Scientifically proceeding without understanding
"Commander, all of these details are in my report to Starfleet." Spoke Captain Picard from his ready room on the recently repaired enterprise-E to his terminal. The face displayed was that of a young human-Bajoran female. However her eyes were that of an old woman, undoubtedly due to her time in the various Bajoran camps throughout the quadrant.
"I understand Captain. However, it's my job to leave nothing overlooked. Is there anything else you can remember?" She asked patiently with a slight shift in her bodyweight as if she was uncomfortable.
He paused a moment to think. "No." Then he spoke again, his voice dropping in tone and severity as he addressed the Bajoran commander "Is Starfleet attempting to build a gateway?" Asked the Veteran captain as he leaned forward in his chair and putting down the cup of tea he had been stirring and sipping during this, not unpleasant, conversation.
"You know I can't answer that, Captain. Not even on secure channels." She replied. Her answer might as well have been a resounding confirmation, and it troubled him.
"Thank you for your time Captain Picard."
"Good luck Commander Keja." He bade goodbye while studying her before her face and those tired eyes were replaced by the standard Starfleet insignia with the words "TRANSMISSION TERMINATED."
The Captain tapped his combadge "Mister Data and Mister Warf would you please report to my ready room." To which he was answered with a couplet of "On my way, Sir." While he waited he speculated and sipped his tea. Could Starfleet really be trying to build an Iconian Gateway? The one we discovered was destroyed. Perhaps they're attempting to reverse engineer a newly discovered gateway. The door chime to his ready room chirped.
"Come." He called out. Commander Data and Lieutenant Commander Worf stepped through the threshold and entered.
"You wanted to see us, Sir." Asked Mr. Data as Worf stood beside him expectantly.
"Yes Gentlemen, please take a seat. Can I get you something?" Asked Picard as he approached the replicator to refresh his cup regardless.
"No, Thank you, sir." Worf declined. "I do not require refreshments." Declined Data.
"Very well. Computer, recycle." The computer beeped understanding as the empty cup disappeared. "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot" To which another cup full of tea appeared with thin streams of steam rising from it. "Do the two of you remember our encounter with the Iconian gateway after the Yamato's destruction?" Inquired Picard.
Worf answered "Yes." "Star date 42609.2" Continued Data.
"What I'm about to tell you is classified, and I've come to this conclusion through conjecture and assumption. But I believe Starfleet is attempting to construct a gateway similar to what we encountered on Iconia." Worf shifted in his chair while Data only blinked once.
"I called you here because I'm curious as to your reactions to this possibility." Prodded Picard.
"I don't like it." Answered Worf. "Should this technology fall into the hands of our enemies they would be able to bypass all of our defenses. However if we managed to keep it safe we would have a significant tactical advantage over the entire quadrant."
"Possibly the galaxy." Contributed Picard. Which garnished a nod from Worf.
"Captain, should this be fruitful, the logistical application alone would be astronomical. Colonization, interplanetary trade, planetary evacuations, interplanetary travel, relief efforts, rescue missions. They would all be simplified to taking limited number of steps." Added Data.
"And if we could mount this on starships with sufficient power sources Warp drive would be rendered obsolete." Continued Picard.
"Sir, I'm curious, if every effect baring capture by a hostile entity happens, why are you so reserved?" asked Data.
Picard got up and meandered his way around the table, setting down his tea as he did so. "I don't know Data, perhaps I'm just overly concerned about the unknowns of what could happen. We still know exceedingly little about the Iconians beyond myth and legend and even less regarding their technology. Perhaps, in my age, I've become somewhat conservative in my views about technology we don't fully understand."
"But sir," Worf spoke up "Our, and Starfleet's, mission has always been exploration. Isn't that exactly what we're doing?"
"Quite right Mister Worf, I'm just concerned that this will spawn a Genesis-Device like series of events."
There was a pause in the conversation as all parties reflected on the situation.
"Are all systems operational?" Inquired Piccard.
"Tactical systems are operating at ninety-eight point six percent efficiency. There are several modifications I wish to discuss with Commander Laforge regarding increasing phaser and shield power consumption to try to increase our combat capabilities while maintaining their power consumption." Reported Worf.
