Into the unknown

Posted on Sat Feb 24th, 2024 @ 4:25pm by Captain Tyler Driskill & Lieutenant T'Schuun Schoor & Lieutenant Kaelyn Carter
Edited on on Sat Feb 24th, 2024 @ 7:04pm

1,049 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Mission 1 - Project Concord
Location: Deck 1 | Bridge | USS Concord

Captain Driskill sat alone in the conference room for a few moments after dismissing his senior staff back to their duties. Their trip into the Delta Quadrant didn’t go as planned and he wanted to know why. He also needed to know the status of each system on the ship and that’s what he was about to find out.

The Captain stood from the head of the table and made his way back to the bridge. Making his way to an auxiliary operations console the former Operations Officer started looking into the damage on the Nebula-class ship himself. “Lieutenant Carter any luck finding us some… camouflage?”

From her place on the Bridge, Carter did not immediately reply as she attempted to make some sense from the chaotic data. Brow furrowed she gave a small nod as she half turned towards him, “possibly… we are detecting a nebula not too far from here. However, without more data I need to warn you it may be a bad idea. It could slow down repairs for one thing and there is a risk the nebula itself could cause even more damage…”

Kaylyn paused, reminding herself not to ramble. “But if these readings are correct then we would be hidden from sensors. It would give time to regroup and hopefully repair key systems at least.

But on the flip side, we would be just as blind to what’s going on outside … but so far it’s the best option nearby. Long range sensors are - well - unreliable at best right now but I will keep working on them.”

“How far is not far” the Captain asked as he turned from the station at the back of the bridge and started toward the science station.

“Around 11000 kilometres,” the science officer concluded with another review of the data.

He thought about the distance for a moment as he approached Lieutenant Carters station. “No way to know the effects it will have on the ship until we enter it?” He asked hoping for just a bit more information, even if he didn’t get it.

“Not from here with the damage we have,” Kaelyn sighed. “However, as we get closer that will change and we can utilise the shuttle sensors and one of probes before we enter. But to hide us, we need it to be mysterious or else it won’t help us stay out of sight.”

“Prepare a class five probe” the Captain ordered knowing it would pick up sensor readings and let them know if the nebula would damage the ship. “Helm set course for that nebula and take us to about five thousand kilometers from the outer edge.”

"Aye... Setting course, One-quarter impulse--I'd rather not push it just yet. Estimated arrival, ten minutes...." The Vulcan looked up from her panel. "The Artemis is returning. It will take a little bit of time to analyze the sensor data, but I can confirm we're in the Delta Quadrant, and not near where Voyager was rumored to be."

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Once you have our exact location I’d like to know.” The Captain moved to take his seat at this point while the computer ran a diagnostic on the sensors.

"Of course." The Vulcan went back to her readouts. "Miss Carter, any ships on long-range sensors? Something we wouldn't normally pick up?"

“Right now our long range sensors are unreliable, although from what we can decipher so far nothing is evident,” the science officer reported while she worked. “Captain, the probe is ready to launch once we are in position….”

The Concord was moving toward an unknown type of nebula. Captain Driskill intended to hide the Concord inside as it was difficult for their sensors to penetrate the nebula.

"We're in range, Captain. The probe, in conjunction with the runabout, should give us enough data... On you, Sir."

“Lieutenant Carter” the Captain gave his Chief Science Officer a nod. It was time to launch the probe and see if the nebula was safe for the Concord to enter safely. Driskill also needed as much information as possible about the nebula but that would take a few minutes at the very least.

At the captain's nod, Kaelyn entered the final command, initiating the launch sequence. From her workstation she could track the probe, as well as see a direct raw data feed which the computer would also analyse in real time. In the time to reaching the nebula she ran some quick tests to check the calibration one final time, knowing the accuracy of the data was paramount.

As her workstation chirped she glanced over at Driskill, "the probe is entering the nebula now, Sir."

Without waiting for his response she turned back to her work, a deep frown etched onto her forehead as she focused intently on the data to determine one key piece of information above all else. Was it safe?

“How we looking people?” Captain Driskill asked two of his bridge officers.

"Nebula data come in... Lieutenant, could you double-check these readings? I'm getting some unusual subspace eddies. Nothing I think we need to be overly-concerned about, but I'd like your eyes on it, as well." T'Schuun turned to the science station.

"Checking them now," Kaelyn replied as she ran some calculations, "the stress on the hull would be well within tolerance, but they are acting like a current. Kind of like a lazy river. We'd need to make use of thrusters, or have a shuttle do that via a tractor beam, to hold our position and stop us being carried along and drifting out of the nebula before we are ready. I'd love to get a look deeper inside this thing and see what is creating the eddies..."

The last sentence was more of a conversation with herself as she continued working, her curiosity going into overdrive.

“Take us in nice and slow. We will hold in place with thrusters once we are in a desirable location” the Captain was impressed with his officers. “Good work folks” he added with a smile on his face “I know this is a tense situation.” There was a few seconds pause and Tyler spoke again “let’s get to it.”

 

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