Chapter 1 – Discovery
Three days later, both ships slowed down and began a slow approach to the area. Long range scans had already determined that there was a steady phase of the space around the area of about thirteen hours phasing in and out. Also a large object suspected to be a ship was on the other side of the anomaly that both ships were eager to investigate.
"Captain, we are within range of the interphase affects where Enterprise recorded that the first instances of the affects started to take effect." Said the Science officer.
"Noted, Medical have your teams ready to distribute shots if the affects began to affect our crew. Kalacktor, let me know how your crew is doing and we will move off too if needed."
"Affirmative, I show 6 minutes till the next phase is that agreed?"
"Confirmed we will hold here and have full scanning during the initial phase, once the space phase ends, we will take a look at that other object and see what we find."
"Agreed. Standing By."
"Science what do you have on that object?"
"Mass of 120,000 tons, about 320 in length and no power readings. No detectable life signs or weapons from this distance.. No known Configuration either in any of our databases." Said Maltavis.
"Well, a real mystery on our hands. How far off is it from the anomaly?
"Looks like it is holding a stationary position about half an AU away. Probably just outside the range of the affects of the anomaly on a species. Captain, beginning to pick up traces of Neutreno and Tachyon particles increasing. "
"Captain, I just got a message from the Doctor, she reports two crew members off duty reporting to sick bay with feelings of anger from no source. Treated with antidote and both reported feeling better. She recommends all Human crewmembers be inoculated starting now." Said the Andorian at communications.
"Proceed as she feels best, advice all non-human crew members to continue monitoring their responses."
As the crew watched, a physical wavering tear appeared in space before them. The rippling affect seemed to dance before their eyes as a yoman from Medical came to the bridge and began to give the Human crewmembers the antidote.
"Helm, prepare to launch a Class 5 Probe, set it up for Forty-Eight hours of surveillance and launch to the heart of the anomaly. Kalactor, any Recommendation from your end?"
"So far no emotional outburst from the crew, all holding steady. We are also going to launch a probe; it does a continual mapping of the region of space. Let us know when it closes what the space looks like on the other side."
"Very well. Ours will monitor for radio, sub-space and other communications. Should be an interesting comparison with both results once done."
"Captain, do you have clearance for information for Gateway?" asked the medical Yoman after she gave the shots looking at the screen.
"Gateway? Not familiar with the name." he said trying to remember the name.
"It was a planet discovered by Enterprise under Kirks first 5 year mission. Was a deserted world with ruins, but among them a powerful archway that was able to access any planet or time with a request. I served there with a research team for about 6 months and remember that when the arch was activated, it looked a lot like the affect we are seeing now."
"Science, Pull it up see what the computer says."
The Edoan reached up and began pulling up data "Sir, there is a security lock, your eyes only request of Command Level before release of information."
The captain arose from his chair and approached the science station. A Quick Retina scan and verification code and the information began to flow from the computer. Both he and the science officer read the material on the Guardian of Forever and the known issue of the Time Travel and incidents that occurred.
"Science Compare the readings that the Guardian planet puts off to the readings we are getting from the anomaly." Said the Captain.
"Same type of rays, lot more concentrated and higher in Tachyon side though." He began to look through the Dynascope with the blue ray hitting his face. "Would be interesting, could an alien race have found an anomaly and used it to create a machine to access time and space?"
"Interesting Theory. Get an abbreviated report, cut out all the sensitive stuff and forward a copy over to Captain Kalactor." The Captain said.
"Federation Secrets your letting me on too?"
"Yea, but I think you should know what I know so we can weigh our options. I wonder if this may go to a where and a when possibly. Those star charts you get might help with that. What are the reading from the probes?"
"Our s is showing a dual signal coming through mix of many signals. It does looks like another area we are getting readings from. Be interesting to see if it downloads anything special during the phase out."
"This is Science Officer Motal, our probe is getting the same readings, mixed views of stars as if overlapping images."
"So looks like for sure the other end is somewhere else."
"Readings starting to Waver, looks like the anomaly is closing." Said the Federation Science officer. It is closed and both probes have quit transmitting.
