Space Madness

Posted on Wed Jul 5th, 2023 @ 3:52pm by Captain Tristan Faust & Commander Lucy Heartfilia & Lieutenant Commander Marc Kitchner M.D.
Edited on on Sun Jul 9th, 2023 @ 10:07am

1,585 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 4: Through a Glass, Darkly
Location: Deck 5: Captain's Quarters
Timeline: M4 MD01 (2268.07.10) 1000

Upon departure from Nimbus III, the Midway was ordered to Starbase 10 for new orders. This sojourn was inconveniently brief, barely enough time to a quick resupply and personnel transfers. Captain Faust had just returned from his meeting with Commodore Anderson providing context to their after action report, crew requests and most importantly their new orders. Tristan walked briskly down the corridor with the manilla envelope under his arm as he heading towards his quarters. He had asked Commander Heartfilia and Doctor Kitchner to join him there.

The doors of his cabin opened and he dropped the envelope down onto the walnut veneered desk before turning to the food synthesizer for a cup of water. A moment later he picked up the silver paper cup emblazoned with the Midway's assignment patch and then sat down behind the desk.

Tristan sent a message to Kitchners private terminal. "Uncle Marc, stop up. We need to chat. Bring a bottle. Specifics attached. TF." When Kitch saw that he couldn't help but think to himself. 'This should be good. Kid when ever your father said something like that I was gonna be busy.' He grabbed his medical bad from the shelf in his office and put a bottle in it. "Swiss I'll be back. Please ask Doctor Amato to tend to anything serious until I come back."

"Is everything alright Doctor K?" Switalski asked. Marc had created a close knit team so that even a junior tech could openly ask a question like that.

Marc stopped in the door. "I'm not sure just yet, but I'll let you know." He turned and headed for the nearest lift. A few quick steps and he was outside the Captain's cabin.

"Come on in Doctor," he said as he saw the middle aged doctor set the flask down onto the desk.

Lucy arrived shortly after, she carried a clipboard and stylus pen in her arms as she walked. No doubt to take notes on what their next assignment is. Arriving at the captain's quarters she pressed the chime.

"Commander," Tristan said, standing up. "Dr. Kitchner just beat you." He looked back at Dr. Kitchner, "Thanks for bringing this, I'll explain the significance in a moment and it's not an excuse to drink on duty," he added.

Marc chuckled. "Talking to Anderson for more than 20 minutes makes me need a belt. Glasses?" Tristan pointed to the bookcase behind his uncle. Marc opened the bottle, the cork came free with a pop. He poured two finger of the light green liquid into three glasses. Marc passed Lucy and Tristan each a glass before taking one for himself. "So what's the word?"

Lucy gently took the glass and took a small sip. She was intrigued as the doctor was.

"I'll just let it out," Tristan responded, "Starfleet Command had finally given the go ahead to investigate the fate of the Defiant and they're sending us to do it. They know of our personal connection with some of her dead crew and they don't want to expose the Enterprise 's crew to the interphase again..." He looked down at the bottle, "Drink up, this is the inoculation for the hysteria that affects crews entering this area of space."

Marc looked at his God son for a moment with an 'Are you serious', look on his face. As Tristan downed the glass in his had Marc knew he was completely serious. "There are a half dozen people aboard who aren't going to take this well. Mike Amato first and foremost." Marc said contemplating dumping his drink back into the bottle, even though his mouth was as dry as the Sahara.

"Quite the opposite, actually," Tristan responded, "One of the reasons I was able to convince Mike to take the assignment was the strong possibility that we would be leading another investigation into the Defiant's disapearence. I for one would like to finally give some closure to their families..."

The Captain walked over to his bookshelf and removed a thick photo album at random from the wall. He set it down onto on the walnut veneered surface of the desk and flipped through. He stopped and pointed at a photo of two young men wearing the older style turtleneck uniforms. The man wearing the blue sciences uniform was definitely Tristan, but a decade younger. The other young man was wearing operations beige and had a strong resememblence to Dr. Amato. "This was us, on the Plato during the war," he said.

