Ansolon Season 02 / Episode 06

by Alan Tripp 

— 2412 —

Thunder Strike cruised through the red hued clouds of the Hell’s Keep region of the Malstrom Expanse. 

The Kitty Hawk-class intel science carrier replaced the Kerala-class battlecruiser of the same name, which had given its all fighting on the frontlines of the Iconian War. 

Her name was the same as were her crew … Well, some of her crew as they’d gone from a smaller ship to a much, much larger one.

But the ship itself was definitely a completely different beast from the one Capt. Urshyra Sollace had commanded for the past several years. 

Not that she minded the upgrade, mind you. 

The Kerala version had first seen action over a hundred years prior, born in the early 2290s. 

Whereas this ship had been born in the present … 2412 … Just six months prior. 

Toss in the fact that in addition to the larger ship itself, it came with its own fighter wing of assorted fighters, bombers, recon, surveyors, etc.

They were out on a standard patrol, meaning she as captain actually had a bit of free time. 

And for Urshyra, free time equaled boredom. 

For once she was even caught up on all her paperwork and so far (knock on a bulkhead) no one on board had any sort of emergency or crisis or problem of any sort that they felt needed her attention. 

So restless, the captain took to walking the decks of her command with no particular destination in mind. 

And that mindless wandering seemed to have led her here … to the Arboretum. 

Much of this place was familiar.  … Not that she did not know her ship, so much as much of what was here had been literally transplanted from the original Thunder Strike. 

When she first learned that her ship would be decommissioned and this one (still under construction at the time) receive the name, she made the request that the Arboretum be ported over from the old ship to the new. 

So it was she found herself following the same old trail she had these past several years until she stood atop the 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. 

THIS … was her favorite place to be aboard this ship, just as it had been on the previous. 

It had gained even more meaning since her meeting with Samuel Windwalker – a medicine person of the Bear Tribe Medicine Society back in 2294 when they first met. 

He’d given her a sacred medicine bundle for her to keep until the Spirits revealed to her at some future time just who was meant to serve as keeper of that bundle. 

That encounter had altered the course of her life … at least from a spiritual sense. 

She settled down into a lotus position atop the cliff, reached into her pocket and retrieved the small tobacco pouch she normally carried there. 

Reaching in, she retrieved one pinch after another as she offered a pinch of sacred tobacco to each direction, Earth, Sky, Tree of Life and the One Great Being from whom she believed the People were descended from and part of. 

At least according to her personal spiritual path. 

Closing her eyes, she felt the Earth beneath her and the Sky above. 

She felt the energy of the surrounding life like someone dipping their fingers into a pool of water. 

It wasn’t long before her mind drifted on the winds of Spirit, allowing her spirit guides to lead her through the great web. 

Then brief moments of panic. 

Took a few minutes to realize the panic was not her own but that of another. 

She could not say how she knew, but she knew someone out there needed their help and needed it with all haste. 

But how does one figure out with certain clarity enough specifics to know where, how and who to help in the physical world? 

That is *if* the sensations or feelings she was experiencing were true. 

And like a thunderclap, her eyes snapped open. 

And as they opened, they locked with the eyes of a great grizzly bear (a new holographic addition) whose gaze seemed to cut straight through to her soul. 

‘So,’ it seemed to say. ‘What will you do now?’ 

Respectfully, 

Capt. Ushyra Sollace
CO, U.S.S. Thunder Strike

The post The Straits: “When Thunder Strikes” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Ansolon Season 02 / Episode 05
by Alan Tripp

2412

Starbase Ansolon

A cloud of dust churned from the hooves of charging horses filled the air, partially obscuring the two opponents. 

A resounding crashing sound revealed to be the Black Knight of Ansolon’s lance hitting dead center of his opponents chest, lifting him out of the saddle and sending the other knight crashing into the dirt floor of lists. 

Ka’nej Hauk lifted the remains of his lance to the roar of a crowd roaring with approval. 

He would advance to the next stage of the tournament. 

 Even as he turned to see who his next opponent would be only to see his personal assistant racing into the stadium, heading his way. 

The Klingon warrior knight removed his helmet, handing it to his squire before swinging his leg over the saddle and dropping to the ground. 

He patted the flanks of his horse – a real horse, not holographic. 

He’d named the creature “Stormy Knight” … or “Storm” for short. 

“Admiral! … Admiral!” 

Hauk turned to face his personal assistant.

“Commander, you know I’m not to be interrupted during competition.” 

