Commander Chakotay’s log—“First Officer’s Log, [375] Stardate 50719.7. We have encountered several ships that appear to be heavily damaged and adrift in a strangely quiet region. We were battling the strongest currents yet when Voyager passed through an almost physical wall into something like the eye of a storm. We are surveying the ships in an effort to determine what happened to them. Preliminary scans reveal no lifesigns or energy signatures. The ships do not correspond to any known Gamma Quadrant cultures.”
Ensign Kim’s log—“Operations Officer’s Log, Stardate 50719.7. I have picked up a faint lifesign on one of the ships. Sensors are having difficulty penetrating the area directly around the survivor, but readings indicate one humanoid life-form.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50719.8. Mr. Kim has determined that it is safe to transport an away team into the ship containing what we assume to be a survivor of whatever has taken place here. Commander Chakotay has assigned Lieutenant Commander Tuvok and Lieutenant Torres to his team.”
Lieutenant Torres’s mission report—“We just returned from the alien vessel. It is in extremely rough shape, though I am not sure yet what caused the damage. We detected no signs of energy-weapon scarring but the hull is ruptured in several places. Emergency doors isolated some of the breaches, preventing access to several areas of the ship. The computer system is down, as is main power. The ship is running on what I assume to be their emergency backup, but even that is almost drained. The ship may have been adrift here for some time. My first assessment indicates that their technology lags well behind our own. There won’t be much to salvage from the bridge. A breach in the engine room [376] makes access to that section impossible, so I doubt we’ll gain much in raw materials either.”
Lieutenant Tuvok’s mission report—“We have returned to Voyager with the survivor that was detected by the ship’s sensors. We found him unconscious in the command chair on the bridge, which implies he is the vessel’s captain. He is currently undergoing treatment in Sickbay. He appears to be the only survivor. We found no bodies, even though the bridge layout clearly suggests that it is normally staffed by a dozen crew members. Given that we have found no signs of energy-weapon discharge, I don’t believe this is the site of a battle. My initial hypothesis is that the ship experienced some sort of natural catastrophe and that the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. The captain remained behind with the vessel to await the end. However, it apparently never came. This explanation is supported by the fact that the other vessels present here are significantly different from each other, suggesting they may come from a variety of races. Lieutenant Torres and Ensign Kim are analyzing the damage to the ship’s hull in an effort to determine what caused it to rupture.”
Commander Chakotay’s mission report—“We successfully located the only survivor and transported him aboard. He appears to be the ship’s captain. He is currently undergoing treatment in Sickbay. We found no sign of the other crew members’ bodies. The ship is an eerie place. It is torn to pieces and running on emergency power. The bridge was very dimly lit. Smoke filled the air. There was a moment while I was exploring a passage alone when I thought I heard someone calling out. I couldn’t make out the words. I went toward the sound and yelled back. No one answered [377] me. My tricorder did not indicate any life-forms were present. I assume I heard metal creaking somewhere and imagined it was a voice. The whole environment is pretty unsettling. I think we’re all glad to be back aboard Voyager.”
Emergency Medical Holographic Program’s log—“Chief Medical Officer’s Log, Stardate 50719.9. I have completed the initial examination and treatment of our new guest. The patient remains unconscious. He belongs to a species we have not previously encountered, making it difficult to assess him in any great depth or to prescribe treatment. I do not want to risk giving him standard humanoid stimulants until I learn more about him. The patient seems to be in relatively good physical condition, particularly considering the fact that he had been adrift in a shipwreck and unconscious for an unknown period of time. I am continuing my analysis.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50720.3. Having met with the senior staff, I have decided to continue on our current course through the nebula toward the Alpha Quadrant. Our theory is that the nebula’s energy currents may vary considerably in intensity. While we have not encountered any turbulence severe enough to rip a ship apart, the phenomenon may simply be in a quieter phase. I believe we should continue on our path quickly, before the currents change. Lieutenant Torres and Ensign Kim report that the hulls of most of the shipwrecks are constructed with materials inferior to those found in Voyager’s hull. It is our hope that, should we encounter more severe turbulence, we will be able to survive the pounding better than they did.”
