Epilogue
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EPILOGUE
USS ANGEL – MEDCENTRE THREE
ARGOLIS SECTOR
UFP SPACE
September 16th 2371 – 0200 FST
Mo was feeling less than happy about being restricted to the MedCentre. As she’d been transported from the rapidly collapsing hull of the
Rube she’d been briefly exposed to the exotic mix of the field and so far the medics were taking no chances even though she currently showed no sign of ill effects.
What she really wanted to be doing was something to rescue her long time friend and wingman. She had laid there conjecturing new and untried methods of plunging into the anomaly to drag him back from the abyss but knew deep in her heart that there was nothing she could do.
When Captain Gray had come down to speak to her she’d told her that T’Sell was fairly certain that there was a chance, in theory at least, that the crew of the
Blackwell could survive the anomaly transition. The problem was that the temporal nature of the anomaly meant they could be anywhere and, more distressingly to Mo, anytime.
So deep was she in thought about her friend, she barely noticed the arrival of a figure by her bedside.
“I understand we owe our survival to you Lieutenant Martari.”
She turned her head to see the somewhat battered image of Governor Nanietta Bacco smiling at her.
“I’m sorry the circumstances aren’t quite as pleasant as our last meeting.”
Mo was surprised that the Governor remembered her from the baseball game on Cestus III. It had been Mo’s birthday treat to Homer, an inveterate fan of the confusing game, which had gained them an invitation to the Governor’s personal stadium box.
“Captain Gray told me what you did out there. I’m not sure that thank you is really adequate under the circumstances, but thank you anyway.”
For a moment, Mo was slightly nonplussed at the show of gratitude.
“It’s…just what we do Ma’am.”
Nan laid a gentle hand on Mo’s arm.
“She also told me about Lieutenant Richmond. I’m sorry but trust me when I say that if there’s anything that can be done to affect some kind of rescue I’ll be pushing Starfleet to exercise it.”
Mo’s eyes filled with tears. It was partly grief at Homer’s loss, part appreciation for Nan’s offer of support, and part exhaustion. The comforting hug from the Governor however was enough to steel her resolve in doing her part to recover her friend.
USS ANGEL – MEDCENTRE ONE
ARGOLIS SECTOR
UFP SPACE
September 16th 2371 – 0211 FST
Geri Hamble took Anthony’s arm and led him to a quiet corner of the ward away from the now sleeping form of Gabby Escher.
It had been Anthony who delivered the news that Homer had been lost in the anomaly and initially Gabby had reacted very strangely, denying that it was true. He’d quickly alerted Hamble to attend as Gabby became ever more distraught.
When Hamble had arrived, Gabby had become almost inconsolable but it was her sister’s name that became mixed up with Homer’s. It was the accident at the flight academy that became the incident that had claimed her lover, and amid heart rending sobs her memory returned in a flood of images.
Homer’s inept passes at her when they first met on Zethander, their combined love of flying, the night in the holodeck at the squadron party, all flooding in and swirling in the bitter sweet knowledge that she recalled her feelings for him just as she might have lost him.
As Gabby had quietened, Anthony had sat along with Hamble and talked with her, eventually pressing the isolinear chip into her hand.
“It’s against my better judgement to give you this Gabby, because I honestly believe that Homer isn’t lost. But I made a promise to him.”
She stared at it for a moment then looked at Anthony.
“What is it?”
“I get the feeling that it may well be Homer telling you that he’ll be back.”
Now under sedation and sleeping fitfully, Anthony watched her as Hamble spoke.
“There’s still some way to go Anthony. Recovering her memory is one thing but even with that achieved, she now has to come to terms with Lieutenant Richmond’s loss.”
Anthony sighed heavily. “I know Geri, and I certainly don’t wish to give her any false hope of his recovery. I just can’t shake the gut feeling that he’ll be back though, even without proof.” He held his hand up as he saw Hamble was about to protest. “Don’t worry; I’ll make sure I stick to fact rather than wishful thinking when I talk to her.”
