Twinkle Twinkle

Posted on Fri Feb 15th, 2019 @ 7:09pm by Lieutenant Dinui Locke (loch)

2,218 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: S1:4: A Murder Of Crows
Location: Sensor Lab 1
Timeline: MD 62 11.00AM

Roomy was a word to use when describing the sensor lab. The majority of the space was filled with a dedicated holographic projector rising from the floor, the air above it filled with the Travellers motto.

Further.
Fastest.
First.

And next to the holographic projection, a figure made of golden thread's stood. Tall, slender, with four arms crossed in contemplation of the motto, the figures other features were cast in artistic brush strokes. The face was little more than an ovoid mask, the hands flattened paddles like a minimalist sculpture.

Clee'san, the Simulated Consciousness from the Morning Star Ark found in Dark Space, turned to regard Victor and Locke's arrival.

"What does it mean?" She asked, her voice coming from the ceiling.

"It's the easiest way to describe our mission." Vic responding, "We've come further than any other expedition in the history of the Federation, We got here faster than anyone else could, and we we're the first to do all of it not to mention all the places we'll be the first to discover. It truly is fitting." He said added with a smile.

"It's proud, boastful. Unbecoming of the dignity of warriors," Clee'san's lyrical voice commented as she moved around the projection. Unlike a traditional hologram, she didn't move as a cohesive image. Instead, it was like a cloud of loose brassy threads that clung together in a shape reminiscent of a person. "It is nothing more than a momentary utterance of importance against the entirety of what is to come. The Morning Star Empire would be littered with such societal detritus if we remembered every 'first' we accomplished."

"You sounded Klingon for a moment there." Vic said with a chuckle,"This first though, is worthy of boasting given this has never been done before to our knowledge."

"The Morning Star's light shone from one side of our home galaxy to another, even to clusters like this one thrown above the disc. It is not more an accomplishment than throwing an artificial satellite into orbit," the projection said indifferently. "And I know of these...Klingons. Your crew are attempting to provide me with data on them. The comparison is crude, they have a skewed idea of honour, these Klingons. Their glory is transitory and personal, there is no thought for the Empire to come in the next millennia."

"Folks like wha' they think they know in general." Dinui said with a cheeky grin up at the Clee'san, the Simulated Consciousness from the Morning Star Ark found in Dark Space, "We be lookin' to learn an' grow though. Ah wanted to thank ye for ye' help wi' the gate earlier too." she wasn't sure if her thanking would be accepted or not but she still wanted to offer it because it was the right thing to do.

"That is not my doing," Clee'san said. The holographic ship's seal vanished, replaced by a partially rendered scan of the strange alien gateway buried under Carpathia's sun. It looked more skeletal now in detail, like a ribcage and painfully intricate puzzle combined into one. The bright white bone-like material of the device had no apparent seams, and what sharp right angles it had looked oddly organic. "It is an old machine if a machine indeed it is. And...wise. I sensed an intrusion into the ships data space, a query. It wanted to know if we're harmful."

A pair of bright red dots raced towards the projection of the gateway, and then suddenly came to a stop and dropped to the floor and out of the hologram.

"It was able to determine that the two torpedoes you fired at Abborax were a threat, and neutralised them via...strange means. It was then able to determine that we were not an active threat to it. I would very much like to know how it made two armed antimatter warheads inert in a nanosecond."

"Your guess is as good as mine." Vic said stepping closer to the hologram."When torpedoes are armed, they don't disarm unless they explode, hell they're made to be fired at warp speeds so for something to render them inert just like that without causing detonation is a trick I'd definitely like to learn."

"Indeed," Clee'san said, and with a wave of her hand the model of the Whisper Gate vanished, to be replaced by a spray of stars. "Your Captain wanted you to find a system rife with debris and stellar phenomena that will hide you. I...require your assistance in managing your sensor suites. They are unlike anything the Morning Star Empire used. You have no formation focusing technologies, nor quantum harmonisers."

"Well iffen ye can tell me wha' be missin' to make such things we can certain do our best." Dinui replied she knew they were missing more than just equipment there was lots of knowledge that she hoped to add as they went. "Can ye tell more about the Gate we used? Where it came from?"

"You lack the basic understandings of formation based technologies, nor the necessary mental framework to use them. Better to forget them entirely," Clee'san avatar said. "As for the Gate, I cannot say. Your sensors caught only a glimpse of it, what it allowed you to see amid the clutter of the star's photosphere. What is known is that it was...summoned from the below the chromosphere of the star by a device on Abborax's ship. There is a momentary exchange of exotic particles that suggests communication. Though that communication could have been to impart a destination or simply to raise it."

The hologram shifted, turning the star map around.

"The only concrete information I can give you, is that Abborax gave a name to the people who built them: The Priors. The name suggests they are no longer present, and that the technology is being used without permission or cosent by the Myriad. I would suggest at some point we board a Myriad vessel, and see how it is they are able to use such gate ways. It would simply matters of transportation for you."

