RepublicWiki

User Tools

Site Tools

You are here: start » current_story » return_from_innocence
current_story:return_from_innocence

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
current_story:return_from_innocence [2021/08/01 00:34] – site_admincurrent_story:return_from_innocence [2025/04/12 01:44] (current) – cromwell
Line 93: Line 93:
 As Theo and Saal arrived on the bridge, over half the members of Task Force Trident were present.  Deuce was at his usual spot at the tactical arch overlooking the command pit, while Commander St. John took his roost in the captain's chair.  Ensign Carson Jensen was at the Ops station, while Lieutenant Sheila Anderson was manning the helm.  With the all the vital stations properly tended to, Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter took the first officer's seat to the right of St. John, while Doctor Yezbeck pulled out the below-console stool to sit at the Sciences II station at the rear of the bridge. As Theo and Saal arrived on the bridge, over half the members of Task Force Trident were present.  Deuce was at his usual spot at the tactical arch overlooking the command pit, while Commander St. John took his roost in the captain's chair.  Ensign Carson Jensen was at the Ops station, while Lieutenant Sheila Anderson was manning the helm.  With the all the vital stations properly tended to, Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter took the first officer's seat to the right of St. John, while Doctor Yezbeck pulled out the below-console stool to sit at the Sciences II station at the rear of the bridge.
  
-Minutes passed silently as the ship closed in on the star system that the HMS Republic universe Victor Virtus had first triangulated as the source of the "H-O-L-A-C-O-M-P-R-A-D-E-S" message that went out to the refugees from the USS Republic universe just a few weeks ago.  As they approached what the charts said should have been a standard single main sequence star, the sensors were better able to resolve the star's spectrum due to the much closer proximity, revealing the system to actually be composed of not just a yellow Class-G main sequence star, but also a closely-orbiting and very rare blue dwarf star.  Burning so hot that it's spectral range surpassed the Class-O range on the Hertzsprung–Russell scale, this unexpected second star was less than a quarter solar mass in size. According to the astrometrics database, it must have formed as a result of a small red dwarf running out of hydrogen fuel and not having enough mass to expand in size like a normal red dwarf, which could only have had the alternative result of increasing its radiative state by elevating it's surface temperature instead.  Had the ship been fully staffed by a scientific crew, this discovery of a second dwarf star would have been a phenomenal finding, causing waves of excitement and intrigue since the existence of blue dwarfs were only hypothetical due to the galaxy's relatively young age.  Sadly, no astronomers or astrophysical specialists were present, leaving the buzzing celebration of such a unique discovery to be held at a later date by future explorers, or perhaps by an astute intelligence operative at Starfleet Headquarters who would be lucky enough to review the logs of this most uncustomary trip to the Delta Quadrant.+Minutes passed silently as the ship closed in on the star system that the HMS Republic universe Victor Virtus had first triangulated as the source of the "H-O-L-A-C-O-M-P-R-A-D-E-S" message that went out to the refugees from the USS Republic universe just a few weeks ago.  As they approached what the charts said should have been a standard single main sequence star, the sensors were better able to resolve the star's spectrum due to the much closer proximity, revealing the system to actually be composed of not just a yellow Class-G main sequence star, but also a closely-orbiting and very rare blue dwarf star.  Burning so hot that it's spectral range reached the Class-A range on the Hertzsprung–Russell scale, this unexpected second star was less than a quarter solar mass in size. According to the astrometrics database, it must have formed as a result of a small red dwarf running out of hydrogen fuel and not having enough mass to expand in size like a normal red dwarf, which could only have had the alternative result of increasing its radiative state by elevating it's surface temperature instead.  Had the ship been fully staffed by a scientific crew, this discovery of a second dwarf star would have been a phenomenal finding, causing waves of excitement and intrigue since the existence of blue dwarfs were only hypothetical due to the galaxy's relatively young age.  Sadly, no astronomers or astrophysical specialists were present, leaving the buzzing celebration of such a unique discovery to be held at a later date by future explorers, or perhaps by an astute intelligence operative at Starfleet Headquarters who would be lucky enough to review the logs of this most uncustomary trip to the Delta Quadrant.
  
