behind us, instead of 1 and a half hours?
*Ores looks down at his console, puzzled, before looking back up.*
Ores: I don't know.
Soval: An interesting mystery. But, one for another time.
Ores: Admiral, the crewman from the Vancouver have beamed aboard. Their injured officer is in Sickbay. He's being treated now.
Soval: Very well. Ask Ensign Wil to report to the Bridge.
Ores: Aye sir.
T'las: Admiral, I just received an emergency broadcast from Starfleet Command, Starbase 01. Priority 1.
*Soval turns back, walking a few meters towards T'las.*
Ores: Priority 1 is a disaster call!
Soval: What does it say?
T'las: "All ships, do not approach the Terran System."
The orders have been signed by Fleet Admirals Quinn and Yanishev.
Soval: Why didn't Starfleet Headquarters issue the alert?
Gardra: If they could, they would have.
Soval: Indeed.
Helm, set course for Starbase 24. Slipstream speed.
Helm: Aye sir.
Soval: I shall be in my Ready Room. Send Ensign Wil over when he arrives.
Ores: Aye sir.
*Soval walks out into the Access corridor before turning into his Ready Room. T'las rises from her seat.*
T'las: Commander Sylix, report to the Main Bridge.
Commander Gargra, Commander Sylix will relieve you of Bridge duty upon arrival.
Gardra: Understood.
T'las: You have the bridge.
*T'las leaves and taps the doorchime to the Ready Room.*
Soval *Over comm*: Come.
*The doors slide open and T'las walks in, the doors closing behind her. Soval is seated at his desk, looking at his screen intently.*
Soval: Commander. Take a seat.
*T'las sits opposite Soval, who turns his attention to her.*
T'las: What are you looking at?
Soval: Officer reports on the Cadets' performances.
T'las: Performance reports? Earth is in mortal danger, possibly facing imminent destruction, and that's the first thing you check?
Soval: Your confusion is positively Human, Commander.
T'las: I'm half-human!
Soval: It was not meant as an insult.
Truth be told, I would appreciate your insight on the matter.
T'las: Earth is in danger.
Soval: Yes, but we have been ordered to maintain our distance.
T'las: That didn't stop you during the incident with Commander Tomarek.
Soval: That was different.
T'las: We were ordered to stay away from Virinat. How is it different?
Soval: We do not know the situation within the Terran System. Risking the ship and crew on a rescue mission when we do not know what we are rescuing them from would be reckless and illogical.
T'las: Dammit Sova--!
Permission to speak freely?
Soval: Granted.
T'las: Dammit Soval! We are talking about 8 billion lives!
Soval: Two hours ago, you would have had me sacrifice 2000 to save 750.
T'las: We did not know if the Vancouver could be saved!
Soval: Nor do we know if Earth can be saved.
T'las: I never said we shouldn't have tried!
Soval: T'las, the decision is mine.
T'las: You asked for my input!
Soval: And you have given it.
T'las: This is exactly why I stayed away from Vulcan for 20 years!
Soval: T'las--
Ores *Over comm*: Bridge to Admiral Soval.
Soval: *Sighs* Go ahead.
Ores *Over comm*: Ensign Wil is outside waiting for you.
*When Wil met up with the Ops team, he immediately noticed Lieutenant Shrod lying motionless on the ground.*
Wil: Is he okay?
Ops Officer: He has a dangerously low heartbeat, and even lower brain functions.
*Wil had once heard that Andorians' antennae will twitch in their sleep, but Shrod displayed no signs of being alive apart from tricorder readings.*
Wil: Don't worry, Admiral Soval agreed to treat him in the Bunker Hill's sickbay.
*Wil crouched beside Shrod*
Wil: Ensign Wil to the U.S.S. Bunker Hill. Two to beam aboard.
*The Ops officers and the corridor around them vanished in a flash of light, and in their place appeared a set of beds and several doctors and nurses. Having gotten used to the darkened rooms and hallways of the powerless Vancouver, Wil squinted at the bright lights overhead. Straightaway, three medical staff picked up the Lieutenant and placed him on a bed for examining. Seconds later, a voice sounded through the comm.*
Comm: Ensign Wil, please report to the bridge.
The Bridge? What could they need from me?
*As Wil headed towards the turbo, he couldn't help but notice the streamlined design of the Aventine class Vessel... He liked it.
Upon arriving on the bridge, a Ferengi operations officer pointed the way to the Captain's ready room, which came to Wil as a surprise, albeit an exciting one; He's never been invited into a captain's ready room before.*
What do I say?
*The doors opened.*
Wil: Ensign Wil, reporting for duty, sir!
I suppose I could've started with 'hello'...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*When Wil met up with the Ops team, he immediately noticed Lieutenant Shrod lying motionless on the ground.*
Wil: Is he okay?
Ops Officer: He has a dangerously low heartbeat, and even lower brain functions.
*Wil had once heard that Andorians' antennae will twitch in their sleep, but Shrod displayed no signs of being alive apart from tricorder readings.*
Wil: Don't worry, Admiral Soval agreed to treat him in the Bunker Hill's sickbay.
*Wil crouched beside Shrod*
Wil: Ensign Wil to the U.S.S. Bunker Hill. Two to beam aboard.
*The Ops officers and the corridor around them vanished in a flash of light, and in their place appeared a set of beds and several doctors and nurses. Having gotten used to the darkened rooms and hallways of the powerless Vancouver, Wil squinted at the bright lights overhead. Straightaway, three medical staff picked up the Lieutenant and placed him on a bed for examining. Seconds later, a voice sounded through the comm.*
Comm: Ensign Wil, please report to the bridge.
The Bridge? What could they need from me?
*As Wil headed towards the turbo, he couldn't help but notice the streamlined design of the Aventine class Vessel... He liked it.
Upon arriving on the bridge, a Ferengi operations officer pointed the way to the Captain's ready room, which came to Wil as a surprise, albeit an exciting one; He's never been invited into a captain's ready room before.*
What do I say?
*The doors opened.*
Wil: Ensign Wil, reporting for duty, sir!
I suppose I could've started with 'hello'...
Soval: Welcome aboard, Ensign.
*Soval and T'las look at him as he stands at attention.*
T'las *jokingly*: At ease Ensign, before you strain something.
*OOC: Now, given T'las' outward appearance is Vulcan, this oughta confuse the good Ensign.*
*Soval and T'las look at him as he stands at attention.*
T'las *jokingly*: At ease Ensign, before you strain something.
*OOC: Now, given T'las' outward appearance is Vulcan, this oughta confuse the good Ensign.*
*Wil, slightly embarrassed at his formal choice of introduction, relaxes his shoulders, albeit uneasily, as he could swear he just heard a Vulcan make a joke. He didn't know whether to feel welcome or slightly terrified. Realizing that he was now blatantly staring at the Vulcan woman, Wil quickly directs his attention to the Admiral.*
Wil: You wanted to see me, Admiral?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*Wil, slightly embarrassed at his formal choice of introduction, relaxes his shoulders, albeit uneasily, as he could swear he just heard a Vulcan make a joke. He didn't know whether to feel welcome or slightly terrified. Realizing that he was now blatantly staring at the Vulcan woman, Wil quickly directs his attention to the Admiral.*
Wil: You wanted to see me, Admiral?
Soval: I wanted to inform you that we'd be taking your crew back to Earth, but now that seems impossible.
T'las: The Terran System has been sealed off by Starfleet Command. Priority 1 emergency. We don't have any specifics.
Soval: However, we are en route to Starbase 24. Your crew will be safe there.
In the meantime, I'd like you to serve as our liaison to your people.
T'las: Ensign, let me apologise, since I blatantly took you by surprise.
Soval: Commander T'las' father is human. T'las spent most of her life on Earth.
Soval: I wanted to inform you that we'd be taking your crew back to Earth, but now that seems impossible.
T'las: The Terran System has been sealed off by Starfleet Command. Priority 1 emergency. We don't have any specifics.
Soval: However, we are en route to Starbase 24. Your crew will be safe there.
In the meantime, I'd like you to serve as our liaison to your people.
T'las: Ensign, let me apologise, since I blatantly took you by surprise.
Soval: Commander T'las' father is human. T'las spent most of her life on Earth.
T'las: NYC, born and raised.