Ensign Kim’s log—“Operations Officer’s Log, Stardate 50720.3. We have just reentered the distinctive wall of dust [378] and gas that envelops the core of this nebula. Conditions are roughly equivalent to those we found on the way into the core. Currents and density are at the same peak levels recorded earlier.”
Emergency Medical Holographic Program’s log—“Chief Medical Officer’s Log, Stardate 50720.3. The patient has regained consciousness on his own and is alert. I administered no treatment. He seems quite startled to find himself aboard Voyager and asked me if he was dead. I assured him he is very much alive and have asked Captain Janeway to come down to meet our guest, who calls himself Captain Uthlow.”
Lieutenant Torres’s log—“Chief Engineer’s Log, Stardate 50720.3. We appear to be having some sort of malfunction that is limited to the doors on Deck 10. I was on my way here from the bridge when I discovered it. As I walked down the corridor from the turbolift, I realized that the door hadn’t closed behind me. It did a moment later, but a few steps further down the corridor I saw the door to Storage Locker 12 slide open. No one came out, and when I walked up to look in, no one was inside. I closed the door with the manual release. Then I found the door to one of the Jefferies Tubes open. Again, no one was inside and I was able to close the hatch. I have assigned a repair crew to investigate.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50720.4. I had a brief but disturbing conversation in Sickbay with Captain Uthlow, the alien brought on board by the away team. He is quite amazed that Voyager has been able to remain intact so far. Uthlow’s ship was exploring this nebula, which his people call the Tenebrous Cluster due to its dark appearance. While they mapped the cluster and gathered data on its composition, they encountered more than [379] just the strong currents we’ve observed. Uthlow claims the cluster is inhabited by what he calls ‘Monthuglu,’ a group of entities he says are responsible for the damage to these ships and the disappearance of their crews. I pressed him for more information, but he grew increasingly upset by my skepticism regarding some of the more incredible parts of his story. I need to keep in mind that he lost his ship and his entire crew on that mission. He certainly has no obvious reason to deceive us, and we saw a dozen destroyed ships with no definite cause. I have ordered the ship put on Yellow Alert and asked Lieutenant Tuvok to meet with Captain Uthlow and me in my ready room for a more formal discussion.”
Emergency Medical Holographic Program’s log—“Chief Medical Officer’s Log, Stardate 50720.5. I have treated and released Crewman Okira for minor injuries he sustained in a fall while working in Engineering. He apparently was not paying close enough attention to his work environment and thought that an open hatch was closed. He sustained a severe cut to the upper scalp. Crewman Okira insisted that he looked at the hatch and that it was closed just before the accident, but since I can find no indication that he might have been hallucinating, I must assume he is simply mistaken.”
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok’s log—“Tactical Officer’s Log, Stardate 50720.5. I have met with Captain Janeway and Captain Uthlow. According to Captain Uthlow, we are in grave danger. He calls the race that inhabits this nebula ‘Monthuglu,’ but I do not think that is
a formal species name. Instead, the word appears to originate in his culture’s mythology. In their stories, Monthuglu are evil spirits that have no physical form. They are an invisible force that kills [380] and carries people away. The entities in this nebula never showed themselves to Captain Uthlow and his crew. None of their sensor data could explain what was happening. I suspect that is why they branded the species with a popular myth out of their folktales.
“He says that the Monthuglu have the ability to gain control of physical matter, including machines, and that once they determined how his ship worked, they caused severe malfunctions that led to multiple hull breaches. These ruptures apparently allowed the creatures to enter the ship, and they began to kill off his crew. As the ship fled, the Monthuglu invaded the bridge. Captain Uthlow saw his senior officers killed before his eyes. He states that they were absorbed by an enemy he could not see or fight. For whatever reason, they left him for last. He remembers hear-big a loud screeching in his ears and what he describes as an icy pain enveloped him. The last thing he recalls is catching a glimpse of the nebula cloud parting and the core emerging beyond. Then nothing. Given that Uthlow was not killed and we found no invading force on his vessel, I hypothesize that the attackers abruptly left the ship. It is possible that their species is unable to exist in the core of the nebula and they were forced to retreat. Ensign Kim is examining the possibilities in order to provide us with a report on defensive tactics we can use should we encounter this race. The ship remains at Yellow Alert.”
