Season 15: Episode 1 - Dominion Rising pt 1

[Savel]

Ensign Savel
[USS Discovery | Bridge]

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Main Bridge]

The Captain nodded at the request to speak with Jael, and watched as the bluish hue from space bending heralded their entry into the slipstream.  Rayek seemed amazed, and he smirked.

"It takes nearly perfect calculation and the field needs to remain stable, but with an engineer like Lek, yes, our Slipstream is this smooth.  It did have a learning curve." he stated, while he monitored the stream and communications.

-Arrival at Ferenginar-

The blue hue of space faded like exiting a tunnel, showing not only regular space and stars, but the nearly always cloudy planet orbiting its sun, dancing with lightning around the planet. For a planetary scientist like himself, Ferenginar was a very fun planet to look at.

There were also Federation ships in the system, looking lost among the Ferengi vessels around the planet. They still did not have clear instructions, but at least there was an Admiral here.  Nevir frowned.

"What exactly are we doing here?"

Being assigned to a Starfleet vessel was an admirable and interesting posting in its own right. But being on a ship equipped with something like a slipstream drive made the Discovery even more special. Savel wasn't sure what to expect when traveling using the drive, so he was surprised by their journey's relative smoothness, especially given how quick it turned out to be.

There wasn't much for the science officer to do at his station, so he turned towards the bridge's main viewscreen that showed Ferenginar. The planet was intriguing, but the captain's question caught the Vulcan Ensign's attention more. He remained silent, observing the happenings on the bridge as the Captain and Commander disappeared back into the ready room.

[Tekin Nevir]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge] (earlier during slipstream)

Rayek smiled - not at all surprised to hear the praise regarding the Ferengi engineer.  Lek was just that good. It was a shame that the Ferengi didn't have more experience with singularity drives, Rayek figured then that Lek might have enjoyed the officer exchange program a bit more.

Recalling that Sheren wanted to speak to them, the Romulan called the Sec/Tac officer over.  "You had information you wanted to share with the Captain and I?"

Rayek didn't suggest leaving the Bridge for this information.  She'd already spoken of her father openly while aboard the Valdore, amid Romulan officers... he figured she should have no qualms about speaking the same here aboard her own ship.

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge] (~15 minutes later - arrival at Ferenginar)

A response to their hail came almost immediately.

"Sir, the Admiral requests that the Captain and First Officer of each ship receive his transmission in the Captain's Ready Room, and not on the Bridge; and for you to signal the ship when ready."  Rayek seemed intrigued by this.  He looked to the Captain and rose from his seat.

"Mr. Graham, match our orbit to that of the Legacy, keeping at least 200 km distance.   Mr. Broadshire, you have the bridge once more."

Rayek then followed Tekin into the Ready Room, where they signalled their readiness.  Rayek, rather than move a chair around to the other side of the desk to sit beside the Captain to watch the Admiral's briefing -that's what Rayek anticipated it would be - instead he stood At Ease a step behind and to the side of the Captain's chair.  He had a clear view of computer screen and a good sight line to the entrance of the ready room.

Rayek's expression twitched at the odd, 'rolling' accent the Admiral had.  It made Captain Galloway's Scottish access seen mild in comparison.  This made it more difficult for Rayek to understand what the man was saying.  Federation Standard wasn't Rayek's first language.

He listened to the Admiral talk like a politician, speaking lots but actually saying very little. The Admiral had hinted at a 'situation' involving the Old Dominion but what the situation was had been very vague.  That said, there was a lot of fire power in this assembled fleet.  Someone wanted to be certain the Cardassian's saw this show of force.

"It seems the only reason we were sent here was to 'piggyback' another ship through slipstream to Deep Space Nine.  Or did I miss something?"  he commented once the screen blanked to show just the one hour count down.

Getting down to business Rayek, figured an hour's downtime should be enough for the engineering team to check over the  slipstream drive.  "I'll inform Lek of the hour break.  He'll likely want to check to be sure the drive is ready for the next jump." It was a shame they weren't here longer.  Rayek would have enjoyed pestering Lek into giving him a tour of his favorite spots on the Ferengi homeplanet.

"Is there anything else you'd request of the crew while we are waiting?" the Romulan asked.

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

Nevir sat with his hands under his chin as the comm showed a countdown.  Sure, coordination was important, but the fleet didn't normally need a displayed strict time limit.  There was something off about the commands too... but he couldn't quite place it.

"You don't run experiments concurrent to an urgent mission.  A slipstream trail is no small change.  It would normally take months of testing at this point.  The danger of something going wrong is doubled here.  If the slipstream fails for us we run the risk of losing our ship.  If we are covering another ship, then that's two ships for the price of one." he stated, not moving from his position.

"Its not just about engineering, Rayek.  A slipstream is created around our warp bubble, so we need to extend it to bring another ship with us. A warp bubble that has to continually match speed and frequency.  Its dangerous.  And yet the Admiral is ordering exactly that."

He finally moved, laying back in his seat.  "Make sure Lek knows what the Admiral requested, and find out who is the lucky Captain that gets to stare at our backside.  Dismissed." he ordered, gesturing to his First Officer to leave.

"Computer, secure a connection to the Captain of the Challenger.  I want to talk to him privately."

He waited for the computer to acknowledge the request and send the request.  After a while, the connection was made and he looked at the face of an old friend.

"Good to see you, Captain Galloway.  Funny circumstances they have for us now."

