There it was again, that flicker of lights. A dimming, a quick flash, then they steadied out and were the typical and regulation steady 1600 lumens. “And it’s just this one lab?” Velan asked of PO Tormlin. He’d only come up because the PO had called back to Engineering for assistance on a service ticket and frankly there wasn’t much to do for a Chief Engineer but stay out of the way of his specialist at the moment.

“Yes sir,” the young man said. “I’ve checked all adjacent cabins on the same life support circuit and no one else is having issues. Though the storage room next door is a few degrees warmer and I swear the lab across the hall is…heavier?”

“You mean more than a standard one G?” Velan asked, still staring at the lighting strips, waiting for them to flicker once more, which they politely did. Exactly the same as before. Same dimming, quick flash, then back to regulation.

“Uh, well…yes Sir. But not by much. I figure one point two, but I didn’t check properly Sir, I was just checking for lighting.” The PO, Velan knew from reading the man’s file the day before, was on his first ever deep space cruise. And a hell of a trip it was so far.

“Perhaps Petty Officer, you could verify that for me, hmm?” he asked, stroking his beard and watching another flicker, smiling. A mystery, he so loved a mystery. “And then you and I are going to find out what the problem is, yes?”

Four hours later however and not only had the problem not been resolved, but a slew of minor technical problems had started to crop up across the ship such that Velan had to abandon his personal mystery and return to Engineering. Lieutenant Maxwell and a selection of the finest trouble shooters from across Engineering had been assembled to look into the problems cropping up. Lights were flickering, grav plating was pushing up against the soft-locks, life support was fluctuating in select cabins across the ship, temperatures varying five degrees either side of baseline.

“Frankly Chief,” Maxwell said as he once more brought up the list of problems across the ship on the pool table’s surface, “this isn’t a hardware fault. We’ve scanned the actual circuits in all locations and found no faults. As soon as we take them off the global controls everything stays nice and steady.”

“Except for the supply closet on deck five, section twelve. There is an actual fault there,” one of the ratings offered. “We’re going to have to rip out a few runs to get at a faulty power regulator, but we should get it sorted by morning.”

“See that you do,” Velan added while perusing the list of errors. It had grown in the last few hours and he just knew it would continue to do so. “I want the brig isolated onto its own circuit. And take a few portable power packs. Enough to run the forcefields for a week without ship power. Hook them up and then set up an override. The smallest fluctuation and switch the entire brig over the power packs and hard isolate it from the rest of the ship.”

“Expecting trouble?” Maxwell asked.

“Unknown minor malfunctions that keep spreading. Likely a software issue…yah, I’m expecting trouble and I don’t think I relish the idea of Vaadwuur running around the ship if I can help it.” One last stroke of his chin, a gentle tug on his beard, the pain an attempt to jumpstart his brain. “I best go own up to the Captain about this.”

“Coffee, large, dash of milk and as much sugar as the Doc will let me,” Tikva asked of the replicator as she stood there in front of the electronic minion while reading from a padd. She’d found herself pacing while reading reports and memos and communiques but had momentarily stopped when thirst had beckoned.

“Q…q…q…query not recognised…ed..ed..ed..” the replicator responded before a shorting sound could be heard, then the whining down of electronics no longer powered, confirmed by the lights just blinking out within the confines of the replicator.

“Ugh…seriously?” she groaned, looking to the ceiling, then stomped back to her desk to set the padd down. The desire for coffee was there now and come hell or high water she was going to get it. The saving grace of this particular trial being that journey’s end was just in the bridge conference room, where her feet were taking her now and then soon enough back along the same route.

Seeing as she’d have to cross the bridge to get back to her ready room, a quick detour to investigate why two of her bridge officers were all huddled at the MSD at the back of the bridge was called for. “Hope nobody has broken my ship,” she said with mirth in her tone, surprising the youngest of the two, the gamma shift ops officer Michaels.

“Not intentionally,” Mac replied, not even turning away from the MSD which Tikva could see now had a rash of red all over it. “But we’re getting reports of odd malfunctions across the ship. Lights, gravity, temperature controls all being out of sorts.”

“Are we looking at a serious issue or not?” she asked, punctuated with a sip of her coffee, which seemed off, warranting another experimental sip, a sniff and then holding it out for Mac. “Does this smell right to you?”

To his credit, the XO dealt with the immediate and more serious problem – the coffee. His own sniff drew a concerned look on his face as he looked to her. “Just how much sugar is in there?”

“Forget the sugar. The coffee, does it smell right?”

He nodded, then sniffed again before answering. “Does smell off. That an Earth blend or some other blend?”

“Same blend as I always have. Great, well, my replicator is broken and the conference room one can’t make a cup of coffee.” That of course didn’t stop Tivka from another sip. It wasn’t bad, just different and upon reflection likely as Max suspect – a different blend. “Now, problems. Serious or not?”

