An Embryotic Discussion
Posted on Sat May 24th, 2025 @ 7:05pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant M'Tala "Hobbes" Clan Hrasi & Aseek Tarnala & Commander Jerome Hunt Jr. & Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome
Edited on on Sat May 24th, 2025 @ 7:05pm
1,787 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Sole Survivor
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 16 - 0800
[Bridge]
After transferring the alien embryo's into their new cryo container, it was time to finally have a talk with the Captain. Urushi held a PADD as she walked. It contained all the research data and her in depth analysis of the embryos. Now all she had to do was present the options available to Captain Bass.
She approached the ready room door and rang the chime. She was confident and proud of her work, biology wasn't her best subject and she would have rather being analyzing a Nebula or charting stars. However this was all part of the job.
Jerome had been on his way to the ready room when he spotted the Lieutenant standing at the door. "How are you doing Lieutenant?"
"Oh... not too bad I guess." She said as she tapped the PADD against her palm. "You don't happen to know if The Captain is available right now?"
"I was just wondering that myself," he admitted as he pressed the chime on the door.
Aseek was still in awe of this this starship. Having woke up in their medical bay he had been full of questions, most of them had gone unanswered having been repeatedly told 'the Captain' this or 'the Captain' that. The only thing he had been able to get out of the ship Doctor was that he had been the only survivor. While his escort talk with the spotted woman he looked around the area.
Thinking to himself, ~This must be some kind of command center...what had he called it...'the bridge'~. Glancing about he saw several other beings. There was a blue skinned fellow, someone with pointed ears, and another that looked like an evolved animal of some kind.
This was all so unreal but yet here he was. His curiosity getting the best of him he began to wander, looking intently at the animal-like looking creature.
"He seems rather curious." Urushi said as she watched their guest look around the bridge. "Not surprising really, everything around him in far more advanced than anything on his old ship." She smiled. She reached out and rang the chime again, perhaps Bass had been busy the first time.
Commander Hunt simply smiled as he observed their visitor. The very things they took for granted, he was in aye of and filled with excitement. If in the same shoes, Jerome had to admit that he would likely be reacting the same way.
Hobbes looked over to the man, he was sure he wasn't meaning to stare, no doubt he was still getting his first exposure to the various races. He was tempted to growl or hiss at him but instead politely nodded.
The nod as the creature locked eyes with him made him realize what we was doing and he straightened in surprise. "Sorry...", Returning to his escort standing by a doorway.
[Ready Room]
Hobbes had left not long ago after filling him in on what he had retrieved form the navigational database he had recovered. Using the their star charts and the Valkyrie's own astrometric data Hobbes had found both the point of origin and the intended destination.
Too say they were considerably off course was being generous. That they hadn't been completely destroyed was a miracle.
Having been distracted by all the issues they were still dealing with, the 3rd chime snapped him back to the present and he replied, "Enter."
After the doors opened Urushi led the way into the room. It was actually convenient that everyone was here, especially with what she had discovered about the embryos.
Watching as the trio entered, Baas rose to greet the now conscious survivor. "Greeting sir, I'm Captain Daegan Baas. I'm the commanding officer of the Federation starship USS Valkyrie. Now while we have several questions for you, I have no doubt you have even more for us."
Aseek took a breath. "Thank you Captain but I must ask. There were several pods containing embryos from my people. Were they recovered?"
The almost desperate worry was clear in his voice and Daegan motioned to Yaotome, "Lieutenant."
Urushi nodded. "I'm Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome, Chief Science Officer," she introduced herself. "To answer your question, yes. We saved the embryos, however the old containment unit was failing. So we built them a new one that's currently in our biology lab. Unfortunately we couldn't match or recreate your power systems, so that's why we had to build a new one. Not a single one was lost, I made sure of that."
His head dropped to his hand in a mix of relief and moroseness.
Daegan glanced from Jerome and Urushi before returning to the man before him. "I can't imagine what you must be going through right now bu..."
From under his hands Aseek interrupted his host. "None of the other made it did they?"
"No, I'm sorry." Having anticipated the need Daegan place a small glass of water in front of him.
Looking up as the sound Aseek took the glass. "Thank you Captain." Sipping the water he let out a heavy breath. "We failed, my entire race will remain frozen...on an alien ship with those that know nothing about what we were."