[Ian Galloway]

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

Nevir sat with his hands under his chin as the comm showed a countdown.  Sure, coordination was important, but the fleet didn't normally need a displayed strict time limit.  There was something off about the commands too... but he couldn't quite place it.

"You don't run experiments concurrent to an urgent mission.  A slipstream trail is no small change.  It would normally take months of testing at this point.  The danger of something going wrong is doubled here.  If the slipstream fails for us we run the risk of losing our ship.  If we are covering another ship, then that's two ships for the price of one." he stated, not moving from his position.

"Its not just about engineering, Rayek.  A slipstream is created around our warp bubble, so we need to extend it to bring another ship with us. A warp bubble that has to continually match speed and frequency.  Its dangerous.  And yet the Admiral is ordering exactly that."

He finally moved, laying back in his seat.  "Make sure Lek knows what the Admiral requested, and find out who is the lucky Captain that gets to stare at our backside.  Dismissed." he ordered, gesturing to his First Officer to leave.

"Computer, secure a connection to the Captain of the Challenger.  I want to talk to him privately."

He waited for the computer to acknowledge the request and send the request.  After a while, the connection was made and he looked at the face of an old friend.

"Good to see you, Captain Galloway.  Funny circumstances they have for us now."

[Bridge --> Ready Room - USS Challenger]

When T'kel notified him of the private hail, Ian arched an eyebrow as he rose and headed for his ready room.

"You have the bridge Nira."

He said over his shoulder as he left the bridge. He immediately crossed to his desk, activated his terminal and ensured the connection was secure before he replied.

"Good to see you old friend. Tell me you ken what is really goin' on here."

[Tekin Nevir]

[Bridge --> Ready Room - USS Challenger]

When T'kel notified him of the private hail, Ian arched an eyebrow as he rose and headed for his ready room.

"You have the bridge Nira."

He said over his shoulder as he left the bridge. He immediately crossed to his desk, activated his terminal and ensured the connection was secure before he replied.

"Good to see you old friend. Tell me you ken what is really goin' on here."

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

He sighed, and shook his head.  "I wish I did, Ian.  I'm just as baffled as you are.  But thanks for confirming that I am not crazy." he stated, looking over a PADD.

"Things have gotten complicated lately, and I only just walked into it.  Is there anything you noticed about Starfleet Command?"

[Rayek trLhoell]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room >>>  Bridge]

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

Nevir sat with his hands under his chin as the comm showed a countdown.  Sure, coordination was important, but the fleet didn't normally need a displayed strict time limit.  There was something off about the commands too... but he couldn't quite place it.

"You don't run experiments concurrent to an urgent mission.  A slipstream trail is no small change.  It would normally take months of testing at this point.  The danger of something going wrong is doubled here.  If the slipstream fails for us we run the risk of losing our ship.  If we are covering another ship, then that's two ships for the price of one." he stated, not moving from his position.

"Its not just about engineering, Rayek.  A slipstream is created around our warp bubble, so we need to extend it to bring another ship with us. A warp bubble that has to continually match speed and frequency.  Its dangerous.  And yet the Admiral is ordering exactly that."

He finally moved, laying back in his seat.  "Make sure Lek knows what the Admiral requested, and find out who is the lucky Captain that gets to stare at our backside.  Dismissed." he ordered, gesturing to his First Officer to leave.

Rayek listened as the Captain expressed his concerns. The Romulan, not being overly science-minded, only knew the theory and principles behind the slipstream -  and he'd reviewed the operations manual for the drive prior to arriving on his assigned ship - but that is pretty much all.  He had no experience with what was possible and not possible with slipstream.  Nor had a hands on appreciation for how dangerous it was.   He took it as something notable that the Captain took the time to point out the dangers inherent with the Admirals plan.

At the Captain's gesture to leave. Rayek exited the Ready Room and proceeded to his seat, dislodging the doctor from the chair.

"Thank you.  Did the ship receive any further transmissions while were in the briefing?" the Romulan inquired planning out in his mind how to address the various departments that needed to be informed of the new orders.

Rayek was hoping that the Legacy would have already had ships assigned together freeing him of the need to track down that information.

After finding out which ship was their 'sister ship' for this guided slipstream and receiving specs for the slipstream from the USS Scott, Rayek copied the specs to his PADD. He then asked Lieutenant Addams to contact the other ship and arrange for their Chiefs of Engineering, Science and Operations to be on a standby comm line.

"Aye sir."

"USS Discovery to..."

Rayek turned his attention to opening a visual comm on his PADD to Discovery's Chiefs of Engineering, Ops and Science. The comm went out to Lt Cmdr Lek for Engineering, Lt Banan for Operations, and Lt Cadbury for Science.

"Chiefs, the ship has been ordered to prepare for a slipstream jump wherein we will be 'guiding' a warp-only vessel through the slipstream 'in our wake'.   This will require strong cooperation between our ship and that of our 'guided ship'."  Rayek tapped on his PADD in hand and forwarded on the Scott's slipstream specs.  "These are the specs provided to us of the successful trials of this 'guided' slipstream from the USS Scott.  We are on a deadline of ... 55 minutes for these preparations.  So if you have any questions, please hold onto them for a moment while we connect this comm"  Rayek looked over towards the waiting Grazerite who at his glance nodded.  "...to those aboard the USS Challenger."