 As Republic nee Asgard smoothly flew into the inner planets of the system at a few hundredths of units below the lightspeed barrier, it took only minutes to zero in on the single barely-habitable planet in the star system.  Registering as class H rather than class M, this world was firmly a desert planet due to the additional thermal energy invoked by the blue dwarf.  While calculations indicated that the dwarf star would eventually burn out, allowing the planet to drop back into the M-class category someday in the far future, it's current surface temperature exceeded that of even Vulcan, suggesting that any inhabitants would have had to evolve remarkable adaptations to thrive in such an environment.  For indeed, the desert world orbited close enough to the binary stars that the blue dwarf must have appeared in the sky even larger than the yellow main-sequence star it circled, acting like a fiery cobalt blowtorch as it rose each day.  Only after it set would the transition to night allow the searing heat to finally radiate away back into space.  During such evenings, lunar orbital calculations showed that the planet's multiple moons would shine brightly at all hours of darkness, as their highly elliptical orbits often brought them close to the planet, with one moon even kissing the upper regions of the planet's atmosphere at regular intervals.  Yet despite these dynamic and turbulent orbital conditions, lifeform readings were prominent if not discrete in the austere and uninviting wilderness of the planet's rusty-colored canyon-strewn surface. As Republic nee Asgard smoothly flew into the inner planets of the system at a few hundredths of units below the lightspeed barrier, it took only minutes to zero in on the single barely-habitable planet in the star system.  Registering as class H rather than class M, this world was firmly a desert planet due to the additional thermal energy invoked by the blue dwarf.  While calculations indicated that the dwarf star would eventually burn out, allowing the planet to drop back into the M-class category someday in the far future, it's current surface temperature exceeded that of even Vulcan, suggesting that any inhabitants would have had to evolve remarkable adaptations to thrive in such an environment.  For indeed, the desert world orbited close enough to the binary stars that the blue dwarf must have appeared in the sky even larger than the yellow main-sequence star it circled, acting like a fiery cobalt blowtorch as it rose each day.  Only after it set would the transition to night allow the searing heat to finally radiate away back into space.  During such evenings, lunar orbital calculations showed that the planet's multiple moons would shine brightly at all hours of darkness, as their highly elliptical orbits often brought them close to the planet, with one moon even kissing the upper regions of the planet's atmosphere at regular intervals.  Yet despite these dynamic and turbulent orbital conditions, lifeform readings were prominent if not discrete in the austere and uninviting wilderness of the planet's rusty-colored canyon-strewn surface.
Line 99: Line 99:
 "Any response to our hails?" Blake St. John asked Deuce at the tactical station. "Any response to our hails?" Blake St. John asked Deuce at the tactical station.
  
-"Nothing," he replied.  "No handshake signal, no nothing.  If there's any communications system down there, they're not currently active."+"Nothing," he replied.  "No handshake signal, no anything.  If there's any communications system down there, they're not currently active."
  
 "Bio-scans?" asked St. John as the ship took up position in standard orbit.  "Can you pick up any human lifesigns?" "Bio-scans?" asked St. John as the ship took up position in standard orbit.  "Can you pick up any human lifesigns?"
Line 109: Line 109:
 "Acknowledged," Sheila promptly replied. "Acknowledged," Sheila promptly replied.
  
-"Anything?" Blake turned and asked Saal after the ship slipped into the lower orbit.+After the ship slipped into the lower orbit, several minutes slipped by in silence as scan after scan failed to register anything new. 
 + 
 +"Anything?" Blake finally turned to asked Saal as a curious chriping came forth from his console.
  
