LtCmdr Connor Dewitt - First Contact (Part I)

[Tim]

((Bridge Deck 1, USS Khitomer))

Connor watched the readouts drop again and again. Not by much, but it was a steady drop. It looked controlled like it was not supposed to damage them, but to incapacitate them.

C. Dewitt: Power levels are fluctuating.

It was suppression. Something had its hand wrapped around the ship, squeezing just enough to keep them from acting. The lights overhead flickered, dimmed and then steadied again at a lower intensity. The familiar hum of the warpcore… of his warpcore began to change.

Naxell: All stop. We’re in the mud. There’s no use wearing ourselves out over it.

Connor’s jaw tightened, but he gave a small nod. Not that it mattered. It was agreement. Naxell was right. Fighting blindly would only make things worse.

Korras: Full stop, yes sir.

Stros: Weapons are on standby.

They did not see anything to shoot at for the time being, so Stros was right to power their tactical systems down.

C. Dewitt: Keep tactical systems ready.

He glanced briefly towards his wife, wondering if she could feel anything through the storm of feelings from the crew.

A. Dewitt: Response

Naxell: I don’t suppose sensors are any more useful from inside the cloud?

Korras: Navigational sensors are barely registering anything.

Connor looked at Stros hoping he would have something better to report.

Stros: Unfortunately, we appear to be blind Captain.

Connor sighed and stared at the viewscreen. He looked at the shifting violet haze that now surrounded them completely. He could not see any stars, no reference points, nothing but violet haze.

A. Dewitt: Response

Naxell: =/\= Attention all hands, this is the captain. We are, currently, trapped by some unknown force. But we won’t stay that way. Keep your heads, keep working, and we’ll get out of this together. =/\=

((Brief Timeskip, Bridge))

Connor had lost track of how much time had passed. Not long, but long enough for the initial shock to settle into focus. The bridge crew was in problem solving mode. The Captain had made his way to the Science lab and had left him in command. But with a task at hand, his brain did not have the time to it a challenge.

The bridge felt like a workshop. Some panels were opened and engineers worked on the relays behind. There was a quiet urgency. Everyone working around limitations and trying to find solutions.

He stood near the center, watching, his brain piecing things together. His eyes tracked the helmsman over his disassembled console when Amelia came in breaking the silence.

Semara: I suggest comms.

Connor turned slightly, his eyes lingering as his brain considered her suggestion.

Korras: Comms?

Stros: Communication may be difficult given our current predicament. ::Glancing at the view screen:: Given that there is anyone to talk to.

A. Dewitt: Response

He fully turned towards Amelia.

C. Dewitt: It’s not just difficult, it’s obstructed. The nebula is blocking almost every frequency band we’d normally use. EM, subspace… most of it is dark. Despite that, we would need somebody to talk to.

Semara: We’ve only got a power drain from the nebula so far, right? Those ships out there ain’t got hull breaches from a power drain. ::Beat:: Tryin’ comms, worst case we talk to a cloud. But if there’s a ship hidden out there, we gotta convince her we ain’t prey and we ain’t rivals and quickly. If we open comms, we might make her wonder who we are and if we see her. Or she’ll talk, if we’re lucky. If she’s there, she won’t spend long puzzlin’ us out.

Connor considered that. She was probably right. They had nothing to lose. Whatever might be in that nebula already knew about them and their position and found a solution to dampen the energy output of their warpcore.

Korras: It will not hurt to try, I agree.

Stros: It is worth a shot, as they say.

A. Dewitt: Response

TAG/TBC

LtCmdr Connor Dewitt
First Officer
USS Khitomer
A239901CD3