Yes they do. Much like the Romulans. Which is why I was rather keen on getting Sulu as intel admiral since AFAIK Federation HUMINT is abyssmal and you can only do so much with SIGINT alone.
To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)
- Thread starter OneirosTheWriter
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
-
- Tags
- star trek exploration fully automated luxury gay space communism top level canon (canon) #hashtagcontent all-encompassing space amoeba cardassian boy bands cardassian magical girls darkest bureaucracy debate makes the qm cackle like palpatine hoh is an empire quest it has to be foreign infiltrators more ships ship happens singers delenda est starfleet this is not an empire quest ur waifu is collective?
lbmaian
a thirsty squirrel
- Location
- USA
Wait, when did this happen?
- Location
- somewhere
2301.Q4 I think? Somewhere around then.
Jenny
anonymous user
- Location
- maryland
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Last edited:
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I have one more coming. Sorry. Half hour tops.
I LIED: THERE ARE TWO MORE
Last edited:
Derek58
Rocket Punch is Best Punch
- Location
- Getter Valhalla
Sadly, some things are beyond any amount of technobabble
- Location
- Tulsa Oklahoma
I wonder if our new Explorer ship will have difficulty due to the name. Some names are just, well, it is said that ghosts from those who died on the ships which formally held the name sometimes haunt the new vessel, and with the trauma that occurred on the previous Michiat, there would likely be plenty in the way of restless dead.
- Location
- somewhere
Hmm, if you take the average of their ridiculously bulky outfits and TNG era Starfleet spandex you probably get something actually reasonable.
Omake - Andorian Vacation - AKuz
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Andorian Vacation
Andoria, Just after the end of the Five Year Mission of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B
Captains Ka'Sharren and Ajam stand in orbit looking down on the blue ball that is Andoria.
Nash points to an otherwise indistinguishable point on the world, "There! Shae Ice shelf! The land of my ancestors!"
"It looks nice?" says Maryam Ajam politely.
Nash snorts in amusement, "It's a barren ice desert. It's actually pretty awful"
Maryam sighs in relief, "I think my people were desert dwellers as well a few hundred years ago. I think. Lot of Human family trees stop at about 2000-something"
The Andorian coughs, "So, you ready Maryam?" she shakes the casing of the atmospheric shield.
"I havn't done this since… Vulcan in '99 I think?" the Human laughs, "I look forward to having the full set though, all the core members."
"Amarkia is joining soon" Ka'Sharren says with a grin.
"So, I pop by sometime during the next couple years and pick that one up too!" Ajam says grinning.
"Oh, wow, I can't imagine trying to explain that one: "Hello Armaki Orbital Command. I would like to ride down into your atmosphere in a rickety ship that is almost entirely ablative armour that dissolves about halfway down-"
"-then I'm going to rocket the rest of the way down into the ground and only deploy a thin fabric sheet at the last possible moment to arrest my fall" Ajam finishes laughing along with her former Captain.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
Ka'Sharren taps her comm unit, "Plunger One to Station command. Ready to go!"
The reply comes back, the controller almost bored, "Copy Plunger One" the man starts a countdown, the two women count along with him gripping the controls of their small disposable craft.
"3...2...1!" The two Captains say in tandem as the orbital station throws the small craft down into Andoria's atmosphere.
The duo's first task is focusing on navigation, using only the most basic systems to track their wedge of ablative ceramic and plastics down towards Shae Ice Sheet. A mistake here and they could miss their target by half a continent or more.
The two control the wedge in tandem, watching the speed decrease, and the fire on the outside increase, burning their protection off.
Maryam Ajam looks through the transparent material of the floor, watching in wonder as the lights of Andoria's cities streak by below, watching the roads slowly taper out the lights slowly peter out one by one. Until….
"BREAKAWAY!" Screams Ka'Sharren and Ajam in unison as their small, fragile, craft breaks apart and they are free, a dozen kilometers above the planet's surface.
The two are in freefall through the air, only the most advanced civilian grade reentry materials keeping them safe. And a parachute. And an emergency anti-grav generator; but neither wanted to use the generators unless they absolutely had to.
The Human woman marvels at the surface, she's done this many times, once for each homeworld and a few more beside, but for each new world there is a sense of wonder.
The two stick fairly close together, carefully angling their descents against a HUD in their suits.
Then Ajam feels the sudden jerk of her chute deploying as her speed decreases. She does a tuck and roll as she hits the ground and thanks to the technologies in her suit, she is not actually killed outright from the impact. She is in fact, perfectly okay.
Maryam picks herself up off the ground and looks around, watching the numbers on her HUD shift.
Less than one kilometer from the supply cache. Nice.
And less than two hundred meters from Ka'Sharren. Double nice.
She takes a moment to truly enjoy the sight of a new world (Well, new to her, which still counts) before starting her trudge towards the indicator of her former commanding officer.
It's only moments before she sees Nash trudging back towards her, waving excitedly, and she waves back.
When the two are only meters away the Andorian woman takes off her helmet and spikes it onto the hard packed ice, "WOOOO. ON TARGET. TAKE THAT YOU ICEBALL OF DEATH. WOO!" she stops and blushes, "Wait. I still need that." she says kneeling down to pick the slightly scratched helmet back up again.
