[ACT 2] Lt. Robin Hopper: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? (Part 1)
Robin Hopper
((OOC -- Went to send this and realized how beefy it was. Since this is a long one, I'm releasing it as two parts to keep it more manageable for everyone.))
((Temporary Quarters, USS Independence-B – Mirror Universe))
Frankly, it was a #@$%ing miracle, as far as she was concerned. She’d been white-knuckling the entire trip through the quantum singularity on the Indy’s bridge, convinced that every bump of superluminal turbulence was going to be the one that ripped through their shields and tore them to pieces. Watching the readings coming in on the Science Terminal had been like trying to read a PhD physics dissertation while on an acid trip. It was definitely an experience she had never expected to undergo – nor had much desire to repeat.
The key, she had realized through extensive modeling, to surviving a passage and coming out the other side, was to allow the Indy to drift along the infinite curvature of the singularity without diving straight into it – something only possible by exerting precisely-timed warp field pressure dynamics along a contra-axial plane, or, in layman’s terms: a slingshot maneuver.
Similar attempts had been made by starships in the past – most notably, traversing the proximal gravitational forces of Sol at high-warp in order to supersede normal chrono-mechanics and move matter forward or backward in time. The formulas for such maneuvers were, unfortunately, a highly-guarded secret that most Science Officers – Hopper included – had only toyed with at the Academy. But somehow the Targhee had managed it, unintentionally… and so had the shuttle piloted by ‘Evil Rivi’ (as Robin, at least, was now referring to her in her mind). So she’d known it had to be possible.
Of course, the forces involved in what she and her crew had just accomplished were so different from these historical examples that the comparison was practically moot. They weren’t riding the tides of a star along the strands of time – they were… surfing the tsunami of a stable singularity, getting caught in the riptide of interdimensional quantum entanglement, and ripping a hole through spacetime into an entirely different universe. Nonetheless, when one threw out all the usual precautions and theoretical limitations imposed by known physics and allowed for more… unconventional thinking… it became potentially plausible that they might be able to do it and live.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, when they had finally come through on the other end, Hopper had immediately excused herself, found her way to her temporary quarters, and screamed into her pillow for several minutes. It was the most terrified and most thrilled she had ever been.
Now, a few hours later, with most of the adrenaline and existential dread napped out of her system, she was beginning to collect herself. After all, there was a meeting to attend, and their rescue mission had really only just begun…
She looked herself over in the mirror, mulling over the outfit she’d chosen – a thoroughly practical (and woefully unstylish) black overall dress atop a thin black sweater, sleeves rolled up, and her standard starfleet issue boots (because any shoes she’d really want to wear wouldn’t have the traction necessary for a ‘rescue operation’ anyways). Her hair was tied back in a low braided ponytail to keep it out of her face. The brief had been “dress casual”... but how casual was ‘too casual’ for a Starfleet operation deep within hostile space?
Her one solace, as she furrowed her brow and scrunched her lips to one side in consternation, was that nobody else at the briefing would have any idea what they were doing either.
Hopper: ::To herself, with a sigh:: Uncharted territory…
((OOC Note – This scene is a big one, with lots of characters and players. Soon, we’ll split into smaller groups. For now, please be careful, before sending your own sim, to check over the tags and ensure they’re in proper order. It is recommended that you check the Google Group to confirm that you’re not missing anyone else’s sim before posting – and, if someone else sims while you’re writing your own, please do take the time to thoughtfully incorporate their contributions into your sim before posting.))
((Fifteen Minutes Later – Mess Hall, Deck 2, USS Independence-B))
Robin stood near the front of the room, prepared (as well as she could be) to field questions of a scientific nature. A familiar tension radiated up her left leg from the contact points of her leg’s bioneural circuitry – an irritation she’d never found a remedy for. Instead, she just did her best to ignore it as she took in the briefing from Wil and Keehani… Some of it, she knew. Some of it, she’d guessed. And some of it was entirely surprising.
Keehani: … the Protocol Parallax documentation informs us that, in this reality, the Cardassians and the Klingons have formed an alliance and are responsible for the *fall* of the Terran Empire. That’s right, they are no more. We are not entirely sure when that occurred, or if it was sudden or gradual – but based on the fact that... ::disappointed sigh::.. Emperor *Spock* was the last Terran ruler, you can assume sometime between the 2260s and the early-mid 2350s.