Wil: No worries, Commander. But thank you for clarifying. I was... perplexed for a moment. And Admiral, I'd be glad to be your liaison. I imagine they must be quite confused right about now and would like some answers. However, they will probably want to know why we can't return to Earth. Should I tell them about the Priority 1 emergency? It might not go over very well, considering the crew's eagerness to go back home.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
OOC: Gonna be out of commission for the next couple days, but I will be back!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*Cutting through the seemingly endless ocean of stars, the smooth frame of the Federation starship Excalibur glided through space as it forged ahead towards Starbase 24. As the ship made its way for the Federation outpost, the captain of the vessel scratched his light beard with a gloved hand as he read the latest report on the systems refit that his ship had received at Space Dock however after staring at duty officer reports, maintenance reports and every kind of report that one can imagine, he his head felt as if it was about to explode and tossed the PADD onto the pile on his desk with a heavy sigh as he walked tiredly over to the replicator.*
Kyle: Vulcan Mocha, hot.
*There was a low hum as the replicator produced a mug of the Vulcan coffee and with a smile of both appreciation and relief, the captain picked the cup up with both hands and inhaled the intoxicating aroma from the caffeinated beverage. Before he could take his seat behind his desk he heard the door chime to his Ready Room sound and instead decided to take a seat on the edge of the desk*
Kyle: Enter! Let me guess commander, another report on one of the new systems that has been installed?
Jasmine: Yes sir. This time it's about deploying the Aquarius and Saucer Section at the same time.
*She walked over to his desk and set the PADD in front of her commanding officer, while he sipped his coffee. Taking one last sip of the Vulcan Mocha, Kyle Locke glanced at the report and then back at his commander and former Academy sweetheart.*
Kyle: Although I appreciate on being kept up to speed, I already had a feeling that we were going to have a problem being able to deploy both the saucer section and the Aquarius. For the sake of maintaining crew efficiency and in order to better keep up with in-battle repairs, we shouldn't deploy both at the same time.
*Jasmine sighed as the captain walked back over to the replicator with the empty cup*
Jasmine: You always manage to surprise me,
Kyle: I didn't get to my position with just my looks, although they probably helped.
Jasmine: Have we received any new orders sir?
*She said, laughing inwardly at his comment.*
Kyle: No, nothing yet. With the state the Alpha and Beta Quadrant is in we'll either be called to New Romulus, to the Klingon border or have to deal with the Borg.
Jasmine: I see, well at least helping the Romulans doesn't sound so bad.
Kyle: Here I thought you liked a good fight. It doesn't sound like you to turn away from a good battle.
Jasmine: Hey! Watch it mister, you have me sounding like a battle starved Klingon and you know what I mean. Starfleet was created to explore space and help expand our horizons, not to turn our weapons on our neighbours.
Kyle: True, but we cannot ignore very real threats to the Federation. If we ignore them even for a second, we risk losing everything.
Jasmine: If we continue doing nothing but fighting we will...
*Kyle's combadge chirruped and he tapped it in response.*
Kyle: Go ahead.
Konovuh: Sir! We're on final approach or Starbase 24, ETA is one hour.
*The resident Klingon and tactical officer of the Excalibur, updated the captain.*
Kyle: Very good, I'll be out shortly.
Konovuh: Aye sir.
"I will make the Orion Syndicate face the light of justice or burn them with it." - Captainl Kyle Nathaniel Locke, U.S.S. Excalibur NCC-98105-C
*A few lightyears outside of Sol, in the U.S.S. Black Phantom's science lab*
Vranlek: It's a temporal disturbance, sir.
Voporak: One that I didn't cause?
Vranlek: No, it wasn't from your doing this time. Long range sensors show a severe Manheim Effect occurring throughout the Terran system. There is a temporal research station there.
Voporak: Will the temporal shields protect us from the effect?
Vranlek: While we've never encountered the effect ourselves, I can draw conclusions based on the Dresden incident.
Voporak: Which one?
Vranlek: The one with the Thresher.
Voporak: Ah yes, the first time we met the Dresden. Continue.
Vranlek: When the Thresher dropped into that time period, it created the Manheim Effect around its position temporarily. The Dresden raised its temporal shielding and stopped being affected by the effect.
Voporak: So theoretically we should be fine?
Vranlek: Yes.
Voporak: Looks like we're going to Earth then. However, we first need to drop off the Vancouver's crew and children at Starbase 24.
*They exit the lab and head for the bridge*
Voporak (as they step out of the turbolift): Set course for Starbase 24, warp 9.99. Engage.
*Cutting through the seemingly endless ocean of stars, the smooth frame of the Federation starship Excalibur glided through space as it forged ahead towards Starbase 24. As the ship made its way for the Federation outpost, the captain of the vessel scratched his light beard with a gloved hand as he read the latest report on the systems refit that his ship had received at Space Dock however after staring at duty officer reports, maintenance reports and every kind of report that one can imagine, he his head felt as if it was about to explode and tossed the PADD onto the pile on his desk with a heavy sigh as he walked tiredly over to the replicator.*
Kyle: Vulcan Mocha, hot.
*There was a low hum as the replicator produced a mug of the Vulcan coffee and with a smile of both appreciation and relief, the captain picked the cup up with both hands and inhaled the intoxicating aroma from the caffeinated beverage. Before he could take his seat behind his desk he heard the door chime to his Ready Room sound and instead decided to take a seat on the edge of the desk*
Kyle: Enter! Let me guess commander, another report on one of the new systems that has been installed?
Jasmine: Yes sir. This time it's about deploying the Aquarius and Saucer Section at the same time.
*She walked over to his desk and set the PADD in front of her commanding officer, while he sipped his coffee. Taking one last sip of the Vulcan Mocha, Kyle Locke glanced at the report and then back at his commander and for Academy sweetheart.*
Kyle: Although I appreciate on being kept up to speed, I already had a feeling that we were going to have a problem being able to deploy both the saucer section and the Aquarius. For the sake of maintaining crew efficiency and in order to better keep up with in battle repairs, we shouldn't deploy both at the same time.
*Jasmine sighed as the captain walked back over to the replicator with the empty cup*
Jasmine: You always manage to surprise me,
Kyle: I didn't get to my position with just my looks, although they probably helped.
Jasmine: Have we received any new orders sir?
*She said, laughing inwardly at his comment.*
Kyle: No, nothing yet. With the state the Alpha and Beta Quadrant is in we'll either be called to New Romulus, to the Klingon border or have to deal with the Borg.
Jasmine: I see, well at least helping the Romulans doesn't sound so bad.
Kyle: Here I thought you liked a good fight. It doesn't sound like you to turn away from a good battle.
Jasmine: Hey! Watch it mister, you have me sounding like a battle starved Klingon and you know what I mean. Starfleet was created to explore space and help expand our horizons, not to turn our weapons on our neighbours.
Kyle: True, but we cannot ignore very real threats to the Federation. If we ignore them even for a second, we risk losing everything.
Jasmine: If we continue doing nothing but fighting we will...
*Kyle's combadge chirruped and he tapped it in response.*
Kyle: Go ahead.
Konovuh: Sir! We're on final approach or Starbase 24, ETA is one hour.
*The resident Klingon and tactical officer of the Excalibur, updated the captain.*
Kyle: Very good, I'll be out shortly.
Konovuh: Aye sir.
*The U.S.S. Bunker Hill is now departing Starbase 24 after dropping off the Vancouver's crew, save for a few volunteers, and Ensign Wil in order to help them adjust to duty aboard the Bunker Hill.
Soval is sitting in his quarters, drinking a mug of Vulcan Spice Tea, when he hears the door chime sound.*
Soval: Come in, Commander.
*T'las walks in.*
T'las: How did you...?
Soval: You always stop by at this hour to enquire as to whether I am "alright".
T'las: So I assume I don't have to bother asking?
Soval: I am quite fine, Commander.
T'las: Have we heard anything new from Earth?
Soval: No. Jupiter Station is trying to keep everyone apprised, but now their transmissions are becoming less reliable.
We do, however, now know the situation. The system is suffering from the Manheim Effect. It is originating from the Manheim Station in orbit.
T'las: Lassiter.
Soval: My conclusion as well. He was not pleased with the Federation Science Council shutting down his experiments in the Donatu Sector. Perhaps he attempted to continue his work at Earth.
T'las: So what are we going to do?
*Soval places his tea down, looking up to stare at T'las.*
Soval: Commander, the entire crew is aware that we have been ordered to stay away from the Terran System by not only Starfleet Command, but Starfleet Headquarters itself?
T'las: They'll follow your orders, if that's what you're asking.
Personally, I think you're making a mistake.
Soval: T'las, your concern for your father is admirable, but we must be ready to accept that Earth may not be saved.
T'las: This has nothing to do with my father. There are 8 billion people on Earth, scared and helpless.
Soval: And if we attempt to mount a rescue, we too may become ensnared in the trap.
T'las: Maybe. Maybe not. We're Starfleet. Risk is our business.
Soval: James Tiberius Kirk. I know the speech.
