“Good news, bad news,” Gérard Maxwell announced as he stepped out of the turbolift onto the bridge, still wiping his hands on a rag that had at some point in the past presumably been white in colour. It was now the unfortunate colour swathe of engineering viscera. And aside from Gérard’s hands, it was the only sign he’d been working at all.

“Bad news,” he launched straight into his update without further prompting as he descended the ramp on the port side to present himself to the captain’s chair where Gabrielle Camargo had finally sat herself down. “Still can’t explain why we can’t restore power to deck twelve forward of frame seven on its own circuits.”

“And the good news?” Gabrielle asked, eyebrow and voice rising in question.

“We’ve patched in power from deck eleven via a very dirty EPS extension that most certainly isn’t rated for safety. I’ve ordered the Jefferies tubes and access panels in the area all sealed, so only my power team can access it when they’re working on the issue.”

Gabrielle sighed, shook her head, and then looked at him. “The warp drive Gérard.”

He snorted with a laugh, smiling before giving the information that was truly what the bridge had been waiting for. “The starboard nacelle is charging with warp plasma right now and with the port nacelle already done, we should be low warp capable within minutes and cleared for full speed in fifteen.”

The nacelles had been vented for the repair work, the coils electro-statically discharged and rendered as inert as they could be. The nacelles had in essence gone cold. But with the repairs done, plasma once more coursed from the ship’s beating heart, not just to power the various and sundry subsystems but to energise the warp coils.

A held breath was being exhaled and Atlantis could once more run.

Gabrielle nodded as she stood, trying to imitate the captain’s calm acceptance. Tried for the same affable smile. Then gave up and offered Gérard her best, then a slight shrug. “Want to go see an engineering marvel?”

“Can I have a nap first?” Gérard asked around a laugh.

“Naturally!” she said, laughing in unison with the engineer. “Talk to Rrr, tell him who needs cover and get your people some rest. We’re going to be at least a few hours making our way to this mega-structure anyway.”

Gérard nodded in understanding, half-turned to depart and then rotated back on Gabrielle, brow furrowing. “Did you say mega-structure?”

While the captain might have teased, denying any further information for later as part of a grand reveal, Gabrielle couldn’t help but drag Gérard over to the science stations, currently occupied by a junior officer since Simmons had thankfully decamped to a lab to study some reading or another. The fawning over data was only interrupted a quarter later by Lieutenant T’Val informing them both that Merktin in Engineering had just declared the engines fit to ‘best possible speed’.

A cue for Atlantis to go and investigate what it could, since the anomaly that had brought them here was being stubbornly stealthy, and for Gérard to get some much-needed rest.

Rest that it turned out he’d be grateful for in light of what was on the viewscreen after only a mere few hours at high-warp.

“Sérieux?” Gérard asked as he stepped up beside Gabrielle and Adelinde on the bridge hours later. He looked a lot better for the rest and the coffee in hand than he had after reporting repairs had been completed.

It had been long enough after all for everyone to get some rest before they had arrived at their destination and fresher faces all around the bridge were busy relieving those who had whiled away the boring Gamma shift with nothing to do but watch dials and sensors dutifully doing their duty.

“You weren’t kidding about an engineering marvel,” Gerard continued. “As long as this thing doesn’t start rewinding time, I think we’ll be okay, right?”

“We’re still taking readings from the probes we left at our arrival point, including time stamps, so should notice if that happens,” Adelinde answered. She’d been on watch during Gamma shift and still looked like she’d just come on duty. Gabrielle realised she could count the number of times she’d seen Adelinde look less than ready to do her job on one hand.

“Well, guess that’s a relief.” Gérard stepped forward, closer to the viewscreen. Not that it really did anything to help, being a perfect holographic representation of what was ahead of the ship, but it was such a human thing to do – get closer, even minutely, to something that was still whole astronomical units away.

“Radius is zero point nine AU,” Wy’run Threl announced from Sciences, this time unobstructed by Simmons hovering over his shoulder. The junior science officer, a mere ensign, didn’t seem to have any issues speaking up on the bridge at all. “Interior habitable width is near enough to fifteen hundred kilometres. Which gives an interior surface area of…one point two seven times ten to the twelve square kilometres. Or about two thousand four hundred and eighty-six Earths.”

“Okay, that is one big dumb object,” Gérard said after a drawn-out whistle. “You could move the entire Federation onto that thing and still have room enough for house guests.” He turned to face Gabrielle and Adelinde with a smile. “We’re going to investigate, yes?”

Gabrielle straightened her back, trying to be as commanding as she could be, but with a smile as she spoke. “Mr Maxwell, could you please assemble an Engineering detail with the intent to study and examine the object before us? Liaise with Mr Simmons to ensure Sciences are represented.” 

“Should I take Simmons with me?” he asked.

“If he wants to, yes.”

“I’ll leave Engineering with Jamieson and take Merktin with me if that’s okay?” Gérard asked before turning and leaving after an affirmative nod from Gabrielle.

“Quick suggestion,” Adelinde said quietly, so only she and Gabrielle would hear, aside from the supremely capable hearing of both Rrr at Ops and T’Val at the helm. “Assign Lieutenant W’a’le’ki to the mission personally.”

“Simmons would be an idiot not to take her with him considering her specialities,” Gabrielle said, then shook her head. “Which is exactly why I should assign her because, of course, he knows more than her about a field he has no interest in.”

“I would almost suggest he should remain aboard ship as well to continue studying the readings from the probes we left behind to try and figure out a way home, but –”

It was Gabrielle’s turn to cut Adelinde off. “But the rest of the astrodynamics team might actually get something done without Simmons around constantly badgering them.”

“How would you, if the captain was aboard, handle Simmons at a time like this?” Adelinde asked.

“I’d likely be in the same lab space, supervising the work and acting as moderator for any arguments and discussions. My presence also likely meant others would be more willing to speak up as well, since I could pull rank and get Simmons to shut up.”

“So?” Adelinde prompted.

“So…Commander Gantzmann, I think I’m going down with the away team for the initial survey.” And Gabrielle was just as quick to raise a finger, stopping a protest that wasn’t forming at all. “Ah, not the captain, protocols clearly state the captain.”

“They should state commanding officer,” Adelinde agreed. “I’ll supervise the locating and studying of the cosmozoans we detected on sensors.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Gabrielle confirmed, handing over the ship’s keys. “Find us the source of that Friendship transmission and a nice spot nearby to beam down to, will you?” she asked as she headed for the turbolift.

Once she was gone, it was Rrr who turned around first, a grin on their granite-like face. “Seriously going to let her off the ship?”

“A mega-structure with an old Friendship probe on it somewhere. Engineering and Sciences would riot and she’d be the chief rioter.” Adelinde shrugged ever so slightly. “And she’s right about the protocols.”

“Technically,” Rrr said.

“Technically correct is the best form of correct,” T’Val piped up from the helm.

“Well, guess that settles it then.” Rrr’s admission of defeat was indicated with a return to their work. “Starting scans for the Friendship probe now. And our space-based friends too.”

“Very good Lieutenant. Lieutenant T’Val, take us in please.”

“Aye ma’am,” T’Val answered. “Ahead full.”