Ghost in the Machine
Prologue
Stardate 54257.3 (13 April 2377)
USS Bluefin
Star Station Echo – Berth 6
The attractive green Orion female caused heads to turn as she shouldered her way through the throng of beings in docking pod A. Certainly, she was a striking woman, with beautiful features, a trim, athletic build and shiny green hair. The fact that her pheromone suppressor was wearing off probably accounted for a few stares. Most were simply surprised to see a green Orion female wearing a Starfleet uniform.
Lt. (j.g.) K’lira Rune approached Berth 6. An electronic sign identified the docked vessel as the USS Bluefin, NCC-4458.
“It’s been a while, Bluefin," she mused wistfully. Her expression was a mix of affection and apprehension. She hitched her duffle bag up on her shoulder and approached the airlock connecting the ship to the station.
A young-looking Asian ensign stood watch by the air-lock. His eyes widened perceptibly as Lt. Rune approached.
“Permission to come aboard?” she asked, handing the PADD containing her orders to the young officer.
For a moment, Ensign Li merely gaped at the beautiful Orion woman. Rune sighed inwardly. I’ve got to put on a new suppressor patch, she thought, torn between amusement and aggravation.
“Ensign?” she prodded, adding a hint of steel to her voice.
“Uh, oh, yes ma’am! Sorry – Permission granted! Welcome aboard the Bluefin.”
Lt. Rune nodded. “Thanks, Ensign . . .?”
“Li. Ensign Yun Li, ma’am. May I help you with your duffle bag? Show you to your quarters?”
Rune had no doubt that the enchanted young man would follow her to the ends of the universe, if she so bade him. This time, she did allow a sigh to escape.
“No, thanks, Mr. Li. I can find my way around. This isn’t my first tour on Bluefin. Oh, don’t forget to log me in.” Rune gently pried her PADD from the wide-eyed ensign and entered a place she thought she’d left for good.
Inside the ship, the familiar smells and sounds of a border cutter tickled her senses. She’d missed serving on a ship. It had been almost four years since . . .
She entered the turbo-lift, intending to go to the bridge and report to the Captain. She hesitated, then said, “Deck seven.”
The lift descended into the engineering section and the flight-deck level. She exited the lift, moving aft past the hangar deck toward the armory.
Before she reached NCO country, a familiar form stepped out of the armory and moved her way, stopping abruptly a few paces away.
The expression on Solly Brin’s face was unreadable – neither surprised nor pleased. Lt. Rune had seen the “mask” as she called it, many times before.
“I see you made jay-gee again,” Brin said, his voice as neutral as his expression.
Rune cocked her head at the big Orion. “Hello, Father. Nice to see you, too.”
Brin sighed. “K’lira . . . let’s keep this professional, okay? This is going to be hard enough as it . . .”
Rune’s eyes flashed. “Hard? Hard on who, Senior Chief?” She caught herself and took a calming breath. When she spoke again, her tone was low but sharp.
“I’m the one who went through a court-martial! I’m the one who lost a grade in rank! I’m the one who got sent into exile on a skles’jan-ka monitoring station in the middle of nowhere for four years! And I sure as the seven hells didn’t see you sticking up for me one . . . single . . . time . . . during any of it!”
The big Orion non-com seemed to shrink slightly. A pained expression crossed his face.
“K’lira, please understand . . . I couldn’t . . .”
She held up a warning finger. “Couldn’t? Or wouldn’t? And it’s Lieutenant Rune, Senior Chief – got to keep it professional, remember? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the bridge.”
Turning on her heel, Rune stormed off toward the turbo-lift.
Solly stood in his tracks, watching her walk off. Part of him wanted to run after her, to start over.
Far too late for that.
Stardate 54257.3 (13 April 2377)
The Lesser Riven Nebula
Sector 04341
As space phenomena go, the Lesser Riven Nebula is not the most spectacular of sights. Unlike the spectacular Greater Riven Nebula, the Lesser Riven is a dark nebula, basically a massive dust-cloud only visible due to the absorption of light from embedded or nearby stars - hardly an object of wonder for romantic stargazers or amateur astronomers. From Federation space, it appears as an irregular dark blob against a star-filled background.
The nebula is situated in a relatively sparse sector of space. No inhabited planets lie near the dust-cloud, nor is it near regularly established space lanes. Its location is not considered strategically important by the Federation, the Klingons or the Orions.