“Well, we don’t think they’re serious but, oh, Lieutenant Velan, how good of you to join us,” Mac said over Tikva’s shoulder as Velan exited the turbolift. “We were just discussing some reports we’ve been getting across the ship. Do you have any insight into these malfunctions?”

“I think we’ve got a temperamental life support control system,” the Efrosian said as she approached, taking note of the MSD, eyes focusing on a few points momentarily. “I’d recommend all life support be switched to local controls, that should sort out the temperature and lights.”

“And the gravity?” Tikva asked while once more staring at the coffee as if sheer willpower could make it how she wanted it to be.

“Got a team going deck by deck readjusting the hardware locks for a standard G. Won’t be able to control boarders with deck plating, but at least we won’t all get flattened ourselves.” He saw the looks over those around him and smiled. “Bridge is controlled by the controller on deck two. A team is already on it.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Ra, level 1 diagnostic of the controller possible if everything switches to local control?” Mac asked.

“I…well…it’s life support sir. I’d like an hour before we do something like that so I can stand up another controller first. Downstream systems don’t seem to be problem, it’s commands they’re receiving from the life support controller that’s the problem.”

“Actually,” came the rare voice of Michaels as she stepped aside to present a screen beside the MSD for all inspect, “I don’t think it’s the life support control.”

Tikva noted she’d likely need to speak with Ra-tesh’mi later, but didn’t fault him to much for gently nudged the junior officer aside so he could close with the screen and read her findings. What he found was emphasised by his fist coming down on the keyboard. “The controller is receiving commands from the main computer.”

“Well, that’s a bit more serious,” Tikva quipped. “Alright, T’Val,” she turned to face the bridge as a whole, “all stop. Michaels, message to Engineering to isolate the Engineering computer from the rest of the ship’s systems and I mean physically isolate.” Then he was back to Velan and Mac. “I want a level two diagnostic of the main computer. And I want the brig secured as well.”

“Already done that,” Velan responded. “Power packs for a week and orders to isolate if anything so much as looks funky.” Mac whistled at that and Tikva had to smile herself.

“Geez, there won’t be much room left will there?” she asked and an affirmative nod was all she needed. “Well then gents, get to work. And Mac, I’ll hail the Va’th and tell them why we’ve stopped. We’ll catch up soon enough.”

“Aye ma’am.” And with that both senior officers went for the turbolift doors, talking to each other and failing to notice the doors not opening before walking straight into them.

Bruised egos, a few looks from bridge officers, herself included and both men were about to say something when the lights on the bridge started to flicker, then went out, red emergency lighting taking over straight away.

“Okay, what now?” Tikva asked.

The conference room was a difference place without the normal lighting, the dark red of emergency lighting casting it’s pallor on all assembled. Most of the senior staff had assembled, save for Rrr’mmm’bal’rrr who was finding difficulty with their bulk and the size of Jefferies tubes throughout the ship. Sleeves had been rolled up by more then a few who had climbed up, physical exhaustion evident on Lieutenant Gantzmann.

Damn she looks good.

Not now.

Come on, admit it!

Yes, she looks good. She always looks good. Crisis though, so shut up.

“Right, thanks all for coming up here,” Tikva started, noting more then a few had glasses of water before them. “Doctor Terax is staying in Sickbay and Lieutenant Rrr’mmm’bal’rrr is I understand scaling turbolift shaft six down to Engineering. That means Michaels here is our Ops officer.”

“I’ll do my best ma’am,” the young woman said, nervousness practically radiating off of her for Tikva to feel.

“No doubt about,” Mac chipped in and offered Michaels a reassuring nod.

Best to nurture that mentorship.

He’s not stealing her when he gets his own ship!

Of course he will and we’ll let it happen, now shut up again.

“That aside, what’s wrong with my ship people?”

“It’s the main computer,” both Velan and Michaels said at the same time.  The younger woman nodded to let Velan continue. “Only things down at the moment seem to be the main lighting and turbolifts. I showed one of the bridge crew, Daniels I think, how to isolate bridge life support, so should have main lighting back up in there shortly. But some command has shut down the turbolift network.”

“And we’re only talking about this because command codes aren’t overriding that and bringing it back up?” Tikva asked.

“Got it in one ma’am. I’ve tried all my codes, even my system administrator codes. Only set higher than those are yours, but I’ll put six months of holodeck time on the lines saying it won’t work.”

“Speaking of holodecks,” Michaels spoke up, drawing attention to herself. Tikva could feel the anxiety from the woman as a majority of the senior staff turned to look at her, waiting for her next words. A smile from Tikva gave her the confidence to continue. “All the holodecks shutdown as well, save for holodeck three. It started up and has been running quiet happily. There’s also been a lot of access requests to the sensor databases, querying everything about local scans.”

