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Ride the Purple Dragon

Posted on Sun Dec 2nd, 2018 @ 9:17pm by Rear Admiral Farenia Meowlith & Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Mona Gonadie & Petty Officer 2nd Class Ila Dedjoy & Emergency Medical Hologram (Adam Power) Mk X & Ahreva Malana & Alden Engstrom XIII & Maica III 47 & Hera & Baroness 2nd Class Schwein von Alcott & Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant Seregon French & Lieutenant Commander Sonak & Lieutenant Samuel Clemens XV & Lieutenant Commander Mnhei'sahe Dox & Lieutenant Asa Dael & Ensign Avendar Jurot & Lieutenant Alex Sexton & Ensign Tathaa & Crewman Sharonne Washington
Edited on on Fri Dec 28th, 2018 @ 2:19am

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera Bridge
Timeline: Upon Arrival at the Barrier

The USS Hera was a mighty ship but even it was dwarfed by the stream of turbulent purple haze that now stood in front of the modified Nebula class starship like some sort of imposing wall of spatial danger zone.

All readings that came back pointed to one thing though. Whatever was summoning these deities and feeding these titans, was coming from inside of it. That meant they needed to go inside of it. And that meant they needed to brave not only the dangers of it, but what lay inside of it as well.

The first hurdle, of course, was crossing the barrier that was the purple haze before them. It consisted of electromagnetic flows across every known band, what appeared to be lightning in space, gravimetric eddies, spacial distortions, and a soup of all sorts of other things that made anything else they had flown the ship into look like a baby’s basket in comparison.

From the main science station on the bridge, Sonak was keeping his eyes glued to his monitor, watching the scrolling data of sensor readings in real time, calculating along with the computer the energy flows.

"Prior data confirmed, Captain. Electromagnetic energy area of exceptional strength, concentration and irregularity. Our prepared protections should prove adequate as per calculation and testing. All sensors nominal. Probes ready if further analysis is required."

“Unless anyone would like to abandon ship or has any further preparation...” Captain Telvan was on the edge of her chair as she motioned towards the viewscreen with two fingers. “Engage all safeties, resonance systems, and shield configurations. Lieutenant Dox, take us in and proceed at your own pace.”

"Aye, Captain..." Melanie Dox replied, running her hands deftly across her helm controls, barely looking down. "...Course laid in. Inertial dampeners at the ready should be encounter the expected turbulence. Proceeding at one quarter impulse power."

With a few quick motions at the helm controls, the mighty Starship cane to life, advancing towards the mysterious barrier at a cautious pace. The barrier was, in many respects, a tremendous unknown and Dox wanted to feel her way through. She placed one hand on the side of her console, almost as one would comfort a frightened child as the proximity to the barrier caused almost undetectable vibrations across the ship. But Dox was a very intuitive pilot and tended to trust her instincts.

Likening the shimmy to a land vehicle shaking on an uneven road at slower speeds, Dox inched forward on the ships manual throttle a hair. "Getting some minor turbulence. Increasing speed... Point 5 percent." The vibration smoothed out. "There we go." She softly spoke, almost as much to the Hera itself as to her Captain and crew.

"I'd like some readings from different quadrants, and I'd like to see what happens if we fire one into the rainbow bridge there, ma'am," Paris reported from her station, watching the incoming reports from around the starship while she kept a small window open for the feed from the experimental unnamed Gonadie helmet that she had labelled 'Weapon X view' on her screen.

To which, Dox felt was the right time to activate. Reaching to her side, she lifted up the experimental head gear, teathered to the helm console by a bundle of cables coming out of it's rear. She brushed her freshly trimmed hair aside, having decided that her previously thick bun of long hair perched atop her head was a detriment to the helmet fitting properly. In one motion, she pulled the helmet down over her head and pressed some buttons on the side and on her console. With a light whining hum that quickly faded from audibility, the rig was activated. "Spatial visual range enhancement view... Active."

