Strange New Worlds

Posted on Tue Jan 1st, 2019 @ 3:19pm by Captain Enalia Telvan & Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Sonak

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: Worldship, Various locales
Timeline: 2395

Stepping out of the Golden Donut sweets shop, Commander Rita Paris eyed the bustling scenery with a mixture of an explorer's wonder and an investigator's weariness. They had their mission- to find one of the ritual summonings, possibly with summoning stones, that the locals could perform. These in turn led to gods being made manifest, as well as creatures purely of the imagination. As she turned to the steely-eyed scientist at her side, though, she was confident. There wasn't a mystery in the universe she and Sonak couldn't make sense of once they put their minds to it.

Well, his mind at least. Her job was to provide the drive and improvise plans.

But this was familiar territory for them both, and it felt somehow liberating to be exploring the Worldship of Log'yerm/// without supervision. Just the two of them, facing the unknown... with their diminutive elven guide, Flumia.

"So it stands to reason that if they are doing summonings and using stones for it, more than likely the process has become ritualized. Which would in turn mean that energies would have conceivably permeated the location they do the summonings in, given the nature of energy and structures. So in a perfect universe that means there should be something to scan for since we have the scans from New Texas as something of a baseline to work from- logical?"

As always, Rita did her best to connect the dots, then ran it past her logical partner to verify, and usually elaborate upon.

"Affirmative," acknowledged the Vulcan as he looked at his tricorder readings. "I am using that baseline data right now to get a fix on the strongest relevant energy reading... one hundred and fifty-three meters... over... there."

Over the lid of his tricorder as he turned slowly around, his forefinger lead his own steely grey eyes in a specific direction to their left.

“Conveniently close. Well, let’s take a walk, shall we?” Stepping off in the indicated direction, the extradimensional explorer led the way, keeping alert to the locals, the traffic and any potential hazards they might encounter in this area of the worldship which seemed to be mostly cookie, cake and confectionary shops wedged alongside one another. After all, Sonak was watching the readings and interpreting data at a speed most sentient life could not comprehend, so it fell to Rita to watch the local landscape and be on the lookout for hazards.

This was an old pattern of theirs, and it made her smile to fall easily back into it once more. Rita and Sonak, exploring the unknown.

“Is it just me or is the diet these people are maintaining… unsustainable?” she asked, knowing that a dialogue with her would not distract the somber scientist in the least as they moved through the crowd of bustling foot traffic toward their destination, which seemed to be a tower of some sort if her navigation was correct.

"Glucose is the second highest organic energy source for carbon-based life forms, right after lipids," Sonak answered in an almost distracted tone. "Humanoid metabolisms usually has a definite low threshold of glucose absorption; any excess results in the life form storing it within the fat layers of the body. In the case of many sentient species a safety mechanism against famine leftover from prehistoric life, when food was scarce and obtained only with much time, difficulty and risk. These people, however, may be of a vastly different physiology despite their appearance and not subject to the inconveniences of too much sugar in their diet. Or it is possible that their powers require that much more body energy."

There was a pause as Paris considered this, then she tried to connect another dot. Very quietly the human helmsman sidled up next to the stoic scientist and muttered where only sensitive ears could hear and lip readers would have trouble. "You said everything resonated like it had been manufactured by a power, right? Does that include the people, too? What about the gods, do they read consistently with that 'manufactured unreality' frequency?"

"A distinct possibility," he muttered with the same tone as hers."A Jack Sparrow imaginary pirate character suddenly appearing in the flesh would be strong enough evidence to support such a hypothesis. That, if proven true, could significantly alter our interactions with those people... and their... creators."

As Sonak personally had tricorder readings from the locals and locale they inhabited, as well as the 'Captain Jack Sparrow' entity, Rita expected more than an admission it was a possibility, but apparently Sonak was working on a theory, so she let it go. It made sense to her, so she would continue to operate from that supposition. The energy of their host seemed to be capable of altering reality on a large and surprisingly sustainable scale if all of this were true. Still, she was curious as to how his creations, in turn, became empowered to craft that energy themselves, through ritual, into other powerful beings who were themselves also capable of altering reality.

