Chapter 122.
Haunting of Deck 12.
(Leah POV)
I was on the bridge as we were about to go into the Nebula. That same one as last time which gave us some trouble. Clara and Chloe were up with me. Sam was with Naomi. As Neelix was with the others.
As we were coming up on the Nebula.
"We're closing in on the nebula, Captain," Tom said.
"Red Alert," I said. As the klaxons went red. "That's close enough. Let out momentum carry us in,"
"Cutting engines, Now there's a creepy image, Reminds me of something out of Edgar Allan Poe," Tom said.
"Looks like a Vampire bat, You can make out the wings, even the Ears," Harry said. "What do you see, Tuvok?"
"2 Starfleet officers with juvenile imaginations," Tuvok said.
"Come on, Tuvok, Haven't you ever looked up at the clouds and seen an animal," Tom said.
"I will never understand the human need to find imagine in something as innocuous as a cloud," Tuvok said.
"Harry, Are we ready," I said.
"Yes, ma'am," Harry said.
"Then Let's do it," I said. "All hands, Initiate Shutdown sequence,"
As the bridge went dark as we lit up the lights.
"B'Elanna is shutting down the Warp core. Now," Tom said.
"All decks report Shutdown complete Captain," Harry said.
"McCall to 7, We're ready," I said.
"Acknowledged," 7 said.
As we headed in.
This just brought back some flash backs from the last one.
(Flashback)
I was on the Bridge as we were gathering Deuterium. Enough to power the engines for another 1,000 lightyears. But that was when we started to getting more bumpy. Then we got hit by something.
"What was that?" I said. As we went to Red Alert.
"The nebula's beginning to destabilize," Harry said.
"Cause," I said.
"I'm not sure, it could have something to do with the nadion emissions being produced by the Bussard collectors," Harry said.
"We've got 80% of the deuterium we wanted, Maybe we shouldn't push our luck," Chakotay said.
"Agreed, Bridge to Engineering. B'Elanna, We're suspending the Dilithium intake," I said.
"Acknowledged," B'Elanna said.
"Tom, Take us out," I said.
"Aye," Tom said.
As we got zapped by something. As we got hit hard.
"An Em Discharge penetrated the hull," Chakotay said. "Deck 7 section 10,"
"Increasing power to Structural integrity," Harry said.
"We're clear," Tom said.
As we cancelled Red Alert.
"Damage," I said.
"Power outages on 3 decks, Auxiliary subprocessors are offline, No injuries reported," Chakotay said.
"Assign Repair teams, Tom Resume course," I said.
XXX
"Coffee Black," I said. As my door bell rang. "Come in,"
As Chakotay came in.
"I've got reports from repair teams, It looks like that EM discharge did more damage than we thought, Transporter Room 1 is out of commission, Half the sonic showers are offline, And we temporarily lost Artificial gravity on Deck 5," Chakotay said.
"Any injuries," I said.
"Ensign Mulcahy bumped his head on the ceiling," Chakotay said.
"Ouch," I said. As I was drinking some of the Coffee. "This is terrible, Computer Another cup of Coffee, Black,"
As It replicated it without a cup, And again with a cup but it was the same.
"Add Replicators to the list," I said. "What's with you today, old girl,"
"Captain," Chakotay said.
"Sorry, I was talking to Voyager," I said.
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, I used to have long conversations with my Maquis ship," Chakotay said.
"Really what did you 2 talk about," I said.
"Oh I can't tell you that, Captain, Starship confidentiality," Chakotay said.
"Bloody hell, Do the Doc on me why don't you," I said.
"If he heard us, He'd probably recommend counselling," Chakotay said.
"I won't tell if you won't," I said. As I saw something.
"Deal," Chakotay said.
"Chakotay do you see that?" I said.
"It's a meteorite cluster, I doubt it's anything to worry about," Chakotay said.
"I would agree if it wasn't the same one we passed an hour ago," I said. As we headed out. "Tom you doing a survey of meteoroids,"
"Ma'am," Tom said.
"Check your sensors, we're travelling in circles," I said.
"Not according to my readings," Tom said.
"Tuvok run a level 4 diagnostic on the navigational array," Chakotay said.
"There is a malfunction in the subprocessors, It appears we're heading back the way we came," Tuvok said.
"All stop, Reinitialize your sensors," I said.
"I'm telling you we rely too much on 24th century technology, Captain, you give me a window and a sextant, and I guarantee I'll get you where you want to go," Tom said. As we jumped to warp.
"We've jumped to Warp 6," Tuvok said.
"Tom," I said.
"Don't look at me," Tom said.
"Shut down the Warp engines," I said.
"I can't," Tom said.
"Manual override," Chakotay said.
"No response," Tuvok said.
"Bridge to Engineering," I said. But nothing.
"I'm reading all stop," Tom said.
"B'Elanna respond," I said.
"Computer, Locate Lt Torres," Chakotay said.
