Aboard the Phoenix
Posted on 03/19/2015 @ 11:43am
Edited on on 07/28/2015 @ 11:32am
Mission:
Brave New World
Location: Subspace-null area, near the USS Nuntio
Timeline: 88304.5
Posted by:
"Captain; I lost contact with both away teams."
As soon as Counselor Bijou spoke, Lieutenant Leland Hudson overseeing the engineering station lifted his brown haired head sharply.
"The Nuntio is starting to power up.The initialization of the structural energy field is tampering with our signals."
Jonathan Livingstone's head feathers perked up. His cranial implants flashed briefly before he too addressed the Vulcan in the center seat.
"Sir; I seem to detect a sudden increase in bio-electrical readings centering around engineering. It's like a significant number of people would have beamed in on board... except that there is no transporter signal."
"Intriguing" the Vulcan captain uttered softly, as he contemplated the information provided. "It would appear the entire crew of the USS Nuntio may not be unaccounted for after all" he surmised.
"Commander Rogers indicated that they had found the entire engineering crew complement in some kind of comatose state within their main engineering," Bijoû reminded him. "And Commander Riker said they had found the first officer in a similar state in the auxilliary control room. Last report he was heading for sickbay with half his team while Lieurtenant Mrriish was proceeding with the other half towards the bridge."
Syntron then swiveled slightly toward the counselor manning communications.
"Counselor Bijoŭ, keep trying to hail the away teams." After a brief pause, he added; "Also, send a message to the Horizon and apprise them of the latest developments... if you can get a signal beyond the interference being created by the Nuntio."
I can send a communication buoy with our logs outside the zone, Captain. It will take longer but it will be far enough to escape any such interference."
"Proceed Lieutenant" the captain replied and then engaged communications to thirteen decks below.
"Sickbay. This is the captain. Notify all medical shifts to be prepared for possible incoming casualties."
"Acknowledged," was the swift reply over the comm.
Closing communications Syntron then looked around at his bridge crew.
"If we do not break through this interference in the next few minutes, we will need to implement an alternative plan to establish communications with our teams."
After another brief pause, he inquired "Recommendations?"
The captain left the question open for anyone on the bridge to respond.
"How about a relay?" Tolo said
"We could launch a probe or a shuttle and use it a relay. If it gets close enough to the interference and generates a concentrated enough beam it should be able to at least cut down on the interference."
Syntron nodded approvingly.
Tolo pumped his fist slightly. Not since he worked under Commander Sorripto on the McKenzie had anyone used one of his suggestions.
Standing up from his seat Tolo walked towards the turbo lift leaving the bridge. Having to calibrate the steering on the probe manually Tolo hurried to complete work communicating with the bridge that the probe was ready for launch.
"Prepare to launch a class VI comm relay probe near the Nuntio" the Vulcan commanded. "The positioning may need to be shifted along a varied path until a location is found that can break through the interference barrier."
Livingstone turned his beaked face towards him.
"If we attach the probe directly to the hull, it will be close enough to use it's own internal power to punch through the integrity field without disrupting it and act as a sort of antenna to allow direct contact."
"Probe in tube 1, ready to fire, captain," the Trill chief assistant Nidiri Kiels announced with a clear, firm voice from the tactical station, her green eyes glued to the screen.
"Launch the probe, Lieutenant Kiels," the captain confirmed. As the probe was thrust from the tube, Syntron added; "choose an optimal location on the Nuntio's hull to test the solidity Mister Livingstone's recommendation."
The captain then glanced over at the avian science officer without giving away even the slightest hint of an expression.
"Anywhere specifically you would like this device parked, Lieutenant Livingstone?"
"Closest to engineering I would guess, since we know this was one of their main target zones and they obviously restored power. But As long as direct contact is made, it shouldn't matter, considering the usual range and power of our communication systems."
"Attach the probe into the vicinity of Engineering" the captain ordered as the devise was repositioned between the two vessels to accommodate the recommendation.
Several moments later the probe was attached and its communication relays activated.
Syntron than swiveled toward the communications post.
"Counselor Bijoŭ, try to re-establish communications with the away team. However, if we cannot speak directly with them at this point, at least try to pick-up any conversations or interchanges occurring on the ship."