"All other systems are function within normal parameters, Doctor Crusher is treating a dislocated shoulder due to holodeck use, and Stellar Cartography is cataloguing stellar phenomena within range." Added Data.
"Excellent. Proceed Mister Worf and keep me appraised of your efforts. You're both dismissed." Worf and Data got up and left as Picard returned to his seat to drink more of his tea. As he took a sip there was a flash of brilliant light and his heart dropped as a middle aged man in a Starfleet Admirals clothing appeared leaning across the table, the man's face a mere two feet away from his own.
"You're right to be cautious Mon Capitaine."
"Q!" Accused Picard as anger seeped into his voice and across his face.
"Is that anyway to greet a lifelong friend?" Asked Q in a mockingly wounded voice.
"We are not friends, Q. Why am I right to be cautious?" Retorted and interrogated Picard.
"You wound me Picard, and so I will not answer your question any more than telling you that there are more universes than the only "mirror" as your species so humorously called it, encountered thus far." His face broke into a grin with his last words.
"Damn it Q what's going to happen." Demanded Picard restrain gone from his voice as his patients for Q had vanished after their first meeting.
"Oh you've always been so persistent. Very well, I'll give you a hint." He said "Do you remember when you first met me?" Q asked his grin widening.
"Of course." Recalled Picard. "You put all of Humanity on trial for crimes of savagery."
"Oh your memory is so vague, I believe my exact words were "grievously savage"!" He answered with a smirk.
"What relevance does that have here?" Demanded Picard, growing annoyed.
Q beamed "Oh my poor handicapped captain! You can't expect me to give you all the answers! However, I'll be watching, and I may even pop in from time to time." He exclaimed with a broad smile before he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
Picard tapped his combadge again. "Mr. Data, would you please get me Starfleet command and patch it through to my ready room."
Commander Keja Hosen entered the large circular laboratory that occupied the largest room onboard the research station deep in empty space, far from any system, let alone an inhabited one. Three starships were on station at all times, two Lakota refit Excelsior's and a Miranda class named Homer, Gozen, and O'Malley respectively. It wasn't serious firepower but enough to deter any that wanted to take a close look. Starfleet was incredibly eager for her and her comrades' work to go as quickly as possible, thusly every request for resources was met almost immediately.
Yet even this unprecedented access to resources did little to expedite their work. To say that reverse engineering the Iconian gate solely from data recovered by the then Commander Sisko and scans of the gate on Pax Indi three before it was destroyed when the war with the Dominion looked untenable, was an understatement.
Despite these setbacks they were proceeding well. They had built a replica of the gate with using material analogues provided by Starfleet and tested it by transferring a land based probe through the gate to the O'Malley with success. The problem was that the gate was only capable of being open for brief moments of time. This made it, at present, to unreliable for interplanetary use. However, the gate was theoretically suitable for starship use and they were working to adapt the gate for ship use.
As Commander Keja walked through the lab Doctor Vladislav approached her.
"Afternoon, would you care to help me out I'm hitting a bit of a wall compensating for the radiation emitted by the warp core on the Gozen." He asked.
"Hmm" Pondered Keja as she thought. "Any new developments in our theoretical models?"
"Not yet, our models show that any portal we open will lead to the stellar coordinates we choose, but there's still a sixteen point seven percent chance of different temporal coordinates."
"Can we control the temporal coordinates? Keep them in sync with our time? I really don't want to have to deal with the Temporal Prime directive on top of our load."
"I don't think so, but we can keep that to a minimum by avoiding contact with life on the other side of the portal before we return."
"Then continue your efforts onboard the Gozen." Sanctioned Keja.
"Understood Ma'am. We should be able to have a test tomorrow afternoon." Complied Vladislav.
Keja went to the replicator and requested a sixteen ounce cup of hot Terran coffee with twice the programmed amount of caffeine. With her cup of the steaming hot elixir of life in hand, she walked across the labs central area towards the conference room. As the doors automatically swooshed she looked into the room. A large oval table, fashioned out of a material made to resemble wood sat in the middle of the room surrounded by ten chairs. Holographic projectors allowed a more immersive and detailed briefing ranging from mere displays one could pass through to interactive renderings of any object imaginable. Three captains sat at every other chair facing the only two doors to the room, From Keja's left to right they were an Andorian male named Kyth, a Vulkan female named T'Mik, as well as a Human male named Hues. All sat perfectly still boring into Keja with their eyes awaiting whatever news she had called them here for.
