From the Inside

Posted on Sun Sep 28th, 2025 @ 2:36pm by Commodore Wilkan Targaryen & Commander Galatea & Chief Petty Officer Asyro sh'Voloq & Commander Zhora zh'Roothi & Lieutenant Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Commander Kuzos & Lieutenant Commander Sevek & Lieutenant Commander Sora Bernadotte & Lieutenant Urvasi Elandorn & Lieutenant Rio Kholin MD & Lieutenant Amber Laurell

6,783 words; about a 34 minute read

Mission: Madre
Location: Bridge, U.S.S. Enterprise
Timeline: 2439-07-03, 07:00

Captain's Log, Stardate 116502.17:

Enterprise is currently executing a search grid trying to find the source of the potential telepathic communication with Counselor Amber Laurell. It's been three days and, so far, we haven't found anything. I'm starting to wonder if maybe we were mistaken.

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"Captain on the Bridge!"

Entering through the starboard door, Commodore Wilkan Targaryen yawned as he walked toward his Captain's Chair. Hearing the announcement, he groggily answered, "As you were."

Approaching him from the XO's station, Lieutenant Sajo Ossitt handed a PADD to the Commodore. The young Cardassian woman, a recent arrival aboard the ship, had been the Officer of the Watch for the night shift for almost a week. Normally assigned to the Operations division, Wilkan had appreciated her diligence and found her a good CO for the night watch so far.

"Are you alright, Sir?"

Wilkan nodded, "Just a little tired, I didn't get much sleep. How was Enterprise's evening?"

"All systems normal, Sir. We are at Warp 2 and are following the patrol route as ordered, with sensors continuing to gather information trying to lead us to the source of the disturbance. Engineering is working on realigning the Stardrive Impulse Engines, so we are limited to half impulse if we have to drop to sublight. Sickbay reports that Ensign B'ree Lavni broke her leg during a Holodeck training exercise through the night, but she is expected to recover."

Yeoman Asyro sh'Voloq approached from the door that the Commodore had just entered and handed him a cup of what appeared to be tea. Accepting the tea he quickly said to the Andorian, "Thanks, sh'Voloq." He turned back toward the Cardassian, "Very well. I have the Bridge."

"Aye, sir," Lieutenant Ossitt answered with a crisp nod. "Delta shift is relieved."

"Begin day watch," the Commodore ordered as the crew started shifting around for the senior officers to take their positions on the Bridge and the lights brightened. As Wilkan took a sip of his Mareuvian tea. He smirked as he took the drink as it was designed to help with calming, and they really probably needed as much help with staying calm as possible if the Counselor was really under telepathic contact with an unknown species. He'd have to congratulate chef on the choice.

Taking his own seat on the Bridge, Wilkan watched the intricate ballet before him as his crew took their stations. He hoped that they found the source soon but supposed that no news was good news. At least it was giving them a chance to slow things down.

Urvasi entered the bridge with several other Senior officers. She immediately headed towards her station, only pausing a moment to nod at Wilkan saying a polite, "Captain, good morning" as she continued to the left station of the helm/operations console in the front of the bridge. She came up to the night shift Helmsman, one Ensign Dravinoir, and exchanged status information. She sat down after he got up, and she shifted to be in charge of the course of the Enterprise. As this was a shift change, she did not need to announce that she had assumed the helm as it was considered the helm was manned continuously. However, it was considered normal protocol to announce status of the heading. "Captain, Helm, Warp 2, Patrol Route in keeping, all maneuvering systems normal."

Amber had spent the last three days feeling somewhat better, whatever had given her the banging migraine seemed to have lessened off, but her headache wasn't entirely gone. She’d managed to sleep, and to carry on as normal but the lingering headache seemed to tell her that something definitely wasn’t as it should be. Walking onto the bridge she offered the Commodore a polite smile.

"Thank you, Lieutenant, maintain," the Commodore said to his Flight Controller as the Counselor smiled. Motioning toward the specialist chair next to him, "Please, Counselor, have a seat."

