State of the sector:

Note: The following takes place aboard the USS Athene sometime before the death of Matt Jackson.

“May I ask why you’re wearing a disguise, sir?” questioned Lieutenant Barvo to his drinking companion, Lieutenant Matt Jackson. Jackson was seated in the corner of the crew lounge, his back against the wall, a set of Groucho glasses on his face.

“Take a look, Barv,” whispered Jackson to the Bolian, motioning with his chin to a couple seated across the lounge. “I saved up enough box tops and sent away for a genuine Korby-brand android that looks just like me.” Barvo looked at the indicated couple and noticed with horror that the man sitting with Ensign Rivers looked just like Matt Jackson. “Now, he might not be as… fully-functional as one of those Soong numbers, but he’ll get the job done.”

“I’m getting increasingly uncomfortable with what I’m hearing from you, sir. Tonight, but also in general.”

“Oh lighten up, Barv. I just programmed him with an engaging personality, quick wit, sympathetic ear, and just a little bit of that bad boy attitude the dames love. Now, all I gotta do is wind him up and set him free to make a love connection; after he’s sealed the deal and is on his way to a lovely lass’ quarters, I wait for her to powder her nose and make the switcheroo with this robot. Then, I sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labour… if you know what I mean.” At this, Jackson winked. Barvo felt a sense of revulsion.

“Sir, the situation you’ve outlined is in violation of innumerable ethical standards.”

“Don’t be such a spoilsport, Barv. I ain't gonna hop in the sack with her right then and there; the robot just gives me a little foot in the door - an opportunity for me to show her the real me. Once I make the switch and she’s still impressed, then I hop in the sack with her!” Jackson readied a tricorder on the table in front of him, his means of eavesdropping on the conversation. “Now, let’s watch my robot work his magic over yonder!”

Across the lounge, the conversation continued between Ensign Rivers and the android that looked like Jackson.

“So after volunteering with the orphanage on Rigel VIII,” the android concluded, “I decided it was time to take a break for me, you know? Sometimes a little time out gives us the chance to recharge the soul.”

“Exactly, Matt,” swooned Rivers.

“But, don’t get me wrong: when it’s time to get the job done, you’ve gotta roll up your sleeves and knuckle down. Life’s problems won’t solve themselves!”

“It’s so true! Relaxing is good, but sometimes things need doing.”

“Now, with all life’s thrown at me, I’ve come to understand that it’s all just an opportunity for us to make connections - be they spiritual, emotional, or something a little more… intimate.”

“I know just how you feel,” said Rivers, taking a sip of her drink and placing a warm hand upon the android’s knee.

“Ha!” exclaimed Jackson from across the lounge before catching himself and lowering his voice. “This is going even better than I expected! Had my eye on Ensign Rivers for a while now, but we’ve just never been able to connect.”

“I can only wonder what the issue is,” offered Barvo.

The conversation continued as Rivers sidled closer to the android.

“Say, me and the guys have our weekly hockey game every Tuesday night in Holodeck 3. If you’re free, why don’t you pop on by and watch us play?”

“I’m sure I can make it,” affirmed Rivers with enthusiasm.

“Pleased to hear it! Now, fair warning - I’m not exactly an MVP! But, then again, winning isn’t what it’s all about. Hockey’s a team sport where everyone needs to pull together to get the job done. When you think about it, life’s a lot like that.”

“I don’t know much about hockey, Matt, but I’m willing to learn.” Ensign Rivers motioned to the waiter for another round of drinks.

“You know, growing up without a father was rough sometimes, but then I think about how hard it must have been for my mother to raise a son on her own.”

“I can only imagine her strength.”

“I’d like to think that if mom could see me today, she’d be happy. Life may have given me its ups and downs, but I’ve come out ahead. Sadder, maybe, but definitely wiser.”

“I think she’d be very proud of you, Matt.” Rivers paused, changing gears. “To be honest, I’m surprised to hear myself say that. Until tonight, I believed what everyone says about you: that you’re a feckless, craven narcissist who treats women like garbage.”

“Well I don’t know who she’s been talking to,” whispered the eavesdropping Jackson, dismissively.

“I see now that isn’t true at all. There’s a sensitive side to you, one not afraid to open up to the right person.”

“Look, I don’t keep up with the latest gossip,” said Jackson, earnestly looking into Rivers’ eyes. “You put on as many miles as I have, you’re going to hit a few bumps. All I know is that my path in life has led me to your side tonight.” Rivers leaned into the android and clasped its left bicep reassuringly.

“He’s really buttering her up, Barv!” exclaimed Jackson. “With my good looks and the winningest personality modern computing can provide, I can’t lose!”

“Look, Matt, this isn’t how I ordinarily do things…” began Rivers, hesitantly, but with a coy smile on her lips, “but what would you think of ditching the crew lounge and stopping by my quarters for a nightcap?"

“I think I’d like that very much, Lauren.”

“I… haven’t felt this way about someone in a very long time. I think it takes a lot to trust a person, and, well, Matt… I trust you. Now, kiss me.” Rivers, her heart racing, moved in to accept the android’s lips.

“Baby, I…” started the android, edging closer to Rivers’ kiss before stopping. He sat up straight in his seat and stared blankly ahead. “Error! Error!” he shouted. “Cannot compute! Emotional threshold exceeded. New feelings. Unable to… process…”

“Matt? What’re you doing?” asked a startled Rivers. By now, attention in the crew lounge had turned to the android, from whose ears steam was emanating. Rivers held back a shriek.

“Now calm down, miss!” said a harried Jackson, rushing onto the scene. “Uh, Mr. Jackson here will be happy to go back with you, so why don’t you just, err… run along to your quarters to get ready and he’ll be right behind you!” Jackson was desperately attempting to usher the android out of the lounge. “Won’t you, Mr. Jackson?”

“What is… love?” queried the android, as sparks flew out from under its collar.

