Chapter 20

Final arrangements

Two weeks later

Harper was stood at a console at the back of the command deck, staring at the screen with intense concentration. Beka was standing next to Tyr, they were both looking at a display screen on the weapons console. Rommie was in an alcove, inactive undergoing a scheduled recharge. Twice in the past the ship had been attacked and boarded while she was recharging, so she had asked Haper to install a re-charge unit in a alcove on the bridge, so she was nearby if needed rather than 20 decks away.

Trance slowly entered the Command deck with Dylan next to her, and Bashir was walking behind them. They stood their un-noticed until Andromeda appeared in Holographic form. She was about to announce Dylan's presence in command until a shake of Trance's head silenced her.

" Well, I think that your right, we are going to have to refuel and reload " Beka said.

" Andromeda "

On the screen Andromeda appeared.

" Prepare the fabrication deck for ore processing "

" Aye "

Andromeda, as did most High Guard ships, possesses a fabrication deck. The deck converts asteroids that are rich in ore's into less delicate spare parts, or ammo for weapons. Fuel for the engines came straight from the atmosphere of a suitable gas giant.

Beka heads towards the helm of the Star Ship, when she catches sight of the trio in the entranceway. She just stopped and matched Dylan's gaze.

" Beka, what is........." Tyr begins to ask, but stops when he too see's Dylan.

" It, My Captain, is good to see you once again on your feet "

Before anyone else can say a word, Harper shouts from the back of the command deck

" Yes, Am I freakin genius or what? You can never keep Seamus Harper beaten for ever " Then when he see's Dylan in the entrance

" Hi Boss "

Dylan walks further into the Command deck

" You have something to share with us Mr Harper ?"

" Bet ya I do! " Harper says proudly " I can get us home, I think "

He sees the surprises look on Dylan's face, the proud look on both Beka and Trance's faces and doubt on Tyr's face.

" I'm gonna have to do a lot of simulations and tests, but Ive finally figured it out. I think. The reason we all assumed we got forced here was the blast from the NOVA bomb detonation. " The assembled group nod " Well, it wasn't, not really"

" Explain this Boy " Tyr commands

" Well, no one has ever heard of a ship without power in slip stream have they "

This time Andromeda speaks

" No, all records indicate that vessels that if a vessel loses power to the slip drive, it is simply destroyed. "

" Correct. That is what should of happened to us, however, the reason that we didn't get destroyed is, when power was cut to our drive, we experienced " Harper pauses " Wait let me start this again "

He quickly takes a breath

" The nature of slipstream would have indeed destroyed us when we cut power, but the energy pocket surrounding from the NOVA bomb protected us. It was kinda like another slipstream field, and since there has never been, on any record that I can find, a vessel in Slip stream surrounded by a NOVA energy field, my best guess is that we were simply spat out, like a burp when we drink something that's to gassy when we cut power. My original theory that we emerged here because of the wormhole is still right. If I can alter the detonation pattern of the NOVA bomb I should be able to get us home"

" It makes sense " Was Andromeda's first comment.

" Right Mr Harper, proceed with your simulations, lets see if you theory pans out. Beka, I believed that we have some refuelling to be done ? "

Beka just nods

" Well, lets get it done, and while your doing that, I'm going to go to bed. Mr Harper, I want a report on this theory in 3 days "

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3 Days later

Dylan walked onto the bridge of the Andromeda with Tyr. The two of them had been having their weekly game of basketball when Andromeda had informed them that Harper had requested the presence of all crewmen on the bridge. As they descended into the centre of the bridge Dylan saw Beka by the helm controls of the warship, chatting to Trance and Rommie. Tyr immediately headed for the weapons console.

" Where is Mr Harper ? " Dylan asked, looking at his second in command

" Here Boss " Came Harper's voice from the entrance to command, before Beka could answer.

All eyes turned towards Harper as he descended down the steps with Dax next to him.

" Well, Ive finally...." Harper stopped as Dax playfully elbowed him in the ribs " Sorry We have finally figured it out. "

" There is good news and there is bad news but I'm gonna start with the good news first "

" We can recreate the conditions that brought us here. We simply need to engage the slip drive and head towards a NOVA bomb shock wave. As we approach the wave we need to increase the power to the drive, similar to the way I did which brought us here in the first place and the impact of the two power fields, NOVA and Slip stream will throw use back to our universe. The timing will be tricky, when to commence the power increase, but I should be able to do it. "

" You said there was some bad news through ? "

" Yeah, there is. The ride will be really bad for Andromeda. I have an idea of which sections of the ship will take damage based on our journey here but that's not the major problem. "

" Go on, Mr Haper " Dylan prods after Harper looks very unhappy

" We are going to have to leave somebody behind "

" What do you mean leave somebody behind ? " Beka asks before anybody else can ask

" Well, we need somebody to detonate the NOVA bomb and there will sure as hell be no chance to recover the slip fighter "

" What about remote detonation ? " Tyr asks

" NOVA bomb's have never operated with reliable timers, the radiation from the catalyst interferes with the mechanisms "

" Worf " Rommie interrupt's " He can pilot a slip fighter! He could release the bomb for us ".

