Mission: The Unity Dow (USS Octavia E Butler)
| USS Octavia E Butler | ||
|---|---|---|
 ACTIVE STATUS | ||
| ||
Mission Start
Captain's log, Stardate 240106.20. USS Octavia E Butler, Lia Rouiancet commanding.
The Octavia E. Butler has been dispatched from New Bajor and Deep Space 14 on a mission that, at least initially, appears to be straightforward: Find the USS Unity Dow.
The Unity Dow, like the Butler, represents an expansion to the Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Task Force. It is a Constitution III class vessel assigned about two weeks after the Butler, and has had an unremarkable mission profile up until ten days ago. The Unity Dow was on a routine stellar survey mission beyond the edge of former Dominion territory, and was exchanging regular messages with task force command until ten days ago. Messages to the Unity Dow have not been returned or, as far as the comms personnel aboard the Uhura Communications Array have been able to determine, have not even been received. The Butler has therefore been chosen to track down the Unity Dow.
We are proceeding with all speed to the Omicron Victor IV (OVIV) system, the Unity Dow's last known position, and a system unexplored either by Starfleet or the UDP. I have asked Avander to lead a team to compile everything we know about this system, including all the data collection and analysis we're able to perform en route, and especially if there might be even the rumor of any unusual anomalies that could be implicated in the disappearance of a starship. He'll work with Peri, Yinn, and Lhandon, the lattermost of whom can use the experience for some additional cross-departmental training. Their goal, above all else, is to ensure that the system is as safe as it can be for our exploration in our search for the Unity Dow.
I have assembled my own team, which will focus on intelligence regarding the Unity Dow's mission and its future flight path. We will rely partially on Dominion histories, many of which are inaccessible and/or fragmentary, but I'm sure that what is available is known to Commander Walker, who I've asked to assist me, along with Aine and Jack Kessler. Again, our particular interest is the Omicron Victor IV system, but I suspect that may only be a starting point.
I have left the reassembly of the Unity Dow's mission up through its disappearance to a team headed by Lieutenant Arlill and containing Karen, Anton, and our newest engineering officer, Morro Caras. They will review, as best they can, what led the Unity Dow to Omicron Victor IV, and attempt to reconstruct based on mission reports what the Dow was doing up through the moment of its disappearance. This is forensic analysis, essentially, which is why I believe a mixed team will be best to accomplish this goal.
Finally, starmaps confirmed that the nearest port of call to Omicron Victor IV is the station known as Port Coray, where many of this crew have spent time previously. On our way to the Omicron Victor IV, we've dispatched the Talents with Josh in command and a team comprised of Max, Toz, and Jacen Xaivis in order to check out any local leads. At least initially, I've instructed them not to reveal that they're Starfleet officers, and to make covert inquiries regarding Starfleet technology for sale, information regarding anyone unhappy with Starfleet technology in the area -- anything to indicate that the Unity Dow might have met an untimely end. Of course, anything they learn that concerns the Dow will likely be of use.
One additional complication to this mission is that the transporter systems are currently offline. The search for the Unity Dow took precedence over finishing the system's repair, and I believe this will not ultimately be germane to the mission. If we must, the independent transporter systems aboard our shuttles, runabouts, and fighters will work, albeit at reduced range.
I am confident that we will find the Dow in short order, and I remain hopeful that its fate will be easily explicable and ultimately benign.
End log.
Officers
- Commanding Officer, Commander Lia Rouiancet
- Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Avander Promontory
- Chief of Operations Officer, Lieutenant Toxin Arlill
- Assistant Chief of Operations Officer, Lieutenant JG Lhandon Nilsen
- Chief Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Josh Herrick
- Engineering Officer, Ensign Morro Caras
- Engineering Officer, Ensign Kimonzi Lahl
- Chief Security Officer, Lieutenant Commander Aine Sherlock
- Security Officer, Lieutenant Anton Richards
- Chief of Tactical, Lieutenant Jack Kessler
- Acting Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant JG Toz
- Medical Officer, Ensign Jania Nis
- Counselor, Lieutenant JG Karen Stendhal
- Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander Katsim Peri
- Science Officer, Ensign Yinn
- Intelligence Officer, Commander Margaret Walker
- Marine Officer, Second Lieutenant Arturo Maxwell
- Combat Rescue Officer, Second Lieutenant Jacen Xaivis
Notable MSNPCs
- Luriaa, Commanding Officer, UDP Rij’dal’vak
- Fraya, First, UDP Rij’dal’vak
- Nanjjii, Information Broker
Summary
Act I:
The Unity Dow, a Constitution III class vessel assigned about two weeks after the Butler as part of the Gamma Flotilla Expeditionary Task Force has gone missing, and the crew of the Butler are tasked with finding it. They’ve arrived at the Omicron Victor IV system, the last known whereabouts of the missing ship. With the transporters out of commission, they must rely on runabouts and other smaller vessel transporters that operate at a shorter range.
Intelligence
Commander Lia Rouiancet, Commander Margaret Walker, Lt. Commander Aine Sherlock, and Lieutenant Jack Kessler are tasked with researching the Unity Dow’s flight path. Lieutenant Toxin Because her ready room is unfinished, the group meets in Walker’s office. Because Omicron Victor is uncharted, the team has little to work with. Walker suggests that they look at data gathered from local species in the sector to help piece together information/ Before they begin, she shares with them that the Dominion had expanded their reach and explored most places in the area, save for the reach around the Omicron Victor sector. The Unity Dow was the first to try to explore it, but some of its mission parameters have been withheld.
Thus far, the Dominion had not explored the region, everywhere around it, but that particular system, which begs the question - why? What would cause the Dominion to avoid the area? Kessler asks if Walker is withholding classified information, but states if there is information she doesn’t have, it’s because it’s above her clearance level. An incoming missive from Ensign Lansbury shows an abandoned Dominion relay nearby, and Walker suggests they try to use that and get more information about the system using old Dominion security protocols stored in the Intelligence database while Kessler suggests they contact the UDP to see if they have any information to share. Rouiancet encourages the other officers to get started while she tries to contact Captain Luriaa.
Kessler is able to connect to the relay, but the power is very low, indicating the transceiver has sustained some damage. Using her knowledge of Dominion systems, Walker advises Kessler how to proceed, and cautions Sherlock to look for any sudden and unexplained minute power spike as the relay could respond defensively to an intrusion. A minute later, Kessler states something is trying to take more power than he is allowing it and the link starts to destabilize. Walker floods the system with the codes she has in an attempt to force the array to allow access. Fortunately, they succeed, and despite a lot of damage, they are able to access over twenty gigaquads of data going back 150 years.
Walker then suggests they set an algorithm to cherry pick data taken from the Dow’s assigned route. The array picked up the Unity Dow’s approach and attempted to alert a Jem’Hadar ship, but obviously went unanswered. Sherlock wonders if the Dominion were trying to hide something and keep people out rather than avoid the sector and asks if there’s any more information. Walker wonders if they should focus on gathering data about the area the Unity Dow was visiting while Sherlock asks if Tactical received the other ship’s flight plan. Although they have the assignment, it’s classified, and the assignment after that puts them on the opposite side of the Omicron System, and they can only assume the UD was supposed to go straight through.
