[USS Suffolk] USS Suffolk: Ghost Riders on the Sky
- From: "Kimberly Huff" <khuff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Suffolk (E-mail)" <gibxfor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 16:44:44 -0400
USS Suffolk
Bridge
MD 69.1701
----
[snip from Charles' post "Sphere of Responsibility", edited for POV]
The starship Suffolk dropped out of warp, just within sensor range of
the Sphere. Commander Boulanger immediately started issuing orders.
"Lieutenant Murphy, scan for signs of the Europa's ion trail. I know
it's cold, but we've got to find that ship. Lieutenant Callahan, start
detailed scans of the Sphere. I want to know anything we can find out
about its methods and materials of construction, in case we have to cut
our way through. Coordinate with Engineering, Science, and Dr. Dunross
if you find anything you can't identify."
Docker reported, "There's some sort of hatchway, three hundred
kilometers away. And I think there's an ion trail next to it."
Murphy nodded, with the Captain turning just in time to catch her frown.
"From the trajectory it looks as if they were headed toward the Sphere,
but with their engines at stationkeeping. And there's an odd drift I
can't account for."
Docker had apparently laid in a course in that direction, as the Sphere
seemed to be spinning below them.
Ivy spoke up. "Didn't the other Dyson Sphere have hatches equipped with
tractor beams?"
Christophe nodded. "It did." He reached for the comm. "Commander
Attucks, please reconfigure shields to scatter tractor beam sig...."
Just then he trailed off, seeing it was too late. A tractor beam had
just locked onto the Suffolk. "Ops, estimate tractor beam intensity and
escape velocity."
"It's got an enormous power output, sir... I doubt we could pull away at
less than warp eight."
"Helm, course away from the Sphere, oblique angle to the hatch, warp
nine."
Just then the hatch cracked open, and the viewer blinked as it adjusted
for the brightness of a star beyond the hatch. Docker reported, "Course
laid in."
"Engage!"
----
USS Suffolk
Bridge
MD 69.1705
----
"Sir, the tractor beam's power is continuing to increase. We're now
being pulled in, and we're at maximum warp power."
Ivy spoke up. "If I may, sir, it's got to release us for a moment when
we get in the hatchway. Those emitters are mounted outside the hatch. We
can try hitting max warp from inside the doorway."
"Helm, bring us around, and attempt that." Christophe nodded, while he
leaned over Callahan's shoulder at Ops. "Something looks familiar about
these tractor beam frequencies."
"I thought so too, sir, but I can't put my finger on it." Callahan
mentioned. Pete made a mental note to run the frequencies through he known
frequencies database later. (NRPG: Charles, if you know who you want this to
belong to, let me know and I'll work it in.)
"Who do we know of who'd have the technology to build a Dyson Sphere?"
Pete paused in thought for a moment. "The Borg, the Preservers... not many
others come to mind, sir. But this one's ancient, or more artificial than it
looks. The carbon in the Sphere's metal structure has an astronomically low
C-14 count; it's got to be thousands of years old, or purely artificial. My
guess is age, as I've also spotted a few cases of meteorite damage."
Just then the ship's lights blinked out, then back on. "Engineering,
report."
[[A subspace dampening field has disrupted our warp power. We've had to
switch to the impulse reactors for onboard power. It'll take at least a
few hours to restart the core.]]
"Thanks, Engineering. Please get right on it, but don't rush
needlessly." Christophe closed the channel, then explained to the Bridge
staff, staring at him, "In a few hours, one way or the other, we're
going to be inside that Sphere. If it's survivable, I doubt an hour or
two will make much of a difference."
Docker reported, "Speed increasing. We're being hauled in at half
impulse now."
"Bring us around, still. We'll use the impulse drive to keep us out of
the star."
Murphy reported, "Sir, we're being hailed. It appears to be the Europa."
"On screen."
"Sir, it's a recording. They've been struck by a solar flare and forced
to set down on the interior of the Sphere to make repairs."
"Docker, prepare a course for their coordinates." Christophe paused as
the Suffolk slipped inside the Sphere, and the hatch began to close.
"Ivy, start organizing a science away team to investigate the surface.
Take Dr. Alexander, Dr. Dunross, and anyone else you choose, except Lt.
Callahan. Scan the area ahead of time, and if it's inhabited, take
necessary precautions. I want you well rested, so it can wait until
morning. Lieutenant, you'll be in command of the ship temporarily, with
orders to continue scans of the Sphere itself."
