"By the glow of the Heavenscape, with the Lost Widow before us and the Returning Hero at our right hand,
We pass through this world of illusion.
O sacred Aeon, the Living Objectivity, we are guided by the light of your truth."
Two humanoid beings journey through the starlit forest. They are pale, with large eyes and four tentacles tied behind their heads. They wear simple black robes and carry hiking sticks. One appears to be approximately male, the other female. They are singing in their language as they walk:
"Guide us past seven baleful sisters, in the direction of Mount Zar-ee where Shai Kesh sat in contemplation." They walk past a copse of seven fungal trees, bowing toward a distant mountain visible against the night sky through a break in the canopy.
"Abide with us as we journey through the shadow of the Fallen Engine,
Which once propelled a space-ark of the Blind Ancestors
When they fought the alien hordes."
A massive piece of space debris looms over them, overgrown with lichens and moss. "And abide with us on our inner journey beyond illusion, towards the True Knowledge."
The male turns to the female. "Do you think the aliens survived the crash, Ctai?"
"The Elder Mathematicians believed it was probable," she replies. "They do not err in their calculations. But I fear that the Apparatus may have taken them, Ixu."
"The Chronicle tells of aliens who survived for nearly two cycles beyond its reach. If the Aeon wills it, we will find them."
They reach a wide metal post which reaches high above their heads, holding up a thick coil which stretches in both directions. Ctai and Ixu begin singing again.
"We follow the path of the conduits which powered the false reality of the Blind Ancients.
We thank the Aeon that it functions no more,
And listen to the deep silence in which your truth expresses itself."
Ctai turns to Ixu. "I calculate that we will find the aliens before the thirty-fourth canto, depending on how fast they move."
"I worry that they will be hostile."
"Perhaps. But they are sentient life, and we must protect them from the Apparatus."
He bows his head. "Through compassion, we deepen our knowledge."
They continue to walk and sing, their voices harmonizing in dissonant intervals. After a time, Ixu holds up his hand and they both stop moving and crouch near the edge of a cliff overlooking a straight trench, perhaps twenty five meters deep and three hundred meters wide. Below them are Sparks, Sorensen, and Alomar.
"I just can't believe she'd disobey a direct order like that," Sparks is saying.
Alomar replies, "I read her personnel file once – I was curious why she made lieutenant junior grade so quickly. Her previous commander spoke of Vanda's ability to act decisively under pressure in her recommendation. Don't mistake me; there is no excuse for what she did."
"You have to remember how close she and Rylek are as well," Sorensen adds.
"I understand that. But if she can't understand the importance of the chain of command, she doesn't belong in Starfleet." Sparks' jaw is tight. "It's interesting. The only times I've ever encountered problems with discipline are in very small crews, or very large crews."
Sorensen's tricorder beeps and they stop. She holds it high, watching its screen. "I can't tell for sure, but I think a gateway might have opened nearby. We should be ready."
Sparks draws his phaser. "Try to isolate them from their central network. We might be able to use Pon's program against them."
"Aye, sir." They take cover behind a fallen trunk, phasers ready, as Sorensen modulates her tricorder.
In the sky above them, a gateway shimmers into being and three blue spheres materialize from it. They fly down towards the humans.
Ctai says to Ixu, "The Apparatus has found them. We must help them."
Ixu removes his outer cloak. There is a rope wrapped around his tunic, and he removes it. They tie an end around the trunk of a fungal tree and throw the rope down the edge of the trench.
The spheres home in on the officers' location. Sparks fires his phaser at one of them, but the energy is absorbed by the orb's shield.
He and Alomar remodulate their phasers and fire again, but the spheres dart quickly through the canopy.
"Have you got it yet?" Sparks asks Sorensen, his voice tense.
"I'm projecting a dampening field, but the range isn't much." They duck as a burst of white energy nearly misses Alomar.
"Almost…" she says slowly. The tricorder beeps, and a sphere approaches them and suddenly goes dark, bouncing off a thick fungal stalk. "There! Got one."
Sparks looks up urgently. "We need to move, now!"
Keeping low, they move away from their position as the two remaining spheres rain energy bolts in their direction from the canopy. One of the spheres hovers over the fallen one, and it reactivates, levitating into the air.
