Season 17: Episode 2: Delta Wave: Tidal Forces

[Tekin Nevir]

Captain's Log, Stardate 80117.3

The Discovery is currently on temporary patrol duty along the outer edge of the Beta Quadrant — a holding pattern, if I'm being honest. Starfleet Command has pulled us from exploratory operations pending a full forensic analysis of our recent engagement... or rather, our escape.

We encountered something in subspace—something alive. A species, maybe. A predatory force, almost certainly. They struck without warning, without negotiation, without even revealing themselves fully. We still don't know what they are.

We call them Xel'kath now. The name isn't official—it was pulled from a corrupted fragment of sensor data and stuck. It sounds like a hiss. It feels like one.

We don't know where they came from. We don't know how they exist. We only know that their ships—or organisms, or whatever they are—phase in and out of normal space, like a shadow that only becomes solid long enough to strike. They dwell in subspace, but not as travelers. They live there. Feed there.

I've read between the lines of Command's orders. We're not patrolling this sector. We're being watched.

Maybe they think we're compromised. Maybe they're right.

Or maybe there is something else unknown out there...

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[USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Main Bridge]

Tekin looked grumpy. The reason most likely was the scanner hovering over his head and the older Russian human holding it. The entire crew was being subjected to weekly scans of their mental state; a concern that at least one member of the Brass had brought up.  At this point with nothing to show for it, it really did seem like a waist of time.

"If you hold shtill, this will be over quicker."

"This would also be over quicker if you would just take the promotion and be our CMO." Nevir responded in kind, which got a laugh from the Russian lieutenant.

"Oh no.. no command for me.  You're lucky I don't leave the ship. Find me a younger officer to groom."

Nevir sighed as the scan completed.  Look at that, still nothing.  With him done, that basically finished off the crew for this week. Misha left the bridge to return to Sickbay, while Nevir checked the chronometer.  It was late, relatively speaking.  He usually would have been off the first shift hours ago.  But he was putting in extra hours through his own studies.  And it felt slightly more comfortable.  It gave him a higher chance of being on the Bridge if and when the subspace invaders returned. But he had to admit, he was getting tired.

"Mr. Ramort, you have the conn. I should try to get some sleep. Disturb me only for emergencies," he stated, standing up and leaving the bridge.

The perk of being the Commanding officer was that his quarters were the closest to the bridge.  It wasn't a long trip, and he was able to make it to his bed before he winked out.

[J.B Dersch]

[Lt. JB Dersch - Secuirty/Tactical Officer - USS Discovery - Deck 1 - Main Bridge]

Lt. JB Dersch stood at the tactical console, eyes narrowed as he focused on running diagnostics on the ship's security and weapons systems. The rhythmic beeping of the console provided a steady cadence as he tapped through various screens, checking the readiness of each system.

"Running diagnostics on security systems now," Dersch said to himself, his fingers gliding over the controls. The readouts blinked back at him, lines of code and status reports filling the display. All security protocols are green. Shield generators are operating at full capacity.

As he continued his checks, he couldn't help but steal a glance at the captain, who was lost in thought. The captain had been looking forward to the science conference at Outpost Solare, and Dersch could sense his disappointment over missing such an important event.

"Now checking weapons systems," Dersch muttered to himself as he switched screens. "Phaser banks—green. Torpedo launchers green across the board as well."

The information streamed in, confirming the ship's combat readiness. Satisfied, he double-checked the results one more time, ensuring everything was functioning without a hitch.

[Lorut Vila]

{USS Discovery|Ops Console|Bridge}

Vila was clacking away at the computer, as she had been for several minutes already.

"Sir, all systems are primed. As far as I can tell, nothing out there awaits. We're just...free to patrol," she said.

Fantastic. Command should know by now that idle work made her nuts, and when she felt like that, ANYTHING could happen.

She had excused Bosch and the rest of the Ops department for the evening-they needed the rest. She didn't sleep much, and she wouldn't, with the thought of alien spiders around. No siree.

"If that refrigeration system in the labs craps out again, I swear to the Prophets that I am blowing up that section of the ship," she muttered, as a yellow warning light went off. What the hell were they DOING down there?!

"Dersch, you need help there?" She asked. 

[J.B Dersch]

{USS Discovery|Ops Console|Bridge}

Vila was clacking away at the computer, as she had been for several minutes already.

"Sir, all systems are primed. As far as I can tell, nothing out there awaits. We're just...free to patrol," she said.

Fantastic. Command should know by now that idle work made her nuts, and when she felt like that, ANYTHING could happen.

She had excused Bosch and the rest of the Ops department for the evening-they needed the rest. She didn't sleep much, and she wouldn't, with the thought of alien spiders around. No siree.

"If that refrigeration system in the labs craps out again, I swear to the Prophets that I am blowing up that section of the ship," she muttered, as a yellow warning light went off. What the hell were they DOING down there?!