Kessler notices something on a scan that reveals weapons discharge on a regulator of the array, indicating someone wanted the receiver offline. He notes that whatever happened, if someone attacked the Unity Dow, they did it with such speed and ability that it happened before anyone on the ship could realise what was happening to send out a buoy - and they could very well be walking into a fly trap themselves, but Sherlock reminds him it’s only one possibility out of many.
What does the UDP know?
Rouiancet contacts Captain Luriaa and her First, Fraya. When the commander tells Luriaa what they are doing, the Vorta gets visibly upset and tells them to flee for their lives, saying only that it is an area referred to as ‘the place of undoing’ and their lives are in danger. Rouiancet thanks her for the information and Luriaa asks her First what they should do. Luriaa loses her composure and tells them to flee or forfeit their lives. In Dominion Standard, the name is “Iocara deudo” which means place of the undoing and she warns them it will unravel their very reality. They end the call and both UDP representatives realise that Starfleet will still investigate, and Luriaa questions what they will do.
Rouiancet touches base with Promontory who informs her they’ve found the Unity Dow orbiting a planet.
Return to Intelligence
Walker brings up information on the stops the Unity Dow was supposed to make. Collating this information, she hopes it can help prepare the Butler for a possible attack. Rouiancet rejoins them and shares the information received from Promontory. Sherlock recommends they continue to approach slowly and keep scanning as well as launch a communications probe to connect to the Dow, but also to give the benefit of informing them of any sort of ambush.
Sherlock suggests they launch a probe to try and connect to the Unity Dow, but it could also help draw out anyone who wishes to attack. Walker is disturbed because she has has no prior knowledge of the Unity Dow or her movements, and even Kessler wonders what was so important that even the Director of Intelligence on the OEB remained uninformed.
Since the OEB wishes to connect with the Dow, Walker gets an isolinear chip that will alter the fuel intermix to reduce its ion wake and asks that Sherlock oversee it with the Chief Engineer off the ship. Arlill calls Rouiancet and tells her they are looking into classified logs. The captain tells him to send down the encryption so Intelligence can assist and confirms they should go to yellow alert. After closing the connection, she tells the officers with her they should launch the probe they suggested. They receive the logs from Arlill and Sherlock asks if they want to split them up. Kessler establishes a subroutine to scans the files for key words and asks Walker which key words she recommends. As they search, they find nothing, which they can’t understand why encrypt something with nothing in it. He then wonders if all the logs are code and the logs themselves a hidden message.
Sherlock tells the computer to look for grammatical anomalies and conduct a search. Walker notes someone tried to wipe data from the ship’s computer, then asks Kessler to expand on his theory. Suddenly, she sees the image of someone who died twenty five years earlier, then it disappears. Reassuring the others she just got distracted, Rouiancet wants to know what the Unity Dow was supposed to find. In the mean time, Kessler discovers that the CMO revoked the authority of the Unity Dow’s captain.
Sherlock feels like they are missing something, for how does an entire crew just disappear? She suggests they get eyes on the ship. They still don’t know what the Unity Dow was supposed to find, and Kessler notes whatever it was, they weren’t ready for. Subsequently, he suggests they initiate the Borg enhanced shielding as well as a level 10 forcefield set up around the bridge's emergency egress just in case something tries to vent the bridge as appeared to have happened to the Dow. Walker suggests they establish a remote connection with the Dow using its prefix codes. Rouiancet agrees and orders the bridge to do just that and also agrees they need to get a team over to the Unity Dow. Walker prepares to try and access the Unity Dow while the spirit of Amara smirks over her.
The Mission
Arlill joins forces with Lieutenant Anton Richards, Lieutenant JG Karen Stendhal, and Ensign Morro Caras to find out what the Unity was doing in the sector and to reconstruct it’s mission reports. Meeting in the Operations Center, Arlill announces he’s managed to declassify most of the Dow’s mission logs and encourages them to try and find something within an hour. Questions arise as to why the logs were classified in the first place, and Richards suggests they look at logs in case someone revealed something they shouldn’t have. Caras requests to go through the engineering logs. Arlill initiates an algorithm to find location based references and build a map based on that information.
The group work for sometime, and come up with very little. Arlill notices that usually, 40% or so of command logs are classified, but for the Unity Dow, it’s 85% and multiple ensigns were assigned to bridge duty without oversight of higher ranks. Stendhal notes even the counsellor was an ensign. Caras can’t even find a single log from the Chief Engineer. He also brings attention to the finished algorithm output, but it doesn’t offer much insight. He then suggests they look at when the logs were sent rather than when they were made, as being so far out, messages were likely sent in waves rather than a steady stream. Caras then notes that they could have timed their logs so classified logs were ‘obscured’ because of the number of logs sent all at once. Because the classified logs make it difficult, they decide to try and hack into them.
Richards agrees and says they should take fifteen minutes to try. He finds the first one he’s chosen surprisingly easy, but they are only able to get a partial message where a person wonders if they’re going crazy, or the rest of the crew is and the strangeness of what was supposed to be a routine mission, but logs are being sent far too often. Caras wonders if the high ranked staff were hiding things and asked the ensigns to lie on their behalf. Stendhal wonders where the Commanding Officer went, and Caras asks her if she was able to identify the woman from the video log from any non classified logs that wen through, though cautions they may have to gather data manually because of self-deteriorating encryption on the classified logs. The Counsellor was indeed able to find some additional logs nad wonders if the computer’s AI could help decrypt them without losing information. Richards suggests they analyze the encryption trigger to try and find a work around to the shredding process
Arlill steps to the side and pretends to use the comms but secretly talks to Henri, an entity formed from nanobots placed inside him, and asks if he can interface with the ship’s computer without alerting anyone. Arlill moves closer to a console and touches it, giving Henri access. When an acknowledgement button flashes near Stendhal, he gives her a look (for she knows about Henri) and tells the others a comms officer on deck 9 is attempting to create duplicates of the logs without triggering the safety protocols. He then sends an update of their progress to the first officer.
Arlill states one of his officers is trying to duplicate the logs so they can attempt to hack them without unintentionally sabotaging them because of the degradation encryption. While Caras agrees it’s a good idea, he notes it will take a massive amount of computer core cycles. Though they don’t know what happened, they can see that it changed how everyone was acting on the ship. Caras gets an idea to bypass the main core and bog down the secondary core instead as they try to access the encrypted data and run other processes on the main core which would allow them to break all the encryptions on the classified logs at once.
Arlill asks Richards to assist Caras while Stendhal continues to delve into the records and he informs other members of the crew of what they’re doing and asks them to redirect requests via the secondary nodes. As he does so, he ponders over the situation, realises the UD may have had something external influence them, and calls Rouiancet to recommend they go to yellow alert. She agrees and tells Arlill to send down any encryptions they’re having trouble with so Intelligence can help.
Caras gets nervous and Arlill hopes that the shields will prevent what happened to the Unity Down from happening to them and also encourages his team to stay focused. Henri then tells Arlill there’s a log that wasn’t encrypted, but hidden among other logs that were sent. After wondering if sabotage was the cause of the Unity Dow’s officer’s strange disappearance, Caras states that once they have a backup, Richards can begin the decryption and they can fault over to secondary systems to observe the raw stream.