For Melanie Dox, it appeared as if the entirety of the Hera aside from her console and the bridge crew had vanished entirely and she could see all of space around her in all its magnificence. Enhanced holographically, the once purple Haze of the barrier now seemed to be a virtual rainbow of colors, each streaming through space like an infinity of rivers.

Enalia was familiar with the interface Dox was using and was even one of the early testers of it. Tapping out a message on her console, she sent it off to Rita. =Is that Gonadie's vomit bucket? If Dox survives this, I'm putting her in for all the flying awards.=

Then Enalia addressed the probe request more publically. "Commander, you and Lieutenant Sonak coordinate probe usage and use them at your discretion. We may be modified and assigned to Intel Command but as a Nebula class starship we still have the best sensors in the fleet and I expect them to be put to good use."

"All sensors working and recording with no interference," reported Sonak as he turned towards the command dais. "I recommend a class IV interstellar probe; it has cosmological pre-calibration and six ejectable sub-probes. This will allow us maximum flexibility monitoring the surrounding area."

"Make it happen, Mister Sonak, and let's insure that a few of those sub-probes penetrate the phenomenon ahead of us to offer advance telemetry, please," Paris ordered, watching the sensor readings as well as the sensory helmet's telemetry and trying to make sense of it all.

"Acknowledged, Commander."

Sonak fingered a few controls then turned to the red-haired woman at the tactical post.

"Lieutenant French; the class IV probe is programmed and loaded into the main forward tube. Launch at your discretion."

"Aye, launching probe as we get closer to the end of Purple Haze!" She wanted the probe to get info from the haze as well as the area they were flying into. It could come in handy later. "The probe is active, receiving telemetry." Reported French

Lieutenant Dauntless' ice-blue eyes darted to a flashing graphic that blinked on her Ops console. "Minor fluctuations detected in forward shields, Captain," she announced in her child-like voice. At a glance, Dauntless noted that output, threshold and replenish rate still looked good, despite an anomalous dip to about 97%, only to swing the other way up to about 103% as the shield generators automatically compensated. "Still holding around 97%," Dauntless confirmed, as a line graph displayed the fluctuating percentiles as a wave.

"Deploying subprobes, pattern Zeta-One-Minus," Sonak in turn announced.

On the monitor, the main probe launched six smaller units to make with it the center of a hexagonal flight formation of six hundred thousand kilometers across right around and in front of the ship like a protective cup; one light second in every direction which the ship could cover in two seconds at full impulse if anything required it. With a scanning range of almost four million kilometers each, the radiation-proofed subprobes would gather all data regarding stellar fields and particles with a triple redudant sensor system; all the needed data to analyse the energy field and what it contained; including disturbances in the field that would betray the mass of even a cloaked ship.

The Vulcan turned towards the center seat.

"Captain; considering the unknown we are about to face and the danger we apprehend from it, I have a proposal. If we link shield activation to our tactical sensors, we could have them deploy automatically in case of any detected threat. They would go up and protect us even before we could ourselves register the danger; or even if we would be taken totally by surprise out out of commission."

Counselor Avendar Jurot was standing back by the turbolift doors when she spoke up. "Captain, something is out there. I feel it... probing for our intentions. Whatever it is, it's very powerful- I can't make out how far away it is."

"Nothing registering on sensors," quickly added Sonak turning back to his console. "But the electromagnetic intensity of the area could blind our systems to all other forms of energy... like a psionic probing."

From where Doctor Dael was lurking at the back of the bridge a tentative voice spoke, "I...agree with Counselor Jurot. Something feels....wrong." The doctor looked positively green around the gills, and seemed to be resisting the urge to fall over. Hera's gift was acting up again it would seem, and Dael was trying to resist the siren song of untested abilities. The air swam with eddies of energy in their peripheral vision, but they couldn't seem to track anything down. All the doctor knew was they had a sense of impending doom, trespassing, and the sense of immense power lurking nearby.