At present their was no solution to be offered but given their destination, even now they are better off. "At the moment I have no solution to offer, nor can I make any promises, but your current situation is preferable to what a waited you. We were able to calculate your original destination which would have taken your vessel in space controlled by a species known as the Sheliak. They consider lifeforms like you and I...beneath them. It's very likely your ship would have been destroyed.
"We have to ask. Why were you in that vessel. My engineers tell me it was designed for deep space."
"Your people are correct. It was originally be built as a transport to carry a small crew to neighboring planets for exploration." Looking forlorn, "We never got a chance to set foot on those planets."
He was about to ask why they changed their plans so drastically when he saw Urushi raising her hand.
Urushi held up her hand. "Erm Captain. Actually... I have come up with three possible solutions..." she said as she held up her PADD.
Gesturing to her, "Yes Lieutenant?"
"Well, I've been doing some research with the computer before a potential solution if we had to find one." Urushi started. "Option one is that we find or locate a female of the same species to carry and birth some of the embryos." She explained. "I believe this was your original plan?" She asked turning to Forlorn. "To have the people in your stasis pods become parents to the next generation?"
Aseek nodded. "There were supposed to have been three couples. We raise a few. They raise even more and on and on. Unfortunately there are no more of my kind that can carry those embryos."
"Considering that is no longer a viable option, unless we locate your people. I have found two other viable alternatives." Urushi continued. "We can attempt to build an 'artificial womb' where each embryo can be grown and born. Similar to what The Borg use when a pregnant woman is assimilated and the fetus is removed." Urushi explained. "However, it's not a 'natural' solution and that sort of technology is difficult to produce and operate, I think with a corps of science and engineers we could pull it off, but not anytime soon. It also means that you'd be totally reliant on this ships power and resources unless we can get a permanent solution."
Looking back and forth between the Captain and the woman. "Borg? Artificial womb?"
"The last option is... a sort of modification of your original idea." Urushi said. "We ask for volunteer females that are compatible to carry and birth female embryo's. Therefore once those embryo's are born, once their older you can continue your original plan." She explained. "However that relies on compatibility and if the women are wanting to do that..." Urushi added. "For the sake of my research, I have compiled a list of compatible species..."
Daegan raised a hand to stop Urushi's list. "I think you are overwhelming him. And while your last idea is admirable we can't turn the Valkyrie into a flying nursery. The important thing is that they are stabilized. Solutions will come later, after I speak with Starfleet Command." Seeing questioning look from Aseek, "That's our higher headquarters."
The original question still remained and he paused only for a moment before returning to it. "What made your people so desperate that you and five others took such an extreme risk?"
Aseek took a deep breath and began , "A plague..."
The story that was told was horrific, grotesque and unbelievable. The description of the speed at which anyone contaminated succumbed was the only reason Daegan hadn't ordered an alert.
Commander Hunt's face told exactly what he thought about the tale being shared with him. In all honesty, he wanted the doctor to do a thorough scan to ensure that whatever their people had wasn't running loose on the Valkyrie. He like several others onboard had families here. Things seemed weird just talking about finding female volunteers to get pregnant. But after hearing this, no one was going to just at the chance of that.
The colour had literally drained from the Trill's face by the time the story had ended. It was hard to read her emotions, however one thing was evident. That was not a story she enjoyed in the slightest and if anything she seemed itching to get as far away from it as possible. Sheer horror was painted across her face as clear as a beautiful masterpiece in an art gallery.
Seeing the looks on the faces of his officers, sharing many of the unspoken concerns. "Commander, call a meeting of the senior staff for 1000 hrs. In the interim, Lieutenant, I want a complete bio-scan of the Valkyrie looking for any abnormality of any bio-signs. I will contact Starfleet and see what can be done on to address the embryo issue as well as what could be a potential interplanetary hazard.
"Mr. Tarnala, I will have my Yeoman take you back to your quarters until the meeting."
Urushi nodded. "Aye Captain."
Aseek was not used to being escorted where ever he went but he was in an alien ship with a people that had were going out of their way to help him. "Thank you Captain."
Captain Daegan Baas
CO
Commander Jerome Hunt
Executive Officer
Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome
Chief Science Officer
Aseek Tarnala
Last of the Pricari
NPC played by Daegan
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