Preparations for departure : USS Phoenix

Arriving back to the USS Phoenix following the rather rebarbative meeting on the starbase, Captain Syntron headed straight for the bridge. He exited the turbolift and found his way to the center seat.

As he sat down, the captain glanced over at his executive officer.

"Prepare the crew and the ship for launch Commander Riker" Syntron matter-of-factly commanded.

Turning to face the Captain Riker handed him a PADD containing the updated crew rosters.  Anticipating an early departure Commander Riker had planned and already begun preparations for departure.  With an almost smug smile Riker responded.

"All systems are online and ready sir.  Just a call to engineering and pop the clutch and we are ready to go Captain"

((tag to the remaining crew PCs and NPCs.... we need to get things rolling along here! 10-20-14))

As the systems powered up for departure, chief flight control officer Lieutenant Grexx Aulder noticed the comms flash on his panel. Listening intently, he half turned in his chair to address the captain.

"Sir! Incoming transmission. It seems to be ... "

Listening more, Aulder turned to face Syntron and Commander Riker.

"Sir, incoming distress call from ... the Sagan?!'

"The Sagan?" Riker said inquisitively

"Are the new sensors working that well already?"

Turning towards the medical station Riker inquired.

"Can we confirm?"

 “Confirmed, Sir,” Lieutenant Celestine Bijou, the counselor in the command medical chair, added from the left of the commanding officer. “I have a disaster beacon coming from a shuttle; registry is that of the Sagan.”

“I have it on sensors, Captain,” Lieutenant Livingstone confirmed in turn. "Nine hundred billion kilometers, bearing 200 mark 30 and closing on an erratic course at one hundred kilometers per second; must be on thrusters only, Sir. I read no emissions from it's warp core. Impulse power seems to be offline.”

"Sirr, the Sagan was supposed to have been rreturrned to Earrth weeks ago," reminded their new Chief of security and tactical, the Caitian woman Lieutenant Mrriin M'ata, a very tall, powerfully built light tawny brown furred felinoid with lime green eyes and a short cropped mane. "Commanderr Rrogerrs had rrequested the task while on leave so as to follow medical rrecommendations frrom the prrevious CMO."

Somewhat bewildered, the Captain's eyebrow raised as he inquired to himself the Sagan?

Then swiftly processing the fact that this was a distress call, Syntron immediately stood up and addressed the Bolian operations officer.

"Transfer the transmission to main viewscreen Lieutenant Aulder."

 From his vantage point at engineering station one near the back of the bridge Ensign Andrews, demoted a rank for his blatant misappropriation of protocols that gained him admittance to the away team mission to the planetoid, saw the hazy scene materialize on the main viewer. Static interference almost hid the features of commander Rogers, as well as making the voice transmission stutter and break apart. While Rogers’ signal repeated to the bridge, Andrews ran a signal analysis on the transmission.

“... tus base, this i …agan. Main pow … support. Requesting assis … “

 Andrews studied the transmission and specifically, it signal strength and wave length guides. The protomatter nebula had left significant deposits upon the shuttle and these were affecting the broadcast as well as the reduced power levels of the transmission itself. He was surprised the signal had reached them from that distance at all, and proceeded to inform captain Syntron as well.

“Sir, there is considerable genetic contamination on this signal. Not within it but on the carrier wave itself. Almost like commander Rogers were trying to transmit through a membrane of something.

"The new chief of science turned his large golden eyes toward the command dais.

"Captain; if the Sagan went through the nebula itself, it could have accumulated protomatter all around it's hull, effectively creating an enveloppe of proteins and amino-acids thick enough to hamper electromagnetic signals. Eventually it could infect and clog all of his systems. I suggest Commander Rogers open his plasma exhausts and loop around to ignite it with his thrusters. That should burn out the covering."

"And cook him within at the same time?" wondered the helmsman, quite aware like every Starfleet officer of the infamous Colbert Starburst incident of Starfleet Academy that had cost the life of cadet Josh Albert fifty years ago.

"Not if he uses his navigational deflectorr to send a boosting burrst to his rremaining shields and fly strraight," the new tactical chief added then. "Given the state of his shields, it will be hot forr a moment, but he will surrvive. As Chief Engineerr, the commanderr is obviously quite awarre of this standarrd prrocedurre to rreinforrce shields in case of emerrgencies.""

"But how do we communicate this to him?" now asked Counselor Bijou. "The subspace signal is weak and erratic."

"I suggest to send him just a simple image, repeated as a single, constant signal; that of the Colbert Starburst. He should understand the idea... and the risk involved," the X'Ell then proposed.

"Then we could QSD right to his position and retrieve him," finished Aulder.

