The velocity indicator went off the scale. The pressure against his body grew stronger.
“Engines at maximum output,” he reported steadily.
When the shuttle crossed the warp 10 threshold, the strain suddenly released, letting him breathe again. A burst of light flooded the cockpit.
“I’m at warp 10!” Torias announced.
His adrenaline was pumping from the successful flight. He had done it dozens of times before, but he still savored the moment of victory.
The illusion was rudely broken when Captain Styles cracked the seal on the simulator room. Torias was back in the shuttle simulator on the Starfleet Spacedock station in orbit of Earth. But for a moment, the transwarp flight had seemed real.
“Well done.” Styles strolled into the simulator, his swagger stick tucked under his arm. “You handled her nicely, Captain Dax.”
“Thank you, Captain Styles,” Torias replied courteously.
“It’ll be some show when the Excelsior crosses the warp 10 barrier,” Styles added, glancing around the simulator with great satisfaction. “I’ll have the engineers refit this unit with the Excelsior’s bridge. We can begin the simulator runs immediately.”
Torias kept his smile firmly in place. “After tomorrow, you won’t need a shuttle simulator anymore. You’ll have a real shuttle that can travel at transwarp speed.”
“Yes, that’s the plan.” Styles paced around the simulator, undoubtedly with an eye to ripping out the fittings.
Torias tolerated Captain Styles as a means to an end. Styles was scheduled to take official command of the Federation starship Excelsior at the commissioning ceremonies in two days. But first Torias would get his chance. The transwarp team had received permission from Starfleet Command to flight test the transwarp shuttle tomorrow. Getting Styles’s permission to proceed was a mere formality, but Torias knew that Styles could delay the test if he decided it was in his best interest.
“The Great Experiment,” Captain Styles said, as if the words themselves were satisfying. Torias wasn’t sure if he meant the transwarp project or the Excelsior. Probably both. Styles already seemed to consider them the same.
“Excuse me, sir,” someone said as she entered the simulator. She wore a red jumpsuit uniform with the bright red collar and placard indicating she was still a cadet. Her dark hair was twisted up in a knot high on the back of her head, revealing pointed ears.
“Yes, Mr. Saavik?” Styles said absently.
“Sir, the fluctuations in the warp frequency continue to create a velocity differential.” Saavik glanced at Torias, knowing he would be concerned. They had worked together for the past several weeks, ironing out the last snags in the transwarp drive.
Torias went directly to the control room adjacent to the simulator. The readouts were being discussed by the three quantum warp scientists who had developed the transwarp project from its inception at the new Daystrom Institute. Lieutenant Lahra and Professor Pokano were Starfleet officers, while Nilani Kahn was a fellow Trill. She was also Torias’s wife.
“The unexplained anomalies in the warp frequency continue to cause fluctuations,” Nilani told Torias, pointing to the spikes in the readout.
“It could be a phantom echo resulting from the lack of sensor data at warp 10,” Torias reminded her.
“But it appears in the mathematical readout as well,” Nilani said thoughtfully. “That’s counter-indicative of phantom echoes.”
Captain Styles joined them, his chin lifted high with satisfaction. “We can’t theorize about conditions on the other side of the threshold. Warp 10 itself is a theoretical impossibility.”
“Not any longer, sir,” Nilani pointed out respectfully. The alluring Trill scientist could silence Styles like no one else could.
Torias grinned at his wife behind the captain’s back. He had taken to imitating Captain Styles when he and Nilani were alone in their quarters, usually by swinging around an old servo wrench in the same way Styles punctuated his conversations using his swagger stick. Nilani would curl up in laughter, saying his imitation was “too good.”
Torias understood what she meant. He had been called arrogant himself by a few Starfleet officers since they had transferred the transwarp project to the Earth docking station. But no one knew that he was the fifth host of the Dax symbiont. Torias himself was young, having left the Symbiosis Institute only half a year ago after struggling for weeks through the confusion of his new memories. But his strongest memories were naturally of Dax’s last host, the venerable Audrid, former head of the Trill Symbiosis Commission. Because of her many outstanding achievements, he felt a certain pressure to make his life remarkable, to live up to his symbiont and its former hosts.
