Star Trek: Farraday . :Blue Ink Alchemy
8220 Approaching Regula Captain 8221 reported the helmswoman glancing over her displays with dingy brown eyes 8220 Slow to impulse Lieutenant D 8217 Sarl 8221 Captain Parkhurst ordered D 8217 Sarl 8217 s fingers moved across the console her green skin catching the weak from the indicators The USS Farraday dropped out of warp bringing the pocked surface of the Regula planetoid into sharp relief on the viewscreen 8220 Analysis Lieutenant Skarov 8221 Parkhurst said over his shoulder 8220 Planetoid is D class no surface atmosphere Initiating scans for survey now 8221 Ecaterina Skirov was normally more excited at mapping new
celestial bodies but her enthusiasm was watered by the fact that this was probably to be the Farraday 8217 s final voyage Since the passing of her sister ship the USS Kelvin and various other accidents and encounters in the two and a half decades following that fatal incident Starfleet had been reevaluating the seniority of ships dedicated solely to study and scientific missions A great debate had gone on support and forth about Starfleet 8217 s mission if they were truly a peace keeping armada or if their focus should become more militarily pro active A flashing indicator on Skirov 8217 s console brought her attention back to the job at hand 8220 Captain I 8217 m picking up localized distortions around and below the planetoid 8217 s surface Scans indicate there 8217 s some traces of a case of matter inconsistant with the planetoid 8217 s composition 8221 8220 Inconsistent 8221 Parkhurst asked turning his chair to face the science station His sideburns made his expression seem more dour than his actual mood He like Ecaterina was a scientist first and foremost However he was besides a Starfleet captain and his ship had been granted a schedule to which he had to adhere While anomolies were what brought humanity out into the void there was also protocol to consider 8220 Aye sir 8221 Ecaterina replied adjusting her glasses Her allergy to Retinax 5 had been a business during her years at Starfleet Academy but after acing her exams Parkhurst had requested her presence alongside the Farraday personally 8220 The traces seem to be minute and their patterns seem to point a course of dark matter I will continue to investigate 8221 8220 Captain 8221 came the sound of Chambers the officer at tactical 8220 comm 8217 s picking up some traffic 8221 Looking at Skirov who shrugged Parkhurst nodded 8220 Let 8217 s try it Ensign 8221 Chambers keyed the speakers The infection was mostly static and white noise Chambers manipulated his cabinet and shook his head 8220 I 8217 m trying to trickle out the background noise sir 8230 8221 8220 Let me try 8221 Skirov volunteered and later a few moments some of the language of the transmission could be heard 8220 8230 ave Genesis 8230 8230 ill me Khan 8230 8230 u have to do do 8230 8221 The sound was seasoned insistent but even 8220 Analysis Lieutenant 8221 8220 Uncertain Captain 8221 Ecaterina replied 8220 Transmission 8217 s on a Federation channel but the encoding structure isn 8217 t anything we currently use 8221 8220 8230 ne far worse tha 8230 8221 This was a different voice more excited and seemed accented differently 8220 Who are they 8221 D 8217 Sarl asked 8220 I don 8217 t know Transmission seems to be bouncing between a peak above the planetoid 8217 s other english and a cavern within the planetoid itself 8221 Skirov explained 8220 8230 ish to go on hurting 8230 8221 8220 Whoever they are I don 8217 t mean they like each other 8221 D 8217 Sarl observed An Orion female she knew the tone of sound being victimized by the accented man It was a man out for blood driven by a deep need for either judge or vengeance She 8217 d heard that look more than once and yet from a stranger it chilled her to the bone 8220 8230 ied alive 8230 Buried 8230 8221 8220 KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN 8221 The bridge crew of the Farraday was silent Eventually a black man walked up to the centre chair 8220 Sir 8221 he said to Parkhurst 8220 if there are people down there it sounds like they need help 8221 8220 I agree COB 8221 Parkhurst replied to the Chief of the Boat 8220 Lieutenant life signs 8221 8220 Unable to determine Captain 8221 Ecaterina reported 8220 The odd thing is messing with the ship 8217 s sensors I 8217 m not detecting any form of air inside however 8221 8220 Well those transmissions didn 8217 t come from nothing COB you and the First Officer are going downward there Take Skirov with you 8221 8220 Aye sir 8221 Senior Chief Stone turned aside from the chair and nodded to Ecaterina who stepped out from her console as she removed her spectacles A subaltern officer walked to the science station 8220 E 8221 Ecaterina looked towards the helm where D 8217 Sarl was watching her 8220 Be careful down there 8221 the Orion said 8220 I will D 8221 Skirov replied with a smile as Parkhurst