User:Woozamagoo
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| Blood Dilithium | |
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| Class |
Mineral Deposit |
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| Template:Phenomenon | |
"Blood Dilithium" is the term coined by the crew of the USS Merevek to describe strange formations of dilithium crystals found in the Gradin Belt after a massive subspace phase pulse passed through the region in October, 2400. Physically identical to naturally occurring dilithium in every way, the extreme speed with which blood dilithium grew on the surfaces of planets, moons and other celestial bodies was hitherto thought impossible. Growth locations have thus far only been observed in areas within five lightyears of various subspace anomalies in the region. Starfleet Science has put out a call for further studies on blood dilithium, particularly regarding the numerous reports of a violent terror instilled in the minds of telepathic species in close proximity to it.
History
The earliest reports on the appearance of new dilithium fields in the Gradin Belt date from October 14th, 2400 following the detection of a subspace phase pulse in the region eleven days earlier. News of its appearance quickly spread throughout the galaxy, attracting government and private mining operations alike to the area in the hopes of exploiting the new resource. Rumours of the new dilithium's strange effects on telepaths quickly bagan to circulate.
On October 28th, 2400 the USS Merevek became the first Starfleet vessel to perform a detailed analysis of the new dilithium. Operating on a diplomatic liaison mission near Turei space, the Merevek quickly diverted upon detecting dilithium deposits within the accretion disc of a 10km wide neutron star. The Merevek closed to a distance of 35,000km of the collapsed star’s core to obtain adequate sensor readings. Their course took them within the accretion disc itself, at extremely close range to high concentrations of new dilithium growing upon the rocky remains of planets that once orbited the collapsed star. Captain Correth later noted in her log that as the ship inched further through the jagged rubble, all eleven telepathic members of the ship’s crew reported a slow-building sense of unease. On moving within 10,000km of the most concentrated dilithium veins, abject terror began to rip through their minds.