T'las: Then I'll try something that you should be all too aware of. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Soval: If we succeed, there is a chance we will be court-marshalled.
*Soval looks down, deep in thought, before rising from his chair, picking up the tea, walking over to a replicator, depositing the tea inside, and walking to the door past T'las.*
Come.
*T'las looks at Soval curiously as he walks by, before following.
They soon walk onto the Bridge, with T'las standing a few meters from the door. Soval walks towards the Command Area before looking to Ores at Ops.*
Lieutenant Ores, if we were to generate a warp field at 50% integrity, could we use it to form a temporal shield?
Ores: It wouldn't hold long.
Soval: Do it.
Helm, set course for Sector 001, maximum warp.
Helm: Sir?
Soval: If you have a hearing difficulty, ensign, perhaps you need to go to Sickbay?
Helm: No sir.
Soval: May I have your attention?
*The whole Bridge crew turns to Soval, with T'las smiling as she walks beside him.*
I am about to commit a direct violation of our standing orders. If anyone wishes to object, do so now. It will not be logged.
*A few moments pass, and Ores turns from his station.*
Ores: Sir?
Soval: Yes lieutenant?
Ores: I think I speak for everyone when I say; to hell with our orders.
Soval: Very good.
Helm, engage.
*Soval sits in the Command Chair and T'las sits down in her seat next to him. The two look at eachother.*
T'las *quietly to Soval*: Just when I think I have you figured...
Soval *quietly to T'las*: Perhaps when we have completed our mission, you could show me New York? It has been some time since I have been on Earth.
T'las *quietly to Soval*: So long as you keep what happened a couple of years ago strictly between us?
*The door to the bridge hissed open as the brunette male captain and female commander exited from the captain's ready room and onto the main bridge. As they walked to their seat's, Jasmine couldn't help but feel that there was some tension between them however it she knew that it was only in her mind and the fact that what Kyle had said, had more to do with the recent loss of his grandparents than the possibility of losing the Federation. If both of them hadn't decided to put aside their relationship to focus on their careers in Starfleet, she would have done something, anything to console him.*
Kyle: Report!
Sai.: We have arrived at our destination sir. I am moving the ship into standard orbit of Starbase 24.
Kyle: Excellent work Sai.
Konovuh: We're being hailed by the station commander, I'll put it up on screen.
*There was a beep and brief pause before the station commander's face appeared on the main view screen*
Station Commander: Welcome to Starbase 24 Vice...I mean Captain Locke. We've already been contacted by Deep Space 9 about the enhancements that your ship received at the Antares Ship Yards. We've already taken the liberty of setting up a test targets for the escort and the saucer section.
Kyle: Thank you commander and if it isn't any trouble, I would appreciate it if your engineers could take a look at our communications system. We've been unable to contact Starfleet Command for sometime now and I'd like to get a second opinion, just to make sure we haven't overlooked something.
Station Commander: Captain...Haven't you heard? Starfleet Command has quarantined the Sol System. All Federation and allied starships are to avoid entering the system due to a temporal anomaly surrounding Earth.
Kyle: I see...thank you commander for the update.
*After the channel between Starbase 24 and Excalibur had closed, Kyle turned to his commander and tugged at the edges of his Jupiter Veteran style uniform and faced a shaken crew. Even as he maintained a stalwart composure, he too felt concerned for the people back on Earth and desperately wanted to do something for them but he had to be like an island in a storm and set an example.*
Kyle: What do you think people? Should we postpone our little trial or should we ignore what could be a possible threat to Earth?
Jasmine: Are you joking sir? We should do something about this.
Sai: However Starfleet has issued a Code 7-10 warning to all allied vessels, planets and starbases of the current situation on Earth. If we were to violate that order we would surely face a court martial.
Konovuh: We are one of the best equipped vessels in Starfleet, surely there is something that we can do. We cannot just simply stand by and ignore what is happening.
Three of Five: While I may not have any particular attachment to Earth itself, that even at the risk of a court martial we cannot just carry on as if nothing is wrong.
Kyle: Does everyone else feel the same?
*He looked at his Holographic Security Officer that everyone had come to call 'Mac', then to his Borg science officer One of Five, to the Chief Engineer Jamel Jame Gessford, and lastly his Senior Medical Officer T'Lusa and they all nodded. With almost every one of his bridge officers in complete agreement with the female Liberated Borg Operations officer, Kyle smirked and walked over to his chair and opened a channel to make a ship wide announcement.*
Kyle: As of recently, the senior bridge crew and I have been informed that Starfleet Command has issued a Code 7-10 on the Sol System, essentially quarantining the entire system and according to the code of conduct I am obligated to follow these orders to the letter. However I cannot in good conscious standby and allow a potential threat endanger the very heart of the Federation and the lives of its citizens when we can do something about it. I hereby issue the following statement to the crew; that I am about to commit a direct violation of our orders from Starfleet Command, all objections and protests will be noted in my log.
Sai.: I believe that everyone is in agreement with your sentiments, Captain.
Kyle: With that out of the way...Mister Sai set a course for the Sol System, maximum warp.
Sai: Course has been set sir. We should arrive in the Sol System in approximately fifteen hours, six minutes and...
Kyle: Engage!
*The brunette male exclaimed to interrupt the Android and pointed forward in dramatic fashion. As if complying to his order the Odyssey-class Star Cruiser's nacelles glowed brightly before the Excalibur warped out of the system and left the starbase behind it.*
"I will make the Orion Syndicate face the light of justice or burn them with it." - Captainl Kyle Nathaniel Locke, U.S.S. Excalibur NCC-98105-C
*Earth Orbit, Sol System. The U.S.S. Victorious stands still as the Earth is now in a constant state of seemingly no motion. The loop cycle on Earth has dropped to milliseconds.
U.S.S. Victorious. Ryan is standing on the Bridge, looking out.*
Ryan: How long will that Warp Field hold?
Wenj: Not long enough.
The Manheim Effect is extending beyond Sector 001 now, sir. It's about 6 hours from Vulcan. They'll beginning feeling the effects soon.
Ryan: Alpha, time projections.
Alpha: If the Effect continues to spread at its current rate, in 2 days it shall have reached the Sierra Sector. In exactly 1 month, 5 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes, there will not be a single Federation world unaffected by it. In 1 year 6 months--
Ryan: Alpha!
Alpha: Yes sir.
*Ryan sighs, falling back in his chair, wiping his face with both hands.*
Ryan: Is there anything we can do to stop it?
Tala: A quantum torpedo ought to do it.
Wenj: Commander, forgetting for the moment that the Manheim Station is of huge scientific importance, the second the torpedo left our Warp Bubble, it would be caught in the Manheim Effect. Unless we want to wait an aeon, that plan would be highly ineffective.
Alpha: 3.4 aeons to be precise sir.
Wenj: Thank you, Lieutenant.
Tala: Well, what would you suggest?
Wenj: All we need is to knock out the lab's power supply and everything should fix itself.
Ryan: But we can't move. It's taking all our power to keep the effect outside the warp bubble as it is!
Alpha: However, an Aventine-Class Vessel, coming in at Slipstream speed, should be able to maintain velocity long enough to bring part of the station within her warp field.
Ryan: What are you...?
Alpha: The Starship Bunker Hill just appeared on sensors sir, entering the system.
Ryan: Soval, what are you doing?
Hail him.
Alpha: Channel open.
Ryan: U.S.S. Victorious to U.S.S. Bunker Hill, please respond.
Soval *Over comm*: Bunker Hill responding.
Ryan: Soval what the hell do you think you are doing?!
...sir.
Soval *Over comm*: I am endeavouring - as you humans say - to "save your asses".
Ryan: Despite the fact that you realise you'll be facing a court-martial when this is over?
Soval *Over comm*: The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.
Ryan: Alpha, send Vice Admiral Soval all the requirements for your plan.
Soval *Over comm*: Unnecessary, Captain. We already have a plan in motion.
*10 minutes later. The Bunker Hill drops out of warp a few meters from the station, her ad-hoc temporal shield holding for now. The vessel projects a tight-angled electro-magnetic pulse into the station, subsequently shunting all power to expand the temporal shield around the station reactor, allowing the emp to spread to it and shut down power. After an hour, the science lab loses power. A few minutes later, the Manheim Effect begins to dissipate around the station.
It will be several hours before the Effect subsides completely, but the Effect has stopped spreading.*
Comments
Soval: Commander Sylix, I want your opinion on the Barrier particles in 1 hour.
Sylix: Aye Captain.
*The Vulcan Science Officer leaves the bridge. Soval stands up and walks over to Ores.*
Soval: Lieutenant, optimistically how many of the Vancouver's crew could we evacuate?