[Ian Galloway]

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

He sighed, and shook his head.  "I wish I did, Ian.  I'm just as baffled as you are.  But thanks for confirming that I am not crazy." he stated, looking over a PADD.

"Things have gotten complicated lately, and I only just walked into it.  Is there anything you noticed about Starfleet Command?"

[Captain's Ready Room - USS Challenger]

Ian winced at Tekin's question, ran his hand through his hair, and sighed as the very idea behind what he was being asked bothered him deeply.

"Aye. Well, maybe nae so much Starfleet Command, but certainly with Gillespie. From what little I ken about quantum slipstream, it's a finicky git of a means of transportation. Keepin' the phase variance of the quantum field adjusted is only just within Federation technological capabilities. Since Voyager brought the slipstream back, the best minds in Starfleet have gotten fairly decent at doin' that better, but that's with a single ship. This piggyback plan is still only experimental and he wants ta do it with a dozen ships at once, it's madness. And, if'n that wasn't enough, he wants us ta get our ships configured ta do this in an hour. That's nae just madness, it's barkin' mad.

"What I don't ken is what is so bloody important we need ta get there so bleedin' fast? He was right cagey about what this is all about, and that's what troubles me the most."

When he'd finished speaking, Ian felt better as it felt good to be able say the things that bothered him about Gillespie's plan out loud to someone that seemed to have the same concerns.

[Lek]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room >>>  Bridge]

Rayek listened as the Captain expressed his concerns. The Romulan, not being overly science-minded, only knew the theory and principles behind the slipstream -  and he'd reviewed the operations manual for the drive prior to arriving on his assigned ship - but that is pretty much all.  He had no experience with what was possible and not possible with slipstream.  Nor had a hands on appreciation for how dangerous it was.   He took it as something notable that the Captain took the time to point out the dangers inherent with the Admirals plan.

At the Captain's gesture to leave. Rayek exited the Ready Room and proceeded to his seat, dislodging the doctor from the chair.

"Thank you.  Did the ship receive any further transmissions while were in the briefing?" the Romulan inquired planning out in his mind how to address the various departments that needed to be informed of the new orders.

Rayek was hoping that the Legacy would have already had ships assigned together freeing him of the need to track down that information.

After finding out which ship was their 'sister ship' for this guided slipstream and receiving specs for the slipstream from the USS Scott, Rayek copied the specs to his PADD. He then asked Lieutenant Addams to contact the other ship and arrange for their Chiefs of Engineering, Science and Operations to be on a standby comm line.

"Aye sir."

"USS Discovery to..."

Rayek turned his attention to opening a visual comm on his PADD to Discovery's Chiefs of Engineering, Ops and Science. The comm went out to Lt Cmdr Lek for Engineering, Lt Banan for Operations, and Lt Cadbury for Science.

"Chiefs, the ship has been ordered to prepare for a slipstream jump wherein we will be 'guiding' a warp-only vessel through the slipstream 'in our wake'.   This will require strong cooperation between our ship and that of our 'guided ship'."  Rayek tapped on his PADD in hand and forwarded on the Scott's slipstream specs.  "These are the specs provided to us of the successful trials of this 'guided' slipstream from the USS Scott.  We are on a deadline of ... 55 minutes for these preparations.  So if you have any questions, please hold onto them for a moment while we connect this comm"  Rayek looked over towards the waiting Grazerite who at his glance nodded.  "...to those aboard the USS Challenger."

[Engineering - USS Discovery]

Lek couldn't believe what he was hearing. They wanted to configure the quantum slipstream drive to open a corridor for a warp only ship. According to the specifications he'd been given, the process had been successfully tested, but that was with ships and crews that had who knew how long to prep for the experiment. He and the others involved were being expected to get the adjustments made in less than an hour with no prior preparation. It wasn't a case of what would go wrong, but how much would go wrong and how badly would it be wrong when it happened!

Lek was at a loss for words. He'd never seen such a reckless plan before and he was now at the most significant crossroads of his life. He could refuse to be a part of this insanity. They were in orbit of Ferenginar, he could resign and enjoy the profits from his Delta Quadrant operations and be a very comfortable man.

It was the easy choice, but what bothered him about doing it was, if he left, some lesser engineer would try to do this insane plan and the Discovery, along with the Challenger would be destroyed in the process. He'd have a hand in the loss of both crews and he could not live with himself if he allowed that to happen and no amount of profit would compensate for that much guilt. His other option was far less palatable or profitable, he could go along with the insanity and die with the others. Death was a remarkable salve for guilt after all.

"Everything that matters to me is about to shatter like glass."

He thought in abject misery, until that statement jarred an idea loose from deep inside his head.

"Glass. Crystal. Crystalline matrix. The ablative armor!"

He grabbed his PADD and began furiously running calculations and after several minutes of intense concentration. During which the others on the call might have wondered if he was having an episode of some sort.

"I have an idea everyone. We will need to dock fore to aft with the Discovery to create a physical link between the two ships. We run cables between the ships to also create a physical link between the two computer cores. We then configure the structural integrity fields of both ships to run through the ship's ablative armor's crystalline structure to essentially 'polarize the hull plating' like they did on the old NX-Class before shields were invented. This will make the two ships seem like one very long ship. Our warp fields will merge and when the Discovery opens the quantum field, it will be only one ship making the transit!"

