Nina, Octavius and Investigations
Nina thought more about the rescue. There was certainly more to it than that. She then checked the console and saw that the TARDIS didn’t see anything unusual in that data. ‘I’ll look over it this evening,’ she thought.
She went straight to the Bugle.
Betty showed Nina the room where the archives were stored. “That is a lot,” Nina said, seeing that there was only a small amount of walking space in that room.
“Yes,” Betty said. “The Bugle was founded early in the last century, and Jameson bought it nineteen years ago. He wants you to build the archive in reverse.”
“So, literally backwards?”
“Yes.”
“I can do that.”
“Good,” Betty said in an encouraging tone.
She soon, got to work. Some of the information was interesting.
On Baffin, Aialah started her duty shift. As she entered the Bridge, she could see that Alpha was reading something from a PADD whilst sitting in the Command Chair and Eta was looking at something on Science Station 1. She also saw the Pilot make minor course correction. She looked at Earth’s Moon on the viewscreen. 'Quite interesting that it's tidally locked,' she thought, as those of her home weren't, although their rotations were in resonance with their orbits. ‘Maybe because it’s so big relative to the planet?’ she considered.
Alpha put the PADD down. “Good morning,” she said.
“Not sure why we have synchronized the shipboard time to American Eastern Standard Time,” she groused. Earth rotated a couple hours a day slower than her world.
“Given that Nina's there,” Alpha said.
“Right,” Aialah said. She went over to Eta. “You have found any further information?”
“Not much. It seems to have been classified by the National Security Agency,” Eta answered as Aialah sat at the other Science station.
“I see.”
“Uh!”
“Uh?” Aialah asked.
“It seems an organisation called the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division is also involved. But I can’t find much on them either. Just the fact of their existence. Whatever data they have, it must be stored offline.”
“I’ll help you find out.”
“Thanks.”
Somewhere in a nondescript office in the District of Columbia, a phone rang. “Coulson here,” the man said.
“The hack is continuing. The Agency may be compromised,” the woman on the other end said.
“Have you traced the origin yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Keep me informed.”
“I shall.”
“Uh oh!” Eta said.
“What?” Alpha asked.
“SHIELD is tracing our crack,” Eta said.
“SHIELD?” Aialah asked.
“That's what the acronym spells in Federation Standard, or as it's usually known on Earth, English,” Alpha answered.
“Oh, right,” Aialah said. “I guess I need to know more of that language.”
“It would probably be a good idea,” Eta said.
“But the trace back?” Alpha asked.
“It's still within the terrestial network,” Eta said.
“Still, I'll help,” Alpha decided.
In Engineering, Gamma checked over the Warp Core. It was working perfectly, without any problems. All the systems were working fine. She was tempted to deactivate herself again, but Alpha had decided that at least one Hologram would be on duty in Engineering at all times. She didn't fault her reasoning. She walked over to a panel and brought up the scans from Octavius' experiment again. There were many reasons why it had gone awry. “OK, replay it in real time.”
She watched as the experiment unfolded, and listened to the commentary Nina had recorded. 'Something...' she thought as the she watched the magnetic field increase. Maybe it was the fact that Octavius was using Tritium? Or was there something with the Tritium. 'OK, did Nina scan the Tritium container specifically? She checked, and saw that she didn't. 'It is a mystery then,' she thought. Or were there other such containers? “Gamma to Alpha.”
Alpha listened to Gamma's proposal. It seemed like a good idea. “We'll use the probes to scan the planet for more concentrated Tritium.”
“There's certainly something there,” Gamma said again.
“We're doing it now.”
“SHEILD is giving us the runaround,” Aialah said a while later.
“In that case, I think we should pause it, and check with Nina later to see if the TARDIS had gained the information yesterday,” Alpha decided.
“Sure,” Aialah said.
“We'll look at historical databases instead,” Eta decided.
“For now,” Aialah said.