" I don't think he has the skill to escape the shock wave " Haper says

" Actually " Dax interrupts " Why not use the Defiant ? "

When the room goes quiet Dax continues

" The ships hear in this quadrant employ a different type of FTL drive. I'm sure we could fire your bomb like a torpedo and then escape a high warp ? "

" Right, that could work. Boss, I could use another couple of weeks to fine tune these calculations but we'd be ready anytime after that "

" Ok, that sounds like a plan. " Dylan responds, " Commander Dax, I'm going to have to arrange a meeting with Captain Sisko to ask him about launching the weapon for us. Would you mind contacting him and arranging a time ? "

" Of course! "

" I need a word with my crew, would you mind using the comm unit in the observation deck "

Dylan waited until Dax had left the room

" Andromeda. Engage privacy mode "

" Privacy mode...Aye "

As Rommie started to leave, Dylan stopped the Avatar

" No, you can stay, I just didn't want a mainframe record of this conversation. Isolate this meeting in your Avatar only memory "

" Aye "

" Right. The reason I have asked Dax to leave is this. I cannot order any of you to return. Compared to our universe this one is paradise. Just think about it, but I 'll need to know soon. "

" Well, for what it's worth I guess that I'll be the last to decide. I mean if the ship tries to go back I will have to be onboard " Harper states, nobody else could get the power transfer right. Not even you Rommie, what about if you go off line again ? "

" Looks like your gonna need your best pilot on the job " Beka states as she puts an arm round Harper

" I'm coming too " Trance states " It nice here but If your going then I'm going as well "

" Tyr? " Harper asks. Despite his feeling towards Tyr's race he was being used to having the large man on board

" I have to go back. " Tyr states " There are no female nitchezeans here to share my genes with "

" Well, now that we have all decided that I'll find out when I'm going to meet with Sisko. But you are right about one thing Trance, it is nice here. I'm thinking there is no immediate rush. Lets take some R & R. Providing that it's fits in with Star fleet's availability to help us ? "

Suddenly before anybody can speak Dax bursts into the room.

" I've just been speaking to the station. Captain Sisko is missing, I must return to the station "

" Where was he last seen ? " Hunt asks " The Andromeda has very powerful scanners "

" He was heading to the Fire Caves on Bajor "

" Beka set a course for the planet, Commander Dax will show you where on the planet to begin a search pattern "

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3 Days later

Admiral Ross sat in the wardroom on DS 9. Following the disappearance of Captain Sisko he had transferred from his flagship tn the station sharing the responsibility of running it with Major Kira. Within the past three days it was obvious to him that she was more than capable of running the station, so he was in the middle of submitting a proposal to HQ to appoint her station commander when the door chimed

" Enter "

Captain Hunt entered the room

" Captain, its good it see you "

" Is there any word on Captain Sisko yet ? "

" No, I'm afraid not " Ross responds " But we still have people looking but his wife believes that he is with the Bajoran gods "

" I see " Hunt responds " The reason that I'm here Admiral is that I need to ask a favour "

" I see " Ross responds " Go on "

" Well, we have figured out a way to get home "

" That's good news at least "

" But without your help, one of crew would be stuck here " Dylan then explains the need to have a star ship deploy the NOVA bomb.

" I see " Ross says " I take it that the effect of the blast wave "

" Can be quiet enormous " Dylan answers " It normally leaves at least the inner four planets of a solar system destroyed or incapable of supporting life. There are a number of systems that we believe are sufficiently barren for our use, but are a considerable distance away. We can tow a ship there with our slip drive or I propose a technology exchange. We'll retrofit one of your ships with slip stream technology and in return we ask for your warp drive technology. "

" I'll have to get approval from star fleet but I don't see a problem " Ross said, realising the implications of acquiring slip stream technology " What sort of time frame are you thinking of ? "

" Well, I was hoping for roughly one month. Then we'll meet again, shall we say here ? Also, its not enough to simply have the technology, your going to need specially trained pilots. Mr Worf being an example. When we meet here could you have a number of pilots ready for training ? "

" How many where you thinking of ? "

" Well, we have two instructors, say 20 pilots, that's 10 each ? We can have them up to an reasonable level of competence in about two weeks "

Now that business was over with Ross leaned back in his chair

" Agreed. What are your plans for the next month ? I was wondering why the majority of the stations senior staff have all requested leave "

" Well, Dax has convinced Beka and Trance to go to Trill and then a planet called Risa for a couple of weeks. Tyr is going to with Worf and Martok to Martok's private hunting lodge for a while. Mr Harper has been invited to the Daystrom institute for a week and then Earth for some surfing competition. "

" What about you ? " Ross asks

" Well, Chief O'Brien is going to Earth, so I've offered him and his family a ride, and then I don't really know. But we're all meeting on Risa "

" Very well then...."

Before Ross can finish his sentence the comm chirps

" Harper to Hunt "

" Go ahead Mr Harper "

" Boss, have you started your meeting with that Admiral yet ?"

" Your interrupting it Mr Harper "

" Yikes, sorry Boss " Harper says before going very quiet

" What did you want Mr Harper "

" Well, since we are giving them slip stream technology I was going to suggest that you mention that the experimental ship be a Sovereign class vessel "

" This is Admiral Ross. "

" Hello Admiral "

" Why a Sovereign class vessel ? There are only a handful in the fleet "

" Well, the drive is going to require a large amount of power and that class of ship has the best available design for slip travel. It's like asking which aircraft would have been better for going mach 1 a spitfire from world war 2 on earth or "

" I think we get the point Mr Harper " Hunt interrupts "

" Oh, ok boss! Well, I guess that I'll see you on Risa "

With that the young engineer closes the channel, and the two officers part from the observation lounge.