Chapter 5

        Bogarde woke up to see an orange-skinned face above him. The alien was speaking but Bogarde couldn’t understand him. The alien stopped talking and looked down at him. The Danosm spoke again, but in Federation Standard.
        “You are in a medical assistance center,” the Danosm said.
        Bogarde looked around and saw that he was one of many patients in a large tan hall. Captain Johnson was talking with several of the other Danosm, along with Lieutenant Commander Fonda.
        Johnson paused and glanced in Bogarde’s direction. Upon seeing that Bogarde was awake, he walked over to the injured Tactical officer.
        “Chief, how are you feeling?”
        Bogarde tried sitting up, but found himself unable to. “I can’t feel my legs.”
        “I have administered a nerve-receptor block,” said the Danosm next to Bogarde. “It will prevent you from experiencing pain or discomfort.”
        “I can’t sit up,” Bogarde said. “Are my legs still there?” he looked at Johnson worriedly.
        Johnson chuckled, then stifled himself. “I’m sorry. Yes, they’re still there, more or less. Doctor, what’s the prognosis?”
        The Danosm looked at Johnson. “Problematic. Normally I would be able to mend all the fractures and reconnect the torn ligaments and so on. However, microscopic scans have revealed a troubling finding.”
        “What is it?” Bogarde asked.
        “A large amount of detritus has been lodged in your legs, bonded to you.”
        “What do you mean, bonded?”
        “We do not understand it ourselves either. Our best hypothesis is that in the course of the spatial displacement, your legs and the stone coexisted in the same space for a short moment. Fragments have been merged with your legs. It would take an inordinate amount of time to remove each foreign particle.”
        The doctor continued talking, moving her hands as she spoke. “This would also account for the fact that so many of our buildings were damaged during the tectonic upheaval. The buildings should have withstood something of this magnitude.”
        Johnson frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Allright. Would you mind if I had one of my ship’s doctors examine Chief Bogarde?”
        “No, I would not be offended,” the Danosm replied.
        Johnson tapped his combadge. “Johnson to Courageous. Patch me through to the Sickbay.”
        “Doctor Michelanos here.”
        “Michelanos? Where’s Hartman?”
        “He took ill after the last wave. I’m filling in for him.”
        “I see. I need one of your doctors down here on the surface to examine Chief Bogarde, ASAP.”
        “I can be on the surface in less than five minutes.”
        “Good, the Bridge can give you the coordinates. See you in five, Johnson out.”
        Bogarde sighed and stared at the vaulted ceiling above him. He turned to look at Johnson. “Sir, does it look bad?”
        “Yeah,” Johnson nodded. “But I’ve seen worse. Don’t worry. You’ll be back on your own two feet as soon as we can manage it.” The captain smiled at Bogarde.
        Bogarde smiled back weakly.
        “Get some rest. You deserve it. Thank you for saving my life.”
        “Just doing my job, sir.”
        “And I appreciate it. Go on and rest up. I have to get back to Chief Fonda.”
        Bogarde nodded and closed his eyes.