 "Yes," Saal responded excitedly as he studied the information coming in on the monitor.  "The refined metal traces have isotope ratios that correspond to Starfleet hull signatures.  They're coming from an area at coordinates three-five-six by one-eight-one.  Northern hemisphere, just ahead of the first eastern terminator." "Yes," Saal responded excitedly as he studied the information coming in on the monitor.  "The refined metal traces have isotope ratios that correspond to Starfleet hull signatures.  They're coming from an area at coordinates three-five-six by one-eight-one.  Northern hemisphere, just ahead of the first eastern terminator."
Line 149: Line 151:
 Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter and Blake St. John studied at each other in silence.  From his point of view, St. John had already stuck his neck out for Forrest and Yezbeck by sacrificing his life and the lives of his team to come to the Delta Quadrant.  He had kept his side of the promise, getting them to the distant world where their colleague John Carter appeared to have crash landed.  Now, they were asking him to go even further by possibly violating Starfleet's most cherished directive, charging in head-on, and all but shouting "here we are!" to the natives.  On the other hand, they hadn't the resources of a fully-staffed starship to perform a clandestine first contact mission, and if Yezbeck's suspicion is correct in that cultural contamination had already taken place, it would be a waste of time and resources to even try.  He needed to find middle ground. Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter and Blake St. John studied at each other in silence.  From his point of view, St. John had already stuck his neck out for Forrest and Yezbeck by sacrificing his life and the lives of his team to come to the Delta Quadrant.  He had kept his side of the promise, getting them to the distant world where their colleague John Carter appeared to have crash landed.  Now, they were asking him to go even further by possibly violating Starfleet's most cherished directive, charging in head-on, and all but shouting "here we are!" to the natives.  On the other hand, they hadn't the resources of a fully-staffed starship to perform a clandestine first contact mission, and if Yezbeck's suspicion is correct in that cultural contamination had already taken place, it would be a waste of time and resources to even try.  He needed to find middle ground.
  
-"Sheila," he began.  "It's my understanding that Starfleet regulations leave it to a commander's discretion when a member of their crew is being held hostage and/or is threatened by a pre-warp population in non-Federation space.  Am I correct?"+"Sheila," he began.  "It's my understanding that Starfleet regulations leave it to a commander's discretion on how to interpret the Prime Directive when a member of their crew is being held hostage and/or is threatened by a pre-warp population in non-Federation space.  Am I correct?"
  
 "Yes sir," Sheila Anderson replied.  "If there is evidence to that effect.  It's allowed under General Order Thirty." "Yes sir," Sheila Anderson replied.  "If there is evidence to that effect.  It's allowed under General Order Thirty."
Line 179: Line 181:
 As morning broke, the locals emerged to tend their crops, climbing the steps from their canyon abodes below, and stepping out onto the fields to begin their daily task of clearing unwanted scrub and fungi away with a select number of farm implements and digging utensils.  They worked with speed and purpose, exercising their routine of nurturing their critical farmland before the scorching cerulean light of the dwarf sun parched the land once more after second sunrise.  The erect bipedal workers of the soil were humanoid beings, possessing large pupil-less eyes, and boasting skin colors that spanned a wide spectrum of blue.  They wore colorful, gossamer-thin silken wrappings to protect themselves from the harsh rays while the open mesh fabric allowed the ever-present wind to cool their skin.  These wrappings were all worn across the lower torso serving as loin cloths, while some of the female persuasion also wore them across the chest area as well.  An assortment of jewelry adorned a few of the workers, some with small pieces of metal and polished stones worn around the neck and wrists, while others worked the ceremonial accouterments into their indigo hair which tended to wear long.  Most prominent among these exotic tenants of the land were the cleanly crested ears that terminated towards the apex into supple points, lending to the often cliched reality that evolution selects for such tapered acoustical lobes among most if not all desert dwellers. As morning broke, the locals emerged to tend their crops, climbing the steps from their canyon abodes below, and stepping out onto the fields to begin their daily task of clearing unwanted scrub and fungi away with a select number of farm implements and digging utensils.  They worked with speed and purpose, exercising their routine of nurturing their critical farmland before the scorching cerulean light of the dwarf sun parched the land once more after second sunrise.  The erect bipedal workers of the soil were humanoid beings, possessing large pupil-less eyes, and boasting skin colors that spanned a wide spectrum of blue.  They wore colorful, gossamer-thin silken wrappings to protect themselves from the harsh rays while the open mesh fabric allowed the ever-present wind to cool their skin.  These wrappings were all worn across the lower torso serving as loin cloths, while some of the female persuasion also wore them across the chest area as well.  An assortment of jewelry adorned a few of the workers, some with small pieces of metal and polished stones worn around the neck and wrists, while others worked the ceremonial accouterments into their indigo hair which tended to wear long.  Most prominent among these exotic tenants of the land were the cleanly crested ears that terminated towards the apex into supple points, lending to the often cliched reality that evolution selects for such tapered acoustical lobes among most if not all desert dwellers.
  
