Session Start: Sun Sep 28 01:35:03 2003
[01:35] [narration] After weeks of travel at high velocity, the Freedom has finally arrived at the mysterous anomaly they believe will take them home. Remote sensors have provided some data, but only now that the ship itself is in range can the final research and testing begin.
[01:36] <Cirrus> We're now entering the direct gravitational influence of the anomaly thing, Cap'n. I'm bringing us to a stop.
[01:36] <Waitstate> Excellent. Astrometrics, distance from the anomaly?
[01:38] <Comet> [comm] Approximately 4,500,650 KM.
[01:41] * Sunspot is hanging out in engineering in case the sensors go glitchy.
[01:41] <Waitstate> Launch short range probes. Configure the DEM for deep scanning mode. Let's see just how precise a reading we can get on this thing.
[01:41] * Solder is on watch in Medbay.
[01:42] * Lifeblood is on the bridge.
[01:42] <Comet> Aye, Sir.
[01:42] * Comet uplinks with probes and launches them.
[01:43] * Slipstream lounges around at her station on the bridge, watching the goings-on with mild interest.
[01:45] <Waitstate> [comm] Engineering, we're about to run the DEM in scan mode. Please keep a close watch on the power output. I dont wanna spike when we're probing this thing.
[01:45] <Sunspot> [comm] Okay, I'm on it!
[01:47] <Comet> [comm] Nothing showing up yet, Bridge.
[01:50] <Sunspot> [comm] Everything looks good so far...
[01:50] * Admiral Lilwall is at the science station; Lightning is at Tact2.
[01:51] <Sunspot> [comm] It's ready to scan, Wait.
[01:51] <Waitstate> Good. Science, initiate deep scan of the anomaly
[01:52] <Admiral Lilwall> Scan in progress
[01:54] <Comet> [comm] Stop the scan!
[01:54] <Waitstate> Do it, Lil.
[01:54] * Admiral Lilwall stops the scan.
[01:54] <Waitstate> Comet, what's wrong?
[01:55] <Comet> Dangerous feedback build-up. If we can raise the defense screens to face the anomaly and boost them to 115% or so we should be okay to scan.
[01:56] <Waitstate> Slip, divert power to the foreward shields
[01:56] <Admiral Lilwall> It may be result of what we're scanning. I'm picking up quantum instability.
[01:56] * Slipstream tosses off a lazy salute and messes with buttons to divert power.
[01:57] <Waitstate> A wormhole?
[01:57] <Comet> [comm] Hmm...
[01:57] <Admiral Lilwall> Pretty much.
[01:58] <Admiral Lilwall> If we poured as much power as we can into it, we might be able to see a visual on it leads, if anywhere.
[01:59] <Waitstate> Any ideas on where it leads?
[01:59] <Comet> [comm] Can we sustain that?
[01:59] <Waitstate> Any ideas on where it leads?
[02:00] <Admiral Lilwall> Not at this point, we need more power.
[02:00] <Comet> [comm] If I can get maybe .121 jigowatts more...
[02:00] <Sunspot> [comm] The power readings are getting kinda funny, is everything okay down there?
[02:00] <Admiral Lilwall> And its still a big 'if'.
[02:00] <Waitstate> Resume scan, and boost power by 10%. See if that gets us a clearer picture.
[02:01] * Admiral Lilwall does so.
[02:01] <Comet> [comm] Searching for signal...
[02:01] <Waitstate> [comm] A few quirks, but we're ok. Let us know if it gets dangerous, Sunspot.
[02:02] <Comet> [comm] First unit shows nothing. Second shows... something. Can we prioritize that unit and switch off the others? That should be enough power to clear this picture up...
[02:04] <Waitstate> Right, Lil, bring the AT system to full priority, set the others to idle.
[02:04] * Admiral Lilwall does so.
[02:05] <Waitstate> Anything Comet?
[02:05] <Comet> [comm] Lag. Give me a second.
[02:06] <Sunspot> [comm] Nothing's in the red yet, but I'm keeping an eye on it...
[02:06] <Comet> [comm] Nothing. The aperture 'window' seems to shift constantly. There's no way to see where it'll take us, much less if we can even get home with it at all.
[02:07] <Admiral Lilwall> An unstable end, for all we know it'll take us to a place where we physically can't exist.
