CHAPTER 3: And A Star To Steer It By (part 2)

The word was given.

Like horses reined in too long, helman Snow's fingers literally flew over the controls with blurring speed. There was a new higher-pitched sound coming from somewhere deep inside the bowels of the ship, along with a soft throbbing that could be felt through the deck plates. Then, on the large viewing screen of the bridge, the stars first stretched in the familiar configuration of warp travel; but then, as the expected flash of light was about to explode before their eyes, this light too seemed to stretch and become a thousand-armed star before it finally flashed out. 

Before their eyes, the usual warp field of fast-fleeing stars became almost a funnel of thin light streaks turning from deep indigo to pure white as they emerged towards them from what looked like a proto nebula, a mass of close stars coalesced in a soft halo of blue light.

For a long moment, everyone was mesmerized by the strangely familiar yet quite unusual view, until the voice of the captain softly broke the silence.

"Aft view."

The image shifted to the rear of the ship where the same streaks of light now receded into a similar mass of hazed stars, but this time the moving lights stretched from pure white to a dark reddish hue and the halo at the center of the screen was red.

Again, the unusual vista kept everyone silent and glued to the monitor until Kheren spoke again.

"Forward view. "

The blue-tinted image of the transwarp field reappeared on the main viewer. Kheren sat straighter in his chair, pulled his uniform straighter across his wide chest before giving orders around.

" Mister Snow, start testing maneuvering while in transwarp. Lieutenant Corcoran, plan a series of evasive maneuver exercises and combat simulations with helm. Lieutenant Commander K'Leysha, implement sensors and data gathering tests while we are using the transwarp drive to confirm survey and study capabilities. Coordinates with Ops. Lieutenant Leône, you will also monitor ship systems and power distribution while transwarp is active and during all those testings and coordinate with engineering. Lieutenant Commander Sisko, continue monitoring the transwarp engine while in use and start simulations on resolving solutions in case of failure. Doctors 110 and 011, Doctor Lyrya, begin monitoring crew physiological and psychological reactions to transwarp travel and notify immediately of any potential health problems. Commander Oseno, work on simulations and drills regarding the possibility of emergency launch of the Polaris while at transwarp and evaluate the risks involved for both ships."

He stood up and looked a moment more at the screen before finishing.

"All reports to be sent to Commander Redding in forty-eight hours. Mister Redding, we will meet in seventy-two hours in my ready room to discuss those reports before we go to transwarp 2. That should also leave enough time for everyone to correct or at least postulate solutions to any possible problem found during all those tests. Carry on, people. Number One, you have the bridge."

"Aye aye captain." Redding said with much enthusiasm.

And so saying, the Andorian walked out of the command center of his ship, straight to his office, Yeoman Blackbird close on his heels. He too had a report to prepare for Lotus Fleet Command.

"Aye Sir," Jureth said acknowledging the captain's order and after the captain had exited the bridge Oseno also stood up and turned to exit the bridge, but made a report to Commander Redding before doing so.

"Sir, I will be aboard the Polaris if I'm needed. I believe I can best execute the captain's directive from there. "

"Vary good commander, let us know if you need anything." And stood up and started walking over to the ops station.

He entered the turbolift and as the doors closed he ordered "hangar deck."

The lift began its journey into the ship Jureth tapped his combage "Oseno to T'lana."

"Aye Sir,"

"Please gather Mister Hunter, and our engineering experts and meet me aboard the Polaris."

"Understood Sir."

The lift doors opened and Jureth strode toward the hangar bay with scenarios running in his head, could the Polaris handle the stress of being launched at nearly double a conventional warp drive's cruising speed? What would it do structurally to the ship, and to the Horizon for that matter? Jureth was no engineer and so he needed the two engineering experts assigned to strategic operations to give him those answers and then Jureth would check their answers with Commander Sisko before presenting them to the captain.

Jureth approached the hangar bay where the Polaris was docked and was stopped immediately by the armed security officers there.

"Stop there, identify yourself."

"Commander Oseno Jureth, commanding officer of the Polaris."

The guard on Jureth's right side ran a tricorder over him and nodded to the other guard.

"Confirmed."

The guard who had commanded him to stop smiled "Have a nice day Commander."

Jureth proceeded through the doors and into the hangar bay approaching the Polaris with measured steps until he reached Captain Reese and and a Trill female whom Jureth hadn't met yet. 

"Hello again Sir," Reese said greeting him

"Hello Captain, how's our girl?"

"All secure Sir."

Out of the corner of his eye Jureth noted that the Trill female had begun running the same tricorder scan the security officers at the hangar door had and he smiled. He was pleased his security measures to protect the ship seemed to be effective.

"Good Captain, now please introduce me to this other fine Marine with you."

"Commander Oseno, Sergeant Cyra Liran."

Hearing her name Cyra straightened up and saluted the senior officer as was custom in the Starfleet Marines. Jureth returned the gesture though it was something not typically done in the fleet.

"Good to meet you Sergeant, tell me what makes a Trill want to be a soldier?"

