S03Ep03 Flux

"As soon as a potential exists for an object to be in any state, 'the universe of that object transmutes into a 'series of parallel universes equal to the number of possible states in which that the object can exist, with each universe containing a unique single possible state of that object."

- Excerpt from Theory of Superimposition Radicals. Professor Richard Barlow. 2392

S03Ep03 Flux is the third episode in Star Trek Eternity's Season 3. It is the followup episode to S03Ep02 Superposition and precedes S03Ep04 Nexus. In the episode, the Eternity multiverse is explored by the different quantum states of each character while Oscar Blackthrone and those on the "True," Eternity contend to not only stablize the universe but also venture beyond The Void.

Prologue
"I hate time travel."

-Owen Scott to Calmest. S03Ep03 Flux

The episode begins in a Preface written by FSF Gabe describing the theory and the explanation for the Eternity multiverse creation at the conclusion of S02Ep12 Sons of Eternity as well as the existence of the Superposition Universe. Further explanation was conducted openly.

Eventually, however, the story continued with Rick Barlow waking up in the Eternity's Conference Room; the wound inflicted by Gerrick six years ago bandaged up by, who he can assume given the evidence around him, Dr. Brett Reese. For a moment, he is alone until visited by Joanna Jamieson, a woman who, in Rick's mind, died but according to Joanna had lived a lifetime with her wife Sarah Jamieson and Aeryn. Both Rick and Joanna had the memories of their past lives even though those lives played out well beyond six years into the future. Not knowing exactly what was going on, and noting that main power was out, Barlow suggests that they travel together towards Engineering.

Meanwhile, either on the same Eternity or an Eternity in a parallel reality, Talla Vreenak lives and is in conversation with other Talla Vreenaks from different Eternity universes trying, as Rick and Joanna, to understand what has happened. They purpose that their present circumstances make evident that they are at the center of the catastrophe with the detonation of the Tachyon Core in S02Ep12 Sons of Eternity. They conclude to begin there even though the ship is not running, there are five of them that can work the solution together.

In Main Engineering, six years ago after the Tachyon Core explosion, Marisol Hocevar tries desperately to rewrite the past though each attempt failing as she bounced back and forth out of sync with any current realities. Meanwhile Owen Scott and Calmest communicating through at first, mind resonance but later through an earpiece. With Calmest help, and many months of travel, Owen Scott traverses the many quantum realities of the collapsing multiverse.

Empty Eternity
"This place has been created by forces beyond my control to try to restore some balance before all is lost."

- Guardian of Forever to Oscar Blackthrone. S03Ep03 Flux

After a close encounter and injury with a cannibalistic version of himself in a random quantum flux, Rick Barlow along Joanna Jamieson reach Sickbay finding Scott Davis waking up shouting orders to warp making clearly evident that he too retains the memories of the six year future timeline. It isn't long before a battle worn and survivalist Owen Scott enters the Sickbay after his long stretch with traversing the many quantum realities.

Elsewhere, either on the same Eternity or a parrelle one, Oscar Blackthrone wakes to the voice of the Guardian of Forever, the device he used initially to cross the threshold from his home timeline/universe to the Superposition Universe. Now, again in the thrones of time and space collapsion, the Guardian of Forever once again saves Oscar from catastrophe and shows him his role in fixing the balance of the universe to make it stable again.

Back in Sickbay, Rick, Joanna, Owen, Calmest, and Scott discuss the nature of the situation now that they know it's not just time but rather alternate realities they are dealing with. Barlow, whose past experiences had netted him an understanding of Quantum Theory, suggests that the Eternity, the Empty Eternity, they are currently in is the center and most stable of the universes and that the other universe, like moving bubbles, are running into the center, collapsing and damaging it. Its also theorized that not only is the Empty Eternity center, but that all universes collapsing is drawn to it's stability, marking this reunion not accidental but cosmically evident. Though, it's associated to continue to go to Main Engineering, Barlow begins to have his doubts. It isn't long into the conversation about Calmest's ties to the ship that Henry Okafor walking into Sickbay.

Stabilized for a moment, the four try to make heads or tails out of the situation. It's suggested that the explosion 6 years ago in the Delta Quadrant was the catalyst and that the Eternity had crossed thresholds of energy far greater than thought possible; perhaps even creating the situation. Rick's suggestion however that the Void outside the viewport isn't a void so much as the trapped accelerated Tachyon Particles caught in the NanoFibril hull is cut off as another flash rips across Sickbay.

Mirror Eternity
"Captain James Maxwell?"

- Lieutenant Anam Farooqi to Captain James Maxwell. S03Ep03 Flux

In another universe, in the future, Overseer Anam Farooqi sits on the Imperial Starfleet's pride, the ISS Eternity moments before the universe begins to unravel before him. Almost instantly after the calamity, Anam stands onboard the Bridge of the ISS Eternity during the battle to hold Earth from the Cardassian/Klingon Alliance. Under command of Captain James Maxwell, the ISS Eternity continues to battle against the Alliance Fleet and Regent Flagship before the standoff is issued between the Captain and Lieutenant. Convinced, however, that Anam isn't a spy of some sort, he orders the Lieutenant to helm, relieving his former helmsman Sarah Jamieson.

