[Jaxom & Others] Back In The Saddle Part 2

[Clifford]

“Aboard The Montgomery, Part 2” or

“Introductions“

Captain Jaal Jaxom

Commander T’Vrel

Lieutenant Commander Tale Gilohesh

Lieutenant Commander Diane Doctrine

Ensign Joann Meyers

==Main Conference Room, Deck 2, USS Montgomery NCC 72706==

Jaal strode into the conference room followed by Joann. Diane, Tale, and T’Vrel were already there with some others.

The Trill captain nodded at all those present as the three ladies entered and took seats along one side of the table. The Trill captain remained standing for the time being, until the introductions were made. 

T’Vrel took a measured breath before making the introductions. The Vulcan was not new to Houhah’s flights of fancy, but this was the first time that she had to navigate the minefield that was— a ship that was bypassed for internal promotion. She, herself, did not mind at all, she held no stake in the politics of it all. Her career was still young. 

However, there were boisterous voices aboard the Montgomery, and she knew enough about the behavior of the others that Jaal would have his hands full. “Captain Jaxom,” she motioned to the attendants diplomatically. “Allow me to introduce you to the department heads. Lt. Commander Sri Ramanujan, our Chief Science Officer.”

A human man with thoughtful eyes offered a slight, formal nod. “Captain. I have already begun a preliminary analysis of the Montaunnet’s sensor logs. The temporal differentials are… fascinating.”

“Great, I can’t wait to hear the details,” Jaal answered while nodding in acknowledgement.

“Lt. Koreel, Chief of Security/Tactical.”

A Bajoran man with a strong jaw gave a succinct nod. “Sir. I’ve implemented standard temporal security protocols. All decks are secure.”

“Excellent,” Jaal thanked him.

“Dr. Potts, Chief Medical Officer.”

A Bolian man with a cheerful, bright-blue complexion beamed. “A pleasure! And don’t you worry,” he added, his gaze specifically including a wide-eyed Toby, “sickbay is stocked with the latest regenerators and a more than adequate supply of lollipops. For after scans, of course.”

“Great,” Jaal smiled a little unsure how serious the Bolian was being. He immediately mentally labeled the doctor ‘Houhah lite’.

“And our Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Isere Sh'rokrohr,” T’Vrel said, indicating an Andorian zhen with sharp, intelligent eyes and antennae that twitched slightly as she assessed the new arrivals.

“Captain,” Sh’rerr said, with a bit of a clip to her tone. “Warp core is online and all systems are nominal. I’ve taken the liberty of cross-calibrating our long-range sensors with the data from your shuttle and the Montaunnet. We’ll get a clearer picture of that anomaly.”

“Very good,” Jaal went on, “Montaunnet’s engines were adversely affected by the anomaly. I’m hoping something in the sensor logs can help us avoid that.”

“Understood, sir. We’ll tear the data apart until we have an answer,” Sh’rerr replied, making a note in her datapadd. 

T’Vrel activated the wall display, which lit up with the swirling, chaotic visual of the anomaly. "As you know, our mission is to investigate Temporal-Conformal Event TCN-Ω before it dissipates entirely. Current projections give us approximately fifty-two hours before it collapses below detectable levels." She turned to the science officer. "Lieutenant Commander Ramanujan, your preliminary findings."

Ramanujan stood, his demeanor shifting into what could only be described as a state of scientific fanboy. "Fascinating was an understatement, honestly," he began, manipulating the display. "The anomaly is not merely a rift in spacetime. It is a region of non-conformal geometry. To put it simply, the fundamental rules of physics, the relationship between space and time, are not consistent within its boundaries. They are... chaotic."

He zoomed in on a data stream. "This is why the Montaunnet was crippled. Their systems rely on predictable physics to function. It would be like trying to navigate by a compass that points in a different direction every second."

"So it's less a storm and more a... flaw in reality itself. How did their engines act as a catalyst?" Sh’rerr’s antennae twitched as she asked the question. 

