Lt. Robin Hopper: Three Heads Are Better Than One
Robin Hopper
((“Bridge, USS Independence-B” - Holodeck 1, Level 5, Copernicus Center))
Robin was beginning to accept Ikaia’s notion that Commander Ukinix was a secret devotee of chaos. She liked a good holo-mystery – but this holodeck training simulation was beginning to feel more like a mystery wrapped in an enigma wearing a goatee as a disguise.
All the same, it was up to Barberra to pass or fail, which meant it was up to Hopper and the rest of the crew to roll with whatever bizarre scenario had been cooked up and give her the best chance of success.
Robin spun in her chair to face the Captain and attempted to do exactly that.
Hopper: Well, we have some answers now. Space is being torn about by some force and a bunch of random junk is falling through the holes around us – and inside the ship, seemingly. Maybe it’s as simple as putting everything back in its right place.
Barberra: So we’re now flying through swiss cheese?
Robin paused, tilted her head in consideration, then nodded in acceptance of the analogy.
Hopper: ::Explaining her thought process:: The Cardassians go into the Cardassian-shaped hole, the Parasites go back where they came from, and the Mirror Indy-B gets sent on its way. ::Slapping her hands together, as if the job were done:: Though, to be honest, I wouldn’t mind finding out what Ukinix programmed the rest of our counterparts to look like!
A young voice from the back of the bridge spoke – the little Cardassian girl who had been separated from her parents… evidently by the xenophobic crew of the Mirror Independence-B.
Rasha: Mommy and Daddy are gone, aren't they?
Barberra: No, Rasha, they’re just in the wrong spacehole. Eat your ice cream.
Rasha: The Monsters took them and then the- the- the ::pointing to the viewscreen:: people killed them…
Iko: Right, Okay. No more standing around, let's deal with these "monsters" first.
Barberra: No Rasha, I don’t think that’s what’s happened. ::Turning to Robin:: I don’t think it’s just spacetime. Maybe someone’s ripped holes in different realities.
Hopper: The Captain’s right. Somehow, in the confusion, you must have been separated – but if we can patch things up out there we might be able to get you home!
While the crew had been attempting to calm the girl, another vessel had evidently appeared, either via Warp or through one of the many swiss-cheese like spaceholes that were opening up. Robin turned back to her station while the others did the same…
Iko: Response
Barberra: On screen.
oO Oh boy… Oo Another Defiant Class vessel, much like their own, had appeared… oO That makes three. Oo
Barberra: ::Pleased smirk:: This is getting weirder. Hopper, where have they come from?
Hopper: Initial scans are unclear. Their spacetime signature hasn’t been logged before… ::Thinking:: Let me run a quick scan through the cultural database and– Oh. That’s interesting. ::Eyebrow raised:: I’d say they were from, uh, well, Jolly Old England.
Robin turned to face the Captain for a moment and shrugged. Barberra nodded then turned to Bec.
Barberra ::To Bec:: Hail them, Lieutenant.
Iko: Response
The view screen came to life once more. In place of an evil version of S’Raga, there was now a slightly-paler moustached version of Commander Ukinix!
Kinnicks: =/\= Hello, I am William U. Kinnicks, from the Royal Navy vessel HMS Northumberland, of the British Commonwealth of Planets. =/\=
Barberra: =/\= ::Posh English accent:: Well, hello old chap, would you like to beam over for tea and scones? =/\=
Robin did her best to contain her amusement, stifling a snicker.
Kinnicks: =/\= Mate, I’m from the continent of New South Wales, not England. ::Momentary closed eyes, handwave:: Look, we received a distress signal and came to investigate. Just tell us what’s going on, will ya? =/\=
Barberra: =/\= I will allow our science officer Lieutenant Robin Hopper to explain. ::To Robin:: Lieutenant, come over and say “hello” to moustacho here. =/\=
Robin practically leapt from her seat and ran the few steps over towards the Captain’s chair. She waved at the befuddled mustachioed William Kinnicks.
Hopper: =/\= ::Terrible accent:: Afterneve, gov’na! We’ve been ‘avin’ a wee ‘iccup with spacetime ‘ere. Someone’s gone and poked a bunch of ‘oles in it, they have they have! =/\=
The blank stare she received in response made it clear that more clarity would be required.
Hopper: =/\= ::Leaving the accent behind:: We’re, um, from a different version of your reality. The fabric of spacetime in this area has been heavily damaged and there are ruptures that seem to be permeating into increasingly-distant multiversal planes. We’re still trying to figure out what, if anything, we can do to repair it. =/\=
Iko: Response?
Kinnicks: =/\= Hmm. ::Stroking chin:: MI6 told us this might happen. Alright, well, I guess we gotta get everyone back home. =/\=
Iko: Response
Barberra: =/\= The other ship named “Independence” may not be as friendly as us. But we will all need to work together to get everyone back home.
Kinnicks: =/\= Alright, we’ll get our science boffin on to it and- ::static and interference:: =/\=
The viewscreen sputtered and died – another proximity alarm sounded.
Hopper: Uh oh… ::Rushing back to her console:: Who’s it going to be this–
Before she could suggest another multiverse to make an appearance, the ship was buffeted by a shockwave. Warning tones began sounding.
Hopper: I’d like to note that that time was not my fault.
Iko: Response
Before they could get their bearings, a voice cut through the clatter of alarms and comms static.
Voice: =/\= WE ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIPS. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. =/\=
Barberra: ::Eyes open a little wide:: Amazing… ::Turning to Iko and Hopper:: But not good. Suggestions!
