The Voyage Home

Posted on Thu Sep 6th, 2018 @ 10:59pm by Lieutenant Commander Sonak & Commander Rita Paris

Mission: Holographic Horrors
Location: Eridani A orbit
Timeline: 2393

What appeared on the central screen made a few arched eyebrows rise. It was teardrop shaped, it's trailing hull looked like tentacles revolving around its longitudinal axis as if this was some gigantic space jellyfish. But the metallic reflective coating, the warp glow and the blinking nav lights plainly showed it's artificial nature despite it's organic design and it's unconventional motion.

- “Confirmed, Commander; this is the experimental vessel stolen on stardate 65801.5 from the Vulcan Science Academy. It is within the star system, distance one point four-seven AU and approaching our orbital zone at one quarter impulse power, following outdated flight regulations.”

The officer seated at the monitoring station did not look up at the station commander standing right behind him, arms crossed behind her back. But he could sense that she shared his puzzlement as they both looked at the strangely configured spacecraft.

- “ Lieutenant Skell; explain why it was not detected long before that.” ordered the woman with a flat voice yet sounding rather stern despite the coldness of her attitude.

- “The vessel dropped out of warp directly in line with the sun, so close that it indicates that it flew right within it's corona. Until it moved far away enough from the star, radiation output from this direction blots completely any possibility of sensor signal, be they passive or active.”

- “This vessel is equipped with the latest metaphasic shield technology,” added another officer, this one near a computer terminal looking at rapidly scrolling data on his monitor. “Being within a star's corona even for extended periods of time represents no challenge with such technology.”

- “It also seems to indicate that whoever is aboard knew exactly where is the blind spot of our sensor grid at any given time as we orbit the sun,” said another, a woman busy at a tactical station.

The one at the science station pushed a few buttons and data scrolled superimposed over the image of the approaching ship on the main viewer. The woman in command nodded.

- “Full scan.”

It took but a few seconds before Lieutenant Skell answered.

- “Transponder signal confirms identification of the vessel. Shields and weapons are offline. Energy reserves are depleted at fifty-three percent. Hull stresses and debris along with this energy level indicates a continuous travel at high warp for close to ninety light years and for well over a solar month. One very faint life sign aboard; too faint to clearly identify at this distance. Possibilities range from some yet unidentified alien life form to dying occupant. ”

- “Order interceptor squadron 3 to close in with the intruder. Orders are to capture and board if there is no answer to hails. Ensign Siton, Scan for red matter.”

- “ Scans do not reveal the presence of red matter on board, Commander.”

Her eyebrow went up again. Her dark face even stretched imperceptibly.

- “According to this data, this vessel left Vulcan with virtually all the red matter known in our universe; enough to create a supergiant black hole like the one at the center of our galaxy. Since no such phenomenon was registered anywhere since the departure of this vessel, a vessel especially made for it's safe transport, it is logical to assume the material was safely disposed of at some unknown location.”

It was Siton's turn to raise an eyebrow.

- “Commander T'rynn; the only facility known as capable of handling and storing red matter besides this ship is here, on Vulcan.”

As they both pondered this, the scanning officer spoke again.

- “Commander, life signs are shooting up; we have positive identification; one occupant in the forward section; Vulcan.”

- “A healing trance?” suggested Siton. “That would explain the prior low life signs.”

- “Commander; the vessel is hailing us... but... Commander, the frequency used and the ID code given are at least a century old.”

There were a few seconds of silence and stillness; the only sign that the officers in the command center were surprised and left perplexed with the unfolding events.

- “On screen.”

On the image of the incoming scoutship appeared the tridimensional representation of a stern pale face with long flowing dark hair, upswept eyebrows over steely grey eyes and an angular clean-shaven face as expressionless as a jade sculpture. The collar of a dark silky garment framed by strange silvery cursive symbols could be glimpsed below this severe countenance.

- “Vulcan Central; requesting permission to approach and dock at main orbital station.”

- “This is Vulcan Central,” T'rynn answered while looking intently at the impassive countenance more than matching the sternness and blankness of her own. “Identify yourself, your point of origin and your purpose.”

- “ Purpose is the return of this vessel. Point of origin is 12-31-9.9 by 57-6-48, stardate 70578.3.”

- “These are the exact coordinates of the red supergiant trinary star system Gacrux, Gamma Crucis sector,” interjected Siton. “Stardate confirms forty-four point zero-six days of travel at warp 9 and consistent with sensor data on status and power readings of the ship.”

- Commander T'rynn... look at this.”

The woman at the security station indicated the monitor of her own station where a personal profile was being displayed. Both women exchanged a clearly puzzled look before T'rynn turned back to the holographic image of the intruder vessel's sole occupant.

- “ Identify yourself,” she repeated, more sternly yet not losing her puzzled expression.

- “I am Sonak, son of S'Kon, son of T'Prell, born in Shikar on stardate 1252.4.”