Enalia glanced over at the two, concern crossing her face. She had a bad feeling in her gut as well, as if the symbiont was nervous about something. "Steady as she goes, Melanie. Everyone think diplomatic thoughts, ok? We're just curious about what's going on here. Just explorers here to find out what's going on and try to solve a mystery or two. Nothing more."

"Aye, Captain." Melanie Dox replied, keeping a careful eye for any visual cues to what the Councilor and Doctor were feeling, but the sensory helmet clearly didn't pick up psionic energy of any kind. Still, the young pilot felt her stomach tighten ever so slightly at the concern in her friends voices and she steeled her focus.

Looking down at her console, the Captain flipped the ship's alert status from red to yellow, dropping the readiness of the ship and ordering the weapons to no longer be at the ready. "That might ease a little tension as well, with any luck." Main shields were still up and at the ready at yellow alert as well as the ones they were using to navigate with, but Enalia kept half a mind to go back to red alert if their host proved unwilling to be reasoned with.

"All right, Miss Dox- unless Science has any objections, I think it's time to go where no man has gone before," Paris called out from her station, eyes flickering over to the science station for confirmation. "The energy wave appears to be as stable as it's going to get, and we've taken thorough scans. Is the order given, Captain?"

"I think your change of posture calmed whatever it is I'm sensing. It's still there; it's still curious; but I sense no outward hostility," the Betazoid beauty said.

"Nothing on sensors beside the exceptional intensity and area of the energy field," Sonak chimed in.

In his native universe, his telepathic powers had been as powerful as those of a Betazoid. But here and now, they had regressed to those of the average Vulcans. Without physical contact, he was as blind to mental contact as the average Human. Yet, there was... something; almost like a tiny prick at the back of his skull. he would not have noticed it if Dox had not mentioned sensing something. But he could almost feel it too.

The Captain finally leaned back in her chair, still tense, but trying to look a bit more calm for the crew's sake. "Steady as she goes, Melanie. Use your best judgement on our flight path and take us to the heart of this thing so we can say hello."

"Aye, Captain." Melaine Dox looked around a bit for a moment, her headgear showing her the brilliantly enhanced view of the purple Haze surrounding the HERA. But to her, the energy field appeared as flowing ribbons of energy weaving out in front of them.

One, in particular, looked calmer than the rest and flowed forward into the field, whereas the rest of the energy flowed outwards toward open space behind them. That was their path. "Adjusting course... Seven degrees to port. Proceeding at... three-quarters impulse."

Leaning her helmeted head back slightly, she continued. "Visual telemetry shows a... river... of steady, forward energy flow that looks to be our clearest path. No spatial anomalies detected. "

"Shields steady, scanners indicating no change and the psychics seem okay with the idea." Paris reviewed, then made the call. "Let's ride the wave, Miss Dox- take her in."

"Aye." Dox followed up, pushing slightly on the Hera's unique manual helm controls that the young pilot absolutely adored. The massive ship, dwarfed by the energy field, began moving forward into the unknown.

"According to the probe array scouting ahead, what you are following seems to be a quantum flow resonating in perfect concordance with the electromagnetic field, not unlike an oceanic current within an ocean; fascinating," Sonak reported with definite interest, eyes glued to his scanners.


"Hera's currently in custody on the Odin's Breath and very well contained- are you sure, Counselor...?" Paris asked.

At the helm, Lieutenant Dox could see the rivers of energy flowing and all around the ship through Ensign Gonadie's amazing flight control helmet as if she were sitting upon her hull. Enhanced colors flooded her perceptions with a rush of visual data that would have overwhelmed her if not for colonies of nanobots that Doctor Dael had implanted in her inner ears to control the nausea the helmet had been known to cause. Instead, she was tightly focused on her goal of getting the Hera through the mysterious energy field that now surrounded them.

Suddenly, the flows of energy that the Hera was riding began to shift colors ahead of the ship in Dox's perception, "we have a shift in energy patterns ahead, forty two hundred kilometers and closing. It looks like turbulence. Do sensors confirm?"

The voice of Sonak resonated colder than that of a computer.

