Into The Unknown - Star Trek Fanfiction (The Reality Paradox #8)

 

Aura had warped the Paradox so quickly out of wherever we were that I never stopped to think about where we actually were.

Or where we were going.

The ship had been flying ever since we left the collapsing bronze reality.

"Aura."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Drop us out of warp."

Aura looked up.

"Captain?"

"If we don't know where we were, it's going to be hard to figure out where we're going."

A moment later, the stars contracted.

The elongated streaks outside the viewscreen collapsed back into individual points of light.

The USS Paradox settled into impulse.

I looked out the viewport at the void of space ahead of us. Nothing was immediately visible.

"Aura, run long-range scans."

Aura stood from the helm and walked over to the science console.

Her hands moved smoothly across the controls.

I watched as her expression shifted from blank to slightly disturbed.

"Scanning, Captain."

Even though she wasn't looking at me, it felt as though she had developed enough human instinct to know I was watching her closely.

"Anything familiar?"

Aura didn't answer.

"Aura?"

"No, Captain."

I raised an eyebrow, wondering exactly what she meant.

Once again, I knew she could feel my gaze.

"I have never seen these stellar configurations before."

I turned back toward the viewport and stared into the void. Without a star chart to guide me, it was impossible to determine where we were simply by looking outside.

"Cross-referencing stellar positions."

I stood and walked over to the science console to join Aura. Standing beside her, I watched the display as she worked.

"Federation database."

She tapped a few controls. Images shifted across the screen.

"Alpha Quadrant database."

No matches.

She tapped again.

"Beta Quadrant database."

Still nothing familiar.

"Gamma Quadrant database."

The thought of the Gamma Quadrant sent a chill down my spine. I found myself oddly relieved that the stars surrounding us didn't match anything there.

"Delta Quadrant database."

Aura paused.

I looked over the display.

Then we met each other's gaze at the same time.

Aura spoke first.

"No matches."

"That's not possible."

She nodded.

"Agreed. I will attempt manual identification."

I watched as data flowed across the console. She typed almost as quickly as she scanned.

"Pulsars. Nebulae. Known stellar landmarks."

A few seconds passed.

"Nothing aligns, Captain."

That worried look had returned to her face.

I was beginning to hate it.

"I am unable to determine our location."

I waited until she looked up and met my eyes.

"Then we're not going anywhere."

Aura tilted her head.

"Captain?"

"If we don't know where we are, we definitely don't know who's out there."

I looked back toward the unfamiliar stars.

"We're done charging blindly into things."

I folded my arms.

"Aura, run a full diagnostic of all Paradox systems."

Aura moved to the Operations console.

I returned to the captain's chair.

Still just as comfortable as before.

I watched as her fingers crossed the controls with practiced precision.

"Initiating comprehensive vessel diagnostic."

Different shades of light reflected across her face as data scrolled across the display.

"Propulsion systems."

"Nominal."

"Structural integrity."

"Nominal."

"Sensor networks."

"Nominal."

Suddenly, Aura paused.

"Captain."

"The primary computer is refusing portions of the request."

I leaned over the armrest to get a better view of her display.

"Refusing?"

"Certain systems can only be accessed from the Mission Core."

Of course.

Why would anything we encounter be easy?

"The concealed systems originate from the detached central section."

Detached central section.

That was definitely future-starship design.

I had never heard of anything like it.

Aura continued.

"Temporal systems."

"Mission Coordination."

"Several encrypted subsystems."

"Direct access is required."

A hint of confusion entered her voice.

"Several vessel systems appear to have been intentionally concealed."

I stood and walked toward Operations.

"Concealed by who?"

"Unknown."

I sighed.

Not that I should have been surprised.

As I joined her at the console, I noticed her yellow eyes glowing slightly brighter.

"Captain, I have identified a connection between one of the concealed subsystems and the sensor network."

"At least that's something."

Aura studied the display more intently before pressing several controls.

"One of the concealed subsystems is interfacing with the sensor network. I believe I can use that connection to bypass its concealment protocols."

I watched her eyes move rapidly across data faster than I could ever comprehend.

At times like this, I felt fortunate to have her with me.

She continued.

"Power distribution."

"Structural field generators."

She paused.

"Interesting."

I watched her expression carefully.

For once, it wasn't concern.

It was curiosity.

"Interesting how?"

"The system appears designed to suppress the vessel's detectable signature."

That was interesting.

"Meaning?"

Aura's fingers moved across the console again.

"The subsystem manipulates sensor emissions, power signatures, and reflected energy."

She tilted her head.

"Captain, I am ninety-eight point seven percent certain this vessel possesses a cloaking capability."

I stared at her.

"Cloaking capability?"

"Yes, Captain."

She looked back at the console as if she was double checking something.  

"It is currently inactive."

I looked back toward the unfamiliar stars outside the viewscreen.

We had never been aboard this ship before.

We still needed to locate the Mission Core hidden somewhere inside a section of a starship unlike anything we had ever seen.

It was time to do everything Starfleet had taught us not to do.

"Are we able to activate the cloaking capability and make the Paradox undiscoverable?"

"Yes."

I took one last look into the void beyond the viewport, knowing we were about to step into the unknown.

A starship from the future.

No explanation for how it appeared.

No idea where we were.

Technology beyond anything we had ever encountered.

Which was saying something after EOS Prospera.

At the moment, the bridge was the only part of the Paradox that felt remotely familiar.

As Pelia would say:

"Gives me the heebie-jeebies."

I decided not to overthink it.

"That's good enough for me."

"We have work to do, no idea where we are, and the last thing we need is an unknown enemy showing up while we're searching an unknown starship."

I pointed toward the console.

"Activate it."

Aura tapped several controls.

A low hum spread throughout the bridge and settled into a steady resonance.

The stars outside the viewscreen remained unchanged.

Nothing dramatic happened.

I looked around the bridge for some indication that anything had changed.

Then Aura spoke.

"Cloak engaged."

I took a deep breath.

"Aura."

She looked up.

"Yes, Captain?"

"The ship can operate without us on the bridge, correct?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

"Make it so."

She looked back down at the Operations console.

"Current velocity can be maintained autonomously."

"Passive sensor monitoring will continue."

She glanced back toward me.

"The vessel can automatically alert us to any significant change in our environment."

I nodded.

"Good."

I headed toward the turbolift and gestured for her to follow.

"Keep the cloak active."

"Maintain our current course and speed."

I paused, waiting for her.

"If anything approaches, I want to know immediately."

"Understood, Captain."

Aura tapped the console one final time before stepping away from Operations.

"Autonomous functions engaged."

I glanced around the empty bridge one last time.

"Then let's go see what this ship has been hiding."

I looked toward the turbolift doors.

"And figure out what reality dragged us into."