Debris Field

Posted on Sat Mar 8th, 2025 @ 9:26pm by Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Commander Kelly Kerrigan & Lieutenant Commander Dr. Henry McEntyre, Ph.D & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Ensign Karri
Edited on on Mon Mar 10th, 2025 @ 5:45pm

1,000 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well
Location: USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current

ON:

Kelly was in the big chair with Fang sitting to the left at Engineering. Sabastian was at helm looking in on Nav as well and Adrianna was at Coms.

"Approaching debris field," Sabastian said.

Adrianna looked out, trying to see what it was, praying it wasn't a ship.

The readouts were coming from sensors. "Engineering is analyzing sensor data. There is a lot of debris it will take a few minutes to get a final read out, Sir." Fang said.

Kerrigan had seen enough from afar via the view screen to start leading him down and path of belief that they had found what they were looking for. At least to an extent. Cargo containers were evident in the debris field, but time was needed to analyze them, find some sort of identification number and match to a ship it was loaded onto.

"Ensign Karri," he called to the Caitain navigator. "Use the tractor to to pull one of those containers into the shuttle bay. It's the closest look we will get."

"Aye. Locking tractor now" Karri said.

All of this appeared to be cargo contents scattered about like a charity shop on a Saturday afternoon. What they were lacking was vessels, not a one in sight, and the debris field did not seem to be showing any indication of ship debris.

If we've found cargo then where's the ships thought Kelly. Had this been a dumb and run? "Professor McEntyre, prepare one of our probes and launch it into the heart of that debris field. I want to know if there's anything scientific to shed light on this."

Flying his fingers across his console, Henry programs one of his scientific probes to be launched.

"Probe calibrated and ready. It'll feed into my computer."

On the main view screen Kelly could see some of the Alpha-numeric coding on the cargo containers. "Baciami, run those through. See if we can identify the ship carrying..."

Something else had caught Kelly's attention. The probe was moving, more than being adrift as though it were under its own power, and debris was traveling with it. "Professor, did you modify the probe with thrusters?"

Henry looked puzzled, standing to move over to his scanner station, It comes alive as he works on interpreting what he was seeing, blue light casted on his face.

“Not beyond what the probe comes equipped with. It appears that the probe is moving on its…wait…sensors are reading a large gravity field, intensity 2.10 to the 41st power”

Kelly was perplexed. Something was out there. Not so fast he thought.

"Ensign," Kelly immediately called for the Caitian. "Reroute your tractor beam. Lock onto our probe, somethings trying to...take it?"

"Right away!" Karri said. "Adjusting. Like an old 'tug of war". Should be fun"

"Sir--" Baciami shook her head in disbelief, "sir, it's faint but it sounds like a transponder signal. I'd need to triple check, but I think it's federation."

Sabastian's head snapped up as the tug of war started to get interesting. Flight, was proving to be not so boring. He had to constantly adjust the heading. He looked over at Fang. "Can I get more to the thrusters?"

Fang gave a nod and turned back to the engineering station. "I can give you ten percent more."

Sab gave a nod. He looked over at the Captain "Sir...we either have to let it win or let go of the probe."

Fang tasted bile in his mouth as he said. "I agree. The engines can't take much. The signal is...hope for someone from the Federation being alive. I suggest cutting engines and letting the probe drag us along."

Kelly Kerrigan did not enjoy the unknown, he much preferred having data to interpret and known facts to work with. Unfortunately, time was a precious commodity they did not have in abundance and this was more of mystery and suspense than anything else. "We don't know where this blasted thing is even pulling us into or toward." Death? was that it, he thought and certainly hoped not.

The ship started to shake. Fang could see the sweat beading on Sabastian's forehead. Damn it to hell "Baciami how strong is the signal you're getting?"

"It keeps fading in and out, but when it is here, it's so strong," Baciami replied, disappointed that she couldn't give a firm response.

He turned to Vali. "Counselor can you sense anything?"

Though Vali could not provide anything with certainty, Kelly insisted that they figure out a way to get the probe back. "I'm not ready to gamble the ship, but I would rather not lose a probe in the process."

Fang held back a growl. His mind worked. "Karri I'm going to boost tractor beam output. Sab work with Karri to compensate. I'm taking non essential systems offline and boosting shields, tractor, and engines. Steady the ship!"

"Aye aye, Lieutenant!" Karri replied.

He noted Kelly's smile and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um...sorry that was... not my place."

"Your place is on the bridge offering ideas, suggestions, and providing support. If you have something, go for it, Lieutenant" remarked Kerrigan.

With Kelly's blessing Fang's hand began to work the Engineering console.

Minutes had stretched on and the shaking of the ship grew worse, not better. The Federation starship shook, and the tractor beam winked in and out before shutting down completely. The shaking stopped and the probe...disappeared.

"Damn it!" exclaimed Kelly at the loss of the probe. "That was information that could have been fruitful" he added trying to return to his usual sense of calm and explaining his outburst.

There was some good new, however, information was still trickling in up until the point of disappearance, when it all just stopped.

"Probe readings have ceased. I have the last telemetry data being fed into my computers."

Fang watched as Kelly sighed and then called the senior staff to the briefing room.

 

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