VanDeer looked to the dpaad in his right hand, sipping from the cup of tea in his left hand. The bridge of the Tyre was quiet, silent. Behind the captain chair, two engineer chiefs whispered, trying to understand the new problem. It was a slight disappointment for their captain the accident. Nothing really serious, but he was clearly not happy about it. The Tyre was just stuck in the middle of the space, at an equal distance between DS13 and its object, K-1481.
"What do you think about?" asked VanDeer through the open channel with the engineering room
"Nothing of really serious, cap" replied Taka, sat in his chair, both the leg up on a console "We will be able to go in ... one hour"
"Good ... but did you locate the problem?"
"Something similar to a problem, yes. It was a, trivial and unpleasant error of calculation in the warp matrix. We fixed the bug in the computer and we are re-calculating all the parameters"
"Ok ... take me informed about" the captain closed the channel, taking a long breath and closing the channel. The mission didn't started in the best way. Firstly, they were blocked in the hangar of the base to take all the supplies necessary. After the necessary preparations, the ship, after one hour of navigation, just encountered a first bug in the computer files. And, in a sort of comic-tragedy, the computer encountered another failure after another sixty hours of navigation with a demoniac precision.
VanDeer really hate that kind of problem. He was an engineer. Precisely, with or without the yellow coat, he still thought like an engineer. If he had a choice, probably he would ordered to return to DS13 and simply take three or four day to make a total check-up of the vessel. Taka assured to him that the problem was temporary and he trusted his chief engineer. Sometimes, the captain needed to remind to himself that he was not an engineer aboard the Tyre, but its captain. If the chief said the ship would go well, he had to believe in him.
"Navigation, when the engineer give us green light, resume our flight"
"Aye, captain"
Accidents happen, he tried to remind to himself. Accidents happen in any mission. A bug in the computer is not the worst problem that can happen, he reflected. His team, with a rare efficiency, had taken care of the problem and repaired it. One hour, Taka said. VanDeer took another sip of tea, taking another silent breath. One hour.
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As the Tyre drops out of warp at the edge of the K-1481 System, a vast field of asteroids can be seen the viewscreen. From large planetary fragments to particulate matter, and everything in between, the asteroid belt extends throughout the system. If there ever were planets here, this may be all that's left of them.
While the Tyre isn't in any danger at its current location, proceeding any farther into the system will likely require traversing the belt.
While the Tyre isn't in any danger at its current location, proceeding any farther into the system will likely require traversing the belt.
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VanDeer took a fast glance of the little display on the left of his chair. The new holo-projector worked really well. He checked fast the belt, all the little asteroids moving around the field.
"Prepare and launch three Class II probes. We need a scan of the field .... If I remember well, there wasn't some strange readings in the area?" asked "Take a complete scan of the sector" the science officer nodded in response, while the navigator took the ship in a safe position near the belt. There was a quiet alone on the bridge. The sort of silence that can fall on a room when everyone is occupied with something. The only noises present were the sounds of the engine and of the various consoles.
"Prepare and launch three Class II probes. We need a scan of the field .... If I remember well, there wasn't some strange readings in the area?" asked "Take a complete scan of the sector" the science officer nodded in response, while the navigator took the ship in a safe position near the belt. There was a quiet alone on the bridge. The sort of silence that can fall on a room when everyone is occupied with something. The only noises present were the sounds of the engine and of the various consoles.
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Several minutes pass as the Tyre holds position. The probes streak out around the system, soon disappearing from view. Officers around the bridge collect their data, and the response seems to be the same from all stations: no unusual readings, so far.
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"Nothing here, sir" St. Helen raised his eyes from his console, looking to the superior officer. VanDeer nodded in his direxction
"Sent me all the data collected from the probe. Navigation, make a round around the belt. We will do a short patrol around, just to be sure. I will be in my office" he ordered, raising from the chair and moving to his studio. It was a small room, if confronted with the CO's office of other ship. Especially if confronted with his old one, on the Carthago. That was huge, he could remember it. Maybe too huge. The office on the Tyre was small. A window on the space, a desk with a pair of chairs, the computer and his dpadd and, on the opposite side, a sofa with a lower table. He sat on the sofa, taking one of the dpadd and starting reading.
"Sent me all the data collected from the probe. Navigation, make a round around the belt. We will do a short patrol around, just to be sure. I will be in my office" he ordered, raising from the chair and moving to his studio. It was a small room, if confronted with the CO's office of other ship. Especially if confronted with his old one, on the Carthago. That was huge, he could remember it. Maybe too huge. The office on the Tyre was small. A window on the space, a desk with a pair of chairs, the computer and his dpadd and, on the opposite side, a sofa with a lower table. He sat on the sofa, taking one of the dpadd and starting reading.
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Tyre begins making its way around the perimeter of the belt, and another few uneventful minutes pass.