"Away team, this is the Phoenix," she said through the comm channel. "Please respond."
The next second, she jerked her head as a garble of voices and static filled the speakers. It was like dozens of voices were all incomprehensibly shouting at the same time in dozens of languages in a chaotic jumble of tones drowned in white noise. It was not unlike the sound one hears when putting one's ear to a seashell... except that it was deafening until, a few seconds later, Bijoû reduced the volume to a soft, manageable, but still undecipherable whisper.
Nothing could be made out of the sound except a confused feeling of raging despair... angry resolve... and savage joy.
The sound of strange, eerie voices suddenly came out of Counselor Bijou. Before everyone'eyes, her face contorted into a frightening display of melted red and blues. Her jaw was trying to speak but only slow, garbled, low-pitched voices came out growling of it as she looked at them as if she was desperately pleading at them.
As Syntron studied the physiological changes occurring to the Deltan's face in correlation to the garbled voices emanating from her mouth and throat, a memory struck him related to an incident that occurred approximate one hundred forty years ago. An attack on Memory Alpha and countless life-forms destroyed by non-corporeal energy beings searching to take over the bodies of humanoids.
From the center seat the captain calmly engaged communications.
"Sickbay, prepare the medical pressure chamber for a Deltan patient."
As he disengaged communications, he noted to the nearest security officer.
"Carefully, escort the Counselor down to sickbay."
But the security officer didn't had time to make more than one step and all hell broke loose.
All across the bridge, tentacles of blue or red electricity ran over every system, console and panel. The people nearest to them were then struck and bathed in the colored discharge before falling to the ground. Some didn't move; others started to show the same eerie glow and frightening slow, low voice that Bijou had first diplayed. And a few just turned towards the still untouched people with a reddish glow in their eyes.
In the sudden pandemonium that seized the bridge, only three people remained free of contact with the invading entities; engineering Lieutenant Leland Hudson; science chief Jonathan Livingstone; and Captain Syntron.
These were the last free-willed individuals the now possessed crew members turned to with malevolence in their stare and their smile.
The door to the bridge opened with a whoosh and Tolo walked on the bridge reading from a PADD oblivious to the surrounding chaos. Having come from calibrating the probe manually hearing the murmuring on the bridge Tolo looked up slowly and shrieked as he fumbled to catch the PADD, and failing, it fell to the floor. Just then a red orb like creature penetrated through the bulkhead behind Tolo and one of its tentacles appeared to grab his head before the orb itself dissolved slowly into his skull. After a moment of violent head shaking Tolo let out an obnoxious and foul burp as the red tentacle orb appeared to crawl out his mouth and fly back through the bulk head. Falling to one knee Tolo shook his fist at the spot on the bulkhead where the orb had vanished.
"And stay out!"
Although the Bolian seemed to be able to fight off the possessing energy beings, due to his peculiar physiology, his crew mates would not be so lucky; especially one of them who was heavily laced with biotechnology integrated into his brain.
And he knew it.
He didn't take time to speak out loud to the computer, even less to ask permission from his captain. There simply was no time. From his innate capability to make direct contact with the ship's systems, Jonathan Livingstone activated the necessary commands and moved at the same time. As he started to run around the bridge, the lights in his head feathers suddenly blinked frantically and with intense glow. All the weird electric discharges suddenly left every system and every person on the bridge and, like hungry squids rushing after prey, jumped from all directions right after him.
But before any could touch him, he disappeared in the familiar glint of the transporter.
For a moment, the moving lightning balls hovered in what appeared utter confusion. Then, they all disappeared through the deck plates, again looking like predators on the scent of blood.
The sudden silence that gripped the command center of the Phoenix was only broken a moment later by Counselor Bijou, getting shakily back in the medical command chair to work with the ship's internal sensors. With a voice somewhat hoarse but normal, she reported to Syntron without looking up from her control panel.
"Lieutenant... Livingstone completed site to site transport on... deck... deck 4 starboard... no... deck 18 aft... now he's back on deck 9 forward port... moving again... Sir, he programmed the transporters to beam him in and out all over the ship in a random pattern. All the... alien bioelectrical signals aboard are following him, attracted by the high intensity of his own brainwave signal..."
