[07.32: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Scientists in motion]
Zyanya, Daughter of Inx'kull, formerly of now destroyed world, and now of the Fortune's Chance, was happy currently. This was less a 'meet and greet' as the captain called it, than a proper scientific talk amongst peers of differing Pyramids…fields, that was the phrase, fields not Pyramids she reminded herself with bittersweet amusement as thoughts of home drifted into place. Of course, now they were into the 'rest and relaxation' part of the discussions with the Federation, and now these Klingon, scientists. While some of her colleagues and crewmates were less than enthused about 'downtime' as it was called, she herself saw the benefit of such amidst all the stress and drive of work.
It also allowed her to reclaim some measure of who she had once been, before the invasion, before the 'breeding' camp, before her rescue…she could be who she'd wanted to as a child. Even if her pyramid was now that of Interdimensional Theory and other such names rather than the realms of physics she had once so walked for her nation. Someday she would pay the monsters back. Someday her knowledge would bring justice, fiery and wrathful, down on their vile heads. But now…for now she would not allow them to rob her of her future as well. Here and now, she was a respected researcher once more…and that made the world feel right, even if she might never meet their opposites here ever again.
"An interesting lecture, I do believe our guests were paying rapt attention Zya dear" Sarah Charles greeted her as they both moved to draw forth sustenance and merriment from the waiting tables "I could take lessons your performance!"
Zyanya flushed slightly, embarrassed as she had struggled to regain the confidence of old despite all of Lucy's efforts as her mind healer "You believe so? I was…a bit concerned it would be lacking on technical details…"
"Now, now, that's what Quinn is for, or Silas. Big, long, detailed speeches on a subject they understand…and fail to make intelligible to us mere mortals who are not in that field to that level"
She nodded "One fears I am not at the level of Lord Mallory's knowledge as he is…." Insane, blessed and cursed by the Gods at the same time? "…different in his approach to such matters. He is a researcher, and engineer, and one sees that mine own path is that of research, but mostly of translation and teaching such into others senses at an easier pace"
"Yes, and it went over well I believe, so expect company soon" Sarah pointed out as they were some of the first into the room, others entering now from the main conference room aboard the Chance "Dear Mister Mallory tends to scare away most I fear"
'Obviously' she thought, though they did like him on the team, even Sarah here who occasionally referred to him as a mad scientist too focused on his science to turn villain. Quinn Mallory, this immediate overlord, was brilliant, and good to work with…as long as kept a focus on what he was doing of course. Here and now, explaining it to the locals of this dimension it was a matter of her and others in the 'Science' team to explain the basics or summary points with in-depth from the 'expert' afterwards that she'd translate for him "Or perhaps Lady Azula would be more intimidating, with word of…"
Zyanya gave a nod towards a Klingon, though he had not been the one supposedly beaten down. Sarah nodded, amused "Ah, that I had heard of two, though I think the warrior's commander wished to court our angry Fire Lady afterwards, but, alas, she is already married!"
"I pity her husband" she replied to Sarah, pausing then shaking her head "And her wife"
"Don't let her hear you say that, she is quite the friendly sort"
"True" Zyanya admitted with a smile watching as a Federation officer, and a Klingon, strode towards them having a low conversation. Or as much as the big burly one of the right could have with the short Vulcan female on the left, as she nodded, their eyes clearly set upon them. Senior Scientists of their Pyramids Zyanya knew, and took a sip of her drink, glancing at Sarah "As you spoke true of other matters"
Sarah smiled "Should have placed a bet upon it"
"One plays cards, but not such an obvious costly bet, no" she sniffed back with an amused smile, nodding in greeting to the two where just arriving at the table, speaking to them in greeting "I do hope our information summary was sufficient?"
The Klingon, with a loud, barking sort of name gave a nod, grey hair mixed in, but he had a big, burly, warriors build upon him still "Yes. Most curious, we had hardly believed, but facts are facts. That your ship is inhabited by differing dimensions let alone differing worlds"
She nodded "Yes, differing variants of the same world, Earth in the case of myself and Sarah here, though that is not true of all here. Some are from the world of Skartaris, and some from more distant realms"
"Curious" the Vulcan woman asked or stated, Zyanya wasn't sure "That all can function together with many of the differences between dimensions"
"Yes, it is a challenge at times, but that is the reason most of us joined up" Sarah offered back "Challenges are made to be overcome"
The Klingon male laughed "Yes, they are"
"That is true, and I agree" Zyanya stated with a nod "But my own reasons are rather simpler as my home Earth has fallen, and the Captain and this ship rescued me and others. Loyalty is important, and I can say the chance to learn the secrets of the universe are a much better fate than the one offered"
She had heard the Vulcan's were stoic, and she saw no indication of surprise or concern, the Klingon merely nodding, a serious look upon his face "Ah, understandable, and you serve this League now?"
"I serve my Captain, and through him the League, yes" she answered, then nodded at her crewmate "Sarah here is under contract, her world maintains it's independence under the protection of the Monitor, one of the advanced species mentioned"
"Advanced is a understatement of course, but essentially yes" Sarah replied "I do believe our cluster of worlds are what could be called….isolationist I suppose, due to that protection. Though we do cooperate with the League of Aquitaine due to mutual interests, such as the monsters that took Zya here's world"
"Is such common?"
Zyanya once upon a time would be upset at thinking on these things, but it was easier now, just a little, even if still upsetting somewhat, but shrugged in response to the Klingon's words "The Kromagg Imperium is known to be quite extensive, though focused almost entirely upon travelling upon their chain of reality as we call it. I would call them lazy, save that they are not, and it is more a matter of focus, I think. Such things do occur, but there are bigger monsters out there, and such can destroy forces too aggressive most of those who have last for lengthy periods as we mortals would see it"
"Hmm, such references are concerning to the Science Council" the Vulcan stated, a mild frown "Beyond the religious connotations, the definitions are…vague…"
"I agree, unfortunate, but at certain levels it is difficult for our minds, or our tools, to process the data in a coherent and/or safe manner. As we discovered over one poor doomed world" she stated using the 'big hammer' of threats out there that they'd footage of "So many different realities, so many classification systems, and sometimes it is a struggle to even classify things beyond….very big, or very powerful"
"Agreed" the Klingon muttered "Such as this dimensional nexus you have spoken of, and our enemies upon the other side"
"Well, we can't say much on them beyond whatever the Captain or his analysts could provide, as we personally know little of your, or the others, dimensions sadly" Sarah replied with a smile "Though I am sure our mutually beneficial exchange will aid greatly in ending the conflict with these savage Minbari"
"What has been show is already most beneficial even if it is traditionally the means of a warrior" the Klingon replied, nodding "Though we have seen much of your visit worlds have been human"
"Many of the crew is human, and Earth a homeworld for several of the cluster" she heard Sarah point out as they moved to the questioning on who and what rather than the underlying science "It is only natural then to it to be more common. Still, there are the Red Orcs, and the Rachni, that are members too…"
--
[07.33: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Home on the Frontier…]
It was an M-class planet as Starfleet categorised it. In one of those strange overlaps, it was a world I'd walked on in another reality, and there it had been called New Dallas, and weather was just as bad. Well, nowhere near as bad actually - and no radiation filled the air, or toxic poisons, and certainly no ghostly watchers amidst the ruins of cities. In fact, it was a peaceful world, albeit wind and wet…but also one of those places that spoke of the ancient aliens that had clearly worked on these worlds in 'Star Trek' where they had been truly wild, or lifeless, in the Inner Sphere.
Because the Terrans of that dimension were unlikely to be able to settle the place as easily as the Federation intended, even with our help with the Carrier. At least that was my opinion as I stood on a mountain, a small one, finding it a bit surprising the basic geography matched up so well in regards the underlying differences in the surface. Below was where a ruined city would have been, the former capital…and now it was being chosen for the exact same reasons as the Terran Hegemony had done so. This was a valley region well sheltered from the powerful storms that ravaged the world, and below I could see the outline of a colony had already been established. A Starfleet research base here for a year or two I'd been told, with indecisive plans in play…
Till now "It is a good location"
"An identical one to another variation of humanity" the Vulcan Commodore, Luril, escorting me and my escorts along with Captain Sato voiced in a curious tone, holding a data device likely detailing the information we'd provided. The bunkers and civic buildings on those surveys weren't there of course, but it turned out the mineral and metal deposits were "Though differences as well. Curious, further indicators of a progenitor species existing within the quadrant"
'I think the Sol-system copies with variation Earths proves that, but whatever' I thought in tired amusement, nodding "Perhaps. Though, as you can imagine, my own interests are focused on the safe settling of those would be colonists from the carrier"
We had over three hundred thousand people aboard the Carrier, made up of Japanese and Korean civilians, plenty with 'bloodlines' that allowed survival, and military survivors from those nations along with a large force of Americans. Them and the Magus of course, the fucking Magus problem. I'd planned on offloading a large number of refugees here, now that we'd agreed a colony with the Federation, but numbers desiring to leave were much lower than I'd expected. Maybe ten to fifteen thousand seemed eager to actually do it, and that was mostly amongst the Americans. Babs thought that could double…
"As you can see, all efforts are being made Captain" Captain Sato offered in a friendly tone, clearly enjoying herself in the last week as information was exchanged and reviewed "The people that settle here will have the new lives and prosperity they deserve. Its security guaranteed by both the Federation and the Klingon Empire"
"Something we are very glad to hear, as are our charges after the difficult times they have faced" I replied a genuine smile "Though I suspect they'll be somewhat different minded that your average Federation citizen in attitude, hence why I do agree the Federation-Klingon offer on the subject was…."
