Star Trek: New Horizons

1.04 - “Sanctuary”

written by Travis Cannon


Lieutenant Donald Hutchby strolled towards the helm from the science station. “Hey, Manny. What's up?”

“This!” Hakim gestured towards a image of a graph on the helm console. He gestured towards a small spike. “What does that mean?”

“Oh that!” Hutch laughed. “It's just an energy spike. Nothing major... though it is followed by several larger ones...,” he continued as the imager scrolled through the graph, showing an increasing number of small spikes, followed by one single large spike, and then flat static. “On second thought, I'm not so sure. We should ask Lt. Gomez.”

Security officer Reyes nodded and tapped his commbadge. “Lieutenant Reyes to Engineering.” No response. “Reyes to Gomez, come in.” No response. Reyes rolled his eyes. “Computer locate Lieutenant Gomez.”

The computer chirped. “Lieutenant Carmen Gomez is not on board.”

“What!?”

“Where did she go?” Hakim asked.

“That information is not available.”

“Well, um... when did she leave?” Hutch asked.

“That information is not available.”

Frustrated, Reyes tapped his commbadge. “Reyes to Morgan. I repeat: Reyes to Morgan.” No response. “Computer where is Colonel Morgan?”

“Colonel James Morgan is not on board,” was the computer's response.

Lieutenant Reyes exchanged looks with Hutch and Hakim. “We better get the Commander.”



Three days earlier...



“Damn!”

A blast of sparks flew into Carmen Gomez's face as she fiddled with the circuitry beneath the helm panel. Ensign Manny Hakim poked his down.

“What's the problem, Lieutenant?” he asked.

Gomez eased herself up.

“The whole thing's thrown to hell and back!” she huffed.

Lt. Colonel Morgan glanced over from the command chair. “Report.”

“The helm is at seventy percent, sir,” Gomez reported.

“Can we go to warp?” Morgan asked.

“Not unless you want to get you insides turned out, sir,” Gomez said.

“That's not on my to-do list,” Hutch chimed in.

Gomez glanced over at the science officer. “Yea, well, I'd say we're lucky the inertial dampeners weren't thrown off.”

“What about...?” Morgan indicated the fallen beam lying across the center of the bridge.

Gomez sighed. “I don't even have a full engineering staff, Colonel,” Gomez replied. “And if I did, I don't this that making the bridge aesthetically pleasing should be on the top of our list.”

“Watch your tone, Lieutenant,” Admiral Rutledge cooed from one of the adjacent chair in the command area.

“No disrespect, sir,” Gomez said, nodding. “But the ship isn't in good shape. If we could get to spacedock, she'd might be up to specs in three weeks or so, but out here, without help or supplies, she'll take a lot longer.”

“How much longer?” Morgan inquired.

Gomez rubbed her soot smeared face. “To bring her up to spec...,” she paused in thought. “Three months. Tops.”

“We don't have that time,” came the exhausted voiced of Commander Jack Keller.

The entire bridge seemed to come to a standstill has everyone turned to see the commander step out of the turbolift. His uniform top was unbutton and the red tunic beneath was visible, marked with bits of debris and burnt spots from the torment the ship had received from the Conglomeration hive ship twenty six days earlier.

“Sir?”

“WE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME!” Keller repeated, shouting across the bridge.

Morgan stepped up close to Keller and lowered his voice.

“Now's not the time for this, Commander,” he said softly.

Keller looked at him, with red eyes, tired and exhausted he merely grunted in response and limped towards his ready room. When he had left the bridge, Morgan turned back to the bridge crew.

“Back to work!”



The door hissed opened and Keller looked up to see Admiral Thadius Rutledge stepped into the ready room. He looked around and then stepped over the fallen debris and stood before the desk which Keller sat behind.

“What's the matter, Commander?” he asked, his sing-song voice oozing experience.

“I never expected to be in this situation, Admiral,” Keller said, reluctantly.

Rutledge gave a nod of understanding. “None of us do, but its how were react to such circumstances which truly reveal our character.”

“And as of now, I've failed,” Keller said. “I've kept my mind elsewhere, not on the ship and the crew. I've failed them.”

“No...,” Rutledge attempted to comfort. “You've done well with selecting your command staff. Colonel Morgan's covered for you. As he should.”

“Sir?”

Rutledge sat on the edge of the desk and lean down to Keller's level. “I know about you and Lieutenant Pelar.”

Keller blinked. “We've been playing it down.”