"That is the critical question," Ramanujan agreed. "Our analysis indicates the Montaunnet had recently undergone a warp core overhaul using a new type of dilithium articulation frame. This frame emits a unique harmonic resonance in the subspace domain. By sheer, astronomical coincidence, this resonance matched a dominant, albeit unstable, frequency within the anomaly. The Montaunnet didn't fly into it; it was... tuned to it. It resonated, and the anomaly captured it."

Dr. Potts let out a low whistle. "So it was a case of incredibly bad luck?"

Diane’s brow knit deeply, “It would have to be the worst case of bad luck in the entire history of bad luck.”

Jaal watched her for a few seconds. She didn’t look entirely comfortable for some reason. There was something about her not sitting right with him.

“That’s quite a coincidence,” Joann intoned with a mix of curiosity and astonishment.

Now Captain Jaxom turned from Doctor Potts to Ramaujan, “Is there any other explanation at all besides coincidence? I think all avenues should be explored in our efforts to get these folks home.” he motioned to Tale and Diane with one arm.

Then a sudden thought occurred to him. What if they don’t want to go back?

That would have to be a discussion for another time.

Ramanujan steepled his fingers, leaning in pensively. “Theoretically, if the anomaly possesses a form of selective intelligence… or say, a pre-defined search ‘parameter’, it could have potentially actively sought out a specific resonance. However, this goes beyond astrometrics straight into metaphysics. As we have no sensor data to support such a hypothesis—” 

“—it remains an unprovable theory,” T’Vrel finished for him, her tone making it clear the conversation was veering into the illogical. “We must base our actions on empirical evidence.”

“With respect, Commander,” Tale interjected, her voice quiet but cutting through the Vulcan’s certainty. Her emerald eyes were sharp, her neural implant giving a faint, visible pulse at her temple. “Your sensors are calibrated for your reality. You’re looking for a signature written in ink, when the message might be written in light. My… sensory data… suggests the phenomenon was not a passive structure. Perhaps it was more of a— net cast.”

Diane swallowed hoping no one would notice. She had some information that should not be divulged to the general public just yet. Her area of expertise was intelligence, not science so for the time being, she merely sat and listened.

Jaal eyed Tale curiously. He decided this Orion woman reminded him of another he knew when he served on Miranda. He took a step towards the head of the table but didn’t sit down.

Having not actually served in Starfleet for many months, years if one counted the time in the stasis capsule, the Trill felt he needed a more detailed explanation. He tapped his temple once and said, “I’ve noticed you have some kind of implant. Does it give you some kind of other perception the rest of us don’t have?”

Tale met his gaze, a flicker of assessment in her eyes. She was being vetted. "Its primary function is medical," she clarified, a defensive edge softening her tone. "It regulates my neuro-chemistry to prevent seizures. A side effect is that it processes a far broader spectrum of light than organic eyes can, and filters out what would be visually overwhelming." She offered a slight smile. "It turns the universe's visual and auditory noise into a... more palatable and manageable signal."

“A most useful side effect,” Potts tried to hold in his glee and line of questioning.

Jaal nodded in acceptance, “Please explain your hypothesis.” 

“Also, what does this ‘signal’ look like once it is filtered?” T’Vrel looked at the Orion with wrapt curiosity.

“Space is a large black ocean, dotted with these stars,” Tale began. “Yet all the sensors see are their base level luminescence until you push them deeper. The subtle, living light that some creatures use to hunt or communicate. Within the anomaly, I didn't see chaos. I saw patterns in the quantum shimmer. Pulses of chroniton particles that weren’t just decaying; they were orchestrated, reinforcing the structure like threads in a web.”

Tale inhaled and continued. “Now, I am not one for the pseudo science of it all, for a phantom that knocks in the night and Diane can vouch for me on this. It wasn't a storm tearing itself apart. It was a construct, holding its shape. And when the Montaunnet with its unique engine frequency came close… The web twitched. It reached out. It was a net, and we were the specific size of fish it was designed to catch. When we were still aboard the station, it seemed… Intentional.”