"So. Cache thataways" Maryam says pointing and starting her walk, Ka'Sharren falling in beside her.
"Okay. We reach the Cache, set up for the night. Then head for the Ka'Sharren hereditary Ice Fortress preserve. Three days tops, then we have to head back." the Enterprise captain (On Vacation) counts off the days on her fingers.
"Presuming we don't get lost for a week" says the human with a wicked grin.
"That happened once." Nash says waving her arms around, "I was fifteen!" the blue woman complains, sealing her helmet shut again, "Anyway. Now that I've got you here, it's time to teach you all my command secrets!"
"Wasn't I supposed to pick those up from you on Enterprise?" Ajam says, avoiding an oddly tilted plate of ice.
"Well yes. But there is something special and mystical about the master handing down her secrets to her most promising student out in the trackless wastes. Alone while the lights play out in the sky all mystical like. In the way the old masters did."
"You're making that up" Points out Ajam reasonably.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Nash shrugs, "It's not important. Just the one last opportunity to explore the wilds with your captain, okay?"
"Aye, ma'am!" says Captain Ajam, smiling.
Andoria, Just after the end of the Five Year Mission of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B
Captains Ka'Sharren and Ajam stand in orbit looking down on the blue ball that is Andoria.
Nash points to an otherwise indistinguishable point on the world, "There! Shae Ice shelf! The land of my ancestors!"
"It looks nice?" says Maryam Ajam politely.
Nash snorts in amusement, "It's a barren ice desert. It's actually pretty awful"
Maryam sighs in relief, "I think my people were desert dwellers as well a few hundred years ago. I think. Lot of Human family trees stop at about 2000-something"
The Andorian coughs, "So, you ready Maryam?" she shakes the casing of the atmospheric shield.
"I havn't done this since… Vulcan in '99 I think?" the Human laughs, "I look forward to having the full set though, all the core members."
"Amarkia is joining soon" Ka'Sharren says with a grin.
"So, I pop by sometime during the next couple years and pick that one up too!" Ajam says grinning.
"Oh, wow, I can't imagine trying to explain that one: "Hello Armaki Orbital Command. I would like to ride down into your atmosphere in a rickety ship that is almost entirely ablative armour that dissolves about halfway down-"
"-then I'm going to rocket the rest of the way down into the ground and only deploy a thin fabric sheet at the last possible moment to arrest my fall" Ajam finishes laughing along with her former Captain.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
Ka'Sharren taps her comm unit, "Plunger One to Station command. Ready to go!"
The reply comes back, the controller almost bored, "Copy Plunger One" the man starts a countdown, the two women count along with him gripping the controls of their small disposable craft.
"3...2...1!" The two Captains say in tandem as the orbital station throws the small craft down into Andoria's atmosphere.
The duo's first task is focusing on navigation, using only the most basic systems to track their wedge of ablative ceramic and plastics down towards Shae Ice Sheet. A mistake here and they could miss their target by half a continent or more.
The two control the wedge in tandem, watching the speed decrease, and the fire on the outside increase, burning their protection off.
Maryam Ajam looks through the transparent material of the floor, watching in wonder as the lights of Andoria's cities streak by below, watching the roads slowly taper out the lights slowly peter out one by one. Until….
"BREAKAWAY!" Screams Ka'Sharren and Ajam in unison as their small, fragile, craft breaks apart and they are free, a dozen kilometers above the planet's surface.
The two are in freefall through the air, only the most advanced civilian grade reentry materials keeping them safe. And a parachute. And an emergency anti-grav generator; but neither wanted to use the generators unless they absolutely had to.
The Human woman marvels at the surface, she's done this many times, once for each homeworld and a few more beside, but for each new world there is a sense of wonder.
The two stick fairly close together, carefully angling their descents against a HUD in their suits.
Then Ajam feels the sudden jerk of her chute deploying as her speed decreases. She does a tuck and roll as she hits the ground and thanks to the technologies in her suit, she is not actually killed outright from the impact. She is in fact, perfectly okay.
Maryam picks herself up off the ground and looks around, watching the numbers on her HUD shift.
Less than one kilometer from the supply cache. Nice.
And less than two hundred meters from Ka'Sharren. Double nice.
She takes a moment to truly enjoy the sight of a new world (Well, new to her, which still counts) before starting her trudge towards the indicator of her former commanding officer.
It's only moments before she sees Nash trudging back towards her, waving excitedly, and she waves back.
When the two are only meters away the Andorian woman takes off her helmet and spikes it onto the hard packed ice, "WOOOO. ON TARGET. TAKE THAT YOU ICEBALL OF DEATH. WOO!" she stops and blushes, "Wait. I still need that." she says kneeling down to pick the slightly scratched helmet back up again.
"So. Cache thataways" Maryam says pointing and starting her walk, Ka'Sharren falling in beside her.
"Okay. We reach the Cache, set up for the night. Then head for the Ka'Sharren hereditary Ice Fortress preserve. Three days tops, then we have to head back." the Enterprise captain (On Vacation) counts off the days on her fingers.
"Presuming we don't get lost for a week" says the human with a wicked grin.
"That happened once." Nash says waving her arms around, "I was fifteen!" the blue woman complains, sealing her helmet shut again, "Anyway. Now that I've got you here, it's time to teach you all my command secrets!"
