This is Omega
Posted on Saturday 18 December 2021 @ 12:16 by Captain Melody Jones & Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Mission:
First Contact
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD4 1400
1784 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure
ON:
With their ship in tow, the alien guest had been given quarters onboard the Merlin while they travelled to his home planet. This was now not only first contact, Melody though as they had a serious problem to deal with. If indeed, these aliens had Omega.
The Doctor had missed the briefing by the admiral so Melody had called her up to her Ready room to fill her in on the situation. Really it was more than that, she had not talked to Anya since the incident on the bridge and this was as good a way as any to start a conversation.
She sat on the sofa and waited for Anya to arrive.
The chime sounded and just as promptly the doors parted as the Captain beckoned her in. She had seen one or two of the other senior officers since the briefing and was surprised at the dire expressions they all seemed to share.
"Captain..." Anya handed the isolinear chap she had been carrying to her superior officer. "The scan data for Mr Taron. It has a complete biometric analysis to add to Starfleet medical records. I have sent it on already but thought you may wish to thumb through the reports yourself!"
"Thank you, Lieutenant, that won't be necessary. Please have a seat. I'm sorry I had to send you out of the meeting but I needed to keep Mr Taron occupied so his colleague could speak freely. He's part of an undercover first contact team that has been on the planet for over 6 months now.
"I had suspected sir... His familiarity with our transporter room was something of a giveaway compared to his colleague's reaction!"
Anya pocketed the isolinear chip before taking the lab coat off and laying it across the back of a chair by the Captain's Desk. "Can I hazard a guess that something is in difficulty with the duck blind mission... or that is what I am assuming!"
Melody smiled wistfully "If it were only that simple. No, I'm afraid our problem is a bit more complex than malfunctioning equipment. The lead of the undercover team went missing about two weeks ago. We have reason to believe he discovered that these aliens are experimenting with Omega. Now the Admiral has given special permission and revealed the nature of Omega to the senior staff as times of the essence here."
"Omega?" The Benzite asked a little confused. "Beyond the Earth History reference of Omega being a Greek Letter and with a literal translation of it meaning 'end' I am not familiar with it!"
"For a good reason. Only Starship Captains and Federation Flag Officers have been briefed on the nature of this threat. Beyond the Senior Staff, What I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated." Melody handed her a PADD with a picture of a molecule on it. "That is Omega."
"I'm no physicist but this molecule is too intricate to exist, sir... It could in theory make it highly volatile!"
The Blue and violet-hued woman looked back up from the PADD in her hands, still curious as to where this was going.
"Perhaps the most dangerous substance known to exist. One molecule of Omega has the same energy as a warp core. In theory, a small chain of them could sustain a civilization. The molecule was first synthesized over a hundred years ago, by a Starfleet physicist named Ketteract. It is believed he was hoping to develop an inexhaustible power source."
Melody tapped a button on the PADD and the picture changed to that of a space station... Blown apart.
"This was a classified research station in the Lantau Sector. Ketteract and one hundred twenty-six of the Federation's top scientists were lost in the accident."
"How many did they... Produce?" The last word has been one she had to search for before settling for the only one that seemed appropriate.
"According to their research logs, they were only able to create one molecule. And it was only stable for one trillionth of a nanosecond before this happened." Melody explained. "An unexpected side effect of the explosion was the creation of subspace ruptures that extended out several light-years from the station. Rescue teams had to approach the facility at impulse speed as their warp drives were now useless. It was discovered that an Omega explosion destroys subspace. A chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace through the entire Quadrant. If that were to happen, warp travel would become impossible. Space-faring civilization as we know it would cease to exist."
"Lords above... Do we have any indication as to how much this society has managed to create!"
The thought of one molecule doing that much damage was incredible and terrifying all in one breath and the Doctors mind was racing with the possibilities, not least of all being a planetary death toll in the trillions.
"What do you need from me, sir!"
"We don't know if they've successfully created the molecule yet so let's hope we can get there before we do. I'm going to need you to get sickbay ready should the worst happen, expect lots of radiation exposure and we're going to need Arithrazine inoculations for anyone who has to come into contact with or will need to come into contact with Omega."
