In The Still Darkness: The Hunt For Jake Grey Part Seven

Traveling through the dimensional barrier without generating a portal? I thought he might have developed something like that. Take a look at this.

The wall behind Ahz dissolved into a graphical display depicting the debris that Ahz collected.

These starship hulls are extra-dimensional in origin. However, when matter passes through a portal, it causes a slight blurring in the matrix. However, this material doesn't exhibit the blurring.

Ahz's computer appeared in front of him, and he began typing on it.

If he can leave without using a portal, he might be able to simply phase himself out of reality to avoid our weapon fire. We could plant a dimensional tracer on that ship and track it when it leaves. The hard part is getting the tracer on the ship.

Greymoran: Wait a second, those Breen ships that attacked us in the last universe we were in befor eocming here were native. How could they have traces of dimensional travel on them?

Keith: Rita can do it. All we gotta do is set a phaser to slap the tracer onto the hull. Sort of a Spiderman trick, when he would use his webshooters to stick a spidersignal to Hobgoblin or something.

Those ships were not native. Each dimension has its own signature, and every piece of matter from that dimension exibits that signature. These ships don't have this universe's signature. They came from this particular universe.

A set of coordinates appeared on the screen behind Ahz.

It is quite possible that Grey has a base there.

Greymoran: I thought that was the debris from the Breen ships that attacked us in that STU we were just in. I mean, it's obvious that those Trade Federation ships weren't from here but...

I would have thought so to, but the evidence is quite clear. Unfortunetly, I do not have time to argue with you. I am uploading my data to Carrie so everyone else can review it. You will have to leave now.

Ahz started typing on his computer, and a hole opened in the floor under Greymoran. He fell through the hole and landed on the bridge.

Ahz exited through the door into the ship's corridor and vanished.

*Which was quite a task since Ahz and Greymoran were in the Ready Room with Jackson, Keith, Rita, and Hudzen.*

Ahz leaves the Ready Room. Greymoran shakes his head. "He's awfully arrogant." Jackson nods in agreement. "No kidding. Adon was never like that." Keith shrugs his shoulders. "Well, he's right about one thing though. I analyzed the data myself, and he did correctly determine which universe those ships were last in. STU-56, whereever that is." Greymoran, who was walking towards the door at this point stops. "56? 56 was wiped out by a naturally occuring phenomenon 23 years ago. We were all told that travel into that universe was impossible." Keith shrugs again. "I'm just telling you what Ahz's findings showed. Don't shoot the messenger." Rita smiles. "I doubt Grey's there himself, the coward, but he's probably stashed a whole fleet there. We can do some serious damge to his war machine." Carrie's face appears on the small viewscreen behind the chair Greymoran was just sitting in. "Sir, I checked the records. Jake Grey was the one who first reported on the "impossibility of travel in STU-56." Greymoran frowns. "How could I not have remembered that? I must be getting old. Rita, get ready to take us to STU-56." He smiles. "It's time to go on the offensive."

Jackson sits at his console
I'm ready.
Shields and other science stuff at the ready.
So what sort of phenomenon was it that destroyed that universe, and what differences did it have?
I'm just curious, that's all...

Greymoran: Well, we're not sure how, but every signle star in the Milky Way went nova at the same time. The radiation is still very heavy. When Grey filled out that report he said that it interfered with dimensional travel, but as Ahz just pointed out, that's not entirely true. Still, we should take extra care with the sheilding.

The Archangel flies through the portal it just opened. When it enters just seconds later into STU-59, the screen suddenly flares with a bright red light. Every crew member that was looking at the screen when this happened turned away screaming. "Jesus!" Rita yells. "What the hell?" Keith asks. "The intense radiation is affecting the visual sensors sir." Carrie explains. The screen goes black. Carrie's face appears. We're blind sir. We can't see a damn thing. Mass detectors still work though, so if an asteroid flies in our path we will detect it soon enough to avoid it, but other than that, we're blind." Greymoran swears under his breath. "Well, at least on that aspect Grey was telling the truth in his report." Hudzen lowers his head in apparent shame. "This means that he was planning his campaign of terror 23 years ago. Wehn I was in his service. I should have realized-" "It's not your fault Hudzen," Keith says sympathetically. Rita shakes her head in dismay. "Visual sensors aren't the only things gone sir. Using phasers will be diffcult enough, using the mass detection sensors." Carrie interupts. "No problem there love. I can transfer mass detection data to the main viewscreen. make it easier for you." Rita nods. "Thanks, but didn't you run the full diagnostic? Torpedo guidance systems are useless! We won't be able to use our torps!" Keith sighs heavily. "Great. Just great. It's nothing but good news isn't it." Greymoran sits in his chair, looking determined. "I've let him get to me for too long. Not anymore. Carrie, try to find a way around this. Jackson, go talk to Ahz. Find out if Ryo-O would have any similar difficulty with the radiation. Keith, work on extending the range of the mass detection sensors. If Grey has a base here, we have to find it, and kill it if we can. Rita, practice. You said yourself phasers would be difficult. Find a way around that. Hudzen, take Jackson's console when he leaves. We'd have to get really close to do it, but if we find that base early, we might be able to tell what we need to do to bring it down."