The Romulan Starfleet officer fought a moment to catch her breath, knowing this would be his response and so unphased.  

“I know you’d want to know, Admiral.” Sharyna huffed a couple more times, hands to her knees. 

It was a long way from the fleet administration offices to Starbase Ansolon’s promenade.

“The Crazy Horse has missed her last three check-ins” she continued. “And failed to show for her rendezvous with the Highlander.”

This caught his attention. 

Removing his gaultlets, he motioned to his squire to take Storm’s reigns even as he turned to his herald. 

“Have my name removed from the list,” he ordered already turning to leave the arena. 

“You’re forfeiting … NOW??? My Lord … It’s the semifinals!” 

“Do it,” Hauk ordered. 

As the herald ran across the field, Hauk was handing over pieces of equipment. 

A collective gasp echoed across the stadium as realization struck as the crowd watched black cloth being draped over Hauk’s shield and the Black Knight striding out of the stadium. 

– 

Caledon Station — U.S.S. Mythos

“Admiral, I protest this wreckless move!” 

The Fleet Admiral sighed wishing the turbolift would move faster. 

“For the fifth time, Jenkins … This is NOT wreckless,” Ka’nej Hauk said. 

“One of our starships is missing.  This ship is best suited to lead the search … So it’s NOT wreckless,” he continued. 

If they were down at the renaissance faire on the Ansolon’s promenade, the Klingon would likely have foregone Starfleet protocol and simply had the engineer who commanded Caledon Station tossed in the stocks. 

Heck, he might have even sprang for the veggies for the crowd to throw at him as THIS was getting exasperating. 

As he took a deep breath to calm and center himself, the lift finally reached its destination. 

Hauk stepped off the lift but turned to block the engineer from following. 

“Look, Jenkins. The ship is scheduled for her commissioning ceremony next week and I plan to have her back in plenty of time for it,” he said. “No scratches … I promise.” 

“Admiral, that’s not it.  This ship still has to go through trials between now and then,” Jenkins retorted. “She’s just not ready.” 

“Son, I was an engineer when you were still in diapers and have built many ships along the way,” Hauk returned.

“Trust me when I say she’s ready,” the Klingon continued. “And whatever ‘trials’ are still needed, we will perform along the way.” 

The admiral turned to his assistant who’d been waiting for them. 

“Sherryna, please escort Mr. Jenkins OFF my ship, please.” 

“With pleasure, Admiral,” she answered, stepping forward to take his position and stepping onto the lift in a manner that blocked all egress for the frustrated and still sputtering shipyard engineer. 

Only when the lift doors closed, did Hauk release the pinned up breath he’d been holding. 

Sure, it was a risk taking this ship out, but this was one of the few larger ships built  specifically for navigating in the harshness of the Malstrom Expanse. 

It’s what made her the perfect flagship for the Admiral. 

The Excalibur name had already been claimed, so they’d settled on Mythos for this new girl. 

And she was his. He would head up Ansolon Command from HERE. 

This ship was going to serve as a ship of the line. 

It was one of the conditions Starfleet Command agreed to when they cornered Hauk into returning to a flag position. 

But that’s a story for another time. 

“Commander Astylap,” Hauk said, stepping down into the command well. “Make sure remaining crew are aboard within the next ten minutes or they’re being left behind.” 

Ratal Astylaph’s antennae both raised above her head, one twitching slightly. 

“On it, Admiral.” 

Ka’nej Hauk settled down into the ship’s centerseat for the first time, shifting around until he settled on the most comfortable position. 

His fingers drummed the command chair. 

The U.S.S. Mythos was an experimental redesign of the Ross-class exploration cruiser and so one of the Galaxy line. … Well, originally if the Galaxy and Sovereign had a baby it would be the Ross.

But in this case, she held various upgrades common in the Andromeda-class and other tech from the Lexington-variant of the Odyssey line. 

Above all, however … Just as the original U.S.S. Ross had been perfected for operations within the Shackleton Expanse, the Mythos was geared to slice through whatever the Malstrom might throw at it. 

And THAT was exactly what the Klingon feared would be needed. 

“Don’t worry, Shallana,” he muttered under his breath. “We’re coming for you.” 

Respectfully, 

FAdm. Ka’nej Hauk 
Commander, Ansolon Command

—- OUT OF STORY —-

This marks the REAL start of season two of Star Trek Ansolon …. aka. “The Straits.”

It will be interesting to see where this all leads.