Ores: The crew is nearly 2000. Even if we crammed them into the Shuttles and Cargo Bays we'd only be able to carry about 700, at the most. The Black Phantom would be lucky to hold 50.
Soval: Contact the Armitage Battle Group and have them send 2 Galaxy Class Starships prepared for rescue operations, as a precaution.
Ores: Aye sir.
*T'las stands from her seat and walks up to Soval as he begins to return to his. The two meet eachother half way.*
T'las: Admiral, it would take hours to evacuate the crew. Statistically, the Vancouver's oxygen would run out 1 hour after Life Support fails. Life Support will fail in 2 hours, which is when we'll arrive. We can't evacuate that crew in time, and we do not know the effective range of those particles. There are 750 Crewmen aboard this ship - 800 when you include the Cadets.
Soval: You suggest that we should abandon the rescue?
T'las: No, but as First Officer I have a responsibility to ensure you are considering the crew in any decision which could put them in unnecessary danger.
Soval: Agreed. However, according to regulations we have a responsibility to render any and all possible aid to any vessel in distress, friend or foe.
T'las: But not at the loss of our own people.
Soval *quietly*: T'las, we have a responsibility to render aid to the Vancouver.
T'las: I never said we didn't, but we need to keep ourselves from being drawn into the same proverbial boat.
*Soval raises an eyebrow.*
Human proverb. I am half-human, remember?
Soval: Quite impossible to forget.
*He turns back to the viewer.*
Engineering, can you get anymore time out of the Slipstream Drive?
Tuk *Over comm*: Negative, Admiral. If we do, we risk overheat.
Soval: Lieutenant Commander Forrester, your opinion?
Apologies, Commander, but the situation calls for human illogical solutions.
Tuk *Over comm*: Aye sir.
Jane *Over comm*: If we begin overheat, we can cut an extra 50 minutes off our ETA. I can extend that to 90 minutes by taking the Transwarp Coil and Secondary Deflector offline, but we won't be able to make Transwarp for 30 minutes after we bring it back online, and our Warp Drive will be restricted to Warp 6 while our Secondary Deflector is down.
Soval: Very well. Do it.
*Outside, the lights within the Secondary Deflector go dead as it shuts down. The Slipstream Conduit begins to pulse as it re-stabilises.
After half-an-hour, the Bunker Hill drops to impulse a few kilometres from the Vancouver, using Impulse to pull alongside, holding 2km away.*
Open a channel.
Ores: Channel open.
Soval: This is Vice Admiral Soval commanding the U.S.S. Bunker Hill to Captain Thryiss aboard the Vancouver, we are ready to assist you. Recommend you prepare to evacuate non-essential personnel.
Ores: Channel closed. Awaiting response.
Soval: Lieutenant Commander Gardra, use the sensor array and focus it on the space between us and the Vancouver. If you see any unrecognised anomalies coming from the Vancouver, raise shields.
Gardra: Aye sir.
Soval: All decks, yellow alert. All non-essential personnel, report to Commander T'las in Cargo Bay 3.
*He turns and nods to T'las, who quickly leaves the Bridge.*
That order includes Cadets.
Any response from the Vancouver?
Ores: Not yet. If the situation there is anything like over here, Captain Thryiss is probably making the same preparations on her end.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Timothy walks to the transporter room
Timothy: chief im ready to go
Chief: sir have you checked your padd today just a heads up you have been reasinged to the Reverent.
Timothy: give me a sit rep chief of that ship
Chief: well what i know is she is an akira class escort carrier. Built for combat and ready to take on whatever comes her way. Good crew as well. You all should get along just fine.
Timothy: thanks chief energeize
Timothy is then transporter from esd to the U.S.S. Reverent
Voporak: Send a message that we're also ready to assist.
*He quietly turns to Omet'etan*
And if anything starts to go wrong, raise the temporal shielding. I don't like openly displaying certain 'features' of the ship, try to not use them unless we have to.
*There have been many sights to behold over the course of their mission, but nothing seemed so eerie to Ensign Wil as a warp core gone black. Amid main engineering was a general hustle and bustle of officers attempting to coordinate an evacuation and trying to keep the little amount of power (and oxygen) they still had, and in the centre of all the commotion stood the silent, lifeless warp core.
Decks 1 through 13 were completely dark and void of any crew. Environmental controls on those decks had taken a downward spiral, and they had to be evacuated. The bridge crew stayed as long as they could, until the temperature reached below freezing, forcing them to take the turbo down a few decks (until it, too succumbed to the power drain), and then navigate the Jefferies tubes to main engineering where a new command centre was established.
Wil sat at a small station where communications were accessible. Commander Audler was in charge of evacuation, and Captain Thryiss was still fighting to keep her ship alive, while keeping close to Ensign Wil in case any news came in. All non-essential crew were crammed, waiting for emergency beam out in all five cargo bays and the shuttle bay. With no power for forcefields, the shuttle bay doors could not be opened without decompressing the room, rendering the shuttles useless. Not even the escape pods were responding. Their only hope for escape was to be transported.*
*Wil's console lights up*
Wil: Captain, they're here! They're ready to commence evacuation via transporter.
Thryiss: Perfect! Tell them they can start immediately. *She taps her combadge.* Thryiss to Commander Audler, tell the crew to get ready for transport. We're getting them out of here.
Audler: Yes, Captain! Audler out.
Shrod: Captain, I'm afraid there might not be enough room to hold everyone on those two ships. And even if there was, we might not have enough time.
Thryiss: Let's do as much as we can for the moment, Lieutenant. The others may already have a plan.
Stanton: I'm afraid that's not our only problem, Captain.
*Thryiss walks over to Stanton's science station.*
Thryss: What do you mean, Ensign?
Stanton: I've been keeping tabs on the Great Barrier Particles in the science lab. The backup containment field just started to lose integrity. As of yet, these particles have unknown properties. If they get loose, there's no telling what effect they might have on the rest of the ship... Or the crew.
*Thryiss stares at the console and bites her lip for a moment.*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, alert the other ships.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*Conference room, deck 1, just below the bridge. Voporak and his senior staff are gathered to discuss the situation. This includes Voporak, Mirra (1st officer), Omet'etan (tactical officer), Jirod (Chief engineer), May (Operations officer), Vranlek (Science officer), Lee (head of security) and Nanhud (Chief Medical officer)*
Voporak (glancing out the 'window' at the lifeless Vancouver): Well, we have a dead ship with dangerous particles in one hand and a highly advanced warship with dangerous technology in the other. What do we know of Galactic Barrier particles? Could they mess with the temporal core?
Vranlek: We don't know anything about them besides the fact that they make ships die. The Vancouver is carrying the only known sample of the particles.
Voporak: Good point. What are our options right now?
May: We can beam crewmen off of the Vancouver, but the ship will only hold 57 of them at maximum. That is, if you discount the rear section.
Lee: I think it is a good idea to limit knowledge of the ship to just the front section. We should also block computer access in that area.
Voporak: Agreed. If there are injured, how many can you treat in sickbay at once?
Nanhud: Five, sir.
Voporak: Five? That's it?
Nanhud: Yes captain. My records show you were last in sickbay over one year ago.
Voporak: That might explain why I don't remember the place too well.
Jirod: I'll run the temporal core on a low power level so that curious tricorders don't find anything very unusual.
Omet'etan: I will ensure that all Omega Particle Generators are kept deactivated.
Voporak: Good. And everyone, try to keep the cloaking device a secret. It gets annoying when there's dozens of people asking me about it. Prepare the transporters, begin as soon as they're ready start getting people off of that ship. Dismissed.
*They exit, leaving Voporak to return to the bridge alone*
*Main Engineering. Jirod lowers the core's output to match that of a standard matter/antimatter warp core. At about the middle of the ship, doors are shut and sealed across all decks, and the Omega Particle Generators are taken completely offline. In the transporter room, an officer signals the Vancouver*
Transporter officer: U.S.S. Vancouver, we're ready to transport. We can only hold 57 of your crew, and we'll have to go in three groups to get everyone over. Signal us when you are prepared to beam over.
*At the engineering comm station, Wil taps his combadge.*
Wil: Commander Audler, this is Ensign Wil. The Black Phantom is awaiting our signal to transport 57 of our crew members in three groups.
Audler: Thank you, Ensign. The first group is ready in the shuttle bay.
Wil: Acknowledged. *He opens a comm link.* U.S.S. Black Phantom, group one is clear to energize.
*In groups of 19, 57 crew members of the U.S.S. Vancouver are beamed aboard the Black Phantom.*
Thryiss: How are we doing, Ensign?