Didn't Ahz go back to his lab? I'm just asking so I can find him...

Ahz's voice comes over the ship's speakers.

I would go out and take a look, but the radiation levels are too intense for Ryo-O to take for very long. It would cause her irreversible damage. However, I will attempt to find a way to clear up some of the interference.

Jackson stares at the speakers in astonishment. "How did he know I was going to go and see him?" he mutters to himself. Greymoran nods, then remembers that Ahz can't see him. "Alright you do that. Anything on mass detections yet?" A display comes up on the viewscreen, with a small icon reptresenting Archangel in the center, with a radar style screen extending to it's maximum radius. "We do have one potential target sir." Rita says. "Carrie has idnetified it as a metal heavy asteroid. It's impossible to tell at this distance wether or not it's a real asteroid or a hidden base. And by the time we get close enough for sensors to do their work, we could be in serious trouble." Greymoran strokes his beard thoughtfully. "Take on an intercept course for that asteroid. Take us to within what the radius of our sensors would be if they were working properly, then make a sharp course change to avoid it. We'll see if it does anything after that." "Aye sir." Rita replies.

Jake Grye is displeased. Both the Archangel and the Revanche appear to have dropped from the face of the multiverse. "Dammit! TorGal! Are you sure none of the remaining XDSs have picked up anything?" "None sire. If they planned on going to an XDCA controlled universe we haven't attacked yet they entered outside the net." "No, Greymoran wouldn't do that. Going outside the net would take him too far away from any systems he may want to protect. Same goes for the Revanche. Any news on the St. Helens yet?" TorGal lowers his head. "No milord. They have made no further incursions in our realm of control since the attack on our supply depot in XFU-2." Grey's scowl only grows bigger. "I am not happy TorGal." TorGal raises his head again. "Well, sir, on the good news front, we've re-established contact with our spy aboard the Spidership." Grey begins to smile. "What news has she sent us? It's been some time. I'd feared she'd been captured." TorGal nods. "No, sir, she is still alive. Regretfully however, I must report that Tacoman was cured of the curse sir. By a new Wanderer named Kiehart, with the aid of an alien race called the Sslrth." Grey's eyebrows arch thoguhtfully. "Hmm. A new Wanderer you say? Interesting. Anything else?" "Yes sir. They have gained several new crewmembers since contact was lost." Grey nods. "Leave the reports on them on my desk TorGal. Tell me, has the spy gotten into the crew's confidence?" "Not quite yet sir, though she claims to be getting there. She fears that the LICC might attempt to get involved in the campaign against us that Greymoran started." Grey nods thoughtfully once again. "Hmm. Well, I have a few old favors to call in. Get us in touch with the Sith. Tell them I've reconsidered their offer, and I will give them the World Devastator technology after all."

Sir, I think I can enhance the shields and sensors a little..
I wonder.. if we send out a shuttle with enhanced sensors just in front of the ship, would we be able to see more things?

I wonder... has Grey ever hit any Mystery Science Theater 3000 universes?

Greymoran: Mystery Science what? Never heard of it. Carrie, check the records.

Carrie: It's a TV show sir. There are no such universes under our jurisdiction, but in many of the ones that are it's a very popular program.

Greymoran: Oh.

Keith: Sir, we've performed the assigned maneuver. The asteroid is doing nothing. Shall we go for an identification pass?

Greymoran: Go ahead.

The Archangel floats in closer to the asteroid. The crew is truly unaware of it's immenisty as the icon representing it on the mass detectors doesn't do it justice. Keither scracthes his head. He walks over to Jackson's console.

Keith: Tell me something Jack, does the rock's mass fit with it's size? Maybe it's just me, but you'd think-

Carrie: Sir! That asteroid is hollow!

Keith: Nevermind.

Greymoran: What? If it's a ship, then why didn't it attack us?

Carrie: We're close enough that if there were any hidden weapopn ports, they would've fired on us by now, and if not, we'd most likely detect them.

Greymoran: Are sheilds still on full power?

Carrie: Yes sir.

Greymoran. If we could only get a solid line of sight I could teleport over there.

Rita: Sir, without any natural light, not even starlight, seeing it would be very different. It's dark out there, even for space. And the radiation would mess with the transporter signal. Even the best pilot in the multiverse couldn't land a shuttle using just sensors.

Keith: Well, Rita, not neccesarily. We can light that 'roid up using phasers on utlra-light setting. Heat the rock enough for a decent glow. Between that and sensors you could do it.

