Posted by Commander William B. Grey (Chief Science Officer / 2nd Officer) in Main Sim: Bridge: The Edge of the Expanse

Posted by Gamemaster Nosferatu (GM) in Main Sim: Bridge: The Edge of the Expanse

Posted by Captain Kastarak (Commanding Officer) in Main Sim: Bridge: The Edge of the Expanse
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
At the cruising speed of Warp 6 it would take the Chernov 16 days to traverse the 17 light-years to the Veridian Rift. ( I will shorten it, of course:) As the Chernov neared the area of the Rift, they passed both Epislon Hersulls: a bright white sequence star used as a navigational beacon and the deep listening Post of Hekros-6. Then the bright expanse of the Veridian Expanse was before them.
The Rift was not where space should have ended.
It began as a shimmer on long-range sensors, a distortion of light that bent away from its own center. Then the Rift unfolded, like a wound in the fabric of reality, bleeding gravimetric currents into the void. The Chernov drifted closer under impulse, its sensors straining against the interference.
Filaments of energy lashed outward, vanishing into nothingness. Shadows flickered within, never resolving into form. Science logs noted tachyon fluctuations, harmonic distortions, and faint traces of bio-neutrino signatures—the suggestion of life, or something imitating it.
On the Bridge, silence stretched. What lay beyond was not simply space. It was an invitation—or a warning.

Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

William turned in his chair and looked at the Viewscreen, then the Captain’s Chair “I’m detecting tachyon fluctuations and harmonic distortions” He hesitated for a moment before relaying the last “And traces of bio-neutrino signatures” He left the conclusion to that reading for the crew to make themselves.

CSO, 2O

“Yellow alert.” Kastarak rose from the captain’s chair. Grey’s report echoed in his mind in fragments. Kastarak understood enough to know the situation carried risk. Astroscience was never his strength, and a reason why he hesitated when charged with command. But now the numbers told him only one thing that he understood clearly: the anomaly was unstable. It was dangerous.

He turned toward the helm.

“Hold position at point-one-two astronomical units from the Rift. Keep the distance steady.”

“Aye sir. Holding at .22 astronomical units.” The Ensign at helm said, keying in commands to the helm.

NE Helm

He crossed back to the captain’s chair. As he sat, he noted the mild increase in his pulse, then let it settle. He knew that the crew looked toward him and waited for direction.

“We have orders. We are to map the Rift and record how its gravity and subspace layers change. We’ll send out probes as needed.”

A short breath. His voice stayed even.

“We are also to check the life signs in the area. We determine what they are, where they come from, and if they pose danger. If we encounter a new species, we follow First Contact rules, but only collect samples only if it is safe. We’re not to disturb the field around the Rift.”

He glanced back to Grey.

“Tell us more about the bio-neutrino signals?”

William turned back to his console and started tapping in commands, starting a more detailed scan on the bio-neutrino signals “Bio-neutrino isn’t an exact indicator of life, just the suggestion that there might be something that emits bio-neural energy. I’d need a more detailed scan and likely a closer look. If it is bio-neural energy and not just photons that suggest it, then that suggests a central nervous system. Again, without a closer look, I can only guess. I suggest we launch a few mid-level probes before approaching.”

Kastarak considered the options before him. He was cautious – this was the first time as commanding officer he had to consider a highly dangerous situation. The lives of his crew were at stake. Perhaps he was more cautious than Taggart would have been, but Taggart had been captain for six years, while Kastarak mere hours.

“Can the probes survive the interference to provide real-time data? Either way, I authorize the launch of four probes.”

He chose a conservative number. The number of probes were not infinite, and assembling new probes in these circumstances might prove difficult.

He turned to tactical:

“Can our shields hold the tachyonic fluctuations and harmonic distortions?”

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

CSO, 2O

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer