Posted by Lieutenant M’Mera (Chief Engineer) in Main Sim - Bridge

Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Bridge
[snip]

Cross stepped quietly on the bridge , with only the sound of the turbolift opening,she looked around and decided to approach Stella ‘’Lt would you care to fill me in about what is going on?’’ the not knowing was hard to bear and endure .

M’Mera double checked the number of probes used, 12. The Merrimack had 25 prepared with 25 torpedo casings to use as well. “We ussed 12, did we not, Lieutenant Zavey? That would leave 16 prrobess and 25 torrpedo cassingss we could usse.”

Elyss looked at the count on her panel. “Actually, we used 14. The initial 12 and then two more to identify the magnetars.” They had taken on extra equipment on the station also. “It looks like we have 11 probes from our original stock, plus an extra 20 that we brought on board from the station, making our total 31.”

“Ah, I misssed thosse in the inventorry. Thank you, Lieutenant. Sso, we actually have 31 prrobes and 25 torrpedo cassingss then. Morre then enough to do thiss tassk.”

At the talk of torpedo casings Ranna frowned, taking a moment to try to understand. ” Excuse me Lieutenant but what would we be using the torpedo casings for? Are you proposing that we disarm them and cut them up to send out with our litter as the captain calls it?”

Glen hoped that the number of probes wasn’t going to become a major problem. This was always going to be primarily a exploration mission, and they had indeed brought on board additional probes in respect of that. He had also brought on board material to make the deck alterations that DS-K5 had had insufficient time to make, and some of that material could be diverted to make additional torpedo casings if necessary. Ultimately, the number of probes and casings were both finite, and maybe they should go a little easy on this ‘littering space’ idea if they were to have any left. They were good for one try anyhow.

M’Mera looked over at the XO, “The torrpedo cassingss arre jusst that, ssirr. Jusst the cassingss without the innarrdss. We can usse them ass we ssee fit.”

Rana rubbed his chin worriedly. The captain would of course be the one to make the last decision, but Rana wanted to make sure there were no details he was missing in their plans. He then said to M’Mera. ” My original plan was quite simple and with an eye toward frugality.” Rana looked at M’Mera and explained. ” All we need do was to collect our litter, pack it into a torpedo tube and then fill the torpedo tube with compressed air. We then use the ship to aim. Having aimed we would simply open the outside door of the of the torpedo tube and let the pressure of air meet the empty cosmos and let nature take its course. Our garbage would stay in a close proximity with one another of its own gravity. ” He thought for a moment before he started speaking again. ” I understand that the approach to the gravity waves might be slow but once out litter is there it should start to go very fast. Standoff probes would be a wonderful idea. to place them behind our trash as close as you dare to. ”

Rana then shrugged and said simply. ” You may be right, however. The whole thing does seem on the face of it too simple, eh? Is there anything the engineers could do to make it work any better and more efficiently?”

Cross simple listened to the ongoing conversation ,at first she couldn’t make heads or tails about what they plan to do but once the CMO got a better understanding to her it sounded absurd .
Still Cross kept silent she watched the Cmdr as he spoke and it seemed he did have some reservations about the whole idea but ultimately it all came down to the Captain’s final decision.

M’Mera pondered, “Ssimple iss neverr bad. Let’ss trry it yourr way and ssee how it worrkss. If therre iss not enough coverrage then we can trry mine.” She finished with a languid shrug.

<<< Rana paused for a moment going over his own plan in his head and looking for things in it once again that he could find wrong. For he was not one to assume that he was right all the time and this plan had not had a huge amount of thought. It was more on the level of something that would come to you in the shower. Finally unable to find anything wrong with it he nodded toward M’Mera and spoke, saying simply, ” Thank you Lieutenant. ” He smiled as he realized he was enjoying working with her. ” I have a feeling that we will work together well in the future. ” He turned then to the captain, saying with a large grin, ” Sir it would seem we have a working plan on how to proceed. if you agree.?”

“Of course!” Glen seemed to snap out of a daze. His eyes had wandered over to the Viewscreen, where the instability of the Expanse space cause flashes and movement of colour saturation and brightness rather than the usual starfield that he was more used to. It was almost hypnopic and in turn, his mind had wandered there too, wondering what was really out there.

Focused once again on the discussion, Glen said, “Right! Yes, I think we have an agreed plan. First of all, we will simply eject these objects from the tubes as we go, and see if that gives enough coverage to show up the gravity waves. If that doesn’t work, we’ll try with a limited number of empty torpedo casings to push them further afield. At the moment, let’s keep the probes back for the scientific surveys that Lieutenant Zavey needs to complete. Weapons Officer, Lieutenant Kahuna can organise torpedo casings for you if required. Lieutenant Gagon has already expressed her interest in spring cleaning the ship to help to gather materials. And Lieutenant ch’Ravik’s men can be instructed to do that too. And another advantage of this idea is that we will leave ourselves a trail behind if we need to leave in a hurry. This is something the Merrimack has tired before in the past with probes. Think of it like a fantasy dungeon game where chalk marks are left on the walls as the party of adventurers climb deeper into the cave system. I have a strong impression that leaving the Expanse might otherwise prove more difficult than getting in.”

