USS Penumbra Sim Narrative, SD 202303.10
The Penumbra was deep into territory claimed by the Holy Order of the Kinshayans where they had been following a Kinshayan freighter (at a discreet distance). The Cerberus had followed the freighter to a nearby planet but had returned to the Penumbra a bit further out in the system. The Penumbra had MIRAGE, their advanced holographic camouflage system, engaged and appeared to be unnoticed.
While tracking the freighter, they'd also picked up familiar signals from one of the Kinshayan military starships, a spherical ship (like all the official military/religious vehicles), that had followed the Penumbra at the first Kinshayan planet they'd explored, and that had witnessed them capturing "the Iscar fragment" of "Urgulmar's comet" and disappearing into Slipstream!
The solitary inhabited planet in this system was densely populated. LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke had named it "Sierra 2". Initial recon of comm traffic showed some discussion of the miraculous diversion of "the Iscar fragment" that would have nearly destroyed a nearby inhabited planet, but other than that, the traffic was utterly normal.
In the Wellness Center, the Penumbra's two senior-most Science Officers, Cmdr. Relok and LtCmdr. T'Lin, had recovered from an ancient Vulcan psychic illness called "The Freeze". Through a psionic connection with Relok, Dr. Katarina Hawke discovered the Freeze was something akin to an "allergic reaction" Relok and T'Lin picked up from their psychic brush with a powerful, albeit young, Kinshayan mystic in their first encounter. They were advised not to attempt such methods again until some precautionary measures were devised to prevent the reaction.
Also in the Wellness Center was the casket and body of a 500-year-old Klingon corpse. The ancient Klingon inside it was quite fierce looking, with pronounced forehead ridges, thick projecting eyebrows, and a terrifying snarl on his well-preserved face. He looked strikingly demonic! They had no idea how he got embedded in the comet fragment, since 500 years ago the Klingons were not warp-capable! And the fragment he had been embedded within was the one called "Iscar's fragment", and it was "begotten of Urgulmar" in some kind of Kinshayan religious event.
Commodore Zak Taylor was still pacing across the center of the Bridge. Col. Travis Patterson was sitting in the Executive Officer's seat watching his Commanding Officer pace. At the Tactical station stood LtCmdr. Denovan Hawke. LtCmdr. Jason Carter sat at the Helm console. SgtMaj. Derek Hines was manning the Reconnaissance station. Lt. Re'Libel Standin was taking a rotation on the Operations console (filling in for LtCmdr. Tabeshk Tibris who wasn't feeling well) and Ens. Proxy Filler was taking a turn at the Primary Science Station since the various Science Officers were elsewhere on the ship.
Zak stopped pacing long enough to tap his commbadge. "Relok, what do you mean that mystic was calling someone psionically?" The Vulcan Chief of Sciences had earlier called to warn them of that fact.
Relok's voice came over the comm system from the Wellness Center, "Not entirely sure, Commodore, but Kat detected something. Kat?" But Dr. Katarina Hawke, Den's sister and the Assistant Chief Medical Officer, was momentarily distracted in the Wellness Center and didn't immediately respond.
Patterson asked, "Carter, how's our flight systems?"
Carter turned briefly to report, "I've got us holding steady inside a strong ionized carbon cloud with the Bussard collectors open so we can replenish. It's masking our signature quite well with the MIRAGE."
Den scanned his console and reported, "Still have the Cerberus locator working, so it's at least still working, even with it in the bay. I am still tracking the Kinshayan ship as well."
Zak looked over at him. "Good news, Den. Keep an eye on them." He turned to Patterson. "Colonel ... what do you think we need to do next? For our recon mission?"
Patterson rubbed his chin, then sat forward in his chair. "Well... we're here to figure out what they're doing, and how they're affiliated with the Klingon-Gorn War, right?"
"Yeah," Zak responded. "So, how do we do that? Listening to their comms? Or ..."
Den chimed in, "Just ask them."
Zak cut his gaze to Den. "Yeah, we just walk up and ask them 'Why are you meddling in the Klingon-Gorn war?' They'll give us a straight answer."
Den just shrugged"It's happened that way before. Not often, but it has."
Zak considered a moment and then said, "But, you know ... that might be the quickest path. Only ..."
He was interrupted by his commbadge chirping. It was Kat responding, "I think the mystic, or whatever, is up to something. I keep getting the sense that something is being called. And your 'Spidey sense' isn't helping things, Captain."
Zak looked confused a moment, "My 'spidey sense'? You ... felt that?"
Kat continued, "Yeah, it was one of the few clear things in the white noise."
