Beyond the barrier, Pt 3

Posted on Tue Feb 25th, 2025 @ 3:19pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Kilbane & Lieutenant Jock McCrudden & Commander Alec Hunter & Lieutenant Commander Isabelle Savette & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T'ghann-Dex. Doctor & Lieutenant Drevas

2,325 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Voices of the past
Location: USS Blackeagle, Bridge/Sickbay.
Timeline: Current.

*A few minutes later* Alec was dressed. "Alright Shon, let's get back to the bridge."

“Bridge this is sickbay, I am about to discharge Commander Hunter and the last of our patients. Is there anyone else I need to be aware of Commodore?” Shon asked.

Finchley looked at Karadis, "Are you finally going to tell me where Kilbane is?"

"Yes, he's down in one of the auxiliary labs, trying to boost the scanning signal" Karadis replied, "he picked up unusual readings but had to test them to make sure they were what he thought they were. The scanning ability of the stellar cartography lab wasn't powerful enough so he thought he could boost it by tying in the auxiliary labs scanners, but he didn't want to tell, or me to tell you, in case it failed. That's what I was beginning to say when the COMM's cut out."

"Oh, thank God...I mean, yes, that's good he's ok after the...you know...the ship being tossed about and suddenly stopping..." Finchley replied.

Karadis walked over to him and pinched his cheek, "Awwww, you still have a soft spot for him..." she laughed.

Finchley removed her hand from his cheek and stoically replied, "I don't have a soft spot for him, I was just concerned about the safety of a fellow crew member."

"Yeah, yeah...you keep telling yourself that" Karadis replied, "meanwhile, your Sickbay tart's still on hold" she ended, walking back to her station.

Finchley wanted to remonstrate, but it wasn't the place nor the time for such a thing.

"Thank you for letting me know Doctor, I'll be sure to see to it that Commander Hunter has an eye kept on him till he's fully recovered" Finchley replied, "I don't believe there's anyone else requiring medical attention."

"Do you want me on the Bridge Sir?"

"If you're finished in Sickbay Commander, then yes, I'd appreciate it if you'd return here" Finchley replied. "Could you also bring a medi pack, I'd like you to keep an eye on Commander Savette, she's had a little bit of a shock I think, she may require your help."

"Will do sir, I will be bringing Commander Hunter with me."

"Just so long as you think he's fit enough to be here Commander" Finchley replied, glad that Alec was recovering from his injury, but at the same concerned that it may be a bit soon for him to be back on duty, we wouldn't want him to overstretch himself."

Shon and Alec arrived on the bridge Shon giving him a reassuring smile.

Isabelle was relieved to hear and see that Alec was on his feet, they’d certainly have a lot to talk about later on, she needed him now more than ever.

Shon walked over to the Commodore not looking at Karadis but feeling the burn coming off her. "What is the problem sir?" she asked Finchley.

"We've had contact from the planet we're approaching" Finchley began his reply, "and it would appear that there's a chance, that our Chief Counsellor 'may' be related to some of the original crew from the USS Ranger. Obviously we can't take this at face value, so they've agreed to do any DNA tests we want to do to prove it or otherwise. It's been a bit of a shock for Commander Savette as you can see" he said, pointing over at her, "I'd like you go have a chat with her, see if there's anything she needs from you, or that you think's worth prescribing to her."

Shon nodded and walked over to the the Counsellor who looked a little glassy eyed concentrating on the screen. "how are you feeling?" she asked as she scanned her.

Alec looked around the bridge, all seemed like it should until he looked at Isabelle. She glowed. Not that she didn't seem to always glow to him bur this was different she had an aura about her that he hadn't noticed before. Looking around the bridge he noticed no one else did only Isabelle.

“How do I feel?” Isabelle looked at Shon giving her the attention now. “Horrified, shocked, wary, do I need to go on? If this is true my next stop is a Federation prison!”

