By Alan Tripp

— Somewhere In Time —

“Steering this is just like steering a starship,” muttered Brianna Llewellyn to herself. 

Her words referred to steering this version of reality through the seas of time to cement this alternate reality to the proper flow of time. 

And if all worked as hoped, this just might give this version of her home galaxy a fighting chance. 

The young captain’s eyes flowed across the timestream, watching it shift like the great currents of a massive ocean. 

She might be a young captain, but it’s amazing what one can learn and do when everything was riding on it.

Her command, the U.S.S. Temporal Storm, was one of the last ships of the fleet where she came from. 

“I will be fucking damned if I allow the bloody Iconians to wipe out every damn thing I’ve ever known yet again,” she muttered tersely. “At least this version of it all at any rate.” 

It was a reality that when she needed another to flee too, she’d found by following the trail of her own father … a father she’d never known … whose ship had fallen through the cracks between realities.

“That temporal cloak of yours is a rather ingenious bit of technology,” called a voice behind her. 

Any less seasoned officer might have been caught off guard and surprised. 

But again, she’d seen too much in her short career and had too much to lose to be caught dimwitted.

“Trust me, this is for your own good,” she told the newcomer. 

“The Temporal Prime directive says you do not have that right,” he returned. 

“Watch the Iconians destroy the bulk of the civilized universe and see how fast that Temporal Prime directive goes out the window,” she retorted hotly.

The figure raised a pistol and leveled it at Brianna. 

“Daniels, put that damn thing down and shut up and listen for once in your life,” another more gruff voice called out. “And remember your manners.”

A grizzled looking Klingon stepped through the outer circle of the represented timestream, moving into view. 

“This is her temporal observatory, NOT yours,” he tossed at the one called Daniels before turning towards Bree. 

“I’m Rha … a temporal agent with the Klingon Empire,” he said in way of an introduction. 

“And my counterpart is Daniels … temporal agent with the Federation,” he continued. 

He eyed Bree up and down. 

“Now tell us who you are, and why you’ve crossed into this version of reality,” Rha ordered. 

“Capt. Brianna Llwellyn in command of the Premonition-class, U.S.S. Temporal Storm,” she answered, clasping her hands behind her back. 

“One of the last Alliance ships left in operation when we turned tail and left,” she continued. 

“Now, why are you here?” Rha pressed. “I have an idea as to why, but he needs to hear it apparently.” 

Over the next several minutes, the ship’s captain shared the story of her home reality and how a race called the Iconians had invaded not to conquer, but to destroy everything in their path. 

Of how a desperate Alliance had used breakthroughs in temporal technologies to create ships outfitted with temporal drives so as to take the fight into their own timeline to try and change the events before they happened. 

However, the Iconians … who could not travel through time themselves … sent their servator races onto the temporal battlefield to fight them. 

It was odd that it was the Iconians protecting that timeline as the end results favored them, not those of the Alliance. 

And when civilization finally fell, Brianna had instituted a hail mary of a plan, following her father from one reality into another by making use of the Mycelial Network.   

Once here, she’d begun the work of shifting the timeline to do her best to stack the deck so this new reality at least had a fighting chance. 

Until now, a temporal cloak had hidden her ship while they’d set about their work. 

But that work when mixed with having broken through the wall of reality before that had taxed their temporal drive to the limit. 

Meaning the drive would not last much longer. 

But they’d set the pieces in the proper places on the game board with hopes the timeline might well be nudged in just the right directions. 

Daniels sputtered and muttered complaints and arguments until Rha silenced him once more. 

“Daniels, has it occurred to you that what this woman is doing might well be what is destined to happen in our timeline?” the Klingon asked his Starfleet counterpart.

He gestured in a sweep of his arm at the flowing timeline that circled the temporal chamber. 

“That all this is meant to happen and as such fixed points in time? … Look around you. Note anything in her version of the timeline dsisplays missing from our own?” 

Daniels grew thoughtful, considering the matter as he studied the displays and noted the differences in her readings verses those he’d last seen in his own. 

It was like looking at an early version when you’ve already seen the end results. 

Fixed points in the time stream. … Different points in the timestream. … Different points where reality shifts from one path to another as it diverges and shifts tracks. 

“How can you be so sure?” he asked finally. 

“Because I for one would like to survive the coming storm,” the temporal warrior said simply. 

Secretly, Brianna had buried the fear she’d being feeling, never allowing it to show. 

She’d known this day would come when they’d try to stop her, and she’d also known that such an action by them was one of the biggest obstacles that could well blow apart the house of cards she and her crew had built. 

But at Rha’s words, she began to have hope. 

“Wouldn’t you?” the Klingon pressed Daniels. “Wouldn’t you like to survive to see the future actually happen?” 

“You and I come from a ‘possible’ reality … and our winking out of existence hinges in my opinion on the outcome of events yet to happen,” he added. 

“At least from our perspective.”

The post Darkstar: “A Temporal Reckoning” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

2406

“So, this is Houston.” 

Lt. Ahlayna Sollace crossed her arms, leaning back in the shuttle’s co-pilot seat, and took it all in. 

“Yeap, Shangri-La II-class … or at least she looks like one on the outside,” the pilot noted. 

“Also not ready for active duty yet,” he added. 

Nothing Ahlay didn’t already know as when researching her new posting, she’d learned that something about the experimental pylons the engineers fitted into her experimental design had caused a shimmying vibration that had grown steadily the faster they’d accelerated during initial space trials. 

So, Houston had been forced back to drydock where ultimately those same pylons had to be removed and a different design installed. 

The question now was if those different pylons could handle the forces generated by the type of nacelle they were trying to use for this modified class. 

But that was for the engineers to decide. She would be reporting to Capt. James Henry as his new CTO … aka. Chief Tactical Officer. 

As if accenting the pilot’s early words, a shuttlepod separated itself from a starboard docking port, fired thrusters and closed the distance between them, passing rather close as it buzzed its way back towards … wherever it was headed to. 

Pilot clicked open a channel.

“Johan, what did I tell you about trying to play chicken with me? You KNOW I’d rather crash the ship than lose.” 

Shae’s tactical mind noted the conversation and shuttlepod somewhat absently, her eyes elsewhere. 

“Can we do a visual inspection of the ship before heading in?” she asked at last.

“Sure,” the pilot said, hands moving across his board to alter approach. 

“Anything in particular you wanna see?” 

“Gunports and weaponry emplacements, followed by deflector array and shield emitters,” she answered, already pulling her pad from bag to make notes as they went. 