"Wasn't I supposed to pick those up from you on Enterprise?" Ajam says, avoiding an oddly tilted plate of ice.
"Well yes. But there is something special and mystical about the master handing down her secrets to her most promising student out in the trackless wastes. Alone while the lights play out in the sky all mystical like. In the way the old masters did."
"You're making that up" Points out Ajam reasonably.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Nash shrugs, "It's not important. Just the one last opportunity to explore the wilds with your captain, okay?"
"Aye, ma'am!" says Captain Ajam, smiling.
- Location
- somewhere
So we can start two new Excelsiors this year, but the question whether we should remains. I'm inclined to say yes, not because we should spend all resources exclusively on Excelsiors as a general policy or anything like that, but because our smaller ships aren't all that good at the moment. It would be silly to build ships that need to come in for a refit soon afterwards. Once we got a refit for one of the classes (I hope to fit one into the next budget, but there are so many things we need...) we build more of those, with the refit already applied.
Omake - Senior Staff Moments of the Enterprise-B - AKuz
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
OH THANK GOD. SOMEONE POSTED.
ENTERPRISE-B SENIOR STAFF MOMENTS FIVE YEAR MISSION #1
Stardate 20571.4 [Bedside manner]
Doctor Asurva leans over the biobed and squeezes Crewman Cirak's hand. "Don't worry honey, you're going to be all right."
He squeezes his eyes shut in pain and moans loudly in response, small amounts of black soot and ash tumbling down from the meter long energy gash along his left side.
The Orion Doctor blinks heavily and shakes her head to clear the fatigue from her mind, she needs to be clear and awake, the crewman's life depends on her.
The biobed's reading start to spike again and Asurva makes a snap decision, "Nurse, Benjisdrine, 14… no 15ccs" she holds her hand up without looking and after a moment a hypospray is dropped into her green hand and she carefully applies it to Cirak's left leg.
It's been three hours since the Crewman was hit by an energy discharge that he'd been investigating, it'd charred nearly thirty percent of his skin and burned through his internal organs on the way out.
A desperate surgery had repaired his internal organs and they'd begun to work on their own again with only a small amount of outside help.
"Something is still wrong," the Orion whispers to herself, still smiling gently. "Hold on honey, you'll pull through"
She gestures to her nurse to step closer. "I can't seem to stabilize his vitals, the exterior looks bad enough, but something keeps…" she stops and watches the crewman slowly go stil, "Nurse, Animazine! 5ccs."
She's still holding onto the man's hand as the hypospray hisses into his neck.
"Nurse, I need you to… this crystal. Does life grow nearby?"
"Ma'am. I, uh…" she half-runs into Dr Asurva's office to look over the survey records. "Not on… There's flowers growing near the crystal formations on the second Planet. They're called Red Tiger Paw?"
The Orion sighs in relief and activates a direct comm link to the bridge. "Doctor Asurva to Captain ka"Sharren." The voice that comes back is confident, with the slightest hint of trepidation, "Crewman Cirak will recover… I just need a sample of the "Red Tiger Paw" flower from the second planet. It'll have adapted to survive the energy discharge from the crystals. It's what I need to keep Cirak on the path to recovery"
"Copy that Doctor, we'll get you that flower."
When Commander Ajam rushes into sickbay with a sample of the flowers three hours later, Doctor Asurva is still there, by crewman Cirak's side.
Stardate 20713.2 [Dreaming of the Stars]
Commander Ajam stands behind Captain ka'Sharren, a PADD in her hand, "Ma'am I have those crew efficiency reports..." she looks up at the view screen as Enterprise comes around to the night side of the planet she's orbiting.
Maryan Ajam's eyes widen as she takes in the vista, wide open space, the last rays of the system's star reaching around the horizon…
She's back on Luna, nose pressed up against the window of her habitat, she's watching the stars, almost disappointed at how many move. At how busy space is. Something in small Maryam Ajam's heart craves to see what's out there
She turns around and can feel the Ensign's pin on her shoulder as she ascends into space towards USS Excelsior, her graduation only a few weeks in the past. She gazes out the cockpit window and watches as Excelsior slowly and gracefully passes across them.
Lieutenant Commander Ajam stands miserably in the halls of Starfleet Command, looking up from fleet deployment diagrams and tactical simulation results. Space seems to be unreachable far away, past the blue skies and fluffy white clouds of the most explored place in the Federation.
Then she's loose, on the bridge of USS Enterprise, and space is empty in front of her, endless and fascinating. The possibility of new life and new civilization lurk around every corner. Of wonders yet undreamed of and vistas yet unseen.
There is no hubbub of colonial life, no drudgery of Starfleet report after Starfleet report, only Maryam, the Enterprise and the endless expanse of the universe.
As the crew of USS Enterprise sleep wherever they fell, Commander Maryam Ajam lies slumped against the Enterprise bridge's rear console, a smile playing across her lips.
Stardate 20718.2 [I JUST FLY]
Lieutenant Stol tunes out background distractions as he calculates trajectories and flight paths. He conducts geometry and velocity calculations at lighting speed in his head.
That is not to say that he is unaware of Lieutenant Commander Zaardmani shouting in surprised disbelief in the background. Just that he has disregarded it as unimportant at this moment.
