The stirring of ghosts.

Posted on Wed Oct 20th, 2021 @ 12:53am by Commander Sthilg & Captain Garrett Lovejoy [ Taylor] & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: Bridge
792 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

On the bridge of the Elysium the night shift sat doing their duties as the ship slowed through space.

Sitting on a stool just in front of the captain's chair was the ship's MD. His massive bulk had made sitting in the captain's chair difficult so he'd taken to bringing up one of his stools from medical.

Right now everything was calm with the noise of the.......

" Sir we have a ship dropping out of warp. Looks like a gorn dreadnought." came the voice of the helmsmen snapping the gorn out of his thoughts.

A dreadnought? The gorn thought as he stood up. He was surprised his people were still making them. That or it was one of the ancient ones his people kept refitting. The hegemony navy was very conservative and hated scrapping its vessels at great annoyance to the council.

" Sssheildsss up and wake the captain and commander, " The doctor said as the massive ship came to a halt a distance from the Elysium. It dwarfed the Elysium easily three times it's size and nearly four times the firpower.

" It's weapons are inactive sir. They're hailing us."

" On ssscreen," Sthilg said as the turbolift door opened with the captain and first officer ememging.

" Commander we have a gorn dreadnaught hailing usss. I think they want a word." He said calmly as the helm worked on opening the coms. Gorn and federation tech hated talking to one another.

"A Gorn dreadnaught? Out here? Gary questioned. Instantly awake at the sight of the gigantic ship. "Well lets hear what they have to say." as he moved to the XO's chair.

The screen switched on as the bridge of the gorn vessel appeared. The face of a youngish-looking gorn officer in the hegemony's officer uniform met them. " Fedration ssstarssship thisss isss admiral Taregozin of the hegemony dreadnought Moonssshadow. On ordersss of the high king we requessst that you disable your people'sss dissstressssss beacon in the Haax sssyssstem." he said calamly with the profesinol tone of his navy.

Sthilg froze at that word. The Haax system? It couldn't be, could it? " Captain, commander the only federation ssship that crassshed here was the Capetown and it crashed over two hundred yearsss ago." He said.

Gary turned to face the CMO, "Then how is that the Moonshadow is receiving the distress signal?"

The old doctor blinked as he tried to think of an explanation. " I have no idea sssir. We disabled the ssship before we left the planet." he said honestly

"Then someone or something activated the beacon and for what purpose. That's just two areas we need to look at." Gary answered. Clearly more was going on here but until they were on surface they wouldn't know who, why and to what extent.

" The hegemony request your assistance with shutting this signal down. It has been interfering with civilian and now military communications." The captain of the Moonshadow requested/

"We we be more than glad to help in any way we can." Garrett replied. "Please send over whatever technical data you have and we will see what e can do about shutting the signal down."

The gorn looked to his left and barked an order in his own tounge. " Data is on route." he said calmly.

" Captain." The officer at the helms called out. " The signal is confirmed it is the SOS beacon of the USS Capetown broadcasting only." they stated bringing up the sound patterns which were clones of each other.

Garrett listened to the report from the helm officer. He them looked at the Gorn captain. "Most peculiar Captain. Once we arrive at the planet. We'll send down away teams to check the beacon and turn it off which should clear up your communication bands."

The gorn admiral nodded as he sent over a course as his big ship began to move behind the Elysium. " They'll be using are warp ssstream to improve their own ssspeed. Ssshe won;t be able to do more than warp six." Sthilg explained.

"Thank you Doctor. " Garrett replied, "We'll keep to this course , so they can follow without being buffeted."

" If there'sss nothing elssse sssir may i be excusssed. I can ssstart drawing up a plan for a landing on my home planet." the doctor asked.

" Nothing else Doctor and of course you may be excused.. Once you have the plan drawn up, please bring it to me so I can review and be familiar with what you have in mind for the away teams." Garrett replied.

" Will do sssir." The gorn said heading for the turbo lift feeling very confused by this. Just as his new family was starting to turn into normalcy his old life was calling him back. Like the stirring of a ghost.