S2 M1"Macrocosm"

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

Julia nodded as she listened to the Lieutenants suggestion. It seemed as good of a solution as any. She sat in her chair and continued to review the data at hand. "Go ahead Lieutenant." She ordered without looking up. Something very odd kept sticking out at her the mass was expanding at a rate of 68 centimeters per hour. 68? She thought. It sounded like such a familiar number from her years in cosmology. "68." She muttered softly. Then it suddenly hit her. "Ian stop!" She shrieked. "That thing is expanding at the same rate as a universe expands just scaled down. Don't do it!" She had had the sudden realization that that thing was actually a small universe, attached to their hull. "Oh my god." She stood up and moved closer to the viewscreen, perplexed. "I've heard it theorized that small universes could exist inside another universe. Slowly displacing the universe it's in. It's like it's crossed the line and left it's own universe and entered ours." She added with a sense of fear and simultaneous wonder.

[Bridge]

Ian arched and eyebrow, then shrugged, wincing has his left side moved.

"Aye Ma'am, but let the record show that the ship was under computer control and I was nae on the bridge when this happened. I'll not be havin' it said that I ran into a universe, pocket or otherwise."

He smiled broadly as he replied.

"Question Ma'am, how do we get the bloody thing off of us and back ta where it came from? I'm rather fond of this universe and would nae like bein' displaced by this wee bugger."

[Julia Rellek]

[Bridge]

Ian arched and eyebrow, then shrugged, wincing has his left side moved.

"Aye Ma'am, but let the record show that the ship was under computer control and I was nae on the bridge when this happened. I'll not be havin' it said that I ran into a universe, pocket or otherwise."

He smiled broadly as he replied.

"Question Ma'am, how do we get the bloody thing off of us and back ta where it came from? I'm rather fond of this universe and would nae like bein' displaced by this wee bugger."

[Bridge]

"I... I don't know. We could likely easily destroy it. But im not certain that we should. I believe the Prime Directive applies here. Who knows what kind of life exists in there." She sat back down and contemplated what their next move should be. "Ian, get Solluk up here to take the helm. We're going to meet in the briefing room."

"Senior officers please report to the briefing room."=/\=

"Jada please join the senior staff in the briefing room."=/\=

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge]

"I... I don't know. We could likely easily destroy it. But im not certain that we should. I believe the Prime Directive applies here. Who knows what kind of life exists in there." She sat back down and contemplated what their next move should be. "Ian, get Solluk up here to take the helm. We're going to meet in the briefing room."

"Senior officers please report to the briefing room."=/\=

"Jada please join the senior staff in the briefing room."=/\=

Ian nodded as he agreed that until proven otherwise, they had no business condemning an entire universe to death.

"Aye Ma'am. Mister Solluk has more than earned his change ta drive the Tempest and I wish ta recommend him fer commendation fer his quick action in the shuttlebay today."

Ian then tapped his commbadge.

"Tempest ta Tigris. Return ta the shuttlebay and report ta the bridge. Acknowledge."

[Nicholas Mortier]

[Bridge]

"I... I don't know. We could likely easily destroy it. But im not certain that we should. I believe the Prime Directive applies here. Who knows what kind of life exists in there." She sat back down and contemplated what their next move should be. "Ian, get Solluk up here to take the helm. We're going to meet in the briefing room."

"Senior officers please report to the briefing room."=/\=

"Jada please join the senior staff in the briefing room."=/\=

[Main Engineering]
Nicholas successfully adapted the warp core to the situation, and had the starboard nacelle up and ready. It was, however, unstable, and could warrant a cold shutdown of the warp core at any moment. He was, therefore, uneasy about leaving Engineering.
Realizing that he had to obey the Captain, Nicholas turned to Hawk and said: "I suppose we should go, Sir. I do hope whatever the hell that is won't tear the ship in pieces"
He then made his way towards a turbolift, albeit slowly enough for Hawk to easily catch up with the older Briton.

