LTCmdr. Quentin Collins - How Deep the Rabbit Hole Goes

[Justin Partridge]

((Interior. Odyssey Station, Corridor Control Waystation 19.))

Dewitt: Commander, all the consoles are in Standard. The layouts are very similar to Starfleet consoles. It seems that we can access a lot of Station information on these consoles. But there are no command functions to be found. Judging from the central position, I'd guess that they are not missing, but just not accessible to us.

Quentin nodded at the Engineer before turning another concerned eye toward Hitchcock. Who looked quite a bit calmer encased in a milky blue glass. He turned then toward The Doctor, who was already providing stellar care and concern for the "bowled over" Security Officer. He gave him a questioning look, but Ar'Gorvalei was already ahead of the game.

Ar'Gorvalei: There’s some sort of interference, but life signs appear normal.

Collins: Well, that's that tested, I suppose.

Jacin: At least we know he is unharmed. A Human bowling ball perhaps, but unharmed. How do we free him? How do we get him back to the ship? We could roll him there I guess.

Collins: These are all...very good questions.

After another moment, Ayemet turned away from Quentin and started toward the two diligently working Engineers. Taking extra care to not disturb the Hitchcock Dodge Ball, who had started to roll quietly into one of the Waystation's corners. 

Dewitt: Before we free him, we should maybe find out why he wanted to attack? It does not seem like it was the station's doing, was it?

Ar’Gorvalei: I concur. We need to know what prompted the attack before we can release him.

Quentin nodded gravely, rubbing his chin in deep thought.

Collins: Gareth-6 did say the Station had its own "defensive protocols". We know he's okay now, but how do we even track if his "hostility" is at an end? What does the Station even DEFINE as "hostility"? Questions upon questions, I'm afraid...

Jacin:  Gentlemen, how goes it?

Nakada: RESPONSE

DeWitt: Hm? Ah, yes... There seems... There is some information on

Hitchcock. Doctor, you might want to have a look at the medical data.

Quentin Collins could hear their voices, but the space around him had started to go...a bit squiffy. Despite his internalization of the words being said, he found his focus dominated by the space around them. And how it seemed to...flow when scrutinized.

The "ring-gates" that had once lined the room had disappeared. Quentin blinked hard and tried to refocus his eyes on them, but they were nowhere to be seen. As if they had melted away into the bright, searing white light of the flooring. 

Dewitt: There also is some kind of charge against Mr. Hitchcock. It looks like he might have to face some kind of hearing. Maybe that is a chance for us to get in contact with whatever beings created this? The location of the trial is given here, but it does not seem to start for another 3 and a half hours.

Quentin found his eyebrows arching in confusion. 

Collins: Anything else on the Station proper? Operations or anything like that?

Dewitt: Regarding the station itself, there is a lot of energy being redirected to some kind of emitters on the station's hull. It generates a lot more than anything I have seen before. A tremendous amount is also diverted through this console. I am not sure what its purpose is, maybe it is redirected upwards? ::pointing to the roof:: There are more generators that could generate additional energy. If we find a way to access command functions we might be able to create another corridor.

He took a beat, likely gathering his thoughts.

Dewitt: But if I am being honest, what the greeter talked about... Finding all the information we need to work out our desires. And to decide on a destination for the corridor to show. I have no clue if he wanted us to rig his command console. ::nodding at Hitchcock:: I don't want to be the second defendant at that trial.

Quentin nodded warmly at the Engineer.

Collins: Good work, team. We know more than we did and that's always something.

The Doctor once again approached Hitchcock, after consulting the mysterious "center console" which seemed to now, other than his team, to be the only "solid" thing left in the room.

Ar’Gorvalei: ::Looking up from the terminal:: Mr. … Hitchcock is it? … appears to be uninjured. ::Pauses:: This is odd. According to this data, he is showing heightened stimulation of the amygdala – that’s the part of the brain in humans that controls the ‘fight or flight’ reflex, and decreased activity in the frontal lobes.

Dewitt: That does not sound good... Does the containment field do that

to him? 

 

Collins: So, this is a panic response?

Ar’Gorvalei: His confinement could be partially responsible, but given his hormone levels, this appears to have begun when we entered the station, if not before. I’m not detecting any external cause, however. 

Quentin felt his frown getting deeper. So his theory was correct. At least to a point. "Untrained minds" were likely to experience more "noise" the longer they were here. Was that why he wasn't seeing things that were once here now? How long did he have before he was in the same state as Hitchcock? Would his team suffer the same fate? 

Dewitt: So it's the station? The same thing that is happening to the telepaths?

He shook the intrusive thoughts from his mind. There was still too much to deal with without his despair. He pivoted back to his team and was face-to-face with Gareth-6 once more. Who had seemingly faded back into view while they had deliberated. Quentin tried to ignore how much that unnerved him.

Gareth-6: We could allow transport back to your ship if the confinement is harmful in some manner. Usually we would wait until your destination has been chosen, but if you allow such behavior on your ship, we will not judge nor argue.

Collins: No, not harmful. More confusing, I think.