I droned on a minute or two on the subject, even if I wasn't sure it'd last all that long. Or it might if the Federation-Klingon Alliance remained intact as it did in many dimensions according to Jonathan. The sad thing was that people willing to settle here were….probably closer to Klingons attitudes in many ways than to the humanity of this dimension. That was without the whole being military survivors situation, or using the very much abridged parts of the Helm Core, the Settlement Guidelines including Planetary Militias and space defences 'desired' by the Terran Hegemony. If it survived a century, then this colony should be very well defended (absurdly defended by current) by Starfleet standards. The Hegemony had certainly loved its bunkers, secret or otherwise.
Kara was supposed to handle this duty of course, but she hadn't been feeling well, till I'd made her go to Asa and see what was wrong after I'd confirmed it wasn't something like a disease breaking through our protective wards. That was always a concern, but this was more likely the usual problem of trying 'interesting new foods' with our differing bodies and generally alien tastes – just because something was safe didn't mean you didn't have the upset tummy as M'gann and Quinn had found in recent months. I'd had once or twice as well, even if my half-orc biology gave me quite the tolerance….M'gann still hadn't quite gotten used it at times. Sure we could drink a lot, but not…
"The timeline is acceptable?" Commodore Luril asked, breaking my secondary train of thought, and I nodded, as I had been listening as well "Operations are…"
I waved it off "It is acceptable, the supplies provided by Starfleet have been quite sufficient for purpose and will need that time to take aboard our speciality orders. We're also aware of the heavy fighting in the regions ahead, so the delay is more than acceptable. We'd also like to discuss matters with the Earth Alliance in regards certain items…"
The actual thing I wanted, and Quinn wanted, were Star Furies. Personally, I rated Starfighters rather poorly, as they just weren't ideal in a true space warfare scenario, especially as you hit harder realities. But for us, and for the League back home, the Star Fury was both generations ahead…but also in-theory reachable in those generations. It was evolution of human technology, and more a maximum evolution of primitive systems, for these dimensions, rather esoteric technologies that would take far longer to copy. Quinn reckoned they could be maintained far more easily than something more advanced as we could replace parts, and train pilots, for a small number.
We still likely had a long way to go to get home, and every little bit helped, from Quinn's Spider Mech, to the tanks and Rafales, and the obsolete starship, two or three, if Starfleet or the Klingons would sell another one or two. But the fighters at least we'd have pilots for, ones we could train to 'can fly and shoot' levels at least, and that'd be an added layer of defence. The starships wouldn't be, baring some lunatics willing to never get back home to this dimension joined our ranks, but that wasn't going to happen. So, I was back to trading for future benefits and stocking up the Carrier as much as possible, as only a handful of the Magus and Church lot were staying in this colony. Much to Starfleet's relief I imagined as our little talk came to an end after reviewing the proposed city layout based on dead people's designs, the Carrier hovering above us in the sky.
With that done, it was time to leave, and I called for a Door as the Starfleet officers were beamed back to their ship in orbit. Thankfully I wasn't staying long on the Carrier as my group stepped through the Door under the watchful eyes of my security team, then a quick scan, before I got on the little transport not-golf-cart that took me back to the entrance to the ship. Oh, I could allow easy teleport, but security was a higher priority than efficiency here and now. It was surprising that Barbara was waiting for me as I came back inside past the Assaultons and Power Armoured guard, handing me a pad as I looked at her.
"Problem?"
"Not this, no" she answered blandly as I scanned the information "It's something that needs to be signed off on before you get distracted"
"I'm distracted….I'm busy"
She nodded as we walked, bringing me towards the next meeting "Yes, we all are, and you are supposed to be off shift. There…"
I nodded as I read through the piece she pointed, nodded to myself again before signing it "Well, colony plan and moving some guests off had to be done. Blame Kara, I should be reading magic books now"
"Hmm, I'll tell her you said that"
"She'll understand. Your threats don't scare me"
Barbara merely hummed, opening a door where Kara and M'gann sat in the conference room and Barbara gave Kara a serious look, and standing at the door as I entered, glancing from one to the other "What?"
"You'd best sit down Boss man"
I frowned at Barbara "No, why?"
"Callum" Kara "We, uh….have to talk"
"Yeah, sit down Callum"
"I'll stand thank you…what's wrong…"
"Callum sit the fuck…"
"Babs shut up!" Kara muttered "You're not help…."
M'gann stood up, gesticulating wilding "Joh…Callum! I'm pregnant and Kara's pregnant too!"
I…
"Rao dammit Megan!"
Well….
I….
My mouth worked better than my brain "I'll…sit down now, thank you"
--
[07.34: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Awkward conversations about babies]
Kara Zor-El didn't expect this go well, not really, as she was still feeling the shock of the news herself. But, M'gann had dropped the words out like a Rao-damned bomb instead of listening and letting Kara take lead with her planned words. Unlike M'gann she wasn't completely freaked out by it. Just a little bit of course, but not completely as she watched Callum sit down on chair, looking bewildered. Because of course he did, she felt the same way…but it was a good bewildered she hoped, hands on her knees. Certainly, better reaction than the frightened and panicked Martian-Orc girl was having, which was why Kara had dragged her here with her as M'gann needed the support most of all.
Babs of course…was being Babs, but even her annoying nature at times was useful as she stated at the door, keeping it locked and anyone out, and ready to comfort M'gann if need be, or give Kara private time with Callum. Sure, she expected certain things…but she could be wrong, and he always told her to be prepared, so was prepared. It wasn't nerves. No. Not that at all. This was not going to melt down in an awkward and embarrassing situation like it was this very minute. So, Kara opened her mouth, arms reaching over and making the freaking out Martian girl sit down in a comforting manner as gently shoving her down and quieting the girl could be done.
"Okay" she started looking at her lover "That could have gone better"
Callum nodded, looking at her "Sooo…."
"Yes" she actually gave a snort of amusement to his idiocy "Yes, talked to Asa"
"We are…"
"Shhhhh" she said to M'gann, shushing the girl as Kara focused on Callum, watching give a nod, a bit pale, and then letting out a breath as Kara spoke "Talked to Asa about…well, doesn't matter now, does it buster?"
"No, I guess not" nervousness there, then that thinking face, followed by a smile that made Kara relax that last little bit "That's great news…if…."
He gave her a look "Not the best timing. Or, expected…either"
"Magic" she stated, and looked at her and she gave him a firm look "No, I mean Magic, that's the issue for…"
She gestured at both her the and the fidgeting green girl "This"
"I didn't do anything to her…."
'Oh, for Rao's sake' she thought as she gave him a hard look "Yes, I know. Dummy. But magic, your both very magic, and orcish, and apparently very breedable with kryptonians mister red magic energy"
His mouth moved "Oh"
"Yes, Oh" Babs offered unhelpfully from the door "Put the bun in the oven. Clark coming to get ya"
"Babs, shut up" Kara snapped at her friend "Or stand guard outside"
"Shushing now Boss" Babs replied, nodding obediently, and Kara reached out to take Callum's hand as he looked at her awkwardly.
"I, look, this sounds like…I planned to…and I'd….will you marry me?"
"EEEEEEEE!" M'gann and let out an excited squeal while Barbara groaned loudly, face in her hand and muttering to herself about idiots.
"No, bold Callum!" stated wagging her finger at him in annoyance "I know about the rings, and I know about that…yes that, and I will say yes, but you are NOT doing this here and now because BABY"
"Ehhh" he shifted awkwardly, nervously "Yes Dear"
"Good" she instructed seriously "When you do ask you will ask properly, in a romantic setting, and not because you are panicking right now"
"I'm perfectly calm" he muttered, then took a breath. Letting it out "Okay. Okay. Are you okay?"