“I knew about you two before we selected you for the mission as first officer,” Rutledge said. “Your past history with the lieutenant was discussed at some length amongst the project leaders and it was decided that you could handle yourself. And I would have to agree with that assessment. Up until now.”

“But you just said that I was doing well,” Keller objected.

“Yes, I did, didn't I,” Rutledge leaned back. “But I was speaking of your selection of Colonel Morgan as your first officer, not of your current conduct.”

Keller turned away from the Admiral.

“What should I do?” he asked.

Rutledge stood up and looked down at him with his gray eyes.

“Be the captain of this vessel, Commander,” Rutledge said. And with that said, the Admiral left the room, leaving Keller to ponder what was just said.



Dr. Kelly Saunders stood over the Janice Pelar. Lt. Astian came up from behind her and handed her a PADD. She glanced at the contents, but did not see them.

“Doctor?” Astian inquired.

Saunders shook her head and looked over at her colleague. “Yes, Johann?”

The Metaklite furrowed his brow. “You concur with my analysis?”

“What?” Saunders said, still not comprehending the contents of the PADD.

Astian indicated the PADD in her hands with a slight inclination of his head.

“Oh, sorry... I'm just overly distracted at the moment,” she said, turning her attention to the PADD's contents.

Astian smiled. “Quite understandable, Doctor.”

She read the PADD, then looked up at Astian.

“Are you sure?” she questioned.

Astian nodded, looking grim. “According to the latest system analysis I did, the medical systems have less than a day until they crash.”

Kelly Saunders shivered and took a deep breath. “This whole ship seems to be falling apart.” She looked back down at the comatose Pelar and then back at her colleague. “Take over here, I need to inform the Commander about this.”

Her Metaklite assistant CMO nodded in acknowledgment and took her place at Pelar's bedside.



Jack Keller before the jump drive, starring at it. The normally glowing silver globe was now dark. The green light and orange bolts usually admitting from the drive nonexistent. For all intent and purposes the jump drive was dead.

He turned around and watched as Zimm Tagen, the Bolian crewman, worked with the Tellarite Ensign Tavark to restore warp power to small warp core embedded in the wall. He turned as the turbolift doors opened and Lieutenant Carmen Gomez appeared with Hutch and some other engineering personnel. Hutch came over to Keller and Gomez directed the work detail that had come with her to go into the Jefferies tubes.

“Colonel Morgan suggested that I assist you with whatever it is your doing, sir,” Hutch said.

Keller inclined his head. “I'm supervising the warp core repair.”

“Supervising, eh?” Hutch grinned. “So I don't have to left a finger?”

Keller glared at Hutch, and felt tempted to slap him on the back of the head, but then thought better of it.

Hutch slouched his shoulders. “I'll just help them out, then.”

“You do that.”

Lieutenant Donald “Hutch” Hutchby almost seemed to dart away from the Commander and begin conversing with Tagen on what they were doing. Keller turned around, looking for Gomez, when turbolift doors opened again and Saunders came rushing out.

“Jack, we've got a problem!”

“What is it, Kel?” he asked.

“Sickbay's systems will crash within a day if we can't get to some port of repair.”

“We're trapped in the middle of the void between systems right now with no engine power except for impulse and last time I checked navigation was working.”

“Gomez!” Saunders called out.

Within seconds Lt. Gomez's head popped out of a Jefferies tube. “Doctor?”

“Sickbay's systems need immediate repair,” Saunders said.

Gomez was climbing out of the maintenience tube when she stopped. “We're working on it, Doctor. As I was telling the Colonel earlier, we're under staffed.”

Saunders gave Keller a look that told him he should comply with her demands. Nothing like a doctor who makes you feel like resistance is futile.

“Do it,” Keller ordered. “Make sickbay's systems your top priority. All others are secondary.”

Gomez opened her mouth to object.

“That includes the warp core,” Keller said.

Reluctantly Gomez nodded and climbed back up into the Jefferies tube to retrieve her tools.

The emergence klaxons began to sound and Keller cursed to himself. He looked at Saunders then tapped his commbadge.

“Keller to the bridge, report.”

“We're picking up a station up ahead,” came Morgan's voice. “And judging from the sensors we can read from right now, its powering up.”

“Powering up for what?” Keller pondered.

“Can't tell, sir,” came Hakim voice. “Sensors aren't that fined tuned yet.”

“I'm on my way,” Keller said. He turned to Saunders. “Get back to sickbay, Kel, and look after Janny.” Saunders reached over and squeezed his hand.