“Which user?” she asked of the Michaels.

“The system user ma’am. The computer is, well, rifling through its own memory.”

“Mac, head down to holodeck three and take a look at what’s going on. Velan, I want you to head to the main computer and take a look there. If we need to do a system shutdown and restart I want you there. Michaels and Camargo, watch the computer’s searches. I want to know what it’s looking for and if it finds it. Gantzmann, work with Ch’tkk’va to make sure the brig is secure and then I’d like the ship’s weapons systems secured as well. Let’s isolate the phaser and torpedo power systems so we don’t glitch our way into a conflict. Unless there’s anything else?”

A round of nods and she dismissed them all, Mac and Adelinde both remaining, both giving each other a neutral expression while the waited for a door to close leaving just the three present.

Mac spoke first. “Sabotage?”

“Could be, but the People seem so…forthright, and the Vaadwuur haven’t had a chance I think.” Tikva mulled it a moment more. “It’s on the list Mac. This stinks of something more than a computer breakdown, especially with a holodeck starting up. Go take a look and give me a bell when you can.”

“Right you are Cap,” he said and then departed.

Now it was just Tikva and Adelinde. Standing from her chair, she still had to look up at her partner, her lover. “Commander MacIntrye is right to be concerned about sabotage,” Adelinde said as she joined Tikva by the window and keeping a professional distance.

“Yah, I just don’t think it’s likely.”

“Guess this means dinner tonight is off.”

“Yup. Was looking forward to showing you dad’s recipe for lamb gyros.”

“Another night then,” Adelinde said as she went to walk behind Tikva towards the door, stopping just long enough to surprise Tikva with a kiss on the cheek. There had been no warning, no sense it was coming. And the joy and surprise of someone who could keep their emotional intent so well under control was just delightful it brought a smile to her lips and flush to her cheeks. “We need some R&R.”

“Agreed. Let’s fix the ship first. Then we can find a beach.”

“I was thinking mountains.”

“Mendez, Mendez,” Mac said as he approached the door to holodeck three and the two security officers posted there. Not only did the two have the same last name, but the same first name as well. Same rank even. Luckily for him one was tall and elegant, the other short and solid. You’d want both for good

“Sir,” both of them replied in perfect harmony.

“Shall we take a look?” the asked, nods in response and then approached the door, which refused to open. Taking her queue, the taller of the two Mendez’s tapped the control panel next to the door and the door gave an acknowledging tone before parting with a hiss to reveal the holodeck beyond.

There was no typical floor, no holodeck grid, but the vastness of space as if beyond the door was the vacuum just outside an airlock. Inside the door, about ten meters away hovering around chest height and spinning on all three axis was a prefect rendition of the crystal sphere that Mac had seen in one of the Science labs. Its internal makeup glinted with a myriad of lights.

“Okay…” Mac said, then stretched his foot inside, placing it gently level with the corridor’s deckplate, meeting resistance. Then he shifted his weight, finding a firm solid, if invisible surface. Reassured, he stepped across the threshold, one Mendez at his heel, the other staying with the open door and arch.

“One small step,” the man behind him said and Mac nodded before walking with more confidence towards the spinning sphere.

“Computer, end program,” he ordered of the void.

“Cannot comply. Command lockout is in effect.”

“Computer, end program, authorisation MacIntyre Charlie-six,” he started, only to receive a negative tone from the computer.

“Cannot comply. Command lockout is in effect.”

Sighing, Mac circled the sphere completely, before reaching up and tapping his commbadge. “MacIntrye to Theodoras and Camargo. You’re going to want to come to holodeck three. I think I might have an answer to our problems.”

“Well, I think I identified what the computer is looking for,” Michaels said as she brought up a display on one of the monitors between her and Camargo. She’d sat herself down next to Camargo’s science station and had to admit that Ops II was superior for work like this, if just because she could collaborate better. “It’s looking for a specific star system. Emission lines, spectral class, orbital bodies.”

“Huh, really?” Camargo looked at the search histories that Michaels had brought up and raised a hand to guide her eyes with a finger. “It’s going through the database just trying to do generic matching, but it’s going through the entire database. No further dataset refinements. And red dwarves, the most common star type in the galaxy. No wonder it’s taking forever.”

“We could try restricting the astronomical database perhaps? Either help I along or try and stop the search?”

Camargo thought about it a moment, shaking her head side to side. “We don’t even know where this ‘Site Forty-Seven’ is supposed to be. Or what it is. We’d be either guessing or could cause more problems.”

“MacIntrye to Theodoras and Camargo. You’re going to want to come to holodeck three. I think I might have an answer to our problems.”

“Uh, Camargo here, what’s up Sir?”

