Lieutenant JG Keneth Nakada - Cherry On Top

[Keneth Nakada]

(( ‘Control Room’, Odyssey Station ))

Keneth had been in many situations in his slightly over a year onboard the Arrow. Every time, he thought he had found the cherry on top. There was NO WAY anything could top this, he would think. Then something even weirder would happen. It was like a cosmic jinx.

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.  

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:  And what if that doesn’t happen? What if the connection is stable? Think of the information. Think of the discoveries. It’s what we’re here to do.  

Collins: That's. FINAL. Lieutenant.  

Keneth agreed with Collins here. This had rash and dangerous written all over it.

Nakada: Not to mention - if It doesn’t work, we’re down a telepath who can actually communicate with the station.

Ayemet glared at Commander Collins, but seemingly ignored him. Keneth would take the win. He didn’t particularly enjoy having his cremates mad at him.

Suddenly, there was a scream from behind them. They whirled around and his heart sunk. Somehow Connor seemed to have interfaced with the machine and then … something. He was strapped to the console, a glimmering field around him. After a moment of silence, Keneth pulled out his tricorder and began frantically scanning around him.

Ar’Gorvalei: Connor!  

Collins: What is this?!  

Gareth-6: I do not have the answers you are seeking.

Once again Keneth marveled at how utterly useless the onboard AI was. Or was that perhaps because they knew nothing about how to communicate with it? To it speech may be primitive - to inefficient to communicate effectively. Could you explain warp physics in sign language? Absolutely. Would most engineers know how to? Definitely not.

Either way, they apparently had only themselves for help.

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

Gareth-6: What is happening is of his own designs. We do not control this. He does.

Ayemet joined him in scanning the field, but he knew that she would find little enlightenment. The barrier itself was bog standard - the same technology as everyone used. But there was a strange continuity …

Jacin: Force field is being generated is level 10, strong enough to withhold anything we could hope to throw at it, at least given our situation. I’m reading no emitter. It’s  it’s almost as if Ensign Dewitt is generating it.

Nakada: :: frowning :: Yes … almost as if the station and he are currently one entity. At least as far as the tricorder is concerned. :: pause :: I’m not sure we should forcibly disconnect them even if we could.

Any: Response

As Ayamet touched the barrier, it broke into strange patterns: shapes, fractals. But try as he might, he couldn’t see any useful information in them. His anxiety over Connor also multiplied. He didn’t know many people on board, but the engineer was one of his friends. It felt much more personal to be helpless right now. Was this how doctors felt when they could do nothing for their family?

A display on the other side of the ‘room’ showed what appeared to be a perfect image of Earth. Looking closely, he could make out the outlines of the new extensions to the Starbase. The image must have been taken straight from Dewitt’s brain.

Collins: Is that...Earth?  

Ar’Gorvalei: It appears so.  ::Looking at Gareth-6:: How do we use this to return home?  

Gareth-6: If that is where you wish to go, the appropriate corridor will open when you are ready.

Jacin: Mister Ar’Gorvalei, status of Ensign Dewitt?

Ar’Gorvalei: His vitals - heart rate, respiration, brain activity - they’re reaching dangerous levels. I don't think he can sustain this for much longer.  

Keneth stared hard at the AI, but his intuition told him that the answer didn’t lie there. It would be like trying to blame a library for the information within.

Nakada: :: exasperated :: We keep dancing around it. Why don’t we just say that we are ready? Maybe there is no magic sauce to this.

Ar’Gorvalei: ::Turning to Gareth-6 and stepping toward him angrily:: Release him! Your machine is going to kill him! He’s not a telepath; his mind can’t take much more of this!  

Well there was one take on being blunt. There was a loud thud - Connor dropping to the floor. Before he could do anything, a familiar voice rang through the tense room.

Dewitt: I… This… I’m back. ::thin smile::

Jacin: sharply:What on Bajor were you thinking? :her expression softened and she smiled weakly: I made her a promise to your Mother Connor. Your Mother! I swear next time you do something like this you won’t need to worry about dining because I’ll kill you! 

A wave of relief passed through him and he couldn’t stop a snort from coming out.

Dewitt: Response

Nakada: Did you find out anything while you were … connected?

Any: Response

Dewitt: That console… Like Ayemet supposed… It’s the way to communicate what we want. I saw Earth.

Jacin: So you simply think of a destination and the device opens a corridor or passage if you will that allows you to travel there.

Any: Response

Dewitt: I came back, because I chose to. They did not force me to do anything. I guess that connection takes a special mind to hold.

Any: Response

Dewitt: ::to Ayemet:: Don’t stay too long. They’re looking for some Guardian… to take over the place? And remember, I left on my own free will. They abide by their own Wayfarer’s Code. Whomever they are.

Jacin: Connor, I appreciate the voice of confidence :looking at Commander Collins: But the decisions been made. The Commander has expressly forbade me from connecting with the station. :turning back to face Connor: He doesnt think I would be able to handle it :beat; and maybe he’s right.

Well this was new. Ayemet had been quite insistent before. Was she really insecure about it? Had the business with Connor shaken her up? He didn’t know her well enough to speculate. Either way, he was loathe to put somebody in a dangerous situation when even they didn’t want to. But would they have a choice?

Any: Response

Dewitt: Commander, I think this is the way.

But it didn’t have to be this dangerous though …

Nakada: Maybe we could regulate the connection in some way? Provided a boundary of protection? This can’t be the first telepathic contact where someone wanted insurance? :: turning to Ar’Gorvalei :: Doctor?

Any: Response

Nakada: Well perhaps a stimulator of some sort? When Connor was under, he seemed to almost … meld with the station. We just need a way to keep the Lieutenant and the station … individual.

TAG/TBC

Lieutenant Junior Grade Keneth Nakada

Engineering Officer

USS Arrow

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