“You can count on me, Jack.”

Keller attempted to smile, but couldn't. He turned towards the turbolift.

“Mr. Hutchby,” he called out. “You're with me!”

Hutch looked up from the panel. “Coming sir!” he replied.



Keller and Hutch stepped out onto the bridge and looked up at the view screen. Keller blinked in both disbelief and shock.

“What the hell is that?” he said.

“Some kind of station,” said Lieutenant Reyes from the tactical station. “Ship sensors haven't been repaired enough to penetrates its shielding.”

“Can we magnify the image?” Keller asked.

“I'm attempting to do that as we speak, Commander,” Hakim said from the helm.

Keller stepped down to the command deck and stood next to Colonel Morgan. “What do you think it is, James?”

Morgan shook his head. “I don't know, sir,” he said. “But I don't like it.”

“Sir?” came crewman Megan Magellan's voice from the communications station. “I'm picking up a transmission.”

“Open a channel,” Morgan ordered.

Keller turned his attention to the main screen.

The image blinked and showed a dark room. Suddenly a red light burst through the view screen and sweep across the bridge.

“We're being scanned!” Reyes cried out.

The scan ended abruptly and the screen image blinked again, this time showing what appeared to be a close up of a station monitor with a red circle in the center.

“Welcome to Sanctuary Outpost,” a voice said, the red circle pulsated with each bit of the voice.

“Uh, thanks,” Keller said, taken aback by the method of communication and the high voice that responded.

“You are the Federation vessel known as Horizon, are you not?” asked the voice, the red dot pulsating.

“Yes,” Keller replied, “To whom I speaking with?”

“I am the Administrator,” the voice replied. “You seek assistance?”

Keller exchanged a look with Morgan. “Did we send out a distress call?”

Morgan shook his head in the negative. “No.”

“You're distress was heard,” the pulsating red dot continued. “Sanctuary Outpost has responded.”

“What sort of assistance are you suggesting?” Keller inquired.

“Repairs,” the voice replied. “Both on your ship and your persons.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sanctuary has detected multiply lifesigns of injured parties,” the voice answered. “Sanctuary can repair such injuries.”

“Even if you haven't encountered the injury before?” Keller inquired.

“And for that matter the species?” Morgan chimed in.

“Affirmative,” the voice responded. “Sanctuary Outpost is equipped with multiphasic scanners and can detect all anomalies with any bodily system.”

Keller and Morgan exchanged a look. “It won't hurt to get some help, sir. For both the ship and our crew.”

Keller nodded. “What sort of payment is required for this assistance?”

“None,” came the voice. “Like the Federation, Sanctuary only seeks to learn about other species and cultures. To achieve this, Sanctuary seeks out those in need to assistance and provides whatever is required in exchanged for knowledge of new species, cultures, and civilizations.”

Commander Keller stood back and thought for a moment. He looked at Morgan, who shrugged.

“Your assistance will be most welcomed,” Keller said.

The red dot pulsated with what could be called glee. “Cease your forward momentum and Sanctuary will tractor you into a repair dock.”

The image blinked out and the screen returned to the image of the approaching station. As they watched a portion of the station began to move, as if the repair dock was adjusting itself to the Horizon's size.

“Cut engines, Mr. Hakim,” Keller told his helmsman.

Manny Hakim obeyed.

“Yes, sir, though I don't like giving up control of the ship,” he said.

“I concur, sir,” Reyes said, as the station's tractor locked onto the Horizon and began to pull her into the repair dock. “We know nothing about these people.”

“Somewhere along the line, Lieutenant,” Keller replied. “You just have to trust in the good of people. So far they have done nothing to suggest they mean to do us harm.”

Morgan inclined his head. “I may still not like the idea of this, but I agree with the commander.”

“As do I,” came the voice of Admiral Thadius Rutledge. He stood in the doorway of the opened turbolift. “Right now, what we need are friends. And this Sanctuary Outpost may just be the friends we need.”



A strange pulse seemed to resonate across the ship as the docking claw of the Sanctuary Outpost reached out and secured the ship to the station.

Commander Jack Keller looked out the window of his ready room at the side of the station, and watched as the dock expanded to accommodate his vessel, allowing it berth.

The communications panel beeped.

Keller turned from the window and punched a button on a nearby control panel.

“Keller here.”