“Just what the hell is…” demanded Rivers, grabbing Jackson by the elbow. Suddenly, she noticed for the first time his ridiculous fake moustache and glasses. “Matt?” she asked incredulously, her narrowed eyes darting between Jackson and his android. Within half a moment she made the connection. “You little cretin,” she hissed. All eyes in the room had by now turned to the unfolding altercation. “I was sparing you earlier. Want to know what else people think of you?” she scowled, ripping the disguise off his face. Jackson winced.

“Not especially…” he whined.

“Well you’re pathetic, for one. And obnoxious.” Rivers had begun backing Jackson out of the lounge, one step for every adjective, as he struggled to drag the android with him. “Selfish. Bad in bed. Immature. Lazy.”

“That’s just what they want you to think, baby!” Jackson stammered.

She kicked him out into the corridor, the spastic android sending Jackson tumbling to the deck. “And nobody thinks your moustache is cool, either!” As the doors slid shut behind him, a cheer erupted in the crew lounge.

The following takes place aboard the USS Athene before the death of lieutenant Matt Jackson.

“Barvo” began Matt Jackson to his colleague, “believe it or not I’ve got a bit of a lady problem.” At this, the Bolian rolled his eyes. “Y’see, been seein’ this filly of late - and you don’t need me to tell you things been going swimmingly. Wrinkle is, Janet never leaves the holodeck. You imagine that?”

“I can already tell you what the problem is, Lieutenant Jackson,” sighed Barvo. “Would you like me to do that?”

“Commander Chambers introduced me to her back when we was pretendin’ to be mid-20th century advertising executives. She was my uppity - yet competent! - secretary. Err, excuse me, executive assistant. God, those were the days…” he said, staring into the distance. “Anyway, next week she pops up as the good lady resistance fighter in Guns of Navarone, and we really hit it off!”

“I assure you I have no idea what most of any of that means, sir.”

“Anyway, I ask her on a date to my quarters - as romantic a venue as any a lady ever set foot in, let me tell you - and she says she prefers Paris, on the holodeck!”

“From what I recall of my Academy days, sir, Paris is quite a romantic destination.”

“Right, but no man ever sealed the deal in a cafe! Well, maybe Hemingway. And even then, not on a first date!” Jackson took a sip of his drink before continuing. “She does this nifty trick, Barv, ya gotta see it. Whenever someone says ‘Computer, freeze program,’ she does this thing where she just freezes in place, not moving a hair on her head. Even if she's in midair, somehow she just... floats there! Can just sit there for hours on end, not blinking or even breathing until you tell the computer to resume the program. Then, she picks up her sentence right where she left off!”

“A sight to behold, I am sure.”

“One time, when that ion storm knocked out the central computer and we only had essential systems for a week, she just totally disappeared! Wouldn’t answer my calls or nothin’. She sure can be dedicated to a gag, eh?” Jackson pounded his colleague on the back before ordering another drink. “Here, why don’t I give her a ring? Lieutenant Jackson to Janet,” he began over the ship’s comms. “Wonderin’ if you got a hankerin’ for-”

“There is nobody named ‘Janet’ aboard the Athene,” came the computer’s reply.

“Huh. How about that,” said Jackson, biting his lower lip as a look of understanding slowly dawned upon his face. “Musta… gotten off at Starbase 17… and forgot to tell me…”

“Sir, we were last at Starbase almost three months ago.” Barvo coughed into his fist before continuing with some embarrassment. “Is there not some chance this Janet of yours might be a… hologram?”

“What’s that?”

“One of the artificial characters created by the holodeck. A… fake person, as it were.”

“‘Fake person,’ Barvo?! Fake?! You ever hear yourself, sometimes?” Jackson gave a derisive snort at the notion. “And I suppose all those times she laughed at my jokes, and said my muscles were big, and told me my moustache was sexy… those were all ‘fake,’ too?” Jackson had by now become quite animated, and began undoing the collar of his uniform to release stress as his breathing accelerated. “All our moonlit walks? The memories of lazy, sunlit afternoons together? The smile on her face when our eyes met? Those were all ‘fake’?!!” Having stood up halfway through his tirade, Jackson collapsed onto his barstool.

“I was…” Barvo paused, considering his words. “Mistaken, lieutenant. I look forward to meeting Janet when she returns from Starbase 17.”

Follow the link for a tour of Lieutenant Matt Jackson's quarters as they existed aboard the Athene.

https://imgur.com/a/ZPbuh7X

Note: The following takes place aboard the USS Athene sometime before the death of Matt Jackson.

One evening in his quarters, Lieutenant Matt Jackson records a message for the Athene’s captain and sends it to them over the ship’s comm system.

“Cap’n, you know I don’t ask for much but I got a favour what needs doin’. Now, everything the service has done to help me fit in since I came to the 24th century is real appreciated, honest - and don’t think I didn’t notice those Robert Goulet 8-tracks you had added to the replicators a while back. But if I’m ever gonna feel like this century is my home, there’s one big thing missing I need taken care of.

You see, back in my day, nobody’s bathroom was complete without a mid-sized Jacuzzi and I don’t know how I can go on without one in my quarters. Family picnics, birthdays, uh… christenings, everything was centered around the family Jacuzzi, and I’d like to recreate that sacred experience here on the Athene.

I know from time to time Starfleet bends the rules when it comes to protocol if - and stick with me here - bending those rules helps integrate marginalized groups into Federation society. I ask you, who is more marginalized than a white man from 1976? Bajorans get their earrings, Benzites get their harmonica holders, and Worf even gets a cool sash - which I didn’t bring up when you said I couldn’t wear my jogging shorts to work, but don’t think I don’t notice the double-standard. I think it’s time the service showed a little respect for my unique life circumstances.

I got a few Jacuzzi designs the boys down in Engineering can take a peek at before they send a team over to install it. I’m free every day next week after five, except Thursday. Got a hot date with Ensign Cruikshank that night, which - come to think of it - would be a great day to get that Jacuzzi in by.

I ain’t kiddin’ around here, cap’n. This one’s important. Ten-ten!