"The energy field is fluctuating in direct correlation with our distance from it, somewhat similar to the effect of gravity with mass and distance. If we maintain an even course and speed, it should be predictable and manageable for navigation."

He then turned his steely gaze to the command chair.

"Unless it is not a natural phenomenon but caused by some presence reacting to our approach. I advise caution."

Turning her helmeted head back slightly from the helm, Dox called our again. "Looks like getting out it's way isn't an option. I would swear it's aiming for us. Are a go for the waveboard formed shielding? We are about to need 'em."

The Vulcan chief science officer again chimed in, this time addressing Seregon French at tactical.

"I have input the sensor-to-shield auto-alert programming into our computer and prepared the link between sensors and activation. You are now able to implement it from your console if you so choose, Ensign."

"Engage the special shield configuration and Dedjoy's victorium mimic system at full." Enalia ordered.

The wave of energy flowed like a runaway flood towards the bow of the Hera as Dox pulled back on the stick of the massive, Nebula-class Starship. "Brace yourselves!" The focused young pilot exclaimed with unexpected calmness as the shields shuddered as the energy flow pressed at the bottom of the altered shields, reformed to act like a surfboard surrounding the Hera.

The ship shook violently as a surge of energy from below pushed up unexpectedly on the starboard side forcing the Hera to ride the energy wave on it's edge. "Compensating." Dox called out, with no more edge to her voice then if one we're ordering lunch. While she was a nervous wreck in social situations, Melanie Dox was never as comfortable as she was in a pilots seat and it showed.

Leaning into the ships manual controls, Dox leaned her entire body into the swelling energy as her fingers flew across the helm controls. Instantly, the portside thrusters roared to full power and, vibrating hard, the Hera crested sideways in space riding over the newly formed edge of the energy wave. At the top of the wave, time seemed to pause for a moment as she arced down hard on the stick and the directional thrusters pushed the saucer over the edge.

With a rush like an old world roller coaster, the Hera slid down the wave at incredible speed, the flow of energy bucking against the straining, formed shields, but after a few seconds the ship stabilized as it had pushed through the region of turbulence into a smoother flow of energy.

"The flow is stabilizing, Captain." Dox informed the crew as the shaking of the bridge calmed back down.

"No reports of injuries, Captain," Dael replied, surveying the reports coming in from all decks.

"We have gone through some kind of energy barrier, Captain," Sonak reported. " It is not yet evidenced that it is artificial in origin. So far, data seems to indicate that it is a residual effect of the electromagnetic nature of the field itself; something comparable to the surface tension of water. The nature of the field itself however may still be artificial in origin. Probes and scanners still active and nominal."

"Bast can keep watch if she likes. Keep us going forward until we meet our hosts." Enalia had a feeling that whomever could summon Bast was setting them a trial and it was important to not get distracted on the way. "Any guesses on the distance to that worldship?"

"I'm seeing... Something at 005-mark-317, Captain..." Dox leaned slightly forward at the helm, looking intensly at the enhanced visuals of the swirling cosmic mists surrounding the ship. "The energy flow currents are... parting ahead as if something was pushing through them. Something big."

Turning her head towards ops, Dox nodded slightly as she entered a series of numbers into the helm computer. "Sending coordinates for sensor confirmation... but it could be our worldship."

"A logical assumption, Captain," Sonak confirmed from his sensor readout. "Volume to mass ratio consistent with that of an artificial construct, not a natural space body. Trajectory not conforming to gravimetric readings; it is a guided object... on an interception course."

Looking at the projected currents through her helmet, Dox squinted at the image ahead of the ship. "Captain, if we try and maintain this course and heading those currents being pushed around that worldship will either crush up or throw us out." She looked all around the edges of the distortions caused by the massive object pushing through the purple Haze. "Suggest a orbital approach." Dox pointed up towards the viewscreen. "Along that path. It's a fairly steady current being pushed up and around the distortions. Forty... Three degrees to port. It should give us control in our approach."

