• • •
Chakotay arrived in astrometrics to find Seven, Lieutenant Devi Patel, and Lieutenant Commander B’Elanna Torres engaged in a heated discussion.
“But that doesn’t make sense unless you’re willing to ignore the laws of physics,” B’Elanna said, clearly frustrated.
Seven’s eyes did not leave the disconcerting image on the astrometrics lab’s viewscreen.
“I am ignoring nothing, Commander,” Seven replied tersely. “Unless you have a suggestion that incorporates all of the available data—”
Patel cut her off. “There is no way this data is accurate,” she insisted.
“Upon what do you base that assertion?” Seven asked, incredulous.
“Maybe the fact that it’s completely impossible,” B’Elanna said, clearly hoping to gain an advantage through volume.
“Enough,” Chakotay ordered. He could well understand their shock and horror, but he needed answers if they were to have the slightest hope of rescuing the trapped ships. When all three had turned to him, still frustrated but finally silent, he said, “Did this fleet just lose over fourteen hundred people?”
Patel responded, “We don’t know, Captain.”
“What do you know? One a time,” he cautioned them.
“Voyager’s sensors are unable to cut through the interference at this distance to ascertain if there are any survivors,” Seven began. “From what we can see of the vessels, there is no reason to believe that personnel who were located in the unaffected areas perished.”
“And what is this anomaly?” was Chakotay’s next question.
All three exchanged tense looks before B’Elanna decided to take a swing. “We know the four vessels in question came here to study it and likely began doing so more than thirty-six hours before this happened. We have some of their sensor data from just prior to the moment of . . .”
“. . . impact,” Seven suggested.
“They didn’t run into it, Seven,” B’Elanna chided her.
“Easy,” Chakotay warned.
“The data we have received is . . . I believe it’s corrupted, Captain,” Patel interjected. “It suggests that while undergoing passive scans, the anomaly shattered from a central point, ripping apart space and subspace in an area that now extends for several million kilometers. The subspace damage extends even farther, but we do not understand why.”
“At which point, each of the vessels apparently impacted the nearest of several hundred discrete event horizons,” Seven added, almost daring the others to contradict her, “which now separate what we consider normal space from the interior of the anomaly.”
“If that much is clear, why are you convinced that the data is flawed in some way?” Chakotay asked his science officer.
“The readings we have are too contradictory to be reliable,” Patel replied. “They suggest that the portions of the ships we can no longer see, and everything else beyond the event horizons, does not exist.”
“Does not exist in normal space-time, you mean?” Chakotay asked.
“No. Does not exist. Never existed.”
“The most likely explanation is that this is an interdimensional rift,” Seven offered.
“It could also be the result of some sort of exotic quantum phase shifting,” B’Elanna added.
“It’s also worth noting we don’t know what actually caused the anomaly to alter its previous configuration,” Patel added. “I believe that continuing to move toward it could further destabilize it.”
“We need to fly carefully?” Chakotay asked.
“Very,” Seven agreed.
• • •
At the first officer’s request, Nancy Conlon reported to the bridge, taking over the main engineering station, as Voyager proceeded toward the anomaly. They had cut the distance to the intended coordinates in half, through a brief acceleration to warp five. Maintaining a stable warp field had become impossible and dangerous, and they were continuing on full impulse.
Tom intended to request that astrometrics sensors be reallocated to a real-time, intensely detailed mapping of the area. With new data, they might be able to find a pocket of unaffected space and maneuver in short bursts at warp speeds. If not, they were several days away from their rendezvous point, and he didn’t think the Quirinal, Esquiline, Hawking, and Curie could wait that long.
In the meantime Voyager’s chief engineer might be able to use the standard sensors to produce similar results. By coordinating directly with the conn, he hoped Conlon could shave at least a day off his current estimates. So far, this arrangement was not going well. He was certain Conlon understood the urgency of the moment, but in Tom’s estimation, she was playing it unnecessarily safe.
“Reduce speed to one-quarter impulse,” Conlon ordered from her station, and Gwyn released a sigh of frustration as she complied.
Tom glanced back at Harry and offered him a small nod that communicated all that was necessary. He then watched as Harry moved to stand behind Conlon and said quietly, “What are you seeing, Lieutenant?”
Conlon looked up at him, her face flushed and her lips drawn taut. “I’m seeing a whole lot of readings that don’t make sense,” she replied tersely. “I suggest you let me try to figure them out.”
“Anything I can do to help?” Harry asked with appropriate detachment.
“No,” she warned.
Tom didn’t meet Harry’s eyes as he moved back to the tactical station. He didn’t need to. Everyone was entitled to a certain amount of shock at what they had just seen, but giving in to it wasn’t going to get the job done.
“Lieutenant Conlon, accompany me to the ready room,” Tom ordered. “Lieutenant Kim, the bridge is yours. Ensign Gwyn, proceed at best possible speed.”
