Entry#9.1
Unknown
White was everywhere. Though there was thin band of color on what looks like the horizon. Six figures stood at various inclinations and altitudes to each other. A Human, Andorian, Tellarite, and three Exocomps. All of them were confused.
"Who's there?"
"What?"
"I said, who's there?"
"Who are you?"
"You first."
"Why should I go first?"
"Syn, just answer her question."
"I am Syn, Ensign Syn. Now I think you owe an answer in return."
"Syn? Then you must be Blathma?"
"Yep."
"Good guess, but we still don't know who you are."
"Uh, I'm Lieutenant Delia. Delia Ferraro."
"Oh! You're the new team leader!"
"I guess I am, or was. Or still am. Where are we?"
"I don't know."
"Blathma?"
"What makes you think that I would know?"
"Hey is that a wave?"
"Yes."
"What else could it be."
"This place isn't real is it?"
"Or maybe it is!"
"What?"
"I was trying to be profound."
"Please don't."
"Hey, Tax is here."
"... ..- .--."
"And me. You do remember Charlemagne?"
"Charles couldn't speak."
"I can now."
"I can also speak."
"Hey Zoe."
"Zoe?" "Zoe?" "--.. --- . ..--.."
"My exocomp."
"Ah." "Ah." ".- ...."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"S"
"Pleasure to meet the four of you."
".--. .-.. . .- ... ..- .-. . / - --- / -- . . - / - .... . / - .-- --- / --- ..-. / -.-- --- ..-"
"Morse code?"
"-. --- --..-- / .-.. .- - .. -."
"I see."
"Hey, shouldn't we try running away from that wave or something? It's getting closer and louder."
"Nah."
"It's too fast for us to run away from."
"Yeah, look I'm trying to run but I'm getting nowhere."
"So I see."
"Like moon-walking?"
"Like a bad dream."
"Like moving backwards while moon-walking."
"Oh."
"Mhmm."
"I don't even know what 'moon-walking' is."
"Do you suppose we'll remember any of this?"
"Probably not."
"Nice music though."
"And butterflies."
"Wait, who's talking right now? I lost track."
"... --- / .... .- ... / - .... . / .-. . .- -.. . .-. .-.-.-"
They were all engulfed by a rather colorful wave, for they could not remain and must return to their own realities.
Entry#9.2
Starfleet Intelligence, Earth, Sol System
"Good morning sunshine."
Lieutenant Emilia Lionell, a friend from Nahuel's academy days, greeted Nahuel as he entered the conference room and slumped into the nearest chair he could find. He generally preferred to have for that four hours of sleep, but this week was one of those weeks.
Nahuel tried to rub the remaining sleep from his eyes before speaking.
"What happened?"
"Strider arrived at the Vestige System seven hours ago. At around the same time, our Celes Deep Space Array detected a massive subspace disturbance emanating from Planet Vestige. This new event displayed similar characteristics to the first energy wave. Strider has not reported in since this occurrence."
That was a hell of a coincidence.
"A second detonation?"
"Yes."
"And Strider may have been affected by it?"
"That's the running theory right now."
Nahuel knew what that meant. FN-2011 would have to be a quarantined system until further research could determine the exact nature of the threat. Threat, huh, seems to be a lot of those these days, Nahuel pondered to himself mentally.
"Is the quarantine order in the works." Nahuel finally asked.
"We've sent a draft to Admiral Quinn's office. We should get a response back sometime today. I've made sure to attach as many 'urgent' labels as regulations allow, and then some."
The two intelligence agents chuckled as she finished that thought. An old inside joke.
"In all seriousness," Emilia continued, "I've sent word to the Lt. Commander. She said she could spare a few minutes for our little problem."
"I suppose we need all the help we can get."
A moment of silence as the two officers waited. They half-expected some new and strange update concerning Vestige. Nothing seemed to be happening for the moment, and the silence was beginning to assume an air of awkwardness. It seems that awkwardness never misses an invitation especially when conversation fails to start or to keep going. Emilia, though was about to try to show awkwardness the door.
"So... how's Ozzy?" said Emilia.
"Well... since you asked, he got into the food again." Lieutenant Nahuel replied.
Emilia quirked an eyebrow.
"How many this time?"
"Twenty-four."
"That's... actually not too bad. Though you really shouldn't have food out in the open around tribbles."
Nahuel's response to that entirely correct observation was cut-off before he could deliver it. Lt. Commander Kyla VanZyl had arrived. Nahuel stood at attention as fast as he could.
"At ease both of you. Lieutenant Nahuel, I got your report from Emilia. Did anything happen while I was on my way over here?"
"Nothing to report, sir."
"So, you haven't been able to contact anyone since? Not even Strider?" Asked Kyla VanZyl.
"Unfortunately no." replied Nahuel.
"I see."
Kyla took a minute to ponder to the situation. A subspace energy wave occurred twice in the same system within a 24-hour time frame. Any Starfleet personnel sent to the system has gone silent as a result of these energy waves. Clearly, something dangerous was going on in the system and no one knows why. At least, no one in Starfleet Intelligence. Kyla could not shake off the feeling that someone or something was behind the energy waves. There was no way to be sure unless someone could scout the system. It seemed that sending a starship triggered a second event. Perhaps it was too conspicuous. If that was the case, then maybe someone inconspicuous was needed. Someone who had the additional benefit of not being a Starfleet officer in any official capacity.
"I have an idea" Kyla announced when she finished her train of thought.
Entry#9.3
S.S. Expo, Celes Sector
Amanda Atalanta had just settled into her bed when the communication terminal chirped.
"Ugh" she muttered as she crawled to the edge of the bed, flopped out of the bed, stood up, and forced her weary feet to take her over to the now obnoxious computer terminal. It was flashing a code that she recognized was from Starfleet Intelligence. What could they want at 2 in the morning? thought Atalanta as she stared at the computer monitor.
After taking a few moments to find her chair and sit in it, Atalanta composed herself as best as she could before tapping the accept button. Kyla VanZyl appeared on the monitor.
"Apologies for calling you at this hour, Atalanta, but time is of the essence. We have a developing situation on a planet called Vestige in system Tango-Foxtrot-Dash-Two-Zero-One-One. Two energy waves emanated from the planet and we do not know why. Your mission, if you accept it, is to find out what happened to Lieutenant Delia, the USS Strider, and Team Oscar 19. You are also to ascertain the situation in general on Vestige. I have sent all pertinent information to you in a secured package. You will be suitably rewarded for your efforts if you'd like. Good luck."
No rest for the weary, thought Amanda as she took a moment to mentally process the request she had just received.
No comments:
Post a Comment