Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Stella Gagnon (Communications Officer) in Main Sim - Bridge

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

Captain Glen asked,” Any progress yet on locating a detectable power source for all this technology, or for this city here, lit up like Christmas tree?”

“That curious harmonic note sounds like like a welcoming suggestion to me, similar to those notes that have already directed and guided us here.” Glen said. “And this display of unfolded pathways, real or not, they are a kind of ‘yellow brick road’. Anyone know those stories? They’ll be expecting a response from us. I guess that our next step is to follow that road and go and visit the great and all powerful wizard of Oz in his Emerald City to see what he has to say to us. That means I need volunteers for a landing party… or have we started calling them ‘Away Teams’ when, like this, we aren’t actually ‘landing’ on anything? Mr. Singh?”

Then Captain Glen added, “And to backtrack slightly, we should be sure that walkway is safe to… walk upon? Does it have any substance? Or a breathable atmosphere? Radiation levels within normal parameters? Make all those usual environmental safety checks? That’s probably the first step.”

“I hadn’t meant all the bells and whistles sir, but I get your point. Just a flashing light or two was all I had in mind. ” Rana replied to the captain. And as for the land of Oz I have seen that relic and thought the same thing. We know precious little of what they are doing and if indeed they even want us to go out. “

Rana knitted his brow then as he thought about the need or the necessity of leaving the ship. Thus far their friends seemed to have the power to come and go as they pleased. Why would they not come aboard to welcome them? If indeed it were a welcome, they were offering.

Rana listening carefully replied to the captain.” Sir, if a landing party is called for, I would like to volunteer. At this point you are far too valuable and with my experience I am easily expendable.”

None of Captain Glen’s previous Number Ones had prevented him taking part in Landing Parties so he wasn’t about to let Rana begin. That couched suggestion that he was too old only stood to make him even more determined of that, and was rather annoying actually.

Elyss had been fairly quiet during the last 15 minutes as the Merri made her way along the pathway set out for her. After M’Mera’s report, she’d agreed with the Caitian and told the CO so. She also kept them up to date on what her station reported as they made the transition from one end of the corridor to the docking port. “I’d like to volunteer also, Captain. This is what I signed up for.”

Rana then walked to the science station. He asked her to continue with her in depth scans looking for all power sources. Also for new radiation measurements along with types of radiation and their location within the area closest to the ship. He also asked for measurements of gravity wells along with any sort of structure nearby that the people of the Merrimack could understand as a structure and scans for several hundred known metals and alloys.

Although he would love to get something resembling any sort of map of the area he doubted he would get much of any use. It seemed to be the way things worked anymore.

“I will certainly be a member of this Landing Party,” the Captain replied. “I’ll take Rana and Elyss, thank you. I’ll also need an engineer, maybe a doctor and security. I suggest M’Mera, Dr. Graham, Thalos and John Reeves, but I will also need someone competent to remain behind on the Bridge”.

The bridge filled with the quiet hum of processing computers as Science, Operations, and Engineering continued compiling the data requested by Commander Singh and Captain Glen.

One by one, reports began appearing across the various sensor and analysis stations. The first concerned the city’s apparent power systems.

Sensor sweeps detected immense energy readings throughout Vey’lan, but the results immediately defied conventional classification.

No reactors, power conduits, or transmission grids found.

Instead, energy appeared uniformly distributed throughout the visible structures and the surrounding environment itself.

Computer analysis produced the following summary:

POWER ANALYSIS
- No centralized power source detected.
- No identifiable power generation facilities detected.
- Energy signatures present throughout all scanned structures.
- Energy field appears integrated with local spacetime geometry.
- Estimated output: Indeterminate.
- Source classification: Unknown.

Additional environmental scans completed moments later.

ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
- Chroniton radiation detected.
- Tachyon emissions detected.
- Multiple unidentified exotic particle signatures present.
- Ionizing radiation: Within Starfleet safety limits.
- Atmospheric contaminants: None detected.
- Biological hazards: None detected.
- Environmental stability: High.

A separate report focused on local gravitational conditions. The resulting display immediately drew attention from several bridge officers.

Throughout the city, thousands of localized gravity nodes could be seen shifting position.
Some merged while others divided. Several vanished entirely before reappearing elsewhere. Yet all movements followed highly ordered mathematical patterns.

GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
- Multiple localized gravity wells detected.
- Gravity sources exhibit controlled movement.
- No evidence of gravitational instability near docking area.
- Docking platform gravity: 1.01g.
- Environmental gravity conditions within expected humanoid tolerances.

Engineering’s material analysis followed shortly afterward. The computer struggled repeatedly to classify the composition of the surrounding structures. Many scans returned multiple valid classifications simultaneously.