Ensign Kim’s log—“Operations Officer’s Log, Stardate 50720.6. I have completed my analysis of the nebula cloud, its core, and the readings we took aboard Captain Uthlow’s ship. I find no indication of sentient life anywhere. The core of the cloud is largely free of most of the gases that make up [381] the main body: nitrogen, parmacon, and helium. It is possible that the alien species requires the presence of one or more of these gases in order to exist or move, but that is just a wild guess based on what Captain Uthlow has told us.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50720.6. I have met with the senior staff to review our situation. Unfortunately, even with the few facts that we have and Captain Uthlow’s knowledge of the nebula, there are no real options to consider. We must continue through the Tenebrous Cluster to reach normal space again. According to the explorations that Captain Uthlow and his crew made prior to being attacked, the cluster is relatively symmetrical. Thus, we must travel roughly the same distance no matter what course we set. I have decided to continue on our original heading, toward Federation space. We simply have no way of predicting the behavior of these aliens. Therefore, I believe it is in our best interests to continue on our way and hope for the best.”
Commander Chakotay’s log—“First Officer’s Log, Stardate 50721.0. Voyager continues to travel through the severe currents of this nebula. The conditions are very unsettling. The ship is being tossed about, pushed by the energy currents and colliding with highly concentrated dust nodules. Not much can be seen with the visual scanners and even less out the windows. I imagine ancient sailors on Earth felt like this while struggling through ocean storms: holding on, bracing against the next blow, wishing it would end. It would feel more like a romantic adventure if we didn’t know that hundreds, if not thousands, of space travelers have lost their lives here to an enemy we haven’t seen yet. At Captain Janeway’s request, Captain Uthlow has remained on the [382] bridge with us. He has pretty much kept to himself. I think he feels frustrated by the fact that we have been unwilling to accept his supernatural interpretation of events.”
Captain Janeway’s personal log—“Personal log, Stardate 50721.1. I’m having a little trouble sleeping tonight. I went to the holodeck and spent some time walking under the stars in Neelix’s resort program. The quiet of the night with only the torches and moon for light is very relaxing. It helped to take my mind off things for a while, until I came across Neelix himself. He was on a walk, too. He is concerned about the general morale of the crew. The Mess Hall was very quiet during dinner this evening. I told him not to worry. I think everyone is just focused on the task at hand. We face a threat of unknown proportions and can’t expect the crew to just shrug it off. He seemed to accept that and feel better. We talked for a while about the joy and fear that both come with exploring new areas of space and then went our separate ways. I’m going to catch a few hours of sleep and then relieve Chakotay on the bridge.”
Commander Chakotay’s log—“First Officer’s Log, Stardate 50721.2. I spoke with Captain Uthlow for some time about his people and his experiences here in the Tenebrous Cluster. I find him to be a sensible and thoughtful man. What happened to him and his crew has deeply scarred him. He was responsible for the safety of a hundred crew members and is the only one left. Despite his obvious pain, he is very focused on assisting us in our journey out of the nebula, particularly since he thinks we are a bit naïve. Uthlow believes our reliance on technology to be a weakness as well as a strength. While he is impressed by what we have, he told me he fears we may be blinded by it. His [383] people readily believe that there are things which are beyond explanation, forces which can’t ever be dismissed by science. At his urging, I rechecked the most recent departmental reports. The results are rather dramatic. I will make a full report to the captain when she comes on duty in half an hour.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50721.3. Commander Chakotay has provided me with a report that shows no fewer than a dozen unexplained mechanical or computer failures since we entered the Tenebrous Cluster. They are all minor, but that’s an alarming number. I also received a report from the Doctor, who informs me that he has treated numerous people for injuries resulting from ‘careless behavior’ in the last few days. He suggests that the crew may be in need of shore leave, since the frequency of these types of incidents has increased dramatically of late. One could almost say that the crew are experiencing unexplained malfunctions as well. None of these incidents indicates that we are in any jeopardy, of course, but taken together, it does seem that there is a pattern of problems which began when we entered the nebula.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, supplemental. I am greatly troubled by what is taking place here. We are unable to identify a cause for any of the ship malfunctions, and it is difficult to write them off as coincidence. Captain Uthlow’s concern is increasing. He continues to insist that these are not random phenomena at all, but actually the initial attacks by Monthuglu. I am beginning to understand how the Monthuglu myth gained such life with his people.”
