Science Fiction CLOSED STAR TREK: Voyages of the Ulysses

These are the voyages of the USS Ulysses.

After provoking the wrath of the stargod entity known as the Cyclops, the starship Ulysses was forced through the Cygnus black hole and banished to the far side of the Gamma Quadrant.

Running low on fuel, food and morale, the crew face a ten-year journey to get back to the Federation.

Sailing through uncharted space, they must now find a way to return, from where no-one has gone before…


(Sorry, this is a closed game!)​

 

The USS Ulysses is an Archer-class (Mk.2) scout ship, designed for short-range exploration and scientific study missions.
Length: 55m
Width: 22.5m
Height: 9m
Crew: 14
Max speed: WF9.4



Crew Manifest

Captain Nyota Uhura



Executive Officer S'chn T'gai Spock



Security Officer Alain Devereaux



Operations Officer Sanjay Parmar




Junior Science Officer Kimiko Shimizu




Engineering Officer Gaaval




Medical Officer Simon Prentice



Flight Crew:
Erika Berg - Navigator and Flight Technician
Talia - Systems/Computer Technician
Imran Hussain - Engineering Technician

 

EPISODE 1: "Intelligent Life"​

Captain's Log
Stardate: unknown
Location: unknown

My first command. A disaster. Yet somehow we survived, where all the textbooks said we should have perished. A miracle, and a curse.

Ms. Berg is still trying to calibrate position – everything is unknown. But initial appraisal looks correct from the position of the core: Gamma Quadrant, far side, outer spiral arm – they do not even have names here yet. We await reply from the Federation. Time dilation could make it a matter of months before we hear back. If they are still there. Mr. Spock has suggested we may even be in a different era, or dimension. He estimates it will take ten years for us to find out.

He has been a rock, an island of calm, working out new rotas – we will need to rotate at helm and in engineering with our reduced crew – and cleaning duties! His business-as-usual approach has driven everyone nuts. They think he is a cold monster, unaffected by our tragedy. They are wrong. He is doing it to help me, to help them.

I admit, I almost despaired.

But ten years is not the end. It could have been worse. The remaining crew have pulled together. Ms. Shimizu scans nearby systems, searching for food. Mr. Gaaval and Mr. Spock attempt to solve our fuel problem. We performed void burials for Mr. Glover, Ms. Sue and Mr. Ch’vo, and a ceremonial for Professor Smythe.

Now we move on. It is all we can do.

Addendum: Mr. Spock thinks he has found a source of deuterium on a nearby planet. The isotope appears naturally amongst less than 0.0001% of the galaxy’s hydrogen. It is about time we had some good luck...

 

"T'gai's World"



“Don’t believe it! You was right!” said Gaaval in a voice that crunched like gravel. The stocky Tellarite tugged at his bushy beard and grinned at Mr. Spock as he double-checked the readings coming back from the mining probe. “Lucky space-elf! One in a million dice roll!”

“I assure you, it was based on pure calculation of atmosphere composition, density, and the relative position of the star on the spiral arm giving an indication of stellar-age…” said Spock.

Captain Uhura laid a hand on his arm and he stopped to look at her. She said, “So, it is what we need?”

Spock nodded. “A deep vein. Enough for a year or more once we refine it. Mr. Gaaval, will you assist myself and Mr. Parmar in unloading the extraction drill and phaser-cutter?”

“Aye!” said the squat engineer, bustling towards the J-class shuttle parked nearby.

Uhura flipped open her communicator. “Uhura to Ulysses, do you receive?”

She was answered by crackling static. Spock said, “Atmospheric interference will prevent almost all communications. They know where we are. That we have not returned immediately will let them know we have found something.”

“I would still like to share the good news,” said the statuesque captain.

Spock nodded understanding. “After we unload, maybe Mr. Parmar can take you back up in the shuttle.”

The Vulcan scanned their surroundings, squinting against the glare of the sulphur desert. “Where is our newly promoted science officer?”

Uhura nodded toward some caves. “She went that way, wanted to take some scans.”

“I have told her this rock is highly unlikely to hold any life, certainly not any intelligent life,” said Spock. “She is ruled by her emotions. Do you think it wise to let her wander off on her own?”