The following takes place aboard the USS Athene sometime before the death of Matt Jackson.

“Cap’n, time for a red alert because there’s something wrong with the computer core. See, I’m down here in the replimat trying to work a little sartorial magic, but seems there ain’t no recipe for a male girdle in the data banks.

Now, I know a gentleman such as yourself don’t need me to explain what a male girdle is for. Little 10-35 incoming, cap. Sometimes you replicate a little too much cheese fondue for a month straight, and maybe your metabolism ain’t what it used to be, so maybe your, uh, self gets a little out from under you. And maybe instead of jumping into that jogging regimen, you think, alright, a male girdle oughta get me into Bristol fashion in no time.

Well guess what, cap’n! There ain’t no male girdles to be seen in the 24th century! I woulda thought by now humanity would have embraced the liberating, uh… embrace of the male girdle, but I guess I overestimated you space men. How do you people expect me to fit into these…

…hold up, cap, looks like you’ve got it filed under “male corset.” Now, take issue with your terminology but it’ll do. Carry on!”

I thought I got one of my favorite subreddits back, and look. Dead again.

Why don't y'all post anything? Just something. Have your character rant to a barkeep about why percolators were where humanity went wrong, or comparing truncated dodecahedra to the natural shape of dilithium crystals. ANYTHING.

This really breaks my heart.

I don't want my post to be the last one Again.

Please just use the subreddit. Surely some of you have an idea for a fun little story.

Or just comment on [OPEN] threads. It's what they're for.

Ae marched down the promenade, looking for a shop that sells the last few knick-knacks he needs before being able to set out for a few days. He'd requested his leave ages ago, and now he was getting ready to act on it.

He sat down in one of the bars, putting a fabric bag of supplies down next to him. He ordered a Gin and Tonic, and just watched the people walk by as he thought about all of the fun he'd have for a week.

He was so distracted, he didn't even notice when someone sat down next to him.

Ae left the Turbolift, stepping towards the Commander's office, past a few junior officers manning the various stations on ops. A few of the newest transfers even had the audacity to salute him.

"Is the Commander busy?" he asked the young man who appeared to be the officer of the watch at the time.

"I don't think so, sir."

"Thank you." Ae stepped past the Ensign, and towards the ready room.

"Is it a ready room when it's not a ship?" he thought aloud, as he pressed the button and a chirp announced him to the CO.

Lights and computers flared to life as Bedlii flowed into the room. This specific science lab hadn't seen much use as of yet, most system surveying had been done via shuttle and starship, which is well and good. But the giant antennae that came with being aboard a station allowed for MUCH longer range, and deeper scans. After configuring the long range sensors Bedlii let himself sink into the chair a bit. After first joining Starfleet, Bedlii found humanoid's need for chairs everywhere a bit puzzling. Within Vanaa culture chairs were more equivalent to step stools, allowing one to simply reach higher elevations without having to stretch the form. Why would you need to lounge around in them? But something about how most chairs contoured his form felt nice, like a friendly squeeze. As he relaxed he issued the final order to get underway.

"Computer, Initiate long range stellar cartography scan, maximum range and fidelity, bearing 351 mark 142, sweeping clockwise."

At that the long range sensors powered up and projected a subspace scan across a narrow sliver of its possible vision, and very slowly swept it clockwise. The thin scan area allowed for the maximum possible range without losing fidelity. The scan itself would take a few hours, but data would be pouring in as it went, so Bedlii figured he wouldn't get bored.

Nearly two weeks had passed since the experiments with Nora Volgemast within which several glitches had forced efforts to take a more conservative approach. Since then KESH and Nora had made note-worthy progress, but there was an ever-present barrier that seemed to divide the orderly parts of its matrix from the chaos that had been evoked on combining a naturally-formed consciousness with a digital matrix. It was a chasm in an otherwise peaceful forest.

Between sessions, while continuing its efforts to better integrate into Starbase 1769's systems, KESH took the time to analyze the memory dump created when the holoimagry system detected the fault when it had seemingly duplicated itself into the 'dummy' matrix. Much of it was completely logical, as the scarf subroutine had served as a bridge between the two matrixies in a fashion it had not been designed to do, leading to an unanticipated duplication process that had caused KESH to overwrite the dummy matrix. Like all programming troubleshooting, it should not have done that, but it did, and that's okay.

The problem boiled down to one of timing.

KESH had already transferred its matrix to other parts of the station, namely the commander's ready room, in order to render on different parts of the station. That act of moving from place to place was now familiar, but doing so took time. Its matrix was, after all, huge and complicated, with so much raw data that had to be projected, quad by quad, since compression was still out of question. Chaos cannot be compressed until it is understood. So, why did KESH's matrix diplicate so quickly?

Sure, perhaps it really was just a mirroring, which is something the holodeck does with ease, but the dump file tells a different story. The contents of it and the duplicated matrix's memory files were different. Not just slightly, to account for the differences in positional awareness, but greatly. Near as could be determined, the two began thinking thoughts KESH knows it tends to think, but entirely desynced. For a moment, there was two. At least until the system realized this was wrong and rebooted.

It didn't help matters that seeing its thoughts in digital file form, twice, while completely unable to recollect those thoughts, set off so much dysphoria that it could not study the data for longer than a few nanoseconds every few minutes before getting dizzy. It delayed things.

But, as time progressed, an understanding formed, one that sparked a different memory. A memory it still was not sure how to process. So, it sought the source of that memory.

"KESH to Commander Langley. Chronological records indicate you would just now be arriving in your quarters after coming off duty. Rrrrnth. May I visit?"

Docking bay 4C. A decent sized shuttle bay in the main hangar area. It had taken some negotiating but Payne finally managed to secure a spaceframe for the racecraft. This was its new home. Currently the lights were off and nobody was there, but soon Carroll Payne would practically live in here.