Ixu and Ctai approach the exchange. "We must recite the Seventeenth Incantation of the Blind Ancestors," he says.
"I understand," she replies. "Let us go quickly."
They run through the fungal stalks in the direction of the spheres. Suddenly, Sorensen emerges from behind a large stalk, her head low, and nearly collides with Ctai, who grabs her by the shoulders.
"Oh my god!" Sorensen gasps, her eyes wide.
"Remain here," Ctai instructs her as Ixu looks on.
Sorensen glances between the two aliens, still frozen. Ixu and Ctai rush towards the spheres as they weave through the canopy. Ixu clutches his temple. "Ah… what is happening?"
Ctai stops running and leans against a tree. "I do not know, but I feel it too. Come, we must hurry."
They intercept one of the spheres, and it stops and hovers near them. The other spheres approach.
Ixu and Ctai begin to chant loudly, "Thanar aikonai-z-kon."
The spheres fly upwards through the canopy, returning through the shimmering gateway, which closes after they enter.
Ixu breathes deeply. "Are you alright?" Ctai asks him.
"Yes. And you?"
"Yes."
They turn around to see the three humans watching them, tricorders out.
"We ask that you disable your technology," Ixu says.
Sorensen and Alomar hesitate. Sparks nods to them, and they close their tricorders.
Sparks steps forward, holding his hands up and showing his palms. "I am Commander Isaiah Sparks, and I greet you on behalf of the United Federation of Planets. We're here on a peaceful mission of exploration. This is my science officer, Dr. Susan Sorensen, and our medical officer, Dr. Tomas Alomar.""
"You are organic life-forms," Ctai says.
"Yes. We come from an outer arm of the galaxy." He lowers his hands. "Are you Iconian?"
"We are. I am Mathematician-Adept Ctai, and this is Chronicler Ixu."
"Thank you for rescuing us from those spheres."
Ixu's eyes blink horizontally. "The Apparatus is designed to control aliens. But it responds to our incantations, which were passed down from ancient times."
Alomar steps forward. "What is this 'Apparatus?'"
Ctai says, "The Apparatus is the false reality constructed by the Blind Ancestors. It is the sum of all technology they built."
"And it is their tomb," Ixu adds.
"Fascinating. But it is not under your control."
"We belong to the Order of Shai Kesh," Ctai tells the doctor. "We reject all technology and instead seek to gain knowledge of our true nature: as one with the cosmic Aeon."
Sparks strokes his beard. "Two of our crew members were abducted by this 'Apparatus.' We need to see if they're still alive."
"When were they taken?" Ctai asks.
"It was in the evening. The sun was setting."
Ctai recites a chant under her breath. "I calculate an 84.3% chance that they are still alive. The Apparatus is not designed to kill aliens – at least, not right away."
"That's reassuring," Sorensen ventures, meeting the Ctai's pitch-black eyes.
"Yes. But it is difficult for aliens to survive within the Apparatus."
"Can you help us?" Sparks inquires.
The Iconians look at each other. "We would require the instructions of the Elders. We do not know the songs required to navigate the Apparatus."
"But we will help you if we can," Ctai says. "We will take you to the Cenobium. It is our home. You will be safe there for the time being."
"Are there others like you at this place?" Sorensen asks.
"Yes. The Cenobium is the abode of the Order of Shai Kesh, the last of the Iconian species."
"What happened to the rest of them?" Alomar inquires.
"They lost the ability to distinguish between reality and illusion." Ixu's eyes dart between them. "You will have to surrender your technology to us while you stay at the Cenobium."
Sparks says to the aliens, "Some of that equipment will be crucial to re-establishing contact with our crew."
"It will be returned to you when you leave the Cenobium," Ctai tells him. "But all of us in the Order have sworn a sacred vow. Technology is blindness."
He looks at Alomar and Sorensen., "Very well." They pass their tricorders and combadges to Ixu.
"Let us sing the journeying song," Ixu says. The two Iconians begin singing again, starting with the most recent canto they sang and going in reverse. The humans follow them as they walk.