As Karen wonders if what Caras indicated was a request for a date, she ponders over her past love life, then suggests they scan the perimeter to ascertain the safety of the area. Arlill picks up readings above normal in the gamma ray spectrum and Caras notes that the Unity Dow and other objects are every so slightly out of phase. Stendhal asks if they can adjust the comms systems to make sure communications stay open, then notes that she noticed progressive breakdowns in emotional states in the logs. Richards notes the woman in the log was looking over her shoulder and after Arlill says he’ll have some ops crew continue to work on the phasic shift, he encourages them to do it quickly, for they don’t have much time.
The Location
Lt. Commander Avander Promontory along with Lt. Commander Katsim, Lieutenant JG Lhandon Nilsen, and Ensign Yinn are tasked with making sure the system is safe to search. Everyone tries to figure out how to get information about the system. Nilsen notes the oort cloud, which Katsim has already tried to scan, but the computer is unable to penetrate. Nilsen suggests using radar as an alternative, Yinn suggest probes and a remotely controlled shuttle, and Katsim adds that she would also like to employ microlensing and stellar occultation. Because they travel faster than light, Yinn notes they can observe what happened in the system in the past, and then as they move closer, their perspective gets closer to the present. Promontory elects to employ facets of all the ideas in order to get the most information they can and move forward.
They prepare to send unmanned space craft in the form of probes and drone shuttles to help get what information they could, hoping the shorter range will cut through interference. Katsim marks a spot on the cloud with fewer sensor echoes and Yinn cautions that there could still be a lot of interference. When Nilsen states he is going to print shuttles, Promontory suggests he uses ones already currently accessible, and reminds him the Marine Valkyries are also available. The group launch the vessels and probes, then head to the bridge.
Upon arriving, Promontory receives an update from Arlill on their progress then sends one of his own to the other teams. As they gather data, Nilsen plans to shift course slightly to avoid a slightly denser area, but Yinn suggests they try to find out why, and discovers stronger gravimetric readings, but can’t tell what’s causing them.
The ships moves out of the cloud and they find the Unity Dow. After scanning, they find no life signs and the bridge evacuation hatch, only used when crashed in an atmosphere, is open, and Promontory asks if this means it was done manually and purposefully since there are fail safes to prevent it opening in a vacuum. They move the ship closer and Yinn suggests they beam over a crew in EV suits to investigate further, but Promontory decides to bring the Captain in before coming to a decision and to get as much information as they can first. He tells Nilsen to head to the inner edge of the system at warp 4, then proceed on impulse from there.
As they get closer, Katsim continues to scan but finds no sign of the escape pod or of any biological material on the ship beyond its components, which indicates no bodies of the crew either. As she works, she suddenly sees the doors of the bridge open and her grandfather standing there, but when she blinks, it disappears, and she realises she imagined it. The others ask what she saw, unwilling to dismiss it.
Yinn manages to get the sensor logs, but notes nothing unusual happened until the escape pod was launched, after which the hatch opened, but everything functioned normally, even afterward. They can only surmise that the destination was the planet.
Katsim continues to monitor data from the probes and vessels sent out which have created a miniature array which allows them to cut through the interference. One discovers a defunct, warp capable ship. Nilsen suggests they send out more shuttles and probes to extend the array and try to reach the Uhura. Yinn zones out and people become concerned, but then Katsim receives information from the computer that items in the system as ever so slightly out of phase. Rouiancet calls and tells them to rarise the shields and enact a forcefield around the bridge's emergency egress. Promontory complies and calls for a medic to attend to Yinn.
The Acquisition
Lieutenant Josh Herrick is joined by Lieutenant JG Toz, First Lieutenant Arturo Maxwell, and Second Lieutenant Jacen Xaivis take the runabout, Talents, to Port Coray to covertly seek out information by inquiring about Star Trek technology for sale or anyone unhappy with Starfleet.. The group prepares to head to Port Coray, making sure they will blend in with other residents rather than announce their presence by wearing their uniforms. Herrick reminds them they will likely see slave markets, but they must focus on the mission. As they draw close, Maxwell requests permission to dock and it is granted.
Xaivas wonders if they can take weapons onto the station, but since they weren’t told they couldn’t, they decide to go in armed, and Toz thinks there may have been a traitor on the Unity Dow. As the group steps out, a stration representative approaches them, introduces himself as Bartholomew Quintius Coray, and asks what he can do for them. Toz asks where they can get some food and he directs them to the Port Coray Saloon and Diner. Xaivis agrees it’s a good place to start. Once there, the group is greeted by Reginald Augustus Coray the Third. The group order food and Maxwell points out some Ferengi that he’s not sure he would trust asking, and wonders if simply observing and listening might be their best option and Toz makes a suggestion that they do just that.
Xaivis notices among the Gamma Quadrant species, there are a number of Alpha and Beta Quadrant species. He also mentions staying away from unpleasant types and R.A. Coray warns them they will find themselves on the other side of an airlock if they start anything. Herrick tells Coray they’re scoping for new talent for hire using a fists-first approach to weed out the weak as well as repairs and asks for Fed-tech. Xaivis notes species usually associated with the Federation are present, but Coray assures them their ‘hot metal’ (or stolen goods) and they are safe.
As they observe what’s around them, Toz notices someone wearing Starfleet issue boots and suggests they follow them. Maxwell agrees, but only one rather than the group. Another man joins the boot wearing individual at the table and a subtle exchange of some tiny object is made under the table. Maxwell sees it and states they might be on to something. Xaivis wonders if their host can provide a distraction. Herrick elects to split them up. He tells Maxwell and Toz to tail the man while he and Xaivis remain. Before they split, an new engineer, Ensign Kimonzi Lahl, joins them, and Herrick greets her. As she asks for a run down of the situation, the man stands up in preparation to leave.
After they depart, R.A. Coray returns to the table and tells them that he found someone who says they know someone who went to the Omicron system and back, but he’s dead. The person with the information will sell it for 100,000 credits, but they only have 10,000. He then tells them some people, like some Breen, are interested in buying their ship and that they could normally get a couple million, but Herrick asks if they could get a better offer elsewhere and Xaivas wonders if there are any other parties, perhaps off station, who might be interested. Lahl notes they would need transportation, and Coray mentions others would for a price. Herrick says to let them know what people will give and then they’ll make a decision.
As they sit, a Boslic joins them, referring to some ‘Esh-O’ friends, which tells them they know who they are. She indicates she has information about Omicron Victor and is willing to tell for 9,000 credits. Herrick pays her. Nanjjii, the Boslic, tells them that no one has returned from the Omicron Victor, even the Dominion avoided it, and likely their friends are all dead. Xaivis wonders where the stories came from, and that some people have dared to go close and doesn’t feel like she’s really given them any facts, and Lahl agrees it’s all theatrics. Nannjji hints that Luriaa has been to the Omicron system. Feeling like they’ve heard enough, the group leaves Nanjjii in the dust who is miffed they didn’t even offer a thank you.