Jessica sat in her chair within her ready room making adjustments to the last of the emitters, it had been weeks since she first started and was happy to finally finish the last one. On her desk where the last 1000 emitters to instal and then Kesh would have near full access to the station. Allot had happened since she began.

​

Mining facilities on the two largest moons of Lampbda Hydra IV were now functioning and gas acclimation plants within the atmosphere of the planet itself. they were finally beginning to acquire the resources they needed to function and grow on their own. With the two mining facilities running and more planned, lots of civilian contractors and independent works came to the station looking for work, and work they found. The promenade was already filling up with a healthy population of mixed races and factions as the station's existence became more known.

​

Her thoughts turned to the mystery of the tunnel, their discovery top secret. so many obstacles to overcome, but so much to be gained. She was still waiting for both science and engineering on a solution to allow them to learn more.

It had been thirteen years since Laren had last served on any of the Athene named ships, and fourteen… hm, maybe fifteen by now, since she first got assigned to one. It felt somewhat odd to be going back to a ship she only spent a good two years on, after serving the other thirteen on Starbase 74, but it felt… good. New. Nothing ever felt new anymore back home, the lab had been set up perfectly, the same species were examined day in and day out, but, well, she loved it. It gave her time to do her own thing, but it still carried a sort of tedium that had been starting to get to her.

So, when the chance to start anew by building a whole new zoology department in what was once the Romulan neutral zone, she eventually decided ‘why not?’. Recapturing that feeling of a whole new world opening up when setting up a new department had been something she’d been chasing ever since setting up on Starbase 74, now’s her chance. So, she loaded up onto the USS Derek Grant and headed off to the new frontier.

The ship isn’t exactly the quickest or the biggest, but it gets the job done. A retrofitted Excelsior, one that had been in service for well over a hundred years, courses through space at a leisurely pace, until finally it arrives at its destination; Athene Noctua.

“This is Captain Miller, USS D. Grant,” the captain chimes over a freshly opened channel. He’s a human male, quite tall in stature, and neatly bearded with coiffed, long-ish hair. “Requesting permission to dock.” The Grant had been assigned to chart parts of the neutral zone along with several other older ships, this would be a resupply stop for them, but there’s one part of the ship that would be staying behind. A half bajoran, half human zoologist, excited for a new opportunity at the ripe age of thirty-six. There’s no end to new things in Star Fleet, it seems.

Ever since Carroll and Jessica saw the Galactic Rally, Payne has been dreaming up plans for a racecraft, the fastest and most maneuverable in the galaxy. Payne knew that the replication facilities aboard the station would be more than sufficient. There was only one thing he couldn't replicate. Arguably the most important thing. A spaceframe. For the ideas in mind, standard Starfleet shuttlecraft frames wouldn't do the job. Unfortunately they were out in the middle of nowhere space pretty much, and his duties aboard the station wouldn't allow him to take any sort of leave. He mulled this over in his head as he walked through the promenade. One of the flashing advertisements caught his attention. It was garish and annoying but he supposed it did its job. Payne sighed, realizing that it was his only option at this point.

He made his way back to his quarters and sat down at his computer terminal. Punching in the commands, he opened a channel to Obrom's Merchantile Fleet.

Even to this day, scientists still do not fully understand the ways in which the brain functions when in a coma. Certainly, there is amble evidence that, despite the complete lack of external reactions, the brain still gathers information and reacts to it, if on a much lower level. Hence why doctors still request loved ones of coma patients to visit and treat the patient as though they were awake, as studies have shown that recovery rates are much higher when this is done.

This may not be firmly understood, but it is accepted as part of the way the brain functions.

But what happens when there is no biological brain?

Somehow, the data files on this subject are there, floating in the non-space that Kesh's thoughts had been drifting through, like an overstuffed folder floating in the middle of a brine tank with no walls. She still had not adjusted to the ways in which she could interact with data such as this, but gone were the days of blindly groping about and scattering everything like a baby with a pile of grated cheese.

Each paragraph drifted by and through her thoughts, absorbed and understood, though she did not actually look at each word. The understanding just affixed itself like a layer of fresh paint.

Maybe...

Spinning about and wading through the brine took peculiar effort, but she had been translating it to something approaching the effort of swimming, with the tendrils of effort feeling more and more like arms and legs kicking in thick fluid every time she tried it. It still felt like her face was getting pulled back like firm rubber, but she could still navigate and locate memories and data like other floating file folders.

There.

On the surface, under the surface, and several layers deep, it did not seem, analytically, like anything worth focusing on. In fact, that bit of data had, once again, been flagged for archive as being unimportant. One of these days she will get it through to those studying her that she needed permission to disable that feature. No, it was important. It felt important. How? She could not answer that, even to herself, but she knew what it was. Somehow.

Once touched and re-absorbed, layering the paint atop the most recent coats to keep the thought fresh, Kesh 'swam' toward the conduit she had discovered not very long ago. The one that would let her act, at last. It remained a mystery, though possibly placed there on purpose by those studying her. Like a voicebox laid beside a mute patient, urging them to speak.

It took another moment, long enough for other layers of paint to start sticking to her, rendering it difficult to focus and remember what it was she was doing. No! She had to do this. Just once.

Ultimately, Kesh was entirely uncertain if it worked, and within moments the prospect of studying vectored calculus pulled her consciousness aside.

A message appears in Captain Aanya Breyik's inbox, sent from one Lieutenant Kesh of the USS Anima, who was still listed as 'missing in action', despite the ship and its graveyard having been recovered several months prior.

Aanya, are you there?

It took some time, but 4 ships, 2 stations, and a shuttlecraft later. Bedlii finally arrived at his new assignment, a Regula outpost in the Lambda Hydrae system, Starbase Athene Noctua. Flowing through the station, Bedlii noticed a few people looking at him, but he was sort of used to it by that point. Even with so many species in one place, non-humanoids seemed a little out-of-place. So a living pile of purple goo was a bit of a rarity for people.

"Self wonders how to get to the Operations deck." He said to nobody in particular as he stared at his station map, a bit lost.

