Ensign Herrick: Alarm bells a-ringing
Mark P
((Shuttle YORK - 20k distance from Asteroid field))
As the nebula slowly nibbled away at the asteroid that was the home of an Esh-o colony, the crew aboard the York continued to examine options. From what they could tell, no one was in a hurry to abandon the colony and no urgent distress call. The conversation had evolved into how to move the mass of gasses and sparkling light.
Corelli: We could try to extend the shields, but that would just make a weaker shield, and probably shave a few minutes off of the outcome.
Richards: Maybe we could, I don’t know… pull them out of the nebula?
Corelli: I love that idea; I don't think the shuttle can do it. That rock has to be 350,000 tons.
Kel: What about Oumuamua?
Richards: Everyone has read stories about destroying, deflecting, or otherwise dealing with asteroids as a threat. It’s the same principle, right?
Herrick: It’s well within the tractor beam’s tolerance, 15% of the maximum load. The subspace field enveloping it however is another story. Given how dense this asteroid field is, we’d have to be extremely precise on how we ‘nudge’ it out. Otherwise, other errant asteroids might collide with the colony. There must be some alternatives we can try.
Kel: Assuming we have enough time to execute some kind of plan.
Corelli: How long does the computer simulation say the asteroid has?
Herrick: ::tapping on the console:: At the current rate of the… consumption, after 80 hours, the asteroid will be past the point of being able safely support the colony’s structures. It won’t take long after that for the entire complex to be consumed.
Josh reflected on how agitated those on the asteroid must be feeling. 3 days. That’s the time they had to figure out how to save these people and execute the plan.
Richards: Response
Corelli: Right, what did it say? Eighty hours? If it doesn't increase its rate of... chomping? Well?
The jovial atmosphere had faded, and while there was still the thrum of the shuttle, it was easy enough to hear the doctor’s observation as he continued to stare at the nebula.
Kel: ::quietly:: It's like a tumor.
Richards: Response
Herrick: It is a bit strange that they haven’t started evacuating. It’s like standing on train tracks and waiting for the engine to come at you.
Corelli: Why don't
we just go talk to them? Set a course, hail for landing instructions.
We're already here... Maybe it'll be just three lonley farmers and this rescue
mission will be simple.
Josh always appreciated the chief’s attempt to
lighten the atmosphere, but the light-hearted comment was quickly countered
back by V’Len’s readings.
Kel: No such luck I'm afraid. I'm reading at least 10,000 life forms and if this is a mining operation more people could be below the surface.
Herrick: oO 10,000. That’s far beyond what the ‘Oumuamua can carry. Beaming up and down, multiple trips… we’d need the support of the Esh-o fleet; let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Oo
Richards: Response
Kel: What if (beat) Back on ancient earth, when a portion of the body got infected they would cut that part off in order to save the rest of the body.
Corelli / Richards: Response
Kel: Could we do the same thing here? Split the asteroid so the nebula stops moving across it? It would have less mass then, we could move it more easily away from the nebula.
Herrick: I like it doctor! It would depend on the composition of the asteroid. We’d have to consider how it might fracture based on if there are any tunnels or pockets. If it’s mostly comprised of heavy metals, it would cut more cleanly.
Corelli / Kel / Richards: Response
A new, more urgent alarm filled the cabin. V’Len quickly turned and looked to a nearby panel.
Kel: Why am I getting a message for environmental filters past acceptable lifespan. Don't those get swapped routinely?
Herrick: oO We should have taken the dabo ship… Oo I’m thinking there might be something wrong with the diagnostic assembly. Most of these things should have been caught during our pre-flight.
Corelli / Kel / Richards: Response
Herrick: ::running some further tests:: The O2 recycler is fine, but some of the filtration may end up getting affected such as purging any airborne bacteria we may run into… as well as any odors.
Corelli / Richards: Response
Another alarm sounded; this one sounded more urgent but it was not clear what had initiated it.
Kel: We should land (beat) soon.
Herrick: I’m not seeing anything on my screen, are you Chief? oO We definitely should have taken the dabo ship. Oo
Corelli / Richards: Response
As the shuttle began its descent the yellow domes of the colony came into view. Josh shifted the shield emitters to match the Esh-o’s and it slipped through the initial defense grid seamlessly. At the designated landing coordinates, one of the smaller domes started to shift to a brighter colour and an opening appeared at the top to permit the shuttle entry.
Corelli / Kel / Richards: Response
The alarm tonally shifted, expressing that their danger was now more imminent.
Herrick: Any luck yet Lieutenant Corelli? I still can’t track down what’s causing this alarm. oO Is anything causing it? Is this another diagnostics problem? Oo
Corelli / Kel / Richards: Response