“Give her a break,” said Uhura, softly. “She’s a xenobiologist, let her try to find something. I’ll go check on her…”

"Ugh, I'll come with you," said another voice. Mr. Alain Devereaux, the ship's security chief, was looking bored anyway with such a desolate world. His perimeter patrol completed, he joined the captain as they headed toward the caves.

They soon found Kimi pointing her tricorder at various columns of rock, sighing with disappointment.

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

IC: Nyota Uhura Finding Kimiko Shimizu

"Ms. Shimizu," Uhura greeted. "Anything promising?"

She spared a glance around the cave they were in. There didn't seem to be any indication of any indigenous lifeforms.

She noticed Mr. Devereaux standing alertly to the side, keeping the entire vantage in view.

@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu



Kimiko Shimizu sighed. Despite Spock's predictions, she had so wanted to find intelligent life.

But there was nothing. Not even a stupid algae. Yet those strange columns of rock did look interesting, like they were made by insects, perhaps in an ancient age? She scanned with her tricorder again.

Captain Uhura and Al appeared and Kimi turned.

"Captain," she said with a rueful look, "I haven't found even a dry fossilized remnant of a dung beetle! Not even any dung!"

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

"Captain," she said with a rueful look, "I haven't found even a dry fossilized remnant of a dung beetle! Not even any dung!"

Uhura laughed sympathetically. "Well, be glad you didn't find something carnivorous or slithery like a snake ... In a cave, you can never be too sure. Those columns though, they could be natural formations but they almost look constructed."

@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu

Captain Uhura laughed and gave a light-hearted but encouraging reply to lift Kimi's spirits, and the junior science officer smiled in return. She marvelled at the Captain's people-skills. They had all been hurting so much after the incident with the Cyclops, no-one had ever really stopped to consider how the captain herself might be feeling.

Al snorted, however. "Maybe we should get back to the others. Even in this desolate place there is danger of environmental hazard, plus we may need to help with the fuel extraction."

Kimi shrugged in defeated acknowledgement, when she caught a movement in the corner of her eye. She twirled.

"Hey, did you see that? Deeper in the cave, over there?" she said.

Uhura and Al turned but it had already gone.

Kimi squinted. "It was silver, almost metallic!"

She sprinted deeper into the cave. Kimi had played for the varsity tennis team at Starfleet Academy, and was quick on her feet.

"Kimi, wait!" Al called her after her. Rolling his eyes at the Captain, he pursued.

The science officer went on deeper, through narrow portals, desperate not to lose whatever it was.

Inside, the temperature increased dramatically and Kimi found the rocky floor to be interspersed with bubbling pools of boiling sulphur. The air was laced with curtains of noxious steam. Kimi looked up and saw it again. Just a shadow. She dashed forward. Now she was crossing a narrow bridge of solid ground, either side of which the deadly boiling pools seethed, almost waiting for her to fall in.

Al caught up and saw what Kimi was doing. If the Captain were to come, she would surely roll her eyes, too.

Then they all saw what it was.



Emerging from the clouds of gas, a chrome sphere of smooth metal loomed from the far end of the cave. Six metallic tendrils extended from the globe, which seemed to offer locomotion, manipulation and tool-mount purposes. Resting upon its limbs, it stood over three metres high, with its spherical body easily larger than a human. Glowing red optical sensors fixed upon Kimi. It emitted a burst of digital language that sounded harsh and aggressive.

Kimi yelped and turned to retreat, but the narrow section of rock where she stood was treacherous and she teetered, swaying each way and almost toppling into the boiling pools around her!

Quick as a flash, the metallic thing reached out with two snaking tentacles. One coiled around Kimi's waist and the other around her legs. Kimi squealed as the silver being lifted her bodily from the ground.

Al reached for the phaser pistol at his side. He looked up to see the science officer flailing in the grip of the tentacles as they held her up high.

But Kimi wailed at them... "Don't shoot! You... might... hurt... it!"

Al turned to Captain Uhura for orders...

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura had followed on Mr. Deveraux's heels and was in time to see Kimi stranded on a narrow bridge surrounded by noxious looking pools!

A metallic "figure" appeared and emitted something which Uhura was tempted to call a language, but she didn't dare ascribe such a label in the absence of further evidence, and besides, time was of the essence.

It seemed to be threatening Kimiko and Alain promptly took his phaser to defend her.