[Jada]

Main Shuttle Bay, Deck 4

Once the bay had re-pressurised and the wrecked shuttle was deposited on deck, Jada had become caught up in the recovery effort, dealing with the debris. When shuttle bay personnel called for antigrav lifters and a robot to shift the wreckage out of the way (such as clearing a space for the Tigris when it returned), Jada showed off her high-G Orion strength by lifting twisted metal as large as she was small. Shifting and carrying it out the way, she quickly let the technicians focus on the main shuttle.

In particular, she examined the wreckage of the Vortex for signs of sabotage or a bomb. With a vessel badly damaged, maybe even destroyed, and a crew-member seriously injured, an investigation was required as a matter of course. Scanning the wreckage with a security tricorder, she found no residue of conventional explosives but did identify the blast pattern and source, and felt safe to conclude the rupture of the sarium-krellide cell was probably an accident. It might yet be the result of negligence or whatever Outer Dark weirdness was going on outside, but that was for Engineering and Science to determine in the coming hours.

Her task done, she turned her attention back to the open bay doors and the view outside. The thing, the utterly dark and formless mass creeping over the nacelle of her beloved ship, draining it like a leech, sent a cold shiver down her spine. This was like every horror story of the Outer Dark she'd been raised, black things lurking in the void and waiting to devour spaceships that wandered too far from home.

And Solluk was out there, watching it and waiting, having already risked his life again to tow the burning shuttle safely outside. She admired that about him: quick to take action, saving lives, courageous, being a hero. So why was she so worried?

"Jada please join the senior staff in the briefing room."=/\=

'Aye, ma'am.'=/\= she responded automatically, but had to wonder why. Senior staff? Briefing room? It was hardly enlisted territory and she didn't have much to contribute to whatever this was. On the other hand, she was invited to sit at the grown-ups' table and wasn't about to refuse.

Seeing the Tigris returning, Jada lingered, considering waiting to greet Solluk as he came off. But, the haze of her cold clearing, she reviewed their last encounter and realised how awkwardly it had gone. In her current state, she'd probably just say something stupid and prompt Solluk to do the same. The sensible thing was to just avoid the situation. Too bad Jada always did the sensible thing.

She turned and strode out of the bay. Kicking herself seemed to give her extra speed.

[James H. Hawk]

[Main Engineering]
Nicholas successfully adapted the warp core to the situation, and had the starboard nacelle up and ready. It was, however, unstable, and could warrant a cold shutdown of the warp core at any moment. He was, therefore, uneasy about leaving Engineering.
Realizing that he had to obey the Captain, Nicholas turned to Hawk and said: "I suppose we should go, Sir. I do hope whatever the hell that is won't tear the ship in pieces"
He then made his way towards a turbolift, albeit slowly enough for Hawk to easily catch up with the older Briton.

[Main Engineering]

"Aye, lets get going," James said hoping that the Captain or somone knew what was going on. "That thing tearing the ship appart is something I would most certainly wish to avoid as well," he said as they left Engineering. James could tell Mortier was uneasy about leaving at such a time but he knew it was important for Mortier to be breifed as well and for Mortier himself to advise the captain. "Your engineers are smart, they're well trained. They'll be fine on their own for a while."

[Solluk]

[USS Tigris]

=/\=Acknowledged.

As Solluk set the Tigris back down in the bay, he thought for a moment that he had seen Jada there.  But, no... it had been his overactive imagination, fueled by illogical emotions.  When he exited the craft, she was nowhere in evidence.

He proceeded to make his way to the bridge, somewhat surprised that he was being called to the command center of the ship.  He could only remember one other time he'd been summoned to take the helm, back on the Discovery.   He half-wondered what shade of hell he'd find when he arrived.

Surprisingly, everything seemed to be in order when he stepped off of the lift.  The only commotion apparently concerned officers gathering for a meeting, no doubt to discuss the current crisis.  But the fact that he'd been brought in to cover for the meeting made him feel proud.  Of everyone in the department, it had been him summoned here.

[Bridge]

"Petty Officer Solluk, Reporting."

[Ian Galloway]

[USS Tigris]

=/\=Acknowledged.