Nilani said she had felt the same way at first, but having had her symbiont for nearly a year, she assured him that the fierce driving memories would surely ease. Nilani had always comforted him, as he had supported her during the years they had trained together as initiates at the Symbiosis Institute. It had created a deep bond between them, stronger than the trust usually shared by lovers. They had married the day after Torias left the institute, and they joined the transwarp developmental project soon after that.
Captain Styles smiled at Nilani. “I’ve asked Cadet Saavik to do the next simulator run. If you’re ready to proceed?”
“Please give us a moment to clear the last test results, Captain.” Nilani concentrated on her console. Lt. Lahra and Professor Pokano stayed at their posts, prepared to monitor the telemetry from the next simulator flight.
Torias was forced to step to the rear of the control room, watching through the one-way window as Saavik settled into the pilot’s seat of the simulator.
“Proceed,” Captain Styles ordered. He paced back and forth behind the scientists’ shoulders, watching the readouts as the simulation ran. The silver end of the swagger stick protruded from under his left arm.
Saavik handled the simulator controls with competence. She had a girl’s face, with full lips and cheeks, yet the stoic demeanor common among her people made her seem older than she was. Saavik had been assigned to assist with the flight simulations because of her exceptional expertise in warp navigation, despite being a cadet.
“Watching her go through the simulation, Torias knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he was officially thanked and shown to the door. After the Excelsior was commissioned and Captain Styles took command of the project, there would be dozens of experienced Starfleet pilots lining up to cross the transwarp threshold. A Trill volunteer wouldn’t have a chance.
“Nearing critical velocity,” Saavik reported.
Torias’s reflection in the glass of the simulator looked grim; a tall, slender, dark-haired man. Captain Styles was much closer to the window, with his thinning hair and trim mustache catching the light. Torias wished that Styles wouldn’t lean so close to Nilani’s upswept hair. He was practically breathing down her neck, making her auburn curls shift against her collar. But Nilani was concentrating on the simulation and she didn’t notice anything else around her.
“The warp 10 threshold has been crossed,” Saavik announced.
Torias was disturbed by Saavik’s calm, assured tone. Not that he had anything against Saavik. She was a good kid—a genuine sentiment, though one undoubtedly amplified by the warm memories he’d inherited of Vulcans known to Dax’s previous hosts.
But Saavik and the other Starfleet pilots represented an end to his dreams. Torias had worked too hard for this project to lose his chance now. The transwarp shuttle, the Infinity, was ready to fly. So was he.
“I’m reading minimal fluctuations in the warp frequency,” Nilani reported. “They’re within an acceptable margin of error.”
“Well done!” Captain Styles was as pleased as if he had piloted the simulation himself.
Saavik left the simulator room as Lt. Lahra congratulated the cadet. “That was the best run we’ve had so far, Saavik.”
Saavik shrugged off the compliment. “I compensa
ted by recalibrating the field symmetry of the dilithium crystals. However I believe the fluctuations indicate there is a malfunction in the triangulation of the navigational system.”
“I’ve been worried about the differential velocity, too,” Nilani agreed. “The numbers work, but what if there’s an unknown factor that is uncounted for by the simulation?”
Captain Styles let out a disbelieving snort of laughter. “Then why was Saavik’s run clean?”
“The fluctuations appear to be random,” Nilani said slowly.
“Perhaps additional theoretical work is needed before a test flight takes place,” Saavik suggested.
Lt. Lahra and Professor Pokano joined in the discussion, considering the possibilities. Since warp 10 was theoretically infinite velocity, it should be possible to occupy every point in the universe simultaneously. But they didn’t know if the navigational array would work in transwarp.
Torias patiently waited until the scientists were brought back to the same point. They couldn’t answer their own questions because they were dealing with the unknown.