Kimi protested and Alain turned to Uhura for instructions.

"Disable it if possible but don't let it harm Kimiko or let her drop!" Uhura said and moved to poise herself to catch Kimiko after Alain took out the recent arrival.

@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu

Kimi watched as Mr. Devereaux pulled his phaser and aimed patiently, while still struggling frantically against the metallic tentacles coiling around her.

"Noooo! Wait!" she called.

But the security officer followed his orders and fired carefully, scorching a burn into one of the tentacles restraining the science officer.

The... thing... barked in its electronic language again and suddenly retreated deeper into the shrouds of noxious steam rising in the cave.

Devereaux and Uhura would hear a yelp from Kimi, together with a soft thud as she was dropped onto the rocky ground. Then, if they advanced across the narrow stone bridge between boiling pools, they would find her in a dishevelled pile on the ground, recovering and picking herself up.

She looked around. "It just disappeared!"

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura gaped in astonishment ... "Well, what do you think of that?"

"And do you think there are more of them where it came from?" Devereaux wondered.

"Let's go while we still have the chance. We need to check on how the extraction is coming, anyway." Uhura said, not wanting to lose focus on their main objective. She was relieved that Kimiko seemed none the worse for the encounter.

@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu

Captain Uhura marched them back to the extraction site near the shuttle. Kimi scowled at Al all the way.

"I can't believe you shot at the first sign of intelligent life we have encountered in the Gamma Quadrant!" she said.

"Are you kidding me?" he shot back. "It had grabbed you and was about to throw you into molten sulphur!"

"I'm sure that was a misunderstanding," said Kimi. "It was communicating!"

Al looked to Uhura for support, but they arrived at the fuel mining site and the captain asked Mr. Parmar to report on progress. Perhaps she wanted to leave in a hurry.

Kimi hopped from foot to foot. "Captain..." she tried to butt in. "Don't you think we should follow up on that thing we saw?"

Al glared at Kimi. "I told you to not go wandering off! You'll jeopardise the whole mission!"

"It looked very advanced... Maybe it could help us?" she appealed to Captain Uhura. "Captain, please, I know the primary mission is to find a way back to Earth, but we should surely catalogue and study everything we find on the way? This was a science and exploration mission after all..."

"Oh yeah?" said Al, with heavy irony. "Remember how cataloguing and studying the star-entity turned out?"

"That was different," Kimi said. "Captain... that thing may know how to help us find food?"

"You're assuming it will be friendly!" said Al.

"You're assuming it will be hostile!" she snapped back. "Why don't I just try and talk to it? You can come with your gun just in case..."

They both turned to Captain Uhura to settle the dispute...

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

IC: Uhura

Mr. Parmar reported that all extraction of fuel was proceeding satisfactorily so far.
Uhura listened to the heated exchange between Alain Devereaux and Kimiko Shimizu. They both had valid points.


Kimiko insisted that the metallic thing that reminded Uhura of a battle droid might be "friendly," might be persuaded to help. Why should it? Which cynical, pessimistic sentiment was not in Uhura's character or tendency. It didn't help that Mr. Devereaux echoed her misgivings.

"While I don't usually, and have no liking, for automatically concluding a new contact is an enemy," Uhura said, "I'm also not gullible or incautious enough to assume they care if I survive any encounter. If you think that such an investigation will prove useful, Ms. Shimizu, then by all means but I want you to listen and follow any recommendations Mr. Devereaux makes in his professional capacity."

Uhura waited only long enough to get their acknowledgements before she moved to Mr. Gaaval and Parmar and said, "Let me have one of the drill-bores. More hands will expedite the task."

Mr. Parmar nodded with a smile and handed her one of the mid-range bores.

As she worked, she couldn't help but wince at the recollection of the star-entity. That entire encounter had been fraught with the unexpected and disastrous.

As if in response to those dire thoughts, a sudden grinding noise came from the lifter they were using.

"Uh-oh," Parmar commented.

"Great! We've overloaded it. Now we'll be lucky if it will lift a small rock." Gaaval groused.

Sure enough, the thing just whined but the grapplers didn't even budge.

"Now what?" Gaaval grumbled.



@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu
Meanwhile...

Kimi led Al back to the cave and into the steamy darkness again.