flipped an intercom switch on his chair 8220 I 8217 m tellin 8217 you havin 8217 civvies aboard the ship 8217 s a bad idea 8221 the powerful man in the red shirt was saying as he made an adaptation to a power conduit 8220 I 8217 m not saying I disagree 8221 the man in yellow replied as he handed the former a different tool 8220 I 8217 m just saying that since this is a fairly direct route the captain probably didn 8217 t see the injury in bringing her along It is just one civilian after all 8221 8220 Look Commander 8221 the engineer grunted as he tightened the junction 8220 you 8217 re new here I wouldn 8217 t ask you t 8217 be up on the ship 8217 s history 8221 He turned aside to confront the former man 8220 I 8217 ve been here since she first sailed from Earth And in all her years Cap 8217 n Parkhurst 8217 s never taken on a passenger that wasn 8217 t some kinda ambassador or diplomat or very special egghead 8221 8220 I see that Robert 8221 the commander said patiently 8220 But it is Parkhurst 8217 s ship and he has the perogative to say who comes aboard and who stays ashore 8221 8220 As evidenced by you bein 8217 here 8221 Robert replied crossing his arms across his broad chest Unlike most Starfleet officers he wore his sleeves short at virtually all times as if he cherished to get his forearms covered in dirt or some other vital engine fluid 8220 And it 8217 s 8216 Chief Engineer Forrester 8217 sir if you don 8217 t mind me sayin 8217 Don 8217 t feel we need t 8217 get on a first name basis since this is such a little trip and all 8221 The commander sighed 8220 Fine In that case 8216 Commander Lennox 8217 will do unless you tone up to calling me Tony 8221 8220 Permission to talk freely Commander Lennox 8221 8220 Granted 8221 8220 I 8217 d rather kiss a Klingon 8221 8220 Bridge to First Officer 8221 came Parkhurst 8217 s voice over the comm Not look out from Forrester Lennox touched the speaker 8217 s control 8220 Lennox here Captain 8221 8220 Meet the COB and Lieutenant Skirov in the transporter room geared for EVA You 8217 re going down into Regula 8221 8220 Understood 8221 He flipped the comm off 8220 I 8217 ll give you deal Chief Engineer I 8217 ll stay out of your engine room you check off the bridge That way we won 8217 t take to sell now with each other I don 8217 t like that sort of arrangement but if that makes you more comfortable 8230 8221 8220 Oh don 8217 t hurt yerself on my account Commander 8221 said Forrester tossing the instrument into the nearby carrier 8220 Just stay outta my way 8221 The engineer walked outside and Lennox sighed shaking his head He touched the comm panel 8220 Lennox to M 8217 Rann 8221 8220 Yes Commander 8221 rumbled the part on the other end 8220 Suit up We 8217 re going for a pass outside 8221 8220 Delightful 8221 was the slightly accented response 8220 I shall take my best space suit 8221 8220 Bring your best phaser as well We 8217 ll be in the transporter room 8221 Lennox walked through the Farraday 8217 s corridors trying not to feel annoyed When Commander O 8217 Neill the ship 8217 s previous executive officer had been diagnosed with a chronic bone disease that required serious treatment removing him from duty it had been sheer happenstance that Lennox had been stationed on Deep Space Alpha the nearest station to the Farraday The ship 8217 s doctor hadn 8217 t been happy with leaving O 8217 Neill at the station but the rigors of space travel had just become too severe for the early man Lennox stopped by the inventory to clean out a hand phaser and space suit As he did he thought back over his previous assignments as First Officer aboard starships two tours that had completed without major incident following his stint aboard the Constitution as tactical officer Nobody aboard either other ship had been as committed to their vessel as Forrester was to the Farraday Then again he had united the ship before she 8217 d even left the space dock and had served his entire career on her rising to the place of Lieutenant Commander He 8217 d probably figured Parkhurst would take him First Officer in O 8217 Neill 8217 s absence But Parkhurst had opted for an experienced and decorated command officer instead rather than an engineer who was splendid with ship 8217 s systems and warp dynamics but had rather a few reprimands for conduct and disorderly conduct Suited up Lennox arrived in the transporter room Lieutenant Skirov and Senior Chief Stone were waiting for him After a moment the doors parted again and the newcomer had to duck slightly to enter At over two meters tall M 8217 Rann took the human sized craft 8217 s discomforts in stride One of the few Caitians active in Starfleet he had proved an enthusiasm for help and loyalty that impressed many among Starfleet who 8217 d been leery of allowing members of a race so intimately related to the Kzinti to join their ranks The war between Land and Kzin had been a long and bloody one after all and old