Sheridan Mission 03: "The Cruel Puppeteer"

Stardate 20511.03

Captain Quill Dramar Recording

Things have been shaken up here a bit on the Sheridan. Commander Joseph Daher has been promoted to Captain and given command of the U.S.S. Titan. I, along with the rest of my crew wish him luck in his new posting. He was a damn fine First Officer. I’m sure he’ll make a damn fine Captain. In the open position, I have appointed Commander Kah’Neriana Jenai, former Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Arkansas to the post of First Officer. Lieutenant, soon to Lieutenant Commander, Tom Ralston has replaced Mr. Malloy as Chief Tactical Officer. Lieutenant Mara Meagher has transferred to the Drake as Chief Tactical Officer.

I have received mission orders for Admiral Benestad. Three days prior Star Fleet had received an automated distress signal fro the U.S.S. Jutland CA-1029. The Jutland, which had been converted for deep space exploration, had disappeared nearly a year ago while on assignment. The mission was to investigate the Jutland’s last known position and ascertain the fate of the good ship and crew. The Jutland was assigned to locate and survey addition material deposits and map out the area of unexplored space. With the state of the Federation’s supply agreements and stockpiles, the information contained in the Jutland’s computer core could be very import. Her initial communiqués were very promising.

The trip to the Jutland’s last known location would be a three week journey. As a result of this, any requests for reinforcements or assistance of any kind would be a long time in coming. We would be more or less on our own for this one.

When we found the Jutland, she was adrift and practically a dead stick. All of her remaining power was being diverted to shields and life support. However, sensors indicated that the emitters had burned out sometime ago. Fortunately, she maintained minimal lift support. This wasn’t the only surprise. Sensors indicated unusual energy readings which appeared to be prolonging the life of the dilithium crystals.

I sent Commander Jenai along with an Away Team to ascertain the fate of the crew and secure the ship. Once the Jutland was secured, support teams would beam over and we could begin the process of prepping the Jutland for the trip home. Commander Jenai opted to take a shuttle craft over to the Jutland. I would have preferred to use the transporters; however I felt it best not to discourage my First Officer on her first away mission as FO.

About 20 minutes after the away team was aboard the Jutland, the Jutland’s impulse engines engaged and she begun to accelerate away. She continued to be gaining speed. She seemed to be preparing to jump to warp. I ordered the Away Team to engineering to disable her warp drive. Time was not on our side. Every second the Jutland got deeper and deeper into space. I had no idea what kind of attention we were attracting. As a result of that, I considered the option of disabling the Jutland's Nacelles.

At this time, there was no word on the fate of her crew. I didn’t want to fire on the Jutland if possible. If she too badly, she wouldn’t be salvageable which was a goal of the mission. At that time I received a report of what appeared to be an entirely unrelated event. Lieutenant Troffman attacked Lieutenant Neoma. He appeared to have undergone some sort of psychotic episode. It was also brought to my attention that a message had appeared on the science console. It was very garbled, but several words were identifiable. It said “Find…..Gone…..Where…..Find….Gone…Where….” This was repeating. Engineering was able to find the source of the message.

When the away team finally reported in they had favorable news… well partially favorable. They had managed access the Jutland’s computer core. They found the Jutland’s sensor logs. The primary mission goal has been met. However, that was not the only thing they found. They found the Captain’s Logs. I was hoping to find some answers within, but instead found more and more questions. In the first few months of the mission, things were going smoothly for the Jutland. Seven months after departing Star Base Alpha, the Jutland encountered a blackhole and a vessel of unknown origin exited the hole. This is highly unusually, since it is a blackhole. The vessel appeared to be intact and had no signs of external damage. An Away Team was sent in and their findings were rather disturbing. Two months after the Jutland came in contact with the vessel things started to happen. At first it was minor happenings, and then the happenings increased in severity. A week after the first severe happening the first distress call was sent.

We were still looking for answers to the fate of the Jutland crew. The answers were found in a Captain’s Log marked “Captain’s Eyes Only: Classified.” Knowing that this couldn’t be good, I had it transferred to my ready room. The Jutland’s mission was to survey an active black hole. According to Captain Phelps, they went above and beyond. The crew sent several specially modified probes into the black hole, though they lost contact while still in the tunnel.