….Kara sighed. It was just like him to be blunt about things, and for a moment it was just them in the room, just her and him "I'm happy, shocked, very shocked though"
He smiled weakly "Yeah, yeah…did Asa say…"
"You'll have to talk to her. We'll probably need you too….help" she laid out, nervous and worried about this part because….it was scary. She'd rather punch Darkseid right now, but she had to think on this "In case…well, hybrid birth, and me, us, our nature"
'And M'gann' she flicked her eyes to the other girl for Callum, and he nodded, understanding, lips together as grasped Kara's own fear. They hadn't thought they could easily 'produce viable young' as Quinn had put it, but, here they had, and Callum's magic one of the things that had likely done it due orc weird magic stuff to Kara's scientifically inclined mind. Asa had been Asa things, and Nightmare Nurse was a good name when Asa really didn't sugar coat things about 'what could go wrong' in ways Quinn didn't usually manage. Thankfully it was for damn good reasons, and Kara had wanted to know, even as the other girl who'd discovered her situation hadn't stayed around for that part.
Callum frowned, took a breath "Ah"
"It'll be fine, it's just…to be watched" she said back smiling weakly, hands together "Okay?"
He nodded "Okay"
Then he stood and she stood, and they were hugging and that was wonderful. She hadn't doubted that he'd loved her, but this had been scary…
Kara opened her eyes, looking into his chest, arms around her "Okay?"
"Okay" he muttered back to her above her head, and she broke the embrace, M'gann standing up and fidgeting in place "Megs…"
Kara nodded, moving and placing an arm around the girl skinned girl "Yes, had her fun times with a sort of relative of mine….I'm adopting her"
Callum blinked at Kara "What?"
"M'gann, I'm taking care of her during this, and I'd like you too as well" it wasn't fair to out him on the spot about it, but she meant it as she wrapped an arm around M'gann and brought her forward. Callum would, likely in a dumb, weird, manner later, but best to avoid the girl's mental breakdown in the meantime "A little half-kryptonian brother or sister for ours"
Callum look at her, a serious look, a question, and Kara gave an immediate nod, before he did too, opening up his arms as she guided M'gann into the embrace "Come here…ooof"
"Ahhhhhh!" and M'gann immediately stared to bawl as Kara hugged from behind as the tearful Martian girl finally cracked as she'd expected "Callummm….I wazz sooooo stuuupid….ahhhh!"
…and then proceeded to bawl, loudly, as the Callum gave awkward, stupid sounding, attempts at calming her down. Kara would have rolled her eyes, but it was helpful, albeit in a small way, and the reassurances given were exactly what was needed. For both of them, even if she didn't want to admit it. The situation with M'gann made things harder than she'd have imagined, but Kara could work with….would make things work out that best for all of them. They would have wonderful, healthy, children, and would be a happy family…here, in her new home. Not back on the farm, or Metropolis. This was her home, their home, now.
Eventually…M'gann calmed, sitting back down as Callum guided her to the chair "So, do you want time off…"
"I'm pregnant Callum, a month, not incapacitated buster!" she pointed out, rolling her eyes "Rao! Like, seriously, we have mountains of things to get done, and we will. We will need to plan it out for the coming months for the….unusualness of it our pregnancies…"
--
[07.35: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Magicians, Engineers, and Explorers]
"No, it's not feasible, even if it's a glorified museum piece…especially with the starship being a museum piece actually" Anna Sanchez muttered at the lunatic mad scientists who were her colleagues "I have only so many crew, and they have assigned worked"
"But…"
"No, no…noooo" she drawled out to Doctor Stone and his entourage "No, you are not taking my valuable staff off NEED PROJECTS so you can explore the fancy but old starship. You have projects and assignments as well….please do them first"
Doctor Stone frowned/glared back at her "We can work on both at…"
"I say again. No, Doctor Stone, you can't" she growled back at him "I am Chief Engineer of this ship, and *I* decide who gets to jerk around my engineers. And they. Are. Busy. Now!"
Silas glared at her, nodding curtly "I understand. Good day madam"
'Go fuck yourself you pompous jackass' she *really* wanted to say to him and his fellow autistic savants, but that'd only start trouble with the already distracted Captain, so best avoided. So she bit her lip on the subject, nodding and giving a….polite…goodbye as she watched them storm out of the bay. They had the attention span of particularly stupid, but hyperactive, dog in her mind as the minute something new and shiny appeared they wanted to drop everything and study it. Like the 'small' starship behind her now, which she was forced to assign teams to secure because Captain Callum had a brainstorm and wanted a ship. Fine, she understood that, but they weren't getting this one running anytime soon either. It was *just* being secured, and parts stored.
Sure, had robots to help in the Mister Handys, and other crew to help, but her staff was fucking small she wanted to scream at them, and this thing was tech-only. In a crunch they could probably get it usable by throwing most of the crew at it and using the ships magic-users to 'fudge' matters, so things worked…but she had a thousand jobs to get done. This sure as hell wasn't a priority, not right now when the Carrier was a mixture of terraforming and unloading refugees. They had the damned Memory Core thing to make progress on after all, and now it was all 'Warp Drives' and other nonsense. Anna found it mild frustrating as she brought the current schedule signoffs up on her laptop and looked through where they stood on things.
It was thing she'd really liked about League of Aquitaine computer tech; - they might be, chronologically, behind her own earth, but the computers were a generation ahead in many ways. Especially when you factored in the stuff in from 'Future California' as Quinn Mallory called an entire world. It was a curious thing to see that, military gear that was as good as a 'mad scientist' type equipment, even if it was a candle and abacus in comparison to the Monitor-tech of the shop. It was even, weirdly, better than the stuff they'd encountered in the so-called 'Inner Sphere' Dimension in power and processing, and even the systems here, despite the far more advanced architecture of this Starfleet's systems.
"Yeah, what you got Billy?" she asked looking up where she stood, computer on a crate, back on her shoulder as the first of her subordinates started to arrive with status reports "No trouble I hope?"
"No Chief" Bill Dunbar replied, arms folding across his big burly chest as he held a clipboard in one big meaty hand. He was from the 'Villian World' as so called it, which, irritatingly, had meant they were more advanced that her Earth in civilian and military tech despite the evil villain bastards staying hidden. It grated on Anna, and most in the military who'd figured it out, that it felt like the heroes were clearly holding their world back "All going well so far, and I'd I've got shortlist of ones we might take aboard…since they've got the temperament"
Anna nodded idly at that. Getting the engineers amongst the refugees working….was a big help to honest, as it relieved her of having to throw people at the giant city-ship that needed a city's worth of people to run, not a small engineering department. There was a city's worth of refugees, yes….but they had needed to get refugee camp/shanty homes setup inside the futuristic alien grain hauler as well. So, Anna had tried to kill two birds with one stone and put the people to work, and then try and winnow out the best amongst them. That had mean 'training course' with the likes of Billy here, and that had meant losing those crew assigned to those tasks from other work. An investment she called it…if she could get a functioning system.
"Good, I like to hear that" she muttered "I need more than a few half-trained work crews some of the crap the Cap'n and Co. want us for"
'Especially with this colony support nonsense and now two knocked up women, one our Boss Kara, and other going to even more distract Kara and Callum in Megan' she didn't add on. It wasn't an issue now, but everyone knew they were in a for long haul voyage home, even with getting out of this dimension soon. The colony below, New Dallas, had taken off far less refugees than expected, even if it had seen the loss of the vast majority of the American refugee contingent. Only a few hundred of those were remaining, and Anna suspected it was the pressure of a large group leaving that had caused the rest cascade into. The thing was…they were the smallest category, nearly all professional military and their dependents, or Japanese girlfriends. Anna would have preferred more of the Koreans or Japanese as military engineers would be here preference.
Billy nodded "Well…give it time Chief, we're getting there with them. That ship?"
"Told Stone to fuck off" she told him bluntly "We don't have time now"
Her subordinate shrugged "Good call I say, but no skin off my nose neither I guess"
"No, but it is off mine" she replied, holding her hand out "That your report?"
"Eyup" he answered hands moving and tearing off the top page after signing it, keeping the duplicate beneath for the filing system "My report card teacher"
"Don't sass me Billy-boy….right, okay…yeah, yeah, yeah…about what I thought they'd be at. Right, we'll do a review in three days, we've a gap after we take aboard stores and we finally get moving" she gestured at him in a 'shoo-shoo' motion "Now, Go! Get some grub and then some sleep! And send Weryl over!"