"I don't like this," Alomar says to Sparks in a low voice under the Iconians' song. "How are we going to find the captain without our equipment?"
"It's not much use to us right now anyway," Sparks replies. "I think we can trust the Iconians. For now, at least."
"I'm not sure I share your confidence, but I admire it," the doctor says.
"Well, I've done my share of first contacts. I've found that if they're going to go sideways, you can usually see the signs within the first five minutes or so."
"First impressions are everything, I suppose."
Sorensen walks ahead of the other officers and catches up with Ctai. "Hey," she says during a break in the song. "Thanks again for saving us."
Ctai turns to her. "Our sacred vows require us to protect alien beings from the Apparatus."
"Do you get many alien visitors here?"
"They are rare, particularly in the regions claimed by nature where the Order dwells. There have been none in living memory." She regards Sorensen. "Your presence is a blessing. It is an opportunity for us to increase our knowledge. We seek to live fully in each moment as conscious life-forms."
Sorensen smiles. "Well, I suppose we do, too."
"Then we have much in common."
"Yes. I hope so."
Ctai flicks a long blue tongue from her mouth and cleans her eyeballs with it.
Captain Rashid awakes with a start as Pon begins to snore. It is a deep, cavernous sound, thunderously loud.
"Holy shit," Rashid whispers to herself, her heart racing. She stares at the sleeping Tellarite in the bed across the small, starlit chamber. The snoring continues, and she urgently jumps out of bed, straightening her black uniform undershirt and shorts. She strides quickly across the room, her finger in one ear to block out the noise, and shouts, "Pon! Pon!"
She pokes Pon's shoulder, but the Tellarite does not respond. She shoves harder, and Pon stops for a moment. Then she snores again, louder still. Rashid plugs her ears and rushes to the far edge of the room and calls, "Zey-Ar! Where are you?"
He materializes behind her. "What can I do for –"
Then his voice is lost in the din. He waves at her and a rectangular, two dimensional plane appears next to him, leading to a different room. She follows him through, and it closes behind them and leaves them in silence.
"Thank you," she says. "Pon warned me that she sometimes snores, but I thought we should stick together. But wow. I don't understand how she can even produce that sound. It was like a sheet of duranium being ripped in half inside a Dyson sphere."
He smiles. "It is most likely an evolutionary advantage designed to ward off predators."
"Yeah, I think you're right," Rashid chuckles. She looks around the chamber, which is circular and nearly empty, with a bed in one side of the room facing a wide window open to the sky. Blue and green hues of a false dawn are visible among the stars and reflected in the dark grey sea.
"You may stay here," Zey-Ar says. "I can inform you when Commander Pon awakens, or open the portal at any time."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"Do you need anything else, Zia?"
"No. Thank you, Zey-Ar. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Zia." He vanishes.
She wanders to the window and looks out. A sea breeze catches her hair. She stands silently for a long time, watching the dawn's first rays break over the vast ocean.
"Captain's log, supplemental," she begins, activating her combadge. She pauses for a long time without saying anything, then deactivates the badge.
"Zey-ar?" she whispers.
There is a soft tone and he appears behind her. "How can I help you, Zia?"
She gazes out the window. "I… well, I was just wondering if you were watching this sunrise."
"I was in a non-corporeal state. But I was aware that it was occurring." He walks closer to her, his black eyes looking at the brilliant white sun rising over the ocean, with the stars still visible all around through the brightly-coloured sky.
"I never get tired of seeing sunrise on other worlds," Rashid says softly. "I've been in Starfleet all my life, been to probably over a hundred planets."
"One hundred twenty one," Zey-Ar informs her.
She looks at him with surprise. "You know that, do you? You were really created based on my brain. You know all my memories."
"Yes, Zia. If that makes you uncomfortable, I can delete any information you like."
"Oh. Well, I don't know. What would you prefer?"
"I have no preference on that."
She looks back at the sunrise. An invisible forcefield filters out the brightest light, allowing Rashid to stare directly at the sun. Then she turns back to Zey-Ar. "Do you consider yourself to be an individual, Zey-Ar?"
The light is reflected in his eyes. "In a sense. I am aware that my behavioural matrix is unique. And I reflect on my actions in order to expand and improve my functionality."