That’s when he stepped forward. “We’ve done everything we can do in simulations. We won’t know for sure until I test the transwarp shuttle at full impulse power.”
“Quite right,” Captain Styles agreed. “The only way to find out is to forge ahead.”
Lt. Lahra and Professor Pokano agreed. Even Saavik nodded. Only Nilani was frowning slightly in concern. Torias resolutely avoided her eyes.
Styles saluted them with his stick. “Congratulations everyone. The test will proceed at oh-nine-hundred tomorrow morning. It will be a momentous event, a fitting kickoff for the commissioning ceremonies of the Excelsior.”
Torias spent some time with Saavik going over the recalibrations of the field symmetry she had used to compensate for the warp frequency fluctuation in the dilithium crystals. Then he filed his report on the daily simulator run. He was pleased when he received his flight orders for the test the next day.
After that, he transported back to the Excelsior. The starship was enormous, the first in its class. A skeleton crew was already on board installing the transwarp core and running induction diagnostics on the systems. The Excelsior even had that new-ship smell; a hint of fresh coolant fluid, synthetic fibers, and recently scrubbed tritanium. Torias thought it was invigorating, but then again, he lived to fly new starships.
Torias and Nilani had been assigned quarters on board the Excelsior when the Infinity was transferred from the Daystrom Institute. Their rooms were clearly guest quarters rather than standard crew accommodations.
Though Torias knew that Nilani would be waiting for him, he stopped by the hangar deck to take one more look at the Infinity.
A security guard challenged Torias before recognizing him as part of the development team. Captain Styles had heightened security several weeks ago when the team informed him they were close to a breakthrough.
Torias paced around the Infinity, as familiar as an old friend. He had helped develop the structure of the shuttle and its appealing ergonomic style. The bow came to a low point, and the hull swept back at a sharp angle. The nacelles were tucked underneath the body of the shuttle.
Torias wished the commissioning of the Excelsior had been delayed a week or two, allowing them to complete the flight test in a quiet, professional manner. But Captain Styles liked to make an impact, and he was using the transwarp project for every bit of notoriety it could bring him.
Dignitaries were already arriving to view the flight test. The chief of Starfleet Command himself, Admiral Morrow, had transported up from Starfleet Headquarters and was staying in his quarters aboard Spacedock. Nilani had mentioned that another noteworthy member of Starfleet brass, Admiral Kirk, was coming in tonight from the Academy.
Torias still half-expected a hand to fall on his shoulder, informing him that he had been replaced with a Starfleet pilot for the flight test. It would surely complicate diplomatic relations with Trill if he was replaced at this late date, but they were dealing with a great deal of power in this project. Transwarp technology could transform interstellar travel and change the way everyone lived.
Torias ran his hand along the port hull of the Infinity. There was a lot of activity on the hangar deck with technicians noisily adjusting a bent pylon on another shuttle nearby. But Torias had eyes only for his ship. Together they would make history.
His fingers brushed over the name. The waiting was over. Tomorrow he would reach for infinity.
When Torias returned to their quarters, he found Nilani hunched over her tricorder. Her brow was furrowed and one foot rapidly tapped the table in front of the couch. A sure sign she was distressed.
“What have you got there?” Torias leaned over and kissed the top of her head. He breathed in deeply the fresh scent of her hair.
“The readouts from your simulator run,” Nilani said without looking up.
“Aren’t you going to give me a kiss?” Torias asked plaintively. “I’ve had a hard day busting the warp 10 barrier, you know.”
Nilani raised her head to return his kiss.
“Mmm ...” Torias murmured. “That’s a better way to greet your loving mate.” He went toward the food slot. “What do you want to eat tonight?”
“It doesn’t matter to me.” Nilani returned to the readouts on her tricorder.
Torias could see it wasn’t going to be easy to distract her, so he didn’t bother. While she worked on the mathematical calculations of the transwarp drive, he dialed up their dinner. He asked for samples of a dozen of their favorite foods, many of them discovered while they were working at the Daystrom Institute.