Which was where the summoning came in. Approaching the coordinates Sonak had mentioned, moving through the city streets they were now approaching what appeared to be an ebony pyramid, the sides of which shone like polished glass.

"Well that doesn't look half sinister," Rita observed as they wound their way through the foot traffic of smaller beings.

"In occult traditions, the pyramid is the geometrical shape believed to be best suited for the gathering and storing of energy," the Vulcan explained matter-of-factly. "Of course, there is no actual scientific evidence to support this idea; but here, it would be wise to assume things work more the way of mystical beliefs than actual laws of physics, at least in appearances. It is however a scientific fact that dark surfaces absorb more light waves than lighter tones. If this is a place of energy gathering and manipulation, such a coloration would suggest the laws of this universe still applies; only in ways we may not yet fully understand."

"That'll make it about par for the course, then," Rita wisecracked as they reached the pyramid, and she marched her way around it until she came to the entrance, which was guarded by more of the diminutive folks. They were clad in black robes with bright red flame designs on them, and the skullcaps on their heads had small devil horns protruding from the foreheads at the recessions. Standing with pitchforks in their hands, they looked somehow comically sinister.

Stepping up to the guards, Rita crouched a bit to be more on their level and put on a winning smile. "Ah, hello there! We're travelers- what is this place?"

The two guards exchanged meaningful glances, then turned to chant in unison.

"This is the temple of Asmodeus, the dark lord, king of demons, ruler of the second level of Hell, the blazing eyed devilgoat made flesh once more. Welcome travelers- you have been expected." With that the two diminutive guards stepped out of their way and gestured for the extradimensional explorers to continue inside.

Standing up and turning to eye Sonak, Rita started walking forward with a nervous smile. "Expected doesn't sound very good in this case," she whispered.

Sonak was as discreet in his reply.

"According to traditions associated with satanic entities, only two kinds of people are expected in a ritual place consecrated to such faith; members of the faith... and sacrifices to the faith. Since we are not of the first kind, I advise extreme caution."

Just as discreetly, his hand opened up his comebadge to the ship as if he was thanking the guards with a small bow; then lowered to brush his phaser hung to his belted-looking anh woon.

Knowing it was dangerous, knowing there was peril, the two Starfleet officers had a mission. One which might actually alter the fate of the galaxy, at least in some small part. Solving the mysteries of the universe often led to solutions for problems with the universe, it seemed. For now, the duo made their way into the great obsidian pyramid, as low moaning chants reverberated inside, the first hints of the scent of ceremonial incense wafting across their noses. Kettle drums boomed deep within the structure- Dun- Da Da Da Doom!

Inscribed into an ornate carving of many of the elfin forms writhing and screaming in various states of agony that formed the doorway was the legend 'Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter' in bold gothic letters. Heat wafted out in waves as the light in the rough stonework- which was growing rougher with every step- reflected flickering lights ahead.

"Dante Alighieri," Sonak recognized from the classic depiction of Inferno. "Since we know the Divine Comedy to be a work of fiction, a political parable, we have evidence here that these people get their inspiration from myth, not reality."

Reaching the interior of the pyramid, rough-hewn stairs led downward in a spiral about a large shaft that appeared to go deeply into the crust of the Worldship. Flames and smoke belched up from it, obscuring what lay below.

"This must be a joy when they have to come upstairs for guard duty," Rita muttered as she stepped carefully, hugging the wall and keeping a sharp eye out below as well as checking on Sonak, still minding the tricorder to analyze their situation.

"It is fortunate that they did not chose the underworld realm of Hades; even being expected, facing Cerberus could have proven itself a less easy way to enter."

"Remember what you mentioned about being careful what we think of? Maybe let's not give them any idea-whoops!" As she spoke, a bit of the rough-hewn stone stair gave way beneath Rita's explorer's boot, and she lost her balance, pitching forward down the steps and toward the blazing and belching interor chasm. As she did so, she watched where she was going as she reached behind her.