Rita, smiling: It's nice that you have such faith in me, but it would hard to do.

Hudzen: Actually no. This is not a new trick. Phasers on low settings have proved usful in zero lumination situations.

Rita: Allright. I'll do it.

Greymoran: Good. Keith, Jackson, you go with her. *he taps a button on the armn of his chair* Ahz, Rita, Kieth, and Jackson are heading out for a mission in a shuttle. I'll need you to man Rita's post for the time being. *he removes his thumb from the button* Carrie, can the shuttle withstand the radiation out there?

Carrie: Well, the second shuttle hasn't been reapired yet, so the answer would be no on that one. The other shuttle however, it's sheilds could be modified easily enough. It's smaller so theres less mass to protect. It won't take more than a few minutes.

Greymoran walks over to a panel in the wall and removes what looks like a shoulder-mounted camera apparatus: I don't know if the signal will cut through the radiation, but leave this one during the whole trip. I want us to be able to see what you're seeing. *he hands the heavy looking device to Jackson. Jackson finds it surprisingly light. He nods*

-

Several minutes later, the shuttle drops from the bay of the ship, heading towards the rock. The glow is unmistakable. Rita smiles.

Rita: Nice work Hudzen.

Keith checks his weapon. Chosen from the locker below, he picked out an ST Type-III Phaser rifle. Jackson holds a simple laser pistol in one hand, and manipulates the camera with the other. Rita has a short sword in her belt, a sword that Keith had picked up on his first misison with the real Captain Tacoman.

Keith: Well, Carrie assured us that she couldn't pick up any life signs. So why bring the weapons?

Jackson: Better safe than sorry Keith.

Rita shrugs: Well, I still don't think anything bad's gonna happen, but I'm still glad this sword is specially weighted for easy use in case I do need it.

The shuttle flies around the shuttle for a good ten or fifteen minutes, before Rita decides to do something drastic.

Rita: Get the suits ready. I'm gonna blast us a door.

Keith: Here we go again.

-

From inside the construction robots are completely oblivious to the vibrating walls around them. Several of them are smashed by flying debris when the walls explode, and a small Starfleet shuttle flosts in and lands on a mass of strusts on cables. The remaining robots stop long enough to clear debris out of their path, then continue on their business.

-

Greymoran stands up staring at the blurry screen in shock. though not clear, the image from jackson's visual aid is clear enough that the wizard can see what the robots wer ebuilding: By Helm.

Ahz: Is that-

-

Rita: Archangel! It's an exact duplicate of our ship!

Keith: Jesus Christ. It's almost finished. Look. Those robots over there are applying ablative armor.

Rita: Why are they ignoring us?

And who or what are they going to populate it with? Clones of ourselves? Robot versions? A different crew entirely?
This has got to be the work of Jake Grey, for reasons that Greymoran mentioned earlier...
The robots might be ignoring us because they were programed to just build the ship and ignore people...
By the way, this is actually a very good camera. I think they should be standard on any away mission...

Good think he's using robots.

Ahz's computer appears, and within moments, all the construction robots stop working and shut down.

That was easy. Now its time to see what's in the mainframe.

Greymoran, with one hand rested on the back of Rita's chair where Ahz is sitting, and the other on the panel, he reads the text that scrolls across. It had a list of every XDCA ship's recognition codes. Greymoran points at a certain code. "Wait, stop. Right there. That was the code for the old Archangel. A ship that was retired from serice six months before this one was built and the name was recycled." Ahz runs his fingers across his computer's keys. He points to an icon and says, "And there. A program that was trying to dtermine what are ship's code would be." Carrie's face appears over the main viewscreen. Greymorna and Ahz look up at her. "Fat chance. This ship hadn't gotten a code yet when I took it out after the attack." Greymoran smiles. "So if he ever tried to take over our ship with a recog-code, he'd be in for quite a shock." Then Greymoran frowns. "Wait. When we went to SWU-3 a few weeks ago you said they recognized our code." "Carrie nods. "We do have a code. We didn't have one when we took off. I have the listing of codes from every ship that was at Station 47. Our code is that of the Scout vessel Aspen, which was the first ship destroyed in the attack." Greymoran's smile returns. He looks at the screen again. Something catches his eye and he tells Ahz to scroll back. "Well, well, what do we have here? Ahz and Greymoran share a look, then a smile. Ahz taps the code that Greymoran spotted. The code, for the Ambassador-class vessel Red Wizard. "Grey's test-bed ship."