It is my speculation, the crew was attempting to observe and prove the daughter universe theory. Black holes posses an extremely immense gravity field which is so immense that not even light can escape. In short, the daughter universe theory states that if the singularity is strong enough, a compacted mass at the center of the singularity and the end of the “tunnel” will break away from the tunnel and form its own small separate universe. This universe would be in accessible from our own forever removing the contents of the daughter universe from our own. Theoretically this process would repeat so long as the singularity has sufficient gravity to continue engulfing matter.

Unfortunately for the crew, they did their job too well. After further research, the crew elected to travel the singularity tunnel. To my knowledge such a thing has never been attempted. It took the crew a day to travel the tunnel. According to Captain Phelps, once they arrived at the other end of the tunnel, they found that laws of our universe did not apply. They found a planet, to which they dispatched several class seven probes.

As if the existence of a planet wasn’t enough, they found that the planet was inhabited by humanoids. Initially they appeared peaceful. Captain Phelps was about to send an away team to the planet but his First Officer convinced him to wait for further observations. Those observations proved his FO correct. They inhabitants turned out to be brutal beyond any level of barbarism known to the universe. According to Phelps, he doubted that even the Jem’Hadar could live the way they saw them.

After seeing this, the crew immediately returned to our universe, the Captain and senior staffed decided to burry their findings with the highest level of classification. It was after this that something came for them. The rest of Captain Phelps’s log is attached to this log. In sort, all hell eventually broke loose on the ship. The crew started killing each other and themselves. According to Phelps, only a good stiff drink will keep them at bay. His last request before succumbing to the force or whatever it is was to request a Viking send-off for his crew, which I intend to give them.

It seemed that effects seen on the Jutland are already starting here. Counselor Sera and Lt. Everret had all ready fallen victims to the entity’s hallucinations. The entity made contact with me saying,” So this is the great Quill Dramar.” According to the entity, he had heard stories of me from the Jutland crew, saying my reputation precedes me. It also referred to the Jutland crew as toys, that didn’t last long enough. It also informed me that it was the only one here, saying how the others of its kind would love this place.

In light of the new information, I ordered the away team back from the Jutland. It was evident that this thing must be stopped. Against the wishes of Captain Phelps I decided to call a senior staff meeting to inform the crew of the situation. They had every right to know of the danger they faced. After reviewing the log, the crew came up with two ideas. Lieutenant Commander Ralston suggested getting in touch with the Q, though this is highly non desirable resolution. Commander Jenai suggested we attempt to reason with it. Unfortunately, knowing what I know about the Entity, the only resolution I can see to this situation is to destroy the Jutland and take the entity with it.

It was at this time that situation in the observation lounge took a drastic turn. The entity found its way aboard the Sheridan and held the Senior Staff in its clutches in the observation lunge. All of apart, from LCdr Ralston, who was apparently unaffected, have been subjected to terrible nightmares… each one of the worst time of our lives. I found myself back on Starbase One… in the Thirsty Fish… during the Borg invasion… it… it… seemed so… real, though as if looking through water.

There were two entities aboard the Sheridan. The entity which held us captive in the observation lounge seemed to be almost a child. Before the two entities left the Sheridan, the mentioned something about a third entity, which they seemed afraid of. Those of us in the observation lounge are fine, though a little shaken up.

A few minutes later as we were trying to gather status reports to find out how much havoc the entity has caused, a voice played across our comm. system. Commander Jenai identified it as the Jutland’s computer, though a much older voice of the computer. It said,” Try and stop me, if you think you can.” At the same time, Red Alert sounded, and the Jutland locked onto the Sheridan with a tractor beam. She towed us off at impulse directly towards the blackhole.

After returning to bridge, I tried to reason with the entity one more time, asking it to release the Sheridan and return to the blackhole. The entity would have none of it and chose to insult both myself and the rest of humanity, and then goad us into acting. With this turn, it was clear in my mind that for whatever the reason, the entity wanted us to attack it. It might have had something to do with this third one they spoke up. Even though I was not sure of the entities intention, I had to protect the Federation and my crew.

We have seen first hand the destructive forces of the entity. A young one was loose on the Sheridan, which succeeded at holding nearly my entire senior staff hostage. I could only imagine that what we witnessed of the Jutland devastation was just the surface of the powers of an elder entity, not to mention that both the ender and the younger seemed to fear the third they spoke of. This in mind, I formulated a plan.