“It was right here… long metallic tentacles… There! That’s where it grabbed me and lifted me up…”

“I remember,” Al grunted, pulling out his phaser (he had left behind the rifle at Kimi’s insistence it might scare the alien). “Big alien killer robot with tentacles. Kimi, careful!”

“I was standing on this narrow spit of hard ground. Oh, there!” the science officer dashed ahead again.

Al groaned and followed her to a circular island of rock amongst the boiling pools.

“This is where it disappeared after the you shot it,” she explained, examining the ground.

Al also checked it out. There appeared no sign of it now. Was it possible they all hallucinated something? Something in the gases from the pools?

Then, without warning, the ground opened up beneath them. Both crew members of the Ulysses tumbled down what was first black openness, then soon resolved into what seemed to be some wide tube, like a flume in a kids’ water park. It twisted round and round, deeper and deeper. They tumbled on down until the tube flattened and they safely rolled into a wide room.

They recovered and examined their surroundings, now slowly coming to light. Kimi stared. They were in a kind of hall – its walls and high ceiling made of the same smooth metal as the object she had seen before. Al snapped up his phaser. There were six of the spherical robots standing in the hall – three next to the wall either side of them. Kimi put her hand on the soldier's arm to gently pull down his weapon.

“They are dormant, look,” she said, gesturing to the optic sensors on each one, which did not glow red like the one she had seen before. “They are some sort of vehicle, like an exo-suit?”

A previously hidden door swooshed open at the far end of the hall, and in marched three new beings. Kimi gasped. They were each tall humanoids, with perfectly smooth metallic skin, like the spheres. One held a cylindrical object in its hand and pointed it at the two humans.

Al wrestled his weapon-hand from Kimi and pointed it right back at the android.

“Please wait!” squealed Kimi.

“Please wait!” repeated a robotic voice, in almost perfect tone and pitch to match her cry.

Al and Kimi froze and peered more closely.

“Don’t shoot,” said Kimi, glancing at Al then staring at the androids.

“Don’t shoot,” said one of them, pointing the object.

Kimi turned to Al and grinned. “It’s their version of a universal translator! They want to talk!”

“We want to talk!” said all three androids in unison.

Then all three of them suddenly broke into massive – and strangely hysterical – grins.



@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura asked Gaaval: "Do you think there's something on the shuttle or the Ulysses that can get these things working again?"

"We can try," he answered, "but I'm not promising anything."

Spock and Gaaval went up in the shuttle and returned with diagnostic tricorders and spare implements to get the extractor working again.

Uhura watched this activity intently and kept a careful eye out for the return of Alain and Kimiko.

Wasn't it about time they were coming back? What if they'd stumbled onto something dangerous?

@Kurisan

 

IC: Kimiko Shimizu

Kimi exchanged a look with Alain and took in a deep breath, realising the import of this moment.

She turned to the androids and said, “We… err… come in peace.”

“Is that right?” said the lead one in an artificial voice, gesturing to one of the spherical robots. There was a scorch mark on its side where Al’s phaser had hit it.

“I’m sorry!” Kimi said quickly. “We were surprised and alarmed. You grabbed me and my colleague was protecting me.”

“You were about to fall into the boiling sulphur. I simply rescued you,” said the android.

Kimi turned and punched Al on the shoulder. “I told you so!”

She turned back to the androids. “Thank you. I am Kimiko Shimizu, and this is Mr. Devereaux. We are humans, from the planet Earth.”

The androids deactivated the translator for a moment and held a very short conversation in bursts of electronic code. The leader turned back to Kimi and Al and switched on the translator.

“You are welcome to our world, Earthlings. I am Ka, this is Mu, and this is So,” said the leader, gesturing to the others either side of him. “We are the Cybernauts.”

Kimi was almost hopping up and down with excitement.

“Cybernauts!” she repeated with relish. She looked at the spheres. “Are those vehicles? You said it was you, Ka, who grabbed me in the cave? Are these your true forms? Is there another form controlling your robots remotely?”

Ka held up a silver hand to stop the flood of questions.

“Let me explain, Ms. Shimizu. Our species learned a long time ago the technique to transfer our biological selves into bodies constructed of everlasting plasuminum.” He tapped his silver chest. “With this material we can make anything we wish. These spheres are our forms for when we venture outside onto the surface. But we can make other bodies and vehicles, even starships, and control them as if they were our own bodies. These humanoid forms we made specially to meet with you.”

