Episode Five

Entity

Stardate: 93221.543.1

Moving through the vastness of space, a calm, tranquil region of the Episilon System. Things seem tranquil in space. A massive starship, slowly moves in to view. The Federation Starship Omega, two months ago, now trying to find their way back into Federation space.

ON THE BRIDGE OF THE STARSHIP

the Night crew is on duty. Things are quiet though. Suddenly, a bright light from in front followed by a shockwave from an explosion strikes the sip causing action from on the bridge.

"What was that?!" the Officer of the Day asks loudly.

The crewmember is silent as she checks her scanners. The crewmember is a blue skinned being, small cat like ears, and wearing the uniform of Starfleet. This crewmember is a member of the Kitranan people. Since joing the Federation, the Kitranan have been allowing their young people to join Starfleet now. On the starship Omega, the Kitranan completes her scan, looking over at the Officer of the Day.

"Some sort of space anamoly sir," she answers. The officer of the Day turns to look at her. His facial expression is one of shock.

"Are you sure? Can you discover what it is made from?" he inquires. "I don't want to wake the Commander unless it is very important."

The Kitranan checks her calculations and scanners another before looking up at him and shaking her head.

"No sir," she answers.

The Officer gives a little sigh. He now knows what he has to do. To wake the Commander, apprising him of what had happened and their findings. Turning to the Communications Officer, the Officer of the Day spoke,

"Wake up the Commander. Tell him of our findings so far."

"Yes sir!"

"And keep on trying to find out what happened?" he said to the Kitranan crewmember.

"Aye sir!"

SOMETIME LATER

COMMANDER BORTH enters the bridge. He's looking refreshed as he enter. He stops as the doors close behind him and turns to look over at the Science Officer,

"Find out anything on the anomoly?"

"No sir. Nothing that we haven't already discovered," the Science Officer responds.

"Keep at it then," Commander Borth directs.

"Aye Commander."

OUT IN SPACE

some distance from Omega, that same entity floats sedately. That some disturbance really 'makes' its presense known. For as long as there has been planets, the Entity had been in a passive state. A state best known as sleeping. To one's sight, this entity would look white in color, a nebulous blob of fog rolling in. This entity senses the ship and those within. It begins moving toward the starship Omega.

BACK ON THE BRIDGE

Commander Borth is seated in his seat waiting for the information. The Science Officer finishes the scans before speaking,

"Commander, the ship had experienced some sort of shockwave. From where, no one knows. I have scanned the area where the shockwave could have come from...."

"And?" Commander Borth asks.

"Nothing sir. There was no other warp signatures indicating another ship. Nothing to indicate an explosion or some sort that could have caused the shockwave," the Science Officer answers.

"Any inhabited planets around that could explain this?" the Commander questions.

"No inhabited planet, sir."

THE ENTITY

slowly, invisibility the Entity makes its way toward the Federation Starship moving through space. It begins sensing something more. A Great Power stirs. A Power the Entity had sensed only twice before, many years ago. Now the Entity speeds up as it practically races to catch up to the starship and the Great Power stirring within its confines.

The startty blackness of space seems to shutter as the Entity moves through it.

ON THE STARSHIP OMEGA

a few people wearing the uniform of starfleet. They're moving through the cooridors, going about their business. One crew member every five, ten minutes moving around. As the other crew members are in their quarters, asleep.

The Entity, entering through the bulk of the ship, purposely begins moving through the cooridor. It sees many different bidepal lifeforms and becomes extremely curious about them.

The Entity follows a couple of crew members. They look like they belong to two different species but they're talking to each other while walking. The Entity has no idea of what language they're speaking, and so continues to follow.

The crew members stop before a closed section of wall. The wall separates as the two enter, shutting behind them.

RELAXATION ROOM

where few people are sitting, talking among each other as the Entity enters through the door. The Entity had never seen such beings before and as such is even more curious. It decides it needs specimens in order to learn more about them.

ON THE BRIDGE OF THE SHIP

the crew continues to run scans on what had happened. During this the ship's scanners discovers something else. Something had boarded the ship.

The Commander looks over at his console for another look, not quite believing what he's seeing.