“This is the Administrator,” came the voice from the station. “Sanctuary is prepared to accept your injured for treatment in the medical facility. The crossing tube is attaching itself to lower starboard airlock. Your physician and medical staff are welcomed to transported the aforementioned injured.”

“Will I ever see you?” Keller inquired.

“That is not required,” was all the Administrator said. “Sanctuary will send you a work log, please inform your crew to avoid areas under repair.”

“And when will you be expecting payment for these services?” Keller asked.

“When repairs are completed,” came the shrill voice. “Have a good day.”

And with that the communications link was terminated. Keller informed Saunders of the Outpost's instructions, and she began moving over the injured. Keller turned back to the window and peered down; He could just make out the crossing tube, as the Administrator called, extending from the station to make contact with the lower hull.



Dr. Kelly Saunders stood with her jaw dropped. She had never seen such an impressive medical facility in all her career. The bridge connecting the ship and the station seemed took them through well lit white halls, directly to Sanctuary's medical bay. As she and her staff entered the facility, with the injured crewmen, the lights came to life, and a nearby console glowed as the monitor flickered on. On the screen was a red dot, which pulsated whenever the Administrator spoke through the comm-systems.

At first she had been reluctant to bring the more seriously injured aboard the station, but after seeing the station's advanced automated medical systems heal the injured she had brought in the first wave, she ordered that Lieutenant Janice Pelar and Lt. Commander Zachary Beltram be brought over as well.

“Dr. Saunders,” Astian called her over.

Saunders excused herself from a discussion on the Avkon lifeforms with the Administrator and stepped over to her assistant CMO, who was standing over Lt. Commander Beltram with a medical tricorder. He was running the smaller companion scanner cross the chief engineer.

“Yes, what is it, Johann?” she asked the Metaklite.

Astian raised an eyebrow in an almost Vulcan way. “Commander Beltram appears to be healing.”

“What?!”

Astian held the tricorder out for her to view the readings. With an astonished look, she nodded, concurring with Astian's findings.

“You're right,” Saunders said. “According to this he should be conscious within the hour.”



Carmen Gomez stood at a distance from the core, watching as mechanical arms flung around engineering. Small laser like devices on the tips of the arms seemed to scan the jump drive, and other damaged equipment. Standing behind her was Colonel James Morgan.

“Impressive, isn't it?” Morgan said.

“If your looking for something to replace you, yes,” Gomez admitted.

Morgan narrowed his eyes, squinting at the control panel to his left. “Lieutenant?”

Gomez turned around and followed Morgan's eyes.

“I see it, sir,” she said, stepping over to the interface terminal. She began rapidly typing on the control console,

“What's it doing?” Morgan asked.

“It looks like the Outpost has tapped into our systems,” she said. “I can't tell exactly what's going on...,” She shook her head in frustration. “I've been locked out, sir.”

“Here, let me try,” Morgan said, stepping in. He typed in his authorization codes. The console beeped and chirped, and the monitor flashed: Authorization Denied. “What the hell?”

They looked down and saw a cord winding its way across the floor from the direction of one of the mechanical arms. As one they knelt down and found that the cord had plugged itself into one of the open access panels. Morgan reached down to pull it out but was zapped by an electric current.

“What the hell is going on?” Morgan asked, looking back up at the interface console. “From the display its clear that the systems Sanctuary is going through have nothing to do with the deal we made. It said cultural knowledge, not weaponry.”

Morgan attempted to pull the cord from the access panel again, but this time the electric charge increased, and the colonel nearly flew across the room. Gomez rushed over to him and helped him up.

“Disengage that cord, Lieutenant. That's an order!”

“With pleasure, sir.”

Gomez turned around and darted towards the main engineering terminal. Sitting on top of the flat surface was her tool box. She opened it and withdrew a plasma cutter.

She turned back around and rushed over to the open access panel. With a quick motion of her hand, she activated the cutter and readied herself to cut the cord.

“Look out!” came a sudden cry from Colonel Morgan.

Gomez looked up just in time to see one of the mechanical arms coming towards her.



“What do you remember, Commander?” Commander Jack Keller stood over a now conscious Beltram, with Admiral Thadius Rutledge and Dr. Saunders beside him. Astian and Nurse Sammings were not far behind, looking over the data collected on the tricorder.

Beltram shook his head. “Under attack,” Beltram said, his voice cracked. “Ship out of danger?”

“Yes,” Keller said. “We're safe.” For the moment, he thought to himself.

“The captain?” Beltram asked, blinking his eyes.