Billy saluted and then turned as Anna scanned in the document, before adding the paper copy to her folder to file later. Old school worked well at times, even with, or maybe because of, the alien super computers. Next came young Weryl, looking tired, clearly having done his magic thing. And his was damned useful magic – he made engineering 'better' as magic went. Oh, they had fancy names for it 'Order Mastery' or 'Reinforcement' but to Anna it boiled down to making everything stronger, more durable, more restraint, or all of those things plus other problem solving. With L33T the little Modron with him…she could do with a dozen of him with his type of magic, but sadly that wasn't to be.
The young man with the scary girlfriend, and the girlfriend's girlfriends, came over "That's done Chief, armour replacement is finished, and we've reinforced the suit. I'd recommend doing a test tomorrow to check the Black Streel doesn't cause system issues with the slight added weight…but looks good"
Anna sighed, that was good. Replacing the Power Armour they'd sold off…was easier said than done when the rest of it had to be repaired and then all the magic added to the new suits. Sure it was for a 'reserve' for the Armoury, but 'Reserve' turned to 'Needed Now' far too easily in this job, just like it had in the Marines back home "I'll review later, but I'll trust its up to your usual standards?"
"Aye Chief, I'd hope so"
She nodded "Well, I'd say get some rest then unless you've anything else that needs sorting. We've a fairly hefty order for the next two days to meet if we want to leave on time, so I want you fresh for it when your shift starts"
He nodded "The ship is finally moving?"
"Yes, warzone has moved somewhat so we're advancing through that nexus and see what the Cap'n decides to do when we get through…."
--
[07.36: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Camping before the long road home…]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 2404]
[Current Dimension]
Dimension ST/B5/0001
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance, docked the Carrier, above colony of 'New Dallas', United Federation of Planets
[Trading Report]
Where to begin? I suppose with 'sales' despite being a rather broad category. Sold jointly to the Federation and the Klingons owing to our New Dallas Treaty.
{Sales}
- Sold the torpedo launcher from the Fortune's Chance along with all fourteen torpedoes. Full scans plus physical launcher itself.
- Phaser bank that we got from the Thunderchild designs. Scans only, retaining physical system for the Chance's protection.
- Full database of nineteenth and twentieth century music and art recordings. Replacing WWIII lost data for them.
- Two sets of our variant of the T-45 US Army designed Power Armour, along with sample fusion core and plasma rifle.
- Stimpak and Medigel schematics as they function in this dimension. Provided samples, though I doubt they'll use Medigel based on the production methods and genetic sequencing involved.
- Technically selling terraforming time and effort for establishment of the colony. Along with a decent amount of the remaining US military gear and clothing we'd picked up.
- Gravimetric sensor designs from the Star League memory core, along with the basics of the KF-drive schematics from the very first jumpship designs.
- Combat footage from the 'Atropus Incident', both ground forces and starship, along with the sensor logs for both it and the shattered dimension where we collected our refugee passengers.
- Data-screening protocols and basic scrambler system designs when it comes to certain non-material hazards, specifically info-hazard and mental and data contagion.
- Basic Slide Cage designs, along with data on all 'Star Trek' variants through, along with 'potential' timelines. Since Time Cops haven't tried to interfere, I assume this is Chronomancer approved.
- Selection of computer chip designs, laptops, and other 'variant twenty-first century' technology, though only the Federation are interested in this. Just like the music and art.
- Terran Hegemony Colonization and Development database from Memory Core, along with several Star League Mega-Projects. Also included historical and cultural database.
- 14 x Enchanted Bat'leths
- 14 x Enchanted Klingon Armours
{Purchases}
- Installation of six phaser banks unto the Carrier. With associated spare parts.
- Installation of two photon torpedo launchers on the Carrier. With associated spare parts.
- Installation of two phaser banks unto the Fortune's Chance. With associated spare parts.
- Installation of two photon torpedo launchers on the Fortune's Chance. With associated spare parts.
- 1 x Columbia-class starship, with relevant spares for various systems, along with designs.
- 1 x Klingon Bird-of-Prey (old model, looks to be obsolete despite functional cloak)
- 24 x Star Fury starfighters of the Earth Alliance, plus Federation scans and recovered databases
- Day-to-day supplies obviously, though that's a long spreadsheet of data
- Large store of 'luxury' goods, largely alcohols and other drink or food items.
- More hazmat and environmental hazard suits, Starfleet issue.
- 300 x Handheld Phasers. Starfleet issue.
- 800 x Disruptor Rifles. Klingon issue.
- 150 x Starfleet issue medical handheld scanners.
- Several loads of both Federation and Klingon issue clothing
[Diary Entry]
Okay, let's go through business, as that's easier, I guess. We have continued our long period of talks and discussions with the Federation and the Klingons, all while we settle 'New Dallas' with around forty-thousand of many, many, refugees. The US military portion basically, mixed in with their dependents and those Japanese or Korean families of those associated/relationships with them. It's also allowed us to serve as a forward operating base, a hidden one, for Starfleet and the Klingons as well, so that's part of our control. This world being technically a joint colony between the two powers, even if most of the settlers are human – though we have setup a joint Academy around the partial memory core we supplied them. I can see the Klingon strategy already in sending female scientists and 'cultural advisors' to what's overwhelmingly a colony made up of military, Armageddon, survivors. They've seen the footage and understood the cultural difference to 'normal' humanity I think a bit better than the Feddies do.
No matter, we've been loitering around in this dimension for an extended period of time now, and we're just about there with supplies and preparations. The focus has been on supply of useful tech, but also some defensive ability. For the Carrier especially, and thank heavens for the Monitor systems being almost plug and play for alien tech, especially when you magicians and reality warpers to help. Jenny has been eager to help actually, and we've installed some current era Starfleet weaponry onboard. Same with the Chance, though we gave up the more 'modern' torpedo launcher to replace with two current era ones. Which is fine, as we had a very limited supply for it, and now we've two launchers and a decent supply for them.
There better on the Fortune's Chance actually, more energy efficient, and better installed because we've an engineering team to help. With the Carrier the Carrier – it sort of 'grows' the additions into it's hull, and the power transfer is far less efficient despite the greater power of the Carrier. Understandable as the Chance was basically a warship originally, and the Carrier was intended as glorified, unarmed, evacuation ship at best, and usually a big bulk hauler at worst. At least now the Carrier has a, non-magical or non-Jenny, means to defend itself if the Chance is called away. I loath spitting the ships apart anyway, but its always nerve-racking to be away from the big flying target as it hides. Not the best defensive array, but it's something.
Now, we also took aboard two obsolete starships, one Starfleet and one Klingon, though I think their House politics going on there, maybe. Whatever the case we now have two ships, with a shuttle in the one, that we have no time to actually work on. Well, we do, technically, but we're not lingering in these dimensions much longer. The warzone has swept forward with the Minbari in retreat, so we're passing through that Nexus and then moving straight for the 'exit nexus' on our sensors. We are a long way from home, and weeks upon weeks here hasn't gotten us heading towards there any faster. Those choosing to stay are offloaded, the colony is prepared as can be, and we've done our trades and are rearmed a little bit better than before. Supply situation is a bit better as well, less people and we've been steadily getting resupplied our entire time here.
So, holds are full of trade goods, we've slightly less refugees, and the suicides have stopped. Even got two potential new ships if we had time or skill to man them. Yes, the magus, are still a potential problem, but things have calmed somewhat, and we have a solid watch system in place over the handful of areas we need to use on the Carrier. We've trained in those nice people who've joined the crew, and both Nathan and Anna are looking at potential recruits for Security and Engineering respectively. So, basically, we are now as ready as we can be, and the way is clear as they say. It's time to get on the road. Time to sail the seas and get back home, somehow, within a period of time I'd bet against. Because I'm going to be a father now.
Yep. That's scary. Yup. Very much so.
Yeah, put a bun in the Kara oven, and apparently have M'gann preggers too despite that not being my fault, but damn you Connor. Usually the naked fun times happen, but, no, I seemingly get two kids for the price of one – and very happy about that. Worried as fuck too, because we are at sea so to speak, with a bunch of refugees, and have a long road home. The pregnancies are also damned unusual due to our nature, and magically activated in both cases – I don't know what the pregnancy length is going to be, nor exact genetics. I'll need to do magic reinforcement as well, regularly too, and that's tiring and worrying and all the other sunshine that wants us to be at home base yesterday. That way we're in range of stuff, exotic or otherwise. And I still have to making the gods-damned rings for me and Kara!
Right. Anyway, talked to Asa. Everything's fine and dandy. Yup. That's why M'gann's being moved back in the room with me and Kara and I'm laying the runic inscriptions on bellies of both soon. Because yes, fine and dandy, but I've hazy memories not mine to not help with feeling shit. Gods-dammit but it's a stressful time for something so wonderful. Yeah. No panicking allowed. Work. Work. Work. Make the world a better place and get home. Yes. Yes. Good, good. Slán for now.