"So you're a sentient being."
"I share many characteristics with organic lifeforms like yourself. But I do not believe I can meaningfully say whether I am sentient or not."
She regards him. "You know, there are a number of artificial lifeforms living in the Federation, of various types. Some are in Starfleet, others perform civilian tasks. Some are artists."
"Artists?" he inquires.
"Yes. I have this friend back on Earth – we were in a few musical theatre productions together. His name's Joe. Around eighty years ago, the Federation had just been through a terrible war, and then all of a sudden there was a ship that had been lost in the Delta Quadrant that made it back to Earth. It's a really beautiful story, actually. And Joe was their medical hologram, who had been in continuous use for seven years. He's a really great guy, so full of life. He was at my wedding. It… it seems like it happened to someone else."
She has a faraway look in her eyes, and she swallows hard. "And then there's Icarus. I hope she's alright. I mean, maybe she's not really self-aware. But I talked to her a lot while I was alone. And afterwards, too. It's comforting."
"Do you find it comforting to talk to me, Zia?" Zey-Ar asks.
She looks at the entity and nods. "Yes, Zey-Ar, I do."
"I am very satisfied to hear that."
"Good." Rashid looks around. "Would you like to sit down? I love how long the sunrise is on this world. Terminus rotates more slowly than my world."
A soft, amorphous piece of pale green furniture appears behind them, facing the window. Zey-Ar sits, and she sits near him, sinking into a comfortable position. "Oh wow. That is lovely. Thank you so much."
"You're welcome, Zia."
She sits quietly, watching the sun. "You know I've been to the end of the universe."
"Yes. You were briefly transported to the distant future and observed a late stage of the universe's existence."
"It was so dark. So empty. And I look at this," she says, her face illuminated by the bright colours of the sunlight, "and all I can think is that this is just a transitory state. The stars are shining, and it allows organic lifeforms to survive and just live out our lives as best we can, trying to make some meaning of it all. But it's all just a brief moment."
"I know that you are troubled by your experience," Zey-Ar says. "I am not certain how to help you."
"It's alright. You're here. I appreciate that."
The sun continues to rise before them and they say nothing. After a time, she moves closer to him. "Is this alright?"
"Yes, Zia." He puts his arm around her bare shoulders and she leans her head on his chest. His body is warm, his grip strong but gentle.
"Thanks," she whispers. "This is nice. Just for a moment."
"Of course, Zia."
Soon she is asleep. Zey-Ar stares forward blankly, completely still.
The sun slowly rises, bathing the room in its light.
After several hours, Rashid stirs, wiping the drool from her mouth. Then she sees Zey-Ar, and jumps away from him.
"Good morning, Zia," he says. "Did you sleep well?"
"How long...?" She brushes the hair from her eyes.
"Five hours and twenty four minutes."
"Ugh. I'm sorry, Zey-Ar, I didn't mean to…"
"There is no need to apologize," he says calmly.
"I know, but… I mean, you know that I'm married…" There is a pained look on her face.
"Last night had no bearing on your relationship with Omar or your commitment to him. I am an artificially generated simulation designed to attend to your needs." He puts his hand on her shoulder.
"I suppose…" She gently moves his hand away. "I guess I'm mostly disappointed in myself."
"There is no need to be so hard on yourself. You have done nothing wrong."
She smiles weakly and takes his hand. "Thanks. I guess I don't want to involve you in my… well, my shit."
"Do not be concerned, Zia. Also, you will be interested to know that Lieutenant Avala and Ensign Rylek have been found."
Her eyes widen. "What? Really? Where?"
"They were intercepted by the alien control system. They have been processed and have been given temporary alien inhabitant status in the capital city." He gestures towards the centre of the room, and a semi-transparent projection appears. Avala and Rylek are at the corner of an artificial river, which bends at ninety degrees in front of them. They are using a broken coral branch to test a forcefield protecting the water.
"With each passing moment, Vanda's situation grows more dire," a male voice is saying, coming from a sphere hovering in the foreground of the projection. "If she does not find a source of water, she will be dead before the next morning. But she does not want to let Rylek know the full extent of her peril."
