The RVH Venture embarks on its second mission. This time the Venture along with the rest of the ships of Task Force One becoming involved in a mission to restore Bajor to its rightful place in the 31st century Temporal Federation

Chapter Ten: Entering the Bubble, The Bubble Bursts

ON

< RVH Venture Shuttle-Approaching Bajor >;

Iana tapped the last of the commands in the console to send the Victory a message updating them on what was happening…

~" I could use all the help I can get, …she thought. Who knows what I will run into? "~

Iana was sitting in the copilot seat…

Carl Sanders piloted the shuttle

~" Nizzel says he is the best…"~

"What’s our ETA Sanders?"

" …30 minutes Lt. don’t worry… I’ve got this…You concentrate on your part… "

" I’ll get you there in one piece. "

"I trust you Sanders ... I'm just a bit ... uneasy"

"Just do what you have to do Lt."

Iana looked to the rear of the shuttle. Bathed in a purplish glow sat the Bajoran Orb of Time.

Iana looked at the Orb and began to mentally prepare herself for what she felt would be a difficult journey.

~" I have to intentionally initiate an Orb experience and enter the Fire Caves. "~

Iana mind scrutinized all the stories she had heard as a child of the Fire Caves the Pa-Wraiths…

The Pah-Wraith; evil beings who once enjoyed life with the Prophets and lived in the Celestial Temple enjoying all the joy and ecstasy that such a life entailed.

Iana had heard many times about how long ago, the Pah-wraiths were banished by the Prophets to the fire caves on planet Bajor and forbidden to return. The legend of the Koss'moran was one well known to all Bajorans and was used to frighten small children into behaving.

Though the legend was told to Iana as a child and though she had long outgrown her initial fear, she still felt trepidation.

After seeing the Pah-Wraith possessed Cardassians… the Lt. was not quite ‘scared to death’… but she was quite respectful of the power that was awaiting her.

Iana did not want to but she knew it was her duty to leave no stone unturned in the performance of her duties.

OFF:

--------------------

LaTrell Iana
Brigadier Colonel
Science Minister
Time Fleet Headquarters

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ON:

< Security Containment >

Selia walked back in forth in front of the containment field that held the two possessed Cardassians with a scanner. The transport had gone very well and both were still safely tucked away where they could do no harm.

"Shield integrity at 120%," Selia reported.

"How long do you think you can hold us here?’ One of the prisoners scoffed.

Selia was unmoved by the threat. "This field can hold you for as long as is needed."

Both Cardassians let out an evil laugh.

"You don’t know who you are dealing with," the other Cardassian said.

Selia continued her scans till she was satisfied. "I know all that I need to know." She barely glanced at the prisoners. "I am done here." She flipped the scanner closed and then turned to Chief Nizzal. "What about those on the bridge?" Selia asked Nizzal. "Shall they be transported into this field as well?"

OFF:
--------------------

Lieutenant Colonel Selia Organia
Chief Engineer
RVH venture;
Time Fleet

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ON:

< Security Containment >;

As the security team kept a careful eye, Selia walked back in forth in front of the containment field that held the two possessed Cardassians with a scanner. She reported the shield integrity at 120%. Satisfied, the team members still kept an eye, as a few others continued with their other duties. Selia spoke with the prisoners.

Nizzal shook her head. She pointed to an adjoining cell. "No. Beam those here. I don't want them to get together, as they might be able to devise a way to bring down the shields if they were all together."

Nizzal looked at the information the scanners were sending her about these possessed Cardassians. She made a face at the strange readings. She would keep a record for later review. Right now, she needed to keep an eye on other issues. She watched the shuttle and fighters as they moved on the scanners.


< RVH Venture Shuttle-Approaching Bajor >;

Carl Sanders piloted the shuttle. He had been told of the mission, and so was very careful in his approach to the planet. He looked up when Iana asked for an ETA.

"30 minutes Lt. don’t worry. I’ll get you there in one piece. "

He understood that. He silently nodded, even as he noticed the purple glow behind him. Bathed in a purplish glow sat the Bajoran Orb of Time.

As they continued to speak, Sanders guided the shuttle towards its destination.

<<Bridge, RVH Venture >;
Lt. Mylenko was busy keeping an eye on the two Cardassians still contained on the bridge. He waited to see if they would be beamed away as well. He would be glad when they were off the bridge. He had watched as the shuttle had launched, and kept a close eye on its trajectory. He was also glad to hear that the other ships were returning to the ship. He wasn't sure exactly what the folks in the shuttle had in mind, but he silently hopped that it would end the current situation.