Sora had come to the bridge with Urvasi, and was stifling a yawn as she relieved the delta watch officer on her workstation and signed in to her personalised profile. "Morning," she greeted to the bridge crew. As far as she could see, the scanning pattern showed nothing but empty space surrounding the ship. "Sir, are we absolutely certain that whatever we are looking for is here?," she asked the Commodore. "From what the scanner is finding, we are looking at a particularly boring empty part of space. We're not even getting any abnormal radiation readings. There is nothing here. At all."

Urvasi's console dimmed as soon as Sora entered her personalized profile. Urvasi had programmed it to mirror light emitted between the two consoles when Urvasi was there and Sora dimmed her side.

Kuzos came onto the bridge, Nodded respectfully to the Commodore and Amber as he made his way to the tactical station. All systems were in the green and operating well within their parameters. There was nothing to provoke any warnings or gain undo attention.

Lt. Commander Randall, at the MSD for some time before alpha shift began, quietly continued her work while noting, without acknowledging, the arrivals of the Commodore and the rest of the senior staff. The Chief Engineer had not so much as cast a glance at anyone that entered the bridge but her ears, those huge ears, swiveled independently to follow the entrance and traversal of the bridge to their station until Kuzos entered and, first one ear, then the other, swiveled to follow the Vorta to his station.

Amber had taken a seat nodding politely to Kuzos as he took his station. It was obvious to see that she was still being bothered by something. “I don’t think this is a waste of time Commodore, There’s…something out here, I’m sure of it.”

Wilkan nodded. While he was, at the moment at least, starting to lean more into the line of thinking of Commander Bernadotte, there was still the possibility that the Counselor was being contacted by an outside force. They had to explore that possibility, but for how long was another question.

"We don't have any new orders aside from standard patrol at the moment, so I'm contented to keep up the investigation for the time being. Could be worse, at least I'm not ordering the crew to comb the desert. Well yet anyway," Commodore Targaryen smiled. Glancing from the Ops Manager to the Science Officer, "Let's keep scanning for the time being. Anything new I should be aware of?"

Kuzos too was thinking just what was anyone's guess as his thoughts could not be read by any telepath, all one could tell by looking at him was his trademark bright smile was missing from his face.

Ash looked up from her work at the MSD and hazarded a look the direction of Kuzos, both ears focused on him once again, a puzzled look expression on her face, then turned back to the MSD and back to work.

Sora sighed and nodded at the Commodore. "Aye, sir. I've seen that old film. Combing the desert certainly is not very productive." She turned back to face her station, and shook her head. "Although this doesn't seem more-" She was interrupted by something pinging up on the screen. After a quick check, she sighed again. "Nope, that was just a notification to check the alignment of the main deflector. Which is all in order. So, still nothing out there."

"Patience Commander," the voice of zh'Roothi sounded as she arrived and moved toward her new position in the centre of the bridge. "We'll find whatever it is," she glanced to Wilkan. "Even if that means combing deserts."

Urvasi was busy thinking to herself about her own psi abilities, little as they were. But, it was worth a shot, especially as she had been training with them on the holodeck to become stronger and not be a burden to the crew if they encountered another scenario like with the Quantum Barrier. "Captain, Helm, would you like me to open my impression empathy psi sense to see if I pick up anything?" While her telepathic and telekinetic ranges were only 75 meters, her impression empathy was out to 1au.

“I don’t think you’ll want a headache like the one I’ve had Urvasi” Amber offered a smile. “It’s not pleasant.”

"I appreciate the offer, Lieutenant, but I'm trying to limit the risks to the crew of the ship. After the experience you had a few weeks ago on our last mission I'd prefer not to risk further injury, even though you were cleared to return to duty," the Commodore answered honestly. He didn't want to risk anyone at the moment.

"I agree," zh'Roothi added with caution recalling their previous encounter with a telepathic entity had affected several members of the crew.

Urvasi's tail made its signature 'S' shift move to show understood at Amber's, Zhora's, and Wilkan's words.

Kholin wasn't always on Alpha Shift because her rotation had to move around the clock by necessity, but on the days when she was around at the right time, she would make a point of reporting to the Bridge initially, catch up with current events first-hand and then slip away back to Sickbay if she wasn't needed up there any more. In this pattern, Rio arrived and greeted everyone, Commodore first naturally as was proper.

"Good morning Commodore" she began "Permission to enter the Bridge, Sir?"

