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"Wishing You Were Here"
Previous posts (ANU) "On The Far Side of Upset" / (BAS) "Darker Times"
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"We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it."
- Rick Warren
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 13, Stellar Cartography
Stardate: 33003.1730
Normally, when the Native American needed to ease his thoughts between missions, he would venture onto the outer hull of the ship and lose himself in the endless void filled with the twinkling of the distant stars that surrounded him. With the ANUBIS hidden inside the huge asteroid home to the NEW ALEXANDRIA base of operation, that option was not possible. The closest alternative was for Captain Morningstar to stand in the extended platform stretching in the middle of the 5-deck tall Stellar Cartography on board his own ship.
From there, the Commanding Officer of the USS ANUBIS could delight in seeing all of the stars normally visible from their current location in space. If being locked inside his ship was to be a drawback to this exercise, being able to focus his attention on a very specific section of this endless dark void would prove to be a desired advantage.
The area of space Captain Morningstar was so interested in appeared to be nothing more than a vacant sector, deprived of anything that could draw someone's attention. No sun, no planets, no asteroids, no comets, not even a random gathering of noble gases could be found within several light-years of that single point in space. Yet, that was where the Native American's complete and undivided focus was.
"Captain?" Commander Shar'El quietly said as she walked into the room, not wishing to startle her Commanding Officer who clearly appeared lost in his own thoughts.
"Yes Commander?" Morningstar casually replied, not diverting his attention in the slightest from the area of space that had captured his fullest interest.
"Keeping an eye on the HATHOR I see," the ILO added revealing once again that no secret, however small or insignificant could escape the woman's reach. In this case though, it was nothing more than pure logic as well as an understanding of the man that lead the Ullian to identify what was happening. The location where the small ship would go to in order to proceed with the tests of the Blink Device had not been a secret, at least not for someone with the resources of the ANUBIS' ILO.
"You are right," Erik sighed heavily. "I should not be wasting my time like this. It only serves to add to my troubles and frustration since there is nothing I can do about any of this," the Captain admitted even if his First Officer had not said anything that forced him to say what he did. "Part of me wishes that it was us out there, testing the Blink Device in order to find where Nicole vanished to and to get her back."
"That would be the exact reason why we are here instead," Shar'El noted, her tone of voice and mannerism coming across as being far more Human than usual. "We would all have pushed these tests to their absolute limits and likely rushed through them without taking into account our own safety. Our goal, to find a way to get to Nicole, would have very rapidly been proven to stand in opposition to what the Admiral wished, that is to test the device and insure that it functions as intended and withing our ability to control."
"We should never allow for the life of a single individual to take second place behind scientific and tactical knowledge," the Native American unhappily stated. "The moment we do this, the value of the Human race as a whole is diminished beyond measure."
"I am sure that Captain Iverson agrees and understands this and I am sure that she will do everything she can to move these tests forward as quickly as possible while maintaining the highest level of caution for all involved," Shar'El stated in a reassuring voice. "Who knows, maybe they will get lucky during their tests and come across an opportunity to go after Counsellor Dima themselves while still staying within the parameters set by Admiral Koniki."
"You are sounding very optimistic," the Native American pointed out; surprised by the knowledge that such a display was far from standard for the First Officer and Intel Liaison Operative of the ANUBIS. "What are you aware of that I am not?"
The question almost seemed rhetorical when asked of the Ullian, the woman having proven time and time again her ability to gather Intel for the most unlikely places. This time though, the subject matter proved to hit far closer to home than usual and Erik wanted to be aware of every possible ways that might come to play in getting their missing officer back safe and sound.
"Saying that I am aware of a specific detail of the current happenings on board the HATHOR would be inaccurate," Shar'El clarified. "I simply have knowledge as to some of the information they are working with, information that may prove to be more useful than had first been realized at the time."
"You being optimistic is a hint, be it a strong one, that something is not as it is believed to be," the Native American pointed out. "You being vague in your answers is a confirmation that something else is going one."