The silence that followed was heavier than before. Ramanujan looked utterly captivated, his mind wrestling with the implications. T’Vrel's eyebrow was arched, but now in contemplation, not just skepticism.

Jaal held Tale's gaze. A net. Not an accident. A trap built from light and physics.

After a second he looked to Diane. “You’re wearing the uniform of an intelligence officer,” he wasn’t asking, it was a statement.

It was true, where everyone else in the room wore red, teal, or dark orange, Diane’s uniform was all black. She looked back at the Trill trying not to feel accused of something.

From previous, recent, experience Jaal developed an innate distrust of those who worked in intelligence. One of the things he was working on in counseling sessions since being awakened from his captivity was letting Starfleet’s Intel department re-earn his trust.

“Before coming together here, I looked up Starroca Base in the here and now, in this timeline. Starfleet has a base under that designation and what they do there is highly classified,” Jaal explained, “What can you tell me about the work being done on the starbase you came from?”

Diane quietly cleared her throat. “We did some classified things on the starbase Tale and I last worked at… but I’m not sure it correlates to anything happening in the here and now.”

Jaal finally took a seat at the head of the oblong conference table. Interlacing his fingers in front of him and resting his hands on the table he asked, “What kind of classified work?“

Before she could answer he went on, “And yeah, you could tell me it’s classified and you shouldn’t tell me or anyone else here because none of us are cleared for that security level… but I’m going to remind you that we’re not from there, and according to you we’re in your past and It’s highly unlikely we’re ever going to visit where you’re from… you may as well tell us.”

Diane cleared her throat again. “Well, Captain, I was going to.”

“Thank you, please proceed.”

”In our own time, the changelings from the Dominion managed to infiltrate Starfleet again. Apparently their defeat in our Dominion War hadn’t abated their need for conquest of the Alpha Quadrant. They managed to impersonate some higher level Starfleet and Federation officials.  They didn’t bring the Jem’Hadar. They didn’t bring fleets of ships. They only had one ship, it was called the Shrike. She was an absolute beast with nearly every armament and defense available and, one more thing.” Diane paused to collect her thoughts before deciding how to explain the Shrike’s one, unique ability.

“And that was?” Jaal prodded her to continue.

“It could create portals using quantum tunneling technology for offense and defense. We aren’t sure how or who the Dominion acquired this technology from, but they had it. When we heard of the Shrike’s destruction we jumped at the opportunity to salvage as much of her as we could.”

”Let me guess,” Joann spoke up now, “Your Starfleet wanted to build their own… what? Some kind of portal gun?” She didn’t sound entirely convinced about what the other time and dimensional intelligence officer was saying.

”Essentially, yes,” Diane replied in a straight forward manner ignoring her air of non-belief. “Imagine you’re on your ship,” she addressed the rest in the room, “…someone fires torpedos at you, you enter some coordinates and a portal opens in front of your ship while the other end of the quantum tunnel opens facing your enemy, the munitions fired at you goes through the portal and get pointed right back at your enemy.”

A low murmur rippled through the room.

"Tactically revolutionary," Koreel stated, his serious demeanor now sharpened with professional interest.

"And thermodynamically terrifying," Ramanujan added, his eyes wide. "The energy required to maintain a stable quantum tunnel under such violent, transient conditions… the implications are staggering."

Lieutenant Sh'rokrohr, the engineer, shook her head, her antennae flattening slightly. "A single miscalculation in the field geometry and you'd tear your own ship in half. It's a brilliant, suicidal piece of engineering."

Jaal’s eyebrows rose, “That sounds like it could come in quite handy.” Extrapolating what he’d just heard he took a guess, “So you think some experiment with this quantum tunneling technology on your starbase may have gone awry and caused you to end up… here?” He had other questions forming in his head but they would have to wait.

”The more I look at the data collected so far, the more that explanation seems to be likely,” Diane admitted with a tinge of sadness and possibly shame in her tone. “...or… it could be a coincidental combination of the quantum tunneling experiment and natural phenomena… but that, I think, would have to be one hell of a coincidence.”