[Dem Broadshire]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room >>>  Bridge]

Rayek listened as the Captain expressed his concerns. The Romulan, not being overly science-minded, only knew the theory and principles behind the slipstream -  and he'd reviewed the operations manual for the drive prior to arriving on his assigned ship - but that is pretty much all.  He had no experience with what was possible and not possible with slipstream.  Nor had a hands on appreciation for how dangerous it was.   He took it as something notable that the Captain took the time to point out the dangers inherent with the Admirals plan.

At the Captain's gesture to leave. Rayek exited the Ready Room and proceeded to his seat, dislodging the doctor from the chair.

"Thank you.  Did the ship receive any further transmissions while were in the briefing?" the Romulan inquired planning out in his mind how to address the various departments that needed to be informed of the new orders.

Rayek was hoping that the Legacy would have already had ships assigned together freeing him of the need to track down that information.

[Bridge | RFS Valadore]
Deciding that Dem had said "œsir" to many times for one day, he just simply nodded before assuming the commander's chair once more. For the next 10 minutes, nothing eventful happened. Barley a word was spoken on the bridge. After a few moments, Dem resorted to starting to read the files that were uploaded to his PADD earlier. He opened the first resource.

Second Officer Bridge Protocol For Officers in Training, 3rd Edition.

His "light reading" was sharply interrupted by a short communication from the Legacy, detailing ship assignments.
Eventually, the Romulan stepped out of the ready room and Dem breathed a sigh of relief. Dem moved once again back to his original chair, and responded to Rayek's inquiries with "We have been informed in a rather brief message that we will be towing the challenger? In a calm but exasperated tone. Towing? Did we arrive at Ferenginar just to tow some random ship? This mission is turning out to be pretty strange.

[Tekin Nevir]

[Captain's Ready Room - USS Challenger]

Ian winced at Tekin's question, ran his hand through his hair, and sighed as the very idea behind what he was being asked bothered him deeply.

"Aye. Well, maybe nae so much Starfleet Command, but certainly with Gillespie. From what little I ken about quantum slipstream, it's a finicky git of a means of transportation. Keepin' the phase variance of the quantum field adjusted is only just within Federation technological capabilities. Since Voyager brought the slipstream back, the best minds in Starfleet have gotten fairly decent at doin' that better, but that's with a single ship. This piggyback plan is still only experimental and he wants ta do it with a dozen ships at once, it's madness. And, if'n that wasn't enough, he wants us ta get our ships configured ta do this in an hour. That's nae just madness, it's barkin' mad.

"What I don't ken is what is so bloody important we need ta get there so bleedin' fast? He was right cagey about what this is all about, and that's what troubles me the most."

When he'd finished speaking, Ian felt better as it felt good to be able say the things that bothered him about Gillespie's plan out loud to someone that seemed to have the same concerns.

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

"I guess we need to stay vigilant.  The path will be shown to us in time... to coin a Bajoran phrase.  Obviously, Discovery is going to be the saddle for this mission, with luck you'll be assigned to us.  Discovery out." he said, closing the channel.

Things just didn't feel right, but he still had a mission.  The Captain stood up and walked out of the Ready Room to see his XO already arranging with the department heads of... his and the Challenger.  Good, they were assigned together. Not wanting to impose, Nevir stood back, listening.

[Rayek trLhoell]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Engineering - USS Discovery]

Lek couldn't believe what he was hearing. They wanted to configure the quantum slipstream drive to open a corridor for a warp only ship. According to the specifications he'd been given, the process had been successfully tested, but that was with ships and crews that had who knew how long to prep for the experiment. He and the others involved were being expected to get the adjustments made in less than an hour with no prior preparation. It wasn't a case of what would go wrong, but how much would go wrong and how badly would it be wrong when it happened!

Lek was at a loss for words. He'd never seen such a reckless plan before and he was now at the most significant crossroads of his life. He could refuse to be a part of this insanity. They were in orbit of Ferenginar, he could resign and enjoy the profits from his Delta Quadrant operations and be a very comfortable man.

It was the easy choice, but what bothered him about doing it was, if he left, some lesser engineer would try to do this insane plan and the Discovery, along with the Challenger would be destroyed in the process. He'd have a hand in the loss of both crews and he could not live with himself if he allowed that to happen and no amount of profit would compensate for that much guilt. His other option was far less palatable or profitable, he could go along with the insanity and die with the others. Death was a remarkable salve for guilt after all.

"Everything that matters to me is about to shatter like glass."

He thought in abject misery, until that statement jarred an idea loose from deep inside his head.

"Glass. Crystal. Crystalline matrix. The ablative armor!"

He grabbed his PADD and began furiously running calculations and after several minutes of intense concentration. During which the others on the call might have wondered if he was having an episode of some sort.

[Engineering - USS Challenger]

When the conference call started, Lieutenant Commander Dashlish Tharn, the ship's Tellerite chief engineer, listened in to the proposal to have the Challenger follow in the wake of the Discovery's quantum slipstream corridor with interest at first, but that quickly turned to horror.

"Have you people lost your minds?" She roared. "We have less than an hour to conduct an experiment with our lives at stake for something we've never done before!"

Lieutenant Evan Randall, the Challenger's acting chief science officer chimed in a more moderate tone.

"I have some concerns as well. This plan, while intriguing, does seem to be rather poorly thought out. While I think what they want us to do is possible, in order to ensure the safety of both ships, we need more time."

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

"I guess we need to stay vigilant.  The path will be shown to us in time... to coin a Bajoran phrase.  Obviously, Discovery is going to be the saddle for this mission, with luck you'll be assigned to us.  Discovery out." he said, closing the channel.