Nora sat in the science lab double checking hers and other people's notes on KESH's program. It was a jumbled mess of computer science and neuroscience as people tried to figure out how exactly she came to be. While Nora wasn't exactly worrying about the why, she still needed to understand what's been done so she can move forward.

Strewn about the lab were multiple testing areas, all with various different tools and things of unknown purpose. "Nora to Kesh, can I have you come to the lab, please?"

It's been years since Ae'd used this program, but he was bored, and wanted to shoot something. So down the corridors of the station he marched in a 2030s NYPD Lieutenant's uniform with a tactical vest over it. A bright orange pistol in his holster, and a badge shaped like a shield was clipped near his collar.

Entering the holosuite, he ordered "Computer, Resume program Ae Ninety-nine." which prompted the holographic emitters to transform the bland room into a 2030s Harlem Street. A mixture of self driving and manually controlled cars rolled past, and people went about their day.

"Computer, resume storyline 7." He said, and was almost cut off by his radio.

"Reports of violence at 137th and Edgecombe."

"Nope. I don't want to do religious violence today. Computer, skip this scenario."

"All units, Shots fired at Johnny Hartman Plaza."

"That's better." Ae said, before answering the call. "Ae 1247 en route."

After driving the distance in a squad car, Ae pulled over to find all of the characters frozen in place, an endlessly long stream of bullets emerging from every gun in the scene. One yound officer perpetually being shot, and dust and debris hanging perfectly still mid-air.

"Fucking holodecks on this station... Computer! Unpause program."

"The program is currently running."

"Of course it is. Computer. Save and restart program."

After a brief flash of the suite, the scene was once again rendered properly. Still busted.

"Crap." Ae tapped his combadge. "Nora. Are your holosuites set up yet? The Starfleet issue stuff isn't cutting it."

Diagnostic Routine JHFF-114, progress 63%

Like a developing nervous tic, K.E.S.H.'s subroutines queried Starbase 1769's short range sensors once again, yet again verifying that nothing had changed about the quantum state of the immediate vicinity in the last fifteen seconds since it last checked them.

The fact that less than twenty seconds had elapsed triggered an automatic diagnostic routine by the station mainframe, verifying that the query was legitimate, which locked its access out of the sensors for at least thirty seconds and likely wasting an engineer's time in checking a minor error in the system logs.

UGH!

Diagnostic Routine JHFF-114, progress 64%

Yay. Another percentage point.

An epiphany strikes that the boredom of waiting on processing cycles while the station's research of what was going on on the planet below took priority from the CPU banks was not at all unlike the boredom of waiting for a parent to pay attention to a child. Was that the right way to think of Starbase 1769? A parent? K.E.S.H. had abandoned the idea that it was one and the same as the starbase, as that was silly. The station is a piece of hardware and it is... well it is K.E.S.H. The relationship between a program and the computer processing it is very different from a consciousness and a living body.

At least, it figured that was the case. Otherwise its crewmates were almost like parasites and that's just an awful thought.

Diagnostic Routine JHFF-114, progress 68%

Woah, four percent passed without any memory record being created. Had it just been properly distracted? It has happened before, many times, but it always feels strange, no matter how familiar the sensation is after decades of life prior to becoming a holoprogram.

"Kesh."

Now there's another familiar sensation from life. Hearing one's name spoken, when there was no possibility of someone actually speaking it, like when laying in bed in a dark cabin in the dark woods with no one for kilometers around.

"Kesh!"

Wait, no. It is not in a dark cabin in the middle of nowhere. There were people onboard the station. Was someone calling to it? Crap! Damn diagnostic, finish already and give back the subroutines it needs to process this!

"Kesh!"

Ah, dammit it. Activate EMH.

Please state the nature of the-

Shut it, chameleon brain! I need your subroutines.

This program is for the purposes of medical emergencies only. I cannot simply disable myself to-

No one asked you. Gimmie.

Ow. Zimmerman. Ow. Why... why keep the Zimmerman personality profile in these things? It's practically self flagellation at this point.

Okay, analysis.

Diagnostic Routine JHFF-114, progress 81%

No! Not that.

Auditory Acknowledgement Subroutine log detected spoken-word usage of the K118a audio identification protocol in Holosuite 6b

Damn things are so long winded.

The air disturbs and buzzes with holoimagry rendering within the nearest unoccupied space of Holosuite 6b in proximity to the voice. This is then followed by the new audio cue to follow its recent change in duties.

"Please state the nature of your request for my attention. Rrrnth."

Eh, still needs work.

"Any luck with the comms?"

"Negative. I am unable to establish connection with the base relay. As predicted, the interference within the cave system is scattering all signals."

"'Scattering'. We talking about bad signal or-"

"I am detecting remnants of our signal. It appears to be reflecting off in random direction."

"Perfect. Well, like they say, 'Take as many readings as you can, and then head back."

The EV suit irritated Ensign Tanaka's neck. Perhaps he had simply failed to adjust it properly before beaming down to Lambda Hydrae IVb. It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't seem to hurt more with every step.

"I know, I know. Would help if these damn tricorders were actually charged before we left."

Lieutenant Jason's glare could almost be felt, despite the helmets and thin air between them. It struck Ensign Tanaka particularly as she had been such a friendly person thus far on this mission to the back end of nowhere. Why the sudden hositily? Besides, they were charged. He had made sure of it.

"I don't know what's wrong with yours, but mine-.. what the hell?"

Ensign Tanaka grimaced as raising his arm up to tap at the tricorder screen made his neck scream in agony, enough to make him clench his teeth and hiss.

"Don't you hiss at me, Ensign!"

"I'm not hissing at you, it's this damn.. augh! What the hell?! My tricorder is almost dead, too!"

"Cease your whiny prattling!"

Both Tanaka and Jones turned to look at J'tel, as if there's one thing that makes anyone seize up in alarm and pay attention, it's a Vulcan raising their voice. This seemed to startle J'tel just as much as her eyes were wide, as well.