Wil: Slow but steady, captain. The first 57 have been evacuated. Priority has been given to the families of our crew. All children are safe, along with some of our civilian crewmen.
Thryiss (with a subtle chuckle): Well I hope Admiral Voporak won't mind babysitting for a while. Proceed with the rest of the evacuation, Ensign.
Wil: Aye, Captain! *He opens another comm link.* U.S.S. Bunker Hill, this is the U.S.S. Vancouver. The Black Phantom has reached its maximum capacity and we are now awaiting your signal to commence transport aboard your ship.
Thryiss (to Ensign Stanton): Ensign, how's the containment field holding?
Stanton: It's not Captain. At least, not for long.
Thryiss: Can you give me a timeframe?
Stanton: I'm sorry, sir. I can't get an exact reading. All I can tell you is that it's failing and it's failing fast.
Thryiss: Understood. Keep watching it... and hope.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Soval: U.S.S. Vancouver, we are ready to beam 500 members of your crew aboard in groups of 30. We've also got the U.S.S. Challenger and U.S.S. Lexington en route. They will arrive in a little under 2 hours. Captain, I recommend you seal off any area of the ship not presently occupied and cut off Life Support to those areas. We need to ensure your oxygen supply lasts as long as possible.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h408/babylon218/USSBunkerHillBridgeFloorplanlabels.jpeg
Here's the key:
1) Viewscreen
2) Ops
3) Helm
4) Holo-Comm.
5) CO's Chair
6) XO's Chair
7) Plexi-Glass LCARS display
8) Master Situation Display (MSD)
9) Engineering
10) Science
11) Astrometrics
12) Tactical/Security
13) Tactical
14) Fleet Operations
15) Observation Lounge
16) Deck 1 Access Corridor
All the consoles have both LCARS and LCARS/H (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System/Holographic) interface capacity.
I placed the Helm and Ops consoles 1 tier below the rest of the bridge so the Captain and First Officer have a clear line-of-sight to the viewscreen. That tier is accessible via the ramp in front of the Command Station.
I've also placed a small console between the Captain and First Officer which is slanted with 2 sides, so they can both look at the same information at a glance and discuss it. The holo-interface also comes in useful to the same effect in certain cases.
Tell me what you think, and what improvements, if any, are needed (and whatever questions you may have).
*U.S.S. Victorious (Galaxy Class), Starbase 01 (ESD). Captain Ryan Allington is roaming the corridors of the Victorious before he feels a strange tingling through his body. He stops, looking around.*
Ryan: Huh. That was weird.
*He begins to walk again. Suddenly, he returns to the place where he started, walking ahead again, feeling the strange tingling sensation again, and stopping and looking around again.*
Ryan: Huh. That was weird.
*He begins to walk off again, but stops mid-step, looking back.*
What the hell?
*He taps his combadge.*
Allington to Bridge. Did anything unusual just happen up there?
Wenj *Over comm*: Stand by Captain.
Ryan: Allington to Bridge. Did anything unusual just happen up there?
Wenj *Over comm*: Stand by Captain.
Wait a-- What the...?
Ryan: You too?
Wenj *Over comm*: What was that?
Ryan: I don't know. Allington out.
*He taps his combadge again to close the channel.*
All hands, General Quarters!
*The Red Alert Klaxon sounds as the lighting shifts, though the main lighting remains active.
5 minutes later, Ryan arrives on the Bridge, his First Officer and Science Officer - Commander Wenj - meeting him.*
Ryan: Report.
Wenj: We just received word from Station Ops. Everyone in the Sol System is experiencing the same thing, and it's beginning to spread to the surrounding sectors.
Sir, it's coming from the Manheim Facility.
Ryan: Understood.
*He walks over to his Command Chair.*
Alpha, put the Manheim Station on-screen.
Alpha: Aye sir.
*The Manheim Orbital Research Station above Earth appears on the Screen.*
The telemetry is being recorded by the Starbase, sir.
*The Station is rotating by a few degrees per second, snapping back every few seconds in a consistent cycle, like a broken record, stuck on a loop.*
Ryan: What the hell?
Wenj: Sensors can't detect anything abnormal.
Ryan: Alpha.
Alpha: Do you wish for a hypothesis, sir?
Ryan: Yes.
*The Soong-Type Android stands to address him.*
Alpha: According to our sensors, there is nothing abnormal occurring at the Research Station, save the "looping" we can visually see. However, as the looping is impossible within the normal laws of space-time, we must conclude that there is an anomaly out there sir.
Ryan: One which our sensors cannot detect?
Alpha: Precisely. All available evidence would suggest the Manheim Effect.
Ryan: But shouldn't we be able to detect that?
Alpha: No sir. The Enterprise-D used the reports of other Federation vessels and facilities to set up a search zone. Dr Manheim's Station was the most likely candidate within that zone. Temporal Anomalies do not apply to the normal laws of Space, and cannot be detected by standard means.
Ryan: Suggestions?
Alpha: We do not know the situation aboard the station. I advise against transport.
Wenj: So do I. The loop is cycling every 5 seconds. It would take longer than that to beam you back. Also, you'd be stuck in an endless time-loop.
Ryan: Suggestions?
Alpha: We do not know the situation aboard the station. I advise against transport.
Wenj: So do I. The loop is cycling every 5 seconds. It would take longer than that to beam you back. Also, you'd be stuck in an endless time-loop.
Ryan: Wait a...
Alpha: The anomaly again sir.
Ryan: Yeah, but it isn't consistent here. Why?
Alpha: According to the theory of relativity, time abides by the laws of gravity, with time passing slower the closer you are to a Gravity Well.
Ryan: Alpha...
Alpha: Apologies sir. Likely, the Time distortions are being warped by Earth's gravitational field.
Ryan: Could we get working communications with the station?
Alpha: They would be unable to respond.
Ryan: But say they could?
Alpha: Subspace Radio should remain unaffected.
Ryan: Thank you. Wenj, I want you to load up a Class 1 observation probe. I want to see what's happening over there.
Wenj: Aye sir.
*10 minutes later.*
Probe ready.
Ryan: Energise.
Wenj: Probe has beamed ov--
One moment.
Probe has successfully materialised. Receiving telemetry.
Ryan: What happened?
Wenj: There was a one-second gap between the end of the first loop and the beginning of the next. It took 5 times as long to beam the probe over.
Ryan: Is the telemetry intelligible?
Wenj: Confirmed.
Ryan: Onscreen.
*The interior of the station appears on the screen. A group of Scientists are running towards there consoles, looping back 4 seconds every 5.*
My god.
Wenj: Must be driving them mad. 1 second to comprehend they just experienced a loop... they're helpless.
Ryan: If this gets any worse, so will we.
*OOC: Just a side-story.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
[U.S.S. Vancouver, Main Engineering]
Audler (Over comm): Alright, Ensign. We're ready when you are.
Wil: Acknowledged, Commander. *He opens a comm link* U.S.S. Bunker Hill, you are clear to energize.
*Thryiss, who's been looking over Wil's shoulder, walks over to Shrod.*
Thryiss: Lieutenant. Assemble a team with whoever you can spare to go manually seal off all areas surrounding the crew. I know it's a lot of ground to cover, but you have two hours.
Shrod: Aye, Captain.
*Thryiss walks back over to where Wil and Stanton are stationed.*
Thryiss: Ensigns. Seeing as you two have been working as my eyes and ears during this whole operation, I'll need you to stick around as long as possible, meaning you two will be part of the last group to beam out, along with me and some of the other senior officers. Is that understood?
Wil and Stanton: Yes sir.
Thryiss: Good. Keep me posted.
*The next two hours went by relatively smoothly; 30 by 30, members of the Vancouver crew were beamed over to the Bunker Hill until she reached capacity, and upon the arrival of the Challenger and the Lexington, the final leg of the evacuation was underway. However, they weren't out of the thick just yet. Emergency oxygen tanks were being shared among those still awaiting evacuation, and the six crew members who were tasked with sealing off the non-essential areas of the ship have still not returned.*
*Thryiss taps her combadge.*
Thryiss: Thryiss to Lieutenant Shrod. What's your status?
Shrod: We're on deck 19, Captain. Only one more section to cover. Though, the artificial gravity on this deck is fluctuating, which is slowing our progress.
Thryiss: Move as fast as you can, Lieutenant! You're running out of time.
Shrod: Understood. Shrod out.
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, update.
Wil: According to Commander Audler, there are just under 700 crewmen remaining and evac procedures are running quickly and efficiently. All civilian crew and families are safely disembarked.
Thryiss: Well at least one thing's running smoothly on this ship.