Now it was up the Syntron; and time was running out.

Immediately processing the situation and the potential ramifications of hesitating, Syntron was decisive in his response.

"Transmit the image now" the Vulcan commanded. "Commander Rogers will comprehend our recommendation, as Lieutenant Livingstone suggested."

The captain then turn his attention towards his first officer. "Notify Starfleet regarding the content of this transmission and our need for an emergency launch."

Facing the Bolian officer, "Helmsman, proceed was launching protocols." the captain began to issue orders, but then was interrupted.

"Captain, we just received notification that a Lieutenant Elisha Leóne was just transported over to serve as our new operations chief. She is currently going through security procedures on the transporter pad."

"Acknowledged" Syntron responded. "We will greet our new arrival at a more appropriate time. Commence with our departure." 

The door to the bridge opened with a woosh and Master Chief Eddington walked through with a PADD in his hand.  Hurrying over to Commander Riker Eddington handed him the PADD for review.

"Here is the final alpha roster you requested Commander.  All newly arrived crewman are being prepped for depature."

Glancing down at the PADD only briefly Riker handed it back to him.

"I will take your word for it on this one, we are still kind of busy up here.  Ensure all crewman are manned at the proper stations"

Nodding Eddington took the PADD back

"Aye sir"

As quickly as he arrived Eddington hurried back off the bridge, turning back to the matter at hand Riker asked openly to anyone...

"Any updates?"

"Calculating from detectable power ouput, all remaining power aboard the shuttlecraft is seemingly used for life support," stated the X'Ell at the main science station. "There is no thrust power coming from any propulsion unit of the Sagan and both trajectory and speed remain constant. Since there is no power reading from the antimatter core nor the impulse reactor, best hypothesis would be that all of what remained of thruster power was expended to clear the shuttlecraft out of the nebula and batteries are all that is left. I estimate the shuttle has forty-seven minutes of life support remaining for one full grown Human. Interception at warp 9.9 will take fifty-two minutes... one full minute after cerebral death occurs from lack of oxygen. If no interception is attempted,  the shuttlecraft will reach Starbase Lotus on it's own conserved momentum in... two hundred and eighty-five years."

The young feathered lieutenant spoke in a clinical, almost cold tone; yet his large golden eyes were blinking furiously and his beak stayed halfway open as if he was trying to recover his breath.

"Understood Lieutenant, carry on." the captain responded to his new avian CSO. "We will have to at least attempt to considerably shorten that voyage, if possible."

Looking down at the controls on the center seat, Syntron then opened a ship-wide channel.

"This is the Captain. All hands prepare for an emergency launch commencing in ninety seconds."

The captain turned his attention toward the Bolian officer once again.

"Begin initiating launch Lieutenant Aulder."

"Aye Sir" came the immediate response as Grexx began preparing for their departure.

The captain then directed a message to engineering.

"Prepare to engage the quantum slipstream drive once we reach a safe distance from the starbase."

Ironically, his chief engineer wasn't there to respond, but was instead the one they were attempting to rescue. Regardless, they would soon find out whether all of the issues with the revamped QSD had been correctly ironed out or not.

"Commander Riker, convey our situation to Captain Kheren and work out a rendezvous point toward our destination after we collect our chief engineer."

Nodding Riker walked over to a comms panel.

"USS Horizon this is Commander Riker from the Phoenix.  We have detected a distress call and are on route to respond."

Glancing around the bridge Riker continued.

"Preparations are in place for an intercept bearing two zero zero mark thirty.  We request a rendezvous at the following coordinates"

Entering in a series of numbers a space map appeared on the screens in front of Riker as the images were sent to the Horizon.  Turning to face the captain Riker continued.

"Message sent captain we are awaiting a response"

A deep voice answered him over the speakers, that of captain Kheren.

"Phoenix, this is Horizon. We received order from Lotus Fleet Command to proceed to Azimuth Horizon coordinates. We will reach them in two point ninety-two days at warp 5 and rendez-vous with you there. We may backtrack to you at maximum speed only if you signal that you can not handle alone the emergency situation. Good luck, Phoenix. Horizon out."

Using only thrusters, the USS Phoenix moved slowly through the opening provided by the separated spacedock doors.

"We have cleared spacedock," announced helmsman Grexx Aulder. "We are now ready to proceed onward, Sir."

"Warpspeed," ordered the captain.

"Aye, captain" the Bolian lieutenant responded. "Engaging warp 9 bearing 200 mark 30"

The ship resonated as it burst forward toward their first destination; the rescue of their chief engineer.

"Prepare to engage the quantum slipstream drive." Syntron added as he kept his keen eyes fixed on the main viewscreen.