        Johnson walked away from Bogarde, returning to Fonda and Galnt and the other Danosm representatives.
        Fonda turned to look at Johnson. “How’s he doing?”
        “He seems allright, but there’s a problem. Doctor Michelanos is coming down to examine him.” Johnson turned to look at Galnt. “How’s the rescue effort coming along?”
        Galnt shrugged with his hands. “Almost all of our citizens are accounted for. There has only been one fatality, for that we are glad.”
        “My condolences for your loss, and of course, all the assistance my crew and I can provide, is yours,” Johnson said. “Speaking of assistance, I apologize but I need to force my hand now. We know you’re using Omega energy. We know you’ve discovered a way to harness the Omega molecule, and that is partly behind your problems.”
        Galnt looked at his leader, Ristoul. The Danosm leader seemed to ponder a course of action for a moment. Finally, Ristoul spoke.
        “We suspected that you might have known of the Omega molecule, but based on your technology level, we knew you did not know how to use it. Our Omega reactor is our most closely guarded technological secret. It is the foundation for my planet’s technological advances.”
        “Do you know what’s wrong?” Fonda asked.
        “Our technologists are reviewing all the data we have, along with the original construction parameters,” Ristoul answered.
        Johnson looked at Ristoul. “When you reviewed our language database, did you come across the idiom, ‘Two heads are better than one?’”
        Ristoul paused, apparently accessing the information the Danosm had gathered. “Yes.”
        “Would you agree to having a limited number of engineers from the Courageous assisting your technologists?” asked Johnson.
        Ristoul stared at Johnson, blinking his nictating membranes several times.
        Johnson spoke again. “We understand the need for secrecy. Starfleet has protocols regarding Omega molecules. Typically, our orders are to destroy any source of Omega molecules and all research associated with it. This is a special case since you’ve gotten further than we ever have.”
        “How long has this been going on?” Fonda asked.
        Ristoul glanced at the wall beyond Fonda, then looked at her. “Approximately 9 days.”
        “And have your people made any progress?” she continued.
        “No,” Ristoul admitted. “Captain, you and your Engineer present some valid points. I will confer with my colleagues and consider your offer of assistance. In the meantime, your ship’s doctor has arrived. I will have him escorted to this facility.”
        Johnson bit his tongue and nodded. He watched Ristoul walk out of the building, with several other Danosm walking with him. Still looking outside, Johnson saw Michelanos, accompanied with a young Danosm. The doctor saw Johnson, and his pace quickened.
        Johnson turned to Fonda. “Why don’t you go and see if you can make yourself useful. On second thought, why don’t you find Doctor Joh and see if she’s come up with something new regarding this Omega situation?”
        Fonda nodded, setting off for a different set of doorways that led to another building.
        Michelanos arrived to Johnson’s side. “Captain. Where’s Chief Bogarde?”
        “This way,” Johnson gestured across to the rows of benches that served as beds.
        Michelanos was able to pick out the black-skinned human out of the predominately orange-hued Danosm patients. Once by Bogarde’s side, Michelanos opened the field medkit that he had been carrying. He scanned Bogarde with his medical tricorder, paying close attention to the chief’s legs.
        “I see the problem,” Michelanos said after several moments. “I’ve read about cases similar to this.”
        Johnson raised an eyebrow. “You have?”
        Michelanos nodded. “In early uses of transporters, before the, um... annular confinement beams were refined, sometimes people would be transported and reconstituted with nearby materials that crossed the transporter beam during transport.” The doctor looked at his tricorder’s readout. “But this... this is a severe case.”
        Bogarde looked at Michelanos. “But you can do something about it?”
        Michelanos looked up to notice another Danosm standing next to Johnson.
        Johnson noticed the other doctor. “Oh, Michelanos, this is Medical Technologist Ishor. She’s been treating our chief. Ishor, this is Doctor Aidan Michelanos one of our ship’s doctors.”
        Michelanos and Ishor exchanged pleasantries. Ishor said, “My course of treatment would be to surgically extract each foreign particle from Chief Bogarde’s legs.”
        “That’ll take a long time,” Michelanos remarked. “It might be faster to use Bogarde's’ transporter pattern and use the transporter to clean his legs out.”
        “Why would the transporter be more efficient?” Ishor asked.
        “The transporter works on a sub-molecular level, on the whole body,” Michelanos explained. “With it, we’ll be able to break down his entire body, and reconstitute it, minus the foreign particles. The transporter has been used as a medical tool many times in the past, particularly in cases like this, where there’s a widespread infestation of foreign particles on a molecular level.”
        Ishor tilted her head to the side. “What is your estimation on this course of treatment’s success?”
        “With proper preparation, I’d give it 97, 98 percent chance of success.”
        “This is an unprecedented medical treatment,” Ishor said. “May I have permission to observe the procedure?”
        Michelanos shrugged, raising his eyebrows. “I couldn’t say, you’d need to ask my captain.”
        Johnson nodded. “It’s allright, Ishor. You have permission to observe. You should clear it with your superiors. I don’t want this to interfere with your duties here.”
        “I have already obtained permission,” Ishor replied.
        “Right. Your cylink,” Johnson nodded, remembering. He turned to Michelanos “How soon can you get started, Doctor?”
        “Less than a half hour. I need to return to the Courageous first and prepare. Don’t let anyone transport the chief to the ship. I need to make backup copies of his previous transporter pattern from the buffer.”
        “Okay,” Johnson nodded. “Go ahead and take Doctor Ishor with you, have her observe the process from start to finish.”
        Michelanos turned to Ishor. “Do you need to take anything before we leave?”
        “No,” Ishor replied “I have all I need.” She gestured with her hands. Johnson and Michelanos noticed the grey color of the subdermal cybernetic implants in Ishor’s hands.
        “Right,” Michelanos nodded. “Well, let’s get going, then.” Michelanos and Ishor walked away from Johnson, on their way out of the building.
        “How about that?”
        Johnson looked down at Bogarde. “Hmm?”
        “These Danosm are so advanced, but we’ve still got a trick or two to teach ’em,” Bogarde said.
        “Well that’s what we’re doing here,” Johnson said. “No matter how much we know, there’s still always something new to learn. Everyone new we meet has something new to teach us, and we have something new to teach them. Keeps life from getting too boring.”
        “I don’t know about you, but I could go for a little bit of boredom right about now.”
        They both chuckled briefly.
        Bogarde sighed and looked up at Johnson, his lips pressed together in a firm line.
        “You’ll be okay,” Johnson said. “Captain’s orders.”
        That was enough to make Bogarde smile. “Aye, sir.”

        Fonda’s entrance into the science lab made Joh look up from her workstation. She brushed her braided grey hair back over her shoulder and returned her attention back to the monitor she sat in front of.
        “Anything new since we last spoke?” Fonda asked, stepping up to Joh’s side, angling to look at monitor over Joh’s shoulder.
        “Yes, but results are unconfirmed,” the science officer answered.
        “Well, let’s have it, doctor.”
        Joh pointed at the computer monitor, which showed a multi-faceted crystalline ring, rotating slowly on the screen. Numbers in different colors ran down the sides of the screen, and each miniature surface of the ring flashed with a corresponding color. Fonda also noticed that at certain points, the ring had segments missing at semi-regular intervals.
        Fonda made a small thoughtful noise, then said “It looks like one of the sculptures in the courtyard we visited.”
        “That is because it is a mathematical equation as translated by the Danosm’s fractal mathematics,” Joh said. “I had a suspicion regarding the frequency of the Omega emissions. I entered the pertinent data and discovered a cyclical frequency for the emissions.”
        Fonda nodded, looking over Joh’s shoulder, studying the monitor. “Looks like each surge is stronger than the last one.”
        “I cannot state the certainty of that based on the limited observations I have. We do not know how long this has been occurring for the Danosm.”
        Fonda tapped on the monitor. “Is that why there are planes missing on the fractal model?”
        “Yes, that is missing information. The computer was unable to fully extrapolate values, since the Danosm fractal mathematics are more sophisticated than ours. It required 72.4 percent of the ship’s computation power to calculate this model.”
        “That’s a lot of computation power, almost on par for the quantum slipstream course calculations,” Fonda remarked. “I wonder. The Danosm have more powerful computers, in order for them to be able to work on that level of mathematics. Could their computers be able to calculate slipstream courses faster?”
        “That’s possible,” Joh said. “You could ask them, but that would necessitate divulging sensitive information to them.”
        “I’ll talk to the captain about it. Starfleet’s been working on faster navigational computers for several years now. Ones that can calculate a slipstream course in just a day, if not in real-time. Rather than waiting for several months to calculate a course from the Borderlands to Vulcan or Earth, we’d be able to lay in a course and just go.”
        Joh swiveled her seat around, and looked up at Fonda. “The only problem I can foresee is reverse-engineering a Danosm computer to work with ours.”
        Fonda stood up, crossing her arms. “Right. Something that advanced, we’d have to drag it back a few steps down to our level.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’ve digressed too much. We have a problem at hand to focus on. Any other findings to report?”
        “Yes,” Joh said. “It appears that the spatial phenomena that drew our attention to their planet is a byproduct of their spatial distortion transportation. It is my theory that the Omega energy surges channeled into the their transportation devices, causing the spatial waves that struck our ship.”
        “I haven’t had a chance to look over sensor readings. Was the spatial distortion sent outwards only?”
        “It appears the distortion was omnidirectional, extending out from the planet and inwards as well. That may explain the earthquakes the Danosm have been experiencing.”
        “Earthquakes? There’s been more than one?” Fonda asked.
        “Upon closer inspection, it appears that the Danosm have been having earthquakes for at least two weeks now. I consulted with the planetary sciences department. They say the planetary plates are affected by the spatial distortion. The planetary survey team’s expert on plate tectonics is monitoring the situation closely.”
        “So, if this keeps up, the earthquakes will get stronger?”
        “Exponentially, in conjunction with each surge.”
        “Anything else?”
        Joh shook her head, looking back at the monitor. “It would seem our next order of business would be to show our data to the Danosm and have them supply the missing information.”
        “Okay. Download your model onto a PADD or tricorder, while I report back to the captain.”
        Joh coughed slightly. “I’m afraid the data exceeds the storage capacity of the PADDs and tricorders.”
        “What?”
        “If you’ll recall,” Joh said, “our tricorders overloaded simply scanning the fractal models in the courtyard.”
        “Oh, yes.” Fonda’s mouth tightened in a frown. “Just how much computer power are you using right now?”
        “60.2 percent of the ship’s computer core and all of the backup computer core, which I requested to be brought online.”
        Fonda shook her head at the implications. “That’s amazing.”
        “I believe if we double the storage capacity of a tricorder, I will be able to download a compressed summary of my findings, for you to refer to the Danosm.”
        “I’ll have Hiroshi jury-rig one up,” Fonda said. She nodded at Joh. “Keep working. I’m going to see the captain.” She turned and walked out of the lab, leaving Joh behind to work in silence.

