Arrival at the Carina Nebula

Posted on Wed Nov 1st, 2023 @ 11:49pm by Captain Charlotte Rhodes & Lieutenant Commander Kenna Wolff & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Knight & Lieutenant Jackson Rutledge II & Lieutenant William Henderson & Lieutenant Callie Knight & Lieutenant Savar & Lieutenant Steven Edgeware & Lieutenant JG Bobbi Katz

1,323 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 2: The Passage
Location: USS Defiant, At the Edge of the Carina Nebula
Timeline: MD 5: 1300 Hours

With a momentary flash of light, the stars outs of the bridge viewscreen came suddenly back into focus. The viewscreen was completely dominated by the massive expanse of the Carina Nebula. The array of colors almost looked like a painting spread across the canvass of space. Brilliant blues, golds, and ambers filled bathed the bridge in their color.

Captain Rhodes couldn't help but marvel at the site. They'd been seeing the nebula in the distance for weeks now as they moved about the sector. But there was nothing like seeing it up close.

"It really is quite a sight," she said quietly, from her place standing at the front of the bridge. After taking a moment of awe, she turned back toward her bridge crew.

"I think we'll have plenty of time to gawk. In the meantime, Edgeware and Wolff, start a sensor sweep of the region. Finding this gateway won't be easy. I want to look for any clue we can find. Residual impulse trails, disturbances in the eddies of the cloud, unexpected concentrations of elements," the Captain said. "Let's not leave any stone unturned."

Steven nodded.

Nebulas were like a box of chocolates you never knew what you were going to get. Unless of course you had the menu , that was why ships sensors came in handy. As usual the scanners picked up the basic element of the any Nebula ionised molecular hydrogen plus some gases Steven had never seen before.This was reacting with a cloud of cosmic dust that had been trapped in the Nebula. This was why the colours were so vivid and dangerous.

“ Well the initial scans of the Nebula show the usual density of ionised molecular hydrogen and a good mixture of gases. The ones I can identify are hydrogen and helium. There is also tiny traces of carbon , oxygen and iron. This is all interacting with a trapped cloud of cosmic dust. However something's not right here……..something's really agitated the mix of stuff in there Captain. It may be a very good idea if we keep our distance until we have a full scan.” Steven warned.

Kenna was silent as she ran her tactical scans. She took a good hard look at the scans. She didn't want any surprises.

"Excuse me Captain. It may also prove wise to scan for warp trails and or warp particles that converge at a specific area of space. It could be the doorway we seek." Savar addressed the captain as he heard her instructions to Lt. Commander Wolff and Lieutenant Edgeware.

Rutledge was at the Ops console, running diagnostics on ships systems.

“More data coming in now Captain. Picking up smaller particles in the cosmic dust now. Looks like something did pass through and judging by the agitation patterns. They seem to be converging in center of the Nebula. That could be where the doorway is Captain.” Steven said

"Reading gravimetric shear in the possible area of the doorway, captain. Our shields may not be enough." Rutledge announced.

The Captain listened as the officers gave their reports. Something was most definitely lurking within the clouds ahead.

"Mr. Edgeware, prep a probe. I want to send something ahead of us to verify what we're flying into. Tactical, take us to yellow alert. Charge shields but let's not take any aggressive postures," Rhodes said, as she walked back toward her chair.

“ Yes ma’am.” Steven said

His hands ran over the science console. A green light came on confirming the probe had been launched. Edgeware was surprised at how quickly the data started to come through.

“ Probe confirms all data received. If anything the readings are a lot stronger Captain. The ship could be badly damaged in there.” Steven warned

The lights on the bridge changed as the ship went to Yellow alert.

[Yellow Alert] the feminine voice toned.

With the ship now at Yellow Alert, Rutledge started the redistribution of power levels for the ship. He also monitored the probe's progress.

Rhodes looked at the nebula in thought. "I'm not about to get the ship badly damaged just trying to get to the gate. Sound off with suggestions if you have them. Anything we used in the Ion Storm that could be of use here?"

Callie sat quiet she wasn’t a scientist, it was an interesting quandary though. Her senses were probably able to better sense what, if anything or anyone, was inside the Nebula.

Ryan had been quietly reviewing the navigation sensors and telemetry from the probe. "I think, with the probe taking point, we can avoid any danger. I won't say it might not be bumpy, but compared to the ion storm a few weeks ago, this should be a walk in the park.

Callie certainly hoped the ride wouldn’t be bumpy. Her fragile stomach due to morning sickness wouldn’t take too kindly to being shaken up too much.

Rutlidge turned in his chair. "We could remodulate the shields to move more smoothly through the Nebula. I'm not saying it won't be bumpy, but it should cut down the turbulence some."

“ It’s not so much our speed it’s the density of the Defiant. Imagine putting a stone in a lake. It would still make ripples no mater how fast it hit the surface.” Steven warned.

"A useful analogy Steven and quite correct. Perhaps it would be better to say how smooth our entrance into the nebula is? " Savar posed to the others.

Suddenly, The intercom chirped. =/\=Henderson to Captain Rhodes.=/\=

Rhodes pressed the intercom button to reply. "Go ahead, Mr. Henderson."

From his post down in the Intelligence blister, Henderson reported. =/\=Captain, I'm detecting an unusual amount of traffic moving in a different direction than what was earlier reported.=/\=

"Our info might be out of date then. If there's a current flowing through the nebula that makes travel easier, it's not unreasonable that the path might shift," the Captain replied with a nod.

Rhodes looked out the viewport for a moment. It was time to stop playing so tentative. She'd gotten too cautious, playing things too close to the chest. It wasn't a style she fit overly easily. Time to loosen up a bit. "Defiant is a much sturdier ship than the transports the refugees have been flying and they found their way through. Time for us to stop gawking and hop in the stream. Ops, configure the Deflector Dish to create a graviton field ahead of us like a wedge. We're going to play ice breaker until we get into the smooth channel."

"Aye captain." Rutlidge turned back to his console and started adjusting the shields to act like a wedge. "Ready to go, captain."

Once the Operations Officer gave the go ahead, Captain Rhodes returned her attention to the helm. "Number One, I want you to play it by ear. Trust your instincts. You know the ship and how she feels. Guide her through. When you find an eddy that's heading the way we want, go with it. We don't need a straight path, just one smooth enough we can survive the journey. The shields can handle some bumps."

Ryan was already at work reviewing the navigation scans. He felt a sense of pride in being the one to fly the ship. "Course laid in Captain. Entering the nebula in five, four, three, two, one, mark."

The vessel rocked briefly, but it successfully punched through the resistance. And just like that, the clouds of the nebula engulfed them, swallowing away the rest of the void.

Ryan spent several minutes piloting the ship through the nebula before he found what he was looking for, a gravitational current akin to a planet's jetstream. He looked at the velocity indicator and smiled. "We are safely enroute to the coordinates of the portal."

Rhodes looked out the viewport as she settle into her chair. "Steady as she goes, Commander. We'll be through soon enough."

 

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