Season 13 - Mission 12: One Mind

[T'Lara]

[Bridge - USS Burke]

Franklin looked as if he'd been physically punched by the news of a solution, but with a huge caveat that left him shaken to literally have to decide who among his crew would live and who would die. He turned to face Tekin.

"Captain, you are both a scientist and from this era. Is this plan viable?"

[Bridge - USS Burke]

T'Lara wished she could feel empathy for the captain's situation. In her mind, the fact that they were able to save anyone at all was a blessing and sitting here taking a moment to think about the enormity of the situation was only wasting more time. But if she had been born human, if her father had married another human instead of her mother...she could imagine his pain. The guilt of feeling like he'd let his people down by not saving all of them. What would she have done if she was in his place? She looked to Tekin for his answer, ready to provide any assistance.

[Deck 1 - Main Bridge - USS Burke]

Nevir was feeling a bit queasy, but there were more important things he had to worry about.  The idea was... morbid.  Morbid, but valid.  And logically it would save power on both ships.  But... who would live and who would die?  There was obviously no way to save everyone on the ship... who got to play god?

"I can't see any other way.  This... has the highest chance of success.  I almost wish you didn't belong here, Captain.  I wish you were from an alternate universe.  But I guess the universe is cruel." he said, reaching up and rubbing his forehead.

"I don't see any other option, Captain.  The deterioration will accelerate exponentially.  I estimate less than an hour before we start losing structural integrity on the outer hull.  I think to be fair, Captain, you need to let your crew know.  About everything.  In the meantime... we need to do a complete decommission of the ship in less than an hour... the nacelles will begin to break down soon."

With that, the Captain paused, and started coughing into his hand again, pulling it back, but not looking this time, his attention fully on the captain.

At long last the plan was executed. It felt like she'd been on this ship for days, and an eternity since she'd been on the Borg cube. If she had been human she would probably be suffering from multiple concussion symptoms since she hadn't gone to sickbay after the collision on the Discovery. Looking at the two captains, she suddenly realized she didn't know where she was needed. There were only so many transporters on the Burke to be operated and that was the task that needed doing right now, unless sickbay could use her. Before she could ask her superior for orders she noticed him coughing again. What if...they couldn't be affected by the molecular deterioration just by being here, could they?

[Bridge - USS Burke]

Franklin lowered his head into his hands and held that position for several seconds before straightening up with a determined expression as he replied to Tekin.

"Very well then Captain. there is a reason it is so difficult to become a Starfleet captain, it's for times like these. However, I refuse to play God. I'm going to make this completely random. Computer."

"Working."

"Access ship's personnel listing as annotated by Doctor Chatham to reflect recent casualties."

"Complete."

"Randomize a list of 60 personnel, excluding anyone over the rank of Lieutenant."

"Complete."

"Transfer list to Ensign Atcharaporn's station."

"Complete."

Franklin looked at his communications officer who nodded confirmation. On receiving the acknowledgement, he toggled shipwide.

"Attention all hands, this is the Captain speaking. As you may know, we've been pulled into an interspatial rift that has dumped us 93 years in the future in the year 2398. As difficult to accept as that is, our situation is far more complex than simply being displaced in time. It seems our trip through the rift fundamentally changed us at a quantum level, changed us in a way that makes it impossible for us to exist in this time.

"As a result, we are all suffering rapid cellular decay. Fortunately for us, we have encountered a Starfleet ship from this era, the USS Discovery. Their science department has devised a way to save some of us from dying of massive cellular decay. Unfortunately, even with the amazing scientific and technological advancements of 90 plus years, the Discovery cannot save all of us as the decay is happening too fast.

"I have had the ship's computer generate a list of personnel that must report to the designated transporter rooms in the designated order. The transporters of the Discovery have capabilities that ours do not and I am assured that they will be able to align those chosen to this space-time continuum.

"I want you to know that it has been my unmitigated honor to serve with all of you. For those of you that will be transported, I wish you the very best in your new lives. For those of you that believe in such things. I will see you again in time. Franklin out."

When Franklin stopped speaking, a hush fell over the bridge as each person attempted to absorb what they'd just been told.

She commended him for handling the situation in as dignified a manner as he did. She wondered if he would stay true to his word and go down with his ship or if he would deem himself valuable enough to be kept alive. After thinking a minute she decided he would do the former. He had proven himself to be an honourable captain. Even though she hadn't known him for longer than a few hours, she found that she had developed immense respect for the man and would remember this event and his bravery in the years to come, wherever they may lead her. She let the silence echo for a few more moments before she addressed Tekin, remembering that she'd heard him cough a second time which had moderately concerned her.