"Don't worry about that now" Shon said in a kindly voice. I am going to give you a light anti anxiety injection. This will not affect your cognitive function." She removed a hypo from her medkit, dialled up four units of dilamidon and injected her. "you should feel a little better now." Shon noted Alec staring at Isabelle.

Alec continued to look at Isabelle for a moment longer before looking at Shon and saying, "Why is Commander Savette glowing? "

Shon looked at Isabelle and did not see any glow. She walked to Alec and scanned him, "Commander your parietal lobe has increased in size, do you have any other symptoms?

Alec didn't rush answer to Shon's question. He took a moment to process what he was feeling. "My vision seems sharper and my hearing too. Colors seem more vibrant, and I see different waves like Isabelle's glow or aura. I don't know about taste or smell my touch seems more sensitive as well. What does it mean Shon?"

"I don't know Commander, there is definitely something different going on. I would have to run more detailed scans to find out more but I think it is a result of your head injury, you seem to have some sort of link with. Savette. "Captain I am getting unusual readings from the Commander's parietal lobe, he reports seeing an aura around Lieutenant Commander Savette, no one else."

Alec wasn't put at ease by Shon's comment in fact he felt more ill at ease. It was nice hearing he was linked to Isabelle, but he worried was he going to grow a third eye? Or have six fingers on his hand? All e could do was stand there and nod mutely.

Shon was verging on the edge of exhaustion, she was determined to get Alec back in sickbay to run more tests but it was better he stayed here so she could continue to monitor both of them. It was beginning to seem they had a connection.

Alec just stood there, feeling very out of place and if all eyes were on him.

Finchley looked round at Shon when she spoke about Alec and what he was seeing. He was now in a situation where he was trying to deal with finding descendants from the original crew of the USS Ranger, hearing that his Chief Counsellor could be of augment descent, a fact that if true could end her Starfleet career, hearing that his Executive Officer was now seeing things nobody else could, an exhausted Second Officer/Chief Medical Officer, an exhausted Chief of Security and a ship that was essentially broken and in desperate need of repair.

"Please return Commander Hunter to Sickbay and when you've completed your tests on him let me know your findings. Once that's done, both of you get some rest and that's an order, not a request" Finchley replied to Shon.

He carried on, "Once you have rested Commander Dex you can report back to the bridge. Meantime I'll look after Commander Savette whilst I'm speaking with the Monroe's" he finished.

"Yes Sir" said Shon looking at Alec, "Commander, please come with me."

Alec nodded and turned to go with Shon but not before looking back at Finchley and Isabelle.

Isabelle gave Alec a concerned look, her own problems momentarily forgotten as she worried about him. “I’ll check in on you later Commander,”

Alec smiled warmly at Isabelle, her aura was still there, so he wasn't imagining it. "I look forward to your visit Counsellor."

Isabelle nodded and smiled.


[Sickbay.]

"I'm sorry you have to be here again so soon but I need to perform a more comprehensive scan on your brain and visual cortex, are you seeing any 'auras' now or was it just Isabelle?"

"Not your fault." Alec replied easily even though he didn't like being back in Sickbay. "Only Isabelle had an aura. I'm not crazy Shon."

"Alec I never thought you were crazy. We need to find out why you are seeing this and I wonder if has been a long term process as you have spent time with Isabelle. Jump up on the bed and i will run my scans and compare the two." she smiled.

Alec nodded and got on the bed. "What about my other senses being sharper? Stronger? Better? I'm not imagining those either."

“It may be an effect of Isabelle’s aura having an effect on those various parts of your brain stimulating them as receptors. You sound rather worried Alec?”

"I don't know if I am worried Shon but wanting answers to understand what is going on with me." He paused for a moment and then added, "I guess I am a little worried. I don't want to end up as some lab experiment with a bunch of people poking, prodding or just otherwise studying me."