“I found your Tkon relic in holodeck three spinning around,” came the XO’s reply just as the Captain emerged from her ready room. “I thought it was secure in a transport container in the lab.”

“It is…oh shit…” Camargo turned to look to Tikva. “I think this is all my fault.”

“The detailed scan in the computer? But we couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”

“Doesn’t mean it couldn’t make heads or tails of our computer system. Well…Samantha, restrict the database to the Delta Quadrant. Tkon relic in the DQ, maybe looking for a DQ system.”

“Care to explain Lieutenant?” the Captain asked.

“Oh, can do, will do ma’am, but perhaps on the way?”

Search 14,856,485…negative

Search 14,856,486…negative

Search…interrupted…database access restricted. Viable entries still present. Resuming search.

Access to stardrive systems…unresolvable access pathway.

Access to navigational systems…unresolvable access pathway.

Access to matter transportation system…resolvable access pathways. System is incapable of interstellar transportation. System is incapable of vessel transportation.

Access to matter replication system…resolvable access pathways. System is incapable of complete matter synthesis. Modifications will need to be made for particle and material replication.

Resolution to stardrive and navigational pathways possible. Beginning pathway replication and installation processes.

Beginning modification of starship navigation deflector systems. Beginning modification to starship shield systems.

Access to weapon systems…unresolvable access pathway. System not required, moved to tertiary requirements list.

“So,” Tikva said as she stood in the safe holographic void with Mac and Gabrielle, all standing around the spherical recreation that was happily spinning before them, “while we couldn’t make heads or tails of it, it apparently has started to co-opt our own computers?”

Gabrielle lifted the actual artifact up to compare with its recreation, her head tilting to the side as she shrugged. “I mean, it seems like it? I don’t understand how really, but empirical evidence does point that way. I’d love to figure out how though. It’s a virus payload that can run complex instructions on completely unknown hardware and software.”

“Didn’t something like this happen somewhere before?” Mac asked.

“Geez, which incident really? Enterprise, Santiago, General Chleem, Yamato?” quipped Gabrielle as she looked around the holographic expanse. “Why recreate our position in the galaxy in the holodeck though? Heck, why even use the holodeck?”

“Who knows,” Tikva answered. “All I know is this is playing merry hell with my ship and worse, we sent a copy of this back to Command.” Then she sighed, somewhat defeatedly. “We sent a copy of this back to Command. Oh man, if this is happening to them as well…”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Mac said. “Besides, no point worrying about that right now. Gabrielle, did we share the scans with the Va’th by any chance?”

“No sir, not yet. They said something about waiting till we got to their homeworld, let their Central University receive the scans directly.”

“Well, that’s a relief at least. Cap, if you don’t mind I,” Mac started but was suddenly interrupted by a chime from the ship’s computer.

“Positive identification of Facility Bastion 13,” a voice, most certainly not the main computer, announced from all around the three present in the holodeck. The holodeck starscape zoomed across the vastness to bring a red dwarf into the center, the holographic Tkon relic replaced by the star. Two planets were in orbit, both terrestrial and in tight orbits of the star. The one planet out was barely a blip, but a dark green circle was created around it to highlight its presence in front of Mac, then an arrow to pinpoint a single point on the planet’s surface.

“Priority alert, beacon network failure detected. Proceed to effect repairs immediately,” the voice announced once more, this time it’s voice taking on a somewhat officious tone. “Your vessel is being commandeered by the Tkon Empire to facilitate galactic safety. Your compliance is required. Your vessel will be returned when the present crisis is resolved.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Tikva asked. “This is my ship. I give the orders around here.”

There was no response from the new voice.

“Tikva to Engineering,” she said after tapping her comm badge. “Tell me the warp drive is still secure.”

“Maxwell here ma’am. We’re…well…ma’am, we’ve just lost control of the Engineering computer. We’re working on restoring control now ma’am, but whatever has taken control has been making modifications to control programs and the navigational deflector. We’re trying to stop those as well.”

“Control of stardrive systems achieved. Classified as a continuum distortion drive system. Course laid in for Facility Bastion 13. Distance 21.6 light years. Estimated arrival time is twenty-four hours.”

Both Gabrielle and Mac turned on Tikva, who was busy doing the math in her head before she did a double take. “Uh, that’s just under eight thousand c. Over three times our design specification.”

“That,” the voice said once more as a figure misted into being, the holodeck shifting from the void of space to the planetary surface alongside, “is well within the material demands of your quaint vessel Captain. I do apologise for my tardiness, but other directives take priority.”

The planetary surface they found themselves on, the scene broken up by the arch which remained visible with Tikva’s insistence the door stay open, was barren, blasted rock, a red glow from an ever-present monster of a star in the sky, it’s proximity the contributor to its size. Thankfully some artistic license had seemingly been applied as it was possible to look upon it and not be blinded, or suffer in the vacuum of space.