"Captain," she spoke softly, "I believe we should return to the Discovery. Unless you have a reason for us to remain here?" If her suggestion was insensitive she didn't notice. It was based on concern for her captain and respect for Franklin, in case he wanted to be alone with his crew and his thoughts. Sensitivity was not something she was good at exhibiting, despite years of witnessing it from her own father and her crewmates. 

[Tekin Nevir]

[Bridge - USS Burke]

T'Lara wished she could feel empathy for the captain's situation. In her mind, the fact that they were able to save anyone at all was a blessing and sitting here taking a moment to think about the enormity of the situation was only wasting more time. But if she had been born human, if her father had married another human instead of her mother...she could imagine his pain. The guilt of feeling like he'd let his people down by not saving all of them. What would she have done if she was in his place? She looked to Tekin for his answer, ready to provide any assistance.

At long last the plan was executed. It felt like she'd been on this ship for days, and an eternity since she'd been on the Borg cube. If she had been human she would probably be suffering from multiple concussion symptoms since she hadn't gone to sickbay after the collision on the Discovery. Looking at the two captains, she suddenly realized she didn't know where she was needed. There were only so many transporters on the Burke to be operated and that was the task that needed doing right now, unless sickbay could use her. Before she could ask her superior for orders she noticed him coughing again. What if...they couldn't be affected by the molecular deterioration just by being here, could they?

She commended him for handling the situation in as dignified a manner as he did. She wondered if he would stay true to his word and go down with his ship or if he would deem himself valuable enough to be kept alive. After thinking a minute she decided he would do the former. He had proven himself to be an honourable captain. Even though she hadn't known him for longer than a few hours, she found that she had developed immense respect for the man and would remember this event and his bravery in the years to come, wherever they may lead her. She let the silence echo for a few more moments before she addressed Tekin, remembering that she'd heard him cough a second time which had moderately concerned her.

"Captain," she spoke softly, "I believe we should return to the Discovery. Unless you have a reason for us to remain here?" If her suggestion was insensitive she didn't notice. It was based on concern for her captain and respect for Franklin, in case he wanted to be alone with his crew and his thoughts. Sensitivity was not something she was good at exhibiting, despite years of witnessing it from her own father and her crewmates.

[Deck 1 - Main Bridge - USS Burke]

It was a solemn duty that a Captain could be called on to face at any given time.  They were trained to put the lives of the crew ahead of themselves.  That part was easy.  Sacrifice one life to save the other 200+?  But... what if you can't save that many?  What if despite your best efforts, you can only save half... or a quarter?  What then?  It easy when the life condemned is your own.  Its even feasible when the lives condemned are also your senior staff.. they are trained as leaders to put their staff ahead of them when necessary.  But when you have to start eating into the bulk of the crew....

It was not an enviable position, and Nevir heart twisted at the position Franklin was in.  60.  Sixty names in a crew manifesto of 145.  Less than half.

Could he do better?  Maybe... maybe not.  But at least the situation wasn't reversed.  The Burke was a smaller ship.  He couldn't condemn 250 lives.  Just the very idea was making him feel sick, very sick.  He almost missed the words from T'Lara asking if they should return to the ship, and leave the Burke's command crew.

"That's... that's up to Captain Franklin." he said, turning towards the both of them.  "We still should make sure to get a complete shutdown of your reactors to keep the ship from destroying itself too soon... give you guys as long as possible.  We...." he swayed a bit, feeling nausea, and coughed again.

"Sorry about that... we may be able to set up pattern enhancers in the transporter rooms, that will put some strength behind the transporters themselves and break any interference, and it should speed up processing.  We could... we could also... set up some ion emitters in the transporter room, a waiting room, maybe even engineering and the bridge, to buy us as much time as possible.  Maybe.. maybe that can get us a few more people." he said, turning to T'Lara.  Before he could give his next idea, he started coughing again.. a bit harder, and actually doubled over.

"Damn dusty ships." he said, trying to quickly hide the coughing, and immediately slapped his commbadge, still facing T'Lara.  While he tried to ignore it, it was difficult to ignore the fact that as he pulled his hand away from his chest, his commbadge was showing crimson, and there were smudges on his uniform where his hand touched it.

