“Something is out there.” The words from Eleanor Bishop at science were grave, and set the tone for the rest of the Buran’s bridge. Captain Helena Dread had shifted to stand behind her, watching the sensor readings play across the screen.
Dread rocked on her heels. The USS Denver was behind them by a few hours, holding back while the Rhode Island-class scout did her work. “Even in the fog, you can see something?”
Bishop shifted the sensors, pointing to the screen as it shifted. “It’s a large signal. Unusually big. The computer isn’t able to quantify it beyond what it can see around the front edges.” Eleanor turned to face Dread. “We know what this could be, Captain.”
Helena grimaced. V’ger. She’d spent the day reading up on the event that nearly destroyed their universe. If not for a Deltan and Commander Decker, the universe that surrounded them could have been their reality. “In our universe, I’d ask for more evidence. Here, I’m inclined to take all the caution available. Send a priority one message to Denver informing them of what we’ve found. Estimate on intercept?”
Bishop ran the numbers. “Twelve hours.” She did one more calculation. “Even if we make best speed for where the Enterprise -B allegedly is, they’ll still overtake us by two hours.”
Helena grumbled. “Advise Captain Crawford of those details. I suspect we’re going to make a run for it. Nothing we have can make a dent in that thing. We’d better hope the Enterprise can.”
Eleanor asked, “Do you think we could communicate with it in the way they did in our universe?”
Dread answered, “You think we could? Given the addition of the Borg into the mix?”
Bishop’s face blanched. “A fair point, Captain.”
“We’re not going to outrun it, are we?” Grace Albright sat across from her commanding officer on the USS Denver. Captain Peter Crawford had decided they would attempt to reach the USS Enterprise-B at her secret location. He sipped his steaming cup, relishing the boldness of the Earl Gray. The stars streamed past the windows, suggesting a calm journey. It was anything but.
Crawford answered, “We’re going to do everything we can, Commander. Both science departments are analyzing the data–old and new. We still haven’t located Mackenzie, Perseverance, or the Academy cadets.” He relished the strong bergamot. “Finding them is our mission. Staying clear of V’ger and its Borg friends keeps us on the search and rescue operation.”
Crawford’s badge beeped. “Captain, we’re receiving a long-range communication on an unknown frequency. We’re attempting to identify where it’s coming from. They encrypted the message. The encryption matches our systems, but the signal does not.”
Peter stood, “We’re on the way.” He walked out of his ready room and onto the bridge, finding his way to the communications station where Lieutenant Presley Atega sat. “Talk to me.”
She pulled up the data. “It’s strong, sir. I can trace it in a direction within the short range of our sensors, but long range remains cloudy.” In her time as Deputy Director of Communications on Montana Station, she’d expanded her knowledge. This was testing the limits. She pressed harder on the console than usual, frustrated.
Her CO leaned in, examining the screen. “Put it on the screen. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.” She tapped the console, and a scrambled video filled the main viewer. “Well, that’s different.” The sound crackled and fizzed.
Atega sighed, but continued to work. “Interference is on our end. Working to clear it up, sir.” The signal was incredibly strong, and she wondered how much power it would take to project it. As the computer sequenced the signal, the power estimations kept climbing until it passed the capabilities of Montana Station. Atega felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and a chill run through her body. This defied explanation. This was frightening. Who had this kind of power? This universe was a curiosity before. Now, it was terrifying. What was around the next corner if this power existed? Haltingly, the signal clarified as she adjusted the receivers on the Denver.
The audio resolved first. “…this is the USS Enterprise, registry number NCC-1701-B. This Captain Walton, hailing what we think is the USS Denver, please respond.”
Crawford’s jaw dropped, and there were gasps of shock at each station on the bridge. That was the unmistakable voice of Wren Walton. Or was it? He held his excitement from his voice, motioning to the crew to settle. He asked, “Captain Walton, I need you to verify squadron codes.” Glancing at Atega, who was adjusting the outgoing communication stream, wincing as the frequencies scrambled through the spectrum, gave him pause. “Can they hear us?”
In answer, Walton’s voice returned. “We’re getting a return signal, Denver, but it’s garbled to all hell. You’re going to have to adjust your output frequency…we’ll send you the settings.” Atega waited until the information popped up. Her hands flew across the console, making the adjustments. The blinking yellow alert on the screen shifted to green, and she gave Crawford a thumbs-up, her face slack with relief.
Peter tried again. “Captain Walton, I need you to verify squadron codes.”
“You would, Pete. Squadron codes are 9193 Billings, 965 Blue Alpha Rim.”
Crawford’s lips broke from their tightened form into a wide smile. “Captain Walton, you are confirmed. You’ve taken possession of the USS Enterprise. Do you have any information on our missing cadets?”
Atega piped up, “Captain, we have a visual signal resolving in 5…4…3…2…1.”
The screen flickered until it was filled with an ebullient Captain Wren Walton, surrounded by the missing cadets. “We have them, Captain Crawford. And we are so glad to see you.” He could see her holding back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her and the surrounding crew of cadets. “We hope you have a way back home for us, Pete.”
“We do. There is something in the way of our escape route.”
“V’ger. And the Borg. We’ve got some ideas on that front. We’re going to pick someone up on our way to you. If you come our way and we meet in the middle, we’ll have some time to get this plan sorted out.”
“How desperate is this plan, Wren?”
“Desperate, Pete. It’s going to take all of us to get through this.”
Crawford winced. “We’ll get underway. Buran is with us. See you soon.”
Wren chuckled. “Give Helena my regards. See you soon.” The channel closed.
The silence on the bridge was palpable, and the tension in the air had increased as the conversation between the two captains had continued. Crawford turned to his command team. “We set the tone.” He looked each officer in the eye. “We know the way home. Hold on to it.” Crawford finished with, “Intercept course at maximum warp. I need readiness reports from all departments within the hour.”
