Day 4 - A Destination?

[Sjet]

For a moment it would seem as though the chief scientists and chief physician aboard the Horizon were about to pass with as little return fire placed between them as possible. This would have been the reasonable thing, the sensible thing. Let things cool down, let old wounds heal, and follow in the foot steps of Steve Irwin's camera: Look, but don't touch.

But somewhere in this new galaxy they now called home was a dial marked 'High Drama', and it was turned all the way to 11.

"Kimmander." was the thickly accented, and poorly hidden barb of her rank, Arkady stopped in front of her and came to a passable at rest stance "It might just be rumor that I hear bantered about the mess hall, but I am told that perhaps we have detected an artificial signal source in the local stellar area? A call to gather in lost ships that stumble in through the anomaly perhaps?"

He raised an eye brow, but barreled on before she could answer.

"I was going to lead an EVA excursion onto the hull to aid the engineers in mapping out the Horizons structural weak point after the crossing. While we are out there we could check over the primary and second sensor pallets, to make sure they did not suffer unduly as some of our shipmates did during the crossing." he said, before offering her his hand by way of gesture "I would be honoured if you could join us on the hull in EVA suit, to help us identify any misaligned systems or damaged components. I would not want your sensors telling you that there is signs of intelligent life, when all that there is spinning quasar throwing out seemingly artificial radio bursts with every rotation."

He smiled thinnly.

"I merely wish to ensure the information you provide is as accurate as possible." he purred/

TAG-There was a JP, a long'n I hasten to add. It can wait a few posts because like Steve Irwin I cannot help but poke dangerous aniamls with sticks. Come at me Mel, come at me!

Dr Arkady Sjet
Ships Physician
USS Horizon

[Ciara Mei]

Finishing a note on her PADD, Ciara shook her head. “I have everything that I need. Just need to finish up the list of things that we’d need to make sure is done.” Sitting back a bit, she looked back at them from her PADD. “Going to be a lot of long nights for us I think, not much sleep.”

As Flowers gathered up all of her things, Ci stood up as well. “I’ll get to work on some of the things and wait for more instructions. Just make sure I know who is coming down so I don’t try to send them off to some other job.”

Tags: Matthews, Flowers.

[Melissa Richards]

[Sjet]

[Amanda Rose]

[Melissa Richards]

[Ciara Mei]

Ciara nodded to Matthews. “That’ll work for me. I’ve got a list prioritizing what needs to be done in what order. If her skills are as you say they are, shouldn’t take her too long.”

Tag: Matthews.

Ci also looked over at Flowers. “If it is over, I’d like to be able to get to work. Far too much to do and not a whole lot of time to do it in.”

Tag: Flowers

[KendleRJ]

Talia looked between the two Lieutenants and raised her eyebrows. "The meeting is over," she said simply. "Thank you both for your time." There was a lot to do, and time wasn't going to get any less if they stood around trying to figure out what to do next. They all knew what had to be done... now...

She was already moving on her way out the door without a second glance behind her, paperwork crumpled in a pile in her arms, while she muttered about some statistical data that had occurred to her while they were asking her about the meeting.

Already mentally 6 steps ahead of them, she was punching in a meeting request with the Captain before heading to her quarters, and then? To the Bridge...

Tags

[Sjet]

[Amanda Rose]

Gary had to admit that he enjoyed the start to his day. Seeing KAT always brightened him but now, it brightened him even more so after the previous night. Add to that, that KAT had not seemed to change much or be bothered by his other women, he felt overwhelmingly great. Sure, Regan put a slight damper on it but he was more than pleased that Regan was up and about. On top of of all of this, Flowers had most likely found evidence of other civilizations! What better news was there? Of course, Mary, by now was wondering what he was doing and if he did not get to the bridge quickly, he worried what perception would be, more for Mary's sake than his.

With a spring in his step, he strutted on to the bridge and looked at the bridge crew. "Good morning, everyone. How are you this morning?" He then gave Mary a broad smile and a wink. "And a very good morning to you, too, Commander! How is everything shaping up out there?"