Cross saw Stella leave , to fill the torpedo’s with garbage .In all her years of working with the Federation nothing similiar was ever done the way everyone seem to agree with, but she trusted Glen knowing that he always had the safety of the crew first and foremost.

The CMO did not move or say anything......in fact she started to wonder if she was invisible .

“Doctor Cross, welcome to the Bridge again,” the Captain said. “While I have your ear, can I ask if you could have someone investigate whether or not these ‘Gravity Waves’ will have any medical effects upon us? Just now I found myself drifting away. That’s probably just me, but I recently read that there are known induced neurological function effects from prolonged travel at Warp Speeds, and also from microgravity and radiation, of course. If we need increased protective measures while we travel inside the Expanse, then I’d like to have those put in place ASAP. There is no point in us preparing against attacks by hostiles, and against catastrophic hull failures, only for us all to slowly die of a ‘space sickness’.”

’’ The same thing that you described happened to some , though not all in sickbay .’’ Cross replied ‘’I would suggest raising up the shields to protect us , shall keep an eye on the radiation and if it increase we do have medicine specifically for rise in radiation and prevent the crew from harmful side effects though the shield should protect us …that is if it holds , defects or malfunction due to the gravity waves since who knows what might happen ‘’.

‘’Captain as you know we are heading in uncharted territory ,lets us be one step ahead of any anomalies. As for the microgravity there is only one thing we can do and that is to gradually lower the warp and entering the Expanse more cautiously ‘’ the CMO replied.

“I should have been made aware of the mental effects of the ‘Gravity Waves’ as well as the physical, but I haven’t had time to read your report yet,” the Captain replied. He was missing not having a Yeoman, and behind on all his reports. “I thought it was just bumped heads from falls, and sprains. I also think we’ve been as cautious as we can be. We still have a job to do, but I do think we’ll get better at avoiding these ‘Gravity Waves’ as we learn more about them. By the time we finish mapping the Expanse we will know it better than we do Earth’s Solar System. We be able to avoid them like the potholes in an Asphalt road.”

‘’My bad Captain, since it only lasted a few seconds I did not report it ‘’ Cross replied ‘’ It’s strange that it affected only two persons while the rest felt nothing ‘’ she looked at the view screen for the CMO wanted to know what was happening as they entered the Expanse and by being stuck in sickbay she be left in the dark .

Then out of the blue she approached him , whispering in his ear ‘’Glen, I’m scared ‘’ for only he would understand .

“It’s just a natural phenomena!” Glen could see she was anxious but how could he hope to calm her anxiety? “It isn’t the… it isn’t them. They can’t return!” But Glen couldn’t be anymore certain of that than Miriam, so it was an empty promise.

Elyss listened to the conversations around the bridge while she kept her eyes on her console and the main viewscreen. Would ejecting garbage into the Expanse really help them ‘see’ the waves they were planning on riding further in? She had to rely on the expertise of the other crew members who were all experts in their fields She felt a headache forming behind her eyes and tried to will it away.

Cross managed a slight smile ,she thought it wasn’t possible and mouthed the words ‘Thank you’. After all being anxious was not going to help and decided to concentrate on the the crew ‘s next step.

Rana had been paying very close attention to everything on the bridge, from readouts everywhere to the people on the bridge. He had seen Lt. Cross whimpering nervously in the captain’s ear. Then he had seen Lt. Zavey. Probably the most important person they would need in the next few days. She was not looking like someone who might soon be discovering some of the secrets of the universe. He then at last while Cross was on the bridge asked Zavey. ” Lieutenant Zavy are you well?”

She turned from her console to look at the First Officer. “Yes, Sir. Why do you ask?” There was a steady pulse behind her eyes from the headache, but it wasn’t one of her migraines, so she would be fine. Not enough coffee that morning, probably.

Cross heard the conversation between the Cmdr and Lt Zavey , she remembered that during her medical Elyss had mentioned the migraines. The CMO approached her ‘’ Are you in any pain, do you need a doctor? ‘’.

She understood that Elyss would be reluctant to move from her place at this critical scenario.

“If you are really sick then please do go to Sickbay and have a junior officer take your place,” Glen added. “Not only do sick people make mistakes, but you could be experiencing the effects of the Expanse Gravity Waves, and it is vital that we know as much as we can about those… or else the entire ship could be out of action!”
.
Cross waited for Lt Zavey to answer the Captain ,he had brought up an agreeable and sound point about the effects of the Gravity Waves .

