Just so you know
Posted on Wed Sep 24th, 2025 @ 1:44pm by Captain Thorrin & Lieutenant Commander Tarian Aloria
Edited on on Wed Sep 24th, 2025 @ 1:48pm
1,665 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
In The Nick Of Time
Location: Astrometrics - Deck 5 - USS Herodotus
Timeline: MD004 1915 hrs
Tarian was still down in Astrometrics when the Captain made his way through the doors. Tarian was still standing at the main controls for Astrometrics, but had the PADD in his hands, inputting some more data as the information changed a bit more on the main screen.
Turning to face Thorrin, Tarian said, "Thanks for getting down here so quickly. I've been running several scans of the planet and surrounding space since we left spacedock. I just wanted to see what might've caused a Federation starship to get a distress call without someone actually sending one out. Then, once we got here, I had trouble getting some definite readings from the planet surface. In particular, near the Primer's office complex in the capital. As well as in an uninhabited area on the southern continent."
Thorrin began to read the data on the screen as Tarian spoke. For the first part the Captain was impressed with the initiative of the Trill. Thorrin was not easily impressed, so this was something that the Captain took special note of. Secondly, it seemed that the Temporal Officer was on to something. "Please, Commander. Proceed." He said without taking his eyes off the screen.
Pressing some commands into the console, the display changed to show some minute distortions in the space time on the planet surface, as well as in orbit around where the ship currently was. "Then, I found these distortions around the ship and on the planet surface. Not enough for regular sensors, but I was having this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. Then, I looked back at some of the data I've taken and saw how it changed. Not like it changed since we got here. It changed from when we took the sensor scans originally. Like, a picture being altered after it was taken. Nothing that would instantly cause alarm bells to go off, but something you could see if you really look at it. Like, a storm rolling it. You might not see the clouds moving all the time, but you can see the storm coming in."
"I understand your analogy perfectly. But, on this vessel we see the storm, we see all storms. That is the benefit of the chronal shielding that we have. While the shielding is active whatever is affecting the timeline, does not affect us. However, I do see your data where it shows this ripple in the timeline. It starts on the planet and spreads out. As we pass through it unaffected." Thorrin pointed to where the waves were on the screen. This was truly beneficial information. He already planned on making sure this data found its way to the team on the ground.
"The last thing that I've seen is that it's not coming from one point in time either. It's happening in the past, present, and future. It's like multiple things or people are doing something to create some sort of change. I don't know what that change is yet, but I thought you'd want to look over the information," Tarian said, knowing that what he said was a lot to take in.
"See my friend there is something that you missed. All temporal incursions originate from a central point in space and time. There has to be something, an event, an incident, something that changed everything. You have found clear evidence of an incursion. The question now is what and who." Thorrin stroked his chin as he continued to look at the screen. "A mystery for sure."
"I think that's what has been bugging me for the last few days. I've seen something, but I can't quite put my finger on the who or the what yet. But, I didn't want to leave you in the dark about something going on around Krotia," Tarian replied, curious as to who or what might be trying to manipulate the timeline. Pulling up some more data, Tarian continued, "The good thing is that whatever it is, the ship's temporal shielding is holding. Besides the blip on our sensors, everything else onboard has been unaffected. I'm just wondering if there might be someone on the planet or elsewhere that might have a little bit of knowledge of Federation tech. Someone that maybe didn't mess with our systems, but how our systems, such as our sensors, see the data?"
"In terms of the who or the why. Our team on the planet I am sure can shed some light on that situation. I doubt that they are using Federation Technology. This ship is the only technology in the Federation capable of manipulating time or universes. Our temporal sensors are capable of seeing anything that happens at anytime in any place, if that makes sense." Thorrin appreciated the go get em attitude of Tarian. There was definitely something afoot. "I promise you that when we know more you will be advised and together we will make heads and tails of this."
"Thank you, sir. I think that the Human phrase of 'I don't want to be caught with my pants around my ankles' fits this situation quite well. I just don't want to go into something with the Kroats without having at least some of the answers. Plus, I think that I'm a little bit leery of not knowing because of my years with the DTI," Tarian replied, saving all of the information for later on when the away team got back. Looking back at Thorrin, Tarian asked, "Have we heard anything back from them yet? Have they made contact with the Premier and his team?"
"They have indeed and have been invited as visiting dignitaries. They have also been given permission to search for this rouge distress signal. So, please make sure that you keep an eye on the data that they are sending back to the ship. Also, we should have a look at the data the Juli and Marisa compiled. Perhaps we can find what even has caused all of this." The wheels in Thorrin's head turned in overdrive. Although no one would know that based upon the look on his face.
"Yeah, I can take a look at that. Hopefully, nothing too crazy is going on down there," Tarian replied with a soft chuckle and a wane smile.
A few taps on the computer and the data that the XO, and Science Officer had compiled appeared. Thorrin scanned the information and then turned toward Tarian. "It seems that they narrowed it down to a number of perspective events. Their investigation narrowed it down to a wedding. See here... It seems that a wedding was to happen that would have made peace between two peoples. Now, one of those peoples no longer exist and the other rules the planet. Quite intriguing if you ask me."
Tarian tapped a few commands and looked through some of the information about the wedding, the people involved, and everything else that the team had sent up. One question popped into his head and lingered there for a little bit, as Tarian hoped he would find an answer to it within what the team sent up. "Well, something I'd like to know and don't see about this wedding was whether or not it was arranged. Since you mentioned that it would have helped unite two groups of people, I know that marriages are arranged sometimes. So, if it was, maybe someone knew that and knew that it couldn't have been broken apart so easily. So, maybe, they tore it apart in another way?"
"It was most like an arranged political marriage. Those kinds of things were common then and are common now. The bigger question and the one that I believe you and I are uniquely qualified to answer is how was this done? If this marriage was to be interfered with then one would have had to travel far into the past to stop it. Last time I checked we were the only ones capable of time travel in both the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. So my dear Tarian how..." Thorrin stared at the data on the screen as if somewhere within the information was the answer.
"I know what you're thinking. How could someone have done something like this? Maybe gone back in time and helped to arrange such a marriage? I know that marriages get arranged all of the time. Think of the Betazoids. I think they still have arranged marriages," Tarian said as he continued to pour over the data from the away team. Looking back at Thorrin, Tarian said, "Whatever's out there, I'd love to find out. The good news is that there is some good data within this first bit from the away team. I should be able to he get something out of it."
"Evaluate the possibility of changing the marriage and simply stopping the marriage. I also want calculations for a time jump at the ready. However, I do agree with you. This is a very good starting point. As I said now we must delve deeper." Thorrin's curiosity was piqued. He decided he would work with Tarian to investigate this. Thorrin pulled up a seat with a smile. "Well now, lets get to work."
"Okay, I'll get that time jump ready for you, sir and look into the whole possibility of stopping the marriage. I'll look at their History and see what it says about it. It should take me no more than about an hour or two," Tarian replied, pulling out a PADD and inputting a few commands. Looking back at Thorrin, he said, "Don't worry. If we have to jump, we'll be able to jump."
A Joint Post By
Captain Thorrin
Commanding Officer
USS Herodotus DTI-30656
Lieutenant Commander Tarian Aloria
Chief Temporal Operations Officer
USS Herodotus DTI-30656
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