Plays Of Dark and Light
Posted on Monday September 26th, 2022 @ 1:00am by Lieutenant Commander Niali Deval Dr
Mission:
Shore Leave
Location: Bridge. USS Oberon
Timeline: Just prior to Shore Leave
All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”
– Swami Vivekananda.
“Begin Gamma shift”. Niali gave the command as the turbo lifts took the rest of the Delta shift crew to their beds, or someone else’s, or to the delights of the holodecks or maybe even a meal or drinks in one of the few bars on board the Oberon. The lights dimmed to approximate the nighttime shift as the newly promoted Niali took the big chair. Settling herself into the support that the Captain’s chair gave she watched as the crew went about their duties.
A myriad of colored lights flickered about, red, green, gold and orange as the consoles lit providing information to the crew about the status of the ship. The shift’s Science Officer Ensign Bala Delabe looked deep in thought at her console. “Everything alright Ensign Delabe?” Niali asked.
The Denobulan turned. “Yes sir, just tracking the asteroid field that passed us a while ago, there were some anomalous readings from the core that appeared to dictate the path of the field, very interesting.” She seemed to say as an afterthought mainly to herself. She smiled and Niali nodded in return. “Keep me informed Bala.” She said to the Denobulan as the officer returned to her work.
Niali’s gaze followed the beautiful sweep of the bridge to the view screen, and then out into the vasts of space the ships warp engines maintaining the Oberon’s speed as she cut through the stars. The fact that the darkness of space was black was a misnomer, space was full of light enhanced by the darkness. Billions of stars reflected by and in each other became one, lived for an instant and one short flash of glory and light and then died. Planets populated by billions of life forms across the galaxy came and went in an age that took eons and yet just a heartbeat. That was what Niali she loved about space.
For a second she felt the Thrum of the engines beneath the deck plate falter just for a second. “Conn?” She asked standing and walking towards the Lieutenant, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Lieutenant Picard looked up as the Trill’s fingers danced across the console. “No problem sir, I believe a small shift in the dilithium matrix. Engineering have it under control.”
“All the same drop out of warp and make sure engineering have it sorted before we continue?” She returned to the chair.
Picard nodded as she brought the ship out of warp. The slipstream of stars began to fade as the substance of the galaxy they were in began to firm up once again.
Niali glanced at the console to check if Captain Trensu had left any orders for them to carry out but there were none. She smiled at the small period of grace he had given her, breaking her in gently. She appreciated it but also wanted some action.
The bridge seemed alive to Niali, every console, every light atoms and molecules had its part to play in the dance of the universe filled with billions of galaxies and trillions of stars, along with nearly uncountable numbers of planets, moons, asteroids, comets and clouds of dust and gas – all swirling in the vastness of space; a space that they were now exploring.
“Sir engineering have cleared us to go to warp” declared Picard as she waited expectantly.
Niali stood and wandered to the viewscreen. “Warp two please.” She asked the Trill. She smiled, what should she say? ‘Hit it’, ‘engage’, ‘make it so. So many Captains and so many classics. For a moment she stalled then she returned to the chair and sat. “Let’s go.” She said and waited for the universe to once again return to the silver stream of warp.