        Ambassador Favor materialized from a transporter beam then shaded his eyes from the Danosm sun. Galnt stepped up to him.
        “Welcome back,” Galnt spoke, as he gestured with his hands and arms. “Is everyone safely returned to your ship?”
        “Yes,” Favor smile. “Thank you for your concern.”
        The two started walking down a sidewalk paved with smooth sandstones. Galnt turned to Favor. “In your transmission, you wished to speak with me. On what subject?”
        “My captain has asked that I see about gaining permission to observe your Omega technology.”
        Galnt’s hands pressed close to his sides.
        “I understand that your people’s reticence on this matter, but we want to do all we can to help you. As we speak, whole divisions aboard the Courageous are working on the problem, gathering and analyzing data. We even have our Chief Engineer and Science Officer focusing themselves on the problem.”
        Favor stopped and looked into Galnt’s moist brown eyes. “But in the end, we know less about the situation than you do. Help us understand a little better. In the English language on Earth, there is an idiom: two heads are-”
        “-better than one,” Galnt finished. He sighed and nodded, staring at the sparse brush grass lining the sidewalk. “At first we were not sure whether that referred to biological augmentation, but it was clear within context what it meant. I understand your request and I can speak for all of us that we appreciate the sentiment. However, I cannot speak for all of us in granting permission. That has to come from Ristoul.”
        Galnt looked at Favor. “I will get him to grant you an audience now, and you can present your argument to him. I shall support you.”
        Favor gestured with his hands as he said, “Thank you.”
        “You have been studying us, I see.”
        Favor grinned. “I already know five forms of hand based, non-verbal communication. I can only speak in four of them since the fifth language arose from a species with seven digits and two thumbs. I had to rig a hologram with the universal translator to talk with them.”
        “Fascinating,” Galnt remarked. “At this time of the day, Ristoul should be in the Central building. I shall take you there.”
        “Lead on,” said Favor.
        The two of them walked onto a larger pathway, where more Danosm were walking. Signs of rubble were still around, but repairs were already underway. The largest chunks of debris had already been cleared away, and temporary cementing had been patched onto the more heavily damaged buildings.
        The doors to a medium-sized brown building opened. Dozens of juvenile Danosm filed out through the doors. Favor turned to watch them. Even at a young age, the Danosm still had cybernetic implants. The faint grey and black technology was more obvious on the paler orange skins of the young Danosm.
        One of the youths looked in Favor and Galnt’s direction and walked straight to them. Galnt held his hand out and the young Danosm grasped his larger hand and squeezed.
        “Is this your child?” Favor asked.
        “Yes,” Galnt said. “May I present Teidi, my offspring.”
        “Pleased to meet you,” Favor said.
        Teidi said something unintelligible to Favor.
        Galnt looked at Favor. “She returns your greeting. She has not learned your language yet. However, I shall direct her to search our linguistic database so she can learn.”
        “Okay,” Favor nodded. “How old is she?”
        “Eight,” Galnt replied. He spoke to Teidi briefly, in their own language. Teidi nodded and frowned as she seemed to be thinking hard. Galnt looked back at Favor. “Let us continue to see Ristoul.”
        “Allright,” Favor said. “Do you mind if I ask Teidi some questions, that is when she’s finished downloading my language? I’ve found it best to question the young ones if I want to understand a culture.”
        “If she wishes to answer them, that is fine with me.” Galnt started walking again, and Favor walked alongside while Teidi held Galnt’s hand.
        
        Lieutenant Kyle looked at the viewscreen, which showed a crisis monitor. The left side of the viewscreen showed a list of all the away teams currently on the planet. The large middle block showed an aerial view of the main Danosm city, Mal Osasol, where Captain Johnson and his away team were when the earthquake/distortion wave occurred. The right side of the viewscreen held a brief summary of the ship’s casualty list.
        “Engineering to Bridge,” the comm system chimed.
        Kyle, seated in the command seat, thumbed the comm button. “Kyle here. What is it?”
        “You wanted me to let you know when the Structural Integrity Field was repaired,” the voice answered. “It’s up and running at optimal specs.”
        “Allright, thanks, Hiroshi,” Kyle replied. “Will it go offline again if we get hit by another spatial wave?”
        “It shouldn’t. We’ve shored up the failsafes, but I wouldn’t recommend taking any much more abuse. I heard from one of the science officers that the closer we’re to the planet, the stronger the waves are. Certainly felt that way to me!”
        “You heard right,” Kyle said. “On top of that, the readings we took show that they’re getting stronger exponentially over time. There’s something seriously wrong going on down there.”
        “Allright. I better make sure we’re prepared for more of those hits,” Hiroshi said. “Engineering out.”
        Kyle frowned and took another glance at the crisis monitor. The turbolift door opened and Kyle turned to see the Chief Engineer step out. Fonda glanced at Kyle.
        “Where’s the captain?” she asked.
        Kyle said, “He just left for Sickbay.”
        “Thank you,” Fonda replied and she walked back into the turbolift