But just ten meters past the figure a circular foundation of jetblack material stood out in contrast to the chalky grey-white terrain. The foundation was about ten meters in diameter, standing a meter in height. Atop it was a pillar of similar material, five meters across and standing twenty meters in height, or so Tikva reckoned.

“Who are you?” Mac asked before she could, having taken a position to place himself between the clearly holographic character at his captain.

“Commander Charles MacIntyre, I am Architect Seven-Six-Nine. I apologise, but I really do require your Captain’s ship.” The figure was a tall woman, taller than Mac even, dressed in a purple robe that piled around her feet. The woman, a guess at an unknown species’ genders admittedly, looked to be in her later years with a matronly look to her face.

“Why though?” Tikva asked as she stepped around her XO. “It’s okay Mac. Besides, we’ve already been hijacked.”

“I’m sorry Captain, but time is off the essence and this crude interactive form is not a priority,” the woman said. She turned to face the pillar. “Bastion 13 is a beacon located on a small world nearby. It has stopped communicating with its siblings. Repairs must be made immediately.” The woman turned, smiling like a caring mother talking to her children. “That is my purpose, to keep the galaxy safe for child species like yourself. Why the Empire hasn’t resolved this already…”

“The Tkon Empire hasn’t existed for nearly six hundred thousand years,” Tikva said, walking closer. “You’re enacting orders from a dead state.”

“No matter,” Architect replied. “I have my purpose, your ship will be my tools, your crew instruments of galactic safety. Then I shall return it to you just as I found it and wait till needed once more.”

Tikva looked the hologram over for any sign it would continue before she walked back to Mac and Gabrielle, leading them both outside the holodeck and down the corridor, keeping her voice low when she finally spoke. “Gabrielle, get your team scanning that planetoid, I want to know everything about it. And then I want you to get some sleep. Mac, nap for you as well.” She stopped his protest with a raised hand. “I’ll buzz you in a few hours, then get some sack time myself. I’m going to go down to Engineering, hopefully before Velan does and has an aneurysm.”

Gabrielle nodded, made her excuses and departed, with the relic in hand once more. That was going back into storage and likely once Atlantis made it back home disappeared into some research facility forever.

Mac however stayed, waited for Gabrielle to leave, then spoke his piece. “All of this from a detailed scan of a relic we had no idea about?”

“Hey, how was Camargo to know this would happen?”

“I…yah. You’re right. She just did what any good scientist would do with a curiosity. You know though,” he said, turning to her. “This is all kinda coincidental. We get orders, we dig a relic up, we get hijacked. What’s going on Cap?”

Tikva sighed, then patted her XO on the arm. “Would that I could tell you Mac, would that I could. Though, in a few years’ time when Command gives you your fourth pip, I’ll catch you up.”

“They’ll have to give me a solid third first.”

“When this is all done, remember we’re going to go steal some pips from the Commodore.”

Stepping into Engineering, Lieutenant T’Val had expected to find a scene of Engineers stressed, working to their extremes. Frayed emotions, people having clear displays of internal thought processes and impulsive responses. Instead, what she found was an oddly ordered, if still somewhat busy workspace. Yes, the warp core was thrumming away much faster than she had ever experienced aboard Atlantis, or any ship she’d been on before, but expectations for the state of those working here did not align with reality at all.

“Ah, Lieutenant, come to see if we’ve blown up just yet?” Maxwell, the Assistant Chief asked when he spotted her. A statement which portrayed his ‘human-ness’ with its inanity.

“If Lieutenant, I wanted to see if Engineering had blown up, I am reasonably certain the plasma wave would have informed me before the thought had finished,” she answered him as she passed him and approached the warp core itself. “I had actually come down out of curiosity to compare expectations with reality for the state of the crew as the sensors and readouts on the bridge were more than sufficient to confirm we are indeed breaking the ship’s design specifications for speed and endurance.”

“Yah,” the man said as he came beside her, then leaned into the railing around the warp core and the rather perilous drop down four decks to the antimatter injectors. “Wouldn’t believe it if you told me, but can’t deny the reality of it. Someone’s tinkered with our warp drive, mainly at just a control level, but we’re doing it. Nine point nine nine. Oh, sure, we’re going to need to refit the coils after this, they weren’t rated for this after all, but…”

“It’s an impressive feat,” T’Val finished for him. “I was introduced to a term by the Captain just briefly. Engine rich exhaust, to indicate when exhaust plumes were containing material from the engines.”

Maxwell laughed, a single bark of laughter, but still laughed, a natural smile coming to his face that she found fascinating if vulgar. Like so many humans he seemed to wear his emotions so easily. They weren’t private considerations, discussed logically with family or friends, but public displays for all to see. “Engine rich exhaust. I’ll have to let Ra-tesh’vi know about that one.”

