In her private quarters Councilor Mominee was reviewing her archive material taken from the holodeck program of the archeological dig at Vulcan's ancient city of Tal'por. On closer examination of the print showing a crystalline entity emerging from a crumbling planetoid, she noticed a very thin streak of light extending from the edge of the entity to some unknown point beyond the scope of the illustration. On casual observation it appeared as a random light reflection.
"Computer, magnify image number 13 taken from holodeck program 'Vulcan Archeological Dig/Tal'por'. Magnify to the 50th power."
On the screen above her desk, Donna could now see that the 'random light reflection' took on the appearance of a more substantive beam.
"Computer, focus on edge of crystalline image with light beam and magnify to the 200th power."
The image on her screen now showed a small segment of the entity with a complex crystal structure connected to a sharply defined beam of light that was narrowest at its connecting point to the crystal. The beam actually seemed to widen slightly as it went away from the entity.
"Computer, is it possible to analyze the nature of the light beam?"
After a moment the computer replied: "Image is derived from very old technology. It is not possible to accurately state the type of radiation involved."
Donna screwed up her face. "Could it possibly be a graviton beam?"
Computer: "That is one possibility."
Donna studied the image of the beam intently for a moment when she was hit by inspiration. "Computer, is the beam going INTO the crystal.. or shooting OUT from it?"
Computer: "The beam originates from outside the image and goes into the crystalline mass."
Donna said to herself in quiet awe, "The 'hatching' signal came from OUTSIDE the egg!"
On the bridge Ted was doing his best to maintain control of the increasing tension. The Tycho was on shipwide communication.
"Chief Kirby, be sure to increase impulse power as needed to match the Styx."
Kirby replied with a bit of an edge. "That's what I've been DOING, Captain. And we are now approaching three quarter warp!"
Ted: "Lt. Byczynski, can you get a fix on just Snodgrass?"
Brian: "I'm trying, Captain, but the beam's fluctuations seem to be increasing. I think it would help if we could get a bit closer."
Ted asked his navigator, "Paula, could you ease us over to about 50 or 60 kilometers?"
Paula looked back over her shoulder warily at Ted. "Sure. I can DO that, Captain. But will it be SAFE?!"
Ted hesitated a moment then looked over to his security officer. "Ken, can you take a peek at Col. Snavely to see if he isn't planning anything treacherous?"
Ken looked intently at Snavely's image on the view screen which had the audio cut off. Beads of sweat popped out on Ken's forehead as he shut his eyes in concentration. After 30 seconds or so Ken exhaled loudly and his shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Ted. My 'visions' are all fuzzy! I can't seem to pick up anything!"
Kallindra spoke up with a bemused expression. "That's not really surprising, Lt. Cunning."
Ted: "And why is that, Madame Ambassador?"
"I believe it has been more than 30 hours since you all ate some Andorian meat down on my home world. Look how PALE you've all become!" She smiled with mock sadness. "I fear you have lost your fine Andorian complexions!" Her tone became more serious. "And Lt. Cunning's telepathy has faded away."
Brian spoke from the transporter room. "Captain, I've tightened up my controls to where I can secure openings of about 45 seconds. If we can get 40 or 50 kliks closer, I believe I can secure a 90 second opening... which should be enough for a single transport!"
Ted paused for a brief moment then stiffened with resolve. "OK, Paula, take us in to 50 kilometers from the beam."
He turned to his communications officer. "Open audio to the Styx, Diane." She did so.
Ted glared at Snavely on his view screen. "All right, Colonel. We'll play this your way. Have Major Snodgrass stand in the open area on your deck with his finger pressing the button on our commbadge and we will transport just HIM over to the Tycho. As for you and the Styx... good luck WHEREVER you're going!"
Snavely looked over at Snodgrass. "Go on, Leon. Do as he says." Snodgrass got up and moved to deck center. "And, Leon, for what it's worth, I'm sorry I got you into this mess."
Snavely looked back at the Tycho bridge in his view screen. A sardonic smile curled his lips. "So long, Capt. Klosowski. It has NOT been a pleasure knowing ANY of you!" The screen abruptly went blank.
Ted: "OK, Transport Chief Byczynski, we're going in for a quick grab! Beam Snodgrass over as soon as you think you've got sufficient clearance. Make it fast and make it good because we're only getting one shot at this!"
Three Andorian battle dreadnaughts and a science vessel had joined the Kallindor II and a cruiser in its pursuit of the crystalline entity. The entity was morphing its shape as it gained velocity. It had started out as a planetoid-wide slightly convex disc when it cleared the crumbling Pandoria. Now it was condensing into a smaller, rounder crystal clump as it picked up speed.