"Discovery... we're going to go with that plan.  I need an engineering team to assist in shutting down the Burke's reactors before the nacelles and engineering degrade.  I need pattern enhancers and ion emitters over here to delay the crew's effects as long as possible... and we need to clear as much of the main computer as we can for the transport.  Also.... I want to set up a data transfer from the Burke to Discovery.  Ship logs, sensor readings, everything.  We won't let the Burke be lost to time."  he said, turning towards Franklin with that comment.  The Burke would still live on thanks to the DIscovery.

Nevir gave a small smile, but his face looked a bit different. Redder, more sallow, more pockmarked.  Nausea, coughing, blood, red face, it was finally enough.  The Bajoran started coughing again, and this time, he dropped to the ground with fatigue. 

[T'Lara]

[Deck 1 - Main Bridge - USS Burke]

It was a solemn duty that a Captain could be called on to face at any given time.  They were trained to put the lives of the crew ahead of themselves.  That part was easy.  Sacrifice one life to save the other 200+?  But... what if you can't save that many?  What if despite your best efforts, you can only save half... or a quarter?  What then?  It easy when the life condemned is your own.  Its even feasible when the lives condemned are also your senior staff.. they are trained as leaders to put their staff ahead of them when necessary.  But when you have to start eating into the bulk of the crew....

It was not an enviable position, and Nevir heart twisted at the position Franklin was in.  60.  Sixty names in a crew manifesto of 145.  Less than half.

Could he do better?  Maybe... maybe not.  But at least the situation wasn't reversed.  The Burke was a smaller ship.  He couldn't condemn 250 lives.  Just the very idea was making him feel sick, very sick.  He almost missed the words from T'Lara asking if they should return to the ship, and leave the Burke's command crew.

"That's... that's up to Captain Franklin." he said, turning towards the both of them.  "We still should make sure to get a complete shutdown of your reactors to keep the ship from destroying itself too soon... give you guys as long as possible.  We...." he swayed a bit, feeling nausea, and coughed again.

"Sorry about that... we may be able to set up pattern enhancers in the transporter rooms, that will put some strength behind the transporters themselves and break any interference, and it should speed up processing.  We could... we could also... set up some ion emitters in the transporter room, a waiting room, maybe even engineering and the bridge, to buy us as much time as possible.  Maybe.. maybe that can get us a few more people." he said, turning to T'Lara.  Before he could give his next idea, he started coughing again.. a bit harder, and actually doubled over.

"Damn dusty ships." he said, trying to quickly hide the coughing, and immediately slapped his commbadge, still facing T'Lara.  While he tried to ignore it, it was difficult to ignore the fact that as he pulled his hand away from his chest, his commbadge was showing crimson, and there were smudges on his uniform where his hand touched it.

"Discovery... we're going to go with that plan.  I need an engineering team to assist in shutting down the Burke's reactors before the nacelles and engineering degrade.  I need pattern enhancers and ion emitters over here to delay the crew's effects as long as possible... and we need to clear as much of the main computer as we can for the transport.  Also.... I want to set up a data transfer from the Burke to Discovery.  Ship logs, sensor readings, everything.  We won't let the Burke be lost to time."  he said, turning towards Franklin with that comment.  The Burke would still live on thanks to the DIscovery.

Nevir gave a small smile, but his face looked a bit different. Redder, more sallow, more pockmarked.  Nausea, coughing, blood, red face, it was finally enough.  The Bajoran started coughing again, and this time, he dropped to the ground with fatigue.

[Bridge - USS Burke]

T'Lara nodded as Tekin explained their reasons to stay, but as she did his condition continued to worsen and she raised her eyebrow when she saw the blood on his uniform. If she was being honest she didn't feel the best either and it was probably only a matter of time before she started developing the same symptoms. It seemed like being here affected them as much as it affected the Burke crew.

As he collapsed she knelt down next to him to make sure he was still conscious and as she did so looked up briefly at Franklin and Pfizer. She addressed Franklin first.

"It was an honour to meet you, Sir. We will make sure your ship and it's crew will be remembered. Godspeed, Captain." She meant for the last bit to be in reference to whatever he believed happened after death; she hoped he wouldn't have to suffer. Looking at Pfizer, she gave him a nod. "Lieutenant Pfizer. It was an honour to work with you as well. I regret that we did not have the time to get to know each other better. I will think of you often." She knew her words wouldn't be enough of a comfort for the both of them. She didn't possess the ability to have a good bedside manner and she resented that at present. She had to settle for a genuine look of understanding with Pfizer as she stood.