"Make it so," Captain Telvan ordered. "Try and take us close, but not too close. we don't want our hosts too nervous."

"Aye, Captain." Lieutenant Dox replied, as she inched the stick to the upper left arcing the nose of the Hera towards the upward flowing energy streams."Reducing speed to one eighth impulse. The energy flow and her momentum should do most of the work and keep our posture neutral to whoever is watching."

Within moments, the ventral shields of the Hera flared lightly as the mighty ship was pulled upwards into the energy flow. There was a minor rumbling throughout the ship, to which Dox replied to entering commands into the helm. "Increasing power to the internal inertial dampeners to smooth out our ride..." And in moments, as the Hera arced up and around the still-concealed source of the distortions within the cloud, the initial vibrations quickly subsiding.

As her helmet showed her a view of space as if the ship itself were invisible, Dox's head turned down toward the floor to the right of her helm station as her mouth fell slightly agape. "Captain... I think whatever that is... Is about to push through the energy fields. I'm seeing something solid to ventral starboard."

"Onscreen!" Paris ordered, assuming Ops could just bring any sensor of the starship online with a visual- and there it was. "Wait, what the hell is that...?

On the viewscreen, through a thin veil of the purple haze, was the biggest ship that any of them had ever seen. It was a sort of clamshell design with two giant arms coming out of one end with forests and lakes and just... Everything, really.



"Yeah, that's a big ship..." Enalia muttered right before a tractor beam locked onto the USS Hera and pulled the ship through the last of the barrier alongside the space behemoth. "Status report! Full sensor scans!"

"Helm control isn't responding!" Dox replied, as she checked the status of the controls, frozen by the powerful beam.

"We've been seized by a tractor beam emamanting from this construct," confirmed Sonak. "Power level is beyond our engine capabilities to resist without grave damage to our structural integrity."

From their corner of the room, Dael looked at the PaDD in their hand. They had been monitoring Dox's vitals during the entire procedure to make sure the plan of action for the special navigation helmet was working. Her vitals had been within expected range, and Dox's blood pressure and heart rate had actually been lower than usual. Now, the intrepid pilot was through the roof. Her blood pressure was at a dangerous level and neural activity was extremely over-excited.

The doctor knew there was no point in saying anything at the moment to the pilot, who clearly had enough on her plate, and instead moved to stand closer to her, emergency meds in hand. There was also a tickle in the back of the doctors mind, and they wondered if they were somehow sensing the force holding the ship in place.

The doctor looked over to Jurot, trying to asses the counselors level of alarm, but was unable to read the telepath's expression.

"Getting reports of empathic and telepathic crew members reporting to Sick Bay feeling pressure in their heads. Medical staff standing by and providing treatment," the doctor reported.


At which point, the helmeted Melanie Dox became aware that the doctor was standing nearby. Assuming that her readings must be causing the doctor concern, Dox pressed a switch on the side of the helmet to deactivate it as she lifted the visor off of her eyes.

For the slightest of moments, Dox squinted as her vision returned to normal. "If we're not moving, I can turn this off for a bit." She smiled over at the doctor who she considered a friend as well, reading the concern on their face. "This better, Doctor?"

With a look of relief, Asa smiled at Dox. The pilot had fast become important to Asa, and they valued the blooming friendship with this singular individual. "Yes, thank you. Just do what you need to, and know I'm standing by to aid if needed," the physician replied, a touch quickly, their nervousness evident. In an ideal environment, extensive testing could have been completed prior to Melanie using the helmet, but time rarely allows for ideal environments, as the doctor well knew.

And as if to confirm the report, Sonak suddenly swooned and fell hard on the deck.

The first officer was up like a shot, and before she had covered the distance in that ground-eating stride of hers, she was already barking orders. “Doctor, we have a man down.”

Reaching the side of the fallen science officer, Rita Paris checked his vitals and his temperature- he seemed a bit cooler than normal, although his pulse was still strong and steady. Realizing the probable cause, she turned to Jurot. “Counselor, have a seat. If this is a telepathic overload, you’re probably next.”