Now Mu spoke up. “We find young, savage races such as yourselves tend to frighten easily upon seeing our spherical metal forms, and quickly resort to violence in their ignorance.”

Kimi scowled at Al. He shrugged back. “Hey, I wasn’t frightened!”

“Oh yes?” said So, the third android. They had curiously similar voice patterns. “Then you will not mind if I tell you we now intend to EAT YOUR SOULS!”

Suddenly the faces of all three Cybernauts melted and flowed like mercury, then reformed into horned demons with sharp fangs. They advanced on the two startled humans. Al snapped up his phaser again.

The Cybernauts stopped, reformed their faces back to before, and all chortled in slightly insane high-pitched laughs.

“Just kidding! Your faces!” said Ka, between giggles.

Kimi and Al exchanged confused shrugs. The androids eventually became serious again.

Ka said, “This is our true form. This contains our entire personality…”

A cavity opened up in his metallic chest and he reached inside. He brought out a ball about the size of a tricorder, sparkling with what looked like electrical energy.



Kimi gazed at it in wonder. Ka quickly returned it to within his metallic body. “With our technology, we are functionally immortal, no longer restrained by biological decay.”

“So you’re not real life, then,” said Al. They turned to him and he continued. “I mean… you’re A.I., artificial intelligence, not real.”

Ka rapped his knuckles across his silver chest to elicit a crisp ring. “I assure you we are quite real, Mr. Devereaux.”

“No,” said Al, shifting uncomfortably. “I mean, someone created you…”

“Do we not all have parents, Mr. Devereaux?”

“No, I mean…” he looked at his fellow human, lost for words. “Help me out here, Kimi…”

“It is alright, Mr. Deveraux,” said Ka. “I know what you meant. I was just kidding you again.”

The androids descended into their high-pitched chortling once more. The laughter was infectious and even Kimi started giggling.

Al folded his arms and scowled. “Great. Killer alien robots with a goofy sense of humour.”

Ka said, “I apologise, Mr. Devereaux. Your understanding of life is still from a simplistic, organic point of view. I say again, we have been transformed to our current state, but we lost nothing of our life.”

“You eat?” said Al.

“We require energy source, yes.”

“You can touch, feel?”

“We have proximity and contact sensors, yes.”

“You make love?”

Ka looked closely at him and Kimi. “Do you?”

Al and Kimi exchanged a look. Al said, “Well, we haven’t, but we could. I mean, I would… you know… if she wanted to… I mean…”

The Cybernauts fell about laughing again. Al straightened and said, “I’ll just shut up now.”

Kimi stepped forward. “I think you’re wonderful! We are so honoured to meet you. I am sorry to disturb your planet. We are far from home and short on fuel and food supplies. Do you think you can help us?”

Ka looked back at her with his silver, expressionless eyes. “Yes. You are attempting to take materials from our planet.”

Kimi became quiet, and Al’s hand strayed toward his phaser one more time.

Ka said, “I am quite sure we can help you. We would be delighted to trade and establish our good relations. Would you please take us to your captain?”

TAG: @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Meanwhile, all attempts at getting the extractor to work had been futile. Sighing with frustration, Gaaval said, "This is getting us nowhere. We did manage to get a small quantity of deuterium, but I'm not sure how long it will last."

"I don't understand," Parmar said, "No one could've sabotaged the equipment and it couldn't've worn out. Everything was working fine ... until it wasn't."

It was at this point that Kimiko and Devereaux returned but they were not alone.

"It appears that they found more of those ... constructs you encountered." Spock commented.

Uhura called, "Ms. Shimizu, Mr. Devereaux, it looks like you've ... met the ... who or what, that we ran into earlier in the cave?"

@Kurisan

 

IC Kimiko Shimizu

Kimi bounded toward Uhura, grinning from ear to ear.

“A discovery, Captain! They are the Cybernauts, they are an advanced lifeform that has perfected bio-transference into these forms. And they want to help us!”

Alain Devereaux caught up. Captain Uhura would surely look to him for a second opinion. Kimi was intelligent and enthusiastic, but the security officer’s job was to keep them all safe. He shrugged at the silent question Uhura asked only with her eyes.