Zak shook his head to clear it and said, "Kat, you and Relok get up here. We need to figure out what's going on."
From the Recon station, Hines reported, "Still not getting anything in particular on comm traffic."
Den added, "And they," he gestured at the main viewer where the Kinshayan ball-ship was displayed center screen, "are still just humming along."
Patterson smirked"I have an idea, actually, that might let us merely... ask, Commodore."
Zak turned to his XO, "Am I gonna want to hear this, Colonel?"
Den smirked too, "I know I do. Since I guess we're not going to just try hailing them."
Patterson shrugged, stood, and started for the Ready Room door. Den signaled to Standin to take over Tactical (the Ops console could be left on automatic). The stoic Vulcan just nodded and moved to take Den's spot as Den followed Patterson across the Bridge.
Zak let out an audible groan, turned to his Helm officer and said, "Carter, you have the Bridge. Be right back," and then followed Patterson and Den into "his" Ready Room.
Carter responded, "Aye, sir. Mr. Filler?"
Filler quickly moved from the Science station to take over the Helm, "I got it, CarterHolding station."
A few moments later, Cmdr. Relok stepped out of the Turbolift onto the Bridge. He noted Carter in the Command Chair, with Sciences and Operations empty. Recognizing he was the senior officer on the Bridge he called out, "Report!"
Carter quickly stood, turned and faced Relok. "The Commodore, Patterson, and Denovan are in the Ready Room. I have the Bridge. We're stationary in a large ionized carbon cloud, with the bussards open to resupply on raw materials."
Relok nodded. "Carry on, then, Commander." He stepped over to the Primary Science Station to pull up data.
Carter nodded and returned to the Big Chair, turning towards Recon. "Anything on the wire, Hines?"
Hines shook his head and sighed. "Just the same kinda stuff we've been hearing."
The three men stepped into the Commodore's Ready Room and waited for the door to slide shut behind them. Patterson began, "So, a couple Maquis steal a run-down freighter ...," he grinned.
Den raised an eyebrow but Zak said, "Maquis? There hasn't been any Maquis for nearly 20 years!"
Den said, helpfully, "I think he means some of us as Maquis, sir."
Zak considered a moment, then said, "Though ... some might have escaped. But ... this far out?"
Patterson smirked, "If the Maquis did escape, and we hadn't found them ... they're obviously hiding out somewhere we haven't looked."
Zak glanced between the other two men. "You two ... Hines? What about Sciences? I'm not sure about sending our Vulcans after that illness thing, and Carshel went to go study that Klingon mummy ...," he trailed off.
Patterson nodded. "We'd need a psychic, though ... and a medic. Gonna need Kat on the AT."
Zak nodded back, "Yeah, makes sense, I guess."
Den shrugged, "Unless she can magically do what happened to her, to work for me. I'd have to agree with her going."
Zak glanced at him, "That was that Shadow Demon thing. I don't think we'll be reproducing that anytime soon."
Den grinned, "Well, shucks! Can we though?"
Zak gave him the "you didn't" look. "Um ... no." He turned to Patterson, "Can you make the Cerberus look like an old Maquis ship?"
Patterson rubbed his chin, "Yeah, I think Wrench and Sandy can help get the Cerberus suited up with a makeover."
Den said, "We've got schematics of known Maquis ships. It shouldn't be too hard, and keep the actual technology intact. I can make sure that the signatures it gives off look appropriate."
Zak mused, "So, you, Hines, Den, Kat ...," he trailed off.
Patterson patted Den's shoulder, "Hope you still got a leather jacket somewhere!"
Den smirked, "Should have."
But Zak cursed, "Damn it, we need a Science Officer!"
Den asked, "Why not T'Lin?"
Zak growled, "That damn 'Icicle' thing! Or whatever they're calling it! Have they recovered? Can they return to duty?" He cursed again under his breath and tapped his commbadge. "T'Lin, Kat, ladies, I need you two for an Away Mission. T'Lin, are you up to it?"
T'Lin responded over the comms from the Wellness Center, "Give me twenty minutes, I will not allow Kat to go without her walls built."
Zak answered, "Can you get done in 10? Meet Patterson and the rest of the team on the Flight Deck at the Cerberus as soon as you can."
T'Lin's voice over the comm dripped with acid. "You will not rush me, sir."
But Patterson shook his head, "Gonna take about an hour to get the Cerberus outfitted."
Zak gawked at him, "An hour? Fine. Do it then. T'Lin, belay that. Take your time, Commander. Do it right." He closed the comm-link and glanced at Den and Patterson, "Are we done here, gentlemen?" He waved at the door.