In another reality either parallel or disregarding entirely, the Vreenaks try desperately to communicate with Marisol Hocevar, noting that the young engineer's endeavors to bring back the Eternity is involving the fusion cores. They hypothesis an explosion, capable of knocking off the residual charge trapped in the Eternity's hull; though, it's uncertain to what effect that will yield. Ambassador Vreenak resolves to communicate, trying to get Marisol's attention with words, most familiar....,

The five that were together in Sickbay are scattered after the quantum flux rips across Sickbay. In between realities, each of the former five experiences a different reality. Through these shifts, Joanna is able to see Sarah, a brief conversation but uplifting while Scott Davis appears onboard the ISS Eternity's Sickbay, the facility enraged by the flurry of chaos surrounding.

Eventually Rick Barlow, Owen Scott, Scott Davis, Henry Okafor, and Joanna Jamieson find themselves back in Sickbay; though, a facility in the thrones of war. Battle wages outside of this Eternity, the ISS Eternity, the battle to hold Earth from the Alliance well shifting towards the Alliance's side. In the grips of sudden confusion, still grabbling with the former quantum flux, Rick Barlow begins to hear the voice of Oscar Blackthrone; a communication that spans across time and space via the Guardian of Forever but one that is laten with confusion to Rick who thinks himself ether mad with insanity or the voice being a side effect of the fluxes. Either way, the Captain is forced into leaving the Sickbay amidst the chaos by the five who venture into a nearby turbolift.

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Captain James Maxwell orders the Eternity to break through the Alliance's line of offense, taking the ship forward towards the Regent's Flagship. In concert with the neural interface, Anam Farooqi converses with Calmest who, do to his tie with all the Eternities, is able to pick up the familiar "sense," of Anam. Though words are spoken, Anam concludes that, due to the nature of the relationship Calmest had with Gabriel "Matrix" Logan and the events that took place in the Superposition Universe, that he could not trust the AI's words. As the ISS Eternity tears into the Alliance Fleet, it's shields failing and the death toll rising, James Maxwell activates the Eternity's Tachyon Core, disengaging the safety measures. In a grimace of vile he issues that if the Terrain Empire can't have Earth, than no one can.

The five in the turbolift is quickly joined by Rostham of whom joined after materializing in the Sickbay's CMO Office. Joanna has a quick brush with Sarah again, though, the Sarah from the Mirror Universe. During the ride, Barlow confesses that he is hearing Blackthrone; though, his suggestion that it's a side effect lands passingly as the conversation drifts to the whereabouts of Gabriel "Matrix" Logan, the man who could have possibly orchestrated everything; unbelievable as that would be. The lift comes to a close and the doors open and there, standing in front of it is Amelia Moore.

Barlow loses himself in this moment of reunion with the woman he remembered being his wife. In the embrace he weeps before noticing the Guardian of Forever's sudden appearance not far down the hallway. The stone archway glows as a cloudy mist emanates from the opening. Within that opening, Oscar Blackthrone motions for them to enter. Just as Rick questions the validity of the apparition, polling the others to see if they could see it, the fabric of space and time begin again to flux. Rather than be separated again by the quantum flux, Barlow orders everyonet to jump through just as the ISS Eternity is destroyed in a self detonated Tachyon explosions.

The Guardian in the Eye of a Storm.
"Welcome one and all to the eye of the hurricane."

- Lieutenant Oscar Blackthrone to the Gate Travelers

Destablization of time and space continue across the quantum universes created in the wake of the Eternity's initial tachyon core explosion, a process that has ripped asunder many crew into different aspects of a destabilized reality. Separated and, "out of sync," with others experience a bevy of her own quantum selves across the gamete. A prostitute in one reality marked by another time where she was merely 22 an Engineer aboard her old ship, the Repulse. wherein Talla Vreenak manages to reach out to her, break her from her desynchronization and bring her back to an Eternity more stabilized.

Meanwhile, Rick Barlow and the gang growing most exponentially with new arrivals including Anam Farooqi, arrive on an Eternity that, supported by the plaque establishment of the lounge they reside in, was commissioned in 2410. It was this Eternity that the Guardian of Forever and Oscar Blackthrone pulled them to as it is the most stablized of the infinite quantum Eternities. Finding somewhat safty in this Uroboros Lounge, Oscar Blackthrone lays out the situation as he sees it; though, Rick speculates that time's wound goes deeper. Whether it be the cause of Gabriel "Matrix" Logan's endeavour to destabilize the universe grows into question as Rick speculates that the only entity capable of shifting events in such a manner with such precision is that of the Legacy and the last person connected to it, James Maxwell. This revelation ignites outburst from Joanna Jamieson who issues forth that she's had enough; though, hysterical as it is, the outcry is later confined as Owen Scott steps forward, the task of fixing the destabilization needing more a direct attention.

Barlow keeps silent while Lieutenant Blackthrone explains the solution. Each member of the team will separate, moving into a reality of another Eternity before the events of Hope's last mission. The objective is to destroy these Eternities before their Tachyon Cores ignite as the excess build up of these accelerated particles are the cause of the destabilization.

To Be Continued...,

Read the ongoing narrative at: http://forums.simming.net/viewtopic.php?f=741&t=64823