-

Rita and Keith start looking at the robots, examining them closely, while Jackson walks around, taking in the entire interior of the asteroid base. Keith shouts for Jackson to come over to their location. He points downward, towards the bottom of the rock. A series of tubes, filled with clear liquid, and people. Wires were extending from the tubes, and appeared to have been inserted ion the people inside. Rita gasps at the sight. "I thought Grey never kept prisoners. At least not for long." Jackson nods. "What do you think keith?" Keith takes a deep breath. "Well, it's possible that those people are construction experts. I've never seen a construction dock do that well without human aid," he says waving at the duplicate Archangel. "Their brainwaves could be what was powering those bots. We should get Ahz over here. He might be able to tell us more." He whirls around and walks toward a floating platform next to the railing. He hops on then takes the controls. "What exactly are you doing?" Rita asks. "I'm going to check out that dupe out there Reet. Wanna come?" Rita sighs. "Sure. Why not. Jackson, hail the ship. Get Ahz over here."

Jackson to the Archangel, we've found something interesting. We discovered inhabited suspended animation tubes. We're going to need the help of Ahz.
I'm pointing the camera towards the tubes so you can see them.
With that, Dupree does just that

Very well, I'm on my way.

Ahz and his computer vanish and reappear near the tubes. Ahz works on the computer for a few moments, and then the computer disappears.

I can't get any more information unless I physically plug into their network. Help me find a dataport, or some other way to interface with the system.

Ahz and Jackson both search around for someplace for Ahz to plug into the system, but they are unsuccessful.

Hmm... there are two possibilities here. I could physically plug myself into that spare tube, or I could attempt to find this base's main computer and access that directly. What do you think I should do?

The floating platform takes Rita and Keith towards an open airlock. The two step inside. Interior wise the ship is identical to the Archangel. Keith and Rita walks towards a turbolift door. When it opens, it becomes clear the lifts haven't been installed yet. They head towards engineering. When the door opens, Kieht nearly flals out into the abyss. The whole section of the ship where engineer ing supposed to be is a good fifty feet below the ship itself, suspended by wires and dead consctruction bots. It looks as though it were about to be attached, and the warp core installed. Rita managed to pull Kieth back from the edge. "Jesus that was close." She exclaims. Keith nods, taking in deep breathes, trying to relax. The two get up and continue the walking tour of the ship. Soon they find a tube where the turbolift has been installed, and ride it up to the bridge. They exit to find a fully operational replica of their own bridge. "Whoa. Talk about Deja Vu." Keith mutters. Rita nods, staring in wide eyed shock. "This place is giving me the creeps honey. Let's get out of here," Rita says, her hand planted firmly on Keith's shoulder. Kieth nods. "I hear that."

Well, plugging yourself into the spare tube could be dangerous... But then again, locating the computer for this base could take some time...
Dupree calls the Archangel and explains the situation and then wanders over to one of the inhabited tubes. He wipes off the condensation so he can look inside and finds...
Ahz, come here and see what I found...

He has humans in the tubes. I wonder where he could where they came from, and more importantly, what they are doing plugged into this system.

There has to be a way to get in there without plugging myself into one of these tubes... Wait! I know!

Ahz disappears. A few minutes later, he reappears with a rather large package. Inside the package was what looked like a human and several pieces of equipment.

Jackson, give me a hand plugging this bio-android into that spare tube. There computer will interface with the bio-android, as will we.

Jackson and Ahz get the bio-android hooked up in the tube, and Ahz connects a small device on the back of his neck into the bio-android, and Jackson plugs a computer into the bio-android.

If things start to go wrong, disconnect me. I'm going to be swimming through the system, and you will be monitoring.

Ahz activates the tube and...

Keith and Rita exit the duplicate ship just in time to see Jackson and Ahz setting up some kind of apparatus near a bulky computer. "What are they up to?" Rita asks with a concerned look on her face. Keith shurgs then wraps his arm around Rita's shoulder. "I'm sure it's something important. Let's not bother them." Rita frowns and looks at the floor of the floating platform. "Keith, I don't mean to sound selfish, like I've lost interest in the cause and all, but, we haven't made love in almost three months. What's wrong with us?" Keith sighs. "Babe, we've just been under a whole shit load of stress. I mean first you get kidnapped by TerrSec. Then I go dimension hoping with Tacoman, then we get signed on to this hunt for some psycho freak with serious delusions of God-hood, we crash on a planet, rescue a general, meet Han Solo, get ambushed by ships with experimental technologies, ad nauseum. We barely find time to sleep Rita." Rita sighs, then lowers her head even further. She squeezes Keith's hand. Keith suddenly gets a determined look on his face. Seeing the love of his life depressed has had an obvious effect on him. The platform turns sharply and speeds towards the empty ship they'd just left. Jackson hears the squeaky noise of the floating platform's engines going into high gear. He turns to look and sees the platform nearly crash back into the ship. "what the hell are they doing?" He considers going to check on the yeagers, but Ahz plants a firm hand Jackson's shoulder, a sardonic grin across his face. He simply shakes his head 'no' then retruns to his work.

Jackson scans the platform the Yeagers are on
I'm detecting elevated hormone levels up there...
Seems to be a whole lot of shakin' and lovin' going on around here...
Ok.. Ready when you are, Ahz! if you happen to meet scarecrows, lions, tinmen, or clowns in there, I'll be ready to bring you out.