Keehani paused to take a sip of water. Meanwhile, Robin reflected on that information. The “Terran Empire” had been a fascinating talking point at the Academy any time the subject of alternate realities was discussed – though nobody ever anticipated encountering them. This particular alternate reality had, over the course of time since Admiral Kirk’s hay day, become a hotbed of wild speculation that led few cadets to take it seriously. It was more of an urban legend, or myth, now than a matter of substantial study… and for good reason, it seemed.
The fact that there had been other contacts, and more updates, since the 2260s was news to Robin – and she was sure, news to everyone else in attendance.
Keehani: Since that time, there have been multiple skirmishes between the alliance and Terran resistance cells, especially around Bajoran space. What we know as Deep Space Nine is in fact a mining facility in orbit of Bajor in this reality.
Keehani then leaned to her side and placed the PADD down on the nearby table, before standing upright again.
Keehani: But that is thousands upon thousands of light years away. We are in the Delta Quadrant, and there is little to no information in the Parallax documentation about this area of space. We have come to understand, however, if the word of the “visitors” from this universe that are currently in our brig are to be believed, that sometime around the fall of the Terran Empire the noble Houses of Betazed united. Initially peaceful at first for a few years, they were soon at war with the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Betazed now calls itself the Betazed Empire. And, like the Terran Empire, they have employed an autocratic system of government, which…
Robin caught the look of doubt on Keehani’s face as she struggled with the next detail. She could guess at what her friend was having trouble verbalizing… A particular curiosity of this Betazoid Empire revealed to them by the trio they’d caught trying to abscond back to their own dimension aboard the Miombo.
Keehani: … which is led by Ninth Wing Matriarch and Mother Eternal, Emperor Keehani Ukinix, ::Immediately lifting fingers, looking down at ground:: I would recommend you all prepare for an equally shocking versions of yourselves should we encounter them.
There was a brief hush in the room as everyone considered the potential implications of that statement. It was hard to imagine the Keehani Robin knew as anything but a kind-hearted and driven diplomat, someone who valued peace and reconciliation more highly than power or success… But, if her drive and determination had been set on a different course since birth… Maybe.
Whatever the case, Robin didn’t bother trying to speculate what her own counterpart would be like. The odds were low they’d ever encounter her anyways. In this reality she’d have been part Terran – which would likely preclude her from being anywhere near this part of space.
Kiani: ::almost mumbling:: Why would they leave the Betazed Empire? ::noticing that he had gathered some attention:: I-uh, I just meant that it's a lot of work to jump from one space-time continuum to another. ::he paused:: What or who were the people in the brig running away from?
Robin’s gaze shifted to one of the new faces in the room. There had been a handful of new arrivals to the station – Ensigns, fresh off the transport from the Academy – who had found themselves wrapped up in the situation by a matter of convenient timing (or inconvenient, depending on your point of view).
She answered as well as she could, given what limited information they had been given by the semi-cooperative prisoners still residing in the Indy’s brig.
Hopper: As far as we know, they never intended to enter the singularity at all. ::Slight shrug:: Just as our people wouldn’t have entered it either. The most likely explanation is that they, like the Targhee, were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and were ‘pulled through’ as the singularity stabilized.
It was an unsatisfying answer, but it was the truth – as far as they could tell.
Wong/Fog/Moore/Esma: Response
Reade: Wait, so let me get this straight, there is a chance I can meet the mirror me?
Robin couldn’t help a little smirk from forming at Scotty’s question.
Iovianus/Carter: Response
Keehani: Our understanding is that they have come to the Delta Quadrant for resources, including benamite, for their war against the alliance.
Kiani: What about the Hawlat and the Trenvonn? Both local species of the Quadrant. The Trenvonn, at least in our timeline, were isolationist knowledge seekers. Must we consider everyone a potential threat here?
It was a good question – and one to which a full answer was impossible.
Keehani/Ukinix: Response?
Hopper: We also confirmed that the Trenvonn, in this reality, never performed any scientific experiments on Idrus– ::correcting herself:: Um, sorry, Kirilow, as it’s known here. The telepathic bacteria that lives there in our own reality isn’t present there, so… There’s no telling how many other ‘little differences’ we’ll find.
