to sleep perchance to dream

[warpfairy]

Isabella drifts into a new system. This is farther than she usually ventures, but she can make it back to a new human colony after a complete survey here, with a margin of error, and refuel there to get back into central Federation space. Still, she's a little apprehensive as she drops out of warp. If the system proves to be unusually complicated she'll have to do it in two stages.

Comments

[evesystem]

As she approaches to within a few hundred kilometres, the arcology pings her. Weapons signatures come online, scattered all throughout the habitation ring, then detach: the screens show her a half-dozen small ships approaching her at significant impulse. All of them carry missile pods and laser weaponry: all of them appear to be forming targeting solutions on her ship.

[warpfairy]

...Well, she isn't actually equipped for combat but she can fend off lasers. The missiles might be more trouble. She prepares to drop into warp and skedaddle to let Starfleet handle this if they launch, but she hails the arcology.

[evesystem]

The arcology is silent. So are the ships. All of them continue to show no life signs whatsoever.

- and then the ship's computer informs her that she's being hailed. A still image of a bearded man wearing thick sunglasses pops up, followed by a text channel.

"Unidentified vessel: why on Earth are you hailing a Sleeper nest?"

The ship's computer reports that an unfamiliarly-designed ship with a single life-sign aboard has appeared at the closer wormhole.

[warpfairy]

"In case it had automated systems which could call off the attack drones. Can you call off the attack drones?"

[evesystem]

"No: I suggest you align for warp immediately!"

[warpfairy]

"It's on standby, but - warp? Are the missiles faster than the ships?"

[evesystem]

"Somewhat? That doesn't look like an Interceptor you're flying, there - what's your maximum speed?"

[warpfairy]

"On impulse?" She names it. Approximately.

[evesystem]

"... Are you bullshitting me?"

[warpfairy]

"No. What is this place? You mentioned Earth, you're speaking English, you look human, but you're not on any Federation maps and it seems like you've been out of touch..."

[evesystem]

"Are you saying you're from Terra? Lady, this just turned into something way above my pay grade, and I'm a Capsuleer. I'm from the EVE systems: you might find references to the project if you have a good historical database. A natural wormhole appeared near Terra, with habitable planets on the other side: a colony was established, then the wormhole collapsed and everything went to hell. We still keep our end of the gate-bridge as an archaeological and historic site: I'm pretty sure it's several centuries old by now."

[warpfairy]

"A collapsed wormhole colony - I would have thought something like that would be mapped as a landmark if nothing else. When was this?"

[evesystem]

"Long enough ago for us to invent cloning, warp and jump tech from a very nearly pre-space existence. From what little records we have, it was a bad time on earth: a major global conflict spurred the establishment of the colonies, so it's possible that records of the settlement could have been lost."

[warpfairy]

"Perhaps. I wouldn't necessarily know; I'm a surveyor. But if you have warp why didn't you reestablish contact? Did you forget where Earth was?"

[evesystem]

"When the wormhole collapsed, it was devastating for the New Eden system, and destoyed an enormous amount of knowledge. Among that knowledge was the location of Earth. Even if we had known where Earth was, it would have to be broadcasting a cynosaural field in order for us to jump to it, and we have seen no evidence of such fields being produced by anyone other than us. The general assumption so far has been that Earth was destroyed when its end of the wormhole collapsed."

[warpfairy]

"...The thing you are calling warp does not seem to be the thing I call warp."

[evesystem]

"... It's quite possible that an Earth that developed warp technology independently of us might discover a different method. We have two - well, maybe three forms of faster-than light transport. Warp drives, jump drives, and jump clones. Warp's good for in-system transport: Jump drives and jump gates have a range per jump of about five or six light-years, though I think some established gate complexes do better. Warp drives require a large mass or a previous targeting fix from someone who's already physically been to the location: Jump drives require a cynosaural field generator to be actively running at the other end of the jump, providing a beacon for the jump drive to lock on to."

[warpfairy]

"None of these things are what I'm calling warp. Earth came up with the drive in 2063; other species at other times but eventually they almost always manage, which is part of why I'm surprised you have this alternate technology but not - subspace warp, let's call it that."

[evesystem]

"It's possible that some portion of the original colony developed subspace warp, but died out or left. Sleeper tech is generally as good as or higher-quality than ours, and we still don't understand its principles yet."

[warpfairy]

"...Anyway, if you can't call off the attack drones I should probably get out of their way. Can you still hail me if I go into orbit around the nearest moon?"

[evesystem]

"Yes, anywhere within system should be fine. I can't stay around to chat forever, though: these wormholes are naturally occurring, and at my best guess the one I've come through will dissipate within two or three hours. While you're fascinating, I'd rather not end up stranded and have to pod-jump home."

[warpfairy]

"...Since you're human I can give you warp equations without contravening Federation law." She punches up impules power to zoom into a high orbit around the moon.

[evesystem]

"...I see we need to talk about the politics of my local systems. Please, don't repeat that offer to anybody."

[evesystem]

Another small ship arrives in system, from the other wormhole. Its IFF proclaims it to be owned by an "Absentminded Professor", belonging to the incorporated entity "SOLODRAKBANSOLODRAKBANSOLODRAKBANSOLO". It deploys small a set of four small probes, which warp away into a pyramidal formation: from their movements over the next few minutes, it looks like they're triangulating the position of the arcology.

[evesystem]

"We have company. Stay to the secure channel: wormhole space is lawless, and I don't think we want to attract attention."