--
[07.37: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Voyages through the dark void]
I brought up the Celestial Etherscope and all the other tools of the trade I'd bought within Sigil, magic flowing through them along with the sensor readings of the Fortune's Chance. The bridge was a hive of activity was we slaved the Carrier's systems to ours and I stood at the bridge, M'gann over aboard the Carrier's command centre just in case. It was time to leave this dimension, and everything was powering up and preparing to move the massive vessel through one nexus, and then another, along with an escort of Starfleet vessels heading off to the front to fighting the Minbari.
That, at least, wasn't our concern for now, as the engines of the Carrier pulsed on the sensors, Jenny Quantum standing beside me, actually trying to learn instead of glaring and trying to be bossy. It was an improvement, but she was only support right now as the Carrier, under the command of Azula for now, checked off the various lists we'd established before trying this with the big ship. Once we left, and started to 'sail', then it would be rather difficult to turn around and simply sail back after all. Spelljammer 'sailing' was like trying to judge trade winds in the age of sail I liked to think, and now the 'winds' were up, and the way was clear…so time to make a run. It was the fastest, and safest, way as I took time to 'feel out' the paths ahead.
"Starfleet are reporting they are ready to depart"
I nodded back to Kara, hands on the old, wooden ships wheel "We're on schedule, ready to depart. Have them signal when ready and we'll follow through"
There were eight starships with us, four 'modern' Starfleet cruisers and four older models by their standards under our friendly Vulcan Commodore. There were more on the far side of this nexus, on the offensive or patrolling, along with a Klingon fleet. No, their job was merely to escort us to this breach we'd detected, for scientific reasons they said…and likely defensive ones as well. I'd do the same in marking out a likely spot for a dimensional incursion where the incursion was in the range of vessels the size of the Carrier. Such spots were rare in dimensions and was one of the reasons I wanted to get moving as it would be a long road home, and I had good reasons to try get back there in a safe period of time. So, through the breach we'd go, the colony established behind us, never to be seen again.
My Kara gave the thumbs up, listening on the comms "They are moving, sending us the vectors and speed"
Again, I nodded back, and again I adjusted the wooden wheel as the orders went through the bridge crew and we started to move the hulking beast of a ship. Where the Fortune's Chance was a warship, the Carrier was a tanker at sea, and simply following the local ships through with the Mimic Drive alone was a task that took effort and planning. That and watching for any potential betrayal, or outside attackers, as we made our way towards, and then into, the dimensional nexus. A precursor breach in a reality, artificial, but designed to be, almost, a natural breach in the fabric of reality between two mashed together dimensions….or galaxies maybe?
The Monitor designed sensors were vastly superior to the Federation tech, let along our own, League based, systems as Quinn studied it all eagerly with his team. It was fascinating I supposed, but I was more concerned about the terrifying fact the nexus was still active, automated….
With whole planets and star systems shifting through it, shifting between dimensions in ways I couldn't quite track…
"Sensor contacts" Jonathan called out, and my gaze shifted to the psionic vessels suddenly drifting like shadows at the edge of our Monitor based systems "Starfleet aren't seeing them, but I think those are dimension cloaked starships"
I nodded, eyes watching the holo-display the Celestial Etherscope was flickering with, a compass over an interactive map. There the icons flickered and blinked, psionic energy detected, and I had a sneaking suspicion who they were. Watching us.
"Relay data to Starfleet, and maintain watch in case they move towards us….we are proceeding with breach-point as we exit. The…" I sought a word "…tides are leading us to diverge from the path earlier than we'd planned. Tell the Commodore, continue signalling till we breach into the next dimension"
"Got it, Cap'n!" he replied as reality was…weaker here than expected, and paths were diverging into thousands of little nodes instead of a handful like I'd expected. Many, many, were closed, or didn't look safe…or clearly one-way, though which way was debateable I expected. Those I excluded, feeling out the routes that had the faintest light of home on them like a lighthouse on a distant horizon. My senses flowed into the spelljammer, a half-dozen mages backing me up on the Chance, as I began to 'turn' in time to get unto the 'river' that I wanted, seeing the distant shores on that one as I excluded ones that were 'too distant' and I could not see beyond to what dangers lay there.
Magic…tended to allow you to at either consciously, or sub-consciously, ensure you didn't step into a dimension beyond our safety limits. And I utilised that as we began to diverge from the path, as the Starfleet vessels continued on their own path, and our cloaked watchers stayed at the edge of sensor range. Me and my crew though, we continued to sail as those factors moved like molasses, as we had to watch for those dimension shifting currents where planets and entire star systems were in motion. A turn here, a shift in the tide there, and we accelerated off towards the next dimension and…
"New contacts!" Jonathan suddenly alerted "Fast-moving, high-energy readings! They are vectoring towards us!"
…and icons flashed into existence at the edge of our sensors, no cloaking, but racing towards us at a shocking speed considering the dimensional distortions we should be experiencing. They were clearly on an attack vector I recognised, my senses expanded, the Starfleet starships off at a distance…
"Direct the Feddy ships away. We are nearly at breach!" I instructed, drawing on the strength of my arcane crewmembers, on my magic, as the defence systems activated even as we moved towards the door between realities. If the Starfleet vessels tried to follow us…they'd be committed just like we were, and unlike us they'd have no way back "Defences up! Increasing speed!"
"Callum…"
I shook my head at Kara, my senses extended into the void, one with the spelljammer, feeling the pressure on the edge of our awareness "We're better off, and they can't help now anyway. I'm…going to be distracted now, sorry"
Kara nodded in understand, calling out orders to enable things to function as I submerged into the Fortune's Chance, M'gann doing the same aboard the Carrier with its own quasi-sentient and quasi-sapient Carrier 'core' or 'mind'. Even Jennifer Quantum was helping me, providing a helpful tweak to our accelerated consciousness as our vessels were assaulted on what some would called the higher dimensions. Or fuckers playing with powers beyond the purely physical, or perhaps wielding the understanding of the universe they existed in to strike at those higher levels. On a more, physical, level too, as spatial torpedoes raced out from the hard charging icons, small ships mixed slightly larger ones – starflighters and frigates my mind translated in a crude manner.
Reality twisted around the Carrier at our collective will, scattering the beam weapons trying to strike us, rippling through the 'seas' around us as we moved through the dimensional nexus. Through the breaches, navigating as we fought, the Starfleet phasers on the Carrier detonating enemy torpedoes as we bent space and time to slow the insanely fast things down. The waves were getting violent thought, because we were fighting in a very stupid place, and I was having trouble riding the ripples from all the giant-ass stones we were throwing into that gods-damned roaring river.
There was an ominous pressure from those small ships…
But whoever had sent them, and I could guess who, had made a bad mistake as their collective psionic weight wasn't translating well from their home dimension through into this 'in-between' space. Where it had been a firm attack at the start…now it was breaking down into only those aboard those vessels, and we had the speed and the range to escape. The experience too, also unlike them, and we burned fuel to bend time and space as we rocked through the dimensional void, dodging a star system that hurtled by, and then engaged the Bleed drive of the Carrier to breakthrough into the dimension we were targeting.
The massive ship shuddered at the effort, and at the beams and explosions hitting shields and armour, but we slammed through weeks before our pursuers would…hopefully. Or maybe days. Or hours. Or years…
It didn't matter, we had a bit of time as we hit real-space again, drives activating as we accelerated to escape this dimensional breach-point and find a spot to anchor, to hide, and then to figure out exactly where we'd jumped too as sensors began to scan…
--
[07.38: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Run, run, run, no rest till you reach the light of the sun…]
"What was that?" Kara questioned as we accelerated away from the breach point as I 'sailed' the massive carrier with the Fortune's Chance's ship's wheel and my magic.
"Vorlons I suspect, or one of their client races" I replied with a breath out, easing back from the effort, watching the sensors begin to illuminate "Client species I suspect….that power dropped from powerful to pathetic as soon as they started breaching dimensional barriers with us"
It had been a surprising drop now that I thought about it, but battles were confusing like that. Just a chaotic mess you had to try get into some semblance of order. I shook my head "Hopefully we won't find out as they are well behind us if the last attack went off as intended"
She nodded, slowly "A time thing?"
"Yeah, chronomancy effect…it should slow them" I replied as the star system we were in started to illuminate on the holographic displays for the sensor systems. Though it wasn't quite a normal 'star system' as we appeared to have exited into a debris field around…a white hole maybe? Some sort of singularity?
