Deep Gate 14

This time, the holodeck was programmed for some idealized version of a mediaeval castle, all marble pillars and mosaic floors and sunlight streaming through stained glass windows. Vast double doors groaned open at T'Shal's approach, and she passed through them into the main hall.

There was a circular table, made of wood polished to an impeccable sheen, and easily ten metres across. High-backed chairs stood evenly spaced around it. Vansittaert was in his seat, the one with gilded flowers on the armrests, a faint and unconvincing smile on his long face. Behind him, his three holographic flunkies stood in a row, each one dressed in a heraldic tabard.

T'Shal and Tarul had dressed simply, again. Shemosh was there, in white, and Karabadian was in black and white formal attire, though this time Khoklova had chosen a scarlet cocktail dress. The two new faces, of course, were dressed in black. Starfleet uniform black.

The Caitian, M'eioi, was slender and black-furred, the plainness of her uniform broken only by the metallic gold of her insignia, and the blue stripe of Science Division. She was accompanied by what looked, at first, to be a human female - but a second glance showed metallic eyes in her too-flawless face. A Starfleet android. Engineering Division, to judge by the insignia. Both of them had PADDs in their hands. M'eioi's grass-green eyes were darting in all directions, taking everything in.

"Admiral M'eioi," said Vansittaert. "I'm delighted you could join us. Let me present my chief academic staff for the Deep Gate project. Professor T'Shal of Shi'Latara University -" T'Shal nodded politely at M'eioi, received an equally polite nod in return.

"- and her principal assistant Dr. Tarul, Academician Shemosh of the Deltan Science Institute -" Shemosh smiled and raised a hand in a vague salute.

"- and Professor Emeritus Anatoly Iulianovich Karabadian, of the University of Spitak, and his assistant Miss Khokhlova."

"Delighted to make your acquaintance, Admiral," said Karabadian.

"Likewise, I'm sure," said M'eioi. "I didn't catch your, ah, assistant's area of expertise -?"

"Oh, my dear Natalia is not concerned with academic qualifications," said Karabadian. "She is a descendant, you know, of the great Khokhlova, Olga of that name, she who served as inspiration for the genius Picasso - and, like her ancestress, Natalia is an inspiration. A muse."

"I don't doubt it," said M'eioi. "Well, I'm Admiral M'eioi of Starfleet Science Division, as I'm sure you all know, and this is my assistant, Commander Pearl. And these three, err, gentlemen -?" She pointed towards Vansittaert's holograms.

"Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Boucher and Mr. Calvert are holographic constructs," said Vansittaert. "They help me in holodeck meetings like this one."

"We function as amanuenses, from time to time," said Abercrombie.

"As representatives, deputies, advisors or general factotums," said Boucher.

"We perform a wide variety of ancillary functions," said Calvert.

"Very useful, no doubt," said M'eioi. Her gaze dropped briefly to the PADD, then turned towards Vansittaert. "You've assembled an interesting inter-disciplinary team here, Mr. Vansittaert."

"Necessary," said Vansittaert, "for our investigation of the Sokek object."

"Yes," said M'eioi, slowly and doubtfully. She looked down at the PADD in her black paw. "Sokek objects are entirely hypothetical... or so we thought. You really have proof that GO4704 is a Sokek object?"

"My experts are very good," said Vansittaert.

"Good enough to activate GO4704?" asked M'eioi. T'Shal stared at her in open puzzlement.

"I'm not sure I understand you, Admiral," said Vansittaert.

"The anomaly has been stimulated," said M'eioi. "By radiation beams targeted through subspace rifts. We've linked this to a specific ship, a privateer with Imperial registration, that's been moving between the origin points of the rifts. One rift resulted in the destruction of an Orion science facility, so, as you can imagine, Starfleet is taking this situation very seriously. As are the Orions, of course."

Vansittaert shifted in his chair, and his lips twitched and formed themselves into an uncomfortable smile. "Again, Admiral, with respect, I'd ask you to elucidate."

"Someone's stimulating the anomaly," said M'eioi. "And now you've turned up, with a team for studying this anomaly and a plan for using it. I don't think anyone can be blamed for -"

"Ah, I understand," Vansittaert interrupted. "You think the two events are connected. Well, of course they are. We have seen the activation of the Sokek object, and that data's confirmed our final hypotheses about it. We're here to see the next phase in action. The stimulation, as you put it, told us we had to be here."

"So who is stimulating the anomaly?" asked M'eioi. "Do you know? We'll have the ship, this Beauregard, in custody soon enough - but I'm wondering if I can get the answer quicker by asking you. Sir."

"If I may." All heads turned towards Shemosh, as the Deltan spoke for the first time. "It is, in fact, possible - likely, even - that the anomaly is not being stimulated, as you put it, Admiral."