Tale cleared her throat, speaking low. “The quantum tunneling experiment might have been the key that turned the lock, Diane. But I don't think it built the door. And I certainly don't think it was an accident.”

“A door implies a builder,” T’Vrel stated, her voice the only one that seemed unaffected by the dread settling over the room. “And a builder implies intent. The question of ‘how’ they arrived is now secondary. The primary questions are ‘who’ and ‘why’.”

Jaal’s brow knit deeply while he attempted to conjure up possibilities of why someone would want to do such a thing. What would be a logical reason for these two women to get sent a timeline, perhaps an entire dimension, away from their home.

”I think…” Joann began after no one had spoken for a few seconds, “…That if we can come up with logical explanations for the why… the who will reveal themselves.” The fiery redhead looked at the two inter-dimensional guests across the conference table and asked, “So, who have you pissed off lately?”

At first Diane visibly scoffed at the notion she could have made anyone mad. She was good at her job and she knew it, as did her superiors. Her mouth hung open for a second as she was about to dismiss the idea of anyone being ’pissed off’ at her or Tale.

When she realized just how long that list could be her mouth closed as she covered it with her hand. The list of people and entities that could want her missing from her timeline of origin was extensive. One of them might say she was too good at her job.

“Well, I guess I can admit there are a few organizations and individuals that may want me out of the way,” she replied.

"My list isn't written in personnel files or criminal databases," Tale said, her voice soft but clear. "It's written in confidential session logs. A therapist, a good therapist, learns things that admirals tell no one else. We know which captains are on the brink of a breakdown, which diplomats are hiding substance dependencies, which scientists are grappling with ethical dilemmas that could break their careers." She looked around the table, her gaze lingering on Joann in a moment of professional kinship. "The knowledge in my head... the secrets I hold in confidence... are a vulnerability to some of the most powerful people in Starfleet. Getting rid of a loose end is one thing. Making one permanently disappear into another dimension? For some, that might be the cleanest solution imaginable."

Jaal’s expression turned grim. “That seems like an awful lot of trouble to go through to make someone go away. I mean, they couldn’t just shove you out an airlock?”

Joann’s eyes widened, “Ja… er, Captain!”

Jaal looked at Joann, “What? Like that scenario has never played out in the history of air locks accidentally or otherwise sliding open at opportune moments?

Joan held up a flat hand in the manner of someone who wanted to slap someone else really hard. “Is that an appropriate hypothesis?”

”To catch a criminal one has to think like a criminal,” Diane spoke up in a sagely tone. “I think, given the conjecture we have so far, there are two possibilities if, and at this point I believe it to be a very large ‘if’, the portal that brought us here was somehow artificially created or controlled.”

“They could’ve shoved me out an airlock,” Tale shrugged. “It would’ve been easier… but clearly, they wanted to be more dramatic about the whole thing. Perhaps, they wanted to keep it all intact. Hell if I know.”

”Simple really,” Diane nearly sounded like a Vulcan now, “Either someone in our home timeline wanted us out of the way or… someone in this timeline wanted us here.”

“Otherwise why go through all the trouble,” Jaal nodded in agreement. “But that doesn’t advance anything. Sure, if we can find the reasoning it will lead to the who…”

The Trill was quiet for a moment as he carefully considered what their next steps would be. “Right now… we have to concentrate on the how… we still have data to collect on that anomaly. Hopefully it will reveal something we can use.“ He looked to T’Vrel, “How much longer until we’re within range to get some detailed data on that thing?”

“At our current velocity of warp seven point two, we will be in position to deploy long-range multi-spectral sensor probes in approximately forty-seven minutes. The anomaly's dissipation rate has increased to 2.1% per hour. We now have an estimated forty-six hours of stable access remaining.” T’Vrel replied without looking up.

“All right,” Jaal looked at Montgomery’s crew, “Get the probes ready and get every sensor suite we have powered up and ready. I want us as close as safely possible to this thing. We have to find out all we can about it.” 

TBC…