"Captains," Keja began "Thank you for meeting me here before you ask the questions I'm sure you have I would appreciate the chance to explain the planned sequence of events for the next few days." Keja paused to allow them to stow away their mental note pads.
"As of now we are in the process of outfitting the Gozen, T'Miks ship with our prototype. Once the device is set up we will run it through a series of diagnostics and simulated tests before we perform the first test. If projections are accurate, the first practical test should take place tomorrow afternoon at the earliest, possibly later. The testing area has been provided to you and your first officers to disseminate amongst your crew as you see fit. The Gozen, once prepared, will open a gateway at the specified coordinates targeted one-hundred thousand kilometers directly ahead. This phase of the testing will be completely under T'Miks discretion. Should she feel the test is unsafe or come across unforeseen difficulties she is authorized to immediately terminate the test. Hopefully this won't happen and thus allow us to expedite what has been an undoubtedly boring assignment for your ships crews."
T'Mik was the first to speak "Commander, while your concern for our crews is appreciated and reciprocated towards your staff, we hope that this concern has not lead to undue haste."
Hues spoke up now "I agree, I know that I as well as my crew would rather stay here all over again rather than rush you and your comrades."
"I agree, however if we continue to skirt around the inevitable test like a frightened glacier-mouse than we'll never leave here." Encouraged Kyth. Followed by a round of reserved nods from the other captains. You could test the water all you wanted, but until you jumped in you'd never truly know exactly what could happen.
"Then it is settles. We'll begin the test as soon as we are able. Thank you for your time Captains. If you'll excuse me." Keja made sure to include these last to formalities as she always had in an effort to insure that relations between her staff and the ships captains and crew remained smooth and uneventful. There was nothing left for Keja to do now aside from let her people work, so she took her coffee into her office and began writing her reports to Starfleet Command.
Adept Theoxus lit the incense in his chamber. Stooping down on his augment legs he raised his mechandendrites and single mech-limb in praise to the Omnissiah while first spreading his augment arms out to either side before placing them on his chest to form the Aquila. He now broadcasted his prayers into the digital cloud that whirled around the small outpost like an ever powerful, yet mesmerizingly beautiful storm.
"Praise be to the Emperor of Man, for he is the mighty Avatar of the Omnissiah. Life is directed Motion, this motion is guided by the will of the God-Emperor and the Omnissiah The spirit is the spark of life, only the purest of spirit is worthy of life. Sentience is the ability to learn the value of knowledge, for knowledge is beyond priceless. Intellect is the understanding of knowledge, understand leads down the true path. Sentience is the basest form of intellect, something to be watched in the faithful, and purged in the heretical. Understanding is the true path to comprehension, by following the true path we gain comprehension. Comprehension is the key to all things, true comprehension is gifted by the Omnissiah. The Omnissiah knows all. The Omnissiah comprehends all. The Zenos mechanism is a perversion of the true path, a perversion to be purified by the will of the Omnissiah. The soul is the conscience of sentience, to guide those that walk the true path. A soul can only be bestowed by the Omnissiah for none of the flesh shall possess this ability. The soulless sentience is the enemy of all, take heed of the warnings of the Omnissiah. The knowledge of the ancients is beyond question. The machine spirit guards the knowledge of the ancients, their number is legion, and their vigil is eternal. Flesh is fallible, but ritual honors the machine spirit, to replace the fallible is to perform the Omnissiah's will. By the comprehension of the Omnissiah, the will of the God-Emperor, and by the grace of the Golden throne, Ave Imperator."
Concluding his morning prayer Theoxus stood, his mechandendrites and mech-limb returning to a restful state, his body coursing with the silver flood of the Omnissiah's blessing. He robed himself and dowsed the incense until his return to pray again. The entry pad to his door chirped silently via his neuro-cogitators as a servitor approached. He opened the door and was greeted by a servitor with various diagnostic and mechanical tools marking it as a maintenance servitor.
"My Lord, Lector Bothanus requests your immediate presence." The Servitor spoke in an emotionless purely mechanical voice before Theoxus dismissed it with a Sanctified-Binary burst transmission from his personal vox.