"I'm not technically a soldier Sir, though my weapons scores are on par with my squadmates. I'm a battlefield medic, most people just call me Doc"

Jureth smiled "Well, good to meet you Doc. I'm expecting a few more officers to join me please tell them I will be in main engineerinig."

"Aye Sir," both Marines said in unison.

Jureth proceeded aboard the ship and made his way to main engineering where the Polaris warp core was pulsing and humming with life. Jureth stood and watched what to him was an amazing machine before making his way to a spare terminal. He gave the computer conditions for his simulations, and then began testing.

***

In another part of the ship, more specifically his spartan quarters in the crew section, Lieutenant Variel Palos, Starfleet Intelligence, was doing some computer work of his own. He was finishing his initial report to Intelligence on the launching of the Horizon. Starfleet Intelligence had a very vested interest in the ship and the technology propelling it through space at such rapid speeds. While his assignment as an intelligence specialist was partly legitimate and was being used to remove his face from the areas where he'd been operating, the other part of it was to observe and report back on the ship, its personnel, and especially its captain. SI's interest in the andorian was something the Palos didn't really understand, perhaps they were looking to recruit such a loyal and dedicated officer, but his job didn't require that he understand the reasons behind it. It required he do the same thing he had done all over the galaxy, observe and report. So, he did, finishing the report and sending it via a coded burst transmission that would appear only as a slight flutter in the ship's sophisticated communications suite.

***

Jureth was studying the first round of his simulations when he was joined by his subordinates, Lt. T'Lana, Lt. Shawn Hunter, the master helmsman he'd relied on the Alsea; and the two engineering specialists assigned to Strategic Operations Lt Akaal, an andorian who came highly recommended from his previous command despite what was referred to as an "attitude problem," and Ensign V'Rel a half Vulcan fresh out of Starfleet Academy. Jureth had selected V'Rel based on his outstanding engineering scores and the fact that he corrected his engineering instructors on more than one occasion by citing holes in theory, and errors in calculations during classes.

"Reporting as ordered Commander," T'Lana said as the group entered the engineering space.

"Ah good," Jureth replied looking up from his terminal "I want all of you to take a look at this," he said gesturing toward the console "The captain wants to know if we can launch the Polaris at transwarp in an emergency, but the computer doesn't seem to think so. According to the simulations the sheer force of dropping out of the hangar at transwarp speeds would sheer the ship apart."

Akaal, the Andorian, scoffed "Computers are only as good as their operators Sir, and you are not an engineer."

"True I'm not," Jureth acknowledged "That's why I wanted you here."

"If I may comment Sir," V'Rel said "though you are not an engineer, the computer is likely correct. Without being able to match the Horizon's velocity somehow or reinforcing the Polaris structural integrity it is probable that attempting to launch while the Horizon is moving at transwarp would catastrophic. It would be less likely to break apart if the Horizon were to slow to normal warp speed before attempting a launch."

"Thank you Ensign, but the captain knows we can do that. He wants to know if there is any way conceivable, even if its not proven, that we could launch the escort at transwarp, and so that is what we are here to figure out. Mister Hunter, what about maneuvering at those speeds?"

Shawn Hunter thought about it for a moment, but he knew the commander wasn't going to like his answer "It would be damn difficult Sir, almost like trying to maneuver inside the Azimuth Horizon. It would take constant adjustments just to keep us from not slamming into the Horizon as we maneuvered out of the hangar."

"Can it be done?"

"In theory Sir, I could pull off the maneuvering...I think."

Jureth nodded, the answers he was getting were not giving him..what was it that humans called it? a warm fuzzy feeling? 

"Alright people, the captain will want answers soon, and I want to run anything we come up with past Commander Sisko as well before presenting it to Captain Kheren, so let's get to work."

The small group huddled around the engineering terminal and began their discussion in earnest.

---

Redding sat at his post or moved around the bridge for quite awhile before he remembered something that might be helpful to Oseno and proceeded to the science station.

"Don't mind me" he said to the officer at the station. "Just looking over some old data." and started to in put some information.

It took a few minuets to pull the 80 year old data from the Response but as he suspected what he was looking for was added to the Horizon's data banks, as was just about everything about or relating to Transwarp technology. He was surprised to find it was still classified but there was no reason it wouldn't be he supposed, it's still on going tech.

He tapped his com badge "Redding to Oseno"

Down in engineering commander Oseno's badge chimed. "Oseno here, what can I do for you commander?"

"I'm sending down a warp field formula that we used on the USS Response for a vary similar problem we had once using our Trans warp inducer to launch a warp shuttle at high warp speeds. I know it's not nearly as dramatic as trans warp speeds but the process is the same, if it's of any help I've cleared it for your use."

Jureth check his panel and found the information waiting for him. "Thank you commander Redding, I'll see what we can do with it, if anything, Oseno out."

