There's No Direction Home, Part 2
Posted on Tue 9th Jun, 2020 @ 8:00pm by Commander Jasmine Collins-Keller & Lieutenant Meghan [Maggie] Jericho
1,011 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Resolution
Location: Unknown Space
Timeline: MD 3, 1900
Previously, in discovering where the yacht has gone, ...
"... Just ask the computer and double check for course changes," McCabe said. "It's only course changes that would take a little plotting." Tapping the computer screen for a different section of information, he said, "Computer, show course at the time speed began to increase. After that point, show all course changes to our present position."
This time it took slightly longer before the computer said, =^=Displayed.=^=
Looking at the list, McCabe gave another direction. "Computer, transfer data set to station being used by Chief Science Officer Keller."
=^=Transferred.=^=
"You should be in business now, Commander. I'll just stick around and watch you work magic," Tony grinned.
And now, the Commander works her magic!
Jasmine looked at the data and made the adjustments to the line she'd drawn away from Nāmaka. It took her several minutes and then, "I think we're here!"
She pulled the hologram tight showing space outside of the sector and very near the Klingon territories. "Well, within a few kilometers." She stood back to see where they were. "Do you think this can be?"
Seldon shrugged, "If that's what the data gives you, I'd say it's probably right. It felt like farther, though."
"Of course it did!" McCabe agreed. "We were on high stress, thinking we were going to start a war or kill someone innocent out here. Thank goodness we got that nonsense taken care of, but I really think this might be about right. Should we confer with the others and see if they've come up with anything?"
"Yes, let's see what everyone else has found. If we're in Klingon space, we should probably leave before too long. The Klingons might not look kindly on us being in their territory without good reason." The last thing Jasmine wanted was to be detained by the Klingons.
Meanwhile ...
A low buzzing sound emanated from the proximity alarm. =^=Warning, unidentified craft on course interception in 13.8 minutes.=^=
Maggie stirred in her chair as she heard the shuttle's alarm. By now, she hadn't eaten in two days and she'd swallowed the last of her saved water yesterday morning. She was wrapped in all the blankets she could find, but could still see the condensation from her breath as she exhaled. She hurried to the console and hoped the radio worked.
=^=H-help me please. Help m-me p-please=^= she managed to get the words out before collapsing on the floor.
McCabe looked up, "Do you hear that?" he asked. "I thought I heard a distress call."
Hari Seldon nodded. "Computer, repeat the incoming transmission at a higher volume."
=^=Working. Transmission repeat: H-help me please. Help m-me p-please. Voice distress is quite high. =^=
"Can we get a location on that?" Tony asked the computer, looking at the other two.
=^=Origin of transmission is now 12.3 minutes along vector 147.6=^=
"Someone needs to tell Commander Perry," the Lieutenant said.
"I'll call him out here." Jasmine nodded. She didn't want to leave in case something else came over the radio. The young voice on the other end of the transmission needed the team to be absolutely precise. If they missed her location, they could lose her. She hoped they hadn't already.
=^=Commander Perry, please come the science station, there's something here you should know about.=^= She knew the distress in her voice would be evident, but there was no way to camouflage it. =^=Commander McCord may want to come too.=^=
Henry, along with Riko, walked into the main cabin and over to the remote science station. "Jasmine, tell me something good."
"We were running some scans to get a bearing on where we are," Jasmine explained. "We picked this up. It's coming from about 120 kilometers along vector 147.6." She nodded to Hari Seldon, "Please, replay the message."
Seldon hit the replay and the message dropped into the middle of the room. =^=H-help me please. Help m-me p-please.=^=
"Are we sure it's genuine?" Riko asked.
"The computer seemed to think so. We didn't want to respond without permission." Jasmine explained. "We are the guests here, after all." She looked at Perry and McCord and waited to see what their decision would be when another transmission came in.
"This is going to put us in a tighter bind." Henry responded. "We have figured out what's going on with the yacht. Long story short, we're going to have to shut down all systems, uninstall bits and bobs of the AI system, reboot it all and see where we stand. Hopefully, the AI system hasn't made any other connections."
Henry stood there, processing everything that he had just said. Although he was explaining the situation to his makeshift crew, he really said it aloud to make sure he understood it all.
Perry walked over to Jasmine and looked over the station that she was working at. "Jasmine, lock onto that signal and see if you can make contact. Get as much info as you can. When you are done, let Riko and me know and we will begin the reboot."
"Aye sir." Jasmine turned immediately to her console. She made several attempts to contact the woman that had sent the transmission. After several tries, she turned to Perry. "Sir, no contact, but I've locked on to the coordinates. We're approximately 8 minutes out."
Henry turned towards Jasmine and said, "O.K. Soon as this is finished, lay in a course. Riko, let's do this."
---Meanwhile---
Maggie lay on the deck of the shuttle, too cold to move. She wondered why there was no response, but she was too tired to try again. It was too cold and she was hungry. In less than an hour, she wouldn't care anymore. She was sure hypothermia had already kicked in. What would happen to her; to her baby? "Elliot, where are you?" A tear rolled down her cheek. Maybe this was the gods telling her that she wouldn't have to live without him after all. She closed her eyes. Sleep, the only way to escape; just go to sleep and don't wake up.
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