It was precisely one hour, thirteen minutes later that she found her way to the captain’s ready room and reported in … at the appointed time precisely, it should be noted. 

“Lt. Ahlayna Nyrross Sollace reporting as ordered, Captain.” 

“Pleasure,” the Captain returned, gesturing for her to take the seat in front of his desk. 

The half Rigellian, half human named Capt. James Draljo Henry was half Rigellian, half human. 

Something Ahlay respected as she herself was half human, half Romulan. 

He accepted her offered padd that contained both orders and personnel file, placing it on his desk beside the mountain of such already there. 

“You are Jarmon’s daughter, aren’t you?” he asked, leaning back in his chair. 

Ahlay cracked slightly, reminded of those she’d wish she could have shared this day with. 

 Nodding, it took a few seconds before she found words and could croak out a simple … “Yes, sir.” 

“I served with her aboard the Verity during the Romulan evacuations,” he returned, his eyes taking on a sad cast. 

“Both Jarmon and your Mother, Shaelyrra, actually,” he added. “Good people.  … Was very sorry to hear of his loss a few years back.” 

Ahlay looked towards the carpeting a moment before pulling herself rather quickly back together and raising her eyes back to those of her captain once more.

“Thank you, Captain,” she said, putting on a sad smile. 

““They are part of the reason I joined Starfleet … Well, my father anyway.” 

In truth, her mother had been an officer in the Imperial Navy before the destruction of the Romulan homeworld. After that, he’d managed to muster out and as a civilian, assist with aiding in the refugee evacuations. 

That’s how her parents first met. 

“Both … good, good people,” the captain repeated. “Your mother may have been Romulan Navy, but she served with honor before she mustered out.” 

And both would be proud of you right now, sitting in that chair following in THEIR footsteps,” she added. 

“But they are not why I chose you specifically for this billet,” he said, moving on. 

“Now, tell me about your time aboard the Nelson …” 

2407

Things were going smoothly, so to speak. 

It had taken another four months before they’d managed to get the Sam Houston out into space again and then another four months of fine tuning her systems, so they all played nice together. 

The Shangri-La II-class was historically created to serve Starfleet and the Federation as a battleship … a ship of war. 

It was a byproduct of the hawkish ones in Starfleet who had felt deterrence was a valuable tool for protecting the Federation and its interests.  

It had taken time but ultimately, cooler and more visionary voices had been heard in seeking more ships designed for being out there among the stars performing Starfleet’s original mandate of seeking out new life and new civilizations while learning all that could be learned, seeing all there was to see. 

The Sam Houston was an attempt to use what they already had as a platform for doing just that. 

So while still under construction, design engineers gathered around and sought ways to turn the Gagarian-class warship into a science spearhead geared for deep space exploration – Houston serving as the testbed prototype. 

In addition to extensive new sensor arrays, she held  a new type of deflector, engines and warp core just to name a few of the new bells and whistles. 

Those fell mainly to the engineering and science departments aboard ship to worry about. 

Ahlay spent more time worrying about the new weaponry being tested as well as how to help make those same tactical systems mesh well with the previously stated deflector, engines, warp core, etc., as if they didn’t play nice together. … Well, there was that time during a weapons test that one system overloaded several others, and they had to be towed back into port to have it all ironed out. 

But once the hiccups were smoothed out, the Sam Houston began purring. 

From her station on the bridge, the newly minted lieutenant commander continued work on a new attack pattern she was developing that would better harmonize firing patterns with the new quickstep thrusters that helped increase the ship’s turn rate and maneuverability. 

That’s when an alert sounded on her panel. 

Up until now, it had been a relatively quiet day. 

“Captain, sensors are detecting an anomaly forming along the northern edge of the Moskoe Anchorage,” she reported.

“Confirmed, Captain,” reported their Chief Science Officer, a Caitian named S’Rasian. “And it’s signature is very unusual with energy readings off the scale.”

The large feline looked over to Ahlay, “Are you seeing this?” 

Ahlay’s fingers were busy attempting to merge the tactical sensors with those of science to cut through the interference being generated by … whatever it was out there. 

“Trying to clear up the readings a little more, but it’s hard going,” she returned finally. 

That’s when the second alarm sounded, sounding a bit more intense. 

“Captain, we’re now getting readings not unlike those generated by the spacial anomaly investigated by Stargazer in 2401.” 

And that was all the captain needed to hear. 

“Get Starfleet Command on the horn and find out just what starships are within this region,” he ordered. 

“We might need them,” he added. 

Ever since the incident with the Stargazer, Starfleet realized just how much of a threat phenomenons like this might be. 

Not just because of dangers surrounding the event itself, but what might come out of it. 

Yes, with the Stargazer, what came out to say hello  turned out to be friendly, but one can’t always assume that might be the case. 

““Shae”Ahlayna, take us to yellow alert and have your finger hovering over the red when we arrive,” Capt. Henry ordered. 

“Helm, set course for the anomaly … Warp 8,” he said. “Want to give Command a chance to respond before we go charging in.” 

Respectfully,

— Ka’nej Hauk

Out of Story

In the next posting from this story arc, things will begin to get rather interesting as events begin heating up.

The post Darkstar: “This is Houston … Sam Houston” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

“Captain picking up some type of repeating distress call, can’t tell from where exactly its sounds like a repeating automated beacon. I think?” Rose reported.

Miles looked over to Teshla.

“What the hell is going on?” Miles asked out aloud.

“No idea but what do we do with a distress call?” Teshia answered with an honest face.

“We Help.” Miles answered walking his chair and tapping the intercom buttom.

“Captain to Engineering, Cmdr White, how long before we can move and see again?” Miles inquired.

“As much as I love to say I am a miracle worker, right now where stranded, mains offline and where on Auxiliary power. That comic wink for another description damaged the dilithium  crystals it practically drained them. I am reconfiguring now but I need a wee bit of time to recalibrate and re-energise the crystal.” Came the Chief engineers respond. She really was that good she survived assimilation and was the cousin of their acting Helmsman Fox White.

Miles considered the situation.

“Do we have enough power for the hanger bay?” Miles asked sitting in his command chair.

“Just about, going to go joy riding with my cousin?” Penny asked with a chuckle.

“Just about, can you get the main hanger bay ready where take the Anastasia over to take a look” Miles ordered.

“Can do.” Penny answered closing off the channel.

Miles fingers keyed the sickbay button.

“Doctor Vodokon can you spare yourself or someone else to join a away mission?” Miles requested.

“Chief nurse Felica Eiser is already on her way to the main hanger bay Captain.” The chief medical officer answered.

