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current_story:threading_the_needle_part_2 [2020/09/28 02:04] cromwellcurrent_story:threading_the_needle_part_2 [2021/03/17 04:12] (current) cromwell
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-~~DISCUSSION~~ 
 ====== Threading the Needle, Part 2 ====== ====== Threading the Needle, Part 2 ======
  
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 It had been a long year, for that matter.  Though December was only just starting, it felt as if it had already been a long, cold, hard winter.  As soon as Vic came out of warp and requested a docking pad at Deep Space Nine, it completed a six-month quest that began back on Luna Colony during lunch with Leon at the Wooden Tankard. It had been a long year, for that matter.  Though December was only just starting, it felt as if it had already been a long, cold, hard winter.  As soon as Vic came out of warp and requested a docking pad at Deep Space Nine, it completed a six-month quest that began back on Luna Colony during lunch with Leon at the Wooden Tankard.
  
-Unfortunately, Starfleet knew exactly where Vic was as soon as he dropped to impulse.  Setting the Captain's Skiff to autopilot before beaming into the Lower Docking Ring was a risky move, but it ensured he would have enough time to engage Captain Kira before all hell broke loose.  A simple backdoor algorithm to the station's personnel tracking grid allowed him to precisely note that she was leaving the replimat on promenade enroute to Ops, and standard gait analysis for her height and stride gave him exactly four minutes and thirty-two seconds from beaming to make his way to meeting her halfway near the Temple of the Prophets.  He hadn't anticipated how quickly he would be pounced upon by security, nor how fervent they would be to arrest him.  It took the rest of the evening for the adrenaline to wear off after the skiff was impounded and having been granted a respite through his asylum request.+Unfortunately, Starfleet knew exactly where Vic was as soon as he dropped to impulse.  Setting the Captain's Skiff to autopilot before beaming into the Lower Docking Ring was a risky move, but it ensured he would have enough time to engage Captain Kira before all hell broke loose.  A simple backdoor algorithm to the station's personnel tracking grid allowed him to precisely note that she was leaving the replimat on the Promenade enroute to Ops, and standard gait analysis for her height and stride gave him exactly four minutes and thirty-two seconds from beaming to make his way to meeting her halfway near the Temple of the Prophets.  He hadn't anticipated how quickly he would be pounced upon by security, nor how fervent they would be to arrest him.  It took the rest of the evening for the adrenaline to wear off after the skiff was impounded and having been granted a respite through his asylum request.
  
 Still, sleep was elusive. Still, sleep was elusive.
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 "You know what my priorities are right now," Vic prime said dismissively.  "Getting John back is all that matters.  Once that's done, we can focus on fixing your timeline." "You know what my priorities are right now," Vic prime said dismissively.  "Getting John back is all that matters.  Once that's done, we can focus on fixing your timeline."
  
-The HMS Vic glared at his USS Republic universe counterpart.  His tone was that of a poker player who held all the cards, and it was clear that he had a mission that precluded helping him get the HMS universe back on track.  While knowing this infuriated him, he also knew that he was already well on way to fixing the problem himself thanks to others from the USS Republic universe who were more willing to assist.+The HMS Vic glared at his USS Republic universe counterpart.  His tone was that of a poker player who held all the cards, and it was clear that he had a mission that precluded helping him get the HMS universe back on track.  While knowing this infuriated him, he also knew that he was already well on the way to fixing the problem himself thanks to others from the USS Republic universe who were more willing to assist.
  
 "If there's anything more you want me to pass along to Forrest and Yezbeck before I send them on their way, I'm listening." "If there's anything more you want me to pass along to Forrest and Yezbeck before I send them on their way, I'm listening."
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 **Location: Infirmary, Joint Base Jarok, Galorndon Core** **Location: Infirmary, Joint Base Jarok, Galorndon Core**
  
-Leon carefully scanned his patient in the biobed.  It was the third such scan he had made in the past five minutes, ensuring that all cardio-pulmonary signatures were normal -- or what accounts for normal under borderline malnutrition metabolisms.  Captain Stryker still had some "meat to put on his bones" as Nat Hawk's vernacular expounded back aboard Republic.  However, that didn't explain what appeared to be the inklings of a heart attack in the command center an hour ago.  While his electrolytes had returned to normal, his pulse was still slightly elevated, as was his blood pressure and galvanic skin response.  The appearance of Republic's assistant CMO had apparently caused a shock to his system that was a bit too much for his body to tolerate considering the current shape he was in.  While Shannon hadn't fully explained the reasoning behind the captain's reaction to her, she had an equally intense emotional response that indicated there was more going on here than anyone else realized.+Leon carefully scanned his patient in the biobed.  It was the third such scan he had made in the past five minutes, ensuring that all cardio-pulmonary signatures were normal -- or what accounts for normal under borderline malnutrition metabolisms.  Captain Stryker still had some "meat to put on his bones" as Nat Hawk's vernacular would have expounded back aboard Republic if he had been there.  However, that didn't explain what appeared to be the inklings of a heart attack in the command center an hour ago.  While his electrolytes had returned to normal, his pulse was still slightly elevated, as was his blood pressure and galvanic skin response.  The appearance of Republic's assistant CMO had apparently caused a shock to his system that was a bit too much for his body to tolerate considering the current shape he was in.  While Shannon hadn't fully explained the reasoning behind the captain's reaction to her, she had an equally intense emotional response that indicated there was more going on here than anyone else realized.
  