According to the situation report by a Lt. commander Wilbur Blakely the transwarp shunting prototype suffered from a cascading overload that resulted in the ship becoming a runaway at high warp speeds for several days, top speed was maintained at warp 9.5 for 5 days and 15 hours. As this was the intended purpose of the prototype to maintain high speeds for prolonged periods no serious damage was done to ship or engines.

"Akaal" the Andorian walked over to him. "According to this report Reddings old ship performed a controlled overload of a shuttles warp engine to match the current warp signature of his ship upon launch, effectively allowing the shuttle to go from warp 3 to warp 9.5 for 4 and a half seconds."

The Andorian cocked his head slightly, thinking. "Basically allowing it to ride to wake of his ship as it ebbed? hmm.."

"Like surfing a wave!" Shawn Hunter said excitedly "That was exactly what we did on the Alsea's shuttle when we explored one of the Azimuth's Horizon's subspace fissures. As we exited the anomaly we rode the fissure's own energy, though that shuttle was destroyed..."

"I'm not familiar with the analogy," V'rell said "but I believe if we modified these calculations slightly and made some modifications to the Polaris' shields and structural integrity systems we may be able to accomplish a launch."

Oseno nodded "Let's do it. I want you, Akaal, and Hunter to go over the engineering and piloting possibilities and give me something in thirty minutes. After that I'll run it by Commander Sisko and then give it to the captain."

The three men acknowledged Jureth's order and then turned their attention back to the engineering terminal.

-----------

The Bynar doctor on the Bridge seemed to be catatonic for a few moments while she conferred with her counterpart. Finally she spoke up, in the same halting manner she usually would when speaking alongside Doctor 011. "Sir, we have run a cursory medical scan... on all lifesigns in the ship. It appears there is so far... no ill effects from the transwarp travel, but as we expect, traveling at transwarp 1... will not be any different from travelling at warp 1."

Doctor 110 continued, "Additionally, a report logged in the last transwarp journey... during the Azimuth Horizon operation... when this ship reached transwarp 3... indicated no medical difficulties. We will see what happens... when we reach transwarp 4."

Traveling at what was essentially warp 64 was something never attempted or attained by anyone. It was unknown how the exponential increase would affect them at a theoretical rate of over 262 thousand times the speed of light. The rate was staggering and the enormity of it all was not lost on the part of a whole that made up the Chief Medical Officer, seated to the left of the Captain. If they achieved transwarp 5, the math said that they would be moving at almost 2 million times the speed of light, which would mean if they were to hold that pace, they would be able to reach the Andromeda Galaxy in only 16 months!

And with the long term capabilities of the Horizon, the potential for doing so, even at transwarp 4 were within her and 011's grasp, along with those who were diligent and intelligent enough to do whatever it took to stay on this ship. The possibilities for scientific study of an entirely new galaxy were enough to make even the usually stoic Bynar salivate at the thought.

Redding read over the PADD as the doctor relayed the information. "Some how it surprises me that there's simply no physiological change to the crew, It almost feels as if going at these speeds is rather.. taboo, if you will." He said almost introspectively. Then smiled at the doctor. "Still, no news is good news in this case, thank you doctor, I'll pass this on to the captain."

"Oh doctor.." He said as 011 turned to leave. "Senior staff meeting at 0800, bring your best reports to the conference room for review." 

Redding then contacted the rest of the senor staff and gave more or less the same message.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Jureth tossed a wave to the security officers outside of the Polaris' hangar and strode quickly toward the turbolift.

"Computer, locate Commander Sisko."

"Commander Sisko is on the bridge."

Jureth rode the lift toward the bridge and it dawned on him that he was about to be speaking with the direct descendent of Benjamin Sisko, the human his people called The Emissary. Jureth wondered how well the engineer had known his grandfather if at all...and thought that he would very much like to speak to him about it sometime. As he exited the lift Oseno spotted Sisko seated at the engineering console and approached him PADD in hand.

"Excuse me Commander Sisko, I know you're busy monitoring our transwarp drive, but I'd like your opinion on the proposed modifications to the Polaris. The engineers on my staff believe that improvements to her structural integrity fields, inertial dampeners, and shields will allow her to launch at transwarp. As I'm not an engineer I wanted to get an expert opinion."

Sisko turned and looked at the fellow Bajoran officer standing before him. He was aware of Commander Oseno Jureth's profile, but this was the first time he had met him in person, beyond seeing him briefly in the Horizon's dedication ceremony. Being fully Bajoran, Jureth's nasal ridges were more pronounced, and it interestingly gave him a more stern look than he possibly intended, a feature which Sisko was quite familiar with seeing as a child in his mother, Korena, when she became angry with him.

He smiled and said, "You bet Commander," and reached out to accept the PADD. "The theory is sound and is similar to the field test the Enterprise-D partook in to perform a saucer separation at warp. It's essentially analogous to jumping off a train when it is moving at high velocity. The ground will punish you a bit until you slow down, but if your defenses are up, it's just a matter of riding it out until then."

"In this case, however, I wouldn't recommend another field test," he said with a laugh. "The Horizon should provide more than enough computational power to run thousands of different simulations using random variables."