"Just possibilities, nothing more," Shar'El said with a faint smile gracing her lips. "I know what cards are in play, but I have no saying in whether or not they will be used and if so, how they will impact the game. I just know that someone on board the HATHOR has something that might help them."
"Why do I have the feeling that it would be best for me not to ask for details on this?" Captain Morningstar asked, actual concerns mixed in with his light amusement.
"Because you are a wise man Captain," Shar'El smiled back before making her way out of Stellar Cartography to leave the man to his own thoughts.
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 33003.1730
After having work as long as she had in the engineering section of the HATHOR, the Chief Engineer Officer had needed a break while still finding a way to not go mad doing nothing. That is why being on the bridge of the ANUBIS had been the perfect solution. From there Sonja could check on every system of the ship while feeling as if she was home, which in fact she was.
"I thought you would be resting now that the HATHOR has left to test the Blink Device," the ship's FCO, Ensign Tanith Jones said having noticed the CEO at the engineering station while the Ensign made her way to the Flight Control Station.
"This is resting," Sonja confirmed. "Actually having some legroom is quite relaxing believe it or not, plus ANI mentioned something about some low intensity distortion that was picked up by the sensors, so I came to check it out. Now, as far as resting is concerned, what are you doing here on the bridge?"
"I find being at my station soothing," Tanith replied. "It allows me to have my thoughts focused on something concrete instead of having them wandering onto other things that i would rather no have to think about or remember."
"I know the feeling," the redhead chuckled. "For me though, it's a nice bottle of wine that does the trick. Okay, okay, maybe it does take more than one bottle, but it still works. You would be surprised of what you don;t think about when you are busy dancing in the middle of your quarters."
"I will have to take your word for it," the Flight Control Officer said, accepting that everyone had a different way of dealing with such situations, thoughts and memories.
"Looks like the distortions are coming from the HATHOR," the Engineer reported to no one in particular. "My guess is that someone left the Temporal and/or the Dimensional drives on stand-by. Well, I'd better get down there and fix that. Wouldn't want anything to go wrong because of those things creating sensor interference now would be?" The question had been rhetorical, but had provided Sonja with the perfect excuse to venture to the other ship and investigate the two special drives that were on board the BASTET. "Don't wait up for me honey; I might be there a while."
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 33003.1730
Counsellor Lopez walked into Sickbay to find her friend, Doctor Bruxa, busy with insuring that her department was as perfect as could be.
"Keep it up like that and I might have to report you for possible OCD in my daily log entry," the Latino woman said as she glanced at the room, unable to find the slightest thing out of place.
"There is no harm in a Doctor having pride in where they work," the Mikulak woman countered with. "It also gives me the chance to make sure I know where everything is, this Sickbay is way bigger than the one on the BASTET."
"They've left," Adriana sighed causing her friend to stop dead in her tracks.
"I know, and before you ask, yes it does feel weird," Satella admitted.
"They will be fine, just as we will be. As soon as we have a mission of our own, we won't have time to think about this," the Counsellor explained, trying to ease her friend's visible concerns.
"It still going to take some getting use to," the Doctor noted.
"Tell you what, I'll replicate a real bottle of white wine and will have it ready for us to share in my office. As soon as you are finished here, just come over and we can talk," Lopez offered.
"See, I knew that you would fit it just fine on board this ship, you are already acting like a Ship's Counsellor," Bruxa grinned in return.
"The location may fit a Ship's Counsellor, but I assure you that the wine is by a friend, for a friend."
"Give me ten, maybe fifteen minutes and I will be right there."
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Stark's Quarters
Stardate: 33003.1730
Following their lover's spat back in the Gymnasium, Jayson thought it safer to return to his quarters instead of hers. Stark understood and even shared in some way Ya'Han's anger and frustration, but their difference in perception of the situation had created a rift between them that could not be ignored.
=/\= Ya'Han to Jayson. =/\=
The call was equally unexpected as it was welcomed. The way things had gone, the Chief of Operations feared that it might take a few days for things to return to normal.