Docker was the one to raise the obvious question. "Sir, what about you?
Won't you be here to command the ship?"
"Commander Attucks and I, along with a number of his technicians, will
be assisting with the repairs to the Europa. As you're probably aware, I
have extensive engineering experience as well. We'll assess their status
and see if we can take the Europa out of here when we leave, or if we'll
have to abandon it."
A chorus of "aye-ayes" sounded around the bridge as the crew moved to their
respective duties. Ivy took the bridge as Boulanger departed with Attucks.
MD 70.0800
Pete entered the bridge to find Ivy sitting in the command chair. As Pete
approached she stood up. "Lt. Callahan, you have the bridge," she said
simply.
"Aye, sir. I have the bridge."
As Pete sat down in the command chair, Ivy nodded to him and left for the
transporter room.
Pete had always been able to judge feelings and emotions pretty well. He had
been told that most abused children had this quality. One counselor told him
that he was almost empathic in his abilities. Certainly he was usually very
keenly aware of a room's atmosphere. And his awareness told him that he was
dealing with competent individuals who were ready for almost anything.
"Helm, status report."
"We are currently conducting scans of the interior of the sphere, sir. So
far we have been able to somewhat determine the composition of the metal
surface, but analysis is continuing."
"Very good. Continue scanning the interior of the sphere, as well. Let's
start looking for the Ganges, as well. I'm sure the Europa has landing
parties out, but just in case they haven't found their CO, we can scan from
up here."
"Aye, sir."
The problem with being in the command chair, Pete realized, is that you had
to wait for reports. He actually missed his station where all the data was
streaming by in front of him. A young ensign handed him a PADD. "These are
the results of the scans so far, sir."
"Thank you, Ensign," Pete replied, taking the PADD. Scanning the reports for
more information, Pete jotted a few notes while the scanning continued. Not
much in the reports, mostly the sphere consisted of identifiable materials.
There was a time, Pete remembered from his research, when Terran scientists
had contemplated building a Dyson shell. This had been before replicators,
and there were questions such as "Is there enough matter in the solar system
to build a Dyson shell?" and "How would we effect gravity?" Eventually
someone simply proposed that if you *can* build a Dyson shell, you have no
need of one. The materials required and cost outlay would be astronomical,
to use a bad pun. Pete's eyes had eventually glazed over at all the
mathematical equations, but he had grasped the basic concept. The technology
for gravity in this Dyson sphere was apparently the rotation, but that would
put the shell itself under a huge strain. He wondered how the builders had
compensated for that, as well as for drift. There was some technology at
work here, all right.
"Sir, I'm getting some odd sensor readings."
Pete stood up and walked over to the helm. "Such as?"
"Well, sir. It looks like sensor ghosts."
Pete looked down at the computer terminal. "That's what it looks like to...
no. No, those aren't sensor ghosts. That's dam...that's odd."
The helmsman smiled slightly at Pete's near slip. "Sir, I've worked with
Commander Attucks, a minor curse word now and then not that unusual."
Pete was too involved in examining the readings to give much more than a
passing thought to the helmsman's remark. "I was you to scan for this
signature pattern specifically, in addition to the other scans we're doing."
"Aye, sir."
"Let's keep looking for the Ganges as our top priority, however."
"Understood, sir."
MD 70.0945
"Sir, we seem to have found something in the scans."
"Onscreen," Pete slid to the edge of his seat in anticipation.
Before him appeared a far away blurry image. "Can we sharpen that any?"
"Working on it, sir. There seems to be some interference. It has a Starfleet
signature, though."
Pete stopped himself just short of pumping his fist in the air. "Good work,
Helm. I think we may have found the runabout Ganges." *I wonder why they
didn't activate the distress beacon?* Pete thought to himself. *That could
be very bad news for the Europa's command staff.* "Scan for lifesigns in a
25 km radius around the crash site. If nothing is found, increase the search
radius in 5s until you do find something."
"Yes, sir," the helmsman replied as he busily punched away on his computer.
"Sir, I've got those sensor ghosts again, about 5 of them, about... oh,
they're gone again. Well, they were about 3 km away from where Commander St.
Ives was beamed. No other lifesigns in the initial scan, expanding the
radius to 30 km."
"Very good, helmsman."
