101013.2200
-=USS Alchemy=-
The young man swallowed hard. [I am sorry commander but…that is why we were contacting you.]
Paxton rubbed his eyes. “Let me get this straight, a starship disappears out of orbit, around Earth mind you, and you guys are just now getting around to looking for it?”
The now sweating lieutenant shook his head. [Not at all. We’ve been trying to determine where the Serendipity was now for quite sometime.]
Paxton annoyed attention was pulled away from the sound of the turbo lift doors opening behind him as Salvek and Zander stepped onto the bridge. Zander’s wide smile quickly disappeared at hearing the last statement.
“What do you mean you’re looking for the Serendipity?” He asked as he quickly walked up to stand next to Paxton Briggs. Salvek also approached and took up the spot on the other side of Paxton. Both men had family onboard the ship and their interest was peaked by the conversation they had walked in on.
“It seems that Starfleet has lost the Sera.” Paxton began to explain before the Lieutenant had a chance to speak. “She disappeared out of orbit and no one seems to know where she is or what happened.”
[We…we do not know if she departed on a mission. I mean, a lot of what the Serendipity does is highly classified so we were not sure of a problem. It was not until we were contacted by Commander Salvek requesting the status of the Serendipity that we started to check.]
“We never should have stayed,” Salvek lamented. “I should have ordered the Alchemy back to Earth the moment I did not get a response from Kellyn.” He retreated to the command chair as he spoke, and immediately began looking for anything on the sensors that could indicate where the ship had gone.
There was a silence on the bridge as the crew and the Lieutenant on the viewscreen waited for Salvek to issue an order of some sort. Instead they received only silence.
Much like a musical mind can isolate individual instruments in their mind in a piece, Salvek was familiar enough with the warp signature of the Sera to pick it out from the symphony of engine trails that encompassed Earth. Data streamed across the small display on the armrest of the chair. He was looking for the telltale deviations in the ten and one thousand kilohertz frequency range. Tiny peaks and crests in energy output that one would not even know where there unless one were intimately aware of the Sera. Besides himself, Lair Kellyn and Rada Dengar were probably the only two persons on the ship that would be able to find the Sera this way...if the warp trail were even there to be found.
His search revealed nothing, which meant wherever the ship was; it did not leave Earth via warp.
He glanced up at the Lieutenant on the viewscreen, who was of no use to him at the moment. With a tap on a button, Salvek severed the link, replacing the confused officer with a picture of the Earth.
“I am unable to locate their warp signature,” Salvek said.
“Then we have no idea where they went?” Paxton asked.
“Or perhaps when. We know they left Earth, and did so by means of an unconventional propulsion.” Salvek stared through Zander and Paxton to the viewscreen, searching the swirling white clouds over the planet for some sort of clue.
“How do we even begin to search through time? They could be anywhere.”
“We look for temporal fluctuations, subspace fractures, anything that could be used as a means to transport the Sera to another place or time.” Salvek pulled himself away from the view of Earth, knowing nothing useful would be found there. “I want everyone reviewing sensor readings, is that clear?”
Zander and Paxton both nodded and moved off to execute Salvek’s order. No sooner did they start looking, Blakeslee received a signal of an incoming message.
“Commander Salvek, transmission coming in, it’s from the Sera!”
“On screen please,” Salvek commanded.
After a short pause Commander Blane’s face filled the foreword view screen. He looked haggard and tired but otherwise in one piece.
[Commander Slavek,] relief crossed his face. [It is nice to see a friendly face for a change.] He glanced around and small bridge of the Alchemy before continuing. [I assume since you are not in shackles your trial went well? Or did Mr. Blakeslee and company break you out?]
“Your assumption is correct. The outcome of the trail was acceptable. However I believe you are going to tell me that the events on board the Serendipity were much more intriguing during our absence.”
[That would be an understatement. We are in route back to Earth now and should be arriving in a few days.]
“A few days?” Zander spoke up. “We were not gone that long.”
TC nodded. [Yeah, I know. It is a very long story and it has a lot to do with T.I. so you know it going to be convoluted and a pain in the ass… I mean backside, to follow. Plus I am not sure how much of these events will wind up being tagged as classified so I’m not sure what I can even discuss on this channel.]
“Understood Commander. What is your status?” Salvek asked knowing that piece of information would not be classified.
[We’re pretty banged up as usual and we’ve taken casualties. You’re wife was injured but she will be okay. Your daughter is fine. Your family is okay also Zander.]
“Injured how?” Salvek asked.
[She’s fine,] Blane reiterated. [Believe me we all have our far share of wounds, some deeper than others, but we’re coming back alive.]
“The Captain?” Paxton queried, his curiosity piqued by Blane’s previous comment.
[The Captain is… unavailable at the moment.] Blane said, knowing the Alchemy crew would understand. What Zanh Liis did or did not want to say about recent events would be her choice.
“Then we will see you in a few days, Commander.” Salvek said. “Let us know if you need any assistance.”
[Will do. Sera out.]
Lt. Commander Paxton Briggs
First Officer
USS Alchemy NX-53099
and
Commander Salvek
Commanding Officer
USS Alchemy NX-53099