        “Captain!” Johnson heard Fonda’s voice call out from behind him.
        Johnson turned around. “Yes?”
        Fonda hurried her pace and fell in step next to Johnson. “I wanted to bring you up to date. I’ve just finished speaking with Dr. Joh.”
        Johnson nodded. “Has she made any headway?”
        “It’s difficult,” Fonda said. “But she’s making some progress. Their math is beyond what we use. It’s taking a lot of computer power just to try and work on the data we’re getting.”
        “Yeah,” Johnson waved a PADD that he had been holding. “I noticed the requisition.”
        “So far, we’re working off what we’ve been able to observe. We need to get some data from the Danosm themselves. We need it to make sure we’re on the right track, and to continue making progress.”
        “Ambassador Favor is in Mal Osasol, seeking clearance for us to get more information about their Omega reactor. Understandably, they’re very reluctant to reveal this technology to us. There’s a great potential to do more harm than good.”
        “True.” Fonda tapped on the captain’s desk. “Another thing that came up was the possibility of using Danosm computer technology to augment our quantum slipstream drive. It’s entirely possible their computers could calculate slipstream courses in far less time than it takes us.”
        “Interesting,” Johnson nodded. “We’ll see about that, after we resolve this crisis. Continue with your briefing.”
        “Dr. Joh has theorized that the spatial distortion waves seem to be a byproduct of the energy surges the Danosm have been experiencing. But as I said, we don’t know enough about their technology so it’s only a theory. Still she and the planetary sciences division has found enough information to show that the planet’s tectonic plates are being affected severely. It seems that if this keeps up, the planet will shake itself apart.”
        “That’s a pretty grim prognosis,” Johnson sighed.
        “Speaking of that, why are you going to Sickbay?”
        “Chief Bogarde is in surgery now. I wanted to check on his progress. I feel... obligated. He saved my life.”
        “He was just doing his job,” Fonda said.
        “Still,” Johnson shrugged.
        “I understand.”
        Johnson stopped in front of the doors to Sickbay. “Once we get permission, I’m planning on sending Major Ironsides, Dr. Joh, and you down to meet with the Danosm. Think about who else should come. I’ll contact you as soon as Ambassador Favor gets back to me.”
        “Yes, sir,” Fonda nodded. She started to leave but paused. “Are you allright, Thomas?”
        “I’m fine,” he smiled at her. “I know the chief will recover.”
        “Okay. I’ll talk with you later.” Fonda turned and headed back in the direction she came from.
        Johnson turned and stepped up to the doors, which slid open for him. He walked into the medical facility, noticing Dr. Michelanos and the Danosm, Ishor, at the far end of the Sickbay, in a surgical suite.
        A pale blue skinned Benzite stepped up to Johnson. “Sir, is there something I can do for you?”
        Johnson smelled at the faint scent of the Benzite’s breathing apparatus. “Ah, Nurse... Thrusk. I wanted to find out how Chief Bogarde’s surgery was going.”
        Thrusk turned to look at Dr. Michelanos. “The operation is proceeding well. The chief’s life signs are stable.”
        “Is it possible for me to observe?”
        “I shall need to ask,” Thrusk said. “One moment, Captain.” The nurse bowed slightly and walked to the surgical suite. Johnson noticed that he didn’t approach the doctors directly. He surmised that a force field surrounded them.
        Thrusk returned to speak with Johnson.
        “Dr. Michelanos informs me that you may observe, although you will have to stay at the perimeter of the bio-field.”
        “That’s fine with me,” said Johnson.
        Thrusk walked Johnson up to the surgical suite. As Johnson got close, he was able to see the surgery itself.
        Bogarde was laid flat on a biobed, and the bed’s clamshell was shifted to the end. It covered Bogarde’s head and torso, leaving the other half of the biobed exposed for Michelanos to work.
        Another nurse was in the suite as well, assisting Michelanos. Ishor stood slightly to the side, as not to get in the way. Another crewman stood at the freestanding console just outside of the suite’s forcefield. Johnson stood next to him, and recognized him as a transporter technician.
        Michelanos was looking at a hologram that floated less than a half meter over Bogarde’s disfigured legs. The hologram seemed to show Bogarde’s legs, except no skin covered them. Red muscle and pale yellow ligaments floated in the air. Small brown and black spots pervaded the hologram.
        A faint blue grid lined the holographic legs. Michelanos tapped one grid on a calf, which contained a dark blemish. “Coordinates 107-003-01,” he spoke aloud.
        The transporter technician bent his head and tapped at the console before him. Johnson’s ears pricked up as he heard the tell-tale hum of a transporter beam. He looked at the hologram and saw the blemish disappear. Less than a second later, he heard another hum.
        “Reconstruction successful,” Michelanos announced. “Moving on...”
        Johnson shifted his focus from Michelanos to Ishor. He looked at her hands, which were bare and showed outlines of black circuitry beneath her skin. Some of the cybernetics broke through her skin, creating small and smooth moles. She held a hand up, palm outwards, facing Michelanos and Bogarde, and kept her other hand closed and close to her chest. Johnson grinned because Ishor’s pose reminded him of some of the old Catholic statues that he saw as a youth in Ireland. It looked as if Ishor was blessing the surgery, when in fact she was recording through sensors in her hand.
        Michelanos continued highlighting areas on the hologram and calling out coordinates. The hum of the transporter rang out again and again. Johnson turned to look at the Chief Medical Officer’s office. Through the curved glass, he saw it was empty.
        He walked away from the transporter technician and stepped up to Thrusk, who was regenerating skin on a young ensign’s burnt hand.
        “Yes, sir?” Thrusk asked.
        “When will Dr. Hartman be back in?”
        “He’s taken himself off rotation today. I believe he told Dr. Michelanos that he’s still suffering ill effects from the spatial phenomena in conjunction with a mild common virus.”
        “I see,” Johnson rubbed the back of his neck. “I need to return to the bridge, so please notify me once Bogarde is out of surgery.”
        “I shall,” Thrusk nodded once, sharply.
        “Thank you,” Johnson replied. He turned to the ensign, a young woman. “A word of advice- it’ll itch like crazy for a little while, but don’t scratch. Just have Nurse Thrusk or someone else prescribe you a cream. Trust me. I’ve been there.”
        The ensign gave an embarrassed smile and nodded. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
        Johnson turned and walked out of the Sickbay. He tapped his combadge. “Johnson to Hartman.”