There were planets, and there were gravity wells, but there was no star here either…
'It's more a debris field than a solar system…oof that's weird looking' as Jonathan and Rose brought up the sensors readings of the gravity sources in the area, along with heat and other energy signatures. There were planets, and a mass of asteroid fields, but it was far from spherical. Instead, there were pulses everywhere, with dead planets, one shattered and another looking locked in place between the breach-point and another, far larger, planetary body. Minutes passed by as I sailed the Carrier towards on of the planets, a gas giant with a large debris field around it, and as I was getting a wee bit concerned by the debris field itself. Something pointed out to me by Kara.
"Those look like ships Callum, mixed in with the rocks…those are wrecks"
"I see'em" I agreed, drives still warm, and I brought up the Celestial Etherscope and started looking to see our options amongst the Planes "Jonathan, Rose, anything on sensors?"
"Not right now Boss" Rose came back with passive scans slowly building up a proper view of our nearby environment "But we have lots of activity to look through…we could go Active?"
"No. Stay Passive only for now" I instructed as looked to Kara "Get unto Quinn, see what he says and what he might be detecting"
This looked….like a battlefield graveyard the more we data we got, and that was always such a *good* sign part of my mind offered sarcastically. And that was without our friends back behind us that might still come through the event horizon….
I nodded to myself "What are drives looking like?"
"Charge is good Captain" Jonathan came back "Systems are green across the board. Any particular reading you want to confirm?"
"No, just reconfirm not issues I need to be aware of"
"Aye-aye Captain…we are in the green" he confirmed after a moment's delay "Systems are at optimal levels, minimal damage received"
Kara came back to me, talking to Quinn over the comms "Quinn thinks…"
"High-speed, high-energy contacts vectoring in our direction!" interrupted her before she could continue Rose was calling out as beside Brewster was moving, updating the holo-displays "They…Boss! They are heading straight towards us! Unknown sensors pinging us!"
This I knew, even I didn't know for a hundred percent. But the psionic pressure was distant, but Old, and those systems weren't alien based on what we'd been wary of from databases and 'fiction'….
"Vorlons" I muttered hands turning the wheel, turning quacking, then finding my voice "Engines full burn! Prepare for Bleed Drive activation!"
"They might not be hostile" Jonathan offered, but she clearly didn't mean it. Just offering the words as a counterpoint "Just saying Cap'n"
"Doesn't matter if they aren't, they look to be, and no taking chances" I replied as Kara was already taking charge as I pushed back into the spelljammer, signalling M'gann to guide the Carrier in the same manner as we continued our current course, but starting to increase real-space speed. These were likely to be a response force, and they were shouting…something…at us, and that something didn't sound very friendly even if we couldn't understand it. The mental pressure and aggressive stance didn't exactly scream 'welcome to the neighbourhood' after all. Nor did what we might know of the Vorlons indicate they'd be all that inclined to listen to the dimension travellers.
"Sensors Active! Drives Active!" I called out without really seeing with purely mortal eyes, those wrathful glares of light in the distance charging towards us with furious and dangerously powerful weapons I aimed not to test. They were faster than we were in real-space here it was clear to me, our shields up and our pace picking up, and very likely in faster-than-light as well, so flight was the only option to my mind "Power to Shields!"
This wasn't a natural nexus breach, but the fabric of reality could bend her, so close to where one was, the one we'd entered through. Power flowed into the Carrier once again, more than the last time as we began to punch a hole in the dimension to exit through…
--
{Eleven hours, twenty-three minutes, eleven seconds, and fourteen dimensions later…}
"Okay. Star system and no-one is shooting at us yet. Good" I said wearily as the Carrier settled into orbit of the asteroid belt of the largest planet in system, one that had three moons, one with an atmosphere "Anything on sensors?"
"Nothing yet Captain" Burt answered from that station, his shift now on duty for over two hours leaving the bridge more active than usual even with me having Kara and a few of the others head to bed "System is inactive, no signs of prior activity, or any Vorlon or Shadow presence"
'So far' I thought as the Carrier settled into place after a careful, lazy looking, voyage towards the spot so as to conserve energy. The last few hours had been…harrowing to say the least. Every dimension seemed to bring almost immediate attacks from the 'Elder Race', nearly always the Vorlons, but in one, three dimensions back, it had been the Shadows if I had read the designs correctly. This was the longest we'd been in a dimension, over and hour now, without attack since we'd left our recent base of operations. Drives were in need of a rest and recycle, let alone a recharge, and I could only hope we'd gain a few hours here at least before we got attacked again.
The current location looked to be an empty system at least, and the sensors weren't showing any activity in-system, or nearby. Star Charts had us….well, we were well away from the local equivalent of the Sol System as it was mostly Milky Way Star Chart equivalent. Unfortunately, there was no dimensional nexus anywhere nearby, and we'd burned out the momentum from our first arrival several dimensions back. It was growing harder and harder to pierce the veil of the void, and rapid transit wasn't exactly conductive for long term planning of sailing the dimensions.
He came over to me "I suggest we deploy a drone, possibly two or three, and see can we get proper readings on this dimension. We've burned a lot of fuel Captain, and we've been jumping blind as well"
I sighed wearily "Not totally blind, no…but, yes, I do agree we could do with knowing a great deal more than we do. We'll…give it another forty minutes and then deploy three. I just want to be sure we don't have to do another immediate jump"
The big was that we were beyond those dimensions with the large 'jumps' in time and space we had been making. Especially in the last few jumps as the responses remained so aggressive almost as soon as we were detected entering the reality. 'The Third Must Not Be' we figured out what several dimensions worth of Vorlons had being shouting at us while charging, guns blazing, in our general direction like angry, super-advanced, lemmings. Thankfully we had a good idea how what the signs were by now, at range, for potential appearances, so I'd stay here another while before retiring to bed and some very much needed sleep. Unfortunately, my own sense of duty and paranoia, and need for Kara and M'gann to sleep properly, meant I had to handle this situation as best I could.
"Sounds good Boss"
I nodded, then sighed "Fair enough. Right. Now, full status report. Let's see what the damage has been…"
--
[07.39: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Doctor's orders…]
Kara had always found Asa a little creepy, a demonic lady that dressed like she had a bondage fetish, and the moniker Nightmare Nurse really wasn't a real seller to the public. Or the fact her 'price' for service was knowledge of all the medical data she could get, of varieties all manner of grey morally. Despite all that she had discovered the woman was an excellent doctor, and that she had a very good staff as well…even when it came to crazy, scary, things like magical hybrid pregnancies. Even Callum was clearly out of his depths with that, even if he seemed to have some inkling of what do, as Kara finally got up from the examination table, pulling back on her top.
The elaborate circular tattoo?...painting?...now on her belly felt strange, and had felt strange as it had been placed there by Callum working with Asa's advice. Azula's…wife?...Katara had served as an assistant, along with the old waterbending woman that they'd brought with to teach her, and she suspected the cold while she'd lay there, waying for the magic to 'set', was due to that waterbending of theirs. It had been less than pleasant being poked and prodded but lying about in her underwear in the cold was the least fun part. Magic wasn't really her thing, but she did understand the basics of 'cleansing circles' and 'protective wards' as she followed directions to simply step out of a circle around the bed.
"Feeling okay…."
"Leave it to the professionals. I shall check her" Asa interrupted Callum, stepping forward and hands going to Kara's waist "Lift"
With a sigh Kara did just that, lifting up her top to just below her breasts, then breathed in, then out, as the doctor requested it. All while more poking and prodding of Kara's belly and hips, muttering unintelligibly beyond occasional 'fascinating' remarks. It was times like this that she almost wished she was back on Kyrpton, with extensive medical services, advanced medical systems, and a staff that knew Kyrptonian biology like the back of their hand. Then she thought about that, and the relationship she was in, and remembered that all those things wouldn't be much help at all. The Science Council had always been firm believers in birth controls for people, and Kara would have been both too young…and certainly not with Outsiders!
Uncle Jor wasn't like that…but…
'It's all gone now, think on it later' she mused as Asa finished up her inspection, along Callum to get in and do his own, Kara smiling in amusement at his fussing. She shouldn't find it funny, because it was scary, and it was worrying in many ways because of the…strangeness…involved, but he really was bad at this. Just like he was with the green-skinned girl fidgeting behind him now that her turn had come and he'd turned to try 'comfort' M'gann just like he had Kara. So, Kara shooed him away a bit "No, no, prepare your magic book wizard boy, everything went fine, and will go fine"
"But…!"
"No buts!" she replied with a gentle shove "Prepare your things. M'gann just needs to lay down. Correct, Doctor?"
"Correct" the grey-skinned woman replied firmly as she squatted down, checking the circles on the floor and the shifting magic lights above the 'clean zone' in that strange mix of modern and medieval looking that her life had become "Katara, if you please?"