Ahz found himself standing near a blank bulkhead. Behind him, where the fake Archangel was being constructed, a freighter seemed to be under construction. Instead of robots, normal human beings were working on the freighter.

Someone walked up to Ahz. Ahz recognized him as one of the occupants of the tubes.

Person: "Excuse me, this is a restricted area. You have to leave now."

The person pulled out a weapon. Ahz heard Jackson's voice saying something about an anti-virus program. Just as the person was about to fire, Ahz reached up and disconnected himself from the network.

It would seem that these people think that they are building a freighter in the real world, when they are really controlling these robots. It's a good thing that I entered a loop when I shut down the robots. They think that the construction is still going on.

I'll need to make some adjustments before I can dive in again.

Sitting on the floor, leaning against the bulkhead in the replica of their quarters, the Yeagers, weraing nothing but the large sheet from their bed rest peacefully. Rita has her head on Keith's shoulder. Keith looks upset. "I'm sorry Rita. I just couldn't concentrate. I was-" "Concerned about Jake Grey was doing." Rita finsihes, sighing heavily. "I was too Keith." The two, who were already holding hands, squeeze each other a little tighter. Keith kisses Rita on the forehead. She smiles. "It wasn't that bad Keith," she chuckles. Keith laughs. "Yeah, not only did the Earth not move, the bed didn't even move!" Both of them laughed at that comment. Rita looks Keith in the eyes, her hand rested on his cheek. "I always loved your twisted sense of humor. It's almost as dark as mine." The two continue laughing. Then they fall asleep against the bulkhead.

Ready, Ahz?
Once again, Jackson watches at the computer

Ahz finished typing something on his computer.

That should do it. I've created a profile to interface with the people inside the system. And I've got a user mask in place just in case, it may buy me some time if things go wrong.

Lets go diving.

Adon activates the device on the back of his neck, and suddenly he finds himself inside the virtual hanger.

Aboard the Archangel Greymoran paces back and forht with concern. Hudzen runs his thriteenth diagnostic on the targetting system while Carrie goes into sleep mode. Greymoran watches the action taking place through Jackson's camera. He hails him. "Jackson, I was thinking, if you could get those people out of there we may have ourselves an engineering crew. It would come in handy since Carrie's efficency level drops with every ship function she takes over."

Sounds like a good idea, sir. I'll talk to Ahz about it to see if we can do it.

Adon activates the device on the back of his neck...
When did Adon get here? Did he appear to help Ahz?

Keith and Rita step back on the floating platform to see Jackson and Ahz still working on the mass of computers. The platform touches down nearby. Jackson truns to welcome them then continues his work. Ahz ignores them completely. The two, standing close, arms wrapped around each other's shoulders, watch with anticipation.

It looks like Ahz should be making contact with the people inside anytime now...

Sir, I have increased targeting efficiency by .3%. The overall attitude around the ship seems to be pretty negative right now. I was thinking of transferring into my Marvin body to get into the spirit of things.

Ahz stood in the virtual hanger, watching virtual build a virtual freighter. One of the workers, who had a counterpart one of the pods in the real world, looked up from his clipboard and looked at Ahz.

Person: "Can I help you?"

Yes. I'm looking for the guy in charge of this operation.

Person: "I'm running this construction project. Who are you?"

My name is Ahz.

Person: "As... As in???"

Ahz smiled.
No relation. I was wondering if I could look at the plans.

Meanwhile, in the real world, data was being uploaded from the database, into the computer.

Carrie comes back on-line. Something in the sensor logs bothers her. The visual sensors never actually shut down after they entered STU-56. She checked the records. Signs of a signal beign sent the moment the wall of the rock was compromised by the armed shuttle. "Uh oh," she thinks to herself. Her face appears on the screen while Greymoran and Hudzen discuss the situation. "Sir! That rock got off a signal. I can't what direction it wnet in, but unless I miss my guess we'll be getting some company real soon." Greymoran's face makes no change whatsoever. He's heard this statement far too many times to surprise him anymore. "Jackson, Ahz, hurry it up. We got incoming. ETA unknown. Once you're finished, see if the auto-destruct on the duplicate Archangel is active. Then set it to fifteen minutes, then get the hell out. That's an order gentlemen."

I read you sir.
Rita, Keith, find the auto-destruct area, set if for 15 minutes, but don't get it going until we're ready to go.
Dupree speaks into a microphone attached to the computer. Only Ahz can hear him
Ahz, I just got a message from Greymoran. We've been detected. See if you can get the people to join us. I've gotten Keith and Rita to look for the auto-destruct for the ship.

Ahz spoke, but his eyes still remained glazed over.