As Solluk set the Tigris back down in the bay, he thought for a moment that he had seen Jada there.  But, no... it had been his overactive imagination, fueled by illogical emotions.  When he exited the craft, she was nowhere in evidence.

He proceeded to make his way to the bridge, somewhat surprised that he was being called to the command center of the ship.  He could only remember one other time he'd been summoned to take the helm, back on the Discovery.   He half-wondered what shade of hell he'd find when he arrived.

Surprisingly, everything seemed to be in order when he stepped off of the lift.  The only commotion apparently concerned officers gathering for a meeting, no doubt to discuss the current crisis.  But the fact that he'd been brought in to cover for the meeting made him feel proud.  Of everyone in the department, it had been him summoned here.

[Bridge]

"Petty Officer Solluk, Reporting."

Ian smiled broadly as Solluk arrived and rose from the helm station.

"Good ta see you Mister Solluk. Please take the conn. It won't be very glamorous as we aren't movin', but you have earned the job fer yer quick thinkin' with the Vortex."

Ian then joined the other department heads in the conference room. all of them looking perplexed as, even for Starfleet, the situation they were in was unusual.

"How in the bloody hell do you get a universe off of yer hull?"

He pondered as he tried to come up with an option that didn't result in destroying the anomaly.

[Julia Rellek]

Ian smiled broadly as Solluk arrived and rose from the helm station.

"Good ta see you Mister Solluk. Please take the conn. It won't be very glamorous as we aren't movin', but you have earned the job fer yer quick thinkin' with the Vortex."

Ian then joined the other department heads in the conference room. all of them looking perplexed as, even for Starfleet, the situation they were in was unusual.

"How in the bloody hell do you get a universe off of yer hull?"

He pondered as he tried to come up with an option that didn't result in destroying the anomaly.

[Bridge]

"Thank you for your prompt response Petty Officer." Julia said looking to Solluk. "Ian we better get to the briefing room." She made her way to the back corner and entered the briefing room. Looking to Ian she made some small talk while the team assembled. "I've seen people theorize stuff life this but I never imagined we would have found ourself smack in the middle of this. I wish I had that old research team I was a part of."

[Kintiss]

"Senior officers please report to the briefing room."=/\=

[Main Shuttlebay]

Kintiss was busy treating a rather fussy Benzite when the call came in. The Benzite was okay, but one of his breathing tubes had broken. Kintiss had fixed the problem with a bit of medical sealant, but it was clear now he had a higher priority. Tapping his combadge, he called for yet another member of his medical team to take over. That team member, a rather surly-looking Tellarite, picked up where Kintiss had left off as the chief headed for the turbolift. Didn't want to keep the Captain waiting, after all.

[Ian Galloway]

[Conference Room]

Ian took a seat and noted as the other senior officers arrived. He made small talk with them, mostly remarking that it was good to see they were uninjured. He waited for the captain to take her seat and begin the meeting.

"I can think of a couple means ta get that blob off our nacelle, but I don't know if the blob will survive. You have to wonder why within the vast infinitity of space why it always seems Starfleet vessels manage ta find so many bloody anomalies?"

[Klizh]

[Bridge]

"Thank you for your prompt response Petty Officer." Julia said looking to Solluk. "Ian we better get to the briefing room." She made her way to the back corner and entered the briefing room. Looking to Ian she made some small talk while the team assembled. "I've seen people theorize stuff life this but I never imagined we would have found ourself smack in the middle of this. I wish I had that old research team I was a part of."

[Conference Room]

Ian took a seat and noted as the other senior officers arrived. He made small talk with them, mostly remarking that it was good to see they were uninjured. He waited for the captain to take her seat and begin the meeting.

"I can think of a couple means ta get that blob off our nacelle, but I don't know if the blob will survive. You have to wonder why within the vast infinitity of space why it always seems Starfleet vessels manage ta find so many bloody anomalies."