-One such farm worker paused his tilling of the soil, laying his long-handled rake against a nearby rock and retrieving a red clay flask with a stopper make of a soft, moss-like material.  Popping it open, he took a long swig of nourishing liquid, tilting his head upward as he drank.  Slowly, he lowered the flask, his eyes fixed on a point beyond the horizon, past a distant mountain range where the daytime trace of a crescent moon rose.  A dark, oblong shape slowly formed behind a haze of heat mirages, growing larger and more distinct as it made its way over the mountains.  As it came closer, the main metallic body was clearly lens-shaped, held aloft by a smaller oval pedestal with a forward maw that glowed with rings of blue and white.  Looming even closer, the lower pedestal also held aloft a pair of rounded box-like appendages behind the lens-shaped main construct.  These appendages each hosted glowing ruby-red anterior faces, giving the impression that a set of angry crimson eyes were bearing down upon the world, ready to wreak havoc from the sky.  The gawking farm worker dropped his clay flask and stumbled backwards, his pupil-less eyes wide in horror.  One by one, the terrorized field tenants abandoned their farming implements and scattered in a single direction through their carefully cultivated croplands, away from the oncoming craft, and towards the construction site of their newest surface structure atop the canyon wall.+One such farm worker paused his tilling of the soil, laying his long-handled rake against a nearby rock and retrieving a red clay flask with a stopper made of a soft, moss-like material.  Popping it open, he took a long swig of nourishing liquid, tilting his head upward as he drank.  Slowly, he lowered the flask, his eyes fixed on a point beyond the horizon, past a distant mountain range where the daytime trace of a crescent moon rose.  A dark, oblong shape slowly formed behind a haze of heat mirages, growing larger and more distinct as it made its way over the mountains.  As it came closer, the main metallic body was clearly lens-shaped, held aloft by a smaller oval pedestal with a forward maw that glowed with rings of blue and white.  Looming even closer, the lower pedestal also held aloft a pair of rounded box-like appendages behind the lens-shaped main construct.  These appendages each hosted glowing ruby-red anterior faces, giving the impression that a set of angry crimson eyes were bearing down upon the world, ready to wreak havoc from the sky.  The gawking farm worker dropped his clay flask and stumbled backwards, his pupil-less eyes wide in horror.  One by one, the terrorized field tenants abandoned their farming implements and scattered in a single direction through their carefully cultivated croplands, away from the oncoming craft, and towards the construction site of their newest surface structure atop the canyon wall.
  