 The sandy-haired doctor closed his tricorder with a brief sigh before taking one last look at the medical monitor on the wall. The sandy-haired doctor closed his tricorder with a brief sigh before taking one last look at the medical monitor on the wall.
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 "What about you, Virtus?" Saal asked the Malthusian engineer.  "You're the one who hates quantum reality crossovers.  You okay with this?" "What about you, Virtus?" Saal asked the Malthusian engineer.  "You're the one who hates quantum reality crossovers.  You okay with this?"
  
-"As much as I dislike having people from different quantum realities walking around in foreign spacetime continuums," admitted Vic.  "The fact that the body of OUR John Carter has been traipsing around YOUR reality for four years doesn't seem to have affected things much over there.  Yes, I think we can make room for Captain Stryker here.  Besides, your captive Romulan centurion doesn't seem to want to go back with you either.  Something about duty -- or "mnhei'saheas he called it -- to never show his face in the empire again due to his dishonor at losing his charge to an enemy.  If your mission today is a success, then it will have been worth the trade and we can unravel this entire mess we're in.+"As much as I dislike having people from different quantum realities walking around in foreign spacetime continuums," admitted Vic.  "The fact that the body of OUR John Carter has been traipsing around YOUR reality for four years doesn't seem to have affected things much over there.  Yes, I think we can make room for Captain Stryker here.  Besides, your captive Romulan centurion doesn't seem to want to go back with you either.  Something about duty -- or 'mnhei'saheas he called it -- to never show his face in the empire again due to his dishonor at losing his charge to an enemy.  If your mission today is a success, then it will have been worth the trade and we can unravel this entire mess we're in."
  
-"Not to put the pressure on you," Shelby piped up.  "But there's a lot riding on this mission.  Keeping Captain Stryker and your Romulan prisoner here won't change things in the here an now.  But, if it's one less thing you have to worry about on your way backwards and forwards in quantum spacetime, then I'm perfectly fine with it." +"Not to put the pressure on you," Shelby piped up.  "But there's a lot riding on this mission.  Keeping Captain Stryker and your Romulan prisoner here won't change things in the here and now.  But, if it's one less thing you have to worry about on your way backwards and forwards in quantum spacetime, then I'm perfectly fine with it." 
  
 "Now remember," warned Vic.  "There should be NOTHING of inorganic substance from this quantum reality with you when you leave this universe.  Tissue, flesh, food, and drink are all fine.  But, if you left anything else behind... ANYTHING bigger than a single strand of synthetic fiber from your clothes... it has the potential to become a chroniton magnet.  I don't want to be seeing you two again if we can avoid it." "Now remember," warned Vic.  "There should be NOTHING of inorganic substance from this quantum reality with you when you leave this universe.  Tissue, flesh, food, and drink are all fine.  But, if you left anything else behind... ANYTHING bigger than a single strand of synthetic fiber from your clothes... it has the potential to become a chroniton magnet.  I don't want to be seeing you two again if we can avoid it."
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 "What did you add?" the retired surgeon inquired. "What did you add?" the retired surgeon inquired.
  
-"Your new mission when you get back to your own quantum reality," he iterated.  "After you return yourselves to normal size, I've provided you the exact location of John Carter -- YOUR John Carter -- along with information about how to get to where he is.  He's in the Delta Quadrant, and you'll need to do some negotiation with the Borg to get to him.  Once you get back, it looks like your journey is just beginning.  Good luck."+"Your new mission when you get back to your own quantum reality," he iterated.  "After you return yourselves to normal size, I've provided you the exact location of John Carter -- YOUR John Carter -- along with information about how to get to where he is.  He's in the Delta Quadrant, and you'll need to do some negotiation with the Borg to get to him.  Good luck."
  
 In unison, Theo and Saal had a single, monosyllabic response before Shelby activated the transporter. In unison, Theo and Saal had a single, monosyllabic response before Shelby activated the transporter.
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 "Energize." "Energize."
  
-//(to be continued)//+//([[current_story:threading_the_needle_part_3|to be continued]])//
  
 **OFF** **OFF**
current_story/threading_the_needle_part_2.1601258667.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/09/28 02:04 by cromwell