Second Mission: The Delivery (Part 1.7) – Escape Velocity #Amalgaverse With an assist from the tractor beam, the jumper and its passengers make it safely back into the Enterprise’s shuttlebay.  But the rescue has come at a cost.  The Enterprise has been drawn dangerously close to the black hole. “Captain, the hull is under tremendous stress,”reports Pilot.  “The ship cannot hold this position for much longer.” Kirk orders full impulse.  The ship shudders, but the gravitational pull is too strong. Warp is out of the question.  This deep in the gravity well, space is curved too steeply for a normal warp field to form, and the attempt would tear the field apart, and the ship with it. Data, back at his station on the bridge, delivers the verdict: “Captain, at our current rate of drift, we have eleven minutes and forty seconds before escape becomes impossible by any means.” “Then let’s not waste any of them,”says Kirk.  “Ideas.” The resident nerds brainstorm and come up with three. Carter pitches the first: “Sir, a low-level warp field around the ship would reduce our effective mass.  The black hole’s grip on us would weaken, and impulse could finally pull us clear.  Then, once we’re far enough out, we go to warp.  But the calibration has to be perfect.  If the field destabilizes this close, we lose it, and the ship along with it.” McKay has a bolder and, in his opinion, better suggestion: “Or we stop running from it.  We dive towards the ergosphere, catch the black hole’s spin, and get flung out faster than we went in.  Absolutely brilliant in its elegance, but potentially catastrophic if my math is even slightly off.  Which it isn’t.” Thor offers a third option: “Your deflector array can be modified to project a counter-field ahead of the ship.  Within it, space will be flat enough for your warp drive to function.  It will, however, place considerable strain on your systems.” Time is running out and the event horizon looms ever closer.  Which plan do you go with? A) The warp bubble.  Carter’s slow steady climb out on impulse, if the calibration holds. B) The slingshot.  McKay’s dive towards the ergosphere for a faster way out, if his math is right. C) The counter-field.  Thor’s corridor lets you jump straight to warp, if the ship’s systems can take the strain. Choose! [END OF ACT ONE] TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS so that you don't miss a step on this mission! See below for our Previously On recap - or check out the glorious Amalagaverse website: amalgaverse.link/index.html by @ugorur

Second Mission: The Delivery (Part 1.6) – Point of No Return #Amalgaverse Jack considers the robot for a moment, then jerks his head towards the jumper: “Come on.” Everyone piles aboard, and the jumper eases out of the cruiser’s bay.  But as soon as it does, the black hole takes hold.  Jack pushes the thrusters to full, but the jumper can’t gain ground.  Slowly but surely, it starts sliding back towards the event horizon. Data, at the co-pilot’s station, notes: “Colonel, we are currently losing approximately four point three seven meters per second.” “I must insist we jettison all nonessential mass!”shouts Robespierre, eyeing Dunsel. “Thanks for volunteering,”says Jack, “but we’re not there.”  He throws Robespierre a look back over his shoulder.  Pointed: “Yet.” That shuts up the Federation official. Back on the Enterprise, Pilot reports from his cradle: “Captain…the jumper’s engines are at maximum, yet it continues to lose ground.  At this rate, it will be past the point of no return in a matter of microts.” “Tractor beam,”orders Kirk.  “Lock on and bring them home.” The tractor beam engages, takes hold of the jumper, and a tug of war begins.  The Enterprise strains against the black hole’s pull, but slowly, meter by meter, she starts winning, drawing the jumper back toward her. At tactical, Carter looks up from her console: “Sir, the mercenary shuttle is almost at the event horizon.  I’m reading two life signs aboard.  I can get a transporter lock, but not for long.” Over the comm, Harven Zax wastes no time: “Leave them!  Let’s the black hole have those gormless scoundrels!  They came to drag me off, and I’ll not weep to see them dragged off instead!” G’Kar is inclined to agree: “No one becomes a mercenary expecting to die in bed, Captain.  This is the end they chose.  It would be impolite to interrupt.” Garak sees it differently: “Dead men tell no tales, Captain, and I suspect that these two have a rather interesting one.” What’s your call? A) Beam them aboard.  Find out who hired them, at the cost of bringing two armed hired guns onto your ship. B) Let them fall.  Keep the Enterprise free of hostile strangers, but whatever they know goes with them. Choose! TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS so that you don't miss a step on this mission! See below for our Previously On recap - or check out the glorious Amalagaverse website: amalgaverse.link/index.html by @ugorur

Stargate concept art by James Robbins - Ronon's blade

Second Mission: The Delivery (Part 1.5) - "Dunsel" #Amalgaverse Over Robespierre's protests, Jack orders everyone to fall back to the bay.  You're abandoning ship. Once there, you're, about to board the puddle jumper, when you hear something from out in the corridor.  You throw a look to the open airlock. The ship’s battered utility robot peeks in, ducks out, then quickly clanks into the bay and stands there, making his presence known. “Hey, Dunsel!”says Milo, lighting up for the first time.  “Want to come with us?” “Out of the question,”snaps Robespierre.  “That rust bucket must weigh upwards of 60 kilograms!  An unacceptable risk.” “There is no need to mass shame,”says Data, coming to the little droid’s defense.  Then, he swings a look to Jack. What’s the call? A) Leave him behind.  Factor the cold equations: the extra weight makes the flight back all that much more difficult and dangerous. B) All aboard!  Give the little guy a lift and save him from going down with the ship Choose! TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS so that you don't miss a step on this mission! See below for our Previously On recap - or check out the glorious Amalagaverse website: amalgaverse.link/index.html by @ugorur