"Awaken the Captain. We've got an intruder on board," Commander Borth said to Communications.

"Aye Commander."

SOMETIME LATER

CAPTAIN SHIRLEEN TWINNER steps on the bridge. She stops before moving to the captain's chair.

"Find anything?" she asks her second in command.

"Nothing yet Captain. But we have an intruder aboard now," Commander Borth answers.

"Identification?" she questions looking over at the Science Officer in query.

"A gaseous entity. Partially comprised of Thorium and some unknown sources was able to to go through the bulkhead of deck three...," the Science Officer begins.

With the Science Officer explaining what had gone on, Captain Twinner had been wondering about this---this Entity on board her ship. Her thoughts are so focussed on what is going on about this Entity, when suddenly a flash and a scream causes Shirleen to wince.

"Captain? Captain!" Commander Borth asks. The Commander, having looked over at the Captain noticing that something is wrong when she winced.

Shirleen blinks once before looking at her First Officer. She gives him a small smile and answers,

"I'm fine. Don't worry."

Those were the last words Shirleen utters as the flash returns, from within her mind again. The flash spreads to her conscious mind as the captain saw black at that point.

"Captain?!" Commander Borth exclaims. Activating the communicator. "Doctor Shorun. Medical Emergency. To the Bridge."

"Aye Commander. I'm on my way," the doctor's voice comes to their ears.

MUCH LATER

Shirleen is in sickbay, still unconscious laying in bed. The Doctor hovering between her and the computer. The Doctor, on returning from the bridge with the Captain had been busy trying to figure out what is wrong. Commander Borth had carried the captain to sickbay, gently laying her down before looking at the doctor, a question in that look.

"Will the Captain be all right, Doctor?" he asks her. The Doctor looks at the Commander, from what she had been doing.

"I don't even know what's wrong with the Captain, Commander. I need to do some tests first," said the Doctor.

Commander Borth nods in understanding,

"I'll leave you to it then Doctor."

Commander Borth turns on his heel and left sickbay.

The Doctor began her tests.

"I want to run a subderal Tynar scan," she said to assistant. "And a Mylar Crentar Checkup. Why is the captain still unconscious? She should be awake?" The last two questions are said under her breath.

Tests and tests and still more tests are being run but so far, no answers have been revealed.

"What IS going on here?" the doctor mutters after getting back the results and finding them all negative.

WITH THE ENTITY

who is following a crewmember, a woman called Ensign Tina Mills. She's on her way to her quarters having completed her shift in Engineering. Now, she on her off duty and planning to spend them asleep and relaxing. Heading along the cooridors of deck 15, Ensign Mills is unaware of the trouble following her, until it's too late.

The Entity, moving closer to its unsuspecting prey. Ensign Mills so unaware. Then.... She disappears with nary a scream. Just one second she's there and the next she's gone as the Entity moves on. Heading for its next victim.

Captain Twinner, still in sickbay unconscious seems to be having some sort of vision.

Standing on deck, watching crew members and the like walking by her.

What is going on here? Why am I here, on deck when I should be on the bridge? Something feels wrong, somehow?

She realizes just how wrong when a crewmember approaches. Instead of acknowledging her presence, the crewmember walks through her as if she's nothing more than a ghost. The sensation is -----strange nonetheless. Captain Twinner is shocked as she looks down at herself.

Am I ---dead? she mentally wonders.

Now, she quickly makes her way to sickbay. Surely the doctor will know what's going on with her.

Heading for sickbay, moving among the crew, Shirleen couldn't believe what was happening to her. How could this have happened and why her? She's determined to find some answers.

THE ENTITY

is shadowning yet another crew member. This time, its a male but different in species from the others.

The male disappears as the Entity begins its search. Then it stops. Sensing the Great Power. It follows heading for the bridge sensing that the Great Power spends much of its time there. On the way, the Entity grabs crew members.

With crew member disappearing left and right, and with the captain still unconscious in sickbay, Commander Borth is really in a bind.

Everyone trying to find those missing crewmembers, its no wonder that more and more them disappear. Now, some answers are being found.

"Sir, we've found something," the Science Officer said.