The thought, 'Perhaps Mike Amato went all to pieces for nothing?' ... rattled in the old Doctors head. "Correct me if I'm wrong Tris, but didn't Earth declare the Defiant a total loss with all hands just a month ago?" Marc leaned in an could clearly see the resemblance between Mike and his older brother. "I want the universe to have gotten it all wrong as much as the next guy. Please tell me there is something concrete?"

The Captain shook his head, "Not exactly, Starfleet designated everyone aboard as killed in action based upon the Enterprise's report, the ship is still out there," Tristan responded, "The evidence points to the Defiant was pulled into a parallel universe ... Starfleet wants us to either recover the ship or destroy the ship. Starfleet doesn't want an advanced starship polluting another universe. Either way the situation is incredibly dangerous for us." He closed the photo album.

"A parallel universe." Lucy pondered. "It's possible, but we have no idea what this other universe is like. Dangerous is an understatement."

"Okay we're arguing verbiage." Marc said finally taking a swallow from his glass. "I understand Earth doesn't want to potentially make things worse. According to my catch up reading these parallel universes doesn't need any more problems. A fully operational Constitution Class would wreak havoc." He poured himself another glass. "Aside from telling Mike, where do we go from here?"

"We need to inoculate the entire crew, beat to quarters upon arrival at the Defiant's last known coordinates and prepare security away teams," Tristan responded, "Given the glitches with the transporters reported by the Enterprise, I am hesitant about using them after we cross over... At least until they are checked... In fact, we need to assess all equipment as soon as possible after we cross over." He looked at Lucy, "Any thoughts commander?"

"Tholians." Lucy said simply. "The Enterprise reported running into Tholians. What if we encounter them and their 'web' technology?"

"It is Starfleet's hope that we can avoid a run in with the Tholians, they aren't expecting us to be around long enough for the Tholians to notice," Tristan explained, "But... If attacked, we are to defend ourselves. Starfleet Tactical analyzed the Enterprise's AAR and found several structural weaknesses near their impulse exhaust ports. Concentrating fire on those points should disable their main power plant."

Lucy crossed her arms. "I don't like it. It seems far too risky just for one Starship. Space is dangerous, we all know that and we all accepted the risks when we put on the uniform," Lucy stated simply.

"It is a gamble, but Starfleet is concerned about polluting other universes and potentially other time periods," Tristan responded, "There is a clamour going through the government about some sort of regulation concerning these incursions, but it's years away."

"Bloody hell!" Marc grunted out finishing the glass in his hand and pouring himself another. "Tris?" He asked the bottle in his hand, Tristan nodded. As the Doctor poured him another drink ... "I'm going to easily need a week between preparations and injections. But it's nothing we can't handle." Marc said taking a swallow from his glass.

The Captain nodded, "Unfortunately you have two solar days," he responded grimly, "We are to proceed to the Defiant's last known coordinates at our best speed." He paused remembering, "And until we leave dock we are keeping this between us. We can't have information on a classified mission such as this floating around the starbase... Normally I would wait until we were underway, but I wanted to give you two a heads up in case the inoculation needed any specialized ingredients or components."

"Then I'm going to need to tell people when the questions start." Marc said as a statement versus a question. He finished his drink and stepped to the door. "If you two will excuse me then. I need to get this particular ball rolling." He stood outside the door for a minute. 'I hope you have this thought out kid.' Marc mumbled to himself.

Lucy nodded simply. "I'll get working on the calculations that we're going to need. I imagine I'll be pushing our computer banks past their limit for this..." she sighed.

The Captain nodded, "Remember, you have a department to leverage," he said, "We don't pay them to sit around." He chuckled, "We'll I have a few more reports to read before our briefing with the rest of the senior staff. I'll check in with you before the end of the day."

Lucy nodded simply before she turned to leave. "I still think it's too risky. However, I'll do everything I can to keep everyone safe." With that said the blonde science officer left the room.

The Captain shook his head and sighed before standing up and heading over to the synthesizer for another cup of black coffee. This was a starship, it was their job to take risks, especially in pursuit of a wider goal.

 

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