During her lunch break, Nina saw a commotion in a nearby Bank. Something was happening. She took a moment to adopt the persona she had used the previous night, taking off her dress, showing the Starfleet uniform underneath. She then loosened her hair and put on her mask before taking out the quarterstaff. She took a moment to calm herself, then ran around a corner and entered the bank. She saw that Spider-Man was already on the scene and Octavius was throwing money bags at him.
How to stop Octavius? She could wonder why he was robbing a bank later. She could see Spider-Man having some sort of problem before Octavius knocked him down. “Octavius!” she called. He ignored her as he focused on Spider-Man and began squeezing his head with two of the actuators. She ran up as the superhero produced two webs and slammed two tables against his opponent.
There was a brief scuffle before Octavius was knocked into the street.
'Maybe Spider-Man doesn't really need help,' she thought as the two continued to fight. But then Octavius grabbed an old lady.
Nina ran after Octavius and his hostage. “Octavius!”
“I said don't follow me!” Octavius said as he looked up a nearby building.
“I'm not a cop,” Nina said, but Octavius then began climbing up the building. “OK...” She tapped her combadge. “Nina to Baffin. Octavius tried to rob a bank and is now escaping with a hostage. He's climbing a building with her.”
Aialah brought up the scan of the situation as a response to Nina’s request. Alpha took a closer look at it. “Certainly, but Spider-Man is on the scene. He may see,” she said. But there was another issue. “Also, Baffin is too far away. Transporter range is only 45000 km.”
“I don't think that would be a violation of General Order One. And couldn't the probes be used as relays?”
“They don't work that way. Adding a teleporting superhero where one doesn't already exist might be,” Alpha said. Her and Aialah’s researches had proven that Spider-Man was unique.
“Don't the shuttles have transporters and be controlled remotely?”
“That can work. Their functions can be controlled from the Bridge,” Alpha said. She turned to Aialah. “Start up the Calgary.”
“Aye, Alpha,” Aialah said.
She then turned to the Pilot. “Program her to take up a geosynchronous orbit above the 74 degrees west longitude.”
“Aye.”
“Shuttle is ready for launch,” Aialah reported.
“Launch!”
Nina watched as Octavius continued to climb the building. “I’m sure ‘Spidey’ will be here soon,’ she thought.
“Shuttle is in position,” Alpha reported.
“Energize!”
Nina materialised at the top of the building. She looked down. She saw that Octavius was still quite low down, but she didn't see Spider-Man. “OK, beam me to a floor which is a few higher than Octavius' position.”
“Sure.”
She materialised in an office, startling the various workers.
“Sorry!” she said, as she noticed the vibrations caused by Octavius' actuators piercing brickwork. “He's close!” she said. “Evacuate!” she said.
Then Octavius came by the window. She tapped the commbadge. “Up another three levels.”
“Acknowledged.”
She materialised and ran to the nearest window, which she smashed by extending the staff against it. Octavius had stopped a level above.
“Hand her over!” Spider-Man said.
“Of course,” Octavius said as Nina clambered out the window, her hearts beating fast.
“Easy now!” Spider-Man said as he reached for the hostage.
'No No No!' Nina thought as her panic started rising. Octavius then let the hostage go; letting her fall towards the ground!
“Baffin!” Nina started before Spider-Man shot a web line, catching the falling woman. He flung her upwards. Octavius then started laying into Spider-Man.
'His focus is on him,' Nina thought quickly. There was definitely something she could do.
“Spider-Man's on the scene,” Aialah reported as Nina climbed out the window, dodging falling masonry.
Spider-Man knocked Octavius aside and began climbing.
Nina looked at Octavius, who began to climb up after him. “No!” she cried out, only to have an actuator knock her off the building! “Baffin, emergency beam up!” She panicked for a second or two, before she felt a transporter beam.
She materialised aboard the Calgary.
“Report,”Alpha ordered.
“I'm fine. Octavius knocked me off the building,” Nina reported.
“Are you sure you want to do what you're doing?” Alpha asked with concern.
“Yes!” Nina said, although she wasn't entirely sure. “Beam me back.”
