| Stories → Star Trek: Discovery → Cloud of Earth |
| "Cloud of Earth" | |
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16 May 2009 |
The USS Discovery in orbit around Earth awaiting for its crew and first mission while its commanding officer Captain Martha Mcbeath.
Act 1[]
Scene 1[]
The USS Discovery in orbit around the Dark side of Earth while on the light side of the planet on the continent of North America in Yellowstone National Park was the newly promoted Captain Martha Mcbeath admiring the scenery of the Park. She walks along a the gangplank that goes over the Geysers when she feels the ground begin to shake.
"What is going on." explained Mcbeath to herself. "This doesn't feel right. All I want is a nice walk not a wobble."
The Shaking gets worse as cracks appear in the concrete Gangplank then. BOOM!!! A huge explosion shot Mcbeath hundreds of foot into the air followed by tonnes of rubble ash and toxic gas. She then crash lands in a heap with her clothes in rags and is not impressed. She notices Sulphur Dioxide start coming out the cracked up ground followed by a thick black tower of smoke. "This is Serious. I'm going to Yellowstone Headquarter Immediately, Oh bother. My good jacket that I sewed last week. This is terrible so I must complain right now!!"
Scene 2[]
At Yellowstone Headquarters, a complicated building of domes and walls of glass with tress around it, inside the building was Admiral Clington, the Director of Yellowstone Hommer Donaldson, and Captain Martha Mcbeath who looked a site. "AND THAT EXPLOSION WAS A SIGN OF SOMETHING MUCH, MUCH WORSE!!!" screamed Mcbeath.
"Really. By my instruments it was just a minor eruption." informed Donaldson.
"MINOR ERUPTION!? THAT 'MINOR ERUPTION' ALMOST KILLED ME!!! AND LOOK AT WHAT IT HAS DONE TO MY LOVELY NEW JACKET!!!"
"Captain Mcbeath! PLEASE! Will you calm down so that I can hear myself think!" said Clington.
"SORRY!!! Oh I mean sorry. Its just that that eruption is just a teensy preview of what is going to happen. I suggest we put the planet onto Red Alert!" suggested Mcbeath.
"RED ALERT!? Martha, this isn't a space ship or station where you can just go to Red Alert at the first sign of trouble without being asked a question. Its a planet! If we go to Red Alert the population will go Hysterical. And what if I put the planet onto Red Alert and there was no emergency. Well the president would have my head!!!"
"Well you'll wish you'd put the planet onto Red Alert when THIS PARK EXPLODES!!!"
"This park won't explode." repeated Donaldson.
"YES IT WILL!!!" shouted Mcbeath. "It won't and to show you that it won't explode I'll bet my life on it."
"Well you would you bald fool."
"How dare you, you insane woman!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH! Both of you stop acting like children. Martha if there is any sign of Yellowstone exploding I'll put the planet onto Red Alert but in the meantime, Get into your uniform and go to your new ship." ordered Clington.
"FINE! But I did warn you both." stated Mcbeath who then left the room and went to the nearest Transporter. The Transporter then beamed Mcbeath away!
Act 2[]
Scene 1[]
At ¾ quarters Impulse a Nebulas-class Shuttle known as Shuttlecraft Titan was going over Earths rugged moon and heading towards planet Earth. Inside the Shuttlecraft was Captain Martha Mcbeath and Lieutenant Robert who was piloting the shuttle.
“So I hear you were in charge of the Discovery’s construction at Utopia Planitia.” Explained Mcbeath.
“Yes Sir. And not being so bald but your getting the finest ship.” Replied Robert.
“Its good to hear that. Oh and Lieutenant, I know that it is protocol to call a Superior officer Sir but I prefer Mam.”
“Yes Sir, _I mean Mam.”
The Shuttle now steers into the Dark side of Planet Earth where a Starship comes into view.
“And that’s her.” Explained Robert.
Captain Mcbeath then looks outside the shuttle window where she sees the USS Discovery a Nebulas-class. The great vessels shiny hull glimmers in the sunlight and the ships as the ship glides in orbit around Earth. The Shuttlecraft goes along the Discovery’s powerful Warp Engine that had a bright blue glow reflecting off the bottom of the shuttlecraft. The shuttle traveled about fifty meters off the stern of the Discovery the shuttle turned round and entered the shuttlebay of the Discovery where it landed infront the officers of the ship.
The shuttle door opened and Captain Mcbeath came onboard the USS Discovery, where she was greeted by her first officer.