"Well, we got thirteen hours till the next phase, lets go check out that ship. Helm, set a course, one third impulse." Science, keep me a running dialog as you get readings.
"Aye sir, approaching now. Not sure if a warship, but it seems to have some thick armor, Iron-Carbon compound, able to take a little damage. No weapon ports at all. Maybe a transport or cargo ship. Looks like about 2 other ships mounted on it. Possible landing ships? There is one other hookups as well for one more. Possible invasion ship or suppression ship. No known type of drive or power readings, atmosphere carbon filled, will need suits to go over there. Very toxic."
"Would we want to access from one of the access ports or beam aboard?" asked Kalactor.
"Board her, if she is derelict we do not want to take the chance of beaming into loose items floating around. Lets take a close up look at one of those huge landing ships and the empty port."
The helm officer moved the ship closer to one of the landing ships and the empty port next to it. The two ships docked looked to be of two different types, one a large oval shame, the other looked like a large terrain airplane."
"Unlike the mother ship, the landers seem to be fairly heavy armed, mixture of laser and ballistic weapons."
"Looks like an invasion type setup for sure." Said the Captain, "get to orbit and drop down to control and area."
"Look at the open ring, the airlock is open, looks like part of the ship is decompressed." Said the helm officer as the viewscreen view changed."
"That's not all," Said Kalaktor, "zoom in to the writing on the hatch, I think that is your human English?"
The viewscreen zoomed in to a multi-language sign, with one saying in English, Airlock Cycle Controls."
"Well now if that is not a surprise, looks like Russian and either Japanese or chines or both and Spanish." Said the First Officer looking at the writing. "Could there be an unknown colony out this way that we do not know about that already has their own ship program?"
"Not sure, but I bet the answer is on that ship." Said the Captain standing up
"Kalaktor, two five man groups? Two enginers from each crew as well as two security officers and a captain each?"
"I was hoping you would not leave us out of the exploration of this ship." Said Kalaktor with a laugh. "Lets add a third team, chief Engineers, and get a group to look at the Engine room too. Then the other two can look at the bridge and one of the landing ships respecivly."
"Sounds like a plan. Meet over here with your teams and gear in about 30 minutes and we can take the "San Palo" over to dock with it."
"Agreed, see you in Thirty."
Thirty minutes later, the teams were organized an aboard the transport shuttle San Palo. The ship had a generic docking collar on the back to allow docking with multiple ships types of ships. The Klingons were also adjusting to the antidote as several of them started feeling the effects of the space between the set up on the mission. All going were Inoculated, and an additional Klingon medical officer added since no one knew how long the affects and antidote would work on them. The three groups were getting to know each other, the security teams were weighing each other's metals, the Engineers were talking shop as they all got their gear ready. The Starfleet teams has also brought along several portable generators in hope the tech was compatible enough to run computer systems.
With everyone boarded, it was a smooth takeoff and quick flight to the strange ship. The docking was completed quickly and several of the engineers worked to get power to the air lock and had it functioning and able to close, sealing the ship. Kalaktor and his team were making their way to the largest of the ovoid ships while Monroe and his team made their way to the ship bridge. The two Chief Engineers made their way to the ships engine room. One of the first things they discovered were hand holds along the travel corridors. None of the ship showed signs of artificial gravity plates and all travel was in zero G.
Captain Monroe's team found lots of evidence of fighting, scorch marks and bullet indentions on the walls leading up to the bridge. The bridge itself was sealed and took about 5 minutes to cut through, but when they did, they found one person mummified, with an old style ballistic pistol in his hands. The Engineers each quickly got to work finding power sources and getting the generators up and working. Soon the consoles began to glow. Found on the end of the ship, the bridge was circular with controls around much like a federation bridge so not a lot of people were needed to operate. They soon found the captains log, the remains they found were him. Captain Roland Romanov, of the Comstar Exploration Services ship Magellan.
While the engineer was getting the log to load, one of the Human security officers came to the captain with the pistol found on the ship's captain.