Stalkers
Maxwell and Toz follow and attempt to look like a couple of comrades. Carefully observing, they notice one of the fellows is nervous. Eventually, the two they are following enter into through a door to a shop. They decide to backtrack and look like they’re looking for something in the shop the entrance belongs to. They spy the men who disappear behind a curtain, then reappear with a box. Toz wonders if they should follow, or check behind the curtain. As they deliberate, a shot comes from behind them and Toz is hit in the shoulder. Quickly pushing Maxwell out of the way, she falls into a glass case. As the shooter appears, she automatically grabs her bat'leth and kills him, then gets out her medkit. As Maxwell gives her something for the pain, local enforcement begin arriving and the two hightail it out of there.
Transporter Issues
With the transporters still offline, during the morning duty assignments, Lieutenant Singer assigns Ensign Elijah Kovacs and Petty Officer 1st Una Qualunque to investigate the issue further.
They run preliminary diagnostics, which don’t yield any useful information. Kovacs proposes running the transport sequence during a Level 3 diagnostic. Opting for a safer approach, given the last bio-canister test exploded, the duo debated what should be placed through the transporter. Una suggests something living, like the captain or first officer’s pet, to incentivize them to make sure it works the first time. Eli, however, recommends using a banana instead, given he wouldn’t be sure they’d be forgiven if something happened to the pets.
As the transport sequence completes, for the first few moments, it seems like all is well. Then, the banana explodes, pieces strewn across the room and on the officers. Looking at the diagnostic log, it appears that once the annular confinement beam reaches maximum power there is an error within the safety margins, but it is further compounded by pattern degradation once it’s at the transporter controller. They both agree to inspect the transporter more closely.
As they make their way to the controller, the transport self-initiates the transport sequence. Una, resigned to their fate, confesses her attraction to Kovacs, who awkwardly responds by mentioning his relationship with Nilsen. Ultimately, the computer is able to complete the transport successfully. Their tense moment is interrupted by a rude ops officer, Ryes Thar’tavos, who enters the transporter room to replace chips in various panels. Despite trying to get the officer’s attention, he doesn’t seem to notice them.
Ryes completes his task, cleans up the hyperspanner left behind, and leaves the transporter room, composing a passive-aggressive message to the Operations team about maintaining cleanliness.
Act II
Rouiancet mobilises most of the senior staff to the Unity Dow, with Kessler in command of a team that includes Caras, Lahl, and Richards. A few remain behind with her on the bridge, including Herrick and Nilsen. Promontory is joined by Katsim, Maxwell, and Walker in an effort to use the scanners to try and cut through the interference on the planet and see if there’s something that could explain the UD’s status and location. Arlill is joined by Stendhal and Toz to the Sower, with instructions to sweep the system's derelict ships and station.
The Bridges
Promontory takes the bridge along with Katsim, Maxwell, and Walker and asks if there is any new information from the scans. Walker finds a storm, but trinimbic interference prevents scans from getting much information, and asks if such interference is common among storms. Katsim confirms it’s more common with different atmospheric conditions. Walker receives reports that other officers are seeing things and Promontory notes it got worse as they got closer to the planet. Maxwell suggests they reconfigure the internal sensors to run a multi-phasic sweep and align them with the internal security monitors which could fry them, but could give them more information. The scans find nothing, and they realise what they are seeing is all in their minds.
Katsim starts seeing creeping darkness emerging from viewscreen which then disappears. Walker senses something and looks up, where translucent dark masses and tendrils and tentacles writhe above her and begin to lower toward the floor, where it feels about then disappears. Maxwell suggests they secure all bridge system and he deploys security and marine personnel. Katsim brings up information from scans she began when Walker was hallucinating and shares that there was a spike in the visual cortex. Suddenly, Maxwell begins to cough, sputter, and choke. Walker and Katsim move to assist him. Promontory begins to speak to someone that he thinks is the EMH, but no one else sees anyone there. Maxwell stops choking and is able to sit up.
Katsim returns to the console and States whatever is happening involves something on the planet and they either need to investigate or leave, but Walker does not recommend investigating.
Promontory asks if Katsim can find a way to block telepathic effects until it's Max to continuously monitor the frequencies she found earlier. Maxwell goes to his own console and reads an increase in activity, but it's directed inwards, and Walker asks for clarification.
Rouiancet call The Butler to let them know they are preparing for a power transfer to the Unity Dow, and that Tesla hasn't been able to find any crew but they think they've been phased out of reach to contact or interact with them. Walker informs engineering to prepare for the transfer and wait for Herrick's instructions. Promontory informs her that several crew members are having hallucinations, and they are trying to find a way to mitigate the effects, but he recommends they leave immediately. The intelligence director continues to experience the hallucination of a dead friend but does her best to ignore it as she advises that with a restrict all unnecessary personnel to their quarters out of concern for others’ safety. Promontory tell them they should prepare to head to the planet and helps that it is the eye of the storm, but also try and prepare mitigation in case it isn't.
Maxwell shares a theory that whatever is on the planet considers the Dow a splinter and is trying to get rid of it. Walker resigns herself to the fact they will have to head to the planet and mentions that the storm appeared over anarchipelago in the northern hemisphere about the same time the hallucinations began. Unfortunately, by that time it has tripled in size and doubled in strength. They decide to try andn fly into the eye of the storm, but Katsim warns them that the center of the psionic field is just inside the eye wall. She leaves to prepare.
Max checks on his daughter and thinks he sees movement. Their cats react and he realises they can see the hallucinations as well. Concerned for her safety, he sends Milly to a friend and returns to duty, his cat Haggis in tow.
Katsim arrives at Shuttlebay 2, the first of the officers. Maxwell brings his cat and after Walker arrives, inquires about it and he explains that his cat can see the shadows. Suddenly, she shouts she is not in response to a hallucination that no one else can see, and apologises, but that she can’t talk about it. Promontory decides he wants to check with Rouiancet, thinking perhaps a change in team members is necessary. Walker finally tells them she’s seeing a vengeful and bitter version of a friend who died a couple of decades prior and asks if anyone else had something similar.
The Sowers
Arlill along with Stendhal and Toz head to the oort cloud to survey a derelict station in hopes of learning information that might help them with the situation. Putting Stendhal at the helm, he asks that scans be run at liberty. As he looks around the bridge, a seat he thought was occupied by Yinn actually holds Lieutenant Wauhk. He asks the Lieutenant to scan for anomalies, then inquires as to whether anyone else has seen anything ‘off’. Wauhk confirms the previous discovery that the ship is slightly out of phase with the planet.
As they scan, Stendhal stated there is an unidentified negative energy reading in the navigation's console. Arlill orders them to scan for any other ships when suddenly, a bird of prey materialises. Toz says there are life signs and they should check it out and Arlill tells the to take it in easy. As they board, Arlill notes a smell and asks if there are any obvious threats and if the counsellor senses anyone, and she does and doesn’t at the same time. Suddenly, they hear footsteps, but Wauhk can not get information from scanners.
Arlill asks Stendhal to try and reach out telepathically while he connects a power cell and some lights turn on. It’s then he sees a figure watching them and he asks Stendhal if she can as well. Toz sees a group of medical ensigns and wonders if they’re in over their heads. Stendhal states they’re asking for help somehow, for some reason some are dancing, and states they’re out of phase and they need to get them back in phase. Toz wonders if they can access the log, including personal logs. Suddenly, Stendhal feels dizzy and nauseous, and Toz notes a slight elevation in her occipital lobe. She sits that she feels like there are hundreds of telepathic people that are pushing at her mind, then suddenly sees a giant targ running. Toz points out that they're all hallucinating, it says to open the docking hatch they've come to carefully.