“Yeah, they seem non-hostile, but…” he glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice, “… but there’s something weird about them. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“Oh, you’re just sore because they keep making fun of you,” Kimi said.

“But that’s just it… It’s not even funny,” said Al. He looked back to the captain. “I say proceed with caution.”

At that point, the three Cybernauts arrived. They faced Captain Uhura, with Mr. Spock beside her, and Mr. Gaaval and Mr. Parmar just behind.

“Greetings,” said Ka. “I am Ka, this is Mu and this is So. We are the Cybernauts.”

As he made the introductions, each Cybernaut pointed to their own chest at a symbol, which Uhura would realise was their name in written form. The names were single, simple symbols.



“Ms. Shimizu has explained you are far from home and in need of assistance. We have charted much of this spiral arm, but have not encountered humans before. Please, where are you from, and what are you doing here?” said Ka.

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

“A discovery, Captain! They are the Cybernauts, they are an advanced lifeform that has perfected bio-transference into these forms. And they want to help us!”

Uhura smiled at the Science Officer's exuberance.
She glanced at Devereaux with a silent question.

“Yeah, they seem non-hostile, but…” he glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice, “… but there’s something weird about them. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“Oh, you’re just sore because they keep making fun of you,” Kimi said.

“But that’s just it… It’s not even funny,” said Al. He looked back to the captain. “I say proceed with caution.”

Uhura nodded, as the three Cybernauts arrived.

“Greetings, I am Ka, this is Mu and this is So. We are the Cybernauts.”

As he made the introductions, each Cybernaut pointed to their own chest at a symbol, apparently representing their name in written form. The names were single, simple symbols.

“Ms. Shimizu has explained you are far from home and in need of assistance. We have charted much of this spiral arm, but have not encountered humans before. Please, where are you from, and what are you doing here?”

"I am Captain Nyota Uhura," Uhura introduced herself. "These are my officers, and we are here because your world holds a valuable resource which will enable us to continue on our journey. We promise not to take more than we need; it is a valuable element which helps us move amongst the stars. However, our extraction process has stalled due to the equipment suddenly ceasing to operate. Perhaps you can tell us if this is due to some intrinsic aspect of the environs here, and also what practical assistance are you able to render?"

@Kurisan

 

Ka was as still as a statue, his silver face expressionless, as Captain Uhura answered. Then he looked beyond at the stalled mining operations. Gaaval, Spock and Parmar had extracted perhaps enough deuterium for three months maximum warp before the equipment began breaking down.

"I understand," said the Cybernaut. "And I am sorry to hear of your difficulties. We are keen to establish good relations with you, and offer our best intentions for peace. We would be pleased to aid you. There are no suitable food sources for you on this planet, I am afraid, but we can share astro-geographical data to perhaps point you toward likely sources. As for the fuel extraction, there are unfortunately emissions which will affect all your machinery. We can also offer you refined fuel as trade, and of course at a rate based on goodwill and our warm relations!"

He gestured to the party. "We would like to get to know you all better. Would some or all of you like to join us inside, for a kind of celebration of our meeting, and seal our mutual friendship?"

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura huddled with her crew and spoke quietly. "I don't think it wise for all of us to go along, just to be on the safe side. We also need to evaluate the fuel more thoroughly. Mr. Parmar, Ms. Shimizu, and Mr. Devereaux, you will accept their hospitality."

They nodded.

"Ka," Uhura addressed the apparent spokesperson for the Cybernauts. "Three of my crew will accompany you and gain the details of your information. Then we will assess its value and give you our decision. All this needs to occur in a timely fashion; I believe 2 (no more than 3) hours' duration will suffice."

She met the eyes of her Exec and found he approved.

@Kurisan

 

IC Kimiko Shimizu

Kimi reluctantly accepted the captain’s wisdom on the matter. She, Al and Sanjay watched the shuttle leave with the small portion of deuterium they had managed to extract, back to the Ulysses waiting in orbit. Then they turned and followed the Cybernauts back towards the caves.

“Your captain does not trust us,” said Ka to Kimi.

“I’m sorry…” began Kimi but the android held up a hand to interrupt.