hatred died hard Still Lennox could remember of few individuals to whom he 8217 d trust his life M 8217 Rann had come alongside the Miranda as a cadet serving a year 8220 afloat 8221 as they called it and Lennox had interpreted the young Caitian under his wing When the Miranda docked at Deep Space Alpha and Lennox ordered to remain until the system 8217 s provisional government could arrive to take over the station 8217 s administration M 8217 Rann had asked to remain with him Now the Caitian smoothed the dark fur behind one of his ears as his vibrant green eyes moved from one human to the former in the room 8220 Are we fain to depart 8221 he asked before checking his customized helmet for potential leaks 8220 We were only waiting on you Cadet 8221 Stone replied with a little smile As often as the theme of an individual this young soon becoming an Ensign and therefore able to make him orders Caitians had a big trade of traditions dealing with the honoring and even fear of elders so when the cadet spoke with the COB it was ever with deep respect 8220 Have you participated in deep space operations outside of a spacecraft before 8221 8220 Only once 8221 M 8217 Rann said 8220 And the lack of gravity was 8230 disconcerting 8221 8220 The start time I walked the hull of a starship 8221 Skirov put in 8220 I was petrified 8221 8220 So was I 8221 Lennox agreed checking his phaser 8220 At least we 8217 ll have rock under us when we arrive Set phasers to stun just in case 8221 They stepped onto the pad Once they had their helmets on and enviromental controls set Lennox nodded to the technician 8220 Energize 8221 Parkhurst sat in his ready room sipping coffee and looking over the ship manifest There was a bell at the doorway and he set the data display aside 8220 Enter 8221 A statuesque woman walked in brushing a mesh of flame red hair out of her eyes She slowly sat across the desk from Parkhurst 8220 Captain I trust I am not interrupting 8221 8220 Not at all Doctor Fairchild 8221 Parkhurst said his smile causing the ends of his sideburns to crinkle 8220 What can I do for you 8221 8220 I was hoping I could provide you something instead Captain 8221 she told him smoothing out her dress The cut of the garment indicated she was distinctly a civilian 8220 Some of the crew seem on edge after hearing the transmissions from the planetoid 8221 8220 I 8217 m a bit on edge myself doctor but I assure you it 8217 s naught to be interested about Uncertainty at the unknown is a common enough reaction 8221 8220 I understand Captain I only wanted to make sure you were aware of it 8221 8220 Doctor Fairchild 8221 Parkhurst began standing and looking down at the woman as he sipped his coffee 8220 I appreciate your insight but I remind you that you are a guest aboard my ship and this is a Starfleet vessel Every officer and crewman aboard her is inclined to confront the uncertainties of the cosmos It 8217 s why the Farraday was built and why her crew is out here 8221 8220 But the Farraday is leaving to be decomissioned when you get at Earth 8221 Fairchild pointed out 8220 That has yet to be determined 8221 Parkhurst replied 8220 She may be refitted instead Either way it won 8217 t be long until we live for sure Doctor Fairchild 8211 Sonora 8211 it may be better if you put the concerns of the bunch out of your mind and fall to your quarters 8221 Fairchild blinked her aqua eyes slowly as she re crossed her legs a motion conspicuous due to the incision in her skirt 8220 I appreciate you wanting to support me safe Captain but I 8217 m sure you know that Starfleet Academy had me on a circuit of the Federation frontier to best see the nuances of crews operating in deep space for the profit of up and coming Starfleet officers I would be a poor therapist if I didn 8217 t take vantage of this situation to see a Starfleet crew in activity in deep space I gave you my son at Deep Space Alpha that I 8217 d stay out of the way but I ask you to please let me to post on my observations 8221 Parkhurst thought it over and only as he was most to answer his door chimed again 8220 Enter 8221 Wearing the blue uniform of a skill or medical officer her white hair tied back in a simple plait the ship 8217 s doctor strode in handing Parkhurst a report The Andorian 8217 s antannae twitched slightly as she passed Sonora 8220 The latest manifest of ship injuries and illnesses Captain Parkhurst 8221 8220 Doctor Ilal we 8217 ve been over this 8221 Parkhurst said his smile unwavering 8220 You don 8217 t want to march every report to me directly The ship does have electronic means of communication after all 8221 8220 I choose it this way 8221 Ilal replied sharply 8220 I like to be sealed at all times that the ship 8217 s captain has all the data he needs to run the ship with maximum efficiency in regards to the crew And I don 8217 t need some clever crewman down in the science lab intercepting a transmission that says a competition for a romantic