But things are only uneventful until they're not. With almost no warning, the Tyre is rocked by a shockwave, triggering the ship to automatically move to red alert and raise shields. It's a good thing, too, because just moments later, a series of small impacts can be felt. Not weapons, either. To anyone who'd know the difference, these are collision impacts.
But things are only uneventful until they're not. With almost no warning, the Tyre is rocked by a shockwave, triggering the ship to automatically move to red alert and raise shields. It's a good thing, too, because just moments later, a series of small impacts can be felt. Not weapons, either. To anyone who'd know the difference, these are collision impacts.
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"Captain, I think we got a problem" shouted the navigation officer. VanDeer, right after launched the dpadd on the sofa, run into its bridge
"Situation here" asked fast, moving to his chair quickly. The ship continued to shake while he took his place on the bridge, illuminated from the darkest light of the Red Alert.
"We are hit from something. Maybe little asteroids. There was a sort of shock wave" replied De La Caldera "I'm scanning it now"
"Take us far from the asteroids, conn. Tactical and Science, I want a complete analysis of the belt and of the ... shock wave. Where did it came from? And give me a damage report please"
"I don't know, really" replied another time De La Caldera, occupied with his console. VanDeer raised his eyes against the roof of the bridge. Can a mission be normal, just one time, he asked to himself. He knew the answer, for that reason he preferred to listen to his officer rather than himself.
"Situation here" asked fast, moving to his chair quickly. The ship continued to shake while he took his place on the bridge, illuminated from the darkest light of the Red Alert.
"We are hit from something. Maybe little asteroids. There was a sort of shock wave" replied De La Caldera "I'm scanning it now"
"Take us far from the asteroids, conn. Tactical and Science, I want a complete analysis of the belt and of the ... shock wave. Where did it came from? And give me a damage report please"
"I don't know, really" replied another time De La Caldera, occupied with his console. VanDeer raised his eyes against the roof of the bridge. Can a mission be normal, just one time, he asked to himself. He knew the answer, for that reason he preferred to listen to his officer rather than himself.
Thankfully, the damage to the Tyre was extremely minimal. The shields were enough to protect the vessel from most of the impact. Some quick scans and a look out the viewscreen reveal the source of the shockwave. One of the larger asteroids nearby seems to have exploded, showering the Tyre with fast-moving debris. The cause of that sudden explosion is not immediately apparent, but the science officer on the bridge does report now picking up strange readings, including neutrinos, verteron particles, and lepton radiation: all the hallmarks of a wormhole.
With a bit of comparison, the science and tactical officers are able to compare their scans to piece together what had happened. The wormhole opened suddenly, with an object already passing through. A large asteroid exited the wormhole, somehow already travelling at a speed of Warp 1.1, and collided with one of the asteroids from the belt.
With a bit of comparison, the science and tactical officers are able to compare their scans to piece together what had happened. The wormhole opened suddenly, with an object already passing through. A large asteroid exited the wormhole, somehow already travelling at a speed of Warp 1.1, and collided with one of the asteroids from the belt.
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"What do you intend with wormhole?" asked the captain, giving a fast glance to his officers
"Wormhole ... appeared from ... nothing, I suppose"
"Discover how, damn" replied VanDeer, taking a breath "Any trace of other wormholes in the area? Or past wormholes? Also, the readings that we get from DS13 ... are similar to this?" asked fast. A wormhole from nothing it wasn't nothing, in any case. He needed to investigate. And all the story was going to be stranger second after second "I want to know if any other wormholes appear in the area. I don't want to be get in one of that"
"Wormhole ... appeared from ... nothing, I suppose"
"Discover how, damn" replied VanDeer, taking a breath "Any trace of other wormholes in the area? Or past wormholes? Also, the readings that we get from DS13 ... are similar to this?" asked fast. A wormhole from nothing it wasn't nothing, in any case. He needed to investigate. And all the story was going to be stranger second after second "I want to know if any other wormholes appear in the area. I don't want to be get in one of that"
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Even as the crew on the bridge scrambles to find answers for the Captain, the viewscreen shows the explosion of another large nearby asteroid, gently showering Tyre's shields with fragment impacts. Most of the debris just settles back into the belt, though.
"Another collision, sir!" one of the officers yells, "The wormhole is spitting out asteroids moving at warp speed!"
"That's not possible," objects someone nameless NPC.
"Possible or not, it's what's happening out there!"
From the other side of the bridge, "Picking up a surge of neutrinos from the wormhole!"
Before anyone can explain that further, anyone looking at the viewscreen is treated to an incredible sight. The mouth of the wormhole swirls open, a brilliant bright blue for just a moment or two, before it begins to move.
"Sir, it's.."
The mouth of the wormhole moved, faster and faster away from the Tyre. In only seconds, it had moved farther away than the viewscreen was capable of tracking.