<<On Bajor >;

The Marines on Major finally finished their assignments. Two stayed behind to watch for the incoming shuttle, while the others quickly made their way back to their ships, and back to the Venture.'

: OFF:
--------------------

First Lieutenant Nizzal chIS
Chief of Security;
RVH Venture;
Timefleet, UTFP

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ON:

< Main transporter room, USS Victory >

As soon as they materialized, Joella stepped off the platform. "Call medical at once," she said to the chief.

=^= Main transporter room to medical, emergency in transporter rooms one. =^=

=^= I am on my way, =^= Doctor Emma replied.

Joella knew Myia was in safe hands so she left straightaway to return to the bridge. =^=Back safe and sound Major, I am on my way. =^=

Joella stepped into the turbolift and gave the command. "Bridge"

The doors shut and the lift began its ascent.

OFF:
--------------------

Brigadier Colonel Joella Chariese
Dean of the Education Division;
Task Force One Commander;
Commanding Officer, USS Victory;
Time Fleet Division, UTFP

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ON

<<RVH Venture Shuttle Approaching the Fire Caves >;

Iana was meditating

She stood in front of her small personal shrine, having brought it from the Venture.

The shrine contained a small round plaque adorned with an emblem of the Prophets; a collection of candles surrounded the shrine and burned brightly.

Iana stood with her arms bent at right angles pointing away from her body, her hands facing the plaque.

She chanted softly trying to cleanse her mind of unnecessary thoughts and purify her spirit. There were no Priests to assist Iana in her ritual … but she remembered the rite from her childhood.

"We’re approaching the caves Lt. "

"Take us in Sanders … and say a prayer to whatever Gods you acknowledge to help us complete this mission."

Carl Sanders nodded slowly.

"Send a message to the Victory as well as the Venture … Let them know that we need support."

"Right Lt. we don’t want any Cardassians sneaking up on us when we are in the caves…"

"When we get ready to go we need a clear path out of here there’s no telling what we will encounter in the caves…"

"I’m on it LT."

"How’s communication’s Sanders?"

"Everything is at 100%. The Venture and the Victory are monitoring our every move…"

The shuttle moved smoothly into the caves…

There was a hellish red glow that emanated throughout the caves…

Iana walked slowly toward the rear of the shuttle and picked up the Orb.

A shock of energy coursed through her body and she trembled with the effort to focus herself on the task at hand.

Stepping off the shuttle Iana found herself surrounded by a cloud of fog


OFF:
--------------------

LaTrell Iana
Brigadier Colonel
Science Minister
Time Fleet Headquarters

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ON:

< Security Lock-up >

Selia tapped a few commands and then almost immediately the two Cardassians from the bridge materialized inside the second containment area.

"What have you done?" One of them scowled very loudly.

Selia smiled and scanned to make sure all was secure. "My job is don’t here Chief Nizzal. I shall inform the Commander." She bowed her head and then turned to leave.

< Bridge >

A few minutes later Selia stepped out of the lift onto the bridge. She walked to her station and tapped a few commands to disengage the now empty containment field. "All the prisoners are secure Commander," she reported.

"Excellent," the Commander said.

Selia took her bridge station and resumed monitor all her vital ship functions.

The communications officer then relayed a message from the modified shuttle that was a request for assistance. Considering the situation, it was assumed it would be security assistance of some kind. Selia did a brief rundown to see if there was anyway she could be of help to those on the planet. At the moment, there was nothing she could do so she would just continue to monitor the situation.

OFF:
--------------------

Lieutenant Colonel Selia Organia
Chief Engineer
RVH venture;
Time Fleet

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ON:

< Bridge USS Victory >

Joella stepped onto the bridge and was welcomed straightaway.

"Hey glad to see you back," Jesse said with considerable relief. "We didn’t know what happened to you…"

Joella walked to her chair and sat down. "What’s going on?"

"The Venture…I mean the shuttle that has the orb of time they are requesting assistance." The communications officer said.

Joella pulled her console forward and activated it. "Send this to Sub-Lieutenant Iana. Time is running out- you must hurry. We shall keep an eye on you and will pull you our at the first sigh of trouble, but we cannot send anyone down."

"Yes Colonel," the officer quickly relayed the message.

Joella wiped her forehead. "What’s with our Cardassian friends?"

Jesse changed the forward display to show the minefield area scan. "Two hours tops and they will be through and to make matters worse, the bubble has expanded another AU in size and another battleship has joined the group trying to get through."

Joella began to drum with her fingers. "Fighters?"

"They are on round the clock patrols," Operations reported. "Two pilots out there at all times."