The post The Straits: “One Goes Missing” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Ansolon Season 02 / Episode 04
by Alan Tripp

— 2406 —

Alan Pathfinder allowed the maintenance pod to drift as he simply wanted to take in the view. 

What was before him was canvas waiting for the brushstrokes that would transform it into a masterpiece … or not. 

Depending on the artist … or engineer in this case.  

A veteran of the Dominion War and several years in the centerseat in the decades after, the Starfleet captain had agreed to take a position managing one of the fleet yards as the work associated with the reclamation project gained steam. 

The reclamation project was one designed specifically to rebuild the fleet after the Borg had wiped out most of it during their assault on Earth in 2401. 

The project called for either the refit of hulls not beyond saving … or … taking parts that could be salvaged to create new ships from the pieces that remained. 

In the case before him, Alan had a salvage team pull two much older ship hulls from one of the boneyards … sister ships. 

And what remained of one of those older ships lay before him … history that spoke to Alan’s heart. 

But if he made this choice and followed his heart, it would be setting in motion another way the timeline would turn even further away from the one he grew up knowing … before he was chunked back into the past, that is. 

What was it temporal agent Daniels once told him? … When in doubt, just follow your heart. 

You can’t help but do what is right as from you, that’s what history expects and wants. 

So after a tour of both hulls, Capt. Alan Ironheart set his thumb to the padd as he authorized the move. 

— One Year Later — 

Cmdr. Ahlayna Sollace swallowed hard, raised her head and looked out the forward viewport of shuttlepod. 

U.S.S. Sam Houston shown bright – the lights of her drydock illuminating her hull. 

The design was a mixture of old and new.

And some of that new was so new it was as yet untested in the field.  

Once rechristened and released from drydock, this Okinawa III-class experimental refit would be one of the oldest active ships serving in the fleet – she and her sister, the U.S.S. Crazy Horse, both. 

Originally launched during the age of Christopher Pike and the Enterprise, these ships served faithfully, were refitted to Okinawa II-class specs and continued to serve the Federation til the 2290s when both retired to the bone yards. 

There they remained until someone saw the potential and added them to the list of ships part of the reclamation project. 

And no matter if Ahlayna was ready or not, this small ship was to be her first command. 

— 2412 —

Capt. Alan Sollace stepped onto the bridge of the small Okinawa frigate, taking in the sights, sounds and even smells. 

It was like coming home, but after new owners had taken up residence and changed things. 

In his reality, the ship had never been refitted into an experimental design but had been restored to original condition, given to the Smithsonian Institute and used as a ship of living history with a crew that flew her to various ports of call … sort of like a traveling museum. 

It was that version of the ship Alan had commanded as part of detached duty while in between captaining ships of the line. 

Here, the original had been refitted with the experimental tech created by Daystrom Spaceframe Industries instead of the Wolfe-class back home. 

Of course this was home now.  This reality. 

Back home, Shallana Ironwolf had commanded the experimental Wolfe-class. 

Here the centerseat had fallen to another. 

Alan placed his hand on the back of the command chair but did not sit. 

This was not his Sam Houston.  And his was long gone. 

“Can I help you, Captain?” a voice asked. 

It was a voice he recognized even if different from his own. 

“Good morning, Capt. Sollace,” he said, turning so she could see him. 

Ahlayna Sollace looked into her own eyes … eyes that had seen more years, experienced a different life and belonged to a male version of herself.

She’d met Alan Sollace once during the aftermath of the great “Temporal Crossing of 2408.” 

He was her, but from a different timeline, different reality … and the future of that other reality at that. 

Stuff that really made the brain hurt if you thought about it too much. 

I mean … How would you like to meet the opposite sex, older version of yourself?

“What brings you to the Sam Houston today?” she asked. 

“With the Avalon and Houston both docked at Hell’s Keep, thought I’d take a moment to visit the old girl,” he said simply. “Different from the one I knew, but similar enough to stir the memories.” 

“You commanded this ship?” she asked. “In that other reality, I mean.” 

Alan nodded. 

“One restored as part of historical preservation and living history … part of the reenactment fleet,” he said. 

“The Houston refitted back there was known as a Wolfe-class … commanded by Shallana Ironwolf.”

“I know her,” Ahlayna said. “She commands our sister ship … Crazy Horse.” 

“Never realized she was a former Houston captain,” she added.

Alan laughed. 