"Lt. Callahan to Commander St. Ives."
<St.Ives. Go ahead, lieutenant.>
"I have two pieces of information for you, sir. One is that we've located
the crash site of the shuttle Ganges, the one the
Europa's CO took out?"
<Good work, lieutenant.> Ivy wanted her crew to impress her, but it always
helped when they cooperated by doing so. <I do want you to continue
scanning for any sign of the probes that the Ganges followed. It could give
us an idea of whether or not they were on a trail. In the meantime, I'll
need the coordinates of that crash site.>
"Yes, sir. It is located approximately 20 km west of your current location,
on the other side of what appears to be a former
city."
Drs Alexander and Dunross had paid attention to the
conversation thus far, and Ivy looked back toward
them, one pale brow arched. "It looks as if you may
get a closer look at your ruins after all, Dr.
Dunross."
She continued her communication with the OPS.
<Understood, LT Callahan. We have visually confirmed
the settlement's remains. Our technicians have
already begun collecting data. We haven't found any
biosigns nearby, but your equipment far outstrips
ours. Any sign of the missing EUROPA officers?>
"No, sir, I'm not picking up any lifesigns in the area that could be the
Commander and his crew. But that does bring me to my other piece of
information, sir."
Ivy recognized that tone and it intrigued her. <Go ahead.>
"Well, it may just be sensor ghosts, but it seems like we are occasionally
picking up lifesign readings in your vicinity, sir. We're not getting
specific readings, it could even be some stray animals except that..."
<Except what, lieutenant?>
"Well, sir, except the way the readings keep sort of phasing in and out.
Normally I would have dismissed it as sensor ghosts,
the readings almost fit the pattern, but there's just some anomalies. Which
is why I know it's not Captain von Frieburg or his group. The readings
aren't just there and then not there, they seem to be phasing in and out of
the space-time continuum."
The urge to blow out a very deep breath grew, but Ivy
pursed her lips instead. <Well, that is certainly an
unusual finding, and one worth investigating. As you
say, it may be sensor ghosts, but it may be an anomaly
related to the sphere itself. In which case, we
should investigate it and record our findings.>
"Yes, sir. I know. I'll keep scanning and keep you up to date. And I'm going
to comm Commander Boulanger and let him know as
well. I thought I should let you know first because the life-sign readings
are all in your area."
<Thank you, lieutenant. You did very well. Please
inform the captain that I am moving my team toward the
Ganges crash site and that we will continue to
investigate these bio readings.>
"Yes, sir."
<We will notify both the captain and the ship as
matters progress. St.Ives out.>
"Callahan out."
Pete prepared to comm Captain Boulanger who was on board the Europa. He was
on a mixed mind about this comm. He wanted to give Boulanger the good news
about finding the runabout crash site, but he wasn't really particularly
looking forward to telling the Europa their CO was MIA. And their pilot and
SCI, too, Pete remembered. Taking a deep breath, Pete practiced a little
prana, the circular breathing of yoga, and felt at once calm and relaxed.
"Lt. Callahan to Captain Boulanger."
<Boulanger here, what is it, Callahan?>
"Sir, we've found the crash site of the Ganges. Commander St. Ives is making
her way there now."
<Life-signs?> Boulanger was to the point.
"None so far sir, we are continuing to scan. We have gotten some odd
anomalous readings, I've informed Commander St. Ives of them."
<Continue scanning for life signs, investigate the anomalies and report back
to me if anything else comes up. I'm up to my armpits in warp coils, seems
the Europa had the same problem as we did with the warp drive.>
"Yes, sir," Pete continued, surprised that the Captain was actually working
on the ship and not just directing others. Pete guessed he must miss
engineering.
<I want you to also scan for life signs near the Europa. Apparently one of
their search parties hasn't made it back yet.>
"Yes, sir. I'll report if we find anything."
<Very good, then. Boulanger out.>
Pete sat back in his chair. "Well, helm, you heard the Captain, let's add
scanning for lifesigns near the Europa to the list," he said with a slight
smile.
"Yes, sir," was the reply, which Pete barely heard as he was lost in
thought.
Respectfully submitted,
Kimberly Huff
LT(jg) Peter Callahan
OPS, USS Suffolk
(With some input from Ivy St. Ives.)
*************NRPG************
I sent this to the backup list as well, since I am having problems with
yahoogroups. Sorry for duplicates!!
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