Doc Dael was en route as soon as Lieutenant Sonak’s loss of consciousness registered with them. The doctor took the opposite side of Paris, not wanting to intrude on her right to be at his side. The Vulcan was running a quarter degree cool, but nothing too alarming. His adrenal glands were working overtime though, and his cortisol levels had skyrocketed.

Turning to Rita, Dael said, “Let’s make some skin to skin contact and think very calm thoughts, ok? He’s showing all the typical symptoms of disruption to the qui’lari, and his body reacted to allow him to release some of the neuro-pressure. He’s ok, but I think if we serve as a beacon to him, that will allow the hold of the foreign psionic influence to lessen. As his mate, you will best know how to call to him, ok?”

Turning over their shoulder, the doctor also called to a nearby crewman, “Please go get me two very warm blankets.”

Once facing Rita again, the doctor continued, “The warmth is to allow his body to focus as much as possible on healing. By warming him to the temperature of his home world, that’s one less stress he’s under.”

Although the doctor did not move, they did speak over their shoulder to Jurot, “Counselor, how are you doing? Please do sit. I’ll be there in just a moment.”

As for Rita Paris, she needed no further prompting nor instruction. Settling herself on the deck, she leaned against the nearby chair for support in case this took more out of her than she thought. Taking the Vulcan science officer’s hand in her own, she in turn grasped Doctor Dael’s with the other.

“I might need a lifeline,” the courageous commander explained, then she closed her eyes, and dove into the vast and incomprehensible ocean that was Sonak’s psyche. The analogy that Sonak often preferred was now reversed- for while her emotions were often a raging sea or a crashing surf, now it was her turn to dive into the calm and placid lake of his psyche. It was dangerous to wander around in the vastness of the master of logic’s mind, because his intellect dwarfed hers so vastly she could become lost in his mind, helping no one and instead requiring rescue. Thus why she had anchored herself to Dael, who was no psychic, but sensitive and dedicated, and so long as she could feel their presence she would have a way back.

Asa held Rita's hand with a tenacity, determined to not lose the Commander to Sonak's mind. As they held onto Rita, they thought about a tune they learned on Earth, "You Are My Sunshine." The doctor projected it into Rita's mind to the best of their ability, providing a ditty for her to follow to its source whenever needed.

Sonak? It’s me, Rita. Come back to me… you collapsed on the bridge, and Doc says you are just a little disrupted at the moment. So come on, kolinahr master. Reassure your all-too-human wife that you are still in here and okay? Give me some sort of sign? Deeper she dove, pushing past the surface thoughts and calculations that were abundantly present just below the surface of the brilliant scientist’s psyche.

His eyes popped open.

Before anyone could react, he had lifted himself off the deckplates, straightened his uniform and crossed his arms behind his back to assume his customary stance, one eyebrow raised.

I appologize, Commander. I seem to have lost my bearings for a moment. But I have recovered."

No sound had gone through his lips. Yet, Rita understood him as clearly as if he had talked directly to her. It felt like their usual mind meld.

But now, she was not touching him.

Well, HELLO SAILOR! Rita Paris released the young physician's hand with a reassuring nod, then grasped the chair she'd leaned against to lever herself erect. This is new...

Distractedly offering her hand to the ship's surgeon, the first officer looked a touch skeptical. "Doc, is everything good here...?"

The tricorder again whirring, Asa looked over Sonak's form. The readings from him were... different. Not bad, just different. The doctor quickly decided there was no point worrying anyone during an ongoing crisis, but there were certain findings the doctor would like to explore later.

Putting a smile on their face, Asa replied "You got him back. Mental function is back to a healthy range."

Sonak? Please explain? Rita asked as she edged back to her station, wondering what sort of range this new development might have, even as she realized they were still being drawn into that giant worldship, whose tractor beams had some incredible range.

Counselor Jurot snapped out of her trance like state, and shouted "No, you CANNOT enter!" She then collapsed hard to the deck.