A strong hand caught her grip- his weight balanced and his footing firm, the athletic academician saw and had reacted before his partner in life's adventures had fallen far. As always, when she reached for him, he was there. As he shifted her weight to bring her back to safety, she turned back to grin at him , being caught in his arms briefly as he insured that she was balanced and stable once more.

My hero, as always, she thought to him. Ordinarily on such a mission she would whisper where none but the keenest of hearing could detect... because his sense of hearing was great, and particularly attuned to her light lilting soprano.

No need to hyperbolize. You are my mate, he simply sent back

Ascending, the steps went down and down, and eventually a thought struck Rita Paris. "Mr. Sonak, how many steps have we walked down now?"

"Two hundred and sixteen steps," he answered. "Six times six times six; I would postulate this is somewhat significant.

"Great... so only four hundred and fifty steps left to go," the human officer remarked, mopping the sweat from her forehead. The deeper they were going, the stinging of the smoke was bothering her eyes, and the heat was definitely beginning to take a toll on Rita's endurance. Large sweat stains were growing on her uniform, as the temperature continued to rise.

"Numerical symbolism is always part of superstitious thinking when architecture is involved," the Vulcan commented. We should pay attention to these. They might give us clues as to how to deal with comes what may."

"Once more unto the breach..." Rita muttered as ahead, imbedded in the walls was apparently a humanoid corpse, seemingly melded with the stone of the wall, it's face contorted in agony. As the duo advanced further, more and more bodies were a part of the decor, usually twisted painfully or contorted as if in agony, yet the commonality was that there was no decay. The bodies appeared to have the same unreal readings as every other bit of constructed reality nearby.

"Great, the decor in this place just keeps getting better," Rita quipped, trying to shrug off the emotional impact of the somewhat literal descent into hell they were making. The air wasn't so great down here and the heat was wringing her out like a wet sponge. As the steps were treacherous, she hed clung to the wall for safety, but now that it was primarily occupied by a twisted tableau of corpse art, she was having to mind her footing more carefully. Sure-footed she was and her boots were made for this sort of action, yet still she stumbled twice more, only to be saved by the stoic spaceman behind her.

On the five hundredth and fifty-seventh step, they could see great stone henges below, enormous pitted and worn volcanic stones that burned with an eternal flame easily seven meters high, arranged in a series of circles within which was inscribed a pentacle that filled the first circle. The chanting was clearly coming from dark robed and hooded acolytes who filled the gallery, and at the bottom point of the pentagram was a collection of red robed figures with very fancy pointy hats. Who were all gathered before a very shiny yet much more the local's height henge, which made it look a lot like an altar to Rita's eye.

"Is it just me or does it look like we were REALLY expected...?" Rita asked nervously.

"From here we should proceed carefully," the Vulcan again admonished.

He then activated a locating transponder on his tricorder and spoke into his commbadge.

"Hera, this is Lieutenant Sonak. Do you have a fix on us?"

=^= Hera to landing party 2 =^= came the immediate reply. While they were deep within the crust of the Worldship, the Hera was very nearby, and the locals weren't generating any sort of interference for all of the supernatural imagery they had conjured. =^= We have a lock on every landing party member at current, as per orders =^=

Glancing back, Rita shrugged and nodded. As much as she personally eschewed them, it was a good protocol to maintain, and a lot easier these days than it used to be in theirs. Scanning over the scene, she noticed movement opposite them in the sacrificial chamber they had willingly entered.

Blue and red, much like she and Sonak, standing out through the smoke and flames, which got better as the duo finished their ascent, and the air became breathable, although the ambient temperature now read as 57.7778. There was the red of the Baroness von Alcott's frocked pirate captain's coat, and the bright blue tunic of Doctor Asa Dael.

Bright colors, because we're the good guys, come to help, Rita Paris thought to herself as she disengaged the magnetic lock that held her phaser to her hip. It was set to level 2 stun, and that's where it would stay unless things got very bad. Tapping her commbadge, she spoke quietly but clearly.

"Commander Paris to Lieutenant Dael and Baroness von Alcott... good timing."