General Kal'sunu was in open communication with all Andorian ships. "As soon as that monstrous creature gets beyond Andorian orbit, blast it out of existence!"
Captain Slee'tog replied. "General, the Tycho and one of our cruisers is in its flight path ahead. Crystalline entities are known to have formidable defenses. If we initiate a battle, it will probably lash out at everything in the vicinity!"
General Kal'sunu smoldered for a moment. "Put all our cruisers on full alert... and tell the Tycho to get the hell out of the way!"
The Tycho was nearing warp 1 as it edged to within 50 kilometers of the Styx. Both had passed the orbit of Andoria many thousands of kilometers behind. Chief Kirby and Lieutenant Byczynski were sweating bullets as they fussed over their control consoles in the engineering and transporter stations.
Ted stared intently at the onscreen image of the Styx which was somewhat blurred by the corruscating reflections of the graviton beam. "It's now or never, Chiefs!"
Brian's fingers trembled slightly over the initiate button. "I think I've got nearly 60 seconds clearance." His voice sank to a whisper as he depressed the button. "I hope it's enough!"
Major Snodgrass had his eyes fixed on those of Colonel Snavely as he stood on the Styx' bridge deck. "Colonel, I hope you..." His voice faded away in a stream of dematerializing atoms.
In the Tycho transporter room Brian's heart froze for a second as the swirling stream on the dais seemed to crackle a bit before resolving into the form of Leon Snodgrass. The major dropped the beefy badge he was holding and faltered. He put his hands to his head and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Welcome aboard the Tycho, Major," Brian said uncertainly. "Are you all right?"
"Y-yes, I think so." Snodgrass wobbled a little as he stepped off the dais. "Just a little dizzy. That's the strangest I've ever felt going through transport!" As if to add emphasis, the entire ship shuddered.
From the speaker, Ted's voice was unusually loud, "Have we got him, Byczynski?!"
"Yes, Captain! He's standing beside me right now."
On the bridge, Ted barked at his navigator. "OK, Paula, get us out of here!"
Paula was staring wide-eyed at her control panel. "Uhh.. Captain, we've just entered warp 1, but... I HAVEN'T engaged the warp engines!"
On the Kallindor I, an incensed Director Kal'trax was having a heated view screen conversation with General Kal'sunu back on Andoria.
"General, it would be very reckless to engage a colossal entity in battle when we don't have to!" Kal'trax paused. "I remind you, Sir, that it is headed AWAY from our system!"
Kal'sunu countered. "For the moment, yes. But according to the humans, it is a very YOUNG, newly 'hatched' entity and probably at its weakest right now! NOW is the best time to destroy it!"
"And are you certain we CAN destroy it, General? We know very little about these creatures, but we've already seen it has the power to break open a planetoid!"
"All the more reason to stamp it out now; before it has a chance to grow and gain even more power!" Kal'sunu leaned back regarding Kal'trax shrewdly. "The humans hypothesize that the seed for this creature was deliberately planted in an orbit near another planet with organic life.. so that a newly hatched entity could have something to feed on." His tone sharpened. "Well in this case, the food source is Andoria! And I will NOT allow that!"
Kal'trax was getting desperate. "Well, throwing a few dreadnaughts at it now might only whet its appetite!"
Kal'sunu gave a stoney reply. "Director, I must do what I think is best for the long-term security of Andoria. That creature has already tasted life on Pandoria. I am convinced that we must deal with it before it escapes."
Kal'trax softened his tone. "General, you know that the Andorian ambassador to the Federation, my wife Kallindra, is on the Tycho... and she is determined to stay with the humans."
Kal'sunu bowed his head slightly and said softly, "Then, my brother, I deeply hope that the Tycho goes far away soon!"
Captain Klosowski was a portrait in stress as he squinted at the image of the Styx on the Tycho's view screen. He strained forward in his command chair; sweat running down his face; mouth half open. The Tycho was shuddering continuously and every time Paula attempted an impulse engine maneuver away from the beam the ship shook violently. Both ships were now moving through warp 1 toward warp 2... and the Tycho was being pulled ever closer to the beam.
"Chief Kirby, what's going on?!"
Kirby was fighting off panic himself as he made frantic attempts to modify impulse engine output while monitoring highly unusual readings from the Tycho's warp core.
"Captain, I think we got too close to the graviton beam! The attraction to our own dilithium in the warp core is incredible! If we keep trying to use impulse power to break free, it'll tear the ship apart!"
"Can we engage our warp engines to break free?"
"I suppose we could engage the engines.." Kirby gulped. "But I think the effect would be very temporary!"
"What do you mean?"