Ensign Kim’s personal log—“Personal log, Stardate 50721.3. I just woke from a horrible dream. ... My heart is [384] pounding. ... I’m really thirsty. I dreamt that I was in a pitch-dark cave. Alone. But I had the feeling I was lost or looking for someone, as though I wasn’t supposed to be alone. I edged my way through the cave slowly, because I had no lamp. The floor and walls were jagged, but the passage went fairly straight for a while. I only stumbled once or twice, tripping over boulders on the floor. I kept one hand on the wall, so I could backtrack if necessary, and waved the other hand in front of me. That worked well because I didn’t bang my head when I came to what seemed like a dead end. I felt around the walls with my hands and found a narrow crack near the floor. It was even blacker inside it, but I could feel a slight breeze coming through, so I knew there was more passage beyond. I knelt down and pushed myself inside. It wasn’t tall enough for me to crawl through, so I had to slither forward and push with my feet. The walls pressed against me. Sharp edges of rock snagged my clothes and scratched at my face. It was hard work to move. I had just found the other end of the crack with my hand when my left leg got pinched in a tight spot. I turned my leg a bit to try to slide it through and made it a lot worse.
“Pain seared through me, and I realized that I was now truly jammed. I tried to push myself backwards with my hands but couldn’t move. I was stuck in the crack. Then I heard sounds ahead o
f me in the open passage, faint at first, but getting nearer. They were like voices, but distorted. Kind of a screeching. They got louder and louder, building into a terrible noise of overlapping voices. Then I saw something coming. It looked like a cloud of mist. My mind screamed at me to get away but I was trapped. The mist advanced toward me. It drew up to the crack, just a few feet from my face, and [385] started to reshape itself. It became a face. My face. I was staring at an image of myself. The screams and cries built and then, slowly, the image of my face contorted in pain. The skin peeled back until I was staring at a huge skull. All the voices stopped except one. I realized that it was my own voice screaming and woke up. ...
“It took me a moment to realize I had been dreaming. I opened my eyes and it was still dark. Maybe it’s just all this talk about the Monthuglu. I’m keyed up, waiting for something to happen. When I’m on duty at least I keep busy. Having the ship run at a standing Yellow Alert gets unnerving after a while. I wish I didn’t have to sleep. Tuvok has stayed at his post. I wanted to as well, but Commander Chakotay ordered me to take a break. I should tell him that being on duty is less stressful.”
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok’s log—“Tactical Officer’s Log, Stardate 50721.4. The ship is at Red Alert due to the possible presence of the Monthuglu. We have had a major power disruption here on the bridge. The main and battle lights have both failed, leaving us with nothing but the glow from the consoles. There is no immediately apparent cause. Short-range scans detect nothing unusual. Long-range scans are still inoperative as a result of interference from the cluster. We continue our scans. Captain Janeway has called a conference.”
Captain Janeway’s log—“Captain’s Log, Stardate 50721.4. It appears that we are in fact experiencing some sort of unusual phenomenon. For lack of any other data, I have been forced to turn to Captain Uthlow for some kind of insight into what is happening and how to combat it. Captain Uthlow believes that the Monthuglu are beginning to gain an [386] understanding of our key systems. His bridge experienced malfunctions just prior to the final wave of attack when the ship’s hull breached. He has urged us to make a run for it in the hope of reaching the edge of the nebula before things get worse. I am keeping the ship at Red Alert and have ordered Lieutenant Paris to increase speed on our course. The ride may get a little rougher, but I want to be clear of the nebula as soon as possible. I have taken the next watch and ordered Commander Chakotay to get some rest. He has been on duty for eighteen hours straight.”
STAR TREK: Strange New Worlds I Page 32