Things just didn't feel right, but he still had a mission.  The Captain stood up and walked out of the Ready Room to see his XO already arranging with the department heads of... his and the Challenger.  Good, they were assigned together. Not wanting to impose, Nevir stood back, listening.

It was rare find officers in such agreement when it came to new and innovative thinking or technology.  That they all agreed that this plan was mad, did not bode well for the success of this mission.

"Unfortunately gentlefolk, more time is something we do not have.  What we do have... are orders to make this guided slipstream jump happen. So let's figure out how.  It obviously can be done successfully." Rayek stated.  The Scott had managed the maneuver more than once; so could they!

Rayek was about to urge for more collaboration when something in Lek's voice caught at his attention.  The Romulan glanced at his viewscreen to see the Ferengi running calculations on his PADD.  Despite the urgency of the situation, Rayek didn't press the engineer for an immediate explanation.   Instead, he focused his attention on attempting to get the other Chiefs to come to some manner of agreement on how this plan was going to move ahead, but it was like herding gofers.  Worse yet, he heard the door to Ready Room slide open, so the Captain was witness to this debacle of leadership.

"I have an idea everyone. We will need to dock fore to aft with the Discovery to create a physical link between the two ships. We run cables between the ships to also create a physical link between the two computer cores. We then configure the structural integrity fields of both ships to run through the ship's ablative armor's crystalline structure to essentially 'polarize the hull plating' like they did on the old NX-Class before shields were invented. This will make the two ships seem like one very long ship. Our warp fields will merge and when the Discovery opens the quantum field, it will be only one ship making the transit!"

When Lek began his speech with the line,  'I have an idea', Rayek had been hopeful that the Ferengi had managed to take the specs that they had been given by the Scott and figure a way to make them fit with the Discovery's engines and hull plating.

Instead, what the Ferengi had done was further confuse the situation by offering a second, completely untested, option.  Which Lieutenant Cadbury, Discovery's CScO, was quick to point out.  "Are you crazy to suggest something that hasn't even been tested? This plan is even more reckless than the previous one!  At least that has a been proven and we have data work with to make our calculations."

Now, the previously unified chiefs were now split on which method to move forward on.

Rayek glanced at the time. Ten minutes of their precious time had already been wasted in complaints and now theorizing new methodology with the end result of them being no nearer finding a solution.   He was no engineer to have a strong opinion one way or the other, though physically connecting the two ships did seem like it might be easier to generate and extend the field over. Though it also assured that if something went wrong it would effect both ships.  Had this been tried by the Scott or some other slipstream capable ship before?  Was there a reason why this wasn't the initial plan?

"We need to come to consensus on the plan, people! Time is wasting. Commander Tharn do you support Commander Lek's idea?"  He asked the Tellerite point blank. If he could get the two engineers to agree to Lek's plan then he had the justification for altering their orders.  "If not, then we move ahead with the specs as provided."

[Rayek trLhoell]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Engineering - USS Challenger]

Tharn looked at the Ferengi's proposal and thought it was both brilliant and sheer insanity at the same time. Yet, the specifications they'd received from the Scott were no less reckless. Even though she was by her very species disinclined to be agreeable, young Randall had the right of it, they needed more time. However, it was clear that more time was not an option. Finally, because she knew all eyes were on her, she finally replied.

"Commander, I cannot, in good conscious, support either of these plans within the time we have. These options are beyond risky, they border on the suicidal. I don't pretend to know what is so important that there is this obsessive need for speed, but we are talking thousands of lives at risk here. I will do what I am ordered to do, under protest, but I will not contribute to choosing the method by which we all die."

[Lieutenant Commander Fernando CatalÁ¡n | Engineering | USS Challenger NCC-40117-A]

Fernando CatalÁ¡n had been silent throughout the whole exchange. Of course Tharn disagreed - if a Tellarite wasn't disagreeing in the slightest with something, then something was wrong - but in this case, he could understand her concern. But Lek offered a most brilliant idea.

"It could work, Commander, Lieutenant," he said to Tharn and Randall. "Extending ablative armor toward the Challenger's structural integrity could guarantee it lasts through the slipstream. Going piggyback in pairs, in a way. Uh, no pun intended and no offense, Tharn," he added, hoping Tharn won't take the "piggyback" comment literally. "Spreading the ablative armor via cables can definitely help.

"Considering there are roughly five ships without slipstream capability," continued CatalÁ¡n, "it'll mean one of the bigger slipstream ships will have to guide two of the non-slipstream ships. However, way I see it, the Legacy and the Scott are both big enough that either one of them can supply the ablative spread to two ships, though as long as one of those ships is the Eagle, which is easily the smallest ship in our little fleet, at least those of regular warp capability."

It was unwelcome that the Challenger's Engineering Chief wouldn't support either plans.  It attested to just how risky this 'guided slipstream' was.

As much as Rayek was inclined to go with Lek's plan, especially given the Challenger's Operations Chief's support, but without another engineer to back it, the Romulan couldn't justify risking both ships on a theory that it might work but as yet hadn't been tested.  He lacked the Engineering expertise to override the directed plan.

"We go with the provided specs then. Work together and figure out a way to give us the best chance of success. Update both myself and Commander Said of Challenger with your progress along the way. This is a hard deadline - so get it done! "   Rayek stated.

No sooner had he stated such than the Challenger's Captain called for an update.

