The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 88
Sarah just had an interesting chat telepathically with Ernie. He
seems about ready to burst with excitement. He claims have a new
friend he refers to as the Big C. Thinking this may be important news
she tries to locate Maccs and Admiral Frances.
Speaking into her communicator, "Maccs, Ernie said he is speaking
telephatically with someone he calls the Big C. He claims Big C is
not aboard the space station or anywhere else but has important
information for our group. Ernie said since Big C recognizes his
superior intelligence and his inherant talent as a natural born
leader (if ever given the chance to lead)so of course knew
immediately Ernie was the one to pass on this vital information. Have
you detected any "communications" that could account for Ernie's
claims?" said Sarah.
Wondering if it was indeed wise to trust a "big mouth bat" with her
many messages, deciding in the end no real harm was done in what
little Ernie revealed concerning the origins of all those messages
she'd sent on to Sarah through him:
"Better be more careful, though, in the future", the Celestial
warned herself along with her 'other half' -- the other agreeing
with his 'eternal mate' -- both coming to understand that something
on the planet before them bore. in large part. responsibility for
the future disaster they came there to investigate.
Already they could detect the abnormal power emissions no mechanical
sensor array could yet scan; something among the multitude of
ancient relics the team of Federation scientists prepared for take
home with them aboard the Federation starship. "USS Alice Cooper-B".
the vessel in question entering orbit already around that remote
planet far removed from both the Federation and even "Deep Space 2". Nor was that all, able to sense as well the unique energy signature
of an actual tear inside whatever it was the Federation scientists
prepared for transport aboard the USS Alice Cooper-B; a Tear of
Esiden bearing its own very special anomaly -- damaged somehow --
buried as it was inside some mysterious alien device containing as
well some other material element even both halves of the Celestial
found it hard to clearly identify. No problem, though, calculating the possible effect such a defective tear would no doubt have coming in contact with any possible temporal disturbance -- the only hope of repairing said Tear physical contact with others of its kind -- the Celestial deciding at once she needed to bring both it and Sarah together. And realizing as well she'd somehow have to get the Alice Cooper-B to stop over at Deep Space 2 in order to bring both Sarah and
injured Tear together, the Celestial decided as well on a way she
hope might bring both Federation space base and starship together. So, relaying on to DS-2 an exact duplicate of the very same subspace message Captain Kalee of the Alice Cooper-B sent instead the
archeologists on planet "HD-02-3065-479", the celestial hoped the
resulting confusion might bring both starship and space station
together -- sending onto Sarah right after that another cryptic
message via Ernie -- another poetic clue in her ongoing quest
throughout all reality.
Aboard Deep Space 2 Central Operations Lieutenant Commander Loogen
reports to Colonel Jan Theys.
"Colonel, There is a message coming in from the U.S.S. Alice Cooper-
B sir."
"Let's hear it."
"This is Captain Raz Kalee of the Federation starship, U.S.S. Alice
Cooper-B, sent to check in on the progress of your mission to
planet 'HD-02-3065-4729. We plan to arrive at your co-ordinates in
two stellar days; traveling speed, warp 8.3".
"Okay, Mister Loogen; acknowledge that message and give our regards
to Captain Kalee."
"Done sir."
Maccs Avaat and the other Starchild away team members were still
waiting for an answer from Admiral Arthur who still seemed hesitant
in telling his visitors everything.
"It is not that simple," Arthur started. "Please follow me..."
And hearing all that DS-2's holographic medical program had to
report in the matter of both Admiral Arthur's future self and the
mysterious "Giloppen", all those from Starchild gathered together in
Deep Space 2's main "Sick bay" listened in an air of deep concern. Yet before either Maccs, or Frances could speak up in reply it was
instead Sarah who spoke up first in answer to all she'd just heard --
relaying unto everyone there (including Admiral Arthur, Maccs
Avaat, Frances Straker, and the rest of her crewmates all present)
the message she just received from Ernie:
"Maccs, Ernie said he is speaking telepathically with someone he
calls the 'Big-C'", she informed everyone else standing nearby, all-
the-same unsure what it all meant.
"He claims Big-C is not aboard the space station, or anywhere else,
but has important information for our group. Ernie said since Big-C
recognizes his superior intelligence, and his inherent talent as a
natural born leader (if ever given the chance to lead), 'Big-C' of
course knew immediately Ernie was the one to pass on this vital
information. Have you detected any "communications" that could
account for Ernie's claims?", Sarah then asked at he end of her
message, directing this last question at both Maccs (in Avatar form)
and Admiral Arthur. Then, before anyone could provide the little Ewok the answer to this. her last question above. Sarah passed on to everyone yet anther message courtesy of both the Celestial and Ernie.
"The next tear you seek is in peril,
That same one that brought you here,
Injured, fractured, and unstable,
Its future remains still unclear."
"Captain, I'm picking up on subspace an incoming message from Deep
Space 2", Judy Sarah Skwyr, Chief of communications aboard the USS
Alice Cooper-B informed Captain Raz Kalee from her post on the
bridge of that very same starship.
"Indeed, Lt. Cmdr.", Raz acknowledged receipt of that 'odd' hail
from so far away, DS-2 over 2000 light years away from both the
Alice Cooper-B and it's immediate location in orbit about planet "HD-
02-3065-4729".
"And what, pray-tell, do they want of us?" he likewise ventured to
ask, his eyes still focused on that remote jungle world around which
his ship now took a stationary position -- a recently discovered
blue-green planetoid in orbit of yet a larger gas giant orbiting in
turn a small red dwarf star. Not much to look at there, farther
beyond Federation borders than even Deep Space 2.
"That's the strange thing, Sir", the beautiful woman of mixed
Vulcan/Andorian heritage informed her ship's C.O. from her own
position at Communications:
"It appears to be a standard reply communiqué in response to a hail
they claim we sent them".
"We didn't send them any official communiqué from aboard this ship",
Raz Kalee stated what his senior communications officer already knew
to be fact -- a mystery he found rather peculiar despite its
seemingly innocuous nature:
"Any possibility someone aboard ship sent them a more 'unofficial'
communiqué", Raz added; all-the-same unable to imagine (even while
asking) anyone under his command doing so without his express
permission beforehand.
"No, Sir", both Judy-Sarah and Lt. Gav Tiral. Chief of Security
aboard the Alice Cooper-B. informed in unison their ship's C.O. .
"Internal Security reports no unauthorized communiqués either sent,
or received from aboard this vessel", Raz Kalee's Tellarite Chief of
Security proceeded even further -- sounding almost offended (in his
usual, argumentative, Tellarite fashion) over the very idea of
someone slipping anything untoward by him.
"Very good, Mr. Tiral", Raz nodded, employing a more placating tone
of voice, used to Mr. Tiral's sometimes touchy nature whenever he
felt his professional reputation being put in question.
"Still, though, I'm sure Admiral Arthur wouldn't make much a mistake
as to send an official reply to a likewise official message he never
in fact received", Raz concluded at last, giving Lt. Cmdr. Jud Sarah
Skwyr a carefully worded "counter reply" to send in turn Deep Space
2.