Frustrations At an all Time High

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 5:44am by Captain Aurelian Saunders & Captain Worf, Son of Mogh

Mission: Mission 53: Last March of the Enterprise-E
Location: Enterprise E - Heart of Kahless
Timeline: 0900Hrs - February 4th 2392

Over a month, that is how long the Enterprise E has been stuck in this unknown region of space, along with the IKS Heart of Kahless, over a month of being stuck at impulse, unable to engage warp drive, and just as frustratingly, Subspace communications stubbornly refused to work. So they had been forced to survey this area of space the hard way. Fortunately the star system they had arrived in had numerous connecting wormholes out of the system, over a dozen of them in fact, all leading to other star systems. Unfortunately of the 11 they have surveyed so far, not one of them led back home, instead all leading to other star systems.

Ordinarily Chief Science officer Zeri Krynn would find this experience extremely fascinating, but the combined frustration of not being able to explore in detail along with not having a way home was frustrating even her. Even she was hoping that this last unexplored wormhole point would lead home.

Commander Aurelian Saunders had been tested in ways she never trained for with the last month being some of the most trying of her entire career.

She regarded the Caitian science officer nearby as she offered the other female a glass of water. "By my last calculation, both of us have been at this for well over twelve hours... Have you even had lunch yet?" Saunders inquired.

Zeri continued staring at her console. "I'm not hungry, besides in 5 minutes we are supposed to launch a probe through this wormhole, so I can't really leave now." The Maine Coon like Caitian was now fully taking advantage of the new uniform codes allowing her to forego wearing a uniform altogether, especially considering Enterprise E was warmer than what she was used to.

Saunders nodded her head, she had been expecting a response like this. "Alright, fair enough. Hopefully we'll have something new to tell the Captain when he gets back from the Heart of Kahless.." her tone indicated she was not getting her hopes up.

Meanwhile Norsvin arrived on the bridge, having just come back from a boxing match in the holodeck, evident by the fact that he was still wearing wrist wrappings, but was otherwise in nought but his fur. Unfortunately his mood was still rather poor.

Alyssa McKinley had long since given up trying to get the warp drive or subspace communications working. Zeri had been able to ascertain that for some reason or another, it was almost as if subspace just didn't exist in this area of space. Alyssa didn't even try to comprehend on how that could have happened, instead just absentmindedly played cards with Massie Parks, whom was equally bored with very little going on.

Saunders regarded the two. "So... Who's winning this time?" she inquired of Massie Parks and McKinley. She observed the activity with interest and Captain Worf 's philosophy that as long as work was done, he allowed people to partake in various events so long as decorum was maintained and behavior was acceptable.

Alyssa shrugged. "Don't know yet we just started."

"Fair enough... If the skipper isn't back in an hour.. I might ask you two to deal me in. In the meantime.. enjoy your card game." as the tall human woman withdrew, she had a serious case of four wall syndrome developing and she was bored out of her mind.

The minutes ticked by as Zeri launched the probe and waited. As of yet the probes were unable to communicate through the wormholes, so they had to be programmed to gather as much data as they could then return on their own through the wormhole. The process normally took between 5 to 10 minutes. Unfortunately for whatever reason this process was much longer than normal, almost 20 minutes passed by before the probe made a successful return trip, and transmitted its data back. Zeri only needed seconds to determine, this one wasn't the way home either. Dangerously close to having a mental breakdown, Zeri reported this distressing news. "This one isn't it either."

Saunders processed the news, it had been more of what she had already expected. "Do not let it trouble you. Sooner or later we will find it and then we can go home.." she smiled before she took a look around the bridge, noticing that everyone was either bored out of their minds or in poor moods to some degree or another. "We will manage. we have so far." she then shrugged.

Zeri nodded then started to flip through the sensor logs, absent mindedly looking over all the data she had, trying to find something that she may have missed. After some 30 minutes of pouring over sensor logs, something caught her eye. A lone piece of Duranium composite, orbiting the nearby habitable, but uninhabited planets. She then decided to scan the debris more closely and that's when her curiosity really picked up. "Hey Saunders I'm picking up a piece of Duranium orbiting one of the planets, it has a federation signature."

Saunders turned. "Federation...So we're not alone out here.. Wherever or whatever this place is.." she commented. "Helm... lay in a course for that planet... Does it have a name?" she inquired.

Zeri looked up her records. "According to my records this planet should be sherman's planet, but here, in this universe, its completely uninhabited, no signs that the federation or klingons ever settled on the planet."

