Episode 112. The Tarantula
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Thursday, July 15, 1954 - 9:14 p.m.
- Location
-
- Beta Quadrant
- Solar System
- Near Earth
- USS Enterprise
- Bridge
- Timeline
- Prime Timeline
- Previously on Trek Outta Time
-
The Enterprise and Tal'Kyr have managed to travel back in time to July 15, 1954, near Earth. The crew is recovering with difficulty from the shock of temporal distortion while T'Met confirms the date: about thirty minutes remain before Schak'Irra's predicted destruction. Gomard and his flotilla of Class F shuttles deploy into the expected attack zone, while the Enterprise and Tal'Kyr take position to intercept the Tholian ship. From his shuttle, Gomard reports strange flashes in space. On the bridge, the sensors confirm a growing spatial distortion: the enemy's signature is about to appear.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes V. Rodriguez | NATO / Special Fleet | Captain | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Eric Corda | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Emilie Flores | NATO / Special Fleet | Ensign | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Charlene Savea | NATO / Special Fleet | Lieutenant | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Lingua | Starfleet / Temporal Division | N/A | Artificial Intelligence | Prime Timeline |
| Tholians (Aragthoneans) | Tholian Assembly | N/A | Tholian | N/A |
Manifest
| USS Enterprise | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | 1954, near Earth |
| Captain | Agnes V. Rodriguez |
| First Officer | Angie Chen |
| Artificial Intelligence | Lingua (Unofficial) |
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Tactical | Angie Chen |
| Science | Manu |
| Engineering | Gornok (Unofficial) |
| Advanced Weaponry | Eros Vitos |
| Security | Robert Gomard (Unofficial) |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel K'hoka Khol'a (assistant) |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers |
Robert Gomard's squad 4 Vulcan survivors from Schak'Irra Emmanuel Macron Gornok's Tellarite workers |
| Detainees | Vladimir Joseph Putin and his bodyguards |
| Deployed Flotilla |
Tal'Kyr (With T'Met and Tarsi) Class F shuttles (Robert Gomard and his men) |
TL;DR
In front of the Enterprise, a huge distortion materializes, revealing the illusion of a gigantic Tarantula-class Tholian warship, three to four times larger than Agnes's ship. Lingua identifies a phenomenon close to the illusions of the Q continuum, without clearly identifying the entity behind this "image." Agnes still attempts contact, but receives only incomprehensible static before the Tarantula opens fire. The first shot pierces the shields and tears through the front of the saucer, forcing Lingua to urgently seal the affected sections. The Enterprise, Tal'Kyr, and the shuttles return fire; Eros prepares DXS and mines, but the Tholian shield holds. Worse: a swarm of small ships emerges from the Tarantula. Lingua identifies them as Meshweavers, the new predators of this foretold battle.
Story
On the main screen, the stars seem to twist and stretch as a distortion begins to form, creating ripples in space. Tiny flashes of energy crackle along the edges of the distortion, adding an electric glow to the whole phenomenon. The image suddenly becomes clearer, revealing a disturbing silhouette taking shape in front of the Enterprise. My heart tightens, because an immense object appears. It is colossal, three to four times larger than the Enterprise, imposing and threatening.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Gulp! Did you see the size of that thing, Captain!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Do not let yourself be impressed, Mr. Corda. Hold position. Lingua, analyze the ship that just appeared.
Lingua
[beep] I detect no ship, Captain Rodriguez. However, the spatial abnormality before us is identical to the one I first encountered when I was on Schak'Irra. Analysis in progress... Searching all Federation databases for anomaly matches... One moment, please...
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Let me know when you have more.
Lingua
[beep] Matches found, Captain Rodriguez. The emissions are similar to illusions generated by certain entities of the Q continuum, but they are not quite identical.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Q!!! I knew that guy was shady!
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Who is Q?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Some kind of religious oligarch dressed in 16th-century fashion. I will explain later, Angie... Continue your analysis, Lingua!
Lingua
[beep] Captain Rodriguez, do not draw hasty conclusions. The phenomenon behind the appearance of this ship illusion has specific features similar to those used by the Q continuum, but it is not Q.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
It does not matter who it is. How do we erase this illusion?
Lingua
[beep] Ideally, further investigation would be required to find the being behind all this and communicate with her, but I fear we do not have time. Analysis in progress...
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
What are you still looking for, Lingua?
Lingua
[beep] Match found. Based on the spatial fluctuations, the illusion in front of us is catalogued as a massive Tarantula-class Tholian warship. It is equipped with a tetryon beam network, torpedo launchers, and accompanied by a flotilla of Widow Fighters and Meshweavers.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Thank you for the details, Lingua. Ensign Flores, open a communication channel to that, uh, ghost ship...
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Channel open, Captain. You may speak.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Foreign ship, you are in Terran space! We know your intentions are hostile! Leave this space immediately or we will open fire!!!
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
We are receiving a response, Captain.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Audio, Flores.
Tholian (Aragthonean)
...Skrrkk chlkkk tsssk zzzip sssschk...
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Ouch... Their voices are still just as unpleasant to hear!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Lingua, can you translate?
Lingua
[beep] Unfortunately, no, Captain Rodriguez. I do not perceive this communication as a language.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
You do not perceive it, or you do not understand it?
Lingua
[beep] Both at once, Captain. I am applying all known filters, but I obtain no conclusive result.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Captain! The Tholian ship is starting to emit a strong energy signature.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
It is about to fire on us!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Mr. Corda, evasive maneuver! Number One, prepare to return fire on my order! Flores, inform Vitos, Tal'Kyr, and the shuttles that we are engaging!
Although Mr. Corda executes my order quickly, the Tarantula fires first with an energy beam of colossal power that pierces the Enterprise's shield with ease and goes straight through the front of the saucer, tearing open a gaping breach. The blast is so powerful that the bridge's structural frames can be seen dislocating with the naked eye. Lingua immediately activates the sealed bulkheads and force fields, but from the very start, we are already in bad shape.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Fire at will!
As initially planned, the Enterprise, Tal'Kyr, and the shuttles coordinate to counter the enemy. Our beams strike the Tholian shield, but it does not give way.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Savea, prepare torpedoes. Flores, tell Vitos he can go into action with the DXS and the mines.
Lt. Charlene Savea (Operations)
Torpedoes loaded and ready to launch, Captain!
Ens. Emilie Flores (Communications)
Captain, Ensign Vitos is waiting for the target coordinates.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Lingua, send Vitos the coordinates of the Tarantula's vulnerable points.
Lingua
[beep] Coordinates sent, Captain Rodriguez.
Lt. Cmdr. Eric Corda (Pilot)
Wait! Look! Dozens of objects are emerging from the ship and heading straight for us!!!
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
That is their flotilla. Mr. Corda, cut through them in a zigzag! Lingua, what are the characteristics of those shuttles?
Lingua
[beep] Fluctuation analysis in progress... Match established... They are Meshweavers, Captain Rodriguez...