I ordered Engineering to assemble the largest anti-matter bomb they could in the time provided. My intention was to use the command console codes for the Jutland provided to me by Admiral Benestad. When we were closing in on the blackhole, I would use the codes to bring down the Jutland’s shields. Four torpedoes will take out her warp nacelles and impulse drives. The bomb will be beamed over and placed next to her warp core. Once the Jutland enters the blackhole, I will send the command to detonate the bomb.

This plan was not without risk however. I believed that by detonating an anti-matter mind in the tunnel, it would cause a chain reaction within the singularity. This reaction should cause a massive blow out with in the hole, creating a very powering shockwave/explosion. Without having time to run simulation, all I had to go on is theory and quick mental trials.

While nothing is definite, it is possible that such a massive explosion could rip subspace, causing a much larger problem. Depending on how the explosion goes, it could either continue to expand while ripping subspace, or it could close in upon itself creating some type of star. Only time would tell it seemed.

Either way, the plan greatly goes against the Prime Directive. I ordered my crew to possible destroy an entire species of life forms and their civilization. No matter Federation law, I could not allow this thing to rampage through our universe.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your view, things went to plan. He console codes worked, lowering the Jutland’s shields. She was quickly disabled by the torpedo strike. She was dead stick floating directly towards the singularity, on the same path they entered last time. The bomb was placed right next to her warp core. When we had made the turn around and were on our way out of here at maximum warp, I pressed the button detonating the bomb. The Jutland had just entered the hole.

The resulting explosion created a massive shockwave, which we successfully road out. Such a wave should have been created on both sides of the tunnel. Judging from Captain Phelps’s description, the planet was not very far from the mouth of the tunnel. Its quite possible that shock wave of that magnitude could have sliced cleanly through the planet…

The singularity is closed. The matter/anti-matter reaction removed enough matter from the hole and lowered its gravity enough that it reformed as a star. After the shockwave dissipated, we made another pass at the system, placing an auto-nav warning beacon to keep ships clear of the remote system until Star Fleet can send a better equipped vessel to determine the stability of the star. The three week journey back to SBA was uneventful.

The prepping of the device has been the hardest order I have ever given… but no where near as hard as pressing the button… I may very well have the blood of an entire species on my hands. Needless to say this is a terrible weight… Its strange… in one act, I may have killed countless… and created a star… perhaps some day a new system, with new life will form from the ashes of the old.

Captain's Logs

Capt Quill Dramar

Stardate 20411.13

Stardate 20411.13

After my prior entry, I felt it was necessary to prepare for one final act to destroy the Privateer should she give chase. On my order, damage control teams lead by Master Chief Petty Officer Vincent Porter went down to engineering and brought the auxiliary warp core on-line. I, along with Commander Daher, prepared to drop the warp containment fields for both cores. If the Orions caught up to us before we could warn the Federation of the danger posed by Orion forces, I was going to ‘stuff the Sheridan down their throats’ so to say and drop warp containment. The resulting explosion would have been more than enough severely damage if not destroy their vessel.

Unfortunately for us, the Privateer had followed us. They disabled our warp drive, destroying the nacelle and knocking us out of warp. Lieutenant Meagher fired over-loaded torpedoes, destroying the launchers in the process. She also burned out the remaining phaser arrays, all on my orders. Just as we were setting up for our collision courses, the Calvary lead by Captain Stouffer of the U.S.S. Exeter came to our aid. They managed to whittle down the Privateer’s shields, causing a fair amount of damage in the process. They finally ran

The Exeter towed us back to Sol system. The Sheridan has taken heavy damage and it will likely be months in repair. What is even more staggering is the number of casualties. There are 126 confirmed MIA. Eleven are missing, and presumed MIA. 104 were wounded and confined to sickbay. There were 146 wounded and released. This is a terrible number; one I hope will not be seen again any time soon. The Sheridan returned to dock under her own power, leading the Battle group in. From what I have been told, it was a sight to see.

On a better note, the leader of the Orin boarding party has traded sides. He apparently saved the life of Commander Hunter. What comes of this remains to be scene. He may be a powerful asset for the Federation. Lieutenant Lokar will also receive a letter from me asking for leniency in his trial due to his help during the boarding. The best news of all is that in a few days, Commander Daher and Commander Hunter will be married. Hopefully, this will be a good thing for the crew, and help everyone to relax.