"Go ahead," Jayson quickly replied, realizing once again just how much he delighted in hearing her voice.
=/\= I wanted to apologize for this afternoon. I overreacted, =/\= Ya'Han stated.
"You have nothing to apologize for, I understand, we are all feeling out of sorts with the way the situation is being handled," Jayson offered in return, trying to not only ease the Nylaan's concerns but also to smooth things over between them.
=/\= Tell you what, I'll make dinner and will even prepare those round flat breads with toppings you like so much. =/\=
"You are going to make pizzas?"
=/\= You get your pizza, and I get my cloud cake, deal? =/\=
"Absolutely," Jayson agreed unable to refuse the terms he had just been offered, not to mention that it wold meant that he would be with her sooner than he had hoped, which was something he could never complain about. "I'm on my way."
=/\= Give me at least 10 to 15 minutes so that I can start replicating everything that we'll need. You know how much it bugs me to have you looking over my shoulders. =/\=
"See you in 15 minutes."
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Setting: USS HATHOR, Main Engineering
Stardate: 33003.1740
The only way for Sonja to make it here as fast as she had wanted to was to use the same method she employed back on the ANUBIS; sight-to-sight transport. The advantages of such a method of travel was that the Chief Engineer could arrive right away where she needed to be, giving her more time to dedicate on what needed to be done.
This time around though, Sonja had been slightly delayed because of one simple reason, she had wanted the Avatar to be here with her.
"You do realize that I could have established a remote access link and turned both the Dimensional and Temporal Drives off from the ANUBIS?" ANI said, the Chief Engineer already having taken several steps forward since their beam-in.
"Of course I knew that, but that would have deprived me of checking out those two beauties," Sonja admitted sounding like a child on Christmas morning. "This way, I can honestly state to anyone who might ask that I witnessed both drives having been off, that is as soon as I have run a few diagnostic checks and make sure that nothing was out of place. You know, just me being a great neighbour."
The Avatar simply stood there, watching her co-creator study the two specialty drives as quickly and thoroughly as she could.
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Astrometric Lab
Stardate: 33003.1745
It felt weird for the Shillian being alone in the laboratory where she had been working with others for so long. Maya had grown accustomed to being by herself when dealing with the greater majority of her scientific researches, but the last one had been different. Standing in the room, looking at all the vacant stations, the Chief Science Officer actually felt lonely for a split second.
As she scanned the laboratory, a flashing red light drew her immediate attention to the station where the indicator had been located. After performing a quick sensor scan, Maya reached for her communicator.
"Commander Maya to Lieutenant Sonja."
=/\= Not now Maya, kind of busy right now, =/\= the Chief Engineer replied sounding somewhat flustered.
"Are you aware that there is a buildup of temporal energy emanating from your location on board the BASTET?"
=/\= No I was not! I just thought that this thing did whatever it is doing now on a regular basis, =/\= Sonja replied sarcastically. =/\= Of course i know, why do you think I am busy right now? I'm trying to fix this blasted thing. =/\=
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Stellar Cartography
Stardate: 33003.1747
The Native American had been ready to end his stargazing session when a strange energy wave swept through the room, causing the Captain to experience an odd sensation of dizziness. As he tried to regain his wits in order to reach for his communicator and request a status update, Erik felt a presence behind him.
"The stars are wonderful aren't they? I could stay here and watch them all night, but your mother would be less than happy with me if i did that."
"Dad?" Erik asked confused beyond words for no other reason that the man who had just spoken to him and whom he was now looking at was none other than his father, a man who had died several decades ago.
Trying to make sense of what he was seeing, the Native American quickly looked around him, expecting to see the outer edges of Stellar Cartography, but instead he found nothing more than the hillside of his youth. Even the fresh smell in the air was as it should be, how could this be possible, this exact scene had played out more than 30 years ago?
--==(/\)==--
Francois Charette
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC 18501
AND
Robotics Engineering Officer
NEW ALEXANDRIA