"That was my next question... I am guessing only senior officers will be even considered as away team members should that be needed... May I also take this moment to remind you that you are pregnant! Doctors orders, and please do not make me make them formal, you are not to go on any away team!"
Anya was looking at Melody very pointedly.
Melody conceded the point "oh don't you worry, I won't be beaming down. They'll be a special team assembled and called upon should the need arise."
Melody took a deep breath and smiled "Now that that's out of the way, maybe we should talk about the other elephant in the room."
"I see no creature from the Proboscidean Elephantidae family!" the Benzite started looking around the room for what the Captain meant, more than a touch confused.
Melody couldn't help but laugh. "No, it's a human expression. It means an obvious major problem or issue that someone is avoiding discussing or acknowledging. In this case, it's what happened when you were in Command the last time, with the graviton ellipse. We haven't really spoken since."
"Yes sir!" her demeanour changed to a sombre one. She had known this conversation was due but had hoped it might have been several days later. "I have been speaking with Commander Miller and she seems to believe my reaction is related to past traumas!"
She was being cagey, unsure if the Captain would want to know the details.
Melody nodded thoughtfully "Hmmmm, I see. I was worried that the incident had put you off completing the bridge officer's qualification. You are still wanting to complete the course, aren't you?"
"I just assumed... given what happened that I would be removed from the program!"
She was still looking at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with the Captain, also very thankful that she had not wanted to deep dive into the reasons.
"Anya, everyone deserves a second chance and the Command course can be tough on even the hardiest of officers," Melody said reassuringly. She admitted, "I almost failed the first time.... and that is not something I want repeating around the ship." She added quickly with a smile.
The Benzite started to form words, her lips pursed ready to deliver them but before she could a doubt flashed through her and she stopped. The words stalled in her throat. She just nodded instead.
"Look.." Melody started reassuringly. "When you came on board, I saw a dedicated, hard-working officer. When you said you wanted to go through the bridge officer's qualification, I knew you would give it your best effort. Being a bridge officer is tough and it's not always easy but, I was confident you would rise to the challenge. I still am."
Slowly the Benzite lifted her gaze to look directly at the Captain, emotion threatening to bubble over again. She bit the inside of her lip, using the pain to focus herself once again and not surrender to the despair she had been feeling, and with a weak voice said "Thank you, Captain... I have some things to work through with Commander Millers' help but I would very much like to continue with it!"
“I’m glad to hear it, Lieutenant. We all face setbacks in life and what’s important is how we deal with them and Ohhhhh!” Melody stopped as she winced in pain, grabbing her very swollen belly.
She took a deep breath. “Ok, that was unexpected. Now, where was… ohh!” She stopped again, this time she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
"Lay down on the sofa for me please Captain!" Anya ordered as she retrieved the tricorder from her lab coat that she had left across the back of the chair she had been sitting on. Quickly opening and starting to run her scans. "Remember the breathing techniques, slow and steady... It is nothing to worry about Captain. Just your body having false labour pains. Most likely your body's way of getting ready for the actual event. It should pass in a moment!"
“False labour?!” Melody exclaimed as she tried to follow Anya’s instructions and take slow steady breaths. “I didn’t have anything like those with Sansa. She couldn’t wait to be born. Mind you, she was in there less than 2 months.” She stopped and gritted her teeth again as another one passed over her, though this was slightly less intense than the last. “Don’t know why they call it false. Feels real enough to me,” she managed a smile, as she kept taking slow steady breaths.
“ They seem to be passing now. Thanks, Anya.”
"I will get you some camomile tea!" closing the small handheld devise and moving across to the replicator to collect the drink before returning. "Here, this should help soothe you. I'm going to suggest daily checkups now with one of my team if you would Captain!"
Melody accepted the tea gratefully. “You won’t get any arguments from me on that one Doc.”
"Or at least you wouldn't win any arguments!" Anya said, some of her sandpaper-like dry humour returning to her tone.
OFF:
●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin
●● Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin
