[snip]

William checked the scan data on the communications network and went from each logical conclusion to the next. From high bandwidth search leading him down the rabbit hole… or up the rabbit hole… He had in fact never seen a rabbit hole nor did he do well with metaphors, or was it a simile? He shook his head and focused “Captain, I’ve traced a QE signal connected to the Pyramid and Captain Rogers Comet station to a third location orbiting close to the Star’s orbit, the EM interference is too great so we’d need to move closer to get a clear read. I recommend at least sending a probe first to find out what exactly is out there.” He looked at the screen a moment longer “Whatever this communications signal is it works similar to our subspace signals.” He explained although he was certain unnecessarily.

It was lucky that Kord still had his attention on a possible attack as Captain Glen had become so engrossed in the progress of the away team that he had quite forgotten where they were. However, William’s questions snapped him out of it.

“A probe?” he asked William, “Yes! Of course!”

Glen asked Helm, “How many scientific probes do we have left?”

Helm replied, “The ship has 25 scientific probes, Sir! But we’ve used 2, so 23 left… but we also carry 25 more unequipped casings.”

“Ample!” replied Glen. “Send a probe to the location given by the CSO, close to the star’s orbit. You could have it lock on to the precise subspace EM frequency that the QE signal is using for a more exact location… Also send another probe around to the far side of the star from us and have it remain there to monitor, just so we can watch so that those Orion’s can sneak into this system from that side unobserved by us.”

Glen looked back to the viewscreen where Tinga, Erickson and Smith were still in conversation with he speaking Orb. The Orb was now saying that they should follow its directions to some central command. Glen thought this was all taking too long. With the Orions on their way, they needed to pick up the pace a little.

As the small group set off on their journey to the central command, Glen’s attention returned to the faces of his Bridge crew once more. He felt that there was a very sombre feeling aboard ship. He made a Ship’s Log Post: =/\= Captain’s Log. This is John T. Glen. Stardate 1911.25. The initial excitement of this mission, at setting off to find a lost ancient artefact of historical significance, in a race against time has all but gone. It has been replaced, instead by the slow realisation that the Reality Stone is a dangerous weapon of mass destruction. The stone would have been better left remained lost to the galaxy, and it will never be safe, in whoever’s hands it is now placed. I’m uncertain and unsure how this mission is going to end, but it is now a mission of damage limitation, and the stakes, as usual, are high; time is critical. =/\=

-Glen, CO

William immediately sent the location data to the helm and also sent a request to check up on the probes just in case. With everything going on it might not be a bad idea to know if things were going strangely down there.

CSO

Kord turned his head slightly and the ship banked slightly keeping the away team’s location stationary in relation to the ship.

The dull thump of the probes was soon returned ten minutes later by return scans. In a very close solar orbit of the system’s solar body was a hexagon like structure ranging about twice the size in length and height of the Merrimack herself. Scans showed it was made up of similar black metals and oddly enough stone similar to the pyramidal structure and that which Roger’s away team found themselves in. How the stones were not melting was anyone’s guess but likely some kind of shielding the probes couldn’t pick up were to be responsible. Relayed now by the probe they definitely could pick up signs too of a quantum entanglement signal between all three structures which itself formed a almost 2D like triangle throughout the system that rotated in line with the comet that Roger’s was in. It was quite an amazing feat of engineering to be sure and planning for a orbital path lining and setup! Finally the probes picked up what they seemed to show was a class-m environment within the hexagon structure. As well as life signs! Though what kind couldn’t be defined.

Glen didn’t wish to interrupt the work of the away team any further, and he simply listened to their conversation with the speaking orb. They were asking all the right questions and learning much of importance. He waited also to be informed of the results of the scans, just now returned from the probes. These recent Starfleet regulations that a Captain shouldn’t lead the landing party might have very good intentions, but it made for a dull life for a starship Captain. Too much sitting around was simply not in John’s nature, and never had been.

-Glen, CO