Yet, for all of its dreary emptiness, the Lesser Riven Nebula has value to those who wish to escape notice. The dust cloud tends to wreak havoc on all but the most advanced sensors. For centuries, smugglers and pirates would travel light years out of their way, traversing the Lesser Riven to avoid patrol vessels of the major powers. Likewise, private freight-haulers, commonly known as “Boomers,” sometimes diverted through this area of space to shake pursuing pirates and raiders. Occasionally, vessels that entered the area simply disappeared, never to be seen again. Little consideration was given these occurrences as they were generally attributed to hostile action. The incidents were infrequent, so the area did not gain the reputation of, say, the Bermuda Triangle.
In the late 22nd century, Starfleet’s Border Service began placing navigational/sensor buoys in sector 04341. These buoys primarily served to warn passing vessels of sensor distortions that could occur when traversing the nebula. Starfleet decided to make the buoy deployment more cost-effective by including scientific sensor packages on the buoys to better study the nebula. By the late 23rd century, 48 buoys were sprinkled throughout the sector, with a dozen near the Nebula.
On Stardate 54257.3, Nav-buoy LR-341-8 detected a sudden surge of triquantum waves 17.84 light minutes from its location. The dormant sensor package came to life, training multiple sensors in the direction of the energy phenomenon. High resolution cameras zoomed on the location of the surge. The sensors recorded wave distortions that fluctuated between 30 and 500 teracochranes.
As the sensors dutifully recorded the unexpected event, the cameras picked up a sudden flash of light, followed by the appearance of four space vessels that seemed to appear from nowhere. The energy readings just as suddenly returned to normal and the bright light winked out. The ships drifted intact and apparently undamaged but dark and un-powered away from where they had suddenly appeared. Despite the darkness of the void, the sensitive cameras were able to identify the four vessels by comparing the images to the on-board data-base.
The first vessel was identified as a Vulcan scout of a design that had been out of service for nearly 200 years. A second was an Orion raider of 23rd century vintage. Third, was an Albacore-class border cutter that was identified as the USS Finback, reported missing and presumed destroyed in 2249. The fourth ship was a small, L-Type freighter which tumbled languidly along its y axis. The camera was able to zoom in on a name posted prominently on the hull:
SS Eku.
* * *
Prologue
Stardate 54257.3 (13 April 2377)
USS Bluefin
Star Station Echo – Berth 6
The attractive green Orion female caused heads to turn as she shouldered her way through the throng of beings in docking pod A. Certainly, she was a striking woman, with beautiful features, a trim, athletic build and shiny green hair. The fact that her pheromone suppressor was wearing off probably accounted for a few stares. Most were simply surprised to see a green Orion female wearing a Starfleet uniform.
Lt. (j.g.) K’lira Rune approached Berth 6. An electronic sign identified the docked vessel as the USS Bluefin, NCC-4458.
“It’s been a while, Bluefin," she mused wistfully. Her expression was a mix of affection and apprehension. She hitched her duffle bag up on her shoulder and approached the airlock connecting the ship to the station.
A young-looking Asian ensign stood watch by the air-lock. His eyes widened perceptibly as Lt. Rune approached.
“Permission to come aboard?” she asked, handing the PADD containing her orders to the young officer.
For a moment, Ensign Li merely gaped at the beautiful Orion woman. Rune sighed inwardly. I’ve got to put on a new suppressor patch, she thought, torn between amusement and aggravation.
“Ensign?” she prodded, adding a hint of steel to her voice.
“Uh, oh, yes ma’am! Sorry – Permission granted! Welcome aboard the Bluefin.”
Lt. Rune nodded. “Thanks, Ensign . . .?”
“Li. Ensign Yun Li, ma’am. May I help you with your duffle bag? Show you to your quarters?”
Rune had no doubt that the enchanted young man would follow her to the ends of the universe, if she so bade him. This time, she did allow a sigh to escape.
“No, thanks, Mr. Li. I can find my way around. This isn’t my first tour on Bluefin. Oh, don’t forget to log me in.” Rune gently pried her PADD from the wide-eyed ensign and entered a place she thought she’d left for good.
Inside the ship, the familiar smells and sounds of a border cutter tickled her senses. She’d missed serving on a ship. It had been almost four years since . . .
She entered the turbo-lift, intending to go to the bridge and report to the Captain. She hesitated, then said, “Deck seven.”
The lift descended into the engineering section and the flight-deck level. She exited the lift, moving aft past the hangar deck toward the armory.