Briefing Room

"Because we're insane enough to purposefully go looking for them?" K'lizh ventured a guess. All the other major Alpha Quadrant powers had different priorities. Klingons went around looking for a fight, Ferengi were preoccupied with wheeling and dealing, Cardassians were territorial, and Romulans... well, they were assholes. The Federation was the only one amongst the group who went around poking things just to see what they would do.

"Though of all the weird things to run into, another universe? I did not wake up this morning craving an existential crisis, thank you very much," he said, rubbing his nose. "And if this blob of its own reality is a threat to our own, how are we going to deal with it?"

[Julia Rellek]

Briefing Room

"Because we're insane enough to purposefully go looking for them?" K'lizh ventured a guess. All the other major Alpha Quadrant powers had different priorities. Klingons went around looking for a fight, Ferengi were preoccupied with wheeling and dealing, Cardassians were territorial, and Romulans... well, they were assholes. The Federation was the only one amongst the group who went around poking things just to see what they would do.

"Though of all the weird things to run into, another universe? I did not wake up this morning craving an existential crisis, thank you very much," he said, rubbing his nose. "And if this blob of its own reality is a threat to our own, how are we going to deal with it?"

[Conference Room]

Julia found herself informally chatting with Ian and K'Lizh as she awaited the arrival of the rest of the senior staff. "Getting it off isnt all that hard. Flood warp plasma from the nacelle and it shoould shake it lose or destroy it. But im not all that comfortable destroying it. It is quite the existential crisis, as the Commander put it." Just said as she leaned against the table.

[Jada]

Conference Room

Jada ventured into the conference room, feeling like a trespasser just being here. It was that impostor syndrome, she guessed. But, for an Orion, being somewhere she shouldn't and pretending to be something she wasn't felt like a good thing. Chief Th-something seemed to be absent, again. She could take his place, and show off her ability.

On the other hand, space blobs clinging to the hull was hardly a Security matter, nor Tactical one, so she guessed her presence was a mere formality. That didn't mean she was going to sit quietly and waste her opportunity.

'Orion Space Navy vessels have been dealing with these things for millennia.' she chipped in to the conversation, fetching a strong iced raktajino from the replicator to clear her drowsiness. 'They long ago learned not to go poking about.'

It seemed to be some kind of bubble universe, whatever that meant. Were there really stars and planets inside? Life even? Jada was still disturbed by it, it seemed like a literal piece of the Outer Dark itself attacking them, her cultural fears of the unknown made manifest. 'Does it threaten the ship or this universe?' she asked, straight to the point, not sure why it was an existential crisis, nor quite what one was.

[Ian Galloway]

Conference Room

Jada ventured into the conference room, feeling like a trespasser just being here. It was that impostor syndrome, she guessed. But, for an Orion, being somewhere she shouldn't and pretending to be something she wasn't felt like a good thing. Chief Th-something seemed to be absent, again. She could take his place, and show off her ability.

On the other hand, space blobs clinging to the hull was hardly a Security matter, nor Tactical one, so she guessed her presence was a mere formality. That didn't mean she was going to sit quietly and waste her opportunity.

'Orion Space Navy vessels have been dealing with these things for millennia.' she chipped in to the conversation, fetching a strong iced raktajino from the replicator to clear her drowsiness. 'They long ago learned not to go poking about.'

It seemed to be some kind of bubble universe, whatever that meant. Were there really stars and planets inside? Life even? Jada was still disturbed by it, it seemed like a literal piece of the Outer Dark itself attacking them, her cultural fears of the unknown made manifest. 'Does it threaten the ship or this universe?' she asked, straight to the point, not sure why it was an existential crisis, nor quite what one was.

[Conference Room]

Ian rolled his eyes, but managed to keep his reply civil, in words, if not in tone.

"Dealin' with intrudin' universes fer millennia, and the best answer you have is not ta poke one? I had no idea the collective knowledge of the Orion system was a boundless bastion of such staggeringly useless information.

"We didn't go pokin' it, it poked us, but now we have ta deal with it in such a way as ta nae commit genocide. Starfleet regulations rather frowns on the extermination of what could be thousands of species."

Ian shook his head and muttered.

"Don't bloody poke it she says."