"Sir, I am a bit of an expert on most Smith and Wesson fire arms, but this is one I have not seen, even though it has the makers mark." He said holding it out to the Captain with the mark on the handle. "could it have been a one off or test make, but I bet you will not find anything in their records on it."
Captain Monroe took the gun and held it in his hands, the weight was heavier than the standard phaser. "Thanks Lt, keep in for now, we will run it when we get back."
"Kalaktor to Monroe"
"Monroe here, find anything good?"
"I think you need to come up here, we are in the large ovid ship. As soon as you can."
"Ok, they are still getting into the ship logs, I am on my way."
He turned to the Starfleet Security officer. You stay here I'll take your partner here to see what Kalaktor found. Let me know when you find something.
"Aye Sir."
Monroe and the Klingon Officer shot down the corridors using the hand holds along the wall. . The Klingon showed that he could travel in Zero G quite well.
"I thought most Klingons did not do well in Zero G?" Monroe asked him as they shot down the corridors back the ships docking collars."
The security officer grinned and did a spin as he went down the tunnel. "Most of us don't, but I am one who enjoys it, and the captain makes sure most of the crew stays up to speed, never know when a ship will lose gravity. " He frowned a little "Lesson learned with Kronose 1 during the Enterprise incident."
"Sorry, did not mean to bring up bad memories." Said Monroe. "I actually met Gorkon back when I was still in Intelligence. When the Organian's granted the Federation Shermans planet and the Federation Council decided to keep it open to both races as a joint Scientific and Cultural planet. It was before he was the Chancilor, but he, Chang and Kor were all present. Kor was intimidating, massive presence of a Warrior. Chang, well he and my father spent the whole time debating battles of the Four year war. But Gorkon, he has presence to, but he came up to me, apparently had worked with my wife on several diplomatic missions and congratulated me on my choice of mate and discussed his future hopes. The Galaxy lost a good one with him."
The security guard paused to look at him before speaking. "I know your and my commander are good friends and have a good history, but not knowing many humans myself, I have to ask you what challenges are there for a Klingon in a new world with Federation Peace and exploration? Will the Warrior become a thing of the past?"
"I do not know what to tell you of the future for the Klingon people. We both still have the Romulan, we also have a new race I am hearing tales of, the Cardasians who are a little on the violent side, fighting or not, keep your honor. That is the true mark of a Klingon." Replied Monroe also pausing.
"I see the wisdom in your answer Captain. " he said and continued their journey.
Monroe followed him till they got back to the Collar junction where the Star Fleet officer assigned to Kalaktor was waiting, excitement in his eyes.
"Big find?" asked the captain as the two newcomers joined in behind him.
"You will just have to see sir, but yea, I think you would say so."
They soon went through the airlock to the landing ship and the Security officers pointed to another junctions.
"Off that way is a small hanger, has two small fighters in it. Looks to be fusion drives on them that give them power." He then pointed up a ramp "this way to the good stuff." The end of the ramp was a huge door.
The trio followed the ramp up to a central platform that was lowerd, but pushed off to the deck above. Kalactor stood to one side as they came up and he and the rest caught them, using the magnetic locks on their own boots to keep from flying away. As every one activated their lock to stand, he grinned at Monroe through his mask.
"Are you ready for the surprise my friend?"
"I am what did you find that has you so excited?"
Kalactor brought up his Klingon tricorder and pushed a button, pre-arranged lighting light up a monstrous robot in humanoid shape standing in a frame holding it in place. As he looked more light sprang up around, illuminating one after another till there were a total of 8 before him, several alike, but some bigger than others.
"Damn, giant robots, and from the looks of them armed." Said Monroe wondering what Genie they had just release from a bottle.
"Not Automated ones, they have to have a pilot. There are 8 down here, and four up the next level up. They use a mixture of Beam, Ballistic and missile weapons and would be a powerful force on a battlefield." Kalaktor added.
"I personal would hate to be on the receiving end of that. Ok, scan, document and lets see how much we can get in an hour, head back and get out of these suites and we can all convene and pull our resources to see what we have here. I am going to go back the bridge and see how that is going."
He paused to take one more look at the giant above him and wondered if there was a planet nearby building these things. He walked off shaking his head.