End Log.”

Stardate 20503.03

Stardate 20503.03

Things have been shaken up here a bit on the Sheridan. Commander Joseph Daher has been promoted to Captain and given command of the U.S.S. Titan. I, along with the rest of my crew wish him luck in his new posting. He was a damn fine First Officer. I’m sure he’ll make a damn fine Captain. In the open position, I have appointed Commander Kah’Neriana Jenai, former Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Arkansas to the post of First Officer. Lieutenant, soon to Lieutenant Commander, Tom Ralston has replaced Mr. Malloy as Chief Tactical Officer. Lieutenant Mara Meagher has transferred to the Drake as Chief Tactical Officer.

We have received our orders for Admiral Benestad. Three days ago Star Fleet received an automated distress call the U.S.S. Jutland CA-1029. She disappeared a year ago whilst on a deep space exploration mission. Our mission is to investigate these coordinates, ascertain the fate of the ship and crew and rescue both at all costs. It will take us approximately three weeks to reach their location. With all luck, Lieutenant Commander Travis will be able to squeeze a little more power out of the engines and cut some time off the trip. The Jutland’s mission was locate and survey additional mineral deposits, and map out and patrol that area of unexplored space. With the state of the Federations supply agreements and stockpiles, the information that vessel may have could be very important for us, and her initial comms indicated some promising data.

The Admiral was quite persistence about this.

He also informed us of the lack of Federation vessels in the area and current federation priorities, he would try to re-direct a patrol, but it would be at least a week or two behind us. I’m not counting on any help.

Commander Jenai has recalled the crew so its nearly show time.

End Log.

Stardate 20505.01

Stardate 20505.01

We are several hours from our station. Reports from the departments indicate that the crew is ready for the task ahead. Security reports that they have run through their simulations as ordered. Tactial reports the same. LCdr Travis was successful in getting us the extra power we needed.

I can feel the tension rising throughout the ship. The crew knows we're far out and on our own. I have faith in them and their ability. I am sure we'll find the Jutland get home quickly.

Stardate 20505.16

Stardate 20505.16

We have found the Jutland. She is adrift due to inertia at half a meter an hour. All remaining power is being diverted to her shields and life support. Sensors indicated the shield emmiters had burnt out years ago. She is barely maintaining life support, which at at the absolute minimum levels.

It's strange though. Sensors are showing some unexplained energy readings are prolonging the life of the dilithium crystals. As to what exactly this means, I am not certain, but I have a feeling that we will find out.

I have sent Commander Jenai over with an away team. They are ascertain the fate the crew if possible and secure the ship. Once the Jutland is secure support teams will be sent over and we can begin the process of getting the Jutland home.

End Log

Stardate 20506.01

Stardate 20506.01

We have received word that the shuttle craft with the away team has successfully landed in the Jutland's shuttle bay. We are awaiting a report as to the condition of the ship and if there is any sign of her crew.

Stardate 20506.01

Stardate 20506.20

The Jutland has powered her impulse engines and is accelerating away from us. There is no reason for this. She continued to gain speed and it appeared that she was preparing for a jump to warp. I ordered the Away Team to Engineering to disable to warp drive.

Time is not on our side. Every second the Jutland gets deeper and deeper into space. Who knows what kind of attention we are attracting. I'm coming to consider the option of disabling the Jutland's Nacelles.

There is still no word of the fate of the crew. I don't want to fire on the Jutland if possible. If we damage her too badly, we won't be able to salvage her, which is my last option.

In what appears to be an entirely unrelated event, Lieutenant Troffman attacked Lieutenant Neoma. He appears to have underwent some sort of psychotic episode. It was brought to my attention that a message had appeared on the the Lieutenant's console. It was very garbled, but several words were identifiable. It said Find…..Gone…..Where…..Find….Gone…Where…. This was repeating. I have set ops about the task of finding the source of the message.