Joella tapped her console on to bring up a detailed grid of the area. "Fine, let’s hope the Lieutenant can convince those prophets in time or else…." Right now Joella wasn’t quite sure herself. ~ Come on LaTrell. ~

OFF:
--------------------

Brigadier Colonel Joella Chariese
Dean of the Education Division;
Task Force One Commander;
Commanding Officer, USS Victory;
Time Fleet Division, UTFP

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On

<<Bajor-Fire Caves >;

Iana looked around and the fog began to dissipate.

" Why are you here? " Said Captain Mnheia? --- Walking out of her ready room.

"She wants our help" … replied Sub-Commander Organia sliding out from under an engineering console.

" We need for Bajor to be returned to its original time-line. " Said Iana.

"You are our children"… replied Iana’s mother standing by the ancestral home on Bajor.

"Children need to be cared for" …spoke Iana’s Father from the pilot’s seat of his freighter.

"We are not children" … said Iana…

"We are adults and we need to live our own lives … take our own chances …even against the Borg "

"We haven’t forgotten you … how could we? We honor you and worship you though some in the quadrant say you are only Alien beings…"

"But we know different … you are Gods to us … through millennium … you have cared for us and our faith in you has brought us through the darkest time in our history. The Occupation … We survived because of our faith…"

"We are not children to be shielded or punished and sent to our rooms"

"Let us grow up … we will never stop loving you … you will always be our Gods … but we need to move on … how can we grow if you won’t trust us … let us become more than children to you…"

"Children have no will against their parents "

"Let our love be given freely … "

Iana’s face was covered with tears as she pleaded from her heart for her Planet, her people and perhaps even more if the ‘bubble’ did not stop it’s expansion…

"She speaks the truth " … said Colonel Chariese and Captain West together as they exited the turbolift onto the Bridge of the Victory.

"Children must grow up"… said Nizzel as she swung her bat'leth around her head.

"Let them exceed their programming ", spoke Tesla from her alcove.

"Much can be learned from the children" … voiced Major Angel passing a data chip to the Archivist.

"Release them" boomed the rich baritone voice of Benjamin Sisko … the Emissary…


Suddenly Iana was surrounded by a bright light … she saw a fierce red glow coming closer and closer. She heard the unearthly scream of the Pah-Wraith as they tried in vain to reach her.

The Pah-Wraith were screaming and flying toward Iana as she stood in a circle of vibrant energy…

The Prophets began to gather around Iana and seemed to infuse her with their might…

Suddenly one enormous beam of red energy reached through the barrier of white light. Striking Iana in her chest and knocking her to the ground ... senseless

The Prophets gathered strength ... they surrounded the Pah-Wraiths gathering them all and confining them behind a pulsing energy field

They simultaneously extracted the Pah-Wraith on board the Venture who had possessed the unsuspecting Cardassians.

The Prophets contained and once again banished the Pah-Wraith to the farthest reaches of the Fire Caves.

The malevolent screams of the fiery beings reverberated throughout the caves. The sound reached the caves entrance over a kilometer away to assault the ears of the shuttle pilot Carl Sanders and sent cold chills down his spine.

"It is done" … said all the voices together as the Prophets turned as one and walked down a forest path….

Iana lay unconscious on the floor of the Fire Caves … unaware of the universe itself.

Carl Sanders ran deep into the Fire Caves leaving the shuttle on stand-by… the Orb of Time was no where to be seen …and he heard what seemed to be angry screams from far away. Looking around he saw Lt. LaTrell curled up in the fetal position on the floor of the caves…

" She looks dead…"

He ran over and felt for a pulse.

" It’s faint…"

Picking up the Science Officer he hurried back to the shuttle…

Sanders boarded the shuttle and strapped Iana into the copilots’ seat … He launched the shuttle and made straight away for the Venture.

=/\= Sanders here … Lt. LaTrell is unconscious… her pulse is very weak … come in Venture or Victory =/\=


OFF:
--------------------

LaTrell Iana
Brigadier Colonel
Science Minister
Time Fleet Headquarters

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ON:

< Bridge, USS Victory >

The ship to ship Comm crackled to lift.

Joella responded right away. "Who is in better position us or the Venture?"

The operations officer did a quick calculation. "We are Colonel."

"Good, get a lock on that ship." Was Joella’s quick reply.

A tractor beam shot out and quickly locked on the shuttle.

Joella was about to issue another order when the current science officer on the bridge called out with an urgent message.

"Colonel, something is happening to the temporal field. It is collapsing."

Joella and Jesse exchanged glances.

"Are you certain?" Joella asked.

The science officer rechecked the data. "Certain."

Joella threw Jesse a worried look. "Get that shuttle in here quick. Recall all fighters!"