“Thank you Doctor, miracle worker as always” Miles chuckled his response and closed the channel.

“Cmr Lira you better tag a long with a extra two person security team, where going on an little adventure.” Miles ordered turning to go to the turbolift.

“Number one the ship is Yours, Cmdr White time for you to do some of that legendary piloting of yours.” Miles commanded.

It had been an hour since the comic winking out had happened.

Miles sat quietly in his chair, still wondering where his shake down cruise had gone from a shake down to what the devil was going on. He sat on the Delta class shuttle the biggest one the new Fortitude could carry and briefly missed the old Lexington class Starship he had commanded that had a lot more room than the new Fortitude. However it was a conscious choice to change ships.

“Captain were approaching the co-ordinates of the distress beacon.” Fox reported from the pilot seat.

Miles stood up and paced the few feet to the pilot’s chair.

“What we got?” Miles requested.

“Looks like a twin binary star system, 12 planets where approaching the fourth one, looks to be a class M but…” Fox Trailed off.

“I sense an Oh dear?” Miles asked.

“Looks like there has been some kind of battle, picking up 42 ships. They look like wrecks and no survivors.” Fox answered.

“Show me the wrecks, put us in orbit of the fourth planet.” Miles ordered moving back to his chair and console to bring up the data.

“Aye Sir.” Fox answered.

The ships where not more than a little more shuttle size, they where green with a centre long almost needle body with 4 pylons and a nacelle on each.

“There a little retro, they remind me of Orion fighters.” Miles said out loud to no one in particular.

“They do but they ships usually use a rotating warp mounting. This is different, in fact they are static. Also there is nothing coming up for that ship in the databanks”  Fox answered.

“Looks like they were centred around one smaller ship, it’s the one sending out the distress beacon. Fox reported.

“Let’s have a look.” Miles requested.

The ship at the centre of the wrecks was a more metallic ship, much smaller than the others, its was almost disc shaped with a tail and what looked like a dome over the centre of the disk.

[Fortitude to Anastasia, we have the mains back online and where be with you in about 5 minutes.] Teshia voice came over the comm.

Miles tapped a button on his console.

“See you in five minutes.” Miles responded.

“looks like there was on hell of the firefight. That was little ship took on all 42 of those fighters” Fox reported.

“What does that say about the pilot of that one vessel?” Miles answered.

“That’s the thing Sir, it was not those 42 ships that took it down, it has barely any damage and what I can pickup, it looks like the pilot just disappeared.” Fox confused answer came.

“What?” Miles retorted.

At that moment the Fortitude jumped in and the ships number one came on the comm.

[Fortitude to Anastasia, Captain you better get back here, where getting a Starfleet communication coming in, Code factor one!] the first office reported.

“Invasion status?” Fox answered surprised.

“Are the transporters up?” Miles asked

[Aye Sir] the first officer reported.

“Cmdr white, get the shuttle docked and get that disk shaped ship and one of those green fighters docked into the hanger bay for inspection.” Miles orderd.

He than tapped his comm badge.

“Fortitude beam me to the bridge.” He ordered.

Within a moment he felt the familiar transporter feeling take hold of him and he was back on the bridge of the USS Fortitude.

Miles moved to his chair and sat down.

“Transmission from Starfleet Command, Admiral Taryn Vossan” Rose from operations answered.

“On Screen, USS Fortitude standing by Admiral” Miles reported.

[Greetings Fortitude, I wish the reason was more pleasant, you where aware of the incident an hour ago?] Admiral Vossan asked.

“Yes Sir” Miles answered.

[What you may not be aware of is the scope of the incident and it was recorded at the outer edge of the great barrier and all centred in the sector you are in] Vossan reported.

Miles raised his eyebrow in surprise.

[What you may not be aware of is this has happened before on Star date; 3087.6 with the crew of the Starship Enterprise under the command of Captain James T Kirk.] Vossan stated.

Miles felt his eyes narrow.

[Where sending you a data packet now with all details. It is Eyes only but I am recording I am giving you and the crew of the Fortitude access. Review the data and investigate what is going on and take any steps needed to prevent an invasion if that is the case.] Vossan ordered.

“Understood, can you give me more ships as a reserve?” Miles asked.

[where pulling out all Starfleet assets a full sector around you. Sorry Captain your on you own.] Vossan stated.

“Understood, Fortitude out.” Miles reported tossing an old fashion hand salute.

Miles watch the viewscreen go black before speaking.

“Number one I want senior staff in the conference room in 5 minutes.

===============================================

NRPG:

So the plot is coming together.

The post Star Trek: Fortitude – Season 01 Episode 03 – Code Factor One appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Miles Llewellyn looked up from his data Padd and rubbed the top of his nose and reflected on his glasses catching. He sighed.

“If there is one constant of the universe its that Starfleet Loves paperwork” Miles stated ruefully.

“Aye Sir, and why is it when you go up in rank it gets longer and longer, and you can’t delegate it?” Teshla answered looking up from her own Padd.

Miles and Teshla where reviewing crew logs and technical reports about the newly Christen USS Fortitude-E.

She was only a day into her shake down and Miles felt the ship under traveling at low warp.

“I would say number one that’s why I have you!” Miles replied with a grin.

“Why thank you Sir, remind me to call in sick tomorrow!” Teshla retorted with her own grin.

Teshla was loyal to Miles and had served for many years under him. She had been offered a commission of her own ship twice now and she had been tempted but she just felt it was the wrong time.

Miles had spoken in great length to Teshla about this making sure she understood if she wanted to persue her own command she had his blessing. It was not fear of flying solo without a safety net but some crisis or another had always delayed her moving to her own ship.

Miles did not want to hurt her career and had taken his own quest to get her ready to take her own command. He would miss her  and so would the crew but things must change to help things grown.

Once the Fortitude had finished her shake down, the Fortitude was going to join a new fleet. Miles knew a few of the ship coming out of dry dock where in need for a new Captain and Miles was going to make sure Teshla pursued one of those new commands coming up.

Miles reached over to coffee pod and picked up the half empty pot.

“More coffee?” Miles asked motioning to Teshla’s empty mug.

“Please Miles, what was this coffee again its lovely?” Teshla asked.

“It’s a chocolate blended with coffee, more cream?” Miles answered.

“Oh yes, you’re not doing much for my waist line?” Teshla replied.

“Don’t worry we can do some fencing later?” Miles answered with a half grin.

That was when Suddenly everything changed.

The universe just stopped for seemed like an eternity.

Miles felt time, space everything just freeze, it was pain, joy even fear wrapped into one but even that did not do justice to what he felt and did not fear.