End Log

Stardate 20507.01

Stardate 20507.01

The Jutland has been brought to a halt. Fortunately we did not have to fire on her. It looks like the Away Team did their job. I am still awaiting word from Commander Jenai regarding the fate of the Jutland crew. If at all possible I want to find out what happened to them. There have been far to many families who never knew the fate of their loved ones, mine included. It's much easier to deal with the pain than keep waiting for the day that they might return.

That was one of three reasons I joined Star Fleet, to find my Father. In all the time that I have been out here, I haven't seen anything to convince he is out there. Ops is still working on trying to interface with the Jutland's computer and attempt to find a source of the message.

End Log

Stardate 20507.16

Stardate 20507.16

We have finally been able to access the Jutland's computer core, and the Captain's Logs. I was hoping to find some answers within, but instead found more and more questions. In the first few months of the mission, things were going smoothly for the Jutland. Seven months after departing Star Base Alpha, the Jutland encountered a blackhole and a vessel of unknown origin exited the hole. This in highly unusually, since it is a blackhole. The vessel appeared to be intact and had no signs of external damage. An Away Team was sent in and their findings were rather disturbing. Two months after the Jutland came in contact with the vessel things started to happen. At first it was minor happenings, and then the happenings increased in severity. A week after the first severe happening the first distress call was sent. A copy of the distress call is attacked to this log.

The Away Team is currently headed to the bridge to see if the Jutland can be salvaged and brought under our control.

End Log

Attached Distress Call of U.S.S. Jutland

[This is Captain Phelps of the Jutland. We have encountered a vessel of unknown origin. Please send help. Things are happening to the crew and we are in desperate need of assistance.

In the background a voice could be heard.

It’s us or them, Captain. We can’t wait for Star Fleet to send a rescue ship. Many of us have decided to abandon ship.

Before the Captain could reply an alert sounded and another voice could be heard.

Captain, phaser fire in Shuttle Bay Two.

There was a brief pause.

Reports say that Shuttle Bay Engineer Benson is involved, something about intruders in the Shuttle Bay.

Another pause and the voice was now more urgent.

Captain, atmospheric shielding in Shuttle Bay Shuttle has been disabled.

[Emergency bulkheads initiated in Shuttle Bay Two.]

The voice came again, one last time.

Captain, sensors report that there were thirty crewmembers attempting to leave the ship before the alert.

There were sounds of weeping, another pause and then there was nothing but white noise.]

Stardate 20507.30

Stardate 20507.30

We have dispatched two probes to further enhance the sensor capabilities of the Sheridan. Lieutenant Commander Ralston fears that there my me cloaked vessels in the area and has begun tachyon sweeps. I have my doubts about the effectiveness of the sweeps and I believe that the species we are dealing with is beyond such technology, however, I did alloy him to proceed. We are expecting the return of the Away Team from the Jutland in one hour. Stardate 20508.15 The situation has grimed significantly. The fate and situation of the Jutland has become all to clear. While searching through the Jutland’s Captain’s Log, Lieutenant Commander Ralston came across one that was marked “Captain’s Eyes Only: Classified.” Knowing that this couldn’t be good, I had it transferred to my ready room. The Jutland’s mission was to survey an active black hole. According to Captain Phelps, they went above and beyond. The crew sent several specially modified probes into the black hole, though they lost contact while still in the tunnel.

It is my speculation, the crew was attempting to observe and prove the daughter universe theory. Black holes posses an extremely immense gravity field which is so immense that not even light can escape. In short, the daughter universe theory states that if the singularity is strong enough, a compacted mass at the center of the singularity and the end of the “tunnel” will break away from the tunnel and form its own small separate universe. This universe would be in accessible from our own forever removing the contents of the daughter universe from our own. Theoretically this process would repeat so long as the singularity has sufficient gravity to continue engulfing matter.

Unfortunately for the crew, they did their job too well. After further research, the crew elected to travel the singularity tunnel. To my knowledge such a thing has never been attempted. It took the crew a day to travel the tunnel. According to Captain Phelps, once they arrived at the other end of the tunnel, they found that laws of our universe did not apply. They found a planet, to which they dispatched several class seven probes.

As if the existence of a planet wasn’t enough, they found that the planet was inhabited by humanoids. Initially they appeared peaceful. Captain Phelps was about to send an away team to the planet but his First Officer convinced him to wait for further observations. Those observations proved his FO correct. They inhabitants turned out to be brutal beyond any level of barbarism known to the universe. According to Phelps, he doubted that even the Jem’Hadar could live they way they saw them.