Dinui frowned as she thought over the information, "Ye didna encounter the 'Priors during ye'r time?" She asked lightly though curious she had hoped that the representation of Clee'san would have had at least some further information to share. She made a note to ask the Captain if he wanted at a later date to try boarding a Myriad ship to gather what data they could. Dinui frowned slightly again wishing she could talk with the currently disgraced CEO he had been aboard such a ship. If he had been able to get information they could now use it would make sense to do so. She added that to her list of things to ask the Captain about.

"The Morning Star Empire ruled from one side of our home galaxy to the other, with no equal to rival us. We only met our equal when the Clock Maker incursion infected our galaxy. And whilst our technology is superior to your own, I might deem it equal to the Priors. There are aspects of it I find intriguing, and worthy of study," Clee'san mused. "Should we ever find another Prior artefact, I would not be opposed to rendering you aid in its investigation."

"As long as it doesn't start taking over the ship I'm ok with these discoveries." Vic added, clearly not knowing what to expect anymore.

"I successfully stopped Abborax from taking over the ship during your chase through the suns corona. I do not find the concept of sharing this vessel with another sentience appealing." Clee'san said icily. The holo shifted again, revealing a pair of simplified star maps.

On the left was a fuzzy amber cloud with a dim centre, looking nothing more than sunset seen through fog. On the right was a bright violet sphere, with dark rippling shadows causing the light to shimmer.

"I have been able to identify two star systems that might serve the purpose your captain described. The first is an older star system hosting a Red Giant. Has it has grown the gravitational flux has shattered many of the outer planets and drawn in a significant number of Kelper Belt and Halo Cloud fragments. The flux and debris cloud would make for a suitable hiding spot to effect repairs, though there is a significant risk of collision with interstellar debris."

"The second-star system is host to a micro white dwarf star. Very hot, very energetic. The system is newly formed, and a great deal of material is free-floating having yet to collapse into planetary formation zones. The high energy output of the star would mask us completely from sensors, but would also blind us and present a very hazardous environment to work in. I would think it would be wise for a biological trusted by Captain Remas to decide which star system we will head for."

Dinui nodded her head it would definitely be best to let the Captain choose but she figured getting ready for either destination was a sound idea as well. "While we prepare for either location would ye mind tellin' me more about ye'rself?" Dinui asked, as she regarded Clee'san, "Will ye be willin' to help wi' what data we gathered from the Gate scans?"

"I would yes, though there are certain facets of myself I cannot tell you. I have oaths that cannot be broken so easily, but there are some things I can tell you. Perhaps after you have decided which of these star systems is best from a Scientific and Tactical perspective?" Clee'san stated.

"Fair enough I thank ye," Dinui replied to Clee'san before Dinui looked over and up at Reynolds, was everyone on this ship so tall? "Do ye feel confident to make a call or do ye think we ask the Captain for his pref'rence?" She asked.

"I'd vote for space chunks of doom as opposed to frying from radiation and tactically speaking we can protect ourselves from the debris. It is the Captain's call though." Vic said "I say let's run it by him and let him choose."

Dinui agreed debris was much preferable to dealing with radiation. Dinui tapped her combadge, =/\= Locke to Captain McDonald can ye come down to senor lab we have some choices tha' need ye'r input.=/\= whatever he decided it was sure to be a further first for them but hopefully less eventful than the past few days.

The Captain's reply came nearly as quickly as his appearance, as he stepped through the door into the sensor lab. He studied the two solar systems on offer, his fingers deftly gesturing the panes of additional data to scroll and tell the story.

"Beacon," he said and pointed at the Red Giant star with its orbiting debris belts and dust clouds. "It'll do hell to the hull armour, but as long as we have power to the shields and deflector the larger chunks should leave us be. I'd prefer the Torch system, but with the hull needing work, we'll need to have folk outside on the hull to get the work done. Shifts lasting five minutes for radiation overexposure will make long the time we'll need."

He toyed with his beard for a moment.

"Victor, how are your ExpSec members rated for zero-gee combat training? And Miss Locke, I'd want some of your team out there as well. Who knows what sort of exotic particulates we've picked up travelling through an unshielded phase space tunnel thanks to that ancient gateway. Might be we find a way to make the trip home a might faster," Remas said.

"They can do it sir." Vic responded, "Though Ensign Bridges tends to throw up in his helmet, makes for a good laugh."

"Well the Patch Mother knows we could all use a laugh," Remas said with a grin. "Speaking of which, I'll be holding a get together on the Rec Deck tonight to welcome out guests from Abborax's ship. Get them known to everyone. I'd like you both to attend as representatives of the Milky Way."

"Of course sir. I'm all for a shindig." Vic said with a smile

Dinui nodded her head, "Happy to be there Sir." She would have to talk to the team because she had no idea who was up to date for zero gravity situations. She enjoyed them but her personal enjoyments didn't mean everyone else liked it. She would get together with them once she left the sensor lab. "Dress uniform o' less formal attire?" She didn't want to to be the only one overdressed or underdressed. Dinui certainly wasn't going to just assume she could wear an off duty outfit. She made that mistake once never again if she had her way.

"Less formal. We're introducing the Milky Way to Messier 4, the grand multitudes of our collective society.. Just nothing you'd not want an Admiral to see you in," Remas chuckled. "I'll link your data pads with the information on the party. I expect to see you both there."

 

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