The Answer...

Posted on Mon May 20th, 2024 @ 10:50am by Ambassador Natsuko Akayama [ADMIN NPC] & Captain Garrett Lovejoy [ Taylor] & Kyle Cragen [Reece]

Mission: Back Home
Location: Galaxy Station, briefing room
Timeline: Current (during "Memory Lane" mission)
1342 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Having sent the request for a meeting, stating that they had solved a big part of the riddle, 2 and 4 of 7 got to the briefing room first, to get things ready for the arrival of both their commanding officer, the ambassador and her companion.

Garrett entered the briefing room next and wasn't surprised to see 2 and 4 already there and waiting patiently. "Hello 2, hello 4. So, you solved a big part of what happened to the Elysium? That is good to hear. I hope I still feel that way after hearing what you have to tell us." As he along with 2 and 4 waited for the others to arrive.

Two and her brother both nodded to their commanding officer, then she spoke for them. "Yes, Sir, from the readings we have analyzed, we feel that we may know the fate of the Elysium and her crew."

Before anything more could be said, the doors slid open again, and both Ambassador Akayama and Kyke Cragen entered. "Good morning." He nodded to Garrett first, then the young XB officers.

"Good morning Mr. Cragen, Ambassador. I hope you both slept well." Garrett replied politely.

Natsuko nodded "Captain. The quarters here are very comfortable"

"I am happy to hear they meet with your approval Ambassador." Garrett answered with a smile.

Cragen nodded and replied next. "Yes, Captain, your generosity is greatly appreciated, Sir."

"You are quite welcome Mr. Cragen. It is my pleasure to be of service to you and the Ambassador." Garrett replied.

Once everyone was present, Two spoke up. "If we may? My brother and I think we have discovered the fate of the Elysium.'

"Yes, please do Two. You and Four have our undivided attention." Garrett replied to the XB.

Two nodded, then pressed a few controls on the table interface. The lights dimed and a holographic image of the area of space that was the last known location of the Elysium was displayed. "From all the sensor logs that we were able to study, we have ascertained two facts. One, the USS Elysium was not destroyed were it disappeared."

"And two?" Cragen spoke up, emotion bubbling just under the surface.

Two looked at the El Aurian, a blank look on her face. She then looked back between the Ambassador and their commanding officer. "And two, they are no longer in our galaxy."

Garrett tried not to let surprise show on his face and wasn't sure if entirely succeeded. He did manage to ask in a level voice, "If not in our galaxy, then where are they Two?"

Nodding to her brother, Four typed several quick commands. Suddenly, the hologram changed slightly, to include travel lines that the Elysium seemed to be flying in, when it was trying to escape the singularity. "The reading showed a large amount of subspace damage in one particular spot," Two spoke. "Here," the image froze and it showed the Elysium, caught in the outer edge of the singularity. "The readings showed evidence that while the ship was at maximum warp, and not moving, the Quantum Slipstream Drive was activated. The sudden power caused the Elysium to shoot free of the singularity with extremely high speeds. Our calculations show that, the speeds were so high, it would have taken all of the remaining power to keep the crew alive during their trip."

As she was speaking, the hologram started moving again, the scale reducing quickly, until the MilkyWay Galaxy was visible and the Elysium was reduced to a simple gold line that was moving quickly away from its home galaxy, through the void of interstellar space, until finally reaching and other galaxy. "I give you, the Circinus Galaxy, currently located just over 150 million light-years from our galaxy, and slowly, relatively speaking, moving further away from us, at roughly one million kilometers a year." She paused a beat before continuing.

"Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing the status of the USS Elysium or her crew, as we do not possess the technology required to see or communicate within the Circinus galaxy."

Garrett was stunned by what Two and Four had told him and the others about Elysium's fate. "I am stunned by this news. I had no idea. I have a question. I'm sure the two of you have already discussed it but I'll ask anyway. Could we not set up series of communication buoys to contact the Elysium? Maybe not by voice but by text?"

"You are correct, Captain," Two replied. "We have discussed it at length. Unfortunately, we just do not have the necessary technology. No one in our galaxy does, that we are aware of. With even the most advanced starship currently in service, that crew would only be able to get ninety-seven point three-five-one light years past the Galactic Barrier before they would be forced to turn around. And, even if the Starfleet Corps of Engineers started working on a new design now...it would still take at least a thousand years of advancement in design and materials, to even start getting close to coming up with a solution. By that time, the Elysium would be long gone, and her original crew, if any survived the crossing, and found a habitable world, would be long dead, and any offspring would be unrecognizable as Milky Way Galaxy lifeforms."

"However," she raised a warning finger. "If instead a plan were started, to build a transmitter powerful enough to send a message over the distance, that would only take..." she looked at her brother, and he continued to speak.

"Roughly ten point six-eight years. Unfortunately, once the transmitter is built, we wound have no way of knowing where, in Circinus, to aim the antenna. If we did, then a highly compacted message could theoretically reach the Elysium another five point three years after it was sent. Again, all the wile, the Circinus Galaxy moves further and further away from us."

Garrett nodded at Two's explanation. "Thank you Two. It was worth a shot. They really are on their own. However, if there is a crew to make back home it is the Elysium crew."

Kyle nodded as he responded. "Any ship and crew that is led by Phoenix Lalor, is one that I will always bet on."

Natsuko was considering everything. "The families need to be notified. That said, we should keep it quiet. We do not want the press to get wind of this and start making up theories. More than what they already have done. I have several so called news items awaiting reply. Some believe this time we really did kill the Commodore and her crew."

Garrett shook his head in disgust. "Doesn't matter Ambassador. The press will write whatever suits them and what they think will get the most press as well as keep the public's attention and stirred up."

"It's a shame that, even today, the press still writes for sensationalism," Cragen stated. "I can remember the days when all it gave the people was unbiased fact. Good or bad, it was still the truth, not someone's opinion."

Natsuko nodded. "The families still need to be notified. They need to know the truth. "

Kyle nodded. "Agreed. If you wish, I will get started on the messages right away."

"Please, but leave the Commodore's family to me." Natsuko said. "Polictial issues there."

"Probably best to handle that from the diplomatic side." Garrett replied as plans were being made to contact to contact the families of the Elysium crew. "I don't envy either of you this task."

Kyle nodded as he looked over at Garrett. "It won't be fun, but it us the right thing to do. I know I would want to know the truth about..." His voice cracked as some emotion came out. "I'd want to know. My ex-wife and unborn child in on thr Elysium afterall."

"I agree, it is the right thing to do just sad, very sad task." Garrett replied. "Though I remain hopeful that this incident will have a positive conclusion."

Natsuko took a breath. "Then, lets get to work"

~OFF~

 

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