Wilkan looked over at the Chief Medical Officer, "Always, Doctor."

"CMO reporting for duty Sir before I disappear into the 'white coat and disinfectant' zone" she said lightly and with a pleasant smile.

“Forgive me for interrupting” Amber offered an apologetic smile as she looked towards Rio. “I don’t suppose you have an analgesic to hand by any chance? Headaches seem to be a thing with me these days.”

"You know me too well." Rio smiled. "Excuse me Sir" she said to the Commodore with a nod of acknowledgement as she turned to the console and storage at the chair that the Medical Officer on duty would utilise if stationed on the Bridge for any period of time. As expected, the drawer allowed access to a small but packed full, Emergency Med Kit which Kholin brought out, adeptly found a hypospray, loaded it with pain killer and administered it to the Chief Counsellor. "Any other effects from your experience?" She asked, casually casting an experienced eye over Amber for obvious signs of worsening health.

Amber shook her head. “No, not yet anyway. Just this continuing headache, it just doesn’t seem to want to go. Maybe once whoever, or whatever is trying to talk to me is found then my headaches will stop.”

"With any luck we'll find the source soon enough," Commodore Targaryen answered. It was strange that the Enterprise hadn't found any evidence so far, but the tracking of a psychic pulse wasn't exactly an exact science.

Sora stared at the sensor readout and shook her head. In her entire career, she had only experienced a seemingly completely empty area of space twice - once, when I.S.S. Voyager's sensors were being jammed by a Vulcan scout ship trying to tail them to a supply outpost, and once when I.S.S. Asha had been infiltrated by rebels who had sabotaged the sensors from the inside. Finally, she had enough, and, without waiting for authorization, transferred the readout to the main viewer.

"Just look at this, everyone." She zoomed out and showed the readings for the past forty-eight hours. "Every single readout has been a flat line for the last two days. Perfectly average with no derivation whatsoever. Either our sensors are busted, or someone or something is messing with them. My latinum is on the latter. Recommend we drop out of warp and send out a radiation pulse from the deflector, even if just to check if it's picked up by the sensors."

Wilkan took a sip of his tea as he read over the details that were scrolling over the viewscreen. He didn't like the potential that their sensors had been interfered with, but he also didn't like the thought that they couldn't find the source. Setting aside the tea he looked at his Science Officer, then back to the Operations Manager, "I'm not opposed to recalibrating the sensors to ensure that they're operating at peak efficiency. Helm, take us to half impulse power. Ops, prepare the deflector pulse. Science, keep a firm eye on the sensors to ensure that they're operating properly. Tactical, should there be any unidentified objects out there begin monitoring."

Urvasi called out, "Captain, Helm, doing so now." The ship dropped out of warp as Urvasi setup the impulse engines for half impulse.

From Tactical, Kuzos eyed his board all showed green. However that didn't mean there wasn't anything out there. "Of course Commodore." His attention now fully directed on the board and the distinct possibility there was something out there.

Urvasi finished the very quick maneuver and finished calling out ship speed status, "Captain, Helm, ship at half impulse."

From the MSD, Ash sent a message to Kuzos at tactical. "Are you well, Commander?" The message asked. "Your vibration is a bit muted this morning." The Chief Engineer observed.

At tactical, Kuzos read the message, his smile flashed briefly before disappearing. He sent back. "Thank you for inquiring Commander. I am well."

The Chief Engineer read the reply from Kuzos and considered it, for a few seconds, before replying back. "You are, generally a bright, clear, note amidst the symphony that is this ship and its crew and that bright note is a little flat and muted this morning thus spurring my inquiry . However, you are, as you say, well." The message read, the Tuansee hazarding a quick glance the direction of the Vorta.

Kuzos read the reply from the CEO and considered his reply. The CEO was a bright, highly attentive and attuned individual, so for her to be noticing his flatness said much about them. he made a mental note to get to know the CEO better. After a few seconds of quiet deliberation he sent back. "You are highly attentive and attuned to notice such about me. I truly appreciate your inquiry about me. I am well just.... preoccupied forgive me." As he sent it, he favored Ash with a glance and a nod of appreciation.

Ash read the reply, looked to Kuzos, and nodded her understanding before going back to her work.