MATERIAL COMPOSITION ANALYSIS
- Metallic alloy signatures detected.
- Crystalline lattice structures detected.
- Ceramic-like compounds detected.
- Multiple unidentified materials present.
- Several structures exist in overlapping quantum states.
- Classification confidence: Low.

One sample reading generated the following result:

SAMPLE STRUCTURE 14-A
- 43% Metallic Alloy
- 39% Crystalline Matrix
- 21% Unknown Material
- Status: All classifications valid simultaneously.

The final report concerned Commander Singh’s request for mapping data. To the surprise of the sensor teams, partial success was achieved.

Using the external guidance field surrounding the Merrimack, the computer was able to construct a localized navigational model. A three-dimensional display began forming across the bridge systems.

Visible and confirmed regions included:

• Primary docking platform.
• Illuminated access pathway.
• Several adjoining chambers.
• Multiple branching corridors.
• Numerous structural nodes within sensor range.

Large portions of Vey’lan remained obscured.

The computer’s estimate appeared beside the model:

MAPPING COVERAGE
- Confirmed Area: 4.7%
- Confidence Level: 81%

Attempts to extend scans beyond the mapped regions repeatedly generated the same response.

ACCESS DENIED
SOURCE: UNKNOWN

No transmitter or jamming field could be identified or detected. The response appeared to originate from the city itself.

A final section of the map then highlighted automatically. Beginning at the docking platform, a single illuminated route extended deeper into Vey’lan.

The path terminated approximately eight hundred meters from the docking area within a vast central chamber.

No alternative routes or destinations were highlighted. Only a single pathway remained illuminated upon the display.

Pic here:
https://www.star-fleet.com/media/images/motd/merrimack/IMG_3458.jpeg

GM Nosferatu
Your Darkest Nightmare

Lieutenant M’Mera’s ears flicked forward as the latest scan results scrolled across her engineering display. Her tail gave a slow, thoughtful swish behind her chair while amber eyes tracked the contradictory material analyses.

“Well that’sss not worrying at all,” she muttered under her breath.

One clawed finger tapped the report showing a structure that was somehow metallic, crystalline, and something entirely unknown all at the same time.

The Caitian let out a low huff. “Captain, Engineerring is seeing the ssame thing Science is. None of these readings make any ssense by Federation standards.”

Captain Glen acknowledged her concerns.

She rose from her station and stepped closer to one of the auxiliary displays, studying the highlighted route leading away from the docking platform.

“The city doessn’t appearr to be powered in any conventional way. No reactorss. No plasma conduitss. No energy distribution grid. It looksss more like the entire place is one giant integrated sssystem.”

Her ears flattened slightly.

“And I don’t like that worrrd …giant.”

“If everything is ‘integrated’ here, we’ll need to ensure that we don’t become ‘integrated’ too. That they decide that our biological and technological distinctiveness is useful and they add it to the whole,” said Glen.

Several calculations appeared beside the engineering schematics.

“The gravity fieldss are sstable enough, though. Docking area is holding at nearly Federation sstandard gravity, and structural stress rreadings along the mapped route are well within ssafety tolerancess.”

M’Mera paused as another engineering diagnostic completed. Her whiskers twitched. “Asssuming our sensors aren’t being fooled.”

The Caitian glanced toward the map once more. The single illuminated route stretched away from the docking platform and disappeared into the depths of Vey’lan.

Her tail swayed thoughtfully behind her. “I’m glad I’m going with the Away Team,” she said, her voice carrying a hint of anticipation. “The sensorss are giving us answers, but they’re not giving us much underrsstanding.”

She tapped the display with a claw. “Hopefully once we’re down there I can get more ssensible rreadingss directly from the sstructures themselves. Engineering sscans taken through whatever this place is made of may not be telling us the whole sstory.”

Her ears perked forward.

“Besidess, if there are rreactors, power systemss, or actual engineering principles hiding underneath all this impossible nonsense, I’d rather find them in person than keep arguing with ssensor rreports that insist something can be three different materials at the ssame time.”

A faint grin crossed her feline features. “And if the city really is powered by sspacetime itself, I’d very much like to see how they managed it.”

Lt. M’Mera CE

Thalos nodded once as the Captain finished speaking.

The suggestion made sense. More importantly, it provided a clear direction for the department moving forward.

“Aye, sir.”

His fingers moved across the security console, preparing the necessary departmental updates while he awaited the official order. Once it was issued, he would ensure Lieutenant Reeves received it immediately, along with any instructions required to carry it out effectively.

His antennae angled forward slightly as he considered the assignment. Reeves had made a positive first impression, and this would be an excellent opportunity to gauge how the new officer performed outside of a formal interview.

For now, however, Thalos remained silent.