"Captain! He won't be able to do this for long! " warned Hudson also back at his post. "He's beaming in and out so often and so fast that the pattern buffers have a hard time keeping up. His signal is already starting to degrade. If he continues on like this, he will not survive!"
"Increase the air pressure throughout the ship" the captain commanded as all of the commotion around the bridge continued. "Increase it incrementally, but keep it below levels dangerous to the varied physiology of our crew."
"That is the main problem, Sir," chief science assistant Kalynda Hunter pointed out as she took over the science station. Andorians, Tellarites, Bolians and those with Klingon ancestry would need a much higher level of atmospheric pressure than Humans, Deltans or Betazoids before feeling any discomfort... and Vulcans much less. As for Lieutenant Livingstone,as the only X'Ell aboard, what is required for a Human would crush every one of his hollowed bones."
The Andorian scientist's fingers were running on the computer controls as she spoke with anger creeping into her voice.
"We could regroup people by categories and change air pressure locally; but, by the time it would take to do so, Lieutenant Livingstone's signal will have degraded below fifty-three percent."
"Initiate the plan... immediately" the captain responded as he contacted the main shuttle bay hanger and swiftly apprised them of their plan. This would require split-second timing to have any chance of success.
"Prepare to engage shuttle doors and launch the shuttle once the bait-and-switch occurs" Syntron added as he leaned back in the center seat. He used the colloquial expression in this case to save vital time.
He did not favor putting his new CSO in even further danger, but the life of the X'Ell was already in peril. This option presented the possibility of not only saving the Avian officer, but ridding the ship of these volatile non-corporeal beings.
Almost immediately following the transport, the captain had a medical team trained on the physiology of X'Ell kneeling by the fallen CSO engaged in a series of bio readings.
As the medics conferred quietly among themselves at a volume even Vulcan ears could not decipher, Syntron eventually moved over to where they were interacting and inquired stoically yet with authority.
"What is the prognosis of Lieutenant Livingston's condition?"
"At this point, all his symptoms are those of extreme physical and mental exhaustion," Doctor Hernandez, the CMO's assistant, answered without raising his eyes from his tricorder. "Nothing a good long rest wouldn't cure. I could give him a stimulant to bring him back immediately... but that would be a temporary measure only; we do not yet know enough about X'Ell physiology to evaluate with certainty the effects of repeated chemical stimulation. He's lucky Sir; afew more seconds of all this blinking around and his entire physiology would have started to crumble on itself... and we would have found bits of avaian flesh spread all over the ship."
"Resting in sickbay while under careful medical supervision would seem the applicable course of action for our unique CSO" the captain noted in response, and then followed-up with a request.
"Inform me when he awakens on his own volition."
"We could utilize several other shuttles positioned outside of the Phoenix to engage tractor beams on the exterior of the shuttle with the entities contained within and drag the vessel out into to space once the opening of the hanger doors place the environment temporarily in virtual zero gravity. However, this would only serve as a provisional solution."
The captain changed his point of focus from the officer to the image of space on the main display screen as he continued thinking out loud.
"Or for the time being, we leave them contained exactly where they are until we devise a more abiding solution rather than risk their escape once they are figuratively beyond our grasp."
These were non-corporal beings the captain understood all too well.
"Other recommendations?" the captain queried to the entire bridge staff.
Speaking up Tolo threw out a suggestion.
"Could we give them something to feed on?... You know instead of us?" Tolo forced out
"We could configure a holomatrix or a portable shield generator to generate a field that could both contain and draw them."
Pointing around Tolo continued
"We give them an energy source they don't like... We poison them, you know figuratively"
Glancing over at the Bolian crewman once again, the captain calmly retorted.
"An interesting proposition Ensign. However, these entities have demonstrated that they are ultimately vying for biological hosts. Nevertheless, if you have a specific energy source in mind that you hypothesize may contribute to resolving this situation, you may elaborate further."
"How about... we try and... talk to them?"
They all looked at Livingstone who was shakily coming back up on his feet.
"And how do you propose we do that, Sir?" Tolo asked
"I had one of those things in my head for a few moments and it did not... well I mean it really... it did not seem like it cared what I had to say"
The X'ell pushed away the medic trying to keep him down and cocked his head a moment, pondering what the Bolian was saying.