Kuzos gave an answering nod, again reminded himself to make a point if talking, getting to know Ash. He looked at the tactical board, all still showed green.

Sora's hands flew across her console. "Modulating radiation pulse now. Not saying what, because I want to see if we can identify it from the sensor data. Emitting pulse in five... four..." She stared at the main viewscreen, holding her breath as her countdown reached zero and she hit the button to emit the pulse.

Glancing at the details on his own screen, Wilkan turned toward the Science Officer for an answer on the radiation pulse Ops had sent, "Report."

In her seat Amber was still suffering despite the Analgesic she’d been given, if anything her headache was getting worse instead of better.

Before Commander Sevek could answer the question.

Amber was starting to struggle in the last few moments her headache had started to go off the charts, at first she tried not to show the pain and discomfort, she clutched at her head. “Stop! Please…stop!” Her one hand dropped from her head seemingly doing something.

Sora swiveled around in her chair as the counselor yelled out, and immediately noticed her hand moving. She wasn't very familiar with Amber yet - or anyone on the ship, for that matter - but even she could see something was up. "Lieutenant, what's going on?"

Kuzos looked up from his tactical board. He saw and heard Amber's distress. "She is under a telepathic intrusion. it is sending her abilities off the charts."

Rio who had almost left the Bridge rushed back towards the Chief Counsellor, she immediately took out her medcorder and tried to begin scanning but the readings were, as Kuzos had said, so high they were at the upper limits of what the small, hand-held instrument could measure. Kholin changed its purpose to monitoring Amber's vitals which were also pitching into critical levels.

Urvasi's right ear, usually focused on the Captain, shifted towards the Counselor. Her fingers of her dropped hand were tapping at the chair, but... it wasn't the usually random pattern or cadence pattern of the nervous or energetic. There seemed to be a changing pattern. Wait... 'Listen, Girrl, listen... something..'

"If if doesn't let her go, then whatever is doing this could well do her irreparable harm." the CMO stated in alarm.

Zhora had quickly stepped across towards the stricken counsellor and Doctor. "Can you break the connection?" she asked Kholin while watching Amber's reaction.

Kuzos spoke again. "May I suggest a thought shield. It will protect the good counselor from all mental intrusions, attacks or projections."

Amber could hear all that was being said, the searing pain of the intrusion to her mind was unbearable but she still managed to respond. “No! Don’t!… Not yet!”

"I can't take that chance. Commander Kuzos, make whatever changes you need to activate the shield," the Commodore directed. He had never heard of a thought shield but knew that the Dominion was an advanced power. If they knew a method to block the telepathy of whatever was doing this, they needed to explore it.

Kuzos gave a curt nod and began to work on configuring the thought shield.

Urvasi's tail suddenly flicked upwards with its tip now shifting in a rhythm instead of its usually lazy movements. She called out, "Captain and Doctor, Helm, the Counselor's fingers are tapping, and it sounds like a communication code. Whatever is out there... is trying to communicate. My guess, as the Counselor has not heard any 'telepathic' speech, probably doesn't have our style of formation of words from sent telepathic pulses and so is trying to communicate in how it knows?"

Wilkan considered the enormity of the decision, knowing full well that their mission was to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life. They were being contacted right now and the potential that they didn't know how to communicate in the same manner as this life-form was a likely answer; however, they have to ensure the safety of the ship and crew first and foremost. While there were a few directives that listed crew expendable, this wasn't one of them.

"Kuzos is right," Targaryen answered, "Carry out my orders, Commander."

"At once." Kuzos replied as his hands flew across the tactical board, moving far faster than anyone had witnessed before after several long seconds he straightened and looked to the Commodore. The thought shield is in place. The counselor should no longer be feeling the effects of the mental intrusion."

Urvasi's tail, which had been in its usual gentle side to side slow sweeping, paused for a moment, stilling at some random thought she had, 'Did he cover the higher order planar psi communication frequencies as well?'. However, her trust in the crew and faith in the Captain quelled that thought and her tail returned to its gentle sweeping with her ears being right one focused backwards to the CO, XO, Specialist, the left one seeking sounds on the bridge. As her telepathic mind was only to 75 meters, she knew that whatever was out there trying to communicate would not even sense her to try.. but as Amber was the way more powerful telepath, she was the beacon.