*She stares off into the room. Main engineering is now much more empty than it was a few hours ago. The hustle and bustle has turned into the occasional appearance of an officer or two, saving what research and information they could before moving down to the cargo bays. The heart of the ship, which usually reverberated with the overpowering hum of the warp core, was now uncomfortably silent.*
Thryiss (whipsering to herself): You tried your best, old friend.
Stanton: Captain! The containment field!... It's gone.
*Thryiss' heart sank.*
Thryiss: Gone?
Stanton: Yes, sir...
Thryiss (tapping her combadge): Thryriss to Shrod, come in!
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign Wil, can we still evacuate?
Wil: Transport is still underway.
Thryiss (tapping her combadge once more): Thryiss to Shrod! Do you read me?
*Static*
Thryiss: Ensign, alert everyone in the area.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *He open a comm link.* U.S.S. Vancouver to all rescue vessels. The Great Barrier particles have escaped containment. I repeat, the Great Barrier particles have escaped!
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Voporak: Bunker Hill, I'm moving my ship out of here.
*The Phantom comes about and flies away at full impulse. Voporak taps his combade again*
Voporak: Jirod, I'm raising the temporal shield. You have to bring the temporal core fully online, in case we need to go to warp.
*The ship starts giving off odd sensor readings*
Jirod: It's operational, but I'm not sure how the particles might affect it.
Voporak: We should be out of range for now. Keep me informed of any strange activity.
Soval: Commander!
Gardra: Confirmed. Anomaly is approaching.
We've already got power fluctuations in the outer-most starboard sections!
Wait. Sir, look at this.
*Soval walks over to the Science Station, T'las joining him.*
The particles seem to be arcing towards the aft of the ship!
Soval: Why?
Gardra: I don't know. Except...
The particles are flooding out behind the Vancouver.
Soval: Towards the Great Barrier.
Gardra: Yes sir.
T'las: Why?
Soval: Perhaps they are not mere particles.
We know less of the Great Barrier than we do anything else in our Galaxy, but it is reasonable to theorise that in the infinite possibilities of the Universe, there could exist a form of self-aware life so small and so alien that they seem like energy particles to us.
Gardra: Sherlock Holmes.
Soval: Precisely, Commander. When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Transporter Room 1, lock onto the particles within the Vancouver and beam them into open space as far behind them as possible.
Transporter Chief *Over comm*: Aye sir.
Energising.
Soval: If I am correct, power should now begin restoring itself throughout the Vancouver.
Ops?
Ores: Power is not regenerating on the Vancouver, sir. But, it's not draining either.
T'las: Let's give the system a little push.
Soval: By all means.
*T'las walks down the ramp between the Ops and Helm stations and the Command Area and over to Ores.*
T'las: Reconfigure the Main Deflector to channel a power transfer beam to the Vancouver.
Ores: Aye sir.
Beam ready.
Soval: Energise.
*The Bunker Hill's Main Deflector fires a power transfer beam over to the Vancouver, and power soon begins to return throughout the ship.*
Soval to Captain Thryiss, do you read me?
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
[U.S.S. Vancouver, Main Engineering]
Thryiss: I read you loud an clear, Mr. Soval. Thank you for the boost, I certainly owe you a drink. Our sensors are indicating that our "particles" are heading back to the Galactic Centre, which is probably where they should stay from now on. If you happen to be on your way back to Earth Space Dock, I'd like to ask that you do me one more favour and bring my crew home while we stay behind and complete repairs.
Ops Officer (over comm): Captain! Lieutenant Shrod is unconscious. Out tricorders aren't coming up with anything, but we believe it may have something to do with the Great Barrier Particles.
Thryiss: Understood. (To Soval) Admiral, it seems one of my officers may be affected by the particles. If you'd do me one more favour, I'll ask that you please take him into your sickbay. I'll send Ensign Wil to accompany him.
Wil: Sir?
Thryiss: Be prepared for anything, Ensign.
Wil: Aye, Captain. *Wil leaves to go join the Ops team.*
Thryiss (to Soval): I know it's a lot to ask, but we need some time to lick our wounds.
Stanton: Captain, I'm getting some... strange readings from the U.S.S. Black Phantom.
Thryiss: Let it go, Ensign. Something about that ship makes me think we shouldn't snoop around too much.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Soval: Of course, Captain. We can receive them immediately. Vice Admiral Soval out.
*Soval walks over to Ores.*
Lieutenant, the Sao Paulo Class is not capable of prolonged Slipstream, correct?
Ores: Confirmed.
Soval: Was there any sign that the Black Phantom overclocked its Slipstream Drive?
Ores: Negative.
Soval: Then how did they arrive a few minutes behind us, instead of 1 and a half hours?
*Ores looks down at his console, puzzled, before looking back up.*
Ores: I don't know.
Soval: An interesting mystery. But, one for another time.
Ores: Admiral, the crewman from the Vancouver have beamed aboard. Their injured officer is in Sickbay. He's being treated now.
Soval: Very well. Ask Ensign Wil to report to the Bridge.
Ores: Aye sir.
T'las: Admiral, I just received an emergency broadcast from Starfleet Command, Starbase 01. Priority 1.
*Soval turns back, walking a few meters towards T'las.*
Ores: Priority 1 is a disaster call!
Soval: What does it say?
T'las: "All ships, do not approach the Terran System."
The orders have been signed by Fleet Admirals Quinn and Yanishev.
Soval: Why didn't Starfleet Headquarters issue the alert?
Gardra: If they could, they would have.
Soval: Indeed.
Helm, set course for Starbase 24. Slipstream speed.
Helm: Aye sir.
Soval: I shall be in my Ready Room. Send Ensign Wil over when he arrives.
Ores: Aye sir.
*Soval walks out into the Access corridor before turning into his Ready Room. T'las rises from her seat.*
T'las: Commander Sylix, report to the Main Bridge.
Commander Gargra, Commander Sylix will relieve you of Bridge duty upon arrival.
Gardra: Understood.
T'las: You have the bridge.
*T'las leaves and taps the doorchime to the Ready Room.*
Soval *Over comm*: Come.
*The doors slide open and T'las walks in, the doors closing behind her. Soval is seated at his desk, looking at his screen intently.*
Soval: Commander. Take a seat.
*T'las sits opposite Soval, who turns his attention to her.*
T'las: What are you looking at?
Soval: Officer reports on the Cadets' performances.
T'las: Performance reports? Earth is in mortal danger, possibly facing imminent destruction, and that's the first thing you check?
Soval: Your confusion is positively Human, Commander.
T'las: I'm half-human!
Soval: It was not meant as an insult.
Truth be told, I would appreciate your insight on the matter.
T'las: Earth is in danger.
Soval: Yes, but we have been ordered to maintain our distance.
T'las: That didn't stop you during the incident with Commander Tomarek.
Soval: That was different.
T'las: We were ordered to stay away from Virinat. How is it different?
Soval: We do not know the situation within the Terran System. Risking the ship and crew on a rescue mission when we do not know what we are rescuing them from would be reckless and illogical.
T'las: Dammit Sova--!
Permission to speak freely?
Soval: Granted.
T'las: Dammit Soval! We are talking about 8 billion lives!
Soval: Two hours ago, you would have had me sacrifice 2000 to save 750.
T'las: We did not know if the Vancouver could be saved!
Soval: Nor do we know if Earth can be saved.
T'las: I never said we shouldn't have tried!
Soval: T'las, the decision is mine.
T'las: You asked for my input!
Soval: And you have given it.
T'las: This is exactly why I stayed away from Vulcan for 20 years!
Soval: T'las--
Ores *Over comm*: Bridge to Admiral Soval.
Soval: *Sighs* Go ahead.
Ores *Over comm*: Ensign Wil is outside waiting for you.
Soval: Send him in.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Omet'etan: Captain, a Priority 1 message has come in from Starfleet Command ordering us to stay away from the Terran system.
Voporak: Do we know what's wrong there?
Omet'etan: No.
Voporak: We should get a scan of the area. Perhaps we can do something about it.
Omet'etan: Long range sensors should be able to give us a preliminary report of what the situation is without entering the system.
Voporak: Set a course for Sector 001. Maximum warp.
*The ship jumps to warp 9.9994*
I'll be in my ready room. If Soval calls, direct him to me. *he stops before entering the room* You know, if Soval were here he'd probably tell me I'm being rash and illogical.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Methinks you meant to post in the "The person above me..." thread.
******mit! :rolleyes:
This never happened! *Uses MIB neuraliser.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
[U.S.S. Vancouver, Deck 19 Corridor, Moments Earlier]
*When Wil met up with the Ops team, he immediately noticed Lieutenant Shrod lying motionless on the ground.*
Wil: Is he okay?