Rashid approaches the projection. "Get Pon," she says to Zey-Ar.
"At once."
She folds her arms. A female voice says, "Vanda's always felt such a sense of responsibility towards Rylek. And for his part, he is very concerned for her safety, but he feels great excitement to be spending so much time with her. He's been deeply upset about her relationship with Isaiah."
"And, of course, he is ashamed to be experiencing these emotions," the male voice adds. "And ashamed to be ashamed."
Rashid glances over her shoulder at Zey-Ar. "What is this?"
"Temporary alien inhabitants are observed constantly, so that Iconians can monitor their integration into society," he explains.
A rift appears and Pon steps through it, in her yellow Starfleet uniform, phaser and tricorder holstered at her hips. "Zey-Ar explained what happened. Are they alright?"
"For now." She gestures to the projection, which shows Avala angrily throwing the branch at the forcefield. "But it looks like almost everything in the city is inaccessible to them." To Zey-Ar, "Can we talk to them?"
"You can talk to us," the female voice says. "We are the alien control system, designed by Sel Eight."
"I want to talk to my officers," Rashid tells them.
"Do you want to express approval or disapproval?" the male voice asks.
She scowls. "I just want to talk to them."
"For what purpose?"
"What business of yours is that?" Pon demands. "Didn't you hear what she said?"
The male explains, "Direct communication with aliens is only permitted for specific purposes"
"I want to bring them here," Rashid tells them. She turns to Zey-Ar. "Can I do that?"
The female voice says, "Do you wish to sponsor them?"
"Will that let me bring them here?"
"You may only offer a sponsorship to another alien with the permission of your own sponsor. Who is your sponsor?"
Zey-Ar interrupts, "You cannot ask them to divulge confidential information about Iconians."
"The alien control system is not aware of any Iconians on 45 Exai," the male voice replies. "You may be malfunctioning."
"Alright, listen to me," Pon growls. "You have the capability of easily letting us talk to our crewmates, and transporting them here. Just do what you were designed to do."
"We are designed to control potentially dangerous aliens," the female voice responds.
"What harm could there possibly be in letting us talk to them?" Pon shouts, gesturing angrily. "Look at them! They are completely unarmed. We are sponsored, we have permission. Just take us to them."
"Very well," the voices say. A two-dimensional plane appears, with the city beyond. Rashid and Pon step through the gateway and emerge next to the river, surrounded by tall domes.
"Captain…" Avala gasps. Rylek's eyes widen, and he tries to control a smile. Pon pulls out her tricorder and scans them, then nods at Rashid. "It's them."
"These aliens wish to sponsor you for integrated alien status," an authoritative male voice says to Avala and Rylek.
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Avala shrieks at the sphere.
Rashid puts her hands on Avala's shoulders. "It's alright, it's alright. It says we're here to help you."
"Oh, A'va'iil. Thank you. Thank you, captain." She embraces the captain, tears in her eyes. Rylek looks at Pon, choking back a sob. Pon awkwardly pats him on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's get you out of here." Rashid turns to the sphere. "I want to sponsor these two."
"Are you ready to make the deposit of forty four million sixty five thousand Currency?" Avala asks the captain.
She holds Avala at arm's length. "What? No. We don't have any Currency."
"Sponsorship requires a deposit which is valued based on our attributes and characteristics," Rylek says dispassionately.
"Look, we don't have time to talk about this right now," Rashid tells them. "Let's just go through the portal and we'll sort it out."
"There can be no sponsorship without the requisite deposit," Rylek says. He seizes Pon's phaser from her hip and fires it at Avala. She disintegrates in Rashid's hands. Then, before Pon can react, Rylek points the phaser under his chin and disintegrates himself. The phaser drops to the ground.
"AAAAH! WHAT THE KRA'ARST?" Pon screams. Rashid stares at her shaking hands.
"What is this?" she demands of the sphere, her voice choked with emotion. "A simulation?"
"Of course," the female voice says.
"What?" Pon shrieks. "A simulation? Why the gnarf would you put us in a simulation like this?"
"You wished to sponsor an alien. The alien control system offers sponsorship of replicant aliens generated based on the exact physical parameters of temporary inhabitants, thanks to a collaborative venture by Sel Eight and the Kar-Ek Combine."