Wong/Fog/Moore/Esma: Responses
Hopper: Probability suggests that, at some point, our realities were one and diverged. This universe is slowly drifting further away from the path our own is taking – with more and more differences compounding over time. A universal-scale ‘butterfly effect’, if you will. ::Tilting her head:: Someday they may drift far enough apart that interdimensional travel could become impossible.
Reade: Hmm, this is really interesting.
That was putting it mildly. If the odds of getting trapped here or killed weren’t so high, Robin might be tempted to stay a while – learn what she could about the strange phenomena. It would definitely provide more than ample material for an absolutely incredible research paper… maybe even multiple volumes of work…
Of course, it’d all be classified anyways. So what did it matter?
Iovianus/Carter: Response
Reade: So, Commander, what is our current plan after we are done in the mirror universe?
Ukinix: Response
Wong/Fog/Moore/Esma/Iovianus/Carter: Response
Reade: Understood; I am guessing we are barred from talking about this to anyone?
Ukinix/Keehani: Response?
Hopper: Aside from the folks in this room, at least. ::Chuckling nervously:: Not sure anyone would really believe all of it if we told them anyways.
Wong/Fog/Moore/Esma/Iovianus/Carter: Response
((OOC – Continuing this conversation with additional response tags, allowing for backsimming here, is optional but permitted.))
With the preliminary briefing out of the way, Keehani moved aside – finding her way around and planting herself beside Robin. They exchanged looks, Keehani offering Robin a grimaced smile and a resigned shrug, before they both took their seats and allowed Wil to take the room’s full attention.
Ukinix: While we’re all dressed as civilians – whatever passes for civility in this place – to each other we’re still Starfleet. Protocol Parallax instructs that Prime Directive still applies, but not to the same extent that we’re used to. We’re not allowed to majorly interfere in the natural course of societal and civilisation development, but we are allowed to do what we can to rescue our colleagues. Commander Carter, thanks for the prep you, Scotty and Hops have done to get us ready for this mission. ::To crew:: The ship has been scrubbed of any names, registration numbers, everything. We are a cleanskin, and we’ll need a cover story-
Out of nowhere, the ship rocked to the unmistakable tune of weapons fire, setting everyone on edge as they tried to maintain their balance. Robin tensed immediately and instinctively grabbed Keehani’s hand. She glanced her friend’s way, a slight blush touching her cheeks, before the ship was rocked a second time – this time more intensely – and the red alert was sounded. Several people, including Wil, Scotty, and the new medical/science officer, Kiani, toppled over.
Ukinix: Oof! ::Lying on back, tapping Combadge:: =/\= Bridge, Report! =/\=
T’Srona: =/\= Commander, a Klingon Bird of Prey has just de-cloaked on the starboard bow. They are now seemingly holding fire. We have reports of injuries on Deck 3. =/\=
Still lying on the floor, Wil gestured to Ikaia.
Ukinix: ::To Wong:: Lieutenant Wong, take Ensign Fog down there and treat any injured crew, we need as many as we can on duty. ::Quick finger wave to Fog:: And by the way, welcome aboard, Ensign.
Wong/Fog: Response
As the weapons fire ceased, and the ship stopped shaking, Robin released Keehani’s hand and moved quickly over to Wil. They might not be on the Jemison anymore, but a part of her still felt an urge to act the part of his second – and, besides, she was closest to him.
Hopper: ::To Wil:: That was a nasty fall. Sit up slowly, if you can.
Carter/Iovianus: Responses
Reade: Is everyone alright here?
Wil did as he was instructed, sitting up carefully – which at least told Robin he likely wasn’t dealing with any serious injuries.
Ukinix: Rest of you - ::sitting up:: Bridge, pronto. And say g’day to Ensigns Kiani, Moore and Esma. ::Quick smile:: Welcome aboard, Ensigns.
Kiani: ::being aided to his feet:: Thank you for the warm welcome sir.
Reade: Welcome aboard Ensigns! Now let's head out to our roles.
Carter/Iovianus/Moore/Esma: Responses
As the others began to head for the bridge, Robin helped Wil to his feet, despite his macho protestations.
Hopper: Come on, Captain. You’re needed on the bridge. ::Offering him a hand and pulling him up with some strain:: God… What do Australians eat for breakfast, rocks?
TBC in Part 2...