He stood, then chuckled to himself. “Engine rich exhaust. Good one. Well, if you need anything Lieutenant, just give me a yell.”

“I will do no such thing,” she replied, not harshly, just matter of fact.

“It’s a human expression, Lieutenant. Like…you know where to find me. Or engine rich exhaust.”

“That last one is a technical term.”

He chuckled again, then sighed. “Vulcans,” he said shaking his head. “It’s just a saying T’Val.”

“I see,” she replied, not entirely understanding the human term, but accepting it at least for now. “I shall give you a yell then, if I have need of anything.”

“Gabrielle, we’re archaeologists, and you left us behind,” Simmons protested over the comm channel. “I’m not sure just how much help we can be on this issue.”

“I mussst agree with Sssimmonsss,” W’a’le’ki said, being next to Simmons back on W’a’le’krell’ti after all. “We will however prioritissse looking for anything sssimilar to the relic and this pillar you have outlined for usss.”

“That’s all I’m asking you two. We’re not getting much out of this Architect program, but maybe you’ll find something back there that might outline or explain just what is going on,” Gabrielle responded, shrugging her shoulders. “Just please get on it ASAP. We’re just over twelve hours out from our destination and the Architect has started replicating parts it would seem.”

“I heard it’s been playing with life support,” Simmons asked. “I was wondering if…”

“I’ve already asked Hitchcock to look into your orchids, Simmons. She said something about them being tasty.” Gabrielle waited for the look of horror to fully mature before cracking a smile. “They’re fine. Watered, fed and moved to a climate stable cabin.”

“Thank you. Right, well we’ll get right on getting everyone free to look over the lower levels of the ruins and see what we can find, if we can find anything.”

With that and a round of goodbyes, the comm channel was closed and Gabrielle looked around the little office she had as Chief Science Officer, just off of Lab 1. It wasn’t a big office, but enough for her to hold one on ones, make private calls, that sort of thing. Right now though it was a private retreat from the full lab just past the door. Everyone was pouring over the scans of the parts that the Architect had replicated, trying to ascertain their purpose.

Twenty minutes after the call had ended her door was opened by an Ensign with a rather excited look on his face, entreating her to come and look at something. A couple of dozen foot falls and she was standing in front of a rotating holographic representation of…something.

“Okay, does someone want to explain this?”

“It’s a heavy nuclei synthesiser,” someone responded, that tone that always carried a final word of ‘obviously’ without ever having to actually say it. “The Architect has been replicating the components for it for hours on end, then assembling them in cargo bay three as of an hour ago. Should be done in…an hour perhaps?”

“Okay, but why?” she asked.

“To create heavy nuclei that we don’t have in stock aboard ship,” the same voice as earlier spoke. “We don’t think it’s as good as the elemental forges back home, say at Antares or New Providence, or those being built at Utopia Plantia, but we don’t exactly carry the plans for those with us and this is probably part of the Tkon process. Build a forge, crank out some heavy elements, do what needs doing.”

“And this beacon?” she asked of the assembled mass. “Any ideas about that so far?”

Another voice spoke up, Krek it sounded like and confirmed when the Tellarite pushed their way through the crowd. “No idea as to the specifics so far, but we’ve been given a repair guide.” They brought up an exploded view of the beacon, replacing the previous hologram. “Everything in blue is assembled components. Everything in red is yet to be crafted. Yellow is a component of the beacon that needs removing. We’ve been told,” Krek said in a dismissive tone, “we will need to undertake final repairs as some sort of distortion field prevents transporters within twenty kilometers of the beacon.”

“Well, that’s something at least. Gabrielle to Captain Theodoras,” she spoke after tapping her commbadge. “Got something on that Tkon device. You might want to come to lab 1.”

“On my way Lieutenant,” came the response.

“Nurse Bendî,” Doctor Terax announced loudly as he stepped out of his office, a padd in all three arms.

“Yes Doctor?” the mahogany skinned man replied as he looked up from his work.

“I need you to head to stores and bring back the following items,” he stated, handing the man one of the padds. “We have personnel apparently that will be working in high radiation environments and will start inoculations in six hours.”

“Yes sir,” Bendî responded, then looked the list over. “Plenty of post-incident drugs as well. Should I bring up the full radiation kits as well?”

Terax stopped and looked up from his current padd of interest, blinked once at Bendî and then sighed. “Yes, add them to the list. Bring all of them out of stores. Where is Nurse Ayo?”

“He’s with Doctor Chaplin setting up a triage center in cargo bay one. Doctor Chaplin had said something about Sickbay being out of commission, which with this,” the nurse said indicating the padd in his hand, “makes sense now Sir.”

“Very well. Take this,” Terax handed another padd over, “and deliver it to Ayo and Chaplin. They will be managing business as usual. I’m sure they have most of this sorted already but I would prefer to make sure.”