I am attempting to find the shutdown sequence for this system. Once I do, we can bring the people back aboard the Archangel for medical treatment, but I am sure of one thing: These people are the computer core. They are handling all of the station's automatic functions, sometimes consciously, sometimes not. Simply pulling the plug on them will be dangerous.

Inside the virtual world...
Ahz spoke to the leader of the construction project.

I need you to stop working right now and prepare to abandon this station. It is about to be attacked. Don't worry though, I have an escape worked out. It may look scary, but you will be fine. I swear this on my honor.

A large hole opened up, and Ahz began ushering people through it. Once the last person was through, Ahz disconnected himself from the virtual world.

In the real world...
Jackson, I got them out of the system, but what I need you to do is, beam this computer and all the occupied pods into the shuttle, and hold them in the buffer for the trip. Remember, they all must be beamed over at once, and they cannot be disconnected. Once we get back to the Archangel, I'll work on disconnecting them in my lab.

Jackson rushes to the shuttle and transports the pods and computer aboard, but keeps them in the buffer
Jackson to Keith and Rita, how are you two coming along with the auto-destruct?

Rita: Got it. Shall we set it now?

Jackson: Hold on, let me finish this, NOW! Set the sequence! *he bolts for the shuttle*

Keith and Rita begin tapping in the codes of destruct. Keith frowns, and taps the screen hard.

Keith: Dammit! *he pulls out his communicator* Keith to Greymoran. Sir, the detonation codes aren't working. *rita's swearing indicates she just had similar failure*

Rita: Sir, the ship is identical to ours but the computer is completely different. We need the two primary engineers from those pods Ahz grabbed. We need their hands and their retina scans to activate the sequence. Greymoran: Dammit! Ahz, are you still over there? *he tells them everything he just heard from Keith and Rita*

At the base in STU-56, the massive shipyard is almost invisible. Only the occasional spark from the welders the construction bots use on the ships being built give away the bases exsistence. The slioght radioactive glow giving to the ships being built are another hint, but only those with eyes like a cat's could see that. Watching over the bots, a lonely man. Formerly Jake Grey's cheif engineer, and the first to join Grey's conspiracy to overthrow the XDCA, Douglas Hazelwood sighed heavily, for what must've been the billionth time since he was left here, all alone. He so wanted to be on the Macedonia 1, with Grey, TorGal, Del, and the others. But for now all he could was oversee production. Occasionally Grey would come back to pick up a few ships, soemtimes he would send a lackey, like a few days ago when the six Trade Federation Battleships he'd built had been taken for a mission. Doug was saddened by this. They were the first ships he'd built. He beamed with pride over the modifications that he himself had designed as they were installed. He sighed once again. Then he heard a beep. Not having heard any noise other than the steady hum of the life support systems and his own body, was not quite sure what it was. He turned and saw a red light. He pushed the button next to it. His screen, which had for the past several months been focused on the construction bay, displayed a message. Asteroid Complex Compromised: Archangel Beta Project In Danger. Some action at last, Doug thought. He smiled. He tapped a few buttons. Three starships lit up. One of them was a duplicate of Grey's old ship, the I, Claudius ( the orignal sits comfortably inside the large docking bays of Macedonia 1). The other two were from one of the Star Wars universes. Soveriegn-class Super Star Destroyers. The were slow, and large, and thus easy targets, but their primary weapon, one-sixth of the firepower of the Death Star's planet killing weapon, could massive damge to these intruders, whoever they were.

-

Two days after that, Ahz is still trying to disconnect the engineers from their tubes so they can activate the duplicate Archangel's self-destruct system. Rita and Keith have reboarded the shuttle, and have begun using the shuttles phasers to take apart the construction bay. Rita tries firing at the duplicate Archangel, but the phasers merely scorch the hull. It would take hours tou take it apart this way. Greymoran and Hudzen start firing a tthe asteroid, but the combination of non-functional targetting system and little visual aid, the phasers only marginally chip away at the thick rock and metal. Jackson sits in the back of the shuttle, trying to figure out a way to override the auto-destruct system. Then, it hits him. "I've got it!"

*jon, I was going to let you come up with the solution, but while I was on the toilet, I came up with this.*

Keith: Let's just forget it Rita. We've been at this for hours.

Rita give a resignative sigh: Yeah, your rgiht,. Let's just go back to the ship.

Jackson: I've got it! We can use the micro torps to set off the warp drive!

Keith: Are you nuts?! If we fire the torps at the drive, we won't get out of here in time!

Rita: He didn't say 'fire' honey. We can rig them to detonate. We should use a remote signal though.

Jackson: Good idea.

Rita: And, the warp drive hasn't been added to the ship yet. It's sitting right there, nice and vulnerable.

Rita grins an evil grin, then rubs Keith's leg: It'll be one hell of an explosion.

Keith smiles back: Oh yes.

Hm.. there may be some way to active the warp drive and make it explode too...

