Cascading Echoes

Cascade Experiment

SPORE LAB

"He appears to be holding up fine," Ensign Olly Heathrow said, adjusting the containment on the spore reaction cube as Lieutenant Stamets' eyes rolled back into his head.

The transparent chamber, glowing with millions of tiny fluorescent spores, came fully online. Lieutenant Stamets, reclined inside the bio-cradle, lay strapped in, connected to the device through various injection prongs in his forearms. The cradle, designed as a human-spore interface, allowed Stamets and Discovery to connect directly to the mycelial network through osmosis. The prongs injected mycelial fluid mixed with ripper DNA into Stamets' bloodstream—ripper being an alien tardigrade-like microorganism that lived symbiotically with the mycelial spores.

Tapping into the network through the chamber, Stamets was able to phase Discovery into the mycelial plane, allowing the ship to travel anywhere in the universe almost instantaneously, as though moving by thought. The act caused space and time to fold in on themselves, enabling Discovery to slip through the folds of reality.

"The lieutenant is only partially immersed," Ensign Sylvia Tilly said, standing over Olly at the monitoring station. "Spore saturation rate is at thirty-two percent and holding. It's the first time we've attempted this... he's ever attempted this. I need to know immediately if there are any changes in his bio-signs."

Standing nearby, a med-tech observed the readings closely. "All bio-signatures are slightly elevated, but brain waves and heart rate remain stable," she confirmed.

Olly glanced at the readings and muttered, "I still wonder why Starfleet needs a probe capable of interacting with the mycelial network. After the destruction of the U.S.S. Glenn, Discovery's the only ship in the fleet capable of using it."

"They're obviously studying the full range of applications for mycelial theory and mechanics," Tilly replied, regulating the germination rate of the spores within the chamber. "After the conflict with the Klingons, I'm sure they're more motivated than ever to understand what the spore drive can really do."

Olly nodded. "Makes sense. A lot of people gave their lives for the Federation during the war."

Tilly's face grew more solemn. She recalled one of her closest friends, Ensign Yanbu Ur, who had been among those lost. Yanbu, a Communication Officer aboard the U.S.S. Europa, had died when a cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey rammed the ship, destroying both vessels in the opening days of the war. Tilly remembered Yanbu as quiet and reserved, often feeling out of place among the diverse species in Starfleet. Their friendship, though seemingly unusual, had worked perfectly—Tilly, always the talker, had spoken for both of them, while Yanbu had quietly observed the world around her.

"They died defending us," Tilly said softly. "They kept their oath to Starfleet and their crews. It would be naïve to think we could ever go back to the way things were before their deaths."

Olly offered a small nod of respect.

"Ensign Tilly, we're ready to begin phase two of testing," Commander Saru's voice came through the comms.

"Lieutenant Stamets is prepped, and you may proceed, Commander," Tilly responded, then hesitated. "But, Mr. Saru, may I suggest we proceed with caution? We're all still new at this."

"Your concerns are noted, Ensign," Saru replied, his tone calm and measured.

MAIN BRIDGE

In silence, the bridge crew watched as the probe's thrusters fired, sending the slender device crashing into the surface of the orange giant star. It's strange, translucent form phased in and out of dimensions as it descended, slowly disappearing into the sun's fiery atmosphere.