S03Ep02 Superposition

"He promised.., had me writing pages of content to prepare.., and then.., he took it all away!" - Marisol Hocevar's Author to Marisol Hocevar. S03Ep02 Superposition

S03Ep02 Superposition is the second episode of Star Trek Eternity's Season 3. It started on Jan 30, 2015 and found conclusion on April 12, 2015. It continues the narrative from the previous episode and serves as the conclusion to those events depicted in the Superposition Universe.

Prologue
The episode opens with Gabriel "Matrix" Logan and the Liberated onboard the stolen Eternity, having gone through torture at the hands of the Federation and it's continued course to understand the C-Consciousness. Ambassador Talla Vreenak and Commander Owen Scott remain imprisoned, the Romulan vessel they currently reside in on the cusp of being abandoned wherein they will be transfered onboard the Eternity. Meanwhile, Marisol Vreenak meets Lieutenant Janelle James after the Hope intercepts her craft.

On course to the Ildius System themselves, newly reinstated Captain Rick Barlow, his wife Amelia Barlow, and Aegis Agent Henry Okafor are waylaid by Gracchus as they enter close to the Milar System.

The Reunion
"By my stars and garters, we have an assemblage, don't we?"

- Calmest to Senior Staff. S03Ep02 Superposition

Firing up the cloaking device left aboard her, Hope enters the Milar System eventually it tracks the actions of the Gracchus and runs to intercept finding it attacking a civilan Aegis Cruiser. Before assement of the situation can progress any further, Calmest invades the Hope's communication systems, making the Hope's cloak irrelevant. His claims of knowing the location of Marisol's husband is ignored as the Aegis Cruiser is further damaged. Hope's intervention saves the Aegis Cruiser with little trade of fire back and forth as Marisol, through talk with the Gracchus' Captain, Baalock, managing to turn the enemy into an escort back to Ildius.

The Aegis Cruiser is processed as it enters Hope's hold. Deck hands and Security Officers enter the ship discovering the crew and Captain Barlow who makes the declaration that he and the crew of the Aegis Cruiser are on a mission from Starfleet and that he needs to speak with the Hope's Captain, the two meeting after Marisol's talk with Captain Baalock concludes. They meet in the Ready Room, and the former Hope's Captain divulges what information he and the Aegis investigation has learned of the stolen Eternity and shows her further the video feed of the three Romulan vessels at the opening moments of the battle at Ildius Prime. He points out that these ships have NanoFibril hull, a technology that only the Eternity, to his mind, utilized. Rick further speculates that whoever started this war are the same people that stole the Eternity and that the only lead they had was Gerrick and the Crimson Knife. After stating that they were on their way to the Garid System, as it's the last location of the former Syndicate's Red King a senior staff meeting is called encompassing both the Command crew of Hope, the Chief posts of the Aegis, and further Calmest to explain the next course of the Hope which concludes with a rush to Garid.

Memory
"What is the first thing you remember of you're return Home...,"

- Gabriel "Matrix" Logan to Owen Scott and Talla Vreenak. S03Ep02 Superposition

At nearly the same time as the old crew of Eternity were finding reunion with one another, the Mogi Class Romulan cruiser meets with the Eternity, the former ship scuttled so that not a trace could be brought back. Tall Vreenak and Owen Scott are brought aboard the Eternity, subsequently in continued incarceration. Calmest, in concert with Gabriel "Matrix" Logan continues to vie for acceptance of the two in relationship and being, "touched," by the C-Consciousness. Despite this, Logan first, orders the interogation of Talla Vreenak, the Destroyer, trying to gain insight into Vreenak Omega I as to not repeat history. Vreenak's refusal marks the mechanical extractor derived by technologies developed by Project DREAM to procure Vreenak's memories. In investigating the extract data, Logan discovers that Vreenak's memory is spotty and much of the timeline crafted by these memories are missing gaps. In comparison of that memory to his own, Logan develops a radical hypothesis towards the revelation that perhaps the reality they currently reside in isn't actually real.

Despite his mangled body, Logan leaves the Eternity's Ready Room and walks to the holding cells to meet personally with Owen and Vreenak. In talk with Owen however, who is not able to fish from his mind details from his past life, it taken to the extractor where his memories are taken and rendered into the timeline. Once again, in concert with Logan, Calmest professes that Logan is acting in vengeance rather than in association to the plan to rebuild the C-Consciousness. To this, Logan mandates that he is still acting within the best interest of that goal; though, to himself, he is unsure that his actions are of his own.

Captain Barlow, taking the Command Seat
"Captain Vreenak is a woman whose nature may at times be regarded as..., impetuous. Yet, over the years of our association, a trust was forged.  Am I to assume that you shall act in her stead?  Are you the guardian of that trust?"