Stendhal experiences a mess of strange and disturbing images in her head, and seize the incense again who are dancing and waving angrily well she insists she doesn't want fried chicken. Arlill asks Toz if she can give the other woman something to block the telepathic influence, I'm going to try to get into the logs and asks Wauhk if she's found anything, and to reports high levels of chroniton particles. Finally, he opens the hatch and they enter the station proper. Stendhal states that it's better now, and they move on. They didn't get far when Stendhal suddenly has to sit down and ask for a minute to rest.
Toz stays with Stendhal while Arlill and Wauhk move on ahead. As he returns to a remote system attached to the power cell, he finds the cell almost drained, which means they will run out of life support. There’s a rumble beneath his feet and he tells Wauhk they need to get back to the shuttle as Stendhal and Toz rejoin them. Suddenly, Stendhal faints and though she quickly comes to, says she feels weak and is unable to walk. She sees an Ensign in a blue uniform looking unwell but approaching her with a hypospray. He disappears and she tells her fellow officers about him. Toz wonders if they’re going to try and take the ship out of the Oort cloud with them. Suddenly, a strange groan echoes through the station and the group makes a hasty retreat.
The Bridge of the Unity Dow
Rouiancet heads up a team comprised of Herrick, Nilsen and herself to the bridge of the Unity Dow. Rouiancet uses a science station to try and reconstruct logs, Nilsen takes the Ops console, while Herrick takes Engineer to search for information there, then suddenly sees a flash of blue. Dismissing it, he asks Nilsen for help reconstructing the fragmented logs. Nilsen expresses concern since Katsim also saw something on the bridge, and he notes that was also how Alpha Brenkelvi II started. Nilsen then checks how the power grid was being used and states it looks like they were trying to pump the power of half their warp core to the shields. Nilsen asks if there’s enough power to pull up a level 10 forcefield around the bridge. Concerned that the crew might have been interphased, she suggests they scan for chronitons.
Herrick gets the field up, but notes he had to override the command because the computer didn’t believe it had the power to do so and notes a strange residual reading from the ready room. As he opens the door, a stench assaults their noses as a plate of dinner was left on the desk, but he manages to note that the residual readings seem to come from the chair behind the desk.
They find mouldy leftovers of a sandwich which Rouiancet states they can test it to find out how long the crew have been gone, but Nilsen notes most people wouldn’t leave out food which means whatever happened was sudden. Nilsen notes that he had received an almost telepathic gift back on Alpha Brenkelvi II that he though would allow him to facilitate communications but he’s getting nothing. Herrick scans and finds some particles that are close cousins to chronitons, but with some key differences. He also notes they can pull a latent copy of any logs recorded in the ready room.
After opening the viewscreen and manipulating the circuitry, he tells Rouiancet he’ll need the proper command code to authorise playback. They get it to work, but the recording of the captain is unstable and almost incomprehensible. Nilsen thinks there might be a syntax there, so decides to send the information back to the OEB to try and translate it. The group review the logs, but find nothing unusual at first. Then, Herrick notes some tiny spikes of energy. Rouiancet answers a call from Kessler while Herrick wonders if this was the result of a localised spatial phenomenon or something more nefarious, and notes that at the same time the small spikes of energy registered, the crew’s comm signals went fuzzy and he confirms the strange out of phase situation caused havoc.
When Nielsen mentions that the crew might still be there, and Herrick wonders if they could be shifting through different observable spectrums, just out of phase and imperceptible, Rouiancet wonders if they could get them in phase and it's a power transfer from the butler to the Unity Dow would be useful so they could try and determine whether or not they were still there. Herrick safely deflector would be their best bet, but could cause powerful accelerations and they don't want anything to explode in their faces. Since it would also affect the other team on the Unity Dow, they will have to warn the other team before they try anything. They have to get the deflector dishes facing each other, and Nilsen says so people watch on the power levels to keep it safe. Rouiancet contacts the Butler to let them know what they're doing and to prepare for a power transfer. Rouiancet reports that bridge crew have been having hallucinations and they believe something on the planet is causing them and they’re trying to find a way to mitigate the effects and get the Dow moving, but should leave the system as soon as possible.
Working on a console, Herrick prepares the program, but when he looks up he finds two aliens have replaced his fellow officers and he demands to know who they are. He threatens to open the hatch and invent them all into space if they don't and as he prepares to lower the force field, the being that was Lhandon tackles him and in the struggle, a phaser goes off and strikes the bulkhead. Rouiancet sees a severely injured woman and hears her voices, then aims a shot at Herrick who’s knocked to the ground. When he looks up, his crewmembers have returned to normal.
Herrick apologises to them and Nilsen asks about Herrick’s vision and compares them to others and that it suggests an intelligence behind it. Rouiancet informs the others they’re ready for the flash and when it occurs, Rouiancet sees a dozen bodies on the bridge, but she can’t tell if they are actively out of phase, or simply images from the past. Herrick also sees them but no devices detect life signs.
They receive a call from Caras to eject the warp core in his panic, and Nilsen prepares to do so, but a couple of minutes later, he calls back and explains that something picked him up then dropped him. They decide to go ahead and eject the warp core, just in case.
The Bowels of the Unity Dow
Kessler is tasked with leading Caras, Lahl, and Richards over to the Unity Down to discover what they can about the ship and her crew. After going over the necessary preparation information and tools, the group don EVA suits, head to the transporter room and are beamed over to the Unity Dow. Lahl scans, but finds no life signs. Lahl asks how dangerous the mission is expected to be since a security officer is with them and Richards reassures her it’s only a matter of precaution. Kessler anticipates threats, otherwise the crew would still be there. As Lahl scans, she finds nothing interesting, which is surprising.
The group move down the corridor and Lahl’s tricorder picks up something behind a panel. As they look behind the panel, they find some sort of technology. Caras observes it and thinks it might have been crafted in the Gamma Quadrant. Suddenly, Richards turns around as he thought he heard the voice of the woman from the log, but there is nothing. Caras puts the find in his pack in case they find more and can compare and notes it lookedl like an EPS regulator, but backwards and if there are more, it might be why there’s no power. As they continue, he asks if they are going to rappel down the turbolift shafts or take the Jefferies tubes.
Kessler stops as he sees an image of his father which disappears. Lahl also sees a vision, but of a previous host as Richards mentions he’s picked up radiation. Caras is concerned, but the group elect to keep going and head down a hatch, taking them three decks down. Suddenly, Caras hears voices. Kessler decides to check in with Rouiancet and establishes a comlink, telling her they’ve found some unknown technology, and Caras states they seem to have visions when they find the technology. Afterward, they head toward Engineering. As they approach the next hatch, they find another piece of unknown technology, but it’s too big to remove. Suddenly, Caras sees an image of an Orion captain getting beaten and hears him say, “Shadows follow you.” He shares what he saw and Kessler notes that all the visions are dark. He suggests they try to focus on their jobs and keep their thoughts happy and more joyful to see if it helps.