“She is wise. The galaxy is a dangerous place and one must always be careful with new alien species.” Ka turned to Alain as they reached the caves. “Not all races are as benign as ourselves. On your journey through this sector, you are likely to meet the Mutators. Beware! They are short-lived, aggressive beings, whose only desire is to dominate other species.”

“Err, thanks. We’ll look out for them…” said Al.

Kimi realised they were heading for a different cave this time.

Ka noted her interest. “We have prepared a more suitable entrance for you.”

The rock face inside parted miraculously to reveal a circular silver platform. The three Cybernauts stood upon it and beckoned the others on. Then it started descending smoothly down what seemed to be a perfectly circular shaft cut into the rock.

“Wow!” said Sanjay, admiring the engineering. “Did you see how smooth that rock parted. This thing has no visible motors, it must be anti-gravitic”

“Correct, Mr. Parmar,” Mu congratulated the pilot. “I see you have knowledge of these things.”

They arrived at another silver hall, this time taller and with gracefully curving ceilings. Embedded reflective light sources made it a bright, clear space. A number of sculptures were placed upon pedestals, giving the chamber the air of a gallery. Several more of the androids stood waiting. Kimi sensed Al tense beside her, but the newcomers approached with the same wide grins as before.

“This is Ki, Mo, and Sa,” said Ka. They each tapped their chests to show their geometric-shape names. Ki had a tray of drinks; clear liquid in straight transparent beakers.

“We have studied your physiology and believe this will be appropriate,” said Ki.

“Now, wait a minute…” said Al.

“Don’t worry,” Kimi scolded him, reaching for her tricorder. “I’ll scan it. If you don’t mind, Ka?”

“Please proceed. We are not offended by your caution,” said the Cybernaut.

While the science officer checked the drinks, Al said to Ka, somewhat carefully. “So, how many of you are there?”

“Oh, around forty or fifty,” said Ka, looking blankly back at the security officer.

Parmar said, “That seems a bit imprecise...”

“Well, I am afraid some of our members are away, exploring in starship forms,” said Ka. “We sometimes lose contact for many cycles. Also, we have found some of us… take their own lives, dive into stars.”

“Commit suicide?” said Kimi in a shocked tone. “Why?”

“The thing about immortality,” said So, “after a while it can get a bit… samey…”

Kimi, Sanjay and Al all exchanged stunned looks at this revelation. Kimi decided to not let the uncomfortable silence stretch too long.

“Well, the drinks seem fine… it’s just water,” she announced.

“Two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen,” said Ki. Once the androids were moving around and changing position it was difficult to tell which was which. Even their voices were the same. But Ki had the tray.

Al hesitated when offered a beaker. Kimi scowled and grabbed one then took a long sip.

“See? It’s fine!” she hissed at him. Eventually both Sanjay and the security officer took short drinks.

“To our new union!” declared Ka. All of the Cybernauts raised their hands and made a quirky, high-pitched cheering sound.

Kimi giggled and beamed at Sanjay and Al. “Don’t sulk! You’re ruining the moment. This is history we’re making. Just look at them. How can anyone think of them as evil killer robots?”

Sanjay and Al exchanged shrugs, but to be honest, they were starting to relax.

“Let me show you my sculpture!” said Mu.

“Ooh, then come look at mine,” said So.

Two more androids entered the hall and talked to Ka. He turned to Kimi. “This is No and Ha. They will be preparing the deuterium pods and a data-disc of the local sector, highlighting some planets that may have organic plantlife you may find edible. Will that be useful?”

“Oh, Ka, that is so kind. I’m sorry about my crewmates and our lack of appreciation.”

“In time, trust will come,” Ka waved a hand. “We will prepare a gift for you all, to demonstrate our goodwill. In the meantime, please enjoy the sculptures. Mine is amongst them, too.”

He tapped his chest to remind her of his name-symbol, then departed with the others. Kimi joined Sanjay and Al, who were studying the artforms.

“What do you think?” she said.

“Well, I’m no artist, I admit, but they… err… seem to… echo a similar theme?” said Al.

“No kidding!” hissed Sanjay with a grin. “They all look the same to me!”

“Well, maybe you’re just too unsophisticated to see the difference!” Kimi said.