"Maybe that one was not in a talkative mood? Maybe if one of us would allow one of these entities to... inhabit one's mind, we might be able to establish some form of contact."
"Is that even possible?" wondered Bijou.
"I'm accessing our computer banks for any similar encounter. There is data from one USS Spectre, Akira class, under the command of a Captain Daniel Summers near a particle fountain station at the edge of the Azimtuh Horizon anomaly... and of one USS Enterprise, Constitution class, under the command of a Captain James Tiberius Kirk, at Memory Alpha. In both instances, crewmembers with appropriate synaptic frequencies were able to incorporate such entities and provide direct contact with them."
"If we are able to configure an EMH for such a purpose without presenting additional danger to the crew, then this would seem to be a logical option."
"I concur, captain," the chief science officer added. "In fact, in addition to avoiding risking any crewmember, a self-contained simple holomatrix without programming would bypass any direct connection to the ship's computer and can be adjusted to the exact frequency of those entities. This way we can even decide who exactly we want to talk to, as each of these energy entities has it's own specific signature, just like our own individual brainwave patterns. A brilliant solution, Mister Hudson."
The Vulcan captain could clearly see shades of doubt and concern upon the faces of the bridge crew as he spoke. The crew and the captain thoroughly understood the lethal danger these non corporeal beings presented; from past encounters to what was occurring now on both vessels.
"We are here to explore this sector." The Vulcan continued in a calm voice. "Perhaps if there is some way to establish communication we could at least attempt to negotiate a compromise with this entities. Then the danger to all could be diminished if not entirely eliminated."
Syntron faced the engineer directly.
"Lieutenant Hudson, initiate this option immediately."
"Allow me to assist you," Livingstone offered.
As the work was being completed on the emitters, the captain turned toward the X'Ell CSO and Lieutenant Hudson as he inquired.
"Recommendation for the safe placement and activation of these devices?"
"I would recommend a small area, like some evacuated living quarter," proposed Jonathan livingstone. "Along with the localized containment field around the emitters, we could erect a second level 10 forcefield around the room itself in case it somehow manages to escape the first one or others of it's kind attempt to free them from the outside. Using a wall monitor, we could then communicate safely eith the occupied holograms."
Leaving them so that Hudson could also offer his own recommendation, the X'Ell went to counselor Bijou at the command medical chair.
"Counselor; ship's internal sensors should be tracking these EM manifestations on the ship as well as those trapped presently in the shuttle."
"Confirmed," Bijou said after looking at her readouts.
"Please use the electreoencephalic sensor to separate any significantly different signals and transmit the data to my station."
Once he came back to his post, he played his delicate fingers on the controls, making his sation's main screen show a scrolling series of broken lines constantly changing as they stretched from left to right.
"Computer; analyse signals and categorize."
"Signals are electromagnetic emissions ranging within the frequencies of neurological bioelectric patterns associated with sentience."
"Brainwaves?"
"Affirmative."
"Is there any significant difference between some signals?"
"Each energy pattern is specific to an individual neurological, self-contained network."
"Could each pattern correspond to a specific individual sentience?"
"Affirmative."
"Are there any commonalities between certain of those individual patterns?"
"Affirmative."
"Identify and regroup on the monitor."
On the screen, the patterns regrouped in a pair of more or less equal groups. The X'Ell barely glanced at it before he turned to face his commanding officer again.
"Captain; I beleive I found a way to identify members of both... factions of this species. The color we perceive with our eyes, themselves being biological electromagnetic sensors, indicates the polarity of those disincarnated minds, just like our internal ship sensors are now doing. In other words, Sir; we can choose which group we want to... invite for a chat."
"Intriguing" the Vulcan commanding officer responded as he stepped over to witness and examine the kinetic display representing the non-corporeal energy readings on the console screen for a moment.
"It would be prudent to implement all safety precautions and protocols in this endeavor since contact with these entities has been lethal in the majority of incidents."
The captain then repositioned himself as he contemplated their next moves.
"It would also be sensible to attempt this communication with the most receptive and reasonable faction of these beings that have been disenfranchised from their physical forms. This may be our only means to contend with the other more volatile division."