Urvasi was calm in that Wilkan had decided to give Amber time to recover before trying again. That showed a patience and understanding of Crew and circumstances that Urvasi hoped one day in the future to be able to grasp. She focused on the 'why' she were there and created several routes of maneuvering that may be called upon by the Captain depending upon the situation.

Kholin monitored her patient. "The thought shield has protected something but not all. Is it actually thoughts as such - that are being aimed at though?" she asked generically of everyone. "I mean, the Counsellor isn't getting thoughts or she'd be hearing comprehensible messages - even in some language she mightn't understand? What if this communication is attempting to reach her at another level? I haven't specialised in the field but what about emotional levels, sub-conscious thought patterns?" Rio speculated. "The personal scans are still showing stress on Lt Laurell's system but with her conscious thought protected, there must be some other inroads that are under - I hesitate to use the word attack but that seems to be what is happening to her, whether intended or not." she mused.

Upon hearing what Doc Kholin said, Urvasi's tail stilled once more. While she knew that there were upper psi frequencies, she didn't actually know what bands they were. As she had went to the L'Tandrey homeworld, she discovered that L'Tandrey's spoke in true speech, which also sent sights, smells, touch, and impressions in their telepathic 'speaking'. Their ships were psi tech based and the crews would communicate to the ship and each other as well as the controls and screens were all in psi bands as well. But, that wasn't her race. She could send sight and words... but nothing else. Wait, didn't she receive a psi manual from them in one of her damage control classes? Maybe? She wasn't sure if she should speak up as she would have to have someone go to her quarters to go through the course cryschips in her upper left drawer of her clothes closet, next to her underwear and bras, for something she was misremembering. Still there was a chance? Her tail shifted in short bursts left and right to her thoughts.

Amber was still reeling from the onslaught she’d experienced, her head was throbbing as she managed to sit back in her seat and take a deep slow breath. The communication she’d been receiving was being filtered out somewhat but not fully. “Commodore…” she looked towards Targaryen. “It’s not…completely blocked, but I think…” she motioned to what she’d been doing. “We have directions…”

Sora looked at Amber and studied her expression. While she did not know much about telepathy, it was obvious that the ordeal was causing her a great deal of suffering. "Lieutenant, are you alright?," she asked softly, addressing her directly, before turning to the Commodore. "Sir, I have a theory. It appears to me that Lieutenant Laurell was affected much more severely once we dropped out of warp. Which means that whoever, or whatever, it is that's causing this must not be able to fully transmit, for lack of a better word, while we are enclosed in a warp bubble. Maybe it would be wise to go back to warp, with the thought shield still engaged, in order to allow her to recover a little."

She turned back to Amber. "If it is indeed the case that us dropping out of warp made things worse for you, I apologize. It was, after all, my idea."

Amber would have shaken her head but right now it hurt too much to do so. “No need Commander….it’s not your fault.” She massaged her temples. “I’m not sure how much more use I’ll be…my head feels like it’s been…squeezed in a vice.”

Still in the center seat on the Bridge, Wilkan listened to the back and forth as it happened. What was unclear was why was only Counselor Laurell impacted and, more to the point, how was the life-form still able to penetrate the thought shield that Commander Kuzos had put into place? It was designed to block telepathic signals from the readout that the Security Chief had sent him. How was it powerful enough to still break through? This was far more dangerous than he'd imagined.

"I'm in agreement with Commander Bernadotte's suggestion though. Helm, all ahead Warp Three for the time being. Course at your discretion," Commodore Targaryen ordered.

Urvasi's tail did its signature up and down S shake for understood as she called out, "Helm, Captain, Engaging Warp Drive." She engaged a plot course that was back along the path they had been traveling as the pressure upon Amber had been increasing in the direction they had been heading.

Commodore Targaryen turned toward the Counselor, "With luck the combination of Commander Bernadotte's return to warp and Commander Kuzos' thought shield will help to block any further contact. I'd like you and Doctor Kholin to go to the Infirmary adjacent to the Bridge for monitoring. You won't be far from here if you need us or we need you, but it'll give you a chance to rest under controlled conditions."