After seeing this, the crew immediately returned to our universe, the Captain and senior staffed decided to burry their findings with the highest level of classification. It was after this that something came for them. The rest of Captain Phelps’s log is attached to this log. In sort, all hell eventually broke loose on the ship. The crew started killing each other and themselves. According to Phelps, only a good stiff drink will keep them at bay. His last request before succumbing to the force or whatever it is was to request a Viking send-off for his crew, which I intend to give them

It would seem that effects seen on the Jutland are already starting here. Counselor Sera and Lt. Everret have all ready fallen victims to the entity’s hallucinations. The entity has made contact with me saying,” So this is the great Quill Dramar.” According to the entity, he had heard stories of me from the Jutland crew, saying my reputation precedes me. It also referred to the Jutland crew as toys, that didn’t last long enough. It also informed me that it was the only one here, saying how the others of its kind would love this place.

In light of this, I ordered the away team to be beamed back. We have to stop this thing. It cannot be allowed to leave this place. We must stop it at all cost. I will not allow this thing to cut a swath of destruction across the Federation. I wont let it any where near Mara.

Stardate 20508.31

Stardate 20508.31

I have called a senior staff meeting. Despite captain Phelps wishes, I have decided to inform my officers of the situation at hand. After all, it is their lives at stake as well. After reviewing the log, the crew came up with two ideas. Lieutenant Commander Ralston suggested getting in touch with the Q, though this is highly non desirable resolution. Commander Jenai suggested we attempt to reason with it. Unfortunately, knowing what I know about the Entity, the only resolution I can see to this situation is to destroy the Jutland and take the entity with it.

Stardate 20509.19

Stardate 20509.19

The situation in the Observation lounge has taken a drastic turn. The entity has found its way aboard the Sheridan and holds the Senior Staff in its clutches in the observation lunge. All of apart, from LCdr Ralston have been subjected to terrible nightmares… each one of the worst time of our lives. I found myself back on Starbase One… in the Thirsty Fish… during the Borg invasion… it… it… seemed so… real, though as if looking through water.

Mr. Ralston was apparently unaffected by the entity. He is currently working on an escape plan with Lt. Desmarais, Dr. Princip, and Midshipman Edeana’a.

Stardate 20510.03

Stardate 20510.03

The entity... or rather entities are gone. It seems that there were two aboard the Sheridan. The one who held us captive in the observation lounge seemed to be almost a child. If that is the case then it means we have yet to see the full power of these creatures, though I doubt we have seen the last of their kind. Before the two departed, they mentioned something of a third entity.

They seemed to be afraid of this third entity. We will have to everything in our power to find this other entity and deal with it. We will also have to find a way to prevent the other two from returning. I feel that in order to do this, we will have to close the blackhole.

Fortunately, those of us in the observation lounge are fine, though a little worse for the ware. I have a feeling that these next few hours are going to be very critical to the fate of the ship.

Stardate 20510.16

Stardate 20510.16

As I was gathering status reports from around the ship, trying to determine the state of the ship and crew, a message from what Commander Jenai identified as the Jutland’s computer, though much a much older voice of the computer, played across the comm. It said,” Try and stop me, if you think you can.” At the same moment, Red Alert sounded, and the Jutland locked onto us with a tractor beam, and begun moving off at impulse.

After returning to bridge, I tried to reason with the entity one more time, asking it to release the Sheridan and return to the blackhole. The entity would have none of it and chose to insult both myself and the rest of humanity, and then goad us into acting. With this turn, it is clear in my mind that for whatever the reason, the entity wants us to attack it. It might have something to do with this third one they spoke up. Even though I am not sure, I must go on my gut instincts and do my duty to the Federation.

We have seen first hand the destructive forces of the entity. A young one was loose on the Sheridan, which succeeded at holding nearly my entire senior staff hostage. I can only imagine that what we witnessed of the Jutland devastation was just the surface of the powers of an elder entity, not to mention that both the ender and the younger seemed to fear the third they spoke of. With this in, I have decided on a plan.