However, she looked at the carvings. It was true, though all were slightly different, they were of the same material, rough size and shape and general form. She had to check that each were truly signed by a different member of the Cybernauts. The science officer pondered this while they waited for their gift…

MEANWHILE…

The shuttle approached the USS Ulysses, which had maintained geostationary orbit above the planet. As the rear bay doors opened in its central tube section, Spock guided in the shuttle. A last minute burst of reverse thrust settled it into its rack nicely.

They exited the shuttle and were greeted by Dr. Prentice, the ship’s Tennessean medical officer.

“Welcome back, y’all,” he drawled in a warm accent, running a medical sensor across the returnees. When he was satisfied they were not afflicted with any unexpected radiation sickness from the planet, he grinned. “Lookin’ good, Captain.”

Talia, the ship’s svelte Andorian computer technician entered the shuttle to download data from the computer, while Imran helped Gaaval unload the deuterium pods ready for refining.

Prentice reported to Uhura. “Ms. Berg is on bridge. I gotta say, no comms came through, jus’ like Mr. Spock said they wouldn’t. You didn’t hear us holla either, I’m betting? Well, Ma’am, what’s been going down on the surface then?”

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura was pleased to be back on board. She smiled at Prentice's greeting and gave him a summation of what they had encountered.

"So they're sentient although not biologic?" Prentice asked.

"Seems like it. Their language seems to be rather simplistic." Uhura said. "While we await Gaaval's findings, I'll be in the galley enjoying a mocha latte."

**

Some moments later, Gaaval found the Captain enjoying her steaming, sweet beverage.

"The fuel looks viable enough. Just not enough to get us as far as I'd prefer. A 3-month supply unless we go at a slower than optimum speed."

Uhura puzzled this over. "We can ask for more refined fuel during the trade talks perhaps?"

 

IC: Mr. Spock
USS Ulysses, Galley

Spock found the captain quickly enough, in the ship’s galley. The Archer-class scout was a cramped submarine of a ship compared to his previous assignments. But then, they had not any of them intended to be stuck on it for ten years.

The door swooshed closed behind him as he entered and found her sipping a mocha latte.

“Captain,” he nodded formally. “You will run out of those mochas in under six months if you do not start to ration your consumption.”

The comment seemed to fly past her, as Uhura was deep in thought. He shifted on the spot.

“Ms. Berg’s log on bridge is very adequate. I support your intention to make her a full flight officer next to Mr. Parmar.”

Again, little reaction.

“I suppose you want my opinion on the Cybernauts?”

Now the Executive Officer had her full attention. He nodded, placed his hands behind his back and paced slowly up and down before her.

“I admit I fear Ms. Shimizu’s passion sometimes clouds her judgement, but she has made some powerful logical arguments: They have not harmed us, having had ample opportunity to do so. They allowed our shuttle to leave unhindered, with what little fuel we have managed to extract already. I suppose that was your test of their sincerity. Very clever, but it does seem they have passed.”

He paused.

“Mr. Devereaux’s caution is commendable, but it is an equal and opposite emotional reaction. Earth culture has been influenced for five hundred years by the ancient classics – Wells, Clarke, Heinlein, Asimov – all depicted cybernetic or robotic intelligences as somehow evil or insane. This has driven an irrational distrust for the type of lifeform we now encounter.”

He raised an eyebrow in his signature expression.

“What intrigues me now is what they could possibly want from us in trade. I think you ought to be leading that conversation back on the planet, Captain.”

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Uhura peripherally took in the comments about her latte indulgence and Ms. Berg's competence, albeit with a measure of amusement in the first instance and gratification in the second.

Her Exec's summation of his impressions of the Cybernauts' and the contrasting reactions of Kimiko and Alain, these she absorbed with keen attentiveness.

When he spoke of what the Cybernauts could or would want in trade, she nodded in assent. "Yes, I fully intend to be involved in those talks. I merely wished to allow the Cybernauts to show their 'truer' selves without someone in obvious authority around and for Kimiko, Alain, and Sanjay to come to their own conclusions without feeling pressured one way or another, which doubtless they could be if I were along initially."

She rose and smiled softly. "I will shuttle down now. Try not to let the ship fall apart while I'm gone?" Her eyes laughed.

He rested his hands on her shoulders. "Do you doubt that I can hold things together?"

She felt a warm tumble of butterflies. "That I never could." She whispered with profound trust.

@Kurisan