"Lt Torres is in Engineering. Ensign Trumari is on Deck 4 section 30, Commander Tuvok is on the bridge," Computer said.
"Find out what's going on, Harry pull the speech processors if you have to, but shut it off," I said.
"Done," Harry said.
"Run a Diagnostic on that while you are at it Harry," I said.
XXX
Eventually the Bridge was Dark. We were Dead in Space. System after system was failing, including Environmental controls, It was hotter than the Tarkanian desert on the bridge.
"Come on Old girl, I'll make you a deal, the next Class M planet we find, we'll set down, and I'll give you a nice maintenance overhaul, What do you say, Girl," I said. "Tom, Check the Helm,"
"I don't know what you did, Captain, but I've got helm control back," Tom said.
"That's my girl," I said.
"I'm going to try to get thrusters and impulse engines back on line," Tom said.
"Tom, get away from there. There an Em surge in your console," I said.
As he got hit.
"Bridge to Sickbay, Medical emergency," I said. "Can we transport him,"
"Transporters are off line," Tuvok said.
"Why am I not surprised," I said. "Now what,"
"Warning, Oxygen depletion in progress," Computer said.
"Breathable air is being sucked out of the bridge," Tuvok said.
"Reroute Emergency power to environmental control," I said.
"No effect," Tuvok said.
"Everyone out of her now, Regroup in Engineering," I said.
As We got the wounded to Sickbay.
"Doc," I said.
"What happened?" B'Elanna said.
"An EM surge 7 had a similar experience," Doc said.
"What," I said.
"The Environmental system converted cargo bay 3 into a micronebula," 7 said.
"When Gibson and McMinn tried to vent the gas from Deck 7, they were struck by a discharge too," Chakotay said.
"There an intelligence at work here," I said.
"Some kind of an electromagnetic lifeform, That's using the environmental controls to make the ship more hospital for itself," B'Elanna said.
"Tom was trying to get the engines back online when it zapped him," I said. "Attacking anyone who tries to stop it,"
"My matrix is destabilizing," Doc said.
"Transfer his program to the emitter," I said.
"Warning power failure," Computer said.
"Let's get the injured out of here, Let's get to Engineering and lock out the systems there," I said.
XXX
I sent Tuvok out to find anyone else and bring them back. As Harry and Celes got here.
"97 crewmen have been accounted for," Chakotay said. "They're in secure location throughout the ship,"
"What about," I said.
"Clara and Chloe are in the same area with Sam and Naomi," Chakotay said.
"Neelix," Harry said.
"No ones seen him," Chakotay said.
"I shouldn't have ordered him to stay in the Mess Hall," Harry said.
"You were following procedure, Harry," I said.
"Captain," B'Elanna said. "Bad News the life form's infiltrated the main computer matrix,"
"As long as it remained in the gel pack, there was a chance to contain it," 7 said.
"But we can't purge it from the main computer, Without crashing the few systems we have left," B'Elanna said.
"Captain McCall, Captain McCall, Captain McCall is in main Engineering," Computer said.
"Sorry, Captain I know it's irritating I'll try to shut it down," Harry said.
"Harry Wait, This is Captain McCall Respond," I said.
"Authorization code required," Computer said.
"McCall Pi Alpha," I said.
"Captain," Chakotay said.
"I got a feeling it's trying to make contact," I said.
"Sounds like a com system malfunction to me," B'Elanna said.
"No, This lifeform been moving from system to system, If it's intelligent it may be learning how to use those systems in some rudimentary way," I said. "Are you attempting to communicate?"
"Unable to comply," Computer said.
"Even if it understands what you're saying it may not know how to respond," Chakotay said.
"B'Elanna can you call up the com system's syntax subroutines," I said.
"I'll try," B'Elanna said.
"We're trying to make it easier for you to speak to us," I said.
"That's the best I can do," B'Elanna said.
"Try to access the Database at Engineering Station 3-1," I said.
"Database Accessed," Computer said.
"Why have you come aboard our ship," I said.
"Captain McCall report to Astrometrics," It said.
"Why do you want me to go there?" I said.
"Captain McCall, report to Astrometrics," It said.
"Guess I'm going to find out," I said.
"Captain, Astrometrics is flooded with nebular gas," Harry said.
"Astrometrics life support has been restored," It said.
"It could be some kind of trap," Chakotay said. "The lifeform whatever it is has already injured at least 11 crewmen,"
"I can try to establish a dialogue, or I can let it take over my ship," I said. "7 with me,"
As we headed to Astrometrics.
"You okay," I said.
"Yes," 7 said.
"Let's sort this out," I said.
XXX
"Review of navigational logs in progress," It said.
"Are you searching for something," I said.
"Affirmative," It said.
"The nebula," I said.
"Manual helm control enabled," It said.
"You're returning control of the ship," I said.
"Affirmative," It said.
"You want me to take you back to the nebula," I said.
"Affirmative," It said.
"Well, you could of just asked me," I said.