Amber looked towards Rio, then back at Wilkan. “Yes Sir.” She was hoping to be headache free very soon, right now she wasn’t feeling very good at all. She moved to stand up albeit shakily.

Kholin stood up quickly to assist the Chief Counsellor to stand and started to help her to the facilities the Commodore had mentioned. "Aye Sir" she acknowledged his instructions as she did this.

Alongside the Doctor Commander zh'Roothi stood ready to steady the counsellor if required before returning back to her seat mute and thoughtful.

Urvasi called out, "Helm, Captain, Warp 3 attained."

"We can't rule out this creature isn't still trying to reach her." He looked around the Bridge, "We need to find this thing, and fast, any suggestions we've not explored yet? Any option that we may be able to explore?"

"Didn't she say something about directions, sir?", Sora asked. "That tapping she did. It wasn't Morse code, the old human communication system, but..." she frowned briefly. "It did seem familiar, somehow. Maybe we can decode it?"

"I wonder if this is an example of the old Terran Pigeon cipher we are witnessing." Kuzos mused from his station.

The Commodore's eyebrow rose in an almost Vulcan manner, "Explain?"

"Certainly Commodore, the Pigeon Cipher is a code or cipher that uses symbols in place of letters. With each symbol corresponding to a letter of your alphabet." He paused and tapped his screen. "I have sent you the cipher key, you should have it."

The cipher key
The standard pigeon cipher key is arranged as follows:
The first tic-tac-toe grid contains the letters A through I.
The second tic-tac-toe grid contains the letters J through R and adds a single dot in each section.
The first X-shaped grid contains the letters S through V.
The second X-shaped grid contains the letters W through Z and adds a single dot in each section.

Wilkan read the details that the Vorta had shared, quickly surveying the details. The Enterprise's Commander keyed in on one of the key statements that the Liaison had shared, each symbol corresponded to a letter of the alphabet. "I was unaware that you were so familiar with Earth history, Mister Kuzos," he didn't mean it as a negative, Wilkan had never heard of the Pigeon Cipher.

Tugging on his uniform, "I do agree that this was a form of communication. What were they trying to communicate, though?"

Kuzos straighten up at the Commodore's comment. "When Founder Odo informed me I was to come aboard as liaison officer, I made a point to learn what I could of Earth culture. I regret there are some area I am still not as knowledgeable as I would like to be. As to what was being transmitted perhaps coordinates to their world."

The XO glanced over her shoulder towards the Vorta rather surprised he'd taken the initiative to study such a topic.

Sora nodded. "I believe it's called a 'pigpen' cipher, rather than a pigeon cipher, Commander. I am familiar with it. It's a very basic substitution cipher that has been used for centuries on Earth. Still, I am not sure that this is what the Lieutenant was repeating, as it sounded more like tapping noises to me, rather than drawing. Maybe, once she is feeling a little better, she will be able to repeat what she tried to communicate, and we will be able to decipher it then?"

Kuzos considered what Sora had said and after a moment replied. "I stand corrected. Thank you for pointing out my error."

A moment later. he was aware of zh'Roothi looking in his direction. He just looked straight ahead.

At her position at the MSD Ash had followed what was transpiring, on the bridge, in silence while she continued her work. The Tuansee found it odd that being at warp, in any way, blocked the 'assault' and wondered, further, if they were actually at warp or only 'thought' they were at warp. Having given things a bit of thought the Engineer considered how to broach the subject without sounding more nuts than she usually did but saw no way around it.

"Are we really at warp?" Ash asked, quietly, without turning around. "Something is not right. We dropped from warp to test a theory about our sensors being manipulated and the Lieutenant came under, immediate, attack before we could see our experiment through. We are back at warp and seeing 'nothing' once again." She concluded.

Wilkan rose from his chair and turned toward the Chief Engineer at the Master Systems Display. He'd learned a long time ago that if Ash had a crazy theory there was a high probability there was merit to it. "Helm and Ops, both confirm Warp jump. What are you thinking, Ash?"