“Captain Mcbeath. It is an honour to meet you. I am Commander Tom Smith your first officer. This is Lieutenant Commander Lucy Wright the communications and second officer, Chief Medical Officer Dr Reen, Chief Engineer, you’ve already met, Lieutenant Robert, Chief Operations Officer, Lieutenant Thomson and Chief of Security Ensign Ried.” Explained Smith.
“Its good to see you all and I’m sure that we can all get along and be a great crew. So lets get started I’ve never been a formal person and go on a tour of the ship, so instead lets just go to the Bridge and begin our ten year mission.” Said Mcbeath who then strolled towards the turbolift followed by her senior staff while all the other officers went to their departments such as Engineering and Sickbay.
Scene 2[]
The Turbolift full of all the senior staff slowed down to a halt and the doors opened revealing the Bridge of the Discovery to most of the Bridge crew for the first time. Everyone came out of the Turbolift and gazed at the new unmarked control panels and consoles, grey/beige bulkheads at both sides of the Bridge and the Viewscreen that took up the entire forward bulkhead. In the center of the Bridge was the First and Second officers chairs and in the center was the Commanding officers chair that was made of light-brown leather.
“Everyone to their stations” ordered Mcbeath.
Everyone sat at their stations as they were getting prepared for departure of Earth.
“All departments report ready for departure.” Explained Smith.
“Engineering reports that the engines are ready for use.” Reported Thomson.
“Good. Lieutenant Commander Wright inform Earth that we are now leaving.” Ordered Mcbeath. “Lieutenant Thomson Engage Impulse Engines.”
Thomson pressed a few buttons and the great vessel slowly sped up to full Impulse as it left Earths orbit and zoomed towards the edge of the Sol System. As the new vessel sped towards the outer rim of the system it past Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, in orbit around the Sandy Red Planet of Mars where the Discovery first began its life.
After several minutes the Discovery past Saturn and after that arrived at the edge of the Sol System.
“We have now left Earth’s solar system.” Informed Thomson who was at the helm.
“Good. Engage Warp Engines to Course 441 Mark 726.” Ordered Mcbeath.
“Course Set.”
“Engage!!!”
The Discovery then went into position and after a huge roar of the engines loading and a blinding flash, the Discovery zoomed into Warp Speed for the very first time.
Scene 3[]
The USS Discovery(NCC-74749) zoomed along at Warp Speed for the very first time with a streak of Blue Light trailing behind the ship from the Warp Engines. Onboard the 20 deck ship the crew are attempting to get used to the new vessel as the ships systems have never been used on any past vessels, so know one except Chief Engineer Robert really knows how the ship works. On deck 1 Captain Martha Mcbeath is in her ready room where she is studying the geography of Yellowstone Park. The door bell bleeps.
Mcbeath was about to say “Come in.” when Commander Tom Smith came in with a report.
“Oh I’m terrible sorry I never meant…it’s a bad habit of mine…just reading peoples minds and not waiting until they actually say it. I’ll go back outside.” explained Smith.
“No. Its alright. I was just going to say Come in anyway.” stated Mcbeath.
“Yes but its quite rude of me just doing that. You might have not wanted to see me and I just barged in!”
“I know. But you’ll get used to it and stop one day. Anyway. What did you want?”
“Here is a report of our Warp Engines. There performing at 96% efficiency.” explained Smith.
Smith handed Mcbeath the report and she read it over.
“This is outstanding. Well above standard efficiency.”
“Yes. However Chief Robert is attempting to get the engines up to 98% efficiency.”
“98% EFFICIENCY! My god. That’s a lot. Anyhow if he wants to do it, let him do it.”
“Captain. Er..em…permission to speak freely?”
“Always.”
“Well we heard about Yellowstone Park and the Bridge crew and I have all discussed this and we believe that your theories are correct.” stated Smith.
“Really.”
“Yes.”
“Well thank you. Only if Admiral Clington would agree.”
“Why doesn’t he agree. The pressure under Yellowstone park are enormous. Hasn’t he explained to the President whats going on.”
“NO! I mean no. The director of Yellowstone has convinced Admiral Clington that there is no threat whatsoever. And the Admiral doesn’t want the population to go into panic so he has decided not to inform the President of the situation and allowing the Director to simply claim it to be A SIMPLE EARTHQUAKE!!!”
“Well if there is a problem shouldn’t we turn round and get hard evidence that there is a disaster going to occur.”
“AH! Well read these orders I got this morning before I went on the Shuttlecraft to get here.”
Smith read the orders.
“We aren’t allowed to return to Earth for at least 720 hours. That’s about a month!”
“I know!”
