Chapter Twenty-One

The Red Signals

Doctor Pollard burst through the doors of the turbolift with Ash Tyler following closely behind her, surprising both Detmer and Owo as well as Bryce and Rhys.

"Doctor?" Detmer stated with a frown. "What's going on?"

Ash quickly walked across the room and came to stand between the operations officer and the helmsman. "Did sensors register anything when the captain beamed down to the surface?" he asked seriously.

The bridge crew turned to him in surprise at the revelation.

"Agent Tyler, I'm afraid I don't follow," Bryce began and then turned to face the doctor who'd come to stand next to the communications officer. "Captain Pike is seriously ill."

Tracy pursed her lips into a thin line, her expression a mix of concern and anger. "Commander Burnham and Captain Pike beamed down to Arax VI a few minutes ago," she explained. "We tried to follow but the transporter conveniently couldn't get a lock."

Bryce looked surprised.

"As for Captain Pike's condition," the doctor continued. "He is not well enough to leave sickbay even though he's been improving for the last couple of hours. He's been slipping in and out of consciousness and he's running a fever that is too high for my liking. I'm both intrigued and amazed by the fact that he actually managed to get off the ship. Commander Burnham is certainly not strong enough to carry him."

"Do you believe the Araxians have something to do with it?" Detmer asked curiously.

"How would that even be possible?" Rhys wondered aloud.

"Didn't you read the flyer before you applied for Starfleet?" Tyler teased lightly with a faint grin. "Expect the unexpected."

Owo smirked behind his back and shook her head as Bryce rolled his eyes.

"Is there any way we can contact Starfleet?" Tracy asked.

Bryce shook his head dejectedly. "I'm sorry doctor but we're truly alone out here. There is nothing I can do. We're cut off from communicating to anyone at the moment."

Annoyed Tracy briefly caught herself thinking about her application for transfer which she'd handed in before being posted onboard the Discovery. About her desire to board the Enterprise for the five-year-mission. She suddenly realized she would have had a hard time to adapt to that. To go on without backup, to run out of supplies, to not have access to the rest of the Fleet and be able to discuss things with the rest of the doctors and share her latest research.

There had been a time when they had been stranded in the mirror universe but it had been so surreal she didn't know what to make of it. Pike, on the other hand, was used to strange things, he had several years of experience with strange phenomenon and knew what it was like to be truly alone in deep space. However, the people around him at this very moment didn't have his experience, his talent for knowing what to do or how to help him in the current situation. She was deeply concerned for his well-being and she would give anything to get down to the surface and get him back. If only Michael had allowed her to take the captain with her in the shuttle as she'd suggested.

"Didn't you admit Commander Burnham to sickbay as well?" Rhys asked carefully.

Tracy nodded. "Yes, she was hallucinating," the doctor explained.

"Why?" Detmer asked. "She was fine earlier on the bridge."

"I don't know what it is but there is something going on down there and we need to find out what it is," Tyler said through gritted teeth as he stabbed a finger at the view screen. "Come on, Doctor Pollard, we're taking a shuttle."

"I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible," Nilsson reported from her station.

"What do you mean?" Tracy asked.

"I've just received reports from engineering that the doors to flight deck have been sealed," she let on. "The doors will not open to any command."

OOOOOO

"Wait a minute," Reno drawled. "That's not possible. We've never been here before."

"Not you, Commander Reno," He'tef said enigmatically. "As time is fluent I cannot say when exactly but enough time has passed between the visits that I know nothing about it and I'm afraid that my predecessor is dead. However, from the visions, I do know that she looked like an angel."

Michael looked at him slack jawed.

"Are you saying that the 'Red Angel' came to you to seek your help?" Pike asked curiously, with a frown.

"No, no," Tilly protested lightly. "Doctor Burnham didn't know about the seven red signals."

"And she was the 'Red Angel'," Doctor Culber mused.

"Are you sure about that doctor?" Spock stated. "I believe you said that the 'Red Angel' was Michael."

"I can't be, Spock," she reasoned softly as she glanced across the table at her foster brother with sadness in her eyes. "Wouldn't I know such a thing?"

"The red signals are obviously a great achievement," Reno said. "What function where they originally supposed to fill?"

"It was a homing beacon," He'tef explained. "In ancient times it was used to recall those who were lost in space during our first subspace flight across the solar system. It was an invention developed before it's time."

"So, someday, somehow, our 'Red Angel' learns of your technology and uses it for her own purposes," Pike said.

"Remember, Captain Pike, that it might have taken her several years, several jumps, to find the system and to understand how it works. If she retrieved it from the Guardian, she did so with his blessing. The being that you're looking for must have adopted the signaling system for her own purposes and intents since the only machine capable of sending them is still hidden deep underground on Arax VI."

Spock eyed Michael for a moment before he turned to He'tef. "I believe her to be a resourceful woman," he said.

"The others have been trying to reach you, we must not let them wait any longer," He'tef said suddenly. "Your transporter should be able to pick up your signals outside this room."

Pike nodded at Saru who immediately got out of his chair and began to order the others out in the corridor and then gently pulled out his communicator from his pocket.

The rest of the officers followed his XO except Burnham and Culber who stubbornly remained in the room with their captain. Pike sighed as he saw them share a look of concern across the table and then move to stand beside him. He decided to ignore them as he pushed himself out of the chair and slowly began to make his way over to the beautifully arched windows overlooking the plaza below them. He tried to ignore the gentle hands of Burnham and Culber that rested on each of his arms as they carefully followed his every move.

"I am curious," he began softly as he came to stand next to He'tef. "Is this real or an illusion?"

The lean and tall alien smiled sadly. "Everything you've seen here captain is real," he assured him kindly. "You have my word."

Pike smirked and then nodded as he followed the alien's gaze outside. "You never told us of the prophecy," he finally said as the last of the officers began to file out of the room.

"Sir," Doctor Culber tried in a friendly manner as he gently squeezed his arm. "It's time to get back onboard."

Pike stole a sideway glance at his science officer and noted that she was as curious as he was, although there was also an underlying concern for his well-being present in her eyes.

Chancellor He'tef's sparkling violet eyes seemed to twinkle for a moment, then he smiled. "Very well, Christopher," he said. "The prophecy tells of a greater good. Of a being that will rise from the chaos and rebuild what was once lost. Of a being who will restore the galaxy and send help to us so that Arax IV once again can flourish. It tells of symbolic recognition and angelic features. Up until now I've never considered any part of it to be anything else than an intriguing premonition of something that doesn't exist."

"And now?" Pike asked softly.

He'tef shook his head as a faint tear escaped his eye. "Now, help has arrived to us. Don't you see, Christopher, that the help we have been promised comes from you?"

Pike sighed wearily and felt Burnham tighten her grip around his arm.

"I will look for the red signals, all of those remaining. Because I know now that when the seventh signal appears in the sky the battle has been won, for all of us, thanks to you," He'tef finished.

OOOOOO

To be continued