"Fine." Her tone was not happy like his was. "We're continuing repairs and theorizing and practical analysis is showing promise." She looked up at him then back at what was before her. "Arkady had some interesting things to say," she said in a low voice.

Gary closed his eyes, wishing he had not heard that news. It was unsurprising but this was likely to kill his mood. He ordered, "Helm, you have the con. Commander, come with me."

Mary followed.

Gary led Mary to the main meeting room. When the door secured behind them, he said, "Talk to me."

"He made a gentle suggestion I should join him on the hull of the ship outside. Do a little EVA repair work." Her eyes narrowed. "Fortunately, I'm not that stupid. He also suggested that I be a little more 'down in the trenches' with the crew."

Gary approached Mary, touching her arm gently. "Did you take that as a threat?"

"Damn right I did. I'm armed now Gary, all the time."

Gary shook his head. "Are you sure that's wise? It might make the crew a bit more unsettled."

"That's their problem. I'm not going to take the fall for a mistake anyone in science could have made. He also insinuated that he has a lot of friends and support."

"Well, we heard that in the Chief meeting. Speaking of which, Regan is out. He came to visit me this morning." Gary smiled broadly. "Good to see the Old Man up and about."

"What has he said about all this, Gary?" she asked looking up at him.

"Well, he had Regan believing that I was some sort of meglomaniac. Thankfully, Regan didn't believe it. He knows me too well. Arkady may be trouble but we need him. There's nobody better qualified to deal with our health in this great unknown."

"He could also turn against us. He's in a perfect position because of his knowledge to do that."

"There's an old saying, Mary," he said stroking her jawline. "Keep your friends close and enemies closer...."

"There's also another: Watch your back." She moved away. "I've been going over the shields and engine systems. I think." She looked at him. "Given enough speed and angling correctly, we might be able to reverse what happened to us. Return home."

Gary shook his head. "Not possible without boosting the ship's structural integrity," he told Mary dismissively. "However, I do have great news," he told her with the eagerness of a kindergartener trying to keep a promise, knowing that he could not.

"What's that?" she asked.

"You can't tell anyone," Gary reminded Mary in a hushed and urgent tone. "I only found out last night."

"My lips are sealed."

"Ooh," he flirted. "I love when you seal your lips."

"Gary..." she warned. "Tell me."

"Oh, stop being a party pooper," he playfully scolded her. "Ensign Flowers believes she has found a beacon from another civilization out here."

Wells looked over. "A beacon this close to that anomaly. It's cause for concern, captain."

"Not terribly close. She's picked up the signals and has determined that there is an intelligence to them but she cannot determine more without our sensors being boosted. I have our Chiefs of Science and Engineering working on it. If you would like to help, I'm sure they could use your input as well. I don't want to approach the beacon without knowing what it is saying. We are sitting ducks out here."

"Yes we are., Very much so. I still would like to explore the possibility of returning home. The second you publicly deny that is likely when Arkady and those like him will make their move."

"I will not publicly deny anything. I am exploring all options. Just some options are being more intensely explored. Our mission is to find other life and civilizations. What better place to do it than here? And maybe one will help us repair our ship and then help us back. But I would rather not be subject to a sneak attack, either."

"Then I suggest you prepare for one...inside. I'm fairly sure a mutiny is coming soon, Gary. Whether you are blind to that or not is your...opinion."

Gary sighed. "Arkady and his little gang need watching. I do not disagree but instigating it by actively preparing against it is not going to help. Cooler heads can prevail. Besides, Arkady is smarter than you give him credit for. He knows as well as I do that a mutiny would likely result in everyone's demise. He will go after hearts and minds, not weapons."

"Yes. I agree. He'll want and insist on a new leadership."

"Maybe at some point. Right now, we have to find something that is hopeful and helpful. This beacon's the first possibility. So, if you want in on helping research it, I suggest meeting with Ensign Flowers and our French Chief if she's not too busy."