“I'm afraid he's dead, Commander,” Rutledge answered, looking from Saunders to Keller. “Commander Keller's in command now.”

“Sir?” Beltram attempted to sit up, but found it difficult.

“This station may have revived you, but you are far from recovered, Commander,” Saunders said, stepping in and easing the engineer back down.

Beltram gave a nod of submission and took a deep breath.

Keller and Rutledge turned around and the Admiral noticed Keller's eyes.

“You're thinking of her,” Rutledge spoke softly, looking over at Lieutenant Pelar, lying on a medical bed on the other side of the room. All Keller could do was nod in response. Rutledge turned toward Saunders. “Has the station healed her yet?”

Saunders glanced up and saw the direction Keller was looking. She turned towards the Admiral to reply, “Not yet. I think the medical systems need to recharge every once and a while.” Saunders reached over and placed a hand on Keller's shoulder. “Don't worry, sir, I'm sure the Administrator will get around to it.”



Manny Hakim stared down at the helm console. He rubbed the side of his face and his temple.

Security officer Alessandro Reyes looked came up behind him. “It's late, Ensign,” he said. “Why don't you take a break, get some sleep?”

“No, that's okay, I'm fine,” Hakim said. “I'm just watching what Sanctuary is doing.”

“Uh?” Reyes leaned over and looked at the gleaming helm console.

“Well, I can't actually watch the station,” Hakim explained. “But I can see what systems Sanctuary is working on. Right now its working on engineering. According to the work logs, Sanctuary will begin work on the medical systems tomorrow.”

“What's that?” Reyes pointed to an image on the display screen. “Stop, right there.”

Hakim typed the appropriate commands and magnified the image.

“See, that spike right there,” Reyes indicated on the graph on the imager. “What's that?”

“Hutch!”

Donald Hutchby strolled over from the science station. “Hey, Manny. What's up?”

“This!” Hakim gestured towards the graph spike. “What does that mean?”

“Oh that!” Hutch laughed. “It's just an energy spike. Nothing major... though it is followed by several larger ones...,” he continued as the imager scrolled through the graph, showing an increasing number of small spikes, followed by one single large spike, and then flat static. “On second thought, I'm not so sure. We should ask Lt. Gomez.”

Reyes nodded and tapped his commbadge. “Lieutenant Reyes to Engineering.” No response. “Reyes to Gomez, come in.” No response. Reyes rolled his eyes. “Computer locate Lieutenant Gomez.”

The computer chirped. “Lieutenant Carmen Gomez is not on board.”

“What!?”

“Where did she go?” Hakim asked.

“That information is not available.”

“Well, um... when did she leave?” Hutch asked.

“That information is not available.”

Frustrated, Reyes tapped his commbadge. “Reyes to Morgan. I repeat: Reyes to Morgan.” No response. “Computer where is Colonel Morgan?”

“Colonel James Morgan is not on board,” was the computer's response.

Lieutenant Reyes exchanged looks with Hutch and Hakim. “We better get the Commander.”



The pulsating light was what she saw when she opened her eyes.

Lieutenant Carmen Gomez tried to sit up, but found herself restrained. She moved her head around, trying to get her bearings. Except for the pulsating white light, there was no other lamination. As she looked left she say Colonel Morgan lying unconscious beside her. She tried to roll onto her side, but the restrains denied her movement.

“Cease movement,” came the shrill voice of the Administrator.

At the voice, Gomez blinked in amazement, as a red light seemed to punctuate ever word as the Administrator spoke.

“Where am I?” she demanded, her voice sounding weaker than she had hoped.

“You are on Sanctuary,” was the reply.

“Why?”

“You have interfered with the duties of the station,” the voice answered. “In according with subsection twelve of the Lok Cooperative Bylaws, you have been detained until the repairs to the USS Horizon NCC-91901 have been completed.”

“This is outrageous!” Gomez objected. “I demand you show yourself.”

“Negative.”

“Show yourself!”

“As stated before, negative,” came the voice. “Sanctuary cannot show itself to you.”

“What?” Gomez was confused. “I don't want to see Sanctuary. I want to see you, Administrator.”

“You can speak, Administrator response,” the Administrator's voice said.

“Your face, God damnit! I want to see it!” raged Gomez. “Speak with you face to face.”

“That is impossible,” the Administrator responded.

“And why is that?” Gomez inquired.

“Administrator is a computer construct which runs Sanctuary Outpost,” the voice responded. “No biological units are required to run the facility. It is completely automated.”



To Be Continued...