        “Johnson to Hartman.”
        Hartman jerked his head up, blinking wildly. “Who’s there?” he nearly shouted. He was sitting on the floor, leaning back against his bed. A bottle, empty but for some droplets of green liquid, rolled across the floor when Hartman kicked out with his foot.
        He reached for his combadge but found that it wasn’t on his chest. “What the... where’s my clothes?” He wasn’t wearing his uniform top at all. He stumbled forward, trying to stand up, Finally he stood up, but felt dizzy from the sudden change in position. He fell forward onto a nearby wall.
        Using the wall as a support, he walked over to a computer panel on another wall. He tapped on the panel. “What?”
        “Ed? I heard you were still sick. How’re you feeling?”
        Hartman turned and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. “Pretty shitty.”
        “You sound it too,” Johnson’s voice replied. “You sure you’re okay in your quarters? I could get someone to help you to Sickbay.”
        “Huh? No! No, nah. ‘Sallright. I’m fine, jush fine.”
        “If I didn’t know better, I’d say it sounds like you’ve been drinking.”
        “What did Nathan say to you?” Hartman gritted his teeth and mumbled, “Stupid bastard.”
        “What? Nathan didn’t say anything,” Johnson replied.
        “Uh, no, I was thinking ’bout somethin’ else. I’m just congested. Nose. My nose’s stuffed. Throat hurts. And you just woke me up. You think you sound so good when you wake up?”
        “Point taken. Sorry, Ed. Bad joke. I’ll just let you get back to bed. Get better. We need you in Sickbay.”
        “Yeah, okay. Bye.” Hartman slapped against the panel and shuffled back to his bed, then crawled onto the bed. He plopped down, burying his face in his pillow.

Chapter 6

        “Incoming message from the Danosm,” the comm officer announced. “It’s from their leader, Ristoul.”
        Johnson raised his eyebrow. “Pipe it to my ready room,” he said as he stood up from the command seat. He glanced around, looking for Lieutenant Kyle. She wasn’t back yet, he saw. He turned to look at Ruiz seated at the helm.
        “Lieutenant Ruiz, you have the conn,” he said.
        She made no move to acknowledge hearing him. Her hands remained over the helm controls, and her gaze remained fixed squarely on her console readouts.
        Johnson stood in front of the command seat, watching her. He opened his mouth, about to demand Ruiz’s acknowledgement, but a quick glance at the command seat’s armrest showed that command had been transferred to the helm.
        The incoming message still waited for him, so Johnson made a mental note to follow up on Ruiz as he headed for his ready room.
        “Conn secure, sir,” Ruiz announced at the very last possible moment, just as Johnson entered his ready room.
        He quickly sat at his desk and activated his monitor. The leathery orange face of Ristoul met him.
        “Technologist Ristoul,” Johnson said by way of greeting. “I assume Ambassador Favor has concluded his discussion with you?”
        Ristoul nodded, his sagging hide wobbling as he did so. “The Federation’s ambassador has made some very valid points. As our crisis continues to a breaking point, I am behooved to integrate alternate opinions. Thus I have decided to allow you access to our Omega reactor, in order to improve the odds of arriving at a satisfactory and timely resolution.”
        “I’m very glad to hear that,” Johnson said. “I have a team assembled already, to be sent to your planet.”
        “I’m afraid, and I bear you no ill-will, that I cannot allow a large number of your crew access. Please keep the population of your team to three or four. The less, the better. We also wish that your Propulsion Technologist, Fonda, and the other one, Doctor Joh, come. They two have already been here and have proven to be sufficiently skilled. You may come as well.”
        “I understand. Your reactor is a secret to most people aboard this ship, so of course I will be limiting access too as well. We respect your privacy,” Johnson replied. “My team will be on your planet within ten minutes.”
        “Again, I appreciate your offer of help. I will inform my technologists to expect you and your scientists. Good day.” Ristoul’s face disappeared from Johnson’s desktop monitor.
        Johnson tapped his combadge. “Johnson to Fonda.”
        “Fonda here.”
        “Change of plans. Assemble your team in my ready room, now.”
        “Aye, sir. Fonda out.”