Jonathan could barely conceal his excitement. He had studied the principles of the quantum slipstream propulsion system during his special intensive courses at Lotus Fleet Academy; the very concept of routing energy through a vessel's main deflector to focus a quantum field that allowed penetration of the quantum barrier was utterly fascinating. The fascination was as much for the incredible velocities it permitted as to the travel option itself it gave within a quantum tunnel, especially for a species like his that had lived billions of years enclosed inside an artificial world. Only more fascinating than the idea was to experience it firsthand.

And it was about to happen.

The X'Ell however kept his wits about him. As science officer, it would be his responsibility to constantly monitor the phase variance of the quantum field, or else, the field would collapse andthe ship would be violently thrown back into normal space.

Not as much of a fascinating prospect to contemplate... 

Although the latest generation of QSD ships had a special sensor unit dedicated to adjust automatically and ahead of time this phase variance, monitoring was still necessary as a back up to any possible failure. And here the X'Ell's unique talents could prove most valuable. By connecting to the system with his brain implants, he would literally feel the process and instantly adjust it if there was a problem, with the speedy smoothness only organic systems ever could. And it would truly have him live the extraordinary experience of faster than light travel!

But from his earlier experience with his coming aboard through the transporter system, he had learned his lesson and turned towards his commanding officer.

"Main deflector calibrated for power input and quantum field generation. Phase variance sensor at nominal status. Values computed and quantum algorythms validated. Captain, I request permission to connect directly with it as a backup safety precaution."

((note: feel free to add additional details about the launch and other related things in here as well 11-04-14))

Syntron silently marveled at the unique capacities of his new avian CSO as the excitement radiated from Jonathan as he spoke.

"Proceed Lieutenant Livingstone" however was all that the Vulcan stoically offered to his CSO in stark contrast, as the captain's attention then shifted back to the main viewscreen.

"Engage" the captain commanded, as he noted the flurry of activity commencing at stations throughout the bridge as the order was given.   

As soon as permission was given, the minuscule lights in the thick feathers on the X'Ell's mane started to flash in a completely different pattern. Keeping his large golden eyes to the main viewer, Livingstone established the link between his own synapses and the ship's circuitry of the sensor grid. In his mind, the entire connecting diagram appeared and, like a bird flying on invisible but deeply felt air currents, he navigated his way directly to the quantum field sensor and merged with it. Now, he could literally sense where the ship was going.

The whole process was much akin to the Vulcan mindmeld, down to the need of very close physical proximity, except that it related more  to electromagnetic currents of artificial systems than organic brainwaves; and he could not actually read those as a telepath could... but he could sense and direct them with his own brainwaves.

And so, as the Phoenix jumped into her self-made quantum tunnel, for all intent and purposes, Lieutenant Livingstone had become the ship's very consciousness. Feeling it plow through the cosmos and looking at the tunnelling haze of the quantum field, the experience was nothing short of exhilarating.

Even though he was Vulcan, Syntron sensed relief permeating his body as the QSD was successfully activated. The Phoenix accelerated effortlessly now toward the plotted position of their lost chief engineer.

"Time and distance from Commander Roger's last reported location?" the captain inquired.    

Livingstone's slightly absent-sounding voice replied.

"Arriving at location in ten seconds... nine... eight... seven... "

Although they all knew that they were now, and not for the first time, going over three hundred time the velocity of the fastest warp vessel ever built, everyone was nevertheless almost taken by surprise at the speed in which they achieved their objective.

"Three... two... one..."

"Disengaging QSD," reported the helmsman at the same moment his fingers shut off the drive. On the screen before them, the hazy, revolving tunnel dissolved and stars filled their sight, mostly obscured however by a brown-reddish cloud of cosmic matter before which flashed intermittently a tiny spec of light.

 In main engineering, Lieutenant Brady overlooked the transition from Quantum drive to conventional warp capability. This procedure of withdrawing the benamite articulation frame from within the matter/antimatter reaction assembly and replacing the dilithium frame only took a couple seconds, but proper alignment was needed to have a fully functional warp drive. Affirming the alignment of the crystal within the matter/antimatter reaction assembly, Jennifer sent the ready status to the engineering board on the bridge where Ensign Andrews noted the status and informed the bridge.

"Warp capability restored captain. Benamite crystal replacement will complete in fifteen minutes."

"Federration shuttlecrraft five hundrred million kilometerrs dead ahead, captain," identified the Caitian woman at tactical from her own sensors.

"The Sagan," confirmed Counselor Bijou, monitoring the beacon signal as soon as they had reemerged into normal space.

"One lifesign aboard, Half-Human, Half- Rihannsu," said then the X'Ell science officer. "Signal weak, either due to the presence of protomatter on the hull... or... "

He didn't need to finish.