Ash turned toward the Commodore, a bit of a pensive expression on her face. "That, when we are at warp our warp field has subtle and, not so subtle, interactions with subspace as we warp space to go from point A to point B. Subspace is, hardly, uniform. There is always variation and that variation never repeats over any time frame even when traversing the same point A to point B because each passage under warp subtly alters subspace in the region that was passed through." The Engineer started to explain, realized she was on the edge of babbling on and just cut to the chase. "I believe we are inside some kind of simulation. All systems are go and all boards are green with almost nothing too see but, what variation there has been has repeated, at least once." She concluded.

Urvasi listened to the back and forth as she looked at her instruments, then decided to go ahead and open up her impression empathy psionic ability. She sensed out, opening herself wide, and found the interaction between the warp fields of the Enterprise to the normal space around. She called out, "Captain, Helm, instrumentation as well as my Psi Sense for Hyperspacial interactions show the Enterprise is at warp." She hesitated, then added, "Bridge, Lieutenant Elandorn, as I intently listened to her patterns, the tapping was shift drags with touches, which would be in keeping with symbolism. However, as she is behind me, I did not see the directions, so the bridge recordings would be needed. Next, on my stay on Tau-Riene among the L'Tandrey, I learned there are higher order planar psi communication frequencies as well that are not covered by shields or warp. For full transfer, they require a lock, and as the Counselor is not higher planar based psi, normal space would be needed. However, once established, the lock could be maintained even at warp, if I remember my lessons properly. That is what I have knowledge of."

Sora's eyebrows raised subtly as she listened to the chief engineer's theory. Many would call it far-fetched, but in her time both in the Terran Empire and with Temporal Investigations, she had experienced quite a number of things that would be considered impossible by those with a narrow mind. As Lieutenant Elandorn gave her report, she ran a brief diagnostic of the warp field. "Sir, all sensors nominal, warp field holding at 100%. Instruments confirming warp factor 3 is engaged as ordered, navigational sensors show movement relative to the galactic centre at the expected velocity." She turned to the chief engineer. "I'm glad someone agrees that these sensor readings are strange, even though we have confirmed sensors seem to work normally."

Taking in all the information presented, Wilkan had to develop a working theory. As much as it pained him, it was entirely possible that the effects were extending beyond just Counselor Laurell now. Perhaps it was even more widespread than any of them realized. The question was how did you make a telepath stop using their telepathy? Was that even possible? Commander Kuzos had configured the shields to employ a thought shield of Dominion design to try to help the crew to overcome any alien contact, but even that seemed to be ineffective against this intrusion.

While all of this was going on, Sevek sat quietly at the science station running the video through the computer. There had to be something there. It was illogical that there was nothing there. He analyzed every movement that popped up on his screen with precision. And there it was. It was a set of coordinates. Plugging them into the computer, he saw the sector it was pointing to. Turning in his chair, he stated in his stoic voice, "Commodore. I believe she is sending a message. Coordinates to a point in the Kurill Sector." He overlayed a section of the screen with the exact location.

"Transfer the coordinates to the Helm," Targaryen ordered the Science Officer before turning to the Helm, "Take us there immediately, Lieutenant, all ahead Warp 8." Wilkan knew that the Helm Officer would take them to warp immediately as his usage of all ahead was the same as saying engage.

Receiving the coordinates, Urvasi put them into the system and curved the Enterprise to the new coordinates. Now that the turn had been done, Urvasi called out, "All Ahead Warp 8 Aye" as she increased the current warp 3 speed to warp 8.

The Enterprise's Captain turned his attention back to his Chief Engineer, "Ash, I want you to go get checked out by medical just to be on the safe side for now. Doctor Kholin is in the Infirmary on this deck. Head over there. Exec," he looked at Zhora, "go with her."

Having remained thoughtfully quiet throughout the passing conversations Commander zh'Roothi felt her brow crinkle at the Captain's request as she'd been mulling over the new discovery of breadcrumbs to the Kurill Sector. She felt an instant rise to reject the order favouring the prospect of further research into the new development but instantly quashed down the selfish thought. Instead she glanced between the two and simply nodded: "Of course."

The Chief Engineer eyed the Commodore for a few seconds and nodded. "Aye. Deck One Infirmary." She confirmed, looked to zh'Roothi and motioned for the Executive Officer to lead the way. "After you." Ash intoned, and moved to follow the Exec, leaving what she was working on displayed on the screen.