The Captain’s order would come first.

Then he would brief Lieutenant Reeves and ensure the Security Department was ready to execute it without delay.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

“That highlighted ‘most directly’ route on the map,” Glen observed, “From a security point of view, it’s eight hundred meters of uneven tortuous tunnes! A labyrinthine maze of convoluted chambers of varying heights, twists and turns!”

The junior grade officer remained sitting patiently behind helm controls. White paws lifting off the screen before landing at his sides. Mismatched eyes had been still looking out the view screen. Some of the information shown on the display was off, just as Lieutenant M’Mera had mentioned. Black ears angled forward before dropping to the familiar ‘v’ fold over his forehead.

Now was the time to begin a station keeping protocol. The city outside was unlike anything he had ever seen. Towers of crimson light seemed to float unsupported through the darkness. Every instinct instructed the young Canidin to keep looking forward.

Instead, that mismatched gaze dropped at his console.

You’re the helmsman. Fly the ship.

That voice sounded all too familiar, his adoptive father, Commander Vaerun. It would’ve been exactly what the
thaan would’ve said.

Rynak took a silent breath.

“Beginning Station keeping sequence.” He deposed how tight his voice had sounded.

The Merrimack was already creeping forward at little more than a crawl, but docking demanded precision. His paws moved across the helm controls as he carefully bled off what little speed remained.

“Reducing velocity to point-zero-zero-two impulse.”

Outside, the docking structure seemed almost frozen against the stars. Only the numbers on his display told him they were still moving.

His right paw shifted to the maneuvering controls.

“Aligning longitudinal axis with docking corridor centerline.”

Somewhere deep within the ship, reaction thrusters fired.

The movement was so slight that nobody looking out the viewscreen would have noticed it, but Rynak watched the alignment indicators drift steadily toward center. A tenth of a degree. Then half of that. Then less.

He checked the figures.

Then checked them again.

And once more for good measure.

His tail twitched beneath the console.

“Pitch zero degrees. Roll zero degrees. Relative bearing locked.”

The words felt stiff coming out of his mouth.

Like he was reciting from an Academy operations manual.

At the moment, though, Academy operations manuals were his friends.

The docking platform continued to fill more of the viewscreen.

“Navigator’s beacon acquired.”

The familiar chime of the duotronic computer sounded as the lock established itself.

Holding eighty thousand tons of starship perfectly motionless was another matter entirely.

“Transferring propulsion authority from impulse systems to reaction control thrusters.”

Indicator lights changed across the helm board.

The Merrimack no longer felt like a vessel traveling through space.

It felt like something balanced precariously on the tip of a needle.

Lieutenant JG. Rynak ch’Sorel
Helm Officer
U.S.S. Merrimack - NCC-2346 (Mariner Class)

• Glen, CO

Stella had barely noticed all the theatrics around her. She had seen little and was aware of even less. Her eyes were glued to the console in front of her. She looked as if she were not even breathing. Nothing seemed to be moving on her body anywhere. Only occasionally one would catch the twitch of a fingertip as she adjusted a setting
on her displays. She wasn’t looking even at what the displays were doing. She was listening only to the sound of the harmonics which played on through her headset.

They were amazing. She couldn’t stop listening to them. Multiple waves seeming to come from all around them. Large ones, small ones. Small ones which threaded their way to become large ones and large ones which only existed but a short while. All of them forming what seemed to her the most beautiful form of music she had ever heard. And the sheer size! After a pause she began to become convinced that while this may be a form of beautiful music but that it may be computer control commands. With all that was going on. That which she had noticed. She suspected that that no one currently on the Merrimac was really in charge of anything other than the things that they were being allowed to do. It actually hurt her to come to such a conclusion. She hoped that she was wrong. The idea that something so lovely could be something so cold hurt the musician in her soul.

Stella Gagnon comms Lt.jg.

Rana simply stood watching the efficient crew of the Merrimac perform their tasks. All stations seemed to be busy insofar as the could be considering that they were >being controlled by an external force. He looked over at Lt. Gagnon and thought he saw the hint of a tear in her eye. He thought to say something but kept his thoughts to >himself.

Rana was more concerned with the away team. More to the point his part in it. He worried about his performance. This entire thing was something beyond anything he >had ever been trained for. Everyone had received training on first contact protocols, but this was like nothing in the training. They had been told that these people were >hostile. These had been hostile at first and then seemed to change their minds. Maybe they suffered from schizophrenia? Or more to the point he was worrying about a >future that he had no control over. But still. Whatever happened on this mission could possibly shape his career and he liked his place in the fleet. He took a deep breath >and exhaled it to steady himself as they got close to the dock.

Rana Singh Lt. Cmdr. Number One