[02:07] <Waitstate> Alright, boost scan power another 50%. I'd like to know SOMETHING useful here.
[02:08] * Admiral Lilwall increases power.
[02:10] <Comet> [comm] It definitly shifts. It seems to stay open to any one reality for approximately three seconds. Right now it's showing what seems to be an empty void, prehaps pre-universal-explosive-birth. The portal, so to speak, is unstable, both geographically and quantumly.
[02:11] <Comet> [comm] I definitly believe it will take us to a random place in a random universe.
[02:11] <Comet> [comm] Maybe even a random time.
[02:12] <Admiral Lilwall> How the pit would we even recognise our own reality? Just becasue we see Cybertron on the veiwer won't mean it's our version of it.
[02:14] <Waitstate> Hm... what would happen if we extended our space fold system's driver field around the anomaly? Despite all the repairs to the ship, the fold drive core is still the original. It should retain our universe's quantum signature, and might possibly stabilize the anomaly, at least partially.
[02:15] <Admiral Lilwall> What, like tuning a radio?
[02:15] <Comet> [comm] Will that put the ship's structural stability at risk?
[02:16] <Waitstate> Yes, something like that Lil. Very similar in fact
[02:16] <Waitstate> [comm] Running the drive like that? It shouldn't, though it would be a big power drain. It wasn't designed to be used that way.
[02:17] <Sunspot> [comm] I'm not really certain the ship's in good enough shape for anything too big... We're still kinda running on duct tape and wire...
[02:18] <Waitstate> we'll have to hold back some reserve power for the structural integrity field.
[02:18] <Waitstate> Slip, tell our human friends to suit up. We're going to cut life support for this operation.
[02:19] <Slipstream> Aye, cap'n. *comms the order to all the squishies on board*
[02:21] <Sarah> Cutting...life support!? Eeeek...
[02:22] <Waitstate> also, cut gravity in all non-essential areas. Start shunting the excess into energon reserves.
[02:22] <Admiral Lilwall> Shut down the plaza and Obs decks too.
[02:22] * David wakes Adam from a nap and helps him into his Powermaster suit
[02:22] <Talis> [comm] Bridge, this is Talis, come in.
[02:23] * Avalanche helps Sarah get her airtight helmet on while she tries not to panic too much.
[02:23] <Slipstream> [comm] Bridge here, what's up Talis?
[02:24] <Talis> [comm] I've been monitoring everything best I can. We...might not need to shut down life support...
[02:27] <Admiral Lilwall> [comm] Yes... aaaaaand..?
[02:28] <Slipstream> [comm] Go on...
[02:29] <Talis> [comm] ...first, we need to....disable one of the rear sensor pads.
[02:30] <Talis> [comm] I'm currently doing that now. I'm gouing to take it to the bridge. It's got a little toy in it that might track our home universe. I hope...
[02:31] * Comet has been watching the portal shifts.
[02:31] <Talis> [comm] I'll explain more on the way up *click*
[02:33] <Slipstream> ... well, that was new.
[02:33] <Slipstream> *turns to Waitstate* Yo, grey one, Talis is on his way up to the bridge with something that might help us get back.
[02:33] * Talis disengages the sensor pad and brings it to the bridge.
[02:33] <Waitstate> Talis? O_o
[02:33] <Slipstream> Yup.
[02:34] <Lightning> Hmph. He needs to be informed of protocol.
[02:34] <Waitstate> That's different.
[02:34] * Talis gets in the turbolift and makes his way up.
[02:34] <Lightning> If he wishes to monitor things then he should apply for bridge duty.
[02:34] <Admiral Lilwall> Don't think anyone cares today, Lightning.
[02:35] * Slipstream authorizes Talis' entry onto the bridge.
[02:35] * Talis walks onto the bridge with a large disc in his hands.
[02:35] <Talis> We can track home with this.
[02:35] <Talis> ...if it works...
[02:35] * Waitstate stands up to take a look.
[02:35] <Waitstate> Is that one of our sensor pads?
[02:36] <Talis> Well, it's one of the replacements for the one that blew out.
[02:36] <Talis> Well, ONE of the ones that blew out.
[02:36] <Waitstate> So it's one of our good sensor pads that was actually installed on the ship?