- “Our computer is confirming your identification; however, our data also indicates that Sonak, son of S'Kon, son of T'Prell, died of a transporter malfunction in Earth's orbit aboard the starship Enterprise, NCC 1701, on stardate 7412.1.”

- “I am prepared to cooperate with Vulcan authorities for a full debriefing,” answered the pilot of the ship. “What I have to reveal will require a full medical examination, including genetic screening and quantum signature scans, to corroborate any statement about my identity.”

It took a moment for all this to sink in. But Commander T'rynn reigned in her curiosity.

- “Pilot of the intruder vessel. Your scanners will now indicate that a squadron of our system's inner defense force is closing in on you. Power down your ship and standby to be taken in tow. You will be taken to an orbital security facility for preliminary debriefing. You will fully cooperate and bring no items with you. Your ship will be taken into custody, searched and scanned. You will submit to medical examination and security interrogation. We regret the severity of these proceedings, but the circumstances of your arrival are highly unusual.”

- “Understood, I will comply. Sonak out.”

The last image of the pilot showed him looking far away as if he was in a trance; a strange expression he wore the entire time they spoke. And as he found himself surrounded by small, sleek copper-colored vessels shooting blue rays at his powered down vessel, neither Sonak's expression nor eyes ever wavered.

He was looking straight ahead at a small, reddish orb right in front of his bubble-shaped cockpit. A few adjustments brought up the computer generated image from his sensors of a red planet crisscrossed by copper and tan colored streaks sharing a dual orbit with a moon-looking dark naked planet.

- “Computer; data on nearby star group.”

A soft female voice strikingly modulated in a typical human pattern, answered him.

- “Nevasa, Starfleet designation Star 40 Eridani A, also known as Omicron 2 Eridani, or Keid. Triple star system 16.5 light years from Sector 001, constellation Eridanus. Primary star, 40 Eridani A, is a main sequence dwarf of spectral type K1. 40 Eridani B is a 9th magnitude white dwarf of spectral type DA4. 40 Eridani C, is an 11th magnitude red dwarf flare star of spectral type M4.5e with variable star designation DY Eridani. B was originally a main sequence star, then the most massive member of the system. “

-“ Details on the system's current status.”

- “Billions of years ago, it ejected most of its mass before it became a white dwarf. B and C orbit each other 400 astronomical units (AU) from the primary star, A. Their orbit has a semimajor axis of 35 AU, which is also the approximate average distance between B and C and is rather elliptical with an eccentricity 0.410. Primary component of main star, 40 Eridani A, has a metallicity of 65% of the standard solar metallicity, thus providing a sufficient heavy element abundance for the formation of terrestrial planets. No habitable planets around the B star, having been destroyed by its evolution into a white dwarf, not even leaving an asteroid field of any magnitude. 40 Eridani C, is prone to flares, which cause large momentary increases in the emission of X-rays as well as visible light, lethal to any form of life even in its own habitable zone.”

Sonak was well familiar with the data. Yet he studied it attentively and listened with rapt attention to the computer voice. Science was about diminishing uncertainty; at the moment, he was all scientist.

- “Computer; data on planet bearing 000 mark 0. “

- “Native Name: T'Khasi or Ti-Valka'ain. Starfleet designation; Vulcan. Minshara-Class planet. In the habitable zone of 40 Eridani A at 0.63. Orbital revolution is 203 standard days. No natural satellite but shares an orbit around a common center of gravity with smaller planetoid designated as T'Khut, 149,895.3579 kilometers apart, tidally locked, causing numerous short but intense solar eclipses on the main planet. Revolution on planetary axis of main planet is 24 standard hours. Water to land ratio is 25-75. three primary continents called Na'nam, Han-shir and Xir'tan. Due to the strong tidal forces brought about by the planet's interaction with T'Khut, Vulcan is volcanically highly active.Sparse but active ecosystem. Gravity is 1.4 G. Atmosphere is composed of standard nitrogen-oxygen compounds with low levels or rare gases and carbon monoxide. Oxygen in its atmosphere originates essentially from phytoplankton in its oceans that make up 90% of all planetary oxygenation processes. Despite being a desert planet and not having a suitable source of oxygen in viable plant-life throughout most of their year, there is a sufficient amount of oxygenation occurring within the environment from the microbic water. Planet is inhabited by one sentient species implanted by panspermia tens of thousands of years ago called Vulcanians until stardate 1300.0 where it was officialized into Vulcans by the Federation Science Council.”

Sonak listened to each word without blinking even once at the sight of the planet growing larger and larger as the towing ships brought him closer. As a kolinahr master, he had long ago purged himself of all emotions. Yet, something was stirring in him at the sight of the planet he had accepted as gone forever... in another universe... another life.

He knew where that strange, alien feeling came from; it was not truly nostalgia, but it surely felt like it, as it was described by humans. For a fleeting moment, it was almost what they called... elation. And of this passing sensation stirring the mind up to the soul, there could be only one source within him.

Rita.

Somewhere out there... she was here... somewhere. And like his lost homeworld, she too, he would find.

Again, it was just a matter of... time.