The Phantom Cometh
Posted on Tue Dec 5th, 2017 @ 3:47pm by Lieutenant Reno “Reno-gade” Van Straten & Captain Mrazak & Gunnery Sergeant Roderik Kos
2,153 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
S1E1: Bynars Be Bygones
Location: Memory Theta
Timeline: MD 1
[ON]
[USS Phantom]
"Ok so just how do we find away around in a region with the worst sensor range in the quadrant. Great flailing plasma storms and stellar winds strong enough to tear ships apart?" Van Straten asked. He stared up at the viewscreen and the maelstrom of flaring plasma jets that swirled and thrashed just a few hundred kilometers ahead.
"There are several ways" Warrant Officer Monica Delantez informed him. "We always try and start a one of several specific entry points. We have those plotted into the astral navigation system. That way we have a known start point and we can use our inertial navigation system, which has been specially calibrated to work in the Badlands. This time we're coming in from Athos IV, so... "She leant over the helm panel and tapped in a couple of commands "...we have preprogrammed routes from here" A series of waypoints appear on his head up display, blinking dots showing a route deep into the heart of the maelstrom.
Reno nodded "Ok that makes sense, but dead reckoning isn't going to take account of the sudden corrections to avoid those things!" He point to a particularly nasty looking plamsa flare on the screen.
"No, but we then use some of our enhanced sensors and an echo-location system to update the inertial navigation system as we go. We got that trick from the Bajorans and the Marquis" Delantez explained 'And we have several navigational buoys located on some of the planets. We can activate them with a coded transmission, they send back a range and bearing signal and we add that into the navigational plot as well. It actually works pretty well. Occasionally we have to make several diversions around a big storm but we just take our time and stay on course. you'll get the hang of it "
"And we have the additional shielding on the warp nacells to keep from attracting a big energy jolt" Reno nodded, recalling that from the ship's engineering specifications he had been studying.
"Right but those won't help if we run into that roving singularity that's prowling around in here!" Delantez chuckled
"Huh?"
"Relax eL Tee she's kidding!" Dynt called over from the Tactical panel. "There was a wayward singularity, got out of a wrecked Bird-of-Prey about a hundred and fifty years ago. But the Defiant rounded it up during the Dominion War"
"Who says there was only one....?" Delantez gave an evil grin and chuckled. "Alright eL Tee why don't you lay in the course and take us in"
Eleven tense hours later the Phantom emerged into a relatively calm section of the Badlands. Reno and Delantez had taken turns piloting the Phantom through the maze of fiery plasma waves, gravitational anomalies and stellar wind shears.
Several planets and asteroid fields appeared on the sensors. The course led right into the heart of them and after another hour a faint signature appeared on the head up display.
"Is that a station?" Reno asked
"Yep that's home" Delantez confirmed. "There's two docking pylons, one on top, the other on the bottom. We berth on the bottom one. But first... " She nodded to Dynt at Tactical "We have to let them know it's us, so they turn off the station's defensive systems"
Dynt tapped in some commands, sending a coded signal that was answered a few moments later. "Cleared to dock" she called over.
Reno brought he craft into orbit of a desolate hunk of rock that was barely big enough to maintain a spherical shape. Its elliptical orbit around a nascent star was wide enough that it wouldn't come near it until well into the 25th century.
Reno dropped the ship down into a matching orbit with the station and closed in on it at one-quarter impulse. A stubby docking arm extended from the lowest level of the station. He lined up the portside hatch with the clamps, cut the impulse engine and nudged her in on the thrusters, coming to rest against the arm with barely a bumps as the hydraulic clamps dropped into place. He shut down the rest of the control panel, securing the craft from flight. "Umbilical's engaged; switching to station power. Docking tunnel extended and locked, airlock is cycling. Clear to open the hatch" He announced.
He updated his flight log, double checked the panel and got up, stretching as he clambered out of the chair. The flight through the Badlands had not been as rough as he had thought it might be. Even so he was still feeling a little tense and stiff and he shook out his arms and fingers. "Ok, so now what?" He asked turning around to look at the Phantom's Engineer.
"You have a meeting with Commander Mrazak, the Field Team Leader" Branston informed him "C'mon I'll show you the way"
He followed Branston down to Deck 2, out of the hatch and through the docking tunnel. As they stepped into the station they were met by a dark skinned male Vulcan Commander in Science Teal.
"Lieutenant Van Straten," Branston introduced them. "Commander Mrazak"
Reno looked the man over, he was probably average size, did not look particularly imposing, but there was something a little...odd about him. It took Van Straten a moment to work out what it was and he was not sure he had ever seen such a thing before. Mrazak was smiling at him!
Not one of those thin-lipped sort of smug looks that you got from a Vulcan who had just battered your argument to death with cold clear logic. This was a big wide smile, full of energy and rather unnerving in being so out of character for Reno's experience of the species.
"Greetings, greetings, one and all," Mrazak said with unbridled enthusiasm and outspread hands. "It would be an injustice and an understatement to say that we have been waiting most eagerly for your arrival."
Mrazak walked right past the disembarking crew in order to place a hesitant, hovering hand over the Phantom's bulkhead in a reverent caress. "Yes," he nodded fervently, his eyes brimming with passion. "Yes, this will do quite nicely."
He cast Reno a sidelong glance, the first look since they arrived which seemed to truly acknowledge his presence, and grinned wider. "How did she do, Lieutenant? Did you... you know..." He dipped his head to one side. "... activate the QSD?"