This is because on all sides of Enterprise a world is collapsing around them. Massive plates of ice spin and accelerate in all directions; swirling crystals of incorporeal beauty shatter and shoot deadly slivers in all directions.
Lieutenant Stol pushes fear and disbelief into the background like the illogical distractions that they are. Instead he focuses on his skills the innate talent that he posses.
The Vulcan focuses on the gap that Enterprise had entered through, on the ever shrinking hole that was the only debris free exit from this hollow world in the process of rapid collapse.
A small shard of crystal several kilometres long catches his eye on the view screen and it looks like it will pin Enterprise between it and a spinning plate of glittering ice.
Stol reacts as much out of logic as instinct. A part of his mind calculates the trajectory of the spike and another part envisions the spin of the ice plate.
Then the what his Andorian academy instructor calls "the magic" happens. It's not magic, it's simple logic. It's the split second and intelligent application of the calculations that his mind has completed. He reacts as if by instinct, his hands gliding across the conn panel movements smooth and precise.
And Enterprise dances. Like a graceful dancer, the powerful vessel responds perfectly.
The Enterprise races towards the ice plate and begins slowly spinning on her length axis, spinning around the leading spear end of the crystal spike, as she terminates her dive and pulls up to avoid the shards of crystal and ice shrapnel given off by the collision of plate an shard.
As Stol brings Enterprise back under control and races her up towards the exit of the hollow moon, he can hear his Captain's praise and relief in the background. He tunes this out as well, all that he finds important is the satisfaction of using his talents to their maximum potential as is logical.
Stardate 20985.3 [You know that one Overparanoid PC?]
Commander Ajam frowns. "Comm, have we heard from Captain Ka'sharren or Lieutenant Leaniss yet?"
"No ma'am."
"Are the Risans still being cage-y?"
"Uh, they are saying that Captain Ka'Sharren and the Lieutenant left the diplomatic meeting hours ago."
Lieutenant Commander Mrr'Shan sighs. "I knew this was too good to be true Ma'am."
Ajam turns towards the science department. "Can we still detect their life signs on scanners?"
"Of course ma'am, I would have let you know if they dropped off my sensors," says Zardmaani, faintly insulted.
Mrr'Shan starts to step back from her panel. "I can have a team on the ground in five minutes Commander."
The First Officer shakes her head. "We don't have the whole story yet, this could be innocent. We could transport them out, but they could be in talks and not responding?"
The tactical officer paces between the turbolifts. "After an entire night ma'am? They should have checked in by now. Captain Ka'Sharren usually knows better."
The XO nods slowly. "Take a shuttle down to check on them. Keep a security team on board… but go out yourself Commander, the last thing we need is you bursting into diplomatic talks with a team of armed space marines."
Mere minutes later the shuttle is on approach to a large beachfront complex made out of wood that has the missing officers' life signs.
The Caitian turns to her hastily assembled team of security, like them she has phaser resistant armour plating over her torso, and a phaser pistol on her hip. "KEEP YOUR RIFLES READY, IF I GIVE THE SIGNAL YOU MAY HAVE SECONDS TO REACH MY POSITION BEFORE WE ARE CUT OFF." Still holding onto the shuttle roof with a single hand, she turns to a nervous looking Human. "ENSIGN WOLFE, YOU WILL BE IN CHARGE OF SIGNALLING THE TEAM IF I AM INCAPACITATED"
"Uhhh, yes Ma'am?" he says as the shuttle all but screeches to a landing on pristine beachfront.
The Caitian walks out, scanning the wooden building, Ensign Wolfe following her nervously, "Can you see a good spot to slip inside Ensign?" she asks.
"We… could knock on the front... door?" he says uncertainly.
She nods seriously. "Hmmm, okay, if there is an answer, you distract them while I find the Captain."
"Uhh. okay ma'am" he says watching his superior bang on the doors.
A Risan answers, he's smiling, but confused. "Ahhhh! Hello! Are you here to speak to your friends?"
Mrr'Shan seems confused. "Captain Ka'Sharren and Lieutenant Leaniss? Yes we are"
He bows and steps back in the doorway, gesturing for them to follow him. The Enterprise tactical officer looks around suspiciously and steps inside. Ensign Wolfe shrugs and follows her.
"Sam!!" Nash Ka'Sharren, dressed in a bathrobe, says happily as the officer steps into the breakfast nook. "You should have called ahead!"
Stardate 21060.3 [Blame]
This was entirely his fault, thinks Science Department head Diego Zardmaani. "Well this isn't my fault," he says. "I can't predict if the shields are going to fail." He damn well should have known that they were weak to that sort of radiation at the forwards nacelle interface. The Bussard collectors always played havoc with the shielding if you weren't careful.
"I know, Diego. No one's to blame," says Doctor Asurva, tucking a frazzled lock of hair back into place. "I just wish we knew what was wrong"
He throws down his PADD in frustration, the *clang* echoing across the medical lab. "These bio scans tell us nothing. The crew's immune systems are playing hell with it. It's decaying too fast now." He paces the room angrily, gears in his head turning, angry at himself.