[Captain's Ready Room --> Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian sighed when Tekin closed the connection, before rising and returning to the bridge, more unsettled than he'd been before he took the call. As he sat down, the only fraction of comfort he could find was that he wasn't the only one deeply concerned by the proposed piggyback plan. He noted that the meeting between the department heads of the two ships was still ongoing and that the meeting was seriously beginning to cut into the hour they'd been given. He tapped the comm on the command chair.

"Captain Galloway here. Time is gettin' away from us gentlebein's have you come ta consensus?"

Rayek responded.  "No consensus was reached.  Lieutenant Commander Lek had an untested idea that might have improved our chance success but the team was divided to it.  So we are going with the specs as provided.  I've ordered regular updates be provided to the Command Officers of both ships."

[Jael Sherem]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge] (earlier during slipstream)

Rayek smiled - not at all surprised to hear the praise regarding the Ferengi engineer.  Lek was just that good. It was a shame that the Ferengi didn't have more experience with singularity drives, Rayek figured then that Lek might have enjoyed the officer exchange program a bit more.

Recalling that Sherem wanted to speak to them, the Romulan called the Sec/Tac officer over.  "You had information you wanted to share with the Captain and I?"

Rayek didn't suggest leaving the Bridge for this information.  She'd already spoken of her father openly while aboard the Valdore, amid Romulan officers... he figured she should have no qualms about speaking the same here aboard her own ship.

[Lieutenant JG Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Discovery NCC-78393-B]

"I do," said Jael. She took a moment from teaching Mister Dersch and approached Rayek and the Captain.

"I'm sure you may have pulled files about my father from Starfleet," she said, "but I wanted to tell you about him in my own words. I feel to do so in light of Crell Moset's reemergence, because there's a good chance in the near future that we're bound to run into him, so I wanted to mention what to expect."

"You'll likely know that Gul Nehor Sherem, from files," she said, "that he was a former member of the Obsidian Order, and was an attache from the Order assigned to Terok Nor during the Occupation of Bajor, which would later bring about a friendship with the then-station prefect, Gul Dukat. The air of mystery about him made him feared among Bajorans, and he has as much a brutal reputation as Crell Moset. He was especially famous for branding his victims. After the Occupation, he was left behind during Enabran Tain's bungled attempt at exterminating the Founders and was thus spared from the destruction of the Obsidian Order, and when Gul Dukat took over Cardassia and joined them with the Dominion, he became the first head of the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau.

"But a thing about him, sirs," Jael told Rayek and Tekin, "is that Gul Sherem is Cardassia's foremost expert on the Borg. Even though the Borg never threatened Cardassian space, fear of the Borg was just about as potent as fear of the Dominion. Especially since the end of the Occupation, he had been occupied - no pun intended - with study about the Borg. Since the Dominion strengthened Cardassian might under Dukat's rule. From what my mother, who defected to the Federation when Cardassian joined the Dominion, learned since returning from exile, and from what I learned from her in turn, Nehor Sherem had been missing for half the Dominion War...yet his base of Melek Nor, which used to be on the other side of Cardassian territory, has vanished. And with good reason.

"Those of his officers that had been left behind after Melek Nor's disappearance have indicated that Gul Sherem had found an abandoned Borg unimatrix in unclaimed space between Cardassian and Tholian territory," continued Jael. "The reason for its abandonment was because of its proximity to a star that went nova - regular nova, not supernova - that had discharged some sort of massive electromangetic pulse that permanently fizzled every piece of technology. Father had some underlings uncover it, and later, with help from the Dominion, restored the technology for operation, including rigging ships and even Melek Nor - yes, a Nor-class station - with transwarp coils. From what's understood, at one point a live Borg cube showed up, but it was subsequently taken down by the Dominion...and with the realization that the Borg don't know about the Dominion.

"Mother had been finding indications of salvage work on Borg debris that's pretty much Father's trademark when it comes to salvaging," said Jael, knowing with the speed of slipstream, they'll be at their destination at any moment, so she's trying to speed things up. "They found the abandoned unimatrix, but with so much indications of strip mining in a short amount of time, the only thing of interest aside from hull debris and structural skeletons was the white dwarf that caused the electromagnetic nova in the first place. Oh, there was a trail, all right. Once in a while, Borg debris would be discovered, and they would be recent kills, too, at that time. But Nehor Sherem had been evading capture since the end of the Dominion War, thanks to his station and fleet being rigged with transwarp coils. Of course, he had a Cardassian/Dominion joint fleet at his command, but the numbers have been diminished over the years; his Dominion forces are still out there, while his own Cardassian underlings have been playing pirate like he has been. I should know, I was called over to infiltrate one of his pirate ships when I ran into your former Security Chief on an officer exchange."

Seeing as they were closing on their destination, Jael said hastily, "I may have to explain more later, but...here, this is what I know more about my father," she added, handing Rayek and Tekin two identical data rods. "This is what I've compiled about him, my own notes and information about him. They'll be on these data rods, one for each of you. Chances are you won't find some similar information in the Starfleet database.

"But suffice to say," Jael said as she turned to return to her station, "if on the chance of discovering a Nor-class station that's nowhere near Cardassian space, you'll know it's him."

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Captain's Ready Room]

"I guess we need to stay vigilant.  The path will be shown to us in time... to coin a Bajoran phrase.  Obviously, Discovery is going to be the saddle for this mission, with luck you'll be assigned to us.  Discovery out." he said, closing the channel.