"Er...no... didn't get the opportunity yet sir" Reno replied a little baffled "Apparently they are cautious about leaving the trans warp corridor signature in well travelled space"
Just who was this fellow? He began to wonder if Mrazak was actually a Romulan and not a Vulcan, the two species were very similar and he did not know any Vulcans who acted so...emotionally
"Umm... Commander, I'm still not really sure what I'm doing here, beyond you need a pilot for the Phantom. And I still don't know where, or what, here is?"
Mrazak clapped his hands together. "Ah. Well, allow me to clear it up: you are nowhere." He grinned at his own jolly wit. "At least, that is if you go by standard navigational charts. We are the netherworld, Lieutenant. The place of bad dreams. The secret vault that holds the Federation's dirty laundry until such time as we learn to exploit it." Mrazak fingered his cheek thoughtfully. "I believe your people have an archaic expression regarding things which go 'bump' in the night. We are Starfleet's answer to those things which we were never meant to know exist. Welcome to the Anti-Bump, Lieutenant, fondly known as Memory Theta."
"Memory Theta..." Reno tried the name on "The off the charts, anti bump in the night, bad dreams, dirty laundrette? Right... Yeah. So that sounds like l'm in the wrong place, sir."
It sounded like some crazy Black Ops wierd science circus and Reno was pretty certain he did not want be around it.
"So if you could put me on the first ship out of here, l think l'd like to go back the to the USS Brunel"
"On the contrary, Lieutenant, you will find that you not find welcome anywhere else." Mrazak offered a mock frown. "You see, there are non-existent starship registries to which all of us belong, and if anyone were to look too deeply, they would find an indecipherable pattern of missions that coincidentally never coincide with any verifiable reports." His face turned back to a sly grin. "But once you see behind the veil, you will never want to go back. Like Glaucon's Cave or Surak's Grotto, what is seen cannot be unseen, and what is known cannot be unknown."
Being honest with himself Reno realized that he had never actually seriously considered what he was volunteering for. There had never been any discussion during the flight evaluation program, after he'd been selected there were a few cryptic comments but nothing other that it was a highly secret assignment.
Even on the Phantom he'd been so busy, he'd not got around to thinking through what he would actually be doing, beyond flying a highly modified warship.
He had thought it might be some kind of specialized surveillance missions, maybe across borders and neutral zones. Maybe some strike missions on places that threatened the Federation but which could not be dealt with publically.
He was sure he had not expected to be involved in flying a grinning Vulcan, or possibly Romulan, science officer and his cronies looking for who knew what weird stuff for this Pandora's Box of theirs.
"Yeah, so l'm still not really sure what you need me for sir?"
"In times past, whenever a Theta alert came to us, we would hitch a ride with nearby vessels under the auspices of our classified authorization. It helped keep us beneath the radar. But with the expansion of our mandate, as well as some significant exposure that proved difficult to entirely purge, we have been given our own attachment to do with as we see fit." Mrazak wriggled his eyebrows. "And that is where your part begins, Lieutenant. You will ferry us across the stars to fetch our prize, wherever it may be, and no one will be the wiser. No more contests of will. No more begging. This is our hour." He turned his head to and fro to address anyone else still disembarking. "Mark this day, my stalwart crew, for it shall mark the beginning of a new era!"
Mrazak stared intensely at his own raised hand as if lost in his own bravado.
Staff Sergeant Rodirik Kos stepped through the ship's airlock. He had a large duffle on one shoulder, a phaser rifle on his other, and a type 2 phaser on his hip. His uniform was was crisply pressed, clean, and immaculate as usual. His beard had been freshly trimmed, and his hair was longer than technically allowed but neatly combed. He stepped at the edge of the station airlock and straightened his back. Waiting for a lull in the conversation he spoke up, "Permission to come aboard, sir?"
Startled from his rousing speech, Mrazak jumped back. "Who...?" He noted the enlisted insignia on Rodi's uniform. "Fine, yes, yes, of course," he said with a dismissive wave. "Go report to... Colonel Whomever, probably in the commandant's office."
"No sir, supposed to report in with you. I'm Staff Sergeant Roderik Kos. New Tactical and Security Specialist for the field team." Rodi replied as he had stepped over the threshold and became accustomed to the station's own soft humming vibration. His duffel was put on the ground without sound, and a PADD was pulled from a side pocket. Rodi stepped forward and offered it to the Vulcan.
Mrazak was the personification of incredulous. "What is the meaning of..." He snatched the PADD away and perused it with dire interest. "This is ridiculous. Preposterous! I don't need..." He gave a sigh of resignation. "The admiral warned me of as much. Get settled, everyone. The field team will review all present Theta-level alerts soon, and I suppose you will all need to be there."
Mrazak brushed the front of his uniform and raised his chin before walking away from the docking port.
Rodi shrugged slightly, squatted slightly to lift his duffel and followed the Commander into the station. He was confident he would his quarters somehow, computers were there to help with that after all.
Van Straten looked to Branston "He always like that? And he is Vulcan right?"
Branston shrugged "Yep, but's not your average Vulcan, as you can see. But he's very dedicated and gets stuff done. C'mon I'll show you to your quarters"
Reno followed the Engineer, still slightly bemused by the encounter and more than a little anxious over what he had let himself in for.
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