“I believe I stated that I am fine. Why all the concern then?” She looked pointedly at Cross. Why was the doctor pushing the question of her health?

‘’That’s good to know ‘’ Cross replied ‘’I only asked caused the Cmdr put the same question and thought you might have said something to him ‘’.

Glen hoped that the physical and mental effects of that jolt they had experienced earlier were only temporary, and that if their idea worked then they could avoid any more of them. He didn’t need any sick crew. For now he would have to take Elyss at her word, and hope that those in Sickbay had nothing more that bruises and sprains.

Time passed and about thirty minutes later Stella contacted the Bridge back.

=/\= Captain, this is Lieutenant Gagnon. Mister Kahuna says that we’re ready to fire when ready! =/\=

=/\= Bridge here. Captain Glen speaking. Excellent work Lt. Tell Kahuna to begin the slow release of the materials.... Sorry, there’s been a change of plan and we are going to send the stuff out without a torpedo casing first, to save them for later. So, slowly does it too. I suggest a few items every thirty minutes. Is that all clear/ =/\=

=/\= Clear as fresh polished crystal captain sir! =/\= Stella peeped. =/\= The Big Kahuna is pulling out the casings now, and I’m loading in the rest back into the tubes. We have one tube ready. Let us know when you want us to go sir! =/\=

=/\= You may eject the first load right away! =/\= Glen replied.

Rana in Kahuna’s absence had gone down to the helm station to take his place. He sat in the chair and after a moment of reading all the data coming in from the helm station laughed and said to the captain. ” I must say that Lieutenant Gagnon certainly seems happy to be put to work.”

“She does appear to be enjoying getting down to the lower decks,” the Captain replied.

Standing at her station, M’Mera listened to the chatter around her as they all waited for the results of the garbage being sent out.
“The debriss has been ejected, Captain.” She said as she peered at her console.

The ship eased to a controlled drift as inert debris and tagged flotsam were jettisoned from the torpedo tubes. At first, the objects dispersed normally—then their paths subtly diverged. Some fragments slowed, others curved, and a few oscillated as if riding unseen swells.

Telemetry from the radioactive tracers revealed the cause: layered gravitational waves threading the region. The debris stretched and bunched into loose bands, outlining troughs and ridges in local spacetime. No single point of origin was identified; the waves intersected and shifted, forming shallow channels and compressed crests.

There was no immediate danger to the ship—but the result was unmistakable.
The drifting debris had become a live, three-dimensional map of the gravitational wave field.

For the first time, the crew could see the terrain beneath the surf, and begin to judge where it might be safest—or most dangerous—to navigate next.

No one said any more about how she might be feeling, so Elyss was able to study the results of the garbage as it spread out and showed them the physical paths of the gravitational wave field. It was a strange way to figure it out, but it had actually worked. Zavey ‘hmphed’ softly, expressing her surprise.

Rana, sitting at the helm, watched the screen and became confused more than a few times at the readouts. Rana’s brow furrowed at first but then as watched a smile like that of a little boy crossed his lips as he spoke saying simply. ” Well, it worked!”

Cross who was watching attentively heaved a sigh of relief ,now that they had a clear understanding of what lies ahead.

Thalos stood at the tactical station, silver eyes fixed on the readouts before him. The XO’s plan had worked.

A small smile crept across his face—brief, restrained, and gone almost as quickly as it appeared. Pride stirred beneath the surface, not for the audacity of the maneuver alone, but for its execution. Bold plans carried risk, and this one had paid off. Still, experience had taught him that success was often the prelude to complacency.

He would not allow that.

His attention returned fully to the tactical display, antennae angled forward as his senses worked in quiet tandem with the console. Phaser banks remained charged. Torpedo launchers were primed and standing by. Every system responded within acceptable parameters.

Thalos adjusted his stance slightly, one hand resting near the control interface, posture relaxed but ready. The Imperial Guard instinct stirred again—an urge to assume that danger was never truly past. He did not suppress it this time. Instead, he harnessed it, letting it sharpen his focus rather than control him.

The silence on the bridge felt thin.

“The last thing we need is a surprise enemy attack,” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, eyes scanning long-range sensors for the faintest anomaly.

For now, space remained clear.

But Thalos watched all the same.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

Glen also watched the viewscreen. The ejected materials made swirling patterns in the gravity waves and one might say it was even beautiful. “Not only do the materials show us the position of the waves, they should also prevent any ship from using them to remain hidden,” Glen said.

• Glen, CO

“Everrything iss rready now, ssirr. Ourr ssheildss arre rready, and we have a path. I am coorrdinating with Engineerring to be ssurre we hold togetherr thrrough this”

Lt. M’Mera CE

Cross addressed the Captain ‘’ Captain would it not be wise to put the ship on green alert , not all the crew knows what conflict or disturbance we might encounter ‘’.

Cross CMO.