"Returning to the nebula is too dangerous, We'd risk invasion by other lifeforms," 7 said.
"I'm starting to think this was all an accident, Not an invasion," I said.
"Leah," 7 said.
"The EM surge didn't hit us until our Bussard collectors, destabilized the nebula and then what happened?" I said.
"The ship began experience random malfunctions," 7 said.
"I'm not sure it was random, Navigational sensors were fooling us into heading back to the nebula, and then Tom tried to resume course it attacked Tom. It's not trying to hurt us. It wants to go home," I said. "Can you give us access to the bridge,"
"Life support on the Bridge has been restored, Level 10 authorization required," It said.
"Level 10," 7 said.
"It want's me to alone. Captains eyes only," I said. "Get back to engineering let them know what is going on,"
As I headed for the bridge and got us back to the nebula.
As We dropped out of warp.
"Is the viewscreen functioning normally," I said.
"Affirmative," It said.
"Double check the coordinates," I said.
"Confirmed Coordinates Verified," It said.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, But your nebula is gone," I said.
"Clarify," It said.
"The gasses must have continued to dissipate after we left," I said. "Can you get me access to long range sensors, We can find another nebula exactly the same,"
"Warning Life Support failure on all decks," It said. As we went to Red Alert. "Abandon ship, Abandon ship,"
"Wait, Listen to me, I can still help you We can find you another Class J Nebula exactly the same, I'll find you one," I said.
"Unable to comply," It said.
"I'd be able to comply if you gave me access to Astrometrics," I said.
"Warning oxygen depletion in progress," It said.
"Give me back Helm control," I said.
"Warning Helm Circuits are overloading," It said.
"No, Wait," I said.
As it had already blew them.
"Abandon ship," It said.
"At least give me access to the con so I can warn my crew," I said.
"Unable to comply," It said.
XXX
As I headed back to Engineering. As I got to the corridor.
"You're going to kill everyone on this ship," I said. "Do you understand what that means?"
"To deprive of life. Extinguish," It said.
"Yes and if you extinguish us, you'll be extinguishing yourself as well," I said. "You need this crew,"
"Clarify," It said.
"The technology you're using needs to be maintained, who do you think is going to do that when we are gone, Voyager's secondary systems have already began to fail, In a few weeks, primary systems will start to go offline," I said.
"Unable to confirm," It said.
"Access the internal sensors and run a shipwide diagnostic, See for yourself," I said.
"Abandon ship," It said.
"Listen to me if you do this, Voyager will be dead in space," I said.
"Abandon ship," It said.
As I got back to Engineering.
"Everyone listen up, We're abandoning Voyager, Get to the escape pods, Shuttles," I said.
"We may not be able to eject the pods," B'Elanna said.
"We'll push them out if we have to," I said.
As we got everyone in.
"That's everyone except the Captain and first officer," Chakotay said.
"After you," I said.
As Chakotay headed in.
As I went to go but the doors sealed on me.
"I did what you asked we're abandoning ship what more do you want?" I said.
"Diagnostic complete Secondary systems off line," It said. "Primary systems at 32%, Estimated time to failure 6 days 13 hours,"
"Sounds about right," I said.
"Captain McCall report to Engineering" It said.
"Go to Hell," I said. "I won't be your prisoner, You might as well kill me,"
"Acknowledged," It said.
"Captain McCall report to engineering," It said.
"Not until you restore life support and give me back full control of my ship," I said.
"Unable to comply," It said.
"Then we die here together," I said. "I guessing I've got about 2 more minutes. Then you are on your own,"
"Captain McCall, Report to Engineering," It said.
"I told you," I said as I started coughing. "The only way I'm helping is if you return control of my ship," As I started coughing at lot more. As I almost down to my last breath when I was able to breath again as the lights came back.
"Access to all systems has been restored," It said.
(Flashback ends)
It took 2 days for the crew to come home, Eventually, an artificial environment was created for it on Deck 12 in a isolated section. It's been down there ever since.
Then we felt a jolt.
As we were clearing the nebula.
"We're clearing the nebula," Tom said.
"Bring everything back online," I said
As we got main power back online again. As Neelix got here.
"How are the children," Chakotay said.
"Tucking in their alcoves safe and sound," Neelix said.
"I hope they weren't frightened," I said.
"Oh why would they be frightened Captain," Neelix said.
"They were in the dark for 3 hours," I said.
"Oh no, not to worry, I told them a story to pass the time," Neelix said.
"Let me guess, Mother Goose," Tom said.
"Certainly not, Some of those fairy tales can be frightening," Neelix said. "Ogres and child eating monsters, Speaking of which is everything okay,"
"We're just taking some final readings, before we resume course, Show him, Harry," I said.
"We're clear," Tom said.
"Resume Course for home Tom, Maximum warp," I said.
"Ready," Tom said.
"Engage," I said.
As we went to Warp.
That's all for this chapter.
more to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!