Drevas, meanwhile, visibly exhausted from dragging himself round the ship rounding up reports from each respective department, somehow managed not to deflate at his station. He'd been listening to the rest converse - well, a significant portion of their conversation had been made up of arguing and swears - in silence right up till this point. Again, he simply had to wonder why he'd been assigned to this ship, where everyone seemed to have some kind of beef with one another. The miracle, though, lay in their ability to somehow get things done. And honestly, wasn't that all one really needed?

"Shall I make arrangements for an away team, Commodore?" He asked, placidly. Someone had to have the cool head on this bridge. "Though a handful of my team are presently in sickbay with injuries."

"Once I've finished speaking with the Monroe's we can make plans for an away team if there's going to be one" Finchley replied to Drevas, "in the meantime, I want you to scan the planet for any orbiting weapons systems, if there's none, scan the planet, I want to know what we're facing."

"Yes, sir." Drevas looked back down at his console and began to scan the planet in silence.

He turned back to the screen, "Mr Monroe, Mrs Monroe, we're going to need a little time to process all of this information and find out what it is that Commander Savette wants to do. Once that's happened I'll contact you again."

Jackson nodded giving his wife a look that said not to disagree. “Very well Commodore, we will await your call.” With that the comms closed.

[Planet side]

Kara looked at her husband giving him a concerned look. “Starfleet! Of all the people to arrive here it had to be them!” She sighed. “At least they’ve brought one of our own with them, even if she doesn’t know it.”

[Bridge]

Isabelle sighed as she sat down in her seat, she didn’t understand any of this or how she’d even have gotten a Starfleet commission if what the Monroe’s said was true.

"Commodore." Drevas looked up from his console. "Sensors indicate several planet-based offensive batteries. They appear to be... adapted from 22nd century Starfleet weaponry. Their effective range and power source is consistent with technology of the time. Here is the data I have managed to gather." He tapped on his console, bringing the schematics up on the viewscreen.

Finchley walked over and had a look. "Well I never" he said, a smile appearing on his face, "would you look at that. Lasers, particle beam canons and what looks like very early photon torpedoes...class one possibly, or class two. They're museum pieces compared to what most Starfleet vessels are equipped with now, but still, they look to be in perfect working order. Good work Lieutenant Drevas, now, get yourself some rest, you've earned it."

Drevas was grateful for the given rest, though he knew very well that he could not properly rest. Yet. He'd still need to find the right person to join the eventual away team, for one - someone fierce but not too hotheaded, lest that sully the thus far good fortune they were having.

That said, that could be done while he took the well-earned break. "Of course, sir. Thank you." Drevas managed a tired smile as he trudged into the turbolift while fishing his PADD out of his pocket.

Walking back to Isabelle, Finchley could see that Isabelle was still stunned from what had happened. "Listen Commander, you don't have to do any of this, I can go and meet with the Monroe's on your behalf if it's easier for you."

Isabelle looked up at Finchley from where she sat. "No, Sir. I want to go with you, I want to hear what they have to say."

"So long as you're sure" Finchley replied. He turned to the Helm and asked, "Are the planetary defence systems activated Mr Owen's?"

"No Sir, they're dormant at the moment" Owen's replied.

"Very good, put us in a geosynchronous orbit" Finchley replied, "Once set, let me know and I'll contact the planet."

"Yes Commodore" Owen's answered.

[10 minutes later]

"Geosynchronous orbit achieved Commodore" Owen's reported.

"Thank you Mr Owen's" Finchley replied, and turning to Communications said, "Open a channel to the surface."

"Channel open Sir" the Lieutenant at Communications answered.

"Blackeagle to Mr and Mrs Monroe, this is Commodore Kerr" Finchley began, "Our away team are getting ready to beam down, please provide us with coordinates where we can meet you."

Jackson’s face appeared on screen. “Wonderful Commodore, I’m sending coordinates now. You’ll arrive in my office, we’ll be waiting for you.”

"We'll be about an hour Mr Monroe, Kerr out" Finchley replied, closing the link.

TBC

 

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