Kara stepped away as the other girl did, whatever it was she was doing for Asa, instead patting Megan on the arm "Don't worry! It's not sore, just….funny feeling, like cold and prickly. Just lie on the clean towel she offered. It's cold"
Megan was fidgeting, but not panicked, biting her lip, fingers going together and then apart. Kara could almost see her wanting to start bouncing on her heels "It…doesn't hurt? Or…the…the…baby?"
"No, it just feels odd that's all. Everything will be okay M'gann. Relax. You've just seen me get through it fine with only a sore back and frozen boobs. A Martian girl like you would even mind the cold like me!"
That got a nervous smile, a look at Callum, and her taking a deep breath "I'm sorry"
Kara gave her a hug "Ah, I feel the same. It's been stressful, but the reinforcement of the spells he can do in the room, and we only have to do check-ups…" hopefully "…and so far…a whole day and a half, no attacks. You just need to lay down, relax, and let future dad over there do his efforts at fatherly love"
"Hey! I am…"
"Shush you!" she teased back to Callum as M'gann relax, nodding as Kara patted her back and then started to help the girl out of her top. A small towel was hurriedly snatched up by the green skinned girl as she began to follow Asa's instructions on walking from this part of the room to the table "Book, you focus on the books and your job buster!"
He mumbled something back, but she ignored his complaining as she stepped back from the 'operating table' and allowed matters to repeat as they had with her. It was a lot of stop-start-stop-start filled with chanting, dabbing inky-paint unto belly, and hovering glowing crystals. Kara had worried it would be like getting a very painful tattoos, but it wasn't like that at all, and M'gann was calming quickly as her embarrassment initially overrode her fears, followed by relaxing that no one was freaking out at her. This was only the 'start' of ensuring they stayed safe and healthy during the pregnancies, and that their babies grew up healthy and could be delivered safely.
Personally, she would have preferred to wait another day to do this, but Callum was on 'concerned' mode, and it was either this, followed by rest, or him going to the bridge and trying to plan things out. Right now, the Carrier was resting peacefully, and hidden more importantly, after a very long and stressful day for everyone aboard the Chance. Therefore, Kara had MADE Callum get a long rest, and had him focus on this entirely so they could all rest for the following day while Babs and Burt held command shifts on the bridge along with Azula. If they needed to run, then they could run as the contingencies were pre-set, but Kara really hoped they could avoid that till Quinn was finished checking everything….
--
{Three hours later…}
"Did all go well Mistress?"
Kara still wasn't overly fond of Jennifer Morgan as their live-in maid, of sorts, greeted them as they re-entered the room. The whole 'trying to kill them' thing was bad enough, but Jennifer's strange cultural quirks were a bit annoying at times, even when it was part of her rehabilitation. Kara would understand more if the woman had been born into the sword-and-sorcery barbarian-slave-nonsense of Skartaris, but Jennifer was born and raised in the 'modern' society of earth. Sure, Earth culture was weird at times, but Jennifer had adopted the 'local' culture in odd ways, like this full-on focus that she was a barbarian princess turned slave-concubine.
"All is perfectly fine Jennifer" she replied noting, thankfully, that Jennifer was wearing mildly modest maid clothing rather than continuing efforts to 'improve' her clothes. Callum led M'gann inside the joint rooms a moment later, getting a bow from the white-haired woman "M'gann's going to have a little rest, so you can continue your studies unless we need you for anything"
"Ma'am, Sir, of course" was the reply there as the oath/geas bonded woman retreated to her own adjacent room, door open and visibly sitting back down to continue whatever lesson Callum had left her. Socialising had…been okay Kara supposed. Several of the crew very much didn't like the 'Sorceress of Skartaris', but a few did get on with her now, and Jenniefer herself was making efforts to be a better person. Or at least Kara hoped the other woman was improving and it wasn't just her imagination. M'gann assured her that was the case, but even psychic powers could be wrong at times, or tricked, Babs had said to her in one of her Bat Moments.
M'gann had her own attached room now too of course, thanks to Kara, but for now she had Callum lay her on their bed so they could rest for now. Both of them were more tired than she, M'gann apparently because something about Fire and Water magic and needing more energy. She didn't ask too much beyond 'Is it a problem?'
No, it wasn't, so Kara didn't need to know more than that. Of course, Callum was focused on checking other things as soon as M'gann lay back with a happy sigh "So, you spoke to Babs?"
Kara nodded "No change since you went up to the bridge last. Engines are slowly recharging charge, and Quinn confirms everything is okay. Same with Reality Warping Jenny, everything is fine. Drones are out, and report no activity in this system, and we're not detecting anything from the nearby systems on the Monitor sensors. Best you follow your own advice and relax mister very tired looking wizard-doctor"
"Yeah…ritual-work tends to do that I'll admit" he muttered sitting the chair across from her "I just don't like us lurking around here too long after….ya'know"
"Yes, but they haven't detected us in this dimension yet either" she reminded him "Try and take the chance to relax a little…and let the crew relax and rest some more. Everyone has been stressed with that little operation we just went through"
He sighed "I wasn't planning on it…but I'd like to explore the surroundings and see can we get a lay of the land, and start getting a proper read on what dimension we might be in. It should still be within the range of well, the crazy elder races that keep attacking us and…"
Kara threw a pillow at his head, gently, and he caught it, pouting at her "Fine. Fine. You are right, and we going to rest and relax. Movie night?"
She nodded, looking to M'gann "Movie night?"
M'gann smiled tiredly "Okay. Can we watch one of the Thrawn movies…."
--
[07.40: Where the Shadows Lie]
[Watching the waves for signs of high tide]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 2427]
[Current Dimension]
Unknown dimension
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance, docked the Carrier
[Trading Report]
N/A – Just recharging engines while hiding
[Diary Entry]
Well, I'm tired, been a long, hard, few days just getting to the middle of nowhere safely, and then ensuring we stayed there safe and hidden. That and setting up the basic protective wardings on Kara and M'gann so the babies can growly safely and healthily, and more importantly don't have instability that might kill my children due to the, unusual, nature. Such is the nature of arcanely or divinely blessed pregnancies, in that someone needs to back it up when you get odd ones like this. It's been draining on me magically, and I've had to reduce my work shift to recover after the ritual work establishment itself. Reinforcement we'll do daily, but that's a, relatively, minor portion in comparison.
Asa's a big help, obviously, she is the doctor after all. But even she's got the same concern of me as this is what you call novel impregnations. I can blame Connor for M'gann, but me and Kara it's a bit unplanned, and the blame likes squarely on my magic and our efforts at stress relief. I'm confident we're doing everything possible, and that they'll be safe, but beyond that it's always a worry for me. And I haven't even finished the Rings yet, nor a host of other things, and we're still a long way from home. A long, long, long, way from home, and travelling dimensions is not easy, as the last round of hasty jumps just proved, and how draining they were on the ship and crew.
Anyway, today has been busy as do nothing effectively. Of course, 'doing nothing' takes a whole lot of organising as the ship is staying still, but all the people on the Carrier aren't doing nothing, and 'down time' means you have to manage the mini city over there. Dealing with Lorelei is the usual happy-fun-time it always is, and while things have calmed, they are still constantly guarded with them. The magus largely police themselves, as the Church does its own, but that's not exactly easy to not be wary of either. They are constantly probing, in their own little ways, along with constantly plotting against each other. I could do without the Byzantine politics of that lot, but, well, no options not too. Fuckers wouldn't stay behind, and no sane people want them. Dammit.
So, yes, helping them play at city manager in a super advanced alien ship is occasionally a plan, as you have to protect the majority of the refugees from the madness of the minority. I mean powers. Oh, fuck it, I mean madness and powers. Some are tolerable, but many are not, and now it's just the Japanese and Koreans I'd actually say things are somewhat harder without the US military personnel and dependants' presence. They acted as something of a buffer maybe, or at least middle party between those two refugee groups, and both have separated out more since. Nationalist rivalries extending even to refugee camp flying spaceship.
At least they aren't actively fighting I suppose, even if things would be more convenient if they cooperated somewhat more. Thankfully it's an enormous ship, and no-one died from the long running battle we had to endure to get to this dimension, so things are relatively peacefully in the refugee camps that are at least looking like developed towns now. Calming them all down after the bumpy ride was a big part of the meetings today, and for tomorrow, along with ensuring we continue the basic market system we have running since staying in Federation territory. There are useful things we can produce, and some degree of self-sufficiency is useful, and keeps the inner barbarian down amongst our fun-loving passengers.
Anywho, we're getting there, slowly, as engines are recharging while we rest here.
