Entry#5: Heartbeat

 

Entry#5.1

Space Elevator Orbital Anchor, System TF-2011, Celes Sector

 

     Charlemagne had not been idle while alone in orbit of Vestige. After the energy surge, the exocomp was unable to reactivate the shuttle, the Mischance. The shuttle had suffered physical damage from the rogue elevator anchor. Loose cables and debris had left several scars on the shuttle, one of the scars had cut across several primary EPS conduits. Further damage was done to the interior by a large, loose piece of debris that smashed the consoles as the Mischance spun out of control. Charlemagne had been unable to identify that piece before it abandoned the craft.

With the shuttle out of commission, Charlemagne went for the next best thing which was the orbital anchor of the space elevator. Upon reaching the anchor, Charlemagne activated several subsystems -including artificial gravity and life-support- and then proceeded to jury-rig a propulsion system. It was in the middle of calculating the necessary components required when Delia and Zoe had arrived.
 
Delia's first priority upon entering the anchor was to find a food replicator. She was delighted to discover that a replicator had been installed as part of the anchor and that - after redirecting an EPS conduit or two from nonessential systems - the replicator was still functional. Unlike the shuttle, everything was locked down in the elevator when the energy wave hit. 

Since life-support had been activated Delia had removed her helmet and proceed to test the replicator in the best ways she knew how, by ordering Hasperat. The device worked like a charm.
"Thank the Prophets!", and Delia began to devour the meal. The sudden exclamation attracted the attention of Zoe despite the sounds of a whirring hyperspanner.

"Do you believe in the Prophets Delia?"
"Well, yes, I suppose so." Delia said as she took another bite of Hasperat.
"But you do not wear the customary jewelery."
"Yeah, um..." Delia touched her ear while finishing a mouthful, "I never found the time to get one."
"I think I understand. Why do you desire a belief in the Prophets? Most humans see them only as wormhole aliens."
Delia finished the hasperat before responding.

"It's a long story" and she looked out one of the platform's portholes, seemingly lost in memory. Zoe patiently waited. For a moment or two her thoughts wandered away from the subject of Bajoran religion.

"Delia?" Zoe's question snapped Delia back to the present reality.

"I'm still here Zoe. Sorry."
"No apology necessary."

Another brief moment while the Lieutenant collected her thoughts,
"I should've tried harder to fight this assignment, Zoe."
"What do you mean?"
Zoe could tell that the subject of the conversation had changed.
"I should've fought this assignment. Demanded a position of my own choosing and stood my ground. To prove I had a strong backbone, but instead I had to give in to...."
"Reason?"
"Yeah, sure. That."
Delia crossed her arms and leaned her back against the nearest bulkhead. She continued,
"I mean, the Commander would have been insistent, right?"
"Possibly, but it is difficult to know for sure what the outcomes are of roads not taken."
"That's not the point!"

The whirring sound of the hyperspanner had ceased. Charlemagne, who had been engaged with re-configuring secondary EPS conduits, had taken a sudden interest in the discussion between Delia and Zoe.

"I do not understand, Delia."
"I served on the Enterprise, Zoe. I was qualified to serve on any other vessel in the fleet! Instead I had an order to join a mining expedition and I accepted it. What kind of Starfleet officer can't stand her ground?"
Zoe considered those words for a moment.
"Delia, Starfleet would not have given you this assignment if they didn't believe you were needed here."
"You're missing the point again. I wanted to travel among the stars, to find new...  possibilites there. I'd rather not spend my Starfleet career digging things out of the dirt." And with that Delia briefly returned to her own thoughts. She broke the ensuing moments of silence,
"But we can't dig for anything now can we?"
"Affirmative. Our objectives are no longer certain."
"Then, as commander of Oscar 19, I will make new objectives."

Entry#5.2

Surface of Vestige, FN-2011-04, Celes Sector

 

         Night was upon the hapless ground crew. The scenery was illuminated by the dull gray/blue light of Vestige's moon and by the glowing multi-colored flora. Syn, Blathma, and Tax continued their long trek up that colorful mountainside amid the sounds of a night life that was alien to them. It was marvelous, if certainly perilous. Fear of the unknown, an innate instinct for many was not entirely present in our adventuring troop of Starfleet Officers. Syn's curiosity, dulled by his present hunger, was growing as he took in the sight about him. Tax merely analyzed the surroundings trying to gather as much data as possible. Blathma could care less about strange new worlds; this one had proven to be a massive inconvenience so far.