Hopper: With so many systems down, we’re practically sitting ducks. ::A look to Iko:: Tactical assessment?
Iko: Response
Hopper: Not good odds against a cube. ::To Barberra:: Assuming we don’t want to be assimilated, our best bet might be trying to make ourselves less of an appealing target.
Another console began screaming at them. Rasha began crying. oO Honestly, relatable… Oo
Barberra: ::sarcastically happy:: Oh, goody! Six Borg drones have beamed on board the ship and are on level 2, heading towards engineering.
Iko: Response
Robin’s mind was racing, trying to figure out a scientific solution to the problem, but it was increasingly difficult to focus. At any moment drones could transport onto the bridge and take the ship – and with six already heading for Engineering, that put Ikaia, Scotty, and Nathan in immediate danger… If only there was some way to buy some more time…
Hopper: ::Getting an idea:: Captain, if we can figure out what’s causing all this and close the spacetime rifts – that could sever the Borg from their Collective. They’d be dead in the water. But we need to know who or what on Nereid is opening them in the first place.
Barberra: =/\= Barberra to Iovianus and S’Raga. Whatever is causing all of this chaos is coming from that moon. =/\=
S’Raga: =/\= Understood, Captain. =/\=
Iovianus: =/\= Response =/\=
Hopper: I’ll coordinate with the other Independence and the Northumberland's science officers. We’ll monitor the shuttle’s progress, see if they find anything. ::A worried look to Iko:: At least until the Borg start storming the bridge.
Iko/Barberra: Responses
((OOC – This next bit takes place ‘aside’ and doesn’t preclude additional back-simming on the Bridge; Feel free to throw more Barberra, Iko, or Rasha tags here!))
Robin re-took her seat at the Science console and pinged the others ships’ bridges. A moment later, a small feed opened up on her screen from both the Northumberland the ISS Independence. Robin was startled to find neither an stiff-upper-lipped Anglo Saxon nor a twisted brooding evil Hopper – but instead, twin Kiviks.
One J’naii wore a white uniform, rather resembling a traditional naval sailor’s garb – right down to the little round white hat – the other bore an eye patch and a uniform with an enticingly-low neckline. Robin frowned slightly. oO I guess Ukinix programmed this thing a little while ago… Oo
“Brivik”: =/\= I say! This day’s rather taken a turn, hasn’t it? ::Squinting:: Who are you? =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Lieutenant Robin Hopper. Chief Science Officer. We have a shuttle closing in on Nereid – we suspect the source of the spatial rupturing is coming from the moon. I think we should put our heads together and figure it– =/\=
“Mivik”: ::Sinister chuckling:: =/\= What a weak approach to science. If the moon’s the problem, I say we drop a payload of quantum torpedoes on it and call it a day. =/\= ::Taking a puff of a cigarette::
Hopper: ::Scowling:: =/\= That’s… just as likely to make the problem worse as it is to help it. =/\=
Brivik: =/\= Are you smoking on the bridge? That’s certainly a health and safety violation. You ought to be written up and sacked! =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Focus please. Our versions of Commander Iovianus and Ensign S’Raga are about to be in range to engage in detailed scans of the moon’s surface and– =/\= ::Pausing mid-sentence as she watched the feed from the shuttle:: =/\= Oh my god, they’re shooting it. =/\=
Mivik: ::Sinister grin:: =/\= That’s the kind of thinking that earned S’Raga the Captain’s Chair. =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Oh wow. It’s so much worse than I imagined. The entire moon is being consumed by a massive spatial rift. ::Tapping at her console:: Any ideas? ::Pointing a finger at the screen to cut off Mirror-Kivik:: No more torpedoes! =/\=
((OOC – Back to the ‘main action’)
Robin’s focus was drawn back to the bridge behind her as, in rapid succession, Reade – then Wong – then Nathan, emerged in flashes of light.
Richards: Well, that was fun!
Hopper: ::To the new arrivals:: I take it you met our new Borg friends? How did you escape?
Wong/Reade/Barberra/Iko: Response
Richards: Well it worked didn’t it?
Robin rolled her eyes. It was typical for Nathan to find and act on the riskiest, craziest, most likely to kill them all solution and– oO Oh damn… Oo
Hopper: ::Turning back to her console:: =/\= I hate to ask, but have either of you considered a warp core detonation? =/\=
Mivik: ::To Hopper:: =/\= Now you’re talking my language… But the core of a Deviant Class is too small to initiate the kind of cascade we’d need to close that large a rift. =/\=
Brivik: ::To Mivik:: =/\= A what class? =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Hear me out. I have a risky, crazy, likely to kill us all idea… =/\=
Wong/Reade/Barberra/Iko: Response
Richards: So what exactly did we miss down there? Sounds like it was a lot.
Wong/Reade/Barberra/Iko: Response
Robin turned back to the others on the bridge.
Hopper: ::To Barberra:: Captain – I might have a solution. It will either save our butts or blow up half the sol system.
Barberra: Response
Hopper: All three of us – the Independence, the other Independence, and the Northumberland would need to eject and simultaneously detonate our warp cores along the event horizon of the spatial rift that is enveloping Nereid…
Wong/Reade/Barberra/Iko/Richards: Response
Hopper: If we get it right, it should close up the spacetime rifts and deactivate the Borg cube. If we get it wrong… Well, I think you get the idea. It’s a big risk. A Captain’s Seat decision…
Barberra: Response
Wong/Reade/Iko/Richards: Response
TBC