Since Tekin had already set plans in motion there was nothing else to do but get him to a doctor. She gave Franklin a curt nod once again and a look of confidence as she tapped her commbadge.  T'Lara to transporter room. Request beam out for Captain Tekin and I direct to Sickbay if possible. 

[Ian Galloway]

[Bridge - USS Burke]

T'Lara wished she could feel empathy for the captain's situation. In her mind, the fact that they were able to save anyone at all was a blessing and sitting here taking a moment to think about the enormity of the situation was only wasting more time. But if she had been born human, if her father had married another human instead of her mother...she could imagine his pain. The guilt of feeling like he'd let his people down by not saving all of them. What would she have done if she was in his place? She looked to Tekin for his answer, ready to provide any assistance.

At long last the plan was executed. It felt like she'd been on this ship for days, and an eternity since she'd been on the Borg cube. If she had been human she would probably be suffering from multiple concussion symptoms since she hadn't gone to sickbay after the collision on the Discovery. Looking at the two captains, she suddenly realized she didn't know where she was needed. There were only so many transporters on the Burke to be operated and that was the task that needed doing right now, unless sickbay could use her. Before she could ask her superior for orders she noticed him coughing again. What if...they couldn't be affected by the molecular deterioration just by being here, could they?

She commended him for handling the situation in as dignified a manner as he did. She wondered if he would stay true to his word and go down with his ship or if he would deem himself valuable enough to be kept alive. After thinking a minute she decided he would do the former. He had proven himself to be an honourable captain. Even though she hadn't known him for longer than a few hours, she found that she had developed immense respect for the man and would remember this event and his bravery in the years to come, wherever they may lead her. She let the silence echo for a few more moments before she addressed Tekin, remembering that she'd heard him cough a second time which had moderately concerned her.

"Captain," she spoke softly, "I believe we should return to the Discovery. Unless you have a reason for us to remain here?" If her suggestion was insensitive she didn't notice. It was based on concern for her captain and respect for Franklin, in case he wanted to be alone with his crew and his thoughts. Sensitivity was not something she was good at exhibiting, despite years of witnessing it from her own father and her crewmates.

[Deck 1 - Main Bridge - USS Burke]

It was a solemn duty that a Captain could be called on to face at any given time.  They were trained to put the lives of the crew ahead of themselves.  That part was easy.  Sacrifice one life to save the other 200+?  But... what if you can't save that many?  What if despite your best efforts, you can only save half... or a quarter?  What then?  It easy when the life condemned is your own.  Its even feasible when the lives condemned are also your senior staff.. they are trained as leaders to put their staff ahead of them when necessary.  But when you have to start eating into the bulk of the crew....

It was not an enviable position, and Nevir heart twisted at the position Franklin was in.  60.  Sixty names in a crew manifesto of 145.  Less than half.

Could he do better?  Maybe... maybe not.  But at least the situation wasn't reversed.  The Burke was a smaller ship.  He couldn't condemn 250 lives.  Just the very idea was making him feel sick, very sick.  He almost missed the words from T'Lara asking if they should return to the ship, and leave the Burke's command crew.

"That's... that's up to Captain Franklin." he said, turning towards the both of them.  "We still should make sure to get a complete shutdown of your reactors to keep the ship from destroying itself too soon... give you guys as long as possible.  We...." he swayed a bit, feeling nausea, and coughed again.

"Sorry about that... we may be able to set up pattern enhancers in the transporter rooms, that will put some strength behind the transporters themselves and break any interference, and it should speed up processing.  We could... we could also... set up some ion emitters in the transporter room, a waiting room, maybe even engineering and the bridge, to buy us as much time as possible.  Maybe.. maybe that can get us a few more people." he said, turning to T'Lara.  Before he could give his next idea, he started coughing again.. a bit harder, and actually doubled over.

"Damn dusty ships." he said, trying to quickly hide the coughing, and immediately slapped his commbadge, still facing T'Lara.  While he tried to ignore it, it was difficult to ignore the fact that as he pulled his hand away from his chest, his commbadge was showing crimson, and there were smudges on his uniform where his hand touched it.

