Episode 82. Area 51
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Saturday, August 10, 2024 - 6:45 PM
- Location
-
- Earth
- USA
- Nevada
- Area 51
- Underground AspiroTube Station
- Timeline
- Schak'Irra Timeline
- Previously
-
After the special operation carried out in Russia and the capture of the Grand Tsar, Captain Agnes Rodriguez was gravely wounded while protecting President Macron. Placed in a coma, she experienced a strange encounter with a certain Q, who whispered three enigmatic words to her: Angie, Koala, Area 51. During her convalescence, Acting Captain Angie Chen took command of the Enterprise. Convinced that those words are a trail left by Agnes, she sets course for Area 51, accompanied by T'Met, Tarsi, Gomard and Eros. After passing through NORAD, the team boards the SonicShuttle to reach Nevada via the AspiroTube network.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander (Acting Captain) | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Commander | Andorian | Prime Timeline |
| T'Met | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Captain | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| Robert Gomard | NATO / Army | Colonel | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Eros Vitos | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| James Cliffton | NATO / Army | General | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
Manifest
| USS Enterprise | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | Earth Orbit |
| Captain |
|
| First Officer |
|
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Tactical |
|
| Science | Manu |
| Advanced Weapons | Eros Vitos |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers |
|
| Detainees | Vladimir Joseph Putin and his bodyguards |
| Ground Team |
|
TL;DR
Angie Chen's convoy finally arrives at the mythical Area 51, greeted by General James Cliffton and a nervous battalion. Between military protocol and diplomatic tension, Angie keeps her composure and presents T'Met and Tarsi as the owners of the alien vessel recovered in 1954. After a forceful security check, the team is escorted through the complex's immense galleries, watched warily by scientists and engineers. Their path ends before a monumental door that slowly opens, revealing access to the top-secret sector where the missing twenty-sixth-century vessel is believed to be kept...
Story
The SonicShuttle slows, then comes to a stop with a dull jolt.
The shuttles, still attached behind it, finally touch down on the floor of Area 51's underground station.
Through the tinted windows, a silhouette stands out in the harsh hangar light.
A high-ranking military officer.
Motionless.
Impassive.
Behind him, a battalion rushes in and deploys in tight formation.
Weapons raised.
Safeties probably already off.
The message is clear.
Angie's team's arrival is no surprise.
And access to Schak'Irra will not happen without explanations.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
T'Met. Tarsi.
Stay at the back of the shuttle.
Do not show yourselves under any circumstances.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Oh, come on... again?
Have the humans of Area 51 never seen extraterrestrials?
Capt. T'Met
Silence, Vexoriana-Lyss'ra.
And obey Captain Chen.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
If you call me that again, I swear I will pull your ears.
Ens. Eros Vitos Weapons Engineer
Shhh...
For your information, we are being watched.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Oops.
Sorry, Eros.
As Tarsi and T'Met disappear from view, Robert and Eros adopt a relaxed, almost casual posture.
Angie opens the airlock.
The air of the underground station rushes into the shuttle.
She steps down and walks toward the officer.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Captain Chen, I presume?
General James Cliffton. Head of Area 51 security.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
You presume correctly, General.
What a welcome...
An entire battalion for little old me. I am flattered.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Precautionary measure, Captain.
Since July 15, access to Area 51 has been strictly limited.
And your name was not on our list.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Naturally.
There's been an update you probably haven't received yet. I took command of the USS Enterprise.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
We have been informed.
NORAD reported your arrival.
If you weren't the captain of the USS Enterprise, you never would have been allowed to use the AspiroTube.
Battalion!
Lower your weapons!
The soldiers comply, without taking their eyes off the team.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
In that case, General, I want immediate access to the sector where the alien vessel is stored.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Impossible.
Classified national defense.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Thankfully.
It would be worrying if it were not.
Colonel Gomard, come here for a moment, please.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Well, now...
A military man on your team.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Not just any military man.
His unit has just dismantled the Kremlin and brought back an... interesting piece.
That is why I am here.
Col. Robert Gomard Army
General.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Colonel.
I hear you performed feats in Russia.
Col. Robert Gomard Army
Feats are for children, General.
I would call it an operation without precedent.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Colonel.
It is time to show the General what we found.
Col. Robert Gomard Army
Yes, Captain.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
You intrigue me, Captain Chen.
Colonel Gomard climbs back into the shuttle.
A few seconds later, he climbs down again, accompanied by Tarsi and T'Met.
At the sight of the two extraterrestrials, the battalion reacts instantly.
Weapons raised.
Safeties engaged.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Jesus, Mary and Joseph...
What the hell is that?!
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Easy now, General.
Allow me to introduce Tarsi and T'Met.
The rightful owners of the alien vessel recovered in 1954 at the North Pole.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Uh... hi, everyone...
Do not shoot, we are just passing through...
Gen. James Cliffton Army
They are extraterrestrials... and they speak English?!
Capt. T'Met
As does most of the galaxy.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Where did you find them?
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
In Russia.
They were being held prisoner by the Grand Tsar.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Uh... not me.
I came to rescue them.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Tarsi...
You're still suffering from that blow to the head.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Huh? No, I'm perfectly fine.
Capt. T'Met
Vexoriana-Lyss'ra.
Let Captain Chen speak.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Ahhh...
Yes. I understand.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
General, tell your men to lower their weapons.
If they were a threat, I would not have brought them here.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Hmm...
Soldiers! Stand down!
The barrels lower, but the stares remain tense.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Thank you, General.
Can we access the vessel now?
Gen. James Cliffton Army
Not yet.
You and your team must undergo a full scan.
As for your two... hm... extraterrestrials... regulations prohibit them from entering the complex.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
You should read the fine print at the bottom of the page.
Anyone I bring with me is my responsibility, whether human or alien.
Gen. James Cliffton Army
I leave the fine print to the bureaucrats.
Have your team pass through the archway to be scanned.
I will take you there.
Cmdr. Angie Chen Acting Capt.
Thank you, General.
Once the scan is complete, General Cliffton invites Angie and her team to use the electric scooters parked near the end of the platform.
Along the way, they pass scientists and engineers who pause their work to watch them with curiosity.
Their faces, lit by the laboratories' pale lights, reveal their astonishment at the sight of Tarsi and T'Met.
The small procession crosses several sections of the complex: machining centers, the NATO Academy, living quarters, then the science laboratories.
After a few kilometers, they stop before a monumental door.
It reminds Angie of the one she crossed every morning in the Brussels bunker to reach the USS Mercator.
The general enters his code on the keypad.
A click.
The door slowly slides open, revealing the entrance to the hangar where the Schak'Irra is supposed to be kept... Captain T'Met's twenty-sixth-century temporal vessel.
Comments
Post a Comment