Conlon rose from her station and followed Tom into the captain’s sanctuary. The door had barely slid shut when Conlon asked, “What’s the problem, Commander?”
“I was about to ask you that, Nancy.”
Her face turned a deeper crimson as she said, “There’s no problem, sir.”
“Nancy?”
Without lowering her defenses, she replied, “Based on what little usable data I can coax from our sensors, we shouldn’t even be trying to fly through this.”
“It’s our duty to make every effort to reach those ships and their crews,” Tom reminded her calmly.
Conlon shook her head. “Why don’t you just put all of us out of our misery right now and activate the self-destruct? I’m certain that if we get anywhere near those four ships, we’re going to join them.”
There had been plenty of days during the Borg invasion when Tom had felt the way Conlon did now. Eventually, by working the problem and refusing to look too far into the future, he had found a way through that darkness. Given time, he was sure Conlon would do the same.
“I know it’s scary as hell, Nancy,” he admitted.
“Scary?” the engineer said, her voice rising. “My . . .” She caught herself and asked through a tightened jaw, “Permission to speak freely, sir?”
“Always,” Tom assured her.
There was a long pause as she attempted to collect herself, and finally the lieutenant said, “The people . . . so many people.”
“I know,” he said, nodding.
“One second they’re manning their posts and the next, they no longer exist. How many times do we have to see this before we decide it isn’t worth it?” Conlon asked, aghast.
“Right now, there could be hundreds in need of rescue. Don’t we owe it to them to try?” he asked gently.
“Of course we do,” Conlon said, dropping her face into her hands. “But the harder I try to focus on those sensor scans, the less sense they make. This isn’t like me. My instincts are telling us to run, as fast and far from this thing as we possibly can.”
Tom took her by the hand and squeezed gently, hoping some of his confidence would reach her.
“They need you, Nancy. They need all of us,” he said.
The en
gineer raised her head and stared into Tom’s eyes. Her cheeks were wet and her breath was labored, but she did her best to compose herself.
“I’m going back to the bridge. You take as much time as you need in here.” Tom smiled, and then added, “I need you focused only on what is right in front of you. Everything else we deal with later.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied.
The first officer left her there. It was clear that the constant pressure was close to breaking Conlon.
He was incredibly relieved when a few moments later, Conlon again stepped onto the bridge and got back to work.
Interlude
OMEGA CONTINUUM
“I am Captain Parimon Dasht of the Federation Starship Esquiline. My father is Admiral Lukas Dasht. My mother is Selena Royer Dasht. I have three sisters, Merilee, Lilia, and Rowena. Merilee was sealed under the covenants to
“Merilee was sealed under the covenants to (who)
“Merilee was sealed to (I’ve known him for twenty twenty twenty something years) Avery!
“Yes, Avery. Merilee and Avery.
“Lilia is (who is Lilia?)
“My vessel has been drawn into an anomalous region of (of what?) of (of what?) of
(go back).
“I am Captain Parimon Dasht. (There is nothing, how is there nothing, I am here so there has to be something)
“Of the Federation Starship Esquiline. My father is (but there should be something) Admiral Dasht. My mother (the light—don’t look at it—is blinding) is Selena. I have three (I have nothing. I am nothing. There is nothing.) Where am I?
(go back).
“I am Captain Parimon (how long have I always been always here never here)
The Esquiline (has never always would have must not be) here.
“Where?
“Who?
“Go back.
“I
“I am Captain (not here nothing here there is nothing how is it that nothing is so bright?)
“I am (no, please, no) . . .”
“You are Captain Parimon Dasht of the Federation Starship Esquiline.”
“That’s right. That sounds right.”
“You are Captain Parimon Dasht. Say it with me, Captain.”
“I am Captain Parimon Dasht.”
“And I am Captain Bal Itak of the Federation Science Vessel Hawking. Captain Chan?”
“I’m here, Itak.”
“And is your mind still clear?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Captain Dasht?”
“I am Captain Parimon Dasht.”
“Yes, of the Federation Starship Esquiline.”
“There was an anomaly.”
“Yes, and a large portion of your ship is now trapped inside it.”
“I have a ship?”
“You are captain of your ship. The Federation—”
“Starship Esquiline. Yes. The anomaly. Yes. My father is Admiral Lukas Dasht.”
“And who is your mother? Tell me again.”
“Selena Royer Dasht.”
“And your three sisters?”
“Merilee, Lilia, and Rowena.”
“Parimon?”
“How many times have we had this conversation now, Itak?”
“Nineteen.”
“Are you the only thing keeping all of us stable right now?”
“The effects of this realm, whatever it is, have confused almost all of us who are now trapped within it. My mental disciplines and those of my fellow Vulcans have made us less susceptible to the effects, so we are each working with as many of our fellows as possible to calm them and focus their thoughts. My priority has been the command staff. You, Captain Parimon Dasht, and Captain Xin Chan. Chan?”
“I’m still here, Itak, reciting regulations whenever I start to slip. A handy suggestion. Thank you.”