The group go down to one more level and they find discarded EVA suits just dropped onto the floor. When he scans them, he finds the oxygen is completely depleted, strange considering they should have 36 hours of supply. He checks his own supply and is relieved to see it’s fine. Lahl wonders if the suits leaked, but can find no evidence they did so. The group finally move on to engineering and force the doors open, but find themselves faced with the Mess Hall instead.
When Caras reaches into his engineering kid, he finds that the node has attracted several of the tools, and they have been drained of their power and the node has grown. They set aside the equipment, and decide to repel down the turbo lift shaft to get to engineering as quickly as possible. As they do so, Caras and Richards experience hallucinations. Suddenly, Kessler starts struggling to breathe and the meter shows his oxygen depleting rapidly. After taking off his helmet, he's done playing nice, and gets ready his phaser, and they go back to the mess hall in order to find out answers.
When they return to the “mess hall”, Lahl notices that the device she found has combined with the one that Caras found, and the Orion detects an energy to matter conversion. Richard points out that every time they have a hallucination episode, the devices seem to drain power and he expresses his frustration. Caras Thanksgiving the devices the power they want would be very bad and wonders if there was a way to drain the power from the devices to power something like a transporter and transport themselves to engineering. Although he acknowledges it's not a bad idea, Kessler is worried they might hallucinate and transport themselves into a worse situation. Then he spies something in the shadows and notes that something is watching them, but as he goes to face it, he finds nothing.
Picking out his tri quarter, Kessler decides to take a different route to engineering. He navigates to a shop that should lead directly to where they want to go. Suddenly he gets attacked by a ghostly serpent that knocks into the ground and wraps around his body. He tells Richards to shoot and stun him to get the serpent off, but it’s Lahl who winds up stunning the tactical officer as she gets into an argument with herself. Richards goes to check on him and clumsily tries to console the upset Lahl.
A call from Nilsen comes in and they warn the group they’re about to do a power transfer from the Butler to the Unity Dow to make a photonic flash and hopefully see anything out of phase. Caras states they should quickly get to engineer because they can help give the ship a jump start. He picks up Kessler to carry him on and asks Richards to take point.
When they get to engineering, they find a bigger version of the artefacts they’ve discovered and Kessler awakens and he suggests they try to get power back to the ship. He tells Lahl and Richards to destabilisine the devices’ connections while he and Caras work on realigning the power grid away from the artefacts. They decide to reroute the sub systems to bypass the devices. Caras and Richards manages to jump start the warp core and the Unity Dow regains power to some systems.
Suddenly, Caras sees a mass with writhing tentacles and faces. Several tentacles peel away and head toward the officers, and one attaches itself to Caras’ leg and lifts him into the air. Lahl fires the phaser at the tentacle and it drops the Orion and his oxygen is drained, nor can he stand on his own. No one is certain if they are hallucinating or if what happened was real, or if interacting with it, and it with them, is real or not. Richards wonders if another photonic blast will help them see the creature. Caras calls Herrick and updates him on what happened.
Caras notices the strange nodes and tech are migrating from primary to secondary systems, and he states they’re going to try to drain the power. He asks the OEB to run a continuous scan so they can get a map of where the nodes are in order to remove them. The group work as fast as they can to get back to the OEB.
Mind And Matter
Yinn is still comatose and not responding to Loq, who is still himself and yet both himself and Yin at the same time. All the crew of the Butler have disappeared, and he inquires of the computer about who is on board. It response with gibberish. He checks various areas including Sickbay where he sees the flash of a blue uniform.
Act III
Rouiancet recalls Arlill and his team, then sends Arlill with Nilsen and Caras to salvage the Unity Dow, if possible. Promontory, Walker, Maxwell, and Katsim are sent to the planet to investigate the possible origin of the hallucinations. With minor power drainage now an issue on the Butler, Herrick, Lahl, and Stendhal and sent to investigate. Rouiancet joins Toz, Richards, and Yinn in Sickbay to learn more about the hallucinations.
Unity Dow
Meeting in the shuttle bay on the OEB, Arlill tells everyone to check twice on everything because of the hallucinations. The ride to the Unity Dow goes smoothly and they decide to head to engineering. Nilsen interfaces every tricorder in order to check and recheck everything. Caras senses tension between Arlill and Nilsen and after he points out the entance to the Jeffries tubes, tries to get the Chief of Ops to talk about his friend and Arlill asks about Caras himself. As they hear a shriek Arlill requests someone to act as security and 2Lt. Ithri Sh’shelor joins them.
Caras updates Sh’shelor about what had happened previous and offers to sync her tricorder with theirs and that a tone indicates someone is likely having a hallucination. Suddenly, another shriek fills the air. Caras heads into the tubes first, followed by the others. Once again, they hear the shriek, but the ship actually moves and someone falls. Caras braces to catch the person. Sh’shelor manages to catch hold of him, dislocating her shoulder in the process. When they all get down safely, she resets it and the group continues on to engineering. Ariel sees a hallucination of an old professor, and thinks they should work quickly as well as establish a connection with the OEB.
The group engages the impulse engine and suddenly nodes start pouring into the room. Everyone experiences a a hallucination, though Henri helps Arlill keep his cool. Arlill orders the the computer to initiate a warp core containment field polarity reversal sequence, but while it helps slow the nodes, it raises radiation. He increases the shielding on the deck and releases hyronalin in the air to combat the radiation, but notes they need to find a way to shut the nodes down permanently and asks for ideas. He also asks Henri, but all he can tell him is that the person talking to him isn’t real.
Nilsen mentions there are other containment protocols they can use to neutralise the nodes, and Caras suggests using the emitters to move the power and thus keep them moving without draining power. When things quiet down, Nilsen asks Arlill who he was talking to.
Ithri asks Caras how she can help and he tells her to attract stray nodes into the range of the emitters using her phaser rifle, trusting her to avoid damaging anything. Unfortunately, one of the fields fail, and emitters break loose and begin to cover Sh’shelor. He manages to haul her out and suggests using a shuttle to attract the nodes to its power. Arlill tells Nnilsen to overload the shuttle’s fusion reactor.In an effort to assist in stopping the nodes, Arlill lowersthe warpcorefield which increases the radiation, and uncertain of their survival, states it was an honour to serve with them.
Caras gets the idea to blow a hole in the hull and explode the shuttle to draw the nodes. The plan works, but radiation levels have surpassed the toxicity threshold, and Arlill’s nose starts to bleed. Nilsen gets propulsion systems online while Sh’shelor seals the rest of the hatches. The ship begins to move slowly and he warns the OEB to keep a certain distance as they are about to explode the shuttle and tells Caras to blow it up. Caras asks Nilsen if he’s okay and erects a forcefield, but notes that he thinks others are still seeing things and that creature might still be there. Another photonic flash might allow them to see it and fight it, but they are all very weak. He then suggests they talk about what they see and tells him about seeing his sister and what she’s saying. Sh’shelor tells a little, but insists they do rather than talk and tells Caras to tell them what to do about the warp core. Arlill yells for everyone to focus and alarms go off announcing a cascade failure and gets rocked by explosions. He climbs up a ladder to reach an affected EPS conduit to stop the failure and tells the others to get the warp core initiated as quickly as possible and Caras tells them the sensors are out so there might be more issues that they won’t know about until it’s too late. He tells Nilsen to manually reset the vertical tension member and needs Ithri to allow him to hold her by her legs so she can heat up several rods with her phaser just enough to make them malleable.
