Something Dark is coming

Posted on Wed Jan 28th, 2026 @ 7:51pm by Commodore Elias McEntyre & Commander Gil’an Tyris & Commander Cressida Vale MD & Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Moriarty & Lieutenant Commander Drevas & Commander Rylen Lyo

1,179 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Pilot - "The Gate"
Location: Astrometric Lab
Timeline: After the Crossing

Ship’s Log – Supplemental: Our initial scans of the shows no signs of space faring civilizations but the galaxy is vast and the potential for exploration is abundant. We are proceeding cautiously, as Dr. Tyris has alerted me to several concerning anomalies and gravity eddies that he wishes to show senior officers in the Astrometrics Lab.

The Astrometrics Lab was a massive space of holographic generators, star charts and computers. It was one of the bigger spaces on ship and perfect for the task at hand of compiling and charting their course in this new galaxy.

Elias enters the lab, seeing his husband hunched over a console, deep in thought and work. Before him, the massive holographic image of the M33 galaxy laid sprawled out. A beautiful image to be sure.

“You said you had something to show us, Gil?” Elias spoke as he came up behind his husband with a purr at the back of his register.

Cressida had followed Elias into Astrometrics, having been summoned as well — presumably in her capacity as Second Officer. This side of starship operations was still new to her, so she was keen to learn everything she could by listening to experts like Gil.

Moriarty was at Cressida's side, settling his hands behind him as he glanced around. Astrometrics wasn't his usual stomping ground, but he was more than just a little curious. The whole experience of crossing the gate...it had been more gripping than he had expected.

Rylen Lyo entered the (now somewhat crowded) Astrometrics suite with his typical pomp and flair. His expression was stern and attentive. He do not speak, simply acknowledging the others individually with a curt nod.

Drevas was a comical sight as he hauled himself through the door - his uniform was covered in the residue of something sticky and his nose seemed to have gained what appeared to be a plaster at about the midpoint.

"Rest assured I am well. I fell victim to one of the children's pranks as I was walking here." He admits with no small measure of embarrassment as he joins the others. Sometimes being tall is not that helpful - case in point, finding it very hard indeed to control yourself as you slip n' slide through the corridor.

Elias looked at his Kelpian Tactical Officer with a raised eyebrow and a tilt of the head.

"I see..." Elias commented as he then turned his head to look at his XO and CMO with a look of "We're goin be talking about that later".

“Elias,” said Gil, giving his husband and co-parent of his offspring a small smile “Doctor Vale. Commander Lyo. Colonel. Commander Drevas. Yes, as a matter of fact I have quite a bit to show all of you.” He paused for a moment, queuing up the holographic display screens with the information from the probes that had been sent out. “This is an iso-grid of the six sectors adjacent to our current position in Triangulum.” A few buttons pushed revealed a smattering of red dots scattered across the region. “Data confirms the presence of no less than a dozen M-class planets in a radius of 40 light years. And,” he said, highlighting several several areas with pale blue, “gravitic distortions. Sensors are unable to get a clear scan, but they appear to be moving in our direction at FTL velocity equivalent to warp factor eight point two five.”

"Towards us?" Elias perked up at that. "Are they natural occurring or are they artificial?" If they were natural, they could be studied. If they were artificial then that means trouble. A new threat, Borg maybe?

"Any sign of the Borg in the six sectors we've been able to scan?"

"Not that I have seen, Commodore." Drevas replies as he wipes his shirt clean with what seems to be a paper towel. "For that, at least, we can be thankful. I cannot say that my department shares the same sentiment about these moving gravimetric phenomena we have also detected. Many theories are abound, but the most common seems to be that they might be some highly advanced form of spacefaring vessel."

“I should note,” said Tyris, “that scans for triquantum waves-and any other known signatures of Borg propulsion-have all been negative. This could be anything.”

"Or Borg," Moriarty echoed Elias' concerns. He was no engineer or scientist, but he imagined it wouldn't be difficult for the Borg to change their MO if it suited them. "I'd recommend going to alert," he looked to the Commodore, his eyes sincere with his remit to protect the ship and crew, but he knew that Elias was in a more complex position. He'd have to consider the possibility of this being a First Contact, and whether he wanted to risk meeting them with a closed fist rather than an open hand.

“Yellow alert does seem prudent, sir,” Cressida added. “Until and unless we learn that whatever is approaching us is non-hostile.”

"I agree. But I do want to be hopeful that they are non-hostile and willing to engage in peaceful contact." Elias err on the side of caution.

"XO, report to the bridge, sound Yellow Alert." Elias turned to Lyo.

“Right away, Sir,” said Lyo crisply. He turned quickly on his heel and exited the lab.

“I will have Geosciences begin a high resolution study of local worlds,” said Tyris. “Hopefully we can get a better idea of what kind of materials a vessel in this region would be constructed from, and be able to devise a defensive strategy. Just in case.”

“Mr. Drevas, work with Dr. Tyris, if those gravity readings are ships, I want to control when we intercept. Once that’s done, link your computers with the navigational computer and Cetacean Ops’ mainframe and plot a course.” Elias spoke to Gil and Drevas before turning to Cressida and Moriarty.

“Doctor, you and J.R start readying sickbay just in case. Lieutenant Colonel, let’s get the detachment fired up and stationed at all main security areas and sentry post. Quick reaction teams on all decks in case we’re boarded by hostile forces.”

"Yes, sir," Cressida answered. When the meeting is over, she'd comm Dr. McEntyre and make sure they were ready for a crisis. Hopefully their work would not end up being needed.

Moriarty gave a brisk nod to the affirmative. It was a sensible precaution, one that certainly made him feel better at least. Better to be read and not needed than caught literally off guard.

"We got work to do, let be about it then." Elias nods before he kisses the top of his husbands head before he turns on his heels and leaves to make the ship ready for first contact.

------
Commodore Elias McEntyre
Commanding Officer
USS Guinevere

Commander Rylen Lyo
Executive Officer
USS Guinevere

Commander Gil'an Tyris
Chief Science Officer
USS Guinevere

Commander Cressida Vale, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Second Officer
USS Guinevere

Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Moriarty
Detachment Commander
USS Guinevere

Lieutenant Commander Drevas
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Guinevere

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