Things just didn't feel right, but he still had a mission.  The Captain stood up and walked out of the Ready Room to see his XO already arranging with the department heads of... his and the Challenger.  Good, they were assigned together. Not wanting to impose, Nevir stood back, listening.

At Ferenginar, Jael was astonished. Playing piggyback to get some regular warp starships to their destination as fast as possible? And they were heading to Deep Space Nine?

Jael reflected as she was hearing the discussions of Challenger's departmental heads. What mattered more, though, was that Cardassia needed help from the Federation, and it had to do with pro-Dominion sympathizers...and it was sounding more and more possible that her father could be involved.

Slipping over to Rayek, Jael whispered in his ear, "Commander, with your permission, I need to get in touch with my mother. She may know more details of what is happening, being an envoy between the Detapa Council and the Federation."

[Rayek trLhoell]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge]

[Lieutenant JG Jael Sherem | Bridge | Deck One | USS Discovery NCC-78393-B]

"I do," said Jael. She took a moment from teaching Mister Dersch and approached Rayek and the Captain.

"I'm sure you may have pulled files about my father from Starfleet," she said, "but I wanted to tell you about him in my own words. I feel to do so in light of Crell Moset's reemergence, because there's a good chance in the near future that we're bound to run into him, so I wanted to mention what to expect."

"You'll likely know that Gul Nehor Sherem, from files," she said, "that he was a former member of the Obsidian Order, and was an attache from the Order assigned to Terok Nor during the Occupation of Bajor, which would later bring about a friendship with the then-station prefect, Gul Dukat. The air of mystery about him made him feared among Bajorans, and he has as much a brutal reputation as Crell Moset. He was especially famous for branding his victims. After the Occupation, he was left behind during Enabran Tain's bungled attempt at exterminating the Founders and was thus spared from the destruction of the Obsidian Order, and when Gul Dukat took over Cardassia and joined them with the Dominion, he became the first head of the Cardassian Intelligence Bureau.

Everything Jael had remarked on so far was nothing Rayek hadn't already known about.  Even the branding was noted in the Starfleet's file on the man.

"But a thing about him, sirs," Jael told Rayek and Tekin, "is that Gul Sherem is Cardassia's foremost expert on the Borg. Even though the Borg never threatened Cardassian space, fear of the Borg was just about as potent as fear of the Dominion. Especially since the end of the Occupation, he had been occupied - no pun intended - with study about the Borg. Since the Dominion strengthened Cardassian might under Dukat's rule. From what my mother, who defected to the Federation when Cardassian joined the Dominion, learned since returning from exile, and from what I learned from her in turn, Nehor Sherem had been missing for half the Dominion War...yet his base of Melek Nor, which used to be on the other side of Cardassian territory, has vanished. And with good reason.

At hearing that Melek Nor had apparently vanished, Rayek's expression seemed skeptical until Jael explained further.

"Those of his officers that had been left behind after Melek Nor's disappearance have indicated that Gul Sherem had found an abandoned Borg unimatrix in unclaimed space between Cardassian and Tholian territory," continued Jael. "The reason for its abandonment was because of its proximity to a star that went nova - regular nova, not supernova - that had discharged some sort of massive electromangetic pulse that permanently fizzled every piece of technology. Father had some underlings uncover it, and later, with help from the Dominion, restored the technology for operation, including rigging ships and even Melek Nor - yes, a Nor-class station - with transwarp coils. From what's understood, at one point a live Borg cube showed up, but it was subsequently taken down by the Dominion...and with the realization that the Borg don't know about the Dominion.

"Mother had been finding indications of salvage work on Borg debris that's pretty much Father's trademark when it comes to salvaging," said Jael, knowing with the speed of slipstream, they'll be at their destination at any moment, so she's trying to speed things up. "They found the abandoned unimatrix, but with so much indications of strip mining in a short amount of time, the only thing of interest aside from hull debris and structural skeletons was the white dwarf that caused the electromagnetic nova in the first place. Oh, there was a trail, all right. Once in a while, Borg debris would be discovered, and they would be recent kills, too, at that time. But Nehor Sherem had been evading capture since the end of the Dominion War, thanks to his station and fleet being rigged with transwarp coils. Of course, he had a Cardassian/Dominion joint fleet at his command, but the numbers have been diminished over the years; his Dominion forces are still out there, while his own Cardassian underlings have been playing pirate like he has been. I should know, I was called over to infiltrate one of his pirate ships when I ran into your former Security Chief on an officer exchange."

Seeing as they were closing on their destination, Jael said hastily, "I may have to explain more later, but...here, this is what I know more about my father," she added, handing Rayek and Tekin two identical data rods. "This is what I've compiled about him, my own notes and information about him. They'll be on these data rods, one for each of you. Chances are you won't find some similar information in the Starfleet database.

"But suffice to say," Jael said as she turned to return to her station, "if on the chance of discovering a Nor-class station that's nowhere near Cardassian space, you'll know it's him."

What he learned from the Cardassian junior Lieutenant nearly made his mouth drop open.   How had something like that get missed by Starfleet Intelligence?  Or did they know but chose not to inform the majority of Starfleet personnel.

As Jael handed him a data rod with all her gathered information on her father, the Romulan had to wonder how long she had been prepping for this moment?  Rayek, also had to wonder why she hadn't offered up this information to her superiors previously.  But rather than ask her that, Rayek nodded.

