Chronicles of Sol: The Fall

Countryman glanced at the navigational readout. They were coming up on the Coto’s position, and while they couldn’t actually see the ship in question on sensors, they could see its friends. Countryman knew why they couldn’t see the Coto, it didn’t have an active transponder, most military ships were designed with one meant to be turned off, and since leaving Earth they’d never really had reason to turn one on. Perhaps at this moment it might have been different. Still not being able to see them did go to show how well their measures to avoid detection were working. At least at this range.

The screen updated as he was looking at it, and two new contacts resolved themselves on sensors. One was a very fuzzy image about where he expected the Coto to be. It seemed they were now close enough to detect his destroyer. The item was very clear, and someone was already reporting it.

“Sir new contact on long range sensor. They seem to be on course for the Coto, speed warp four point nine five.”

There was a bit of surprise in the tone of the report, and Countryman couldn’t say he wasn’t either. That was the closest he had ever seen an alien vessel go to warp five. “Full active scan, I want those reading confirmed.”

“Aye, sir. Full active scan,” replied Misaki.

Greyman interjected, “Sir, may I remind you that if we use the active scanners our current position is likely to be revealed.”

“I’m aware,” replied Countryman, “but I think the sensor data will be worth the risk.”

A moment later the long range scanners went full active, giving him a great deal more detail on the alien ship. Data that was promptly repeated.

“Reading indicate a small Valorian capital ship in 1500 meter range. Engine temp exceeds ours by a factor of four point seven three. I’m detecting primary warp field fluctations as well, indicating a slightly unstable warp field. Based on these readings they are pushing their engines beyond maximum safe limits. I don’t believe they can sustain their current speed for much longer, but their engines should hold long enough to reach the Coto.”

“I see, any sign that they picked up our active scan?”

“No, not yet. Although I did use a high intensity beam, there is a good chance they picked it up.”

Reia leaned over the science console, staring at the readings. They had just been scanned by a high-intensity long-range beam. One whose origin seemed startling, as it had suggested a ship moving at warp five point two, which was impossible. No ship alien or otherwise had breached the warp five barrier. Her cruiser was equipped with an experimental engine designed to change that, but even then they hadn’t quite managed it.

“It might have been a ghost, sir. I’m not seeing any ships on the heading indicated by the probe.”

She sighed, “I don’t think you will.”

Reia accessed the console, and adjusted the sensors, then sent out a high intensity active beam. Coming up with nothing, but a few ghosts. She let out her breath, “nothing, either they changed course, or increased speed.”

She made another guess and tried again with a high-intensity narrow scanning beam. This time two fuzzy contacts appeared, speed warp five point five. They were almost on top of Neira’s position, less than two minutes, and as she watched their speed ticked up another tenth.

Seconds ticked by as she studied the readings, thermal output of both ships was incredibly low, warp field fluctuations however were present, and the fields were a bit unstable. Indicative of a drive beyond safe cruising speed, but not yet at maximum output.

She glanced to her chief engineer who was monitoring engine readouts, “Think we can push the engines a little harder? Say actually breach warp five.”

The woman sighed, “A day ago, I would have called you crazy, but I think the engines can handle it. The only question is whether or not the computers can keep up with the field fluctuations. If not...”

“I see,” she turned to the helm, “increase speed, warp five.”

“Aye, sir,” increasing speed.”

Reia turned back to the console and watched as the two alien ships suddenly decelerated warp five, warp four, warp three, warp two. They were dropping warp factors, and fast. It was clear they were dropping out of warp, and it seemed their destination and hers were one and the same. She glanced at her own engine readings and watched their speed slowly tick up, and then after a moment it finally hit warp five, and held.

She felt like shouting, but the real trick was seeing if they could maintain it. That was the real challenge, the real limiter of warp five travel.

The clock seemed to tick by far too slowly. It had taken too long already to reach this location, but she found it nice that by some coincidence she had been on deep space testing in the same region. Although something told her it likely wasn’t. Some hand was at play here, whose she didn’t know. Not that she didn’t have ideas. She knew a bit about the mission her sister had gotten wrapped up in, but she knew her sister and wasn’t too worried. Not until she learned what had happened that was. Now she was quite worried, but for a different reason entirely.