"Dersch, you need help there?" She asked.

[Lt. JB Dersch - Tactical Station - USS Discovery]

Lt. JB Dersch was focused on his console when he heard Vila's voice from the ops console. He glanced up, seeing her frustration bubbling under the surface.

"Everything's primed and ready for patrol" he confirmed, recognizing the restless energy in her tone. "Good to know, but I understand how you feel. Too much idle time can make anyone uneasy, especially out here."

As Vila expressed her concern about the refrigeration system in the labs, Dersch chuckled softly to himself. "If it's anything like those alien spiders you're worried about, I wouldn't take any chances," he teased lightly. "But hey, if you need backup to handle the lab cooling systems, I'm all in. I'd rather deal with a faulty refrigeration unit than hear about any cryo-bug incidents."

He turned back to his tactical displays, keeping an eye on the sensor readings. "But in the meantime, I'll keep an eye on security and weapons systems while you've got ops covered. Let's at least be ready if something does happen while we're out here—spiders or otherwise."

"Just shout if anything goes sideways," he added, allowing a smile to break his serious demeanor. "And let's hope for a quiet patrol until the next shift comes on." Dersch returned to his readings, the slight tension on the bridge fading as he focused on his duties, ready for whatever might come their way.

[Tekin Nevir]

(I said I would have to push it along regularly, so I'm advancing us to Solare.)

[USS Discovery - Deck 2 - Captain's Quarters]

He didn't get much time to sleep as it would turn out, as only an hour after he had retired for the night, an urgent high-level communication was sent to his quarters.  The Bajoran rubbed his eyes and walked over to his desk, turning on the computer to see an elderly yet familiar admiral.  Or retired Admiral.

"Admiral Janeway..? This is unexpected."

"Captain Tekin, right?  I seemed to have caught you asleep."

"Oh... long shift with this Xel'kath situation and Starfleet keeping us in the dark."

"I heard.. life living in subspace that prey on us.. sounds like another interdimensional race I encountered."

"I'm guessing you're not calling because someone told you how disappointed I was to not go."

"No, I'm not.  We have a situation developing in this region of space.  We've discovered an old abandoned transwarp conduit. It goes to the Delta Quadrant. And its being actively used."

This caused the Bajoran to sit up straighter, and he was no longer groggy.

"The Borg?"

"No, no.. thankfully no.  I think Picard settled that issue permanently. But therein lies the problem; the races of the Delta Quardrant have discovered it and where it goes.  Kazon, Maelon, Hirogen... all of my old friends."

"And they're not here to reminise of your journey."

"More like payback maybe."

Nevir was already doing the calculations in his head.  Even at maximum warp, they were still looking at days, not an instant response.  There was also...

"We're recalling ships now, I know your ship is the farthest one we're calling, but I know you have one of the few working quantum slipstream drives.  There is already a feet massing on their side, we need all the help you can get.  We've even reached out to the Free State."

"Luckily, I have some friends there, too. I assume Starfleet is okay with this?"

"They can talk to me if they have a problem.  Janeway out."

The channel closed, giving Nevir a chance to take a breath, and then he stood up.  It took minutes to get back into uniform and a few minutes after that, he walked back onto the bridge.

"Helm, set a direct course for Outpost Solare at maximum warp.  Engineering, we need the quantum slipstream drive online. All department finish your diagnostics and get ready for combat.  And go!" he stated, giving the order while he sat in his chair.

"I just received a message from Outpost Solare; they are expecting to come under attack, they are recalling as many ships as possible.  Janeway specifically reached out to use because of our slipstream drive.  Let's not disappoint her."

Days Later...

They were close enough to get readings from Solare, but not close enough to help.  With the ship at red alert, he was ready for anything.  Nevir spent most of the trip in his ready room, making calls to his contacts in the Romulan Free State.  If he couldn't get there soon, he wanted to at least help bring allies. It seemed to have worked and the Romulans were sending a fleet to assist.  With that sigh of relief, he turned to the battle data for the sector. There were incoming signatures already.  Two groups, from both sides.  One Federation, one Romulan.

His attention was interrupted when Ops announced a hail from one of the lead Federation ships. The elder woman in red looked at Nevir for the second time in a week.

"Discovery, you are just in time. Join the fleet formation, you should be dropping out of warp about the same time we do."

"Yes, ma'am. Do we need to come in guns blazing?"

"No, not this time.  It looks like they are already in retreat."

"Understood.  Stand down red alert, lets go to yellow alert."

While Janeway's fleet warped in, a green shimmer was the telltale sign of a slipspace drive, and the Discovery finally arrived at Solare.  Sure enough, the remaining ships were on retreat.

"Sorry Mr. Dersch, you'll have to wait to go guns blazing." Nevir commented, standing up out of his chair.

"Hail the station. Let them know Discovery is ready to assist."