"We appreciate the information, Lieutenant Sherem.  However, there is little reason suspect that he is involved at this time.  But not to worry, this information will be passed on to Starfleet Intelligence." Rayek assured.

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge]

At Ferenginar, Jael was astonished. Playing piggyback to get some regular warp starships to their destination as fast as possible? And they were heading to Deep Space Nine?

Jael reflected as she was hearing the discussions of Challenger's departmental heads. What mattered more, though, was that Cardassia needed help from the Federation, and it had to do with pro-Dominion sympathizers...and it was sounding more and more possible that her father could be involved.

Slipping over to Rayek, Jael whispered in his ear, "Commander, with your permission, I need to get in touch with my mother. She may know more details of what is happening, being an envoy between the Detapa Council and the Federation."

With the comm call muted on his end to let the Engineering, Science and Operations staff do their thing, Rayek had just settled back into his seat to await the first update.  He wasn't surprised when moments later, both Torra and the Vulcan, Savel, were tagged to assist with the modifications needed.

Suddenly, junior Lieutenant Sherem was at his ear whisper.   This time Rayek did frown.  Why the Hell did she suspect information her mother might have would be of use?  The crew hadn't yet been told anything of the underlying mission just that they needed to have the guided slipstream up and working within the hour.   No where in those orders had information of Cardassia's involvement been mentioned - except for Admiral Gillespie's message to the Command Officers.   Had she been listening in?

He fixed the junior Lieutenant with an amused look.  "Why would you suspect she has any information that might be of use, Lieutenant?  Is she also an expert on slipstream?"

[Rayek trLhoell]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge] (At Ferenginar)

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian listened to the Discovery's First Officer, a Romulan of all things, with amazement. As he didn't know the man, he held his initial response in check. He instead replied in a cold tone rather than with the heat that initially crossed his mind.

"Are you seriously sayin' you have a plan that will increase our odds of success and we're nae doin' that? Given even the planned method is only half-baked, I am at a loss as ta why you wouldn't want ta improve our chances. Send this Lek's proposal ta me and if'n it's one dram less mad than the current plan, we're goin' ta do that. Galloway out."

Rayek was about to reiterate and stress the operative word in his sentence that the Captain left out.  It 'MIGHT' improve their chances.  It was also as likely to ensure both ships destruction by tying them to one another,  but the impulsive and  Captain cut the comm before Rayek could speak.  The Romulan turned to look to Tekin.  Would Tekin take umbrage at having another Captain dictate how they would do the slipstream?

"I will send the proposal to you as well.  As Captain of the Discovery, the decision should be yours not his." Rayek stated as he forwarded the proposal Lek had presented, to both Captains.

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian was irritated. The plan to piggyback slipstream capable ships with warp only ships was fraught with peril. The time constraint to make this plan work was absurd. And the reason any of this was even necessary was not clear. All he knew was the lives of thousands of Starfleet personnel were at stake and he didn't know why. So, unfortunately, when Kina spoke, his response wasn't in the friendly manner for which he was known.

"I will take that information under advisement Ensign. Assumin' we bloody survive for it ta be of any value."

It was at that moment the comm on the command chair beeped and he looked at the proposal the Discovery's engineer had suggested. Ian wasn't an engineer himself, but as a helmsman, he had a solid understanding of ship design and structure.

"Linkin' the crystal lattice structure of the ablative armor via the structural integrity field is next level engineerin'." He muttered. "This is one of those ideas that falls into the cliche of 'that's so crazy it could work'."

Ian hit the comm switch on the command chair harder than he meant to as he replied.

"Commander. This plan of your engineer is unorthodox enough ta be bloody heresy, but the combination of a physical connection of the ships reinforced with this 'polarized' ablative armor makes the a viable solution. Execute immediately as we are runnin' out of time."

Rayek's expression twitched at the outright order from another ship's Captain... a tag-along to the Discovery's slipstream.  The Romulan looked to Tekin to see if HIS Captain would back Galloway or override the other's Captain order. 

[Tekin Nevir]

Commander Rayek tr'Lhoell
[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Bridge] (At Ferenginar)

Rayek was about to reiterate and stress the operative word in his sentence that the Captain left out.  It 'MIGHT' improve their chances.  It was also as likely to ensure both ships destruction by tying them to one another,  but the impulsive and  Captain cut the comm before Rayek could speak.  The Romulan turned to look to Tekin.  Would Tekin take umbrage at having another Captain dictate how they would do the slipstream?

"I will send the proposal to you as well.  As Captain of the Discovery, the decision should be yours not his." Rayek stated as he forwarded the proposal Lek had presented, to both Captains.

Rayek's expression twitched at the outright order from another ship's Captain... a tag-along to the Discovery's slipstream.  The Romulan looked to Tekin to see if HIS Captain would back Galloway or override the other's Captain order.

[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Main Bridge]

Nevir had a frown on his face listening to the call with the other officers of both ships.  It wasn't bad enough they were asked to do the improbable.. but they couldn't even agree on the method of execution.  He could feel the frustration from Ian as it matched his own... not to mention the fact that his computer in his ready room was still giving a countdown.

"I think Captain Galloway has the right idea.  We need to work together, but Lek has the experience and the expertise of working with a slipspace drive.  If he feels his idea is better than the Admiral's... I frankly will lean on him more." he stated, calmly.

"Especially because we do not have that much time."