Considering the location for this potentially perilous interaction to occur, Syntron inquired to his team.
"Could the Auxiliary Briefing Room on deck 2 serve as a suitable locale? The emitters could be positioned on the conference table or in an open area on the floor. All secondary fields could be supported by the tertiary protocols already in place in that room. Once we initiate communication, we could use the large display screen positioned in there as our visual representation with the chosen polarity."
"Affirmative," the science chief responded. "Mister Hudson, as soon as you complete installation I will... send the invite."
Now positioned in the center seat, Syntron addressed the Deltan counselor commanding the communication post.
"Lieutenant Bijoŭ, inform security to prepare an armed team to be immediately dispensed to the Auxiliary Briefing Room. They must be equipped and sealed in full environmental suits as a precaution."
"Understood Sir" the Orion counselor acknowledged as she complied with the order.
Moments later Lieutenant Bijoŭ announced "Security team is prepared Captain" just as her console signaled.
Celestine Bijoŭ checked and rechecked the information displayed on her console before responding.
"Captain, the self-destruct sequence has been activated on the Nuntio!" she announced as calmly as she could muster.
Syntron drew his full attention back to the Deltan.
"Time until detonation?" he inquired calmly.
Analyzing the information as swiftly and accurately as possible Bijoŭ eventually responded "Approximately 25 minutes, Sir. But this is not confirmed."
Syntron acknowledged her connotation as he addressed the avian CSO.
"Given these new circumstances Mister Livingstone, we will need to expedite these communication attempts with the Zetarians. I would surmise that given the extreme measures that our away team is apparently undertaking on the Nuntio, that the current conditions are grim. We need to determine if we can assist in rectifying these circumstances. If not, we will need to devise a method to safely extract our crew along with any survivors aboard that ship . See to this immediately."
"The set up is ready to get one of them safely into the portable holo-emitter at your command, Sir, Jonathan answered, big golden eyes blinking back at the Vulcan captain. The sooner we communicate with them, the better our chances are of finding what is really going on... and what we should do about it. One thing is certain already though; Commander Riker and Commander Rogers are the only ones on the away team that can activate the self-destruct mechanism of a starship... but there is the possibility that one or several command grade officers of the Nuntio are with them. If that hypothesis proves correct, that means that there may be survivors aboard."
Leaning forward without hesitation he commanded "Confirm the authenticity of these orders and send an armed security team to the cargo bay."
"Perhaps this is Commander Rogers audacious method of escaping a doomed ship... and bringing along the away team"
"Mister Livingstone. Began a full compositional analysis and identification of who or what exactly are being contained within these cargo buffers. We need to assure that we have not allowed a potential Trojan horse the opportunity to rematerialize in our cargo bay."
"Transporter system registers... Captain! It is the crew of the Nuntio! At least about half of them... and members of our away team!"
The Science chief barely spoke that Bijou also reported from her own monitor.
"Transmission from the Nuntio's nav lights; raise shields and engage QSD drive in sixty seconds!"
"Prepare to engage both shields and the quantum slipstream drive... but on my mark," the captain ordered.
"Lieutenant Bijoŭ, transmit an acknowledgement back."
Addressing the avian CSO, the Vulcan commanding officer noted "Someone is still aboard that ship transmitting a signal. We need to know who may be missing from our away team immediately. Can you analyze the signals contained in the buffers and make this determination Lieutenant?"
"The transporter computer has completed comparative record of previous beam out and last beam in recorded signals; no EM spikes indicating Zetarrian presence... forty-seven crewmembers and passengers from the Nuntio's complement manifest... and our entire away team except for... Doctor Gray, Commander Rogers and Commander Riker."
Amid the flurry of commands and information going about the bridge, Leland continued to watch the pattern buffer containment signals on his board. The buffers would contaim the signal's only for about seven minutes, and two of those had already expired. He spoke a warning toward Livingstone.
"Hurry Lieutenant, the patterns are degrading inside those buffers. I estimate five minutes left for the first transported pattern's. After that, we'll get nothing but gas and molecular residue."