Carrie monitors the mass detection sensors for what feels like an eternity. Suddenly she sees something. Too far away for an accurate reading, but she could tell it was either one huge ship, or a massive cluster of tiny ones. "Greymoran, we've got incoming. ETA thirteen minutes." Greymoran takes a deep breath and tenses. "Keith, Rita, hurry up with those torps, then get back here. You've got ten minutes."

-

"Dammit! Hurry it up sweetheart," Rita says in a panic. Keith nods, and taps a few buttons. "There. All we have to do is get back to the ship a send the signal, then boom." Rita taps a few buttons of her own. "Checks out. Let's go." The two run as fast as they can for the shuttle, where Jackson is waiting to take off. The two make it, just as Jackson fires up the thrusters. The shuttle blasts throguh the hole in the side of the asteroid and heads at top speed for the Archangel.

Jackson docks the shuttle expertly into the shuttlebay and contacts the bridge
Ok. Fire when ready!

Greymoran nods at Jackson's message. He turns to Hudzen. "Back us up to the maximum range of the the tachyon signal sender, then send the detonate order."

The Archangel, at full impulse backs away from the asteroid. In less than a minute, an explosion rocks through the asteroid. The rock still remians, but holes are punched throughout it's surface. Although they can't see it themselves, the crew of the Archangel knows that the explosion was so massive all the equipment and materials inside the asteroid are destroyed. The asteroid is shifted off it's course by the explosion.

Rita and Keith cheer as the rock explodes from the inside. Greymoran nods with a huge smile on his face. Jackson grins with satisfaction. Carrie's face appears. "This is all great news folks, but we still have to worry about those ships. They're close enough know for an ident. Federation Prometheus-class battlecruiser, and two Star Wars Soveriegn-class Super Star Destroyers." Greymoran stops smiling. Jackson looks confused. "Soveriegn?" Greymoran turns to face the clone of his son. "One Soveriegn is equal to 1/6th of a Death Star. Carrie, get us the hell out of here!"

"Lucky for us those ship's AIs weren't too bright." Carrie says. Greymoran shurgs. "Or, their sensors don't work either." "Yeah, but those ships must have mass detection sensors too." Keith checks his panel. "They do. And they're focusing them on the area around the asteroid base. We're pretty far out side the arc." Greymoran nods. Good. I suggest nonetheless my fellows that we follow the path from whence they came." Rita truns to face Greymoran. "What?" Greymoran opens his mouth to speak, but jackson speaks up. "Simple. If we can destroy Grey's base in this universe...

I'm going to be in my lab attempting to disconnect the tube people. I would appreciate it if I'm not disturbed.

I wonder if we should destroy the asteroid first... or at least send it toward the approaching ships...
Anyway, I think I may be able to enhance the sensors just a little so we can be able to see out better...

Greymoran looks at Jackson, confused. "Um, we already blew up the construction facility inside the asteroid. It's just a useless hollow rock now. Thos ships have their sensors focused forward. We can get behind them, and then backtrack to where they came from. And we could destroy their base before they get back." He brings his chair about to face Hudzen. "What do you think Hudzen?"

I believe that our chances of succeeding would be good, survival not as high but sufficient.

Greymoran; Then it's settled Jackson. By the time those three ships can respond, we'll have done more than enough damage.

Keith: OK, i got their path. They travelled at warp 3, probably because of those two behemoths, so if we go at warp 9, we can be there in, let's see here, 90 minutes! Geez.

Greymoran: Carrie, have you figured out a way to prevent the damage dampening effect the radiation has on the phasers?

Carrie: 'Fraid not. Damage will only be 30% below the norm. If we shunt all unneccesary power into them it become 15% below norm.

Greymoran: Do that then. Rita, go to warp, now.

Rita: Aye sir.

Doug Hazelwood hated the delays that resulted from all the radiation in the area. Even if the ships he'd sent found anything, he wouldn't know until several minutes after it happened. To pass the time, he decides to play around with the mass detection snesors. Of course it wouldn't be neccessary, but he did need to do something. He activated them, and was more than a little surprised at the blip. He double cheked his readings. The ship was merely 6 minutes away from maximum firing range. How many ships could I deploy in that time, he wondered. He frantically searched the stations manifest. Most of the ships wer earmarked for speciifc missions, and activating before that date unless Grey specifically ordered him to do so could result in death, or maybe even something worse. He found three ships. A Nebula-class vessel that had stolen and wanted repaired, a Breen attack ship that was purchased from the Breen from one of the STUs (he couldn't remember which), and a Kilrathi Carrier from a WCU. He ordered all three ships to intercept the incoming blip, their AIs responding promptly.

Jackson presses a series of buttons
Sir, I've managed to enhance the sensors by 10%... that's the best I can give you in here.
Also, I shut down power to the lower decks that nobody uses.

