The Path Home

Posted on Sun Oct 20, 2019 @ 12:08pm by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson & Lieutenant JG Camille Lévesque PhD

783 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Nibiru
Location: Alaris System
Timeline: Two hours after Something Old

"Entering the Alarissss Ssssyssstem," Jasmine said as the ship dropped out of warp.

"Scan the system. Let's pinpoint those readings," Tiffany said from her command chair.

From the forward science station, Camille initiated the scans as ordered. "Readings coming in now, Captain." Data began coming across her monitors, and Camille began transfixed. She kept talking, without once looking away from her readings. "Oh wow. I could spend weeks here. As our earlier readings showed, Alaris III was once inhabited. There are networks of roads and other areas cleared of wildlife, but where there should be cities, there are only large crevices, as if everything the civilization built was simply scooped off the planet. It is identical to the planets encountered by the USS Enterprise-D in the 2360s, as we made first contact with the Borg."

"Confirmed," Meesa said from the Engineering station. "Reading massive craters on almost all stellar bodies within range, as well as a lack of mineral resources."

"The fourth and fifth planets, as well as eight moons spread across the system, all contain massive canyons that could only have formed artificially," Camille continued. "They are too deep, too narrow, and too smooth to be anything but. Some advanced civilization, very likely the Borg, had mining operations here. I suppose they need metal build their ships as much as we do."

"The question is," Tiffany said, "how did they get to and fro?"

"Ah!" Camille exclaimed. "I found the aperture to the transwarp conduit. It's in the outer system. Eight and a half billion kilometers from the primary. Sending the precise coordinates to helm now."

Jasmine nodded she'd received them and plied her board. "Coursssse sssset," Jasmine said. "ETA two-point-three minutessss."

"Excellent," Tiffany said. "Engage at full impulse. Let's not dilly dally. Prepare activation signal."

"Activation signal ready," Meesa said a few seconds later.

Two minutes slowly crept by as they approached the spot. "Activate the corridor," Tiffany said, sitting forward slightly in excitement.

Meesa hit the button and a moment later, an aperture opened. The ship moved forward and everyone held on as they shook with a sudden acceleration.

"Transsswarp achieved," Jasmine said.

Tiffany nodded. "Excellent." She turned in her chair and smiled. "Wonderful work, both of you." Meesa nodded and watched her screens carefully.

Though Camille still faced her monitor, watching as the sensors were blanketed with data about transwarp, she couldn't help but smile widely at the Captain's praise. After months of being slightly scared of Captain Kennit, it felt nice to be complimented for a job well done.

Something on her screen caught her eye. Something inconsistent with the background. "Captain, I'm picking up...something."

"Can we get a bit more specific please?" Tiffany said, monitoring her work clandestinely.

"It looks like...a signal of some kind?" Camille answered, furrowing her brow as she tried to find an explanation. "Confirmed. It's a subspace signal. It's attached to a carrier wave that's been modified, likely so that it can be transmitted along the conduit. I think it's coming from the other side."

"Can you tell what it's transmitting?" Tiffany said, running her own analysis.

"I can't decipher it," Camille added, "but I believe I've recorded it in its entirety for you. Strange. I wonder who would've known about this conduit, let alone use it for long range transmission. Ingenious."

Penny accessed the computer. "I'll see if I can trace it," she said. Suddenly their screens went blank, and when they came back online, the signal was gone.

"Report," Captain Edwards said, sternly.

Camille's face scrunched again as she tried to work out what had happened. "The signal stopped. I'm detecting no trace of it whatsoever. C'est bizarre."

"Shame," Tiffany frowned. "Perhaps it was a subspace echo. We'll monitor it from here, Lieutenant. You've been of immense help. Why not take some much deserved down time?" She gave Camille a gentle smile.

"Merci, Capitaine," she replied. This would be the perfect time to work on an idea she had. She could rest in her quarters while she worked out the details. She got up from her station and headed for the turbolift. "À bientôt!" she said as the turbolift door closed behind her.

Tiffany waited a second after the lift doors closed, monitoring the lift's movement. When she was certain Camille was on her way, she turned back to the viewscreen, the signal coming back online. "Trace it."

Meesa's fingers flew, as did Penny's. "Confirming signature of the signal," Penny said.

"Originated from the Alpha Quadrant," Meesa said.

"It's him," Penny confirmed.

Tiffany sat back in her seat and sighed. "Once we arrive in the Alpha Quadrant, find the source. I'll inform Cassandra."

 

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