“Parimon?”
“Yes, I remember now.”
“Good. That is good. If you again feel your control slipping, begin with your name and continue with your family. Focus on what you know. Hold on to it with all of your might. The darkness, the light, they are meaningless. They cannot harm you. Ignore them.”
“Understood. Thank you, Itak.”
“By my estimate we have been trapped in this anomaly . . .”
“Forever?”
“No, Parimon. We have been trapped for less than two hours, although the illusion is powerful.”
“The fleet?”
“Good. Yes. We were part of a larger fleet. I have every confidence that soon enough, they will locate us and attempt a rescue.”
“They will fail.”
“What?”
“Did you hear that?”
“Itak?”
“Bear with me, Parimon and Chan. To whom am I speaking?”
“None of your damn business.”
“Please, sir. Identify yourself.”
“Go to hell. Or should I say, welcome to it?”
“Either identify yourself or go away. Your anger is useless to our efforts here.”
“Tallar. Carson Tallar.”
“Are you a crew member on one of our vessels?”
“Not Curie.”
“Doesn’t sound familiar.”
“No. I had my own vessel once. A long time ago.”
“Was it destroyed?”
“Depends on what you mean by destroyed.”
“Was an attempt ever made to rescue you?”
“No.”
“Then, begging your pardon, Mister Tallar, how can you be certain that any rescue attempt made by our sister ships will fail?”
“The garden.”
“The what?”
“There’s a garden here?”
“Please, Parimon.”
“Sorry.”
“What about the garden, Mister Tallar?”
“Do you see it, Itak?”
“Do you see it, Itak?”
“Do you see it?”
“I do.”
“Join me there.”
“I will try. Chan?”
“I’ll stay with Parimon.”
“Parimon?”
“I am Captain Parimon Dasht.”
“Xin, we’re losing him.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
“That is all that can be expected. I will return shortly.”
“Do you really see a garden?”
“Yes. Stay with Parimon. We will surely need him.”
“Understood.”
• • •
“It is illogical to accept that this garden has always been here but I am only now aware of it. How is it that I can only see it now?”
“Because it is my garden. Given enough time, the stronger minds among you would have selected an appropriate frame of reference, one meaningful to you, and allowed it to bring certainty to your new existence.”
“Fascinating. Is there a reason you have chosen such a chaotic and clearly damaged mental landscape in which to exist, Mister Tallar?”
“Until you and your ships entered the Continuum, it was different. Not this. That orchard hung with glorious, luminous fruit. The grass was soft and the smell of lavender was everywhere.”
“How could something that happened on a physical plane damage your personal mental landscape?”
“It’s all one and the same here, Itak.”
“I see. I would apologize if we had done this to you intentionally.”
“You damn well should. How did you get here? Did you find the patch?”
“The patch?”
“It would have registered on your sensors as a unique anomaly beyond which normal space and time appear not to exist.”
“You had a similar experience.”
“Many years ago.”
“Did you come to the patch from normal space-time?”
“We were in the Beta Quadrant, not far from the Lantaru sector.”
“We were in the Delta Quadrant. How many of these patches are there?”
“Obviou
sly at least two.”
“Were you a member of Starfleet?”
“Once, a very long time ago. But by the time my husband and I came to study the patch, we had both resigned.”
“And your studies brought you here?”
“Yes. Twice.”
“Twice. Then you did escape once?”
“Yes, but that was under unique circumstances. It won’t happen again.”
“And why did you return to this anomaly?”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
“At the time, I believed there was only one such anomaly and I needed to close it, to seal it off from normal space-time forever.”
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“I believe so.”
“You couldn’t.”
“I am a Vulcan. You have opened your mind to me in a way I am beginning to believe would be impossible in any other realm.”
“Continuum.”
“Continuum. I hear your words and see your wrecked garden, but I also see and hear that which you would rather hide from me.”
“The Continuum is speaking to you?”
“Yes.”
“And it is telling you about me?”
“No, you are doing that, Mister Tallar. The Continuum is telling me the rest. First, you came out of curiosity. The second time you came back to save her.”
“I did.”
“But there were two of you?”
“Jobin remains on the other side.”
“He is still alive.”
“He is.”
“He is waiting.”
“He’s stubborn that way.”
“You cannot escape now.”
“No.”
“Nor can we.”
“No. But there’s more. Has the Continuum told you the rest?”
“There is . . . I cannot . . .”
“You can. Accept it.”
“We must not escape?”
“That is correct. You must not. To attempt to do so would . . .”
“. . . further widen the anomaly and its intersections with normal space-time.”
“Yes.”
“It may already be too late.”
“Yes.”
“We must act to prevent that.”
“You can’t.”
“Nonetheless, an effort must be made.”
“First, you need to get your people to calm the hell down.”
“Their terror is adding to the chaos of the Continuum?”
Star Trek: Voyager - 041 - The Eternal Tide Page 23