Conduit Has Closed-Now What?

Posted on Mon Apr 13th, 2026 @ 2:15pm by Admiral Deela T'Lar & Lieutenant JG Paul Harrison & Colonel Ezekiel Bagwell & Lieutenant JG Deezell Vox

927 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 120 - Guardian at the Gate
Location: USS Essex
Timeline: Current

ON:

Everyone from the Essex and the other ships were trying to figure out how to get the conduit open again. Engineering called up to the bridge, "Engineering to bridge, Valdez here. I had an idea that I'd like to suggest. We can attempt a graviton shear pulse. Think of it as a gravitational crowbar. It’s risky, but it might re‑establish the boundary layer. If that doesn't work, I have a couple more ideas."

Deela looked over at Vox, "What do you think? I'm willing to try anything at this point."

"Hmm definitely a risky gamble but in theory it's possible. We would need seriously charged up the graviton emitters." Vox replied.

"I guess that it's my call then." Deela sighed, "Do it"

“Charging graviton emitters. Targeting last known aperture coordinates.”

The deck plates hum. A low vibration ripples through the ship — the kind that made everyone sit a little straighter. Ops reported, “Pulse at ninety percent… ninety‑five… full charge.

Valdez voice again could be heard on the comms, “Admiral, ready on your command.”

Deela stood up, praying that this would work, “Fire!”

A brilliant cone of shimmering energy lances out from the Essex’s forward emitters, striking the empty coordinates where the conduit once existed. The viewscreen distorts, rippling like heat over pavement.

Science calls out, “Admiral, we’re getting subspace deformation… minor… holding…”

The ripple intensifies for a moment as hope flickers across the bridge.Then the distortion collapses. Hard. The pulse dissipates into nothing. Science shakes their head. “No aperture formation. No boundary layer response. It’s like the conduit isn’t there to be manipulated.”

Ops adds quietly, “No reflection, no resonance. The pulse just… vanished.”

A beat of silence. Then the Borg Queen’s voice returns, dripping with disdain, “Your graviton pulses are insufficient. The aperture remains inert.”

Valdez spoke with a disappointment, “It’s not resisting us. It’s not damaged. There’s just simply nothing to grab onto.”

The bridge falls into a heavy, collective dread. Because for the first time, it felt like the Perseus might truly be trapped.

Valdez wasn't about to give up, "Lt. Vox, we could try synchronized warp harmonics or subspace tunneling."

"Either might work but my money's on the subspace tunneling." Vox replied.

A few of the other ships sent in there suggestions as well. A few other ideas were to flood it with Tachyons or even a controlled power surge. With help of the Borg and the Essex crew, there were many suggestions. But no one was sure if any of them would work.

Deela needed to discuss this with the bridge crew, "Well, that didn't work and at this point, I'm ready try anything to get that conduit open." It was that important.

"We could launch or probe near the aperture try to get any trace residuals that are sensors may not pick up." Ezekiel called out from strategic operations. He also wondered what happened to the USS Perseus and her crew he hoped they were okay on the other side.

Deela considered it, then nodded. “Do it.”

Time passed as she waited anxiously for the results. Meanwhile, her science officer began a particle analysis, hoping for another clue about what had happened to the conduit. The Borg Queen contacted Deela to ask if they had learned anything new. Before Deela could answer, the science officer spoke.

“Admiral, the particle analysis is complete. Theta‑band emissions are off the charts. Whatever hit us earlier was biological.”

T’Lar turned toward him. “Explain.”

“Subspace‑dwelling microbes, ma’am. Microscopic. They feed on verterons. When the missing ship passed through, it disturbed a dense cluster. The microbes reacted defensively — that shockwave we experienced was their stress response.”

“And the conduit?” Deela asked.

“They’re still agitated. Their theta‑band output is destabilizing the subspace lattice. The conduit can’t reopen until they calm down.”

The Borg Queen’s voice resonated through the comms, calm but edged with urgency.
“Admiral T’Lar… your analysis is correct. The organisms are not hostile, but they are overwhelmed. A counter‑harmonic theta‑band field will pacify them.”

Deela took a moment to collect her thoughts. “Can you assist?”

“I can stabilize the entrance and amplify your field,” the Queen replied. “But the harmonic must originate from your deflector. This is your space, Admiral. Your responsibility.”

T’Lar nodded to her crew. “Prepare the deflector for theta‑band dampening. Match the microbes’ emission frequency and invert it by point‑zero‑zero‑three. On my mark.”

The ship hummed as power rerouted. The conduit flickered, spasmed… then began to widen.

“Admiral — it’s working. The microbes are calming. Verteron flow is stabilizing.”

Deela leaned forward slightly. “Hold it steady.”

Just when all hope was gone, there was a violent flash. A shockwave that rattled every ship in the perimeter. The Borg Queen’s vessel staggered backward. The conduit blossomed open, Ops shouted, “Admiral—object emerging!”

"Attempting to identify it now." Ezekiel called out from the secondary tactical station. Part of his job as the acting strategic operations officer was identify every ship that comes in. Tachyon particles are interfering. Once it fully emerges, I should be able to get a clear reading on it. "Ezekiel called out, as he looked at the main viewer and saw what everybody else was seeing.

But, what emerged wasn't a ship or shuttle, it was an escape pod that burst through, tumbling end over end. The bridge crew sat there in shock, looking at the view in front of them.

TBC

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