His mind had flashed back to the time when he’d first been told of Philippe’s loss at Wolf 359. Back then the young lieutenant commander from Starfleet Command who’d told him had insisted that there was no chance of Philippe’s survival after the event. The Borg cube had been destroyed at the conclusion of the battle so even had Philippe survived the
Firebrand’s destruction, his assimilation would naturally have placed him aboard the cube.
There was no sugar coating to the news, though with hindsight he could appreciate that the young woman was in the midst of the same kind of shock as the rest of Starfleet and the Federation at large. In a single action, the loss had exceeded 11,000 brave men and women and had it not been for the actions of the
USS Enterprise, then Earth itself could have been the ultimate victim.
It was that very hindsight, however, that also allowed him to see that no matter how high the death toll, each death was a source of tragedy to a mother or brother or fatherless child and he would never allow himself to forget that. In this particular case, (and as long as he lived he would never understand why), he genuinely believed that the young pilot and his crew would return.
USS ANGEL – SCIENCE LAB 4
ARGOLIS SECTOR
UFP SPACE
September 16th 2371 – 0217 FST
Vonny sat and watched quietly as 1100 and 1101 disconnected the myriad wires that had connected Chariscarpia to the transfer network. They worked in silence which seemed odd to anybody who had ever seen their combined work before.
Her gaze settled on Chariscarpia’s still and peaceful face, the neural net now hidden by the waves of lustrous chestnut hair. As she held the warm synthetic hand of the android she had to remind herself that it was only warm because of the pseudo-cardiovascular systems that regulated temperature within the android body regardless of whether there was a consciousness to control it or not.
Vonny found herself wondering, in an abstract sense, how death would really feel. Spiritual convictions aside, it was something she had rarely concerned herself with until today.
Her slightly morbid meanderings were interrupted as Chariscarpia’s eyelids fluttered open revealing blue eyes tinged with violet and the definitive spark of life that Vonny had feared they had lost.
“Vonny, you are still here?” The voice was perfectly articulated, the timbre and pitch identical to Chariscarpia’s own.
“Where else did you think I’d be at this time in the morning?” In truth she was bone tired, but the Captain who had called by less than an hour ago had granted her a free shift in the morning…no, today she reminded herself.
“How is your head now?”
Vonny blushed briefly recalling how Chariscarpia had screamed so loudly that she’d fallen backwards in panic and struck her head against the edge of the door frame.
“Trust me Chariscarpia, I’ve had worse injuries. You gave me quite a scare though.”
Now it was the android’s turn to show signs of embarrassment. While Vonny had programmed the synthetic body to simulate the physical effects of a blush, it was Chariscarpia’s essence that triggered it.
“I apologise Vonny. I cannot begin to describe the rush of data that I experienced even though I had tried to prepare myself for it. It was like falling from the sky but being carried high on a wave simultaneously.” She smiled and squeezed Vonny’s hand gently. “It is much more peaceful here.”
Their tasks complete, 1100 and 1101 joined Vonny at Chariscarpia’s bedside.
“Do you feel that there…”
“…is anything you cannot remember?”
For a moment Chariscarpia closed her eyes and then returned their smile. “I’m sure that there is not. Of course if there is, I’m afraid I cannot remember it.”
There was a rapid squeal of Bynar laughter and Vonny felt a laugh bubble up inside her as well.
There was so much she wanted to say yet couldn’t match the words to the emotions and so for now, was content to laugh along with the others. The laughter lasted some while.
USS ANGEL – CAPTAIN’S READY ROOM
ARGOLIS SECTOR
UFP SPACE
September 16th 2371 – 0231 FST
Captain’s Log Stardate 48707.36
The incident in the Argolis Sector has been concluded successfully though not without cost. The runabout Blackwell
was lost in the temporal anomaly with two crew members and two rescued personnel and there have been fatalities aboard the refugee vessels though in light of the possibilities, they were incredibly few.
The temporal anomaly has now dwindled to a volume of less than a thousand cubic kilometres and has devoured, for want of a better term, its own field. It still emits a low level concentration of chroniton particles and Starfleet have ordered a rerouting of the subspace lane that previously ran through this area.