Patterson tapped his own commbadge, "Sandy, Wrench, get with the Engineers and get the Cerberus outfitted as a Maquis vesselYou have 1 hour."
The voice of CWO2 Sandoval came back, "Aye, sir. Shouldn't take too long ... she's pretty pirate-y as is!"
Zak followed the other two back onto the Bridge, shaking his head and mumbling, "Maquis ..after all these years. How're the Kinshayans gonna take to that?"
After a few moments, Zak, Patterson, and Den returned from the Ready Room. Den stepped back up to the Tactical console, relieving Standin who returned silently to the Ops station. Den's fingers flew over the console, starting a program that should help mask the Cerberus' systems to look like ... what they wanted it to look like.
Zak stepped towards the Command Chair and Carter quickly stood and relieved Filler at Helm. The young Ensign returned to the Science area and logged into the Secondary Station.
Patterson started towards the XO seat when his commbadge chirped. The voice of the big half-Nausicaan Marine, Khal'Gon growled through it, "Colonel to the Wellness Center IMMEDIATELY. The Old Man's having another vision."
Patterson glanced at Zak who just groaned, "Go see what our Medicine Man has gotten himself into this time!"
Den muttered, "We should really start compiling all of those and make up a program to interpret those every time he has one."
Patterson tapped his commbadge, "Khal'Gon, I'm on my way!" He darted for the Turbolift, "Wellness Center, Priority One!"
Relok turned from the Science Station. "Sir, I'm trying to research Kinshayan religion, but ..there's very little data. It would be helpful if we had ... maybe their Holy Book?"
Zak glanced at his Chief Science Officer, "You ... want a copy of their Bible?"
Hines turned from his Recon station. "What's a 'Bible'?"
Relok gave a curt nod. "It would be helpful, sir." He lifted his gaze to Hines across the Bridge"One of Earth's many religious texts. Claimed by some to be the dictated Words of God. Several other texts claim similar authority. But ... the Kinshayans are a 'Holy Order' ... their culture is based on their religion and we know nothing about it."
Zak turned to Den, "While the Maquis are down there, think you can get your hands on a copy of their Holy Book?"
Den looked up from his console and shrugged, "That shouldn't be too hard to do."
Zak nodded at Den, "Consider it a Mission Objective then."
But Relok said, "Commodore, it might not be as easy as buying one in the market. They may have restrictions on who is allowed to have a copy."
Den nodded, "Got it. I have an idea how to do that."
But Hines was still confused. He asked, "Who the hell is 'God'? Know what? Never mind, I don't care enough."
Den gave Hines this ... look. Hines looked back at him, shrugging, "What?"
Relok found himself given an opportunity to ramble, so does. "'God' is described as an all-powerful non-corporeal entity by most. The Creator of the universe ...."
Carter began, "Relok ...."
Zak agreed, "Relok, let's not."
Relok shrugged, "He asked!" But then just returned to his research.
In the Wellness Center, Cmdr. Relok, the Chief of Sciences, freshly recovered from a bout of the ancient Vulcan psychic illness called "the Freeze"; Dr. Adonudo T'lanuwa, the elder Medicine Man who was the Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Katarina Hawke, Assistant Chief Medical Officer; and MstSgt. Khal'Gon, the massive half-Nausicaan, half-Klingon Marine; were standing near the 500-year-old Klingon casket staring at each other in confusion because Kat had just announced she could sense a Kinshayan mystic calling psychically for ..something, and Relok had just called the Bridge to warn them about it.
Relok was staring at Kat with a classic "WTF" face. Adon was glancing between the two of them trying to figure out what was going on. Kat growled at Relok, "Don't look at me like that! My head hurts enough as it is!"
Over the open commlink Relok had used to call the Bridge they heard the voice of Commodore Zak Taylor, "Relok, what do you mean that mystic was calling someone psionically?" The Vulcan Chief of Sciences had earlier called to warn them of that fact.
Relok responded, "Not entirely sure, Commodore, but Kat detected something. Kat?"
But Kat just stared at him silently a moment. Adon looked at her then nodded, gesturing "Go ahead."
Lying on one of the nearby biobeds was LtCmdr. T'Lin, Vulcan Assistant Chief of Sciences, recovering from her own bout of the psychic illness called "the Freeze". She slowly opened her eyes and sat up, having overheard their conversation"'Defiled One'?" she asked, referring to the translation their onboard Artificial Intelligence, MAX, had made of a glyph on the casket. "Why are we opening the tomb of a demon?"
