Ensign Meris - The Bloom at the Veil
Meris/Brian
(( Cockpit of the Kerynitis, Space around DS224 ))
As Zoyara enlarged a portion of the scans, the image Meris had placed on the main viewscreen adjusted to show a mapped area where the singular subspace drifts seemed to coalesce together.
Vailani: There were supposed to be several distortion drifts in this region.
Beside Zoyara, the J’naii pilot spoke up.
Meris: Could they have naturally dissipated?
Bergmen: Rarely, Ensign. But even then, there should have been at least some space-foil scarring detectable.
K’Wara: Response
Vailani: Do we have the previous scans for comparison yet?
Meris checked the communication log and saw the incoming telemetry from Deep Space 224.
Meris: Yes, Lieutenant. I will display it for you now.
The J’naii pulled it up on the main viewscreen, limiting their forward visual, though they still had the side portions of the viewscreen clear.
Zoyara nodded and began working through the data, highlighting portions on her display. The markings were repeated on the main viewscreen for the benefit of the others in the craft.
K’Wara: Response
As they continued to go over the scans and approached the subspace distortion, the shuttle rumbled ever so slightly. Meris immediately checked the navigational sensors.
Meris: A minor pocket of subspace turbulence.
The J’naii pilot began to reduce power to the impulse thrusters to improve the craft’s stability and control.
Vailani: Keep us nice and steady, Ensign. A slight reduction in the power from the impulse thrusters. What’s the multispectral scan telling us, Lieutenant Bergmen?
Meris: Aye, sir.
From the viewscreen they got a visual on the subspace drift, which appeared to be a hazy bubble of local space, only barely noticeable by a shimmering speckle of slightly translucent light.
Bergmen: Found what probably is our subspace distortion, ma’am. ::pause:: But. I don’t know how to describe it. It looks like the subspace bloom, which is blistering into real space. Mr. K’Wara, opinion?
K’Wara: Response
Meris: Lieutenant Vailani, I recommend we adjust our course to orbit the distortion rather than close on it. Subspace turbulence may increase as we get closer, and all that we observe, we change. An orbital path will allow our sensor strength to impact the distortion uniformly, as opposed to an approaching path, which would increase our sensor strength as we close.
Vailani: ::nods in agreement:: Adjust course, Ensign. Mister Bergmen, anything showing up that might explain what this is?
While the others concerned themselves with the subspace bloom, Meris began to adjust their course to orbit the disturbance rather than close on it. They felt a 100-kilometer orbit was sufficient and executed the maneuver.
K’Wara: Response
Bergmen: Subspace distortions generally originate from real space lesions that weaken the veil. This one is confusing, as I did not find any marks caused by something that happened here. It’s more like - ::pause:: - subspace exotic particles bulging or ballooning in the veil wall separating real space from subspace. I’m no scientist, nor do I have an explanation for this. So if there are no other ideas, I would recommend - in the meantime of us getting more scans - to search the historic databases to see if something like this has been met before, ma’am.
Meris nodded as Bergmen spoke. It struck them that including a science officer on this mission would have been a wise precaution.
Vailani: Do that. Let me know if you find anything. Ensign Meris, can we communicate with the station and let them know the situation has changed?
Meris: Aye, Lieutenant.
Meris then swiveled their chair slightly left to access the communications panel more readily.
Meris: =/= Kerynitis to Deep Space 224. Come in, please. =/=
K’Wara: Response
Bergmen: Lieutenant, I cannot get better resolution on those exotic particles. We will need to get a little closer, I’m afraid, to be able to distinguish the particles in the subspace stream from those in the distortion. Recommend Mx. Meris be ready for evasive maneuvers in case of distortion bloom.
Meris’ brow knit as they heard Bergmen’s suggestion.
Beside the pilot, Zoyara inhaled a frustrated breath.
DS224: =/= Go ahead, Kerynitis. This is Deep Space 224. =/=
Meris: =/= Be advised we have identified a common point of origin for the subspace distortions previously reported in our area. It appears to be some kind of subspace bloom. We are continuing our investigation. =/=
DS224: =/= Acknowledged, Kerynitis. Potential subspace bloom in your area. We will redirect traffic away from your area. You are to proceed with caution. =/=
Meris: =/= Understood, DS224. You will redirect traffic away from our location. We are to proceed with caution. Kerynitis out. =/=
The pilot turned towards Vailani and was about to relay Deep Space 224’s orders when the Ops Officer addressed them.
Vailani: Ensign Meris, what’s your thought? How close can we get safely?
Meris: ::pausing, thoughtful sigh:: We are currently orbiting at a distance of 100 kilometers. I feel we can safely operate at 50 kilometers but, within that distance, we may not have sufficient reaction time to escape should the blister rupture.
K’Wara/Bergmen: Response
Zoyara nodded to the helm officer.
Vailani: Make the adjustments.
Meris: Aye, Lieutenant.
Meris adjusted their orbit, tightening it around the bloom gradually until they were at the 50-kilometer mark. At that distance they also reduced speed to one-half impulse, lest the crew begin to feel like a ball swinging at the end of a string.
As the shuttle glided into position, Zoyara looked outside the viewscreen window.
K’Wara/Bergmen: Response
Several alerts began to sound off. She turned to the others.
Vailani: Give me a status update.
On their status screen, their port nacelle flashed several times from black to red to black to red. Their hands moved to the power controls and they began shifting power flow to isolate the damaged nacelle.
Meris: ::alarmed:: Our port nacelle is losing power. I am adjusting power to the starboard nacelle to compensate. I believe we may have come in contact with a root of Mister Bergmen’s bloom.
K’Wara/Bergmen/Vailani: Response
(( Tags/TBC ))
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Ensign Meris
Helm Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240207M14