"Mister Hudson; evacuate all active transporter rooms, erect a level 10 forcefield around each one of them and complete materialization cycle!" quickly ordered de CSO
Following the CSO's evacuation order, Syntron inquired with a hint of urgency in his otherwise calm voice.
"Have our three remaining away team officers transported back to the Phoenix?"
"Scanning... transport signal comming from the Nuntio... analyzing... Aye, Captain! We got them! Self-destruct in seven seconds... six... five..."
With that information confirmed, the Vulcan captain immediately stood up and ordered "Shields.... implement at maximum capacity."
He followed that command with "Heading 7.5-mark-237. Maximum velocity. Engage!"
The ship lunged ahead out of the region as he found his way back into his seat only seconds before the Nuntio self-destructed in a silent but deadly display of colored explosive gases and scattered materials and within twenty-one seconds the Phoenix emerged out of the null area just ahead of the wake of the explosive waves and debris the entire way.
"We're clear, Sir," confirmed Livingstone from his sensor readings once they dropped out of slipstream. "The Nuntio has been... destroyed... with... everything aboard..."
The voice of the X'ell faltered almost to a sob. His elongated arms fell to his side and he stooped like someone struck by the weight of sorrowful fatality itself.
"All... all those lives... "
"Jonathan... we've saved the entire team and all the survivors of the ship," said Celestine, sudenly feeling the intense sadness of her fellow crewmate like a tidal wave.
The large golden eyes of the Avian looked at her. There were tears making them glisten.
"But... the Zetarrians..."
"They chose their fate, Jonathan. And there are still several of them enprisonned in our shuttlebay, alive. The others... we tried our best to warn them, to reason with them, to make peace with them..."
"Did we? Did we.."
His voice trailed off into a long sigh and his head hung low, feathers flattened on his skull. Even the lights of his sheereess dimmed like the light in his huge eyes.
The captain leaned back in the center seat. Loss of life was always avoided whenever possible in Starfleet, regardless of circumstance. Fortunately, the counselor with her professionalism and empathy was skillfully attending to the grieving avian CSO in a far greater capacity than what he could ever attempt.
Casting his eyes to the dark haired helmsman, Syntron addressed the human.
"Lieutenant Traynor, plot a course back to the region of space where we departed from the Horizon. Warp 8."
"Course laid in... ETA with Eden star system, seven days; engaging now, Sir" Traynor confirmed.
The eyes of the captain then averted back to the main viewscreen as the order was initiated and their velocity increased.
By Kheren on 03/19/2015 @ 11:44am
I selected player-linked NPCs to allow everyone to play on both ships. If you have a better one to play with or more to add for your needs, please feel free to change or add as you see fit.
By Syntron on 03/22/2015 @ 2:13pm
I must have missed the part where the away teams communicated this information about the crew members of the Nuntio to the Phoenix... hence why Syntron was responding this way. Feel free to adjust my post accordingly... unless he was in some deep Vulcan trance and therefore missed these announcements.
;-)
By Kheren on 03/22/2015 @ 6:04pm
there was no actual statement about it. But you gave orders for open channels so that's why it was known to the ship.
By Joshua Riker on 04/15/2015 @ 3:21pm
While more comical I wanted to include Tolo in the list of people not infected. Bolian physiology is very corrosive and unfriendly to parasites. In one of the Voyager books it implies that Bolians are almost incapable of getting sick due to nothing being able to survive in their system. Not exactly the best host for something taking over your mind.
By Kheren on 04/15/2015 @ 9:14pm
Nice touch. Although the parasites are totally incorporeal, we may however assume that being integrated to the peculiar Bolian physiology might be too alien and bewildering to them... So time for Bolians to get some love :)
By Joshua Riker on 07/23/2015 @ 1:25pm
The Nunito is done, everyone is off the ship and that forum is officially finished. Unless someone wants to edit my ending in which case...
By David Rogers on 07/23/2015 @ 9:51pm
I had initially thought to post Rogers beaming Riker off first, then changed my mind to allow Riker to do the honors. Somehow, I KNEW he would want to be last to go. ;)
By Joshua Riker on 07/24/2015 @ 12:41pm
I will take that as a compliment
By Kheren on 07/25/2015 @ 1:14pm
You earned it :)