Part of USS Mackenzie: Mission 2: Wayward Sons and Bravo Fleet: Blood Dilithium

1 – We Gotta Delta

USS Mackenzie - Bridge
11.1.2400 @ 0745
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Harris stepped onto the bridge as the viewscreen showed a large number of vessels from the Fourth Fleet waiting for the wormhole to open.  He accepted the center chair from his XO and started checking the reports on his chair console.  A moment later, “Ensign Atega, what’s our status?”

She glanced back at him from her console, “We’re fifteenth in line, sir.  Ships are starting to line up now.”

Harris sat forward, “Mr. Prentice, let’s get ourselves where we need to be.”

The bridge grew quiet as the Excelsior II class ship lumbered into position.  A moment later, Presley spoke up, “Signal from Starfleet – once the wormhole opens up, we clear to proceed in order.”

The silence of the bridge returned as the ambient sound floated through the air, all eyes on the space that held the wormhole ahead of them.  Fowler spoke up, “Energy surge at the site of the wormhole.”

And then it opened.  It was an awesome sight as it broke forth and unfurled into the blackness of space as it quickly stabilized.  Fowler confirmed, “Lead ship confirms we have a connection.  We are underway.”

Ambrose steepled his fingers as he waited, “Yellow alert.  All hands should secure to stations just in case things get bumpy in transit.”  The soft klaxon rang throughout the ship as officers and crew shifted to secure positions.  All eyes remained forward as the fourteen other ships continued towards the wormhole.  Seconds and minutes ticked by until the ship in front of them lumbered forward and vanished into the mouth.

Prentice was counting the time they had to wait until they were clear to enter.  “5…4….3…2…1….0”

The CO gently ordered, “Get us on our way, Mr. Prentice.” The USS Mackenzie surged forward closer to the wormhole.  The bridge crew and, by extension, the crew of the ship subconsciously gripped chairs, walls, and consoles as the entry point grew closer and closer until the screen flashed and the ship was flying through the circular tube.  They all looked around and let out the breath they were holding.  Prentice reset the clock for five minutes.  Harris tapped the console on his chair, “Captain Harris to all crew – we are five minutes out from the Delta Quadrant.  Make final preparations.”

Five minutes later…

Prentice once more was counting down until they came out of the wormhole.  Harris gripped the chair as the count hit zero, and the Mackenzie flew into the Delta Quadrant for the first time.  “Mr. Prentice put us in our standby zone that we were designated.”  He turned in his chair to the science station, “Lieutenant Fowler, preliminary report?”

She scanned the screens at her station – they had found having her in the front of the bridge to be distracting and had shifted her back to the right side of the bridge with some of her team next to her as well.  Tactical Chief Kondo now sat beside Prentice at the front of the bridge.  “System maps are scanning to match up and update to the latest.  Showing all parties in this sector of space are who we expected.  We’ve started a scan for the two transport ships.”

Harris turned his chair to the left and caught Ensign Atega’s glance, her earpiece being covered by her hand.  “I’m sending out hails to the two ship’s markers.  So far, nothing. Markonian Outpost is about two hours away – I’m sure we can find out more there once we arrive.”

“Helm – plot a course for the Markonian Outpost. Maximum warp.  Engage when ready.”  He picked up his PADD and began to interface with the sensors that science was putting out.  There was a lot of data out there, and his eyes nearly glazed over.  Being so isolated, the Delta Quadrant had suddenly become a very busy space with lots of competing signals, markers, and trails.  He only hoped that once they arrived at he outpost, they’d find the answers they were seeking.

Comments

  • I love the choice you made to track the Mackenzie's journey through the Barzan wormhole. Through your storytelling, I can practically imagine the CGI extravaganza that would come from the entire Fourth Fleet entering the wormhole. You brought the right amount of amazement and awe at an interstellar event as beautifully impossible as wormhole travel. The countdown even gave it a bit of danger danger! With a fresh new mission on your relatively new ship, it's always helpful to start us off with a bridge scene to re-introduce the main characters. I can't wait to see what shenanigans they're going to face in the Delta Quadrant!

    November 2, 2022
  • Great to see the Mackenzie leaping into action! I love the community feel of the Fourth Fleet acting in unison as they head through the wormhole. Great to see the ship heading over to the Markonian Outpost too, no doubt plenty of action and intrigue await your characters there. I found your descriptive language of the wormhole transit to be really apt. The subconscious gripping of fixtures on the bridge reminds the reader that despite their intense training and professionalism, our crews are mere mortals after all with their fair share of fears and anxieties about heading into the unknown! Great atmosphere building!

    November 2, 2022
  • That was one hell of a beginning that you have given us Aaron. I must say that the first portion was intense, you could almost feel the tension on the bridge, and in turn, the entire ship, as the Mackenzie waited for its turn to enter into the wormhole. Keep up that type of emotion and I see this being one hell of a story. See you on the other side of the Delta.

    November 2, 2022
  • And the Mackenzie is off, bravo on how detailed you gave the situation of the jump to DQ, it makes me jealous in a way that I almost want to rewrite my own piece to match yours. The crew is a well-oiled machine that reacts and response on everything that is related to them. Tension is present at the bridge and people know that things will go down in DQ for sure!

    November 2, 2022
  • I like that we get immediately into the action here. I love the mental image of a ship lumbering forward, made me smile! This is a great start to the story, setting the scene and letting us feel all the tension of a mission about to commence, with the ticking clock of the countdowns. Looking forward to reading more!

    November 3, 2022