Khal'Gon turned to T'Lin and raised a bushy eyebrow, "The Kinshayans call us demons."
Adon turned to her, "So you heard that, did you? Well, we haven't opened it yet."
T'Lin slid off the bed. "No Klingon would preserve the husk of their skin, so why in the Great Mother's name would there be a 500 year old Klingon specifically named as 'Defiled One'?" She walked over to the casket. "And why is their tomb trapped in a holy comet?"
Relok nodded at his assistant, younger than him by decades and yet who shared her mind with a D'Vir guide named N'eia who was centuries older even than he was. "That is an unanswered question," he stated.
Finally, Kat responded to the Commodore, "I think the mystic, or whatever, is up to something. I keep getting the sense that something is being called. And your 'Spidey sense' isn't helping things, Captain."
Zak sounded confused. "My 'spidey sense'? You ... felt that?"
Kat continued, "Yeah, it was one of the few clear things in the white noise."
There was a momentary paused and then Zak said, "Kat, you and Relok get up here. We need to figure out what's going on." Kat didn't appear to like the idea, but accepted her orders.
Adon turned to Khal'Gon, "I guess that leaves Mr. Mummy to us."
T'Lin stepped between them. "So, let us gather more information before opening an ancient casket." She stepped closer to it and gazed through the small window at the ancient Klingon's face. "The facial features alone are more feral than modern Klingons. It stands taller, and broader."
Khal'Gon glanced between Kat, Relok, and T'Lin, then turned back to Adon and shrugged, "He looks more like a Nausicaan than a Klingon."
T'Lin turned to him, "I want to assure you I mean no disrespect in my observations, I am simply speaking aloud to form a hypothesis."
Kat called from the other side of the room, "I don't think you should open that tomb. Especially not if it has anything to do with demons ... or did the Shadow Demon not teach us anything?"
Relok gestured at T'Lin and said, "While our deceased guest might be intriguing, Commander, I think you should come with Kat and I. I'm sure the Commodore needs your input as well. If you're feeling up to it, T'Lin, or ... N'eia?" He studied T'Lin a moment then nodded, "Yes, T'Lin, with me and Kat." He'd made the observation that N'eia, the D'Vir guide katra that shared T'Lin's mind and had helped the two of them through the Freeze, was no longer "driving" their shared body. His Assistant Chief of Sciences was back in control of her own body.
Kat pouted and muttered, "I don't wanna!" Then she explained, "The white noise is not as strong in here." Her head was already throbbing at just the thought of getting closer to the center of the "white noise" she heard in her head.
T'Lin studied the two of them and said, "Well ... I will have to insure that I have more than enough Merasha in my system to avoid any psionic contact."
Adon nodded at T'Lin, "Good thinking, T'Lin. We don't want a relapse of the Freeze." He reached into a nearby cabinet and produced two doses of Merasha which he loaded into a hypospray. "Let's dose both of you. Kat, I want to leave you open for now. Might be useful." He shrugged.
"Gee, thanks," Kat said, then asked, "How about something for this migraine at least?"
Adon smirked, "Yeah, I guess a basic analgesic would be helpful." He dialed up some acetaminophen for her and showed her the hypo. "Good?"
Kat nodded her acceptance and thanks. Relok turned to the other people in the room, "Adon, Khal'Gon, study our guest but don't open that casket yet."
But T'Lin interrupted, "Kat, before we go, I want to do a meditation session with you. I do not want for you to enter this mission without any mental walls. It does not have to be now, but before we leave, I wish to ensure your safety."
Kat turned to the Vulcan, "I would appreciate that, do you think that's what the white noise is? the thoughts and feelings of everyone on the ship?"
T'Lin gave a small nod, "Sometimes it can feel that way, depending on the situation and your mental fortitude. You used a lot of mental muscles that you do not typically use."
Relok watched the two of them but then added, "Or it could be that Kinshayan mystic as wellT'Lin and I must avoid their mental contact, or risk the Freeze again, but you ... you're Human and thus not susceptible to it."
T'Lin cut a glance at him, "That we know of."
Kat's eyes widened"He may not be able to affect me the way he can you two, but if I can feel him, he can feel me can't he? Know my thoughts and our plans? His mind is stronger than mine because he's had this ability longer. I'm only now learning I can use my psionic abilities."
T'Lin reassured, "Kat, this mystic is young and inexperienced. I assure you, we will get your mental fortitude strong enough to prevent that, and if you ever feel uncomfortable, or feel another presence in your mind, we can give you a dose of Merasha."