He ordered the computer to play some Trill bell music for background ambiance, while he set out one glass of a bubbly celebratory wine that was popular on Earth. None for him tonight. He had to be sharp tomorrow for the flight test. Tomorrow night he would share a whole bottle with his wife.
“Dinner’s served,” Torias announced.
Nilani looked confused, as if she hadn’t realized what he was doing.
“Put that away,” he told her. “Let’s spend some time together.”
Nilani sat down across from him, her sweet face unusually serious. “I’m worried about the flight test tomorrow. I don’t think the shuttle is ready.”
“It’s ready.” Torias scooped up some of the crispy shellfish she liked. He fed her one and her lips automatically closed around it. “Even if it does blow up, I’ll be wearing the emergency transporter suit, so I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t say that,” Nilani protested with a shudder.
“You should be glad.” Torias leaned closer. “We’ve done it! We’ve worked nonstop for months to develop transwarp, and we’ve done it.”
“But there are so many unknowns in multi-spectral subspace mechanics—”
“And tomorrow, we’ll know more,” he interrupted. “I fully expect there’ll be a few kinks to work out. That’s what flight testing is all about, to work out the last details.”
“But it’s so dangerous ...” Nilani murmured, bending her head.
“It’s my job,” Torias reminded her. “You knew that when you married me. I’ve been training for this for months, wearing that infernal ETS.”
Nilani actually smiled at the thought of the days he had spent in the emergency transporter suit; flying the shuttle, walking through the corridors of Excelsior, even while he was eating dinner. But it had conditioned his reaction time to the bulky, mesh-line jumpsuit and helmet. In effect, the ETS was a modern analog to the ejection seats of some primitive aircraft. The suit was a pattern enhancer designed to relay homing telemetry to a transporter on board the Excelsior that was on constant standby.
“It’s not as dangerous as you’re imagining,” Torias said lightly. “I think you worry too much because you don’t know what you’d do without me—”
Nilani shook her head and raised her hand to his lips to stop him.
“Then come here and kiss me.” Tori
as insisted on pulling her closer to sit on his knees.
She laughed and cuddled into his lap, returning his kisses. The bell music played on.
After that, it was all right. They talked about everything but the flight test as they sampled the delicious food. Nilani told him that Lt. Lahra was going to recommend her for a permanent post on the Excelsior to assist in training the Starfleet engineers in transwarp theory. Torias was agreeable to staying on with Starfleet, but Nilani thought it would be difficult working with Captain Styles.
So they talked about returning to Trill where they could create their own transwarp design facility. Nilani seemed to prefer that idea. Torias didn’t care where they went, as long as they were together. No long separations for them. If they had to, they would take turns helping each other further their careers. That’s why a Trill transwarp facility appealed to both of them. Torias could train the pilots while Nilani headed up the developmental design team.
Torias stood up with Nilani in his arms, spinning her around the room. Their sleek Starfleet quarters suddenly felt very alien. “Then let’s plan on going home, what do you say?” Torias asked.
Nilani’s arms tightened around his neck. “Yes! As soon as I get clearance to copy the data on our research.”
“That should be no trouble; it’s part of our technological exchange agreement,” Torias said.
“But there’s the commissioning ceremonies for the Excelsior day after tomorrow,” Nilani said doubtfully.
“I know you want to meet this Admiral Kirk everyone’s talking about,” Torias teased, rubbing his nose against hers. “I don’t mean that soon.”
“It’s not just Kirk,” Nilani protested. “It’ll be exciting to see the Excelsior launched. And I’d like to incorporate the results from the flight test tomorrow. ...”
Torias silenced her with kisses before she could get worried again about the test. He carried her into their bedroom. It didn’t matter when they left or how long they stayed. They had their whole lives ahead of them.
STAR TREK: DS9 - The Lives of Dax Page 17
