The Keepers (part 1)

Posted on Thu Mar 3rd, 2016 @ 4:55pm by Captain T'mpest Michaels & Commander Rylie Cattmor & Ensign Belle Maryweather
Edited on on Thu Mar 3rd, 2016 @ 5:08pm

1,050 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A Civil Act
Timeline: After "Info Central"

ON

While the others were checking their readings or taking in the surrounds, Cattmor couldn't help but pick-up the broadcast mind of T'mpest to anywhere and everywhere, anyone and everyone that was able to pick it up.

T'mpest felt the entities in her mind, searching her memories. She wasn't sure what they were looking for, but from what little she could hear they were searching the minds of the entire away team, They seemed especially interested in her memories of Abydos and other ancient sites she'd visited. "I wish to learn the history of the people who once lived here, and what happened to them," she said, hoping they were simply inquisitive.

For a long moment there was nothing, then a flood of data poured into her mind. Images, feelings sounds, scents. People building the city, raising children, laughing and singing. Then more data, facts, figures, math. T'mpest understood the algorithms of communication and science, of data storage. She recognized some of the data as a means of communication. It came so fast that her brain struggled to soak it all in. And then she fell to the ground, unconscious.

She had to thank someone that when the burst came it was not actually directed at her--though she still had to face the effects from the onslaught of information into T'mpest's mind; and that was by no means comfortable, as she felt a scream in her mind and her insides knotted as she reached for her temples in a vain attempt to stem the pain, a pain she usually only felt when using her telekinesis. And then abruptly nothing as she practically phantom felt T'mpest's limp form hitting the ground; something she almost did herself.

Instead she managed to stumble toward the C-O. "Medical tricorder..." she ordered weakly.

The lone field medic whom hadn't really said much until now rushed over as fast as she warbled, and scanned T'mpest as she lay on the ground. "She's just suffered a mind burst; an overload of information. She should be fine once the noise clears."

"I want this whole area searched, I don't care if all you find are scuff marks on the floor." Cattmor ordered gruffly, her hand reaching for one of her temples, "Something is still down here and in control, I want to know what or who."

"I'm scanning where it came from, but telepathic waves are very hard to localize." Belle was furiously working her tricorder. In fact, not being telepathic saved her from the brunt of the blast and the probe, the only thing she noticed of the entire thing was a sharp headache.

While working her tricorder, she also started walking to the left, allowing her tricorder to both scan for waves in the air, as well as any clues on the ground. It suddenly started to bleep, as it translated a text on the wall. "This is actually an older version of the language we found in the books up top," she reported, "The translator has some difficulty translating it."

"Older?" Rylie said as she approached, still a bit unsteady on her feet. "Analysis? What does it think it says?"

Frustrated, Belle glanced at the captain's limp form, knowing that she'd know what to make of it. "Eating place.. Canteen? It seems like a directional sign, but there's no doors here..." She gently started feeling around the sign. At a certain point, something lit up, a small whirring sound was heard, and the solid wall parted way to show a smaller and more constantly lit up room.

As soon as the whirring started, Nel's tricorder began to beep. "Commander?" she called...

When the wall opened, T'mpest stirred and sat up. She looked around for a moment, getting her bearings, then stood.

Rylie turned to see T'mpest now on her own two feet, if looking just a little unsteady. "Captain..." she started quietly, "Are you...?" she needn't have finished the question.

"I am fine," T'mpest assured her. "If a little wiser," she added with a touch of irony.

"According to the tricorder, it seems like some kind of secret hideout to grab a bite to eat;" Cattmor replied, "but then maybe we're just hungry."

"Yes. It was for study, communion, and food," T'mpest said. "Feed the mind and the body."

Rylie couldn't help but look directly into T'mpest's eyes at her last statement. She dutifully refrained from reading or projecting anything, even though the statement seemed to come from another source; after all if the tricorder wasn't quite translating it fully, why was T'mpest able to spout such words with complete confidence. Vulcan processes? She doubted that validity on this occasion, it was much too specific. "You say that with remarked assuredness..." she stated more than questioned, before moving toward the blackened void.

T'mpest looked at Rylie for a long moment as if processing her words. Then she turned and went into the tiny room. She walked over to what looked like a blank wall and pressed her thumb against it. The wall slid aside, revealing a computer terminal. She entered in a string of data and stepped back as another section of wall opened to reveal several data crystals. She slipped them into her pouch and turned. "There's another room here, one that will tell us what happened."

Cattmor made a quick glance back to the captain and internally rolled her eyes...something was just a little bit off. She suspected it was something to do with the mind quake earlier, but despite her own head pounding, she had little proof, and the captain was still appearing to operate on all cylinders without danger to the rest of them.

"Uuhh... Are you all right, captain?" Belle absolutely didn't want to be disrespectful, but it seemed the captain knew a lot more than she should. At the same time, she looked at the computer terminal. It seemed the same type of language as was on the wall in the main room, and while the translator on her tricorder was slowly getting through the screen, there was no way T'mpest would've been able to read that at the speed she apparently did - especially without tricorder altogether.

(To be continued...)

Commander Rylie Cattmor
Executive Officer

Captain T'mpest Michaels
Commanding Officer

Ensign Belle Maryweather
Science Officer

 

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