"I wish it would decay faster, I'm doing all I can, but they won't make it. They decay itself is doing as much damage as the radiation"
The light-skinned human stops pacing. "Someone needs to go inside the Nacelle"
The Doctor shakes her head. "Engineer Bazeck says that the area should stay quarantined for another week, until the radiation dies down and his people can clear it out. I don't want anyone else getting sick"
Zardmaani gestures to a pile of PADDs. "All this data is USELESS!" he shouts. "We have too much from the main sensors for the computer and the science team to sort through, and even then it tells us nothing about how it interacts with matter!" He respects his team, but they just don't have the time.
The Orion woman looks at the ceiling thoughtfully, "Well, a modified excursion suit could-"
The human cuts her off, he needs to make this right. "I'm going in. Alone. I can't trust anyone else to get this right. Not the first time, not anything this sensitive. And I'm not going to babysit anyone." He doesn't want to go alone, but he can't risk any of his crew, not if something happens.
The Doctor is taken aback, she didn't think he had it in him. "I'm going with you then"
He's not risking anyone else, dammit! "Doctor. Did you hear what I just said? I'm not going to babysit anyone."
She steps up to her colleague. "You need someone to adjust shielding for radiation and analyze the medical effects of the radiation. The best person for the job is me."
He wants to refuse, his should be the only life risked, but he can see on her face that there is no saying no, he sighs, "I suppose. Just don't blame me if you get a fatal dose of radiation poisoning"
Three hours later the two officers crawl out of the nacelles, tired, hurt, and mildly radiation scarred, yet victorious. They have good news for Captain Ka'Sharren.
Author's Notes said:
ENTERPRISE-B SENIOR STAFF MOMENTS FIVE YEAR MISSION #1
Stardate 20571.4 [Bedside manner]
Doctor Asurva leans over the biobed and squeezes Crewman Cirak's hand. "Don't worry honey, you're going to be all right."
He squeezes his eyes shut in pain and moans loudly in response, small amounts of black soot and ash tumbling down from the meter long energy gash along his left side.
The Orion Doctor blinks heavily and shakes her head to clear the fatigue from her mind, she needs to be clear and awake, the crewman's life depends on her.
The biobed's reading start to spike again and Asurva makes a snap decision, "Nurse, Benjisdrine, 14… no 15ccs" she holds her hand up without looking and after a moment a hypospray is dropped into her green hand and she carefully applies it to Cirak's left leg.
It's been three hours since the Crewman was hit by an energy discharge that he'd been investigating, it'd charred nearly thirty percent of his skin and burned through his internal organs on the way out.
A desperate surgery had repaired his internal organs and they'd begun to work on their own again with only a small amount of outside help.
"Something is still wrong," the Orion whispers to herself, still smiling gently. "Hold on honey, you'll pull through"
She gestures to her nurse to step closer. "I can't seem to stabilize his vitals, the exterior looks bad enough, but something keeps…" she stops and watches the crewman slowly go stil, "Nurse, Animazine! 5ccs."
She's still holding onto the man's hand as the hypospray hisses into his neck.
"Nurse, I need you to… this crystal. Does life grow nearby?"
"Ma'am. I, uh…" she half-runs into Dr Asurva's office to look over the survey records. "Not on… There's flowers growing near the crystal formations on the second Planet. They're called Red Tiger Paw?"
The Orion sighs in relief and activates a direct comm link to the bridge. "Doctor Asurva to Captain ka"Sharren." The voice that comes back is confident, with the slightest hint of trepidation, "Crewman Cirak will recover… I just need a sample of the "Red Tiger Paw" flower from the second planet. It'll have adapted to survive the energy discharge from the crystals. It's what I need to keep Cirak on the path to recovery"
"Copy that Doctor, we'll get you that flower."
When Commander Ajam rushes into sickbay with a sample of the flowers three hours later, Doctor Asurva is still there, by crewman Cirak's side.
Stardate 20713.2 [Dreaming of the Stars]
Commander Ajam stands behind Captain ka'Sharren, a PADD in her hand, "Ma'am I have those crew efficiency reports..." she looks up at the view screen as Enterprise comes around to the night side of the planet she's orbiting.
Maryan Ajam's eyes widen as she takes in the vista, wide open space, the last rays of the system's star reaching around the horizon…
She's back on Luna, nose pressed up against the window of her habitat, she's watching the stars, almost disappointed at how many move. At how busy space is. Something in small Maryam Ajam's heart craves to see what's out there
She turns around and can feel the Ensign's pin on her shoulder as she ascends into space towards USS Excelsior, her graduation only a few weeks in the past. She gazes out the cockpit window and watches as Excelsior slowly and gracefully passes across them.
Lieutenant Commander Ajam stands miserably in the halls of Starfleet Command, looking up from fleet deployment diagrams and tactical simulation results. Space seems to be unreachable far away, past the blue skies and fluffy white clouds of the most explored place in the Federation.
Then she's loose, on the bridge of USS Enterprise, and space is empty in front of her, endless and fascinating. The possibility of new life and new civilization lurk around every corner. Of wonders yet undreamed of and vistas yet unseen.
There is no hubbub of colonial life, no drudgery of Starfleet report after Starfleet report, only Maryam, the Enterprise and the endless expanse of the universe.
As the crew of USS Enterprise sleep wherever they fell, Commander Maryam Ajam lies slumped against the Enterprise bridge's rear console, a smile playing across her lips.
Stardate 20718.2 [I JUST FLY]
Lieutenant Stol tunes out background distractions as he calculates trajectories and flight paths. He conducts geometry and velocity calculations at lighting speed in his head.