“Right you are Doctor.”

Waiting for his dismissal, Bendî then departed, leaving Terax with only a couple of corpsmen in Sickbay. “You two, I want you to run diagnostics on all Sickbay forcefields. Get the radiation sources out as well and ensure the fields are shielding appropriately. Then make yourself familiar with the radiation exposure guidelines.”

A round of ‘Yes sir’ and Terax nodded to both before returning to his office.

Stepping into the ready room, Mac set his padd down on the desk and sat himself down in one of the chairs without asking or being told. He’d at least reached that level of understanding when he could and couldn’t get away with such actions. “Terax just reported in. Sickbay is ready for radiation exposure cases.”

He watched his Captain take the padd, cast her eyes over it, acknowledge receipt and then set the padd back down in front of him. “Thanks Mac.”

“What’s up Cap?”

She stopped, turned her computer terminal around so he could see the display. “We’re burning out the warp drive at this rate. We’ll be lucky to make warp five after this sprint. It’ll take the better part of a year just to get back to the Barzan wormhole without a refit and rebuild.”

“Perhaps the People can help? They’re not that far.”

“And we have a standing invite. I’ve had two calls from Captain Korlin just today as well. He’s going to return to W’a’le’krell’ti and pick up our people for us. We’ll then rendezvous at their capital. Sounds like first contact protocols, so if it’s a safe harbour, and my feeling is the People are genuinely nice people, we should be able to undertake some self-care. Don’t think we’ll get the upper limits back until we visit a shipyard, but at least we won’t be looking at a year limping home, more like six months? Plenty of time to get some real exploring done, cross the finish line in twelve months?”

“Mug the Commodore before we go through the wormhole, remember,” Mac offered.

“That too. Right, I think you’re due in sickbay soon since you’re going down with Velan and his people. Don’t envy that task.”

“Don’t remind me,” he replied, standing up and taking his padd with him. “Put your XO in an EV suit, char broil and microwave for four to six hours or until golden brown,” he quipped as he left the office.

“Right Shven,” Mac said as he leaned in between the two flight control seats of the shuttle Grey, “take us in over the beacon for a first pass. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got before we get the other shuttles to start shipping the parts down.

“Yes sir,” the Andorian said as he brought the shuttle down closer to the surface at the coordinates given to him during his briefing.

Looking past the Lieutenant and his Ensign co-pilot, Mac spotted the shield indicator, highlighting the shuttle’s shields under stress, but not unduly. Radiation warnings outside the shield bubble were of the ‘short life span’ variety, not including the direct solar exposure threatening to kill everyone present as well.

“Toasty out there Velan. Those portable emitters going to cut it?” he asked over his shoulder to the Engineer and his assembled minions. Everyone on the shuttle, on all the shuttles actually, were kitted out in EV suits, ready to seal up at a moments notice for that extra little layer of protection.

“Should hold for a few hours each. Get this job down and then that crazy program will give me back my ship. I have no intention of cooking alive down here. Besides, going to get to look inside Tkon technology, I’ve a duty to the Federation to survive and report what I see.”

“Ah, selfless self-preservation I see.”

“You know it.”

Shaking his head with a smile, Mac went back to looking out the forward windows as the shuttle closed on the specified site, moving in at a prodigious speed before the pilots began to back the speed off to a mere few thousand kilometers an hour, then slower still. Something was there on the horizon, but the radiation environment wasn’t helping the shuttle’s sensors, a number of them reporting errors or having closed protective covers.

“You good to keep going Shven?” he asked, a hand indicating the sensor console and the numerous sensors not responding.

“Yah, I’ve got enough to fly with and those are hardened against stuff like this. We might have a bumpy landing, but we should be good. Coming up on the beacon now.”

His attention drawn back to the windows, a human instinct that seeing was believing, Mac squinted slightly as the beacon sight grew larger, then sighed as he spotted more damage than the Architect had assumed.

“Velan, you might want to get a look at this.”

Walking into holodeck three alongside Maxwell, Tikva approached the Architect who was busy studying a recreation of the beacon on the planet, recreated from scans of the teams on the ground already. There was nothing to read, or feel from a hologram and she started to realise how much she’d been relying on that emotional radar to guide her. “So, now we need to replicate and fabricate more components?” she asked as she came to a stop.

“Yes,” the hologram spoke. “I was expecting normal servicing for the beacon, but environmental damages necessitate rebuilding. I have already started the process.”

“About that,” Maxwell spoke up. “You’re running some of our reserves awfully dry and we need those for our own maintenance and repairs after all of this.”

“Your concerns are insignificant compared to galactic safety.”

Before Maxwell could respond, Tikva stopped him with a gesture. “We’re already mobilising the assembled components planet side. How long till these new components are assembled?”