Once done, they do the reset and get the shields up. Nilsen informs the OEB that they are moving the Unity Dow through the cloud, out of the system, and passes along the coordinates. Caras keeps life support to a minimum and watches the readouts carefully as they traverse through space. Suddenly, an asteroid field appears, and though they aren’t quite sure if they’re real, Arlill orders them to target the first one they come to and destroy it.
Sickbay
Rouiacent connects with Toz in Sickbay and while there, Yinn wakes up from her comatose state and says the crew from the Unity Dow are out of phase. She mentions a transporter accident with Ensign Kovacs and Petty Officer Qualunque. Unsettled, Toz sets about checking out the patient while Richards asks if the out of phase crew is responsible for their hallucinations. Toz notes they would need a lot of medical pesonell if they try to rephase the crew and indicates she’ll need time to study whatever it is they decide do. Rouiancet orders to get Yinn fully back into phase and then figure out how to help the UD’s crew. She asks Toz how she planned to rephase Yinn. Richards suggests they try to find a way to let the UD crew know they’re going to try and rephase them. Toz suggests they use the transporters to get someone into the same phase as the UD crew to communicate with them and Yinn comments that her brains can’t communicate when the bodies are in different phases. She states half of herself is going to engineer with Kovacs to help adjust the transporters to get them back in phase and asks Rouiancet where she would like the other half. The commander say to go to the bridge and asks Richards to go with them and take the conn while she and Toz and Qualunque head to the Unity Dow.
Bridge
Up on the bridge, Richards takes the conn and Nijal joins him and Yinn. Nijal receives notification from Arlill that they opened communication lines and Yinn comments that likely the hallucinations and phase issues are unrelated. She also notes her other body is working with Kovacs and Johnson in Engineering. According to Nijal, Arlill and his team are ready to ignite thrusters. Richards asks to warn the away team they’re about to scan for anyone out of phase, and Nijal complies. When the results come back, she sees both numerous as well as none. Yinn thinks they are slipping in and out of phase, becoming morevisiblewhen they come close to the OEB’s own frequency and worries that beaming them back is only a temporary measure. Richards suggests they try it on a single crewmember and Nijal suggests they send whomever they choose to Sickbay. Yinn gets the transporter locked onto the phase variance, then calls Sickbay and asks if anyone appeared and Richards asks if they’re awake. Nurse Aide Martha Wing responds.
They also receive notification from Nilsen that they are about to explode the Wild Seed and Richards acknowledges. Nijal notes that the logs show the captain’s team never went to the Dow, and Yinn decides to go to Sickbay, though she shifts deflector power to starboard in case a burst of power from the explosion hits them. The bridge stands by to beam Nilsen and his team out if necessary. As Yinn prepares to leave, Nijal sees odd readings coming from nacelle operations as hatches are opening themselves. Yinn seals it off with a forcefield to investigate later, and reports the test to beam back someone into phase has succeeded in Sickbay.
Nijal calls down to the nacelle to let them know they’ve put a forcefield in place and asks if they need assistance. She also confirms that Arlill’s team has gotten the Dow’s shields up and steady. Those in the nacelle ops call back and suggest a security officer to help in case a sedated officer wakes up and becomes erratic. Richards says to send someone down and asks if the Captain and her team are back in phase and is relieved to hear that they are. A mayday call comes in from the shuttle which has lost control as it flees the planet. Fortunately, it has come close enough for them to transport the entire shuttle to the cargo bay, and then the entire ship quickly heads out of the system.
Unity Down, Team B
After some preparations, Rouiancet, Qualunque, and Toz meet in Transporter Room 2 and beam over to the Unity Dow. Qualunque fortunately brings snacks. As they check the transporters, they also see shadowy figures, those out of phase, but can’t communicate. When they hear a groan in the corner, they find someone who’s more corporeal - a Barney Nilsen. Toz suggests they get him to sickbay, but as they move him, another voice speaks about suffering alone. Qualunque finds their phase is not only out of sync, but shifting slightly, and suggests ways to bring them back into phase, but Toz notes what they’re seeing may not be real because of being out of phase and Rouiancet asks if they can use the transporters to stabilise the patterns and rephase people. Qualunque gets the energy readings and notes theirs is lower than those in and out of phase, at least comparatively. She suggests they hook up to their signal using the computer and a modified PADD and maybe we can stabilize everything.
Rouiancet tells her to do it but wonders if there’s something they can do physically to assist, but then gets a call but Toz doesn’t recognise the voice and a woman who says she’s Wilma Nilsen speaks. Another voice then says they’ve been there a long time and asks for help. Qualunque gets ready to work toward stabilising Barney Nilsen, the name of the man who appeared, and after she treats him, notes he looks better. Wing notes that his blood pressure suddenly shot up, then dropped to normal and Toz express frustration and confusion while asking if they can contact the Butler and see if they are in phase with the ship.
Rouiancet confirms they’re back in phase. Yinn (Loq) arrives and affirms she can see them and also informs them that they modified the transporters from engineering and tried to beam one out-of-phase signal to sickbay. With one Nilsen there, they can’t seem to find Wilma and thinks having security around and forcefields up would be beneficial. Yinn (Loq) informs them that she and Kovacs isolated many out of phase lifeforms, far more than was the crew compliment of the Unity Dow, but they should be able to do it again and with multiple targets. She reports to the bridge their progress and what they plan to do.
Barney collapses into a coma. Toz tells a nurse to administer glucose and suggests they get Nilsen to come see if he recognises the man. They continue to experiment to try and bring other people back into phase, and they are finally successful.
As others come into Sickbay, Toz sets about treating them as the Butler makes a hasty retreat.
OVIV
Promontory, Walker, Maxwell, and Katsim, joined by Maxwell’s cat, Haggis and Katsim’s dragonet, Echo, head to the planet and managed to push through they eyewall into a cave from which the signal is originating. Once there, they all begin to hallucinate. With the voice of his ex reverberating through his mind, Maxwell angrily denounces the hallucination and insists they push onward. Katsim finds stairs that circle around and down toward the city with other stairs branching off from it, but Walker reacts badly to another hallucination. Maxwell helps calm her and the group moves on. Promontory suggests they think of a favourite song or poem to help.
The group find themselves in the city and Katsim is suddenly separated by walls that shoot up from the ground. She tells them to meet in the center. As the trio continues, another wall splits Promontory away from Maxwell and Walker and they agree to keep going. After a while, Haggis alerts Maxwell that something isn’t right, and he immediately freezes only to find a hole they almost fell into. Echo appears and seems to urge them into the hole, and when they go down, they find Katsim who has evidently fallen through another and awakens. They ask where the XO is, but she indicates she has no knowledge of his whereabouts.
OVIV - Separated
Katsim continues through the city, but walls prevent her from going down side streets to cut through and meet up with her fellow officers. Suddenly, the ground gives out beneath her.
As Promontory continues, the roof caves in and he manages to roll away, only to find Katsim has fallen beneath as well. Using his combadge, he lets the others know he has found her.