“Bridge to Captain Mcbeath. We have arrived at coordinates 441 Mark 726.” explained Lieutenant Commander Lucy Wright over communications.
“Understood! Arm Phasers and Photon Torpedoes.” Ordered Mcbeath then she and Commander Smith left the ready room and entered the Bridge where Mcbeath continues.
“All hands to Red Alert. Battle drill.”
“All hands are now at Red Alert Battle Drill mode.” Explained Ried.
Mcbeath sat on her seat.
“Fire Torpedoes at Asteroids 234, 7656, 7584 and 5464. I want to see the reaction time of the Torpedoes then I want to have a Drill Intruder Alert.” Ordered Mcbeath.
The USS Discovery fired torpedoes and 1.465 seconds later they impacted on the surface of the Asteroids and they then exploded into small pieces of debris that vaporized with the heat of the explosion.
Act 3[]
Scene 1[]
At Yellowstone Park Headquarters the Director Hommer Donaldson is talking to Admiral Clington about the safety of planet Earth.
“Director. I’ve kept this secret but I had my friend aboard the USS Nebulas Dr Stobbs examine this data about what happened to Yellowstone a few days ago, and it appears that the explosion which Commodore Mcbeath is talking about could led onto something much worse.” Stated Clington.
“Oh fore-god sake. Have you gone mad too! There is nothing wrong according to my scans there was only a small explosion!”
“That explosion could’ve killed my best officer!”
“Oh really. How nice. Well what you call your best officer is a bad tempered woman who doesn’t deserve to be commanding a ship!!!”
“She may have a temper but she knows what she is talking about. And now I’ve looked at the evidence from the Nebulas I am beginning to see that Mcbeath was right after all.”
“Oh really!”
“Yes. By the way. Why are you so relaxed and pretending that there’s nothing is wrong?”
“Because if there was something wrong and I made it public. Then no one would go to this ESTABLISHMENT!!!!”
The clerk next door began hearing shouts coming throw the door.
“SO THIS IS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT!!! YOUR AFRAID THAT NO-ONE WILL COME HERE AGAIN!!! WELL LET ME TELL YOU THIS!!! I’M GOING STRAIGHT TO THE PRESIDENT AND TELLING HIM WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON!!!”
“HA HA HA HA HA HA!” laughed Donaldson. “Your too late Admiral. I went to the president this morning and convinced him that there is nothing wrong with Yellowstone Park.”
“YOU!!! Well I’ll go to the president and tell him the truth. And if Yellowstone does explode. I’ll have a security team down hear, arrest you and I’LL KILL YOU!!!”
“Very unlikely.”
“Why do you say that.”
“You’re a Starfleet officer. You won’t kill me.”
Clington turned round, went onto the transporter and transported back to Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco.
Scene 2[]
The Director lounged himself down on a chair in his office and laughed.
“Imagine all those Starfleet fools worrying about Yellowstone Park. What idiots. Especially that Captain Mcbeath, now she’s the worst. Oh well time for a wee nap.”
The building shook.
“What the hell just happened!”
The place shook again then it got worse as windows began to crack and decorations shattered to the ground.
“KEEP CALM!!! ITS ONLY A MAGNITUDE 8 EARTHQUAKE!!!”
Outside one of the mountains exploded.
"AHHHHHHH!!!!! OH MY GOD!"
Yellowstone Headquarters shook even more violently, a few moments later then…
BOOM!!!!
The ground under the Headquarters exploded, destroying the building.
At Starfleet Headquarters. Admiral Clington looked out the window with his mouth dangling open. He approached a Lieutenant.
“Lieutenant! Put the planet onto Red Alert. IMMEDIATELY!!!”
The crew of the USS Nebulas saw a cloud of ash and dust rising up from the area of Yellowstone. The growing cloud quickly covered a 3rd of the USA within a matter of minutes.
Scene 3[]
Mcbeath was in her quarters, with a huge Apple Pie, she was about to cut it when…
“Commander Smith to Captain Mcbeath.”
“Mcbeath here.”
“You’ve got a Sub-Space message from Admiral Clington.”
“HIM!!!…Oh well. Pip it down here.”
Mcbeath went over to her desk, pushed hundreds of Data Pads off her desk so the Admiral didn’t think that she was a slop and turned on her mini viewscreen.
“Admiral! How can I help you?”
“We’ve got a serious problem.”
“Oh!”
Half an hour later the senior staff were assembled in the Observation Lounge. As the seats around the table were brand new and weren’t used before they still had plastic covers over them which had a loud noise when anyone positioned themselves or even moved slightly.