"We're already traveling faster than warp 1, which means we must be inside some kind of subspace bubble generated by the graviton beam. If we go into warp now, we'd be generating another subspace bubble INSIDE the one we're already in! And I have NO IDEA what the consequences of that may be!" Kirby took a breath. "But it is evident that the beam's attraction for dilithium is paramount. If we activate our warp drive, I think our nacelles would simply tear away from the ship!"
Ted was forced to consider the unthinkable. "Could we abandon ship if we had to?!"
After a long silence, Kirby replied. "Escape pods ejected at warp speeds inside a subspace double bubble?! Again; I have no idea as to consequences! And we'd still be next door to this f*&%#^@ BEAM!"
The XO, Commander Marchelle Lee, had been sitting quietly tense during this exchange but now spoke up: "Ted, we could dump our warp core!"
A stunned silence gripped the crew for a moment followed by a groan from Chief Kirby. "Ohh, my sweet baby!"
Ted glanced around the faces on the bridge and began in a placating voice. "Chief, I know how you've pampered and nurtured this ship..."
"Nah; nah! She's right! Dumping the core may be our only chance! If we give our dilithium to that damn beam, maybe we can still get away with impulse power!" Kirby gave a long sigh. "I'll make preparations to dump the core."
At that point a very excited Councilor Mominee entered the bridge holding a rolled up print. "Ted! I think I've discovered something critical about this new entity!"
As she hurried over to the command chair Dianne announced: "Captain, incoming hail from the Kallindor I."
Ted held up a restraining finger to Donna and said: "On screen, Dianne."
Kal'trax wasted no time on preliminaries. "Captain! You must clear this area of space at once! The crystalline entity has just passed Andoria's orbit and is gaining on you!"
"Uhhh.. that could be a problem, Director."
"WHY?!!"
Ted took a deep breath. "The graviton beam's appetite for dilithium is.. insatiable! And we got too close. So we are dumping our warp core! We'll try to limp away under impulse power."
Kal'trax gritted his teeth. "Be quick about it because GENERAL Kal'sunu has decided to attack the entity with dreadnaughts very shortly!"
The Tycho crew was stunned.
"WHY?! The entity is obviously headed out of the system toward that spatial anomaly!"
Kal'trax gave the Andorian equivalent of an eyeroll. "He doesn't trust the entity to complete that journey without turning back to eat up Andoria! He also seems to think we can destroy it while it is 'young and vulnerable'!"
Kallindra gave a terse response to her husband on the view screen. "Your brother is an ass!"
"Please, Kallindra, let's keep our family opinions out of this. We don't have much time!"
Donna had listened to this exchange with increasing anxiety. Now she exploded. "The general mustn't do this! He could be committing suicide for the entire system!"
Ted: "What do you mean, Donna?"
Donna handed her print to Ted. "Here's a closeup of that glyphic I took from the ancient Tal'por museum on Vulcan. It shows the edge of an emerging entity from a planetoid long ago.
Notice the beam of light. Our computer has affirmed that this light ray could be a graviton beam.. and that the direction of the beam is from the OUTSIDE going INTO the crystal mass!" Donna paused. "I believe it is a graviton signal beam that activated the 'hatching' of the entity!"
Ted mulled this over for a moment. "But the entity on Pandoria originated THIS graviton beam... the one we're trying to escape right now!"
"Yes, and we believe it was SPROC's mining that activated both the beam and the hatching." Donna cocked her head to one side with a professorial gaze. "But have you taken a hard look at the beam lately?"
"Donna, I've been too busy trying to get the hell away from it to study it!"
"Well I have! I stopped in our science lab on my way up here to do a quick sensor scan of the beam." Donna looked alternately at Ted and at Kal'trax on the view screen. "The beam has become bi-directional!"
Ted was confused. "So what does that...?"
"It's going back and forth between the entity and the spatial anomaly, which is probably why it has gotten so strong." There were quizzical expressions on several faces. "Look; we know that crystalline entities have warp speed capabilities and they probably require dilithium for that, just as we do. I think that's why 'Junior Entity' behind us is chasing the Styx! He wants his dilithium back!!"
"But the Styx is being drawn AWAY from Pandoria by the beam; and now us along with it!"
"Right! Because the beam is being reinforced by a stronger signal coming from the anomaly!"
A look of dawning comprehension appeared on the faces of Commander Blankenship and Ensign Williams. Both uttered an, "Ohh..!" at the same time.
Donna nodded at them. "That's right! This isn't just about the dilithium. Like any hatchling, this 'chick' wants to stick close to its momma!" Donna gave a hard look at Kal'trax. "I don't know what's on the other side of that anomaly. But if we attack this 'chick', I'm afraid we might see one boiling mad "Momma Entity" charging out to protect its 'young'n'!"