The runabout Koch
reports detaining an antiquated civilian freighter that was trying to leave the area of the anomaly under somewhat suspicious circumstances. They are returning with the vessel and its sole occupant in tow after its warp core overloaded and had to be ejected.
I’ve been advised by Commander T’Sell that the transfer of Chariscarpia has been successfully completed, although there was a very close call when Angel
lost power. Had that incident occurred earlier, there is no doubt that the results would have been far more serious. Chariscarpia herself has not yet revealed her future intentions other than to remain with us for the time being.
I’m now awaiting retasking by Starfleet Command, though suspect that our mission will be to escort the refugee convoy all the way out to Cestus III. In truth, that quiet mission may come as a blessed relief to the crew after our previous two missions. In the meantime, we are awaiting the results of a hull check on the ISCS Olympic
to confirm that the hull shear she experienced will not be adversely affected by warp flight.
Kat heard the comm chime from the bridge and paused her recording of the log to answer it.
“Captain, I have an eyes only transmission from Starfleet Command for you.”
“Pipe it through please Mr Janowski.”
She hadn’t expected a reply from Starfleet this quickly and was surprised that it would be eyes only in response to a standard mission report.
“Coming through Captain. There’s a cover message and two encrypted attachments. Bridge out.”
Kat set the privacy seal on the ready room door and raised the comm panel out of the desk. It briefly showed the Starfleet logo before transferring a text message to replace it. As she began to read, she wondered whether she might not be the victim of an ill timed prank.
Captain Gray
I will keep this initial message very short as I am certain that we will be speaking face to face in the very near future. You do not know me I’m afraid and the signal originator of Starfleet Command is, strictly speaking, a smoke screen but when you decrypt file one I’m sure you will understand that what I have to tell you is genuine.
In a nutshell Captain, you will be pleased to learn that the occupants of the runabout USS Blackwell survived their transition through the temporal anomaly.
Kat was so shocked at the totally unexpected declaration that she reread it several times to be sure there wasn’t something she’d missed.
While I cannot tell you at this time how I came by this knowledge, rest assured that I will be in touch again within the next twenty four hours to explain in person. One thing that you must do however is remain in proximity to the temporal anomaly in order to effect the rescue of the runabout. I cannot stress this enough, somebody MUST remain in situ!
For now I will leave you to view the attached file and to prove its provenance, the person recording it told me that it can only be decrypted by typing in the name of the race horse that you backed after the big party on Risa.
It couldn’t be?
For now Captain, goodbye.
The screen blanked awaiting a decrypt from Kat, but she was effectively in shock. There were only two people who knew which horse she’d backed in the Risian Mel’ath Derby; she was one and the other…
“Awaiting decrypt key,” the computer intoned patiently.
Kat looked up, feeling slightly foolish. “Computer, decrypt key is ‘Fat Bottomed Girl’.”
“Decrypt key accepted, standby for message.”
As soon as the screen lit up, she saw she’d been right. Dan beamed back at her, his face seemingly streaked with mud and the camera bouncing erratically.
“Kat, I have two minutes to record this so listen carefully. The man who delivered this message is genuine, trust me. He’s also absolutely correct when he says that somebody needs to be standing by at the anomaly because we are coming home, as long as Lieutenant Richmond can remember how to fly.”
She saw Homer stick his face into the pickup with a goofy grin and wave.
“I need you to send the other file attached to this message directly to Admiral Benedict Bryan at Starfleet Command as soon as possible please.”
Off screen, somebody bellowed
“30 seconds!” and Dan quickly finished the message.
“I’ll see you soon Kat. Promise!”
The screen blanked and Kat found herself as breathless as if the room had been vented to space.
What the hell was going on now?
To be continued in
STAR TREK : ANGEL BOOK THREE
SAVING HISTORY
be honest!). I don't believe that any writer, professional or amateur, works in a vacuum and your feedback would help me immensely in getting these stories right.
) in any way detracts!
The apparent loss of Dan and Homer juxtaposed with the tension-filled rescue of the civilian ships induced an emotional whip-lash that only the epilogue relieved with its mysterious promise!