“Right. Earth is now in a grave situation. As I suspected, Yellowstone Park has exploded. Command has managed to get the situation under control for the moment by telling everyone to stay indoors. But life support and Air are in short supply. So we need a solution to get rid of the Cloud which is forming round Earth.”
“How are we suppose to get rid of a cloud. And anyway, why us?” asked Dr Reen.
“Because, we are the most advanced ship in the entire fleet, with the best scientific equipment onboard. So we should be able to find away to get rid of this cloud.”
“But not every problem can be solved.”
“Yes they can. Come on people, solutions!”
“What is the cloud made of?” asked Smith.
“According to reports the cloud is mainly consisting of Ash.”
“Couldn’t we burn the Ash?” suggested Ried and continued. “Can’t Ash be burned.”
“Yes. But were talking about an entire planet. Not a wee mound of Ash!” stated Reen.
“Robert, couldn’t we use our phasers to burn away the Ash?” asked Mcbeath.
“No, not really. Our phasers are powerful and may be able to burn off some of the cloud but the dense cloud. No! We need something hotter!”
“How about the Sun?”
“Well if the Sun was closer to Earth, it probably would work. But we cannot move the sun, that’s impossible and if we were able to move it, once it burned away the Ash. It would then burn the planet.”
“We could produce a Solar Flare.” Stated Wright.
“How do we create a Solar Flare?” asked Reen.
“We could go to the Gadorians.” stated Smith.
“THE GADORIANS!!! Are you mad. There the scum of the universe. If they see us they’ll take our vessel, kill all the men and use the women as slaves.”
“Come now Doctor. The Gadorians are not scum there just…er…hmm…different. So Commander, why the Gadorians?” asked Mcbeath.
“Well the Gadorians use Warp Plasma which is extremely volatile when exposed to extreme head. If we fire some of their Warp Plasma into the sun it would cause explosive reactions to occur which should cause Solar-Flares. These Solar Flares should heat up the Sol-System and burn off the Ash.”
“Good plan. Robert I want the engines to operate at high Warp Speed for around 100 hours.”
“Yes Mam.”
“Good. Make it so.”
Act 4[]
Scene 1[]
The USS Discovery heads off towards Gadorian territory, with every officer and crewman getting ready incase of an attack while others help Robert at increasing the performance of the engines and some working on how much Warp Plasma they’ll need to heat the sun up but not too much where the solar flares may infact engulf the entire system.
Captain Martha Mcbeath sits back on her chair as she observe her new crew working at the best of their abilities. She thought to herself and asked, ‘what more could I want’.
While the sleek, shiny new ship zooms deeper into Gadorian space a battered old battleship detects them on long range scanners. On the bridge are several dead officers who attempted to kill the Captain for his place.
“Captain, I have picked up a Federation Starship heading towards our homeplanet. Its traveling at Warp 7.” explained an officer.
“Were not too far away. HELM!!! Set an intercept course for that ship, TACTICAL, This time I don’t want the ship destroyed because I want prisoners!!!” ordered the Captain who had just finished killing a Mutineer.
The ship increases speed to Warp 9 to intercept the Discovery.
Scene 2[]
“Captain a Gadorian warship is intercepting us on Course 478 Mark 119.” explained Lieutenant Ried.
“Onscreen.” ordered Mcbeath. "Lieutenant Commander Wright. Hail the Gadorain Warship that we are on a mission of mercy."
"Aye Captain." Wright relayed the message. "No response."
"There targeting weapons onto us."
"Thomson, increase speed to Warp 9." ordered Mcbeath.
Suddenly suffered a direct hit, with consoles exploding and a few crewman flying across the bridge.
Down in Engineering. Robert the chief engineer gets up from tumbling over, picks up a cup cake, stuffs it in his mouth and contacts the Bridge.
"Captain!!! Weve lost Warp Power and the phasers are fussed. It'll take me two hours before were up and running again."
"Brilliant. Just when I thought nothing could stop this ship. Robert divert phaser power to the shields, they look like there coming round for another attack."
Just as Mcbeath sits on her chair, boarding parties come onto the ship aiming weapons at everyone.
"No-one fire!!!" Mcbeath approaches one of the Gadorian officers. "As Captain of this vessel I request to see your Captain. Just to note, I didn't demand."
Scene 3[]
Captains Log Stardate 7141.4. My ship has been completely taken over but thanks to my charm I managed to speak to the Gadorian Battleship and he has allowed my to talk to the Gadorian leader.
"So, Captain Macbeth. Why have you trespassed on my territory?"