Thankfully they did eventually reach their target. Coming out of warp she was greeted to the sight of a small gathering of ships in deep space. Three familiar alien ships, still quite imposing, along with three Ophera class light cruisers. One of them looked like it had been through hell. Its hull was a patchwork of patched hull breaches, but Reia recognized it. It was her sister’s ship. The damage looked worse than she had heard from her sister. It seemed maybe that she should have been more worried about her sister than she had thought. From now on, she decided she wasn’t going to let that girl out of her sight. No matter what that meant. Little did she realize how that was going to decide her fate.

For a moment longer she surveyed the area, noting several wrecks were in the region. Destroyed ships from a previous battle. At first glance there was little to note about the wrecks. She also noticed that a number of shuttles were moving about the area, including several of an alien design. Turning to her operations officer she ordered, “Hail Neira’s ship.”

The young ensign at the console nodded and openned a channel. A moment later, a young woman appeared on the screen. She was familiar, but not the person she was looking for. “Captain Neira mentioned you were coming this way, but she didn’t say you would get here so quickly.”

“Yes, well I was close and may have pushed these engines a little to get here as quick as I could. Where is my sister? I would like to talk to her.”

“She transferred over to the alien cruiser, Coto a few days ago, as per their request. Along with all the other infected. I believe she’s being transferred to the big ship now.”

“I see. Well, thank you.”

Reia signaled for the channel to be closed, and took a look at the big ship. She recognized it, she had been aboard before. It was the Enterprise, and honestly she hadn’t expected to enounter them again. Especially not that soon, and the ship certainly got around. After that incident, she had been given posting testing new generation warp drives, and been transfered to this command via hyper gate. Hyper gates were based on hyperdrive technolgy, but allowed ships with no ftl ability of their own to travel between any two of them. Since the courses between them were well charted, they were also faster than warp. Allowing travel at about eight hundred times the speed of light, but they were also fairly expensive to maintain, so only the most important worlds had a gate. This project if successful would completely eliminate the need for hyper gates, and if this little adventure was any indication they were close. However it seemed these aliens had beat them to this milestone. Evidently they were more advanced than she thought. How much so remained to be seen.

“Hail the Enterprise,” she ordered.

A moment later a familiar face appeared on the screen. The face of a man she had spoken with before. He recognized her, “Reia of clan Urko, was it? I presume congratulations are in order for your apparent promotion.”

“I uh, guess. I heard my sister, and the other infected were being transferred to your ship”

Countryman was quick to reply, “Ah, yes. Nasty thing that parasite. My doctors have had some time to review your own research on the subject. The Coto doesn’t have the proper facilities for this, but the Enterprise does. If you’d like you can come aboard and observe.”

“You mean you’ve already developed a cure?”

“Technically you did, we just have an extra card up our sleeves to make it viable,” replied Countryman.

Now she had a funny feeling about this, “What exactly does your plan entail?”

“It might be better to discuss this in person. I’m sending you landing instructions, and feel free to bring a doctor along with you.”

With that he closed the channel, and now she felt a pit in her belly. Something was wrong, she knew it. Exactly what, she wasn’t sure. Unfortunately there was only one way to find out. Head on over there. She had been there before, so she did have an idea of what to expect.

“Get a shuttle ready, and make sure the pilot knows that these people don’t use air shields. That’s going to make boarding interesting. I’m going to go talk with Yula, I have a feeling that she might want hear this. Not to mention she might have a few insights that I won’t about whatever these aliens are planning.”

With that she left the bridge, but she could not help being worried. Part of it was that this was her sister, but she couldn’t help thinking there was something more to this. Pushing those thoughts aside, best she could Reia made her way down to the medical bay to have a little chat. After that it would be a trip to an alien ship in the hopes of linking up with her sister. Although she couldn’t help thinking that something was going to go wrong.