Commander Borth looks up from his introspection.

"What? What did you find?" he asks.

"Every time a crew member disappears, a thin residue of Thorium is left behind. Not sure if its deliborate or not...," the Science Officer's voice trails off.

"Then that would mean we can scan for Thorium and discover its whereabouts," he declares. Looking over at his console, Commander Borth was pressing buttons. "Let's do a broad scan of the entire ship, scanning for Thorium."

"Aye Commander," the Science Officer agrees.

Sometime later, the scans had picked up a massive amount of Thorium on deck 2. Sending a Security Team to find out more.

The Security Team discovered the Entity. The Entity fougth, capturing the Team and moving on.

In sickbay, Captain Twinner is still unconscious while her spirit form stands by her body.

How am I supposed to return to my body? There's got to be a way. she kept thinking to herself.

Sounds of phaser fire is heard causing the doctor to call on the communications device,

"What's going on? Commander? Anybody?!"

"Doctor, we're under attack! Be careful," Commander Borth's voice come to their ears amid phaser fire and yelling.

Captain Twinner (spirit form) moves over toward the slideing door at the same time as the doctor.

The door slid open for the doctor as she looks outside, Captain Twinner (spirit form) also looks outside.

Security Teams, with the Bridge Crew, firing their phasers at a curiously silvery blob. The phasers having no effect as the teams run. The blob touches them as they disappear. The doctor moves away as the doors close.

Captain Twinner (spirit form) had already moved away.

I've got to do something. But what?she thinks going back over to her body, standing real close.

She looks at her body, feeling a rush of helplessness at all thats happening.

My crew's in trouble and I can't do a thing about it.she thought bleakly.

The doctor moves over to the captain's body and mutters,

"Captain, I wish I knew what was wrong, I really do. There's got to be something. Something I missed. But what?"

All this while Captain Twinner (spirit form) stood listening. She hard the regret in the doctor's voice.

"Its not your fault doctor," she said.

"Captain Twinner, you have the power to help yourself," a Voice calls out to her.

Captain Twinner (spirit form) looks around quiickly saying,

"Who said that?!"

"You have the power, Captain. I gave it to you. Use it!" the Voice said again.

Not sure how to go about doing this but there's this feeling directing her as Captain Twinner (spirit form) moves over to her body. She stares at it for a while as something happens. She's pulled closer and closer, until....

"Captain!?" the doctor's voice rings out. She had been watching as Shirleen opens her eyes.

Sitting up, Shirleen asks the doctor,

"What's going on here?"

"An entity has been capturing the crew. Not many of them are left now," the doctor answers.

Shirleen nods, getting up and about to leave sickbay.

"Should you be getting up, Captain? YOu only just regained consciousness."

Shirleen shakes her head, saying,

"I have things that need doing, doctor."

Before the doctor can say anything more, she also disappears. Shirleen steps back quiickly at that. She had seen the Entity.

I've got to find the crew.

She quickly leaves sickbay heading to where the handheld weapons are being kept.

Shirleen takes out a weapon, a large rifle-like, yet thick. She moves through cooridor after pinpointing the location of the crew.

She comes upon trouble as the Entity sought to capture her. She fires the weapon and running back the way she came. The Entity now knew that the Great Power was within this woman and continues to follow after her.

AFTER A WHILE

Shirleen rounds a corner and waits. The Entity approaches. Then, Shirleen fires but now the light is not the unusal white color but a strange glowing gold. The glow strikes the Entity who screeches in pain before disappearing. As the Entity diesappears, a bright white light appears. It gets brighter and brighter then Shirleen finds herself on the bridge, the crew around her and nothing wrong at all.

Commander Borth looks at her,

"Captain, is there anything wrong?"

Shirleen looks at him,

"Has anything strange happened recently?"

"No. Everything's been quiet," he replies.

Shirleen frowns.

What just happened? Was it all a dream?

"You sure you're all right, Captain?" he questions.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it," she answers.

Commander Borth nods as the starship continues onward.

The End

Notes: Whew! Am I glad Episode five is over! Well, what do you readers think? Should I have made the ending the way I did? Let's hear some suggestions then. Episode 6 coming up later.