That is not to say that he is unaware of Lieutenant Commander Zaardmani shouting in surprised disbelief in the background. Just that he has disregarded it as unimportant at this moment.
This is because on all sides of Enterprise a world is collapsing around them. Massive plates of ice spin and accelerate in all directions; swirling crystals of incorporeal beauty shatter and shoot deadly slivers in all directions.
Lieutenant Stol pushes fear and disbelief into the background like the illogical distractions that they are. Instead he focuses on his skills the innate talent that he posses.
The Vulcan focuses on the gap that Enterprise had entered through, on the ever shrinking hole that was the only debris free exit from this hollow world in the process of rapid collapse.
A small shard of crystal several kilometres long catches his eye on the view screen and it looks like it will pin Enterprise between it and a spinning plate of glittering ice.
Stol reacts as much out of logic as instinct. A part of his mind calculates the trajectory of the spike and another part envisions the spin of the ice plate.
Then the what his Andorian academy instructor calls "the magic" happens. It's not magic, it's simple logic. It's the split second and intelligent application of the calculations that his mind has completed. He reacts as if by instinct, his hands gliding across the conn panel movements smooth and precise.
And Enterprise dances. Like a graceful dancer, the powerful vessel responds perfectly.
The Enterprise races towards the ice plate and begins slowly spinning on her length axis, spinning around the leading spear end of the crystal spike, as she terminates her dive and pulls up to avoid the shards of crystal and ice shrapnel given off by the collision of plate an shard.
As Stol brings Enterprise back under control and races her up towards the exit of the hollow moon, he can hear his Captain's praise and relief in the background. He tunes this out as well, all that he finds important is the satisfaction of using his talents to their maximum potential as is logical.
Stardate 20985.3 [You know that one Overparanoid PC?]
Commander Ajam frowns. "Comm, have we heard from Captain Ka'sharren or Lieutenant Leaniss yet?"
"No ma'am."
"Are the Risans still being cage-y?"
"Uh, they are saying that Captain Ka'Sharren and the Lieutenant left the diplomatic meeting hours ago."
Lieutenant Commander Mrr'Shan sighs. "I knew this was too good to be true Ma'am."
Ajam turns towards the science department. "Can we still detect their life signs on scanners?"
"Of course ma'am, I would have let you know if they dropped off my sensors," says Zardmaani, faintly insulted.
Mrr'Shan starts to step back from her panel. "I can have a team on the ground in five minutes Commander."
The First Officer shakes her head. "We don't have the whole story yet, this could be innocent. We could transport them out, but they could be in talks and not responding?"
The tactical officer paces between the turbolifts. "After an entire night ma'am? They should have checked in by now. Captain Ka'Sharren usually knows better."
The XO nods slowly. "Take a shuttle down to check on them. Keep a security team on board… but go out yourself Commander, the last thing we need is you bursting into diplomatic talks with a team of armed space marines."
Mere minutes later the shuttle is on approach to a large beachfront complex made out of wood that has the missing officers' life signs.
The Caitian turns to her hastily assembled team of security, like them she has phaser resistant armour plating over her torso, and a phaser pistol on her hip. "KEEP YOUR RIFLES READY, IF I GIVE THE SIGNAL YOU MAY HAVE SECONDS TO REACH MY POSITION BEFORE WE ARE CUT OFF." Still holding onto the shuttle roof with a single hand, she turns to a nervous looking Human. "ENSIGN WOLFE, YOU WILL BE IN CHARGE OF SIGNALLING THE TEAM IF I AM INCAPACITATED"
"Uhhh, yes Ma'am?" he says as the shuttle all but screeches to a landing on pristine beachfront.
The Caitian walks out, scanning the wooden building, Ensign Wolfe following her nervously, "Can you see a good spot to slip inside Ensign?" she asks.
"We… could knock on the front... door?" he says uncertainly.
She nods seriously. "Hmmm, okay, if there is an answer, you distract them while I find the Captain."
"Uhh. okay ma'am" he says watching his superior bang on the doors.
A Risan answers, he's smiling, but confused. "Ahhhh! Hello! Are you here to speak to your friends?"
Mrr'Shan seems confused. "Captain Ka'Sharren and Lieutenant Leaniss? Yes we are"
He bows and steps back in the doorway, gesturing for them to follow him. The Enterprise tactical officer looks around suspiciously and steps inside. Ensign Wolfe shrugs and follows her.
"Sam!!" Nash Ka'Sharren, dressed in a bathrobe, says happily as the officer steps into the breakfast nook. "You should have called ahead!"
Stardate 21060.3 [Blame]
This was entirely his fault, thinks Science Department head Diego Zardmaani. "Well this isn't my fault," he says. "I can't predict if the shields are going to fail." He damn well should have known that they were weak to that sort of radiation at the forwards nacelle interface. The Bussard collectors always played havoc with the shielding if you weren't careful.
"I know, Diego. No one's to blame," says Doctor Asurva, tucking a frazzled lock of hair back into place. "I just wish we knew what was wrong"
He throws down his PADD in frustration, the *clang* echoing across the medical lab. "These bio scans tell us nothing. The crew's immune systems are playing hell with it. It's decaying too fast now." He paces the room angrily, gears in his head turning, angry at himself.