“Fourteen hours. Once beacon repairs have been completed and the beacon is active once more, this Architect will shut down and await a future emergency.”

With a nod of her head, Tikva led Maxwell out of the holodeck. “I know Maxwell, we need some of those ingredients for repairs, but I’m giving the order to make available whatever it needs, nevermind it’ll just beam it out of storage when it wants to anyway.”

“Ma’am, you’re asking me to potentially compromise the ability to repair the ship.”

“I…yes, yes I am Maxwell,” she replied, with an edge that she didn’t want initially. “I’ve got my orders and you’ve now got yours. We’ll sort this all out later.”

“Ma’am, I’m going to need those orders in writing.”

“By the time you get to Engineering they’ll be in your inbox and in the official record. Dismissed Lieutenant.”

Watching Maxwell depart, Tikva turned around and straight into Adelinde. “Geez! How do you get so sneaky?”

“Practise, skill, dedication.”

“What’s up?”

“The XO and SO are both off the ship, leaving me as your second at the moment. I’m advising you that you need some lunch.”

Tikva sighed, then offered a grudging smile. “Fine, fine, lead the way.”

When she didn’t move, Tikva looked up at Adelinde, who was staring at her gently. “He was just doing what he sees as right by asking for written orders.”

“I know, heck, in his position I’d be doing the same. I have done the same!”

“Good, then you understand, so stop beating yourself up about it. As you’ve said, you have orders. The official records will sort themselves out.”

A quick glance either way down the corridor and Tikva then popped up on the balls of her feet and kissed Adelinde on the cheek. It was as much of a display of affection she’d allow herself right now, but she wanted to do it. “That helps, thanks. Now, to lunch.”

“Grey to Rangitata, can you spot us while we lower this piece?”

“You’ve got five meters Rangitata. Three. Two. Cut tractors.”

Velan watched as the final piece was released from the tractor beams under the shuttle Grey and allowed to settle on its own anti-gravs, hovering just high enough off the ground to allow it to clear the local terrain. Around him, for a few hundred meters in all directions, work was progressing according to the revised plan. Pieces were being cut off the beacon, tractored away and simply dumped on the planet’s scorched surface. Others had already been lifted into place and fitted, more were waiting their turns, like the newly arrived piece.

The sky above was tinged faintly blue as the shield bubble above their heads constantly flickered and spasmed in the high radiation environment of a planet orbiting so close to its parent star. A rather prominent flicker spelt the end for another emitter and the kicking in of the next in the chain.

“MacIntrye to Velan. Number three just burned out. Chak’ti thinks he can salvage parts and get number six back online, failing that we’ve only got four left. That going to be enough time?”

Turning to look in the direction of where the site shield generators were, and MacIntrye and Chak’ti, a wave from the XO’s arm when he spotted Velan, he gave the man a thumbs up across the airless surface. “Should be. Still don’t quiet understand what this thing does, but I’ll happily follow the instructions. Another couple of hours and we should be done.”

“Sounds good.”

With another thumbs up, Velan pointed the hand-tractor he had at the newest component, about twice his height in length, half that in width and with substantial mass. His only hope for moving it was the anti-gravs mounted to it and the hand tractor. A flick of a switch and the blue cone of force grabbed onto the artifact. “Right, let’s get you to the construction team oh end cap and get you installed. I want out of this suit and into a shower.

“Well?”

“Well, what?” Gabrielle asked of Lieutenant Gantzmann, who was looming over her shoulder.

“Is it doing anything?” the larger woman asked to better clarify her original statement, or so Gabrielle assumed.

“The ground team only just signalled they’ve turned it on. I’m scanning, but nothing is showing up on sensors.” And that alone was today’s annoyance for Gabrielle. She’d been expecting something flashy, a light show, some sort of impressive sensor image. Even just a subspace spectrum would have done it. But instead, she got flat out nothing. No unusual or unknown EM signatures. No subspace harmonics that she could detect. Gravitational anomalies were absent. Space-time wasn’t threatening to unravel, or ravel, itself. There was a power signature on the planet’s surface, but that was it. A single, lousy, expected power source that wasn’t all that special in the grand scheme of things.

“Nothing at all?” Gantzmann asked, her tone hinting and incredulity.

“If there was something, I’d let everyone know.”

Before she could be further interrogated, she was rescued by the captain returning to the bridge. “T’Val, set course for the People’s planet of Trent and prepare to get underway. Once all shuttles and personnel are accounted, we’ll get going. Helm control and engines should be restored in the next few minutes. Camargo, drop whatever probes you want behind, but make sure they’re programmed for self-immolation. Might as well scan what we can while we can. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in Sickbay congratulating some slightly irradiated and exhausted engineers.”

And with that, Captain Theodoras departed.

“Still nothing on scans,” Gabrielle said after a few moments to break the silence.