- Fleet Commander Tomalak to Captain Rick Barlow. S03Ep02 Superposition

At the near conclusion of the meeting, and not wanting to trust Calmest, Captain Rick Barlow tries his level best to appeal to the AI's story by applying that Calmest should help Hope and her crew understand what they are getting into. If the AI can be nearly everywhere at once, then why not seed some of that intelligence about the situation in the Garidian System. Calmest takes the bait and begins to stream data into a partition of the ship's computer. It was with hope that this data stream would be the means of localizing Calmest's location within the network; however, the plan does not find success. Still, Hope presses onward to Garid.

As the Senior Staff meeting is finding conclusion, Hope's Operations Manager radios the Captain proclaiming that there is a Romulan Colonel on the Bridge. Marisol then meets with the Vriha Kholhr, a Tal Shair Agent. Her presence is not associated in happenstance with information afforded. Col. Kholhr gives Captain Vreenak a message, the front word "Sahe'lagge," (Passion Flower) a word passed privately between the Vreenaks notes the importance of the message as one from Marisol's husband, Talla Vreenak in the event of his death, whether substantiated or speculated. In the note left, Talla Vreenak imposes that Colonel Kholhr is there to serve, within whatever capacity is deemed necessary. That he is saddened that it is all that he can offer. After reading the message, finding that it's tone and rhythm familiar enough to be legitimately from her husband, Marisol hires Henry Okafor, another source of potential intelligence.

Eventually, Hope's arrival on the outskirts of Garid is met with Toshi, Captain of the Romulan warbird Morning Star. Hope is escorted deeper into the system where it's met once again by Fleet Commander Tomalak's ship and the mobilized remnants of the fallen Romulan Empire. It is settled to be good news and Marisol Vreenak's intention to beam over is quickly circumvented at the initiation of the process. A protocol, buried in lines of code by Calmest created the avenue for when someone's initiation of the transporter and use would lead to that individual being beamed into the vacuum of space. In this way, Marisol was ejected, cast out into open space all be in momentarily due to the quick effort of Hope's crew. She's injured by this, nearly blinded and put into care of Dr. Brett Reese and her medical staff. Before her transport into the vaccum of space; however, Marisol transfered command to another Captain, Rick Barlow. Once again, Rick was CO of Hope under situations and events most grulling.

Tomalak beams over to Hope, using his ship's own systems, and meets with Acting Commanding Officer Rick Barlow, to discuss the nature and Rick's intentions with Hope now that he was in command. Rick's expression is that of transparency, telling the Romulan Fleet Commander everything of his and Aegis's Agent Henry Okafor's investigation into the disappearance of Eternity and further leads into journeying to the Garid Sector. When asked where his alligances stands, Rick professes that the two tasks of finding out who was responsible for instigating the Romulan/Federation War that now threatens to rip apart the two governments and those responsible behind the theft of Eternity are the same. in responds to this, Tomalak conveys all intelligence gathered on Gerrick and Gabriel "Matrix" Logan and gives Hope and Rick's investigation a 24 hour window in the system.

Tomalak leaves and Rick prepares an Away Team to take to the surface of Garid 5.

The Horrors of Understanding
"..., I am the monster."

- Gabriel "Matrix" Logan to Calmest. S03Ep02 Superposition

The surface of Garid 5 is flooded with refugees, both military and civilian, seeking sanctuary from the war torn battlefields of the Romulan/Federation war. Rick Barlow and his Away Team comprised of Colonel Kholhr, Agent Henry Okafor, Master Sergeant Rostham, and, later, Anam Farqooi, who had been with the humanitarian aid on Ildius Prime when the first shots were fired and the former Romulan Senate was overthrown. Through Anam's contacts, Rick Barlow and his team meet up with the remnants of the fallen Syndicate, his team waylaid by Liberated. Confessing the need to only talk, Rick is led further into the Ruins on Garid 5, the ancient forgotten relics of the fallen Chodak empire. Deeper still, the Away Team meets with Gerrick whose outward apperances and sickly nature derive more than his confession of his approaching death. In questioning, Gerrick tells Barlow of Gabriel "Matrix" Logan, and how, when they returned home six years ago, mankind had taken apart the Liberated much as they did with the Eternity; all within the hopes of understanding the technology behind both the Eternity and the C-Consciousness: Project Dream. He speaks of a Kyle Martin, who noted that some of the more Tranquil of Liberated could communicate with one another in sleep. This exploration into understanding led to a slew of Liberated dying during experimentation into the investigation. Even though Logan had slain Dr. Martin and most of those responsible, once again being a messiah and a leader among those strong enough to rise up, the Federation had created an artificial C-Consciousness, a necessary element in creating the new Eternity, a living ship. There is a connection between the Borg and the C-Consciousness, they are draw to it, as he says, "like moths to a flame," able to hear it and feel it no matter how great the distances. This drew Logan and those he saved to steal the Eternity, to steal the C-Consciousness. In finalizing his confession, Gerrick confirms Barlow's suspicions that Calmest is working in league with Logan.