OVIV - Together Again
Katsim and Promontory begin to walk and the scientists states she’s reading three humanoid lifeforms ahead. As they approach, the duo find Maxwell, Walker, and another Katsim. At first, both scientists exhibit confusion, but, keeping his phaser on them, Promontory announces who he is and he’s with Starfleet. The Katsims drop the pretence and state they are an entity and the people who have come into the system belong to it, and they’re doomed. Maxwell’s attempts at diplomacy fall on deaf ears as it repeats its threats. Promontory tells Maxwell to run.
The XO does as he commanded as well and as he comes to a megalithic structure, he finds the unconscious bodies of the real Katsim and Echo at his feet. As the entity gets angrier, Maxwell shoots toward a blob that has appeared and begins to grow and expand. It suddenly shrinks down, and the marine grabs Peri. With Promontory taking Echo, the group hightail it out of there, but more trembling occurs just as they get toward the surface. Now that they are closer, Promontory is able to engage the emergency transporter and get them to the shuttle. As they leave, the shuttle loses attitude control, prompting Maxwell to send out a mayday, but they have managed to get close enough to the OEB that the entire vessel is beamed aboard, and the Butler hurries its way out of the system.
Power Drain
Herrick traces the drain to the hydroponics lab, but still can’t determine the cause, but his thoughts turn to the 500 officers of the Unity Down now lost. Stendhal notes the UD’s crew have been displaced, and mentally are stuck on the ship, unable to move on and there was a strong psionic field on the station that she struggled with. Lahl asks about her telepathy and Stendhal shares she’s a telepath. Lahl mentions she had success finding devices that were draining the power on the UD and brings over the scanning settings they used when there, but can’t say that the power drain issue is related. A minute later, she pulls one out of a panelled area. After Stendhal suggests they scan for brain wave activity in the gamma band frequency range, which are the frequencies of lucid dreams for most humanoids, she notes she still senses some of the crew, and then hears a cry of some sort. As she looks at her hands, she seems to be disappearing, then suddenly goes back to normal. Herrick notes she started to phase into a subspace fold, tell them to turn off all the scanning equipment and get out of the lab, then puts the power to a minimum. Stendal is able to put a hand through the bulkhead and Herrick motions for her to pull it back while he opens only one tricorder to scan. The counsellor solidifies, and Herrick comments that it’s similar to what Kovacs and Qualunque experienced during a transporter accident.
Herrick asks Lahl if there was a change in the device they found, wonders if it’s a gateway of somesort and asks if the ship sensors detect any other subspace anomalies. Lahl uses a console and finds many more devices while Stendhal notices a haze that she thinks are spectral entities existing out of phase and wonders if they followed them from the alien station. The device Lahl pulled out begins to flash, and suddenly, all three find themselves in a completely different place. Suddenly, Herrick thunks down on his bottom and sees alien script on a wall, and they find themselves in a place similar to the station Arlill and his team were on. Stendhal gets fearful as the situation reminds he of the alien station, but when Lahl suggests they explore, she is encouraging. Suddenly, some lights flash and the group finds themselves at a corridor with a series of doors all made with different materials, and the group goes ‘out of phase’ and Stendhal suggests they choose a door. Herrick chooses one and they find a skeleton hugging itself.
They skeleton and Herrick asks if it shares minerals withthe planet below to determine whether or not it could be a deceased local. As Stendhal imagines Risa, the scene changes to an area with hot lava flow and skeletal remains scattered on a beach. The device flashes again and as Lahl thinks about the OEB, they find themselves back in the Hydroponics lab. When the device begins to flash again, Lahl smashes it and hopes that prevents them jumping again, but the node just puts itself back together again. It hovers in the air, the room spins, and everyone is moved to the alien station, then quickly back to the lab, back to the station, and it repeats til they feel sick. Suddenly, it stops with them in the lab, but there are two Stendhals.
Herrick wants to prove they are both Stendhal rather than one being an alien, and after trying the ‘guess what number I’m thinking of’ game, he decides to get saliva samples from both and use the lab to determine who is who. Lahl thinks about getting a phaser and both Stendhals state if she has to shoot one, shoot the the other which only spurs her to think about shooting both of them, which angers the Stendhals. The duo slap each other, then hug each other and begin to cry. Lahl starts a computer analysis of the DNA sample from the Stendhals, but it only asks why she submitted the same sample twice.
Herrick thinks they should try to recombine them and Lahl suggests using the transporter, but no one can explain why it is only happening to Stendhal. The group head to the Neuroscience lab and Lieutenant Rivka Brzezinski arrives about the same time and finds out the Stendhals are the same person, just separated. After a suggestion is made, Herrick expresses concern over trying to transport her through a subspace fold, and Brzezinski warns them Stendhal may very well discorporate if they don’t do something soon. Lahl suggests a reverse transcoil transport.
Suddenly, one of the Stendahls roars and then begins to attack the other non-Stendhals. The other Stendhal stands and screams, adding to the chaos. The biting one stops, and the two hug each other, then start spinning aound, screaming like maniacs. When the evil Stendhal releases her twin, she tries to jump on Brzezinski. Herrick tells Lahl to use the transporters on one and beam her into the buffers. A bit battered and bleeding, Brzezinski decides it’s no longer time for experimenting. Herrick feels strange and orders them to release her, but the evil Karen begins to attack the other one and the original Karen asks them to put her back into the buffer. Herrick comes to his senses and they get the evil Karen back in the buffer, and admits he felt like someone had controlled him there for a second. That done, they decide to get checked out at sickbay. Herrick is exhausted, but wants to make sure he has a clean bill of health.
Port Nacelle
Nurse Miash helps coordinate medical efforts in the absence of Lieutenant Toz, then heads to the Port Nacelle to deal with a crewmember, Ensign Guthrah, acting strange, and asks new arrival, Ensign Jania Nis, for ideas. Nis climbs up the ladder to the catwalk where Guthrah is releasing hatches. He shoves her, almost knocking her off. Nis tries to reason with him and her encouragement gets him down. However, the Ensign continuest to tug on switches and large doors behind them open to a nacelle. Guthrah continues to talk about people in danger and pushes buttons which cause alarms to ring,and Tuban can’t stop the processes because Guthrah is overriding them.
Nis asks Guthrah where the people who need help are and he says everywhere. She insists he stop, but he doesn’t see why he would when they need help. She starts feeling the effects of depressurisation even as she tries desperately to talk Guthrah down from finishing the process. After Miash and Nis continue to talk to him, he comes to his senses, but then collapses. Tubàn is unable to stop the process, but Miash gives Guthrah something she hopes will help the hallucinations and to wake him up and asks Tubàn to try and pump some air in to give them more time and Nis tries to encourage him. She then suggests they use a depressurisation kit to try and cover at least part of the hatch while they finish getting it closed but then Miash wonders if they can trigger the automatic depressurisation protocol. Nis thinks it’s possible if they overload the control panel Guthrah set the code into. Taking a resuscitation device form her bag, she suggests they use that to overload the console. It partially works, but unfortunately, Guthrah begins to suffer from lack of oxygen.
Suddenly, Tubàn collapses against the console, then to the ground, and at that moment, a forcefield collapses. Nis rushes to his side. Miash suggests they get them to Sickbay. After transporting, the two begin treatment of their patient just as the Butler begins to make a hasty exit from the system, and Nis points out they will also have to receive treatment, but it will afford the time to get to know each other better.