        Several minutes later, Johnson watched as a half-dozen men and women lined up in his ready room. Major Ironsides, holding a PADD, walked in right behind the last team member, Lieutenant Hiroshi.
        Johnson stood up and walked around his desk. He stopped and clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m sorry, but there’s been a change of plans. You all won’t be able to go down to the planet with Commander Fonda and Dr. Joh. The Danosm wish to limit the number of people that access their Omega reactor.”
        He could see the disappointment register in the faces of several of the crew. Hiroshi had the biggest frown, but to his credit, he regained his composure. Johnson resumed his talk, pacing back and forth in front of the crew.
        “Now, I know you all have been briefed on some sensitive knowledge, to one degree or another. In particular, you’ve all been briefed on the presence of the Omega particle and the Danosm’s use of it. That... is privileged information. That... is not to be spread beyond this room.
        “Leaking this information, intentionally or not, is grounds for treason. Bottom line- not a word to any others. Don’t think that just because we’re 45,000 light years away from the nearest prison colony that I won’t keep some one in the brig for five years. Is that clear?”
        “Yes, sir,” the crew replied.
        “Good. That being said, the team shall consist only of Commander Fonda and Dr. Joh. I shall be going with them, to meet with the Danosm and Ambassador Favor. The rest of you may return to your posts. Thank you. Dismissed.”
        Fonda and Joh stepped forward as the others left the ready room. Ironsides walked up to Johnson’s side.
        “Sir,” Ironsides said, “I don’t think that it’d be a good idea for you to go down to the planet given the dangerous circumstances. Wouldn’t it be better if I went in your place?”
        “I realize that, but I don’t want to risk offending Ristoul by turning down his implicit invitation.”
        Ironsides nodded. “I understand. I just wanted to point out the last time you were there, you would have been killed, if it hadn’t been for Chief Bogarde. It’s my prerogative as first officer.”
        “Is that the damage control report I asked for?” Johnson glanced at the PADD in Ironsides’s hand.
        “Yes, sir. I was dropping it off for you.” Ironsides handed Johnson the PADD.
        Johnson looked at Fonda and Joh. “Do you have anything new to report?” Ironsides turned to leave. Johnson called out. “Major, you can stay if you wish.”
        Ironsides turned back to look at Johnson. “If you want me to, sir.”
        Johnson gestured for Ironsides to sit on the couch against the wall. He looked at the others, gesturing for them to sit as well. He leaned back on his desk and crossed his arms. “Go ahead.”
        Fonda and Joh looked at each other, seeing who would go first. Joh bowed her head, so Fonda spoke first. “I don’t have much to report. Lieutenant Hiroshi cobbled together a tricorder with double memory capacity so that I could bring Dr. Joh’s findings to discuss with the Danosm. It’s ready now.”
        “Allright.” Johnson looked at Joh. “Doctor?”
        “I have nothing new to inform you of at this moment. Currently, I am trying to extrapolate the frequency of the surges, so that we may be able to predict when to expect deleterious effects, such as the earthquakes.”
        “Do you need to stay?” Johnson asked.
        “No. The computer is performing calculations on its own. I only need to wait for its output. I would be put to better use on site with Commander Fonda.”
        Johnson stood up, tugging at his uniform. “If there’s nothing else, we’ll go to the transporter room.”
        “Sickbay to Captain Johnson,” the comm system chimed.
        Johnson tapped his combadge. “Johnson here. What is it?”
        “You wanted to know when Chief Bogarde was out of surgery and in recovery. He’s waking up now.”
        “Thank you,” Johnson said. “Tell him... tell him that I’ll be by to see him as soon as I get back from the planet.”
        Ironsides stood up. “Sir, I can still go in your place. The Danosm can’t begrudge you a bedside visit to a man hurt on their planet. The man who saved your life.”
        Johnson’s mouth tightened as he thought it over. Finally, he spoke again. “Disregard that, Sickbay. I’ll be on my way to see him shortly. Johnson out.” He looked at Ironsides. “You can go. Listen to Ambassador Favor. He’s the one that got us our ticket down there. Be careful, and see if you can assess any more ways we can help them other than with this repair effort and earthquake relief effort. We want to make ourselves as useful to these people as we can, so they’ll be more inclined to have formal relations with us.”
        “I understand completely, sir,” Ironsides nodded.
        “Allright, then,” Johnson looked at his men. “Get your kits together and meet in Transporter Room Two. The Danosm are expecting you now. Dismissed.”
        Ironsides and the others left Johnson’s ready room.

        Fonda and Joh stood on the transporter platform, looking at each other. Fonda was holding a bulky looking tricorder in her hand. Joh looked at her. “Was the double capacity sufficient?”
        “Yes, it was. Barely,” Fonda answered.
        “I wonder,” Joh said. Fonda looked at her, waiting.
        “Wonder what?”
        “I’m sorry,” Joh said. “I merely was wondering about the Danosm’s data storage capabilities. How many years we might be behind them. Rather, not years, but generations, as in technology. Every year, research and development, both by governments and private agencies, leads to something new and improved. It then is released for mass consumption, then a year later, or even less, another improvement is released.”
        “That’s never made sense to me.”
        Joh looked at Fonda, raising a grey eyebrow.
        “It’s not quite an oxymoron, but the idea is the same. ‘New and improved,’ that is,” said Fonda.
        “Ah.”
        “How can something be both new and improved? If something’s been improved, then it’s already existing, therefore not new.”
        “Well...,” Joh said, before Fonda waved her off.
        “It’s okay. I know what it means. I know I’m quibbling over semantics here. It’s just that kind of thing bothers me, when everybody accepts the popular meaning, overlooking the actual, exact meaning.”
        The doors opened and Ironsides entered the transporter room. He stepped onto the transporter platform next to Fonda and Joh, looking down to check his phaser and tricorders in their holsters. He looked back up at Joh and Fonda. “I apologize for making you wait. I had a last minute duty that I had to delegate to another person.”
        Fonda nodded and looked at the transporter operator. “Energize.”