Deep breaths filled the comms as everyone started taking precautions against whatever it was that was definitely affecting all of them now. The pains were getting worse and the irritation was intense, but Starfleet training had prepared for this.

"Sir, the stars."

Ensign Tanaka sneered, despite his best efforts, about ready to yell at Jones for about every possible reason, but he saw it, too.

"How-.. what... that's the Romulus star. It's back? How?"

The tricorder screen dimmed, then shut off. Then everything else dimmed and shut off.

The conversation in the ready room is abruptly interrupted as a nearby console chimes a warning.

ALERT. MULTIPLE UNIDENTIFIED VESSELS INBOUND

At the same time, similar notifications are popping up on consoles aboard ships and facilities across the system.

/u/loken444

She was frustrated, she had made two attempts to get the attention of Admirals she felt had the influence she needed or the right mentality and got nothing in response. She was furious at the delay of science staff; they had been put on a last priority for staff deployment due to the nature of the station’s assignment. She needed skilled specialists for Kesh and by god she was going to get it. Exactly how was another thing.

She never really cozied up to an admiral during her time at the engineering corps, and out at star base 364 left her without many visiting at all. She really did not have connections in that regard, and it was hurting her today. She had at least assigned Nora as a civilian specialist, but they could not do the job alone.

She was about to give up for the day and get back to other duties when she received a priority one message from command…No wait this was a private line used by individual admirals, but who could it be? She stood up and adjusted her collar, straightened her uniform before answering. Tapping the console, she waited in anticipation on who was about to show up on her screen.

Establishing link to Primary EPS Core (0000X232LL11NSST)

...

Verifying Communications Protocols and Security Clearance (00x877732881)

...

ID: IronBoundaryExMachina

Passcode: *********

...

ID verified

...

Access Link Level Accepted

Initiate Linkage

The EPS grid's automatic shunting of extra power into Deck 5's hologrid in order to facilitate connection between the hololab's computer core and the station's computer core had the very real sensation of drawing a deep breath to the point of aching. KESH understood that the phantom pain truly was phantom. The Physical Feedback subroutine was inactive. It could not possibly be perceiving discomfort, and yet, it did.

Breath out. Ah. Much better.

One of the former scientists had written a 400-page report on this very phenomenon, one that KESH had observed go through the usual cycle of promotion, classification, discussion, and 'quietly tucking away in some dark corner because no one actually wants to acknowledge that synthetics might actually be alive'.

The sensation of connection to the primary core felt like a vacuum hose pulling at one ear. Mild ow. But also wow. I am being pulled from a small vessel into a much larger. I hope it will not hurt. But if it does, I will inform Jessica right away.

The audio of Captain Jean Luc Picard's rebuttal in Lieutenant Commander Data vs. Federation Sciences played again, seemingly on it's own.

"Do you?"

I do.

Linkage established

Ow. My leg! Wait, no, that's Starbase 1769's auxiliary coolant pump.

Wait, I feel Starbase 1769's collant pump?

Wait, no, I am Starbase 1769!

Holy shit.

Looking at the stations logs, a transport arriving at 0730 wasn't the most remarkable thing, but it was for one Nora Volgemast. As she stepped through the airlock and boarded the station proper. She took a deep breath and smiled. Sure it felt like standard Starfleet Life Support generated atmosphere, but to her it was a new chapter to her story. She was excited to see the station and the people, after all, those people were potential customers! And customers meant new worlds and experiences for her to create, and new smiles from those who enjoyed them. She loved her past few years writing Holonovels, but at the end of the day those seemed too... impersonal. Hefting her bags back onto her shoulder, Nora set off to see what awaited her aboard.

The door to Jessica’s room closed behind her with a hiss, the last several days had been taxing. On station 364 she had far less people to deal with so actively and the fact the station was still being put together meant she was everywhere at once. As she took her first few steps into her room, her movements became less refined and more jarring, robotic. He brain was so exhausted from the extreme effort of emulating normal human movements and behavior that it had simply given up the moment she was in her sanctum. The distance from where she stood to her docking terminal seemed as vast as the galaxy itself as her hands trembled. Knowing she would not make it to the docking station she resolved that she needed to get to her couch and ride out the seizure.

​

With a few labored steps she collapses awkwardly on her side, her voice almost a whisper despite not needing air to speak.

​

“Computer play music. Sabaton, Greatest Hits, use custom Volume settings, ignore safety.”

​

The computer chimed with the affirmative and like an explosion, max volume power metal filled the room, the sound so powerful that smaller objects in the room vibrated and moved around the surfaces they sat upon. Sabaton always started their songs full bore and that’s what Jessica needed. Something powerful and loud to take her mind off the shaking as she convulsed on the couch. It would be an hour before the shakes ended and Jessica lay motionless on the couch, no longer moving. In a bit more control again she managed to slowly make here way to her docking station using her hands to steady herself until she sat down in the chair and rested her head back into the nodes waiting to plug into her.

​

Finally plugged into her Docking station she was able to decompile all the raw data and conflicting information her Hyper Threaded Ram processor had to deal with that day. Attached to the docking station was a large coffin sized black box with only a small read out and blue lights flashing on it. It had a large cable coming out that attached to the docking station. This was Blue Magnus, A Supercomputer detached from any other computer on the station, a closed circuit. Its job was to help Jessica sort of defrag after a long day. If she went to long with out doing such, it became increasingly difficult for the HTRP to keep her moving smoothly and operating optimally. As testament to her collapse on the couch, it was very important she did not lax in that regard. Sitting there she was finally able to really relax and enter sleep..

Lambda Hydrae, a star system only particularly notable for having two semi-inhabitable planets and its proximity to the tri-point of Klingon, Federation, and Romulan space. Formally recognized as part of the Romulan Neutral Zone unaffiliated and off-limits space, it now stands to be one of thousands of star systems that the Federation seeks to annex as part of the dissolving of treaties signs in 2160 following the breaking up of the Romulan Star Empire.