Ops Officer: He has a dangerously low heartbeat, and even lower brain functions.
*Wil had once heard that Andorians' antennae will twitch in their sleep, but Shrod displayed no signs of being alive apart from tricorder readings.*
Wil: Don't worry, Admiral Soval agreed to treat him in the Bunker Hill's sickbay.
*Wil crouched beside Shrod*
Wil: Ensign Wil to the U.S.S. Bunker Hill. Two to beam aboard.
*The Ops officers and the corridor around them vanished in a flash of light, and in their place appeared a set of beds and several doctors and nurses. Having gotten used to the darkened rooms and hallways of the powerless Vancouver, Wil squinted at the bright lights overhead. Straightaway, three medical staff picked up the Lieutenant and placed him on a bed for examining. Seconds later, a voice sounded through the comm.*
Comm: Ensign Wil, please report to the bridge.
The Bridge? What could they need from me?
*As Wil headed towards the turbo, he couldn't help but notice the streamlined design of the Aventine class Vessel... He liked it.
Upon arriving on the bridge, a Ferengi operations officer pointed the way to the Captain's ready room, which came to Wil as a surprise, albeit an exciting one; He's never been invited into a captain's ready room before.*
What do I say?
*The doors opened.*
Wil: Ensign Wil, reporting for duty, sir!
I suppose I could've started with 'hello'...
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Soval: Welcome aboard, Ensign.
*Soval and T'las look at him as he stands at attention.*
T'las *jokingly*: At ease Ensign, before you strain something.
*OOC: Now, given T'las' outward appearance is Vulcan, this oughta confuse the good Ensign.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
*Wil, slightly embarrassed at his formal choice of introduction, relaxes his shoulders, albeit uneasily, as he could swear he just heard a Vulcan make a joke. He didn't know whether to feel welcome or slightly terrified. Realizing that he was now blatantly staring at the Vulcan woman, Wil quickly directs his attention to the Admiral.*
Wil: You wanted to see me, Admiral?
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
Soval: I wanted to inform you that we'd be taking your crew back to Earth, but now that seems impossible.
T'las: The Terran System has been sealed off by Starfleet Command. Priority 1 emergency. We don't have any specifics.
Soval: However, we are en route to Starbase 24. Your crew will be safe there.
In the meantime, I'd like you to serve as our liaison to your people.
T'las: Ensign, let me apologise, since I blatantly took you by surprise.
Soval: Commander T'las' father is human. T'las spent most of her life on Earth.
T'las: NYC, born and raised.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Wil: No worries, Commander. But thank you for clarifying. I was... perplexed for a moment. And Admiral, I'd be glad to be your liaison. I imagine they must be quite confused right about now and would like some answers. However, they will probably want to know why we can't return to Earth. Should I tell them about the Priority 1 emergency? It might not go over very well, considering the crew's eagerness to go back home.
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain:
keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."
- Kathryn Janeway
*Cutting through the seemingly endless ocean of stars, the smooth frame of the Federation starship Excalibur glided through space as it forged ahead towards Starbase 24. As the ship made its way for the Federation outpost, the captain of the vessel scratched his light beard with a gloved hand as he read the latest report on the systems refit that his ship had received at Space Dock however after staring at duty officer reports, maintenance reports and every kind of report that one can imagine, he his head felt as if it was about to explode and tossed the PADD onto the pile on his desk with a heavy sigh as he walked tiredly over to the replicator.*
Kyle: Vulcan Mocha, hot.
*There was a low hum as the replicator produced a mug of the Vulcan coffee and with a smile of both appreciation and relief, the captain picked the cup up with both hands and inhaled the intoxicating aroma from the caffeinated beverage. Before he could take his seat behind his desk he heard the door chime to his Ready Room sound and instead decided to take a seat on the edge of the desk*
Kyle: Enter! Let me guess commander, another report on one of the new systems that has been installed?
Jasmine: Yes sir. This time it's about deploying the Aquarius and Saucer Section at the same time.
*She walked over to his desk and set the PADD in front of her commanding officer, while he sipped his coffee. Taking one last sip of the Vulcan Mocha, Kyle Locke glanced at the report and then back at his commander and former Academy sweetheart.*
Kyle: Although I appreciate on being kept up to speed, I already had a feeling that we were going to have a problem being able to deploy both the saucer section and the Aquarius. For the sake of maintaining crew efficiency and in order to better keep up with in-battle repairs, we shouldn't deploy both at the same time.
*Jasmine sighed as the captain walked back over to the replicator with the empty cup*
Jasmine: You always manage to surprise me,
Kyle: I didn't get to my position with just my looks, although they probably helped.
Jasmine: Have we received any new orders sir?
*She said, laughing inwardly at his comment.*
Kyle: No, nothing yet. With the state the Alpha and Beta Quadrant is in we'll either be called to New Romulus, to the Klingon border or have to deal with the Borg.
Jasmine: I see, well at least helping the Romulans doesn't sound so bad.
Kyle: Here I thought you liked a good fight. It doesn't sound like you to turn away from a good battle.
Jasmine: Hey! Watch it mister, you have me sounding like a battle starved Klingon and you know what I mean. Starfleet was created to explore space and help expand our horizons, not to turn our weapons on our neighbours.
Kyle: True, but we cannot ignore very real threats to the Federation. If we ignore them even for a second, we risk losing everything.
Jasmine: If we continue doing nothing but fighting we will...
*Kyle's combadge chirruped and he tapped it in response.*
Kyle: Go ahead.
Konovuh: Sir! We're on final approach or Starbase 24, ETA is one hour.
*The resident Klingon and tactical officer of the Excalibur, updated the captain.*
Kyle: Very good, I'll be out shortly.
Konovuh: Aye sir.
Vranlek: It's a temporal disturbance, sir.
Voporak: One that I didn't cause?
Vranlek: No, it wasn't from your doing this time. Long range sensors show a severe Manheim Effect occurring throughout the Terran system. There is a temporal research station there.
Voporak: Will the temporal shields protect us from the effect?
Vranlek: While we've never encountered the effect ourselves, I can draw conclusions based on the Dresden incident.
Voporak: Which one?
Vranlek: The one with the Thresher.
Voporak: Ah yes, the first time we met the Dresden. Continue.
Vranlek: When the Thresher dropped into that time period, it created the Manheim Effect around its position temporarily. The Dresden raised its temporal shielding and stopped being affected by the effect.
Voporak: So theoretically we should be fine?
Vranlek: Yes.
Voporak: Looks like we're going to Earth then. However, we first need to drop off the Vancouver's crew and children at Starbase 24.
*They exit the lab and head for the bridge*
Voporak (as they step out of the turbolift): Set course for Starbase 24, warp 9.99. Engage.
*The ship warps out*
*The U.S.S. Bunker Hill is now departing Starbase 24 after dropping off the Vancouver's crew, save for a few volunteers, and Ensign Wil in order to help them adjust to duty aboard the Bunker Hill.
Soval is sitting in his quarters, drinking a mug of Vulcan Spice Tea, when he hears the door chime sound.*
Soval: Come in, Commander.
*T'las walks in.*
T'las: How did you...?
Soval: You always stop by at this hour to enquire as to whether I am "alright".
T'las: So I assume I don't have to bother asking?
Soval: I am quite fine, Commander.
T'las: Have we heard anything new from Earth?
Soval: No. Jupiter Station is trying to keep everyone apprised, but now their transmissions are becoming less reliable.
We do, however, now know the situation. The system is suffering from the Manheim Effect. It is originating from the Manheim Station in orbit.
T'las: Lassiter.
Soval: My conclusion as well. He was not pleased with the Federation Science Council shutting down his experiments in the Donatu Sector. Perhaps he attempted to continue his work at Earth.
T'las: So what are we going to do?
*Soval places his tea down, looking up to stare at T'las.*
Soval: Commander, the entire crew is aware that we have been ordered to stay away from the Terran System by not only Starfleet Command, but Starfleet Headquarters itself?
T'las: They'll follow your orders, if that's what you're asking.
Personally, I think you're making a mistake.
Soval: T'las, your concern for your father is admirable, but we must be ready to accept that Earth may not be saved.
T'las: This has nothing to do with my father. There are 8 billion people on Earth, scared and helpless.
Soval: And if we attempt to mount a rescue, we too may become ensnared in the trap.
T'las: Maybe. Maybe not. We're Starfleet. Risk is our business.
Soval: James Tiberius Kirk. I know the speech.
T'las: Then I'll try something that you should be all too aware of. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Soval: If we succeed, there is a chance we will be court-marshalled.