[02:36] <Talis> That's not the key though. *opens the transplast dome*
[02:37] <Talis> Yes. Don't worry though, the sensor itself still works fine.
[02:38] * Talis shows a small rectangular piece in the sensor out of place of the rest of the workings.
[02:38] <Waitstate> Why do you have a vital ship componant on the bridge? Clearly I didn't reinstate all the security protocols yet...
[02:39] <Talis> It was more that... they hadn't been reinstated when I installed the device.
[02:40] <Talis> It's a tracking device. Not the conventional type. It sends a signal interdimensionally--similar to transmissions being sent through sub-space. The signal resurfaces back in our universe by a receiver that pulls it back up.
[02:40] <Talis> Thing was, I hadn't realized we weren't in the same dimension anymore.
[02:41] <Talis> But getting to the point, if I turn this on, the signal is designed to lead back to our Universe by default anyway. If we follow the signal's end, we can determine our home dimension.
[02:41] <Waitstate> Hrm.
[02:42] <Comet> [comm] How does it make the journey?
[02:42] <Comet> [comm] And can we use its method of jumping, should this portal prove unfeasible?
[02:42] <Waitstate> Well, extreme security violations aside, which I WILL be talking to you about after this is all over, that could be very useful. It may well let use confirm our destination once we engage the drive systems.
[02:42] <Talis> It's brand new technology really. The components that make it possible were given to me already, with schematics on how to build a sending device.
[02:44] <Waitstate> It's a good idea in theory, but infeasable to implement it. We'll have to use it as a compass rather than a means of transport, so to speak.
[02:44] <Talis> Unfortunately, all we can do is send frequencies through, and wavelengths on certain specrtums. We can't send any solid matter through.
[02:45] <Talis> As Waitstate said, we can use it to point us home.
[02:45] <Comet> [comm] Ah.
[02:45] <Waitstate> [comm] Engineering, begin the shutdown, and then start storing the excess. We're going to need 200% or better for this to work.
[02:46] <Sunspot> [comm] Okay, shutting down life-support and non-essential gravity...
[02:47] <Sunspot> [comm] Done! Excess is being routed into local storage...
[02:48] <Solder> [comm] Bridge, this is Solder. Somethin' going on up there? The lights in Medbay 'ere jus'flickered... who wired this tin can back together, anyw... oh. Right. Solder out.
[02:49] <Waitstate> Signal when we've reached capacity, Sunny.
[02:49] <Lightning> I have locked down all areas not in use in the event we need to reroute more power.
[02:49] <Waitstate> Lil, you and Talis tie in his device to sensors.
[02:49] <Comet> [comm] ...did somebody confirm all organic lifeforms were secure before shutting off life-support?
[02:49] <Admiral Lilwall> Right.
[02:50] <Waitstate> If not, they have a while before the air gets stale. Bridge to medbay, can you confirm our organic passengers are all safely suited up?
[02:51] <Solder> [comm] Bridge, gimme a click.
[02:51] <Sunspot> [comm] It'll take just a few minutes to charge...
[02:51] * Slipstream tilts her head down so the brim of her helmet covers her face and quietly snickers behind it. Meh heh heh.
[02:52] <Solder> [comm] All squishies report bein' safely locked away, Bridgie.
[02:53] <Waitstate> Good. I really should have checked on that. I'm not used to having them around yet...
[02:54] <Sunspot> [comm] Charged and ready to go, Wait!
[02:54] <Waitstate> Excellent
[02:55] <Admiral Lilwall> Sensor tied into the system.
[02:55] <Waitstate> Cirrus, engage the space fold system with the coordinates and settings the computer is providing. Engineering, prepare to feed stored energy into the system on my mark.
[02:58] [narration] The lights on the ship dim further as the fold drive engages. An audiable hum starts reverberating through the ship as systems meant to be active for only moments exceed their intended run times.
[02:59] <Sunspot> [comm] Systems are in the orange, but nothing's redlining yet...
[03:00] <Cirrus> The picture on the thingy is still shifting!
[03:00] <Comet> [comm] Bridge.
[03:00] <Waitstate> Did it not work?
[03:00] <Waitstate> Go ahead Comet.
[03:02] <Comet> [comm] The quantum signature, at least, appears to have stabilized. The portal is still spatially unstable.
[03:02] <Waitstate> Can we stabilize it further? Pick our emergance point?
[03:03] <Comet> [comm] I would suggest we not sit here building up pressure for too long, but I am not an engineer...
[03:03] <Comet> [comm] Doubtful.
[03:06] <Waitstate> Meantime, Lil, Talis, can you confirm we have the right universe here?
[03:06] <Admiral Lilwall> Hah!
[03:06] <Admiral Lilwall> I dunno, Talis?
[03:06] <Comet> [comm] Those of you familiar with the principal of uncertainty should understand. It is difficult, if not impossible, to fix one coordinate without inadvertantly changing another.
[03:08] * Talis checks.
[03:08] <Talis> not getting a response yet.
[03:08] <Talis> ....oh wait....
[03:08] <Waitstate> What I wouldn't give for a Heisenberg Compensator right now.... Ugh, I've watched too much Earth television.
[03:09] <Talis> ...it seemed to like this frequency.
[03:09] <Waitstate> alright, we're going to have to chance it, before the drives burn out
[03:09] <Admiral Lilwall> Genie in a bottle would be nice.
[03:10] <Sunspot> [comm] Hurry up and make a decision, guys, the energy buildup's getting real close to the red...
[03:10] <Waitstate> Engineering, begin shunting reserve power into the SIF.
[03:10] <Waitstate> Hopefully full power to the thing will keep us from flying apart.
[03:10] <Sunspot> [comm] Okay, shifting power...
[03:11] <Waitstate> Science, keep sensors running. I want as much data on this as possible. Just in case.
[03:11] <Admiral Lilwall> Got it.
[03:12] <Solder> [comm] Can you head honchos up there do us here a favor and NOT kill everyone this time?
[03:12] <Waitstate> Cirrus, move us in.
[03:12] <Waitstate> [allcomm] Brace for impact. Or something. Buckle up people!
[03:13] * Slipstream comments casually, hands folded behind her head... "So Talis, how do we know someone from another alt dimension, with an alternate you missing, isn't looking for a similar signal?"
[03:13] * Avalanche holds on to Sarah so she doesn't float off in the low gravity.
[03:13] <Rackham> probably be safer locked up in a cell...
[03:13] <Comet> [comm] If I may, Sir, deadpan is not the way to go when warning one's crew of imminent danger.
[03:13] * Talis looks at Slipstream.
[03:13] <Talis> ...I never thought of that...
[03:13] * Slipstream just grins mildly. "Figured."
[03:13] * Comet grips his chair.
[03:14] * Moonstone hops up in Sunspot's lap where it's safe.
[03:14] <Slipstream> Better cross your fingers then, neh? It's -go- time...!
[03:14] <Solder> Oh, boy...
[03:14] * Lightning elevates ship's status to red alert cause it seems kinda natural to do.
[03:15] * Cirrus moves the ship into the anomaly. The shields flicker mightily as they hold back the immense energies from crushing what they protect. The ship is battered in the transit, something very like a spacefold, expanded infinitely longer.
[03:15] [narration] But the ship holds together, and in a huge explosion of light and other non-visible radiation, it emerges from the other end, the outgoing wormhole instantly dissapating as it rushes off to a new place, a new universe...
[03:16] [narration] Just in time to be rocked in space by a huge, more conventional explosion!
[03:16] <Comet> [comm] So much for that nice, shiny new paint job...
[03:17] * Slipstream blinks mildly at the explosion, then turns to her monitors and does scanny technical tactical station stuff! W00t.
[03:17] <Waitstate> What in blazes?? Tactical, analysis! Conn, evasive if you can figure out what's going on!
[03:18] <Comet> [comm] External cameras inactive; still recieving interference from the trip.
[03:18] <Slipstream> *dryly* We got shot. Still trying to figure out by what though...
[03:18] <Sunspot> [comm] That wasn't exactly good for our systems...
[03:18] <Lightning> sensors indicate we've arrived in the middle of a battle.
[03:19] <Sunspot> [comm] I'm rerouting what we have left to the shields to keep whatever's out there from doing any more damage.
[03:19] <Lightning> I detect Autobot and Decepticon craft in the area, the explosion that rocked the craft was Decepticon vessel losing integrity.
[03:20] <Lightning> It would seem the Decepticons are losing this engagement,
[03:20] <Slipstream> We've got no structural damage so far, but shields are failing.
[03:20] <Slipstream> Do we hold our fire, or join in the fun? *grins*
[03:20] <Waitstate> Move us away from the area. Head toward the Autobot side, but vector away from them.
[03:20] <Admiral Lilwall> Least we didn't blow up on the way through.
[03:20] * Waitstate turns to Lil.
[03:20] <Comet> [comm] Give me nav/sensor control; I'll get us out of here.
[03:21] <Waitstate> They're less likely to blow us out of the sky on a whim, at least.
[03:21] <Admiral Lilwall> Depends on who Autobot is in command here.
[03:21] <Waitstate> Comm, broadcast non-combatant status on all frequency
[03:21] <Comet> [comm] ...um, just a suggestion, that is.
[03:22] <Waitstate> and just in case, Engineering, get those shields back!
[03:22] * Slipstream broadcasts said non-combatant status! "Damnit Wait, you're no fun..."
[03:23] <Waitstate> This isn't exactly the best time for us to fight.
[03:23] <Sunspot> [comm] The shields are 75% back online, I'm using all reserve power and working to get the rest online.
[03:23] <Waitstate> [comm] good work.
[03:23] <Lightning> Both sides of the conflict seem to be ignoring us.
[03:23] * Talis looks over Slip's shoulder at the tac readouts.
[03:23] <Waitstate> Works for me.
[03:24] <Waitstate> do we have enough power for point defense systems? In case of inbound projectiles, I'd like to shoot them down if possible.
[03:25] <Sunspot> [comm] We managed to build up enough reserve power that we should be about to defend ourselves for a little bit...
[03:27] <Comet> [comm] Incoming stray!
[03:29] * Slipstream uses the PDS to shoot down the incoming projectile. It's just like a video game! *kblat*
[03:31] <Lightning> The Decepticons are withdrawing from the conflict. The Autobots do not seem to be pursuing.
[03:32] <Waitstate> Good, maybe we can catch our breaths now.
[03:32] * Admiral Lilwall has in the meantime vanished unnoticed from the bridge.
[03:33] <Waitstate> Engineering, status report?
[03:33] <Slipstream> And we're being hailed by one of the Autobot ships. Want the call at your station, grey?
[03:34] <Sunspot> [comm] Power levels are at 56%, but shields are now 95% functional. We took minimal damage, but our drives are almost totally depleted.
[03:35] <Comet> [comm] Comet to Apocrypha; your skills may be useful. Reply when you can view outside the ship.
[03:35] <Waitstate> [comm] ok, put us back on normal power distribution and get us back to normal, please. Bridge out
[03:35] <Waitstate> Put the Autobots on screen, please Slip.
[03:35] <Apocrypha> [comm] There's a view from right here, Comet. What's going on?
[03:35] <Lightning> The Autobots probably expect answers as to why we suddenly appeared.
[03:36] <Lightning> Like it's any of their business.
[03:36] * Slipstream does so! The Autobot hailing them appears on-screen.
[03:36] <Waitstate> Considering we don't know where we are yet, it may well be.
[03:36] <Sunspot> [comm] I'm on it, Wait.
[03:36] <Slipstream> On-screen, cap'n.
[03:36] <Comet> [comm] Apocrypha, I'm curious if you recognize those cruisers as those from our own universe. It's the only thing I can think of at the moment, and if I recall you're a historian so I assumed you may know...
[03:37] * Sarah looks at the starfield and the receeding battle out the window of the obs deck and sniffles.
[03:37] <Talis> ...
[03:37] <Waitstate> [COMM] This is Waitstate of the neutral vessel LSS Freedom. How may we help you?
[03:37] <Paragon> [viewscreen] This is Paragon of the Autobot battleship Sentinel Prime. Your vessel is registered as neutral, Captain. This is not a safe place for you to magically appear.
[03:37] * Slipstream mutters under her breath "this is Waitstate of the neutral vessel LSS Freedom. What can we do you for?"
[03:38] <Avalanche> Hey, what's wrong?
[03:38] * Talis looks over Slip's shoulder again at the Sentinel Prime's registry numbers.
[03:38] <Apocrypha> [comm] Um, ship tech isn't really my strong point, Comet, though I think I served on one that looked like that bluish one with the big dome...
[03:38] <Waitstate> [COMM] I'm afraid we didn't have much choice. We're not even quite sure where we are at the moment.
[03:39] * Sarah shakes her head. "Nothing... It's just...I've never left my own universe before. It even *sounds* silly, just to say it like that."
[03:39] <Comet> [comm] Hrm, alright. Thanks, Apocrypha. Sorry to have bothered you.
[03:39] <Slipstream> *dryly* Yeah, our nav coordinator sneezed and pressed the wrong button...
[03:40] <Paragon> [COMM] You are in the middle - make that near the end of a defensive skirmish with Decepticon forces just outside the Gethrathi star system. Is there a problem with your navigational systems?
[03:41] <Waitstate> [COMM] No, they're operational as far as we know. We simply haven't been able to make a pulsar fix just yet. Our mode of travel was rather... chaotic.
[03:42] * Talis mutters quietly "...we're here..."
[03:43] <Paragon> [COMM] That sounds like a very interesting story, Captain. However, I have somewhat more pressing matters to attend to. Make for our lines if you want; we'll do our best to protect you. If this is a trick and you're Decepticons, don't make for our lines. You'll eventually regret it. Paragon out.
[03:43] <Comet> [comm, private to Waitstate] Sir, if we tell them what we've done, they may wish to detain us for questioning and/or possibly take our technology.
[03:43] <Waitstate> Well, that was abrupt.
[03:44] <Lightning> Autobot scum.
[03:44] <Lifeblood> A state of war did not exist in our dimension when we left.
[03:44] <Waitstate> Comet, see if you can get a confirmation on our location.
[03:44] <Lifeblood> Insofar as I was disposed to be aware of it.
[03:44] <Comet> [comm] Aye-aye.
[03:45] <Waitstate> Lifeblood makes a good point. Science, see if you can confirm our, um, OTHER location?
[03:46] * Adam should have known better than to try playing on the ceiling. It hurts when the gravity comes back on.
[03:47] <Comet> [comm] Confirmed, Captain. Just beyond borders of Gelthathi star system; Geon galaxy, beta quadrant.
[03:47] * Slipstream leans back in her chair, one wing nearly smacking Talis in the face if he's still looking over her shoulder. That's bloody annoying. ;)
[03:49] <Talis> ...'scuse me.
[03:50] <Slipstream> mm? Oh, sorry, didn't know y'were still there. *grins*
[03:51] <Waitstate> Science, any luck?
[03:55] <Waitstate> Will someone please check the science console?
[03:57] <Waitstate> Talis, can you please test your device?
[03:57] * Talis picks it up and starts pressing buttons.
[03:58] <Talis> The receiver test is done.
[03:59] <Waitstate> And?
[03:59] <Talis> It wants to resurface using this quantum track. Sort of a dataprint for our dimension.
[04:00] <Waitstate> I'm assuming that means we're in the right place.
[04:00] * Talis goes to the science station and presses buttons.
[04:00] <Talis> The prints match.
[04:00] <Talis> We're home all right.
[04:01] <Slipstream> Give the audience a bow, big green. *grins*
[04:01] * Waitstate lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
[04:01] <Lightning> We should establish contact with Outpost-1.
[04:01] <Sunspot> [comm] Are we home?
[04:02] <Waitstate> [comm] Yes, we are.
[04:02] <Waitstate> [allcomm] Attention everyone, we are HOME!
[04:02] * Waitstate is vaguely insensitive to those not actually from this universe.
[04:02] <Comet> [comm] That almost seemed too easy.
[04:03] <Waitstate> You shut up now. I don't want the antimatter core to explode or something :p
[04:03] <Comet> [comm] Yes, Sir.
[04:03] <Waitstate> Cirrus, set course for Outpost-1 at Perihelion.
[04:03] <Slipstream> *chuckles* Ah, home sweet home. All we need to do now is blow up a space station or something.
[04:03] <Waitstate> Best speed.
[04:03] <Waitstate> [comm] Engineering, what IS our best speed just now, anyway?
[04:05] <Sunspot> [comm] We're at about half-speed still, the drives are still powering back up.
[04:05] <Waitstate> Half speed it is. Engage.
[04:06] <Cirrus> Woohoo! :D Let's move! *engages interphase to max available power*
Session Close: Sun Sep 28 04:06:04 2003

---

Back To Mission Logs Listing