“Wait a moment, Spider-Man and Octavius have fallen off the building.”
“Beam me close to the hostage.”
“Energizing!”
Nina materialised and then smashed the window, startling the older lady. “It's OK,” she said holding her hand out. The lady grabbed onto the offered hand. Nina then helped the lady through the window. But not quickly enough.
“I see Spider-Man has a new side kick,” Octavius said as he smashed his way through after them.
“It's a coincidence,” Nina said as she stood in front of the lady. “We're not working together.”
“Hand her over!” Octavius said.
“No!” Nina said. She could see Spider-Man behind the new villain.
“I know you're there,” Octavius said. Rather quickly he used two actuators to grab both Nina and the older lady!
Spider-Man saw Octavius emerge from the room with both Aunt May and a disguised young lady. “Let them go!” he said.
“No! You've stuck your webs in my business for the last time! You are going to have either of these women's death on your conscience!”
“Shame on you!” he heard Aunt May whisper.
Whatever happened, he knew he would try to rescue Aunt May first. “Sorry,” he whispered to the younger lady. At least he didn't have to choose between Aunt May and MJ. Octavius then flung both of them in opposite directions. He then moved after Aunt May.
Nina saw Spider-Man go after the older woman. 'Of course,' she thought. She waited another second before calling for yet another emergency transport.
Peter sighed a sigh of relief as he caught Aunt May. But there was still time to catch the younger lady. He looked back and saw a strange light, but no sign of her. That was something to think about but first he had to get his aunt on the ground.
“We sure showed him,” Spider-Man said once they were on the ground.
“What do you mean 'we'?' May said. She didn't do anything.
“Oh.”
“And I know you weren't able to save the other woman. Sometimes people have to choose.”
“I know,” Spider-Man said quietly. He then shot a web and swung away.
Nina breathed deeply after materialising on the Calgary. The events were catching up to her. She thought of going back to the TARDIS and the Zero Room, but she also needed to go back to the Bugle.. “OK, beam me back to the Bank.”
“Are you sure?” Alpha asked.
“I have to get back to the Bugle. It's near there,” Nina responded.
“OK,” Alpha said.
Nina materialised and quicky found the dress she had taken off. She then rushed back to the Bugle offices. “Miss Lumber!” It was Jameson. “I'd like you to meet someone.”
“Who?” Nina asked as she entered Jameson's office.
“This is Peter Parker.”
'Good,' Nina thought. “Nice to meet you,” she said to the younger man. She shook his offered hand.
“Parker takes photos of that wall crawling menace,” Jameson explained.
Parker gave a look of annoyance. “I keep saying.”
“I know that, Parker. I understand you have photos of that incident with Doctor Octopus.”
“Doctor Octopus?” Peter asked incredulously.
“Professor Octavius. I came up with the nickname earlier today!” Jameson explained.
“Doesn't seem respectful,” Nina commented.
“Did I ask your opinion?” Jameson asked.
“I have the photos,” Peter interjected.
“Good! It will make a great first page tomorrow. Doctor Octopus and Spider-Man rob bank and take hostages!”
“That's not what I heard,” Nina said.
“Did I ask your opinion? Get back to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
Peter watched Nina as she left. He turned back to Jameson. “He was trying to rescue the hostages Octavius took,” he argued.
“I don't pay you to argue. I pay you to take pictures.”
“Yes, sir.”
Back on Baffin, Alpha finished looking over the scans of the battle with Octavius after he had left the bank. 'Crewman Nina is being reckless,' she thought. “Maybe if she had a parachute?”
“What?” Aialah asked.
“What is Nina thinking?”
“I'm thinking that she is trying to help, like when she rescued me.”
“That's certainly something to think about,” Alpha considered.
As Nina scanned in another page she saw Peter come over.””Hi, Nina,” he said.
“Hi Peter,” she said as response.
“That was a good comment there,” he said.
“Which comment?” she asked, although she had some idea.
“That the 'Doctor Octopus' moniker isn't a respectful one for Professor Octavius.”