Again the Andorian remained quiet as she stepped ahead of the engineer and off the bridge.

In the background, Urvasi called out in a forward tone, "Captain, Helm, Warp 8 achieved," so that Wilkan knew they were at warp as she tried to not interrupt the current conversation ongoing.

"We haven't long until we arrive at the coordinates," Commodore Targaryen reminded. "I want this ship ready for whatever we may encounter when we get there, that means we need to be ready for both a peaceful first contact as well as a hostile one. We have Commander Kuzos' thought shield in place to try to prevent telepathic intrusion, but I want additional plans in place to defend this ship." He turned toward the Vorta, "I know the Kurill Sector is the home sector of the Vorta, Commander, is there anything that we should know that could help us?"

"It is the home of Kurill Prime the home of all Vorta, An average unremarkable planet until the Founders bestowed their benevolence upon us and brought us up from our humble beginnings." His voice taking on a tone of reverence. "It is heavily forested and also has lush vegetation. It also has a fair amount of ponds and lakes. The system itself is home to an F-class and a G-class star." Kuzos replied. He looked around the bridge. "It also has an assortment of animal life, many small nocturnal animals and a few larger predators along the lines of Human wolves with long six inch teeth and razor sharp claws. There are also birds some like hawks and eagles. Others smaller like what would be found on Earth. There are no serpents. There also a great abundance of Kava trees and ribbleberry bushes."

Wilkan listened intently, uncertain if any Federation vessel had visited Kurill Prime before. Depending on how the mission went it was possible he'd order the Enterprise there for a closer look. For the moment he had a different question though, "Have your people ever encountered something like this before? I know some Vorta have telekinetic abilities."

Kuzos looked intently at the Commodore, his smile gone. "You speak of Eris. There have been a few others that have possessed that ability."

"I haven't exactly met her, Kuzos, only heard of her ability," the Commodore explained. In reality there hadn't been many instances where a Vorta with such an ability had been encountered by Starfleet. Wilkan wondered if he'd, unintentionally, struck a nerve with referencing Eris as the Commander's smile had quickly faded.

Kuzos gave a short, curt nod but made further comment about Eris. "As to this. I know of stories about a Vorta Explorer ship and it's expedition that vanished, rumored to have been attacked by a gigantic space whale. That was ages ago."

Sora listened to the conversation around her as she monitored the ship's system. As soon as they had gone to warp on the new course, the sensor readings had returned to the irregularity that was to be expected from normal space. "Sir, sensor readings are back to the usual, with the occasional spike of background radiation, et cetera. Whatever caused us to get only perfectly average readings has gone." As she followed the ship's progress, something flashed in the back of her mind. The Kurill sector... for some reason, it sounded familiar to her, yet she was not sure why. She briefly shook her head. For now, her focus had to be on her duties and making sure they got there with the ship intact.

"Thank Heaven for small favors," the Commodore answered the Operations Officer. "We have some time before we arrive so we need to do what we can to prepare this ship for what we will find. I want full sensor scans conducted at five minute intervals, with Level 3 diagnostics of all systems also completed before we arrive. Weapon drills should also be scheduled and completed prior to our arrival," he looked around the Bridge as he issued the orders. "I'm going to go speak with the Counselor and the Chief Engineer to let them know that we've potentially found the source of all this. Sevek, you have the Bridge until either myself or Zhora returns. Let's get to work, people."

The Ops officer simply nodded. "Aye, sir," acknowledged Sora, as she got to work.

Urvasi added a small 'Aye Aye, sir' herself knowing a loud, direct response from the helm was not needed as nothing was changing in course or speed at this time. However, she did want to acknowledge the level 3 diags requested as they affected her as well. She began setting up the level 3's to correspond to shifting system between main and backups so their course and speed would not be affected. She sent her plan of system shifting to Sora as she was keeping track of progress of those diagnostics as well as sensor returns from sciences.

Kuzos attention returned to his board as it seemed the Commodore had no more questions for him at this time.

Sevek moved to the center of the bridge. He sat down and looked at the controls on the bridge, which showed the status of the ship and all the systems. Everything was good to go and he looked forward.

 

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