"I wish it would decay faster, I'm doing all I can, but they won't make it. They decay itself is doing as much damage as the radiation"
The light-skinned human stops pacing. "Someone needs to go inside the Nacelle"
The Doctor shakes her head. "Engineer Bazeck says that the area should stay quarantined for another week, until the radiation dies down and his people can clear it out. I don't want anyone else getting sick"
Zardmaani gestures to a pile of PADDs. "All this data is USELESS!" he shouts. "We have too much from the main sensors for the computer and the science team to sort through, and even then it tells us nothing about how it interacts with matter!" He respects his team, but they just don't have the time.
The Orion woman looks at the ceiling thoughtfully, "Well, a modified excursion suit could-"
The human cuts her off, he needs to make this right. "I'm going in. Alone. I can't trust anyone else to get this right. Not the first time, not anything this sensitive. And I'm not going to babysit anyone." He doesn't want to go alone, but he can't risk any of his crew, not if something happens.
The Doctor is taken aback, she didn't think he had it in him. "I'm going with you then"
He's not risking anyone else, dammit! "Doctor. Did you hear what I just said? I'm not going to babysit anyone."
She steps up to her colleague. "You need someone to adjust shielding for radiation and analyze the medical effects of the radiation. The best person for the job is me."
He wants to refuse, his should be the only life risked, but he can see on her face that there is no saying no, he sighs, "I suppose. Just don't blame me if you get a fatal dose of radiation poisoning"
Three hours later the two officers crawl out of the nacelles, tired, hurt, and mildly radiation scarred, yet victorious. They have good news for Captain Ka'Sharren.
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Omake - Meetings - cast2007
AN: I hope I got this in before the deadline. I like O'Hara's character and wanted to use him in the future
Omake: Meetings
Joe's Tavern, San Francisco, Earth, Sol Syhtem
"Hello Captain."
"It's Commander now," the newly demoted Commander O'Hara replied back to the Vulcan sitting across from him inside the private room.
"You may not have the rank of Captain, but the old saying 'once a Captain, always a Captain' still holds true."
"Please, don't call me that. I don't deserve the title not after..." O'Hara trailed off.
"Regardless of your preferred manner of address, I am thankful that you have agreed to meet with me on such short notice."
O'Hara shrugged. "It's not like my social calendar is bursting at the seams at the moment."
He looked at his glass of whisky, already a quarter of the way gone, "I'm not exactly the most well liked person around at the moment, being a pariah and all."
He took another sip. "I'm a Commander doing the job of a Yeoman. Half of my fellow Officers and Enlisted hate me for what I've done, while the other half can't help but give me looks of pity every time they see me."
He brought the glass to his lips and finished it off. "But its not like you don't know that, being Starfleet Intelligence and all."
The Vulcan's remained stoic at O'Hara's outburst.
"I may be a disgrace to the uniform and a first-rate fuck up but I'm not an idiot."
"I see your observational skills have not been affected by your ordeal Captain."
"So tell me what does Starfleet Intelligence want with a man like me?"
The Vulcan slid a datapad across the table.
O'Hara's eyebrows rose as he began reading. By the time he was finished it could be said that his eyebrows were almost to his forehead.
"So let me get this straight. You want me to resign my Commission, take Command of a Freighter and perform a number of "unofficial" operations on behalf of Starfleet Intelligence for a period of five years?"
"Correct."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Your psychological profile states that despite your recent setbacks, you remain a loyal citizen of the United Federation of Planets. Recent observation of your work shows that you are currently unhappy and disengaged at your current task. Furthermore, you have muttered "if only I could be in command again" or some variation of the sort under your breath when no one is looking while reading the news no more than twenty times this last week."
"All right, say that I agree to this. What's in it for me?"
"Is the opportunity to command a space-faring vessel once again not sufficient?" The Vulcan paused, "However, my superiors have informed me that successful completion of your proposed assignment will allow for reinstatement to the rank of Captain as well as the opportunity to Command an Explorer again."
"Well..." It was obvious that the man was tempted, but there was something holding him back.
"You do not have to make a decision at this moment Commander. We will reconvene in a week to discuss your decision."
"Thanks." At that O'Hara got up from his chair and walked out.
Once O'Hara was gone a third unseen figure revealed herself. "He'll do it," Captain Martina Lynch, the newly appointed Head of Starfleet Intelligence's Cardassian desk replied.
"How do you know Captain?" her Adjudant Lieutenant Sovok asked.
"I know his type Lieutenant. People like him are desperate for a chance at redemption."
Omake: Meetings
Joe's Tavern, San Francisco, Earth, Sol Syhtem
"Hello Captain."
"It's Commander now," the newly demoted Commander O'Hara replied back to the Vulcan sitting across from him inside the private room.
"You may not have the rank of Captain, but the old saying 'once a Captain, always a Captain' still holds true."
"Please, don't call me that. I don't deserve the title not after..." O'Hara trailed off.
"Regardless of your preferred manner of address, I am thankful that you have agreed to meet with me on such short notice."
O'Hara shrugged. "It's not like my social calendar is bursting at the seams at the moment."
He looked at his glass of whisky, already a quarter of the way gone, "I'm not exactly the most well liked person around at the moment, being a pariah and all."