Nina nodded as she grabbed another article. “I see you try to stand up for Spider-Man.”
“He does good for the city,” Peter said in a tone that suggested that he wasn't really sure.
“I've looked at the records since I have arrived,” she said.
“You're not from New York?”
“No, I'm from out west,” Nina answered. She had to give some answer.
“Oh.”
“Back to Spider-Man.”
“As I said, he does do good for the city,” Peter said, just as unsure as before.
“You sound unsure.”
“He's said that he's having trouble with his powers.”
“What kind of trouble?” Nina asked.
“He couldn't explain it,” Peter said quietly.
Nina could tell he didn't really want to tell her that.
“I'll let you get back to work.”
As Peter left, Nina wasn't sure what to make of what he had divulged.
“More chatter in the White House,” Aialah said. “The Director of SHEILD is meeting the President.”
“He certainly knows something,” Alpha surmised.
“It would be risky to evesdrop,” Zeta said.
“Could we beam a tricorder down from the Calgary?” Aialah asked.
“No, it could be discovered rather easily,” Alpha said. “A definite violation of the Prime Directive would ensue.”
“It has replicators, right?” Aialah asked. “We could disguise one?”
“I'm not sure that would work,” Alpha considered. “And it will take a while to design the disguised tricorder. Probably long enough that the meeting would be over first.”
Aialah nodded.
Having been stimied with that; Alpha decided to take a different track. To look over the internet information for strange events.
Upon leaving the Bugle that afternoon Nina filled Alpha in on what Peter had divulged.
“So, you think something is happening with Spider-Man?” Alpha asked.
“It certainly seems like it,” Nina answered. “I didn't want to pry too much, but I'll keep looking for him.”
“According to our investigations here, it seems that there is more to this Earth than it appears,” Alpha said.
“Oh?”
“There is much in the data from the internet,” Alpha said.
“Of course.”
“We're still going through it. But there seems to be rumors of magic within New York City at a place called the Santum Sanctorum. The location references are contradictory, but it most often refers to a place in Greenwich Village.”
“I'll keep an eye out for it.”
Alpha considered what Nina had divulged. 'He could be struggling with something to do with his powers,' he thought. 'Or maybe it's his life balance.' She wasn't sure. She checked the sensor data from the probes. There wasn't any activity at Cape Canveral or Baikonur that hadn't been planned. Neither the United States nor Russia suspected that Earth was being observed from space. 'Good,' she thought. Despite the references they had found to the Sanctum Sanctorum earlier, they hadn't detected anything unusual that would be indicative of magic. She remembered that Baffin had visited various Earths where some kind of magic existed during their journey. She decided to look over those encounters. 'Wait!' she thought. 'Maybe Aialah would have a different perspective.' There wasn't magic in her world, but it's variety of speculative fiction seemed to be as rich as that of Earth.
Aialah took in what Alpha had divulged. That the Baffin crew had encountered worlds where there was magic. Most of them were version of Earth of course. “I'll have a look at the list,” she said to Alpha.
“Sure.”
“Let's see,” Aialah said.
Undead in Romania
The Nordic Ice Queen
The British Hidden Society
Hidden Places in Japan
Miraculous Family in the Colombian Highlands
“Undead?” Aialah asked with a shudder. “Or maybe the Nordic Ice Queen instead? Or the British Hidden Society?”
“Your choice,” Alpha said.
“Of course. Computer, compare how long Baffin spent at each version of Earth listed.”
Undead in Romania: Eight Months, three days.
The Nordic Ice Queen: Three months, four days.
The British Hidden Society: Two Years, six months, ten days.
Hidden Places in Japan: Five Months, seven days
Miraculous Family in the Colombian Highlands: Four months, two days
Aialah wasn't sure which one to start with. “The Nordic Ice Queen is the shortest and the British Hidden Society is the longest.”
“You don't have to go through all of it at once,” Alpha said, seeing that Aialah was indecisive.
“Of course not,” Aialah said. “I'll start with the Nordic Ice Queen.”
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