Suddenly Miles what thrown into his desk and Teshla was thrown into the bulkhead.

The Fortitude sounded like she was in great pain her engines suddenly cried out in into the dark void of space.

Miles knew something was dragging her violently out of warp, the inertia dampers where barely coping.

The Red Alert Klaxon Was starting to sound; it was in slow motion and then started to speed up.

What had happened?

The light changed to the emergency lights as the ship went to alert.

Miles held his stomach from the pain and manged to swing round his desk when he felt the Fortitude spin. Something was very wrong.

[All hands stand by for emergency stop!] Its was Fox white, he had the conn.

Now Miles could hear a console near him pop and go fizzle and he started to smell burning.

Miles put all his will power into high gear, the ship was in trouble, the crew where in trouble. Memories of the Last Fortitude flooded his mind, but he willed them away for now. He had to stay in the moment.

Miles grabbed Teshla arm and investigated the bruised left side of her face. She was going to have a massive black eye for an andorian.

“OK, I am ok. Bridge lets go” Teshla answered shock in her voice my years of training and experience kicking in like Miles.

The ship lurched and Miles felt the drop from warp speed to sub light.

They both manged to make it out of the bridge and stumbled onto the bridge, a couple of consoles had overloaded, a fire detail was on it. He could see some people were hurt.

Miles looked over to the Helm and saw Fox Whites fingers flying over his console, he was doing his own battle to save the ship he done it they were still alive.

“OK everyone where out of warp now at dead stop, Jesus what the hell happened, science report?” Fox ordered. looking over his shoulder and see Miles and Teshla on the bridge.

“Captain, number one sorry I don’t know what happened it was like. I don’t know like the universe just blinked!” Fox reported still catching his breath, he had clearly just saved the new Fortitude and her crew.

Miles threw up his hand.

“No need to apologies Cmdr, damn good flying I can see the Asclepius is going to get a fine Captain after whatever just happened come to the conclusion.” Miles gave a quick response.

Miles Staggered to his Captain’s Chair and hit the all hands communications button, the familiar boatswain whistle came over the ship.

“All hands maintain Red Alert, damage control please report to first office. Where alive and out of warp, stand by for follow up information.” Miles ordered and closed off the channel.

“Fox where is here right now?” Miles asked.

“Two seconds Captain, navigation control it still calibrating. Where in the Agrama Sector Umm, this is not right.” Fox answered confused.

“What do you mean Cmdr?” Miles asked.

“Where just outside a star system, but its not on any charts Sir, I thought we might be in the Agrama system but where opposite that star system.” Fox answered even more confused.

“Captain, message from Starfleet, general alert status code factor two all Starfleet personnel, ships, stations and member worlds.” Rose Harrington reported from operations wiping blood from her forehead.

“How far did this… this go?” Teshla asked.

“From what I can peace together Cmdr I think this cosmic wink… was all over the galaxy.” Neku reported. The Chief Science officer reported.

“What?” Miles answered a little shocked himself. “The whole universe felt this?”

Neku’s console beeped and chimed  as if reconfiguring itself.

“I think so, sorry Captain the ships computer is still processing what happened and astrogation seems to be reconfiguring herself. Cmdr White is correct where at the otter edge of a star system that should not existed, somehow Cmdr White managed to hold us together when we entered the star systems gravity well” came Neku’s response.

“Talking of which how bad are we hurt?” Miles asked looking over the his number one. Nothing making sense.

“Damage reports still coming in, Penny is cursing every known deity in existence and so far no fatalities yet we have lost long range sensors and the warp drive is down, port side warp coils got fried but looks like there not cracked, we certainly tested the Fortitudes new systems. Teshla reported.

“Captain picking up some type of repeating distress call, can’t tell from where exactly its sounds like a repeating automated beacon. I think?” Rose reported.

Miles looked over to Teshla.

“What the hell is going on?” Miles asked out aloud.

NRPG:

I have left a clue in the story of something I have always wanted Star Trek to revisit story wise. More to follow in episode 3.

The post Star Trek: Fortitude – Season 01 Episode 02 – Cosmic Wink appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

by Alan Tripp (aka. Kanej Hauk)

In a reality far, far away

Vice Admiral Kanej Ulvyrr crossed the threshold into the U.S.S. Excalibur’s Strategic Operations Center and kept going.

The Excalibur served as flagship of Starfleet’s Harbour Command.

Ulvyrr paused in his journey as he passed the massive holographic display, stopping his feet treads only long enough to download the latest sensor readings onto his personal padd and then kept going. 

Across the room, two guards snapped to attention as he gave both a nod and crossed the threshold into the conference room. 

Several faces turned in his direction with each threatening to rise to their feet. 

“You know we’re not standing on formalities today,” the Klingon grumbled.

He motioned them to remain seated as he found his own along the circumference of the round table. 

Settling in, his eyes sought out first those of his Romulan wife, Valarys (his Juliet … as the Shakespearan story would have it), and then their children, Kanej Hauk and Bahni’qin – all three captains whose ships were responding to the crisis that seemed destined to re-unite them. 

And then there were his grandchildren … Arthyrra and Ulvyyr Sollace.

The Admiral’s daughter happened to have married another Starfleet officer … one Capt. Alan Sollace.

The pair had done things backwards in that they had their children and then a decade later (after an on again, off again relationship) had chosen to marry.

Sollace was due to arrive soon, but not yet in the room.

But looking at his family all gathered among the others in the same room was a bright spot in what could be yet another looming disaster. 

He himself had been leading a small detachment of starships scouting out the location for a new starbase when it had been detected. … They’d just happened to be ships scattered at various surrounding points that had been within range to respond. 

 He allowed his eyes to linger but a heartbeat longer on his family before the flicker of their holographic projections via holo-communications reminded him of their still distance from one another and just why they were here. 

So his eyes shifted to scan all gathered. 

“As you know, we were scouting out a location for the proposed Marrakesh Station when the U.S.S. St ardust detected a spatial anomaly in search grid 35787,” he began.  

“As captain of that ship, Capt. Shallana Ironwolf is likely best to fill us in on what they found,” he continued. 

“Shayla, if you please.”

Shallana, aka. Shayla to her friends, tapped her padd causing graphics to appear at the center table for all to see. 

What appeared was a massive rift in space that seemed more like a pool of energy had been simply poured into the weightlessness of the void and left to float. 

Rather peaceful if you ignored the random spikes of what could best be explained as “lightning” that would strike out like a thunderstorm building and growing steadily worse. 

Just looking at it conjured images of a massive hurricane threatening to unleash untold fury upon a developed coastline. 