"Doctor?" Paris rose from her station to lend aid to the stricken Betazoid. "Cap'n, should we hail them? I mean, we're taking the invitation one way or the other, but should we at least say hello?"

Taking the counselor's hand, Paris yipped a touch. "She's.. wow, she's unhealthy cold, Doc."

Sonak stayed at his post, trying to get something out of his instruments, but addressed the chief medical officer, this time with his deep, monotone voice.

"There was a powerful telepathic signal directed at us. Even my less receptive mind was overwhelmed by it; and it seems to have reawakened my old capabilities for a moment. My abilities are resorbing back to what is the norm in this universe now. But the counselor, being Betazoid, is naturally at least as sensitive as I was back then; which means highly susceptible to this psionic contact. Judging by her last words, she might be hurting... and... compromised."

The comms panel came live, and the Chief Spook's voice came out. "Got some info for y'all! Accordin' t'records, this kinda thing isn't unique. I've been goin' over th'readin's, and it's showin' signs of intelligence. It's like someone gave th'Badlands a shot of Borg Juice, or sumpin'. It's kinda like all them other barriers an' anomaly fields, got together and made a baby. This thing even looks kinda like the Edge Barrier...better check on anyone wuth an esper ratin'- make sure they're okay."

"A correct if somewhat... delayed and... colorful assessment," Sonak confirmed with a raised eyebrow.

The Betazoid's eyes fluttered open. "Gaia," she whispered. "And others. Probing for weakness..."

"Let's not give them any then, shall we?" The doctor said gently, placing their hand under the counselors arm to steady her.

"By your leave, Captain, I am taking the counselor to sick bay to check her out?" Asa inquired.

"Please do so." Enalia had been in a bit of a haze as well, her mental link with her symbiont having been temporarily muddled. she'd been able to clear it up with a bit of quick meditation though. "Open a channel. This is Captain Telvan of the..."

No sooner than she had started than the viewscreen flared to life and she was interrupted. What looked like a floating meatball with a mouth, one giant eye, and about a dozen more eyes on stalks showed on it. "We know who you are, Captain. We are the Watchers. Welcome to our home. You have braved the journey here as well as our prying minds so I would invite you to stay with us for a time. Perhaps we may learn something of each other. Perhaps we may come to an understanding. Will you accept our hospitality as your Commodore Meowlith has?"

The spotted captain paused for a moment, wondering if this was a trap or if the offer was sincere. Either way, the best way to find out if it was a trap was to spring it. If it wasn't, it would be a pleasant surprise. Either way, she hoped they would learn about this being and more about this worldship and why they were summoning deities and the titans. "Very well, we accept your hospitality. However, we also ask that you withdraw your mental pressure from my crew. Our more sensitive members are not handling it well."

"OF course, Captain. We will do our best to respect your mind spaces. Please stand by so we may meet in person." With another flare, the viewscreen returned to the view of the worldship outside.

Then the tractor beam started pulling the USS Hera in towards one of the largest docking bays Enalia had ever seen - one that had an Oberth class starship already parked in it. "Someone please tell me that conversation wasn't all in my head."

“Nope, just plain human girl heard it too,” Paris responded as she helped the doctor get the counselor to the turbolift. “I think that was actually live talking. His mouth was moving along with all those eyes. Say, isn’t that the Commodore’s latest ride over there?”

Chuckling softly, Enalia started planning a diplomatic team with herself and Commander Paris. "Yeah it looks like she didn't destroy an Oberth class this week after all."

"Oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, standard 1G gravity, proportionate atmospheric pressure, ambiant temperature 15 degrees Celsius with 20% humidity; interior of the construct is fully compatible with the physiology of most carbon-based life forms," Sonak reported from his scan. "These... Watchers are obviously waiting for us and ready to meet us face to face."

"Not like we could refuse their invitation," Rita Paris muttered, then stood, tugged down the hem of her minidress and squared her shoulders. "Guess it's time to ply some good old-fashioned alien diplomacy at the galactic core. Another glorious day in Starfleet."

 

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