Saunders raised an eyebrow. "The Federation had this world settled for over a hundred years..." she paused. "We have to be in a totally different reality to our own.." as she ran a finger over her own jawline, clearly deep in thought. "That might explain a few things.."

Zeri nodded. "Not to mention after analyzing the sun and cross checking it, this star has less hydrogen content in it than sherman's planet's Sun. If I was to guess, I'd guess this star is about 2000 years older. But that is assuming the stars are otherwise identical, I would need to do a more detailed analysis to be sure."

"Please do." she responded. "So.. this is Sherman's planet and we've apparently traveled into the future as we reckon time?"

Zeri looked back at her senor readings," But not our future I would say. judging from my scans, this planet has never seen federation or Klingon habitation, or habitation from any technologically advanced sentient species. its as if the planet was always in its wild form."

Saunders paused. "Lovely.." she said quietly. "So... it's as if the Federation never existed then.?"

Zeri nodded. "Yeah as far as I can tell."

"Well that should help raise morale a little... So we're not looking at a complete wipeout of the Federation then." she paused. "Now we just need to figure who lives here and maybe they can help us.." Saunders sat down on the deck as she pondered that thought. "Maybe subspace doesn't exist here... " she turned before she stood up again. "Alyssa... Could you find out if subspace actually exists here?"

Alyssa, whom was now looking at the sensor readings along with Zeri, replied. "I have been doing that for almost as long as we have been here, and either subspace doesn't exist here or we are for some reason unable to utilize it, or some other weird and wacky phenomenon is occurring. Without studying practically the entire galaxy, I cannot determine which is the case yet. Determining the truth on this matter requires way more resources than we actually have right now."

Saunders nodded her head. "Alright.. Lets assume that subspace doesn't exist in this reality... Otherwise we would have seen traces of something that had gone wrong by now.." the tall woman explained. "Where does that leave us?"

"It means we are stuck moving the old fashion way, at sublight speed switch no FTL capability at all." Alyssa replied curtly." We have become a prewarp era ship."

Saunders sighed. "Shit..."

Captain Worf who meanwhile was making his rounds came over. "Trouble?" he inquired with one word.

"Thats a matter of debate sir." Saunders responded.

"How so?" Worf inquired.

Alyssa explained simply. "Pretty much no chance of us ever to regain use of warp drive, and that we are in some sort of alternate universe, as far as i can tell. Because this planet is Sherman's planet, but its not our Shermans Planet. However we have discovered evidence that other federation ships have been in the area."

Zeri while scanning the surface of the planet, reported. "Hey, I got something, probably a dozen or so 2 meter long duranium composite tubes. If I had to guess, I'd say they are photon torpedo casings."

Worf paused as he thought about it. "A graveyard?" he inquired softly before he turned to Saunders. "Number one. Prepare your team and take a shuttle down..."

Saunders nodded her head. "Aye Captain. she turned to the two ladies before her. "Can you two spare me a couple of guys."

Zeri nodded. "Yeah I can go, I'll have two field scientists from my department come as well. Norsvin having heard the whole conversation thanks to his feline hearing commented. "Think you guys could allow me to come, I could use a good walk on a planet right about now.

Alyssa agreed, "so can I" while Massae added, " Yep, same here."

Worf smiled as he overheard. "Helm.. move us into a stable orbit.. then pass the word. Shore leave is to commence immediately for... however long the crew desires to have the time off."

Saunders chuckled softly. "Alright.. I'll take you six." as she nodded to Zeri. "Have your two field scientists gear up and meet us in the hangar." she turned back to Massae and Norsvin. "You guys still feel like taking a walk... meet me in the hangar in twenty minutes."

Both Caitians nodded and started on their way to the hangar, while Zeri grabbed her science kit and summoned the other two scientists and then she made her way to the shuttle bay.

Saunders reached the hanger a few minutes after everyone else did, she carried a thermos in her left hand and a tricorder in the right hand.
"Is everyone ready?" she inquired.

Norsvin and Massae nodded without saying a word while Zeri and Alyssa both replied. "Yes."

Saunders went aboard the shuttle as she sat down in the pilots seat. "Alright.. Lets see what we can find." she explained. "Everyone ready?" she commented as she closed the aft hatch behind her as she tapped the display. "This is shuttle Sixteen. requesting clearance for departure."

"Shuttle sixteen you are cleared to depart U.S.S. Enterprise airspace."

"Alright. thanks tower. Open outer door whenever you're ready."

In silence the shuttlebay door began to slide open as Saunders finished her last prep checks.