 “From what we have been able to tell, this anomaly is a temporal rift that seems to cut through space, time and realities … all,” she stated. “Sending the specifics to each of you now.” 

“Do we know the point of origin?”

Shallana recognized the voice, it was Alan Sollace of the U.S.S. Beowulf. 

“Sorry, Alan. That is something that was beyond our sensors to detect,” Shayla answered. 

“All we know is that this thing is growing at a steady rate and although relatively isolated at the moment, it likely won’t stay that way.” 

“Which is why we’re gathering all of you,” the Vice Admiral added. 

“Indeed,” Shayla stated. “It was actually Capt. Ahlyya of the Highlander and her team that came up with a possible solution.” 

All eyes turned to the Starfleet Romulan captain, who seemed to be wearing a pair of sunglasses.

Ahlyya leaned forward, setting her padd on the table before her. 

Legally blind, those same glasses allowed her to see properly. 

In fact, they offered the scientist turned starship captain a digital readout and direct interface with computer systems as connected via her padd. 

“It is our belief that with enough starships, we can position ourselves at spaced intervals around the anomaly and generate resonance beams from our deflectors, striking as one with enough umph to force the edges of the tear back together and stitch it closed like a doctor handling a bad cut,” she explained. 

“And what if this thing ends up being to large to force closed and ‘stitch?,’” asked Capt. Draqarys of the U.S.S. Thalesia.  

“That would be why we’re all taxing our warp drives at the moment,” Ahlyya returned. 

“Questions?” the Admiral asked. 

“Wait a minute, isn’t this the location of that recently discovered stargate?” Kanej Hauk asked. 

“I see someone has been reading their morning briefings,” Ulvyrr said with a slight smile. 

“Yes, it is … and before you ask … We’ve no idea how this will affect the gate network. 

In his mind’s eye, however, Ulvyrr had fears of a ripple effect all along that same network. 

But to what effect? 

—- Out of Story —-

Through this, we see one end of its reach but not the origin.

THAT story is coming.

The post Darkstar: “The Coming Storm” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Miles Llewelyn felt the hum of the delta flyer class shuttle underneath his feet as he looked over his book.

Miles had a fondness for old fashioned books even in his modern century. He listened partly to the universe around him and fondly at the book he was reading.

“Project Hail Mary” was a recent gift from a dear friend and love Shallana. She knew of his fondness for old earth books and especially Science Fiction.  So far the book had not disappointed him he had a blend of hard science, humour and some heartfelt moments in it.

“Anastasia you are clear to deliver Admiral Llewellyn and party to NCC-121021-E, Welcome back to Arise Station. You will be entering USS Fortitude Airspace in 2 minutes. Transferring traffic control to USS Fortitude.”

“Acknowledged, switching to USS Fortitude Airspace, thank you Arise control” Came the response of the acting flight control office Cmdr. Fox White.

He was one of many offices that where new or on temporary assignment to the USS Fortitude.

It had been 11 months since the loss of the USS Fortitude “D” and Miles let his mind wonder for a moment letting out a deep sigh.

The Fortitude had a knack for sometimes being in the wrong place but at the right time. When they had fought the Mirror Borg normally the Lexington class Fortitude would have been with her carrier group but she was solo but had held the line but at create cost.

So Miles now was taking command of the new Fortitude. This time line a main front line ship but commanding a newer and smaller Exeter Class Starship.

Miles had a fondness for these ships as it took inspiration from the older Shangri-La class and constitution class ships of the 23^rd century. Miles had been given a golden ticket of pick of ships and assignments. It had surprised many in Starfleet Command at his choice of smaller ship but Miles wanted to go back to his younger years. Miles felt Starfleet had put to much emphasis of larger ships and to much technology of late and he wanted to be a driving force in emphasising the small ship classes like the Exteter and Plymouth class ships. The latter which had fought with the Fortitude as the support ships of the station they had evacuated.

“USS Fortitude to Anastasia you are now in our airspace, you are clear to dock in the main shuttle bay. Welcome home Anastasia.”

“Admiral where clear to dock, with your permission Sir?” Cmdr White reported.

Miles placed his bookmark into his book and stood from his rear seat and walked to the front of the shuttle.

“Please Do Cmdr. I appreciate your help in our shake down, I understand the Asclepius is having a system  update so your soon be back with her and your family.” Miles answered.

“No problem Admiral I was happy to help, they may be smaller than some of the newer ships in the fleet but the Exeter class has those old lines you just can’t beat. She is old school charm and they are pretty besides… these ships have legs, at sub-light these ships are just as fast as escorts but you can take a lot more punishment” Fox responded.

“Very true Commander and I also appreciate that one of her designers will also be piloting for me for the shake down.” Miles answered placing his hand of Fox’s shoulder.

Miles looked up watching the Anastasia pull into the main hanger of the Fortitude and saw his senior command staff in the main shuttle bays observation bay waiting his landing.

Miles watched quietly as the Anastasia deftly touch down with barest hint of the artificial gravity of the Fortitude taking over and the ship landing so deftly.

As Miles felt the engines slowly powering down Cmdr White stood and motioned to the main exit hatch.

“After you Sir?”

Miles nodded and walked over to the main hatch and keyed the command to unlock and open the hatch door.

As the swoosh of the hatch opened the sound of the bosun’s whistle sounded and Miles heard the voice of his first office.

“Attention. Captain of the Deck”

Miles stood on the Deck of the new USS Fortitude he looked at the ships crest, name and registry number above the main exit before turning his attention to his first office Cmdr Teshla Phyhr his female Andorian.

“Thank you number one, how is wife? I apologies your where due to go one shore leave together?” Miles addressed his first office.

“It was ok, she sends her love and wishes she could be here but her work also had a break thru in regard to a dilithum replacement project.” Teshla answered.

Miles nodded. There had long been a debate not for some time about the how long dilithum supply there would be in the future and although the Federation council was worried about the consumption of dilithum within the United Federation of Planets it had decided to start a project for the future to look at alternatives.

Miles was brought out of his thoughts by his number one.

“May I present your Senior command staff Sir”.

Miles nodded.

“Stand easy everyone.” Miles requested not one for to much formality.

Miles looked over his senior staff.

Peny White was chief engineering officer a Cmdr and a borg assimilation survivor from the delta Vega when the Borg attacked them.

Cmdr Rose Harrington was Chief of Operations, born on earth and close friend and confident to Penny. They had been thru the academy together and had assigned different ships but there friendship has endured.

Neku Langi was the Chief Science officer and a Saurian. She had a keen intellect but was prone to be a little cold hearted but had warmed to the crew of the Fortitude and the senior staff after severing for so long with Miles.

Twimek Vodokon was the Chief medical officer officer and a reman and had joined the crew after the encounters at the vault. He preferred to stay in the shadows but had grown accustomed to shipboard light. He was loyal to the crew and to Miles. He had come as a rebel to Miles but had earned the right to be an officer in Starfleet and the new Romulan republic navy.

Akadia Nilona was from the new Romulan republic navy. She was a Commander and on lone. She was chief tactical officer and had a keen sixth sense about things, she also doubled as the Fortitude’s intelligence officer.

Lastly there was Fasu Lira, she was an Orion KDF officer that had left the KDF during the last civil war and had joined the Khitomer Alliance. She was as honourable and determined to the end.

“Thank you everyone, its good to see you all and I will catch up individually with you all later today, shall we get settled?” Miles requested.

Everyone murmured their agreement and they all headed to the turbolift.

As the turbolift slowed and the door opened Miles was greeted by the familiar hum and sounds of the bridge.

The active secondary duty officers when on the bridge.

The Emergency Conn holograph was sitting centre chair. Nerul was sitting at Tactical two station. Vucnak was at Engineering one and Telinka at Engineering two station. 43 of 47 the ships deflector officer ran science one and Felica Eiser ran mission ops 1, one of the ships resident nurses.

“Captain on the bridge.” The Emergency Conn hologram reported and everyone stodd and came to attention.

“As you where everyone.” Miles reported.

“Welcome back Captain.” Stated Felica.

“Thank you” responded Miles with a respectful nod.

“Captain.” Nurse Felica replied.

“Right than number one, shall we get going?” Asked Miles.

“I think so Captain, Stations everyone?” Teshia asked.

“Ms Eiser please get me the dock master?” Miles asked motioning to the Conn officer in his chair that Miles now had the conn.

“Control tower reading Captain.” Felica answered.

“Control tower this is Fortitude requesting permission to depart?” Miles requested.

“This is the control tower, Fortitude is cleared for departure please use lane seven for departure please maintain sublight speed till past the outer marker and you are than clear to navigate and to engage warp drive” Reported the dock master.

“Roger that that control tower, see you after the shake down.” Miles reported.

“Clear all moorings, prepare for departure” Fox White reported now sitting at the Helm.

“Confirmed, moorings cleared, we are ready for departure, all shuttle craft and work bee’s accounted for and now personnel on EVA activity. Our Airspace is green for go.” Rose reported from Operations stations.

“Very good, bring up the warp core to standard configuration, bring the main deflector online and thrusters only hold station, confirm all is green” Miles requested sitting centre Chair and feeling just a little nervous.

“Propulsion set to standard cruiser, deflector online and all drive systems show green on the board.” Penny reported.

The Fortitude’s systems cam online and the small ship main deflector came online and the engines held the Fortitude in positions and her running light came on one by one.

“Ready for departure Captain.” Fox reported.

“Thank you helm, ok everyone this is just a week long shake down to see some test to make sure this new ship is all good, hopefully just a easy cruise.” Miles addressed the bridge.

“Nothing like a shake down to clear the co-webs” Teshla learnt over from her number one seat next to Miles right side.

Miles winked at her.

“Mr White, thrusters ahead one quarter. Take her out” Miles ordered letting his back go back into the new smelling Captain’s chair.

“Aye, aye sir” Fox answered his hands moving swifty over the controls.

The USS Fortitude, NCC-121021-E pulled out of the dock yard eager for new adventures to follow.

NRPG: The tales of the Fortitude will be built from the crew in the Star Trek online so will be included there stories as time moves on:

The post Star Trek: Fortitude – Season 01 Episode 01 – A new home appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

By Richard Woodcock

The USS Fortitude has a long history, in story telling she has been at the fore-front of play in my days writing in Play by Email and in later years I moved the ship and the Character to Star Trek online when it came online many years ago and her and the Captain have Served proudly and I have let my imagination run wild.

In the last year I have rekindled my love of writing stories and thanks to an old friend I have decided to return the fold and start writing the tales of what I fondly think of in my head as “Star Trek: Fortitude”.

So where did the Fortitude begin?

The First Vessel to Enter Service was the USS FORTITUDE NCC-121021 and was commanded by Captain G. Saracen. She was attached to the 21st Marine Tactical Fighter Wing (Later the 21st Marine Support Squadron) Commanded by the then Lt. Col Miles Llewellyn as their carrier support vessel.

Un-happily the vessel was badly damaged and brought out of service and retired after the Battle of Cordra.

After the Battle of Cordra, the then COMSFE RADM. Sara Pritchatt decided to Honour the 21st Marine Support Squadron after the loss of the original Fortitude and her original Captain to commission a new vessel. The USS Fortitude NCC-121021-A.

This vessel was state of the art and was the largest vessel in operation within Starfleet. She was the Hannibal Class Carrier or (Super carrier) as the class in fondly known as.

The vessel was to be commanded by Miles Llewellyn who was now promoted to the rank of Captain. He was Captain to a vessel that contained 250 Typhoon Fighters and carried a light Corvette class vessel. The Ship herself operated within HDF and Carrier Group Three.

However the vessel, only one of four built was seriously damaged after only 3 months of operation during the engagement at the Cordan Expanse and more so during the Battle of Centerpoint Two where the bravery of Carrier Group Three and importantly more so of the crew of the Fortitude helped evacuate all Starfleet people and equipment from Neffen. The vessel was solely responsible of downing many Horvaukan vessels and herself made the retreat to Ansolon-one under her own power.

The Vessel now stands at Ansolon-one where she is to be restored and turned into a shrine to the memory of the people that died during the retreat.

After the Battle of Centerpoint Two and the loss of the Fortitude-A the name Fortitude had become a legend within Starfleet, such as the Enterprise.

It is with that ironic nature of the universe that the new COMSFE Adm. Littleton commissioned the USS Fortitude NCC-121021-B. The reason this is ironic is due to the Fortitude returning to service as a Frigate in the form of a re-fitted old Constitution Class space frame (As is seen in the above picture).

However the technology on this vessel is very much state of the art and is capable of multi-role assignments, such as Escort duty to Minelayer operations.

The vessel is still commanded by Captain Miles Llewelyn and it is hoped that the Fortitude-B will remain in service for some time and continue her famous voyages.

From here time moved on and we had the Churchill Class USS Fortitude, NCC-121021-B

From those writing days we got the USS Fortitude, NCC121021-C. She was a Heinlein Class Starship.

This is where time and you could almost say things get interesting, you could almost say that was one reality and we switched to a new reality and Star Trek online came into play. We moved to the Sovereign class USS Fortitude, NCC-121021-C

The Fortitude continued in a new reality and she served as an Odyssey class years later as the NCC-121021-D when the Odyssey Class Starship was released into Star Trek online and later become a Lexington Class refit after the battle of Sol.

After an intense battle with the mirror Borg and the evacuation of Deep Space Station k-42 the Fortitude while passing  thru the sector for scheduled maintenance intercepted the distress call of the station  and moved to assist despite not being with her Carrier group she and her crew held the line while the evacuation was expedited. The Fortitude tackled three mirror borg cubes with just herself, her carrier wing and 3 Plymouth class Starships that where assigned to the station.

The station was evacuated with minimal losses to civilian life but at great cost. Admiral Llewellyn fought a broadside battle and using her phaser lance and main deflector dish as a particle weapon destroyed two cubes and crippled the third cube. However the explosion of the two cubes meant wreckage collided with the Fortitude ripping her Port side nacelle and wreckage tearing thru the secondary hull and forward saucer.

The Fortitude was deemed to damage to be restored to front line service however the valiant fight and bravery of her crew and Captain earned the Fortitude a place in the Fleet museum.

This brings us to the New Fortitude, NCC-121021-E.

Admiral Miles Llewellyn was giving his choice of assignments but true to form he only ever wanted to be a Captain. Before the Fortitude’s untimely end Miles had been reviewing new Starships designs and had a Soft spot for the Exeter Class Starships, which where modern takes on older ships and remind him of the Older Ships names Fortitude.

So forever a dreamer at times Miles took command of a Exeter class Fortitude.

So the voyages of the Fortitude moves unto a new chapter, “let’s see what’s out there!”

The post U.S.S. Fortitude on Station…! appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

“I, Koraq, having been appointed an officer in the United Federation of Planets …”

The grizzly grey-haired Klingon stood at attention, one hand raised repeating the words of the Starfleet Oath of Service. 

“…as indicated in the grade of Lieutenant do solemnly swear …” 

In times past, he held the rank of Captain, yet that had been in the Klingon Defense Forces. 

Lieutenant was his new rank … his Starfleet rank. 

“… that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United Federation of Planets …” 

It still felt strange.  He is Klingon! … Klingon to his fingertips! Yet, here he was swearing loyalty to the Federation. 

“… against all enemies, foreign or domestic, …”

And now the Klingon Empire was the enemy. They were enemy of the Federation and thus his enemy. 

“… that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; …”

His reason for turning his back on his people? 

Well, it was not a decision taken lightly nor did Koraq see it as turning his back on his people. … Only the government that ruled the Empire. 

“… that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; …”

His reason? … The Klingon-Federation War. 

When the Klingons declared war on the United Federation of Planets, they did so against what had been an ally with home they had maintained honorable relations. 

The act of the declaration, in Koraq’s eyes, was beyond dishonorable. And whereas some of his kin remained on a path of dishonor, he chose to walk one of honor. 

“… and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter.” 

His oath complete, the Klingon went from decades of commanding warships of the Empire to captaining those of the Federation. 

Yes, he was starting out low in rank, but being enrolled in Starfleet’s captaincy candidate program. 

It offered a fast track through ranks with a quick chance of soon becoming for the Federation what he had been for the Empire. 

Besides, how many Starfleet ship captain’s could say they were graduates of both the Klingon Imperial Academy *and* Starfleet Academy? 

——

The post From Klingon to Starfleet : Taking the Oath appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Scene: Aboard the U.S.S. Timber Wolf
Date: August 1, 2294

A bundle for another time

Capt. Unyrra Sollace walked along the corridor of the starship she commanded, imagining she could hear the hum and slight vibration of the Kerala-class’ warp core. 

All her imagination of course as the warp core could not be felt through the decking or the sound of its power coursing reach her ears from where she stood. 

Her imaginations, however, gave her comfort as it was part of what for Unyrra was everyday life aboard the U.S.S. Timber Wolf. 

Farther down the corridor loomed the double doors to the ship’s arboretum. 

And once inside, it was easy to find the special guests that had asked to come aboard so as to make a private, special request of her specifically. 

With no idea what this request was to be, it did raise her curiosity up as it wasn’t everyday that one received a visit from a medicine person of the Bear Tribe Medicine Society — an interracial (now interspecies) society founded in 1971 by Sun Bear, an Ojibwe man who had a vision of people of all ethnicities coming together to learn to live in harmony with the Earth and natural world of the universe.

She found him located down a trail, standing atop a cliff, overlooking a waterfall that poured into a small lake – a lake located in the heart and hull of a starship out among the very stars themselves. 

He held up a hand sprinkling something into the wind … an offering she guessed … while he seemed to be muttering words of a prayer under his breath. 

Airing on the side of caution, Unyrra chose to wait for him to finish. 

Only when he turned away from what he had been doing and in her direction did she speak. 

Atohi Walker smiled as he stepped away from the cliff and approached the ship’s captain. 

“This is a remarkable place to find aboard a starship,” he said. 

Samuel Windwalker was a tall yet slender man, likely in his fifties or early sixties. His heritage was one not just of human mixed, but likely a couple other species as well. 

However, his features definitely showed deep roots in one of the tribal peoples of Earth North American origin. 

“I have to admit, it’s definitely a favorite spot of mine,” Unyrra returned with a warm smile. “A place to be and escape the calls of command during off hours.”

“Why don’t we sit, Captain, then and take in the view together as we discuss matters?” he asked with a nod, yet waiting for her to accept his offer to sit together. 

“Why don’t we indeed?” she returned, moving to sit lotus-style in a position to take in the view as they spoke.

After a moment, he placed the fur wrapped bundle he carried with him between them. 

“As you have likely surmised, there is a reason for my visit.” 

“I surmised as much,” she returned. “What can I do for you, Mr. Windwalker?” 

“Samuel, please, Captain.” 

“Only if you call me Unyrra,” she returned. 

“Very well.” Samuel smiled. “Unyrra it shall be.” 

“So, what brings you aboard the Wolf?” she asked. 

In response, he very lightly and respectfully patted the bundle between them.

“This,” he answered. 

“It is a sacred bundle that happens to protect a sacred Pipe within … a newly carved Pipe fashioned from black Pipestone,” he continued. “And its spirit has asked that it be brought here to you.” 

“I … I don’t understand,” Unyrra said, trying to make sense of it.