Kat nodded, swallowing her fear, hoping she could get control of this before that happened.
Adon approached with the Merasha doses for the two Vulcans. "Ready?" he held up the hypospray.
Relok nodded at Adon. "I'm ready." He turned to T'Lin, "T'Lin? Do you need to wait until after touching Kat?"
T'Lin waved at Adon, "Not yet. I must meditate with Kat first, and my empathy may help calm her and speed up the process."
Adon nodded and gave Relok his dose first. Relok announced, "I'm headed to the Bridge. T'Lin, Kat, join me as soon as you can." With that, he turned and headed for the exit.
T'Lin nodded towards a side room off the main Wellness Center where they might have some privacy. "Kat? Shall we begin?"
"Um, yeah, sure," Kat said, motioning for T'Lin to lead the way.
T'Lin and Kat stepped out of the main area of the Wellness Center into a private room. The lights came on automatically as they entered, but T'Lin stepped to a control and dimmed them to about 25% of normal. She moved a few things out of the way and gestured, "Please, lay on the floor and close your eyes."
Kat did not object and moved to the center of the room and lowered herself to the floor, closing her eyes. She trusted T'Lin implicitly.
"Now," T'Lin took a seat by Kat's head but meticulously avoided touching her. She and Relok, and indeed most Vulcans, tended to avoid physical contact by reflex. She continued, "I want you to empty your mind of everything. Focus on the white noise you hear."
Kat took a slow breath in, trying to clear her mind of everything and focus only on the "white noise" in her mind.
T'Lin continued, "Can you feel the hum in your chest? The ebb and flow of the white noise?"
Kat gave a slight nod, "Yes."
But before they'd gone much further they were interrupted by the chirp of T'Lin's commbadge and the voice of the Commodore, "T'Lin, Kat, ladies, I need you two for an Away Mission. T'Lin, are you up to it?"
T'Lin took only a moment to calm herself before tapping her commbadge to respond, "Give me twenty minutes, I will not allow Kat to go without her walls built."
Zak answered, "Can you get done in 10? Meet Patterson and the rest of the team on the Flight Deck at the Cerberus as soon as you can."
T'Lin's voice dripped with acid. "You will not rush me, sir."
Then she heard Patterson's voice over the comm, "Gonna take about an hour to get the Cerberus outfitted."
Zak responded, "An hour? Fine. Do it then. T'Lin, belay that. Take your time, Commander. Do it right."
Assured she'd have the time she needed, T'Lin returned to her task. She took her own breath, released it, and then spoke to Kat, "You feel the flow of it, the movement and echoes of the hum? You can control that. Feel it move, feel it shift. Breathe slowly and feel your mind move." She began feeding a slow wave of calm and willpower to Kat, helping to keep her focused.
Kat did breathe slowly, and felt the wave of calmness wash over her. She felt the flow of the "noise" and nodded silently.
T'Lin continued, "Good, now reach out and grasp it. bring it forward, bring it around you."
Kat tried "reaching out" with her mind. Unconsciously, one hand raised up and reached out as if to grasp something.
T'Lin smiled at Kat's physical reaction, content with the connection between the woman's will and her body. "Good," she urged, "keep going, Kat. It is your shield. It is an extension of yourself, it is you. Bring your shield up and around."
Kat could barely hear T'Lin's words now, focused as she was. She grasped the "white noise" and brought it closer, wrapping herself in it.
Virtually ignored now, T'Lin continued, "Good, keep going, Kat. Good, keep building it."
Alone with the casket and Adon, Khal'Gon stepped up to it and muttered in Klingon, "SoH 'Iv?" That is, "Who are you?"
Adon had come over near him and was studying the casket as well when he suddenly stiffened and said, "Hawk? Flying in fiery rain? Heads on spears? What?" His eyes lost focus and he looked as if he were "somewhere else" as he continued, "Raining fireDarkness. Death everywhere! Rebels! Outcasts! Destroy all the demons!"
Khal'Gon straightened and looked over at Adon. He'd seen this a few times before. "You wander again, Old Man," he muttered then tapped his commbadge. "Colonel to the Wellness Center IMMEDIATELY. The Old Man's having another vision."
The voice of ColTravis Patterson came back through the comms, "Khal'Gon, I'm on my way!"
Adon continued, murmuring, "Ashes, dust. The purity of Urgulmar! All who traffic with demons are tainted! All must be destroyed!"
And in the corridor, a Turbolift opened and a frantic Marine Colonel rushed out at a dead run, "Get outta the way!" he shouted as he barreled for the Wellness Center.