“Shallana always regretted the move from the smaller Houston to the big battleships and task force command,” he said. “Honestly, I think she slugged that fleet admiral just to get a demotion back to captain.” 

Alan paused looking around. 

“She always has had a thing for the smaller ships, so Crazy Horse doesn’t surprise me at all.” 

“Houston is more tactical leaning whereas the Crazy Horse more science driven,” Ahlayna noted. 

“Not sure the Houston would have it any other way … no matter her shape,” Alan returned.

“I *did* command a Sam Houston that served the line … Two actually,” he continued. 

“First was a Cavalla–class destroyer … same as your Lafeyette-class. Second was Ares-class destroyer. Cavalla-class was always my favorite though.” 

Ahlayna let him talk, sizing him up and comparing him to herself without meaning to. 

“This ship is a ship of destiny that you will find yourself bound to,” Alan said. “Just as I was bound to mine.” 

“I can definitely agree with that,” she returned smiling. 

She liked him.  

“Would you like a tour before we shove off?” she offered. 

“New orders?” 

“Would seem strange readings have been detected on the opposite side of Malstrom, and they need a small ship rated for handling the harshness out that way, so we got the short straw,” she answered. 

“Short straw my ass,” Alan returned with a laugh. “You are looking forward to it as I would have back when I was your age. … You sure I’m not putting you out with the tour?”

“Not in the least,” she said. “Gives me something to do while the rest of the crew reports back.” 

As they walked, Alan shifted to small talk. 

“So … How are the wives?” he asked. 

Ahlayna laughed. 

“You heard about that,eh?” she answered. 

“They are both off on assignments of their own,” she continued. “So, I’m left to my own devices for the time being.” 

Alan nodded, suddenly missing his own wife and family. 

“Another thing we have in common,” he noted.  

The post The Straits: “The Original, You Might Say”  appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.

Ansolon Season 2 / Episode 02
Story by Alan Tripp

2412

A cloud of smoke hovered in the air in the heart of the Strategic Operations Center aboard the U.S.S. Arkenstone.

Specifically, it hovered over the head of one battle hardened Andorian.

“By Uzaveh, where in the Ahrasath is that damned ensign?” the blind Vice Admiral bellowed.

Uzaveh as in the Andorian deity “Uzaveh the Infinite” and their version of hell named “Ahrasath.”

He punctuated his last by disintegrating the stub of his cigar, but was powerless to generate another.

Pelyyr reattached the smoking device to his belt before turning back to his work.

The rotating holographic map reflected in the specialized graphics that corrected his vision.

During one of the first battles of the Iconian War, bridge explosions damaged his vision to the point of legal blindness.

Given the choice between new eyes or corrective lenses, he chose the latter.

Most chose the former, but so many years as an engineer had left Dynazar Thaleaz Pelyyr very comfortable with technology.

Having specialized glasses not only corrected vision, but gave a personal HUD display he could use whenever he wanted, to access the information he needed, etc.

In a since, the grizzly Andorian saw it as an upgrade.

That and he thought it made him look cool … Not that he’d ever worried about looks.

He’d also never say it, but it also allowed him to catch a few dreamtime moments when stuck listening to brass in meetings he felt completely unnecessary as who would know? … Unless he snored, that is.

Finally, the ensign came trotting through the door and down into the center’s command well.

“Here you go, Sir.”

“Thank you, but move faster next time,” Pelyyr returned, accepting the small, special-sized power pack. “Your Creator gave you those legs and youth for a reason.”

Reaching to his belt, he retrieved the device he’d held before, replaced the rechargeable powercell and flipped it back on.

Instantly, the holographic body of fresh cigar appeared around the device, which Pelyyr promptly lit, stuck in his mouth and resumed adding to the before mentioned cloud.

The device simulated smoking instruments such as the terran created cigar, even giving the person the sensations of an actual, but without the life harming effects of an actual.

As for the original organic ones, Pelyyr loved those intensely, but out of respect for those around him.

He saved those for ? special occasions.

“Ok, pull up the positions of all ships we have operating in this region as well as the proposed route to Starbase Ansolon,” he ordered.

“And tell Capt. Ironwolf on the Crazy Horse I expect her team to pick up the pace,” he continued.

“Tell her she can get back to exploring those new systems she discovered on her time, not mine.”

—OUT OF STORY—

This story introduces a side character I created years ago, but this time as a main character.

He should be an interesting character to weave stories around.

The post The Straits: “Where’s that Ensign?” appeared first on The Malstrom Expanse.