*Soval looks down, deep in thought, before rising from his chair, picking up the tea, walking over to a replicator, depositing the tea inside, and walking to the door past T'las.*
Come.
*T'las looks at Soval curiously as he walks by, before following.
They soon walk onto the Bridge, with T'las standing a few meters from the door. Soval walks towards the Command Area before looking to Ores at Ops.*
Lieutenant Ores, if we were to generate a warp field at 50% integrity, could we use it to form a temporal shield?
Ores: It wouldn't hold long.
Soval: Do it.
Helm, set course for Sector 001, maximum warp.
Helm: Sir?
Soval: If you have a hearing difficulty, ensign, perhaps you need to go to Sickbay?
Helm: No sir.
Soval: May I have your attention?
*The whole Bridge crew turns to Soval, with T'las smiling as she walks beside him.*
I am about to commit a direct violation of our standing orders. If anyone wishes to object, do so now. It will not be logged.
*A few moments pass, and Ores turns from his station.*
Ores: Sir?
Soval: Yes lieutenant?
Ores: I think I speak for everyone when I say; to hell with our orders.
Soval: Very good.
Helm, engage.
*Soval sits in the Command Chair and T'las sits down in her seat next to him. The two look at eachother.*
T'las *quietly to Soval*: Just when I think I have you figured...
Soval *quietly to T'las*: Perhaps when we have completed our mission, you could show me New York? It has been some time since I have been on Earth.
T'las *quietly to Soval*: So long as you keep what happened a couple of years ago strictly between us?
Soval *quietly to T'las*: Always, Commander.
Helm: ETA, 15 hours.
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Mirra: Everyone's off, captain.
Voporak: Good. Helm, match the Bunker Hill's heading. Push whatever you need out of the warp engines to catch up to them and match their speed.
Helm: Aye sir.
*The ship warps away from Starbase 24. A few minutes later*
Voporak: Omet'etan, engage the cloaking device.
*The ship slips off of sensors. Voporak taps his combadge*
Jirod, what would we need to do to get the temporal shield up and still maintain the cloak?
Jirod: The cloak drains a lot of power, sir. We'd probably have to reroute all power from weapons, transporters, and any non-essential systems.
Voporak: Do what you have to. Bridge out.
*The door to the bridge hissed open as the brunette male captain and female commander exited from the captain's ready room and onto the main bridge. As they walked to their seat's, Jasmine couldn't help but feel that there was some tension between them however it she knew that it was only in her mind and the fact that what Kyle had said, had more to do with the recent loss of his grandparents than the possibility of losing the Federation. If both of them hadn't decided to put aside their relationship to focus on their careers in Starfleet, she would have done something, anything to console him.*
Kyle: Report!
Sai.: We have arrived at our destination sir. I am moving the ship into standard orbit of Starbase 24.
Kyle: Excellent work Sai.
Konovuh: We're being hailed by the station commander, I'll put it up on screen.
*There was a beep and brief pause before the station commander's face appeared on the main view screen*
Station Commander: Welcome to Starbase 24 Vice...I mean Captain Locke. We've already been contacted by Deep Space 9 about the enhancements that your ship received at the Antares Ship Yards. We've already taken the liberty of setting up a test targets for the escort and the saucer section.
Kyle: Thank you commander and if it isn't any trouble, I would appreciate it if your engineers could take a look at our communications system. We've been unable to contact Starfleet Command for sometime now and I'd like to get a second opinion, just to make sure we haven't overlooked something.
Station Commander: Captain...Haven't you heard? Starfleet Command has quarantined the Sol System. All Federation and allied starships are to avoid entering the system due to a temporal anomaly surrounding Earth.
Kyle: I see...thank you commander for the update.
*After the channel between Starbase 24 and Excalibur had closed, Kyle turned to his commander and tugged at the edges of his Jupiter Veteran style uniform and faced a shaken crew. Even as he maintained a stalwart composure, he too felt concerned for the people back on Earth and desperately wanted to do something for them but he had to be like an island in a storm and set an example.*
Kyle: What do you think people? Should we postpone our little trial or should we ignore what could be a possible threat to Earth?
Jasmine: Are you joking sir? We should do something about this.
Sai: However Starfleet has issued a Code 7-10 warning to all allied vessels, planets and starbases of the current situation on Earth. If we were to violate that order we would surely face a court martial.
Konovuh: We are one of the best equipped vessels in Starfleet, surely there is something that we can do. We cannot just simply stand by and ignore what is happening.
Three of Five: While I may not have any particular attachment to Earth itself, that even at the risk of a court martial we cannot just carry on as if nothing is wrong.
Kyle: Does everyone else feel the same?
*He looked at his Holographic Security Officer that everyone had come to call 'Mac', then to his Borg science officer One of Five, to the Chief Engineer Jamel Jame Gessford, and lastly his Senior Medical Officer T'Lusa and they all nodded. With almost every one of his bridge officers in complete agreement with the female Liberated Borg Operations officer, Kyle smirked and walked over to his chair and opened a channel to make a ship wide announcement.*
Kyle: As of recently, the senior bridge crew and I have been informed that Starfleet Command has issued a Code 7-10 on the Sol System, essentially quarantining the entire system and according to the code of conduct I am obligated to follow these orders to the letter. However I cannot in good conscious standby and allow a potential threat endanger the very heart of the Federation and the lives of its citizens when we can do something about it. I hereby issue the following statement to the crew; that I am about to commit a direct violation of our orders from Starfleet Command, all objections and protests will be noted in my log.
Sai.: I believe that everyone is in agreement with your sentiments, Captain.
Kyle: With that out of the way...Mister Sai set a course for the Sol System, maximum warp.
Sai: Course has been set sir. We should arrive in the Sol System in approximately fifteen hours, six minutes and...
Kyle: Engage!
*The brunette male exclaimed to interrupt the Android and pointed forward in dramatic fashion. As if complying to his order the Odyssey-class Star Cruiser's nacelles glowed brightly before the Excalibur warped out of the system and left the starbase behind it.*
U.S.S. Victorious. Ryan is standing on the Bridge, looking out.*
Ryan: How long will that Warp Field hold?
Wenj: Not long enough.
The Manheim Effect is extending beyond Sector 001 now, sir. It's about 6 hours from Vulcan. They'll beginning feeling the effects soon.
Ryan: Alpha, time projections.
Alpha: If the Effect continues to spread at its current rate, in 2 days it shall have reached the Sierra Sector. In exactly 1 month, 5 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes, there will not be a single Federation world unaffected by it. In 1 year 6 months--
Ryan: Alpha!
Alpha: Yes sir.
*Ryan sighs, falling back in his chair, wiping his face with both hands.*
Ryan: Is there anything we can do to stop it?
Tala: A quantum torpedo ought to do it.
Wenj: Commander, forgetting for the moment that the Manheim Station is of huge scientific importance, the second the torpedo left our Warp Bubble, it would be caught in the Manheim Effect. Unless we want to wait an aeon, that plan would be highly ineffective.
Alpha: 3.4 aeons to be precise sir.
Wenj: Thank you, Lieutenant.
Tala: Well, what would you suggest?
Wenj: All we need is to knock out the lab's power supply and everything should fix itself.
Ryan: But we can't move. It's taking all our power to keep the effect outside the warp bubble as it is!
Alpha: However, an Aventine-Class Vessel, coming in at Slipstream speed, should be able to maintain velocity long enough to bring part of the station within her warp field.
Ryan: What are you...?
Alpha: The Starship Bunker Hill just appeared on sensors sir, entering the system.
Ryan: Soval, what are you doing?
Hail him.
Alpha: Channel open.
Ryan: U.S.S. Victorious to U.S.S. Bunker Hill, please respond.
Soval *Over comm*: Bunker Hill responding.
Ryan: Soval what the hell do you think you are doing?!
...sir.
Soval *Over comm*: I am endeavouring - as you humans say - to "save your asses".
Ryan: Despite the fact that you realise you'll be facing a court-martial when this is over?
Soval *Over comm*: The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.
Ryan: Alpha, send Vice Admiral Soval all the requirements for your plan.
Soval *Over comm*: Unnecessary, Captain. We already have a plan in motion.
*10 minutes later. The Bunker Hill drops out of warp a few meters from the station, her ad-hoc temporal shield holding for now. The vessel projects a tight-angled electro-magnetic pulse into the station, subsequently shunting all power to expand the temporal shield around the station reactor, allowing the emp to spread to it and shut down power. After an hour, the science lab loses power. A few minutes later, the Manheim Effect begins to dissipate around the station.
It will be several hours before the Effect subsides completely, but the Effect has stopped spreading.*
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood