"When You Have Eliminated the Impossible, Whatever Remains, However Improbable, Must be the Truth"
(Previous Post: "Staying Focussed")
---
Stardate: 60340.1730
Since the news of what the HATHOR had discovered had
reached the USS ANUBIS less than an hour ago, rumours
had spread like wildfire causing many to rejoice and
countless others to fear as they continued their
frantic rush towards the border. The Chief Science
Officer and Executive Officer of the ANUBIS had
unfortunately been in the latter group, her scientific
skills of deduction having led her to determine that
something significant had taken place somewhere within
the boundaries of the Cardassian Union.
Although being a full hour ahead of the ANUBIS, the
sensors and research capabilities of the USS HATHOR
had not permitted it to perform the required research
to the extent that it needed to be. Under normal
circumstances the sensors of the most recent
SCARAB-Class Cruiser would have been more than capable
of performing all of the necessary scans on their own,
but because of the extensive damage suffered by the
ship, the sensors had not been functioning as well as
the Shillian scientist would have liked them to.
Still, thanks to the information relayed by the HATHOR
and all of the border monitoring outposts the picture
which had gradually been created and improved upon had
begun to reveal possible clues as to what had
happened.
Curious to see what they might have to deal with in
addition to their primary mission, Captain Rikar had
wasted no time to get to the Astrometrics Lab
following the call of the Shillian scientist who had
claimed to have a possible explanation for what had
been observed beyond the Cardassian border.
"According to the available information," the Chief
Science Officer began, summoning all of the gathered
information onto the large curved surface that made up
the display area of the room. "Roughly four hours ago
something forced the Cardassian to pull a handful of
their ships away from the border with the Federation
and to have them go here," the Shillian said as she
locked on and enlarged the region of space in
question. "According to all stellar maps, there is
*nothing* in that region of space, yet all of the
ships that we have been able to follow using their ion
trails leads to that particular spot. Given that the
HATHOR has intercepted several requests for medical
supplies from civilian sources, and the relative
proximity of GELRAK IV, a Cardassian colony less than
two hours away at maximum warp from the location where
the ships were initially dispatched to, my guess is
that the Cardassians are under attack by a yet to be
determined enemy. Based on observations alone, we can
surmise that whoever this enemy is, they possess ships
and weapons which are likely superior to those of the
Cardassian, I mean if the Cardassian had obtained the
upper hand following the first encounter they would
not have pulled so many more ships a few hours later
to join the first group."
The expression of shock on the face of Captain Rikar
spoke volumes about the difference between the
conclusion reached by the Shillian scientist and her
own. "An enemy attack? That deep inside Cardassian
space? I think you are letting your imagination run
away, there is no way that the Cardassian would allow
anyone to get that deep inside their territory without
having challenged them well before. There just has to
be another explanation," the Commanding Officer of the
ANUBIS defiantly said, unwilling to accept the
possibility presented by her First Officer.
"I know that this may sound like a total
impossibility, but look at the evidence that we have
so far collected," the Chief Science Officer said
shifting the focus of the screen of the Astrometrics
Lab to follow her explanation. "As you said, there is
no way that the Cardassian would have allowed anyone
to venture into their territory unchallenged, this can
only mean one of two things, that whatever triggered
their response was already there or that it was able
to get past the perimeter defences in maybe a similar
way as the ones we had planned in order to reach
SURIAL III. Even if we ignore for the moment the
*how* they arrived where they did, the intensity of
the response is more than enough to rule out a simple
uprising of a rogue Gul or the dissatisfied rants of a
right wing politician. Something *nasty* happened in
that region of space, and the time frame fit’s the
theory that whatever it was moved to GELRAK IV, I mean
why else would the remaining ships be so absorbed by
what is happening inside of their border instead of
keeping an eye on us? Try to think of it in another
way, what would it take for us to no longer care what
the Cardassians, or the Romulans, or the Tholians are
doing? We would have to be facing a threat that is
considered to be more dangerous than any or all of
them combined."
"I see what you mean," Captain Rikar said, actually
sounding displeased at having agreed with the
conclusion reached by her First Officer. "Even if I
accept your final conclusion, which I am not saying
that I am, it still leaves us with a mission to
complete. All we can hope is that whatever has gotten
the attention of the Cardassian will keep them busy
long enough for us to get to SURIAL III, rescue Enaii
and get back home safe and sound."
---
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2006 post #029
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Astrometrics Lab
Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