Theoxus began his walk to the Command Center of this Sentinel station. The station was not large by Imperial standards, only two kilometers high it resembled two obelisks joined at their bases by four hangar bays and docking terminals. Each face of the obelisks was equipped with a Macrocannon Battery and numerous point defense batteries, while the points of the Obelisks were massive auspex and auger arrays used by Lector Bothanus and those under her command used to gaze into the void and Immaterium alike for signs of the Imperium's countless foes, as well as anything that might be a boon to the defense of the God-Emperors realm.
Theoxus made his way to the Command Center located in the upper section of the station inverse of where the genetorium housed the massive power generators. He passed dozens of Servetors mindlessly carrying out the endless ritualistic rights of maintenance that kept the station and its defenses operational. He also passed two mechanicus adepts walking towards the genatorium accompanied by a remembrance-skull recording their words and orders. Twenty standard minutes passed until Theoxus reached the Command Center and during that time he devoted a small fraction of his cogitators to reviewing the Lectors record he had access to. Apparently she was an extremely unusual Lector. She had insisted on relying on "Gut-Feelings" when faced with combat. Many had proven accurate that she was investigated by the Inquisition. She had been proven not guilty, but as any and all know "Innocence proves nothing." These two circumstances had seen her relative banishment to this posting in void space on the fringe of the Ultima Segmentum and the Segmentum Solar. He finally reached the Command Center and entered through two blast doors into Command Center. The Room was relatively large and almost every surface was covered by panels and those that weren't were statues of the God-Emperor and numerous icons of Mechanicum history and beliefs that were sacred to Theoxus.
In the center of the room stood a lone robed figure, three large mech-arms were poised for balance while its mechandendrite tentacles all implanted within ports in panels that surrounded it. When Theoxus entered to room the figure withdrew all of its tentacles and raised its mech-arms into a restful state behind it as it turned to face him. It spoke to him in a hauntingly feminine mechanical voice.
"Adept Theoxus, step forward." Lector Bothanus commanded. Theoxus stepped forward until he was within two meters of his superior.
"You ordered my presence, Lector Bothanus." The adept reported his presence to her awaiting instruction.
"Adept Theoxus, you are aware of my record, and thus my reason for this posting. You may harbor disdain for my "Hunches" as they have been named, but your opinion is irrelevant, especially when you hear my following orders." The Lector spoke with loathing authority.
"I understand Lector Bothanus."
"Adept Theoxus, you will immediately prepare one of our reconnaissance vessels and stand ready to immediately depart on my order."
"Lector Bothanus, have the holy arrays detected something?"
"Not yet, however I suspect that this is going to change."
"Understood, Lector Bothanus."
"Have you been told of the Hellena Sector's reemergence from being isolated from the Imperium?"
"No Lector Bothanus, I was not informed of this." Replied Theoxus as surprise twitched through his mechandendrites.
"The Imperium lost contact with the Hellena Sector seven thousand standard years ago. The Sector has since been renamed the Spartan Sector in honor of the local Adeptus Astartes chapter, the Spartans."
Theoxus contemplated this news. An entire new sector for the Imperium? With a force of Astartes too. The Imperium could use every loyal body and billet it had against the Emperors and Omnissiah's foes.
"Lector Bothanus, Are these new subjects loyal? And how many Forge Worlds are in this sector? And what of the Astartes."
"Allegedly there is a force of fourteen-thousand Adeptus Astartes along with several Imperial Guard Regiments. There are reportedly 17 forge worlds. One other thing; the Spartan sector is only 4 days travel from here to the Galactic east, and they have dispatched what they call an Assault-Team to come here and collect a copy of our data that we've gathered." Added Bothanus.
Theoxus was almost shocked. Fourteen-thousand Astartes in a single chapter? Surely the Inquisition wouldn't tolerate that large of a chapter. What had forced the creation of such a large Chapter?
"Prepare your ship Adept Theoxus."
"Understood, Lector Bothanus." With that, Theoxus turned and left. His flesh-mind consumed in curiosity over how she could be so sure, frustration and anger that she could allow this weakness to influence her decisions so greatly, yet embracing the raw and soothing machine-logic of the situation. Bothanus was right, his opinion of her decision making process was irrelevant, for now. Her orders, and therefore his duties were clear.