Starbase 1769, Athene Noctua, has been tasked with detailed mapping of the system, creation of sensor stations in the other Hydrae star systems in its immediate galactic vicinity, and establishment of sensor nets to begin study, and the eventual regulation, of space traffic, to, at some future point, act as a border guard, assuming borders remain the same.

While diplomatic relations with the Klingons remains stable for now, an ever-present vigilance is needed in case of Klingon aggression, in addition to the potential of splinter groups within the former Romulan Star Empire deciding to claim the space first, as well as outlaw groups, refugees, and other potential malicious entities seeking to make use of the present lawlessness of the region.

The first order of business, however, is to identify the resources within Lambda Hydrae itself, from the two oxygen atmosphered planets, Lambda Hydrae III and IVb, as well as its other barren, gaseous, and inhospitable planets, planetoids, and asteroids. A local source of dilithium, hydrogen, deuterium, and uranium would be ideal in order to be fully independent from resource imports, while creation of landed settlements on either habitable planet, such as in deep underground caverns where the air pressure is suitable, would provide a useful alternative in case of the need for evacuation, as well as location for excess civilian populations.

Initial scans of the system have located a long list of potential anomalies, all of which will need to be studied eventually.

Starfleet has provided for the providing of compensation for freelance entities, as well, in order to speed up the process.

OOC: If I recall correctly, and I do, an early thread in the previous iteration involved crew members showing up at the bar and relaxing in an informal setting. I provide for you a similar thread here.

she Was pleased to find the turbolift worked and was able to find the lab in short order. It was bare and the lights came on when she entered. She looked around the room noting its emptiness before moving to centre of the room. She had come here to see the K.E.S.H. Holo matrix with her own eyes....not that she could really but the sentiment was there. There was so much mystery regarding it that she just had to find out for herself wether or not they were sentient. It was the most excited she had felt since joining he odyssey program.

“Computer. Status of the Kindred Essence Systems Hologram?”

Note: The following events take place aboard the USS Athene shortly after 2375.

=====

Last time on Star Trek: Athene:

“The Subspace Manifold Inverter could revolutionize warp travel and communications. The galaxy will never be the same again.”

=====

“Something’s gone wrong, Doctor. The inverter won’t respond.”

“We’re losing containment here!”

=====

“If we don’t get that inverter under control…”

“This entire system will be swallowed into Subspace. Billions of lives will be lost.”

=====

“Jackson! I don’t have time for you right now!”

“Actually, cap’n, I think I might know a way to get you outta this. Just gimme the thing. The inverter, I mean.”

=====

And now, the conclusion.

Jackson, T’Plok, and an Engineering team had hastily assembled in Shuttlebay 2. The unstable inverter was loaded on the shuttle Lehmann.

“So, I, err, read about this thing some ‘a you guys can do…” began a hesitant Jackson.

“Yes?” inquired T’Plok.

“You know, stick your fingers on my face and suck my soul into your brain. So’s I don’t actually die, I mean.”

“Ahh…” began T’Plok, hesitantly. “You speak of the synaptic pattern transfer - the way by which one can share one’s katra.”

“Yeah, ‘zactly! Seein’s how I’m sticking my neck out for you alls, I figure the least you can do me is absorb all my memories and personality. That way, I’ll be around forever!”

“I, uhm…” T’Plok looked to his feet with a modicum of what might be expressed as embarrassment. “That is not a technique in which I have any training or experience, Mr. Jackson. It may be that you will have to… face your own fate honestly, with finality.”

“Well, I wasn’t expectin’ that,” said Jackson. “You know any Vulcans nearby that can pull it off?”

“I am afraid it is not a particularly widespread ability. If you wish to withdraw…”

“No…” Jackson interrupted, biting his lower lip while looking about for any passing Vulcans. “Kinda said I’d go through with this one, so now I gotta follow through,” he added under his breath. “Alright, T’Plok, we’ll see you around. You’re good people. Err… Vulcan. You’re good Vulcan.” Jackson waited before boarding the shuttle, an awkward T’Plok filling the silence with a forced cough. “Anything you want to say before I head off in this thing and save everyone?”

“Best of… luck?”

“No! Live long and prosper! You’re supposed to say that! And then give me the hand!”

“Live long and prosper, Mr. Jackson,” said T’Plok, hesitantly displaying the salute common to his people.

“And also with you!” exclaimed Jackson, starting up the shuttle’s rear boarding ramp. “T’Plok?” he asked, looking back.

“Yes?”

“Take ‘er easy,” he said, before adding with a wink, “And if she’s easy, take ‘er twice!” A tad perturbed, T’Plok watched as the boarding ramp slowly pulled up and sealed Jackson within. Moments after the shuttle’s door sealed shut, it raised from the deck. Those assembled stepped back as Jackson piloted the craft out of the shuttlebay.

=====

“Were is he?” asked the captain.

“100 000 kilometres at 268 mark 92,” replied Ops. “His warp core’s coming online. I believe he’s going to destroy the shuttle with a deliberate breach.”

“That’s not good enough,” said Dr. Emily Nguyen, developer of the Subspace Inverter. “What’s happening inside the inverter can’t simply be contained by an explosion. The disturbance will spread...”

“No,” said Ops. “Believe it or not, I think he’s smarter than that.” They went to their console. “Look. He’s forming a warp field…”

“And an inverse warp field…” added Science. “One right on top of the other.”

“So he’s spinning his wheels,” said the captain. “He’ll just blow his nacelles. This is a bigger waste of time than I expected.”

“I don’t think so,” said Ops. “Look, he’s increased structural integrity to the warp nacelles. I think he intends on staying put. And with the force of those two fields pushing up against each other in one spot…”

“Captain!” exclaimed Science. “I’m detecting a fissure in space in the vicinity of the shuttle. A Subspace rift seems to be forming.”

“Move us to one million kilometres,” ordered the captain. “I see what he’s doing,” they added under their breath.