He took another sip. "I'm a Commander doing the job of a Yeoman. Half of my fellow Officers and Enlisted hate me for what I've done, while the other half can't help but give me looks of pity every time they see me."
He brought the glass to his lips and finished it off. "But its not like you don't know that, being Starfleet Intelligence and all."
The Vulcan's remained stoic at O'Hara's outburst.
"I may be a disgrace to the uniform and a first-rate fuck up but I'm not an idiot."
"I see your observational skills have not been affected by your ordeal Captain."
"So tell me what does Starfleet Intelligence want with a man like me?"
The Vulcan slid a datapad across the table.
O'Hara's eyebrows rose as he began reading. By the time he was finished it could be said that his eyebrows were almost to his forehead.
"So let me get this straight. You want me to resign my Commission, take Command of a Freighter and perform a number of "unofficial" operations on behalf of Starfleet Intelligence for a period of five years?"
"Correct."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Your psychological profile states that despite your recent setbacks, you remain a loyal citizen of the United Federation of Planets. Recent observation of your work shows that you are currently unhappy and disengaged at your current task. Furthermore, you have muttered "if only I could be in command again" or some variation of the sort under your breath when no one is looking while reading the news no more than twenty times this last week."
"All right, say that I agree to this. What's in it for me?"
"Is the opportunity to command a space-faring vessel once again not sufficient?" The Vulcan paused, "However, my superiors have informed me that successful completion of your proposed assignment will allow for reinstatement to the rank of Captain as well as the opportunity to Command an Explorer again."
"Well..." It was obvious that the man was tempted, but there was something holding him back.
"You do not have to make a decision at this moment Commander. We will reconvene in a week to discuss your decision."
"Thanks." At that O'Hara got up from his chair and walked out.
Once O'Hara was gone a third unseen figure revealed herself. "He'll do it," Captain Martina Lynch, the newly appointed Head of Starfleet Intelligence's Cardassian desk replied.
"How do you know Captain?" her Adjudant Lieutenant Sovok asked.
"I know his type Lieutenant. People like him are desperate for a chance at redemption."
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Anybody have any serious preferences for research options/teams? We have a full 4 teams that are only 1 XP away from their next skill up, with an additional 4 being only 2 XP.
1 XP
40 Eridani A (Escorts): 3/4
Andorian Academy (Shields): 3/4
Vulcan Science Academy (Sensors): 4/5
Spock (Yes): 5/6
2 XP
Tellar Prime Academy (Minerals): 2/4
Tiger Team (Doctrine): 2/4
Yoyodyne (Warp Tech): 3/5
Starfleet Medical (Medical): 3/5
Just Leveled
Starfleet Tactical Command (Foreign Analysis): 0/4
San Francisco Fleet (Explorers): 0/5
Starfleet Science Academy (Comms): 0/5
Daystrom Institute (Computers): 0/6
Utopia Planitia Design Group (Light Cruisers): 0/6
As a side question, do we actually have any control over what specific items each team researches?
1 XP
40 Eridani A (Escorts): 3/4
Andorian Academy (Shields): 3/4
Vulcan Science Academy (Sensors): 4/5
Spock (Yes): 5/6
2 XP
Tellar Prime Academy (Minerals): 2/4
Tiger Team (Doctrine): 2/4
Yoyodyne (Warp Tech): 3/5
Starfleet Medical (Medical): 3/5
Just Leveled
Starfleet Tactical Command (Foreign Analysis): 0/4
San Francisco Fleet (Explorers): 0/5
Starfleet Science Academy (Comms): 0/5
Daystrom Institute (Computers): 0/6
Utopia Planitia Design Group (Light Cruisers): 0/6
As a side question, do we actually have any control over what specific items each team researches?
Not a fan of this one at all. I don't think it's how Starfleet operates.
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- Location
- somewhere
You are proving his point. Their fashion improves dramatically within a few years of allying with the Federation!
Derek58
Rocket Punch is Best Punch
- Location
- Getter Valhalla
You mean preferences for which not to deactivate if we need to in the coming year? Probably Shields, Coms, Mineral Tech, and Xenopsychology.
And no, we can't control which item gets that inspiration bonus.
Oh yea, those are rather niceHonestly the Nemesis Uniforms are are pretty dope:
- Location
- United States
we have 100% control. its just that each team is particularly good at one thing.
as in, they are twice as good at that one thing than anything else
AKuz
Been Better
- Location
- A Rising Tide of Horrors
- Pronouns
- She/Her
This Quest is where you come to if you like Content!
Seriously though, I alone have written 35,320 words of Omakes, never mind the other writers... NEVERMIND THE QM!
There's probably about a paperback's worth of content (And mostly good Content!) generated since September 15th! A novel's worth In one month!
- Location
- somewhere
They are good at one kind of thing, which is often represented by a single project, but not always (doctrine, foreign analysis, ship design projects).
- Location
- United States
that's literally exactly what i said. i just didnt expand on the fact that that one thing could be Doctrine for example because its kinda obvious what with it being listed on the research teams' sheets
- Location
- somewhere
Actually I come for the updates, planning and discussion, I don't even read all of the omake. I don't mind them being there, but they aren't an important part of the experience for me. I do consider it a good thing that there are so many different ways one can enjoy this quest, though. And fortunately Oneiros posts often enough that the omake don't drown out the updates (yet. Don't take this as a challenge).