"Discovery... we're going to go with that plan.  I need an engineering team to assist in shutting down the Burke's reactors before the nacelles and engineering degrade.  I need pattern enhancers and ion emitters over here to delay the crew's effects as long as possible... and we need to clear as much of the main computer as we can for the transport.  Also.... I want to set up a data transfer from the Burke to Discovery.  Ship logs, sensor readings, everything.  We won't let the Burke be lost to time."  he said, turning towards Franklin with that comment.  The Burke would still live on thanks to the DIscovery.

Nevir gave a small smile, but his face looked a bit different. Redder, more sallow, more pockmarked.  Nausea, coughing, blood, red face, it was finally enough.  The Bajoran started coughing again, and this time, he dropped to the ground with fatigue.

[Bridge - USS Burke]

T'Lara nodded as Tekin explained their reasons to stay, but as she did his condition continued to worsen and she raised her eyebrow when she saw the blood on his uniform. If she was being honest she didn't feel the best either and it was probably only a matter of time before she started developing the same symptoms. It seemed like being here affected them as much as it affected the Burke crew.

As he collapsed she knelt down next to him to make sure he was still conscious and as she did so looked up briefly at Franklin and Pfizer. She addressed Franklin first.

"It was an honour to meet you, Sir. We will make sure your ship and it's crew will be remembered. Godspeed, Captain." She meant for the last bit to be in reference to whatever he believed happened after death; she hoped he wouldn't have to suffer. Looking at Pfizer, she gave him a nod. "Lieutenant Pfizer. It was an honour to work with you as well. I regret that we did not have the time to get to know each other better. I will think of you often." She knew her words wouldn't be enough of a comfort for the both of them. She didn't possess the ability to have a good bedside manner and she resented that at present. She had to settle for a genuine look of understanding with Pfizer as she stood.

Since Tekin had already set plans in motion there was nothing else to do but get him to a doctor. She gave Franklin a curt nod once again and a look of confidence as she tapped her commbadge.  T'Lara to transporter room. Request beam out for Captain Tekin and I direct to Sickbay if possible. 

[Bridge - USS Discovery]

As soon he had permission, Cadbury contacted Lieutenant Quinn in engineering and began the transporter modifications necessary to re-align the crew of the Burke quantum frequency signature. Working feverishly, the engineers managed to meet the thirty minute time frame Cadbury predicted. As the engineers worked, the pattern enhancers and ion emitters were placed around the Burke to slow the progress of the cellular decay that was ravaging her crew.

By the time the transporters were ready, the members of the Burke's crew the computer selected were in place and ready. Given human nature, one would have expected those not selected would have fought against being consigned to death, but in a remarkable display of discipline, they did not. Those that were not selected used what time they had left to make peace with whatever or whomever they believed in.

[Bridge - USS Burke]

Captain Franklin saw Tekin go down and immediately turned to T'Lara.

"Looks like you've got to get out of here before what's going to happen to us happens to you. Tell your captain thank you for all he was able to do and to bring those that make it home."

When the transports began, the re-alignment process was slower than expected as the transporter chiefs worked through the specifics, but once they ironed out the best method, the transporting picked up speed. Boosted by the pattern enhancers, the Discovery was able to beam over all 60 personnel selected for the process.

Among the survivors were Lieutenant Stacy Ross, the Burke's chief engineer, Lieutenant jg William Pfizer from science, and Lieutenant Parker Douglas from security. However, of the 85 crew that were left behind, Captain Franklin, Doctor Chatham, and Ensign Atcharaporn were not selected by the Burke's computer.

While the transporters worked overtime to save as many as they could, Torra, who had returned to Ops managed to establish a computer link with the Burke and capture roughly 86% of her sensor and personal logs, but specifically including the many final words of those that would not survive. Torra kept working until the molecular decay on the Burke caused her computer core to fail.

[Bridge - USS Burke]

As the cellular decay claimed them, slowly, the ship began to go silent. On the bridge, Captain Franklin managed one last entry.

"Captain's log, supplemental; the end draws close and I couldn't be more proud of my crew. I find myself drawn to words written long ago, but that seem to fit our situation. 'To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout; But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew, An' they done it, the Jollies—'Er Majesty's Jollies—soldier an' sailor too!' End log."

On the Discovery, the end of the Burke didn't come with anything flashy. She simply lost cohesion and returned to the dust of which she and her crew were made to join the myriad of indistinguishable particles of the Devari Nebula.

Eight hours later, the Discovery exited the nebula and as soon as she was able to contact Starfleet Command, she received orders to return to Earth to honor Captain Franklin's final request, to bring his people home.

End Mission