Her combadge chirped and Commander Keja tapped it in response.
"What is it?"
The voice of Doctor Vladislav came through "Commander, I have good news. We've completed the outfitting of the Gozen ahead of schedule. We can test the gate-drive as soon as you command."
"Excellent Commander, have you completed your theoretical tests?" Inquired Keja.
We are running the final simulations now, so far projections are resoundingly successful, specifically ninety-seven point eight percent success." Reported Vladislav eagerly.
"I'll be in the laboratory shortly, I'll meet you there."
"Understood, Ma'am, I'll be waiting." Concluded Vladislav as he signed out.
Keja got up from her chair and left her office. Once in the Laboratory she walked to the center of the Laboratory. She was surrounded by displays, the only two she was interested in were the two that showed a display of the local space and another that displayed a view of the Gozen.
Captain T'Mik, are you ready to initiate the Test?"
Captain T'Mik turned to the view screen, "Yes, Commander. We are ready to proceed with the test at your Command."
"Proceed with your test Captain." Ordered Keja.
"Acknowledged. All hands yellow alert, prepare to activate the Iconian Drive. Helm, take us to a minimum distance of ten thousand kilometers from the station." Ordered T'Mik.
A brief moment passed before her second in command, Commander Turner, reported "All stations report ready."
"Captain, we are on station." Reported Ensign Halloran.
"Activate the Iconian Drive." Ordered T'Mik.
The lights of the bridge dimmed as the enormous amount of power needed to fuel the drive was diverted to it. The view screen showed a single ripple of space that coalesced into the stars shimmering and then a blinding white light began to form and grow.
"Captain" Reported Ensign Born at Ops. "There's a phase differential causing an energy build up throughout our sys-"
Before Born could finish an explosion of sparks erupted from the Ops console and threw ensign Born from the station. A red alert claxon began to blare.
"Report!" Shouted T'Mik over the din.
Commander Turner shouted in return "There's a massive energy build up in the core! It's going to breach!"
"Captain T'Mik, Report!" Demanded Commander Keja. She got no response. She watched the view screen as the gateway continued to grow, now over one kilometer in diameter.
"Commander, at the gateways current rank of expansion the gateway will reach 100 kilometers in 2 minutes."
"Captain T'Mik, we are not receiving anything from you, if you can hear us you must deactivate the drive!" She then turned from the view screen T'Mik had been on before they lost contact, jamming a finger at one of the officers in the lab. "Get me the Gozen five minutes ago!"
"Aye Ma'am."
Explosions rippled throughout the bulkheads and consoles of the bride as relays overloaded.
T'Mik shouted over the cries of crewmen and explosions "Engineering! What's the status of the core?"
T'Mik was greeted with a com channel full of explosions and more screaming and her chief engineer, Kyle Flyn, shouting over it all "The cores about to breach! We can't stop it! We're evacuating main engineering! We have to eject the core now!"
"Eject the Core!" Shouted T'Mik.
"Ejecting, the core is clear!" Reported Turner.
"Move us awa-" T'Mik began to shout before a sudden movement caught her eye as it moved towards her and then everything went black.
Commander Keja's stomach shriveled as she watched the Gozen eject her Warp Core and slowly move away.
"Open a channel to all hands on all ships." She ordered.
"Channel Open Ma'am."
"All hands brace for Warp Core Breach Shockwave!"
Keja watched as the Warp core lost containment and detonated. A massive spherical shockwave bloomed from where the core had once been, chasing the Gozen. Just when she thought the Gozen would get clear, the shockwave caught her and sent her into an uncontrolled X-axis spin while the Gozen rotated on her Z-axis. Plasma venting from her port Nacelle. Then, the Station shook violently as the shockwave hit them.
"Report?" Keja demanded.
"All systems functional, the other ships are operational, but the Gozen has suffered heavy damage and is requesting immediate assistance. The Gateway is-is still there."
"What do you mean it's still there? It should have destabilized and dissipated without the drive." Wondered Deja.
"That's not all Ma'am. The Gateway is now almost sixty Kilometers across and readings suggest it is stable."
This didn't make any sense. It should have disappeared. Keja had to set that on the back burner for now. She had bigger fish to fry.