Rogers had planned well, but like many plots, circumstances arise beyond the scope of planning. The main use of the nebula had been to mask the appearance of the Diamond Star and, although that objective had been accomplished, Rogers had failed to account for the protomatter accumulation upon leaving said nebula under mere thruster acceleration. Thus, protomatter build-up on the Sagan’s hull hampered his systems markedly. And now without sufficient power to run sensors, Rogers could not know this. Only minimal power was available now, after his intended anodyne relay failure, and all available power was running life support and the shuttles auxiliary thrusters.

Shuttle thrusters, unlike star ship RCS systems, were powered by a microfusion chamber and had nowhere near the capacity of ship thrusters powered by deuterium. Constant thrust for the past thirty-six hours had gotten him considerably well out of the protomatter nebula and now he needed to get himself rescued. There was no longer sufficient power left in the chamber to increase speed, and reserve power was now being used to run life support.

Understanding the potential implications of the inference, Syntron immediately stood up as he gazed out at the hazy nebula surrounding them. But there wasn't a moment to spare contemplating the intriguing cosmos surrounding them.

"Hail the vessel" the captain commanded; knowing that they may not get a response. He then turned to the medical chair next to his center seat.

"Have an emergency medical team ready once we are in transporter range. Commander Rogers may be incapacitated at this point and may need to be transported directly to sickbay." 

"Sickbay this the bridge; prepare to receive Commander Rogers directly, medical status unknown," said the ship's counselor from the medical command chair. "Transporter room 1; lock on to the Sagan and prepare to beam one lifesign directly to sickbay."

"We should retreive the shuttle, Captain," assistant chief engineer Andrews suggested. "Her superstructure is intact and she shows no serious damage."

"Tractor beam ready, Sir," smoothly added chief of ops Leone.

"Captain," then said Livingstone, " Using a tractor beam to retreive the shuttle will force us to get closer to the edge of the nebula and also attract by itself particles of protomatter to the ship. I recommend using our cargo transporter to bring the shuttle back into the main hangar deck. We will be able to stay at ten times the distance for a hundred times less the time and transporter filters will allow complete and safe removal of the protomatter."

"Forty thousand kilometers; coming into transporter range," then announced Aulder.

"A prudent recommendation Lieutenant" the Captain responded to Livingstone.

Syntron then turned to face the Orion Ops officer now manning her new Ops post. He had first met her at the launching of the vessels just prior to their maiden mission. The transition of her arrival on the bridge was so subtle and smooth that she managed to accomplish this without the detection of the Vulcan himself.

"Welcome to the USS Phoenix Lieutenant Leóne. " the captain stated respectfully. "It is our honor having you now serve aboard our vessel."

Turning a slightly deeper shade of olive, Elisha nodded. "Thank you, Sir. The honor is truly mine."

The Captain then noted to the Ops officer "To avoid risking contaminating the ship with particles of protomatter, we will first attempt retrieving the shuttle as our new CSO recommended.  If this however proves to be unsuccessful, then we may need to consider a variation of your recommendation."

Elisha nodded affirmatively. "Understood Captain."

Moving back into the center seat, the captain announced "Once we have safely retrieved our chief engineer and receive confirmation from sickbay, then proceed with transporting to Sagan back into the main hangar deck."

 Aboard the Sagan, David drifted in a self-induced haze. He had purposefully cut down the life support to one quarter in order to survive longer for any response to his emergency hail. As he sat in the pilot chair, the crystals of ice fog obscuring the view through the windows around him, David reflected dreamily on his life accomplishments. Needless to say, topping his list was the rescue of his sister, but it was also not too bad to be remembered as an engineer in one of the Federation’s most accomplished and famous fleets. And, as chief engineer of one of Lotus Fleets more prestigious ships, as the Phoenix was the first successful quantum slipstream drive capable vessels.

 In retrospect, David thought perhaps he might have done some things differently. Certainly not joining Star Fleet, but perhaps the little nuances that added up over a lifetime that defined his character. For one, he regretted his inability to trust doctors. They genuinely meant well, but his childhood aboard a Ferangi vessel had inured him a lot toward the medical profession. Perhaps, if he survived this trip, he would need to work on his attitude toward doctor’s.

A sparkle of light caught his attention then, and David glanced to his right. Through the frosted glass there appeared a giant, feathered bird. Blue and red and gold feathers flared into view as dying flames revealed the new birth in the cosmos of a legendary raptor. Floating outside the Sagan, in cold empty space, a newly risen phoenix cocked it’s beaked head slightly to one side and spewed forth a bluish green ray to envelope David in a warm breath.