Wherever here is, though it has matching star-chart layout as the previous dimensions we hit, though very little 'high energy readings' as it were, unlike those. Not that we got to look very far, or are actively looking here, so that could just be my opinion. For now, we've simply hid away, and made plans to travel several systems in the direction of our next 'jump-point' out of this dimension. Travelling with such a monster as this ship has major drawbacks in that it's only open to very, very, open, or very high energy dimensions, and that's both a 'limited number' in relative terms, and most of those are in the 'dangerous' category. My tools are struggling to navigate as I've got plenty of options, but they're all at levels too low for the Chance, let alone this monster.
So, goal now – there be a black hole it seems, and it's a nexus point near to it. We'll head there and investigate and see where it goes. Best of bad options, as we can jump out elsewhere, but they take us further away from getting to Bleed rather than nearer, like this point would. Thank heavens for the Monitor systems. It finds a way back 'home' for itself.
Discussing with Barbara, largely due to Kara planning stuff, about handling the fact of dealing with various situations. Mostly my two pregnant ladies, and Miss Whitmore, but there's also the fact others could easily end up that way here on the Chance, along with the need for better childcare over on the Carrier. It's all about ensuring my own crew, and the people over there, are ready for another long journey – and improving various 'comforts' and 'leisure times' is vital as she pointed out. Azula's a bit military focused, but she forgets many of the crew aren't aboard for the likes of that, and have to have some semblance of 'normal life' even if isn't as efficient. Efficiency is usually a good thing, but not always.
Like me, I'm resting now, because I'm very tired, but also have a drink while Kara and M'gann also lounge about doing nothing, watching an old movie from an earth's fifties. Not much my interest, and I'm just going to read, and write in this case, and have a little drink before bed. Jennifer is studying after I gave some instruction to here, and Azula better be resting herself, I gave marching orders to that effect, and had her wife ensure she did just that. Chao cooked a lovely, and Mister Emiya is a fantastic addition to the kitchen as well, the rice and curry is worth all the others coming aboard as crew from his mad little family. It's very useful as the two ladies across from me are getting fussy in their tastes over recent days. That or they just want to boss me around for things they normally don't get.
Whatever. Schedule changes, health care, and all the other fun and joy. Still, I'm content.
Oh, yes, in regards projects. Ring has stalled temporarily with all this, but I shall redouble my efforts for I need it for Kara and serious relationship things. I have a plan, I just need to….do things. Lots of things. Maybe talk to (my) God at some stage. Also need a forge. That'd help a lot.
I might need the whole prayer thing to plan a proper way back, assuming I can find a place with a connection to those realms. But that always has a price. The Shrouded Lord helps those that help themselves, and the Dukgash/Ilneval's whole 'here's a tool!' reward system. There's always a price after all, especially for a Shard, even a clone-whatever like dear old me. I've already gotten quite the set of rewards in having a proper soul and body when one thinks of it.
So, engines recharging, then we travel through this seemingly quiet dimension and jump out. Start the long road home. Wish us luck. Slán.
--
Next: Chapter 07 – Where the Shadows Lie
Next: Chapter 08 – Anabasis
--
[Interlude - Pathfinders]
[Extract from Interview: - Memories of the Long March, from the Memoirs of Weryl Lingshen]
…had thought it was the end, but how wrong we were. The exact situation was beyond the scope of my knowledge of course, but those of us in Engineering could see the effects, and the dangers, as the ships showed the signs of the hard running. We were running repairs and recycling the engines almost as soon as the drives were cooled down after all, hard not to notice, along with all the alerts. It had been a long day, followed by busy days checking and rechecking all the things that let us travel as needed.
Hmm?
Oh. No, we had idea or expectations of such. There was no Pathfinder Corps back then, nor even the idea of it in truth. Captain had hired a Professional Pathfinder and his team from Sigil before, yes…but there certainly wasn't any plan. The Captain and Mister Mallory, well, they were experienced at walking the planes, and we had travelled through the Bleed…
No, no, we didn't realise what we had sailed into at that point. Multiple jumps had brought us far…a branching string of dimensions. One formed by some ancient power.
Who? We'll never know, and we don't want to know. You don't want to know…
No, really, you don't. - Those doors are barred forevermore, and we should all be very glad of that. Intentional destruction at times, yes. It had to be done…
NO. It HAD to be done. This isn't the Kromaggs. The Long March as they like to call it was…well, to return to the start. We had arrived in a largely safe dimension. The first of several if I recall correctly. We did not investigate much, and I wasn't overly focused on it either. Our first child was on the way, and…well…
Amused Snort*
Engineering was my focus and focus on it I did when not worrying on Courtney. It could have been one dimension, and with the records purged I can't say for sure how many it was. It felt like a few, and we passed along without much trouble, though I understand now that our jumps were becoming…harder?...yes, more difficult as we moved away from the branches of that original nexus.
Days? Not sure now…it'd been near a year after we'd left Bastion…well, it wasn't Bastion at the time, or Revenant, but that's where we left. At least two-thirds of a year? Yes, about that I'd guess. Time gets a bit relative with the Planeswalking at times, let alone that it has been many years for me you have to understand. That and we don't remember bits and pieces. Intentionally mind you. So, years and memory a bit fuzzy?
Haha, thank you. Order mage, aging is less…obvious at times I'll admit
Indeed. So, yes, things were becoming harder. Not that I understood that at the time, nor did most of us, as travel was very much a matter of the bridge crew's decisions. But, with the knowledge of now…a vessel that size, not the Chance, but that monster of a haulier…
Sighs*
No, travel is not easy for such, and at times it is good to hear such. But, to put in simple terms, the tide needed to be high to sail such vessels. Or that there were rocks or shoals or small islands in the path, things that blocked our view. Things you had to sail around. That's where things got complicated, I think. We'd settled into another quiet dimension…
Oh, yes, that should have made us wary. Lifeless is a better word to describe it, now I think back on it. Not that I was on the bridge mind you, but we talked about things, and information was available to crew. Silent and empty I'm sure, but we only looked around a small area at best, and all our efforts were on find a way home as fast as possible. Therefore, not noticed as we settled in for another recharge and repair. Though it wasn't just that as we found out.
To go further, we'd need to jump over blockages as you could call them, dimensions far small for the spelljammers to enter, but sufficient for a trained planeswalker. That's how I got started.
Heh, no. The captain was the actual planeswalker, but well…there was a need for a team, and I volunteered for the team. Order mage, I could easily support, even if it made my Chao a little mad at me. In the days that lay ahead it became clear that the ship needed more than one who could do that task. Especially when we became aware of the threat lurking in those seemingly empty dimensions and the captain…became distracted with other tasks. My Order mastery let me understand things easier than most, I think, in that I could open the weakest of doorways, and those things we ran from…
--
[Excerpt from: - Birth of the League: - Trade, Blood, Knowledge, and Wars by Breylna Whitmore, of the August and Blessed House Telvanni-Lingshen, Scholar of the College of Winterhold (Mundus), Graduate of the Blade in the Shadows Academy-Ark (Multi), Rtd. Admiral, League of Aquitaine Navy. Pbl.- Year 456 PF]
…named as Operation Midnight Sonata after the fact. Indeed, the specifics of the operation are largely still secret within the military command of the League and the OZM Interdimensional Industries, outside the generalised detailing of the recovery of the Ark, plus the various refugee populations seeking to settle. At the time, and generally speaking outside military circles, the operation is called The Long March, or the Shadow Voyage, from which this august institution draws its name.
Nominally the events after the rescue of the population of the Broken Fate world were no different than prior operations by the primary exploratory arm of what would become the League of Aquitaine. In practical terms though Operation Midnight Sonata led to the active development of the League's Planeswalking Protocols through then Outis Import/Exports own development of such. That and the expansion of the number of Pathfinders available to Outis Import/Export in the wake of it, along with the arrival of several, distinct, magical traditions within the League itself. One of which had no knowledge of where, and what, it was rescued from, while another proved very controversial after its introduction.
As such one of the major results of the, somewhat shrouded, events of Operation Midnight Sonata is an immediate move towards consolidation within the League of Aquitaine, along with the creation of what was seen as a needed regulatory system. While one of the first of the so-called Great Voyages of Exploration, it was also an event that seemed to ensure the next Great Voyage would not be for a generation after, even without the beginning of the First Kromagg War serving to distract from any such attempts. Instead, consolidation and only short range planeswalking would be the focus of the premier planeswalking company of the League, along with training within the Arcane Academy on Revenant.
This was an important shift as it would lead to many the systems and training regimens that are currently in use by the broader military. Examples of this are for such things as 'bridging operations' through use of Pathfinders to advance deploy and locate 'safe' routes for dimension-travel capable vessels. Along with 'route masking' techniques to evade detection and introduction 'divine compacts' with what would become Patron deities of the League of Aquitaine. This is largely due to the trained personnel from this mission largely serving as the training cadre in the wake of the operation and…
--