-The foundation site of the new lunar temple had been a painstaking practice in decorative brickwork, as laying each flattened square red stone in an architecturally-sound and precise manner was important to forming the impressive montage of concentric circles on the ground.  While the dozen or so long cylindrical columns were still lying on their sides, presently being hand-worked by the various masonry craftsmen of the village, the auburn stone trusses of the triangular roof cap had already been completed, resting neatly on temporary platforms, and ready to raise with block and tackle pulleys once the columns were ready to go vertical.  Scattered among the construction site were no more than a dozen of the blue limber aliens, most wielding stone carving implements and hunched over various  pieces of stonework.  Towards the center of the brick-laid foundation, two of the blue-skinned individuals stood around a raised flat stone table.  One was a tall, slender woman with toned muscular features, and armed with a scimitar style weapon worn low on her hip.  The other was a young male with gauze-like ceremonial robes flowing in the wind, and wearing an unusual number of ritual jewelry pieces on his body, which played host to stone and metal necklaces, arm bands, and hairpieces.  They were reviewing a large brown parchment splayed out on a flat stone slab, with small rocks placed at various intervals to keep the incessant wind from catching it and blowing it away.  Black lines and pictograms were sketched on it's surface, each outlined using straight and precise drawing tools to form an intricate and accurate depiction of what the final full-sized building would become when finished.+The foundation site of the new lunar temple had been a painstaking practice in decorative brickwork, as laying each flattened square red stone in an architecturally-sound and precise manner was important to forming the impressive montage of concentric circles on the ground.  While the dozen or so long cylindrical columns were still lying on their sides, presently being hand-worked by the various masonry craftsmen of the village, the auburn stone trusses of the triangular roof cap had already been completed, resting neatly on temporary platforms, and ready to raise with block and tackle pulleys once the columns were ready to go vertical.  Scattered among the construction site were no more than a dozen of the blue limber aliens, most wielding metal carving implements and hunched over various  pieces of stonework.  Towards the center of the brick-laid foundation, two of the blue-skinned individuals stood around a raised flat stone table.  One was a tall, slender woman with toned muscular features, and armed with a scimitar style weapon worn low on her hip.  The other was a young male with gauze-like ceremonial robes flowing in the wind, and wearing an unusual number of ritual jewelry pieces on his body, which played host to stone and metal necklaces, arm bands, and hairpieces.  They were reviewing a large brown parchment splayed out on a flat stone slab, with small rocks placed at various intervals to keep the incessant wind from catching it and blowing it away.  Black lines and pictograms were sketched on it's surface, each outlined using straight and precise drawing tools to form an intricate and accurate depiction of what the final full-sized building would become when finished.
  
 "They don't make them like they used to," the tall, lithe warrior woman commented while studying the architectural plans. "They don't make them like they used to," the tall, lithe warrior woman commented while studying the architectural plans.
Line 189: Line 191:
 They paused their critical review of the drawings to listen closely to a distant screaming.  It wasn't just one scream, but dozens of them. As the two aliens turned towards the sound, they spied several of the villagers racing towards them, as if being chased by fliers or some other blood-thirsty beast.  It was a confusing sight until they realized why they were running.  An enormous spoon-shaped metallic construct was plowing through the skies above them, its surface sculpted of interlaced metal plates and smooth reflective windows.  Composed of oblong and oval-shaped embodiments, the lustrous monster was as big as a mountain, yet wasn't held up by flapping wings or any visible mechanism that could beat the air into submission.  It simply slowed and came to a hover in the sky over them, casting a shadow upon the land and blocking out the light of the first sun.   They paused their critical review of the drawings to listen closely to a distant screaming.  It wasn't just one scream, but dozens of them. As the two aliens turned towards the sound, they spied several of the villagers racing towards them, as if being chased by fliers or some other blood-thirsty beast.  It was a confusing sight until they realized why they were running.  An enormous spoon-shaped metallic construct was plowing through the skies above them, its surface sculpted of interlaced metal plates and smooth reflective windows.  Composed of oblong and oval-shaped embodiments, the lustrous monster was as big as a mountain, yet wasn't held up by flapping wings or any visible mechanism that could beat the air into submission.  It simply slowed and came to a hover in the sky over them, casting a shadow upon the land and blocking out the light of the first sun.  
    
-"Stand your ground!" the warrior woman ordered to the frightened citizenry that scattered around them.  "Everyone!  Stand your ground!  We will fear the sky no longer!"  While some listened to her and stood nervously in the shadow of the strange craft in the sky, others were borderline hysterical, continuing to look for places to hide.+"Stand your ground!" the warrior woman ordered to the frightened citizenry scattered around them.  "Everyone!  Stand your ground!  We will fear the sky no longer!"  While some listened to her and stood nervously in the shadow of the strange craft in the sky, others were borderline hysterical, continuing to look for places to hide.
  
 "Bah-Ki!" the woman turned angrily to her companion.  "Do something!" "Bah-Ki!" the woman turned angrily to her companion.  "Do something!"
Line 217: Line 219:
 "What do we do now?" Bah-Ki asked Dadjinn after a moment.  "You know the Warlord's mind as well as his heart.  What happens next?" "What do we do now?" Bah-Ki asked Dadjinn after a moment.  "You know the Warlord's mind as well as his heart.  What happens next?"
  