        Almost five hundred kilometers away, the trio of Major Ironsides, Lieutenant Commander Fonda and Doctor Joh materialized on the Danosm planet. Ambassador Favor and Galnt were present, along with the short-statured Enfilar.
        The new arrivals paused to look at the squat building before them. The building, less than two stories high, had a slightly domed top. The walls curved away from the main entrance, indicating a circular shape. The color was the same sandy tone as most of the other buildings in Mal Osasol. Presumably it was constructed out of the same material. Several smaller constructs surrounded the building.
        The ambassador and the two Danosm walked up to the new arrivals. Favor began speaking. “You all remember Galnt, the Linguistics Technologist, and Enfilar, the Energy Analysis Technologist?”
        The others nodded.
        “Good,” Favor nodded. “Enfilar will be your guide today for the Arzamas Installation.”
        “How far are we from the main city?” Fonda asked, shading her eyes and looking around at the sparse landscape surrounding them.
        Enfilar answered. “We are 37 kilometers from Mal Osasol. Come, we are ready for you.” His gestures ended in his hand outstretched to the doors of the building.
        They followed Enfilar to the entrance. The short Danosm gestured with a hand, and a small node seemed to blink underneath Enfilar’s skin. The doors slid open with a slight grinding sound. Interlocking teeth parted to show a circular hallway, lined with pipelines and computer consoles.
        The aesthetic was quite different from the Courageous. Where the Federation ship concealed her inner workings with panels and upholstery, the Danosm installation made no pretension. In fact, the building was akin to the implanted Danosm themselves. The building and technology interweaved with each other.
        Enfilar led the others deeper inside the building, descending several stairways before reaching a large elevator platform. It seemed suitable for cargo transportation, since the entire tour party fit comfortably on the elevator.
        “Please, keep your hands to yourself,” Enfilar cautioned, as the elevator started moving down the exposed shaft. The air quality changed as they continued further down, clearly going beneath ground level. The mild heated quality of the air that was present everywhere on Danosm, changed to artificially cold filtered air.
        The journey down on the elevator continued for several minutes before the platform slowed to a stop. Enfilar gestured for the group to move off the elevator. They walked down another corridor identical to the one on the ground floor above.
        The corridor branched off into several smaller corridors, and Enfilar led the group down one, before they reached a gated chamber. A clear door afforded the group a view into the room. They saw a large circular room with computer stations and other monitoring consoles. A giant protuberance at the far end of the circle seemed to be the main focus of attention.
        The door opened to Enfilar’s invisible authorization, and the group walked in. The Danosm technologists stopped working and glanced briefly at the newcomers, then resumed their work. Enfilar guided the group to the far end of the room.
        “This is the Omega reactor,” he said.
        “How large is the construct?” Joh asked.
        “This is only the fore-end of the entire reactor complex,” answered Enfilar. “It extends 129 meters further from here and 63 meters down. This is the main monitoring center, but there are more arrayed at various points of the reactor complex.”
        As Fonda asked another question, Favor glanced at Ironsides next to him. “I was expecting Captain Johnson. He said he wanted to get an informal report from me.”
        “The captain was sidetracked. He wanted to check on Chief Bogarde’s medical status, so he was unable to come at this time,” Ironsides said. “He sent me in his stead.”
        “Well, a mild breach of protocol,” Favor said, “but understandable under the circumstances. How is the chief?”
        “He’s in recovering. The surgery was a success, I heard. The captain told me to check up on you, though.” Ironsides glanced around. “Let’s move away so we can talk privately.”
        Favor nodded and the two walked to an unoccupied station in the chamber. Ironsides glanced at Fonda and Joh speaking with Galnt and Enfilar, then looked back at Favor. “How is your rapport with Ristoul?”
        “I’d characterize it as good.”
        “The captain wants to know your thoughts on the likelihood of a formal relationship with the Danosm? Trade, information exchange, et cetera.”
        “It’s still a ways off, but I think if we keep in touch with them as we continue on in the Borderlands, we can establish a stronger relationship. Actually, seeing as they’re interested in new information, we might be in a position to supply them with information on the Borderlands in exchange for say... technology, for example.”
        “But they’re not about to open up their databanks to us, just yet, right?” Ironsides smiled.
        “Right.”
        Ironsides kept his eyes on Joh and Fonda during the conversation with Favor. He watched Joh and Fonda. He saw Fonda open up her tricorder and show it to Enfilar.
        “Is there anything else you wanted me to pass along to Captain Johnson?” he asked Favor.
        While Favor answered, Ironsides let his hand drop to his tricorder, snug in its holster on his hip. The major gave a casual flick with his thumb, and a light began blinking on the end of the tricorder. He laid his hand on his thigh, blocking the tricorder lights with his forearm. He sidled close to the computer station nearby as he nodded, listening to Favor.

