Radiations and Missed Connexions

Posted on Sat 18th Feb, 2017 @ 12:49am by Commander Zachary Hunt

621 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night
Location: Observation Bubble, Deck 9

It was dark in the small observation gallery. The gallery was a transparent aluminium bubble which stuck out the side of deck nine, large enough to hold a dozen people, though at the moment it held only one -- an exceptionally tall and slender Starfleet officer with long, dark hair, and a pale visage, dressed in the blue-accented uniform of Science and Medical officers. She stood before the window, looking out, as if waiting for something, or someone. The sound of footsteps in the corridor made her turn her head slightly to the side, but she did not take her eyes off the void before her.

Those footsteps belonged to Commander Hunt. The sound of them died down as he reached the window next to Lieutenant Commander Addams. Hunt didn't speak and observed the beautiful spacescape in front of them. He never took enough time out to take in how gorgeous it all was, the reasons why he wanted to explore and travel space. He wondered if everyone saw it as he did.

Addams nodded politely to the executive officer, still not taking her eyes from the exterior. Far in the distance, almost too far to be seen with the naked eye, a starship dropped out of warp, returning to real space. There was a flash of blue that turned almost instantaneously to white and then abated, as the particles the ship's passage through warped space had built up flooded outward at nearly light speed. Addams furrowed her brow. "What's that called?" she murmured, half-remembering something.

"Pardon?" Hunt asked, a bit too joyfully, hearing Addams mutter something.

Addams blinked, and tapped the observation window with a black-tipped finger. "The flash of light when a starship drops the warp bubble. There's a word for that." She combed through her memories. She had discussed it with someone... who? When?

"Polyluminous burst? Or have I mixed my thoughts with something else?" He replied.

"Mmm," Addams temporized. Then she snapped her fingers, recalling the word she was looking for. "Alcubierre radiation. It's caused by the particles swept up by the leading edge of the warp field being incompletely absorbed by the Bussard collectors. It's why ships don't come out of warp inside the habitable zone of star systems."

"Ahhh of course. That's why I prefer biological science, a few less complicated names to remember," He laughed. "So what brings you here?"

Addams turned her head to regard the Executive Officer and blinked slowly. Her eyes fell on the Commander's third gold pip. "Congratulations on your promotion," she offered. "Or condolences, perhaps. Colonel Drake and I were recently commiserating on how much administration is required to run a starbase... a city... of this size."

Hunt let out a brief smile, "Thank you. I guess it's a bit of both. I'm not sure I was in line for a promotion but I'm not in a position to argue with it. Sometimes I wish I just stayed as a Xenologist...less administration that way."

Addams nodded, and looked out the window again. "I used to be a physician," she said, in a tone that sounded like agreement. "The Colonel used to be a Marine."

"Although that's a wish, I am happy with where I am. Vanguard is brimming with beauty and talent alike. Okay I miss seeing new planets as well, but there's still time for that!"

"Time," Addams murmured. She frowned, a crease appearing between her brows. "Time is the fire in which we all burn," she said, louder.

Hunt tried not to show any concern about what Addams said, "How did you end up here on Vanguard?"

"I arrived aboard USS Navajo," Addams said, distracted. "If you'll excuse me, Commander, I should return to my duties."

 

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