As we are currently being towed at warp 5 towards the blackhole, I have ordered Engineering to assemble the largest anti-matter bomb they can in the time provided. My intention is to use the command console codes for the Jutland provided to me by Admiral Benestad. When we are closing on the blackhole, I will use the codes to bring down the Jutland’s shields. Four torpedoes will take out her warp nacelles and impulse drives. The bomb will be beamed over and placed next to her warp core. Once the Jutland enters the blackhole, I will send the command to detonate the bomb.

This is where things get bad. To my knowledge, what I am attempting to do has never been done before. I believe that by detonating an anti-matter mind in the tunnel, it will cause a chain reaction within the singularity. This reaction should cause a massive blow out with in the hole, creating a very powering shockwave/explosion. Without having time to run simulation, all I have to go on is theory and quick mental trials.

While nothing is definite, it is possible that such a massive explosion could rip subspace, causing a much larger problem. Depending on how the explosion goes, it could either continue to expand while ripping subspace, or it could close in upon itself creating some type of star. Only time will tell it seems.

Either way, this plan greatly goes against the Prime Directive. I am ordering my crew possible destroy an entire species of lifeforms and their civilization. No matter Federation law, I cannot allow this thing to rampage through our universe. May history soundly judge us and our actions.

Stardate 20510.30

Stardate 20510.30

It’s done… the singularity is closed. The anti-matter device preformed “perfectly”. The game way is closed. It eradicated a sufficient quantity of the singularity’s matter to reform as a star. While this is the best possible result, it is nothing to celebrate. The prepping of the device has been the hardest order I have ever given… but no where near as hard as pressing the button… I may very well have the blood of an entire species on my hands. Needless to say this is a terrible weight… Its strange… in one act, I killed countless… and created a star…

We are currently making repairs as we progress back to Starbase Alpha. If all goes well, we will be home in three weeks. This will be a terribly long journey. The one thing that will make it better is that I get to see Mara when I return.

Crew Logs

Ens Frederic Desmarais

Stardate 20503.30

Ens Desmarais Personal Log Stardate 20503.30 Ensign Frederic Desmarais

Log Entry

Difficult is the exercise to condense and convert into words all the sensations and the feelings a human brain can spawn in a so short – but dense - period of time.

Today is a sad day. My dear friend and Colleague Malek Gecco gave me some bad news coming from earth. So maybe this is a reason why I feel the need, through this log, to get a fix on an double-edged life where the gloomy days made difficult to understand the Creator’s will.

Just some few months have gone since I left the academy and I received my first assignment on the Sheridan, but my duty as a security officer has been so intense here – mainly thanks to the support and the confidence provided from my CSO - that it seems to me that I have been here from years.

During my stay, I’ve met quite a lot of competent officers that helped me to give my first steps as a middie. At this point, I should mention Joseph Daher – in those days Commander but now promoted to Captain – who gave me all the support needed to adapt myself to the life aboard a Star Fleet Destroyer. I can’t forget either to name Dina; a nurse I knew one day in sickbay and who goes along with my thoughts and my dreams every single night and day since then. Women were for me like some source of pleasure as could be a glass of exquisite wine; a gift of the present; an instant to relish before your fate catch you... However this time, everything is different... When I have thoughts about her, I even started to consider the word ‘future’...

Well, some of the people I’ve met have gone yet - Daher included as he deserved the command of his own ship. Some new ones arrived and we all will have to learn to know each other to make a even better job in the new and yet undefined mission assigned to the Sheridan... I suppose one day I’ll have to leave this ship myself as well. Would it be to assume a new role in another vessel or to travel for the eternity in a silverplated coffin drifting in the endless space? Only the Creator knows...

But for now, my day-to-day life as a security officer on the Sheridan has been quite bustling. The encounter with some aliens saucer that motivated the command to prevent any possible intrusion as well as the investigation of a murder perpetuated by a very member of the security staff able to manipulate and tamper with the security devices are just evidences that reveal there are still a lot of job to do here for me.

On a personal basis, I feel my life and the teaching provided by my mentor Jean de la Tour is taking sense every single day since I am in Star Fleet. My way to the promised balance is taking shape little-by-little. I know every day is an opportunity – as well as a challenge - for me to understand the Creator’s will. I am aware I can fail at every moment in this purpose but until today I felt as if I could clearly see the way outlined in front of me.