Greymoran: Good. Extending the range of the mass detectors will work. Unfortuneately it's a two edged sword. Unless we can find a way to significantly lower our mass-

Rita: Too late. We got incoming. Carrie, can you get me an ident?

Carrie: Already started the minute I saw them. One Nebula starship, Star Trek universe. One Kilrathi Carrier, Wing Commander style. That one'll be the easiest to destroy unless it's received some heavy upgrades. And a Breen attack ship, incoming! Evasive Manuevers!

The ship dives narrowly avoiding a burst of the Breen Energy Disipation wepaon.

Greymoran: That was close. I want that Breen ship taken down first, then the carrier. Like Carrie said, unless it's been upgrades neither it nor it's fighters can hurt us.

The Breen attack cruiser swerves hard to avoid the incoming fire from the Archangel, and flies right into the path of the phaser bursts. Rita cheers as the marker representing it on the viewscreen disappears indicating it's destruction. "It would've been better to actually see it go, but what cna you do?" She says smiling. Keith smiles back at her then turns his attention back to his panel. "OK, the Carrier has just luanched a full squadron of fighters. Silohuette matches for standard Kilrathi heavy fighters of the WCIII era. They carry some nukes, and some heavy energy weapons, but between the radiation and our speed their wepaons will be useless. Whoever is in charge of that carrier isn't too bright." Greymoran nods. "Either that or he hasn't been here very long." Carrie's voice interupts. Fighters have gone to ramming speed sir. Damage to sheiulds will be negligible, but should we avoid anyway?" Rita looks up. "Hell yeah. Remember what happened the last time fighters rammed us?"

{Jackson looks at his console and notices something}
Hmm... what little information I can pick up, the carrier has several large bits of weaponary...

I'm reading phasers, photon torpedos, and several other things sensors can't quite pick up...

Rita brings the ship into a sharp turn right into the red lines that denote the carrier's firing arc. She flies through it and nothing happens. "That's good enough for me," she mutters, then bring sthe ship on a an attack run and strafe the carrier. The starboard side of the ship rips open in burst of flame and exploding gases. The last phaser bursts ignites the port enigne of the carrier. The icon representing it on the screen blinks out. "So much for the modifications." Kieth goes over his sensor data. "Jackson's right. It had phasers and torps. Why the hell didn't it use them? Hell, how come that Breen ship was the only one that even tried to kill us?" Greymoran stifles a laugh. "Weak A.I.s. There is no crew on any of those ships. Whoever is in charge of that is obviosuly not too bright. Rita, that Nebula ship, I've noticed it seems to turn towards us every time we firer the phasers. Give me a shoirt phaser burst that would indicate we're attacking the station." He smiles. Rita smiles too and laughs. "Oh this is gonna be beautiful." Keith looks confused, but Jackson knows exactly what Greymoran is planning.

Of course. We distract it with the phasers while we torpedo various things into oblivion...
If that's what you're thinking, this really should be fun...

Greymoran's eyebrow raises. "I meant tricking that ship into ramming the base." Rita gives him a harsh look. "Besides, in this radiation torpedo targetting systems are useless, and without line of sight firing torps is not practical."

Doug Hazelwood falls out his chair. The violent vibration resutling form the Nebula class craft slamming hard into the center of the building dock sent chain reaction that blasted half the base to oblivion. He reached for the self-destrcut button. He smiled. Finally his loneliness would end, and he would most likely take the enemy who had bested him with him.

Inside Ahz's Lab, Ahz and Ryo-O were working on disconnecting the workers from the pods.

We've gone up and down the coding for this, and there is no shutdown sequence anywhere on the system.

The image of Ryo-O appeared next to Ahz.

Ryo-O: "Obviously, they were never intended to be disconnected."

I realize that, if only there was some way to add a shutdown program into the system. But there would be no way to know if it works until after we ran it.

Ryo-O: "I could monitor their vitals, and terminate the program at the slightest hint of an error."

Ahz stopped and stared into space for a moment.

That could work...

Ahz's computer appeared and he began typing furiously on it.

Once I get a shutdown sequence written, we'll star running it.

An explosion rocks the Archangel.

Greymoran: We're we hit?

Carrie: Negative! The station is self destructing!

Rita: Aw hell. I'm getting us out of here.

The ship shudders as a large piece of metal slams hard into the port nacelle and lodges itself.

Rita: Dammit! I can't go to warp without blowing up a third of the ship!

Greymoran: Open a portal!

Rita: Where? Opening a portal without a proper destination is a good way to get lost.

More derbis, smaller this time, impacts with the sheilds.

Greymoran: No time. Just do it.

Rita took a deep breath: OK. Here we go.

With a bright purple flash the Archangel is safely away. When it exits, debris from the exploding space station follows them through.

Things start exploding on the Bridge, like it always does during emergency situations. Soon, the Archange emerges into another universe
Sir, we're being followed by debris! And as for our current universe, I have no idea...