Dewitt: We don't allow such a behaviour. But Mr Hitchcock seems to have
been influenced by unfamiliar circumstances. On the Arrow, our medical staff might be able to treat him.

Gareth-6: RESPONSE

Dewitt: Please send him directly to sickbay. ::to Ar'Gorvalei:: We might
have to call in Mr Hitchcock's situation?

Ar'Gorvalei/Nakada: RESPONSE

Gareth-6 seemed slightly perplexed by their confusion, scanning them all in turn with implacably blue and orange flecked eyes.

Dewitt: How is it that we can read the information shown on your consoles? Did you translate them for us?

Gareth-6: The station will show you what you want, you will have to work out where to go. 

Steam could have jetting itself from Quentin's ears at this point.

Collins: So you keep saying, but how?!

Jacin: Gareth-6, is this the interface?

Dewitt: Interface for what?

Nakada/Ar'Gorvalei: RESPONSE

Gareth-6 showed them an unexpected deference, pivoting themselves and bowing slightly to Ayemet. Raising a lithe arm up and over the "blank spaces" of the Center Console.

Jacin: So in theory someone would put a hand  :indicating the blank
sections: here and here and that would enable a connection to the machine?

Dewitt: You want to connect to the machine? ::pause:: Is that why there
is no command functionality in the console? Is it a telepathic connection the station is looking for?

Gareth-6's milky sweet voice came forth again.

Gareth-6: We understand the Ways have been forgotten. We have been forgotten. How can I assist you in remembering how to use this station?

Jacin: Commander Collins, we need to explore this station more. I can, that is literally what we are isn’t it? Explorers. This is an incredible opportunity. We should be making the most of it.

Quentin held up a steadying hand, while keeping a slightly suspicious eye on Gareth-6. The point the Leftenant was making was sound enough, but there was still so much they didn't know. The massive power relaying on the external superstructure of the station, the liquidity of the room's infrastructure, and how the signals would affect their minds with long-term exposure. So many unanswered questions and so many opportunities for things to go wrong.

Collins: A moment, Mister Jacin. We still have no idea how-

Dewitt/Nakada/Ar'Gorvalei: RESPONSE

Ayemet seemed unmoved by their arguments. Drawing Quentin's frown deeper. As there was no way of knowing if this was genuine excitement...or the Station's influence running deeper and deeper.

Jacin: I interface with the station here. I can download any information whilst you all explore the Station and by the time you return, I'll have the information. And we can return to Earth, or wherever we think Captain Shayne and Commander Mackenzie are.

Collins: Lieutenant, I understand your drive. I share it too. But I won't allow one of my officers to "interface" with an immensely powerful, UNKNOWN technology just on the off-chance it might work. You are all much too valuable to risk that way.

Dewitt/Nakada/Ar'Gorvalei: RESPONSE

Jacin: Okay So Ensign Dewitt or Lieutenant Ar’Gorvalei can remain with me and monitor me. You know this makes sense, Commander. It's what the very purpose of Starfleet is.

He turned to her, his eyes burning fiercely. Was this what HE was like back then?

Collins: And what happens when this technology adversely affects your mind, hmm? What about long-term effects of exposure? The Doctor is talented, yes, but not as talented to save your sanity from cosmic bedlam. I won't risk it. I won't risk YOU. That's final, Lieutenant. 

Jacin: RESPONSE

Collins: That's. FINAL. Lieutenant.

Nakada/Ar'Gorvalei: RESPONSE

A short, but strained scream whirled his head back around. Mister Dewitt! He was...locked into the console. Almost up to the elbow. The white light of the room seemed to brighten and warble. Gareth-6 watched it all in a sort of grim curiosity.

Quentin turned on his heel and started to approach the console, but a crackling, sharply buzzing barrier seemed to have thrown itself up and over the hexagonal control. Encasing Dewitt behind a sheet of fractals.

Collins: What is this?!

Gareth-6: RESPONSE

Collins: Hang your Way! This is one of my officers! What's happening to him?!

Gareth-6: RESPONSE

Quentin followed the Greeter's movements. Feverishly scanning his eyes up and around the whole of the room. The same energy type that was coursing from the Console seemed to be arcing and spinning across the whole of the Waystation. Drawing...what seemed to be dark clouds toward the "front" of the room. 

Quentin drew Skeets, trying to get some sort of bearing on what was happening around them. But Skeets' couldn't hold it long. A sharp snap and fizzle blew out his newly refurbished screen and grew hot to the touch. Quentin dropped him with a clatter, taking special note of the thin wisp of smoke it left on the palm of his hand.

The "clouds" at the top of the room started to roil and coalesce. Swirling and twisting and parting finally to reveal...familiar stars. The massive form and profile of Starbase 1...it was...

Collins: Is that...Earth? 

It certainly looked like it...close enough to touch even...hanging like a great green jewel in the middle of an inky energy corridor...

Any Away Team: RESPONSE

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TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander 

Quentin Collins III

Chief Science Officer

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U.S.S. ARROW NCC-69829

ID: E239512QC0

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