Today however my self-assurance is about to crumble. Gecco informed me that Master Pretorius is dead... Furthermore he has a sneaking suspicion that he has been murdered... As he said hypothetically by some followers of the mesocosmic religion.

Right. If by any means this log should fall in the hands of someone for whom the Society is unknown I should introduce who was indeed Francesco Pretorius and who are the Mesocosmics.

Great Master Francesco Pretorius was an Italian. Originally from the vestige of the Toscana aristocracy of Florence (Fiurenze), he was brought up inside a family known for his devotion to the Creator’s Knight cause. This is a reason why he ascended quite quickly in the hierarchy of the ‘Society’ until he became – at age 45 – one of the 9 Great Masters ( the maximum rank ) of the organization considered as the keepers of the wisdom, the goodwill and the secrets of the Creator of all things and gods.

The Mesocosmic religion has been known – until now – as a minority group of which belief is derived from the Mesoamerican dogmas: “someday, somewhere, somehow some gods came from the cosmos to give to each alien species all the knowledge they deserved. And someday, somewhere, somehow, they’ll come back to take it back”.

As far as I am concerned, I knew this religious organization to be strict with the compliance of their rituals but not fanatic enough just to start a crusade against other creed.

Now, Pretorious is dead. What does this mean? How could the Creator allow this to happen? How could he sacrifice one of the most fervent warrantor of his faith? What does HE intend to tell us?

I don’t know.

I am lost.

I’ll have to find my way on my own…

...Again.

End Log

Lt Adrienne Bateson

Stardate 20505.12

Lt Bateson Personal Log Stardate 20505.12 Lieutenant Adrienne Bateson recording

This is my first log entry aboard the Sheridan. She's impressive, faster, and bigger than a Frigate, but I think a Berlin could still fly circles around this one...

Its hard, very hard, to have to begin this log without the phrase 'Chief Tactical Officer's Log'. It still has me in a state of shock...I can't believe I it happen! Mom and Dad must be furious, I haven't even talked to them yet. I need to get a hold of someone, Will maybe.

Its hard to humble myself as a normal TO again. Sure this Ralston guy seems alright, but that jacket used to be mine. And who knows if I'll ever get to wear it again...

We're looking for some lost ship, been lost for a while. The USS Jutland, well about a day ago we ran across her, and now the FO, nice woman, is getting an away team together to pilot a shuttle over and check it out. The ship seems fine, just...deserted. It reminds me of some sort of ghost ship.

I'm doing my best on the bridge, I guess it will be all right. I just hope no body asks...its bad enough half of them can read it in my file...

End Log

Medical

CMO Lt Gaelio Princip

Stardate 20505.13

Lt Princip Chief Medical Officer's log Stardate 20505.13 Lieutenant Gaelio Princip recording

This is my first log entry. A many number of things have happened to me since I came aboard the Sheridan a few months ago.

The first interest happening was the crew getting poisoned basically and hallucinating. I can't remember what my hallucinations where but I seem to recall they involved elephants. I also remember waking up with a blast in my shoulder.

When the old Chief medical officer Jessica Hunter left with Captain Daher to the USS Titan I was promoted to Lt [Jg] and Chief medical officer.

Soon after I arrived one of my best friends from Earth colony five arrived, Ensign Adaro, at first I was pleased to see him but he then started to get in my way.

About three weeks ago A Dr called Dr Copper was murdered using a rather odd kind of poison. I began to suspect my old friend because I knew that this doctor was Adaro's sister's lover.

I am not quite sure how it happened but Myself, Lt Shypoken, Lt Everett and Lt [Jg] Desmarais ended up carrying him to sickbay. later on myself, Lt Shypoken, LCdr Talek and Lt Longland ended up locked in the CMO office.

Lt Shypoken fainted due to a lack of oxygen in the room and we had to climb through the Jeffries tubes back to the main sickbay area.

I only knew of one person who knew my codes and that was Adaro. We challenged him in sickbay but he retreated into the Jeffries tubes followed by Lcdr Talek and Lt Longland.

When Adaro entered Dr Coppers quarters (That where poisoned) He remained there until he died. The quarters are going to be sealed off until we get back to a starbase.

Well this little epic that has been named 'Adaro's revenge' is over now, and soon my duties as CMO may arise properly.

Oh one last thing, who ever came up with the name of this saga needs to sort out their priorities!

end log