        “That is the extent to which we’ve been able to analyze the energy surges that have been occurring,” Joh said. “We would be greatly interested if you could fill in the missing data.”
        Enfilar glanced at Fonda’s tricorder. “You have done very well in your attempts. The information you are showing us is elementary. Our technologists struggled with similar missing data in the beginning of our Omega energy theories, but through trial and error, we have extrapolated the proper data in which we completed our equations.”
        Enfilar walked to a monitor and waved his hand. The tan screen flared to life, showing a crystalline ring. “The basic theory behind the Omega reactor is a sustained chain reaction which creates pressure on the Omega particles to maintain an stable energy pattern.” He gestured to the screen, and a bright spot of light appeared at the top of the crystalline ring. It traveled the length of the ring counterclockwise.
        “The energy,” Enfilar pointed to the bright spot, “released in the previous reaction leads to reactions where a small number of Omega molecules are purposefully destabilized, only at certain specific bonds, which releases a set amount of energy. We divert most of the energy for our own use, and the remaining energy is the optimal amount of energy needed put pressure on the loose Omega particles. This pressure bonds them into new Omega molecules, replacing the ones lost in the beginning of the cycle, and keeps them stable, until the cycle begins anew.”
        The monitor’s graphics changed, to show four three-dimensional models of Omega particles linked with faint glowing bands of energy. The bonds created hexagonal shapes in a spherical arrangement, creating a molecule similar to a ‘bucky-ball’ Carbon molecule.
        The particles in two Omega molecules scattered as one of the faint energy bonds faded out. The screen brightened, representing energy released. Part of the light flowed offscreen, and the remaining light focused on the cloud of Omega particles, herding them together until they formed two new Omega molecules. A new cloud of light flowed offscreen, a byproduct of the stabilization of the Omega molecules. Some of the light was redirected back onto the other Omega molecules, destabilizing them, in a repeat of the previous animation.
        “Very efficient,” Fonda remarked. “And very dangerous. You do realize that if your reactor had a runaway chain reaction, you very well could destroy your entire planet and damage subspace in a radius of thousands of light-years, rendering warp travel useless in this sector of space.”
        “We have had setbacks which have taught us new things,” Enfilar replied. “This is an heavily shielded installation, and located near the magnetic pole of the planet. We are using the planet’s magnetic field as a sort of containment field, if you will. Our star’s ultraviolet band reacts against our charged atmosphere, which lends to its effectiveness.”
        “That would explain some of the more peculiar readings the planetary sciences department has gotten,” Joh mentioned to Fonda.
        “The reaction is strictly regulated, and since it is a repetitive cycle, we know exactly what shall occur, and the amount of energies produced. As with all things, there is a margin of error, but we have calculated for that.”
        Fonda raised her eyebrow. “Margin of error?”
        “Yes. Occasionally there will be the spontaneous stabilization of an extra Omega molecule or two, producing more energy than is needed. When that happens, we have a number of procedures in place, such as shunting it to power storage batteries. Barring the occasional aberrations, the reaction cycle remains very much unchanged since the activation of the Omega reactor.”
        “Something is wrong with the cycle, then,” Fonda said.
        “That is the crux of the problem. We are working our way backwards in the problem, trying to determine the source of the increased aberrations.”
        “I’m curious, were you involved with the creation of the Omega reactor?” Fonda asked.
        “No, I am not. I apologize if I have given you a misleading impression. The Omega reactor was created 31 years ago. Most of the Danosm involved with the creation have either retired, or slept their last. But their knowledge resides in us all.” Enfilar tapped a faint dark blotch on his temple, a buried implant. “Their pioneering work is stored in the cynet.”
        “Oh, I see,” Fonda nodded faintly. “May I learn some more about the specifics of the containment field of the reactor?”
        Enfilar paused and glanced at Galnt. “I am not aware of...”
        “They have the clearance to ask such questions. Access his authorization.”
        Enfilar glanced blankly at Galnt for a minute, then nodded. “Yes, I see.”
        Galnt looked at Fonda and Joh. “You may access our databanks as long as no information is downloaded in your devices, and all work remains here in the laboratory.”
        “Trust me, the tricorder hasn’t been invented yet that can carry the sheer amount of data needed to perform fractal mathematics,” Fonda smiled. “I had a rudimentary double-capacity tricorder assembled for this mission.” She glanced at the bulky tricorder in Joh’s hand.
        “Interesting. May I scan it?” Enfilar said.
        “Sure, just don’t erase any data,” Fonda said.
        Enfilar reached out to the tricorder. Joh held it back instinctively.
        “I need to handle... touch it.”
        Joh nodded and gave it to him. He held it in his hands, which were lined with cybernetics. “Thank you,” he said as he handed it back to Joh.
        Ironsides and Favor stepped up to the group. “Is everything proceeding allright?” the major asked.
        “It’s fine. Enfilar is being very helpful,” Fonda answered.
        “Do you need me here?” asked Ironsides.
        Fonda looked at Joh, who gave a slight shake of her head. Fonda looked back at Ironsides. “No, that’s allright. If you need to leave, that’ll be allright.”
        “I’m going back to the ship, to report back to the captain. Contact the ship in an hour. Captain Johnson will be expecting a report then.”
        “Yes, sir,” Fonda said.
        “I’ll lead you out,” Galnt said.
        “May I tag along?” asked Favor.
        “Fine,” Ironsides said. Galnt led Ironsides and Favor out of the monitor room. Moments later, Ironsides was standing on the surface, watching Favor and Galnt return back into the Arzamas Installation.
        He glanced down to his side to the small readout on the edge of his tricorder, then tapped his combadge. “Ironsides to Transporter Room, one to beam up.”

        Bogarde glanced at his bare legs. The black skin seemed ashy, paler in contrast to the color in his arms. He wiggled his toes and winced slightly. He sighed and pulled his blanket back over his legs, then shifted the pillow behind his back and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes.
        “Slacking off?”
        Bogarde opened his eyes to see Ruiz step in front of his biobed.
        “Hey, Amanda. I wasn’t expecting you,” Bogarde grinned. He moved around again, stuffing the pillow behind his back for better support on his back.
        “I’m off duty now and thought I’d check on you before I went to my quarters.” Ruiz stood by the foot of the bed and crossed her arms, smiling softly. “So, how are you doing?”
        “Doing allright, I guess,” Bogarde replied. “They got 99.9% of the crap out of my legs. The .1% is too closely bonded with some of my major nerves that it would do more damage to remove it than to leave it in.”
        “How’s that going to affect you?”
        Bogarde shrugged. “I’ll have a limp for a little while, and I’ll need to go through a course of physical therapy and some nerve regen therapy. They say in a few months I should be practically good as new.”
        “That’s great! I’m glad to hear that.”
        Bogarde looked at Ruiz for a moment. “You’re the third visitor I’ve had so far.”
        “Oh yeah?” Ruiz smirked. “Who else bothered to come and see you?”
        “Well, you just missed Garak. He left, I guess, ten minutes ago.”
        “Garak? You still chatting with him sometimes?”
        “Yeah. It was a little creepy having him come in with get well wishes, but yeah, we shot the breeze for a while. I don’t know. He’s just different to be around with than the rest of the crew. Keeps to himself an awful lot.”
        “So who else came to see you?”
        “The captain.”
        Ruiz frowned and glanced away uncomfortably. “Oh.”
        “Yeah. He came in a few minutes after I came out from under. It was really nice of him. I didn’t think he’d have time to come by at all, what with the Danosm and all.” Bogarde shrugged and crossed his muscular arms. “I kind of think he feels beholden to me.”
        “Really.” Ruiz turned to look at the nurses and doctors, watching their work. “Shouldn’t have pushed him out of the way,” she muttered in a low voice.
        “Pardon me?” Bogarde cocked his head. “Amanda... don’t tell me you’re still nursing a grudge...”
        “It’s not a grudge!”
        “What is it then?”
        “Ah... I just... it’s...” Ruiz stammered for a minute. “Well, first LeAnn, then now you’re hurt, because of him!”
        “It happens. You know as well as I do that’s how things are out here. If you looked up his service record, you could see that other people have been hurt or died under his command, just the same as any other CO in Starfleet. You’d lay the blame directly on him for every single casualty?”
        “You just don’t understand,” Ruiz shook her head. “Nobody does!” She gritted her teeth and frowned. She expelled a sharp sigh. “I’m going to go now. Have a good night.” She turned to walk away.
        “I’m sorry,” Bogarde held out his hand.
        “It’s allright. I’m tired, and I just want to get some rest. You should too. Get better, Leo.”
        “Yeah, okay. Thanks for dropping by,” Bogarde smiled.
        Ruiz nodded and tossed off a wave as she walked out of the Sickbay.

SECTION ONE | SECTION TWO | SECTION THREE | SECTION FOUR

 MISSIONS | PERSONNEL | SHIP SPECS | COMMENTS | CREDITS | MAIN