"Its not Macbeth, it Mcbeath. And we have not trespassed on your territory for tactical purposes. We are here on a Mission of Mercy."
"Mission of Mercy. Do you really believe enemies like ourselves would be merciful to one another?"
"No. Not usually. But this time. Yes."
"Why! Whats your problem?" inadvertently spitting at Mcbeath.
Mcbeath wipes the spit off. "Our planet is surrounded in ash, its toxic and I don't believe life will survive on Earth for much more. But we have found away to get rid of a cloud by heating up our sun and to do this we need exactly 1.25 metric tonnes of your Warp Plasma."
"How do we know you want just use it against us."
"Because that is all we need so we'll have known left over."
"And what would my people benefit from this. Let me think! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!"
"That is where you are wrong. We are prepared to give you the Vaccine to that virus which is infecting your people."
"Are lying?"
With a poker face Mcbeath responded "No."
"Hmmm. Well your the sort of person who would lie, FINE!!! I'll give you your Warp Plasma."
"Thank you, as soon as I'm aboard my ship, I'll have the vaccine beamed down."
Back onboard the USS Discovery that was now been fully repaired.
Mcbeath started to appear out of nothing as she beamed back onto the ship.
"Ahh, Commander Smith. Its good to see you. The Plasma has been beamed aboard, lets fulfill our part of the bargain and beam down the Gadorian Vaccine."
The USS Discovery then left orbit turned into the direction of planet Earth, with a burst of light zoomed into maximum warp.
Act 5[]
Scene 1[]
The USS Discovery comes out of Warp Speed and enters the Sol system. Zooming past Earth at full Impulse, heading towards the giant sun.
"For how long will the solar flares last?" asked Mcbeath.
"For around a minute. That should be enough time for the heat to destroy the cloud." explained Smith.
"Good good, Raise Shields and go to Red Alert."
The mighty vessel gets closer to the sun, already with the extreme heat, the shields start to frizzle.
In torpedo control, Robert has just finished filling the torpedo with Warp Plasma, which will soon be fired at the sun.
"Captain. I've finished upgrading the torpedo. As soon as we fire the torpedo, we'll have to back off, or we'll be turned into toast."
"Understood." Mcbeath stated. "Mr Thomson back us off as soon as the torpedo is launched. Mr Ried. Fire."
The Torpedo left the ship and was hurtling towards the sun. At that moment the engines came to life and the ship was turning round.
Ried read the time the torpedo was from the sun. "10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, impact!!!"
Huge solar flares exploded from the surface of the sun. With explosive reactions the flares grew and were getting nearer the ship.
BOOOM!!!
Consoles exploded, pips burst, wires fused, gas was flooding into the bridge.
"MR THOMSON!!!" shouted Mcbeath over the explosions.
"Were clearing the solar flares, were safe now."
The entire solar system began heating up as the Solar Fares were getting large. At Earth, the enormous ash cloud that surrounded the planet was burning off extremely quickly with the flares dying down soon after.
"The planet Earth is free of the cloud and the lava at Yellowstone has solidified." explained Wright.
"Onscreen."
There on the viewscreen appeared planet Earth again.
Scene 2[]
Earth, Starfleet Headquarters, the senior staff of the Discovery are standing in Admiral Clingtons office.
"I am extremely pleased with you all. Without you millions even billions could have died through the toxic gases." explained Clington.
"All in a good days work." explained Mcbeath.
"Indeed. And for that I am promoting you all up a rank."
"Really. Is that really necessary?"
"Yes Commodore, it is. And for you Commander or should I say Captain Smith. You are now going to be in command of the Destiny."
"Thank you Admiral but I must decline." stated Smith.
"WHAT!!!" shocked Clington with a look of surprisment.
"I must decline. All I want is to be the First Officer of the USS Discovery."
"But you must..."
"No buts Admiral. He has made up his mind." stated Mcbeath leading her crew to the door. "We've got to go know, we've got the unknown to explore."
Up in orbit around the planet Earth is the USS Discovery ready for action. On the bridge the senior officers come off the turbolift and man their stations.
"All hands prepare for departure." ordered Mcbeath as she sits on her chair. "All stations report ready for departure from Earth." reported Smith.
"Excellent. Thomson, take us round 564.25' then head off in that direction."
"But Mam, that means we'll be going round in circles."
"In an unpredictable direction. Because were going to go off into that direction and explore the unknown."
The ship turned round in circles until it stopped in an unknown direction.
"Course Set."
"Engage!!!"
The USS Discovery zoomed away.