Nearly at the same time while the Away Team questions Gerrick, another series of events take place. Marisol Vreenak wakes, blind but given the gift of sight via surgical implants and Gabriel "Matrix" Logan, who has questioned whether his actions are his own after comparing Owen Scott's memory and Talla Vreenak's memory via the DREAM extraction device, concludes after comparing his own memory, his hypothesis. In this hypothesis, he deviates from the plan outlined to nurture the C-Consciousness, to bring it back as it once was, and tests said hypothesis.

In a burst transmission, using the many relays hijacked by the Eternity and Calmest, interrupting all feeds within the Ildius and Garidian Sectors of space, Gabriel "Matrix" Logan publicly executes Talla Vreenak and Owen Scott.

This act sets off a chain of further events. The hidden nature of Eternity is revealed, the entire seeded nature of Logan and his people's actions in creating the means to instigate the Federation/Romulan War is uncovered and Marisol Vreenak contacts Antonia Edu, reinstating Hope and her official recognition of status and urging Starfleet to withdraw from the Ildius Sector. However quick Edu reacts however..., it is not quick enough.

The Countdown Begins
"Uh sir, I found him."

- Scott Davis to Commander Mahoney. S03Ep02 Superposition

The Eternity enters the Garid 5 airspace, greeted by Hope and crew as well as what is left of the Romulan Fleet. Gabriel "Matrix" Logan sits at the bridge of the massive ship, his intentions unknown as the ship creeps forward towards the planet. Hope moves close to the Eternity, its size being dwarfed in an equatable circumstance like David versus Goliath. Captain Vreenak demands answers to why Logan killed her husband, killed Owen, vengeance seeding in her words. At the same time, Calmest, the AI who was caught off guard by Logan's actions, all too demands answers. To this, Logan gives only one responds as he initiates the Eternity's twin Tachyon Cores to redline, the resulting explosion capable of ripping apart Garid and the Ildius Sectors of space.

With sensors picking up the build up of accelerated Tachyon particles, the cores' duties of regulating such intense energy going unchecked, Captain Vreenak orders non-essentials and civilians to abandon ship. Scott Davis coordinates the efforts along with Hope and a stream of aircraft and external shuttlepods break from the Hope. Meanwhile, a call is placed to the Away Team who are stuck in limbo due to the influx of chaos surrounding Garid 5 airspace, the call pressing the order to not return to Hope. Though it is an order given by the CO of Hope, Oscar Blackthrone and Col. Kholhr return to the ship via beam out. The rest are left to help with the evacuation efforts as those that hadn't the ability to warp out of the system land on the surface of the nearby planet.

Meanwhile, in the airspace above, Marisol Vreenak devises the plan, suicidal at best, to stifle the brunt of the Tachyon explosion by using the two warp cores on Hope, ejecting them to bounce back the concussive force of the coming apocalyptic event. The plan is put into action as nearly all of Hope's crew depart either to the surface of Garid 5 or trying desperately to warp out with Scott Davis and the Captain's yacht. However fool hardy the move of desperation was, however pointed the effect, the Eternity was ripped asunder creating a massive explosion that not only destroyed Hope and her crew but also created a black hole.

This vortex expanded, swallowing up planets and stars.

Epilogue: "The Lives We Build"
"To serve the greater narrative."

- Marisol Hocevar's Author in discussion of The Writer. S03Ep02 Superposition

The epilogue takes a twist and is in the field of perception of Captain Marisol Vreenak who, despite being destroyed in the explosion and pulled into the black hole wakes to find herself in concert with an older version of herself. This older version expresses herself to be Marisol's and Colin Byrne's Writer and that she had pulled Marisol from the Story because she had been lied to by Gabriel "Matrix" Logan's Writer. She offers Marisol happiness outside the narrative which, despite her previous understanding, will always be commanded by the being known as The Writer. Marisol's Writer offers up a chance for Marisol to live outside the narrative as Captain of the Repulse but when Marisol asks if she will remember anything in this happily ever after and to that answer she's given a no; she ultimately decides to return to the Story, to the narrative and into the unknown in the hopes that whatever universe she ultimately finds herself in, it's one that Talla Vreenak still remembers the love they had.

Transcripts
To read the transcript of this episode: CLICK HERE (406 pages)