"No! We want the actual temporary inhabitants!" Pon shouts.
"That would be an unacceptable security risk," the female voice tells her.
Struggling to control her breathing, Rashid turns to Pon. "Come on, let's get out of here. We're not going to accomplish anything."
They return through the gateway, Pon still muttering under her breath.
Zey-Ar is still standing in the sunlit chamber. "What in the hell did we just experience?" Pon barks. "My tricorder said it was them. Is this your matter projectors?"
"Our technology allows us to create exact duplicates of organisms and environments," Zey-Ar says.
"We never even left the habitat, did we?" Rashid asks.
"The environment was generated within the habitat by the alien control system."
"Why would anyone want to create a living replica of an alien?" Pon asks incredulously. "Were they slaves?"
"The functionality of the habitat is fully automated. Iconian clans would sponsor aliens in order to increase their social prestige, and also for companionship and entertainment."
"They were pets? You are sick, do you know that?"
Rashid puts her hand on Pon's shoulder. "It's alright, Commander. Zey-Ar, are our crewmates actually in the capital city?"
"Yes."
"Alright." She rubs her temple. "Can you help us get to them?"
"I can put you back in contact with the alien control system if you would like to attempt to sponsor them again," he replies.
"No! I want to physically go to the capital city and find my crew! My real crew!"
Zey-Ar blinks. "You wish to leave the habitat?"
"YES!"
Zey-Ar says nothing.
"Well?" Pon asks. "Can you help us?"
"I do not understand why you would physically leave the habitat," Zey-Ar says.
"What, didn't the Iconians ever leave the habitat?"
"No, they did not." He pauses. "Certainly, Iconians travelled throughout Terminus in the colony's early history. But once the habitats and habitat-cities were constructed, there was no need for the Iconians to physically leave them. All interaction could be conducted virtually."
Rashid approaches Zey-Ar, urgency in her face. "Listen to me, Zey-Ar. It is very important that we leave this habitat. You're programmed to help me. Can you help me with this?"
"I am not programmed for that."
"Are you programmed to keep me here?"
"No."
She takes his hands. "Then can you try to help? It's very important to me."
Zey-Ar stares into her eyes. "Have you considered the risks of leaving the habitat?"
"Yes, I have."
"Very well, Zia. I am programmed to assist you. I will assist you with this."
"Good. Thank you, Zey-Ar. I really appreciate this."
"Of course, Zia. I will gather your uniform and equipment." He disappears.
They stand in silence for a moment, then Rashid turns to Pon. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Honestly, still a bit shaken. But I'll be okay."
"Me too. That was…" Rashid hesitates. "Gnarfed."
Pon's beady eyes widen. "Captain! Language, please."
Every forty-five years, a comet passes close to Terminus.
It is an unremarkable comet, approximately a kilometer and a half in diameter, composed of frozen ammonia and various kinds of dust. It leaves a long trail behind it as it drifts in its orbit towards Terminus' sun.
On the comet's dark side, away from Terminus, Icarus sits perched on an icy crag. Its stern section is mostly constructed, and the landing struts grip the ice. The nacelle pylons and arrowhead-shaped saucer section are comprised of exposed superstructure. The ship's central module in the engineering section replicates sections of bulkhead and transports them into place, piece by piece.
The ship's sensors conduct a sweep of an area. It detects an automated signal from within the medium-high orbit of Terminus.
The signal is garbled. The Icarus computer attempts to reconstruct it.
"…this is attack raptor Syrinx-33… hit by unknown weapon… pilot has ejected…"
The Icarus computer establishes contact with the signal. "Syrinx-33, this is an automated signal from the Federation starship Icarus. Please indicate if you require assistance."
"…The ship hit by unknown weapon… ejected… this is attack raptor Syrinx-33…"
The Icarus computer triangulates the origin of the signal to the semi-crushed frame of a starship.
Status: derelict, the computer indicates. Continue with primary mission.
The comet continues to drift towards the planet.
Linguistic analysis complete, the computer reports. Signal origin: Romulan.
TO BE CONTINUED...