interest has the flu 8221 8220 Fair enough 8221 Parkhurst replied handing her the report back 8220 Everything seems to be in order Thank you Doctor 8221 The Andorian sketched him a light nod 8220 With your permission sir I shall render to aid to the policeman who seems to have contracted a Centaurian strain of pneumonia 8221 8220 By all means 8221 Ilal turned on her list and strode out Sonora visibly shivered 8220 She has the bedside manner of a medical tricorder 8221 Fairchild observed 8220 But she 8217 s one of the best doctors in the fleet 8221 the master replied 8220 Anyway Miss Fairchild I think there 8217 s no damage in allowing you to keep the crew as long as your presence doesn 8217 t distract them from doing their jobs 8221 Fairchild looked down at her clothing then cover up at Parkhurst 8220 I will try to get something more conservative to wear Captain 8221 8220 Thank you Now if you 8217 ll excuse me we have an away team down in Regula taking a search around 8221 The master and the civilian left the ready room and while Sonora returned to her quarters Parkhurst went to the bridge 8220 Status report 8221 8220 Away team has been in the planetoid for seventy five minutes 8221 D 8217 Sarl replied 8220 Communicators are active Interference is at a minimum 8221 8220 Put me through Chambers 8221 Ensign Chambers toggled a few controls then nodded 8220 Parkhurst to Away Team Status report Commander 8221 8220 Lennox here sir 8221 the First Officer said his voice filtered by the respirator of the place suit 8220 This place is a dead rock sir There 8217 s no life no technology not so often as a living microbe 8221 8220 Skirov reporting in Captain 8221 Ecaterina added 8220 Scans show that what we picked up from orbit were traces of a theoretical substance called 8216 protomatter 8217 It 8217 s a highly unstable configuration of thing that is apparently close as matter can be to anti matter without actually being anti matter The origins of it are theorized to be frozen in the creation of 8230 8221 8220 Skip the history lesson Lieutenant 8221 Parkhurst 8217 s voice ordered 8220 There 8217 s no evidence of any sort of transmitter 8221 8220 None Captain 8221 Stone replied The away team stepped through a craggy opening and their lights streamed into the empty space of a gigantic cavern playing off the stalactites and stalagmites that were its sole population 8220 Blessed Ancestors 8221 M 8217 Rann whispered 8220 The entire Farraday could be held in this chamber were the features cleared out 8221 8220 But you 8217 d have to make them out without collapsing half of the planetoid 8221 Stone commented 8220 The Corps of Engineers would know it 8221 8220 It does take a big plenty of space 8221 Skirov reported tapping commands into her tricorder 8220 There are some traces of o and other gases kept in pockets around the cavern They were probably trapped in the planetoid 8217 s creation Still there 8217 s no way any life could be sustained down here The First Officer was right 8211 this place is dead 8221 8220 Keep us posted Farraday out 8221 They walked on the stone carefully Finally they came to another opening in the wall and Lennox lead the way through Skirov 8217 s tricorder chirped 8220 Sir I 8217 m picking up what appear to be 8230 8221 Lennox looked over his shoulder 8220 Appear to be what Lieutenant 8221 8220 Traces of phaser fire sir 8221 Lennox glanced at the former two Stone and M 8217 Rann 8217 s expressions despite being from different species were almost identical Both had their phasers ready Lennox shined his light into the shadow of the side corridor formed in the rock 8220 Any signs of king from weapons or suits 8221 8220 None 8221 Ecaterina replied swallowing as she tried to keep her heart rate down 8220 The traces seem almost residual 8221 8220 Let 8217 s check it out 8221 Lennox said He lead the way into the darkness followed by Skirov and M 8217 Rann with Stone bringing up the rear They came into another open chamber much smaller than the principal one and Stone reached out to touch the walls 8220 No mark of anything Not even lichen 8221 8220 No life whatsoever 8221 M 8217 Rann agreed 8220 Anthony 8230 I do not wish this 8221 8220 What is it 8221 Lennox asked seeming to ignore the Caitian 8217 s use of his first name 8220 This is wrong I do not mean we should be here 8221 8220 I 8217 m picking up more traces of protomatter 8221 Ecaterina reported She waved her tricorder in presence of a small alcove 8220 These readings match those reported back on Earth when they thinking they 8217 d found it 8221 Before she could go on the planetoid shook All 4 of them struggled to preserve their balance 8220 Report 8221 Lennox snapped looking at Skirov 8220 I 8217 m detecting a gravitational irregularity from the main chamber It 8217 s tiny but it 8217 s working against the gravitational pull of the planetoid It has all the profiles of a singularity but it 8217 s miniscule sir 8221 8220 A