Adept Theoxus was receiving reports from the Servo-skulls of his ship when airlock alarms began to blare. Interested he paused and turned to see what was happening. He watched the massive doors of the airlock open and witnessed ten figures exit. All figures stood eight feet tall. A full six inches taller than the average Astartes. Possible Gene manipulation? Or mutation? All were glad in bronze painted terminator armor, their left arms were painted completely black. Their armor was buffed to a high shine with occasional battle damage they obviously wore with pride. On their chests was the Imperial Aquila, however instead of the customary two-headed eagle or skull, the wings came together on either side of a helmet similar to the ones they wore and was obviously inspired by their helmets, or more likely the inspiration for their helmets. They each bore massive shields adorn with intricate engraving. Bolters mounted to their wrists and each carried a staffed weapon he hadn't seen before. He ran analytical algorithms and traced its basic appearance to that of a Halberd. Only these were clearly outfitted with power-blades. Crimson capes rippled behind the Astartes as they walked through the Hangar bays towards the main access point to the rest of the station. Their helmets were not standard issue either. They were stoic and almost uninterrupted bronze painted plating save holes for their optical sensors and a vertical rectangular grilled maw. Each member wore laurels on their helmet of various size and intricacy. Only the lead Astartes bore a single large crimson mane mounted to his armor above his helmet in combination with his highly intricate laurels. He was obviously the leader. He bore no shield or what seemed to be a Power-Halberd. Instead he carried a massive two-handed power sword and wore a wrist mounted storm-bolter. But before he could observe more he received a bust transmission from Bothanus.
"Adept Theoxus, proceed immediately to the following coordinates, an anomaly has appeared but does not appear to be connected to the Immaterium. Investigate. You have discretion to enter the anomaly if you deem it worth."
"Understood Lector Bothanus." Replied Theoxus as he turned to board his ship. The coordinates Bothanus had sent him were less than twelve hours away at his vessels best speed. How had Bothanus known? She had no evidence, no logical basis to order his preparation to travel. She obviously didn't even know what was going to happen. But even so there was only one explanation. Lector Bothanus must have been some sort of Pre-Cog.
Theoxus was approached by a servitor as he entered his ship. "Initiate final preparations. We depart immediately." He ordered, and was greeted with immediate compliance.
T'Mik pulled herself up from the rubble strewn floor of her bridge. "Report" She asked, wincing at what she guessed to be a fractured rib.
Commander Turner answered "We've sustained heavy damage, the warp core was ejected and detonated. We've lost communications with decks three through seven. Main engineering reports EPS relays have blown throughout the ship. We're on emergency power only, life support is at sixty percent. The coils in the port nacelle have completely fused. Sickbay reports no fatalities yet, but numerous critical injuries. We're drifting. I took the liberty of transmitting aid requests to the Homer and the O'Malley."
T'Mik wanted control of her ship back. "Helmsman, get us back to the research station."
"The helm isn't responding." Grunted ensign Born through an obviously broken arm.
"Engineering, I need helm control." Ordered T'Mik.
"We're a little busy down here captain!" Shouted Chief engineer Flyn. "We've got plasma fires throughout engineering, I'll get back to you in a minute!"
Turner grunted "Ma'am, I have Commander Keja on screen."
Keja was disturbed by what she saw on screen, Captain T'Mik had a large laceration on her head, there were scorch marks on what was visible of the bridge, no primary lighting source could be discerned, instead a few emergency lights illuminated what she could see. Crewmembers ran frantically back and forth behind T'Mik. Her first officer was clutching his side in obvious pain.
"Report, Captain."
T'Mik was ragged in her reply. "We've lost all but emergency power, no helm control and numerous wounded. We need immediate assistance."
Keja barely waited for her to finish before replying "The Homer and O'Malley are already en route to you, they should be on scene momentarily to evacuate your wounded."
"Thank you Commander, What of the Gateway?" asked T'Mik.
"We don't know why, but it's still there and is almost sixty kilometers in diameter. It appears to be stable. We're beginning our analysis but the first priority is you and your crew." Answered Keja.
Keja turned to her staff "Dispatch to Starfleet command via Subspace. Message begins: First test failure. The Gozen is severely damaged. Request assistance."