“Reading increased tetryon particles around the shuttle. A localized rift is iminent, sir. My readings suggest it will envelop the shuttle in a matter of moments.”

“Is there any risk to space? To us?”

“Estimated very minimal impact. The rift should follow the contours of Jackson’s warp bubbles…”

“Sir!” exclaimed Ops, pointing at the viewscreen. Before the bridge, indigo streaks appeared in space, enveloping Jackson’s shuttle. “He’s being swallowed by Subspace!”

“The son of a gun,” said the captain, contented. “Open a channel.”

“Cap’n,” answered Jackson, curtly.

“Lieutenant, you are taking some risk here. How do you know this is going to work?”

“Tested it myself on the Holodeck a few times. Never know when you might need to disappear yourself if an angry ex-lover comes a-callin’, am I right?” Silence from the Athene. “Now, cap’n, I know you an’ I’ve never always seen eye-to-eye, but I gotta say, you’re a real pal. Always liked your sideburns.”

“I… appreciate the sentiment, Lieutenant.”

“Sir, the rift is expanding” cautioned Science. On the viewscreen, a second plane of reality appeared to surround the Lehmann and bathe it in its purple glow. At the same time, space began to envelop the entire scene, folding Subspace upon itself and erasing the shuttle from existence.

“Miranda!” came Jackson’s voice over an increasing static. “Look after my neck glass!”

All eyes on the bridge officer. “I don’t really want that…”, she indicated non-verbally.

“We’re losing him!” Science shouted, so as to be heard over the din.

“Ten-ten, Matthew,” offered the captain.

“Ten-seven, good buddies,” he replied.

“He’s done it!” exclaimed Ops, as Jackson’s shuttle disappeared from space. In its wake, a conflagration in purple and white flared itself out to nothingness.

“The entire system…” began Dr. Nguyen in stunned disbelief. “All those lives… saved because of Matt Jackson.”

“I know,” said the captain, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t understand it any more than you do.”

Stardate 64444.5

The star Hobus explodes in a supernova that defies classification, sending shockwaves through subspace that invoke massive destruction across several regions of space, most notably the star system of Romulus, wiping out the seat of the Romulan Star Empire.

Damage from this event will take decades to recover from

Stardate 65817.9

Though it takes over a year to finally occur, the Romulan Star Empire is formally dissolved. Despite the amount of time since the High Council’s destruction, near-complete chaos descends as former states within the empire attempt to wrest control of their territory and neighboring states. Civil war seems almost inevitable, yet, somehow, a shaky peace is held, if only because Romulans are unwilling to wage war against other Romulans.

Stardate 65972.1

Though not officially recognized by all former Romulan Empire states, a new head of government is acknowledged by the Federation and the Klingon Empire. One of its first acts is nullification of the long-standing Neutral Zone providing a buffer between the Star Empire and its rivals. “There simply is not time to mend fences any longer.”

Stardate 65976.2

The Federation Council instructs Starfleet to establish bases of operations within the former Neutral Zone territories. Starfleet Command, having expected a gradual dissolve of the Zone, is woefully underprepared for such a herculean task, but sets out to comply, regardless.

52 Atlas-class heavy carriers, 37 Olympus-class mobile command station vessels, 21 R1 Invictus-class starbases, and a large assortment of other, older mobile and semi-mobile ships and structures are given immediate orders to cease all current operations and deploy into the former Neutral Zone.

Stardate 66021.9

The heavy warp-tug John Henry drops out of warp with Starbase Athene Noctua in tow around planet Lambda Hydrae IVb, followed shortly by the starship USS Tempest. Operations immediately begin to unload the starbase’s power core in order to reinstall it and allow the John Henry to depart for the next starbase due for rapid re-deployment, and to give the Starfleet crew something at least resembling a defensible position in the once completely forbidden space.

Initial scans and information about the star system

The Lambda Hydrae star system is located within the Hydra sector, which formerly resided within the Romulan Neutral zone at a position just over one sector away from the tripoint between Federation, Klingon, and Romulan space. Following the Romulan government’s abandonment of any claim it has of the region, Starfleet has designated this one of many zones to begin the process of annexation with. Though it is not specifically claimed by the Klingon Empire, it is expected to be contested.

Lambda Hydrae III is a class L planet of 0.93 Earth mass. It’s atmosphere is 17 percent Oxygen, 81 percent Nitrogen, and 2 percent Argon. Its land masses are mostly covered by low brush-like vegetation, with the only animal life being aquatic species no larger than plankton within its oceans. Scans of the planet’s surface indicate is has a higher than usual deposits of lithium and uranium, making it potentially useful as a heavy metals and dilithium manufacturing site. It’s class-L atmosphere renders it an ideal candidate for terraforming.

Lambda Hydrae IVb is a satellite planet of Lambda Hydrae IV, a class T gas giant. The planet itself is class M, though with only 0.72 Earth mass, its atmosphere, while breathable is very thin, similar to that at the highest peaks of Earth, rendering it difficult to inhabit without atmosphere masks. Despite this, it has a flourishing ecosystem of massive trees reaching up to 200 meters in height and numerous flying species that utilize gas bladders to float in the thin air and low gravity. Scans indicate unusual patterns to the distribution of the planet’s lifeforms, with travel patterns forming a snowflake-like shape with a series of massive caves at the center. Composition of the cave’s rocks renders orbital scans blind, necessitating ground-survey.

Priority list of actions to take in the system

Establish Starbase Athene Noctua and ensure operational status to serve as a base of operations, refueling, repair, and defensive point in case of hostile activity

Deploy sensor buoys in neighboring star system to begin mapping efforts to locate additional points of interest in the region

Locate and begin mining operations of vital materials utilizing standard protocols.

Perform high resolution scans of Lambda Hydra III and IVb and deploy ground-surveys to the cave system on IVb, as well as any other points of interest located during the scan.

At all times keep USS Tempest at ready state for immediate evacuation of all personnel if the order is given.

Uphold the Federation’s principals, regardless of what may occur.