Capernum: Tachyons and Towing

Posted on Mon May 5th, 2025 @ 4:57pm by Captain Taavis {SF/Meji Intel} {Meji} & Captain Rogue "Ro" Green {Meji Master} {Flt. Cpt.} & Lieutenant Commander Sheyla {MD} & Lieutenant JG Jynxza Dahl & Lieutenant JG T'Pri

Mission: CAPERNUM: {CD&MISSION} On Duty
Location: USS Capernum
Timeline: Current

ON:

The last few minutes had ticked by and the USS Capernum had now reached their destination.

"Dropping from warp in three, two, one...now." Jynxza announced, her hands gliding over her console as they activated and deactivated systems to remain at the ready once they had fully dropped from light speed.

"Lieutenant Jynxza, bring us to all stop. Shields up and begin our scans." Green ordered, seeing her people go to work.

The forward viewport showed the slowing from streaking white haze to pinpoint star light. All forward motion was halted as Capernum now sat still amidst a spread out assortment of space flotsam in the form of asteroids. Ice chunks, some rock and soil frozen together, but nothing too extraordinary. A distance ahead were two large asteroids that were easily larger than Capernum, and they were fairly close together. It was what was between them that caught the attention of ship and crew.

Taavis was the first to bring voice to it. "It would seem that that freighter is playing relay conduit for kinetic energy from those two asteroids."

Sheyla was manning the Tactical station. "Strategic sensors show that the ion discharge trapping the freighter is also causing their chamber's coil to overload their comm system."

Green took that info in, turning her head to look towards her Vulcan science officer. "T'Pri, is that accurate?"

"It is, Captain." T'Pri continued to make slight adjustments to her readings as she spoke. "Both asteroids are full of unremarkable ores. However, those ores to react with each other if in close enough proximity. I would surmise that the freighter tried to go between the larger asteroids, and in so doing, allowed the energy to jump and transfer." She looked to her CO.

Green glanced at the small status box for the freighter, far up in the top right hand corner of the viewport. As far as sensors showed the ship was fine, just trapped. The sporadic energy surges were causing the impulse engines and maneuvering thrusters to fluctuate and not gain enough power to break free. "Any ideas, people?" She had a few of her own, but was allowing her crew to be the ones to solve the problem as a team.

Several ideas came out, with Green doing a slow walk-pacing as she moved around her people. Just to her right one idea came out louder than the others. "Tachyon burst."

The Bridge went quiet as all eyes went to where that came from. Helm. Jynxza had turned her chair enough to look around at them all. "What? I am a scientist. Fire a dedicated tachyon burst, enough to disrupt the hold on the freighter, and we can then pull it free with the tractor beam."

Ro looked to a man standing at an aft Bridge station, wearing a red shirt. They were all in the newest version of an old uniform, and designated as Capernum choice, wearing the more modern version of the colored shirts. "You, Ensign. Are you Flight Control?"

"I am, Captain."

"Take the helm," ordered green. "Lieutenant Jynxza, I want you at SCI II backing up T'Pri and Sheyla. Switch out, now." The orders were followed even as T'Pri and Sheyla were setting the systems for the tachyon burst.

"Forward deflector now set for a sustained tachyon burst, Captain." This came from Sheyla as she tied in firing it to the Tactical post. "Anything over thirty seconds at a time and we risk burning out some isolinear chips."

"Helm," Green said. "Angle the bow to be straight on to the freighter. Miss Jynxza, ready on the tractor beam. T'Pri, set it up and proceed."

As ordered, T'Pri took those involved through a short path of disruption, the tachyon burst doing as intended as it caused the ambient energy of the ion energy and nullified it. The tractor beam was locked on and the freighter was pulled free from between the two massive asteroids. As soon as the civilian ship was free of the ion cloud the speakers on Capernum sounded off with a voice from the freighter. A smooth male voice, filled with gratitude, came through. "Thank you, USS Capernum. We were just getting ready to try something crazy to break free. This is Captain Lance Nelson. Again, thanks."

Green could not help but smile as she heard the voice. "You're welcome, Captain Nelson. I am Captain Ro Green, Commanding Officer, USS Capernum. Now that you're free we have dropped the tractor beam. We'll get in beside you for docking and we will provide a health and safety inspection before we send you on your way, Captain."

There was a throaty chuckle on the other end. "Save us first, then write the ticket, Captain?" There were several chuckles heard at the other end.

Continuing to smile, Ro responded. "No tickets, Captain. Just a friendly once over to make sure you get to wherever it is you're going."

Lance Nelson, on his end, was smiling ear to ear. His handsome black face full of mirth even as he leaned lazily against a console. "I appreciate that, Captain. We'll prep our starboard airlock. SS Zanzibar, out." He wagged his eyebrows at his crew around him, smiling broadly. "Seems we found a good sort. Prep the airlock, Sam. If y'all got personal paraphernalia, lock it up, now. I don't want to give 'em any reason to stay or to give 'em a reason to put an injunction on my travels. Let's go." They all got moving.

On Capernum, the top officers stood together in Bridge center. Taavis would glance out the forward viewport occasionally as they all spoke, the bow of the freighter barely able to be seen. "Standard procedure, Captain?" She asked.

"Yes," Green responded. "See if they have damage, aid them in repairs, we get back underway for Rython."

Sheyla liked the sound of that. Every private freighter out there would have violations, it was just the way it was. To nitpick every small infraction was ludicrous and built bad blood between civilians and Starfleet. "I can take Lt. Jynxza and a small team and go aboard, Captain. See if there is any damage they would need us for, possibly some maintenance, then we can clear them and come back."

Green nodded to Sheyla at that. "Sounds good, Commander. Get going." Jynxza and Sheyla moved off together, heading for a lift. "Taavis, feel free to join them. I get the first go at Rython when we get there," Ro gave a scrunched face as she grinned, stuck her tongue out quickly and subtly, and walked away.

Taavis merely shook her head and read from her PADD. She had no plans on going over.

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