The Odyssey Project (Starbase 118)
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--Stardate: 239001.02--
Just as things seem to settle into a fragile ‘peace’ in the region, sudden and violent reports begin coming in to Starbase 118 regarding seemingly random attacks on ships throughout the area surrounding the Azure Nebula. While little is known about what’s going on, a short clip from a more heavily armed ship manages to make it back to the station showing a very static filled frame on which a strange shadow can be seen seemingly feeding on members of the crew of that ship. More reports state that attacked ships are left to drift, after being ripped into disrepair and left with no survivors. As a result of the attacks, the USS Victory is deployed to investigate just as two members of the crew, Commander Cody, and Anya Nicholotti, go missing.
Lost, perhaps, to the annuls of time and space, knowledge of Odyssey station, and its purpose, doesn’t exist to the crew of Starbase 118. So, when a strange ‘corridor’ is found within the nearby Azure Nebula on accident by the USS Victory, which seemingly transports the entire ship to a location about 50KY outside the galaxy from the Alpha and Beta Quadrant borders, the officers and crew scramble to uncover how it happened and what the station is that appears before them. More of the creatures are discovered around and in the station, so now, the crew must battle time to uncover what they are looking at and save anyone or anything aboard.
--Stardate: 239002.15--
Aboard the borrowed ship, the USS Columbia, the crew of Starbase 118 Operations heads out towards the source of numerous attacks and the location of the mysterious gravity well that has formed within the Azure Nebula. They arrive on station just moments before an attack on their own ship, during which 4 large dragon-like creatures tear holes in the hull and find their way inside. These creatures are only held by the highest level forcefields for a short time before they find ways out, which include ripping their way through the Jefferies tubes that go throughout the ship. At least two members of the crew are killed, with numerous others, including the Chief Engineer and Chief Medical Officer, injured requiring surgery.
While the matriarch of this particular group of dragon creatures tears apart sickbay, a child-like of the species makes contact with members of the senior staff on the bridge. While speaking, out loud and telepathically, the creature Puncdor begins the transition to adult-hood and is nearly rendered unable to communicate. Thankfully, a solution is devised by science that would halt puberty and which has a permanent effect, allowing Puncdor to remain a child and never make the transition into the aggressive and terrifying adult that the other creatures have become.
Captain Nicholotti orders a meeting in one hour to discuss the damage to the ship, the fact that only a thin electromagnetic shield is keeping the adult creatures from overrunning the ship and eating them all, and solutions that would allow them to lead the rest of the adult creatures back through the gravity well to their own home corridor and the crew to Odyssey station.
--Stardate: 239003.02-- Prior to the meeting, Captain Nicholotti was confronted with a new concern. Her First Officer, wounded in the attack with the dragon creatures, had been brought to the temporary sickbay unable to speak coherently. Worse, a short time later she was informed that "Scott" a sentient Shadow-like creature had taken up residence within the man and was offering his assistance. Despite the offer, she was unable to allow the security risk involved and had to move onto the meeting without him. During the meeting, she was further demoralized by the news that the ship wasn't in a condition to make the transition to Odyssey station due to the creatures attacks. That it had been determined they could injure the creatures through red/orange lasers was a small consolation.
Moving to "Plan B" it was determined that the runabout would make the trip, with the fighter wing providing cover fire. The crew moved to prepare for that, and the inclusion of Puncdor into that plan. Meanwhile, the wounded Doctor MacLaren spoke to, and completed a mindmeld with Commander Walker and "Scott". During the meld, the three came to an agreement to put "Scott" into a deep, coma-like sleep for the duration of the mission.
On the runabout, the Captain thanked everyone for their work and dedication, giving out battlefield promotions to the now Lieutenant MacLaren, Lieutenant JG Nevarass, and Marine Captain Dubeau. On giving them the news, she warned everyone to strap in as she prepared to pilot them to the station.