-"We wait," she explained.  "If his stories tell true, his companions will arrive on the heels of a flickering light... Like dust falling through a solitary sunbeam."+"We wait," she explained.  "If his stories tell true, his companions will arrive on the heels of a flickering light... Like dust falling through a sunbeam."
  
  
Line 295: Line 297:
  
  
-As the veil of transporter energy faded, there were gasps of awe and intrigue among the gathered crowd of blue-skinned aliens.  They whispered nervously among themselves as the four humanoids looked around at their new surroundings, their skin tones varying from brown to pink, and wearing uniforms of dual-tone primary colors.  The newcomers took no hostile action, and only scanned the crowd with their white pupil-filled eyes.  The crowd parted to make room between the strangers and the formidable, high-ranking warrior woman who was clearly their leader.  She stood commandingly with her arms crossed, her sword hanging at her side, and her blue muscular legs spread in a solid combat stance. Clearly, she was waiting for the foreigners to make the first move.  As if silently accepting the invitation to confer, the four uniformed individuals walked slowly up to the battle princess in a non-hostile demeanor, with the leading man in the red and black uniform raising his arm in greeting.  He was about to speak when the blue alien woman chose to break the ice first.+As the veil of transporter energy faded, there were gasps of awe and intrigue among the gathered crowd of blue-skinned aliens.  They whispered nervously among themselves as the four humanoids looked around at their new surroundings, their skin tones varying from brown to pink, and wearing uniforms of dual-tone primary colors.  The newcomers took no hostile action, and only scanned the crowd with their strange multi-toned eyes.  The crowd parted to make room between the strangers and the formidable, high-ranking warrior woman who was clearly their leader.  She stood commandingly with her arms crossed, her sword hanging at her side, and her blue muscular legs spread in a solid combat stance. Clearly, she was waiting for the foreigners to make the first move.  As if silently accepting the invitation to confer, the four uniformed individuals walked slowly up to the battle princess in a non-hostile demeanor, with the leading man in the red and black uniform raising his arm in greeting.  He was about to speak when the blue alien woman chose to break the ice first.
  
 "You are Starfleet?" she asked very clearly in Terran, though with an exotic accent bleeding through. "You are Starfleet?" she asked very clearly in Terran, though with an exotic accent bleeding through.
Line 301: Line 303:
 "Yes," Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter replied with surprise.  It was clear that the woman already knew something about them, so it made him even more hesitant to speak his next words, as he was effectively erasing the past few turbulent years of his life and pressing the reset button on his Starfleet career. "Yes," Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter replied with surprise.  It was clear that the woman already knew something about them, so it made him even more hesitant to speak his next words, as he was effectively erasing the past few turbulent years of his life and pressing the reset button on his Starfleet career.
  
-"I'm... Lieutenant Commander Doug Forrest of the Starship Republic..." he greeted her.  "This is Doctor Yezbeck, Lieutenant Anderson, and Chief Towe."+"I'm... Lieutenant Commander Doug Forrest of the Starship Republic..." he greeted her in a prim, professional tone that he hadn't used in years.  "This is Doctor Yezbeck, Lieutenant Anderson, and Chief Towe."
  
 "I am Dadjinn," she introduced herself, her Terran becoming more broken, but still understandable.  "This is Zharon and Bah-Ki." "I am Dadjinn," she introduced herself, her Terran becoming more broken, but still understandable.  "This is Zharon and Bah-Ki."
Line 309: Line 311:
 "Who's that?" Forrest asked with puzzlement. "Who's that?" Forrest asked with puzzlement.
  
-"That?" the alien woman returned, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  "THAT is John Carter of Mars..."+"That?" the alien woman retorted as if it should've been the most obvious thing in the world.  "THAT is John Carter of Mars..."
  
 //<tag = Carter>// //<tag = Carter>//
current_story/return_from_innocence.1627778063.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/08/01 00:34 by site_admin

Page Tools

Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki