Chapter 5 – Down The Rabbit Hole
Twenty hours later, Jack entered the bridge of his ship.
“Commander Kadan, we have been ordered to the Kel-j'na region,” Jack said loud enough for the entire bridge to hear. “Take us to maximum warp.”
“Aye, Captain,” Loftus said, turning to Zaylie at the conn. “Lieutenant, set a course for the Tartarus wormhole, warp nine point six.”
“Aye,” Zaylie said, casting a glance over at Nakano at the tactical station.
He gave a quick shrug.
Jack knew he was going to be asking a lot of this crew. But he kept hoping it would all turn out to be a false alarm.
***
“So what's this mission?” Melissa asked.
Jack looked up from his plate.
“I'm
not able to say.”
“Wow,” Melissa said, setting her fork down. “Not even a lame lie this time?”
“I thought we had decided not to do that any more?”
“Sorry,” Melissa said. “Old habits... on my part.”
He smiled and took another bite of his steak. “I slip up from time to time too.”
“It's just you've never kept our missions from me before.”
“This time is different.”
“How different?”
He let out a long breath. “If I could say, I would. You know that.”
“Come on, Jack. You can give me a hint, can't you?”
He shook his head. “When they put that fourth rank pin on your collar, we'll probably talk about this subject at length. But for now, I really can't say.”
“You mean I have to be a captain to hear about this dark secret?” she asked with a grin.
“Yes.”
“Now I am curious,” she said, leaning forward.
“Don't be,” he said. “You'll look back very fondly one day at the burden you didn't have to carry.”
“Burden?” she asked. “Are we going into battle?”
“I wish it was that simple.”
She reached across the table and took his hand. “Jack, if it's a burden you're carrying, please tell me. I'm here to help you through things like this.”
“You have no idea what things like this are,” he said, lowering his eyes, unable to meet her gaze.
“Of course not... until you tell me.”
He so wanted to tell her, to have someone else's point of view on the Omega Directive. But if Starfleet found out he'd told her it would be hell for him and Melissa.
Finally, Jack looked back at his wife. “I know you want to help, but I really cannot tell you. There are some things Starfleet captains must bear alone.”
She nodded. “Okay. I'll trust your judgment. But if they're asking you to do something you know is wrong...”
“That's just it,” he said. “I won't know until we get there.”
***
Six days later, the Chamberlain came to a full stop.
Jack entered the bridge, curious to hear why.
“Report,” he called out to Loftus.
“Mr. Nakano,” she ordered.
Todd Nakano turned to Jack, “There is a region of space one light year in radius with the Geryon system at its center in which warp travel is not possible.”
“How so?” Jack asked.
“A null subspace field fills that volume of space,” Nakano continued. “However, there are beacons surrounding the null region, broadcasting in every known language, and some the universal translator doesn't know, informing whoever might come this way that they are about to enter a region of space in which warp travel is not possible.”
“Interesting,” Jack said. “Is it a natural phenomenon?”
“No,” Nakano said. “It is being actively maintained by a type of energy field I have never seen before.”
Jack turned to Sunita Mahajadan at the science station. “Analysis?”
“This shouldn't be possible,” Sunita stated, looking at her displays. “I'd love to find out how they're doing this. The technology is far beyond anything the Federation is currently capable of.”
“What about the region itself?” Jack asked.
“The region is filled with a large amount of debris, both icy and iron-nickel. Some of it winks out periodically as if cloaked, then reappears elsewhere.”
Jack leaned back in his chair. “The ultimate shield. A sphere two light years in diameter around a solar system where warp drive can't operate, but in which sublight travel is near impossible because of the debris field.”
“And if someone were to make the attempt, the system has over a year to plan a defense,” Loftus said.
“I am picking up other debris,” Nakano said. “It appears to be manufactured alloys, and... sir, some of it is from Borg vessels.”
“How old is the debris?”
“It ranges from four hundred years old, to... seventy-five years.”
“So they gave up?” Jack asked.
“That would be a first,” Melissa said. Her panel began to chime. “I'm scanning Borg debris within the field as well. I suspect there are cloaked mines in there.”
“Probably,” Nakano replied. “That's a lot of space to hide a multitude of passive weapons.”
“And all the while, the people inside the system are completely safe,” Loftus said, smiling. “If we could get our hands on technology like that, the Borg would become irrelevant.”
“That is if you don't want to travel outside your system ever again.”
Lieutenant Flanora turned to Jack as her communications panel erupted with a steady beeping. “Sir, we are being hailed by one of the beacons.”
“Oh?” He stood. “On screen.”
A smiling face appeared on the large display.
Jack was glad she was okay.
“Hello, Jack.”
“Mei?” Jack inquired, smiling wide. “I can't wait to hear the story you have to tell about this.”
“Maybe later,” she said. “What's your mission here?”
“Survey of the system, and if possible, first contact.”
Mei-Wan frowned. She was too intelligent to buy his story.
“I have assured the people of this system you aren't here to harm them,” Mei-Wan said, her frown fading. “They have agreed to allow you to approach their world. In two minutes, a path seventy kilometers wide will open up in front of the ship. Within that path you will be able to travel at warp.”
Jack turned to Nakano who nodded. “We could make that work. However, if they decide to close it off at some point, we'd be stuck. It would take us years to get out again, if ever, depending on the mines and debris.”
“A bug stuck in amber,” Melissa said.
“And, sir,” Nakano continued. “It would be wise not to go over warp five. If we were to go off course even slightly and hit the null region above warp five, the sheer would tear the ship apart.”
Jack turned back to Mei. “I am putting my crew and my ship in your care, Mei.”
“You can trust them, Jack,” she smiled. “Oh, and don't travel over warp four.”
“Sir,” Nakano said. “The pathway is opening up.”
Jack nodded. “We'll see you in...”
“Three and a half days,” Nakano said.
“Three and a half days,” Jack repeated to Mei-Wan.
Mei-Wan smiled, and the display returned to the stars.
***
Jack sat brooding in his ready room aboard the Chamberlain. He thought it best to avoid his crew as much as possible given he hated having to lie to anyone, especially those who showed him the loyalty this crew did. But these were orders he couldn't share with anyone, not even his own XO, Kadan Loftus.
His thoughts were centered on the Bajoran woman as she came to a stop in front of his desk.
“Sir...” she began, but stopped.
Jack had never seen Loftus hesitate like this.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Our mission here,” she finally said. “It isn't about first contact, is it?”
“No,” he said with a grin.
“May I inquire as to...”
“No.”
“But...”
“No.”
Loftus took a long breath. “As your executive officer, I really need to know what's going on.”
“I understand,” he said. “I was once in the same position with Captain Benala aboard the Vander.” Jack thought back to that incident seemingly a lifetime ago.
Fariha...
He returned to the present. “I didn't learn the truth about that incident until two years later.” Jack motioned for Loftus to take the seat across from him. “And like Captain Benala, all I can tell you is no matter what I do over the next week you're going to simply have to trust that I am following orders and that I am doing what's in the best interest of the Federation.”
“Sir... Jack...” She looked directly into his eyes. “I've learned to trust you. But such loyalty is a fragile thing. I'd hate to see it broken because we didn't understand one another.”
“So would I,” Jack said. “But know that what I do, I do as fulfillment of direct orders from the Federation President.”
“Sounds serious.”
Jack grinned. “You could say that.”
Loftus gave a quick nod. “I'll give you as much leeway as I can, sir. But if you start to tread into...”
“I may have to.”
Her eyes widened at that. “Certainly not the Prime Directive?”
“As I had it drummed into me ... the Prime Directive is not a suicide pact.”
“I don't think I like the sound of that.”
“I didn't the first time I heard it either.” He leaned forward in his chair. “This is going to be a hard time, Loftus, especially for you.”
“I'm Bajoran. We have a personal relationship with hard times.”
“I just ask that you trust me.”
Loftus stood from her seat, a smile on her face. “For some reason that has come far easier with you than any other commanding officer I've served with.”
“I'll take that as a compliment,” Jack said with a smile, rising from his own seat.
“It was more than that. My people have known so many betrayals, even from the Federation, that giving trust is never easy.” Loftus extended her hand across Jack's desk. “You're a great commander, and the only one who doesn't see that is you.”
Jack took her hand. “I hope you still believe it when we reach the end of this mission.”
“I hope so too.”
