Stone Walls Do Not a Prison Make

Posted on Wed Nov 13th, 2024 @ 1:36pm by Lieutenant Brendan Dernah
Edited on on Wed Nov 13th, 2024 @ 2:58pm

1,155 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Days Of Future Past
Location: USS Damocles
Timeline: 2 weeks before Brendan left for the Goddard

As the officer filed out of the ready room, Dernah ran through
possible solutions to the failing containment field problem. He considered
several field nutations and several more modifications to the field
generators themselves. Yet something wasn't right. The rate of energy
drain was still increasing. Slowed but increasing nonetheless.

Suddenly Brendan came up with an idea. He was surprised that he
hadn't thought of it before. He left the Ops bay and moved towards the
turbolift. Tapping his commbadge, he spoke. "Lieutenant Dernah to Ensign
Mulvenon. Please meet me in Deflector Control immediately." Brendan didn't
even wait for a response as he closed the connection. "Deck eleven."

The turbolift ride was short. Dernah entered Deflector Control and
was met by a tall, somewhat lanky yet eager ensign. Ensign Sean Mulvenon
was just as tall as Brendan yet not as full bodied. His hair and eye color
matched Dernah's own. The junior officer looked somewhat confused as why he
was there but was also quite eager to serve.

"Lieutenant Dernah, what can I do for you?" the wide eyed ensign
asked.

"You're a specialist in shield systems, correct?" Dernah asked.
Mulvenon nodded. "You're also aware of the situation in Transporter Room
One?"

"What I know is from the Engineering logs," Mulvenon started.
"There are containment fields around the transporter pad holding some type
of entity inside. But if I recall the entity is draining the field energy.
So we need to come up with a way to contain the entity as well as keep it
from absorbing the energy of the containment field."

"That's about it in a nutshell, Ensign," Dernah said sarcastically.
"So where do you suggest we start, Ensign?"

Ensign Mulvenon stepped over to the control console and began
running some equations. Brendan moved closer to inspect the ensign's work.
It was interesting watching a mathematician at work. There were equations
here that Brendan would never have considered.

"The problem that we're running into, sir," Mulvenon started after
running his equations. "is that this creature seems to be able to match our
field harmonics as fast as we can change them. We could try alternating the
field frequency as well as the harmonics."

Brendan stared at the computer screen in front of him as he tried to
concentrate. Concentrating today was somewhat harder than usual. He felt
an intense migraine coming on. That in and of itself was strange as Brendan
never got headaches much less migraines.

Suddenly Brendan doubled over the console. His head felt as if it
would explode at any minute. "Lieutenant, what's wrong?" Sean Mulvenon
asked as he moved over to Brendan's side.

"I'm not sure," Brendan said through intense pain. "It isn't from
me but from someone else on this ship."

Mulvenon moved back. "I didn't know Betazoids reacted this way to
the pain of others."

"We don't. Someone's projecting the pain. And projecting it quite
forcefully, I might add." Brendan stood up straight trying not to let the
waves of pain interrupt his work. "It's Glavo. And that crewmember they
brought back from the AMHERST. Mostly here, though, but Karmryn is in there
too"

"Not to change the subject, Lieutenant," Mulvenon interrupted.
"but I think I may have a solution."

"Don't keep it to yourself, Ensign," Brendan said as he rubbed his eyes.

"Modulating the field frequencies as well as the harmonics might
give us an edge," Mulvenon began as he brought a diagram of the transporter
pad up on the screen. "But what we'll eventually need is something to
weaken the entity."


"Which is a secondary concern since we have to keep it trapped in
the first place," Brendan said. "But I agree with what you're saying. But
how do you weaken a creature that has its own internal battery not to
mention our own containment fields to feed it?"

"I seriously doubt that the creature will be able to feed off the
field energy now, Lieutenant," Sean stated.

"And eventually, it will start to get weaker from having to use its
internal power," Brendan began as he stared off into space. "But I just
realized that the creature is telepathic in nature as well."

"Sir?" Sean said confused.

"It tried to communicate with me when I was on the bridge," Brendan
said. "It must feed off of brainwaves too. But non-telepaths couldn't
possibly produce enough mental energy to sustain it."

"But if enough non-telepaths were present," Sean continued finally
picking up Brendan's train of thought. "it might be able to draw base
sustenance from them."

Brendan tapped his commbadge just as he began running an analysis.
"Lieutenant Dernah to Lieutenant Turim."


she said plainly.

"I understand your reticence, Lieutenant. But you have to trust me
on this one," Brendan pushed.

Turim replied.

"Lieutenant Turim, please don't make me order you to remove your
people," Brendan said trying not to get angry. "I promise to explain all
of this and more at the staff meeting. Now please remove your men."

Turim said in a noncommittal tone.

"Understood, Lieutenant. Dernah out." Now that that was taken care
of, Brendan felt somewhat better. "Computer, deactivate main power in
Transporter Room One. Shunt the containment field to auxiliary power"

said the computer.

"Authorization Dernah delta one five nine, enable"



"Computer, monitor the power levels of the creature in Transporter
Room One and notify me of any major changes in it energy output," Brendan
ordered. "Ensign Mulvenon, I want you to report to the bridge and monitor
our guest from Science I. You have my authorization to modify the panel as
you see fit to complete your task."

"Thank you, sir," Sean said as he ran out of Deflector Control.

Brendan tapped his commbadge once more. "Lieutenant Dernah to
Captain Montholme."

came the CO's reply.

"Sir, I'm happy to inform you that the creature is contained for the
moment," Brendan said as he keyed in a lock on the power to the transporter
room.

Montholme sounded extremely relieved.

"You'll have to thank Ensign Sean Mulvenon, as well, sir," Brendan
said. "He was the one that came up with the plan."



Brendan smiled. "Aye aye, sir. Dernah out." I hope you're
comfortable in your little prison, Mister energy creature, Brendan thought
to himself as he made his way back to the bridge. Despite having the mother of all headaches,
he entered the bridge of the Monitor>-class ship and took his seat at the operation station
and winked at the Ferengi helmsman.

"Lieutenant Commander Dernah, why aren't you sitting at your post?" Montholme asked.

"Captain, respectfully, I am at my post. The post where I can do the most good. I must formally
decline the position of First Officer, sir, I don't feel as though I'm ready for this honor," Brendan
said.

"So be it," Montholme said a little crestfallen but not defeated.

Respectfully:
Lieutenant Brendan Dernah
Operations Manager
USS Goddard

 

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