dark hole 8221 asked Stone Ecaterina nodded 8220 Aye Chief but it 8217 s but a couple micrometers in diameter 8221 8220 Still plenty to cause trouble We better get out of here 8221 Lennox keyed his communicator 8220 Lennox to Farraday Four to send up 8221 8220 Analysis Lieutenant 8221 Parkhurst said 8220 The microsingularity has disappeared 8221 Ecaterina reported having doffed her space suit on the way to the bridge Lennox stood by the captain 8217 s chair Stone had taken a place by the turbolift and M 8217 Rann had returned to his duties near the shuttlebay 8220 However we 8217 re picking up more traces of protomatter seven thousand kilometers away heading three two zero mark one one four 8221 8220 On screen 8221 D 8217 Sarl brought up the heading and the viewscreen displayed the distant Mutara nebula which occasionally flickered and flashed like a multi colored thundercloud Ensign Chambers narrowed his eyes at his console 8220 Sir we 8217 re picking up more trace transmissions 8221 8220 Let 8217 s hear them 8221 Chambers keyed the speakers 8220 8230 miral Kirk We t 8230 8230 nce ur 8230 8221 8220 Did he say 8216 Kirk 8217 8221 D 8217 Sarl asked 8220 That 8217 s what it sounded like 8221 Stone agreed 8220 But the only Kirk in Starfleet is that young buck they just made captain of the Enterprise 8221 Lennox and Parkhurst exchanged a feeling as the transmission continued 8220 8230 aughing 8230 8230 uperior intellect 8221 8220 Sir 8221 Skirov said 8220 Much of the sensor data we 8217 ve been getting 8211 the protomatter the transmissions the weapons fire 8211 they look like sensor echoes They make some of the same patterns as the heat of a ship moving through warp I 8217 m trying to isolate exactly what 8217 s going on 8221 8220 Keep at it Lieutenant 8221 Parkhurst said 8220 Commander your thoughts 8221 Lennox took a deep breath 8220 Whatever 8217 s happening sir it seems clear that it 8217 s moving from Regula into that nebula However the fact that a microsingularity popped up out of nowhere in there even for a second seems potentially dangerous If this region of distance has been destabilized by something there 8217 s no telling if the Farraday can handle the stress 8221 Parkhurst looked at his First Officer for a long moment Stone frowned just a bit While he 8217 d been with Parkhurst since the beginning he knew the First Officer was right but was thankful Forrester hadn 8217 t been about to see him say that The Farraday was an old ship to be sure but she was their ship Forrester and Parkhurst in particular had a very close adherence to her Still Parkhurst nodded slowly 8220 I see your point Tony But we 8217 re explorers If this is to be the old girl 8217 s last trip we owe it to her to explore something and if it 8217 s something that 8217 s been unexplored up until now so often the better 8221 8220 I agree Captain I advise caution but I reckon we need to take a nearer look at this thing whatever it is 8221 8220 Right 8221 Parkhurst keyed the ship wide announcement system 8220 This is Captain Parkhurst We 8217 ve detected irregularities in the uncharted Mutara nebula It 8217 s outside our flight profile Starfleet has ordered us support to space dock for refit or possible decommission Before they put the old girl out to pasture though we 8217 re going on one final adventure 8221 He paused 8220 I love you 8217 re eager to see home and friends back on Earth I 8217 m sorry for the potential delay But this is what Starfleet is all about and I 8217 m proud to give each and every one of you as a member of my crew Stand by duty stations That is all 8221 He toggled a switch 8220 Engineering 8221 8220 Forrester here Cap 8217 n 8221 8220 Robert keep the warp engine warm We might want to make a quick departure from Mutara 8221 8220 She 8217 ll be standin 8217 by sir 8221 8220 Lieutenant D 8217 Sarl plot an escape course towards Earth and log it for emergency warp 8221 8220 Aye Captain 8221 the Hunter replied focusing on the task before looking over her shoulder and smile at her friend Ecaterina The science officer looked up over the rims of her glasses and returned the smile Since they 8217 d been in the Academy together they 8217 d talked about seeing and touching the unknown Here at last was their chance 8220 Not the milk run you were promised eh Commander 8221 Stone asked the First Officer 8220 No 8221 Lennox replied with a smile laying a hand on the back of the captain 8217 s chair as the Farraday 8217 s impulse engines pushed her towards the forbidding nebula 8220 No it isn 8217 t 8221 STAR TREK and all associated technology and concepts are copyright Paramount Studios No purpose of recognition or profit is intended The USS Farraday and her crew are original creations of Joshua E Loomis and are protected under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial No Derivative Works 3 0 United States License Some rights reserved
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