Before she reached NCO country, a familiar form stepped out of the armory and moved her way, stopping abruptly a few paces away.
The expression on Solly Brin’s face was unreadable – neither surprised nor pleased. Lt. Rune had seen the “mask” as she called it, many times before.
“I see you made jay-gee again,” Brin said, his voice as neutral as his expression.
Rune cocked her head at the big Orion. “Hello, Father. Nice to see you, too.”
Brin sighed. “K’lira . . . let’s keep this professional, okay? This is going to be hard enough as it . . .”
Rune’s eyes flashed. “Hard? Hard on who, Senior Chief?” She caught herself and took a calming breath. When she spoke again, her tone was low but sharp.
“I’m the one who went through a court-martial! I’m the one who lost a grade in rank! I’m the one who got sent into exile on a skles’jan-ka monitoring station in the middle of nowhere for four years! And I sure as the seven hells didn’t see you sticking up for me one . . . single . . . time . . . during any of it!”
The big Orion non-com seemed to shrink slightly. A pained expression crossed his face.
“K’lira, please understand . . . I couldn’t . . .”
She held up a warning finger. “Couldn’t? Or wouldn’t? And it’s Lieutenant Rune, Senior Chief – got to keep it professional, remember? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to the bridge.”
Turning on her heel, Rune stormed off toward the turbo-lift.
Solly stood in his tracks, watching her walk off. Part of him wanted to run after her, to start over.
Far too late for that.
Stardate 54257.3 (13 April 2377)
The Lesser Riven Nebula
Sector 04341
As space phenomena go, the Lesser Riven Nebula is not the most spectacular of sights. Unlike the spectacular Greater Riven Nebula, the Lesser Riven is a dark nebula, basically a massive dust-cloud only visible due to the absorption of light from embedded or nearby stars - hardly an object of wonder for romantic stargazers or amateur astronomers. From Federation space, it appears as an irregular dark blob against a star-filled background.
The nebula is situated in a relatively sparse sector of space. No inhabited planets lie near the dust-cloud, nor is it near regularly established space lanes. Its location is not considered strategically important by the Federation, the Klingons or the Orions.
Yet, for all of its dreary emptiness, the Lesser Riven Nebula has value to those who wish to escape notice. The dust cloud tends to wreak havoc on all but the most advanced sensors. For centuries, smugglers and pirates would travel light years out of their way, traversing the Lesser Riven to avoid patrol vessels of the major powers. Likewise, private freight-haulers, commonly known as “Boomers,” sometimes diverted through this area of space to shake pursuing pirates and raiders. Occasionally, vessels that entered the area simply disappeared, never to be seen again. Little consideration was given these occurrences as they were generally attributed to hostile action. The incidents were infrequent, so the area did not gain the reputation of, say, the Bermuda Triangle.
In the late 22nd century, Starfleet’s Border Service began placing navigational/sensor buoys in sector 04341. These buoys primarily served to warn passing vessels of sensor distortions that could occur when traversing the nebula. Starfleet decided to make the buoy deployment more cost-effective by including scientific sensor packages on the buoys to better study the nebula. By the late 23rd century, 48 buoys were sprinkled throughout the sector, with a dozen near the Nebula.
On Stardate 54257.3, Nav-buoy LR-341-8 detected a sudden surge of triquantum waves 17.84 light minutes from its location. The dormant sensor package came to life, training multiple sensors in the direction of the energy phenomenon. High resolution cameras zoomed on the location of the surge. The sensors recorded wave distortions that fluctuated between 30 and 500 teracochranes.
As the sensors dutifully recorded the unexpected event, the cameras picked up a sudden flash of light, followed by the appearance of four space vessels that seemed to appear from nowhere. The energy readings just as suddenly returned to normal and the bright light winked out. The ships drifted intact and apparently undamaged but dark and un-powered away from where they had suddenly appeared. Despite the darkness of the void, the sensitive cameras were able to identify the four vessels by comparing the images to the on-board data-base.
The first vessel was identified as a Vulcan scout of a design that had been out of service for nearly 200 years. A second was an Orion raider of 23rd century vintage. Third, was an Albacore-class border cutter that was identified as the USS Finback, reported missing and presumed destroyed in 2249. The fourth ship was a small, L-Type freighter which tumbled languidly along its y axis. The camera was able to zoom in on a name posted prominently on the hull:
SS Eku.
* * *
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