"Right away." Jesse said as he sorted out the command.

=^= Attention all hands, prepare yourself the temporal field is collapsing. =^= Jesse called out.

Joella forgot about her console and flipped the science station data on the main forward display. "Notify the Venture that we are taking on their shuttle till the collapse is done."

"Aye."

Joella wanted to smile but she knew that things were not back to normal…quite yet. The next few minutes would determine the future of Bajor forever.

OFF:
--------------------

Brigadier Colonel Joella Chariese
Dean of the Education Division;
Task Force One Commander;
Commanding Officer, USS Victory;
Time Fleet Division, UTFP

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On:

<<RVH Venture, Security >;

Nizzal smirked as she looked at the four Cardassians that were being held. She bet that they would have a story to tell, if they ever were released from the wraith beings. She turned, and was about to leave when suddenly there was a very blinding red flash from the containment areas. When Nizzal was able to see again, the Cardassians were unconscious on the floor of the containment area. Scanner readings showed something had changed. Had the Wraiths left? Nizzal contacted Mylenko.

<<RVH Venture, Fighters Bay >;

The last group of fighters reported what had happened on the planet. The other shuttle had made it there fine. It was seen just before they left the area. It also seemed that the Marines that had been sent down were very busy indeed. As they replenished their ships, the flight commanders checked in.

<<RVH Venture, Bridge >;

Lt. Mylenko was busy, his desk lit up with all the various reports that were being filtered through his station. After a quick call, he reported to the Captain.

"Captain, Security reports that something has happened to the Wraiths. They seemed to have left their Cardassian hosts."

As he had finished reporting that bit of news, a message was picked up from the planet below.

<<Bajor, Fire Caves >;
Shuttle pilot Carl Sanders heard a scream from inside the cavern. He took off running through the caverns, ignoring the images around him, as he searched for LaTrell. He found her lying unconscious on the floor.

He went over to her, and quickly scanned her for injuries while he felt for a pulse.
He detected a faint pulse. Picking up the Science Officer he hurried back to the shuttle.

Sanders boarded the shuttle and strapped Iana into the copilots’ seat … He launched the shuttle and made straight away for the Venture.

Sanders made a new record, as he left the planets surface, heading back for the Venture.

: OFF:
--------------------

First Lieutenant Nizzal chIS
Chief of Security;
RVH Venture;
Timefleet, UTFP

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ON:

< Bridge >

Selia was busy at her station when all of a sudden mass confusion broke out.

"Commander the field is collapsing!" one officer called out.

A message from security indicated the Cardassians were no longer possessed.

Commander Mnheia began to issue orders left and right.

"Commander, I have word the Victory has pulled in the shuttle with a tractor beam," the communications officer reported.

Selia tapped into the general sensors so she could get a better read on what was going on.

"A massive fluctuation in Chronoton particles," someone else called out.

~ What is happening? ~ Selia thought. ~ Why is this field collapsing? ~ Temporal shielding holding Commander," she called out to reassure everyone that despite all, the ship would remain safe.

"All fighters return at once!" came the next order.

Selia checked the containment fields. They were still in place although the prisoners were no unconscious. =^= What is going on? =^= Selia asked N’Vek.

=^= Everything is stable down here, sub commander Selia, =^= N’Vek reported. =^= We are holding our own against the collapse. =^=

=^= Good, keep me updated. =^= Selia closed the channel and then watched as the events continued unfold in the space around them.

OFF:
--------------------

Lieutenant Colonel Selia Organia
Chief Engineer
RVH venture;
Time Fleet

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On:

A message appeared on the operations console a few minutes after the bubble had collapsed.

Off:

--------------------

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ON:

< Bridge >

Cheers rang out across the bridge as normal space-time was restored and all was right in the universe again. The Commander received the joint messages from the Major General White and Brigadier Colonel Chariese. It was time the Venture went back home with the rest of the task force.

The Cardassians had vanished back to their time as soon as the bubble burst and shortly thereafter the containment fields that held them were deactivated.

All fighters and Marines were accounted for and it was time to go.

"Prepare to get underway," The Commander ordered.

"Yes, Commander," helm replied.

All the bridge officers except LaTrell, who was on the USS Victory in their sick-bay, were now present.

"Let's go home."

The helmsman plotted the course.

"Engage," Mnheia said.

Them following in suit, the Venture maneuvered away from Bajor and soon vanished into the swirling slip-stream corridor which would take the ship back to its home base at Timefleet headquarters on Gibraltar.

OFF:

The mission is over.
--------------------

Lieutenant Colonel Selia Organia
Chief Engineer
RVH venture;
Time Fleet