"I'll see what I can do.," Mary sighed.

Gary gave Mary a kiss. "That's a good girl. And, if you're really concerned about yourself, you can always spend a night in my quarters, you know?"

"No, not for awhile. I'm...too busy trying to solve this issue."

Gary sighed, though the enigma of Mary attracted him again to her. "Which issue is that? Us?"

"Everything, but that's part of it."

"Everything is quite vague and overwhelming. Care to narrow things down into particular terms so an old engineer can digest them?"

"Look." She turned around. "I don't like being the focus of what people are calling my great mistake. I'm the one that doomed us here, ruined all our lives. Do you have any idea how that feels? I'm not even interested anything right now but getting us out of here and back to our original mission, then home.

"Mary, don't let Sjet rile you up. You have to get beyond it. Acting out of anger or out of a sense of guilt is not going to help you or anything else."

"It's not just Arkady..." she whispered. "I hear the grumbling and the threats. Now you want to take us into an unknown beacon and hope it's not a trap? It could be something like flypaper."

"I've considered that. That's why Ensign Flowers has to figure this out. She is a cunning linguist and I have full faith in her abilities. I brought her on this ship exactly for situations like this."

"Then we'll see what she comes up with.." Wells looked at her hard work again. "Why won't you consider a reverse application of what we did? The math says given the proper trajectory, it could work. The trick is to overcome the current and pull of the wormhole with one equal to our own, then ride the reverse currents in there to our advantage. Like tacking a sailboat, only faster." She gave a serious look.

"Until we can overcome the current or pull, the trip is a one way march to death. And with our structural integrity compromised, I cannot risk this crew. We're not trout."

"It's an option better then hoping we find something here, Gary! Each day that goes by, people are going to wonder."

"Death is better than life? That's a rather odd way of looking at things. You're starting to sound more like Arkady and his fellows who want to live in the past. That's a trap." He took Mary's hand. "I know you feel guilty about landing us here. However, you were doing your job. There's nothing to feel guilty over. Have you lost your interest in our mission or science that you're so anxious to die?"

"I just think people are going to lose hope Gary when you finally drop the bomb, they will never see their loved ones again...."

"That may or may not occur, Mary. Time will tell. And perhaps people will surprise you and find new meaning out here if we don't find a way home."

"I hope so Gary. I hope you have that back-up plan we discussed should it be needed."

"I do," he reassured Mary. "Now, stop being such a Negative Nelly and let's concentrate on the positive. OK?"

"I'll reserve that till after I see what this beacon is and whether or not we have something that helps..or endangers us.."

"Well, you will have to privately talk to Flowers to find that out. She will likely want my clearance to do that, though."

"Then give it." Wells said. "I'll see if I think the idea is workable and safe."

"I'll let her know as soon as possible. Remember, though, the project is of the highest security and nobody other than those in it should know about it."

"And how long do you intend this to be? The crew will be asking questions very soon about an official destination, and a way home."

"I am hoping that Flowers will decipher this beacon soon. I've made sure that sensors and power boosting for same is a priority. I will likely be putting some time in in engineering."

"Just remember Gary, time is against us. And if I were you..." she tapped her hidden weapon under her uniform. "I wouldn't go around unarmed unless you really feel sure you can trust...everyone."

"I appreciate your advice but I think carrying will stir up more trouble and insite more fear. Confidence will keep folks calm. We're still a Starfleet vessel and behaving in another manner will cause the very thing you fear. Fear attracts fear. Best not to give in. I suggest as a cure, that you spend some more nights with me."

Mary laughed. "Having sex with you won't solve our problems Gary. Only getting us out of this will." She moved to the door. "We may be a starfleet vessel, but that could change in the future, captain. We're all alone out here. Unless we find some new allies." She glanced over her shoulder. her face serious. "If I were you...I would think hard about that and take off the rose colored glasses while doing up your pants. I already have." She opened the door and walked out.