“Why would a sacred Pipe want to be brought to me?” she asked.  

“Because it wants you to carry it to where it needs to go … and when the time is right, pass it onto the person who it is truly meant for.” 

“So, I’m just a messenger then?” she asked, seeking clarity. “Who am I to deliver it to?” 

“THAT, I do not know, Captain, only that to say that you will know when you meet the person as the Pipe’s spirit will speak to you in that moment …. Whether through dream, intuition or other means, but there will be no doubt.”

“ In that moment when you meet the person it’s meant for,” Windwalker continued. “You will know.” 

“But why me?” Unyrra asked. 

“Why are any of us chosen for anything?” he returned in answer. 

“Those reasons were not shared with me other than the feeling that you are about to go on a journey and only through your journey will the Pipe be able to reach the person who is destined to carry it.”

Unyrra sat, taking in his answer and rolling it around in her mind … and it was her in her spirit she felt his words to be true.

‘But what journey?’ she asked herself inwardly. 

“Then who am I to argue with what is destined to be?” she said outwardly.

“Good!” Samuel exclaimed happily even as he reached for the bundle. 

“Then let us introduce you to this … as yet unnamed … sacred Pipe you will be carrying.”

As he opened the bundle and began spreading it out between them, he eyed Unyrra.

“You captain a wolf that travels the stars,” he said.

Many see the wolf as an adventurous spirit, loyal to its pack, a creature of courage & leadership, one who gathers wisdom from its adventures and is a great teacher,” he continued.

“This ship of yours is a beacon of life that runs through the stars as a wolf runs through a forest,” he continued. “The galaxy is her forest and she sweeps all of you along with her.”

As if on cue, a pair of wolves stepped from the tree line of the forest below, looking at them intently as the Medicine man turned his attention back to the Pipe between them.

At some point in the past, someone through adding a pack of wolves to the arboretum a fun addition.

Even if holographic in nature, they seemed to have personalities each of their own.

“Just as this Pipe has the spirit of the stars themselves, this ship has the spirit of the wolf it was so aptly named after.

—

Out of Story: This one is meant to introduce a new captain, ship and item … all of which are destined for a major story arc that is about to begin with the next story that’s yet to come.

The post Darkstar: “Bundle for another Time” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Down he went and the transporter officer was suddenly in complete panic mode.

Not because a Starfleet Fleet Admiral was crumbled on the pad in front of him … or was it a Klingon Dahar Master? …. One couldn’t be sure in situations like this.

Hell … maybe it was both?

“MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN TRANSPORTER ROOM 2!” he screamed into his commbadge, even as his hands flowed across his control panel in a professional manner that came from years of training.

He left the Klingon on crumbled on the transporter pad to the security officer who was supposed to be there as escort for the expected pair of Klingons but instead was overseeing the comfort of the flag officer sprawled before them all.

“He’s still alive,” the security officer called out before looking back at the transporter officer.

“What the hell happened????” he asked.

“According to diagnostics, the transporter of origin initiated the transport sequence of the pair making the handoff to our transporter which saw the patterns as basically identical and so registered it as ONE pattern!”

His fingers continued their dance, working the controls to see if the damage could be undone.

“So, the system merged the patterns into one form and the result is now laid out in front of us,” he continued.

“Can it be reversed?” Sec asked.

“I’ve already tried to reverse the transport …. Even used the Tuvix protocols from Voyager but because they were copies of the same damned person … The system can’t lock onto the individual patterns and still only sees the one!”

“We are SO SO fucked!” he added for good measure.

Monitoring the Klingon’s life signs til the medics arrived, the sec glanced back at the transporter officer.

“I definitely don’t want to be in your shoes when the brass … or their families find out,” sec told him.

Before the transporter chief could offer a response, the medical team burst into the room, simply adding to the chaos of the moment.

“There is no … easy … way of saying this,” Admiral Adoy began, “but there has been an accident.”

“Hauk and Hauk’ were beaming from the ceremony to their respective ships when there was … an accident,” he explained.

“Two beamed off one pad, but only one rematerialized on the other end,” he continued.

“Were they able to recover the lost pattern and rematerialize?” Admiral Quinn asked, taken aback.

“Only one pattern remained,” Adoy answered.

“Which one did we lose?”

“Both? …. Neither?” Adoy answered.

At Quinn’s puzzled expression, the Moketian continued.

“From what they’ve been able to piece together so far, the system hiccupped and mistook the two for one individual and combined their patterns into one.”

“Since they are essentially the same person, just from different realities,” he continued. “It went rather seamlessly with both consciousnesses knitting together into one – one that maintains the memories of both individuals.”

“How are efforts going to separate them back into two again?” Quinn asked.

“All signs point towards that being an impossibility, Adoy answered. “Something about the fact they are the same person … albet two different realities … Their patterns are impossible to differentiate and so splitting them back into two is …”

“… not possible,” Quinn finished for him.

“Seems this new version of Hauk has come to terms with it, however, and is shrugging it off.”

Quinn raised an eyebrow as the other Admiral continued.

“He feels both of his old selves would be content with this arrangement as both exist inside him … He is in a sense … both. … All their memories and even their traits were pretty much the same.”

“As they would see and approach things is as he does.”

“Apparently, it … completes them somehow,” he added. “As if it was meant to be this way from the very beginning.”

“Destined to be?” Quinn noted. “How are the Klingons and Hauk’s family taking this?”

“You know Klingons … They shrug off such things and so are content with Hauk’s decision,” Adoy answered.

“And the family?”

“Same … Families feel the person they love continues to exist. Only difference is Hauk’ got his missing eye back … thanks to his counterpart who … thanks to Hauk’ … now sports the scar across that once missing eye.”

“Has Hauk decided what he’s going to do … professionally speaking that is?” Quinn asked.

“Starfleet or Klingon Empire?”

“He will return to family holdings of House of Rha, which he will ‘continue’ to lead … and plans to serve in the Khitomer Alliance … straddling both, Starfleet and the Klingon Defense Force via the neutrality of the Alliance.”

“An interesting solution,” Quinn noted. “Not bad. … Going to miss my sparring sessions with Hauk’, however.”

“On that, Admiral,” Adoy said with smile. “Hauk’ wanted me to tell you that he expects on the mat tomorrow and to bring your sword … wanting me to tell you that you are NOT getting out of this week’s session that easily and as before … Holo-communicates will allow you both to continue the sessions via holodecks.”

Quinn laughed, knowing he should have realized he wasn’t getting out of it that easily.

Maybe they both WERE still in that new body created by a transporter gone berserk.

The post When Two Become One appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.