At least the suits made usable sleeping mats. Unfortunately they did nothing for the Syn and Blathma's food situation. They were getting close to the base camp, but the temptation to try something local flora was growing. Tax had scanned some plants and found that most would probably be harmless, but the organics of the party were not quite ready to take the risk just yet. As bad as the food situation appeared to be, Syn and Blathma were both even more bothered by the same thing: Vestige is no longer suitable for mining. 

The Material Prospecting Division's charter forbade any mining on a world that is home to native life forms, a rule that was informed by the Prime Directive. Starfleet Command will probably reassign Oscar 19. Unfortunately, this could mean that the materials some colonies had planned on getting from Vestige would never arrive.

Where was Lieutenant Delia? Syn thought suddenly, Surely she should be in system by now. Hopefully she would have some idea on how to salvage this very strange situation. He had tried to make contact with anybody with his combadge, but only heard static every time.
"Blathma, did you get anything on comms? The Lieutenant should be here by now" said Syn.
"Not a peep. We won't get anything with this interference field around, and I don't think its going away any time soon."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Not this time." Blathma tapped his combadge and didn't speak. He let the sound of static go on for several moment before turning off the device and saying, "The pattern is getting more defined."
Syn blinked in confusion.
"What pattern?"
Blathma blinked in confusion.
"The pattern in the interference. Can't you hear it?"
"No."
"But there is! listen closely."
Syn listened intently, but could not hear what Blathma what talking about. Maybe his colleague was starving too.
Syn shook his head "Nope, I still don't hear anything."

Blathma didn't know if Syn was being genuine, or if he was trying to be intentionally obtuse. Either outcome was annoying. Blathma resisted the temptation to start an argument however much he enjoyed verbal sparring.
"Maybe once we've regained access to our equipment I will have a better way to show you. Maybe."
"I don't know. What about you Tax? Have you noticed a pattern in the interference?"
"-.-- . ... --..-- / ... --- ..- -. -.. ... / .-.. .. -.- . / .- / .... . .- .-. - -... . .- - .-.-.-"
"Sounds like a heartbeat?"
"Sounds like a heartbeat?"
Syn and Blathma had asked the question in unison.

Entry#5.3
Odin Base, Unknown

 

    Sond and Jeff entered Adrar's office both wearing worried faces.
"Sir, our analysis has revealed something troubling."
"What is it?"
"We thought the interference field was a by-product of the energy surge from the Enkindle device and that it would dissipate over time. It hasn't."
"Do you know why?"
"We're trying to figure that out. What we do know is that the field is growing stronger."
"How interesting. I trust you will have more answers when I return. You may return to your duties."
With that, Adrar left the operations center. Sond and Jeff quickly returned to their stations to continue their analysis. They didn't know where or how to start answering the questions they knew would be coming later.

Later, Adrar returned to the operations center. He approached Neva first- to the relief of Sond and Jeff -and asked his first question of the day,"Do we know where Vinu is yet?"
Neva winced ever so imperceptibly, but it had not gone unnoticed.
"Not yet sir. But, we still believe he is heading for the Vestige system. Considering the drive limitations of the craft he took it will be some time before he gets there."
"How long?"
"Three, maybe four hours. Hugin is already in position. All we have to do is wait for Vinu. However..."
"Strider will be in system before then."
"Yes sir."
Neva was always a little concerned of Adrar's strategic awareness. She was beginning to wonder how much he really knew.

Adrar paused for a moment to consider the present situation. He then thought aloud,
"We still haven't apprehended Vinu. Starfleet has noticed our experiment on Vestige and has already sent a ship to investigate. Finally, we have just discovered that our experiment may have unforeseen complications that only Vinu can answer." He glared at Sond and Jeff, and both tried to pretend to not to notice. He turned his attention back to Neva before continuing, "Is all that correct?"
"Haven't missed a thing sir."

- END OF ENTRY -