Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Despite the desperate need for sleep, Jetta Dowe couldn’t let it find her. Consistent planning and debate with the Kaelthri had been maticlious and slow–not even considering the remaining two planets inhabitable consistently at each others throats. What had been the worst part, however?

Plimmitt.

The normally very levelheaded and calm Saurian had become increasingly uncooperative, adding more tension to the mix and even outright refusing to go forward with work. Despite Jetta’s threats of potential suspension, he knew she needed him here; and with Lieutenant Ruuvon out of the picture, there was barely anything that could be done without his help.

With each passing moment, the Captain of the USS Morro Bay found herself sucked back into the familiar feeling of unease when she thought back to the Kaelthri. The chances for anything to be completed in enough time to save them that would ensure stable wormhole passage was nearly impossible. But to find another solution in that same timeframe could take time they don’t have.

“Urrgrghhh…” Jetta sat upwards as she grabbed the PADD off her nightstand, glancing back at it. A dying sun, planets becoming increasingly inhabitable, and unrest among the people. With a yawn, she sat upwards and sauntered over to the replicator. “…Coffee. black.”

The Janeway Method, which was simply staying up late and drinking black coffee until a solution comes to you. As the replicator buzzed to life and brought the mug out in seconds, Jetta grabbed the drink and made her way to one of the chairs in her bedroom, PADD in the other hand. To create a new method of escape was difficult; and to find a way to help a whole system of people escape was even harder.

But did they have to leave?

The Captain’s eyes glanced above as the lighting in her room flickered. With a sigh, she tapped her badge. “Dowe to the bridge. Report?”

“Nothing serious, Captain. Is everything alright?”

“Yes, it is. I think some of the wiring in my room is faulty–I’ll have someone check it out later. Dowe out.”

As the lighting flickered once more, Jetta spoke to the Computer and asked it to turn the lights off; and just as she did, something caught her eye. The black coffee had a reflective glare to it, presumably from something outside. At first, she didn’t think much of it–until Captain Dowe noticed the tiniest bit of bubbling where light hit the liquid. It was faint–could even be potentially from her bumping into the table. But something about seeing the reaction made her think.

“Dowe to Ruuvon.” Jetta spoke as she tapped her badge. A heavy sigh came from across the comm as Plimmitt spoke.

“Yes, Captain?”

“If the Kaelthri people could use something almost like a magnifying glass on any of the stars in their system. Lesser ones, not their main–could it be possible to give them what they need for sunlight?” Jetta was already drafting something on her PADD.

“It’s. . . . possible, I think.” Plimmitt sounded awfully hesitant. “But one or two stars wouldn’t be able to do anything, Captain. They’d have to expand quite a lot of their resources just to get one ”magnifying glass” up and working.”

“Not unless they have an even larger magnifying glass waiting for them back home.” Jetta’s eyes lit up as something clicked. “Lieutenant, I’ll have something drafted up for you tomorrow. For now, I have to brainstorm. Thank you, Dowe out.” To her, if this could work, it would save everyone a lot of time. Even better?

It could potentially save the Kaelthri’s life.