"That's... not consistent with our observations, sir," said M'eioi.

"Nonetheless," said Shemosh with a faint smile, "I believe it to be the case. I draw your attention to the technical appendix, section 5-C, Admiral."

M'eioi frowned as she looked up the reference. T'Shal consulted her own PADD, resisted the impulse to quirk an eyebrow. "Antichroniton radiation?" M'eioi asked doubtfully.

"Faint, but undeniably present," said Shemosh. "We always think in terms of cause preceding effect, but the presence of an anti-time field should serve to modify our views."

"Of course!" said Vansittaert. "The fully active object is influencing time in reverse! It's creating the conditions for its own existence!"

"What about the Orion facility?" asked M'eioi. "Or the Beauregard?"

"The anti-time subspace rift might have an innate tropism towards any mechanism that can create it," murmured Shemosh. "Like lightning striking a high point... the Orions may simply have created a lightning rod. As for the Beauregard - who knows? Perhaps it is a simple investigator, like ourselves."

"That is entirely possible." Abercrombie spoke up.

"We have conducted database searches," Boucher added. "The Beauregard's captain, Carayl Quon, is a joined Trill whose symbiote has a substantial academic track record in the pure sciences."

"It is entirely consistent that such a being should be intrigued by an unusual phenomenon and wish to investigate it," said Calvert.

M'eioi's whiskers twitched. T'Shal thought she was on the verge of saying something, then seemed to decide against it.

"Perhaps we should attempt to recruit this Quon, then," said Vansittaert cheerfully. "She might have something to contribute to our enterprise."

"I'm still not clear, sir, what your enterprise actually is," said M'eioi. "You're not here just to study the object - you have some other end in view, as far as I can gather. What is it?"

"Ah, yes." Vansittaert leaned forwards, put his elbows on the conference table, and steepled his hands. His face was very grave. "We plan to open the Deep Gate, Admiral."

"That sounds... very impressive, sir. But what does it actually mean?"

"Professor T'Shal has provided us with a sound theoretical basis. Academician Shemosh has identified an actual site where we can test our theories. And Professor Karabadian is furnishing us with the tools we need. The Sokek object is a singularity within a zero-mass black hole, Admiral. As such, it is... accessible... in ways which are not available for an ordinary singularity. We plan to open the gate. To unlock the interior of the singularity, and bring out the cornucopia of wealth within."

"In theory, just about anything can be pulled out of a singularity," said M'eioi. "We know this. In practice, you'd need to wait several times longer than the lifespan of the universe before anything more complex than random radiation emerged from it, by chance alone. The Roms can manipulate low-mass singularities up to a point - throttling down the rate of Hawking evaporation, so they can use the singularity as a reliable power source - but I think it's pushing things, to call that a cornucopia of wealth."

"Quite so, Admiral, quite so." The uneasy smile reappeared on Vansittaert's face. "If it were a matter of random chance, yes. But Professor Karabadian's work on psionic interfaces will allow us to bypass random chance. We can synchronize the event horizon of the extinct black hole with the psi frequencies of a sentient mind. When that mind conceives of something... the singularity will respond."

T'Shal cleared her throat. "I would advise caution with regard to these hypotheses," she began.

"Ah, yes," said Vansittaert. "Professor T'Shal is always sensibly cautious, when it comes to our flights of fancy. Her viewpoint is a valuable one. But I have no doubt that we will overcome our difficulties. Think about it, Admiral. A truly post-scarcity economy. One in which your every need can be met with a mere thought. This ship -" He waved one long hand in an expansive gesture. "It's impressive, is it not? A mobile science station with every conceivable amenity, every imaginable facility. I imagine you would find a vessel like this very useful, Admiral. It took years to design, cost billions to build. You could have one like it, for no more than a wish."

M'eioi closed her eyes, then opened them again, slowly. "That seems... worrying, in some ways. Who would control this thing?"

"Oh, Admiral." Vansittaert's smile was indulgent, patronizing. "Why would anyone need to control it? The singularity can make duplicates of itself - or, since it can operate at any distance, a simple control unit can be developed, and distributed to everyone. Without exception. A total and permanent end to any form of want or scarcity."

M'eioi made no response. Silence fell around the conference table, lasted long enough to become uncomfortable.

It was broken by the Starfleet android, who up to then had been sitting, silent and still as a statue, by M'eioi's side. "Sir. Signal from the Amphicyon. Captain Surella has intercepted the Beauregard and has Captain Quon in custody."

M'eioi's ears and whiskers twitched. "I'd better deal with that," she said. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Vansittaert. And your data." She held up the PADD in her hand. "I'll study this very carefully, and, well, we'll talk again."

"Gladly, Admiral." There was actually a twinkle in Vansittaert's eye. "Gladly."