Thankfully, there's no longer any danger of asteroids being hurled in the ship's direction, but it seems as though the wormhole wasn't interested in sticking around long enough to be studied in real detail.
"Another collision, sir!" one of the officers yells, "The wormhole is spitting out asteroids moving at warp speed!"
"That's not possible," objects someone nameless NPC.
"Possible or not, it's what's happening out there!"
From the other side of the bridge, "Picking up a surge of neutrinos from the wormhole!"
Before anyone can explain that further, anyone looking at the viewscreen is treated to an incredible sight. The mouth of the wormhole swirls open, a brilliant bright blue for just a moment or two, before it begins to move.
"Sir, it's.."
The mouth of the wormhole moved, faster and faster away from the Tyre. In only seconds, it had moved farther away than the viewscreen was capable of tracking.
Thankfully, there's no longer any danger of asteroids being hurled in the ship's direction, but it seems as though the wormhole wasn't interested in sticking around long enough to be studied in real detail.
"Move the probes in the old position of the wormhole. Navigation, track the wormhole and follow it, max warp speed. I want a total scan of the phenomenon" said the captain, rapidly. He moved his glance around the bridge, covered by the yellow lights of the medium alert on the ship. He took a breath "What do you think?" asked to his XO.
"I don't know" Alaina tipped on her dpadd, moving a lock of her blond hair behind her right ear "Neutrinos in the wormhole ... I think we must follow it"
"Yes, it's better investigate on it. Inform the base of our situation and tell them that we are tracking and following the wormhole. If they've a free ship, sent it in the asteroid belt to give a look to the situation" the communication officer nodded affirmatively. VanDeer ordered a tea cup, then looked to the screen, waiting for the wormhole.
"I don't know" Alaina tipped on her dpadd, moving a lock of her blond hair behind her right ear "Neutrinos in the wormhole ... I think we must follow it"
"Yes, it's better investigate on it. Inform the base of our situation and tell them that we are tracking and following the wormhole. If they've a free ship, sent it in the asteroid belt to give a look to the situation" the communication officer nodded affirmatively. VanDeer ordered a tea cup, then looked to the screen, waiting for the wormhole.
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The wormhole itself was moving at an extremely high speed, estimated to be approximately Warp 9.994 and increasing. At that speed, and with its head-start, the navigator suggests that the Tyre may not be able to catch up.
Meanwhile, he report from the probes come in. Readings have returned to normal in the area, and all is quiet. It seems the wormhole doesn't have a fixed position, at least at this end, and just moves around randomly, without stopping in any one place for very long.
A database search for similar incidents recalls one report in recent history, as well as an entry on another wormhole whose endpoint was not constant.
Meanwhile, he report from the probes come in. Readings have returned to normal in the area, and all is quiet. It seems the wormhole doesn't have a fixed position, at least at this end, and just moves around randomly, without stopping in any one place for very long.
A database search for similar incidents recalls one report in recent history, as well as an entry on another wormhole whose endpoint was not constant.
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"Damn, it's too fast" said the navigator, a young human ensign.
"Prepare another probes, I think we have another to spare and launch it in the wormhole, if the probe can reach it at least" replied the captain, looking to the screen and sipping the tea from its cup
"Captain, we have a recent report of USS Ananke and Endevour about a similar wormhole in the Kelterre Sector ... K-1406. Similar composition, similar movement"
"Anything about it?" the officer replied with a negative nod. VanDeer tipped on his dpadd, linking with the main computer and accessing to the old report. He read fast "Is there something inside it?"
"I will try to scan, captain. But I can assure anything"
"What if we try to stabilize it with verteron particles? Maybe a ray deviated from the deflector ..." insisted Alaina, moving behind the captain chair impatient.
"If we can reach it with a ray from the deflector, I don't think we have enough power but make a try. Check before if a probe can reach and enter in the wormhole. If not, try with the deflector array" replied the captain, making a little smile toward the younger officer
"Prepare another probes, I think we have another to spare and launch it in the wormhole, if the probe can reach it at least" replied the captain, looking to the screen and sipping the tea from its cup
"Captain, we have a recent report of USS Ananke and Endevour about a similar wormhole in the Kelterre Sector ... K-1406. Similar composition, similar movement"
"Anything about it?" the officer replied with a negative nod. VanDeer tipped on his dpadd, linking with the main computer and accessing to the old report. He read fast "Is there something inside it?"
"I will try to scan, captain. But I can assure anything"
"What if we try to stabilize it with verteron particles? Maybe a ray deviated from the deflector ..." insisted Alaina, moving behind the captain chair impatient.
"If we can reach it with a ray from the deflector, I don't think we have enough power but make a try. Check before if a probe can reach and enter in the wormhole. If not, try with the deflector array" replied the captain, making a little smile toward the younger officer